WhyFourGospels?

byA.W.Pink

TABLEOFCONTENTS

ForewordIntroductionTheGospelofMatthewTheGospelofMarkTheGospelofLukeTheGospelofJohnConclusion

Foreword

ItisnowupwardsoftwelveyearssincethewriterfirstreadMr.AndrewJukes’ book on the Gospels, wherein he so ably outlined the variouscharacters, in which the four Evangelists, severally, present the LordJesusChrist.Sincethenwehavecontinued,witheverincreasingdelight,totraceoutforourselves,thevariousfeatureswhicharepeculiartoeachGospel.

IthasbeenourprivilegetogiveaseriesofBiblereadingsonthedesignandscopeoftheGospels,tovariouscompanies,bothinEnglandandinthiscountry;andmanyhavebeentherequestsforustopublishtheminbook form.Wehavehesitated todo this,becauseMr. Jukes, fifty yearsago,hadalreadydealtwiththissubjectwithbettersuccessthanwecouldhopetoachieve.Sincehisday,anumberofothershavewrittenuponthesame theme, though not with the same perspicuity and helpfulness.Really,Mr.Jukescoveredthegroundsothoroughly(atleastinitsbroadoutlines) that for any later writer who would present anythingapproaching a bird’s-eye view of the four Gospels, is was well-nighimpossible to avoid going over much of the ground covered by theoriginal pioneer, and repeating much of what he first, under God, setforthtosuchgoodeffect.ItisonlybecauseMr.Jukes’workisunknown

tomanywhomwehopetoreach,thatwenowpresentthesestudiestotheChristianpublic.Wehaveworkeddiligentlyonthesubjectforourselves,and have sought to thoroughly assimilate that which we received firstfrom the writing of the abovementioned, while adding, also, our ownfindings.

In sending forth this little book,much of which has been gathered upfromthelaborsofanother,weareremindedofthewordsoftheApostlePaultoTimothy,hissoninthefaith:"Andthethingsthatthouhastheardofmeamongmanywitnesses,thesamecommitthoutofaithfulmen"(2Tim.2:2).Andagain: "Butcontinue thou in the thingswhich thouhastlearned and hast been assured of, knowing ofwhom thou hast learnedthem"(2Tim.3:14).

Weare fully assured that there is verymuch in the fourGospelswhichmanifest the Divine perfections and distinctive beauties of each one,whichhasnotyetbeenbroughtforthbythosewhohavesoughttoexploretheir inexhaustible depths; that there is here a wide field for diligentresearch, and that those who will pursue this study, prayerfully, forthemselves,willberichlyrewardedfortheirpains.MayitpleaseGodtostirupanincreasingnumberofHispeopleto"search"thisportionofHisholyWordwhichreveal,asnowhereelse,theexcellenciesofHisblessedSon,whichwere so signallydisplayedbyHimduring theyears thatHetabernacledamongmen.

ArthurW.Pink,Swengel,Pa.1921

Introduction

Why four Gospels? It seems strange that such a question needs to beaskedatthislatedate.TheNewTestamenthasnowbeeninthehandsoftheLord’speopleforalmosttwothousandyears,andyet,comparatively

fewseemtograspthecharacterandscopeofitsfirstfourbooks.Nopartof the Scriptures has been studied more widely than have the fourGospels:innumerablesermonshavebeenpreachedfromthem,andeverytwo or three years sections from one of the Gospels is assigned as thecourse for study in our Sunday Schools. Yet, the fact remains, that thepeculiar design and character of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, israrelyperceivedevenbythosemostfamiliarwiththeircontents.

Why four Gospels? It does not seem to have occurred to theminds ofmanytoasksuchaquestion.ThatwehavefourGospelswhichtreatoftheearthlyministryofChristisuniversallyaccepted,butastowhywehavethem,astowhattheyareseverallydesignedtoteach,astotheirpeculiarcharacteristics,astotheirdistinctivebeauties—theseare littlediscernedand even less appreciated. It is true that each of the four Gospels hasmuch in common to all: each of them deals with the same period ofhistory, each sets forth the teaching andmiracles of the Saviour, eachdescribesHisdeathandresurrection.ButwhilethefourEvangelistshavemuchincommon,eachhasmuchthatispeculiartohimself,anditisinnotingtheirvariationsthatwearebroughttoseetheirtruemeaningandscopeandtoappreciatetheirperfections.JustasacourseinarchitectureenablesthestudenttodiscernthesubtledistinctionsbetweentheIonic,theGothic, and theCorinthian styles—distinctionswhich are lost upontheuninstructed;or,justasamusicaltrainingfitsonetoappreciatethegrandeurofamaster-production,theloftinessofitstheme,thebeautyofits chords, the variety of its parts, or its rendition—all lost uponuninitiated;sotheexquisiteperfectionsofthefourGospelsareunnoticedand unknown by those who see in them nothing more than fourbiographiesofChrist.

IncarefullyreadingthroughthefourGospelsitsoonbecomesapparenttoanyreflectingmindthatinnoneofthem,norinthefourtogether,dowehaveanythingapproachingacompletebiographyofourSaviour’searthlyministry.Therearegreatgaps inHis lifewhichnoneof theEvangelistsprofesstofillin.AftertherecordofHisinfancy,nothingwhateveristoldusaboutHim tillHehad reached the age of twelve, and after thebriefrecordwhichLukegivesofChristasaboy in theTempleatJerusalem,followed by the statement that His parents went to Nazareth and that

there He was "subject unto them" (Luke 2), nothing further is told usaboutHimuntilHehadreachedtheageofthirty.Evenwhenwecometothe accounts of His publicministry it is clear that the records are butfragmentary; the Evangelists select only portions of His teachings anddescribeindetailbutafewofHismiracles.Concerningthefullscopeofall that was crowded into His wonderful life, John gives us some ideawhenhesays,"AndtherearealsomanyotherthingswhichJesusdid,thewhich,iftheyshouldbewritteneveryone,Isupposethateventheworlditselfcouldnotcontainthebooksthatshouldbewritten"(John21:25).

IfthentheGospelsarenotcompletebiographiesofChrist,whatarethey?Thefirstanswermustbe,Fourbooksinspired,fullyinspired,ofGod;fourbooks written by men moved by the Holy Spirit; books that are true,flawless,perfect.Thesecondansweristhat,thefourGospelsaresomanybooks,eachcompleteinitself,eachofwhichiswrittenwithadistinctivedesign,andthatwhichisincludedinitspages,andallthatisleftout,isstrictlysubordinatedtothatdesign,accordingtoaprincipleofselection.Inotherwords,nothingwhateverisbroughtintoanyoneoftheGospelssavethatwhichwasstrictlyrelevantandpertinentto itspeculiarthemeand subject, and all that was irrelevant and failed to illustrate andexemplify its theme was excluded. The same plan of selection isnoticeableineverysectionoftheHolyScriptures.

TakeGenesisasanexample.Whyisitthatthefirsttwothousandyearsofhistoryarebrieflyoutlinedinitsfirstelevenchapters,andthatthenextthree hundred years is spread out over thirty-nine chapters?Why is itthat so very little is said about the men who lived before the Flood,whereasthelivesofAbrahamandIsaac,JacobandJosepharedescribedinsuchfulnessofdetail?Why is it that theHolySpirithasseenwell todepict at greater length the experiences of Joseph in Egypt than Hedevoted to the Account of Creation? Take, again, the later historicalbooks. A great deal is given us concerning the varied experiences ofAbraham’sdescendants, but littlenotice is takenof themightyNationswhichwerecontemporaneouswiththem.WhyisitthatIsrael’shistoryisdescribed at such length, and that of the Egyptians, the Hittites, theBabylonians, the Persians, and the Greeks, is almost entirely ignored?Theanswertoallofthesequestionsisthat,theHolySpiritselectedonly

thatwhichservedthepurposebeforeHim.ThepurposeofGenesisistoexplain to us the origin of that Nation which occupies so prominent aplace in the Old Testament Scriptures, hence, the Holy Spirit hurriesover, as it were, the centuries before Abraham was born, and thenproceeds to describe in detail the lives of the fathers from which theChosenNationsprang.Thesameprincipleobtainsintheotherbooksofthe Old Testament. Because the Holy Spirit is there setting forth thedealings of God with Israel, the other great nations of antiquity arelargelyignored,andonlycomeintoviewatallastheydirectlyconcernedthe Twelve-Tribed people. So it is in the four Gospels: each of theEvangelistswasguidedbytheSpirittorecordonlythatwhichservedtoset forthChrist in theparticular character inwhichHewas there tobeviewed,andthatwhichwasnotinkeepingwiththatparticularcharacterwasleftout.Ourmeaningwillbecomeclearerasthereaderproceeds.

WhyfourGospels?Becauseoneortwowasnotsufficienttogiveaperfectpresentationof thevariedgloriesofourblessedLord.JustasnooneoftheOldTestamenttypicalpersonages(suchasIsaacorJoseph,MosesorDavid)giveanexhaustiveforeshadowmentofourLord,so,nooneofthefour Gospels presents a complete portrayal of Christ’s manifoldexcellencies.JustasnooneortwoofthefivegreatofferingsappointedbyGod for Israel (see Lev. 1-6) could, by itself, represent themany-sidedsacrifice of Christ, so no one, or two, of the Gospels could, by itself,display fully the varied relationships which the Lord Jesus sustainedwhen He was here upon earth. In a word, the four Gospels set Christbefore us as filling four distinct offices. We might illustrate it thus.Suppose I was to visit a strange town inwhich therewas an imposingcity-hall,andthatIwasanxioustoconveytomyfriendsathomethebestpossibleideaofit.WhatwouldIdo?Iwouldusemycameratotakefourdifferentpicturesofit,onefromeachside,andthusmyfriendswouldbeable to obtain a complete conception of its structure and beauty. NowthatisexactlywhatwehaveinthefourGospels.Speakingreverently,wemaysaythattheHolySpirithasphotographedtheLordJesusfromfourdifferent angles, viewingHim in four different relationships, displayingHimasperfectlydischargingtheresponsibilitiesoffourdifferentoffices.AnditisimpossibletoreadtheGospelsintelligently,tounderstandtheirvariations,toappreciatetheirdetails,togetoutofthemwhatweought,

untilthereaderlearnsexactlyfromwhichangleeachseparateGospel isviewing Christ, which particular relationship Matthew or Mark showsHimtobedischarging,whichofficeLukeorJohnshowsHimtobefilling.

ThefourGospelsalikepresenttousthepersonandworkofourblessedSaviour,buteachoneviewsHiminadistinctrelationship,andonlythatwhichservedtoillustratetheseparatedesignwhicheachEvangelisthadbefore him found a place in his Gospel; everything else whichwas notstrictlygermanetohisimmediatepurposewasomitted.Tomakethisstillmore simple we will use another illustration. Suppose that today fourmenshouldundertaketowritea"life"ofex-presidentRoosevelt,andthateachonedesignedtopresenthiminadifferentcharacter.Suppose thatthefirstshouldtreatofhisprivateanddomesticlife,theseconddealwithhimasasportsmanandhunterofbiggame,thethirddepicthismilitaryprowessandthefourthtracedhispoliticalandpresidentialcareer.Nowitwillbeseenatoncethatthesefourbiographerswhilewritingofthelifeofthe sameman would, nevertheless, view him in four entirely differentrelationships.Moreover, itwillbeevident that thesebiographerswouldbegoverned in the selectionof theirmaterial by theparticularpurposeeach one had before him: each would include only that which wasgermane to his own specific viewpoint, and for the same reason eachwould omit that which was irrelevant. For instance: suppose it wasknown that Mr. Roosevelt, as a boy, had excelled in gymnastics andathleticswhichofhisbiographerswouldmention this fact?Clearly, thesecondone,whowasdepictinghimasasportsman.SupposethatasaboyMr. Roosevelt had frequently engaged in fistic encounters, which onewould make mention of it? Evidently, the one who was depicting hismilitary career, for it would serve to illustrate his fighting qualities.Again, suppose that when a college-student Mr. R. had displayed anaptitude for debating, which biographer would refer to it? The fourth,who was treating of his political and presidential life. Finally, supposethatfromyouthupwards,Mr.R.hadmanifestedamarkedfondnessforchildren,whichofhisbiographerswould refer to it?The first, forhe istreatingoftheex-president’sprivateanddomesticlife.

The above example may serve to illustrate what we have in the fourGospels.InMatthew,ChristispresentedastheSonofDavid,theKingof

theJews,andeverythinginhisnarrativecentersaroundthistruth.ThisexplainswhythefirstGospelopenswithasettingforthofChrist’sroyalgenealogy,andwhyinthesecondchaptermentionismadeofthejourneyofthewisemenfromtheEast,whocametoJerusaleminquiring"WhereisHethatisbornKingoftheJews?",andwhyinchaptersfivetosevenwehavewhatisknownas"TheSermonontheMount"butwhich,inreality,istheManifestooftheKing,containinganenunciationoftheLawsofHisKingdom.

InMark, Christ is depicted as the Servant of Jehovah, as theOnewhothroughequalwithGodmadeHimselfofnoreputationand"tookuponHimtheformofaservant."EverythinginthissecondGospelcontributestothiscentraltheme,andeverythingforeigntoitisrigidlyexcluded.Thisexplains why there is no genealogy recorded in Mark, why Christ isintroduced at the beginning of His public ministry (nothing whateverbeing toldushereofHis earlier life), andwhy therearemoremiracles(deedsofservice)detailedherethaninanyoftheotherGospels.

In Luke, Christ is set forth as the Son of Man, as connected with butcontrastedfromthesonsofmen,andeverything inthenarrativeservestobringthisout.ThisexplainswhythethirdGospeltracesHisgenealogybacktoAdam,thefirstman,(insteadoftoAbrahamonly,asinMatthew),whyastheperfectManHeisseenheresofrequentlyinprayer,andwhytheangelsareseenministeringtoHim,insteadofcommandedbyHimastheyareinMatthew.

In John, Christ is revealed as the Son of God, and everything in thisfourth Gospel is made to illustrate and demonstrate this Divinerelationship.Thisexplainswhyintheopeningversewearecarriedbacktoapointbeforetimebegan,andweareshownChristastheWord"inthebeginning,"withGod,andHimselfexpresslydeclaredtobeGod;whyweget here so many of His Divine titles, as "The only begotten of theFather,"the"LambofGod,"the"Lightoftheworld"etc.;whywearetoldherethatprayershouldbemadeinHisName,andwhytheHolySpiritisheresaidtobesentfromtheSonaswellasfromtheFather.

It is a remarkable fact that this fourfold presentation of Christ in theGospels was specifically indicated through the Old Testament seers.

ConspicuousamongthemanypropheciesoftheOldTestamentarethosewhichspokeofthecomingMessiahunderthetitleof"theBranch."Fromthesewemay select fourwhich correspond exactlywith themanner inwhich the Lord Jesus is looked at, respectively, in each of the fourGospels:—

InJeremiah23:5weread,"Behold,thedayscome,saiththeLord,thatIwill raise unto DAVID a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign andprosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth." ThesewordsfitthefirstGospelasglovefitshand.

In Zechariah 3:8 we read, "Behold, I will bring forth My Servant theBranch."ThesewordsmightwellbetakenasatitleforthesecondGospel.

InZechariah6:12weread,"BeholdtheManwhosenameistheBranch."HowaccuratelythiscorrespondswithLuke’sdelineationofChristneedsnottobepointedout.

In Isaiah 4:2 we read, "In that day shall the Branch of the Lord bebeautiful and glorious." Thus, this last quoted of these Messianicpredictions, which spoke of the Coming One under the figure of "theBranch," tallies exactly with the fourth Gospel, which portrays ourSaviourastheSonofGod.

But, not only did Old Testament prophecy anticipate the four chiefrelationshipswhichChrist sustainedon earth, theOldTestament typesalsoforeshadowedthisfourfolddivision.InGenesis2:10weread"Andariver went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it wasparted, and became into four heads." Note carefully the words "fromthence." In Eden itself "the river" was one, but "from thence" it "wasparted"andbecameintofourheads.Theremustbesomedeeplyhiddenmeaning to this, forwhy tell us howmany "heads" this river had? Themerehistoricalfactiswithoutinterestorvalueforus,andthattheHolySpirithascondescendedtorecordthisdetailpreparesustolookbeneaththesurfaceandseekforsomemysticalmeaning.Andsurelythatisnotfarto seek. "Eden" suggests to us the Paradise above: the "river" which"watered" it, tells of Christ who is the Light and Joy of Heaven.Interpretingthismysticfigure,then,welearnthatinHeavenChristwas

seen in one character only—"The Lord of Glory"—but just as when the"river"leftEdenitwaspartedandbecame"fourheads"andassuchthuswatered the earth, so, too, the earthly ministry of the Lord Jesus hasbeen,bytheHolySpirit,"partedintofourheads"intheFourGospels.

Another Old Testament type which anticipated the fourfold division ofChrist’sministryasrecordedinthefourGospelsmaybeseeninExodus26:31,32, "And thou shaltmakeaveil ofblue, andpurple, and scarlet,andfine twined linenofcunningwork:withcherubimshall itbemade.And thou shalt hang it upon four pillars of shittimwood overlaidwithgold:theirhooksshallbeofgold,uponthefoursocketsofsilver."FromHebrews10:19,20welearnthatthe"veil"foreshadowedtheIncarnation,Godmanifest in flesh—"throughtheveil, that is tosay,His flesh." It issurely significant that this "veil"washungupon "fourpillars of shittimwoodoverlaidwithgold:"thewood,again,speakingofHishumanity,andthe gold ofHisDeity. Just as these "four pillars" served to display thebeautiful veil, so in the four Gospels we have made manifest theperfectionsoftheonly-begottenoftheFathertabernaclingamongmen.

InconnectionwiththeScripture lastquoted,wemayobserveoneotherfeature—"with cherubim shall it be made." The veil was ornamented,apparently,with the "cherubim" embroidered upon it in colors of blue,purple,andscarlet.InEzekiel10:15,17,etc.thecherubimaretermed"thelivingcreature:"thisenablesustoidentifythe"fourbeasts"ofRevelation4:6 for rendered literally theGreek reads "four living creatures."These"living creatures" or "cherubim" are also four in number, and from thedescriptionwhichisfurnishedoftheminRevelation4:7itwillbefoundthat they correspond, most remarkably with the various characters inwhich the Lord Jesus Christ is set forth in Matthew, Mark, Luke andJohn.

"And the first living creature was like a lion, and the second livingcreaturelikeacalf,andthethirdlivingcreaturehadafaceasaman,andthe fourth living creature was like a flying eagle" (Rev. 4:7). The firstcherubim, then,was like "a lion"which remindsusatonceof the titleswhich are used of Christ in Revelation 5:5—"The Lion of the Tribe ofJudah,theRootofDavid."Thelion,whichisthekingamongthebeastsisan apt symbol for portraying Christ as He is presented in Matthew’s

Gospel.NotealsothattheLionoftheTribeofJudahisheretermed"theRootofDavid."Thusthedescriptiongiven inRevelation4:7of the first"cherubim"correspondsexactlywiththecharacterinwhichChristissetforth in the first Gospel, viz., as "the Son of David," the "King of theJews."Thesecondcherubimwas"likeacalf"or"youngox."Theyoungoxaptly symbolizesChristasHe ispresented inMark’sGospel, for justastheoxwasthechiefanimalofservice inIsrael,so in thesecondGospelwehaveChristpresentedinlowlinessastheperfect"ServantofJehovah."The third cherubim "hada face as aman,"which correspondswith thethirdGospelwhereourLord’sHumanityisinview.Thefourthcherubimwas"likeaflyingeagle:"howsignificant!Thefirstthree—thelion,youngox, and man,—all belong to the earth, just as each of the first threeGospelseach set forthChrist in an earthly relationship; but this fourthcherubim liftsusupabove theearth,andbrings theheavens intoview!Theeagleisthebirdthatsoarsthehighestandsymbolizesthecharacterin which Christ is seen in John’s Gospel, viz., as the Son of God.IncidentallywemayobservehowthisdescriptionofthefourcherubiminRevelation4:7authenticates thearrangementof the fourGospelsaswehavetheminourBibles,evidencingthefactthattheirpresentorderisofDivinearrangementasRevelation4:7confirms!

WewouldcallattentiontooneotherfeatureereclosingthisIntroductionand turning to the Gospels themselves. Behold the wisdom of Goddisplayed in the selectionof the fourmenwhomHe employed towritetheGospels.Ineachonewemaydiscernapeculiarsuitabilityandfitnessforhistask.

The instrumental selection by God to write this first Gospel wassingularly fitted for the taskbeforehim.Matthew is theonlyoneof thefourEvangelistswhopresentsChrist inanofficial relationship, namely,astheMessiahandKingofIsrael,andMatthewhimselfwastheonlyoneof the fourwho filled anofficial position; for, unlikeLuke,whowas byprofessionaphysician,orJohnwhowasafisherman,Matthewwasatax-gathererintheemployoftheRomans.Again;MatthewpresentsChristinKingdomconnections, as theOnewhopossessed the title to reign overIsrael; how fitting, then, that Matthew, who was an officer of andaccustomedtolookoutoveravastempire,shouldbetheoneselectedfor

thistask.Again;Matthewwasapublican.TheRomansappointedofficialswhose duty it was to collect the Jewish taxes. The tax-gatherers werehatedbytheJewsmorebitterlythantheRomansthemselves.SuchamanwasMatthew.How feelingly, then, could hewrite of theOnewhowas"hatedwithoutacause"!andsetforththeMessiah-Saviour,as"despisedand rejected" byHis own nation. Finally, in God appointing thisman,who by calling was connected with the Romans, we have a strikinganticipationofthegraceofGodreachingouttothedespisedGentiles.

Mark’s Gospel sets before us the Servant of Jehovah, God’s perfectWorkman.AndtheinstrumentchosentowritethissecondGospelseemstohaveheldanuniquepositionwhichwellfittedhimforhistask.Hewasnothimselfoneoftheapostles,butwasratheraservantofanapostle.In2 Timothy 4:11 we have a scripture which brings this out in a strikingmanner—"TakeMark,andbringhimwiththee:forheisprofitabletomefortheministry."ThustheonewhowroteofourLordastheServantofGod,washimselfonewhoministeredtoothers!

Luke’sGospeldealswithourLord’sHumanity,andpresentsHimastheSonofManrelatedtobutcontrastedfromthesonsofmen.Luke’sGospelis the onewhich gives us the fullest account of the virgin-birth. Luke’sGospel also reveals more fully than any of the others the fallen anddepraved state of human nature. Again; Luke’s Gospel is far moreinternationalinitsscopethantheotherthree,andismoreGentilishthanJewish—evidencesofthiswillbepresentedwhenwecometoexaminehisGospel in detail. Now observe the appropriateness of the selection ofLuketowritethisGospel.Whowashe?Hewasneitherafishermannoratax-gatherer,buta"physician"(seeCol.4:14),andassuch,astudentofhumannatureandadiagnosticianofthehumanframe.Moreover,thereisgoodreasontobelievethatLukehimselfwasnotaJewbutaGentile,andhence itwas peculiarly fitting that he should presentChrist not as"theSonofDavid"butas"TheSonofMan."

John’sGospelpresentsChristintheloftiestcharacterofall,settingHimforth inDivine relationship, showing thatHewas theSonofGod.Thiswasataskthatcalledforamanofhighspirituality,onewhowasintimatewith our Lord in a special manner, one who was gifted with unusualspiritual discernment.And surely John,whowas nearer to the Saviour

thananyofthetwelve,surelyJohn"thedisciplewhomJesusloved,"waswellchosen.HowfittingthattheonewholeanedontheMaster’sbosomshould be the instrument to portray Christ as "The only-begotten Son,which is in thebosomof theFather"!ThusmaywediscernandadmirethemanifoldwisdomofGodinequippingthefour"Evangelists"fortheirhonorouswork.

EreclosingthisIntroductionwewouldreturnoncemoretoouropeningquery—WhyfourGospels?Thistimeweshallgivethequestionadifferentemphasis. Thus far, we have considered, "Why four Gospels? And wehaveseenthattheansweris,InordertopresentthepersonofChrist infourdifferentcharacters.Butwewouldnowask,WhyfourGospels?Whynothavereducedthemtotwoorthree?Or,whynothaveaddedafifth?Whyfour?Godhasawisereasonforeverything,andwemaybeassuredthereisaDivinefitnessinthenumberoftheGospels.

Inseeking toanswer thequestion,Why fourGospels,wearenot left tothe uncertainties of speculation or imagination. Scripture is its owninterpreter. A study of God’sWord reveals the fact (as pointed out byothersbeforeus),thatinitthenumeralsareusedwithdefiniteprecisionandmeaning."Four"isthenumberoftheearth.Itis,therefore,also,theworld number. We subjoin a few illustrations of this. There are fourpointstoearth’scompass—northe,east,south,andwest.Therearefourseasonstoearth’syear—spring,summer,autumn,andwinter.Therearefourelementsconnectedwithourworld—earth,air,fire,andwater.Therehavebeenfour,andonlyfour,greatworld-empires—theBabylonian,theMedo-Persian, the Grecian, and the Roman. Scripture divides earth’sinhabitants into four classes—"kindred, and tongue, and people, andnation"(Rev.5:9etc.).IntheParableoftheSower,ourLorddividedthefieldintofourkindsofsoil,andlaterHesaid,"thefieldistheworld."Thefourth commandment has to do with rest from all earth’s labors. ThefourthclauseinwhatisknownastheLord’sprayeris,"Thywillbedoneonearth."Andsowemightgoon.Four is thus theearthnumber.Howfitting, then, that theHoly Spirit should have given us four Gospels inwhichtosetforththeearthlyministryoftheHeavenlyOne.

Matthew’sGospel

Matthew’s Gospel breaks the long silence that followed theministry ofMalachithelastoftheOldTestamentprophets.Thissilenceextendedforfourhundredyears,andduringthattimeGodwashidfromIsrael’sview.Throughoutthisperiodtherewerenoangelicmanifestations,noprophetspake forJehovah,and, though theChosenPeopleweresorelypressed,yetweretherenoDivineinterpositionsontheirbehalf.ForfourcenturiesGodshutHispeopleuptoHiswrittenWord.AgainandagainhadGodpromisedtosendtheMessiah,andfromMalachi’stimeandonwardsthesaintsoftheLordanxiouslyawaitedtheappearingofthepredictedOne.ItisatthispointMatthew’sGospelistopresentChristastheFulfillerofthe promisesmade to Israel and the prophecies which related to theirMessiah.Thisiswhytheword"fulfilled"occursinMatthewfifteentimes,andwhytherearemorequotationsfromtheOldTestament inthis firstGospelthanintheremainingthreeputtogether.

The position which Matthew’s Gospel occupies in the Sacred Canonindicates its scope: it follows immediatelyafter theOldTestament, andstands at the beginning of the New. It is therefore a connecting linkbetweenthem.Henceitistransitionaryinitscharacter,andmoreJewishthan any other book in the New Testament. Matthew reveals Godappealing to and dealing withHis Old Testament people; presents theLord Jesus as occupying a distinctively Jewish relationship; and, is theonly one of the four Evangelists that records Messiah’s expressdeclaration,"IamnotsentbutuntothelostsheepoftheHouseofIsrael"(15:24).ThenumericalpositiongiventoMatthew’sGospel intheDivinelibraryconfirmswhathasbeensaid,for,beingthefortiethbookitshowsusIsrael intheplaceofprobation, testedby thepresenceofMessiah intheirmidst.

MatthewpresentstheLordJesusasIsrael’sMessiahandKing,aswellastheOnewhoshallsaveHispeoplefromtheirsins.Theopeningsentencegivesthekeytothebook—"Thebookof thegenerationofJesusChrist,the Son ofDavid, the Son of Abraham." Seven times the Lord Jesus isaddressedas"SonofDavid" in theGospel,and ten times,altogether, is

this title found there. "SonofDavid" connects theSaviourwith Israel’sthrone,"SonofAbraham"linkingHimwithIsrael’sland—Abrahambeingthe one to whom Jehovah first gave the land. But nowhere after theopening verse is this title "Son of Abraham" applied to Christ, for therestorationof the land to Israel is consequentupon their acceptance ofHim as their Saviour—King, and thatwhich ismade prominent in thisfirstGospelisthepresentationofChristasKing—twelvetimesoveristhistitlehereappliedtoChrist.

Matthew is essentially thedispensationalGospeland it is impossible toover-estimateitsimportanceandvalue.MatthewshowsusChristofferedtotheJews,andtheconsequencesoftheirrejectionofHim,namely,thesetting aside of Israel, andGod turning in grace to the Gentiles. Rom.15:8,9 summarizes the scope ofMatthew’sGospel—"JesusChristwas aministerofthecircumcisionforthetruthofGod,toconfirmthepromisesmadeunto the fathers;And that theGentilesmight glorifyGod forHismercy."ChristwasnotonlybornoftheJews,butHewasborn, first, tothe Jews, so that in the language of their prophet they could exclaim,"Unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given" (Isa. 9:6).Matthew’sGospelexplainswhyIsrael,intheirlaterbooksoftheNewTestament,isseentemporallycastoffbyGod,andwhyHeisnowtakingoutfromtheGentilesapeopleforHisname;inotherwords,itmakesknownwhy,inthe present dispensation, the Church has superseded the Jewishtheocracy.ItsuppliesthekeytoGod’sdealingswiththeearthinthisAge:without a workable knowledge of this first Gospel it is well-nighimpossibletounderstandtheremainingportionsoftheNewTestament.Weturnnowtoconsidersomeof theoutstanding featuresandpeculiarcharacteristicsofMatthew’sGospel.

The first thingwhicharrestsourattention is theopeningverse.God, inHistendergrace,hashungthekeyrightovertheentrance.TheopeningverseisthatwhichunlocksthecontentsofthisGospel—"Thebookofthegenerationof JesusChrist theSonofDavid, theSonofAbraham."ThefirstfiveEnglishwordsherearebuttwointheGreek—"Biblosgeneseos."These twowords indicate the peculiarly Jewish character of the earlierportions of this Gospel, for it is an Old Testament expression. It isnoteworthythatthisexpressionwhichcommencestheNewTestamentis

foundalmostatthebeginningofthefirstbookintheOldTestament,forinGen.5:1we read, "This is thebookof thegenerationsofAdam."Weneed hardly say that this word "generation" signifies the history of."Thesetwo"books"—thebookofthegenerationofAdam,andthebookofthegenerationofJesusChrist—mightwellbetermedtheBookofDeathandtheBookofLife.NotonlydoesthewholeBiblecenteraroundthesetwo books, but the sum of human destiny also. How strikingly thisexpression, found at the beginning of Genesis and the beginning ofMatthew,bringsouttheUnityofthetwoTestaments!

InthebookofGenesiswehaveelevendifferent"generations"orhistoriesenumerated, beginning with the "generations of the heavens and theearth," and closing with the "generations of Jacob"—see 2:4; 5:1; 6:9;11:10;11:27;25:12;25:19;36:1;36:9;37:2—thusdividingthefirstbookofthe Bible into twelve sections, twelve being the number of Divinegovernment, which is what is before us in Genesis—God in sovereigngovernment. From Exodus to Daniel we find government entrusted,instrumentally, to Israel, and fromDanielonwards it is in thehandsoftheGentiles;butinGenesisweantedatetheJewishtheocracy,andtheregovernment is founddirectly in thehandsofGod,hence its twelve-folddivision.Twicemore,namely, inNumbers3:1andRuth4:18,dowegetthisexpression"thegenerationof,"makingintheOldTestamentthirteeninall,which is thenumberofapostasy, for that isall theLawrevealed!But,aswehaveseen,thisexpressionoccursoncemore(andthereforthelasttimeinHolyWrit)intheopeningverseoftheNewTestament,thusmakingfourteeninall,andthefourteenthis"thebookofthegenerationof Jesus Christ." How profoundly significant and suggestive this is!Fourteenis2x7,andtwosignifies(amongitsothermeanings)contrastordifference,andsevenisthenumberofperfectionandcompleteness—andwhatacompletedifferencetheComingofJesusChristmade!

