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Home , Four Evangelists

PRINCIPLES IN SERVING

NEW TESTAMENT THE FOUR THE FOUR GOSPELS MEANING OF THE WORD ‘’

• Gospel means the good news or the good tidings. • Good tidings are that God sent His only begotten Son into the world to save the believers. • The Arabic word equivalent to gospel is ‘Bishara’, and means an Apostolic Book regarding the life of the Lord on earth. WHY FOUR GOSPELS? (CONTINUE)

• Similarly, each of the four Gospel writers looks at from his own distinct angle. • The four Gospels are not biographies in the modern sense. • A large portion of Jesus’ life is skipped over, and all four Gospels give a significant amount of their writing to His passion week (e.g. Mark 11-16 covers the week leading to the and ). WHY FOUR GOSPELS?

• There is no one definitive biography of Jesus Christ in existence, but rather four separate and complementary accounts. • Why? Because a picture, or portrait, is more complete when viewed from several different angles. WHY FOUR GOSPELS?

• The biography of an important person is not really complete unless we have accounts from various perspectives, Jesus is not just an important person, He is the word of God, He is God. • Different persons would see things from a different viewpoint and thus give us a little different slant on his life. THE FOUR GOSPELS Matthew Mark Luke John 28 16 24 21 MATTHEW • Matthew is one of four Gospels that records the life of Jesus Christ. Matthew, the Hebrew tax collector, writes for the Hebrew mind. • His emphasis on the Old Testament preparation for makes it an ideal "bridge" from the Old to the . Matthew Mark Luke John 28 16 24 21 MATTHEW

• He presents a portrait of Jesus with his own characteristic focus, that gives comparison to the other three books, Mark, Luke and John, that form the Gospel of the Word of God. • Matthew presents the Good News of our Redeemer and Savior, as well as the arrival of the Messiah of Israel, the Son of God and the Savior of the world. Matthew Mark Luke John 28 16 24 21 MATTHEW

• It was written so readers would come to believe in Jesus Christ and receive eternal life according to the perfect plan of the Will and Grace of the LORD. Matthew Mark Luke John 28 16 24 21 MARK

• Mark was the traveling companion of both Paul and Peter, and wrote this Gospel from the Roman perspective. • He was well versed in apostolic teaching, and had extensive missionary experience. • He was the cousin of (Col 4:10) and participated in early stages of Paul's first missionary trip. Matthew Mark Luke John 28 16 24 21 MARK

• For some reason he did not finish the journey, but went back to Jerusalem (Acts 13:13). • Later on, Paul would not have Mark on his mission team because of this desertion (Acts 15:38).

• Yet in later years he and Paul were reconciled (Col 4:10). Matthew Mark Luke John 28 16 24 21 MARK

• Paul regarded him as one of the few who were faithful to his ministry to the end (2 Tim 4:11). • Tradition holds that Mark wrote primarily for a largely Gentile audience resident in Rome, as he seeks to encourage them to follow and keep following Jesus Christ. Matthew Mark Luke John 28 16 24 21 LUKE

• Gospel is the longest book in the New Testament. Matthew's Gospel contains more chapters, but less text; however, Luke's chapters are longer. • About one-half of the information found in Luke is not found in the other three Gospels. Matthew Mark Luke John 28 16 24 21 LUKE

• Luke was not a of Jesus during His earthly ministry. However, he had excellent opportunities to acquire all the information necessary for his two books because he was an intimate friend and traveling companion of the Apostle Paul. • Luke was a Greek Christian and Gentile whom Paul addresses as "the beloved physician“. Matthew Mark Luke John 28 16 24 21 LUKE

• He was a close companion and friend of the Apostle Paul who apparently stayed with him several years in Rome. • Luke was with Paul when he was taken to Rome as prisoner of the Roman Emperor, and later was with Paul at the apostle's death. • Luke is probably the only Gentile (non–Jewish) author in the New Testament. Matthew Mark Luke John 28 16 24 21 JOHN

• The book of John has been called "the single most influential book of the New Testament.“ • John was a Jew of Palestine, and an eyewitness of what he describes. • John claims to be "the disciple whom Jesus loved" (21:20, 24). Matthew Mark Luke John 28 16 24 21 JOHN

• The book consists largely of personal experiences of the author with Christ. "One may note all through the book evidences of an eye-witness in the vivid details" • The internal evidence of the Gospel points directly to the Apostle John, the son of and , as the author. • He was the younger brother of James, and came from a fairly well-to-do family. Matthew Mark Luke John 28 16 24 21 JOHN

• He was a leader in the early church. • All of the external evidence from the first centuries support John, the son of Zebedee, as the author. • No other New Testament book has stronger external evidence since there were no real questions of authorship of John in the early church. He also wrote the three of John and Revelation. SOURCES FROM WHICH THE OBTAINED THEIR MATERIAL OF THE GOSPELS:

• We must first stress that the holy Scriptures are all inspired by the Holy Spirit. In 2 Timothy 3: 16-17 we read, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine • Matthew and John were two of the twelve Apostles of Christ. SOURCES FROM WHICH THE FOUR EVANGELISTS OBTAINED THEIR MATERIAL OF THE GOSPELS:

