Gospel Studies and the Synoptic Problem
Canon and Historical Background
-Material covered prior to the first short exam is still fair game, but the mid-term will focus primarily on material covered after the first short exam.
(Go back through your notes. If I have told you that something will reappear on exams throughout the semester [e.g., “eclectic text”], study that material. Otherwise, focus on the lectures after the first short exam.)
Gospel Studies & The Synoptic Problem
-Be able to explain clearly the two most common source theories.
Two Gospel Hypothesis: The hypothesis states that Matthew was written first, while Christianity was still centered in Jerusalem, to calm the hostility between Jews and Christians. After Matthew, Luke was written as a gospel to the Gentiles. But since neither Luke (nor his patron Paul) were eyewitnesses of Jesus, Peter gave public testimonies that validated Luke’s gospel. These public speeches were transcribed into Mark’s gospel and distributed immediately thereafter.
Two Source Hypothesis: States that Mark was written first and was a source for Matthew and Luke, but so was an unknown source, “Q”
-Be able to offer at least one challenge to each of these theories.
Two Gospel Hypothesis:. Theological Issue; the true end at Mark’s gospel is 16:8, other material was written by a later scribe. The stories ending causes so many problems that a scribe had to add something to the end of it. How is it that Matthew and Luke are the sources and the endings are so completely different and bizzare? Uncomfortable ending!
Two Source Hypothesis: It uses a gospel that doesn’t exist.
-If a particular source theory lends itself to a particular kind of criticism/interpretation, you should know the name of that critical method and be able to describe it.
-Be able to say something about the way that the beliefs associated with Enlightenment philosophy affected studies of religion generally (and studies of Jesus specifically) in the 19th
-Material covered prior to the first short exam is still fair game, but the mid-term will focus primarily on material covered after the first short exam.
(Go back through your notes. If I have told you that something will reappear on exams throughout the semester [e.g., “eclectic text”], study that material. Otherwise, focus on the lectures after the first short exam.)
Gospel Studies & The Synoptic Problem
-Be able to explain clearly the two most common source theories.
Two Gospel Hypothesis: The hypothesis states that Matthew was written first, while Christianity was still centered in Jerusalem, to calm the hostility between Jews and Christians. After Matthew, Luke was written as a gospel to the Gentiles. But since neither Luke (nor his patron Paul) were eyewitnesses of Jesus, Peter gave public testimonies that validated Luke’s gospel. These public speeches were transcribed into Mark’s gospel and distributed immediately thereafter.
Two Source Hypothesis: States that Mark was written first and was a source for Matthew and Luke, but so was an unknown source, “Q”
-Be able to offer at least one challenge to each of these theories.
Two Gospel Hypothesis:. Theological Issue; the true end at Mark’s gospel is 16:8, other material was written by a later scribe. The stories ending causes so many problems that a scribe had to add something to the end of it. How is it that Matthew and Luke are the sources and the endings are so completely different and bizzare? Uncomfortable ending!
Two Source Hypothesis: It uses a gospel that doesn’t exist.
-If a particular source theory lends itself to a particular kind of criticism/interpretation, you should know the name of that critical method and be able to describe it.
-Be able to say something about the way that the beliefs associated with Enlightenment philosophy affected studies of religion generally (and studies of Jesus specifically) in the 19th