Ir is not to the purpose at hand to make an extended examination of the passages on the opposite page. One or two facts only need presentation. First, all five of these accounts, or four of them at least, appear to have been founded upon one incident in the life of Jesus. That four of them are as many versions of one original account, the following parallel phrases and sentences will show. It was Now John 12:1-8 is a part of the story of the raising of Lazarus from the dead, the account of that miracle being in the 11th chapter. Mary the sister of Lazarus who anointed the feet of Jesus, and Lazarus was there. John says, see chapter 11 verse 5, that Lazarus and Martha and Mary were Jesus' intimate and dearly beloved friends. He tells us that Jesus talked with his disciples before they knew that Lazarus was sick about his death. They went with him and were present when the wonderful miracle which followed was performed. Many of the Jews were there to see Lazarus. They all knew about his having been called out of his grave. It must have been noised all over Jerusalem. The lesson to be learned from these passages is this: the books of Matthew, Mark and Luke contain the story of the Anointment, by Mary John says, but the "authors," one of them an apostle, so they say, the other two companions of the apostles, apparently never heard of Lazarus. Luke, in his 10th chapter, tells about how Jesus "entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary," etc. Would "Luke" have told this story in this manner without having said one word about Lazarus if Jesus had ever raised such a man, their brother and his own friend, from the dead? or would he have spoken of Bethany, the home of Lazarus and his sisters as "a certain city"? The truth is the Gospels are a collection of anecdotes and stories of unknown origin, and of uncertain authenticity. The story of the raising of Lazarus had no foundation in fact: neither "Matthew" nor "Mark" nor "Luke" ever heard of it. Nor did Luke know that Bethany was the home of Lazarus and Martha and Mary Jesus' friends. There are some reasons for believing that the story of the Anointment, contradictory though the various versions of it be, and differing as Luke's two accounts do from the others, was nevertheless a real incident in the life of Jesus. It has reached the Gospels through three or four different channels, only Matthew's and Mark's accounts being parallel. The character of Jesus as depicted in these accounts harmonizes with the story of the crucifixion where we are told they bowed their knees in mock worship of him. It harmonizes with their salutations, "Hail, King of the Jews!" It harmonizes with the questions the high priest and Pilate put to him: "Art thou the Christ, the Son of the blessed?" "Art thou the King of the Jews?" The accounts are in accord with the story of the crucifixion in that they contain nothing of a miraculous character though the opportunity for the manifestation of divine sympathy was at hand. Jesus was in the house of Simon the leper, but there is nothing said about his having healed Simon's leprosy. His aid was not asked, nor is it said that Simon was once a leper, now healed. He was simply "Simon the leper." There is no mention of any disciples of Jesus except in John, and except in Matthew 26:8. This passage has significance inasmuch as Mark 14:4, the parallel portion of that book, says, instead of refering to the disciples, "But there were some that had indignation among themselves.” Neither Mark nor Luke say anything about any disciples having been present, though Matthew and John say they were there, and that it was they who complained about the waste of ointment, a fact which if true, after all they had seen of Jesus, would have brought them into prominence to such an extent that mention of them would probably have been in all of the accounts. Mark's expresion that "there were some" that had indignation seems to reflect upon the correctness of Matthew's statement that it was the disciples who had indignation. In view of the general character of the passages in the first three Gospels containing references to the disciples, and in view of the fact that the last half of the book of Matthew and the last half of the book of Mark are seemingly two copies of what was at one time one manuscript, it is possible, even probable, that the words "the disciples" in Matthew are the result of an alteration in that book at the hands of some copyist, some one perhaps who was influenced by his knowledge of the contents of John 12:1-8. There will undoubtedly be those who deny that the accounts in Luke's 7th and 10th chapters are of the same event as are those in the other Gospels; but John's account serves as a connecting link, not only between these two in Luke but between them and those in the first two Gospels. The verbal coincidences between the two latter and John are many and great. The two say that it was the head of Jesus that was anointed; John says it was his feet. Luke says that the woman anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped them with the hairs of her head. Luke 10:39 says that Mary "sat at the Lord's feet, and heard his word." John says that "Martha served." Luke in his 10th chapter says that "Martha was cumbered about much serving." These phrases have weight in establishing the relationship between these accounts. Nor do such differences as: "Simon the leper" and "one of the Pharisees," or: "Mary," "a woman" and "a woman which was in the city, a sinner" signify much to the contrary; they are common between accounts that are unquestionably parallel. OMITTED PASSAGES IN the first chapter of the book of Matthew, from verse 2 to verse 16 inclusive, there is given a genealogy of Jesus as far back as to Abraham. It was omitted from page 3 of this book. Luke gives a genealogy in the third chapter of his book extending back to Adam. The two genealogies are not in any sense parallel passages. The names in one are very different from the names in the other. One runs down and the connecting words are, “and.....begat." The other runs backwards and the connecting words are, "the son of." Luke's verses 23-38 were omitted from page ii; they appear by comparing the 3rd and 4th chapters with the corresponding portions of the other two Gospels to be an interpolation in between c and d on that page. These two genealogies are given below. For purposes of comparison, it has been thought best not to burden the page with more than just the names. The student can of course refer to his Testament. The passages on the seven pages following, 140 146, are those which have been omitted from their proper places in the body of this work. They have no parallel passages in the other Gospels. 37 And he answered and said, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; 38 and the field is the world; and the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; and the tares are the sons of the evil one; 39 and the enemy that sowed them is the devil: and the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are angels. 40 As therefore the tares are gathered up and burned with fire; so shall it be in the end of the world. 