PREFACE
Reading edition
The purpose of this study is twofold: first, to give some account of the investigations recently made in the Synoptic Problem, and the present status of scholarly opinion concerning it; secondly, upon the basis of such established results, to push the inquiry into certain items a step farther.
The first part of the work, including pages 3-120, tho largely occupied with results reached by many different scholars, and bringing the matter up to where the writer adds his own more personal contribution, is yet not a mere survey of results attained. The writer has expressed his own judgment freely thruout it, as to the merits of arguments of others, and as to the points involved in the discussion. But his more personal contribution lies in the analysis of the groundwork Q into the two recensions, Q Mt and Q Lk.
The one book constantly in the writer’s hands during the preparation of this study was A. Huck’s Synopse der drei ersten Evangelien.[1] Without some such parallel edition of the Greek Gospels constantly open before him, one can neither write nor read profitably upon the Synoptic Question. The question of originality, and of giving credit for arguments and suggestions derived from other students, in a study of this sort, is extremely difficult. In the minute comparison of passages in one Gospel with passages in another, many of the differences and resemblances noted are part of the working material of most writers upon the Synoptic Problem; when one has worked thru the analyses of other students, has made their results his own, and has also made his own observations upon the basis of them, it becomes almost impossible for him to say what part of the total result is due to himself and for what part he is indebted to others. The writer is more deeply indebted to Paul Wernle, Sir John Hawkins, and the authors of the Oxford Studies, than to anyone else. The latter book came out after this study had been completed but the results have been revised somewhat under its influence. I have attempted to give credit in footnotes for suggestions received from many sources, but many must have gone unnoticed.
I am under deep obligation to the kind friends who have encouraged and made possible the publication of this Study, particularly to Mr. William H. Murphy, of Detroit.
Carl S. Patton
First Congregational Church Columbus, Ohio August, 1914
CONTENTS
PART I: GENERALLY ACCEPTED RESULTS OF SYNOPTIC STUDY
Chapter I: The Dependence of Matthew and Luke upon Mark
PAGE
The Framework of Mark in Matthew and Luke 3
Up to Luke’s “Great Omission” 3
Luke’s “Great Omission” and Beyond 7
Luke’s “Great Interpolation”: Its Content 8
The Jerusalem Narrative 10
The Story of the Passion 12
The Priority of Mark 13
Luke’s Great Interpolation: Its Non-Use of Mark 16
Chapter II: The Order of Mark’s Gospel Compared with That of Matthew and That of Luke
Order of Mark in Matthew and Luke 19
Table I: Showing Changes Made by Matthew and Luke in the Order of Marcan Material 24
Deductions from the Table 28
Chapter III: The Omissions of Matthew and Luke in the Marcan Narrative
Omissions of Matthew and Luke in Mark 30
Omissions Made by Both Matthew and Luke 30
Omissions Made by Matthew in the Marcan Narrative 31
Omissions Made by Luke in the Marcan Narrative 32
Chapter IV: The Changes of Matthew and Luke in the Narrative of Mark
Changes of Matthew and Luke in Mark 37
The Baptism of Jesus 37
The Calling of the First Disciples 38
Jesus in the Synagogue at Capernaum 38
The Healing of Peter’s Mother-in-Law 38
The Healing in the Evening 39
The Retirement of Jesus 39
The Calling of Peter 40
The Healing of the Leper 41
The Healing of the Paralytic 41
The Calling of Levi (Matthew) 42
The Question about Fasting 42
The Walk Through the Corn 43
The Man with the Withered Hand 44
The Crowd and the Healings 44
The Calling of the Twelve 44
The Pharisaic Accusation and Jesus’ Defense 45
The True Brotherhood of Jesus; the Parable of the Sower; the Purpose of the Parables 45
The Interpretation of the Parable of the Sower 46
A Group of Detached Sayings 47
The Parable of the Mustard Seed 47
The Storm on the Lake 47
The Gadarene Demoniac 48
The Daughter of Jairus and the Woman with the Issue of Blood 49
The Initial Preaching in Nazareth 51
The Sending out of the Disciples 51
The Judgment of Herod concerning Jesus 52
The Death of the Baptist 53
The Return of the Disciples and the Feeding of the Five Thousand 54
The Walking on the Sea 55
The Return to Gennesaret 56
About the Things That Defile 56
The Canaanitish Woman 57
The Feeding of the Four Thousand 57
The Demand for a Sign 57
The Saying about Yeast 57
The Confession of Peter, and the First Prediction of Sufferings 58
The Demands of Discipleship 58
The Transfiguration 59
The Discussion about Elijah 59
The Healing of the Epileptic Boy 60
The Second Prediction of Sufferings 60
The Strife about Rank 61
Minor Passages 61
Summary of Matthew’s and Luke’s Treatment of the Marcan Narrative 70
Chapter V: Have We the Gospel of Mark in Its Original Form?
