“SALT” Exercise: The Synoptic Problem Assignment
James Clardy Jr
NBST: New Testament Orientation I
September 18, 2025
Contents Summary……………………………………………………………………………………… ……………….3
Applications: Griesback Hypothesis (Matthew, Luke,
Mark)..………………………………..4
Bibliography…………………………………………………………………………………
…………………5
Summary
The Synoptic Gospels, Matthew, Mark, and Luke, share many similarities not found in the
Gospel of John, hence the name “Synoptic,” which means “to see together” in Greek.1 In the
lecture that was given by Dr. Robert Wayne Stacy “The Synoptic Problem, he tells of the
differences and similarities within the synoptic Gospels accounts are showed in simple ways
that if three people saw the same incident and was asked the same questions about it. Within
each of those interviews, there would be a lot of the same details but a lot of difference details
just like what is found within the Synoptic Gospels. Still, Dr. Stacy did point out the while each
Gospels is different, they do have the same outlook on the events but lays out different details.
The Synoptic Problem refers to the challenge of explaining the similarities and differences
among the Synoptic Gospels.2
There are some scholars that call Matthew, Mark, and Luke the triple tradition because
of the stories that are shared by them. These stories are not just alike, but they also contain
some of the same and striking details that are worded the same in each of the books and also in
same order of events. The three Synoptic Gospels contain parenthetical elements when the
author of each book is speaking directly to the audience they are trying to reach. The Synoptic
Gospels also quote the Old Testament or combine two or more passages of the old Testament
to create one quote verbatim to one another. 3
Augustinian Hypothesis
The Augustinian Hypothesis is based on the think of Matthew was the first Gospel
written. Augustine believed that Matthew was the first Gospel written and that the apostle by
that name wrote it. John and Mark had the apostles Peter and Matthew as his sources,
abbreviating the latter. Luke and John were then written independently, or perhaps with some
1 Robert Wayne Stacy, “The Synoptic Problem,” (Video Lecture in NBST 515 at Liberty University,
Lynchburg, VA, July 6, 2022)
2 Walter A. Elwell and Robert W. Yarbrough, Encountering the New Testament: A Historical and
Theological Survey, Third Edition., (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2013), 157.
3 Stacy, “The Synoptic Problem.”
knowledge of Matthew and Mark.4 Augustine believed that Matthew as one of the twelve
apostles, would have the strong authority to write the first Gospel. Matthew’s Gospel was
comprehensive, containing teachings and parables that was told by Jesus first handed, and also
the genealogy of Jesus which lays the foundational text for the understanding and ministry of
Christ. Augustine’s view on Mark is that the Gospel of Mark may been written for a more
succinct narrative. Luke then followed suit further expanding the stories and including the
additional details that was concerning the life of Christ and the early church.
The Augustinian Hypothesis offers a very interesting perspective; it also faces different
challenges from other scholarly. The big challenge is the Markan Hypothesis. The Mark
Hypothesis claims Mark was the first Gospel that was written and that Matthew and Luke
contains portion of the content that is found in Mark. As noted by biblical scholars like Bart
Ehrman, the brevity and more primitive Greek of Mark suggest an earlier composition.5 But if
we view Matthew as the first Gospel to be written, we underscore the importance of apostolic
authority with the early Christianity. It shows the role of people who was actually there and
their own accounts in the shape of the narrative of Jesus. This hypothesis reflects on how
Gospel was written and how it evolved over time and how it adapted to the needs of different
communities. If the Augustinian Hypothesis is right and Matthew was the first to be written, it
suggests a foundation is laid in which writes later on can build on and revised the story of Jesus.
Conclusion
The Augustinian Hypothesis provides a compelling perspective on the order of the
synoptic Gospels, proposing that Matthew was written first. While many contemporary scholars
argue for Markan priority, Augustine's insights into apostolic authority and the comprehensive
nature of Matthew's Gospel invite continued reflection on the formation of the New Testament
canon. The exploration of the relationships among the Gospels not only enhances our
understanding of early Christianity but also underscores the complexities of Gospel
4 Walter A. Elwell and Robert W. Yarbrough, Encountering the New Testament: A Historical and Theological Survey,
ed. Walter A. Elwell, Fourth Edition, Encountering Biblical Studies (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2022), 156.
5 Bart D. Ehrman, *Studies in the Early Text of the New Testament* (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1993), 78-80
composition. As scholarship continues to evolve, the Augustinian Hypothesis serves as an
important historical framework in the study of the synoptic Gospels.
Bibliography
-Bart D. Ehrman, *Studies in the Early Text of the New Testament*
(Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1993), 78-80
- Robert Wayne Stacy, “The Synoptic Problem,” (Video Lecture in NBST
515 at Liberty University, Lynchburg, VA, July 6, 2022)
- Walter A. Elwell and Robert W. Yarbrough, Encountering the New
Testament: A Historical and Theological Survey, ed. Walter A. Elwell,
Fourth Edition, Encountering Biblical Studies (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2022),
156.
- Walter A. Elwell and Robert W. Yarbrough, Encountering the New Testament: A Historical
and Theological Survey, Third Edition., (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2013), 157.
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