The Four Gospels & The URANTIA Book

Compiled by Royce Russell

October, 1991

The Gospels were written to awaken and strengthen faith in Christ and to answer objections and misconceptions about Him. They were also designed to guide believers into a fuller understanding of His person and power. As Christianity spread beyond Palestine, the oral testimony of the apostles was no longer adequate. Their message was multiplied and preserved through the medium of the written word.

Matthew, Mark, and Luke are known as the synoptic Gospels. The Greek word synoptikos means “seeing together,” and it is an appropriate description of these gospels because of their similar characteristics, especially in contrast to John, the supplemental gospel.

The following charts were derived from the book Talk Thru the Bible.

	Matthew	Mark	Luke	John
Nationality	Jew	Jew/Roman	Greek	Jew
Home Town	Capernaum	Jerusalem	Antioch	Bethsaida or Capernaum
Occupation	Tax Collector	Missionary	Physician	Fisherman
Relationships	Apostle of Jesus	Disciple of Peter	Disciple of Peter	Apostle of Jesus
Chapters Written	28	16	52	30
Verses Written	1,071	678	2,158	1,414
Books Written	Gospel of Matthew	Gospel of Mark	Gospel of Luke and Acts	Gospel of John 1 John 2 John 3 John Revelation

Topics	Matthew	Mark	Luke	John
Probable Date	AD 58-68	AD 55-65	AD 60-68	AD 80-90
Place of Writing	Syrian Antioch or Palestine	Rome	Rome/Greece	Ephesus
Original Audience	Jewish Mind (Religious)	Roman Mind (Pragmatic)	Greek Mind (Idealistic	Universal
Christ Portrayed as	Prophesied Messiah-King	Obedient Servant-Redeemer	Perfect Man	Son of God
Traditional Picture of Christ (cf Ezek. 1:10; Rev. 4:6-8)	The Lion (strength, authority)	The Bull (service, power)	The Man (wisdom, character)	The Eagle (deity, person)
Key Word	“fulfilled”	“immediately”	“Son of Man”	“believe
Key Verse	21:5	10:45	19:10	20:31
Outstanding Feature	Sermons	Miracles	Parables	Allegories
Arrangement of Material	Topical	Chronological	Chronological	Topical
Tone	Prophetic	Practical	Historical	Spiritual
Percent Spoken by Christ	60%	42%	50%	50%
Quotations from Old Testament	53	36	25	20
Allusions to Old Testament	76	27	42	105

Topics	Synoptics (Matthew, Mark, Luke)	John
Portrait of Christ	God-man	God-man
Perspective	Historical	Theological
Unique Material	Less unique (Matthew, 42%; Mark, 7%; Luke 59%)	More unique (92%)
Chronology	Only one Passover mentioned	Three or four Passovers mentioned
Geography	Concentrate on Galilean ministry	Concentrates on Judean ministry
Discourse Material	More Public	More Private
Teaching Method	Parables	Allegories
Teaching Emphasis	More on ethical, practical teachings	More on the person of Christ
Relationship to Other Gospels	Complementary	Supplementary
Broad Division	Humanity of Christ	Deity of Christ

Matthew

The Old Testament prophets predicted and longed for the coming of the Anointed One who would enter history to bring redemption and deliverance. The first verse of Matthew announces that long-awaited event: “The book of genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham.” Matthew provides the essential bridge between the Old and New Testaments. Through a carefully selected series of Old Testament quotations, Matthew documents Jesus Christ’s claim to be Messiah. Jesus possesses the credentials of Messiah, ministers in the predicted pattern of Messiah, preaches messages only Messiah could preach, and finally dies the death only Messiah could die.

