A Gospel Synchrony

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In this page I present my attempt at a synchrony of the gospels. I don't say it is perfect, but I think I have given it my best shot.

The table lists the major events, discourses, miracles, and parables as related in all four gospels. My synchrony is not a harmonization, a document that attempts to reconcile the timelines of the gospels with each other. I do not believe such a reconciliation is possible.

Introduction

Notes

In the synchrony I have used Mark as the guiding chronology. I have identified where the synoptic gospels severely disagree in chronology with underlining.

The gospel of John is way out of whack with the other three. That's why Matthew, Mark, and Luke are called the synoptic (same-view) gospels. you can see from the table how little material John shares with the synoptics. Until Passion week, most of the material in John is unanchored in time. We get a few clues that assign an event to some general period in Jesus life. But these clues cannot be fitted into the synoptic accounts. For that reason, I have often included the events related in John as a block, and make no attempt to force them into the timetables of the synoptics that other authors attempt.

Sources for the Chart

I began with a version from Wikipedia, only because it was online. The page was a great start, but as I worked my way through the New Testament, I began to disagree with many of the Wikipedia author's decisions about, say, versification. I'm not saying the original was wrong: just that I was developing my own opinions, for better or worse.

The Wikipedia page also explicitly said it is a gospel harmony, not just a synchrony. A harmony attempts to reconcile the chronologies of the gospels, smoothing out the differences. A synchrony, as this page is, makes no such attempt.

I checked every item in the Wikipedia article against one of my favorite books, A Diagram of Synoptic Relationships, by Dr Alan Barr (T & T Clark, 1976). This deceptively small volume conceals a humongous foldout chart (67×100 cm, 26″×40″, about B1) showing the relationships between the synoptic gospels. It is printed on cotton-reinforced paper. My copy is forty years old. It is as immaculate as the day it was printed. Why are you waiting? Go out and buy one from AbeBooks! Hmm, no maybe not. A quick check on AbeBooks shows second edition paperback copies selling for as much as $US 300! Guess I'm lucky to own a copy!

A Diagram of Synoptic Relationships, by Alan Barr (1976) — *A Diagram of Synoptic Relationships*, by Alan Barr D.D. (1976). The chart is encased in enclosing book covers, visible at top-left.

