BIBL 273: The Synoptic Gospels

The Three Life Settings that scholars consider when studying Gospel stories
1. Actual Event in the time of Jesus
2. Oral transmission of the story in the early church
3. When the story is actually written down by a Gospel author

Sadducees (means “Sons of Zadok”)
1. Believe that only the Law of Moses (Pentateuch) is inspired.
2. Believe that all go to Sheol after death.
3. Do not believe in the last judgment, resurrection of the body, or angels and demons.

1. What are some reasons why people today arrive at such different conclusions of what Jesus was really like?
2. How did early Christian teachers explain the differences between the Gospels?
3. Be able to explain and illustrate the concept of the two ages.
4. Know the basic characteristics of oral cultures and how these apply to Mark’s Gospel.
5. How do the contents of Mark’s Gospel reveal that he did not write a biography of Jesus?  What type of document did he produce?  What characterizes his writing style?
6. Approximately when was Mark’s Gospel written?  Why were Gospels not written earlier?
7. What does the composition of Mark 1:1 probably indicate about its function in the Gospel?
8. How is John the Baptist depicted?
9. What is the meaning of the name Jesus?
10. What is the meaning of eschatological?
11. Why is understanding semitic overstatement important when reading and interpreting the Gospels?
12. How does Mark demonstrate Jesus’ authority in chapters 1-2?
13. What evidence is there that Mark arranged many of his stories in topical fashion?
14. What do the conflict stories in Mark 2-3 reveal about the difference between Jesus’ approach to serving God and that of the Pharisees?
15. What is the meaning of Son of Man?  tax collector?  leprosy?  synogogue?  Sabbath (when it begins and ends, etc.)
16. With regard to Jesus’ ministry, what is the significance of Mediterranean customs for eating meals?
17. How does Mark describe Jesus’ family?
18. What is the “secret of the kingdom” in Mark 4:11, and why is it significant in Mark’s portrait of Jesus’ disciples in the narrative that follows? According to 4:11-12, why does Jesus teach in parables? What further light does 4:21-25 shed on his reasons?
19. How does Mark employ the contrast between fear and faith?  Give examples.
20. Culturally, what is the significance of Legion living among the tombs?
21. What indications are there in Mark that Jesus wants his disciples to be shepherds?
22. How is Jesus received by people in his hometown?  Why?
23. What do we know about Herod Antipas from 6:17-29?  Why does he not want to execute John but finally ends up having him killed?  How does this story compare with the one given by Josephus?
24. Why do the Pharisees criticize Jesus’ disciples in 7:1-5, and how does Jesus use the example of Corban to criticize them in return?  What does Mark 7 teach about kosher food laws?
25. What does Mark seek to communicate about Jesus’ ministry through the two miraculous feedings in chapters 6 and 8, and of what significance is the Syrophoenecian woman in 7:24-30 in connecting the two?
26. What results from Jesus’ first prediction of his coming death in Mark 8?  What does he say are the implications of his crucifixion for those who follow him?
27. What events surround Jesus’ second passion prediction?  Why does John forbid the man from casting out demons?  What does Jesus’ reply reveal about discipleship?
28. Review class discussion on the divorce passage in Mark 10:1-12.
29. What is the meaning of “camel through the eye of a needle”?
30. How was the apostles’ understanding of discipleship connected to their messianic expectations?  How did their viewpoint on this compare with Jesus’?  Use events surrounding the three Passion Predictions to illustrate.
31. How does Jesus’ understanding of greatness compare with theirs? Give examples.
32. What is “intercalation” and how does Mark use it in his Gospel? Give three examples.
33. Why did Martin Kähler call Mark a passion narrative with an extended introduction?
34. What about Jesus’ actions severely upset the Sadducees in Jerusalem?
35. What means do the religious leaders in Jerusalem use to try to trap Jesus?
36. What overall message does the Apocalyptic Discourse in Mark 13 communicate?
37. What picture of Jesus emerges from the description of his prayer in the garden and his crucifixion?  How do his words on the cross compare with his words in the garden?
38. On what basis did the Sanhedrin convict Jesus?  What was their charge before Pilate?
39. How does Mark conclude his Gospel?  Why?
40. Most NT scholars refer to Mark’s portrait of Jesus as the Secret Messiah.  Illustrate why this is true from Mark’s Gospel.
41. How does Mark portray Jesus’ disciples?  Why?
42. Who were the Pharisees, and what did they believe? Illustrate with information from Mark and Appendix A.  What does the term Pharisee mean?
43. Who were the Sadducees, and what did they believe? Illustrate with information from Mark and Appendix A.  What does the term Sadducee mean?
44. What was the Maccabean rebellion?  When and why was it fought?
45. Who were Alexander the Great and Antiochus IV Epiphanes, and why were they significant in the history of the Jewish people?  What is the meaning of barbarian?
46. Who was Mattathias? Judas Maccabeas? Ptolemy? Josephus? Herod Antipas? Pilate? the high priest?
47. What was “the tradition of the elders”?  the Mishnah?  the Sanhedrin?
48. Know the location on a map and what happened in Mark at Nazareth, Jerusalem, Capernaum, Bethsaida, Gennesaret, the Decapolis, Jordan River where Jesus was baptized, Sea of Galilee, Dead Sea, Tyre and Sidon (for example: Where did the two miraculous feedings occur?  Where did he meet the man with Legion?  Where was Jesus crucified?).

