The Fourfold Gospel

a four gospel synoptic parallel

Based on work by Alexander Campbell
(Adapted from http://www.bible.ca/b-four-gospel-synoptic.htm 6/8/15 )

The story of the life and ministry of Jesus is told in the Gospel accounts from four different perspectives. Luke's account the story is actually continued in the book of Acts which also begins the history of the Church. There are references to the narrative in the epistles. Over the centuries men have tried to combine these views into a single narrative. This is an example of one such effort, with my version still evolving. Because the Gospels do not have all events in the life of Jesus, or even the events in the same order or tell the story in exactly the same way it is sometimes difficult to tell whether the different gospel reports are of the same event. (As with the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew and the Sermon on the Plain in Luke.)

This table is helpful to find parallel accounts in the various Gospels but it should be noted that many of the details of the outline are more a matter of opinion than hard fact. Still it is useful to compare what can be found in the different gospel accounts.

				Matthew	Mark	Luke	John
I	The Period of Christ's Life Prior to His Ministry
	1.	Luke's Preface and Dedication				1:1-4
	2.	John's Introduction - The Genealogy of the Son of God					1:1-18
	3.	Genealogy of Jesus According to Matthew - Royal line through Joseph		1:1-17
	4.	Genealogy According to Luke - Human line through Mary				3:23-38
	5.	Annunciation to Zacharias of the Birth of John the Baptist				1:5-25
	6.	The Annunciation (to Mary of the Birth of Jesus)				1:26-38
	7.	Mary, Future Mother of Jesus, Visits Elisabeth, Future Mother of John the Baptist				1:39-56
	8.	The Birth and Early Life of John the Baptist				1:57-80
	9.	The announcement to Joseph of the Birth of Jesus		1:18-25
	10.	The Birth of Jesus				2:1-7
	11.	The Birth of Jesus Proclaimed by Angels to the Shepherds				2:8-20
	12.	Circumcision, Temple Service, and Naming of Jesus				2:21-39
	13.	Eastern Wise-Men or Magi Visit Jesus, the New-born King		2:1-12
	14.	Flight into Egypt and Slaughter of the Bethlehem Children		2:13-18
	15.	The Child Jesus Brought from Egypt to Nazareth		2:19-23		2:39
	16.	Jesus Living at Nazareth and Visiting Jerusalem in His Twelfth Year				2:40-52
II	Beginning of the Ministry of John the Baptist, the Forerunner
	1.	John the Baptist's Person and Preaching		3:1-12	1:1-8	3:1-18
	2.	John's First Testimony to Jesus					1:19-34
III	Beginning of Our Lord's Ministry
	1.	Jesus Baptized by John in the Jordan		3:13-17	1:9-11	3:21,22
	2.	Jesus Tempted in the Wilderness		4:1-11	1:12,13	4:1-13
	3.	Jesus Makes His First Disciples					1:35-51
	4.	Jesus Works His First Miracle at Cana in Galilee					2:1-11
	5.	Jesus' First Residence at Capernaum					2:12
IV	From the First to the Second Passover
