IX. Understanding the Gospels

     The term "gospel" (euangelion - good news) was common in the ancient world as referring to military victory or emperor worship, so it could be adopted for anything that could be viewed as "good tidings."  Most difficulties in interpreting the Gospels are related to several facts: (1) modern readers are unfamiliar with the first century setting and Jewish culture, (2) Jesus did not personally write any of the Gospels and we have four Gospels that differ in some ways.  As literature, the New Testament Gospels are a combination of biography, history, and theology material.  The Gospels, while somewhat unique, are mostly written to present a theologically-interpreted life of Jesus.  History and biography are supposed to be objective in their presentation of facts (although history/biography are always interpretations of facts by someone who has biases and selects/handles facts accordingly)!  Each Gospel account has two levels of concern about Jesus: the historic concern and the individual cultural distinctions of each for later readers. 

      Four Gospels - There are four because four principal communities received these gospels from the Apostolic writers (Jewish Christians, Roman Christians, Theophilus, John's followers).  There has always been an interest in a harmonized/combined version of Gospel teaching and Tatian did produce a popular, condensed blending of the four Gospels into one in his Diatessaron (ca. 170 A.D.).  However, the Church decided to keep the four Gospels as Scripture because of their early origin and individual testimonies to the life of Jesus.  Each was written for a different community or audience and each has its own distinctive characteristics.  Matthew built his account around five major “discourse” sections for a Jewish audience about "scribes bringing forth old and new" {13:52} and OT prophecy fulfilled (1:22; 2:5,17,23; 3:3; 4:14; etc.).  Mark wrote a brief, but action-oriented, account that explained Jewish customs (7:3-4,11,19).  Luke was concerned with researching and writing an accurate "consecutive" account of the Gospel {1:1-4}, emphasizing the work of the Holy Spirit and Jesus wise teachings, for an educated Greek audience.  John wrote about the Divine Messiah, the "eternal Word made flesh" {1:1-18} and carefully selected his material for evangelistic purposes {20:30-31; 21:25}.

      The “Synoptic” Issue - Three Gospel accounts share a high degree of similarity and these (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) are called "synoptic" (common view, lit. "see together") in that they follow the same general order and emphasize the Galilean ministry of Jesus.  While runaway fascination with the notion of "evolutionary progress" has permeated virtually every area of higher studies in Western academia since 1750, including Biblical Studies, the alleged "Synoptic Problem" asserts literary dependence between Matthew, Mark, and Luke.  However, lack of consensus over who copied from who/what, and recognition of what the early church leaders said about the origins of the Gospel records, may indicate that much of the “synoptic obsession” is little more than recreational speculation for bored scholars.[1]

Dominant Themes in the Gospels

       By way of background, we need to realize that the "dominant theme" of the Jewish religion was the Covenant and the Gospels continue the theme that God deals with mankind faithfully and in accordance with His covenant promises.  The earliest and most profound of these was the promise to send a champion to enter into combat with Satan and deal with sin and its penalty (Genesis 3:15).  The next great promise in this program involved blessing in Canaan for Abraham's descendants as an important step in fulfilling the international blessing (Genesis 12:1-3).  Third, there was a further narrowing of lineage as God promised to bring Messiah from David's lineage (2Samuel 7).

     From Moses to the Babylonian exile, the most influential center of religious life was the Tabernacle, followed by the Temple and this was the domain of the aristocratic Sadducees.  However, after the Babylonian exile, Judaism came to be centered in the Synagogue where prayer, fellowship, and study of Scripture were emphasized.  The synagogues were controlled by the Pharisees and their copyists of Scripture, the Scribes.

      Also a major issue in Jesus’ time was the kingdom of God!  The first mention of His covenant people as “a kingdom” was noted in God's offer to Israel at Sinai (Exodus 19:5-6).  The "holy nation/kingdom of priests" was rejected as Israel broke the covenant and refused to "draw near" to God (Exodus 20:18-19).  Moses predicted Israel's request for an earthly monarchy after the conquest of Canaan and gave some restrictions (Deuteronomy 17:14-20).  Gideon refused to establish such a monarchy (Judges 8:22-23) and Samuel was eventually told to go along with a similar request, although such constituted a rejection of God as king (1Samuel 8:4-8; 10:19; 12:12-17).  The prophets looked ahead to a restoration of God's direct rulership over His people through a Davidic Messiah and this is what Jesus proclaimed in His first coming.[2]  Thus, the Gospels have much to say about the eschatological "kingdom of Heaven/God" as it commenced with Christ's first coming, comes to expression in God's world through the Church, and is realized in and through the ministry of God's people,[3] as they head for the Heavenly final phase.

