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I. Matthew
А. The writer(s), the place, and the time
B. The subject
C. The background
D. The central thought
E. The general sketch
F. The sections
II. Mark (A to F)
III. Luke (A to F)
IV. John (A to F)
V. Acts (A to F)
[Christ as the wonderful center of the entire Bible is all-inclusive, having many aspects. The New Testament at its beginning presents four biographies to portray the four main aspects of this all-inclusive Christ. The Gospel of Matthew testifies that He is the King, the Christ of God according to the prophecies of the Old Testament, who brings the kingdom of the heavens to the earth. The Gospel of Mark tells us that He is the Servant of God, laboring for God faithfully. His account is most simple, for a servant does not need any detailed record. The Gospel of Luke presents a full picture of Him as the only proper and normal man who ever lived on this earth, and thus the Savior of mankind. The Gospel of John unveils Him as the Son of God, the very God Himself, to be life to God’s people. Among these four Gospels, Matthew and Luke have a record of genealogy; Mark and John do not. To testify that Jesus is the King, the Christ of God prophesied in the Old Testament, Matthew needs to show us the antecedents and status of this King, proving that He is the proper successor to the throne of David. To prove that Jesus is a proper and normal man, Luke needs to show the generations of this man, attesting that He is qualified to be the Savior of mankind. For a record of a servant, Mark does not need to tell us His origin. To unveil that Jesus is the very God, neither does John need to give us a human genealogy; rather he declares that as the Word of God He is the very God in the beginning.]
A. The writer(s), the place, and the time: Matthew, also called Levi, was a tax collector who became an apostle (9:9, Luke 5:27). This is proved by the mystery host in 9:10 and special mention of the tax collector in 10:3. This book was probably written between A.D. 37 and A.D. 40, not long after the Lord’s resurrection (28:15), and before the destruction of the temple (24:2). It may have been written in Judea, although we have no way to know for sure. We know that this book was written to the common Jewish people because it gives no explanation of the Jewish customs and holidays (compare 15:2 with Mark 7:2-3 compare 26:17 with Mark 14:12).
B. The subject: the gospel of the kingdom — proving that Christ is the King-Savior.
C. The background: [The Bible is a book of life, and this life is a living Person, the wonderful and all-inclusive Christ. The Old Testament gives a portrait of this wonderful Person in types and prophecies as the coming One. Now in the New Testament this wonderful Person has come.]
D. The central thought: [Christ, as Jesus (Jehovah the Savior) and Emmanuel (God with us), is the King, the Baptizer, the light, the Teacher, the Healer, the Forgiver, the Bridegroom, the Shepherd, the Friend, the wisdom, the rest, the greater temple, the real David, the Lord of the Sabbath, the greater Jonah, the greater Solomon, the Sower, the seed, the Feeder, the bread, the crumbs under the table, the Christ, the Son of the living God, the rock for the church, the Builder of the church, the Founder of the kingdom, the present Moses, the present Elijah, the Head of the corner, the Lord, the resurrected One, the One with authority, and the One ever-present to His people in resurrection.]
E. The general sketch: [Christ is Jehovah God incarnated to be the King-Savior who came to establish the kingdom of the heavens (the heavenly rule) by saving His people from sin (of rebellion) through His death and resurrection.]
F. The sections: 1) the King’s antecedents and status (1:1—2:23), 2) the King’s anointing (3:1—4:11), 3) the King’s ministry (4:12—11:30), 4) the King’s being rejected (12:1—27:66), and 5) the King’s victory (28:1—20).
A. The writer(s), the place, and the time: [The writer of this Gospel was Mark, also called John (Acts 12:25), the son of one of the Marys (who was close to the apostle Peter in the church at Jerusalem, Acts 12:12), and the cousin of Barnabas (Col. 4:10). He accompanied Barnabas and Saul in their ministry (Acts 12:25), and joined Paul in the first journey of his ministry to the Gentiles, leaving him and turning back at Perga (Acts 13:13). Due to his return he was rejected by Paul in his second journey. Mark then joined Barnabas in his work, at which time Barnabas separated himself from Paul (Acts 15:36-40). However, Mark was close to Paul in his later years (Col. 4:10; Philem. 24), and useful to him for his ministry until Paul’s martyrdom (2 Tim. 4:11). He was close to Peter, probably continually, since Peter considered him his son (1 Pet. 5:13).]
