1

ing and practice of the Scribes and Pharisees. This he does particularly, and with many examples, in Matt. 5: 18-38; 6: 1–34. Luke, on the contrary, was writing mainly for Gentile Christians: and hence he omits the long passages of Matthew above referred to, and dwells only upon those topics which are of practical importance to all. In other respects the discourses, as given by the two writers, do not differ more than is elsewhere often the case in different reports of the same discourse. Compare Matt. 24: 1-42 with Mark 13: 1-37 and Luke 21 : 5-36; also Matt. 285-8 with Mark 16 : 6-8 and Luke 24: 5-8. See, also, the Note on § 15. Some, in order to avoid the like difficulty, have supposed that our Lord first held the longer discourse in Matthew before his disciples on the top of the mountain; and afterwards descended and delivered the same in the briefer form of Luke to the multitudes below. But this is unnecessary; and the order of circumstances would seem rather to have been the following: Our Lord retires to the mountain and chooses the Twelve; and with them descends to the multitudes on the level place or plain, where he heals many. (§ 40.) As they press upon him, he again ascends to a more elevated spot, where he can overlook the crowds and be heard by them; and here, seating himself with the Twelve around him, he addresses himself to his disciples in particular and to the multitudes in general. See Matt. 5 : 1, 2 ; Luke 6: 20; also Matt. 7:28; Luke 7: 1.

The mountain where these events took place was doubtless some part of the high ground on the west of the Lake of Tiberias, not far from Capernaum. The Romish church has the tradition that the singular hill called Tell Hattin, or Kurûn Hattîn, was the spot; and that hill is hence known to travellers as the Mount of Beatitudes. But this eminence is at least seven or eight miles distant from any probable site of Capernaum; which seems inconsistent with Matt. 8:5; Luke 7:1. And further, this tradition is current only among foreign Latin monks, and cannot be traced back, even among them, beyond the twelfth century; while the Greek church, which has been native upon the soil from the earliest centuries, knows nothing of it, and has indeed no tradition whatever connected with the Sermon on the Mount. See Bibl. Researches in Palestine, III. p. 240.

In Matt. 6:1 the marginal reading of the English version [and the text of the R. V.] is inserted in the text, namely, "righteousness" instead of "alms." This is in accordance with all the critical editions of the Greek Testament, and also with the context; for the word "righteousness" is here general, including the subsequent specifications of alms, v. 2, prayer, v. 5, and fasting, v. 16.

[The references to locality and other minute circumstances forbid the view that these discourses are merely summaries of our Lord's teachings during the early part of the Galilæan ministry. Recent travellers favor the traditional site of the Mount of Beatitudes. The "level place" is supposed to be a small plateau on the side of the mountain. There is no reason for insisting that the place was very near Capernaum, and the Horns of Hattîn would be a convenient locality for the assembling of multitudes from various regions; compare the detailed statements of Mark and Luke, especially the former. See Stanley, Sinai and Palestine, p. 360, 361.]

§ 42. In Matthew the centurion seems to come in person to Jesus; in Luke he sends the elders of the Jews. This diversity is satisfactorily explained by the old law maxim: Qui facit per alium, facit per se, "What one does by another, he does himself." Matthew narrates briefly; Luke gives the circumstances more fully. In like manner, in John 4: 1, Jesus is said to baptize, when he did it by his disciples. In John 19: 1, and elsewhere, Pilate is said to have scourged Jesus; certainly not with his own hands. In Mark 10: 35 James and John come to Jesus with a certain request; in Matt. 20: 20 it is their mother who prefers the request. In 2 Sam. 24: 1 God moves David to number Israel; in 1 Chr. 21: 1 it is Satan who provokes

him.

§ 44. Matthew places this narrative after the sending out of the Twelve; Matt. 11 : 1, 2. This appears to be too late; for during their absence John was beheaded; see Mark 6: 30; Matt. 14: 13. The order of Luke is therefore retained. Our Lord was probably at or near Capernaum; comp. § 45.

