What is a Gospel and why was it recorded?
The Bible is split into two sections- the Hebrew Scriptures and the Christian Scriptures, otherwise referred to as the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Old Testament speaks about God’s relationship with the Hebrew people, whereas the New Testament is based on Gods relationship with all of his people through his son Jesus Christ. The New Testament contains the four Synoptic Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. These Gospels are a literary genre unique to the Bible, made up of stories that account for the life, death and teachings of Jesus. The Gospels were written to spread the Good News about Jesus Christ so that people would believe in him.
Where were the gospels written and by whom?
Gospel of Mark (65-70 AD)
The Gospel of Mark was the first of the four gospels to be written. This Gospel is thought to be written by John Mark, a missionary helper of Paul and Peter. Some sources suggest that that the Gospel of Mark was written in Rome for a mainly Gentile community (non- Jewish Christians), whilst others insist that the Gospel was written for a suffering Christian community.
Gospel of Matthew (85-90 AD)
The author of the Gospel of Mark is thought to be a Jewish- Christian scribe who knew about Jewish practices and the life of Jesus. A number of scholars propose that the Gospel was most likely written in Antioch in Syria. Some sources suggest that the author of this Gospel was writing for Jewish-Christians, whereas others argue that he was writing for a Gentile audience.
Gospel of Luke (80-90 AD)
According to various scholars, the Gospel of Luke is said to be written by Gentile friend of Paul's. The only knowledge that we have of this man is that he was a Doctor who wrote the Acts. This Gospel was most likely written in Greece or Asia Minor for a Gentile Christian church community.
Gospel of John (around 90 AD)
The Gospel of John was the last to be written out of the four gospels. This Gospel is said to have been written by a disciple of the John the Apostle. Sources suggest that this gospel was written in Ephesus in Turkey for several church communities around the Roman Empire.
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Many similarities and differences can be seen between the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke. This implies that Matthew and Luke drew upon Mark's gospel (the first gospel to be written from the four) for inspiration and rearranged/re-worded some of the content to appeal to the audience that they were writing for. This is why some sources regard the early Gospel writers as critics/editors rather than authors.
Notice the similarities and differences between the following extracts.
Matthew 5:13
"You are the salt for the earth. But if the salt loses its taste, what can make it salty again? It is good for nothing, and can only be thrown out to be trampled under people's feet.
Mark 9:49-50
"Salt is a good thing, but if salt has become insipid, how can you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves and be at peace with one another."
Luke 14:34-35
Salt is a good thing. But if salt itself loses its taste, what can make it salty again? It is good for neither soil nor manure heap. People throw it away. Anyone who has ears for listening should listen!"
Johns Gospel (the last Gospel to be written of the four) contained unique information that was completely independent of the four. This suggests that John was writing at a later time for a completely different audience.
The Bible is split into two sections- the Hebrew Scriptures and the Christian Scriptures, otherwise referred to as the Old Testament and the New Testament. The Old Testament speaks about God’s relationship with the Hebrew people, whereas the New Testament is based on Gods relationship with all of his people through his son Jesus Christ. The New Testament contains the four Synoptic Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. These Gospels are a literary genre unique to the Bible, made up of stories that account for the life, death and teachings of Jesus. The Gospels were written to spread the Good News about Jesus Christ so that people would believe in him.
Where were the gospels written and by whom?
Gospel of Mark (65-70 AD)
The Gospel of Mark was the first of the four gospels to be written. This Gospel is thought to be written by John Mark, a missionary helper of Paul and Peter. Some sources suggest that that the Gospel of Mark was written in Rome for a mainly Gentile community (non- Jewish Christians), whilst others insist that the Gospel was written for a suffering Christian community.
Gospel of Matthew (85-90 AD)
The author of the Gospel of Mark is thought to be a Jewish- Christian scribe who knew about Jewish practices and the life of Jesus. A number of scholars propose that the Gospel was most likely written in Antioch in Syria. Some sources suggest that the author of this Gospel was writing for Jewish-Christians, whereas others argue that he was writing for a Gentile audience.
