Before You Read the Gospels
“NOW THERE ARE ALSO MANY OTHER THINGS THAT JESUS DID. WERE EVERY ONE OF THEM TO BE WRITTEN, I SUPPOSE THAT THE WORLD ITSELF COULD NOT CONTAIN THE BOOKS THAT COULD BE WRITTEN.”
JOHN 21:25
We’ve spent the past few days looking at Genesis through Malachi, unpacking the Old Testament’s historical, prophetic, and poetic aspects. Today, we reach the fulfillment of everything in the Law and Prophets: the coming of Christ Jesus!
Before we jump into the New Testament, let’s note the time gap between Malachi and Matthew. For nearly four hundred years after Malachi’s prophecy, Israel did not hear from the Lord. No messages, no miracles, nothing. Prophets were not relaying the word of God during this silent era, but that doesn’t mean He wasn’t working.
The world’s landscape drastically changed during this time. The Babylonians, Assyrians, and Persians all lost power to the new guy on the block: Rome. When Jesus was born, the world lived under Roman rule, and Israel submitted to the Pharisees, Sadducees, and scribes that made up the Sanhedrin. These rulers play a starring role later in Jesus’s life.
With the stage set, let’s uncover the life and ministry of Christ Jesus!
GOSPELS TIMELINE
This list doesn’t include every miracle, event, or conversation about Jesus throughout the Gospels. However, it provides a loose framework for understanding Christ’s birth, ministry, and death.
6 BC: John the Baptist was born (Luke 1; John 1:6).
5 BC: Jesus was born to the Virgin Mary and her husband, Joseph (Matt. 1; Luke 2).
5 BC: The three wise men, or magi, visited Jesus (Matt. 2).
5 BC: Jesus and his family fled to Egypt because Herod began killing baby boys out of fear of being overthrown (Matt. 2:13–18).
4 BC: Mary, Joseph, and Jesus returned to Nazareth once Herod died (Matt. 2:19–23).
8 AD: After Jesus and His family visited Jerusalem for the Passover festival, His parents could not find Him. He was at the temple, asking questions of the teachers (Luke 2:41–50).
26 AD: John the Baptist baptized Jesus (Matt. 3:13–17; Mark 1:9–11; Luke 3:21–22).
27 AD: After Jesus fasted for forty days and forty nights in the desert, Satan tempted Him with the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. But Jesus didn’t cave to sin (Matt. 4:1–11; Mark 1:12–13; Luke 4:1–13).
27 AD: Jesus calls His first disciples—Peter, Andrew, James, and John (Matt. 4:18–22; Mark 1:16–20; Luke 5:1–11).
27 AD: Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount (Matt. 5–7).
27 AD: At a wedding in Cana, Jesus turned water into wine as His first miraculous sign (John 2:1–12).
29 AD: In one of His most memorable miracles, Jesus fed a crowd of five thousand men from five loaves of bread and two fish (Matt. 14:13–21; Mark 6:30–44; Luke 9:10–17; John 6:1–14).
29 AD: Jesus transfigured in front of His inner circle—James, John, and Peter (Matt. 17:1–13; Mark 9:2–13; Luke 9:28–36).
29 AD: Jesus affirms He is the Son of God (John 9:35–38).
30 AD: For the last time, Jesus enters Jerusalem on a donkey. This was His triumphal entry (Matt. 21:1–11; Mark 11:1–11; Luke 19:28–40; John 12:12–19).
30 AD: Jesus invites the Twelve to a final Passover meal, the Last Supper. Here Judas would leave to betray Jesus for thirty silver coins (Matt. 26:16–29; Mark 14:12–25; Luke 22:7–23; and John 13:21–30).
30 AD: Jesus was taken into custody by the Jews, put through a rigged trial, and sentenced to be crucified. He was hung on a cross, dying a criminal’s death (Matt. 27; Mark 15; Luke 23; and John 19).
30 AD: Several people went to Christ’s tomb, but His body was not there. Jesus Christ had been resurrected (Matt. 28:1–15; Mark 16:1–8; Luke 24:1–12; John 20:1–10).
30 AD: Jesus appeared to the disciples, Mary Magdalene, and many others (Mark 16:12–13; Luke 24:13–49; John 20:11–29).
30 AD: Jesus ascended into heaven (Acts 1:6–11).
SIMILAR STORIES
The first four books of the New Testament—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—are the gospel accounts of Christ’s birth, life, death, and resurrection. While some of the Gospels contain overlapping stories, each writer has a unique audience and attention to the details of Jesus’s life. They all focus on the gospel (euangelion in Greek), which is “the glad tidings of salvation through Christ.”[1]
To gain insight into the specifics of each gospel, read through the following texts. Doing so will help you understand more about each narrative.