	1.	Jesus Attends the First Passover of His Ministry
		A.	Jesus Cleanses the Temple				2:13-25
		B.	Jesus Talks with Nicodemus				3:1-21
	2.	First Ministry in Judea--John's Second Testimony					3:22-36
	3.	Jesus Sets out from Judea to Galilee
		A.	Reasons for Retiring to Galilee	4:12	1:14	3:19,20	4:1-4
		B.	The Samaritan Woman at Jacob's Well				4:5-42
		C.	Arrival in Galilee			4:14	4:43-45
	4.	General Account of Jesus' Teaching		4:17	1:14,15	4:14,15
	5.	The Second Miracle at Cana					4:46-54
	6.	Jesus' Temporary Residence at Capernaum		4:13-16
	7.	Jesus Calls Four Fishermen to Follow Him		4:18-22	1:16-20	5:1-11
	8.	Healing a Posessed Man in a Synagogue			1:21-28	4:31-37
	9.	Healing Peter's Mother-in-Law and Many Others		8:14-17	1:29:34	4:38-41
	10.	Jesus Makes a Preaching Tour Through Galilee		4:23-25	1:35-39	4:42-44
	11.	Jesus Heals a Leper and Creates Much Excitement		8:2-4	1-40-45	5:12-16
	12.	Jesus Heals a Paralytic at Capernaum		9:2-8	2:1-12	5:17-26
	13.	The Call of Matthew		9:9	2:13,14	5:27,28
V	From Second Passover Until Third.
	1.	Jesus Heals on the Sabbath Day and Defends His Act					5:1-47
	2.	Jesus Defends Disciples Who Pluck Grain on the Sabbath		12:1-8	2:23-28	6:1-5
	3.	Jesus Defends Healing a Withered Hand on the Sabbath		12:9-14	3:1-6	6:6-11
	4.	Jesus Heals Multitudes Beside the Sea of Galilee		12:13-21	3:7-12
	5.	After Prayer Jesus Selects Twelve Apostles		10:2-4	3:13-19	6:12-16
	6.	The Sermon on the Mount and the Sermon on the Plain*
		A.	Introduction	5:1-2		6:17-20
		B.	Beatitudes: Promises to Messiah's Subjects	5:3-12		6:20-26
		C.	Influence and Duties of Messiah's Subjects	5:13-16
		D.	Messianic Teaching to Traditional Teaching	5:17-48		6:27-30, 32-36
		E.	Alms-giving, Prayer and Fasting to Be Performed Sincerely, Not Ostentatiously	6:1-18
		F.	Security of Heavenly Treasures Contrasted with Earthly Anxieties	6:19-34
		G.	Law Concerning Judging	7:1-6		6:37-42
		H.	Concerning Prayer	7:7-11
		I.	The Golden Rule	7:12		6:31
		J.	The Two Ways and the False Prophets	7:13-23		6:43-45
		K.	Conclusion and Application: Two Builders	7:24-29		6:46-49
	7.	Healing the Centurion's Servant		8:1,5-13		7:1-10
	8.	Jesus Raises the Widow's Son				7:11-17
	9.	John the Baptist's Inquiry and Jesus' Answer		11:2-30		7:18-35
	10.	Jesus' Feet Anointed in the House of a Pharisee				7:36-50
	11.	Further Journeying About Galilee				8:1-3
	12.	Blasphemous Accusations of the Jews		12:22-37	3:19-30	11:14-23
	13.	Sign Seekers, and the Enthusiast Reproved		12:38-50		11:24-36
	14.	Christ's Teaching as to His Mother and Brethren		12:46-50	3:31-35	8:19-21
	15.	Dining with a Pharisee, Jesus Denounces That Sect				11:37-54
	16.	Concerning Hypocrisy, Worldly Anxiety, Watchfulness and His Approaching Passion				12:1-59
	17.	Parable of the Barren Fig-Tree				13:1-9
	18.	The First Great Group of Parables - Kingdom Parables or the Mystery Parable Discourse (Matthew 13)
		A.	Introduction	13:1-3	4:1,2	8:4
