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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As for the likeness of their faces, they four had the face of a man and the face of a lion, on the right side: and they four had the face of an ox on the left side; they four also had the face of an eagle.
And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness, and all manner of disease 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 at table.
I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,
And the next day we that were of Paul's company departed, and came to Cesarea; and we entered into the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven; and abode with him.
And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things?
And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, 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/wbs'>26,26/type/wbs'>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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But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it for good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save many people alive.
I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Scepter shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth.
Their line hath gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun,
The LORD reigneth; let the people tremble: he setteth between the cherubim; let the earth be moved.
Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me.
Then shalt thou say in thy heart, Who hath begotten these for me, seeing I have lost my children, and am desolate, a captive, and removing to and fro? and who hath brought up these? Behold, I was left alone; these, where have they been?
And I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh; and they shall be drunken with their own blood, as with sweet wine: and all flesh shall know that I the LORD am thy Savior and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.
And I will feed them that oppress thee with their own flesh; and they shall be drunken with their own blood, as with sweet wine: and all flesh shall know that I the LORD am thy Savior and thy Redeemer, the mighty One of Jacob.
Now when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee.
And a certain scribe came, and said to him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. And Jesus saith to him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head. read more. And another of his disciples said to him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. But Jesus said to him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead.
And when he had come to the other side, into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with demons, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way.
And as Jesus was passing from thence, he saw a man named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith 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, whose surname was Thaddeus;
And he said, Come. And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus.
And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said to him, Blessed art thou, Simon-Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it to thee, but my Father who is in heaven.
From that time forth Jesus began to show to his disciples, that he must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.
And when they had come to Capernaum, they that received tribute-money, came to Peter, and said, Doth not your Master pay tribute?
And when they had come to Capernaum, they that received tribute-money, came to Peter, and said, Doth not your Master pay tribute? He saith, Yes. And when he had come into the house, Jesus anticipated him, saying, What thinkest thou, Simon? from whom do the kings of the earth take custom or tribute? from their own children, or from strangers? read more. Peter saith to him, From strangers. Jesus saith to him, Then are the children free. Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast a hook, and take the fish that first cometh up: and when thou hast opened his mouth, thou shalt find a piece of money: take that, and give to them for me and thee.
They say to him, Cesar's. Then saith he to them, Render therefore to Cesar, the things which are Cesar's; and to God, the things that are God's.
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them who are sent to thee, how often would I have gathered thy children, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
Ye know that after two days is the passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified.
And said, This man said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.
Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to a mountain where Jesus had appointed them.
And Jesus came, and spoke to them, saying, All power is given to me in heaven and upon earth. Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. read more. Teaching them to observe all things whatever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the world. Amen.
And he was there in the wilderness forty days tempted by Satan: and was with the wild beasts, and the angels ministered to him.
And immediately he called them: and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went after him.
And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alpheus, sitting at the receipt of custom, and said to him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.
And when he had looked around on them with anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts, he saith to the man, Stretch forth thy hand. And he stretched it out: and his hand was restored whole as the other.
And James the son of Zebedee, and John the brother of James, (and he surnamed them Boanerges, which is, Sons of thunder,)
And they came over to the other side of the sea, into the country of the Gadarenes.
And he took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spit, and touched his tongue. And looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith to him, Effatha, that is, Be opened.
And immediately all the people, when they beheld him, were greatly amazed, and running to him, saluted him.
And they departed thence, and passed through Galilee; and he would not that any man should know it. For he taught his disciples, and said to them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him; and after that he is killed, he will rise the third day. read more. But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask him. And he came to Capernaum: and being in the house, he asked them, What was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way?
And one of them that stood by drew a sword, and smote a servant of the high priest, and cut off his ear.
But go, tell his disciples and Peter, that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said to you.
Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us,
And in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David.
And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Cesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.
Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Cesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanius the tetrarch of Abilene, Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came to John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. read more. And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance, for the remission of sins; As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth; And all flesh shall see the salvation of God. Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized by him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham for our father: for I say to you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children to Abraham. And now also the ax is laid to the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewn down, and cast into the fire. And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then? He answereth and saith to them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath provisions, let him do likewise. Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said to him, Master, what shall we do? And he said to them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you. And the soldiers likewise asked him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said to them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely, and be content with your wages. And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts concerning John, whether he was the Christ, or not; John answered, saying to them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit, and with fire: Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his floor, and will gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable. And many other things in his exhortation he preached to the people. But Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him on account of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done, Added yet this above all, that he shut up John in prison. Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, And the Holy Spirit descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased. And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, who was the son of Heli,
And Jesus returned in the power of the spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the surrounding region.
