Purpose and Authorship: The Synoptic Problem

Question 1

The Synoptic Problem

Answer 1

The gospels have many similarities, but also differences meaning that they need to be studied to find true meaning and history.

Question 2

Biblical criticism

Answer 2

the study of the Bible. This aims to make the Bible more meaningful by studying the circumstances and processes of it’s writing.

Question 3

Johann Griesbach

Answer 3

influential Biblical scholar who was the first to show the gospels in parallel columns to show similarities and differences in 1776. This was a synopsis.

Question 4

What did synopsis allow and show?

Answer 4

Synopsis allowed viewing of each Gospel and where two agreed and one didn’t (vice versa) and that there was unique content to that Gospel.
-showed similarities of wording, suggested common sources, possible Greek translations from the original Aramaic
-Matthew and Luke seemed to follow Mark (went against the traditional view that Matthew was written first)

Question 5

Source criticsim

Answer 5

Asks wether the writers used shared sources and what they might be. Is important for the synoptic problem.

The question is, why are the so many similarities and so many differences.

Question 6

Why do scholars believe that Mark was written first?

Answer 6

-it is the shortest
-misses out key features (Lord’s prayer)
-written in poor greek
-similar phrases were tidied up by Matthew and Luke
-Jesus’ words were harsh in Mark 4:39 while they were much gentler in Matthew and Luke, suggesting they changed it to suit the church at the time
-Disciples are presented superficially

Question 7

Graham Stanton on Markan priority

Answer 7

(1989) said Mark is “the first gospel to have been written and therefore the gospel with the highest claims”

Question 8

Why might Matthew and Luke have made changes to Mark in their gospels

Answer 8

Matthew and Luke may have wanted to present Jesus in a way that would keep the christian faith alive and so changed some language from Mark

Question 9

Source criticism solutions: There may have been a proto gospel

Answer 9

-a lost gospel written in Hebrew or Aramaic lies behind the four canonical gospels
-based on early Christian tradition- 2nd century Papias of Hierapolis- apostle Matthew composed such a gospel
-subsequently translated into the canon gospel of Matthew
-this is dismissed as modern scholars believe that Mark was written first, not Matthew

Question 10

The Two Sources Theory (Weisse)

Answer 10

-most widely accepted among NT scholars
-settles the problems that arise with Matthew first
-Marcan priority
-matthew and luke separately used Mark as a source. Matthew reproduces the vast majority of Mark
-Luke uses more than half of Mark
-the theory is that there was a second source, Q, which Matthew and Luke used also. Matthew and Luke include more of Jesus’ sayings which weren’t in Mark, suggesting that Q is a list of sayings and parables

Question 11

Four Document Theory (BH Streeter)

Answer 11

-developed to explain the passages unique to Matthew and Luke
-31 verses from Mark not in Matthew or Luke
-Matthew and Luke used an unknown source (Q which is German ,Quelle, meaning source)
-nearly 200 verses not in Mark suggest another source (mostly sayings and parables of Jesus)

The other sources: M (gave Matthew 282 unique verses including birth, some miracles, Judas suicide and use of OT) and L (gave Luke 490 verses including 14 parables, parts of the passion, characters such as Mary, Martha and Zaccheaus)

Question 12

Form Criticism

Answer 12

Refers to the understanding of the type of writing
-associated with German scholar Hermann Gunkel, who analysed biblical literary forms in order to rediscover the history of their development
-it explores how various stories from eyewitnesses were passed on and shaped in the time period prior to when the books were written
-each literary form emerges from a specific point in someone’s life

Question 13

Narrative Criticism

Answer 13

refers to the understanding of the elements of the story

Question 14

Bultmann and Dibellius

Answer 14

argued material used came from oral traditions and copied into existing forms (or styles) of literature
Form was important as it shows importance writers placed on the particular teaching/message

suggested that these followed well known literary styles (Often Greek)

Question 15

Form criticism and sitz in lieben

Answer 15

gospels may not be supposed to be historical documents
written for needs of writers and the early church
context of Sitz im lieben (‘life setting’) seemed to overtake historical accuracy.

only a fraction of Jesus’ words in the gospel were from him
the rest was adapted by the early church to fit its needs (spreading the word)
e.g. Matthew 18:15-22 is about church discipline and is unlikely to have been said by Jesus

Question 16

Form critics on historicity

Answer 16

-gospels are not about historical truth- instead spiritual truth
-historical Jesus was not as relevant - even that it didn’t matter to the early church wether Jesus existed
-writers linked units of parables and sayings, stories and pronouncements according to needs of early church

Form critics emphasise the need to strip the gospels of extra elaboration to get the ‘original unbiased material’

Question 17

Dibellius’ Categories of Writing

Answer 17

-myths/legends: unreliable dealing with divinity
-parables: stories on morals and kingdom of God
-miracles: healings etc
-teachings/pronouncements: narratives with an important teaching at it’s core
-speeches: lengthy prose (sermon on the mount)
-shorter sayings: prophecies, eschatological warnings, church rules

Question 18

Supporting Form Criticism

Answer 18

-Form criticism raised awareness of the common oral tradition that pre dated the gospels
-the essence of truth is still contained in the content of the gospels, as the oral traditions could be accurate
-emphasises that the gospels are not be read as exact biographical accounts

Question 19

Opposing Form Criticism

Answer 19

-oral tradition continued alongside written gospel, so community needs could affect a later gospel
-oral tradition may have already grouped certain items together prior to the written account
-disagreements between form critics on the methods for deciding what is original material and what are later additions

Question 20

Redaction Criticism

Answer 20

Analysing how the text has been translated, edited and transmitted.
Redaction means editing for publication.