Have We Mark in Its Original Form? 72
Discussion of the Analysis of Mark by Wendling and von Soden 74
Conclusions of von Soden and Wendling Compared 83
Matthew and Luke Used Our Mark as a Source 88
The Hypothesis of a Primitive Mark Superfluous; Simpler Explanations 88
Some Remarkable Verbal Resemblances 93
Chapter VI: Use of a Common Document by Matthew and Luke
Use of a Common Document by Matthew and Luke 97
A Recent Attempt to Prove Matthew a Source for Luke 100
Chapter VII: the Existence and Content of Q
Existence and Content of Q 108
Deductions from the Table 109
Table II: Material from Q in Matthew 110
Deductions from Table III 115
Table III: Material in Luke Taken from Q 116
The Necessity for a Further Extension of Q 120
PART II: ANALYSIS OF Q INTO QMt AND QLk
Chapter I: Analysis of Q
Analysis of Q 123
Q Originally an Aramaic Document, Used in Greek Translations by Matthew and Luke 123
The Analysis of Q into QMt and QLk 126
Chapter II: Q, QMt, and QLk, in the Double Tradition of Matthew and Luke
Q, QMt, AND QLk in Matthew and Luke 129
The Preaching of John the Baptist 129
The Messianic Proclamation of the Baptist 130
The Temptation 130
“Blessed Are the Poor” 131
“Blessed Are They That Mourn” 132
“Blessed Are They That Hunger” 132
“Blessed Are The Persecuted” 132
A Saying about Salt 133
A Saying about Light 133
A Saying about the Law 135
“Agree with Thine Adversary” 135
About Non-Resistance and Love of Enemies 135
The Lord’s Prayer 136
A Saying about Treasures 137
A Saying about the Eye 137
About Double Service 138
About Care 138
About Judging 139
The Beam and the Mote 139
About Seeking and Finding 139
The Golden Rule 140
The Narrow Gate 140
The Tree and Its Fruits 141
Warning against Self-Deception 141
The Two Houses 143
The Centurion’s Son 143
“Many Shall Come from East and West” 145
Two Men Would Follow Jesus 146
“The Harvest Is Great” 146
“The Laborer Is Worthy of His Hire” 146
“Greet the House” 147
“More Tolerable for Sodom” 147
“Sheep among Wolves” 148
How to Act under Persecution 148
The Disciple and His Teacher 148
Exhortation to Fearless Confession 149
Strife among Relatives 150
Conditions of Discipleship 150
“He That Receiveth You” 151
The Question of the Baptist and Jesus’ Answer 152
The Woe upon the Galilean Cities 152
“I Thank Thee, O Father” 152
Jesus’ Defense against the Pharisees 153
“He That Is Not with Me” 153
Jonah and the Ninevites 153
A Speech about Backsliding 154
“Blessed Are the Eyes That See” 154
The Parable of the Yeast 154
The Blind Leading the Blind 155
A Saying about Faith 155
A Saying about Offenses 156
The Stray Sheep 156
About Forgiveness 157
Rewards for Discipleship 157
Against the Pharisees 157
“Whoso Humbles Himself” 158
Against the Pharisees 158
A Woe upon the Scribes 159
“I Send unto You Prophets” 160
The Lament over Jerusalem 161
The Day of the Son of Man 161
The Body and the Eagles 161
The Days of Noah 161
The One Taken, the Other Left 162
The Watching Servant 162
The True and False Servants 162
Results of the Preceding Investigation 162
Chapter III: Q in the Single Tradition Of Matthew (QMt)
Q in the Single Tradition of Matthew 166
Two Beatitudes 167
Four More Beatitudes 167
“Ye Are the Light of the World” 169
“Let Your Light Shine” 169
Various Sayings from the Sermon on the Mount 170
A Saying about Offenses 171
The Commandment about Divorce 171
About Oaths 172
The Second Mile 172
Another Old Testament Commandment 173
About Alms-Giving 173
About Prayer 174
About Fasting 175
Pearls before Swine 175
The False Prophets 176
A Saying about Trees 177
“By Their Fruits” 177
An Oft-Repeated Formula 177
The Conclusion of the Story of the Centurion’s Servant 178
“I Will Have Mercy and Not Sacrifice” 179
The Healing of Two Blind Men 179
The Healing of a Dumb Man 180
Instructions to the Disciples 180
Further Instructions to the Disciples 180
A Saying about Elijah 181
“He That Hath Ears, Let Him Hear” 182
The Occasion of Pronouncing Woes upon the Galilean Cities 182
