Holy Spirit Novena

Ultimate Gospel Comparison Chart and In-depth Analysis

About This Resource
Gospel Comparison Chart
In-depth Gospel Analysis
Historical Context of the Gospels
Tips for Studying the Gospels
Key Observations
Frequently Asked Questions
Further Reading and Resources

About This Gospel Comparison Resource

This comprehensive gospel comparison chart organizes events from the life of Jesus as recorded in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. It's a tool for Bible study, theological research, and deepening one's faith through understanding the unique perspectives of each evangelist.

By comparing these accounts side-by-side, we can gain a fuller, more nuanced understanding of Jesus' life, teachings, and the early Church.

"The Gospels are the heart of all the Scriptures 'because they are our principal source for the life and teaching of the Incarnate Word, our Savior'." - Catechism of the Catholic Church, 125

Gospel Comparison Chart

Event	Location	Matthew	Mark	Luke	John
Prologue: The Word became flesh	N/A				1:1-18
Genealogy of Jesus	N/A	1:1-17		3:23-38
Announcement of John the Baptist's birth	Jerusalem (Temple)			1:5-25
Announcement of Jesus' birth to Mary	Nazareth			1:26-38
Mary visits Elizabeth	Judea			1:39-56
Birth of John the Baptist	Judea			1:57-80
Joseph's dream	Nazareth	1:18-25
Birth of Jesus	Bethlehem	2:1		2:1-7
Visit of the Magi	Bethlehem	2:1-12
Escape to Egypt	Egypt	2:13-15
Massacre of the Innocents	Bethlehem	2:16-18
Return from Egypt	Nazareth	2:19-23
Angels announce Jesus' birth to shepherds	Bethlehem			2:8-20
Jesus presented in the temple	Jerusalem (Temple)			2:22-38
Jesus as a boy in the temple	Jerusalem (Temple)			2:41-52
Ministry of John the Baptist	Jordan River	3:1-12	1:1-8	3:1-20	1:19-28
Baptism of Jesus	Jordan River	3:13-17	1:9-11	3:21-22	1:29-34
Temptation of Jesus	Wilderness	4:1-11	1:12-13	4:1-13
Calling of the first disciples	Galilee	4:18-22	1:16-20	5:1-11	1:35-51
Wedding at Cana	Cana				2:1-12
Jesus clears the temple	Jerusalem (Temple)	21:12-17	11:15-19	19:45-48	2:13-22
Jesus teaches Nicodemus	Jerusalem				3:1-21
John's testimony about Jesus	Judea				3:22-36
Jesus talks with a Samaritan woman	Sychar (Samaria)				4:1-26
Many Samaritans believe	Sychar (Samaria)				4:27-42
Jesus heals an official's son	Cana				4:43-54
Jesus begins Galilean ministry	Galilee	4:12-17	1:14-15	4:14-15
Jesus rejected at Nazareth	Nazareth	13:53-58	6:1-6	4:16-30
Jesus teaches with authority in Capernaum	Capernaum		1:21-22
Jesus drives out an evil spirit	Capernaum		1:23-28
Jesus heals many	Capernaum	8:14-17	1:29-34
Jesus prays in a solitary place	Near Capernaum		1:35-39
Jesus heals a man with leprosy	Galilee	8:1-4	1:40-45
Jesus heals a paralyzed man	Capernaum	9:1-8	2:1-12
Healing at the pool of Bethesda	Jerusalem				5:1-15
The authority of the Son	Jerusalem				5:16-30
Testimonies about Jesus	Jerusalem				5:31-47
Calling of Matthew (Levi)	Capernaum	9:9-13	2:13-17
Jesus questioned about fasting	Galilee	9:14-17	2:18-22
Jesus is Lord of the Sabbath	Galilee	12:1-8	2:23-28
Healing of the man with a shriveled hand	Galilee	12:9-14	3:1-6
Crowds follow Jesus	Galilee	12:15-21	3:7-12
Jesus appoints the Twelve	Near Sea of Galilee	10:1-4	3:13-19
Sermon on the Mount/Plain	Near Sea of Galilee	5:1-7:29		6:17-49
Jesus accused by his family and by teachers of the law	Galilee	12:22-37	3:20-30
Jesus' mother and brothers	Galilee	12:46-50	3:31-35
Parable of the Sower	Galilee	13:1-23	4:1-20
Lamp on a stand	Galilee	5:14-16	4:21-25
Parable of the weeds	Galilee	13:24-30
Parables of the mustard seed and yeast	Galilee	13:31-33	4:30-34
Explanation of the parable of the weeds	Near Sea of Galilee	13:36-43
Parables of the hidden treasure and pearl	Near Sea of Galilee	13:44-46
Parable of the net	Near Sea of Galilee	13:47-52
Jesus calms the storm	Galilee	8:23-27	4:35-41
Healing of demon-possessed man	Gerasenes	8:28-34	5:1-20
Healing of a bleeding woman and raising of Jairus' daughter	Capernaum	9:18-26	5:21-43
Jesus sends out the Twelve	Galilee	10:5-42	6:7-13
John the Baptist beheaded	Machaerus (Herod's fortress)	14:1-12	6:14-29
Feeding of the 5,000	Near Bethsaida	14:13-21	6:30-44	9:10-17	6:1-15
Jesus walks on water	Galilee	14:22-33	6:45-56		6:16-21
Jesus the bread of life	Capernaum				6:22-59
Many disciples desert Jesus	Capernaum				6:60-71
Clean and unclean	Galilee	15:1-20	7:1-23
Faith of a Canaanite woman	Tyre and Sidon	15:21-28	7:24-30
Jesus heals many	Galilee	15:29-31
Feeding of the 4,000	Decapolis	15:32-39	8:1-13
Pharisees and Sadducees ask for a sign	Magadan	16:1-4
Yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees	Galilee	16:5-12	8:14-21
