What is the difference between the 4 Gospels and Paul’s epistles?

The Gospels vs the Epistles

The four gospels are a reflection of the life and purpose of Christ. God selected 4 Jewish apostles to document the life of Jesus Christ from 4 different views, or characteristics. Let me outline these in summary:

There are 4 “BEHOLD” prophecies that represent how Israel should recognize their Messiah.

  1. Zech 9:9 Behold your King comes
  2. Zech 3:8 Behold my Servant
  3. Zech 6:12 Behold the Man
  4. Isa 40:9 Behold your God

There are 4 BRANCH prophecies that define the characteristics of the Messiah.

  1. Jer 23:5 ...a righteous BRANCH and a King shall reign...in the earth.
  2. Zech 3:8 ...my Servant the BRANCH.
  3. Zech 6:12 ...man whose name is The BRANCH;
  4. Isa 4:2 ...the BRANCH of the LORD...

The gospels also harmonies with the prophecies that describe the 4 faces and characteristics of God as specified in Ezek.1:10 and Rev.4:7

  1. Matthew = Jesus as King (LION – MESSIAH/KING OF THE JEWS) – genealogy of Matthew traces back to "King" David and the promised "Kingdom" (Land) through Abraham.
  2. Mark = Jesus as Servant (OX – STRONG YET HUMBLE SERVANT)
  3. Luke = Jesus as Man (MAN – SON OF MAN) – genealogy of Luke traces back to Adam, representing "man".
  4. John = Jesus as God (EAGLE – SON OF GOD)

When the Gospels were written they have a selective design to manifest the nature, character, personality of Christ according to the above!

There is very little in the Old Testament, the four Gospels, and even the last 9 Jewish Epistles that is address to and written to us [Gentiles]. Of course we can glean important information from these books for our learning, but when it comes to our gospel and our doctrine (instructions and principles that directs our lives and lifestyles today), it is ALL contained in the writings of Paul, Romans to Philemon. 

Paul, in Rom.11:13 mentions that he is the apostle to the Gentiles. This means therefore that the 13 epistles he wrote of of great value and application to you and I today as members of the Body of Christ. Paul's letters are essentially addressed directly to us and for our practice, whereas the rest of the Bible is addressed to the Jews and pertain to their Kingdom (Law) program. We can learn a lot from these books, but the advice and content is not directly applicable for us today. (Paul says that we are not under the law, but under grace (Romans 6:15).

If you dismiss Paul's writings, you are dismissing and resisting the very instructions that Jesus Christ Himself gave to the church today.

I leave you with this scripture written by Paul, the [one] apostle to the church, the Body of Christ (Rom.11:13),

1 Cor.14:37-38 If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord. 38 But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant.

Lets not be ignorant of Paul's writings, but study them and apply them to your lives and walk worthy of our Lord, (Col.1:9-10).



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