It is important to read the Gospels on their own terms, following the progress of each narrative from introduction to conflict, to climax, to resolution. Reading this way has been called reading vertically, following the story from top to bottom—that is, from beginning to end. The alternative to such a vertical reading is a harmonistic approach, which brings the four gospels together as one story. The danger of a harmony is that it risks distorting or obscuring each gospel’s inspired and unique presentation.
