Reference: Gospels
Easton
The central fact of Christian preaching was the intelligence that the Saviour had come into the world (Mt 4:23; Ro 10:15); and the first Christian preachers who called their account of the person and mission of Christ by the term evangelion (= good message) were called evangelistai (= evangelists) (Eph 4:11; Ac 21:8).
There are four historical accounts of the person and work of Christ: "the first by Matthew, announcing the Redeemer as the promised King of the kingdom of God; the second by Mark, declaring him 'a prophet, mighty in deed and word'; the third by Luke, of whom it might be said that he represents Christ in the special character of the Saviour of sinners (Lu 7:36; 15:18); the fourth by John, who represents Christ as the Son of God, in whom deity and humanity become one. The ancient Church gave to Matthew the symbol of the lion, to Mark that of a man, to Luke that of the ox, and to John that of the eagle: these were the four faces of the cherubim" (Eze 1:10).
Date. The Gospels were all composed during the latter part of the first century, and there is distinct historical evidence to show that they were used and accepted as authentic before the end of the second century.
Mutual relation. "If the extent of all the coincidences be represented by 100, their proportionate distribution will be: Matthew, Mark, and Luke, 53; Matthew and Luke, 21; Matthew and Mark, 20; Mark and Luke, 6. Looking only at the general result, it may be said that of the contents of the synoptic Gospels [i.e., the first three Gospels] about two-fifths are common to the three, and that the parts peculiar to one or other of them are little more than one-third of the whole."
Origin. Did the evangelists copy from one another? The opinion is well founded that the Gospels were published by the apostles orally before they were committed to writing, and that each had an independent origin. (See Matthew, Gospel according to.)
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Upon the right side of these four, their faces were like the face of a man, and the face of a Lion: But upon the left side, they had the face of an ox and the face of an eagle.
And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healed all manner of sickness and all manner diseases among the people.
And one of the Pharisees desired him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee's house, and sat down to meat.
I will arise, and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and before thee,
The next day, we that were of Paul's company, departed and came unto Caesarea. And we entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, which was one of the seven deacons, and abode with him.
And how shall they preach, except they be sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of them which bring glad tidings of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things."
And the very same, made some Apostles, some Prophets, some Evangelists, some Shepherds, some Teachers:
Fausets
From the Old English god spel, "good news." The providential preparations for the gospel attest its divine origin.
(1) The translation at Alexandria of the Old Testament into Greek (by the Septuagint), rendering the Jewish Scriptures accessible through that then universal language of the refined and polite to the literary of all nations. All possibility of questioning the existence or falsifying the contents of Old Testament prophecy was precluded thereby, however much the Jews who rejected Jesus would have wished to alter the prophecies which plainly identified Him as the foretold Messiah. The canon of the Old Testament having been completed, and prophecy having ceased before the Sept. translation, they could not deny that the divine knowledge derivable from it was complete.
(2) Greek and oriental philosophy had drawn attention to religious and moral speculations, which at once exposed and undermined paganism, and yet with all its endless labors gave no satisfactory answer to the questionings and cravings of man's spiritual being.
(3) The Roman empire had broken down the barriers between E. and W. and united almost the whole world, Asia, Africa, and Europe, in one, and established peace and good order, making possible the rapid transmission of the glad tidings from country to country; compare Lu 2:1; Mt 22:21.
(4) The universal expectation in the East of a great king to arise in Judea, probably due to fragments of revelation (as the prophecy of Balsam, Nu 24:17) such as led the wise men of the East to conic seeking "the king of the Jews."
(5) The settling of the Jews, and the consequent erection of synagogues, throughout all the towns of Asia. Greece, Italy, Africa, and western Europe. Hence by the reading of the law and the prophets in the synagogues everywhere each sabbath proselytes of righteousness were gathered from the Gentiles, such as the eunuch or chamberlain of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, a student of Scripture, Cornelius the centurion who "feared God with all his house, and gave much alms to the people, and prayed to God always."
These not being bound under the ceremonial yoke, as the original Jews, formed a connecting link with the Gentiles; and hence at Antioch in Pisidia, when the Jews rejected the preaching of Paul and Barnabas, these proselytes, with the Gentiles, "besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath, ... and on that day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God" (Ac 13:15-44). So at Iconium (Ac 14:1), and at Thessalonica (Ac 17:1-4). Such were the "devout men, out of every nation under heaven," the collected representatives of the world, to whom Peter preached with such success (Ac 2:4-11). The 3,000 converts of that day and the 5,000 of a few days after (Ac 4:4) would act as missionaries on their return to their several nations. To the Jews first in each synagogue abroad the apostles preached, and gathered many converts from among them; and then to the Gentiles.
