1	The Gospels of Matthew and Luke Examining the Relationship between the Synoptic Gospels
2	The Synoptic Gospels
3	The Synoptic Problem
4	Matthew and Luke are Literary Dependent on Mark Matthew contains over 90% of Mark, but Mark only contains 50% of Matthew. Luke contains over 50% of Mark, but Mark only contains 30% of Luke. In all but three cases, if a Markan passage is missing in Matthew or Luke, it is found in the other.
5	And yet . . . Matthew & Luke have much in common that is not in Mark. Matthew & Luke have much material that is unique to each.
6	Does Eusebius offer us a clue for solving this puzzle? Eusebius in his book Ecclesiastical History (written in the late third/early fourth century), records this from Exposition of the Lord’s Sayings, written by Papias [Bishop of Hierapolis in Asia Minor; lived ca. 60-130 AD]: “Now Matthew arranged in order the sayings [logia] in the Hebrew [Aramaic?] language, and each one interpreted/translated as he was able.” (Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History 3.39.17)
7	Another Clue! Luke indicates that: He knows that others have written gospels He has read them He used these other sources in writing his gospel. Read Luke 1:1-4.
8	Possible Explanation: The Two Source Theory Neither Matthew nor Luke had the other. Instead they both had Mark and a now-lost source, called Q (short for Quelle which is German for the word “source”), which was a list of Jesus’ sayings. They both independently used these two sources in writing their gospels.
9	The Two-Source Theory
10	Or, more accurately, the Four Source Theory Matthew
11	Matthew
12	Luke