The Four Gospels

Overview

The Gospels are not like modern biographies.

They’re about the ‘good news’ of Jesus Ministry.

The earliest NT writings

The fragment beside is taken from his Letter to the Ephesians

Ephesus – modern day Turkey

St Paul’s letters are among the earliest

Particularly his Letters to the Thessalonians

C. 50 AD

Four Canonical GospelsFragment of St Matthew’s Gospel

Fragment of St Luke’s Gospel

Fragment of St Johns’s Gospel

Inspiration

Inspiration according to Judeo-Christian understanding

The various author’s talents, abilities and even limitations are engaged

Grace builds on nature

Gospel formation Process by which

the gospels came about …

Christian oral tradition

Eyewitness accounts

Use of written records now lost

FALSEHOOD

EXAGGERATIO

N

TWIS

TS

CONFUSION

Evangelists: St MatthewSt. Matthew's GospelThe Apostle Matthew (Levi) For people who were Jewish converts to Christianity. Jesus' Jewish background and Jewish customs are explained. Many quotations from the Jewish Scriptures to show that Jesus was the fulfilment of God's promise to the Jews about the Messiah.

Evangelists: St MarkSt. Mark's GospelShort Gospel Concentrates on the last week before Jesus died. Shows how Jesus accepted suffering and won final victory. To encourage the Church in Rome which was suffering persecution. Message was to keep faith in Jesus in spite of troubles.

Evangelists: St LukeSt. Luke's Gospel

Gentile writer for a Gentile church.

Includes many stories to show that Jesus is the saviour of the whole world.

Shows how Jesus had time for the outsider, for people in society who were normally on the margins - women, the poor, foreigners, the sick and sinners.

Evangelists: St JohnSt. John's Gospel

The Apostle John

Many differences between St. John's Gospel and the other three.

Terminology checkTerminology check

synoptic

evangelist

Christian oral tradition

inspiration

Judeo-Christian

gentile

Messiah persecution

Synoptic Gospels

Matthew's gospel - 1068 verses (28 chapters)about 600 verses from Markabout 218 from sources known to Matthewabout 250 verses from a source known to Luke and MatthewWritten in Antioch (?) about A.D. 70-80?  

Luke's gospel - 1149 verses (24 chapters)about 350 verses from Mark about 600 verses from sources known to Lukeabout 250 verses from a source known toLuke and MatthewWritten in Syria (?) about A.D. 70-80?

Mark's gospel - 676 verses (16 chapters)Early recordsMemories of PeterStories from first disciplesWritten in Rome about A.D. 65

THAT’S ALL FOR NOW