What is the Timeline in the Gospels?

 I remember the first time I read the John's Gospel.  I was horribly confused by different it was from the other Gospels.  How did it fit together with the others?  

In fact, it wasn't even clear how Matthew, Mark, and Luke fit together.  

Recently I've spent some time laying out the various events and trying to piece them together. The citations marked with a '*' are those which had to be moved out of the sequence in which they appear in their own Gospel.  

Here goes:

Jesus' Solo Startup Period: (Early 31 AD)

• Jesus is Baptized by John. (Matt 3:13, Mark, 1:9, Luke 3:21, John 1:35)
• Jesus meets Peter, Andrew, Philip, and Nathanael in Galilee. (John 1:37-51)
• He goes out to wilderness to be tested. (Matt 4:1-11, Mark 1:12-13, Luke 4:1-13)
• Jesus returns to the region of Galilee. (Luke 4:14)
• He visits Nazareth, where He nearly gets killed (Luke 4:16-30)
• and leaves Nazareth for Capernaum. (Matt 4:12, Mark 1:14)

Assembling the Team in Galilee

• Jesus calls His first disciples by the seashore. (Matt 4:18-22, Mark 1:16-20, Luke 5:1-11)
• Jesus takes His disciples to the wedding at Cana. (John 2:1-12)
• Jesus heals a lone leper while traveling (Matt 8:1-4, Luke 5:12-16)
• They visit Capernaum, where He heals Peter's mother-in-law. (Matt 8:5-17, Mark 1:21-34, Luke 4:31-39, John 2:12)
• Heals the paralytic. (Matt 9:1-8, Mark 2:1-12, Luke 5:17-26)
• Calls Levi (still in Capernaum). (Matt 9:9-13, Mark 2:13-17)

The Trip to Jerusalem: (Spring 31 AD)

• The group goes south to Jerusalem, where Jesus clears out the Temple. (John 2:13 -25) 
• Jesus meets with Nicodemus at night (John 3:1-21)
• The group tours Judean countryside (John 3:22) 
• They visit Samaria (John 4:3-42)
• And return to Galilee (John 4:4)

Preaching and Going South

• Jesus delivers the sermon on the Mount (*Matt 5:1, *Luke 11:2)
• They return to Cana and heal an official's son (John 4:46)
• Between Galilee and Samaria, Jesus cleanses 10 lepers (*Luke 17:11)
• Jesus goes south and preaches more in Judea (Luke 4:44)
• and returns to Jerusalem (John 5:1-47) 

Trans-Galilean Ministry

• Jesus goes to an unnamed mountain to name the Apostles (Mark 3:13, Luke 6:12)
• and gives sermon on plain. (Luke 6:17)
• They return to Capernaum (Matthew 8:5, Luke 7:1)
• and then set off for land of Gaderenes, Jesus calming a storm along the way (Matt 8:23, Mark 4:35, Luke 8:22)
• Jesus exorcises Gaderene demoniac (Matt 8:28, Mark 5:1)
• and returns to Galilee, heals Jairus' daughter. (Matt 9:22, Mark 5:21, Luke 8:40)

Family Matters

• Jesus returns to Nazareth and is rejected again. (*Matt 13:53, Mark 6:1)
• He sends out the 12 Apostles on mission. (Matt 10:5-42, Mark 6:7, *Luke 9:1)
• Jesus, now flying solo, goes preaching by Himself. (Matt 11:1)
• The disciples return. (Mark 6:30)
• They travel to Nain and raise a young man from the dead. (Luke 7:11)
• More traveling. (Matt 12:1, Luke 8:1)
• Jesus teaches at Mary and Martha's house (*Luke 10:38)
• His family comes looking for Him. (Matt 12:46, *Mark 3:20, Luke 8:19)
• The group returns to the Sea of Tiberius (Matt 13:1, John 6:1)
• and visits Peter's house. (Matt 13:36)

Meal Time: (Spring 32AD)

