To
describe Jesus fully is perhaps impossible.
His earthly ministry lasted a short three years, yet one gospel writer
said all the libraries of world could not hold all he said and did during those
three years. How does one describe a man that taught in a way that no one had
ever heard before? So profound were his
words that they are spoken of and taught two-thousand years later. How does one describe a man that was given
the greatest task of all humanity, to live a sinless life and then to die for
all humanity? How does one describe a
man that showed compassion in a way that had never been seen before to so many
regardless of age, race, gender, or nationality? How does one describe a man that is more than
a man, he is divine? How does one
describe a man that changed the world like no one else possibly could? How does one describe a man that billions
call their Lord and Savior?
No one writer could possibly describe this
divine man fully in one gospel.
Therefore, God in his infinite wisdom saw fit for four writers (Matthew,
Mark, Luke, and John) to write gospel accounts of Jesus. All four are needed to get the complete
picture of who Jesus is, what he did, and what that means. The four accounts have four different
perspectives and four different purposes, but they all describe the same
Jesus. All four have their own beauty,
style, and importance and deserve to be looked at individually.
The Gospel of
Matthew
In
Revelation 4 there are four creatures that are depicted that fly around the
throne of God and worship him continuously.
The four creatures are depicted by the author as such: “The first living creature was like a lion, the second was
like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying
eagle.” In the early church there were
many that said these four creatures represented the four Gospels. It was Jerome in the fourth century that said
the lion was Mark, the ox was Luke, the man was Matthew, and the eagle was
John.
Matthew
is the man because Jesus is depicted as the great human teacher. The human form represents revelation,
intellect, and knowledge. Jesus follows
in the footsteps of Moses. Just as Moses
wrote the Pentateuch, Matthew is broken into five sections or books and Jesus
preaches five sermons in the Gospel of Matthew.
Just as Moses and Israel were tested for forty years, Jesus is tested
for forty days and nights. Just as Moses
went to a mountaintop to get the Law and then came down from the mountain to
the people, Jesus goes up the mountain to give his teaching and then comes down
to the people. Moses was the great
teacher of Israel, but Jesus is the great teacher of the world. While Moses only taught Israel, Jesus was
teaching the entire world both Jew and Gentile.
There is an emphasis on
organization and numerical patterns that is unique to Matthew. This use of organization and numerical
patterns is seen from the genealogies in the beginning, to the sermons of
Jesus, as well as overall structure of the gospel. Much of Matthew deals with the exposition of
the Old Testament Scriptures, which sets it apart from the other gospels. The word “fulfilled” is used twenty-seven
times. An underlying theme throughout
the gospel is the interaction of the Jewish Law and the Christian faith. As Jesus sits and teaches, often on a
mountaintop, the people sit at his feet and listen to his words about the
Kingdom of God. Jesus is in every way
the teacher from God.
The
Gospel of Mark
In
Mark Jesus is the lion. If there is a word
to describe the gospel it is action.
Jesus is always on the move and is always moving toward his purpose,
Jerusalem and the cross. From the very
beginning this is clear. There is no
talk of his childhood or background; rather it is straight to the action. A key word in the gospel is “immediately” as
it is used forty-two times. Jesus is
urgent with his task throughout the gospel.
In Mark Jesus is seems to always
be involved in some type of controversy or conflict. Jesus has conflicts with the Jewish leaders,
with his own family, his neighbors, and the authorities. Ultimately his conflict is with Satan himself
and with his evil kingdom. This climaxes
with the crucifixion in which it appears the lion has been slain, only to rise
again and win the battle.
The gospel has a dark tone to
it. Jesus is dealing with suffering and
conflict as the completely obedient lion.
The Passion of the Christ is seen throughout the gospel. In Mark Jesus calls his followers to examine
themselves inwardly and to show their faith outwardly. There is a clear use of probing questions to
cause the hearer to dig deeper than they would on their own. There are many commands and prohibitions in the
gospel. Truly the Kingdom of God is both
in believers and shown in the world.
