Christ’s Humanity and Salvific Roles in the Gospels of Matthew and John Jennifer Bress

The four canonical gospels of the Bible all intend to educate religious groups about the existence and purpose of Jesus Christ. However, the four gospels do not portray this teaching in the same manner. In fact, the Gospel of Matthew and the Gospel of John vary greatly in nature, particularly with respect to Christ’s humanity and the specific ways in which humans are advised to achieve salvation. Nonetheless, though the gospels often differ in character, both clearly assert the same instrument through which humans can attain deliverance.

Essentially, the gospels of Matthew and John both stress the idea that salvation can only be achieved through Jesus Christ. Matthew describes salvation as receiving the same reward that Jesus the prophet receives; as Jesus teaches: “Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet’s reward; and whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of the righteous” (New Oxford Annotated Bible Matt. 10.40-41). In this statement, Jesus implies that since God has sent him to earth, and God will reward him with salvation, then the only way for...