Harmony of parables

A sample Gospel harmony for the parables based on the list of key episodes in the
Canonical Gospels is presented in the table below. For the sake of consistency, this
table is automatically sub-selected from the main harmony table in the Gospel
harmony article, based on the list of key episodes in the Canonical Gospels. Usually, no
parables are associated with the Gospel of John, just allegories.[16]

Number Event Matthew Mark Luke John

Mark
1 The Growing Seed
4:26–29

Luke
2 The Two Debtors
7:41–43

Matthew Mark Luke

3 The Lamp under a Bushel
5:14–15 4:21–25 8:16–18

Parable of the Good Luke

4
Samaritan 10:25–37

Luke
5 The Friend at Night
11:5–8

Luke
6 The Rich Fool
12:16–21

The Wise and the Foolish Matthew Luke

7
Builders 7:24–27 6:46–49

New Wine into Old Matthew Mark Luke

8
Wineskins 9:16–17 2:21–22 5:37–39
Number Event Matthew Mark Luke John

Matthew Mark Luke

9 Parable of the strong man
12:29–29 3:27–27 11:21–22

Matthew Mark Luke

10 Parable of the Sower
13:3–9 4:3–9 8:5–8

Matthew
11 The Tares
13:24–30

Luke
12 The Barren Fig Tree
13:6–9

Parable of the Mustard Matthew Mark Luke

13
Seed 13:31–32 4:30–32 13:18–19

Matthew Luke
14 The Leaven
13:33–33 13:20–21

Matthew
15 Parable of the Pearl
13:45–46

Matthew
16 Drawing in the Net
13:47–50

Matthew
17 The Hidden Treasure
13:44

Luke
18 Counting the Cost
14:28–33
Number Event Matthew Mark Luke John

The Lost Sheep frequently Matthew Luke

19
called The Good Shepherd 18:10–14 15:4–6

Matthew
20 The Unforgiving Servant
18:23–35

Luke
21 The Lost Coin
15:8–9

Luke
22 Parable of the Prodigal Son
15:11–32

Luke
23 The Unjust Steward
16:1–13

Luke
24 Rich man and Lazarus
16:19–31

Luke
25 The Master and Servant
17:7–10

Luke
26 The Unjust Judge
18:1–8

Luke
27 Pharisees and the Publican
18:9–14

Matthew
28 The Workers in the Vineyard
20:1–16
Number Event Matthew Mark Luke John

Matthew
29 The Two Sons
21:28–32

Matthew Mark Luke

30 The Wicked Husbandmen
21:33–41 12:1–9 20:9–16

Matthew Luke
31 The Great Banquet
22:1–14 14:15–24

Matthew Mark Luke

32 The Budding Fig Tree
24:32–35 13:28–31 21:29–33

Matthew Mark Luke

33 The Faithful Servant
24:42–51 13:34–37 12:35–48

Matthew
34 The Ten Virgins
25:1–13

Matthew Luke
35 The Talents or Minas
25:14–30 19:12–27

Matthew
36 The Sheep and the Goats
25:31–46

Parable of the Wedding Luke

37
Feast 14:7–14

Parallels outside the canonical gospels[edit]

A number of parables have parallels in non-canonical gospels, the Didache, and the
letters of Apostolic Fathers. However, given that the non-canonical gospels generally
have no time sequence, this table is not a Gospel harmony.
 Other
# Parable Matthew Mark Luke
parallels[38][39][40]

Matthew Mark Luke Thomas 9

1 Parable of the Sower
13:1–23 04:1–25 08:04–18 1 Clement 24:5

Matthew
2 Parable of the Tares Thomas 57
13:24–53

Parable of the Growing Mark

3 Thomas 21
Seed 04:26–34

Parable of the Hidden Matthew

4 Thomas 109
Treasure 13:44

Matthew
5 Parable of the Pearl Thomas 76
13:45

Parable of Drawing in Matthew

6 Thomas 8
the Net 13:47–53

Parable of the Rich Luke

7 Thomas 63
Fool 12:16–21

Parable of the Faithful Matthew Mark Luke Thomas 103

8
Servant 24:42–51 13:33–37 12:35–48 Didache 16:1a

Parable of the Mustard Matthew Mark Luke

9 Thomas 20
Seed 13:31–32 4:30–32 13:18–19

Matthew Luke
10 Parable of the Leaven Thomas 96
13:33 13:20–21
 Other
# Parable Matthew Mark Luke
parallels[38][39][40]

Thomas 107
Parable of the Lost Matthew Luke
11 Gospel of Truth 31–
Sheep 18:12–14 15:01–7
32

