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Subject Guide: Gospels/Acts
Overview
The Gospels are the first four books of the New Testament—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—each offering a unique perspective on the life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The term “gospel” means “good news,” reflecting the central message of hope and salvation these texts proclaim. Matthew, Mark, and Luke are known as the Synoptic Gospels. The word “synoptic” means “seeing together,” and these three books share a strikingly similar structure, content, and sequence of events. They recount many of the same stories—such as Jesus’ miracles, parables, and the Passion narrative—often with parallel wording and order. Mark is widely believed to be the earliest
Journal Articles
Course Manual
- (Online) Mark E. Killam, The Gospel According to Matthew: Emphasizing Jesus’ Character in Us & His Mission Through Us (with citations).
Dissertations
Gospel/Acts General Resources
More General Resources
- (Library) Moo, Douglas J. The Old Testament in the Gospel Passion Narrative
- (Library) Witherington, Ben. On the Road with Jesus.
- (Purchase) Bailey, Kenneth E. Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes. Downers Grove, IL: Intervarsity Press Academic, 2008. (Gospels)
- (ProQuest) Kostenberger, Andreas J., L. Scott Kellum, and Charles L. Quarles. The Cradle, the Cross, and the Crown: An Introduction to the New Testament.
- (ProQuest) Harrington, Daniel J. Historical Dictionary of Jesus
- (ProQuest) Green, Joel B. Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels
- (ProQuest) Garber, Zev, ed. The Jewish Jesus: Revelation, Reflection, Reclamation. West Lafayette, IN: Purdue University Press, 2011.
- (ProQuest) Nygaard, Mathias. Prayer in the Gospels: A Theological Exegesis of the Ideal Pray-Er. Boston: BRILL, 2012.
- (ProQuest) Porter, Stanley E., and Olbricht, Thomas H., eds. Rhetoric and the New Testament: Essays from the 1992 Heidelberg Conference. London: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, 1993.
- (ProQuest) Walters, Patricia, ed. From Judaism to Christianity: Tradition and Transition: A Festschrift for Thomas H. Tobin, S. J. , on the Occasion of His Sixty-Fifth Birthday. Boston: BRILL, 2010.
- (ProQuest) Murray, Michele. Playing a Jewish Game: Gentile Christian Judaizing in the First and Second Centuries Ce. Waterloo, ON: Wilfrid Laurier University Press, 2004.
- (ProQuest) Runesson, Anders, Binder, Donald, and Olsson, Birger. The Ancient Synagogue from Its Origins to 200 C. E.: A Source Book. Boston: BRILL, 2007.
- (ProQuest) Esler, Philip F. The First Christians in Their Social Worlds: Social-Scientific Approaches to New Testament Interpretation. Oxford: Taylor & Francis Group, 1994.
Matthew Commentaries
Craig Keener
Open Library
Published by Eerdmans, 1999. Keener s prolific commentary on the gospel of Matthew. He is a professor at Asbury Seminary.
More Matthew
- (ProQuest) Case-Winters, Anna. Mathew: A Theological Commentary on the Bible. Westminster John Knox Press, 2015
- (Library)(Online) Keener, Craig S. Matthew: IVP New Testament Commentary Series
- (ProQuest) Hatina, Thomas R. Biblical Interpretation in Early Christian Gospels: Volume 2: the Gospel of Matthew. Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, 2008
- (ProQuest) Donaldson, Terence. Jesus on the Mountain: A Study in Matthew: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, 1987
- (ProQuest) Jackson, Glenna. Have Mercy on Me: The Story of the Canaanite Woman in Matthew 15:21-28. Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, 2002
- (Library)(Library) Carson, D. A. Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount: And His Confrontation with the World (Matt 5-10).
- (ProQuest) Clarke, Howard W. The Gospel of Matthew and It’s Readers
- (ProQuest) Anderson, Janice Capel. Matthew’s Narrative Web: Over, and Over, and Over Again
- (Library) Tuner, David L. Matthew: Baker Exegetical Commentary of the New Testament
- (ProQuest)(ProQuest) Jarvis, Cynthia A; Johnson, E. Elizabeth. Feasting on the Gospels—Matthew Vol 1 and 2: A Feasting on The Word Commentary. Westminster John Knox Press, 2013
Mark Commentaries
More Mark
- (ProQuest) Boring, M. Eugene. Mark: A Commentary. Westminster John Knox Press, 2012
- (ProQuest) Telford, W. R. The Theology of the Gospel of Mark. Cambridge University Press, 1999.
