Day One, Welcome!

If you'd like to share your progress in the New Testament this week, I'd love to hear from you. Of course, you don't have to share your progress, you don't have to "report" daily! This is a very personal challenge after all! But I thought I would try to cheer you on day by day by sharing a little bit about each book of the New Testament, and by sharing a few videos per day!

Key Purposes taken from the Matthew Henry Study Bible:

Matthew -- Matthew wrote especially to Jewish readers. His main purpose was to prove that Jesus is the Messiah, the Savior, and Eternal King. He does this by showing how Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies. His gospel includes fifty-three quotations from, and seventy-six references to, the Old Testament, more than any other New Testament writer.

Mark -- Mark's gospel is short, not giving so full an account of Christ's sermons, but insisting chiefly on His miracles. Mark presents the person and work of Jesus Christ to a mostly Gentile audience at Rome. His readers' attitude may have been: "Just give us the facts." As such, Mark's gospel moves quickly to the cross and resurrection of Christ.

Luke -- Luke was a Gentile writing to a Gentile audience. As such, he often uses Greek terms rather than Hebrew and emphasizes that the gospel is for the entire world.

John -- John's gospel is rather different from the "Synoptic" gospels. While Matthew, Mark, and Luke concentrate upon recording the events of Jesus' life and ministry, John dwells upon the spiritual meaning of what Jesus said and did. It is thought that John was writing with a Greek reader in mind. Therefore he lays strong emphasis upon the signs of Jesus, the miracles that prove Jesus is the Christ. In the gospel of John, Jesus' miracles are reported selectively, as seven specific signs, eight including the resurrection. These signs are intended to encourage belief in Jesus, John's stated purpose for writing is that his readers would believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and "that believing ye might have life through His name."

Beginning with Matthew? You might be "inspired" by Andrew Peterson singing "Matthew's Begats"! You may never *read* this genealogy the same way again!



Or perhaps you'd like to start with a letter? How about 1 Corinthians? Here's Michael Card's God's Own Fool:

© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible