Essay Sample on Literary Relationships Between the Gospel of John and the Synoptic Gospels

Keen readers of the Bible have noticed a major division within the four Gospels of the New Testament, specifically the Gospel of John. The division is noticeable that Matthew, Mark, and Luke have their own special names; the Synoptic Gospels. John's Gospels leave a large number of materials found in the Synoptic Gospels including some critical episodes such as the Temptation of Jesus, Transfiguration, and the Lord's Supper (Carson 74). John did not mention any instance of Jesus casting out demons. Similarly, there are no narrative parables in John's Gospel. Also, the focus on the Kingdom of God found in the Synoptic Gospels is largely missing in John. On a broad level, there are certain similarities that are evident in both the Gospel of John and Synoptic Gospels. All the four books talk about the story of Jesus Christ. They proclaim the story through a narrative lens. For instance, they discuss into details the major categories of Jesus life: His Birth, His Public ministry, His death, and His resurrection. Jesus' story and the key themes of His teaching ministry remain the same in all the Gospels.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Save 25%

The Synoptists provide information that enables the society to make better sense of something in the Fourth Gospel. Although John believes Jesus is the Word that was with God from the beginning, it is not clear by what means the one who shared the glory with the father became the son of Mary and Joseph. In this regard, the birth narratives in the book of Luke and Matthew can help one to have a better understanding of Jesus and His earthly parents. At various points, John provides explicit theological justifications for actions common in the Synoptic Gospels. Synoptics provide reflections on what Jesus was doing to eliminate demons in a theological way. However, the Fourth Gospel provides a comprehensive theology of the devil (Dvorak 210). One can argue that John uses the Synoptics to write the idea about the devil. The betrayer is inspired by the devil and John summarizes this in the undergirding theology. Many of the corresponding verses in Synoptics are framed to indicate that they are in the same order.

Mark was introduced to the teachings of Jesus by Peter and personally witnessed aspects of Jesus' ministry, especially the events around His death and resurrection. This had a life-changing effect on him and his family and had to write what he saw in person. In his writing, Mark gathered the testimony of those who spent their time with Jesus. The eyewitnesses like Peter gave enough information to the events he was recording, and because Mark was educated, witnesses encouraged him in the task. After Matthew and Luke have written their gospels, Mark composed an account of Christ's ministry for some purpose from the events which was later known as Mark's account.

Each of the gospel writers had sources unique to them. In the book of Matthew, the author traces the physical appearance of Jesus through Joseph and uses Joseph to describe the events surrounding His birth. Joseph was a man of great beliefs and strived to do what was right at all times. When Mary came to him with the news of her pregnancy, he knew the child could not be his. None of the gospels indicates the exactly period Joseph was in the life of Jesus. The last time Joseph is mentioned was when Jesus was 12 years old. Joseph's primary objective was to fulfill the role of the earthly father to the best of his ability with all the love any man can have for his children. He was to fulfill the role of the provider, teacher, and protector (Dvorak 211). God provided Joseph with the ability and strength to raise the child who later became the savior of humanity. In the book of Luke, the author traces the physical descent of Jesus somewhat differently and describes His birth from the perspective of the Virgin Mary. One can argue that both authors had different revelations about the birth of Jesus. Matthew and Luke made use of what Mark had already compiled but expanded upon it by with the additional information available to them. Mark composed an account of Christ's ministry for some purpose. It is evident from the Gospel of John and Synoptic Gospels that God honors faithfulness, integrity, and respect. The obedience of those who believe in Him will bring increased guidance and blessings. His help, anything is possible, and if people listen to His direction, He will answer with provisions of blessed outcome as well (Fritz 52). In the early church, believers were obliged to observe the teachings of Jesus with the primary goal to glorify the name of God who sent Him to save the world.

Each of the Gospels records the journey of the disciplines of Jesus and their desire to sit at the right hand of Jesus in the Kingdom of heaven. The disciples were committed to observe and respect the teachings of Jesus and inform the rest of the society that Jesus died so that their sins should be forgiven. These are the same men who responded with joy and disbelief at the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. The Gospels put more emphasis on the core teachings of Jesus Christ, His divine nature, the truth about the New Covenant, and the nature of the Kingdom of God. Believers can confirm that the original Gospel is the Gospel of the Kingdom of God and that human beings should repent because the Kingdom of God is near them as confirmed by Jesus, apostles of the early church, and John the Baptist. At some point in the early Christian era, the original Gospel was changed to the Gospel of seeking God's guidance and going to heaven to live with Him. In the Gospel of John and Synoptic Gospels, repentance and the coming of the Kingdom of God to the earth is being restored. In Matthew 3:1, 2 and Mark 1: 14, 15, John the Baptism and Jesus preach about repentance because the kingdom of God is near. The term, 'Kingdom of Heaven' is used to reveal the inner rule of God. To see the kingdom of God, Christians must be born again.

