Synoptic
“Seen together” — Matthew, Mark, Luke cover mostly the same material, often with the same words.
Lesson 1 · Course 64
Introduction to the Gospels
Four portraits of one Lord — synoptics, reliability, and how each Gospel answers who Jesus is.
At a glance
Summary
Four portraits of one Lord: historical Gospels with OT narrative shape, synoptic overlap, and clear answers to who Jesus is — Messianic King, Suffering Conqueror, Compassionate Savior, Eternal Son.
Quiz 1.1 100% (8/8). Quiz 1.2 87.5% (7/8) — miss: early writings treated the four as genuine (True). Quiz 1.3 90% (4.5/5) — extra “Messiah would never die…” option was incorrect. Quiz 1.4 100% (5/5). Cumulative 93% (28/30) with three partials flagged below.
Big ideas
What to teach and remember
- Gospels follow OT historical-narrative pattern (with some Greco-Roman biography features); generally chronological, sometimes topical or geographic.
- Audience: the Christian community. Cultural soil: OT Jewish culture.
- Reliability rests on theological conviction, corroboration, the Spirit, candid disciple failures, and distinct access (Matthew/John eyewitnesses; Mark with Peter; Luke with Paul and others).
- Synoptics = Matthew, Mark, Luke (“seen together”); majority view is Markan priority. John often includes what they omit.
- Who Jesus is: Matthew — Messianic King; Mark — Suffering Conqueror; Luke — Compassionate Savior; John — Eternal Son of God.
- Follow Him: from the heart; willing to suffer; with compassion; loved by God and loving others.
- True King: power over demons, authority to forgive, power to heal and raise. Kurios = Lord; euangelion = good news; kingdom language outweighs “gospel/evangelize.”
- Early church received the four as genuine; Eusebius: John approved the synoptics — the only indisputable ones.
Key terms
People, places, and words that matter
Kurios
Greek for Lord — the title that names Jesus’ authority.
Euangelion
Greek for good news — the message of the kingdom and the King.
Markan priority
Majority theory: Mark written first; Matthew and Luke used Mark.
Josephus
Jewish historian who mentions Jesus — extra-biblical corroboration.
Talmud
Jewish writings that mention Jesus — further historical witness.
Structure
Outline / timeline
- Genre and chronology of the Gospels
- Audience, culture, and reliability
- Synoptics vs John; Markan priority
- Four portraits: who Jesus is and how we follow
- Kingship proofs, kurios, euangelion, kingdom language
- Early reception (Eusebius / John approving the four)
Must remember
Facts to keep straight
| Genre | OT historical narrative pattern + some Greco-Roman biography features |
|---|---|
| Audience | Christian community |
| Culture | Jewish culture of the Old Testament |
| Synoptics | Matthew, Mark, Luke (not John) |
| Majority theory | Mark first; Matthew and Luke used Mark |
| Four portraits | King / Suffering Conqueror / Compassionate Savior / Eternal Son |
| Kurios / Euangelion | Lord / good news |
Compare
Side-by-side contrasts
Who Jesus is — four Gospels
- Matthew — Messianic King
- Mark — Suffering Conqueror
- Luke — Compassionate Savior
- John — Eternal Son of God
How we follow Him
- Matthew — from the heart, not just outwardly
- Mark — willing to suffer for Him
- Luke — with compassion on the needy
- John — loved by God and loving others
Story style (Matthew vs Mark)
- Matthew — shorter stories but more of them / compendium
- Mark — fewer stories but more detail / vivid
For the pulpit
Sermon hooks
- Four cameras, one Lord — preach the portrait that fits today’s text without flattening the others.
- Kingdom language outweighs “gospel” talk in the four books — let people hear the King’s reign.
- Reliability is pastoral: candid failures, eyewitness access, and Spirit-guided record of the real Jesus.
Quiz drill
Quiz drill / review · open to practice · 46 items
Lesson 1 is complete: section quizzes 1.1–1.4 plus the Cumulative Test. No essays.