"ThebookofthegenerationofJesusChrist,theSonofDavid,theSonofAbraham" (Matt. 1:1). These titles of our Saviour have, at least, athreefoldsignificance.Inthefirstplace,bothofthemconnectHimwithIsrael: "Son of David" linking Him with Israel’s Throne, and "Son ofAbraham"withIsrael’sLand.Inthesecondplace,"SonofDavid" limitsHimtoIsrael,whereas"SonofAbraham"iswiderin itsscope,reaching

forth to the Gentiles, for God’s original promise was that in Abraham"shall all the families of the earth be blessed" (Gen. 12:3). In the thirdplace,asDr.W.L.Tuckerhaspointedout,thesetitlescorrespondexactlywiththetwofold(structural)divisionofMatthew’sGospel.1Upto4:16allis Introductory, and 4:17 opens the first division of the book, reading,"From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for theKingdomofheavenisathand."ThissectiontreatsoftheOfficialministryof Christ and presents Him as "the Son of David." The second sectioncommences at 16:21 and reads, "From that time forth Jesus began toshowuntoHisdisciples,howthatHemustgountoJerusalem,andsuffermanythingsoftheeldersandchiefpriestsandscribes,andbekilled,andbe raised again the third day." This section treats, primarily, of theSacrificial work of Christ, and views Him as "the Son of Abraham,"typified,ofold,byIsaac—laidonthealtar.

HavingdweltatsomelengthontheopeningverseofourGospel,wemaynextnoticethattheremainderofthechapterdowntotheendofverse17isoccupiedwiththeGenealogyofJesusChrist.Theprimesignificanceofthis is worthy of our closest attention, for it fixes with certainty thecharacteranddominantthemeofthisGospel.TheveryfirstbookoftheNew Testament opens a long list of names! What a proof that nouninspired man composed it! But God’s thoughts and ways are everdifferentfromours,andeverperfecttoo.ThereasonforthisGenealogyisnot far to seek. As we have seen, the opening sentence of Matthewcontainsthekeytothebook,intimatingplainlythatChristishereviewed,first,inaJewishrelationship,fullyentitledtositonDavid’sThrone.HowthenisHistitleestablished?Byshowingthat,accordingtotheflesh,Hebelongedtotheroyaltribe:bysettingforthHisKinglylineofdescent.AKing’stitletooccupythethronedependsnotonthepublicballot,butliesinhisbloodrights.Therefore,thefirstthingwhichtheHolySpiritdoesinthisGospelistogiveustheRoyalGenealogyoftheMessiah,showingthatasalinealdescendantofDavidHewasfullyentitledtoIsrael’sThrone.

The Genealogy recorded inMatthew 1 gives us not merely the humanancestryofChrist,but,particularly,Hisroyal lineofdescent, thisbeingone of the essential featureswhichdifferentiates it from theGenealogyrecordedinLuke3.ThefundamentaldesignofMatthew1:1-17istoprove

Christ’s right to reignasKingof theJews.This iswhy thegenealogy istracednofurtherbackthanAbraham,hebeingthefatheroftheHebrewpeople.Thisiswhy,intheopeningverse,theorderis"JesusChrist,theSonofDavid,theSonofAbraham,"insteadof"theSonofAbraham,theSon ofDavid" asmight be expected from the orderwhich immediatelyfollows, for there we start with Abraham and work up to David.Why,then,isthisorderreversedintheopeningverse?TheanswermustbethatDavid comes first because it is the Kingly line which is here beingemphasized!Thisalsoexplainswhy,inverse2weread"AbrahambegatIsaac;andIsaacbegatJacob,andJacobbegatJudahandhisbrethren."WhyshouldJudahalonebeheresingledoutformentionfromthetwelvesons of Jacob? Why not have said "Jacob begat Reuben and hisbrethren"? for he was Jacob’s firstborn." If it be objected that thebirthrightwastransferredfromReubentoJoseph,thenweask,whynothavesaid"JacobbegatJoseph"?especiallyasJosephwashisfavoriteson.Theansweris,BecauseJudahwastheroyaltribe,anditistheKinglylinewhichisherebeforeus.Again:inverse6weread,"AndJessebegatDavidtheKing:andDavidthekingbegatSolomonofherthathadbeenthewifeof Uriah." Of all those who reigned over Israel whose names are hererecordedinMatthew1,Davidistheonlyonethatisdenominated"King,"andhe,twiceoverinthesameverse!Whyisthis,excepttobringDavidinto special prominence, and thus show us the significance of the titlegiventoourLordintheopeningverse—"theSonofDavid."

There are many interesting features of this Genealogy which we mustnow pass over, but its numerical arrangement calls for a few briefcomments. TheGenealogy is divided into three parts: the first section,running from Abraham to David, may be termed the period ofPreparation;thesecondsectionrunningfromSolomontotheBabyloniancaptivity, may be called the period of Degeneration; while the thirdperiod,runningfromtheBabyloniancaptivitytilltheBirthofChrist,maybe named the period of Expectation. The numeral three signifies, inScripture, manifestation, and how appropriate this arrangement washere, fornotuntilChristappears isGod’spurposeconcerningAbrahamandhis seed fullymanifested.Eachof these three sections in theRoyalGenealogy contains fourteen generations,which is 2 x 7, two signifying(among its slightly varied meanings) testimony or competent witness,

andsevenstandingforperfection.AgainwemayadmiretheconsonancyofthesenumeralsinthisgenealogyofChrist, foronlyinHimdowegetperfect testimony—the "Faithful and True Witness." Finally, be itobserved, that 14 x 3 gives us 42 generations in all from Abraham toChrist,or7x6,sevensignifyingperfection,andsixbeingthenumberofman, so that Christ—the forty-second from Abraham—brings us to thePerfectMan!!HowmicroscopicallyperfectistheWordofGod!

"AndJacobbegatJosephthehusbandofMary,ofwhomwasbornJesus,whoiscalledChrist"(Matt.1:16).MatthewdoesnotconnectJosephandJesus as father and son, but departs from theusual phraseology of thegenealogy so as to indicate the peculiarity, the uniqueness, of theSaviour’sbirth.Abrahammightbegat Isaac, and IsaacbegatJacob,butJosephthehusbandofMarydidnotbegatJesus,instead,weread,"NowthebirthofJesusChristwasonthiswise:whenasHismotherMarywasespousedtoJoseph,beforetheycametogether,shewasfoundwithchildof theHoly Spirit" (1:18). As Isaiah had foretold (7:14) seven hundredyearsbefore,Messiahwastobebornof"thevirgin."Butavirginhadnoright to Israel’s throne, but Joseph had this right, being a directdescendantofDavid, and so throughJoseph,His legal father (for be itrememberedthatbetrothalwasasbindingwith theJewsasmarriage iswithus)theLordJesussecuredHisrights,accordingtotheflesh, tobeKingoftheJews.

ComingnowtoMatthew2wemayobservethatwehaveinthischapteran incident recorded which is entirely passed over by the otherEvangelists,butwhichispeculiarlyappropriateinthisfirstGospel.ThisincidentisthevisitofthewisemenwhocamefromtheEasttohonorandworshiptheChristChild.ThedetailswhichtheHolySpiritgivesusofthisvisitstrikinglyillustratethedistinctivecharacterandscopeofMatthew’sGospel. This chapter opens as follows, "Now when Jesus was born inBethlehemof Judea in thedaysofHerod theKing, behold, there camewisemen from theeast toJerusalem,Saying,Where isHe that is bornKingoftheJews?forwehaveseenHisstarintheeast,andarecometoworshipHim."Notice,thesewisemencamenotinquiring,"WhereisHethat is born the Saviour of the world?", nor, "Where is theWord nowincarnate?",butinstead,"WhereisHethatisbornKingoftheJews?"The

factthatMark,LukeandJohnareentirelysilentaboutthis,andthefactthatMatthew’s Gospel does record it, is surely proof positive that thisFirst Gospel presents Christ in a distinctively Jewish relationship. Theevidenceforthisiscumulative:thereisfirstthepeculiarexpressionwithwhichMatthewopens—"thebookofthegenerationof,"whichisanOldTestamentexpression,andmetwithnowhereelseintheNewTestament;there is the first title which is given to Christ in this Gospel— "Son ofDavid;"thereistheRoyalGenealogywhichimmediatelyfollows;andnowthereistherecordofthevisitofthewisemen,saying,"WhereisHethatisbornKingoftheJews?"ThushastheSpiritofGodmadesoplainandprominent the peculiarly Jewish character of the opening chapters ofMatthew’sGospelthatnonesavethosewhoareblindedbyprejudicecanfail to see its true dispensational place. Thus, too, has He renderedexcuseless the foolish agitationwhich isnow, in certainquarters, beingraised,andwhichtendsonlytoconfuseandconfound.

ButthereisfarmoreinMatthew2thantherecognitionofChristastherightful King of the Jews. The incident therein narrated contains aforeshadowmentofthereceptionwhichChristwastomeetwithhere intheworld,anticipatingtheendfromthebeginning.WhatwefindhereinMatthew2isreallyapropheticoutlineofthewholecourseofMatthew’sGospel.First,wehavetheaffirmationthattheLordJesuswasborn"KingoftheJews;"thenwehavethefactthatChristisfoundnotinJerusalem,the royal city, but outside of it; then we have the blindness andindifferenceof theJews to thepresenceofDavid’sSon in theirmidst—seeninthefactthat,first,HisownpeoplewereunawarethattheMessiahwasnowthereamongthem,andsecond,intheirfailuretoaccompanythewisemen as they left Jerusalem seeking the young Child; then we areshown strangers from a far-distant land with a heart for the Saviour,seekingHimoutandworshippingHim;finally,welearnofthecivilrulerfilled with hatred and seeking His life. Thus, the incident as a wholemarvelously foreshadowed Christ’s rejection by the Jews and Hisacceptanceby theGentiles.Thusdowe find epitomizedhere thewholeburden of Matthew’s Gospel, the special purpose of which is to showChrist presentingHimself to Israel, Israel’s rejection of Him, with theconsequentresultofGodsetting Israelaside fora season,andreachingoutingracetothedespisedGentiles.

Next we read, "And when they were departed, behold the angel of theLordappeareth toJoseph inadream, saying,Ariseand take theyoungChildandHismother,andfleeintoEgypt,andbethouthereuntilIbringtheeword: forHerodwill seek the youngChild todestroyHim" (2:13).ObservethatitisJosephandnotMarythatfiguressoprominentlyinthefirst two chapters ofMatthew, for it was not through Hismother, butthroughHislegalfatherthattheLordJesusacquiredHistitletoDavid’sthrone—compareMatthew1:20,whereJosephistermed"sonofDavid"!ItshouldalsobepointedoutthatMatthewis,again,theonlyoneofthefour Evangelists to record this journey into Egypt, and the subsequentreturntoPalestine.Thisisprofoundlysuggestive,andstrikinglyinaccordwith the special design of this First Gospel, for it shows how Israel’sMessiah took the very sameplace aswhere Israel’s history as aNationbegan!

"ButwhenHerodwasdead,behold,anangeloftheLordappeareth inadream toJoseph inEgypt,Saying,Arise, and take the youngChild andHismother,andgointothelandofIsrael:fortheyaredeadwhichsoughttheyoungChild’s life.Andhearose, and took the youngChild andHismother, and came into the land of Israel" (2:19-21). Once more wediscoveranotherlinewhichbringsoutthepeculiarlyJewishcharacterofMatthew’s delineation of Christ. This is the only place in the NewTestament where Palestine is termed "the land of Israel," and it issignificantlyproclaimedassuchhereinconnectionwithIsrael’sKing,foritisnotuntilHeshallsetupHisThroneinJerusalemthatPalestineshallbecomeinfact,asithassolongbeeninpromise,"theLandofIsrael."Yethowtragicallysuggestiveisthestatementthatimmediatelyfollowshere,andwhichclosesMatthew2.Nosoonerdowereadof"thelandofIsrael"thanwefind"But"astheverynextword,andinScripture,"but"almostalways points a contrast. Here we read, "But when he heard thatArchelaus did reign in Judea in the room of his father Herod, he wasafraidtogothither:notwithstanding,beingwarnedofGodinadream,heturnedasideintothepartsofGalilee:

AndhecameanddweltinacitycalledNazareth:thatitmightbefulfilledwhichwasspokenbytheprophets,HeshallbecalledaNazarene"(2:21-23).Nazarethwas themostdespisedplace in thatdespisedprovinceof

Galilee, and thus we see how early the Messiah took the place of thedespised One, again foreshadowing His rejection by the Jews—butmention of "Nazareth" follows, be it observed,mention of "the land ofIsrael."

Matthew 3 opens by bringing before us a most striking character: "Inthosedays"—thatis,whiletheLordJesusstilldweltindespisedNazarethof Galilee—"came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness ofJudea."HewasthepredictedforerunnerofIsrael’sMessiah.HewastheoneofwhomIsaiahhad said shouldprepare theway for theLord, andthis by preparing a people to receive Him by such time as He shouldappear to the public view.He came "in the spirit and power of Elijah"(Luke 1:17), to do a work similar in character to that of the yet futuremissionoftheTisbite(Matt.4:5,6).

JohnaddressedhimselftotheCovenantpeople,andrestrictedhimselftothe landofJudea.Hepreachednot inJerusalembut in thewilderness.Thereasonforthisisobvious:GodwouldnotownthedegeneratesystemofJudaism,butstationedHismessengeroutsideall thereligiouscirclesof that day. The "wilderness" but symbolized the barrenness anddesolationofIsrael’sspiritualcondition.

ThemessageofJohnwassimpleandtothepoint—"Repentye."Itwasacall for Israel to judge themselves. Itwasawordwhichdemanded thattheJewstaketheirproperplacebeforeGod,confessing their sins.OnlythuscouldapeoplebemadereadyfortheLord,theMessiah.TheCalltoRepentance was enforced by a timely warning—"Repent ye, for theKingdomofHeaven isathand."Observe, "Repent ye"not because "theSaviour is at hand,"not because "God incarnate isnow in yourmidst,"and not because "A new Dispensation has dawned;" but because "theKingdom of Heaven" was "at hand." What would John’s hearersunderstandbythisexpression?WhatmeaningcouldthoseJewsattachtohis words? Surely the Baptist did not employ language which, in thenatureof the case, itwas impossible for them tograsp.Andyetwe areasked to believe that John was here introducing Christianity! A wilderand more ridiculous theory it would be hard to imagine. If by the"KingdomofHeaven"JohnsignifiedtheChristiandispensation,thenheaddressed those Jewish hearers in an unknown tongue.We say itwith

calm deliberation, that if John bade his auditors repent because theChristiandispensationwasthenbeinginaugurated,hemockedthem,byemployingatermwhichnotonlymusthavebeenentirelyunintelligibletothem,bututterlymisleading.TochargeGod’smessengerwithdoingthatisperilouslynearcommittingasinwhichweshrinkfromnaming.

Whatthen,weaskagain,wouldJohn’shearersunderstandhimtomeanwhen he said, "Repent ye, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand"?Addressing, as he was, a people who were familiar with the OldTestamentScriptures,theycouldplacebutonemeaninguponhiswords,namely,thathewasreferringtotheKingdomspokenofagainandagainby their prophets—the Messianic Kingdom. That which shoulddistinguishMessiah’sKingdomfromallthekingdomsthathaveprecededit, is this:all thekingdomsof thisworldhavebeenruledoverbySatanandhishosts,whereas,whenMessiah’sKingdomisestablished, it shallbearuleoftheHeavensovertheearth.

The question has been raised as towhy Israel refused theKingdomonwhich their hearts were set. Did not the establishing of Messiah’sKingdommeananendoftheRomandominion?andwasnotthattheonething they desired above all others? In reply to such questions severalthingsmustbeinsistedupon.Inthefirstplace,itisamistaketosaythatIsrael "refused" the Kingdom, for, in strict accuracy of language, theKingdomwasnever"offered"tothem—ratherwastheKingdomheraldedorproclaimed.TheKingdomwas"athand"becausetheHeir toDavid’sthronewasabouttopresentHimselftothem.Inthesecondplace,beforetheKingdomcouldbe set up, Israelmust first "Repent," but this, as iswellknown, is justwhat they,asanation,steadilyrefused todo.Asweare expressly told inLuke 7:29,30. "Andall thepeople thatheardhim,andthepublicans,justifiedGod,beingbaptizedwiththebaptismofJohn.But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God againstthemselves,beingnotbaptizedofhim."Inthethirdplace,thereaderwill,perhaps,seeourmeaningclearerifweillustratebyananalogy:theworldtodayiseagerly longing for theGoldenAge.Amillenniumofpeaceandrest is thegreatdesideratumamongdiplomatsandpoliticians.Buttheywant it on their own terms. They desire to bring it about by their ownefforts. They have no desire for a Millennium brought about by the

personalreturntoearthof theLordJesusChrist.Exactlysowas itwithIsraelinthedaysofJohntheBaptist.True,theydesiredtobedeliveredfromtheRomandominion.True, theywished tobe freed forever fromthe Gentile yoke. True, they longed for a millennium of undisturbedprosperity in a restored Palestine, but they did not want it in GOD’Sterms.

TheministryofJohntheBaptistisreferredtoatgreaterorshorterlengthineachofthefourGospels,butMatthewistheonlyonewhorecordsthisutterance"Repentye, for theKingdomofheaven isathand."To ignorethisfactistofailin"rightlydividingtheWordoftruth."ItistolosesightofthecharacteristicdistinctionswhichtheHolySpirithasbeenpleasedto make in the four Gospels. It is to reduce those four independentdelineationsofChrist’spersonandministrytoameaninglessjumble.Itisto laybare the incompetency of awould-be-teacher of Scripture as onewho is not a "scribe who is instructed unto the Kingdom of heaven"(Matt.13:52).

John’sbaptismconfirmedhispreaching.Hebaptized"untorepentance,"and in Jordan, the river of death. Thosewhowere baptized "confessedtheir sins" (Mark 1:5), of which death was the just due, the "wages"earned. But Christian baptism is entirely different from this: there, wetake not the place of those who deserve death, but of those who showforththefactthattheyhave,already,diedwithChrist.

Itisbeyondourpresentpurposetoattemptadetailedexpositionofthisentire Gospel, rather shall we single out those features which arecharacteristic of and peculiar to this first Gospel. Accordingly, wemaynoticeanexpressionfoundin3:11,andwhichoccursnowhereelseintheNew Testament outside of the four Gospels, and this is the moreremarkable because a portion of this very verse is quoted in the Acts.SpeakingtothePhariseesandSadduceeswhohad"cometohisbaptism,"but whom the Lord’s forerunner quickly discerned were not in anyconditiontobebaptized;whohadbeenwarnedtofleefromthewrathtocome,andthereforewereinurgentneedofbringingforth"fruitmeetforrepentance"(intheircase,humblingthemselvesbeforeGod,abandoningtheir lofty pretensions and self righteousness, and taking their place asgenuineself-confessedsinners),andtowhomJohnhadsaid,"Thinknot

tosaywithinyourselves,WehaveAbrahamtoourfather:forIsayuntoyou,thatGodisableofthesestonestoraiseupchildrenunto(notGod,beitnoted,but)Abraham"(v.9);tothemJohnannounced:buthethatcomethaftermeismightierthanI,whoseshoesIamnotworthytobear:HeshallbaptizeyouwiththeSpiritandfire."

InActs1,wherewebeholdtherisenLordinthemidstofHisdisciples,weread,"And,beingassembledtogetherwiththem,commendedthemthattheyshouldnotdepart fromJerusalem,butwait for thepromiseof theFather, which, saithHe, ye have heard ofMe. For John truly baptizedwithwater: but ye shall e baptizedwith theHoly Spirit notmany dayshence"(vv.4,5).His forerunnerhaddeclaredthatChristshouldbaptizeIsraelwith "theHolySpiritand fire,"yet,here, theLordspeaksonlyofthedisciplesbeingbaptizedwith theHolySpirit.Why is this?WhydidtheLordJesusomit thewords "and fire"?Thesimpleanswer is that inScripture"fire"is,invariably,connectedwithDivinejudgment.Thus,thereason is obvious why the Lord omits "and fire" from His utterancerecordedinActs1.Hewasabouttodeal,notinjudgmentbut,ingrace!Itisequallyevidentwhythewords"andfire"arerecordedbyMatthew,forhis Gospel, deals, essentially with Dispensational relationships, andmakes known much concerning End-time conditions. God is yet to"baptize"recreantIsrael"withfire,"thereferencebeingtothetribulationjudgments, during the time of "Jacob’s Trouble." Then will thewinnowingfanbeheldbythehandoftherejectedMessiah,andthen"HewillthoroughlypurgeHisfloor,andgatherHiswheatintothedarner:butHe will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire" (Matt. 3:12). Howmanifestlydothewordslastquoteddefineforusthebaptismof"fire"!

The silence of the risen Lord as to the "fire" when speaking to thedisciples about "the baptism of the Spirit," has added force andsignificancewhenwefindthatMark’sGospelgivesthesubstanceofwhatMatthew records of the Baptist’s utterance, while omitting the words"and fire"—"There comethOnemightier than I afterme, the latchet ofwhoseshoesIamnotworthytostoopdownandunloose.Iindeedhavebaptizedyouwithwater:butHeshallbaptizeyouwith theHolySpirit"(Mark1:7,8).Whyis this?Because,aswehavepointedout,"fire" is thewell-known symbol of God’s judgment (often displayed in literal fire),

andMark,whoispresentingChristastheServantofJehovah,wasmostobviouslyledoftheSpirittoleaveoutthewords"andfire,"forasServantHe does not execute judgment. The words "and with fire" are found,though, in Luke, and this, again, is most significant. For, Luke ispresentingChristas"TheSonofMan,"andinJohn5weread,"AndhathgivenHimauthority toexecute judgmentalsobecauseHe is theSonofMan"(v.27).Howstrikingly,then,doestheinclusionofthewords"andfire" inMatthew and Luke, and their omission inMark, bring out theverbalinspirationofScriptureovertheinstrumentsHeemployedinthewritingofGod’sWord!

The closing verses ofMatthew3 showus theLord Jesus, inmarvelousgrace, taking His place with the believing remnant of Israel: "ThencomethJesus fromGalilee toJordanuntoJohn, tobebaptizedofhim"(3:13).Johnwassostartledthat,at first,herefusedtobaptizeHim—solittle do the best of men enter into the meaning of the things of God—"ButJohnforbadHim,saying,IhaveneedtobebaptizedbyThee,andcomest Thou tome?" (3:14). Observe once—more, thatMatthew is theonlyoneoftheEvangelistswhichmentionsthisshrinkingoftheBaptistfrombaptizingtheLordJesus.Appropriatelydoesitfindaplacehere,foritbringsouttheroyaldignityandmajestyofIsrael’sMessiah.AstothemeaningandsignificanceoftheSaviour’sbaptismwedonotnowenteratlength, suffice ithere to say that it revealedChrist as theOnewhohadcomedownfromheaventoactastheSubstituteofHispeople,todieintheirstead,andthusatthebeginningofHispublicministryHeidentifiesHimselfwiththosewhomHerepresented, takingHisplacealongsideoftheminthatwhichspokeofdeath.Thedescentof theHolySpirituponHim attestedHim, indeed, as the trueMessiah, theAnointedOne (seeActs 10:38), and the audible testimony of the Father witnessed to Hisperfections,andfitnessfortheWorkHewastodo.

ThefirsthalfofMatthew4recordsourLord’sTemptation,intowhichwedonotnowenter.Thenext thingweare told is, "NowwhenJesushadheard that John was cast into prison, He departed into Galilee; AndleavingNazareth,Hecameanddwelt inCapernaum,which isupon theseacoast, inthebordersofZebulonandNaphtali"(4:12,13),andthis inorder that a prophecy of Isaiah’smight be fulfilled. And thenwe read,

"From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for theKingdomofheavenisathand"(4:17).Itwouldseemthatthewords"fromthattime"refertothecastingoftheBaptistintoprison.John’smessagehadbeen,"Repentye, fortheKingdomofheaven isathand"(3:2),andnow that His forerunner had been incarcerated, the Messiah Himselftakesupidenticallythesamemessage—theproclamationoftheKingdom.Inkeepingwiththis,weread,"AndJesuswentaboutallGalileeteachingin their synagogues, and preaching the Gospel (not, be it noted, the"Gospel of theGrace ofGod"—Acts 20:24; nor "theGospel of Peace"—Eph.6:15;but"theGospel")of theKingdom,andhealingallmannerofsicknessandallmannerofdiseaseamongthepeople"(4:23).

OurLord’smiraclesofhealingwerenotsimplyexhibitionsofpower,ormanifestations ofmercy, theywere also a supplementofHispreachingandteaching,andtheirprimevaluewasevidential.Thesemiracles,whichare frequently termed "signs," formed an essential part of Messiahscredentials. This is established, unequivocally, by what we read inMatthew11.WhenJohntheBaptistwascast intoprison,his faithas totheMessiahship of Jesus wavered, and so he sent two ofHis disciplesunto Him, asking, "Art Thou He that should come, or do we look foranother?" (11:2).Notice, carefully, theLord’s reply, "GoandshowJohnagainthosethingswhichyedohearandsee:Theblindreceivetheirsight,and the lamewalk, the lepersarecleansed,and thedeafhear, thedeadareraisedup,andthepoorhavetheGospelpreachedto them"(11:4,5).Appealwasmadetotwothings:HisteachingandHismiraclesofhealing.The two are linked together, again, in 9:35—"And Jesuswent about allthe cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching theGospel of the Kingdom, and healing every sickness, and every diseaseamong the people." And, again, when the Lord sent forth, the Twelve,"But go rather to the lost sheep of the House of Israel. And as ye go,preach,saying,TheKingdomofheavenisathand.Healthesick,raisethedead, cast out demons; freely ye have received, freely give" (10:6-8).Miraclesofhealing,then,wereinseparablyconnectedwiththeKingdomtestimony. They were among the most important of "The Signs of thetimes" concerning which the Messiah reproached the Pharisees andSadduceesfortheirfailuretodiscern(seeMatt.16:1-3).SimilarmiraclesofhealingshallberepeatedwhentheMessiahreturnstotheearth,forwe

readinIs.35:4-6,"Saytothemthatareofafearfulheart,Bestrong,fearnot: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with arecompense;Hewillcomeandsaveyou(i.e.,thegodlyJewishremnantofthetribulationperiod).Then theeyesof theblind shallbeopened,andtheearsofthedeafshallbeunstopped.Thenshallthelamemanleapasahart,andthetongueofthedumbsing."Itshouldbediligentlyobservedthat Matthew, once more, is the only one of the four Evangelists thatmakesmentionoftheLordJesusgoingforthandpreaching"TheGospeloftheKingdom,"asheistheonlyonethatinformsusoftheTwelvebeingsentoutwiththemessagetothe lostsheepof theHouseofIsrael,"TheKingdom of heaven is at hand." How significant this is! and how itindicates, again, the peculiarly Jewish character of these openingchaptersoftheNewTestament!

As the result of thesemiracles of healingMessiah’s fame went abroadthroughout the length and breadth of the Land, and great multitudesfollowedHim.Itisatthisstage,weread,"Andseeingthemultitudes,Hewentupintoamountain:andwhenHewasset,HisdisciplescameuntoHim: and He opened His mouth, and taught them" (5:1,2). We aretempted to pause here, and enter into a detailed examination of thisimportant, butmuchmisunderstoodportion of Scripture—the "Sermonon theMount."Butwemustnotdepart from the central designof thisbook,henceafewwordsbywayofsummaryisallweshallnowattempt.

The first thing to be remarked is that "the Sermon on the Mount"recordedinMatthew5to7ispeculiartothisfirstGospel,nomentionofit being made in the other three. This, together with the fact that inMatthewthe"SermonontheMount" is found inthe firstsectionof thebook, is sufficient to indicate its dispensational bearings. Secondly, theplacefromwhencethis"Sermon"wasdeliveredaffordsanotherkeytoitsscope. Itwasdelivered froma "mountain."When theSaviour ascendedthemountHewaselevatedabovethecommonlevel,anddid,insymbolicaction, take His place upon the Throne. With Matthew 5:1 should becompared 17:1—it was upon a mountain that the Messiah was"transfigured,"and in thatwonderousscenewebeholdaminiatureandspectacularsettingforthof"theSonofMancominginHisKingdom"(see16:28).Again, in24:3,we find that itwasuponamountain thatChrist

gave that wondrous prophecy (recorded in 24 and 25)which describestheconditionswhichare toprevail justbefore theKingdomofChrist isset up, andwhich goes on to tell of what shall transpire when He sitsupontheThroneofHisglory.Withthesepassagesshouldbe comparedtwoothersintheOldTestamentwhichclinchwhatwehavejustsaid.InZech.14:4weread,"AndHisfeetshallstandinthatdayuponthemountofOlives,"thereferencebeingtothereturnofChristtotheearthtosetupHisKingdom.Again,inPsalm2wereadthatGodshallyetsay,inreplytotheconcertedattemptof earth’s rulers toprevent it, "Yethave I setMyKinguponMyholyHillofZion."2

The "Sermon on the Mount" sets forth the Manifesto of the King. Itcontains the "Constitution" ofHisKingdom. It defines the character ofthose who shall enter into it. It tells of the experiences throughwhichthey pass while being fitted for that Kingdom. It enunciates the lawswhicharetogoverntheirconduct.TheauthorityoftheKingisevidencesby His "I say unto you," repeated no less than fourteen times in this"Sermon." The effect this had upon those who heard Him is apparentfrom the closing verses, "And it came to pass, when Jesus had endedthesesayings,thepeoplewereastonishedatHisdoctrine: forHetaughtthemasOnehavingauthority,andnotasthescribes"(7:28,29).

Another line of evidence which brings out Christ’s authority (ever themostprominentcharacteristic inconnectionwithaKing),whichisverypronouncedinthisGospel,isseeninHiscommandovertheangels.Onething found in connectionwithkings is themanyservants theyhave towaituponthemanddotheirbidding.Sowefindhereinconnectionwith"theSonofDavid."InMatthew13:41weread,"TheSonofmanshallsendforthHisangels,andtheyshallgatheroutofHisKingdomallthingsthatoffend, and them which do iniquity." Observe that here these celestialservantsaretermednot"theangels,"but,specifically,"Hisangels," thatis,Messiah’sangels,andthattheyaresentforthinconnectionwith"HisKingdom." Again, in 24:30,31 we read, "And they shall see the Son ofMancominginthecloudsofheavenwithpowerandgreatglory(this,atHis return to earth to establish His Kingdom). AndHe shall sendHisangelswithagreatsoundofatrumpet,andtheyshallgathertogetherHiselect from the fourwinds, from one end of heaven to the other." And,

again in26:53,"Thinkest thou that I cannotnowpray to (better, "ask")My Father, and He shall presently (immediately) give Me more thantwelve legionsof angels?"Matthew,be it particularlynoted, is theonlyonethatbringsoutthisfeature.

Still another line of evidence of theKinglymajesty of Christ should bepointedout.As it iswellknown,kingsarehonoredby thehomagepaidthem by their subjects.We need not be surprised, then, to find in thisGospel, which depicts the Saviour as "the Son ofDavid," that Christ isfrequentlyseenastheOnebeforewhommenprostratedthemselves.OnlyonceeachinMark,Luke,andJohn,dowereadofHimreceivingworship,buthereinMatthewnolessthantentimes!See2:2,8,11;8:2;9:18;14:33;15:25;20:20;28:9,17.

ComingnowtoMatthew10(in8and9wehavetheAuthenticationoftheKingbythespecialmiracleswhichHewrought),intheopeningverseswehave an incident which is recorded in each of the first three Gospels,namely,theselectionandsendingforthoftheTwelve.But inMatthew’saccount there are several characteristic lines found nowhere else. Forinstance,onlyheredowelearnthatwhentheLordsentthemforth,Hecommandedthem,saying,"GonotintothewayoftheGentiles,andintoanycityoftheSamaritansenteryenot:Butgorathertothelostsheepofthe House of Israel" (10:5,6). Perfectly appropriate is this here, but itwouldhavebeenaltogetheroutofplaceinanyoftheothers.Notice,also,that the Lord added, "And as ye go, preach, saying, The Kingdom ofheavenisathand."Howtheconnectioninwhichthisexpressionisfounddefines forus itsdispensational scope! Itwasonly to "the lost sheepoftheHouseofIsrael"theyweretosay"TheKingdomofheavenisathand"!

In Matthew 12 we have recorded the most remarkable miracle theMessiahperformedbeforeHisbreakwithIsrael. Itwasthehealingofaman possessed of a demon, andwho, in addition, was both dumb andblind.Luke,also,recordsthesamemiracle,butindescribingtheeffectsthiswonder had upon the peoplewhowitnessed it,MatthewmentionssomethingwhichLukeomits, somethingwhich strikingly illustratesthespecialdesignofhisGospel.IntheparallelpassageinLuke11:14weread,"AndHewascastingoutademon,anditwasdumb.Anditcametopass,when the demon was gone out, the dumb spake; and the people

wondered," and there the beloved physician stops. But Matthew says,"Andallthepeoplewereamazed,andsaid,IsnotthistheSonofDavid?"(12:23).Thuswesee,again,howthatthebringingoutoftheKingshipofChrististheparticularobjectwhichMatthew,undertheHolySpirit,hadbeforehim.

