The Gospels: A Four-Fold Portrait of Jesus Christ (Encore)

The Gospels - Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John - form the foundation of Christian belief, each offering unique perspectives on Jesus Christ's life and teachings. These four complementary accounts provide a comprehensive portrait of Jesus as King, Servant, Son of Man, and Son of God.

• Matthew, a former tax collector turned disciple, presents Jesus as King and connects His life to Old Testament prophecies
• Mark, companion of Peter, offers an action-packed account focusing on Jesus as servant, frequently using "and immediately" to create urgency
• Luke, a physician and the only Gentile author in the Bible, emphasizes Jesus's compassion for outcasts and includes beloved parables
• John provides the most theological perspective, showcasing Jesus's divinity and including unique "I am" statements
• All four Gospels contain miracle stories, pronouncement stories, and detailed passion/resurrection narratives
• The synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke) follow similar chronologies while John offers complementary material
• Each Gospel writer had a different audience and purpose, creating a multifaceted portrait of Jesus
• Recommended approach: start with one Gospel (possibly Mark), read slowly, and ask reflective questions about Jesus's words and actions

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CORRECTION: At 2:32 the list of the Synoptic gospels should be Matthew, Mark and Luke only.

RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE
Questions to ask as you read the gospels:

1. What's happening in this passage?  
2. Who is Jesus talking to?
3. What's Jesus teaching? 
4. What does Jesus say about himself? 
5. What does Jesus say about God? 
6. How does Jesus respond to different situations?  
7. What does Jesus tell people to do? 
8. What do I learn about Jesus in a given passage.  
9. How does this passage apply to your life. 

 

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Note: All scripture references are from the NIV translation unless otherwise indicated.

Episode Transcript

Jacqui (00:00):
Hey listeners, before we get started, can I let you in
on something?
This episode on the Gospels isone of our classic presentations
and I think it's right ontarget for what's coming next.
We're heading into a freshseason on the New Testament,

(00:21):
starting with Matthew, so thinkof this as the perfect warm-up.
Hi everybody, and welcome toour first-time listeners.

(00:42):
I'm curious have you ever askedthese questions what are the
Gospels?
What's in the Gospels, or whowrote them?
If so, then you're in the rightplace.
Stay tuned to this episode ofthe Bible Basics Podcast, where
we'll answer those questions andmore.

(01:03):
So grab a comfy chair, a cup oftea or whatever you like and
we'll get started.
Well, welcome everyone.
I'm your host, Jacqui Adewole,and this is the Bible Basics
Podcast, where, weekly, we breakdown the Bible into

(01:25):
understandable, bite-sizedchunks.
Hey everyone, today we'rediving into one of the most
captivating parts of the Biblethe Gospels.
If you're new to the Bible,this is a great place to start.
We'll cover what the Gospelsare, the content of the Gospels

(01:46):
and who the authors were, andhang on to the end, where we'll
throw in some tips on readingthe Gospels.
Let's start with the basics.
What are the New TestamentGospels?
Well, gospel means good news.
The first four books of the NewTestament are called the Gospels

(02:07):
because they record the goodnews that a way of salvation had
been opened to all mankindthrough the death and
resurrection of Jesus Christ.
These four books are calledMatthew, Mark, Luke and John.
They each provide a uniqueperspective on the life and

(02:30):
teachings of Jesus Christ.
They also chronicle hissacrificial death, resurrection
and ascension into heaven.
Each gospel was written for adifferent original audience and
by a different author.
The Gospels were written in thedecades immediately following

(02:53):
the death and resurrection ofJesus.
The first three Gospels,Matthew, Mark, Luke and John,
were called synoptic, that'sfrom a Greek word meaning to see
together.
In a previous episode Imispronounced this word.
I pronounced it synaptic, sodon't be like me.

(03:13):
The proper pronunciation issynoptic.
And these Gospels follow thesame general order of events.
They contain some of the samematerial and deal largely with
the ministry of Jesus in Galilee.
The fourth gospel, John,contains a different selection
of events.
It narrates chiefly the work ofJesus in Judea and interprets

(03:39):
his life more from a theologicalstandpoint than the others do.
However, these differencesbetween John and the synoptic
gospels are not contradictorybut complementary.
They make up a comprehensiverecord of the redemptive
ministry of Jesus Christ.

(04:02):
Let's look a little more atwhat's in the Gospels.
They contain various types ofmaterial.
Some of these are specific toparticular Gospels.
For example, hymns are foundonly in Luke and John.
Genealogies are only in Matthewand Luke.
Other types of material,however, are found in most or

(04:26):
all of the Gospels.
There are parables.
More than 40 parables of Jesusare included in the Gospels of
Matthew, mark and Luke.
All four Gospels containmultiple accounts of Jesus
working miracles.
These are called miraclestories and sometimes they're
referred to as signs.

(04:47):
They're pronouncement stories.
All four of the Gospels containexamples of what scholars call
pronouncement stories.
These are sayings that help youremember something Jesus said.
For example, a story aboutJesus's opponents trying to trap
him serves to set up thismemorable saying give back to

(05:11):
Caesar what is Caesar's and toGod what is God's.
That's in Matthew 22, 15through 22, as well as in Mark
and Luke.
As well as in Mark and Luke,their passion and resurrection

(05:31):
narratives.
All four Gospels conclude withan extended account of Jesus's
arrest, trial, crucifixion,burial and resurrection.
In each Gospel, this portion ofthe story is treated with more
intense detail than any otherportion, and the pace of the
narrative slows to the pointwhere the readers receive an
almost hour-by-hour account ofwhat's happening.

