• Gospel = Good News
– Message of Christ & salvation
– Also preaching/writing that message
• Synoptic: “seen together”
– Many similarities with each other
– Telling the story
• Four Evangelists
– Spreading the Word
– Gospel Writers
– Matthew, Mark, Luke, John

• Tradition: Matthew is the oldest
• Later scholarship puts Mark first
• First Century AD (within a generation or two)
– Mark: 67-73 AD
– Matthew & Luke: 80s AD

• Unknown author
– Lost to us now
• Common stories for Matthew & Luke
– Mark had his own sources
• Matthew & Luke also had unique sources
– M & L, respectively

• Many early Christians illiterate
– Pictures became universal symbols
• Gospel writers had a symbol
– All symbols have wings: angels & heaven
– Matthew: man – reason & Incarnation
– Mark: lion - courage
– Luke: ox - sacrifice

• Disciple of Peter
– Writing in Rome
– Audience: Romans & other Gentiles
• Highlights deeds, not words
– Follow in the footsteps of Jesus (WWJD)
• Uniquely: begins with his baptism
– Skips the nativity & childhood

• Son of God
– “Christ” / Messiah
– Son of Man: a prophecy from Daniel about the
Messiah’s title
• Suffering Servant of man (Isaiah’s servant songs)
• Come in glory but also suffer and sacrifice
• Human
– Angry
– Curses a fig tree
– People do think poorly of him
– Sleeps

• A Jewish scribe
– Connected with the apostle Matthew
– Writing for his fellow Jewish Christians
– Criticizes other Jewish communities
– Only Gospel to mention organization & rules
• Jewish elements:
– Fulfillment of the Messiah prophecies (“Son of
David”)
– References to Israel & Scripture quotes

• Emphasis of Jesus as a teacher
– Title of Rabbi
– 5 major “books” within Matthew, each centered on a sermon
• Jesus gives a New Law, replacing the Old Law of Moses
– New Covenant of Jeremiah

• Gentile Christian
– Also wrote the Acts of the Apostles
– Doctor, traveling companion of St. Paul
• St. Paul was the major evangelist to the non-
Jews in early Christianity
• Audience: other Gentile Christians (Hellenistic culture)

• Highlights Jerusalem as a physical center of the faith
• 2 Themes
– Gospel a cause for celebration
– Jesus saves Jews & Gentiles alike
• Let Jesus into our hearts so that we may be transformed

• Forgiving
– Dines with tax collectors & sinners
– “Father, forgive them; they know not what they do” (Lk 23:34)
• Gentleness, compassion & sensitivity
– Healing love
– Openness to women (praise of his mother)
• Jesus seeks out the outcasts
– Lepers & Samaritans