NCLA Review - The apparent discrepancies among the Four Gospels have been both a challenge to the scholarly and a worry to the pious. In the middle of the second century, a man named Tatian combined the four individual Gospels— Matthew , Mark , Luke , and John —into one continuous story of Jesus and his teachings.  He called this composition the Diatessaron which means "through the four". No longer did people have to worry about whether Jesus cleansed the temple at the beginning of his ministry ( John ) or at the end ( Matt . Mk. Lk .) or when the Last Supper took place, or any other perplexing questions of biblical study. The Diatessaron remained popular in and around Syria for about 300 years until the decision was made to return to the original Four Gospels. People apparently wanted to hear again the distinct voice of each evangelist. Phyllis Tickle has given us a "diatessaron" of the sayings of Jesus —blending into one the teachings of the Four Gospels yet arranging these sayings into five subject categories. I find this book just as frustrating and dissatisfying as those in earlier days found the Diatessaron. I continue to believe that the best way to study and meditate on the words of Jesus is to read them in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark , Luke , and John . Rating: 1 —RO 232p, Jossey-Bass 2008, $22.95 [232.95] ( )