An Overview of the Four Gospels

Introduction.
I have been asked on several occasions during my teaching experiences about why there are four Gospel accounts of the life of Christ in the Bible. More importantly, some want to know why there are some details mentioned in one account and not mentioned in the others. Isn’t this just a little bit confusing? My reply is that it is not confusing at all. All four Gospel accounts relate the same wonderful story of the life of our Savior but from four different perspectives. When we study one of the Gospel accounts, we should study parallel Scriptures in the other three accounts in order to get the full picture.

When I think of the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, I think of four news reporters reporting on the events of the day from four different perspectives based on their individual backgrounds and cultures. The story line that each presents is basically the same. The differences arise in the fact that each reporter adds his own “flavor” to the story. I think that a brief overview of each of the four Gospels may be helpful at this point.

Matthew (Levi) – A SPECIAL REPORT TO THE JEWS! WHO IS JESUS CHRIST? HE IS THE KING OF ISRAEL AND THE LION OF THE TRIBE OF JUDAH! HE IS THE SAVIOR AND THE KING OF KINGS. HE KNOWS WHO YOU ARE AND HE CARES ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS IN YOUR LIFE.

Background.
1. Matthew was a Jewish tax collector who became one of Jesus’ twelve apostles (9:9; 10:2-4). His given name Matthew, meant “gift of Yahweh [the Hebrew term indicating God]. His home was in Capernaum and later Damascus, Syria. His father was Alphaeus. He later became an author and pastor of a church in Damascus.

2. Links the Old Testament (53 quotes and 76 other references) with the New Testament by emphasizing the fulfillment of prophecy (Psalm 72; Isaiah 9:6, 7; Jeremiah 23:5; Zechariah 9:9; 14:9).

3. Often called the Genesis of the New Testament.

4. Focuses on the legal right of Jesus Christ to the throne of David.

5. Presents Christ as The King

6. Writes from a Jewish perspective

7. Probably written between A.D. 60-65

8. Purpose of the writing: To prove that Jesus Christ is the Messiah, The Eternal King. Note: Messiah is the Hebrew word for “anointed one”

9. Presents the genealogy of Christ from Abraham through the royal line [the first of two New Testament genealogies (Compare Matthew 1 with Luke 3)

10. Key word used: “fulfilled” – 38 times

11. Key verse: “Think not that I am come to destroy the law of the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.” (5:17)

12. Key phrase: “the kingdom of heaven” (appears 32 times in this book, but nowhere else in the Bible)

13. Key places: Bethlehem, Jerusalem, Capernaum, Galilee, Judea

14. Concludes with the Great Commission given by Jesus Christ just before He is taken to heaven. “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen” (28:19-20).

Mark (John Mark) – A SPECIAL REPORT TO THE ROMANS! WHO IS JESUS CHRIST? HE IS THE LOWLY SERVANT!

Background.
1. He was one of the twelve disciples, but he accompanied Paul on his first missionary journey (Acts 12:25) and later associated with Peter (1 Peter 5:13).

2. Was the first Gospel written

3. The other Gospels quote all but 31 verses of Mark

4. Records more miracles than does any other Gospel

5. Wrote for the Roman reader, and uses a number of words derived from Latin

6. Wrote this Gospel in Rome about 25 years after Christ dies between A.D. 55 and 65

7. Does not write about Jesus’ birth or childhood. He begins his story when Jesus is 30 years old.

8. Presents Christ as Jehovah’s servant

9. Jesus reveals Himself here by what He does than by what he says

10. Purpose for writing: To present the person, work, and teachings of Christ

11. Key word used: “straightway” – used 42 times

12. Key verse: “For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” (10:45)

13. Key places: Capernaum, Nazareth, Caesarea, Philippi, Jericho, Bethany, Mount of Olives, Jerusalem, Golgotha

14. Concludes with the ascension – the completion of the mission of the suffering servant. “So then after the Lord had spoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and sat on the right hand of God.” (16:19)

Luke – A SPECIAL REPORT TO THE GREEKS! WHO IS JESUS CHRIST? HE IS THE PERFECT MAN!