The Jews' national rejection of Jesus is no valid objection to the gospel, since He foretold it Himself (Mt 16:21; 26:2), and the Old Testament prophets did so too (Isa 49:16,21,26/type/mstc'>26,26/type/mstc'>26; Psalm 22); so that, fixing their eyes on the prophecies of Messiah's glory and kingdom which they wrested to mean His setting up a temporal kingdom at Jerusalem and overthrowing the Roman existing dominion, and shutting their eyes to the prophecies of His humiliation, "they knew Him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath," and yet in spite of themselves, like their types Joseph's brethren (Ge 50:20), "they have fulfilled them in condemning Him" (Ac 13:27; 3:18). The harmony in Christ of prophecies seemingly so opposite, His temporal and temporary humiliation, and yet His spiritual dominion now and His final visible and everlasting kingdom, furnish conclusive proof of the Divinity of prophecies which no human sagacity could have anticipated or human agency fulfilled.
The correspondence of the gospel event to the predictions of the Old Testament is thus established by the Jews, unwilling witnesses and therefore beyond suspicion. Graves (Pentateuch, 2:3,6) well says, had they universally embraced the gospel at its first publication, the sceptic might allege the prophecies to have been fabricated or altered to fit them to the events; the contrary is now certain. This is one great cause why the national conversion of the Jews is delayed "until the fullness of the Gentiles shall come in" (Ro 11:35). They continue guardians of the prophetic records until these shall have had their contents examined, and their application ascertained, by every other nation in the world. Genuineness and inspiration of the Four Gospels. The "prophets" in the Christian church who had the spiritual gift of "discerning spirits" were an effectual check on the introduction of a pseudo-inspired writing. Paul appeals to them on the inspiration of his letters (1Co 14:37; 12:10; compare 1Jo 4:1).
Thus, by the two-fold inspiration, that of the authors and that of the judges, the canonicity of the four Gospels, as of the other books of New Testament, is established. The anonymous fragment of the canon of the New Testament attributed to Caius a presbyter of Rome (published by Muratori, Antiq. Ital., iii. 854, and known as the Muratorian Fragment), recognizes the Gospels (Luke and John, the sentences as to Matthew and Mark are obliterated) as inspired, and condemns as uninspired the Shepherd by Hermes, "written very recently in our own times," i.e. in the first part of the second century, the age in which John the last apostle died. Theophilus (Ad Autol., iii. 11), Bishop of Antioch A.D. 168, refers to "the evangelists" and "the Holy Scriptures" of the New Testament. Clement of Alexandria in the latter part of the second century refers to the collection of Gospels as one whole, "the gospel" (Quis Dives Salvus?).
The anonymous letter to Diognetus (sec. 11 ed. Hefele) attributed to Justin Martyr refers to "the Gospels and the Apostles" (i.e. the letters). Ignatius of Antioch, a hearer of John (Ep. ad Philad., sec. 5), calls "the (written) Gospel the flesh of Jesus," and classes it with the Old Testament prophets. Tertullian (Adv. Marc. iv. 2), mentioning the Four Gospels two as the work of apostles and two as that of apostolic men (A.D. 208); Irenaeus (Adv. Haer., ii. 27; iii. 11, sec. 7); martyred A.D. 202; Origen, speaking of the four Gospels as "the elements of the church's faith"; Eusebius; and not only these orthodox writers but heretics, Marcion dud others, appeal to the Gospels as the inspired standard Canon. (See CANON.) .
They were translated into Syriac in the second century, and into Latin and the two Egyptian dialects by the fourth century. We have better evidence for their genuineness than for any other ancient writing. Theophilus arranged the Four Gospels so as to form one work (Jerome, Ep. ad Algas., iv. 197). Tartan, who died A.D. 170, formed a Diatessaron or harmony of the Four Gospels. Barnabas (Paul's companion), Clement of Rome (Php 4:3), and Polycarp quote the Gospels, though not with verbal exactness. Justin Martyr quotes Matthew, Luke, and John largely and exactly. As the heretic Gnostics and Marcion arose early in the second century their acceptance of the Gospels proves that these had been promulgated some time before (i.e. in the apostolic age itself), for after the dissensions between the orthodox and heretics had arisen the Gospels would never have been accepted by mutually hostile parties.
A distinct line was drawn between the apocryphal and the genuine Gospels. Unbelievers, as Celsus in controversy with Origen, could not deny the genuineness of the four even while rejecting their contents. The fathers' large quotations (Origen's especially) prove our Gospels were the same as theirs. Our Saviour wrote nothing Himself, the alleged letter to Abgarus, king of Edessa, being probably spurious. If He had (like Muhammed) recorded His own miracles and teachings, internal consistency would have been nothing marvelous. People would have deified the form, while failing to discern the inner essence. "If I bear witness of Myself My wit
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Ye thought evil unto me: but God turned it unto good to bring to pass, as it is this day, even to save much people alive.
I see him but not now, I behold him but not nigh. There shall come a star of Jacob and rise a scepter of Israel, which shall smite the coasts of Moab and undermine all the children of Seth.
Their sound is gone out into all lands, and their words in to the ends of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun,
The LORD is king, be the people never so inpatient; he sitteth upon the cherubims, be the earth never so unquiet.
Behold, I have written thee up upon my hands, thy walls are ever in my sight.
Then shalt thou think by thyself, "Who hath begotten me these? Seeing I am barren and alone, a captive and an outcast? And who hath nourished them up for me? I am desolate and alone, but from whence come these?"
