The Harmony of the Gospels ~ The Unity of the Bible

[Whispered]

Sometimes you may happen into a discussion where someone interjects a statement such as, but that passage must harmonize with the scriptures.
In my experience it has occurred as a means of discrediting what I've said by implication. In other words, what was posted does not harmonize with the scriptures. It can be a delaying tactic, it can be a tactic employed to make the writer feel insecure in their perspective of a particular theme or passage. However, it is also, as pertains to the phrase, harmony of the scriptures, a very real factor in the Bible itself. And that is what this thread is intending to do.
To explain what , The Harmony of the Gospels, pertains to. As well as introduce, for some may not know of this, The Unity of the Bible itself.

Question: "What is the harmony of the Gospels?"

Answer: The "harmony" of the Gospels is the agreement of the four biblical Gospels. The four New Testament Gospels are like the singers in a four-part choir. They each have their distinct parts to sing, yet the parts combine to make a beautiful composition. Each of the four Gospels gives testimony of Jesus from a slightly different perspective, but they all tell the same story. Thus, they are all in harmony with one another. There are also books that align the Gospel accounts chronologically which are called harmonies of the Gospels, and some Bibles have a reference section doing the same thing that is referred to as a harmony of the Gospels.

Matthew, Mark, and Luke are called the "synoptic" gospels, because they give a synopsis of most of the same events from the life of Jesus. John stands on its own, filling in gaps that the others leave out. Each one of these Gospels was written for a different audience and emphasizes different things about Jesus. The Gospel of Matthew was written primarily for the Jews and emphasized how Jesus fulfilled the prophecies of a kingly Messiah. Mark was written primarily for Roman or Gentile Christians, so it includes few Old Testament prophecies and explains many Jewish words and customs. Jesus is portrayed in Mark as the Divine Servant. Luke was also written primarily for Gentile believers, as it also explains Jewish customs and uses Greek names. Luke set out to write an orderly narrative of the life of Jesus and presented Jesus as the Son of Man, emphasizing His full humanity. John’s Gospel emphasizes Jesus as the Son of God and includes more of Jesus' revelations about Himself than any of the other Gospels. It also gives a much more detailed picture of the events during Jesus' last days.

Some people have attempted to discredit the Bible by pointing out the inconsistencies in the Gospel narratives. They point out differences in the order in which the events are presented or minor details within those events. When the four accounts are placed side by side, we see that they do not all follow the same strict chronology. Much of the narrative in the Gospels is arranged in a topical order, where an event brings to mind a similar thought. This is the way most of us carry on conversations every day. The differences in minor details like the angels at Christ's tomb (Matthew 28:5; Mark 16:5; Luke 24:4; John 20:12) are also answered by allowing the text to speak. The differences are complementary, not contradictory. New information is added, but it does not take away from the veracity of the old information.

Like the rest of Scripture, the four Gospels are a beautiful testimony of God’s revelation to man. Imagine a tax collector (Matthew), an untrained Jewish lad with a history as a quitter (Mark), a Roman doctor (Luke), and a Jewish fisherman (John) all writing harmonious testimonies about the events in the life of Jesus. There is no way, without the intervention of God, that they could have written these amazingly accurate accounts (2 Timothy 3:16). The historical references, the prophetic references, and the personal details all work together to compose one very detailed, very accurate picture of Jesus—the Messiah, the King, the Servant, and the Son of God.

Recommended Resource: Holman Christian Standard Bible Harmony of the Gospels by Steven Cox & Kendell Easley

 

[Whispered]

Copyright 2007 with permission Apologetics Press


The Unity of the Bible

by Kyle Butt, M.Div.


Most people who read the Bible in the 21st century rarely stop to think about the 66 different books that compose the sacred Scriptures. Because the 66 books fit together so perfectly, it is easy to consider them to be one organic unit. The major themes and stories from Genesis, the first book of the Bible, flow through the remaining books, and their meanings and implications are developed throughout the entire biblical library. Because of its seamless unity, few take the time to consider that the 66 books of the Bible were written over a vast period of time by a host of writers. The first five books of the Old Testament were composed by Moses in about 1,450 B.C. (see Lyons and Staff, 2003). Revelation, the last book of the New Testament, was written by John, the apostle of Jesus and brother of James, between the years 60-100 A.D. (see Guthrie, 1970, pp. 949-961). Thus, the composition of the entire library of 66 books spanned some 1,600 years.


