Why Are There Four Gospels

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Why Are There FourGospels...?

The New Testament History Books of the Gospels and the Acts

A Helpful and Concise Answer

By Dr Terry W. Preslar

Copyright (C) 2010 . Terry W. Preslar All rights reserved.

Terry W. Preslar PO Box 388 Mineral Springs, NC 28108

(704)843-3858


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Why Are There Four Gospels...?The New Testament History Books of the Gospels and the Acts

The History Division of the New Testament

The History Division of the New Testament Canon is made up of five books written by four earthlyauthors. The noble Matthew (Levi), a publican or tax-gatherer of taxes, dues and customs at Capernaum,

was a clear and undoubted author of the first Gospel. The Gospel of Mark bares the name of Mark (John

Mark). He was a contemporary of Peter and Paul and his authorship has no serious objectors. Luke, the

physician (Col. 4:14), a Gentile, is believed to have written both the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts.

The Gospel of John was written by the Apostle John, the youngest of the disciples in the days of Christs

earthly ministry. who penned a total of five of the New Testament (The Gospel of John, 1 , 2 and 3 Johnst nd rd

and the Revelation). These historians have served us with the most accurate information that can be found

on the era of the Bible days and the Early Church.

Four Gospels with One Story Written by Four Writers

(As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man, and the face of a lion, on the rightside: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle. Ezek.

1:10)

The life of our Lord Jesus Christ has been wonderfully recorded for us in the words of four Gospel

writers: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Although each of these men wrote with the same general purpose

to record, for posterity, the events central to our Faith. Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit the end result

of each individual effort is truly unique. The four Gospels can be generally categorized in this way:

The Gospels Author The Primary Audience The Theme

Matthew The Jewish Nation Christ the Sovereign (The Lion)

Mark The Romans Christ the Servant (The Oxen)Luke The Greeks Christ the Savior (The Man)

John The Church Christ the Son of God (The Eagle)

Thus We Have a Fourfold GospelThe early church fathers (Irenaeus, Athanasius, Jerome) regarded the four living Cherubim united in one


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as representing the fourfold gospel (Now as I beheld the living creatures, behold one wheel upon the earth

by the living creatures, with his four faces. Ezek1:15). They (the four Gospels) are the chariot of God

bearing Him into all lands (The LORD reigneth; let the people tremble: he sitteth between the cherubims;

let the earth be moved. Psa. 99:1; 19:4), guided by the Spirit, intertwined with wheels in wheels of

coincidences and variations, full of eyes, discerning the thoughts. The four faces in their spiritual ideal

reveal the Saviour under a fourfold aspect.

1- The Lion denotes Christs kingship, as ...the lion of the tribe of Juda... (Rev. 5:5). Matthew

traces His line of succession to the throne from David the king. The wise men (Matt. 2), according

to Balaams prophecy of the ...a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel... (Num. 24:17). The climax of thethree temptations of Christ in the wilderness (Matt. 4) is Satans offer of the kingdom. The Sermon

on the Mount has the epigrammatic tone of an authoritative king. Seven parables illustrate the true

nature of the kingdom, for the Jews, for whom Matthew writes, looked for Messiahs kingdom. His

claim of exemption from tribute, recorded in Matthew alone (Matt. 17:24), marks Him Son and Heir

of the kingdom. Matthew closes with His universal dominion (Matt. 28:18-20).

2- The Ox or calf typifies Christs patient toil(1 Cor. 9:9-10). Marks representation of Christ

corresponds; homely, earnest, minutely graphic, full of action rather than discourse, suited to the

Roman practical character, it. abruptly carries us at once into Christs ministry of unceasing toil

(Mark 1). The word variously translated straightway, immediately, forthwith, anon, as soon

as, by and by (eutheoos occurs 27 times, though in Matthew but eight times, in Luke twice; an

illustration of its energetic tone. Minute details are peculiar to his vivid style: Jesus was with the

wild beasts (Mark 1:13); Zebedee with the hired servants (Mark 1:20); Boanerges (Mark 3:17);

Jesus gestures (Mr 3:5); His successive acts in curing the deaf (Mark 7:33-34); the lingering glory

on His countenance, and the peoples amazement (Mark 9:15). It presents the best picture of Jesus

daily outward life.

