Editing Gospel of Mark (section)

===Synoptic problem===
[[Image:MarkEvangelist.jpg|thumb|Mark the Evangelist, 16th-century Russian icon|298x298px]]
The gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke bear a striking resemblance to each other, so much so that their contents can easily be set [[Gospel harmony#A parallel harmony presentation|side by side in parallel columns]]. The fact that they share so much material verbatim and yet also exhibit important differences has led to several hypotheses explaining their interdependence, a phenomenon termed the [[synoptic problem]].

Up until the 19th century, the gospel of Mark was traditionally placed second, and sometimes fourth, in the Christian canon, and was believed to be an abridgement of [[gospel of Matthew|Matthew]]. The Church has consequently derived its view of Jesus primarily from Matthew, secondarily from [[gospel of John|John]], and only distantly from Mark. However, in the 19th century, a theory was developed known as [[Marcan priority]], which held that Mark was the first of the four gospels written.{{sfn|Edwards|2002|p=2}} In this view, Mark was a source used by both Matthew and [[gospel of Luke|Luke]], who agree with each other in their sequence of stories and events only when they also agree with Mark.{{sfn|Koester|2000|pp=44–46}} The hypothesis of Marcan priority is held by the majority of scholars today, and there is a new recognition of the author as an artist and theologian using a range of literary devices to convey his conception of Jesus as the authoritative yet suffering Son of God.{{sfn|Edwards|2002|pp=1–3}}