On Synopsis Quattuor Evangeliorum

Even though Kurt Aland did an important job when he created the structure of synopsis in Synopsis Quattuor Evangeliorum, there are several questionable decisions he made throughout the process.

Synopticus.org keeps the basic structure of Synopsis Quattuor Evangeliorum, but there are some adjustments, that could improve the synopsis by various ways. Due to lack of time and expertise, the developers suggest revision by professionals as a scientific work. To help them, here is a list of notes we made throughout the development process about potential improvements to the synopsis.

• While Kurt Aland’s concept of parallel relationships and his method of organizing the Gospels into sections is generally clear, certain aspects remain ambiguous. Here is a list of our concerns:
  • In Section 1, the citations lack a strong connection beyond the fact that they all mark the beginning of a Gospel. By the same logic, Gospel endings—which similarly share a structural role—could also be grouped into a single section, yet they are treated separately.
  • Section 8 describes the adoration of the infant Jesus. While the texts in Matthew and Luke are not similar in wording, they clearly describe corresponding events in Jesus's life. Following this logic, one would expect Sections 21 and 34 to also be treated as parallel, but they are not.
  • Although there appears to be a natural parallelism, Section 172 is currently not parallel to Section 230. Instead, they are treated as parallel in the opposite direction only, which seems inconsistent.
• Sub-parts are used rarely and questionably useful.
• In section 85 Mk7,30 does not seem connected to the section title or the parallel gospels in the section.
• The main body Lk6,46-49 could be split into two parts: Lk6,46 and Lk6,47-49. This is similar to what happened with the parallel parts in Mt7,21-23 and Mt7,24-27; such a division would make the parallel pairs clearer.
• Jn7,53 is in section 242. Consider replace it to section 241.
• Sections 358, 359 and 360 contain a single parallel text without body text, so these sections could be omitted.
• Section 361 refers to 1Cor15,3-8 which is not part of the four gospels.
• Section 362 follows the non-canonical ending of Mark.