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Reading the Gospels horizontally means reading them all together, comparing and contrasting the different accounts of Jesus’ life and ministry. This approach can help us to get a more complete understanding of Jesus’ life and teaching.

The Danger of Harmonizing the Gospels

Harmonizing the Gospels is a process of trying to create a single, unified account of Jesus’ life by combining the different accounts from the four Gospels. This approach can be dangerous because it can lead us to overlook or ignore the unique perspectives of each author.

One of the most famous examples of a harmonized Gospel is the Gospel of Tatian, which was written in the second century. Tatian wove together the four Gospels into a single narrative, rearranging the order of events and removing any discrepancies. While Tatian’s Gospel was popular in its time, it was eventually rejected by the church because it did not accurately represent the individual voices of the four Gospel writers.

Another example of a harmonized Gospel is the Scofield Reference Bible, which is still widely used by evangelicals today. The Scofield Reference Bible includes footnotes and cross-references that attempt to harmonize the four Gospels. However, some critics have argued that the Scofield Reference Bible’s harmonization of the Gospels is often forced and inaccurate.

Examples

Here are some examples of the dangers of harmonizing the Gospels:

• The temptation of Jesus: In Matthew 4:1-11, Jesus is tempted by the devil for 40 days and 40 nights. However, in Luke 4:1-13, Jesus is tempted by the devil for “a short time.” Some harmonizers have tried to explain this discrepancy by saying that Jesus was tempted for 40 days and 40 nights in the wilderness, and then for a short time in the temple. However, this explanation is not supported by the text. It is more likely that the two authors simply had different ways of understanding the temptation of Jesus.
• The resurrection of Jesus: In Matthew 28:1-10, the women who go to Jesus’ tomb find it empty and are met by an angel who tells them that Jesus has risen from the dead. However, in Luke 24:1-12, the women find the tomb empty and are met by two men who tell them that Jesus has risen from the dead. Some harmonizers have tried to explain this discrepancy by saying that the two men were angels. However, this explanation is again not supported by the text. It is more likely that the two authors simply had different ways of understanding the resurrection of Jesus.

Conclusion

It is important to avoid harmonizing the Gospels because it can lead us to overlook or ignore the unique perspectives of each author. When we read the Gospels vertically, we can appreciate the different ways that each author understood Jesus Christ. When we read the Gospels horizontally, we can get a more complete understanding of Jesus’ life and teaching.

It is also important to remember that the Gospels are not meant to be taken literally in every detail. The authors of the Gospels were writing theological narratives, not historical biographies. They were more interested in conveying the meaning of Jesus’ life and ministry than in providing a blow-by-blow account of his every move.

When we read the Gospels, we should do so with an open mind and heart. We should be willing to learn from each author’s unique perspective, and we should be willing to grapple with the challenges that the Gospels present.