SOURCES OF THE SYNOPTIC
GOSPELS

 

 

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SOURCES
OF THE
SYNOPTIC GOSPELS

 

BY
CARL S. PATTON
FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH
COLUMBUS, OHIO

 

A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF
LITERATURE, SCIENCE, AND THE ARTS OF THE UNIVERSITY
OF MICHIGAN, FOR THE DEGREE OF
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY

 

New York
THE MACMILLAN COMPANY
LONDON: MACMILLAN & COMPANY, LIMITED
1915
All Rights Reserved

 

 

Copyright 1915 By
Carl S. Patton

Printed August, 1915

 

Composed and Printed By
The University of Chicago Press
Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A.

 

 

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PREFACE

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

 

 

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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  

class="smcap">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

href="@public@vhost@g@gutenberg@html@files@39967@[email protected]#Page_52" class="pginternal" tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">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

href="@public@vhost@g@gutenberg@html@files@39967@[email protected]#Page_110" class="pginternal" tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">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

href="@public@vhost@g@gutenberg@html@files@39967@[email protected]#Page_141" class="pginternal" tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">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

class="condent">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

class="pginternal" tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">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

href="@public@vhost@g@gutenberg@html@files@39967@[email protected]#Page_194" class="pginternal" tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">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

tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">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

tag="{http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml}a">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

 

 

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PART I
ACCEPTED RESULTS OF SYNOPTIC STUDY