Gospel harmony
Encyclopedia
A Gospel harmony is an attempt to merge or harmonize the canonical gospels of the Four Evangelists
into a single gospel account, the earliest known example being the Diatesseron by Tatian
in the 2nd century
. A gospel harmony may also establish a chronology for the events
of the life of Jesus
depicted in the four canonical gospels and how they relate to each other. Under modern scholarship, the effort has waned to portray any one harmony of events as totally correct. The process can also be hindered by discrepancies between various Gospels accounts of certain events.
The unique material of each gospel complicates the discernment of one, harmonized chronology. However, some consider the unique material crucial to narrowing down the possible chronological order. Some scholars have questioned the historicity of events in the canonical gospels.
Tatian
's Diatesseron harmony which dates to about 160AD was perhaps the very first harmony. In the 3rd century the Christian Ammonius of Alexandria
developed the forerunner of modern synopsis as the Ammonian Sections
in which he started with the text of Matthew and copied along parallel events. In the 5th century, Saint Augustine wrote extensively on the subject in his book Harmony of the Gospels
. No other major Gospel harmonies appeared thereafter until the 15th century.
The 16th century witnessed a major increase in the introduction of Gospel harmonies. In this period the parallel column structure was introduced, partly in response to the rise in Biblical criticism. This new format was used to emphasize the trustworthiness of the Gospels. It is not clear who produced the very first parallel harmony, but Charles Dumoulin
in 1565 and Gerhard Mercator in 1569 had used similar approaches. In terms of content and quality, Johann Jacob Griesbach's 1776 synopsis was a notable example.
In the 19th century, other "extract and merge" attempts were made, which were not technical harmonies, e.g. the 1819 Jefferson Bible
which placed selected verses in chronological order, but removed large sections of text that Thomas Jefferson
considered too supernatural.
W. G. Rushbrooke's 1880 Synopticon is at times considered a turning point in the history of the synopsis, for it was based on Markan priority
, i.e. giving priority to the Gospel of Mark. Thirteen years later, John Broadus used historical accounts to assign priorities in his harmony, while previous approaches had used feasts as the major milestones for dividing the life of Christ.
Two separate books, both titled Synopsis of the Four Gospels, one by Kurt Aland
and the other by John Bernard Orchard, are considered by some to be the standard texts in the field of Gospel harmony since the 20th century. In 2006, Gregg Zegarelli published a harmony with an extensive numbering reference system to track the harmonization process.
The following table, mainly events for which there is also a Wikipedia article, is an example of a parallel harmony, based on the list of key episodes in the Canonical Gospels. The order of events, especially during the ministry period, has been the subject of speculation and scholarly debate. While this harmony compares the work of several scholars, other harmonies may differ substantially on the placement of some events. The episode structure within the table is based on Edward Robinson's A Harmony of the Gospels in Greek as well as Steven L. Cox and Kendell H Easley's Harmony of the Gospels.
Four Evangelists
In Christian tradition the Four Evangelists are Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, the authors attributed with the creation of the four Gospel accounts in the New Testament that bear the following titles:*Gospel according to Matthew*Gospel according to Mark...
into a single gospel account, the earliest known example being the Diatesseron by Tatian
Tatian
Tatian the Assyrian was an Assyrian early Christian writer and theologian of the 2nd century.Tatian's most influential work is the Diatessaron, a Biblical paraphrase, or "harmony", of the four gospels that became the standard text of the four gospels in the Syriac-speaking churches until the...
in the 2nd century
Christianity in the 2nd century
The 2nd century of Christianity was largely the time of the Apostolic Fathers who were the students of the apostles of Jesus, though there is some overlap as John the Apostle may have survived into the 2nd century and the early Apostolic Father Clement of Rome is said to have died at the end of the...
. A gospel harmony may also establish a chronology for the events
Chronology of Jesus
The chronology of Jesus aims to establish a historical order for some of the events of the life of Jesus in the four canonical gospels. The Christian gospels were primarily written as theological documents rather than historical chronicles and their authors showed little interest in an absolute...
of the life of Jesus
Ministry of Jesus
In the Christian gospels, the Ministry of Jesus begins with his Baptism in the countryside of Judea, near the River Jordan and ends in Jerusalem, following the Last Supper with his disciples. The Gospel of Luke states that Jesus was "about 30 years of age" at the start of his ministry...
depicted in the four canonical gospels and how they relate to each other. Under modern scholarship, the effort has waned to portray any one harmony of events as totally correct. The process can also be hindered by discrepancies between various Gospels accounts of certain events.
The unique material of each gospel complicates the discernment of one, harmonized chronology. However, some consider the unique material crucial to narrowing down the possible chronological order. Some scholars have questioned the historicity of events in the canonical gospels.
Approaches to harmony
The terms harmony and synopsis have been used to refer to approaches that aim to achieve Gospel harmony, although they are different approaches. Technically, a "harmony" weaves together sections of scripture into a narrative, merging the four Gospels. There are four main types of harmony: radical, synthetic, sequential and parallel. A "synopsis", much like a parallel harmony focuses on key events and brings together similar texts or accounts in parallel format, usually in columns.Tatian
Tatian the Assyrian was an Assyrian early Christian writer and theologian of the 2nd century.Tatian's most influential work is the Diatessaron, a Biblical paraphrase, or "harmony", of the four gospels that became the standard text of the four gospels in the Syriac-speaking churches until the...
