Pericope Analysis - University of Toronto



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 Mark’s pericope show up in other locations within Matthew. Sentences that Matthew did not use in his main parallel to Mark’s 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 Mark’s 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, Luke’s 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, Luke’s version of the parable of the mustard seed is from Q, not Mark, whereas Matthew’s 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 author’s 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 Mark’s 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 Matthew’s 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 Matthew’s theological and literary interests by referring to places in Matthew where these interests are evident. For instance, if you want to claim that Matthew’s version of your pericope reflects Matthew’s 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:



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 10:5–6 (which means the Gospel of Matthew chapter 10 verses five to six).

Mark 11:1–12:12 (which means the Gospel of Mark chapter eleven verse one to chapter 12 verse 12)

Luke 1–9 (which means the Gospel of Luke chapters one through nine inclusive)

• You don’t 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 author’s 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 Michael’s 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. Don’t 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.

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