It is generally agreed by biblical scholars that the gospels do not provide us with a biography of Jesus of Nazareth though this is what had been upheld for hundreds of years. "The gospels are intended as witnesses to faith in the earthly and risen Jesus. They present their evidence in the form of a narrative; and they interpret that narrative in the light of their faith" (Walter Kasper, Jesus the Christ, p. 65). "Poiché tutti gli scritti del Nuovo Testamento, compresi i Vangeli sinottici, trasmettono sempre un' interpretazione di fede della storia di Gesù alla luce dell' esperienza pasquale dei discepoli, non abbiamo accesso al Gesù storico se non tramite il Cristo della fede" Jacques Dupuis (Introduzione alla Cristologia, p. 60).

Moreover, the presentation of Jesus in the gospels is an invitation to faith by those who witnessed the Christ-event and who struggled to understand and accept that Jesus of Nazareth, known to all as a carpenter's son, who was executed by the Romans as a criminal following his handing over to the authorities by the Jewish religious leaders, was the Messiah promised by God to Israel, indeed, the Son of God himself. In the words of one of the evangelists, "Since many have undertaken to set down an orderly account of the events that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed on to us by those who from the beginning were eye-witnesses and servants of the word, I too decided, after investigating everything carefully for a long time, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the truth concerning the things about which you have been instructed" (Lk 1:1-4). Furthermore, in Acts, the author refers to the third gospel as his "first book", containing "all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning until the day he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen" (Acts 1:1-2). John writes of "what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands ... we have seen it and testify to it ... we declare to you what we have seen and heard so that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ" (1 Jn 1:1,3). The signs recorded by John in his gospel "are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have eternal life in his name" (Jn 20:31).

Despite the fact that it is widely held that Mark, together with a second source, the hypothetical Q document, are the two main sources from which Luke and Matthew drew in their own accounts, each of the four gospels is characterised by its own individuality. Redaction criticism and narrative analysis have uncovered differences of language, style, and composition as well as differing theological concepts and intentions. The manner in which the person of Jesus is presented in each gospel is a reflection of such differences. Yet there lies a basic and fundamental unity which underlies all four accounts: the centrality of the Paschal Mystery. Jesus of Nazareth, conceived and born in mysterious circumstances, preached and healed in the name of God, was crucified, died, was buried, rose from the dead and appeared to his disciples. As St Paul writes, "if Christ has not been raised, then our proclamation has been in vain and your faith has been in vain ... your faith is futile" (1 Cor 15:14,17). Faith in Jesus, the Risen Lord, is the theme of all four gospels, indeed, of the entire New Testament. The four gospels provide us with different theological perspectives of Jesus which are complementary to one another and invite us to progress in our faith in him so that we can "live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me" (Gal 2:20).

As far as we know, Mark was the first to bring the diverse stories about Jesus (from oral traditions about Jesus and possibly even from written sources) together in a single narrative. This gospel is often characterised as a passion narrative with a long introduction. In fact, the passion narrative contains roughly twenty per cent of the whole. It emerges from this gospel, that the truth about Jesus is found only on the Cross.

The centre of the plot is Peter's confession that Jesus is the Messiah, followed by Jesus' first prediction of his passion and his rebuke of Peter for failing to understand (8:27-33). Moreover, Mark emphasises that the disciples too must be prepared to suffer (8:34-38). Peter's confession constitutes the perfect response to the preaching and signs performed by Jesus. It is the climax of what goes on before in the account, and the prologue to what follows - culminating in another faith-event, the Roman centurion's profession of faith (15:39). No act of faith can be final but there is always progress to be done.

Stories of healing contained in Mark always emphasise the faith of the persons who ask Jesus for healing. In fact, the first half of Gospel present Jesus as a powerful divine saviour who is constantly misunderstood and rejected. It consists of a combination of Jesus' powerful deeds (miracles showing powers of healing and control over nature) and his teaching. His teaching takes on two forms: In the first place there are parables about the Kingdom of God (Ch. 4) directed towards sympathetic followers. Secondly, Jesus is engaged in controversies with the religious leaders such as the Pharisees.

Jesus acts and teaches with authority (exousia). Unlike the scribes he teaches with authority (1:22) and heals with authority, an authority that is recognised even by the crowds (1:27). Teaching and healing are linked again in the summary of his mission in 1:39. Thus, even in controversies, Jesus speaks with authority. He will command and vanquish his opponents.

