New Testament – Synoptic Gospels notes
Mark's Gospel
- Believed to have been the first Gospel to be written.
- Mark was a Jewish Christian who lived in Rome around 60 AD. He preached
and worked with a Gentile (non Jewish) community.
- During this time the Roman Empire was persecuting Christians. It became
illegal to be Christian and many were being arrested and killed for their faith.
- Mark believed that Kingdom of God was near and that Jesus would soon
return to Earth. He thought it would be very hard for Christians since they
faced such persecution.
- One of Mark's themes is the idea of the Messianic Secret. Since it was
dangerous to believe in Jesus and be a Christian.
- Mark distinguishes between being an admirer of Jesus and being a disciple true follower of Jesus. He was skeptical that people would abandon their faith
when they were faced with challenges and suffering.
Mark's Gospel Messages
- Mark shows that Jesus was a Suffering Messiah (Savior) and not what most
people expected. He sets the example and embraced his suffering, showing
that to be a truly good and loving person, one needs to be able to give oneself
over to others and make sacrifices which are often hard (Mark 8:34-35). Love
often makes life more difficult but more fulfilling. Selfishness leads to
emptiness.
- Discipleship: In Mark, the disciples are often pictured as being confused and
misunderstanding Jesus. They don't know why he accepts the cross - the
suffering, pain and rejection that is a consequence of love and working for
justice. Discipleship means following in Jesus' example and continuing to live
for love and goodness despite the many challenges that comes with this.
- Christians are called to challenge injustice in the world and work for social
justice, the fair treatment of all people.
Mark's Major Themes
- Theme of Discipleship. What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus? Why is
this difficult to do?
- Theme of Faith. What does it mean to have faith? How can faith be helpful for
people in their lives?
- Theme of Suffering Servant. Jesus was vulnerable like the rest of us and his
ministry causes him to experience great suffering. What kind of a Messiah was
Jesus? What suffering did he experience because of his ministry?
Mark's Gospel Stories
1)The Calming of the Storm at Sea (Mark 4:35-41)
2) Jairus’ Daughter (Mark 5:21-43)
3) The Rejection at Nazareth (Mark 6:1-6)
Matthew's Gospel
Background Information
- Matthew worked with a Jewish-Christian community. The Jews and Romans
greatly disliked each other during his time, and a war broke out between the
two sides from 66-70 AD, ending with the Romans burning down much of
Jerusalem.
- Many Jews (like the Pharisees) believed that the Savior would be a great
powerful leader. Anyone who didn't help them and their cause they often
excommunicated, including many Jewish Christians who were thrown out of
their religion.
- Many Pharisees also believed in a very literal following of the Old Testament
Law. Matthew tries to show that Jesus is the fulfillment of the Old Testament
Law and that being a Christian means following the Spirit of these rules.
- Jesus as Rabbi (teacher) - He uses many parables to teach the people God's
messages.
- Jesus is the fulfillment of Old Testament Prophecies that God made to the
Jewish people, which shows that he truly is God.
Matthew's Gospel Themes
1) Importance of Jesus' power and authority. Strongly emphasizes his healing
ability. He is the Savior who fulfills all of the prophecies.
2) Focuses on the importance of being a citizen in the Kingdom of God. Being
a good Christian is much more than simply following all of the religious rules
and laws. It is essential to be a part of the Church and member of a religious
community.
3) Thoughts on the Pharisees and Jewish religious leaders. Matthew thinks that
they are hypocrites and misunderstand the true meaning of faith.
Matthew’s Gospel Stories
The Healing of a Centurion’s Servant (Matthew 8:5-14)
Parable of the Weeds among the Wheat (Matthew 13:24-30)
Picking Grain on the Sabbath (Matthew 12:1-8) and The Man with a Withered
Hand (Matthew 12:9-14)
The Tradition of the Elders (Matthew 15:1-20)
Parable of the Tenants (Matthew 21:33-46)
Luke's Gospel
Background and Context
- Luke was a Gentile (non Jewish) convert to Christianity. He writes his Gospel
sometime between 80 AD and 90 AD.
- Luke became a disciple of St. Paul and did a great amount of traveling. He
encountered many different kinds of people and portrays Jesus in a way that
many Gentiles can relate to.
- Luke also writes another New Testament book called the Acts of the Apostles
which details the life of the early Church after Jesus' Ascension into heaven.
His Gospel is the first part, while this book is the second.
- Luke greatly emphasizes Jesus' reaching out to the vulnerable and
marginalized people in society. Jesus has great compassion for women,
sinners, outcasts and the poor who are invited to be disciples.
Luke's Gospel Themes
- Jesus is the Universal Savior. He has come to save all people and is not just
for the Jewish people. He worked with a Gentile Christian community and was
heavily influenced by the Roman Empire.
- The importance of the role women. Luke shows that many women were very
faithful and had important roles as disciples. Jesus also treated women with
dignity and respect which was uncommon during his time.
- Importance of forgiveness and conversion. Many people of different
backgrounds with troubled pasts turn towards God and become important
disciples.
Luke’s Gospel Stories
The Rich Official (Luke 18:18-23), On Riches and Renunciation (Luke 18:24-30), and
Zacchaeus the Tax Collector (Luke 19:1-10)
The Pardon of the Sinful Woman (Luke 7:36-50)
Martha and Mary (Luke 10:38-42)
The Crucifixion (Luke 23:33-43)