Reading the Gospels Together Some Indirect Points of Contact between John and the Synoptic Gospels – Part 2 The Dispute about the Sabbath: In this section we will need to consider Mark 2:23-28 and 3:1-6; Matthew 12:1-8 and 12:9-14; Luke 6:1-5 and 6:6-11; and John 5:1-18 and 9:1-41. All four gospel writers share the common belief that one of the major conflicts between Jesus and the religious leaders was a dispute regarding the understanding of the Sabbath. The religious leaders accuse Jesus of breaking the Sabbath. Jesus understands the Sabbath as an opportunity to do good to one’s neighbor. Observance of Sabbath gets Jesus into trouble. Because all four gospel writers share this common belief it is very likely that this dispute was at the center of the conflict between Jesus and the religious leaders. Reading the gospels together confirms this fact.