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Category: 4 Gospels + Good News of the NEW Testament

What are the Gospels?

FOUR Gospels:

GOOD NEWS! (That’s what Gospel means.)

Matthew, Mark, Luke & John begin the New Testament proclaiming the Good News of Israel’s long-awaited Messiah and talk of JESUS Christ.

The four Gospels are first hand witness + proclaiming GOOD NEWS

  • by two Jewish Apostles of the Messiah JESUS, Matthew & John
  • Two gentile (non-Jewish) followers of THE WAY of Jesus Christ, Mark & Luke, who proclaim the GOSPEL recorded from witness of Peter, Paul and other Apostles and disciples of JESUS in the first century.

READ the Good News of the Messiah and Savior Jesus from accounts of His twelve Apostles & others witnessing the resurrection of the Lord Jesus from the four Gospels of the New Testament: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

SHARE the Gospel

  • with your Christian friends and those who do not yet believe in JESUS CHRIST.
  • Comment on a Talk of JESUS post and SHARE in your social media world.
  • Witnesses to Jesus Risen! – Simon Peter

    Witnesses to Jesus Risen! – Simon Peter

    The Gospel of John

    • What does a DEATH have to do with GOOD NEWS?

    Read any obituary of a famous teacher, even a celebrity leader of men and you will discover one thing: They left behind everything. Now the legacy of this body buried or scattered to the dust of the earth must decay.

    We memorialize men and women, especially the same many idolize in life. Those who loved any breathing soul speak of the dead in the past. Some ask, ‘IF there is a God, what hope does this departed soul have now?‘

    The Apostle John answers these deep longings of the souls of mortal man.

    More specifically, the LORD GOD reveals the only Good News about death and life is through the Lord Jesus Christ – born of man, buried like all who must suffer death.

    By His words we have hope, but by His death we have redemption from sin and judgment.

    For by Jesus’ RESURRECTION in BODY and SPIRIT, followers of the Way of Jesus in life will follow Him to certain resurrection of the body and of our soul.

    Do you desire an eternal after-life in the Presence of the LORD our GOD? Find it in the Good News of Christ Jesus.

    Witnesses to Jesus’ Resurrection

    In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.

    The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

    The Good News of John 1:4-5 NASB

    John presents man as either belonging to one of two things: the darkness or the light. There is no in between. The darkness is associated with death, while the light is associated with life. – BlueLetterBible intro to John

    No Gospel addresses ‘LIFE’ more than John and no book of the Bible more than the 150 Psalms.

    Roger Harned – talk of Jesus .com

    We now return to John’s witness of Jesus in a third appearance to Disciples along the shore of the Sea of Tiberias after His resurrection.

    Trusting that you read Witnesses to Jesus Risen! – the Eleven, a Passing Witness, recall the 1st. century A.D. events disciples of the Way of Jesus encountered even before John wrote his Gospel — after A.D. 85 & before A.D. 100.

    Remember to see John’s Gospel with eyes of a 1st. century believer who already knows that Peter was martyred for Christ perhaps decades earlier.

    Peter’s witness of Jesus’ Resurrection

    No Disciple of Jesus impacts the Church more than Simon Peter. After paying little attention to interactions between Peter and Jesus, today we will look closer into this loving relationship of discipleship.

    Previously in Witnesses to Jesus Risen! – the Eleven, a Passing Witness. the Apostles had seen Jesus in the flesh twice, except Thomas only once, in Jerusalem. John names five present now and mentions two others, but not by name.

    Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” – John 21:3

    It’s now close to daylight after a night catching no fish.

    John 21:

    7 The disciple, the one Jesus loved, said to Peter, “It is the Lord!”

    Peter and John who humbly refers to himself as ‘the disciple Jesus loved’, along with his older brother James have been Jesus’ three closest Disciples. During three years of the Lord’s earthly teaching Jesus had often shared understanding He does not reveal to others.

