Why Four Gospels?

Welcome to my Treasure Hunting series, in which I try to work through some books of the New Testament and find interesting data, stories, connections hidden among the lines.

     Why four gospels? Have you thought about this question yet? Why not only one, straightforward, full story and we wouln't need to look for similarities or get confused of differences. Why not three gospels, like the Godhead has three persons. Or seven, as it is the number represents the fullness, and also there were seven dwarfs with Snow White.

     In the National Gallery in London, there are three representation on a single canvas of Charles I. In one, his head is turned to the right; in other to the left; and in the centre we find the full-face view. The story comes with it is the following: Anthony Van Dyck, Flemish painter painted this for Bernini, the Roman sculptor that by combining the impressions the sculptor would be better able to produce the "speaking" likeness of the king.

It might be true that the Gospels were intended to serve the same purpose of Jesus' portrait - each represents a different aspect of His life and together we have a complete picture.

     Matthew was one of Jesus' first twelve disciples who - previously been a tax collector - was an eye-witness of all the teachings and miracles. He presents Jesus as a King, the Son of David. It was written primarily to the Jews that is why it is full with quotations from the Old Testament Scriptures. It contains the Sermon of the Mount and His teachings are about the Kingdom.

     Mark - who wrote his gospel during apostle Peter's narration -  introduces Jesus as a Servant and he wrote it to the Romans. More miracles are found here than in any other gospels, because the Romans, who were the rulers of the world at that time, cared little for words, far more for deeds.

     Luke as an educated doctor wrote his gospel for the educated Greeks, who were lovers of poetry, culture and beauty, and he sets forth Jesus as the Perfect Man. Only in Luke's gospel we can find songs (Magnificat, Zacharias's praise, angels and sheperds are singing).

     John, who was also a disciple of Jesus, wrote his "good news" for all people, who will believe. He portrays Jesus as the Son of God. In this gospel there are many intimate talks and moments which has got one purpose: to lead people to the Lord.

     And just to see the beautiful portrait of Jesus, here are the closing remarks of the four gospels:

Matthew 28:18-20- Jesus, the King is commanding and commissioning His disciples. 

Mark 16:20 - Jesus, the Servant is pictured as still labouring with His disciples.

Luke - Jesus, the Perfect Man ascending to heaven to His Father.

John 21:25 - Jesus, the Son of God did many other things, that there would be not enough books in the whole world to contain it.

Bookworm? (EN)

I just bought some nice books with Miriam at ASDA Baby & Toddler Event. They were reasonably priced and they have got nice colours and logical. Yes, logical, because I am fed up with those kind of books - which have nowadays flooded the market - where there are purple elephants, red cats and aliens. I could hardly find any books with natural-coloured animals. Or  there were a series of little books, where they want to teach numbers for kids, but the figures (aliens) were larger than the numbers themselves or what they want to emphasize.
Well, we succeeded finally with our search for books and my little daughter loves them very much!

W.W.M.D. (GB)

I remember, in Hungary about 5 years ago (probably earlier in Western Europe) , there was a big movement called W.W.J.D. - What Would Jesus Do. The purpose of this was, that in our everyday moment, not just at Sunday "church-time" we would try do everything the way Jesus would.

On the Christian market the different "fashion" items started to appear, and you could purchase mugs, bracelets, pens, bags, notebooks etc. with the emblem of W.W.J.D., so if you have your morning coffee, you can drink it how Jesus would drink it; during the day your bracelet could remind you about your behaviour if you had a glimpse of it; at work or school your pen or notebook were the helpful items to help live the life of Jesus. And you could get Bible covers embroidered with the magic letters on it, just in case you forget or are not reminded by the Scriptures in your hand and don't know whom to think about.

Nowadays my thoughts are also around 4 letters: W.W.M.D. And the question in my head is "What Would Mary Do?"
Yes, Mary... Jesus' mother. Oh, no it is not a writing of a Catholic freak, who adores Mother Mary. These are only the thoughts of a Christian mum, who tries to think biblically about motherhood and to imagine how Mary dealt with Jesus, when our Saviour was a pre-toddler: did she comfort Him, when He was teething? How did she comfort Him? How did she play with Him? Did she sing to Him? What could be the life for them - when Mary was 9 month pregnant she had to sit on a donkey and go to Bethlehem; after the visit of the 3 wise men, they had do escape with a toddler to an unknown, foreign country: Egypt; later they travelled back to Galillei.

Mary's life wasn't easy, but I am sure God chose her, because she was a strong woman, who understood, that she was only the caretaker of her son, Jesus, and her task was to provide a warm nest and to get Him ready to His big ministry in the Earth - to save us.

