Teaching the Gospels as a Harmony

We recommend that you use this manual as it is written and teach the four Gospels sequentially. However, you may choose to teach the New Testament Gospels as a “harmony,” which means teaching the events of the Savior’s life chronologically, combining the material from each Gospel. For information and resources on teaching the Gospels as a harmony, refer to the appendix in the digital versions of this manual on LDS.org and in the Gospel Library for mobile devices.

We recommend that you use this manual as it is written and teach the four Gospels sequentially. However, you may choose to teach the New Testament Gospels as a “harmony,” which means teaching the events of the Savior’s life chronologically, combining the material from each Gospel. This could be done in several ways. For example, you could primarily teach the Gospels sequentially but choose to teach some portions—such as the events surrounding the Savior’s birth or Atonement—as a harmony. Or you could teach all of the content of the Gospels as a harmony.

If you have never taught the Gospels sequentially, you may be hesitant to try this approach. This manual has been prepared to help you effectively teach each Gospel individually. If you choose to teach the Gospels using a harmony approach, you should make this decision in consultation with your coordinator or seminary principal, taking into account students’ needs and using the Spirit’s guidance.

Teaching the Gospels as a harmony can allow you to treat the teachings and events from the Savior’s life more thoroughly and minimize the redundancy that is sometimes felt when teaching the Gospels sequentially. However, it is important to note that the lessons in this manual were designed to reduce redundancy in the sequential teaching method by focusing on the distinctive content in each of the Gospels and by summarizing content that was previously taught.

Before choosing to teach this course using a harmony approach, it is important to consider the following:

• Teaching the Gospels as a harmony can make it difficult to understand the sequence and context of scripture passages as they were recorded within the four Gospels. You will need to help students understand the textual and historical context of each passage as they move from one account to another.

• Teaching the Gospels as a harmony tends to obscure the distinct intentions, themes, and focuses of each individual Gospel writer. You should give careful attention to these themes so you can help your students identify and appreciate them. The introductions to the books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John provided in this manual can help you recognize these themes.

• As currently written, the teaching ideas in this manual are designed to flow smoothly from one part of the lesson to the next and transition statements are provided to facilitate moving from one teaching idea to the next. When these teaching ideas are rearranged into a harmony approach using the accompanying chart, you will need to include your own transitions between the suggested ideas.

If you choose to use a harmony approach, you can find valuable help in the “Harmony of the Gospels” tables found in the Bible appendix and on LDS.org. In addition, the accompanying chart provides a suggested order of the ideas found in this manual to support a harmony approach. Except for a few small adjustments to facilitate ease in teaching, this chart aligns with the “Harmony of the Gospels” tables in the 2013 edition of the LDS scriptures. The left column of the chart provides a pacing guide that divides the semester into 16 weeks. Each week (with the exception of week 1) lists events and teachings from the Savior’s life and ministry in chronological segments that can be taught over the course of five days. This pacing guide provides for 80 lessons on the four Gospels, which is the same amount provided in the sequential scripture teaching method in this manual.

Regardless of whether you teach the Gospels sequentially or as a harmony, we recommend that you begin the course by teaching the first five introductory lessons found in week 1 of this manual: “Introduction to the New Testament”; “The Plan of Salvation”; “The Role of the Learner”; “Studying the Scriptures”; and “Context and Overview of the New Testament.”

Pacing Guide		Events and Teachings	Teacher Resources
Week 1	Days 1–5		Lessons 1–5
Week 2	Day 1	Premortal existence of Jesus Christ	Lesson 60: John 1:1–18
		Jesus Christ’s mortal genealogy	Lesson 6: Matthew 1:1–17
	Day 2	The angel Gabriel’s annunciation to Zacharias; annunciation to Mary; Mary’s visit to Elisabeth; birth of John the Baptist	Lesson 43: Luke 1
	Day 3	Annunciation to Joseph	Lesson 6: Matthew 1:18–25
		Birth of Jesus Christ; annunciation to the shepherds; presentation of Jesus in the temple	Lesson 44: Luke 2:1–39
		Visit of the Wise Men; flight to Egypt	Lesson 6: Matthew 2
		Visit to the temple (age 12)	Lesson 44: Luke 2:40–52
	Day 4	Ministry and testimony of John the Baptist	Lesson 7: Matthew 3:1–12; Lesson 45: Luke 3:1–22; Lesson 60: John 1:1–18
	Day 5	Baptism of Jesus	Lesson 7: Matthew 3:13–17; Lesson 60: John 1:19–34
Week 3	Day 1	Temptation of Jesus	Lesson 8: Matthew 4:1–11
	Day 2	John the Baptist’s disciples follow Jesus	Lesson 60: John 1:35–51
		Marriage at Cana; first cleansing of the temple	Lesson 61: John 2
	Day 3	Visit of Nicodemus; John the Baptist’s testimony	Lesson 62: John 3
	Day 4	Woman at the well	Lesson 63: John 4:1–42
	Day 5	Jesus returns to Galilee	Lesson 8: Matthew 4:12–17
		Jesus heals the nobleman’s son	Lesson 63: John 4:43–54
		The Savior is rejected at Nazareth	Lesson 45: Luke 4:14–30
Week 4	Day 1	Fishermen called	Lesson 46: Luke 5:1–11; Lesson 8: Matthew 4:18–22
	Day 2	Jesus teaches in Capernaum and casts out an unclean spirit	Lesson 34: Mark 1:21–39
		Jesus preaches the gospel in Galilee	Lesson 8: Matthew 4:23–25
		Jesus heals a leper and a paralytic	Lesson 34: Mark 1:40–45; Lesson 35: Mark 2:1–12; Lesson 46: Luke 5:12–26
	Day 3	Feasts with publicans and sinners	Lesson 35: Mark 2:13–22
		John’s disciples ask about fasting: Old and new	Lesson 46: Luke 5:27–39
	Day 4	Jesus attends a feast; heals on the Sabbath; discourse: Witness of the Father	Lesson 64: John 5
	Day 5	Sabbath controversies	Lesson 35: Mark 2:23–3:6
		Twelve called and ordained	Lesson 13: Matthew 9:35–10:8
Week 5	Day 1	The Sermon on the Mount	Lesson 9: Matthew 5:1–16
	Day 2	The Sermon on the Mount	Lesson 10: Matthew 5:17–48; Lesson 47: Luke 6
	Day 3	The Sermon on the Mount	Lesson 11: Matthew 6; Lesson 51: Luke 12
	Day 4	The Sermon on the Mount	Lesson 12: Matthew 7
	Day 5	Jesus heals the centurion’s servant; raises the son of the widow of Nain	Lesson 47: Luke 7:1–18
		John the Baptist sends disciples to Jesus	Lesson 14: Matthew 11; Lesson 48: Luke 7:18–35
Week 6	Day 1	Woman anoints Jesus	Lesson 48: Luke 7:36–50
		Beelzebub, blasphemy; discourses on signs; parable: The empty house; Jesus’s mother and brethren	Lesson 14: Matthew 12:1–50
	Day 2	Parable of the sower	Lesson 15: Matthew 13:1–23
	Day 3	Additional parables about the future of the kingdom	Lesson 16: Matthew 13:24–58
	Day 4	Jesus calms a storm; casts out a legion of evil spirits; heals woman with issue of blood; raises Jairus’s daughter from the dead	Lesson 36: Mark 4–5
	Day 5	Need for more laborers; charge to the Twelve	Lesson 13: Matthew 9:35–10:42
		John the Baptist’s death	Lesson 37: Mark 6:1–29
Week 7	Day 1	Jesus feeds the five thousand	Lesson 37: Mark 6:30–44; Lesson 17: Matthew 14:1–21
	Day 2	Jesus walks on the water	Lesson 17: Matthew 14:22–36
		Healings	Lesson 37: Mark 6:45–56
	Day 3	Discourse: Bread of Life	Lesson 65: John 6:22–59
	Day 4	Discourses on cleanliness; Jesus heals Canaanite daughter and others	Lesson 18: Matthew 15
	Day 5	Jesus heals deaf man in Decapolis; feeds four thousand; blind man healed by stages	Lesson 38: Mark 7:1–8:26
Week 8	Day 1	Pharisees and Sadducees ask for a sign; testimony of Peter; sealing keys of the kingdom promised; take up a cross	Lesson 19: Matthew 16:1–28
	Day 2	Transfiguration: sealing keys committed; tribute coin from a fish	Lesson 20: Matthew 17
	Day 3	Jesus heals boy possessed by unclean spirit	Lesson 39: Mark 9:14–29
	Day 4	Who is greatest in the kingdom; offenses	Lesson 40: Mark 9:30–50
	Day 5	Forgiveness; parable: The unmerciful servant	Lesson 21: Matthew 18:1–35
Week 9	Day 1	Sacrifice required to follow Jesus; Jesus sent to save, not destroy	Lesson 49: Luke 8–9
