The parables found in Matthew are very interesting when compared to Mark. For one, there are significantly more parables in the book of Matthew than in Mark. Matthew is known to go into much more detail and write in more detail than Mark, and that comes out in full in chapter 13. There are several things that can be drawn from the parable parallels, and I will highlight just a few.
Matthew adds an extra prophecy from the book of Isaiah in verse 35 to make Jesus look more like the Messiah. There was one prophecy he copied from Mark, also from Isaiah, but with more parables and explanations of the parables, Matthew adds another prophecy driving the point home. There is more dialogue with the disciples who don’t understand why Jesus is using the parables, and in that dialogue Matthew is able to make Jesus look even more like the Messiah. With fulfilled prophecies and profound sayings that only a select few can understand, readers will think that Jesus is for sure someone special, or even the Messiah.
The second point I find in the parables in Matthew is the reliability to the masses. Matthew wants to reach everyone, and he does that by adding parables that other classes of people can relate to. The picture of a pearl or a treasure is much more relatable to a wealthy person than an image of a field of grain. Matthew portrays Jesus as wanting all people to understand the kingdom of God. He wants to relate to the rich, poor, farmers, fishermen, and everyone in between, and he is sure to explain in as many ways as possible to get his point across. When he is done, in verse 51, he asks the people if they understood all of what he said. They respond with a simple “Yes,” showing readers that this message is for everyone.
The final and most interesting point I find in the parables is the urgency of spreading the kingdom of God. Matthew is a very mission-based gospel. The very last part is what is known as the great commission, where Jesus tells everyone to go into the entire world and make disciples. Knowing he was going to end his gospel with this, and maintain a mission theme throughout the book, the author of Matthew could have wanted many examples of the kingdom of God to emphasize the urgency and importance of spreading the word. The kingdom of God is like a mustard seed, it starts small and grows, and he wanted to people to realize they were an essential part of that seed growing into a massive tree.
The parallels and differences in the parables in Matthew and Mark bring up many interesting thoughts and ideas. Matthew was clever in how he wrote his gospel, knowing how to reach people, make Jesus look like the Messiah, and get people to join the cause and grow the kingdom of God.