Blog Post #7: Discipleship

Blog Post #7: Discipleship

A Written Response By Lily Jeffs

1. What did you learn about the original disciples from the group projects?

When reflecting on the Discipleship group project, I learned many different things about the original disciples and the relations they had with Jesus. Specifically, I learned that Peter was the brother of Andrew, was the first disciple Jesus had called to follow him, he was originally a Galilean fisherman, he became a disciple when Jesus called to him whilst he was fishing, he was notable for being the main speaker of the Pentatox, he died after being bounded in chains, and his remains are buried underneath Saint Peter's Basilica. James the Greater was another of Jesus' disciples and was the son of Zebedee, he was originally a fisherman, he became a disciple when he was fishing and Jesus filled his nets with fish after not being able to catch any, he is notable for being one of only 3 people to be called by Jesus, he died when he was executed by a sword, and his remains are buried in the Cathedral of Santiago. James the Lesser was the son of the Virgin of Mary, he was the first Bishop of Jerusalem, he became a disciple as a result of the close relation his mother had with Jesus, he was notable for being the author of the 1st Catholic Epistle, he died after being beaten and stoned by prosecutors, and his remains are buried in Santi Apostoli. John wrote his own gospel, he was the longest living apostle, he was a fisherman, he became Jesus' disciple after being related to him in some way, he was known as the beloved disciple, he passed away peacefully in 100 A.D, and his remains are buried in Ephesus, Turkey. Andrew was the first apostle to follow Jesus, he was a fisherman, he became a disciple when Jesus told him and another worker whilst they was fishing to be "Fishers of men," he passed away when he was crucified similarly to Jesus but in an x - shaped cross, and his remains are buried in the Church of the Holy Apostles in Istanbul, Turkey. Batholowmew/Nathanael was the 12th apostle of Jesus, he was a missionary, he became an apostle after he was introduced to Jesus by Saint Philip, he was a missionary in Armenia and India, he died when he was skinned to death and martyred in Armenia, and his remains are buried in the Basilica of San Bartholomew, the Frankfurt Cathedral, and the Canterbury Cathedral. Judas originally worked for his father before becoming Jesus' treasurer, he became Jesus' apostle because he worked for him, he is known for betraying Jesus, he died after he hung himself for turning Jesus in and in return, received 30 pieces of silver, and his remains are found in Palatinate, Germany. Matthias always cared for Jesus, he studied the Law of God in university, he was able to replace Judas as Jesus' 12 apostle after meeting the needed requirements to do so, he was martyred, and his remains are buried in Potter's Field, Jerusalem. Jude was the saint and patron of hope and lost cause, he was a farmer before becoming a disciple, it was unknown of how he became a disciple because he wasn't written about in the Bible, he was known for writing books about his faith, he died when he was clubbed to death and martyred, and his remains are buried under Saint Peter's Basilica. Matthew was the son of Alpheus, his name was originally Levi, he was a tax collector before becoming one of Jesus' disciples, he became a disciple when Jesus noticed him as a tax collector and said to him, "Follow me," he was considered one of the 4 Gospel writers, he was murdered in Ethiopia, and his remains are buried in Salerno, Italy. Philip was born in Bethsaida, Galilee, He was originally a tradesman, he met Jesus many times and later became his disciple, he bought the bread for the people who Jesus later fed, he died when he was crucified upside down in Heliopolis, and his remains are buried in the Church of Apostles in Istanbul. Simon the Zealot was the "mystery apostle," his original profession was unknown, he became a disciple because he was attached to the apostles at a young age and was loyal to Jesus, he spread the word of God through Egypt, he died when he was crucified in England, and his remains are located in Saint Peter's Basilica. The last disciple I learned about was Thomas, in which he originally worked as a carpenter and stone mason, he became a disciple when he was chosen by Philip as a result of the immense devotion he had to Jesus, he was known as "Doubting Thomas" because he questioned Jesus' resurrection, he was martyred and speared to death in India, and his remains are buried int he Basilica of Saint Thomas. As someone who originally didn't know a lot about the 12 disciples, I learned a lot of things that I can use when I begin to learn more about the Catholic Church later on within the 2nd semester. To illustrate what I have learned, an image is shown below in which the 12 disciples are gathered around Jesus and are listening to him preaching and teaching them lessons relating to life and God that they are later going to spread to others.

