Western Kentucky University

From the SelectedWorks of James W. Barker

2023

Barker - Synoptic Problem handout - 2023.pdf

James W Barker

Available at: https://works.bepress.com/james_barker/25/

Synoptic Problem Hypotheses James W. Barker

Augustinian Griesbach Two-Source Farrer Matthean Posteriority

Matthew Matthew Mark Q Mark Mark

Mark Luke Matthew Luke

Luke Mark Matthew Luke Luke Matthew

ca. 400 C.E. ca. 1800 ca. 1900 ca. 1950 ca. 1990

1) Did Matthew read Mark, or did Mark read Matthew?

2) Did Luke read Mark, or did Mark read Luke?
3) Did Luke read Matthew, or did Matthew read Luke? wku.academia.edu/JamesBarker
Paralysis Healing Synopsis James W. Barker

Matthew 9:1 And getting into a boat, he crossed over
and came into his own city.
2 3
And look, they were carrying to him a paralyzed person
having been put on a bed.
And Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the paralyzed
person, “Have confidence, child; your sins are forgiven.”
3 6
And look, some of the scribes said to themselves,
“This person blasphemes.”
4 22
And Jesus, seeing their thoughts, said,
“Why do you think evil in your hearts?
5
For what is easier to say:
‘Your sins are forgiven’ or ‘Get up and walk’?”
6
So that you can know that the Son of Man has authority
on the earth to forgive sins,” then he says to the
paralyzed person, “get up, pick up your bed, and depart
into your house.”
7
And getting up, he went away into his house. 8The
crowds, seeing, were afraid and glorified the God who
gave such authority to humans.
Mark 2:1 And entering again into Capernaum days later, it
was heard that he is in a house. 2And many people gathered
so as to have no more room, not even toward the door, and
he was speaking to them the word.
And they come carrying toward him a paralyzed person
being picked up by four [people]. 4And not being able to
carry [him] toward him [i.e. Jesus] because of the crowd, they
unroofed the roof where he was, and having dug out, they let
down the pallet where the paralyzed person was lying.
5 20
And Jesus, seeing their faith, says to the paralyzed person,
“Child, your sins are forgiven.”
Some of the scribes were there sitting and debating in their
hearts, 7“Why is this one talking like this? He blasphemes.
Who is able to forgive sins except one, God?” 8And
immediately Jesus, recognizing in his spirit that they are
debating among themselves, says to them, “Why are you
debating these things in your hearts? 9What is easier to say to
a paralyzed person: ‘Your sins are forgiven’ or to say ‘Get up
and pick up your pallet and walk’? 10So that you can know
that the Son of Man has authority to forgive sins on the
earth,” he says to the paralyzed person, 11“I say to you, ‘Get up,
pick up your pallet, and go away into your house.’”
12
And he got up and immediately pickup up the pallet he
went out in front of everyone so as to amaze everyone and to
glorify God saying, “We never saw something like this.”
Luke 5:17 And it happened on one of the days he also was
teaching, and there were sitting Pharisees and Torah-teachers
who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and
Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was unto him to heal.
18
And look, men carrying on a bed a person who was paralyzed,
and they were seeking him to bring inside and put [him] before
him [i.e. Jesus]. 19And not finding out how they could bring him
inside because of the crowd, climbing up on the house they let
him down through the tiles with the stretcher into the middle
in front of Jesus.
And seeing their faith he said,
“Person, your sins have been forgiven you.”
21
And the scribes and the Pharisees started to debate saying,
“Who is this who talks blasphemies?
Who is able to forgive sins except God alone?
Jesus, recognizing their debatings, answering said toward
them, “Why are you debating in your hearts?
23
What is easier to say:
‘Your sins have been forgiven you’ or to say ‘Get up and walk
around’? 24So that you can know that the Son of Man has
authority on the earth to forgive sins,” he says to the one who
has been paralyzed, “I say to you, ‘Get up and pick up your little
bed; proceed into your house.”
25
And suddenly standing up in front of them, having picked up
what he was lying on, he went away into his house glorifying
God. 26And everybody took stunned and glorified God and were
full of fear saying, “We saw paradoxes today.”

Cf. John 5:1–12, esp. “Rise, pick up your pallet, and walk around” (v. 8b); “… and picking up his pallet he was also walking around” (v. 9a); “pick up your pallet and walk around” (v. 11c); “pick up and walk around” (v. 12c).