Scripture Helps
The Gospels

“The Gospels,” Scripture Helps: New Testament (2024)

The Gospels

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What are the Gospels?

The books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John are called the Gospels. Each one is named after its author. “The word gospel means ‘good news.’” Although the four Gospels vary in details and perspective, they all recount events of the Savior’s life and earthly ministry. All four Gospels testify that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Savior of the world.

The records of Matthew, Mark, and Luke are similar. They are often referred to as the synoptic Gospels, meaning “see-alike.” Even so, each has unique material. “John’s record is quite different from the other three in vocabulary, phraseology, and presentation of events.”

Note: In this resource we harmonize the teachings of the Savior as found in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

The Gospel of Matthew

Who was Matthew and when did he write his Gospel?

Matthew was one of the Savior’s Twelve Apostles and an eyewitness to many of the events he described. Before his call to discipleship, Matthew was a publican, or tax collector. He was also known as Levi, the son of Alphaeus.

Some scholars and early sources suggest that Matthew wrote his Gospel between AD 50 and 60. Others place it between AD 80 and 90, sometime after the Romans destroyed Jerusalem.

What do we know about Matthew’s Gospel?

Matthew wrote to “persuade the Jews that Jesus is the promised Messiah.” He often referred to Old Testament prophecies of the Messiah and used the phrase “that it might be fulfilled.” He referred to Jesus as the Son of David to emphasize to Jewish readers that Jesus was their Messiah and rightful King. He traced the Savior’s royal lineage through David, Judah, and Abraham, demonstrating Jesus’s right to rule Israel.

Matthew also included significant events and teachings involving Gentiles. He may have included these in his Gospel to encourage Jewish readers to accept the missionary work being done among the Gentiles.

The following are other themes and distinct features of Matthew’s Gospel:

  • Jesus Christ came to establish His kingdom. Matthew mentioned “the kingdom of heaven” many times, and his is the only Gospel to include teachings of Jesus mentioning the “church.”

  • The ministries of Moses and Jesus Christ have many parallels. Matthew seems to have organized his Gospel in a way to help Jewish readers recognize that Jesus Christ fulfilled Moses’s prophecy: “The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet … like unto me.”

  • God does not abandon His people. Matthew’s Gospel is the only one that refers to Jesus as Emmanuel, meaning “God with us.” The Savior’s actions, teachings, and miracles recorded in Matthew illustrate that God is always with us.

The Gospel of Mark

Who was Mark and when did he write his Gospel?

Mark is traditionally believed to be John Mark, the son of Mary. Their home in Jerusalem served as a meeting place for Jesus Christ’s disciples. Mark later served as a missionary companion to the Apostle Paul. According to early Christian sources, Mark also accompanied the Apostle Peter to Rome, where Mark wrote his Gospel based on Peter’s recollections.

Early sources date Mark’s writing to shortly after Peter suffered martyrdom, probably between AD 65 and 70. His Gospel was probably the first one written of the four.

What do we know about Mark’s Gospel?

Throughout his Gospel, Mark explains Jewish customs, geography, and language to his readers. This is one reason some scholars conclude that he wrote for gentile, or non-Jewish, converts to Christianity, especially Romans.

It seems Mark wrote his account during a period marked by severe trials of faith for many members of the Church throughout the Roman Empire. One-third of Mark’s Gospel recounts the Savior’s teachings and experiences during the last week of His life. Mark bore witness that the suffering Son of God ultimately triumphed over evil, sin, and death. Mark may have written his Gospel to guide believers and strengthen their faith during terrible persecutions.

The following are other themes and distinct features of Mark’s Gospel:

  • Mark’s Gospel is the shortest one and emphasizes Jesus’s actions. Mark begins by recounting the Savior’s baptism and mortal ministry. He maintains a brisk pace, recounting events in quick succession. Mark frequently used the words straightway, immediately, and anon (at once), giving the effect of rapid pace and action.

  • Jesus was misunderstood and rejected. Among the important themes in Mark are the questions of who Jesus was and who understood His identity. Jesus was misunderstood, rejected, and killed, but He overcame all things, including death. Although Jesus performed mighty miracles and taught with power, He was rejected by His fellow Jews, including those in His hometown and members of His family. Even His own disciples did not fully comprehend His divine mission.

