Why Do We Have Four Gospels?

Please watch: "The ONE Thing Every Christian Should Be Doing But Most Are NOT!"
Have you ever wondered why there were 4 gospels written instead of just one? Stick around and find out why.

Hey everyone, welcome back my name is Allen Parr and today we are answering the question, “Why do we have 4 gospels instead of just one?”

The first thing we have to realize is that each gospel was written by a different person for a difference purpose to a specific group of people.

During the time when these Gospels were written there was all sorts of information circulating around written about Jesus. There were healings, miracles, sermons, teachings, parables. Stories about His life, etc.

Each gospel writer carefully selected from this group to convince their particular audience that Jesus was indeed God.
So let's look at Matthew

PURPOSE: To convince the Jewish people that Jesus was the promised Messiah whom THEY had just crucified.

How does he do it? Knowing that the Jews believed in the authority of the OT, Matthew used more OT Scriptures than the other writers to show how Jesus was the fulfillment of over 330 prophecies written about Him in the OT.
ii. Focuses more on how Jesus was the fulfillment of over 330 prophecies written about Him in the OT.
5. Mark
a. PURPOSE: To convince the Romans that Jesus was the promised Messiah. So Mark had to get into the mind of a Roman and ask, “What is it that would convince me to believe that Jesus is indeed God?”
b. How does he do it?
i. His gospel is the shortest because he omitted things about Jesus’ life that would probably not convince a Roman to believe in Jesus.
ii. If you’re a Roman you don’t care where Jesus was born and who His great, great granddaddy is? Just tell me what He can do for ME!
1. Genealogy & Nativity
2. Jesus’ long teachings
3. Omits most OT references
iii. Mark knew that a Roman would be impressed with a God who performed miracles, healings and raised people from the dead. So Mark focused moreso on what Jesus did rather than what Jesus said.
6. Luke – Luke was a Gentile (non-Jew) who was writing primarily to a Gentile audience. When Jesus was alive there were all these groups that the Jews considered to be rejects (lepers, prostitutes, Samaritans, Gentiles, Tax Collectors, sinners, etc.) So, Luke says, you know what, “I’m going to write a gospel that will show people that Jesus didn’t just come for the good people, the religious people, the highly aristocratic Jew.” No, Jesus came for people like you and I who messed up our lives, made poor decisions, etc. And so Luke wrote to convince these people that Jesus came for them.
a. Luke includes stories in his gospel that are not found in any of the other 3 gospels to prove that Jesus came not just for the religious Jewish people but for people who messed up their life. (Prodigal Son, Thief on the cross, prostitute, ten lepers, etc.)
b. So next time you read Luke I want you to notice how Luke wrote to convince people that if you’ve messed up your life, if you need grace or you feel like you’ve made too many mistakes, Luke writes a gospel focused on grace!
7. John – John’s gospel is unique in that 93% of its content is not found in the other three gospels. John was writing to a general audience and his purpose was to prove that Jesus was God. He did this by focusing on 7 statements that Jesus made about Himself and 8 miracles that Jesus performed during His earthly ministry in hopes of convincing his audience that Jesus is indeed God.

[TamelaBowieInteriors]

Great information! Love the way you broke everything down according to each Gospel.

[jasonjacobson]

you've explained it the easiest way. thank you.

[jmonkeyman]

Thank you for your video. I’m currently doing a textual analysis of the Gospels for my Masters in Divinity course and the question for my first essay was about why four gospels and why do they have differing points of who Jesus is and why do they do that and why is it that they contribute to the understanding of who Jesus is. I’ve just finished my essay and when I watched this video it’s exactly what I’ve put down on paper. Thanks for the confirmation that indeed the Gospels can be trusted and compliment each other in an harmonious way.

