The Amazing Aspects of the Bible (Part 11)
"Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment" (John 7:24).
The New Testament, written more than 400 years after any Old Testament book, nevertheless fulfills prophecy after prophecy about Jesus and His kingdom, the church. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John provide a perspective of the life of Jesus. These accounts of the time that Jesus spent on earth would be of little value if they were identical. Although they are all inspired by the Holy Spirit, each has a different emphasis.
Matthew opens with a genealogy that begins with Abraham, the father of the Jews (who are his main audience). This line leads to David, who is the first of the kings. The last king mentioned is Jeconiah, and Joseph (Jesus' earthly father) is descended from him. Although Jesus is not biologically related to Joseph, he was by law His father; so Matthew presents Jesus' legal, regal ancestors. Matthew immediately provides details of the virgin birth of Jesus, which is a striking fulfillment of Isaiah 7:14. The Jews who knew their Scriptures would certainly take notice of this claim and know that no other human being had ever fit its basic requirement.
Mark, written for the Romans who loved action, skips the birth of Jesus altogether and, after two brief references from the prophets Isaiah and Malachi, is already describing John the Baptizer's ministry by verse 4. By verse 9, he has introduced Jesus. Just as Matthew would capture the attention of the Jews with His genealogy and virgin birth account, so Mark has the Roman reader involved from the very beginning. Notice his opening, bold statement: "The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God" (Mark 1:1). Sons of God were not unfamiliar to the Romans, but the claim is made up front—with two prophecies of His forerunner given—and the reader could find out more about that, if he so chose. John introduces Jesus, Who, as He is baptized, is endorsed by God from heaven. By verse 14, Jesus is preaching, and by verse 23 He is doing a miracle.
Luke writes for the Greeks who emphasized thought and reason. Greece had brought forth Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. Besides philosophers, the nation had mathematical giants such as Pythagoras, Archimedes, and Euclid. Luke emphasizes truth at the outset by mentioning the things that "are most surely believed among us" (Luke 1:1). He mentions eyewitnesses in the next verse, the fact that he has perfect understanding of the matters following that, and he is writing an orderly account so that Theophilus might know the certainty of the things in which he had been instructed. Luke then provides many details into the birth of John (which no other writer mentions), along with the virgin birth of Jesus. Luke reports a childhood event of the Lord, the preaching of John, and Jesus' baptism, before tracing His mother Mary's genealogy through David all the way back to Adam (Luke 1-3).
John writes the universal gospel of the life of Christ, tracing his origin back way beyond His earthly conception to His Deity. "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God" (John 1:1). How exciting would these words be to the whole world! John has one central theme—to establish that Jesus is Deity (20:30-31). Whereas Luke often highlights the humanity of Jesus, John wanted everyone to know that Jesus is God—not that the other writers do not have this goal, also, because they do—but this fact is John's primary emphasis.
All four inspired men mention the baptism of Jesus, the feeding of the 5,000, the Last Supper that Jesus had with His disciples, the crucifixion, and His resurrection. In fact, each of them writes considerably concerning the last week of His earthly life. Matthew devotes 35% of his gospel to this last week (21:1-28:20); Mark gives 37% (11:1-16:2); Luke is the shortest at 22.5% (19:28-24:53); and John contains the most material (42%), including that last conversation with His disciples in 14-16 (12:1-21:25).
Matthew
The writer of this gospel account of the life of Christ tended to group things together, such as a collection of teachings in the Sermon on the Mount (5-7), several miracles (8-9), and several parables (13). He records the longest denunciation of the scribes and the Pharisees (23), as well as the necessity of being prepared for the judgment: the parable of the ten virgins, the parable of the talents, and the dividing of the sheep and the goats (25).
What do most books even to this day emphasize as important to man's happiness? Most of the popular books include keys to being successful, how to get other people to do what you want, or how to make money. Mere men do not generally consider the steps to happiness that Jesus provided in what we call the Beatitudes (5:3-10). Jesus taught that the way to blessedness was in humility, mourning for one's sins, being able to yield rather than insisting on one's own way, hungering and thirsting after righteousness, being merciful, pure in heart, a peacemaker rather than a troublemaker, and enduring persecution for righteousness' sake. The world had never thought in terms like these, and particularly they did not in the Roman Empire. Developing a spiritual character and being what God wants us to be is the way to happiness.
