largely lost its original form. But the parable of the Great Supper or Marriage Feast is reported with fulness and unity in both documents P and M, P 843E=M §23, and only in document M is defined by formula as a parable of the kingdom of God.

It seems reasonable, if not necessary, to conclude that Jesus did not designate the parable of the Ten Virgins as a parable of the kingdom of God, but that the opening formula of that parable is to be explained as is the same formula in others of the parables of document M outside those which belong to the discourse in parables, M 8815-19. It has been seen that the phrase "kingdom of God" in the only other place, where it occurs in the report of the final discourse, Luke 21:31, is an editorial interpretation. If we confine ourselves to terms as used and defined by Jesus himself, it apparently must be asserted that the final discourse on the future is not a portrayal of the future of "the kingdom of God." For a knowledge of the future of the kingdom one must go to that discourse which is expressly and at great length devoted to the exposition of the thought of Jesus on that important subject.

811. THE MISSION OF THE DISCIPLES

It has been observed that the evangelist Matthew, by the transfer of a paragraph from the document MK report of the final discourse, and the assembling of other sections from document P bearing on the future of the disciples, constructed a long discourse on the mission, the latter part of which had reference to the period after the death of Jesus, Matt. 10:17-42. Thus the Gospel of Matthew has two accounts of the future of the mission, that in the tenth chapter, constructed by the union of documents, and that in the twenty-fourth and twenty-fifth chapters, mostly from the document MK discourse on that subject. It was evidently the judgment of the evangelist that certain material in document P, dealing with the future, would be found most intelligible if brought into contextual relation with the final discourse on the future. But since that discourse, as reported by document MK, formed a unit of such length and so bound together by chronological indications, it did not form a favorable depository for all of the additional material from document P. Apparently for this reason, among others, Matthew adopted the plan of removing the paragraph bearing directly on the mission, MK 13:9-13, to another

point, Matt. 10:17-22, and there adding to it the document P contributions to that subject. By this means he virtually gave this material from document P a setting in the final discourse.

Because Matthew had that judgment about this document P teaching, it is not therefore established that these sections, P §§20, 32, 44B, 6, really belong to the final discourse of Jesus on the future; but the decision of the evangelist does raise the question whether there is any objective evidence that his conclusion was in accord with the facts. He used P §20 as Matt. 10:26-33. Evidently the connection between that section and the one which precedes it in document P is based upon a misinterpretation of the thought with which P §20 opens. The saying in P §21 belongs to another occasion, as is testified by document MK as well as by the internal evidence in the form of its lack of relationship to the present context. But P §22 may very well be a continuation of the theme in P §20, and these two sections may once have stood together. As P §22 is by the evidence of document MK a part of the final discourse, it is not unreasonable to hold the same for P20. To this external testimony there is to be added the striking appropriateness of P $20 to the occasion of the final discourse as against the probability of its words having come from Jesus earlier than his last days with his disciples.

Matthew used P §32 as Matt. 10:34-36. In the study of P §§2730 it was observed that the following sections, P §§31, 32, both contained sayings likely to have been spoken in the final week of Jesus' ministry. Such must be the decision on internal evidence. But if the judgment is correct that P §§27-30 are the document P report of the two parables of the final discourse, there is external evidence for assigning P §§31, 32 there also, that of contiguity in the document. The reasons for Matthew's omission of P §31 can only be surmised; that the omission results from a purpose seems supported by observing that the references to "baptism" in document MK 10:38-40 are eliminated by Matthew in Matt. 20:22, 23.

Matthew used P §44B as Matt. 10:37-39. There is no external evidence in support of the belief that this was a part of the final discourse. It is rather a part of a larger paragraph which defines the conditions in general for discipleship to Jesus, P $44. But it will be agreed that its adaptation by Matthew for use in the discourse he was

constructing is natural when it is observed how normal and easy is the transition from Matt. 10:35, 36 to Matt. 10:37. Further justification for placing document P §44B at this point could be found by Matthew in his document MK, for similar sayings in document MK (MK 8:34-37) had been taken to refer primarily to the persecution of the disciples, and so had come to have attached to them certain sayings about denial and promises of relief (MK 8:38-9:1), and the more original report of the former of these sayings (MK 8:38) he had inserted already from document P §20 as Matt. 10:32, 33. Further evidence that Matthew was influenced here by document MK 8:349:1 is seen, perhaps, in Matt. 10:39, which is not derivable from P §44B except as an expansion of "yea, and his own life also." If Matt. 10:39 is not that phrase rewritten under the influence of document MK 8:35, its source is probably Luke 17:33 (P §60). In any case the presence of Matt. 10:37-39 in this discourse is evidence of the interpretation placed upon these words of Jesus in the time of Matthew, and forms yet another explanation of the apostolic conjunction of MK 8:38-9:1 with MK 8:34-37. But it gives no reason for regarding document P $44B as a part of the final discourse.

Probably under the influence of P §6, Matthew adapts document MK 9:37 so that it may be given a place in his discourse on the mission as Matt. 10:40. But the external evidence seems to indicate that document P §6 was a part of the instructions for the mission during the lifetime of Jesus, P §§3-6. Into the document MK that saying came at 9:37 through a later misunderstanding of the opening phrase "one of such little children." Neither document MK nor document P gives external evidence that the saying belongs to the final discourse, though its content is such as does not exclude it from that occasion.

The influence of document P on that part of the Matthaean discourse on the mission of the disciples which deals with the future extends from Matt. 10:26 to 10:40, and includes P §§20, 32, 44B and 6. Of these portions of document P, there can be assigned to the final discourse on the basis of external evidence P§§20 and 32. Neither internal nor external evidence justifies the placing of P §44 there; and only internal evidence suggests the right of P §6=MK 9:37 to be regarded as belonging to that occasion. Since for the

latter passage there is assigned by the document P a definite occasion of origin, there is no justification for placing in the final discourse other of this material than P §§20 and 32. The total contribution of document P to a knowledge of the content of the original final discourse on the future is made up therefore of P §§20, 22, 27-32, 60 and 64B.

On the basis of the results which seem to have been reached in the foregoing studies, there may be attempted now a reconstruction of the complete final discourse of Jesus on the future.

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§12. RECONSTRUCTION OF THE FINAL DISCOURSE

and let him that is on the housetop not go down, nor enter in, to take anything out of his house: and let him that is in the field not return back to take his cloke.

§1. OCCASION OF THE DISCOURSE

And as he went forth out of the temple, one of his disciples saith unto him, Master, behold, what manner of stones and what manner of buildings! And Jesus said unto him. Seest thou these great buildings? there shall not be left here one stone upon another, which shall not be thrown down.

§2. QUESTION BY THE DISCIPLES

And as he sat on the mount of Olives over against the temple. Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign when these things are about to be accomplished?

$5. RISE OF MESSIANIC CLAIMANTS

$6.

87 AN INTERRUPTION BY THE DISCIPLES

And they answering say unto him, Where, Lord? And he said unto them, Where the body is, thither will the eagles also be gathered together.