The Synchrony

1	Nativity and Youth
1–1	Pre–existence of Christ				Jn 1:1–18
1–2	Genealogy of Jesus		Mt 1:1–17	Lk 3:23–38
1–3	Birth of John the Baptist			Lk 1:5–25
1–4	Annunciation			Lk 1:26–38
1–5	Visitation of Mary			Lk 1:39–56
1–6	Birth of Jesus		Mt 1:18–25	Lk 2:1–7
1–7	Annunciation to the shepherds			Lk 2:8–15
1–8	Adoration of the shepherds			Lk 2:16–20
1–9	Circumcision of Jesus			Lk 2:21
1–10	Infant Jesus at the Temple			Lk 2:22–38
1–11	Star of Bethlehem		Mt 2:1–2
1–12	Visit of the Magi		Mt 2:1–12
1–13	Flight into Egypt		Mt 2:13–15
1–14	Massacre of the innocents		Mt 2:16–18
1–15	Herod the Great's death		Mt 2:19–20
1–16	Return of the family of Jesus to Nazareth		Mt 2:21–23	Lk 2:39–39
1–17	Finding Jesus in the Temple			Lk 2:41–51
2	Prologue to the Mission
2–1	Narrative of John the Baptist	Mk 1:1–8	Mt 3:1–12	Lk 3:1–20	Jn 1:19–34
2–2	Baptism of Jesus by the Baptist	Mk 1:9–11	Mt 3:13–17	Lk 3:21–22	Jn 1:29–39
2–3	Temptation of Jesus by Satan	Mk 1:12–13	Mt 4:1–11	Lk 4:1–13
3	Early Ministry in Galilee
3–1	John the Baptist arrested	Mk 1:14	Mt 4:12
3–2	Jesus makes his headquarters at Capernaum in Galilee	Mk 1:15	Mt 4:13–17		Jn 4:1–3
3–3	First disciples of Jesus	Mk 1:16–20	Mt 4:18–22	Lk 5:1–11	Jn 1:35–51
3–4	Teaching and exorcism at the synagogue in Capernaum	Mk 1:21–28		Lk 4:31–37
3–5	Marriage at Cana [John's 1st Sign]				Jn 2:1–11
3–6	Temple cleansing 1				Jn 2:13–25
3–7	Jesus and Nicodemus				Jn 3:1–21
3–8	Beatitudes [Matthew's 1st Discourse: Sermon on the Mount]		Mt 5:2–12	Lk 6:20–23
3–9	Six antitheses [Sermon on the Mount		Mt 5:17–48	Lk 6:29–42
3–10	Piety and almsgiving [Sermon on the Mount]		Mt 6:1–8
3–11	Lord's Prayer [Sermon on the Mount]		Mt 6:9–13	Lk 11:2–4
3–12	Wealth and the kingdom of heaven [Sermon on the Mount]		Mt 6:19–34	Lk 12:22–34
3–13	Do not judge lest you be judged [Sermon on the Mount]		Mt 7:1–5	Lk 6:41–42
3–14	Ask and it will be given [Sermon on the Mount]		Mt 7:7–11
3–15	Golden rule [Sermon on the Mount]		Mt 7:12
3–16	Narrow gates [Sermon on the Mount]		Mt 7:13–14
3–17	False prophets, sheep's clothing [Sermon on the Mount]		Mt 7:15–23	Lk 6:43–45
3–18	House on the sand and the rock [Sermon on the Mount]		Mt 7:24–27	Lk 6:46–49
4	Ministry in Galilee
4–1	The Samaritan woman				Jn 4:1–42
4–2	Healing the royal official's son [John's 2nd Sign]				Jn 4:43–54
4–3	Healing a lame man [John's 3rd Sign]				Jn 5:1–17
4–4	Jesus' discourse on His Father				Jn 5:18–47
4–5	Healing Peter's mother–in–law	Mk 1:29–34	Mt 8:14–17	Lk 4:38–41
4–6	Exorcising at sunset	Mk 1:32–34	Mt 8:16–17	Lk 4:40–41
4–7	Healing the leper	Mk 1:40–45	Mt 8:1–4
4–8	Healing the centurion's servant		Mt 8:5–13	Lk 7:1–10
4–9	Conditions of discipleship 1		Mt 8:18–22
4–10	Paralytic at Capernaum	Mk 2:1–12	Mt 9:1–8	Lk 5:17–26
4–11	Call of Matthew/Levi	Mk 2:13–14	Mt 9:9	Lk 5:27–28
4–12	New wine into old wineskins	Mk 2:22–22	Mt 9:17	Lk 5:37–39
