I am continuing my study and I challenge you to do the same. Matthew has 28 chapters; Mark 16; Luke 25; and John 21. Remember to keep the interpretive question I gave you this past Sunday in mind as you read. What does this Gospel reveal to me about who the Father is through the life and actions of Jesus?
On Sunday, I gave all of us at COTHA an assignment. I challenged all of us to read through one of the four Gospels with a question in mind. What does the Gospel that you are reading reveal to you about God the Father? I asked you to do this as we reflect over the next several weeks why God the Father sent Jesus into the world and why that is so important to us.
The Gospels are central to our understanding of Jesus and through Jesus, who the Father is. As one author has put it:
“The Gospels are books about Jesus Christ. But these four books also tell us much about God the Father. Even though he is often hidden behind the scenes, he is the most important person in the story. Everything depends on him. Even Jesus’ importance is best understood when it is seen in relationship to God — Jesus is the Son of God, the One sent by God, the Messiah anointed by God. Jesus’ importance is received from God; his authority, power and teaching come from God the Father. His mission was to serve God, to bring glory to God, to further God’s purpose and God’s kingdom and God’s plan for the salvation of his people.”
It’s interesting that the Gospels make no attempt to argue about whether or not God exists. They assume it. In fact the basic assumption about God is that he is eternal, almighty, personal, omnipotent, omniscient, holy, righteous and gracious. Knowing that is helpful and allows the reader to concentrate on the words and actions of Jesus. And as I said Sunday, if we see Jesus, we see the Father.
By now, if you have taken the challenge, you will have read through a couple of chapters. What are you finding? I am reading the Gospel of Mark, which is unique. Ray Steadman has written:
“The Gospel of Mark, the second book in the New Testament, is 16 short chapters long, the briefest of all the Gospels, and therefore easy to read in one sitting. Its brevity is probably the reason it is the most often translated book of the New Testament. The Wycliffe translators, I understand, almost invariably begin their translation work with the Gospel of Mark because it is so short and gives the whole story in one brief compass.” Since it is Tuesday, you will be on schedule if you have read a couple of chapters of Mark.
Let me remind you of the person who wrote Mark. He was a young man named John Mark, who was with Paul on his first missionary journey and ended up letting Paul down. He could not take the pressure, and turned back to go home. It is interesting that the Holy Spirit chose this man, an unfaithful servant, to write the Gospel of Mark. Mark was a friend of Peter, and because of this, the Gospel of Mark contains primarily the thoughts, teachings and viewpoints of Peter.
Here’s a unique characteristic of Mark’s Gospel that is expressed at the beginning of his writing. Those who listened to him were filled with astonishment. They said, "He doesn't teach like the scribes and Pharisees, but he speaks with authority, power" Mark 1:27. Evidently this was a marked difference from the way that the Scribes taught. The Scribes and Pharisees had to lean on the opinion of others rather than speaking so forthrightly. The only thing Jesus quotes is Scripture.
I am continuing my study and I challenge you to do the same. Matthew has 28 chapters; Mark 16; Luke 25; and John 21. Remember to keep the interpretive question I gave you this past Sunday in mind as you read. What does this Gospel reveal to me about who the Father is through the life and actions of Jesus?
If I don’t see you before, I’ll see you on Sunday when I will be helping all of us to understand that “what the Father does so does the Son.”
Darrel Proffitt
The Gospels are central to our understanding of Jesus and through Jesus, who the Father is. As one author has put it:
“The Gospels are books about Jesus Christ. But these four books also tell us much about God the Father. Even though he is often hidden behind the scenes, he is the most important person in the story. Everything depends on him. Even Jesus’ importance is best understood when it is seen in relationship to God — Jesus is the Son of God, the One sent by God, the Messiah anointed by God. Jesus’ importance is received from God; his authority, power and teaching come from God the Father. His mission was to serve God, to bring glory to God, to further God’s purpose and God’s kingdom and God’s plan for the salvation of his people.”
It’s interesting that the Gospels make no attempt to argue about whether or not God exists. They assume it. In fact the basic assumption about God is that he is eternal, almighty, personal, omnipotent, omniscient, holy, righteous and gracious. Knowing that is helpful and allows the reader to concentrate on the words and actions of Jesus. And as I said Sunday, if we see Jesus, we see the Father.
By now, if you have taken the challenge, you will have read through a couple of chapters. What are you finding? I am reading the Gospel of Mark, which is unique. Ray Steadman has written:
“The Gospel of Mark, the second book in the New Testament, is 16 short chapters long, the briefest of all the Gospels, and therefore easy to read in one sitting. Its brevity is probably the reason it is the most often translated book of the New Testament. The Wycliffe translators, I understand, almost invariably begin their translation work with the Gospel of Mark because it is so short and gives the whole story in one brief compass.” Since it is Tuesday, you will be on schedule if you have read a couple of chapters of Mark.
Let me remind you of the person who wrote Mark. He was a young man named John Mark, who was with Paul on his first missionary journey and ended up letting Paul down. He could not take the pressure, and turned back to go home. It is interesting that the Holy Spirit chose this man, an unfaithful servant, to write the Gospel of Mark. Mark was a friend of Peter, and because of this, the Gospel of Mark contains primarily the thoughts, teachings and viewpoints of Peter.
Here’s a unique characteristic of Mark’s Gospel that is expressed at the beginning of his writing. Those who listened to him were filled with astonishment. They said, "He doesn't teach like the scribes and Pharisees, but he speaks with authority, power" Mark 1:27. Evidently this was a marked difference from the way that the Scribes taught. The Scribes and Pharisees had to lean on the opinion of others rather than speaking so forthrightly. The only thing Jesus quotes is Scripture.
I am continuing my study and I challenge you to do the same. Matthew has 28 chapters; Mark 16; Luke 25; and John 21. Remember to keep the interpretive question I gave you this past Sunday in mind as you read. What does this Gospel reveal to me about who the Father is through the life and actions of Jesus?
If I don’t see you before, I’ll see you on Sunday when I will be helping all of us to understand that “what the Father does so does the Son.”
Darrel Proffitt
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