Mark, Gospel According to

(b) Diffuseness and redundancy of Mk. as compared with parallel passages of Mt. and Luke.—The idea that Mark is an abbreviator of Matthew is at once shown to be wrong when we compare parallels. When we do so, we shall find, in almost every case, that Mk. is much fuller than either Mt. or Lk. taken singly. The greater bulk of the two latter is due to their relating many incidents and speeches which are not in Mark. The style of Mk. is somewhat diffuse, and it was necessary for the other Synoptists, if they were to make room for the new matter which they desired to introduce, to prune it considerably. This they did. Instances are: Mark 1:32 (Mt. omits ‘when the sun did set,’ Lk. omits ‘at even’); Mark 1:35 πρωὶ ἔννυχα λἰαν (= Lk. γενομέ&