What is the significance of the differences in this parable between the synoptic Gospels?

[MH84]

The Parable of the wicked husbandsmen:

Matthew 21:

33Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country:
34And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it.
35And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another.
36Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise.
37But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son.
38But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance.
39And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him.
40When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen?
41They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons.
42Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?
43Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof…

Mark 12:

1And he began to speak unto them by parables. A certain man planted a vineyard, and set an hedge about it, and digged a place for the winefat, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country.
2And at the season he sent to the husbandmen a servant, that he might receive from the husbandmen of the fruit of the vineyard.
3And they caught him, and beat him, and sent him away empty.
4And again he sent unto them another servant; and at him they cast stones, and wounded him in the head, and sent him away shamefully handled.
5And again he sent another; and him they killed, and many others; beating some, and killing some.
6Having yet therefore one son, his wellbeloved, he sent him also last unto them, saying, They will reverence my son.
7But those husbandmen said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours.’
8And they took him, and killed him, and cast him out of the vineyard.
**9What shall therefore the lord of the vineyard do? he will come and destroy the husbandmen, and will give the vineyard unto others… **

Luke 21:

9Then began he to speak to the people this parable; A certain man planted a vineyard, and let it forth to husbandmen, and went into a far country for a long time.
10And at the season he sent a servant to the husbandmen, that they should give him of the fruit of the vineyard: but the husbandmen beat him, and sent him away empty.
11And again he sent another servant: and they beat him also, and entreated him shamefully, and sent him away empty.
12And again he sent a third: and they wounded him also, and cast him out.
13Then said the lord of the vineyard, What shall I do? I will send my beloved son: it may be they will reverence him when they see him.
14But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, This is the heir: come, let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.
**15So they cast him out of the vineyard, and killed him. What therefore shall the lord of the vineyard do unto them?
16He shall come and destroy these husbandmen, and shall give the vineyard to others. And when they heard it, they said, God forbid. ** 17And he beheld them, and said, What is this then that is written, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner?
18Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder…

www.biblegateway.com

In Mark, Jesus answers his own question (like a hypothetical question); in Matthew, Jesus’ listeners answer Jesus; and in Luke, Jesus again answers his own question, but the listeners say this unique response.

Why are there these differences? What is the purpose(s) of those differences?

 

[awalt]

Having three, sometimes four descriptions of the same event in Jesus’ life isn’t something to be concerned or distressed about, it is to me a sign of the fact that what Jesus offered was way more complex than could be communicated in a single story. If what Jesus did here was so simple all accounts were identical, he would not be God.

Think of this, God is much more complex than any earthly event, yet if you had four people watching an auto accident their accounts of what happened would be totally different. This is in fact, in criminal investigations, a key way that the authorities know someone is lying if their story exactly matches someone else’s.

 

[Joe_Kelley]

Since tapes of His teachings were not distributed and the teachings were not broadcast, I suspect Jesus may have related the same parable more that once. The evangelists may be relating different tellings.

 

[Catholic_Dude]

As Joe already said, a thing to keep in mind is Jesus likely told the same/similar parables multiple times, not just once.

 

[John_Hiner]

Having three, sometimes four descriptions of the same event in Jesus’ life isn’t something to be concerned or distressed about, it is to me a sign of the fact that what Jesus offered was way more complex than could be communicated in a single story. If what Jesus did here was so simple all accounts were identical, he would not be God.

Think of this, God is much more complex than any earthly event, yet if you had four people watching an auto accident their accounts of what happened would be totally different. This is in fact, in criminal investigations, a key way that the authorities know someone is lying if their story exactly matches someone else’s.

Laudatur Iesus Christus.

Is there a reason to assume that these three accounts describe the same event? Is it not likely that Jesus taught the same or similar lessons in many different places over His three or so years of preaching?

Pax Christi nobiscum.

John Hiner

 

[MH84]

Thanks for you responses, including the suggestion that Jesus could have spoken the same parable more than once.

However, I didnt actually mean to bring this thread up as some sort of trap. I was actually wondering about the theological significance of the differences. Why did the Holy Spirit inspire the writers to include these differences in the seeming same parable?

 

[Catholic_Dude]

Thanks for you responses, including the suggestion that Jesus could have spoken the same parable more than once.

However, I didnt actually mean to bring this thread up as some sort of trap. I was actually wondering about the theological significance of the differences. Why did the Holy Spirit inspire the writers to include these differences in the seeming same parable?

One thing to remember is each Gospel had different audiences and their own personalities in mind when writing, each Gospel has the human author’s personality included with the Divine Inspiriation. I have read from scholars that Mark for example is more aimed at Gentile converts, and experts point to examples like Mk 7:3-4 where he includes details that Gentiles would need to know. Also scholars (Protestant and Catholic) point out that Luke was a doctor and liked to talk about medical related things in his Gospel while Matthew was a tax collector and talked a lot about money in his Gospel.