Point of View 

Understanding Why the Gospels Were Written Differently

 

This lesson is a way for children to understand why each of the four Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—were written differently.

First, we spend time studying the apostles and the fact that the Gospels were written by four different people*. We then read about certain events in Christ's life in different books and see how the apostles wrote about the same event differently. 

To illustrate this point, during the teaching time I have a helper, very unexpectedly, burst into the room. The person will have a sticker on his or her nose, a large (something easily seen) item in hand, hands flapping over head and hopping on one foot. The helper runs in momentarily and then runs right back out shutting the door. The children at this point usually all have their mouths open in astonishment. I then tell them all to please write down what they just saw without any talking or any questions asked. We then share our accounts of the event and see how each person saw what happened differently. Usually only one or two children will have caught the sticker on the nose. Others might not have noticed that the helper was carrying something. Some will have written down what the helper was wearing and others won't. 

This is a wonderful way to teach that each person sees things differently and that is why the Gospels are each a little different.

Copyright 2002 Angela Freed
ANG27MOM@aol.com 

*See Gospel Writers. 

Return to the Lessons and Sermons page.

You can make a difference!
Your purchases and donations to the site help to distribute our children's ministry resources to churches across the world.

Subscribe to our Newsletter - Learn More