RELG 201 Biblical Literature:

Claflin University Orangeburg, South Carolina Dr. David Battle

The Gospels
Gospel translates the Greek, , or evangel. Evangel = Eu (good) + angel (message)

The Gospels
New Testament Gospels . . .
report on life of Jesus but are not biographies. include the teachings of Jesus but are not his writings.
The Gospels testify to the good news about the teaching and the work of Christ which calls humanity to repentance and belief.

RELG 201 Biblical Literature:

Claflin University Orangeburg, South Carolina Dr. David Battle

The Synoptic Gospels

Three Synoptic Gospels:

Matthew Mark Luke

The Synoptic Gospels

Each Gospel writers presents his own perspective. Matthew
Opens from the perspective of Joseph. Written to a Jewish audience. Credited to the Matthew, the Apostle.

The Synoptic Gospels: Mark

Is a fast paced and episodic narrative. Written to Romans Credited to John Mark as a companion of Peter.

The Synoptic Gospels: Luke

Is written with a very refined Greek style. Opens from Marys perspective and includes a favorable depiction of woman. Written to upper class or Greeks. Luke is part of a two volume work: Luke-Acts.
Both are written to the same person. Acts picks up where Luke ends.

The Synoptic Question

the so-called Synoptic problem

The Synoptic Gospel are so similar that they must be interdependent.

Synoptic = Syn (together) + Optic (to see)

The Synoptic Question

the so-called Synoptic problem

Matthew contains 91% of Mark. Luke contains about half (53%) of Mark.

The Synoptic Question

Matthew and Luke often follow Mark . . .
Scene for scene. word for word.

Yet there are places where Luke and Matthew agree but differ from Mark.

[1:1] The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
[2] As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way, [3] the voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight,

[3:1] In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, [2] Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. [3] For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.
[4] Now John wore a garment of camel's hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. [5] Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him, [6] and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. (Matthew 3:1-6 ESV)

[4] John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. [5] And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. [6] Now John was clothed with camel's hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey.
(Mark 1:1-6 ESV)

[3:1] In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, [2] during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness. [3] And he went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. [4] As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, The voice of one crying in the Wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.[5] Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall become straight, and the rough places shall become level ways, [6] and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.
(Luke 3:1-6 ESV)

An Example of Q
[7] But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? [8] Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. [9] And do not presume to say to yourselves, We have Abraham as our father, for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. [10] Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. (Matthew 3:7-10 ESV) [7] He said therefore to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? [8] Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, We have Abraham as our father. For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. [9] Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

(Luke 3:7-9 ESV)

Synoptic Solutions
Oral Tradition Hypothesis
Mark

Common Oral Tradition

Matthew

Luke

Synoptic Solutions
Mark-Q Documentary Hypothesis
Mark Q

Luke

Matthew

Date of the Synoptic Gospels

The interdependence of the Synoptic Gospels set the latest possible date. Most approaches to the synoptic gospels agree that Luke was the last Gospel written.
Luke-Acts are one work Acts end with Paul in jail awaiting trial. The trial occurred early in Neros reign around A.D. 63. Jesus died around A.D. 33. The Synoptic Gospels were written between A.D. 33 and 63.

RELG 201 Biblical Literature:

Claflin University Orangeburg, South Carolina Dr. David Battle

The Gospel of John

Written last of the four Gospels. More abstract than the other Gospels.

Written as a supplement to the Synoptic Gospels.

John Compared to the Synoptics

[19] And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who are you? [20] He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, I am not the Christ. [21] And they asked him, What then? Are you Elijah? He said, I am not. Are you the Prophet? And he answered, No. [22] So they said to him, Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself? [23] He said, I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as the prophet Isaiah said. (John 1:19-23 ESV)

[7] And he preached, saying, After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. [8] I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit. (Mark 1:7-8 ESV)

[11] I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. [12] His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire. (Matthew 3:11-12 ESV)

[24] (Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.) [25] They asked him, Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet? [26] John answered them, I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, [27] even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie. [28] These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing. (John 1:24-28 ESV)

[15] As the people were in expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Christ, [16] John answered them all, saying, I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. [17] His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire. (Luke 3:15-17 ESV)

Subtle Irony in John

[40] When they heard these words, some of the people said, This really is the Prophet. [41] Others said, This is the Christ. But some said, Is the Christ to come from Galilee? [42] Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the offspring of David, and comes from Bethlehem, the village where David was? [43] So there was a division among the people over him. [44] Some of them wanted to arrest him, but no one laid hands on him. [45] The officers then came to the chief priests and Pharisees, who said to them, Why did you not bring him? [46] The officers answered, No one ever spoke like this man! [47] The Pharisees answered them, Have you also been deceived? [48] Have any of the authorities or the Pharisees believed in him? [49] But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed. [50] Nicodemus, who had gone to him before, and who was one of them, said to them, [51] Does our law judge a man without first giving him a hearing and learning what he does? [52] They replied, Are you from Galilee too? Search and see that no prophet arises from Galilee. (John 7:40-52 ESV)