Why Four Gospels?

[Rdr Iakovos]

This is interesting... Your Turn: Gilligan : In Character : NPR

According to Sherwood Schwartz, the 7 members of the Gilligan's Castaways each represented a deadly sin. The article lists a couple, Im guessing at the rest.

Gilligan - sloth
Skipper - anger
Professor - pride
Ginger - lust (but I lusted after Maryanne!)
Maryanne - envy (of Ginger?)
Mr. Howell - greed
Mrs. Howell - gluttony (?)

Mary Anne seemed innocent, but along she was smoking weed with Bob Denver and planning a bank heist

 

[Standing Up]

Augustine, Jerome, and Pseudo-Athanasius made use of the animal symbolism, which included man, lion, ox, and eagle.

Symbols of the Four Evangelists

Still interesting that apparently for Irenaeus the apostolicity of Revelation is not a question.

Any others from the first 200 years?

 

[Standing Up]

Irenaeus
Man-Matthew
Lion-John
Ox-Luke
Eagle-Mark

Rev. 4:7
And the first beast [was] like a lion, and the second beast like a calf [ox], and the third beast had a face as a man, and the fourth beast [was] like a flying eagle.

There were also 4 standards around the tabernacle of Moses (Num. 2).

 

[OpenDoor]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNyH5A_OZs8&feature=channel_video_title

 

[OpenDoor]

.

 

[GreekOrthodox]

Still interesting that apparently for Irenaeus the apostolicity of Revelation is not a question.

Any others from the first 200 years?

Dear Standing,
I was listening to a podcast from one of the Orthodox websites

OCN Orthodox Podcast Channels

and the second one down, "Beyond the Veil" by Dr. Jeannie Constantinou, discusses Revelation. According to her, Rev was accepted (or at least not rejected) in the earliest lists on the canon. Later on, the Eastern father such as Chrysostomos and the Cappadocian Fathers, did reject it because it was being used by heretics (think 4th century version of Tim LaHaye) and/or that the book was not written by John the Evangelist.

When it did become re-accepted as canon within the East, the Eastern lectionary had already been determined without Revelation and even today, Revelation still is not read as part of our church readings.

(to be continued)

 

[JCFantasy23]

Why four gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, John)? Why not one or ten or some other number?

Doe scripture say anything about it? Does tradition?

The four Gospels tell four different focuses.

John focuses on how Jesus is God
Luke focuses on how Jesus is Man
Mark focuses more on Jesus and his servanthood
Matthew focuses more on Jesus as a King

 

[Standing Up]

Dear Standing,
I was listening to a podcast from one of the Orthodox websites

OCN Orthodox Podcast Channels

and the second one down, "Beyond the Veil" by Dr. Jeannie Constantinou, discusses Revelation. According to her, Rev was accepted (or at least not rejected) in the earliest lists on the canon. Later on, the Eastern father such as Chrysostomos and the Cappadocian Fathers, did reject it because it was being used by heretics (think 4th century version of Tim LaHaye) and/or that the book was not written by John the Evangelist.

When it did become re-accepted as canon within the East, the Eastern lectionary had already been determined without Revelation and even today, Revelation still is not read as part of our church readings.

(to be continued)

Believe Roman Catholics treat it the same way (not reading it). Fair enough?

 

[Yarddog]

IMHO, the four Gospels represent four areas in the early Church.

Matthew- written in Hebrew or Aramaic, it represents the Holy Land and Aramaic speaking areas surrounding it.

Mark- He is the disciple of Peter who went to Alexandria after Peter was martyred in Rome. Mark represents Africa.

Luke- the disciple of Paul and the Apostle of the Gentiles who carried the Gospel into Greece and beyond. Luke represents the northern Mediterranean territories and parts of Turkey.

John, went to Asia. The central southwestern part of Turkey.

The four areas mentioned, above, makes up most of the early Church.

 

[Standing Up]

The four Gospels tell four different focuses.

John focuses on how Jesus is God
Luke focuses on how Jesus is Man
Mark focuses more on Jesus and his servanthood
Matthew focuses more on Jesus as a King

Thanks. From that earlier link, it looks like the associations changed over time. Here's Irenaeus' association again:

Man-Matthew
Lion-John
Ox-Luke
Eagle-Mark

Or, as mentioned, the 4 standards of the OT around the tabernacle of Moses. Perhaps this association:

Judah--lion (kingship)--Mark--purple
Reuben--man (incarnation)--Luke--white
Ephraim--ox (servant)--Matthew--scarlet
Dan--eagle (judge, heaven)--John--blue

Thoughts? Comments?

 

[Standing Up]

IMHO, the four Gospels represent four areas in the early Church.

Matthew- written in Hebrew or Aramaic, it represents the Holy Land and Aramaic speaking areas surrounding it.

Mark- He is the disciple of Peter who went to Alexandria after Peter was martyred in Rome. Mark represents Africa.

