Terminology Tuesday: Synoptic Gospels, Synoptic Problem
Synoptic Gospels, Synoptic Problem: The Synoptic Gospels are Matthew, Mark and Luke, which reflect many similarities to each other, in contrast to John’s Gospel, which provides a quite different (albeit complementary) picture of Jesus. The synoptic problem centers around the literary relation and interdependence among the three Gospels based on their shared subject matter and frequent textual similarities.1
1. Stanley J. Grenz, David Guretzki & Cherith Fee Nordling, Pocket Dictionary of Theological Terms (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1999), p. 111.