The Fourth Synoptic Gospel: John's Knowledge of Matthew, Mark, and Luke
Digital Verbum Edition
Overview
A bold reassessment of John’s Gospel and its relationship to the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke
Generations ago in biblical studies, it was taken for granted that John wrote with full knowledge of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. But this consensus was overturned in the 1930s and since then, there has been no agreement on the issue. Today many scholars view the problem as unsolvable or impossibly complex. Mark Goodacre, however, takes a different view. In his galvanizing new book, Goodacre synthesizes long-neglected data with newer perspectives to make a strong case for John’s familiarity with all three Synoptic Gospels.
Writing in a clear and accessible style, Goodacre takes a systematic, step by step approach to showing that John knew and used the narratives of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Goodacre identifies key points of agreement that range from diagnostic shards to shared structures. He also analyzes key differences; in his telling, John dramatically transforms the Synoptics and develops their Christology while adding a beloved disciple of Jesus, who is himself a Synoptic character. To make his argument accessible to a broad audience, Goodacre minimizes the use of scholarly citations and translates all Greek words. Just as importantly, he illustrates his claims with clear, simple charts so that readers can see for themselves the evidence that John knew and used the Synoptics.
The Fourth Synoptic Gospel is sure to spark lively discussions among biblical scholars. Given that John’s relationship to the Synoptics is a fundamental issue in New Testament studies, Goodacre’s book is also a must read for students and professors alike.
- Synthesizes long-neglected data with newer perspectives.
- Identifies key points of agreement that range from diagnostic shards to shared structures.
- Transforms the Synoptics and develops their Christology while adding a beloved disciple of Jesus.
Table of Contents
Preface
Abbreviations
1. First Impressions
“I Believe in Dodd”
The Appeal of Oral Tradition
Close Verbal Agreement
How Much Agreement Should We Expect?
Differences and Diagnostic Shards
From Tradition to Gospel
2. When John Is Synoptic
The Gospels in Synopsis
Parallel Orders
“A Passion Narrative with an Extended Introduction”
The Revelation of the Hidden Messiah
What if John Is Synoptic?
3. John, from Mark, via Matthew and Luke
Matthean Redaction in John
Lukan Redaction in John
Oral Tradition or Literary Links?
4. John’s Presupposition of Synoptic Narratives
Selectivity in the Synoptics
Selectivity in John
Presupposing Synoptic Narratives
How Do We Know John Is Presupposing the Synoptic Gospels?
Why Does It Matter?
5. John’s Dramatic Transformation of the Synoptics
From Synoptic Narration to Johannine Direct Speech
Analogies from Matthew
Analogies from the Protevangelium
Altering Dramatis Personae
Intertextual Dramatic Irony
Dramatic Revision
The Narrator’s Presence in John
6. The Beloved Disciple for Readers of the Synoptics
One of the Twelve
John Son of Zebedee
Difficulties
A Galilean Disciple
From Readers of the Synoptics to the Authorship of John
7. John’s Christological Transformation of the Synoptics
“The Messiah, the Son of God”
Every Shared Title
The “I Am” Sayings
Why Synoptic Influence?
“I Am”
“The Father” and “the Son”
The “Johannine Thunderbolt”
Conclusion: The Fourth Gospel
Works Cited
Index of Authors
Index of Subjects
Index of Scripture and Other Ancient Sources
“Goodacre is an excellent writer and an incisive exegete, and there is much to appreciate in his landmark work.”
—Theology
“Whether challenging the existence of Q or demonstrating the Gospel of Thomas’s familiarity with the Synoptics, Mark Goodacre’s analysis of well-worn academic positions is characteristically brilliant and regularly results in a significant challenge to the critical consensus. His present book, The Fourth Synoptic Gospel, is no different. Here Goodacre convincingly demonstrates John’s knowledge of all three Synoptics in a clear and accessible way. This book will change the field! I cannot recommend it highly enough.”
—Christopher W. Skinner, Loyola University Chicago
“Generations of scholars have struggled to comprehend the relationship between John and the Synoptics. Goodacre’s masterful reexamination will likely solidify a new consensus. Yes, John knew and used the written Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. John also creatively transformed them and should thus be read as the fourth Synoptic Gospel.”
—James W. Barker, Western Kentucky University
“The relationship of John to the Synoptics is an important issue because it directly affects why John includes what it does and is worded as it is. Mark Goodacre takes this complicated subject and approaches it in ways that are clear and straightforward. And his copious examples are insightful and eye-opening. It would be hard to view the fourth Gospel the same way again after reading this book.”
—Jeff Cate, California Baptist University
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