Jesus explained that the Law of Moses was still in effect, but that He was a greater authority (Matt. 5:17-32). He dealt with a concept that afflicts most people—worry (6:25-34)—and He gave what we call "the Golden Rule" (Matt. 7:12). He did not ignore truths that are hard to bear, such as the majority of people will be lost, and only few will be saved (7:13-14). Nor did He overlook that false teachers are always seeking followers (7:15-20)—a theme that surfaces in just about every book of the New Testament.
Matthew includes the famous passage in which Jesus says: "Upon this rock I will build my church…" (16:18). Some have misapplied the rock as Peter, but it is Jesus' own Deity that is the foundation of Christianity. Matthew presents a comprehensive section on marriage, divorce, and re-marriage (Matt. 19:3-12). Our Lord absolutely stymied His critics by turning their question back upon themselves when He asks, "The baptism of John, where was it from? From heaven or from men?" (21:25). He also silenced the Sadducees by telling them that "in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage…" (22:30) and pointing out that God is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; He is the God of the living (22:32). Although the Great Commission is found in some form by the other three writers, it is the one in Matthew that is usually quoted (28:18-20).
Matthew is the only one who tells of the account of the Jews bribing the guards to say that Jesus' body was stolen by His disciples (28:11-15). He is also the only one to use the phrase, the kingdom of heaven, and he describes the church that way 32 times.
Mark
Mark describes many of the same events as Matthew (albeit fewer of them). However, a controversy surrounds the last twelve verses because Sinaiticus and Vaticanus omit them. Plenty of manuscripts do include the verses, however, including the Peshito Syriac that predates the highly-touted duo by 200 years! Some have an almost fanatical attachment to that pair, as though they are the most authoritative manuscripts available, but not everyone has such an exalted assessment of them. Mark 16:9-20 would probably not be challenged except for verse 16, which makes "faith only" advocates uncomfortable. The last twelve verses of Mark are extremely well-written, and if some uninspired man did compose them, he is certainly one of the cleverest forgers of all time. The fact is, however, that the end of the book agrees with its beginning.
Mark 16:15 records Jesus commissioning His disciples to "preach the gospel to every creature"; then He adds: "He who believes and is baptized will be saved, but he who does not believe will be condemned" (16:16). It is so easy to see that in this promise two conditions must be met to receive salvation: faith and baptism. Those who do not think that baptism is necessary find themselves in an awkward position; so it is easier for them to undermine the authority of the verse.
What they have failed to observe, however, is that Mark makes that same connection at the very outset of his gospel. He declares in 1:1 that Jesus is the Son of God, and in 1:4 he writes: "John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins." Jesus is the Son of God, and the correct response to Him involves baptism for the forgiveness of sins. Note how well this accords with what Luke writes in connection with the queen's treasurer (of Ethiopia) in Acts 8:35-39. Philip preached Jesus, and the eunuch wanted to know if he could be baptized!
In other words, Mark says that John preached that people should repent of their sins, and then they could be baptized for the forgiveness of them, just as Peter would later teach on the Day of Pentecost. In fact, the expression John uses in 1:4 is identical to that which Peter uses in Acts 2:38. It is identical both in English and in the Greek! Mark and Luke are writing about different occasions altogether, but each instance is in total agreement with what Mark 16:16 teaches.
Mark also throws a monkey-wrench into pre-millennial error by publishing the words of Jesus: "Assuredly, I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste of death till they see the kingdom of God come with power" (9:1). The kingdom was established shortly thereafter. Mark shows John telling Herod that it was not lawful to have his brother Philip's wife (6:17-18), thus forever settling the futile notion that obtaining a divorce is simply the sin and that one can have the woman as wife. Mark's briefer account of Jesus' life is truly powerful.
Luke
Critics may point to different details in Jesus' teachings as though these are contradictions. Frequently, there is no discrepancy at all; it may simply be the case that one writer is providing more information than another one. But in instances where some details are actually different, has the skeptic ever considered how many times on various occasions Jesus taught essentially the same material—the same parables, the same illustrations? John said that only a fraction of the Lord's miracles were ever recorded (John 21:35). The same could be said of His teachings.
Like all speakers, Jesus could use an illustration to emphasize a particular theme He was covering on one day and alter it slightly for use on another occasion. In Matthew 25:14-30, Jesus had a man who gave his servants one, two, and five talents. The one with five made five more, the man with two doubled his, but the man with one talent did not try to make any money with it at all. Previous to this occasion Luke tells of a nobleman who gave ten servants a mina apiece. One earned ten, one earned five, and one earned nothing (Luke 19:12-27). Some details were changed from one occasion to another; such is normal for teachers—not a contradiction.
