Synoptic Gospels

The Synoptic Gospels refer to the Christian Gospels of Mark, Matthew, and Luke, which share many similarities in content, style, and wording. The term synoptic comes from the Greek synoptikos, which means “able to be seen together.” The four biblical Gospels—Mark, Matthew, Luke, and John—all recount the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, the founder of Christianity. The Gospels were written by various people years after Jesus’s death, yet despite some differences, the Synoptic Gospels are remarkably similar, containing accounts of the same events in the same chronological order and often using identical or similar wording and quotes. This suggests that the three Gospels were copied from one another or from a common source. On the other hand, the Gospel of John seems to have been written independently. It includes some events not found in the other three Gospels and has a more objective tone, as if it were written from an historical perspective rather than by an eyewitness.

Background

Christianity is based upon the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, who lived in the Roman province of Judea from about 6 Before the Common Era (BCE) to 30 Common Era (CE). Jesus was a Jewish religious figure who traveled through Judea and the surrounding region, spreading his teachings, and attracting a growing group of followers. Sometime about 30 CE, Jesus was arrested, tortured, and crucified by the Romans who feared his growing influence. Christians believe that Jesus rose from the dead after three days and eventually returned to heaven, but not before telling his followers to “make disciples of all the nations.”

In the first decades after Jesus’s death, Christianity began to grow throughout the Middle East and Roman Empire. The earliest Christians did not have a definitive body of written doctrine or works about the life of Jesus. Instead, independent authors began compiling their own works to answer questions of faith and tell the story of Jesus’s life. These works were often contradictory and contained different theological ideas and versions of Christian history. The wide proliferation of Christian works was problematic for the early Church, which wanted to create a unified body of writings that would stand as the main tenets of the faith. In the early fourth century, under orders from Constantine, the first Christian emperor of Rome, a group of bishops met to decide which texts would be officially made part of Church doctrine. They chose a group of twenty-seven works that eventually became the New Testament of the Bible. Included in these works were the four gospels of Mark, Matthew, Luke, and John.

Overview

The earliest known written work of Christian literature was the first epistle written by the Apostle Paul to the Thessalonians about 50 CE. However, scholars believe that a compilation of the sayings of Jesus may have existed prior to Paul’s first letter. Known as “Q”—from the German word quelle, or “source”—the existence of the work has never been definitively proven. Scholars believe Q may have consisted of a single work, multiple works, or a combination of written and oral testimony.

The first of the four Gospels of the New Testament was likely the Gospel of Mark, which was believed to have been written about 70 CE. The Gospel of Matthew was believed to have been written next about 80–85 CE, followed by Luke between 85 and 95 CE. The Gospel of John was believed to be written between 90 and 100 CE, although some scholars date its creation later in the second century. Despite being attributed to various disciples of Jesus, the true authors of the gospels are unknown. It was common practice at the time to attribute written works to famous religious figures.

While each of the four gospels seems written for a different audience and presents the life of Jesus through a different lens, Mark, Matthew, and Luke follow a similar outline and contain many of the same events and quotations. Mark seems to have been written for a Christian audience that was facing persecution in Rome, and he presents a more humble version of Jesus. Matthew was aimed at a community of Jewish Christians and highlights Jesus’s role as the promised Messiah of the Jews. Luke was written for non-Jewish Christians in the Roman Empire and focuses on the human side of Jesus. Yet all three Gospels present the life of Jesus along the same chronological path and, in most cases, use similar wording to describe events.

For example, the Synoptic Gospels all recount part of Jesus’s ministry beginning with him healing a paralyzed man, followed by him sharing a meal with sinners, and then answering questions about fasting. The three Gospels are all written from a descriptive point of view as if the authors were eyewitnesses to the events as they were happening. The Synoptic Gospels also contain similar parables, or stories meant to contain a spiritual message. In contrast, about 90 percent of the Gospel of John is different from the Synoptic Gospels. John is written in a more historical style and contains more personal dialogue, with almost no parables. Mark, Matthew, and Luke also include events such as Jesus’s temptation in the desert, the Sermon on the Mount, and the institution of the sacrament of Communion at the Last Supper. John does not mention these events.

Early Christian leaders believed that Matthew had been written first and was used as a primary source by Mark and Luke. For this reason, Matthew is the first of the four Gospels in the Bible. However, modern scholars view the Gospel of Mark as being written first and estimate that about 90 percent of Mark is also included in the gospels of Matthew and Luke. The most commonly accepted explanation for these similarities is that the authors of Matthew and Luke used the Gospel of Mark as the primary source for their own versions. They likely also included information from another source, possibly the Q source. Other theories suggest that Matthew and Luke each used an additional source, along with information from Mark and Q.

Despite differing theories and interpretations and the controversies of the Synoptic Gospels, known among Christian scholars as the "synoptic problem," they remain critically important to the study of Christianity. They are foundational documents for the religion and provide historical context for the time in which Jesus lived. Christian scholars continue to study their socialities and differences.

Bibliography

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Just, Felix. “The Synoptic Problem.” Catholic Resources for Bible, Liturgy, Art, and Theology, catholic-resources.org/Bible/Synoptic‗Problem.htm. Accessed 20 May 2024.

Kirby, Peter. Early Christian Writings, 2021, www.earlychristianwritings.com/. Accessed 3 July 2021.

Knox, John S. “Christianity.” World History Encyclopedia, 22 Sept. 2016, www.worldhistory.org/christianity. Accessed 20 May 2024.

“Major Differences Between John and the Synoptic Gospels.” Bible.org, 2021, bible.org/seriespage/2-major-differences-between-john-and-synoptic-gospels. Accessed 20 May 2024.

Mellowes, Marilyn. “An Introduction to the Gospels.” PBS, April 1998, www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/religion/story/mmfour.html. Accessed 3 July 2021.

Stobb, William S. The Four Gospels: A Guide to Their Historical Background, Characteristic Differences, and Timeless Significance. Ambassador International, 2007.

“What Are the Synoptic Gospels, and Where Do They Come From?” Zondervan Academic, 18 Sept. 2017, zondervanacademic.com/blog/synoptic-gospels. Accessed 20 May 2024.

“Who Wrote the Gospels, and How Do We Know for Sure?” Zondervan Academic, 30 Sept. 2017, zondervanacademic.com/blog/who-wrote-gospels. Accessed 3 July 2021.