Four Voices, One Testimony

By James D. Quiggle

Four Voices, One Testimony is a different kind of gospel harmony. The four gospel accounts are not in parallel columns, but are meticulously combined as one voice in a continuous narrative. The details of all Jesus said and did are more easily seen and studied when the four gospel accounts are viewed in a combined narrative.

The translation of the four gospels is the Author’s. The combined narrative is chronologically arranged into 182 numbered events. These events are easily located through the table of contents, by page number in the print version, and hyperlink in the digital versions. An example.

In each numbered event the applicable gospel accounts are combined to present the story of Jesus Christ. The advantage is seeing the whole story with all the details in one narrative.

Four Voices, One Testimony has five indexes for the gospel student: a list of events with scriptures; scripture indexes for each of the four gospels. Any gospel scripture may be located by using one of the indexes.

• Language: English
• Publisher: James D. Quiggle
• Release date: Mar 17, 2022
• ISBN: 9781005500061

James D. Quiggle

James D. Quiggle was born in 1952 at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri. He grew up in Kansas and the Texas Panhandle. In the early 1970s he joined the United States Air Force. At his first permanent assignment in Indian Springs, Nevada in a small Baptist church, the pastor introduced him to Jesus and soon after he was saved. Over the next ten years those he met in churches from the East Coast to the West Coast, mature Christian men, poured themselves into mentoring him. In the 1970s he was gifted with the Scofield Bible Course from Moody Bible Institute. As he completed his studies his spiritual gift of teaching became even more apparent. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Bethany Bible College during the 1980s while still in the Air Force. Between 2006–2008, after his career in the Air Force and with his children grown up, he decided to continue his education. He enrolled in Bethany Divinity College and Seminary and earned a Master of Arts in Religion and a Master of Theological Studies.As an extension of his spiritual gift of teaching, he was prompted by the Holy Spirit to begin writing books. James Quiggle is now a Christian author with over fifty commentaries on Bible books and doctrines. He is an editor for the Evangelical Dispensational Quarterly Journal published by Scofield Biblical Institute and Theological Seminary.He continues to write and has a vibrant teaching ministry through social media.

Book preview

Four Voices

BOOKS BY JAMES D. QUIGGLE

DOCTRINAL SERIES

Biblical History

Adam and Eve, a Biography and Theology

Angelology, a True History of Angels

Essays

Biblical Essays

Biblical Essays II

Biblical Essays III

Biblical Essays IV

Marriage and Family

Marriage and Family: A Biblical Perspective

Biblical Homosexuality

A Biblical Response to Same-gender Marriage

Doctrinal and Practical Christianity

First Steps, Becoming a Follower of Jesus Christ

Thirty-Six Essentials of the Christian Faith

The Literal Hermeneutic, Explained and Illustrated

Christian Living and Doctrine

Spiritual Gifts

Why Christians Should Not Tithe

Dispensational Theology

A Primer On Dispensationalism

Understanding Dispensational Theology

Covenants and Dispensations in the Scripture

Dispensational Eschatology, An Explanation and Defense of the Doctrine

Antichrist, His Genealogy, Kingdom, and Religion

God and Man

God’s Choices, Doctrines of Foreordination, Election, Predestination

God Became Incarnate

Life, Death, Eternity

Did Jesus Go To Hell?