And will feed thine enemies with their own flesh, and make them drink of their own blood, as of sweet wine. And all flesh shall know, O Jacob, that I am the LORD - thy Saviour and strong avenger.
And will feed thine enemies with their own flesh, and make them drink of their own blood, as of sweet wine. And all flesh shall know, O Jacob, that I am the LORD - thy Saviour and strong avenger.
And there came a scribe, and said unto him, "Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest." And Jesus said unto him, "The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the son of the man hath not whereon to rest his head." read more. Another that was one of his Disciples said unto him, "Master, suffer me first, to go and bury my father." But Jesus said unto him, "Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead."
And when he was come to the other side, into the country of the Gergesites, there met him two possessed of devils, which came out of the graves, and were out of measure fierce, so that no man might go by that way.
And as Jesus passed forth from thence he saw a man sit at the receipt of custom, named Matthew: and said to him, "Follow me." And he arose, and followed him.
Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alpheus, and Lebbeus, otherwise called Thaddeus;
And he said, "Come." And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.
Simon Peter answered, and said, "Thou art Christ, the son of the living God." And Jesus answered, and said to him, "Happy art thou, Simon the son of Jonas, for flesh and blood hath not opened unto thee that, but my father which is in heaven.
From that time forth, Jesus began to show unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders, and of the high priests, and of the scribes; and must be killed, and rise again the third day.
And when they were come to Capernaum, they that were wont to gather poll money, came to Peter and said, "Doth your Master pay tribute?"
And when they were come to Capernaum, they that were wont to gather poll money, came to Peter and said, "Doth your Master pay tribute?" He said, "Yea." And when he was come into the house, Jesus spake first to him, saying, "What thinkest thou Simon? Of whom do the kings of the earth take tribute, or poll money? Of their children, or of strangers?" read more. Peter said unto him, "Of strangers." Then said Jesus unto him again, "Then are the children free. Nevertheless, lest we should offend them, go to the sea and cast in thine angle, and take the fish that first cometh up: and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of twenty pence: that take, and pay for me and thee."
They said unto him, "Caesar's." Then said he unto them, "Give therefore to Caesar, that which is Caesar's: and give unto God, that which is God's."
Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest prophets, and stonest them which are sent to thee: how often would I have gathered thy children together, as the hen gathereth her chicks under her wings? But ye would not.
"Ye know that after two days shall be Easter, and the son of man shall be delivered to be crucified."
and said, "This fellow said, I can destroy the temple of God, and build the it again in three days."
Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them.
And Jesus came, and spake unto them, saying, "All power is given unto me in heaven, and in earth. Go therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the father and the son and the holy ghost; read more. teaching them to observe all things, whatsoever I commanded you. And lo, I am with you always even until the end of the world."
and he was there in the wilderness forty days, and was tempted of Satan, and was with wild beasts. And the angels ministered unto him.
And anon he called them. And they left their father Zebedee in the ship with his hired servants, and went their way after him.
And as Jesus passed by, he saw Levi, the son of Alphaeus, sit at the receipt of custom and said unto him, "Follow me." And he arose and followed him.
And he looked round about on them, angrily mourning on the blindness of their hearts. And said to the man, "Stretch forth thine hand." And he stretched it out: And his hand was restored, even as whole as the other.
And he called James the son of Zebedee, and John, James' brother, and gave them Boanerges to name, which is to say, the Sons of Thunder.
And they came over to the other side of the sea into the country of the Gaderenes.
And he took him aside from the people, and put his fingers in his ears, and did spit, and touched his tongue, and looked up to heaven and sighted, and said unto him, "Ephphatha," that is to say, "Be opened."
And straightway all the people, when they beheld him, were amazed, and ran to him, and saluted him.
And they departed thence, and took their journey through Galilee, and would not that any man should have known it. For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, "The son of man shall be delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him, and after that he is killed he shall arise again the third day." read more. But they wist not what that saying meant, and were afraid to ask him. And he came to Capernaum, and when he was come to house, he asked them, "What was it that ye disputed between you by the way?"
And one of them that stood by drew out a sword, and smote a servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.
But go your way, and tell his disciples, and namely Peter, that he will go before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you."
Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to compile a treatise of those things, which are surely known among us,
And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
He shall be great, and shall be called the son of the highest. And the Lord God shall give unto him the seat of his father David:
And Mary abode with her about a three months; And returned again to her own house.
And it chanced, in those days, that there went out a commandment from Augustus the Emperor, that all the world should be taxed.
