Comparison Chart of Gospel Authors

Gospel Author Comparison Chart:

A long time before the gospels were incorporated into a compendium known as The Bible, the individual manuscripts circulated independently.

At the right you will see a map of historians' approximations of the areas in which each of the four new testament gospels were used.

MARK in violet -- MATTHEW in green
LUKE in orange -- JOHN in red

When were the four gospels written?

MARK	MATTHEW	LUKE	JOHN
Approximate date 70 A.D.	Approximate date 80 A.D.	Approximate date 90 A.D.	Approximate date 90 A.D. (insertions and additions 100-150 A.D.)

What can be said of the style of the four individual authors?

MARK	MATTHEW	LUKE	JOHN
Mark writes in a very colloquial and oral style. His breathless exuberance strings sentences together with hurry-up adverbs. One could say he wrote in "street language". Not infrequently his spelling and grammar were corrected by Matthew and Luke who relied on him for much source material. Mark particularly liked to use the historical present tense. He used it scores of times. Most translations render Mark into the simple past tense; to get the full flavor of Mark - the way he wrote it - try the Scholar's Version. [SV] The historical present was only used five times in all of Matthew and Luke combined. Another frequent hallmark of Mark’s style was the division between what was said publicly and what was said to the disciples ‘in house’ or privately. Mark shows a very human Jesus who sometimes fails in his endeavors and has a band of apostles who are frequently dim-witted and dense.	A distinctive feature of Matthew is his use of quotations from the Old Testament. Others may use such quotations to resolve conflicts or to buttress especially important positions; but Matthew makes it a central feature of his gospel. As he frequently says: "All this has happened so the prediction of the Lord given by the prophet would come true." Only in Matthew does Judas accept 30 pieces of silver. Matthew 27:9 Then what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: "They took the thirty silver coins, the price set on him by the people of Israel, Matthew introduced this story to illustrate fulfillment of a prophesy. It has slim contextual relevance and he got the author wrong. Zechariah 11:12 I told them, "If you think it best, give me my pay; but if not, keep it." So they paid me thirty pieces of silver. He even changes items in some of Mark's stories to make his narrative fit the quotation. The concept of hell is not metaphorical to Matthew. Matthew seems to me to be a salvation by works sort of a guy.	Luke wrote in a very elevated, literary style. When describing healings he draws from a medical knowledge posessed by physicians. In the orignal Greek, he very carefully selects an exact medical term rather than a vernacular one. Luke very frequently Speaks of the Holy Spirit - 13 times in his gospel and 41 times in Acts. Mark, Matthew, and John vary rarely mention him. Luke believes that Jesus died as an example, that his death does not represent an atoning sacrifice. Salvation, in his view, comes by forgiveness that comes through repentance. Having written Acts, which is almost as voluminous as his gospel, he has contributed more words to the New Testament than anyone. In his his missionary sermons in Acts, there isn't a single word about Jesus' death being an atonement.	John's gospel is a very theological treatise. He has Jesus constantly meditating on himself and his relationship with his father. The Greek word pistis is used in both John and the synoptics. In the synoptics it better denotes trust and is translated so in the Scholars Version [SV]. In John it is used to denote belief - belief beyond the acceptance of the positions of Jesus; belief that affirms his personhood. John uses sentences that are long and not infrequently in the passive voice. There are no parables recorded in his gospel, and curiously no mention of the institution of the Eucharist. John is known as the I am gospel for his very frequent use of those words: I am the good shephard; I am the bread of life, etc. "The Word Was With God" John introduced and developed a Logos Doctrine with parallels to Paul's.