And when they had done this, they inclosed a great multitude of fishes: and their net broke.
When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, Depart from me; for I am a sinful man, O Lord.
And so was also James and John the sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, Fear not: from henceforth thou shalt catch men.
And after these things he went forth, and saw a publican named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said to him, Follow me.
And it came to pass on the second sabbath after the first, that he went through corn-fields; and his disciples plucked the ears of corn, and ate, rubbing them in their hands.
And it came to pass afterward, that he went throughout every city and village, preaching and showing the glad tidings of the kingdom of God: and the twelve were with him,
But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep: and when they were awake, they saw his glory, and the two men that stood with him.
And Jesus said to him, Forbid him not: for he that is not against us, is for us. And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he steadfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem,
And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he steadfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem,
And it came to pass, that as they were going in the way, a certain man said to him, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. And Jesus said to him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head. read more. And he said to another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. Jesus said to him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God. And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house.
And he went through the cities and villages, teaching, and journeying towards Jerusalem. Then said one to him, Lord, are there few that are saved? And he said to them,
The same day there came certain of the Pharisees, saying to him, Go out, and depart hence; for Herod will kill thee.
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, that killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent to thee; how often would I have gathered thy children, as a hen gathereth her brood under her wings, and ye would not!
And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.
And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.
And they brought to him also infants, that he would touch them: but when his disciples saw it, they rebuked them.
And they were the more fierce, saying, He stirreth up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee to this place.
Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon.
The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith to him, follow me.
Jesus answered and said to them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.
After these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judea; and there he tarried with them, and baptized.
He left Judea, and departed again into Galilee. And he must needs go through Samaria. read more. Then he cometh to a city of Samaria, which is called Sychar, near to the parcel of ground, that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well: and it was about the sixth hour. There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water: Jesus saith to her, Give me to drink. (For his disciples had gone to the city to buy provisions.) Then saith the woman of Samaria to him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, who am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans. Jesus answered and said to her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldst have asked him, and he would have given thee living water. The woman saith to him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water? Art thou greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank of it himself, and his children, and his cattle? Jesus answered and said to her, Whoever drinketh of this water, shall thirst again: But whoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him, shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him, shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. The woman saith to him, Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, neither come hither to draw. Jesus saith to her, Go, call thy husband, and come hither. The woman answered and said, 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: in that thou hast spoken truth. The woman saith to him, Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. Our fathers worshiped in this mountain; and ye say, that in Jerusalem is the place where men ought to worship. Jesus saith to 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 is from the Jews. But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him, must worship him in spirit and in truth. The woman saith to him, I know that Messiah cometh, who is called Christ; when he is come, he will tell us all things. Jesus saith to her, I that speak to thee am he. And upon this came his disciples, and marveled that he talked with the woman: yet no man said, What seekest thou? or, Why talkest thou with her? The woman then left her waterpot, and went into the city, and saith to the men, Come, see a man who hath told me all things that ever I did: is not this the Christ? Then they went out of the city, and came to him. In the mean while his disciples prayed him, saying, Master, eat. But he said to them, I have food to eat that ye know not of. Therefore said the disciples one to another, Hath any man brought him aught to eat? Jesus saith to them, My food 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 to you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit to life eternal: that both he that soweth, and he that reapeth, may rejoice together. And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth. I sent you to reap that on which ye bestowed no labor: other men labored, and ye have entered into their labors. And many of the Samaritans of that city believed on him for the saying of the woman, who testified, He told me all that ever I did. So when the Samaritans had come to him, they besought him that he would tarry with them: and he abode there two days. And many more believed, because of his own word; And said to the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Savior of the world. Now after two days he departed thence, and went into Galilee.
After this there was a feast of the Jews: and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
After these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill him.
After these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill him. Now the Jews' feast of tabernacles was at hand.
But when his brethren had gone up, then he went also to the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret.
Jesus therefore walked no more openly among the Jews; but went thence to a country near to the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim, and there continued with his disciples.
Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it, and smote the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus.
After these things Jesus showed himself again to the disciples at the sea of Tiberias: and in this manner did he show himself.
And he said to them, Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and ye shall find. They cast therefore, and now they were not able to draw it for the multitude of fishes. Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith to Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt on his fisher's coat, (for he was naked) and cast himself into the sea.
