An Insight into the Gospels and the Book of Acts

By Ray Filby

‘An Insight into the Gospels and the Book of Acts’ is an overview of the themes, contents, emphases, and structure of the first five books of the New Testament. While there is so much similarity in the stories and teaching in each of the gospels, this book contrasts the way each gospel is written and presented. It highlights the quit

• Language: English
• Publisher: Dr. Ray Filby
• Release date: Jun 22, 2018
• ISBN: 9781999683511

Ray Filby

Ray Filby qualified as a physicist at Imperial College in 1958 and went on to take a doctorate there. He has also been awarded a Master's degree in Manufacturing Systems Engineering by the University of Warwick where he was awarded a special prize for his performance on this course. On graduating, Ray joined the army where he served with the REME as officer in charge of the telecommunications workshop in Gibraltar. Dr. Filby started his career as a Development Engineer at a firm involved in the manufacture of scientific instruments in London but he has spent most of his working life in teaching. He was Head of the Maths and Science Department at a College of Further Education in Coventry, after which he spent some years with the education advisory service. Among other things, this involved writing material which would provide real life contexts for the secondary school mathematics curriculum. For a short time, Dr. Filby worked as a Technical Writer for Jaguar Cars. For the last several years up until his retirement, he worked as an Information Officer with Severn Trent Water. Dr. Filby is actively involved in the work of his church, St. Michael's, Budbrooke, where he is a licensed lay minister. For many years he was sub-warden for Readers in the Diocese of Coventry. Ray is married to a former teacher, Sue, and has two grown up children, Andrew, a chartered accountant and Sarah, a doctor. He has five grandchildren.

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Published by Midhurst

Copyright © Ray Filby 2018

Midhurst.

2, Freers Mews,

Warwick,

Warwickshire,

CV34 6DP

ISBN 978-1-9996835-0-4

ISBN 978-1-9996835-1-1 (e-book)

http://midhurstpublishing.uk

Acknowledgements

The author would like to thank his wife Sue for her encouragement, patience and for proof reading of this work.

The author would also like to than the Revd. David Field for the suggestions he made having read a pre-print of this book. All these suggestions have been incorporated into the text.

A number of commentaries were consulted in compiling this volume. The author found the New Bible Commentary published by the IVF most useful in this process.

The Bible quotations have been taken from the New International Version of the Bible.

Contents

Introduction

St. Matthew,

The purpose, structure and target audience of the Gospel

St. Mark

St. Mark’s answer to the question, ‘Who is Jesus?’

St. Luke,

St. Luke’s understanding of Jesus and Christianity

St. John

Themes of the fourth Gospel and how St. John uses them to present Christianity

Acts of the Apostles

The way the Holy Spirit was manifest in the early Church

Introduction

Very few people encounter the New Testament for the first time by reading a gospel from start to finish. From an early age, most of us are told disconnected Bible stories and this continues into adulthood where we have different passages read to us at church, usually regulated by a lectionary which ensures that the whole Bible is covered over two or three years, and uses readings appropriate to the special seasons of the church’s year. Hence, most people are unaware of the distinctive characteristics of each of the gospels, the target audience for which each was written and the well thought out structure into which the stories of Jesus, his life and his teaching are embedded. It is likely that many people could not correctly identify the gospel and the context of a gospel story read in isolation.

One feels envious of the sincerely searching Jew with a good background of Old Testament teaching who embarks into a private study of Christianity by first reading a gospel unfamiliar to him or herself from start to finish.

The author was thrilled to discover for the first time the structure and distinctive nature of each of the gospels and the book of Acts when required to carry out some in-depth studies in order to qualify as a Reader in the Church of England. The purpose of this book is to share some of those discoveries with readers who have been limited in their opportunity to study the Bible in depth, while acknowledging that the author’s discoveries are only the tip of the iceberg to be uncovered by making journeys of discovery to reveal more of the seemingly infinite wonder and truth contained in these books.

Ezekiel ch 1 v 10

The faces of the four living creatures looked like this. Each of the four had the face of a man, and on the right side, each had the face of a lion, and on the left, the face of an ox, each also had the face of an eagle.

Revelation ch 4 v 7

The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle.