's Diatesseron harmony which dates to about 160AD was perhaps the very first harmony. In the 3rd century the Christian Ammonius of Alexandria
Ammonius of Alexandria (Christian)
Ammonius of Alexandria was a Christian philosopher who lived in the 3rd century. He is not to be confused with Ammonius Saccas, the Neoplatonist philosopher, also from Alexandria....
developed the forerunner of modern synopsis as the Ammonian Sections
Ammonian Sections
Eusebian canons or Eusebian sections, also known as Ammonian Sections, are the system of dividing the four Gospels used between late Antiquity and the Middle Ages. The divisions into chapters and verses used in modern texts date only from the 13th and 16th centuries, respectively...
in which he started with the text of Matthew and copied along parallel events. In the 5th century, Saint Augustine wrote extensively on the subject in his book Harmony of the Gospels
Harmony of the Gospels (Augustine)
The Harmony of the Gospels is a book by the 5th century saint, Augustine of Hippo.In the book Augustine assumes that Matthew was the first Gospel, followed by Mark and that John was the last...
. No other major Gospel harmonies appeared thereafter until the 15th century.
The 16th century witnessed a major increase in the introduction of Gospel harmonies. In this period the parallel column structure was introduced, partly in response to the rise in Biblical criticism. This new format was used to emphasize the trustworthiness of the Gospels. It is not clear who produced the very first parallel harmony, but Charles Dumoulin
Charles Dumoulin
-Life:He was born in Paris. He began practice as an advocate before the parlement of Paris. Dumoulin turned Calvinist, and when the persecution of the Protestants began he went to Germany, where for a long time he taught law at Strasbourg, Besançon and elsewhere. He returned to France in 1557...
in 1565 and Gerhard Mercator in 1569 had used similar approaches. In terms of content and quality, Johann Jacob Griesbach's 1776 synopsis was a notable example.
In the 19th century, other "extract and merge" attempts were made, which were not technical harmonies, e.g. the 1819 Jefferson Bible
Jefferson Bible
The Jefferson Bible, or The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth as it is formally titled, was Thomas Jefferson's effort to extract the doctrine of Jesus by removing sections of the New Testament containing supernatural aspects as well as perceived misinterpretations he believed had been added by...
which placed selected verses in chronological order, but removed large sections of text that Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
considered too supernatural.
W. G. Rushbrooke's 1880 Synopticon is at times considered a turning point in the history of the synopsis, for it was based on Markan priority
Markan priority
Markan priority is the hypothesis that the Gospel of Mark was the first written of the three Synoptic Gospels, and that the two other synoptic evangelists, Matthew and Luke, used Mark's Gospel as one of their sources. The theory of Markan priority is today accepted by the majority of New Testament...
, i.e. giving priority to the Gospel of Mark. Thirteen years later, John Broadus used historical accounts to assign priorities in his harmony, while previous approaches had used feasts as the major milestones for dividing the life of Christ.
Two separate books, both titled Synopsis of the Four Gospels, one by Kurt Aland
Kurt Aland
Kurt Aland was a German Theologian and Professor of New Testament Research and Church History. He founded the Institut für neutestamentliche Textforschung in Münster and served as its first director for many years...
and the other by John Bernard Orchard, are considered by some to be the standard texts in the field of Gospel harmony since the 20th century. In 2006, Gregg Zegarelli published a harmony with an extensive numbering reference system to track the harmonization process.
A parallel harmony presentation
- For a visual representation of the events, please see: Gospel harmony gallery
The following table, mainly events for which there is also a Wikipedia article, is an example of a parallel harmony, based on the list of key episodes in the Canonical Gospels. The order of events, especially during the ministry period, has been the subject of speculation and scholarly debate. While this harmony compares the work of several scholars, other harmonies may differ substantially on the placement of some events. The episode structure within the table is based on Edward Robinson's A Harmony of the Gospels in Greek as well as Steven L. Cox and Kendell H Easley's Harmony of the Gospels.