MATTHEW
Matthew 1:17; Matthew 2:5–6; Matthew 2:17–18; Matthew 5:17; and Matthew 5:21, 27, 31, 33, 38
This gospel writer focused on Jesus as the Messiah from the Old Testament. This author made Christ’s fulfillment—not abolishment—of the Law clear through genealogies and Old Testament references.
MARK
Mark 1:29–45; Mark 2:1–12; Mark 5:1–20; and Mark 10:45
An action-packed narrative, this gospel highlights the work, teachings, and person of Jesus Christ. Most notably, Christ’s role as a servant and the emphasis on His miracles ring loudly throughout this gospel.
LUKE
Luke 1:35, 41, 67; Luke 7:1–10; Luke 14:1–5; and Luke 19:9–10
This in-depth gospel account focuses on the Holy Spirit, notes medical illnesses Jesus healed, and details Jesus’s relationships with people.
JOHN
John 1:1–3; John 3:16–17; John 14:6; and John 20:29–31
This disciple’s letter proved that Jesus was the Son of God, granting eternal life to those who believe in Him. Unlike the Synoptic Gospels, this gospel stands out because it focuses on the person of Christ and His saving power.
The context of each gospel explains why these authors focused on specific details. Matthew established Jesus as the Messiah, using Old Testament references and law to bridge this truth. Mark uses the word “immediately” a lot, emphasizing the action and Jesus’s miracles. Luke was a doctor, so naturally, he honed in on the miraculous medical healings Christ performed.
Matthew, Mark, and Luke are known as the Synoptic Gospels, meaning they overlap on the same teachings, miracles, and stories. John’s gospel includes some of the same information but stands alone in its attention to the details of Christ’s person and power. Each of these testimonies bears witness about Jesus. However, in John, Jesus gave Himself seven titles, uniquely defining His authority.
Let’s finish our time in the Gospels today by unpacking these titles.
“I AM” STATEMENTS
Read through these seven passages. Write the title Jesus declares about Himself. Then, write about the significance behind each name.
JOHN 6:22-40 | I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE
Jesus is the bread of life, offering to quench believers’ hunger and thirst. This statement doesn’t mean believers never have to eat! Instead, it means Jesus will satisfy every spiritual longing through the eternal life He offers!
JOHN 8:12–20 | I AM LIGHT OF THE WORLD
Jesus is the light of the world, meaning His holiness and perfection contrasts our sinful disobedience. Christ exposes the sinfulness in us and, through His grace, guides us from the grips of sin.
JOHN 10:7–9 | I AM THE DOOR FOR THE SHEEP
Jesus is the gate (or door) for the sheep. All who enter the Father’s presence in heaven go through Christ first. He is the only way into the kingdom!
JOHN 10:11–14 | I AM THE GOOD SHEPHERD
Jesus is the good shepherd. A shepherd protects his flock at all costs, even to the point of death. Therefore, Jesus was willing to die for His sheep. And He did on the cross.
JOHN 11:17–27 | I AM THE RESURRECTION AND THE LIFE
Jesus is the resurrection and the life. After Lazarus dies, Jesus comforts his sisters, Mary and Martha, with this truth. Just as Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, He raises believers from their spiritual deaths! Only those who believe in Jesus will experience eternal life.
JOHN 14:1–6 | I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE
Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. No one can go to the Father except through Him! Anyone who wants to know the Lord must accept Jesus as His Son.
JOHN 15:1–5 | I AM THE TRUE VINE
Jesus is the true vine, and the Lord is the gardener. God prunes us to make us more fruitful and productive for His kingdom.
Friend, reading through the Gospels will give you a firsthand account of who Jesus is, was, and will always be! He left the comfort of heaven to experience the temptations and limitations of human flesh. And yet He lived perfectly so He could become our sacrificial lamb. The cross was a humiliating, painful, and undeserved death. But He bore it for us.
The Gospels paint the beauty and depth of Christ’s love for us.
Spend some time thanking Jesus for being fully God, fully man, and fully our Savior!
NOTES
[1]. Strong’s Greek Lexicon (ESV), Blue Letter Bible, s.v. “G2098—euangelion,” accessed November 8, 2021, https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g2098/esv/mgnt/0-1/.