The Synoptics -English word “synoptic” comes from the Greek word “synopsis”, which means, “seeing together” -First labeled by J.J. Griesbach a German scholar at the end of the 18 th century OT and Gospel Themes: -Zech. 9:9 – Matthew -Is. 42:1 – Mark -Zech. 6:12 – Luke -Is. 35:4 – John Geographical Setting: -Palestine (3 main provinces - Judea, Samaria, and Galilee)

The Synoptics The similarities involved in Matthew, Mark, and Luke: A). Content -Focus on teaching (parables, healings, and exorcisms) B). Structure -Ministry in Galilee, withdrawal to the North ministry in Judea and Perea and final ministry in Jerusalem -John’s gospel the focus is on Christ and His visits to Jerusalem C). Tone -Rapid-fire action (all His workings) -John has few discourses and events

The Synoptics Three questions: 1). How did they come into being (get their material)? 2). How should we understand them as literature? 3). What do they tell us about Jesus? 3 approaches to the question of the gospel’s origins and development: 1). Form criticism – period of oral transmission 2). Source criticism – the way the literary units were put together 3). Redaction criticism – the theological contributions of authors

The Synoptics Form Criticism: -They claim that the Christians transmitted the words and sayings of Jesus by word of mouth for a considerable length of time -Only after 2 decades or so did they begin to be put into written sources Source Criticism: -Oral traditions pasted down but we can be sure that the eyewitnesses took down notes and such -These fragments were combined with the oral traditions and became written sources and finally the canonical gospels

The Synoptics -There are major similarities in wording and outline in the synoptics -But alongside these similarities is the fact that there appears to be so many differences -Each evangelists omits material found in the other two, each contains unique situations, and some of the events found in one or both of the others are put in different order The Synoptic Problem: 1). Common dependence on one original gospel 2). Common dependence on oral sources 3). Common dependence on developing written fragments 4). Interdependence – two of the evangelists used one or more of the other gospels to construct their own

The Synoptics -Matthew and Mark frequently agree against Luke in the order of events -Luke and Mark frequently agree against Matthew -Luke and Matthew almost never agree against Mark The Answer: -Mark must have a relationship with both Matthew and Luke 1). The Augustinian proposal 2). The 2 gospel hypothesis 3). The 2 source hypothesis -Holds that Mark and “Q” (a lost collection of Jesus’ sayings) have been used independently by Matthew and Luke 4). 4 source

The Synoptics Markan Priority: introduced in 1830s 1). The brevity of Mark -Over 97% of Mark’s words have parallels in Matthew and over 88% in Luke – 7,000 words shorter -Easier to think that Matthew and Luke are adding to Mark than to think of Mark summing up Matthew or Luke -Some say that if APPEARS that Mark is a summary -He expands on many narratives and omits things like Sermon on the Mount 2). The verbal agreements among the gospels -Matthew and Mark frequently agree, as do Mark and Luke, but Matthew and Luke agree less often

The Synoptics 3). Mark’s awkward and primitive style -Has more grammatical irregularities and awkward constructions than others -The tendency would have been to smooth these out 4). Mark’s more primitive theology -We find many more difficult theological statements than in the others The “Q”: -About 250 verses common to Matthew and Luke not found in Mark -Most of which are Jesus’ teachings -Some believe this was a whole gospel while other believe that this was a combination of written fragments and oral traditions

The Synoptics Redaction Criticism: stage of final composition -Seek to describe the theological purposes of the authors by analyzing the way they use their sources Editorial activity: 1). The material they have chosen to either include or exclude 2). The arrangement of the material 3). Additions to the material 4). Omissions of material 5). Change of wording 6). The seams they used to stitch stuff together

Gospel Chronology Jesus’ birth: -The involvement of Herod the Great (Matt. 2:1-12) -Herod dies in 4 B.C. Beginning of His ministry: -Lk. 3:1,23 (about 30 years old) The length of Jesus’ Ministry: -John mentions the Passover 3 times (2:13, 6:4, 11:55) His death: A.D. 30 or later

Pastoral Response -Each text was written to serve some sort of pastoral response in light of the many challenges the church faces Important Questions: -Who is this Jesus? Why is He important? -What does it mean to follow him? -How was his crucifixion a good thing -How do we live together? -What should our worship look like? -How can we discern true teachers from false ones? -Their relationships with the Jews? -What is the role of torah? -Place of the Gentiles in the family of God? -Why has Israel responded so badly?