| Number | Event | Type | Matthew | Mark | Luke | John |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pre-existence of Christ Pre-existence of Christ The pre-existence of Christ refers to the doctrine of the ontological or personal existence of Christ before his conception. One of the relevant Bible passages is where, in the Trinitarian view, Christ is identified with a pre-existent divine hypostasis called the Logos or Word... |
miscellaneous | ||||
| 2 | Genealogy of Jesus Genealogy of Jesus The genealogy of Jesus is described in two passages of the Gospels: Luke 3:23–38 and Matthew 1:1–17.* Matthew's genealogy commences with Abraham and then from King David's son Solomon follows the legal line of the kings through Jeconiah, the king whose descendants were cursed, to Joseph, legal... |
nativity | ||||
| 3 | Birth of John the Baptist | nativity | ||||
| 4 | Annunciation Annunciation The Annunciation, also referred to as the Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin Mary or Annunciation of the Lord, is the Christian celebration of the announcement by the angel Gabriel to Virgin Mary, that she would conceive and become the mother of Jesus the Son of God. Gabriel told Mary to name her... |
nativity | ||||
| 5 | Visitation of Mary | nativity | ||||
| 6 | Birth of Jesus | nativity | ||||
| 7 | Annunciation to the shepherds Annunciation to the shepherds The Annunciation to the shepherds is an episode in the Nativity of Jesus described in the Bible in Luke 2, in which angels tell a group of shepherds about the birth of Jesus... |
nativity | ||||
| 8 | Adoration of the shepherds Adoration of the shepherds The Adoration of the shepherds, in the Nativity of Jesus in art, is a scene in which shepherds are near witnesses to the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. It is often combined with the Adoration of the Magi, in which case it is typically just referred to by the latter title... |
nativity | ||||
| 9 | Circumcision of Jesus Circumcision of Jesus The Circumcision of Jesus is an event from the life of Jesus of Nazareth according to the Gospel of Luke, which states in verse 2:21 that Jesus was circumcised eight days after his birth... |
nativity | ||||
| 10 | Infant Jesus at the Temple | nativity | ||||
| 11 | Star of Bethlehem Star of Bethlehem In Christian tradition, the Star of Bethlehem, also called the Christmas Star, revealed the birth of Jesus to the magi, or "wise men", and later led them to Bethlehem. The star appears in the nativity story of the Gospel of Matthew, where magi "from the east" are inspired by the star to travel to... |
nativity | ||||
| 12 | Adoration of the Magi | nativity | ||||
| 13 | Flight into Egypt Flight into Egypt The flight into Egypt is a biblical event described in the Gospel of Matthew , in which Joseph fled to Egypt with his wife Mary and infant son Jesus after a visit by Magi because they learn that King Herod intends to kill the infants of that area... |
nativity | ||||
| 14 | Massacre of the Innocents Massacre of the Innocents The Massacre of the Innocents is an episode of infanticide by the King of Judea, Herod the Great. According to the Gospel of Matthew Herod orders the execution of all young male children in the village of Bethlehem, so as to avoid the loss of his throne to a newborn King of the Jews whose birth... |
nativity | ||||
| 15 | Herod the Great Herod the Great Herod , also known as Herod the Great , was a Roman client king of Judea. His epithet of "the Great" is widely disputed as he is described as "a madman who murdered his own family and a great many rabbis." He is also known for his colossal building projects in Jerusalem and elsewhere, including his... 's death |
miscellaneous | ||||
| 16 | Return of young Jesus to Nazareth Return of young Jesus to Nazareth The return of young Jesus to Nazareth is an episode in the life of Jesus that appears in the Gospel of Luke. It relates the return to Nazareth by St. Joseph and Mary after the birth of Jesus.... |
youth | ||||
| 17 | Finding Jesus in the Temple | youth | ||||
| 18 | John the Baptist John the Baptist John the Baptist was an itinerant preacher and a major religious figure mentioned in the Canonical gospels. He is described in the Gospel of Luke as a relative of Jesus, who led a movement of baptism at the Jordan River... |
miscellaneous | ||||
| 19 | Ministry of John the Baptist | miscellaneous | ||||
| 20 | Baptism of Jesus Baptism of Jesus The baptism of Jesus marks the beginning of Jesus Christ's public ministry. This event is recorded in the Canonical Gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke. In John 1:29-33 rather than a direct narrative, the Baptist bears witness to the episode... |
miscellaneous | ||||
| 21 | Temptation of Jesus | miscellaneous | ||||
| 22 | Marriage at Cana Marriage at Cana In Christianity, the transformation of water into wine at the Marriage at Cana or Wedding at Cana is the first miracle of Jesus in the Gospel of John.... |
miracle | ||||
| 23 | First Temple Cleansing | ministry | ||||
| 24 | Jesus & Nicodemus Nicodemus Saint Nicodemus was a Pharisee and a member of the Sanhedrin, who, according to the Gospel of John, showed favour to Jesus... |
ministry | ||||
| 25 | Return of Jesus to Galilee Return of Jesus to Galilee The Return of Jesus to Galilee is an episode in the life of Jesus that appears in three of the Canonical Gospels: , and . It relates the return of Jesus to Galillee upon the imprisonment of John the Baptist.According to the Gospel of John:... |
