The Gospels in Chronological Order

“I can not conceive, sire, how a great man like you can believe that the Supreme Being ever exhibited himself to men under a human form, with a body, a face, mouth, and eyes. Let Jesus be whatever you please,—the highest intelligence, the purest heart, the most profound legislator, and, in all respects, the most singular being who has ever existed: I grant it. Still, he was simply a man, who taught his disciples, and deluded credulous people

Napoleon replied:—

“I know men; and I tell you that Jesus Christ is not a man. Superficial minds see a resemblance between Christ and the founders of empires, and the gods of other religions. That resemblance does not exist. There is between Christianity and whatever other religions the distance of infinity.

As for me, I recognize the gods, and great men, as beings like myself. They have performed a lofty part in their times, as I have done. Nothing announces them divine. On the contrary, there are numerous resemblances between them and myself.

“It is not so with Christ. Every thing in him astonishes me. His spirit overawes me, and his will confounds me. Between him and whoever else in the world there is no possible term of comparison. He is truly a being by himself. His ideas and his sentiments, the truths which he announces, his manner of convincing, are not explained either by human organization or by the nature of things.

“The nearer I approach, the more carefully I examine, every thing is above me; every thing remains grand,—of a grandeur which overpowers. His religion is a revelation from an intelligence which certainly is not that of man. There is there a profound originality which has created a series of words and of maxims before unknown. Jesus borrowed nothing from our science. One can absolutely find nowhere, but in him alone, the imitation or the example of his life.

“In fact, the sciences and philosophy avail nothing for salvation; and Jesus came into the world to reveal the mysteries of heaven and the laws of the spirit. Also he has nothing to do but with the soul; and to that alone he brings his gospel. The soul is sufficient for him, as he is sufficient for the soul. Before him, the soul was nothing. Matter and time were the masters of the world. At his voice, every thing returns to order. Science and philosophy become secondary. The soul has reconquered its sovereignty. All the scholastic scaffolding falls, as an edifice ruined, before one single word,—faith.

I search in vain in history to find the similar to Jesus Christ, or any thing which can approach the gospel. Neither history, nor humanity, nor the ages, nor nature, offer me any thing with which I am able to compare it or to explain it. Here every thing is extraordinary. The more I consider the gospel, the more I am assured that there is nothing there which is not beyond the march of events, and above the human mind.

“You speak of Cæsar, of Alexander, of their conquests, and of the enthusiasm which they enkindled in the hearts of their soldiers; but can you conceive of a dead man making conquests, with an army faithful, and entirely devoted to his memory. My armies have forgotten me even while living, as the Carthaginian army forgot Hannibal. Such is our power! A single battle lost crushes us, and adversity scatters our friends.

“Can you conceive of Cæsar as the eternal emperor of the Roman senate, and, from the depth of his mausoleum, governing the empire, watching over the destinies of Rome? Such is the history of the invasion and conquest of the world by Christianity; such is the power of the God of the Christians; and such is the perpetual miracle of the progress of the faith, and of the government of his Church. Nations pass away, thrones crumble; but the Church remains. What is, then, the power which has protected this Church, thus assailed by the furious billows of rage and the hostility of ages? Whose is the arm, which, for eighteen hundred years, has protected the Church from so many storms which have threatened to ingulf it?

“Alexander, Cæsar, Charlemagne, and myself founded empires. But on what did we rest the creations of our genius? Upon force. Jesus Christ alone founded his empire upon love; and, at this hour, millions of men would die for him.

“In every other existence but that of Christ, how many imperfections! Where is the character which has not yielded, vanquished by obstacles? Where is the individual who has never been governed by circumstances or places; who has never succumbed to the influences of the times; who has never compounded with any customs or passions? From the first day to the last, he is the same, always the same; majestic and simple; infinitely firm, and infinitely gentle.

“Truth should embrace the universe. Such is Christianity,—the only religion which destroys sectional prejudices; the only one which proclaims the unity and the absolute brotherhood of the whole human family; the only one which is purely spiritual; the only one which assigns to all, without distinction, for a true country, the bosom of the Creator, God. Christ proved that he was the Son of the Eternal by his disregard of time. All his doctrines signify one only and the same thing,—eternity.

“It is true that Christ proposes to our faith a series of mysteries. He commands with authority, that we should believe them,—giving no other reason than those tremendous words, ‘I am God.’ He declares it. What an abyss he creates by that declaration between himself’ and all the fabricators of religion! What audacity, what sacrilege, what blasphemy, if it were not true!

