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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And Jesus went all through Galilee, teaching in their Synagogues, proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom, and curing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people;
One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to dine with him, so Jesus went to his house and took his place at table.
I will get up and go to my father, and say to him "Father, I sinned against Heaven and against you;
The next day we left, and reached Caesarea, where we went to the house of Philip, the Missionary, who was one of 'the Seven,' and stayed with him.
And how are men to proclaim him unless they are sent as his messengers? As Scripture says--'How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!'
And he it is who gave to the Church Apostles, Prophets, Missionaries, Pastors, and 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/tcv'>26,26/type/tcv'>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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And a Teacher of the Law came up to him, and said: "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go." "Foxes have holes," answered Jesus, "and wild birds their roosting-places, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head." read more. "Master," said another, who was a disciple, "let me first go and bury my father." But Jesus answered: "Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their dead."
And on getting to the other side--the country of the Gadarenes--Jesus met two men who were possessed by demons, coming out of the tombs. They were so violent that no one was able to pass that way.
As Jesus went along, he saw a man, called Matthew, sitting in the tax-office, and said to him: "Follow me." Matthew got up and followed him.
Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax-gather; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus;
And Jesus said: "Come." So Peter got down from the boat, and walked on the water, and went towards Jesus;
And to this Simon Peter answered: "You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God." "Blessed are you, Simon, Son of Jonah," Jesus replied. "For no human being has revealed this to you, but my Father who is in Heaven.
At that time Jesus Christ began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem, and undergo much suffering at the hands of the Councillors, and Chief Priests, and Teachers of the Law, and be put to death, and rise on the third day.
After they had reached Capernaum, the collectors of the Temple-rate came up to Peter, and said: "Does not your Master pay the Temple-rate?"
After they had reached Capernaum, the collectors of the Temple-rate came up to Peter, and said: "Does not your Master pay the Temple-rate?" "Yes," answered Peter. But, on going into the house, before he could speak, Jesus said: "What do you think, Simon? From whom do earthly kings take taxes or tribute? From their sons, or from others?" read more. "From others," answered Peter. "Well then," continued Jesus, "their sons go free. Still, that we may not shock them, go and throw a line into the Sea; take the first fish that rises, open its mouth, and you will find in it a piece of money. Take that, and give it to the collectors for both of us."
"The Emperor's," they answered: on which he said to them: "Then pay to the Emperor what belongs to the Emperor, and to God what belongs to God."
Jerusalem! Jerusalem! She who slays the Prophets and stones the messengers sent to her--Oh, how often have I wished to gather your children round me, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not came!
"You know that in two days time the Festival of the Passover will be here; and that the Son of Man is to be given up to be crucified."
"This man said 'I am able to destroy the Temple of God, and to build it in three days.'"
The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus told them to meet him;
Then Jesus came up, and spoke to them thus: "All authority in heaven and on the earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the Faith of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, read more. And teaching them to lay to heart all the commands that I have given you; and, remember, I myself am with you every day until the close of the age."
And he was there in the Wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan, and among the wild beasts, while the angels ministered to him.
Jesus at once called them, and they left their father Zebediah in the boat with the crew, and went after him.
As he went along, he saw Levi, the son of Alphaeus, sitting in the tax-office, and said to him: "Follow me." Levi got up and followed him.
As they remained silent, Jesus looked round at them in anger, grieving at the hardness of their hearts, and said to the man: "Stretch out your hand." The man stretched it out; and his hand had become sound.
James, the son of Zebediah, and his brother John (to whom he gave the name of Boanerges, which means the Thunderers),
Jesus took him aside from the crowd quietly, put his fingers into the man's ears, and touched his tongue with saliva. Then, looking up to Heaven, he sighed, and said to the man: "Ephphatha!" which means 'Be opened.'
But, as soon as they saw Jesus, all the people, in great astonishment, ran up and greeted him.
Leaving that place, Jesus and his disciples went on their way through Galilee; but he did not wish any one to know it, for he was instructing his disciples, and telling them-- "The Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of his fellow men, and they will put him to death, but, when he has been put to death, he will rise again after three days." read more. But the disciples did not understand his meaning and were afraid to question him. They came to Capernaum. When Jesus had gone into the house, he asked them: "What were you discussing on the way?"
One of those who were standing by drew his sword, and struck at the High Priest's servant, and cut off his ear.
