What is the Augustinian Hypothesis (AH)?
The AH adopts the Matthean priority hypothesis for the triple tradition and the Lukan posteriority hypothesis for the double tradition. Accordingly, Matthew was written first, and Mark used Matthew as a “lackey and abbreviator.” Luke, finally, used both Matthew and Mark to compose his own gospel. Thus, each evangelist depended on those who preceded him (successive dependence). The AH was the traditional synoptic theory and was held by many Roman Catholic scholars until the mid-20th century. Now, support for the AH is trans-denominational but limited, including H. G. Jameson (1922), Dom Chapman (1937), B. C. Butler (1951), and J. Wenham (1992).