Luke- the disciple of Paul and the Apostle of the Gentiles who carried the Gospel into Greece and beyond. Luke represents the northern Mediterranean territories and parts of Turkey.

John, went to Asia. The central southwestern part of Turkey.

The four areas mentioned, above, makes up most of the early Church.

Thanks for that. Irenaeus does make the 4 compass point association.

John--north?
Luke--west?
Mark--south?
Matthew--east?

 

[Thekla]

Thanks. From that earlier link, it looks like the associations changed over time. Here's Irenaeus' association again:

Man-Matthew
Lion-John
Ox-Luke
Eagle-Mark

Or, as mentioned, the 4 standards of the OT around the tabernacle of Moses. Perhaps this association:

Judah--lion (kingship)--Mark--purple
Reuben--man (incarnation)--Luke--white
Ephraim--ox (servant)--Matthew--scarlet
Dan--eagle (judge, heaven)--John--blue

Thoughts? Comments?

It's not dogma ...

The four Gospel writers are the icons on the pendentives supporting the dome which has the icon of Jesus Christ Pantocrater; this is a visual demonstration of Christ as ruler of all, and the importance of the Gospels (and Holy Scripture) in the EO.

 

[LittleLambofJesus]

It's not dogma ...

The four Gospel writers are the icons on the pendentives supporting the dome which has the icon of Jesus Christ Pantocrater; this is a visual demonstration of Christ as ruler of all, and the importance of the Gospels (and Holy Scripture) in the EO.

Very nice icon!
That would go very well with Revelation 19:6 me thinks

Blue Letter Bible - Lexicon
Strong's Number G3841 matches the Greek παντοκράτωρ (pantokratōr), which occurs 10 times in 10 verses in the Greek concordance of the KJV

2 Corin 6:18 'And I shall be to ye as a father and ye shall be to Me as sons and daughters' is saying Lord Almighty/pantokratwr <3841>.

Reve 19:6 And I hear as sound of a vast throng and as sound of waters many and as sound of strong thunders saying "allelouia! that reigns Lord the God the Almighty"/pantokratwr <3841>.

 

[Thekla]

Very nice icon!
That would go very well with Revelation 19:6 me thinks

Blue Letter Bible - Lexicon
Strong's Number G3841 matches the Greek &#960;&#945;&#957;&#964;&#959;&#954;&#961;&#8049;&#964;&#969;&#961; (pantokrat&#333;r), which occurs 10 times in 10 verses in the Greek concordance of the KJV

2 Corin 6:18 'And I shall be to ye as a father and ye shall be to Me as sons and daughters' is saying Lord Almighty/pantokratwr <3841>.

Reve 19:6 And I hear as sound of a vast throng and as sound of waters many and as sound of strong thunders saying "allelouia! that reigns Lord the God the Almighty"/pantokratwr <3841>.

Lord Almighty/pantokratwr

 

[LittleLambofJesus]

Lord Almighty/pantokratwr

I may use that icon and reve 19:6 in my siggy

 

[Thekla]

I may use that icon and reve 19:6 in my siggy

They go together well !

 

[Chesterton]

It's not dogma ...

The four Gospel writers are the icons on the pendentives supporting the dome which has the icon of Jesus Christ Pantocrater; this is a visual demonstration of Christ as ruler of all, and the importance of the Gospels (and Holy Scripture) in the EO.

Our Church doesn't have a dome, but the four Gospel writers are depicted on the Holy Doors.

 

[LittleLambofJesus]

Our Church doesn't have a dome, but the four Gospel writers are depicted on the Holy Doors.

Doors:

http://www.blueletterbible.org/search/translationResults.cfm?Criteria=%22doors%22&t=KJV
("doors")
occurs 71 times in 68 verses in the KJV

Matt 24:33 "Thus also whenever ye may be being seing all these, be ye knowing! that nigh is upon doors/quraiV <2374>
[Mark 13:29]

James 5:9 No be groaning against one another brethren! that no ye may be being judged. Behold! the judge stands before the doors

Blue Letter Bible - Lexicon
Strong's Number G2374 matches the Greek &#952;&#8059;&#961;&#945; (thyra), which occurs 39 times in 37 verses in the Greek concordance of the KJV

2374. thura thoo'-rah apparently a primary word (compare "door"); a portal or entrance (the opening or the closure, literally or figuratively):--door, gate.

 

[Thekla]

Our Church doesn't have a dome, but the four Gospel writers are depicted on the Holy Doors.

and that makes sense too !

 

[Gxg (G²)]

It's not dogma ...

The four Gospel writers are the icons on the pendentives supporting the dome which has the icon of Jesus Christ Pantocrater; this is a visual demonstration of Christ as ruler of all, and the importance of the Gospels (and Holy Scripture) in the EO.

Beautiful picture and many thanks for sharing it