John 13:1-5; Mk. 14:12-17, Introduction to John’s Gospel (3)

RELATION TO THE SYNOPTIC GOSPELS

Matthew, Mark and Luke’s Gospels are called the Synoptic Gospels (they offer a common view and approach to the life of Christ).  John’s is a clearly different type of presentation.

·       Much is missing in John that is found in the Synoptics (virgin birth, temptation of Christ, baptism, the transfiguration, cure of any demoniacs or lepers, parables, Lord’s Supper, agony in Gethsemane, the ascension).

·       John has material not found in the others (marriage at Cana, Nicodemus, woman at the well, raising of Lazarus, washing the feet of the disciples, the Upper Room Discourse).

·       John’s presentation is different (less narrative, more discourse; more philosophical and theological; more King, less kingdom).

All these differences can be explained by the differences in purpose between the Synoptics and John.  John does not intend to be as comprehensive as the others.  It is, rather, a supplement.  By the time John wrote, the others had a wide hearing.  What was needed was a presentation of Christ’s life that met a particular need.

There are a few chronological differences that some suggest are contradictions between the Synoptics and John.  Here are three with suggested answers.

1.    John presents Christ cleansing the temple at the beginning of His ministry, the Synoptics at the end.  Answer: there were two cleansings.  Those thrown out the first time were certainly back the next day.  Christ set the tone of confrontation with the religious establishment early, then was consistent with that last week in His jealousy for His Father’s glory.

2.    The Synoptics speak of only one Passover, thus one year of ministry, while John speaks of three or four and at least three years of ministry.  Answer: The time indicators in the Synoptics are vague.  There are clearly gaps, because they have almost no concern for Jesus’ ministry in Judea and Jerusalem until the final week.  On the other hand, John has almost no concern for what went on in Galilee, and spends his energy mostly on the Judean ministry, thus speaking of the different Passovers, which help pin down the length of Christ’s ministry.

3.    John dates the last supper before Passover (13:1) while the Synoptics date it the same day as Passover (Mk. 14:12).  Answer:  Recently there has come to light the existence of a second calendar, from the religious community at Qumran.  If the Synoptics used this and John the Jerusalem calendar, this would allow for differences.  Another possible answer is the difference between the Sadducean custom of offering the sacrifice after the Sabbath following Passover, while the Pharisees offered the sacrifice the day after the Passover.

Overall, I see John as supplementary to and interpretive of the Synoptics, and neither independent of nor a substitute for the Synoptics.