ministry | ||||
| 26 | Exorcism at the Synagogue in Capernaum Exorcism at the Synagogue in Capernaum The Exorcism at the Synagogue in Capernaum is one of the miracles of Jesus in the Gospels, i.e. Mark 1:21-28 and Luke 4:31-37.According to the Gospels, on the Sabbath Jesus and his disciples went to Capernaum, and Jesus began to teach. People were amazed at his teaching, because he taught them as... |
miracle | ||||
| 27 | The Growing Seed | parable | ||||
| 28 | Hometown rejection of Jesus | ministry | ||||
| 29 | First disciples of Jesus First disciples of Jesus The call of the First disciples of Jesus is a key episode in the life of Jesus in the New Testament. It appears in , and on the Sea of Galilee. reports the first encounter with two of the disciples a little earlier in the presence of John the Baptist... |
ministry | ||||
| 30 | Miraculous draught of fishes | miracle | ||||
| 31 | Beatitudes Beatitudes In Christianity, the Beatitudes are a set of teachings by Jesus that appear in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. The term Beatitude comes from the Latin adjective beatus which means happy, fortunate, or blissful.... |
sermon | ||||
| 32 | Young Man from Nain | miracle | ||||
| 33 | The Two Debtors The Two Debtors The Parable of the Two Debtors is a parable of Jesus. It appears in only one of the Canonical gospels of the New Testament. According to Luke Jesus uses the story of two debtors to explain that a woman loves him more than his host, because she has been forgiven of greater sins. This parable is... |
parable | ||||
| 34 | The Lamp under a Bushel | parable | ||||
| 35 | Expounding of the Law Expounding of the Law The Expounding of the Law is a highly structured part of the Sermon on the Mount in the New Testament... |
sermon | ||||
| 36 | Seventy Disciples Seventy Disciples The seventy disciples or seventy-two disciples were early followers of Jesus mentioned in the Gospel of Luke . According to Luke, the only gospel in which they appear, Jesus appointed them and sent them out in pairs on a specific mission which is detailed in the text... |
ministry | ||||
| 37 | Discourse on ostentation | sermon | ||||
| 38 | Parable of the Good Samaritan Parable of the Good Samaritan The parable of the Good Samaritan is a parable told by Jesus and is mentioned in only one of the Canonical gospels. According to the Gospel of Luke a traveller is beaten, robbed, and left half dead along the road. First a priest and then a Levite come by, but both avoid the man. Finally, a... |
parable | ||||
| 39 | Jesus at the home of Martha and Mary Jesus at the home of Martha and Mary Jesus at the home of Martha and Mary is an episode in the life of Jesus that appears only in the Gospel of Luke, after the Parable of the Good Samaritan:.According to the Gospel of Luke:... |
ministry | ||||
| 40 | The Lord's Prayer | ministry | ||||
| 41 | The Friend at Night The Friend at Night The Parable of the Friend at Night , is a parable of Jesus, which appears in only one of the Canonical gospels of the New Testament. According to the Luke , a friend eventually agrees to help his neighbor due to his persistent demands.This parable demonstrates the need to pray and never give up... |
parable | ||||
| 42 | The Rich Fool The Rich Fool The Parable of the Rich Fool is a parable of Jesus which appears in only one of the Canonical gospels of the New Testament. According to Luke , the parable reflects the foolishness of attaching too much importance to wealth.... |
parable | ||||
| 43 | Samaritan Woman at the Well Samaritan Woman at the Well The Samaritan woman at the well is an episode in the life of Jesus that appears only in the Gospel of John, in . In Eastern Orthodox Church tradition, she is known as Photina.According to the John 4:... |
ministry | ||||
| 44 | The Birds of Heaven The Birds of Heaven The Birds of Heaven" was given by Jesus in the New Testament books of . It was considered important to the ancient Gnostics.From Matthew 6:24–33 : From :... |
ministry | ||||
| 45 | Discourse on judging | sermon | ||||
| 46 | Discourse on holiness | sermon | ||||
| 47 | The Test of a Good Person The Test of a Good Person The Parable of the Tree and its Fruits is a parable of Jesus about testing a person. Similar passages appear in the New Testament in Matthew and Luke.... |
sermon | ||||
| 48 | The Wise and the Foolish Builders The Wise and the Foolish Builders The Parable of the Wise and the Foolish Builders, , is one of the well known parables of Jesus. It appears in two of the Canonical gospels of the New Testament... |
parable | ||||
| 49 | Cleansing a leper | miracle | ||||
| 50 | The Centurion's Servant | miracle | ||||
| 51 | Healing the mother of Peter's wife Healing the mother of Peter's wife Healing the mother of Peter's wife is one of the miracles of Jesus in the Gospels, namely in Mark 1:29-31, Luke 4:38-41 and Matthew 8:14-15.In the Gospels of Mark and Luke this episode takes place after the exorcism at the Synagogue in Capernaum. Jesus goes to Apostle Peter's house. There he sees... |
miracle | ||||
| 52 | Exorcising at sunset | miracle | ||||
| 53 | Calming the storm Calming the storm thumb|240px|[[The Storm on the Sea of Galilee]] by [[Rembrandt]], 1632.Calming the storm is one of the miracles of Jesus in the Gospels, namely in Mark 4:35-41, Luke 8:22-25 and Matthew 8:23-27.... |
miracle | ||||