Debate over Jesus' exousia appears in healings which open the first cycle of controversy stories (2:1-3; 6). Jesus exercises the authority to forgive sins. His opponents charge that he has blasphemed by assuming a power that belongs to God alone (2:5-10). Physical healing of the paralytic takes second place to the issue of whether or not Jesus has authority to speak God's words of forgiveness to the sinner. This theme is repeated throughout the section. To objections that Jesus is choosing tax collectors and sinners as his disciples, he answers that the sick are the ones in need of healing, not the healthy people (2:13-17).

Jesus challenges some of the practices by which righteous people showed devotion to God: fasting and refraining from any kind of work on the Sabbath. He does not deny their validity but insists that they cannot be used to obstruct the new presence of salvation which has appeared in him and in his mission. His ministry is new wine which cannot be forced into old skins (2:18-22). Jesus reminds his listeners that even the law insists on the priority of man over the Sabbath (2:23-28; 3:1-5). However, Jesus in so countering the religious leaders created enemies and the Pharisees and Herodians plot to destroy him (3:6).

The paradox is that no matter what Jesus does, misunderstanding and hostility seem to grow. People in his own region do not believe (6:1-6). John the Baptist is put to death and Herod fears that Jesus might be another John the Baptist (6:14-29). His own disciples have trouble understanding and believing in him (4:13,40; 6:52; 7:18; 8:21). Yet Jesus' preaching and healing are meant to lead one to faith as with Peter (8:29). Jesus labours painfully to open the eyes and ears of the disciples' minds so that they may have faith in him. The Twelve do not have the faith to see and hear the true mission of Jesus and he must continually prod them (8:18) until Peter hears and sees. This is not enough and Jesus now tries to tell his disciples what type of Messiah he is.

Jesus is the Messiah who must suffer (8:27-33). His mission does not depend upon using divine power to get the crowds to follow him and to destroy his enemies. It is one of suffering and death. His early rejection in Galilee (3:6) is a prelude to the final events of his life - crucifixion by the religious and political authorities in Jerusalem.

The second half of the gospel contains only three healings. The exorcism of a boy just after Transfiguration is meant to indicate faith is crucial to receiving salvation from Jesus. Jesus' disciples do not have such faith yet (9:14-29). The other two are healings of blind persons and they provide the frame for the revelation of Jesus as the suffering Messiah of God. There are three predictions of his Passion and each time the disciples become more and more frightened and perplexed (8:31-33; 9:30-32; 10:32-34). Mark points to the "blindness" of the disciples which will have to be healed. The Transfiguration is a foretaste of the glory to come. The Father himself testifies to Jesus and then commands belief in him (9:7). Yet Jesus is clear in linking his glory with his suffering (9:9,12). The disciples do not seem to understand as James and John ask for places of honour in the Kingdom (10:37) and Jesus has to qualify once again while linking their fate with his own (39).

Jesus' destiny being rejection and death, final revelations about him occur in the passion narrative. Jesus comes to Jerusalem "in the name of the Lord" (11:9) - the royal Messiah who is to restore David's Kingdom. To prepare for his entry, Jesus sends two of his disciples to obtain a colt and for the first time calls himself "the Lord" (11:3). Jesus is about to manifest himself as the divine Son of Man. During the Passion Jesus uses the title Son of Man three times: first of all during the Last Supper when he reveals his betrayal (14:21), recalling Isaiah and the Suffering Servant; in the second instance in Gethsemane before his capture (14:41); and thirdly, before the high priest (14:62).

Jesus dies as the messianic king of Israel. A woman anoints Jesus (14:3-9) with costly ointment over his head as though anointing a new king. The charge that Jesus is the "King of the Jews" runs through the trial before Pilate (15:1-32). Jesus is even mocked by the two men crucified with him for this claim. Onlookers insist he could not be king since he has no power to save himself or others. However, the final irony is that it is only the Roman centurion, a pagan, who will see the truth: "Truly this man was God's Son" (15:39).

God "rescues" Jesus not by giving him great earthly power but by freeing him from death. The apparent victory of his opponents is transformed in Jesus' victory in his Resurrection (16:1-8). The gospel closes with the certainty that the presence of the Risen Lord Jesus working in his church is for all who believe in him an earnest of his final glory to come.

