The phenomena of peculiar words, ninety-five characteristic of Matthew and one hundred and fifty-one characteristic of Luke, is also impossible of explanation upon the theory that either writer copied from the other. If either one were copying from the other, they would certainly agree against Mark in some really important matter, and not merely in an occasional word or phrase. If Luke were copying from Matthew, he would certainly have incorporated some one of those numerous additions which Matthew makes to the narratives of Mark.[70]
In addition to any of the more general considerations which have suggested the possible use of Matthew by Luke, a recent writer has evolved an ingenious and somewhat elaborate proof for this use, which it may be well to consider in some detail.
A RECENT ATTEMPT TO PROVE MATTHEW A SOURCE FOR LUKE
Mr. Robinson Smith[71] attempts to dispose both of Ur-Marcus and Q by maintaining that Luke copied from Matthew. His argument rests upon the deviations which Matthew and Luke make, respectively, in their common abbreviations of certain of Mark's narratives. "Where a choice from two or more Marcan expressions has been made, the first choice falls to Matthew and the second to Luke."
As examples of these first choices by Matthew and second choices by Luke, Mr. Smith instances (with the parallel passages in Matthew and Luke) Mk i, 32; iii, 7, 8; x, 29, 33, 34; xii, 3; xiv, 1, 12, 65; xv, 42. The argument seems to be that Luke having both Mark and Matthew before him, and seeing that in each of these instances Matthew has chosen a certain part of Mark's phrase and rejected the rest, himself avoids using that part of the phrase which Matthew has chosen, restricting himself to the part which Matthew has left unused. We will take up first the particular instances, and see whether other, perhaps simpler, reasons suggest themselves for these deviations; after that we will consider the general argument.
Mk i, 32 (Mt viii, 16; Lk iv, 40): Mark's phrase runs [Greek: Opsias de genomenês, hote edy ho hêlios]. Of this phrase, Matthew takes the first three words as they stand. Luke appropriates the remainder, changing into [Greek: Dynontos de tou hêliou]. Mark's phrase is here redundant, and Matthew and Luke (as usual) both reduce the redundancy. But Matthew has omitted the point of Mark's phrase, since in Matthew's account the events described did not happen on the Sabbath. Luke has retained the essential part of the phrase.[72]