1. Know the dominant characteristics of Luke’s portrait of Jesus, and be able to compare and contrast it with Mark’s portrait of Jesus. Illustrate this with specific references to the Passion narrative, etc.
2. Be able to explain the theme of the Great Reversal in Luke and illustrate it with specific content from the Gospel.
3. same as #2 with the theme of God’s concern for the poor and outcast.
4. same as #2 with the theme of who enters into the Kingdom of God.
5. Be able to contrast Luke’s writing style with Mark’s.
6. Know the basic components of first-century literary prefaces and be able to compare Luke’s preface with this literary convention. Know the probable identity of Theophilus.
7. Know the characteristics of the “historical speech” that originated with Thucydides and the significance of this literary technique for reading Luke-Acts.
8. Know the difference between ancient historiography and biography and how this applies to Luke’s Gospel.
9. Know why the concept of the “antiquity” of a religion is important for Luke’s audience (see, e.g., the preface in Against Apion) and why Luke stresses that the church is the fulfillment of promises given long ago.
10. Know the meaning of betrothal.
11. Know how the messianic expectations in Luke 1–2, 3 compare with Psalm of Solomon 17.
12. Know how the teaching of the virgin birth posed problems with evangelizing Jewish people (see Dialogue with Trypho material on p. 64).
13. Know how the normal church’s nativity scene conflicts with Luke’s account of Jesus’ birth, and which parts of the typical Christmas story come from the Protevangelium of James.
14. What problems exist with determining the year in which Jesus was born in Luke’s account?  How does the date of Herod the Great’s death affect the probable date of Jesus’ birth?
15. Why is it problematic to insist that Jesus’ reference to God as Abba in the temple at age 12 is a sure indication that he is well aware of his identity as God’s Son at that time?
16. Know the significance of Jesus’ announcement of the scope of his ministry in Luke 4:18-19.  Why do the people in Nazareth get so upset with him in this story in 4:16-30?
17. Know the meaning of redaction and the significance of this method for study of the Gospels.
18. What does Synoptic mean? Know the four sources postulated in the 4-Source Theory of Gospel composition and which Gospels used which sources. Be able to draw the diagram.
19. Know how Luke tends to use/modify material from Mark (redaction).
20. What are the main themes in the “Sermon on the Plain” in Luke 6? What is the meaning of “beatitude”?
21. Know why John the Baptist struggled with Jesus’ identity as Messiah in Luke 7.
22. Be able to contrast the portrait of Jesus’ apostles in Luke with that presented in Mark. What is important for discipleship in Luke?  How does he redact Mark’s stories to make the disciples look better?
23. What roles do women play in Luke? Why would the stories in 7:36-50 and 8:1-3 be potential sources of gossip for Jesus’ opponents?
24. How does the location of the feeding of the 5,000 in Luke compare with Mark’s account?
25. What is the Travel Narrative in Luke, why is it so named, and where is it found?
26. Why is the conflict between Jews and Samaritans important background information for understanding the parable of the good Samaritan?
27. What important points does the Good Samaritan parable teach, and what does it reveal about Luke’s agenda that he places the story of Mary and Martha immediately after this parable in 10:38-42?
28. Why do the religious leaders reject Jesus, and why does he judge them unfit for the Kingdom of God?
29. How does Jesus challenge the OT theology of retribution in 13:1-9?
30. What is troubling about Jesus’ directions in Luke 14 for whom to invite to parties?  In light of this, what is the Messianic Banquet?
31. How do the parables in Luke 15 provide the other side of the story from 14:25-35?
32. In Luke, Jesus’ miracles give evidence that the Kingdom of God has arrived. What does Luke reveal about when he expects Jesus to return in glory?
33. Know the names of Adolf Jülicher, C. H. Dodd, and Joachim Jeremias and the contributions each made to parable interpretation. Know what type of parable interpretation was most popular through most of the history of the church. Know the meanings of “multivalent” and “participation” with reference to story parables, as well as why story parables are like jokes.
34. Be able to explain the meaning of a selected parable on the test.
35. What is problematic about the parable of the unjust steward in 16:1-9?
36. What is unusual in the parable of 16:19-21 about the poor man’s name being specified, Lazarus, and the rich man remaining anonymous?
37. How does Luke change Mark’s use of intercalation with respect to the fig tree and the temple?
38. When does Jesus enter the temple with respect to when he cleanses the temple in Luke (as contrasted with Mark)?
39. What prevents the temple authorities from arresting Jesus?
40. Some Pharisees believed in limited resurrection. What does this mean?
41. How does Luke modify the “apocalyptic discourse” in order to put a different slant on when Jesus will return to judge the world?
42. What probable reason did Luke have for leaving out the story of the woman who anointed Jesus with the very expensive perfume?
43. Mark 10:45 says that Jesus gave his life as a “ransom for many.” Why does Luke leave this statement out of his Gospel?
44. How does Luke’s account of Jesus’ prayer in Gethsemane compare with what Mark says about this event? What textual problem exists with Luke 22:43-44, and what is wrong with these two verses being included in Luke?
45. How does Luke’s narrative reveal that Jesus is in control of his arrest and trial?
46. How does the time of Jesus’ trial before the Sanhedrin in Luke differ from that found in Mark?
47. Of what do the Sanhedrin members accuse Jesus before Pilate? Why does Pilate send Jesus to Herod? What verdict do Pilate and Herod reach about Jesus?
48. How is Jesus’ death in Luke a martyrdom? How does Luke’s version of what Jesus says on the way to Golgotha, and his words on the cross, differ from Mark’s account?
49. What is the meaning of “paradise”?  Of Gehenna?
50. Compared with Mark’s account, which disciples observe Jesus’ crucifixion?
51. What is the emotional condition of Jesus’ disciples following the crucifixion?
52. How does the conclusion of Luke’s Gospel differ from the conclusion of Mark’s?
53. Where does the ascension occur in Luke’s story, and how does this compare with the expectation at the end of Mark’s Gospel?