      In Jewish culture, the closest form of social/cultural intimacy was "table fellowship" and such implied acceptance and friendship.  One of the reasons Jesus was unpopular with Judaism's leaders was that He violated their stratified social system and entered into table fellowship with all manner of people.  To those concerned with "controlling" society, Jesus' table fellowship with "outsiders" was assumed to mean that He was in ideological agreement with them rather than trying to help them.

Interpreting the Gospels

       The Gospels are "purposeful documents," meaning that they were written for a particular purpose and were intentionally selective rather than factually exhaustive (Luke 1:1-4; John 20:30-31).  Strict chronology and minute detail were not part of the writers' purposes, as we see by comparing parallel accounts in the various Gospels.  It is not necessary to distinguish between preaching and history, for the Gospels were intended to be sufficiently factual to establish Jesus as the historical appearance of the Messiah, but also to be sufficiently "theological" to interpret the meaning of His coming and His message.  Joel Green[4] offers five useful principles for interpreting Gospel narratives: (1) All stories are by nature selective and incomplete, (2) the Gospels were not written to answer all of our questions, (3) stories are not to be regarded as allegories, in which a hidden and esoteric meaning is couched in every detail and personality, (4) Narratives often teach indirectly or illustratively: as you read, try to identify who? what? where? when? why?; the length of the narrative is often important; the positioning of the narrative is often a clue to its meaning; look for interpretive statements within the narrative; and look for editorial comments which explain the story.  (5) Remember that narrative is often "precedent" (what happened once) and not "precept" (a command of what must happen every time).  Be sure to distinguish precept from precedent.  Jesus did many different things, as well as accomplishing similar healings thru different methods.  Be careful of trying to universalize a record of one unique event!

       Read in Two Directions - First, read horizontally - as you read a passage in one Gospel, compare that presentation with the parallels (if they exist) in the other Gospels for clarity, emphasis, helpful rewording, and added information.  As examples, read the accounts of Peter's confession of Jesus in Matthew 16:13-23 / Mark 8:27-33 / Luke 9:18-21 - did you notice anything absent from Mark and Luke’s versions?  Compare the accounts of the Olivet Discourse (Matthew 24:1-25:46 / Luke 21) and notice the important difference in wordings for a Jewish and Gentile audience.  Second, read vertically - read the material before and after particular passages, for it may alert you to the intended lesson.  In Luke 15, Jesus aimed three stories at the self-righteous Pharisees (vv. 1-2) that felt no joy that sinners were repenting - the emphasis is not on the prodigal, but on the self-righteous who fail to rejoice at what Heaven rejoices over!

       Interpreting Parables - The Hebrew term methal, translated into Greek as parabole, was used for a wide range of figures of speech in the riddle, puzzle, and parable category.  The "true parable" is a story (Good Samaritan - Luke 10:30-37), also the Lost Sheep, Prodigal Son, Great Supper, Laborers in the Vineyard, Rich man and Lazarus, the Ten Virgins.  The "similtude" (or “analogy”) is when something is said to be "like" something else (Matthew 13).  The "metaphore" says that one thing "is" another (John 10:7).  The story parable calls for a response on the part of the hearer.

       To understand parables, find the "points of reference" (Luke 7:40-43 = the two men & the lender).  In a parable, the "points of reference" only set the stage and draw the reader in.  However, in an "allegory" the points of reference are the focus of the story and mean something foreign to their natural meaning in the story.

       Identify the audience, then listen to the parable over and over.  Identify the points of reference as presented for the original audience and ask “How would the original hearers have identified with the story?”

       The Laborers in the vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16) is a "context-less" parable (not tied to a larger context or dependent on it for meaning).  The audience would identify with the all-day, indignant workers and the point is re-stated before and after - "the last will be first, the first will be last" (or God’s kingdom will reverse some things - as in Matthew 5:4; Luke 6:25; 16:19-31.

       The “parables of the Kingdom” (Matthew 13) were intended to explain the "Kingdom of God/Heaven" for true seekers (Matthew 13:10-17; Mark 4:30-34; Luke 13:18-21).

