NET Bible Synopsis of the Four Gospels

313 Pages·2009·10.03 MB·English

The NET Bible
Synopsis of the Four Gospels

Gregory A. White, ed.
Biblical Studies Press
Richardson, Texas
Copyright © 2004 by CQG Publications and Biblical Studies Press
All rights reserved.
Printed in the United States of America
SCRIPTURE QUOTED BY PERMISSION.
QUOTATIONS DESIGNATED (NET) ARE FROM
THE NET BIBLE®
COPYRIGHT © 2005 BY BIBLICAL STUDIES PRESS, L.L.C.
www.bible.org
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Publisher Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Gregory A. White, ed. The NET Bible Synopsis of the Four Gospels
1. Bible. - N.T. - Gospels. | 2. Bible. - N.T. - Gospels - Harmonies. | 3. Aland,
Kurt -- Synopsis of the four gospels. | 4. Synoptic problem. I. Title. 2009
LCN 2008940515. ISBN 978-0-7375-0153-7
CQG Publications
3510 Creek Manor Drive
Kingwood, TX 77339
Biblical Studies Press
1101 E. Arapaho Rd, Suite 200
Richardson, TX 75081
www.bible.org
Thanks
Thanks to God the Father Almighty, and Jesus Christ His only Son our Lord. Thanks to my Father, Allen
Isaac White Jr., who inspired me to resume my studies in God’s Word. And by whose ‘homegoing’, my life in Christ
was renewed. Thanks to my mother Anna R. White, whose life inspires and encourages me.
It’s impossible to list here, all those here who deserve thanks, for fellowship and biblical insights. However,
thanks also to Rev. Allen Isaac White Sr., Sam Walker, Elder James Warren Sr. and Sister Shirley D. Warren, Gail
Harney, Anderson Grimsley, Rev. Solomon Smith, Ann Williams, Alma Young, Harold Scott and all of my profes-
sors and fellow students at the College of Biblical Studies.
My particular gratitude needs to be expressed to several professors from the College of Biblical Studies,
without whose help this Harmony would have been neither conceived nor published. Thanks to professor Roy Led-
gerwood, for encouraging me to develop this Harmony during his ‘New Testament Literature Survey of the Gospels’
at the College of Biblical Studies. Thanks also to Dr. Richard Klein for his encouragement towards publishing this
Harmony; and for his editorial help, and guidance towards making this a more user friendly publication. Thanks
also to Dr. Harry Leafe for his direction and encouragement to proceed with publishing this work; to make use of
the NET Bible, and for his help in getting this work published. I am particularly thankful for the suggestion to use
the NET Bible after having read the endorsement of the NET Bible by Chuck Swindoll, (whose lessons I listen to
almost every day), which states:
“There are many wonderful things I could say about the NET Bible, but the most important is this:
the NET Bible is a Bible you can trust. The translation is clear, accurate, and powerful. And the
notes, those wonderful notes! They bring to the layman scholarly insights and discussions that have
up till now been accessible only to those trained in the biblical languages. If you are serious about
studying Scripture, get a copy of the NET Bible.” – Chuck Swindoll
The NET Bible notes are not available in this harmony. However I would strongly encourage you to get a
copy for your own personal study.
And finally thanks to my family, my wife Cyndi, daughter Quinci and son Greyson, for their support, and
patience, and help with the manuscript throughout this project.

Table of Contents
INTRoDuCTIoN ...................................................................................................7
TABLE oF SCRIpTuRES ....................................................................................12
Map: palestine In Christ’s Time .........................................................................21
I. pREFACE ...............................................................................................................22
Map: Birth and Childhood .................................................................................23
II. BIRTH AND CHILDHooD .........................................................................24
Map: preparation .................................................................................................33
III. pREpARATIoN ...............................................................................................34
Map: The Beginning of Jesus’ public Ministry ...................................................40
IV. THE BEGINNING oF JESuS’ puBLIC MINISTRY ...........................41
Map: Jesus’ Ministry in Galilee ...........................................................................47
V. JESuS’ MINISTRY IN GALILEE ..................................................................48
VI. THE SERMoN oN THE MouNT ..........................................................63
VII. THE SERMoN oN THE pLAIN ............................................................75
Map: Events in Christ’s Ministry .......................................................................79
VIII. JESuS’ MINISTRY IN GALILEE CoNTINuED ..............................80
IX. THE WAY To THE CRoSS .......................................................................126
X. LAST JouRNEY To JERuSLEM .............................................................136
XI. JESuS AT THE FEAST oF TABERNACLES ......................................167
XII. THE MINISTRY IN JuDEA ....................................................................175
XIII. THE FINAL MINISTRY IN JERuSALEM ........................................185
XIV. THE ESCHAToLoGICAL DISCouRSE ..........................................198
XV. CoNCLuSIoN oF THE ACCouNT oF THE TIME
BEFoRE THE pASSIoN ....................................................................................204
Map: The Arrest, Trial, Crucifixion and Burial of Christ ..............................210
XVI. THE pASSIoN NARRATIVE ................................................................211
Map: The Resurrection, Appearances, and Ascension of Christ ..................240
XVII. THE RESuRRECTIoN ..........................................................................241
XVIII. THE ENDINGS oF THE GoSpELS ...............................................247
AppENDIX .............................................................................................................251
Eusebian Canons .................................................................................................253
