Major New Testament Narratives & Events
86 articles · Jun 2025 – Oct 2026
Long-form studies gathered under this theme, newest first. Each one links back to the passages it works from.
Showing 86 of 86 articles
- The Life of Jesus in Order: A Harmony of the Four Gospels The life of Christ in order, birth to ascension, with tables giving each event's passage in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, and John's Passovers as the frame.
- Holy Week Day by Day: From the Triumphal Entry to the Empty Tomb Holy Week day by day: the entry, the temple, the Last Supper, Gethsemane, the trials, the cross, the sabbath and the empty tomb, with each Gospel's record.
- The Annunciation to Mary: The Angel Gabriel's Visit Gabriel came to Nazareth in the sixth month of Elisabeth's pregnancy: the throne of David promised to Mary's Son, and Mary's be it unto me.
- Joseph's Dilemma and the Angel's Dream Joseph was minded to put Mary away privily until a dream said otherwise — a just man's dilemma, the name he was given, and Emmanuel out of Isaiah 7:14.
- The Birth of John the Baptist Four hundred silent years end with Zacharias struck dumb at the altar of incense — Elisabeth's months of seclusion, and a father writing, "His name is John."
- The Nativity: The Birth of Jesus in Bethlehem Micah 5:2 named Bethlehem centuries early and a Roman tax brought Joseph there — the manger, the swaddling clothes, and the sign given to the shepherds.
- The Shepherds and the Angelic Host The first announcement of the birth went to men working a night watch with sheep — the sign of a babe in a manger, and a multitude of the heavenly host.
- The Visit of the Magi Matthew 2 never numbers the Magi nor calls them kings — what the text does say: a star, Herod's scribes citing Bethlehem, gold, frankincense and myrrh.
- The Slaughter of the Innocents and the Flight to Egypt Herod's decree killed the children of Bethlehem from two years old and under once the wise men did not return — the warning dream, Egypt, Rachel weeping.
- Jesus in the Temple at Age 12 Luke alone records the temple visit at twelve: three days of anxious search, a boy among the doctors, and the first words of Jesus that Scripture keeps.
- The Baptism of Jesus Jesus came to Jordan and John objected that the baptism should run the other way — the answer given, the Spirit as a dove, and the voice out of heaven.
- The Temptation of Jesus in the Wilderness Forty days of fasting, then three assaults — bread, the pinnacle, the kingdoms of the world — each turned back with a line from Deuteronomy: it is written.
- The Calling of the First Disciples (Peter, Andrew, James, John) Peter, Andrew, James and John left nets, boat and hired servants: the earlier meeting near Jordan, the catch that broke the nets, and fishers of men.
- The Cleansing of the Temple John 2 and the later Gospels record two cleansings years apart: the scourge of small cords, the moneychangers, and a den of thieves quoted from Jeremiah.
- Jesus' Conversation with Nicodemus: "Ye Must Be Born Again" A ruler of the Jews came by night and was told he must be born again — born of water and of the Spirit, the serpent lifted in the wilderness, John 3:16.
- The Rejection of Jesus in His Hometown of Nazareth Is not this the carpenter's son — the synagogue that admired His words then took Him to the brow of the hill, and the mighty work He did not do there.
- The Sermon on the Mount: An Overview Matthew 5, 6 and 7 in order: the Beatitudes, salt and light, the law deepened rather than relaxed, giving and prayer in secret, and two builders.
- Salt and Light: The Influence of a Believer Matthew 5:13–16 states an identity rather than a goal: salt that can lose its savour, a city on a hill, and a candle not lit to go under a bushel.
- Jesus and the Law: "I Have Come to Fulfill It" Matthew 5:17 rules out the word destroy — the law fulfilled in prophecy, in perfect obedience and in the curse borne, and what remains of it for believers.
- The Lord's Prayer: A Model for How to Pray The Lord's Prayer in Matthew 6:9–13 taken clause by clause as a pattern: hallowed name, kingdom and will, daily bread, forgiveness, deliverance, doxology.
