Synoptic

Gospels

Bib 114

SUMMARY OF

SESSIONS 1 & 2

Unit 1 Session 1

• Synoptic defined: Greek meaning “seeing together”. Synoptic

Gospels = “seeing the good news alike or in the same way”

•Worksheet #1 gives you an example of how three different

writers experienced the same event BUT told these events

from their own perspective and with their target reader in mind

• Mark is discussed as “the priority of Mark” = Most scholars

believe Mark was written first and Matthew and Luke used “a

secret source for their writings”…the “Q Source”

An unknown source the material in Matthew and Luke

written as common stories that are not in Mark.

Mark’s gospel was written 1st

M = Only in Mathew L = Only in Luke

Mark + Q + M = book of Matthew

Mark + Q + L = book of Luke

“Q” is…

Principles to Consider

•Remember, they are just theories.

•Whatever theories scholars

advance about how the written texts

developed, they remain merely

theories.

•Do not fear questions.

•Never fear honest inquiry into the

sources, for this study can increase

our appreciation of the Gospel

records.

•Do not miss what is most important.

•If we concentrate too much on source

questions, we allow their focus to

detract from the content—what God

says in and through His Son. Strive to

maintain balance.

•Consider the true Source.

•The Bible in its entirety is God’s

inspired Word, which He has disclosed

to us through the revelation of the Holy

Spirit so that we may honor His

purposes for us (2 Peter 1:21).

Visual 4

Let’s look at Mark:

•John Mark = two names were common during the first century

AD. John was his Jewish name, Mark was his Roman or Greek

name. Commonly called in scripture either John Mark or Mark

•Worksheet Session 1 - #2 Examine Mark’s footprint in the NT

• Mark’s mother was a wealthy widow. Her home is accepted by

scholars as the place the Last Supper was served. Mark could

have been on of the servers at that time. All the disciples knew

him as “Mary’s son”…

•A look at Mark continues:

• Barnabas, Paul’s partner on their first Missionary Journey, was

John Mark’s cousin. Hence, JMark was invited to join their

journey. However, he returned home after a short time… making

Paul reject him from joining them on his 2nd Missionary Journey.

Paul took Silas on his journey and Barnabas took JMark back to

Cyprus (their homeland and the place of JMark’s failure)

•He could have been (most likely was) the young man mentioned

in Luke 22: 7-16 and Mark 14: 51 & 52.

Mark and the Gospel of Mark

• Peter called JMark “my spiritual son” in I Peter 5:13

•Papias (60 –150 ad) was an early Church Father (2nd generation

Christian) stated, “John the Presbyter (Apostle) called Mark the

interpreter/secretary for Peter.”

•JMark wrote the Book of Mark 58ad –65 ad Peter died 64ad

• Meaning = JMark was the recorder of Peter’s words and stories

•JMark was writing to Roman and Gentile readers

• JMark portrayed Jesus as “Christ, the Son of God”, a doer, and a

worker of mighty miracles.

Unit #1

Session #1, Worksheet #1

Unit #1

Session 1 Worksheet #2

Unit #1

Session #1

Worksheet #3

Unit #1

SESSION #2

BACKGROUNDS OF MATTHEW & LUKE

Matthew

• Matthew’s birthname = Levi (priestly family line – a Levite), now

a tax collector –betrayer of his own people by working for Rome

•Scholars say Jesus changed his name to Matthew –meaning

“the gift of God”

• Acts 1:13 is the last time “Matthew” is mentioned. Early Church

Fathers and Historians say he preached to the Hebrews/Jews,

he preached in Ethiopia, Macedonia, Syria, and Persia

•Jerusalem & the Temple were destroyed by the Romans in

70ad…not mentioned in his book, most likely written 60-69ad

Matthew’s Jewish Tone

•Matthew quotes from the Old

Testament prophets more than any

other Synoptic writer.

•Matthew frequently uses terms that

would appeal to the Jewish mind:

the holy city, the holy place, Son of

David.

•Matthew refers often to the

fulfillment of Old Testament

prophecy.

• Matthew’s lack of explanation

regarding Jewish religious acts

and practices indicates that he

expected his readers to be

familiar with these things.

•Matthew emphasizes that Jesus

did not come to destroy but to

fulfill the Jewish Law.

•Matthew repeatedly condemns

Jewish religious leaders for their

evil ways. Gentiles would not be

interested in such an emphasis.

•Matthew answers questions that

Jews would be prone to ask.

Visual 13

Unit #1

Session #2

Worksheet #4

Luke

About Luke… read the following verses:

Colossians 4: 10-14 Paul identifies Luke as “our dear friend, the

doctor”

II Timothy 4: 11 Luke was the only one (at that time) with Paul

when Paul was imprisoned

Philemon v24. Paul called Luke “one of his fellow workers”

Evidence of Luke’s Authorship

•A comparison of the preface of the

Gospel of Luke and the preface to

the book of Acts makes it clear that

the same person was likely to have

written both books (Luke 1:1–4;

Acts 1:1).

•The writer dedicated both books to

a person called Theophilus, who

may have been a Gentile of higher

social rank and patron of the

books.

•The writer of the two volumes

wrote Luke first (Acts 1:1).

•The book of Acts contains sections

written in the first person, the so-

called “we sections” (Acts 16:10–

17; 20:5–15; 21:1–18; 27:1–

28:16).

•The author wrote these sections in

the first person when he traveled

as a companion of the apostle

Paul.

•If the author of Acts was Luke,

then the traveling companion in the

“we” sections was Luke.

•Early church historians, including

Irenaeus, Justin Martyr, Eusebius,

and the Muratorian Canon, confirm

that Luke was indeed the author of

the third Gospel. Visual 16

What Sets Luke Apart from Matthew and Mark

Luke “carefully investigated everything

from the beginning” (Luke 1:3).

Luke gives more details on the birth and

childhood of John the Baptist and Jesus

than either of the other Synoptic writers.

Only Luke includes information on John

the Baptist’s parents.

Luke gives the most historical details of

the Gospel writers.

Luke’s Gospel spans the longest period of

time in the life of Christ: from fifteen

months before His birth to His ascension.

Luke shows the most interest in individual

people.

Luke emphasizes salvation for all people

more than any other Gospel writer.

Luke shows Jesus praying far more than

can be found in any other Gospel

Visual 17

Mark wrote to the Gentile in general and to the Roman in particular, but Luke wrote to the Gentile in

general and to the Greek in particular.

The Gospel of Matthew is the bridge between the Old and New Testaments, but the Gospel of Luke

bridges the events between Christ and the establishment of the church.

Luke is the most complete or comprehensive of all the Gospels: