Synoptic Gospel Groups
WHO WAS JESUS?
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 #1
Describe Jesus’ behavior in the following two
passages. Why does He act this way?
MK 7:24
MK 9:30
QUESTION #2
In these passages, how does Jesus respond to
people after He heals them? What does he do
before he heals?Why?
MK 1:40-45
MK 5:39-43
MK 7:31-37
MK 8:22-26
BEFORE HEALING


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He pulls them aside,
away from crowds
Deals with person as an
individual
Listens, develops
relationship…
MIRACLES HAPPEN.
AFTER HEALING
 He
tells them to
TELL 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 #3
In 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: 23-25
MK 1:32-34
SO FAR…



Crowds
Sick people
Demons
Recognize Jesus’ identity
AS MESSIAH….
Consistently, he asks them
to be QUIET about it….
QUESTION #4
In MK 8:27-33,
Peter declares that Jesus is the Messiah. (Who is Peter?)
After Peter makes this statement, Jesus reprimands him
Why?
QUESTION #5
In 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…




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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 SECRET
The 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 #6
In 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?
TORAH
OUTLINE OF MATTHEW
GENESIS - Origins of humankind - Origins of Jesus
EXODUS - Moses’ authority leads - Jesus’ authority - invitation to
to freedom
new life
LEVITICUS –Great laws; Moses receives - Jesus’ commandments of Love/
Ten Commandments from Mt. Sinai
Beatitudes (sermon on the Mount)
NUMBERS - Census
- Who is my neighbor?
DEUTERONONY – End of time
- Jesus’ passion, death and
resurrection (His “end”)
MATTHEW'S GOSPEL IS ORGANIZED
TO FOLLOW THE THEMES OF THE TORAH
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 MATTHEW
Throughout 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
…Rabbi…
LK 9:33
….Master…
MK 10:51
…Master…
LK 18:51
…Lord…

MK 14:36
…Abba…
LK 22:42
…Father…
QUESTION #4
Who is the central character in these passages?
LK 1:36-55
LK 2:36-38
LK 7:11-17
LK 8:2
LUKE 8:3
LK 10:38-42
LK 23:27-31
QUESTION #5
READ LK 22:39-23:25
In LUKE’s account of the ARREST and TRIAL of JESUS….


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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?
JEWISH

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Judas
Peter
Herod
Sanhedrin
Crowds choosing Jesus over
Barabbas
ROMAN

Pilate
IN LUKE, THERE IS A BIAS TOWARDS THE
JEWISH RESPONSIBILITY FOR JESUS’
ARREST AND DEATH. (MT IS BIASED
TOWARDS THE ROMAN RESPONSIBILITY.)
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.
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!
!
JESUS WAY OF DEALING WITH WOMEN WAS COUNTERCULTURAL…
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 EVERYONE
WHAT 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?
MATTHEW
LUKE

Written in “third person”

Written in “second person”

Emphasis on spiritual needs

Emphasis on physical needs

Comforts those in need

Comforts those in need, but
also CHALLENGES those who
have more than they need!
BEATITUDES IN MT & LK
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?