As with many subjects in this course, the Gospels have much more to them than what churches tend to emphasize. I never knew that “gospel” means “good news,” and that fact adds much more meaning to the stories within them. Every Christian knows the story of Christmas and how Jesus’ family had to flee–but not the fine details. One interesting thought I also learned from class was who figured out what the “good news” was going to be. Kings and royalty from Jesus’ area had access to scriptures and books and census information, but it was the “lowly” shepherds who witnessed this momentous occasion. Even from a secular, academic approach, this is an important theme in the stories of the Bible.
Even though different translations tell unique stories, the Gospels give readers another chance to interpret what they want from the text. Certain aspects of the retellings (Joseph’s visions, Mary’s Song, etc) are slightly different or nonexistent across the other books. One of the defining features of the Bible is its translations, and everyone finds meaning in the passages that speak to them.