Syllabus for
Jesus in the Gospels

Class Description:
The objective of this class is to help students find a deeper understanding of Jesus, His identity and His work through a study of the Gospels. Building on our Systematic theology we will be able to articulate our own “Christology” – what we believe about Jesus. We will be using biblical and extra-biblical resources to help guide us in our understanding.

Learning Goals:

Understand the process by which we received the Gospels.
Understand God’s purpose for the Gospels and how they are helpful to our faith
Find Jesus in the Gospels in a newer and deeper way.
Be able to articulate what we believe about the identity and work of Jesus.

Class Location:                Narthex
Times:                              Thursdays, 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm
Requirements:                 Bible, pen and class notebook

Schedule of Classes:

Nov. 8 Gospels and the Identity of Jesus

Nov. 15 The Message of the Gospels

Nov. 22 Thanksgiving Break – No Class

Nov. 29 The Miracles and Wonders of Jesus

Dec. 6 The Passion

Dec. 13 The Resurrection

Matthew:
Jesus in the Gospels

I. The Gospels

A. When?

------------|------------|------------|------------|--------->

B. What?

Gospel = ________________________________

Genres = _______, ________, _______, _______

II. Matthew:

A. A Jewish Gospel

B. A Biblical Gospel

C. A Teacher’s Gospel

III. Five Key Themes
A.

IV. Identity

What does this tell me about Jesus?
How does this connect to the Old Testament?
What does this tell me about God?
Why does Matthew include this particular story?

V. Identify Jesus in the following passages

Bible Study Worksheet:
Jesus in the Gospels

Sample worksheet for the Bible Study.
These questions can be used for any of the passages n the outline.

Read the following passage and answer the following questions:

Matthew 2:1-12

1. What does this passage tell me about Jesus?

2. What Old Testament connections does Matthew include in this passage?

3. What does this passage tell me about God the Father?

4. Why do you think Matthew includes this particular story in his Gospel?

Luke: Message of Christ

I. How Did We Get Them?
A. Jesus Lived

B. “An account drawn up” Luke 1:1-4

Process of Revelation

C. Synoptic Problem

Matthew 6:24 No one can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.

Luke 16:13 No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.

D. Lost Gospels

II.    Luke:
        A.     An Historical Gospel

B. A Gentile Gospel

C. A Healing Gospel

III. The Message of Jesus Luke 4:14-20
A. Words & Deeds

B. Parables

C. Questions to Ask in Each Parable

1. Who are the main characters or key elements?

2. What’s the surprise or what’s unexpected in the story?

3. What is Jesus’ point?

4. How does that apply to my life?

Complete List of Parables and Images
in the Gospel according to Luke:

Parable	Luke
Garments & Wineskins	Lk 5:36-39
Two Houses, Built on Rock or Earth	Lk 6:47-49
Children in the Market Place	Lk 7:31-35
Two Debtors	Lk 7:41-43
Sower & Seed	Lk 8:5-8
[Why Jesus Uses Parables]	Lk 8:9-10
[Interpretation of Sower & Seed]	Lk 8:11-15
Lamp on a Stand	Lk 8:16 [cf. 11:33]
[Other Sayings about Jesus' Parables]	Lk 8:17-18 [cf. 12:2]
Good Samaritan	Lk 10:25-37
Friend Asking for Help at Midnight	Lk 11:5-8
Strong Man	Lk 11:21
Return of the Unclean Spirit	Lk 11:24-26
Lamp on a Stand	Lk 11:33 [cf. 8:16]
Rich Fool	Lk 12:16-21
Faithful Servants	Lk 12:35-38
Burglar	Lk 12:39-40
Servant Entrusted with Supervision	Lk 12:42-46
Going before the Judge	Lk 12:58-59
Barren Fig-Tree	Lk 13:6-9
Mustard Seed	Lk 13:18-19
Leaven	Lk 13:20-21
Closed Door	Lk 13:24-30
Choice of Places at Table	Lk 14:7-1l
Great Supper	Lk 14:16-24
Tower-Builder & King Planning for Battle	Lk 14:28-32
Salt	Lk 14:34
Lost Sheep	Lk 15:3-7
Lost Coin	Lk 15:8-10
Prodigal Son	Lk 15:11-32
Unjust Steward	Lk 16:1-8
Rich Man & Lazarus	Lk 16:19-31
Servant's Reward	Lk 17:7-10
Unjust Judge	Lk 18:1-8
Pharisee & Publican	Lk 18:9-14
Pounds or Talents	Lk 19:12-27
Throne Claimant	Lk 19:12, 14, 15a, 27
Wicked Tenants	Lk 20:9-18
Budding Fig-Tree	Lk 21:29-31
*Total Number in Luke*	36