“The gospel possesses a secret virtue, a mysterious efficacy, a warmth which penetrates and soothes the heart. One finds, in meditating upon it, that which one experiences in contemplating the heavens. The gospel is not a book: it is a living being, with an action, a power, which invades every thing that opposes its extension. Behold! it is upon this table: this book, surpassing all others [here the emperor deferentially placed his hand upon it], I never omit to read it, and every day with the same pleasure.

The People

The Apostles: Matthew 10:2–4 “2 The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.”

Society and Politics

Judaism at the time of Jesus was a complex mixture of divergent social, political and religious ideologies. In general terms, we can speak of four distinct movements, ideologies or life-options. It is helpful to situate Jesus in terms of these social groups of his day in order that we can come to appreciate the distinctiveness of his own life and mission.

The Zealot movement took the revolutionary option. It advocated outward violence, even armed rebellion, to rid Israel of Roman oppression. Nothing else, they figured, would bring final liberation to the Jewish people. Depending on the point of view, Zealots were looked upon as freedom-fighters or terrorists. Certainly Jesus had zealots among his followers, for example 'Simon the Zealot'. Moreover, Jesus came into conflict with both the Jewish temple and the Roman state. Finally, he was executed as a zealot revolutionary. However, few would argue that Jesus was a violent revolutionary. Like other non-violent figures in history, such as Mahatma Gandhi, Jesus posed a more radical threat to the established order than any armed person might do.

The Sadduccees were the great pragmatists of the day. As wealthy lay-nobles, priests and aristocrats, they sought to conserve their wealth and power through compromise with Rome. Politically speaking, this was the most realistic option. Most of the members of the Sanhedrin were from the Sadducee group. In many ways, the Sadduccees could be described as the least religious group as is evidenced by their non-belief in the resurrection from the dead. However, it would be wrong to see them as agnostics or atheists as some have argued. They were committed to the Jewish faith on the basis of the earlier books of the bible. Moreover, as the people at the top of the pecking order in the Jewish society of their time, they were much more concerned with present-day affairs than speculation on the life-to-come. In the Gospels, it is evidently the Sadduccees who are the main opponents of Jesus at the time of his trial and death. They rightly saw that Jesus' radical brand of religion threatened their power and status.

The Pharisees were in many ways the idealists of Jewish society. Most of the Scribes (the 'theologians' of the day) were Pharisees. In general, despite their 'bad press' in the Gospels, the Pharisees sought to live a life of spiritual purity by a meticulous following of the torah (Jewish law). They did not believe in compromise with the Romans (as did the Sadduccees) nor in revolutionary activity (as did the Zealots). No doubt their emphasis on the law could result in legalism which may, in turn, become a pretext for hypocrisy. Nonetheless, many Pharisees were highly committed and deeply spiritual people. From their perspective, Jesus seemed to relativize the law which explains their anger towards him.

Finally, there were the Essenes who solved the problem of Jewish identity in a Roman-occupied Israel by withdrawing to a monastic-like setting. The most notable group in Jesus' time was the Qumran community who lived an ascetic life and were waiting for God's apocalyptic intervention in human history.

The Gospels

WHY 4 GOSPELS?

It’s not incidental - The Holy Spirit determined before the foundation of the world that there would be these 4 portraits of the Lord Jesus. He prepared each of these men to tell the story of Jesus’ life uniquely.

MATT - The promised one is here - His credentials

Mark - This is how he worked - His Power

Luke - This is how he felt - His Nature

John - This is who he really is - His Godship

The Design of the Gospels:

Presented as: Messiah - Servant - Son of man - Son of God

Genealogy: Abraham - none - Adam - Eternal

Emphasis on what He: Said - Did - Felt - Was

Signet / Face : Lion - Ox - Man - Eagle

Style: Groupings - Snapshots - Narrative - Mystical

Dalet: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTOT260yEB0

Date of authorship?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTOT260yEB0

