Why 4 Gospels
CHRIST IN THE FOUR GOSPELS
BOOK MATTHEW MARK LUKE JOHN
King Servant Man God
Zech. 9:9 Isa. 52:13 Zech. 6:12 Isa. 40:10
DATE WRITTEN A.D.58-68 A.D. 55-65 A.D. 60-68 A.D. 80-90
PRESENTED TO JEWS To Romans To Greeks To The World
(Religious) (Pragmatic) (Idealistic) (Universal)
ANCESTRY To Abraham None To Adam God
And David
TRACED To Royalty None To Humanity To Eternity
To David To Adam
SYMBOL LION OX MAN EAGLE
THEME MESSIAH-KING SERVANT PERFECT MAN SON OF GOD
/REDEEMER
EMPHASIS WHAT He What He What He What He
Taught Wrought Sought Thought
PROVISION Righteousness Service Redemption Life
3:15 10:45 19:10 10:10
KEY WORD Sovereignty Ministry Humanity Deity
PICTURED AS Promised Powerful Perfect Personal
Saviour Saviour Saviour Saviour
PERSPECTIVE ---------------HISTORICAL---------------- THEOLOGICAL
UNIQUE MATERIAL ---Less unique
Matt. 42%; Mark. 7%; Luke 59%-- John- 92%
CHRONOLOGY --------Only one Passover mentioned---- 3 or 4 Passovers mentioned
GEOGRAPHY --------Mainly Galilean Ministry----- Judean Ministry
Discourse --------Mainly Public------------------ More private
Teaching Method --------Parables------------------------ Allegories
Teaching Emphasis --------More on ethical, practical----- Person of Christ
COMPARATIVE VIEW OF THE FOUR GOSPELS
BOOK MATTHEW MARK LUKE JOHN
PRE-Incarnation 1:1-3
PRE-Existence of Jesus 1:1-3
Jesus' Birth 1,2 1,2
John The Baptist 3:1-12 1:1-8 3:1-20 1:6-42
Jesus' Baptism 3:13-17 1:9-11 3:21-22
Temptation 4:1-11 1:12-13 4:1-13
1st miracle 2:1-11
Judean Ministry 2:13-4:3
Visit to Samaria 4:4-42
Galilean Ministry 4:12-19:1 1:14-10:1 4:14-9:51 4:43-54
About 2 years 6:1-7:1
Visit to Jerusalem 5:1-47
Later Judean Ch 19,20 Ch 10 9:51-19:28 7:2-11:57
About 4 months
The Last Week Ch 21-27 Ch 11-15 19:29-24:1 Ch 12-19
Post-Resurrection Ch 28 Ch 16 Ch 24 Ch 20-21
Ministry
TYPE OF MEN THEN AND NOW
Christ was going to be presented to widely different types of men, who made up the world.
Each race was capable of appreciating one particular kind of presentation more than another.
MATTHEW = TO THE JEWS
There were four classes of people in Jesus' day that represent four types of men today.
The Jew had his special training. He was steeped in Old Testament scripture and the prophets.
Matthew writes the story of Jesus' life on earth especially for this people. If the Jew was to be impressed, it would have to be by one of his own race. His teacher must be a man versed in the Old Testament, and in the customs of the Jews. They must know that this Jesus came to fulfill the prophecies of the Old Testament. Over and over again we read in Matthew. " THAT IT MIGHT BE FULFILLED AS WAS SPOKEN BY JEREMIAH THE PROPHET."
The Jews were interested in a King, and a King must have a Genealogy.
Matthew records the Genealogy of Joseph.
He gives 3 sets of 14 names
1st Abraham To David = Theocracy
2nd Solomon To Jeconiah = Monarchy
3rd Captivity to Christ = Captivity
Some names are left out; he goes from Grandfather to Grandson.
The purpose was to make a list that was easy to memorize, with 14 names in each group. Beget does
not necessarily mean immediate generation, but direct generation.
