Christian Hermann Weisse proposes the two-source hypothesis (1838)

Christian Hermann Weisse, a German Protestant philosopher at the University of Leipzig, proposed the two-source hypothesis in 1838. This theory posits that the Gospels of Matthew and Luke relied on Mark and a hypothetical sayings collection called Q. Weisse's proposal addressed the synoptic problem, though it gained wider acceptance later.

Episodes

Background and detail

Background. Christian Hermann Weisse was a German Protestant religious philosopher and professor at the University of Leipzig. Born in Leipzig, he initially adhered to the Hegelian school of philosophy. His work focused on biblical criticism, specifically addressing the synoptic problem, which involves the similarities and differences among the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke.

The Proposal. In 1838, Weisse published 'Die evangelische Geschichte, kritisch und philosophisch bearbeitet,' articulating the two-source hypothesis. This theory suggests that Matthew and Luke used Mark for narrative material and a second source, Q, for sayings not found in Mark. Weisse was the first theologian to propose this specific framework.

Reception. Although Weisse articulated the hypothesis in 1838, it did not gain wide acceptance among German critics until Heinrich Julius Holtzmann endorsed it in 1863. Despite initial limited reception, the two-source hypothesis remains the most popular explanation for the origins of the synoptic gospels among New Testament scholars today.

People involved

Sources

Machine-drafted from the cited Wikipedia passages and checked by a reviewing model, not by a human editor. Every passage cites the revision it was written from; dates and places follow those passages.