COMMENTARY SERIES

The Old Testament

A Private Commentary on the Bible: Judges

A Private Commentary on the Book of Ruth

A Private Commentary on the Bible: Esther

A Private Commentary on the Bible: Song of Solomon

A Private Commentary on the Bible: Daniel

A Private Commentary on the Bible: Jonah

A Private Commentary on the Bible: Habakkuk

A Private Commentary on the Bible: Haggai

The New Testament

The Gospels

A Private Commentary on the Bible: Matthew’s Gospel

A Private Commentary on the Bible: Mark’s Gospel

A Private Commentary on the Bible: Luke 1–12

A Private Commentary on the Bible: Luke 13–24

A Private Commentary on the Bible: John 1–12

A Private Commentary on the Bible: John 13–21

Four Voices, One Testimony

The Parables and Miracles of Jesus Christ

The Passion and Resurrection of Jesus the Christ

The Christmas Story, As Told By God

Pauline Letters

A Private Commentary on the Bible: Galatians

A Private Commentary on the Bible: Ephesians

A Private Commentary on the Bible: Philippians

A Private Commentary on the Bible: Colossians

A Private Commentary on the Bible: Thessalonians

A Private Commentary on the Bible: Philemon

General Letters

A Private Commentary on the Book of Hebrews

A Private Commentary on the Bible: James

A Private Commentary on the Bible: 1 Peter

A Private Commentary on the Bible: 2 Peter

A Private Commentary on the Bible: John’s Epistles

A Private Commentary on the Bible: Jude

Revelation

The Epistle of Jesus to the Church

REFERENCE SERIES

Dictionary of Doctrinal Words

Translation of Select Bible Books

Old and New Testament Chronology (Also in individual volumes: Old Testament Chronology; New Testament Chronology)

TRACTS

A Human Person: Is the Unborn Life a Person?

Biblical Marriage

How Can I Know I am A Christian?

Now That I am A Christian

Thirty-Six Essentials of the Christian Faith

What is a Pastor? / Why is My Pastor Eating the Sheep?

(All tracts are in Kindle and/or Epub format and cost $0.99)

Visit me at https://www.facebook.com/BooksOfQ

Four Voices, One Testimony

James D. Quiggle

Copyright Page

Four Voices, One Testimony

Copyright 2022 by James D. Quiggle

Translations from James D. Quiggle, Translations of Select Bible Books (JQT), copyright 2021.

Some information from my book, The Passion and Resurrection of Jesus the Christ, copyright 2019.

The provenance of the cover picture is unknown but is believed to be a Renaissance era painting and therefore in the public domain.

This print edition of Four Voices, One Testimony contains the same material as the digital versions.

Dedication

To Kathy Hollingsworth.

My friend for forty-five years.

My copyeditor for this book.

Your careful work made it better.

