1. The Synoptic Gospels

2. What are the synoptic gospels?
Written by Matthew, Mark & Luke
Meaning: “a seeing together”
They portray the life of Jesus in similar ways

3. Similarities of the Synoptic Gospels
General chronology from baptism to resurrection.
Popular early ministry in Galilee concluding with opposition in Judea.
Turning point of Jesus’ ministry: Peter’s confession at Caesarea Philippi (Mt 16:13-20).
Passion week takes a large section of conclusion.
Similar wording and style.

4. What is “the synoptic problem”?
How do we explain the numerous similarities between these 3 Gospels as well as the various differences?
Why do we have more than one Gospel?
What do these similarities and differences tell us about each Gospel origin?

5. 3 Step Process
The Oral Stage – eyewitnesses who handed down traditions.
The Written Stage – many have undertaken to draw up an account.
The Editorial Stage (Final Composition) – “an orderly narrative” by an editor who chooses & arranges material.

6. Laws of Transmission Groups that pass on information tend to:
lengthen their stories,
Add details,
Fit stories to their own language,
Preserve & develop only what meets their needs & promotes their beliefs.

7. Two-Source Hypothesis for Synoptic Gospels
Mark is the earliest Gospel.
Under laws of transmission, shortest comes first.
Matthew contains nearly all of Mark; Luke has half of Mark.
Matthew & Luke follow Mark’s chronology.
Quelle (Source) – is the 2nd source; this is where Matthew & Luke got material which not found in Mark.

8. The "Synoptic Problem"
To explain 1) the striking similarities among the Synoptic Gospels as compared to John and 2) the equally striking differences between the first three Gospels.
Before we consider the critical minimum that even unbelievers must concede to be historically probable about Jesus, we need to understand the nature of the major sources available for reconstructing the life and teaching of Jesus. The careful analysis of the sources is object of the attempt to explain the so-called "Synoptic Problem." The most ancient view (dating from Augustine in the fourth century) was that Matthew was the earliest Gospel, which Mark condensed and Luke organized differently. The most widely accepted view today is called the Two-Source / Four-Source theory (sometimes, the Oxford Hypothesis), which presumes that Mark wrote the earliest Gospel..
Mark seems to be the earliest Gospel, which Matthew and Luke used in composing theirs. Evidence:
Nearly 95% of Mark is found in Matthew and Luke. Of the 661 vv. in Mark Matthew has 606. Of the remaining 55, Luke has 24.
There are only 31 unique verses in Mark.
Unique Material: John 92% -Luke 59% -Matthew 42% -Mark 7%
Similarities extend to identical "editorial" material. Appeals to eyewitnesses cannot explain why the transitions from scene to scene are the same. Appeals to divine inspiration cannot be used to explain the problem, because although it might account for the similarities, it does not account for the differences.
Matthew and Luke never agree on order as opposed to Mark.
The priority of Mark is further substantiated by early Christian traditions (originating with the second century Christian leader, Papias) to the effect that Mark wrote the first Gospel, shortly before fall of Jerusalem (AD 70).
The Sayings-Source. Mark alone cannot explain the Synoptic Problem. Subtracting the Markan material from Matthew and Luke leaves ~ 250 verses still held in common to both, mostly sayings of Jesus. Scholars have traditionally identified this second hypothetical source as Q, probably derived from the German Quelle ("source"). Although Q no longer exists (if it ever did), its existence is made plausible by the discovery in 1945 of the Nag Hammadi "Coptic Gospel of Thomas." This apocryphal Gospel is not Q, but it is similar to what scholars guessed it might be like -a gospel consisting almost entirely of the sayings of Jesus.

9. The 4 Document Hypothesis
Mark – chronology, framework.
Q - Quelle – common to Luke & Matthew, but not in Mark.
M – unique to Matthew.
L – unique to Luke.