Why are there four Gospel accounts in the New Testament?
- Thread starter Adv Bible Study Institute
- Start date
-
Welcome to Christian Forums, a Christian Forum that recognizes that all Christians are a work in progress.
You will need to register to be able to join in fellowship with Christians all over the world.
We hope to see you as a part of our community soon and God Bless!
Wrangler
Well-Known Member
Perhaps I worded the point in a clumsy way.
There is only one Gospel. And that is the Good News of Jesus Christ. (The good news is that he paved the way for our reconciliation with YHWH for our sins. There is nothing more important than this).
There are saints to have written testimonies of this good news. These writings are fully and properly understood as The Gospel of Jesus Christ According To <insert testimony of saint here>.
Matthew
Mark
Luke
John
Etc.
Agreed. My only point is 'not measuring up' is not the same as not existing. I suspect the multitudes who had encountered the risen Christ in the flesh were inspired to make a record for future generations. Wouldn't you want to make a record, even if centuries later, others deemed it 'not measuring up'?
Behold
Well-Known Member
Unbelievers, or Bible correctors.......and in my opinion the Bible correctors are worse then atheists.......will say..
"but the 4 gospel eyewitness accounts, don't always say the same thing...don't always perfectly MATCH".
And Hallelujah for that reality as that is exactly how the truth is confirmed by 4 different sets of eyes.
Listen.
When 4 people "eyewitness" the same event, you will always have 4 variable accounts that support each other, and never will you have the exact same story, unless its a lie.
People remember the same event they saw, .....differently, and that is why the 4 Gospels are slightly varied regarding what each writer remembers.
"but the 4 gospel eyewitness accounts, don't always say the same thing...don't always perfectly MATCH".
And Hallelujah for that reality as that is exactly how the truth is confirmed by 4 different sets of eyes.
Listen.
When 4 people "eyewitness" the same event, you will always have 4 variable accounts that support each other, and never will you have the exact same story, unless its a lie.
People remember the same event they saw, .....differently, and that is why the 4 Gospels are slightly varied regarding what each writer remembers.
Tommy Cool
Active Member
I differ with you on two points.
That the gospels don’t always match …they do.
And they match because these guys did not write from memory… it was by revelation from Jesus Christ….and I know we both agree that revelation from Jesus was not given inaccurately.
These things were written anywhere from 20 to possibly 50 years after the time of Jesus …
Jim B
Well-Known Member
The writers of the four gospels were not comparable to modern Western journalists. They wrote as God directed them to give first person spiritual accounts, not factual reporting. For example, they differ in their accounts of Jesus' birth and when Jesus visited the temple in Jerusalem.
We have the gospels because they convey spiritual truths. They teach us what God wants us to understand about Him, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, and the experiences of the disciples.
Each book was written to a specific audience. Matthew was written to the Jew and focuses on what Jesus said, Mark was to the Romans and what Jesus did, Luke to the Greeks and tells us how Jesus felt, John to all people to know who Jesus Is.
I love getting to see the point of view from each author. God is so good!!
I love getting to see the point of view from each author. God is so good!!
Wrangler
Well-Known Member
Agreed. They don't match in today's uber literal, unsophisticated copy and paste world view. In the NRSV Cultural Bible it explains that ancient audiences preferred variations of a common reference to break from monotony. Yet, they were sophisticated enough to know the reference matched.
Today we are all confused by:
- Jesus of Nazareth
- Jesus, King of the Jews
- Jesus, Savior of the world
- Jesus, God's Anointed
- the Messiah
- the Christ
- the son of man
- the son of God
- the liberating king
- the son of Mary
- the son of Joseph
- the carpenters son
Let's get lost in the weeds people! Praise God. Thank you Jesus!
Не могу ответить в существующую тему, что делать ??
Что я делаю не так?
Прошу подсказать.
С уважением.
Что я делаю не так?
Прошу подсказать.
С уважением.
I can’t reply to an existing topic, what should I do??
What am I doing wrong?
Please advise.
Sincerely.
Google Translate
Google's service, offered free of charge, instantly translates words, phrases, and web pages between English and over 100 other languages.
You replied to an existing topic with this post, in this thread, without addressing the existing topic. What you’re doing is wrong. Why are you doing it?
@Heart2Soul
Hi @TheOneHeLoves Gospel harmonies can indeed show so many perpectives, from the point of view of different Gospel writers...........
amigo de christo
Well-Known Member
all i know is all four gospels are lovely . Now lift those hands up and praise and thank the glorious Lord .
amigo de christo
Well-Known Member
Some folks stuggle with english so how on earth are we to know what this means .
amigo de christo
Well-Known Member
Jim B
Well-Known Member
There are four different gospels because they were written by four different authors, each of whom had a specific audience in mind and a particular way to portray Jesus' life. It is important to realize that ehy were not like Western journalists. They wrote subjectively about Jesus' life.
amigo de christo
Well-Known Member
It is LORD praising time in the building . SO hands up and let the praises with thanksgivings be unto the LORD .
