Introduction – Modern scholarship in the area of Biblical literature has seen its share of divisive and atomistic theories. While it is a good thing to read an individual authors’ work for what it is, rather than read into it ideas that are foreign, too much has been made of the supposed conflicts and contradictions between Biblical authors. This is especially the case with John’s Gospel vis-à-vis the synoptics. What is too often missing, is a careful read and discerning eye as to what John was intending to do in writing a latter fourth Gospel with the background information of the first three already at hand and known. Was it to contradict and correct the received narrative, or was it to augment and give perspective to it? A careful study of the fourth Gospel will reveal there are no necessary contradictions or corrections, at least not in the actual textual information. John’s Gospel may be a corrective to the way the synoptic narrative is perceived, but there is no actual correction of the facts as they are stated.* Rather, John is revealing recollected additional information that fills out and complements the first three Gospels. If the synoptics are a “together view” John is an independent view. May we not see Matthew, Mark and Luke as comprising the strong right eye and John as the crucial left eye that gives depth and stereoscopic perspective? Complementary not conflicting, John should be, must be, read/seen with both eyes open, along with (syn) not apart from the synoptic history.
* The one possible correction might come in the timing of the events of Jesus’ last week, specifically the crucifixion. Mark 15:25 has Jesus being crucified about 9:00 am. John tells us that it wasn’t until around noon that Pilate gave into the demands for crucifixion, Jn. 19:14. Even here there may be a possible resolution depending on how the whole process was being viewed.
John’s Additional Information – “The Rest of the Story” as Compared to the Synoptics
* The one possible correction might come in the timing of the events of Jesus’ last week, specifically the crucifixion. Mark 15:25 has Jesus being crucified about 9:00 am. John tells us that it wasn’t until around noon that Pilate gave into the demands for crucifixion, Jn. 19:14. Even here there may be a possible resolution depending on how the whole process was being viewed.
John’s Additional Information – “The Rest of the Story” as Compared to the Synoptics
| Yes Indeed; That’s True … | But Did You Know…? |
| Jesus was miraculously conceived by the virgin Mary and born under some pretty amazing circumstances. Mt. 1&2; Lk. 1&2 | Jesus is the Word of God and existed with the Father before his human incarnation. Jn. 1:1-18 |
| Jesus did call Andrew and Peter, James and John at their work and instantly they followed him. Mt. 4:18-22; Mk. 1:14-20 | Jesus met these men as well as Philip and Nathanael before that event. Jn. 1:35-51 |
| Jesus began an amazing ministry based in Capernaum with miracles and teaching through out Galilee after John the Baptist was imprisoned. Mt. 4:12; Mk. 1:14-15 | Jesus 1st miracle was at Cana. He began his public ministry in Jerusalem at Passover, moving to the Judean countryside, then through Samaria and finally back to Galilee, while John the Baptist was still ministering. Jn. 2-4 |
| Jesus had a rocky reception at his hometown of Nazareth. Mt. 13:53-58; Mk. 6:1-6; Lk. 4:14-30 | Jesus generated great excitement beginning in Galilee because many had seen and heard him at Passover. Jn. 4:43-45 |
| Jesus spent a lot of time in Galilee. Mt. 4:12-17, Mk. 1:14, Lk. 4:14 | Jesus made frequent excursions to Judea and Jerusalem particularly around the feasts. Jn. 2:13, 3:22, 5:1, 6:4, 7:1-14, 10:22&40, 11:17-18&54, 12:1&12 |
| Jesus spoke in many parables. Mt. 13:34-35; Mk. 4:33-34; Lk. 8:10 | Jesus also gave many long discourses and had dialogues with people. See chart. |
| Jesus spent a good deal of time with common folk. Mt. 4:23-5:1; Mk. 1:32-39; Lk. 6:17-19 | Jesus had the ear of members of the Council/Sanhedrin and some came to believe in him. Jn. 3:1-21, 11:45, 12:9-11,42-43, 19:38-42 |