Miriam copying/Miriam utánoz

Today morning I was playing with Miriam on the changing table, when she started copying me blowing kisses. * Ma reggel az öltöztető asztalon játszottunk Miriammal, amikor elkezdte a cuppogásom utánozni.

Thanksgiving/ Hálaadás (GB+HUN)

"Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever."(Psalm 107:1)

"Adj hálát az Úrnak, mert Ő jó és szeretete örökkévaló." (Zsoltárok 107,1)

Yesterday we celebrated Thanksgiving. My husband and I decided, that we will put this American holiday in our family calendar as a feast, when we gather together with our family members and friends, and with a theme of a nice turkey-dinner, we give thanks to the Lord for all He has done in our life in the last year.

The idea came at 11 o’clock, so we quickly made some phone calls and texts and rushed to get some turkey and a few ingredients for our delicious evening meal.

By 6pm everything was ready, the table set up, waiting for the guest with nice decorations.

Here are some things from my list, that I am especially thankful to my Creator this year:

• For a wonderful , sickness and complication free pregnancy and easy delivery
• For my baby girl, who is beautiful, healthy and intelligent
• For my marriage, which is blessed, special and balanced
• For real friends in my life, whom I can count on and share my every day challenges with
• For our finances, that when we needed money we always had, and even we were able to help others
• For finishing my 3rd year at Bible College.

*********

Tegnap megünnepeltük Hálaadás Napját. Férjemmel elhatároztuk, hogy ezt az amerikaiak által ült ünnepet bevesszük a családi naptárba, amikoris egy finom pulykavacsora keretében a családdal és néhány baráttal hálát adunk az Úrnak mindazért, amit az elmúlt évben tett életünkben.

Az ötlet délelőtt 11 órakor fogant, úgyhogy gyorsan elintéztünk néhány telefonhívást, küldtünk egy pár sms-t , és rohantunk a pulykáért és néhány hozzávalóért az ínycsiklandozó esti menühöz.

6 órára minden elkészült, az asztal megterítve, feldíszítve várta a vendégeket.

És íme néhány dolog a listáról, amiért hálát adok a Teremtőmnek ebben az évben:

• A csodálatos, rosszulléttől és komplikációtól mentes 9 hónapért, és a könnyű szülésért
• A szép, egészséges és okos kislányomért
• A házasságomért, amely áldott, különleges és kiegyensúlyozott
• Az igaz barátokért, akikre számíthatok és megoszthatom a mindennapok kihívásait
• Az anyagiakért, hogy mindig volt, amikor kellett, és még másoknak is tudtunk segíteni
• Hogy befejeztem a 3. évet a Biblia Iskolában

Stuffing the turkey - Pulykatöltés

A felismert Messiás (HUN)

A Szent András Evangelizációs Iskola munkatársai készítettek ezt a posztert, mint egy puzzle a Messiási proféciákról. Ide kattintva közelebbről szemügyre vehető:

http://szentandras.ujevangelizacio.hu/files/messias_poster2010.pdf

Remember no more (GB)

Yesterday during church as I searched for Hebrews chapter 11 to follow the pastor's teaching I accidentally stopped at the previous chapter, and my eyes focused on the following:

"and their sins and their lawbreaking I will remember no more" (Heb 10:17)

And as I read further:

"so let us seize and hold fast and retain without wavering the hope we cherish and confess and our acknowledgement of it, for He who promised is reliable (sure) and faithful to His word." (Amp. Heb 10:23)

Then why us, Christians look at our sins as something that can divide us from God? Why is the condemnation is our heart? Why are we afraid of our Father, waiting for a punishment after even making a small mistake?

God is good and God is love!

HE IS ALMIGHTY, ABLE TO DO EVERYTHING, EXCEPT TO REMEMBER YOUR SIN!!!

Asszonyi gondolatok (HUN)

Jézus... korán reggel ismét megjelent a templomban, ahol az egész nép köréje sereglett...Az írástudók és a farizeusok odavittek hozzá egy asszonyt, akit házasságtörésen értek. Középre állították...az ilyeneket meg kell kövezni...azok egymás után elmentek...’Én sem ítéllek el. Menj, és többé már ne vétkezzél!’” (Jn. 8,1-11)

Tudom, hogy nekünk, asszonyoknak nem sok jogunk van szólni, pláne sokaság előtt, én mégsem tarthatom magamban mindazt, amit Jézussal kapcsolatosan tapasztaltam. Sok év telt el az eset óta, és sokat változott a világ. Már vannak nők is, akik szolgálnak, igaz nem a zsidó közösségben, hanem a keresztényeknél. Abban a közösségben, amelyet Jézus, egy Názáretből való próféta és tanító alapított. Illetve szerintem több mint próféta és tanító – ahogy én láttam, amit én hallottam az alapján bizton állíthatom: Ő maga a Messiás!