In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius the Emperor, Pontius Pilate being leftenant of Jewry, and Herod being Tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip Tetrarch in Ituraea, and in the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the Tetrarch of Abilene: When Annas and Caiaphas were the high priests: The word of God came unto John, the son of Zacharias, in the wilderness. read more. And he came into all the coasts about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins, as it is written in the book of the sayings of Isaiah the prophet, which sayeth, "The voice of a crier in wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low: And crooked things shall be made straight: and the rough ways shall be made smooth. And all flesh shall see the saviour sent of God." Then said he to the people that were come to be baptised of him, "O generation of vipers: who hath taught you to fly away from the wrath to come? Bring forth due fruits of repentance; And begin not to say in yourselves, we have Abraham to our father. For I say unto you: God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. Now also is the axe laid unto the root of the trees: So that every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit shall be hewn down, and cast into the fire." And the people asked him, saying, "What shall we do then?" He answered and said unto them, "He that hath two coats, let him part with him that hath none: And he that hath meat, let him do likewise." Then came there publicans to be baptised, and said unto him, "Master, what shall we do?" And he said unto them, "Require no more than that which is appointed unto you." The soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, "And what shall we do?" And he said to them, "Do violence to no man: neither trouble any man wrongfully: But be content with your wages." As the people were in a doubt, and all men disputed in their hearts of John: Whether he were very Christ; John answered and said to them all, "I baptise you with water, but a stronger than I cometh after me, whose shoe latchet I am not worthy to unloose: he will baptise you with the holy ghost, and with fire, which hath his fan in his hand, and will purge his floor, and will gather the corn into his barn: But the chaff will he burn with fire that never shall be quenched." And many other things in his exhortation preached he unto the people. Then Herod the Tetrarch; when he was rebuked of him for Herodias his brother Philip's wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done; added this above all, and laid John in prison. And it fortuned, as all the people received baptism - And when Jesus was baptised and did pray - that heaven was opened, and the holy ghost came down in a bodily shape like a dove upon him; And a voice came from heaven, saying, "Thou art my dear son; In thee do I delight." And Jesus himself was about thirty years of age when he began, and he was taken for the son of Joseph: which Joseph was the son of Heli:
And Jesus returned by the power of the spirit into Galilee, and the fame of him went throughout all the region round about.
And when they had so done, they enclosed a great multitude of fishes. And their net brake:
When Simon Peter saw that, he fell down at Jesus' knees saying, "Lord go from me, for I am a sinful man."
and so was also James and John, the sons of Zebedee, which were partners with Simon. And Jesus said unto Simon, "Fear not, from henceforth thou shalt catch men."
And after that, he went forth, and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him, "Follow me."
It happened on an after Sabbath, that he went through the corn field, and that his disciples plucked the ears of corn, and ate them, and rubbed them in their hands.
And it fortuned after that, that he himself went throughout cities and towns, preaching, and showing the kingdom of God, and the twelve with him.
Peter, and they that were with him, were heavy with sleep. And when they woke, they saw his glory, and two men standing with him.
And Jesus said unto him, "Forbid ye him not. For he that is not against us, is with us." And it followed, when the time was come that he should be received up, then he set his face to go to Jerusalem:
And it followed, when the time was come that he should be received up, then he set his face to go to Jerusalem:
And it chanced, as he went in the way, a certain man said unto him, "I will follow thee whithersoever thou go." Jesus said unto him, "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests: but the son of man hath not whereon to lay his head." read more. And he said unto another, "Follow me." And the same said, "Lord suffer me first to go and bury my father." Jesus said unto him, "Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God." And another said, "I will follow thee Lord: But let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house."
And he went through all manner of cities and towns, teaching, and journeying towards Jerusalem. Then said one unto him, "Lord, are there few that shall be saved?" And he said unto them,
The same day there came certain of the Pharisees, and said unto him, "Get thee out of the way, and depart hence: for Herod will kill thee."
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest prophets, and stonest them that are sent to thee: how often would I have gathered thy children together, as the hen gathereth her nest under her wings, but ye would not.
They brought unto him also babes, that he should touch them. When the disciples saw that, they rebuked them.
And they were the more fierce, saying, "He moveth the people, teaching throughout Jewry, and began at Galilee, even to this place."
which said, "The Lord is risen in deed, and hath appeared to Simon."
The day following, Jesus would go into Galilee, and found Philip, and said unto him, "Follow me."
Jesus answered, and said unto them, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will rear it up again."