John was acquainted with Luke's gospel as well as other Synoptic. In the early days. The scene of foot washing in John 13 emphasizes the saying found in Luke 22: 27. One can argue that the saying is perhaps the original source of John's narrative. If John knew Luke, then it is entirely reasonable to assume further that in Luke 24: 24, the account is depicted. Luke 24 and John 20 provide conclusive proof of the literary dependence between the two books. In the early church, apostles were divinely moved by the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit was to guide and protect them. According to Jesus, loving God is keeping His commands. In the book of John and Luke, there is compelling evidence about the women's visit to the tomb before sunrise, the removal of the stone from the tomb, and the appearance of the two angels at the tomb. Luke indicates that the angels were not at the tomb immediately upon the arrival of women. The angels arrived when the women were puzzling over the missing body. Only after the appearance of the angel did they realize Jesus was resurrected. When Jesus first appeared at the scene after the resurrection, Mary and Emmaus did not recognize Him. In the book of Luke and John, there is the similar conception of the glorified body of Jesus. The exclusive emphasis of Luke on the Jerusalem appearances is appealing to John who in contrast to Synoptic Gospels empathize the Judean ministry of Jesus.

When telling the story of Jesus' public ministry and the major events leading to the crucifixion and resurrection, the books express similar movements. According to the books, Jesus was very afraid on the night before His arrest and trial, as He faced what was ahead of Him the next day. However, He bravely carried on because, to Him, it was the will of God. However, none of the apostles were sensitive enough to realize how afraid and lonely Jesus was. His stress was so intense that the Bible says he actually sweet blood. Christians are advised to be truly grateful for the God's part in the crucifixion because what His son suffered must have been terrible. Even when the time came for Jesus to be arrested, He had to experience the pain of being betrayed by Judas, one of His own disciples. Besides betrayal, He had to suffer the pain of having Peter, one of His closest friends, deny Him. According to the Gospel of John and Synoptic Gospels, Jesus had to die to save humanity.

Each of the gospels records Jesus in regular conflicts with religious leaders and other teachers of the Law. The holier than thou attitude of the Pharisees compelled them to follow both the oral and the written law strictly. They did not respect the common people and looked down upon them. To them, the rest of the community did not have any chance of fulfilling the complex requirements of the law. However, during this time, the common people admired the Pharisees because they represented the ideal followers of Judaism and no governing body could afford to disregard them including Jesus Christ. Most of the Pharisees tried to promote true holiness and spirituality (Pryor 72). Some even became members of the early church. In the gospels, Jesus condemned their hypocrisy which can be seen in their pride and what He termed as the outward observance of the law. Jesus also condemned their arrogant belief that they were more religious than the rest of the society. In this regard, they accused Jesus of blasphemy and wanted Him dead. In most occasions, Jesus was targeting the Pharisees, except on one instance when He cautioned the disciplines of listening to the Sadducees who only accepted the written law and rejected the traditions of Judaism. The major encounter of Jesus with the Sadducees is when they raised the question about marriage and resurrection (Carson 80).

Both Synoptic Gospels and the Gospel of John highlight the relation between Jesus Christ and John the Baptist. In the book of Luke, after the angelic announcement to Mary of the birth of Jesus, Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judaea. At this time, Elizabeth was six months pregnant when Mary visited her (O'Connell 127). From the Gospels, John the Baptist came first to prepare the way for Jesus. He was to inform people about the Son of God and His role in their lives. The Gospel of John and Synoptics highlight the ministry of Jesus Christ in Galilee and the events that transpired. The Gospel of John does not contradict the theological message of Synoptic Gospels in major ways. A careful analysis of the Synoptic Gospels reveals that a larger part of Mark is duplicated in Luke and Matthew.

There are a number of observable differences between the Gospel of John and the Synoptics. One of the major differences involves the flow of the events in the life and ministry of Jesus Christ. Matthew, Mark, and Luke cover the same events throughout the course of Jesus' ministry and life (Funk 373). The events are arranged in different orders due to their unique goals and preferences. At various points in the life of Jesus, certain challenges were evident. For instance, some people were not ready to listen to Him because He was preaching ideas which conflicted with what the society stood for.

The Synoptics follow the same broader script. However, the Gospel of John follows its own script in terms of the events it describes. The book is divided into four sections including prologue, Jesus' miracles performed for the benefit of the Jews and to prove that God has the power to heal and over his creations, Jesus' exaltation with the Father, and an epilogue which many followers believe gives a clear understanding of the future ministries of Peter and John (Pryor 73). The differences between the Gospel of John and Synoptics also result from the fact that John wrote his Gospel twenty years after Matthew, Mark, and Luke. One can argue that he got most of his ideas fr...