One Gospel in Clear English

By Ron Banuk

This book combines all the information offered by Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and to some extent Paul in creating an easy to read harmonious account of the One Gospel. The book is divided into 259 chronological pericopes each of which has been ascribed a date and sometimes a day of the week and approximate time. Maps show not only where important events happened, but also the chronological footsteps of the Messiah. Because of the logical arrangement of the data within the account of the One Gospel, it is easy to remember where an event occurred within the four Passovers of Jesus's career. It is also easy to build lists of repetitive events. In doing this it was discovered that John writing about AD 98 added to 14 data lists containing seven events thereby putting his seal on the New Testament because the probability of this happening by chance is one in 30 trillion. The book also has insightful informational and theological notes. Whether you are reading the Gospel for the first or the hundredth time, you are bound to profit by doing so via Ron Banuk's "One Gospel in Clear English." The author's scholarship shines through in his comments on the biblical text on every page, as does his love and appreciation for the Lord, his God, and for His life-giving Word. -Stephen A. Bloom, MA, Fuller Theological Seminary

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Apr 3, 2019
• ISBN: 9781642996555

Book preview

cover.jpg

One Gospel in Clear English

Ron Banuk

Copyright © 2019 by Ron Banuk

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.

832 Park Avenue

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Combined, Chronological, and Amplified with Commentary

Introduction

The Gospel you are about to read is unique for a number of reasons:

It is a single account from the writings of Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and, to some extent, Paul.

It is chronological.

It is divided into 259 pericopes symbolized by §.

Each pericope is assigned a Gregorian date and day of the week where possible.

Most pericopes are followed by commentary in a smaller text.

Commentary includes Judaica, theology, and pastoral thoughts.

Maps show routes where Jesus is known to have traveled.

The intercalated chronological approach allows the reader to easily remember where an event occurred relative to the four benchmarked Passovers.

Events such as John’s seven days, Peter’s seven denials, Pilate’s seven acquittals, and Jesus’s ten apparitions are noted numerically in brackets.

The intercalated chronological approach allows the easy extraction of the fourteen times John completed a list of seven events. Many other lists are tabulated.

Repetitive, similar, and contrasting events are easy to spot and catalog because of the presentation style. The narrative is easy to read.

Maps

Illustrations

Note: Pericopes (§) follow A Harmony of the Gospels by Thomas and Gundry, HarperCollins, 1978 (NASB).

Index of Forty Lists of Repetitive Events in the Gospel

Meanings to Numbers by Ed. Vallowe

Matthew, Mark, and Luke began fourteen lists that John completed by adding from one to six events so that the total would be seven. The probability of this happening by chance is one in 30 trillion. John also completed two lists of ten. John writing his account of the one Gospel in 98 AD put the seal of God on New Testamental Scripture.

Abbreviated Summary of Jesus’s Ministry by Pericopes (§)

See the designated pericope (§) for Gregorian dates to all above events.

Combined, Chronological, and Amplified with Commentary

27 November 2017

There is only one gospel of God (Mk. 1:14, Rom. 1:1, 1 Pet. 4:17), and this includes the twenty-seven books of the NT. This means that you should never see the word gospels. Yet in another sense, the gospel is the narrative account of Jesus life while he dwelt among us. Three of these are biographical accounts as rendered by Matthew, Mark, and Luke, and to some extent, Paul. Hence, the word gospels and Paul himself used the term my gospel three times (Rom. 2:16, 16:25; 2 Tim. 2:8). John’s account of the one Gospel is very similar to an autobiography, leaving us with five accounts. What follows is a single chronological harmonious story of Messiah’s First Coming combining the information from all five accounts.

§1: Luke’s Purpose for Writing His Account of the One Gospel

Luke 1:1–4

Written AD 60

Many second-generation Christians have compiled biographical accounts of Jesus Christ using the data handed down to them by eyewitnesses and ministers of the word. It is appropriate that I do this as well because I (Luke) have carefully investigated all facts as an eyewitness from the very beginning and have written this chronological account for Theophilus, my publisher, so that he will know the exact truths of what you have been taught (now referred to as the gospel).