A történet, amelyet elmesélek egy napsütéses, kellemes októberi délelőttön történt. A lombsátoros ünnep hétnapos forgataga már a vége felé közeledett. Jeruzsálem utcái tele voltak falombokból és ágakból épített kalyibákkal, felül szalmatetővel, amelyen éjszakánkként átragyogtak a csillagok. És mindenhol emberek… roppant tömeg. Az egész ünnepet egyfajta belső feszült várakozás jellemezte, mindenki a názáreti rabbit kereste, akinek tanításai miatt megoszlott Jeruzsálem.

Szent András emlékezése (HUN)

Amikor elhaladt a Galileai tenger mellett, látott két testvért: Simont, aki Péternek hívtak, és Andrást, a testvérét, amint körhálót vetettek a tengerbe; halászok voltak ugyanis. (Mt 4,18)

A kettő közül, akik ezt hallották Jánostól, és követték őt, az egyik András volt, Simon Péter testvére. Ő elsőként testvérével, Simonnal találkozott, s azt mondta neki: „Megtaláltuk a Messiást, azaz a Fölkentet!” És elvitte Jézushoz. (Jn 1,40–41)

Emlékszem arra a napra, hogyan is felejthetném el, amikor először találkoztam Vele. Amikor először nézett a szemembe, amikor először szólított meg…

Kora reggel volt… A Galileai tó partján voltam, éppen a körhálómat tisztítottam… A szívem telve volt mindenféle aggodalommal és sok minden forgott az eszemben. Keserves éjszaka volt… Már napok óta alig volt fogás… Aggódtam a családomért…, miből fogom eltartani őket. Nincs mit eladni, nincs pénz, és nem lesz mit enni… Nagy felelősség egy család…

Never Ending Battles

Recently I threw a temper tantrum in front my husband. It was a real emotionally charged female temper tantrum, with tears and snot needing and wanting cuddles for comfort, it was all about “ME”. My husband told me that I was in the flesh and instead of showing any respect towards “ME”, he simply suggested I should renew my mind. He put the Bible in front of my nose and pointed out Romans 12:1-2, and after explaining the scripture and reminding me about my last 2 years in Bible College and previous Christian experiences, he left me alone.

So with my pride crushed and my attitude confronted I marched into the living room, on the way there, I picked up a book from my husband’s bedside cabinet – which I believe the Holy Spirit guided me towards– from an author called Graham Cooke.

I was so hurt that I had been chastised by my husband and was not coping with the realisation that the world did not revolve around “ME”, but I started to read the book trying to gather myself back together.

Anyway, to cut the story short and talk about Jesus now and not “ME”, here is something I really enjoyed in the book and it gave me a fresh revelation:

As newborn Christians, our soul – our mind, emotions and will – is always battling with our spirit. It always wants its own way, it wants self-gratification, is always seeking reassurance, and wants to meet with God on our own terms. As the apostle Paul said talking about the battle of these two halves in Romans 7:14-25.

I am a”worrier”; I always find something to be anxious about. This is my soul. If a situation comes, that I wasn’t prepared for, or I need to decide about a situation quickly, I always panic. Instead of looking to God I am looking at “ME” and my own resources.

Like the disciples in Mark 4. Jesus, the greatest weatherman of all time, saw a storm brewing on the Sea of Galilee and made a suggestion: ‘Let’s go for a boat ride!’ He and His disciples got into the boat and set sail. A few minutes later, Jesus was asleep in the back.

Almost everyone in the boat was an experienced fisherman, but they had never encountered a storm like this – a storm engineered by God for a particular purpose. Things were bad, the waves were fierce, and Jesus was asleep. How could He have been so undisturbed and tranquil? How could He sleep through this?

Many times if you put together a man living in his spirit and a man living in the soul, and subject them to the same experiences, the soulish man will accuse the spiritual one of not caring. Why? Because, a spiritual man will experience peace in the midst of a storm; how could he care if he’s not showing anxiety? We have made a virtue out of being anxious.

Actually a spiritual man does care, but he is caring from a different place. The soulish man experiences worry in his mind, emotions and will: the spiritual man experiences every circumstance in the presence of God.

Anxiety will never overcome anything.

Instead of worrying, we should do what Jesus did: speak to what is happening in the physical world from what we are experiencing in our spirit.