§ 48. The order of Mark is here resumed, who places these transactions next after the appointment of the Twelve, omitting the Sermon on the Mount and other intervening matters. The narrative of Luke is obviously parallel, although given by him

§§ 41-57.] NOTES. — THREE DAYS AND THREE NIGHTS, ETC. 171

in a different place. See Introd. Note to Part VI. p. 175. [The position of the events recorded in Luke 11: 14-13: 9 is very difficult to determine. The entire passage forms a part of that great division of Luke's Gospel which is otherwise peculiar to that Evangelist (chaps. 9: 51-18: 14). Most harmonists give chap. 11 : 14-36 the position here assigned; but a number of them place chaps. 11: 37-13 : 9 after the departure from Galilee; comp. § 81. It is difficult to account for the remarkable correspondence between the accounts of Matthew and Luke in §§ 48, 49, unless they refer to the same miracle and discourses. But it seems equally difficult to disconnect § 51 from what precedes in Luke.]

§ 49. The specification in Matt. 12: 40, that Jesus should be "three days and three nights" in the sepulchre, seems at first view not to harmonize with the account of his burial and resurrection. From these latter it appears that he was laid in the tomb before sunset on the sixth day of the week, or Friday, and rose again quite early on the first day of the week, or Sunday, having lain in the grave not far from thirty-six hours. See §§ 159, 160, and Notes. This accords with the usual formula which our Lord employed in speaking of his resurrection, namely, that "he should rise on the third day;" Matt. 16: 21; 20: 19; Luke 9: 22; 18: 33, etc. Equivalent to this is also the expression, "after three days I will rise again," Matt. 27: 63; Mark 8: 31; John 2: 19, etc. [In Mark 9:31; 10: 34, which are strictly parallel with those cited from Matthew and Luke, the correct reading is "after three days; so R. V.] This latter idiom is found also in John 20: 26, where eight days is put for a week. [Compare, also, Mark 9: 2, "after six days," with Luke 9: 28, "about eight days."]

In the present instance, Matt. 12: 40, the apparent difficulty arises from the form of the expression "three days and three nights," which our Lord uses here, and here alone, because he is quoting from Jonah 1: 17. The phrase "day and night" doubtless in itself implies a day and night of twenty-four hours. But the Hebrew form of expression for three days and three nights was likewise used generally and indefinitely for three days simply; as is obvious from 1 Sam. 30: 12 (compared with v. 13), and from the circumstances there narrated. Such, also, is manifestly the case here.

§ 51. The order here connects back with Luke 11: 36, in § 49. Jesus receives the invitation of the Pharisee while he was speaking. See Introd. Note to Part VI. p. 176. [There can be no doubt that §§ 51-53 belong together, and the phrase above cited seems to connect them with Luke 11: 36. It is not correct to explain "while he was engaged in teaching," that is, in general. After renewed investigation we accept the order of Dr. Robinson. Vv. 45-52 resemble parts of the discourse pronounced against the Pharisees in the temple a few days before our Lord's death. Hence some identify them; but Luke definitely fixes the place here, and all three Synoptists indicate that the Scribes and Pharisees were denounced at the time indicated by Matthew.]

§ 52. Luke (chap. 12) is directly connected with the preceding by the phrase in the mean time, meanwhile.

§ 53. The order is here fixed by v. 1.

$ 54. The order here depends on Matt. 13: 1; the intervening events in §§ 51-53 being supplied by Luke. The place may be Capernaum; but this is not certain.

§ 56. Mark here fixes the order of time, "the same day at evening.' The incident of the Scribe and of another disciple, which Matthew gives definitely here, is related by Luke in a wholly different connection without any note of time. It is transferred hither, because it is of such a nature that it cannot well be supposed to have been so exactly repeated at two different times. The conversation takes place as our Lord was on his way from the house (Matt. 13: 36) to the boat.