But go, and say to his disciples and to Peter 'He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see him, as he told you.'"
[To his Excellency, Theophilus. Many attempts have been already made to draw up an account of those events which have reached their conclusion among us,
Six months later the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth,
The child shall be great and shall be called 'Son of the Most High,' and the Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David,
About that time an edict was issued by the Emperor Augustus that a census should be taken of the whole Empire.
In the fifteenth year of the reign of the Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was Governor of Judea, Herod Ruler of Galilee, his brother Philip Ruler of the territory comprising Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias Ruler of Abilene, And when Annas and Caiaphas were High Priests, a Command from God came to John, the son of Zechariah, while he was in the wilderness. read more. And John went through the whole district of the Jordan, proclaiming baptism upon repentance, for the forgiveness of sins. This was in fulfillment of what is said in the writings of the Prophet Isaiah--'The voice of one crying aloud in the wilderness: "Make ready the way of the Lord, Make his paths straight. Every chasm shall be filled, Every mountain and hill shall be leveled, The winding ways shall be straightened, The rough roads made smooth, And all mankind shall see the Salvation of God."' And John said to the crowds that went to be baptized by him: "You brood of vipers! who has prompted you to seek refuge from the coming judgment? Let your lives, then, prove your repentance; and do not begin to say among yourselves 'Abraham is our ancestor,' for I tell you that out of these very stones God is able to raise descendants for Abraham! Already, indeed, the axe is lying at the root of the trees. Therefore every tree that fails to bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire." "What are we to do then?" the people asked. "Let the man who has two coats," answered John, "share with him who has none; and the man who has food do the same." Even tax-gatherers came to be baptized, and said to John: "Teacher, what are we to do?" "Do not collect more than you have authority to demand," John answered. And when some soldiers on active service asked "And we--what are we to do?" he said: "Never use violence, or exact anything by false accusation; and be content with your pay." Then, while the people were in suspense, and were all debating with themselves whether John could be the Christ, John, addressing them all, said: "I, indeed, baptize you with water; but there is coming one more powerful than I, and I am not fit even to unfasten his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing-fan is in his hand, that he may clear his threshing-floor, and store the grain in his barn, but the chaff he will burn with inextinguishable fire." And so with many different exhortations John told his Good News to the people. But Prince Herod, being rebuked by John respecting Herodias, the wife of Herod's brother, and for all the evil things that he had done, Crowned them all by shutting John up in prison. Now after the baptism of all the people, and when Jesus had been baptized and was still praying, the heavens opened, And the Holy Spirit descended, in a visible form, like a dove, upon him, and from the heavens came a voice--"Thou art my Son, the Beloved; in thee I delight." When beginning his work, Jesus was about thirty years old. He was regarded as the son of Joseph, whose ancestors were--Eli,
Moved by the power of the Spirit, Jesus returned to Galilee. Reports about him spread through all that neighborhood;
They did so, and enclosed such a great shoal of fish that their nets began to break.
When Simon Peter saw this, he threw himself down at Jesus' knees, exclaiming: "Master, leave me, for I am a sinful man!"
And so, too, were James and John, Zebediah's sons, who were Simon's partners. "Do not be afraid," Jesus said to Simon; "from to-day you shall catch men."
After this, Jesus went out; and he noticed a tax-gatherer, named Levi, sitting in the tax-office, and said to him: "Follow me."
One Sabbath Jesus was walking through cornfields, and hi disciples were picking the ears of wheat, and rubbing them in their hands, and eating them.
Shortly afterwards, Jesus went on a journey through the towns and villages, proclaiming the Good News of the Kingdom of God. With him went the Twelve,
And they reached the country of the Gerasenes, which is on the opposite side to Galilee;
Peter and his companions had been overpowered by sleep but, suddenly becoming wide awake, they saw Jesus glorified and the two men who were standing beside him.
"None of you must prevent him," Jesus said to John; "he who is not against you is for you." As the days before his being taken up to Heaven were growing few, Jesus set his face resolutely in the direction of Jerusalem; and he sent on messengers in advance.
As the days before his being taken up to Heaven were growing few, Jesus set his face resolutely in the direction of Jerusalem; and he sent on messengers in advance.
