When reading the Gospels through the lens of Neville Goddard’s teachings, a fascinating pattern emerges: the four accounts of Jesus — Mark, Matthew, Luke, and John — can be seen as a progression of attempts to express the same inner assumption, moving from demonstration to refined mastery.
Mark: The First Attempt
Mark, often considered the earliest Gospel, is short, direct, and action-driven. It presents miracles, teachings, and confrontations in rapid succession. From a Neville perspective, Mark reflects an early attempt at living from the end. It shows the raw expression of faith in action: Jesus demonstrating dominion over nature, illness, and doubt. The inner assumption of “I AM” is present, but it is primarily expressed externally. This Gospel is about doing before fully understanding the inner posture that produces reality.
Matthew: Conscious Application
Matthew introduces structure and an awareness of prophecy. In Neville terms, it represents a more deliberate and conscious use of imagination. Matthew symbolically shows leaving behind the old life — tax booths, worldly habits, and old identities — to step fully into the assumption of divine identity. The miracles and teachings are still outward, but now there is a clear link to conscious intention. Matthew is an attempt to live from the end with awareness, integrating action with inner assumption.
Luke: Reflective Development
Luke brings reflection, compassion, and inclusivity. It emphasises the inner journey of consciousness: patience, mercy, and the cultivation of proper mental posture. From a Neville standpoint, Luke represents a more advanced attempt at shaping reality from the inner state. Miracles and parables are as much about the reader’s understanding of consciousness as they are about Jesus’ outward acts. Luke teaches that mastery requires alignment of mind, heart, and imagination.
John: Masterful Expression
Finally, John presents the most symbolic and philosophical account. It explicitly identifies Jesus as the eternal “I AM,” focusing on belief, identity, and the power of inner speech. Here, the Gospel is no longer primarily about external acts but about the inner assumption and the consciousness that creates all reality. In Neville terms, John is living fully from the end: it shows the mastery of the imagination, where awareness of the “I AM” is both the source and the expression of all experience.
A Clear Progression
Viewed together, the four Gospels can be read as a deliberate progression of inner work:
- Mark: raw attempt, action-focused, faith in demonstration.
- Matthew: conscious assumption, leaving behind the old self.
- Luke: reflective mastery, cultivating inner posture.
- John: full living from the end, symbolic and philosophical expression of “I AM.”
Neville teaches that imagination is the creative power of God, and the Bible consistently depicts the development of consciousness through story and symbol. The Gospels, when read this way, are not merely historical accounts; they are instructions in how consciousness evolves from raw attempt to perfected expression. Each Gospel invites the reader to recognise their own role as the conscious director of reality, showing the stages of mastery along the way.