United Gospel

Valeriy Sterkh

This work is an experiment in connecting the four canonical Gospels into one narrative. The content of the work consists only of words and phrases found in the four Gospels; consequently the resulting text is entirely assembled from the canonical Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Hence its name: “United Gospel”.

United Gospel

Translator Valeriy Sterkh

Составитель Valeriy Sterkh

© Valeriy Sterkh, translation, 2021

ISBNВ 978-5-4490-1446-7

Created with Ridero smart publishing system

Author’s note

This work is an experiment in connecting the four canonical Gospels into one narrative. The content of the work consists only of words and phrases found in the four Gospels; consequently the resulting text is entirely assembled from the canonical Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Hence its name: “United Gospel”. As a source material, we have used the King James Version of the Bible. In some cases, explanatory words were added for clarity, even though they are not found in the King James Version; such words are in brackets.

To align the four Gospels, the tables of synoptic parallels were used. The alignment was based on the Gospel Synopsis from the Orthodox Bible, which reproduces a related publication of the Moscow Patriarchate (Bible. Moscow: Russian Bible Society, 2000) In some cases, the comparison was made based the table borrowed from the Belgian edition of the Holy Scriptures (Bible. Brussels: Life with God, 1983). It is worth noting that, for the goals mentioned above, none of the two tables were acceptable “as is”, for a number of reasons. In this respect, the interpretation of the Gospel narrative about the resurrection of Jesus Christ proved to be the most critical. To solve the apparent conflict, we have used the sequence from the Harmony of the Gospels, quoted in Seraphim Slobodsky’s “The Law of God” (“The Law of God for Families and Schools”. Jordanville: Holy Trinity Monastery, 1967). Based on the analysis of the above mentioned sources, a new table of synoptic parallels was created according to which the following “United Gospel” was drafted.

While working on the “United Gospel”, the issue of chronology was something we could not ignore. This meant not only determining the order of certain events but also their dating. To solve problem with a satisfactory result, we had to made chonological calculations all over again. Such a complex approach to dating of the Gospel events also helped to clarify a number of theological issues and resolve certain problems related to the New Testament Bible studies. For instance, it was clearly seen that Lk 6:1 talks about Pentecost, not Easter.

The above mentioned calculations with commentaries can be found in my book “Biblical Chronology”.

United Gospel

UG 1. Prologue (Mk 1:1; Lk 1:1—4; Jn 1:1—18)

1:1В Forasmuch as many have taken inВ hand toВ set forth inВ order aВ declaration ofВ those things which are most surely believed amongВ us, (LkВ 1:1)

1:2В Even as they delivered them untoВ us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers ofВ the word; (LkВ 1:2)

1:3В It seemed good toВ me also, having had perfect understanding ofВ all things from the very first, toВ write unto thee inВ order, most excellent Theophilus, (LkВ 1:3)

1:4В That thou mightest know the certainty ofВ those things, wherein thou hast been instructed. (LkВ 1:4)

1:5В The beginning ofВ the gospel ofВ Jesus Christ, the Son ofВ God. (MkВ 1:1)

1:6В InВ the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (JnВ 1:1)

1:7В The same was inВ the beginning with God. (JnВ 1:2)

1:8В All things were made byВ him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. (JnВ 1:3)

1:9В InВ him was life; and the life was the light ofВ men. (JnВ 1:4)

1:10В And the light shineth inВ darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. (JnВ 1:5)

1:11В There was aВ man sent from God, whose name was John. (JnВ 1:6)

1:12В The same came for aВ wit