Question 21

Origins and suggestions of redaction criticism

Answer 21

First used by Wilhelm Wrede (1901) and was developed until after 1945.
Suggested that Gospel writers were more creative than form criticism allowed.
Writers (evangelists) used the traditions/forms for their own theological purpose.
Looked not just at sources but beyond- how they used that material.

Question 22

Hans Conzelmann on redaction criticism

Answer 22

claimed Luke was not a historian but a theologian who wrote about the history of salvation.

Question 23

Wilhelm Wrede on Redaction criticism

Answer 23

claimed that the ‘Messianic secret’ was used by Mark to emphasise Jesus’ Christs like nature.

Question 24

Outline of the findings of redaction criticism

Answer 24

-Gospel authors were not eyewitnesses- they used oral and written reports from others
-they did have some written materials regarding words and deeds of Jesus and his followers and many accounts that had come to them through oral tradition
-they were not just “cut and paste” collectors- they wanted to tell coherent stories that would be effective in spreading their pre existing beliefs about Jesus
-they had to edit the source materials to make them fit into their narratives
-the gospel authors were not disinterested reporters but “evangelists” with distinctive theological beliefs and ideals; they edited their sources according to these beliefs

Question 25

Emendation Analysis (a method of redaction criticism)

Answer 25

Observing changes that have been made in the source material. Works best when studying portions of Matthew and Luke thought to be derived from Mark.

Question 26

Example of emendation analysis

Answer 26

Mark 4:40, “Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?”. Matthew 8:26, “Why are you afraid, you of little faith?”
this affects how viewers see the disciples
Emendation is less helpful when looking at Matthew and Luke when the source is not Mark.

Question 27

Example of emendation analysis when the passage is in Matthew and Luke, but not Mark

Answer 27

Luke 6:20 “Blessed are you who are poor”
Matthew 5:3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit”

The source for this (not Mark maybe Q) says either one or the other, but we do not know who changed it.

Emendation analysis is less helpful when studying Mark, John or passages unique to Matthew or Luke.

Question 28

Composition Analysis

Answer 28

Notes how units have been ordered and arranged.

This can be through general observations of the overall structure of a gospel

or

Through examining the immediate context of individual passages in the gospels

Question 29

An example of composition analysis through general observations of the overall structure of a Gospel

Answer 29

Luke devotes ten chapters (9:51-19:40) to a journey that Jesus makes to Jerusalem. This takes half a chapter in Mark (10:32-52)
The trip is more significant to Luke’s overall story and reveals something different about Luke’s perspective.

Question 30

An example of composition analysis through examining immediate context of individual passages

Answer 30

Matthew (18:10-14) parable of the lost sheep, “it is not the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones should be lost”

Matthew (18:15-20) Jesus outlines procedures for removing an unrepentant sinner from the Church

Matthew (18:21-22) Jesus insists that we must forgive each other repeatedly.

The harsher teachings are softened by ideas of forgiveness. He wants to make the expulsion procedure clear while also emphasising forgiveness.

Question 31

Mark’s characteristics

Answer 31

-Jesus of action and authority
eyewitness details
-retention of Aramaic
-persecution
-simple style and language
-unfolding Messiahship

Question 32

Matthew’s characteristics

Answer 32

-Jewish interest and links
-suggested anti-Jewish elements
-The Church, eschatology and judgement
-Jesus as a royal figure
-supernatural emphasis
-special interest in the teaching of Jesus

Question 33

Luke’s characteristics

Answer 33

-Women
-Salvation and forgiveness
-concern for outcasts
-universality
-The Holy Spirit
-prayer and praise
-humility
-wealth
-the historical

Question 34

Successes of Redaction criticism

Answer 34

-shows creative role of author
-the purpose of an author/editor is largely still observable
-can show context
-recognises historical narratives in the bible are not primarily an account of events, but instead have theological agendas

Question 35

Criticisms of Redaction criticism

Answer 35

-relies on ‘Q’ and 4 document hypothesis
-may imply that the author is too creative and give a false account of the tex’s reliability
-can be wrongly asserted that what has been added or modified isn’t historical
-could place too much emphasis on what has been modified, forgetting the significance of what has been preserved
-makes too much out of minor differences. Not every instance of omission or addition is theologically driven

Question 36

The Feeding of the five thousand in the synoptic gospels

Answer 36

Mark 6: 40-43
Matthew 14:19-20
Luke 9:16-17
All three gospels use very similar (at points, identical) wording, suggesting that they all shared a source.
There are also parts that are unique to Matthew and Mark.
There is one part (“broken pieces that were left over”) that is shared by Matthew and Luke, but not Mark, suggesting a second source. However, this is only a different wording, while the same meaning is still communicated in Mark.

Question 37

Matthew on the Healing of Simon’s mother

Answer 37

Matthew (8:14-17) does not include Jesus leaving the synagogue, Andrew and James and John and the demons speaking to Jesus.

Matthew adds a reference to Isaiah, who wrote,”He took up our infirmities and bore our diseases”

Question 38

Luke on the Healing of the mother

Answer 38

Doesn’t include Andrew and James and John, the people gathering at the door.

Adds that the demons called Jesus the “Son of God”, the demons knew that he was the Messiah, he laid his hands on people to heal them

Question 39

Hermann Gunkel

Answer 39

First form critic. Claimed that Gospels were written with cultural influence, meaning that not all forms would have been completely conscious, but the way literature was written was more natural. It is possible to identify the context in which a section of a gospel was used by the early church just by observing form

Question 40

Papias on Mark

Answer 40

[Mark] “became the interpreter of Peter, wrote accurately, as far as he remembered them, the things said or done by the Lord”