The Gospel of John uniquely differs from the three Synoptic Gospels (Mark, Matthew, Luke) in terms of its literary style, setting and time sequence, portrayal of Jesus, dualistic imagery, and theological concepts. A deviation is observed between John’s Gospel and the Synoptic Gospel because John takes readers back to Genesis 1:1. However, Mark focuses on Jesus’ ministry, Matthew presents stories of Jesus, and Luke covers the birth of Jesus and John the Baptist. The Synoptic Gospels concentrate on the human aspect of Jesus. However, John’s Gospel reverts to the beginning and describes Jesus as the word and God. Dualistic imagery is another difference observed through John’s language, illustrated in contrasts, such as truth and lie and light and darkness. Finally, John links the Ministry of Jesus to the Jewish civilization and their celebrations. This is different from the one-time occasion (Palm Sunday) explained in the Synoptic Gospels.
The major themes established in the Gospel of John are eternal life, Messiah, and signs. Under these themes, John’s message was that the Judgement of God was forthcoming. Hence, repentance of sins through baptism of the Holy Spirit was inevitable for all people. According to the Gospel of John chapters 13-21, the genuine declaration of Jesus as the coming Messiah and son of God is well expounded. Further, Jesus challenges the disciples by telling them that one of them will betray Him, which brings about the issue of crucifixion. John’s Gospel narrates the story of Jesus in a symbolic manner, which is different from the three Gospels. The Gospel of John was written during a period when group divisions (Judaism, Christianity) were on the rise due to the identification and the divine status of Christ.