Have you ever heard the same story told by several different people?

Maybe someone includes a detail that another person left out. Maybe one person recites a full conversation, while someone else summarizes the main point. By the end, you’ve heard the same story several times, but you have a much better understanding of the characters, details, and outcome of the story than if you’d only heard one person’s account.

In the same way, the four Gospels included in Scripture—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—are four different accounts of Jesus’s life, ministry, death, and resurrection. At first glance, it might seem like they tell the exact same story. But when you study the Gospels, you’ll see how each book reveals the same truth about who Jesus is in a unique way.

Read these four brief overviews and discover what you can learn by studying the Gospels!

Matthew

“I will be with you always, to the end of the age.”

Matthew 28:20b GNT

The Gospel of Matthew is generally accepted to have been written by Matthew the tax collector, who was one of the twelve original disciples of Jesus. His account of Jesus’s life, death, and resurrection focuses on the idea of “God with us,” or Immanuel, which is one of the many names of the Messiah found in Scripture. In Matthew, you will see how Jesus connects to ancient Jewish traditions and the genealogical line of King David, along with the rest of the biblical story. You’ll also see how Jesus fulfills the prophecies of the Old Testament as Matthew carefully explains that Jesus is the Son of God—and tells us what this truth means for our lives.

Watch an overview of the Gospel of Matthew here.

Mark

“What about you?” he asked them. “Who do you say I am?”

Peter answered, “You are the Messiah.”

Mark 8:29 GNT

The Gospel of Mark was likely written by a scribe named Mark who worked with Peter and Paul and recorded many first-hand accounts of Jesus Christ. Many of the stories in this book came from Peter’s own experiences with Jesus, and Mark uses this incredible testimony to share the good news about Jesus the Messiah. Throughout this Gospel, you’ll read about Jesus’s teachings and miracles and see how people reacted to his claim that he was the Messiah. You’ll even see how Jesus’s own disciples struggled to understand who Jesus was. In addition, you’ll see connections between this Gospel and earlier Scriptures like Isaiah and Malachi, which show how Jesus fulfills the role of the Messiah promised more than 400 years before his birth. You’ll also read some of Jesus’s most well-known parables, which still have important lessons to teach us today!

Watch an overview of the Gospel of Mark here.

Luke

“Now, Lord, you have kept your promise,
and you may let your servant go in peace.
With my own eyes I have seen your salvation,
which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples:
A light to reveal your will to the Gentiles
and bring glory to your people Israel.”

Luke 2:29-32 GNT

The Gospel of Luke was written by Luke, a companion of Paul who is also widely accepted as the author of Acts. Like Mark, Luke depended on eyewitness accounts to create an organized story of Jesus’s birth, ministry, death, and resurrection. His book begins by introducing John the Baptist—God’s promised messenger—who would prepare the way for the Lord. Next, Luke introduces Jesus, who is the fulfillment of God’s promise of a Messiah to save his people. Through this Gospel, Luke shows how Jesus is connected to the ancient bloodlines of David and Abraham. He also shows how Jesus, as a descendant of Adam, is the promised Messiah for all of God’s people—including the gentiles. This radical truth was carried by believers like Luke to people who had never heard the good news about Jesus, and it’s a truth he encourages us to share with people in our own lives.

Watch an overview of the Gospel of Luke here.

John

For God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not die but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to be its judge, but to be its savior.

John 3:16-17 GNT

The Gospel of John was written by John, who describes himself as the disciple Jesus loved. Like the other authors of the Gospels, John’s focus is to present Jesus as the Messiah—fully God and fully man. He includes many signs and miracles of Jesus to support this claim, but his specific focus is what Jesus says about himself. Throughout the Gospel, John includes seven “I am” statements from Jesus that echo God’s own revealed identity from the Old Testament. These statements help show God’s love for people, which manifested itself in the gift of Jesus Christ and his offer of new life for all who believe. They can also guide us as we seek to introduce Jesus to our family members, friends, coworkers, and neighbors.

Watch an overview of the Gospel of John here.

Want to keep exploring the life and teachings of Jesus? Download this free devotional journey through the seven “I am” statements of Jesus today! Download Now