And, while they were on their way, a man said to Jesus: "I will follow you wherever you go." "Foxes have holes," he replied, "and wild birds their roosting-places, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head." read more. To another man Jesus said: "Follow me." "Let me first go and bury my father," said the man. But Jesus said: "Leave the dead to bury their dead; but go yourself and carry far and wide the news of the Kingdom of God." "Master," said another, "I will follow you; but first let me say good-bye to my family."
Jesus went through towns and villages, teaching as he went, and making his way towards Jerusalem. "Master," some one asked, "are there but few in the path of Salvation?" And Jesus answered:
Just then some Pharisees came up to Jesus and said: "Go away and leave this place, for Herod wants to kill you."
Jerusalem! Jerusalem! she who slays the Prophets and stones the messengers sent to her--Oh, how often have I wished to gather your children round me, as a hen takes her brood under her wings, and you would not come!
Some of the people were bringing even their babies to Jesus, for him to touch them; but, when the disciples saw it, they began to find fault with those who had brought them.
But they insisted: "He is stirring up the people by his teaching all through Judea; he began with Galilee and has now come here."
Who told them that the Master had really risen, and had appeared to Simon.
The following day Jesus decided to leave for Galilee. He found Philip, and said to him: "Follow me."
"Destroy this temple," was his answer, "and I will raise it in three days."
After this, Jesus went with his disciples into the country parts of Judea; and there he stayed with them, and baptized.
He left Judea, and set out again for Galilee. He had to pass through Samaria, read more. And, on his way, he came to a Samaritan town called Shechem, near the plot of land that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Jacob's Spring was there, and Jesus, being tired after his journey, sat down beside the spring, just as he was. It was then about mid-day. A woman of Samaria came to draw water; and Jesus said to her- - "Give me some to drink," For his disciples had gone into the town to buy food. "How is it," replied the Samaritan woman, "that you who are a Jew ask for water from a Samaritan woman like me?" (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans). "If you knew of the gift of God," replied Jesus, "and who it is that is saying to you 'Give me some water,' you would have asked him, and he would have given you 'living water'." "You have no bucket, Sir, and the well is deep," she said; "where did you get that 'living water?' Surely you are not greater than our ancestor Jacob who gave us the well, and used to drink from it himself, and his sons, and his cattle!" "All who drink of this water," replied Jesus, "will be thirsty again; But whoever once drinks of the water that I will give him shall never thirst any more; but the water that I will give him shall become a spring welling up within him--a source of Immortal Life." "Give me this water, Sir," said the woman, "so that I may not be thirsty, nor have to come all the way here to draw water." "Go and call your husband," said Jesus, "and then come back." "I have no husband," answered the woman. "You are right in saying 'I have no husband,'" replied Jesus, "For you have had five husbands, and the man with whom you are now living is not your husband; in saying that, you have spoken the truth." "I see, Sir, that you are a Prophet!" exclaimed the woman. "It was on this mountain that our ancestors worshiped; and yet you Jews say that the proper place for worship is in Jerusalem." "Believe me," replied Jesus, "a time is coming when it will be neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem that you will worship the Father. You Samaritans do not know what you worship; we know what we worship, for Salvation comes from the Jews. But a time is coming, indeed it is already here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father spiritually and truly; for such are the worshipers that the Father desires. God is Spirit; and those who worship him must worship spiritually and truly." "I know," answered the woman, "that the Messiah, who is called the Christ, is coming; when once he has come, he will tell us everything." "I am he," Jesus said to her, "I who am speaking to you." At this moment his disciples came up, and were surprised to find him talking with a woman; but none of them asked 'What do you want?' or 'Why are you talking with her?' So the woman, leaving her pitcher, went back to the town, and said to the people: "Come and see someone who has told me everything that I have done. Can he be the Christ?" And the people left the town and went to see Jesus. Meanwhile the disciples kept saying to him: "Take something to eat, Rabbi." "I have food to eat," he answered, "of which you know nothing." "Can any one have brought him anything to eat?" the disciples said to one another. "My food," replied Jesus, "is to do the will of him who sent me, and to complete his work. Do not you say that it still wants four months to harvest? Why, look up, and see how white the fields are for harvest! Already the reaper is receiving wages and gathering in sheaves for Immortal Life, so that sower and reaper rejoice together. For here the proverb holds good--'One sows, another reaps.' I have sent you to reap that on which you have spent no labor; others have labored, and you have entered upon the results of their labor." Many from that town came to believe in Jesus--Samaritans though they were--on account of the woman's statement--'He has told me everything that I have done.' And, when these Samaritans had come to Jesus, they begged him to stay with them, and he stayed there two days. But far more came to believe in him on account of what he said himself, And they said to the woman: "It is no longer because of what you say that we believe in him, for we have heard him ourselves and know that he really is the Savior of the world." After these two days Jesus went on to Galilee;
Sometime after this there was a Jewish Festival; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
After this, Jesus went about in Galilee, for he would not do so in Judea, because the Jews were eager to put him to death.
