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Part One: Why four Gospels and not just one life of Jesus? This question arises out of confusing the Gospels with actual history, as though they depict the life of Jesus documentary style. Although often based on actual events, but not by eyewitnesses, they reveal purpose and meaning beyond the ordinary report of “he went…
Part Two: The source of confusion in our minds (and the way out of it) Matthew, Mark, and Luke look very much alike on the surface, which is why we jumble them up in our minds. It turns out that Matthew and Luke compiled much of Mark almost verbatim into their Gospels, a major source…
Part Three: MARK “The Gospel According to Mark” was the first of the canonical Gospels to be written. “Mark” (the unknown author) wrote to bolster a congregation that was under great stress from persecution from two sides—Rome and the synagogue. Some members had walked away from the faith, others were wavering. It is out of…
Part Four: MATTHEW “The Gospel According to Matthew” depicts a totally different situation than Mark’s congregation is facing. Matthew’s church is made up of Jewish followers of Jesus. They are trying to figure out how they fit into God’s plan for Israel now that they are rejected by their former Jewish brothers and sisters. “Matthew”…
The apostles Peter and Paul have been executed by the Roman Empire, and James was stoned to death by the priestly authorities in Jerusalem. Nero burned Rome and blamed it on the Christians, and followers of Jesus can no longer look to the synagogues for shelter. Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD. …
When we get to the Gospel of John, we enter into an entirely different world from Matthew, Mark, and Luke. John’s world is informed by the Great Hellenistic ideals. Beginning with the very first verse we are introduced to the Logos, understood as the mediator between the divine and the creation. It also draws from…
Matthew’s Jesus is a Jewish rabbi on the model of Moses who seeks to reform the Judaism of his day. Mark’s Jesus is a model of the faithful follower of God who doggedly follows the will of God (“the Way”) even if it means giving up his life in the process. Luke’s Jesus shows his…
Part One: Why are there four Gospels and not just one? This question arises out of confusing the Gospels with actual history, as though they depict the life of Jesus documentary style. Although often based on actual events, but not by eyewitnesses, they reveal purpose and meaning beyond the ordinary report of “he went there…
For many Christians, the Gospels are all jumbled up in their minds. Lost are the unique perspectives on Jesus, God, the church, and our place in the world that each brings. It is not an exaggeration to say each perspective is radically different; in some cases even contradictory. These videos will establish each Gospel’s purpose…
