4TH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT Department of Christian Education CERTIFICATION PROGRAM SYNOPTIC GOSPELS The Rt. Rev. John R. Bryant, Presiding Bishop and Senior Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church The Rev. Dr. Reginald Blount, Director of Christian Education The Rev. Ernest J. Garrison, Dean of Christian Education The Rev. Anita Marshall-School Superintendent The Rev. Walter R. Bauldrick, Host Presiding Elder, Milwaukee District The Rev. Theonita Bedford, Director of Christian Education, Milwaukee District Ernest J. Garrison, Facilitator

WHAT ARE THE SYNOPTIC GOSPELS WHAT IS MEANT BY SYNOPTIC The African Methodist Episcopal Church Board of Christian Education Church School Certification Training THE SYNOPTIC GOSPELS WHAT ARE THE SYNOPTIC GOSPELS WHAT IS MEANT BY SYNOPTIC LET’S LOOK AT THE AUTHORS IV. WHAT MAKES THEM SYNOPTIC V. WHY ISN’T JOHN SYNOPTIC VI. SUMMARY Page 2

WHAT ARE THE SYNOPTIC GOSPELS The African Methodist Episcopal Church Board of Christian Education Church School Certification Training THE SYNOPTIC GOSPELS WHAT ARE THE SYNOPTIC GOSPELS Matthew, Mark and Luke are considered synoptic gospels. Page 3

WHAT IS MEANT BY SYNOPTIC The African Methodist Episcopal Church Board of Christian Education Church School Certification Training THE SYNOPTIC GOSPELS WHAT IS MEANT BY SYNOPTIC A. Pertaining to or constituting a synopsis; affording to taking a general view of the principal parts of a subject. B. Taking a common view; used chiefly in reference to the first three gospels C. Similarity in content, order, and statement Page 4

III. LET’S LOOK AT THE AUTHORS The African Methodist Episcopal Church Board of Christian Education Church School Certification Training THE SYNOPTIC GOSPELS III. LET’S LOOK AT THE AUTHORS A. MATTHEW B. MARK C. LUKE Page 5

III. LET’S LOOK AT THE AUTHORS A. MATTHEW: The African Methodist Episcopal Church Board of Christian Education Church School Certification Training THE SYNOPTIC GOSPELS III. LET’S LOOK AT THE AUTHORS A. MATTHEW: The Gospel according to Matthew, one of Jesus hand picked Apostles and a fellow Jew, presented a manual of Christian teaching in which Jesus The Christ, is Lord of the “Way” movement in Palestine. Matthew presented Jesus as the King of King; meaning there is to be none other then Jesus to reconcile man to GOD. However, he still invites the world into Christianity after the Jewish Nation. Page 6

III. LET’S LOOK AT THE AUTHORS A. MATTHEW: The African Methodist Episcopal Church Board of Christian Education Church School Certification Training THE SYNOPTIC GOSPELS III. LET’S LOOK AT THE AUTHORS A. MATTHEW: In Matthew’s Gospel, the writer continually gives illustrations on the kingdom through David and the content references to the Law of Moses and the conclusion of the promise that was given to Abraham. He further presents Jesus as a Monarch from the David lineage, suggesting divine authenticity of the promise of Abraham and the continued Davidic reign of the Jewish Nation through a birth narrative that links Jesus to King David. Page 7

III. LET’S LOOK AT THE AUTHORS B. MARK: The African Methodist Episcopal Church Board of Christian Education Church School Certification Training THE SYNOPTIC GOSPELS III. LET’S LOOK AT THE AUTHORS B. MARK: The Gospel according to Mark is commonly thought to have been the first written Gospel in the New Testament. The evangelist presents Jesus of Nazareth as the Son of God whose ministry was characterized by a succession of mighty works which, to those who had eyes to see, were signs of the presence of GOD’s power and kingdom. Page 8

III. LET’S LOOK AT THE AUTHORS B. MARK: The African Methodist Episcopal Church Board of Christian Education Church School Certification Training THE SYNOPTIC GOSPELS III. LET’S LOOK AT THE AUTHORS B. MARK: The book of Mark presents Jesus as the “Suffering Servant” in that Jesus made reference of himself as the “Son of Man” who loves and serves to the point of death. One of Jesus quotes that bring the theme to life is the 2nd Chapter, verse 9 & 10 “Which is easier, to say to the paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Rise, take up you bed and walk’”. But that you may know that the “Son of Man” has authority on earth to forgive sins”. Page 9

III. LET’S LOOK AT THE AUTHORS C. LUKE: The African Methodist Episcopal Church Board of Christian Education Church School Certification Training THE SYNOPTIC GOSPELS III. LET’S LOOK AT THE AUTHORS C. LUKE: Luke, although similar to Matthew and Mark; takes another twist in theological thought by presenting Jesus as the “Son of God” but not as a Jew, rather as belonging to no ethnic group at all. He does that by presenting a Divine Birth Narrative that is independent of Joseph of the David lineage. Page 10

III. LET’S LOOK AT THE AUTHORS C. LUKE: The African Methodist Episcopal Church Board of Christian Education Church School Certification Training THE SYNOPTIC GOSPELS III. LET’S LOOK AT THE AUTHORS C. LUKE: The Gospel according to Luke sets forth the words and works of Jesus as the Divine Human Saviour, whose compassion and tenderness extend to all who were needy. The universal mission of Jesus is emphasized in his mercy and acknowledgement of women, gentles and the outcast. Page 11

