Compare and contrast the Gospel of Mark with your choice of one of the other major Gospels: Matthew, Luke, or John.

· Trace the developing plot or movement of the text, including where you place the turning point, climax, and resolution/dénouement. According to your plotting for each Gospel, why is Jesus crucified? How is it that the one who heals many, pronounces God’s forgiveness to those regarded as immoral “sinners,” draws both rich and poor into his group of followers, and reconciles people of contrasting or even conflicting backgrounds and statuses into a new solidarity of love and obedience – by what logic can such a person end up being executed on a cross?

· In accord with your plotting, what can you discern about Jesus’s character or values? How do you describe any links between what Jesus says and what he does? How does the end or ending of the narrative affect the presentation of Jesus in earlier parts of the plot?

· Who is God or the Ultimate Deity? How does Jesus relate in each Gospel to this Ultimate or God? Does he speak and/or act for God?

· How are Jesus’s followers characterized in each Gospel? How much do they seem to understand the ‘truth’ of Jesus or who Jesus represents himself to be by the end of the text?

· Are there any clues in each of the gospel texts regarding its implied audience? What action or reaction, if any, does each Gospel expect of their readers?Trace the developing plot or movement of the text, including where you place the turning point, climax, and resolution/dénouement. According to your plotting for each Gospel, why is Jesus crucified? How is it that the one who heals many, pronounces God’s forgiveness to those regarded as immoral “sinners,” draws both rich and poor into his group of followers, and reconciles people of contrasting or even conflicting backgrounds and statuses into a new solidarity of love and obedience – by what logic can such a person end up being executed on a cross?

· In accord with your plotting, what can you discern about Jesus’s character or values? How do you describe any links between what Jesus says and what he does? How does the end or ending of the narrative affect the presentation of Jesus in earlier parts of the plot?

· Who is God or the Ultimate Deity? How does Jesus relate in each Gospel to this Ultimate or God? Does he speak and/or act for God?

· How are Jesus’s followers characterized in each Gospel? How much do they seem to understand the ‘truth’ of Jesus or who Jesus represents himself to be by the end of the text?

· Are there any clues in each of the gospel texts regarding its implied audience? What action or reaction, if any, does each Gospel expect of their readers?

· Is truth defined in the text? If so, how is Jesus related to this truth? How does he ‘know the truth,’ and does the text thus expect its readers to ‘know the truth’ by reading this text?

· Are there any clues within the Gospel text about the setting or time of writing? What do at least three scholars for each of your two gospel texts say about the purpose and setting of the writing (so, in total, six cited conclusions).· Is truth defined in the text? If so, how is Jesus related to this truth? How does he ‘know the truth,’ and does the text thus expect its readers to ‘know the truth’ by reading this text?

· Are there any clues within the Gospel text about the setting or time of writing? What do at least three scholars for each of your two gospel texts say about the purpose and setting of the writing (so, in total, six cited conclusions).

Use of headings/sub-headings/sub-titles are strongly encouraged.Use of headings/sub-headings/sub-titles are strongly encouraged.

For the purposes of this assignment, internet resources – blogs, devotional guides, apologetics websites, Wikipedia pages, etc. – are not “research” and must not be used or cited unless they contain translations of ancient texts edited by biblical scholars. For the purposes of this assignment, internet resources – blogs, devotional guides, apologetics websites, Wikipedia pages, etc. – are not “research” and must not be used or cited unless they contain translations of ancient texts edited by biblical scholars.