The three Synoptic Gospels - Matthew, Mark, and Luke - share numerous commonalities in their depiction of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. They also are distinct in certain ways -- different emphases, different ordering of events, and events depicted in one gospel but not depicted in one or both of the other gospels. By comparing the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, students will perceive the distinct themes of each of these gospels, and how each of these gospels contributes to our understanding of who Jesus Christ is. The Acts of the Apostles will be read in conjunction with the Gospel of Luke, since the author considered these two works to be two halves of a whole.