| 54 | Gerasenes demonic | miracle | ||||
| 55 | Paralytic at Capernaum | miracle | ||||
| 56 | Calling of Matthew Calling of Matthew The Calling of Matthew is an episode in the life of Jesus that appears in all three Synoptic Gospels, , and and relates the initial encounter between Jesus and St. Matthew.According to the Gospel of Matthew:... |
ministry | ||||
| 57 | New Wine into Old Wineskins New Wine into Old Wineskins New Wine into Old Wineskins is one of a pair of parables told by Jesus in the New Testament, found in Matthew , Mark , and Luke . A version of the parables also appears in the Gnostic Gospel of Thomas .-Passage:... |
parable | ||||
| 58 | Daughter of Jairus Daughter of Jairus The record of the daughter of Jairus is a combination of miracles of Jesus in the Gospels .The story immediately follows the exorcism at Gerasa. Jairus, a patron of the synagogue, asks Jesus to heal his dying daughter. However, according to Matthew, his daughter is already dead, not dying... |
miracle | ||||
| 59 | The Bleeding Woman | miracle | ||||
| 60 | Two Blind Men at Galilee | miracle | ||||
| 61 | Exorcising a mute | miracle | ||||
| 62 | Commissioning the twelve Apostles Commissioning the twelve Apostles Commissioning the twelve Apostles is an episode in the life of Jesus that appears in all three Synoptic Gospels: , and but not in the Canonical Gospel of John. It relates the initial selection of the twelve Apostles among the disciples of Jesus.... |
ministry | ||||
| 63 | But to bring a sword But to bring a sword "I come not to bring peace, but to bring a sword" , part of the Lesser Commission, is one of the controversial statements reported of Jesus in the Bible. The saying has been interpreted in several ways... |
ministry | ||||
| 64 | Messengers from John the Baptist Messengers from John the Baptist The Messengers from John the Baptist is an episode in the life of Jesus that appears in and .In the New Testament this episode takes place after the Baptism of Jesus when John the Baptist is in prison and hears of the works performed by Jesus... |
ministry | ||||
| 65 | Paralytic at Bethesda | miracle | ||||
| 66 | Lord of the Sabbath Lord of the Sabbath The Lord of the Sabbath is an episode in the life of Jesus that appears in all three Synoptic Gospels, , and . It relates an encounter between Jesus, his Apostles and the Pharisees and is the first of the "four Sabbath controversies".... |
ministry | ||||
| 67 | Man with withered Hand | miracle | ||||
| 68 | The Lord's Prayer | ministry | ||||
| 69 | Exorcising the blind and mute man Exorcising the blind and mute man Exorcising the blind and mute man is one of the miracles of Jesus in the Gospels, i.e. Matthew 12:22-32, Luke 11:14-23 and Mark 3:20-30.According to the Gospels, Jesus healed a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute, so that he could both talk and see... |
miracle | ||||
| 70 | Parable of the strong man Parable of the strong man The Parable of the strong man is a parable told by Jesus in the New Testament, found in Matthew , Mark , and Luke... |
parable | ||||
| 71 | Eternal sin Eternal sin Eternal sins or unforgivable sins or unpardonable sins, are a concept in Christian theology of sins which cannot or will not be forgiven, whereby salvation becomes impossible... |
ministry | ||||
| 72 | Jesus' True Relatives Jesus' True Relatives The saying of Jesus concerning his true relatives is found in the Canonical gospels of Mark and Matthew.-In the Bible:From : There came then his brethren and his mother, and, standing without, sent unto him, calling him.... |
ministry | ||||
| 73 | Parable of the Sower Parable of the Sower The Parable of the Sower is one of the parables of Jesus found in three out of the four Canonical gospels and in the non-canonical Gospel of Thomas In this story, a sower dropped seed on the path, on rocky ground, and among thorns, and the seed was lost; but when seed fell on good earth, it... |
parable | ||||
| 74 | The Birds of Heaven The Birds of Heaven The Birds of Heaven" was given by Jesus in the New Testament books of . It was considered important to the ancient Gnostics.From Matthew 6:24–33 : From :... |
ministry | ||||
| 75 | The Tares | parable | ||||
| 76 | The Barren Fig Tree | parable | ||||
| 77 | An Infirm Woman | miracle | ||||
| 78 | Parable of the Mustard Seed Parable of the Mustard Seed The Parable of the Mustard Seed is one of the shorter parables of Jesus. It appears in three of the Canonical gospels of the New Testament. The differences between Gospels of Matthew , Mark , and Luke , are minor... |
parable | ||||
| 79 | The Leaven | parable | ||||
| 80 | Parable of the Pearl Parable of the Pearl The Parable of the Pearl is a parable of Jesus. It appears in only one of the Canonical gospels of the New Testament... |
parable | ||||
| 81 | Drawing in the Net | parable | ||||
| 82 | The Hidden Treasure | parable | ||||
| 83 | Rejection of Jesus Rejection of Jesus The Canonical Gospels of the New Testament include some accounts of the rejection of Jesus in the course of his ministry. Judaism's view of Jesus, Jesus in Islam, and the view of the Historical Jesus all differ from Christian views of Jesus.-Hometown rejection:... |
ministry | ||||
| 84 | Beheading of St. John the Baptist Beheading of St. John the Baptist The Beheading of Saint John the Baptist is a holy day observed by various Christian churches which follow liturgical traditions... |
ministry | ||||
| 85 | Feeding the 5000 | miracle | ||||
