When you have multiple accounts of the same story, such as with the four canonical
Gospels, there will inevitably be both similarities and differences.
To do justice to both, it is necessary to read the Gospels in two different ways:
horizontally and vertically.
The former focuses on the four Gospels as telling a single story about their central
subject, Jesus of Nazareth, and reads the four as one unified story, ignoring or
glossing over differences in favor of uniformity. The latter does the opposite and
reads each of the four Gospels with an eye to their individuality and idiosyncrasies.
To use different imagery, the former focuses on the “harmony” of the Gospels, while
the latter on their “solo” voices. Both approaches have value.
Discuss these two ways of reading the Gospels, identifying the strengths,
contributions, and values of each approach, as well as what you have learned about
the Gospels by learning to read them both ways.
Provide at least one example of an insight gained through reading the specific
Gospels both horizontally and vertically.
[400 WORDS]
Week 3 Discussion: Reading the Gospels Horizontally and Vertically
Before this course, I had never been taught the principle of reading scripture horizontally
or vertically. Although I practiced it inadvertently, I needed to be taught how to do both
effectively. I gained an appreciation for the use of both and the necessity of implementing them
into personal study practices.
When reading the Gospels horizontally, you are simply seeing how each of them related
to one another as complementary while being one collective set of historical recordings
pertaining to the life of Jesus Christ. One specific example that can be used is the feeding of the
5000, which, as referenced, is in each of the four gospels. The intention of reading scripture this
way is to gain information across the board through a synoptic way. This method is successful
because it allows the reader to know all that the Bible says about whatever specific event they’re
referencing.
The other method is to vertically read the Gospels, meaning to read each Gospel from
beginning to end, using it as its own independent source or perspective to the narrative of Jesus
Christ. If I had to guess, this method would be most common among new followers of Christ
considering the lack of understanding about background or study of scripture. Vertical reading is
explicitly how I read the Gospels for several years and attempted to learn things from the
perspective of each Gospel writer instead of viewing it as one big picture. In reading the Gospels
this way, the reader can focus on each author and pick up on their stories, emphases,
characteristics, and, best of all, their selection of what they viewed as vitally important to record.
Two reasons to read scripture this way are that you gain an appreciation for the treasures of each
Gospel and the provision of different contexts.
One example that I gained insight was reading how each Gospel records what Jesus said
while on the cross right before His death. Each in the ESV, Matthew 27:46 records Jesus saying,
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Mark 15:34 records the same as Matthew, with
Jesus saying, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Luke 23:46 records Jesus saying,
“Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” Lastly, John 19:28-30 record Jesus saying, “I
thirst… It is finished. (Condensed)” As you can see, each of these recordings, except for
Matthew and Mark, is different. Although they each are recording the same event from a
horizontal standpoint slightly differently, you can understand this better when reading vertically.
It seems Matthew and Mark portray Jesus as despairing in his moment of death, while Luke and
John attempt to give Him a more stoic appearance. This might seem contradictory to some, but
variations are a key demonstration of authenticity. Each of these authors wanted to portray Jesus
in a specific way, and they did so until the end. The comparisons might seem confusing when
reading about this event horizontally, but that’s where the impact of understanding it from
reading them vertically comes into place.
[516 Words]
