Synoptic Gospels

Vocab• Gospel = Good News– Message of Christ & salvation– Also preaching/writing that message

• Synoptic: “seen together”– Many similarities with each other– Telling the story

• Four Evangelists– Spreading the Word– Gospel Writers– Matthew, Mark, Luke, John

Age

• Tradition: Matthew is the oldest

• Later scholarship puts Mark first

• First Century AD (within a generation or two)– Mark: 67-73 AD– Matthew & Luke: 80s AD

“Q”

• Unknown author– Lost to us now

• Common stories for Matthew & Luke– Mark had his own sources

• Matthew & Luke also had unique sources– M & L, respectively

Symbolism

• Many early Christians illiterate– Pictures became universal symbols

• Gospel writers had a symbol– All symbols have wings: angels & heaven– Matthew: man – reason & Incarnation– Mark: lion - courage– Luke: ox - sacrifice

Mark

• Disciple of Peter– Writing in Rome– Audience: Romans & other Gentiles

• Highlights deeds, not words– Follow in the footsteps of Jesus (WWJD)

• Uniquely: begins with his baptism– Skips the nativity & childhood

Mark’s Jesus• Son of God– “Christ” / Messiah – Son of Man: a prophecy from Daniel about the

Messiah’s title• Suffering Servant of man (Isaiah’s servant songs)• Come in glory but also suffer and sacrifice

• Human– Angry– Curses a fig tree– People do think poorly of him– Sleeps

Matthew

• A Jewish scribe– Connected with the apostle Matthew– Writing for his fellow Jewish Christians– Criticizes other Jewish communities– Only Gospel to mention organization & rules

• Jewish elements:– Fulfillment of the Messiah prophecies (“Son of David”)– References to Israel & Scripture quotes

Jesus as the New Moses

• Emphasis of Jesus as a teacher– Title of Rabbi– 5 major “books” within Matthew, each centered

on a sermon

• Jesus gives a New Law, replacing the Old Law of Moses– New Covenant of Jeremiah

Luke

• Gentile Christian – Also wrote the Acts of the Apostles– Doctor, traveling companion of St. Paul

• St. Paul was the major evangelist to the non-Jews in early Christianity

• Audience: other Gentile Christians (Hellenistic culture)

Luke, cont’d

• Highlights Jerusalem as a physical center of the faith

• 2 Themes– Gospel a cause for celebration– Jesus saves Jews & Gentiles alike

• Let Jesus into our hearts so that we may be transformed

Jesus in Luke

• Forgiving– Dines with tax collectors & sinners– “Father, forgive them; they know not what they do”

(Lk 23:34)

• Gentleness, compassion & sensitivity– Healing love– Openness to women (praise of his mother)

• Jesus seeks out the outcasts– Lepers & Samaritans

Guess who