A Harmony of the Gospels*

By A. T. Robertson

 

                                     | Matthew | Mark    | Luke    | John    |

                                     |         |         |         |         |

PART I: THE SOURCES OF THE GOSPELS   |         |         |         |         |

  1: In the dedication Luke explains |         |         |         |         |

     his method of research          |         |         | 1:1-4   |         |

                                     |         |         |         |         |

PART II: THE PRE-EXISTENT STATE OF   |         |         |         |         |

     CHRIST AND HIS INCARNATION      |         |         |         |         |

  2: In his introduction John        |         |         |         |         |

     pictures Christ as the Word     |         |         |         | 1:1-18  |

                                     |         |         |         |         |

PART III: THE TWO GENEALOGIES IN     |         |         |         |         |

     MATTHEW AND LUKE                |         |         |         |         |

  3: Apparently Joseph's genealogy   |         |         |         |         |

     in Matthew and Mary's in Luke   | 1:1-17  |         | 3:23-28 |         |

                                     |         |         |         |         |

PART IV: THE BIRTH AND CHILDHOOD OF  |         |         |         |         |

     JOHN THE BAPTIST AND OF JESUS   |         |         |         |         |

  4: The annunciation of the birth   |         |         |         |         |

     of the Baptist to Zacharias     |         |         | 1:5-25  |         |

  5: The annunication to the virgin  |         |         |         |         |

     Mary of the birth of Jesus      |         |         | 1:26-38 |         |

  6: The song of Elizabeth to Mary   |         |         |         |         |

     upon her visit                  |         |         | 1:39-45 |         |

  7: The magnificat of Mary          |         |         | 1:46-56 |         |

  8: The birth and childhood of the  |         |         |         |         |

     Baptist and his desert life     |         |         | 1:57-80 |         |

  9: The annunication to Joseph of   |         |         |         |         |

     the birth of Jesus              | 1:18-25 |         |         |         |

 10: The birth of Jesus              |         |         | 2:1-7   |         |

 11: The praise of the angels and    |         |         |         |         |

     the homage of the shepherds     |         |         | 2:8-20  |         |

 12: The circumcision of Jesus       |         |         | 2:21    |         |

 13: The presentation in the temple  |         |         |         |         |

     with the homage of Simeon and   |         |         |         |         |

     Anna                            |         |         | 2:22-38 |         |

 14: Magi visit the new-born King of |         |         |         |         |

     the Jews                        | 2:1-12  |         |         |         |

 15: The child Jesus carried to      |         |         |         |         |

     Egypt, and the children at      |         |         |         |         |

     Bethlehem slain                 | 2:13-18 |         |         |         |

 16: The child brought from Egypt    |         |         |         |         |

     to Nazareth                     | 2:19-23 |         | 2:39    |         |

 17: The childhood of Jesus at       |         |         |         |         |

     Nazareth                        |         |         | 2:40    |         |

 18: The visit of the boy Jesus to   |         |         |         |         |

     Jerusalem when twelve years old |         |         | 2:41-50 |         |

 19: The eighteen years at Nazareth  |         |         | 2:51-52 |         |

                                     |         |         |         |         |

PART V: THE BEGINNING OF JOHN THE    |         |         |         |         |

     BAPTIST'S MINISTRY              |         |         |         |         |

 20: The time of the beginning       |         | 1:1     | 2:1-2   |         |

 21: The message and the messenger   | 3:1-6   | 1:2-6   | 3:3-6   |         |

 22: A specimen of John's preaching  | 3:7-10  |         | 3:7-14  |         |

 23: The forerunner's picture of the |         |         |         |         |

     Messiah before seeing Him       | 3:11-12 | 1:7-8   | 3:15-18 |         |

                                     |         |         |         |         |

PART VI: THE BEGINNING OF CHRIST'S   |         |         |         |         |

     PUBLIC MINISTRY                 |         |         |         |         |

 24: Jesus baptized by John in the   |         |         |         |         |

     Jordan                          | 3:13-17 | 1:9-11  | 3:21-23 |         |

 25: The three temptations of Jesus  | 4:1-11  | 1:12-13 | 4:1-13  |         |

 26: The testimony of the Baptist    |         |         |         |         |

     to the committee of the         |         |         |         |         |

