The blocks of aphorisms in Mark, Matthew and Luke
"The lack of logical coherence in certain passages, such as the discourses attributed to Jesus, suggest that they may be ..... extracts from a sayings source or sources "
W. R. Telford, "Mark", in "The Synoptic Gospels", J.Riches et al. (Sheffield Academic Press, 2001, p.159)
Introduction
Each synoptic gospel has several blocks of aphorisms, a block being here taken to be text comprising at least two adjacent sayings units, in which each unit contains a part or full aphorism. However the units must not be closely related in meaning (e.g. all linked together by parallelism as in e.g. Mk 2:21-22 or Mt 13:44-48). Such a block would be much too coherent to suggest an external source.
Each block must be unsourced, by which I mean that a block is not dependent on a similar block in an earlier gospel, and therefore its source is yet to be determined. Thus Mt 16:24-28 contains 4 aphorisms (16:24b, 25, 27a, 28) with some elaboration (16:24a, 26, 27b). But it clearly depends on Mk 8:34-9:1 which contains the same 4 aphorisms in the same order (though differently elaborated) and is therefore not an unsourced block of aphorisms.
In any block there may be some extra verses deemed to be redactional. These are restricted to no more than half a verse per aphoristic sayings unit on average, in order to ensure that the block can reasonably be described as a block of aphorisms.
Overview of the blocks in the synoptic gospels
| Mark |
Matthew |
Luke |
| text |
full or part |
extra |
text |
full or part |
extra |
text |
full or part |
extra |
| |
aphorisms |
verses |
|
aphorisms |
verses |
|
aphorisms |
verses |
| 4:21-25 |
4 |
1 |
5:3-15 |
3 |
1 |
6:20b-49 |
12 |
3 |
| 8:34b - 9:1 |
4 |
2 |
5:29-32 |
2 |
1 |
9:57 - 10:12 |
5 |
1 |
| 9:35b-37 |
2 |
1 |
6:19-7:27 |
13 |
3.5 |
11:27-35 |
4 |
0.5 |
| 9:40-50a |
5 |
2 |
10:5b-42 |
12 |
3 |
11:39b-52 |
7 |
1 |
| 11:23-25 |
3 |
0 |
18:12-15 |
2 |
1 |
12:2-12 |
2 |
1 |
| 13:9-13 |
5 |
0 |
23:11-13 |
3 |
0 |
12:51-59 |
4 |
2 |
| 13:21-22 |
2 |
0
| 23:23-36 |
4 |
1 |
16:17-18 |
2 |
0 |
| 13:31-33 |
2 |
1 |
24:26-28 |
3 |
0 |
17:1-6 |
3 |
1 |
| |
|
|
24:37-44 |
3 |
0 |
17:23-27 |
3 |
1 |
| |
|
|
|
|
|
17:33-37 |
3 |
1 |
In the following tables, '--' indicates verse(s) which I take to be the gospel writer's redaction (i.e. his own composition).
Blocks in Mark
| verse(s) |
my aphorism label |
my logia id |
| |
| 4:21 |
lamp |
A3 |
| 4:22 |
hidden |
B9 |
| 4:23 |
-- |
|
| 4:24 |
measure |
A13 |
| 4:25 |
more given |
C20 |
| |
| 8:34b |
cross |
B11 |
| 8:35 |
save/lose |
B12 |
| 8:36-37 |
-- |
|
| 8:38 |
ashamed |
B9 |
| 9:1 |
power |
C12 |
| |
| 9:35b |
first/last |
C10 |
| 9:36 |
-- |
|
| 9:37 |
welcomes me |
B13 |
| |
| 9:40 |
for/against |
B14 |
| 9:41 |
cup of water |
B2 |
| 9:42 |
stumbling block |
C9 |
| 9:43,45,47 |
cut it off |
A6 |
| 9:48-49 |
-- |
|
| 9:50a |
salt |
A2 |
| |
| 11:23 |
faith |
C17 |
| 11:24 |
ask |
A19 |
| 11:25 |
forgive |
C1 |
| |
| 13:9 |
hand you over |
B8 |
| 13:10 |
to all nations |
B7 |
| 13:11 |
hand you over |
B8 |
| 13:12 |
father vs. son |
B10 |
| 13:13 |
hated/endure |
B6 |
| |
| 13:21 |
false messiahs |
D9 |
| 13:22 |
look here or there |
D8 |
| |
| 13:31 |
heaven & earth |
A4 |
| 13:32 |
-- |
|
| 13:33 |
keep awake |
D14 |
All the aphorisms in my seven blocks of aphorisms are included within the five compilations of sayings observed by William Telford (c.f. the quotation at the top of this web page)
Blocks in Matthew
| verse(s) |
my aphorism label |
my logia id |
| |
| 5:3-12 |
blessings |
A1 |
| 5:13 |
salt |
A2 |
| 5:14 |
-- |
|
| 5:15 |
lamp |
A3 |
| |
| 5:29-30 |
right eye |
A6 |
| 5:31 |
-- |
|
| 5:32 |
divorce |
A7 |
| |
| 6:19-21 |
treasures |
C18 |
| 6:22-23a |
healthy eye |
C3 |
| 6:23b |
-- |
|
| 6:24 |
two masters |
C16 |
| 6:25-33 |
life's necessities |
C19 |
| 6:34 |
-- |
|
| 7:1-2 |
do not judge |
A14 |
| 7:3-5 |
a log in your eye |
A13 |
| 7:6 |
pearls to pigs |
A15 |
| 7:7-11 |
ask then receive |
A19 |
| 7:12 |
golden rule |
A20 |
| 7:13-14 |
two gates |
A16 |
| 7:15-18 |
