Unit 6 - The Coming of Jesus - Gospel/Kingdom/Covenant (PART 1) THE FOUR BILBLICAL GOSPELS

Overview of the Gospel Authors

Who Was Luke?

  • Ethnicity and Profession:

    • Luke was not Jewish; he was a Roman doctor.

  • Reputation as a Historian:

    • Referred to as a "master historian."

  • Authorship:

    • Wrote the Book of Acts in the New Testament (NT).

  • Language and Style:

    • His vocabulary was extensive and rich.

  • Perspective:

    • Luke was not an eyewitness of Jesus; he is noted as the only New Testament writer who was non-Jew.

Who Was John?

  • Ethnicity:

    • John was Jewish.

  • Role:

    • A disciple and apostle who was part of Jesus' inner circle.

  •     He is referred to as "the one whom Jesus loved."

  • an Eye witness of Jesus

  • Writings:

    • Authored 5 books in the New Testament.

  • Family Relation:

    • He was the brother of James, both of whom were disciples.

Purpose of 4 Gospels

  1. To Provide a more complete picture of Christ

  2. To provide us with an objective verification of the truthfulness of their accounts

  3. To reward diligent seekers of the truth by encouraging them to explore different perspectives and understand teachings of Jesus.

The 4 Biblical Gospels

Definition of Gospel

  • Meaning:

    • The term "gospel" translates to "good news."

  • Collective Narrative:

    • The 4 Gospels in the New Testament include historical and prophetic references along with personal details, all contributing to form a detailed and accurate portrayal of Jesus as the Messiah, the King, the Servant, and the Son of God.

Gospel Authors

  • The authors of the Gospels include:

    • Matthew

    • Luke

    • Mark

    • John

Who Was Matthew?

  • Ethnicity:

    • Matthew was a Jewish man.

  • Discipleship:

    • He was 1 of the 12 disciples.

  • Former Profession:

    • Before becoming a disciple, he was a tax collector.

  • Public Perception:

    • Tax collectors were despised by the Jews.

  • Contributions:

    • Matthew wrote the longest Gospel, often noted for enriching himself out of tax collection before leaving his old life to follow Jesus.

Who Was Mark?

  • Ethnicity:

    • Mark was a Jew.

  • Family Connection:

    • His cousin was an apostle.

  • Associations:

    • He was a friend of Peter and an eyewitness of Jesus.

  • Historical Significance:

    • His mother started 1 of the first early churches.

    • He helped Paul and Barnabas in their ministry.

  • His Reputation:

    • Mark has a historical reputation of being a quitter.

  • Full Name:

    • His name was John Mark.