which strictly confines the application of the two concluding yerses of the twentieth chapter to the matter contained in that chapter, viz., the signs which our Lord gave of His resurrec- tion, is entirely in keeping with St. John's style of writing liis Gospel. He simply remarks parenthetically that there are other proofs of Christ's resurrection, which are to be found in the other Gospels, and that he has only written down such ac- counts as he was guided by the Spirit to consider most calcu- lated to stablish the faith of his readers.
I frankly confess that the passage appears to come in abrupt- ly under any view, and I cannot expect that all will adopt the explanation which I have advocated. If the Gospel of St. John had ended with this twentieth chapter, I might perhaps have acquiesced in the theory that the two verses were meant to form a brief concluding remark about the whole of the Evangelist's work ; and a brief admission of the fact that he passed over many miracles recorded by Matthew, Mark, and Luke. But I cannot acquiesce in the theory, when I see that St. John goes on to write the twenty-first chapter. The ex- istence of that chapter alone satisfies me that, in the two verses before us, St. John is only speaking of the signs of Christ's resurrection, which he has supplied, and is admitting that there are others in the other Gospels. As a rule, moreover, when I find a parenthetical comment or gloss in St. John's Gospel, I prefer to apply it to the immediate subject of which he is speaking. It is the habit of this Evangelist to turn aside for a moment, and make a short explanatory remark ; and then to take up the thread again, and go on with his history. Of this habit, I think the two verses before us are an example. When the Holy Ghost plenarily inspired the writer of any Book of Scripture, both as to his faith and his words, He did not pre- vent him writing in his own peculiar style.
Whatever view we may take of the matter in dispute about these two verses, there are things in them which are abundant- ly clear and ought never to be forgotten. For one thing, St. John generously recognizes the existence of other books beside his own, and disclaims the idea of his own Gospel being the only one which Christians ought to read. Happy is that author who can humbly say, " My book does not contain everything about the subject it handles. There are other books about it. Read them." — For another thing, we should note the grand end and object for which this and all the books of the New Testa- ment were written. They were written to glorify Christ, to make us believe on Him as the only Saviour of sinners, and to lead us to eternal life through faith in His name.
It is interesting to remember that ecclesiastical historians assign to Thomas the honor of being the Apostle who first preached the Gospel in India ; and they also say that he there suffered martyrdom. A society of Christians in MalaT^ar is
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