After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the Jews' land, and there he haunted with them and baptised,
he left Jewry, and departed again into Galilee. And it was so that he must needs go through Samaria. read more. Then came he to a city of Samaria called Sychar, beside the possession that Jacob gave to his son Joseph, and there was Jacob's well. Jesus, then wearied in his journey, sat thus on the well. And it was about the sixth hour: And there came a woman of Samaria to draw water. And Jesus said unto her, "Give me drink" - for his disciples were gone away unto the town to buy meat. Then the woman of Samaria said unto him, "How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a Samaritan?" For the Jews meddle not with the Samaritans. Jesus answered and said unto her, "If thou knowest the gift of God, and who it is, that sayeth to thee, 'Give me drink': thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee water of life." The woman said unto him, "Sir, thou hast no thing to draw it withal, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that water of life? Art thou greater than our father Jacob, which gave us the well, and he himself drank thereof and his children and his cattle?" Jesus answered and said unto her, "Whosoever drinketh of this water, shall thirst again. But whosoever shall drink of the water that I shall give him, shall never be more a thirst: But the water that I shall give him, shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life." The woman said unto him, "Sir, give me of that water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw." Jesus said unto her, "Go and call thy husband, and come hither." The woman answered, and said to him, "I have no husband." Jesus said to her, "Thou hast well said, 'I have no husband.' For thou hast had five husbands, and he whom thou now hast, is not thy husband. That saidst thou truly." The woman said unto him, "Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. Our fathers worshipped in this mountain: and ye say that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship." Jesus said unto her, "Woman, believe me; The hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the father. Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship. For salvation cometh of the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the father in spirit, and in truth. For verily, such the father requireth to worship him. God is a spirit, and they that worship him, must worship him in spirit, and truth." The woman said unto him, "I know well Messiah shall come, which is called Christ. When he is once come, he will tell us all things." Jesus said unto her, "I that speak unto thee, am he." And even at that point, came his disciples, and marveled that he talked with the woman. Yet no man said unto him, "What meanest thou," or "Why talkest thou with her?" The woman then left her water pot behind her, and went her way into the city, and said to the men there, "Come, see a man which told me all things that ever I did. Is not he Christ?" Then they went out of the city, and came unto him. And in the meanwhile his disciples prayed him, saying, "Master, eat." He said unto them, "I have meat to eat, that ye know not of." Then said the disciples between themselves, "Hath any man brought him meat?" Jesus said unto them, "My meat is to do the will of him that sent me. And to finish his work. Say not ye, 'There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest?' Behold, I say unto you, lift up your eyes, and look on the regions: For they are white already unto harvest. And he that reapeth, receiveth reward; and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: That both he that soweth and he that reapeth might rejoice together. And herein is the saying true, That one soweth; And another reapeth. I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labor. Other men laboured; And ye are entered into their labors." Many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him, for the woman's saying: which testified, "He told me all things that ever I did." Then, when the Samaritans were come unto him, they besought him that he would tarry with them. And he abode there two days. And many more believed because of his own words, and said unto the woman, "Now we believe not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is even indeed Christ, the saviour of the world." After two days, he departed thence, and went away into Galilee.
After that there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
After that Jesus went about into Galilee, and would not go about in Jewry, for the Jews sought to kill him.
After that Jesus went about into Galilee, and would not go about in Jewry, for the Jews sought to kill him. The Jews' tabernacle feast was at hand.
But as soon as his brethren were gone up, then went he also up unto the feast: not openly, but as it were privily.
Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews: but went his way thence unto a country nigh to a wilderness into a city called Ephraim, and there haunted with his disciples.
Simon Peter had a sword, and drew it, and smote the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus.
After that, Jesus showed himself again at the sea of Tiberias. And on this wise showed he himself:
And he said unto them, "Cast out the net on the right side of the ship, and ye shall find." They cast out, and anon they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes. Then said the disciple whom Jesus loved unto Peter, "It is the Lord." When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girded his mantle to him, for he was naked, and sprang into the sea.
In the former treatise, Dear friend Theophilus, I have written of all that Jesus began to do and teach,
and they were all filled with the holy ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, even as the spirit gave them utterance. And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, which were of all nations under heaven. read more. When this was noised about, the multitude came together and were astonished, because that every man heard them speak his own tongue. They wondered all, and marveled: saying among themselves, "Behold, are not all these which speak of Galilee? And how hear we every man his own tongue wherein we were born? Parthians, Medes, and Elamites and the inhabiters of Mesopotamia, of Jewry and of Cappadocia, of Pontus and of Asia; Phrigia, Pamphylia, and of Egypt, and of the parts of Libya, which is beside Cyrene; And strangers of Rome; Jews and converts, Greeks and Arabians: We have heard them speak with our own tongues the great works of God."
But those things which God before had showed by the mouth of all his prophets, how that Christ should suffer, he hath thus wise fulfilled it.
Howbeit, many of them, which heard the words, believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand.
But Peter said, "God forbid Lord, for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean."
and when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it chanced that a whole year they had their conversation with the congregation there, and taught much people insomuch that the disciples of Antioch were the first that were called Christian.
And as he considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of one John, which was called Mark also, where many were gathered together in prayer.
When Paul, and they that were with him, had departed by ship from Paphos, they came to Perga a city of Pamphylia. And there departed John from them, and returned to Jerusalem.
And after the law and the prophets were read, the rulers of the synagogue sent unto them saying, "Ye men and brethren, if ye have any sermon to exhort the people, say on." Then Paul stood up and beckoned with the hand and said, "Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, give audience. read more. The God of this people chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with a mighty arm brought them out of it. And about the time of forty years, suffered he their manners in the wilderness. And he destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, and divided their land to them by lot. And afterward he gave unto them judges, about the space of four hundred and fifty years, unto the time of Samuel the prophet. And after that they desired a king, and God gave unto them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, by the space of forty years. And after he had put him down, he set up David to be their king: of whom he gave reported, saying, 'I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after mine own heart, he shall fulfill all my will.' Of this man's seed hath God, according to his promise, brought forth to the people of Israel a saviour, one Jesus, when John had first preached before his coming the baptism of repentance to Israel. And when John had fulfilled his course, he said, 'Whom ye think that I am? The same am I not, but behold there cometh one after me, whose shoes of his feet I am not worthy to loose.' Ye men and brethren, children of the generation off Abraham, and whosoever among you feareth God, to you is this word of salvation sent. The inhabiters of Jerusalem, and their rulers: because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every Sabbath day; they have fulfilled them in condemning him.
