Page 3 - Life of Christ - textbook (3)

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 examine why this course is going to approach the study of the
Gospels in a chronological harmony.

3. The student should be able to explain 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,
7% 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, 59% of Luke is unique, but 92%
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 of the gospels together in chronological order, we will see

nd
2 Century Manuscript of
2 John