RT Article T1 Objective display or textual engineering? JF Neotestamentica VO 31 IS 2 SP 361 OP 388 A1 Zyl, Hermie C. van 1947- LA English PB NTWSA YR 1997 UL https://ixtheo.de/Record/1826577424 AB New Testament scholars are all familiar with the Greek synopses of the Gospels by Kurt Aland and Huck-Greeven, and perhaps with others. However, we seldom realise that synopses are not the objective and neutral tools which they are sometimes made out to be. In recent years voices have been raised - especially from the quarters of the proponents of the Griesbach hypothesis - that any synopsis is inevitably a manipulation of the text, with direct consequences for one's investigation of the synoptic parallels. Dungan, for example, speaks of the Heisenberg effect (well known in quantum physics) involved in synopsis construction, that is, you cannot observe the synoptic data without disturbing them. Therefore the editor of a synopsis must spell out his or her synoptic theory, the aim of the synopsis and the judgement calls made in constructing the synopsis. Otherwise the data portrayed can be misleading. This article aims at discussing the various aspects which influence the making of a synopsis: (1) the parallel arrangement of the synoptic Gospels into vertical columns. that is, which Gospel occupies the first, second and third columns, (2) the so-called common or main order resulting from manipulating the relative orders of events of the Gospels, (3) the division of the parallels into pericopes, and (4) the decision as to which material forms parallels to others. K1 Synopsis K1 Hermeneutical aspects K1 Synoptic Gospels DO 10.10520/AJA2548356_582