BIBL 325 Gospels

An introductory study of the Gospels with an analysis, interpretation and application of the contents of Matthew – John. Special attention will be given to the person and work of Jesus Christ.

For information regarding prerequisites for this course, please refer to the Academic Course Catalog.

The four Gospels, all distinctive and yet complimentary, are the product of divine inspiration; as such it is God’s story of the incarnational life of his Son, Jesus Christ, and specifies how through the coming of Jesus, “the kingdom of God has come near” (Mark 1:15). It is essential for Bible students to both read the Gospels spiritually and study it at an academic level in order to gain insight about how the Gospels fit into the metanarrative of all scripture. In the Gospel accounts, we explore the compelling and utterly unique person of Jesus of Nazareth, the “Word made flesh” (John 1:14), and we are invited to choose a transformative life of apprenticeship to him.

Textbook Readings and Lecture Presentations

No details available.

Course Requirements Checklist

After reading the Course Syllabus and Student Expectations, the student will complete the related checklist found in the Course Overview.

Discussions (3)

Discussions are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, the student will complete 3 Discussions in this course. The student will create a thread in response to the instructor’s prompt provided for each discussion. The thread must be 250–300 words and demonstrate course-related knowledge, using the course texts, the Bible, and/or scholarly sources to support the content with at least 1 citation. In addition to the thread, the student will reply to at least 2 other classmates’ threads. Each reply must be at least 75 words. In Discussion: Jesus’ Message About the Kingdom of God, the student must include at least 2 biblical citations and 1 from The Bible Knowledge Commentary. (CLOs: A, B, C, D)

Gospels Contemplation Assignments (3)

The student will complete 3 Gospels Contemplation Assignments that allow the exploration of the micro-reading process in its engagement of the Gospels. Consulting the relevant course texts, the student will answer questions about their readings, submitting them in a required template. The student will cite course texts using current Turabian formatting and must include a minimum of 3 citations. (CLOs: B, C, D)

Gospels Study Assignment

The student will complete the Gospels Study Assignment by choosing 1 of the Gospel books (Matthew, Mark, Luke, or John) on which to focus. Identifying a repeated term, the student will complete a word study spanning the chosen Gospel book. The student will also demonstrate correct use of inductive Bible study, applying the various steps of observation, interpretation, correlation, and application in a creative interview-style with the Gospel’s author. Finally, the student will perform genre analysis on a smaller passage, as well as practice creative writing within genre. The student will complete the provided template by adding original content and scholarly support. (CLOs: A, B, C, D)

Video Report: The Top Ten Things I Have Learned in This Course Assignment

Using a cell phone, tablet, or camera-equipped computer, the student will shoot a 3-minute video of themselves and upload the video to complete the assignment. The student should refer to the Video Report: The Top Ten Things I Have Learned in This Course Assignment Instructions in Canvas for specific details and context for the video. (CLOs: A, B, D.)

Quizzes (2)

The student will complete 2 learning assessments in the form of quizzes. Each quiz will cover the reading material assigned throughout the course. Each quiz will be open-book/open-notes, contain 40 multiple-choice and true/false questions, allow 1 attempt, and have a 1-hour time limit. (CLOs: A, B, C)