The Outline of Events

Period 1 - The Beginning until age 12

1) Introduction, prolog: Lk 1:1-4; Jn 1:1-15 2) Genealogies: Mt 1:1-17; Lk 3:3-28 3) Announcement of John’s birth: Luke 1:5–25 4) Announcement of Jesus’ birth: Lk 1:26-38 5) Mary visits Elizabeth: Lk 1:39-56 6) The birth of John: Lk 1:57-80 7) An angel appears to Joseph: Mt 1:18-25 8) The birth of Jesus: Lk 2:1-7 9) Angel’s announcement of His birth: Lk 2:8-20 10) Circumcision of Jesus Lk 2:21-35 11) Visitation of the Magi: Mt 2:1-12 12) Flight to Egypt: Mt 2:13-15 13) Harod orders the murder: Mt 2:16-18 14) Return to Nazareth: Mt 2:19-23; Lk 2:39-40 15) Jesus in the temple at 12 years old: Lk 2:41-52

Period 2 - The beginning of public ministry

16) John the Baptist: Mt 3:1-12; Mk 1:1-8; Lk 3:1-18, Jn 1:28 17) Baptism of Jesus: Mt 3:13-17; Mk 1:9-11; Lk 3:21-23 18) Temptation of Jesus: Mt 4:11; Mk 1:12-13; Lk 4:1-13 19) John’s witness of Jesus’ coming: Jn 1:15-34 20) Jesus’ first apostles: Jn 1:35-42 21) More disciples in Galilee: Jn 1:43-51 22) First miracle in Cana: Jn 2:1-12

Period 3 - Year 1 of Jesus’ Ministry, between the 1st and 2nd Passovers

23) Jesus cleanses the temple: Jn 2:13-25 24) Jesus visited by Nicodemus: Jn 3:1-21 25) Jesus returns to Judea, North: Jn 3:22-23 26) John’s second witness of Jesus: Jn 3:24-36 27) John is imprisoned: Lk 3:19-20 28) John inquires of Jesus: Mt 11:2-19; Lk 7:18-35 29) John’s death: Mt 14:1-12; Mk 6:26-29; Lk 9:7-9 30) The Women at the well in Samaria: Jn 4:4-42 31) Public ministry in Galilee: Mt 4:17; Mk 1:14-15; Lk 4:14-15; Jn 4:43-45 32) Another miracle in Cana: Jn 4:46-54

Period 4 - Year 2 of Jesus’ Ministry, between the 2nd and 3rd Passovers

33) Jesus attends 2nd passover: John 5:1–47 34) Jesus returns to Galilee: Lk 14:14-30 35) Jesus settles in Capernaum: Mt 4:13-17; Mk 1:21-29; Lk 4:31-37 36) Jesus heals Peter’s mother in law: Mt 8:14-17; Mk 1:29-34; Lk 4:38-41 37) Call of Simon, Andrew, James & John: Mt 4:18-22; Mk 1:16-20; Lk 5:1-11 38) Preaching through Galilee: Mt 4:23-25; Mk 1:35-39; Lk 4:42-44 39) Jesus heals a leper: Mt 8:1-4; Mk 1:40-45; Lk 5:12-16 40) Jesus returns to Capernaum: Mt 9:2-8; Mk 2:1-2; Lk 5:17-26 41) The call of Matthew: Mt 9:9-13; Mk 2:13-17; Lk 5:27-32 42) Jesus questioned on fasting: Mt 9:14-17; Mk 2:18-22; Lk 5:33-39 43) Jesus questioned on working: Mt 12:1-8; Mk 2:2-28; Lk 6:1-5 44) Pharisees plot his death: Mt 12:9-14; Mk 3:1-6; Lk 6:6-11 45) Jesus withdraws: Mt 12:1-8; Mk 3:7-12 46) Jesus appoints the twelve: Mt 10:1-42; MK 3:13-19; Lk 6:12-19 47) Sermon on the Mount: Mt 5:1-8:1; Lk 6:20-49