Who do each of the four gospel authors think Jesus was? [according to what they actually say]

MARK	MATTHEW	LUKE	JOHN
Jesus was anointed. Jesus was a man - a very special one; he was not a god. He was the messiah of the Jews - the son of God. [not God the Son] Mark did not believe that Jesus had pre-existed but was anointed by God at his baptism. Mark’s Jesus was neither omniscient nor omnipotent. Jesus had limited authority. Mark presumed that Joseph was the natural father of Jesus. There was no implication or mention of a virgin birth. Jesus foretold of his death and resurrection. A young man sitting by the tomb said Jesus was raised. The passive voice suggests God did it. [The best ancient manuscripts have Mark ending with 16:8]	Jesus was Godlike. Matthew did not believe that Jesus had pre-existed . The birth and post resurrection accounts were incorporated into his gospel to bolster Jesus’ status. [Apparently in later editions.] The Holy Spirit impregnated Mary. God raised Jesus from the dead.	Jesus was Godlike. He was the savior (Luke uses this word) of the world. He did not believe that Jesus had pre-existed. Birth and post resurrection accounts were incorporated into his gospel to bolster Jesus’ status. [Apparently in later editions.] The Holy Spirit impregnated Mary. God raised Jesus from the grave. In Acts 2:22–36 Luke quotes Peter as having said: "Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs which God did through him in your midst . . . you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless man . . . This Jesus God raised up, and of that we are all witnesses . . . Let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified." Does not Peter, among other prominent biblical characters, think of Jesus as a man raised to a very high station?	Jesus was God. [John 1:1-2] "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning." There was no implication or mention of a virgin birth. John presumed that Joseph was the natural father of Jesus but the pre-existent spirit of Jesus entered his body at birth. Jesus raised himself from the grave. [NOTE: Most English versions of Luke contain a phrase saying the disciples worshipped Jesus. The RSV did not include it. The nonstandard Greek word has other meanings.]

When was Jesus born and how was the birth announced?

MATTHEW	LUKE	COMMENTS
4 BC - In Matthew, Jesus was born during the reign of Herod the Great, who died in 4 BC. 2:1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king... The annunciation of the birth of Jesus is made to Joseph. 1:20 ...the angel of the lord appeared to him in a dream...that which is conceived of her is of the Holy Ghost...	6 AD - In In Luke, Jesus was born when Quirinius was governor of Syria. Quirinius became governor in 6 AD. (In the KJV, Quirinius is called Cyrennius.) 2:1And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was govenor of SYRIA) The annunciation of the birth of Jesus is made to Mary. 1:30-31 And the angel said unto her, Fear not Mary: for thou hast found favor with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus.	Matthew says Jesus was born in 4 BC or earlier; Luke says Jesus was born in 6 AD or later. Matthew records an angel announcing the birth of Jesus to Joseph; Luke records an announcement to Mary.

How heavily did Matthew and Luke lean on Mark for their source material?

MARK	MATTHEW	LUKE	JOHN
Mark has 661 verses. [Matthew used 606 of Mark's verses and condensed them to 500 for use in his gospel]	Matthew has 1068 verses. 500 based on Mark Mathew has 51% of Mark's actual words.	Luke has 1149 verses. 320 based on Mark Luke has 53% of Mark's actual words.	John's gospel did not use material from any of the synoptic authors.

What kind of organizational framework did Matthew and Luke use to integrate material from Mark into their own corpus?

MATTHEW	LUKE	COMMENTS
Matthew integrates his Markan and other source material. He forms a holistic pattern by melding the sources together into one organic unity.	a. Luke 3.1-4.3 b. Mark 4.31-4.44 c. Luke 5.1-5.11 d. Mark 5.12-6.11 e. Luke 6.12-8.3 f. Mark 8.4-9.5 g. Luke 9.51-18.14 h. Mark 18.15-18.43 i. Luke 19.1-19.28 j. Mark 19.28-19.36 k. Luke 19.37-19.48 l. Mark 19.49-22.13 m. Luke 22.14-24.53	As shown from a table adapted from Introduction to the First Three Gospels by william Barclay, Luke alternates passages derived from Mark with his other source material - first his own then Mark's. Then his own; then Mark's etc. Unlike Matthew, he does not meld his sources.

