A Statistical Study of the Triple-Link Model in the Synoptic Problem

Abstract

Summary.In New Testament studies, the synoptic problem is concerned with the relationships between the gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke. A careful specification in probabilistic terms is set up of what is known as the triple-link model, and, as a special case, the double-link model. Counts of the numbers of verbal agreements between the gospels are examined to investigate which of the possible triple-link models appears to give the best fit to the data.

The Synoptic Problem: On Matthew’s and Luke’s use of Mark

“…We may first note the results of Abakuks (2006a) and(2007) that in the simple models assumed there the first of these alternatives gives a somewhat better fit to the data. A time series analysis based on the ideas of the present paper would require the construction of a more complex database where the use of two gospels by the author of a third could be investigated.…”

“…As in the earlier work of Abakuks (2006aAbakuks ( , 2007, the statistical analysis here will be based upon observation of verbal agreements between the synoptic gospels, that is, of common occurrences of the same Greek word in the same context and in the same grammatical form. In the earlier work, as emphasized in Abakuks (2007), the results of the analysis of the triple-link model were presented with no formal indication of their statistical significance.…”

“…As in the earlier work of Abakuks (2006aAbakuks ( , 2007, the statistical analysis here will be based on observation of verbal agreements between the synoptic gospels, i.e. of common occurrences of the same Greek word in the same context and in the same grammatical form.…”

“…The Gospel of John is not included, as it is very different in style and in the detail of its content. In Abakuks (2006aAbakuks ( , 2007 versions of the triple-link model in the synoptic problem were examined, building on aspects of the statistical analysis of Honoré (1968). According to the triple-link model, Gospel A was written first, Gospel B was written second and used Gospel A as a source, and Gospel C was written third and used both Gospel A and Gospel B as sources, where A, B, C is any permutation of Mt, Mk, Lk.…”

The Synoptic Problem and Statistics

“…The statistical problem that I investigated was a different one 5 . Honoré 6 , in a pioneering paper, had carried out a wide‐ranging statistical analysis of the synoptic problem.…”