The inhabiters of Jerusalem, and their rulers: because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every Sabbath day; they have fulfilled them in condemning him. And when they found no cause of death in him, yet desired they Pilate to kill him. read more. And when they had fulfilled all that were written of him, they took him down from the tree and put him in a sepulchre: But God raised him again from death, and he was seen many days of them, which came with him from Galilee to Jerusalem which are his witnesses unto the people. And we declare unto you, how that the promise made unto the fathers; God hath now fulfilled unto us their children, in that he raised up Jesus again, even as it is written in the second psalm, 'Thou art my son, this same day begat I thee.' As concerning that he so raised him up from death, now no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, 'The holy promises made to David I will give them faithfully to you.' Wherefore he saith also in another place, 'Thou shalt not suffer thine Holy to see corruption.' Howbeit David, after he had in his time fulfilled the will of God, he slept, and was laid with his fathers, and saw corruption. But he whom God raised again, saw no corruption. Be it known unto you therefore, ye men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins; And that by him are all that believe justified from all things, from the which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. Beware therefore lest that fall on you, which is spoken of in the prophets, 'Behold ye despisers, and wonder, and perish ye: for I do a work in your days, which ye shall not believe, if a man would declare it you.'" When they were come out of the Synagogue of the Jews, the gentiles besought them that they would preach the word of god to them between the Sabbath days. When the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and virtuous converts followed Paul and Barnabas, which spake to them and exhorted them to continue in the grace of God. And the next Sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.
And it fortuned in Iconium that they went both together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spake, that a great multitude both of the Jews and also of the Greeks believed.
But Paul thought it not meet to take him unto their company which departed from them at Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work.
As they made their journey through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica where was a synagogue of the Jews. And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them: and three Sabbath days declared out of the scripture unto them, read more. opening and alleging that Christ must needs have suffered and risen again from death. And that this Jesus was Christ, whom, said he, "I preach to you." And some of them believed and came and companied with Paul and Silas. Also of the honorable Greeks, a great multitude; and of the chief women, not a few.
and departed unto Antioch, and when he had tarried there a while, he departed, and went over all the country of Galatia and Phrygia by order, strengthening all the disciples.
For it is written in the law of Moses, "Thou shall not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn." Doth God take thought for oxen? Either saith he it not altogether for our sakes? For our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he which eareth should ear in hope: and that he which thresheth in hope, should be partaker of his hope.
to another, power to do miracles; to another prophecy; to another, judgment of spirits; to another divers tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues:
If any man think himself a prophet, either spiritual: let him understand what things I write unto you. For they are the commandments of the Lord.
We have sent with him that brother whose laud is in the gospel throughout all the congregations:
And when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him in the face, for he was worthy to be blamed. For yer that certain came from James, he ate with the gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision, read more. and the other Jews dissembled likewise; Insomuch that Barnabas was brought into their simulation also. But when I saw that they went not the right way after the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter, before all men, "If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of the gentiles, and not as do the Jews: why causest thou the gentiles to live as do the Jews?"
Yea, and I beseech thee faithful yokefellow, help the women which laboured with me in the gospel, and with Clement also, and with others, my labour fellows, whose names are in the book of life.
Aristarchus my prison fellow saluteth you; And Mark, Barnabas' sister's son: touching whom, ye received commandments. If he come unto you receive him:
Only Luke is with me. Take Mark and bring him with thee, for he is necessary unto me for to minister.
Greet ye one another with the kiss of love. Peace be with you all which are in Christ Jesus. Amen. {Here ends the First General Epistle of Peter}
For we followed not deceitful fables when we opened unto you the power, and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but with our eyes we saw his majesty:
Ye beloved, believe not every spirit: but prove the spirits whether they be of God, or not: for many false prophets are gone out in to the world.
Hastings
Under this heading we may consider the four Gospels as a whole, and their relations to one another, leaving detailed questions of date and authorship to the separate articles.
1. The aims of the Evangelists.
See Verses Found in Dictionary
Then came Hazael king of Syria, and fought against Gath and took it, and appointed himself to go up to Jerusalem.
That I might declare the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of the vengeance of our God; that I might comfort all them that are in heaviness.
"Thou son of man, set thy face toward Jerusalem, speak against the Sanctuary, and prophesy against the land of Israel, say to the land of Israel,
"Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the Prophets: No, I am not come to destroy them but to fulfill them.
"Ye have heard how it was said unto them of the old time, 'Thou shalt not kill; for whosoever killeth shall be in danger of judgment:'
No man can serve two masters: For either he shall hate the one, and love the other; or else he shall lean to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
Which of you, though he took thought therefore, could put one cubit unto his stature?
That ye may know that the son of man hath power to forgive sins in earth" - then said he unto the sick of the palsy - "Arise, take up thy bed, and go home to thine house."