After this, Jesus went about in Galilee, for he would not do so in Judea, because the Jews were eager to put him to death. When the Jewish Festival of Tabernacles was near,
But, when his brothers had gone up to the Festival, Jesus also went up--not publicly, but privately.
In consequence of this, Jesus did not go about publicly among the Jews any more, but left that neighborhood, and went into the country bordering on the Wilderness, to a town called Ephraim, where he stayed with his disciples.
At this, Simon Peter, who had a sword with him, drew it, and struck the High Priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus.
Later on, Jesus showed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias.
"Cast your net to the right of the boat," he said, "and you will find fish." So they cast the net, and now they could not haul it in on account of the quantity of fish. Upon this the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter: "It is the Master!" When Simon Peter heard that it was the Master, he fastened his coat round him (for he had taken it off), and threw himself into the Sea.
The first account which I drew up, Theophilus, dealt with all that Jesus did and taught from the very first,
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with strange 'tongues' as the Spirit prompted their utterances. Now there were then staying in Jerusalem religious Jews from every country in the world; read more. And, when this sound was heard, numbers of people collected, in the greatest excitement, because each of them heard the disciples speaking in his own language. They were utterly amazed, and kept asking in astonishment: "What! Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that we each of us hear them in our own native language? Some of us are Parthians, some Medes, some Elamites; and some of us live in Mesopotamia, in Judea and Cappadocia, in Pontus and Roman Asia, In Phrygia and Pamphylia, in Egypt and the districts of Libya adjoining Cyrene; some of us are visitors from Rome, Either Jews by birth or converts, and some are Cretans and Arabians--yet we all alike hear them speaking in our own tongues of the great things that God has done."
But it was in this way that God fulfilled all that he had long ago foretold, as to the sufferings of his Christ, by the lips of all the Prophets.
Many, however, of those who had heard the Apostles' Message became believers in Christ, the number of the men alone amounting to about five thousand.
"No, Lord, I cannot," answered Peter, "for I have never eaten anything 'defiled' and 'unclean'."
And, when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. And so it came about that, for a whole year, they attended the meetings of the Church there, and taught a large number of people; and it was in Antioch that the disciples were first called 'Christians.'
As soon as he realized what had happened, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John who was also known as Mark, where a number of people were gathered together, praying.
After this, Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and went to Perga in Pamphylia, where John left them and returned to Jerusalem.
After the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the President of the Synagogue sent them this message--"Brothers, if you have any helpful words to address to the people, now is the time to speak." So Paul rose and, motioning with his hand, spoke as follows: "Men of Israel and all here who reverence God, hear what I have to say. read more. The God of this people Israel chose our ancestors, and during their stay in Egypt increased the prosperity of the people, and then 'with uplifted arm brought them out from that land.' For about forty years 'he bore with them in the Desert'; Then, after destroying seven heathen nations in Canaan, he allotted their land to this people-- For about four hundred and fifty years. In later times he gave them Judges, of whom the Prophet Samuel was the last. And, when they demanded a king, God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, who reigned for forty years. After removing him, he raised David to the throne, and bore this testimony to him--'In David, the son of Jesse, I have found a man after my own heart, who will carry out all my purposes.' It was from this man's descendants that God, in accordance with his promise, gave Israel a Savior--Jesus; John having first proclaimed, before the appearance of Jesus, a baptism upon repentance for all the people of Israel. As John was drawing towards the end of his career, he said what do you suppose that I am? I am not the Christ. But there is "One Coming" after me, whose very sandal I am not worthy to untie.' Brothers, descendants of Abraham, and all those among you who reverence God, it was to us that the Message of this Salvation was sent. The people of Jerusalem and their leading men, failing to recognize Jesus, and not understanding the utterances of the Prophets that are read every Sabbath, fulfilled them by condemning him.
