It was Mark, as far as we know, who first applied the term āgospelā to** a book telling the story of Jesus** ; see ā Mark 1:1 and the note there. This form of presenting Jesusā life, works, teachings, passion, and resurrection was developed further by the other evangelists; see the Introduction to each gospel. The first three of the canonical gospels, Matthew, Mark, and Luke, are so similar at many points when viewed together, particularly when arranged in parallel columns or lines, that they are called āsynopticā gospels, from the Greek word for such a general view. The fourth gospel, John, often differs significantly from the synoptics in outline and approach. This work never uses the word āgospelā or its corresponding verb; nevertheless, its message concerns the same Jesus, and the reader is urged to believe in him as the Messiah, āthat through this belief you may have life in his nameā (ā John 20:31).