     Sanhedrin                       |         |         |         | 1:19-28 |

 27: John's identification of Jesus  |         |         |         |         |

     as the Messiah                  |         |         |         | 1:29-34 |

 28: Jesus makes his first disciple  |         |         |         | 1:35-51 |

 29: Jesus works his first miracle   |         |         |         | 2:1-11  |

 30: Jesus makes his first sojourn   |         |         |         |         |

     at Capernaum, accompanied by    |         |         |         |         |

     his kindred and early disciples |         |         |         | 2:12    |

 31: The first cleansing of the      |         |         |         |         |

     temple at the Passove           |         |         |         | 2:13-22 |

 32: The interview of Nicodemus      |         |         |         |         |

     with Jesus                      |         |         |         | 2:23-   |

                                     |         |         |         | 3:21    |

 33: The parallel ministry of Jesus  |         |         |         |         |

     and John with John's loyalty    |         |         |         |         |

     to Jesus                        |         |         |         | 3:22-36 |

 34: Christ's reasons for leaving    |         |         |         |         |

     Judea                           | 4:12    | 1:14    | 3:19-20 | 4:1-4   |

 35: Jesus in Samaria at Jacob's     |         |         |         |         |

     well and in Sychar              |         |         |         | 4:5-42  |

 36: The arrival of Jesus in Galilee |         |         |         | 4:53-45 |

                                     |         |         |         |         |

PART VII: THE GREAT GALILEAN         |         |         |         |         |

     MINISTRY                        |         |         |         |         |

     A. REJECTION AT NAZARETH AND    |         |         |         |         |

        THE NEW HOME IN CAPERNAUM    |         |         |         |         |

 37: General account on his teaching |         |         |         |         |

     in Galilee                      | 4:17    | 1:14-15 | 4:14-15 |         |

 38: The healing at Cana of the son  |         |         |         |         |

     of a courtier of Capernaum      |         |         |         | 4:46-54 |

 39: The first rejection at Nazareth |         |         | 4:16-31 |         |

 40: The new home in Capernaum       | 4:13-16 |         |         |         |

 41: Jesus finds four fishers of men |         |         |         |         |

     in four fishermen               | 4:18-22 | 1:16-20 | 5:1-11  |         |

 42: The excitement in the synagogue |         |         |         |         |

     because of the teaching of      |         |         |         |         |

     Jesus and the healing of a      |         |         |         |         |

     demoniac on the Sabbath         |         | 1:21-28 | 4:31-37 |         |

 43: Jesus heals Peter's mother-in-  |         |         |         |         |

     law and many others             | 8:14-17 | 1:29-34 | 4:38-41 |         |

     B. THE FIRST TOUR OF GALILEE    |         |         |         |         |

        WITH THE FOUR FISHERMEN AND  |         |         |         |         |

        THE CALL OF MATTHEW (LEVI)   |         |         |         |         |

        ON THE RETURN WITH THE       |         |         |         |         |

        GROWING FAME OF JESUS        |         |         |         |         |

 44: The first tour of Galilee with  |         |         |         |         |

     the four fishermen              | 4:23-25 | 1:35-39 | 4:42-44 |         |

 45: A leper healed and much popular |         |         |         |         |

     excitement                      | 8:2-4   | 1:40-45 | 5:12-16 |         |

 46: Thronged in Capernaum, he heals |         |         |         |         |

     a paralytic lowered through the |         |         |         |         |

     roof of Peter's house           | 9:1-8   | 2:1-12  | 5:17-26 |         |

 47: The call of Matthew (Levi) and  |         |         |         |         |

     his reception in honor of Jesus | 9:9-13  | 2:13-17 | 5:27-32 |         |

 48: Jesus in three parables defends |         |         |         |         |

     his disciples for feasting      |         |         |         |         |

     instead of fasting              | 9:14-17 | 2:18-22 | 5:33-39 |         |

 49: At a feast in Jerusalem (poss-  |         |         |         |         |

     ibly the Passover) Jesus heals  |         |         |         |         |

     a lame man on the Sabbath and   |         |         |         |         |

     defends this action to the      |         |         |         |         |

     Pharisees in a great discourse  |         |         |         | 5:1-47  |

 50: Another Sabbath controversy     |         |         |         |         |

     with the Pharisees when the     |         |         |         |         |