	Day 2	Seventy appointed and sent forth; Jesus attends the Feast of Tabernacles	Lesson 50: Luke 10:1–24; Lesson 66: John 7
	Day 3	The adulterous woman; the Light of the World	Lesson 67: John 8:1–30
	Day 4	Jesus teaches about freedom from sin and testifies of His divinity	Lesson 68: John 8:31–59
	Day 5	Jesus heals a blind man on the Sabbath	Lesson 69: John 9
Week 10	Day 1	Parable: The Good Shepherd; Jesus’s promise of rest	Lesson 70: John 10; Lesson 14: Matthew 11
	Day 2	Parable: The good Samaritan	Lesson 50: Luke 10:25–37
	Day 3	Mary and Martha; prayer; beware of the Pharisees; parable: The rich fool	Lesson 51: Luke 10:38–12:59
	Day 4	Healings on the Sabbath; parable: The great supper	Lesson 52: Luke 13–14
	Day 5	Parables: Lost sheep, Lost coin, Prodigal son	Lesson 53: Luke 15
Week 11	Day 1	Parables: The unjust steward, Lazarus and the rich man	Lesson 54: Luke 16
	Day 2	Discourses on offenses and faith; Jesus heals ten lepers	Lesson 55: Luke 17
	Day 3	Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead	Lesson 71: John 11:1–46
	Day 4	Pharisees ask about divorce	Lesson 22: Matthew 19:1–12
	Day 5	Suffer little children; rich young ruler	Lesson 41: Mark 10:1–34
Week 12	Day 1	Reward for forsaking all; parable: Laborers in the vineyard	Lesson 22: Matthew 19:13–30; 20:1–16
		The greatest is to minister	Lesson 41: Mark 10:35–52
	Day 2	Parables: The unjust judge, The Pharisee and the publican; Jesus heals Bartimaeus; visits Zacchaeus	Lesson 56: Luke 18–21
	Day 3	Mary anoints Jesus	Lesson 42: Mark 14:1–9; Lesson 72: John 12:1–19
		Triumphal entry; second cleansing of the temple	Lesson 23: Matthew 21:1–16
	Day 4	Fig tree cursed; parables: Two sons, Wicked husbandmen, Wedding of a king’s son	Lesson 24: Matthew 21:17–22:14
	Day 5	Question about tribute; marriage and the Resurrection; the great commandment	Lesson 25: Matthew 22:15–40
Week 13	Day 1	Denunciation of hypocrisy	Lesson 26: Matthew 23:1–36
		Widow’s mite	Lesson 42: Mark 11–13
		Jesus’s lament over Jerusalem	Lesson 26: Matthew 23:37–39
	Day 2	Conspiracy against Lazarus; discourse: Jesus sent by the Father, a light to those who believe	Lesson 72: John 12
	Day 3	Destruction of Jerusalem; signs of the Second Coming	Lesson 27: Joseph Smith—Matthew; Matthew 24
	Day 4	Parable: Ten virgins	Lesson 28: Matthew 25:1–13
	Day 5	Parables: Talents, Sheep and goats	Lesson 29: Matthew 25:14–46
Week 14	Day 1	Judas’s conspiracy to betray Jesus; the Last Supper begins	Lesson 30: Matthew 26:1–16
		Jesus washes disciples’ feet	Lesson 73: John 13:1–17
		“Lord, Is It I?”	Lesson 30: Matthew 26:17–25
	Day 2	A new commandment	Lesson 73: John 13:31–38
		Sacrament instituted	Lesson 30: Matthew 26:26–30
	Day 3	Discourse on the Comforter	Lesson 74: John 14
	Day 4	Peter’s denial foretold	Lesson 57: Luke 22:1–38
		The True Vine; love one another; the Spirit of truth testifies	Lesson 75: John 15
	Day 5	Warnings to the Apostles; the Comforter; opposition: Joy and sorrow	Lesson 76: John 16
Week 15	Day 1	Jesus’s intercessory prayer	Lesson 77: John 17
	Day 2	Jesus’s suffering and prayers in Gethsemane	Lesson 31: Matthew 26:31–46; Lesson 42: Mark 14:10–16:20; Lesson 57: Luke 22:39–53
	Day 3	Jesus arrested; Peter’s denial; Jesus’s hearing before Caiaphas	Lesson 31: Matthew 26:47–75; Lesson 57: Luke 22:39–71
	Day 4	Hearing before Pilate and Herod; Barabbas released	Lesson 58: Luke 23:1–25; Lesson 78: John 18:1–19:16
		Second hearing before Pilate	Lesson 78: John 18:33–19:16
		Jesus scourged and mocked	Lesson 32: Matthew 27:1–50
	Day 5	The Crucifixion	Lesson 32: Matthew 27:26–50; Lesson 58: Luke 23:26–56; Lesson 78: John 19:17–42
Week 16	Day 1	Death of Jesus Christ; Jesus’s burial; chief priests and Pharisees seal the tomb	Lesson 33: Matthew 27:51–66
	Day 2	The Resurrection	Lesson 33: Matthew 28:1–20; Lesson 79: John 20
	Day 3	Jesus appears to two disciples on the road to Emmaus	Lesson 59: Luke 24:13–32
	Day 4	Evening: Jesus appears to disciples, Thomas	Lesson 79: John 20:11–31
	Day 5	Peter: “I go a fishing,” Jesus: “Feed my sheep”	Lesson 80: John 21; Lesson 33: Matthew 28:1–20
		The great commission to the Twelve; Ascension	Lesson 59: Luke 24