This teaching examines the vital place the Gospel accounts should have in the lives of Christians today. While recognizing legitimate distinctions between biblical administrations and the importance of understanding to whom a passage was originally addressed, it challenges the tendency to let those distinctions diminish the value of the Gospels or the Hebrew Scriptures. All Scripture contributes to the larger story God is telling, and nowhere do we encounter the life and ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ more fully than in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. There we see how he lived, what he taught, what he valued, and how faithfully he carried out the will of his Father.
Rather than approaching the Bible merely as a collection of isolated verses or doctrinal categories, this teaching encourages us to read Scripture as one unfolding story. Themes introduced in Genesis continue through the prophets, the Gospels, the Church Epistles, and ultimately Revelation. Particular attention is given to the kingdom of God and to the striking continuity between Jesus’ teaching and Paul’s writings on loving others, blessing those who persecute us, refusing to repay evil for evil, rejecting hypocritical judgment, and trusting God rather than living in anxiety.
The Gospels and the Church Epistles are not competing bodies of truth but complementary parts of the same unfolding revelation. Although the Epistles speak directly to the Church and explain truths made possible through Christ’s death and resurrection and the gift of holy spirit at Pentecost, that does not make the Gospels lesser Scripture or of secondary importance to Christians. Recognizing that Jesus ministered before Pentecost and within a different biblical administration should help us interpret the Gospels accurately, not distance us from them. The Gospels bring us face-to-face with our Lord: his character, priorities, compassion, courage, obedience, and teaching. If Jesus is truly our Lord, we cannot allow an administrational distinction to become a reason for knowing Paul’s teaching better than we know the Lord Paul proclaimed. The Epistles help us understand what God accomplished through Christ; the Gospels help us know the Christ through whom He accomplished it. We need both if we are to understand God’s Word fully and faithfully represent Jesus Christ in the world.
Comments
Gary,
I just had the opportunity to watch this teaching, and I wanted to thank you for the time and energy you put into this fabulous message. Probably one of the best teachings on the synergy between Jesus-focused Gospels and the Pauline Epistles and how these two important sections of Scripture are part of “all Scripture” as mentioned in 2 Timothy. No one section of Scripture is more important than another. It is all God-breathed. Your delivery was very succinct and easy to understand. Loved the principles from the Gospels (which were written after the epistles) and the reiteration in Paul’s epistles. I will go back to watch it again and take notes. I also appreciate the love with which you shared this message too. Thank you, brother! God bless you!