TABLE
OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
I.
DEFINITION OF TERMS
a. Gospel
b. Synoptic
gospel
II.
SYNOPTIC PROBLEM
III.
SIMILARITIES AND DIFFERENCES IN THE
GOSPELS
a. Chart
of the passage
b. Observation
c. Analysis
of findings
CONCLUSION
INTRODUCTION
It
has been proven right that the gospel of Christ as recorded by Mathew, Mark and
Luke are so much similar. the gospel writers recorded certain event, and
happenings in the life of Christ from the same point of view, there are also
some minor and major differences in the synoptic gospels, and the evangelists
in an attempt to meet up with they purpose of writing used certain terminology
that are different from that of others.
We
believe that there is only one Gospel but recorded in different occasion by
several evangelists to different recipient, and for different purposes. Though,
the evangelists try as much as they could to contextualize the gospel massage,
and this brought about some differences in the account of the writers of the
synoptic gospels.
The
researcher in this work compared the account of the ‘controversy’ as recorded
by the synoptic gospels writers, pointing out the similarities, differences,
and partial agreement in both accounts with the attempt to know if the
differences and similarity in the synoptic gospel could discredit the
inspiration of the gospels.
I.
DEFINITION
OF TERMS
a.
Gospel:
The word gospel could easily be defined as
good news. It is derived from the greek word ‘evangelion’ which connotes good
news. It is an old English word which means good tidings. Apostle Paul in his
attempt to define the gospel asserts;
Now,
brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you
received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved,
if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed
in vain. For what I received I passed on
to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according
to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the
third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and
then to the Twelve After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the
brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have
fallen asleep. Then he appeared to
James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also,
as to one abnormally born. (1 Cor 15:1-8).
According
to Paul’s view, the gospel is the story of the birth, death, resurrection and
ascension of Jesus Christ.
b.
Synoptic
gospel:
The
phrase “Synoptic Gospels” is a term applied to the Gospels of Matthew, Mark,
and Luke. The root word synoptic is derived from the greek word ‘synoptikos’
which mean “viewing at a glance”. The gospel of Mathew, Mark, and Luke are
being refereed to as the synoptic gospels because they recorded the events in
the life of Christ from generally the same point of view.
II.
SYNOPTIC
PROBLEM
In
addition to the similarities in the gospels, there are also some differences in
the account of the synoptic gospels writers. An attempt to account for both the
similarity and difference in the gospel is what is described as synoptic
problem.
Synoptic
problem states that; if the gospel were written by this different evangelist
without coping from each others, how we can account for the similarity in they
accounts; and if they copied from each others, how do we account for the
inspiration of the gospels. Are the gospels really inspired by God?
III.
THE
SIMILARILTIES AND DIFFERENCES IN THE GOSPELS
In
this section, a particular account is going to be examined to discover both the
similarities and difference noticeable. It will be done by drawing a chat of
the three accounts in a tabular form the look at them side by side. It can
simply be indentified by the use of the following:
KEYS:
SIMILARITIES: UNDERLINED
DIFFERENCES: PLAIN
PARTIAL OR DOUBLE AGREEMENT: BOLD
a. THE
CHAT OF THE PASSAGE
Mathew 20:20-28
|
Mark
10:35-45
|
Luke
22:22-28
|
20 Then the mother of Zebedee's sons came to Jesus with her sons
and, kneeling down, asked a favor of him.
|
35 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him.
"Teacher," they said, "we want you to do for us whatever we
ask."
|
22 The Son of Man will go as it has
been decreed, but woe to that man who betrays him."
|
21 "What is it you want?" he
asked. She said, "Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at
your right and the other at your left in your kingdom."
|
36 "What do you want me to do for
you?" he asked.
|
23 They began to question among
themselves which of them it might be who would do this.
|
 22 "You don't
know what you are asking," Jesus said to them.
