The four Gospels are unique among both ancient and modern literature. Like biographies, they tell something of the life story of Jesus. Yet only Matthew and Luke provide any details of Jesus’ life prior to his baptism and public ministry. Like an anthology, they provide a thorough collection of Jesus’ teaching and ministry, but as one scholar notes:
What is striking about the Gospels is that they focus on one week in Jesus’ life—the final week in his life up to his death on the cross. Everything points to that one week, and the Gospels devote about a third of their words to that final week.
—Matthew 21–28 = 1/3 of book
—Mark 11–16 = 1/3 of book
—Luke 19–24 = 1/4 of book
—John 12–20 = nearly 1/2 of book (John 13–19 is devoted to one day = 1/3 of book)
One-third (twenty-nine of the eighty-nine chapters) of the Gospels is devoted to Jesus’ final week, and the other two-thirds prepares readers for that final week. The heart of the Bible is the Gospels, and the heart of the Gospels is the sacrificial, redemptive work of Christ. The Gospels are essentially passion narratives with extended introductions.
–Andrew David Naselli, How to Understand and Apply the New Testament, 21
At least four features of the Gospels highlight their unique aim and style.
#1: Thoroughly Theological
First, they are thoroughly theological in content and arrangement. That is, each Gospel writer selected and arranged his material in order to highlight particular themes concerning the person and work of Christ. John, for example, states his purpose:
Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
—John 20:30–31, emphasis mine
#2: Focused on the Cross and Resurrection
As noted above, the Gospels focus on “the sacrificial, redemptive work of Christ.”¹
But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying,
“Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”
—Matthew 1:20–21
And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. And he said this plainly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.
But turning and seeing his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said,
“Get behind me, Satan! For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man.”
—Mark 8:31–33
When the days drew near for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem.
—Luke 9:51
The next day [John] saw Jesus coming toward him, and said,
“Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.”
—John 1:29–31
#3: Fulfill the OT
Third, each of the Gospel writers carefully demonstrates that Jesus fulfills the OT Scriptures. The Gospels proclaim Jesus as the Messiah, the One who fulfills all that the OT patterned and promised:
“And when Jesus entered Peter’s house, he saw his mother-in-law lying sick with a fever. He touched her hand, and the fever left her, and she rose and began to serve him. That evening they brought to him many who were oppressed by demons, and he cast out the spirits with a word and healed all who were sick.
This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah:
‘He took our illnesses and bore our diseases.’”
—Matthew 8:14–17, emphasis mine
#4: Faithful Witnesses
Fourth, the Gospel writers include specific details like the names of people and places and comments regarding when and where events happened. This may seem like a minor point to the casual reader, but it was not minor to the authors themselves. Such comments verify that their accounts are true and prove that the apostles and their coworkers were faithful witnesses. As Luke writes,
Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.
—Luke 1:1–4, emphasis mine
Luke wanted his readers to have confidence that his record is accurate, that the gospel message is true. The details provided by the Gospels prove this. It would be easy for a reader, living in or visiting Judea, Galilee, or any other of the precincts where Jesus traveled, to spot inconsistencies or inaccuracies in the Gospel accounts. Surely, if the author was careful with the minor details, he was not amiss with the major points.
Further, for that first generation of readers, many of the people mentioned would still be alive and could verify the Gospels’ witness to Jesus. Paul makes that very point when he writes to the Corinthians concerning the surety of Christ’s resurrection,
Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.
—1 Corinthians 15:1–8, emphasis mine
When Paul includes, “most of whom are still alive,” it is as though he were saying, “you don’t need to take my word for it, you can go talk to the eyewitnesses, they’re still living and can verify everything!”
Keys to interpreting the Gospels:
Discern the boundaries and interpret episodes.
Single episodes often include a mix of events, miracles, and teaching
Look for shifts in time and/or location, especially Jesus‘ location.
Compare accounts.
Consider how other Gospels portray the same event or teaching.
Ask, “What does the author of this Gospel emphasize?”
Pay attention to the author’s editorial comments.
Editorial comments are direct comments from the author.
These often tell us how the author intends for us to interpret his book.
Focus on Jesus, especially his death and resurrection.
Remember that the Gospels focus on Jesus and his sacrificial, saving work.
Ask, “What does this episode reveal about the person and work of Christ.”
This is true regarding both the events and sermons the Gospels record. For example, while the Sermon on the Mount (Matt 5–7) teaches many important truths for us to understand and apply, Matthew carefully shows us what the main takeaway should be: “And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes.” (Matthew 7:28–29, emphasis mine)
Discern the main point of a parable.
Parables generally have only one main point.
Carefully consider the circumstance/question that gave rise to the parable.
Pay attention to the response of the disciples, the Pharisees, and any others who heard the parable. As Jesus said, his parables were designed to both reveal and conceal.