Synoptic Gospels Overview

Matthew, Mark, and Luke are noticeably similar and are therefore referred to as Synoptic Gospels. The first three Gospels agree extensively in language, in the material they include, and in the order in which events and sayings from the life of Jesus Christ are recorded. These three books are called the Synoptic Gospels (syn, “together with”; optic “seeing”; thus “seeing together”); a content agreement can be seen in  Mt 10:22a; Mk 13:13a; Lk 21:17. A mathematical comparison shows that 91% of Mark’s Gospel is contained in Matthew, while 53% of Mark is found in Luke. Such agreement raises questions about the Synoptic Gospels’ origin (source). Did the authors rely on a common source? Were they interdependent? These questions constitute the Synoptic Problem. The Synoptic Problem concerns the literary relationship between the three first books of the New Testament, Matthew, Mark, and Luke.

Solutions that have been advanced include:

1. The use of Oral Tradition
2. The use of an early Gospel
3. The use of written fragments
4. Mutual Dependence
5. The use of two primary sources
6. The priority and use of Matthew
7.  A combination of most of the above

The most common view is that Matthew and Luke used the Gospel of Mark and a hypothetical document called Quelle (German for “source”) or Q as sources for most of the materials included in their Gospels.

Dating The Synoptic Gospels

Assumption A: Matthew and Luke used Mark as a Primary Source

View No. 1: 

• Mark written in the 50s or early 60s
• Matthew written in the late 50s or the 60s
• Luke written 59-63

View No. 2

• Mark written 65-70
• Matthew, written in the 70s
• Luke, written in the 70s

Assumption B: Matthew and Luke did not use Mark as a source

View No. 1

Mark could have been written anytime between 50 and 70

View No. 2

• Mark written 65-70
• Matthew written in the 50s; some suggested between A.D. 60-65
• Luke written 59-63

The Apostolic (Church) Fathers dated Matthew first. The important thing is that each of the Gospel’s writers had a unique purpose for writing, guided by the Holy Spirit and God’s purpose for writing these Gospels. The Church Fathers were sure that these Gospels were authored by those credited to them in the canon without their names in the writings, which is a true testament to the authenticity of the men who wrote the Gospels.

Portrait Of Christ In The Synoptics

1. Matthew portrayed Jesus Christ as the Kingly Messiah. Christ was called “The King” eight times in Matthew. The recurrent word “Fulfilled” indicates that the Messianic prophecies were fulfilled in Jesus Christ.
2. Mark portrayed Jesus Christ as the Wonder Worker and Tireless Servant of God. His mighty works of Mercy and help demonstrated Jesus’ divinity and compassion (Mk 6;2).
3. Luke portrayed Jesus Christ as the Friend of Sinners and Outcasts. Attestation of Jesus’ coming to seek and save the lost (Lk 19;10) can be found in the stories of, ‘The Good Samaritan’ – Lk 10:30-37; ‘The Lost sheep’ – Lk 15:4-7; ‘The prodigal son’ – Lk 15:11-32; ‘The Pharisee and Publican’ – Lk 18:10-14; ‘Zacchaeus’ – Lk 19:2-10 and ‘The Penitent thief’ – Lk 23:39-43.

The Gospel Accounts Found Only In The Synoptic

There are nine special events recorded in the Gospel of Matthew that are not recorded in other gospels; five of these events are the fulfillment of the Old Testament Prophecies. i.e.

1. Joseph’s dream to support the Virgin’s birth- Mat. 1: 20-24
2. The visit of the Magi to show a Saviour is born- Mat. 2:1-12
3. The Escape to Egypt – Mat. 2:13-15
4. The Slaughter of the Children- Mat. 2:16-18
5. The death of Judas     – Mat. 27: 3-10
6. The dream of Pilate’s wife- Mat. 27: 19
7. The other Resurrections- Mat. 27:52
8. The bribery of the guards- Mat.28:11-15
9. The baptism emphasis in the Great Commission- Mat. 19, 20

Mark’s Gospel carried three events that were not recorded in other gospels:

1. The Story of the Growing Seed- Mk. 4:26-29
2. Jesus healing of a deaf man who could hardly talk- Mk. 7:31-37
3. Jesus healing of a blind man at Bethsaida- Mk. 8:22-26

The Gospel of Luke records about eleven events not present in other gospels.

