English
Português
Español
Français
Answer
Here are some reasons why God gave four Gospels instead of just one:
1) To provide a more comprehensive view of Christ. While the entire Bible is inspired by God “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:”, (2 Timothy 3:16), He utilized human authors with diverse backgrounds and personalities to fulfill His purposes through their writings. Each of the gospel writers had a specific intention behind their gospel and in fulfilling those intentions, each highlighted different aspects of the person and ministry of Jesus Christ.
Matthew wrote to a Hebrew audience, and one of his aims was to demonstrate from Jesus’ genealogy and the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies that He was the long-awaited Messiah, and therefore should be trusted. Matthew’s focus is on Jesus as the promised King, the “Son of David,” who would reign eternally on the throne of Israel (Matthew 9:27;Matthew 21:9).
Mark, a relative of Barnabas “Aristarchus my fellowprisoner saluteth you, and Marcus, sister’s son to Barnabas, (touching whom ye received commandments: if he come unto you, receive him;)”, (Colossians 4:10), was an eyewitness to the events in Christ’s life and also a companion of the apostle Peter. Mark wrote for a Gentile audience, as evidenced by his exclusion of elements significant to Jewish readers (such as genealogies and Christ’s controversies with).
Among the Jewish leaders of His day, there are frequent references to the Old Testament. Mark emphasizes Christ as the suffering Servant, the One who came not to be served but to serve and give His life as a ransom for many: “For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.”, (Mark 10:45).
Luke, the “beloved physician” “Luke, the beloved physician, and Demas, greet you.”, (Colossians 4:14 KJV), evangelist, and companion of the apostle Paul, wrote both the gospel of Luke and the Acts of the apostles. Luke is the only Gentile author of the New Testament. He has long been accepted as a diligent master historian by those who have used his writings in genealogical and historical studies. As a historian, he states that it is his intent to write down an orderly account of the life of Christ based on the reports of those who were eyewitnesses (Luke 1:1-4). Because he specifically wrote for the benefit of Theophilus, apparently a Gentile of some stature, his gospel was composed with a Gentile audience in mind, and his intent is to show that a Christian’s faith is based upon historically reliable and verifiable events. Luke often refers to Christ as the “Son of Man,” emphasizing His humanity, and he shares many details that are not found in the other gospel accounts.
The gospel of John, written by John the apostle, is distinct from the other three Gospels and contains much theological content regarding the person of Christ and the meaning of faith. Matthew, Mark, and Luke are referred to as the “Synoptic Gospels” because of their similar styles and content and because they give a synopsis of the life of Christ. The gospel of John begins not with Jesus’ birth or earthly ministry but with the activity and…Characteristics of the Son of God before He became man «And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. », (John 1:14). The gospel of John emphasizes the deity of Christ, as is seen in his use of such phrases as “the Word was God” «In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. », (John 1:1), “the Savior of the World” «and said unto the woman, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world. », (John 4:42), the “Son of God” (used repeatedly), and “Lord and…God” «And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. », (John 20:28). In John’s gospel, Jesus also affirms His deity with several “I Am” statements; most notable among them is John 8:58, in which He states that “…before Abraham was, I Am” (compare to Exodus 3:13-14). But John also emphasizes the fact of Jesus’ humanity, desiring to show the error of a religious sect of his day, the Gnostics, who did not believe in Christ’s humanity. John’s gospel spells out his overall purpose for writing: “Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 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” (John 20:30-31).
Thus, in having four distinct and yet equally accurate accounts, the Bible provides a comprehensive view of the life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
When we study the four Gospels’ accounts of Christ, various aspects of His person and ministry are unveiled. Each narrative acts as a distinct-colored thread in a tapestry woven together to create a more comprehensive image of this indescribable One. Although we may never fully comprehend everything about Jesus Christ «And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: », (John 20:30), through the four Gospels, we can grasp enough about Him to recognize who He is and what He has accomplished for us, allowing us to have life through faith in Him.
2) To enable us to objectively verify the truthfulness of their accounts. The Bible, since ancient times, stipulates that a judgment in a court of law should not be rendered against an individual solely based on the testimony of a single eyewitness; instead, two or three witnesses at a minimum were required «One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established. », (Deuteronomy 19:15). Similarly, having diverse accounts of the person and earthly ministry of Jesus Christ allows us to evaluate the accuracy of the information we possess about Him.
Simon Greenleaf, a renowned and respected authority on what constitutes reliable evidence in a court of law, scrutinized the four Gospels from a legal standpoint. He observed that the type of eyewitness testimonies presented in the four Gospels—accounts that harmonize, yet with each writer opting to exclude or include distinct details not found in the others—is characteristic of credible, independent sources that would be deemed strong evidence in a court of law. If the Gospels had contained precisely the same information with identical details narrated from the same viewpoint, it would suggest collusion, implying that there had been.Having been a time when the writers gathered beforehand to “coordinate their stories” to enhance the credibility of their writings. The distinctions among the Gospels, even the apparent discrepancies in details at first glance, indicate the independent nature of the writings. Therefore, the distinctiveness of the four Gospel narratives, concurring in their information but varying in perspective, level of detail, and the events documented, suggest that the account we possess of Christ’s life and ministry as depicted in the Gospels is factual and trustworthy.
3) To reward those who diligently seek. Much can be acquired through an individual examination of each of the Gospels. However, even more can be obtained by comparing and contrasting the diverse narrations of specific events from Jesus’ ministry. For example, in Matthew 14, we encounter the story of the feeding of the 5000 and Jesus walking on water. In Matthew 14:22, it is mentioned that “Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd.” One might wonder, why did He do this? Matthew’s account does not provide an apparent reason. Yet, when we combine it with the narrative in Mark 6, we realize that the disciples had returned from expelling demons and healing people by the authority He had bestowed upon them when He sent them out two by two. However, they came back with inflated egos, forgetting their position and now prepared to instruct Him “And when it was evening, his disciples came to him, saying, This is a desert place, and the time is now past; send the multitude away, that they may go into the villages, and buy themselves victuals.”, (Matthew 14:15). Therefore, by sending them off in the evening to cross to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, Jesus reveals two things to them. As they battle against the wind and waves in their self-reliance until the early hours of the morning (Mark 6:48-50), they begin to realize that 1) they cannot accomplish anything for God by themselves and 2) everything is achievable when they seek Him and rely on His strength. There are numerous verses with comparable “treasures” waiting to be discovered by the dedicated student of God’s Word who invests time in comparing Scripture with Scripture.