Quiz 1.1 · 100% · 1 attempt
1. The Jewish Talmud mentions Jesus.
TrueThe Talmud is extra evidence that Jesus was a known historical figure.
2. Chronological order in the gospels?
They are generally chronological, but sometimes they emphasize logical order or thematic order.Default chronology; theme or logic can take the lead.
3. Prominent cultural orientation?
The Jewish culture of the Old TestamentOT Jewish soil, even when they write in Greek.
4. Match access to facts.
Matthew = eyewitness / disciple. Mark = close companion of Peter. Luke = travelled with Paul and sought reliable eyewitnesses. John = eyewitness, one of the closest disciples.Each writer’s access is different. None of them is guessing.
5. Why quote Plutarch?
Because he shows that historians of that time paid close attention to historical detail.Plutarch is cited as a window on first-century historical care, not as a Gospel source.
6. Candid disciple failures evidence reliability.
TrueThey did not polish themselves.
7. No Greco-roman writers from first century mention Jesus.
FalseMoodle spelling kept (“Greco-roman”). First-century Greco-Roman writers do mention Him.
8. Intended audience?
the Christian communityWritten for the church.
Quiz 1.2 · 87.5% · 1 attempt
1. Match unique relating style.
Matthew = shorter stories but more of them / compendium. Mark = fewer stories but longer with more color. Luke = most teaching / more parables / more human portrait.Same matching as the cumulative. Matthew is the compendium.
2. Majority theory?
Mark was written first, and Matthew and Luke used Mark.Markan priority.
3. Which is NOT a synoptic gospel?
JohnSynoptics = Matthew, Mark, Luke.
4. What does synoptic mean?
seen togetherThey can be viewed side by side.
5. Similarities of the synoptics?
They cover mostly the same material, and often use the same words for the teachings.Shared material and often shared wording.
6. According to early writings, the four gospels were always considered by the Church as genuine documents to be included in the NT.
TrueMiss / partialMiss — Jay-R chose False. Moodle: True. Early writings treat the four as genuine NT documents.
7. Eusebius: who approved the synoptic gospels?
The Apostle JohnEusebius reports John’s approval of the synoptics.
8. Eusebius: “The four Gospels...are the only _________ ones…”
indisputableThe four are the indisputable Gospels in that line.
Quiz 1.3 · 90% · 1 attempt
1. Proofs Jesus was true king (select all that apply).
Power over demons; authority to forgive sins; power to heal and resurrect.Kingship shown in authority over demons, sin, sickness, and death.
2. Kurios means?
LordKurios = Lord.
3. Kingdom terms are used much more frequently in the gospels than terms like gospel and evangelize.
TrueKingdom language outweighs “gospel/evangelize.”
4. Literal meaning of euangelion?
good newsEuangelion = good news.
5. Jewish kingdom expectation vs Jesus (select all that apply).
Most Jews thought the old age of sin/death would end all at once, but Jesus taught the kingdom comes in stages. Most Jews thought Messiah would overthrow Rome, but Jesus taught His kingdom was not of this world.Miss / partialPartial — Jay-R also chose “Messiah would never die but Jesus taught He would die on the cross.” Moodle’s correct set is the first two only.
Quiz 1.4 · 100% · 1 attempt
1. Chronology of the four gospels (select all that apply).
Same basic timeline; they may not meet modern expectations; sometimes organized by theme or geography.One basic timeline, not a modern diary. Theme and geography can organize a stretch.
2. Who is Jesus? Match each Gospel.
Matthew = Messianic King. Mark = Suffering Conqueror. Luke = Compassionate Savior. John = Eternal Son of God.Four portraits, one Lord.
3. How do we follow Jesus? Match each Gospel.
Matthew = from the heart, not just outwardly. Mark = willing to suffer for Him. Luke = compassion on the poor and needy. John = being loved by God and showing that love to others.Each portrait comes with a way to follow.
4. Differences among the four gospels?
There are differences because each author has a different emphasis, but there are no contradictions.Emphasis, not contradiction.
5. Why John omits Lord’s Supper narration?
Possibly because it was already included in the other gospels and he wanted to emphasize other things.John assumes you know the supper and presses other truths.