The first words of the one gospel are prefaced by Luke the physician’s historical introduction stating the purpose of the account in the classical Greek style. Luke wrote more than any other New Testamental author having written Luke and Acts and having translated Hebrews from Hebrew to Greek. Chronologically, James, Paul, and Mark wrote before Luke in 60 AD, while Matthew and John wrote later. Luke parallels Mark’s earlier chronology. Luke was a Jew as indicated by Acts 20:6; 21:10, 15; 26:7; 27:9. When Luke says that he is writing to clarify the exact truths of what you have been taught, he is really referring to the gospel although he does not use that word. Each evangelist had his peculiar style as you will see as you read through this combined account.

§2: John Decrying the Rejection of the Memra (Jesus Christ)

John 1:1–18

Written AD 98

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Since the very beginning, the Word was with God.

All things were created by Him. Nothing was created by anyone else.

In the Word was life, and this life was the light for men. This light shined in the darkness to no avail. Then God sent a man named John the Baptist. He was a witness to the light that all might believe in Him. John the Baptist was not the light but testified of the light. This true light can enlighten every man. And the Word became incarnate and dwelled among us, and we saw His true glory as the only one of the Trinity made incarnate and full of grace and truth. John the Baptist bore witness to Him and cried out saying, This is the man I spoke of. I preceded him, but He has a higher rank than me because He existed before me. From Him we have received grace upon grace.

The Word was in the world, a world made by Him, but the world did not recognize Him. He came to His own people (the Jews), but they did not receive Him. But as many as did receive Him and His name, He (adopted) them as children of God. Their rebirth was not done carnally but spiritually by God.

The Law was given through Moses (and witnessed by the Shekinah Glory), and grace and truth came via Jesus Christ (as the Law of Christ).

No man has (fully) seen God (the Father) at any time, but His Son who was made incarnate, has revealed His nature to us.

This paragraph was written by John circa 98 AD. John begins his theological account of the one gospel by explaining the Jewish concept of the memra. Although Word is used seven times above, the actual word used by John is memra. In Jewish theology, the memra contained six concepts of the Messiah. John points out that the Messiah displayed all six of these character traits, but the Jews, despite knowing this, still did not acknowledge Him. John is furious that the Jewish leaders with this knowledge of Messiah rejected Him out of self-preservation and begins his account with this condemnation. John loved Jesus more than anyone else and hence hated those who hated Messiah more than anyone else. The closest word to memra in Greek is logos meaning word. But it should be pointed out that the Aramaic Bible in translating logos does not use the normal word for word, which is B’MeLeA, but rather memra. The closest English concept for memra is a combination of spoken word and Shekinah Glory. The six points John makes below are that the memra is (1) one with God but sometimes distinct, (2) the agent of creation, (3) the visible manifestation of God as a theophany or Shekinah Glory, (4) the agent of salvation, (5) the seal of the OT and NT covenants, (6) the agent of revelation about the Father.

§٣: Jesus’s Genealogy

Written AD 60

Consequently there are fourteen generations from Abraham to David, fourteen more to the deportation to Babylon, and fourteen more to Jesus Christ (by Matthew’s abbreviated account).

Without introduction, Matthew begins his account of the one gospel with Jesus’s genealogy from a Jewish perspective beginning with Abraham and ending with Jesus. Luke, on the other hand, begins his genealogy in chapter 3 with Jesus and ends with Adam. The two genealogies overlap only between Abraham and David. The purpose of Matthew’s account is twofold: to show Joseph could not be Jesus’s natural father because his bloodline would be cursed by the Curse of Jeconiah (Jeremiah 22:24–30), but that as Jesus’s stepfather, Jesus would still have legal right to the Throne of David. Because Jesus’s blood is from Mary, her father, Eli, had to be a direct descendant from David. Consequently Luke’s genealogy goes from Jesus to Joseph to Joseph’s father-in-law (Mary’s father, Eli) and on to David not through Solomon, not the ancestor cursed by Jeconiah, but through Nathan, Solomon’s brother. The difference in the lengths of the two accounts from the deportation to Jesus is fourteen generations. It seems like Matthew’s account should speak of four fourteen-generation periods.

§٤: Annunciation of John the Baptist to Zacharias by Gabriel (M1)

Luke 1:5–25

June, 9 BC

In the days of Herod, the king of Judea, there was a priest called Zacharias (from one of the twenty-four groups) called Abijah. Elizabeth his wife was a descendant of Aaron. In God’s sight, they were considered righteous and blameless being obedient to the Law of Moses. But they had not conceived a child. Zacharias was a hundred years old and Elizabeth was beyond her childbearing age being about ninety (Gen. 17:17). Zacharias was a common priest chosen by lot for a two-week period to enter the Lord’s sanctuary and burn incense in the Holy Place just outside the Holy of Holies which was concealed by a curtain.

