Teaching the Gospels

Four Gospels - four different portraits of Jesus.

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Pontifical Biblical Commission 1984 Theological Interpretations in the Gospel Traditions Scripture and Christology (2.2.2.2 b):

 

‘The Gospel traditions were gathered and gradually committed to writing in the light of Easter, until at length they took a fixed form in four booklets. These booklets do not simply contain things ‘that Jesus began to do and teach’(Acts 1:1); they also present theological interpretations of such things. In these booklets, then, one must learn to look for the Christology of each evangelist. This is especially true of John, who in the Patristic period, would receive the title ‘Theologian’. Similarly, other authors whose writings are preserved in the New Testament have interpreted the deeds and sayings of Jesus in diverse ways, and even more so his death and resurrection.’

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Let's investigate the contexts of the Gospels in order to shed light on the different theological messages the authors each had for their communities.