Gary Gleans

Luke picks up the book of Acts where he left off in the book of Luke.  The Gospels end with a great commission to make disciples in all nations.  Acts begins with the disciples continuing to ask about the timing of the kingdom.  Jesus does not scold them for the hope of the kingdom but informs them that the kingdom’s timing is not of their concern but that their focus needs to be on being His witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and the ends of the earth.  The book of Acts is Luke’s description of how the Holy Spirit empowered these same disciples to accomplish exactly that.  As we read the early part of the book of Acts we cannot help but to stand in awe of the difference that the Holy Spirit’s indwelling and empowering made in the lives of the Apostles.  All through the Gospels we see them being slow to understand Jesus’ teachings, inconsistent in their obedience and fearful in the face of opposition.  In Acts they are laser focused on the mission, fully submissive to the Word of

John is most likely the last of the Gospel writers to write.  More than likely he had been exposed to the previous three Gospels and endeavored to clarify certain details about Jesus as well as record additional events that were not included in Matthew, Mark or Luke.  Much of John’s content is unique.  His language is simple and clear while at the same time very theologically profound.  John’s simple language should never be equated to shallow theology.  He clearly states his purpose for recording these events as being to promote belief in the Lord Jesus Christ and eternal life through Him.  He presents Jesus as the Son of God and clearly defends the divinity of our Lord Jesus.  The book is structured around his rendition of miracles performed by Jesus as well as His clear statements using the phrase “I AM” there can be no doubt that Jesus is God.  John wants us to know who Jesus is and that we are required to believe in Him.  This call to believe is contrasted by the constant rejecti

Luke was a doctor who accompanied Paul on his missionary journeys and wrote the book of Acts.  He was not an eyewitness of the events recorded in his Gospel account, rather, He investigated the reports of the various eyewitnesses to which he had access and set out to record these events in an orderly manner.  Matthew presents Jesus as King of the Jews.  Mark presents Jesus as the Servant of the world.  Luke presents Jesus as the Son of man.  Luke addresses his Gospel to a man named Theophilus, the same person to whom the book of Acts is written.  This man was more than likely a wealthy Gentile who came to know Christ through the early ministry of the Apostles who then sponsored Luke in his investigation of the life of Jesus as well as his journeys with Paul.  The mission God has given us requires many different people who fulfill a wide variety of tasks.  This continues to be true in today’s fulfillment of the mission.  Luke writes to a Gentile audience that requires more explanation

The Gospel of Mark is traditionally thought to be written by John Mark, the young man who was a cousin to Barnabas that abandoned Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey.  He was later the reason Paul and Barnabas split up because Paul did not want to take him again on their second journey.  He ended up being a companion of Peter in ministry and is later recognized by Paul as having matured and being useful for ministry.  John Mark was not a constant eye witness of the ministry of Jesus, although it is likely that he saw portions of Jesus’s ministry in Jerusalem.  His mother, Mary, owned a home in Jerusalem that was the site of the last supper as well as the place where Peter went to after he was released from prison in Acts.  John Mark mentions himself as being present at the last supper as well as being in the garden when Jesus was arrested.  In all likelihood, Mark records the eyewitness account of Peter since the two of them ministered closely together.  Mark presents

The New Testament begins with the Gospel of Matthew.  Generations have passed since the return of the exiles to rebuild the temple and Jerusalem.  Just as Daniel had foretold, the Persian Empire under which Israel was permitted to return gave way to Greek dominance which then gave way to the Roman Empire.  Matthew records the life of Jesus Christ for and Jewish audience with the intention of demonstrating that Jesus is King and the Messiah promised by the prophets of the Old Testament.  Matthew was one of the disciples and was called to follow Jesus from his previous position of a tax collector for the Romans.  He was, most likely, the first of the Gospel writers to record the life of Jesus which is why his is the first of the four Gospels.  The fact that he was a tax collector would have made him very unpopular within the nation of Israel.  They were viewed as traitors to their people and were often corrupt.  The fact that Jesus chose him to be a disciple demonstrates that God is not