Introduction to the Gospels

The Gospels are not just a record of the events of Jesus's life. If we are not careful students of the word, we might assume that these books are just the musings of the men who followed Christ, a journal of daily events that stood out to them. This is not the case. Understanding the person and intent behind these books is key to understanding them.

First, let's reveal the intention of these four books. Acts 1:1 reveals this to us, when Luke appropriately labels them "treatise." "The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach." The Gospels are treatises, that is, documents written to establish a truth and to persuade the audience to your point of view. Webster's 1828 defines a treatise as a tract. The gospels are tracts, that is, documents written to the end that you might know who Jesus is and be persuaded to trust in Him alone.

Why then are there 4 of them? Would not one suffice? The Lord always holds fair trials, and this matter of trusting in Jesus is not a matter any human can just take or leave, but is a judicial matter for which we will stand trial before God and give an account of our sins and what we did with the Man He sent to save us from them. Deuteronomy 19:15 states: "One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established." God has called these 4 men to the stand to bear witness of the truth, and on judgment day we will have no excuse as to why we did not believe their report.

Not only are there four gospels for fairness of judgment, but each one of them was written with a different audience in mind. Just like we write tracts to the Spanish community, to the refugee community, or to the wealthy, or to the poor, each one aiming at the heart of that group of people, so do the Gospels. Matthew was writing to the Jewish community. Mark was writing to the uneducated class of men. Luke was written to the educated Greek mind, men of learning and philosophy. John's Gospel is different altogether in its structure, thought, and composition. It was written, as far as we can tell, to all men: "For God so loved the world…" Having the intended audience in mind helps us understand why certain scenes are highlighted or expanded upon in one gospel and perhaps not in another.

Secondly, let's understand the people. Each one of the penmen of these four books were individuals with different backgrounds, different classes of society, and different personalities. Matthew was a Jew and a tax collector. Mark was a young man who had failed at the ministry and left Paul and Barnabas, and years later became profitable to ministry. Luke never met Jesus and was a Gentile, but learned from the men who had walked with Christ. John was the beloved friend of Jesus, the one who stayed at the cross, leaned his head on the chest of Christ, and heard the heartbeat of God for this world. These were the people God used to write the gospels. There were 4 penmen, but one author—we could say four pens and one Author.

Behind each one of these instruments was the hand of God, by His Spirit, writing to this world a treatise/tract to bring us all to the knowledge of His Son Jesus Christ. God breathed out these books for you and me and all who would ever read them. That is why they are powerful—they have changed the face of the world since their inception. That is why they are perfect—many have tried yet all have failed to find contradictions and errors; every honest study brings us to a closer knowledge of their perfection. That is why they cannot be ignored, because they came from God.

If you want to know Christ in a closer way, if you want to know where he came from, what he came to, what he came for, how he came and for what purpose—if you would love to, like John, lean your head on the bosom of Christ and listen to the heartbeat of God for this world—there is no better place in this life than in these 4 accounts of Lord Jesus Christ.

God help us. Open our eyes that we behold wondrous things out of thy law! Give us the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him! Make our hearts thirsty for a deeper knowledge of you. Expand our minds that we might retain more of your knowledge and wisdom. Show us Your Son Jesus Christ so that we might be changed into his image and set about not only knowing the gospel, but living it and revealing it to this world as you reveal it to us!