"Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”
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There is such beauty, glory, and symmetry in the Gospels. The progression of themes and overall message are divine poetry.
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Biblical Alliteration.
Look at the themes of each Gospel. Matthew is all about Jesus as The Sovereign. Mark tells the story of The Servant. Luke is the story of The Man Who became The Savior. John recounts the story of The Son.
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Matthew details His Majesty, Mark speaks of His Ministry, Luke speaks of His Beauty and John tells of His Glory.
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Beautiful Beginnings And Endings.
The way each gospel begins is reflected in the way they end. No wonder the Bible is such a special book!
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Matthew.
In the beginning of Matthew, he talks about Jesus' Kingship and about the land in mentioning David, the king, and Abraham, to whom was promised the land.
The way each gospel begins is reflected in the way they end. No wonder the Bible is such a special book!
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Matthew.
In the beginning of Matthew, he talks about Jesus' Kingship and about the land in mentioning David, the king, and Abraham, to whom was promised the land.
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In the very first chapter he writes, "Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us,” in verse 23. The first chapter opens up with, "GOD IS WITH US." How does it end? Matthew 28:20 "...lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen." He is always "Immanuel:" HE NEVER LEAVES US!
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Mark.
The Gospel of Mark opens up with Jesus being busy, busy, busy. He goes over to be baptized of John in the river Jordan and immediately goes into the wilderness for those 40 days. Afterward He calls His disciples. All throughout the book He is going here and there, healing, ministering, saving, delivering from devils. It is a constant stream of non-stop activity! He is shown to be the Tireless Worker.
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How does this gospel end? Mark 16:20 "And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen"
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He never stops working, even in heaven! He is always with us and always working right alongside us. We are never alone!
In the very first chapter he writes, "Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us,” in verse 23. The first chapter opens up with, "GOD IS WITH US." How does it end? Matthew 28:20 "...lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen." He is always "Immanuel:" HE NEVER LEAVES US!
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Mark.
The Gospel of Mark opens up with Jesus being busy, busy, busy. He goes over to be baptized of John in the river Jordan and immediately goes into the wilderness for those 40 days. Afterward He calls His disciples. All throughout the book He is going here and there, healing, ministering, saving, delivering from devils. It is a constant stream of non-stop activity! He is shown to be the Tireless Worker.
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How does this gospel end? Mark 16:20 "And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs. Amen"
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He never stops working, even in heaven! He is always with us and always working right alongside us. We are never alone!
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What a Savior! That's the message of the Gospel of The Divine Worker. Isn't that beautiful? No wonder we love Jesus and love His word!
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Luke.
Now we come to the Gospel of Luke. It opens up, as you already know, with the story of the "dumb priest" not found in any other gospel: Zecharias.
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Luke 1:5
"There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias..."
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This is the priestly gospel, as you read in an earlier portion of this series. A priest represents the people TO God, unlike a prophet who speaks TO the people FROM God.
A priest must be a man, which is why Jesus had to become Man, in order to represent us TO God.
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But Zacharias is a priest of the Old Covenant. By Divine lottery, it fell to him at this time to go in and offer prayers for the people at the altar of Incense.
Luke.
Now we come to the Gospel of Luke. It opens up, as you already know, with the story of the "dumb priest" not found in any other gospel: Zecharias.
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Luke 1:5
"There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias..."
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This is the priestly gospel, as you read in an earlier portion of this series. A priest represents the people TO God, unlike a prophet who speaks TO the people FROM God.
A priest must be a man, which is why Jesus had to become Man, in order to represent us TO God.
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But Zacharias is a priest of the Old Covenant. By Divine lottery, it fell to him at this time to go in and offer prayers for the people at the altar of Incense.
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Rabbinical tradition tells us that most priests coveted this particular job in the Temple because their prayers were always answered. This proved to be true for this priest.
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Zacharias and his wife, Elizabeth, were advanced in years and had prayed for a long time to have a child. As he came in to offer his own prayers and those of the people, the Angel spoke to him and told him that, indeed, his prayers had been heard. His wife would conceive and bear a child. They were to name him, "John."
Sadly, Zach didn't believe the angel and was struck dumb...unable to speak...until the child would be born. I'm sure God didn't want any more negative confession to come out of his mouth, thereby stopping his miracle from happening.
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When returning to the courtyard where the people were awaiting his return, they were expecting him to bless them. But because he was unable to speak, he was unable to do so.
He is from the Levitical tribe and CANNOT BLESS THE PEOPLE. If a priest is not able to bless the people, he is of NO USE.
