What are the Gospels?
Awaiting theological review
What you will understand today
What the four Gospels are, why there are four, and how to start reading them.
In simple words
Gospel means good news. The four Gospels — Matthew, Mark, Luke and John — are the four accounts of Jesus' life, death and Resurrection in the New Testament.
Matthew, Mark and Luke are similar and are called synoptic, which means seen together. John is different: fewer events, longer conversations, a deeper meditation.
They were written down a few decades after Jesus, from the preaching of the apostles and those who knew them. The Church calls them the heart of all the Scriptures.
Key Bible passage
John explains in one sentence why he wrote his Gospel.
31But these are written, that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God: and that believing, you may have life in his name.
John 20:31 · Douay-Rheims 1899 American Edition
Matthew
Jesus, the promised Messiah
Mark
The shortest — fast and vivid
Luke
Mercy for the lost
John
The Word made flesh
Did you know?
Christian art often shows the four evangelists with four symbols, taken from Ezekiel and Revelation: a man for Matthew, a lion for Mark, an ox for Luke and an eagle for John.
A common misconception
Four Gospels that differ in details cannot be trusted.
In fact
They are four witnesses, each with their own audience and emphasis. Differences in detail are typical of independent testimony; the Church holds that they faithfully hand on what Jesus really did and taught.
A question to take with you
If you could read only one Gospel this month, which would you choose — and why?
One small thing for today
Start Luke 15 in the Bible reader: three stories Jesus told about being lost and found.
Explore next
SourcesView sources ▾
- Scripture
- Catechism
- Church teaching