Purpose of Each Gospel

Discerning the purpose of a particular writing can be important. In this file I rehearse in outline form the various purposes that have been proposed for each gospel.

Mark's gospel has been seen as only having the historical purpose of preserving the traditions of Jesus based on Peter’s recollections, as an eschatological proclamation about the immediate coming of the parousia, as an apologetic to correct a misconstrued Christology, as an evangelistic message about an exalted Christology, and as instruction on the call to discipleship.

Matthew's gospel has been seen as primarily teaching, as primarily apologetic, and as displaying a unifying purpose for Matthew's community.

Luke-Acts with the emphasis upon Acts has been called a history of both Jesus' life and the early church, as a vindication for use in Paul's trial, as an evangelistic document to convert the nations, as an anti-docetic apologetic, as an apology to Rome that Christianity should be viewed as a legitimate religion, as an apology to Jewish Christians who view Paul with suspicion, and as edification for Luke's audience reciting the growth of the church and the victory of Christianity.

John's gospel has been viewed as primarily evangelistic, as an apology against outsiders, as an apology against forces within the church, as primarily edification for believers, and as having a theological purpose of presenting Jesus as God.

At the end of the file I also enumerate purposes for the writing of the hypothetical document names Q.

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