After reading and analyzing the Gospel of Mark, inferences may be reached regarding the style in which it was written. Firstly, there did not seem to be any order or outline that was formulated when the Gospel was written. It is very fast-paced and tersely written; it is simple, yet is still a vivid account of one of Jesus’ parables. The author moves Jesus along quickly from one event to the next and makes frequent use of the word ‘immediately’. Mark has very little Old Testament quotes in comparison to Matthew and also draws attention to the disciple’s lack of understanding. Out of all of the four canonical Gospels, Matthew seems to be the most full and well rounded. The style of Matthew seems to be very repetitive at times. The author always gives an Old Testament reference to explain most of Jesus’ actions and sayings. Matthew constantly says, “…this was done (said) in order to fulfil the scriptures.” The organization of the Gospel is very distinct compared to Mark; the author sorts the accounts of Jesus into a more topical format, as opposed to a chronological one. This, however, is a very common style in Jewish literature. It is easy to see the purpose of Matthew doing this, especially if his audience is of Jewish decent.
“Aside from minor variations in grammatical order, Mark is otherwise very close to Matthew, with some slight additions.”4 In the Gospel of Mark, the parable ends by saying that the good soil brought forth grain which “…yielded thirty and sixty and a hundredfold.” (Mk 4:8) Matthew, however, has the order inverted. The parables which follow in Mark are parables of growth; the grain which has grown from a single blade and “that of the Mustard Seed which becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches…Mark has the growth and the success of the Christian mission in mind.”5 Moreover, in the Gospel of Mark begins and ends the parable with “Listen!…Let anyone with ears to hear, listen!” (Mk 4:9) Both parables end with a similar phrase, however, Matthew’s version doesn’t include in the ‘listen’ at the commencement of the pericope. The Markan version of this parable, as well as the other ‘Parables of Growth’, provide a more secular structure to Jesus’ teachings.
In the Gospels of Matthew and Mark, the situations surrounding the ‘Parable of the Sower’ told by Jesus differs notably, yet some similarities remain. Both Gospels, prior to the pericope, describe Jesus healing a man with a withered hand in the synagogue. There are two major events that follow the in incident in the synagogue, yet occur before the ‘Parable of the Sower’ is taught, but the events differ in both Gospels. In Mark’s account, Jesus appoints his twelve disciples and calls each one by name. Following this, people begin to accuse Jesus of “going out of this mind.” (Mk 3:21) Jesus reacts to the crowd by speaking to them in parables, commencing with the ‘Parable of the Sower’. In the Matthean version, a person begins to insult Jesus verbally, however, He recognizes that this person is possessed by a demon. Jesus, after conversing with the demoniac heals him. Afterwards, people tell Jesus that his mother, brothers and sisters are looking for Him; but Jesus replies by saying that all who hear the Word of God are his mothers, brothers and sisters.
Both evangelists keep the setting of the ‘Parable of the Sower’ exact. Jesus is said to come out of his home and is faced with a large crowd. Both Mark and Matthew place this teaching of Jesus by the shore of the sea and because the number of people in the crowd is very large, Jesus is forced to speak to them from a boat by seaside. After the parable is told to the crowd, the events that take place subsequently contrast. In both versions, Jesus explains to the disciples why he speaks to the crowds only in parables, as He is to fulfil Old Testament scripture. Both Gospels also have Jesus interpret the parable, but to whom Jesus tells contrasts in the two versions. In Mark, Jesus only tells a handful of people from the crowd, aside from the disciples, and explains why he does this. “And he said to them, ‘Do you not understand this parable? Then how will you understand all the parables?’” (Mk 4:13) This quote, which is only present in Mark, shows Jesus of being in a hurried nature in spreading the Word. In Matthew, only the disciples are present during Jesus’ interpretation. In the Gospel according to Mark, Jesus goes on to tell the crowds the ‘Parable of the Mustard Seed’. A short time afterwards, Jesus is said to heal the man who is possessed with a demon, yet this occurs before the parables are told in the Matthean version. The rest of Chapter thirteen in the Gospel of Matthew deals strictly with parables; the two which follow are also parables pertaining to growth.
One of the main motives concerning the author of the Gospel of Mark is to emphasize the ‘secret of God’s kingdom’. Mark, however, only unveils this ‘secret’ to his disciples in private. Mark’s fast-paced style of text reflects the type of person he believed Jesus to be; He is one who has to get His message out as fast as possible. This could be the reason why Jesus interpreted the parable of the sower to His disciples immediately after they have just heard it. This is exhibited when Jesus says, “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside, everything comes in parables…” (Mark 4:11)
The Gospel according to ‘Matthew’ has a different set of objectives in mind when he composed his version of the accounts of Jesus. Throughout the Gospel, Matthew writes, ‘in fulfillment of the Scriptures’ and constantly refers back to the Hebrew Bible. “The reason I speak to them in parables is that ‘seeing they do no perceive, and hearing they do not listen, nor do they understand.’” (Mt 13:13) The author goes on to write, “With them indeed is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah that says: ‘You will indeed listen, but never understand, and you will indeed look, but never perceive…’” (Mt 13:14) A reason for doing this indicates that the Gospel was intended to be read and taught to Christians with Jewish origin. In Matthew’s eyes, Jesus in the long awaited Messiah and is the climax and completion of the Judaic faith. Therefore, the mission in Matthew’s Gospel is simple; it was to illustrate that Jesus was the Messiah and instruct his disciples of how to live a Christian life.
The foregoing essay endeavoured to demonstrate through an analysis of the pericope of the ‘Parable of the Sower’ in the Gospels of Matthew and Mark, that the two accounts were by no means video copies of the same event. Nevertheless, despite the comparable differences in style, situation, and etc. between the two accounts as outlined in the essay, the main intent of both accounts remains relatively similar. Both Matthew and Mark got the intended message across, albeit in their own unique manner.
Bibliography
Gerhardsson, Birger. “The Parable of the Sower.” In New Testament Studies. Vol. 14, edited by Matthew Black, 174-192. Leiden: Cambridge University Press, 1968.
Riley, Harold. The Making of Mark: An Exploration. Georgia: Mercer University Press, 1989.
Kingsbury, J.D. The Parables of Jesus in Matthew 13. Great Britain: Camelot Press, 1969.
1 Birger Gerhardsson, “The Parable of the Sower,” New Testament Studies 14 (1968): 179.
2 Birger Gerhardsson, “The Parable of the Sower,” New Testament Studies 14 (1968): 185.
3 Birger Gerhardsson, “The Parable of the Sower,” New Testament Studies 14 (1968): 179.
4 Harold Riley, The Making of Mark: An Exploration (Georgia: Mercer University Press, 1989), 45.
5 Harold Riley, The Making of Mark: An Exploration (Georgia: Mercer University Press, 1989), 45.