Reason Assigned for the Pronunciation of the Woes 182
“Come unto Me” 183
A Saying about the Law 184
An Old Testament Quotation 184
“Generation of Vipers” 184
A Saying about the Judgment 185
An Interpretation of the Sign of Jonah 185
The Weed in the Field 185
The Parables of the Treasure, the Pearl, the Fish-Net, and the Scribe Instructed in the Kingdom 186
Peter Walking on the Water 187
“To the Lost Sheep of the House of Israel” 187
A Summary of Jesus’ Healing Work 188
The Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven 189
An Insertion in the Story of the Transfiguration 189
“Whosoever Humbles Himself as This Little Child” 189
The Unforgiving Servant 190
About Eunuchs 190
The Laborers in the Vineyard 190
The Two Sons 191
The Wedding Feast 191
Against the Pharisees 191
The Parables of the Ten Virgins, the Talents, the Judgment 191
“Twelve Legions of Angels” 192
Chapter IV: Q in the Single Tradition of Luke (QLk)
Q in the Single Tradition of Luke 193
The Preaching of John the Baptist 193
The Initial Preaching of Jesus in Nazareth 194
The Call of Peter 194
The Woes 194
The Reception of John’s Preaching 195
The Sinner in Simon’s House 195
A Would-Be Follower of Jesus 196
The Return of the Seventy 196
The Great Commandment 197
The Good Samaritan 197
Mary and Martha 197
The Parable of the Friend on a Journey 198
The Mother of Jesus Praised 198
“If Thine Whole Body Is Light” 198
The Parable of the Foolish Rich Man 198
The Exhortation to Watchfulness 198
“To Whom Much Is Given” 199
“I Came to Cast Fire upon the Earth” 199
The Galileans Slain by Herod 199
The Parable of the Fig-Tree 200
“Go Tell That Fox” 200
The Healing of the Dropsical Man 201
About Taking the Less Honorable Seats at the Table 201
Whom to Invite to a Feast 202
The Parable of the Dinner and the Invited Guests 202
Conditions of Discipleship 203
The Lost Sheep 203
The Lost Coin and the Prodigal Son 203
The Unjust Steward 203
A Criticism of the Pharisees 204
The Rich Man and Lazarus 205
“Unprofitable Servants” and the Healing of the Ten Lepers 205
About the Coming of the Kingdom of God 205
Matter Peculiar to Matthew or to Luke 206
Matter Peculiar to Luke 210
Did Luke’s Great Interpolation Originally Exist as a Separate Documentary Source? 214
Other Possible Sources for Material Peculiar to Luke 217
Conclusions Regarding Q Material in the Single Traditions of Matthew and Luke 218
Chapter V: Review of Q Material in Matthew, Luke, and Mark
Review of Q in Matthew, Luke, and Mark 221
Considerations Favoring Analysis of Q into QMt and QLk 221
Table IV: Contents of Q Material in Matthew 222
Table V: Contents of Q Material in Luke 224
Passages Closely Similar, Yet With Divergences Too Great to Be Accounted for upon the Hypothesis of an Undifferentiated Q 226
With Matthew’s Q before Him, Luke Would Not Have Omitted So Much of It 227
The “Secondary Traits” Are in QMt and QLk, Not in Q 230
Chapter VI: Did Mark Also Use Q?
Did Mark Also Use Q? 234
What Material Did Mark Take from Q? 236
The Messianic Announcement of the Baptist 237
The Baptism of Jesus 237
The Temptation of Jesus 238
The Beelzebul Controversy 238
Five Detached Sayings 239
The Parable of the Mustard Seed 240
The Sending Out of the Twelve 241
A Sign Refused 241
“Whosoever Will Follow Me” 241
“Whosoever Is Ashamed of Me” 242
About Offenses 242
About Salt 243
About Divorce 243
The First Who Shall Be Last 243
True Greatness 244
About Faith 244
Against the Pharisees 244
The Holy Spirit Speaking in the Disciples 244
Other Marcan Passages Considered, But Rejected 244
Table VI: Contents of Q Material in Mark 246
Do the Vocabulary and Style of Mark and Q, Respectively, Throw Any Light upon Their Literary Relationship? 246
Conclusions as to Mark’s Dependence upon Q 248
Chapter VII: the Original Order of Q
Original Order of Q 249
Table VII 250
Table VIII 250
Table IX 251
Table X 252
Chapter VIII: Summary and Conclusions
PART I ACCEPTED RESULTS OF SYNOPTIC STUDY