("MMem 0134: Memorize the 12 Apostles with Mnemonics")

2. Which disciple did you find most interesting and why?

One particular disciple that I found the most interesting was Bartholomew. Rather than him following Jesus and spreading his message to others only within Israel, he also traveled to diverse countries such as Armenia and India to connect these far areas of the world with God. Furthermore, he allowed Christianity to spread and become a part of different cultures. Although he was skinned to death martyred in Armenia, his work allowed those living within countries outside of Israel to begin following Christianity. This has also contributed to Christianity having over 2 billion believers thousands of years later. As someone who is deeply connected to God, I admire Bartholomew for the work he as done to promote God's message to those who had no original knowledge of this religion. One image that illustrates this is shown below in which Saint Bartholomew is holding the Bible and a knife to signify that he is sacrificing his life across the world in the name of God and each other.

("Zephyrinus")

3. Based on what you learned, what are the characteristics of people who follow Jesus?

The characteristics of people who follow Jesus are that they are passionate about sharing his message, and are faithful and care for others. Specific disciples and followers of Christ such as Andrew, Bartholomew, and Peter sacrificed their lives whilst trying to promote Christianity to potential followers because of how deeply connected they were with him. They also taught many about who Jesus and God were and what importance they have in the world we live in. These characteristics of people who followed Jesus during his own life have had a large impact on the modern era. They have ultimately allowed for there to be a community found within the Christian Church of people who are available to speak with those that are upset or need assistance and want to find someone who is truly connected with Christ to do so. Within my own life, followers of Jesus allow me to feel supported my them when I am need of help, almost as if I was speaking to Jesus himself. One image that illustrates this is shown below in which Jesus is opening up is arms and welcoming anyone who wishes to become a follower of God, similarly to how his own followers introduce Christianity to others.

("Free Image on Pixabay - Christ, Happy New Year, Jesus") 

4. Do you feel that you display any of these characteristics (for example, standing up for something that you strongly believe in)? Why or why not?

The characteristics of being heavily devoted to Jesus and God and standing up for what you believe in that are expressed by followers of Jesus including the disciples can similarly be found within my own life. Specifically relating to the topic of sexism in sports, I become very upset when professional female athletes are not payed equally to men who participate in the same sport and don't receive the same amount of recognition. I also become upset when professional female athletes achieve more than men such as winning a big soccer tournament, yet they are still payed less compared to male athletes who at some times, can't even make it to the quarterfinals of a similar tournament. I am always looking more into how this problem can change in the near future and what I can do to help. Likewise, the works of the disciples who were later martyred for the passion and love that they had for Christ relate to my own experience. Although there are many males that disagree that women should be payed equally with men in not just athletics, but with any profession, I am always supporting those who are urging for equal pay that can potentially make a difference in both of our lives. To illustrate the relation I have with the followers and disciples of Jesus, an image is shown below in which a hand is pointed up that symbolizes the enthusiasm both myself and the disciples have towards something we care about which has continued to have a great impact on our lives.

("Free Image on Pixabay - Index Finger, Pointing, Pointer")

Works Cited

“Free Image on Pixabay - Index Finger, Pointing, Pointer.” Free Vector Graphic: Index Finger, 

               Pointing, Pointer - Free Image on Pixabay - 297766, pixabay.com/en/index-finger-pointing-

               pointer-point-297766/.

“Free Image on Pixabay - Christ, Happy New Year, Jesus.” Free Vector Graphic: Christ, Happy New 

              Year, Jesus - Free Image on Pixabay - 1294308, pixabay.com/en/christ-happy-new-year-

              jesus-1294308/.

Zephyrinus. “Zephyrinus.” Saint Bartholomew. Apostle. Feast Day, Today, 24 August., 1 Jan. 1970, 

              zephyrinus-zephyrinus.blogspot.com/2016/08/saint-bartholomew-apostle-feast-day.html.

“MMem 0134: Memorize the 12 Apostles with Mnemonics.” Master of Memory: Accelerated 

              Learning, Education, Memorization, masterofmemory.com/mmem-0134-memorize-the-12-

              apostles-with-mnemonics/.

