OVERVIEW OF SYNOPTIC OVERVIEW OF SYNOPTIC -J.J. GRIESBACH, German scholar, was the first to use the word SYNOPTIC when referring to Matthew, Mark and Luke.

SYNOPTIC GOSPELS SYNOPTIC GOSPELS -Matthew, Mark and Luke structure the ministry of Jesus Christ according to a kind of GEOGRAPHICAL sequence. -Withdrawal to the north after Peter makes his confession of following Christ the Son of God.

SYNOPTIC GOSPELS SYNOPTIC GOSPELS -John doesn’t really record parables or dramatic exorcisms. -John records some significant healing miracles but most are left to the synoptics. -John is a spiritual overview of the ministry of Christ.

SYNOPTIC GOSPELS SYNOPTIC GOSPELS -John gives us the intimate and powerful upper room scene of the OLIVET DISCOURSE and the LAST SUPPER NARRATIVE. -The synoptics bring us intense heavy fire of power miracles and the pitched presence of God’s manifestations.

SYNOPTIC GOSPELS SYNOPTIC GOSPELS -John gives us a much more “MEDITATIVE” observation of the LIFE and MINISTRY of the Son of Man. -John shows Jesus speaking in pastoral, longer discourses, rather than brief TV style parables or pithy sayings.

SYNOPTIC GOSPELS SYNOPTIC GOSPELS THREE QUESTIONS: 1- How did they come to be? 2- How should we understand them as works of literature? 3- What do they really tell us about JESUS CHRIST?

SYNOPTIC GOSPELS SYNOPTIC GOSPELS - WHO WERE THE AUTHORS? - WHAT WERE THE CIRCUMSTANCES THEY WROTE FROM? - WHAT WERE THEIR REAL BACKGROUNDS?

SYNOPTIC GOSPELS SYNOPTIC GOSPELS - HOW DID THE AUTHORS GET THE MATERIAL THEY WROTE? - WHY ARE THE THREE SYNOPTICS SO SIMILAR IN SOME WAYS AND NOT SO IN OTHER WAYS? - WHY FOUR GOSPELS?

SYNOPTIC GOSPELS SYNOPTIC GOSPELS - Tatiam (2 nd century scholar) put all four gospels together in his Diatessaron (making a musical message using the four gospels to tell the story). -Augustine (Early Church Father, AD ) wrote “The harmony of the four”.

SYNOPTIC GOSPELS SYNOPTIC GOSPELS - LUKE the writer of the third Gospel as we know it, also comments on other sources which were likely MARK and MATTHEW.

SYNOPTIC GOSPELS SYNOPTIC GOSPELS - Luke proclaims his own personal investigation of the sources of the ministry of Christ, and the accounts of His affect upon the universe. - Matthew takes an ancient approach.

SYNOPTIC CRITICISM SYNOPTIC CRITICISM 1-FORM CRITICISM - How were the gospel records actually put together? The period of ORAL communication of the life, events, and encounters of Jesus Christ in real history.

SYNOPTIC CRITICISM SYNOPTIC CRITICISM 1-FORM CRITICISM -This discipline has a doubled edged to it’s evaluation. Bible critics love to destroy the credibility of the Gospels with it. They claim that the time of oral transmission corrupted the REAL JESUS EVENTS.

SYNOPTIC CRITICISM SYNOPTIC CRITICISM 1-FORM CRITICISM -1- People like to LENGTHEN their stories embellishing them. -2- People like to add to their stories for sake of culture or condition.

SYNOPTIC CRITICISM SYNOPTIC CRITICISM 1-FORM CRITICISM -3- People like to conform their stories to their own present surroundings. -4- People like to preserve and create what their faith needs. Manipulate the stories to their own desires.

