Four Gospel Accounts?

Why Four Gospel Accounts?

When we look at Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, these are called the Gospel accounts.  And, for those who study the Bible, we can find synoptic problems and other things that people come up with to discredit two or three of the books.  Yet, in the confusion among scholars, have you yourself ever wandered why there are four Gospel accounts instead of just one?  Well, I would like to state that each account is necessary.

why four gospel accounts

Why Four Gospel Accounts?

I mean, take Matthew’s account.  He is a Galilean Jew (Matthew 9:9; Mark 2:13-14; Luke 5:27,29) who wrote primarily to the Jewish people.  In fact, he quotes many Old Testament prophecies Jesus fulfilled which declare Him King.  And so, Jesus is not only the Messiah of Old Testament prophecy, but He is the King who came through the royal line of David to sit upon his throne forever (2 Samuel 7:12-17; Psalm 132:11; cf. Luke 1:31-32; Acts 2:22-36).  Furthermore, the terms “king” and “kingdom” appear more in this account than the other accounts and Jesus is beautifully portrayed as King (Matthew 16:13-20; Matthew 28:17-18; cf. Isaiah 9:6-7).

But with Mark’s account, he wrote considering Gentiles (primarily the Romans) because he explained Jewish cultural considerations (cf. Mark 7:1-8).  Mark also emphasizes Jesus’ actions and servant spirit and so, Mark records more about what Jesus did than what He said.  Also, one of the key words in Mark’s account is the word, “immediately” or “straightway” (used 36 times), which emphasizes action, moving swiftly from one event to another.  So, in this account, Jesus was not just King, but he was also a Man of the people and demonstrated the servant spirit all true disciples will display (Mark 10:43-45).

As for Luke’s account, he wrote with the Greek community in mind.  Luke emphasizes Jesus as the perfect Son of man (Luke 19:10).  And, while other gospel writers speak of Jesus’ prayer life, Luke shows us more of Jesus’ teaching regarding the frequency of our praying (cf. Luke 18:1; Luke 21:36; Luke 22:40,46).  Luke also shows that Jesus relied on His Father in prayer and models how we should rely on God (Luke 11:1-4).  And, while he records many miracles, there is more emphasis on what Jesus said than what he did.  Here we see Jesus as the Master Teacher.

For John’s account, the primary scope of John’s account is to declare to all men that Jesus is the Son of God (John 3:16-17).  And, not only does John declare Christ as having human attributes, but declares Him having divine attributes as well (John 1:1,14; cf. Hebrews 4:14-15).  Thus, Jesus is the Son of God by nature; that is, the Father and the Son both possess the qualities of being God (Philippians 2:5-6) and his miracles, recorded by John, is evidence of this (John 20:30-31).

Now, without all four Gospel accounts, we would not be able to see the complete portrait of our Savior; His words, His life, and His mission.  The Jews needed to know that Jesus fulfilled all of the Old Testament prophecies of Messiah and King (cf. Luke 24:44).  The Gentiles needed some Jewish cultural concepts explained (Mark 7:3-4).  And, we must see Jesus as King (Matthew), the perfect Man of action (Mark), the Master Teacher (Luke), and God (John).  That is why we have four Gospel accounts.

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Personal Salvation?

Salvation by the Hand of Man?

That perfection, on man’s terms, is impossible to attain, has been a theme of many recent movies.  The 2010 Disney movie Tron emphasized this point.  There is no perfect system whereby man may save himself, and, in fact, when man seeks to establish some perfect system, man goes horribly astray, committing atrocities the likes of which have not been seen.  Recent studies in the history of communism have produced clear historical evidence of this fact.  The notion that “there is no God to save us, so we must save ourselves” is a notion born out of the misguided and mistaken enlightenment idea that man intrinsically has within his capacity all of the necessary tools to successfully shape his own destiny in a morally acceptable way.  To the contrary, the Bible declares that man is fallible, imperfect, and incapable of providing for his own salvation.

salvation as a product of man

Salvation as a Product of Man?

The message of the Old Testament proves this point exactly.  In providing a history for and of Israel, the Old Testament text declares clearly man’s failures regardless the position in society that he holds.  Consider Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden (Genesis 3).  Here are two individuals who are tempted and then succumb to moral failure.  They do so because of their own misguided thoughts regarding themselves and God.  They are cast out of the garden and then begin to produce offspring.  These offspring also succumb to moral failure to the extent that God records in Genesis 6:5 “And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”  God destroyed that wicked earth with a flood.  Noah and his family were only saved because they followed God’s instructions, not man’s.  Nevertheless, it is obvious that individual person’s cannot provide for their own salvation.

