euangelion = gospel = “good news”, as used inMk 1:1

Mt, Mk, Lk = synoptic gospels = “gospelsseeing things alike,” from Greeksynoptikos (“seen together”)

Synoptic problem = how to explain agreementsand disagreements ofwording in Mt, Mk, Lk

“proto-gospel” in Greek, Aramaicor other language, e.g. apocryphal

Secret Mark or Gospel of Peter

Matthew Mark Luke

Proto-gospel theory

Matthew

Mark Luke

Multipleproto-gospeltheory

Matthew

Mark

Luke

Augustine ofHippo (d. 430)

But why didMk cut outso much ofMt?

Matthew

Mark

Luke

J.J. Griesbach(1789)

But if Mk isdigest ofmaterial sharedby Mt and Lk,why is theremuch material that theyshare that Mk omits?

Matthew

Mark

Luke

J.J. Griesbach(1789)

Also, why doMt and Lkcontradict eachother? Why dothey diverge inorder of events when notmatching Mk? Why does Lkomit material shared by Mt and Mk?

Matthew

Mark

Luke

4-Source Hypothesis

Q (Quelle)

LM

Pattern of Agreement

1. All three agreeing2. All three differing3. Two out of three agreeing:

Mk and Mt or Mk and Lk, but veryrarely Mt and Lk if story is also inMk, suggesting that Mk is originalsource

Arguments for the Priority of Mark

Sequence of Narrative

Mt and Lk present Markan materialin same order, but present sharedmaterial not found in Mk in differentorder. Suggests used Mk then pluggedin other material where seemedappropriate. If Mt or Lk used eachother, why would they change order ofnon-Markan material but keepMarkan material in same order?

Arguments for the Priority of Mark

Characteristics of the Changes

Mt and Lk improving on Mk’s Greek

Mk is shortest gospel; why cut outmaterial? Not summary, becausepresents longer versions of storiesfound in Mt

Arguments for the Priority of Mark

Q = Explanation for material shared by Mtand Lk but not in Mk

Mostly sayings of Jesus, but alsonarratives of temptation (Mt 4: 1-11;Lk 4: 1-13) and healing of centurion’sservant (Mt 8: 5-10; Lk 7: 1-10)

Probably written document, to explainlong passages of shared wording. Possiblyhad different editions. Lk’s version asclosest to original sequence?

M and L = Explanation for material only knownto Mt (M) or Lk (L)

Not known if one source each or many, orwritten or oral

Synoptic problem important because if we knowan author’s source, we can see how hemodified it to suit own agenda, giving usinsight into an author’s concerns