7 Differences between the Gospel of John and the “Synoptic Gospels”

One day in a grocery store parking lot, I shared the first five verses of the Gospel of John with the young man who helped me with the bags. I don’t remember how the conversation about spiritual things began, but he questioned the divinity of Jesus. I had memorized the passage when I was an elementary age girl, but not reviewed it in years. On that day however, these verses, which declare that Jesus is God, flowed freely from my tongue. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

What is a “Gospel?”

John is one of four books in the New Testament known as a “Gospel.” These books – Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John – are accounts of Jesus’ ministry, death, and resurrection. The Greek noun translated “gospel” is euangelion. The word refers to an announcement of good news or “glad tidings.” The word was in common use in the Roman world when Mark connected it to his account of Jesus. However, Mark claimed it and redefined it, declaring the ultimate good news to be Jesus Christ and His message of salvation. (For more about the Gospels as a literary genre see “4 Tips for Understanding the Gospels.”)

Each of the Gospels shares a unique eyewitness account of Jesus. All four are divinely inspired and share truth about Jesus and His work. But each also reflects the author’s experience, personality, and specific purpose in writing.

What was John’s Purpose in Writing?

John left no doubt about why he wrote his account of Jesus’ life and work. He clearly stated it near the end of the book: 

“Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name.”   John 20:30-31

Here’s a recap of John’s two-fold purpose:

1. To declare the truth about the identity of Jesus – John presented evidence in his account to prove that Jesus was the Son of God, the Messiah.
2. To encourage saving faith – John wanted unsaved readers to believe in Jesus to receive eternal life and he wanted to encourage believers to stand firm in their faith in Jesus. 

John carefully selected and organized the content of his Gospel to accomplish his purposes. The fourth Gospel is heavy in theology to relate the deep truths about Jesus’ divine nature. Jesus is our God, only Savior, and one true hope for eternity. John also gives overwhelming evidence that we can rest secure in Jesus’ eternal promises.

7 Ways the Gospel of John is different from the “Synoptics”

Matthew, Mark, and Luke are commonly referred to as the “Synoptic Gospels” because of their similarity in both form and material. But John’s Gospel does not carry that description. In fact, over 90% of the material in John is unique, not included in the other Gospels. (Also see “What are the Synoptic Gospels?“)

Although the following list is not comprehensive, here are a few of the unique characteristics of John’s Gospel:

1. The only Gospel that begins with the beginning – The other Gospels open in the first century. They start with the circumstances of Jesus’ birth or the beginning of His ministry. But John did not record Jesus’ birth or baptism. He backed up to the beginning and highlighted the eternality and divinity of Jesus. In the beginning was the Word (John 1:1).
2. Includes just seven miraculous signs – John chose the miracles he used to further his purpose. Even more interesting is the fact that five of these seven are not found included in the Synoptics. For instance, only John records Jesus turning water into wine at the wedding in Canaan (John 2) and the raising of Lazarus from the dead (John 11). John refers to these miracles as “signs” because they are proof that Jesus is indeed the divine Son of God.
3. Favors personal interactions over the crowds – John highlights one-on-one deep conversation between Jesus and individuals. Only John recorded Jesus’ encounters with the Pharisee Nicodemus and the Samaritan woman at the well. Jesus did not just engage with the multitudes. He sought out the individual and met their personal needs.
4. Shares seven “I am” statements – I am the bread of life… I am the good Shepherd … I AM. The grammatical structure of these seven declarations implies Jesus’ divinity. The Jewish leaders clearly understood Jesus claimed to be God.
5. Jesus’ teaching primarily in lengthy discourses – While Mark’s Gospel is action-packed, John’s Gospel weighs heavy with teaching. John does not include any parables. Instead, John favors long, deep discourses. John is the only Gospel that includes Jesus’ teaching on the bread of life (John 6) and the lengthy teaching of His disciples on the night He was arrested (John 14-16).
6. Washing of the disciples’ feet – Only John records the amazing act of service Jesus performed during the last supper in the upper room. Jesus set an example for His disciples by kneeling down and washing the dust off their feet (John 13).
7. Emphasis on the Holy Spirit – John includes Jesus’ lengthy explanation to His disciples of the coming Holy Spirit and His role in their lives (John 14-16). 

Two opportunities to study the Gospel of John

• Deep Rooted: Growing through the Gospel of John – The newest volume of the Deep Rooted devotional series has just been released! This series uses the 4 R method to guide you through a book of the Bible. Every volume shows you how to interact with and respond to Scripture, not simply read it. This new volume breaks down the Gospel of John in 50 doable-sized chunks. By the time we get to the end of John, you’ll have a working knowledge of the book’s content and understand its key spiritual truths. You also may fall in love with Jesus all over again!
• Reading the Bible Together Facebook Group – In this ongoing group for women we work through one Bible book at a time. We will begin the Gospel of John with an introduction to the book on Saturday, September 21st. (Deep Rooted: Growing through the Gospel of John” is an optional resources.) To join, follow the link and answer the three easy questions.