After the flood, God purposed that He would choose a particular family from the children of Noah, and that through them man’s salvation would be fulfilled.  God chose Abram, and promised that all the nations of the earth would be blessed through him.  Abram and Sarai took it upon themselves to seek to fulfill God’s plan in their own way.  Abram went in to Hagar, Sarai’s handmaiden, and conceived Ishmael.  This was not God’s plan; it was man’s plan.  The consequences of Abram’s and Sarai’s decision are still being suffered in the world today.  God corrected Abram, gave him a new name, Abraham, and through him and Sarah came Isaac, the child of promise.

In the family of Abraham, we continue to see moral failure.  Isaac’s children, Jacob and Esau, fuss and fight over the birthright and blessing.  Jacob seemingly makes the same mistake as Abram, thinking that he can gain the birthright and blessing through his own devising, instead of allowing God to work out His plan in His own good time.  Jacob’s children as well, the twelve sons, perpetuate Jacob’s moral failures within their own lives, selling their own brother into slavery (Genesis 37), committing fornication with Jacob’s concubine (Genesis 35:22), lying and engaging in acts of great violence (Genesis 34).  The consequences of their decisions are also still felt today.  Nevertheless, it is clear by the end of the book of Genesis, that salvation cannot come through the family system (patriarchy).

In making a great nation of the family of Abraham, God moves mankind into a second stage of moral development.  This stage involves the creation of a nation.  Moses is the man that God chooses to lead his people out of Egyptian captivity and into the promised land.  Perhaps what cannot be accomplished through individuals, or through families, can be accomplished in a nation.  It is not long, however, before the nation plunges itself into moral degeneracy.  All of those who come out of Egypt are punished with dying in the wilderness because of their rebellious spirit (Numbers 14:32-34).  The next generation that enters the land of Canaan does not fully obey the Lord, and results in the perpetual troubles with idolatrous nations during the period of the judges, a time when every man did that which was right in his own eyes (Judges 17:6, 21:25).  Israel again sought to do things their own way, demanding that God give them a king like the nations around them (1 Samuel 8:5).  God told Samuel that Israel had rejected Him as King (1 Samuel 8:7).  The period of the kings arrives with Saul who commits suicide after ruining his kingship through jealousy and disobedience to God.  David commits adultery, and is a warrior king, not a man of peace.  Solomon multiplies wives, makes idols for them, and commits spiritual whoredom.  Israel becomes divided with kings ruling in Judah and the North separately.  Both are taken into captivity after their iniquity becomes full.  God does so to punish them for their sin and wickedness.  It is obvious that salvation cannot come through a system of national government.

In all of the history the Bible records, the one resounding theme is that man cannot save Himself with his own devices, under his own recognizance.  God Himself must provide for man’s salvation, and He does this through the person of Jesus, the Christ.  This issue of the Christian Worker explores the theme of Jesus Christ, Savior.  In thinking about Jesus as our Savior, we must acknowledge that man cannot save himself regardless the means or methods that he may use, be they individualistic, familial, or nationalistic.  Salvation is from above – from God alone – and it is only through seeking and doing God’s will in our lives as revealed through the person of Jesus the Christ that we may find comfort, hope, and blessing in this life, and in the life to come.

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Dealing with Rejection

Rejection

Life sure can be funny.  You have ups, you have downs, and you have to be certain not to get hung up anywhere along the way.  I have been blessed over the years to teach, preach, and write for a variety of venues.  Whether it has been large or small congregations; classrooms with little kids, teens, or adults; a prison facility; outdoors in a park; VBS gatherings; camps; senior centers; online forums and websites, or in someone’s home, the gospel has been spread in earnest.  Sometimes folks grab on to the gospel with complete gusto!  Most times they can sadly be indifferent.  Occasionally, outright rejection or rather vicious words can be shared.  However, these reactions typically roll off my back rather simply.  Still, I want to share a rejection that gave me pause and the desire to write about the matter.

have you dealt with rejection

Have You Dealt with Rejection?

A few years ago, a unique opportunity to teach the scriptures arose.  It was approximately 20 minutes every Wednesday around the lunch hour at a local high school.  Wonderful situations to share the gospel in public schools do not come about frequently, especially in this age of anti-God attitudes in most government facilities.  For many years the class had been taught by a gentleman of the charismatic faith.  Briefly, but most recently, it was directed by a young girl who taught Galatians as salvation by faith alone.  This teaching was the last the group received before my introduction to them the following week.