In Matthew 13 we find the seven parables of the Kingdom (in its"mystery" form), the first of which is the well known parable of theSower, theSeed, and theSoils.BothMarkandLukealso record it, butwithcharacteristicdifferencesofdetail.WecallattentiontoonepointinChrist’s interpretation of it.Mark reads, "The Sower soweth theWord"(4:14).Lukesays,"Nowtheparableisthis:theSeedistheWordofGod"(8:11).ButMatthew,inharmonywithhisthemesays,"Hearyethereforethe parable of the Sower. When anyone heareth the Word of theKingdom"etc.(13:18,19).Thisisbutaminorpoint,buthowitbringsoutthe perfections of the Holy Writ, down to the minutest detail! Howevidentitisthatnomereman,ornumberofmen,composedthisBookofbooks!Wellmanywesing,"Howfirmafoundation,yesaintsoftheLord,islaidforyourfaithinHisexcellentWord."

InMatthew15wehavethewellknownincidentoftheCananitishwomancomingtoChristonthebehalfofherdemon-distresseddaughter.Markalsomentionsthesame,butomitsseveralof thedistinguishingfeaturesnotedbyMatthew.Wequote firstMark’s account, and thenMatthew’s,placing in italics theexpressionswhichshowforth thespecialdesignofhis Gospel. "A certain woman whose young daughter had an uncleanspirit, heard of Him, and came and fell at His feet. The woman was aGreek,aSyrophenicianbynation;andshebesoughtHimthatHewouldcastforththedemonoutofherdaughter.ButJesussaiduntoher,Letthechildrenfirstbefilled:foritisnotmeettotakethechildren’sbread,andtocastituntothedogs.AndsheansweredandsaiduntoHim,Yes,Lord;yet the dogs under the table eat of the children’s crumbs. AndHe saidunto her, For this saying go thy way: the demon is gone out of thydaughter" (Mk. 7:25-29). "Behold, awomanofCanaan cameout of thesame coasts, and cried unto Him saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord,ThouSonofDavid:mydaughter isgrievouslyvexedwithademon.ButHe answered her not aword (for, as aGentile, she hadno claimupon

Himasthe"SonofDavid").AndHisdisciplescameandbesoughtHim,saying,Sendheraway;forshecriethafterus.ButHeansweredandsaid,IamnotsentbutuntothelostsheepoftheHouseofIsrael.Thencameshe andworshippedHim, saying Lord, helpme. ButHe answered andsaid,Itisnotmeettotakethechildren’sbread,andtocastittodogs.Andshesaid,Truth,Lord;yetthedogseatofthecrumbs,whichfallfromtheirmaster’stable.ThenJesusansweredandsaiduntoher,Owomangreatisthyfaith:beituntotheeevenasthouwilt"(Matt.15:22-28).

In the opening verse ofMatthew 16we read of how the Pharisees andSadducees came to Christ tempting Him, and desiring that He wouldshow them a sign from heaven.Mark and Luke both refer to this, butneitherofthemrecordthatpartofourLord’sreplywhichisfoundhereinverse2and3—"Heansweredandsaiduntothem,Whenitisevening,yesay,Itwillbefairweather:fortheskyisred.Andinthemorning,Itwillbefoulweathertoday:fortheskyisredandlowering.Oyehypocrites,yecandiscern the face of the sky; but can yenot discern the Signs of theTimes?" The "signs of the times" were the fulfillment of the OldTestament predictions concerning the Messiah. Every proof had beengiventoIsraelthatHewas,indeed,thepromisedOne.Hehadbeenbornof a "virgin," in Bethlehem, the appointed place; a forerunner hadpreparedHisway,exactlyasIsaiahhadforetold;and,inaddition, therehad beenHismightyworks, just as prophecy had fore-announced. Butthe Jews were blinded by their pride and self-righteousness. ThatMatthewalonemakesmentionoftheMessiah’sreferencetothese"Signsof the Times" is still another evidence of the distinctively JewishcharacterofhisGospel.

In Matthew 16:18 and 18:17 the "church" is twice referred to, andMatthewis theonlyoneof the fourEvangelistswhichmakesanydirectmentionofit.Thishaspuzzledmany,buttheexplanationisquitesimple.Aspreviouslypointedout,thegreatpurposeofthisfirstGospelistoshowhowChristpresentedHimselftotheJews,howtheyrejectedHimastheirMessiah, and what were the consequences of this, namely, the settingaside of Israel by God for a season, and His visiting the Gentiles insovereigngracetotakeoutofthemapeopleforHisname.Thus,arewehere shown how that, and why, the Church has, in this dispensation,

supersededtheJewishtheocracy.

InMatthew 20we have recorded the parable of theHouseholder,whowentoutandhired laborers forHisvineyard,agreeingtopay themonepenny for theday.Matthew is theonlyof theEvangelists that refers tothisparable,andthepertinencyofitsplaceinhisGospelisclearonthesurface. It brings out a characteristic of the Kingdom of Christ. Theparable tells of how, at the end of the day, when the workers came toreceive theirwages, therewas complaining among them, because thosehiredattheeleventhhourreceivedthesameasthosewhohadtoiledallthrough the day—verily, there is nothing new under the sun, thedissatisfactionofLaborbeingseenhereinthefirstcentury!TheOwnerofthevineyardvindicatedHimselfbyreminding thediscontentedworkersthatHepaidtoeachwhattheyhadagreedtoaccept,andtheninquired,"IsitnotlawfulforMetodowhatIwillwithMineown?"ThusdidHe,asSovereign, insist on His rights to pay what He pleased, no one beingwrongedthereby.

InMatthew22wehavetheparableoftheweddingfeastoftheKing’sSon.Aparable that isverysimilar to thisone is foundinLuke’sGospel,andwhiletherearemanypointsofresemblancebetweenthem,yetaretheresomestrikingvariations.InLuke14:16weread,"ThensaidHeuntohim,A certain man made a great supper, and bade many." Whereas, inMatthew22:2wearetold,"TheKingdomofheavenislikeuntoacertainKing,whichmadeamarriageforHisSon."AtthecloseofthisparableinMatthew there is something which finds no parallel whatever in Luke.Here we read, "Andwhen the King came in to see the guests, He sawthereaguestwhichhadnotonaweddinggarment:AndHe saithuntohim,Friend,howcomestthouinhithernothavingaweddinggarment?And he was speechless. Then said the King to His servants, Bind himhand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness:thereshallbeweeping,andgnashingofteeth"(22:11-13).HowthisbringsouttheauthorityoftheKingneedsscarcelytobepointedout.

ThewholeofMatthew25ispeculiartothisfirstGospel.Wecannotnowdwell upon the contents of this interesting chapter, but would callattentiontowhatisrecordedinverses31to46.ThatthecontentsoftheseversesisfoundnowhereelseinthefourGospels,anditspresencehereis

anotherproofofthedesignandscopeofMatthew’s.TheseversesportraytheSonofmanseateduponthethroneofHisglory,andbeforeHimaregatheredallnations, thesebeingdivided into twoclasses,andstationedonHisrightandlefthand,respectively.Inaddressingeachclassweread,"ThenshalltheKingsay"etc.(seeverses34and40).

There are a number of items concerning thePassion of the Lord JesusrecordedonlybyMatthew.In26:59,60weread,"Nowthechiefpriests,and elders, and all the council, sought falsewitnesses against Jesus, toputHimtodeath.Butfoundnone.Atthelastcametwofalsewitnesses"—two,becausethatwastheminimumnumberrequiredbythelaw,inorderthat the truth might be established. It is interesting to note howfrequently the two witnesses are found in Matthew. In 8:28 we read,"And when He was come to the other side into the country of theGergesenes,theremetHimtwopossessedwithdemons"—compareMark5:1,2,whereonlyoneofthesemenisreferredto.Againin9:27weread,"Andwhen Jesus departed thence two blindmen followedHim" etc.—compareMark10:46.In11:2wearetold,"WhenJohnhadheardintheprisontheworksofChrist,hesenttwoofhisdisciples."Finally,in27:24wefindPilate’stestimonytothefactthatChristwasa"justman,"butin27:19wealsoread,"Hiswifesentuntohim,saying,Havethounothingtodo with that just man." And this, as well as the others cited above, isfoundonlyinMatthew.Again,in26:63,64wefindacharacteristicwordomittedandsaiduntoHim,IadjuretheebythelivingGod,thatThoutelluswhetherThoubetheChrist,theSonofGod.Jesussaiduntohim,Thouhastsaid:neverthelessIsayuntoyou,Hereafter shallye see theSonofman sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds ofheaven."HereonlyarewetoldthattheguiltyJewscried,"Hisbloodbeonus,andonourchildren"(27:25).Andagain,MatthewistheonlyonethatinformsusoftheenmityofIsraelpursuingtheirMessiahevenafterHisdeath—see27:62-64.

TheclosingchapterofthisGospelisequallystriking.NomentionismadebyMatthewoftheAscensionofChrist.This,too,isinperfectaccordwiththe theme and scope of this Gospel. The curtain falls here with theMessiahstillonearth,foritisonearth,andnotinheaven,thattheSonofDavidshallyetreigninglory.HereonlyisrecordedtheLord’sword,"All

power isgivenuntoMe inheavenand inearth" (28:18)—for"power" istheoutstandingmarkofaking.Finally,theclosingversesformafittingconclusion, for they view Christ, on a "mountain," commanding andcommissioningHisservantstogoforthanddisciplethenations,endingwiththecomfortingassurance,"Lo,Iamwithyoualway,evenuntotheendoftheAge."

ENDNOTES:

1.Dr.TuchercallsattentiontotheliterarydivisionsofMatthew’sGospel:thedispensationalbreakoccurringatthecloseofchapter12.

2.InmarkedcontrastfromMatthew’s“SermonontheMount”isLuke’s“Sermon in thePlain”—6:17etc.Howsignificantandappropriate!LukepresentstheLordJesusas“SonofMan,”borninamanger,andenteringinto thesorrowsandsufferingsofmen.How fitting, then, thathereHeshould be heard speaking from “the Plain” - the common level, ratherthanfrom“theMount,”theplaceofeminence!

TheGospelofMark

Mark’s Gospel differs widely from Matthew’s, both in character andscope.Thecontrastsbetweenthemaremarkedandmany.Matthewhastwenty-eight chapters,Markbut sixteen.Matthewabounds inparables,Markrecordsbutfew.MatthewportraysChristastheSonofDavid,MarkdelineatesHimasthehumblebutperfectServantofJehovah.Matthewisdesigned particularly (not exclusively) for the Jew, whereas Mark isspeciallyappropriateforChristianworkers.MatthewsetsforththeKinglydignity and authority of Christ, Mark views Him in His lowliness andmeekness. Matthew depicts Him as testing Israel, Marks shows HimministeringtotheChosenPeople.Thisisonereasonwhy,nodoubt,thatMark’sGospelisthesecondbookintheNewTestament—likeMatthew’s,itviewsHiminconnectionwiththeOldTestamentpeopleofGod.Luke’s

Gospel,hasawiderscope,lookingatChristinrelationtothehumanrace.WhileinJohn,HeisshowntobetheSonofGod,spirituallyrelatedtothehouseholdoffaith.

In turning now to look at the contents of this second Gospel in somedetail,wewouldnotice,

I.ThingsOmittedfromMark’sGospel.

1.Justastheskillofamasterartistisdiscoveredintheobjectswhichheleavesoutofhispicture (theamateur crowding in everythingon to thecanvassforwhichhecanfindroom),sothediscerningeyeatoncedetectsthehandiworkoftheHolySpiritinthevariousthingswhichareincludedand omitted from different parts of theWord. Notably is this the casewithMark’sGospel.HerewefindnoGenealogyatthecommencement,asin Matthew; the miraculous Conception is omitted, and there is nomention made of His birth. Fancy a whole Gospel written and yet noreferencetotheSaviour’sbirthinit!Atfirstglancethisispuzzling,butalittlereflectionassuresoneoftheDivinewisdomwhichdirectedMarktosay nothing about it. Once we see what is the special design of eachseparateGospel,wearethebetterenabledtoappreciatetheirindividualperfections. The birth of Christ did not fall within the compass of thissecondGospel,nordid the recordofHisgenealogy.Mark ispresentingChrist as the Servant of Jehovah, and in connection with a servant agenealogy or particulars of birth are scarcely points of interest orimportance. But how this demonstrates the Divine Authorship of thebooksoftheBible!SupposetheGenealogyhadbeenomittedbyMatthew,and inserted byMark, then, the unity of eachGospelwould have beendestroyed.But just as theCreatorplacedeachorganof thebody in thewisest possible place, so the Holy Spirit guided in the placing of eachbookintheBible(eachmemberinthisLivingOrganism),andeachdetailofeachbook.ForthesamereasonastheGenealogyisomitted,nothingissaidbyMarkofthevisitofthewisemen,fora"servant"isnotonethatreceiveshomage!MarkalsopassesoverwhatLuketellsusofChristasaboyof twelve in the templeofJerusalem,andHissubsequentreturn toNazareth, where He continued in subjection to His parents, for, whilethesearepointsof interest inconnectionwithHishumanity, theywereirrelevanttoasettingforthofHisServanthood.

2.InMark’sGospelwefindnoSermonontheMount.Matthewdevotesthreewhole chapters to it, butMark records it not, though some of itsteachings are found in other connections in this second Gospel. Why,then,wemayask,isthisimportantutteranceofChristomittedbyMark?Theanswermustbesoughtinthecharacteranddesignofthe"Sermon."Aswe have pointed out, the Sermon on theMount contains theKing’sManifesto. It sets forth the laws of His Kingdom, and describes thecharacter of those who are to be its subjects. But Mark is presentingChristastheperfectWorkmanofGod,andaservanthasno"Kingdom,"and frames no "laws." Hence the appropriateness of the "Sermon" inMatthew,andtheDivinewisdominitsexclusionfromMark.

3.MarkrecordsfewerParablesthanMatthew.InMarktherearebutfourall told, whereas in Matthew there are at least fourteen. Mark saysnothingabouttheHouseholderhiringlaborersforHisvineyard,claimingthe right to do as He wills with that which is His own; for, as God’sServant,HeisseenintheplaceoftheLaborer,insteadofinthepositionwhere He hires others. Mark omits all reference to the parable of theMarriageoftheKing’sSon,atthecloseofwhichHeisseengivingordersforthemanwithoutthewedding-garmenttobeboundandcastintotheouterdarkness-suchisnottheprerogativeofaServant.Allreferencetotheparable of theTalents is omittedbyMark, for asGod’s ServantHeneither gives talents nor rewards for the use of them. Each of theseparables,andmanyothersall foundinMatthew,areexcludedbyMark,andtheiromissiononlyservestobringouttheminuteperfectionsofeachGospel.

4.InMarknothingwhateverissaidofChrist’scommandoverangels,andHisrighttosendthemforthtodoHisbidding;insteadwefindhere"theangelsministereduntoHim"(1:13).

5.HerethereisnoarraignmentofIsrael,andnosentenceispasseduponJerusalem as in the other Gospels. Again, in Matthew 23 the "Son ofDavid" utters a most solemn sevenfold "Woe"—"Woe unto you scribesandPharisees,hypocrites,""Woeuntoyou,yeblindguides"etc.,Hesaysthere; but not a word of this is found inMark. The reason for this isobvious.ItisnotthepartoftheServanttopassjudgmentonothers,but

"to be gentle unto all, apt to teach, patient" (2 Tim. 2:24). We haveanotherstrikingillustrationofthissamecharacteristicinconnectionwithour Lord cleansing the Temple. InMatthew 21:12we read, "And JesuswentintothetempleofGod,andcastoutallthemthatsoldandboughtinthe temple, and overthrew the tables of the money changers, and theseats of them that sold doves," and immediately following this we aretold, "AndHe left them,andwentoutof the city intoBethany;andHelodged there" (21:17).But inMark it is simplysaid, "AndJesusenteredinto Jerusalem, and into the temple: and when He had looked roundaboutuponallthings,andnowtheeventidewascome,HewentoutuntoBethany with the twelve" (11:11). Mark is clearly writing of the sameincident. He refers to the Lord entering the temple, but says nothingabout Him casting out those who bought and sold there, nor of Himoverthrowing the tables.How striking is this omission. As theMessiahandKingitwasfittingthatHeshouldcleansethedefiledTemple,butinHischaracterofServantitwouldhavebeenincongruous!

6.TheomissionofsomanyoftheDivinetitlesfromthissecondGospelismostsignificant.InMark,Heisneverownedas"King"saveinderision.In Mark, we do not read, as in Matthew, "They shall call His nameEmmanuel,whichbeinginterpretedis,Godwithus,"andonlyonceisHehere termed "the Son of David." It is very striking to observe how theHolySpirithasavoidedthisinthesecondGospel.Inconnectionwiththe"TriumphantEntryintoJerusalem,"whenrecordingtheacclamationsofthepeople,Matthewsays,"Andthemultitudesthatwentbefore,andthatfollowed,cried,saying,HosannatotheSonofDavid:BlessedisHethatcometh inthenameof theLord;Hosanna inthehighest"(21:9).But inMark’s account we read, "And they that went before, and they thatfollowed,cried,saying,Hosanna:BlessedisHethatcomethinthenameoftheLord:BlessedbetheKingdomofourfatherDavid,thatcomethinthenameoftheLord:Hosannainthehighest"(11:9,10).Thus itwillbeseenthattheServantofGodwasnothailedhereas"theSonofDavid."Sidebysidewiththis,shouldbeplacedthewordsusedbyourLordwhenannouncing, a week beforehand, His "transfiguration." In Matthew’saccount,wereadthatHetoldHisdisciples,"VerilyIsayuntoyou,Therebesomestandinghere,whichshallnottasteofdeath,tilltheyseetheSonofMancominginHisKingdom."But,hereinMark,wearetoldthatHe

saidtothedisciples,"VerilyIsayuntoyou,Thattherebesomeofthemthat stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen theKingdomofGodcomewithpower"(9:1).Howsignificantthisis!Hereitissimplythe"KingdomofGod"thatisspokenof,insteadofChrist’sownKingdom!

But thatwhich ismostnoteworthyhere in connectionwith the titles ofChrist,isthefactthatHeissofrequentlyaddressedas"Master,"when,inthe parallel passages in the otherGospels, He is owned as "Lord." Forexample:inMatthew8:25weread,"AndHisdisciplescametoHim,andawoke Him, saying Lord, save us; we perish;" but inMark, "And theyawakeHim,andsayuntoHim,Master,carestThounotthatweperish?"(4:38).FollowingtheannouncementofHiscomingdeath,Matthewtellsus, "Then Peter tookHim, and began to rebuke Him, saying, Be it farfrom Thee, Lord: this shall not be unto Thee" (16:22). But inMark itreads,"AndPetertookHim,andbegantorebukeHim"(8:32),andthereitstops.OntheMountofTransfiguration,Petersaid,"Lord,itisgoodforus to be here" (17:4); butMark says, "And Peter answered and said toJesus, Master, it is good for us to be here" (9:5). When the Saviourannounced thatoneof theTwelvewouldbetrayHim,Matthew tellsus,"Andtheywereexceedingsorrowful,andbeganeveryoneofthemtosayuntoHim,Lord,isitI?"(26:22);butMarktellsus,"Andtheybegantobesorrowful,andtosayuntoHim,onebyone,"Is itI?"(14:19).Thesearebut a fewof the exampleswhichmight be adduced, but sufficient havebeen given to bring out this striking and most appropriate feature ofMark’sGospel.

7. It is deeply interesting and instructive to note the variouscircumstancesandeventsconnectedwithourLord’ssufferingswhichareomitted from Mark. Here, as He entered the awful darkness ofGethsemane,He says to the threedisciples, "Tarry yehere, andwatch"(14:34),not"watchwithMe,"asinMatthew,forastheServantHeturnsonlytoGodforcomfort;andhere,nothingissaidattheclose,ofanangelfrom Heaven appearing and "strengthening" Him, for as Servant HedrawsstrengthfromGodalone.NomentionismadebyMarkofPilate’s"I findno fault inHim,"nor arewe toldofPilate’swife counselingherhusbandtohavenothingtodowith"thisJustMan,"nordowereadhere

ofJudas returning to thepriests,andsaying, "Ihavebetrayedinnocentblood;"alloftheseareomittedbyMark,fortheServantmustlooktoGodalone for vindication. Nothing is said inMark of the women followingChristasHewasledtotheplaceofexecution,"bewailingandlamentingHim"(Luke23:27),forsometimesthesufferingServantofGodisdeniedthe sympathyofothers.Thewordsof thedying thief, "Lord, remembermewhenThoucomest intoThyKingdom"arehereomitted, for in thisGospel, Christ is neither presented as "Lord" nor as One having a"Kingdom."TheSaviour’striumphantcryfromtheCross,"Itisfinished"isalsoomitted.Atfirstsightthisseemsstrange,butalittlereflectionwilldiscovertheDivinewisdomforitsexclusion.It isnot fortheServanttosaywhenhisworkisfinished-thatisforGodtodecide!Wepassonnowtonotice

II.ThingsWhichareCharacteristicofMark.

1.Mark’sGospel opens in amanner quite different from theothers. InMatthew, Luke and John, there is what may be termed a lengthyIntroduction,butinMarkitisquiteotherwise.MatthewrecordsChrist’sgenealogy,Hisbirth,thevisitandhomageofthewisemen,theflightintoEgypt, and subsequent return and sojourn in Nazareth; describes atlengthbothHisbaptismandtemptation,andnottillwereachtheendofthefourthchapterdowearriveatHispublicministry.Lukeopenswithsome interesting details concerning the parentage of John the Baptist,describes at length the interview between the angel and the Saviour’smother previous to His birth, records her beautiful Song, tells of theangelic visitation to theBethlehemshepherds atChrist’s birth, picturesthe presentation of the Child in the temple, and refers to many otherthings; and not until we reach the fourth chapter do we come to thepublicministryoftheRedeemer.So,too,inJohn.ThereisfirstalengthyPrologue,inwhichissetforththeDivinegloriesoftheOnewhobecameflesh;thenfollowsthetestimonyofHisforerunnertotheDivinedignityoftheOnehehadcometoherald;thenwehavedescribedavisittoJohnofadelegationsentfromJerusalemtoinquireastowhohewas;finally,thereisthewitnessof theBaptist toChristastheLambofGod:andallthis before we here read of Him calling His first disciples. But howentirelydifferentistheopeningofthesecondGospel.Herethereisbuta

brief notice of the Baptist and his testimony, a few words concerningChrist’sbaptismandHistemptation,andthen,inthefourteenthverseofthefirstchapterweread,"NowafterthatJohnwasputinprison,JesuscameintoGalilee,preachingthegospeloftheKingdomofGod."ThefirstthirtyyearsofHislifehereoneartharepassedoverinsilence,andMarkatonce introducesChristat thebeginningofHispublicministry.MarkpresentsChristactuallyserving.

2. The opening verse of Mark is very striking: "The beginning of theGospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God." Observe, it is not here "theGospeloftheKingdom"(asinMatthew),but"theGospelofJesusChrist."Howsignificant that it is added "theGospel of JesusChrist, theSonofGod."ThushastheHolySpiritguardedHisDivinegloryintheveryplacewhereHislowlinessasthe"Servant"issetforth.Itisalsotoberemarkedthatthisword"Gospel" is foundmuchmorefrequently inMarkthaninanyoftheotherGospels.Theterm"Gospel"occurstwelvetimesinallinMatthew,Mark,Luke,andJohn,andnolessthaneightofthesearefoundinMark,sothattheword"Gospel"isfoundtwiceasofteninMarkasinthe other three added together! The reason for this is obvious: as theServant of Jehovah, the Lord Jesus was the Bearer of good news, theHeraldof glad tidings!What a lesson to be taken to heart by all of theservantsofGodto-day!

3.Anothercharacteristictermwhichoccurswithevengreaterfrequencyin this second Gospel is the Greek word "Eutheos," which is variouslytranslated"forthwith,straightway, immediately"etc.Noticea fewoftheoccurrences of this word in the first chapter alone: "And straightwaycomingupoutof thewater,Hesawtheheavensopened,andtheSpiritlike adovedescendinguponHim" (v. 10). "And immediately theSpiritdrivethHimintothewilderness"(v.12)."AndwhenHehadgonealittlefurtherthence,HesawJamesthesonofZebedee,andJohnhisbrother,whoalsowereintheshipmendingtheirnets,AndstraightwayHecalledthem" (vv. 19,20). "And theywent intoCapernaum;andstraightwayonthesabbathdayHeenteredintothesynagogue,andtaught"(v.21)."Andforthwithwhentheywerecomeoutof the synagogue, theyentered intothehouseofSimon"(v.29)."AndHecameandtookherbythehand,andlifted her up, and immediately the fever left her" (v. 31). "And He

straightlychargedhim,andforthwithsenthimaway"(v.43).Inall,thisword is found no less than forty times in Mark’s Gospel. It is a mostsuggestive and expressive term, bringing out the perfections of God’sServant by showing us how He served. There was no tardiness aboutChrist’s service, but "straightway" He was ever about His "Father’sbusiness." Therewas no delay, but "forthwith"He performed theworkgivenHimtodo.ThiswordtellsofthepromptitudeofHisserviceandtheurgency of His mission. There was no holding back, no reluctance, noslackness, but a blessed "immediateness" about allHiswork.WellmaywelearnfromthisperfectexamplewhichHehasleftus.

4.ThewayinwhichsomanyofthechaptersopeninthissecondGospelisworthyofourcloseattention.Turn to the firstverseof chapter2, "AndagainHeenteredintoCapernaumaftersomedays."Again,thefirstverseofchapter3,"AndHeenteredagainintothesynagogue."Soin4:1,"AndHebeganagaintoteachbytheseaside."Soin5:1,"Andtheycameoveruntotheothersideofthesea."Thisisseeminglyatrivialpoint,andyet,howunique!ItisnowmorethantenyearssincethewriterfirstobservedthisfeatureofMark’sGospel,andsincethen,manyhundredsofbooks,ofvarioussorts,havebeenreadbyhim,butneveroncehasheseenasinglebookofhumanauthorshipwhichhadinitonechapterthatcommencedwith theword"And."Test this, reader,byyourown library.Yethere inMark’sGospelnolessthantwelveofitschaptersbegunwith"And"!

"And,"asweknow, isaconjunction joining together twootherparts ofspeech;itisthatwhichlinkstwoormorethingstogether.TheserviceofChrist, then, was characterized by that which "And" signifies. In otherwords,Hisservicewasonecompleteandperfectwhole,withnobreaksinit.Ah,howunlikeours!Yoursandmineissodisjointed.WeserveGodforatime,andthentherecomesaslackeningup,apause,abreak,whichisfollowedbyaperiodofinactivity,beforewebeginagain.ButnotsowithChrist. His service was a series of perfect acts, fitly joined together,withoutabreakorblemish. "And," thenascharacterizing theserviceofChrist,tellsofceaselessactivity.ItspeaksofthecontinuityofHislabors.ItshowsushowHewas"instantinseasonandoutofseason."ItrevealshowHenevergrewwearyofwelldoing.MayGod’sgracecausethe"And"tohaveamoreprominentplaceinourserviceforHim.

5.IntheformersectionwehavepointedouthowthatMarkrecordsfewerparables thanMatthew, andwemayadd, fewer thanLuke too.But, ontheotherhand,Markdescribesmoremiracles.This, also, is in keepingwiththedesignandscopeofthissecondGospel.ParablescontainedourLord’steachings,whereasthemiracleswereapartofHisactiveministry.Serviceconsistsmoreofdeedsthanteaching,doingratherthanspeaking.Howoftenourserviceismorewithour lipsthanourhands.Wearebigtalkersandlittledoers!

Mark records just four parables, and it is amost significant thing thateachof themhastodo,directly,withservice.Thefirst is theparableoftheSower,andthisviewstheSaviourasgoingforthwiththeWord(4:3-20).Thesecondparable is thatof theSeedcast into theground,whichsprangupandgrew,andbroughtforthfirsttheblade,thentheear,afterthat the full corn in the ear, and finally was harvested (4:26-29). ThethirdparableisthatoftheMustard-seed(4:30-32).Thefourthisthatofthe Wicked Husbandmen who mistreated the Owner’s servants, andendedbykillingHiswell-belovedSon(12:1-9).Thusitwillbeseen,thateachhastodowithministryorservice:thefirstthreewithsowingSeed,and the lastwith the Servant going forth "thatHemight receive of thehusbandmanofthefruitofthevineyard."

6.InMark’sGospel,thehandofChristisfrequentlymentioned,andthisis peculiarly appropriate in the Gospel which treats of His service. Itmight well be termed, the Ministry of the Hand. How prominent thisfeatureisheremaybeseenbyconsultingthefollowingpassages."AndHecameand tookherby thehand,and liftedherup;and immediately thefeverlefther"(1:31)."AndJesus,movedwithcompassion,putforthHishand,andtouchedhim,andsaithuntohim,Iwill;bethouclean"(1:41)."AndHetookthedamselby thehand,andsaiduntoher,Talithacumi:which is,being interpreted,Damsel, I sayunto thee,arise" (5:41). "Andthey bringuntoHimone thatwasdeaf, andhad an impediment inhisspeech; and theybeseechHim toputHishanduponhim" (7:32).Howbeautiful is this. Divinely enlightened, these people had learned of thetenderness and virtue ofHis hand. Againwe read, "AndHe cometh toBethsaida;andtheybringablindmanuntoHim,andbesoughtHimtotouchhim"(8:22).They,too,haddiscoveredtheblessednessandpower

ofHistouch."AndHetooktheblindmanbythehand,andledhimoutofthetown.AfterthatHeputHishandsagainuponhiseyes,andmadehimlookup:andhewasrestored,andsaweverymanclearly"(8:23,25).Oncemoreweread,"ButJesustookhimbythehand,andliftedhimup;andhearose" (9:27).How blessed for every believer to know that he is safelyheldinthatsameblessedHand(John10:28).

7.TheHolySpirithasalsocalledspecialattention in thisGospel to theeyes of the perfect Servant. "AndwhenHe had looked round about onthemwith anger, being grieved for the hardness of their hearts" (3:5).HowthoseHolyeyesmusthaveflasheduponthosewhowouldcondemnHim for healing on the Sabbath day theman with the withered hand!"AndHe looked round about on themwhich sat aboutHim, and said,BeholdMymotherandMybrethren!ForwhosoevershalldothewillofGod,thesameisMybrother,andMysister,andMymother"(3:34,35).This time the Saviour’s eyes turned upon His disciples, and what lovemust have appeared in them as He turned and beheld those who hadforsakenall to followHim!"ButwhenHehadturnedaboutandlookedonHisdisciples,He rebukedPeter, saying,Get theebehindMe,Satan"(8:33).Whatatouchinthepictureisthis—beforeHerebukedPeter,He,first, turned, and "looked" onHis disciples! Concerning the rich youngruler who came to Him, we read here (and here only)," Then Jesusbeholding him, loved him" (10:21). What Divine pity and compassionmusthaveshoneinHiseyesatthatmoment!Soagainin11:11weread,"And Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the temple, andwhenHehad looked roundupon all things, andnow the eventidewas come,HewentoutintoBethanywiththetwelve."Howthoseeyesmusthaveblazedwithrighteous indignation,asHebeheldthedesecrationof theFather’shouse! These passages which mention the Saviour "looking" and"beholding", tell us of His thoughtfulness, His attention to detail, Histhoroughness.Nextwewillnotice,

III.TheMannerinWhichChristServed.

InordertodiscoverthemannerinwhichChristserved,wemustexamineclosely the details of what the Holy Spirit has recorded here for ourlearning and profit, and for the benefit of our readerswe shall classifythoseundersuitableheadings.

1.ChristservedwithmarkedUnostentation.

"AndSimonandtheythatwerewithhimfollowedafterHim.AndwhentheyhadfoundHim,theysaiduntoHim,AllmenseekforThee.AndHesaidunto them,Letus go into thenext towns, that Imaypreach therealso: for thereforecameI forth" (Mark1:36-38).This incidentoccurrednearthebeginningofourLord’spublicministry.Hehadwroughtsomemightyworks,manyofthesickhadbeenhealed,andHisfamehadgoneabroad.Inconsequence,greatthrongsofpeoplesoughtforHim.Hewas,for a brief season, the popular Idol of the hour. But what was Hisresponse?InsteadofremainingwhereHewastoreceivetheplauditsofaficklecrowd,Hemovesawaytopreachinothertowns.Howunlikemanyofustoday!Whenwearewellreceived,whenwebecomethecenterofanadmiring crowd, our desire is to remain there. Such a reception ispleasing to the flesh; it panders to our pride. We like to boast of thecrowds that attend ourministry. But the perfect Servant of God nevercourtedpopularity,Heshunnedit!AndwhenHisdisciplescameandtoldHim—no doubt with pleasurable pride—"All men seek for Thee," Hisimmediateresponsewas,"Letusgo"!

