The Bible’s text

Why does Matthew copy Mark?

Matthew’s Gospel is traditionally said to come from an apostle who walked with Jesus. Yet most of Mark’s Gospel appears in Matthew, often word for word. This topic compares passages side by side.

1The question

Why do Matthew and Mark share so much of their wording, and what does it tell us?

2What Christians believe

Christians answer that using a trusted source was normal in the ancient world. If Mark preserved Peter’s memories, as early tradition says, then Matthew had good reason to use it, even as an eyewitness himself.

Some Christians hold that Matthew was written first and that Mark shortened it, as Augustine thought. Either way, Christians see the shared wording as a sign of a common, reliable tradition about Jesus.

3What the texts say

Calling the fishermen

Now as he walked by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.
Mark 1:16 · KJVRead in context →
And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.
Matthew 4:18 · KJVRead in context →

The tax collector: Levi or Matthew?

And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him.
Mark 2:14 · KJVRead in context →
And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.
Matthew 9:9 · KJVRead in context →

In his home town

And he could there do no mighty work, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them.
Mark 6:5 · KJVRead in context →
And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.
Matthew 13:58 · KJVRead in context →

In the storm

And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish?
Mark 4:38 · KJVRead in context →
And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish.
Matthew 8:25 · KJVRead in context →

4What scholars say

Most scholars hold that Mark was written first and that Matthew and Luke both used it, along with a collection of sayings often called Q. This view was set out in detail by B. H. Streeter (The Four Gospels, 1924). About ninety per cent of Mark’s content appears in Matthew.

Mark Goodacre (The Case Against Q, 2002) agrees that Mark came first but argues that Luke used Matthew, with no need for Q. Either way, the use of Mark by Matthew is the majority view.

Scholars note that Matthew often softens Mark. Mark says Jesus “could there do no mighty work” in his home town; Matthew says he “did not many mighty works there”. In the storm, Mark’s disciples ask if he does not care; Matthew’s cry “Lord, save us”.

5The Islamic perspective

The Qur’an invites its readers to look for contradictions in it, and presents itself as confirming the revelations before it:

Will they not then ponder on the Qur'an? If it had been from other than Allah they would have found therein much incongruity.
Qur’an 4:82 · PickthallRead in context →
He hath revealed unto thee (Muhammad) the Scripture with truth, confirming that which was (revealed) before it, even as He revealed the Torah and the Gospel.
Qur’an 3:3 · PickthallRead in context →

Muslims see the Gospels as human works that used and edited earlier writings. That is a normal way for books to be written, but it is different from a revelation that comes word for word from God.

6Objections and responses

“An eyewitness can still use a good source.”

Response: That is possible. But Mark calls the tax collector Levi (Mark 2:14), and Matthew tells the same story with the same words and changes the name to Matthew (9:9). An apostle telling the story of his own call would hardly need to copy it from someone who was not there.

“The changes are only small clarifications.”

Response: Some are. But others change what is said about Jesus: Mark says he could not do mighty works in his home town; Matthew says he did not. Changes like these show the writers shaping the story according to their beliefs about Jesus.

7Conclusion

Both sides agree that Matthew and Mark share a great deal of wording, and most scholars agree that Matthew used Mark. Christians see a trusted source used by an apostle. Muslims see human authors editing earlier accounts, and a reason to distinguish the Gospels from the revelation given to Jesus.

Read Mark 6:1–6 and Matthew 13:53–58 side by side and mark every change.

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