Christianity

Gospel Meaning

Good News

Gospel Number

4

Central Message of the Gospel

Jesus is the way to salvation

Central Figure of Gospels

Jesus

Gospel

The teaching or revelation of Christ and the record of Christ's life in the first four books of the New Testament

Synoptic Gospel

Matthew, Mark, and Luke

First Written Gospel

Mark

Synoptic Meaning

General summary or relating to the synoptic gospels

Visitors of Jesus in Mathew’s Account

Magi (3 wise men)

Focus of Jesus Birth Narrative in Mathew’s account 

Joseph

Focus of Luke’s birth narrative

Mary

Events unique to Luke’s account

Includes shepherds who visits Jesus and the presentation of Jesus to at the temple

Gospel including Flight to Egypt

Mathew’s Gospel

Joseph’s Role in Mathew’s Account

The "just man" who fulfills prophecies by legally adopting Jesus, thereby establishing him as the rightful heir of King David's lineage.

Abrahamic Religions List

Judaism

Christianity

Islam

Baháʼí

Druze

Rastafari

Mandaeism

Azalism

Samaritanism

Abrahamic Religions

A set of monotheistic religions that respect, admire or stem from the religious figure Abraham, namely Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

• Judaism

• Christianity

• Islam

• Baháʼí

• Druze

• Rastafari

• Mandaeism

• Azalism

• Samaritanism

Reason Jesus used Parables

To teach stories in relatable ways

Bible

Christian scripture including Old and New Testament

Testament

One of two parts of the Bible and also a covenant

Evangalist 

A person trying to convert others to Christianity

or 

Describing the 4 gospels

Old Testament

Hebrew scriptures from creation until Jesus

New Testament

Christian scriptures telling the life of Jesus and the church

Pentateuch/Torah

5 beginning books

Types of Writings in Old Testament 

Myths, history, laws, poetry, songs, prophecy and ‘wisdom’

Mathew

A Jewish tax collecter during the Roman empire who was despised and direct apostle of Jesus

Mark

A close friend and accomplice to Peter who who was one of the twelve apostles and a companion of Paul who was responsible for most of the early Christian church.

Luke

An educated doctor gentile (non-jew) and companion of Paul

John 

Jewish fisherman before becoming a disciple of Jesus and one of the 12 apostles 

Mathew’s Audience

Jews

Mark’s Audience

Romans

Luke’s Audience

Hellenists (Greeks)

John’s Audience 

Greeks and Romans 

Mark’s Depiction of Jesus

Suffering servant

Mathew’s Depiction of Jesus

King of Jews

Luke’s Depiction of Jesus

Saviour

John’s Depiction of Jesus

God 

Mathew’s Account Date

80-90 AD

Mark’s Account Date

70ADish

Luke’s Account Date

80-90 AD after Mathew

John’s Account Date 

90-100AD 

Mathew’s Account Focus

Teachings and fulfilments of prophecies

Mark’s Account Focus

Jesus’ authority and hope he brought

John’s Account Focus

Philosophy and arguing that Jesus is God

Literacy Relationship 

Connections between writers, other writers or work 

Documentary Dependence

The status of closeness in word and order

Synoptic Problem

Why are the gospels so similar

3 Theories for Gospel Problem

1. Independent versions of same story

2. Interdependent, copying from each other

3. Earlier, unknown gospel (Proto-Gospel)

Successive Dependence

Gospels were influenced by previous writings

Oral Sources

Personal accounts of historical events or life experiences transmitted through speech which may be written down or recorded

Translation in Gospel

Jesus and the gospels smoke Aramaic while the gospels were in Koine Greek.

Redaction 

The process of editing text for publication

Exegesis

Context

Content

Techniques

Purpose

Reflection

Context

The circumstances that form the setting including for the text & story or for the gospel

Reflection

• What was learnt

• How can it be related to today?

Technique Examples 

• Narrative

• Dialogue

• Symbolism

• Metaphorr

• Simile

• Allegory

Genre

The style or category of literature, e.g., science fiction, action, mystery, romance, etc.

Form

The type of text it is, e.g., a letter, a narrative (a story), a parable, etc.

Types of Stories in Bible

• Parable

• Miracle Story

• Exorcism

Parable

A simple story used to illustrate a moral or spiritual lesson told by Jesus in the Gospels.

Exorcism

Casting out demons or confronting evil 

3 Parts of Jesus Live

Birth

Ministry

Passion

Exegesis

Critical explanation or interpretation of a text, especially of scripture

Annunciation

The announcement of the Incarnation by the angel Gabriel to Mary (Luke 1:26–38)

Incarnation

A person who embodies in the flesh a deity, spirit, or quality.

(Jesus is God in flesh)

Ministry

The work of a minister (head of religion)