Synoptic Gospels Course

Lesson 1 • Structure and Genre of the Gospels

Analyzes the literary genre of the gospels and their internal organizational patterns. Prepares students to read each text as a structured literary whole.

Lesson 2 • Authorship, Date, and Audience

Examines traditional and critical views on who wrote each gospel, when, and for whom. Connects authorial context to interpretive choices throughout the course.

Lesson 3 • Defining the Synoptic Tradition

Introduces the term 'synoptic' and explains why these three gospels are grouped together. Provides the conceptual anchor for all subsequent comparative analysis.

Lesson 1 • Markan Priority and the Two-Source Theory

Presents the dominant hypothesis that Mark was written first and used by Matthew and Luke. Students assess the evidence for Markan priority and the Q source.

Lesson 2 • The Q Source in Depth

Investigates the hypothetical sayings source shared by Matthew and Luke. Students reconstruct Q's probable content and assess its theological profile.

Lesson 3 • Identifying the Synoptic Problem

Defines the problem of extensive verbal agreement and divergence among the three gospels. Establishes why source relationships must be explained rather than assumed.

Lesson 4 • Special Material: M and L Sources

Examines material unique to Matthew (M) and Luke (L) not derived from Mark or Q. Students identify how special sources shape each gospel's distinctive theology.

Lesson 1 • Textual Criticism Fundamentals

Introduces the discipline of establishing the original wording of gospel texts from manuscripts. Students learn to evaluate variant readings using standard criteria.

Lesson 2 • Form Criticism

Examines the pre-literary oral forms behind gospel units and their social settings. Students classify pericopes by form type and assess their transmission history.

Lesson 3 • Redaction Criticism

Focuses on each evangelist's editorial activity as a theological author. Students detect how changes to sources reveal each gospel's distinctive perspective.

Lesson 4 • Narrative and Literary Criticism

Applies literary tools such as plot, character, and point of view to gospel texts. Students analyze how narrative craft shapes meaning independent of source questions.

Lesson 1 • Mark's Narrative Structure

Maps the two-part structure of Mark centered on the Caesarea Philippi turning point. Students trace how the narrative arc drives Mark's theological argument.

Lesson 2 • The Messianic Secret

Examines the pattern of secrecy commands and misunderstanding in Mark's gospel. Students evaluate competing interpretations of this distinctive Markan motif.

Lesson 3 • Miracles and Exorcisms in Mark

Analyzes the concentration of miracle stories in Mark and their christological function. Students interpret how power encounters reveal Jesus's identity and mission.

Lesson 4 • Mark's Passion Narrative

Studies the detailed passion account as the theological climax of Mark's gospel. Students examine how suffering and discipleship are linked in Mark's theology.

Lesson 1 • Matthew's Use of the Hebrew Scriptures

Examines Matthew's fulfillment citations and typological use of Israel's scriptures. Students evaluate how Matthew constructs Jesus as the fulfillment of Jewish expectation.

Lesson 2 • Ecclesiology and Community Ethics

Studies Matthew's distinctive teaching on the church, forgiveness, and communal discipline. Students connect the discourse material to Matthew's community context.

Lesson 3 • Matthew's Structure and Design

Identifies the five major discourse blocks and their narrative framing in Matthew. Students map the gospel's architectural design and its relationship to Mosaic tradition.

Lesson 4 • The Sermon on the Mount

Provides close reading of Matthew 5–7 as the programmatic first discourse. Students analyze the Beatitudes, antitheses, and ethical teaching within their Jewish context.

Lesson 1 • Luke's Social and Economic Theology

Analyzes Luke's consistent concern for the poor, women, and social outcasts. Students trace how reversal theology shapes Luke's ethical and economic teaching.

Lesson 2 • Luke's Prologue and Historiography

Examines Luke 1:1–4 as a formal literary preface situating the gospel in ancient historiography. Students assess Luke's stated method and its implications for interpretation.

Lesson 3 • The Travel Narrative

Focuses on Luke's extended journey section (9:51–19:44) as a literary and theological unit. Students identify unique Lukan parables and teachings found only in this section.

Lesson 4 • The Holy Spirit and Prayer in Luke

Examines the Spirit's role at key narrative moments and Luke's emphasis on prayer. Students connect these themes to Luke's broader theology of salvation history.

Lesson 1 • Synthesizing Theological Portraits

Integrates comparative findings into a coherent account of each evangelist's theology. Students construct a comparative theological profile of all three Synoptic Gospels.

Lesson 2 • Comparing the Passion Narratives

Conducts a detailed comparison of the passion accounts across all three gospels. Students identify each evangelist's distinctive theological shaping of the crucifixion story.

Lesson 3 • Comparing Parables Across Gospels

Examines parables that appear in multiple gospels to detect editorial shaping. Students analyze how context, wording, and application differ across gospel versions.

Lesson 4 • Working with a Gospel Synopsis

Trains students in the systematic use of a printed or digital synopsis for comparative study. Students practice aligning parallel columns and annotating agreements and differences.

Lesson 1 • Original Research and Scholarly Writing

Guides students through the process of producing an original exegetical research paper. Students apply the full range of methods to a self-selected synoptic passage.

Lesson 2 • Postcolonial and Liberation Readings

Examines how empire, power, and marginalization shape synoptic texts and their reception. Students evaluate readings that foreground the perspectives of colonized and oppressed communities.

Lesson 3 • Feminist and Gender-Critical Approaches

Analyzes the representation of women and gender dynamics in the Synoptic Gospels. Students assess how feminist criticism recovers marginalized voices in the text.

Lesson 4 • Preaching and Teaching the Synoptics

Bridges scholarly exegesis and public communication of synoptic texts. Students develop exegetically grounded sermon or lesson outlines from a chosen passage.