How did Matthew and Luke reshape the material they extracted from Mark?

MARK	MATTHEW	LUKE	COMMENTS
15:34 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?	27:46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?	Luke does not record this as the last words of Jesus	Here Matthew is correcting Mark's spelling. Matthew and Luke try to improve Mark - in spelling, grammar, and a lot more.
1:32 And at even, when the sun did set, they brought unto him all that were diseased, and them that were possessed with devils.	8:16 When the even was come, they brought unto him many that were possessed with devils: and he cast out the spirits with his word, and healed all that were sick:	4:40 Now when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with divers diseases brought them unto him; and he laid his hands on every one of them, and healed them.	Mark often says things twice whereas Luke and Matthew omit the repetitions. In correcting the passage quoted it is interesting that Matthew uses one of his phrases and Luke the other.
4:13 [SV] You don't get this parable, so how are you going to understand other parables?	13:18 [SV] You there, pay attention to the interpretation of the sower.	8:11 [SV] Now this is the interpretation of this parable	Matthew and Luke do not like Mark's criticisms of the apostles; they are writing later, in a time when the apostles are heroes.
6:51-52 [SV] And he climed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. (You see they hadn't understood about the loaves; they were being obstinant.)	14:32-33 [SV]And by the time they had climed into the boat, the wind had died down. Then those in the boat paid hommage to him, saying, "You really are God's son."		Mark's picture of dull-witted, non-comprehending men has been transformed to a group of awe struck worshiping men.
8:17 [SV] ...You still aren't using your heads, are you? You still haven't got the point, have you? Are you just dense?	Matthew omits this altogether.		Matthew just cant bear Mark's depiction of Jesus criticizing the apostles so.
1:4 John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.	3:1 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,	3:3 And John went into all the region about the Jordan preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.	Matthew just can't see Jesus involving himself in a baptism of "repentance for the remission of sins" so he omits that line of Mark.
6:3 This is the carpenter, isn't it?	13:55 This is the carpenter's son, isn't it?	4:22 ... Isn't this Joseph's son?	Both Matthew and Luke are reluctant to call Jesus a village tradesman.
6.5 And he could do no mighty work there, except that he laid his hands upon a few sick people and healed them. And he marvelled because of their unbelief.	13.58 And he did not do many mighty works there, because of their unbelief.		Mark says Jesus couldn't do. Matthew says Jesus didn't do - he chose not to do.
10:17-18 As Jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him. "Good teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life?" "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good--except God alone.	19:16-17 Now a man came up to Jesus and asked, "Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?" "Why do you ask me about what is good?" Jesus replied. "There is only One who is good. If you want to enter life, obey the commandments."	18:18-19 A certain ruler asked him, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" "Why do you call me good?" Jesus answered. "No one is good--except God alone	Matthew senses that the question "Why do you call me good?" should not be voiced by Jesus so he rewrote the entire question and answer. Such a question could seem to detract from Jesus' stature.
10:13-14 People were bringing little children to Jesus to have him touch them, but the disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.	19:13-14 Then little children were brought to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked those who brought them. Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these."	18:15-17 People were also bringing babies to Jesus to have him touch them. When the disciples saw this, they rebuked them. But Jesus called the children to him and said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.	Only Mark is comfortable here with Jesus showing emotion such as anger.Matthew and Luke do not like to picture Jesus showing strong emotion. In the healing of the withered hand story (not quoted here) only Mark says: "And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart."
1:34 And he healed many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him.	8:16 That evening they brought to him many who were possessed with demons; and he cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick.	4:40 Now when the sun was setting, all those who had any that were sick with various diseases brought them to him; and he laid his hands on every one of them and healed them.	Both Matthew and Luke regularly change Mark's many into all.
3:10 for he had healed many, so that all who had diseases pressed upon him to touch him.	12:15 Jesus, aware of this, withdrew from there. And many followed him, and he healed them all,	6:18 and those who were troubled with unclean spirits were cured.	Again Mark's 'many' are turned into 'all'.
9:40 "For he who is not against us is for us."	12:30 Matthew "He who is not with me is against me…"	9:50 "…. for whoever is not against you is for you." 11:23 "He who is not with me is against me…."	The first Verse used by Luke was taken from Mark. Both verses are inclusive. The second verse of Luke and the one in Matthew are exclusive versions of the proverb and have their origins from the so called Q source.
8:31 He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again. 9:31 The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise."	16:21 From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life. 17:23 They will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised to life." And the disciples were filled with grief. 20:19 and will turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!"	9:22 And he said, "The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life." 18:33 On the third day he will rise again. 24:7 The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again	Mark says Jesus will be risen from the dead "after three days." Both Luke and Matthew change this to: "on the third day." These phrases are not interchangeable they are not the same.
8:38 If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels." 13:24-27 "But in those days, following that distress, "`the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.' "At that time men will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory. And he will send his angels and gather his elect from the four winds, from the ends of the earth to the ends of the heavens. 14:62 "I am," said Jesus. "And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven."	16:27 For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father's glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done. 24:29-31 "Immediately after the distress of those days "`the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light; the stars will fall from the sky, and the heavenly bodies will be shaken.' "At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other. 26:64 "Yes, it is as you say," Jesus replied. "But I say to all of you: In the future you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven."	9:26 If anyone is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes in his glory and in the glory of the Father and of the holy angels 21:25-28 "There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars. On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea. Men will faint from terror, apprehensive of what is coming on the world, for the heavenly bodies will be shaken. At that time they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near." 22:67-69 "If you are the Christ, " they said, "tell us." Jesus answered, "If I tell you, you will not believe me, and if I asked you, you would not answer. But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the mighty God."	Who is this son of man? In this trio of apocalyptic references, Jesus is portrayed as the speaker. But these apocalyptic remarks need not be self references. They could be references to a third person. If they were intended to be self references could not one of the authors in one of the verses have said: "...they will see me coming in a cloud with power and great glory" instead of "...they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory." Could not one of the authors have said: "...me sitting at the right hand..." instead of "...the Son of Man sitting at the right hand..." Jesus is probably referring to himself in the third person but that is not clear from the written text.

