Seminary Program

This is where we post the essays from many of our Universal Life Church Seminary students. When students finish a ULC course, they write a comprehensive essay about their experiences with the course, what they learned, didn't learn, were inspired by, etc. Here are their essays.

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Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Four Gospels

Rev. Willis Henry

“Four Perspective of one man, one deity, one savior. Expressed by four men who were not religious scholars.”

Matthew spoke predominately to the Jews. He attempted to convince the Jews that Yeshua was the Messiah. In the book of Matthew ,he emphasizes Yeshua fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies .Matthew starts off with giving the readers a full genealogical history of Yeshua, he points out how there is fourteen generations between Abraham and David fourteen generation to Yeshua. The book of Matthew is systematic, yet artistically, style. He did not tell Yeshua’s story in a strict chronological sequence but grouped facts topically.

Mark addressed his writings to Gentles; he often explained Jewish customs or translated Aramaic for his readers. Only one was Mark noted as having quoted directly from the Old Testament law. Mark reveals Yeshua as both Son of God and the Son of Man.

Luke’s is the most comprehensive of the four Gospels. Luke articulates his desire to give his readers a clear and coherent view of the words and deeds of Yeshua. Luke accounts of Yeshua, place great attention to Yeshua’s concern for the poor and oppressed, and diverse ethnic, religious, economic and social groups. Luke was well educated in Geek culture and he was a physician by profession. When one begins to read Luke’s Gospel one can find depth in his Gospel.

John Gospel was written to non Jewish believers. It was written to give hope to those believers who struggled with the belief that Yeshua was more than a prophet, but in fact that Yeshua was the Messiah.

(Whiston, June 2007) “The Works of Josephus”

While many who might argue that the four Gospels are all zealots for Yeshua so how can their word are proven. I sought outside sources for those who are religious or those who see the four Gospel as being nothing more than another cult group trying to push their doctrine on others. Josephus was a historian. But in fact his works are the principal source for Jewish History.

Josephus Dissertation “The Testimonies of Josephus Concerning Jesus Christ, John the Baptist and James the just vindicated”

Pg 815 Josephus declares Yeshua to be more than just a man, when he spoke with many of the Jewish people who believed that the destruction of Jerusalem was happening because of those who crucified Yeshua.

The four Gospels with writings from Josephus help give me a clear view of why each Gospel was different but yet the under line meaning was the same. The Messiah had come offering Salvation, forgiveness, and hope. Offering good news for those who felt their was no hope. If one looks carefully you will not see religion but Yeshua spoke of a relationship between himself his Father and he offered us a chance to have that relationship. For religious I found neither in Yeshua’s teachings nor those that spread his Gospel, for religion was yet a creation of man.

I found that each Gospel offered something different but yet the same, as we might be able to speak with kings and queens; if we can not speak to the common man then we are of no good service to the average man. So as for the four Gospel I found each sections good and each with purpose to assist a certain group of people to know and understand Yeshua’s teachings of love, forgiveness.


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