At the close of Mark 1 we read of a leper being cleansed by the greatPhysician, and, dismissing him, He said, "See thou say nothing to anyman:butgothyway,shewthyselftothepriest,andofferforthycleansingthosethingswhichMosescommanded,foratestimonyuntothem."HowutterlyunlikemanyofHisservantstoday,whosparenopainsorexpensetoadvertisethemselves!HowentirelydifferentwearefromtheOnewhosaid,"Ireceivenothonor frommen"(John5:41)!No;Heeverwroughtwith an eye single to God’s glory. Notice, farther, how this comes outagaininthesequeltotheabovemiracle.Thehealedleperheedednottheadmonition of his Benefactor, instead, we read, "But he went out, andbegantopublishitmuch,andtoblazeabroadthematter."Howgratifyingthiswouldhavebeentomostofus!ButnotsowithHimwhosoughtonlytheFather’sglory.Insteadoffollowingthemanwhohadbeenhealed,tobecome the Object of the admiring gaze and flattering remarks of theleper’sfriendsandneighbors,weread,that"Jesuscouldnomoreopenlyenterintothecity,butwaswithoutindesertplaces"!Arewenottolearnfrom this, that when people begin to "blaze abroad" what God has

wroughtthroughus,itistimeforustomoveon,lestwereceivethehonorandglorywhichisdueHimalone!

InfullharmonywithwhathasjustbeenbeforeusintheclosingversesofMark 1, we read in the first verses of the next chapter, "And againHeenteredintoCapernaum,aftersomedays,anditwasnoisedthatHewasin the house," for, evidently, the healed leper belonged to that highlyfavoredtown.HenceitwasthatweherefindHimseekingtheprivacyandquietudeofthe"house."Soagainin3:19weread,"Andthey(Christandtheapostles)wentintoanhouse."Hisreasonfordoingthis,here,wastoescapefromthecrowd,asisevidentfromthewordswhichimmediatelyfollow,"Andthemultitudecomethtogetheragain."Againin7:17wearetold,"AndwhenHewasenteredintothehousefromthepeople."Hislifewasnotlivedbeforethefootlights,butquietlyandunobtrusivelyHewentaboutdoing theFather’swill.Whataword is this - "AndwhenHewasenteredintothehousefromthepeople"!AndhowdifferentfromsomeofHisservantstoday,whoseonegreataimseems tobe theseekingof thepatronageof"thepeople,"andthesolicitingoftheirfavors!So,againin9:28 we read, "And when He was come into the house, His disciplesaskedHimprivately,Whycouldnotwecasthimout?"(9:28).Andoncemore in 9:33, we read "AndHe came to Capernaum: and being in thehouseHeaskedthem,Whatwasitthatyedisputedamongyourselvesbytheway?"Mark,wemayadd,istheonlyoneofthefourEvangeliststhatmakesthisrepeatedreferenceto"thehouse."Itisjustoneofthesmallerlines in the picture that serves to bring out the Unostentation of theperfectServant.

In the closing verses ofMark 7we have recorded themiracle of Christrestoringonethatwasdeafandhadanimpedimentinhisspeech.Andinchaptereight is recorded thehealingof theblindman,who,at the firsttouch of the Lord’s hands saw men as trees walking, but who, at thesecondtouch,"saweverymanclearly."Markistheonlyonethatrecordseitherofthesemiracles.Onereasonfortheirinclusionhere,isseeninafeature that is common to them both. In 7:36 we are told, "And Hecharged them that they should tell no man: but the more He chargedthem,somuchthemoreagreatdealtheypublishedit."Concerningthelatterweread, "AndHesenthimaway tohishouse, saying,Neithergo

intothetown,nortellittoanyinthetown"(8:26).Whatalessonforallof us: perfect service is rendered to God alone, and often is unseen,unappreciated,unthankedbyman.TheServantofJehovah threwaveiloverHisgraciousacts.

2.ChristservedwithgreatTenderness.

This comes out so often in this second Gospel. We single out fourexamples, and thebetter to appreciate them,wequote first theparallelreferences in the other Gospels, before noticing Mark’s account. "AndSimon’swife’smotherwas takenwith a great fever; and they besoughtHim forher.AndHe stoodoverher, and rebuked the fever; and it lefther; and immediately she arose and ministered unto them" (Luke4:38,39)."ButSimon’swife’smotherlaysickofafever,andanontheytellHimofher.AndHecameand tookherby thehand,and liftedherup;andimmediatelythefeverlefther,andsheministereduntothem"(Mark1:30,31).Whatabeautifullineinthepictureisthis!HowitshowsusthatChrist’sservicewasnomereperfunctoryone,performedwithmechanicalindifference,butthatHecameneartothosetowhomHeministeredandentered,sympathetically,intotheircondition.

InLuke9wereadofthefatherwhosoughtouttheLordJesusonbehalfof his demon-possessed son, and in healing him we read, "And Jesusrebukedtheuncleanspirit,andhealedthechild,anddeliveredhimagaintohisfather"(9:42).ButMarkbringsintohispictureacharacteristiclinewhichLukeomitted,"ButJesustookhimbythehand,andliftedhimup,andhearose"(9:27).Therewasnoaloofnessabout theperfectServant.How this rebukes the assumed self-superiority of those who think itbeneath their dignity to shake hands with those to whom they haveministeredtheWord!Totakesomepeople"bythehand"istogetnearertheirhearts.LetusseektoserveasChristdid.

InMatthew18:2weread,"AndJesuscalledalittlechilduntoHim,andsethiminthemidstofthem;andwhenHehadtakenhiminHisarms,Hesaiduntothem"(9:36).Again,inMatthew19:13-15wearetold,"Thenwere there brought unto Him little children, that He should put Hishandsonthem,andpray:andthedisciplesrebukedthem.ButJesussaid,Sufferlittlechildren,andforbidthemnot,tocomeuntoMe,forofsuchis

the kingdomof heaven.AndHe laidHis hands on them,anddepartedthence."ButoncemorewemayobservehowthatMarkaddsalineallhisown, "And they brought young children to Him, that He should touchthem: and His disciples rebuked those that brought them. But whenJesus saw it, He wasmuch displeased, and said unto them, Suffer thelittle children to comeuntoMe,and forbid themnot: forof suchis thekingdomofGod.Verily Isayuntoyou,WhosoevershallnotreceivethekingdomofGodasalittlechild,heshallnotentertherein.AndHetookthem up in His arms, put His hands upon them, and blessed them"(10:13-16).Whattendernessdotheseactsdisplay!AndwhatanexampleHehasleftus!

3.ChristservedencounteringgreatOpposition.

HereweshalltakearapidreviewofMark’sreferencetothisfeatureofhistheme, instead of commenting on each passage, though a remark hereandtherewill,perhaps,notbeoutofplace.

"Buttherewerecertainofthescribessittingthere,andreasoningintheirhearts (there are usually a few such inmost congregations),Why doesthisman thus speak blasphemies?" (2:6,7). "Andwhen the scribes andPharisees sawHim eat with publicans and sinners, they said unto Hisdisciples, How is it that He eateth and drinketh with publicans andsinners?"(2:16)."AndthePhariseessaiduntoHim,beholdwhydotheyonthesabbathdaythatwhichisnotlawful?"(2:24).TheservantofGodmust expect to be mis-understood and encounter criticism andopposition. "AndtheywatchedHimwhetherHewouldhealhimon thesabbathday"(3:2).AndtheservantofGodisstillwatchedbyunfriendlyeyes! "And thePhariseeswent forth,andstraightway tookcounselwiththeHerodians againstHim, how theymight destroyHim" (3:6). Everyfaction of the peopleswas "against"Him. "And the scribeswhichcamedownfromJerusalemsaid,HehathBeelzebub,andbytheprinceof thedemons casteth He out demons" (3:22). The servantmay expect to becalledhardnames. "And theybegan toprayHim todepartout of theircoasts" (5:17). Christ was not wanted. His testimony condemned Hishearers.SowillitbenowwitheveryservantofGodthatisfaithful."AndtheylaughedHimtoscorn"(5:40).Tobesneeredandjeeredat,then,isnothing new: sufficient for the disciple to suffer what his Master did

beforehim."AndtheywereoffendedatHim"(6:3).TheChristofGoddidnotsuiteverybody;farfromit.Butletusseetoitthatwegivenoneotheroccasion for "offense" thanHe did! "AndHe could there do nomightywork,savethatHelaidHishandsuponafewsickfolk,andhealedthem"(6:5).TheservantofGodwillcometosomeplaceswhichareunfavorableforeffectiveministry,andwhere theunbeliefof theprofessedpeopleoftheLordwillhindertheSpiritofGod."ThencametogetheruntoHimthePharisees, and certain of the scribes,which came fromJerusalem.AndwhentheysawsomeofHisdiscipleseatbreadwithdefiled,thatistosay,with unwashen hands, they found fault" (7:1,2).Nevertheless, the LordJesusdeclinedtorespecttheir"traditions,"refusingtoallowHisdisciplesto be brought into bondage thus. Well for God’s servants now if theydisregardthe"touchnot,tastenot,handlenot"ofmen,yetmusttheybepreparedtobe"foundfault"withastheresult."AndthePhariseescameforth, and began to question with Him, seeking of Him a sign fromheaven, temptingHim"(8:11).So, too,will theemissariesof theEnemyseek now to entangle and ensnare the servants ofGod. CompareMark10:2. "And the scribes and chief priests heard it, and sought how theymight destroy Him: for they feared Him, because all the people wasastonishedatHis doctrine" (11:18). Theywere jealous ofHis influence.Andhumannaturehasnotchangedsincethen!"AndtheycomeagaintoJerusalem:andasHewaswalkinginthetemple,therecametoHimthechiefpriestsandthescribes,andtheelders.AndsayuntoHim,Bywhatauthoritydoest Thou these things? andwho gave Thee this authority?"(11:27,28). How history repeats itself! From what College have yougraduated? and in which Seminary were you trained? are the modernformofthisquery."AndtheysentuntoHimcertainofthePharisees,andoftheHerodians,tocatchHiminHiswords"(12:13).Andsomeoftheirdescendantsstillsurvive,andwoebetothemanwhofailstopronouncetheirshiboleths!Whatalistthisis!andwehavebynomeansexhaustedit; see further 12:18; 12:28; 14:1, etc. All the way through, the perfectServantofGodwasdoggedbyHisenemies;ateverystepHeencounteredopposition and persecution in some form. And these things are allrecorded for our instruction. The Enemy is not dead. God’s servantstodayarecalledtotreadasimilarpath.

4.ChristServedwithmuchSelf-Sacrifice.

"And the multitude cometh together again, so that they could not somuch as eat bread" (3:20). So thoroughly was He at the disposal ofothers.HowcompletelydidHeknowwhatitwastospendandbespent!

"Andthesameday,whentheevenwascome,Hesaithuntothem,Letuspassoverintotheotherside.Andwhentheyhadsentawaythemultitude,theytookHim,evenasHewasintotheship"(4:35,36).Howtouchingisthis! A study of the context, with the parallel passages in the otherGospel,showsthiseveningherewasthecloseofabusyandcrowdedday.Fromearlymorntillsunset, theMasterhadbeenministering toothers,andnowHeissowearyandwornfromHislaborsHehadtobe"taken"—led and lifted—into the ship! "Even as He was"—how much do thesewordscover?Ah,Christianworker,nexttimeyoucometothecloseofafull day of service forGod, and yourmind is tired and yournerves arequivering,rememberthatthyLord,beforethee,knewwhatitwastolaydown(see4:38)sotiredthateventhestormawokeHimnot!

"AndHe said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert placeandrestawhile:forthereweremanycomingandgoing,andtheyhadNOleisuresomuchastoeat"(6:31).ThatishowtheperfectWorkmanofGodserved. Ever intent in being about His Father’s business: no rest, noleisure,attimessothrongedthatHewentwithoutHismeals.

Christ’sservicecostHimsomething.Notehowthiscomesoutinthenextquotations."AndwhenHehadlookedroundaboutonthemwithanger,being grieved for the hardness of their hearts" (3:5). He was no frigidStoic. "And looking up to heaven He sighed, and saith unto him,Ephphatha,thatis,Beopened"(7:34).Christ’sservicewasnotrenderedformally and perfunctarily; but He entered, sympathetically, into theconditionofthesufferer."AndHesigheddeeplyinHisspirit,andsaith,Whydoththisgenerationseekafterasign?"(8:12).ThusdidHetaketoheart the sad unbelief of those to whom He ministered. He sufferedinwardlyaswellasoutwardly.

"And the multitude cometh together again, so that they could not somuchaseatbread.AndwhenHisfriendsheardofit,theywentouttolayholdonHim:fortheysaid,HeisbesideHimself"(3:20,21).SoincapableweretheyofenteringintothethoughtsofGod.TheysoughttocheckHim

in the accomplishing of God’s will. Their purpose was well meant, nodoubt,butitwasazeal"withoutknowledge."Whatawarningisthisforall of God’s servants. Watch out for well intentioned "friends" who,lacking in discernment,may seek to hinder the one who is completelyyielded toGod,andwho, like theapostlePaul, "countsnothis lifedearuntohimself"(Acts20:24).

5.ChristServedinanOrderlymanner.

This comes out, in an incidental way, in several statements which arefoundonlyinMark.Wesingleoutbuttwo.In6:7weread,"AndHecalledunto Him the twelve, and began to send them forth by two and two."Again;whenabouttofeedthehungeringmultitude,wearetold,"AndHecommanded them to make them all sit down by companies upon thegreen grass. And they sat down in ranks, by hundreds, and by fifties"(6:39,40).Whatattentiontodetailswasthis!Andhowitrebukesmuchofourslipshodwork!IfScriptureenjoins,"Whatsoeverthinehandfindethtodo,doitwiththymight,"then,surelyourserviceforGodcallsforourmost careful and prayerful attention! God is never the author of"confusion,"asChrist’sexamplehereplainlyshows.

6.Christ’sServicewaspromptedbyLove.

"And Jesus,movedwith compassion, put forthHis hand, and touchedhim. (the leper), and said unto him, Iwill; be thou clean" (1:41). "AndJesus, when He came out, saw much people, and was moved withcompassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having ashepherd; and He began to teach them many things" (6:34). "I havecompassiononthemultitude,becausetheyhavenowbeenwithMethreedays, and have nothing to eat" (8:1). Mark is the only one of theEvangeliststhatbringsthislovelyandtouchinglineintothepicture.AndO how it rebukes the writer for his hardness of heart, and coldindifferencetotheperishingallaround!Howlittlereal"compassion"onefindstoday!"ThenJesusbeholdinghim(therichyoungman)lovedhim"(Mark10:21).Mark is theonlyonewhotellsus this,as thoughtoshowthatwithout"love"serviceisbarren.

7.Christ’sServicewasprecededbyPrayer.

"Andinthemorning,risingupagreatwhilebeforeday,Hewentout,anddepartedintoasolitaryplace,andthereprayed"(1:35).Markistheonlyonethatrecordsthis.Andhowsignificantthatthisstatementisplacedinhisfirstchapter,asthoughtoletusintothesecretoftheuniquenessandperfectnessofChrist’sservice!

ThereismuchmorethatispeculiartothissecondGospelwhichwenowpassover.InclosingherewewouldcallattentiontothemannerinwhichMark concludes:—"And they (the apostles) went forth, and preachedeverywhere,theLordworkingwiththem,andconfirmingtheWordwithsignsfollowing.Amen"(16:20).Howsignificantandappropriate!ThelastviewwehavehereofGod’sperfectServant,Heisstill"working,"now,notalone,but"withthem"Hisservants.

OurstudyofthislovelyviewofChristwillhavebeeninvain,unlessithasbrought home to our hearts with new power the admonition of Godthrough His apostle, "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast,unmovable,alwaysabounding in theworkof theLord, forasmuchasyeknowthatyourlaborisnotinvainintheLord"(1Cor.15:58).

TheGospelOfLuke

The numerical position which Luke occupies in the Sacred Canon,suppliesasurekey to its interpretation. It is the thirdbook in theNewTestament, and the forty-second in theBible as awhole.Eachof thesenumbers are profoundly significant and suggestive in this connection.Threeisthenumberofmanifestation,andparticularly,themanifestationofGodandHisactivities.ItisintheThreePersonsoftheBlessedTrinitythattheonetrueandlivingGodisfullyrevealed.Hence,also,threeisthenumberofresurrection,forresurrectioniswhenlife is fullymanifested.Appropriately, then, is Luke’s Gospel the third book of the NewTestament, for here it is we are shown, as nowhere else so fully, Godmanifestinflesh.ButLuke’sGospel isalsotheforty-secondbookinthe

Bibleasawhole,andthisis,ifpossible,evenmoresignificant,for42is7x 6, and seven stands for perfection while six is the number of man:putting the two together we get the PerfectMan! And this is preciselywhat the Holy Spirit brings before us in this forty-second book of theBible. What an evidence this is, not only of the Divine inspiration ofScripture but, that God has unmistakably superintended the placing ofthedifferentbooksintheSacredCanonjustaswenowhavethem!

Luke’sGospelisconcernedwiththeHumanityofourLord.InMatthew,ChristisseentestingIsrael,andthatiswhyhisGospelhasthefirstplaceintheNewTestament,asbeingthenecessarylinkwiththeOld.InMark,ChristappearsasservingIsrael,andthat iswhyhisGospel isgiventhesecondplace.But inLuke, thewriter’s scope is enlarged:hereChrist isseeninracialconnectionsastheSonofMan,contrastedfromthesonsofmen.InJohn,Christ’shighestgloryisrevealed,forthereHeisviewedastheSonofGod,and,asconnectednotwithIsrael,notwithmenasmen,but with believers. Thus we may admire the Divine wisdom in thearrangementofthefourGospels,andseethebeautifulgradationintheirorder. Matthew is designed specially for the Jews; Mark is peculiarlysuitedtoGod’sservants;Lukeisadaptedtomenasmen—allmen;whileJohn’sistheonewhereintheChurchhasfounditschiefdelight.

Luke’sGospel,then,istheGospelofChrist’sManhood.ItshowsusGodmanifest in flesh. It presents Christ as "The Son ofMan." It views theLord of glory as having come down to our level, entering into ourconditions(sinexcepted),subjecttoourcircumstances,andlivingHislifeon the sameplaneasours is lived.Yet,whileHe ishere seenminglingwithmen,ateverypointHeappearsinsharpcontrastfromthem.TherewasasgreatadifferencebetweenChristastheSonofMan,andanyoneofusasasonofman,asthereisnowbetweenHimastheSonofGod,andanybelieverasasonofGod.Thatdifferencewasnotmerelyrelative,butabsolute;not simply incidental, but essential; not one of degree, but ofkind. "The Son ofMan" predicts the uniqueness of His humanity. ThehumanityofourLordwasmiraculouslybegotten,itwasintrinsicallyholyin itsnature,andtherefore,sawnotcorruption indeath.AsTheSonofMan,Hewasbornasnoneother everwas,He livedasnoneotherdid,andHediedasnoneotherevercould.

ThehumanityofChrist,likeeverythingelseconnectedwithHispeerlessperson, needs to be discussed with profound reverence and care.Speculationconcerningitisprofane.Rashconjecturesaboutitmustnotbeallowedforamoment.Allthatwecanknowaboutitiswhathasbeenrevealed in the Scriptures.Had some of our theologians adheredmorerigidlytowhattheHolySpirithassaidonthesubject,hadtheyexercisedmorecarein"holdingfasttheformofsoundwords,"muchthathasbeenso dishonoring to our Lord had never been written. The person of theGod-Manisnotpresentedtoourviewforintellectualanalysis,butfortheworshipof ourhearts. It isnotwithout good reason thatwehave beenexpresslywarned,"greatistheMysteryofGodliness.Godwasmanifestinflesh"(1Tim.3:16).

Asweprayerfullyexaminethewrittenword itwillbe foundthatDivinecarehasbeentakentoguardtheperfectionsofourLord’shumanity,andtobringoutitsholycharacter.Thisappearsnotonlyinconnectionwiththe more direct references to His person, but also in the types andprophecies of theOld Testament. The "lamb,"which portrayedHim astheappointedSacrificeforsin,mustbe"withoutspotandblemish,"andthe very houses wherein the lamb was eaten, must have all leaven(emblem of evil) carefully excluded from them. The "manna," whichspokeofChristastheFoodforGod’speople,isdescribedasbeing"white"in color (Ex.16:31). The Meal offering, which directly pointed to theHumanityofChrist,wastobeonlyof"fineflour"(Lev.2:1),thatis,flourwithoutanygritorunevenness;moreover, itwastobepresentedtotheLordaccompaniedwith"oil"and"frankincense,"whichwereemblemsoftheHoly Spirit, and the fragrance of Christ’s person. Joseph, themoststrikingofall thepersonal typesof theLordJesus,was,wearetold,"Agoodlyperson,andwellfavored"(Gen.39:6).

This same feature is noticeable in the prophecieswhich referred to thehumanityoftheComingOne.Itwasa"virgin"inwhosewombHeshouldbe conceived (Is. 7:14). As the IncarnateOne, God spake ofHim thus:"Behold My Servant, whom I uphold; Mine Elect, in whom My souldelighteth; I have put My Spirit upon Him" (Is. 42:1). Touching thepersonalexcellenciesoftheSonofMan,theSpiritofprophecyexclaimed,"Thouartfairerthanthechildrenofmen:graceispouredintoThylips:

therefore God hath blessed Thee for ever" (Ps. 45:2). Concerning theSinlessnessofHimwhowas cutoff outof the landof the living, itwasaffirmed,"Hehathdonenoviolence,neitherwasanydeceitfoundinHismouth" (Is. 53:9). Looking forward to the time when His humanityshouldpassthroughdeathwithoutcorruption,itwassaid,"Hisleafalsoshallnotwither"(or,"fade,"margin),Psalm1:3—contrastwiththis,"Wealldofadeasaleaf"(Is.64:6).

Comingnowto theNewTestament,wemayobservehowcarefullyGodhasdistinguishedtheManChristJesusfromallothermen.In1Timothy3:16weread,"Greatisthemysteryofgodliness:Godwasmanifestintheflesh."ItisremarkablethatintheGreekthereisnodefinitearticlehere:whattheHolySpiritreallysaysis,"Godwasmanifestinflesh."Manifestin "flesh" He was, but not in the flesh, for that would point to fallenhumannature,sharedbyall thedepraveddescendantsofAdam.Not intheflesh,but inflesh,sinlessandholyflesh,wasGod"manifest."Othemarvelousminute accuracy of Scripture! In likemannerwe read againconcerningthehumanityofChrist,"Whatthelawcouldnotdointhatitwasweakthroughtheflesh,GodsendingHisownSoninthelikenessofsin’sflesh(Greek):Romans8:3.ThespotlessandperfecthumanityoftheSaviourwasnotsinful likeours,butonlyafter its"likeness"oroutwardform. As Hebrews 7:26 declares He was "holy, harmless, undefiled,separatefromsinners."SeparatefromsinnersHewas,bothintheperfectlifeHelivedhere.He"knewnosin"(2Cor.5:21);

He"didnotsin"(1Pet.2:22);Hewas"withoutsin"(Heb.4:15);thereforecouldHesay,"Theprinceofthisworld(Satan)comethandhathnothinginMe"(John14:30).

InkeepingwiththethemeofLuke’sGospel,itisherewehavethefullestparticulars concerning themiraculousbirthof theLordJesus.Hereweread,"Inthesixthmonth(howsignificantisthisnumberhere,forsixisthenumberofman)theangelGabrielwassent fromGoduntoacityofGalilee,calledNazareth,ToavirginespousedtoamanwhosenamewasJoseph, of the house ofDavid; and the virgin’s namewasMary" (Luke1:26,27). Twice over is it here recorded that Mary was a "virgin."Continuing, we read, "And the angel came in unto her, and said,Hail,thou art highly favored, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among

women."ThistroubledMary,forshewonderedatthisstrangesalutation.The angel continued, "Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found favor withGod.And,behold,thoushaltconceiveinthywomb,andbringforthason,andshaltcallHisnameJesus."Inreply,Maryasked,"Howshallthisbe,seeingIknownotaman?"Andtheangelanswered,"TheHolySpiritshallcome upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee:thereforealsothatholythingwhichshallbebornoftheeshallbecalledtheSonofGod"(Luke1:35).

ThecomingoftheHolySpirit"upon"apersonisalways,inScripture,toeffect a supernatural, aDivinework.Thepromise of the angel toMarythatthepoweroftheHighestshould"overshadow"her,suggestsadoublethought:sheshouldbeprotectedbyGodHimself,andhowthispromisewasfulfilledMatthew1:19,20informsus;while it isalsoawarningthatthemodusoperandiofthismiracleishiddenfromus.Thewordsof theangeltoMary"thatholythingwhichshallbebornofthee,"havebeenasore puzzle to the commentators. Yet themeaningof this expression isvery simple. It refersnot, concretely, to ourLord’sperson, but instead,abstractly, toHis humanity. It calls attention to the uniqueness ofHishumanity. It is in pointed contrast fromours. Put thesewords of Luke1:35 over against another expression in Isaiah 64:6 and theirmeaningwillbeclear—Weareallasanuncleanthing."Ourhumannature,lookedat abstractly, (that is, apart from its personnel acts) is, essentially,"unclean,"whereasthatwhich theSonofGodtookuntoHimself,whenHe became incarnate, was incapable of sinning (which is merely anegativeaffirmation),butitwasinherentlyandpositively"holy."ThereinthehumanityofChristdifferedfromthatofAdam.Adam,inhisunfallenstate,wasmerelyinnocent(anegativequalityagain),butChristwasholy.Perhaps it may be well for us to offer a few remarks at this pointconcerningtheSaviour’s"temptation."

We are frequently hearing of preachersmaking the statement that ourLordcouldhaveyielded to the solicitationsofSatan, and that toaffirmHe could not is to rob the account ofHis conflict with theDevil of allmeaning.Butthisisnotonlyamistake,itisaseriouserror.ItdishonorsthepersonofourblessedLord.ItdeniesHisimpeccability.ItimpeachesHisowndeclarationthatSatanhad"nothing"inHim—nothingtowhich

hecouldappeal.IftherehadbeenapossibilityoftheSaviouryieldingtotheDevilthatseasoninthewilderness,thenforfortydaysthesalvationof all God’s elect (to say nothing of the outworking of God’s eternalpurpose)wasinjeopardy;andsurelythatisunthinkable.But,itisasked,IftherewasnopossibilityofChristyielding,whereinlaytheforceoftheTemptation?IfHecouldnotsin,wasitnotameaninglessperformancetoallow Satan to tempt Christ at all? Such questions only betray thedeplorableignoranceofthosewhoaskthem.

It ought to be well understood that the word "tempt" has a doublesignificance,aprimaryandsecondarymeaning,anditistheapplicationofthesecondarymeaningofthetermasitisusedinMatthew4andtheparallel passages, which had led somany into error on this point. Theword"tempt"literallymeans"tostretchout"soastotrythestrengthofanything.ItcomesfromtheLatinword"tendo"—tostretch.OurEnglishwordattempt,meaningtotry,bringsoutitssignificance."Tempt,"then,primarilysignifies"totry,test,puttotheproof."Itisonlyinitssecondarymeaningthatithascometosignify"tosolicittoevil."InGenesis22:1weread, "And it came to pass after these things, that God did temptAbraham."ButGoddidnotsolicitAbrahamtoevil, for,"Godcannotbetempted with evil, neither tempteth He (in this sense) anyman" (Jas.1:13). So, too, we read, "Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into thewilderness to be tempted of theDevil" (Matt. 4:1). The purpose of thisTemptationwasnottodiscoverwhetherornottheSaviourwouldyieldtoSatan,buttodemonstratethatHecouldnot.ItsdesignwastodisplayHisimpeccability, toshowforththe fact that therewas"nothing" inHimtowhichSatancouldappeal.ItwasinorderthatChristmightbetriedandproven: just as the more you crush a rose, the more its fragrance isevidenced,sotheassaultsoftheDevilupontheGod-ManonlyservedthemoretobringoutHisperfections,andthusrevealHimasfullyqualifiedtobetheSaviourofsinners.

That the Saviour could not sin, does not rob the Temptation of itsmeaning,itonlyhelpsusdiscernitstruemeaning.It isbecauseHewastheHolyOne ofGod thatHe felt the force of Satan’s fiery darts as nosinfulmanevercould. It is impossible to findananalogy in thehumanrealm for the Lord Jesus was absolutely unique. But let us attempt to

illustratetheprinciplewhichishereinvolved.Isittruethatinproportionasamanisweakmorallythathefeelstheforceofatemptation?Surelynot.It isthemanwhoisstrongmorallythatfeelstheforceofit.Amanwho is weakened in his moral fiber by sin, is weakened in hissensitivenessinthepresenceoftemptation.Whydoestheyoungbelieverask,"HowisitthatsinceIbecameaChristianIamtemptedtodowrongahundredtimesmorethanIwasformerly?"Thecorrectansweris,heisnot;butthelifeofChristwithinhimhasmadehimkeener,quicker,moresensitive to the forceof temptation.The illustration fails,weknow;butseektoelevatetheprincipletoaninfiniteheight,andapply it toChrist,andtheninsteadofsayingthatbecauseHehadnosinandcouldnotsinHistemptation, therefore,wasmeaningless,youwillperhapsdiscoverafardeepermeaninginit,andappreciateasneverbeforetheforceofthewords,"HeHimselfhathsuffered,beingtempted"(Heb.2:18).Shoulditbe asked further: But does not this rob the Saviour of the capacity tosympathize with me when I am tempted? The answer is, A thousandtimesNo!Butitistobefearedthatthislastquestionisreallyanevasion.Doesnotthequestioner,deepdowninhisheart,reallymean,CanChristsympathizewithmewhenIyieldtotemptation?Thequestionhasonlytobestatedthustoanswerit.Beingholy,Christneversympathizeswithsinorsinning.Herethenisthevitaldifference:whenChristwastemptedHe"suffered," butwhenwe are drawn away by temptationwe enjoy it. If,however,weseekgracetosustainuswhileweareundertemptation,andarenotdrawnawaybyit,thenshallwesuffertoo,butthenwealsohaveamercifulandfaithfulHighPriestwhoisable,notonlytosympathizewithusbutto,"succorthemthataretempted"(Heb.2:18).Ourdigressionhasbeenrathera lengthyone,butnecessary,perhaps, inaconsiderationoftheHumanityofChrist,onepostulateofwhichisHisimpeccability.

Aspreviouslystated,Luke’sGospeliswiderinitsrangethaneitherofthetwowhichprecedeit,inbothofwhichChristisviewedinconnectionwithIsrael.Butheretherearenonational limitations.The"SonofDavid"ofthefirstGospel,widensoutintothe"SonofMan"inthethirdGospel.As"SonofMan"HeistheCatholicMan.Heislinkedwith,thoughseparatedfrom, the whole human race. Luke’s Gospel, therefore, is in a specialsense the Gentile Gospel, as Matthew’s is the Jewish Gospel. It is notsurprising to find, then, that the writer of it was himself, in all

probability, a Gentile—the only one in all the Bible. It is generallyconcededbyscholarsthatLukeisanabbreviationoftheLatin"Lucanus"or "Lucius."Hisname is twice found in thePaulineEpistles ina listofGentile names, see 2 Timothy 4:10-12 and Philemon 24. It is alsonoteworthy that this third Gospel is addressed, not to a Jew, but to aGentile, byname "Theophilus,"whichmeans "Beloved ofGod." It is inthis Gentile Gospel, and nowhere else, that Christ is presented as thegood"Samaritan."Obviously,thiswouldhavebeenquiteoutofplaceinMatthew’sGospel,buthowthoroughlyaccordantisithere!So,too,itisonlyherethatwearetoldthat"JerusalemshallbetroddendownoftheGentiles, until the times of theGentiles be fulfilled" (Luke 21:24). Andagain, it is in this Gospel that, in describing End-time conditions, welearnthatChristspaketoHisdisciplesthisparable:"Beholdthefigtree,andall the trees" (21:29).Matthewmentions the former (24:32),as the‘figtree’isthewellknownsymbolofIsrael,butLuke,alone,adds"andallthetrees,"thusbringingouttheinternationalscopeofhisGospel.Otherillustrationsofthissamefeaturewillbediscoveredbythecarefulstudent.

