When? And Why? Were Matthew, Mark, Luke And John Written? One of the strangest facts of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John -- before the cross -- (MMLJ/BC), and one of the most mystifying myths about the life and death of Christ revealed in these four books, is the teaching of MMLJ/BC and other Scripture that confirms these four books really belong to the Old -- not the New Testament. In one of the sneakiest operations of the Roman Catholic church during the “dark ages,” was the move of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John from the Old to the New Testament in 1486 AD. This enterprise was undertaken during the heat of the battle with the Protestant “reformation” movement in Europe, when the Roman Catholics were battling for their very survival and existence. Now, in this 21st century, when the searchlight of God’s historical truth is shining directly on this issue, we have Catholics, Protestants and many members of churches of Christ attempting to justify and support this Roman Catholic manipulation of the books in the Bible to support their false doctrines based on MMLJ/BC.They make the argument that the very fact that MMLJ/BC were not written until late in the 1st century (circa 65-75), proves that these four books belong to the New Testament. wrong. They are in doctrinal error -- big-time! When? Were Matthew, Mark, Luke And John Written? First, because all books of the Bible were written after the events written in each book had already occurred, the when or why each book was written makes no difference in the doctrine found in each book. When a book was written did not change the reality of the events described or the revelation of old or new covenant doctrine found in each book. MMLJ/BC describe the last thirty-three years of the Old Testament “age,” a time when the law of Moses was still in force in Israel. A time when MMLJ/BC describes only when Christ lived during the Old Testament “age” and when he taught only the Old Testament law of Moses to the last generation in Israel. 1. A time when Christ was the Messiah of God sent as the old covenant Savior to only “the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matt. 1:21-22; 15:24; 10:5-6; Lk. 19:10). Jesus did not become the New Testament Savior until after his resurrection from the dead (Rom. 1:4). 2. A time when Christ was sent to Old Testament Israel to be the “last Old Testament prophet” that God sent to his old covenant people (Deut. 18:15-18; Lk. 13:33; Acts 3:22). Jesus was not a New Testament “evangelist” in MMLJ/BC, he never preached the New Testament “gospel” to aliens, he never baptized an alien sinner for the remission of sins, he never produced a New Testament “Christian” in MMLJ/BC. 3. A time when Christ taught only the Old Covenant law of Moses to Israel -- the “last generation” of God’s old covenant people (Matt., chapters 5-7). In Acts 2 through Revelation 22, Jesus never preached the New Testament “gospel” in this New Testament “age.” 4. A time when John the baptist, Christ, and their Jewish disciples preached the old Mosaical “gospel” to the people of Israel (Matt. 3:2; Lk. 4:16-21). Neither John nor Jesus ever preached the New Testament “gospel” of his death, burial and resurrection to alien sinners in MMLJ/BC. 5. A time when all Jews were members of God’s old covenant “kingdom” in Israel (Matt. 5:3; 7:1). John and Jesus only “prophesied” of the coming of the New Testament “kingdom” -- it was “at hand” but not heron earth. The New Covenant “kingdom” was first established on earth by Christ through the preaching of the apostles in Acts 2 (Acts 2:47). New Testament “Christians” cannot “follow” the Old Testament “religion” of Israel that Christ followed and practiced in Old testament Israel during MMLJ/BC. 6. A time when more than 100 times in MMLJ/BC, Jesus declared that he was teaching the Old Testament “law and prophets” (Matt. 5:12). Not once in MMLJ/BC did Jesus ever declare he was teaching New Testament doctrine. 7. A time when not once in MMLJ/BC did Jesus ever state or even hint that he was teaching New Testament doctrine or the new covenant “gospel” (1 Cor. 15:1-4). Christ stated emphatically that the New Testament age and kingdom/church would “begin” in Jerusalem (Lk. 24:47). 