1. Introduction
The New Testament opens with four accounts of the life and ministry of Christ. These narratives are the center of the scriptural text and the foundation of faith in the entire Bible. In this video we'll review the Gospels
2. The Gospels
There are four books in this group that detail the life and ministry of Christ. Three of these books have a general address. The exception to this is the book of Luke which we will discuss in a moment. These books are
Let's take a look at each of these
3. Matthew
Matthew, a publican or tax collector, was chosen by Christ to be one of the twelve apostles. His account begins with Christ's genealogy, birth and Herod's attempt to kill him and the family's flight to Egypt. Upon returning the family settle in Nazareth of Galilee. Matthew's account ends with Christ's command to go into all the world and teach the Gospel with his promise that he would be with the apostles.
4. Mark
Mark's Gospel is shorter than the other three and uses simpler language than the other accounts. He begins with the appearance of John the baptizer as the messenger that had been foretold who would precede the Messiah. The account moves at a very quick pace ending with the great commission and a summary of the work of the apostles as they were sent forth.
5. Luke
A Greek physician and traveling companion of the apostle Paul records a detailed account of the life of Christ. This is the only Gospel account that has a specific salutation. The book is addressed to Theophilus, which means lover of God. This could have been an individual or a statement intended to invite anyone interested in Christ to read the account. Luke is very precise providing more detailed accounts of events that what is found in the other Gospels. The book ends with Christ's ascension into Heaven after which the apostles returned to Jerusalem as they had been instructed.
6. John
John's account from the beginning focuses on the identity of Christ as deity. John identifies Christ as the word that came into the world to bring light. The book focuses on the power of Christ and his validation as the son of God who had come to save the world. Portions of the book show a personal side of Christ in his relationship with those who loved him. A primary theme of the book is Christ's love for the world and his connection with God who expressed his love for mankind by sending his son. John ends his account with a record of Christ's final conversation with his disciples and an added note that the world could not contain all that should be written of Jesus and his deeds.
7. Next
In our next video we'll examine The New Testament Book Of History