The PassionMany people believe that there is only one story of the Passion of Jesus Christ or they believe that every story is the same; while there are four separate Gospel accounts of the Passion of Our Lord. Each of these gospel stories complements the others, yet each gospel story of Jesus' crucifixion is unique, not only in the way the story is told, but also in the events and characteristics themselves. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John clearly present different representations of the death of Jesus Christ. By examining each story the reader discovers the evangelist's understanding of the death stories of the crucifixion and the death of Jesus. The reader must examine and compare all the gospel stories to have a complete and clear understanding of the entire story. The crucifixion is the focus of the Gospels. In the first Gospel story, Matthew highlights the negative and blameworthy role of the Jews during the crucifixion. It describes a time of judgment on the Jews. It describes the darkness that covered the earth, a common image symbolizing judgment. In his account, Matthew highlights the division of the temple and makes it clear that Jesus is putting an end to the old order, which was centered on the temple. Matthew saw the Jewish war and the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple as a visible result of their fateful choice. Matthew describes Jesus' death as a glorious event, the end of an era and the beginning of a new era. For Matthew, the crucifixion is clearly an astronomical event in which the events of Jesus' death signal the dawn of a new age. It is a clear and decisive act of God in human history. Matthew describes images such as earthquakes, rocks cracking, tombs opening, and the rising of de...... middle of paper...... portrays Jesus' death as the culmination of his mission; his triumphant return to the Father. Unlike the other three Gospel accounts of the Passion of Jesus Christ, in the Gospel of John there is no mention of the institution of the Holy Eucharist, the agony in the Garden, or the trial and condemnation before Caiaphas. Jesus dies on a different day in John's gospel than in Matthew, Mark and Luke. The washing of the feet replaces the Last Supper in the Gospel of John. He never mentions Simon of Cyrene. Furthermore, no other woman is mentioned as going to the tomb with Mary Magdalene. She is alone. (Jn 20.1). There are also many similarities in the four evangelical stories of the passion of Jesus Christ. Throughout the Gospels Pilate asks Jesus if he is the king of the Jews and Jesus replies "So you say". All the Gospels speak of a man named Barabbas[3] freed by Pilate in place of Jesus.