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The Synoptic Problem: Unpacking the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, & Luke

Have you ever noticed the striking similarities and intriguing differences between the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke? This video dives deep into “The Synoptic Problem,” exploring why these three accounts of Jesus’ life and ministry are so alike, yet distinct, and what that means for understanding the New Testament!

We’ll start by introducing the Synoptic Gospels individually, highlighting the unique characteristics and theological emphases of Mark, Matthew, and Luke. Discover why Mark is often considered the earliest, how Matthew connects Jesus to the Old Testament, and Luke’s universal message for all.

Then, we’ll clearly define the Synoptic Problem itself – the scholarly puzzle of explaining the literary relationship between these three Gospels. We’ll examine:

Key Similarities: From shared stories and sayings to similar wording and narrative order.
Intriguing Differences: We’ll break down common variations, like the calling of the first disciples, the healing of Peter’s mother-in-law, the blind man at Jericho, and the Lord’s Prayer.
But the variations don’t stop there! We’ll dedicate a significant portion to the Resurrection accounts, meticulously comparing how Matthew, Mark, and Luke differ on:

The number and identity of women at the tomb
The encounter and messengers at the tomb
The message conveyed
The women’s initial reactions
The initial appearances of Jesus
Final instructions and location
Crucially, we’ll then demonstrate how these seemingly disparate resurrection accounts can be harmonized into a coherent timeline, suggesting that the differences often represent complementary perspectives rather than contradictions. We’ll walk through a detailed Sunday morning sequence of events, showing how various elements from each Gospel can fit together to form a richer, more nuanced picture.

Finally, we’ll explore some of the major proposed solutions to the Synoptic Problem, including:

Oral Tradition: The idea of standardized early preaching.
Interdependence: The widely accepted theory that later Gospels used earlier ones (e.g., Markan Priority).
Proto-Gospel: The hypothesis of a lost, earlier written source.
Fragmentary Theory: Suggesting compilation from various smaller sources.