1. Special events leading up to the birth of John the Baptist and Jesus – Lu. 1:5-80
2. Events from Jesus’ Childhood- Lu. 2:1-52
3. Jesus’ rejection at Nazareth- Lu. 4:16-30
4. Jesus’ provision of a miraculous catch of fish- Lu. 5:1-11
5. Jesus raises a widow’s son from the dead- Lu. 7:11-17
6. A sinful woman anoints Jesus’ feet- Lu. 7:36-50
7. Women travel with Jesus- Lu. 8:1-3
8. Events, miracles, and teachings during the months prior to Christ’s death      –         Lu.10:1-18;14
9. Jesus’ meeting with Zacchaeus and the parable of the King’s ten servants                                                                                         – Lu.19:1-27
10. Jesus’ trial before Herod- Lu. 23:6-12
11. Some of Jesus’ last words before His ascension- Lu. 24:44-49

Matthew

Matthew does not tell Jesus’ story chronologically; he groups facts topically. Matthew collects Jesus’ sayings in five main discourses:

1. Sermon on the Mount – Chapters 5-7
2. Apostles (Christ’s instructions on the disciple’s mission) – Chapter 10
3. Parables on the Kingdom – Chapter 13
4. Fellowship (Christ’s words on the Church as a Community) – Chapter 18
5. Religious hypocrisy and Christ’s predictions of the future – Chapters 23-25

Sandwiched in among these five great discourses are connected scenes of Jesus in action

High Points In Matthew

• Chapter 5: the Sermon on the Mount
• Chapter 6: a continuation of Jesus’ longest single speech, perhaps the most familiar passage in the entire Bible
• Chapter 13: some of Jesus’ parables – concise stories with a powerful meaningbehind them
• Chapter 19: stories of forgiveness and grace
• Chapter 26: Jesus’ arrest and trial
• Chapter 27: the crucifixion
• Chapter 28: Jesus’ Resurrection and the Great Commission

The genealogy of Jesus was to prove His roots from Abraham. There were 14 generations from Abraham to King David, 14 from David to the exile to Babylon, and 14 from the exile to Christ.

Mark

Mark’s Gospel was dated between A. D. 55 and 65.

Emphases

1. The cross. Mark emphasizes both the human cause (12:12; 14:1; 15:10) and the divine necessity (8:31; 9:31; 10:33) of the Cross.
2. Discipleship – 8:34-9:1; 9:35 – 10:31; 10:42-45
3. Jesus’s teachings. Although Mark records far fewer actual teachings of Jesus thanthe other Gospel writers, there is a remarkable emphasis on Jesus as a teacher. The words “teacher,” “teach,” “teaching,” and “Rabbi” are applied to Jesus 39 times in Mark.
4. The Messianic secret – 1:34,44; 3:12; 5:43; 7:36-37; 8:26,30; 9:9
5. Son of God. Although Mark emphasizes the humanity of Jesus (3:5; 6:6,31,34; 7:34; 8:12,33; 10:14; 11:12), he does not neglect his deity (1:1,11; 3:11; 5:7; 9:7; 12:1-11; 13:32; 15:39)

High Points In Mark

• Chapter 1: Jesus’ ministry gets underway
• Chapter 2: scenes from Jesus’ life during a period of widespread acclaim.
• Chapter 3: Jesus calls his 12 disciples
• Chapter 4: brief parables and the account of the calming of a storm
• Chapter 5: three miracles of healing, with varying crowd reactions.
• Chapter 6: several famous miracles and also the story of John the Baptist’s beheading
• Chapter 7: the Pharisees’ opposition to Jesus begins to mount.
• Chapter 8: Jesus’ increasing popularity and the growing tension eventually leading to his death.
• Chapter 9: Jesus’ Transfiguration and other scenes.
• Chapter 10: Jesus’ teachings on divorce, humility and wealth.
• Chapter 11: Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem for the last week of his life.
• Chapter 12: Jesus’ teaching on a variety of topics.
• Chapter 13: Jesus’ predictions of the end of the world
• Chapter 14: the events leading to Jesus’ arrest and his trial before a religious court.
• Chapters 15 and 16 are the last events in Jesus’ earthly life.