While the people prayed in the outer court, Zacharias climbed the steps to the altar of incense to light the braziers to burn fresh incense for the sacrifice, an angel appeared standing at the right side of the altar. The apparition filled Zacharias with fear. The angel said, Do not fear, Zacharias, your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will give birth to a son and you will name him John. You will be filled with joy and many will rejoice in his birth. In the Lord’s eyes, he will be a great man. He (will be raised as a Nazarite like Samson and Samuel and) will drink no wine. While still in the womb, he will be filled with the Holy Spirit. He will cause many of the sons of Israel to repent to the Lord their God. He will be the forerunner to Messiah using the power and spirit of Elijah to turn the hearts of the Fathers back to the children (Malachi 4:6). (See Lk. 1:17, Mat. 11:14, 16:14.) And will give the disobedient the correct attitude of righteousness so as to prepare the people for the Messiah. Zacharias said to the angel, How shall I know this for certain for my wife and I are very old.

The angel replied, I am Gabriel who stands in the presence of God. I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you good news. But because you have doubted me, you shall be unable to speak and hear until the prophecy comes true in the proper time.

Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zacharias to exit the Holy of Holies for he had taken an unusually long time. But when he emerged, he was unable to speak. They concluded that he had a vision in the Holy of Holies for he was inexplicably mute and could only communicate with them by gestures.

Two weeks later, when his obligatory service was complete, he went home to the hill country. Four and a half months later, when it was obvious that Elizabeth was pregnant, she stopped venturing out into public. Elizabeth remembered the Lord saying, The Lord has looked on me with favor and taken away the disgrace of being unable to conceive a child.

According to Dr. Arnold Fruchtenbaum, The Decree of Quirinius occurred in 8 BC, and Herod was in Jerusalem to accept the Wise Men from 8 to 6 BC. According to Josephus, Herod left Jerusalem for the Herodian in 5 BC and died a year later in (March) 4 BC. Jesus was probably born in 8 BC and John the Baptist in 9 BC. So then the father of John the Baptist was a priest who in the following narrative received the chance of a lifetime to burn incense in the temple. In narrating the story of Zacharias, Luke changes from a classical Greek writing style used in his introduction to Hebraic Greek. This is the first of three annunciations (Zacharias, Mary, and Joseph) by the Angel Gabriel.

The Greeks used the solar calendar, but the Hebrews used the lunar calendar. In the lunar calendar, four weeks made one month. A woman’s period of gestation according to Maternity Nursing by Fitzpatrick, Reeder, and Mastroianni was 266 days after statistically cataloging thousands of births at NY hospitals; 266 days is exactly thirty-eight weeks or nine and a half months where one common law lunar month equals four weeks. Since Luke says that Elizabeth hid herself the last five months that meant that she began to show obviously as a primipara four and a half months after conception. This was also typical of her cousin Mary.

§٥: Annunciation to Mary by the Angel Gabriel

Luke 1:26–38

December, 9 BC

In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth to a virgin engaged to Joseph who was a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary (Miriam in Hebrew). Gabriel entered her room and greeted her saying, Rejoice, Mary! For you are favored by the Lord. May the Lord be with you. Since Mary was not at ease with the Angel’s presence and statement, Gabriel continued, Do not be afraid, Mary, for God is showing his favor to you. You will become pregnant and give birth to a son. You shall name Him Yeshua (Jesus). He will be a great man and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of David, his ancestor. He will reign over the House of Jacob (which is the house of the Children of Israel), and His kingdom will have no end.

Then Mary said to the angel, How can this happen if I have never had intercourse with a man?

Gabriel replied, You will conceive by the power of the Holy Spirit under the auspices of Jehovah, God the Father (Psalms 2:7). Therefore, this holy incarnation (thing) will be called the Son of God. Your cousin, Elizabeth, has already conceived a son in her old age (past menopause). This will be her first child and she is already in her sixth month. Not one word (of this prophesy) is impossible with God.

Mary replied, I am the Lord’s servant. Let it be done to me as you have spoken.