| 86 | Walking on water Walking on water Jesus' walks on water, or Jesus walking on water, is one of the miracles of Jesus in the Gospels. Accounts of the miracle appear in three Gospels: Matthew 14:22-33, Mark 6:45-52 and... |
miracle | ||||
| 87 | Healing in Gennesaret | miracle | ||||
| 88 | Discourse on Defilement Discourse on Defilement The Discourse on Defilement is an episode in the life of Jesus in the New Testament. It appears in the Gospel of Matthew and the Gospel of Mark .... |
sermon | ||||
| 89 | Canaanite woman's daughter | miracle | ||||
| 90 | Deaf mute of Decapolis | miracle | ||||
| 91 | Feeding the 4000 | miracle | ||||
| 92 | Blind Man of Bethsaida | miracle | ||||
| 93 | Confession of Peter | ministry | ||||
| 94 | Transfiguration of Jesus Transfiguration of Jesus The Transfiguration of Jesus is an event reported in the New Testament in which Jesus is transfigured and becomes radiant upon a mountain. The Synoptic Gospels describe it, and 2 Peter 1:16-18 refers to it.... |
miracle | ||||
| 95 | Boy possessed by a demon | miracle | ||||
| 96 | Coin in the fish's mouth Coin in the fish's mouth Coin in the fish's mouth is one of the miracles of Jesus in the Gospels .According to the Gospel, after Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma temple tax came to Apostle Peter and asked, "Doesn't your teacher pay the temple tax?" And Peter replied: "Yes, he... |
miracle | ||||
| 97 | Bread of Life Discourse Bread of Life Discourse The Bread of Life Discourse is an episode in the life of Jesus that appears in the Gospel of John 6:22-59.The title Bread of Life for Jesus is based on this Biblical episode which takes place in the Gospel of John shortly after the Feeding the multitude episode after which the crowds follow... |
sermon | ||||
| 98 | The Little Children The Little Children The Little Children was a saying given by Jesus in the New Testament.From Matthew 18:1-6 Another saying referencing small children can be found in the Gospel of Thomas. The two passages are different in tone. However, both start by comparing those who enter the Kingdom of Heaven to children, and... |
ministry | ||||
| 99 | Man with dropsy | miracle | ||||
| 100 | Counting the Cost Counting the cost Counting the cost is a name often given to a pair of parables told by Jesus in the New Testament, and found in Luke . The name comes from the phrase "count the cost" which occurs in the King James Version of the passage, as well as some other versions.... |
parable | ||||
| 101 | The Lost Sheep | parable | ||||
| 102 | The Unforgiving Servant | parable | ||||
| 103 | The Little Children The Little Children The Little Children was a saying given by Jesus in the New Testament.From Matthew 18:1-6 Another saying referencing small children can be found in the Gospel of Thomas. The two passages are different in tone. However, both start by comparing those who enter the Kingdom of Heaven to children, and... |
ministry | ||||
| 104 | The Lost Coin | parable | ||||
| 105 | Parable of the Prodigal Son Parable of the Prodigal Son The Prodigal Son, also known as the Lost Son and the Prodigal Father, is one of the parables of Jesus. It appears in only one of the Canonical gospels of the New Testament. According to the Gospel of Luke a father extravagantly gives his sons their inheritance before he dies... |
parable | ||||
| 106 | The Unjust Steward The Unjust Steward The Parable of the Unjust Steward is a parable of Jesus which appears in only one of the Canonical gospels of the New Testament... |
parable | ||||
| 107 | Rich man and Lazarus | parable | ||||
| 108 | The Master and Servant The Master and Servant The Parable of the Master and Servant is a parable told by Jesus in the New Testament, found in Luke . The parable teaches that when somebody "has done what God expects, he or she is only doing his or her duty."- Narrative :The parable is as follows:... |
parable | ||||
| 109 | Cleansing ten lepers Cleansing ten lepers Christ cleansing ten lepers is one of the miracles of Jesus in the Gospels .According to the Gospel, on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him... |
miracle | ||||
| 110 | The Unjust Judge The Unjust Judge The Parable of the Unjust Judge , is one of the parables of Jesus which appears in only one of the Canonical gospels of the New Testament... |
parable | ||||
| 111 | Pharisees and the Publican | parable | ||||
| 112 | Jesus and the rich young man Jesus and the rich young man Jesus and the rich young man is an episode in the life of Jesus in the New Testament that deals with eternal life. It appears in the Gospel of Matthew , the Gospel of Mark and the Gospel of Luke .... |
ministry | ||||
| 113 | Jesus and the woman taken in adultery | ministry | ||||
| 114 | The Workers in the Vineyard | parable | ||||
| 115 | Jesus predicts his death Jesus predicts his death Jesus predicts his death three times in the New Testament, the first two occasions building up to the final prediction of his crucifixion. The final prediction episode appears in all three Synoptic Gospels, in the Gospel of Matthew , the Gospel of Mark and the Gospel of Luke... |
ministry | ||||
| 116 | The Blind at Birth | miracle | ||||
| 117 | Son of man came to serve Son of man came to serve Son of man came to serve refers to a specific episode in the New Testament.In the Gospel of Matthew , and the Gospel of Mark Jesus explains that he "came as Son of man to give his life as ransom".The ransom paid by the Son of man is an element of a common doctrine of atonement in Christianity.In... |
