Synoptic Gospels
(Matthew, Mark, and Luke)
- German scholars started to question the many similarities throughout the gospels and so assumed that there were different sources to which the gospel writers copied. They believe that either the writers copied from each other or copied from the same source.
- They concluded that the first gospel written was the book of Mark. They conclude that all of the similarities between the three synoptic gospels derived from Mark. Both Luke and Matthew used the book of Mark as a source when writing thus explains all of the similarities.
- Than they found that Matthew and Luke contained word for word text that Mark did not contain.
- They conclude that Matthew and Luke must have used two different sources when writing their gospels. They named the two sources as Mark and “Q.” They use the “Q” source to explain the material that Matthew and Luke both contain, but Mark does not.
- Note: there is absolutely no evidence of a “Q” source. This is all speculation.
- Another came along and started to question the difference between Matthew and Luke. Luke has some text uniquely to itself and so does Matthew.
- These scholars came up with two more sources, M and L.
- The “M” source stands for the text unique only to Matthew.
- The “L” source stands for the text unique to only Luke.
- The conclusion of all of this was:
- Mark- The first gospel written and the source that provided all of the similarities within all three synoptic gospels.
- “Q”- The source that provided the similarities between Matthew and Luke, but not Mark.
- “M”- The source which provided the material only unique to Matthew.
- “L”- The source which provided the material only unique to Luke.
- So all together they came up with four sources, “Mark, Q, M, and L.”
- I personally do not hold to this view. I believe that all scripture is God breathed. All scripture is fully inspired by God through His chosen writers.
- Is all of this really a big deal?
- Yes!
- It calls into question the integrity of Scripture itself.
• Each Gospel was written by a different author to different audiences for a different purpose.
• So each unique part of each Gospel is to give a different picture of Jesus Christ to that particular crowd.
Matthew
- Matthew was writing primarily to a Jewish crowd.
- The Jews knew the promises of the O.T. Messiah, so Matthew wants to show Jesus as the King that was, is, and is to come.
- Hebrew / Messiah = Anointed
- Greek / Christ = Anointed
- Anointed one’s lead people from idolatry to follow the one true God.
- Who would be an O.T. Messiah? Moses / David
- Jesus is our Messiah, or Christ, which delivers us from our sin and leads us to the one true God.
- Remember that Matthew is going to have some different information because he is writing to a different crowd.
- If I was explaining something to a college student vs. a sixteen year old, I would relay a story in a different manner. I would use illustrations uniquely to that individual so they would understand it to the best of their knowledge.
- The different audiences will also have different questions, so Matthew will answer their concerns from a Jewish standpoint.
Genealogy of Jesus Christ according to Matthew (1:1-17)
- Mathew mentions in v.1 that Jesus is the Son of David which is a messianic name line. (v.1)
- Remember that Matthew is trying to show Jesus as the promised Messiah. The Jews knew that the promised Messiah would come from the line of David.
- 2 Samuel 7:16 – “Your house [house of David] and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever.”
- So by Matthew linking Jesus to the line of David gave no question whether He was King or not.
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- Abraham is mentioned to show that the Abrahamic Covenant was fulfilled.
- ??????(GIFT) Can anybody tell me what the Abrahamic Covenant is?
- The Jewish people knew about this promise that “all nations will be blessed” (Gen. 22:18) through the line of Abraham. Matthew wants to show that Jesus is the ultimate fulfillment of this promise that the Jewish nation had been eagerly waiting for. (v.1)
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- Five women are mentioned by Matthew in the genealogy of Christ.
- Most genealogies from the time of Jesus did not even mention women.
- Why? Women were looked at more as property at this time.
- Tamar (v.3) – Widowed twice, humiliated, and sent away; yet the Lord gave her children and honor.
- There are many churches today that look at divorcees as “sinners.” They say, “They got a divorce, I can’t believe it.” “Christians aren’t supposed to get divorced!”
- Have you ever thought you were superior to someone else whose been through a divorce?
- Rahab (v.5) – A prostitute who was not even an Israelite, but from Jericho, a city at war with Israel.
- If a prostitute walked into church, looking like a prostitute, she would probably be turned away.
- Do keep as far away as possible from prostitutes and drug addicts or do you embrace them?
- Ruth (v.5) – A foreigner from Moab, a country that often warred with Israel.
- When you see a Muslim or a Jehovah witness, what do you think in your head?
- Do you immediately have thoughts of superiority? Or do you immediately feel led to talk with them, get to know them, befriend them, and maybe open an opportunity to share Christ?
- Bathsheba (v.6) – Became pregnant by King David; her husband was murdered.
- How do you look at a young woman who gets pregnant by another women’s husband? Do you immediately look down on them or do you try to befriend them to be a good example?
- Mary (v.16) – Mother of Jesus from a poor area of Israel, probably a teenager.
- How would we look at a teenage girl engaged to one guy and it appears that she slept around and became pregnant with another man’s baby?
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- This list of women within Jesus’ ancestors reminds us that Jesus is the Savior for all people: Jews, Gentiles, male, and female.
- Jesus hung around and ate with the “sinners and tax collectors.”
- There is a very fine line here, but what is it? Should we hangout with prostitutes, drug addicts, thieves, and people from other faiths?
- Jesus did…
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- (v.16) “by whom” is written in a feminine form showing the virgin birth. Masculine is normally the default form.
- What is the significance of 14? (v.17)
- ד ו ד is David’s name in Hebrew. The Hebrew alphabet was given a numerical code to have better accuracy when copying documents. 464 was the numerical code for David’s name, which equals to 14.
- As we can see, the genealogies in the Bible are much more significant than most of us think.
- In the genealogy we see God’s provision for gentiles, God’s grace for all, and God’s blessings for those who trust in Him.
- Can anyone share a situation in their own life where they have been judgmental, but feel a need to reach out to them?
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Conception and Birth of Jesus Christ (1:18-25)
- (v.18) “Betrothed” was the first stage of marriage in the Jewish culture, usually lasting for about a year before the wedding night. This was a legal agreement, not like engagement today. To be betrothed was almost equivalent to marriage with the only difference being that the two did not live together yet. The husband was to go and prepare a house to bring his bride to after the marriage feast. They were considered as husband and wife and had to “divorce” to break the betrothal.
- For the “wife” to become pregnant during the betrothal period would be considered as adultery.
- So, before they had slept together, Mary was found to be pregnant.
- (v.19) Joseph understandably gets angry and plans to send her away.
- We can see a glimpse of Joseph’s character within his reaction:
- “…decided to divorce her “quietly” [secretly].”
- Men, ask yourself about your character. How would you react if our fiancé came home and claimed to be pregnant by the Holy Spirit?
- (v.20-24) Joseph has a dream, wakes up, and marries Mary.
- What happens when we do not act upon the Spirit’s guidance?
- By faith, Joseph trusted that Mary was pregnant by the Holy Spirit.
- (v.25) “until” shows that Mary did in fact has sexual intercourse after she gave birth to Jesus.
- There are two Greek words that we translate into the English word “virgin.”
