I have reviewed Q, M, and L passages, looking for crucifixion-related events.

The Gospel of Mark includes several crucifixion-related events in Chapters 14 and 15:

1. The Plot to Kill Jesus

2. The Anointing at Bethany

3. Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus

4. The Passover with the Disciples

5. The Institution of the Lord’s Supper

6. Peter’s Denial Foretold

7. Jesus Prays in Gethsemane

8. The Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus

9. Jesus Before the Council

10. Peter Denies Jesus

11. Jesus Before Pilate

12. Pilate Hands Jesus over to Be Crucified

13. The Soldiers Mock Jesus

14. The Crucifixion of Jesus

15.The Death of Jesus

16. The Burial of Jesus

Matthew chapters 26 and 27 cover the crucifixion-related events. There are no passages from M that are included in those chapters. Furthermore, there are no crucifixion-related events covered by M. None of the sixteen crucifixion-related events in Mark are found in M.

Luke chapters 22 and 23 cover the crucifixion of Jesus. There are no passages from L that are included in those chapters. Furthermore, there are no crucifixion-related events covered by L. None of the sixteen crucifixion-related events in Mark are found in L.

Luke Chapter 22 does include one passage from Q, but that passage is not directly related to the crucifixion:

Q 22:28, 30

You Will Judge the Twelve Tribes of Israel

28 .. You who have followed me 30 will sit .. on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Furthermore, there are no crucifixion-related events covered by Q. None of the sixteen crucifixion-related events in Mark are found in Q.

I conclude that SGA (Seven Gospels Argument) by Ehrman is very weak and inconclusive. It has at least two very serious flaws:

(1) Most of the points of agreement between the various gospel sources can be fairly well explained in terms of the common cultural idea (for first century Palestinian Jews) of a “Messiah”.

(2) Although crucifixion-related events probably cannot be accounted for in terms of the common Jewish idea of a “Messiah” and expectations surrounding a coming Messiah, only one out of four of the gospel sources (namely: the gospel of Mark) that we have examined include any of sixteen different crucifixion-related events found in Mark. There is no agreement or correspondence between the gospel sources on crucifixion-related events.

There may be a third serious issue as well: lack of agreement or corroboration on the chronology of Jesus’ ministry and crucifixion. Since crucifixion-related events are not found in Q, M, or L, it is hard to see how they could support the chronological aspects of the crucifixion found in Mark. But I need to do a bit more study before I draw conclusions about chronological agreement or lack of it.