The Four Gospels

Composition

• The Gospels are books about Jesus but not by Jesus.
• The Gospels contain different types of content:
  • Narrative – These sections tell what Jesus did.
  • Teaching – These sections record what Jesus taught.
  • Parables – These sections portray a singular truth in memorable stories.
• While parts are biographical, the Gospels never intended to record every detail of Jesus’ life.

Context

• Immerse yourself in the first-century Judaism in which Jesus lived.
• Discover who Jesus’ audience was in a given situation (close disciples, large crowds, religious opponents).
• Matthew, Mark, and Luke are referred to as the Synoptic Gospels (describe events from a similar point of view).

Consideration

• Different Christian communities needed a specific book about Jesus.
• As individual accounts, they each tell a complete story to a particular group of people.
• As a whole, they fill in details and provide a more comprehensive perspective.

Contrasts

Matthew

• Intention – Presents Jesus as Israel’s Messiah
• Primary Audience – Jews
• Author’s Source – First-hand witness as one of the Twelve
• Occupation – Tax collector
• Date – 50s-60s
• Perspective – Matt. 9:9-13; 10:1-4

Mark

• Intention – Emphasizes that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God
• Primary Audience – Roman Empire
• Author’s Source – Disciple of Jesus (not one of the Twelve); colleague of Peter
• Occupation –?
• Date – 50s-60s
• Perspective – Mark 14:51-52; 66-72 (cf. John 18:15-18, 25-27)

Luke

• Intention – Written to a Gentile man named Theophilus
• Primary Audience – Gentiles
• Author’s Source – Colleague of Paul; interviewed many sources
• Occupation – Physician
• Date – Early 60s
• Perspective – Luke 1:1-4; 2:19

John

• Intention – Teaches theological truth to persuade people to believe in Jesus
• Primary Audience – Non-Christians (John calls for a response)
• Author’s Source – First-hand witness as one of the Twelve and inner Three
• Occupation – Fisherman
• Date – Around A.D. 85
• Perspective – John 14:23-25; 18:15-16; 19:26-27; 35; 20:2-9; 30-31; 21:20-25

Who recorded it?

• A large number of healings
• More parables on money
• Less amount of teaching material
• He prefers to say “Kingdom of Heaven rather than “Kingdom of God”
• Starts Jesus’ family tree with Adam
• Roughest on Peter’s character
• “I AM” statements
• Starts Jesus’ family tree with Abraham
• Most descriptive of the virgin birth
• Plenty of fishing stories
• Most Old Testament quotations
• Very detailed in retelling facts
• Uses the word “immediately” 41 times