Thank you for visiting. This article is one installment in a series that explains the “original texts” of the world’s myths and religions — the fifth of eight articles dealing with the Christian Bible.
In the previous four articles, I explained the 39 books of the Old Testament. From here we enter the “New Testament,” 27 books, at last. Because the New Testament is extremely dense, this series divides it into four articles (5. Gospels / 6. Acts / 7. Epistles / 8. Revelation) and explains it carefully.
What this article covers is its heart, the “Gospels,” 4 books — that is, the life and teaching of Jesus Christ.
For the explanation of the Old Testament, please see this article.
The Whole Picture of the New Testament’s 27 Books
The New Testament divides broadly into four sections by content. This series explains it one article per section.
| Section | Books | Content | Article |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gospels | 4 | The life and teaching of Jesus Christ | This article (5) |
| History | 1 | The birth and growth of the Church after Jesus’s ascension | Article 6 |
| Epistles (letters) | 21 | Letters the apostles sent to churches and individuals | Article 7 |
| Prophecy | 1 | A vision depicting the end and completion of the world (Revelation) | Article 8 |
Now let’s look at the Gospels, the heart of the New Testament.
What Exactly Is Christianity? (a beginner’s primer)View on Amazon →
Learn with Character Art! An Illustrated Guide to ChristianityView on Amazon →
What Are the “Gospels” (4 Books)?
The “Gospels” are the books that record the life, words, death on the cross, and resurrection of the savior Jesus Christ. “Gospel” means “good news.”
The four Gospels — Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John — depict the same life of Jesus, each author from his own viewpoint. Of these, the first three are similar in content and viewpoint and are called the “Synoptic Gospels,” while the Gospel of John alone has a theological, distinctive coloring.
The broad flow of Jesus’s life that all four Gospels depict in common is as follows.
| Book | Name | Chapters | Character |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gospel of Matthew | 28 | For Jews. Depicts Jesus as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy |
| 2 | Gospel of Mark | 16 | Oldest and shortest. Depicts an active Jesus dynamically |
| 3 | Gospel of Luke | 24 | Love for Gentiles and the weak. Depicts a compassionate Jesus |
| 4 | Gospel of John | 21 | Theological. Depicts Jesus as the “Son of God / the Word” |
Book 1: The Gospel of Matthew
A Gospel written with strong awareness of Jewish readers. It opens with the “genealogy of Jesus” running from Abraham and David, and throughout, with quotations from the Old Testament, it shows that Jesus is the very savior (Messiah) that the Old Testament had foretold.
The greatest highlight is the “Sermon on the Mount” in chapters 5–7. The eight Beatitudes beginning with “Blessed are the poor in spirit,” and the “Lord’s Prayer” still recited around the world today — the heart of Jesus’s teaching is concentrated here.
Book 2: The Gospel of Mark
The Gospel said to be the oldest and shortest of the four.
Rather than long sermons, it is marked by depicting, with brisk and dynamic pace, Jesus’s “actions” — healing the sick, casting out demons, and saving people. Its latter half narrows focus at once toward Jesus’s Passion (the cross). Being concise, it is often recommended to those reading a Gospel for the first time.
Book 3: The Gospel of Luke
A Gospel written by Luke, said to have been a physician, based on careful research. Jesus’s warm gaze toward the socially weak — the sick, the poor, women, and Gentiles — stands out.
The Nativity story of the infant Jesus laid in a manger, and famous parables such as the “Good Samaritan” and the “Prodigal Son,” are recorded only in this Gospel.
Book 4: The Gospel of John
A theological, symbolic Gospel that differs greatly from the other three (the Synoptics).
As its opening line shows — “In the beginning was the Word (Logos). The Word was with God. The Word was God” — it depicts Jesus as God himself (the Son of God), existing before the creation of the world.
It is also marked by many words in which Jesus himself speaks of his own essence, such as “I am the bread of life” and “I am the light of the world.”
The Life of Jesus — the Story the Four Gospels Tell
The four Gospels differ in viewpoint, but the life of Jesus Christ they depict is common. Here, let’s trace the life of Jesus as the Gospels tell it, following the main events.
The Nativity — the Birth of the Savior
The story begins with the scene of the angel “Gabriel” visiting the still-unmarried maiden “Mary.” The angel announced, “You will conceive a son by the Holy Spirit. Name the child the savior” (the Annunciation).
Soon Mary and her husband Joseph, who had come to Bethlehem for the Roman census, found every inn full. So the newborn Jesus was laid in a manger in a stable. That night, an angel announced the savior’s birth to shepherds in the fields, and from the east, magi led by a star came to worship, bringing gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
The Baptism and the Temptation in the Wilderness
Around age 30, Jesus is baptized by “John the Baptist,” who was preaching repentance to the people at the Jordan River. At that moment, it is said, heaven opened, the Holy Spirit descended like a dove, and a voice from heaven sounded: “This is my beloved Son.”
