A harmony of the Gospels
The year of beginnings
The baptism, the temptation, the first disciples, the first sign at Cana, Nicodemus by night and the Samaritan woman at the well. Mostly John's material.
Robertson, part VI
Jesus begins in public
24Jesus is baptized in the Jordan
Matthew
13At that time Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. 14But John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?” 15“Let it be so now,” Jesus replied. “It is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness in this way.” Then John permitted Him. read on →
Mark
9In those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10As soon as Jesus came up out of the water, He saw the heavens breaking open and the Spirit descending on Him like a dove. 11And a voice came from heaven: “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.”
Luke
21When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as He was praying, heaven was opened, 22and the Holy Spirit descended on Him in a bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.” 23Jesus Himself was about thirty years old when He began His ministry. He was regarded as the son of Joseph, the son of Heli,
25The three temptations
Matthew
1Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2After fasting forty days and forty nights, He was hungry. 3The tempter came to Him and said, “If You are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” read on →
Mark
12At once the Spirit drove Jesus into the wilderness, 13and He was there for forty days, being tempted by Satan. He was with the wild animals, and the angels ministered to Him.
Luke
1Then Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness, 2where for forty days He was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing during those days, and when they had ended, He was hungry. 3The devil said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.” read on →
26John answers the delegation from Jerusalemone Gospel only
John
19And this was John’s testimony when the Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to ask him, “Who are you?” 20He did not refuse to confess, but openly declared, “I am not the Christ.” 21“Then who are you?” they inquired. “Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” He answered, “No.” read on →
27John points to Jesus: the Lamb of Godone Gospel only
John
29The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30This is He of whom I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because He was before me.’ 31I myself did not know Him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that He might be revealed to Israel.” read on →
28Jesus gathers his first disciplesone Gospel only
John
35The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 36When he saw Jesus walking by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!” 37And when the two disciples heard him say this, they followed Jesus. read on →
29Water into wine at Canaone Gospel only
John
1On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, 2and Jesus and His disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3When the wine ran out, Jesus’ mother said to Him, “They have no more wine.” read on →
30A first stay in Capernaumone Gospel only
John
12After this, He went down to Capernaum with His mother and brothers and His disciples, and they stayed there a few days.
31Jesus clears the temple at Passoverone Gospel onlyOnce or twice?
John
13When the Jewish Passover was near, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14In the temple courts He found men selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and money changers seated at their tables. 15So He made a whip out of cords and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle. He poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. read on →
Once or twice?
Did Jesus clear the temple twice — once at the start and once at the end — or once, placed differently by John?
- Twice. John reports one at an early Passover and the other three report one in the final week; read in sequence, the plain sense is two occasions, framing the ministry at both ends. This is the arrangement Robertson follows, and the harmony's row order reflects it.
- Once, moved by John. John arranges by theme as much as by clock, and he puts the temple scene at the front to announce his whole subject — Jesus replaces the temple ("he spake of the temple of his body," John 2:21).
- Once, moved by the other three. The minority position, held for the mirror-image reason.
What this table does: Both rows stand, each pointing at the other, labelled as Robertson's arrangement rather than as settled fact.
32Nicodemus comes by nightone Gospel only
John
23While He was in Jerusalem at the Passover Feast, many people saw the signs He was doing and believed in His name. 24But Jesus did not entrust Himself to them, for He knew them all. 25He did not need any testimony about man, for He knew what was in a man. read on →
33John the Baptist steps backone Gospel only
John
22After this, Jesus and His disciples went into the Judean countryside, where He spent some time with them and baptized. 23Now John was also baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because the water was plentiful there, and people kept coming to be baptized. 24(For John had not yet been thrown into prison.) read on →
34Why Jesus left Judeaall four
Matthew
12When Jesus heard that John had been imprisoned, He withdrew to Galilee.
Mark
14After the arrest of John, Jesus went into Galilee and proclaimed the gospel of God.
Luke
19But when he rebuked Herod the tetrarch regarding his brother’s wife Herodias and all the evils he had done, 20Herod added this to them all: He locked John up in prison.
14Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and the news about Him spread throughout the surrounding region.
John
1When Jesus realized that the Pharisees were aware He was gaining and baptizing more disciples than John 2(although it was not Jesus who baptized, but His disciples), 3He left Judea and returned to Galilee. read on →
35The Samaritan woman at Jacob's wellone Gospel only
John
5So He came to a town of Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob had given to his son Joseph. 6Since Jacob’s well was there, Jesus, weary from His journey, sat down by the well. It was about the sixth hour. 7When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Give Me a drink.” read on →
36Jesus arrives back in Galileeone Gospel only
John
43After two days, Jesus left for Galilee. 44Now He Himself had testified that a prophet has no honor in his own hometown. 45Yet when He arrived, the Galileans welcomed Him. They had seen all the great things He had done in Jerusalem at the feast, for they had gone there as well.