5. The argument of the book. Whether he was an epitomizer of Matthew?
The general argument of the Gospel of Saint Mark of the Gospel of Saint Mark is the same as that of Saint Matthew, apart from the fact that, with Christ’s conception, birth, infancy, childhood, and youth passed over in silence, beginning his own Gospel from the ministry of John the Baptist, he wove together Christ’s remaining ministry in Galilee and Judea, sufferings, resurrection, and ascension into Heaven.Therefore, by abridgement he compressed his Gospel with learned brevity, in such a way that it is not incorrectly said that composed a certain Epitome of the Gospel history.However, although Saint Augustine calls him the Epitomiser of Saint Matthew, perhaps because he wrote many things more concisely than Matthew; he ought not on that account be seen industriously to have reduced Matthew into a compendium.For, by the instinct of the same Holy Spirit, not from Matthew, he wrote his own things, which would derogate not a little from the Majesty of Scripture, all which is θεόπνευστος/God-breathed.[1]Also, he relates some things at length that Saint Matthew does not even touch upon.Finally, some things related at length by Saint Matthew he does not even touch upon.Which things certainly sufficiently demonstrate he was not properly an epitomizer of Saint Matthew.
[1] 2 Timothy 3:16: “All scripture is given by inspiration of God (πᾶσα γραφὴ θεόπνευστος), and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness…”