“At that time Jesus said in reply, ‘I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike.’”
(Matthew 11:25, NABRE)
Jesus praising the LORD, his God. Cp. Luke 10:21.
(Matthew 11:25, NABRE)
Jesus praising the LORD, his God. Cp. Luke 10:21.
If I were younger .... rather I should say, If God will, or rather, if God willed, I would have stormed into this debate. But I have finished ,,,, actually am, finished -- kapput. So now -- forget it. No one, just like last time, cares. Everyone shall carry his own package, as Paul said. God is and will be like always He had and has been, JUDGE.
Behold
Well-Known Member
God is the Judge of the unbelievers. John 3:36
He's the FATHER of all the Born again.
BIG difference.
Wrangler
Well-Known Member
A false claim, unnecessarily but adamently defended. I watched a video comparing the differences in the Gospel accounts to detectives getting eye witness accounts of an accident or crime. That there are minor discrepancies makes their testimony more believable. If they all told the exact same story, it would seem suspicious.
Obviously, they agree on the major points.
Imagine a scene wear someone steals a woman's purse. One guy says he was wearing a ball cap. Another says he was wearing no hat at all. Is one lying? No. Both could be right, consistent with the unfolding drama. The 1st guy saw the moment of the theft, wearing a ball cap. The 2nd guy saw the thief running down the busy street, which caused his hat to fall off right before he saw what was happening. Slight discrepancy, easily explained.
I think some are too adament that the word of God is literally so, ignoring the fact that different people of different cultures and personalities are reflected in their writing. Yes, the work is inspired by God. However, it is still told through a human interface.
I received revelations from the Spirit. They were not the same in details. Maybe someone got different details of the revelation. Doesn't make either of us wrong. For instance, the 2nd revelation I received to warn my doctor to dely his trip to Haiti came with a vision. I saw what would happen. I chose words to describe what I saw. Perhaps my limited vocabulary used less imprecise words than are available.
I saw 3 men in a military jeep with a turret. They were riding south on a dirt road along a row of hedges. My doctor was standing with others to the entry way of the hedges. It was a case of mistaken identity. These were the words that came to me. My doctor later told me he received ANOTHER unsolicited warning to dely his trip. I don't even know if this person:
A. Received a vision
B. Told my doctor the details of the vision
If he had, I doubt the same words to describe what was seen were used. The details don't matter. What matters is we recieved supernatural warning! When the Creator of the Universe - who knows all things and controls all things - takes time from his busy schedule to advise you to change your travel plans, you might want to consider deferring. My doctor did. He didn't quibble about how the stories did not exactly match.
Keep your eye on the big picture, my friend.
Brakelite
Well-Known Member
Why are there four Gospel accounts?
KJV Isaiah 43:9-12
9 Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled: who among them can declare this, and shew us former things? let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may be justified: or let them hear, and say, It is truth.
10 Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.
11 I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour.
12 I have declared, and have saved, and I have shewed, when there was no strange god among you: therefore ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, that I am God.
KJV Deuteronomy 17:6
6 At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to death; but at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death.
Different context I know, but the principle stands, that God is a God of order, of testimony, and verifiable truth. 4 gospels were written and accepted as scripture as a testimony to the truth. Even in those instances where they differ in detail, for example either one or two demon possessed men in the tombstones, the testimony is still truth. And the testimony wasn't written to verify numbers of demoniacs, but to the power, the mercy, and grace of the Son of God.
KJV Isaiah 43:9-12
9 Let all the nations be gathered together, and let the people be assembled: who among them can declare this, and shew us former things? let them bring forth their witnesses, that they may be justified: or let them hear, and say, It is truth.
10 Ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, and my servant whom I have chosen: that ye may know and believe me, and understand that I am he: before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.
11 I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour.
12 I have declared, and have saved, and I have shewed, when there was no strange god among you: therefore ye are my witnesses, saith the LORD, that I am God.
KJV Deuteronomy 17:6
6 At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to death; but at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death.
Different context I know, but the principle stands, that God is a God of order, of testimony, and verifiable truth. 4 gospels were written and accepted as scripture as a testimony to the truth. Even in those instances where they differ in detail, for example either one or two demon possessed men in the tombstones, the testimony is still truth. And the testimony wasn't written to verify numbers of demoniacs, but to the power, the mercy, and grace of the Son of God.
Similar threads
