Four Portraits, One Jesus: A Survey of Jesus and the GospelsTo Christians worldwide, the man Jesus of Nazareth is the centerpiece of history, the object of faith, hope, and worship. Even those who do not follow him admit the vast influence of his life. For anyone interested in knowing more about Jesus, study of the four biblical Gospels is essential. Four Portraits, One Jesus is a thorough yet accessible introduction to these documents and their subject, the life and person of Jesus. Like different artists rendering the same subject using different styles and points of view, the Gospels paint four highly distinctive portraits of the same remarkable Jesus. With clarity and insight, Mark Strauss illuminates these four books, first addressing their nature, origin, methods for study, and historical, religious, and cultural backgrounds. He then moves on to closer study of each narrative and its contribution to our understanding of Jesus, investigating things such as plot, characters, and theme. Finally, he pulls it all together with a detailed examination of what the Gospels teach about Jesus' ministry, message, death, and resurrection, with excursions into the quest for the historical Jesus and the historical reliability of the Gospels. |
Contents
List of Abbreviations | 17 |
Introduction | 19 |
INTRODUCTION TO THE FOUR GOSPELS | 21 |
What Are the Gospels? | 23 |
Why Were the Gospels Written? | 30 |
Sources for Information about Jesus outside of the Gospels | 38 |
HistoricalCritical Methods of Gospel Research | 43 |
LiteraryCritical Methods of Gospel Research | 67 |
Narrative and Theological Purpose | 248 |
The Gospel of the Savior for All People | 259 |
The Savior for All People | 281 |
Reading Luke Today | 291 |
The Gospel of the Son Who Reveals the Father | 297 |
The Plot of Johns Gospel | 305 |
The Son Who Reveals the Father | 328 |
THE HISTORICAL JESUS | 345 |
24 | 75 |
Other Literary Methods | 79 |
THE SETTING OF THE GOSPELS | 91 |
The Historical Setting of the Gospels | 93 |
The Maccabees and Jewish Independence 16663 BC | 101 |
FirstCentury Judaism | 123 |
Synagogues Scribes and the Study of Torah | 129 |
Literary Sources for FirstCentury Jewish Life | 140 |
The Social and Cultural Setting of the Gospels | 149 |
THE FOUR GOSPELS | 169 |
The Gospel of the Suffering Son of God | 171 |
The Plot of Marks Gospel | 178 |
The Suffering Son of God | 193 |
Theological Themes | 199 |
Reading Mark Today | 205 |
The Gospel of the Messiah | 213 |
The Plot of Matthews Gospel | 220 |
The Messiah | 239 |
Searching for the Real Jesus | 347 |
A Third Quest? | 358 |
43 | 372 |
Conclusion | 378 |
The Historical Reliability of the Gospels | 383 |
The Role of Presuppositions in Historical Research | 384 |
The Contours and Chronology of Jesus Ministry | 399 |
Jesus Birth and Childhood | 411 |
The Beginning of Jesus Ministry | 425 |
The Message of Jesus | 435 |
The Miracles of Jesus | 455 |
The Messianic Words and Actions of Jesus | 469 |
The Death of Jesus | 493 |
The Resurrection of Jesus | 511 |
Conclusion | 525 |
Glossary | 526 |
541 | |
Other editions - View all
Four Portraits, One Jesus, 2nd Edition: A Survey of Jesus and the Gospels Mark L. Strauss Limited preview - 2020 |
Four Portraits, One Jesus: A Survey of Jesus and the Gospels Mark L. Strauss No preview available - 2020 |