Gospels

  • Matthew means “gift of God”

    Matthew’s gospel uses dozens of Old Testament quotes to convince Jews that Jesus is the fulfillment of ancient prophecies. Jesus is the Messiah.

  • Mark means “warlike”

    Mark writes in a fast-paced, action-packed style that is well suited for Gentile (non-Jewish) readers.

  • Luke means “light-giving”

    Luke’s writing would have appealed to the less fortunate ones like women, slaves, and people living in poverty. He shows that Jesus is the savior of all classes of people. Luke also wrote the book of Acts.

  • John means “God is gracious”

    John’s gospel is heavy on theology, perhaps to counteract the many false teachers who were deceiving people in the early years of the church. John also wrote the book of Revelation and the letters; 1st, 2nd, and 3rd John.

A record of the life and ministry of Jesus as told by three Jewish men and a Gentile physician named Luke.

Recognize the gospels as a time of transition in which the Old Covenant had not quite ended and the New Covenant had not quite begun. Read long sections at a time and let the context show you which parts to take literally.

Major Characters and Events in the Gospels

John the Baptist

The prophet who was sent to baptize Jews and announce the coming of the Messiah. There had been no prophets in the 400 years prior to John the Baptist.

Jesus

The Son of God, the Christ, the Messiah, who came to reconcile people to God.

The Miracles and Parables of Jesus

More than 30 miracles are recorded in the Gospels to show people that Jesus has authority over demons, diseases, and the physical world. Jesus’ parables are simple stories that He told to teach His listeners about love, mercy, and the Kingdom of God.

The Twelve Apostles

  1. Peter

  2. John

  3. James

  4. Andrew

  5. Philip

  6. Bartholomew

  7. Thomas

  8. Matthew

  9. James, son of Alphaeus

  10. Judas son of James

  11. Simon the Zealot

  12. Judas Iscariot

The Last Supper

The final meal Jesus had with His apostles before He was crucified.

Jesus Crucified and Buried in a Tomb

The Jewish leaders brought charges against Jesus and demanded that the Romans execute Him by hanging Him on a cross. After He died, Jesus’ body was put in a tomb guarded by Roman soldiers.

Jesus Resurrected on the Third Day

As prophesied, Jesus was raised from the dead on the third day after His execution. He showed Himself to more than 500 people, including the apostles.

Jesus Ascended into Heaven

Forty days after being raised from the dead, Jesus was taken up to heaven and seated at the right hand of God the Father.

Gospels

Gospels

MATTHEW.......... MARK.......... LUKE.......... JOHN

MATTHEW.......... MARK.......... LUKE.......... JOHN

Why did Jesus die on a cross instead of death by stoning?

Jesus was born under the Law of Moses. The Law required death by stoning for crimes such as Sabbath-breaking (Exodus 35:2) and blasphemy (Leviticus 24:16). Jesus was accused of breaking the Law when He healed people on the Sabbath. He was called a blasphemer when He forgave a man’s sins and said that God is His Father. But Jesus did not sin when He healed people on the Sabbath. Nor did He blaspheme God when He said He could forgive sins. No one could bring a legitimate charge against Jesus. He observed the Law perfectly. Jesus is not a law-breaker who got caught and deserved to die. He is the Lamb of God who chose to sacrifice Himself in order to take away the sin of the world by His death on a cross.

The Law of Moses said that a man who is hung on a tree is cursed by God (Deuteronomy 21:22). It was necessary for Jesus to die the death of one who was cursed. The apostle Paul wrote, “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us— for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree.’” (Galatians 3:13) If Jesus had been executed by stoning, He would not have died the death of one who was cursed by God. Jesus had to be executed on the cross in order to remove the curse of sin.

Jesus is alive!

Jesus died the death of one who was cursed by God. But the tomb is empty now. God raised Jesus from the dead on the third day. He will never die again. The risen Jesus was seen by hundreds of people before He ascended into heaven. He will return one day and make all things new.

Where would you like to go now?

Prophecy

NT Narrative