What period of Christ's ministry do the Gospels describe?
Christ's ministry recorded in the Gospels occurred before the work of the cross, before the atoning blood was shed, and while under the Law. Everything He said was in accordance with the Judaic legal system, nothing of the Gospel of Grace. Peter carries this early ministry on in the book of Acts.
Les teaches that while reading the Gospels is not wrong, they present Christ before the work of the cross. That was before the atoning blood was shed, and it was under the Law. Everything He said was in accordance with the Judaic legal system, with nothing of the Gospel of Grace. Peter carries this early ministry on in the early ministry of Acts. By contrast, Paul speaks only of the crucified, buried, and risen Lord, now ascended to glory. Les also points out that the little Jewish epistles—James, 1 and 2 Peter, 1 and 2 John, Jude, and Revelation—do not even mention the word cross, because for them it was not the pinnacle of information as it was with Paul. Paul says, “we preach Christ crucified,” and that is all he knows—the work of the cross.