In simplest terms, the four Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, describe the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. But in a more deeper sense they provide an allegory of human life and how we should live or lives by the principles of God's law and through the teachings of our saviour, Jesus Christ. Before the written Gospels, the stories of Jesus were transmitted orally. They were eventually written down to preserve the accounts of his words and deeds for future generations, in order to strengthen the faith of specific Christian communities, to help better understand the meaning of Jesus' ministry, and to assist in bringing the good news (the meaning of "Gospel") to unbelievers. The first three Gospels are considered the "Synoptics", meaning they share the same or common view. The Gospel of Matthew, while probably not written first, according to most biblical scholars, appears first due to his connection to the Old testament. Matthew emphasizes the links between Jesus' ministry and the Old Testament. In terms of geneology, Matthew directly connects Jesus with Abraham and David, which would indicate that he is demonstrating the relevance of Jesus to Jews. One of Matthew's major themes is the "Kingdom of Heaven" and emphasizes Jesus' teachings about what it means to be a citizen of that kingdom. The first four chapters of Matthews Gospel describes how Jesus' (Messiah) kingdom is prepared. He provides accounts of Jesus' birth; his early life life including the escape from Egypt and his return to Nazareth; his baptism by John the Baptist; and his overcoming of temptation in the desert by the devil. In chapters four to sixteen Matthew descriptively identifies many teachings and miracles of Jesus. These essentially announce the kingdom and provide the principles by which Christians should lead their lives. The teachings gives us insights on what faith truly means and what is possible when we turn to God. In chapters sixteen through 20, Matthew describes Jesus' preparation of the disciples for the coming kingdom. Jesus provides his teachings to them in the form of parables so that they may form a deeper understanding of the moral principles he is attemtping to convey unto them. Jesus also predicts his own betrayal and death. In his last eight chapters, 21-28, Matthew describes how Jesus offers his kingdom to all believers through his rejection, crucifixion, and resurrection (the ultimate triumph). Matthew's gospel terminates with his description of The Great Commission;
The Gospel of Mark is commonly viewed as the "memoirs" of the apostle Peter, and is a more condensed version of Matthew. It should be of note that some biblical scholars believe that Mark was a key source for Matthew and Luke. Unlike Matthew, Mark does not provide accounts of Jesus' birth and early life, but rather begins immediately with Jesus' entry into public life and his ministry. Mark does not mention Jewish laws or covenants as found found in the Old Testament, and alluded to by Matthew. He elevates Jesus as the servant of God for all people. Mark emphasizes that there is good news in Jesus Christ and refers to him as the Son of God and the Son of Man. Mark protrayed Jesus as the suffering servant who came to die, and as the Saviour for the entire world. During the time of Mark's writings the Roman Empire, as the dominant world power, had begun to harshly persecute Christians. It is believed that Mark wanted to encourage these suffering believers. In the first thirteen chapters of Mark's gospel he introduces the great Servant and provides accounts of the teachings and miracles of his ministry. While Mark does not provide the depth of description as found in the other gospels, he provides succinct highlights of Jesus' teachings. In chapters fourteen to twenty Mark describes the sacrificial death and resurrection of the great Servant. Fully forty percent of Marks gospel focuses on the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. Clearly demonstrating Mark's perception of Jesus as the suffering servant who ultimately rises to the right hand of God. This is can be witnessed by his last entry;
Of the first three gospels, the Gospel of Luke provides us with the widest variety of Jesus' teachings in the form of parables and events from the life of Jesus. Luke also provides his personal perspective of these events. Additionally, Luke emphasizes Jesus' focus on the poor and suffering. Essentially, Luke is the longest and most comprehensive gospel. In chapters one to three, Luke describes the birth, baptism, and early life of Jesus. However he provides a deeper breadth of description and perspective than does Matthew. For example, he goes into great detail of the infant Jesus' presentation in the temple, and the boy Jesus staying behind in the temple when Mary and Joseph were returning home:
In chapters four to twenty-one Luke, like Matthew and Mark, gives accounts of Jesus' activities and ministry. He does so in a similar manner by describing parables and miracles, but does so in a more explicative fashion, thus providing us with a deeper perspective of the accounts. In Luke's last chapters, twenty-two to twenty-four, he eloquently describes Jesus' last days on earth beginning with Judas' agreement to betray Jesus and ending with Jesus' ascension to heaven;
The Gospel of John is quite different from the Synoptic gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. During a time when people worshiped different Gods, John reveals that there is only one faith that worships a personal God who has sacrificial love. John's story identifies this God in the person of Jesus Christ. John explains the goal of his gospel very succinctly;
John captures our attention from the very beginning, demonstrating how something very simple can also be extremely profound;
John's gospel is distinguished from the other gospels by extensive looks at several characters; including Lazarus, Mary, and Martha; long speeches provided by Jesus; and lengthy conversations such as Jesus' discussion with Nicodemus, teaching at the last supper, and Jesus' interaction with Peter at the Sea of Galilee. In chapter one, as previously alluded to, John gives a detailed explanation of the "Word". In chapters two to twelve he provides clear accounts of jesus' public ministry including miraculous signs, the woman at the well, and triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Chapters thirteen to seventeen focus on Jesus' private ministry, specifically his teachings with the disciples during the last week before his death. Chapters eighteen to twenty describes Jesus' public trial, execution, and resurrection. Some argue that this is an evangelical hallmark as it clearly illustrates God's sacrificial love for mankind and forms the foundation of faith that Jesus Christ gave his life freely that so that all who believe in him shall also have everlasting life in the kingdom of heaven. The final entry in John reflects the writer's reverence for Jesus;
In summation, I would like to use an excerpt written by Michael Redding in his A Survey of the New Testament, 2006: "That we have records of the history of important people - great men and women, political, military, and religious figures - does not surprise us. That we have many records of the life of Jesus of Nazareth should be expected from the ripples that have kept moving through history since he walked on the Sea of Galilee. What may surprise us is that we have four linked-together accounts believed to be authoritative." The four Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John introduce and form the foundation for the New Testament. The New Testament is the basis which guides the principles of Christianity, and more importantly provides innumerable lessons by which to live our lives and spread the Word of Jesus. Rev. Ron Baams ******************************************** To ordain yourself with the Universal Life Church, for free, for life, right now, click on the Free Online Ordination link. Rev. Long created the ULC seminary site to help ministers learn and grow their ministries. The Seminary offers a huge catalog of materials for ministers of the Universal Life Church, as well as an online seminary program and a chaplaincy program. Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar |
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Christian Studies