Jesus goes to the Feast of Tabernacles	Jerusalem				7:1-13
Jesus teaches at the Feast	Jerusalem (Temple)				7:14-44
Unbelief of the Jewish leaders	Jerusalem				7:45-52
The woman caught in adultery	Jerusalem (Temple)				[7:53-8:11]
Jesus the light of the world	Jerusalem (Temple)				8:12-20
Dispute over Jesus' testimony	Jerusalem				8:21-30
The children of Abraham	Jerusalem				8:31-59
Jesus heals a man born blind	Jerusalem				9:1-41
The good shepherd	Jerusalem				10:1-21
Peter's confession of Christ	Caesarea Philippi	16:13-20	8:27-30	9:18-20
Jesus predicts his death	Caesarea Philippi	16:21-23	8:31-33
The Transfiguration	Mount of Transfiguration	17:1-13	9:2-13	9:28-36
Healing of a boy with an evil spirit	Near Mount of Transfiguration	17:14-21	9:14-29
Jesus predicts his death a second time	Galilee	17:22-23	9:30-32
The temple tax	Capernaum	17:24-27
Who is the greatest?	Capernaum	18:1-5	9:33-37
Causing to sin	Capernaum	18:6-9	9:42-50
Parable of the lost sheep	Capernaum	18:10-14
Dealing with sin in the church	Capernaum	18:15-20
Parable of the unmerciful servant	Capernaum	18:21-35
Jesus at the Feast of Dedication	Jerusalem				10:22-42
The death of Lazarus	Bethany				11:1-16
Jesus comforts the sisters	Bethany				11:17-37
Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead	Bethany				11:38-44
The plot to kill Jesus	Jerusalem				11:45-57
Jesus sends out the seventy-two	Judea			10:1-24
Parable of the Good Samaritan	Judea			10:25-37
Jesus teaches the Lord's Prayer	Judea	6:9-13		11:1-4
Jesus blesses little children	Perea	19:13-15	10:13-16
The rich young man	Perea	19:16-30	10:17-31
Parable of the workers in the vineyard	Perea	20:1-16
Jesus predicts his death a third time	On the way to Jerusalem	20:17-19	10:32-34
Request of James and John	On the way to Jerusalem	20:20-28	10:35-45
Blind men receive sight	Jericho	20:29-34	10:46-52
Jesus anointed at Bethany	Bethany	26:6-13	14:3-9		12:1-11
Triumphal entry into Jerusalem	Jerusalem	21:1-11	11:1-11	19:28-44	12:12-19
Jesus predicts his death	Jerusalem				12:20-36
The Jews continue in their unbelief	Jerusalem				12:37-50
Jesus curses a fig tree and clears the temple	Jerusalem	21:12-22	11:12-19
The authority of Jesus questioned	Jerusalem (Temple)	21:23-27	11:27-33
Parable of the two sons	Jerusalem (Temple)	21:28-32
Parable of the tenants	Jerusalem (Temple)	21:33-46	12:1-12
Parable of the wedding banquet	Jerusalem	22:1-14
Paying taxes to Caesar	Jerusalem	22:15-22	12:13-17
Marriage at the resurrection	Jerusalem	22:23-33	12:18-27
The greatest commandment	Jerusalem	22:34-40	12:28-34
Whose son is the Christ?	Jerusalem	22:41-46	12:35-40
Seven woes on the teachers of the law and Pharisees	Jerusalem	23:1-39
Signs of the end of the age	Mount of Olives	24:1-51	13:1-37
Parable of the ten virgins	Mount of Olives	25:1-13
Parable of the talents	Mount of Olives	25:14-30
The sheep and the goats	Mount of Olives	25:31-46
Plot against Jesus	Jerusalem	26:1-5	14:1-2
Judas agrees to betray Jesus	Jerusalem	26:14-16	14:10-11
The Last Supper	Jerusalem (Upper Room)	26:17-30	14:12-26	22:7-38	13:1-17:26
Jesus predicts Peter's denial	Jerusalem (Upper Room)	26:31-35	14:27-31	22:31-34	13:36-38
Jesus prays in Gethsemane	Mount of Olives (Garden of Gethsemane)	26:36-46	14:32-42	22:39-46	18:1
Jesus' arrest	Garden of Gethsemane	26:47-56	14:43-52	22:47-53	18:2-12
Jesus before the Sanhedrin	Jerusalem (High Priest's house)	26:57-68	14:53-65	22:54-71	18:13-14,19-24
Peter's denial	Jerusalem (High Priest's courtyard)	26:69-75	14:66-72	22:54-62	18:15-18,25-27
Judas hangs himself	Jerusalem	27:1-10
Jesus before Pilate	Jerusalem (Praetorium)	27:11-26	15:1-15	23:1-25	18:28-19:16
Soldiers mock Jesus	Jerusalem (Praetorium)	27:27-31	15:16-20		19:1-3
Crucifixion	Golgotha (outside Jerusalem)	27:32-44	15:21-32	23:26-43	19:17-27
Death of Jesus	Golgotha	27:45-56	15:33-41	23:44-49	19:28-37
Jesus' burial	Garden Tomb (near Golgotha)	27:57-61	15:42-47	23:50-56	19:38-42
The guard at the tomb	Garden Tomb	27:62-66
Resurrection	Garden Tomb	28:1-10	16:1-8	24:1-12	20:1-10
Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene	Garden Tomb		[16:9-11]		20:11-18
The guards' report	Jerusalem	28:11-15
Jesus appears to two disciples	Road to Emmaus		[16:12-13]	24:13-35
Jesus appears to the disciples	Jerusalem		[16:14]	24:36-49	20:19-23
Jesus appears to Thomas	Jerusalem				20:24-29
The purpose of John's gospel	N/A				20:30-31
Jesus and the miraculous catch of fish	Galilee				21:1-14
Jesus reinstates Peter	Galilee				21:15-25
The Great Commission	Galilee	28:16-20	[16:15-18]
Ascension	Mount of Olives		[16:19-20]	24:50-53

