The last book in the Old Testament is Malachi. Malachi lived about 100 years after the people returned from the Babylonian captivity. After rebuilding their land, the people soon slipped back into their evil ways. Malachi warned the people that Yahweh would severely punish the wicked and proud! Four hundred years passed between the Old and New Testament. It was a trying time for the Hebrew people. They were forced to live under pagan, evil rulers who would not allow them to worship the way Yahweh intended. The people cried out under great oppression and remembered the words of their prophets about the coming Messiah. Yahweh was about to cause great changes in the world.
Yahweh sent an angel, Gabriel, to a young Hebrew woman named Miriam (most of the world calls her Mary, but in Hebrew, Miriam is more correct) and told her the wonderful news that she would give birth to the Messiah! Of course she was terrified. But she told the angel, “Let it happen as you said, for I will serve Yahweh.” So Miriam would become the mother to the very Son of Yahweh, who would save His people from their sins by living a sinless life and dying in place of them. We will learn much more about this in future issues.
In the sixth month, Elohim sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! Yahweh is with you.”
—Luke 1:26-28 NIV
Across
3. an important mom
4. a tax collector
5. a doctor
Down
1. an angel
2. brother of John
3. last Bible book
4. a first believer
Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are the first four books of the New Testament. All four tell us about the life of Yahshua. Because each was written by a different author, each told it in his own way. That is why we find some differences in each. When we read all four evangels, we get a more complete picture of what Yahshua was like while on earth.
Matthew appears to have Jewish readers in mind when he wrote his book. In Mark, we find Yahshua’s actions emphasized, while Luke seemed to be trying to help his Greek friends understand who Yahshua was, as he gave many details about Yahshua’s life . John’s evangel was the most different from the other three. We find many details about Yahshua’s thoughts and prayers. John wrote to people everywhere, to help them understand Yahshua’s teachings.
What do we know about the authors of the evangels? We know that Matthew was a tax collector and he gave up everything to follow Yahshua. Mark was among the first individuals to believe in Yahshua. Eventually he travelled with Barnabas and Paul to spread the good news about Yahshua. Luke was a doctor, so he was very well-educated. John was another disciple of Yahshua. He and his brother James followed John the Immerser until they met Yahshua.
In the evangels, we are shown that Yahshua is indeed the Messiah prophesied in the Old Testament, as He fulfilled many prophecies. He performed many miracles and touched the lives of many people. He did not set up His kingdom during His first coming, but soon He will return to earth as a King in all His power and glory!
1.
What was Matthew’s occupation?______________________________________________
2.
Who travelled with Paul and Barnabas?_________________________________________
3.
Who did Matthew mostly direct his message toward?_____________________________
4.
Did Yahshua set up His Kingdom while on earth?________________________________
5.
Who was the brother of John?_________________________________________________
6.
What did Luke do for a living?__________________________________________________