📖📖📖 Synoptic Gospels

Synoptic Gospels

Synoptic Gospels

Comprising the biblical books Matthew, Mark, and Luke. They distinguish themselves from the book of John in content, order and wording. Study of their literary interrelationship—the Synoptic Problem—plays a key role in New Testament scholarship.

Term applied to Matthew, Mark, and Luke because they see the ministry of Jesus from generally the same point of view, which is quite different from that of the Gospel of John.
The similarities among these three Gospels include their use of a common outline: introduction; ministry of John the Baptist and the baptism and temptation of Jesus; greater Galilean ministry; journey and ministry through Samaria, Perea, and rural Judea; and passion week, death, and resurrection of Jesus in Jerusalem. They also record the same emphasis in the teaching of Jesus—the presence, nature, and implementation of the kingdom of God. Furthermore, these three Gospels relate much of the same material, usually in the same order, and often with similar or identical words. ¹Scott, J. J., Jr. (1988). Synoptic Gospels. In Baker encyclopedia of the Bible (Vol. 2, p. 2008). Baker Book House.

There are differences as well. They aren’t identical. There are some differences in terms of what’s covered in them as well as differences in the way each other covers the same event. Remember, there are three different authors. Each had their own background, reason for writing, intended audience, etc.

They’re called synoptic because of the similarities they do have, and because all of them are very different from John’s Gospel.

Even dictionary.com includes this: taking a common view: used chiefly in reference to the first three Gospels synoptic Gospels, Matthew, Mark, and Luke, from their similarity in content, order, and statement.