    In his Gospel the beloved Disciple speaks of their close friend Simon Peter who has already been martyred for Christ with loving compassion; not eulogizing or elevating Peter in any way, but giving honest witness to Peter’s actions and failings in life.

    John’s empathy for Peter’s heart after denying the Lord is clearly evident. The Disciples remembered how Jesus had prophesied Peter’s denials before the cock crowed at dawn that fateful evening prior to His arrest. Peter of course had denied that it could ever happen.

    Peter, now with his former boldness, dives into Lake Tiberius and swims to shore (just two hundred cubits, about 100 yd. or 90 m.) away from Jesus who is broiling fish over a fire.

    The other six Disciples return in small boats with the catch of ‘the multitude of fishes’ [KJV], which they then account as a total of 153 large fish filling a net that remains untorn by the huge catch.

    Three Questions of Restoration

    Remember, John witnesses this to Christians after Peter’s faithful death for the Lord Jesus Christ. Here is what John testifies:

    15 Now when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?”

    (We will examine Peter’s answers separately.)

    16 He said to him again, a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?”

    17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?”

    The common language of the Apostles in addition to their local Aramaic is Greek. English translations lack subtle detail connecting context in these scriptures.

    Simon son of Jonas – Σίμων Ἰωνᾶ

    Andrew and Simon’s father is John, or Jonas.

    • John, Peter’s other friend of Jesus’ inner circle besides his own brother James, calls him Simon Peter or simply Peter.
    • however Jesus calls him only Simon or the Lord addresses John & James‘ friend rather formally as: Simon son of Jonas.
      • Could Jesus also be reminding the Disciples of His many prophesies connecting His Resurrection to the Prophet Jonah?

    Note what Jesus asks Simon, yet note subtle differences in Simon’s responses which show the depth of wounds of Peter’s guilt before he understands Jesus’ tender requests.

    (Again recall that John tells this to readers who already know that Peter has died for his faith in Jesus.)

    Jesus’ questions to Simon Peter

    English also clouds our understanding of overlapping Greek meanings of love.

    1. “Simon, son of John, do you [e] love Me more than these?”
    2. “Simon, son of John, do you [g] love Me?”
    3. “Simon, son of John, do you [i] love Me?”
    [notes] Here is an instance where NASB & other notes may help.
See the Greek text referenced below.
    1. ἀγαπάω – agapaō – Strong’s G25
      • egō polys hoytos
    2. ἀγαπάω – agapaō – Strong’s G25
      • egō
    3. φιλεῖς – phileō – Strong’s G5368
      • egō

    Three similar questions to Simon from Jesus in John 21: v.15, v.16 & v.17, but not quite the same.

    • Do you agapaō me more than these?
    • Do you agapaō me? (No comparison this time to the six Disciples who came to shore in the boat with the fish.)
    • Do you phileō me?
    Is your, “yes Lord” really your “yes?”
    Let's move on to Simon's responses. (Will his responses match?)
    1. “Yes, Lord; You know that I [phileō] love You.”
      • Jesus had asked, “Do you agapaō Me more than these?”
      • Do you [love] Me more than these (six) Disciples love Me?
      • Simon only confirms his phileō for Jesus.
    2. “Yes, Lord; You know that I [phileō] love You.”
      • Jesus now focuses on Simon asking simply, “Do you agapaō me?”
      • Simon simply repeats his previous response of “I [phileō] You.”
    3. “Lord, You know all things; You know that I [phileō] love You.”
      • Jesus has already asked Simon, “Do you [agapaō] me?”
      • Simon had twice responded, “I [phileō] You.”
      • Perhaps to contrast Simon’s answers to His other two questions the Lord now asks him, “Do you [phileō] me?

    What does Jesus mean by “love?”

    Having some understanding of the Greek words for LOVE is a pre-requisite for our 21st century understanding.

    Let’s begin with Simon Peter’s answer to Jesus.

    phileō love:

    It is the verb meaning:

    • to approve of, like, sanction, treat affectionately or kindly,
    • to welcome, befriend

    Are you only this to Jesus?