4–13	Plucking grain on the Sabbath	Mk 2:23–28	Mt 12:1–8
4–14	Healing a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath	Mk 3:1–6	Mt 12:9–13	Lk 6:6–11
4–15	Healing the multitudes	Mk 3:7–12	Mt 4:23
4–16	Call of the 12 Apostles	Mk 3:13–19		Lk 6:12–16
4–17	Raising the widow's son from the dead			Lk 7:11–17
4–18	Ministering women, Mary Magdalene			Lk 8:1–3
4–19	The strong man, Satan, sins, Beelzebub	Mk 3:22–29	Mt 12:29–32	Lk 11:21–22, Lk 12:8–10
4–20	Jesus and his family	Mk 3:19b–35	Mt 12:46–50	Lk 8:19–21
4–21	The sower [Matthew's 3rd Discourse]	Mk 4:3–9	Mt 13:3–9	Lk 8:5–8
4–22	The lamp under a bushel [Sermon on the Mount]	Mk 4:21–25	Mt 5:14–15	Lk 8:16–18
4–23	The growing seed	Mk 4:26–29
4–24	The mustard seed [3rd Discourse]	Mk 4:30–32	Mt 13:31–32	Lk 13:18–19
4–25	Calming the storm	Mk 4:35–41	Mt 8:23–27	Lk 8:22–25
4–26	Gerasene demoniac	Mk 5:1–20	Mt 8:28–34	Lk 8:26–39
4–27	Raising the daughter of Jairus from the dead	Mk 5:21–43	Mt 9:18–26	Lk 8:40–56
4–28	The bleeding woman	Mk 5:24–34	Mt 9:20–22	Lk 8:43–48
4–29	Healing of the two blind men 1		Mt 9:27–31
4–30	Healing the demoniac mute (demons)		Mt 9:32–34
4–31	Conditions of discipleship 2 [Matthew's 2nd Discourse]		Mt 10:26–39
4–32	Messengers from John the Baptist		Mt 11:2–6	Lk 7:18–23
4–33	Failure of the mission in Galilee		Mt 11:20–24
4–34	Jesus withdraws		Mt 12:14–21
4–35	Exorcising the blind and mute demoniac		Mt 12:22–28	Lk 11:14–23
4–36	Weeds amongst the wheat [3rd Discourse]		Mt 13:24–30, Mt 13:36–40
4–37	The yeast [3rd Discourse]		Mt 13:33	Lk 13:20–21
4–38	Explaining the parables [3rd Discourse]		Mt 13:34–35
4–39	The pearl, the net, and the treasure [3rd Discourse]		Mt 13:44–52
4–40	Rejection of at Nazareth	Mk 6:1–6	Mt 13:53–58	Lk 4:16–30
4–41	Duties of the disciples [Matthew's 2nd Discourse]	Mk 6:9–13	Mt 10:1–15	Lk 10:4–12
4–42	Death of John the Baptist	Mk 6:18–28	Mt 14:6–12
4–43	Feeding the 5000 [John's 4th Sign]	Mk 6:31–44	Mt 14:13–21	Lk 9:10–17	Jn 6:1–14
4–44	Stilling the storm. Walking on Water [John's 5th Sign]	Mk 6:45–52, Mk 4:35	Mt 14:22–33		Jn 6:15–24
4–45	Bread of life				Jn 6:22–59
4–46	Healing in Gennesaret	Mk 6:53–56	Mt 14:34–36
4–47	Food and cleanliness	Mk 7:1–23	Mt 15:1–11
4–48	Syrophoenician woman	Mk 7:24–30	Mt 15:21–28
4–49	Deaf mute of Decapolis	Mk 7:31–37
4–50	Feeding the 4000	Mk 8:1–9	Mt 15:32–39
4–51	Demand for a sign	Mk 8:11–21	Mt 12:38–42	Lk 11:29–32
4–52	Blind man of Bethsaida	Mk 8:22–26
4–53	Demand for a sign 2		Mt 16:1–7
4–54	Confession of Peter, Passion Prediction 1	Mk 8:27–30	Mt 16:13–23	Lk 9:18–21
4–55	Conditions of discipleship 3	Mk 8:34–9:1	Mt 16:24
4–56	Transfiguration of Jesus	Mk 9:2–13	Mt 17:1–13	Lk 9:28–36
4–57	Boy possessed by a demon	Mk 9:14–29	Mt 17:14–21	Lk 9:37–49
4–58	Passion prediction 2	Mk 9:30–32
4–59	Payment of Temple tax		Mt 17:24–27
4–60	The little children [Matthew's 4th Discourse]	Mk 9:33–37	Mt 18:1–7	Lk 9:46–48