Upon my first visit, I found the format of the class was rather simple.  Six girls were present and we sat at school desks in what was more or less a circle.  After introductions, we examined in brief the book of Philemon.  The study focused on assumptions that are often made with the gospel and in life.  The second visit, approximately twenty students were present and after a quick review we examined Zacchaeus out of Luke 19.  Again, we discussed assumptions and then before closing, I introduced a couple of verses about salvation as I had heard it was of interest to the group.  With the verses, it was purposely brought up, that we cannot assume based on one or even two verses that we know all that is necessary for salvation.  For example consider Romans 10:13:

“For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

Taken alone, without the full gospel of God, it would appear that the only concern a person would have regarding their eternal salvation would be to call upon the name of the Lord.  That would be a fair assumption with only this verse in view.  However, what if Hebrews 5:9 (speaking of Christ) was read?

“And being made perfect, He became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him,”

From this verse it appears that salvation comes from obedience.  But what about only calling on the name of the Lord for salvation?  Thus the ground work was now being laid to demonstrate man cannot make quick assumptions about salvation using only part of the gospel and expect to have a complete or even accurate understanding.  When assumptions are made, error occurs.

The third visit to the High School was the final visit.  Three girls were present.  I was a bit surprised, but the first two classes had veered widely in regard to attendance, so maybe another activity was going on at the time.  However, I did inquire where the others might be.  The response was somewhat hesitant, but truthful, “They don’t like you”.  I greatly respect the honesty of the young girl who shared this.  Of course, people have been told of contrary attitudes toward them since childhood, and for preachers, it shouldn’t be a surprise.  However, I admit to being taken aback a bit by the response.  We did happily continue the class that day and I presented the group of three with a list of New Testament verses regarding salvation (again a topic they desired to study).  It was noted that God has mentioned many things involved in being saved.   Among the many items mentioned were: grace, faith, obedience, calling on His name, Christ’s blood, repentance, confession, baptism, and endurance.  This would be the last time I met with the group as later in the week they decided to continue the class without my further participation.

As I have reflected, then and now, about the way everything came to a close, I first state that it is often a heartfelt thing when someone takes a disliking to you.  Non-preachers and preachers alike typically desire to be at peace with all men.  Preachers especially desire a good relationship so that salvation can be embraced and they can view the flowers that blossoms from it.  Involving myself and this particular class, I began to ask myself many questions.  Was I not dynamic enough?  Should I have taught light and fluffy topics before tackling salvation?  Should I have made them laugh more or engage them to share their opinions with the group?  Was the topic too difficult or advanced?  There are so many questions that go through a person’s mind when failure seems to have occurred.  Even personal things are asked such as:  Am I too old?  Too heavy?  Too hairy?  Not modern enough?  These are typical questions that fly through a person’s mind in situations like this.

Ultimately, a person must focus on what the scriptures direct when questions begin to swirl about failure.  Were the lessons given in love?  Yes.  Were they given in an understandable fashion?  Yes.  Were they given according to the truth the scriptures present?  Yes.  It is funny how over the years I have directed others to look to these same principles when they have encountered rejection.  Certainly, I have done so in the past as well.  Yet, with each new occurrence, there is a fresh new opportunity for doubts to arise.  So often I hear preachers contemplate the concept that they should simply move on to other professions.  They feel like they are not making a difference.  They feel as if no one is listening or worse yet, there is an adversarial relationship brewing.  “They don’t like me.  I am failing.  I am not effective.”  The focus has been moved from scripture to self.  Every individual is different in their presentation of the scriptures, but they and others should only focus on the Word.

Certainly there are non-preachers and preachers who have made mistakes which turn people away from or against them.  Absolutely a person must reflect upon themselves each and every day and especially in times of trouble.

2 Corinthians 13:5 – Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?–unless indeed you fail to meet the test!

James 1:22-25 – But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.  For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror.  For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.  But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing.

2 Peter 3:18 – But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ…

However, if you have reached a point where you are concerned about being liked by men rather than pleasing God, understand this is a place that the apostles before us have been already.  In that moment they declared:

Act 5:29 – …We ought to obey God rather than men.

Disciples of Christ have an obligation to teach the truth.  When questions go beyond whether or not they are liked, the next likely consideration is presentation.  Dynamics and presentation are things preachers may worry about, but they may do so for the wrong reasons.  If they are doing so to save their job, be admired, impress, make people happy, or simply draw larger numbers for the appearance of success, then the motivation is wrong.