§ 57. [A reference to this section will show the great variations in the name of the inhabitants of the region visited. The Authorized Version is undoubtedly incorrect in all three Gospels. It seems probable that the people bore all three names: Gadarenes, Gerasenes, and Gergesenes. The last seems to be the correct reading in Luke (R. V. "Gerasenes," however). Gadara was the capital city of Peræa, and would give the name to the inhabitants of the entire district; Gergesenes" may be derived from the old term "Girgashites," while Gerasa was the name of a city quite remote from the lake. The opinion is, however, now prevalent that there was

66

a city near the lake, named Gergesa or Gerasa. All the terms are appropriate, and the apparent discrepancy is only a mark of independence and truthfulness.]

Mark and Luke speak of only one demoniac; Matthew of two. Here the maxim of Le Clerc holds true: Qui plura narrat, pauciora complectitur; qui pauciora memorat, plura non negat; which may here be thus applied : "He who speaks of two, includes also the one; he who mentions only one, does not deny the two." Something peculiar in the circumstances or character of one of the persons rendered him more prominent, and led the two former Evangelists to speak of him particularly. But their language does not exclude another. See Bibliotheca Sacra, 1845, p. 169.

§§ 58, 59. The call of Levi or Matthew is placed by the three Evangelists immediately after the healing of the paralytic in Capernaum; see §§ 34, 35. Very naturally, too, they all three connect with his call an account of the feast which he afterwards made for Jesus; in order to bring together and present at once all that was personal to Matthew. But from Matt. 9: 18 it appears that, while our Lord was reclining and discoursing at that feast, Jairus comes to beseech him to visit his daughter lying at the point of death; and Jesus goes with him. Now this transaction, according to Mark and Luke, did not happen until just after the return from the eastern shore of the lake. Hence the narrative of the feast is also to be transferred to this place; and that, too, the more certainly, because the Twelve appear to have also been present at it; see Matt. 9: 10; Mark 2: 15. [The feast and call of Matthew are placed together by all three Synoptists; and yet, if we can make any deduction whatever in regard to the order of events in the Gospels, we must separate them. This is suggestive in reference to other questions of harmony. The only considerable deviation from the chronological order in Mark is contained in § 58, chap. 2: 15-22.]

$62. In Matt. 10: 10 the Twelve are instructed not to provide a staff; in Mark 6: 8 they are told not to take anything save a staff only. Here Matthew refers to providing beforehand for the journey; Mark, to what they may actually take along with them. [In Luke the singular, "staff," is the correct reading; this was altered to "staves to avoid the apparent conflict with Mark's account. Mark is more exact; Luke's statement is to be interpreted by that of Matthew.]

§§ 63, 64. While the Twelve are absent preaching in the name of Christ, Herod causes John the Baptist to be beheaded, in the castle of Macharus at the southern extremity of Perea near the Dead Sea; Jos. Ant. xviii. 5, § 2. In consequence of the preaching of the Apostles, Herod hears the fame of Jesus; is conscience-smitand declares him to be John, risen from the dead. The disciples of John come and tell Jesus, and the Twelve also return with the same intelligence; upon which Jesus retires to the northeastern coast of the lake, not far from the northern Bethsaida or Julias; see Bibl. Res. in Palest. III. p. 308. All these events seem to have taken place near together.

ten;

Matthew and Mark narrate the death of the Baptist in explanation of Herod's declaration. The account of his imprisonment is transferred to § 24.

According to John 6: 4, the Passover was at hand, namely, the third during our Lord's ministry. John, therefore, had lain in prison not far from a year and six months; and was beheaded about three years after entering upon his ministry. See Note on § 25.

§§ 65, 66. From the region of the northern Bethsaida or Julias, the disciples embark for Bethsaida of Galilee, Mark 6: 45; or for Capernaum, according to John 6: 17. [It is evident from Luke 9: 9 that the miracle had taken place near Bethsaida Julias (northern Bethsaida). It is doubtful whether there was a western Bethsaida, although Dr. Robinson strongly advocates that view. The passage in Mark 6: 45 can be explained as meaning that the disciples were to go by boat northward and then to cross the lake. This agrees better with the fact that "the wind was contrary." The only specific mention of Bethsaida of Galilee is in John (12: 21), and this may be explained by the fact that the city was partly in Galilee, being on both sides of Jordan where it enters the lake; compare Andrews, pp. 211–217.] They land on the plain of Gennesaret, Matt. 14: 34; Mark 3:53. The next day the multitudes follow in boats to Capernaum seeking for Jesus, and find him there; John 6: 24, 25, 59. It follows as a necessary conclusion that Capernaum was on or near the plain of Gennesaret; most probably at its northeastern extremity. For

the topography of this region, see Bibl. Res. in Palest. III. p. 288 sq.; comp. p. 282 sq.

