The Four Gospels Course.

Essay for the Dr. of Christian Studies – The Four Gospels Course.

Sharon J. Mayer

This is a wonderful course that has taken me on an exploration of early Christian writings, practices, and thought.

Over my sixty nine years of life I have had the gospels read to me or read them myself numerous times and each time something new has come from the reading as I have grown in understanding. This course was the best of all I have taken on the subject. I was not told this is the Truth and you must believe it. I was allowed, during the course, to explore on my own the writings and teachings that would enhance the subject and my understanding. .

We were asked to write on one point of the books, which either stumped or moved the reader, to pick a section and write an opinion. That is extremely difficult because all the books as presented sent me looking for more information, another interpretation, history of the times and place the book was written, the thoughts and powers of the day. I was so interested in continuing my studies that I did not eve realize the course had come to an end – but my studies have not ended as yet.

The parts that interested me the most were those that mentioned the Gospel of Q as a starting point of the narrative of some of the books. The ideas that the oral tradition that was passed from regional areas and understandings of what had been said and done by Jesus was well brought out during the discourse. I was familiar with Q and Thomas, as well as other books that were not included in the New Testament by formal religion. I am also familiar with other texts of some religions that are added to the Bible for use by their church members.

I have often been confused by the fact that not all books were available to read by the common person and that since the Bible was hand-copied there was no way to be sure that the text was kept complete and accurate. This is a main point that has perplexed me most of my years. I understand there are those who believe and base their faith on the fact that God gave all the words in the books to the person writing and they are absolute truth and are to be followed.

But if the Bibles were commissioned by humans and humans have free will how were the books of the bible to be kept pure as complied and handed down for centuries? If a ruler wanted to add something to enhance his kingdom and he needed to have “history” rewritten that could be done. We all know that local practices were incorporated into the church to draw more members. So what was to stop the things the ruler did not like from being excluded and things he wanted to be part of religion from being added? If a church body felt that a book for other form of writing was detrimental to their ways they would just not add that thought or practice to the Formal Church. People have died for what was written and believed from the early church on. These are the things about the Gospels that really push me to continue my learning of early Christian writing and keep me studying more about the subject.

The Gospel according to Like is an example of the history of Jesus’ birth and family.

This is brought out in the course to be written to appease the Romans that this was a spiritual person and no threat to the political situation of Rome. It also made a strong tie of Christianity being part of the Jewish religion that would be tolerated by Rome. This to me is a case in point where the writing was honed to appeal to the powers that be.

Later the books were arranged by what was to be taught because of highly placed church leaders and the thought they had about what was to be given to the common folk to continue their religious training. There seems to have been much control of what was added to the books, wheat was written, how it was presented and what text was left out. As brought out in the lesson on “The Word According to Luke, Pt 2 “There are no secrets. When you open yourself up to the light, everything is seen.”

That is what this class has done for me and I hope for others. Look into the light of knowledge and travel to wherever it takes you to find the truth.

Rev Sharon J. Mayer

*******************************

The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more. I have been a proud member of the ULC for many years and the Seminary since its inception.

The Universal Life Church offers handfasting ceremonies, funeral ceremonies and free minister training.

As a long time member of ULC, Rev. Long created the seminary site to help train our ministers. We also have a huge selection of Universal Life Church  minister supplies. Since being ordained with the Universal Life Church for so many years and it's Seminary since the beginning, I've watch the huge change and growth that has continued to happen.

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar

Four Gospels Course

Final Essay Four Gospels Rev. Lucinda Parker

This class was extremely interesting and well constructed. As a non-Christian, I learned a great deal about the variations within the gospels, which undoubtedly lead to the variations in Christian beliefs.

It is very interesting to compare the four gospels to each other and realize the message is not the same nor written for the same audience. Mark was writing presumably to Jews. Matthew was sending the message of Jesus only to Jews. Luke, written later, was writing to both Gentiles and Jews of Israel. John, the newest of the gospels was written to a universal audience.

Many of the same stories appear in at least two of the gospels yet are changed to fit the audience, which in some cases changes the meaning of the story. In Mark, Matthew and Luke, Jesus teaches in parables and he performs exorcisms (healings) In John, Jesus does not teach in parables nor does Jesus perform exorcisms. Comparing the common parables or stories, it is almost like playing the children’s game of “Gossip.” The story changes a little bit with each retelling.

I found John’s message to be the most different from the other three and the most radical. It was also the hardest to read as my own beliefs started to contradict what I was reading. John says Jesus was God. John mentions a virgin birth. John also implies that Jesus raised himself from the grave. John’s gospel presents a Jesus that was not a human teacher, but God himself. Jesus is the “I AM.”

Mark says Jesus was a man. He was the Son of God, the messiah of the Jews. Mark portrays Jesus with limited abilities or authority. Matthew said Jesus was Godlike. Matthew did believe in the Immaculate Conception and that God raised Jesus from the dead.

Luke, the most literary of the writers said Jesus was godlike and the Savior of the World. He repeated Matthew’s stance of the Immaculate Conception and God’s resurrection of Jesus.

John’s message differs greatly in the way he presents Jesus, not only from the other three gospels, but also within his gospel, which leads credence to scholarly writings that John was actually more than one writer. John says Jesus did not associate with outcasts and does not include the stories of the other three where Jesus did associate with the outcasts. Perhaps this reflects the fact John was written much later than the first three and was written only to believers rather than to non- believers of the day.

In John, Jesus talks about himself a lot and his relation with the father and why he is on earth, why he must die, etc. None of the other three gospels portray Jesus in the same light. Jesus says little about himself in the other three gospels nor of his mission here on earth other than to teach, heal and share.

The last big difference I see is that Matthew, Luke and Mark teach that God is love for everyone. Love thy neighbor as thy self. John has a totally different message. John’s message of love seems to stretch only to other believers, and that salvation is not through love and God, but only through Jesus and believing him to be God. That is quite a different message than the other three gospels.

This class was very well written. I would not have taken a course about Christianity if it were not required for the degree. I enjoyed the gospel of Thomas the most. I didn’t even know there was a gospel of Thomas. Luke was the best writer of all and obviously educated for the times.

The book that accompanied the class was an interesting translation. I compared some chapters to the NIV versions. The Greek translation was easy to read.

I would suggest this class to anyone interested in studying the gospels for the differences and similarities, which have given rise to the many denominations within Christianity.

Rev. Lucinda Parker

*******************************

The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have classes in Christianity, Wicca, Paganism, two courses in Metaphysics and much more. I have been a proud member of the ULC for many years and the Seminary since its inception.

The Universal Life Church offers handfasting ceremonies, funeral ceremonies and free minister training.

As a long time member of ULC, Rev. Long created the seminary site to help train our ministers. We also have a huge selection of Universal Life Church  minister supplies. Since being ordained with the Universal Life Church for so many years and it's Seminary since the beginning, I've watch the huge change and growth that has continued to happen.

Try our new free toolbar at: ULC Toolbar