We call [Matthew, Mark, Luke and John] Gospels because their primary purpose is to tell the good news about Jesus: in him, God s new day has dawned at last The Gospels are not like modern biographies; they do not try to give a precise chronological record of the events of Jesus life. Rather, each of the Gospel authors shines the light of the good news on a particular historical situation, selecting events from the eyewitness stories of what Jesus said and did. Each evangelist interprets those events in light of the needs of his own moment in history, arranging the events to convey a particular theme. The Gospels thus vary according to the writer s differing situations and purposes. The Holy Spirit certainly moved these human authors to give a reliable account of, and compelling witness to, God s work in Jesus. Yet we can also detect in what they wrote both the normal processes of history writing and the particular, personal concerns on the writes. The Drama of Scripture, Pg. 130 Over the next four weeks we will study the four Gospels. This study will take a harmony approach. Technically, a harmony refers to a literary work that has interwoven two or more sections of Scripture into a continuous narrative. Holman Christian Standard Bible: Harmony of the Gospels, Pg. 3 Our study will follow the divisions originally outlined by John A. Broadus and A.T. Robertson in their work, A Harmony of the Gospels, originally published in 1893. The acceptance of four Gospels raises two questions: why are they so alike, and why are they so different? Regarding similarity, only approximately 8% of the Gospel of Mark is not found in Matthew or Luke. Approximately 30% of Matthew is unique to Matthew, and about 50% of Luke is unique. John contains almost entirely unique material. The three Synoptic Gospels share many of the same events recorded in the Gospels. Regarding the differences, each Gospel has a significant amount of unique material (from 8% to 90%). To be more precise, the actual words and details of the common events differ significantly. The church always acknowledged the need for four Gospels even with such similarity and such diversity. Holman Christian Standard Bible: Harmony of the Gospels, Pg. 9 Rick Melick in the HCSB edition of the Harmony of the Gospels gives four reasons as to why we have four different gospels: The Missionary/Evangelistic Advance of the Church The advance of the gospel demanded written accounts of the life of Christ. The Apostolic Memories Preserved The accounts of the apostles time with Christ was important to communicate. Connecting Interculturally The four Gospels present Jesus from different perspectives so that cultures not familiar with the Jewish faith could understand the message of salvation. FBC Durham Bible For Life Page 1
Theological Distinctives Emerge The four Gospels present a composite picture of Jesus life. On the Old Testament (pg. 557) gives a summary of each of the Gospels showing their differences: Matthew Matthew wrote his Gospel primarily to convince Jews that Jesus was the fulfillment of the Old Testament. Mark Mark is the shortest of the Gospels and was written for Romans who did not care much about Jesus' family lineage but did care about whether or not he accomplished his mission of salvation. Therefore, Mark is filled with action, present tense verbs, the miracles of Jesus, and Jesus' own teachings. Luke Luke was a well-educated doctor whose Gospel carefully tells the story of Jesus in chronological order with special attention to Jesus' healings of those who were sick, his emotional life, and the ministry of angels. Luke also highlights Jesus' love for social outcasts and women. John John is written primarily to Greeks who are not as familiar with the Old Testament, which also explains why, among Americans whose culture is influenced so greatly by the Greeks, John perennially remains the most popular Gospel. In reading John you will learn to love Jesus as your God and worship him alone. This week s look at the Gospel The Sources of the Gospel Matthew Mark Luke John Luke explains his Purpose and Method of Research and Writing 1:1-4 The Incarnation of the Son of God Matthew Mark Luke John Prologue to John s Gospel 1:1-18 The Genealogies of Jesus in Matthew and Luke Matthew Mark Luke John Apparently Joseph s Genealogy in Matthew and Mary s in Luke 1:1-17 3:23b-38 The Birth and Childhood of John the Baptist and Jesus Matthew Mark Luke John Gabriel Predicts John s Birth 1:5-25 Gabriel Predicts Jesus Birth 1:26-38 Mary s Visit to Elizabeth 1:39-45 FBC Durham Bible For Life Page 2
Mary s Praise 1:46-56 The Birth and Naming of John 1:57-80 The Nativity of the Messiah 1:18-25 The Birth of Jesus 2:1-7 The Shepherds and the Angels 2:8-20 The Circumcision of Jesus 2:21 The Presentation of Jesus 2:22-38 Wise Men Seek the King 2:1-12 The Flight to Egypt and the Massacre of the Innocents 2:13-18 The Holy Family in Nazareth 2:19-23 2:39 Jesus s Childhood in Nazareth 2:40 In His Father s House 2:41-50 The Eighteen Years at Nazareth 2:51-52 I. The Sources of the Gospel a. Luke Explains His Purpose and His Method of Research and Writing i. Luke 1:1 4 (ESV) 1 Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, 2 just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, 3 it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught. Since we know that Luke rearranged some events in his Gospel to be topical as opposed to chronological (see Lk 4:16 30 and parallels in Mark and Matthew), this orderly sequence has more to do with a general arrangement and order as opposed to meaning in temporal sequence. Holman Christian Standard Bible: Harmony of the Gospels, Pg. 23 II. The Incarnation of the Son of God a. Prologue to John s Gospel i. John 1:1 3 (ESV) 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. ii. John 1:14 18 (ESV) 14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of FBC Durham Bible For Life Page 3
