Lesson 12: The Gospels – Discovery

The most important principle in studying the Gospels is to see who Jesus IS. All through these four books you will find people asking Jesus to either tell them “plainly” who He is, or they ask Him to do some miracle to prove who He is. Throughout the Old Testament, God had painted pictures of Jesus:

God helped David defeat the giant, Goliath (1 Samuel 17)
Jesus defeated evil by casting out demons (all through the Gospels)

God used a raven to bring Elijah food in the desert (1 Kings 17)
Jesus broke 5 biscuits and fed over 10,000 people with the pieces (Mark 6)

God used Gideon with only 300 untrained men to defeat the Midianites (Judges 7)
Jesus chose 12 men to touch the world for Him – His disciples (Matthew 10)

God designed the Tabernacle as the place for His people to worship (Exodus 25)
Jesus chased businesses and animals out of the Temple to cleanse it (John 2)

We can go on and on with such examples of God’s pictures and Jesus bringing those pictures to life in His ministry.

Just as Jesus often scolded the religious leaders of looking for nothing but what could meet their own desires and agendas, so we also must be careful not to just look at Jesus for what we can get from Him. Just because He healed so many in His years of ministry doesn’t mean everyone now must be healed – remember, He did not save the thief on the cross who accepted Him from dying. Jesus also did not heal the Apostle Paul (2 Corinthians 12:8-10). Jesus did not come to bring us easy lives here on earth (John 16:33), He came to show us Truth (John 18:37). He wants us to be like Him (Philippians 2:5).


When you read something Jesus says, ask yourself how He is revealing Truth.
When you read something He did, how does it show something about His nature?
When you read something someone said to or about Him, how is Truth about Him shown to you through it – whether what was said is a lie or the truth?

*What do you see in Matthew about Jesus being the promised King?
*What do you see in Mark about how Jesus served God the Father here on earth?
*What do you see in Luke about Jesus truly being a human?
*What do you see in John about Jesus truly being God?