Insight Paper: The Life of Jesus Christ Author: Steve Hixon Insight Papers Index

ALPHABETICAL WALK-THRU OF THE LIFE OF CHRIST Angels announced the Birth of Christ. He grew up in Nazareth as a Carpenter. He began his ministry at age 30 when he was baptized and the Spirit came upon him in the shape of a Dove. Immediately he went into the wilderness to be tempted by his Enemy. Returning to Judea, he asked several men to be his Followers. His first miracle was performed while he was the Guest at a wedding in Cana, when he turned water into wine. Entering the Temple, he found people making a mockery of worship, so he did some Housecleaning. He conducted an Interview at night with a Pharisee named Nicodemus; travelling north through Samaria, he stopped at Jacob's well and spoke to a woman. He visited his Kin in Nazareth, but when they rejected him, he changed his Location to Capernaum, on the north shore of the Sea of Galilee. From there he conducted three preaching tours, proclaiming his Message about the

kingdom of God. He also did numerous miracles which showed he was Lord over Nature. All during this time there was growing Opposition, so Jesus began to speak in Parables which only his followers could understand. One day he asked his disciples the Question, "Who do you say I am?" Soon after, he gave them a Revelation of his true glory on the Mount of Transfiguration. Returning to Jerusalem, he faced the religious leaders, who tried to Stone him. A good friend named Lazarus died, and Jesus went to the Tomb and raised him from the dead. He continued speaking to the people, and revisited the temple, when again he was Upset and cleared it for the second time. One evening he gave his disciples a Vision of the future on the Mount of Olives, and on the night before his death he Washed their feet. The next day, on Passover, he was eXecuted; and on the third day he rose, as the Yes to all of God's promises. After forty days he ascended from Mt. Zion to join his Father in heaven.

		ONE SOLITARY LIFE "Here is a man who was born in an obscure village, the child of a peasant woman. He grew up in another village. He worked in a carpenter shop until he was thirty, and then for three years he was an itinerant preacher. He never owned a home. He never wrote a book. He never held an office. He never had a family. He never went to college. He never put his foot inside a big city. He never travelled 200 miles from the place where he was born. He never did one of the things that usually accompany greatness. He had no credentials but himself. While still a young man, the tide of popular opinion turned against him. His friends ran away. One of them denied him. He was turned over to his enemies. He went through the mockery of a trial. He was nailed upon a cross between two thieves. While he was dying his executioners gambled for the only piece of property he had on earth - his coat. When he was dead, he was taken down and laid in a borrowed grave through the pity of a friend. Nineteen long centuries have come and gone and today he is the centerpiece of the human race and the leader of the column of progress. 1 am far within the mark when I say that all the armies that ever marched, all the navies that ever sailed, all the parliaments that ever sat and all the kings that ever reigned, put together, have not affected the life of man upon the earth as powerfully as has that one solitary life."

parable: a saying, proverb, story, simile or metaphor intended to communicate truth by comparison. "Jesus told most of his parables after the religious leaders of Israel rejected him. Jesus explained that his stories about the kingdom of heaven would be understood by those with faith but remain obscure to those who did not believe." (Revell Bible Dictionary)
Helpful hints to understanding the Parables: 1) "kingdom" generally refers to God's rule in people's lives, not a geographical place, 2) most parables answer a question raised by someone, 3) parables were told to make one main point, and the details don't usually have hidden meanings, 4) researching cultural customs can sometimes shed light on confusing passages.

Candle under a bowl Mt 5, Mk 4, Lk 8 Fig Tree, barren Lk 13 Fig tree, young leaves Mt 24, Mk 13, Lk 21 Fishing net Mt 13 Friend at midnight Lk 11 Good Samaritan Lk 10 Great banquet Lk 14 Growing Seed Mk 4 Hidden treasure Mt 13 House built on rock Mt 7, Lk 6 Laborers in vineyard Mt 20 Lost coin Lk 15 Lost sheep Mt 18, Lk 15 Marriage feast Mt 22 Master & servant Lk 17 Mustard seed Mt 13, M k 4, Lk 13 New cloth I old garment Mt 9, Mk 2, Lk 5 New wine I old bottles Mt 9, Mk 2, Lk 5 Pearl of great price Mt 13 Persistent widow Lk 18