In John 7:1 a reason is assigned why Jesus did not go up at this time to the Passover mentioned in John 6: 4. This was the third Passover during his ministry.

PART V.

FROM OUR LORD'S THIRD PASSOVER UNTIL HIS FINAL DEPARTURE FROM GALILEE AT THE FESTIVAL OF TABERNACLES.

§§ 67-82.

§ 67 sq. The order of events, as far as to § 79 inclusive, is in accordance with both Matthew and Mark; with whom Luke also coincides, so far as he touches upon the same transactions.

§ 68. Jesus retires from Galilee, first to the region of Tyre and Sidon, then to the Decapolis, and afterwards to the district of Cæsarea Philippi. All these were districts not under the jurisdiction of Herod; whose domain included Galilee and Peræa. Not improbably Jesus may have withdrawn from Galilee at this particular time because the attention of Herod had been thus turned to him after the death of John the Baptist; and perhaps, too, on account of Herod's temporary presence in that province, by which his own personal danger would naturally be increased. See the Note on §§ 63, 64. [The tide of popularity had turned after the discourse at Capernaum (§ 66), and the hostility of the Pharisees became pronounced.]

§ 69. The Decapolis was on the S. and S. E. of the Lake of Tiberias. It included Seythopolis (Bethshean), Gadara, Hippo, Pella, Gerasa; the names of the other cities being less certain. Our Lord, in returning from Tyre and Sidon, probably passed through Galilee. [The correct text in Mark 7: 31 indicates that he did not pass through Galilee, but made a circuit "through Sidon," passing northward, then eastward, reaching the eastern shore of the lake after traversing the northern part of the Decapolis at the foot of the Lebanon range.] The feeding of the four thousand obviously took place in the Decapolis; since Jesus immediately afterwards passes over the lake to Magdala on its western shore. [The correct reading in Matt. 15: 39 is "Magadan."]

§ 72. The healing of the blind man at the northern Bethsaida is related only by Mark. It took place on the way from the eastern shore of the lake toward Cæsarea Philippi, now Bâniâs.

[8 73. This is the turning-point in the training of the Twelve, a crisis in our Lord's ministry. Notice that Matthew only tells of the saying: "Thou art Peter," etc. The emphasis seems to rest on what is common to the three narratives.]

§ 74. The phrase "after three days" of Mark 8: 31 is equivalent to "the third day" of Matt. 16: 21; Luke 9: 22. See the Note on § 49. [The former phrase is invariably used by Mark, according to the correct text.]

§ 75. On Matt. 17: 12, see the Note on § 18.

§ 80. The sending out of the Seventy obviously took place at or near Capernaum; see vv. 13, 15. It comes therefore here in its order, before our Lord leaves Galilee to go up to the festival of Tabernacles. The words "after these things,' in v. 1, refer to the general series of events narrated in the preceding chapter; not to v. 51 sq. in particular. The incident of the Scribe, which there follows (v. 57 sq.), was in fact much earlier; see in § 56 and Note.

