When we talk about the Gospels, we’re really diving into the heart of the Christian faith. The four Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—are like four different lenses through which we see the life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Each Gospel has its own style, focus, and way of telling the story, but they all share the same mission: to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ. What’s really fascinating is how each Gospel connects the story of Jesus to the Old Testament, showing us that the gospel isn’t just some new idea that popped up out of nowhere. Instead, it’s the fulfillment of God’s promises that had been unfolding throughout history.
Matthew, for example, starts off with a genealogy, tracing Jesus’ lineage all the way back to Abraham. This isn’t just about family history; it’s about showing that Jesus is the promised Messiah, rooted in the story of Israel. Matthew is telling us, “Hey, this isn’t just any family—this is the family through which God promised to bless the entire world.” Mark, on the other hand, jumps right into the action with a quote from Isaiah, connecting Jesus’ arrival to the prophetic messages of the Old Testament. He’s saying, “This is the moment we’ve all been waiting for—the time when God’s promises are coming true.” And then there’s John, who takes us all the way back to the beginning with “In the beginning was the Word,” echoing the first words of Genesis. John is making it clear that Jesus isn’t just part of the story—He’s the Creator Himself who stepped into the world He made.
Each of these Gospels brings out a different aspect of who Jesus is and why He matters, but they all tie Him back to the story God has been telling from the very beginning.
Now, let’s zoom in on Luke, who gives us a unique two-part story with his Gospel and the book of Acts. Luke starts by addressing his work to a man named Theophilus, which might just be a literary device to speak to anyone who loves God (since Theophilus means “lover of God”). But what’s cool about Luke is that he’s not just writing a biography—he’s documenting a movement. The first part is about what Jesus began to do and teach, and the second part (Acts) is about what Jesus continued to do through the Holy Spirit and the early Church. Luke constantly ties the life of Jesus back to the Old Testament, showing that Jesus is the fulfillment of prophecies, promises, and hopes that had been building up for centuries. Whether it’s John the Baptist fulfilling the role of Elijah or Jesus being the true Son of God who succeeds where Adam and Israel failed, Luke is weaving together a story that says, “This is what God has been planning all along.”
One of the most insightful moments in Luke comes after Jesus’ resurrection, when He meets two disciples on the road to Emmaus. These guys are downcast, thinking all their hopes had died with Jesus on the cross. But Jesus opens up the Scriptures to them, showing how everything—Moses, the Prophets, the Psalms—pointed to Him. Can you imagine what that must have been like? To suddenly see the whole story of the Bible come together in Jesus? It’s a reminder to us that the gospel isn’t just a New Testament thing—it’s the continuation and fulfillment of everything God started in the Old Testament.
Without the Old Testament, we wouldn’t fully grasp who Jesus is or what He came to do.
The apostles knew this, which is why they preached the gospel as the fulfillment of the Old Testament in their sermons recorded in Acts.
Speaking of Acts, Luke records several sermons by Peter and Paul that emphasize this connection between the Old and New Testaments. For example, in Acts 2, Peter explains how the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost is a fulfillment of Joel’s prophecy. He goes on to show how Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection fulfill David’s words in the Psalms. Paul does something similar in Acts 13, where he traces the history of Israel to show that Jesus is the promised Savior. Both apostles are saying, “This isn’t just a new chapter in the story—this is the climax!” They’re inviting us to see the gospel not as a break from the past but as the glorious fulfillment of God’s eternal plan. And that’s something we need to grasp today. The Old Testament isn’t just a collection of ancient stories and laws—it’s the foundation of our faith, pointing us to Jesus at every turn.
So, where does this leave us? If the gospel is the fulfillment of the Old Testament, then our understanding of Jesus should be deeply rooted in the whole Bible, not just the New Testament. When we read the Old Testament, we should be asking, “How does this point to Christ?” And when we study the Gospels, we should see them as the continuation of the story that began in Genesis. Jesus is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the One who ties it all together. Our Christian journey starts with Him and leads us toward becoming more like Him, as the whole of Scripture guides us along the way.
Challenge
As Christians, we’re called to see the bigger picture—to understand that the Bible is one cohesive story with Jesus at the center. How are you engaging with the Old Testament? Do you see it as relevant to your faith, or do you skip over it in favor of the New Testament? I challenge you to dive deeper into the Old Testament, not just as a historical document, but as the very foundation of the gospel message. Look for Jesus in the stories, the laws, the prophecies, and see how it all points to Him. Let your study of the Old Testament enrich your understanding of the Gospels and deepen your relationship with Christ. The gospel is the story of God’s faithfulness from Genesis to Revelation, and we are privileged to be a part of it.
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