An Analysis of the Distinctiveness of the Fourth Gospel, with Special Reference to the Synoptic Gospels (original) (raw)
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The Four Gospels present four distinct accounts of the life of Jesus based on the writer’s experience and his audience. Matthew, Mark and Luke are called the Synoptic Gospels based on their similarities though as we see their are distinctives of each book. The Gospel of John stands alone as a unique gospel account as a later account that according to Eusebius, “John set out to write a spiritual Gospel focusing on Jesus' transcendence as Lord and the very Word of God made manifest in the world” (Schaff & Wace (Eds.), 1890, Eusebius XIV:7). The Four Gospels show us four distinct ways of presenting the gospel message based on different audiences with differing cultures, Biblical knowledge and relation to the Jewish People that can be instructive to us as we present the Gospel today to like the Gospel writers to present a message that is culturally relevant to our hearers.
The Relationship between John and the Synoptic Gospels
Since the beginning of the modern era, scholars have debated everything from the authorship of the fourth gospel to its purpose. Not uncommon among these debates has been that concerning the relationship between this gospel and the synoptic gospels. As D. M. Smith has noted, this particular debate stretches far back into history:
Reading John's Gospel as a Theodramatic Preview of Coming Attractions
In: Hearing and Doing the Word, 2021
As widely (though not universally) agreed and as assumed here, Mark wrote his Gospel first, Matthew second, Luke third, John last of all; and these evangelists pick up the story of Jesus at successively earlier points: Mark at John the Baptist's introduction of Jesus onto the public stage; Matthew at Jesus's birth; Luke at the prior birth of John the Baptist; and John the evangelist at the beginning, prior even to creation. John's starting at an earlier point than all the rest sets the stage for an analogous dating of events earlier than they occur in the synoptic Gospels: According to Matthew and Mark, Jesus described his coming death as a sacrifice not until he had passed the midpoint of his public ministry, and did so only in private to his disciples: "even to give his life as a ransom in substitution for many" (Mk. 10:45; Mt. 20:28). In John's Gospel Jesus is publicly proclaimed to be a sacrifice already by the Baptist: "Look! The lamb of God that takes away the world's sin!" (1:29, 36). In Mark, no human being recognizes and declares the divine sonship of Jesus till his death-and then only, though importantly, on the part of a centurion: "Truly this human being was God's Son" (Mk. 15:39; similarly Mt. 27:54 with the addition of the centurion's fellow guardsmen). But in Matthew, eleven of the twelve disciples recognize and declare it on their own
The Relationship Between John and the Synoptic Gospels Revisited
Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, 2023
In a 1998 JETS article, James Dvorak examined scholarly perspectives on the relationship between John's Gospel and the Synoptic Gospels. Since then, significant shifts in interpretation on this question merit a re-examination. In 1998, the perspective of most scholars reflected the long-held consensus throughout the twentieth century that John's Gospel was independent and separate from the Synoptics. Recent decades, however, have seen an increased openness to a closer relationship between them, especially with Mark but also with Luke and Matthew. In his evaluation of the relationship, Dvorak opted for a mediating position between independence and dependence. The present article examines trends in scholarship over the last twenty-five years, evaluating whether a relationship closer to dependence (especially on Mark) has more explanatory power than independence or a mediating position.
The Distinctive Testimonies of the Four Gospels
Religious Educator, 2007
Dating, authorship, and provenance. Most scholars date the Gospel of Mark to the time of the Jewish War (c. AD 66-73). This dating is due, in part, to the Savior's reference to the destruction of Herod's Temple (see Mark 13:2) that occurred in AD 70. For scholars who do not accept the possibility of prophecy, Mark's Gospel could not have been written before that event. But as Joel Marcus has concluded, "In favor of a pre-70 dating is the probability that Jesus actually prophesied the Temple's destruction, as did other Jewish prophets down through the centuries;. .. a prophecy of its end, therefore, would not require a post-70 date." 11 Some early Christian traditions claim that Mark wrote his Gospel around the time of the death of Peter, which occurred in Rome in AD 64 or 65. 12 Mark is often identified with "John, whose surname was Mark," the missionary companion of Paul during the Apostle's first mission (Acts 12:25). According to the book of Acts, John Mark left that mission early to return to Jerusalem (see Acts 13:13). The cause for John Mark's early departure is unknown, but it later caused a temporary rift between Barnabas and Paul when, in preparation for their second mission, Barnabas wanted to bring along John Mark but Paul refused (see Acts 15:37-38). Whatever the reason, later tradition claims that Mark continued faithful in the gospel. Papias preserved the following information concerning Mark's later relationship with Peter: "Mark became Peter's interpreter and wrote down accurately, but not in order, all that [Peter] remembered of the things said and done by the Lord. For [Mark] had not heard the Lord or been one of his followers, but later, as I said, a follower of Peter. Peter used to teach as the occasion demanded, without giving systematic arrangement to the Lord's sayings." 13 If this tradition is accurate, Mark did not actually witness the events he included in his Gospel but rather wrote down the things he heard Peter teach about the Savior's ministry. The importance, therefore, of Mark's Gospel is that it may record the memories of the leader of the fledgling post-resurrection Church. Internal evidence strongly suggests that the Gospel of Mark was written for a Gentile, or non-Jewish, audience. For example, Mark interprets Aramaic phrases for his readers, such as "Talitha cumi" (Mark 5:41) and "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?" (Mark 15:34). Mark also explains Jewish customs and ideas. 14 If Mark's audience were Jewish and spoke Aramaic, there would be no need for such explanations. Significantly, Matthew, who was indeed writing to a Jewish audience, omits Mark's explanations of these Jewish concepts in his Gospel. 15 The Distinctive Testimonies of the Four Gospels
Festschrift, 2022
Truth is one of the major themes in the Gospel according to John. It is neither a theological theme in the proclamation of Jesus nor does it play any role in the theological development of the Synoptic Gospels. It does not mean that the concept of truth is completely absent in the Synoptic Gospels. A survey of truth terminology reveal that the Synoptic Gospels contain all the four words that the New Testament uses to describe the language of truth: alētheia, alēthēs, alēthōs, and alēthinos and they occur eighteen times. These words are used to indicate the correct perception of reality and tell the truth without concealing anything. Overall, the idea of truth described by these words in the Synoptic Gospels seem to be one of accuracy and genuineness in stark contrast to all forms of inconsistency and falsehood. The Synoptic Gospels also demonstrate the sense of truth very powerfully in the words and deeds of Jesus. In contrast to the inconsistent and hypocritical attitude of the Scribes and Pharisees, Jesus’s words are consistent with his actions.