This assignment is designed to help students consider the different portraits of Jesus presented in three gospels. Although “more than 90 percent of the contents of Mark appears in Matthew” (Reddish, 111), Matthew shapes the material in a unique way. So does Luke. Each student should carefully consider these three ways of telling the Jesus story, and relate them to his/her own understanding of Jesus. Step One: Read Mark, Matthew and Luke in their entirety. Keep careful notes of their major characteristics as mentioned in class discussions and in Reddish’s book. Step Two: Consider the assignment’s question: Which Jesus—Mark’s, Matthew’s or Luke’s—does the world need most right now? Given what has been learned about their similarities and differences, decide your response. Step Three: Consider ways of building your paper’s argument. Since each paper should exhibit a careful reflection on the gospel used in answering the chosen question, students should consider the following issues discussed in both Reddish’s book and in class discussions: What is the main picture of Jesus in your chosen gospel? How does that picture support your paper’s thesis? What are some of the key themes in the chosen gospel? How do the key themes support your paper’s thesis? What is the artistry of this gospel? I.e., how is the story shaped (quick movement, use of teaching sections, etc.)? How does the artistry support your paper’s thesis? What are some things we’ve learned about this gospel’s historical setting? (I.e., was this a time of persecution? Controversy? Expansion to Gentiles? etc.) How is this similar to the aspect of our world that your paper considers? Is there a particular story found in Mark, Matthew and Luke that, when compared, further supports your conclusion that this gospel’s picture of Jesus best supports your paper’s thesis? Step Four: Write your paper (one page, typed, single-spaced) going back to re-write and edit. Make sure that you are providing an actual response to the assignment’s question, and that every paragraph supports your answer to the question. Read the “paper evaluation” page provided in this syllabus.