• They go out to a "desolate place" on the "far shore of the sea of Galilee", near Tiberius (Matt 14:13, Mark 6:31, John 6:1, John 6:23)
• Oddly, Luke's Gospel says this was Bethsaida. Some believe there are two Bethsaidas, one on the Western side of the sea of Galilee) (Luke 9:10)
• Jesus feeds the 5000. (Matt 14:13-21, Mark 6:30-44, John 6:5-15)
• The Apostles set out for Bathsaida (Matthew 14:24, Mark 6:45 )
• Jesus walks on water out to them during a storm. (Matt 14:25, Mark 6:48, John 6:19)
• They land in the region of Gannesaret, specifically Capernaum.  There they stay the night.  (Matt 14:34, Mark 6:53, John 6:16-24) 
• Jesus gives the bread of life discourse in the morning (John 6:25-59)

Ministry to the Gentiles

• They depart for the region of Tyre and Sidon (Matt 15:21-28, Mark 7:24)
• They go to the Decapolis, southeast of sea of Galilee (Matt 15:29, Mark 7:31)
• and feed the 4000. (Matt 15:32-38, Mark 8:4-9)

Back to Galilee

• They depart for Dalmanutha / Magdala / Magadan (Matt 15:39, Mark 8:10)
• Then they travel by boat to Bethsaida (Matt 16:4, Mark 8:22, John 7:1)
• They go north to Caesarea Philippi (Matt 16:13, Mark 8:27, Luke 9:18)
• Then further north to mount Hermon for Transfiguration (Matt 17:1, Mark 9:2, Luke 9:28)
• They return to Capernaum (Matt 17:24, Mark 9:30)
• They depart on a journey heading south for Judea beyond the Jordan (eventually) (Matt 19:1, Mark 10:1)
• Jesus passes by Samaritan village, after being unable to enter (Luke 9:51-56)
• He sends out the 70 on mission (Luke 10:1-18)

Back to Jerusalem: (Fall - Winter 32AD)

• Jesus travels secretly to Jerusalem for Feast of Tabernacles (John 7:10)
• Jesus teaches and ministers in Jerusalem (John 7:14-John 10:21)
• Jesus attends Hanukkah in Jerusalem (John 10:22)

Prep for Final Chapter

• Leaves Jerusalem for Judea beyond the Jordan (Ref: [Matt 19:1, Mark 10:1] John 10:40)
• Returns to Bethany to raise Lazarus (John 11:17)
• Departs for Ephraim (John 11:54-55)
• Jesus gives parable of the Wedding (*Matt 22:1, Luke 14:1-14)

The Final Journey

• Departs for Jerusalem, predicts death. (Matt 20:17, Mark 10:32, Luke 18:31)
• At Jericho (Matt 20:29, Mark 10:46, Luke 19:1)
• Continues onto Jerusalem (Luke 19:28)
• At the Mount of Olives (Matt 21:1, Luke 19:29)
• Triumphal entry (Matt 21:8, Mark 11:11, Luke 19:41, John 12:13)

The Last Ministry in Jerusalem:

• Drives out merchants from Temple (again) (Matt 21:13, Mark 11:15, Luke 19:46)
• Returns to Bethany (Matt 21:17, Mark 11:19, Luke 21:37)
• Returns to Jerusalem (Matt 21:18, Mark 11:27)
• Preaches around Temple (Mark 12:1-Mark 13:37)
• Anointing at Bethany (Matt 26:6-13, Mark 14:3-9, Luke 7:36, John 12:1)
• Last Supper (Matt 26:17, Mark 14:12, Luke 22:14, John 13:1)

Arrest and Crucifixion

• Arrest at Getsemene (Matt 26:36-56, Mark 14:32-51, Luke 22:39-54, John 181:1-12)
• Trial before Annas (John 18:12-24) 
• Trial before Senhedrin (Matt 26:57-67, Mark 14:53-65, Luke 22:66-71) 
• First visit to Pilate (Matt 27:11-12, Luke 23:1-7, John 18:28-38)
• Jesus sent to Herod (Luke 23:5-11)
• Trial before Pilate (Matt 27:21-26, Mark 15:6-15, Luke 23:13, John 19:1-16)
• Jesus crucified. (Matt 27:32-56, Mark 15:16-41, Luke 23:18-49, John 19:17-30)

For the resurrection accounts, see my previous post [here]

For a printable PDF of this construction, see the file [here]

For the picture version of this timeline, see the file [here]