ministry | ||||
| 118 | The Good Shepherd Good Shepherd Good Shepherd may refer to:In Christianity:* The Good Shepherd , pericope found in John 10:1-21, and a popular image in which the Good Shepherd represents Jesus... |
ministry | ||||
| 119 | Blind near Jericho | miracle | ||||
| 120 | Raising of Lazarus Raising of Lazarus The Raising of Lazarus or the Resurrection of Lazarus is one of the miracles of Jesus in the Gospels in which Jesus brings Lazarus of Bethany back to life four days after his burial.... |
miracle | ||||
| 121 | Jesus and Zacchaeus | ministry | ||||
| 122 | Palm Sunday Palm Sunday Palm Sunday is a Christian moveable feast that falls on the Sunday before Easter. The feast commemorates Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem, an event mentioned in all four Canonical Gospels. .... |
ministry | ||||
| 123 | Second Temple Cleansing | ministry | ||||
| 124 | Cursing the fig tree Cursing the fig tree Cursing the fig tree is one of the miracles of Jesus in the Gospels. It is included in the gospels of Mark and Matthew, but not in Luke or John... |
miracle | ||||
| 125 | Authority of Jesus Questioned Authority of Jesus Questioned The Authority of Jesus Questioned is an episode in the life of Jesus that appears in all three Synoptic Gospels: , and .According to the Gospel of Matthew:... |
ministry | ||||
| 126 | The Two Sons The Two Sons The Parable of the Two Sons is a parable told by Jesus in the New Testament, found in Matthew . It contrasts the tax collectors and prostitutes who accepted the message taught by John the Baptist with the "religious" people who did not.- Narrative :... |
parable | ||||
| 127 | The Wicked Husbandmen The Wicked Husbandmen The Parable of the Wicked Husbandmen is a parable of Jesus found in three of the four Canonical gospels , and in the non-canonical Gospel of Thomas... |
parable | ||||
| 128 | The Great Banquet | parable | ||||
| 129 | Render unto Caesar... Render unto Caesar... "Render unto Caesar…" is the beginning of a phrase attributed to Jesus in the synoptic gospels, which reads in full, "Render unto Caesar the things which are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's" .... |
ministry | ||||
| 130 | Woes of the Pharisees Woes of the Pharisees The Woes of the Pharisees is a list of criticisms by Jesus against Scribes and Pharisees and Lawyers that is present in the Gospel of Luke and Gospel of Matthew... |
ministry | ||||
| 131 | Widow's mite | sermon | ||||
| 132 | Second Coming Prophecy Second Coming Prophecy The Second Coming Prophecy is an episode in the life of Jesus that appears in all three Synoptic Gospels: , and . In this episode Jesus explains to his Apostles the concept of his return from Heaven. This episode forms the basis for the Christian belief in the Second Coming of Christ.According to... |
ministry | ||||
| 133 | The Budding Fig Tree | parable | ||||
| 134 | The Faithful Servant | parable | ||||
| 135 | The Ten Virgins | parable | ||||
| 136 | The Talents or Minas | parable | ||||
| 137 | The Sheep and the Goats The Sheep and the Goats The Sheep and the Goats or "The Judgment of the Nations" was a discourse of Jesus recorded in the New Testament. It is sometimes characterized as a parable, although unlike most parables it does not purport to relate a story of events happening to other characters.One explanation is that it tells... |
parable | ||||
| 138 | Anointing of Jesus Anointing of Jesus The anointing of Jesus is an event reported by each of the Canonical gospels, in which a woman pours the entire contents of an alabastron of very expensive perfume over the head or feet of Jesus.... |
ministry | ||||
| 139 | Bargain of Judas Bargain of Judas The Bargain of Judas is a biblical episode related to the life of Jesus that appears in all three Synoptic Gospels, , and . It relates how Judas Iscariot made a bargain with the chief Jewish priests to betray Jesus.... |
miscellaneous | ||||
| 140 | The Grain of Wheat The Grain of Wheat Parable of the Grain of Wheat is an allegory on resurrection given by Jesus in the New Testament .- Narrative :From John 12:24-26... |
ministry | ||||
| 141 | Last Supper Last Supper The Last Supper is the final meal that, according to Christian belief, Jesus shared with his Twelve Apostles in Jerusalem before his crucifixion. The Last Supper provides the scriptural basis for the Eucharist, also known as "communion" or "the Lord's Supper".The First Epistle to the Corinthians is... |
ministry | ||||
| 142 | Promising a Paraclete Paraclete Paraclete means advocate or helper. In Christianity, the term most commonly refers to the Holy Spirit.-Etymology:... |
ministry | ||||
| 143 | Gethsemane Gethsemane Gethsemane is a garden at the foot of the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem most famous as the place where, according to Biblical texts, Jesus and his disciples are said to have prayed the night before Jesus' crucifixion.- Etymology :... |
miscellaneous | ||||
| 144 | The kiss of Judas The Kiss of Judas According to the Synoptic Gospels, Judas identified Jesus to the soldiers by means of a kiss. This is the kiss of Judas, also known as the Betrayal of Christ, which occurs in the Garden of Gethsemane after the Last Supper, and leads directly to the arrest of Jesus by the police force of the... |
passion | ||||
