And if you read through the Gospels in quick succession, you may notice that there are very similar passages. This time, I actually found myself wondering if I'd put my bookmark in the right place!
I knew about this. In fact, I think it was this idea of the overlap of the Gospels that first pulled me into serious Bible study.
Matthew and Mark, along with Luke, are called the Synoptic Gospels. The three Gospels have a similar viewpoint and a huge amount of common content. John's Gospel contains some of the same material, but is quite a bit different. I've always felt that the author of John, which scholars believe was written a few decades after the synoptic Gospels, may have read the other texts and felt compelled to add in his own viewpoint.
Since Matthew, Mark and Luke have much of the same material--some of it almost but not precisely verbatim--scholars have wrestled for decades, or centuries at this point, about how they came together. Which came first? Who borrowed from whom? Or was there another document (Q or Quelle) that was the source for all three? And what accounts for the material that is unique to each Gospel? This is a fascinating and complex subject. I took a whole-semester course on the topic in Seminary, and still just felt like we raised more questions than we answered.
The best part of the Gospels is the scintillating picture of Jesus they present. I've been reading these books and hearing Jesus stories for so very long that I'm used to them. I can only imagine how they would astound someone who had never heard of Jesus or of His teaching.
Here are a few random thoughts that struck me on this read-through.
Mark: Chapter 4 has the parables of the sower, the mustard seed, and the growing seed, which is unique to Mark. These are all about how the word of God is spread and how it takes effect. I was encouraged that the "work" that I do in spreading God's word is carried out by God Himself in mysterious ways; it's not all on my shoulders.
In Mark 12:28ff, a teacher of the Law asks Jesus which is the greatest commandment. Often, Jesus would parry such a question, as He did with "Should we pay taxes to Caesar?" For this question, though, Jesus gives a straightforward and authoritative answer: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength; and Love your neighbor as yourself. Both are direct quotes from the Torah.
Things that caught my attention in Matthew:
Matthew 24 is about the signs of the end of the age. In Matthew 24:10-12, Jesus says, "At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and decive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness the love of most will grow cold." I've been reading this during the ramp-up to the presidential election of 2012. I have been more distressed than usual about what feels to me like hard-hearted social policies. I'm concerned about reproductive and women's rights, about opportunities for immigrants, about the stratification of economic classes. I've also been appalled at the vile and hateful political screed I hear. It just made me wonder if these are signs of the end of the age.
Similarly, the parable of the wicked manager made me wonder if our politicians aren't like him, "...he begins to beat his fellow servants and to eat and drink with drunkards" (Matthew 24:49).
In Matthew 26:24, Jesus says, "The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man. It would be better for him if he had not been born." This raises that knotty issue of predestination, divine sovereignty, free will, etc. I guess it underscores the notion that God has a master plan for all things and all people -- AND -- that people bring these things about through their choices. It seems like Judas could have chosen not to betray Jesus. But he did, and, yes, it would have been better for him if he had not been born.
Last thought about Matthew, and the other Gospels' portrayal of Jesus. Again, how would these words fall on fresh ears? Or, how would people react to the accounts of Jesus if they didn't have any reason to associate them with the Divine? Would people still puzzle and marvel as much as we do when we believe they are God-breathed?
If it's been a while since you have read the Gospels, do yourself a favor and sit down for a good page turner.
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