(05:55):
The Gospels are eyewitnessaccounts of the life of Jesus.
The authors, Matthew, Mark,Luke and John, were either
disciples of Jesus themselvesand accompanied him during his
years of public ministry, orthey were a close associate of
disciples and drew upon theireyewitness accounts.

(06:16):
Now let's meet those authors.
We're going to imagine them asgreat artists producing
masterpieces depicting JesusChrist.
First let's look at the Gospelof Matthew.
Imagine it as a majesticportrait of Jesus as the king.

(06:37):
The artist is Matthew, a taxcollector turned disciple.
He meticulously records Jesus'teachings and their connections
to the Old Testament.
He quotes more than 60 timesfulfillment of Old Testament

(07:03):
prophecies regarding the comingMessiah and King.
Now let's move to the Gospel ofMark.
Mark was a close companion ofthe disciple Peter.
His audience was Gentiles,specifically Roman believers.
He presents Jesus as thesuffering servant of the Lord,

(07:25):
sent to serve and not to beserved.
He focuses on the humanity anddeeds of Jesus.
His painting is a whirlwind ofaction and movement.
It's as if he's capturing Jesuson the go, performing miracles
and spreading the message atlightning speed.

(07:45):
In Mark, you'll witness thethrilling moments of Jesus
calming the storm, feeding themultitude with a few loaves and
fish, and many moreaction-packed scenes.
When reading Mark in the KingJames Version, I felt like I
needed to slow down and catch mybreath.
With rapid-fire action, hecalls disciples, drives out

(08:09):
demons and heals the sick.
In the King James Version,almost every sentence begins
with and and.
Then there are 41 times hebegins with and immediately, and
25 times he begins with andagain.
Next, check out the Gospel ofLuke.

(08:29):
Picture this as a detailednarrative mural.
Luke the physician is all aboutprecision and storytelling.
He's like an artist with an eyefor detail.
He describes Jesus as son ofman.
His gospel is particularlyknown for its attention to human

(08:50):
stories.
He introduces us to theparables like the Good Samaritan
and the Prodigal Son and theprodigal son.
He emphasizes Jesus' compassionfor Gentiles, samaritans, women
, children, tax collectors,sinners and others regarded as

(09:11):
outcasts in Israel.
Luke emphasizes the story ofsalvation with its promised
inclusion of the Gentiles.
Luke was a frequent companionof the Apostle Paul.
He was the only Gentile authorin the Bible and also the author
of the book of Acts.
He wrote this gospel for otherGentiles.

(09:34):
Lastly, we focus on John'sgospel.
Picture his painting as aserene and spiritual masterpiece
.
John, the beloved disciple, oneof Jesus's closest friends.
He is the most theological ofthe gospels.

(09:55):
He invites us to exploreJesus's divinity and the
profound nature of his teachingsthat reveal that Jesus is the
Son of God.
In John, you'll dive into deeptheological waters with passages
like I am the way, the truthand the life, and the profound

(10:18):
interaction with Nicodemus.
And the profound interactionwith Nicodemus.
John clearly states his purposein chapter 20, verse 31, where
he says he is writing so thatyou may believe that Jesus is
the Messiah, the Son of God, andby believing you may have life
in his name.

(10:39):
All right, now that we know whatthe Gospels are, what's in them
and who wrote them, let's getpractical.
How should you approach readingthe Gospels?
Here are a few tips.
I'll include these in thewritten episode description for
your future use.
First, start with one.

(11:01):
Don't feel like you'd have toread all four Gospels at once.
Maybe start with the Gospel ofMark, which is the shortest and
easiest to follow.
Two read slowly.
Take your time.
The Gospels are like a treasurechest the more you dig, the
more you'll discover.

(11:22):
Three ask questions as you read.
Ask questions like the ones I'mgoing to share.
They'll help you keep thepurpose and audience of the
Gospels in mind.
First, what's happening in thepassage?
Then, who is Jesus talking toin the passage?
Then, who is Jesus talking to?
This is essential.

(11:43):
Is he talking to the disciples,his enemies, a massive crowd?
And what is Jesus teaching?
And what does Jesus say abouthimself?
What does Jesus say about God?
How does Jesus respond todifferent situations?
What does Jesus tell people todo?

(12:03):
And what can I learn aboutJesus from a given passage?
After considering thesequestions, ask yourself, then,
how this applies to your life.
The Gospels, the good news ofJesus.
Matthew describes theprophesied coming, one as king,

(12:29):
mark presents him as thesuffering servant, luke as the
son of man and John as son ofGod.
Together they paint a fourfoldportrait of one who is the
Savior and Redeemer.
However much the four Gospelsmay differ in approach and

(12:49):
detail, together theycommunicate the life and the
message of Jesus Christ.
Well, we've covered a lot today, but remember you don't have to
be a Bible expert to startreading and enjoying the Gospels
.
Jump on in.
Consider the tips I shared.
If you have any questions orwant to delve deeper into any

(13:11):
Gospel, drop us a line at infoat Bible-basicsorg
thebiblebasicsorg.
Until next time, keep exploringthe Bible and may your journey
be filled with discovery andinspiration.
Thank you for tuning in.
If this has been beneficial toyou, please share it with others

(13:35):
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drop us a review.