The ministry of Jesus, primarily
in Galilee, is fast-paced with distinctive inward-outward dynamics of the
Kingdom of God. This lion of Judah is
not only the king of the beasts, but he is also the king of a creation. While he is a mighty king, he is still
willing to lay his life down for his people.
But even death cannot control the great lion of Judah.
The
Gospel of Luke
In Luke Jesus is the ox. In antiquity the ox was a symbol of divine
strength and might. The ox was also a
beast of burden. The ox would carry
heavy loads, plow the ground, and pull carts.
It was a vital part of the workforce of the people. The ox was also a powerful beast able to
great good or harm. Most importantly the
ox carried the burden of the sin of the people to the sacrificial altar. Thus in Luke Jesus carries the burdens of the
people both their physical and emotional burdens as well as their sin. He has great power yet he is meek.
Luke emphasizes the birth and
childhood of Jesus in a way that the other gospels do not. Jesus had a lowly birth in a stable (like an
ox) and he brought up by peasants in Nazareth.
Though he comes from a lowly upbringing he is different and very
powerful. Throughout the Gospel of Luke
Jesus is on a journey from one place to another, but ultimately leading to his
purpose in Jerusalem of being the sacrifice for all humanity.
A key phrase in Luke is “lost and
found.” Jesus goes after that which was
lost and now is found. He has concern
for the marginalized and he cares to bring them into and include them in the
Kingdom of God. There is a special focus
on the rich and poor. The rich are told
to tell their possessions and give them to the poor and the poor are lifted
up. This is the opposite of what is
expected. Jesus is often seen eating
with “sinners.” He is with lepers, the
crippled, the blind, and even hated tax-collectors. Yes this ox is with the common people that
need him to bear their burdens. Jesus
speaks of the lost sheep, lost coin, and lost son because he is concerned about
those that others are not. Women, where
were often overlooked and mistreated in antiquity, are given a special
prominence by Jesus in Luke. There are
stories about Elizabeth, Anna, Mary, the widow of Nain, women who supported the
ministry of Jesus, women that are healed, and the women at the
resurrection. Even Gentiles are included
by Jesus in Luke. It is evident from the
beginning of the gospel that Jesus has love and compassion for the marginalized
of society. He eats with them, has
conversations with them, befriends them, and helps them as no one else cares to
do or has to power to do.
Luke shows Jesus as a very
spiritual man that spent much time in prayer, in touch with and guided by the
Holy Spirit. Joy and expectation are
motifs that are evident in Luke. This ox
brings great joy as he performs his tasks, yet the sacrifice is always on the
horizon. Jesus is the ox that
compassionately bears the burdens of others and brings them into the Kingdom of
God.
The Gospel of John
The Jesus presented in John is the
eagle. He is far above all else and we
get the view from above. Ninety-two
percent of the material in John is unique.
It begins not with the birth of Jesus, but with his preexistence as the
Word of God. John presents a spiritual
gospel that is not as concerned about time and place as significance.
There is great mystery to the
story of Jesus. Who is this man and what
does he mean with his teachings? Often
the audience is unaware of all that is taking place and this presents great irony. It is only after the fact (and often
post-resurrection) that one could understand what Jesus was teaching.
John has a special focus on the
conversations Jesus has with people in which he takes them where they are
teaches them about his identity and the Kingdom of God. There is great use of symbols in John that
often give a deeper meaning to the text that is unique among the gospels. Jesus also uses the phrase “I am” several
times in the gospel as a means of teaching in a veiled way his identity.
How does one recognize the
identity this divine man? John presents
seven signs or miracles that Jesus preformed that are powerful and very
selective for his purpose. These selective
signs demonstrate that he is divine and with belief in him the Kingdom of God
is breaking into this present world and with it bringing new life. Truly the Gospel of John presents Jesus as
the eagle that is far above and gives the big theological picture of his
identity, the Kingdom of God, and eternal life.
Conclusion
The
vivid pictures of Jesus as a the great teacher from heaven, the lion with a
great purpose, the ox that takes the burdens of all humanity, and the eagle
with the view from above each give a picture of the identity of Jesus. Each are worthy of individual consideration
apart from the others. Yet all four are
needed to begin to understand who this divine man is and what that means. Perhaps through the imagery presented by each
gospel the reader can better appreciate the complexity of the nature and character
of Jesus and in doing so grow to a deeper faith.