Table of Contents

Abbreviations

Introduction

Four Voices, One Testimony

The Beginning

1. The Preface of the Testimony

2. The Eternal Beginning

3. The Announcement of the Herald

4. The Announcement of the Christ

5. Mariam Visits Elizabeth

6. The Birth of the Herald

7. The Marriage of Joseph and Mariam

8. The Birth of the Christ

9. The Announcement to the Shepherds

10. The Christ Presented in the Temple

11. The Infancy of the Christ

12. The Childhood of the Christ

13. The Royal Genealogy of Christ-King

14. The Natural Genealogy of Christ-Redeemer

15. The Herald of the Christ

16. The Herald’s Testimony of Himself

17. The Christ is Baptized

18. The Temptation of the Christ

19. Christ Returns from the Temptation

20. The Wedding at Cana in Galilee

The First Year, Passover AD 30–31

21. The Christ Cleanses the Temple

22. The Conversation With Nicodemus

23. The Last Testimony of John the Baptist

24. John the Baptist Imprisoned

25. The Journey Through Samaria

26. Into Galilee

27. Jesus Visits Nazareth

28. Jesus Moves to Capernaum

29. Four Disciples’ First Call to Ministry

30. Healing the Demonized and the Sick

31. The First Galilean Preaching Tour

32. Four Disciples’ Second Call to Ministry

33. Healing a Leprous Man

34. A Paralytic Healed

35. Levi-Matthew Becomes a Disciple

The Second Year, Passover AD 31–32

36. Two Sabbaths after the AD 31 Passover

37. Withered Hand Healed on Sabbath

38. Great Multitudes Followed Him

39. Twelve Appointed to be Apostles

40. Sermon on the Mountain to the Disciples

41. Sermon on the Plain to the Crowds

42. Centurion’s Servant Healed

43. A Widow’s Son Restored to Life

44. Simon the Pharisee, the Woman, and Forgiveness

45. Certain Women Followed Him

46. Accused of Being Allied with Beelzebul

47. My Mother, Brothers, and Sisters

48. The Kingdom Parables

49. Winds and Storms on the Lake

50. The Legion of Demons in Gadara

51. Levi Holds a Banquet

52. Jairus’ Daughter and a Woman Healed

53. Blind Healed, Demon Cast Out

54. John Baptist asks a Question

55. Healing at the Pool of Bethesda

56. Second Visit to Nazareth

57. Jesus Preaching in Galilee

58. Instructing the Twelve to Preach in Galilee

59. Jesus and the Twelve Preaching in Galilee

The Third Year, Passover AD 32–33

60. John Baptist Executed

61. Five Thousand are Fed in a Deserted Place

62. Jesus and Peter Walk on the Sea

63. Discourse: Bread of Life

64. Jewish Traditions Versus the Law of God

65. The Syrophoenician Woman

66. A Deaf Man Healed in the Decapolis

67. Feeding Four Thousand

68. The Sign of Jonah

69. Beware the Leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees

70. Sight Restored at Bethsaida Julius

71. At the AD 32 Feast of Tabernacles

72. The Woman Accused of Adultery

73. Discourse: Light of the World

74. A Man Born Blind Healed on the Sabbath

75. Discourse: I am the Door; I am the Good Shepherd

76. Opposition at the AD 32 Feast of Dedication

77. Peter’s Confession, "You are the Messiah

78. A Disciple will take up his Cross

79. Jesus On the Mount of Transfiguration

80. Elijah has Already Come

81. Healing the Epileptic Child

82. Again Predicting his Death

83. The Fish and the Temple Tax

84. He Who is Least is Greatest

85. Do not Cause Any to Stumble

86. Forgiveness

87. In Perea and Judea

88. In Galilee and Samaria

89. Seventy-two Sent, Woes to Three Cities

90. The Seventy-two Return

91. Parable of the Good Samaritan

92. Mary and Martha

93. The Disciple’s Prayer

94. The Lord’s Willingness to Answer Prayer

95. Beelzebul Accusation, Sin Against the Holy Spirit

96. The Dual Sign of Jonah

97. Woes to Scribes, Pharisees, and Legal Experts

98. Good and Bad Confessions

99. Parable of the Rich Landowner

100. Be not Anxious for this Life

101. Watching for the Master’s Return

102. Faith in the Christ Creates Division

103. Parable of the Fig Tree

104. A Woman Healed on the Sabbath

105. Few Are Saved

106. Threats by Herod

107. Healing Dropsy on the Sabbath

108. Parable of Those Invited

109. Knowing the Cost of Discipleship

110. Parables of Lost and Found Things

111. Parable: Prodigal Son and Elder Brother

112. Parable: Faithful in Little and Much

113. Lazarus and the Rich Man

114. Stumbling Blocks, Forgiveness, Faith, Serving

115. Ten Lepers Healed

116. When the Son of Man Returns

117. Persistence in Prayer

118. The Pharisee and Tax Collector Praying

119. The Question on Divorce

120. Some Children Brought to Him

