Parables in the Four Gospels & Paul

This page contains a summary of how many parables are in each Gospel and then two detailed lists of parables in each of the Gospels. The items are responses to three prompts of ChatCPT. The first prompt provided a Summary, the second to a list, and the third to a table. The focus of each list is to identify parables that are only cited once and those cited in more than one Gospel.

From OpenAI. (2024). ChatGPT [Large language model]. https://chatgpt.com

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[NOTE – The numbers below, in what I am calling a Summary of the two lists below it, are different by a small amount. But, that is what ChatGPT gave me.]

Summary

Prompt – How many parables are provided in the Gospels and how many of those are cited only once.

The Gospels contain a total of around 37 parables attributed to Jesus, though the exact number varies slightly based on interpretations of certain passages and whether some stories are counted as parables or as illustrative analogies. The breakdown by Gospel is as follows:

• Mark: 9 parables. 1 is unique to Mark.
• Matthew: 23 parables. 11 are unique to Matthew.
• Luke: 28 parables. 17 are unique to Luke.
• John: 0 parables (John does not contain parables in the same way as the Synoptic Gospels)

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Prompt – How many parables are in each of the four gospels. Provide lists and scripture references identifying the ones unique to that gospel.

The parables of Jesus appear in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, but they are absent in John (though John has some metaphorical language, it does not contain formal parables). Here’s an overview of the parables in each gospel and lists of the unique parables to Matthew, Mark, and Luke.

Gospel of Matthew

Matthew contains 23 parables, with 11 unique parables.

List of Parables in Matthew

1. Lamp Under a Basket – Matthew 5:14–15
2. Wise and Foolish Builders – Matthew 7:24–27
3. New Cloth on an Old Garment – Matthew 9:16
4. New Wine into Old Wineskins – Matthew 9:17
5. The Sower – Matthew 13:3–9
6. The Weeds – Matthew 13:24–30
7. Mustard Seed – Matthew 13:31–32
8. Yeast (Leaven) – Matthew 13:33
9. Hidden Treasure – Matthew 13:44
10. Pearl of Great Price – Matthew 13:45–46
11. Net (Dragnet) – Matthew 13:47–50
12. Householder – Matthew 13:52
13. Lost Sheep – Matthew 18:12–14
14. Unforgiving Servant – Matthew 18:23–35
15. Workers in the Vineyard – Matthew 20:1–16
16. Two Sons – Matthew 21:28–32
17. Wicked Tenants – Matthew 21:33–46
18. Wedding Banquet – Matthew 22:1–14
19. Fig Tree – Matthew 24:32–35
20. Faithful and Unfaithful Servant – Matthew 24:45–51
21. Ten Virgins – Matthew 25:1–13
22. Talents – Matthew 25:14–30
23. Sheep and Goats – Matthew 25:31–46

Parables Unique to Matthew

1. Weeds – Matthew 13:24–30
2. Hidden Treasure – Matthew 13:44
3. Pearl of Great Price – Matthew 13:45–46
4. Net (Dragnet) – Matthew 13:47–50
5. Householder – Matthew 13:52
6. Unforgiving Servant – Matthew 18:23–35
7. Workers in the Vineyard – Matthew 20:1–16
8. Two Sons – Matthew 21:28–32
9. Ten Virgins – Matthew 25:1–13
10. Talents – Matthew 25:14–30
11. Sheep and Goats – Matthew 25:31–46

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Gospel of Mark

Mark contains 8 parables, with 2 unique parables.

List of Parables in Mark

1. Lamp Under a Basket – Mark 4:21–23
2. Growing Seed – Mark 4:26–29
3. Mustard Seed – Mark 4:30–32
4. Wicked Tenants – Mark 12:1–12
5. New Cloth on an Old Garment – Mark 2:21
6. New Wine into Old Wineskins – Mark 2:22
7. Strong Man (Householder) – Mark 3:27
8. Fig Tree – Mark 13:28–31

Parables Unique to Mark

1. Growing Seed – Mark 4:26–29
2. Strong Man (Householder) – Mark 3:27

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Gospel of Luke

Luke contains 27 parables, with 18 unique parables.

List of Parables in Luke

1. Wise and Foolish Builders – Luke 6:46–49
2. Lamp Under a Basket – Luke 8:16–18
3. The Sower – Luke 8:5–8
4. New Cloth on an Old Garment – Luke 5:36
5. New Wine into Old Wineskins – Luke 5:37–39
6. Good Samaritan – Luke 10:25–37
7. Friend at Midnight – Luke 11:5–8
8. Rich Fool – Luke 12:16–21
9. Watchful Servants – Luke 12:35–40
10. Faithful and Unfaithful Servant – Luke 12:42–48
11. Fig Tree – Luke 13:6–9
12. Seats at the Wedding Feast – Luke 14:7–11
13. Great Banquet – Luke 14:16–24
14. Cost of Discipleship – Luke 14:28–33
15. Lost Sheep – Luke 15:4–7
16. Lost Coin – Luke 15:8–10
17. Prodigal Son – Luke 15:11–32
18. Shrewd Manager – Luke 16:1–9
19. Rich Man and Lazarus – Luke 16:19–31
20. Unworthy Servants – Luke 17:7–10
21. Persistent Widow – Luke 18:1–8
22. Pharisee and Tax Collector – Luke 18:9–14
23. Ten Minas – Luke 19:11–27
24. Wicked Tenants – Luke 20:9–19
25. Fig Tree – Luke 21:29–33
26. Unfruitful Fig Tree – Luke 13:6–9
27. Master and Servant – Luke 17:7-10

