The Gospels: An Introduction

Once upon a time, there was a man/God named Jesus.

He was born of a virgin named Mary (how, you ask? Well…I…um…this is story time, not question time.) He grew up and did some miracles (like walking on water, turning water into wine, etc. No, no. Put your hand down. No questions.), did a little something with bread and wine one night with his buddies (a.k.a. the Last Supper – yes there is a painting of it by Da Vinci), one of his buddies betrayed him and turned him into the Jewish leaders (what did I JUST say? Put your hand down.), called for him to be crucified, which he was, and in the process he forgave the sins of every person that ever lived (Why? Because He was God and He can, that’s why. Shut up and put your hand down!) Then he died and came back from the dead on Sunday (Don’t even think about it! NO QUESTIONS!)

Which is why we have Easter. And…the end.

This, ladies and gentlemen, has been my understanding of the gospel since the first time I heard about Jesus, and has remained my paradigm even after I accepted Him and started walking with him (which, depending on interpretation is anytime in the last 3-7 years). So it always baffled me as to why there were four different accounts of this story, when I had already compacted it into a very convenient, travel-sized nutshell.

…I’m not saying it’s the most mature outlook, but it was certainly the most time-space efficient.

I signed up for a Gospels course for the Fall 2011 semester, thinking it would be a breeze, because I already had the whole story figured out. Easy A, right?

First of all, I ought to have known better because I knowingly and of my own free will signed up with a professor who doesn’t just give grades away. He’s kind of an ogre like that – he actually makes students earn their grades…don’t ask me why, I find it as puzzling as you do.[1]

Second of all, we’re only a few weeks into the class and already my mind has been virtually blown by the depth with which each Gospel story is written.

 It’s like going from watching the story of Jesus on a 12x12 inch black and white TV with marginally acceptable reception, and then one day BOOM!!! There’s suddenly a gigantic plasma screen HD TV with FOUR DIFFERENT SETTINGS through which you can view a different vantage point of the Lord at the click of a button (or in our case, at the flip of the page.) Jesus goes from looking...

...like this...                                                                                                    ...to this.

 

This is the start of a project that will hopefully benefit the both of us. I’m going to be taking you through what I’m learning about Jesus, and what each Gospel book has to show us about Him.  There are going to be several installations of each gospel, so that Jesus can become more real, multi-dimensional, and tangible to us both. Stay tuned. And stay classy.[2]

---

[1] Just kidding John Correia, you know I love you.

[2] yep, that’s from anchor man.