- (ProQuest) Carey, Holly J. Jesus’ Cry from the Cross: Towards a First-Century Understanding of the Intertextual Relationship Between Psalm 22 and the Narrative of Mark’s Gospel. London: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, 2009.
- (Library) Stein, Robert H. Mark: Baker Exegetical Commentary of the New Testament
- (ProQuest) Williams, Joel F. Other Followers of Jesus: Minor Characters as Major Figures in Mark’s Gospel
- (ProQuest) Marcus, Joel. Mark 8-16: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary
- (ProQuest) Shively, Elizabeth E., Van Oyen, Geert. Communication, Pedagogy, and the Gospel of Mark
- (ProQuest) Shively, Elizabeth E. Apocalyptic Imagination in the Gospel of Mark: The Literary and Theological Role of Mark 3:22-30
- (ProQuest) Becker, Eve-Marie, Engberg-Pedersen, Troels, Müller, Mogens. Mark and Paul: For and against Pauline influence on Mark
- (ProQuest) Breytenbach, Cilliers. Essays: The Gospel According to Mark as Episodic Narrative
- (ProQuest) Schildgen, Brenda Deen. Crisis and Continuity: Time in the Gospel of Mark
- (ProQuest) Broadhead, Edwin Keith. Prophet, Son, Messiah: Narrative Form and Function in Mark 14-16
- (ProQuest) Dwyer, Timothy. The Motif of Wonder in the Gospel of Mark
- (ProQuest) Broadhead, Edwin Keith. Naming Jesus: Titular Christology in the Gospel of Mark
- (ProQuest) Iersel, Bastiaan Martinus Franciscus van. Mark: A Reader-Response Commentary
- (ProQuest) Feasting on the Gospels: Mark
Luke Commentaries
More Luke
- (ProQuest) Carroll, John T. Luke: A Commentary. Westminster John Knox Press, 2012
- (ProQuest) Kreitzer, Beth. Luke: New Testament Volume 3. InterVarsity Press, 2015
- (ProQuest) Karris, Robert J.; Ventrice, Cindy J. Commentary of the Gospel of Luke: Chapters 1-8. Franciscan Institute Publications, 2001.
- (ProQuest) Karris, Robert J. Commentary on the Gospel of Luke: Chapters 17-24. Franciscan Institute Publications, 2003.
- (ProQuest) Wolter, Michael, et. all. The Gospel According to Luke: Volumes I and II. Baylor University Press, 2016 & 2017
- (Online) Bock, Darrell L., Luke: IVP New Testament Commentary Series
- (Library) Stronstad, Roger. The Charismatic Theology of St. Luke
- (Library) Osborn, Grant R. Luke 9:51 – 24:53: Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament
- (Library) Bock, Darrell L. Luke 1:1 – 9:50: Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament
- (Online) Nolland, John, Metzger, Bruce M., Hubbard, David Allen. Luke 1-7: Word Biblical Commentary
John Commentaries
More John
- (ProQuest) Thompson, Marianne Meye. John; A Commentary. Westminster John Knox Press, 2015
- (ProQuest) Farmer, Craig S. John 1-12: New Testament Volume 4. InterVarsity Press, 2014.
- (ProQuest) Lincoln, Andrew. Gospel According to St. John: Black’s New Testament Commentaries. Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, 2006.
- (ProQuest) Kobel, Esther. Dining with John: Communal Meals and Identity Formation in the Fourth Gospel and Its Historical and Cultural Context. Boston: BRILL, 2011.
- (Library)(Library) Kruse, Colin G. The Gospel According to John (Tyndale Series)
- (Library) Kostenberger, Andreas J. Encountering John.