Afterward Jesus goes into the wilderness and fasts for 40 days. There the devil (Satan) appears and lays three temptations — “Turn stones into bread,” “Throw yourself down from the temple,” “Bow down and I will give you the whole world” — but Jesus repels them all with the words of Scripture.
The Beginning of the Ministry and the Disciples
Returning from the wilderness, Jesus begins his ministry in Galilee with “Repent, for the kingdom of God is near.” And he chooses twelve disciples (apostles) of various backgrounds — beginning with the fisherman “Peter” and his brother, and the tax collector Matthew — and they come to act together.
The Sermon on the Mount — the Heart of the Teaching
What concentrates Jesus’s teaching most is the “Sermon on the Mount,” spoken on a mountain. The “eight Beatitudes” beginning with “Blessed are the poor in spirit,” and the “Lord’s Prayer” beginning with “Our Father in heaven,” are spoken here.
Further, Jesus taught a new love and way of living that went beyond the common sense of the time, such as “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,” “Do not judge,” and “Enter through the narrow gate.”
The Many Miracles
Along with his teaching, Jesus performed many “miracles,” showing that he was the Son of God.
- Heals the sick, opens the eyes of the blind, casts out demons
- Calms a stormy lake with a single word
- Walks on the water
- Fills a crowd of 5,000 with only “five loaves and two fish”
- Raises “Lazarus,” who had died and been buried, back to life
The Parables
Jesus also taught the unseen “kingdom of God” and God’s love clearly to the people using familiar “parables.”
Especially famous are the “Good Samaritan” (a parable of love for neighbor), in which someone of a different standing helps a wounded traveler, and the “Prodigal Son” (a parable of repentance and forgiveness), in which a father joyfully welcomes back a son who had squandered his inheritance.
The Entry into Jerusalem and the Last Supper
At the time of Passover, Jesus enters Jerusalem riding a “donkey.” The people welcomed him fervently, waving palm branches. But as Jesus deepened his conflict with the existing religious leaders — driving the merchants out of the temple and so on — the movement to kill him grew stronger.
And one of the disciples, “Judas,” plots the betrayal of handing Jesus over for 30 pieces of silver.
On the night before his arrest, Jesus shares a meal with his disciples (the “Last Supper”). At this time Jesus breaks bread and says, “This is my body,” and takes a cup and says, “This is my blood.” This is the origin of the Eucharist performed in Christian worship today.
The Passion — Arrest and the Cross
After the supper, Jesus prays in anguish in the garden of Gethsemane: “Father, if it is possible, take this cup (suffering) from me. Yet not my will, but yours be done.”
There those whom Judas led appear, and Jesus is arrested. The disciple Peter, when asked, “You too are one of that man’s company,” denied it three times, saying “I do not know him.”
Jesus is brought to trial before the Jewish religious leaders and the Roman governor “Pilate.” Though found to have no clear crime, crucifixion was decided, pressed by the crowd’s strong demand. Crowned with thorns and scourged, Jesus carries his own cross toward the hill of “Golgotha.”
On the cross Jesus says, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing,” and finally breathes his last, leaving the words “It is finished.” In Christianity, this death on the cross is believed to be the “atonement,” bearing the sins of all humankind in their place.
Resurrection and Ascension
Jesus’s body was buried in a tomb, and the entrance sealed with a great stone. But on the morning of the third day, what the women who visited the tomb saw was the stone rolled away and the tomb empty.
Afterward the risen Jesus repeatedly appears before the disciples. Famous too is the tale of the disciple Thomas, who could not believe in the resurrection, finally believing only after touching Jesus’s wounds.
And 40 days later, Jesus gives the disciples the mission (the Great Commission), “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every person,” and ascends into heaven.
This “death on the cross and resurrection” is the heart of the Christian faith. And after Jesus’s ascension, the story of the remaining disciples continues into the next book, Acts.
How Strong Are the Characters Here? — The Power Ranking
Satan, who appears in this article (the temptation in the wilderness), is also introduced in strength order in the “Mythology, Religion & Legend Power Ranking.” Enjoy his depiction in the original text alongside his “strength.”
To Learn More
Here are some related books. Reading them alongside this series lets you savor this world even more deeply.
Christianity from Age 14, Explained with DiagramsView on Amazon →
The World of the Bible Through 50 Masterpiece PaintingsView on Amazon →
Conclusion
In this article, I explained the “Gospels,” 4 books, the heart of the New Testament, and the life of Jesus Christ depicted in them. How was it?
Beginning with the Nativity in Bethlehem, through the Sermon on the Mount and the many miracles and parables, and on to the death on the cross and resurrection on the third day — this story, depicted by four authors each from his own viewpoint, is the heart of the Christian faith and the climax of the whole Bible.
In the next article (Article 6), I will explain “Acts of the Apostles,” in which, after Jesus ascended into heaven, the remaining disciples give birth to the Church and the gospel spreads to the world.
I hope you’ll read the next article too.
📚 Series: Christianity: The Bible (66 Books) Explained (6/9)
