Why Four Gospels?

Many have wondered from time to time, myself included, why there are four gospels to tell us about the life of Christ. Each one has a different author, a different emphasis, a different perspective. Wouldn't it have been much easier for those guys to collaborate on one big, complete, chronological record? Maybe so, but there are a couple of good reasons for having multiple gospels. Probably more, but just two I want to mention now.

In the first place, the Jewish law states that truth of a matter is established by two or three witnesses - never just by one (Deuteronomy 19:15). Incidentally, this law is echoed in the New Testament in various places - Matthew 18:16, 2 Corinthians 13:1; 1 Timothy 5:19 and Hebrews 10:23. But how like our God - when two or three witnesses are required by law - goes over the top and gives us four, so that there is no question of the truth.

In addition, all of the different perspectives and emphases are so important in really knowing our Savior. Many models of who He is and what He does are presented to us in the Gospels. He is king and subject, master and slave, shepherd and lamb, priest and sacrifice, prophet and the Word, judge and advocate, brother, healer, redeemer, the vine, the light, the way, truth and life. All of these together give us an incredible picture of our Savior, a picture with amazing breadth and depth. That richness is lost if we focus on only one aspect. Again, God went over the top to give us a wonderful and vivid portrait of our Savior.

How amazing God is to give us a Savior who meets our every need. Sometimes a judge is exactly what we need to confront sin in our lives. Sometimes we need to see Christ as a slave as we bear under harsh demands in a work situation. Sometimes we need an older brother to walk along beside us, guiding, encouraging and teaching about those things that he has already experienced. And of course we all need a Savior who is a redeemer--the sacrifice, the priest, the advocate--who can present us to God as one of His chosen, cleansed, and holy people.

And how amazing God is to give us four accounts of this incredible Savior. Four accounts of who He is and what He has done. Four accounts that give us a wonderful, beautiful, multi-dimensional view of our amazing Savior.