• Mark, according to our Church’s tradition, was one of the . • Luke asserts that he obtained his information from eye witnesses. • The Lord Christ Himself after His Resurrection remained among the Disciples forty days. SYMBOLS Matthew (Man) Mark (Lion) Mark Luke (Ox) John (Eagle) WHO IS CHRIST? “I AM …” WRITERS, DATES, AUDIENCE, ETC. Gospel Matthew Mark Luke John Author Tax Collector Missionary Physicians Fishermen Date Written 39-42 60-61 58-63 90-100 A.D. Judea Ephesus Rome Rome Place Written (Palastine) (Asia Minor) Original Jews Romans Greeks Whole World Audience Merciful. Son of The Incarnated Opening Genealogy Servant of mankind Man. Offering World Fulfill Perform Serve Christ Came To Dwell Among Us the Law Miracles Humanity General General Topical / Tone Topical Chronologically Chronologically Theological MIRACLES OF JESUS MIRACLE MATTHEW MARK LUKE JOHN Healing the possessed man in 1:23-28 4:33-37 Capernaum Healing of Peter's Mother-in-law 8:14-15 1:29-31 4:38-39 Cleansing of a Leper 8:1-4 1:40-45 5:12-16 Turning Water to Wine at Cana 2:1-12 The Miraculous Catch of Fish 5:2-11 Healing of a Paralytic 9:1-8 2:1-12 5:18-26 Cure of the Man with a Withered 12:9-14 3:1-6 6:6-10 Hand Healing of Official's Son in 4:43-54 Capernaum Healing of Centurion's Servant 8:5-13 7:2-10 Raising of Widow's Son at Nain 7:11-17 Calming of the Storm at Sea 8:23-27 4:35-41 8:22-25 MIRACLES OF JESUS CONTINUE MIRACLE MATTHEW MARK LUKE JOHN Cure of the Gerasene Demoniac 8:28-34 5:1-20 8:26-39 Healing of a Paralytic in Bethesda 5:1-47 Cure of Woman afflicted with 9:20-22 5:25-34 8:43-48 Hemorrhage Raising of Jairus' daughter 9:23-26 5:35-43 8:49-56 Healing Two Blind Men 9:27-31 Healing A Possessed Mute 9:32-34 Feeding the 5000 14:13-21 6:34-44 9:10-17 6:1-14 Walking on Water 14:22-33 6:44-52 6:16-21 Healings at Gennesaret 14:34-36 6:53-56 Cure of Syro-Phoenician's Daughter 15:21-28 7:24-30 Healing of Deaf-Mute 7:31-37 Feeding the 4000 15:32-39 8:1-9 Restores Sight to the Blind Man of 8:22-25 Bethsaida MIRACLES OF JESUS CONTINUE MIRACLE MATTHEW MARK LUKE JOHN Healing of a Man Born Blind 9:1-41 Casting Out of a Dumb Demon 17:14-21 9:14-29 9:37-43

Healing a possessed stooped Woman 13:11-17

Healing of A Man with Dropsy 14:1-6 Cleansing of Ten Lepers 17:11-19 Healing of Blind Bartimaeus of 10:46-52 18:35-43 Jericho

Healing of Servant's Ear during Arrest 22:50-52

Healing of Two Blind Men at Jericho 20:29-34

The Raising of Lazarus 11:1-44 TEACHINGS OF JESUS Matthew Mark Luke John Jesus foretells his death and resurrection 17:22 9:30 9:43 The child 18:1 9:33 9:46 He who is not against us is with us 9:38 9:49 The millstone 18:6 9:42 17:1 If your hand offends 18:8 9:43 Salt of the earth 5:13 9:49 14:34 Forgiving seven times 18:21 10:1 Divorce 19:1 10:1 Woman taken in adultery 8:1 The Samaritan village 9:51 The Samaritan woman 4:1 Asking for a sign 12:38 11:5 Mary and 10:38 Children 19:13 10:17 18:18 The camel and the eye of a needle 19:16 10:17 18:18 Further foretelling of how Jesus will die 20:17 10:32 18:31 James and John ask to sit by Jesus in his glory 20:20 10:35 Healing of Bartimaeus 20:29 10:46 18:35 PARABLES IN THE PARABLES IN THE BIBLE

• Parables #1-2-3-4 New cloth, New wine. Lamp on a stand. Wise & foolish builders. • Parables #5-6 Moneylender forgives unequal debts. Lamp on a stand (2nd time). • Parables #7-8 Rich man builds bigger barns. Servants must remain watchful. • Parables #9-10 Wise and foolish servants. Unfruitful fig tree. • Parable #11 Sower of seeds into four types of soil. PARABLES IN THE BIBLE

• Parable #12 Weeds among good plants. “Kingdom of Heaven”. • Parables #13-15 Growing seed. Mustard seed. Yeast. “Kingdom of Heaven”. • Parables #16-19 Hidden treasure. Pearl. Fishing net. Owner of a house. “Kingdom of Heaven”. • Parables #20-21 Lost sheep. The sheep, gate, and shepherd. • Parables #22-23 Master and his servant. Unmerciful servant. PARABLES IN THE BIBLE

• Parables #24-25 Good Samaritan. Friend in need. • Parables #26-27 Lowest seat at the feast. Invitation to a great banquet. • Parable #28 Cost of discipleship. • Parables #29-30 Lost sheep (sheep as sinners). Lost copin. • Parable #31 Lost (prodigal) son. PARABLES IN THE BIBLE

• Parable #32 Shrewd manager. • Parable #33 Rich man and Lazarus. • Parable #34 Workers in the vineyard, early and late. • Parables #35-36 Persistent widow and crooked judge. Praying: Pharisee and tax collector. • Parable #37 King's servants given minas. PARABLES IN THE BIBLE

• Parables #38-39 Two sons, one obeys, one does not. Wicked tenants. • Parable #40 Invitation to a wedding banquet. • Parables #41-42 Signs from a fig tree. Wise and foolish servants. • Parables #43-44 Wise and foolish virgins. Servants must remain watchful. • Parable #45 Three servants given talents. • Parable #46 Sheep and goats will be separated. REFERENCES

• Holy Bible

• Suscopts.org

• http://www.suscopts.org/servantsprep/pdf/NT/NT_101.pdf

• Gospels comparison

• http://gwydir.demon.co.uk/jo/gospels/index.htm