544 Read the Bible for Yourself 11: How to Read the Gospels Restitutio

This is part 11 of the Read the Bible For Yourself.
The Gospels are evangelistic biographies of Jesus. In today's episode you'll learn the basic storyline of the four biblical Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Then we'll go through them from shortest to longest to see how each brings a unique and helpful perspective in telling the life of Christ. We'll also hit some important concepts like the kingdom of God, parables, and the word of God. Lastly, we'll ask about application. How can you figure out which sayings of Christ apply to you today and which ones do not?
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—— Notes ——
The Four Gospels

Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John
Gospel = good news
The Gospels are biographies about Jesus which seek to convince readers about the good news that he is the Messiah.

Basic Storyline of the Gospels

Birth narratives
John’s ministry
John baptizes Jesus.
Jesus calls the twelve.
Teachings of Jesus
Miracles of Jesus
Conflict with critics
Triumphal entry
Intensified conflict
Last supper
Arrest, trial, execution
Resurrection appearances
Great commission

Mark (11,305 words)

Papias: “And the elder used to say this: ‘Mark, having become Peter’s interpreter, wrote down accurately everything he remembered, though not in order, of the things either said or done by Christ. For he neither heard the Lord nor followed him, but afterward, as I said, followed Peter, who adapted his teachings as needed but had no intention of giving an ordered account of the Lord’s sayings. Consequently Mark did nothing wrong in writing down some things as he remembered them, for he made it his one concern not to omit anything that he heard or to make any false statement in them.’”[1]

John (15,633 words)

Purpose statement: John 20:30-3130 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book. 31 But these are written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.

Matthew (18,348 words)

Five blocks of teaching

5-7 Sermon on the Mount
10 Missionary Instruction
13 Parables of the Kingdom
18 Discourse on the Church
24-25 Olivet Discourse



Luke (19,483 words)

Luke’s method: Luke 1:1-41 Since many have undertaken to compile a narrative about the events that have been fulfilled among us, 2 just as they were handed on to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word, 3 I, too, decided, as one having a grasp of everything from the start, to write a well-ordered account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 so that you may have a firm grasp of the words in which you have been instructed.
Luke’s historical precision: Luke 3:1-21 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene, 2 during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness.

The Synoptic Gospels

Matthew, Mark, and Luke
Matthew and Luke quote Mark extensively.
Both quote another source of sayings as well.
Still, much of