SDS ADULT LESSON BOOK 2 2024

3. The Gospel of Mark

The Gospel of Mark is the oldest, the first of the canonical Gospels to be written, and the one from which the other two synoptic Gospels, Matthew and Luke, are based. It is also the most concise Gospel, where the events of Jesus' life take precedence over his speeches, which in this book are more concise. Mark is not interested in a biography of Jesus, but in testifying to his public mission, from his baptism in the Jordan to his resurrection. From his emergence from the water to his emergence from the tomb, the greatest mystery of all time will gradually be revealed: the Son of God and man who lives, dies, and rises again for our salvation.

Author: Thomas Shepherd is a professor and senior researcher of New Testament at Andrews University, where he has taught since 2008. He and his wife, Sherry Shepherd, have served as missionaries in Malawi, Africa, and Brazil. They have two children and six grandchildren.

4. The Gospel of John

The Gospel of John is the most recent of the canonical Gospels, the last one written and in a form quite different from the other three (Matthew, Mark, and Luke). John had time to develop a more complete theology of Jesus and the meaning of his life, death, and resurrection. This is why his Gospel begins far back, at the very beginning, revealing to us that Jesus of Nazareth is the incarnation of the Logos of God, the creative Word of all things visible and invisible, who became incarnate to give a new meaning to grace and truth. Jesus, man and God, in fact, teaches us that grace and truth are not simply a doctrine, but the movement of God who draws closer to us, and in which we are called to participate by drawing closer to one another.

Authors: Thomas Shepherd and Edward Zinke Zinke is the former associate director of the General Conference's Bible Research Institute and is involved in many activities, including serving as vice president of the Ellen G. White Estate Board and senior advisor to Adventist Review Ministries. He holds three honorary degrees from Adventist universities. He lives in Maryland.