Hawkins' classic work, named for the hours spent in study of the Synoptic Problem, has three major parts. The first part details the Words and Phrases Characteristic of Each of the Synoptic Gospels. The second part, entitled Indications of Sources, assembles much evidence in favor of literary solutions to the Synoptic Problem. In the third part, Further Statistics and Observations Bearing on the Origin and Composition of Each Gospel, Hawkins considers possible evidence concerning the composition of each Gospel.