     disciples pluck ears of grain   |         |         |         |         |

     in the fields                   | 12:1-8  | 2:23-28 | 6:1-5   |         |

 51: A third Sabbath controversy     |         |         |         |         |

     with the Pharisees over the     |         |         |         |         |

     healing of a man with a         |         |         |         |         |

     withered hand in a synagogue    | 12:9-14 | 3:1-6   | 6:6-11  |         |

     C. THE SABBATH CONTROVERSY IN   |         |         |         |         |

        JERUSALEM AND IN GALILEE     |         |         |         |         |

 52: Jesus teaches and heals great   |         |         |         |         |

     multitudes by the Sea of        |         |         |         |         |

     Galilee                         | 12:15-21| 3:7-12  |         |         |

 53: After a night of prayer Jesus   |         |         |         |         |

     selects twelve apostles         |         | 3:13-19 | 6:12-16 |         |

 54: The Sermon on the Mount.        |         |         |         |         |

     Privileges and requirements of  |         |         |         |         |

     the Mesianic reign, Christ's    |         |         |         |         |

     standard of righteousness       | 5:7     |         | 6:17-49 |         |

     The Place and the Audience      | 5:1-2   |         | 6:17-19 |         |

     (a) The Introduction: The       |         |         |         |         |

         beatitudes and woes.        |         |         |         |         |

         Privileges of the           |         |         |         |         |

         Messiah's subjects          | 5:3-12  |         | 6:20-26 |         |

     (b) The Theme of the Sermon:    |         |         |         |         |

         Christ's standard of        |         |         |         |         |

         righteousness in contrast   |         |         |         |         |

         with that of the Scribes    |         |         |         |         |

         and Pharisees               | 5:13-20 |         |         |         |

     (c) Christ's ethical teaching   |         |         |         |         |

         superior to that of the     |         |         |         |         |

         Scribes (both the Old       |         |         |         |         |

         Testament and the Oral Law) |         |         |         |         |

         in six items or illustra-   |         |         |         |         |

         tions (murder, adultery,    |         |         |         |         |

         divorce, oaths, relations,  |         |         |         |         |

         love of enemies)            | 5:21-48 |         | 6:27-30,|         |

                                     |         |         |   32-36 |         |

     (d) The practice of real        |         |         |         |         |

         righteousness unlike the    |         |         |         |         |

         ostentatious hypocrisy of   |         |         |         |         |

         the Pharisees as in alms-   |         |         |         |         |

         giving, prayer, fasting     | 6:1-18  |         |         |         |

     (e) Single-hearted devotion to  |         |         |         |         |

         God as opposed to worldly   |         |         |         |         |

         aims and anxities           | 6:19-34 |         |         |         |

     (f) Captious criticism, or      |         |         |         |         |

         judging others              | 7:1-6   |         | 6:37-42 |         |

     (g) Prayer and The Golden Rule  | 7:7-12  |         |         |         |

     (h) The Conclusion of the       |         |         |         |         |

         Sermon: The lesson of per-  |         |         |         |         |

         sonal righteousness driven  |         |         |         |         |

         home by powerful parables   | 7:13-   |         | 6:43-49 |         |

                                     | 8:1     |         |         |         |

     D. THE SPREAD OF CHRIST'S       |         |         |         |         |

        INFLUENCE AND THE INQUIRY    |         |         |         |         |

        FROM JOHN IN PRISON          |         |         |         |         |

 55: Jesus heals a centurion's       |         |         |         |         |

     servant at Capernaum            | 8:5-13  |         | 7:1-10  |         |

 56: Jesus raises a widow's son at   |         |         |         |         |

     Naim                            |         |         | 7:11-17 |         |

 57: The message from the Baptist    |         |         |         |         |

     and the eulogy of Jesus         | 11:2-19 |         | 7:18-35 |         |

 58: Woes upon the cities of oppor-  |         |         |         |         |

     tunity. The claims of Christ as |         |         |         |         |

     the teacher about the Father    | 11:20-30|         |         |         |