A church tradition has associated each of the living creatures of the apocalyptic books of Ezekiel and Revelation with the works of the evangelists.

St. Matthew’s gospel has been associated with the man because it is claimed this gospel stresses the humanity of Jesus. As the lion is regarded as the king of beasts, this living creature has been associated with St. Mark’s gospel which emphasizes the kingship of Jesus. The ox has been associated with St. Luke’s gospel as the ox was a sacrificial animal and it is claimed that this evangelist stresses the sacrificial nature of Jesus’ life and ministry. As the eagle flies higher than any other bird, it is appropriate to associate this living creature with St. John’s gospel as St. John could see further into divine truth than any other.

These associations may not be entirely appropriate. One unlikely association has been considered in the main text of this book but we are stuck with them as symbols in churches and stained glass windows. Those of you who have visited Venice will have been impressed by the great gilded lion which is among the adornments of St. Mark’s cathedral.

The supporting Biblical texts, apposite to the main text, are presented on the left hand pages, opposite the appropriate comment.

St. Matthew’s Gospel

Christ the Redeemer Rio de Janeiro

Behold, the Man

John ch 19 v 5

ST. MATTHEW’S GOSPEL

The purpose, structure and target audience of the Gospel

Contents

1. Relationship between the gospels of Matthew and Mark

2. The Jewish belief system

3. Jesus, the fulfilment of Old Testament prophecy

4. Jesus, the completion of the Law

5. An account of the coming of the Kingdom of Heaven

6. Concern for the spiritual welfare of the Jews

7. The Final Commission

ST, MATTHEW'S GOSPEL

The purpose, structure and target audience of this Gospel

1. Relationship between the gospels of Matthew and Mark.

The first three gospels have many similarities and material in common although embedded in different structures and using distinctive word forms. They have been described as the ‘Synoptic Gospels’, meaning ‘seen through one eye’, although in many cases, each of the evangelists sees the same story from a slightly different standpoint.

A widely accepted theory to explain the similarity of the content of the synoptic gospels is that St. Mark wrote his account first, and that both St. Matthew and St. Luke used this as one of their source documents to compile their own gospels. The theory requires that both Matthew and Luke had another common source, referred to as Q (initial of the German Quelle = source) which accounts for the material found in both Matthew's and Luke's gospels, but which is absent from Mark's. The material, unique to either Matthew's or Luke's gospels would have been derived from other sources, independently available to only one or other of these evangelists. This hypothesis is commendable in that it is simple and straightforward, although difficulties do exist which prevent the theory being universally acceptable. Matthew is not entirely dependent on Mark in the parallel passages, and the complicated relationships between

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Matthew and Luke cannot entirely be explained on the basis of the document, Q, as a source for their common passages.

Another tradition to explain the relationships between the gospels, holds that a version of St. Matthew in Aramaic was the first written gospel, and was the source document for St. Mark! St. Mark, in writing his account laid great emphasis on the narrative sections of the gospel story and omitted much of Jesus' discourses recorded in great detail by St. Matthew. The theory holds that Matthew in Aramaic was rewritten in Greek. A collection of sayings, possibly also originally in Aramaic but translated into Greek, was incorporated into the rewritten Greek version of St. Matthew's gospel in its final form. The hypothesis further requires that this set of sayings in a different Greek translation was also available to St. Luke. This theory, based on a fairly complicated literary process, may resolve some of the difficulties that could arise by simply regarding Mark and Q as the most primitive source documents. We cannot necessarily, therefore, think of St. Matthew writing a gospel, partly motivated by a need to add to Mark's gospel. We can rather see that in writing for different readership, Mark for gentiles, particularly Romans, and Matthew for Jews, led to significant differences in the content and emphasis of the two evangelists.

2. The Jewish belief system

One is conscious that St. Matthew is presenting Jesus in a way which fitted in with the belief system of his contemporary Jews. This belief system was founded very largely on the Old Testament in which was embedded the history of the Jews, the laws forming the basis of their moral code, and the prophecy which foretold their destiny.

Matthew ch 1 v 23 = Isaiah ch 7 v 14

The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son and they will call him ‘Immanuel’ – which means ‘God with us’.