Pharisee & tax collector Lk 18 Prodigal son Lk 15 Rich fool Lk 12 Rich man & Lazarus Lk 16 Sheep & goats Mt 25 Sower, seed & soils Mt 13, Mk 4, Lk 8 Talents Mt 25 Tares (weeds) Mt 13 Tenants Mt 21, Mk 12, Lk 20 Ten minas (pounds) Mt 21 Ten virgins Mk 12 Tower (counting cost) Lk 20 Two debtors Lk 14 Two sons Mt 21 Unjust steward Lk 16 Unmerciful servant Mt 18 Watch for His coming! Mk 13 Watchful servants Lk 12 Wise steward Lk 12 Yeast (leaven) Mt 13, Lk 13

miracle: an event that so overrides what observers understand of natural law that it creates wonder and serves as evidence of God's active intervention in this universe.
"Seeing is not believing. This is the first thing to get clear in talking about miracles." (C.S. Lewis)

HEALING Leprous man Mt 8, Mk 1, Lk 5 Centurion's servant Mt 8, Lk 7 Peter's mother-in-law Mt 8, Mk 1, Lk 4 Two Gadarene men Mt 8, Mk 5, Lk 8 Paralyzed man Mt 9, Mk 2, Lk 5 Bleeding woman Mt 9, Mk 5, Lk 8 Two blind men Mt 9 Possessed, mute man Mt 9 Man with shriveled hand Mt 12, Mk 3, Lk 6 Blind, possessed man Mt 12, Lk 11 Woman's daughter Mt 15, Mk 7 Boy with demon Mt 17, Mk 9, Lk 9 Two blind men Mt 20, Mk 10, Lk 18 Deaf mute Mk 7 Possessed man Mk 1, Lk 4 Blind man Mk 8 Crippled woman Lk 13 Man with dropsy Lk 14

Ten leprous men Lk 17 High priest's servant Lk 22 Official's son Jn 4 Sick man at pool Jn 5 BACK FROM DEATH Jairus' daughter Mt 9, Mk 5, Lk 8 Widow's son Lk 7 Lazarus Jn 11 NATURE Calms the storm Mt 8, Mk 4, Lk 8 Walks on water Mt 14, Mk 6 Feeding 5000 Mt 14, Mk 6, Lk 9, Jn 6 Feeding 4000 Mt 15, Mk 8 Coin in fish Mt 17 Fig tree withered Mt 21, Mk 11 Catch of fish Lk 5 Water into wine Jn 2 Catch of fish Jn 21

