The Gospel Narratives—The most important and almost the sole source of information concerning Jesus is the Gospels. Two of these are by eyewitnesses — the apostles Matthew and John; two are by early disciples. Mark may have been an eyewitness; but it is not probable that Luke was. Early Christian writers state that Mark wrote his Gospel as Peter dictated. If this be true, then the second Gospel rests solidly upon the testimony of the apostle Peter. Luke specifically states that he interviewed carefully the available witnesses and traced the entire course of Jesus' life with the most painstaking accuracy. The procedure of Matthew and Luke is similar: they both tell of the birth of Jesus, but they differ widely in the details recorded. The first three Gospels are called the Synoptic Gospels because of the similarity in their accounts. "Synoptic" comes from the Greek synopsis (seen together)— they can be arranged loosely in parallel columns and viewed together. John's Gospel is different from the others in point of approach and general treatment. One of the greatest marvels of these biographers is that they tell so little out of such a great mass of available material. John himself pauses to comment on this feature and explain the purpose of the selective process (John 20:30, 31). Compare the size of the New Testament with the lives of Washington, Lincoln, Napoleon and other great men, and witness anew the divine inspiration that controlled and produced the unique conciseness of the Scriptures. The greatest scenes and events in the life of Christ are repeated in the various Gospels, for none could claim to present a life of Christ and omit these. But each Gospel is thronged with scenes and intimate touches which are not recorded in the others.