3- A Mans Face refers to human sympathy. Lukes Gospel presents the lowly humanity of the Son

of mans conception, birth, and childhood; it traces Him up to Adam, the common father of all men.

The parables and miracles unique to Luke exhibit Christs human tenderness; the prodigal son, the

good Samaritan, the grateful Samaritan leper, the publicans prayer, Zaccheus, the raising of the Nain

widows son.

4- The eagle signifies high soaring heavenliness. Johns Gospel, say the fathers, is the Gospel afterthe Spirit, as the others are after the flesh. John supplies details of Andrew, Philip, Nathanael,

Thomas, and Judas, unmentioned by the others; also details of time, place, and numbers; also

supplemental matter (John 2:19), destroy this temple, accounting for the charge of the false

witnesses unexplained in Matt. 26:61. In the prologue and elsewhere Christs characteristic aspect

is His Divine glory breaking forth the brighter amidst the darkness of the Jews opposition.

Each of the four, while recognizing the Lords other aspects, has one view prominent; and the four

combine in one harmonious whole, joined by a spiritual not a mechanical unity. Wordsworth said: Mutual

inter-texture is characteristic of Scripture. The second and third evangelists warranted the genuineness of

each former Gospel with all the authority of the latter, by quoting its words. Thus they became joint vouchers

for the genuine Gospels and joint opposers of the spurious. John authenticates the foregoing ones not by

adopting but by omitting what they had related, and supplying what they omitted. (ChristopherWordsworth, 1807-1885, English bishop and man of letters).

Thus We Have a Complete PictureNot one of the Gospels, taken by itself, gives us a complete picture of the life and ministry of our Lord.

It is only when we blend the contents of all four Gospels that we can achieve anything close to a real

appreciation for who the Lord is, what He taught, and what He accomplished.

It is clear that each writer was inspired to select information based on his audience and theme. While

there is a great deal of overlap in the Gospel accounts, the differences are significant. For example, only John


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recorded the miracle performed at the wedding in Cana, while all four writers recorded the miracle of the

feeding of the five thousand.

The Acts of the Apostles The Story of the Early ChurchThe Book of Acts finishes the History Division of the New Testament. The book of Acts contains a few

sermons, a few biographies, and a few reports of the major events of Early Church History, but represents

a very pure style of, Luke, the historians account of the earliest period of Church history. The sermons

reported are selected to illustrate the preaching style of that early period (there were many sermons that could

have been reported sometimes they preached daily. (See Acts 2:42 And they continued stedfastly in theapostles' doctrine and fellowship...). There were two featured preachers. Peter preached the two sermons

that swept as many as 8,000 souls into the new church. (Acts 2:14-41, 3,000 were converted; 3:12-4:4, 5,000

more were converted) and Paul preached to instruct the church as well as evangelize the lost. Even though

several characters are mentioned, the Apostle Paul is the main personage, occupying most of the book. No

book could have recorded everything that took place in the early church period. The events that occurred

were selectively reported in order to fix the major developmental phases of the Churchs progress (The

Pentecost event that marked the coming of the Holy Spirit, the extension of the message of the Gospel to

the Gentiles, the first use of the word Christian, but mainly the transition from the dispensation of Law

to Grace from the activity of the flesh unto the work of the Holy Ghost).

ConclusionThe New Testaments History is a matter that continues until this day. God is still moving through the

message of the New Testament. These five books give a clear testimony of Christs message of the Gospel

and contain the information for a proper foundation for any study of New Testament History. The History

of the Early Church continues until this day with chapters added daily.


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Through The Printed Page

This Document is printed by Gospel Publishing and Colportage, a ministry of the First Baptist

Church of Mineral Springs, NC, and is designed for education, evangelism, and edification. If we mayassist you in knowing more about Christ and the Christian life, please write us without obligation: FirstBaptist Church of Mineral Springs PO Box 388, Mineral Springs, NC 28108 (704)843-3858

Psalms 107:2SSRomans 12:1-2E-Mail: [email protected]

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Why Are There Four Gospels