The people of Jerusalem and their leading men, failing to recognize Jesus, and not understanding the utterances of the Prophets that are read every Sabbath, fulfilled them by condemning him. They found no ground at all for putting him to death, and yet demanded his execution from Pilate; read more. And, after carrying out everything written about him, they took Jesus down from the cross, and laid him in a tomb. But God raised him from the dead; And he appeared for many days to those who had gone up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, and who are now witnesses for him to the people. We also have good news to tell you, about the promise made to our ancestors-- That our children have had this promise completely fulfilled to them by God, by his raising Jesus. That is just what is said in the second Psalm--'Thou art my Son; this day I have become thy Father.' As to his raising Jesus from the dead, never again to return to corruption, this is what is said--'I will give to you the sacred promises made to David;' And, therefore, in another Psalm it is said--'Thou wilt not give up the Holy One to undergo corruption.' David, after obediently doing God's will in his own time, 'fell asleep and was laid by the side of his ancestors, and did undergo corruption; But Jesus, whom God raised from the dead, did not undergo corruption. I would, therefore, have you know, brothers, that through Jesus forgiveness of sins is being proclaimed to you, And that, in union with him, every one who believes in him is absolved from every sin from which under the Law of Moses you could not be absolved. Beware, therefore, that what is said in the Prophets does not come true of you-- 'Look, you despisers, and wonder, and perish; for I am doing a deed in your days--a deed which, though told you in full, you will never believe'." As Paul and Barnabas were leaving the Synagogue, the people begged for a repetition of this teaching on the next Sabbath. After the congregation had dispersed, many of the Jews, and of the converts who joined in their worship, followed Paul and Barnabas, who talked with them and urged them to continue to rely upon the loving-kindness of God. On the following Sabbath, almost all the city gathered to hear God's Message.
The same thing occurred in Iconium, where Paul and Barnabas went into the Jewish Synagogue, and spoke in such a way that a great number of both Jews and Greeks believed in Christ.
But Paul felt that they ought not to take with them the man who had deserted them in Pamphylia, and had not gone on with them to their work.
After passing through Amphipolis and Apollonia, Paul and Silas came to Thessalonica. Here the Jews had a Synagogue; And, following his usual custom, Paul joined them, and for three Sabbaths addressed them, drawing his arguments from the Scriptures. read more. He laid before them and explained that the Christ must undergo suffering and rise from the dead; and "It is this man," he declared, "who is the Christ--this Jesus about whom I am telling you." Some of the people were convinced, and threw in their lot with Paul and Silas, as did also a large body of Greeks who were accustomed to join in the Jewish services, and a great number of women belonging to the leading families.
After making some stay in Antioch, he set out on a tour through the Phrygian district of Galatia, strengthening the faith of all the disciples as he went.
For in the Law of Moses it is said-'Thou shalt not muzzle a bullock while it is treading out the grain.' Is it the bullocks that God is thinking of? Or is not is said entirely for our sakes? Surely it was written for our sakes, for the ploughman ought not to plough, nor the thrasher to thrash, without expecting a share of the grain.
To another the gift of preaching; to another the gift of distinguishing between true and false inspiration; to another varieties of the gift of 'tongues'; to another the power to interpret 'tongues.'
If any one thinks that he has the gift of preaching or any other spiritual gift, let him recognize that what I am now saying to you is a command from the Lord.
We are sending with him the Brother whose fame in the service of the Good News has spread through all the Churches;
But, when Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face; for he stood self-condemned. Before certain persons came from James, he had been in the habit of eating with the Gentile converts; but, when they came, he began to withdraw and hold aloof, for fear of offending those who still held to circumcision. read more. The rest of the Jewish converts were guilty of the same hypocrisy, so that even Barnabas was led away by it. But, when I saw that they were not dealing straightforwardly with the Truth of the Good News, I said to Peter, before them all, "If you, who were born a Jew, adopt Gentile customs, instead of Jewish, why are you trying to compel the Gentile converts to adopt Jewish customs?"
Yes, and I ask you, my true comrade, to help them, remembering that they toiled by my side in spreading the Good News; and so, too, did Clement and my other fellow-workers, whose names are 'in the Book of Life.'