There was a curse upon the line of Joseph so that no direct descendant in that line could sit on the throne. But that curse was bypassed by adoption. Joseph was not the father of Jesus; He was only the adoptive father. So God bypassed the curse, and Jesus was the rightful heir of the throne of David.
Jesus is presented as King
1. Geology
2. Political Platform, - Sermon the on Mount
3. Authority – Over Satan and Temptation
4. How shall we live – Beatitudes
5. Coming Kingdom
6. His death
MARK = TO THE ROMANS
Mark wrote to the Romans, the masters of the world at that time. The Romans knew nothing about the Old Testament Scripture. They were not interested in prophecy being fulfilled. But they were vitally concerned over a remarkable LEADER who had appeared in Palestine. He had claimed more than ordinary authority, and had possessed extraordinary powers. They wanted to hear more about this Jesus. What sort of a person He really was; what He had said, and what he Taught, and what He had done.
The Romans like the straightforward message of one like Mark. 1,375 times the word "and" is used in Mark. It moves on in a beauty and force all its own. Mark's Gospel is filled with deeds, to back up his words. Clearly it is the Gospel of the Ministry of Christ.
(The Roman of Jesus' day was a type of the average businessman of today. He is not concerned about the genealogy or a king, but what can this man do? "WHO IS ABLE"; a God who can meet man's every need.
Mark is the businessman’s Gospel). They were concerned about his work.
So you will not find his Genealogy or his Great sermons, because people do not care where a worker came from or what he really has to say. They care about can he do the work.
No Geology, No Political platform
LUKE = TO THE GREEKS
This Gospel was written by a Greek Medical Doctor, to his own countrymen who were lovers of beauty, poetry and culture. They lived in a world of large ideas. Their tastes were fastidious. The Gospel of Luke tells of the birth and childhood of Jesus. It gives the inspired songs connected with the life of Christ.
We find the salutation of Elizabeth when Mary visited her. Luke 1:42-45.
We hear the song of the virgin mother Luke 1:46-55.
Even Zacharias burst into praise when speech was restored to him. Luke 1:68-79. At the Saviour's birth a chorus of angel voices ring out Luke 2:13,14 and then the shepherd's song of praise to God in Luke 2:20 is heard. The Greeks were interested in the perfect man Luke presents the only Perfect man.
(The Greek is the type of the student and idealist today who is seeking after truth for he believes that is the goal of happiness.)
The Greeks were concerned about the Ideal man, the Ideal leader, and the Ideal teaching. Luke a Medical Doctor gives us the details about Christ conception and birth. He gives us the Record of Mary's Genealogy to show that J.C. is the perfect man.
JOHN = TO ALL MEN
John is written to all men, that they might believe that Jesus is the Christ. Christ is portrayed as the Son of God. This Gospel is filled with extraordinary claims that attest His divine Character and mission.
(The "all men" of John's day were like the masses today who need Christ. They include the "whosoever" who will believe on the Lord Jesus because they have a sense of need and want to receive the gift of eternal life through JESUS CHRIST the Lord.
Because John presents Jesus Christ as God, God has no Genealogy, He has no birth, He is not tempted.
These are omitted by John.
WHY FOUR GOSPELS?
The Gospels Record 180 Events concerning J.C.
From the Angels Announcement to His Ascension.
God is using each writer to present Jesus in a unique way to appeal to a different type of people.
There is a significant parallel between the four Gospels and the "four living creature" of Ezekiel. Ezekiel 1:10 says, "AS FOR THE LIKENESS OF THEIR FACES, THEY FOUR HAD THE FACE OF A MAN, AND THE FACE OF A LION, ON THE RIGHT SIDE; AND THEY FOUR HAD THE FACE OF AN OX ON THE LEFT SIDE; THEY FOUR ALSO HAD THE FACE OF AN EAGLE."
The lion speaks of strength and kingship
The man, highest intelligence
The ox of lowly service
The eagle of heavenliness, Divinity.