Illustrate how Matthew reshapes material taken from Mark.

MARK	MATTHEW	COMMENTS
Mark 3:1-6 Another time he went into the synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath. Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, "Stand up in front of everyone." Then Jesus asked them, "Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?" But they remained silent. He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored. Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians how they might kill Jesus. Here in Mark: - Jesus initiates the dialogue. - No mention is made of sheep; Jesus talks of doing good on the Sabbath. - Jesus looked in anger and deeply was disttressed.	Matthew 12:9-1Going on from that place, he went into their synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, they asked him, "Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?" He said to them, "If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out? How much more valuable is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath." Then he said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." So he stretched it out and it was completely restored, just as sound as the other. But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus. Here in Matthew: - The Pharisees initiate the dialogue. - Jesus asks if not an endangered sheep shoould be rescued on the Sabbath. - Matthew will not depict Jesus showing strrong emotion.	Essentials of both stories: - Jesus enters the synagogue and encounterss a man with a withered hand. - There were persons present who were looking for reasons to accuse Jesus. - The question explored was performing goodd works on the Sabbath. - Jesus has the man stretch out his hand. - Jesus healed the withered hand. - The Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus. While the essentials of both stories are the same. Each author attributes different dialogue to Jesus. In Mark Jesus asks, "Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?" Whereas in Matthew, Jesus says, "If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out?" Matthew has Jesus use a story of sheep to illustrate his point. Matthew likes the lost sheep theme because in his mind sheep relate to Biblical prophesy. As Matthew says elsewhere, "`But you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you will come a ruler who will be the shepherd of my people Israel.' " It is more the rule than the exception for the synoptic authors to rearrange the material that they have captured from others to suit the points they wish to illustrate.

