GospelsDictionary of Biblical Imagery

Leland Ryken, Editor

Gospel Genre Biography Historical narrative Hero story Journal Parable Drama Dialogue Sermon Proverb

Satire Poetry Tragedy Comedy Nativity stories Vocation stories Pronouncement stories Miracle stories Passion stories

Four GospelsMathew: Jesus is the royal Messiah who fulfills OT

prophecyMark: Jesus’ humanity and sufferingLuke: Jesus’ humanitarian compassion for outcastsJohn: Poetic Jesus who teaches by means of great

symbols

StructureLoose chronologyOrganizational schemesCollage of units, not a continuous narrative flow

CharactersJe

sus Disciples Individuals

Religious Leaders Crowds

SettingCities and CountryMountains and HillsWater and LakeEvening and MorningBoats and walkingHouse and TempleGarden and Desert

StyleEconomy of wordsDrama and dialogueEveryday and the momentous events

Matthew Narrative and Discourse Narrative 1-4: : Jesus’ early years Discourse 5-7: Sermon on the

Mount Narrative 8-9: Miracles of Jesus’

Travels Discourse 10: Discipleship Narrative 11-12: Jesus’ Conflicts

with Jews Discourse 13: Kingdom Parables

Narrative 14-17: Disciples

Discourse 18: Duties of Disciples

Narrative 19-23: Jesus’ final journey to Jerusalem

Discourse: 24-25: Olivet Discourse

Narrative 26-28: Passion Week

Matthew: 5 Discourses1. Life in the Kingdom 5-72. Growth of the Kingdom 103. Entrance in the Kingdom 134. Others in the Kingdom 185. End of the Kingdom 24-25

Matthew: Beginning and EndBeginning

Coming to earth: Birth IncarnationBethlehemLight of NativityWorshiped at the

manger

EndLeaving earth:

AscensionResurrection JerusalemDarkness of CrucifixionMocked at the cross

Matthew: The Exodus Herod’s order to kill male infants / Pharaoh’s order to kill every male

Hebrew child Jesus taken to Egypt / Israel goes to Egypt Joseph returns to home of son’s birth / Moses returns to land of his

birth Jesus’ baptism and 40 days in the desert / Israel’s Red sea and the

wilderness Jesus’ three temptations—hunger, Testing God, Idolatry / Israel’s

temptations—hunger (Ex 16:2-8); Testing (Ex. 17:1-4); Idolatry (Ex. 32).

Jesus’ leaves the wilderness to go to the mountain for sermon on the mount—the law / Moses goes up the mountain to receive the law

Matthew: Jewish AudienceGenealogies / AbrahamProphet / TeacherHebrew Bible / Fulfillment of propheciesApocalyptic visions (Daniel) / Olivet DiscourseKingdom of Israel / Kingdom of God

Matthew: Numbers Three generations (1:1-7) Three temptations (4:1-11) Three religious duties (6:1-

18) Three requests (7:7) Three miracles of Healing

(8:1-15) Three miracles of Power

(8:23-9:8) Three Parables of Sowing

(13:1-32)

Three Parables of Warning (18:6,10.14;/ 21:18-22:14)

Three Questions by Adversaries (22:15-40)

Seven Clauses of Lord’s Prayer

Seven Parables (13) Seven Woes (23)

MarkGreco-Roman biographiesAction: Immediately (42#);

again (28#); began (27#)Three voices (1:11; 9:7;

15:39)Three Passion predictions

(8:31; 9:31; 10:33-34)Three boat scenes (4:35-

41; 6:45-52; 8:14-21)

Three instructions to keep awake (13:33-37)

Three Sleepings (14:37,40,41)

Three denials by Peter (14:66-72)

Three questions by Pilate (15:9,12,14)

Three hours at the cross (15:25,33,34)

Mark: StructureA 2:1-12HealingB 2:13-17 EatingC 2:18-22 FastingB 2:23-28 EatingA 3:1-6 Healing

LukeQuest motif: Christ came to do the Father’s willPurpose: 9:51-19:27 (Unique to Luke)Crowds and individuals

Peter’s Confession and Feeding 5000Transfiguration and Healing of boy with evil spiritZacchaeus and crowds Judas’ betrayal and Last supper with the 12 Jesus prays alone and returns to be arrestedCrowd to Nain’s son (7:11-17)Crowd and woman’s bleeding (8:43)

LukePrimary transition: walking (4:31, 7:1, 6:1, 9:51, 14:1,

19:1)Focus on the fringe figures of society

Accused of receiving and eating with sinners (5:29-32; 15:1-2)

Lost (15:3-32) Poor (16:19-31) Invitation to the poor (14:12-24) Good Samaritan (10:25-37) Simeon’s Song (2:31-32) All nations (24:47) Women (8:1-3; 23:55; 24:1, 24:5-8)

JohnPoetic Gospel: Gospel of MetaphorsSheep, shepherd, wine, grain of wheat, bread,

water, eating, drinking, sleeping, birth, bridegroom, thief, bondservant, light, darkness, Father, Son of God, Son of Man

Prologue (1)Signs (2-12)Passion (13-21)

John: Narrative and DiscourseDrink of water to Living water (4)Healing on the Sabbath to divine authority (5)Feeding of 5000 to bread of life (6)Lazarus’s resurrection and resurrection and the life

(11)Feast of Tabernacles (7) – Light of world (8) –Sight

to blind (9)Blind man expelled (9) and Good and Bad shepherds

(10)

John: Misunderstood Statement Jesus pronouncement –

Misunderstanding—Explanation

3:3-84:10-154:31-386:47-58

7:33-368:21-308:31-478:56-5811:11-15

John: SevenSeven Miracles

Water into wineHealing of official’s sonParalytic5000 fedWalking on waterHealing of blind manLazarus

Seven I amBread of lifeLight of worldDoor of the sheepGood shepherdResurrection and lifeWay, truth, and lifeTrue vine

John: Seven Witnesses to Christ Father (5:37, 8:18)Son (8:14,37)Christ’s works (5:36, 10:25)Scripture (5:39-46)John the Baptist (1:7; 5:35)Disciples (15:27; 19:35)Spirit (15:26; 16:14)