 59: The anointing of Christ's feet  |         |         |         |         |

     by a sinful woman in the house  |         |         |         |         |

     of Simon a Pharisee. The        |         |         |         |         |

     parable of the two debtors      |         |         | 7:36-50 |         |

     E. THE SECOND TOUR OF GALILEE   |         |         |         |         |

        (NOW WITH THE TWELVE) AND    |         |         |         |         |

        THE INTENSE HOSTILITY OF THE|         |         |         |         |

        PHARISEES                    |         |         |         |         |

 60: The second tour of Galilee      |         |         | 8:1-3   |         |

 61: Blasphemous accusation of       |         |         |         |         |

     league with Beelzebub           | 12:22-37| 3:19-30 |         |         |

 62: Scribes and Pharisees demand a  |         |         |         |         |

     sign                            | 12:38-45|         |         |         |

 63: Christ's mother and brethren    |         |         |         |         |

     seek to take Him home           | 12:46-50| 3:31-35 | 8:19-21 |         |

     F. THE FIRST GREAT GROUP OF     |         |         |         |         |

        PARABLES WITH THE VISIT TO   |         |         |         |         |

        GERASA (KHERSA) AND TO       |         |         |         |         |

        NAZARETH (FINAL ONE)         |         |         |         |         |

 64: The first great group of        |         |         |         |         |

     Parables                        | 13:1-53 | 4:1-34  | 8:4-18  |         |

     (a) To the crowds by the sea    |         |         |         |         |

         (1) Parable of the Sower    | 13:3-23 | 4:3-25  | 8:5-18  |         |

         (2) Parable of the seed     |         |         |         |         |

             growing of itself       |         | 4:26-29 |         |         |

         (3) Parable of the Tares    | 13:24-30|         |         |         |

         (4) Parable of the Mustard  |         |         |         |         |

             Seed                    | 13:31-32| 4:30-32 |         |         |

         (5) Parable of the Leaven   |         |         |         |         |

             and many such parables  | 13:33-35| 4:33-34 |         |         |

     (b) To the disciples in the     |         |         |         |         |

         house                       |         |         |         |         |

         (1) Explanation of the      |         |         |         |         |

             Parable of the Tares    | 13:36-43|         |         |         |

         (2) Parable of the Hid      |         |         |         |         |

             Treasure                | 13:44   |         |         |         |

         (3) Parable of the Pearl    |         |         |         |         |

             of Great Price          | 13:45-46|         |         |         |

         (4) Parable of the Net      | 13:47-50|         |         |         |

         (5) Parable of the House-   |         |         |         |         |

             holder                  | 13:51-53|         |         |         |

 65: In crossing the lake, Jesus     |         |         |         |         |

     stills the tempest              | 8:18,   | 4:35-41 | 8:22-25 |         |

                                     |   23-27 |         |         |         |

 66: Beyond the lake Jesus heals the |         |         |         |         |

     Gerasene demoniac               | 8:28-34 | 5:1-20  | 8:26-39 |         |

 67: The return and the healing of   |         |         |         |         |

     Jairus' daughter and the woman  |         |         |         |         |

     who only touched Jesus' garment | 9:18-26 | 5:21-43 | 8:40-56 |         |

 68: He heals two blind men and a    |         |         |         |         |

     dumb demoniac, a blasphemous    |         |         |         |         |

     accusation                      | 9:27-34 |         |         |         |

 69: The last visit to Nazareth      | 13:54-58| 6:1-6   |         |         |

     G. THE THIRD TOUR OF GALILEE    |         |         |         |         |

        (FOLLOWING THE TWELVE) AND   |         |         |         |         |

        THE EFFECT ON HEROD ANTIPAS  |         |         |         |         |

 70: The third tour of Galilee after |         |         |         |         |

     instructing the twelve and      |         |         |         |         |

     sending them forth by twos      | 9:35-   | 6:6-13  | 9:1-6   |         |

                                     | 11:1    |         |         |         |

 71: The guilty fears of Herod       |         |         |         |         |

     Antipas in Tiberias about Jesus |         |         |         |         |

     because he beheaded the Baptist |         |         |         |         |

     in Machaerus                    | 14:1-12 | 6:14-29 | 9:7-9   |         |

                                     |         |         |         |         |