Wonders of Christ

I. The Gospel of John

Author
Purpose
Peculiarities

II. Prologue: John 1:1-18

Words & Titles
Identity of Jesus

III. Miracles of Christ Studied

Seven Select Signs by John
John 2:1-11
John 4:43-54
John 5:1-9
John 6:1-5
John 6:16-25
John 9:1-41
John 11:1-44

Ten Questions to ask

What was miraculous about it?
Where did it happen?
Who was the audience?
Who was the recipient of the miracle?
What was the modus operandi of the miracle?
Were there any instructions given before, during or after the miracle?
What was the response after the miracle was completed?
What did it demonstrate about the identity of Jesus?
What seems to be the purpose of the miracle?
What was the meaning for the Jews who saw the miracle? For the disciples? For the person healed? For me?

IV. Miracles

Definition
Design
Descriptions: Acts 2:2

a.   Signs
b.   Wonders
c.   Power

V. Homework: Read John

Title Sheet
Identify in each chapter the strongest statement or event that declares the deity of Jesus Christ.

The Thirty-five Individual Miracles Listed in the Gospels as done by Jesus

1.      Changing of water into wine --John 2:7-9
2.      Healing of the nobleman’s son --John 4:50
3.      Healing of the Capernaum demoniac --Mark 1:25; Luke 4:35
4.      Healing of Peter’s mother-in-law --Matthew 8:15; Mark 1:31; Luke 4:39
5.      Catching a great number of fish --Luke 5:5-6
6.      Healing a leper --Matthew 8:3; Mark 1:41
7.      Healing a paralytic --Matthew 9:2-7; Mark 2:5-12; Luke 5:20-25
8.      Healing a withered hand --Matthew 12:13; Mark 3:5; Luke 6:10
9.      Healing a centurion’s servant --Matthew 8:13; Luke 7:10
10.    Raising a widow’s son --Luke 7:14
11.    Calming the stormy sea --Matthew 8:26; Mark 4:39; Luke 8:24
12.    Healing the Gadarene demoniac --Matthew 8:32; Mark 5:8; Luke 8:33
13.    Healing a woman with internal bleeding --Matthew 9:22; Mark 5:29; Luke 8:44
14.    Raising Jairus’ daughter --Matthew 9:25; Mark 5:41; Luke 8:54
15.    Healing two blind men --Matthew 9:29
16.    Healing a mute demoniac --Matthew 9:33
17.    Healing of a thirty-eight year invalid --John 5:8
18.    Feeding 5,000 men and their families --Matthew 14:19; Mark 6:41; Luke 9:16; John 6:11
19.    Walking on the sea --Matthew 14:25; Mark 6:48; John 6:19
20.    Healing a demoniac girl --Matthew 15:28; Mark 7:29
21.    Healing a deaf man with a speech impediment --Mark 7:34-35
22.    Feeding 4,000 men and their families --Matthew 15:36; Mark 8:6
23.    Healing a blind man --Mark 8:25
24.    Healing a man born blind --John 9:7
25.    Healing a demoniac boy --Matthew 17:18; Mark 9:25; Luke 9:42
26.    Catching a fish with a coin in its mouth --Matthew 17:27
27.    Healing a blind and mute demoniac --Matthew 12:22; Luke 11:14
28.    Healing a women with an eighteen-year infirmity --Luke 13:10-17
29.    Healing a man with dropsy --Luke 14:4
30.    Healing ten lepers --Luke 17:11-19
31.    Raising of Lazarus --John 11:43-44
32.    Healing a blind man --Matthew 20:34; Luke 18:42; Mark 10:46, 52
33.    Destroying a fig tree --Matthew 21:19; Mark 11:14
34.    Restoring a severed ear --Matthew 26:51; Mark 14:47; Luke 22:50; John 18:10
35.    Catching a great number of fish --John 21:6