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If you have been following along this series, you saw that he wasn't only dumb, but deaf as well. To read ABOUT that topic, refer to the link below to part 6:
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How does the Gospel of Luke end? With our Great High Priest, after the order of Melchizedek, after the power of an endless life, not according to the Law.
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Luke 24:50
"And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them."
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This is the priestly act the levitical priest, Zacharias, was unable to do.
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Look what happened next:
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51-15 Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven. 52 And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, 53 and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God. Amen"
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Jesus didn't leave them: He "was parted" (passive voice) from them, as if He didn't want to go. He wanted to stay and continue blessing them. Passive voice indicates that this is an action that is done TO you, not one you initiate.
Isn't that beautiful? Its as if His Father was saying, "Son, time to go."
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Luke opens with a dumb priest who cannot bless the people but closes with a glorious priest Who cannot stop blessing the people.
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He is still doing that in heaven right now. He has never stopped blessing us. See Him as blessing you, as giving to you. As you see Him in His love for you, He sees you in your faith. As your faith increases by beholding Him, He sees you in your faith and blesses you accordingly.
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After He was taken from their sight, they all worshipped Jesus, returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were, as priests after the order of Melchizedek, "CONTINUALLY IN THE TEMPLE PRAISING GOD."
Where there was only one, deaf and dumb priest after the weakness of the law in the beginning, now there is a whole host of priests of the New Covenant, according to the order of Melchizedek, in the Temple, continually praising and blessing God!"
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Leviticus 22:4 admonishes,"Whatever man of the descendants of Aaron, who is a leper or has a discharge, shall not eat the holy offerings until he is clean. And whoever touches anything made unclean by a corpse,..."
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In the book of Luke, Jesus heals a leper in Chapter 5. In Chapter 8, he heals the woman with the issue of blood for 12 years, and immediately afterward, raised the daughter of Jairus from the dead. These three events are in the exact same order as in the verse from Leviticus. What would once defile and disqualify us from partaking of the holy things of God, Jesus is the answer.
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That's the beauty and symmetry of this wonderful book! How God speaks to us and assures us of His love and provision for us. Everything is lined up to speak blessing to us. No matter what your problem, how bad you were, no matter what your situation or state of your health, Jesus is the answer to all of it!
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John.
At last we come to the Gospel of John. It opens up with this verse:
1:18 "No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him."
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Jesus was in "the bosom of the Father." This is the gospel of "LOVE." God SO LOVED the world is found only in the gospel of John.
Jesus was continually conscious of the Father's love for Him. He lived there! That is why He was able to minister so effectively when He walked this earth. He didn't come FROM the bosom of the Father, as if He left there and went back. It says, "Who IS-present tense-in the bosom of the Father." He was always living there.
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That's a clue for us today: To be so mindful of the Father's love FOR us that we do amazing things in this world. Jesus came down to bring you and I into that place of Love, the bosom of the Father.
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Here is how the Gospel of John ends:
"21:20 Then Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following, who also had leaned on His breast at the supper..."
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It begins with "breast;" it ends with "breast," the love of God! Thank you Jesus!
It's all about love!
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Progressive Endings.
Best of all, the final messages of the Gospels is progressive.
Matthew 28:6
"6 He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.
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Mark 16:19
"19 So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.:19 So then, after the Lord had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God."
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Luke 24:49
" 49 Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem[i] until you are endued with power from on high.”
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John 21:22
"22 Jesus said to him, “If I will that he remain till I come, what is that to you? You follow Me.”
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In the last chapter of Matthew, it speaks of Jesus' RESURRECTION. Mark mentions His ASSENTION in the last few verses. At the end of Luke, Jesus admonishes the disciples to tarry in Jerusalem until they are endued with power from on high. That is a reference to PENTECOST. And finally, in the closing verses of the final gospel, John gives an account of the discussion between Jesus and Peter. He tells them that He will come back again, alluding to His SECOND COMING!
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AWESOME!!!
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Finally, God gives us wonderful clues in His word to be prosperous and in the best health in these verses from Psalm 103:
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"Bless the Lord, O my soul;
And all that is within me, bless His holy name!
2 Bless the Lord, O my soul,
And forget not all His benefits:
3 Who forgives all your iniquities,
Who heals all your diseases,
4 Who redeems your life from destruction,
Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies,
5 Who satisfies your mouth with good things,
So that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s."
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Remember what animal represents the Gospel of John?
THE EAGLE.
Want to renew your youth like the eagle's?
MEDITATE ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN!
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Please follow the link below to Part 9:
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