Come unto me all ye that labor, and are laden, and I will ease you.
And when the men of that place had knowledge of him, they sent out into all that country round about, and brought unto him all that were sick,
"Why do thy disciples transgress the traditions of the elders? For they wash not their hands, when they eat bread."
Jesus said unto them, "Because of your unbelief. For I say verily unto you, if ye had faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye should say unto this mountain, remove hence to yonder place, and he should remove: Neither should any thing be impossible for you to do.
Jesus answered, and said unto them, "Verily I say unto you, if ye shall have faith, and shall not doubt, ye shall not only do that which I have done to the fig tree: but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, take thyself away, and cast thyself into the sea, it shall be done.
Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest prophets, and stonest them which are sent to thee: how often would I have gathered thy children together, as the hen gathereth her chicks under her wings? But ye would not.
Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest prophets, and stonest them which are sent to thee: how often would I have gathered thy children together, as the hen gathereth her chicks under her wings? But ye would not. Behold, Your habitation shall be left unto you desolate. read more. For I say unto you, ye shall not see me henceforth, till that ye say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord."
"When the son of man shall cometh in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the seat of his glory
As it is written in the prophets, "Behold, I send my messenger before thy face which shall prepare thy way before thee;"
That ye may know that the son of man hath power in earth to forgive sins," he spake unto the sick of the palsy,
For Herod himself had sent forth, and had taken John, and bound him and cast him into prison for Herodias' sake, which was his brother Philip's wife. For he had married her.
Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words, among this adulterous and sinful generation: of him shall the son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his father with the holy angels."
For even the son of man came, not to be ministered unto: but to minister, and to give his life for the redemption of many."
When he was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, even as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment, called nard, that was pure and costly, and she brake the box and poured it on his head.
And he said unto them, "This is my blood, of the New Testament, which is shed for many.
And Jesus said, "I am. And ye shall see the son of man sit on the righthand of power, and come in the clouds of heaven."
When Jesus was risen, the morrow after the Sabbath day he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he cast seven devils. And she went, and told them that were with him, as they mourned and wept. read more. And though they heard that he was alive, and he had appeared to her: they believed it not. After that, he appeared unto two of them in a strange figure, as they walked and went into the country. And they went, and told it to the remnant. And they believed them neither. After that he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat: and cast in their teeth their unbelief, and hardness of heart: because they believed not them which had seen him after his resurrection. And he said unto them, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the glad tidings to all creatures: He that believeth and is baptised, shall be saved: But he that believeth not, shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe: In my name they shall cast out devils, and shall speak with new tongues, and shall kill serpents. And if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them. They shall lay their hands on the sick, and they shall recover." So then when the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received into heaven, and is set down on the righthand of God. And they went forth, and preached everywhere. And the Lord wrought with them; And confirmed the word with miracles that followed.
Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to compile a treatise of those things, which are surely known among us,
Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to compile a treatise of those things, which are surely known among us, even as they declared them unto us, which from the beginning saw their selves, and were ministers at the doing:
even as they declared them unto us, which from the beginning saw their selves, and were ministers at the doing:
even as they declared them unto us, which from the beginning saw their selves, and were ministers at the doing: I determined also, as soon as I had searched out diligently all things from the beginning, that then I would write unto thee, good Theophilus, read more. that thou mightest know the certainty of those things, whereof thou art informed.
Then Herod the Tetrarch; when he was rebuked of him for Herodias his brother Philip's wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done;
But that ye may know that the son of man hath power to forgive sins on earth," he said unto the sick of the palsy, "I say to thee, arise, take up thy bed and go home to thy house."
And it followed, when the time was come that he should be received up, then he set his face to go to Jerusalem:
And it followed, when the time was come that he should be received up, then he set his face to go to Jerusalem:
Which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit?
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest prophets, and stonest them that are sent to thee: how often would I have gathered thy children together, as the hen gathereth her nest under her wings, but ye would not.
No servant can serve two masters, for either he shall hate the one and love the other, or else he shall lean to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God, and mammon."
I tell you, This man departed home to his house justified more than the other. For every man that exalteth himself, shall be brought low: And he that humbleth himself, shall be exalted."
And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, comforting him.
and did not consent to the counsel and deed of them; which was of Arimathaea, a city of the Jews. Which same also, waited for the kingdom of God.
And the word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw the glory of it, as the glory of the only begotten son of the father, which word was full of grace, and verity.
And the word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw the glory of it, as the glory of the only begotten son of the father, which word was full of grace, and verity.
The next day, John saw Jesus coming unto him, and said, "Behold, the lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
And John bare record, saying, "I saw the spirit descend from heaven, like unto a dove, and abide upon him, and I knew him not:
And I saw it, and bare record, that this is the son of God."
The same found his brother Simon first, and said unto him, "We have found Messiah," which is by interpretation, Anointed.
And Philip found Nathaniel, and said unto him, "We have found him of whom Moses, in the law and the prophets, did write: Jesus, the son of Joseph of Nazareth." And Nathanael said unto him, "Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see."
