What Is the Harmony of the Gospels?

　　The harmony of the gospel is a union of the four Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, which all focus on the life of Jesus. This harmony combines the four gospels in one account of Jesus’ life on earth in a chronological manner.

　　As a stand-alone, the gospels according to Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John emphasize Christ’s unique life, but when they are blended together, they emphasize Christ’s life in a broader context and also provide supporting evidence of the accounts of Jesus’ life on earth.

　　To further explain the harmony of the gospels, let us first discuss the specificity of the four gospels and then try to explain its harmony in the end.

　　

The Gospel of Mathew

The Gospel of Mathew is about Jesus’ ministry and Jesus as the fulfillment of prophecy. It was written specifically for the Jews or for people familiar with the Jewish religion.

　　The outline of the book of Mathew is written in such a way that it narrates Jesus’ life from His Immaculate Conception, His three years of ministry — teaching and healing, His crucifixion, resurrection, and the Great Commission.

　　In Mathew, Jesus is presented as the Messiah and a descendant of Kind David who was prophesized to establish peace and justice on earth. The Old Testament is usually quoted and referred to in this book, which places the emphasis on the prophecy mentioned in the Old Testament about Jesus. The prophecy of a Savior is very popular among the Jewish audience and perhaps, for this reason, Mathew refers to Old Testament as reference.

　　

The Gospel of Mark

On the other hand, The Gospel of Mark talks about Jesus as a divine servant. It is specifically written for the Romans and that is why it also refers to the Old Testament prophecies as well as a reference to Jewish words and customs.

　　However, the Gospel of Mark does not narrate the story of Jesus’ birth. It does not talk about how Mary was chosen to conceive the only begotten son of God, rather, it directly narrates Jesus’ life as an adult. It emphasizes that the beginning of the good news that is Jesus Christ has arrived in a very chaotic time to save His creations because God loves them.

　　Mark is outlined in such a way that it starts with John the Baptist predicting the coming of Jesus Christ and then baptizing Him with water. Jesus is then recognized by God as His only beloved son with a sign from the Holy Spirit. Then, Mark goes on and narrates Jesus’ servanthood of His Father. He is tempted by Satan and tested for 40 days and He endures and emerges as a triumphant victor against evil.

　　

The Gospel of Luke

On the other hand, the Gospel of Luke is about Jesus’ humanity. In this book, we can see Jesus’ character and personality. The book is written for Gentile believers.

　　The Gospel of Luke is outlined in two chapters. First, it highlights the miraculous birth of Jesus Christ, and then it goes on and talks about John the Baptist.

　　In the first chapter, we read about the life of Christ prior to His birth. We meet Elizabeth, a barren woman, and Zechariah, parents of John the Baptist, who did not expect children until the angel Gabriel appears to Zechariah telling him that his wife, Elizabeth, is pregnant. Then, Mary, the virgin mother of Jesus, is also visited by Gabriel, who tells her that she is to be the mother of the Savior of the world.

　　In this chapter, we already understand the character of Jesus’ parents in the human form, Mary and Joseph, and his aunt and uncle, Elizabeth and Zechariah. They are believers of God and put so much faith in the prophesied Messiah and God.

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　　In the next chapters, Luke tells us about Jesus’ younger years. He visits the temple to be with His father even as Mary was looking for Him.

　　And then Luke further narrates the baptism of Jesus and then of His travels as an adult, meeting His disciples and His followers. We, then, encounter Jesus being questioned by the Pharisees because of His opposition towards certain Jewish laws.

　　In this circumstance, we see Jesus’ character as divine as well as willful in His stance. It also shows Jesus’ charisma over people — even when He questions the Jewish laws, people continue to follow Him.

　　

The Gospel of John

On the other hand, the Gospel of John is about the revelation of Jesus as the Son of God and the Savior. This book also gives a detailed picture of the events of His last days.

　　The Gospel of John is outlined in such a way that it narrates the origin, mission of Jesus, and the function of the Lord Jesus Christ as a divine being. It also discusses how the Word of God, through the fulfillment of prophecy, has replaced the laws of Moses and ultimately how God is to be known to the entire World.

　　

The Harmony

The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke are synoptic, which means they form a synopsis of an event about Christ’s life. While the Gospel of John is a stand-alone, and it is used to fill the gaps that are not found in the Synoptic Gospels. Each of these gospels is written with each unique audience and also each unique theme.

　　Mathew addresses the Jews and focuses on Jesus as a fulfillment of a prophecy. Mark addresses the Romans and focuses on Jesus as a divine servant. Luke addresses the Gentiles and focuses on the humanity of Jesus Christ. John focuses on Jesus’ revelation about Himself and the last days of Jesus.

　　It is important to note that there was chaos all over the earth during the time the gospels where written and this gives us a context as to why each gospel was written for a specific audience and in the manner that they are written.

　　

Written with the Intervention of God

The harmony of the gospels reveals God’s intervention to the authors, Mathew, Mark, Luke, and John. These authors have different backgrounds telling testimony about Jesus. Mathew was a tax collector, Mark was a Jew and was known as a quitter, Luke was a Roman Doctor, and John was a Jewish Fisherman. These individuals, with a unique background, with no experience in writing about God, were chosen to write about His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ.

　　Imagine these authors writing about the historical references of the prophecies as well as very personal details of the Son of God’s life so that, until the present day, we may have a picture of how Jesus was as a person, and what His character is as our Savior. It is only through God’s intervention that this can happen.