The Stages of Gospel Formation and the Literary Aspects of the Gospels

The Gospels are the heart of Scripture since they convey the life, teachings, and Paschal Mystery of our Lord.

Day 1

Apostle: A person who is sent out as a representative of someone else. Jesus chose twelve men to be His Apostles. . They preached Jesus’ message of salvation and worked miracles in His name. Jesus gave the Apostles special authority and made them the first leaders (bishops) of the Church. (96, 869, 935)
Evangelist: Someone who tells others the good News that Jesus came down from heaven and died on the Cross for our salvation. a title for one of the four gospel writers.
Gospel: “Good News.” The four books by the evangelists Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John that are the heart of the Scriptures. They proclaim the Good News of salvation won for us by the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Gospels are our primary source of knowledge of life of Jesus Christ. (139, 849, 1982)
Synoptic: “To see together.” The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke are known as the Synoptic Gospels because they present the story of Christ’s life in a similar way and even borrow stories and the structure of their Gospels from each other. (139)