The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach,
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them utterance. And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. read more. Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because every man heard them speak in his own language. And they were all amazed, and marveled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these who speak Galileans? And how do we hear every man in our own language, wherein we were born? Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and Proselytes, Cretes and Arabians we hear them speak in our languages the wonderful works of God.
But those things which God before had shown by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.
But many of them who heard the word, believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand.
But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean.
And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.
And when he had considered the thing, he came to the house of Mary the mother of John whose surname was Mark; where many were assembled, praying.
Now when Paul and his company loosed from Paphos, they came to Perga in Pamphylia. And John departing from them, returned to Jerusalem.
And after the reading of the law and the prophets, the rulers of the synagogue sent to them, saying, Men, brethren, if ye have any word of exhortation for the people, speak. Then Paul stood up, and beckoning with his hand, said, Men of Israel, and ye that fear God, give audience. read more. The God of this people Israel chose our fathers, and exalted the people when they dwelt as strangers in the land of Egypt, and with a high arm he brought them out of it. And about the time of forty years he suffered their manners in the wilderness. And when he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he divided their land to them by lot. And after that he gave to them judges, about the space of four hundred and fifty years, until Samuel the prophet. And afterward they desired a king: and God gave to them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, by the space of forty years. And when he had removed him, he raised up to them David to be their king: to whom also he gave testimony, and said, I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after my own heart, who shall fulfill all my will. Of this man's offspring hath God, according to his promise, raised up to Israel a Savior, Jesus: John having first preached, before his coming, the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. And as John fulfilled his course, he said, Whom think ye that I am? I am not he. But behold, there cometh one after me, whose shoes of his feet I am not worthy to loose. Men, brethren, children of the stock of Abraham, and whoever among you feareth God, to you is the word of this salvation sent. For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the words of the prophets which are read every sabbath, they have fulfilled them in condemning him.
For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the words of the prophets which are read every sabbath, they have fulfilled them in condemning him. And though they found no cause of death in him, yet they desired Pilate that he should be put to death. read more. And when they had fulfilled all that was written concerning him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a sepulcher. But God raised him from the dead: And he was seen many days by them who came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses to the people. And we declare to you the glad tidings, that the promise which was made to the fathers, God hath fulfilled the same to us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. And as concerning that he raised him from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David. Wherefore he saith also in another psalm, Thou wilt not suffer thy Holy One to see corruption. For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell asleep, and was laid to his fathers, and saw corruption: But he whom God raised again, saw no corruption. Be it known to you therefore, men, brethren, that through this man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins; And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses. Beware therefore, lest that come upon you which is spoken in the prophets; Behold, ye despisers, and wonder, and perish: for I work a work in your days, a work which ye will in no wise believe, though a man declare it to you. And when the Jews had gone out of the synagogue, the Gentiles besought that these words might be preached to them the next sabbath. Now when the congregation was broken up, many of the Jews and religious proselytes followed Paul and Barnabas; who speaking to them, persuaded them to continue in the grace of God. And the next sabbath came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.
And it came to pass in Iconium, that they went both together into the synagogue of the Jews, and so spoke, that a great multitude both of the Jews, and also of the Greeks, believed.
But Paul thought not good to take him with them, who departed from them from Pamphylia, and went not with them to the work.
Now when they had passed through Amphipolis, and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews. And Paul, as his manner was, went in to them, and on three sabbaths reasoned with them out of the scriptures, read more. Opening and alledging, that it was needful that Christ should suffer, and rise again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach to you, is Christ. And some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas: and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few.
And after he had spent some time there, he departed and went over all the country of Galatia and Phrygia in order, strengthening all the disciples.
For it is written in the law of Moses, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the ox that treadeth out the corn. Doth God take care for oxen? Or saith he this altogether for our sakes? for our sakes, no doubt, this is written: that he that ploweth should plow in hope; and that he that thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope.
To another, the working of miracles; to another, prophecy; to another, discerning of spirits; to another, divers kinds of languages; to another, the interpretation of languages:
If any man thinketh himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write to you are the commandments of the Lord.
And we have sent with him the brother, whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the churches;
But when Peter had come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. For before that certain came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles: but when they had come, he withdrew, and separated himself, fearing them who were of the circumcision. read more. And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; so that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation. But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?
And I entreat thee also, true yoke-fellow, help those women who labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellow-laborers, whose names are in the book of life.
Aristarchus, my fellow-prisoner, saluteth you; and Marcus, sister's son to Barnabas, (concerning whom ye received commandments: if he should come to you, receive him;)
Luke only is with me. Take Mark, and bring him with thee: for he is profitable to me for the ministry.