| Jesus interacted a lot with Peter, James and John. Mt. 17:1-13; Mk. 1:29, 5:35-43, 9:2-13; Lk. 8:51-56, 9:28-36 | Jesus had significant interactions with others of the 12 disciples as well. Jn. 1:35-51, 6:7-8, 11:16, 12:4-8, 20-22, 13:26-30, 14:5, 8&22, 20:24-29 |
| Jesus had trouble making contact with the Samaritans who refused to see him. Lk. 9:51-55 | Jesus dialogued with Samaritans and many came to believe in him. Jn. 4:4-42 |
| Jesus was targeted for death by Caiaphas, the high priest and certain members of the Council. Mt. 26:3-5; Mk. 11:18; Lk. 19:47-48 | Caiaphas unwittingly uttered prophetic words about the necessity of Jesus death. Lazarus was also put on the hit list. Jn. 11:49-53, 12:10-11 |
| Jesus was anointed by a woman at a dinner party in the house of a certain man named Simon. This led to complaints by certain disciples of the waste of money. Mt. 26:6-16; Mk. 14:3-11; Lk. 7:36-50 | The woman who anointed him was Mary of Bethany. And the rebuke Jesus handed down over the complaint seems to have triggered Judas Iscariot’s betrayal. Jn. 12:1-11 |
| The voice of God was heard two times in Jesus’ ministry. Mt. 3:17, 17:5; Mk. 1:11, 9:7; Lk. 3:22, 9:35 | At the culmination of his public ministry God spoke a third time. 12:28-29 |
| Jesus kept the tradition of the Passover with his disciples. The traditional Passover begins with the celebrant washing his hands – Pilate washed his hands. Mt. 27:24 In the traditional Passover, the lamb is brought out and presented for all to behold and God is acknowledged as Israel’s King. | Jesus transformed the Passover into the New Covenant. Jesus washed the disciples feet. Jn. 13:1- Pilate presented Jesus to the people with the words, “Behold the Man!” Jn. 19:5 cf. 1:29 &36 and “Behold your King!” 19:14 |
| Jesus had his last supper with all the apostles. Mt. 26:20-30; Mk. 14:17-26; Lk. 22:14-38 | Judas left right before Jesus instituted the first eucharist/communion – the New Covenant. Jn. 13:30 |
| Jesus prayed for Peter that his faith would not fail in what was about to happen (Crucifixion). Lk. 22:31-32 | Jesus prayed for the preservation of all the apostles (and those who would believe in future through their testimony) except Judas! Jn. 17:9-12 |
| Jesus was arrested on the Mt. of Olives with only a minor scuffle resulting in injury to a servant of the high priest. Mt. 26:36-56; Mk. 14:32-52; Lk. 2:39-54 | Jesus’ words, “I AM” were enough to bowl over his opposition! Peter was the swordsman and Malchus was the injured servant. Jn. 18:1-12 |
| Jesus was led away to be examined by the high priest Caiaphas. Mt. 26:57; Mk. 14:53; Lk. 22:54 | The first stop was Annas, former high priest and influential father-in-law of Caiaphas. Jn. 18:12-14, 19-24 |
| Peter’s thrice denial of Jesus took place before various people crowded around the fire at the courtyard of the high priest. Mt. 26:69-75; Mk. 14:66-72; Lk. 22:54-62 | In the last denial a relative of Malchus who had been with the arresting party on the Mt of Olives recognized Peter. Jn. 18:26 |
| Jesus specifically predicted the kind of death he would undergo – at the direction of the Sanhedrin, being handed over to the Romans to be crucified. Mt. 16:21, 20:17-19, 26:2; Mk. 8:31, 10:32-34; Lk. 24:7 | Only the Romans could legally execute someone in Judea. This authority had been stripped from the Jewish nation when Jesus was a youth thus fulfilling an ancient prophecy. Jn. 18:31-32 cf. Gn. 49:10 |
| Herod found no fault in Jesus worthy of death and at least three times Pilate appealing to the crowd found Jesus innocent. Mt. 27:11-26; Mk. 15:1-20; Lk. 23:1-25 | Pilate brought out Jesus, flogged and dressed in the purple robe and crown of thorns with the ironic words, “Behold the Man!” Jn. 19:1-5 cf. Jn. 1:29&36 |
| As he sat on the judge’s seat, Pilate’s wife sent him a warning of a dream she had suffered concerning Jesus. Mt. 27:19 | The place of the judge’s seat was The Stone Pavement (Aramaic = Gabbatha). It was about the sixth hour (high noon). Jn. 19:13-14 |
| Pilate had wanted to keep Jesus from execution, but in the end surrendered Jesus to the will of the mob. Mt. 27:11-26; Mk. 15:1-15; Lk. 23:1-25 | The final straw was a political threat to have Pilate’s status as a “Friend of Caesar” challenged. Jn. 19:12 |
