The Gospels & the Acts of the Apostles

Different people tend to emphasize different things.

For instance, it’s very likely that a painter and an engineer who witness the same events will describe them quite differently. 

That can be messy at times, but it also presents us with a wider picture of events and their relation to humanity’s diversity.

And this is very much what we see in the Gospels, that is, the first four books of the New Testament.

The Gospels

The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John all cover the life of Jesus, albeit from different angles.

For example…

• Luke has a lot to say about the circumstances surrounding Jesus’ birth

• Mark prefers a concise look at Jesus’ ministry and what led Him to the Cross

• Matthew really emphasizes what Jesus had to say about the Kingdom of God

• And John stresses the theology of the Incarnation, that is, God in human flesh

All these grant us a fuller picture of the life Jesus led and the work He accomplished.

And it’s from that work that the Gospels get their name, which, in Greek, roughly translates to “Good News.”

These stories, written essentially as biographies, are announcements of the best news there is - Jesus lived, died, and rose again to redeem us from sin and bring us into relationship with Him.

The significance of that cannot be understated.

Because it’s through the Gospels that we’re exposed to Jesus’ teaching, words, ministry, and more.

It’s via these Gospels that we get the clearest look at what Jesus was like, who He was, and what He did.

(For a faith based around Him, that’s pretty important.)

But the story didn’t just end with the Gospels, not at all.

It continued (and continues) with the birth of what we call today the Church.

The Acts of the Apostles

The Acts of the Apostles (Acts for short) continues the story of Jesus by showing us what His followers did after He rose from the dead and ascended back into Heaven.

It shows us the birth of the Church, the growth of the Jesus movement, and the incorporation of important players like the Apostle Paul into the story.

Acts show us how this small movement that began in Jerusalem grew to encompass cities in Asia Minor and eventually reached Rome itself.

It’s a raw and honest look into the struggles of the early Church, but also the perseverance of those who both knew Jesus personally and felt the impact of His message.

The book of Acts reminds us that the story continues, even beyond the pages of Scripture, as we live for Jesus and await His return.

But what do we do as we await that return? And what are we to expect with it?

That’s exactly what the rest of the New Testament deals with.

We’ll turn to that tomorrow.

For now, be blessed.

Jon,

Theophilus Newsletter