Invitation to the New Testament 3: Introduction to the Gospels

THE GOSPELS: 

THE GOSPELS

God’s Inspiration of the Gospels: 

God’s Inspiration of the Gospels A. God's Initiative 1. Many took it upon themselves to record the words and deeds of Jesus Christ (Luke 1:1). 2. God moved certain men to record Jesus' words and deeds and breathed upon their work in an unique way (2 Peter 1:20-21).

God’s Inspiration of the Gospels: 

God’s Inspiration of the Gospels B. God's Selectivity ~ God did not inspire Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John to write complete biographies of Jesus (John 21:25). 1. Only one incident from the time between Jesus‘ childhood and baptism is recorded in Scripture. 2. Matthew, Mark, and Luke (the Synoptic Gospels) altogether cover only about 50 days of Jesus' ministry. 3. John covers approximately 20 days in the life of Christ. 4. The last week of Jesus' life comprises 1/3 of the Gospel record. 5. The last 3 days of Jesus life comprise 1/5 of the Gospel record

God’s Reason for the Four Gospels: 

God’s Reason for the Four Gospels ~ God has given us four views of His Son so that we might better appreciate and know Him. A. Identification 1. Matthew (written to the Jews) a. presents Jesus as the King of the Jews, the son of David b. emphasizes the teaching of Jesus c. calls attention to Jesus' fulfillment of numerous prophecies d. focuses on 5 main discourses or lectures by Jesus e. stresses the Kingdom of Heaven

God’s Reason for the Four Gospels: 

God’s Reason for the Four Gospels 2. Mark (written to the Romans) a. presents Jesus as the Servant of the Lord b. tells about the deeds of Christ in short active stories c. uses the key words "straightway,” "immediately,” thus showing Jesus as a man of action

God’s Reason for the Four Gospels: 

God’s Reason for the Four Gospels 3. Luke (written to the Greeks) a. presents Jesus as the Son of Man b. writes like an historian c. records 8 unique parables concerning the rich and the poor d. looks at Jesus dealing with a diversity of problems so that we could feel like He understands us e. pays more attention to the roles of women and children in Jesus' ministry than do the other Gospel writers

God’s Reason for the Four Gospels: 

God’s Reason for the Four Gospels 4. John (written to all people) a. presents Jesus as the Son of God b. concentrates on doctrinal issues Variations 1. Variations in the Emphasis of Each Gospel a. Matthew presents the coming of the promised Savior. b. Mark presents the life of a powerful Savior. c. Luke presents the grace of a present Savior. d. John presents the love of a personal Savior.

God’s Reason for the Four Gospels: 

God’s Reason for the Four Gospels 2. Variations in the Portraits of Christ in Each Gospel a. Matthew presents a formal picture of Jesus, like an oil painting. b. Mark presents a collection of candid pictures of Jesus in action, like a photo album. c. Luke presents an ongoing picture of Jesus as He moves among men, like a documentary on film. d. John presents an x-ray of Jesus to show Who He was underneath it all.

God’s Reason for the Four Gospels: 

God’s Reason for the Four Gospels Introductions of Christ 1. Matthew opens with Jesus' Jewish genealogy to support his claim that He was the Messiah. 2. Mark understood that the genealogy of a servant was unimportant so he left it out. 3. Luke talks about the human drama surrounding Jesus' birth. 4. John opens by calling Jesus "the Word" and calling attention to His eternality. He doesn't talk about Jesus' human parentage because he wants to focus on His deity.

God’s Reason for the Four Gospels: 

God’s Reason for the Four Gospels Harmonizing the Four Gospels 1. Where the Gospels are similar to each other shows them to be accurate. 2. Where they're different shows that the writers didn't sit down together and "cook the whole thing up".

God’s Unique Gospel: 

God’s Unique Gospel 92% of John's Gospel is unique. You won't find anything like it in the Synoptic Gospels. If you want to learn about Jesus' humanity and how God wants you to relate to your fellow man, read the first three Gospels. If you want to learn about Jesus’ deity and how God wants you to relate to Himself, read John.

The Importance of the Gospels: 

The Importance of the Gospels The Gospels have been the most frequently copied manuscripts since the time of Christ. 48% of the New Testament is devoted to the Gospels. The Gospels are the focus and foundation of the entire Bible. The Old Testament looked forward to the coming of Christ, especially for Israel's sake. The other 23 books of the New Testament explain what Jesus' coming meant, and especially what it means for the church.