| 145 | Healing the ear of a servant Healing the ear of a servant Healing the ear of a servant is one of the miracles of Jesus in the Gospels.The Gospel of Luke describes Jesus healing the ear of the servant of a high priest during the Arrest of Jesus after one the followers of Jesus had cut it off:... |
miracle | ||||
| 146 | Arrest of Jesus Arrest of Jesus The arrest of Jesus is a pivotal event recorded in the Canonical gospels. The event ultimately leads, in the Gospel accounts, to Jesus' crucifixion... |
passion | ||||
| 147 | Sanhedrin Trial of Jesus Sanhedrin Trial of Jesus The Sanhedrin trial of Jesus refers to the Canonical Gospel accounts of the trial of Jesus before the Jewish Council, or Sanhedrin, following his arrest and prior to his trial before Pontius Pilate... |
passion | ||||
| 148 | Blood curse Blood curse The blood curse is a New Testament passage from the verse .- Versions of the scriptural quotation :* Ιδων δε ο Πιλατος οτι ουδεν ωφελει αλλα μαλλον θορυβος γινεται, λαβων υδωρ απενιψατο τας χειρας απεναντι του οχλου, λεγων αθωος ειμι απο του αιματος του δικαιου τουτου; υμεις οψεσθε. Και αποκριθεις... |
passion | ||||
| 149 | Crucifixion of Jesus Crucifixion of Jesus The crucifixion of Jesus and his ensuing death is an event that occurred during the 1st century AD. Jesus, who Christians believe is the Son of God as well as the Messiah, was arrested, tried, and sentenced by Pontius Pilate to be scourged, and finally executed on a cross... |
passion | ||||
| 150 | Myrrhbearers Myrrhbearers In Eastern Orthodoxy the Myrrhbearers are the individuals mentioned in the New Testament who were directly involved in the burial or who discovered the empty tomb following the resurrection of Jesus... |
resurrection appearance | ||||
| 151 | Empty tomb Empty tomb Empty tomb most often refers to the tomb of Jesus which was found to be empty by the women who were present at Jesus’ crucifixion. They had come to his tomb to anoint his body with spices... |
resurrection appearance | ||||
| 152 | Resurrection of Jesus Resurrection of Jesus The Christian belief in the resurrection of Jesus states that Jesus returned to bodily life on the third day following his death by crucifixion. It is a key element of Christian faith and theology and part of the Nicene Creed: "On the third day he rose again in fulfillment of the Scriptures"... |
resurrection appearance | ||||
| 153 | Noli me tangere Noli me tangere Noli me tangere, meaning "don't touch me" / "touch me not", is the Latin version of words spoken, according to , by Jesus to Mary Magdalene when she recognizes him after his resurrection.... |
resurrection appearance | ||||
| 154 | Road to Emmaus appearance Road to Emmaus appearance The Road to Emmaus appearance refers to one of the early resurrection appearances of Jesus after his crucifixion and the discovery of the empty tomb... |
resurrection appearance | ||||
| 155 | Resurrected Jesus appears to Apostles | resurrection appearance | ||||
| 156 | Great Commission Great Commission The Great Commission, in Christian tradition, is the instruction of the resurrected Jesus Christ to his disciples, that they spread his teachings to all the nations of the world. It has become a tenet in Christian theology emphasizing missionary work, evangelism, and baptism... |
resurrection appearance | ||||
| 157 | Doubting Thomas Doubting Thomas A Doubting Thomas is someone who will refuse to believe something without direct, physical, personal evidence; a skeptic.-Origin:The term is based on the Biblical account of Thomas the Apostle, a disciple of Jesus who doubted Jesus' resurrection and demanded to feel Jesus' wounds before being... |
resurrection appearance | ||||
| 158 | Catch of 153 fish Catch of 153 fish The miraculous catch of fish is either of two miracles attributed to Jesus in the early Christian canonical literature known as the Gospels. The miracles are reported as taking place years apart from each other, but in both miracles apostles are fishing unsuccessfully in the Sea of Galilee when... |
miracle | ||||
| 159 | Ascension of Jesus | resurrection appearance |
See also
- Chronology of JesusChronology of JesusThe chronology of Jesus aims to establish a historical order for some of the events of the life of Jesus in the four canonical gospels. The Christian gospels were primarily written as theological documents rather than historical chronicles and their authors showed little interest in an absolute...
- Life of ChristLife of ChristThe Life of Christ as a narrative cycle in Christian art comprises a number of different subjects, which were often grouped in series or cycles of works in a variety of media, narrating the life of Jesus on earth, as distinguished from the many other subjects in art showing the eternal life of...
- List of key episodes in the Canonical Gospels
- List of New Testament stories
- Ministry of JesusMinistry of JesusIn the Christian gospels, the Ministry of Jesus begins with his Baptism in the countryside of Judea, near the River Jordan and ends in Jerusalem, following the Last Supper with his disciples. The Gospel of Luke states that Jesus was "about 30 years of age" at the start of his ministry...
- Timeline of the Bible
External links
- Augustine's Harmony of the Gospels
- Parallel Gospels in Harmony (broken link) Online version of Parallel Gospels in Harmony: with Study Guide, by David A. Reed, a public domain book
- Complete Gospel texts, shown in four parallel columns, but not a harmony