SYNOPTIC CRITICISM SYNOPTIC CRITICISM 1-FORM CRITICISM ANWERING THE FORMS AND THEIR HORNS OF INCREDIBLE ATTACKS. 1- Those writing the gospels were not only eye witness’ but also CHARGED to be true to what JESUS REALLY SAID (Luke 9: Transfiguration)

SYNOPTIC CRITICISM SYNOPTIC CRITICISM 1-FORM CRITICISM ANWERING THE FORMS AND THEIR HORNS OF INCREDIBLE ATTACKS. 2- The Gospel witness’ were not compelled to add to the message of Christ. They feared the HOLY SPIRIT. (Acts 5 – Holy Execution “great fear”)

SYNOPTIC CRITICISM SYNOPTIC CRITICISM 1-FORM CRITICISM ANWERING THE FORMS AND THEIR HORNS OF INCREDIBLE ATTACKS. 3- Jesus was born in the JEWISH CULTURE. The Gospel witness’ were not intimidated by it enough to re-write the events. (Acts 15 – Council of accepted Genitles)

SYNOPTIC CRITICISM SYNOPTIC CRITICISM 1-FORM CRITICISM ANWERING THE FORMS AND THEIR HORNS OF INCREDIBLE ATTACKS. 4- Jesus’ teachings were so radical and different they stood alone from any culture. (Matt. 22:34-40 – Radical new teachings of religion)

SYNOPTIC CRITICISM SYNOPTIC CRITICISM 1-FORM CRITICISM THE DARK SIDE OF FORM CRITICISM MOCKS THE SPIRITUAL BELIEVER AND LABLES HIM An “ILL MINDED MISTIC.” There is no consideration for the HOLY SPIRIT to guide the transmission of Scripture. (2 Peter 1:16-20 – The HOLY SPIRIT active in the lives of the writers)

SYNOPTIC CRITICISM SYNOPTIC CRITICISM 2- SOURCE CRITICISM - How the events, encounters and actions of Jesus were “penned to paper”. Who was writing and why? Where were they writing, and to whom?

SYNOPTIC CRITICISM SYNOPTIC CRITICISM 2- SOURCE CRITICISM -There was much writing in Herodian Palestine during Jesus’ day. There is much strong precedent for student, scribes writing down the sermons of their teachers. -Some to benefit others to criticize (Pharisee’s & Scribes)

SYNOPTIC CRITICISM SYNOPTIC CRITICISM 2- SOURCE CRITICISM -Writing for history and propaganda. -Writing for commercial interests and records. -Writing for entertainment, poet and song. -Writing for religious reasons.

SYNOPTIC CRITICISM SYNOPTIC CRITICISM 3-REDACTION CRITICISM - How the events, encounters and actions of Jesus are communicated to create the THEOLOGY OF GOD. What the eye witnesses were saying about the nature of Jesus and God.

SYNOPTIC CRITICISM SYNOPTIC CRITICISM 3-REDACTION CRITICISM -Clearly in Matt. 24 the Disciples of Christ were interested in God’s material overruling their present material world. But Jesus spoke of His kingdom not being of this world.

SYNOPTIC CRITICISM SYNOPTIC CRITICISM 3-REDACTION CRITICISM -The New Testament writers were not interested in gathering wealth or conjuring up some kind of personal kingdom in this world. Their theology in writing cannot be misunderstood. -(see John 14:1-3)

SYNOPTIC GOSPELS SYNOPTIC GOSPELS MARK – AD Begins with the unique prophet called the Baptist, rooting his narrative in the present excitement about Messianic deliverance and the past promise of God’s WORD.

SYNOPTIC GOSPELS SYNOPTIC GOSPELS MATTHEW – AD The REFORMED tax collector roots his records about Jesus deep in the moorings of Israel’s history. There are 48 names and 42 fixed generations in Chapter 1 providing the solid foundation of the Son of Man’s earthly ministry.

SYNOPTIC GOSPELS SYNOPTIC GOSPELS LUKE – AD The Greek physician is careful to write his life-giving prescription called the ministry of Jesus Christ only after deep and difficult study. He is concerned about the careful truth of his record and has examined all the evidence.