THE FORMATION OF THE GOSPELS

There are 27 books in the New Testament

GOSPEL etymology
o Greek EUVANGELION
o Latin EVANGELIUM Meaning good
news
3 Stages of Formation of the Gospel:
1.) Life and teaching of Jesus
- Jesus actually lived, performed miracles, told parables, was crucified, and
rose from the dead
3 Characteristics of PARABLES (Etymology: PARA-BOLA)
1.) Taken from everyday life
2.) It has a novel twist
3.) Conveys a powerful message
2.) Oral Tradition
- Convinced that Jesus was the Messiah, the apostles preached and
baptized
Kerygma proclamation, more popularly known was evangelization
Didache teaching, more popularly known as cathechism
Liturgy worship
3.) Written Gospels
- The Gospels were written by the four evangelists (Matthew, Mark, Luke,
John)
- Pauls epistles
Gospels were compiled from the oral tradition. The writers took the:
1.) Sayings
2.) Parables
3.) Miracles signs and wonders
from the oral tradition and combined them all into the Gospel
account.
GOSPEL OF MARK (written 65-67 AD)
-

Shortest and starkest

AUDIENCE: Gentile Christians
PRIMARY FOCUS: to present Jesus as the suffering Messiah who gave up
His life for all. Roman officer: This man really was the Son of God. (Mk.
15:39)
SYMBOL: Lion the voice of one crying in the wilderness

GOSPEL OF MATTHEW (written 75-85 AD)

-

AUDIENCE: established community of Jewish Christians/ persecuted Jewish

Christians

INTENT: proving that Jesus was the Messiah fulfilled in the Hebrew Scriptures.
He traced the ancestry of Jesus from King David back to Abraham
SYMBOL: Winged man because his Gospel emphasizes the human nature of
Christ
Matthew presents Jesus teachings as having a strong moral content and
emphasis on discipleship
DIASPORA dispersal of the persecuted Christians
Christians were killed/persecuted by:
1. Stoning spiked stones first, then flat stones, then boulders
2. Crucified upside down
3. Fed to the lion
4. Boiled alive
5. Torching (becoming human street lights)
Written to strengthen the faith of Christians
o

GOSPEL OF LUKE (written 70-90 AD)

-

Luke is the author of ACTS

Profession of Luke: physician
INTENT: Salvation is for all
Source of his Gospel: blessed virgin Mary
AUDIENCE: Greek community
SYMBOL: Ox because Christ has been sacrificed for all mankind because ox
is symbolized by sacrifice and service

GOSPEL OF JOHN
-

Is a spiritual gospel
John was referred to as the beloved apostle
John was the only one who did not die from punishment, only from old age
GNOSTICISM belief that true knowledge is given only to a selected
few

AUDIENCE: Gentile Gnostics

John wanted to make it clear: Jesus came down from heaven
Main Focus of Gospel of Matthew: emphasizes the humanity of Christ
Main Focus of Gospel of John: emphasizes the divinity of Christ
Organized according to a series of wonders or signs where people are
called to choose between belief and unbelief
SYMBOL: Eagle because it symbolizes the soaring spirit of the Gospel and
that the grace of the spirit was always on Jesus
EPHESUS place where John took care of Mary until her ascension

The GOSPELS in a nutshell:

1.) The Gospels are not just chronological biographies of Jesus

2.) They are remembered accounts of Jesus life, ministry, passion, youth,
resurrection, and how the apostles lives had been changed by Jesus act of
saving love.