Six months after appearing to Elizabeth, the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary. Mary’s last reply is referred to as her Fiat, meaning let it be. With her Fiat, she was not glorifying herself as some would lead us to believe, but acting out of humility. Mary’s question to Gabriel, unlike Zacharias’ question was interpreted as being in good faith (in Pauline parlance good conscience) and not out of doubt.

§٦: Mary Visits Her Cousin Elizabeth in the Hill Country (M2)

Luke 1:39–45

January, 8 BC

Soon thereafter, Mary quickly organized a trip to (Aim Karim or Ein Kerem about five miles west of Jerusalem and eighty miles south of Nazareth in) the hill country of Judah. She arrived at the house of Zacharias, entered, and greeted Elizabeth. When Mary greeted Elizabeth, her baby kicked in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. This prompted Elizabeth to cry out, Mary, you are the most blessed among women, and blessed is the baby you carry. Now how is it that the mother of my Lord (Messiah, Kyrios) should visit me? As soon as I heard your voice, my baby kicked for joy in my womb. Mary, you are blessed to believe that the words spoken to you by Yahweh would be fulfilled (Lk. 1:45).

The Angel Gabriel’s announcement was so shocking that Mary had to confirm evidence of God’s intervention by visiting Elizabeth to share a common experience and to be with her during confinement, delivery, and circumcision. Joseph allowed his wife to travel four days’ journey alone. Elizabeth somehow knew that Mary’s child was the predicted Messiah.

§٧: The Magnificat

Luke 1:46–56

January, 8 BC

Mary said:

"My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,

and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,

because He has honored His humble servant.

From this time on I will always be known as blessed

because God Almighty has done great things for me—Holy is His name!

And His mercy is forever to those who fear Him (Ps. 103:17).

He has shown immense power with His arm.

He has humbled the proud who have haughty thoughts.

He has toppled rulers from their thrones.

He has exalted the humble.

He has filled the hungry with food (Ps. 107:9);

and sent the rich away with nothing.

Out of mercy, He has helped Israel His servant.

This message was given to our forefathers,

to Abraham and to his seed forever."

Mary remained with Elizabeth about three months (until she gave birth and the baby was circumcised).

The above pericope is a canticle or song known either as the Magnificat or the Song of Mary. It is similar to Hannah’s canticle in 1 Samuel 2:1–10. This canticle remembers the Promise (Abrahamic Covenant) and in doing so gives us an idea of a young fourteen-year-old-girl’s knowledge of Scripture and the atmosphere in which Jesus would be raised. Although this paragraph concludes with the canticle, Luke rounds off by concluding with her three-month extended stay even though the next paragraph adds details to the birth of John within that period.

§٨: The Birth of John the Baptist

Luke 1:57–66

March, 8 BC

Elizabeth’s birth to a son at such a late stage in life caused her relatives and neighbors to rejoice over the mercy the Lord had shown to her (by releasing her from the stigma of being childless). (As was the custom), on the eighth day, the people gathered to witness the circumcision of the child. As it was widely assumed that the boy would be named Zacharias after his father, his mother made the following known: No. He shall be called John. The immediate rebuttle was that none of their relatives had that name. (Since Zacharias could neither speak nor hear), the people made signs to the priest as to what he wanted to name the child. Zacharias asked for a tablet and wrote: His name is John. This amazed the people. Immediately his speech and hearing were restored; and Zacharias began to praise the Lord. (Since this was perceived to be a miracle), his neighbors were in awe and word of the miracle spread throughout the hill country of Judea. All who heard the story remembered it saying, What will this child turn out to be? For the hand of the Lord is certainly upon him.

The Jewish custom was to name the child not at birth, but on the eighth day at the circumcision by the name of a deceased relative. Elizabeth announced that the child shall be named John, a name that was not in the family heritage. This caused a stir. It also showed that her husband had obviously previously communicated to her in writing that he wanted the boy to be named John. The family attempted to bypass her request by asking Zacharias directly and was shocked at his answer. Miracles were the angelic annunciation, Zacharias being struck deaf and dumb, the baby kicking in the womb at Mary’s voice, the child being named out of lineage, Zacharias being restored to full health, and Zacharias prophesying in the following account (§9) over the three covenants.