ReturningtothecentralthemeofthisGospel,wemayobservethat"theSon ofMan" links Christ with the earth. It is the title by which Christmost frequently referred to Himself. Not once did any one else everaddressHimbythisname.ThefirstoccurrenceofthistitleisfoundintheOldTestament,inthe8thPsalm,whereweread,"WhatismanthatThouartmindfulofHim?andtheSonofManthatThouvisitesthim?ForThouhastmadehimalittlelowerthantheangels,andhastcrownedhimwithgloryandhonor.Thoumadesthimtohavedominionover theworksofThy hands; Thou hast put all things under his feet" (vv. 4-6). TheimmediatereferenceistoAdam,inhisunfallencondition,andreferstohisHeadship over all the lower orders of creation. It speaks of earthlydominion,for"Havedominionoverthefishofthesea,andoverthefowloftheair,andovereverylivingthingthatmovethupontheearth"(Gen.1:28),iswhatGodsaidtoourfirstparentinthedaythathewascreated.Butfromthispositionof"dominion"Adamfell,anditwas(amongotherthings,torecoverthedominionthatAdamhadlost,thatourLordbecameincarnate. Thus the eighth Psalm, as is evident from its quotation inHebrews2,findsitsultimatefulfillmentin"theSecondMan."But,beforethisSecondMancouldbe"crownedwithgloryandhonor,"Hemustfirst

humbleHimselfandpassthroughtheportalsofdeath.Thusthe"SonofMan" title speaks first of humiliation, and ultimately of dominion andglory.

"TheSonofMan"occurs88timesintheNewTestament(whichisaverysignificant number, for 8 signifies a new beginning, and it is by theSecondMan the beginning of thenew "Dominion"will be established),anditisdeeplyinterestingandinstructivetotraceouttheconnectionsinwhich it occurs. It is found for the first time in theNew Testament inMatthew 8:20, where the Saviour says, "The foxes have holes, and thebirdsoftheairhavenests;buttheSonofManhathnotwheretolayHishead."HereattentioniscalledtothedepthsofhumiliationintowhichtheBelovedoftheFatherhadentered:theOnewhoshallyethavecompletedominion over all the earth, when here before, was but a homelessStranger. The second occurrence of this title helps to define its scope—"TheSonofManhathpoweronearthtoforgivesins"(Matt.9:6).ThelasttimeitisfoundinMatthew’sGospelisin26:64—"HereaftershallyeseetheSonofMansittingontherighthandofpower,andcominginthecloudsofheaven."HerewearecarriedforwardtothetimewhentheLordJesusshallreturntothesescenes,notinweaknessandhumiliation,butinpowerandglory.InJohn3:13thereisastatementmadewhichprovesthattheSonofManwasGodaswell,"AndnomanhathascendeduptoHeaven, but He that came down from Heaven, even the Son of ManwhichisinHeaven."NowhereintheEpistles(saveinHeb.2wherePs.8isquoted) is this title found, for theChurchhas aheavenly calling anddestiny,andislinkedtotheSonofGodinHeaven,andnottotheSonofMan as He is related to the earth. The last time this title occurs inScripture is in Revelation 14:14, where we read, "And I looked, andbehold awhite cloud, andupon the cloudOne sat like unto the Son ofMan,havingonHisheadagoldencrown."Whatacontrast is this fromthefirstmentionofthistitleintheNewTestamentwherewereadofHimnothavingwheretolay"Hishead"!

It isnowhightimeforustoturnfromthesegeneralizingsandconsidersome features of Luke’s Gospel inmore detail. To begin with, wemayobserve,asothershavenoticed,howdistinctiveandcharacteristicisthePrefacetothisthirdGospel:"Forasmuchasmanyhavetakeninhandto

set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surelybelievedamongus,evenastheydeliveredthemuntous,whichfromthebeginningwereeyewitnesses,andministersoftheWord:Itseemedgoodtomealso,havinghadperfectunderstandingofallthingsfromtheveryfirst to write unto thee, in order, most excellent Theophilus, that thoumightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast beeninstructed"(1:1-4).

Whatacontrast isthisfromwhatwehaveatthecommencementof theother Gospels. Here more pronouncedly than elsewhere, we see thehuman element in the communication of God’s revelation to us. Thehuman instrument is brought plainly before us. Luke speaks of hispersonal knowledge of that of which he is about to treat. He refers towhatothershaddonebeforehiminthisdirection,butfeelstheneedofamoreorderlyandfullsettingforthofthosethingswhichweremostsurelybelieved.Butapparentlyhewasquiteunconsciousof the fact,ashesatdown to write to his friend Theophilus, that he was being "moved"(better, "borne along") by the Holy Spirit, or that he was about tocommunicatethatwhichshouldbeof lastingvaluetothewholeChurchofGod.Instead,theDivineInspirerishiddenhere,andonlythehumanpenmanisseen.StrikinglyappropriateisthisintheGospelwhichtreatsnotoftheofficialgloriesofChrist,norofHisDeity,butofHisManhood.There isamarvelousanalogybetweenthewrittenWordofGodandtheIncarnate Word, the details of which are capable of being extendedindefinitely.Just asChristwas theGod-Man,Divine yethuman, so theHolyScripturesthoughgiven"byinspirationofGod"were,nevertheless,communicatedthroughhumanchannels;but,justasChristinbecomingMandidsowithoutbeing contaminatedby sin, soGod’s revelationhascometousthroughhumanmediumwithoutbeingdefiledbyanyoftheirimperfections. Moreover, just as it is here in Luke’s Gospel that ourLord’shumanityisbroughtsoprominentlybeforeus,soitisherethatthehumanelementinthegivingoftheHolyScripturesismostplainlytobeseen.

There aremanyother things of interest and importance to be found inthisfirstchapterofLukewhichwecannotnowconsiderindetail,butwewouldpointout,inpassing,howthehumanelementprevailsthroughout.

Wemaynotice,forinstance,howthathereGodisseenonmoreintimatetermswith thosewhomHe addresses than inMatthew 1. There, whencommunicating with Joseph, He did so in "dreams," but here, whensendingamessagetoZacharias,itisbyanangel,whospeakstothefatheroftheBaptistfacetoface.StillmoreintimateisGod’scommunicationtoMary, for here the angel speaks not to the mother of our Lord in thetemple,butmorefamiliarly,inthehome—anintimationofhownearGodwasabouttocometomeninHismarvelousgrace.Again;farmoreistoldusofMaryherethanelsewhere,andLukeistheonlyonewhorecordshersongof joywhich followed the greatAnnunciation, ashe alone recordstheprophecyofZacharias,utteredontheoccasionof thenamingofhisillustrious son. Thus, the emotions of the human heart are heremanifestedastheywereexpressedinsongandpraise.

The opening verses ofLuke2 are equally characteristic and distinctive.Herewearetold,"Anditcametopassinthosedays,thattherewentoutadecreefromCaesarAugustus,thatalltheworldshouldbetaxed.AndthistaxingwasfirstmadewhenCyreniuswasgovernorofSyria.Andallwenttobe taxed,everyone intohisowncity.AndJosephalsowentup fromGalilee, out of the city ofNazareth, into Judea, unto the city ofDavid,which is calledBethlehem;because hewas of the house and lineage ofDavid: tobe taxedwithMaryhis espousedwife" (Luke2:1-5).WeshalllookinvainforanythinglikethisintheotherGospels.HeretheLordofgloryiscontemplatednotastheOnewhohadcometoreign,butinstead,as One who had descended to the level of other men, as One whosemotherandlegalfatherweresubjecttothecommontaxation.Thiswouldhave been altogether out of keeping with the theme and scope ofMatthew’sGospel,andapointofnointerestinMark,buthowthoroughlyinaccordwiththecharacterofLuke’sGospel!

"Andshebroughtforthherfirstbornson,andwrappedHiminswaddlingclothes,andlaidHiminamanger;becausetherewasnoroomforthemin the inn" (Luke2:7).Luke is theonlyoneof the fourevangelistswhotellsusofthis—apointoftouchinginterestconcerningHishumanity,andonethatisworthyofourreverentcontemplation.WhywasittheFathersufferedHisblessedSon,nowincarnate,tobeborninastable?WhywerethecattleofthefieldHisfirstcompanions?Whatspirituallessonsarewe

intendedtolearnfromHisbeingplacedinamanger?Weightyquestionsaretheseadmitting,perhaps,ofatleastasevenfoldanswer.

(a)Hewaslaidinamangerbecausetherewasnoroomintheinn.Howsolemnlythisbringsouttheworld’sestimateoftheChristofGod.TherewasnoappreciationofHisamazingcondescension.Hewasnotwanted.It is so still.There isno room forHim in the schools, insociety, in thebusiness world, among the great throngs of pleasure seekers, in thepoliticalrealm,inthenewspapers,norinmanyofthechurches.Itisonlyhistoryrepeatingitself.AllthattheworldgavetheSaviour,wasastableforHiscradle,acrossonwhichtodie,andaborrowedgrave toreceiveHismurderedbody.

(b)Hewas laid in amanger to demonstrate the extent ofHis poverty."For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, thoughHewasrich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that ye through His povertymightberich"(2Cor.8:9).How"poor"Hebecame,wasthusmanifestedat the beginning. The One who, afterwards, had not where to lay Hishead, who had to ask for a penny whenHe would reply to His criticsabout thequestionof tribute,andwhohad touseanotherman’shousewhen instituting the Holy Supper, was, from the first, a homelessStrangerhere.Andthe"manger"wastheearliestevidenceofthis.

(c)HewaslaidinamangerinordertobeAccessibletoall.HadHebeeninapalace,orinsomeroomintheTemple,fewcouldhavereachedHimwithout the formalityof firstgainingpermission from thosewhowouldhave been in attendance at such places. But none would have anydifficulty inobtainingaccess toastable; thereHewouldbewithineasyreachofpoor and rich alike.Thus, from thebeginning,Hewaseasy toapproach.NointermediarieshadfirsttobepassedinordertoreachHim.Nopriest had tobe interviewedbefore entree couldbeobtained toHispresence.Thusitwasthen;andsoitisnow,thankGod.

(d)Hewas laid inamangersoas to foreshadowtheCharacterof thoseamongwhomHe had come. The stablewas the place for beasts of thefield,anditwasintotheirmidstthenewly-bornSaviourcame.Andhowwell did they symbolize themoral character ofmen! The beasts of thefieldaredevoidof any spiritual life, and sohavenoknowledgeofGod.

Such,too,wastheconditionofbothJewsandGentiles.Andhowbeast-like in characterwere those intowhosemidst theSaviour came: stupidandstubbornastheassormule,cunningandcruelasthefox,grovelingand filthy as the swine, and ever thirsting for His blood as the moresavageof theanimals.Fittingly, then,wasHeplacedamidthebeastsofthefieldatHisbirth.

(e)HewaslaidinamangertoshowHiscontemptforWorldlyrichesandpomp.WehadthoughtitmorefittingfortheChristofGodtobeborninapalace,andlaidinacradleofgold,linedwithcostlysilks.Ah,butasHeHimselfremindsusinthissameGospel,"thatwhichishighlyesteemedamongmen,isabominationinthesightofGod"(Luke16:15).Andwhatan exemplification of this truthwas givenwhen the infant Saviourwasplaced,notinacradleofgoldbut,inanhumblemanger.

(f) He was laid in a manger to mark His identification with humansufferingandwretchedness.TheOnebornwas"TheSonofMan."Hehadleft the heights ofHeaven’s glory and had descended to our level, andherewebeholdHimenteringthehumanlotatitslowestpoint.Adamwasfirstplacedinagarden,surroundedbytheexquisitebeautiesofNatureasitleftthehandsoftheCreator.Butsinhadcomein,andwithsinall itssadconsequencesofsufferingandwretchedness.Therefore,doestheOnewhohadcomeheretorecoverandrestorewhatthefirstmanlost,appearfirst,insurroundingswhichspokeofabjectneedandwretchedness;justas a little laterwe findHim taken down into Egypt, in order thatGodmight call His Son from the same place as where His people Israelcommencedtheirnationalhistoryinmiseryandwretchedness.ThusdidtheManofSorrowsidentifyHimselfwithhumansuffering.

(g)HewaslaidinamangerbecausesuchwastheplaceofSacrifice.Themanger was the place where vegetable life was sacrificed to sustainanimallife.Fittingplacewasthis,then,forHimwhohadcometobethegreatSacrifice,layingdownHislifeforHispeople,thatwemightthroughHis death bemade alive. Remarkably suggestive, therefore, and full ofemblematicdesign,wastheplaceappointedbyGodtoreceivetheinfantbodyoftheincarnateSaviour.

ItisonlyinLuke’sGospelthatwereadoftheshepherdswhokeptwatch

overtheirflocksbynight,andtowhomtheangelof theLordappeared,saying,"Fearnot:for,behold,Ibringyougoodtidingsofgreatjoy,whichshallbetoallpeople.ForuntoyouisbornthisdayinthecityofDavidaSaviour, which is Christ the Lord" (2:10,11).Note that theOne born isherespokenofnotas"TheKingoftheJews,"butas"aSaviour,whichisChrist the Lord"—titles which reach out beyond the confines of Israel,andtakeintheGentilestoo.

Again, it is only here in Luke that we behold the Saviour as a Boy oftwelvegoinguptoJerusalem,andbeingfoundintheTemple"sitting inthemidstofthedoctors,bothhearingthem,andaskingthemquestions"(2:46).How intensely human is this! Yet side by sidewith it there is astronghintgiventhathewasmorethanhuman,forweread,"AndallthatheardHimwereastonishedatHisunderstandingandanswers."So,too,it is only here that we are told, "And He went down with them (Hisparents), and was subject unto them" (2:51). How this brings out theexcellenciesofHishumanity,perfectlydischargingtheresponsibilitiesofeveryrelationshipwhichHesustainedtomenaswellastoGod!Andhowstrikingly appropriate is the closing verse of this chapter—"And JesusincreasedinwisdomandstatureandinfavorwithGodandman"!Thereis nothing like this in any of the otherGospels; but Luke’swould havebeen incomplete without it. What proofs are these that Luke, as theothers,wasguidedbytheSpiritofGodintheselectionofhismaterials!

Luke 3 opens by presenting to us the person andmission of John theBaptist.MatthewandMarkhavebothreferredtothis,butLukeaddstothepicturehisowncharacteristiclines.Onlyheredowereadthatitwas"inthefifteenthyearofthereignofTiberiusCaesar,PontiusPilatebeinggovernorofJudea,andHerodbeingtetrarchofGalilee,andhisbrotherPhilip tetrarch of Iturea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysaniasthe tetrarchofAbilena,Annas andCaiaphasbeing thehighpriests, theWord of God came unto John, the son of Zacharias in the wilderness"(3:1,2) — points of historic interest in connection with these humanrelationships. So, too, it is only here that we read of other humanrelationshipsof"thepeople"whoaskedJohn"Whatshallwedo?"(3:10),of the"publicans"whoaskedhimthesamequestion (3:12),andof "thesoldiers" is also to be noted, that only here is the Lord Jesus directly

linked with "all the people" whenHe was baptized, for we read, "Nowwhenallthepeoplewerebaptized, itcametopassthatJesusalsobeingbaptized" (3:21), thusshowingHimas theOnewhohad comedown tothecommonlevel.Andagain,itisonlyherewearetoldoftheageoftheSaviour when He entered upon His public ministry (3:23), this beinganotherpointofinterestinconnectionwithHishumanity.

Luke 3 closes with a record of the Genealogy of the Son of Man, andnoticeable are the differences betweenwhatwe have here, andwhat isfoundinMatthew1.There,itistheroyalgenealogyoftheSonofDavid,here it isHisstrictlypersonalgenealogy.There, it isHis lineofdescentthrough Joseph which is given, here it is His ancestry through Mary.There,HisgenealogyistracedforwardsfromAbraham,hereitisfollowedbackwards to Adam. This is very striking, and brings out in anunmistakablemannertherespectivecharacterandscopeofeachGospel.MatthewisshowingChrist’srelationtoIsrael,andthereforehegoesbacknofartherthantoAbraham,thefatheroftheJewishpeople;buthere,itisHis connectionwith thehuman race that isbeforeus, andhencehisgenealogyinLukeistracedrightbacktoAdam,thefatherofthehumanfamily.Butnotice,particularly,thatatthecloseitissaid,"AdamwasthesonofGod"(3:38).ThusthehumanityofChristisheretracednotmerelyback to Adam, but through Adam directly to God Himself. HowmarvelouslythisagreeswiththewordsoftheLordJesusasfoundinHeb.10:5—"AbodyhastThoupreparedMe"!

Luke 4 opens by telling us "And Jesus being full of the Holy Spiritreturned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,being tempted forty days of theDevil."Only here dowe learn that theSaviour was "full of the Holy Spirit" as He returned from the Jordan.Then follows the account of the Temptation. Itwill be observed by theclosestudentthatbetweenMatthewandLukethereisadifferenceintheorder ofmention of Satan’s three attacks upon Christ. InMatthew theorderis,firsttheaskingoftheLordJesustoturnthestones intobread,second the bidding Him cast Himself down from the pinnacle of theTemple,andthirdtheoffertoHimofall thekingdomsofthisworldonthe condition ofworshippingSatan.But here inLukewehave first therequesttomakethestonesintobread,secondtheofferof thekingdoms

oftheworld,andthirdthechallengeforHimtocastHimselfdownfromthe pinnacle of the temple. The reason for this variation is not hard tofind. In Matthew, the order is arranged climactically, so as to makeRulership over all the kingdoms of the world the final bait which theDevildangledbeforetheSonofDavid.ButinLukewehave,nodoubt,thechronologicalorder,theorderinwhichtheyactuallyoccurred,andthesecorrespondwiththeorderoftemptationofthefirstmanandhiswifeinEden,wheretheappealwasmade,ashereinLuke,tothelustoftheflesh,the lustof theeyes,and theprideof life—see 1John2:16andcompareGenesis3:6.Wemayalsonote thatLuke is the only one to tell us that"Jesus returned in thepower of theSpirit intoGalilee" (4:14), showingthat the old Serpent had utterly failed to disturb the perfect fellowshipwhich existed between the incarnate Son of God upon earth and HisFather in Heaven. After the horrible conflict was over, the Lord JesusreturnedtoGalileeintheunabated"poweroftheSpirit."

Following the account of the Temptation, Luke next tells us, "And Hecame toNazareth,whereHehadbeenbrought up: and, asHis customwas,HewentintothesynagogueontheSabbathday,andstoodupfortoread" (4:16). Luke again, is the only one that mentions this, it beinganother point of interest in connection with our Lord’s Manhood,informingus, as itdoes, of theplacewhereHehadbeen "brought up,"andshowingushowHehadtherebeenwonttooccupyHimselfoneachSabbathday.Inthewordsthatfollowthereisasmalllineinthepicturewhich is very significant and suggestive: "And therewasdelivereduntoHimthebookoftheprophetIsaiah.AndwhenHehadopenedthebook,Hefoundtheplacewhere itwaswritten,TheSpiritof theLordisuponMe" etc. The book, be it noted, did not openmagically at the pageHedesiredtoreadfrom,but,likeanyother,theSonofManturnedthepagesuntilHehad"foundtheplace"required!

Others have called attention to another thing which occurred on thisoccasionandwhichwasprofoundlysuggestive.ThereinthesynagogueatNazareththeSaviourreadfromtheopeningwordsofIsaiah61,anditwillbefoundbycomparingtherecordoftheprophetwiththeLord’sreadingasrecordedinLuke4,thatHestoppedatamostsignificantpoint.IsaiahsaystheSpiritof theLordwasuponHimto"preach"goodtidingsunto

the meek to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day ofvengeanceofourGod;"but inLuke4wefindtheSaviourread that theSpirit of the Lordwas uponHim to "preach" the gospel to the poor toproclaim the acceptable year of the Lord," and there He stopped, forimmediately followingwearetold,"Heclosedthebook."HeceasedHisreadingfromIsaiahinthemidstofasentence;Heconcludedatacomma!Why was it that He did not complete the verse, and add, "The Day ofVengeanceofourGod"?Theansweris,Becausesuchdidnot fallwithinthescopeofHismissionatHis firstAdvent.The"DayofVengeance" isyetfuture.TheLordJesuswassettingusanexampleof"rightlydividingtheWordofTruth"(2Tim.2:15).AstheSaviourclosedthebookthatdayinNazareth’ssynagogue,Hedeclared,"ThisdayisthisScripturefulfilledin your ears" (Luke 4:21), and that which was then "fulfilled" was theportionHehadreadtothemfromIsaiah61:1,2;theremainderofIsaiah61:2wasnotthenfulfilled,forithastodowiththatwhichisyetfuture:hence,Hereaditnot.ItshouldbeaddedthatthenexttimewefindtheLordJesuswitha"book"inHishandsisinRevelation5:7,andtherewereadofHimopeningit—seeRevelation6:1etc.—andthestrikingthingisthatwhentheLordopensthatbooktheDayofGod’sVengeance,solongdelayed,thencommences!Thesepointshavebeenbroughtoutbyothersbeforeus,butwehavenotseenitintimatedthatLukeistheonlyoneofthe four Evangelists to refer to this incident. Not only was there adispensational reasonwhy the Lord Jesus readnot thewhole of Isaiah61:2intheNazarethsynagoguethatday,butitwaspeculiarlyfittingthatthe one whose happy task it was to present the human perfections ofChrist, should note our Lord’s silence concerning the Day of God"vengeance"!

ItisbeyondourpresentpurposetoattemptevenarunningexpositionofeachchapterofthisthirdEvangel.Wearenotseekingtobeexhaustive,butsimplysuggestive,callingattentiontosomeofthemoreoutstandingfeaturesofLuke’sGospel.Thereissomuchherethatisnotfoundintheother three Gospels, that to examine in detail every distinctive featurewouldcallforalargevolume.Asthiswoulddefeatourobject,weshallbecontenttosingleoutafewthingshereandthere.

Luke7recordstheraisingofthewidowofNain’sson.Noneoftheothers

mentionthis.ThereareseverallinesinthispicturewhichservetobringoutthatwhichiscentralinLuke’sGospel,namely,humanneed,humanrelationships, and human sympathies. Thus we may note that the onehereraisedbyChristwas"theonlysonofhismother"andthatshewasa"widow;" that when the Lord saw her "weep not"; that before Hecommanded the dead to "Arise,"He first "came and touched the bier,"and that after the dead onewas restored to life, the Saviour "deliveredhimtohismother."

InLuke8:2,3wearetold,"Andcertainwomenwhichhadbeenhealedofevil spirits and infirmities, Mary calledMagdalene, out of whom wentseven demons, and Joanna the wife of Chuza, Herod’s steward, andSusanna, and many others, which ministered unto Him of theirsubstance." How this shows us the place which our blessed Lord hadtakenastheSonofMan!NothinglikethisisfoundintheotherGospels,andthatforaverygoodreason.Itwouldhavebeenbeneaththedignityofthe King of the Jews to be "ministered unto" with the substance ofwomen; it would be out of place inMark’s Gospel, for there the HolySpiritshowsusthattheServantmustlooktoGodonlyforthesupplyofHiseveryneed;whileJohn,ofcourse,wouldnotmentionit, forhesetsforth theDivinegloriesofourLord.But it isperfectlyappropriate,andilluminativetoo,intheGospelwhichtreatsofChrist’shumanity.

AbovewehavenotedthatLukeinformsustheoneraisedfromdeathbyChrist at Nain was a widow’s "only son," and wemay now notice twoother examples from thisGospelwhere the same feature ismentioned.The first is in connection with the daughter of Jairus. Matthew says,"WhileHe spake these things unto them, behold, there came a certainruler, and worshipped Him saying, My daughter is even now dead"(9:18). Mark tells us, "Behold, there cometh one of the rulers of thesynagogue, Jairus by name; and when he saw Him, saying, My littledaughterliethatthepointofdeath"(5:22,23).ButLukegivesadditionalinformation,"And,behold,therecameamannamedJairus,andhewasarulerofthesynagogue:andhefelldownatJesus’feet,andbesoughtHimthatHewouldcomeintohishouse:forhehadoneonlydaughter,abouttwelveyearsofage,andshelayadying"(8:41,42).Thesecondexampleisinconnectionwiththedemonpossessedchild,whosefathersoughtrelief

at the hands of Christ’s disciples.Matthew says, "Andwhen they werecometothemultitude,therecametoHimacertainman,kneelingdowntoHim,andsaying,Lord,havemercyonmyson: forhe is lunatic,andsore vexed: for oft-timeshe falleth into the fire, andoft into thewater.AndIbroughthimtoThydisciples,andtheycouldnotcurehim"(17:14-16). But Luke tells us, "And, behold, aman of the company cried out,saying,Master, I beseechThee, look uponmy son: for he ismine onlychild. And, lo, a spirit taketh him, and he suddenly crieth out; and itteareth him that he foameth again, and bruising him hardly departethfromhim.AndIbesoughtThydisciplestocasthimout;andtheycouldnot"(9:38-40).Thus ineachcaseLukecallsattentionto the fact that itwas an "only child" that was healed, thereby appealing to humansympathies.

Luke is the only one who records the exquisite story of the GoodSamaritanministeringtothewoundedtraveler,andtherearemanylinesinthepictureofthis incidentwhichbringout,strikingly,thedistinctivecharacter of this thirdGospel. First, we are shown the traveler himselffalling among thieves, who strip him of his raiment, wound him, anddepart, leavinghimhalf dead.How this brings out the lawlessness, theavarice,thebrutality,andtheheartlessnessoffallenhumannature!Next,wehearofthepriestwhosawthepitiablestateofthewoundedtraveler,lying helpless by the road, yet did he "pass by on the other side." ThepriestwasfollowedbyaLevitewho,thoughhe"cameandlookedon"onthepoormanthatwasinsuchsoreneedofhelp,also"passedbyontheother side." Thus we behold the selfishness, the callousness, the cruelindifferenceofevenreligiousmentowardonewhohadsuchaclaimupontheirsympathies.Inblessedcontrastfromthese,weareshownthegraceoftheSaviourwho,underthefigureofa"Samaritan,"ishereseenmoved"withcompassion"asHecametowherethepoortravelerlay.Insteadofpassingbyontheotherside,Hegoestohim,bindsuphiswounds,setshimonHisownbeast,andbringshimtoaninn,wherefullprovisionismadeforhim.Sodoesthis incident,summarizeas itwere, thescopeofthisentireGospel,byshowingtheinfinitecontrast thatexistedbetweentheperfectSonofManandthefallenanddepravedsonsofmen.

InLuke11wereadoftheuncleanspiritwhogoesoutofaman,andlater,

returnstohishouse,tofindit"sweptandgarnished."Then,wearetold,thisuncleanspirit takeswithhimsevenotherspiritsmorewicked thanhimself,andthey"enterinanddwellthere;andthelaststateofthatmanisworsethanthefirst"(11:24-26).Matthewalsoreferstothisin12:43-45inalmostidenticallanguage,butitisverysignificanttoobservethatLukeomits a sentence with which Matthew closes his narrative. There inMatthew12wefindtheLordappliedtheincidenttotheJewishnationbysaying,"Evensoshallitbealsountothiswickedgeneration"(or"race").This was the dispensational application, which limits it to Israel. Butappropriately does Luke omit these qualifyingwords, for in his Gospelthis incident has awider application, amoral application, representingthe condition of a more extensive class, namely, those who hear theGospel,andreform,butwhoarenever regenerated.Suchmaycleanuptheirhouses,butthoughtheyare"sweptandgarnished,"yettheyarestillempty—theSpiritofGoddoesnotindwellthem!Theyarelikethefoolishvirgins,who, thoughtheymingledwith thewisevirginsandcarriedthelampofpublicprofession,yethadtheynooil(emblemoftheHolySpirit)intheirvessels.Suchcasesofreformationthoughatfirsttheyappeartobe genuine instances of regeneration, ultimately prove to be butcounterfeits, and at the last their condition isworse than it was at thebeginning—theyhavebeendeceivedbytheirowntreacherousheartsanddeluded and blinded by Satan, and in consequence, are far harder toreachwiththeTruthofGod.

InLuke12wehaveanincidentrecordedwhichissimilarinprincipletoLuke’snoticeofourLord’somissionof theclosingwordsof Isaiah61:2whenreadingfromthisscriptureinthesynagogueatNazareth.Herewefind that a certainman came to Christ and said, "Master, speak tomybrother, thathedividethe inheritancewithme"(12:13).But theMasterrefusedtograntthisrequestandsaid,"Man,whomadeMeajudgeoradivideroveryou?"ThereasonwhyLukeistheonlyonetomentionthisiseasilyseen.ItwouldhavebeenincongruousforMatthewtohavereferredto an incident wherein the Lord Jesus declined to occupy the place ofauthorityandactastheadministrator,ofaninheritance;asitwouldhavebeenequallyoutofplace forMark tohavenoticed this casewhereoneshouldhaveaskedtheServanttoofficiateas"judgeanddivider."ButitisfittingitshouldhavefoundaplaceinthisThirdGospel,forthewordsof

Christon thisoccasion, "WhomadeMea judgeoradivideroveryou?"onlyshowus,oncemore,thelowlyplacewhichHehadtakenas"TheSonofMan."

InLuke14thereisrecordedaparablewhichisfoundnowhereelse:"AndHeputforthaparabletothosewhichwerebidden,whenHemarkedhowtheychoseoutthechiefrooms;sayinguntothem,Whenthouartbiddenofanymantoawedding,sitnotdowninthehighestroom, lestamorehonorablemanthanthoubebiddenofhim;Andhe thatbade theeandhim come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin withshame to take the lowest room. But when thou art bidden, go and sitdown in the lowest room; thatwhenhe thatbade thee cometh,hemaysay unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship (or"glory")inthepresenceofthemthatsitatmeatwiththee.Forwhosoeverexaltethhimself shallbeabased;andhe thathumblethhimself shallbeexalted" (vv. 7-11). How thoroughly is this parable in accord with thecharacterandscopeofLuke’sGospel!First, itministersamuchneededrebukeuponthegeneraltendencyoffallenhumannaturetoseekoutthebest places and aim at positions of honor and glory. Secondly, itinculcates the spirit ofmeekness andmodesty, admonishing us to takethe lowly place. And thirdly, it is an obvious shadowing forth of thatwhichtheLordofgloryhaddoneHimself,leavingasHehad,thepositionofdignityandgloryinHeaven,andtakingthe"lowest"placeofalldownhere.

In accordancewith the fact that Luke’sGospel is the third book of theNew Testament (the number which stands for manifestation), we maynoticethatinthefifteenthchapterwehaveaparablewhichrevealstoustheThreePersonsoftheGodhead,eachactivelyengagedinthesalvationofasinner.Itisverystrikingthatitisoneparableinthreepartswhich,taken together,makes fullymanifest theOne trueGod in thePersonoftheFather,theSon,andtheHolySpirit.

Luke15maywellbeentitled,Godseekingandsavingthelost.Inthethirdpartof thisparable,whichdealswith the "prodigalSon,"weareshownthe sinner actually coming into the presence of the Father, and therereceivingacordialwelcome,beingsuitablyclothed,andgivenaplaceatHis table inhappy fellowship. Inwhat precedeswe learn of thatwhich

was necessary on the part of God before the sinner could thus bereconciled.The secondpartof theparablebringsbeforeus theworkoftheHoly Spirit, going after the one dead in sins and illuminating him,and this under the figure of a woman who, with a light in her hand(emblematic of theLampofGod’sWord), seeks diligently till she findsthat which was lost. Notice, particularly, that her work was inside thehouse,justastheHolySpiritworkswithinthesinner.InthefirstpartoftheparableweareshownthatwhichprecededthepresentworkofGod’sSpirit.TheministryoftheSpiritisthecomplementtotheWorkofChrist,hence,atthebeginningofthechapter,theSaviourHimselfisbeforeus,underthefigureoftheShepherd,whowentforthtoseekandtosavethesheepthatwaslost.Thus,thefirstpartoftheparabletellsofGod’sWorkfor us, as the second tells of God’s work in us, the third part makingknown the blessed result and happy sequel. So, in this one parable inthreeparts,wehave revealed theOneGod in theThreePersons of theHolyTrinity,fullymanifestedintheworkofseekingandsavingthelost.

