Luke s problem was to demonstrate how the new Christian community of his Gentile converts was rooted in the unfamiliar Old Testament traditions and to direct their energy into a worldwide mission following the example of Jesus. To do this, he portrayed Jesus as a compassionate prophet whose witness both in word and in suffering gathered everyone, especially the poor and those on the margins, into a new community of universal table fellowship and service. Both Matthew and Luke also had new material that they wanted to add to Mark s Gospel. They shared a common collection of Jesus sayings with which they supplemented Mark in different ways. On the way, he reveals the meaning of God s dream for a community of persons related as God wants them to be.
Redaction is an older word for editing.
Using this method, scholars have been more able to recognize and appreciate the unique literary and theological characteristics of each Gospel. We can summarize the basic presuppositions that guide redaction criticism in this way. Both Matthew and Luke had and used Mark s structure for their Gospels. Since Luke and Matthew had Mark s text, we presume that their changes to Mark are conscious and freely made. By reflecting on why these changes were made, we can begin to discern their intentions and discover their particular emphases.