Synoptic Gospels
SYNOPTIC GOSPELS
Lin Xian Sheng
Preface
§ The first part of the New Testament contains four books namely:- Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
§ All of the four books record the good tidings - the gospels which the Lord Jesus had brought to the people on earth (1 Kings 1:42). They are generally known as the four gospels.
§ The gospel according to John records the godly nature of the Lord and is thus different from the other three gospels. It should be separated for the purpose of study.
§ Matthew, Mark and Luke record the material of the Lord Jesus - the views expressed are relatively similar, thus the three together are generally called “Synoptic Gospels” or “Parallel Gospels” or “A Harmony of the Gospels”.
§ The term used to differentiate their similarities and their differences is “The Synoptic Problem”.
I. GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MARK
1. The Author: Mark John (Acts 1:25)
2. The Date and Place: Approximately 61 A.D. The book was written in Rome.
3. Contents of the Book:
(i) John the Baptist began his ministry with the Lord (1:1-13).
(ii) The Lord’s ministry and teachings in Galilee (1:14 - 9:50).
(iii) His ministry in Perea and Judea (10:1-34).
(iv) His last ministry and crucifixion (10:35 - 15:47).
(v) His resurrection and ascension (Chapter 16).
II. GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW
1. The Author: The apostle Matthew (9:9; 10:3; Mk 2:14) written by the Jews.
2. The Date and Place: Approximately 60 - 70 A.D. The book was written in Syria.
3. Contents of the book:
(i) The birth of Christ and His childhood (1:1 - 2:23).
(ii) John the Baptist and the temptation of Jesus (3:1 - 4:11).
(iii) The ministry of the Lord and His miracles (4:12 - 18:25).
(iv) The Lord in Jerusalem (19 - 20).
(v) The Lord taught in the holy city (21 - 25).
(vi) The death and the resurrection of the Lord (26 - 28).
III. GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE
1. The Author: Luke, the physician (Acts 16:10, 12, 16; 20:6, 7, 13-15; 21:1).
2. The Date and Place: Approximately 60 - 70 A.D. The book was written in Rome to Theophilus.
3. Contents of the Book:
(i) Preface (1:1-4).
(ii) The birth of John the Baptist and the birth of Jesus (1:5 - 2:52).
(iii) After the baptism, the Lord was tempted (3:1 - 4:13).
(iv) The Lord’s ministry and teachings in Galilee (9:51 - 19:27).
(v) The Lord’s teachings are His work and sufferings in the holy city (19:28 - 23:56).
(vi) His resurrection and ascension (24).
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Synoptic Gospels
CHAPTER ONE:
The events that happened before the Lord Jesus was thirty years old
Part 1. FORWARD OF THE GOSPEL OF LUKE (Lk 1:1-4)
1. Verses 1-4: The writer’s purposes, method, attitude and the study of the events of the Lord are clearly recorded.
2. The purpose of addressing to his Excellency: Theophilus was to re-forward his message to all the gentile believers in Rome.
3. “Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of things”: After the Pentecost, all the apostles preached Jesus verbally; it was only when the apostles started to pass away that they started compiling the teachings into books. Before this book was compiled, the books of Matthew, Mark and other writings were already partially completed or nearing completion.
4. “The truth concerning the things”: Others translated it to “The Word that was instructed”. The original text is, “The Word learned during instruction”. The original text is, “The Word learned during instruction”. It could have learned from the question and answer method.
Part 2. THE GENEALOGY OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST
1. Matthew 1:1-17
(i) “Abraham” was the forefather of the Jewish people who was promised with a Saviour among his descendents (Gen 1 - 25; Heb 11:8-12). “David” was the king of the Jews (Is 11:1, 2; Acts 13:23; Rom 1:3). They both had exemplary faith (Gen 15:6; Rom 4:3).
(ii) The Jews paid attention to the Lord’s genealogy. In this book, it is listed from the male line - Joseph’s ancestor was taken as the first genealogy and it was from the side of his father.
(iii) This genealogy was contrary to the tradition of the Jews in that it recorded Tamar (Gen 38), Rahab (Josh 2:6-20), Ruth (Ruth), and the wife of Uriah (2 Sam 11-12). Two of these were gentile women and the other two begot their descendents through unlawful methods - implying that the Saviour came not only for the Jews but also for the gentiles and the sinners.
