The four Gospels are the most important books in the Bible, the culmination of biblical prophecy dating from the days of Moses.
All the Gospels were written in the first century of the modern era; and while they all share the story of Jesus' life, there are remarkable differences among the four.
THE "Q" DOCUMENT
Three of the four Gospels draw on the writings of a mysterious chronicler, known simply as "Q" ("Q" is thought to have been an educated follower of Jesus, who recorded all of his Master's parables, stories, and conversations, as well as many of his healings. The "Q" document, as it was known, no longer exists ("Q" stands for the German "Quelle", meaning "source").
The Fourth Gospel is the Book of John. John's more spiritual account has been determined to be written by someone close to Jesus; most scholars believe this person to have been John, "the beloved disciple." All four books share the life of Jesus' acclaimed three-year ministry, but are told from a different point of view, and share some, but not all, information on Jesus' life; each was written with a distinct audience in mind.
The four Gospels detail a story of the Messiah (a term the Greeks interpreted as the Christ); of a man who broke all the material laws of this world, by walking on water, feeding the multitude, healing the sick, cleansing the lepers, restoring sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, speech to the dumb, causing the lame to walk, and raising the dead.
While the four Gospels were written in Greek, Jesus spoke in the language of the Jews--Aramaic.
"MY KINGDOM IS NOT OF THIS WORLD"
At the time of Jesus' ministry, Israel was occupied by the Roman Empire. Many Jews wanted to know if Jesus was the Messiah foretold in the Old Testament, who would come and restore Israel to its former glory, as an independent and powerful nation. Jesus replied, "My Kingdom is not of this world." One of the most consistent storylines of the four Gospels is Jesus' intolerance of hypocrisy, whenever he encountered it, which was nearly everywhere he went. Clearly illustrated is his love of little children, and his shepherd-like caring for the poor and common people. Also recounted is his ongoing opposition from the Jewish hierarchy: the Scribes and Pharisees. Who were these two groups?
THE SCRIBES were wealthy, educated Jewish religious leaders who studied the Torah (the first five books of the Bible, that include the Ten Commandments) and copied them onto scrolls from scrolls. They also studied oral and written laws and taught what these laws meant and how people should obey them. Jesus was familiar with their teachings and doctrine. However, Jesus' teachings conflicted with that of the Scribes' teaching, thus creating the tension that followed Jesus everywhere he traveled. It's worth noting that the area where Jesus taught, traveled, and ultimately changed the world, was not much larger than the state of Rhode Island.
THE PHARISEES were the most influential of all Jewish sects, for they were the party of the people. It was the Pharisees who interpreted the Law so that ordinary people could follow it, doing most of their teaching in the synagogues. They adhered strictly to the Ten Commandments, and the laws God had given to Moses as he guided the Israelites through their forty-year sojourn in the Gaza desert. Both the Scribes and Pharisee feared that Jesus had come to destroy The Law. Compounding their problem, was the fact that many Jews, having heard Jesus' teachings and witnessed his healings, stopped listening to them, and turned their full attention to what Jesus was teaching. As a result, the Scribes and Pharisees began watching Jesus closely to see if he violated in the slightest way any of The Law, thus fueling the mounting tension that pervades the Gospels and leads to Jesus' arrest and crucifixion.
JESUS' WIDESPEAD POPULARITY
Such was Jesus' popularity that large crowds would gather the moment he arrived in their villages and towns, thus allowing him little time to be alone and pray.
Playing an equally significant role in this unfolding drama was the Roman authority that ruled Israel. In effect, the role they served was not unlike that of a modern-day crime family, whom the jewish authorities called upon to put Jesus to death. Such a task, the Jews said, went counter to their religious beliefs. It took a lot of convincing, as Pontious Pilot, the Roman governor, proved very reluctant to carry out their gruesome request.
A MAN OF PRAYER
Jesus spent much of his time in prayer. "When he sent the multitude away, he went up into a mountain to pray" (Matthew 14:23). "In the morning, rising up a great while before day, he went out, and departed into a solitary place, and there prayed" (Mark 1:35). "He sent away the people. And when he sent them away, he departed to a mountain to pray" (Mark 6:45-46). "He went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God" (Luke 6:12).
REVERENCE FOR WOMEN
Among the revelations recounted in the four Gospels, is Jesus' special relationship with women (whom he treated as equals), which is shown in a number of his actions. In particular with Mary of Magdala (out of whom he had cast out seven devils), with Joanna, one of Jesus's disciples (many know Jesus had 12 disciples, but they may not be aware that his disciples also included women, of which Joanna was one), and with Mary, the mother of James; and with Mary, the wife of Cleophas; and with the sisters Mary and Martha. Tabitha was yet another of Jesus's woman disciples, who would die, and be raised back to life by Peter. Of special note is the fact that it was a woman--Mary of Magdala--who was the very first to discover that Jesus had risen from his tomb.