		B.	Parable of the Sower	13:3-23	4:3-25	8:5-18
		C.	Parable of the Seed Growing of Itself		4:26-29
		D.	The Parable of the Weeds	13:24-30
		E.	Parables of the Mustard Seed and Leaven	13:31-35	4:30-34
		F.	The Parable of the Weeds Explained	13:36-43
		G.	Parables of Treasure, Pearl and Net	13:44-53
	19.	Jesus Calms the Storm		8:18-27	4:35-41	8:22-25
	20.	Jesus Heals Two Gergesene Demoniacs		8:28-34; 9:1	5:1-21	8:26-40
	21.	Matthew's Feast. Discourse on Fasting		9:10-17	2:15-22	5:29-39
	22.	Jairus' Daughter and the Invalid Woman		9:18-26	5:22-43	8:41-56
	23.	Healing Blind Men and a Dumb Demoniac		9:27-34
	24.	Jesus Visits Nazareth and is Rejected		13:54-58	6:1-6	4:16:31
	25.	Third Circuit of Galilee. The Twelve Instructed and Sent Forth		9:35-38; 10:1, 5:4, 11:1	6:6-13	6:6-13
	26.	Herod Antipas Supposes Jesus To Be John		14:1-12	6:14-29	9:7-9
	27.	First Withdrawal from Herod's Territory and Return
		A.	Return of the Twelve and Retirement to the East Shore of Galilee	14:13	6:30-32	9:10	6:1
		B.	Feeding the Five Thousand	14:13-21	6:33-44	9:11-17	6:2-14
		C.	The Twelve Try to Row Back. Jesus Walks Upon the Water	14:22-36	6:45-56		6:15-21
	28.	Discourse on Spiritual Food and True Discipleship. Peter's Confession					6:22-71
VI	From the Third Passover Until Our Lord's Arrival at Bethany
	1.	Jesus Fails to Attend the Third Passover					7:1
	2.	That Which Defiles		15:1-20	7:1-23
	3.	Second Withdrawal from Herod's Territory		15:21	7:24
	4.	Healing a Canaanite/Phoenician Woman's Daughter**		15:22-28	7:25-30
	5.	Another Avoiding of Herod's Territory		15:29	8:31
	6.	The Deaf Stammerer Healed and Four Thousand Fed		15:30-38	8:32-9:9
	7.	Third Withdrawal from Herod's Territory
		A.	Pharisaic Leaven. A Blind Man Healed	15:39- 16:12	8:10-26
		B.	The Great Confession Made by Peter	16:13-20	8:27-30	9:18-21
		C.	Jesus Predicts His Death. Peter Rebuked	16:21-28	8:31-39; 9:1	9:22-27
		D.	The Transfiguration	17:1-13	9:2-13	9:28-36
		E.	Healing the Demoniac Boy	17:14-20	9:14-29	9:37-43
	8.	Return to Galilee. The Passion Foretold		17:22,23	9:30-32	9:43-45
	9.	Jesus Pays the Tribute Money		17:24-27
	10.	False Ambition Versus Child-likeness		18:1-14	9:33-50	9:46-50
	11.	Sin and Forgiveness Between Brothers		18:15-35
	12.	Jesus' Brothers Advise Him to Go to Judea					7:2-9
	13.	The Private Journey to Jerusalem				9:51-56	7:10
	14.	As to Sacrifice for Christ's Service				9:57-62
	15.	In the Temple at the Feast of Tabernacles					7:11-52
	16.	The Story of the Adulteress					7:53- 8-11
	17.	Messianic Claims Met by Attempt to Stone Jesus					8:12-59
	18.	Contention Over the Man Born Blind					9:1-41
	19.	Discourse on the Good Shepherd					10:1-21
	20.	Mission and Return of the Seventy				10:1-24
	21.	Parable of the Good Samaritan				10:25-37
	22.	Jesus the Guest of Martha and Mary				10:38-42
	23.	Prayer Taught and Encouraged				11:1-13
	24.	Sabbath Healing. Mustard Seed and Leaven				13:10-21
