Synoptic GospelsIntroduction

Mr. Christopher B. PerrottiTheology 1

Chapter 6 intro

Overview

• The Synoptic Gospels are the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke.

• These Gospels are called synoptic because they can be compared column by column with each other.

• The three Synoptic Gospels have many parables and accounts in common

• As well as a general consensus on the order of events

The Literary Relationship of Matthew, Mark, and Luke

• The word "synoptic" means "with the same eye" or "seeing together."

• Matthew, Mark, and Luke present the basic story of Jesus in similar ways– Including the order of the material– The stories told– The sayings of Jesus– even using many of the same words in parallel

accounts

How are they alike!

• The Synoptic Gospels share a great deal of material and features

• There are places where the Synoptic Gospels are closely parallel in their recounting of incidents from the life of Jesus.

• They contain the Life and Ministry of Christ.• They are similar in most cases on the

chronological order of the life of Christ.

How are they Different

• Even in these very similar passages, there are minor differences of word order, words used, syntax and style of writing, and grammatical variations. There are also differences in other details between them.

• Sometimes names are included or omitted– Matthew is called Levi in Mark and Luke– Sometimes a saying of Jesus is recorded in Aramaic,

while the parallel passages record it in Hebrew

How are they Different

• Also there are differences in minor historical details– The story of the blind man is different in small ways in

all three synoptic.– How he teaches us the to pray (Our Father)– Their Audience– Their Theme– Their sources– What they include and do not include (Birth Narratives)Are just a few ways the Synoptic are different

Process of Development

• Most biblical scholars recognize at least a three-stage process in the development of the Gospels: – The events themselves– The reports or testimonies about the events either

oral or written – The collection of various reports (the traditions)

into biblical books

Themes and Audience

• Mark – 65 AD – “Suffering Servant” – wrote to those Christian being persecuted by the Romans.

• Matthew – 73-75 Ad – “Jesus as Rabbi” – wrote to the Jewish Christians

• Luke – 73-75 Ad – Jesus as our Savior – wrote to the non-Jewish Christians -Gentiles

Who were they?

• Mark –shortest Gospel – He was a disciple of Paul. His Gospel is an outline of the ministry of Christ.

• Matthew – Apostle of Christ and his followers – Jewish –wanted to connect Jesus to the great Hebrews of the Old testament

• Luke – a disciple of Christ –Doctor – cared for Mary in her old age.

There Sources

• Mark – relied of Oral traditions and accounts from those who witnessed events

• Mathew – Had Mark in front of Him – also the Apostle Mathew and his relationship with Mary, Jesus’ Mother.

• Luke – Also had Mark in front of Him – probably had read Mathews Gospel and had Mary as a solid source.

Q Source!

• Is a collection of sayings of Jesus, assumed to be one of two written sources behind the Gospel of Matthew and the Gospel of Luke.

• Short for the German Quelle, or "source”• Is defined as the "common" material found in

Matthew and Luke but not in their other written source, the Gospel of Mark, or any private source.

Q Source!

• This ancient text was supposedly based on the Oral Tradition of the Early Church and contained quotations from Jesus

• Simply “The Q-Source” are those passages found in both Luke and Mathew, but not found in Mark!

• Some traditions believe that the Q-source may have come from the Apostle Thomas whose Gospel was discovered over 1500 years after Christ died.