1. Gifts Reflection
Write your response to the following questions wherever you plan on taking notes for this unit.
Choose one of the following gifts below and answer the three questions using that gift.
Gifts: Service, Teaching, Encouraging, Generosity, Leadership, and Compassion.
1. Define your gift in your own words.
2. How would that gift help an individual reach a goal? Give an example.
3. Looking back at the gifts listed above, what do all of them have in common?

2. Agenda 1/4/12 Discussion of Gifts Reflection
Introduction to the Gospels Notes
Homework (Due Tomorrow):
1. What are the Synoptic Gospels and what are some similarities and differences between them?
2. Which Gospel was written first? Why do scholars believe this?
3. Why in your opinion, do the Gospels play such a significant role in our Christian faith?

3. Introduction to the Gospels

4. The Synoptic Gospels
The Synoptic Gospels are the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke.
These three gospels have a lot in common with one another but differ greatly from the Gospel of John.

5. The Synoptic Gospels Together
All three follow the same outline established by Mark.
As a result the three synoptic gospels can easily be looked at together. Synoptic is Greek meaning seen together.

6. For Example…
There are 661 verses in Mark, 80 percent of these appear in Matthew, and 65 percent show up in Luke.
Matthew 5:13 “You are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned? It is no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.”
Mark 9:50 “Salt is good, but if salt becomes insipid, with what will you restore its flavor? Keep salt in yourselves and you will have peace with one another.”
Luke 14:34-35 “ Salt is good, but if salt itself loses its taste, with what can its flavor be restored? It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out. Whoever has ears to hear ought to hear.

7. Which was first?
At first it was believed that Matthew’s Gospel was the oldest because it refers to the Old Testament more and has more details.
However, Mark’s Gospel is now believed to be the oldest and was used by Matthew and Luke to write their Gospels.

8. What is a Gospel? Gospel means “Good News”. The “Good News” is …
1. The life of Jesus Christ as God’s love and salvation for all humanity.
2. Preaching about Jesus and what he accomplished for our salvation.
3. The four gospels written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

9. MARK’S UNIQUE SOURCES
67-73 AD
MARK
80s AD M
MATTHEW
LUKE L Q

10. Agenda 1/5/11 Overview Mark, Matthew, and Luke Homework (Due Monday)
1. What does the term Gospel mean? How does each writer apply that definition to their writings?
2. Briefly describe who each of the three Synoptic Gospel writers were.
3. How did each Gospel uniquely describe Jesus? Why is it necessary to represent him in so many ways?

11. Overview of Mark, Matthew, and Luke

12. Overview of the Gospel of Mark
Written between AD.
It is the shortest Gospel and helps us to understand the other Gospels
Mark is believed to have been an assistant of the Apostle Peter.
The gospel highlights Jesus’s deeds rather than his words and presents a vivid down to earth portrait of Jesus.

13. Messages of the Gospel of Mark
Jesus Christ is the son of God and suffered for all of mankind.
Christians should imitate the actions and words of their savior Jesus Christ in order to find salvation.
Jesus became man when born to the Virgin Mary and thus had real human emotions, problems, etc.

14. Overview of the Gospel of Matthew
Most likely a Jewish scribe writing during the 80s AD.
Used Jewish texts, the Gospel of Mark, as well as a mysterious source in common with Luke to write his Gospel.
Written during a time of Christian-Jewish tension and emphasized Jesus as indeed the messiah of the Old Testament.

15. Messages of the Gospel of Matthew
Represents Jesus as the new Moses by giving the “new law” to the Chosen People just as Moses gave the “original law”.
Shows Jesus as a great teacher and through these teachings it is shown how to become his followers.
Instructs the followers of Jesus to spread the “Good News” of Jesus and the Lord.
Jesus fulfills all of God’s promises to mankind.

16. Overview of the Gospel of Luke
Luke was a Christian who is also the author of the Acts of the Apostles.
Believed to have traveled with the Apostle Paul.
Written around 85 AD and focuses on the city of Jerusalem and that the second half of Jesus’ ministry centers on his journey there.

17. Messages of the Gospel of Luke
The Gospel of Jesus Christ is truly Good News and thus cause of celebration.
Jesus is a universal Savior who brings Salvation to Jew and Gentile alike.

18. Reading the Gospel of Mark
As we read the Gospel of Mark, your goal is to read for the big picture rather than reading for the details. On a piece of paper write down the following three items as we read.
1. Ten favorite quotes or sayings of Jesus.
2. A list of ten key events in the Gospel
3. Five passages that raise questions in your mind, passages that you want to revisit for further discussion or study.