The Gospel of Luke

Who was Luke and when did he write his Gospel?

Luke is traditionally believed to be the “beloved physician” referred to by the Apostle Paul. The quality of Greek throughout his Gospel suggests that he was well educated. He may have been a Gentile, or non-Jewish. After his conversion, Luke became a missionary companion to Paul.

It is not known exactly when Luke wrote his Gospel, but scholars estimate it was between AD 80 and 90. Luke’s sources were those people who “from the beginning were eyewitnesses” of the Savior’s life and ministry.

What do we know about Luke’s Gospel?

Luke addressed his Gospel to Theophilus, who was possibly a Greek man with some social standing. “Theophilus may have been either Luke’s patron or a friend and believer whom Luke wanted to strengthen in the faith of Jesus Christ.”

Because Theophilus means “friend of God,” he might also represent any believer of Christ. If this is the case, Luke’s work was probably intended for Church members, especially gentile converts. Luke seems to want those who read his testimony to “know the certainty” of the Son of God—His compassion, Atonement, and Resurrection.

Luke is the longest of the four Gospels and contains the most unique material of the synoptic Gospels. The following are some themes and distinct features of Luke’s Gospel:

  • Jesus is the Savior for all people. Luke emphasized the Savior’s empathy for those who are suffering and His concern for those considered to be outcasts and sinners. Luke’s Gospel is the only one to record the Savior’s instructions to the Seventy to proclaim the gospel to everyone.

  • The temple is the house of God. Luke’s Gospel begins and ends with accounts of people at the temple, signaling the temple’s importance as a principal location of God’s dealings with His people.

  • Women played a prominent role in Jesus’s life. Luke begins with the accounts of two faithful women chosen of God—Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist, and Mary, the mother of Jesus. He mentions other faithful women who followed Jesus and supported Him. He also noted that it was a group of faithful women who first declared that Jesus had risen from the dead.

  • Jesus has a resurrected body of flesh and bones. Luke’s background as a physician may account for certain details included in his Gospel. For example, Luke’s Gospel is the only one to mention the Savior bleeding from every pore in Gethsemane and having a resurrected body of “flesh and bones.”

The Gospel of John

Who was John and when did he write his Gospel?

The author of the Gospel of John never referred to himself by name, although he is referred to as the “disciple whom Jesus loved.” Latter-day revelation confirms that the “disciple whom Jesus loved” was John and that the Savior empowered him to continue ministering on the earth until the Second Coming.

Early Christian writers suggested that John wrote this book in Ephesus, which was in Asia Minor (modern Turkey). Scholars believe that John may have written his Gospel sometime between AD 90 and 110.

What do we know about John’s Gospel?

John’s account has been described as a Gospel written to members of the Church who already had some knowledge about Jesus Christ. Yet in his Gospel, John invited everyone to “believe that Jesus is the Christ.” This invitation includes those who do not yet believe in Christ as well as those seeking to strengthen their faith in Him.

About 92 percent of the material in John’s Gospel is not found in the other Gospels. For example, of the seven miracles reported by John, five are not recorded in any other Gospel. While Matthew, Mark, and Luke presented considerable information about Jesus’s ministry in Galilee, John recorded numerous events that took place in Judea.

John’s Gospel is richly doctrinal, with some of its major themes being the divinity of Jesus as the Son of God, the Savior’s Atonement, eternal life, the Holy Ghost, and the meaning and importance of belief.

The following are some of the other themes and distinct features of John’s Gospel:

  • John lists many names and titles for Jesus Christ. John includes several titles for Jesus that are not found in the other Gospels. For example, John describes Jesus as the Word, the Lamb of God, the Light of the World, and the Good Shepherd.

  • Jesus is Heavenly Father’s messenger to the world. More than any other Gospel writer, John emphasized Jesus’s divinity as the Son of God. John recorded Jesus’s own testimony of His divinity and identity as Jehovah of the Old Testament. John recorded many instances of Jesus referring to His Father. John’s Gospel emphasizes that Jesus was sent by the Father and that only through Him can we return to the Father.

  • The Savior offered the Intercessory Prayer. One of John’s major contributions is his inclusion of the Savior’s teachings to His disciples in the hours just before His death, including the Intercessory Prayer.

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