Principles Involved in Harmonizing the Synoptic Gospels
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These 5 principles are the most common principles involved in harmonization, but some
harmonization issues involve other, less common principles.
1. Ancient people were not as interested in geographic and chronological details as we
are.
- Gadarenes (Mt. 8:28) and Gerasenes (Mk. 5:1) refer to two cities in the same region.
- Luke refers to the new site of Jericho (Lk. 18:35), while Matthew and Mark refer to old
Jericho (Mt. 20:29; Mk. 10:46).
2. The authors often arranged their material topically, not chronologically.
- Mt. 8, 9 is a list of miracles which Jesus did throughout the course of this ministry.
3. Jesus was an itinerate speaker. Therefore, He often repeated both teachings and
actions in different places and times.
- The sermon on mount (Mt. 5-7) and the sermon on the level place (Lk. 6) are probably
different discourses.
- Jesus cleansed the Temple twice: once at beginning of His ministry (Jn. 2) and once at
the end (Mt., Mk., Lk.).
- The incident with Mary and the perfume (Jn. 12; Mt. 26; Mk. 14) is probably different
from similar incident recorded in Lk. 7.
4. The authors used great selectivity in their accounts (Jn. 20:31; 21:25) and greatly
compressed what they reported.
- There are 2 Garasene demonics (Mt. 8; Lk. 8), but Mark focuses on one of them.
- There are 2 blind men healed (Mt. 20; Lk. 18), but Mark focuses on one of them.
- Matthew often compresses accounts (Mt. 8:5-13; 9:18).
5. Authors had to translate, interpret and condense Jesus' words and actions.
- Jesus probably spoke in Aramaic, but the gospels are written in Greek
- This explains slightly different versions of the same quotations (Compare Mt.24:3; Mk
13:4; Lk.21:7).
- We don't always know where the quotation ends and the application begins (Jn. 3:10-21;
Gal.2:14-21).
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