    To your fellow followers of Christ who also call Him Lord is your witness mere approval of Jesus?

    ‘What a ‘friend’ we have in Jesus,‘ we once sang.

    • Is that what the Lord asks of Simon Peter?
    • Is Christ not so much more than ‘a friend’ to those who follow Him?

    ‘..All our sins and griefs to bear!” continues the old hymn proclaiming Jesus a friend, but urging us to take everything to God in prayer.

    Simon has just witnessed Jesus’ Sacrifice for our sins on the Cross.

    • What friend can bear your sins other than Jesus?

    “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

    John 15:13 KJV – Jesus proclaiming His own death to the Disciples, of agapē love

    Simon Peter, once again emboldened by Jesus resurrection, offers no rock of confidence in his measured response to His Lord and Savior.

    Jesus was not asking Simon Peter for his renewed friendship. So what was the Lord asking him?

    agapē love:

    It is the noun for:

    • affection, good will, benevolence, brotherly love,
    • charity or a feast of charitability (like a generous family meal of Thanksgiving),

    All active, rather than passive acceptance of another. Jesus first question asks Peter to stand firm in His love of their friends.

    Jesus asks in effect,

    “Do you think (Simon), that because you greeted Me first (perhaps with an expected kiss of phileō just as Judas Iscariot had in Gethsemane), — do you therefore believe that you agapē Me more that those who did not jump from your boat to reach Me first?

    (And recall what John had witnessed of Peter when they first ran to the empty tomb.) Peter lost that physical race with John, but it did not matter who was first or who came to Jesus last. What did matter was the Lord’s commands.

    On the night in which He was betrayed Jesus gave them a new command.

    Commandment of Jesus Christ CHURCH "love one another

    In case you missed it, Church..

    from earlier in our series on the Gospel of John, April 29, 2020 A.D.

    John 13:

    33 “Little children, I am still with you a little longer…

    (It is this same endearing greeting of their Master the Disciples have just heard from Peter’s boat.)

    34 “I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, that you also love one another.

    • Which LOVE do you suppose Jesus uses in this NEW COMMANDMENT to the Disciples?
    agapaō:

    It is the verb root of agapē love. Yet its own root may also share in actions associated with the verb phileō. (We won’t take time to dwell on this.)

    • of persons
      • to welcome, to entertain, to be fond of, to love dearly
    • of things
      • to be well pleased, to be contented at or with a thing

    Three times Jesus uses agapaō in His New Commandment to the Apostles and then the Lord continues by applying agapē love as evidence to others that these are His disciples.

    “By this all people will know that you are My disciples: if you have love for one another.”

    John 13:35 – The New Command of Jesus – agapē

    Jesus’ New Commands to Simon Peter

    We have examined with some detail the context of Jesus’ questions to Simon that John witnesses in his Good News to believers long after Peter’s own death.

    NEXT: We will continue in John 21 with the Lord’s Commands to Peter and hear John’s empathy for Peter shared with saints of the 1st century A.D. Church.

    To be continued...
  • Witnesses to Jesus Risen! – the Eleven, a Passing Witness

    Witnesses to Jesus Risen! – the Eleven, a Passing Witness

    The Gospel of John

    We have nearly reached the conclusion of John’s Good News. Earlier we met ten Disciples in a room where the Risen Christ appeared!

    Witnesses to Jesus Risen! – the Eleven

    20:26 A week later his disciples were indoors again, and Thomas was with them. Even though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”

    Reminder to 21st. Century Readers of John’s Gospel:

    As I mentioned before, Christians to whom John writes understand events which have taken place after Jesus’ ascension, yet before John’s death.

    (We will add some of these following the next event of John’s Good News.)

    • Jesus was crucified around the year AD 30
    • John writes his Gospel to the churches after AD 85 [~AD 90-100]

    John 21:

    view of Sea of Galilee
    “I will make you fishers of men. – Mark 1:17

    After these things Jesus revealed Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, and He revealed Himself in this way:

    Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.”

