Pericope Analysis

For this assignment you need to choose a pericope from the triple tradition and describe how
Matthew or Luke adapted it to suit his theological and literary purposes. (To simplify matters, I
will just refer to Matthew, but what I say about Matthew applies to Luke if you choose to study
Luke instead of Matthew.)
Begin by producing a gospel synopsis like the ones I have produced as handouts. The best
thing would be to make a photocopy of the passage as it appears in a published synopsis. If you
use a synopsis from a library, please be considerate enough to leave the synopsis in the library for
other students to use. Take note of the cross-referencing within most synopses and translations of
the New Testament. This will help you determine whether parts of Marks pericope show up in
other locations within Matthew. Sentences that Matthew did not use in his main parallel to
Marks pericope may show up elsewhere, sometimes more than once.
It is vital that you correctly identify all of the sources within the Matthean parallel to the
Markan pericope you selected. If Matthew added a Q passage to Marks account, you need to be
aware of that; otherwise, you might mistakenly suppose that the addition from Q was invented by
Matthew. Bear in mind that sometimes Matthew (or Luke) has the same pericope as Mark but is
not following Mark as his source. For instance, Lukes account of the anointing in Bethany is
probably based in part on a different version of that tradition. His version of this story would
constitute a Mark-Special Luke overlap rather than a straightforward revision of Mark. Likewise,
Lukes version of the parable of the mustard seed is from Q, not Mark, whereas Matthews
version is a conflation of Mark and Q. It is best to avoid passages involving source overlaps
because you might mistakenly confuse source material (special Luke, special Matthew, or Q)
with an authors redaction of Mark. The handout on Source Overlaps will help you identify some
of the overlaps. If in doubt, ask me after class.
Once you have a synopsis of the pericope and have determined whether Matthew used other
sources, the next thing you need to do is examine the way Matthew revised Marks pericope.
Consider what he removed, what he added, and what he left the same. Look for patterns in the
changes, and consider these changes against what you have learned about Matthew from the
textbook and the lectures. Try to appreciate the overall effect of the pericope as Matthew relates
it. Consider where he put the pericope. Did Matthew use it in the same place where Mark used it,
or did he put it somewhere else? How does it function in its larger, Matthean context? It may help
to borrow a book on Matthew, such as a commentary. The more academic commentaries will take
note of Matthews sources for any passage. Once you believe you understand what Matthew was
trying to do with the pericope, write up your conclusions in the form of an intelligent and
interesting discussion. You will need to substantiate your assertions about Matthews theological
and literary interests by referring to places in Matthew where these interests are evident. For
instance, if you want to claim that Matthews version of your pericope reflects Matthews interest
in the faith of Gentiles, make reference to passages in Matthew in which this interest is fairly
obvious (e.g., the visit of the Magi, the command at the end of the story to make disciples of all
nations).
Attach your synopsis at the end of your essay, complete with your written observations about
the changes (i.e., show your work). Our TA requested this because she observed last year that
students who produced a synopsis did a better job on their papers.

Some General Comments

You do not need a thesis statement for a pericope analysis, so, strictly speaking, it is not an
essay. But you do need to construct an intelligent, articulate, and insightful analysis. That
means you need to write in proper paragraphs and have an introduction and a conclusion. The
resource A Guide to Writing Academic Essays in Religious Studies will still be useful to
you, particularly on matters of research, writing, avoiding plagiarism, and proper
documentation of books and articles. I uploaded it to the CCNet website for our course:
http://ccnet.utoronto.ca/20049/rlg241y5y/
You will need to log in under students in order to access it, under course handouts. (I
removed the guide from the public domain because I am looking for a print publisher.)
You can indicate the translation of the bible that you used in a sentence within the paper (the
RSV or NIV are probably best for this), but any books and articles from which you derived
ideas need to be documented. Incorrect documentation is one of my pet peeves, so carefully
read through the section on documentation in the essay guide and do it right!
The usual way to refer to verses of scripture is like this:
Matt 10:56 (which means the Gospel of Matthew chapter 10 verses five to six).
Mark 11:112:12 (which means the Gospel of Mark chapter eleven verse one to chapter 12 verse
12)
Luke 19 (which means the Gospel of Luke chapters one through nine inclusive)

You dont need to account for every single difference between Mark and Matthew (or Luke).
You may simply focus on the ones that make sense to you in relation to the authors
demonstrable interests.
I recommend that you also borrow a book or two on Matthew (or Luke) from the libraries on
the downtown campus. There is no much at UTM, but Robarts, Emmanuel College, Trinity
College, Saint Michaels College, Knox College, and Regis College all have large selections
of books on the New Testament. Books on the gospels can be found in the vicinity of call
number BS 2585. Articles on the gospels can be found using the online ATLA Religion
Database. Dont treat this assignment as if the goal were to look up the right answer. Think
for yourself. Learn about the gospels, and then apply that knowledge to a particular pericope.