| Contents |
| Preface and Acknowledgements from the First Edition |
| Preface to the Revised Edition |
| Preface to the SPCK Classics Edition |
| 1 Four Gospels, |
| Four portraits |
| What are the gospels? |
| Genre |
| How did the gospels come to be written? Sources |
| What sorts of material do the gospels contain? Forms |
| What about the authors? Redaction and composition |
| Literary approaches to the texts Narrative and readers |
| Creativity and inspiration Criticism of scripture |
| The four living creatures The allocation of the symbols to the gospels |
| The four symbols as visual teaching aids Reasons and explanations |
| From Jerome to the Book of Kells |
| The illuminated gospels |
| 2 The Roar of the Lion - Mark's Jesus |
| The lion's appearance Symbolism and meaning |
| The bounding lion |
| Mark's style, structure and narrative technique |
| The beast of conflict |
| Opposition and ministry, Mark 1-8 |
| The lion and his pride The role of the disciples |
| What kind of animal is this creature? Identity and interlude, Mark 8-10 |
| Jerusalem - the lion's lair or robbers' den? |
| The Temple, Mark 11-13 |
| In at the kill The Passion, Mark 14-15 |
| 'Rose like a lion'? |
| The Resurrection, Mark 16.1-8 |
| 3 The Teacher of Israel - Matthew's Jesus |
| The human face Symbolism and meaning |
| Where is he who is born King of the Jews? Infancy narratives, Matthew 1-2 |
| Another Moses? |
| Beginning ministry, Matthew 3-8.1 |
| The new teaching |
| The Discourses, Matthew 5-7, 10, 13, 18, 23-25 |
| Conflict between the Teacher and Israel Matthew 8-23 |
| The Teacher's suffering The Passion, Matthew 26-27 |
| The Teacher's vindication The Resurrection, Matthew 28 |
| 4 The Bearer of Burdens - Luke's Jesus |
| The powerful ox Symbolism and meaning |
| The ox in the Temple and the stall Infancy and beginnings, Luke 1-4.13 |
| The ox plods a long, slow journey Luke's style and structure |
| The ox, the herd, and the drivers |
| Luke's characterization |
| Those who are burdened with heavy loads |
| The ministry of the ox |
| Strength to bear the burdens |
| Luke's spirituality |
| The sacrificial, saving victim The Passion, Luke 22-23 |
| He rides again |
| The Resurrection, Luke 24 |
| 5 The High-Flying Eagle - John's Jesus |
| Gwaihir and Farsight the Eagles Symbolism and meaning |
| The high-flying perspective Prologue and beginnings, John 1.1-51 |
| 'The way of an eagle in the sky' Following John's story, style and structure |
| 'The eagle has landed'? |
| The person of Jesus |
| Talons bared for conflict |
| The Book of Signs and "the Jews", John 2-12 |
| Living under the shadow of his wings Discipleship and the Last Supper, John 13-17 |
| The hour of glory The Passion, John 18-19 |
| 'Risen with healing in his wings' |
| The Resurrection, John 20-21 |
| 6 One Jesus? |
| Four portraits or four Jesuses? From four gospels back to one Jesus From four gospels forward to many Jesuses Plurality within limits |
| Biography, faith and worship |