Glossary

“Synoptic Gospels” refers to three of the four Gospels in the New Testament canon: Matthew, Mark and Luke (John alone is omitted from this grouping). The adjective “synoptic,” like the noun “synopsis” from which it is derived, is based on the Greek adjective synoptikos, meaning “seeing the whole together.” It refers to the fact that the first three Gospels can be printed in three parallel columns and “seen together” because the sayings and stories they contain often exhibit striking literary similarities.

This was first done in 1776, when the German New Testament scholar J. J. Griesbach (1745–1812) arranged the first three Gospels together in parallel columns in a book with a long Latin title, the first part of which was Synopsis Evangelorium Matthai Marci et Lucae (Synopsis of the Gospels Matthew, Mark and Luke). The first three Gospels have been referred to as Synoptic Gospels ever since.

The Gospel of John was omitted from Griesbach’s synopsis, and from most other synopses of the Gospels thereafter, because it is very different from the other three Gospels. About 90 percent of the sayings and stories about Jesus found in John have no parallel in the Synoptic Gospels.

The first sidebar contains the miracle story of Jesus curing the fever of Simon’s mother-in-law, found in all three of the Synoptic Gospels. The texts are arranged in parallel columns to form a synopsis.

While these three texts are not identical, there are enough similarities to make any teacher suspect plagiarism. The Mark version is the longest with 44 Greek words, Luke is next with 38 words and then comes Matthew with 30 words.