121. Lazarus Restored to Life

122. Jesus Must Die to Save the Nation

123. The Rich Young Ruler

124. The Riches Awaiting Believers

125. Parable: The Vineyard Workers

126. His Suffering and Resurrection Predicted

127. James and John ask for Preference

128. Two Blind Men Healed at Jericho

129. Zacchaeus Meets Jesus

130. Parable: A Nobleman, Silver, and his Servants

131. Arrival at Bethany Nisan 9, Sabbath

132. Triumphal Entry Nisan 10, Sunday

133. Tree Cursed, Temple Cleansed Nisan 11, Monday

134. Tree Withered, Ask in Faith Nisan 12, Tuesday

135. By What Authority?

136. Parable: Two Sons

137. Parable: The Vineyard

138. Parable: Wedding Feast

139. Taxes and Caesar

140. A Question About Resurrection

141. The Great Commandments

142. Greek Proselytes want to see Jesus

143. David’s Son is David’s Lord Nisan 13, Wednesday

144. Beware Scribes, Pharisees

145. The Widow’s Donation

146. Three Prophecies

Prophecy One: The Coming Tribulation

Prophecy Two: Jerusalem Razed, AD 70

Prophecy Three: Great Tribulation, Second Advent

147. Parables: Be Ready

The Fig Tree

Like Days of Noah

Faithful Servant, Evil Servant

Wise and Foolish Virgins

The Talents

148. Judgment of the Nations

The Passion, Resurrection, and Ascension

149. Anointed for Burial Nisan 13, Wednesday

150. Passover Preparation Nisan 14, Thursday

151. Passover Meal Nisan 14–15

152. The Betrayer

153. Lord’s Supper Instituted

154. Who is the Greatest, Love One Another

155. Peter’s Promise

156. Discourses

John 14:1–31

John 15:1–27

John 16:1–33

157. The Lord’s Prayer

158. Peter Will Deny the Lord

159. Prayer in Gethsemane

160. Betrayal and Arrest

161. House of Annas After Midnight

162. House of Caiaphas

163. Sanhedrin Morning

164. Judas’ Suicide

165. Accusations to Pilate Morning

166. Jesus Declared Innocent

167. Jesus Scourged

168. Jesus Condemned

169. Jesus Crucified Afternoon

170. At the Cross

171. Jesus Dies

172. Events After Jesus’ Death

173. Jesus’ Burial Evening

174. Jesus’ Tomb Guarded Nisan 16, Sabbath

175. Mary, Mary, and Salome Visit the Tomb

176. Jesus’ Resurrected Nisan 17

Visits to the Empty Tomb

The Emmaus Appearance

177. In the Upper Room Nisan 18

178. Second Upper Room Appearance Nisan 24–25

179. Appearance at Sea of Galilee

180. Great Commission

181. The Ascension Iyar 27

182. Epilogue

Appendix: Reliability of the New Testament Documents

Appendix: Harmonizing the Supper at Bethany

Appendix: Harmonizing Peter’s Denials

Appendix: Mark 16:9–20 is Scripture

Appendix: Days, Dates, and Hours In the Gospels

Appendix: Did the Apostles Know Jesus was God Incarnate?

Appendix: Did the Fallen Angels Know Jesus was God Incarnate?

Index: List of Events with Scripture

Index: Matthew Scripture Locations

Index: Mark Scripture Locations

Index: Luke Scripture Locations

Index: John Scripture Locations

Sources

Abbreviations

AD … Anno Domini (In the year of the Lord [since Christ was born])

ANF … Ante-Nicene Fathers

BC … Bello Christo (Before Christ [was born])

ca. … about (an approximate date) (Latin: circa)

cf. … compare (Latin: confer)

e.g. … for example (Latin: exempli gratia)

etc. … and so forth, and so on (Latin: et cetera)

i.e. … that is (Latin: id est)

m. … Mishnah (followed by tractate name, e.g., m. Baba Metzia)

s. v. … under the word (Latin: sub verbo)

() … Biblical text punctuated as a parenthetical remark.

[] … Disputed biblical text based on external or internal evidence.

{} … Explanatory comments to the reader or to supply a word not in the text but implied by the text.

Introduction

Four Voices, One Testimony is a type of gospel harmony. This harmony is not four parallel columns, each dedicated to one gospel account. In Four Voices, One Testimony the four gospels are presented as one voice in a combined narrative. The translation of the four gospels is mine.

The first harmony of the gospels, also a combined narrative, was created by Tatian of Adiabene (AD 120–180). His work was written in Arabic and originally known as, Diatessaron, which Titianus Compiled from the Four Gospels. The Latin translation is titled, Tatiani Evangeliorum Harmoniæ, Arabice. Today the work is more generally known as The Diatessaron Of Tatian. Isho‘dad of Merv (ca. 852), described the work as, Tatian, disciple of Justin, the philosopher and martyr, selected from the four gospels, and combined and composed a gospel, and called it Diatessaron, i.e., the Combined [Menzies, ANF, 9:37].