    They said to him, “We are also coming with you.” They went out and got into the boat; and that night they caught nothing.

    Fishing in Galilee

    Of course these Galilean Disciples of Jesus would travel from Jerusalem north to their homes along the Sea of Tiberias (Galilee). John recalls which Apostles were present.

    • Simon Peter
    • Thomas called Didymus (He will not miss seeing Jesus this time.)
    • Nathanael of Cana
    • James, John’s older brother
    • John, author of this Gospel
    • Two others of Jesus’ disciples

    They would have launched their two or three fishing boats from docks by Capernaum and proceeded out to sea at night, returning to port near daybreak and seeing a man on shore as they approached.

    4 But when the morning was now come, Jesus stood on the shore: but the disciples knew not that it was Jesus.

    He called out to them, “Children, do you have any fish?” They answered him, “No.”

    John 21:5 – from NIV & ESV

    Children, you do not understand

    Our 21st century ears do not hear the Master’s call to His beloved servants in this way. In fact, 1st century men and women tended to be more willing to hear a fellow Jew (especially their Rabbi) or even a Roman responsible for their local Galilean town of Capernaum as humble servants.

    παιδίον – pi-de’-on

    Child – From dimin. of παῖς (G3816) can mean not only a child, boy or girl but a slave, an attendant, servant, and specifically a king’s attendant, one who ministers to the King.

    προσφάγιον – pros-fä’-ge-on

    From the King James Version: “Children, have ye any meat?”

    Strong's G4371

    But once again our overfed 21st century bodies don’t quite understand what Jesus asks if they have anything eaten with bread and spoken of fish boiled or broiled.

    These children of the Shepherd Christ Jesus return from a night of work, fishing — and they have caught no fish. In effect their Lord and Master, Provider of all things to His servants asks these dear ‘children’ in His care, “Are you hungry?”

    John in recalling the incident adds, ‘yet the disciples did not know that it was Jesus.’

    Obeying His command

    Yes, these seven men probably were hungry after an unsuccessful night of fishing. Yet hearing His command from the shore they obeyed Jesus.

    6 He said to them, “Throw in your net to starboard and you will catch some.”

    So they threw in their net, and there were so many fish in it that they couldn’t haul it aboard.

    It was then, John tells us, that he recognized Jesus.

    “It is the Lord!”

    So when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his outer garment (for he was stripped for work), and threw himself into the sea. Since they were not far from land (about a hundred yards away), the other disciples came in the [smaller] boat, dragging the net full of fish.

    Once again in a third appearance to seven disciples, Jesus demonstrates that He IS both God and a risen ‘Son of Man.’

    John tells his experience as his small boat pulling nets full of fish comes near to the beach along the shore.

    9 When they stepped ashore, they saw a fire of burning coals with a fish on it, and some bread.

    10 Yeshua said to them, “Bring some of the fish you have just caught.”

    (Peter and the men have now been pulling the full nets ashore…)

    12 Yeshua said to them, “Come and have breakfast.”

    None of the talmidim (disciples of a Rabbi) dared to ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord.

    Pause.. to ‘fast forward’

    We’ll now leave Jesus and the seven Disciples sharing bread and fish with the Lord and (in 21st c. parlance) fast forward to events known to many readers of John’s Good News, but possibly not known to most Christians in the 21st c. digital age.

    (Yes, it’s a ‘pop quiz’ – 5 questions.) How do you think you’ll do?

    Page TWO - Please click Page 2 below for the questions.

    Pages: 1 2 3

  • 11 Witnesses to Jesus Risen! – the Eleven

    11 Witnesses to Jesus Risen! – the Eleven

    HE IS RISEN!

    ‘HE IS RISEN, INDEED,’ goes a traditional response.

    Christ Born & Witnessed, Crucified, Risen, Ascended..