- (Library) Gonzalez, Justo L. For the Love of God: The Epistle of John
- (Library) Carson, D. A. The Farewell Discourse and Final Prayer of Jesus: An Exposition of John 14-17.
- (Library) Morris, Leon. Studies in the Fourth Gospel.
- (Library) Morris, Leon. Reflections on the Gospel of John.
- (Library) Witherington, Ben. The Gospel of John. (Devotional)
- (Library) Harris, Murray J. John: Exegetical Guide to the Greek New Testament (EGGNT Commentary)
- (Online) Whitacre, Rodney A. John: IVP New Testament Commentary Series
- (Library) Bruce, F. F. The Gospel and Epistles of John
- (ProQuest) Edwards, M. J. John: Blackwell Bible Commentaries
- (Library) Card, Michael. John: The Gospel of Wisdom
- (Library) Phillips, Richard D. John: Reformed Expository Commentary
- (Library) Carter, Warren. John: Storyteller, Interpreter, Evangelist
- (Online) Harris, W. Hall, III. Commentary on the Gospel of John
Acts Commentaries
More Acts
- (ProQuest) Jennings, Willie James. Acts: A Theological Commentary on the Bible. Westminster John Knox Press, 2017.
- (ProQuest) Barrett, C. K. Acts of the Apostles: A Shorter Commentary. Bloomsbury Publishing Plc., 2002.
- (ProQuest) Chung-Kim, Esther; Hains, Todd R. Acts: New Testament Volume 6. InterVarsity Press, 2014.
- (ProQuest) Johnson, Luke Timothy. Septuagintal Midrash in the Speeches of Acts. Milwaukee: Marquette University Press, 2001.
- (ProQuest) Adams, Sean A. The Genre of Acts and Collected Biography. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2013.
- (ProQuest) Strelan, Rick. Strange Acts: Studies in the Cultural World of the Acts of the Apostles. Berlin/Boston: Walter de Gruyter GmbH, 2004.
- (ProQuest) Alexander, Loveday. Acts in Its Ancient Literary Context: A Classicist Looks at the Acts of the Apostles. London: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, 2007.
- (ProQuest) Marguerat, Daniel. The First Christian Historian: Writing the ‘Acts of the Apostles’. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2002.
- (ProQuest) Matson, David. Household Conversion Narratives in Acts: Pattern and Interpretation. London: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, 1996.
- (ProQuest) Estrada, Nelson P. From Followers to Leaders: The Apostles in the Ritual Status Transformation in Acts 1-2. London: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, 2004.
- (ProQuest) Liggins, Stephen S. Many Convincing Proofs: Persuasive Phenomena Associated with Gospel Proclamation in Acts. Berlin/Boston: Walter de Gruyter GmbH, 2016.
- (ProQuest) Shauf, Scott. Theology As History, History As Theology: Paul in Ephesus in Acts 19. Berlin/Boston: Walter de Gruyter GmbH, 2005.
- (ProQuest) Thompson, Alan. One Lord, One People: the Unity of the Church in Acts in Its Literary Setting: The Unity of the Church in Acts in Its Literary Setting. London: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc, 2013.
- (ProQuest) Kucicki, Janusz. The Function of the Speeches in the Acts of the Apostles: A Key to Interpretation of Luke’s Use of Speeches in Acts. Boston: BRILL, 2017.
(Library) Horton, Stanley M. Acts.
(Library) Horton, Stanley M. The Book of Acts.
- (Library) Wagner, C. Peter. The Acts of the Holy Spirit: Acts, God’s Training Manual for Every Believer
- (ProQuest) Thiselton, Anthony C. A Shorter Guide to the Holy Spirit: Bible, Doctrine, Experience
- (Online) Larkin, William J. Acts: IVP New Testament Commentary Series
- (Library) Wagner, C. Peter. Spreading the Fire: A New Look at Acts
- (ProQuest) Alexander, Loveday. Acts in its Ancient Literary Context
- (Library) Williams, David John. Acts: New International Biblical Commentary
- (Library)(Library) Bock, Darrell L. Acts: Baker Exegetical Commentary of the New Testament
- (Library) Schnabel, Eckhard J. Acts: Zondervan Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament (ZECNT)