Synoptics - or Synoptics Gospels - Matthew, Mark, and Luke are "seen together" because they share the same-but-different content.
It is always best to see two versions of the same material. Mark can be very short but also more detailed and lengthy.
Each Gospel has its own character as books and also harmony with the other two.
The apostates (academics who no longer believe the Scriptures) are known to invent new theories that reject the divinity of Christ, the Trinity, faith in Christ, and anything that irritates their very sensitive thoughts. Most universities, even community colleges have religion departments where only atheists can teach - even part-time. Those with tenure are quite outspoken. Seminaries and denominational colleges are rife with rationalism and a "higher level of understanding."
John's Gospel is quite different and was clearly written to share the perspective of the "disciple Jesus loved." Yes, the apostates deny that too - and place John's Gospel at 300 years later.
KJV Matthew 8:8 The centurion answered and said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come under my roof: but speak the word only, and my servant shall be healed. 9 For I am a man under authority, having soldiers under me: and I say to this man, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it. 10 When Jesus heard it, he marvelled, and said to them that followed, Verily I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.
KJV Matthew 9:21For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole.9:22But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.
Forgiveness
KJV Psalm 130 Out of the depths have I cried unto thee, O Lord.
2 Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications.
3 If thou, Lord, shouldest mark iniquities, O Lord, who shall stand?
4 But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.
5 I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.
6 My soul waiteth for the Lord more than they that watch for the morning: I say, more than they that watch for the morning.
7 Let Israel hope in the Lord: for with the Lord there is mercy, and with him is plenteous redemption.
8 And he shall redeem Israel from all his iniquities.
Mark 3:29
But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Ghost hath never forgiveness, but is in danger of eternal damnation:
Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.
Grace
Genesis 6:8 But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD.
Ps 84:11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield: the LORD will give grace and glory: no good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly.
John 1:16 And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.
1:17
For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
KJV Matthew Rom 3:22Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: - The Greek clearly says the faith belonging to Jesus three times. He had faith.
Luther, was born in 1483 and died in 1546. He favored the Small Catechism and the Galatians commentaries (shorter and longer).
1. He was well trained could have become a leading figure.
2. The storm threatened his life (sword cut) and he pleaded for mercy, became an Augustine monk and priest.
3. He was urged to earn a doctorate in Biblical studies, which slowly dissolved his Medieval training and Roman Catholic rituals.
4. He kept what was Biblical and discarded papal dogma over time.
5. The printing press started its own revolution, in all languages. Profitable - for others.
6. He argued from the Bible and emphasized the sermon as central to Christian growth.
Melanchthon was born in 1497 and died in 1560. He was the author/editor of the Augsburg Confession and the Apology. He also wrote the Treatise on the Pope.
1. Melanchthon was considered the greatest language scholar after Erasmus.
2. His character was just as irenic as Luther's was polemical.
3. The two worked closely together, which is clear with Melanchthon's work in the Book of Concord.
Chemnitz was born in 1522 and died in 1586. He was the senior editor of the Book of Concord, 1580.
1. He studied under Luther and Melanchthon.
2. Oddly, he cast horoscopes for a wealthy man, which gave him access to all the ancient Christian authors, invaluable for his battles with Rome and the sects.
3. After Melanchthon's death, Chemnitz began to pull the Lutherans (Evangelicals) together.
4. Chemnitz was widely ignored and probably still is, but his books are available in English.
5. He is most famous for the Book of Concord and the Examination of the Council of Trent.
1. Justification by Faith is clearly taught in Genesis 15:6. Abraham believed the the Promises of God, and that was counted as righteousness, the same words used by Paul in Romans 4.
KJV Genesis 15:6 - 5 And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. 6 And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness.
2. Roman Catholicism teaches faith plus works. They also teach grace is perfected by love (works).
3. The Old Testament is filled with Promises about the Savior, so those who believed were also counted as righteous.
4. Abraham throughout the New Testament is the Father of Faith, and Romans 4 is very concise about what this means.
Romans 4 - The Example of Abraham's Faith, Note John 8
KJV Romans 4:1 What shall we say then that Abraham our father, as pertaining to the flesh, hath found?2 For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God. 3 For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted [imputed] unto him for righteousness.
4 Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. 5 But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted [imputed] for righteousness.
6 Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, 7 Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. 8 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.
9 Cometh this blessedness then upon the circumcision only, or upon the uncircumcision also? for we say that faith was reckoned to Abraham for righteousness. 10 How was it then reckoned? when he was in circumcision, or in uncircumcision? Not in circumcision, but in uncircumcision. 11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also: 12 And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised.
13 For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.
14 For if they which are of the law be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect: 15 Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression. 16 Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all, 17 (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. 18 Who against hope believed in hope, that he might become the father of many nations, according to that which was spoken, So shall thy seed be. 19 And being not weak in faith, he considered not his own body now dead, when he was about an hundred years old, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb:
20 He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; 21 And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. 22 And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.
23 Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; 24 But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; 25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.
Very Important Transition
5 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peacewith God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