41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that cause stumbling, and them that do iniquity, 42 and shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be the weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He that hath ears, let him hear. 44 The kingdom of heaven is like unto a treasure hidden in the field; which a man found, and hid; and in his joy he goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. 45 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is a merchant seeking goodly pearls: 46 and having found one pearl of great price, he went and sold all that he had, and bought it. 47 Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: 48 which, when it was filled, they drew up on the beach; and they sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but the bad they cast away. 49 So shall it be in the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the righteous, 50 and shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be the weeping and gnashing of teeth. 51 Have ye understood all these things? They say unto him, Yea. 52 And he said unto them, Therefore every scribe who hath been made a disciple to the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is a householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old. 18 unto thee as the Gentile and the publican. 18 Verily I say unto you, What things soever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and what things soever ye shall loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 19 Again I say unto you, that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. 21 Then came Peter, and said to him, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? until seven times? 22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times; but, Until seventy times seven. 23 Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would make a reckoning with his servants. 24 And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. 25 But forasmuch as he had not wherewith to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. 26 The servant therefore fell down and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. 27 And the lord of that servant, being moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt. 28 But that servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him a hundred pence: and he laid hold on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay what thou owest. 29 So his fellow-servant fell down and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee. 30 And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay that which was due. 31 So when his fellow-servants saw what was done, they were exceeding sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. 32 Then his lord called him unto him, and saith to him, Thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou besoughtest me: 33 shouldest not thou also have had mercy on thy fellow-servant, even as I had mercy on thee? 34 And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due. 35 So shall also my heavenly Father do unto you, if ye forgive not every one his brother from your hearts. 1 For the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is a householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard. 2 And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. 3 And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing in the marketplace idle; 4 and to them he said, Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way. Again he went out about the sixth and the ninth hour, and did likewise. 6 And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing; and he saith unto them, Matt. 16:19, Pg. xxxi. 5 20 7 Why stand ye here all the day idle? They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them, Go ye also into the vineyard. 8 And when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward, Call the labourers, and pay them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. 9 And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. 10 And when the first came, they supposed that they would receive more; and they likewise received every man a penny. 11 And when they received it, they murmured against the householder, 12 saying, These last have spent but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat. 13 But he answered and said to one of them, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny? 14 Take up that which is thine, and go thy way; it is my will to give unto this last, even as unto thee. 15 Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? or is thine eye evil, because I am good? 16 So *the last shall be first, and the first last. 28 But what think ye? A man had two sons; and he came to the first, and said, Son, go work to-day in the vineyard. 29 And he answered and said, I will not: but afterward he repented himself, and went. 30 And he came to the second, and said likewise. And he answered and said, I go, sir: and went not. 31 Whether of the twain did the will of his father? They say, The first. Jesus saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, that the publicans and the harlots go into the kingdom of God before you. 32 For John came unto you in the way of righteousness, and ye believed him not: but the publicans and the harlots believed him and ye, when ye saw it, did not even repent yourselves afterward, that ye might believe him. xlvi 25 xli 1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. 2 And five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 For the foolish, when they took their lamps, took no oil with them: 4 but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5 Now while the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. 6 But at midnight there is a cry, Behold, the bridegroom! Come ye forth to meet him. 7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are going out. 9 But the wise answered, saying, Peradventure there will not be enough for us and you: go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. 10 And while they went away to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that *h Pg. xxxvii; Luke 13:30, Pg. xv. 31 But when the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the angels with him, then shall he sit on the throne of his glory: 32 and before him shall be gathered all the nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as the shepherd separateth the sheep from the goats: 33 and he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 for I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in; 36 naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or athirst, and gave thee drink? 38 And when saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? 39 And when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it unto one of these my brethren, even these least, ye did it unto me. 41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 for I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: 43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in; naked, and ye clothed me not; sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. 44 Then shall they also answer, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? 45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not unto one of these least, ye did it not unto me. And these shall go away into eternal punishment: but the righteous into eternal life. xlvii 46 |