Introduction to the Four Gospels and Evangelists

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this module is to teach Seventh graders about the four Gospels in depth. Students will learn about the Evangelists, how and why the Gospels were written, as well as the importance of the Gospels as the Good News of salvation. Students will also learn about how the Gospels fulfilled the prophecies in the Old Testament and how the message of the Gospels can be applied to our lives. This week's lesson will focus on the evangelists, the four incorporeal creatures, reasons why the life of our Lord is recorded 4 times, and the message of the Gospel.

INTRODUCTION - 10 Minutes

To begin the lesson, display the chart found below in the appendix.

Ask the students to identify where the Gospels are located in the Bible. (Immediately following the prophetic books in the Old Testament, at the beginning of the New Testament)

The word "Gospel" comes from the Greek word "Evangelion" - eu (ευ) = good + angel- (αγγελ-) = message or news. Therefore, the word gospel means "good news." It refers to the glad tidings of salvation of humankind.

The word also has a secondary meaning; it denotes the four holy books -- the Gospels -- which describe the earthly life and teachings of our Lord. The Gospels are not simply a biography of the Lord Christ; they recount the life of Jesus and his teachings, which form the foundations of the Christian faith.

The writers of the 4 Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, are known as the Evangelists, who were guided by the Holy Spirit.

HOLY SCRIPTURE - 5 Minutes

"This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ Whom You have sent." John 17:3
"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes..." Romans 1:16
"...And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living creatures full of eyes in front and in back. The first living creature was like a lion, the second living creature like a calf, the third living creature had a face like a man, and the fourth living creature was like a flying eagle. The four living creatures, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying: "Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come" Revelation 4:6-8

CONTENT (KEY POINTS) - 20 Minutes

This section will go through who were the evangelists, the four incorporeal creatures, reasons why the life of Jesus is recorded 4 times, and the message of the Gospel.

Who were the Evangelists?

Matthew and John were among the chosen Twelve Apostles;
Mark belonged in the greater circle of disciples, the Seventy, was the companion of the Apostles Peter and Paul, and recorded Peter's account of Christ.
Luke also belonged to the Seventy, and joined the Apostle Paul in his missionary travels.

The Four Incorporeal Creatures

Each Evangelist is symbolized by a winged creature, which are also known as the Four Incorporeal Creatures. These creatures are referred to several times in the Holy Bible (See verse in Holy Scripture above). The following is a description of why each creature represents the evangelists according to St. Hieronymus:

The one with the face of a man
- Represents the Gospel of St. Matthew who started his gospel by Christ's Genealogy.
- He also wrote more than others about Christ the Son of Man.
The one who is like a lion
- Represents the Gospel of St. Mark who talks about Christ in His might.
- He wrote his Gospel to the Romans who believed in power might, so he started it by talking about a "roaring sound in wilderness."
The one who is like a calf
- Represents the Gospel of St. Luke who started his Gospel by the priesthood of Zachariah
- He talked about Christ the Priest who offered Himself for the salvation of the world by the blood of His sacrifice. The calf was used as a sacrifice for the sins of the priest.
The one who is like a flying eagle
- Represents the Gospel of St. John who proved that Christ is the Son of God in his Gospel.

Four reasons why the Life of our Lord is recorded 4 times:

To emphasize its importance.
To multiply the testimony to His life in the flesh.
To present the different aspects of His character.
To reach different classes of people.

The message of the Gospels:

Jesus is the Son of the Father and God Himself, the long-awaited Messiah from the scriptures.
He took on our human nature by the will of the Father and by the power of the Holy Spirit.
He was born from the Most Holy Virgin Mary the Theotokos and lived as one of us.
He taught us the way to become children of God.
He suffered, died, and resurrected for our sakes and our salvation.
Like Him, we are all going to be resurrected, and we will receive either eternal life or eternal judgement, according to God's judgement.

DISCUSSION (Challenge) - 5 Minutes

The four gospels are four perspectives on our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Each one stands alone to send a complete message, but when they are blended together and harmonized, more is revealed about the good news of our salvation. Some stories and narratives are found in only one of the Gospels, while others are found in several, and a few are found in all four books.

APPLICATION (Action) - 5 Minutes

Like the Evangelists, we are all called to spread the Good News about Jesus and salvation. We should live our lives in such a way that our family and friends can see what Jesus is doing in our lives. Additionally, the Church has integrated the Gospel into countless aspects of liturgical life. As a class, come up with ways the Gospel is incorporated in our Church. Some examples are listed below:

Services: Agpeya, Vespers, Liturgy, Midnight Praises, Sacramental Prayers, etc.
The Gospel Book and Case, (Gold case decorated with icons, used in liturgy and kept on the Altar to emphasize that Jesus Christ is the center of Church life)
At the conclusion of vespers and other services, we kiss the Gospel Case
Every time the Gospel is read, we show our respect by standing up

CONCLUSION - 5 Minutes

The Gospels are central to our Faith and are integrated into our liturgical life. They describe the earthly life and teachings of our Lord, and show us what we should do to follow God's will. The Gospel is the Good News about our salvation, which was promised long ago by God's prophets in the Old Testament.

ACTIVITY - 7 Minutes

In order to test the student's knowledge of the content of the Gospels, have the students identify the story/character from the Gospel based on the given series of emojis in the Activity sheet attached below .

RESOURCES

The Gospels and the Four Evangelists -- Orthodox Pebbles (n.b., this resource is based on the Eastern Orthodox Tradition, but provides insight into the 4 evangelists)

The Four Incorporeal Creatures

PARENTS CORNER/HOMEWORK

In this module, we are focusing on the four Gospels. This week as a family, read one chapter from each Gospel out loud together. Ask your seventh grader if they can identify any differences and similarities in the way each one is written. This will prepare them for next week's lesson, where we will go in depth on the differences and similarities between the four Gospels.