{"id":5343,"date":"2022-09-08T22:18:18","date_gmt":"2022-09-08T22:18:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bartehrman.com\/clone-of-what-does-the-word-gospel-mean\/"},"modified":"2025-10-17T17:22:35","modified_gmt":"2025-10-17T17:22:35","slug":"the-synoptic-gospels","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bartehrman.com\/the-synoptic-gospels\/","title":{"rendered":"The Synoptic Gospels Compared to the Gospel of John"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Synoptic Gospels & the Gospel of John: 7 Key Differences <\/h2>\n

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Written by Keith Long, MDiv<\/a><\/p>\n

Author |  Pastor |  BE Contributor<\/p>\n

Verified!  See our editorial guidelines<\/a><\/p>\n

Verified!  See our guidelines<\/a><\/p>\n

\nDate written: September 8th, 2022<\/p>\n

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily match my own. – Dr. Bart D. Ehrman<\/p>\n

One of my favorite things to do to pass the time as a kid was flip through a Highlights magazine. Within its pages were several activities intended to sharpen one\u2019s observation and critical-thinking skills. Waiting for the dentist or the doctor was always a breeze when I could spend the time spotting hidden bananas or flamingoes in a picture of a busy market or trying to spot how two seemingly identical pictures differed. The trickery was both exhilarating and maddening as the puzzles could rarely be completed without exercising brain muscles you never knew you had. I credit those activities for stimulating my concentration from a young age until now.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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The Synoptic Gospels: Matthew, Mark & Luke<\/h2>\n

If a person reads the first three Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke<\/a> (also known as the Synoptic Gospels) back-to-back-to-back according to their order in standard New Testaments not when they were written they will notice how similar each of those three accounts are. Not <\/em><\/span>identical <\/span><\/em>mind you, but very similar. <\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

I doubt anyone tacking on John\u2019s Gospel to that reading would miss how different it is compared to the first three. Readers may think a leaflet got stuck in their Bible by mistake<\/strong>. All four of the New Testament\u2019s Gospels describe the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. When synthesized together, Matthew, Mark, and Luke provide a stark contrast in a side-by-side comparison to the Gospel of John. <\/span><\/p>\n

In this article, I explore the seven key differences that set John\u2019s storytelling of Jesus\u2019s life, death<\/a>, and resurrection apart. You need not worry about concentration headaches!\u00a0 Unlike that impossible-to-find lizard in the corner of a Highlights hidden picture puzzle, the differences in John\u2019s Gospel are glaringly obvious for both casual and informed readers alike.<\/span><\/p>\n

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The New Testament Gospels are anonymous. So why did early Christians say they were written by Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John? And what’s the evidence that they actually did?<\/p>\n

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1. Jesus’ Origin Story <\/h3>\n

At the beginning of John\u2019s Gospel, the starkest difference compared to the other narratives is that there is no regal tale of Jesus\u2019s birth to be found.<\/strong> There is no mention of Jesus\u2019s parents, their long journey to Bethlehem, or Mary\u2019s immaculate conception. There are no angels, no shepherds, no wise men…nothing! <\/span><\/p>\n

The Gospel of John puts Jesus\u2019s origins much, much, earlier, and elevates his status as far more significant. Even more significant than being conceived by the Holy Spirit as the Synoptic Gospels assert. According to John, Jesus is alluded to be \u201cthe Word\u201d and existed before the universe began (Ch 1:1-4).<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

While the Synoptic Gospels begin Jesus\u2019s story with a miraculous birth\u2014in John\u2019s Gospel, the story of Jesus begins with Jesus and God the creator of the universe on equal footing.<\/strong> In other words, John\u2019s Gospel wants the reader to know from the get-go that Jesus is the Miracle-Maker himself.<\/span><\/p>\n

Like Mark\u2019s Gospel, the action of John\u2019s story doesn\u2019t spend time describing Jesus\u2019s unusual first days on the earth. Instead, John pulls the curtain back to reveal Jesus as an adult,<\/a> discussing what\u2019s what with John the Baptist, and immediately recruiting his disciples for the ministry ahead.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

2. Jesus\u2019 Teaching<\/strong><\/h3>\n

To say that the Synoptic Gospels and John differ regarding Jesus\u2019s teaching style would be an understatement.<\/strong> In Matthew, Mark, and Luke, Jesus is hesitant, afraid even, to speak about himself, his intentions, and his deeds, to anyone. He advises those he heals to tell no one what has happened. <\/span><\/p>\n

In John, however, Jesus not only embraces talk about his divinity, but he also publicly declares it.<\/em> In the synoptic Gospels<\/a>, Jesus speaks in parables (code); In John, the parables are absent altogether and in their place is a Jesus who is very direct about who he is and what he has come to do. <\/span><\/p>\n

Matthew, Mark, and Luke seem to be on the same page about the coming Kingdom of God, but in John, there is no mention of the coming Kingdom. John focuses readers on Jesus as one being sent by God.<\/strong> The use of metaphor and mystical language is rampant in the Gospel of John whereas the Synoptic Gospels tell stories that sound more historical in nature. <\/span><\/p>\n

Jesus according to John is a cosmic force in the world, sent by God to love, forgive, and empower people through his presence.<\/em> The other three Gospels leave much more meaning unpacked as readers are plunged into narratives that are anything but explicit.<\/span><\/p>\n

3. the Miracles <\/h3>\n

What John lacks in the frequency of the miraculous in his Gospel, is made up for in the potency of each act.<\/strong> In John, Jesus dazzles in spectacular fashion, unveiling his worthiness in magnificent acts like:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n