8.A time when not once in MMLJ/BC, did Jesus or anyone else ever state or declare that they were teaching New Testament doctrine. Hundreds of times in MMLJ/BC, Jesus and his Jewish disciples describe him teaching the law of Moses and practicing the Jew’s Old Testament religion and the “righteousness” of the law. More than forty (40) times Jesus quoted the law of Moses in MMLJ/BC. 9. A time when Jesus used the words “disciple” and “brethren” to refer to the Old Testament children of God in the Mosaical covenant -- the children of God in Israel. Not once did Jesus use these words in MMLJ/BC to refer to New Testament “Christians” -- members of the New Testament kingdom/church. 10. A time when Jesus taught the Old Testament “plan of salvation” in the law of Moses for Jews in Israel (Matt. 19:16-22). Jesus did not preach the New Testament “plan of salvation” in MMLJ/BC (Matt. 28:19-20; Acts 2). 11. A time when Jesus commanded his old covenant Jewish disciples in MMLJ/BC to “follow” him as he taught the Old Testament law of Moses to Israel, kept the faith of Israel and practiced the religion of Israel. This command to “follow” Jesus applied only to Jesus old covenant disciples under the law, it does not apply to New Testament “Christians” today. While there are many reasons, here are just a few. New Testament “Christians” cannot “follow” Christ and the Old Testament “religion” of Israel that he practiced in MMLJ/BC. New Testament “Christians” cannot “follow” Christ as he worshiped God in the Jerusalem temple (Jn. 2:12-25;), or the Jewish synagogues in Israel (Matt. 4:23). New Testament “Christians” cannot “follow” Christ and teach the Old Testament law of Moses as did Christ in MMLJ/BC (Matt. 7:12). New Testament “Christians” cannot “follow” Christ as he “fulfills” all of the promises and prophecies in the law of Moses, for he completed that mission in MMLJ/BC (Matt. 5:17-18). New Testament “Christians” cannot command or offer “animal blood sacrifices” as Jesus commanded the Jews of Israel under the law of Moses (Matt. 8:1-4; Lev. 14:1-14) New Testament “Christians” cannot just go to “the lost sheep of the house of Israel” as Jesus commanded his disciples in MMLJ/BC (Matt. 10:1-6). New Testament “Christians” cannot observe and keep the Old Testament “Sabbath” as did Christ and his Jewish disciples did under the law of Moses in MMLJ/BC (Mk. 3:1-6). New Testament “Christians” cannot follow Christ’s example and eat the last Old Testament “passover” feast observed by Israel (Matt. 26:17-18). Why? Were MMLJBC Written? The Scriptures teach that the four books of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John were written to describe the “end” of the Old Testament “age”-- not the “beginning” of the New Testament “age.” Contrary to the Roman Catholic “heresy” of 1486 AD, and despite the erroneous Protestant creeds and doctrines of the 16th and 17th centuries and the constant yelping of some “gospel preachers” among churches of Christ today -- the Scriptures of both the Old and New Testament show this to be true. If MMLJBC are not the “written end” of the Old Testament Mosaical covenant, then where is the “end” of the mission and work of Jesus Christ as the “last” Old Covenant “prophet” sent to Israel, found in the Bible? The truth is that MMLJBC were written for benefit of the Jews who were not physically in Israel at the time of Jesus. To those Jews who where scattered throughout the Mediterranean world during the mission of Christ to Israel. For those those Jews who had not yet heard of the work of Jesus the Messiah in “fulfilling” the old covenant (Matt. 5:17), his “abolishing” the law of Moses at the cross (Col. 2:14), the “revelation” and “beginning” of the New Covenant “age” (Jer. 31:31-32; Acts 2). MMLJ/BC were written to prove to the world-wide population of Jews of the 1st century, both inside and outside of the land of Israel, that Jesus was indeed the promised Messiah, and that he did, in fact, fulfill all of the law concerning the Messiah and brought the Old Covenant between Jehovah and Israel to an end. First, MMLJBC describe only Old Testament history. MMLJBC do not describe New Testament history, therefore MMLJBC were not written to describe the “beginning” of the New Testament “age.” Second, every word of MMLJBC relates and harmonizes with the Old Testament law of Moses, and the faith and practice of religion in the Jerusalem temple in Israel in Exodus 20 through Matthew 27, Mark 15, Luke 23 and John 20, 21. Not one word of the faith and practice of religion in MMLJBC relates to or harmonizes with the faith, practice and religion in the New Testament of Jesus Christ in Acts 2 through Revelation 22. Therefore, MMLJBC were not