This book was written between A.D. 60 and A.D. 70. The content of 13:2 proves that it was written before the destruction of the holy temple, possibly after the death of the apostle Paul. It may have been written in Rome (see 2 Tim. 4:11).
The book of Mark explains many Jewish names, customs, and holidays (3:17; 5:41; 7:3, 11; 14:12; 15:42); this proves that it was written to the Gentiles, particularly to Romans.
B. The subject: the gospel of God — proving that Jesus Christ is the Slave-Savior.
C. The background: [Concerning the Gospel of Mark we need to keep three matters in mind: first, that this Gospel is a written account of Peter’s presentation of the history of Jesus Christ, the Son of God; second, that this Gospel was written according to historical sequence; and third, that this Gospel gives more details of historical facts than the other Gospels do. The Gospel of Mark may actually be regarded as the Gospel of Peter. Peter presented the story of the Lord Jesus orally to Mark, and Mark put this story into writing.]
D. The central thought: [The Gospel of Mark presents the Lord Jesus as a Slave of God and as the Slave-Savior of sinners. As the Slave-Savior, the Lord served sinners and gave His life as a ransom for them (10:45). By giving His life as a ransom for sinners, the Lord as the Slave-Savior accomplished the eternal purpose of God, whom He served as a Slave.]
E. The general sketch: [Since Mark presents the Savior as a Slave, he does not tell His genealogy and status, as the ancestry of a slave is not worthy of note. Mark also does not intend to impress us with the Slave’s wonderful words (as Matthew does with His marvelous teachings and parables concerning the heavenly kingdom, and John with His profound revelations of divine truths), but he impresses us with His excellent deeds in His gospel service, providing more detail than the other Gospels, in order to portray the Slave-Savior’s diligence, faithfulness, and other virtues in the saving service He rendered to sinners for God. In Mark’s Gospel is the fulfillment of the prophecy concerning Christ as the Slave of Jehovah in Isaiah 42:1-4, 6-7; 49:5-7; 50:4-7; 52:13 — 53:12, and the details of the teaching regarding Christ as the Slave of God in Philippians 2:5-11. His diligence in labor, His need of food and rest (Mark 3:20-21; 6:31), His anger (3:5), His groaning (7:34), and His affection (10:21) display beautifully His humanity in its virtue and perfection. His lordship (2:28), His omniscience (2:8), His miraculous power, and His authority to cast out demons (1:27; 3:15), to forgive sins (2:7, 10), and to silence the wind and the sea (4:39) manifest in full His deity in its glory and honor. What a Slave of God! How lovely and admirable! Such a Slave served sinners as their Slave-Savior, with His life as their ransom (10:45), for the fulfillment of the eternal purpose of God, whose Slave He was.]
F. The sections: 1) the beginning of the gospel and the initiation of the Slave-Savior (1:1-13), 2) the ministry of the Slave-Savior for the spreading of the gospel (1:14—10:52), 3) the preparation of the Slave-Savior for His redemptive service (11:1—14:42), 4) the death and resurrection of the Slave-Savior for the accomplishment of God’s redemption (14:43—16:18), 5) the ascension of the Slave-Savior for His exaltation (16:19), and 6) the Slave-Savior’s universal spreading of the gospel through His disciples (16:20).
A. The writer(s), the place, and the time: [The early church recognized Luke as the author of both this Gospel and Acts. Luke’s authorship is evident from the style of composition of the two books. Luke was a Gentile (Col. 4:14, cf. 11), probably an Asiatic Greek, and a physician (Col. 4:14). Starting in Troas, he joined Paul in his ministry and accompanied him in his last three ministry journeys (Acts 16:10-17; 20:5—21:18; 27:1—28:15). He was a faithful companion of Paul until Paul was martyred (Philem. 24; 2 Tim. 4:11). Hence, his Gospel should represent Paul’s views, as Mark’s represents Peter’s.]
This book was written before the book of Acts (Acts 1:1), probably about A.D. 60. It may have been written in Caesarea while the apostle Paul was in prison there. It was written to Theophilus (1:3 and footnote 2).
B. The subject: the gospel of redemption — proving that Jesus Christ is the Man-Savior living a life in the highest standard of morality.
