WHO WAS JESUS?Synoptic Gospel Groups

GOSPEL OF MARK

GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MARK PRIMARY AUDIENCE: Early Christians

who were experiencing persecution for their faith.

“Portrait” OF JESUS: SUFFERING SERVANT

Great emphasis on Jesus’ human nature

QUESTION #1Describe Jesus’ behavior in the following

two passages. Why does He act this way?

MK 7:24MK 9:30

QUESTION #2In these passages, how does Jesus

respond to people after He heals them? What does he do before he heals?Why?

MK 1:40-45MK 5:39-43MK 7:31-37MK 8:22-26

MIRACLES HAPPEN.

BEFORE HEALING AFTER HEALING

He pulls them aside, away from crowds

Deals with person as an individual

Listens, develops relationship…

He tells them toTELL NO ONE!

MIRACLES OF HEALING Jesus does not heal them in order to get them (or anyone) to have faith in him. Rather, healing is a response of mercy and compassion. Person’s faith comes first, then healing

happens.

This message is important for us today, too…Are we waiting for a miracle so that we might

believe? (This doesn’t seem to be the Gospel pattern!)

QUESTION #3In these passages, who recognizes Jesus’

identity? (Are they praising him, or is something else going on?)

How does Jesus respond to those who publicly recognize Him?

MK 1: 23-25MK 1:32-34

SO FAR… Crowds Sick people Demons

Recognize Jesus’ identity AS MESSIAH….

Consistently, he asks them to be QUIET about it….

QUESTION #4In MK 8:27-33,Peter declares that Jesus is the Messiah. (Who is

Peter?)After Peter makes this statement, Jesus

reprimands himWhy?

QUESTION #5In MK 15:37-39, who declares that Jesus is the Son of

God?

What is the significance of:a) this person acknowledging Jesus as the

Son of God?b) his recognition of this while Jesus is on

the cross? 

WE NOW SEE… Crowds Sick people Demons A centurion

(Roman soldier) Peter

(Apostle and best friend)

All recognize Jesus’ identity AS MESSIAH….

Consistently, he asks them to be QUIET about it….

MESSIANIC SECRETThe pattern in MARK where Jesus

repeatedly “silences” anyone who publicly recognizes him as Messiah is called the “MESSIANIC SECRET”

Why does the Gospel writer emphasize the need to keep Jesus’ identity as Messiah ‘secret’?

MESSIANIC SECRET

WHO ELSE will learn of Jesus’ true identity?

??

QUESTION #6In the account of Jesus’ baptism, MK 1:9-11, who “sees” something like a dove and hears

the heavenly voice?

Who does not?

Why is this important? (How does this scene depict an essential truth about Jesus’ identity?)

 

GOSPEL OF MARK

What did you observe about Jesus in Mark’s gospel that you had never considered/noticed before?

Anything surprise you?

GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

GOSPEL OF MATTHEW PRIMARY AUDIENCE: JEWISH

CHRISTIANS

“Portrait” of JESUS: TEACHING MESSIAH

Emphasis on Jesus’ divinity and fulfillment of the Old Testament promises.

GOSPEL OF MATTHEW Look at MT 1:1-11. What is this?

Where else in the bible do we hear a word with the same root? Any connection?

MATTHEW'S GOSPEL IS ORGANIZED TO FOLLOW THE THEMES OF THE TORAH

TORAH OUTLINE OF MATTHEWGENESIS - Origins of

humankindEXODUS - Moses’ authority

leads to freedomLEVITICUS –Great laws; Moses

receivesTen Commandments from Mt. Sinai

NUMBERS - CensusDEUTERONONY – End of time

- Origins of Jesus - Jesus’ authority -

invitation to new life- Jesus’ commandments of

Love/ Beatitudes (sermon on the Mount)

- Who is my neighbor?- Jesus’ passion, death and

resurrection (His “end”)

GOSPEL OF MATTHEW What is the significance of Jesus

teaching the Beatitudes from a MOUNTAIN?

Why might the MOUNTAIN be an important location in the Jewish mind?

GOSPEL OF MATTHEWThroughout Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus

says,“You have heard it said…”

WHERE would they have heard it said?

What is the significance of Jesus following these statements with “…and now I say to you..”

GOSPEL OF MATTHEW “I have not come to abolish, but to

fulfill…”

GOSPEL OF LUKE

GOSPEL OF LUKE PRIMARY AUDIENCE: Gentile Christians

“Portrait” of JESUS: UNIVERSAL SAVIOR

Emphasis on Jesus as healer of social inequalities and bringer of salvation and justice to all people.

QUESTION # 1 LUKE 1:1

To whom does Luke address his Gospel?

QUESTION # 2 Look at LK 3: 23-38 & MT 1:1-7 How is Luke’s genealogy of Jesus

different from Matthew’s? Where does each start? End?

What is Luke trying to say by this?

QUESTION #3 What is different about the language

used between the gospels? MK 9:5 LK 9:33

…Rabbi… ….Master…

MK 10:51 LK 18:51…Master… …Lord…

MK 14:36 LK 22:42…Abba… …Father…

QUESTION #4Who is the central character in these

passages?LK 1:36-55LK 2:36-38LK 7:11-17LK 8:2 LUKE 8:3LK 10:38-42LK 23:27-31

QUESTION #5

READ LK 22:39-23:25In LUKE’s account of the ARREST and TRIAL of JESUS….

Who is responsible for Jesus’ arrest and death? How many times does Pilate declare Jesus’

innocence? Does Herod seem to see Jesus as a political

threat? Why would Jesus have blamed who he did?

IN LUKE, THERE IS A BIAS TOWARDS THE JEWISH RESPONSIBILITY FOR JESUS’ ARREST AND DEATH. (MT IS BIASED TOWARDS THE ROMAN RESPONSIBILITY.)

JEWISH ROMAN Judas Peter Herod Sanhedrin Crowds choosing Jesus

over Barabbas

Pilate

QUESTION #3 The central character

in these passages are all…

WOMEN!

Jesus treats them all with dignity and respect and as equals. This was NOT typical of Jewish men of his time.

JESUS WAY OF DEALING WITH WOMEN WAS COUNTERCULTURAL…

In Jesus’ day…

Jewish culture saw women as PROPERTY rather than as persons.

Men would not acknowledge women in public (even their wives)!

Jewish men also said a prayer each day thanking God that they were not born a woman!!

QUESTION # 6 Look at LUKE 11:7-11.

How does Luke’s choice of words emphasize that Jesus came FOR ALL?

WHAT HAPPENED TO ONE, IMPACTS EVERYONEWHAT HAPPENED IN ONE PLACE IMPACTS EVERY LAND…

QUESTION #7 Compare The Beatitudes as presented

by Matthew and Luke.

What differences do you note in language used?

BEATITUDES IN MT & LK

MATTHEW LUKE Written in “third person”

Emphasis on spiritual needs

Comforts those in need

Written in “second person”

Emphasis on physical needs

Comforts those in need, but also CHALLENGES those who have more than they need!

BEATITUDES (MT & LK) Which version.. - do you ‘like’ better? - is more comforting? More

challenging?

How might our state in life influence how we hear these words?