Did Jesus seem agitated or calm while praying in the garden of Gethsemane?

MARK	LUKE	COMMENTS
Mark 14:32-36 And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane: and he saith to his disciples, Sit ye here, while I shall pray. And he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy; And saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch. And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.	Luke 22:39 – 46 And he came out, and went, as he was wont, to the mount of Olives; and his disciples also followed him. And when he was at the place, he said unto them, Pray that ye enter not into temptation. And he was withdrawn from them about a stone's cast, and kneeled down, and prayed, Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground. And when he rose up from prayer, and was come to his disciples, he found them sleeping for sorrow, And said unto them, Why sleep ye? rise and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.	In Mark Jesus is seen to be very agitated while in Luke he seems calm and in control. At least that was the way it was until the verses shown in blue were forged into the account. These texts in blue are not found in the earliest copies of Luke.

Only 31 of the 661 verses in Mark, are found neither in Luke nor Matthew. What is in these 31 verses?

MARK	COMMENTS
3:20-21 [SV]Then he goes home, and once again a crowd gathers, so that they could not even grab a bite to eat. When his relatives heard about it, they came to get him. (You see, they thought he was out of his mind.)	Matthew and Luke would not want to see in print the relatives of Jesus thinking him insane.
9:32-34And they bring unto him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech; and they beseech him to put his hand upon him.And he took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spit, and touched his tongue; And looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, Ephphatha, that is, Be opened. And straightway his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain.	Here Jesus uses spittle to effect a cure. Using spittle was a conventional means of healing.
8:22-25And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him. And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought. And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking. After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly.	Again, spittle was used. This was also a "two part" miracle. Jesus did something, it was not fully effective so he did something else. Matthew will tell no miracle story where the cure is not immediate.

Was Jesus born of a virgin?

MARK	MATTHEW	LUKE	COMMENT
-No- 3:21 When his family heard about this, they went to take charge of him, for they said, "He is out of his mind." 3:31-32 Then Jesus' mother and brothers arrived. Standing outside, they sent someone in to call him. A crowd was sitting around him, and they told him, "Your mother and brothers are outside looking for you." Mark's and John's gospel do not have birth narratives.	-Yes- 1:18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. 1:22-24 Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife:	-Yes- 1:27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. 1:28 And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. 1:35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.	-No- Paul in Galatians 4:4 says But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law... Paul in Romans 1:3 says ...regarding his Son, who as to his human nature was a descendant of David... In neither of these references does Paul give a hint of a supernatural birth. Mark references an occasion where Jesus' mother seems to think he is out of his mind; she goes to put him away. Would this be characteristic of a virgin mother of a divine child, whose nature had been communicated to her by a heavenly messenger before his birth?

The fig tree that was cursed:

MARK	MATTHEW	LUKE	JOHN
Mark does not find it strange that Jesus expects the tree to bear fruit out of season. The withering was NOT immediate. 11:12-14 & 11:20-21 The next day as they were leaving Bethany, Jesus was hungry. Seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to find out if it had any fruit. When he reached it, he found nothing but leaves, because it was not the season for figs. Then he said to the tree, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again." And his disciples heard him say it... In the morning, as they went along, they saw the fig tree withered from the roots. Peter remembered and said to Jesus, "Rabbi, look! The fig tree you cursed has withered!"	Likely embarrassed by Mark's Jesus expecting fruit out of season. Matthew omits this part. The tree is seen to immediately wither. 21:18-22 Early in the morning, as he was on his way back to the city, he was hungry. Seeing a fig tree by the road, he went up to it but found nothing on it except leaves. Then he said to it, "May you never bear fruit again!" Immediately the tree withered. When the disciples saw this, they were amazed. "How did the fig tree wither so quickly?" they asked. [Again, for Matthew, miracles must be immediate.]	Luke handles the material as a parable: 13:6-7 Then he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any. So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, 'For three years now I've been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven't found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?'	John has no corresponding story.

