Ministry of God’s Son
—And the gospel first preached
Time ~ 10. Coming of the Son of God
Span ~ 30 years
Books ~ Matthew, Mark, Luke, John
Figures ~ John the Baptizer, Jesus
Begins with ~ Birth of Jesus
Ends with ~ Death of Jesus
Ascendant empire ~ Rome
Jesus was the first to preach "the gospel of the kingdom" (Matthew 4:23, Luke 16:16). God spoke to us through Jesus a new message (Hebrews 1:1-2). The "The great salvation was first spoken by the Lord" (Hebrews 2:3). This page includes a four-gospel summary of his our Lord’s ministry.
1 The Messiah’s Message
During his earthly ministry, the Son of God taught the world about the kingdom of God, that it was going to be a new Israel unlike the old political and earthly nation. The new kingdom would be the kingdom of Heaven —a spiritual kingdom. It would be in the world but not of the world. One day the world will be no more, but the kingdom of which Jesus is king would last forever.
The old kingdom of Israel, glorious in the days of David and Solomon, was a symbol (or type) of this far more glorious heavenly and eternal kingdom over which Jesus now reigns from heaven.
2 Jesus Preaches the Gospel
In his earthly ministry, Jesus preached "the gospel of the kingdom" in the regions of the Jordan, Galilee, Judea, Samaria, and Perea (Matthew 4:23 Luke 16:16). His ministry spanned about three years from AD 26-30. He was in his early thirties.
The Messiah's ministry was authenticated by many miracles, mostly healings of the sick. Jesus spoke to large crowds in the country. He declared the kingdom of Heaven in the synagogues. He talked to people in their homes, and during walks. He confronted religious leaders at the temple in Jerusalem.
At times his teaching about the new kingdom was in parables. They were simple stories of everyday life that illustrated, to receptive minds, the essential spiritual truths about the kingdom of Heaven. At one time Jesus became popular, and was about to be made a political king in a popular uprising. However Jesus took steps to avoid this. That wasn't the kind of king he wanted to be.
3 Bible Summary (The Gospels — Christ's Ministry)
Galilee, Judea, Samaria
- (01) Temptation in desert (Matthew 4:1-11, Mark 1:12-13, Luke 4:1-13)
- (02) First recruitment of disciples (John 1:35-31)
- (03) First miracle (John 2:1-12)
- (04) Cleansing of the temple (John 2:13-22)
- (05) Jesus recognises the people's shallow faith (John 2:23-25)
- (06) Nicodemus comes to Jesus (John 3:1-21)
- (07) John the Baptist's deference to Jesus (John 3:22-36)
- (08) Jesus and the Samaritan woman (John 4:4-43)
Main Galilean Ministry
- (09) Heals Capernaum official's son (John 4:45-54)
- (10) Rejected at Nazareth (Luke 4:16-30)
- (11) Takes up residence in Capernaum (Matthew 4:13-16, Luke 4:31)
- (12) Fishers of men (Luke 5:1-11, Mark 4:18-22, Mark 1:16-20)
- (13) Sabbath in Capernaum (Mark 1:21-34, Luke 4:31-41, Matthew 8:14-17)
- (14) Tour of Galilee (Mark 1:35-39 Luke 4:42-44)
- (15) Healing a leper (Matthew 8:2-4, Mark 1:40-45, Luke 5:12-16)
- (16) Healing a paralytic (Matthew 9:2-8, Mark 2:1-12, Luke 5:17-26)
- (17) Matthew joins Jesus (Matthew 9:9, Mark 2:13-14, Luke 5:27-28)
- (18) Questions and issues (Matthew 9:10-17, Mark 2:15-22, Luke 5:29-39)
- (19) Sabbath controversy 1 (John 5:1-47)
- (20) Sabbath controversy 2 (Matthew 12:1-8, Mark 2:23-28, Luke 6:1-5)
- (21) Sabbath controversy 3 (Matthew 12:9-15, Mark 3:1-6, Luke 6:6-11)
