The Gospels and the Early Church
Matthew • Mark • Luke • John • Acts
The first four books of the NT are known as the Gospels, from the Greek word for “good news.” The good news is that God’s plan of salvation has come to fulfillment in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ (see note on Lk 24:44). Matthew, Mark and Luke are often called the Synoptic Gospels because they are written with a similar framework and use many of the same stories from the life of Jesus (see article). These texts are historical narratives relating the story of the life and ministry of Christ.
The Gospel of John differs in emphasis from the Synpotics. With a more profoundly theological tone, John is concerned even more with the meaning of Jesus’ words, works and identity.
The book of Acts is a companion piece written by Luke, picking up where the Gospel narrative ends and telling the story of the early church and the work of the Holy Spirit through the apostles, especially Peter and Paul.
The Synoptic Gospels
A comparison of the four Gospels reveals that Matthew, Mark and Luke are noticeably similar, while John is quite different. The first three Gospels agree extensively in language, in the material they include, and more generally in the order in which events and sayings from the life of Christ are recorded. (Chronological order does not appear to have been rigidly followed in any of the Gospels, however. The emphasis in ancient biographies was on the significance of events over their chronological order.) Because of this agreement, these three books are called the Synoptic Gospels (syn, “together with”; optic, “seeing”; thus “seeing together”). For an example of agreement in content, see Mt 9:2–8; Mk 2:3–12; Lk 5:18–26. An instance of verbatim agreement is found in Mt 10:22a; Mk 13:13a; Lk 21:17.
A mathematical comparison shows that 91 percent of Mark’s Gospel is contained in Matthew, while 53 percent of Mark is found in Luke. Such agreement raises questions as to the origin of the Synoptic Gospels. Did the authors rely on a common source? Were they interdependent? Questions such as these constitute what is known as the Synoptic Problem. Many solutions have been proposed, of which these are the most important:
1. Complete independence. Some hold that the Synoptic writers worked independently of each other, perhaps using various written or oral sources. According to this view, the similar—sometimes even verbatim—choice and order of words and events are best explained by the infallible guidance of the Holy Spirit on the authors.
2. The use of an early Gospel. Some have postulated that the Synoptic authors all had access to an earlier Gospel, now lost.
3. The use of two major sources. The most common view currently is that the Gospel of Mark and a hypothetical document, called Quelle (German for “source”) or Q, were used by Matthew and Luke as sources for most of the materials included in their Gospels (see diagram).
4. The priority and use of Matthew. Another view suggests that the other two Synoptics drew from Matthew as their main source (see diagram).
5. A combination of the above. This theory assumes that the authors of the Synoptic Gospels made use of oral tradition, written fragments, mutual dependence on other Synoptic writers or their Gospels, and the testimony of eyewitnesses.
Four Portraits of the One Jesus
Matthew | Mark | Luke | John |
The Gospel of the Messiah | The Gospel of the suffering Son of God | The Gospel of the Savior for all people | The Gospel of the divine Son who reveals the Father |
Most structured | Most dramatic | Most thematic | Most theological |
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Photo credits (l to r): Wikimedia Commons, PD-US, Wikimedia Commons, PD-US, Wikimedia Commons, PD-US, Bill Perry/Shutterstock
Adapted from Four Portraits, One Jesus, p. 24 by Mark L. Strauss. Copyright © 2007 by Mark L. Strauss. Used by permission of Zondervan.
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The Synoptics and John
Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke) | Gospel of John |
1. Emphasize the Galilean setting of the first part of Jesus’ ministry | 1. Considerable movement between Galilee and Judea |
2. Little information given to determine the length of Jesus’ ministry; material could fit into a single year | 2. Mentions three different Passover festivals (2:13; 6:4; 13:1), and possibly a fourth, and so a ministry of 2½ to 3½ years |
3. Jesus teaches mostly in parables, short sayings and epigrams | 3. Relates long speeches by Jesus, dialogues with his opponents and interviews with individuals |
4. Teaching focuses on the kingdom of God; healings and exorcisms demonstrate the power of the kingdom and the dawn of eschatological salvation | 4. Teaching focuses on Jesus himself and the Son’s revelation of the Father; signs or miracles reveal Jesus’ identity and glorify the Father; no exorcisms |
Taken from Four Portraits, One Jesus by Mark L. Strauss. Copyright © 2007 by Mark L. Strauss, p. 25. Used by permission of Zondervan.
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Dating the Synoptic Gospels
Mark → Matthew Luke | Matthew | Mark | Luke | |
ASSUMPTION A— Matthew and Luke used Mark as a major source | ASSUMPTION B— Matthew and Luke did not use Mark as a source; any of the three could have been written from the 50s onward (see Introductions to Matthew, Mark and Luke) | |||
View No. 1 | Mark written in the ad 50s or early 60s (1) Matthew written in late 50s or the 60s (2) Luke written 59–63 | |||
View No. 2 | Mark written 65–70 (1) Matthew written in the 70s or later (2) Luke written in the 70s or later | |||
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