- The Golden Rule: Do Unto Others... The Golden Rule in Matthew 7:12 is stated positively — do, not merely refrain — and Jesus hangs the whole law and the prophets on that one sentence.
- The Transfiguration of Jesus Six days after Peter's confession, on a high mountain apart: a face shining as the sun, Moses and Elias speaking with Him, and a voice from the cloud.
- Jesus Heals a Demon-Possessed Man (The Gerasene Demoniac) The Gerasene demoniac: a man no chain could hold, dwelling among the tombs, and a legion that begged for the swine — the drowned herd, and a town's plea.
- The Raising of Jairus's Daughter Jairus's plea was interrupted on the road by the woman with an issue of blood — the message that his daughter had died, and Talitha cumi spoken in her room.
- The Feeding of the 5,000 The only miracle besides the resurrection told in all four Gospels: five loaves, two fishes, five thousand men, and twelve baskets left over.
- Jesus Walks on Water Matthew, Mark and John place it in the fourth watch on the Sea of Galilee, and only Matthew records Peter stepping out and then sinking.
- Peter's Confession: "You are the Christ" At Caesarea Philippi Peter answers the question Jesus put to the Twelve, and the reply raises the rock, the church and the keys of the kingdom.
- The Cost of Discipleship: "Take Up Your Cross and Follow Me" Christ's summons to take up the cross: self-denial, renounced possessions, and the two parables — the tower and the king — about counting cost first.
- Jesus and the Children: "Suffer the Little Children to Come unto Me" The disciples turned the children away and Jesus rebuked them, making the way a child receives the kingdom the measure for everyone who enters it.
- The Rich Young Ruler A rich young ruler kept the commandments from his youth and still lacked one thing — Matthew 19, Mark 10 and Luke 18, and the disciples' astonishment.
- The Raising of Lazarus from the Dead John 11 at Bethany — the deliberate two-day delay, Martha and Mary's identical reproach, and the shortest verse in Scripture before the stone moved.
- The Anointing of Jesus at Bethany At Bethany six days before the Passover Mary poured the ointment, Judas priced it at three hundred pence, and Jesus called it burial and a memorial.
- The Cursing of the Fig Tree A tree in leaf but barren, cursed between two visits to the temple — an enacted parable of fruitless Israel, and the lesson on faith Jesus drew from it.
- The Widow's Mite: A Lesson in Giving Two mites cast into the treasury while the rich cast in much: Christ measured the offering by what was left behind, not by what was put in.
- The Last Supper and the Institution of Communion Passover roots for the bread and the cup, the new testament in his blood, and how the early church kept the command to do this in remembrance.
- The Upper Room Discourse: The Promise of the Holy Spirit John 14 to 16 on the night before the cross: another Comforter promised, and his work of teaching, reminding, convicting and guiding into all truth.
- Jesus Prays in the Garden of Gethsemane Gethsemane means oil press — a cup prayed over three times, sleeping disciples, sweat as great drops of blood, and an angel sent to strengthen him.
- The Arrest of Jesus The arrest was no ambush: the band fell backward at his answer in Gethsemane, Peter's sword took an ear that Jesus healed, and the disciples fled.
- Peter's Denial of Jesus In the high priest's courtyard the denials ran from a servant girl to a kinsman of Malchus, and then the cock crew and the Lord turned and looked.
- The Trial of Jesus Before the Sanhedrin A night assembly, false witnesses who could not agree, the high priest's adjuration, and a blasphemy charge the Sanhedrin had no power to execute.
- The Trial of Jesus Before Pontius Pilate Pilate pronounced him innocent and condemned him anyway: the question of kingship, the diversion to Herod, Barabbas, the scourging, Behold the man.
- The Crucifixion of Jesus The course from the unjust trials to the sealed tomb: the road to Golgotha, darkness from the sixth hour, the rent veil, and what the death purchased.
