Synoptic Gospels Primer - Why Parables? (English)

Parallel Texts in Matthew, Mark & Luke

3. Why Parables?
Matt 13:10-17 // Mark 4:10-12 // Luke 8:9-10

context

Greek synopsis

English synopsis

analysis

source hypotheses

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Texts

WHY PARABLES?
Matthew 13		Mark 4		Luke 8
10	<And>	10	And when he was alone,	9	[And] when
			*those who were
			about him
	the disciples came		with the twelve*		his disciples
	and said to him,		asked him		asked him
	"Why do you speak		concerning		what
	to them
	in parables?"		the parables.		this parable meant,
11	<But answering,>	11	And
	he said to them,		<he would say> to them,	10	he said,
	"To you		"To you		"To you
	has been given		has been given		has been given
	to know the secrets		** the secret		to know the secrets
	of the kingdom		of the kingdom		of the kingdom
	of Heaven,		of God,		of God;
	but to them		but for those outside		but for others
	it has not been given.
12	For <whoever> has,
	<to him it will be given>,
	and he will have abundance;
	but <whoever has not>,
	even what he has
	will be taken away
	<from him>.
13	This is why		everything is		they are
	I speak to them in parables,		in parables;		in parables,
	*******because	12	so that		so that
	seeing		"<seeing>		seeing
	they do		they may		they may
	not see,		see but not perceive,		not see,
	and hearing		<and hearing>		and hearing
	they do not hear,		they may hear		they may
	nor do they understand.***		but not understand;		not understand."
14	With them indeed is fulfilled
	the prophecy of Isaiah
	which says:
	`You shall indeed hear
	but never understand,
	and you shall indeed see
	but never perceive.
15	For this people's heart
	has grown dull,
	and their ears are heavy
	of hearing,
	and their eyes
	they have closed,
	lest they should perceive		lest they should
	with their eyes,
	and hear with their ears,
	and understand
	with their heart,
	and turn for me		turn again,
	to heal them.'		and be forgiven."
16	But blessed are your eyes,				[see Luke 10:23 below]
	for they see,
	and your ears,
	for they hear.
17	Truly, I say to you,
	many prophets
	and righteous men
	longed to see what you see,
	and did not see it,
	and to hear what you hear,
	and did not hear it."

* Note: A handful of mss. (including codex Bezae) & Origen have "his disciples" in Mark 4:10 (like Luke) rather than "those who were about him with the 12." Textual critics generally regard the longer version original because

it is in most mss. including the oldest;

it is more awkward & therefore less likely to be a later correction.

** Note: The wording of Mark 4:11 in the Byzantine recension & codex Bezae exactly parallels Luke 8:10 (with "to know" after "given" ) except for the singular "mystery". Text critics regard the wording found in 4th c. mss. (codex Sinaiticus & codex Vaticanus) as probably original.

*** Note: The dependent clause in Matt 13:13 is worded like Mark 4:12 in codex Bezae. Textual critics generally regard this as a harmonization by one 5th c. scribe.

Color Key

Blue Three texts use same vocabulary.

Teal Two texts use same vocabulary.

Black Words unique to a particular text.

<and> RSV wording revised to reflect Greek.

No parallel passage in this gospel.

context

Greek synopsis

English synopsis

analysis

source hypotheses

appendix

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last revised 01 March 2023