March 25, 2013 Deut 14:1–16:8, Luke 1:67–2:7, Ps
38:1–3, Prov 8:5–7
March 26, 2013 Deut 16:9–19:21, Luke 2:8–35, Ps
38:4–10, Prov 8:8–10
Deuteronomy 14-19
This
whole section deals with being different from the world. We mourn different, we
eat different (while we do not have dietary laws today we want to stay away
from meat sacrificed to Idols and drinking blood Acts 15), we show generosity
and are joyful givers, and we remember all God has done for us.
In
what ways are Christians to be different from the world today?
Chapter
18 says a new prophet will come that will be greater than Moses. Who is this?
Chapter
19 talks about what is required of witnesses. How does this apply to the trial
of Jesus?
Luke 1:67-2:35
As
you read Zacharias’ prophesies of John’s ministry what stands out to you?
Zacharias
gave several pictures symbolizing the salvation we have in Jesus Christ:
purchase from slavery (v. 68), deliverance from danger (v. 74), forgiveness of
a debt (v. 77), and the dawning of a new day (vv. 78–79; Isa. 9:2). Note the
emphasis on salvation (vv. 69, 71, 77).
The
birth of Christ at this place and time was foretold long ago by Micah 5:2 (see
Acts 15:18 as well). As you read the meager circumstances of the birth of Jesus
See Phil. 2:1–11 and 2 Cor. 8:9.
Why
is it significant that shepherds were the first to be told of the birth? What
other shepherds in the Bible can you think of?
In that day, shepherds were
considered to be at the lowest rung of the social ladder. Their work not only
kept them away from the temple and the synagogue, but it made them ceremonially
unclean.
Luke’s Gospel is
filled with praise (1:64; 2:13, 28; 5:25–26; 7:16; 13:13; 17:15, 18; 18:43;
19:37; 23:47; 24:53). In what ways is Jesus the Prince of Peace?
The shepherds
told what they had seen. Have you told the Good News to anyone lately?
Jesus was
circumcised on the eighth day as commanded to do in Genesis 17:12. What does
the name Jesus mean?
Mary and Joseph
obeyed the Law through purification (Lev. 12) and the redemption of the
firstborn (Ex. 13). How ironic is it that the Redeemer was redeemed?
As you read the
words of Simeon what stands out to you?
Simeon blessed
God, and he also blessed Mary and Joseph; but he did not bless the Baby, why? Perhaps, because Jesus is the source of every
blessing. Mary did feel “the sword” in her heart repeatedly as she watched her
Son during His ministry and then stood at the cross where He died (John
19:25–27).
Psalm 38:1-10
The third of the
so-called “penitential” psalms was written by David, probably during the period
of Absalom’s revolt. The sin to which he alludes may be how he indulged his
children which led to disastrous consequences to David personally, and to his
kingdom as well.
David feels the
chastisement of God. How can this be either bad or good for us?
David realizes
that his own sin is the cause of the divine anger. At the same time he feels
the results of his sin within his soul. David is bent with pain. He is
physically ill because of the inner turmoil. If this were the end of the story
it would be very sad, but we know something better is coming. If you are going
through a difficult time due to sin, repent and accept God’s love.
Proverbs 8:5-10
In the previous chapter an impure
woman entices a young man to follow the paths of immortality. In chapter 8 a
more beautiful woman—Lady Wisdom—urges young men to follow paths of integrity, honor,
and devotion. We all have a choice if we will listen to the voice of wisdom or
if we will listen to the voice of wisdom. The former is far superior.
Wisdom out to
all people, the high and the low, even the thoughtless and fools. We all need
prudence and understanding which only wisdom can teach us. Wisdom speaks with the
nobility of truth and righteousness. There is nothing perverse or crooked about
true wisdom. The person that is willing to receive the truth shall be able to
find it. Wisdom and a great teacher are more precious than gold and silver. Do
you seek it in the same way? Do you seek out Godly teachers of wisdom?
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