48) Jesus heals the Centurion’s servant: Mt 8:5-13; Lk 7:1-10

49) Resurrection at the gate of Naim: Lk 7:11-17

50) Jesus rebukes unbelieving Cities: Mt 11:20-30

51) Women anoints the feet of Jesus: Lk 7:36-38

52) Circuit preaching in Galilee: Lk 8:1-3

53) Demoniac healed: Mt 12:22-37; Mk 3:22-30; Lk 11:14-15

54) The crowd seeks a sign: Mt 12:30-45; Lk 11:16, 24-36

55) Jesus’s family comes for him: Mt 12:46-50; Mk 3:20-21, 31-35; Lk 8:19-21

56) 7 Parables from the boat: Mt 13:1-53; Mk 4:1-34; Lk 8:4-18

57) Jesus calms the storm: Mt 8:18-27; Mk 4:35-41; Lk 8:22-25

58) Jesus heals two demoniacs: Mt 8:28-34; Mk 5:1-20; Lk 8:26-40

59) Jesus heals two daughters: Mt 9:1, 18-26; Mk 5:21-43; Lk 8:40-56

60) Jesus heals the blind and a demoniac: Mt 9:27-34

61) Jesus rejected in Nazareth: Mt 13:54-58; Mk 6:1-6

62) Final tour through Galilee: Mt 9:35-38; Mk 6:6

63) Jesus sends the 12: Mt 10:1 - 11:1; Mk 6:7-13; Lk 9:1-6

64) Herod takes notice of Jesus: Mt 14:1-2; Mk 6:14-29; Lk 9:7-9

65) The return of the 12 & the 5000: Mt 14:13-21; Mk 6:30-44; Lk 9:10-17; Jn 6:1-14

66)Jesus sends the 12 across the lake: Mt 14:22-23; Mk 6:45-56; Jn 6:15-21

67) The crowd seek a sign: Jn 6:22-71

Period 5 - Year 3 of Jesus’ Ministry, between the 3rd Passover & final week

68) Healing in Gennesaret (Mt 14:34-36; Mk 6:55-56)

69) Pharisees question handwashing (Mt 15:1-2; Mk 7:1-23)

70) Jesus goes north to Tyre\Sidon (Mt 15:21-28; Mk 7:24-30)

71) Jesus in Decapolis (Mt 15:29-38; Mk 7:24-30)

72) Jesus confronted by the Pharisees (Mt 15:39-16:4; Mk 8:10-12)

73) Apostles in the boat (Mt 16:5-12; Mk 8:13-21)

74) Jesus heals a blind man (Mk 8:22-26)

75) Peter’s Spirit inspired confession (Mt 16:13-20; Mk 8:27-30; Lk 9:18-21)

76) Jesus for tales his death (Mt 16:21-28; Mk 8:31-9:1; Lk 9:22-27)

77) Transfiguration (Mt 17:1-13; Mk 9:2-13; Lk 9:28-36)

78) Jesus casts out demon (Mt 17:14-21; Mk 9:14-29; Lk 9:37-43)

79) Jesus speaks of his death again (Mt 17:22-23; Mk 9:30-32; Lk 9:44-45)

80) Money from the fish (Mt 17:24-27)

81) Who is greatest ? (Mt 18:1-35; Mk 9:33-50; Lk 9:46-50)

82) Feast of Tabernacles (Jn 7:1-52)

83) Jesus and the adulteress (Jn 8:1-11)

84) Jesus teaches in the temple (Jn 8:12-59)

85) Jesus heals the blind beggar (Jn 9:1-41)

86) Jesus teaches about the Good Shepard (Jn 10:1-21)

87) Final departure from Galilee to Jerusalem (Lk 9:51-62)

88) Jesus sends the 70 (Lk 10:1-24)

89) The parable of the Good Samaritan (Lk 10:25-37)

90) Jesus visits Mary & Martha in Bethany (Lk 10:38-11:13)

91) Jesus heals another demoniac (Lk 11:14-54)

92) Jesus exhorts his disciples (Lk 12:1-13:5)

93) Parable of the barren fig tree (Lk 13:6-9)

94) Jesus heals the women of infirmity (Lk 13:10-17)

95) Jesus at the dedication of lights (Jn 10:22-42)

96) Ministry to Lazarus (Lk 13:22; Jn 11:1-16)

97) Another threat from Herod (Lk 13:31-35)

98) Jesus heals a man with dropsy on the Sabath (Lk 14:1-6)

99) Parable of the Great Supper (Lk 14:7-24)

100) The cost of discipleship (Lk 14:25-35)

101) Parable of the lost things (Lk 15:1-32)

102) Parables of the unjust steward & the rich man (Lk 16:1-31)

103) More instruction to the disciples (Lk 17:1-10)

104) Lazarus is resurrected (Jn 11:17-46)

105) High Priest decides to kill Jesus (Jn 11:47-53)

106) Jesus retreats to the North (Jn 11:54)

107) Jesus heals 10 lepers (Lk 17:11-19)

108) Prophecy concerning end times (Lk 17:20-37)

109) Parables - the persistent widow & the Pharisee (Lk 18:1-14)