Tatian’s Diatessaron did not identify which words came from what gospel. The Diatessaron uses sentences from each gospel. For example.

And other things he taught and preached among the people. Then came Jesus from Galilee to the Jordan to John to be baptized of him. And Jesus was about thirty years old, and it was supposed that he was the son of Joseph. And John saw Jesus coming to him, and said, This is the Lamb of God, that taketh on itself the burden of the sins of the world! [Menzies, ANF, 9:49.]

In this arrangement, the first sentence is Luke 3:18, the second Matthew 3:13; the third Luke 3:23a, the fourth John 1:29.

Later translators worked out the order, creating a table of gospel references, and also placing the references in a column to the right of the narrative. Such labor indicates readers of the Diatessaron found value in knowing which parts came from what gospel.

More recently (1969), Johnston M. Cheney created a combined narrative, published in his work, The Life of Christ In Stereo. As Cheney says, combining the gospels displays the fact that the four Gospels agree together in all their details and reveal the guiding hand of an unseen author.

Here is an example of how the gospels have been combined in Four Voices, One Testimony.

Lu Then Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan, Mk And immediately the Spirit urged him, Lu he was led by the Spirit, Mt up into the wilderness, Lu forty days being tempted by the devil, Mk by Satan, and was with the wild animals. Mt And having fasted forty days and forty nights—Lu he did not eat in those days—Mt afterward he was hungry.

The translations of the four gospels are my translations.

I have put the gospel events in chronological order, following my own understanding of the four gospels, but have also been guided by Cheney’s Stereo, and Cox and Easley in Harmony of the Gospels.

The arrangement of the scriptures of each particular event into a combined narrative is solely my work. I have created and followed these three rules.

The gospel source is marked using Mt, Mk, Lu, Jn. These annotations are in eight point font (versus the eleven point font of the combined narrative) so as to be less distracting.

Where the same information is repeated in more than one gospel (often in the same or very similar words) I have chosen one gospel as the best representative.

Where the same information is repeated in more than one gospel, but one or more gospels adds a detail not in other gospels, I have included that detail.

A second example from Four Voices, One Testimony.

Mt Then the devil takes him to Lu Jerusalem, Mt the holy city, and sets him upon the Lu apex, Mt the highest point of the temple, and says to him, If ‘son of God’ you are, throw yourself down Lu from here. Mt For it has been written: ‘To his messengers he will give command concerning you, Lu to guard you,’ Mt and ‘In their hands they will bear you so at no time may you strike your foot against a stone.’ Jesus Lu answering Mt said to him, Again it has been written, Lu ‘Never shall you put to the test the Lord your God.’

Naturally, there will be similarities between my combined narrative, Tatian’s Diatessaron, and Cheney’s Stereo. The events, words, and dialogue require in themselves a certain order and arrangement. But I stress again I have not borrowed from any work by others the arrangement of individual scripture passages, as exampled in the two samples, above. I alone am responsible for the way the four gospel accounts have been combined into one narrative.

The Order of Events

Those who have studied the gospels know none of them maintain a strict chronological order of events. In my view John’s Gospel is the most chronological. But a reading of any gospel harmony will reveal the gospel writers arranged events to suit their purpose in writing. Matthew’s Gospel is the least chronological. For example, a chronological narrative skips from Matthew 4:23–25 to 8:2–4 to 9:1–8.

Four examples.

The call of the fishermen in Matthew 4:18–2; Mark 1:16–20 and the call of the fishermen in Luke 5:1–11 are two different calls taking place at two different times. Most harmonies and most commentators place the three accounts together. But a close comparison of the details reveals Luke presents a second call [Quiggle, A Private Commentary on the Bible: Luke’s Gospel, 1:1–12:59, 166–168]. Cheney’s harmony also catches that difference. Matthew’s account of the call is before the first Galilean preaching tour, Luke’s account of the call after the first Galilean preaching tour.