Greet ye one another with a kiss of charity. Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus. Amen.
For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eye-witnesses of his majesty.
Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of 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
Then Hazael king of Syria went up, and fought against Gath, and took it; and Hazael set his face to go up to Jerusalem.
To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;
Son of man, set thy face towards Jerusalem, and drop thy word towards the holy places, and prophesy against the land of Israel,
Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.
Ye have heard that it was said to them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whoever shall kill, shall be in danger of the judgment:
No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
Which of you by anxious care can add one cubit to his stature?
But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, (then saith he to the sick with the palsy,) Arise, take up thy bed, and go to thy house.
Come to me, all ye that labor, and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
And when the men of that place had knowledge of him, they sent out into all the surrounding country, and brought to him all that were diseased;
Why do thy disciples transgress the tradition of the elders? for they wash not their hands when they eat bread.
And Jesus said to them, Because of your unbelief: for verily I say to you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard-seed, ye shall say to this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place, and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible to you.
Jesus answered and said to them, Verily I say to you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig-tree, but also, if ye shall say to this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them who are sent to thee, how often would I have gathered thy children, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them who are sent to thee, how often would I have gathered thy children, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not! Behold, your house is left to you desolate. read more. For I say to you, Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then will he sit upon the throne of his glory:
As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, who shall prepare thy way before thee;
But that ye may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins, he saith to the sick with the palsy,
For Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold upon John, and bound him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife: for he had married her.
Whoever therefore shall be ashamed of me, and of my words, in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also will 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 to, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
And being in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at table, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard, very precious; and she broke the box, and poured it on his head.
And he said to 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 sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.
Now when Jesus was risen early, the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven demons. And she went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept. read more. And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen by her, believed not. After that, he appeared in another form to two of them, as they were walking and going into the country. And they went and told it to the residue: neither believed they them. Afterward he appeared to the eleven, as they sat at table, and upbraided them with their unbelief, and hardness of heart, because they believed not them who had seen him after he was risen. And he said to them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized, shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe: In my name shall they cast out demons; they shall speak in new languages; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. So then after the Lord had spoken to them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God. And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen.
Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us,
Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us, Even as they delivered them to us, who from the beginning were eye-witnesses, and ministers of the word;
Even as they delivered them to us, who from the beginning were eye-witnesses, and ministers of the word;
Even as they delivered them to us, who from the beginning were eye-witnesses, and ministers of the word; It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to thee in order, most excellent Theophilus, read more. That thou mayest know the certainty of those things in which thou hast been instructed.
But Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him on account of 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 upon earth to forgive sins, He said to the sick with the palsy, I say to thee, Arise, and take up thy couch, and go into thy house.
And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he steadfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem,
And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he steadfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem,
And which of you by solicitude can add to his stature one cubit?
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, that killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent to thee; how often would I have gathered thy children, as a hen gathereth her brood under her wings, and ye would not!
No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him.
(The same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them) he was of Arimathea, a city of the Jews; who also himself waited for the kingdom of God.
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
The next day John seeth Jesus coming to him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world.
And John bore testimony, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.
And I saw and bore testimony, that this is the Son of God.
He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith to him, We have found the Messiah; which is, being interpreted, the Christ.
Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith to him, We have found him described by Moses in the law, and by the prophets, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. And Nathanael said to him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith to him, Come and see.
Nathanael answered and said to him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.
Nicodemus saith to him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
Then saith the woman of Samaria to him, How is it that thou, being a Jew, askest drink of me, who am a woman of Samaria? for the Jews have no dealings with the Samaritans.
The woman saith to him, Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with, and the well is deep: from whence then hast thou that living water?
The woman saith to him, Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, neither come hither to draw.
The Jews therefore contended among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?
He spoke of Judas Iscariot the son of Simon: for it was he that was to betray him, being one of the twelve.
Then said the Jews among themselves, Whither will he go, that we shall not find him? will he go to the dispersed among the Gentiles, and teach the Gentiles?
They answered and said to him, Art thou also from Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet. And every man went to his own house.
She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said to her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
I and my Father are one.
And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith to the Jews, Behold your King!
And he that saw it, testified, and his testimony is true: and he knoweth that he speaketh truth, that ye may believe.
Jesus saith to her, Touch me not: for I have not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say to them, I ascend to my Father and your Father, and to my God and your God.
But these are written, that ye may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing ye may have life through his name.
And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, 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.