The document discusses several key differences in how the Gospels of Matthew, Luke, and John portray events in the life of Jesus. It provides examples of how each Gospel presents the accusations against Jesus differently, how Jesus responds differently to questioning by the high priest and Pilate, and how they describe Jesus cleansing the temple and speaking to the woman at the well. It also notes how the Gospels include some of Jesus' teachings that include radical reversals and contradictory claims.

1. THE GOSPELS
ACCORDING TO MATTHEW,
LUKE AND JOHN

2. CON/TEXTS
‘Testament’?
‘Gospel’?
If someone asked you “What are the Gospels?”,
how would you respond?
Contrasting cultures of wisdom?
Socrates / Jesus?
“Jews demand signs, Greeks look for wisdom.”
(1 Corinthians 1:23)

3. PERSPECTIVAL DIFFERENCES:
THE ACCUSATIONS
When morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the
people conferred together against Jesus in order to bring about
his death. They bound him, led him away, and handed him over
to Pilate the governor. (Matthew 27:1)
Then the assembly rose as a body and brought Jesus before
Pilate. They began to accuse him, saying, “We found this man
perverting our nation, forbidding us to pay taxes to the emperor,
and saying that he himself is the Messiah, a king.” (Luke 23:2)

4. PERSPECTIVAL DIFFERENCES:
QUESTION & ANSWER
Before the High Priest
The high priest stood up and said, “Have you no answer? What is it that they testify
against you?” But Jesus was silent. Then the high priest said to him, “I put you under
oath before the living God, tell us if you are the Messiah, the son of God.” Jesus said to
him, “You have said so. But I tell you,
From now on you will see the Son of Man
seated at the right hand of Power
and coming on the clouds of heaven.” (Matthew 26:62-64)
Then the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and about his teaching. Jesus
answered, “I have spoken openly to the world; I have always taught in synagogues and in
the temple, where all the Jews come together. I have said nothing in secret. Why do you
ask me? Ask those who heard what I said to them; they know what I said.” When he had
said this, one of the police standing nearby struck Jesus on the face, saying, “Is that how
you answer the high priest?” Jesus answered, “If I have spoken wrongly, testify to the
wrong. But if I have spoken rightly, why do you strike me?” (John 18:19-23)

5. PERSPECTIVAL DIFFERENCES:
QUESTION & ANSWER
Before Pilate
Now Jesus stood before the governor; and the governor asked him, “Are you the king of
Jews?” Jesus said, “You say so.” But when he was accused by the chief priests and
elders, he did not answer. Then Pilate said to him, “Do you not hear how many
accusations they make against you?” But he gave him no answer, not even to a single
charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed. (Matthew 27:11-14)
Then Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, “Are you
the king of the Jews?” Jesus answered, “Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell
you about me?” Pilate replied, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief
priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?” Jesus answered, “My
kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would
be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is
not from here.” Pilate asked him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I
am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth.
Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.” Pilate asked him, “What is
truth?” (John 18:33-38)

6. PERSPECTIVAL DIFFERENCES:
CLEANSING THE TEMPLE
Then Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who were selling and
buying in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money
changers and the seats of those who sold doves. He said to them, “It is
written, ‘‘My house shall be called a house of prayer’; but you are
making it a den of robbers.” (Matthew 21:12)
In the temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and the
money changers seated at their tables. Making a whip of cords, he drove
all of them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle. He also
poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned the tables.
He told those who were selling the doves: “Take these things out of here!
Stop making my Father’s house a marketplace!” (John 2:13)

7. PERSPECTIVAL DIFFERENCES:
THE WOMAN OF SAMARIA
Jacob’s well was there, and Jesus, tired out by his journey, was sitting by
the well. It was about noon.
A Samaritan woman came to draw water, and Jesus said to her, “Give me
a drink.” (His disciples had gone to the city to buy food.) “How is it that
you, a Jew, ask a drink of me, a woman of Samaria?” (John 4:16-9)
The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming. When he
comes, he will proclaim all things to us.” Jesus said to her, “I am he, the
one who is speaking to you.”
Just then his disciples came. They were astonished that he was speaking
with a woman, but no one said, “What do you want?” or, “Why are you
speaking with her?” (John 4:25-27)

8. MAKING PROMISES
Concerning Oaths
But I say to you, Do not swear at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne
of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the
city of the great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot
make one hair white or black. Let your word be ‘Yes, Yes’ or ‘No, no’;
anything more than this comes from the evil one. (Matthew 5:34-37)
"To breed an animal with the right to make promises --- is not this the
paradoxical task that nature has set itself in the case of man? is it not
the real problem regarding man?"
—Friedrich Nietzsche, The Genealogy of Morality (1887)

9. PARABLES
Jesus told the crowds all these things in parables; without a parable he told them
nothing. This was to fulfil what had been spoken through the prophet:
“I will open my mouth to speak in parables;
I will proclaim what has been hidden from the foundation of the world.”
(Matthew 13:34-35)
On Parables (Franz Kafka, 1931)
Many complain that the words of the wise are always merely parables and of no use in daily life, which is the only
life we have. When the sage says: "Go over," he does not mean that we should cross over to some actual place,
which we could do anyhow if the labor were worth it; he means some fabulous yonder, something unknown to us,
something too that he cannot designate more precisely, and therefore cannot help us here in the very least. All
these parables really set out to say merely that the incomprehensible is incomprehensible, and we know that
already. But the cares we have to struggle with every day: that is a different matter. Concerning this a man once
said: Why such reluctance? If you only followed the parables you yourselves would become parables and with
that rid yourself of all your daily cares.
Another said: I bet that is also a parable.
The first said: You have won.
The second said: But unfortunately only in parable.
The first said: No, in reality: in parable you have lost.

10. RADICAL REVERSALS
& CONTRADICTORY CLAIMS
“The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those in authority over them are called
benefactors. But not so with you; rather the greatest among you must become like the
youngest, and the leader like one who serves. For who is greater, the one who is at the
table or the one who serves? Is it not the one at the table? But I am among you as one
who serves.” (Luke 22:24)
“...But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek,
turn the other also; and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak
as well; and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile.”
(Matthew 5:39-41)
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.’
But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you...”
(Matthew 5:43-44)

11. PROPHETS & HOMETOWNS
The rejection of Jesus at Nazareth
He came to his hometown and began to teach the people in their
synagogue, so that they were astounded and said, “Where did this
man get this wisdom and these deeds of power? Is this not the
carpenter’s son? Is not his mother called Mary? And are not his
brothers James and Joseph and Simon and Judas? And are not all
his sisters with us? Where then did this man get all this?” And they
took offence at him. But Jesus said to them, “Prophets are not
without honour except in their own country and in their own
house.” (Matthew 13:54-58)