The Gospels: Four Portraits of Jesus as the Christ
I.	Introduction: What is a Gospel?
	A.	The Word "Gospel"
	B.	Paul's 'gospel' and the Literary Gospels
II.	John and the Synoptic Gospels
III.	The Synoptic "Problem" (Challenge)
	A.	The Nature of the Problem
		View a Venn Diagram showing the Overlap between Matthew, Mark, and Luke.
	B.	Marcan Priority
	C.	The Two-document Hypothesis
		View a diagram of the Two-document Hypothesis/Four Source Theory.
	D.	The Griesbach Theory
	Take an online quiz on the Synoptic Problem.
IV.	Mark's Portait of Jesus: The Suffering Servant
	A.	Introduction: Irony in Mark's Gospel
	B.	The Geographic Organization of Mark's Gospel
	C.	Jesus' Urgent and Decisive Message
	D.	The Messianic Secret, Misunderstanding, and The Twelve
	E.	Mark's Central Vision: Suffering and Spiritual Blindness (Mark 8:22 to 10:52)
	F.	The Passion and Resurrection (Mark 11 to 16)
	G.	Fear in Mark's Gospel (and the Implied Purpose of Mark's Composition) [See Papias on the origin of Mark's Gospel.]
V.	Matthew's Portrait of Jesus: The Interpreter of Torah
	A.	Matthew and Mark:  Commonalities and Differences
		View a comparison of the structure of the Gospels of Matthew and Mark.
	B.	Why is Matthew First in the New Testament Canon?
		1.	Matthew contains the most extensive collection of Jesus' teachings (though it is not the longest Gospel).
		2.	Matthew's Gospel is the one most concerned with the nature and function of the church (ekklesia).  It is the only Gospel to use the term ekklesia.
		3.	Matthew forms a strong link with the Hebrew Bible.
	C.	Matthew's Implied Purpose
		1.	To provide a tool for passing on Jesus' teachings
		2.	To legitimate the claim that Jesus was the Jewish Messiah
	D.	Authorship: Who was "Matthew"? [See Papias on "Matthew's" Gospel.]
	E.	Matthew's Gospel and Judaism
		1.	A very Jewish Beginning: the Genealogy from Abraham to David to Jesus (1:1—17)
		2.	The Magi: Foreigners Confirm the Jewish Messiah (2:1—13)
		3.	Jesus as a Jew/Continuity with the Law (5:17—19)
		4.	The Mission to the Gentiles and Matthew's Ambivalence toward Judaism (8:5—13; 10:5-6; 15:22—28; 28:19—20)
	F.	The Implied Readers of Matthew's Gospel
VI.	Luke's Portrait of Jesus: A Savior for All Nations
	A.	Introduction
		Compare the structure of Luke's Gospel with Matthew and Mark.
	B.	Luke's Stated Purpose (Luke 1:1-4; Acts 1:1)
	C.	Authorship: Who was "Luke"?
		1.	The Traditional View and Recent Speculation
		2.	What the Text Implies about its Author
	D.	Place and Time of Writing
	E.	Key Themes in Luke’s Gospel
		1.	Forgiveness of Sinners
		2.	Jesus' Association with the Powerless
		3.	Prayer
		4.	The Holy Spirit
		5.	Christianity as a Universal Faith (See Luke's genealogy of Jesus.)
		6.	Christianity as a Lawful Religion
		7.	Jesus as the Turning Point of Salvation History (16:16)
	F.	Key Theological Emphases
		1.	Luke's Christology: Christ as both Model and Lord
		2.	Luke's Soteriology: Jesus as Savior
VII.	John's Portrait of Jesus: The Word Made Flesh
	A.	Introduction: A Spiritual Gospel? (See Clement of Alexandria as recorded by Eusebius [Ecclesiastical History, VI 14].)
	B.	The Stated Purpose of John's Gospel (John 20:30-31)
	C.	Faith in John's Gospel
	D.	Authorship
		1.	The traditional view
		2.	John and the “Beloved Disciple” (John 21:24)
		3.	Place and Time of Composition
		4.	Life Setting
	E.	Literary Form (Organization of John's Gospel)
	F.	Major Themes in John's Gospel
		1.	The “I am” sayings and John's High Christology
		2.	Jesus' “Hour”
		3.	Signs and Glory
		4.	Light/Dark
		5.	Jesus and the Father
	G.	“Doubting Thomas” and the Assertion of Jesus' Divinity (John 20:24-29; compare 11:7-16)
	H.	John and “the Jews”
	I.	Conclusion: John's Unique Contribution and Challenge
Take a quiz on the contents of the Gospels.
VIII.	The Gospels as Documents of Faith
Take an online quiz on the Synoptic Problem.
Take an online quiz on the contents of the Gospels.
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