C. The background: [It may seem that the Gospel of Luke is not as profound as the Gospel of Matthew or as mysterious as the Gospel of John. The reason for this is that Luke gives us a record of our Savior, the Lord Jesus, as a Man. A man, of course, is not profound when compared to God.] [Although the Gospel of Luke is not the most profound or mysterious of the four Gospels, it is the most sweet and pleasant of the Gospels. Yes, God is profound. But when He became a man, He became sweet and pleasant.]
[Luke does not stress the dispensational aspect or the Jewish background as Matthew does. The Gospel of Luke is the Gospel written to mankind in general, announcing the good news to all people (2:10). Its characteristic is absolutely not Jewish, but Gentile (4:25-28). It is a Gospel to all sinners, both Jews and Gentiles. As such, its record is according to the sequence of morality, not according to the sequence of historical events.] [In this respect Luke is similar to Matthew. Matthew’s sequence is the sequence of doctrine concerning the kingdom, and Luke’s sequence is the sequence of morality. Therefore neither Luke nor Matthew was written according to the sequence of historical events.]
D. The central thought: [According to the Gospel of Luke, our Savior lives, behaves, and works in the highest standard of morality. Moreover, His salvation is carried out in the highest standard of morality. Therefore, we need to keep in mind that the subject of the Gospel of Luke is the Man-Savior and His salvation in the highest standard of morality.]
This highest standard of morality is an issue of His human virtues being fully strengthened and enriched by the Father’s divine attributes. [Today the very Christ who lives in us is still the One who possesses the human virtues strengthened and enriched by the divine attributes. While He was on earth, He lived a life in the highest standard of morality. Such a life was a composition of the divine attributes and the human virtues. Of course, the Lord Jesus lived this kind of life outside the disciples. But from the time of His resurrection He has been living this kind of life within the believers. This means that within us today the Man-Savior is still living a life in the highest standard of morality, a life that is a composition of the divine attributes and the human virtues. If we see this, we shall say with Paul, “It is no longer I, but Christ lives in me” (Gal. 2:20).]
E. The general sketch: The gospel of Luke [displays and presents to us mainly five crucial and excellent aspects concerning the Man-Savior: His birth, ministry, death, resurrection, and ascension.
F. The sections: 1) introduction (1:1-4), 2) the preparation of the Man-Savior in His humanity with His divinity (1:5—4:13), 3) the ministry of the Man-Savior in His human virtues with His divine attributes (4:14—19:27), 4) the Man-Savior’s presentation of Himself to death for redemption (19:28—22:46), 5) the death of the Man-Savior (22:47—23:56), 6) the resurrection of the Man-Savior (24:1-49), and 7) the ascension of the Man-Savior (24:50-53).
A. The writer(s), the place, and the time: This book was written by the apostle John (21:20, 24), the son of Zebedee (Matt. 10:2); his brother was James, and his mother was Salome (Matt. 27:56; Mark 15:40). It was written about A.D. 90, perhaps in Ephesus. It was written to all Jewish and Gentile believers; we know this because of the explanations in 1:38; 5:2; and 19:13.
B. The subject: the gospel of life — proving that Jesus Christ is the God-Savior coming as life to bring about God’s enlargement.
C. The background: [The Gospel of John is a good example of a New Testament book written against a negative background. This Gospel was written during the last decade of the first century. At that time there was a tendency, even among Christians, to deny the deity of Christ. Some were doubting Christ’s deity, and others were even denying this truth. With such a trend as the background, this Gospel was written by the apostle John. Without this Gospel, we could not have an adequate understanding of Christ’s deity and His eternal existence. Neither could we realize how Christ could become our life. But through the Gospel of John we clearly see that Christ’s deity is eternal and absolute. In this Gospel we also have the clear view of eternal life and of how Christ can be life to us. If there had not been such a dark background at the end of the first century, this wonderful Gospel probably would not have been written.]
D. The central thought: [The Gospel of John reveals that the Triune God is dispensing Himself into His believers and that all His believers, as a result of the transfusion and infusion of the Triune God into them, become His enlargement. This enlargement of the Triune God is the expansion, the building, and the expression of God.]