4–61	The lost sheep [4th Discourse]		Mt 18:10–14	Lk 15:3–6
4–62	The unforgiving servant [4th Discourse]		Mt 18:23–35
5	Journey to Jerusalem
5–1	Inhospitable Samaritans			Lk 9:51–56
5–2	Missionary instructions, Seventy Disciples		Mt 10:1–15	Lk 10:1–24
5–3	The good Samaritan			Lk 10:29–37
5–4	Martha and Mary			Lk 10:38–42
5–5	The friend at night			Lk 11:5–8
5–6	The rich fool			Lk 12:16–21
5–7	The birds of heaven			Lk 12:22–34
5–8	Slaughter of the Galileans			Lk 13:1–5
5–9	The barren fig tree			Lk 13:6–9
5–10	Cure of a crippled woman on the Sabbath			Lk 13:10–17
5–11	Herod wants to kill Jesus			Lk 13:31–33
5–12	Lament for Jerusalem 1			Lk 13:34–35
5–13	Man with dropsy			Lk 14:1–6
5–14	Counting the cost			Lk 14:25–33
5–15	The lost coin			Lk 15:8–9
5–16	Prodigal son			Lk 15:11–32
5–17	The dishonest steward			Lk 16:1–13
5–18	The rich man and Lazarus			Lk 16:19–31
5–19	The master and servant			Lk 17:7–10
5–20	Cleansing ten lepers			Lk 17:11–19
5–21	The unjust judge			Lk 18:1–8
5–22	The Pharisee and the tax collector			Lk 18:9–14
5–23	Divorce and celibacy	Mk 10:1–16	Mt 5:31–32	Lk 10:18
5–24	The rich man	Mk 10:17–31	Mt 19:16–27	Lk 18:18–30
5–25	Disciples will be enthroned		Mt 19:28
5–26	The workers in the vineyard		Mt 20:1–16
5–27	Passion prediction 3	Mk 10:32–34, (Mk 8:31, 9:31)	Mt 20:17–19	Lk 18:31–34
5–28	Ambition of James and John	Mk 10:35–45	Mt 20:20–28
5–29	Healing of the blind man 2	Mk 10:46–52	Mt 20:29–34	Lk 18:35–43
5–30	Jesus and Zacchaeus			Lk 19:2–28
5–31	Jesus goes to Jerusalem in secret for Sukkot				Jn 7:1–52
5–32	The adulterous woman				Jn 7:53–8:11
5–33	Confrontation with the Jews				Jn 8:12–59
5–34	Healing a blind man [John's 6th Sign]				Jn 9:1–49
5–35	The good shepherd				Jn 10:1–42
5–36	Raising of Lazarus [John's 7th Sign]				Jn 11:1–44
6	Passion Week
6–1	Palm Sunday	Mk 11:1–11	Mt 21:1–11	Lk 19:29–44	Jn 12:12–19
6–2	Cursing the fig tree	Mk 11:12–14	Mt 21:18–22
6–3	Temple cleansing 2	Mk 11:15–18	Mt 21:12–13	Lk 19:45–48
6–4	Authority of Jesus questioned	Mk 11:27–33	Mt 21:23–27	Lk 20:1–8
6–5	The two sons		Mt 21:28–32
6–6	The wicked husbandmen	Mk 12:1–9	Mt 21:33–41	Lk 20:9–16
6–7	The wedding feast		Mt 22:1–14	Lk 14:16–24
6–8	Render unto Caesar…	Mk 12:13–17	Mt 22:15–22	Lk 20:20–26
6–9	Denunciation of the scribes and Pharisees	Mk 12:35–37	Mt 23:1–36	Lk 20:45–47
6–10	Lament for Jerusalem 2		Mt 23:37–39	Lk 19:41–44
6–11	Widow's mite	Mk 12:41–44		Lk 21:1–4
6–12	Discourse at Mt Olivet. [Matthew's 5th Discourse, Mark's Little Apocalypse]	Mk 13:1–27	Mt 24:1–31	Lk 21:5–36
6–13	The budding fig tree [5th Discourse, Little Apocalypse]	Mk 13:28–31	Mt 24:32–35	Lk 21:29–33
6–14	Of that day and of that hour [5th Discourse, Little Apocalypse]	Mk 13:32–33	Mt 24:36–44
6–15	The faithful servant [5th Discourse, Little Apocalypse]	Mk 13:34–37	Mt 24:45–51	Lk 12:35–48