After the call of Levi-Matthew, Matthew 9:9, does the banquet at Matthew’s house, 9:10–17 immediately follow? Or was the banquet held at a later time? Most harmonies say immediately. Cheney’s harmony says no. I agree with Cheney. Matthew 9:10–34 comes after the healing of the demonized man of Gadara.

Most harmonies associate Matthew 9:1 with 9:2–8. But Matthew 9:1 is actually the end of 8:23–34, the demonized man of Gadara. Matthew 9:2–8 comes after 8:2–4, to which all harmonies agree.

All harmonies, including Cheney, ignore the fact Jesus always attended the three mandatory feasts of the Law, Unleavened Bread, Pentecost, Tabernacles, as required by the Law, Exodus 23:17. Whether or not the gospels tell us Jesus attended, he did. This is especially critical in the feeding of the 5,000, where John’s gospel tells us the Passover was near. Either that Passover was before feeding the 5,000, or after. I believe the AD 32 Passover was before Jesus fed the 5,000.

One of the common issues in making a harmony is the desire to locate the same or similar sayings or events occurring in one or more gospels all together under one event. That desire ignores the fact Jesus was an itinerant preacher: he repeated the same or similar message in one or more places on one or more occasions. For example, there is not one sermon on the mount, but two separate occasions when Jesus gave a similar teaching. One is in Matthew’s Gospel, identified as the Sermon on the Mount to his disciples, the other is in Luke’s gospel, identified as the Sermon on the Plain to the crowds. Jesus spoke more than once on more than one issue on more than one occasion. This harmony—this combined narrative—reflects that inescapable fact.

I have made a choice to follow Cheney’s chronology of events and arrangement of gospel passages in most places, but not all. An issue I have with Cheney’s work is he believed Jesus Christ had a four year public ministry. I do not. I believe Christ’s ministry extended from his baptism, which was not later than February AD 29 (to allow time for all the events between the Baptism and the April 7, AD 30 Passover) to his ascension ten days before the AD 33 Feast of Pentecost, which began May 25, AD 33. There is a reason the Holy Spirit records four Passovers in Jesus Ministry (See my commentary on John’s Gospel 1–12).

Passover AD 30, John 2:13

Passover AD 31: Luke 6:1 (cf. Matthew 12:1; Mark 2:23)

Passover AD 32: John 6:4 (cf. Matthew 14:13–21; Mark 6:32–34; Luke 9:10–17)

Passover AD 33, John 19:31 (cf. Matthew 27:50; Mark 16:37 Luke 23:46)

Jesus began his public ministry at the AD 30 Passover and ended his public ministry at the AD 33 Passover: three years, not four. The few months before and after his public ministry makes his total ministry about three years, plus two–six months, depending on when he was baptized.

Can we depend on the AD 29 baptism date? Many believe Jesus’ ministry began in AD 26. That is the result of a deliberate misreading of Luke 3:1, the fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar, in an effort to force an agreement with Luke 3:23.

The AD 26 date is possible only if we date Tiberuis’ reign from his co-regency with Augustus. There is no manuscript or coin evidence the Romans ever dated regnal years from the beginning of a co-regency. Tiberius himself reckoned his first regnal year from the death of Augustus (August 19, AD 14) which was the normal Roman method. If we date his regnal years in the same manner that Tiberius dated them, the fifteenth year of his reign was August 19, AD 28 to August 18, AD 29. John began his ministry between those dates. This doesn’t mean Jesus was baptized between those dates, but that the Baptizer began his ministry at some point between those dates.

Luke 3:23 does not mean Jesus was 30 years old when he was baptized, but that he was about 30 years of age. Luke related Jesus’ age to about 30 years of age because culturally a male was considered to have become mature enough and financially secure enough to marry after 30 years of age. There was also Scripture precedent. King David began his reign at 30 years of age (2 Samuel 5:4). The Levites began to serve in the temple at thirty years of age (Numbers 4:3).

If, as Scripture suggests (Luke 1:5), Jesus was born in September 5 BC (see my book, God Became Incarnate, or volume one of my commentary on Luke’s Gospel), then in AD 29 Jesus would be 34 years of age. Assuming his brother James was second eldest, that would make James about 30–32 years of age, married, financially stable, and well-able to care for Mariam when the eldest, Jesus, left to begin his public ministry.