Matthew ch 2 v 6 = Micah ch 5 v 2

But you, Bethlehem in the land of Judah are by no means least among the rulers of Judah, for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people, Israel.

Matthew ch 2 v 15 = Hosea ch 9 v 1

Out of Egypt I called my son.

Matthew ch 2 v 18 = Jeremiah ch 31 v 15

A voice is heard in Ramah, weeping and great mourning.

Rachel weeping for her children and refusing to be comforted because they are no more.

Matthew ch 2 v 23 = Isaiah ch 11 v 1

(Matthew) And he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets, ‘He will be called a Nazarene’.

(Isaiah) A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse, from his roots a branch (Nazir) will bear fruit.

3. Jesus, the fulfilment of Old Testament prophecy

More than any other evangelist, St. Matthew identifies the facts associated with Jesus' life with specific Old Testament prophecies.

The virgin birth is seen as a fulfilment of Isaiah's prophecy

Micah had identified Bethlehem as Jesus' birthplace.

The return from Egypt was identified with a verse in Hosea's prophecy.

The mourning for the murdered innocents had been foretold in Jeremiah.

Matthew also claims that Jesus' identity as a Nazarene was a fulfilment of prophecy. The prophecy invoked does not focus so much on the town of Nazareth but on the Hebrew word ‘nazir’ which means branch. Hence we have Isaiah’s prophecy as the link.

Matthew ch 3 v 2 = Isaiah ch 40 v 3

A voice of one calling in the desert, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.’

Matthew ch 4 v 15,16 = Isaiah ch 9 v 1,2

Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea along the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles – the people living in darkness have seen a great light, on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.

Mathew ch 8 v 17 = Isaiah ch 53 v 4

He took up our infirmities and carried our diseases

Matthew ch 11 v 10 = Malachi ch 3 v 1

I will send my messenger ahead of you who will prepare your way before you.

Matthew ch 12 v 18-21 = Isaiah ch 42 v 1-4

Here is my servant whom I have chosen, the one in whom I delight.

I will put my Spirit on him and he will proclaim justice to the nations.

He will not quarrel or cry out, no-one will hear his voice in the streets.

A bruised reed he will not break and a smouldering wick he will not snuff out.

In his name the nations will put their hope.

Matthew, Mark and Luke all quote Isaiah to indicate how John the Baptist prepared the way of the Lord as foretold.

Matthew again quotes Isaiah to show how the lake towns were predicted to be favoured with Jesus' ministry.

Matthew inserts Isaiah's prophecy of his healing ministry when he records the many cures effected by Jesus during the evening of the day he healed Peter's mother-in-law.

These miracles are recorded by the other synoptists without the supporting prophecy.

Matthew uses yet another prophet when he quotes Jesus' testimony to John the Baptist as fulfilling the words of Malachi.

Isaiah is invoked again to account for the self-effacing facet of Jesus which shunned notoriety for his healing miracles.

Matthew ch 10 v 35,36 = Micah ch 7 v 6

For I have come to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother,

a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law – a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.

Matthew ch 21 v 9 = Psalm 118 v 26

Say to the Daughter of Zion, ‘See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey’.

Matthew ch 21 v 42 = Psalm 118 v 22,23

The stone the builders rejected has become the capstone. The Lord has done this and it is marvellous in our eyes.

Matthew ch 27 v 10 = Jeremiah ch 6 v 9

They took the thirty silver coins, the price set on him by the people of Israel, and they used them to buy the potter’s field as the Lord commanded me.

A contrasting aspect of Jesus ministry which brings about conflict and family discord was fulfilment of a prophecy in Micah.

The prophecies concealed in the Psalms are quoted as predicting the acclaim accorded Jesus at his triumphal entry into Jerusalem.

Again, Matthew quotes a Psalm to report Jesus' teaching that the rejected stone is to become the keystone.

Matthew names Jeremiah as the prophet whose words were fulfilled in using thirty pieces of silver to pay for Judas' treachery.

Other references to Old Testament prophecy are also found as Matthew quotes Jesus' sayings. To Matthew who was well versed in the prophets, Jesus was obviously seen very much as the fulfilment of these prophecies. He