FOCUS	Offer of the King Matthew 1:1 thru 11:1			Rejection of the King Matthew 11:2 thru 28:20
DIVISIONS	Presentation of the King (1:1 – 4:11)	Proclamation of the King (4:12 – 7:29)	Power of the King (8:1-11:1)	Progressive Rejection of the King (11:2-16:12)	Preparation of the King’s Disciples (16:13-20:28)	Presentation and Rejection of the King (20:29-27:66)	Proof of the King (28:1-28:20)
TOPICS	Teaching the Throngs				Teaching the Twelve
	Topical			Chronological
PLACE	Bethlehem & Nazareth	Galilee			Judea
TIME	c. 4 BC – AD 33

Mark

Mark, the shortest and simplest of the four Gospels, gives a crisp and fast-moving account of the life of Christ. With few comments, Mark lets the narrative speak for itself as it tells the story of the Servant who is constantly on the move preaching, healing, teaching and finally dying for sinful men. A ministry that begins with the masses soon narrows to the twelve disciples, and finally culminates on the cross. There the Servant who ‘did not come to be served, but to serve’ makes the supreme sacrifice of servanthood by giving ‘His life a ransom for many’ (10:45). And that pattern of selfless service becomes the model for those who follow in the Servant’s steps.

FOCUS	To Serve (Mark 1:1 – 10:52)			To Sacrifice (Mark 11:1 – 16:20)
DIVISIONS	Presentation of the Servant (1:1 – 2:12)	Opposition To Servant (2:13-8:26)	Instruction By the Servant (8:27-10:52)	Rejection Of the Servant (11:1-15:47)	Resurrection Of the Servant (16:1-16:20)
TOPICS	Sayings and Signs			Suffering
PLACE	Galilee and Perea			Judea and Jerusalem
TIME	c. 3 Years		c. 6 Months	8 Days
	c. AD 29-33

Luke

Luke, a gentile physician, builds his gospel narrative around a historical, chronological presentation of Jesus’ life. Luke’s gospel is the longest and most comprehensive of the four Gospels, presenting Jesus Christ as the Perfect Man who came to seek and save sinful men. Growing belief and growing opposition develop side by side. Those who believe His claims are challenged to count the cost of discipleship; those who oppose Him will not be satisfied until the Son of Man hangs lifeless on a cross. But the Resurrection insures that His ministry of seeking and saving the lost will continue in the person of His disciples once they have been equipped with His power.

FOCUS		Introduction of Son of Man (Luke 1:1–4:13)	Ministry of Son of Man (Luke 4:14-9:50)	Rejection of Son of Man (Luke 9:51-19:27)	Crucifixion and Resurrection of Son of Man (Luke 19;28-24:53)
DIVISIONS	Advent (1:1-4:13)		Activities (4:14-9:50)	Antagonism and Admonition (9:51-19:27)	Application and Authentication (19:28-24:53)
TOPICS	Seeking the Lost				Saving the Lost
	Miracles Prominent			Teaching Prominent
PLACE	Israel		Galilee	Israel	Jerusalem
TIME	c. 4 BC – AD 33

John

The Gospel of John is a gospel apart. Matthew, Mark, and Luke are called the synoptic gospels because, despite their individual emphases, they describe many of the same events in the life of Jesus of Nazareth. John draws mainly upon events and discourses not found in the other gospels to prove to his readers that Jesus is God in the flesh, the eternal Word come to earth, born to die as God’s sacrifice for human sin. Seven miraculous signs prove that “Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name” (20:31). No finer gospel tract has ever been penned than John’s inspired account of Christ’s life, death and resurrection.

FOCUS	Incarnation of the Son of God (John 1:1-1:18)	Presentation of the Son of God (John 1:19-4;54)	Opposition to the Son of God (John 5:1-12:50)	Preparation of the Son’s Disciples (John 13:1-17:26)	Crucifixion and Resurrection of the Son of God (John 18:1-21:25)
DIVISIONS	Introduction to Christ (1:1-1:18)	Revelation of Christ (1:19-4:54)	Rejection of Christ (5:1-12:50)	Revelation from Christ (13:1-17:26)	Rejection of Christ (18:1-21:25)
TOPICS	Seven Miracles			Upper Room Discourse	Supreme Miracle
	That You May Believe			Than You May Have Life
PLACE	Israel
TIME	A Few Years			A Few Hours	A Few Weeks

The Miracles of Jesus Christ

Comparison of New Testament and Urantia Book Citations

Miracle	Matthew	Mark	Luke	John	The URANTIA Book (page)
1. Cleansing a Leper	8:2