The Canonical Gospels and Acts Overview

The Canonical Gospels & Acts of the Apostles

• The Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John) are ancient biographies of Jesus, described as "good news," a "book," or a "narrative" about Israel's Messiah and God's kingdom.
• Acts of the Apostles details the early followers' missionary work after Jesus's ascension.

The Gospel of Matthew

• An ancient biography of Jesus' life, teachings, death, and resurrection in Roman Palestine.
• Described as a "book" (biblos geneseōs), with a genealogy tracing 14 generations from Abraham to David, David to the Babylonian exile, and the exile to the Messiah.
• Traditionally attributed to Matthew (or Levi), a tax collector and disciple. Early church sources suggest he compiled sayings in Hebrew, though the Gospel is written in Greek.
• Aims to show fulfillment of the Law and Prophets from the Hebrew Bible, citing numerous Old Testament fulfillments in Jesus's life.
• Structure can be viewed in two ways: five blocks of teaching, or phases of Jesus's Messianic ministry (Preparation, Proclamation, Passion).
• Key themes include a fast-paced, action-oriented narrative; righteous suffering and death; the kingdom of God; messianism; mystery and irony; and the "messianic secret." Resurrection is implied but not explicitly detailed.

The Gospel of Mark

• First of the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke), which share similar stories and sayings.
• Largely sourced by Matthew and Luke.
• Approximately 80% appears in Matthew, 65% in Luke, and 95% in either or both Matthew and Luke.

The Gospel of Luke and Acts of the Apostles

• Luke is an ancient biography of Jesus, described as an "orderly account" or "narrative."
• Acts, written by the same author, details the missionary journeys of Jesus's early followers, particularly Peter and Paul, from Jerusalem to the nations.
• Traditionally attributed to Luke, Paul's companion, identified in Acts through first-person accounts of travel with Paul. The Muratorian Canon also supports this.
• Luke's purpose was to provide an accurate and ordered account of Jesus' life and ministry to Theophilus and the early church. Acts furthers this by describing the expansion of Christianity.
• Key themes include the Holy Spirit's empowerment; lordship and salvation, with a focus on both Jews and Gentiles; unique parables; prayer and praise; inclusion of marginalized groups; and Paul's mission and trials.
• Luke's Gospel's structure follows a geographical progression from Jesus's birth to his ascension and subsequent spreading of the Gospel. Acts continues this trend by detailing several geographical expansions of the faith.

The Gospel of John

• A unique biography of Jesus's life, death, and resurrection in Roman Judea, differing significantly from the Synoptic Gospels.
• Around 90% of its content is unique. It omits many events present in the Synoptic Gospels.
• The absence of events such as Jesus's birth, baptism, wilderness temptation, parables, exorcisms and so on makes this Gospel quite distinct.

Explore the Canonical Gospels, focusing on Matthew and the Acts of the Apostles. This quiz covers the key themes, teachings, and structure of these biblical texts, highlighting their significance in early Christianity. Test your knowledge on the life of Jesus and the foundational narratives of his followers.