Page 3 - Advanced Life of Christ - Student Textbook

Advanced Life of Christ - Harmony of the Gospels
By Dr. Kris Bjorgen

Study Section 1: Introduction to the Gospels

1.1 Connect.

Have you ever tried to walk around for a while with only one eye opened? Try it for a
while. You will find that you will have difficulty with depth perception or figuring how far
away objects are. But if you open both of your eyes, not only is your scope of vision wider,
but everything appears in three dimensions. That’s because it takes both of your eyes to
really see depth. Today we are going to look at an introduction to the Gospels with both of
our eyes open. As we get into it, you will see why. So let’s get started…..

1.2 Objectives:

1. The student should be able to share each of the Gospel writer’s perspective in their
presentation of the life of Christ.

2. The student should be able to explain why this course is going to approach the study of
the Gospels in a chronological harmony.

3. The student should be able to describe what happened historically between the book of Malachi and
the coming of Christ.

1.3 Introduction to the Gospels

Our eye is an amazing organ. Each eye captures its own view and the two separate images
are sent on to the brain for processing. When the two images arrive simultaneously in the
back of the brain, they are united into one picture. The mind combines the two images by
matching up the similarities and adding in the small differences. The small differences
between the two images add up to a big difference in the final picture! The combined
image is more than the sum of its parts. It is a three-
dimensional stereoscopic picture.

The Gospels-- Matthew, Mark, Luke and John -- are about the coming of the
promised Messiah. Just like our two eyes give us a three-dimensional
stereoscopic picture, so by viewing the four Gospels synchronously and
chronologically, we can discover new insights into all the events we read
about in vivid color. For example, seven percent of the gospel of Mark is unique to Mark and does not
appear in Matthew, Luke, or John. Forty-two percent of Matthew is unique, fifty-nine of Luke is unique,
but ninety-two percent of John is unique to John. That means a study of only one of the books will miss
a whole lot of insight into the life and passion of Jesus that is contained in the other three. But if we
study all the gospels together in chronological order, we will see everything that the sacred books

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