LIBERTY UNIVERSITY

THE SYNOPTIC PROBLEM

A RESEARCH PAPER SUBMITTED TO DR. ADARKWA

IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR

THE COURSE NBST 521
LIBERTY BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

BY

JOEL DORMAN

LYNCHBURG, VIRGINIA

AUGUST 9, 2009

i.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Introduction..................................................................................................................
....................1
Definitions....................................................................................................................
....................2
Synoptic
Gospels.................................................................................................................2
Synoptic
Problem.................................................................................................................2
History of the Synoptic
Problem......................................................................................................3
Period of Oral
Transmission................................................................................................4
Period of Written
Transmission...........................................................................................5
Final
Version........................................................................................................................
6
Similarities of the Synoptic Gospel
Accounts.................................................................................7
Differences of the Synoptic Gospel
Accounts.................................................................................9
Possible Solutions for the Synoptic
Problem.................................................................................10
Dependence on One Original
Gospel................................................................................10
Dependence on Oral
Sources.............................................................................................11
Dependence on Written
Fragments....................................................................................11
Interdependence..........................................................................................................
.......11
Augustinian Proposal and the Two-Gospel Hypothesis........................................12
Markan Priority......................................................................................................12
Two-Source Hypothesis.........................................................................................13
Final
Thoughts.......................................................................................................................
........14
Bibliography.................................................................................................................
.................17

The narratives of the life of Jesus Christ are captured in the four accounts at the
beginning of the New Testament: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.These four books,
although
written about the same Man and in some cases, the same event, tell the stories in
different ways.
This difference has caused concern with Christians down through the centuries.In a
writing
calledDi at essaron, the second-century Christian Tatian wrote what is considered
the first
combination of all four gospels into one cohesive account.1 Although such similar
writings
continue to this day, the underlying issue remains the same: the four accounts are
different.At
times, they are very different.The issue for this paper and the one of greatest
debate and intrigue
is the connection between Matthew, Mark, and Luke: the “Synoptic Gospels”.Note
the
dissimilarity between the three accounts of the rich man coming to Jesus asking
about eternal
life.The details are different in each account and the use of the word “good”
glaringly changes
the meaning in Matthew’s account (table 1).

Matthew 19:16-17

Mark 10:17-18

Luke 18:18-19
Now a man came up to Jesus
and asked, “Teacher, what
good thing must I do to get
eternal life?” “Why do you
ask me about what is good?”
Jesus replied. “There is only
One who is good. If you want
to enter life, obey the
commandments.”

As Jesus started on his way, a

man ran up to him and fell on
his knees before him. “Good
teacher,” he asked, “what must
I do to inherit eternal life?”
“Why do you call me good?”
Jesus answered. “No one is
good—except God alone.
A certain ruler asked him,
“Good teacher, what must I do
to inherit eternal life?” “Why
do you call me good?” Jesus
answered. “No one is good—
except God alone.

Table 1. Comparison of Matthew 19:16-17, Mark 10:17-18, and Luke 18:18-19

How are differences reconciled?Which one is the “correct” eye witness testimony of
what occurred?These are the questions and concerns that form the basis for the
“synoptic
problem”.Consequently, the goal of this research is the present the definition,
history, and
proposed solutions to this synoptic “problem” while concurrently keeping
perspective with the

1 D.A. Carson, and Douglas J. Moo, An Introduction to the New Testament, 2nd ed.
(Grand Rapids:

Zondervan, 2005), 78.

issues of inspiration and canonization.This research will also include some of the
differences

and similarities of the synoptic gospel accounts.

Definitions

To understand accurately the issues surrounding the Gospel narratives, a few

definitionsare required.These definitions will be basis for their respective word use
and exploration in thisresearch.

Synoptic Gospels

The first three gospel accounts, as previously stated, are called the Synoptic
Gospels.
They were first called the Synoptic Gospels at the end of the eighteenth century by
J. J.
Griesbach, a German Biblical Scholar.This word “synoptic” comes from a Greek
word that
means “a seeing together”.This word was chosen by Griesbach due to the striking
similarities
between Matthew, Mark and Luke.The synoptic gospels, in general, share
chronology.They
begin the baptism of Jesus, reach a defining moment at the confession of Peter
(“Simon Peter
answered, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’”2), and conclude with the
Passion.
The synoptic gospels also have similarities in the words and word order (cf. Matthew
8:1-14,
Mark 1:40-45, and Luke 5:12-16).3

Synoptic Problem

Goodacre stated a clear definition of the synoptic problem: “the study of the
similarities
and differences of the Synoptic Gospels in an attempt to explain their literary
relationship.”4 The
argument is not whether a so-called problem exists but to what degree does that
problem change
the understanding of the Gospel narrative.

2 Matthew 16:16, NIV.

3 Thomas D. Lea and David Alan Black, The New Testament Its Background and
Message (Nashville:

Broadman & Holman, 2003), 113.

4 Mark Goodacre, The Synoptic Problem: A Way Through the Maze (London: T&T
Clark, 2005), 16.

History of the Synoptic Problem

As noted in the introduction, early Christians were busy harmonizing these

differences
while these letters were in their initial circulation.They sought answers to the
disturbing
differences between three writers who claimed accuracy.In order to understand the
history of
the problem, one must look to the history of the text itself.Carson and Moo suggest
Luke, in his
introduction, sheds light on this murky issue of the origins of the texts5:

Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled
among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were
eyewitnesses and servants of the word.Therefore, since I myself have carefully
investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an
orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the
certainty of the things you have been taught.6

Luke informs us a great deal in these few short sentences.He refers to “eyewitness
andservants of the word” who passed on to the early Christians what they saw.This
statement is ofincredible and often understated significance.These people were
there with the Master.As theApostle John wrote:

“That which was from the beginning, which we haveheard, which we haves een

with our eyes, which we have looked atand our hands have touched—this we

proclaim concerning the Word of life.”7

Luke also writes that “many” have written the record of what was done by
Christ.Luke
was not alone in his writing of an account.8 Luke professes his own research into
these matters
and now in his prologue he proclaims it “an orderly account”.Citing a need to
explain a
purpose, Luke states he writes so “you may know thecert ai nt y of the things you
have been
taught” (emphasis added).It is important to note, even at the beginning of this
research, that the

5 Carson and Moo, 79. The idea is from this resource but the “fleshing out” is the
author’s own.
6 Luke 1:1-4, NIV.
71 John 1:1, NIV, emphasis added.
8 The debate, on which will be elaborated briefly later in this research, begins
here.The question can

logically be raised: was Luke referring to Matthew, Mark, and John (although John
was, most likely, not yet written)

or was he referring to other Christians—maybe even Apostles—who wrote gospel

narratives?