Nathanael answered and said unto him, "Rabbi, thou art the son of God; Thou art the King of Israel."
Nicodemus said unto him, "How can a man be born, when he is old? Can he enter into his mother's womb and be born again?"
Then the woman of Samaria said unto him, "How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, which am a Samaritan?" For the Jews meddle not with the Samaritans.
The woman said unto him, "Sir, thou hast no thing to draw it withal, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that water of life?
The woman said unto him, "Sir, give me of that water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw."
And the Jews strove among themselves, saying, "How can this fellow give us his flesh to eat?"
He spake it of Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon. For he it was that should betray him, and was one of the twelve.
Then said the Jews between themselves, "Whither will he go, that we shall not find him? Will he go among the gentiles, which are scattered all abroad, and teach the gentiles?
They answered, and said unto him, "Art thou also of Galilee? Search and look, for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet." And every man went unto his own house.
She said, "No man, Lord." And Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn thee. Go hence and sin no more."
And I and my father are one."
It was the Sabbath even which falleth in the Easter feast, and about the sixth hour. And he said unto the Jews, "Behold your King."
And he that saw it bare record, and his record is true. And he knoweth that he saith true that ye might believe also.
Jesus said unto her, "Touch me not, for I am not yet ascended to my father. But go to my brethren and say unto them, I ascend unto my father, and your father: to my God and your God."
These are written that ye might believe that Jesus is Christ the son of God. And that ye in believing ye might have life through his name.
And though I could prophesy, and understood all secrets, and all knowledge: yea, if I had all faith so that I could move mountains out of their places, and yet had no love, I were nothing.
Smith
Gos'pels.
The name Gospel (from god and spell, Ang. Sax. good message or news, which is a translation of the Greek euaggelion) is applied to the four inspired histories of the life and teaching of Christ contained in the New Testament, of which separate accounts are given in their place. They were all composed during the latter half of the first century: those of St. Matthew and St. Mark some years before the destruction of Jerusalem; that of St. Luke probably about A.D. 64; and that of St. John towards the close of the century. Before the end of the second century, there is abundant evidence that the four Gospels, as one collection, were generally used and accepted. As a matter of literary history, nothing can be better established than the genuineness of the Gospels. On comparing these four books one with another, a peculiar difficulty claims attention, which has had much to do with the controversy as to their genuineness. In the fourth Gospel the narrative coincided with that of the other three in a few passages only. The received explanation is the only satisfactory one namely, that John, writing last, at the close of the first century had seen the other Gospels, and purposely abstained from writing anew what they had sufficiently recorded. In the other three Gospels there is a great amount of agreement. If we suppose the history that they contain to be divided into 89 sections, in 42 of these all the three narratives coincide, 12 more are given by Matthew and Mark only, 5 by Mark and Luke only, and 14 by Matthew and Luke. To these must be added 5 peculiar to Matthew, 2 to Mark and 9 to Luke, and the enumeration is complete. But this applies only to general coincidence as to the facts narrated: the amount of verbal coincidence, that is, the passages either verbally the same or coinciding in the use of many of the same words, is much smaller. It has been ascertained by Stroud that "if the total contents of the several Gospels be represented by 100, the following table is obtained: Matthew has 42 peculiarities and 58 coincidences. Mark has 7 peculiarities and 93 coincidences. Luke has 59 peculiarities and 41 coincidences. John has 92 peculiarities and 8 coincidences. Why four Gospels. --
1. To bring four separate independent witnesses to the truth.
2. It is to give the Lord's life from every point of view, four living portraits of one person. There were four Gospels because Jesus was to be commended to four races or classes of men, or to four phases of human thought,--the Jewish, Roman, Greek and Christian. Had not these exhausted the classes to be reached, there would doubtless have been more Gospels. In all ages, the Jewish, Roman and Greek natures reappear among men, and, in fact, make up the world of natural men, while the Christian nature and wants likewise remain essentially the same. The FIRST GOSPEL was prepared by Matthew for the Jew. He gives us the Gospel of Jesus, the Messiah of the Jews, the Messianic royalty of Jesus. He places the life and character of Jesus, as lived on earth, alongside the life and character of the Messiah, as sketched in the prophets, showing Christianity as the fulfillment of Judaism. Mark wrote the SECOND GOSPEL. It was substantially the preaching of Peter to the Romans. The Gospel for him must represent the character and career of Jesus from the Roman point of view, as answering to the idea of divine power, work, law, conquest and universal sway; must retain its old significance and ever-potent inspiration at the battle-call of the almighty Conqueror. Luke wrote the THIRD GOSPEL in Greece for the Greek. It has its basis in the gospel which Paul and Luke, by long preaching to the Greeks, had already thrown into the form best suited to commend to their acceptance Jesus as the perfect divine man. It is the gospel of the future, of progressive Christianity, of reason and culture seeking the perfection of manhood. John, "the beloved disciple," wrote the FOURTH GOSPEL for the Christian, to cherish and train those who have entered the new kingdom of Christ, into the highest spiritual life. --Condensed from, Prof. Gregory.