A particular feature of Mark's gospel is the so-called Messianic secret. Jesus is the Son of God and a powerful teacher and healer yet he sometimes commands people to remain silent, including his disciples (9:9). Jesus' teaching is somewhat of a riddle which even his disciples find difficult to understand (4:10-13). The key to the puzzle lies in the middle of the gospel - Peter's confession of faith - after which Jesus tells him immediately not to tell anyone (8:27-30). The reason for this may be that Jesus tries to explain to his disciples that his role as messiah is one of suffering and death (8:31-33). The "Messianic secret" points to the paradox of who Jesus is: the powerful Son of God who is destined to die on the Cross. Jesus may have desired to bring about faith in his companions first (though they themselves insist it did not come until the descent of the Spirit), rather than in crowds at large.

The author of the gospel according to Matthew is very interested in prophetic passages which point forward to Jesus. Matthew expands the beginning and end of the presentation found in Mark. At the beginning, he introduces the infancy narratives which bring together early traditions about Davidic inheritance (1:1-17), Jesus' birth as the Saviour of Israel (18-25), persecution by Herod who drives the Holy Family into Egypt and being brought back by God - just like Israel (2:1-23). Throughout the gospel, he inserts quotations from Old Testament prophets to show fulfilment of God's plan in Jesus. The ending includes the fulfilment of promise in Mark 16:7 that Jesus will meet the disciples again in Galilee (the fulfilment is not included in Mark) and other appearances (cf. 1 Cor 15:3-10).

Matthew seems to take hints about Jesus' mode of teaching in Mark and expand upon them. He gives prophetic support for the suggestion that the teaching of the parables was in some sense "hidden" from those who heard it. But he also wants the reader to be sure that Jesus' disciples were not ignorant of Jesus' true meaning. He lays great emphasis on Jesus' role as teacher and true interpreter of the will of God. This is evident from the structure as the author places Jesus' teaching before the miracles (unlike in Mk e.g. 1:27). In fact, Matthew is structured around five sermons, each beginning with the people or disciples gathering around Jesus and ending with a reference to the fact that Jesus had finished speaking. Each concludes with the theme of judgement - a warning to be ready for it. He uses parables about judgement to make his point.

A particular target of Jesus' condemnation are the Pharisees for their hypocritical behaviour and practice of the law that makes observing detailed commandments more important than persons and mercy. In fact, another important theme in this gospel, that of righteousness, is linked with the behaviour of the Pharisees. Jesus shows his disciples a way to a greater righteousness (5:20) than that of the Pharisees. Jesus' very baptism does not take place because he needed to repent for sin but as an act of righteousness (3:13-17). Jesus is preoccupied with the behaviour of Pharisees and scribes. They are to be obeyed but not emulated (23:2-3) cf. 23:23-24; 6:1-6, 16-18. Jesus warns Christians against copying their behaviour (23:8-12). They are not to seek titles and positions of honour. He also warns against 'false prophets' (7:15). Entry into the Kingdom is not by merely claiming Jesus as Lord but by doing God's will (7:21-23). Persecution can come even from within the community: betrayal and hatred, false prophets leading people astray, love growing cold and an increase in lawlessness (24:9b-13 - expanding on Mk 13:13).

Jesus is thus presented throughout as a teacher (rabbi, master 23:8; 26:18) who employs the Scriptures with ease. Matthew produces any messianic prophecy applicable to the events of Jesus' ministry. He finds an Old Testament quotation to support the virginal conception of Jesus (1:23), his birth in Bethlehem (2:6), the return from Egypt (2:15), the slaughter of the innocents (2:18), his preaching in Galilee (4:15f.), preaching in parables (13:15), the price of Judas' betrayal (27:10) etc.

Jesus is the fulfilment of the Law and prophets (5:17-20) and presents a higher righteousness than that of the Pharisees and scribes in order to enter the Kingdom. Jesus is sent to the lost sheep of Israel (15:24). He is the saviour of his people for their sins (1:21). This Nazarene (1:23) is the Son of David by descent (1:1)

One message underlying the gospel is the establishment of the Kingdom of God. This gospel of the Kingdom is to be proclaimed throughout the earth (24:14) just as second Isaiah had announced beforehand (Is 40:9f; 49:3,6). The new People of God proclaimed by Jesus is the ekklesia (16:18; 18:17). At the core lies the people of the promise and covenant.

The gospel concludes with the affirmation that Jesus' teaching is to be spread to "all the nations". By the time of the writing of this gospel, there is already great Jewish hostility toward Jesus and his disciples (reflected in the gospel) and not much hope for a continued mission to Israel. Therefore, Matthew advocates a mission among the Gentiles. However, it does not mean a rejection of the strong Jewish heritage. Jesus is presented as the fulfilment of the law and prophets. He also presents the traditions of the Pharisees as ways of rejecting the commandments - as human doctrine and false worship condemned by Isaiah (29:13; cf. Mt 15:1-14). It is Jesus' own teaching that presents the true commandment of God. Gentiles can be included without abandoning the law as God intended it. Customs and traditions not representing the Word of God but mere human customs can be done away with. Even laws such as that on divorce (Deut 24:1) are rejected as an accommodation to human "hardness of heart" but not part of God's will exemplified in creation (Mt 19:3-9).