[chloeee]

Just finished reading Mathew and wanted a video breaking down the meaning of all four gospels, and this video is perfect! Thank you for taking the time to make it:)

[smeatonlighthouse]

Each gospel writer gives a different aspect of the Lord Jesus, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, to give a full understanding of who He is and why He came to do what He did.
Matthew brings out Christ as King to be fulfilled in the millennial kingdom when Christ returns at the second coming to earth. The genealogy goes to David, the King.
Mark brings out Christ as the Servant of Jehovah, which is why it is said that 'no man knows when He will return, no not even the son of man' A servant does not need to know all the master's business. He is just meant to serve his master.
Luke brings out Christ as the Son of Man. Christ in His humanity. It is important to understand that though He is God in His person, that it was a man that he died for us. The genealogy goes to Adam.
John brings out Christ as the Son of God. It shows His deity. That is why it starts with 'in the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.'
Does anyone think that the Holy Spirit would lead godly men to write contradictions or mistakes. Never.

[debraseiling]

I was so impressed with this video. I've read the Bible from cover to cover lots of times, but never made the interesting connections to why each of the four gospels are so different. Thank you for this wonderful insight!

[traihearn]

This was so As a man who can admit I don’t read my Bible, and am starting to get into it more, I need a lot of things “dummied down” for me to get. And this helped a lot so thank you!!!!

[Christian_Girl]

This video went a long way to describe the reasons for those 4 gospels. I learned alot from this. I'm praying for those who haven't yet accepted Jesus Christ in their lives.

[saiyongdawn]

After reading the Gospel of Luke on a Christmas Day a while back I felt a burning sensation in my heart then right in front of me a vision appeared. There was a burnished red glow then Jesus appeared. He had long dark hair, beard, mustache, olive skin, and was wearing a long white gown. He was talking to me but I couldn't hear Him for some reason. He pointed upwards then lifted up and was turning around and around real fast then another fantastic sight appeared. An older man with the most glorious white hair. He had a most glorious face and He was ecstatic watching Jesus as He went up into the air. Then this glorious white transparent cloud appeared and Jeus went into it and disappeared. The whole vision ended. I saw the Trinity. Thank you Lord. I mean, I believed long before I saw the vision but am very thankful to have seen it with my own eyes. 😊💝

[CHRISTISKING]

Amen. Today I was just thinking about how there was different finishing words of Jesus on the cross in the different Gospels and I realized that part of the reason why there were four different gospels is not only like you pointed out that they were given to different audiences but that one person could not remember all the things that Jesus did and said and how they all complement each other and add different things that a single disciple or spectator may have forgotten

[marshalimmanuel]

Hi brother Allen Parr, thanks for your Bible teachings. This helps me understand the Biblical truths easily and helps me to help others (especially my friends and colleagues). God bless your service to Him.

[thywillbedone]

The Bible is so deep..
Even when I get revelation during the reading of scripture.. I will never grasp fully the miracle of the Holy Bible.
God bless all.. In the name of Jesus Christ Amen.

[ShayWalker]

I would love to see you address the Lost Books of The Bible- why were they taken away? How is some scripture given to us and the others taken away? Who was the judge of what got passed down and what was hidden? I find so much more to love Jesus for in them - why do we not use them???

[drumswithmatt]

Thank you so much Pastor Allen Parr. This is a great explanation, I thank God for your life so blessed found you and your channel. Thank God for leading me into your channel. You help me growing more Spiritually, Ive learned a lot and I will share this to other people too. Thank God for the Wisdom and knowledge He imparted to you and you share to us as well. God bless you more Ptr Allen.

[craigslist]

I learn something new every time I watch one of your videos, but this one...

I've been studying His Word for a few decades now and had never realized that each Gospel could very well have been aimed at a different audience, And, probably never would have (I love watching your videos, BTW).

It will be months before my chronological study brings me back to the NT...

Wow.

It's so much clearer now... :D

I may come back and edit this comment/thank you-again, within the next 12 months...

Thank You!

[aidaljaljevic]

Watching this for my assignment, so thank you.

[MyJackel]

You really made my day. Praise God for you!!!!

[micheleclark]

Thanks for putting this together. I will be showing my sunday school students this.

[ralphperez]

They’re all beautiful and incredible in their own unique way. I’m studying all 4 of them. I’m trying to decide which is my favorite hahah

[chopchop]

THIS IS A VERY HELPFUL EXPLANATION. THANKS MY BROTHER. I PRAY THAT GOD WILL KEEP YOU IN HIS MINISTRY. GOD BLESS YOU