Index of Gospel parallels ....................................................................................263
Index of Gospel Scriptures.................................................................................279
Genealogy of Jesus (According to Matthew) ..................................................287
Genealogy of Jesus ..............................................................................................288
Exactly Identical Verses ......................................................................................289
Jesus’ Discourses & Conversations ...................................................................289
parables of Jesus ..................................................................................................290
Miracles of Jesus ..................................................................................................291
Messianic prophecies ..........................................................................................293
prayers in the Gospels .......................................................................................295
Women in the Gospels .......................................................................................296
New Testament References to old Testament Sources ..................................297
Birth of Christ ....................................................................................................303
The Beginning of Jesus’ public Ministry ...........................................................304
Christ’s Early Travels 1 .......................................................................................305
Christ’s Early Travels 2 .......................................................................................305
Christ’s Later Ministry 1 ....................................................................................306
Christ’s Later Ministry 2 ....................................................................................306
Christ’s Final Days ..............................................................................................307
Bibliography .........................................................................................................309
Introduction
Synopsis of the Four Gospels
A synopsis is a tool which displays different passages of a text side by side for comparison. This is most com-
monly done with the four Gospels of the New Testament because of their similar material, but it could reasonably be
done with any text that has similar passages, such as the old Testament historical narratives. The synopsis you pres-
ently hold contains the four Gospels of the New Testament. It is different from comparing parallel versions, such as one
English translation to another, because all of the passages displayed in this synopsis are from the same version, the NET
Bible. It is different from a harmony because the passages are not reorganized into one story; each Gospel in a synopsis
is separate from the others and can be read by itself or in comparison with the others. This parallel arrangement enables
fruitful comparison of the Gospels to each other so each may be understood well on its own in light of the others.
The layout of the synopsis is designed to allow for comparison of similar material across the Gospels while not
losing sight of each Gospel as a discrete whole. Each Gospel has been subdivided into small units, usually paragraphs
but sometimes smaller or larger depending on the material. The Gospels are then arranged into columns which follow
the canonical order of Matthew, Mark, Luke, then John, with similar paragraphs presented side by side so the reader can
compare them easily. The far right column is used for ancillary material helpful to the reader.
The Tables of Parallels are based upon the Synopsis of the Four Gospels of Kurt Aland, 12th Edition, (New York:
united Bible Societies, 1985). In Aland’s Synopsis, the numbered pericopes are often repeated in order to provide a con-
tinuous series of references in sequential order, for each of the four gospels. Each text ultimately occurs in consecutive
order with references to previous and next citations to provide continuity. Following the bold type in the same column
header, (e.g., Matthew), of each table below, provides the verses in order for each book of the Gospels. The reader using
this synopsis can run their eyes down each Gospel’s column, stopping only at the references in bold type, in order to read
all of the references and parallels in order for each Gospel.
As a basic text for this Synopsis of the Four Gospels, the NET Bible has been chosen. It would perhaps prove
helpful to you to use this synopsis as an extra-biblical reading or a study guide with your own copy of the NET Bible.
The complete NET Bible is available online, for free, at www.netbible.com. The synopsis follows four conventions which
may seem a bit unusual, but they are done for important reasons. (1) Empty space in a synopsis is intentional: When
any Gospel lacks material that is found in another, that column will be left empty as a visual clue that there is no parallel
to the material found in the other Gospel. (2) Some paragraphs will be printed more than once in the synopsis. This is
because the material occurs in two or more Gospels. The first time the material is printed the synopsis is following the
order of the first Gospel, while the second time the material is printed the synopsis is following the order of the second
Gospel, and so on. This allows the reader to compare and contrast the broad setting of the paragraphs in each Gospel
more objectively. (3) Through different sizes of type the synopsis indicates the relative closeness of the parallel material.
primary parallels, which indicate a direct relationship between the paragraphs, are printed in normal type. Secondary
parallels, which indicate a less direct, perhaps only conceptually parallel relationship, are printed in smaller type. (4)
Quotations from the old Testament are printed in bold italics, and allusions to the old Testament are printed in plain
italics. This convention is followed in the NET Bible itself, and it is retained here as a help for the reader.
Synopsis Features
A Table of Scriptures that enables the reader to see at a glance which of the four writers reported on the events
that make up the complete Gospel story and also has a page reference to direct you to that event.