(iv) “Born” need not necessarily indicate a relationship of father and son between 2 names, for there are instances of omissions.
(v) “Fourteen generations”: ‘14’ is a holy number to the Jews, a double of ‘7’ denoted perfection. The fourteenth generation is specially favoured by the Jewish people. In the second part of the genealogy, it only names 13 generations.
2. Luke 3:23-38
(i) “Thirty years” is required for one to be qualified to perform the priesthood duties (Num 4:3, 47). He came as the high priest (Heb 9:11-14).
(ii) Being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, others translated it as, “Man acknowledged him as the son of Joseph”. Joseph was the foster father, and He was the foster son of Joseph. Luke recorded the genealogy of the mother, Mary. He was “the actual” son of Mary (refer Mt 1:16).
(iii) The genealogy by Luke traced to Adam. “Adam was the son of God” implied that Christ was the Saviour and also the “last Adam” (1Cor 15:45).
Part 3. THE BIRTH OF JOHN FORETOLD (Lk 1:5-25).
1. John’s parents: His father, Zechariah, was a priest of the division of Abijah, while his mother, Elizabeth, was a descendant of Aaron. “And they were both righteous before God” (refer 1 Cor 4:4; Phil 3:6).
2. An angel of the Lord appeared to Zechariah: After the lot was cast, a division of labour soon followed - cleaning the altar, slaughtering the lamb, burning the incense and gathering the offerings onto the altar for burning, etc. When he entered the temple of the Lord, the angel foretold him that his wife would bear him a son named “John”, who not drink wine nor strong drinks, i.e. a “Nazirite” (Num 6:3; Mt 3:4). “And he will go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah”: The spirit and the will of power (1 Kings 17:21): A pioneer to prepare the way for the Lord (Mal 4:5).
3. Strengthened the promised miracle: The angel of the Lord, Gabriel punished Zechariah by removing his power of speech until after his wife had given birth, because he doubted the message of the Lord. Gabriel, Michael, Cherubim and Seraphim were four of the seven angels who stood before God.
4. The people wondered: When he came out of the temple, they were shocked to find him dumb. However, Elizabeth thought that God had taken away “my reproach among man” and felt happy. Barrenness was the greatest shame to a woman (Gen 30:23). “Be fruitful and multiply” was the command of God to all husbands and wives (Gen 1:28).
Part 4. FORETOLD THE BIRTH OF THE LORD (Lk 1:26-38)
1. The angel spoke to Mary: The angel told Mary after the sixth month that she was to conceive through “the Holy Spirit”. “Mary” is “Miriam” in Hebrew. She was the “Favoured one” of God. She was to name the child “Jesus”, which is “Joshua” in Hebrew and means “Jehovah, the Saviour”. He was to sit on the throne of David as Messiah - the Spiritual throne (Jn 18:31-37). And He was to build an eternal spiritual kingdom (Jer 23:5; Jn 18:36), a spiritual Israel. (Rom 9:6).
2. Mary’s wonder and obedience: She was troubled because she was supposed to bear a great Son while still unmarried. However, the angel told Mary that the Holy Spirit would be with her and the power of the Most High would overshadow her so that she would give birth to a Holy One, the Son of God. “For with God nothing is impossible”. With God everything is possible (Gen 18:14; Mt 19:26). As “the handmaid of the Lord”, she was very obedient. She was also very humble when she said, “Let it be to me according to your word” - it is considered to be virtuous to entrust all things to God.
Part 5. JOSEPH HAD A DREAM IN NAZARETH (Mt 1:18-25)
1. Joseph was about to divorce his betrothed: Christ refers to the “Messiah” in Hebrew, which bears the meaning “anointed” (Jn 1:41). They viewed betrothal as something sacred, so anyone who broke such a covenant could be stoned to death (Deut 22:23-25).
2. An angel of the Lord appeared: There were many occasions when God appeared to men in their dreams (Job 33:15; 16). The Hebrew word “Emmanuel” refers to the abidance of God.