PART VIII: THE SPECIAL TRAINING OF   |         |         |         |         |

     THE TWELVE IN DISTRICTS AROUND  |         |         |         |         |

     GALILEE                         |         |         |         |         |

 72: The first retirement. The       |         |         |         |         |

     twelve return, and Jesus        |         |         |         |         |

     retires with them beyond the    |         |         |         |         |

     lake to rest. Feeding of the    |         |         |         |         |

     five thousand                   | 14:13-21| 6:30-44 | 9:10-17 | 6:1-14  |

 73: The prevention of the revolu-   |         |         |         |         |

     tionary purpose to proclaim     |         |         |         |         |

     Jesus king (a political         |         |         |         |         |

     Messiah)                        | 14:22-23| 6:45-46 |         | 6:14-15 |

 74: The peril of the twelve in the  |         |         |         |         |

     storm at sea and Christ's       |         |         |         |         |

     coming to them on the water in  |         |         |         |         |

     the darkness                    | 14:24-33| 6:47-52 |         | 6:16-21 |

 75: The reception at Gennesaret     | 14:34-36| 6:53-56 |         |         |

 76: The collapse of the Galilean    |         |         |         |         |

     campaign because Jesus will not |         |         |         |         |

     conform to popular Messianic    |         |         |         |         |

     expectation                     |         |         |         | 6:22-71 |

 77: Pharisees from Jerusalem        |         |         |         |         |

     reproach Jesus for allowing his |         |         |         |         |

     disciples to disregard their    |         |         |         |         |

     traditions about ceremonial     |         |         |         |         |

     defilement of the hands. A      |         |         |         |         |

     puzzling parable in reply       | 15:1-20 | 7:1-23  |         | 7:1     |

 78: The second withdrawal to the    |         |         |         |         |

     region of Tyre and Sidon and    |         |         |         |         |

     the healing of the daughter of  |         |         |         |         |

     a Syro-Phoenician woman         | 15:21-28| 7:24-30 |         |         |

 79: The third withdrawal north      |         |         |         |         |

     through Phoenicia and east      |         |         |         |         |

     towards Hermon and south in     |         |         |         |         |

     Decapolis (keeping out of the   |         |         |         |         |

     terriroty of Herod Antipas)     |         |         |         |         |

     with the healing of the deaf    |         |         |         |         |

     and dumb man and the feeding of |         |         |         |         |

     the four thousand               | 15:29-38| 7:31-   |         |         |

                                     |         | 8:9     |         |         |

 80: The brief visit to Magadan      |         |         |         |         |

     (Dalmanutha) in Galilee and the |         |         |         |         |

     sharp attack by the Pharisees   |         |         |         |         |

     and Sadducees (Note their       |         |         |         |         |

     appearance now against Jesus)   | 15:39-  |         | 8:10-12 |         |

                                     | 16:4    |         |         |         |

 81: The fourth retirement to Beth-  |         |         |         |         |

     saida Julias in the tetrarchy   |         |         |         |         |

     of Herod Philip with sharp      |         |         |         |         |

     rebuke of the dullness of the   |         |         |         |         |

     disciples on the way across and |         |         |         |         |

     healing of a blind man in       |         |         |         |         |

     Bethsaida                       | 16:5-12 | 8:13-26 |         |         |

 82: Near Caeserea Philippi Jesus    |         |         |         |         |

     tests the faith of twelve in    |         |         |         |         |

     His Messiahship                 | 16:13-20| 8:27-30 | 9:18-21 |         |

 83: Jesus distinctly foretells that |         |         |         |         |

     He, the Messiah, will be re-    |         |         |         |         |

     jected and killed and will rise |         |         |         |         |

     the third day                   | 16:21-26| 8:31-37 | 9:22-25 |         |

 84: The coming of the Son of Man in |         |         |         |         |

     that generation                 | 16:27-28| 8:38-   | 9:26-27 |         |

                                     |         | 9:1     |         |         |

 85: The transfiguration of Jesus on |         |         |         |         |