Table of ScripTureS 8
• Eusebius Canons with modern chapter and verse references for the numbered sections. Also include are two letters
relating to the Eusebius Canons translated by Kevin p. Edgecomb:
• Eusebius' letter to Carpianus
• Jerome’s letter to Pope Damasus
Column Size and Column Headings are used as a navigational aid. In addition to the use of bold type as detailed above,
the size of a column on a page specify whether the other made any references or alluded to the pericope. In addition,
the verses contained within the pericope are noted in the Column Headings.
A Notes Column on the right hand side of each page where the reader is kept informed of:
• Paragraph Titles from the Net Bible associated with the event
• OT References and allusions associated with the text
• Eusebian Canons associated with the event with cross referenced verses and Canons.
Additional Features
Charts tables and maps appearing in this synopsis include:
• An index of Gospel Parallels
• An index of New Testament passages
• A diagram of the Genealogy of Jesus
• A chart of Exactly Identical Verses
• A chart For Finding Passages In the Harmony
• A chart of Jesus' Discourses & Conversations
• A chart of Prayers in the Gospels
• A chart of Parables of Jesus
• A chart of Miracles of Jesus
• A chart of Messianic Prophecies
• A chart of New Testament References / Old Testament Sources
• A chart of Women in the Gospels
• A map indicating Mary, Joseph and Jesus' Flight To Egypt
• A map indicating Christ's Great Galilean Ministry
• A map indicating Events in Christ's Ministry
• A map indicating The Arrest, Trial, Crucifixion and Burial of Christ
• A map indicating The Resurrection, Appearances, and Ascension of Christ
• A map indicating Palestine In Christ's Time
All charts include the page that references where each item can be found in the Synopsis. Text in square brackets
[] indicates verses that appear in the Notes section of the NET Bible but have been excluded from the NET Bible text.
9 NeT bible SyNopSiS of The four GoSpelS
The Eusebian Canons
The text for Eusebius’ letter to Carpianus is taken from the Nestle-Aland Novum Testamentum Graecum (27th
ed.) (pp. 73*-74*), as are the listings of the tables themselves (pp. 74*-78*). The tables have been modified to include
scripture references in a modern chapter:verse notation. The translations of Eusebius’ letter and Jerome’s letter (which is
helpful as an alternate explanation of the Eusebian apparatus) are compliments of Kevin p. Edgecomb. You can find his
website at http://www.bombaxo.com/euspage.html.
Eusebian Sections with NET BIBLE References
The Eusebian Sections are listed in the Appendix. Indicated are the modern chapter and verse references for the
numbered sections devised by Eusebius (and/or Ammonius). There are two numbers for each entry within each table
cell, the first being the Eusebian section and canon, separated by a colon, the second being the NET Bible reference.
Letter of Eusebius to Carpianus
Eusebius to Carpianus, (my) beloved brother in the Lord.
Greetings.
Ammonius the Alexandrian, through truly much labor and zeal, presented to us the Fourfold Harmony:1 set
in order next to the Gospel According to Matthew were the similar-sounding2 pericopes of the rest of the
Evangelists, with the inevitable result that the continuing sequence of the three was utterly destroyed con-
cerning the interconnection3 of readings.
But so that, while preserving entire the rest of the whole and the sequence, you may know the proper place in
each Evangelist in which each is guided by love of truth to say like another, taking a starting-point from
the work of the above-mentioned man, I have formed for you ten lists4 in total, attached below.
Of these, the first contains numbers in which similar things were said by the four: Matthew, Mark, Luke,
John.
The second, in which the three: Matthew, Mark, Luke.
The third, in which the three: Matthew, Luke, John.
The fourth, in which the three: Matthew, Mark, John.
The fifth, in which the two: Matthew, Luke.
The sixth, in which the two: Matthew, Mark.
The seventh, in which the two: Matthew, John.
The eighth, in which the two: Luke, Mark.
The ninth, in which the two: Luke, John.
The tenth, in which each of them wrote in his own manner.5
This, then, is the description of the lists attached below. Their clear explanation is this. In each of the four
Gospels, a number is written before each part, starting from the first, then second and third, and proceed-
ing in order through the whole until the end of the books. For each number there is a preceding note in
1 δια τεσσαρων Not to be confused with the Diatessaron of Tatian. I choose here "fourfold harmony" as the translation to distinguish this and also to indicate
what the phrase would probably have brought to mind with an educated listener. the term is borrowed from musical terminology, and designates "a series of
four harmonic tones" (Metzer Canon, 114). Thus my translation. Another tempting translation is "synopsis," as this is the term for modern works resembling
that of Ammonius' (e.g., Kurt Aland's Synopsis of the Four Gospels).
2 οµοφωνους
3 lit., "web"
4 κανων I translate as "list" throughout rather than "canon."
5 The absence for a list covering those pericopes peculiar to the trio Mark, Luke, John, and of the duo Mark, John, I have yet to see explained. The attraction to
having twelve lists would have been irresistible, one would think, to so early a churchman.