good tree |
A17 |
| 7:19-20 |
-- |
|
| 7:21-23 |
disowned |
A21 |
| 7:24-27 |
rock or sand |
A22 |
| |
| 10:5b-15 |
mission instructions |
B4 |
| 10:16 |
lambs among wolves |
B5 |
| 10:17-20 |
help in testifying |
B8 |
| 10:21 |
-- |
|
| 10:22 |
hated by all |
B6 |
| 10:23 |
through all Israel |
B7 |
| 10:24-25 |
teacher/disciple |
A10 |
| 10:26-33 |
bold confession |
B9 |
| 10:34-35 |
a sword |
B10 |
| 10:36 |
-- |
|
| 10:37-38 |
my disciple? |
B11 |
| 10:39 |
losing one's life |
B12 |
| 10:40 |
welcome |
B13 |
| 10:41 |
-- |
|
| 10:42 |
cup of water |
B2 |
| |
| 18:12-13 |
lost sheep |
C15 |
| 18:14 |
-- |
|
| 18:15 |
forgiveness |
C8 |
| |
| 23:11 |
great/servant |
C10 |
| 23:12 |
humble exalted |
C11 |
| 23:13 |
following Jesus |
D1 |
| |
| 23:23-24 |
tithe mint |
D3 |
| 23:25-26 |
clean cup |
D2 |
| 23:27 |
whitewashed tombs |
D5 |
| 23:28 |
-- |
|
| 23:29-36 |
memorials |
D7 |
| |
| 24:26 |
hearsay |
D9 |
| 24:27 |
lightning |
D10 |
| 24:28 |
vultures |
D11 |
| |
| 24:37-39 |
in the days of Noah |
D12 |
| 24:40-41 |
taken or left |
D13 |
| 24:42-44 |
keep awake |
D14 |
The texts Mt 18:8-9 and 24:35 are aphorisms. They are close to the fifth and ninth blocks respectively. But comparisons with Mark show that they are clearly both taken from that earlier gospel and therefore they do not directly indicate an external source and so neither of them should be included in a block.
Blocks in Luke
| verse(s) |
my aphorism label |
my logia id |
| |
| 6:20b-23 |
blessings |
A1 |
| 6:24-26 |
-- (woes) |
|
| 6:27-30 |
love your enemies |
A8 |
| 6:31 |
golden rule |
A20 |
| 6:32-36 |
love your enemies |
A8 |
| 6:37-38 |
do not judge |
A14 |
| 6:39 |
blind guide |
A9 |
| 6:40 |
teacher/disciple |
A10 |
| 6:41-42 |
a log in your eye |
A13 |
| 6:43-44 |
good tree |
A17 |
| 6:45 |
good treasure |
A18 |
| 6:46 |
why call me Lord, Lord |
C16 |
| 6:47-49 |
rock or sand |
A22 |
| |
| 9:57-62 |
following Jesus |
B1 |
| 10:1 |
-- |
|
| 10:2 |
harvest |
B3 |
| 10:3a |
go |
B4 |
| 10:3b |
lambs among wolves |
B5 |
| 10:4-12 |
mission instructions |
B4 |
| |
| 11:27-28 |
womb |
C7 |
| 11:29a |
-- |
|
| 11:29b-32 |
request for a sign |
C5 |
| 11:33 |
lighting a lamp |
A3 |
| 11:34-35 |
eye as lamp |
C3 |
| |
| 11:39b-41 |
clean cup |
D2 |
| 11:42 |
tithe mint |
D3 |
| 11:43 |
craving respect |
D4 |
| 11:44 |
unmarked graves |
D5 |
| 11:45 |
-- |
|
| 11:46 |
burdens |
D6 |
| 11:47-51 |
memorials |
D7 |
| 11:52 |
hinder entrance |
D1 |
| |
| 12:2-9 |
bold confession |
B9 |
| 12:10 |
-- |
|
| 12:11-12 |
help in testifying |
B8 |
| |
| 12:51 |
no peace |
B10 |
| 12:52 |
-- |
|
| 12:53 |
family division |
B10 |
| 12:54-56 |
weather signs |
C13 |
| 12:57 |
-- |
|
| 12:58-59 |
your accuser |
A5 |
| |
| 16:17 |
law |
A4 |
| 16:18 |
divorce |
A7 |
| |
| 17:1-2 |
millstone |
C9 |
| 17:3-4 |
forgiveness |
C8 |
| 17:5 |
-- |
|
| 17:6 |
mulberry tree |
C17 |
| |
| 17:23 |
hearsay |
D9 |
| 17:24 |
lightning |
D10 |
| 17:25 |
-- |
|
| 17:26-27 |
in the days of Noah |
D12 |
| |
| 17:33 |
losing one's life |
B12 |
| 17:34-35 |
taken or left |
D13 |
| 17:37a |
-- |
|
| 17:37b |
vultures |
D11 |
If the aphorisms indicated in the above tables had been in the minds of the respective synoptic authors, they would surely have been better integrated into their accounts.
The 27 sayings blocks contain a total of 117 aphoristic texts representing 64 different logia sayings. The latter two numbers show clearly that a particular saying may be wholly or partially present in a block in more than one gospel. Indeed seven of the 72 logia sayings (A3, A13, B8, B9, B10, B12, D9) are attested in blocks in all three synoptic gospels.
None of these blocks appear to be dependent on a different gospel. Indeed the evidence points to the probability that they were all dependent on non-synoptic source(s). Moreover the fact that 64% (41/64) of the sayings attested in the blocks are present in part or in full in blocks in at least two synoptic gospels, strongly suggests that each synoptic writer had access to a copy of the same pre-Markan written collection of aphorisms.