IV. WHAT MAKES THEM SYNOPTIC The African Methodist Episcopal Church Board of Christian Education Church School Certification Training THE SYNOPTIC GOSPELS IV. WHAT MAKES THEM SYNOPTIC Matthew Mark Luke John the Baptist 3: 1-6 1: 1-6 1: 1-6 Baptism of Jesus 13-17 9-11 21-22 Temptation of Jesus 4: 1-11 12-13 4: 1-13 Healing of the Leper 8: 1-4 40-45 5: 12-16 Healing of the Paralytic 9: 1-8 2: 1-12 17-26 Healing the withered hand 12: 9-14 3: 1-6 6: 6-11 Parable of the Sower 13: 1-9 4: 1-9 8: 4-8 Feeding of the five thousand 14:13-21 6: 30-44 9: 10-17 Page 12

IV. WHAT MAKES THEM SYNOPTIC The African Methodist Episcopal Church Board of Christian Education Church School Certification Training THE SYNOPTIC GOSPELS IV. WHAT MAKES THEM SYNOPTIC Matthew Mark Luke Condition of discipleship 16: 24-28 8:34-9:1 9: 23-27 The Transfiguration 17: 1-8 9: 2-8 28-36 Healing of the epileptic boy 17: 14-21 14-29 37-43 Dispute about the greatest 18: 1-5 33-37 46-48 Blessing of children 19: 13-15 10: 13-16 18: 15-17 Triumphant Entry 21: 1-9 11: 1-10 19: 28-38 Cleaning of the Temple 21: 12-17 15-19 47-48 Jesus authority questioned 21: 23-27 27-3 20: 1-8 Page 13

IV. WHAT MAKES THEM SYNOPTIC The African Methodist Episcopal Church Board of Christian Education Church School Certification Training THE SYNOPTIC GOSPELS IV. WHAT MAKES THEM SYNOPTIC Matthew Mark Luke Destruction of the Temple 24: 1-3 13: 1-4 21: 5-7 Signs of Parousia 24: 4-8 13: 5-8 8-11 29-31 24-27 25-28 Parable of the Fig Tree 32-33 28-29 29-31 Conspiracy against Jesus 26: 1-5 14: 1-2 22: 1- 2 Betrayal of Jesus 14-16 10-11 3-6 Preparation of the Passover 17-19 12-16 7-13 Institution of the Lord’s Supper 26-29 22-25 15-20 Page 14

IV. WHAT MAKES THEM SYNOPTIC Matthew Mark Luke The African Methodist Episcopal Church Board of Christian Education Church School Certification Training THE SYNOPTIC GOSPELS IV. WHAT MAKES THEM SYNOPTIC Matthew Mark Luke Jesus in Gethsemane 26: 36-46 14: 32-42 22: 40-46 Jesus arrest 47-56 43-52 47-53 Jesus before Pilate 27: 1-26 15: 1-15 23: 1-25 The Crucifixion 27-56 16-41 26-49 Burial of Jesus 57-61 42-47 50-56 Resurrection 28: 1-10 16: 1-8 24: 1-12 Page 15

V. WHY ISN’T JOHN SYNOPTIC The African Methodist Episcopal Church Board of Christian Education Church School Certification Training THE SYNOPTIC GOSPELS V. WHY ISN’T JOHN SYNOPTIC THE GOSPEL OF JOHN PRESENTS THE THEME LOGOS, WHICH MEANS “THE WORD BECOMING FLESH”. IT PUTS MORE EMPHASIS ON THE SPIRIT OF GOD THAN THE PERSONA OF GOD. THIS PRESENTS A CONCEPT THAT OTHERS CAN BECOME SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF GOD AND THAT ALL THE THINGS JESUS DID, CAN BE DONE BY US. THIS CONCEPT IS NOT SHARED BY THE OTHER GOSPEL WRITERS. Page 16

The African Methodist Episcopal Church Board of Christian Education Church School Certification Training THE SYNOPTIC GOSPELS The authors of the three synoptic Gospels, Matthew, Mark, and Luke, were all intent on the same basic task. They were interested in sharing the stories of Jesus which were circulating in both oral and written forms into a continuous narrative. Those narratives portrayed the life and ministry of Jesus in order to aid early Christians both in strengthening their own faith and as a resource for their missionary preaching and teaching. Page 17

The African Methodist Episcopal Church Board of Christian Education Church School Certification Training THE SYNOPTIC GOSPELS Each writer shaped the narrative development of his Gospel so that as he told the story of Jesus, he caused it to address concerns which were current to his community. The narrative story of Jesus invited its hearers to become participants in the story. That’s the way stories function, especially in an oral culture. As the Christian students of the writer entered into his story of Jesus, the students gained new insight into the scope and significance of the issues which were problematic in their Christian community; and ours today. Page 18

WHAT DOES SYNOPTIC MEAN? NAME THE GOSPELS THAT ARE SYNOPTSIS? The African Methodist Episcopal Church Board of Christian Education Church School Certification Training THE SYNOPTIC GOSPELS V. S U M M A R Y WHAT DOES SYNOPTIC MEAN? NAME THE GOSPELS THAT ARE SYNOPTSIS? WHAT GOSPEL IS NOT SYNOPTIC? HOW MANY SYNOPTIC GOSPELS ARE THERE? HOW MANY GOSPELS ARE THERE? NAME AN EVENT THAT WAS SYNOPTSIS? Page 19