12 Days of Christmas: Day 4

Four people were inspired by God to write the account, or biography, of Jesus of Nazareth, the baby born in Bethlehem. The Apostles Matthew and John and apostolic associates Mark (Peter) and Luke (Paul) set down in print what Jesus did and said.

Matthew, Mark, and Luke are referred to as the Synoptic Gospels. Synoptic means they "see the same thing." The content of these three Gospels is very similar with differences owing to different audiences being addressed.

Matthew, often depicted with a winged man, shows the humanity of Christ. Matthew's audience was Jewish, hence there are fewer explanations of places and customs in Matthew's Gospel. There are more quotations of Old Testament prophecy in Matthew, owing to the audience. Matthew stresses the human character of Jesus, and it is he who gives the fullest account of the birth of Jesus.

Mark, often depicted with a winged lion, shows a Christ of strength and royal dignity. Mark wrote for a Roman audience and sought to show that Jesus was a powerful king. In Mark's Gospel the resurrection is an active event by Jesus, where it is passive in the other Gospels (Jesus rose from the dead as opposed to God raised Jesus from the dead). Mark (likely the John Mark who deserted Paul on his first missionary journey and possibly the man who fled from Gethsemane naked) was an associate of St. Peter. Hence Peter's warts and failings are more visible in this Gospel.

Luke, depicted by a winged ox, depicts the sacrifice of Christ. This sacrifice extends to the outcast of society as Luke records Jesus interacting with women, tax collectors, the lepers, shepherds, and others deemed low on society's totem pole. The Ox also focusses the patience and strength of Christ since, bearing the yoke, that animal did its work for others.

John takes a different twist and focuses on the eternal divinity of Christ. John starts with creation ("In the beginning was the Word...") and his Revelation takes us to eternity. The "I Am" statements are clear statements of Christ's declaration of being the great "I Am" who spoke to Moses from the burning bush. Since John's Gospel soars in his exposition of the divinity, majesty, and eternal nature of Christ, his Gospel is depicted with the majestic eagle.