Think of your nearest and dearest: a neighbor, sister, spouse, etc. Do you need to hear anything other than their laugh to know they are near? The familiar smell of their kitchen, sayings that you only attribute to them, inside jokes—it is so good to know and to be known by one another. God abundantly blesses these connections.
Similarly, one of the most beautiful signs of spending time with the Word of God, specifically the Gospel writers, is a growing familiarity with their “voices.”
As we hear the Gospels at Mass on Sundays, we cycle through those by Saint Matthew, Saint Mark, and Saint Luke—known as the Synoptic Gospels—every three years. Certainly we will hear echoes of one Gospel in another, yet we can still distinguish certain parts of each writer’s voice. Greater still is our awareness of their mannerisms if our time in Scripture goes beyond once each week.
Unique Perspectives
Mark
The Gospel of Mark is known for its brevity. Held by Tradition to be the earliest Gospel writer, he did not elaborate or use flowery language to make his points. Even Luke and Matthew, who seem to have used Mark’s Gospel as a touchpoint for their own books, shared events and teachings in far greater detail than Mark. He seems to be urgently delivering the Good News to the people!
Matthew
Matthew is quick to connect to his Jewish audience, those who were awaiting the Messiah. By employing things like genealogy, and giving great honor to Jesus’ mother’s Jewish roots, Matthew’s infancy narrative is intended to speak to a people awaiting the fulfillment of prophecy (see Isaiah 7:14). Additionally, Matthew’s Gospel gives great attention to God’s anawim, those who are outcast or have no one to care for them (widows, orphans, and strangers)—an honored tradition with the Jewish community.
John
“In the beginning was the Word and the word was with God, and the word was God” (John 1:1). John’s Gospel is prophetic, poetic, and mysterious. None of the other Gospel writers have a voice or sound like John’s. John includes stories the Synoptic Gospels do not and vice versa (see John 13). Much of John’s writing is read at Mass during Holy Week and the Easter season to guide us through the Paschal Mystery.
Luke
Luke’s account is unique as well. Luke’s approach is one of an outsider. He has often been identified as the only non-Jewish Gospel writer, directing his Gospel message to anyone and everyone else. Luke is believed to have been a physician by trade. His writing gives great attention to women, children, and the outcast in ways that were unique culturally and set him apart from Matthew, Mark, and John.
A Long Tradition
In fact, so distinct are these individuals that Saint Irenaeus (140-202) linked the Gospel writers to images described in the Old and New Testament. These symbols carry deep significance to each of the writers and their particular voices, and are often captured in art and stained glass.
Painting by Frans Floris (Flemish, 1519-1570). The Four Evangelists. Public Domain.
- Saint Mark’s symbol is a winged lion for his bold Gospel account describing the Kingship of Jesus (see Mark 1:3).
- Saint Matthew’s symbol is a winged man; Matthew particularly highlights Jesus’ birth as fulfillment of prophecy and Jesus as both God and Man (Matthew 1:18).
- Saint John’s symbol is an eagle for his lofty, mysterious, and prophetic accounts of Jesus (see John 1:21-34).
- Saint Luke’s symbol is a winged ox as he depicts the priesthood of Jesus and His sacrifice of Himself in bearing our sins.
There is no such thing as a “better” Gospel account—all are the inspired Word of God—and yet, there is something especially tender in the account of Saint Luke, whose feast we celebrate today.
Down to Earth
Luke’s account reminds us of the vulnerability with which God entered the world, and he keeps his audience guessing by sharing parables where often the characters are unexpected. With Luke, we come to know the earthiness of Jesus’ Incarnation (barn animals and shepherds were there), and we hear descriptions of his parents who were inexperienced, and their terrifying flight to Egypt. The breadth of his descriptions reaches as far as the human complexities contained in the Good Samaritan and the Prodigal Son. Saint Luke strikes me as a humble and wise writer, who will not rush through details in order to give his audience the best picture, without having been there, personally.
A Mercy That is Deep and Wide
I like to imagine that the Lord used Luke’s voice in a particular way because the Gentile audience he was writing for would have not expected to see themselves reflected in God's chosen people through whom He revealed His love for the world. Luke’s Jesus does not pass by those who have traditionally been excluded from the fold. Instead, he describes a loving Savior Whose mercy is deep and wide, sometimes even unimaginable. These themes continue into the book of Acts as Luke encourages the early Christian community to have courage, to be aware of the Holy Spirit in their midst, and to see the work of God in conversions like Saint Paul’s and communities beyond.
All told, Luke penned more of the New Testament than even his contemporary, Saint Paul. The two were friends and “co-workers” (Philemon 1:23-24). Together they evangelized extensively for the sake of the early Church while spreading the Good News far and wide.
The other side of knowing these Gospel texts is knowing what it took to pass on the precious Word of God we read, especially during a time of tremendous persecution. Particularly as Advent approaches and we hear a bit more from Luke’s Gospel, join me in a prayer of thanksgiving for the courage and wisdom of all of the Gospel writers who so clearly articulated the breadth of the message to all people.
Katie Cassady is a regular contributor to the BIS blog. She is a wife and mom to three little girls in Denver, CO. Steeped in theological reflection, beekeeping and motherhood, she is appreciative of any and all wisdom she can glean from those living intentional lives of faith. Find out more about her here. Read all of Katie's posts here.
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