Blog Post #6: The Beatitudes

Blog Post #6: The Beatitudes

A Written Response By Lily Jeffs

1. What were new things you learned about the Beatitudes?

As someone who isn't very knowledgeable about the religion of Christianity, I learned many new things about what the Beatitudes are and what role they play within the lives of the followers of Christ throughout this unit of Living The Gospel. With this, I learned that the Beatitudes are eight blessings recounted by Jesus on the Sermon on the Mount within the Gospel of Matthew that act as a primary list of the things one should do under God. The first Beatitude is "Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy" that defines as those who are compassionate will receive blessings in return for their work. The second Beatitude is "Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the Earth" that means those who are humble will be given the acceptance to make the world a better place. The third Beatitude is "Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven" that defines as those who are upset will be healed once uplifted by Heaven and God. The fourth Beatitude is "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be filled" that means those strive for honor through a great passion they hold will be given success later on as a result of this work. The fifth Beatitude is "Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called children of God" that defines as those who are respectful with others will be honored for their ways of acting in God’s name. The sixth Beatitude is "Blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted" that means those have suffered will be cared for and loved by others to make up for this loss. The seventh Beatitude is "Blessed are the pure in heart for they will see God" that defines as those who are greatly connected to God and are kind and loving to others will later be embraced by his soul and those around them. The eighth Beatitude is "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake for theirs is the kingdom of Heaven" that means those who are challenged for what they believe in will have God and others that they love to support them in return. All in all, learning more about what the eight Beatitudes are allowed me to incorporate them more into my day - to - day life as well as this enhancing my relationship with God as a whole. To illustrate this, an image is shown below in which Jesus is preaching the Beatitudes on the Sermon on the Mount to others that ultimately allows his message to be spread and for this group to later make the world a better place.

2. Which Beatitude resonates with you the most and why?

When reflecting on the eight Beatitudes and how they define as, the Beatitude that states "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled" resonates with myself the most.  This specific Beatitude means that those strive for honor through a great passion they hold will be given success later on as a result of this work. This greatly relates to my life in which I am always wanting to do the best I can within activities both in and out of school and hope that this hard work will pay off when being admitting into colleges and later having a career. Apart from just wanting to be successful within my own life, when with others, I hold a great passion for what I believe in. With this, if one is disrespectful to others, then I notify them by telling them what they did wrong and how they should instead treat people. All in all, the devotion I hold for the things I love allow me to be successful in life in which I consequently hope that the hard work found within this will be contributed as a result of this adherence. An image that illustrates this Beatitude and the resonation it holds with myself is shown below in which a group of people are similarly striving for their goals in life using the power developed from what they are passionate for. 

3. What were some things you realized during the class discussion?

Many different thoughts and ideas were brought up during the class discussion about what each of the Beatitudes meant and how we can use them within our day - to - day life. Specifically with the Beatitude that states "Blessed are the pure in heart for they will see God," at first I had trouble defining this and only thought that it meant that those who are caring and welcoming to others will be fully embraced by God's love in return. After speaking about this Beatitude with my classmates, I was also told that this can be incorporated within the relationship we hold with God in which those who are fully devoted to this figure will later be given the opportunity to become closer with him at a spiritual level. Apart from just learning new things from the class discussion relating to a specific Beatitude, as a whole, I realized that although I don't consistently follow the religion of Christianity, I can still use these as a way to guide myself into a successful and positive adulthood. The class discussion ultimately allowed myself and others to further our knowledge about what the Beatitudes are within Christianity and how we can incorporate them within our relationship with God and each other. To illustrate the concepts spoken about within the class discussion, an image is shown below in which the major theme found within the Beatitudes and our life is the love we hold with God and the world around ourselves.

4. How can you display the Beatitudes more in your life?

After learning many different things about what the Beatitudes are and how they relate to myself, I can greatly display them within my own life. Although I am not an avid follower of Christianity, these blessings can be used when I am with others as well as when I am wanting to strengthen my relationship with God and strive for success. Specific actions include caring for and respecting those that go to school with me, especially when they are in need of help as well as holding a great passion for what I believe in such as gender rights within sports. This will consequently allow me to live a happy and stronger life within the arms of God and my family. Other ways that I can display the Beatitudes more in my life is when I spend time with my grand parents in which I will always treat them with love and respect to follow the blessings God has given me as well as being humble when receiving awards such as doing well on a math test. Conclusively, the lesson based on the Beatitudes has allowed me to relate this major part of Christianity into my life within the modern day as well as strengthen the relations I hold with Jesus and others I have met within my current life. To illustrate this, an image is shown below in which one hand represents myself and the other represents those that I love or meet that expresses the comprehensive theme of compassion, respect, and honor found throughout all of the eight Beatitudes.