THE DISCIPLES
Jesus recruited fishermen as his original twelve closest disciples, not because they were poor honest laborers, but because they were among the first to recognize that he was the Christ. Seeing them in their boats, he said, "Come, follow me and I will make you fishers of men!" His disciples were: Simon called Peter, with his brother Andrew; James, and his brother John; Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas; Matthew, the tax collector; James, the son of Alphaeus; Thaddaeus, Simon, and Judas Iscariot, who would later turn traitor. The word "disciple" means "learner" or "student."
IDLE TALK
Jesus frowned on idle talk, believing nothing good would ever come of it. Jesus said, "Let your conversation be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay; for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil."(Mathew 5:39). As if to underscore the evil Jesus was referring to, he counseled his followers that it was not what a man ate that defiled him, but rather what came out of his mouth. "Those things which proceed out of the mouth come from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the mouth proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blashemies" (Mathew 15:11).
FEEDING THE 5000
Aside from his resurrection, Jesus' feeding of the 5,000 is the only "miracle" on a grand scale, recorded in all four Gospels. When Christ fed the masses that day, he began with only "five barley loaves and two fish", borrowed from a boy's lunch (John 6:9). To feed 5,000 people with five loaves and two fish is truly extraordinary, but the Greek term used in Matthew 14:21 specifies males, and further emphasizes the point by adding, "Besides women and childred." Many Bible scholars believe the actual number fed that day could have been 15,000 to 20,000 people.
JOY
Jesus' ministry was mostly about healing, and, equally significant, about sharing the Joy of God's Kingdom. Indeed, there are 23 instances in the Gospels where the word "JOY" is employed. One of the best known is found in Matthew 13:44 (quoted below from the King James Version):
". . . the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for JOY thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field."
BETHANY
The town of Bethany figues prominently in the Gospels, as the home of sisters Martha and Mary, and their brother Lazarus, whom Jesus raised from the dead. It's also the town where Jesus departed from his disciples, and was carried up into heaven (Luke 24:50). Located on the southeastern slope of the Mount of Olives, Bethany lies less than two miles east of Jerusalem.
WHEN WERE THE GOSPELS WRITTEN?
The first Gospel to appear was Mark's, written about 65 A.D. Second was Luke's, written some time between 65 and 70 A.D. Third was Matthew's, composed between 85 and 90 A.D. John's Gospel--the fourth and last to appear--was written between 90 and 110 A.D. What follows is a brief analysis of each, beginning with Matthew's Gospel:
THE GOSPEL OF MATTHEW
According to most Bible scholars, Matthew was a Jew who had been convinced of the divinity of Jesus. While he relied heavily on the "Q" document, he also drew freely from Mark's Gospel, though he rearranged the order of events. His style is lucid, calm, and written primarily for fellow Jews, with frequent references to the Old Testament. The opening account of Jesus' birth, tells the story of the Three Wise Men, who followed the Star in the east and found the infant Jesus in a manger. Recognizing this as a holy moment, they presented baby Jesus with gifts: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Jesus' primary mission was to the "lost sheep of the house of Israel". Early in the book, the author lists Jesus' genealogy from Abraham down to King David, and on to Jesus' parents, Joseph and Mary.
The importance of Matthew's gospel is that it contains the greatest religious treatise of all time: "The Sermon on the Mount". The Sermon includes the Beatitudes and the Lord's Prayer. It also illustrates the need for mankind to be gentle, loving, kind, and above of all, to be forgiving. When Peter questioned him, "How oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? til seven times?" Jesus answered, "I say not unto seven times: but until seventy-times seven." Jesus placed great emphasis on honesty and morality, so he was telling his followers that one must forgive oneself before forgiving others. The other message of the Jesus' Sermon is that God is a God of all mankind, and that if one obeys and trusts God, He will comfort, protect, feed and clothe you.
"The Sermon on the Mount" is not a repudiation of Judaism. It's much more nearly a culmination of its highest teachings in the field of morality. What Jesus said about peacefulness and forgiveness and loving one's enemies, had already been suggested by great Pharisees such as Hillel; and his warnings against love of possessions as an outward show would have been agreed to by any good Jewish Rabbi.
The subject of The Sermon on the Mount is "righteousness" (Matthew 5:20) and at no point does it contain anything that would contradict the best in first-century Judaism. This is true of nearly all the teaching of Jesus as they are recorded in the first three Gospels.
