How to read the Gospels 101
When reading the Gospels, remember: The Gospels were written decades after the events and after decades of shared storytelling of the teachings. In an earlier post I noted some nearly required reading. Two of Bart Ehrman's books are listed and are a good place to start. The Gospels are not documentaries or biographies. The stories are there for us to understand what Jesus is teaching. Also, read the Gospels with an inquiring mind. Have you noticed the classic storytelling format of the Gospels? ..Jesus is on a quest and mission and journey. ..Jesus forms a 'fellowship" of disciples, and they travel and teach: The mission. The Gospels are great teaching stories. The format is also used in these well-known works and many others: ..Homer's "The Iliad and the Odyssey." ..J.R.R. Tolkien's 'Lord of the Rings" series, especially, "The Fellowship of The Ring". ..L. Frank Baum's "The Wizard of OZ". (More on this one in a future...