The Gospels

What this unit covers

The page follows the four Gospels one at a time and then compares them. Luke has the most material: the mind map on the background to Luke's Gospel covers the sources for Luke, the call of the disciples, the sinful woman, Martha and Mary, the widow of Nain and the Good Samaritan. Flashcard decks on Luke cover the annunciation, the shepherds and salvation.

Mark, Matthew and John each have their own decks, maps, notes and quizzes. The John mind map looks at how John's chronology differs from the synoptics, including one Passover against three.

Where to start

1. Open the mind map called Gospels for a quick view of Matthew, Mark and Luke, the Q document and the likely audiences.
2. Work through the flashcard deck on Mark's Gospel, then the two decks on Luke's Gospel.
3. Move to the John mind map and the notes on the prologue to John's gospel.
4. Finish with the flashcard deck Synoptic Problem Theories if you need the scholarly debate, including the Two Source Hypothesis and the theories of Streeter and Farrer.

Using maps and quizzes together

Read a mind map first and cover each branch in turn. Then take a quiz on the same topic and note what you missed. The quiz called Matthew or John? A Jesus Feeds the 5000 Quiz is a good example, because it asks you to separate two accounts of the same event. The quiz called Religious Education 1st Year is a gentler check on what the word Gospel means and who wrote the synoptics.

For deeper study, there are quizzes on Matthew, on John and on the synoptic Gospels, including weekly quizzes for the synoptics and Acts.

Where it fits

This unit sits in the Bible strand of Religion and theology. Its resources are mostly secondary and university level, and some mention GCSE Religious Studies and A-level Religious Studies. Teachers can pick up ready-made maps and decks for a lesson.

Choose one Gospel today, go through its map, and try a quiz when you are ready.