(b) Christ's attitude to the Mosaic Law. It is certain that we derive in part a dil!irent im- pression on this subject from the Synojitic Gospels and Jn. There is nothing in the former corre- sponding to the phrases 'your law' (Jn 8" 10^) and 'their law' (15^). Tn their record of our Lord's condemnation of the legalism of the scribes and Pharisees, the distinction between the law of JMoses itself and the additions made to it in tra ditioii appears more clearly (Mt 15-"' = Mk 7'"'^). In one saying recorded in Mt(23--'), Christ even maintains the authority of the scribes on the ground that they are the representatives of Moses. There seems, at first sight, to be nothing in the Fourth Gospel equivalent to the assertion in Mt 517-19 ( = Lk 16") concerning the permanent validity of every point of the law ; while in it the sjiiritual meaning of the OT, and the superiority ol Christ to Moses (i.g. 7'""^), are far more fully brouglit out.
Nevertheless, on a close examination, there ap- pears to be fundamental similarity between their respective representations. The saying concern- ing the permanent validity of the law in Mt is immediately followed by the great passage which shows what Christ meant by its true fulfilment ; while the words in Jn 10** ' the scripture cannot be broken ' — where ' the scripture ' referred to is one occurring in what has just before been described as 'your law ' — a]>pear to involve a principle equi- valent to that laid down in the saying in Mt 5'"'". Further, the remarkable correspondence in the thought of Mt 19s = Mk 10»-» ancl of Jn T- should be noted. In both a distinction is drawn between the law of Moses and a more primitive law.
(0) Eschatology. The Jewish form of eschato- logical expectation is more marked in Christ's teaching given in the Synoptic Gospels than in Jn. In the latter we are especially taught that spiritual and eternal laws and principles are great facts of the present, and that judgment is ever being executed through their continuous and mysterious operation. So far as our thoughts are turned to the future consummation, they are especially fixed on the blessedness of completed union with Christ, and the circumstances attendant upon His coming drop out of sight. The Synoptic Gospels may be taken as witnesses to the fact that Jesus did
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mako use of the current iina;;cry in speaking of the things to tome. Uut the view can liardly seem improbable to any one, that, on this subject at all events, the mind of the Master is more fully reflected in Jn.
((/) The maxims in regard to conduct which the Sj'noptic Gospels — more especially Mt and Lk — contain, are among the most precious portions of these (jospels. In the earlier part of Jn this element is absent, but it receives a large amount of recognition in the discourses at the Last >Su|)per. Here the law of Christian love, and the duty of humblj' ministering to others (IS''"-'*", 15'-- "), and generally of Keeping Christ's com- mandments (14" 15'"), are insisted on. Here, also, sayings on the conditions and privile-'es of disciple- ship occur, identical with, or closely parallel to, some of those which are found in other contexts in the lirst three Go.spels. (Cf. Jn 12» witli Mt IG-^- '^ = Mk S^-a^r^Lk y-*-^, and cf. also -Mt l(f"-^ = Lk 11^ and Lk H-*. Again, cf. Jn 13" '* with Mt lU'^, Lk 6" ; and Jn i:i« and 15-* with Mt 10-"'. Again, cf. Jn 13-" with Mt 10''>'=Lk 10'"). The en- coura<'ement3 to pray in these chapters of Jn should al.so be compared with sayings on prayer in the Synoptic Gospels.
(4) TIte style of VlirUt's teaching. — The diirerence between Jn and the Synoptic Gospels in this respect seems not to be so great in reality as is often imagined. Justin Martyr's descrijition of our Lord's teaching as consistinjr in ' short, pitli.y, and abrupt sayings,' applies, no tloubt, with special truth to the Synoptic records of it. But in Jn, too, its style is essentially proverbial or '^lomic' The sentences are short and oracular. 'I'lie dis- courses consist of a series of sei)arate projiositions, and the development of the thought is ellected, not through a ratiocinative argument of an ordi- nary kind, but bj' slightly altering the form of a proposition, or by placing it in a dill'erent con- nexion.
Again, the use of parables appears from the first three evangelists to nave been specially character- istic of Clirist. He employed them, however, more particularly in addressing the multitudes ; and this part or His teaching is liardly at all recorded in Jn. Moreover, we have in Jn one genuine parable (10'"'), followed in vv.'"'" by its interpretation. Jn lO"''" appears to be the inter- pretation of another parable, the parable itself lieing omitted by the evangelist (see Weizsiicker, Untersitch. jip. '252, I't'A). Or perhaps it may be truer to say that parable and interpretation are here merged in one. Although He was wont to teach His disciples by expounding to them the parables which they heard Him address to the people (Mt 13""'-='Mk 4"'"=Lk 8»"-, Mk 4"), it would be natural that He should vary His method in some such waj- as we have suggested, when His instruction of tlie Twelve ilid not take the form of a supiilement to what He had spoken to others.