The story of Jesus Christ—his life, teachings, death, and resurrection—has summoned the most sustained literary and scholarly attention in the Christian tradition. From the earliest efforts to harmonize the Gospel accounts to the development of modern critical methods, the Gospels have stirred both devout contemplation and rigorous inquiry. This chapter surveys the monumental body of work devoted to the study of the Four Evangelists, encompassing harmonies, critical investigations, and exegetical commentaries ancient and modern. The range of perspectives is vast: some devotional, some skeptical, many deeply analytical—yet all engaged in unlocking the mystery of the incarnate Word as revealed in the first century narratives that changed the world.
I. Harmonies of the Gospels
The effort to synthesize the fourfold witness into a single, coherent narrative began as early as A.D. 170 with Tatian’s Diatessaron, a pioneering harmony composed in Syriac. Over the centuries, scholars have produced an impressive array of harmonies, culminating in the sophisticated synopses of the modern era.
Major contributions include Griesbach’s Synopsis (Halle, 1774–1822), Newcome’s editions (Dublin, 1778 and later), and Joseph Priestley’s harmonies in both Greek and English (London, 1778–1780). Joseph White’s Diatessaron (Oxford, 1799, 1803) and the efforts of De Wette, Lücke, and Rödiger (early 19th century) expanded this tradition. Greswell’s Harmonia Evangelica (1830; 5th ed. 1856) and Macbride’s Diatessaron (Oxford, 1837) stood as standard works in Anglican scholarship.
The German scholar Wieseler’s Chronologische Synopsis (1843) and Krafft’s posthumous work on Gospel chronology and harmony (edited by Burger, 1848) reflect meticulous historical arrangement. Tischendorf’s Synopsis Evangelica (1851–1878) and Robinson’s harmonies (Greek and English editions, 1845–1862) remained critical reference points in conservative and academic circles. James Strong, R. Mimpriss, and Fr. Gardiner followed with editions in both Greek and English, offering increasingly refined textual and chronological comparisons.
The most visually and methodologically innovative harmony emerged in W. G. Rushbrooke’s Synopticon (1880–81), a typographically rich synoptic apparatus. Using color and typography to distinguish narrative overlap, Rushbrooke provided an unparalleled tool for examining the shared and distinctive material among the Synoptics—marking common passages in red, pairwise agreements in special typefaces, and unique material in plain black. It remains a landmark in the visual comparison of Gospel traditions.
II. Critical Discussions
The scholarly interrogation of Gospel origins, composition, and authenticity has unfolded through the works of both champions and challengers of traditional views. Nathaniel Lardner’s monumental The Credibility of the Gospel History (1727–1757) remains unmatched in honesty and depth. The eighteenth and nineteenth centuries saw the rise of the “Urevangelium” theory by J. G. Eichhorn, further modified by Herbert Marsh and others. Schleiermacher brought psychological acumen to bear on Luke’s Gospel (1817), while Gieseler (1818) offered historical-critical insights into Gospel formation.
In the conservative camp, Andrews Norton defended the Gospels’ genuineness (1837–1855), countering the skepticism of Strauss. Fr. Bleek (1846) and F. C. Baur (1847), though differing in tone, pushed critical inquiry forward. Hilgenfeld (1854) advanced Tübingen theories, while Canon Westcott’s Introduction to the Study of the Gospels (1860; 7th ed. 1888) combined faith and scholarship with clarity.
Const. Tischendorf and H. Jul. Holtzmann, along with Weizsäcker and Weiss, engaged the synoptic problem with fresh critical rigor. French voices like d’Eichthal, Sabatier, and Renan (especially Les Évangiles, 1877) introduced Continental literary currents. In the English-speaking world, Jukes, Thomson, Row, and Kennedy offered diverse perspectives on the distinctive characteristics and historicity of the Evangelists.
Later in the century, key works included Fisher’s Beginnings of Christianity (1877), Lightfoot’s careful refutation of Supernatural Religion (1875–79), and Godet’s lucid writings on Gospel origins and Luke. Sanday’s The Gospels in the Second Century (1876) and Abbott’s Encyclopaedia Britannica article (1879) further expanded critical discussion.
The century concluded with works by Huidekoper, Scholten, Holsten, and others who tested new hypotheses—some asserting lost oral archetypes, others embracing literary theories of Gospel dependence. Conservative scholars like Westcott, Tischendorf, Lightfoot, Fisher, and Godet provided a robust scholarly foundation for faith, while radical critics like Baur, Hilgenfeld, and Renan, though often oppositional, spurred sharper articulation of traditional positions. Mediating voices such as Bleek, Ewald, and Reuss (with some hesitation on John) maintained scholarly independence and balance.
III. Commentaries on the Gospels
1. Ancient Works
The Church Fathers laid the earliest exegetical groundwork. Origen’s fragmented commentaries, Chrysostom’s rich homilies on Matthew, and Jerome’s notes on Matthew and Luke illustrate early theological reflection. Augustine’s Quaestiones Evangeliorum, Theophylact and Euthymius Zigabenus’s bilingual commentaries, and Thomas Aquinas’s Catena Aurea—a patristic chain commentary still influential today—demonstrated both spiritual depth and literary discipline.
2. Post-Reformation Commentaries
Reformation and post-Reformation theologians reinvigorated Gospel commentary. Calvin’s harmonies and exposition of John (1553) are models of clarity and theological rigor. Roman Catholic voices such as Maldonatus and Jansenist Quesnel offered competing readings. John Lightfoot’s Hebrew and Talmudic glosses (17th century) reflected his deep Rabbinic learning. Macknight and Campbell produced English-language harmonies and paraphrases with significant historical insight.
3. Nineteenth-Century Commentaries
The nineteenth century brought a new critical maturity. Olshausen’s commentaries (completed by Ebrard), De Wette’s Exegetisches Handbuch, and Bleek’s posthumous synoptic explanations (1862) typified German academic rigor. Meyer’s commentaries (continued by Weiss) and Lange’s annotated series (enlarged in American editions) provided comprehensive treatments. British contributions from Alford, Wordsworth, and J. A. Alexander sustained English-speaking exegesis. McClellan’s analytical harmony and Keil’s complete Gospel commentaries added depth and breadth. Godet’s lucid works on Luke and John (French and English editions) further enriched evangelical interpretation.
Comprehensive collections such as the Speaker’s Commentary, Ellicott’s Commentary, and Schaff’s Revision Commentary (1882 onward) offered accessible yet scholarly exegesis to pastors and lay readers alike.
A full list of nineteenth-century Gospel commentaries can be found in the English translation of Meyer’s Matthew commentary (Edinburgh, 1877, pp. xxiv–xliii).