6–16	The ten virgins [5th Discourse]		Mt 25:1–13
6–17	The talents [5th Discourse]		Mt 25:14–30	Lk 19:12–27
6–18	The sheep and the goats [5th Discourse]		Mt 25:31–46
6–19	Plot against Jesus	Mk 14:1–2	Mt 26:3–5		Jn 11:45–54, Jn 11:55–57
6–20	Anointing at Bethany, with Martha, Mary and Lazarus	Mk 14:3–9	Mt 26:6–13	Lk 7:36–50	Jn 12:1–8
6–21	Betrayal of Judas	Mk 14:10–11	Mt 26:14–16	Lk 22:1–6
6–22	Preparation for Passover	Mk 14:12–16	Mt 26:17–19	Lk 22:7–13
6–23	Last acts of the public ministry				Jn 12:20–50
6–24	Last Supper	Mk 14:17–21	Mt 26:20–29	Lk 22:14–23	Jn 13:1–38
6–25	Last Supper farewell discourse				Jn 14–17
6–26	Special place for the disciples in Heaven			Lk 22:28–30
6–27	Instructions for the time of crisis			Lk 22:35–38
6–28	Mt of Olives, Peter's denial foretold	Mk 14:26–42	Mt 26:30–35	Lk 22:39–46
6–29	Gethsemane		Mt 26:36–46
6–30	Peter's denial foretold	Mk 14:30–31		Lk 22:31–34
6–31	Kiss of Judas	Mk 14:43–45	Mt 26:47–49	Lk 22:47–48	Jn 18:2–9
6–32	Arrest of Jesus	Mk 14:46	Mt 26:50	Lk 22:52–54	Jn 18:10–12
6–33	Striking with a sword	Mk 14:47–49	Mt 26:51–54	Lk 22:49–51
6–34	Disciples flee	Mk 14:50	Mt 26:56
6–35	Naked young man	Mk 14:51–52
6–36	Interrogation by Annas				18:13–14, 18:19–23
6–37	Appearance before Caiaphas				Jn 18:24
6–38	Trial by Caiaphas/ high priest and the Council	Mk 14:53–65	Mt 26:57–68, Mt 27:1–2	Lk 22:66–71
6–39	Peter's denials	Mk 14:66–72	Mt 26:69–75	Lk 22:54–62	Jn 18:15–18, 18:25–27
6–40	Suicide of Judas		Mt 27:3–10
6–41	Trial by Pilate 1	Mk 15:1–15	Mt 27:11–26	Lk 23:1–7	Jn 18:28–19:16
6–42	Dream of Pilate's wife		Mt 27:19
6–43	Blood curse		Mt 27:24–25
6–44	Jesus flogged and mocked by the soldiers	Mk 15:16–20	Mt 27:26–31		Jn 19:2–5
6–45	Interrogation by Herod Antipas			Lk 23:8–12
6–46	Trial by Pilate 2			Lk 23:13–25
6–47	Road to Golgotha	Mk 15:21–22	Mt 27:27–32	Lk 23:26–31	Jn 19:17
6–48	Crucifixion	Mk 15:23–41	Mt 27:33–44	Lk 23:32–43	Jn 19:18–30
6–49	Darkness, the Temple curtain torn, the centurion's comment	Mk 15:38–39	Mt 27:45–54	Lk 23:44–47
6–50	The dead return		Mt 27: 52–53
6–51	Witnesses to the death	Mk 15:40–41	Mt 27:55–56	Lk 23:49	Jn 19:25–27
6–52	Soldiers spear Jesus in the side				Jn 19:31–34
6–53	Burial	Mk 15:42–47	Mt 27:57–61	Lk 23:50–56	Jn 19:38–42
6–54	Guard at the tomb		Mt 27:62–66
7	Resurrection
7–1	Empty tomb				Jn 20:1–10
7–2	Angelic appearance to Mary Magdalene (and others) at the tomb	Mk 16:1–8	Mt 28:1–8	Lk 24:1–12	Jn 20:11–13
7–3	Appearance to Mary Magdalene	Mk 16:9–11	Mt 28:9–10		Jn 20:14–18
7–4	Conspiracy of the stolen body		Mt 28:11–15
7–5	Appearances to the disciples	Mk 16:12–13	Mt 28:16	Lk 24:13–35	Jn 20:19–20
7–6	Doubting disciples		Mt 28:17	Lk 24:36–43	Jn 20:24–29
7–7	Great commission of the disciples	Mk 16:14–18	Mt 28:18–20	Lk 24:44–49	Jn 20:21–23
7–8	Other appearances to the disciples				Jn 21:1–24
7–9	Ascension of Jesus	Mk 16:19		Lk 24:50–53