Reading the Gospels Together Some Indirect Points of Contact between John and the Synoptic Gospels – Part 4 Some Sayings of Jesus – “Gaining and Losing Life”: In this section we will need to consider Mark 8:35; Matthew 16:25; Luke 9:24; and John 12:25. All four gospel writers tell their readers that Jesus told his followers that seeking to gain one’s life will result in losing it, and losing one’s life will lead to gaining life. The words are not exactly the same, but that Jesus made such a statement seems to be confirmed by the reality that all four gospel writers use this saying. The saying, of course, is a challenging and difficult one for all of us to hear and to receive into our own lives. Yet, the presence of this saying in all four gospels indicates that it was an important part of the message of Jesus. In fact, this saying gets at the heart of what it means to be a disciple. The saying drives us to the cross. And the saying in all four gospels comes at that crucial moment when Jesus is pointing toward his own death and resurrection. Reading the gospels together confirms that this is one of those crucial elements of the message of Jesus. We would do well to hear and be transformed by it. Some Sayings of Jesus – “Isaiah’s Prophecy”: In this section we will need to consider Mark 4:12; Matthew 13:14-15; Luke 8:10 and Acts 28:26; and John 12:39-40. All four gospel writers contain the strange prophecy of Isaiah that the effect of Jesus’ words may have the possibility of causing those who have ears not to hear, those who have eyes not to see, so that they might not turn and be forgiven. Mark tells his readers that this is the reason Jesus speaks to those who are “outside” in parables. Matthew and Luke say somewhat the same though each attempts to soften Mark’s rendition. That John also knows these words and tells them to his readers seems to indicate that there is something real behind them and not just Mark’s playing with the words. They mark the frustration of Jesus with those who will not receive him. And, of course, they have power in our world too – there are those who choose to remain blind and deaf to God. The words are filled with tragedy and mystery. Why do some believe and some not? That is a question none of us can answer – we can only dwell with its mystery. This possibility must not deter us from proclaiming the gospel. We proclaim but ultimately it is God who does the work. Some Sayings of Jesus – “The Ripe Harvest”: In this section we will need to consider Matthew 9:37-38; Luke 10:2; and John 4:35. Matthew, Luke, and John all contain a saying of Jesus meant to motivate his followers to bear witness to outsiders. The gist of the saying is the observation of Jesus of a harvest ripe for the harvesting and the need for more harvesters to enter into the labor. The context of the saying in each gospel differs but the impact it the same. Reading the gospels together seems to indicate that it is likely Jesus said something like this since both John and the synoptic writers, Matthew and Luke, contain this saying. Some Sayings of Jesus – “No one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him”: In this section we will need to consider Matthew 11:25-27; Luke 10:21-22; and John 1:18, 3:35, and 10:15. As we have read the four gospels we have noted that John has a distinct language of his own – John often launches into theology instead of narrative. The words we find in Matthew 11:25-27 and Luke 10:21-22 jump out at us as sounding more like something we expect to read in John than in either Matthew or Luke. Does this indicate that Jesus may well have used words like this in his conversation with his disciples? Or, are Matthew and Luke aware of some of the theological statements that finally make their way into John’s gospel? Were there snippets of John’s gospel known outside of the final document of John? Once again we are unable to answer our own questions, but the point of contact provided by this saying is an interesting one. It remains my view that the synoptic writers are unaware of John’s gospel as we know it today and also that the writer of John’s gospel is not aware of Mark, Matthew, or Luke. But cross-pollination may have taken place in some remote ways as this saying seems to indicate.