The Gospels

The gospel according to Matthew

• Written to the Jews
• Proclaims the Messianic hope
• Written in Hebrew

Irenaeus(AD 175): Matthew also issued a written Gospel among the Hebrews in their own dialect, while Peter and Paul were preaching at Rome and laying the foundations of the church.

Gospel of Matthew Facts

• Written after Jesus' ascension and before AD 70
• Matthew was a tax collector, involved in large transactions
• Large figures: Matthew 18:24, 28:12
• Statistics: Matthew 1:17
• Seems to have written in short hand

little in scripture about him

• Mark 2:14 - one of the apostles
• Luke 5:27-28 - left all to follow Jesus
• Luke 5:29 - gave a feast in Jesus honor

Purpose of Matthew

• Show that Jesus is the Messiah
• The Savior and King prophesied by the prophets
• To force belief in Jesus

Matthew sets out to prove that all the prophecies of the O.T. are fulfilled in Jesus.

The theme:
Matthew 1:22

Special features

• The Ecclesiastical Gospel - arranged by topics
• The Teaching Gospel - easily taught and lived
• The Apocalyptic Gospel - the Lord's return(24-25)
• The Gospel of the Church - Mentions the Church
• The Gospel of the Jew - compelling the Jews to believe

The Royal/Kingdom gospel

• Genealogy tracing Jesus to David(1:1-17)
• Called the King/Son of David(2:2, 9:27, 15:22...)
• Claimed the power of a King(5:22, 28, 34, 39, 44)
• Showed himself to be King(21:1-11)
• Accepted the title of King(27:11)

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• Bore the title of King of the Jews(27:37)
• Claimed the power of King of kings(28:18)
• "Kingdom" is used 54 times
• "Kingdom of Heaven" is used 32 times

5 clear divisions

• Sermon on the Mount(5-7)
• Messengers and their mission(9-10:42)
• Parables(13)
• Disciples and their behavior(18)
• Prophecy of His return and end times(24-25)

Mark

The Gospel according to Mark

• Written to the Roman world, the Gentile mind
• People not familiar with Jewish terms and customs
• People familiar with Christian history and terms

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• Author was John Mark, a companion to Peter
• Peter either furnished the material
• Or Mark made notes and wrote the Gospel later

Papias: he(Mark) had neither heard the Lord nor been His disciple...he had been Peter's disciple.

The scripture tells us of mark

• Acts 12:12
• Acts 12:25
• Acts 13:13

Irenaeus: After their departure, Mark...did hand down to us...what had been preached by Peter.

"Departure" means death.
Peter and Paul died around 65-70A.D.

Purpose of Mark

• Mark 1:1 - "the Son of God"
• Mark 1:11 - "my beloved Son"
• Mark 9:7 - "my beloved Son"
• Mark 1:24 - "Holy One of God"
• Mark 15:39 - "the Son of God"

Special features

• The Gospel of Realism - just the way it was
• The Gospel of Action - "straightway", from event to event

The Gospel of Humanity/emotion

• Carpenter - 6:3
• Righteous anger - 3:5; 8:33; 10:14
• Weary - 4:38
• Marveled at unbelief - 6:6
• Became tired and needed rest - 6:31

The Gospel of the eyewitness

• With wild beast - 1:13
• James and John names - 3:17
• Displeased with disciples - 10:14
• Disciples amazed and afraid - 10:32
• "common people heard him gladly" - 12:37

Luke

The gospel according to Luke

• Written to "the most excellent Theophilus"
• Written around 58-62 A.D.
• Written by Luke the Physician
• To give an eyewitness account of Jesus, the Son of Man

Special Features

• Gospel of Man/Gentiles - 2:14, 32; 24:47
• Gospel of Salvation - salvation/Savior
• Gospel of Outcast/sinners - 5:30, 7:36-50
• Gospel of the Poor - 7:22
• Gospel of Children - birth of John/Jesus, 8:42

Gospel of Women

• Gives special place to women
• Shows how God honored Elizabeth and Mary
• The widow of Nain - 7:11-18
• The woman who anointed His feet - 7:36-50
• Mary and Martha - 10:38-42

Gospel of prayer/devotion

• Jesus prayed - 3:21; 5:16; 6:12; 9:18; 22:32; 23:34
• Parables on prayer - 11:5-8; 18:1-8; 18:9-14
• Warnings to pray - 6:28; 11:2; 22:40, 46

Gospel of praise

• "praising God" - more then the rest of NT 
• People praised when helped - 2:20; 7:16; 17:15
• Joy and rejoicing - 1:14, 44, 47; 10:21
• Laughter and merry-making - 6:21; 15:23; 19:6
• Ends and begins with Joy - 24:52; 1:14

Gospel of Christ's passion

• Many references - 9:31, 51; 12:50; 13:32-35; 17:25
• A lot of space given to the narrative.
• Fulfilling scripture - 9:22; 13:33; 17:25; 18:31; 20:17
• 22:37; 24:7, 26, 44, 46

Gospel of the Holy Ghost

• Those who prepared the way - 1:15; 1:41, 67; 2:25-27
• Mary - 1:35
• John the Baptist in 3:16, 22
• Jesus was led by the Holy Ghost - 4:1, 14, 18
• The Disciples were led by the Holy Ghost - 11:13; 12:12

John

The gospel according to John

• Written to/Purpose - 20:31; 3:16
• Written in Ephesus and the Isle of Patmos
• Written around 80-95 A.D.

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• One of the 1st disciples - 1:35, 39
• Worked with James, for his dad - Luke 5:10
• With James, left all - Matthew 4:21-22

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• Part of the inner circle - Matthew 17:1, 26:36; Mark 5:37-43
• Close to Jesus - 19:26; 21:20
• Close to Peter - Luke 5:10; 4:13
• A pillar of the church - Galatians 2:9

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• Lived until Roman emperor Trajan
• Trajan's reign began in 98 A.D.
• Fragments discovered in Egypt in 1925
• Fragments dated in 1st 1/2 of 2nd century

Clement of Alexandria(died in A.D. 212) "Last of all; John, perceiving that the external facts had been made plain in the Gospels, being urged by his friends and inspired by the Spirit, composed a spiritual Gospel."

Secondary purpose

• Refutes almost any heresy that might arise
• To those who deny Jesus' deity - 1:1-5
• To those who deny Jesus' humanity - 1:14-18
• To those who look for an earthly kingdom - 1:1-51

Special Features