The Gospels Synopsis and TImeline Part 6

We are studying the synopsis of the four Gospels.

20. Jesus is Tempted

Jesus’s detailed temptation is only found in Matthew and Luke wereas Mark only mentions Jesus was tempted for 40 days. John doesn’t mention the temptation of Jesus but does mention angles going up and down on the Son of man.

Let’s compare the versions of Matthew and Luke, what differences do you see?

21. The Call of the First Disciples

Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke):

Focus:These Gospels portray Jesus actively calling his disciples, often at the Sea of Galilee, to follow him and become "fishers of men".

Examples:

In Matthew, Jesus calls Simon Peter and Andrew (and later James and John) from their work as fishermen.

In Mark, the call to Simon Peter and Andrew is also described, alongside James and John.

In Luke, the call is similar, but also includes a miracle of a large fish catch as part of the event. 

John's Gospel:

Focus:John presents a different narrative, emphasizing the initial recognition of Jesus by individuals like John the Baptist's disciples and Andrew (and likely John himself).

Examples:

John records Andrew and another disciple (likely John) following Jesus, who is presented as the Messiah.

Andrew then finds his brother Simon Peter and says "we have found the Messiah," and Simon Peter is then introduced to Jesus.

John mentions Jesus' encounters with Philip and Nathanael (also known as Bartholomew). 

Key Differences & Possible Harmonization:

Different Contexts: Some scholars suggest that the synoptics and John are describing different points in Jesus' ministry, with John focusing on the beginning and the synoptics focusing on the later stages of his ministry.

Focus on Identity: John emphasizes the divine identity of Jesus as the Messiah, while the synoptics focus on Jesus as the Son of God and the king who will redeem his people.

Order of Disciples: There are differences in the order in which the disciples are named and called in the Synoptic Gospels and John's Gospel.

Some Scholars believe that John and the Synoptics are not contradictory, but rather offer different perspectives and details of the same events.

Harmonization Suggests: that the disciples were initially called by John, and that Jesus later recalled them to service, as the Synoptics narrate. 

22. The Marriage at Cana

Only John Records this event.

23. The Sojourn at Capernaum

Only John Records this event.

24. The First Journey to Jerusalem

Only John Records this event.

25. The Cleansing of the Temple

Matthew 21:12-13, Mark 11:15-17, Luke 19:45-46. John 2:14-22.

Where are these events located in the text?

How often did Jesus go to Jerusalem?

One of the obvious differences in chronology between John’s gospel and the ‘Synoptics’ (Matthew, Mark and Luke) is that John gives an account of Jesus in Jerusalem on four different occasions, two during a Passover (John 2.13, 12.12), one during an unnamed festival (John 5.1) and one at Hannukah (John 10.22). (The third Passover is mentioned in relation to the feeding of the 5,000 in John 6.4). The Synoptics instead present Jesus in Jerusalem only in the final days of his ministry, and include the cleansing of the temple episode in this period; it is this which provokes opposition to Jesus and leads to his execution.

John’s account actually explains a number of features of the Synoptics which are otherwise hard to account for.

Why is there early opposition to Jesus’ ministry in Galilee from the Jerusalem leaders? Because they have met him already when he had visited the city.

How is it that the Jewish leadership in Jerusalem are already so hostile when Jesus arrives, if Palm Sunday was his first visit? If John is right, then they have already encountered him numerous times.

How can Jesus say in Mark 14.49 ‘Every day I was with you, teaching in the temple courts, and you did not arrest me’? if he has only been doing that earlier in the week? Because, according to John, this has been his habit (see e.g. John 10.22–23)

How could Jesus have made the clandestine arrangements for the Passover in Mark 14.12–16(and parallels)? Because he has visited numerous times, and has friends who live there.

This ties in with other points at with John and Mark interlock with one another:

How did Peter gain entrance to the High Priest’s courtyard (Mark 14.45)? Because John alone tells us another disciple who was with Peter was well known there (John 18.15–16).

Why was Jesus charged at his trial with threatening to destroy the temple (Mark 14.58–59)? Because of his saying earlier in his ministry (John 2.19)

Why did the Jewish leaders send Jesus to Pilate (Mark 15.1–3)? John alone tells us that they were not permitted to carry out the death sentence (John 18.31)

So if we want a chronology of Jesus’ ministry, then we need to look to Mark and the ‘corrections’ to that in John. In Matthew and Luke, the material is arranged much more by theme, not least in Matthew’s gathering of Jesus’ teaching into five blocks. So when reading or preaching on these gospels, we need to look at the thematic and theological connections with surrounding material, rather than assuming these gospel writers are making a point about chronology.

26. Jesus’ First Ministry in Jerusalem

Only John Records this event.

27.. Jesus’ Discourse with Nicodemus

Only John Records this event.

28. Jesus’ Ministry in Judea

Only John Records this event.

29. John’s Testimony to Christ

Only John Records this event.