[The difficulties connected with harmonizing Luke's narrative are discussed very fully in the Introd. Note to Part VI. Most recent harmonists, even those who agree in the main with Dr. Robinson, differ from him in regard to the time when the Seventy were sent out. Those who do not accept a return to Galilee, after the festival of Tabernacles, usually place Luke 9: 51-56 before the sending out of the Seventy (see Note on § 81), and regard the visit to Jerusalem (John 9: 10 sq.) as an incident in the great journey from Galilee to death, which is spoken of in such solemn terms by Luke (9:51). There is much to commend this view. The sending of the Seventy, on this theory, took place during the journey from. Galilee, to

which our Lord did not return until after his resurrection. The journey was not direct, but led through part of Samaria (comp. §§ 81, 82), probably through part of Peræa (comp. Matt. 19: 1, 2; Mark 10: 1, which may be placed, with equal propriety, in connection with the return of the Seventy), and certainly through part of Judæa (see next paragraph). The Seventy probably went in advance along this route, and returned after a short interval; whether before or after the festival of Tabernacles is very uncertain. During part of this journey, our Lord left his followers, and made a brief visit to Jerusalem alone during the festival of Tabernacles (§§ 83, etc.). This theory would compel us to place Luke 9: 51-56 before 10: 1–16, but does not of necessity involve any other change in Dr. Robinson's arangement at this point. Andrews accepts a return to Galilee after the festival of Tabernacles, placing John 7: 2-10, 21 (all of which he refers to that visit to Jerusalem) before the final departure from Galilee (Luke 9: 51) and the sending out of the Seventy. There are various other arrangements, but the main question at this point is whether the Seventy were sent out before or after the festival of Tabernacles. A more difficult question is that respecting the number of events which are to be connected with that festival; see Notes on §§ 86, 87.]

According to Luke 10: 1, the Seventy were to go to every city and place whither our Lord himself would come. To what part of the country, then, were they sent ? Not throughout Galilee; for Jesus apparently never returned to that province; and, besides, both himself and the Twelve had already preached in all the towns and villages. Not in Samaria; for he merely passes through that district without making any delay. Possibly into some parts of Judæa, whither our Lord himself afterwards came; but more probably along the great valley of the Jordan and throughout the populous region of Peræa, which our Lord traversed and where he taught, after the festival of Dedication, and as he for the last time went up to Jerusalem; see John 10: 40; Matt. 19:1; Mark 10:1; Luke 13: 22. — In accordance with this view the return of the Seventy took place in Jerusalem or Judæa, not long before the festival of Dedication (§ 89); immediately after which festival Jesus withdrew into Perea to follow up their labors, John 10: 40 sq. See Introd. Note to Part VI. p. 176. [See also the preceding paragraph.]

Our Lord's instructions to the Seventy have a striking resemblance to those given to the Twelve; see in § 62.

§ 81. Our Lord evades the hypocritical urgency of his relatives, and afterwards goes up to the festival more privately; that is, with less of public notoriety and without being followed as usual by crowds. The journey mentioned in Luke 9: 51 was obviously his last journey from Galilee to Jerusalem; and v. 53 shows that he was passing on rapidly and without delay. In both those circumstances, Luke accords with John; and the two accounts are therefore properly arranged together. See more in Introd. Note to Part VI. p. 175. [John 7: 9 favors the view that the final departure from Galilee had not yet taken place; hence Dr. Robinson's arrangement.]

§ 82. The healing of the ten lepers evidently connects itself with the same journey through Samaria, and is narrated by Luke out of its proper order. Compare the incident of the Scribe and another, Luke 9: 57 sq., and see the Note on § 56. [The date of this incident is very doubtful. The position it occupies in the Gospel connects it with the final journey to Jerusalem immediately before the Passover or with some excursion from Ephraim after the raising of Lazarus. But the mention of "the midst of Samaria and Galilee " seems opposed to this view, and in favor of placing it here. The Am. Company favor the rendering: "along the borders of," which points more conclusively to the earlier journey. Greswell, Stroud, Thomson, Tischendorf, and Andrews accept the order of Luke, though differing among themselves as to the exact relation of that part of Luke to the narrative of John. If Luke's order is followed, it becomes necessary to refer v. 11 to a journey from Ephraim to Jerusalem, during which occurred all the events which follow in Luke's narrative up to the point where Matthew and Mark again become parallel. So Meyer and many others. See Introd. Note to Part VI., and the various theories of the order of events added there.]