Background.
1. Also known as the “beloved physician” (See Colossians 4:14)

2. Was also a historian, author and even did some evangelism

3. In this report, the parables of Christ are emphasized

4. The Gospel of Luke is the most lengthy Gospel account and the longest New Testament book

5. Written probably in A.D. 60

6. The first of a two-volume work addressed to a friend named Theophilus [“lover of God”] (Compare Luke 1:3 with Acts 1:1)

7. Tradition states that Luke was from Antioch in Syria, and remained unmarried. He later lived in Philippi and other cities where Christian communities were started.

8. The second and most complete New Testament genealogy is offered here (See Luke 3). Luke takes the genealogy of Christ from Adam through the bloodline.

9. The Gospel of Luke is the fulfillment of Genesis 3:15; 22:18; Isaiah 7:14-16; 9:6

10. The only Biblical writer who was a physician

11. The only Gentile Biblical writer

12. Was probably Paul’s most faithful friend and companion

13. The most educated of the four Gospel writers

14. Born into a cultured, Gentile family

15. The Gospel of Luke is the tenth longest Biblical book

16. Luke is best known today for – Writing about one-fourth of the New Testament (Luke and Acts), His works emphasize the impact of the Gospel on people considered “second class” in Jewish culture at the time – Gentiles, women, the poor – as well as the topics of prayer and the work of the Holy Spirit.

17. Probably gathered the information for the account of Christ’s life during the two years that Paul was imprisoned in Caesarea by the Roman governor Felix of the Jewish homeland (See Acts 24:27)

18. Writes for a Greek audience, concerned with the ideal of “excellence”

19. Shows Christ as being the ideal human – warm, concerned, ministering

20. Places more emphasis than any other Gospel writers on Christ’s relationships with people, and on the role women played in Christ’s life and ministry

21. Reports six miracles and nineteen parables that are not mentioned in other Gospels

22. Presents Christ as the Son of man – the friend of sinners

23. Purpose for writing: To present an accurate account of the life of Christ and to present Christ as the perfect man and Savior

24. Key phrase: “It came to pass” (appears 40 times)

25. Key verses: “And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house forsomuch as he also is a son of Abraham. For the son of a man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” (19:9,10)

26. Key places: Bethlehem, Galilee, Judea, Jerusalem

27. Most of 9:51 – 18:35 is not found in any other Gospel

Concludes with the promise of the Spirit – “And behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.”

John – A SPECIAL REPORT TO THE WORLD! WHO IS JESUS CHRIST? HE IS THE SON OF GOD!

1. John’s name means “Yahweh is gracious”

2. Known as the Apostle of Love

3. Called a “Son of Thunder”

4. Probably written A.D. 85-90

5. In this report, the doctrines of Christ are emphasized

6. In describing the life of Christ, John makes comparisons with the pieces of furniture in the tabernacle of Moses

7. The only Gospel writer to hint at the rapture (See 14:2, 3)

8. Uses the number seven [the number of wholeness, completeness, perfection] on numerous occasions (seven witnesses of Christ, seven pre-crucifixion miracles, seven I Am’s)

9. The Gospel of John is the fulfillment of Isaiah 9:6; 40:3-5; 47:4; and Jeremiah 23:6

10. The fourth longest New Testament book and nineteenth longest Biblical book

11. Probably raised in Capernaum on the north shore of the Sea of Galilee. He later lived in Ephesus and was banished to the island of Patmos in old age.

12. Family – Father was Zebedee; mother was probably Salome; younger brother of James. Salome and Mary may have been sisters (See Matthew 27:56; John 19:25). If so, James and John would have been cousins to Jesus.

