The Gospels

Catalog description

This course is an introduction to the four New Testament gospels. While these texts agree on major events in the life of Jesus, they individually offer unique perspectives on who Jesus was. The synoptic gospels: Mark, Matthew, and Luke will be studied first, with special attention given to the question of literary relationships between these three texts, what scholars identify as the "Synoptic Problem." Next, we will study the Gospel of John, the most unique of the four gospels. Finally, we will briefly explore apocryphal (extra-biblical) gospel traditions about the life and teachings of Jesus.