What are the Synoptic Gospels?
In this session we discuss the first three gospels in the New Testament: Matthew, Mark, and Luke. These are the synoptic gospels, so called because they “see together” and share a great deal of material. Even so, each evangelist was writing to a particular audience with somewhat different objectives. A helpful study tool for these gospels is a “gospel parallel”, a resource that presents the three texts side by side making it easy to identify and compare material that is shared (or unique) between them. The following are some online versions of this resource:
- https://www.bible-researcher.com/parallels.html
- https://www.gospelparallels.com/index.html
- https://agape-biblia.org/literatura/The-Complete-Gospel-Parallels-Synopses-of-the-Gospels.pdf
Bible Lab 1 – The Parable of the Sower
The Parable of the Sower is found in Mark 4:1-9. Use one of the gospel parallels above to find this parable in Matthew and Luke. Read the parable in all three gospels.
- What person represents God in this parable?
- What does the parable say about God?
- What images, symbols, or metaphors do you find in this parable?
- What similarities and differences do you find between the parable in Mark, Matthew, and Luke?
Bible Lab 2 – Gospel Parallels
Pick another passage of your choice and explore it using one of the gospel parallels above. If the passage occurs in more than one gospel, what similarities and differences do you find? If you explore a passage found in only one of the three gospels, consider why that is, given what we know about that writer’s audience and objectives.
Bible Lab 3 – Beginnings
A popular saying is “well begun is half done.” Each of the three synoptic gospels begins in a very different way. Read the opening verses of Mark, Matthew, and Luke and summarize how each begins. How are they different? How are they similar? What does each beginning say about the writer’s intentions?