My fellow-prisoner, Aristarchus, sends you his greeting, and Barnabas's cousin, Mark, sends his. (You have received directions about him. If he comes to you, make him welcome.)
There is no one but Luke with me. Pick up Mark on your way, and bring him with you, for he is useful to me in my work.
Greet one another with the kiss of love. May God give his peace to you all in your union with Christ.
For we were not following cleverly devised stories when we told you of the Coming in power of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we had been eye-witnesses of his majesty.
Dear friends, do not trust every inspiration, but test each inspiration, to see whether it proceeds from God; because many false Prophets have gone out into 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
Do not think that I have come to do away with the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to do away with them, but to complete them.
You have heard that to our ancestors it was said--'Thou shalt not commit murder,' and 'Whoever commits murder shall be liable to answer for it to the Court.'
No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate one and love the other, or else he will attach himself to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.
But which of you, by being anxious, can prolong his life a single moment?
But, that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins"--then he said to the paralyzed man-- "Get up, take up your bed, and return to your home."
Come to me, all you who toil and are burdened, and I will give you rest!
But the people of that place, recognizing Jesus, sent out to the whole country round, and brought to him all who were ill,
"How is it that your disciples break the traditions of our ancestors? For they do not wash their hands when they eat food."
"Because you have so little faith," he answered; "for, I tell you, if your faith were only like a mustard-seed, you could say to this mountain 'Move from this place to that!' and it would be moved; and nothing would be impossible to you."
"I tell you," replied Jesus, "if you have faith, without ever a doubt, you will do what not only what has been done to the fig tree, but, even if you should say to this hill 'Be lifted up and hurled into the sea!' it would be done.
Jerusalem! Jerusalem! She who slays the Prophets and stones the messengers sent to her--Oh, how often have I wished to gather your children round me, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not came!
Jerusalem! Jerusalem! She who slays the Prophets and stones the messengers sent to her--Oh, how often have I wished to gather your children round me, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not came! Verily, your house is left to you desolate! read more. For nevermore, I tell you, shall you see me, until you say-- 'Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord!'"
When the Son of Man has come in his glory and all the angels with him, then he 'will take his seat on his throne of glory';
It is said in the Prophet Isaiah--'Behold! I send my Messenger before thy face; He shall prepare thy way.'
But that you may know that the Son of Man has power to forgive sins on earth"--here he said to the paralyzed man--
For Herod himself had sent and arrested John, and put him in prison, in chains, to please Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, because Herod had married her.
Whoever is ashamed of me and of my teaching, in this unfaithful and wicked generation, of him will the Son of Man be ashamed, when he comes in his Father's Glory with the holy angels."
For even the Son of Man came, not be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
When Jesus was still at Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, while he was at table, a woman came with an alabaster jar of choice spikenard perfume of great value. She broke the jar, and poured the perfume on his head.
"This is my Covenant-blood," he said, "which is poured out on behalf of many.
"I am," replied Jesus, "and you shall all see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of the Almighty; and 'coming in the clouds of heaven'."
After his rising again, early on the first day of the week, Jesus appeared first of all to Mary of Magdala, from whom he had driven out seven demons. She went and told the news to those who had been with him and who were now in sorrow and tears; read more. Yet even they, when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, did not believe it. Afterwards, altered in appearance, he made himself known to two of them, as they were walking, on their way into the country. They also went and told the rest, but they did not believe even them. Later on, he made himself known to the Eleven themselves as they were at a meal, and reproached them with their want of faith and their stubbornness, because they did not believe those who had seen him after he had risen from the dead. Then he said to them: "Go into all the world, and proclaim the Good News to all creation. He who believes and is baptized shall be saved; but he who refuses to believe will be condemned. Moreover these signs shall attend those who believe. In my Name they shall drive out demons; they shall speak with 'tongues'; They shall take up serpents in their hands; and, if they drink any poison, it shall not hurt them; they will place their hands on sick people and they shall recover." So the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into Heaven, and sat at the right hand of God. But they set out, and made the proclamation everywhere, the Lord working with them, and confirming the Message by the signs which attended it.
[To his Excellency, Theophilus. Many attempts have been already made to draw up an account of those events which have reached their conclusion among us,
[To his Excellency, Theophilus. Many attempts have been already made to draw up an account of those events which have reached their conclusion among us, Just as they were reported to us by those who from the beginning were eye-witnesses, and afterwards became bearers of the Message.