Pastoral Response Formation of the NT: -Early Christians spoke of the “new covenant” -They began to collect the texts for the new covenant -Some factors led to the need to define the boundaries: 1). Heresy 2). Spin off texts -same genres of the literature and time -they promoted a totally different view of Christ and his significance and teachings *Important to set the boundaries on what was right and should be accepted by the church

Pastoral Response Tatian: -The Diatessaron -Put together the four gospels in late 2 nd century Muratorian Canon: -A fragmented discussion of the canon dating from the end of 2 nd century What made a text authentic? 1). Apostolicity 2). Antiquity 3). Catholicity

Matthew Importance: -Connect OT with NT -Emphasis on fulfillment (5:17) -A focus on the true interpreter of the Torah -The teacher of the way that pleases God Author: -Matthew (ch. 9:9) Location: -Syria -The history of the church in that area fits the issues addressed

Matthew Audience: -Jews -Several Jewish customs are mentioned without explanation (Ch.23) Purpose/Themes: “Jesus as King” -Israel’s king and royal descendant - genealogy -More OT quotes and references than anyone

Matthew “Jesus, the teacher of the way”: -Demonstrates the connectedness of the church with the historical people with whom God spoke Address the issue of Jewish/Gentile Christianity -Plan of God and ongoing importance of the Torah in an increasingly Gentile movement -He provides more guidance on HOW to please God – follow the words of Jesus -Reassures them that purposes of God are being fulfilled in the church -Both the Jews and the Gentiles needed to be reminded of each others role in God’s plan

Matthew Structure: -5 discourses with a brief narrative and ending with “and it happened when Jesus had finished saying these things” 1). Discipleship (narrative-Ch. 3-4; discourse-Ch. 5-7) 2). Apostleship (narrative-Ch. 8-9; discourse-Ch. 10) 3). Hiding of the Revelation (narrative-Ch ; discourse-Ch. 13) 4). Church Administration (narrative-Ch ; discourse-Ch. 18) 5). The Judgment (narrative-Ch ; discourse-Ch ) -Leaves Ch. 1-2 as a preamble -Ch as an epilogue -Response to the 5 books of Moses

Mark Importance: -Action packed (contains the most events) -Short and vivid -”Immediately” -Almost 40% to the passion week -Most chronological Author: -John Mark (recorded the words of Peter) Location: -Rome

Mark Audience: -Romans -To those undergoing or recovering from persecutions under Nero -Unfamiliar with Aramaic and Jewish customs Purposes/Themes: “The Suffering Servant” -Key Verse: 10:45 -Showing His Messiahship in light of His suffering -Closely linked to discipleship

Mark Outline: -Opening (Ch. 1:1-8:21) -Middle (Ch. 8:22-10:52) -Closing (Ch. 11:1-16:8) Opening: “Messiah secret” -The opening chapters show Christ’s anointing and growing awareness -Mark’s conviction that Jesus’ Messiahship could not be understood apart from His passion -Discipleship cannot be properly lived until the confession “Jesus is the Christ” is understood correctly -Christ guides the revelation of His own messiahship -Prevents premature declarations of who He was

Mark Middle: “Messiahship and Discipleship” -Tightly segmented structure with 3 passion predictions and teachings on discipleship -This is then a turning point in which Jesus describes true Messiahship and true Discipleship Closing: “Suffering Servant” -Christ begins to openly proclaim Himself as Messiah