Parable of the Wicked Matthew Mark Luke

12 Thomas 65
Husbandmen 21:33–46 12:1–12 20:9–19

Parable of the talents Matthew Luke

13 Nazoraeans 18
or minas 25:14–30 19:13–24

Parable of the great Matthew Luke

14 Thomas 64
banquet 22:1–14 14:15–24

Parable of the strong Matthew Mark Luke

15 Thomas 35
man 12:29–29 3:27–27 11:21–22

See also[edit]

 Book: Parables of
Jesus

 Chronology of Jesus
 Gospel harmony
 Jesus in Christianity
 Life of Jesus in the New Testament
 Ministry of Jesus
 Miracles of Jesus

Notes[edit]

1. Jump up^ William Barry states in the Catholic Encyclopedia (1913) "There are
no parables in St. John's Gospel",[14] and Friedrich von Hügel states in
the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition (1911) "Here Jesus' teaching
contains no parables and but three allegories, the Synoptists present it as
parabolic through and through".[15]
References[edit]

1. J. Dwight Pentecost, 1998 The parables of Jesus: lessons in life from the
Master Teacherhdbwbxkjwbbdbcjjfn ISBN 0-8254-3458-0 page 10
2. Eric Francis Osborn, 1993 The emergence of Christian theology ISBN 0-521-
43078-Xpage 98
3. b Friedrich Gustave Lisco 1850 The Parables of Jesus Daniels and Smith
Publishers, Philadelphia pages 9–11
4. Ashton Oxenden, 1864 The parables of our Lord William Macintosh Publishers,
London, page 6
5. William Barclay, 1999 The Parables of Jesus ISBN 0-664-25828-X page 9
6. Bacher, William (1901–1906). "Parable". In Singer, Isidore; et al. Jewish
Encyclopedia. New York: Funk & Wagnalls Company. pp. 512–514.
7. Pheme Perkins, 2007 Introduction to the synoptic gospels ISBN 0-8028-1770-
X page 105
8. Kulikovsky, Andrew S. "The Interpretation of Parables, Allegories and
Types". Biblical Hermeneutics. Retrieved 25 September 2015.
9. Boa, Kenneth. "Literary Forms in the Bible". Bible.org. Bible.org. Retrieved 25
September 2015.
10. See, for instance, Ruben Zimmermann, Puzzling the Parables of Jesus,
Methods and Interpretation, Fortress, Minneapolis, 2015, 333-360; see the
German-For-Neutestamentler-BLOG The Vine and the Branches by David
Tryon, as others have throughout history including John Calvin in John Calvin's
Commentary on John Volume 2
11. Barbara Reid, 2001 Parables for Preachers ISBN 0-8146-2550-9 page 3
12. Arland J. Hultgren, 2002 The Parables of Jesus ISBN 0-8028-6077-X page 2
13. Donald L. Griggs, 2003 The Bible from scratch ISBN 0-664-22577-2 page 52
14. b Barry, William (1913). "Parables". In Herbermann, Charles. Catholic
Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company.
15. Hügel, Friedrich von (1911). "John, Gospel of St". In Chisholm,
Hugh. Encyclopædia Britannica. 15 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.
p. 453.
16. b Steven L. Cox, Kendell H Easley, 2007 Harmony of the Gospels ISBN 0-8054-
9444-8page 348
17. Scott, Bernard Brandon (1989). Hear Then the Parable: A Commentary on the
Parables of Jesus. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 33–34. The actual number of
parables in Thomas is fluid. John Dominic Crossan counts 15, Ron Cameron 14,
and Bernard Brandon Scott 13. See also Crossan, John Dominic (1992). In
Parables: The Challenge of the Historical Jesus. Sonoma, CA: Polebridge Press
and Cameron, Ron (1986). Parable and Interpretation in the Gospel of Thomas.
Forum 2/2.
18. Koester, Helmut (1990). Ancient Christian Gospels: Their History And
Development. Philadelphia, USA: Trinity Press International. pp. 196–200.
19. Cameron, Ron (2004). Sayings Traditions in the Apocryphon Of James.
Cambridge, MA: Harvard Divinity School, 8–30.
 20. Theissen and Merz 1996, p.339
21. Matthew 13:10–17. See also Mark 4:10–12 and Luke 8:9–10
22. Harris, Stephen L., Understanding the Bible. Palo Alto: Mayfield. 1985.
23. Ashton Oxenden, 1864 The parables of our Lord William Macintosh Publishers,
London page 1
24. ^ Jump up to:a b William Barclay, 1999 The Parables of Jesus ISBN 0-664-
25828-X pages 12.
25. Ben Witherington, Women in the Ministry of Jesus: A study of Jesus' attitudes to
women and their roles as reflected in his earthly life, Cambridge University
Press, 1987, ISBN 0-521-34781-5, p. 40–41.
26. John Nolland, The Gospel of Matthew: A commentary on the Greek text,
Eerdmans, 2005, ISBN 0-8028-2389-0, pp. 565–566.
27. Richard N. Longenecker, The Challenge of Jesus' Parables, Eerdmans,
2000, ISBN 0-8028-4638-6, pp. 201–204.
28. R. T. France, The Gospel According to Matthew: An introduction and
commentary, Eerdmans, 1985, ISBN 0-8028-0063-7, pp. 348–352.
29. R. T. France, The Gospel According to Matthew: An introduction and
commentary, Eerdmans, 1985, ISBN 0-8028-0063-7, p. 225.
30. John Clifford Purdy, Parables at Work, Westminster John Knox Press,
1986, ISBN 0-664-24640-0, pp. 41–43.
31. Bernard Brandon Scott, Hear Then the Parable: A commentary on the parables
of Jesus, Fortress Press, 1989, ISBN 0-8006-2481-5, pp. 338–340.
32. Peter Rhea Jones, Studying the Parables of Jesus, Smyth & Helwys,
1999, ISBN 1-57312-167-3, pp. 123–133.
33. Craig S. Keener, A Commentary on the Gospel of Matthew, Eerdmans,
1999, ISBN 0-8028-3821-9, pp. 456–461.
34. Joel B. Green, The Gospel of Luke, Eerdmans, 1997, ISBN 0-8028-2315-7, p.
432.
35. I. Howard Marshall, The Gospel of Luke: A commentary on the Greek text,
Eerdmans, 1978, ISBN 0-8028-3512-0, pp. 462–465.
36. Emile Mâle, The Gothic Image: Religious Art in France of the Thirteenth
Century, p 195, English trans of 3rd ed, 1913, Collins, London (and many other
editions), ISBN 978-0064300322
37. The Cyber Hymnal: The Ninety and Nine.
38. Butts, James R.; Funk, Robert Walter; Scott, Bernard Brandon (1988). The
parables of Jesus: red letter edition: a report of the Jesus Seminar. Sonoma,
Calif: Polebridge Press. pp. 74–75. ISBN 0-944344-07-0.
39. Throckmorton, Burton Hamilton (1992). Gospel parallels: a comparison of the
synoptic gospels: with alternative readings from the manuscripts and
noncanonical parallels. Nashville: T. Nelson. pp. xxx–xxxi. ISBN 0-8407-7484-2.
40. Hultgren, Arland J. (2000). The parables of Jesus: a commentary. Grand
Rapids, Mich: Eerdmans. ISBN 0-8028-6077-X.