There is only one exception, one indication that Jesus did not believe that his relationship with God depended on personal righteousness; and this is the only point at which Jesus breaks with orthodox Judaism. A man who knelt before him, called him "Good master" (Mark 10:17) and Jesus answered, "Why callest thou me good? There is none good but one, that is God" (Mark 10: 18).
THE GOSPEL OF MARK
Mark is the shortest of the four Gospels. Indeed, I once attended a theater performance where the sole act was a man who recited from memory the entire gospel of Mark. His recital lasted about one hour. Mark's writing has no literary polish but has a breathless immediacy, that has led scholars to believe that Peter (known to be rash and impulsive) recounted Jesus's story to another follower (John Mark), who wrote it down. Short and direct, Mark's Gospel can be thought of as a"cliff notes" version of Mathew's longer, more expansive Gospel. Unlike Mathew, Mark hardly quotes from the Old Testament at all. Mark's Gospel was intended for a non-Jewish audience, and may have been written in Rome at the time Christians were being made scapegoats for various trumped up charges by Emperor Nero.
THE GOSPEL OF LUKE
Scholars have identified Luke as "the beloved physician", and fellow worker of Paul. Luke's Gospel is only the first half of his "new volumes", the second being The Acts of the Apostles. It is generally agreed that he was not a Jew, and a doctor by profession. Luke was obviously well-educated and his gospel is considered to be the most lyrical of the four, both for its style and imaginative sympathy with which he paints the portrait of Jesus. Luke's Gospel also benefitted from Luke having direct input from mother Mary's eye-witness account (Luke 2:19).
The importance of Luke's Gospel--thanks to Mary's unique contribution--is that a number of stories about Jesus' life and ministry are found no where else in the other Gospels. Unlike Matthew, Luke weaves the message of Jesus' "Sermon on the Mount", throughout his book (which is likely how it was given, at various stages during Jesus' three-year ministry).
Luke recounts Jesus' ancestry, not from Abraham (the father of the Hebrew people), but from Adam (the father of mankind).
As with Matthew, Luke tells the story of Jesus' birth, but with some differences. For example, in Luke's Gospel, it's a group of shepherds (rather than "three wise men") who are visited by the `host of angels, who announce the savior's birth, with this salutation: "On the Earth peace, good will toward men." They follow the angels' direction and travel to Bethlehem, where they find the baby Jesus lying in a manger; no gifts are given (Luke 2: 1-17).
Not found in Matthew is Joseph's dream, in which he learned that King Herod--fearing he might lose his kingdom to the birth of this rumored "King of the Jews"--was plotting to murder the infant Jesus. Following the message in his dream, Joseph and his family moved to Egypt, and safety. Later, when he learned of Herod's death, Joseph returned and settled his family in Nazareth.
Only found in Luke, is the story of Mary and her cousin, Elizabeth, who would give birth to John the Baptist. As an adult, John-the-Baptist began his ministry and many people mistook him for the Christ, whose coming was foretold in the Old Testament. Living up to his name, John baptized Jesus, and some time later was arrested and put in prison, where he would be executed.
Another exclusive, is Jesus' dinner with the two sisters, Martha and Mary, from the town of Bethany. While Mary seated herself at Jesus' feet and was listening to what he was saying, Martha was very worried about her elaborate preparations, and, quoting from the J.B. Phillips' translation, "burst in, saying, 'Lord, don't you mind that my sister has left me to do everything by myself? Tell her to come and help me!'
"But the lord answered her, 'Martha, my dear, you are worried and bothered about providing many things. Only one thing is really needed. Mary has chosen the best part and it must not be taken away from her!'"
THE GOOD SAMARITAN
Luke's Gospel contains the fullest exposition of Jesus' demand to be loving. Quoting from the King James Bible, the story is set in motion with an exchange between Jesus and a lawyer, as follow:
"When a lawyer asked him, 'Which is the great commandment of the law?'
"Jesus answered, 'What is written in the law? how readest thou?'
"And he answering said, 'Thou shalt love the lord thy God with they heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself.'
"And Jesus said unto him, 'Thou has answered right; this do, and thou shalt live.'
"But the lawyer, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, 'And who is my neighbor?'"
As he was wont to do, Jesus answered with a short parable, about the Good Samaritan, the message of which is that anyone in need of help is your neighbor.
