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Synoptics

Synoptics

1 9.9
The first three books of the New Testament that tell similar stories about Jesus
  • noun
  • /sɪˈnɑptɪks/
translation icon : Sinópticos
  • In the synoptics, it clearly states that Jesus was celebrating Passover, while John places it the day before Passover.
  • Jesus of the Synoptics

Examples

  • Interesting discrepancy between John and the Synoptics, wouldn't you say?

    Blog text (29)
  • In the Synoptics, being a disciple is something you do with a group of people; it is a collective enterprise.

    Blog text (9)
  • Doug, the Synoptics are pretty clear that no one witnessed Jesus' death other than the women.

    Blog text (9)
  • The Synoptics' teaching on divorce ought not to be taken out of context and read as legal norms or even as moral maxims.

    Academic text (2004)
  • The Synoptics give us the Galilean story and perspective; John gives us the largely Judean perspective and story, and Jesus operated differently in these two regions.

    Blog text (9)
  • Very amusing, Ben, but you know that the Synoptics are thoroughly Judaistic; they don't claim Jesus as God in the sense of Philo's attempt to synthesize Judaism with Greek philosophy.

    Blog text (20)
  • A rich theological resource could be the Jesus of the Synoptics, "full of the Holy Spirit" (Lk 4:1), who proclaims and enacts God's "good news to the poor" (Lk 4:18).

    Academic text (2010)
  • The teachings of Jesus in the Synoptics provide a common perspective on his life and ministry.

  • Many scholars compare the Synoptics to uncover the similarities and differences in the Gospel narratives.

  • The Synoptics emphasize the importance of parables in conveying Jesus's messages.

Synonyms

Synoptic Gospels
vsSynoptics
1 8.7

The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke that tell Jesus's life in a similar way

is the alternative term for the same three Gospels

Surface Forms

Synoptics singular
Synoptics plural

Morphology

Synoptics = synoptic (opaque) = syn + optic + s

Forming the plural from 'synoptic' is a regular and obvious suffixation for learners.

Etymology

Synoptics comes from the Greek parts syn- meaning 'together' and -optic (from opsis) meaning 'to see'. So the Synoptics are the three gospels you can 'see together'—Matthew, Mark, and Luke are studied side by side because their accounts are very similar.