     a mountain (probably Hermon)    |         |         |         |         |

     near Caesarea Philippi          | 17:1-8  | 9:2-8   | 9:28-36 |         |

 86: The puzzle of the three dis-    |         |         |         |         |

     ciples anout the resurrection   |         |         |         |         |

     and about Elijah on their way   |         |         |         |         |

     down the mountain               | 17:9-13 | 9:9-13  | 9:36    |         |

 87: The demoniac boy, whom the      |         |         |         |         |

     disciples could not heal        | 17:14-20| 9:14-29 | 9:37-43 |         |

 88: Returning privately through     |         |         |         |         |

     Galilee, he again foretells his |         |         |         |         |

     death and resurrection          | 17:22-23| 9:30-32 | 9:43-45 |         |

 89: Jesus, the Messiah, pays the    |         |         |         |         |

     half-shekel for the temple      | 17:24-27|         |         |         |

 90: The Twelve contend as to who    |         |         |         |         |

     shall be the greatest under the |         |         |         |         |

     Messiah's reign. His subjects   |         |         |         |         |

     must be childlike               | 18:1-5  | 9:33-37 | 9:46-48 |         |

 91: The mistaken zeal of the        |         |         |         |         |

     apostle John rebuked by Jesus   |         |         |         |         |

     in pertinent parables           | 18:6-14 | 9:38-50 | 9:49-50 |         |

 92: Right treatment of a brother    |         |         |         |         |

     who has sinned against one, and |         |         |         |         |

     duty of patiently forgiving a   |         |         |         |         |

     brother (Parable of the Un-     |         |         |         |         |

     merciful Servant)               | 18:15-35|         |         |         |

 93: The Messiah's followers must    |         |         |         |         |

     give up everything for His      |         |         |         |         |

     service                         |  8:19-22|         |         |         |

 94: The unbelieving brothers of     |         |         |         |         |

     Jesus counsel Him to exhibit    |         |         |         |         |

     Himself in Judea, and He re-    |         |         |         |         |

     jects the advice                |         |         |         | 7:2-9   |

 95: He goes privately to Jerusalem  |         |         |         |         |

     through Samaria                 |         |         | 9:51-56 | 7:10    |

                                     |         |         |         |         |

PART IX: THE LATER JUDEAN MINISTRY   |         |         |         |         |

 96: The coming of Jesus to the      |         |         |         |         |

     Feast of Tabernacles creates    |         |         |         |         |

     intense excitement concerning   |         |         |         |         |

     the Messiahship                 |         |         |         | 7:11-52 |

 97: Story of an adulterous woman    |         |         |         |         |

     brought to Jesus for judgment   |         |         |         | 7:53-   |

                                     |         |         |         | 8:11    |

 98: After the Feast of Tabernacles  |         |         |         |         |

     in the temple Jesus angers the  |         |         |         |         |

     Pharisees by claiming to be the |         |         |         |         |

     light of the world              |         |         |         | 8:12-20 |

 99: The Pharisees attempt to stone  |         |         |         |         |

     Jesus when He exposes their     |         |         |         |         |

     sinfulness                      |         |         |         | 8:21-59 |

100: Jesus heals a man born blind    |         |         |         |         |

     who outwits the Pharisees. The  |         |         |         |         |

     rulers forbid the recognition   |         |         |         |         |

     of Jesus as the Messiah. The    |         |         |         |         |

     conversion of the healed man    |         |         |         | 9:1-41  |

101: In the parable (allegory) of    |         |         |         |         |

     the Good Shepherd Jesys draws   |         |         |         |         |

     the picture of the hostile      |         |         |         |         |

     Pharisees and intimates that    |         |         |         |         |

     He is going to die for His      |         |         |         |         |

     flock and come to life again    |         |         |         | 10:1-21 |

102: The mission of the seventy      |         |         |         |         |

     Christ's joy in their work on   |         |         |         |         |

     their return                    |         |         | 10:1-24 |         |

103: Jesus answers a lawyer