E. The general sketch: [The Gospel of John reveals that in Christ, the Word of God, is life (1:4); that He came that man may have life (10:10b); and that He Himself is life (11:25; 14:6). Furthermore, this Gospel shows us that Christ is the bread of life (6:35); that He has the water of life (4:14); that He gives life to man (5:21); and that He even lives in man as life (14:19).
The Gospel of John unfolds the building. In 1:14 we see that Christ in the flesh was the tabernacle for God’s habitation among men on earth. “And the Word became flesh and tabernacled among us.” Also, Christ’s body was the temple before His death and after His resurrection (2:19-22). Before His death His body in the flesh was the temple, and after His resurrection His resurrected body remained the temple of God. This is the building. Furthermore, this gospel reveals that the believers are to be built as the abode of the Triune God (14:2, 23). This is adequately and fully disclosed in John 14. According to that chapter, all the believers will be built together as God’s eternal habitation with so many abodes. Thus, as the Lord’s last prayer found in John 17 indicates, all His believers must be built up into one (vv. 11, 21-23).]
F. The sections: 1) the eternal Word incarnated coming to bring God into man (chs. 1—13), and 2) Jesus crucified and Christ resurrected going to prepare the way to bring man into God, and as the Spirit coming to abide and live in the believers for the building of God’s habitation (chs. 14—21).
A. The writer(s), the place, and the time: Luke wrote the book of Acts after the book of Luke, between A.D. 67 and A.D. 68 (1:1). It may have been written in Rome (see Philem. 24; 2 Tim. 4:11). Its recipient was Theophilus (see Acts 1:1; Luke 1:3 footnote 2).
B. The subject: the propagation of the resurrected Christ in His ascension, by the Spirit, through the disciples, for the producing of the churches — the kingdom of God.
C. The background: The first book written by Luke, his Gospel, describes the Lord’s life and ministry on earth. [That life and ministry were initiated by His conception and concluded by His resurrection. Then after His resurrection the Lord Jesus ascended to the heavens. This ascension was not a termination but another initiation. This initiation brought Him into a new realm, that is, into the heavens, where He now has another living with another ministry.] [Now there is the need of the second book, the book of Acts, to tell us into what kind of living and ministry the Lord has been initiated through His ascension. Therefore, Luke had the burden to write a second book to unveil the living and ministry of this ascended Christ.]
D. The central thought: [God’s New Testament economy is to propagate the processed Triune God in the Person of the all-inclusive, resurrected Christ. Only the propagation of this resurrected Christ is the answer to the pitiful situation on the earth. What is needed is for us to allow God to carry out His New Testament economy in propagating the resurrected Christ.] [Having become the all-inclusive Spirit, He now enters into God’s chosen people to apply to them all that the Triune God in the Son has accomplished. Through such an application, God’s people become living witnesses of the incarnated, crucified, resurrected, and ascended Christ (Acts. 1:8).] [As those who have the all-inclusive Spirit within us, what should we do? We should simply be living witnesses containing, bearing, and conveying the incarnated, crucified, resurrected, and ascended Christ so that He may be propagated throughout the earth for the fulfillment of the divine economy.]
E. The general sketch: The Lord charged His disciples to wait in Jerusalem until they receive power from the Holy Spirit, that they may be His witnesses from Jerusalem, to Judea and Samaria, and to the uttermost part of the earth (1:8). They prayed in one accord and were filled with the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost (1:14; 2:1-4). They became witnesses of the resurrected Christ in ascension to the Jews and to the Gentiles (chs. 2 and 10). They witnessed in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, Samaria, Asia Minor, Macedonia, Europe, and in Rome. Many people became the reproduction of Christ, and many churches were established in these regions as the expression of the resurrected Christ in ascension. The book of Acts did not have an ending. Any one of us, filled with the Spirit, may continue Acts by propagating Christ to the people around us for the producing of the church.
F. The sections: 1) introduction (1:1-2), 2) the preparation (1:3-26), and 3) the propagation (2:1—28:31).
Jesus Christ, the promised and prophesied Messiah in the Old Testament, came as a King-Savior, served as a Slave-Savior, lived as a Man-Savior, and gave His life as a God-Savior. He served His people through His death and resurrection. In His ascension, He was propagated through gospel-preaching and baptism to produce many sons of God like Him, and local churches to be His corporate expression on the earth.