Parables Unique to Luke

1. Good Samaritan – Luke 10:25–37
2. Friend at Midnight – Luke 11:5–8
3. Rich Fool – Luke 12:16–21
4. Watchful Servants – Luke 12:35–40
5. Seats at the Wedding Feast – Luke 14:7–11
6. Great Banquet – Luke 14:16–24
7. Cost of Discipleship – Luke 14:28–33
8. Lost Coin – Luke 15:8–10
9. Prodigal Son – Luke 15:11–32
10. Shrewd Manager – Luke 16:1–9
11. Rich Man and Lazarus – Luke 16:19–31
12. Unworthy Servants – Luke 17:7–10
13. Persistent Widow – Luke 18:1–8
14. Pharisee and Tax Collector – Luke 18:9–14
15. Ten Minas – Luke 19:11–27
16. Unfruitful Fig Tree – Luke 13:6–9
17. Master and Servant – Luke 17:7-10
18. Unfaithful Servants – Luke 12:42-48

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Summary Table

Gospel	Total Parables	Unique Parables
Matthew	23	11
Mark	8	2
Luke	27	18
John	0	0

Third Prompt

Prompt – Provide a table of the parables in the four Gospels citing the Gospels where they are given and identify those that are given in only one Gospel.

Here’s a table of the parables in the four Gospels, noting where each parable appears and highlighting those unique to a single Gospel.

Parable	Matthew	Mark	Luke	John	Unique to One Gospel
The Sower	13:1–23	4:1–20	8:4–15	–	No
The Weeds	13:24–30	–	–	–	Matthew
The Mustard Seed	13:31–32	4:30–32	13:18–19	–	No
The Leaven	13:33	–	13:20–21	–	Matthew
The Hidden Treasure	13:44	–	–	–	Matthew
The Pearl	13:45–46	–	–	–	Matthew
The Dragnet	13:47–50	–	–	–	Matthew
The Lost Sheep	18:12–14	–	15:3–7	–	No
The Unmerciful Servant	18:23–35	–	–	–	Matthew
The Two Sons	21:28–32	–	–	–	Matthew
The Wicked Tenants	21:33–46	12:1–12	20:9–19	–	No
The Wedding Banquet	22:1–14	–	–	–	Matthew
The Ten Virgins	25:1–13	–	–	–	Matthew
The Talents	25:14–30	–	–	–	Matthew
The Growing Seed	–	4:26–29	–	–	Mark
The Doorkeeper	–	13:34–37	–	–	Mark
The Good Samaritan	–	–	10:25–37	–	Luke
The Friend at Midnight	–	–	11:5–8	–	Luke
The Rich Fool	–	–	12:16–21	–	Luke
The Watchful Servants	–	–	12:35–40	–	Luke
The Faithful Servant	–	–	12:42–48	–	Luke
The Barren Fig Tree	–	–	13:6–9	–	Luke
The Places at the Table	–	–	14:7–11	–	Luke
The Great Banquet	–	–	14:15–24	–	Luke
The Cost of Discipleship	–	–	14:28–33	–	Luke
The Lost Coin	–	–	15:8–10	–	Luke
The Prodigal Son	–	–	15:11–32	–	Luke
The Shrewd Manager	–	–	16:1–13	–	Luke
The Rich Man and Lazarus	–	–	16:19–31	–	Luke
The Persistent Widow	–	–	18:1–8	–	Luke
The Pharisee and the Tax Collector	–	–	18:9–14	–	Luke
The Sheep and the Goats	25:31–46	–	–	–	Matthew

In this table:

• Parables unique to Matthew include the Weeds, Hidden Treasure, Pearl, Dragnet, Unmerciful Servant, Two Sons, Wedding Banquet, Ten Virgins, Talents, and Sheep and the Goats.
• Parables unique to Mark include the Growing Seed and the Doorkeeper.
• Parables unique to Luke include the Good Samaritan, Friend at Midnight, Rich Fool, Watchful Servants, Faithful Servant, Barren Fig Tree, Places at the Table, Great Banquet, Cost of Discipleship, Lost Coin, Prodigal Son, Shrewd Manager, Rich Man and Lazarus, Persistent Widow, and Pharisee and the Tax Collector.

The Gospel of John does not contain parables in the same sense as the Synoptic Gospels but instead includes allegorical teachings, such as the True Vine (John 15:1–8).