Works Cited

“The Sermon on the Mount - Jesus Preaches to the Multitudes.” Educational Technology 

Clearinghouse, etc.usf.edu/clipart/187800/187856/187856-the-sermon-on-the-mount-jesus.htm.

Front View Fist Men Reaching Pictures, Images and Stock Photos - IStock, www.istockphoto.com/photos/front-view-fist-men-reaching?excludenudity=true&sort=mostpopular&mediatype=photography&phrase=front%2Bview%2Bfist%2Bmen%2Breaching.

“Cross Heart Jesus God Heart Love Graphics Design SVG DXF PNG Vector Art Clipart Instant Download Digital Cut Print Files Cricut Silhouette.” Zibbet, www.zibbet.com/vectordesign/cross-heart-jesus-god-heart-love-graphics-design-svg-dxf-png-vector-art-clipart-instant-download-digital-cut-print-files-cricut-silhouette.

Two Hands Holding a Heart Icon – Free Icons Download, www.free-icons-download.net/two-hands-holding-a-heart-icon-85798/.

Blog Post #5: Parables

Blog Post #5: Parables

A Written Response By Lily Jeffs

1. What specific things did you learn from your group's parable?

When reflecting on my group's parable, I learned many different things within this religious subject. Specifically, I learned that the story was set during a time in which beggars were mistreated in which this evidently happens to one of the story's protagonists known as Lazarus. After the rich man noticed him, he ignored Lazarus as it was found during this time that the rich would not go near the poor or the sick due to them being thought of as an untouchable. When reflecting on this story, it has taught myself as a reader that the moral of this parable shows that wealth doesn’t fully determine if one goes to heaven or not, and is instead controlled by how much kindness and love they hold for themselves and others. With this, the rich man lived a luxury life with the finest clothing and food soon realized that he was being sent to Hell while Lazarus, the poor beggar who just wanted some of the rich man’s food, was sent to Heaven. I can ultimately incorporate this parable into my life when I see others in need in which I can assist them through acts such as giving them food or clothes so we can both live a happier life later on within God's love that he holds for both of us. One image that evidently reflects my learning experience with The Rich Man and Lazarus is shown below in which the rich man is shown ignoring Lazarus, causing him to later suffer the consequences once he dies.

2. What specific things did you learn from the parables that were presented by the other groups?

As someone who previously wasn't very knowledgable about the religion of Christianity, after completing this project, I learned many new things about the parables found within the Bible that were presented by my classmates. With this, I learned that The Prodigal Son is a story written between 70 - 80 A.D and is about two sons in which the young son is given an early inheritance by his father that allows him to move out and gain a new sense of independence while his older sibling has to stay home and work for his father. This story taught me that we should never doubt or underestimate God and should instead fully love him. Apart from just this parable, I also learned about the Laborers in the Vineyard in which people who worked for different amounts of hours were being payed the same amounts, causing those who worked longer to become upset with their manager. When reflecting on this, it is shown to readers that loyalty is given to all and shouldn't be based on time but should instead be based on presence. Another parable I learned about during these presentations was the Parable of the Sower where Jesus sits out on a boat with a large group of people and tells them the story of a sower whose seeds are either lost, fall on a path, on rocky ground, or placed among thorns until some of them fall on good earth and eventually grow. Within the parable's lesson in which God has a path for everyone, this can be greatly used within my personal life when I am put in certain situations that don't immediately go as planned but eventually occur through the story's message that everything happens for a reason. The last parable I learned about was the Parable of the Unforgiving Servant where a servant is unable to pay off one of his debts to the king so he is exempt, yet later this servant forces another servant to pay off a debt yet they are unable to, causing the king to make this servant pay off the debt he was originally exempt from. Conclusively, all four of these parables play a major role within the Bible through their different morals and plots shown to modern day readers. One image that evidently reflects my learning experience with these presentations is shown below in which Jesus is spreading God's word to people across the world, including the numerous major characters found within these parables. 