JESUS AS A PRECOCIOUS TWELVE-YEAR-OLD
Yet another story you will find only in Luke's Gospel, is the account of Jesus as but a lad of twelve. The following is drawn from the J. B. Phillips' translation:
"Every year at the Passover Festival, Jesus' parents used to go to Jerusalem. When he was twelve-years-old they went up to the city as usual for the Festival. When it was over they started back home. But the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, without his parent's knowledge. They went a day's journey assuming that he was somewhere in their company, and then they began to look for him among their relatives and acquittances. They failed to find him, however, and turned back to the city, looking for him as they went. Three days later, they found him--in the Temple, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. All those who heard him were astonished at his powers of comprehension and at the answers that he gave. When Joseph and Mary saw him, they could hardly believe their eyes, and his mother said to him,
"'Why have you treated us like this, my son? Here have your father and I been worried, looking for you everywhere.'"
"And Jesus replied, 'But why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?'"
IMPORTUNITY
While Luke's Gospel includes Jesus' "Sermon on the Mount", it is presented in serial form, which is likely how it was originally given. As with Matthew's version, Luke also includes the Lord's Prayer. Immediately following the prayer is the need for persistence in prayer, or what Jesus calls "importunity".
"Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine in his journey is come to me, and I have nothing to set before him?
"And he from within shall answer and say, Trouble me not: the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give thee.
"And I say unto you, Though he will not rise and give him, because he is his friend, yet because of his importunity he will rise and give him as many as he needeth.
"I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find, knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For everyone that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened" (Luke 11: 5-10).
ZACCHAEUS, TAX COLLECTOR
Another exclusive is Jesus' encounter with Zacchaeus, the corrupt tax collector. As with so many of the encounters people had with Jesus, afterwards they are never the same. In his encounter, Zacchaeus is healed of dishonesty, and promises to pay back all whom he has overcharged (Luke 19: 2-8).
THE WALK TO EMMAUS
Another story found nowhere else in the Gospels, is Luke's remarkable account of the two disciples' "Walk to Emmaus". This journey occurred in the aftermath of Jesus's crucifixion and resurrection, when two of his grieving followers made the trek from Jerusalem down to the village of Emmaus. During their seven-mile walk a stranger approached, who asked: "What is all this discussion that you are having on your walk?'
"They stopped, their faces drawn with misery, and the one called Cleopas replied,
"'You must be the only visitor to Jerusalem who hasn't heard all the things that have happened there yesterday!'
"'What things?' asked the stranger.
"'Oh, all about Jesus, from Nazareth. There was a man--a prophet strong in what he did and what he said, in God's eyes as well as the people's. Haven't you heard how our chief priests and rulers handed him over for execution, and had him crucified? But we were hoping he was the one who was to come and set Israel free. . . .
"'Yes, and as if that were not enough, it's three days since all this happened; and some of our womenfolk have disturbed us profoundly. For they went to the tomb at dawn, and then when they couldn't find his body they said they had a vision of angels who said that he was alive. Some of our people went straight to the tomb and found things, just as the women had described them--but they couldn't see him!'
"Then he himself spoke to them, 'Oh, how foolish you are, how slow to believe in all that the prophets have said! Was it not inevitable that Christ should suffer like that and so find his glory?'
"Then, beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he explained to them everything in the scriptures that referred to himself.
"They were by now approaching the village to which they were going. He gave them the impression that he meant to go on further, but thjey stopped him with the words,
"'Do stay with us. It is nearly evening and the day will soon be over.'
"So he went indoors to stay with them. Then it happened! While he was sitting at a table with them he took the loaf, gave thanks, broke it and passed it to them. Their eyes opened wide and they knew him! But he vanished from their sight. Then they said to each other,
"'Weren't our hearts glowing while he was with us on the road when he made the scriptures plain to us?'
"And they got to their feet without delay and turned back to Jerusalem. There they found the eleven and their friends all together. . . .
"'The Lord is really risen!' . . . Then they told the story of their walk, and how they recognized him when he broke the loaf.
"And while they were still talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them and said,
"'Peace be unto you'. He led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven" (Luke 24:13- 51).
THE GOSPEL OF JOHN
The difference between John's and the other Gospels, is that nearly all the action takes place in Jerusalem. Also, Jesus is recognized as the Messiah in the very first chapter of John. The discourses of Jesus' ministry differ remarkably from those in the other Gospels, where they consist for the most part as parables, or as short, meaningful stories of the way in which life is meant to be lived. In John's Gospel, the discourses are long and different in style; they deal almost entirely with the great themes of life, light, truth, and love. In John's Gospel, there are many metaphors but no parables. Well documented is Christ Jesus' close relationship with God, whom he ofter refers to as "Father" (note: in John Gospel, Jesus uses the term "Father" more frequently than "God".) Of all the Gospels, John's account gives the clearest portrait of Jesus' humanity.