 C. H. Dodd, The Parables of the Kingdom ISBN 002330460X.

 Barclay, William, 1999. The Parables of Jesus ISBN 0-664-25828-X
 Gowler, David B., 2000. What Are They Saying About the Parables? Mahweh, NJ:
Paulist Press. ISBN 978-0809139620
 Joachim Jeremias, The Parables of Jesus ISBN 0334029171.
 Lisco, Friedrich Gustav and Fairbairn, Patrick, 1850. The Parables of Jesus Daniels
and Smith Publishers, Philadelphia
 Pentecost, J. Dwight, 1998. The parables of Jesus: lessons in life from the Master
Teacher ISBN 0-8254-3458-0
 Oxenden, Ashton, 1864. The parables of our Lord William Macintosh Publishers,
London.
 Schottroff, Luise, 2006. The parables of Jesus ISBN 0-8006-3699-6
 Snodgrass, Klyne, 2008. Stories with Intent: A Comprehensive Guide to the
Parables of Jesus William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.
 Sumner, John Bird, 1850. The parables of our lord and saviour Jesus Christ C. Cox
Publishers, London.
 Theissen, Gerd and Merz, Annette, 1996. The Historical Jesus: A Comprehensive
Guide Fortress Press, Minneapolis ISBN 0-8006-3122-6
 Trinder, William Martin, 1816. Sermons on the parables of Jesus Christ" Baldwin,
Cradock and Joy Publishers, London.
 Zimmermann, Ruben, 2015. Puzzling the Parables of Jesus. Methods and
Interpretation Fortress Press, Minneapolis ISBN 978-0-8006-9975-8