Gospels Part 046
A harmony of the Gospels is a valuable tool for studying the life and ministry of Jesus because it brings the four biblical accounts about Jesus Christ—Matthew, Mark, Luke and John—into a single, integrated framework. A Gospels harmony places these four narratives side by side and arranges them in a coherent sequence, allowing readers to see how these four distinct accounts relate to one another.
Our special gift for you, as we revisit our study of the Gospels is a pdf eBook titled, A Harmony of the Gospels: The Life and Ministry of Jesus Christ.
At the beginning of 2025 we began a deep dive into the Gospels and went through 45 lessons covering the background to the Gospels. These previous lessons are archived here if you would like to go back and review them.
With the background information covered, we will now dive into the four Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Before we begin, we have a gift and valuable resource to share with you: a pdf eBook titled, A Harmony of the Gospels: The Life and Ministry of Jesus Christ.
You might wonder . . . what is a harmony of the Gospels? A harmony of the Gospels is a valuable tool for studying the life and ministry of Jesus because it brings the four biblical accounts about Jesus Christ—Matthew, Mark, Luke and John—into a single, integrated framework. In the Bible these books appear consecutively. But a Gospels harmony places these four narratives side by side and arranges them to allow readers to see how these four distinct accounts relate to one another. This approach can deepen our historical understanding, sharpen our insight and encourage more attentive reading of the Gospel texts.
Each of the four writers selected and shaped material with a particular audience and purpose in view though all four are clearly applicable and informative to any reader. No single Gospel writer attempted to record everything Jesus said or did. As John wrote at the end of his account,
“And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written” (John 21:25).
The harmony of the Gospels shows how different accounts overlap and complement one another. Events that appear in multiple Gospels can be read together side by side, revealing how one writer may supply dialogue, another reveal a background detail, and a third writer, a particular theological emphasis. At the same time, material that is unique to one Gospel stands out more clearly. The result is a fuller and deeper picture of Jesus’ life and ministry than any single account provides on its own.
It is also especially useful for clarifying chronology. The Gospels are not modern biographies arranged strictly by date; they are narratives that often group material by theme or significance. By comparing parallel passages and chronological references, a harmony helps readers place events in their likely historical order and trace the overall movement of Jesus’ ministry—from early activity in Galilee to increasing opposition and the final events in Jerusalem. This is particularly important when studying the final week of Jesus’ life, where multiple actions and teachings are recorded in the different Gospels in rapid succession.
In addition, a harmony aids readers in addressing differences between the Gospel accounts. Variations in wording, sequence or detail can be examined directly. Side-by-side comparison allows readers to see how differences often arise from perspective, emphasis or audience rather than contradiction. In some cases, a harmony helps distinguish between separate events that are similar in form but distinct in setting or timing. This approach invites careful, respectful interpretation on our part. The differences in the accounts add credibility to their veracity, as they are eyewitness accounts and they vary slightly based on the individual’s recollection.
One of the greatest strengths of a harmony is that it highlights the unique literary purpose of each author. When we use it to compare parallel passages, it becomes clear what each writer chooses to emphasize or omit. Patterns emerge, revealing how each Gospel contributes a distinctive voice to their unique yet unified portrait of Jesus Christ, His life, His message and His mission. Whether examining a miracle, a parable or a major theological theme, a harmony helps ensure that interpretation is informed by the full range of information recorded in the Gospels.
It is also important to recognize the limits of a harmony. It is not a substitute for reading each Gospel as its own complete literary work. When used exclusively, a harmony can obscure the narrative flow and overall themes of the four individual books. But when used alongside reading of each individual Gospel, it serves as a powerful aid to understanding the whole story.
We are providing you with a harmony of the Gospels that you can keep in the pdf format to read on your devices, print at home, or take to any print shop/office supply store. We recommend having it spiral-bound with a transparent plastic cover sheet at the front and back for durability. It’s also designed with large margins so you can write notes.
However, the important thing is that you use it! This is the same resource used at Ambassador Bible College in its class on the Gospels.
A couple of other notes on this resource:
- This version uses the New English Translation (NET) version of the Bible. Although we would’ve preferred to use the New King James Version (NKJV), its copyright holders would not give us permission to use it in this manner. However, the NET is a very good alternative. It is a recent translation produced by a number of reputable Bible scholars whose goal was to produce a Bible version that anyone could use and reproduce without copyright restrictions. Their only requirement is that it not be sold in any form—therefore this Harmony of the Gospels: The Life and Ministry of Jesus Christ may only be distributed free of charge.
- The NET is an exceptionally good translation that clears up a number of mistranslations and awkward readings found in earlier Bible versions. Occasionally we will comment on and clarify translation issues where they arise—after all, in the Gospels we are using an English translation of Greek texts that often records words that were originally spoken in the Hebrew or Aramaic language. Naturally, there will be translation issues at times.
- This book contains several other useful tools to assist you in studying the Gospels. The back page contains two maps showing the area of Galilee where Jesus conducted most of His ministry, and another showing the larger region of Judea and nearby territories with their political boundaries as they existed in Christ’s time. This will help you identify where specific events took place.
- On the inside front cover is a map of the city of Jerusalem as it existed in the first century. On the inside back cover is a photograph of a model of the temple as it looked in Christ’s day (located on the grounds of the Israel Museum in Jerusalem) and a diagram showing the layout of the temple, which is mentioned a number of times in the Gospels. This book also includes a helpful index of events recorded in the Gospels.
The Gospel accounts are arranged in order according to Luke’s Gospel. The reason for this is Luke’s statement in the introduction to his Gospel where he says,
“It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus, that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed” (Luke 1:3-4).
The Greek word translated “orderly” here carries the sense of following things through in sequence, step by step or in proper succession. It strongly implies that Luke has placed his events in chronological order. Although the other three Gospel writers follow the same general order, Luke is the only one who explicitly says that this is his intended sequence. Therefore, this resource follows his arrangement of events.
Be sure to download your copy and have it with you as we begin our dive into the Gospels!
© 2026 Scott Ashley. All rights reserved. Used with permission.
UYA Team | uya@ucg.org
United Young Adults (UYA) primarily serves the 18–32-year age group for the United Church of God. There are three main areas of contribution to the lives of the young adults: Promoting Spiritual Growth, Developing Meaningful Relationships and Making the Most of Your Talents. The Know Your Sword series is a daily expository message introducing God’s Word from a trusted perspective.
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Scott Ashley
Scott Ashley was managing editor of Beyond Today magazine, United Church of God booklets and its printed Bible Study Course until his retirement in 2023. He also pastored three congregations in Colorado for 10 years from 2011-2021. He and his wife, Connie, live near Denver, Colorado.
Mr. Ashley attended Ambassador College in Big Sandy, Texas, graduating in 1976 with a theology major and minors in journalism and speech. It was there that he first became interested in publishing, an industry in which he worked for 50 years.
During his career, he has worked for several publishing companies in various capacities. He was employed by the United Church of God from 1995-2023, overseeing the planning, writing, editing, reviewing and production of Beyond Today magazine, several dozen booklets/study guides and a Bible study course covering major biblical teachings. His special interests are the Bible, archaeology, biblical culture, history and the Middle East.