A Readable Translation and Narrative

Although I am generally following Cheney’s chronology of gospel events, I am not following the order of Cheney’s combined narrative, nor any other. The order in which I have arranged the words and details of each gospel into a combined narrative is my own. Naturally there will be similarities with Cheney’s work (just as there will be similarities with Tatian’s Diatessaron). There is a natural arrangement in the details of most events. Nevertheless, the manner in which the words are combined is my own.

Each event was individually considered, and the details of the four gospel accounts arranged as I thought reasonable and sensible to myself, the reader, and the gospel record. In those places where two or more gospels used the same or similar words to describe the same event, I selected one account as the best representative. However, when one gospel account added a detail, even if one word, I included that word(s) in the combined narrative.

The four gospels were written as individual accounts. Combining them sometimes required minor adjustment to the various parts of speech, so each part fits with the others in a reasonable, readable manner. Occasionally an article, conjunction, or preposition was added or removed to make the narrative congenial to the reader.

Occasionally the reader will find some words in brackets []. These are disputed biblical text based on external or internal evidence. They are disputed for one of three reasons.

Because believed copied by an ancient scribe from one gospel to another in a misguided attempt to harmonize the accounts.

Because manuscript evidence strongly suggests the words were added by a scribe.

Because the manuscript evidence is too slight to support those words as part of the autograph.

Two other kinds of symbols are used.

() Biblical text punctuated as a parenthetical remark.

{} Author’s explanatory comments to the reader or to supply a word not in the biblical text but implied by the biblical text.

In the Gospel narrative I have occasionally exchanged a pronoun in the Greek text for the noun it represents, to clarify the narrative. For example, where the repeated him represents two individuals, I usually name one of the individuals. Or where an it is used, I may supply the noun for greater clarity.

The correct translation of Greek verbs sometimes makes the translation sound un-English. For example, at John 11:21, Martha said, aorist tense, to Jesus. The aorist indicates something has occurred. At John 11:24, the present tense is used, Martha says to him. At 11:25, Jesus said, aorist tense. At 11:27, Martha says, present tense. The dialogue sounds strange to the reader familiar with the passage because modern versions use the past tense, said, to translate the present tense says, in 11:24, 27. I have maintained the verbal tense in the text. In many texts modern translations have turned the present tense into a past tense to make the sentence read better." I have chosen to translate the biblical texts as written.

In expressing Greek verb tenses that do not have an exact English grammar equivalent, I have compared and followed the best advice of several Greek grammars.

Punctuation in the Greek manuscripts is not inspired: the autographs were copied without punctuation, with no spaces between the words. Punctuation is a function of translation. I have placed appropriate punctuation consistent with the meaning in a combined arrangement.

The reader may occasionally find words he believes are misspelled, such as Sabbaths or heavens. The issue here is other translations do not give the plural form that is in the Greek text, but change it to the singular. I have maintained the plural form of words as they appear in the Greek text.

I have not followed a few translating traditions. Pronouns referring to deity are not capitalized. The titles Son of Man and Son of God are not capitalized when said by Jesus’ enemies, unless, as in Matthew 27:63; John 19:7 it is an accusation of blasphemy.

The title Son of God is also not capitalized when said by disciples, apostles, those healed, or fallen angels. None understood Jesus to be God incarnate. Many believed he was the Christ. But in the Old Testament revelation—the only existing revelation in gospel times—the Christ was a man whom God had anointed to be king, Psalm 2:2, 7–12. You today read that Psalm, and other Old Testament scriptures, in the light of the New Testament revelation that those in gospels times did not have.

For example, at John 1:49, Nathaniel used son of God in the sense of Psalm 2:7, referring to the coming messiah-king. So also Peter in his confession, Matthew 16:16. If any person, including Mariam and Joseph, believing Jesus of Nazareth to be the Christ, had also believed him to be deity incarnate, they could not have interacted with him in a normal manner; the knowledge was hidden from them until the appropriate time. See Appendix: Did the Apostles Know Jesus was God Incarnate?