3. Which moral/lesson impacted you the most and why?

One moral that impacted me the most was that God has a path for us that will take time but can later lead to the desired success and happiness we want in life. This lesson was specifically found within the Parable of the Sower. I can incorporate this within my life outside of this story through situations such as not getting into a college I really wanted to be accepted into, yet knowing that everything happens for a reason and that this college most likely wouldn't of worked out for me due to God's plan. A more current event that relates to the Parable of the Sower is when I am trying new activities such as a sport and I don't do well but later find a different activity that I fully enjoy as a result of God guiding me to success and happiness within life. This particular piece of knowledge where everything happens for a reason ultimately plays a major role within life through different emotional situations of those who follow Christianity as well as those who do not. One image that evidently reflects my learning experience with this moral is shown below in which God is an almighty figure that plays a major role within my life as well as many others where he guides us through life as we grow and learn. 

4. What do you think it would be like if Jesus were physically in our society today?

If Jesus were physically in our society today, then there would be a greater positive and religious influence throughout the current world. With this, Jesus and God's message would be able to further spread and change many different people's lives. The religion of Christianity would also gain many more followers from diverse areas across the world. Although Jesus' presence would have a beneficial impact on society, others following different religions may become upset due to him being so powerful compared to those that they worship. This could consequently lead to a repeat in violence as shown when Pontius Pilate orders to crucify Jesus. With saying this, Jesus' physical existence could positively effect my life in which I would be given the opportunity to speak with him in real life and though roughly learn more about Christianity from a figure who plays a major role within this specific religion and contact him when I am in need of help. One image that evidently reflects the act of Jesus physically living in our society today is shown below in which Jesus is shown completing a modern day action of walking on the beach whilst preparing to meet with those who need healing.

Works Cited

Brown, Jan. Color Walking on Water, www.zionmilaca.org/ColorWater.html. 


November 7, 2013 · by Jack Scanlan · in Religion, Skepticism. “Question of the Week: Proving/​Disproving the Existence of God.” Young Australian Skeptics, youngausskeptics.com/2013/11/question-of-the-week-provingdisproving-the-existence-of-god/.

“Resurrected Christ Appears to the People | Easter Clipart.” ShareFaith, www.sharefaith.com/image/resurrected-christ-appears-to-the-people.html.


stlukeskck@gmail.com. “‘Use Unjust Money to Make Friends’ | Luke 16:1-31.” St Luke's Lutheran Church, 21 Feb. 2016, stlukeskck.org/2016/02/21/use-unjust-money-to-make-friends-luke-161-31/.

Blog Post #4: Prayer

Blog Post #4: Prayer

A Written Response By Lily Jeffs

1. What are new things that you learned about prayer from this unit? Be specific.

I learned many new things about prayer within this unit that I was personally able to relate to my specific practice of prayer. With this, I learned that prayer is a way for people to communicate with God to address different personal thoughts including requests for help or giving thanks to others. Prayer is also a primary way for a believer of Jesus Christ and other prominent religious figures such as Mary to communicate their emotions and desires with and become closer to including the religion of Christianity as a whole. Many types of prayer include a silent personal prayer (recognizing God in silence), Lectio Divina (listening and discussing scripture), meditation, and recited prayer. Personally, I sometimes pray to God if I feel that I am in need of help, but I usually speak with others including my parents or siblings before I communicate with God. With saying this, I like that prayer is very personal and allows me to connect with God and his spirit as if he was with me and fully understands my thoughts. Prayer is ultimately a direct way to become closer with different religious figures who can help assist those who seek help in life. An image that evidently reflects the theme of prayer is shown below in which a follower of Christianity is shown praying to the holy cross that connects himself to Jesus Christ and allows him to gain help and wisdom from the Son of God.

2. Can you see yourself implementing any new prayer practices?

After thoroughly learning about what prayer is within the religion of Christianity, I can see myself implementing some of these practices within my religious life. Specifically, I am interested in writing a letter to God about what I need help with in life as well as discuss I am grateful for. This would allow me to organize and express my thoughts and connect with God as if he was a close friend. I also want to begin reciting more traditional prayers that are found throughout the Bible. Specifically, I would turn to a different page of the Bible each morning and choose a quote I find inspirational in which I would try to connect this quote throughout the rest of that day. A third prayer practice I would consider applying to myself is the daily examine. With this, I would be able to reflect on the different things that happened throughout the week solely with God and use it to inspire myself to continue living each day at a time and focus on the different positive and negative moments that occurred within each day. An image that evidently reflects these proposed prayer exercises is shown below in which someone is praying to God whilst reading different Biblical passages that represents the practice of reciting religious prayers whilst communicating with God.