	25.	Feast of Dedication. The Jews Attempt to Stone Jesus and He Retires to Peraea					10:22-42
	26.	The Strait Gate. Warned Against Herod				13:22-35
	27.	Dining with a Pharisee. Sabbath Healing and Three Lessons Suggested by the Event				14:1-24
	28.	Cost of Discipleship Must Be Counted				14:25-35
	29.	Second Great Group of Parables -
		A.	Introduction			15:1,2
		B.	Parable of the Lost Sheep			15:3-7
		C.	Parable of the Lost Coin			15:8-10
		D.	Parable of the Lost Son			15:11-32
		E.	Parable of the Unrighteous Steward			16:1-18
		F.	Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus			16:19-31
		G.	Concerning Offenses, Faith and Service			17:1-10
	30.	Peraea to Bethany. Raising of Lazarus					11:1-46
	31.	Retiring Before the Sanhedrin's Decree					11:47-54
	32.	Journey to Jerusalem. Ten Lepers. Concerning the Kingdom				17:11-37
	33.	Parable of the Persistent Widow				18:1-8
	34.	Parable of the Pharisee and Publican				18:9-14
	35.	Journey to Jerusalem. Concerning Divorce		19:1-12	10:1-12
	36.	Blessing Children. Concerning Child-likeness		19:13-15	10:13-16	18:15-17
	37.	The Rich Ruler. Peril of Riches. Reward of Sacrifice. Parable of the Laborers in the Vineyard		19:16- 20:16	10:17-31	18:18-20
	38.	Foretelling His Passion. Rebuking Ambition		20:17-28	10:32-45	18:31-34
	39.	Bartimaeus and His Companion Healed		20:29-34	10:46-52	18:35-43
	40.	Zacchaeus. The Parable of the Ten Minas. Journey to Jerusalem				19:1-28
VII	Last Week of Our Lord's Ministry. The Fourth Passover. The Crucifixion.
	1.	Jesus Arrives at Bethany		26:6-13	14:3-9		11:55-57
	2.	Jesus' Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem		21:1-12, 14-17	11:1-11	19:29-44	12:12-19
	3.	Barren/Cursed Fig-Trees. Temple Cleansed		21:18,19,12,13	11:12-18	19:45-48
	4.	Finding the Fig-Tree Withered		21:20-22	11:19-25	21:37,38
	5.	In Reply to the Questions as to His Authority (Third Great Group of Parables)
		A.	Introduction	21:23-27	11:27-33	20:1-8
		B.	Parable of the Two Sons	21:28-32
		C.	Parable of the Wicked Husbandmen	21:33-46	12:1-12	20:9-19
		D.	Parable of the Marriage of the King's Son	22:1-14
	6.	Jewish Rulers Seek to Ensnare Jesus
		A.	Pharisees and Herodians Ask About Tribute	22:15-22	12:13-17	20:20-26
		B.	Sadducees Ask About the Resurrection	22:23-33	12:18-27	20:27-39
		C.	A Lawyer Asks About the Great Commandment	22:34-40	12:28-34	20:40
		D.	Jesus' Question Which None Could Answer	22:41-46	12:35-37	20:41-44
	7.	Jesus' Last Public Discourse. Denunciation of Scribes and Pharisees		23:1-39	12:38-40	20:45-47
	8.	Observing the Offerings and Widow's Mites			12:41-44	21:1-4
	9.	Greeks Seek Jesus. He Foretells That He Shall Draw All Men unto Him					12:20-50
	10.	Destruction of Jerusalem Foretold		24:1-28	13:1-23	21:5-24
	11.	The Second Coming of Christ		24:29-51	13:24-37	21:25-37
	12.	Conclusion of Our Lord's Discourse. Parable of Virgins and Talents. Final Judgment.		25:1-46