The idea of fulfilment of the Old Testament in Jesus can also be found in Luke, as indeed it can be found in all four gospel traditions. In the third gospel, the Spirit rests on Jesus in fulfilment of the messianic prophecies (4:16-30). Jesus will meet a double fate - some will receive the news with joy, others will reject salvation. This is already hinted at in the infancy narratives (2:24-38). The evangelist also builds parallel episodes into each of the three sections to contrast those who welcome Jesus with those who reject him.

Jesus is the prophet (24:19). He is designated so on four occasions: by his own lips in the synagogue at Nazareth (4:24); by the crowds at Nain (7:16); by his own disciples (9:19) and again by his own lips as he is moving to Jerusalem for his passion (13:33). Jesus is the new Elijah. In fact, unlike Matthew and Mark, Luke refrains from identifying Elijah with John the Baptist except once in 1:17. The raising of the son of the widow of Nain (7:11-17) parallels Elijah's miraculous raising of the son of the widow of Zarephath (1 Kgs 17:8-24); at Nazareth Jesus likens himself to Elijah and Elisha to make the point that a prophet is rejected in his own country (4:25ff). James and John ask Jesus to consume the Samaritans' village (9:54). In 1 Kgs 18:37f Elijah sees the bullocks consumed in answer to his prayer. Jesus, though rebuking the brothers, soon claims having come down to cast fire on the earth (12:49). He resembles Elijah, the prophet "like fire" whose "word burnt like a torch" (Sir 48:3). A man asks Jesus to say farewell to his kin before going on to follow Jesus (9:61), the very same question which Elisha ploughing with his twelve yoke of oxen put to Elijah (1 Kgs 19:20) to which Jesus refers in his reply (9:62).

Jesus is anointed by the Spirit as the prophet par excellence. It is an anointing with power (4:14) - over demons (4:36), over bodily ills (5:17), but especially power to proclaim the good news (4:22). The greatest hopes of the Jews were fulfilled "(t)oday ... in your hearing" (4:21) by the words of grace that came from his mouth (4:22).

In the passion narrative there is no mention by Luke of Jesus reciting Ps 22:2. On the Cross, he speaks like an exemplary martyr, forgiving his enemies and entrusting his spirit to God (23:24,46). Even the two thieves are divided (39). The repentant one is promised the reward of all who believe - eternal life with Jesus (40-43). In this gospel we find emphasis laid on a pattern of salvation history in which Jesus fulfils God's promise in his suffering, in his resurrection and in the preaching about him to all the nations (dealt with in Acts).

Jesus' opening sermon (4:16-30) proclaims that the Scripture's promise of a time of salvation is fulfilled in his own person. The repentance and celebrations of joy which are responses to Jesus' preaching are further signs that a new age of salvation is being inaugurated. Another sign are the persons praising and glorifying God - Elizabeth, Mary the mother of Jesus (1:42-45, 46-55), Zechariah (1:64, 68,79), the angels (2:13-14), the people (5:26; 7:16; 9:43; 13:17; 17:15; 18:43), the crowd of disciples (19:37), the centurion (23:47), the disciples (24:52-53). The faithful of Israel received Jesus as the fulfilment of God's promises.

There is also an important emphasis on the fact that Jesus is accused of association with tax-collectors and sinners (5:27-32; 15:1-2). In the first episode, Jesus defends himself by declaring that it is the sick who need a doctor and asserting that his mission is to call sinners to repentance. In the second, he tells three stories on the finding or return of what has been lost (lost sheep, lost coin, prodigal son). These stories begin to provide us with an explanation of Jesus' rejection. Luke insists on the falsity of the charges against Jesus during the trial. Therefore, Jesus' rejection is grounded in the attitudes of the religious leaders. Jesus' ministry to the sinners signifying their place in God's Kingdom led to hostility, just like the case of the elder brother in the parable of the prodigal son..

