To understand the synoptic gospels of the New Testament, one must have a clear understanding of what synoptic means. Synopticism is defined as viewing or defining something in a similar way using various points of view or sources. The Synoptic Gospels are the first three gospels of the New Testament: Mark, Matthew and Luke. These gospels are considered synoptic due to the large amount of material shared between the three books which is very similar and in some cases almost identical. If one were to place the verses from each book regarding certain events side by side, one would notice that much of the wording and explanation in one book mirrors the wording and explanation in the other two books. While this may reinforce the validity of the story told through these gospels, it also raises the question of whether or not these gospels are authentic views or simply mere copies of each other or another work distinct. Further complicating the situation is the fact that although much of the information is identical in nature, there are several striking differences in the information between the three gospels, leading one to question which account has the correct historical interpretation of what happened, emphasizes the true nature and content of Jesus' teachings and provides accurate discernment of what is yet to come. Studying these similarities and differences within these gospels is an attempt to find a solution to what is known as the synoptic problem. and critiques to help explain the synoptic problem. Among these methods, one of the most useful is source criticism....... middle of article ......th synoptic gospels. By accounting for these differences in small details, the story of Jesus became accessible to a wider range of people. The similarities between the gospels help preserve the larger concepts presented by the story of Jesus, fostering a general understanding that would be the same regardless of the perspective from which it was viewed. OTHER FORMS OF CRITICISM AND THE SYNOPTIC PROBLEM Analysis of the synoptic problem can be accessed by several other means. One method would be to examine the Gospels through the tools of literary criticism. This type of detailed study relies on reviewing an entire work and understanding the main themes of the text. It also involves looking for clues or phrases that would indicate what an author's intention is to elicit a particular reaction when reading their work (Harris 119).