  thumb|right|250px|the two-source hypothesis proposes that the authors of matthew and luke drew on the gospel of mark and a hypothetical collection of sayings of jesus known as "q". the two-source hypothesis (or 2sh) is an explanation for the synoptic problem, the pattern of similarities and differences between the three gospels of matthew, mark, and luke. it posits that the gospel of matthew and the gospel of luke were based on the gospel of mark and a hypothetical sayings collection from the christian oral tradition called q. the two-source hypothesis emerged in the 19th century. b. h. streeter definitively stated the case in 1924, adding that two other sources, referred to as m and l, lie behind the material in matthew and luke respectively. the strengths of the hypothesis are its explanatory power regarding the shared and non-shared material in the three gospels; its weaknesses lie in the exceptions to those patterns, and in the hypothetical nature of its proposed collection of jesus-sayings. later scholars have advanced numerous elaborations and variations on the basic hypothesis, and even completely alternative hypotheses. nevertheless, "the 2sh commands the support of most biblical critics from all continents and denominations.""the two-source hypothesis", mindspring.com when streeter's two additional sources, m and l, are taken into account, this hypothesis is sometimes referred to as the four document hypothesis. == history == the two-source hypothesis was first articulated in 1838 by christian hermann weisse, but it did not gain wide acceptance among german critics until heinrich julius holtzmann endorsed it in 1863. prior to holtzmann, most catholic scholars held to the augustinian hypothesis (matthew â mark â luke) and protestant biblical critics favored the griesbach hypothesis (matthew â luke â mark). the two-source hypothesis crossed the channel into england in the 1880s primarily due to the efforts of william sanday, culminating in b. h. streeter's definitive statement of the case in 1924. streeter further argued that additional sources, referred to as m and l, lie behind the material in matthew and luke respectively.burnett hillman streeter, the four gospels, a study of origins treating of the manuscript tradition, sources, authorship, & dates, (1924)bruce m. metzger, bart d. ehrman, the text of the new testament: its transmission, corruption and restoration (oxford un. press, 2005) == background: the synoptic problem == the hypothesis is a solution to what is known as the [[
Biblical_criticism Christian_terminology Gospel_of_Mark Gospel_of_Matthew Synoptic_problem