THE FOURFOLD GOSPEL.
Is Christianity more of a philosophy or a religion, more than faith or practice? Broadly speaking, a philosophy centers in the philosophic thought of its teacher, and religion is built upon the principles and teaching of its leader.
Christianity is a life; a life that center in the person of its founder Jesus Christ. To make it plainer, Christianity is the life of Christ in the lives of his followers.
THE PERSON OF JESUS:
Christians are not committed merely on what Jesus taught; they are committed to him.
They do not find salvation in what he said and did they find it in him.
The Christian faith stands squarely upon these two affirmations:
a. The Historical fact is that a person named Jesus of Nazareth actually lived in Palestine more than two thousand years ago.
b. The spiritual fact that Jesus of Nazareth was the son of God, revealing in his life the purpose of God, and affecting in his death the salvation of man.
It stands to reason that Christian knowledge must center in him. His person, his life, death and resurrection, as well as what he taught what and what he did while here on earth.
The apostle Paul stated that Christianity is an empty shell and not myth, if Christ did not come, lived, died and resurrected on the third day and ascends to heaven our faith is vain.
The incarnation of Christ (His coming to the earth in human flesh) is the focal point of the Bible. The Old Testament points forth to him and the New Testament looks back to him.
The law foreshadowed his incarnation; the prophetic foretold it. The gospel recorded it, the acts of the apostle affirmed it, and the Epistle and Revelation interpreted it.
Among all we know about his life is found in the four books, called gospels that open the New Testament.
However, these books do not give us complete record of his life; they only tell us all we need to know about him for our salvation (John. 21:23).
It must be emphasized that there are not four gospels, but one gospel presented in a fourfold form, the gospel of Jesus Christ from four point of view.
- THE ORAL GOSPEL:
After the death and resurrection of Jesus, his followers were faced with the responsibility of telling the world that the Messiah had come and that in him men could enjoy salvation. This message was “good news” which the “gospel” means.
Many of those who preached this gospel had been well acquainted with Jesus, had heard his teachings, had witnessed his miracles, and had beheld him resurrected from the death.
For many years their accounts of these things were circulated by word of mouth only. It was perhaps twenty five to thirty five years after Christ’s death and resurrection before the need of writing the historical record was felt.
Most of Paul’s epistles were written before there was any written account of his life. The epistles deal with how the believer should live as to please the Lord and urgent theological matters, more pressing to the first century Christians than the historical account of the Messiah.
Besides, the numerous eyewitness of his life were able to tell all that was needed. Their oral accounts of his words and deeds were passed on by word of mouth until the details of his life were widely and thoroughly known.
A time came when they felt that if they continue by this oral method of passing information about the Messiah, time will come when the eyewitness will die and everything about him will be forgotten so they decide to start to write down these stories, Luke even say that as he is writing his story about Jesus many have started writing them down. (Luke. 1:1-2).
- THE WRITTEN GOSPEL:
The Holy Spirit reserved and inspired Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John for the task of setting down the permanent record.
Writing from different places and under different circumstances; these four Evangelist recorded for mankind the historical background and basics of our Christian faith. Just as their occasion and purpose were different, so the four gospels have their individual objectives and points of view.
For instance; Matthew was announcement of the advent of the Messiah Matt. 1:1, Mark was intended to be a factual statement of the gospel of Jesus Christ Mark. 1:1; Luke was compared to provide certainly for and enquirer Luke. 1:4. John was designed to be guide to saving faith.
Finally, the gospels were intended to convey sober historical fact.
Except for his birth, crucifixion and resurrection, the gospel make no strict effort to follow a sequential order or events. The reason is simple, in the apostolic preaching and writing on the life of Christ; the important thing was usually what happened, not the precise time when it happened.
The fact, not the sequence was important.
We should also note that upon all that Jesus did, only few of them were recorded in all the gospels John,21:23.
Many matters are recorded by one writer alone, such as the visit of the wise men, (Matt.2) the story of the rich man and Lazarus (Lk. 16) and Jesus interview with Nicodemus (Jn. 3) some matters are recorded in only two of the gospels, such as the selfish request of James and John (Matt.20:20-28; Mark.10:33-45) And the story of the widows mite (Mark. 12:41-44; Lk. 21:1-4).
Numerous saying and events are recorded by three of the writers Matthew, Mark and Luke, such as transfiguration (Mt.17:1-13; Mark. 9:2-13; Lk. 9:28-36).
The raising of Jarius daughter (Mt 9:18-26, Mk, 8:21-43, Lk. 8:40-56) and Jesus interview with the rich young ruler Mat. 19:16-30, Mk.10:17-31; Lk. 18:18-30).
While many events are recorded in one, two or three of the gospels, very few are recorded in all four.
In fact there are only three such matters; the ministry of John the Baptist, the feeding of the five thousand, and numerous events around Christ’s death and resurrection.
