I’m glad you asked that question, for many have asked the question, “Why did God give us FOUR GOSPELS accounts instead of just one?” The answer to that question is, “God wanted to give us FOUR DIFFERENT VIEWS of the Lord Jesus.” So, even though Matthew, Mark, Luke and John all wrote about the Lord Jesus Christ they each wrote from a “different vantage point,” with a “different theme” in mind. To illustrate, there have been various books written about Ronald Reagan. Some have written about him as a “President,” others as a “Movie Star,” others as a “Rancher,” and yet others as a “Family Man.” One could have written about him and included all of these “themes,” but each writer was especially impressed with the particular theme they had in mind. And so it was with each of the Gospel writers. Now we will briefly look at the theme of each Gospel Book and we will see that the theme is actually presented at the very beginning of each book.

1) Matthew looks at Jesus Christ as the KING OF ISRAEL and thus we read in Matthew 1:1, “The book of the genealogy of Jesus, the SON OF DAVID, the Son of Abraham.” Matthew  immediately focuses on Jesus as the “Son of David” because King David was promised that he would have a Son who would rule over Israel (and the world!) forever (see 2nd Samuel 7:12-13). In verses 2-17 Matthew traces Jesus’ lineage back to David and Abraham to prove that He was in the “Royal Line” as Israel’s Messiah. The title “Son of David” is used more in this gospel than any other; the Wise Men coming to worship the “King of the Jews” is only recorded by Matthew (2:1-10); and Jesus’  teachings on the kingdom dominate this gospel (see especially the “Sermon on the Mount” in chapters 5-7 and the “Parables of the Kingdom” in chapter 13). It is no wonder that at the crucifixion Pilate was made to write above the cross, “THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS” (27:41).

2) Mark presents to us Jesus Christ as the PERFECT SERVANT and thus he begins his gospel with the account of Jesus’ baptism and entrance into PUBLIC SERVICE (please read verses 1-15). We also see Jesus calling others to public service (see verses 16-20) and then we are privileged to see a “typical day in the life of this Perfect Servant” where He taught men the truth of God (verses 21-22) and healed all manners of diseases and demon possession (verses 23-34). Finally, in verses 35-45, we see Jesus the “next day” repeating His actions of the Perfect Servant by continuing to serve Mankind by healing their maladies and preaching God’s truth. This is literally seen throughout the gospel and it ends by the Perfect Servant “giving His life on the cross to meet man’s deepest need, the salvation of their soul.” This completed His perfect service to Mankind as He had said in Mark 10:45, “For even the Son of Man did NOT COME TO BE SERVED, BUT TO SERVE, and TO GIVE HIS LIFE A RANSON FOR MANY.”

3) Luke gives us the account of Jesus Christ as the “Son of Man” (a TRUE MAN in every way yet without sin).  In his first three chapters he gives us the most detailed account of Jesus’ birth and a genealogy dating back to the first man Adam. We have many accounts in this gospel of the life of the Perfect Man and His personal dealings with men and women. And His last words from the cross reveal He was a true man with a body, soul and SPIRIT, “Father, ‘into Your hands I commit My SPIRIT’” (Luke 23:46).

4) John was given the privilege of presenting Jesus as the ETERNAL WORD, the Son of God. Thus we read in 1:1, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” He takes us back to ETERNITY to see that Jesus was with God (the Father and the Spirit) and that He was God! He does tell us in verse 14, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us,” but he is quick to add, “and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” The grand theme of His Deity can be traced all through John’s gospel and the truth shines forth at the end when His enemies prostrate themselves before Him, the great “I AM” (see John 18:1-6).  (400.3)  (DO)