Four Gospels, One Jesus: Introduction

Have you ever stopped and asked the question: “Why do we have four Gospels?” It may be something you’ve never really thought about until now. Nonetheless, it is a valid question. All four Gospels tell the story of Jesus' life, ministry, death, burial, and resurrection. They share many of the same events, teachings, and miracles. So why did God preserve four different accounts instead of just one?

The beauty of Scripture is often found in asking these sorts of questions. Yes - it is true that Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John all cover roughly the same events and have many similarities. Some scholars have even argued that the Gospel writers relied on earlier written accounts to explain their similarities. However, a closer look at these four books individually reveals there’s much more going on here.

Here’s an illustration that might be helpful: imagine four people standing at the four corners of a busy intersection. In the middle of the intersection, an accident occurs. Do the four individuals see the same things? Would their testimonies in a court case be carbon copies of one another? Each of them has information about the same event, but each notices different details and emphasizes different aspects of what happened. Their different perspectives provide clarity and help outsiders understand what happened. At the same time, compiling all the individuals’ information will establish a definite conclusion: An accident happened in the intersection.

The Gospels can be viewed in much of the same way. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John may all be writing about the life of Jesus, but each author wrote from a distinctive perspective and with a different purpose. Each wrote with a particular audience in mind, leading to the communication of a different overall concept about Jesus and His ministry. The beauty of the Gospels is found in their individuality. Through each of them, we can discover more about Jesus and His will for our lives. At the same time, combining all four testimonies will result in many of the same conclusions: Jesus is real. Jesus is the Messiah. Jesus is our Savior.

This series intends to take a deeper dive into each of the Gospel accounts, exploring their unique emphasis and purpose. As we go through this study together, I pray that our eyes may be opened to the beauty of His word and the majesty of our God!