Starting Ariel's Harmony of the Gospels

I have a new study book. It was a Christmas present. It is a hardcover and bound very well. This morning I carefully opened the book from the front and then the back. Then I flipped through all the pages and wrote my name and the month and year in the front of the book. A study book needs to lay open flat with other books. I have found that doing this helps the binding in the long run. I also wrote that it was a gift and the person's name. I treasure these books. To me, they represent hundreds, perhaps thousands, of hours of study, preparation, meditation and editing. I plan to read this book from cover to cover but we know how that goes don't we? Many study books never get read. The binding of the last chapters or middle chapters never gets 'broken'.

Many Bibles are treated like that also. People cherry pick passages quoted by someone else but never read the book cover to cover. A list of names or the account of battles become a mountain range that never gets crossed. It is so easy to skip ahead to familiar chapters or concepts of interest. What treasures are missed when we take that approach? I want every drop of what God has to say.

One of the great things about this book I am starting ('Ariel's Harmony of the Gospels' by Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum) is that it follows the order of Jesus' life as presented in the Gospel of Luke then correlates parallel scripture references from the other Gospels. As you read it you move through the life of Messiah in the order that events happened with a full view of what happened in Christ's life during His incarnation.

"Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught." - Luke 1:1-4 ESV

Yes! Here we see Luke's Spirit led motivations. He is writing to give clarity. He sees the generation he is living in just like we see ours. People need certainty and clarity where it can be found and Jesus provided that for so many things to His disciples. Luke wants the foundations to be preserved so that we could have what was given to him in 'an orderly account.'

Luke writes to Theophilus. The account is written to one person but that name translates as 'God lover'. Luke wanted each 'God lover' to have an account of what happened and was seen by eyewitnesses.

I was taught by my pastor that a man is only as strong as his study habits. I believe that is true. Personality, talent and inherited wealth will only carry us so far but if the middle chapters get the same treatment as the rest of the book we have substance in our soul that can be gained no other way.

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