Gospel of Luke (80-90 AD)
According to various scholars, the Gospel of Luke is said to be written by Gentile friend of Paul's. The only knowledge that we have of this man is that he was a Doctor who wrote the Acts. This Gospel was most likely written in Greece or Asia Minor for a Gentile Christian church community.
Gospel of John (around 90 AD)
The Gospel of John was the last to be written out of the four gospels. This Gospel is said to have been written by a disciple of the John the Apostle. Sources suggest that this gospel was written in Ephesus in Turkey for several church communities around the Roman Empire.
...
Many similarities and differences can be seen between the Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke. This implies that Matthew and Luke drew upon Mark's gospel (the first gospel to be written from the four) for inspiration and rearranged/re-worded some of the content to appeal to the audience that they were writing for. This is why some sources regard the early Gospel writers as critics/editors rather than authors.
Notice the similarities and differences between the following extracts.
Matthew 5:13
"You are the salt for the earth. But if the salt loses its taste, what can make it salty again? It is good for nothing, and can only be thrown out to be trampled under people's feet.
Mark 9:49-50
"Salt is a good thing, but if salt has become insipid, how can you make it salty again? Have salt in yourselves and be at peace with one another."
Luke 14:34-35
Salt is a good thing. But if salt itself loses its taste, what can make it salty again? It is good for neither soil nor manure heap. People throw it away. Anyone who has ears for listening should listen!"
Johns Gospel (the last Gospel to be written of the four) contained unique information that was completely independent of the four. This suggests that John was writing at a later time for a completely different audience.
How did the Gospels come to be written?
The Gospels were recorded in three stages.
1. Lived experience (4-30 CE)
People witnessed the life and teachings of Jesus. He spoke to, taught and healed people. The miracles that he performed drew large crowds.
2. Shared orally (30-51 CE)
Their accounts were passed onto others by word of mouth. Whilst travelling, Jesus' actions attracted followers. These included Jesus' twelve disciples who later became his apostles. Jesus teachings had to be translated into different languages so that others could understand.
This oral story telling tradition is still relied heavily upon in many cultures, such as the one of the Australian Aborigines. Aborigines use storytelling to teach people about the customs and history of their land and people.
3. Written down/recorded (from 64 CE)
These stories were written down/recorded. The authors of the Gospels had to translate what they had heard into cultural, social and historical context for the audience that they were writing for.
Are there any problems with this ‘three step’ process?
If two people were asked to give a description of the same thing, their descriptions will most definitely be different. This same principle applies to the authors of the Gospels, and their descriptions of events that occurred within Jesus' life. The authors of the Gospels had to draw upon what they witnessed, written sources, what they had heard from others, and their own lived faith. The oral story telling phase in the formation of the gospels can be viewed as a potential problem. Like the game of Chinese whispers, bits of information can become misinterpreted, lost, or even exaggerated. Therefore, there is little evidence to state whether the events that took place in the Gospels are entirely accurate.
The Gospels were recorded in three stages.
1. Lived experience (4-30 CE)
People witnessed the life and teachings of Jesus. He spoke to, taught and healed people. The miracles that he performed drew large crowds.
2. Shared orally (30-51 CE)
Their accounts were passed onto others by word of mouth. Whilst travelling, Jesus' actions attracted followers. These included Jesus' twelve disciples who later became his apostles. Jesus teachings had to be translated into different languages so that others could understand.
This oral story telling tradition is still relied heavily upon in many cultures, such as the one of the Australian Aborigines. Aborigines use storytelling to teach people about the customs and history of their land and people.
3. Written down/recorded (from 64 CE)
These stories were written down/recorded. The authors of the Gospels had to translate what they had heard into cultural, social and historical context for the audience that they were writing for.
Are there any problems with this ‘three step’ process?
If two people were asked to give a description of the same thing, their descriptions will most definitely be different. This same principle applies to the authors of the Gospels, and their descriptions of events that occurred within Jesus' life. The authors of the Gospels had to draw upon what they witnessed, written sources, what they had heard from others, and their own lived faith. The oral story telling phase in the formation of the gospels can be viewed as a potential problem. Like the game of Chinese whispers, bits of information can become misinterpreted, lost, or even exaggerated. Therefore, there is little evidence to state whether the events that took place in the Gospels are entirely accurate.