Give a title to each of the following sections in the Gospel of John:

1:1-18_______________________________
1:19-51______________________________
2:1-11_______________________________
2:12-25______________________________
3:1-21_______________________________
3:22-36______________________________
4:1-42_______________________________
4:43-4_______________________________
5:1-47_______________________________
6:1-71_______________________________
7:1-53_______________________________
8:1-59_______________________________
9:1-41_______________________________
10:1-21______________________________
10:22-42_____________________________
11:1-57______________________________
12:1-11______________________________
12:12-50_____________________________
13:1-38______________________________
14:1-31______________________________
15:1-27______________________________
16:1-33______________________________
17:1-26______________________________
18:1-19:42___________________________
20:1-31______________________________
21:1-25______________________________

John 2:1-11

Title________________________________________________
What was miraculous about it?
Where did it happen?
Who was the audience?
Who was the recipient of the miracle?
What was the modus operandi of the miracle?
Were there any instructions given before, during or after the miracle?
What was the response after the miracle was completed?
What did it demonstrate about the identity of Jesus?
What seems to be the purpose of the miracle?
What was the meaning…
…for the Jews who saw the miracle?
…for the disciples?
…for the person healed?
What is the meaning for me?

John 4:43-54

Title_______________________________________________
What was miraculous about it?
Where did it happen?
Who was the audience?
Who was the recipient of the miracle?
What was the modus operandi of the miracle?
Were there any instructions given before, during or after the miracle?
What was the response after the miracle was completed?
What did it demonstrate about the identity of Jesus?
What seems to be the purpose of the miracle?
What was the meaning…
…for the Jews who saw the miracle?
…for the disciples?
…for the person healed?
What is the meaning for me?

I. The Passion

A. Central to the Gospels

B. Central to the Christian

II. One Long Week

Sunday	Triumphal Entry	Mark 11:1-11
Monday	Clears the Temple	Mark 11:12-19
Tuesday	Authority Questioned and Tested	Mark 11:20-14:2
Wednesday	Anointed and Betrayal planned	Mark 14:3-11
Thursday	Last Supper and Gethsemane	Mark 14:12-72
Friday	Crucifixion	Mark 15:1-47
Saturday
Sunday	Resurrection	Mark 16:1-8

III. Seven Last Words

A. “Father, forgive them they know not what they do.”
--Luke 23:34

B. “Today you will be with me in paradise.”
--Luke 23:43

C. “Dear woman here is your son.”
--John 19:26;

D. “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?”
--Mark 15:34; Matt. 27:46

E. “I am thirsty”
--John 19:28

F. “It is finished.”
--John 19:30

G. “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.”
--Luke 23:46

IV. Six Good Reasons

A. Propitiation
(Romans 3:25, Romans 5:9, 1 Thessalonians 1:10)

B. Redeem
(Luke 1:68, Mark 10:45, 1 Timothy 2:5-6, 1 Peter 1:18-19)

C. Justification
(1 Corinthians 6:11, Romans 8:33, Gal. 2:15-16, Rom. 4:25)

D. Reconciliation
(Colossians 1:19-22, 2 Corinthians 5:18-21)

E. Revelation
(Romans 3:25-26, Romans 5:8)

F. Victory
(1 Corinthians 15:57, Hebrews 2:14-15)

Resurrection

I. What’s the Bible Say About It? (Small Group Study)

Matthew 28:1-8
Mark 16:1-8
Luke 24:1-10
John 20:1-9

II. Did It Really Happen?

Arguments Against	Refutation
1. Wrong Tomb	1.
2. Swoon Theory	2.
3. Stolen by thieves	3.
4. Stolen by Disciples	4.

III. Look at The Evidence

A.   Changed disciples
B.   500 Witnesses
C.   Focused Message

IV. What’s the Point?

They didn’t get it (Mark 9:9-10)
Crucial to Christianity (1 Corinthians 15:12-19)
Proof that Jesus was God (Romans 1:3-5)
Death had been defeated (1 Corinthians 15:20-26)
Restored hope (1 Peter 1:3)
He is alive today in me (Galatians 2:20)
We will be resurrected too. (Romans 6:3-5)

Syllabus for Jesus in the Gospels

Matthew: Jesus in the Gospels

Bible Study Worksheet: Jesus in the Gospels