The Four Gospels: A Study of Origins

work by Streeter

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June 26, 2026

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B.H. Streeter's The Four Gospels: A Study of Origins (1924) proposed the "four document hypothesis" to explain the literary relationship between the Synoptic Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. This hypothesis suggests that Matthew and Luke used Mark as a primary source for narrative and chronology, and also drew from a now-lost sayings source called "Q". Additionally, each Gospel may have incorporated unique material from separate sources, designated "M" for Matthew and "L" for Luke. This theory aimed to resolve the "Synoptic problem," which examines the similarities and differences among these Gospels. Streeter's work was a significant contribution to New Testament scholarship regarding Gospel origins.4123

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Burnett Hillman Streeter
His most important work was The Four Gospels: A Study of Origins (1924), in which he originated a “four document hypothesis” (including a Proto-Luke) as a solution to the synoptic problem and developed the theory of “local texts” in the manuscript transmission of the New Testament. This work was followed…
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His most important work was The Four Gospels: A Study of Origins (1924), in which he originated a “four document hypothesis” (including a Proto-Luke) as a solution to the synoptic problem and developed the theory of “local texts” in the manuscript transmission of the New Testament. This work was followed…
Read More