3. What were the main messages you got from the movie The Case for Christ?

I learned many different messages relating to God and Christ within the movie The Case for Christ. With this, I was taught by the character of Leslie and her religious mentor and friend known as Alfie that God forgives all of his followers in which everything happens for a reason in the name of Christ. I was also taught that God's love is unconditional and that he is there to guide us when we are in need of help. As specifically stated by Leslie from John 1:12 towards Lee after he tells her that he has accepted Christianity, "But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God." When reflecting on this quote, it has greatly influenced my life by showing me that God's message and Jesus' passion towards Christianity allows any who encounter this religion have the ability to become attached to it. This quote also showed me that God holds an everlasting amount of power that can be used to heal myself as well as guide me through certain situations when needed. Conclusively, The Case for Christ increased my understanding of who God and Jesus were as well as the major role they can play in one's life. An image that evidently reflects these messages is shown below in which Jesus is shown sharing God's message to different children and teaching them about the religion of Christianity, similarly to how Alfie taught Leslie more about God by taking her to her church.

4. What new things did you take away about yourself from this unit, perhaps from Lectio Divina, the Gratitude class, the meditation, or the movie?

I learned many new things about myself from this unit. Specifically, I was able to identify the types of prayer I enjoy practicing and what my relation with God was like before and after completing this unit. I was also given the opportunity to reflect on different things that I was grateful for that I wouldn't of been able to identify without taking part in this assignment. Apart from just my personal experiences, this unit also allowed me to connect with my peers and have an understanding of how they interpreted different prayer pieces. This also gave me the opportunity to increase my understanding of the relations various religious figures had with each other after reading the Bible in this activity. After watching the movie, I was given a thorough understanding of how Jesus and God can impact one's life and what role they play in the Christian society as a whole. This unit ultimately taught me many different things relating to God, Jesus, the Bible, and accepting this through the personal form of gratitude. An image that evidently reflects these messages is shown below in which Mary is given Jesus as a blessing from God so that she can care for him and share is word of Christianity and compassion to others, similarly to my experience where I learned more about God through sources including The Case for Christ and reading different Bible verses.

Works Cited

Allison, Cat. “Grasp God.” Pinterest, 28 Dec. 2014, www.pinterest.com/pin/312296555385713340/. 

“Embroidery.” Pinterest, www.pinterest.com/pin/183451384796960682/.

Jesus Clip Art Black And White | Clipart Panda - Free Clipart Images, www.clipartpanda.com/categories/jesus-clip-art-black-and-white.

“Leadership Quotes And Lessons From The Case For Christ Movie.” Brian Dodd on Leadership, 8 Apr. 2017, briandoddonleadership.com/2017/04/08/28-leadership-quotes-and-lessons-from-the-case-for-christ-movie/. 

Madlen “Praying Hands.” Pinterest, 8 July 2013, www.pinterest.com/pin/388857749046471104/.

Blog Post #3: The 4 Gospel Writers

Blog Post #3: The 4 Gospel Writers

A Written Response By Lily Jeffs

1. What are specific things that you learned about the Gospel Writers from the group presentations?

When reflecting on the group presentations, I learned many different things relating to the 4 Gospel Writers found within the Bible. With this, I learned that Mark was a religious figure who wrote to the Gentiles within 70 A.D (during the time of the Jewish revolt) to proclaim Jesus' good work even though he wasn't an eyewitness and instead got this information through his friend known as Peter. His book was also originally written in Greek and symbolized a winged lion. Apart from what I learned about The Gospel According To Mark, I also learned about Matthew in which he was a man who wrote to the Jewish people within 55 - 60 A.D to teach them about who Jesus was as a reflection of his earlier work of traveling with Jesus as an eyewitness to his story. His work was similarly written in Greek and symbolized a winged man. The third Gospel I learned about was the Gospel According To Luke, in which it was written for the Gentiles within 70 - 100 A.D to share Jesus' teachings and to show how Christianity wasn't biased using the information he had learned from Paul. This writing piece was also originally written in Greek and symbolized a winged bull. Lastly, I learned that the Gospel According To John was written to within 90 A.D to the Gentiles and the Jews to show that Jesus was the son of God and believed in the eternal life using the information he had gathered from being one of Jesus' favorite disciples. An eagle looking into the sun acts as a symbol for this work that was originally written in Greek. All in all, I learned various things relating to the gospel writers of Mark, Matthew, Luke, and John within these project presentations. To correlate with this reflection, I chose the photo shown below because it includes a visualization for modern day viewers for what each of the writers looked like through their symbols and the major role they play in the church and the religion of Christianity today.

