The Gospels & Acts

The word Gospel means

Good News

Synoptic Gospels

Matthew, Mark, Luke

Matthews main message

jesus is Isreal’s long awaited messiah king

Matthew Key Features

1. Strong Jewish Orientation

2. Emphasis on CHrists fulfillment of the OT

3. Arranges around five speaches/sermons

4. The Great Commission

Mark’s main message

Jesus, the son of God, became a servant and a ransom for sin

Marks key features

1. No brth narrative

2. Quick moving narrative

3. The Messianic Secert

4. “makan sandwiches”

5. False ending

Luke’s main message

Jesus is the savior of all people especially the marginalized

Luke’s Key features

1. Emphasis on outsiders (poor, sinners, samaritians, Gentiles, women)

2. Emphasis on Jesus present reign following hs ascension

John (not synoptic) Main Message

Jesus is the world made to flesh to reval the Father and provide enternal life to all who believe

John’s Key features

1. Emphasis on Jesus Divinity

2. Centrality of Belief/Enternal life

3. Spirtual dual sim

4. Irony and symbolism

5. The promised Holy Spirt

Main message of Acts

• The ongoing work of Jesus through his new covenant people by the Power of the Holy spirit. 

• Jesus is fulfilling the Messianic- Kingdom through his New Covenant people by the power of the Holy Spirit. 

• … fulfills prophetic/ messianic expectations 

• …. Subverts cultural/political expectations 

Key Distinctives of Acts

1. Empowering of the Holy Spirit (real)

2. Love and Unity of the Church (ideal)

3. Missionary Journeys to the Ends of the Earth 

4. Centile Inclusion and the Jewishness of the New community 

5. Persecution, Opposition, Martyrdom

Peter (Acts)

• Main Apostle

• Simon (Jewish name) 

• Apostle to the Jews 

• Converts the Centlies household of Cornelius

Paul (Acts)

• Main apostle 

• Saul (Jewish name)

• Apostle to the Gentiles 

• Recognizes Jesus as Yahewh (9a) 

• Three missionary journeys to Asia Minor and Greece (12-20) 

• Paul ends up under house arrest preaching the gospel at the heart of Rome (28)

Stephen Apostle (Acts)

Preaches against Israel's leaders and is stoned to death, marking the beginning of persecution

Philip Apostle (Acts)

Converts an Ethiopian Eunuch 

Cornelius Apostle (Acts)

• Peter converts the Gentile household of Cornelius 

Pentecost

• Pentecost is the Day they receives the Holy Spirit

• The Spirit fills the community as the New Temple (Exodus 40; Haggai 2) 

• The Apostles share the gospel in many languages at once (Genesis 11)

• Israel is reunifeied under the Messiah King (Isaiah 11; Ezekiel 37)

Jerusalem Council

• Declares that Gentile believers don’t have to follow Jewuish customs to become Chrisitans 

Main Conflicts (Acts)

1. (Mainly) The Racial/Cultural Division Between Jews and Gentiles

2. The Political Tension between “Jesus is Lord” and “Caesar is Lord