written to describe the “beginning” or new covenant law of the New Testament “age.” Third, every character in MMLJBC was an Old Testament Jew, an “Israelite” in Israel, or an alien sinner of the Gentiles, including political and military members of the Roman Empire. Not one New Testament “Christian” is mentioned or described in MMLJBC. Forth, John the baptist and Jesus the Messiah and their Jewish disciples in MMLJBC, often “prophesied” of coming New Testament events, but their Old Testament “prophecies” as Old Testament “prophets” were never revealed or taught to be New Testament doctrine. Only the New Testament “fulfillment” of these Old Testament “prophecies” in Acts 2 through Revelation 22 is the revelation of New Testament doctrine. Fifth, in MMLJBC, the old covenant “faith” of the Jews in the Messiah was a work of the Old Testament law of Moses (Jn. 8:24). There is not one mention of New Testament “faith” or “belief” in the death, burial and resurrection of Christ in MMLJBC. Sixth, Malachi was not the “last” prophet or book of the Old Testament, and Matthew was not the “first” book of the New Testament. The New Testament clearly states that Christ’s death on the cross was the “end” of the Old Testament (Rom. 10:4), the law of Moses “ended” when Christ “nailed” the old Mosaical covenant to the cross (Col. 2:14). The Old Testament “age” and Mosaical covenant was “abolished” by Christ , not with Seventh, MMLJBC reveal only the Old Testament law of Moses for Israel on marriage, divorce and marriage in Matthew 19. Matthew 19 is Christ’s restatement of the law from the Old Testament law of Moses in Deuteronomy 24:1-4 -- in contrast to the false rabbinical “traditions” of Jesus’ day.. MMLJBC do not reveal New Testament doctrine on marriage, divorce and marriage, only 1 Corinthians 7 reveals new covenant doctrine for New Covenant “Christians” on these issues. Matthew 19 is not New Testament doctrine...because the apostle Paul stated that when Jesus spoke Matthew 19 Jesus was a minister of the circumcision in Old Testament Israel. Jesus Old Testament mission -- during his work as an old covenant prophet to Israel -- was to fulfill the prophecies and confirm the promises that God had made to his old covenant people in Israel. Jesus work in MMLJBC was not to establish the New Testament age and kingdom. Now I say that Jesus Christ was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God, to confirm the promises made unto the fathers (Rom. 15:8). Matthew 19 is not New Testament doctrine...because every principle and prophecy of Jesus teaching in MMLJBC -- was taken directly from the Old Testament law of Moses in the books of Exodus through Malachi. Again, more than forty times in MMLJBC -- Jesus quoted the law of Moses and showed his fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies and teaching of the law and the prophets in that Old Testament age. Also, hundreds of times, these four books describe Jesus teaching the old covenant law of Moses to the Jews of Israel in the Jewish temple and synagogues of his day. Consider this example. JESUS SAID IN 33 AD: But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God (Matt. 4:4). MOSES SAID EARLIER IN 1500 BC: And he humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that he might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live (Deut. 8:3). More than 100 times in MMLJBC, Jesus declared that he was teaching the law of Moses. At no time in MMLJBC -- did Jesus or his disciples ever state that he was teaching New Testament doctrine. Matthew 19 is not New Testament doctrine...because in MMLJBC Christ said that he came to Israel to fulfill the law of Moses within the Old Covenant “kingdom” of Israel -- not reveal New Testament doctrine or establish the new covenant kingdom in the Old Covenant “age” of MMLJBC. BEFORE THE CROSS: Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled (Matt. 5:17-18). AFTER THE CROSS: And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures (Lk. 24:44-45). Conclusion It really is true, one of the strangest facts of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John -- before the cross -- (MMLJBC), and one of the most mystifying myths about the life and death of Christ revealed in these four books, is the TEACHING of the Scripture that confirms these four books really belong to the Old and not the New Testament. LikeLike · · Share
Posted on: Fri, 06 Jun 2014 14:46:40 +0000
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