MATT. tell you, Nay: but, unless ye repent, ye will all in like manner perish. Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and killed them-suppose ye that these were sinners above all men that dwell in οφειλεται Jerusalem! I tell you, Nay: but, unless ye repent, | ye will all likewise perish." 7. Parable of the Barren Fig tree. • Now he spake this parable; " A certain man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard; and he came seeking fruit thereon, and found none. 7 And he said unto the vinedresser, 'Behold, three years I come seeking fruit on this fig-tree, and find none: cut it down; why cumbereth it the ground ?? 8 But he answering saith unto him, 'Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung it: 9 and if it bear fruit, well: but if not, then after that thou shalt cut it down." SECT. XV. The Infirm Woman healed in the Synagogue on the Sabbath. 10 Now he was teaching in one of the synagogues her: and immediately she was made straight; and JOHN In arranging the subdivisions of that remarkable and invaluable portion of St. Luke's Gospel from which the two foregoing Sections are derived, we are, almost exclusively, to be guided by their respective characteristics and circumstances; (see Diss. II. Sect. iv.): yet it is desirable, for the sake of customary associations, to retain the parts in their present relative positions, as far as this is practicable. Viewing the xiith and xiiith chapters of Luke as forming one record, and observing little to decide for a different position, I placed the whole of them, (in the first edition), where the latter part, from ch. xiii. 22, must be placed, viz. in our Lord's last journey to Jerusalem. That position, however, seems too much to interrupt the narrative of the preceding Evangelists, especially since one part, (in Sect. xv.), does not well suit the circumstances of that period; and the present appears, on the whole, the most convenient arrangement, connecting the commencement of the xiith chapter, in the succession of events, with the xith, (in Sect. x.), the position of which last is decided by the corresponding parts of St. Matthew's Gospel. Several parts of Section xiv. so closely correspond with passages in discourses delivered at other periods, that it might be considered as mainly formed from those discourses, and be arranged accordingly: but St. Luke could not have regarded them as belonging to such as he has himself recorded; and, after all, there is nothing in the series which conclusively opposes the supposition that all the discourses and observations were delivered at the same period. The first subsection of Sect. xiv. (p. 135) consists of passages closely corresponding with portions of the instructions to the Apostles, as recorded by Matthew: supposing that these were then delivered, we must subjoin to the last Section of Part IV. the second subsection, containing the parable of the Rich Man. -The chief part of the third subsection corresponds almost verbally with St. Matthew's record of the Sermon on the Mount; but there is some additional matter, also corresponding, however, in substance. The fourth subsection-Preparation for the Coming of the Lord-so much corresponds with the record in Matthew of the discourses on the Mount of Olives, (Part VIII. Sect. vi.), that if we give up the continuity of the present series, we may well refer this portion to that period. In the fifth subsection, we have passages corresponding with some which St. Matthew places in the Sermon on the Mount, or in the Instructions to the Apostles: yet, from ver. 54 compared with ver. 1, it seems clear, that St. Luke considered these, together with the preceding portions of ch. xii., as forming one continuous series of Discourses; and it appears best to arrange them accordingly. If the xiith chapter be one continuous series, there seems no reason why we should not regard the first nine verses of the xiiith chapter as a part of it; and Lachman has so arranged this portion, continuing the paragraph which he begins with ch. xi. 14, to ch. xiii. 9. The portion which follows this subsection-respecting the Infirm Woman, I place with great satisfaction in this Part; and from its distinct and independent character, I deem it best to make it form a separate Section. The portion of the xiiith chapter which begins with ver. 22, obviously respects the last journey; and it is accordingly left in Part VII. Sect. vi. The three verses (18-21) which intervene between our Lord's observations after the cure o the Infirm Woman and the occurrences of his last journey, exactly correspond with a part of St. Matthew's record of the Day of Parables; and it is at least most convenient to arrange them accordingly. This is done in pp. 131, 132. On Part VI. It appears from Mark vi. 30, that the intelligence of the death of John the Baptist caused those Apostles who had not yet rejoined our Lord, to return to him. Herod's return to Galilee occasioned our Lord to spend the principal part of the interval before his final journey to Jerusalem, either in the dominions of Philip, east of the Jordan, or in Galilee Superior, at a distance from Herod's court at Tiberias, and where he could easily withdraw from his jurisdiction. The following Part contains the records of this interval, in which nothing is left to conjecture and uncertainty. They are peculiarly full in the first two Gospels-the one written by an Apostle, the other by a companion of Apostles, and especially of Peter; and the succession of events in each is closely correspondent. This might be expected when we consider that at the time when the miracle of the Five Thousand was wrought, the Passover was approaching (John vi. 4); and that, as also appears from expressions in our Lord's subsequent Discourse in Capernaum, the time of his death was not far distant. The nature of his transactions, too, the comparative ease of retracing them, the danger in which he obviously was, and his continual change of place in order to avoid it-all must have contributed to fix the course of events in the minds of those who accompanied him at this period. St. Luke's record of the following Part is contained in the ixth chapter of his Gospel. It is very brief; but the order of events is the same as that in the first two Gospels; and by his expressions in ver. 31 and 51, he fixes the near approach of our Lord's death. After the departure from Galilee, Luke introduces his Gnomology; and then returns to the last journey, in ch. xvii. 11. Respecting the chronological position of the miracle of the Five Thousand, the reader is referred to Diss. I. Sect. v. 2. The whole system of this Arrangement of the Gospels depends upon it. RECORDS OF CHRIST'S MINISTRY. PART VI. FROM THE GENERAL RETURN OF THE TWELVE, TO OUR LORD'S DEPARTURE FROM GALILEE. SECT. I. Herod hears of Jesus, after the Death of John the Baptist: The MATT. XIV. At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the report of Jesus; 2 and said unto his servants, "This is John the Baptist: he hath been raised from the dead; and therefore mighty works are wrought by him."+ 3 For Herod had laid hold on John, and bound him, and put him in 14 AND king Herod that is, one of the ancient prophets: 16 but when Herod heard, he said, "John whom I beheaded-he hath been raised from the dead." 17 For Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold on John, and bound one of the ancients, had Luke iii. 19, 20. • Or, attendants, or, courtiers, τοις παισιν αύτου. See Kuinoel. + Or, mighty powers operate by him, αἱ δυναμεις ενεργουσι † ὡς. See Kuinoel. Griesbach rejects 7, or. εν αυτῳ. JOHN MATT. XIV. MARK VI. LUKE IX. JOHN him in prison for the 21 And a convenient day having come, when Herod on his birth-day made a supper for his nobles, and commanders, and the chief men of Ga • But when Herod's lilee; 22 and the daughbirthday was kept, the ter of that Herodias daughter of Herodias having come in, and danced in the midst of danced, and pleased Hehis court, and pleased rod and them that were Herod: 7 whereupon he at table with him, the promised with an oath kingsaid unto the damsel, "Ask of me whatsoever to give her whatsoever she should ask. thou wilt, and I will give it thee." 23 And he sware unto her, "Whatsoever thou shalt ask of me, I will give it thee, unto the half of my kingdom." 24 And she went forth, ελεγε. Here and in various other instances, the force of the Greek imperfect is important. |