Luke

The Gospel of Luke differs from the other Synoptic Gospels, offering unique perspectives, themes, and emphases. 

Emphases:

1. The Universal Gospel: Luke’s Gospel emphasizes the universality of Jesus’ message. It presents Jesus as the Savior not only of the Jews but also of all humanity. This is evident in the inclusion of stories highlighting Jesus’ interactions with Gentiles, women, and marginalized groups, such as the Samaritan woman at the well (John 4:1-42) and the parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37).
2. Historical and Geographical Details: Luke pays close attention to historical and geographical details, grounding his narrative in a specific time and place. He often provides specific dates and locations for events, such as the birth of Jesus during the reign of Caesar Augustus (Luke 2:1-7) and the journey to Jerusalem (Luke 9:51).
3. Prayer and the Holy Spirit: Luke’s Gospel highlights the importance of prayer and the role of the Holy Spirit in Jesus’ life and ministry. Luke frequently portrays Jesus praying and being led by the Spirit, emphasizing the intimate relationship between Jesus and the Father (Luke 3:21-22, 5:16, Luke 11:1-13).
4. Concern for the Poor and Social Justice: Luke’s Gospel strongly emphasizes social justice and care for the marginalized. It includes several teachings and parables that address issues of poverty, wealth, and social inequality, such as the parable of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31) and the story of the rich young ruler (Luke 18:18-30).
5. Focus on Women and their Role in the Kingdom: Luke pays particular attention to the role of women in Jesus’ ministry, highlighting their contributions and significance. He includes stories of women such as Mary, the mother of Jesus (Luke 1:26-56), and Mary Magdalene (Luke 8:1-3), emphasizing their faith and discipleship.
6. Mercy and Forgiveness: Luke’s Gospel emphasizes the themes of mercy and forgiveness, portraying Jesus as a compassionate Savior who extends grace to sinners. This is evident in stories such as the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32) and Jesus’ forgiveness of the woman who anointed his feet (Luke 7:36-50).
7. Salvation and the Kingdom of God: Like the other Synoptic Gospels, Luke’s Gospel emphasizes the coming of the kingdom of God and the salvation offered through Jesus Christ. Luke presents Jesus as the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecies and the one who brings salvation to all who believe in him (Luke 4:16-21, Luke 19:9-10).
8. Prayer and Worship: Luke highlights the importance of prayer and worship not only in Jesus’ life but also in the lives of his disciples. He includes teachings on persistent prayer (Luke 11:5-13, Luke 18:1-8) and emphasizes the importance of prayer in times of decision-making and crisis (Luke 6:12-13, Luke 22:39-46).
9.  Reversal of Fortunes: Luke’s Gospel contains several instances where Jesus overturns societal expectations and norms. He often portrays the humble and lowly being exalted while the powerful and wealthy are brought low. This theme is evident in the Beatitudes (Luke 6:20-26), the parable of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31), and the Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55).
10. Hospitality and Table Fellowship: Luke frequently portrays Jesus sharing meals and table fellowship with various people, including sinners and outcasts. This emphasis on hospitality reflects Jesus’ inclusive ministry and his desire to welcome all into the kingdom of God (Luke 5:27-32, Luke 7:36-50, Luke 19:1-10).
11. Discipleship and Following Jesus: Luke’s Gospel underscores the call to discipleship and the cost of following Jesus. He includes teachings on the demands of discipleship, such as self-denial and taking up one’s cross (Luke 9:23-27, Luke 14:25-35). He highlights the importance of obedience and perseverance in following Christ (Luke 6:46-49, Luke 9:57-62).
12. Joy and Celebration: Luke’s Gospel contains numerous instances of joy and celebration, particularly in response to the arrival of Jesus and the proclamation of the kingdom of God. He includes stories of rejoicing angels at Jesus’ birth (Luke 2:8-20), the joy of finding the lost (Luke 15:1-10), and the celebration of the prodigal son’s return (Luke 15:11-32), emphasizing the joy that comes with salvation and reconciliation.

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