Bible crossword puzzle: Gospels of Matthew and John

TL;DR:
This page features a crossword puzzle based on the Gospels of Matthew and John and material from Discovering the Bible by Alex Varughese. It also includes Lippo Memmi's classic painting John the Evangelist. A concluding comparison explains that Matthew emphasizes Jesus as the Jewish Messiah and ethical teacher who fulfills Old Testament prophecy, while John portrays Jesus as the divine Word made flesh. Together, the two Gospels offer complementary portraits of Christ's identity and mission.

Robed man writing in a book with a quill — John the Evangelist by Lippo Memmi, tempera and gilt on wood, c. 1300 | Image source

More classic art masterpieces used as illustrations

Sacred Scripture word puzzle on material in chapters 20 and 21 of Discovering the Bible, a textbook for Introduction to Biblical Literature

Book cover: Discovering the Bible by Alex Varughese

Challenge: Can you solve this puzzle even if you do not have the book by Varughese?

Across

2 — Sister of Lazarus who anointed Jesus' feet
4 — Fisherman whose brother came to him and said, "We have found the Messiah." This man, who became one of Jesus' apostles, was given a new name by Jesus.
6 — The disciple who doubted, saying, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands … I will not believe."
7 — Tax collector who wrote one of the Four Gospels

Down

1 — Jesus said, "I am the bread of . . ."
2 — The sister of a woman named Mary
3 — Simon Peter's brother and the first of Jesus' disciples (according to John's Gospel); he was the one who reported to the Lord that a little boy had five loaves and two fish
4 — The disciple who introduced Nathanael to Jesus and whom some unnamed Greeks later approached because they wanted to see Jesus ("We have found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote")
5 — Raised from the dead by Jesus

Bible reading for this assignment: Matthew 5–18 and John 1–21.

See the syllabus for the Bible and textbook readings for this assignment.

This crossword puzzle was created for use in the course Introduction to Biblical Literature. The puzzle is based on material in the textbook Discovering the Bible: Story and Faith of the Biblical Communities, edited by Alex Varughese and published by what is now The Foundry.

— Howard Culbertson, hculbert@snu.edu

Comparison of Matthew and John

The Gospels of Matthew and John offer distinct outlooks on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. Matthew's Gospel is often regarded as the most Jewish of the four Gospels. It points to Jesus as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. Matthew traces Jesus' genealogy back to Abraham and describes His role as the long-promised Messiah. It presents Jesus as a teacher, focusing on His ethical teachings, such as those in the Sermon on the Mount.

In contrast, John's Gospel is more theological and reflective. It portrays Jesus as the divine Word made flesh. It stresses Jesus' divinity and looks at theological themes such as eternal life, the relationship between Jesus and the Father, and the significance of belief.

Both Gospels narrate Jesus' ministry, miracles, death, and resurrection. But they do so with distinct emphases and theological lenses. Together, they give us a more complete picture.