- The Seven Last "Words" of Christ from the Cross Seven sayings from the cross, three before the darkness and four after — each traced to its Old Testament root and read with Leo, Cyril and Augustine.
- The Death and Burial of Jesus Joseph of Arimathaea and Nicodemus took the body: a spear thrust that proved death, a new hewn tomb, the sealed stone, and the watch Pilate granted.
- The Resurrection of Jesus 1 Corinthians 15 makes it the hinge of everything — the prophecies, the empty tomb, and the appearances Paul lists, above five hundred at once.
- The Women at the Empty Tomb The women came to the tomb with spices at dawn and carried the first word of the resurrection to disciples who heard it as idle tales.
- The Road to Emmaus Luke 24 on a walk of threescore furlongs: two disciples in despair, Moses and the prophets opened to them, and eyes opened at the breaking of bread.
- Jesus Appears to "Doubting Thomas" Thomas demanded the print of the nails, and eight days later was offered exactly what he asked for, with a blessing on those who have not seen.
- The Restoration of Peter: "Lovest Thou Me?" Breakfast by the Sea of Tiberias: three questions answering three denials, three charges to feed the flock, and a word about how Peter would die.
- The Promise of the Holy Spirit Old Testament foreshadowing through to Pentecost: the Comforter pledged, the sealing of the believer, and the Spirit's indwelling under the new covenant.
- The Choosing of Matthias to Replace Judas Acts 1: eleven apostles, two psalms cited as mandate, the qualification of having witnessed the resurrection, and lots cast between Justus and Matthias.
- The Day of Pentecost: The Coming of the Holy Spirit Pentecost fell fifty days after the resurrection and ten after the ascension: rushing wind, cloven tongues, known languages, three thousand souls added.
- The Fellowship of the Believers in the Early Church Koinonia in Acts 2:42 — apostles' doctrine, breaking of bread and prayers, with goods held in common as a shared life rather than a weekly meeting.
- Peter and John Heal the Lame Man at the Beautiful Gate Acts 3: a man lame from birth carried daily to the gate, silver and gold Peter did not have, and the crowd his healing gathered for a sermon.
- Ananias and Sapphira: Deceiving the Holy Spirit Ananias sold land and kept back part of the price, and Peter named the lie as told to the Holy Ghost — with three hours before Sapphira answered the same.
- The Apostles Arrested and Freed Prison doors opened by an angel and the apostles found teaching in the temple at daybreak, answering that they must obey God rather than men.
- The Choosing of the Seven Deacons Seven men of honest report chosen in Acts 6: Grecian widows overlooked in the daily ministration, and apostles who would not leave the word to serve tables.
- The Stoning of Stephen: The First Christian Martyr Stephen answered with a defence running from Abraham to Solomon, then saw the Son of man standing, and prayed for his killers as the stones fell.
- Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch Acts 8 on the desert road to Gaza: a treasurer reading Isaiah 53 aloud, one question from Philip, Jesus preached from that place, and baptism.
- The Conversion of Saul on the Road to Damascus Acts 9 on the Damascus road: a Pharisee taught by Gamaliel, breathing threats, struck blind by a light at noon, then three days without sight or food.
- Ananias Ministers to Saul The disciple who argued with his commission — sent to lay hands on the church's chief persecutor, told that Saul was a chosen vessel, and going.
- Peter's Vision and the Conversion of Cornelius Acts 10: a sheet let down three times at Joppa, a centurion's summons from Caesarea, and the Holy Ghost falling on Gentiles before any of them was baptized.
- The Church in Antioch: Where Believers Were First Called "Christians" Believers scattered by persecution preached to Greeks there, Barnabas fetched Saul from Tarsus, and the disciples were first called Christians.
- The Martyrdom of James and the Arrest of Peter Acts 12: Herod Agrippa I killed James with the sword, saw that it pleased the Jews, took Peter next, and was eaten of worms for taking God's glory.
- Peter's Miraculous Escape from Prison Herod's prison held Peter between two soldiers under four quaternions of guard, and then the chains fell off, the iron gate opened, and Rhoda was disbelieved.
