The Four Gospels

You’ve often heard the expression “The Gospel.” What is The Gospel exactly?

“The word gospel literally means “good news” and occurs 93 times in the Bible, exclusively in the New Testament. In Greek, it is the word euaggelion, from which we get our English words evangelist, evangel, and evangelical. The gospel is, broadly speaking, the whole of Scripture; more narrowly, the gospel is the good news concerning Christ and the way of salvation.” (https://www.gotquestions.org/what-is-the-gospel.html)

The Bible is one whole, divided into two sections – the Old and New Testaments. The first four books of the New Testament are known as “the Four Gospels” – Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

We know the major theme of the Gospels is the Lord Jesus Christ.

Why, then, are there four?

Think of being outside and looking at a home or building. As we walk around the perimeter, we view four sides that make up the whole – the front, rear, left side and right side. Each one gives us a different view or perspective of the structure.

And so, with the four gospels, it is as if each author – Matthew, Mark, Luke and John – is giving us a different view of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Christ is presented as the King in Matthew. Mark presents Him as the Servant. In Luke, He is presented as the Son of Man and in John’s Gospel, Jesus is presented primarily as the Son of God.

Just like the sides of a home or building, there are similarities and differences in the Gospels.

In the *Schofield Study Bible, there is a summary/outline given at the beginning of each book in the Bible. The following was gleaned from those “summaries.”

Matthew

In Matthew, being presented as the King, the genealogy of the Lord Jesus Christ is traced to King David.

In 5:35, Matthew mentions the city of the great King.

Matthew is also the Gospel of the Kingdom; in it the word “kingdom” appears more than 50 times.

Mark

presents Christ as the Servant of the Lord, “sent to accomplish a specific work for God.” The emphasis is more on his deeds than words.

“Because he is presented as a Servant, a genealogy is not needed.”

Luke

“[Luke’s] emphasis is upon the perfect humanity of Christ, whom it presents as the Son of Man, the human-divine Person, and whose genealogy it traces to Adam. The parables found in this Gospel show Christ’s concern for lost humanity.”

John

presents the Lord Jesus as the Son of God (1:34, 49) who was sent from God (3:2, 6:46) and always spoke the message God gave him.”

“The purpose of John’s Gospel is that ye may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing ye might have life through his name.” (John 20:31).

And so, as we read the entire four Gospels, we get a more comprehensive view of the Lord Jesus Christ, as each author – Matthew, Mark, Luke and John – presents a more distinct side of Him as King, as Servant, as Son of Man and as Son of God, respectively.

As we read the precious Word of God, and in particular the Four Gospels, may the Spirit of God help us gain an appreciation of that blessed Man, presently seated in glory at the right hand of God, who awaits for the Father’s command to take us home to be with Himself!