Three Views on the Origins of the Synoptic Gospels

Three views on the origins of the synoptic gospels dominate the landscape of New Testament scholarship at the beginning of the twenty-first century. They are, in the order of their priority among scholars, the Two-/Four-Source View, the Two-Gospel View, and the Independence View. This presentation/response format features evangelical scholars and furnishes students of the Synoptic Gospels an abbreviated comparison of the issues at stake in advocating a particular view. Grant R. Osborne (professor of New Testament, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School) and Matthew C. Williams (associate professor of New Testament at Talbot School of Theology) defend the Markan Hypothesis. John H. Niemelä (professor of Hebrew and Greek at Chafer Theological Seminary) defends the Two-Gospel View. F. David Farnell (associate professor of New Testament at The Master's Seminary) defends the Independence View. Robert L. Thomas (Th.D., Dallas Theological Seminary) is professor of New Testament at The Master's Seminary in Sun Valley, California.