Theo 2 - Introduction to The Gospels

􀂋 Mark: @ 68-73 AD
􀂋 Matthew: @ 70-100 AD
􀂋 Luke: @ 80-100 AD
􀂋 John: @ 90-110 AD
􀂋 Gospels were written in Greek, although
Jesus and the disciples spoke Aramaic
– Some believe Matthew may have
originally been written in Aramaic and
later translated into Greek.

􀂋 There were many gospels written about Jesus,
but only four are considered canonical
􀂋 Other gospel accounts include the Gospel of
Thomas, the Gospel of Philip, the Gospel of
Mary
􀂋 These gospels were not accepted into the Bible
because they were not widely used by the early
church or bc they presented material that the
early Church Fathers thought were heretical

􀂋 Gospel authors were not attempting to write an
historical or biographical account of the birth, life,
death, and resurrection of Jesus
􀂋 Trying to write their theological understanding of
what Jesus’ birth, life, death & resurrection meant
for the salvation of the world
– Theology = faith seeking understanding; trying to
understand who God is in the context of our lives

􀂋 Have to remember that the Gospels
were written in a series of stages; 1st
stage in development of the Gospels
was in the life and teachings of Jesus.
􀂋 Jesus traveled thru out the land
preaching, speaking, teaching, &
performing miracles
􀂋 These events became the basis for the
Gospels

􀂋 We have to remember that Jesus was NOT a
Christian, he was a Jew
􀂋 The early Church saw themselves as a new
form of Judaism, didn’t ID as Christians until
later
􀂋 Jesus was God Incarnate but he was also the
“Son of Man”, he was a first century Jew who
spoke Aramaic, could read Hebrew and
probably also knew Greek.
􀂋 He spoke in the language and talked in a
style that 1st century Jews could understand

􀂋 As Jesus traveled, he handpicked men who
followed him, he called them the disciples and
they would later be called the Apostles
􀂋 Soon after Jesus’ death and Resurrection, the
disciples and others began to witness to others
about the Resurrection
􀂋 Second stage of the Gospels grew out of the
testimony and preaching of the eyewitnesses to
Jesus’ ministry and/or Resurrection and to early
practices in the Church, such as the Lord’s
Supper; these traditions may have been oral or
written & occurred @ 30 years after Jesus’
death

􀂋 It’s important to remember the context of this
second stage;
– Gospels ≠ modern newspapers or CNN
􀂋 Jesus’ words were not transcribed word for
word;
– Probably some written recording of some of his
sayings
– Disciples were more concerned about proclaiming
the significance of what God was doing in human
history thru the life, death and resurrection of Jesus

􀂋 Have to remember that as they were
sharing the Good News, the disciples were
talking to different people from different
cultures
􀂋 That’s why in some of the Gospels (e.g.,
Mark 7:3) the writers will stop and explain
Jewish customs because they were talking
about Jewish traditions to Gentiles

􀂋 Cultural differences + rapid growth = tailor
message to audience
􀂋 As church matures, movement begins to develop
a different THEOLOGICAL understandings of
what the Christ event meant
– Christ event = birth, life, death & resurrection
– Why John talks about Jesus as God Incarnate while
the other three Gospels do not
– Jesus as God incarnate is a later theological
understanding of who Jesus is

􀂋 Matthew, Mark, & Luke = Synoptic Gospels
– Synoptic = seeing together
􀂋 Called Synoptic Gospels because
– Often recount same stories about Jesus
– Often recount stories in same order
􀂋 Gospel of John is very different in style,
content & emphasis from Synoptic Gospels


Mark (@60-70)

􀂋 This Gospel is short and to the point; written for
Gentile audience in Rome
􀂋Mark is action packed –focuses more on what
Jesus did, not what Jesus said
􀂋 Mark’s Jesus is mysterious, Jesus is always
asking the disciples who he is & they never
quite get it
􀂋 Mark’s source is Peter
􀂋 Mark focuses a lot on the Passion narrative bc
Jesus, the Son of God, the Son of Man had to
die so we might live –focuses more on the
suffering of Jesus


Matthew (@70-100)

􀂋 Jesus is the fulfillment of OT Scriptures
􀂋 Matthew sets out to prove that Jesus is the
Messiah prophesied in the OT
􀂋Genealogy links Jesus to David and
Abraham thru his adoptive father Joseph
􀂋 More focus on Jesus coming for the
“House of Israel” first, only goes to Gentiles
when Jews refuse to accept him


Luke (@80-100 AD)

􀂋 Luke is the longest & most
comprehensive Gospel; covers Jesus’ life
from birth to death
􀂋 He was a Gentile physician and a
companion of Paul’s
􀂋 Only Gospel with detailed infant &
childhood stories
􀂋Luke’s Gospel is Universal: Jesus came
to save everyone

􀂋 Jesus came to save lost souls, to care for
those who are marginalized, including the
poor, children, women
􀂋 There are more stories about women in
Luke than in any other Gospel
􀂋 People are receptive to Jesus but the
leaders are not bc he came to change the
social order



John (@90-100 AD)

􀂋 He sets out to prove that Jesus is God incarnate;
Jesus is God revealed to the world
􀂋 John focuses more on what Jesus says, not what
Jesus does
􀂋 Focused more on his ministry in Judea and
Jerusalem, not Galilee
􀂋 John talks about Jesus as the Redeemer and
focuses more on the role of the Holy Spirit than
the other Gospels
􀂋 Talks more about Love & about himself than any
of the other Gospels

In Synoptic Gospels, Jesus’ public ministry
lasts one year; in John, it’s three years
􀂋 In the Synoptics, Jesus speaks in short
parables, in John, he speaks in long
discourses
􀂋 Jesus says a lot less about the
marginalized in John
􀂋 Foot washing replaces the Last Supper