In full accordwithwhat has just been before us in Luke 15, though inmarkedand solemncontrast,we find that in thenext chapter theLordJesusmakesfullymanifestthestateofthelostafterdeath.Nowhereelsein the four Gospels do we find, as here, the lifting of the veil whichseparatesandhidesfromustheconditionofthosewhohavepassedintothe nextworld.Here the Lord gives us a specimen case of the presenttormentsofthelost,intheexperiencesofthe"richman"afterdeath.Weread "Inhellhe lift uphis eyes, being in torments, and seethAbrahamafar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, FatherAbraham,havemercyonme,andsendLazarusthathemaydipthetipofhisfingerinwater,andcoolmytongue;forIamtormentedinthisflame.ButAbrahamsaid,Son,rememberthatthouinthylifetimereceivestthygoodthings,andLazarusevilthings:butnowheiscomforted,andthouart tormented.Andbeside all this, betweenus and you there is a greatgulf fixed: so that they which would pass from hence to you cannot;neither can they pass to us, that would come from thence" (vv.23-26).Herewelearnthatthedamned,evennow,areinaplaceofsuffering;thattheyare"intorments;"thatthemiseryoftheirawfullotisaccentuatedbybeingenabledto"see"thehappyportionof theredeemed;thatthere is,however,animpassiblegulffixedbetweenthesavedandthelost,which

makes it impossible for theone to go to theother; thatmemory is stillactive in those that are in Hell, so that they are reminded of theopportunitieswasted,whiletheywereuponearth;thattheycryformercyand beg forwater to allay their fiery sufferings, but that this is deniedthem.Unspeakablysolemnisthis,andamostpointedwarningtoallstilluponearthto"fleefromthewrathtocome"andtotakerefugeintheonlyOnewhocandeliverfromit.

Passing on now to the nineteenth chapter we may observe how Lukethere records something that is absent from the other Gospels. "AndwhenHewascomenear,Hebeheldthecity,andweepoverit,Saying,Ifthou hadst known,which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hidfromthineeyes"(vv.41,42).Howthisbringsoutthehumansympathiesofthe Saviour! As He looked upon Jerusalem, and foresaw the miserieswhichwere shortly to be its portion, the Son ofManwept.Hewas nostoic, but One whose heart was full of compassion for the sufferers ofearth.

In drawing to a close, we would notice seven features which areparticularly prominent in thisGospel, andwhich are in striking accordwithitsparticularthemeandscope:—

1.Thefulldescriptionheregivenoffallenhumannature.

Luke’sistheGospelofourLord’sManhood,and,asHeisthetrueLightshiningamid thedarkness, it isherealso that thecharacteristicsofourcorrupt human nature are shown up as nowhere else. Luke’s specialdesignistopresenttheLordJesusastheSonofMancontrastedfromthesons of men. Hence it is that the depravity, the impotency, thedegradation and the spiritual deadness of all the members of Adam’sfallenraceisbroughtoutherewithsuchfullnessandclearness.Itishere,and here only, we read that, until the miracle-working power of Godintervened, themother of John the Baptist was barren—apt symbol offallenhumannaturewithitstotalabsenceofspiritualfruit;andthathisfather, though a priest, was filledwith unbelief whenGod’smessengerannouncedtohimtheforth-comingmiracle.Itisonlyherethatwereadof all the world being "taxed" (Luke 2:1), which tells, in suggestivesymbol, of the burdens imposed by Satan on his captive subjects. It is

onlyherethatwereadthatwhenMarybroughtforthherSon,therewas"no room for them in the inn," signifying the world’s rejection of theSaviourfromthebeginning.ItisonlyherewearetoldthatwhentheLordJesus came to Nazareth and read in the synagogue from the prophetIsaiah, adding a comment ofHis own, that "All they in the synagogue,when theyheard these things,were filledwithwrath,And roseup, andthrustHimoutofthecity,andledHimuntothebrowofthehillwhereontheircitywasbuilt,thattheymightcastHimdownheadlong"(4:28,29):thus did those who ought to have known Him the best, manifest theterribleenmityofthecarnalmindagainstGodandHisChrist.Itisonlyhere thatweread, "And it came topass,whenHewas inacertaincity,behold a man full of leprosy: who seeing Jesus fell on his face, andbesought Him, saying Lord, if Thou wilt, Thou canst make me clean"(5:12).IntheotherGospelsreferenceismadetothissameincident,butLuke alone tells us that the subject of thismiracle was full of leprosy."Leprosy"isthewellknownfigureofsin,anditisonlyinLukethatman’stotal depravity is fully revealed. It is only in Luke that we hear of thedisciples of Christ asking permission to call down fire fromHeaven toconsumethosewhoreceivednottheSaviour(9:51-55).ItisonlyherethatChrist, in the well known parable of the Good Samaritan, portrays theabject condition of the natural man, under the figure of the one who,having fallen among thieves, had been stripped of his raiment, sorelywounded,andleftbythewaysidehalfdead.ItisonlyherethatwereadoftheRichFoolwhodeclared,"Iwillsaytomysoul,Soul,thouhastmuchgoodslaidupformanyyears;takethineease,eat,drink,andbemerry"(12:19), forsuchistheinvariabletendencyoftheboastfulhumanheart.So, too, it is onlyhere that inLuke 15 the sinner is likenedunto a lostsheep—an animal so senseless that once it is lost, it only continues tostrayfartherandfartherawayfromthefold.ItisonlyherethatwefindtheSaviourdrawing thatmatchlesspictureof theProdigal Son,who soaccuratelydepictsthesinnerawayfromGod,havingwastedhissubstancein riotous living, and who, reduced to want, finds nothing in the farcountrytofeedupon,exceptthehuskswhichtheswinedideat.Itisonlyhere that we learn of the heartless indifference of the rich man whoneglectedthepoorwretchthatlayathisgatefullofsores.Itisonlyherethattheself-righteousnessofmanis fullydisclosedinthepersonof thePhariseeintheTemple(Luke18).Andsowemightgoon.Butsufficient

hasbeensaidtoproveourstatementattheheadofthisparagraph.

2.TheMannerinwhichLukeintroduceshisParables,etc.

InperfectaccordwiththecharacterandscopeofHisGospel,wefindthatLukeintroducesmostofhisparables,alsovariousincidentsnarratedbyhim, aswell as certain portions of our Lord’s teachings, in awayquitepeculiar to himself. By comparing the parallel passages in the otherGospels, and by noting the words we now place in italics, this will beapparenttothereader.

InLuke5:12,wearetold,that"amanfullofleprosy"cametoChristtobehealed, whereas Matthew, when describing the same incident, merelysays, "therecamea leper" toHim(8:2).Again, in8:27we read, "WhenHewentforthtoland,theremetHimoutofthecity,acertainman,whichhad demons a long time, and ware no clothes, neither abode in anyhouse, but in the tombs;"whereasMatthew8:28 reads, "AndwhenHewascometotheothersideintothecountryoftheGergessenes,theremetHim(not"twomen,"but)twopossessedwithdemonscomingoutofthetombs"etc.Again,in8:41weread,"TherecameamannamedJairus,andhewasarulerofthesynagogue:andhefelldownatJesus’feet,"whereasMark5:22says,"Therecomethoneoftherulersofthesynagogue,Jairusbyname;andwhenhesawHim,hefellatHisfeet."InLuke9:57weread,"And it came topass, that, as theywent in theway, a certainman saiduntoHim,Lord, Iwill followTheewhithersoeverThougoest,"whereasMatthew 8:19 reads, "And a certain scribe came, and said unto Him,Master, Iwill followTheewhithersoeverThou goest." In Luke 9:62wefindthattheLordsaid,"Noman(not"disciple,"beitnoted),havingputhishandtotheplough,andlookingback,isfitforthekingdomofGod."In19:35weread,"AsHewascomenighuntoJericho,acertainblindmansatbythewaysidebegging,"butinMark10:46wearetold,"AsHewentoutofJerichowithHisdisciplesandagreatnumberofpeople,blindedBartimaeus,thesonofTimaeus,satbythewaysidebegging."

Coming now to the parables, note the striking way in which they areintroduced here: "And He spake also a parable unto them: No manputtethapieceofanewgarmentuponanold"etc.(5:36)."Acertainmanwent down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves" etc.

(10:30). "And He spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of acertain richman brought forth plentifully" etc. (12:16). "He spake alsothis parable: A certainman had a fig tree planted in his vineyard" etc.(13:6)."ThensaidHeuntohim,Acertainmanmadeagreatsupper"etc.(14:16)."AndHespakethisparableuntothem,saying,Whatmanofyou,havingahundredsheep"etc.(15:3,4)."AndHesaid,Acertainmanhadtwosons"etc.(15:11)."AndHesaidalsountoHisdisciples,Therewasacertainrichman,whichhadasteward"etc. (16:1)."Therewasacertainrichman,whichwasclothedinpurpleandfinelinen"etc.(16:19)."AndHespakeaparabletothemtothisend,thatmen(not"believers")oughtalwaystopray,andnottofaint"etc.(18:1)."ThenbeganHetospeaktothepeopleofthisparable;Acertainmanplantedavineyard"etc.(20:9)."AndHespakealsothisparableuntocertainwhichtrustedinthemselvesthattheywererighteous,anddespisedothers.TwomenwentupintotheTemple to pray" etc. (18:9,10). Thuswe seehow thehuman element isemphasizedhere.

3.ThereferencestoChristas"TheSonofMan."

It is only in thisGospelwe read that theSaviour said to thePharisees,"Thedayswillcome,whenyeshalldesiretoseeoneofthedaysoftheSonofMan,andyeshallnotseeit"(17:22).It isonlyinthisGospelwefindthat theSaviourput thequestion, "When theSonofMancometh,shallHefindfaithontheearth?"(18:8).It isonlyinthisGospelwefindthattheSavioursaidtoHisfollowers,"Watchyetherefore,andprayalways,that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shallcometopass,andtostandbeforetheSonofMan"(21:36).Anditisonlyin this Gospel we find that the Saviour said to Judas in the garden,"BetrayestthoutheSonofManwithakiss?"(22:14).

Itis,perhapsevenmorestrikingtonoticethatLukerecordsanumberofinstanceswhereourLordreferredtoHimselfas"TheSonofMan"where,in the parallel passages in the other Gospels this title is omitted. Forexample,inMatthew16:21weread,"FromthattimeforthbeganJesustoshowuntoHisdisciples,howthatHemustgountoJerusalem,andsuffermanythingsoftheeldersandchiefpriestsandscribes,andbekilled,andbe raised again the thirdday;"whereas, inLuke9:22we learn thatHesaiduntoHisdisciples,"TheSonofManmustsuffermanythings,andbe

rejectedof theeldersandchiefpriestsandscribes,andbeslain,andberaised the third day." Again; in Matthew 5:11 the Lord said to Hisdisciples,"Blessedareye,whenmenshallrevileyou,andpersecuteyou,andshallsayallmannerofevilagainstyoufalsely,forMysake;"whereas,intheparallelpassageinLukeweread,"Blessedareye,whenmenshallhateyou,andwhentheyshallseparateyoufromtheircompany,andshallreproachyou,andcastoutyournameasevil,fortheSonofMan’ssake"(6:22).Again; inMatthew10:32weread, "Butwhatsoevershall confessMebeforemen,himwillIconfessbeforeMyFatherwhichisinHeaven;"whereas in Luke 12:8we are told, "Whosoever shall confessMe beforemen,himshall theSonofManconfessbefore theangelsofGod."Oncemore;inJohn3:17wearetold,"ForGodsentnotHisSonintotheworldtocondemntheworld;butthattheworldthroughHimmightbesaved;"whereas, in Luke 9:56 we read, "For the Son of Man is not come todestroymen’slives,buttosavethem."HowtheseexamplesbringouttheverbalperfectionsofHolyWrit!

4.TheLordisreferredtoas"theFriend"ofpublicansandsinners.

ItisonlyLukewhotellsus,"AndLevimadeHimagreatfeastinhisownhouse:andtherewasagreatcompanyofpublicansandofothersthatsatdownwith them"(5:29). It isonlyherewe learn thatChrist said to thequerulous Jews, "For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nordrinkingwine, and ye say,He hath a demon. The Son ofMan is comeeating and drinking; and ye say, Behold a gluttonous man, and awinebidder, a Friend of publicans and sinners!" (7:33,34). It is only inthisGospelwefindthattheSaviour’scriticsopenlymurmured,andsaid,"ThisManreceivethsinners,andeatethwiththem"(15:2).AnditisonlyherewearetoldthatbecauseZaccheushadjoyfullyreceivedtheSaviourintohishouse"theyallmurmured,saying,ThatHewasgonetobeguestwithamanthatisasinner"(19:7).

It isbeautiful tonotice thegraduationpointedbytheHolySpirit inthelastthreepassagesquotedabove.In7:34Christissimply"TheFriendofpublicansandsinners." In15:2 itwassaid,"ThisManreceivethsinnersandeatethwiththem."Butin19:7wearetold,"Hewasgonetobeguestwithamanthatisasinner"!ThusdidGodmakeeventhewrathofmantopraiseHim.

5.TheLordishereportrayedasaManofPrayer.

It is indeed striking to see how often the Saviour is seen engaged inprayerinthisGospel.Thefollowingpassagesbringthisout:"Nowwhenall the people were baptized, it came to pass that Jesus also beingbaptized,andpraying,theheavenwasopened"(3:21)."AndHewithdrewHimselfintothewilderness,andprayed"(5:16)."Anditcametopassinthosedays,thatHewentoutintoamountaintopray,andcontinuedallnightinprayertoGod"(6:12)."Anditcametopassaboutaneightdaysafterthesesayings,HetookPeterandJohnandJames,andwentupintoamountain topray.AndasHeprayed, the fashionofHis countenancewasaltered"(9:28,29)."Anditcametopass,that,asHewasprayinginacertainplace,whenHeceased,oneofHisdisciplessaiduntoHim,Lord,teachustopray"(11:1)."AndtheLordsaid,Simon,Simon,behold,Satanhathdesiredtohaveyou,thathemaysiftyouaswheat:ButIhaveprayedforthee,thatthyfaithfailnot"(22:31,32)."AndHewaswithdrawnfromthemaboutastone’scast,andkneeleddown,andprayed.Andbeing inanagonyHeprayedmoreearnestly"(22:41,44)."ThensaidJesus,Father,forgive themfor theyknownotwhat theydo" (23:34):onlyheredowefindHimprayingthusforHismurderers.AddtotheseexamplesthefactthatLukealonerecordsourLord’steachingonPrayerwhichisfoundin11:5-8,thatheonlytellsusofHisparableonImportunityinprayer(18:1-7),andthathealonetellsusofthetwomenwhowentuptotheTempletopray, and it will be seen what a prominent place prayer has in Luke’sGospel.

6.ChristisfrequentlyseenhereEatingfood.

"AndoneofthePhariseesdesiredHimthatHewouldeatwithhim.AndHewentintothePharisee’shouseandsatdowntomeat"(7:36)."AndasHe spake, a certain Pharisee besought Him to dine with him: and Hewentin,andsatdowntomeat"(11:37)."Anditcametopass,asHewentintothehouseofoneofthechiefPhariseestoeatbreadontheSabbathday,theywatchedHim"(14:1)."Andwhentheysayit,theyallmurmured,saying,ThatHewasgonetobeguestwithamanthatisasinner"(19:7)."And it came topass,asHesatatmeatwith them,He tookbread,andblessedit,andbrake,andgavetothem"(24:30)."AndtheygaveHima

pieceofabroiledfish,andofanhoneycomb.AndHetookit,anddideatbefore them" (24:42,43). It scarcely needs to be pointed out that theseexamplesdemonstratedtherealityofHisManhood.

7.TheCircumstancesconnectedwithHisDeathandResurrection.

The awful hour spent in Gethsemane is described in this third Gospelwithafullnessofdetailwhichisnotfoundintheothers.Lukeistheonlyone that tellsus, "And thereappearedanangeluntoHimfromheaven,strengtheningHim;"asheistheonlyonetosay,"AndbeinginagonyHeprayedmoreearnestly:andHissweatwasasitweregreatdropsofbloodfallingdowntotheground"(22:43,44).ThenfollowedtheArrest,andastheywereall leaving theGarden,we read, "Andoneof themsmote theservantof thehighpriest, and cutoffhis ear.AndJesus answered andsaid, Suffer ye thus far, and He touched his ear, and healed him"(22:50,51). The other Evangelists record this incident of the smiting ofthehighpriest’s servant, but onlyLuke shows us the tenderness of theSaviour, full of compassion toward the suffering of others, right to thelast.

Lukeistheonlyonetotellus,"AndtherefollowedHimagreatcompanyof people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamentedHim.ButJesusturninguntothemsaid,DaughtersofJerusalem,weepnotforMe,butweepforyourselves,andforyourchildren"(23:27,28).Appropriately,doesthisfindaplacehere,bringingout,asitdoes,humanemotionsandsympathies.LukeistheonlyonetodesignatetheplacewheretheSaviourwas crucified by its Gentile name—"And when they were come to theplace, which is called Calvary, there they crucified Him" (23:33). And,again, Luke tells us, "A superscription also was written over Him inletters of Greek, and Latin, andHebrew, This is the King of the Jews"(23:38).How this hints at the international scope of this thirdGospel!MatthewandMarkgivenohintof the"superscription"beingwritten intheworld-languagesoftheday;thoughJohndoes,forhe,again,presentsChristinconnectionwith"theworld."Lukeistheonlyonetodescribetheconversionofthedyingrobber,andtorecordhiswitnesstotheHumanperfections of the Lord Jesus: "This Man hath done nothing amiss"(23:41).So,too,it isonlyherewefindasimilartestimonybornebytheRoman centurion: "Now when the centurion saw what was done, he

glorifiedGod,saying,CertainlythiswasarighteousMan"(23:47).

AfterHisresurrectionfromthedead, it isonlyLukewhomentionsthatlong walk of the Saviour with the two disciples, and of the familiarintercoursewhichtheyhadtogetherastheyjourneyedtoEmmaus.AndLuke is the only onewho presents the Lord to our view as eating foodafterHehadrisenintriumphfromthegrave.

ItonlyremainstoaddabriefwordconcerningthecharacteristicmannerinwhichthisthirdGospelcloses.Lukealonetellsus,"AndHeledthemoutasfarastoBethany,andHeliftedupHishands,andblessedthem"(24:50)—abeautifultouchisthis!Thenwearetold,"Anditcametopass,whileHe blessed them,Hewas parted from them, and carried up intoHeaven"(24:51).Note,particularly, thatLukesays that theSonofManwas"carriedupintoHeaven,"notthatHeascended!Andthenthecurtainfallstothestrainsoftheexpressionsofhumanjoyandpraise:"Andtheyworshipped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy: and werecontinuallyintheTemple,praisingandblessingGod.Amen"(24:52,53).

TheGospelOfJohn

AsweturntothefourthGospelwecometoentirelydifferentgroundfromthatwhichwehavetraversedintheotherthree.True,theperiodoftimewhichiscoveredbyit,isthesameasintheothers;true,thatsomeoftheincidentsthathavealreadybeenlookedatwillherecomebeforeusagain;and true it is that he who has occupied the central position in thenarratives of the first three Evangelists, is the same One that is madepreeminentbyJohn;butotherwise,everythinghereisentirelynew.ThefourthGospelismoreelevatedinitstone,itsviewpointismoreexalted,its contents bring before us spiritual relationships rather than humanties,andhighergloriesarerevealedastouchingthepeerlesspersonoftheSaviour. In each of the first three Gospels, Christ is viewed in humanconnections,butnosointhefourth.MatthewpresentsHimastheSonof

David;Mark,astheperfectWorkmanofGod;Luke,astheSonofMan;butJohnunveilsHisDivineglories.Again;Matthewwrites,particularly,for the Jews; Mark, is specially adapted to God’s servants; Luke’s iswrittenformenasmen;butJohn’sGospelisconcernedwiththeFamilyofGod.

John’sGospelisthefourthbookoftheNewTestament,andfouris3+1.The numerals of Scripture are not employed fortuitously, but are usedwithDivinediscriminationandsignificance.Thereverentstudent isnotleftfreetojugglewiththemathisowncaprice,normayhegivetothemanarbitrarymeaning,soastofitinwithanyprivateinterpretationsofhisown. If he is honest, hewill gather his definitions from themanner inwhichtheyareemployedinScriptureitself.Thus,whetherourstatementthatfouris3+1isanarbitraryassertionornot,mustbedeterminedbyitssupport,orlackofit,intheWord.ThenumeralfourisusedtwowaysintheBible.First,itsmeaningasawholenumber,andsecond,itsmeaningasadistributivenumber.Initsfirstusage,fouristheworldnumber,thenumberoftheearthandallthingstherein,thenumberofthecreature,assuch;andhence,itcomestosignify,Universality.Butinitssecondusage,the distributive, when employed in connection with a series, it isfrequentlydividedintothreeandone.Fourisrarely,ifeveranintensifiedtwo;thatis,itssignificancedoesnotrepresent2x2.

The last paragraph sounds somewhat academical,we fear, but its forcemay become more apparent as we apply its principles to our presentsubject. The four Gospels form a series, and the character of theircontentsobviouslydividethemintoathreeandaone,justasinthefourkinds of soil in the parable of the Sower, representing four classes ofhearersoftheWord,areaseries,andsimilarlydivided—threebarrenandonefruitful.Aswehaveseen,thefirstthreeGospelshavethatincommonwhich,necessarily,bindsthemtogether—eachlookingatChristinhumanconnections. But the fourth is clearly distinguished from the others bypresenting Christ in a Divine relationship, and therefore it standsseparated from the others. This conclusion is established beyond alldoubt, whenwe observe that the character of its contents is in perfectaccordwiththesignificanceofthenumeralone.Onespeaks,primarily,ofGod: "Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God is one Lord" (Deut. 6:4). And

again: "And theLord shall beKing over all the earth: in that day shalltherebeoneLord,andHisnameone"(Zech.14:9).Inalllanguagesoneisthe symbol of unity: it excludes all others. The first of the tencommandments,therefore,was:

"Thou shalt have no other gods before Me" (Ex. 20:3). So in John’sGospel, the one following the other three, it is the Godhead of Christwhichisinview.

Each book in theBible has a prominent and dominant themewhich ispeculiar to itself. Just as eachmember in the humanbody has its ownparticularfunction,soeverybookinthelivingBodyofDivineTruthhasitsownspecialpurposeandmission.ThethemeofJohn’sGospel is theDeityofChrist.Here,asnowhereelsesofully,theGodheadof theLordJesus ispresented toourview.Thatwhich isoutstanding in this fourthGospelistheDivineSonshipofourSaviour.InthisGospelweareshownthat theOne born at Bethlehem,whowalked this earth for over thirtyyears, who was crucified at Calvary, and who forty-three days laterdeparted fromthesescenes,wasnoneother than"theOnly-BegottenoftheFather."Theevidencepresentedforthisisoverwhelming,theproofsalmostwithoutnumber,andtheeffectofcontemplatingthemmustbetobowourheartsinworshipbefore"ThegreatGod,andourSaviourJesusChrist"(Titus2:13).

Here isa themeworthyofourmostreverentandprayerfulattention.IfsuchDivinecarewastaken,aswesawinthepreviouschapter,toguardthe perfections of our Lord’s humanity, equally so, has theHoly SpiritseentoitthatthereshouldbenouncertaintyconcerningtheaffirmationoftheabsoluteDeityofourSaviour.JustastheOldTestamentprophetsmadeknownthattheComingOneshouldbeaMan,andaperfectMan,sodidMessianicpredictionalsogiveplain intimationthatHewouldbemorethanaMan.ThroughIsaiah,GodforetoldthatuntoIsraelaChildshould be born, and unto them a Son should be given, and that "thegovernment shall be uponHis shoulder: and His name shall be calledWonderful,Counsellor, ThemightyGod, theFather of the ages (Heb.),the Prince of Peace" (9:6). Through Micah, He declared, "But thou,Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands ofJudah,yetoutoftheeshallHecomeforthuntoMethatistobeRulerin

Israel: whose goings forth have been from the days of eternity" —marginalrendering(5:2)!ThroughZechariah,Hesaid"Awake,OSword,againstMyShepherd, andagainst theMan that isMyFellow, saith theLord of hosts" (13:7). Through the Psalmist,He announced, "The Lordsaid unto my Lord, Sit Thou at My right hand, until I make ThineenemiesThy footstool" (110:1).Andagain,when looking forward to thetime of the secondAdvent, "TheLordhath said untoMe,ThouartMySon;thisdayhaveIbegottenThee"(or,"broughtTheeforth")2:7.

ComingnowtotheNewTestamentwemaysingleouttwoorthreeofthemost explicit witnesses to theDeity of Christ. InRomans 9, where theapostleisenumeratingthepeculiarprivilegesofIsrael,hesaysinverse5,"Whosearethefathers,andofwhomasconcerningthefleshChristcame,whoisoverall,Godblessedforever.Amen."In1Corinthians15wearetold,"Andthefirstmanisoftheearth,earthy,butthesecondManistheLordfromHeaven"(v.47).InColossians1:16weread,"ForbyHimwereall things created, that are inheaven, and that are in earth, visible andinvisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities orpowers:allthingswerecreatedbyHimandforHim;"andagain,in2:9,"ForinHimdwellethallthefullnessoftheGodheadbodily."InHebrews1welearnthat"God,whoatsundrytimesandindiversmannersspakeintimepastuntothefathersbytheprophets,HathintheselastdaysspokenuntousbyHisSon,whomHehathappointedHeirofallthings,bywhomalsoHemadetheworlds;WhobeingtheBrightnessofHisglory,andtheexpressImageofHisperson,andupholdingallthingsbytheWordofHispower,whenHehadbyHimselfpurgedoursins,satdownontherighthandoftheMajestyonhigh"(Heb.1:1-3).While inRevelation19:16weare informedthatwhenHecomesbacktoearthagain,"HehathonHisvesture and on His thigh a name written, King of Kings, and Lord oflords." A more emphatic, positive, and unequivocal testimony to theabsoluteDeityofChristcouldnotbeborne.

In these days of widespread departure from the Truth, it cannot beinsistedupontoostronglyortoofrequentlythattheLordJesusChristisnone other than the Second Person in the Holy Trinity. Vicious butspeciousaretheattacksnowbeingmadeuponthiscardinalarticleinthefaithonceforalldeliveredtothesaints.Satan,whoposesasanangelof

light,isnowsendingforthhisministers"transformedastheministersofrighteousness."Menwhoare loudly trumpeting their faith in theverbalinspirationofScripture,andwhoevenprofesstobelieveinthevicariousSacrifice of Christ are, nevertheless, denying the absolute Godhood ofHimwhomtheyclaimtobeserving: theyrepudiateHisessentialDeity,theydenyHisEternality,andreduceHimtothelevelofamerecreature.Itwasconcerningmenof this class that theHolySpirit said, "For suchare false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into theapostlesofChrist"(2Cor.11:13).

InkeepingwiththespecialthemeofthefourthGospel,itisherethatwehavethefullestunveilingofChrist’sDivineglories. It isherewebeholdHimdwelling "withGod"before timebegan andbefore ever a creaturewasformed(1:1,2).ItisherethatHeisdenominated"theOnlyBegottenoftheFather’(1:14).ItishereJohntheBaptistbearsrecordthat"thisistheSonofGod"(1:34).Itishereweread,"ThisbeginningofmiraclesdidJesusinCanaofGalilee,andmanifestedforthHisglory"(2:11).ItisherewearetoldthattheSavioursaid,"Destroythistemple,andinthreedaysIwillraiseitup"(2:19).ItisherewereadthatGodsentHisSonintotheworld,nottocondemnbuttosave(3:17).It isherewe learnthatChristdeclared, "Foras theFather raisethup thedead, andquickeneth them;even so the Son quickeneth whomHe will. For the Father judgeth noman,buthathcommittedalljudgmentuntotheSon:ThatallmenshouldhonortheSon,evenastheyhonortheFather.HethathonorethnottheSonhonorethnot theFatherwhichhathsentHim"(5:21-23). It isherethatwe findHimaffirming, "For theBreadofGod isHewhichcomethdownfromHeaven,andgiveth lifeuntotheworld"(6:35).It isherewefindHimsaying, "BeforeAbrahamwas, Iam" (8:58). It ishere thatwefindHim declaring, "I and Father areOne" (10:30). It is herewe hearHim saying, "He that hath seenMe, hath seen the Father" (14:9). It ishereHepromises "Whatsoever ye shall ask inMyname, thatwill I do,thattheFathermayglorifiedintheSon"(14:13).ItisherethatHeasks,"Andnow,OFather,glorifyThouMewithThineownSelfwiththeglorywhichIhadwithTheebeforetheworldwas"(17:5).

BeforewetakeupJohn’sGospelindetail,andexaminesomeofthemoreprominentlinesinhisdelineationofChrist’spersonandministry,afew

wordsshouldbesaidconcerningthedispensationalscopeandbearingsofthisGospel. It shouldbeevidentatonce that thisone isquitedifferentfrom the otherGospels. There, Christ is seen in a human relationship,and as connected with an earthly people; but here, He is viewed in aDivine relationship, andas connectedwithaheavenlypeople. It is truethat themystery of the one Body is not unfolded here, rather is it thefamilyofGodwhichisinview.ItisalsotruethattheHeavenlyCallingisnotfullydisclosed,yetarethereplainintimationsofit—whatelsecanbesaid,forexampleoftheLord’swordswhicharefoundin14:2,3?—"InMyFather’sHousearemanymansions: if itwerenot so, Iwouldhave toldyou.Igotoprepareaplace foryou.Andif Igoandprepareaplace foryou, I will come again, and receive you untoMyself; that where I am,thereyemaybealso."

In the first three Gospels, Christ is seen connected with the Jews,proclaiming the Messianic kingdom, a proclamation which ceased,however,assoonasitbecameevidentthattheNationhadrejectedHim.Buthere,inJohn’sGospel,Hisrejectionisannouncedatthebeginning,forintheveryfirstchapterwearetold,"HecameuntoHisown,andHisown received Him not. It is, therefore, most significant to note thatJohn’s Gospel, which instead of presenting Christ in connection withIsrael,viewsHimasrelatedtobelieversbyspiritualties,wasnotwrittenuntil after A.D. 70, when the Temple was destroyed, and the Jewsdispersedthroughouttheworld!

Thedispensationallimitationswhichattachtomuchthatisfoundinthefirst threeGospels, do not hold goodwith John’sGospel, for as SonofGod,Hecanbeknownonlybybelieversassuch.OnthisplanetheJewhas no priority. The Jews claim upon Christ was purely a fleshy one,whereasbelievers are related to theSonofGodby spiritualunion.TheSonofDavid,andtheSonofMantitles linkChristtotheearth,butthe"Son of God" connects Him with the Father in Heaven; hence, in thisfourth Gospel, the earthly kingdom is almost entirely ignored. Inharmonywith these factswemayobserve, that it isonlyhere inJohn’sGospelwehearofChristsaying,"AndothersheepIhave,whicharenotofthis(i.e.,theJewish)fold.ThemalsoImustbring,andtheyshallhearMy voice; and there shall be one fold (i.e., theChristian fold), andone

Shepherd"(10:16).ItisonlyhereinJohnwelearnofthewiderscopeofGod’spurpose in theDeathofHisSon, "Beinghighpriest thatyear,heprophesiedthatJesusshoulddieforthatnation;Andnotforthatnationonly,butthatalsoHeshouldgathertogetherinonethechildrenofGodthat were scattered abroad" (11:51,52). It is only here in John that wehavefullyunfoldedtherelationof theHolySpirit tobelievers.And it isonlyhereinJohnthatwehaverecordedourLord’sHighPriestlyprayer,which gives a sample of His present intercession on high. Theseconsiderations, then, should make it abundantly clear that thedispensationalbearingsofJohn’sGospel are entirelydifferent from theotherthree.

Comingnowtoacloserviewof this fourthGospelwemayobservehowstrikingareitsopeningverses:"InthebeginningwastheWord,andtheWord was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in thebeginningwithGod.AllthingsweremadebyHim;andwithoutHimwasnotanythingmadethatwasmade"(1:1-3).Howentirelydifferentisthisfromwhatwe find in the introductory statements in theotherGospels!Johnstarts,immediately,bypresentingChristastheSonofGod,notastheSonofDavid,ortheSonofMan.Johntakesupbacktothebeginning,andshowsthatourLordhadnobeginning,forHewasinthebeginning.Johngoesrightbackbehindcreation,andshowsthatChristwasHimselftheCreator.

Every clause in these opening verses isworthy of our closest attention.First,theLordJesusisheretermed,"TheWord."Thesignificanceofthistitlemay,perhaps,bemosteasilygraspedbycomparingwith itwhat issaidinverse18ofthisfirstchapterofJohn.Herewearetold:"NomanhathseenGodatanytime;theOnlyBegottenSon,whichisinthebosomoftheFather,HehathdeclaredHim,"or"toldHimout."ChrististheOnewhocameheretotelloutGod.HecameheretomakeGodintelligibletomen.AswereadinHebrews1:"God,whoatsundrytimesandindiversmanners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath intheselastdaysspokenuntousbyHisSon."ChrististhefinalSpokesmanof God. Again; the force of this title of Christ, "the Word," may bediscoveredbycomparingitwiththenamegiventotheBible—theWordofGod.WhataretheScriptures?Theyare,theWordofGod.Andwhatdoes

thatmean?This:thattheScripturesrevealGod’smind,expressHiswill,make knownHis perfections, and lay bare His heart. This is preciselywhat the Lord Jesus Christ has done for the Father. But let us enter alittlemoreintodetail:

(a)A"word"isamediumofmanifestation.Ihaveinmymindathought,butothersknownotitsnature.ButthemomentIclothethatthoughtinwords, it becomes cognizable. Words, then, make objective, unseenthoughts.ThisispreciselywhattheLordJesushasdone,asthe"Word"Christ has made manifest the invisible God. Christ is God clothed inperfecthumanity.