grace and truth. 15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, This was he of whom I said, He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me. ) 16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father s side, he has made him known. What does this section teach us about the ministry of Christ? What does this section teach us about our spiritual needs/condition? III. The Genealogies of Jesus in Matthew and Luke a. Apparently Joseph s Genealogy in Matthew and Mary s in Luke i. Matthew 1:1, 5-6, 16-17 (ESV) 1 The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham 5 and Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab, and Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth, and Obed the father of Jesse, 6 and Jesse the father of David the king. And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah 16 and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ. 17 So all the generations from Abraham to David were fourteen generations, and from David to the deportation to Babylon fourteen generations, and from the deportation to Babylon to the Christ fourteen generations. ii. Luke 3:23, 31-32, 38 (ESV) 23 Jesus, when he began his ministry, was about thirty years of age, being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the son of Heli 31 the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David, 32 the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Sala, the son of Nahshon 38 the son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God. FBC Durham Bible For Life Page 4
IV. The Birth and Childhood of John the Baptist and Jesus a. Gabriel Predicts John s Birth i. Luke 1:5 7, 11, 13, 16-17, 24-25 (ESV) 5 In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah. And he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 And they were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and statutes of the Lord. 7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years 11 And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense 13 But the angel said to him, Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John 16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, 17 and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared. 24 After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she kept herself hidden, saying, 25 Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people. b. Gabriel Predicts Jesus Birth i. Luke 1:26 27, 30-35 (ESV) 26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, 27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin s name was Mary 30 And the angel said to her, Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. 31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end. 34 And Mary said to the angel, How will this be, since I am a virgin? 35 And the angel answered her, The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy the Son of God. FBC Durham Bible For Life Page 5
What does this section teach us about the ministry of Christ? Wayne Grudem in Systematic Theology on pg. 529ff gives three reasons for the importance of the virgin birth: 1) It shows that salvation must ultimately come from the Lord, Just as God promised that the seed of the woman (Gen 3:15) would ultimately destroy the serpent, so God brought it about by his own power, not through mere human effort. 2) The virgin birth made possible the uniting of full deity and full humanity in on person If we think for a moment of other possible ways in which Christ might have come to earth, none of them would so clearly unite humanity and deity in one person. 3) The virgin birth also makes possible Christ s true humanity without inherited sin But the fact that Jesus did not have a human father means that the line of descent from Adam is partially interrupted. Grudem also notes that the title Son of God when looking at Hebrews 1:2-3 and applied to Christ strongly affirms his deity as the eternal Son in the Trinity, one equal to God the Father in all of his attributes. Systematic Theology, Pg. 547 c. Mary s Visit to Elizabeth Luke 1:39-45 The interaction between Mary and Elizabeth was significant in that the Elizabeth, carrying John the Baptist, noted the reaction of her child upon Mary s arrival. This is a precursor to the role that John the Baptist will play as the one that goes before Christ to proclaim to the coming of the Lord. d. Mary s Praise Luke 1:46-56 Mary sums up the significance of her pregnancy of carrying Christ. Luke 1:54 55 (ESV) 54 He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, 55 as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever. e. The Birth and Naming of John i. Luke 1:67 79 (ESV) 67 And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying, 68 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people 69 and has raised up a horn of salvation FBC Durham Bible For Life Page 6
for us in the house of his servant David, 70 as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, 71 that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us; 72 to show the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy covenant, 73 the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us 74 that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear, 75 in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. 76 And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, 77 to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins, 78 because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high 79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. What does this section teach us about our spiritual needs/condition? f. The Nativity of the Messiah Matthew 1:18-25 While Joseph had the right to end his betrothal to Mary because of her being pregnant not by him, it was revealed to Joseph by an angel that Mary was pregnant by the Holy Spirit and that the son would be the promised one to bring salvation to his people. g. The Birth of Jesus i. Luke 2:1 7 (ESV) 1 In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. 2 This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. 3 And all went to be registered, each to his own town. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, 5 to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. 6 And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. Observe how the ruler of the civilized world is unconsciously bringing it about that the Messiah, the son of David, shall be born at Bethlehem, though FBC Durham Bible For Life Page 7