§٩: Zacharias’s Song (The Benedictus)

Luke 1:67–79

April, 8 BC

Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist, was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel. He has (physically) visited His people and redeemed them while raising up the horn of salvation in the House of David his servant. Long ago, His holy prophet said, ‘We will be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us’ (Ps. 106:10). Thus He will be merciful to our forefathers while remembering His covenant, the oath which He swore to Abraham our father, to deliver us free from fear from our enemies so we can serve Him in holiness and righteousness forever. ‘And you child (John the Baptist) will go before the Messiah to prepare his ways’ (Malachi 3:1); to give His people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins; and this because of God’s tender mercy in sending the Son of Righteousness (Messiah of Malachi 4:2) from on high to visit us, to shine upon those who sit in the darkness (Gentiles) of the shadow of death (Isa. 9:1–2), and to guide our feet (Jews) along the Way of Peace.

Here Zacharias prophesies in a canticle by linking the Messiah to the Davidic Covenant (while raising up the horn of salvation in the house of David His servant), the Abrahamic Covenant (the oath which He swore to Abraham our father), and the New Covenant (to give His people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins). He then says his son will be the prophet who will prepare the way for Messiah. This Son of Righteousness or sun of righteousness from Malachi 4:2 is an obvious reference to the coming Messiah. Satan is personified as the Venus or the star of the morning (Isa. 14:12a) whereas Jesus is the morning star (2 Pet. 1:19b, Rev. 2:28, 22:16) that rises. The star of the morning was called "Lucifer" by the Romans and signified Venus. When the Morning Star (Sun or Son) rises, the Star of the Morning (Satan) begins to fade. The Morning Star is the sun or Messiah.

§10: John the Baptist Early Life

Luke 1:80

8 BC to 29 AD

The child, John the Baptist, grew acquiring character and strong will. He lived in the desert until the day of his public appearance (to begin his ministry as the forerunner of Messiah).

This is the way Luke rounds off Zacharias’s Song. Chronologically it occurs after the birth of Christ which is yet to be told.

§11: Annunciation to Joseph

Matthew 1:18–25

Early May, 8 BC

The circumstances surrounding the birth of Jesus are as follows. (After leaving Elizabeth in the hill country of Judea), Mary, who was betrothed to Joseph, (returned home to Nazareth after a four month absence). She was visibly pregnant. Mary knew that her pregnancy was conceived by the Holy Spirit (but Joseph did not). So Joseph, her husband, being a righteous man, but not wanting to disgrace her, desired to put her away secretly. (If the people found out, she could by law be stoned.) While he was mulling this over, an angel of the Lord (Gabriel) appeared to him in a dream and said, "Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife because she has conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son and you will name Him Jesus (Yeshua meaning salvation or savior) for He will save His people from their sins."

Now all these things were predicted by the prophet Isaiah: (The Lord Himself will give you a sign:) Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Emmanuel (Is. 7:14), which translated means God with us.

(When the dream was over,) Joseph woke up from his sleep and followed the angel’s instructions: (He continued the betrothal) and took her as his wife, but did not know her sexually until (after) she gave birth to a Son. And Joseph named the child Jesus.

Luke’s annunciation to Mary identifies with her circumstances while Matthew’s annunciation to Joseph identifies with his circumstances. The Messianic NT link is connected to OT prophecy about the virgin (alma) birth. It is clear that if alma only meant maiden as is contended by some, then Isa 7:14 could not have been a predicted sign.

The assumption here is that the Annunciation to Joseph was when Mary, like Elizabeth her cousin (see §4), began to clearly show midway toward the fifth month (or four and a half months) of the pregnancy of her first child. Since Mary conceived on the Feast of Dedication, December 18, four and a half months later was the beginning of May.

§12: Birth of Jesus

Luke 2:1–7

Monday, 28 September, 8 BC

In Rome, Caesar (Servius Tullius) issued a decree that a census be taken of the Roman Empire. This decree was enacted locally by Quirinius the governor of Syria (in 8 BC.) This was the first of a series of censuses.

To register for the census, every person was to report to the city of his birth. So Joseph, went up to Judea from Nazareth in Galilee (a distance of about ninety miles), He went to the city of David called Bethlehem because he was a descendant of (King) David. Mary accompanied him because she was engaged to him and about to give birth (and both knew from Micah 5:2 that Messiah would be born in Bethlehem.) While they were in Bethlehem her baby came due and she gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped Him in cloth normally used for burial and laid him in a manger (which was part of a complex of caves used to bury the dead, quarter animals, and store burial cloth) because all living quarters