During those years, the books of the Bible were penned by approximately 40 men of varying backgrounds, cultures, and educational status. The book of Amos was written by a herdsman from Tekoa (1:1). Many of the Psalms were written by David, the shepherd-boy-turned-king. Ezra, “skilled scribe in the Law of Moses,” penned the book that bears his name (7:6). Nehemiah, the butler to King Artaxerxes, wrote the Old Testament book named for him. King Solomon, renowned in the ancient world for his immense wisdom, penned the majority of the Proverbs and the entire books of Ecclesiastes and Song of Solomon. The apostle Paul, a man highly educated at the feet of the Jewish teacher Gamaliel, wrote 13 of the 27 New Testament books. Luke, the first-century physician, penned the gospel account that bears his name as well as the book of Acts. Other New Testament writers included John, Peter, and Matthew, who were fishermen with little formal education.


To say that the writers of the Bible were diverse would be an understatement. Yet, though their educational and cultural backgrounds varied extensively, and though many of them were separated by several centuries, the 66 books that compose the Bible fit together perfectly. To achieve such a feat by employing mere human ingenuity and wisdom would be impossible. In fact, it would be impossible from a human standpoint to gather the writings of 40 men from the same culture, with the same educational background, during the same time period, and get any thing close to the unity that is evident in the Bible. The Bible’s unity is a piece of remarkable evidence that proves its divine origin. The remainder of this article will be devoted to showing several different aspects of the Bible’s unity. [NOTE: One of the primary examples of the Bible’s unity revolves around the Messianic prophecies contained in the Old Testament and their fulfillment in the New Testament. The Messianic theme underlies the entire text of the 66 books of the Bible, and has been explored previously in Reason & Revelation (cf. Butt, 2006a).]

UNITY OF NARRATIVE MATERIAL​

Many of the Bible writers used historic narrative to record the events that were pertinent to their particular writings. Stories such as Noah’s ark and the Flood, the ten plagues in Egypt, and Daniel being thrown to the lions are recognized even among those with little Bible knowledge. A systematic study of the 66 books of the Bible quickly reveals an amazing unity between these books when they deal with such narratives.
Continues at link

 

[Nehemiah6]

In my experience it has occurred as a means of discrediting what I've said by implication. In other words, what was posted does not harmonize with the scriptures. It can be a delaying tactic, it can be a tactic employed to make the writer feel insecure in their perspective of a particular theme or passage. However, it is also, as pertains to the phrase, harmony of the scriptures, a very real factor in the Bible itself.

I don't think it is a *tactic* but it is a necessary part of properly interpreting the Bible. There cannot be any contradictions within Scripture, so if something seems to be contradictory, it needs to be harmonized. One of the best examples is that of the resurrection account in the Four Gospels. Once we take the time to properly harmonize everything we find that there are no conflicts or contradictions.

 

[Whispered]

I don't think it is a *tactic* but it is a necessary part of properly interpreting the Bible. There cannot be any contradictions within Scripture, so if something seems to be contradictory, it needs to be harmonized. One of the best examples is that of the resurrection account in the Four Gospels. Once we take the time to properly harmonize everything we find that there are no conflicts or contradictions.

I would agree with you save for one point. You are entitled to your opinion with regard to your rebuttal of my observation of tactic. However, it is my encounters that led me to describe one who used, it must harmonize with the scripture, as a tactic to derail the atmosphere of that particular scripture.
To be precise, I am a member of other communities in Christ so my observation is not intended to impart the notion that the experience occurred here.

 

[ForestGreenCook]

I would agree with you save for one point. You are entitled to your opinion with regard to your rebuttal of my observation of tactic. However, it is my encounters that led me to describe one who used, it must harmonize with the scripture, as a tactic to derail the atmosphere of that particular scripture.
To be precise, I am a member of other communities in Christ so my observation is not intended to impart the notion that the experience occurred here.

I am pleased that I have supplied you with some subject material to start new threads with.