his mother s home was Nazareth. All the previous history of Rome and of Israel gathers about this manger. A Harmony of the Gospels h. The Shepherds and the Angels Luke 2:8-20 The birth of Christ was announced by Angels to some shepherds in the field who then came to see Jesus in the manger. The shepherds, in one sense, became the first human evangelists for Christ as they spread the word about His birth to those around them. i. The Circumcision of Jesus i. Luke 2:21 (ESV) 21 And at the end of eight days, when he was circumcised, he was called Jesus, the name given by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. j. The Presentation of Jesus i. Luke 2:22 32 (ESV) 22 And when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, they brought him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord 23 (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, Every male who first opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord ) 24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the Law of the Lord, a pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons. 25 Now there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon, and this man was righteous and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord s Christ. 27 And he came in the Spirit into the temple, and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to the custom of the Law, 28 he took him up in his arms and blessed God and said, 29 Lord, now you are letting your servant depart in peace, according to your word; 30 for my eyes have seen your salvation 31 that you have prepared in the presence of all peoples, 32 a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and for glory to your people Israel. What does this section teach us about the ministry of Christ? FBC Durham Bible For Life Page 8
k. Wise Men Seek the King i. Matthew 2:1, 10-12 (ESV) 1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11 And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. 12 And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way. Then, as now, gold was the most precious of metals and the universal symbol of material value and wealth. Frankincense and myrrh were fragrant spices and perfumes equally appropriate for such adoration and worship. Holman Christian Standard Bible: Harmony of the Gospels, Pg. 36 l. The Flight to Egypt and the Massacre of the Innocents i. Matthew 2:3 18 (ESV) 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. 5 They told him, In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet: 6 And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel. 7 Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him. 9 After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11 And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh. 12 And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way. 13 Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him. 14 And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt 15 and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what FBC Durham Bible For Life Page 9
the Lord had spoken by the prophet, Out of Egypt I called my son. 16 Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men. 17 Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah: 18 A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be comforted, because they are no more. m. The Holy Family in Nazareth Matthew 2:19-23 & Luke 2:39 An angel let Joseph know that all who sought to kill Jesus had died so that it was safe to return. Joseph then moved his family to Nazareth. n. Jesus s Childhood in Nazareth i. Luke 2:40 (ESV) 40 And the child grew and became strong, filled with wisdom. And the favor of God was upon him. o. In His Father s House i. Luke 2:41 50 (ESV) 41 Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. 42 And when he was twelve years old, they went up according to custom. 43 And when the feast was ended, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. His parents did not know it, 44 but supposing him to be in the group they went a day s journey, but then they began to search for him among their relatives and acquaintances, 45 and when they did not find him, they returned to Jerusalem, searching for him. 46 After three days they found him in the temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 And all who heard him were amazed at his understanding and his answers. 48 And when his parents saw him, they were astonished. And his mother said to him, Son, why have you treated us so? Behold, your FBC Durham Bible For Life Page 10
father and I have been searching for you in great distress. 49 And he said to them, Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father s house? 50 And they did not understand the saying that he spoke to them. p. The Eighteen Years at Nazareth i. Luke 2:51 52 (ESV) 51 And he went down with them and came to Nazareth and was submissive to them. And his mother treasured up all these things in her heart. 52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man. In conclusion, we are presented Jesus Christ, 100% God/100% Man, who came according to God s plan to fulfill both prophecy and the requirements of the Law. This was not God s secondary plan, but his primary plan to provide for salvation to His people among the Jews and the Gentiles. Bibliography Bartholomew, Craig G., and Michael W. Goheen. The Drama of Scripture: Finding Our Place in the Biblical Story. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2004. Cox, Steven L. and Easley, Kendell H., Holman Christian Standard Bible: Harmony of the Gospels (Nashville, TN: Holman Bible Publishers, 2007) Driscoll, Mark. On the Old Testament. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2008. Grudem, Wayne A. Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine. Leicester, England: Inter-Varsity, 1994. Robertson, A. T., A Harmony of the Gospels (Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 2009) FBC Durham Bible For Life Page 11