What were the types of truth contained in these gospels?
There are six main types of truth contained in the Gospels. These are theological truth, historical narrative truth, religious truth, proverbial truth, symbolic truth and moral truth.
The authors of the Gospels relied partly on their own theological perspectives. Theological truth is portrayed as the ‘deepest’ form of truth, and draws upon ones faith in God.
Historical truth informs the reader of the events that took place in Jesus life, and the time and place (setting) that they occurred.
The gospels, as well as the rest of the Bible, contain a great deal of religious truth. This type of truth is concerned with God and his relationship with his people.
Religious truth, as well as many other important messages and lessons are passed on through clever sayings called Proverbs. Proverbs are formed from the building blocks of proverbial truth.
Symbolic truth or symbolism is used to help people develop a deeper awareness and appreciation of the various truths and lessons that exist within the Gospels.
The last form of truth present in the New Testament is moral truth. Moral truth is embodied by those who possess the virtues of honesty, justice and compassion. Jesus was a testament to moral truth.
Do we read the gospels literally or contextually?
Those who read the gospels literally, interpret every word that is written for what it says. Those who read the Gospels contextually, on the other hand, consider the context of the time from which Jesus lived. They recognize the impact that social, cultural and historical factors can have on the passages in the Gospels, and are able to form their own spiritual interpretation and understanding of the text.
There are six main types of truth contained in the Gospels. These are theological truth, historical narrative truth, religious truth, proverbial truth, symbolic truth and moral truth.
The authors of the Gospels relied partly on their own theological perspectives. Theological truth is portrayed as the ‘deepest’ form of truth, and draws upon ones faith in God.
Historical truth informs the reader of the events that took place in Jesus life, and the time and place (setting) that they occurred.
The gospels, as well as the rest of the Bible, contain a great deal of religious truth. This type of truth is concerned with God and his relationship with his people.
Religious truth, as well as many other important messages and lessons are passed on through clever sayings called Proverbs. Proverbs are formed from the building blocks of proverbial truth.
Symbolic truth or symbolism is used to help people develop a deeper awareness and appreciation of the various truths and lessons that exist within the Gospels.
The last form of truth present in the New Testament is moral truth. Moral truth is embodied by those who possess the virtues of honesty, justice and compassion. Jesus was a testament to moral truth.
Do we read the gospels literally or contextually?
Those who read the gospels literally, interpret every word that is written for what it says. Those who read the Gospels contextually, on the other hand, consider the context of the time from which Jesus lived. They recognize the impact that social, cultural and historical factors can have on the passages in the Gospels, and are able to form their own spiritual interpretation and understanding of the text.
Bibliography
Do You Read the Bible Literally or Contextually? - Word document
Margaret T, Gideon, G 1984, Jesus: Mystery and Surprise, Dwyer Pty Ltd, Sydney.
Pennock, M 1985, Living the Message of the New Testament, Ave Maria Press, New York.
The Gospels. Retrieved January 18-24, 2014, from https://secondary.understandingfaith.edu.au/the-gospels/
The Gospel 2014. Retrieved January 24, 2014, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_gospel
The Formation of the Gospels 2013. Retrieved January 23, 2014, from http://www.crivoice.org/gospelform.html
Do You Read the Bible Literally or Contextually? - Word document
Margaret T, Gideon, G 1984, Jesus: Mystery and Surprise, Dwyer Pty Ltd, Sydney.
Pennock, M 1985, Living the Message of the New Testament, Ave Maria Press, New York.
The Gospels. Retrieved January 18-24, 2014, from https://secondary.understandingfaith.edu.au/the-gospels/
The Gospel 2014. Retrieved January 24, 2014, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_gospel
The Formation of the Gospels 2013. Retrieved January 23, 2014, from http://www.crivoice.org/gospelform.html