(b)A"word"isameansofcommunication.BymeansofwordsItransmitinformation toothers.BywordsIexpressmyself,makeknownmywill,and impart knowledge. So, Christ as the "Word," is the DivineTransmitter,communicatingtoustheLifeandLoveofGod.

(c) A "word" is amethod of revelation. By hiswords a speaker revealsbothhisintellectualcaliberandhismoralcharacter.Itisbyourwordsweshallbejustified,andbyourwordsweshallbecondemned.AndChrist,asthe"Word,"fullyrevealstheattributesandthecharacterofGod.Howfully He has revealed God! He has displayed His power: He hasmanifested His wisdom: He has exhibited His holiness: He has madeknownHisgrace:HehasunveiledHisheart.InChrist,andnowhereelse,isGodfullyandfinallyrevealed.

But was not God fully revealed in Nature? "Revealed," yes; but "fullyrevealed," no. Nature conceals as well as reveals. Nature is under theCurse,andisfardifferentnowfromwhatitwasinthedaythatitleftthehandsoftheCreator.Natureisimperfecttoday,andhowcanthatwhichisimperfectbeaperfectmediumformanifestingtheinfiniteperfectionsofGod.TheancientshadNaturebeforethem,andwhatdidtheylearnofGod?Letthataltar,whichtheapostlebeheldinoneofthegreatcentersofancient culture and learning,make answer—"To the unknown God," iswhathefoundinscribedthereon.No;inChrist,andinandbyHimalone,isGodfullyandfinallyrevealed.

But lest this figurativeexpression—"theWord"—should convey tousan

inadequateconceptionof theDivinepersonof theLordJesus, theHolySpiritgoesontosay,intheopeningverseofthisGospel,"AndtheWordwaswithGod."ThisdenotesHisseparatePersonality,andalsoindicatesHis essential relation to the Godhead. He was not "in God." And, asthoughthiswerenotstrongenough,theSpiritexpresslyadds,"AndtheWordwasGod."NotanemanationfromGod,butnoneotherthanGod.NotmerelyamanifestationofGod,butGodHimselfmademanifest.NotonlytheRevealerofGod,butGodHimselfrevealed.AmoreunequivocalaffirmationoftheessentialDeityoftheLordJesusChristitisimpossibletoimagine.Granted,thatweareintherealmofmystery,yet,theforceofwhat is here affirmed of the absolute Godhead of Christ cannot behonestly evaded.As to howChrist can be theRevealer ofGod, and yetGodHimselfrevealed;astohowHecanbe"withGod,"andyetbeGod,are high mysteries that our finite minds are no more capable offathoming than we can understand how that God can be withoutbeginning.What ishere stated in John 1:1, is tobe received by simple,unquestioningfaith.

Nextwe read, "All thingsweremade byHim; andwithout Him (apartfromHim)wasnotanythingmadethatwasmade"(1:3).Here,again,theabsoluteDeityofChristisemphaticallyaffirmed,forcreationisascribedtoHim,andnonebutGodcancreate.Man,despiteallhisproudboastsandloftypretensions,isutterlyunabletocreateevenabladeofgrass.If,then,ChrististheCreator,HemustbeGod.Observe,too,thatthewholeofCreationishereattributedtotheSonofGod—"allthingsweremadebyHim."Thiswouldnotbetrue,ifHewereHimselfacreature,eventhoughthefirstandhighest.Butnothing isexcepted—"all thingsweremadebyHim." Just as He was Eternal—before all things—so was He theOriginatorofallthings.

Againweare told,"InHimwas life;andthe lifewastheLightofmen."Thisfollow,necessarily,fromwhathasbeensaidinthepreviousverse.IfChrist created all things, Hemust be the Fount of life. He is the Life-Giver. But more: "The Life was the light of men."What this means ismadeclearintheversesthatfollow."Therewasaman(incontrastfrom"theWord,"whoisGod)sentfromGod,whosenamewasJohn,"andhe,"Came for awitness, to bearwitness of the Light, that all through him

mightbelieve" (1:6,7).Comparewith thesewordswhatwe are told in 1John1:5,"GodisLight,andinHimisnodarknessatall."Theconclusion,then, is irresistible, that the Lord Jesus is none other than God, theSecondPersonintheHolyTrinity.

ButwepassnowtothefourteenthverseofthisopeningchapterofJohn.Having shown the relation of our Lord to Time—without beginning;having declaredHis relation to the Godhead—a separate Person of theTrinity,butHimselfalsoGod;havingdefinedHisrelationtotheUniverse—theCreatorofit,andthegreatLife-Giver;havingstatedHisrelationtoMen—theOnewhoistheirGod,their"Light,"havingannouncedthattheBaptist bore witness to Him as the Light; and having described thereceptionwhichHemetwith here upon earth—unknown by theworld,rejectedbyIsrael,butreceivedbyapeoplewhowere"bornofGod,"theHolySpiritgoesontosay,"AndtheWordwasmade(better,"became")flesh, and dwelt (tabernacled) among us, andwe beheldHis glory, thegloryasoftheOnlyBegottenoftheFather,fullofgraceandtruth."ThisverseannouncestheDivine incarnation,andbringsout,oncemore, theDivinegloriesoftheOnebornofMary.

"TheWordbecameflesh."HebecamewhatHewasnotpreviously.Hedidnot cease to be God, but He became Man. becoming Man, He"tabernacled" among men. He pitched His tent here for thirty-threeyears.AndthenwearetoldthatthetestimonyofthosewhoseeyesDivinepowerhadopened,was,"WebeheldHisglory."Thelanguageofthisversetakes us back in thought to the Tabernacle which was pitched in thewilderness, of old. TheTabernaclewas the place of Jehovah’s abode inthemidst of Israel. It was here that Hemade His dwelling-place. TheTabernaclewaswhereGodmetwithHispeople,hencewasittermed"theTent of Meeting." There, within the Holy of Holies was the ShekinahGlorymanifested. TheLord JesusChristwas theAnti-type.Hewas, inHis ownperson, theMeeting-place betweenGod andmen.And just asthe Shekinah—the visible and glorious manifestation of Jehovah—wasseen in theHoly ofHolies, so thosewho came near to Christ, in faith,"beheld His glory." The Lord Jesus was God manifest in the flesh,displaying"thegloryasof theOnlyBegottenof theFather."For,as the18thversegoesontosay,"NomanhathseenGodatanytime;theOnly

Begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declaredHim." Thus, the essential Deity of theOne born at Bethlehem is, oncemore,expresslyaffirmed.

NextwehavethewitnessofJohntheBaptist.Thisisquitedifferentfromwhatwefind intheotherGospels.Herethere isnoCall toRepentance,thereisnoannouncementof"Thekingdomofheaven"beingathand,andthereisnomentionofChristHimselfbeingbaptizedbyHis forerunner.Insteadof these things,herewe findJohnsaying, "Behold theLambofGod,whichtakethawaythesinof theworld"(1:29).Andagainhesays,"AndIsaw,andbarerecordthatthisistheSonofGod"(1:34).ItisalsotobenotedthatwhenreferringtotheanointingofChristwiththeHolySpirit,awordisusedwhichisnotfoundintheotherGospels:"AndJohnbarerecord,saying,IsawtheSpiritdescendingfromHeavenlikeadove,and itabodeuponHim"(1:32).TheSpiritdidnot comeuponHimandthenleaveagain,aswiththeprophetsofold:it"abode,"acharacteristicand prominent word in John’s Gospel (see particularly chapter 15),havingtodowiththeDivinesideof things,andspeakingofFellowship.Wehavethesamewordagainin14:10—"BelievestthounotthatIamintheFather,andtheFatherinMe?thewordsthatIspeakuntoyouIspeaknotofMyself:buttheFatherthatdwelleth("abideth,"itshouldbe)inMe,Hedoeththeworks."

The first chapter closes by describing the personal Call (not theministerial call in the other Gospels) of the first disciples of the Lord.Hereonlydowe readofChrist saying toNathaniel, "Before thatPhilipcalled thee,when thouwastunder the fig tree, I saw thee" (1:48): thusmanifestingHisOmniscience.HereonlydowefindrecordedNathaniel’switnesstoChrist."Rabbi,ThouarttheSonofGod;ThouarttheKingofIsrael" (1:49). And here only did Christ tell His disciples that, in thecoming Day they should "see Heaven open, and the angels of GodascendinganddescendingontheSonofMan"(1:51).

Coming now to the second chapter, we find described there the firstmiracle performedby theLord Jesus, namely, the turning of thewaterintowine.Johnalonerecordsthis,foronlyGodcanfillthehumanheartwith that Divine joy, of which the wine was here the emblem. In thismiracleweareshownthe"Word"atwork.He,Himself,didnothing.He

simply told the servants what to do, and at His word the wonder wasperformed.Thespecialpointinconnectionwiththismiracleisstatedinverse 11, "This beginning ofmiracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, andmanifestedforthHisglory;andhisdisciplesbelievedonHim."

IntheremainderofthischapterwewitnessChristcleansingtheTemple.Here,again,Johnbringsintothepicturehisowndistinctive lines.HereonlydowefindtheLordtermingtheTemple"MyFather’shouse"(v.16).HereonlydowefindHimsaying,inreplytothechallengeofHiscriticsforasign,"Destroythistemple(meaningHisbody),andinthreedaysIwillraiseitup"(v.19).And,hereonlydoweread,"NowwhenHewasinJerusalematthePassover,inthefeast,manybelievedinHisname,whentheysawthemiracleswhichHedid.ButJesusdidnotcommitHimselfuntothem,becauseHeknewall,andneedednotthatanyshouldtestifyofman:forHeknewwhatwasinman"(vv.23-25).WhataproofwasthisofHis Deity! Only He "knew what was in man." Compare with this thewordsof 1Kings8:39—"HearThou inHeavenThydwellingplace,andforgive,anddo,andgivetoeverymanaccordingtohisways,whoseheartThouknowest—forThou, evenThouonly,knowest theheartsof all thechildren of men." In thus reading the hearts of men, what ademonstrationdidtheSaviourgive,thatHewasGodmanifestinflesh!

John3 records the interviewofNicodemuswithChrist—something notfound in the other three Gospels. In full accord with the scope of thisGospel,we find theSaviourhere speaking toNicodemusnotof faithorrepentance,butof theNewBirth,which is theDivine side in salvation,declaringthat,"Exceptamanbebornagain,hecannotseethekingdomofGod."AndonlyhereinthefourGospelsdoweread,"Godsolovedtheworld, thatHegavehisOnlyBegottenSon, thatwhosoeverbelieveth inHimshouldnotperish,buthaveeverlastinglife"(3:16).

In John 4 we find another incident that is not described elsewhere,namely, the Lord’s dealings with the poor Samaritan adulteress. Andhere,oncemore,webeholdflashesofHisDivinegloryshiningforth.Hetells her, "Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shallneverthirst;butthewaterthatIshallgivehimshallbeinhimawellofwater springing up into everlasting life" (v. 14). He manifests Hisomnisciencebydeclaring, "Thouhasthad fivehusbands; andhewhom

thou now hast is not thy husband" (v. 18). He speaks to her ofworshippingtheFather"inspiritandintruth."HerevealsHimselftoherasthegreat"Iam"(v.26).Hebringsherfromdeathuntolife,andoutofdarkness intoHisownmarvelous light.Finally,HeprovedHisonenesswiththeFatherbyaffirming,"MymeatistodothewillofHimthatsentMe,andtofinishHiswork"(4:34).

John5opensbyrecordingthehealingoftheimpotentmanwhohadaninfirmitythirty-eightyears.NoneoftheotherEvangelistsmakementionofit.Thismiracleevidenced"theWord"atworkagain.Hedoesnothingtothepoorsufferer,notevenlayinghandsuponhim.Hesimplyspeakstheauthoritativeandhealingword,"Rise,takeupthybed,andwalk,"and"immediately,"weread,"themanwasmadewhole,andtookuphisbed,andwalked"(v.9).ThemiraclewasperformedontheSabbathday,andtheLord’senemiesusedthisasanoccasionofcriticism.Notonlyso,butwe read, "Therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slayHim,becauseHehaddonethesethingsontheSabbathday"(v.16).Wealso read in the otherGospels, of Christ being condemned becauseHetransgressed the Jews’ traditions respecting the Sabbath. But there,wefindaverydifferentreply fromHimthanwhat isrecordedhere.There,He insistedon the right of performingworks ofmercy on the Sabbath.There,too,HeappealedtothepriestscarryingouttheirTempledutiesontheSabbath.ButhereHetakeshigherground.Here,Hesays,"MyFatherworkethhitherto,andIwork"(v.17).Themeaningofthesewordscouldnot be mistaken. Christ reminded His critics, how that His "Father"workedontheSabbathday,workedinconnectionwithHisgovernmentoftheuniverse, inmaintainingtheorderlycourseofNature, in sendingrain,andsoon.AndbecauseHewasonewith"theFather,"HeinsistedthatwhatwasrightfortheFathertodo,wasequallyrightforHimtodo.That this was the force of His reply, is clear from the next verse,"Therefore the Jews sought themore to killHim, becauseHe not onlyhadbrokentheSabbath,butsaidalsothatGodwasHisFather,makingHimselfequalwithGod"(5:18).IntheremainingversesofthechapterwefindthatChristcontinuedtoaffirmHisabsoluteequalitywiththeFather.

The sixth chapter opens by describing a miracle, which is narrated byeachoftheotherEvangelists,theFeedingofthefivethousand.But,here,

it is followed by a lengthy discourse which is not recorded elsewhere.HeretheLordpresentsHimselfas"TheBreadofGod,"whichhadcomedownfromHeaventogivelifeuntotheworld.HeheredeclaresthatHealonecansatisfytheneedysoulofman:"AndJesussaiduntothem,IamtheBreadofLife:hethatcomethtoMeshallneverhunger;andhethatbelieveth onMe shall never thirst" (v. 35). We cannot now follow thedetailsofthiswonderfulchapter,butitwillbeevidenttothestudentthatitistheDivinesideofthingswhichisheredweltupon.Forexample:itisherewearetoldthattheSavioursaid,"NomancancometoMe,excepttheFatherwhichhathsentMedrawhim"(v.44). It ishereweare toldthat "Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not,andwho shouldbetrayhim" (v. 64).And it is herewe learn thatwhenmanyofthedisciples"wentbackandwalkednomorewithHim,"andHesaid to the twelve, "Will ye also go away?" that Peter replied, "Lord, towhomshallwego?Thouhastthewordsofeternallife"(v.68).

TheseventhchapterbringsbeforeusChristatJerusalemduringthefeastof tabernacles. There ismuch here that is of deepest interest, but it isbesideourpresentpurposetogiveacompleteexposition.Wearenotherewritingabrief commentaryonJohn, rather arewe attempting to pointout that which is distinctive and characteristic in this fourth Gospel.Notice,then,oneortwolinesinthisscenewhichservetoemphasizetheDivinegloriesofChrist.Wearetold that,about themiddleof the feast,"Jesus went up into the Temple, and taught." His teaching must havebeen exceedingly impressive, for we read, "And the Jews marveled,saying,Howknoweththismanletters,havingneverlearned"(v.15).But,arresting as was His manner of delivery, what He said only served tobringouttheenmityofthosewhoheardHim:"ThentheysoughttotakeHim:butnomanlaidhandsonHim,becauseHishourwasnotyetcome"(v. 30). How striking this is, and how thoroughly in accord with thecentralthemeofJohn’sGospel!bringingout,asitdoes,theDivineside,byshowingusGod’scompletecontrolovertheenemiesofHisSon.Next,weread"Inthelastday,thatgreatdayofthefeast,Jesusstoodandcried,saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto Me, and drink. He thatbelieveth onMe, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flowrivers of living water" (vv. 37,38). How this brings out the Divinesufficiency of Christ! None but God could make such a claim as that.

Finally,wemayobservehere,thatwhenthePhariseesheardthatmanyofthepeoplebelievedonHim,they"sentofficerstotakeHim"(vv.31,32).Howstrikingwasthesequel:"ThencametheofficerstothechiefpriestsandPharisees;andtheysaiduntothem,WhyhaveyenotbroughtHim?Theofficersanswered,NevermanspakelikethisMan"(vv.45,46).

John8opensbyrecordingtheincidentofthewomantakeninadultery,broughttoChristbythescribesandPharisees.Theirmotiveindoingthiswasanevilone.ItwasnotthattheywerezealousofupholdingtheclaimsofGod’slaw,butthattheysoughttoensnareGod’sSon.TheysetatrapforHim.TheyremindedHimthatMoseshadgivencommandmentthatsuch as this woman should be stoned—"but what sayest Thou?" theyasked. He had declared that, "God sent not His Son into the world tocondemn the world; but that the world through Himmight be saved"(John3:17).WouldHe, then, suffer this guilty adulteress to escape thepenaltyoftheLaw?Ifso,whatbecameofHisotherclaim,"ThinknotthatIamcometodestroy,buttofulfill"(Matt.5:17)?ItseemedasthoughHewascaughtonthehornsofadilemma.IfHegavethewordforhertobestoned,wherewasgrace?Ontheotherhand,ifHeallowedhertogofree,where was righteousness? Ah, how blessedly did His Divine wisdomappear,inthemasterlymannerinwhichHedealtwiththesituation.SaidHetothemthatsoughttotrapHim,"Hethatiswithoutsinamongyou,let him first cast a stone at her." It was "theWord" atwork again, theDivineWord, forweread,"AndtheywhichheardHim,beingconvictedby their conscience,wentoutoneby one, beginning at the eldest, evenunto the last: andJesuswas left alone, and thewomanstanding in themidst" (v.9).ThewaywasnowopenforHimtodisplayHismercy.TheLawrequiredtwo"witnesses"atleast;butnonewereleft.TothewomanHe said, "Where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemnedthee?" And she answered, "Noman, Lord." And then, to manifest HisholinessHesaid, "NeitherdoIcondemnthee:go,andsinnomore" (v.11).Thus,doweherebeholdHisglory,"thegloryasoftheOnlyBegottenoftheFather,fullofgraceandtruth."ThenfollowedthatlovelydiscourseinwhichChristproclaimedHimselfas"TheLightof theworld,"saying,"hethatfollowethMeshallnotwalkindarkness,butshallhavethelightoflife"(v.12).Thiswaspeculiarlyappropriatetotheoccasion,forHehadjustgivenproofthatHewassuch,byturningthesearchingLightofGod

upontheconscienceofthosewhoaccusedtheadulteress.

Whatfollowsinthenextchapter isclosely linkedtothatwhichhas justbeenbeforeus.HereChristgivessighttoamanwhohadbeenblindfromhisbirth,andimmediatelybeforeHegiveslighttothedarkenedeyesofthis man, He uses the occasion to say, again, "As long as I am in theworld,Iamthe lightof theworld"(9:5).Thesequel to thismiraclehadboth its pathetic and its blessed sides. The one who had had his eyesopened was brought to the Pharisees, and after a lengthy examinationtheyexcommunicatedhim,becauseoftheboldtestimonyhehadbornetohisBenefactor.Butwearetold,"Jesusheardthattheyhadcasthimout;andwhenHehadfoundHim,Hesaiduntohim,DostthoubelieveontheSon ofGod?Andhe answered and said,Who is he, Lord, that ImightbelieveonHim?AndJesussaiduntohim,ThouhastbothseenHim,andHe it is that talketh with thee. And he said, Lord, I believe. And heworshippedHim" (vv. 35-37). Thus did Christ graciously evidence thatwhenGodbeginsagoodworkinasoul,Heceasesnotuntil ithasbeenperfected.ThechaptercloseswithamostsolemnwordagainstthosewhoopposedChrist,inwhichwebeholdtheLightblinding:"AndJesussaid,For judgmentIamcome into thisworld, that theywhichseenotmightsee;andthattheywhichseemightbemadeblind"(v.39).

John10isthechapterinwhichChristisrevealedastheGoodShepherd,and there is much in it which brings out His Divine glories. Here Hepresents Himself as the Owner of the fold, and makes it known thatbelievers, under the figure of sheep, belong to Him. They are Hisproperty,aswellastheobjectsofHistendersolicitude.TheyknowHim,andtheyareknownofHim.His,istheVoicetheyfollow,andthevoiceofstrangerstheyheednot.ForthesheepHewilllaydownHislife.But,beitcarefullynoted, theSaviourdeclares, "Noman taketh it fromMe,but Ilay itdownofMyself. Ihavepower to lay itdown,andIhavepower totakeitagain"(v.18).Nomeremancouldhavemadegoodsuchaclaimasthis.Norcouldanymerehumanteachersaytohisdisciples,"AndIgiveuntothemeternallife;andtheyshallneverperish,neithershallanypluckthemoutofMyhand"(v.28).ThatHewasmorethanMan,thatHewasGodtheSon,incarnate,isexpresslyaffirmedinthewordswithwhichtheSaviourhereclosedHisdiscourse—"IandFatherareone"(v.30).

John11bringsustowhat,perhaps,wasthemostwonderfulmiraclethatourLordperformed,whilehereonearth,namely,theRaisingofLazarus.Record of this was, appropriately, reserved for the fourth Gospel. TheotherstellusoftheraisingofthedaughterofJairus,justdead;andLukementionstheraisingofthewidowofNain’sson,ashisbodywasontheway to thecemetery;butJohnonly records theraisingofLazarus,whohadbeen in thegrave fourdays, andwhosebodyhadalreadybegun tocorrupt.SignallydidtheperformanceofthismiracledemonstrateChristto be the Son of God. Here, too, we behold "the Word" at work. ThedaughterofJairusHetookbythehand;concerningthewidow’sson,weread,"Hetouchedthebier;"buthereHedidnothingbutspeak:first,tothe spectators to remove the stone which lay over the entrance to thegrave,andthentoLazarus,Hecried,"Comeforth."

John 12 brings us to the close of our Lord’s public ministry as it isfollowed in thisGospel.Thechapteropenswitha scenewhichhaswontheheartsofallwhohavegazedbyfaithuponit.TheSaviourisseeninaBethanyhome,wheredeepgratitudemadeHimasupper,andLazarusisalsooneof theguests.After themealwasover,MaryanointedHis feetwithfragrantointmentthatwas"verycostly,"andwipedHisfeetwithherhair. It is very striking to notice the differences between Matthew’saccountof this incidentandwhat is recordedhere. It isonlyJohnwhotellsus thatLazarus sat at the tablewith theLord; it isonlyJohnwhosaysthat"Marthaserved,"anditisonlyJohnwhogivesthenameofthisdevotedwomanwho expressed such love for Christ: here everything is"mademanifest’bytheLight.Moreover,noteparticularly,thatMatthewsays thewomanpoured theointment "onHishead" (26:7), buthere inJohn, we are told, she "anointed the feet of Jesus" (12:3). The twoaccountsarenotcontradictory,butsupplementary.Botharetrue,butweseethehandoftheHolySpiritcontrollingeachEvangelisttorecordonlythatwhichwasinkeepingwithhistheme.InMatthewitistheKingwhoisbeforeus,hence it isHis"head" that isanointed;but inJohnweareshowntheSonofGod,andthereforedoesMaryheretakeherplaceatHis"feet"!

John13isinstrikingcontrastwithwhatisfoundatthebeginningofthepreviouschapter.There,webeholdthefeetoftheLord;hereweseethe

feetofHisdisciples.There,wesawHisfeetanointed;here,thefeetofthedisciplesarewashed.There,thefeetofChristwereanointedwithfragrantandcostlyointment;herethefeetofthedisciplesarewashedwithwater.There, thefeetof thefeetof theLordwaswashedbyanother;buthere,the feetof thedisciplesarewashedbynoneother than theSonofGodHimself. And observe that the anointing of His feet comes before thewashing of the disciples’ feet, for in all things He must have thepreeminence.Andwhatacontrastisherepresented!The"feet"speakofthewalk. The feet of the discipleswere soiled: theirwalk needed to becleansed.Not sowith theLordofglory:HiswalkemittednoughtbutasweetfragrancetotheFather.

At first sight it appears strange that this lowly task of washing thedisciplesfeetshouldberecordedbyJohn.Andyettheveryfactthatitisrecorded here supplies the surest key to the interpretation of itssignificance.TheactitselfonlybroughtouttheamazingcondescensionoftheSonofGod,whowouldstoopsolowastoperformthecommondutiesofa slave.But thementionof this incidentbyJohn indicates there isaspiritualmeaningtotheact.Andsuch, indeed,therewas.The"feet,"aswehaveseen,pointtothewalk,and"water"isthewellknownemblemofthe written Word. Spiritually, the act spoke of Christ maintaining thewalk of His disciples, removing the defilements which unfit them forcommunionwith a holyGod. Itwasmembers ofHisChurch thatwereherebeingcleansedbytheHead"withthewashingofwaterbytheWord"(Eph.5:26).Howfitting,then,thatthisshouldhavefoundaplaceinthisfourthGospel, forwho but aDivine Person is capable of cleansing thewalkofbelieversandmaintainingtheirfellowshipwiththeFather!

IntheremainderofJohn13andtotheendofchapter16wehavewhatisknownastheLord’s"Pascaldiscourse."This,too,ispeculiartoJohn,andalmosteverythinginitbringsouttheDivinegloriesof theSaviour.It ishere thatHesays to thedisciples,"YecallMeMasterandLord:andyesaywell;forsoIam"(13:13).ItisherethatChristsaid,anticipatingtheCross, "Now is the Son ofMan glorified, and God is glorified inHim"(13:31). It ishere thatHespeaksofgoingaway to"prepareaplace" forHispeople(14:2,3).ItishereHeinvitesHisdisciplestoprayinHisname(14:13).ItishereHesays,"PeaceIleavewithyou,MypeaceIgiveunto

you:notastheworldgiveth,giveIuntoyou"(14:27).It isherethatHesayssomuchaboutfruit-bearing,underthebeautifulfigureoftheVine.It ishere thatHespeaksof "TheComforterwhomIwill senduntoyoufrom the Father" (15:26). And it is here that He declares of the HolySpirit,"HeshallglorifyMe:forHeshallreceiveofMine,andshallshowituntoyou"(16:14).

John 17 contains what is known as the High Priestly prayer of Christ.NothinglikeitisfoundintheotherGospels.ItgivesusaspecimenofHispresentministryonHigh.HerewefindtheSavioursaying,"Father, thehouriscome;glorifyThySon,thatThySonalsomayglorifyThee"(v.1).HereHespeaksofHimselfastheOnegiven"poweroverallflesh"(v.2).HereHe is inseparably linkedwith "theonly trueGod" (v. 3).HereHespeaks(bywayofanticipation)ofhaving"finished"theworkgivenHimtodo(v.4).HereHeasks,"OFather,glorifyThouMewithThineownselfwiththeglorywhichIhadwithTheebeforetheworldwas"(v.5).HereHepraysforHisownbelovedpeople:fortheirpreservationfromevil,forthesupplyoftheireveryneed,fortheirsanctificationandunification.HisperfectequalitywiththeFatherisevidencedwhenHesays,"Father,Iwillthattheyalso,whomThouhastgivenMe,bewithMewhereIam;thattheymaybeholdMyglory,whichThouhastgivenMe:forThoulovestMebeforethefoundationoftheworld"(v.24).

Theremainingchapterswillbeconsideredinanotherconnection,sowepassonnowtonoticesomeofthegeneralfeatureswhichcharacterizethisGospelinitspartsandasawhole.

I.ThingsOmittedfromJohn’sGospel.

While examining the secondGospel,wedwelt at some lengthupon thedifferent things of whichMark took no notice, and saw that the itemsexcluded made manifest the perfections of his particular portrayal ofChrist.Here, too,a similar lineof thoughtmaybe followedout at evengreaterlength.MuchthatisfoundinthefirstthreeGospelsisomittedbyJohn, as being irrelevant to his special theme. Some of the moreoutstandingoftheseweshallnowconsider:

1. In John’s Gospel there is no genealogy, neither His legal through

Joseph,norhispersonalthroughMary.Nor is thereanyaccountofHisbirth.Instead,aswehaveseen,Hewas"Inthebeginning."Forasimilarreason, John is silent about Herod’s attempt to slay the Christ Child,abouttheflightintoEgypt,andsubsequentreturntoGalilee.NothingissaidabouttheLordJesusasaBoyoftwelve,inthemidstofthedoctorsintheTemple.NoreferenceismadetotheyearsspentatNazareth,andno hint is given of Christ working at the carpenter’s bench before Hebegan His public ministry. All these are passed over as not beinggermane.

2.Here, there isnodescriptionofHisbaptism.Markrefers to theLordJesus being baptized by his forerunner, and Matthew and Luke eachdescribeatlengththeattendantcircumstances.John’sreasonforsayingnothingabout this isobvious. InHisbaptism,Christ, in condescendinggrace, tookHis place alongside ofHis needy people, saying to the onewho baptized Him, "Thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness"(Matt.3:15).

3.JohnsaysnothingabouttheTemptation.Here,again,wemayobservethe superintending hand of the Holy Spirit, guiding the differentEvangelists in the selection of their material. Each of the first threeGospelsmakementionof the season spent byChrist in thewilderness,whereHewastemptedforfortydaysoftheDevil.ButJohnissilentaboutit.Andwhy?BecauseJohnispresentingChristasGodtheSon,and"Godcannotbetempted"(Jas.1:13).

4. There is no account of His transfiguration. At first sight this seemsstrange,butalittleattentiontodetailswillrevealthereasonforthis.Thewonderful scenewitnessedby the threedisciples upon the holymount,was not an unveiling of His Divine glories, but a miniaturerepresentation,aspectacularshowingforthoftheSonofMancominginHiskingdom(seeMatt.16:28etc.).Buttheearthlykingdomdoesnotfallwithin the scope of this Gospel. Here, it is spiritual and heavenlyrelationshipswhicharemademostprominent.

5.Here there isnoAppointingof theApostles. In theotherGospelswefindtheLordJesusselecting,equipping,andsendingforththeTwelve,topreach, and to heal; and in Lukewe also read ofHim sending out the

Seventy. But here, in harmony with the character of this Gospel, allministryandmiracleworking is left entirely in thehandsof theSonofGod.

6. Never once is Christ here seen praying. This does not come out soclearly in our English translation as it does in the original Greek. InJohn’s Gospel we never find the word associated with Christ whichsignifies taking the place of a supplicant; instead, the word "erotos" isused,andthisworddenotes"speaking"astoanequal.Itisverystrikingto compare what each Evangelist records following the miracle of theFeedingofthefivethousand:Matthewsays,"AndwhenHehadsentthemultitudes away, He went up into a mountain apart to pray" (14:23).Marksays,"WhenHehadsentthemaway,Hedepartedintoamountaintopray" (6:46).Lukealso followshisnarrationof thismiraclewith thewords,"Anditcametopass,asHewasalonepraying"(9:8).Butwhenwecome to the fourthGospel,we read, "Hedeparted again to amountainHimselfalone"(6:15),andthereJohnstops!ThecontentsofJohn17mayseemtocontradictwhatwehave justsaidabove, but really it is not so. At the beginning of the chapter we read,"JesusliftedupHiseyestoHeaven,andsaid,Father,thehouriscome;glorify Thy Son, that Thy Son alsomay glorify Thee" (v. 1). And at itsclosewereadthatHesaid,"FatherIwillthattheyalso,whomThouhastgivenMe,bewithMewhereIam"(v.24).ThusHespoketotheFatherastoanEqual.

7.Wenever read inJohn’sGospelof "TheComingof theSonofMan,"and for the same reason as this,He is never addressed as "The Son ofDavid"here.TheComingoftheSonofManalwayshasreferencetoHisreturntotheearthitself,comingbacktoHisearthlypeople.Buthereweread, not of a restored Palestine, but of the "Father’s House" and its"manymansions," of Christ going onHigh to prepare a place "for Hisheavenlypeople,andofHimcomingbacktoreceivethemuntoHimself,thattheremaytheybealso.

8.Weneverfindtheword"Repent"inJohn.IntheotherGospelsthisisaterm of frequent occurrence; what, then, is the reason for its absencehere? In the otherGospels the sinner is viewed as guilty, and needing,therefore, to "repent."Buthere, thesinner is lookeduponas spiritually

dead, and therefore, in sore need of thatwhich onlyGod can impart—"life"!Itisherewereadofmanneedingtobe"bornagain"(3:7),needingtobe"quickened"(5:21),andneedingtobe"drawn"(6:44).