 

[Pisteuo]

Sometimes you may happen into a discussion where someone interjects a statement such as, but that passage must harmonize with the scriptures.
In my experience it has occurred as a means of discrediting what I've said by implication. In other words, what was posted does not harmonize with the scriptures. It can be a delaying tactic, it can be a tactic employed to make the writer feel insecure in their perspective of a particular theme or passage. However, it is also, as pertains to the phrase, harmony of the scriptures, a very real factor in the Bible itself. And that is what this thread is intending to do.
To explain what , The Harmony of the Gospels, pertains to. As well as introduce, for some may not know of this, The Unity of the Bible itself.

Question: "What is the harmony of the Gospels?"

Answer: The "harmony" of the Gospels is the agreement of the four biblical Gospels. The four New Testament Gospels are like the singers in a four-part choir. They each have their distinct parts to sing, yet the parts combine to make a beautiful composition. Each of the four Gospels gives testimony of Jesus from a slightly different perspective, but they all tell the same story. Thus, they are all in harmony with one another. There are also books that align the Gospel accounts chronologically which are called harmonies of the Gospels, and some Bibles have a reference section doing the same thing that is referred to as a harmony of the Gospels.

Matthew, Mark, and Luke are called the "synoptic" gospels, because they give a synopsis of most of the same events from the life of Jesus. John stands on its own, filling in gaps that the others leave out. Each one of these Gospels was written for a different audience and emphasizes different things about Jesus. The Gospel of Matthew was written primarily for the Jews and emphasized how Jesus fulfilled the prophecies of a kingly Messiah. Mark was written primarily for Roman or Gentile Christians, so it includes few Old Testament prophecies and explains many Jewish words and customs. Jesus is portrayed in Mark as the Divine Servant. Luke was also written primarily for Gentile believers, as it also explains Jewish customs and uses Greek names. Luke set out to write an orderly narrative of the life of Jesus and presented Jesus as the Son of Man, emphasizing His full humanity. John’s Gospel emphasizes Jesus as the Son of God and includes more of Jesus' revelations about Himself than any of the other Gospels. It also gives a much more detailed picture of the events during Jesus' last days.

Some people have attempted to discredit the Bible by pointing out the inconsistencies in the Gospel narratives. They point out differences in the order in which the events are presented or minor details within those events. When the four accounts are placed side by side, we see that they do not all follow the same strict chronology. Much of the narrative in the Gospels is arranged in a topical order, where an event brings to mind a similar thought. This is the way most of us carry on conversations every day. The differences in minor details like the angels at Christ's tomb (Matthew 28:5; Mark 16:5; Luke 24:4; John 20:12) are also answered by allowing the text to speak. The differences are complementary, not contradictory. New information is added, but it does not take away from the veracity of the old information.

Like the rest of Scripture, the four Gospels are a beautiful testimony of God’s revelation to man. Imagine a tax collector (Matthew), an untrained Jewish lad with a history as a quitter (Mark), a Roman doctor (Luke), and a Jewish fisherman (John) all writing harmonious testimonies about the events in the life of Jesus. There is no way, without the intervention of God, that they could have written these amazingly accurate accounts (2 Timothy 3:16). The historical references, the prophetic references, and the personal details all work together to compose one very detailed, very accurate picture of Jesus—the Messiah, the King, the Servant, and the Son of God.

Recommended Resource: Holman Christian Standard Bible Harmony of the Gospels by Steven Cox & Kendell Easley

I was taught the harmony of the Gospels were written as one called tetians diatessaron. A harmony of the Gospels written in 150 AD in Syriac.

 

[Whispered]

I was taught the harmony of the Gospels were written as one called tetians diatessaron. A harmony of the Gospels written in 150 AD in Syriac.

Here is a copy in the English translation

Question: "What is the Diatessaron?"
Answer: The Diatessaron is an ancient literary work that combined the four Gospels of the New Testament into a single narrative. The word Diatessaron can be taken to mean “Harmony of Four”; it is a transliteration of the Greek dia tessaron (“through the four Gospels”). The Roman historian Eusebius first came up with the name Diatessaron.