	Matthew	Mark	Luke	John
PART 1: A PREVIEW OF WHO JESUS IS	1:1-17		1:1-4 3:23-38	1:1-18
PART 2: THE EARLY YEARS OF JOHN THE BAPTIST			1:5-80
PART 3: THE EARLY YEARS OF JESUS CHRIST	1:18-2:23		2
PART 4: THE PUBLIC MINISTRY OF JOHN THE BAPTIST	3:1-12	1:1-8	3:1-18
PART 5: END OF JOHNS MINISTRY AND BEGINNING OF CHRISTS (JUDEA)	3:13-4:12	1:9-14	3:21-23 4:1-13	1:19-4:45
PART 6: THE MINISTRY OF CHRIST IN GALILEE
Opposition at Home and a New Headquarters	4:13-24	1:14-15	4:14-31	4:46-54
Disciples Called and a Ministry throughout Galilee	9:1-17	1:16-2:22	4:31-5:39
Sabbath Controversies and Withdrawal	12:1-21	2:23-3:12	6:1-11	5
Appointment of the 12 and Sermon on the Mount	5-7	3:13-19	6:12-49
Growing Fame and Emphasis on Repentance	11		7
First Public Rejection by Jewish Leaders	12	3:20-35	8:1-21
Parables about the Kingdom	13	4:1-34	8:4-18
Continuing Opposition	8,9,13	4:31-6:6	8:22-56
Final Galilean Campaign	9-11,14:12	6:6-30	9:1-10
PART 7: THE MINISTRY OF CHRIST AROUND GALILEE
Feeding of 5000 & Lesson on the Bread of Life	14:13-36	6:31-56	9:10-17	6
Lesson on the leaven of the Pharisees, Sadduccees, and Herodians	15:1-16:12	7:1-8:26		7:1
Peter's Confession, Challenge to Discipleship, Transfiguration	16:13-17:13	8:27-9:13	9:18-36
Lessons on Responsibility to Others	17:14-18:35	9:14-50	9:37-50
Journey to Jerusalem for the Feast of Tabernacles	8:19-22		9:51-62	7:2-10
PART 8: THE LATER MINISTRY OF CHRIST IN JUDEA
Teachings & Conflict at the Feast of Tabernacles				7:11-8:59
Mission of the 70 & Lessons on Serving and Prayer			10:1-11:13
Second Debate with the Scribes and Pharisees			11:14-13:21
Healing of the Blind Man & Teaching at the Feast of Dedication				9:1-10:39
PART 9: THE MINISTRY OF CHRIST IN AND AROUND PEREA
Principles of Discipleship			13:22-17:10
Raising of Lazarus and a brief tour through Samaria and Galilee	19:1-20:34	10	17:11-37	10:40-42
Parables & Teaching while on Final Journey to Jerusalem			18:1-19:28	11:1-54
PART 10: PRESENTATION OF CHRIST TO ISRAEL AND CONFLICT
Triumphal Entry, 2nd Cleansing of the Temple and the Fig Tree	21:1-22	11:1-11	19:29-48	11:55-12
Official Challenge of Christ's Authority	21:23-22:40	11:27-12:34	20:1-40
Christ's Response to His Enemies' Challenges: Woes & Lament	22:41-23:39	12:35-12:44	20:41-21:4
PART 11: PROPHECIES IN PREPARATION FOR THE DEATH OF CHRIST
The Olivet Discourse: Prophecies of the Temple and Return of Christ	24-25	13:1-37	21:5-36
Arrangements for Betrayal	26:1-16	14:1-11	21:37-22:6
The Last Supper	26:17-29	14:12-25	22:7-20	13
Teaching & Prayers from the Upper Room to Gethsemane	26:30-46	14:26-42	22:39-46	14-17
PART 12: THE DEATH OF CHRIST
Betrayal and Arrest	26:47-56	14:43-52	22:47-53	18:2-12
Jewish & Roman Trials	26:57-27:26	14:53-15:15	22:54-23:25	18:13-19:16
Crucifixion	27:27-56	15:16-41	23:26-49	19:17-30
Burial	27:57-66	15:42-47	23:50-56	19:31-42
PART 13: RESURRECTION AND ASCENSION OF CHRIST
The Empty Tomb	28:1-8	16:1-8	24:1-12	20:1-10
The Post-Resurrection Appearances	28:9-20	(16:9-18)	24:13-24:49	20:11-21
The Ascension		(16:19-20)	24:50-53

	MATTHEW	MARK	LUKE	JOHN
Portraits of Jesus	The Prophesied King	The Obediant Servant	The Perfect Man	The Divine Son
Prominent words	"fulfilled"	"straightway"	"Son of man"	"believe"
Cultures of the original readers	Jews (Jesus, Son of Abraham)	Romans (Action: no genealogy)	Greeks (Jesus, Son of Adam)	Church (Jesus, Son of God)
Outlook and style of the writers	Teacher	Preacher	Litterateur	Theologian
Outstanding sections	Sermons	Miracles	Parables	Doctrines
Prominent ideas	Law	Power	Grace	Glory
Broad division	"SYNOPTIC GOSPELS" --stressing the humanity of Christ from the outward, earthly side			"FOURTH GOSPEL" --stressing the diety of Christ from the inward, heavenly side

from Irving Jenson, Life of Christ, Moody Press

Copyright © 2000 Fellowship Bible Church of Colorado Springs. All Rights Reserved.