Luke tells of Mary traveling to see Elizabeth and the way her child (the Greek word brephos), John, jumped in the womb (Luke 1:41, 44). Luke used the same word later for Mary's child, Jesus, after He was born. As far as inspiration is concerned, the unborn baby and the one who has been delivered are described by the same word. What is in the womb is not a fetus, it is a human being. No pro-abortionist has ever answered this argument. Luke's descriptions clarify the issue.
Besides harmonizing with Matthew and Mark, Luke also adds material that the others do not mention. He records Jesus saying to His parents when He was only 12: "Did you not know that I must be about My Father's business?" (2:49). Luke also gives us a comprehensive definition of growth—intellectual, physical, spiritual, and social (2:52). The account of the Good Samaritan effectively answers the question: "Who is my neighbor?" (10:25-37). The reader also learns about the one thing that is needful (10:38-42), and it is not the abundance of the things we possess (12:13-34).
Jesus issued another statement that the "faith only" crowd cannot adequately deal with: "…unless you repent you will all likewise perish" (13:3). Our Lord must have astounded many in His day when He declared that the rich man was lost but Lazarus saved. In so doing, He furnished us a look into the future—to see what happens when we die (16:19-31). While Jesus was dying, He prayed for the forgiveness of those who crucified Him in ignorance (23:34). With the Pharisee and the publican, Jesus contrasted true religious attitudes with false ones (Luke 18:9-14). Though Luke reveals a wealth of material not found in other writers, nevertheless all of his writing harmonizes with them.
John
The gospel of John is the most different of the four, including events at the outset and the conclusion of Jesus' ministry that the others do not. His Deity is stressed from start to finish. Like Genesis 1:1 we read that in the beginning was God (the Word). Jesus is that Word; God became flesh (1:1, 14). Several miracles are recorded to prove that Jesus is God. The first of these was at the wedding feast in Cana, where Jesus turned water into wine (non-alcoholic, despite the teaching of a popular country song which agrees with some brethren). Jesus showed power over the physical things of this world. John also describes Jesus healing a nobleman's son (4:46-54) and a man lame for 38 years (5:5-15). After feeding the 5,000 (John 6:1-15), Jesus walked on water (6:16-21). He also healed a man born blind, which is truly amazing (9:1-41), but not nearly as much as raising Lazarus from the dead (11:1-53). Jesus' greatest miracle was that He Himself arose from the dead! He had said He had power to lay down His life and power to take it again (10:18). And He did.
John is filled with some of Jesus' most interesting conversations; He had an extended discussion with: Nicodemus (3:1-15), the woman at the well (4:1-42), the Jews who desired to kill Him (5:16-47), His disciples who turned away from Him (6:25-71), the Pharisees (8:12-59), and with the men who would become His apostles (14-16). In these we learn that: as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so Jesus would be lifted up (as He was in the crucifixion) (3:14); "God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth" (4:24); Jesus will be our Judge at the last day because He is the Son of Man (5:27-29); Jesus is the living bread come down from heaven (6:51); if we abide in our Lord's Word, we shall know the truth, and the truth shall make us free (8:32); the devil was a murderer from the beginning and does not stand in the truth, since he is the father of lies (8:44); the apostles would receive the Holy Spirit to bring to their remembrance all that Jesus had said, teach them all truth, and show them things to come (14:25-26; 16:12-13).
In one of these conversations Jesus identified Himself as the Eternal One when He said; "Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM" (8:58). He dealt a blow to pre-millennial doctrine when He refused to be an earthly king (John 5:15) and confessed to Pilate: "My kingdom is not of this world" (18:36). Jesus never intended to be an earthly king but rather to rule over His spiritual body, the church. Our Lord handled perfectly His enemies who brought a woman taken in the very act of adultery. He silenced her accusers by telling them that the one who was without sin could cast the first stone. He told her to go and sin no more (8:2-11). Perhaps most sobering is what Jesus said concerning the Day of Judgment: He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day" (12:48). But only the impenitent need to fear that day. Jesus desires that we have peace (14:27), a mansion (14:1-3), and eternal life (3:16). Truly, He is our Good Shepherd.
So much more of great value is contained in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John; these have been just a few highlights. They record the life of Jesus, the only Savior the world will ever have, and show the way in which He fulfilled about 300 prophecies from the Old Testament. He is the prophet, the priest, and the king who was to come. The remainder of the New Testament sets forth the teachings of the kingdom of heaven.