Just as they were reported to us by those who from the beginning were eye-witnesses, and afterwards became bearers of the Message.
Just as they were reported to us by those who from the beginning were eye-witnesses, and afterwards became bearers of the Message. And, therefore, I also, since I have investigated all these events with great care from their very beginning, have resolved to write a connected history of them for you, read more. In order that you may be able to satisfy yourself of the accuracy of the story which you have heard from the lips of others.]
But Prince Herod, being rebuked by John respecting Herodias, the wife of Herod's brother, and for all the evil things that he had done,
But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins"-- he spoke to the paralyzed man-- "To you I say, Get up, and take up your pallet, and go to your home."
As the days before his being taken up to Heaven were growing few, Jesus set his face resolutely in the direction of Jerusalem; and he sent on messengers in advance.
As the days before his being taken up to Heaven were growing few, Jesus set his face resolutely in the direction of Jerusalem; and he sent on messengers in advance.
But which of you, by being anxious, can prolong his life a moment?
Jerusalem! Jerusalem! she who slays the Prophets and stones the messengers sent to her--Oh, how often have I wished to gather your children round me, as a hen takes her brood under her wings, and you would not come!
No servant can serve two masters, for, either he will hate one and love the other, or else he will attach himself to one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money."
This man, I tell you, went home pardoned, rather than the other; for every one who exalts himself will be humbled, while every one who humbles himself shall be exalted."
[Presently there appeared to him an angel from Heaven, who strengthened him.
(This man had not assented to the decision and action of the Council.) He belonged to Ramah, a town in Judea, and lived in expectation of the Kingdom of God.
And the Word became Man, and dwelt among us, (We saw his glory--the glory of the Only Son sent from the Father), full of love and truth.
And the Word became Man, and dwelt among us, (We saw his glory--the glory of the Only Son sent from the Father), full of love and truth.
The next day John saw Jesus coming towards him, and exclaimed: "Here is the Lamb of God, who is to take away the sin of the world!
John also made this statement--"I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of the heavens, and it remained upon him.
This I have seen myself, and I have declared my belief that he is the Son of God."
He first found his own brother Simon, and said to him: "We have found the Messiah!" (a word which means 'Christ,' or 'Consecrated'.)
He found Nathanael and said to him: "We have found him of whom Moses wrote in the Law, and of whom the Prophets also wrote--Jesus of Nazareth, Joseph's son!" "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" asked Nathanael. "Come and see," replied Philip.
"Rabbi," Nathanael exclaimed, "you are the Son of God, you are King of Israel!"
"How can a man," asked Nicodemus, "be born when he is old? Can he be born a second time?"
"How is it," replied the Samaritan woman, "that you who are a Jew ask for water from a Samaritan woman like me?" (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans).
"You have no bucket, Sir, and the well is deep," she said; "where did you get that 'living water?'
"Give me this water, Sir," said the woman, "so that I may not be thirsty, nor have to come all the way here to draw water."
Upon this the Jews began disputing with one another: "How is it possible for this man to give us his flesh to eat?"
"Is this a hindrance to you? What, then, if you should see the Son of Man ascending where he was before?
He meant Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, who was about to betray him, though he was one of the Twelve.
"Where is this man going," the Jews asked one another, "that we shall not find him? Will he go to our countrymen abroad, and teach foreigners?
"This is certainly 'the Prophet'!"; others said: "This is the Christ!"; but some asked: "What! does the Christ come from Galilee?
"Are you also from Galilee?" they retorted. "Search, and you will find that no Prophet is to arise in Galilee!" OMITTED TEXT
OMITTED TEXT
The Father and I are one."
It was the Passover Preparation Day, and about noon. Then he said to the Jews: "Here is your King!"
This is the statement of one who actually saw it--and his statement may be relied upon, and he knows that he is speaking the truth--and it is given in order that you also may be convinced.
"Do not hold me," Jesus said; "for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my Brothers, and tell them that I am ascending to him who is my Father and their Father, my God and their God."
But these have been recorded that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God--and that, through your belief in his Name, you may have Life.
Even though I have the gift of preaching, and fathom all hidden truths and all the depths of knowledge; even though I have such faith as might move mountains, yet have not Love, I am 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.