- (22) Healing the multitudes (Mtt:12:15-21 Mark 3:7-12)
- (23) Choosing the twelve (Matthew 10:2-4, Mark 3:13-19, Luke 6:12-16)
- (24) Sermons on mount and plain (Matthew 5-7, Luke 6:17-49)
- (25) Healing centurion's servant (Matthew 8:5-13, Luke 7:1-10)
- (26) John the Baptist's enquiry from prison (Luke 7:36-50)
- (27) Women's group financially supports Jesus (Luke 8:1-3)
- (28) Jesus gives strong answers to opponents (Matthew 12:22-50, Mark 3:20-35, Luke 8:19-21)
- (29) Parables of the kingdom (Matthew 13:1-53, Mark 4:1-34, Luke 8:4-18)
- (30) Calming the storm (Matthew 8:18,23-27, Mark 4:35-41, Luke 8:22-25)
- (31) Healing a demoniac (Matthew 8:29-34, Mark 5:1-20, Luke 8:26-39)
- (32) Other healings (Matthew 9 1-34, Mark 5:1-43, Luke 8:26-56)
- (33) Limited commission (Matthew 10:1-42, Mark 6:7-13,30, Luke 9:1-6,10)
- (34) Herod Antipas afraid (Matthew 14:1-2, Mark 6:14-16, Luke 9:7-9)
- (35) 5000 fed (Matthew 14:13-21, Mark 6:31-44, Luke 9:10-17, John 5:1-13)
- (36) Refuses to be the [political] king (John 6:14-16)
- (37) Walking on water (Matthew 14:24-36, Mark 6:47-56, John 6:17-21)
- (38) The Bread of Life (John 6:22-71)
- (39) Conflict with Pharisees (Matthew 15:1-20, Matthew 16:1-4, Mark 7:1-23)
- (40) More healings and 4000 fed (Matthew 15:21-39, Mark 7:24-37, Mark 8:1-9,22-26)
- (41) Teaching disciples (Matthew 16:1 to 17:13, Mark 8:10-31, Luke 9:18-27)
- (42) The transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-13, Mark 9:1-13, Luke 9:28-36)
- (43) Practical lessons for disciples (Matthew 17:14-27, Mark 9:14-33, Luke 9:37-49)
- (44) Lessons to followers (Matthew 18:1-35, Mark 9:34-50, Luke 9:46-62)
Judea
- (45) Debate and discussion (John 7:11 to 8:58, Luke 10:25-37, John 10:22-39)
- (46) Mission of the seventy two (Luke 10:1-24)
- (47) Mary and Martha (Luke 10:38-42)
- (48) Discourses, parables, healings (Luke 11, 12, 13)
Perea
- (49) Parables and other teaching (Luke 13:22 to 17:1-10, John 10:40-42)
Galilee, Judea, Samaria
- (50) Raising of Lazarus (John 11:1-54)
- (51) Healing ten lepers, teaching on times and prayer (Luke 17:11 to 18:14)
Perea
- (52) Healing, teaching on divorce (Mtt:19:1-12, Mark 10:1-12)
- (53) Blessing the children (Matthew 19:13-15, Mark 10:13-16, Luke 18:15-17)
- (54) Rich young ruler (Matthew 19:16-26, Mark 10:17-27, Luke 18:18-27)
- (55) Kingdom talk (Matthew 19:27 to 20:16, Mark 10:28-31, Luke 18:18-30)
- (56) Predicts his death, resurrection (Matthew 20:17-28, Mark 10:32-45, Luke 18:31-34)
On Way To Jerusalem
- (57) Blind Bartimaues, (Matthew 20:29-34, Mark 10:46-52, Luke 18:35-43)
- (58) Zacchaeus, and a kingdom parable (Luke 19:1-28)
- (59) Plots and opposition (John 11:55-57, John 12:1,9-11)
- (60) Triumphal entry (Matthew 21:1-11, Mark 11:1-11, Luke 19:29-44, John 12:12-19)
- (61) The fig tree cursed (Matthew 21:18-22, Mark 11:12-25)
Jerusalem
- (62) Second cleansing of temple (Matthew 21:12-16, Mark 11:15-18, Luke 19:45-48)
- (63) His coming death and people's blindness (John 12:20-50)
- (64) Confronts the Pharisees (Matthew 21:23 to 23:39, Mark 11:27 to 12:40, Luke 20)
- (65) A widows small coins (Mark 12:41-44, Luke 21:1-4)
- (66) Jerusalem destroyed and end of world (Matthew 24, Mark 13:1-37, Luke 21:5-36)
- (67) Kingdom parables: the ten virgins, the talents (Matthew 25:1-30)
- (68) Eternal judgment at the glorious throne of the King (Matthew 25:31-46)