Study Guide for Final Exam
Comparing and Contrasting the Gospels:

1. Know the three different life settings that scholars attempt to decipher when studying the historical Jesus. Why is each significant?
2. Know the distinguishing characteristics of the portrait of Jesus in each Gospel. Be able to compare and contrast these portraits with each other.
3. Know the apparent life setting of each Gospel. In other words, know what kind of an audience and situation each Gospel was apparently written to address and how this influences the way in which each author presents the picture of Jesus that he does.
4. Know the portrait of Jesus’ disciples presented in each Gospel and how the life setting of the Gospel affects these portraits.
5. Know the Jewish concept of the two ages and how and why the early Christians modified this time line.
6. Be able to compare and contrast the birth narratives in Luke and Matthew, explaining the significance of the differences and why the emphasis of each account fits the emphasis in that Gospel on Jesus’ person and ministry.
7. Be able to explain the relationships that apparently exist between the Synoptic Gospels (who used what when composing his Gospel) = The Four Source Hypothesis.

1. Know and be able to illustrate with examples Matthew’s portrait of Jesus as the Authoritative Interpreter of the Law. Why does Matthew present this portrait of Jesus?
2. Know the distinctive structure of Matthew’s Gospel: alternating narrative and discourse sections. Know how this structure helps to develop Matthew’s portrait of Jesus.
3. What is gematria, and how does Matthew possibly use it in his genealogy?  What is unusual about Matthew’s genealogy with respect to including women?
4. What is pesher and why is it important for understanding Matthew’s use of the Old Testament?
5. What are the main themes in the Sermon on the Mount?  Why is the setting a mountain, not a plain as in Luke?
6. What is Matthew’s understanding of the relevance of the Law of Moses? (illustrate with specific examples)
7. What is the greater righteousness that Jesus demands from his followers?  How can his yoke be lighter than that of the Pharisees (11:25-30) when he demands that his followers’ righteousness exceeds that of the Pharisees? (5:20)
8. What are the three pillars of Jewish piety?  What do Jesus’ comments on them in Matthew 6 reveal about the greater righteousness?
9. What portrait of the apostles does Matthew paint, and why is this closely tied with his portrait of Jesus?  Why is “understanding” such an important aspect of this description?
10. According to Matthew, what characterizes disciples of Jesus?
11. How are Jewish religious leaders depicted in Matthew?  For what does Jesus criticize them?
12. What is Jesus’ attitude toward the Law of Moses in Matthew?  How does this compare with Mark’s viewpoint?
13. How does Matthew regularly redact (modify) the stories he uses from Mark? Why does he redact them in these ways?
14. Why does Matthew double the blind beggar, Legion (demoniac), and the donkey from one to two?
15. What special instructions does Matt. 16:13-23 and 18:15-35 give to the church (ekklesia)? What role does Peter play in this?
16. What are the practical implications of the way in which Matt. 19:1-12 redacts the divorce passage in Mark 10:1-12?  What were first-century Jewish expectations for bearing children?
17. What is the “desolating sacrilege” in Matthew 24?
18. What are the criteria of divine judgment in the parables of judgment in Matthew 25?
19. What distinctive additions does Matthew make to the Passion Narrative?  How do these stress Jesus’ innocence and the guilt of the Jewish leaders?
20. How does Matthew seek to dispel claims that Jesus’ disciples stole the body?
21. How does Matthew conclude his Gospel, and why is this ending consistent with his distinctive portrait of Jesus?

1. Why do Christians arrive at such different ideas of what Jesus was like even though they read the same four Gospels?
2. Which portrait of Jesus will you hang on your wall?  Why?