"Can you drink the cup I am going to
drink?" "We can," they answered.
|
37 They replied, "Let one of
us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory."
|
24 Also a dispute arose among
them as to which of them was considered to be greatest.
|
23 Jesus said to them, "You will
indeed drink from my cup, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to
grant. These places belong to those for whom
they have been prepared by my Father."
|
38 "You don't know what you are
asking," Jesus said. "Can you drink the cup I drink or be
baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?"
|
25 Jesus said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles lord it
over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves
Benefactors.
|
24 When the ten heard about this,
they were indignant with the two brothers.
|
39 "We can," they answered. Jesus
said to them, "You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the
baptism I am baptized with,
|
26 But you are not to be like that.
Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves.
|
25 Jesus called them together and
said, "You know that the rulers
of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise
authority over them.
|
40 but to sit at my right or left is
not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared."
|
27 For who is greater, the one who is
at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table?
But I am among you as one who serves.
|
26 Not so with you. Instead,
whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,
|
41 When the ten heard about this, they
became indignant with James and John.
|
|
27 and whoever wants to be first must
be your slave—
|
42 Jesus called them together and
said, "You know that those who
are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high
officials exercise authority
|
|
28 just as the Son of Man did not come
to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."
|
43 Not so with you. Instead, whoever
wants to become great among you must be your servant,
|
|
44 and whoever wants to be first must
be slave of all. 45 For even
the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life
as a ransom for many."
|
b.
OBSERVATIONS
X-raying
these accounts, both the similarities and differences are clearly noticed. These
similarities are seen in terms of a common outline, introduction and related
much of the same materials usually in the same order, and often with similar or
identical words as well as context. Marks account is detailed to the core.
N.B
the question and main point of argument is how can we explain and account for
these very similarity and differences between the synoptic gospels?
c.
ANALYSIS
OF FINDINGS
Similarities:
v Apart
from Luke’s record, Mathew and Mark point out what the request of the sons of
Zebedee are.
v Both
gospels appreciate the fact that Jesus asked them “can you drink of the cup I
drink”.
v The
evangelists all agreed that a great arose among them.
v Both
writers agreed that Jesus said that “who ever want to be first among them must be
they servants.”
v Both
Evangelist agreed that Jesus said that he came as a servant and not as a king.
Differences:
ü Luke
was actually writing from a different context, while Mathew and Mark were writing
from the same context.
ü In
Mathew’s account, the mother of James and John is the one that asked Jesus of
the favor on behalf of her sons, while in Mark’s account; it was James and John
that asked for the favour by themselves.
ü Mathew
in his account recorded that James and John asked to stay with Christ in “his
kingdom”, while Mathew said in “his Glory”.
ü In
the same regards, Mathew made mention of the “rulers of the Gentiles”, Mark
called them those who are “regarded as the rulers of the gentiles”, while Luke
called them the “kings of the gentiles”.
ü In
Jesus reply, Mathew recorded that the Kingdom is for those that have been
prepared by the father, and this assert that the is for those that are favored
by God, while mark recorded that the kingdom is for those whom they have been
prepared.” Pointing that the kingdom is what we work for.
ü Nevertheless,
Mathew in his account recorded that Jesus said that who ever want to be the first must “be they slave” and Mark said
“the slave of all”, while Luke said “the one who serve”.
CONCLUSION
Though, the findings
look strong but not huge enough to disprove the authenticity and inspiration of
the scriptures.
If a good redaction
criticism is done, it will be more obvious that the differences in this
accounts does not discredit the inspiration of the gospels. The gospel writers
while writing the gospels because of they purpose of writing and audience choose
what they include or exclude (selectivity), they arranged and theologize on the
materials they have, they added material (expansion), they also omitted certain
materials (compression), and changed certain terminologies in order to meet up
with they purpose of writing.
A better way to respond
to this problem is by understanding Everette’s view. He asserts, “At this point we might ask which version was
the “original” version and therefore which one is was “true”… the better
question is: what was this author trying to say by telling us the tradition in
this way? (Everette, 1964,146). So the main concern of we the readers of the
gospel is ‘what is the writer trying to say’.
REFERENCE LIST
Everette, Harrison. F. 1996. Introduction
to New Testament. Grand Rapids Michigan: Wm.
B.Eerdmans Publishing.
International Standard Bible. Encyclopaedia,
Electronic Database Copyright © 1996, 2003, 2006
by Biblesoft, Inc.
The Holy Bible. 1984. New International Version. Kenya:
International Bible Society.
Danny McCain. 1996. Notes on
New Testament. Bukuru: African Christian Textbook.
it call for further research
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