I usually try to recommend people gospels much like you did above

Same. But even within that, the Gospels are written for a different audiences and effects. We could start with Matthew and work our way to John. See if this is something worth continuing after a compass check a few books in.

Maybe something someone with a graphic design background could make visually appealing as well to capture attention.

Could even make something like a choose your own adventure type setup

Where you do a little personality test, and read the selected gospel, then get a few options for what kind of stuff you want to learn next

Matthew wrote to the jewish audience, so that's kinda the best book to reccomend as an overview for people who are 100% new alongside the interlinear notes on all the prophecies Jesus fulfills, Luke was writing to the Greeks so it focuses more on the rationale and smaller details appealing to a more rational-minded audience, Mark I forget who was wtitten for I honestly kinda tend to skip Mark because it's the short one, then John is of course the best one that goes more into the spiritual aspects and important details, best for people who have some kind of church background. After that though, mostly depends on personal struggles. Everyone should read Romans though.

I usually reccomend John first because it really outlines the Divinity of Christ

Mark was Peter's Gospel written to a Roman audience. Very action oriented and is very dense with focus.

I am trying to memorize the first chapter of John. Its so beautifully written and summarized the Gospel in half a page.

Would you gents be interested in setting up a project like this?

I've got a lot of projects going on already

But if you're going to lead I'm happy to help where I can

I've got a couple reference books that might help divide the books in to workable categories

Im about to take some time off work with another kid coming up. So i would be happy to be the lead on it, as long as you all could check my work or add to it

If you like I can try to group them in to so e rough categories for a starting point

feel free. i may get a private group chat going for this

Sounds good to me. I'll try to do some work on that when I find the time

If you make one invite me plz @Deleted User

i'm becoming so confused reading The First Book of Samuel

so Saul is trying to find and destroy David, who is on the run from here to there in a game of cat and mouse

but TWICE David is given the opportunity to get the jump on Saul and kill him, but he doesn't.

the first time Saul says "surely you will be the King of Israel" and "you are more righteous than I" BUT THEN HE KEEPS HUNTING DAVID

the second time Saul says "I have sinned." "...I will not harm you again..." BUT THEN HE KEEPS HUNTING DAVID

ok and then it gets even more confusing. im at the part where David runs away to Philistine territory, you know, just the territory whose armies he has slaughtered numerous times before... and he is not being openly hated and attack because... why? he is given an CITY by a philistine royal named Achish, where he proceeds to slaughter tons of people in the countryside for a reason i cant figure out

Well, as a brief insight I can relate that to how we often fall for our iniquous ways, we fall, we say we won’t do it again but we’re weak and do it anyways, it’s a constant struggle despite we knowing that we’re doing wrong

also, David is being so, so mean to a rich farmer because he supposedly protected his livestock, and because of a mere VERBAL INSULT he decides to indiscriminately kill ALL OF HIS INNOCENT MALE SERVANTS

Yeah, news flash, he’s a Jew

Jews in ancient times were ruthless

They still are but they do it behind your back nowadays

Remember that the Old Testament is in no way a guide to live good

It stands to show that God chose the people whose heart was a stone and gradually worked them

It’s just God being a chad essentially

Gotta remember @ninjacats that Christianity is the completion of Judaism like mawlr said he started with a people with a heart of stone and worked them to the point where Christ came

To redeem them

@MawLr @Mac tíre iarain i understand what you guys are saying, but i dont even understand the story... it confuses me... i think i know whats happening and then the next chapter makes me reread the previous to see if i missed something.

i was so confused when David decides to go on a rampage against Nabal. i didnt know where the fury was coming from.

and every time Saul seems to apologize and repent for trying to kill David, but then in the next chapter is right back at it trying to kill him like nothing ever happened.

and then i also dont understand why David can even go into philistine territory and stay with the royals there. it doesnt make sense. the first part of the book consists of David destroying the philistines any time they try to do anything...

It's possible that it's a collection of different accounts

There's a couple cases of that kind of thing through the bible

I can't remember that part though so idk

commenting on this later

Saul was essentially harcore bipolar, he knew what was right and also had some desire in his heart to do it, but he had no self control and was given to his passions and paranoias

So in practice he rarely did what was right, despite being gully aware, which is why God sent David to usurp him

Have you guys ever heard this kind of thing?