| Pilate “washed his hands” of the capital judgment and the crowd took the responsibility for it. Mt. 27:24-25 | Pilate brought Jesus out for judgment with the words, “Behold your king!” The crowd responded, “We have no king but Caesar” Jn. 19:14-16 |
| A sign fastened to Jesus’ cross said, “This is Jesus, king of the Jews.” Mt. 27:37; Mk. 15:26 | The sign was in three different languages – Aramaic, Latin and Greek. Jn. 19:19-20 The Jewish leaders didn’t like Pilate’s phraseology, but he refused to change it. 21-22 |
| The soldiers cast lots for Jesus’ clothing. Mt. 27:, Mk. 15: ; Lk. 23: | One of the garments was seamless, woven from top to bottom, and that was worth casting lots for. Jn. 19:23-24 |
| Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and Salome, mother of James and John Zebedee were at the cross. Mt. 27:55-56; Mk. 15:40-41 | Mary the mother of Jesus was there, along with her “sister” who may be identified as Salome! Jn. 19:25-27 |
| A sponge full of vinegar was lifted to Jesus on a stick. Mt. 27:48; Mk. 15:36; Lk. 23:36 | A stalk of hyssop was used to get the vinegar to Jesus. Jn. 19:29 |
| About 3:00 pm when darkness had come over the land Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” and expired. Mt. 27:50; Mk. 15:37; Lk. 23:46 | Jesus said, “It is finished,” bowed his head and delivered over his Spirit. Jn. 19:30 |
| As evening approached because it was Preparation for the Sabbath, the bodies of the convicts were not left hanging as was customary in crucifixions. Mt. 27:57&62; Mk. 15:42; Lk. 23:54 | In order to hasten the deaths of the convicts (crucifixion sometimes went on for days) the request was made to break their legs thus impeding them from straightening up and taking breath. Jesus was already dead and so his legs were not broken as the Scripture predicted. Jn. 19:31- 33, 36 |
| Pilate did not initially believe that Jesus had died so soon and so he requested proof from the centurion on duty. Mk. 15:44-45 | Perhaps in order to be sure Jesus was dead, a soldier pierced Jesus’ side. Blood and “water” exuded from the wound, thus fulfilling another Scripture. Jn. 19:34-37 |
| Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for Jesus’ body and laid it in his own new tomb. Mt. 27:57-61; Mk. 15:42-47; Lk. 23:50-56 | Joseph was a secret disciple. Nicodemus, who helped him prepare the body according to custom, accompanied him. The tomb was nearby and in a garden. Jn. 19:38-42 |
| Mary Magdalene in the company of other women (Mary mother of James, Salome, Joanna) arrived at the tomb early Sunday morning to find it empty. Mt. 28:1; Mk. 16:1-3; Lk. 24:10 | Mary Magdalene ran to find Peter and John first. Jn. 20:1-2 |
| Peter was the first of the apostles to enter the empty tomb. Lk. 24:12 | John beat Peter in a foot race, but did not enter the tomb until after Peter. 20:3-9 |
| The women saw angels at the empty tomb. Mt. 28:2-7; Mk. 16:5-7; Lk. 24:4-8 | Mary Magdalene saw the Mercy Seat that had been prefigured in the Old Testament – Two angels on either end of where Jesus had lain. Jn. 20:11-12 |
| Jesus appeared to the women. Mt. 28:8-10 | Mary Magdalene saw the resurrected Jesus in the garden where she mistook him for the gardener until he called her name. Jn. 20:14-18 cf. 10:3 |
| Jesus appeared to the eleven that same evening. Lk. 24:36-49 | Thomas was not present and would not believe that Jesus was alive until he saw with his own eyes a week later. Jn. 20:24-29 |
| Jesus (after his resurrection) met with the eleven disciples on a mountain in Galilee that he had designated. Mt. 28:10, 16-17; Mk. 16:7 | Jesus (after his resurrection) surprised seven of the apostles by meeting them on the shore of the Sea of Galilee as he had at the start of his ministry. Jn. 21:1-14 cf. Lk. 5:1-11 |
| It should become obvious as these two columns are read in tandem that John was playing off what had been recorded in the first three Gospels (already then was widely known). The preponderance of internal evidence alone is enough to show that John was the last to write his work. Yet the work cannot be too late, because other internal evidence suggests, may we say proves, the work to be that of an eyewitness. It is virtually unthinkable that John’s Gospel would have been accepted as genuine, without dissent, had it not been known to be his. |