Thus, Luke depicts Jesus dealing with persons from all levels of society. They are singled out in Jesus' announcement of salvation (4:18; 6:20). As has already been pointed out, tax-collectors, often wealthy men are frequently mentioned (5:27,29-30; 7:29,34; 15:1; 18:10-13; 19:2-10). They exemplify the larger class of sinners who hear Jesus' message, repent and find salvation (7:36-50, sinful woman; 15:11-32, prodigal son as an example story). Explicit mention is made of women among Jesus' disciples: the Galilean women (8:1-3), Martha and Mary (10:38-42); also "poor" women such as widows (7:11-17; 18:1-8); 21:1-4). There is also the parable of Lazarus and the rich man (16:20). The mission of Jesus is to seek and save what is lost (19:10). All persons are to be included (cf. Acts 4:12).

To Luke, salvation has already been achieved. Luke is the only synoptic author to call Jesus "saviour" (2:11; Acts 5:31; 13:23) and frequently speaks of salvation (1:69,71; 19:9; 2:30; 3:6; Acts 4:12; 7:25; 13:26,47; 16:17; 27:34). Christ's role as saviour is frequently spoken of as "forgiveness of sins" (this phrase only appears once in the other two synoptic gospels - Mk 1:4; Mt 26:28). Luke also makes it a focal point of the disciples' mission to the world (24:47), a mission fulfilled in Acts (2:38; 5:31; 10:43; 13:38; 26:18).

In the fourth gospel we find a strikingly different picture than that presented in the synoptics. Jesus is the coming of the divine Word to humanity, rejected by those who should receive it and thus remain in darkness (1:11) but the source of salvation and rebirth as children of God for those who believe (14,18). It is the story of God's Word come from heaven confronting a world in which there will be two reactions: unbelief and belief. In the Old Testament the divine Word is a dynamic, effective reality, calling things into existence (Gen 1:3) and manifesting God's greatness, wisdom and beauty. By speaking his Word, God even communicates something of the divine attributes to the creatures his calls into being. God utters the words, "Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness" (Gen 1:26). It is interesting to note that both Genesis and John commence in the same fashion: "In the beginning ...". The Word, in the Old Testament is also the word spoken by the prophets and written in the Law. The prophets spoke in God's name and by their uttering of God's prophetic Word, God manifested himself as a righteous and good Lord. The Law was God's instruction to his People on how to live in his presence as a People consecrated to him, "a priestly kingdom and a holy nation" (Ex 19:6). By observing the Law, a person "shall live" (Lev 18:5). The Law revealed to the People something of God's own inner life, communicated to man in order for him to share in God's own intimacy by observing it. It is precisely what the Word made flesh, in whom was life (Jn 1:4) came to do. "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life" (3:16). John also links belief in Moses with belief in Jesus: "If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. But if you do not believe what he wrote, how will you believe what I say?" (5:46-47).

In this gospel Jesus speaks in long discourses about himself and his mission. There are sayings and blocks of tradition similar to material found in the synoptics such as the feeding of the multitude (Jn 6:1-15), walking on water (16-21), Peter's confession (66-69) and the prediction of the Passion (70-71). John also appears to have reformulated a tradition of Son of Man sayings. There are parallels with the three types of Son of Man sayings found in Mark: the coming in glory of the Son of Man (Jn 1:51 - Mk 14:62); the authority of the Son of Man (Jn 5:27 - Mk 2:10); and the suffering Son of Man (Jn 12:34 - Mk 8:31).

In John we can identify two major sections: The first section consists of Jesus' public ministry up to the final rejection of his message in Jerusalem (1:19-12:50). It is punctuated by a series of miracles which climax in the raising of Lazarus and demonstrate that Jesus is the source of life even though people are about to put him to death. The second section presents Jesus' return to the Father by means of his glorification on the Cross (13:1-21:25). In both sections, the underlying theme is that Jesus is the one who has come from heaven to reveal God to those who believe. He is the one who returns to heaven from the Cross. There he lives in the glory of God which he has had since the beginning.

