Synoptic Gospels:
Matthew , Mark, and Luke are called the Synoptic Gospels because they share many similarities. Though they do have accounts unique to them.
It is theorized that the Matthew and Luke's Gospels used the Gospel of Mark, the first to be written, as their template.
But each has their own Divine Inspiration in their added materials and accounts.
1) MATTHEW
Matthew is targeted SPECIFICALLY to the Jewish people. Which is why he begins with the Genealogy of Jesus and showing His lineage to David. The whole of the Jewish history leading to Christ. Matthew contains many allusions to Jewish History to bring the hearers to the belief that Jesus is the awaited Messiah.
- The birth of Jesus
- The flight ot Egypt
- Return to Nazareth
- The baptism of Jesus
- The birth of Jesus
- The temptation of Jesus
- Jesus calls his first disciples
- The Sermon on the Mount
- The Lords prayer
- do not be anxious
- Ask and it will be given
- Jesus clenses the leper
- The twelve apostles
- The parable of the sower
- The death of John the Baptist
- Jesus feeds 5 thousand
- Jesus feeds 4 thousand
- Jesus foretells death and resurrection
- The parable of the lost sheep
- The parable of the unforgiving servant
- Jesus cleanses the Temple
- The Greatest commandment
- the parable of the ten virgins
- The parable of the talents
- The trial
- The crusifixtion
- The resurrection
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2) MARK
Mark is for a Jewish and Gentile audience in and around the Holy Land.
- The baptism of Jesus
- Jesus calls the first disciples
- Jesus cleanses the leper
- Jesus calls Levi
- The twelve apostles
- The parable of the sower
- The parable of the mustard seed
- Jesus calms the storm
- Jesus heals a man with a demon
- Jesus heels a woman
- The death of John the Baptist
- Jesus feeds the 5 thousand
- Jesus walks on water
- Jesus heels a deaf man
- Jesus feeds the 4 thousand
- Jesus heals a blind man at Bethsaida
- Jesus foretells His death and ressurection
- The transfiguration
- Jesus cleanses the Temple
- Jesus cleanses the Temple
- The parable of the tenants
- The greatest comandment
- Peter denies Jesus 3 times
- The Crucifixtion
- The death of Jesus
- Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene
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3) LUKE
Luke is unique because of his audience: gentile. And his background: Doctor. Luke provides the most detail in the healing miracle accounts because of his medical background. Same with the Passion in his Gospel.
- The birth of John the Baptist
- Birth of Jesus foretold
- Jesus heals a Centurians servant
- Jesus feeds the five-thousand in Bethsaida
- Jesus foretells of his death
- The Lords prayer
- The parable of the wedding feast
- The parable of the lost sheep
- The parable of the lost coin
- The parable of the prodical son
- Widows offering
- The Last Supper
- Jesus prays at the Mount of Olives
- Betrayal and arrest of Jesus
- The Crucifixtion
- The Ressurection
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4) JOHN
John contains frequent extreme contrasts i.e. light and dark, etc., which is a Gnostic style of writing. John's audience is Greek and Jewish converts in Greece and the surrounding areas. That is why he describes the Jewish religious traditions in detail. Its for his Greek audience in particular who have no knowledge of Jewish religious practices.
- Jesus calls the first disciples
- The wedding at Cana
- Jesus cleanses the Temple
- Jesus and the women of Samaria
- Jesus feeds the five thousand
- the woman caught in adultry
- The death of Lazarus
- Jesus delivered to be crucified
- The Ressurection
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5) ACTS
- Matthias is chosen to take the place of Judas
- The Ascension
- "and a cloud took him out of their sight."
- "This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven".
- The coming of the Holy Spirit.
- "and dividing tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues".
- Peter heals a lame man.
- People gathered from towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and thos eafflicted with unclean spirits, and they were all healed.
- The high priests arrested the apostles and put them in prison. But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and let them out
- when officers came to the prison they found the prison securely locked, but no on einside.
- they beat the apostles and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus.
The first gentile converts came from Peter in Caesarea (Caesars area)
Cornelias is a roman centurion who believes in God.
An angel sends a message to Cornelias telling him to go to Peter.
Peter had a vision that unclean animals were sent from heaven for him to eat but he would not because they were unclean.
A voice told Peter, "What God has made clean do not call unclean". The Jewish people looked upon the Gentiles as unclean. God was telling Peter that the Gentiles were not unclean.
As Peter is praying with them the Holy Spirit descends upon them. Peter now knows the message is for everyone,