• Identify the overall structure of the temptation narratives, noting which gospel account includes which narrative detail in each of the six scenes. Which gospel contains what?
• Scene 1:
• Scene 2:
• Scene 3:
• Scene 4:
• Scene 5:
• Scene 6:
• Identify the variations between Matthew and Luke in sequence of scenes 3-5. Attempt to find an answer for these variations. What role does Q play here?
• Scene 3:
• Scene 4:
• Scene 5:
• Identify the triple tradition elements in each scene, as they may occur in the black or red bold color code.
• Scene 1:
• Scene 2:
• Scene 3:
• Scene 4:
• Scene 5:
• Scene 6:
• Identify the double tradition elements in each scene including the specific gospels, as they may occur in the blue underlined color code.
• Scene 1:
• Scene 2:
• Scene 3:
• Scene 4:
• Scene 5:
• Scene 6:
• Identify the elements in each scene unique to each gospel in the regular black print, as they may occur.
• Scene 1:
• Scene 2:
• Scene 3:
• Scene 4:
• Scene 5:
• Scene 6:
• Compare the use of Hebrew Bible references by each gospel writer, noting places where the same passage is treated differently.

• Summarize your observations in the above activities for each gospel account, noting patterns, dependency upon one another especially Mark etc.
• Matthew:
• Mark:
• Luke:

Triple tradition=bold face
Double tradition=underline
Red=identical verbal correspondences
Blue=verbal correspondences with same words but different forms
Green=places where Matthew or Luke has different word order or has transposed Mark

    This system of color coding the synoptic texts is adapted from Gordon D. Fee, New Testament Exegesis: A Handbook for Students and Pastors (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1983), 105-109. The coding is based upon the underlying Greek text, rather than an English translation, in order to be more precise.
   The importance of this procedure is defined by Fee as "you will have isolated (a) the actual amount of Mark's text reproduced by Matthew and/or Luke, and (b) the amount and kinds of variation from mark's text in either of the other Gospels."

³Taken from Exodus 24:18 (NRSV), "Moses entered the cloud, and went up on the mountain. Moses was on the mountain for forty days and forty nights."

⁴Taken from Deuteronomy 8:3 (NRSV), "He humbled you by letting you hunger, then by feeding you with manna, with which neither you nore your ancestors were acquainted, in order to make you understand that one does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord."

⁵Taken from Psalm 91:11-12 (NRSV), "(11) For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways. (12) On their hands they will bear you up, so that you will not dash your foot against a stone."

⁶Taken from Deuteronomy 6:16 (NRSV), "Do not put the Lord your God to the test, as you tested him at Massah."

⁷Taken Deuteronomy 5:9 (NRSV), "You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, punishing children for the iniquity of parents, to the third and fourth generation of those who reject me," Deut. 6:13 (NRSV), "The Lord your God you shall fear; him you shall serve, and by his name alone you shall swear," Deut. 10:20 (NRSV), "You shall fear the Lord your God; him alone you shall worship; to him you shall hold fast, and by his name you shall swear."

⁸These learning activities will be the basis of test questions both for quizzes and exams.