- Paul's First Missionary Journey Acts 13-14: sent from Antioch by the Holy Ghost, Elymas struck blind on Cyprus, the synagogue sermon at Pisidian Antioch, and a stoning at Lystra.
- The Jerusalem Council: The Debate over Circumcision Acts 15 on whether Gentile converts must be circumcised: Peter's appeal to Cornelius, James's judgment from Amos, and the letter sent to the churches.
- Paul's Second Missionary Journey Paul's second journey in Acts 15-18: a quarrel over Mark that made two teams, Timothy added, Asia forbidden, and the Gospel crossing into Europe.
- The Macedonian Call: "Come Over into Macedonia, and Help Us" Acts 16: Asia and Bithynia both forbidden, then a night vision of a man of Macedonia, and a narrative that shifts to the first person as they sail.
- Paul and Silas in Prison at Philippi A slave girl with a spirit of divination, a beating and the inner prison, midnight singing, an earthquake, and a jailer baptized before daybreak.
- The Noble Bereans: Searching the Scriptures Daily Acts 17:11 calls them more noble than those at Thessalonica because they received the word readily and then searched the scriptures daily to test it.
- Paul's Sermon on Mars Hill in Athens Acts 17:16-34 at the Areopagus: an altar to the unknown God as a starting point, Greek poets quoted, and a resurrection that split the hearers.
- Priscilla and Aquila: Co-Laborers with Paul Tentmakers expelled from Rome who met Paul at Corinth, housed a church, taught Apollos the way more perfectly, and laid down their own necks for Paul.
- Paul's Third Missionary Journey Acts 18:23 to 21:17, about four years: three at Ephesus, doctrinal correction, the collection for Jerusalem, and warnings of bonds waiting there.
- The Riot in Ephesus Acts 19: Demetrius the silversmith saw the shrine trade failing, and two hours of shouting for Diana ended with a town clerk warning of Roman charges.
- Paul's Farewell to the Ephesian Elders Paul's farewell to the Ephesian elders at Miletus: three years of house-to-house warning recalled, grievous wolves foretold, and a charge to feed the flock.
- Paul's Arrest in Jerusalem Acts 21-23: prophetic warnings pressed and refused, a vow taken at James's counsel, a temple riot over a supposed Greek, and forty men sworn to kill.
- Paul's Defense Before Felix Acts 24: Tertullus opens with flattery, Paul answers point by point, and a governor who trembled at righteousness still left him bound two years.
- Paul's Defense Before Festus and His Appeal to Caesar Acts 25: a new governor, a renewed push to move the trial to Jerusalem, and the citizen's appeal that put Paul on the road to Rome under Roman law.
- Paul's Defense Before King Agrippa Acts 26: the Damascus road retold to a king who knew Jewish custom, Festus calling him mad, and Agrippa answering that he was almost persuaded.
- The Shipwreck on the Way to Rome The voyage to Rome in Acts 27: a centurion who trusted the shipmaster over Paul, fourteen nights in Euroclydon, and every life spared onto Melita.
- Paul's Ministry Under House Arrest in Rome Two years in his own hired house receiving all comers: the prison epistles written from it, and Acts closing with no man forbidding him to preach.
- The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse White, red, black and pale — the first four seals of Revelation 6, and what each rider is given: a bow, a sword, a pair of balances, and death.
- The Lamb Who Was Slain is Worthy No man could open the book until the Lamb slain appeared as the Lion of Judah, and heaven ascribed him a sevenfold worthiness in Revelation 5.
- The New Heaven and New Earth Isaiah's promise carried into Revelation 21-22: why creation must be made new, the holy city descending, and what carries over into it and what cannot.
- The Final Invitation: "The Spirit and the Bride Say, 'Come!'" Revelation 22:17 — the Spirit and the bride say come, the hearer repeats it, and the water of life is offered freely to whosoever will, as the book closes.
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