2. Based on class discussion, what were similarities you saw within the 4 Gospel readings?

There were many similarities I noticed within the 4 Gospel readings. With this, it is shown that they were all originally written in Greek as this was a very common language spoken and read during this time. It was also shown that all 4 symbols are winged because they symbolize the characters found within the Book of Revelations. These readings were all written between 50 and 100 A.D that greatly contributes to style of writing each historical figure holds and is written towards the Gentiles and the Jewish people. While Mark and Luke weren't eyewitnesses to Jesus' life, Matthew and John were, therefore forming many similarities between these two separate pairs of writing including the amount of detail they include about Jesus. When reflecting on the specific similarities, all four Gospels include a scene where revolutionaries abuse Jesus. They also share the fact that Jesus was all powerful and forgiving and was the mighty son of God. Conclusively, the 4 Gospel readings hold many similarities that were specifically noticed by me during the class presentations and discussions. One image that correlates with these similarities is shown below in which all 4 writers are pictured together, indicating that they act as a unity to portray Jesus' story to others.

3. Based on class discussion, what were differences you saw within the 4 Gospel readings?

There were many differences I noticed within the 4 Gospel readings. With this, it is shown that each writer has a different symbol that represents their stories. They are also written during different time periods that has an effect on the style of writing and information included within these readings. When reflecting on the specific contrasts between these Biblical stories, Matthew and Mark describe a different story describing the guards standing at the tomb and the saints being raised during Jesus' burial. Furthermore, an area known as the Skull that is shown within The Gospel According To Luke is different compared to these stories. A scene that is also contributes to the differences found within these readings is found within the Book of John in which unlike with others, Jesus' legs aren't broken and instead blood and water comes out of him that isn't noted within Luke, Matthew, or Mark's story. It is ultimately shown that the 4 Gospel readings have both similarities and differences that greatly contribute to the making of Jesus' main story. With this, one image that represents these contrasts is shown below in which all four writers and their symbols are facing each other, showing that each of their works are put against each other and compared to distinguish the different viewpoints of Jesus' life.

4. From information you gathered from the presentations and class discussions, which Gospel would you prefer to read and why?

After reading through the notes I took on the 4 Gospel Writers, I would prefer to read the Gospel According To Matthew. Because he personally knew Jesus as a friend and eyewitness and travelled with him, I would be reading information published by someone who had actually seen Jesus and knew him well. Consequently, I would be given the opportunity to fully relate and understand a true description of who Jesus was that might even convince me to start praying to Jesus instead of just God after learning more about his story. Because Matthew was so close with Jesus, reading his Gospel would also give me an accurate insight to who Jesus was as a person and how he lived his day - to - day life. Matthew also published his Gospel only about 20 years after Jesus' death, therefore allowing it to be a recent account on the interactions he held with Jesus. Matthew's Gospel is ultimately the most accountable for describing Jesus' story due to the strong relation he held with him as well as the close publishing date of his Gospel in relation Jesus' life. With this, one image that correlates with my preferred Gospel is shown below in which Jesus is personally calling on Matthew to join him on his travels, therefore showing viewers that they held a close relationship that Matthew's Gospel was solely based on.

Works Cited

          “Christian Symbols | Four Gospels.” PreachingSymbols, www.preachingsymbols.com/the-four-      evangelists.html.

          “Jesus Calls Matthew Coloring Page | Free Printable Coloring Pages.” Super Coloring, 28 Oct. 2014, www.supercoloring.com/pages/jesus-calls-matthew.

           “ГРАВЮРИ.” Pinterest, www.pinterest.com/hkrysko/%D0%B3%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B2%D1%8E%D1%80%D0%B8/.

            Wilson, June. “Reading the Gospels in Perfect Harmony.” June's Journal, 1 July 2012, junesjournal.com/reading-the-gospels-in-perfect-harmony/.

*All other information is from the class presentations