Rewriting the Gospel: The Synoptics among Pluriform Literary Traditions

Abstract

This dissertation situates the synoptic gospels in the context of first and second century pluriform literary traditions. The treatment of Mark by the authors of Matthew and Luke is far from typical of contemporary historical writings. The conservatism of the latter evangelists with the wording and scope of their literary sources resembles, rather, a compositional procedure associated with technical literature. Independent religious experts appropriated this convention of re-writing from rival teachers as an appropriate method for demonstrating their mastery of received knowledge while, simultaneously, revising that disciplinary tradition. The synoptic gospels were, therefore, understood as discrete books by identifiable authors composed on the same substrate of content, called a hypothesis. Two second century Christian teachers illustrate the origin of synoptic-type gospels in the educational marketplace of Greek-speaking cities. Both Marcion and Tatian were independent Christian teachers in major urban areas. Both composed new gospels according to the conservative conventions evinced in the synoptic gospels.