What were the last words of Jesus as he died on the cross:

MARK	MATTHEW	LUKE	JOHN
15:33-37 And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice,"Eloi, Eloi, lama"--which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" When some of those standing near heard this, they said, "Listen, he's calling Elijah." One man ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink. "Now leave him alone. Let's see if Elijah comes to take him down," he said. With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.	27:46-50 About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?"--which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" When some of those standing there heard this, they said, "He's calling Elijah." Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink. The rest said, "Now leave him alone. Let's see if Elijah comes to save him." And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.	23:44-46 It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour,for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Jesus called out with a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." When he had said this, he breathed his last.	19:29-30 A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus' lips. When he had received the drink, Jesus said, "It is finished." With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

What is the story of the two men crucified alongside Jesus? Did either or both insult him?

MARK	MATTHEW	LUKE	JOHN
15:27&32 They crucified two robbers with him, one on his right and one on his left. ... Those crucified with him also heaped insults on him.	27:38&44 Two robbers were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left. ... In the same way the robbers who were crucified with him also heaped insults on him.	23:32&33&39-43 Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals--one on his right, the other on his left. One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: "Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!" But the other criminal rebuked him. "Don't you fear God," he said, "since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong." Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.Jesus answered him, "I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise."	19:18 Here they crucified him, and with him two others--one on each side and Jesus in the middle.

What message was placed over the head of Jesus as he suffered on the cross?

MARK	MATTHEW	LUKE	JOHN
15:26 And the superscription of his accusation was written over, THE KING OF THE JEWS.	27:37 And set up over his head his accusation written,THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.	23:38 And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.	19:19 And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS.

What is the great incompatibility that biblical scholars find between Mark and John?

MARK	JOHN
The Messianic Secret gospel - Jesus asks those he heals and exorcises to not tell anyone. In this gospel, Jesus does not 'proclaim' himself.	The "I am" gospel. In this gospel Jesus is constantly proclaiming himself and saying things like: I am the paschal lamb; I am the way, the truth, and the life.

Each gospel author had his own objective he wanted to accomplish - a mission statement:

MARK	MATTHEW	LUKE	JOHN
1:14-15 After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. "The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news!"	25:41-43 "Then he will say to those on his left, `Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.'	2:11 Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. 2:30-32 For my eyes have seen your salvation,which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel." Luke is the only synoptic author to describe Jesus as savior and for all people.	20:31 But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. 3:16-17 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

Who did Jesus come to serve?

MARK	MATTHEW	LUKE	JOHN
Mark does not suggest that the mission of Jesus extends to non-Jews.	15:24 He answered, "I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel." 10:5-6 These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: "Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. Curiously Matthew also records: 28:19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,	2:30-32 For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all people, a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel." 3:6 And all mankind will see God's salvation.	This gospel is definitely universal. 1:11-12 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God--

What did the gospel authors believe about the Trinity?

MARK	MATTHEW	LUKE	JOHN	COMMENTS
Mark does not mention the Trinity.	There is only one verse in all four gospels where the Trinity is mentioned but even here the concept is not defined. 28:19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,	Luke does not mention the Trinity. If Luke had believed in the Trinity, this omission would be strange indeed because he very frequently Speaks of the Holy Spirit - 13 times in his gospel and 41 times in Acts.	John does not say anything about the Trinity. The author John clearly believed the son to be subordinate to the father. The jews believed in the Holy Spirit but they did not consider it a person or a god.	One might suppose that in 2 Corinthians 13:14 all three Trinitarian names occur together in one verse: May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all... But "God" is used rather than "father." The reading suggests Paul thought of Jesus and the Holy Spirit as being OTHER than a part of God.