2 Timothy 4:2-3 – preach the word; be urgent in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.  For the time will come when they will not endure the sound doctrine; but, having itching ears, will heap to themselves teachers after their own lusts;

1 Corinthians 2:1-4 – And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.  And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.  And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power:

Individuals, groups, and congregations that are looking to be entertained or be made comfortable will not heed the words of a sound preacher.  The prophets of old were rejected by men.  Certainly, those men inspired by God spoke with greater might than do men of today.  The apostles of Christ were rejected by men as they taught.  None today are inspired as they were.  Jesus, the messiah, the son of God, God himself, was rejected by men.  He taught with compassion.  He shared hope, joy, and comfort.  He also preached of hell, punishment, and sin.  Despite the rejection, how is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus seen?

1 Corinthians 15:57 – But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Victory is accomplished in Christ.  However, victory does not come without its bruises.  Many a Godly man has walked the path of earthly failure while being guided along the path to eternal success.  “They don’t like you?”  Consider the words of Jesus:

John 15:17-19 – These things I command you, that ye love one another.  If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

Matthew 10:34 – Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.

Jesus understood that many would not like Him or any truly following Him.  Just be certain that the reason of dislike is not because we are walking in error or teaching without love (I Peter 4:14-16).  Do not be deterred from speaking the truth and being direct.  A look at scripture shows that inspired men of the gospel were very direct with their messages (Acts 2, 7).  What a blessing when someone tells you as I was told by a teenage girl, “They don’t like you.”  Truth needs to be told.  Sometimes, the truth hurts.  When you feel humbled by a teenager, a child, an adult, anyone because of the truth, remember, sharing the gospel is not about you.  Sharing the truth is about giving glory to God.  Sharing the truth is about enabling eyes to be open and souls to be saved.  Ears should not be tickled, but instructed in love.  If they don’t like you, do not worry, God loves you.  Consider the source, examine your actions (repenting if necessary), then Preach the Word.

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Bread and Water of Life

The Bread and Water of Life

John wrote his gospel account of Jesus entirely different from the Synoptic gospel writers. It is remarkable to see the many portraits he paints in writing of the Savior. Among these, the apostle portrays Jesus as “the bread of life” and “the water of life”—two things necessary for survival physically and spiritually (which is the form he uses in his gospel— pitting physical events with spiritual lessons). In John 4:14, Jesus offers the water of life to the Samaritan woman. Later,

jesus is the bread of life

Jesus is the Bread of Life.

In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water” (John 7:37-38).

Also, Jesus claimed to be the bread of life:

he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst…I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. (John 6:35, 51)

From this picture, notice several lessons. Jesus is the source for the bread and water of life. If we are to find this bread and water of life, we will find them only in Jesus Christ. No one can find the bread and water of life in any other source, yet millions are looking for them in all the wrong places—denominationalism, humanism, hedonism, and such like.

The bread and water of life are conditional: “he that cometh to me…he that believeth on me” (John 6:35). Notice the importance placed in a distinction between physical and spiritual bread and water:

Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed. (John 6:27)

This bread and water of life must be eaten—it is not enough just to possess these. Jesus said, “…if any man eat this bread, he shall live for ever…” (John 6:51). How many children of God possess the bread and water of life (Bible), but rarely sustain their souls by consumption of God’s truth? We must sustain ourselves spiritually every day—be a daily Bible reader!

This bread and water of life are complete in sustenance. As promised, one who partakes in these necessities will never hunger or thirst again. He continued to speak in spiritual rhetoric to emphasize the spiritual over the physical when he said,

Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. (John 6:53-54)

This bread and water of life give eternal life. The Samaritan woman was promised “a well of water springing up into everlasting life” (John 4:14). This “true bread from heaven” (John 6:32) is such, “that a man may eat thereof, and not die” (John 6:50).

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Fascinated with Death?

Does Death Fascinate You?

Every year at about this time our televisions and movie theaters are bombarded with all manner of scary movies and shows filled with ghosts, ghouls, goblins – you name it.  Movies depicting some force of evil torturing, mutilating, and murdering some unfortunate person (or people) are especially popular around Halloween.  In every generation it seems that man has had a morbid fascination with death, and many of the longstanding traditions and superstitions that now exist in many cultures are evidence of this fact.

fascinated with death

Fascinated with death?

The Bible certainly speaks of death and gives us a few hints as to what happens when a person dies (e.g., Lk. 16:19-31); in fact it even records some very interesting and bizarre events surrounding death (e.g., 1 Sam. 28:3-19; 2 Kings 13:21); and all of these
events were made possible because of the power of God.  That should be sufficient, yet man is not content with that; he wants to know more than what God revealed about death.  Because of this, fiction is often confused with fact and speculation becomes
the standard for what is the truth instead of God’s word.  The fact is the Bible just doesn’t say as much as we would like it to say about death.  Friends, let us be content with this: “The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law” (Deut. 29:29).

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