The 4 Gospels we see JESUS CHRIST
In Matthew, the Messiah-King (the lion)
In Mark, Jehovah's Servant (the Ox)
In Luke, The Son of Man (the Man)
In John, The Son of God (the Eagle)
In Matt we find the record of the Genealogy of Joseph
In Luke we find the record of the Genealogy of Mary
Sovereign He comes to reign and rule. - Matt.
Servant Man He comes to serve and suffer. - Mark
Man He comes to share and to sympathize. - Luke
Son of God He comes to redeem. - John
So in the four Gospels we see
Sovereignty,
Humility,
Humanity
THE CHARACTERISTIC ENDING OF THE 4 GOSPELS
Matthew ends with our LORD'S RESURRECTION MATT. 28
Mark ends with our LORD'S ASCENSION MARK 16:19-20
Luke ends with our LORD'S PROMISE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. LUKE 24:49
John ends with our LORD'S PROMISE OF HIS SECOND COMING JOHN 21:20-23
Thus we see that
Matthew, the Gospel of the Messiah-King should end with the resurrection-the crowning proof of His Messiahship.
Mark, the Gospel of the Lowly Servant, ends with the lowly One exalted in place of Glory and Honor.
Luke, the Gospel of the Ideal Man, ends with the promise of a Comforter to Man.
John, the Gospel of the Divine Son, ends with the Lord's own promise of His return.
WHY FOUR GOSPELS
MATTHEW
WALK THRU THE GOSPELS
I. PREPARATION FOR MINISTRY
II. OPENING EVENTS
Temptation By Satan
III. EARLY JUDEAN MINISTY
IV. SAMARITAN MINISTRY
At The Well
V. GALILEAN MINISTRY
Selection OF THE 12
Sermon ON THE MT
FROM SATAN
VI. LATER JUDEAN MINISTRY
VII. PEREAN MINISTRY
THE COST
THE LOST
VIII. CLOSING EVENTS
WALK THRU THE GOSPELS OUTLINE
I. PREPARATION FOR MINISTRY
Bethlehem
Nazareth
Carpenter
II. OPENING EVENTS
Jordan
Baptism by John
Wilderness
Temptation by SATAN
III. EARLY JUDEAN MINISTY
Jerusalem
Second BIRTH
IV. SAMARITAN MINISTRY
Zychar
Women at THE WELL
V. GALILEAN MINISTRY
Nazareth
Rejected
Election of the 12
Sermon ON THE MT.
er FROM SATAN
Parables START
Storm STILLED
Stomach Filled
Testimony OF Peter
Transfiguration
VI. LATER JUDEAN MINISTRY
Jerusalem
Stones flew
Jesus withdraws
VII. PEREAN MINISTRY
erea
Counting THE COST
Seeking THE LOST
VIII. CLOSING EVENTS
Juda
Nazareth
Raised
achies
Raised
Jerusalem
Triumphal Entry
Temple Cleansed
Last Supper
Prayer
Betrayal
Trial
Denial
Crucifixion
RAISED
WALK THRU THE GOSPELS COMPLETE
THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW
1. BIRTH OF THE KING CREDENTIALS
2. BAPTISM OF THE KING
4. TEMPTATION OF THE KING
5 SERMON ON THE MOUNT WORDS OF A KING =PLATFORM FOR A KING
PATTERN = WORDS 10 WORKS
8 - 9 SERIES OF MIRACLES WORKS OF A KING REACTION
NOT CHRONOLOGICAL BUT LOGICAL
10 - 15 SPREAD OF OPPOSITION REACTION TO THE KING
JOHN THE BAPTIST
PHARISEES
MULTITUDE
16 - 23 MANY DISCOURSES PREACHING
28 TEACHINGS
1 DISCOURSE
4 MIRACLES
=FINAL INFORMATION
24 -25 ONE DISCOURSE
26 - 27 DEATH OF THE KING
28 RESURRECTION OF THE KING.
THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW
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