The Diatessaron was compiled around AD 170 by Tatian, an Assyrian Christian apologist and pupil of Justin Martyr. Tatian’s harmony of the Gospels was not the first of its kind, but it was most influential. Fragments of the Diatessaron have been discovered in Greek, Syriac, Arabic, Latin, and many other languages—even Old English. Tatian would have written in either Greek or Syriac, but no one is sure which is the original language of the Diatessaron. No full copy of the Diatessaron has survived intact today, although we can piece together the full text from various sources.

In composing the Diatessaron, Tatian followed the wording of the Gospels closely, but he used a different sequence for arranging verses. He also removed duplicate information—he kept only one of each parallel passage. Thus, the feeding of the five thousand only appears once in the Diatessaron, instead of four times. Tatian also excised some of what were supposed to be contradictions in the Gospels. For example, he omitted the differing genealogies of Matthew 1 and Luke 3. Also left out of the Diatessaron is the pericope adulterae (the story of the woman taken in adultery in John 8:1–11). The end result is a single, shortened narrative of the life of Christ—about three-quarters the size of the four canonical Gospels. The Diatessaron accounts for all but 56 verses of the canonical Gospels.

In the early church, the four Gospels at first circulated independently. Tatian’s Diatessaron brought them all together in one convenient package. Twenty years after Tatian completed his work, Irenaeus, one of the early church fathers, proclaimed the Diatessaron to be authoritative. The Diatessaron became one of the most popular editions of the Gospels ever produced. Through the years it was used by Catholic Christians, Judaic Christians, Syriac Christians, Manicheans, and missionaries. Its greatest impact was in Syria, where for centuries it was the standard text of the gospel before finally being replaced by the Peshitta.

The Diatessaron isn’t without its problems. It seems that Tatian added some material not found in the original four Gospels, such as the extra-biblical story of a light that illuminated the Jordan River at Jesus’ baptism. Some readings in the Diatessaron are attributed by church fathers to the Gospel of the Hebrews, the Gospel of the Ebionites, and other non-canonical works.

As a result of Tatian’s changes to Scripture, some church leaders were opposed to the Diatessaron. Some opposed the man as well—Tatian was a prominent Encratite, a vegetarian ascetic who abstained from all sexual activity. By the fifth century the Diatessaron had fallen out of favor with church leaders.

The chief value of the Diatessaron today is that it provides an early witness to the original Gospels. The four canonical Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—were accepted by the early church as God’s Word, and great care was obviously taken to preserve the texts and make them widely available. As evidence of the early church’s acknowledgement of the Gospels, the Diatessaron holds a prominent position in modern New Testament studies.

Recommended Resource: Holman Christian Standard Bible Harmony of the Gospels by Steven Cox & Kendell Easley

 

[Whispered]

I am off to bed. I wish everyone a blessed evenings rest and God willing we shall see one another on the morrow.
Peace unto you all.

 

[Pisteuo]

Here is a copy in the English translation

Question: "What is the Diatessaron?"
Answer: The Diatessaron is an ancient literary work that combined the four Gospels of the New Testament into a single narrative. The word Diatessaron can be taken to mean “Harmony of Four”; it is a transliteration of the Greek dia tessaron (“through the four Gospels”). The Roman historian Eusebius first came up with the name Diatessaron.

The Diatessaron was compiled around AD 170 by Tatian, an Assyrian Christian apologist and pupil of Justin Martyr. Tatian’s harmony of the Gospels was not the first of its kind, but it was most influential. Fragments of the Diatessaron have been discovered in Greek, Syriac, Arabic, Latin, and many other languages—even Old English. Tatian would have written in either Greek or Syriac, but no one is sure which is the original language of the Diatessaron. No full copy of the Diatessaron has survived intact today, although we can piece together the full text from various sources.

In composing the Diatessaron, Tatian followed the wording of the Gospels closely, but he used a different sequence for arranging verses. He also removed duplicate information—he kept only one of each parallel passage. Thus, the feeding of the five thousand only appears once in the Diatessaron, instead of four times. Tatian also excised some of what were supposed to be contradictions in the Gospels. For example, he omitted the differing genealogies of Matthew 1 and Luke 3. Also left out of the Diatessaron is the pericope adulterae (the story of the woman taken in adultery in John 8:1–11). The end result is a single, shortened narrative of the life of Christ—about three-quarters the size of the four canonical Gospels. The Diatessaron accounts for all but 56 verses of the canonical Gospels.