110) Pharisees’ questions on divorce (Mt 19:1-15; Mk 10:1-16; Lk 18:15-17)

111) The rich young ruler (Mt 19:16-30; Mk 10:17-31; Lk 18:18-30)

112) The parable of the laborers (Mt 20:1-16)

113) Jesus predicts his death & resurrection (Mt 20:17-19; Mk 10:32-34; Lk 18:31-34)

114) James & John’s request (Mt 20:20-28; Mk 10:35-45)

115) Jesus heals two blind men (Mt 20:29-34; Mk 10:46-52; Lk 18:35-19:1)

116) Jesus visits Zaccheus (Lk 19:2-10)

117) The parable of the minas (Lk 19:11-28)

118) Mary anoints Jesus (Mt 26:6-13; Mk 14:3-9; Jn 11:55-12:11)

Period 6 - The Final Week

119) Triumphal Entry (Mt 21:1-11, 17; Mk 11:1-11; Lk 19:29-44; Jn 12:12-19)

120) Jesus curses the fig tree (Mt 21:12-19; Mk 11:12-19; Lk 19:45-46)

121) Lesson from the withered fig tree (Mt 21:21-22; Mk 11:20-26)

122) Jesus teaches in the temple (Mt 21:23, 22:14; Mk 11:27-12:12)

123) Jesus responds to questions (Mt 22:15-23:39; Mk 12:13-40; Lk 20:20-47)

124) The widow’s offering (Mk 12:41-49; Lk 21:1-4)

125) The Greeks desire to see Jesus (Jn 12:20-36)

126) Jesus teaching about end times (Mt 24:1-42; Mk 13:1-37; Lk 21:5-36)

127) The last parables of Jesus (Mt 24:43-25:46)

128) Judas plots his betrayal (Mt 26:1-5, 14-16; Mk 14:1-2, 10-11; Mk 22:1-6; Jn 12:36-50)

129) Disciples sent for upper room (Mt 26:17-19; Mk 14:12-16; Lk 22: 7-13)

130) Jesus eats Passover meal (Mt 26:20-25; Mk 14:17-21, 27-31; Lk 22:14, 21-38; Jn 13:1-38)

131) The Lord Supper (Mt 26:26-29; Mk 14:22-25; Lk 22:15-20)

132) Farewell address and prayer (Jn 14:1-17:26)

133) Betrayal in the garden (Mt 26:30, 36-56; Mk 14:26, 32-52; Lk 22:39-53; Jn 18:1-12)

134) Jesus before the High Priest (Mt 26:57-68; Mk 14:53-72; Lk 22:54-71; Jn 18:13-27)

135) Jesus before Herod & Pilot ( Mt 27:1-2, 11-30; Mk 15:1-15; Lk 23:1-25; Jn 18:28-19:6)

136) Judas’ suicide (Mt 27:3-10)

137) Jesus is crucified (Mt 15:20-32; Mk 15:16-32; Lk 23:26-38; Jn 19:16-22)

138) The death of Jesus (Mt 27:45-61; Mk 15:33-47; Lk 23:39-56; Jn 19:23-42)

139) Pilot has the tomb sealed (Mt 27:62-66)

Period 7 - The Resurrection and Ascension

140) The Resurrection of Jesus (Mt 28:2-4)

141) Women find the empty tomb (Mt 28:1; Mk 16:1-4; Lk 24:1-3; Jn 20:1-2)

142) The angels speak to the women (Mt 28:5-7; Mk 16:5-8; Lk 24:4-8)

143) Peter and John at the tomb (Mk 16:11; Lk 24:12; Jn 20:3-10)

144) Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene (Lk 16:9; Jn 20:11-18)

145) Jesus appears to the other women (Mt 28:8-10)

146) The Priests bribe the guards (Mt 28:1-15)

147) Jesus appears to Peter (Lk 24:34)

148) Jesus appears on the road to Emmaus (Mk 16:12-13; Lk 24:13-35)

149) Jesus appears to the Apostles & disciples (Lk 24:36-49; Jn 20:19-23)

150) Jesus appears to Thomas (Mk 16:14; Jn 20:24-31)

151) Jesus appears a 7th time - Great Comm (Mt 28:16-20; Mk 16:15-18)

152) Jesus appears at the Sea of Galilee (Jn 21:1-25)

153) Jesus appears to over 500 (I Cor 15:6-8)

154) The ascension of Jesus (Mk 16:19-20; Lk 24:50-53)

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