9.Neitheristheword"Forgive"foundinJohn.This,too,isawordoftenmetwithintheotherGospels.Why,then,itsomissionhere?InMatthew9:6we read, "TheSonofManhathpoweron earth to forgive sins."AsSonofManHe"forgives;"asSonofGodHebestows"eternallife."

10. No Parables are found in John’s Gospel. This is a very notableomission.ThekeytoitisfoundinMatthew13:"Andthedisciplescame,and said unto Him, Why speakest Thou unto them in parables? Heansweredandsaiduntothem,Because it isgivenuntoyoutoknow themysteriesofthekingdomofheaven,buttothemitisnotgiven.ThereforespeakItotheminparables:becausetheyseeingseenot;andhearingtheyhearnot,neitherdotheyunderstand"(vv.10-13).HerewelearnwhythatChrist,inthelaterstagesofHisministry,taughtin"parables."ItwastoconcealfromthosewhohadrejectedHim,whatwascomprehensibleonlyto thosewhohad spiritualdiscernment.Buthere inJohn,Christ isnotconcealing, but revealing—revealing God. It is to be deplored that therationaleofourLord’sparabolicformofteachingshouldbeknowntosofew.ThepopulardefinitionofChrist’sparablesisthattheywereearthlystorieswithaheavenlymeaning.Howmangetsthingsupsidedown!Thetruthis,thatHisparableswereheavenlystorieswithanearthlymeaning,having to do with His earthly people, in earthly connections. This isanother reason why none are found in John—the word in 10:6 is"proverb."

11.InJohn’sGospelnomentionismadeoftheDemons.Whythisiswedonotknow.Tosaythatnoreferenceisheremadetothem,was,becausementionofthemwouldbeincompatiblewiththeDivinegloriesofChrist,hardlyseemssatisfactory;for,Satanhimselfisreferredtohere,againandagain.Itis,infact,onlyhere,thattheDevilisspokenofthreetimesoveras "The prince of thisworld;" and, Judas, too, as the son of Perdition,occupies a more prominent position here than in the other Gospels.Should it be revealed to any of our readers why the "demons" areexcludedfromthisGospel,weshallbeverygladtohearfromthem.

12.ThereisnoaccountofChrist’sAscensioninthisfourthGospel.Thisisverystriking,andbyimplicationbringsoutclearlytheDeityoftheLordJesus.AsGodtheSonHewasomnipresent,andso,needednottoascend.AsGodtheSonHefillsbothheavenandearth.Weturnnowto,

II.PositiveFeaturesofJohn’sGospel.

1.TheTitlesofChristareverysignificant.

Onlyhere(inthefourGospels)istheLordJesusrevealedas"theWord"(1:1).OnlyhereisHedeclaredtobetheCreatorofallthings(1:3).Onlyhere isHe spoken of as "TheOnly Begotten of the Father" 1:14). OnlyherewasHehailedas"TheLambofGod"(1:29).OnlyhereisHerevealedas the great "I am."When Jehovah appeared toMoses at the burningbush, and commissionedhim to godown intoEgypt anddemand fromPharaohthereleaseofHispeopleIsrael,Mosessaid,WhoshallIsayhathsentme?AndGodanswered, "Thusshalt thousayuntotheChildrenofIsrael,Iamhathsentmeuntoyou"(Ex.3:14).AndhereinJohn’sGospelChrist takes this most sacred title of Deity and appropriates it untoHimself, filling it out with sevenfold fullness: "I am the Bread of Life"(6:35);"IamtheLightoftheworld"(9:5);"IamtheDoor"(10:7);"IamtheGoodShepherd"(10:11);"IamtheResurrectionandtheLife"(11:25);"IamtheWay,theTruth,andtheLife"(14:6);"IamthetrueVine"(15:1).

2.TheDeityofChristisprominentlyrevealedhere.

ChristHimselfexpresslyaffirmed it: "Verily,verily, I sayuntoyou,Thehouriscoming,andnowis,whenthedeadshallhearthevoiceoftheSonofGod:andtheythathearshalllive"(5:25).Again;"Jesusheardthattheyhadcasthimout;andwhenHehadfoundhim,hesaiduntohim,DostthoubelieveontheSonofGod?Heansweredandsaid,WhoisHe,Lord,that ImightbelieveonHim?AndJesus saiduntohim,ThouhastbothseenHim,anditisHethattalkethwiththee"(9:35-37).Oncemore."HissisterssentuntoHim,saying,Lord,behold,hewhomThoulovestissick.WhenJesusheardthat,Hesaid,Thissicknessisnotuntodeath,butforthegloryofGod,thattheSonofGodmightbeglorifiedthereby"(11:3,4).Thirty-fivetimesinthisGospelwefindtheLordJesusspeakingofGodas"MyFather."Twenty-fivetimesHeheresays"Verily,verily"(ofatruth,of

atruth)—nowhereelsefoundinthisintensifiedform.

IncludingHisownaffirmationofit,sevendifferentonesavowHisDeityin thisGospel.First,John theBaptist: "AndI sawandbare record thatthis is the Son ofGod" (1:34). Second,Nathaniel, "Rabbi, Thou art theSonofGod"(1:49).Third,Peter,"AndwebelieveandaresurethatThouartthatChrist,theSonofthelivingGod"(6:69).TheLordHimself,"Sayye of Him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world,Thoublasphemest;because I said, I am theSonofGod" (10:36).Fifth,Martha, "She saith unto Him, Yea, Lord, I believe that Thou art theChrist,theSonofGod,whichshouldcomeintotheworld"(11:27).Sixth,Thomas, "AndThomas answered and said untoHim,MyLord andmyGod" (20:28). Seventh, the writer of this fourth Gospel, "These arewritten,thatyemightbelievethatJesusistheChrist,theSonofGod;andthatbelievingyemighthavelifethroughHisname"(20:31).

3.ThereisaremarkableseriesofSevenshere.

It isstrikingtodiscoverhowfrequentlythisnumeral is foundhere,andwhen we remember the significance of this numeral it is even morearresting. Seven is thenumber of perfection, andabsoluteperfection isnotfounduntilwereachGodHimself.Howwonderful,then,thatinthisGospelwhichsetsforththeDeityofChrist,thenumbersevenmeetsusateveryturn!

Bysevendifferentpersons is theDeityofChristconfessedhere,and,aswehaveseenseventimesdoesHefillouttheineffable"Iam"title.Johnrecords seven miracles performed by our Lord during His publicministry, nomore and no less. Seven times do we read, "These thingshave I spokenuntoyou."Seven timesdidChrist address thewomanatthe well. Seven times, in John 6, did Christ speak of Himself as "TheBreadofLife."

Seven things we read of the Good Shepherd doing for His sheep, andseven thingsChrist says aboutHis sheep in John 10. Seven times doesChristmakereferenceto"thehour"whichwastoseetheaccomplishmentoftheWorkgivenHimtodo.SeventimesdidHebidHisdisciplespray"inHisname."Seventimesistheword"hate"foundinJohn15.Thereare

seventhingsenumeratedinJohn16:13,14whichtheHolySpiritistodoforbelievers.TherewereseventhingswhichChristaskedtheFatherforbelieversinJohn17,andseventimesoverdoesHethererefertothemasthe Father’s "gift" toHim. Seven times in this Gospel do we read thatChristdeclaredHespokeonlytheWordoftheFather—7:16;8:28;8:47;12:49;14:10;14:24;17:8.SeventimesdoesthewriterofthisGospelrefertohimself,withoutdirectlymentioninghis ownname.There are sevenimportant things found inJohnwhichare common toall fourGospels.Andsowemightcontinue.Letthereadersearchcarefullyforhimselfandhewillfindmanyotherexamples.

4.Man’sfutileattemptsonHislife.

NotonlywastheChristofGod"despisedandrejectedofmen,"notonlywasHe"hatedwithoutacause,"butHisenemiesrepeatedlysoughtHislife.Thisfeatureisnoticed,briefly,bytheotherwriters,butJohnistheonlyonethattellsuswhytheireffortswerefutile.Forexample,inJohn7:30weread,"ThentheysoughttotakeHim:butnomanlaidhandsonHim,becauseHishourwasnotyetcome."Andagain, in8:20weread,"Thesewords spake Jesus in the treasury, asHe taught in theTemple:andnoman laidhandsonHim; forHishourwasnotyet come."TheseScriptures, in accord with the special character of this fourth Gospel,bringbeforeus theDivinesideof things.Theytellus that theeventsofearthtranspireonlyaccordingtotheappointmentofHeaven.Theyshowthat God is working all things after the counsel of His own will andaccording toHis eternal purpose. They teach us that nothing is left tochance,butthatwhenGod’s"hour"arrivesthatwhichhasbeendecreedbyHis sovereignwill, is performed. They reveal the fact that evenHisenemies are entirely subject to God’s immediate control, and that theycannotmakeasinglemovewithoutHisdirectpermission.

TheLordJesusChristwasnotthehelplessVictimofanangrymob.WhatHesuffered,Heenduredvoluntarily.TheenemymightroaragainstHim,andHisemissariesmightthirstforHisblood,butnotathingcouldtheydo without His consent. It is in this Gospel we hear Him saying,"Therefore dothMyFather loveMe, because I lay downMy life, that Imighttakeitagain.NomantakethitfromMe,butIlayitdownofMyself.Ihavepowertolayitdown,andIhavepowertotakeitagain"(10:17;18).

WhileHehungupontheCross,Hisenemiessaid, "Hesavedothers; letHimsaveHimself,ifHebeChrist,theChosenofGod"(Luke23:35).AndHeacceptedtheirchallenge!HesavedHimselfnotfromdeath,butoutofit;notfromtheCross,buttheTomb.

5.ThePurposeandScopeofthisGospel.

Thekey to it ishungrightunder thedoor.Theopeningverse intimatesthattheDeityofChrist isthespecialthemeofthisGospel.Theorderofitscontentsisdefinedin16:28:(1.)"IcameforthfromtheFather:"thismay be taken as the heading for the Introductory portion, the firsteighteen verses of the opening chapter; (2.) "And am come into theworld:"thismaybetakenastheheadingforthefirstmainsectionofthisGospel,runningfrom1:19totheendofchapter12.(3.)"Again,Ileavetheworld:"thismaybetakenastheheadingforthesecondgreatsectionoftheGospel,comprisingchapter13to17inclusive,wheretheLordisseenapartfrom"theworld,"alonewithHisbeloveddisciples.(4.)"AndgototheFather:" thismaybe takenas theheading for the closing sectionofthis Gospel, made up of its last four chapters, which give us the finalscenes,preparatorytotheLord’sreturntoHisFather.

The closing verses of John 20 tell us the purpose of thisGospel: "AndmanyothersignstrulydidJesus inthepresenceofHisdisciples,whicharenotwritteninthisbook.Butthesearewritten,thatyemightbelievethatJesusistheChrist,theSonofGod;andthatbelievingyemighthavelife throughHis name." John’sGospel, then, is peculiarly suited to theunsaved.But thisdoesnotexhaust its scope. It isequally fitted forandwrittentobelievers;infact,theopeningchapterintimatesit isdesignedspeciallyforthesaved,for in1:16weread,"AndofHisfullnesshaveallwereceived,andgraceforgrace."

6.TheaccountofHisPassionisremarkable.

HerethereisnoglimpsegivenusoftheSaviour’sagonyinGethsemane:thereisnocrying,"IfitbepossibleletthiscuppassfromMe,"thereisnobloody sweat, no angel appearing to strengthenHim. Here there is noseekingofcompanionship fromHisdisciples in theGarden; instead,heknowsthemonlyasneedingHisprotection(see18:8).Here there isno

compellingofSimontobearHiscross.Here there isnomentionof thethreehoursofdarkness,norisreferencemadetotheawfulcry,"MyGod,MyGod,whyhastThouforsakenMe?"Herethereisnothingsaidofthespectators taunting the dying Saviour, and no mention is made of theinsultingchallengeof therulers forHimtodescendfromtheCrossandtheywouldbelieveinHim.AndherethereisnowordsaidoftheRendingoftheVeil,astheRedeemerbreathedHislast.Howstrikingisthis,forinJohn’sGospelGodisunveiledthroughout;noneed,then,fortheveiltobe rent here! John says nothing about Him eating food after theresurrection,forasSonofGod,Heneededitnot!

7.Christ’sdignityandmajestycomesouthereamidHishumiliation.

Johnis theonlyonethattellsusthatwhentheLord’senemiescametoarrestHim in theGarden thatwhenHe asked them "Whom seek ye?",andtheyreplied,"JesusofNazareth,"andhethenpronouncedthesacred"I am," they "went backward and fell to the ground" (18:6). What ademonstration of His Godhead was this! How easily could He havewalkedawayunmolestedhadHesopleased!

John is the only one to speak of His coat "without seam" which thesoldiers would not rend (19:24). John is the only one to show us howcompletely theSaviourwasmaster ofHimself—"Jesus knowing that allthingswerenowaccomplished"(19:28).Hismindwasnotbeclouded,norwasHismemoryimpaired.No;evenatthecloseofallHissufferings,thewholeschemeofMessianicpredictionstoodoutclearlybeforeHim.

John is the only one of the four Evangelists to record the Saviour’striumphantcry,"It isfinished"(19:30),asheistheonlyonetosaythatafterHehadexpiredthesoldier’s"brakenotHislegs"(19:33).Johnistheonlyone to tellusofLove’s race to thesepulcher (20:3,4).AndJohn istheonlyonetosaythattherisenSaviour"breathed"onthedisciples,andsaid,"ReceiveyetheHolySpirit"(20:22).

The closing verseof thisGospel is inperfect keepingwith its characterand scope.Here, andhere only,we are told, "And there are alsomanyotherthingswhichJesusdid, thewhich, if theyshouldbewritteneveryone,Isupposethateventheworlditselfcouldnotcontainthebooksthat

shouldbewritten.Amen"(21:25).Thus,thelastnoteheresoundedisthatofinfinity!

Conclusion

Onoursomewhatbriefexaminationof the fourGospels ithasbeen thewriter’sdesign tobringbefore the reader thatwhich is characteristic ineach one, pointing out the various connections in which the differentEvangelists view our Lord and Saviour. It is evident that each of theGospels contemplatesHim in adistinct relationship—MatthewasKing,MarkasServant,LukeasSonofMan,andJohnasSonofGod.ButwhileeachEvangelistportraystheLordJesusinanentirelydifferentviewpointfromtheothers,yethedoesnotaltogetherexcludethatwhichisfoundinthe remaining three. God knew that where the Scriptures would betranslated into heathen tongues, before the whole Bible or even thecompleteNewTestamentwasgiventodifferentpeoples,oftentimesonlyasingleGospelwouldbetranslatedasabeginning,andthereforehastheHolySpiritseentoitthateachGospelpresentsamoreorlesscompletesetting forth of the manifold glories of His Son. In other words, Hecaused eachwriter to combine in his own Evangel the various lines ofTruth found in the others, though making these subordinate to thatwhichwascentralandpeculiartohimself.

ThatwhichisdominantinMatthew’sdelineationoftheLordJesusisthepresentationofHimastheSonofDavid,theHeirofIsrael’sthrone,theMessiahandKingoftheJews.Yet,whilethisistheoutstandingfeatureofthe first Gospel, nevertheless, a careful study of it will discover tracesthereinoftheotherofficesthatChristfilled.EveninMatthewtheServantcharacterofourLordcomesintoview,though,inanincidentalmanner.ItisMatthewwhotellsusthatwhenthesonsofZebedeecamerequestingof Him that they might sit on His right hand and on His left in Hiskingdom, and that when the other ten apostles were moved withindignation against them, He said, "Ye know that the princes of the

Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and that they that are greatexercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you: butwhosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; andwhosoeverwillbechiefamongyou,lethimbeyourservant:EvenastheSonofMancamenottobeministeredunto,buttominister,andtogiveHis life a ransom formany" (20:25-28); and it is from this Gospel welearnthatwhenHesentforththeTwelve,Hewarnedthem,"ThediscipleisnotabovehisMaster,northeservantabovehisLord.ItisenoughforthedisciplethathebeashisMaster,andtheservantashisLord.IftheyhavecalledtheMasterofthehouseBeelzebub,howmuchmoreshalltheycallthemofHishousehold"(10:24,25).

Again;Matthew’sGospeldoesnothidefromusthelowlyplacetheLordtookas theSonofMan, for it isherewehave recordedHisword, "Thefoxeshaveholes,andthebirdsoftheairhavenests;buttheSonofManhathnotwheretolayHishead"(8:20):asitisherewearetoldthatwhenthey that received tribute came to Peter and asked, "Doth yourMasterpay tribute?" that the Lord said to His disciple, "What thinkest thou,Simon?ofwhomdothekingsoftheearthtakecustomortribute?oftheirownchildren,orof strangers?Peter saiduntoHim,Of strangers.Jesussaiduntohim,Thenarethechildren(i.e.ofkings)free.Notwithstanding,lestweshouldoffendthem,tothoutothesea,andcastanhook,andtakeupthefishthatfirstcomethup;andwhenthouhastopenedhismouth,thoushalt findapieceofmoney: that take,andgiveunto them, forMeandthee"(17:25-27).

So, too, do theDivine glories ofChrist shine forth on thepages of thisfirstGospel. It is here thatwe are told, "Behold, a virgin shall bewithChild, and shall bring forth a Son, and they shall call His nameEmmanuel,whichbeinginterpretedis,Godwithus"(1:23).Anditisherewe have recorded most fully Peter’s notable confession, "Thou art theChrist,theSonofthelivingGod"(16:16).

Mark’scentralpurposeistopresentChristasGod’sperfectWorkmanyet,hereandthere,hegiveshintsthattheServantofJehovahpossessedotherand higher glories. This second Gospel, as well as the first and third,record His Transfiguration upon the holy mount (9:2), and Mark alsotellsusoftheTriumphalEntryintoJerusalem(11:7-10).Itishereweare

toldthatwhenthehighpriestaskedHim,"ArtThoutheChrist,theSonoftheBlessed?"thatHeanswered,"Iam:andyeshallseetheSonofMansittingontherighthandofpower,andcominginthecloudsofHeaven"(14:62).ThusdidHebearwitnesstoHisMessianicandKinglyglory.

MarkisalsocarefultotellusintheopeningverseofhisGospelthatJesusChrist was "the Son of God," as he also informs us that the demon-possessedman fromthe tombscriedandsaid, "WhathaveI todowithThee,Jesus,ThouSonofthemosthighGod?"(5:7).Thesethingsdonotdetract from thatwhich is central in this secondGospel, but guard theDivinegloriesofHimthat"tookuponHimtheformofaservant."

LukedescribestheHumanityoftheSaviour,picturesHimastheSonofMan,andshowsus the lowlyplacewhichHetook.Butwhilethis is thecentralthemeofthethirdGospel,referencesarealsomade,here,toHishigherglories.ItisherewereadthattheSaviourtoldthepeople,"Beholda greater than Solomon is here" (11:31), as it is herewe also findHimowned as "The Son of David" (18:38). Luke also refers to theTransfigurationandtheTriumphalEntryintoJerusalem.

ThisthirdGospelrevealsthefactthattheSaviourwasmorethanMan.ItisherewearetoldthattheangeloftheLordsaiduntoMary,"ThatHolyThingwhichshallbebornoftheeshallbecalledtheSonofGod"(1:35);asitisherealsoreadofthedemon-possessedmancrying,"WhathavewetodowithTheeJesus,ThouSonofGodmosthigh"(8:28)!

So it is with the fourth Gospel. The outstanding feature there is thesettingforthoftheDeityofChrist,yetacarefulreadingofJohnwillalsorevealHisKingshipaswellasHisHumanlowliness.ItisherewereadofAndrewtellinghisbrotherSimon,"WehavefoundtheMessiah,whichis,beinginterpreted,theChrist(1:41).It isherethatwearetoldNathanielownedourLordas,"TheKingofIsrael"(1:49).It is inthisforthGospelwehear theSamaritans sayingunto the convertedadulteress, "Nowwebelieve,notbecauseofthysaying:forwehaveheardHimourselves,andknowthatthisisindeedtheChrist(i.e.,theMessiah),theSaviouroftheworld"(4:42).AnditisherealsowelearnthatwhenenteringJerusalem,thepeople"tookbranchesofpalmtrees,andwentforthtomeetHim,andcried,Hosanna,BlessedisTheKingofIsraelthatcomethinthenameof

theLord"(12:13).

Inlikemanner,wefindinJohnillustrationsofourLord’slowliness.Itisin this fourthGospel thatweread,"Jesus therefore,beingweariedwithhis journey, sat thus on thewell" (4:6). It is herewe find recorded thepatheticfact,that,"everymanwentuntohisownhouse—Jesuswentuntothemount of Olives" (7:53; 8:1). Every "man" had his "own house" towhichheretiredatnight,buttheBelovedof theFatherwasahomelessStrangerhere!So,again,itisJohnwhotellsus,"Anditwaswinter,and(being cold out on the mountain) Jesus walked in the Temple inSolomon’s porch" (10:22,23). Oncemore: it is John who shows us theLord, as the perfect Man, making provision for His widowed mother,providingherahomewithHisbeloveddisciple(19:26,27).

Returningnowtoourcentraldesigninthisbook,wewouldtakealookattwo or three incidents found in all four Gospels, and comparing themcarefully,wouldnoticethecharacteristicanddistinctivelinesineachone.First, letusobserve thereferencewhicheachEvangelistmakes toJohnthe Baptist. Matthew alone tells us that he cried, "Repent ye: for thekingdomofheavenisathand"(3:3),forMatthewistheonewhopresentstheLordJesusasIsrael’sKingandMessiah.Markistheonlyonetotellus that those who were baptized by our Lord’s forerunner "confessedtheirsins"(1:5),thisbeinginaccordwiththeministerialcharacterofthissecond Gospel. Luke, who dwells on human relationships, is the onlywriter that tellsusabout theparentageof theBaptist (chap.1),ashe istheonlyonetodescribeindetailthevariousclassesofpeoplewhocametohimattheJordan.AllofthesethingsaresignificantlyomittedbyJohn,forinthisfourthGospeltheemphasisisplacednotupontheBaptist,butupontheOnehewassenttoherald.Hereonlyarewetoldthathe"cametobearwitnessof theLight"(1:7); thatChristexistedbeforehim(1:15),though as a Child He was born three months after him; and that hetestifiedChristwasbothGod’s"Lamb"(1:29)andGod’sSon"(1:34).

Again;letusnotewhateachEvangelisthassaidabouttheFeedingofthefive thousand, and particularly the way in which this miracle isintroduced. Matthew says, "And Jesus went forth, and saw a greatmultitude,andwasmovedwithcompassiontowardthem,andHehealedtheirsick.Andwhen itwasevening,HisdisciplescametoHim, saying,

Thisisadesertplace,andthetimeisnowpast;sendthemultitudeaway,thattheymaygointothevillages,andbuythemselvesvictuals.ButJesussaid unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat" (14:14-16).Thus,MatthewprefaceshisaccountofthismiraclebyspeakingofChrist"healing the sick," for this was one of theMessianic signs.Mark says:"AndJesus,whenHecameout,sawmuchpeople,andwasmovedwithcompassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having ashepherd:andHebeganto teach themmanythings.Andwhenthedaywasnowfarspent,HisdisciplescameuntoHim,andsaid,Thisisadesertplace,andnowthetimeisfarpassed:Sendthemaway,thattheymaygointothecountryroundabout,and intothevillages,andbuythemselvesbread: for they have nothing to eat.He answered and said unto them,Give them to eat" (6:34-37). Instead ofmentioning the "healing of thesick,"Markbringsabeautifulministerialtouchintohispicturebytellingus the Saviourwasmovedwith compassion toward the people becausetheywere"assheepnothavingashepherd,"andthenmakesknownhowtheperfectServant"begantoteachthemmanythings,"thusministeringtothemtheWordofGod.Luketellsus,"Andthepeople,whentheyknewit, followed Him: and He received them, and spake unto them of thekingdomofGod,andhealedthemthathadneedofhealing.Andwhenthedaybegantowearaway,thencamethetwelve,andsaiduntoHim,Sendthemultitudeaway,thattheymaygointothetownsandcountryroundabout,andlodge,andgetvictuals:forwearehereinadesertplace.ButHe said unto them, Give ye them to eat" (Luke 9:11-13).Here we findHuman sympathy and humanwant brought out, for Luke presents thegreatPhysicianhealing,notasaMessianicsign,buthealingthose"thathad need of healing." Now, observe, how entirely different is John’smethodofintroducingthismiracle.HesaysnothingabouttheMessianicsignofhealing,nothingabouttheServantofGod"teaching"thepeople,and nothing of the Son of Man ministering to the "need" of the sick;instead,hetellsus,"WhenJesusthenlifteduphiseyes,andsawagreatcompany come unto Him, He saith unto Philip, Whence shall we buybread,thatthesemayeat?AndHesaidthistoprovehim:forHehimselfKNEWwhatHewoulddo"(6:5,6).ThusthefourthGospel,again,bringsouttheDeityofChrist,byrevealingHisOmniscience.

As another example of the characteristic differences of eachof the four

Evangelistswhenrecordingthesameorasimilarincident,letustaketheSabbathcriticismswhichtheSaviourmetwith.EachoftheGospelsmakemention of Christ being condemned for transgressing the traditions oftheelderswithwhichtheJewshadcumberedtheSabbath,andeachtellsusthereplywhichHemadetoHisobjectors,andtheargumentsHeusedtovindicateHimself.InMatthew12:2,3weread,"AtthattimeJesuswenton the Sabbath day through the corn; and His disciples were anhungered,andbegantoplucktheearsofcorn,andtoeat.ButwhenthePhariseessawit,theysaiduntohim,Behold,ThydisciplesdothatwhichisnotlawfultodoupontheSabbathday."TothisourLordmadeanswerbyreminding thePhariseeshowthatDavid,whenhewasanhungered,enteredthehouseofGodanddideattheshewbread,sharingitalsowiththosethatwerewithhim.ThenHewentontosay,"HaveyenotreadintheLaw,howthatontheSabbathdaysthepriestsinthetempleprofanetheSabbath,andareblameless?ButIsayuntoyou,ThatinthisplaceisOne greater than the Temple" (Matt. 12:5,6). Mark also refers to thissameincident,andrecordspartofthereplywhichtheSaviourmadeonthisoccasion(see2:23-28),butitisverystrikingtoobservethatheomitstheLord’s statement thatHewas "Greater than theTemple." InLuke’sGospel there is a miracle recorded which is not found elsewhere—thehealing of the woman who had an infirmity for eighteen years (Luke13:11-13). As the sequel to this we are told, "And the ruler of thesynagogueansweredwith indignationbecause thatJesushadhealedontheSabbathday,andsaidunto thepeople,Thereare sixdays inwhichmenoughttowork:inthemthereforecomeandbehealed,andnotontheSabbath" (11:14). But on this occasion we find Christ employed anargumenttovindicateHimself,whichwasthoroughlyinkeepingwiththescopeofthisthirdGospel."TheLordthenansweredhim,andsaid,Thouhypocrite,dothnoteachoneofyouontheSabbathloosehisoxorhisassfrom the stall, and lead him away to watering? And ought not thiswoman,beingadaughterofAbraham,whomSatanhathbound,lo,theseeighteenyears,beloosedfromthisbondontheSabbathday?"(13:15,15).HeretheappealwasnottotheOldTestamentscriptures,nortoHisownGreatness,buttohumansympathies.Johnrecordsanothermiracle,notmentionedbytheothers,whichalsometwithasimilarrebukefromtheLord’sfoes.Buthere,inansweringHiscritics,theLordJesusvindicatedHimselfbyusinganentirelydifferentargumentfromthoseemployedon

other occasions, as noted by other Evangelists. Here we find Himreplying:"MyFatherworkethhitherto,andIwork"(5:17).Thus,weseeagain, the principle of selection determining what each Evangelistrecorded.

Onemore examplemust suffice. Let us observewhat eachGospel saysabout the Arrest in the Garden. Matthew tells us, "And while He yetspake,lo,Judas,oneofthetwelve,came,andwithhimagreatmultitudewithswordsandstaves, fromthechiefpriestsandeldersof thepeople.NowhethatbetrayedHimgavethemasign,saying,WhomsoeverIshallkiss,thatsameisHe:holdHimfast.AndforthwithhecametoJesus,andsaid, Hail, Master; and kissed Him. And Jesus said unto him, Friend,whereforeartthoucome?Thencamethey,andlaidhandsonJesus,andtookHim.And,behold,oneofthemwhichwaswithJesusstretchedouthishand, anddrewhis sword, and struck a servant of thehighpriest’sandsmoteoffhisear.ThensaidJesusuntohim,Putupthyswordagainunto his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with thesword.ThinkestthouthatIcannotnowpraytoMyFather,andHeshallpresentlygiveMemorethantwelvelegionsofangels?ButhowthenshalltheScripturesbefulfilled, thatthus itmustbe?"(26:47-54).Marksays:"Andimmediately,whileHespake,comethJudas,oneofthetwelve,andwithhimagreatmultitudewithswordsandstaves,fromthechiefpriestsandthescribesandtheelders.AndhethatbetrayedHimhadgiventhematoken,saying,WhomsoeverIshallkiss,thatsameisHe;takeHimandleadHimawaysafely.Andassoonashewascome,hegoethstraightwaytoHim,andsaith,Master,Master;andkissedHim.And they laid theirhands on Him, and took Him. And one of them that stood by drew asword, and smote a servant of thehighpriest, and cut off his ear.AndJesusansweredandsaiduntothem,Areyecomeoutasagainsta thief,with swords and with staves to take Me? I was daily with you in theTemple teaching, and ye took Me not: but the Scriptures must befulfilled" (14:43-49). It will be observed that Mark omits the fact thatChrist addressed the traitor as "Friend" (see Ps. 41:9—Messianicprophecy),ashealsosaysnothingaboutHisright toask theFather fortwelve legions of angels. In Luke we read, "And while He yet spake,beholdamultitude,andhethatwascalledJudas,oneofthetwelve,wentbeforethem,anddrewnearuntoJesustokissHim.ButJesussaidunto

him,Judas,betrayest thoutheSonofManwithakiss?Whenthey thatwereaboutHim,sawwhatwouldfollow,theysaiduntoHim,Lord,shallwesmitewiththesword?andoneofthemsmotetheservantofthehighpriest,andcutoffhisrightear.ThenJesusansweredandsaid,Sufferyethusfar.AndHetouchedhisear,andhealedhim.ThenJesussaiduntothechiefpriests,andcaptainsofthetemple,andtheelders,whichwerecome unto Him, Be ye come out, as against a thief, with swords, andstaves?WhenIwasdailywithyou in theTemple,ye stretched forthnohands against Me, but this is your hour, and the power of darkness"(Luke 22:47-53). Luke is the only one to record Christ’s touching butsearching question to Judas, as he is the only one to tell us of Christhealing the ear of the high priest’s servant. Entirely different is John’saccount.In18:3weread,"Judasthen,havingreceivedabandofmenandofficersfromthechiefpriestsandPharisees,comeththitherwithlanternsand torches andweapons." But here only is it added, "Jesus therefore,knowingallthingsthatshouldcomeuponHim,wentforth,andsaiduntothem,Whomseekye.TheyansweredHim,JesusofNazareth."Hereonlyarewetold,"Jesussaiduntothem,Iam.AndJudasalso,whichbetrayedHim,stoodwiththem.AssoonthenasHehadsaiduntothem,Iam,theywentbackward,andfelltotheground"(18:5,6).Hereonlydoweread,"Iftherefore ye seekMe, let these go their way: that the sayingmight befulfilled, which he spoke, Of them which Thou gavest Me have I lostnone" (18:8,9). And here only are we told that the Lord said to thedisciplewhohadcutofftheearofthepriest’sservant,"Putupthyswordintothesheath:thecupwhichMyFatherhathgivenMe,shallInotdrinkit?"(John18:11).

In closing,wewould call attention to one other feature of theGospels,thathasoftenbeennoticedbyothers, and that is,what is found in theclosingportionsoftherespectiveGospels.Thereisastrikingandclimaticorder observed. At the close of Matthew’s Gospel, we read of theResurrectionofChrist(28:1-8).AtthecloseofMark’sGospel,wereadoftheAscensionofChrist(16:19).AtthecloseofLuke’sGospel,wehearofthe Coming of the Holy Spirit (24:49). While at the close of John’sGospel, reference ismade to theReturn of Christ (21:21-23)!May thatDaysoondawnwhenHeshallcomeagaintoreceiveusuntoHimself,andin the little interval that yet awaits, may we study His Word more

diligentlyandobeyitspreceptsmorecarefully.