	13.	Jesus Predicts, the Rulers Plot for and Judas Bargains for His Death		26:1-5, 14-16	14:1,2, 10,11	22:1-6
	14.	Preparation for Passover. Disciples Contend for Precedence		26:17-20	14:12-17	22:7-18, 24-30
	15.	At His final Passover, Jesus Washes the Disciples' Feet					13:1-20
	16.	Judas' Betrayal and Peter's Denial Foretold		26:21-25, 31-35	14:18-21, 27-31	22:21-23, 31-38	13:21-38
	17.	The Lord's Supper Instituted (I Cor. 11:23-26)		26:26-29	4:22-25	22:19,20
	18.	Farewell Discourse to Disciples					14:1- 16:33
	19.	The High Priestly Prayer					17:1-26
	20.	Going to Gethsemane/The Mount of Olives		26:30, 36-40	14:26, 32-42	22:39-46	18:1
	21.	Jesus Betrayed, Arrested and Forsaken		26:47-56	14:43-52	22:47-53	18:2-11
	22.	First Stage of Jewish Trial. Examination by Annas					18:12-14, 19-23
	23.	Second Stage of Jewish Trial. Jesus Condemned by Ciaphas and the Sanhedrin		26:57, 59-68	14:53, 55-65	22:54, 63-65	18:24
	24.	Peter Denies the Lord		26:58, 69-75	14:54, 66-72	22:54-62	18:15-18, 25-27
	25.	Third Stage of Jewish Trial. Jesus Formally Condemned by the Sanhedrin and Led to Pilate		27:1,2	15:1	22:66- 23:1	18.28
	26.	First Stage of the Roman Trial. (Jesus Before Pilate for the First Time)		27:11-14	15:2-5	23:2-5	18:28-38
	27.	Second Stage of the Roman Trial. Jesus Before Herod Antipas.				23:6-12
	28.	Third Stage of the Roman Trial - Pilate Reluctantly Sentences Him to Crucifixion		27:15-30	15:6-19	23:13-25	18:39- 19:16
	29.	Remorse and Suicide of Judas (Acts 1:18,19)		27:3-10
	30.	The Crucifixion
		A.	On the Way to the Cross	27:31-34	15:20-23	23:26-33	19:17
		B.	Jesus Crucified and Reviled. His Three Sayings During First Three Hours	27:35-44	15:24-32	23:33-43	19:18-27
		C.	Darkness Three Hours, After Four More Sayings, Jesus Expires. Strange Events Attending His Death	27:45-56	15:33-41	23:44-49	19:28-30
		D.	Jesus Found to Be Dead. His Body Buried and Guarded in the Tomb	27:57-66	16:42-47	23:50-56	19:31-42
VIII	Our Lord's Resurrection, Appearances and Ascension. Judea and Galilee. Time, Forty Days.
	1.	Angels Announce the Resurrection to Certain Women. Peter and John Enter the Empty Tomb		28:1-8	16:1-8	24:1-8, 12	20:1-10
	2.	First and Second Appearances of the Risen Christ. The Resurrection Reported to the Apostles		28:9,10	17:9-11	24:9-11	20:11-18
	3.	Some of the Guards Report to the Jewish Rulers		28:11-15
	4.	Third and Fourth Appearances of Jesus (I Cor. 15:5)			16:12,13	24:13-35
	5.	Fifth Appearance of Jesus			16:14	24:36-43	20:19-25
	6.	Sixth Appearance of Jesus (I Cor. 15:5)					20:26-31
	7.	Seventh Appearance of Jesus					21:1-25
	8.	Eighth Appearance of Jesus (I Cor. 15:6)		28:16,17
	9.	The Great Commission Given		28:18-20	16:15-18	24:46,47
	10.	Ninth and Tenth Appearances of Jesus (I Cor. 15:7; Acts 1:3-8)				24:44-49
	11.	The Ascension (Acts 1:9-12)			16:19,20	24:50-53
	12.	Our Lord Appears After His Ascension (I Cor. 15:8)