In-depth Gospel Analysis

The Synoptic Gospels

Matthew, Mark, and Luke are known as the Synoptic Gospels due to their similar content, order, and language. As noted by Catholic scholar Raymond E. Brown in his work "An Introduction to the New Testament," each gospel has its unique emphasis:

Matthew: Emphasizes Jesus as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies and the promised Messiah.
Mark: Presents Jesus as the suffering servant and Son of God, focusing on His actions.
Luke: Emphasizes Jesus' universal mission and His compassion for the marginalized.

The Gospel of John

John's gospel provides a profound theological reflection on Jesus' divinity and His role in salvation history. As explained by Scott Hahn in "The Lamb's Supper," John's gospel is deeply eucharistic and sacramental in its theology.

Key features of John's Gospel:

Emphasizes Jesus' divine nature and pre-existence
Includes the seven "I am" statements, reflecting Old Testament theology
Focuses on seven specific miracles, called "signs"
Provides extended discourses that deepen our understanding of Jesus' teachings

Historical Context of the Gospels

Understanding the historical context enhances our comprehension of the gospels' content and purpose. As discussed in the Catholic Commentary on Sacred Scripture series:

Time of Writing: The gospels were written between 65-100 AD, within living memory of the events they describe.
Authors: The Church has traditionally attributed the gospels to Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, reflecting their connection to apostolic testimony.
Audience: Each gospel was written for a specific audience, influencing its content and emphasis.
Cultural Setting: The gospels reflect the complex interplay of Jewish, Greek, and Roman cultures in 1st century Palestine.

Tips for Studying the Gospels

Drawing from "The Ignatius Catholic Study Bible," here are some tips for fruitful gospel study:

Read in Context: Consider the literary and historical context of each passage.
Compare Accounts: Look at how different gospels present the same event or teaching.
Reflect on the Unity: While recognizing differences, appreciate the fundamental unity of the gospel message.
Connect to Tradition: Study how the Church has interpreted these texts throughout history.
Pray with Scripture: Use methods like Lectio Divina to engage prayerfully with the text.

Key Observations from Gospel Comparison

As noted by Catholic biblical scholars like Brant Pitre in "Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist":

The Synoptic Gospels share many similarities in content and structure, while John offers a unique perspective.
Matthew and Luke include infancy narratives, each focusing on different aspects of Jesus' early life.
Mark's gospel, though shorter, provides a fast-paced narrative of Jesus' ministry.
John's gospel includes much more of Jesus' ministry in Judea, while the Synoptics focus more on Galilee.
The institution of the Eucharist, while not explicitly described in John, is prefigured in the Bread of Life discourse (John 6).

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are there differences between the gospels?

As explained by Pope Benedict XVI in "Jesus of Nazareth," the differences reflect the unique perspective and purpose of each evangelist. These differences provide a richer, more complete picture of Jesus' life and ministry, reflecting the living tradition of the early Church.

How do we reconcile apparent contradictions in the gospels?

The Pontifical Biblical Commission addresses this in "The Interpretation of the Bible in the Church," noting that apparent contradictions often arise from different literary genres or theological emphases. These differences invite deeper study and reflection on the message being conveyed.

How should we approach the historical accuracy of the gospels?

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (paragraphs 126-127) affirms that the gospels faithfully hand on what Jesus, the Son of God, really did and taught for our eternal salvation. While not always strictly chronological, they transmit the honest and true witness of Jesus' life and teachings.