The Gospel of Matthew

       Donald Guthrie says this Gospel was used more than any other Gospel in the early church.  Its narratives are generally more concise.  The Messianic and prophetic-fulfillment interest is shown by the frequent phrase "that it might be fulfilled," demonstrating the deep conviction that there was an indisputable connection between Christianity and the OT.  Like his contemporaries, Matthew's approach to the Old Testament differed from that of the Rabbis in that he was not bound by a traditional method of interpretation.[5]

       Particularism and Universalism - Matthew's gospel offers a more restricted outlook of Jewish Christianity.  Not one jot or tittle of Law will become invalid (5:18f); the scribes and Pharisees occupy the seat of Moses and their instructions are to be observed (23:2f); Jesus enjoins fulfillment of the commandments (19:17ff; 23:23); the temple tax is paid (17:24ff); the disciples are expected to fast, keep Sabbath, and bring offerings (6:16ff; 24:20; 5:23f); Jesus declares His mission to the "lost sheep of the house of Israel" (15:24) the genealogy of Jesus goes to Abraham and is divided into three groups of fourteen in rabbinic style (1:1ff).[6]

       On the other hand, a covenant-oriented universalism (interest in the salvation of all mankind) is also present.  Christianity is the ideal/New Israel.  Gentiles offer homage at Christ's birth (2:1ff) and it is to a Gentile land, Egypt, that asylum and protection are found (2:13ff).  The Great Commission to all nations is extended at the close of Matthew's Gospel (28:18-20).[7]

       The Church - Matthew alone, of the Gospels, records any specific teaching on the Church.  Both in Matthew 16:18 and 18:17 the ekklesia is mentioned.  Matthew 18:20 describes the simplest form of the local church, the gathering of two or three in the name of Jesus.  The commission to the Church is given in 28:18-20.[8]

       Structure - Matthew has a more careful design than any other Gospel.  The author had a very orderly mind (understandable for a tax-gatherer).  The major structural feature is that Matthew is built around five great discourses, with narrative material in between: (1) The Sermon on the Mount (5:1 - 7:29), (2) The Mission Discourse (9:35 - 10:42), (3) The Kingdom Parables (13:1-52), (4) The Christian Community/Various Sayings (18:1-35), and (5) The Great Eschatological Discourse (23:1 - 25:46).

       The numerical element, especially three (13:33; 15:32; 17:4; 18:16,20; 26:34), may have been selected on the basis of the Mosaic principle that evidence is established by 2-3 witnesses.[9]

       Characteristics of Matthew - First, we notice the numerous fulfillment citations which show Jesus' life and ministry as fulfillment of OT hope.  Some are from commonly-held Messianic prophecies, other are unique.  Qumran had a list of Messianic prophecies (4QFlor).  Some hold that Matthew represents a very "Jewish" community of Christians coming from rabbinic/scribal view (Matthew 13:52), the "treasure" was OT/Law material and the "new" was Jesus' material which interpreted the OT.  Second, the Nativity story (absent in Mark) in Matthew emphasizes "wise men/gentiles/Herod/Egypt/ Nazareth," while Luke notes "Caesar Augustus/Quirinius/ shepherds/temple presentation."  Third, Matthew provided his readers with Messianic reinterpretation of the Mosaic Law, while in Luke it almost disappears.  Finally, Matthew has the greatest major discourse or teaching sections.

       While tradition suggests that Matthew was originally written in Hebrew (or Aramaic), the Greek version that has been transmitted over the centuries does not appear to be a later translation.  Matthew may have written his own Greek version later in life.

The Gospel of Mark

       This Gospel has come into its own through the modern opinion that it is the keystone of the Synoptic problem.  It is a Gospel of action, for the writer is more fascinated with movement than discourse.[10]  It appears to be a Gospel for Gentiles, as many of the Jewish-Christian traces are missing - "Sabbath" is omitted in (13:18) and "mission to the house of Israel" is omitted (7:24ff).  Present are special explanations of Jewish customs and words (7:3,4,11,19; 10:46; 15:22,42).  Mark portrays Jesus as "Son of God, Son of Man, and The Redeemer."[11]

       Structure and Characteristics - Mark presents what is now called the "Synoptic framework": The Galilean ministry (1:14-6:13), an account of Jesus' work outside of Galilee (6:14-8:26), the journey to Jerusalem (8:27-10:52), and the final period of ministry/passion (11-16).  The long ending (16:9-20) is known as early as Irenaeus.[12]

       The characteristics of Mark's Gospel which are worthy of note are his beginning with John the baptizer, the "immediacy/action," the Aramaic sayings which are not found elsewhere (Abba, Maranatha), the Jewish practices explained (Mark 7), the long ending, and it is the least sympathetic to Disciples.