There is a separation between believers and the world finding expression in an intense unity of love with Jesus, the Father, and one another. Those who believe have already passed into eternal life (5:24; 6:51; 8:52). Jesus' life-giving power is already effective as is made clear by the raising of Lazarus (11:1-44). Martha believes that Lazarus will be raised on the last day (21-24) but Jesus tells her that whoever believes in him shall never die because he is the resurrection and the life (26). Therefore, Jesus is the one who reveals the Father. In the Prologue it is stated that Jesus alone makes God known to humanity (1:18). Knowing him is knowing and seeing God (14:8-11). By taking human form, God's self-revelation becomes more understandable to us. John writes that God's self-revelation in the flesh "dwelt among us" (1:14). Ezekiel, at the time of the exile, speaks of the re-establishment of God's covenant with Israel as a moment when God's "dwelling place shall be with them" (37:27). Jesus is the new and definitive divine presence among men promised by the prophets centuries earlier. Moreover, John goes on to say that "we have seen his glory" (1:14). Old Testament writers frequently used the word glory to designate the visible or audible manifestations of the saving divine presence (cf. Ps 29:9; Ex 24:15-17; 40:34-35; 1 Kgs 8:10-11). John frequently speaks of Jesus' glory such as in the Cana episode (2:11) for example. But it is in his Passion and Resurrection that his glory appears above all. It is "the hour" when Jesus is to be "glorified" (12:23). Man responds to this manifestation of the glory of God with faith - 2:11, 22; 20:8-9,31. Faith is accepting Jesus for who he is - to the degree that he himself manifests the Father. The disciples saw his glory. They heard him speak of God as his Father; they saw him work signs which revealed him to be in possession of the power that only the Son of God could have - giving bread that would nourish to eternal life (Ch. 6), giving sight to the blind (Ch. 9), giving life to the dead (Ch. 11). The faith of the disciples is expressed by Thomas in the words "My Lord and my God" (20:28). Yet "(b)lessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe" (28:29), which is why the evangelist has written his book: so that those who read it "may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing ... have life in his name" (20:31).

John uses symbols to describe the relationship between Jesus and God. They are collected in the great I AM sayings of the gospel. Jesus is identified with great religious symbols: Flowing water (4:14, interpreted as gift of the Spirit in 7:39), Bread of life (6:35,41,48,51), Life (8:12; 9:5), Sheep gate (10:7,9), Good Shepherd (10:11,14), Resurrection and life (11:25), Light (8:12; 12:46), Way, truth and life (14:6), Vine (15:1,5).

Jesus represents the goal of all human hopes for salvation because he is one with God (8:48-59; 10:30). This expressed in the most striking I AM statement which does not have any symbol after the verb. Any Jewish reader would recognise the divine name of God, revealed to Moses at the burning bush on Sinai (Ex 3:14; 20:4; Is 45:5-6,18,22). When Jesus is "lifted up" his divine I AM will be made known (8:28). The only source of salvation is belief in the crucified and exalted Jesus (cf. 3:14-15).

Jesus defends his equality with the Father by insisting that he only does what the Father has sent him to do. Many of the characters in John find it impossible to believe this but John insists that without believing in God's Son we cannot enter into any relationship with God. Faith lies at the heart of discipleship. The person who believes has a special relationship of love with God. It is God who draws people to Jesus (10:26-30; 17:6). Faith is not simply an individual personal achievement but a response to a call that comes from God. Humanity is divided in that response. John speaks of those who refuse to believe as already judged (3:16-21; 5:19-29). For those who believe, this belief has concrete consequences as the episode of the blind man indicates - persecution and expulsion from the synagogues. Discipleship means a willingness to bear witness to one's faith in Jesus in a hostile world.

In his account of the Last Supper, rather then giving us an account of the institution of the Eucharist which he has alreday provided in chapter 6 (51-59), John presents Jesus performing the slave-like act of washing his disciples' feet (13:1-20). It is a sign of how much Jesus loves his own (13:1). Jesus' mission in revealing the Father was to save humanity by offering his life out of love. Similarly the relationship of love between the disciples and God must be expressed in the life of love and service which those who follow Jesus are commanded to lead (13:31-36). It lies at the core of the disciples' witness of Jesus to the world (13:35). Jesus loved his friends (Lazarus 11:3,36). In the Last Supper Jesus draws his disciples into the relationship of love existing between him and the Father. By loving one another they too can share in this love (14:21-24; 16:27). Jesus prays for unity among his disciples, reflecting the unity between him and the Father (17:21-24). "(I)f we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us" (1 Jn 4:12).

Having tried to portray what is particular to each of the four gospel traditions regarding their faith in Jesus as recorded in the four gospel accounts, I would like to conclude by emphasising the "marvellous convergence and coherence among these four books. Together they give a clear portrait of Jesus as he was and as he lived, a clear vision of his message. From his conception to his death and resurrection we see a man manifestly sent by God to reveal God, to pint to a way of universal love, of truth, of justice and of peace; a man endowed with special powers, strikingly free, speaking with authority, totally humble, loving people, yet disturbing them, coming in a special way to announce a good news to the poor, the lowly, the weak and the crushed of humanity" (Jean Vanier, Jesus the Gift of Love, p. 5).