If the fallen angels had believed Jesus to be God the Son incarnate, then their leader, Satan, would not have tempted Jesus to worship him. The fallen angels knew Jesus of Nazareth to be the Christ because they paid attention to the angel Gabriel’s announcement to Mariam, Luke 1:32–33; and that is what they repeated in their encounters with him. See Appendix: Did the Fallen Angels Know Jesus was God Incarnate?

Scripture references accompany each numbered event, not in the order combined, but in the usual gospel order. I do not use chapter and verse divisions within the combined narrative; that would be confusing when combining parts from more than one gospel.

There are no footnotes or endnotes, because those will not convert in the Epub version of this book. For particular translation choices or exposition of any particular passage see my (appropriate) commentary on the four gospels.

The Passion and Resurrection

The section in this book titled, The Passion, Resurrection, and Ascension, first appeared in my book, The Passion and Resurrection of Jesus the Christ (2019), which book has the combined narrative and an exposition of Matthew 26:1–16, 14–16; Mark 14:1–11; Luke 22:1–6; John 12:1–11. (Some light editing was done to conform the format to this book.) I have retained the headers from that book giving for each event the date and day of the week in Jewish, Roman, and modern reckoning. The table at the end of Appendix: Days, Dates, and Hours, corresponds to the headers in this section.

I have also included from that book the chapter Harmonizing the Supper at Bethany, as an appendix. I begin the passion narrative on Nisan 13, two days before the Passover supper. In the minds of some familiar with the gospels, that immediately raises the question of harmonization between Matthew 26:1–6; Mark 14:1–3 and John 12:1–8. In order to set the context for Nisan 13, the appendix answers the harmonization problem.

Also as an appendix, I have included from Passion and Resurrection, Harmonizing Peter’s Denials, and Dates, Days, and Hours in the Gospels. Again, this is to help the reader understand certain information in the four gospels.

Indices

A useful harmony has one of more Scripture indexes so the reader is able to find the location of any particular scripture within the harmony. Four Voices, One Testimony has five indexes: a list of events with scriptures; scripture indexes for each of the four gospels. Because this book is published in print and digital formats, the scripture indices for the gospels refers to event numbers, not page numbers.

The Reliability of the Gospels

This book assumes the reliability of the gospel texts handed down to us from the many copyists. The papyrus and vellum on which the autographs were written long-ago perished. Before that happened, the autographs were copied; and copies made of the copies, and so on.

I believe in the inspiration of the autographs, and in the preservation (not inspiration) of the autographs through the thousands of copies of the autographs. Through these copied manuscripts God gives us aid in recreating the autographs, from the over 25,000 New Testament manuscripts (whole books, parts, fragments) in Greek, Latin, and other ancient languages. No other ancient texts are as well documented. For example, there are about 700 copies of Homer’s Illiad, the next most documented ancient text. I have included as an appendix an essay I wrote on this subject, Reliability of the New Testament Documents.

There are 5,800 Greek New Testament manuscripts, about 10,000 Latin New Testament manuscripts, and about 9,300 New Testament manuscripts in other ancient languages: over 25,000 copies of the New Testament in total. These are entire Bible books, parts of books, and fragments of books. I believe God so preserved the inspired autographs through these manuscripts so that the autographs may be reconstructed to what is now believed to be 99 percent accuracy.

As many others have noted, that remaining 1 percent affects no doctrine, but are minor matters of spelling and grammar and other common variations made when one hand-copies a manuscript; e.g., transposition of characters and words; copying a verse twice. In the gospels, some scribes copied a verse from one gospel account into another gospel account, in a misguided effort to make an event told in one gospel read the same as told in another gospel. These and other common scribal variations are found by comparison of all the manuscripts.

No matter of doctrine is affected by scribal variations. The thousands of manuscripts have given us accurate source material for translation into many languages. The translations we have today are sufficient as the