The Synoptic Problem

The so-called synoptic problem is a literary problem (or puzzle) that has its basis in the remarkable similarity of context, order, and even (in some instances) exact wording that exists between Matthew, Mark, and Luke. This repository of common material is what earned these three the honor of being “the synoptic gospels”(lit. synopsis = “seeing together”). Yet it is also clear that Matthew, Mark, and Luke differ from one another in rather stark ways, and so the literary puzzle of the formation of the synoptic gospels is bounded on the one hand by their remarkable similarities, and on the other hand by their graphic differences.

Perhaps a few numerical comparisons will suffice: there are 661 verses in Mark, of substance 606 of these appear in Matthew, though generally these are shortened and sometimes relocated with respect to context or chronological order. Luke carries the substance of about 350 of Mark’s 661 verses, or about half of it. Leaving Mark out of the picture for the moment, Matthew and Luke have about 235 verses in common and those verses are not present in Mark.

So there is a great deal of material common to all three synoptics; and in some instances their agreement is virtually verbatim. For example: Matthew 3:3 = Mark 1:3 = Luke 3:4; Matthew 11:10 = Mark 1:2 = Luke 7:27; Matthew 9:1-17 = Mark 2:1-22 = Luke 5:17-39 (very rare words) and Matthew 8:16 = Mark 1:32 = Luke 4:40 (transitional phrases).

Almost all modern scholarship in the synoptics proceeds from the assumption that Mark was the earliest of the synoptic gospels and that it played a significant role in the formation of the other two. The “primitive character” of Mark is often argued in the following fashion:

a) Chronology: Matthew and Luke seem to intentionally follow Mark’s chronological order. When Mark and Luke differ, Matthew always follows Mark, when Mark and Matthew differ, Luke always agrees with Mark. Matthew and Luke never agreed together against Mark;

b) Style and language in Mark are said to be cruder and less polished than the others suggesting, perhaps they had the opportunity to edit, revise and improve Marks’ text;

c) Opaque omissions: Several phrases from Mark which are difficult to understand are omitted from Matthew and Luke, even though the material surrounding them is used (Mark 2:26 = Matthew 12:3, Luke 6:3; and Mark 10:19 with para.);

d) Toned Down: Mark’s rather blunt appraisals of the failures of the disciples are intentionally moderated by Matthew and Luke. for example: Matthew omits several of Mark’s more “human” depictions of them: Mark 6:52; 9:32-33. Luke transforms Peter’s oath (Mark 14:71) into something quite tamer (Luke 22:60); he omits Jesus’ ringing rebuke of Peter (Mark 8:33);

e) Christology: Mark’s descriptions of Jesus are more human (Mark 3:5; 6:6;10:21), and the later writers – perhaps because of the context of heresy – down Jesus’ humanity and omit those passages. In a similar way Mark offers statements that imply Jesus was not always able to do what he intended to accomplish (Mark 1:45; 6:48), and those instances were omitted by Matthew and Luke as were all those questions asked by Jesus which imply ignorance on his part (Mark 5:9; 30; 8:12; 14:14). None of this material is carried by Matthew and Luke – perhaps in an attempt to stress Jesus’ deity. Mark’s titles for Jesus are more characteristically those of the primitive period, “Rabbi,” “Teacher,” etc. Only once is Jesus called “Lord.” But “Lord” (kurios) becomes the favorite title of the early church (think of Paul’s use!), and “Lord” appears 19 times in Matthew and 16 times in Luke – seemingly identifying them with the later apostolic period, as opposed to the early years. In a similar way, when Mark reports an incident which heightens the miraculous character of Jesus’ ministry Matthew and Luke often adds a word or two (“all,” “many,” etc.) to enhance that effect (compare: Mark 1:32-34 with Matthew 8:16; Mark 11:20-21 with Matthew 21:19-20).

f) Parables: In those frequent instances in which Matthew and Luke follow Mark’s rendition of Jesus’ parables, there is also a tendency on the part of Matthew and Luke to extend the application of Mark’s parables (compare Mark 12:8 = Matthew 21:39 = Luke 20:15; both Matthew and Luke shape and sharpen Mark’s version of Jesus’ parable in a way that makes it unmistakable that it refers to the event surrounding Christ’s death).

Matthew and Luke use Mark and their other sources (Q = Quelle, etc.) differently. Matthew likes to weave threads (words and phrases) from his various sources together to form his own distinctive tapestry of events (narrative). If one asks how Matthew used Mark, it becomes clear that Matthew does not follow Mark slavishly; Matthew revised Mark (polish, omissions, shortening various episodes), and Matthew enlarged Mark by adding new materials at the beginning and end, and by interspersing five great sermons by Jesus throughout the narrative structure provided by Mark. The gospel material unique to Matthew, and not present in Mark is quite significant. It includes:

a) The nativity stories (Matthew 1-2)
b) Most of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7)
c) Much of Jesus’ charge to the 12 (Matthew 10)
d) Most of ch. 18’s material on forgiveness, etc. (Matthew 18)
e) Fifteen parables (four in Matthew 13, and 3 in ch. 25)
f) 3 accounts about Peter (Matthew 14-17)
g) The “Woes” upon Scribes and Pharisees (Matthew 23)
h) Additions to the Passion and Resurrection (Matthew 27-28)

Luke uses his sources quite differently; roughly 1/3 of Luke is not found in Mark. No clear case can be made for Luke using Matthew, so Luke’s dependence upon Mark becomes all the more interesting. After his historical introduction (Luke 1, 2) which is unique to Luke, the rest of his gospel can be seen as alternating blocks of material, some of which comes from Mark and some of which is unique to Luke. Thus Luke seems to be formed in this fashion:

a) 3:1-4:30 Luke material
b) 4:31-44 Mark material
c) 5:1-11 Luke material
d) 5:12-6:11 Mark material
e) 6:12-8:3 Luke material
f) 8:4-9:50 Mark material
g) 9:51-18:14 Luke material
h) 18:15-43 Mark material
i) 19:1-28 Luke material
j) 10:29-36 Mark material
k) 19:37-48 Luke material
l) 19:48-22:13 Mark material
m) 22:14-24:53 Luke material