Week 42: Mark 4 - Luke 6

This week's reading takes us into the middle of the Synoptic Tradition. The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke share many similarities because each of these writers drew from the same oral and written sources.

The Gospel accounts that we have in our Bibles were compiled and written between AD 65 and 85, which means that the first generation of Jesus' followers relied on a robust oral tradition and short written stories. (In fact, the first New Testament book, James, did not come into existence until about AD 50.) The Synoptic Tradition drew together these oral and written stories, which came from eyewitness accounts of the Apostles and others closely associated with Jesus.

The early church fathers were united in their conviction that Matthew, a former tax collector and one of the twelve Apostles, was the author of the Gospel that occurs first in the New Testament. Interestingly, Matthew drew much of his material from the Gospel of Mark, which was written by Barnabas' cousin, John Mark, around AD 65.

New Testament scholars are in general agreement that Mark's Gospel was the first of the three synoptic Gospels and that both Matthew (written in the 70s) and Luke (also written in the 70s) drew liberally from Mark's material. That Matthew, himself an eyewitness of Jesus' life and ministry, would rely so heavily on Mark's account has caused some scholars to question whether Matthew actually wrote the Gospel bearing his name. One answer is that Matthew agreed with Mark's account and, while adding his own unique touches, sought to present a united apostolic witness. Luke was not an eyewitness, so no scholars question whether he wrote his Gospel on the basis of his reliance on other sources.

Matthew developed his Gospel for a Jewish audience. His main goal was to demonstrate that Jesus was their long-awaited Messiah. He did this by (1) highlighting Jesus' family ties with Israel's greatest King and messianic archetype, King David, and (2) showing how many key events in Jesus' life were prefigured and prophesied in the Old Testament.

Mark was in Rome when he produced his Gospel. He sought to comfort his fellow Christians in Rome during a period of severe persecution, which went from AD 64 to 67. He emphasized that suffering was an integral part of Jesus' life and plays a key role in forging true faithfulness in the lives of Jesus' followers. References to suffering and discipleship occur throughout this Gospel (see 1:12, 13; 3:22, 30; 8:34-38;10:30, 33, 34, 45; 13:8, 11-13). Bishop Papias, an early church leader who wrote in the first half of the second century, quoted an earlier source, possibly the Apostle John, saying that Mark relied heavily on the Apostle Peter as he compiled his Gospel.

Luke wrote his Gospel for one man, Theophilus, whose name means "lover of God." He calls him, "Most excellent Theophilus" (1:3), which likely indicates that he was a person of wealth and prominence or perhaps a high-ranking Roman official. However, even though the book is addressed to a single individual, Luke clearly developed his Gospel with a wider audience in mind. He uniquely underscored such key themes as salvation's being available to Gentiles as well as Jews, the important role that women played in Jesus' life, the work and influence of the Holy Spirit, Jesus' practice of prayer, his concern for the poor, his affection for sinners, and his frequent use of the title, "Son of Man." Luke's Gospel is Volume One of a two-volume series. The book of Acts is his Volume Two.

This week's reading is as follows:
* Weekend: Mark 4-7
* Monday: Mark 8-10
* Tuesday: Mark 11-13
* Wednesday: Mark 14-16
* Thursday: Luke 1-2
* Friday: Luke 3-6

Some of Jesus' teachings are difficult to understand, so don't get frustrated if you aren't able to grasp everything he says. When you come upon a hard saying, relax, keep reading, and know that God will meet you in his word and give you what you need to know that day.

Seasoned readers of Scripture are forever delighted at what new things God reveals each time they read the Bible, knowing that the book they hold in their hands is a gift that the first generation of Christ followers lived without.

Have a great week!

Faithfully,
Chuck