---

 Alexander Campbell (12 September 1788 – 4 March 1866) was an early leader in the Second Great Awakening. His particular bit was what is called the Restoration Movement, or Stone-Campbell Movement. (There are also other movements within the restoration movement, but this is the main one.) The Campbell wing of the movement was said to begin with his father Thomas Campbell. They were both from as Scottish Presbyterian background. Several American church groups trace their history to the Campbells' leadership, including the Churches of Christ, the Christian churches and churches of Christ, Evangelical Christian Church in Canada, and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Alexander Campbell is also the founder of Bethany College in Bethany, West Virginia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Campbell_(clergyman) 12/11/11

http://www.cccdisciples.org/ACampbell.html 12/11/11

---

The Annunciation is the name given to the story of the angel visit to Mary as recorded in Luke's Gospel. The name comes from the anglicised passage in the Latin Vulgate Annuntiatio nativitatis Christi (Luke 1:26-39). Gabriel told Mary to name her son Jesus, meaning "Savior". The Feast of the Annunciation on March 25, which is nine full months before Christmas, the ceremonial birthday of Jesus.  According to Luke 1:26, the Annunciation occurred "in the sixth month" of Elizabeth's pregnancy with John the Baptist.  

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annunciation 1/1/14

---

 *The sermon on the Mount (Matthew) and the Sermon on the Plain (Luke) are two quite similar sermons that were delivered by our Lord. The majority of the Sermon on the Plain has parallel passages within the Sermon on the Mount and in most cases they are in a similar order in both. Many think that these are different accounts of the same sermon as in Campbell's original harmony. There are actually three common explanations for this similarity:

1. the Sermon on the Plain is Luke's summary of the Sermon on the Mount;
2. the Sermon on the Mount is Matthew's expansion of the Sermon on the Plain;
3. the two sermons were given on different occasions but Jesus reused material.

If we believe that these are separate sermons, Luke sets the Sermon on the Plain somewhat later in Jesus' ministry than Matthew sets the Sermon on the Mount. I have kept Campbell's chronology intact because my purpose here has more to do with parallel passages than establishing a correct chronology. I happen to believe number 3 above.

There are of course those who think that the synoptic gospels are based on a lost gospel called Q. Q is supposed to be a collection of the sayings of Jesus that was used to compile the Gospels. Q is more a concept than a document and since there are no copies it is difficult for me to say much more. It is not difficult for scholars to say volumes but then every body needs a hobby.

http://www.sermononthemount.org.uk/Bible/Luke6v20_49.html 1/1/14

---

  **Healing a Canaanite/Phoenician Woman's Daughter (Matthew 15:22-28 and Mark 7:25-30). The women is identified as a Canaanite in Matthew and a Syrophoenician or Phoenician in Mark, depending on the translation.

The story takes place in the region of Tyre and Sidon which is the coastal region in northwestern Palestine called Phoenicia on many maps. These were important cities in the Old and New Testaments. Both cities are located in what is now Lebanon, the cities were settled by the Canaanites by the early second millennium BC. Phoenicia was an ancient maritime civilization that likely built these cities. The Phoenicians influence expanded and contracted over time, they reached their greatest prominence around 1200 BC, with trade routes and external colonies extendinng to modern Spain. Their capital city of Tyre was sacked by Alexander the Great in 332 BC bringing them under Greek influence. Phoenicians did not refer themselves as such, the term Phoenicia is an ancient Greek title most likely describing one of their most famous exports, a dye also known as Tyrian purple. The Phoenicians are thought to have referred to themselves as "Kenaʿani", that is, Canaanites. The Phoenicians were therefore a Canaanite people. Additionally when Joshua and the Israelites entered the land, they pushed some of the other Canaanites into Phoenicia. In Jesus day these cities were not in Herod's territory but were part of the Roman province of Syria. 

The woman in the story lived in the region of Tyre and Sidon which was Phoenicia in previous times. This area is called Phonecia or Syro-Phonecia (with or without the hyphen) on most Bible maps. Mathew calls her a "Canaanite" lady which is general description, Mark is more specific calling her Syro-Phoenician after the area where she lived. She is further called a "Greek" in Mark because she likely had absorbed the Greek culture, obviously speaking that language. In any event she would have been from a group that was despised by the Jews. (The Bible is filled with genealogies that tie stories together, this woman's genealogy is important only in the fact that she was a gentile.)

https://christiancourier.com/articles/the-canaanite-woman-a-conflict-between-matthew-and-mark/ 4/5/23

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phoenicia 4/5/23

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