from place to place, and exercised His mission in that section which was adapted to each place. Hence it follows that any one author who made a fragmentary record in strict chronological sequence would exhibit an involved and perplexing narrative with frequent repetitions, and a disjointed system of teaching, possibly so disjointed as to baffle all attempts of the most attentive reader to discover from his one record alone the order and symmetry of the system. But as all the works of God in the universe, when taken analytically and synthetically are found by the intelligent philosopher to be perfect, so also when the fragmentary Gospels have been analyzed as the works of four independent men, and then have been combined as a communication derived from one Spirit, there results (we have seen) an unambiguous and deeply interesting narrative carrying within itself overwhelming evidence of its truthfulness, and giving a clear insight into the character of Jesus, a knowledge of the circumstances under which He taught. In the next chapter we shall discern a well-defined outline of the fourfold system of teaching which He adopted. The Fourfold System, of Plain Teaching, of Miracles, of Parables, of Denunciation, adopted by Jesus of Nazareth. WE now inquire whether Jesus of Nazareth actually pursued such a system as the mission of the Messiah appears a priori to require, and whether that system was broken in upon whilst He passed from place to place, in such a manner that each of the chronological records of His proceedings fails to exhibit (at least on the surface) any trace whatever of such fourfold system. No. 1. The residence in Galilee was the first and the longest, and the records of the incidents are more full and more continuous than at other places. It is therefore more convenient first to analyze the system of teaching adopted in Galilee, and then to compare it with that at other places, in order to discover how the fragments, found to belong to those places of residence, can be fitted into one and the same system. I. The ministry of Jesus in Galilee. Jesus immediately after His baptism (in May, u.c. 780), and previous to His residence in Galilee, began to teach from the Scriptures only, both during His temptation and afterwards at the Jordan, where He called forth from Nathanael a full recognition of His Messiahship upon the teaching of prophecy alone, "Thou art the Son of God, Thou art the King of Israel" (John i. 49). Also when He "returned in the power of the Spirit" from the Jordan into Galilee, He preached", "Repent ye (Matt. iv. 17; Mark i. 15); and taking a circuit through their towns (Luke iv. 14) He taught in their synagogues, "being glorified of all" on account of that teaching (and not for any miracles which He then performed). A specimen of the teaching employed in October at Nazareth contains an exposition of prophecy in reference to the Messiah (Luke iv. 17). Further, when Jesus Himself speaks of the notice His teaching had attracted by what had taken place in Capernaum (yevóμeva©), He presumes that the Nazarenes would desire the like, however unfit they might be to receive it. They in displeasure at His teaching expelled Him from Nazareth. He retired thence to Capernaum, a Chap. 13, Story of the Gospels. (S. G.) b Chap. 14, S. G. с App. 30. and there again taught during the winter "in their synagogue" (Mark i. 21; Luke iv. 33), that is, read the Scriptures and expounded them. At length in the spring of the year Jesus set out on a circuit to preach and collect disciples, and arrived at Cana of Galilee before He had performed His first miracle (John ii. 1) by which He confirmed the newly-acquired disciples who believed on Him. He went again to Capernaum (John ii. 12), and thence up to Jerusalem (John ii. 13), where again upon the feast day He employed miraculous powers for the benefit of Galilæan followers who came to the Passover (John iv. 45). During the rest of the summer He exercised His mission in South Judæa without any further use of miracles (John iii. 22; iv. 2). Thus on the whole it appears that Jesus for eight months after His baptism taught in Galilee before He performed His first miracle. And again after the feast at Jerusalem He taught in the new sphere of Judæa, and in His passage through Samaria, for eight months more without miracles. But upon His return into Galilee He took up the order of His mission there at the point (John e iv. 47) where He had left it, and performed the second miracle at Cana. The connexion between d Chap. 15, S. G. e Chap. 20, S. G. the first and second miracle in Galilee is particularly mentioned by St. John, iv. 46. 54. Thus closed the first section of the fourfold system in Judæa and Galilee. II. Upon His return from Judæa into Galilee (in December, U.c. 781) Jesus after performing a second (John iv. 47) miracle there, continued a course of miracles' combined with verbal instruction (Matt. iv. 23; Mark i. 21; Luke vi. 20). The object of St. John in so particularly marking the first and second miracles in Galilee appears to be the distinct demarkation of the two sections of the system. From this time in Galilee an intermingled course of sermons and miracles continued for the space of nine months, interrupted only by the Passover of u.c. 782. This course Jesus closed upon a return from His fourth circuit with miracles about August, U.c. 782 (Matt. xii. 14; Mark iii. 22; Luke vii. 21). During this time there is no trace of the use of parables; but the second section of miracles Jesus had used in all parts of Galilee except Nazareth and certain places subsequently visited by Him and His Apostles (Matt. xiii. 55; Mark vi. 5, 13; Luke ix. 6). Under these circumstances the second 8 Chaps. 24-38, S. G. Chaps. 21, 23, S. G. |