Synoptic Problem Website (original) (raw)
The synoptic problem concerns the literary relationship between the first three "synoptic" gospels of the New Testament: Matthew, Mark, and Luke. The Synoptic Problem Website surveys proposed solutions and provides a clearing-house for materials related to its resolution.
For an introduction to the synoptic problem, please see my Synoptic Problem FAQ, and the "Synoptic Problem" entry in the Anchor Bible Dictionary is very good ([Tuckett 1992](#Tuckett 1992)). Good, clear introductory texts include Robert Stein,Studying the Synoptic Gospels ([2001](#Stein 2001)) and Mark Goodacre, The Synoptic Problem: A Way Through the Maze ([2001](#Goodacre 2001)), each with their own strengths. Stein also covers form and redaction criticism, while Goodacre's treatment of the synoptic problem is more thorough and balanced. For a discussion of these and other books, please see theAnnotated Bibliography.
The major evidence for resolving the synoptic problem is internal: the patterns of agreements and disagreements in the wording of the Greek text of the gospels. The premier tool for studying these textual patterns is the synopsis, which places parallel texts side-by-side in vertical columns. To a much lesser extent, researchers have also considered the external evidence, which constitutes the testimony of the early Christians on the origins of the gospels.
Many solutions to the synoptic problem have been proposed, and please see the Overview of Proposed Solutions for more information.
The most prevalent solution is the Two-Source hypothesis (2SH) or Mark-Q theory, which holds that Mark was the first gospel, and both Matthew and Luke independently augmented Mark with a lost, sayings collection called Q, its most controversial part. A good website expounding this solution is Mahlon Smith'sSynoptic Gospels Primer.
A vigorous challenger to the Q hypothesis is the Farrer theory (FH), which also calls for the priority of Mark, but "dispenses" with Q as unnecessary by arguing instead that Luke used Matthew. The clearest exposition of this position now is Mark Goodacre's book,The Case Against Q.
Another challenger, somewhat more popular in America, is the Griesbach hypothesis orTwo-Gospel hypothesis (2GH), which not only gets rid of Q but Markan priority as well, arguing that Matthew was first, primarily on account of the external evidence. Their Web Site for the Two Gospel Hypothesis is maintained by Thomas R. W. Longstaff.
A more traditional analysis of the external evidence, however, is that of the Augustinian hypothesis (AH), in which the chronological order of the gospels is the same as the canonical order (Matt, Mark, Luke).
References
C. M. Tuckett, "Synoptic Problem" in D. N. Freedman, ed., The Anchor Bible Dictionary (New York: Doubleday, 1992): 6:263-70; M. Goodacre, The Synoptic Problem (London: Continuum, 2001) [book website]; R. H. Stein, Studying the Synoptic Gospels (2d ed.; Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker, 2001).
Recent Articles:
March 12, 2010
Site Article: Bibliography on Gospel Origins
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September 15, 2006
Site Article: External Evidence: Clement of Alexandria
Site Article: External Evidence: Ephraem Syrus
Site Article: External Evidence: Origen
March 10, 2005
Site Article: External Evidence: Luke's Prolog
January 30, 2005
Site Article: Magi Visit, Egypt Flight and Return
January 29, 2005
Site Article: Matt's Birth of Jesus
January 24, 2005
Site Article: Technical Note on Synopsis
I spent a little time this weekend making sure that the multicolor synopsis also displays reasonably well in Firefox, in addition to IE 6. There are probably still some kinks, so I've enabled comments on this post for reporting problems and/or making suggestions. Please be aware that this is still very much a work in progress.
NOTE: The best interface to the completed entries is via the Parallel Synoptic Table.
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