The birth of Jesus is not recounted, and instead a short, profound explanation of creation is given that closely parallels the creation story given in the first chapter of Genesis: "In the beginning was the word and the word was with God, and the word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him. And without Him ws not anything made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of man. And the light shinneth in darkness; and the darkness comprendeth it not."
The theme of life as the light of men is woven throughout John's Gospel.
Whether John's Gospel was written as a conscious supplement (or even as a deliberate corrective) to the other three Gospels, Bible scholars continue to speculate. For all their disagreements, the majority of scholars do not deny the enormous spiritual value of this document. It seems probable that the author knew Jesus personally, and had reflected long and deeply on the nature of the divine Word. In his Gospel, John gives the world the results of his thoughts, prayers and meditations about the life which is the light of men.
THE WOMAN CAUGHT IN ADULTERY
Yet another exclusive, is the account of the adulterous woman. She was brought before Jesus by the Scribes and Pharisees for judgement. "Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?" Jesus response was as simple as it was telling. "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her." Convicted by their own conscious, one by one the Scribes and Pharisees departed. Seeing all her accusers had departed, Jesus said unto the woman, "Where are those thine accusers, hath no man condemned thee?"
She said, "No man, Lord." And Jesus said unto her, "Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more" (John 8: 1-10).
LAZARUS RAISED FROM THE DEAD
Found nowhere else in the Gospels, is John's account of Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead (John 11:1-44). Lazarus was a friend and follower of Jesus, and the brother of Mary and Martha. The sisters had urged Jesus to come quickly to their home in Bethany, and heal their brother who was suffering from a grievous illness, and near death. By the time Jesus arrived, Lazarus had been in the grave four days already, making it unlikely that Jesus could do much for him. However, after calming the fears of the two sisters, Jesus went to the cave where he was laid, called Lazarus to come forth, which he did, bound in graves clothes. Jesus then said, "Loose him, and let him go."
THE COMFORTER
John's Gospel is the only one that tells of Jesus' promise to send the "Comforter" (John 14:16-17): "And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you forever: even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you."
The word that is given here as "comforter", has also been translated as "helper" or "counselor". "Comforter" is a word that appears nowhere else in the New Testament, except in the discourse that is recorded by John.
LOVE ONE ANOTHER
The singular message of John's Gospel is Jesus' demand for his followers to be more loving. This is clearly illustrated in chapter 13, where Jesus' unique and compassionate leadership skills are illustrated. This takes place prior to the crucifixion, when Jesus washed his disciples' feet.
Having finished washing their feet, he asked (quoting from J.B. Phillip's translation): "Do you realize what I have just done to you? You call me 'teacher' and 'Lord' and you are quite right, for I am your teacher and your Lord. But if I, your teacher and Lord, have washed your feet, you must be ready to wash one another's feet. I have given you this example so that you may do as I have done. Believe me, the servant is not greater than his master and the messenger is not greater than the man who sent him. Once you have realized these things, you will find your happiness in doing them."
Further on, Jesus admonishes them, "I command you, love one another! . . . There is no greater love than this--that a man should lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I tell you to do. I shall not call you servants any longer, for a servant does not share his master's confidence. No, I call you friends, now, because I have told you everything that (I) have heard from the Father."
JESUS' REUNION WITH HIS DISCIPLES
John's Gospel also recounts the touching story of Jesus' reunion with his disciples beside the sea of Galilee. This meeting occurred after Jesus' resurrection. At this point, his disciples believing their master had died, and so betrayed their faith, returned to their prior occupation as fishermen. After a night of fishing, and catching nothing, they saw a stranger on the shore, who, upon learning they had caught nothing, urged them to cast their net on the other side of their boat. They did so, and miraculously discovered a catch so vast and heavy that they would need help to haul it to shore.
On the shore, they realized the stranger was no stranger at all, but their beloved master, alive and well, whom they joyfully greeted. Having prepared them a breakfast of grilled fish and bread, Jesus and his disciples dined together one last time. In a few days, Jesus would leave them, and ascend up to heaven.
The Gospel ends with John's memorable sign-off, where, speaking about the many healings Jesus had performed throughout his ministry: "I suppose that if each one were written down in detail, there would not be room in the whole world for all the books that would be written."
- END -
Final Note: In composing this piece, I am indebted to the commentary and writings in "The New Testament in Modern English", by J.B. Phillips. I am also indebted to the book, "Stories of Healing: Jesus and his followers", by Mary Jo Beebe, Olene E. Carroll, and Nancy H. Fischer, and to "Jesus of Israel" by Marchette Chute.
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