3. Joseph obeyed: “but knew her not”. Joseph exercised patience, and restrained his passion, but it does not mean that Mary remained a virgin for the rest of her life (Mt 12:46; 13:55).
Part 6. MARY WENT TO THE COUNTRYSIDE OF JUDEA TO VISIT ELIZABETH (Lk 1:39-56)
1. Mary’s visit and Elizabeth’s reception: After being informed by Gabriel, she quickly “arose” and hastened to see Elizabeth. Mary was informed by the Holy Spirit that she had conceived. Jesus was the Messiah whom the Jews longed for and because of this, Mary was “the mother of my Lord”. The baby in Elizabeth’s womb leaped for joy denoting the sign of welcome.
2. The song of praise by Mary to the Lord (The Magnificat)
(i) Thanking God for His wonderful grace (1:46-48).
(ii) Praising Him for His mercy and His holy name (1:49,50).
(iii) God had scattered the proud, and exalted the lowly (1:51-53).
(iv) The Son who was to be born was to fulfil the promise God had made (1:54-55).
3. The return of Mary: She could have stayed back until Elizabeth had delivered.
Part 7. JOHN WAS BORN IN THE HILL COUNTRY OF JUDEA (Lk 1:57-80)
1. The birth of John and how he was named: The removal of the foreskin, “circumcision”, of a male child on the 8th day was a covenant God had made with man to be an everlasting sign (Gen 17:9-14).
2. Song of Praise of Zechariah
(i) Thanking the Lord for the fulfilment of Salvation (1:67-75)
(ii) A prophecy of the celestial duties of John (1:76-79)
3. The education John received: John grew and became strong in spirit in the wilderness near the Salt Sea. He communicated with God spiritually and received direct instructions from God that prepared him for his task at a later date.
Part 8. LORD JESUS WAS BORN IN BETHLEHEM (Lk 2:1-7)
1. Date: During the period of the Roman Emperor “Caesar Augustus” (31BC to 14AD). “All the world” meant that the entire Roman Empire were to undergo the census. It also happened during the time when Quirinus was the governor to Syria.
2. The fulfilment: To fulfil the prophecy that the King of Israel (Jesus), would come from Bethlehem (Micah 5:2). Although Joseph was living in Nazareth, he had returned to Bethlehem for the census (Jn 7:42). The native place of David which was known as the “City of David”.
3. The birth of the Lord: It was customary for the Jews to wash their newborn babies with salt water and then wrap them up in a cloth.
Part 9. THE SHEPHERDS RECEIVED THE GLAD TIDINGS (Lk 2:8-20).
1. The announcement of the angels: Winter nights in Judea were extremely cold, thus it was not possible for shepherds to be “keeping watch” over their flocks at night. This proves that the date of the birth of the Lord could not have been 25th December. He came in a humble form as lying in a “manger” after His birth, as a sign.
2. The praises of the angels: For detailed study (1 Pet 1:12), the angels and the multitudes of the Heavenly host all appeared. They praised the birth of the Saviour which brought peace to the earth (2 Cor 5:18, 19; Eph 2:14; Jn 4:27).
3. The shepherds sought the Lord: After hearing the announcement of the angels, the shepherds “went with haste” to see the Lord, revealing their zealousness. Mary kept the reports of the angels and the shepherds in her heart. Note the relationship.
4. Christmas Day: Mt 2:1: According to this verse, King Herod was still living when the Lord was born. It is a historical fact that King Herod died four years and three months B.C., therefore, the birth of the Lord was approximately five years B.C. So it would be illogical to fix 25th December as Christmas Day.
Part 10. THE LORD WAS CIRCUMCISED IN BETHLEHEM (Lk 2:21)
The Lord came to earth in the form of flesh and in accordance to the ways of man “at the end of eighth day when he was circumcised” (Mt 3:15; Gal 4:4).
Part 11. PURIFICATION WAS PERFORMED IN JERUSALEM (Lk 2:22-38)
1. The purification rite: Forty days after a woman bears a male child (fifty for a female child), “when the time came for their purification”, she has to offer rites of purification (Lev 12:2-6, 8). She also has to consecrate the first-born male child to God (Ex 13:2) and pay the “redemption price to be blessed by the priest” (Num 18:16).