In the early church, the four Gospels at first circulated independently. Tatian’s Diatessaron brought them all together in one convenient package. Twenty years after Tatian completed his work, Irenaeus, one of the early church fathers, proclaimed the Diatessaron to be authoritative. The Diatessaron became one of the most popular editions of the Gospels ever produced. Through the years it was used by Catholic Christians, Judaic Christians, Syriac Christians, Manicheans, and missionaries. Its greatest impact was in Syria, where for centuries it was the standard text of the gospel before finally being replaced by the Peshitta.

The Diatessaron isn’t without its problems. It seems that Tatian added some material not found in the original four Gospels, such as the extra-biblical story of a light that illuminated the Jordan River at Jesus’ baptism. Some readings in the Diatessaron are attributed by church fathers to the Gospel of the Hebrews, the Gospel of the Ebionites, and other non-canonical works.

As a result of Tatian’s changes to Scripture, some church leaders were opposed to the Diatessaron. Some opposed the man as well—Tatian was a prominent Encratite, a vegetarian ascetic who abstained from all sexual activity. By the fifth century the Diatessaron had fallen out of favor with church leaders.

The chief value of the Diatessaron today is that it provides an early witness to the original Gospels. The four canonical Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—were accepted by the early church as God’s Word, and great care was obviously taken to preserve the texts and make them widely available. As evidence of the early church’s acknowledgement of the Gospels, the Diatessaron holds a prominent position in modern New Testament studies.

Recommended Resource: Holman Christian Standard Bible Harmony of the Gospels by Steven Cox & Kendell Easley

Good information!

My instructor went to Stanford University in the 50's. His theological professors had never heard of tetians diatessaron. He found that very strange.

Thanks for the post.

 

[Guojing]

I recall how the Roman centurion and Jesus, some gospels had more details that really filled in the gap and provide a better understanding.

For example, Luke was the only one who recorded that the Jews themselves appealed to Jesus to help him because he build the Jews a synagogue.

Thus Jesus immediately agreed to help heal his servant, fulfilling what God told Abraham that all those who blessed the Jews will be blessed.

This is in contrast to the "time lag" response to the Canaanite Lady.

 

[p_rehbein]

John’s Gospel emphasizes Jesus as the Son of God and includes more of Jesus' revelations about Himself than any of the other Gospels. It also gives a much more detailed picture of the events during Jesus' last days.

Good information from all. I would add that "justification of Scriptures" goes farther than harmony of the Gospels, because by reading all of Scripture we find in both the Old and New Testaments Scriptures that justify each other. Why it is so important to read ALL of Scripture (IMO).

As for the Gospel of John, it does much more than emphasize Jesus as the Son of God, it establishes, defines, and justifies the Holy Trinity. It is called the Gospel of Love in our Church. It also is the definitive descrsiption of Gods Salvation Plan in my opinion.

Anyhoo, very good info from all of you. Thanks

 

[PS]

The Law of the Lord Is Perfect
Psa 19:7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.
Psa 19:8 The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.

Good topic, The harmony of the Bible is so important, and if we get it right, I am sure we will not have as many arguments and we shall prosper in our walk with the Lord. A topic that causes a lot of dissent is when we talk about the Law of Moses, and with a view to harmony I wonder where your signature, which I love, places the law of Moses when compared with the law of the Lord.

What do people think?

 

[PS]

Good information from all. I would add that "justification of Scriptures" goes farther than harmony of the Gospels, because by reading all of Scripture we find in both the Old and New Testaments Scriptures that justify each other. Why it is so important to read ALL of Scripture (IMO).

As for the Gospel of John, it does much more than emphasize Jesus as the Son of God, it establishes, defines, and justifies the Holy Trinity. It is called the Gospel of Love in our Church. It also is the definitive descrsiption of Gods Salvation Plan in my opinion.

Anyhoo, very good info from all of you. Thanks

John's gospel is the place to start when leading someone to Christ imo.