    If you haven’t been following this series you will likely ask, “Why is he talking of Easter during this Advent season of Christmas in the year of our Lord, 2020?”

    My dear brother or sister in Christ,

    Allow me to ask you a question:

    manger with shadow of cross falling across

    Do you talk of Jesus OR ‘christmas’?

    Christians and non-Christians alike will focus on the ‘.COMmercial‘ obligations of this ‘holiday’ season so much more than the CHRIST of ‘christmas.’ And in fact, (in case you haven’t heard) Jesus, Emmanuel or God With Us was most likely NOT born DECEMBER 25.

    (Forget the ‘.com‘ technical choice of my Christian Social Witness – talkofJesus.com for my personal & shared talk of Jesus Christ.)

    Has Christmas not become MORE important than EASTER in the witness of the 21st c. Church?

    How like the world we have become.

    Many 21st c. ‘christians’ also witness the risen JESUS of the resurrection, celebrated by eggs and bunnies impersonalized and separated from the Person of God, without witness of the Person symbolized, He who died for sinners and defeated death!

    Yes, JESUS IS born as a man-child like no other. Yet our witness must remember the shadow of the Cross on a newborn’s manger and the glory and hope through CHRIST’s resurrection.

    Continuing Witness to Jesus’ Resurrection!

    Our journey through Scripture in this year of our Lord 2020, continues in the Good News of John. We have just begun to revisit the personal witness of many who testify to the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

    As a reminder to contemporary readers of John’s Gospel:

    • Jesus was crucified around the year AD 30
    • John writes his Gospel to the churches in about AD 85

    Witnesses to Jesus Risen! – Mary Magdalene

    Some who witnessed the risen Jesus fifty years earlier still lived!

    As we continue in John’s Good News and Mary’s announcement of Jesus’ resurrection, we begin to hear his Gospel through the ears of others. See Jesus with their eyes and experience the risen Christ through their personal touch and interaction with the risen Lord Jesus.

    Mary Magdalene came and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” and that He had said these things to her.

    John 20:18 NASB

    What command had the risen Lord given Mary?

    “..go to My brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.’”

    John and Simon Peter have already run to the empty tomb where the crucified Body of Jesus had been placed prior to celebration of the feast of the Passover and observing of the Sabbath. Then they returned not yet having seen the Lord.

    John 20 continued

    It had been morning when the women had first seen the empty tomb before summoning John and Peter.

    19 Now when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week..

    .. and when the doors were shut where the disciples were together due to fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst, and said to them, “Peace be to you.”

    20 Having said this, he showed them his hands and his side.

    So the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.

    (Not Twelve, but the Eleven – one)

    We mentioned previously that Judas Iscariot, Jesus’ betrayer has hanged himself. John will mention shortly that Thomas also is not present.

    And just one additional reminder: 
the eleven Disciples, Jesus and His family are all Jews.
Though their common language is Greek or locally Arabic,
the Complete Jewish Bible [CJB] (used here occasionally) gives flavor of Jesus as the Messiah of Israel.

    21 “Shalom aleikhem!” Yeshua repeated.

    “Just as the Father sent me, I myself am also sending you.”

    22 Having said this, he breathed on them and said to them,

    “Receive the Ruach HaKodesh!

    The Holy Spirit & Forgiven Sins

    “Receive ye the Holy Ghost,” translates the King James and most versions read, “the Holy Spirit.”

    What follows should sound familiar if you have followed the great commission of Jesus to the Twelve Disciples given earlier in His earthly ministry and all returned to Jesus amazed.

    23 If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained.”

    What an astounding authority Jesus has given to the Apostles through the Holy Spirit!

    Many Jewish disciples will know it well from the Psalms of David. Gentile Christians to whom John now also witnesses may know it from Paul’s letter [ca. AD 56.] to the Romans [4:7].

    לְדָוִד מַשְׂכִּיל אַשְׁרֵי נְֽשׂוּי־פֶּשַׁע כְּסוּי חֲטָאָֽה׃

    אַשְֽׁרֵי אָדָם לֹא יַחְשֹׁב יְהוָה לֹו עָוֹן וְאֵין בְּרוּחֹו רְמִיָּה׃

    Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.

    Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.

    Psalm 32:1-2 WLC, KJV

    The Lord has instructed His Disciples on how they must judge their fellow saints and others with unfailing grace and mercy in His Name, especially forgiving those who also follow Jesus as their Lord and their God.

    Ministry of the Twelve (then Eleven)

    Eleven now and again Twelve Apostles after Mathias replaces Judas Iscariot

    Although John reveals much of the Holy Spirit, he does not reiterate what is already well known of the ministry of the Twelve prior to Jesus’ Crucifixion and Resurrection. (Remember John writes this decades later to his beloved fellow saints of the church.)

    Jesus had previously given the Twelve a taste of this awesome power over sin in the lives of others.

    Some eight days after these sayings, He took along Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. And while He was praying, the appearance of His face became different, and His clothing became white and gleaming.

    Luke 9:28-29
    Most of the following is also witnessed in Luke's Gospel Chapter 9:

    Matthew 10:

    Jesus summoned His twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every kind of disease and every kind of sickness.

    Now the names of the twelve apostles are these:

    1. The first, Simon, who is called Peter,
    2. and Andrew his brother;
    3. and James the son of Zebedee,
    4. and John his brother;
    5. Philip
    6. and Bartholomew [son of Talmai];
    7. Thomas [not present for Jesus’ first appearance]
    8. and Matthew the tax collector;
    9. James the son of Alphaeus,
    10. and Thaddaeus;
    11. Simon the Zealot,
    12. and Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed Him [who hanged himself].

    Matthew 10:5 continues:

    These twelve Jesus sent out after instructing them:

    “Do not go in the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter any city of the Samaritans; but rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.

    (Of course Christ commissioned these to go to all of these after His resurrection.)

    “And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’

    It is Jesus’ urgent appeal to the Jews through the Twelve – Matthew 10:7 NASB
    Matthew 10: continued Complete Jewish Bible [CJB]

    7 As you go, proclaim, ‘The Kingdom of Heaven is near,’ 8 heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those afflicted with tzara’at, expel demons…

    12 When you enter someone’s household, say, ‘Shalom aleikhem!’ If the home deserves it, let your shalom rest on it; if not, let your shalom return to you. But if the people of a house or town will not welcome you or listen to you, leave it and shake its dust from your feet!

    Yes, I tell you, it will be more tolerable on the Day of Judgment for the people of S’dom and ‘Amora than for that town!

    16 “Pay attention! I am sending you out like sheep among wolves, so be as prudent as snakes and as harmless as doves.

    Be on guard, for there will be people who will hand you over to the local Sanhedrins and flog you in their synagogues. On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as a testimony to them and to the Goyim.

    19 But when they bring you to trial, do not worry about what to say or how to say it; when the time comes, you will be given what you should say. For it will not be just you speaking, but the Spirit of your heavenly Father speaking through you.

    Therefore when Jesus appears in Person to the eleven Apostles after His resurrection from the grave, He had already taught them what He is about to say.

    John 20 continued

    If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them;

    if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

    John 20:23 CSB – Jesus’ authority given to the Apostles through the Holy Spirit

    Next:

    John is not making a list of miracles so that the Eleven (who will soon add Mathias as replacement to Judas Iscariot) can convince their first century A.D. followers that Christ IS Risen indeed!

    You will find many of these miracles of the Holy Spirit witnessed in the Acts of the Apostles.

    (Again, when John wrote his Gospel these had already taken place.)

    If you have been following John’s Gospel closely you may have noticed my intentional oversight of some detail about the Disciples. Thomas, who was not present with the other eleven will appears next [vs. 24-29].

    We will begin with Thomas next time.

    Also, John has much more to say about Peter and we will once again want to add more detail about other Apostles and especially John.

    30 Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book.

    To be continued...