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{{Infobox synoptic hypothesis
| name = Four-document hypothesis
| image = Streeter's Four-Document Hypothesis.svg
| other_name = Four-source hypothesis
| order = Mark, Q, M, L, (Antiochian document), (Document of Infancy) <br/ > (Proto-Luke) <br/ > Matthew, Luke
| additional_sources = [[Q source]], [[M source]], [[L source]], (Antiochian document), (Document of Infancy)
| Matthew = Mark, Q, M, (Antiochian document)
| Mark =
| Luke = Mark, Q, L, (Proto-Luke), (Document of Infancy)
| originator = [[B. H. Streeter]]
| originating_work =
| origination_date = 1925
| proponents =
| opponents =
}}
{{Short description|Explanation for the relationship between three Gospels of the Bible}}
{{Use Oxford spelling|date=September 2020}}

The '''four-document hypothesis''' or '''four-source hypothesis''' is an explanation for the relationship between the three [[Gospel#Canonical gospels|Gospels]] of [[Gospel of Matthew|Matthew]], [[Gospel of Mark|Mark]], and [[Gospel of Luke|Luke]]. It posits that there were at least four sources to the Gospel of Matthew and the Gospel of Luke: the Gospel of Mark and three lost sources ([[Q document|Q]], [[M Source|M]], and [[L Source|L]]). It was proposed by [[B. H. Streeter]] in 1925, who refined the ''[[two-source hypothesis]]'' into a ''four-source hypothesis''.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Thomas|first=Robert L.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xlWveEVuGscC|title=Three Views on the Origins of the Synoptic Gospels|publisher=Kregel Academic|year=2002|isbn=978-0-8254-9882-4|pages=64|language=en|chapter=The Case for the Markan Priority View of Gospel Origins|quote=Several other problems must be considered by those who accept the Two- or Four-Source Hypothesis. First, the Four-Source hypothesis is much more complex (positing Q, M, and L as sources) than the Two-Gospel Hypothesis}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Biblical literature - The Synoptic problem|url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/biblical-literature|access-date=2020-08-15|website=Encyclopedia Britannica|language=en}}</ref>

== Description ==
According to [[B. H. Streeter]]'s analysis the non-Marcan matter in Luke has to be distinguished into at least two sources, [[Q document|Q]] and [[L Source|L]]. In a similar way he argued that Matthew used a peculiar source, which we may style [[M Source|M]], as well as Q. Luke did not know M, and Matthew did not know L. Source M has the [[Jewish Christianity|Judaistic character]] (see the [[Gospel according to the Hebrews]]), and it suggests a [[Jerusalem in Christianity|Jerusalem]] origin; source L Streeter assigned to [[Early centers of Christianity#Caesarea|Caesarea]]; and source Q, the analysis posits, was connected with [[Early centers of Christianity#Antioch|Antioch]]. The document Q was an Antiochene translation of a document originally composed in [[Aramaic of Jesus|Aramaic]] – possibly by the [[Matthew the Evangelist|Apostle Matthew]] for Galilean Christians. Gospel of Luke developed in two phases (see picture).

According to this view the first gospel is a combination of the traditions of Jerusalem, Antioch, and [[Early centers of Christianity#Rome|Rome]], while the third gospel represents Caesarea, Antioch, and Rome. The fact that the Antiochene and Roman sources were reproduced by both Evangelists Matthew and Luke was due to the importance of those Churches. Streeter thought there is no evidence that the other sources are less authentic.

Streeter hypothesized a proto-Luke document, an early version of Luke that did not incorporate material from Mark or the birth narrative. According to this hypothesis, the evangelist added material from Mark and the birth narratives later. Telling against this hypothesis, however, the gospel has no underlying passion tradition separate from Mark, and Luke's travel account is evidently based on [[Mark 10]].<ref>{{Cite book|last1=Theissen|first1=Gerd|title=The Historical Jesus: A Comprehensive Guide|last2=Merz|first2=Annette|date=1998|publisher=Fortress Press|others=Translated from German (1996 edition)|isbn=978-0-8006-3123-9|language=en|chapter=Chapter 2. Christian sources about Jesus.}}</ref> A contemporary version of the four-source theory omits proto-Luke, with the evangelist combining Mark, Q, and L directly.<ref name="5GIntro2">{{Cite book|last1=Funk|first1=Robert Walter|url=https://archive.org/details/fivegospelssearc0000unse|title=The Five Gospels: The Search for the Authentic Words of Jesus. New Translation and Commentary|last2=Hoover|first2=Roy W.|last3=Jesus Seminar|author3-link=Jesus Seminar|date=1993|publisher=HarperSanFrancisco|isbn=978-0-02-541949-0|pages=1–30|language=en|chapter=Introduction}}</ref> Still, the gospel might have circulated originally without the birth narrative in the first two chapters.<ref name="ActJBirth">[[Robert W. Funk|Funk, Robert W.]] and the [[Jesus Seminar]]. ''The acts of Jesus: the search for the authentic deeds of Jesus.'' HarperSanFrancisco. 1998. "Birth & Infancy Stories" pp. 497–526.</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Augustinian hypothesis]]
* [[Farrer hypothesis]]
* [[Gospel harmony]]
* [[Gospel of Marcion]]
* [[Hebrew Gospel hypothesis]]
* [[Marcan priority]]
* {{section link | Synoptic Gospels | The synoptic problem}}
* [[Two-gospel hypothesis]]

== References ==
=== Footnotes ===
{{Reflist}}

=== Bibliography ===
* {{Cite book |first= Burnett H. |last= Streeter |url= http://www.katapi.org.uk/4Gospels/Ch9.htm |title= The Four Gospels, a Study of Origins treating of the Manuscript Tradition, Sources, Authourship, & Dates |orig-year= 1924 |pages= 223–270 |date= 2008 |publisher= Wipf and Stock Publishers |isbn= 978-1556357978 }}

{{Synoptic problem}}

[[Category:Christian terminology]]
[[Category:Synoptic problem]]

Four-document hypothesis - Revision history

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