Each gospel author had his own 'take' on how salvation is achieved:

MARK	MATTHEW	LUKE	JOHN	COMMENTS
Repent! Trust in the good news! Keep the commandments. Give heavily to the poor and needy.	Matthew is a salvation by works sort of a guy. 7:21 "Not everyone who says to me, `Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Matthew also records in 19:17 "...If you want to enter life, obey the commandments.	Follow Jesus! While short of narrative structure, the hallmark of this gospel is that it almost entirely consists of the teachings of Jesus.	Belief in the personhood of Jesus	Curiously in 1 Timothy 2:15 we find:But women will be saved through childbearing--if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety.

Who witnessed the vision at the baptism of Jesus?

MARK	MATTHEW	LUKE	JOHN	COMMENTS
1:9-11 At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased."	3:14-17 But John tried to deter him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" Jesus replied, "Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness." Then John consented. As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."	3:19-22 But when John rebuked Herod the tetrarch because of Herodias, his brother's wife, and all the other evil things he had done, Herod added this to them all: He locked John up in prison. When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased." 7:20 When the men came to Jesus, they said, "John the Baptist sent us to you to ask, `Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else?'"	1:32-34 Then John gave this testimony: "I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, `The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God."	In Mark's version, Jesus is the one who sees the vision; in Matthew and Luke everyone does. Notice the subtle shift of he saw heaven being torn open in Mark to At that moment heaven was opened in Matthew. In John, the baptizer testifies that he saw it and affirms that Jesus was the son of God. Well after the baptism of Jesus in Luke, John apparently has reservations about who Jesus is because he sends some to inquire: Are you the one who was to come, or should we expect someone else? In Luke someone else seems to have baptized Jesus because John was in jail. Perhaps the text is just awkward here.

The biggest differences are between the Synoptic gospels and John:

In what major ways does Jesus as pictured in the synoptics differ from how he is shown in John?

SYNOPTICS - [Mark Matthew Luke]	JOHN
Jesus teaches in parables. Jesus performs exorcisms. Jesus asociates with outcasts. The word pistis is used a lot but the connotation is trust. Jesus has little to say about himself.	Jesus does not teach in parables Jesus does not perform exorcisms. Jesus does not associate with outcasts. The word pistis is used a lot but the connotation is belief. Jesus constantly talks about himself, his relation with the father and his mission.

What was the attitude of Jesus about giving signs?

SYNOPTICS - [Mark Matthew Luke]

JOHN

Mark 8:11-12 The Pharisees came and began to question Jesus. To test him, they asked him for a sign from heaven. He sighed deeply and said, "Why does this generation ask for a miraculous sign? I tell you the truth, no sign will be given to it."
Matthew 12:38-39 Then some of the Pharisees and teachers of the law said to him, "Teacher, we want to see a miraculous sign from you." He answered, "A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.
Luke 11:29 As the crowds increased, Jesus said, "This is a wicked generation. It asks for a miraculous sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah.

2:11 This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him.
6:2 and a great crowd of people followed him because they saw the miraculous signs he had performed on the sick.
12:37 Even after Jesus had done all these miraculous signs in their presence, they still would not believe in him.

What is meant by the ethic of love?

SYNOPTICS - [Mark Matthew Luke]

JOHN

In the Synoptics Jesus stated the law to love God and neighbor but went on to stress that this applies to ones enemies.
Mark 6:27-29 "But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone strikes you on one cheek, turn to him the other also. If someone takes your cloak, do not stop him from taking your tunic.
Matthew 5:43-44 "You have heard that it was said, `Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,
Luke 6:31-32 Do to others as you would have them do to you. "If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even `sinners' love those who love them.

The ethic of love has been reduced in John from love of neighbor or enemy to concern within the Christian community.
13:34-35 "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."
15:12-13 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
15:17 This is my command: Love each other.

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