Why Four Gospels Give Us One Christ More Clearly
Readers often ask why the New Testament includes four accounts of Jesus instead of one. If they all tell the same story, wouldn’t a single Gospel be enough? At first glance, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John can seem repetitive, or even inconsistent. But their differences are not a problem to be solved. They are the point.
Rather than giving us a single, flattened account of Jesus, the Gospels offer something closer to a three-dimensional portrait. To see why that matters, consider the difference between a drawing and a sculpture.
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.—John 1:1
A Drawing vs. a Sculpture
A two-dimensional image captures only one angle at one moment. It may be accurate, but it is limited. Depth, texture, and form are implied rather than experienced. What you see depends entirely on where the artist stood.
A sculpture, however, presents the same subject in full space. Nothing about the subject changes, but understanding grows as you move around it. Each angle reveals something real that was hidden from another position. The whole can only be known by seeing more than one side.
For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.—1 Corinthians 13:12
One Jesus, Seen from Four Angles
The four Gospels work like four viewpoints around the same figure. They do not present four different Jesuses, but one Jesus faithfully observed from different perspectives. Each writer emphasizes particular themes, events, and meanings shaped by audience and purpose. These differences are intentional, not accidental.
Like a sculptor inviting viewers to walk around the work, the Gospels invite readers to see Jesus from more than one angle. Taken together, they offer a fuller, richer picture, one that could not exist if any single Gospel stood alone.
May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.—Ephesians 3:18-19
Gospel According the Matthew
The Gospel of Matthew is attributed to Matthew, one of Jesus’ twelve closest disciples, and is written from a distinctly Jewish perspective for an audience familiar with Old Testament Scriptures. It presents Jesus as the long-awaited Messiah, the King of the Jews, by repeatedly connecting his life and actions to Old Testament prophecies. More than any other Gospel, Matthew emphasizes Jesus’ teaching, portraying him as an authoritative interpreter of the Law who does not discard Israel’s faith but brings it to its intended fulfillment. From this angle, Jesus is shown not as a break from Judaism, but as the one who completes the story the Law and the Prophets had been telling all along.
Gospel According the Mark
The Gospel of Mark is linked to John Mark, a key figure in the early church and a companion of Paul and Barnabas, who is believed to have recorded the teachings and memories of Peter, one of Jesus’ closest disciples. Written in Greek and aimed largely at a Roman or Gentile audience, Mark often explains Jewish customs and focuses on action rather than extended teaching. The Gospel highlights the power of God at work through Jesus’ miracles while steadily moving toward the cross, portraying Jesus as the suffering servant described in Isaiah 53. Here, Jesus brings salvation not as a conquering king, but through humble sacrifice; suffering and dying on behalf of others, bearing the weight of humanity's sins, and ultimately being vindicated and exalted.
Gospel According the Mark
The Gospel of Luke is attributed to Luke, a well-educated Greek physician and a companion of the apostle Paul, who also authored the Book of Acts. Writing for a largely Gentile audience, Luke sets out to provide an orderly and carefully researched account of Jesus’ life and ministry. His Gospel emphasizes Jesus as the compassionate Savior for all people, giving particular attention to women, the poor, outsiders, and non-Jews. Through detailed storytelling and many of Jesus’ parables, Luke presents Jesus as a thoughtful teacher whose life fulfills God’s plan not for one nation alone, but for the whole world.
Gospel According the John
John the Apostle, one of Jesus’ twelve disciples, wrote the Gospel of John with a clear purpose: to show that Jesus is the Son of God and the promised Messiah so that readers (Jew and non-Jew alike) might believe and receive eternal life. Distinct from Matthew, Mark, and Luke in style and structure, John offers a more reflective and theological portrait, focusing less on chronology and more on meaning. Signs, symbols, and extended conversations are used to reveal who Jesus is at his core. John states this aim plainly near the end: these things 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
In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.—2 Corinthians 13:1
The Advantage of Four Gospels
Differences among the Gospels are not signs of error but marks of authenticity. Each Gospel reflects the author’s unique personality, viewpoint, and even language, shaping how the same events are told and what is emphasized. This is what we expect from honest testimony: when multiple witnesses describe the same incident, they naturally highlight different details, focus on different moments, and arrange their accounts according to what they believe matters most. Far from weakening the case, these distinct vantage points create a wider and more reliable picture. If the four Gospels were identical, they would flatten Jesus into a single, narrow angle. Instead, together they resist oversimplification and invite readers to walk around Christ, encountering the depth of his life and meaning from more than one place.
God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son.—Hebrews 13:8
The four Gospels do not compete with one another; they work together, each offering a faithful perspective that adds depth rather than confusion. Like a sculpture seen from every side, they reveal a fuller truth, a richer beauty, and a deeper invitation, not just to learn about Jesus, but to encounter him more fully.
But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.–2 Corinthians 3:18
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This post was originally published by Benevolent Witness on Bible Prophecy Revealed.
It’s shared here with permission — you can find the original post here.