Author: Rich Gorecki

The second book in chronological order in the New Testament is the Gospel of Mark. As you read in my posts with an Introduction to The Gospels and the MANual Lessons in Matthew, many scholars believe that Mark was the first Gospel written since Matthew and Luke both used it as one of their sources. The three Synoptic Gospels tell many of the same stories, often in the same words, and frequently follow the same order of events. But Mark is different since it begins with Jesus as an adult and with a different theme than Matthew and Luke. About Mark Early Christian authors, including Papias of Hierapolis (60-130 A.D.), Irenaeus of Lyons (130-200 A.D.), Clement of Alexandria (150-215 A.D.), Tertullian, Origen, and Jerome, all were unanimous in attributing this gospel to a “Mark” who was a close associate of the Apostle Peter. It’s generally agreed today that this person

My year-long journey through The MANual, my NIV Bible for Men, continues with the Gospel of Matthew. In my prior post with an Introduction to The Gospels, I gave an overview of these first four books in the New Testament. As you read this post and the upcoming posts on the Gospels from Mark, Luke, and John, look at how each is written. See how each author addresses a different original audience from a different perspective to accomplish a different purpose. About Matthew Like many books of the Bible, the Gospel of Matthew is “officially” anonymous, meaning, the author never reveals his or her name directly in the text. This was a common practice in the ancient world that valued community more than individual achievements. That said, the early church and most scholars are unanimous in their acceptance of Matthew as the writer of the first Gospel.  Matthew, also known