Week 23 The Gospels

What is a Gospel? The word Gospel means “good news”. But it is also the story of the Life of Christ Each of the four Gospels is a complete story of the life of Christ.

The Key Thought Each Gospel was written to a specific audience about a specific theme for a specific reason. But each story is a complete and powerful story of Jesus Christ.

God’s use of numbers.... #3 - Trinity and indicates strength #6 - Man’s number #7 - Number of Perfection/God’s number seen many times #12 - Number of completeness in people; spies, tribes, apostles, months in a year #40 - Number of completeness in time; wandering in the wilderness, Jesus tempted

What Does the Number 4 Signify What Does the Number 4 Signify? Seems to indicate a totality or stability 4 horns on the altar 4 points on a compass 4 seasons of the year 4 corners of the Earth (Rev. 7:1, 20:8) Four winds Four kinds of soil Four Gospels

The Arrangement The first three gospels are similar and are called the synoptic. Why? syn - prefix indicating similarity - same optic - has to do with seeing - eye So the writers of the first three gospels saw things in a similar way. The fourth gospel, John, is 90% unique material.

Why are the Gospels Different? 1. Written to different audiences. 2. Each used his own personality. 3. Each had a different theme. 4. Each remembered or emphasized different events. 5. God wanted it that way.

Gospel Similarities - Each Deals with . . . Christ’s earthly ministry. Christ’s death and resurrection. Christ’s teaching and miracles. All of them omit an account of the 18 years of Jesus’ youth through age 30. Each Gospel is complete in itself. But used together, we have a complete portrait of Jesus Christ.

Matthew About the Author Audience Key Verse, Key Word Unique Quality Disciple, Tax Collector, Levi Jews 21:5 Kingdom of heaven Sermons (Sermon on the Mount)

Matthew Topical Arrangement King Shows Christ as Frequent use of OT, geneology to Adam, Magi, Most read book in the world. Arrangement Shows Christ as Points to Remember Referred to as . . .

Mark About the Author Audience Key Verse, Key Word Unique Quality Traveled w/ Paul, Nephew of Peter Romans 10:45 Immediately Miracles -- 20 of them

Mark Chronological Arrangement Servant Shows Christ as Short, little detail or theology, “Reader’s Digest Version” Gospel of Peter Arrangement Shows Christ as Points to Remember Referred to as . . .

Luke About the Author Audience Key Verse, Key Word Unique Quality Physician, educated, not an eye witness Greeks 19:10 Son of Man Parables -- most of them here

Luke Arrangement Shows Christ as Points to Remember Referred to as . . . Chronological God/Man Detail, 50% spoken by Christ, Geneolgy to Adam Most Beautiful book in the world

John About the Author Audience Key Verse, Key Word Unique Quality Disciple, Wrote 5 books, young, World 3:16 Believe --98 times Teachings and meetings of Christ

John Arrangement Shows Christ as Points to Remember Referred to as . . . Topical Savior 90% unique,written later, Stories of people, 7 “I ams” Most Loved book in the world.

An Overview Matthew wrote to the Jews about a King Mark wrote to the Romans about a servant Luke wrote to the Greeks about a Perfect Man (God/man) John wrote to the world about a Savior.

Four Types of Men -- Then & Now A Jew -- Want proof or evidence (prophecy) -- “Show me!” A Roman -- Businessman, “Can Christ meet my needs?” A Greek -- Student, idealist, seeks truth as means to happiness All men -- Comman man

The Seven “I Ams” 1. The Bread of Life 2. The Light of the World 3. The Gate 4. The Good Shepherd 5. The Resurrection and the Life 6. The Way, Truth and Life 7. The True Vine

The Greatest “I Am” I Am He John 18:. . . 4"Who is it you want?" 5 "Jesus of Nazareth," they replied. "I am he," Jesus said. 6 When Jesus said, "I am he," they drew back and fell to the ground.