The Gospels
Matthew, Mark, Luke and John are considered the Synoptic Gospels, because they share similar stories, structures, and content, together through Matthew and John being eyewitnesses and Mark & Luke keeping recorded accounts of Jesus life, ministry, death and resurrection through Peter & Paul. Synoptic is a Greek word syn- (together) and opsis (view)
Mark (John Mark)
Mark was a Jewish Christian, traditionally identified as John Mark, John is a Hebrew name given by the jewish and Mark was his surname, Mark is best known by his latin name, Marcus, Although Mark was not one of the original 12 apostles, Mark was closely associated with Paul and Peter, he wrote down Peter’s eyewitness accounts preserving the teachings of Jesus, In fact; On Paul first missionary Mark followed alongside Paul and his cousin Barnabas, before recording Peters firsthand accounts of Jesus and his preaching, Mark's Mother even played an important roll for the Christian community in Jerusalem, her name was Mary in the Bible, you can find her accounts in Acts 12:12 as well as Peter's escape Act 12, Mary's home was a place where Christian could come gather and pray, The home of the Christian's praying for Peter after Herod put him in prison, also the place Peter came to after miraculously escaping prison with the help of an angel sent by God.
Luke ( The beloved Physician)
Luke was a Highly educated Physician from Antioch (Modern day Turkey), Luke walked closely with Apostle Paul, Paul calling Luke the beloved Physician in Colossians 4:14, Luke having the longest book in the New Testament The Gospel of Luke, in fact, Luke was the only writer out of the Gospels whom also wrote the book of Acts, That was not a Jew but gentile (Greek), Luke was not an eyewitness to Jesus life nor walked beside him, his writings are historical accurate accounts of Jesus, highlighting Jesus’s compassion for the outcasts, the poor, women, and sinners also many of Jesus's most famous parables about redemption for all people, such as the Good Samaritan in Luke 10: 25-37 and the Prodigal Son in Luke 15:11-32, by investigating the events and interviewing eyewitnesses of Jesus accounts, outside of Paul teachings, Luke joined Apostle Paul during his missionary journeys and accompanied him all the way to Rome as the healing physician, Even Paul's imprisonment in Rome, Luke was near to the end of his life and remained by his side. The beautiful truth is Lukes never walked with Jesus but he believed and it was his mission to share the gospel.
Saint John (Beloved Disciple) Whom Jesus loved
St. John, Jesus’s Beloved Disciple, the son of Zebedee and Salome brother of James, the fisherman from Galilee. Jesus called them “sons of thunder’ St. John wrote the Gospel of John, famously known as John 3:16 (for God so loved the world). John’s writings reflect on Jesus's life, death and resurrection, asserts In the entire chapters: John 1 (In the beginning was the Word), focusing on Jesus’s divine identity as the Son of God, highlighting the fact that Jesus is God incarnated (God in human form) who existed since the beginning of creation, The coming Messiah who is The bread of life, The good shepherd, The Great I Am, The way the truth and the life, detailing Jesus final teachings to his disciples and the betrayal of Judas Iscariot in John 13:21-27, John emphases that believing in him provides eternal life and freedom from sin, The day of Jesus crucifixion he asked John to care for his mother Mary in John 19:26-27 John was also credited for writing 4 other books in the New Testament 1 John, 2 John, 3 John and Revelation. John refused to stop preaching about Jesus, upsetting the Roman Emperor Domitian. Domitian exiled John to the Greek island of Pathos. Rome used this island as an isolated colony for prisoners and criminals. but even-though John was isolated on this Island in harsh conditions, God was with him, experiencing visions from God to write Revelation, John was released after Domitian's death, returning to Ephesus where he continued his ministry. John was the only apostle who lived very old and died naturally in Ephesus.
Matthew ("Gift of Yahweh")
Matthew, was also surnamed Levi, a Jewish Roman tax collector in Capernaum despised by Jewish society, before Jesus called him to be one of his 12 apostles, Amazing fact about Matthew, Even-though he had a lucrative tax collector business, Matthew immediately left everything behind when Jesus simply said follow me Matthew 9:9. Matthew's writings, documents Jesus being the coming Messiah, his genealogy, baptism and messages. The sermon on the mount was Jesus most comprehensive moral teaching to his followers, detailed in Matthew chapter 5-7, Matthew writes one of Jesus's greatest commandments to us, Matthew 22: 37-39 You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is Jesus first and great commandment, secondly is, you shall love your neighbor as yourself. Matthew had a great love for Jesus, Matthew shows is fellow neighbors love by inviting Jesus to eat amongst the other publicans and sinners unashamed of Jesus, detailed in Matthew 9:10-13, demonstrating Gods Grace is for everyone, this passage teaches us its not the healthy that needs a doctor, its the sick, Jesus sharing a meal is showing his acceptance and friendship, allowing them to receive Gods Grace, Truly a beautiful teaching of Love, Grace and Mercy for those that need it.
