Shepherd's Notes: Life & Teachings of Jesus

By Dana Gould

You grew up using the well known black and yellow striped Cliff's Notes to help you grasp everything from great literary works to algebra. Unfortunately, what ""Cliff"" forgot was the greatest literary work in history: the complete Holy Bible. Enjoy the ease of understanding the Bible like never before, book by book. Shepherd's notes helps reader's learn about the inspired authors of the Bible books and when and where they were first penned. Each Bible book is revealed in simple understandable steps that outline and underscore the focal points and personalities of the biblical text. You'll look to these unique books for their use in Bible studies, teaching, personal devotions and even in sermon preperation! Christian and home schools will find Shepherd's Notes an invaluable resource.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BH Publishing Group
• Release date: Sep 1, 1999
• ISBN: 9781433670299

Book preview

Shepherd's Notes Titles Available

SHEPHERD'S NOTES COMMENTARY SERIES

Old Testament

New Testament

SHEPHERD'S NOTES CHRISTIAN CLASSICS

SHEPHERD'S NOTES — BIBLE SUMMARY SERIES

CONTENTS

Foreword

How to Use This Book

Introduction

Jesus' Early Life

John the Baptist's Ministry

Jesus Begins His Public Ministry

The Great Galilean Ministry

The Later Judean Ministry

The Later Perean Ministry

The Last Public Ministry in Jerusalem

In the Shadow with Jesus

Arrest, Trial, Crucifixion, and Burial

Resurrection, Appearances, and Ascension of Jesus

References

FOREWORD

Dear Reader:

Shepherd's Notes are now available on every book in the Bible. In addition, we are pleased to provide a number of volumes in what we call The Bible Summary Series. This series will give you a perspective on various parts of the Bible that you wouldn't get by focusing on a book at time. These volumes include Old Testament, New Testament, Life & Teachings of Jesus, Life & Letters of Paul, Basic Christian Beliefs, and Manners & Customs of Bible Times.

This particular volume, Life & Teachings of Jesus by Dana Gould and Terry Miethe, provides a quick and easy-to-read overview of Jesus' life in chronological order, based on A. T. Robertson's Harmony of the Gospels. Life & Teachings of Jesus complements other volumes of Shepherd's Notes including a number of volumes on Christian classics. You can find a complete listing of all Shepherd's Notes on the back cover.

It's our prayer that Shepherd's Notes will serve you well as you read and live God's Word.

In Him,

David R. Shepherd

Editor-in-Chief

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

DESIGNED FOR THE BUSY USER

Shepherd's Notes is designed to provide an easy-to-use tool for getting a quick handle on a Bible book's important features and, in the case of this volume, of gaining an understanding of the life and teachings of Jesus. Information available in more difficult-to-use reference works has been incorporated into the Shepherd's Notes format. This brings you the benefits of many more advanced and expensive works packed into one small volume.

Shepherd's Notes are for laymen, pastors, teachers, small-group leaders and participants, as well as the classroom student. Enrich your personal study or quiet time. Shorten your class or small-group preparation time as you gain valuable insights in the truths of God's Word that you can pass along to your students or group members.

DESIGNED FOR QUICK ACCESS

Those with time constraints will especially appreciate the timesaving features built in the Shepherd's Notes.

Concise Information. Shepherd's Notes—Life and Teachings of Jesus is replete with characters, places, events, and teachings that will enrich believers. Short sections provide quick snapshots of Jesus' life and mission.

Icons. Various icons in the margin highlight recurring themes in Jesus' teachings and aid in selective searching or tracing of those themes.

Sidebars and Charts. These specially selected features provide additional background information for your study or preparation. These include definitions as well as cultural, historical, and biblical insights.

In addition to the above features, for those readers who require or desire more information and resources for studying the life of Jesus, a list of reference sources used for this volume, suggests many works that will allow the reader to extend the scope of his or her study of Jesus and His teachings.

DESIGNED TO WORK FOR YOU

Personal Study. Using the Shepherd's Notes with a passage of Scripture can enlighten your study and take it to a new level. At your fingertips is information that would require searching several volumes to find. In addition, many points of application occur throughout the volume, contributing to personal growth.

Teaching. A running outline frames the text of the life of Jesus. Historical Context and others icons indicate where background information is supplied.

Group Study. Shepherd's Notes can be an excellent companion volume to use for gaining a quick but accurate understanding of Jesus and His teachings. The Note's format provides a summary of Jesus' life and influence that is helpful in doing a more detailed study in the Gospels.

LIST OF MARGIN ICONS USED IN THE LIFE AND

TEACHINGS OF JESUS

INTRODUCTION

This brief treatment of the life and ministry of Christ follows the order of events provided in A. T. Robertson's A Harmony of the Gospels, a standard in the study of the Gospels. The reader may choose to use Robertson's work in tandem with this brief description to gain a more in-depth study on special events and topics covered by this material.

JESUS' EARLY LIFE

The Preexistence of Christ

(John 1:1-18)

In one sense Jesus' life began when He was conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of His mother, Mary. But in a far larger sense, His life had no beginning. Jesus Christ, the Word who was with God and was God, has always existed. This truth is stated in the familiar words of John's Gospel.

---

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. All things were created through Him, and apart from Him not one thing was created that has been created (John 1:1-3, HCSB).

---

The One who created every elementary particle and every galaxy became a human being. For thirty-three years He lived (tabernacled) among men. Literally, He pitched His tent among us. John says that in Him we have seen his glory, the glory of the only Son of the Father (v. 14, NLT)

---

Logos

Logos is a Greek word, rich in meaning, which appears forty times in John's Gospel. In this context it denotes God's revealing Himself.

---

Jesus' Family Tree

(Matt. 1:1-17; Luke 3:23-38)

Jesus became a man at a specific place and time and in a particular culture. As a man, Jesus had a family tree as all of us do. Matthew and Luke traced Jesus' human lineage in different ways. Matthew traced Jesus' genealogy through his foster-father, Joseph, back to Abraham. Matthew emphasized that Jesus was both son of David and son of Abraham. Luke, on the other hand, is believed to have traced Jesus' lineage through Mary, His mother, back to Adam.

---

One motive of tracing a lineage is to show purity of the bloodlines. In Jesus' genealogy are some notorious sinners and some persons who were not Hebrews. Perhaps Matthew included these to show Jesus' identification with sinners and His care for Gentiles, persons who seemed