Primary Text: Luke 4:1-13
Memory Verse: “Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours.” And Jesus answered and said to him, “Get behind Me, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’” Luke 4:7-8
Introduction:
A Christian writer of early times (Origen, 185-254 A.D.) wrote that we shouldn’t think of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John as four distinct gospels, but as one gospel told in four ways. Each gospel presents a different perspective on the life of Jesus and we need all of the approaches to get the full picture. (See the Introduction on page 2 for more information.)
Matthew, Mark and Luke are known as the Synoptic Gospels. The word “synoptic” is derived from two Greek words meaning “together” and “seeing”. When the gospels are seen together they give a broader view of the subject. Matthew, Mark and Luke present Jesus’ life focusing on what Jesus taught and what He did. The Gospel of John focuses more on who Jesus is.
John shows us who Jesus is by highlighting seven of Jesus’ miracles. Six of these miracles are not mentioned in the other gospels. In this lesson we will touch on one of those miracles: Jesus’ first one.
John also shows us in his book who Jesus is by allowing Jesus to speak for Himself, dramatically declaring, “I Am.” And John shows us who Jesus is by having four witnesses testify to the identity of Jesus. In this lesson we will focus on John the Baptist’s testimony of what he witnessed of the ministry of Jesus and touch on what the first disciples of Jesus’ came to realize about the identify of Jesus.
The emphasis of John’s gospel is that we might believe. A key to understanding this purpose is found in John 20:31, “but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.”
Studying the Word
Lesson Study
- Why did John baptize Jesus who was sinless? Matthew 3:13-17; Luke 3:21-23; Mark 1:9-11
- At what point did Matthew, Mark and Luke say that Jesus’ wilderness temptation occurred? Matthew 4:2; Mark 1:13; Luke 4:2
- How did Jesus combat the temptations He faced? Luke 4:4, 8, 12
- Will Jesus’ strategy work for us in this generation? John 10:35; Isaiah 55:11; 2 Timothy 3:16; Psalm 12:6-7
- What are some evidences of Jesus’ humanity? Matthew 4:3-11; Hebrews 2:18; 4:15
- Why did the Jews ask if John was Elijah? John 1:25
- Does John contradict Jesus’ words in Matthew 11:14 or Mark 9:13?