The Gospel of Luke

       Luke's gospel is filled with universalism (emphasis on how Messiah is a blessing offered to all mankind) - the angelic message (2:14); Simeon's words (2:32); an expanded quotation of Isaiah 40:3-5 (3:4-6); the equality given to Samaritans (9:54; 10:33; 17:16); the worth of non-Israelites (4:25-27); the great commission is to all nations (24:47).  Luke's gospel also focuses on individuals, social outcasts, women, children, social relationships, poverty/wealth, prayer, the Holy Spirit, Joyfulness.[13]

       Purpose and Structure - Luke's purpose is "to write an orderly account" (1:1-4), in short, he wanted to write a historical account.  Luke's infancy narratives are much fuller than Matthew's, with special emphasis given to the birth of John the baptizer.  This, says Guthrie, provides one of the main keys to Luke's structure: to him all the events are a part of a divine revelation.  To Luke, the events themselves are significant in that they demonstrate the divine intervention which was operative in the history of Jesus.[14]

       Authorship - The earliest witnesses are late second century, but they are unanimous in ascribing both the Gospel and Acts to Luke, the physician.  Specific witnesses are: Muratorian Canon, Anti-Marcionite Prologue to Luke, Irenaeus, Clement of Alexandria, Origen, and Tertullian.  Aside from the apparent unity between the Gospel and Acts, the "we" sections in Acts suggest an eyewitness (Acts 15:10-17; 20:5-15; 21:1-18; 27:1-28:16) and we know Luke was a companion of Paul's (Colossians 4:14; 2Timothy 4:11; Philemon 24).  Also noteworthy is the parallel between Acts 1:1 and Luke 1:1-4.[15]  Other points of interest include the type of Septuagint Greek in the infancy narratives, the Hebraistic character of Luke's Greek, and Luke's rich and varied vocabulary and the use of several hundred words which no other NT writer uses.[16]

       Characteristics of Luke - Luke gives some attention to prophecy fulfilled, especially in chapters 1-4; 18:31; and 24:25-27,44-47.  He gives us a larger nativity narrative and emphasizes the "Spirit."  In Luke alone we hear of Jesus in the temple at 12 years old as well as the resurrection appearances near Emmaus and Jerusalem.  Luke emphasizes that, before resurrection, the disciples' eyes are "closed" and they don't understand (2:50; 9:45; 18:34), while after the resurrection "eyes/minds are opened and understand" (24:21,25-27,31,44,45) - also traces in Mark 9:32; John 2:22; 12:16; 14:26).  Luke gives more attention to the poor.

The Gospel of John

       John's Gospel is characterized by a number of things, among which is a prologue that is unique among the Gospels with its emphasis on the "Logos" and Christ's pre-existence.  While it has been suggested that John's Gospel was Greek/Hellenizing/ Platonic in its background, it is more likely now to see this as coming from an Aramaic form of Jewish wisdom.  John doesn't use "parable teaching" as do the synoptics.  John has lengthy discourses, stories, and conversations (John 3,4,6, 8:31ff,10,11).  Often John's use of the Old Testament is missed: Moses (5:45f; 7:22), manna (6), shepherd (10), Abraham (8:56), Jacob (1:50,51), Isaiah (1:23; 12:41).  There is also an emphasis on the Holy Spirit in regeneration (3:3-7), spiritual worship (4:23,24), as a living spring of life within each Christian (7:37-39; 14:16,17), as a teacher and reminder (14:26), a convicting presence (15:26; 16:8-11,14), a guide towards the truth (16: 13).[17]  In his portrait of Christ, John shows both the humanity (4:6; 11:35; 13:5; 19:28, 34) and the pre-existent deity (1:1-18; 5:18; 8:58; 10:30-33,38; 14:6-11; 20:28) of Jesus.

       Purpose for Writing - From 20:31, it is plain that the primary aim was to encourage faith.  It was an evangelistic instrument, showing Jesus to be the Christ and Son of God.  He makes it plain that he has "selected" material (20:30-31; 21:25).  Possibly, it was intended to be a missionary document for Israel.  Clement of Alexandria said John wrote last and produced a "spiritual Gospel" (HE vi.14.7), which was supplementary to the Synoptic Gospels.[18]

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Charles E. McCoy

3/15/2006

Email Chuck at: chuck@severnchristian.org