Cumulative Test · 93% · 1 attempt
1. Which of the gospels is NOT considered a "synoptic" gospel?
JohnSynoptics are Matthew, Mark, and Luke — seen together. John stands apart.
2. Which best describes chronological order in the gospels?
They are generally chronological, but sometimes they emphasize logical order or thematic order.Not a strict diary. Chronology is the default; theme can take the lead.
3. Terms related to the concept of kingdom are used much more frequently in the gospels than terms like "gospel" and "evangelize."
TrueKingdom language outweighs “gospel/evangelize” in the four books.
4. Match each gospel with its unique way of relating stories/teachings.
Matthew = shorter stories but more of them / compendium. Mark = fewer stories but longer with more color / least teaching. Luke = most teaching / more parables / more human portrait.Miss / partialPartial — Jay-R swapped Matthew and Mark. Moodle: Matthew is the compendium of shorter stories; Mark has fewer, longer, more colorful stories and the least teaching; Luke has the most teaching, more parables, the more human portrait.
5. The Gospel of John includes many events that are not in the other three gospels.
TrueJohn’s distinctive events are a feature, not a problem.
6. Candid revelation of disciples’ weaknesses/failures is evidence of reliability.
TrueThey did not polish themselves. Candor supports reliability.
7. Which theory is accepted by the majority of scholars?
Mark was written first, and Matthew and Luke used Mark.Markan priority is the majority scholarly view in this lesson.
8. Matthew 5 mountainside vs Luke 6 level place — possible explanations (select all that apply).
The sermon combines teachings given on several occasions; two different sermons with similar content; the “level place” may have been on top of a high place.Miss / partialPartial — Jay-R had the first two. Moodle also marks: a “level place” may have been on top of a high place.
9. Anointing in a Pharisee’s house (Luke 7) vs Simon the leper (Mark 14)?
These are two different accounts of two different but similar events.Similar scenes, two events — not a contradiction.
10. Difference between Jewish theologians’ kingdom expectation vs Jesus (select all that apply).
Most Jews thought the old age of sin/death would end all at once, but Jesus taught the kingdom comes in stages. Most Jews thought Messiah would overthrow Rome, but Jesus taught His kingdom was not of this world.Both marks. Stages, not one crash; not of this world, not a Roman coup.
11. Intended audience of the gospels?
the Christian communityWritten for the church, not first as a tract to outsiders.
12. Jewish historian who mentions Jesus?
JosephusJosephus is the named Jewish historian here.
13. Prominent cultural orientation of gospel authors?
The Jewish culture of the Old TestamentOT Jewish soil, even when writing in Greek.
14. Evidence of reliability (select all that apply).
Theological conviction to record the real Jesus; corroboration from other historical sources; Holy Spirit inspired.Miss / partialPartial — Jay-R also chose “writers had access to facts as disciples/eyewitnesses.” Moodle’s correct set is the three listed; that access-to-facts option is not in the marked set.
15. Differences in four gospels?
There are differences because each author has a different emphasis, but there are no contradictions.Emphasis, not contradiction.
16. Why John omits Lord’s Supper narration?
Possibly because it was already included in the other gospels and he wanted to emphasize other things.John assumes you know the supper and presses other truths.
17. Literary genre?
They follow the Old Testament pattern of historical narratives, but also borrow some features from the Greco-roman biographies.Moodle spelling kept (“Greco-roman”). Historical narrative first, some biography features.
18. What does "synoptic" mean?
seen togetherMatthew, Mark, and Luke can be seen together — they share a common view.
19. Who is Jesus? Match each Gospel.
Matthew = Messianic King. Mark = Suffering Conqueror. Luke = Compassionate Savior. John = Eternal Son of God.Four portraits, one Lord.
20. How do we follow Jesus? Match each Gospel.
Matthew = not just outwardly but from the heart. Mark = willing to suffer for Him. Luke = compassion on the poor and needy. John = being loved by God and showing that love to others.Each portrait of Jesus comes with a way to follow Him.