By JAMES REINEBACH
Christianity is the cheerful message of the Gospel and it brings joy and peace from heaven to earth. The English word gospel, comes from a blend of older English words gode and spel, pronounced gospel, meaning "good story" (Grk= evangel). The New Testament opens with this Good News, the Gospel...the authentic record of the history of all histories, the glad tidings of salvation through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The four canonical (true Scripture) Gospels are only variations of the same theme, a fourfold representation of the one and the same gospel, animated by the same spirit. They are not full biographies...they are not still shot photographs...but living pictures from "repeated sittings," and reproduce the varied expressions and aspects of Christ’s person.
The style is natural, unadorned, straightforward, and objective. Their simplicity resembles the earliest historic records in the Old Testament, and has its peculiar and abiding charm for all classes of people and all degrees of culture. The authors, in noble modesty and self-forgetfulness, suppress their personal views and feelings, step back in worshipful silence before their great subject, and set the gospel forth in all its own unaided power.
The first and fourth Gospels were composed by the apostles and eye-witnesses, Matthew and John. The second and third Gospels, were influenced of Peter and Paul, and written by their disciples Mark and Luke. The common practical aim of the gospel writer-Evangelists is to lead the reader to a saving faith in Jesus of Nazareth as the promised Messiah and Redeemer of the world. Only by hearing or reading the written Gospel can faith happen, for, "faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God." (Romans 10:14-17)
Common Origin of the Four Gospels.
The Gospels have their common source in the personal contact of two of the writers with Christ, and in the oral tradition of the apostles and other eye-witnesses. Plain fishermen of Galilee could not have drawn such a portrait of Jesus if he had not "sat for it." It would take more than a Jesus to invent a Jesus.
The Gospel writers did not create the divine original, but they faithfully preserved and reproduced it. There is a striking agreement of the first three, or synoptic (seen together) Gospels, which, in matter and form, are only variations of the same theme.
Individual Characteristics of the Four Gospels.
But with all their similarity in matter and style, each of the Gospels (especially John) has its peculiarities, answering to the personal character of its author, his special design, and the circumstances of his readers. The four evangelists present the infinite fullness of the life and person of Jesus in different aspects and different relations to mankind; and they complete one another.
The apparent contradictions of these narratives, when closely examined, sufficiently resolve themselves, in all essential points, and serve only to attest the honesty, impartiality, and credibility of the authors. The immense labor of faithful Bible scholars in bringing out the comparative characteristics of the Gospels and in harmonizing their differences has not been in vain, and has left reason for an even stronger conviction of their independent worth and mutual completeness.
Matthew wrote for Jews, Mark for Romans, Luke for Greeks, John for advanced Christians; but all are suited for Christians in every age and nation. The Gospel of Matthew exhibits Jesus of Nazareth as the Messiah and Lawgiver of the kingdom of heaven who deserves our obedience. Mark's Gospel presents Jesus as the mighty conqueror and worker of miracles who excites our astonishment. Jesus, in Luke's Gospel, is the sympathizing Friend and Savior of men, who commands our confidence. John presents Jesus as the eternal Son of God who became flesh for our salvation and claims our adoration and worship. By believing in Him we are freely given eternal life.
The Common Author of the Four Gospels
The presiding mind which planned these four Gospels, used the writers, without their formal agreement. Yet, each one wrote God's story truly, with conformity to their talents, tastes, and spheres of usefulness. The overseeing manager of these four Gospels is the Holy Spirit of God, who completely filled the life of the Lord Jesus Christ. As both the Son of Man and the Son of God, Jesus is the Savior of all who believe His Gospel. May we all believe in Jesus, and often read from the four Gospels of God's love.
(The above is from the late Phillip Schaff's, History of the Christian Church, Vol.1, pp.581-82, edited and with some additions by jrbach1@msn.com.)