13. Occupation – Commercial fisherman; later one of Jesus’ disciples and one of the inner circle

14. Best known today for – His close relationship to Jesus, and his New Testament writings

15. Author of a Gospel, three New Testament letters, and Revelation

16. The Gospel of John has been called the “universal Gospel”

17. Presents Christ as the Eternal Son of God

18. Message – Christ is the incarnate Word

19. John takes Christ’s origin back to His preexistence with God all the way through eternity (See John 1: 1-3)

20. Key phrase: “verily, verily” (appears 24 times)

21. John tells nothing of Jesus’ birth and youth. He introduces Him as the adult Son of God.

22. Purpose of writing: To prove conclusively that Christ is the Son of God and that all who believe in him will have eternal life

23. Key verses: “And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book, But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name” (20:30,31)

24. Key places – Judean countryside, Samaria, Galilee, Bethany, Jerusalem

25. Special features – of the eight miracles recorded, six are unique (among the Gospels) to John, as is the “Upper Room Discourse” (chapter 14-17). Over 90% of John is unique to his Gospel – John does not contain a genealogy or any record of Jesus’ birth, childhood, temptation, transfiguration, appointment of the disciples, and no parables, ascension, or Great Commission.

26. Concludes with the promise of the return of Christ – “Jesus saith unto him, if I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? Follow thou me.” (21:22)

I do not mean to come across as being callous, cruel, or mean-spirited, but the older I get, the more discouraged and dishearten I become as I watch some of our young people - the future of our world, place themselves in a proverbial box called defeatism. Unquestionably, some of us have grown up in unfavorable conditions and in an unkind society that constantly reminds us, and in some cases has thoroughly convinced us, that our father never amounted to much, and our mother has never amounted to much, and so, as the proverbial apple never seems to fall far from the tree, we ourselves can expect to never amount to much either. The tragedy of it all is that society is not alone in painting this picture of hopelessness and despair, but that same picture hangs on the walls in our homes, as well as, in the classrooms of our schools.

I wish to send a very clear, precise, and concise message to our youth of today: the time has come for you to stop wallowing in the mud of hopelessness and slowly drowning yourselves in the sea called despair. Now is the time to break free from that proverbial box that you have found yourselves in, and from the strangling chords of the voices of naysayers who preach negativism and defeatism. Rise above your current station in life. You can if you believe that you can!

Maybe it is true that your father and mother have never done anything to make an honorable name for themselves, or have ever tried to get out of their current situations and better themselves. Maybe it is true that you were born in unfavorable and adverse conditions. Maybe it is true that all of your young life people have done nothing but knock you down and kick you while you were down. However, it does not have to stay that way. Though the night may seem dark and dreary, nighttime only last for a season and then the morning comes. And with the dawning of the morning comes a light of hope that shines bright as the noon day sun.

Now is the time for you to start realizing that you are not your father and you are not your mother. God Almighty has made each of us uniquely YOU. He has meted to you and me a measure of faith, hope, courage, talents, and abilities. It is time for you to put behind you those things that once were, and press forward to obtain those things that can, and (with faith, hope, patience, determination, and endurance) will be. Stop listening to the perpetual lies of those who do not have your best interest at heart, and start believing in yourself. You can do whatever it is you have a mind to do, and you can become whatever it is that you have a desire to become in life, but YOU have to believe that you can do it. If you cannot believe in yourselves, how can you honestly expect anyone else to?

Do not become discouraged if at first you do not succeed at doing something, but try and try again knowing that the road to success is often filled with potholes called failure. Many a success in life has been wrought through heartache and failure, so don't let that stop you. Even along the road of success will be hurdles and discouragement which you will have to get over, but don't let that stop you either. Continue to run your race with your head held high and a song of hope and gladness in your heart. You may not be the first to cross the finishing line, but then the winner of a race is not always necessarily the swiftest runner in the race, but he who runs his race well by remaining focused, staying his course, and enduring to the end.

There will be times along the way when you may become weary. Stop and rest for a little while if you must, but don't give up, give in, or quit. Remain focused on your goals and objectives. The finishing line is just in sight. You can make it. Yes you can! May God give you the hope, courage, faith, and determination to endure to the end. God bless you all!