Kingdom, that in St. Luke is predominantly material capable of a more universalistic • inter- pretation. Secondly, in the treatment of the large amount of material which is common to the two Gospels. A good example is to be found in tlie discourse on tlie La.-t Things. WhjlstiJt. Mattliew emphasizes the close connexion between tiie fall of Jerusalem and the Coming oT flie Son of Man (24^), thus limiting the period during which tlie gospel could be preached to the Gentiles, St. Luke expands tiiis period to an indefinite length, during Avhich Jerusalem was to be trodden under foot (Lk 21-^), thus making space for a long and pro- tracted preaching to the Gentiles.
In the present article we propose to discuss the chief features in the picture of the Person of Christ drawn for us by the First Evangelist, and to con- sider the bearing of this upon the questions of the author, the sources, the date, and the historical value of the Gospel.
1. Theology of the Gospel. — (1) The Messiah. — Jesus the ^lessiah was legally descended from David, and through him from Abraham, the father of the Israelite people (P). He was the culminat- ing point in the history of His family. In David it had risen to monarchical power (1®), but at the period of the CaptiA"ity it had lost this dignity. But now again in Jesus the anointed King it had regained it (1"*). He was therefore lx)i-n ' king of the Jews ' (2-). As King He entered Jerusalem (2F). As King He suffered the death of crucifixion (27^" ■■'-), and as King He would sit to judge all nations at the Last Daj- (25^^^). But He was no mere scion of the Davidic stock. Though legally descended from David through Joseph ben-Jacob, He was also in a unique sense Son of God. As such He was born of the Holy Spirit from a virgin (118-25, Hence He was 'God with us' (v.'^), and this Divine Sonship placed Him in a unique re- lationship to God. He could speak of God and of Himself as 'the Father' and 'the Son,' as though these terms could only be applied to this relationship (11-^); and Da^id himself had recog- nized by the Divine inspiration this Divine Son- ship of his promised descendant, when he applied to Him the Divine name ' Lord ' (22"). The his- tory of the supernatural birth was, of course, an easy mark for Jewish caltimny, but nevertheless it was a fact which had been Divinely foreordained (1~) ; and in the history of the Davidic family there had been women of old time (Rahab, Bathslieba, Tamar, Ruth) whose lives should have taught the calumniators of the Virgin that God overrules and uses circumstances for His own Di\-ine ends. Moreover, if in Jesus the prophecies of a Coming Davidic king, supernaturally bom, had found at last their fulfilment, so also in Him were summed up all the many strands in the web of Jewish anticipation. He was ' the Beloved ' (3^' 17^) whom God had eternally chosen (3^^ 12^^), and to whom God had eternally given all things (11^) and all power (28'*). He was the supernatural Son of Man, who was to come upon the clouds of heaven (16^ 26«* 24^'), and to sit upon the throne of His glory to judge all men (16^ 19^ 25^'). And the events of His life down to the minutest details had been foretold in the OT. Thus Isaiah had fore- told the circumstances (1-), and Micah the place, of His birth (2^). Hosea had foreseen the flight into Egypt, Jeremiah the massacre of the infants at Bethlehem (v.i") ; and the settlement of His parents at the ill -famed village of Nazareth had been the subject of propliecy (v.^S). His herald John had been fore-announced by Isaiah (3^), and the same propliet had foreseen the Christ's ministry in Galilee, witli Capernaum as His headquarters (4"). That He healed the sick was in accordance \\-ith a prophecj' of Isaiah, and the contrast be-
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tween His gracious and gentle work and the noisy clamour of His opponents, found anticipation in another passage of the same prophet (12^""-^). Zechariah had foreseen His entry as King into Jerusalem (21=), His betrayal (26-^), and the de- sertion of His disciples (v.^^) ; and the whole course of His tragic end had been Divinely fore- ordained, and foretold in Scripture (16^ [rd toD deod] 26^^- ^).
Such was the Person of Jesus. He was the Divinely foreordained Messiah, the supernaturally- born King of Israel, the unique Son of God. \\'hat tiien had been His work ? It is clear that the editor of the Gospel is much more concerned with Christ's doctrine than with His work, with what He had said than with what He had done. He is interested in the events of the life chiefly in so far as thej^ proved Jesus to be the Messiah of tlie OT, and Avitii His actions either as proofs of His supernatural jiower over all the known forces of life, or as illustrative of His attitude towards the orthodox Pharisaism of the day. He could, e.g., heal disease, even leprosy, without use of drugs or medical appliances, by tlie simple exercise of His will (8^ ' Speak the word only,' v.'" ' with a word '), the cure being immediate and complete (v.^^ 9^^ 15-^ I718) jjg could control the forces of nature (g26. 27)_ a^nd could drive out demons from the un- happy beings of whom they had taken possession (vv. *■**). He exercised upon earth the Divine pre- rogative of forgiving sin (9^"^), and raised the dead to life (9-^). He could feed multitudes with a few loaves and fishes (14«-2i 15^^-^^). On the otlier hand, He associated with people who were regarded by the leaders of religion as ill friends for a devout man (9'^), and seemed negligent of the rules which the Pharisees had framed as the guides of a pious life. His disciples did not fast (9^*), and broke Sabbath regulations (I2-). He Himself performed acts of healing on the Sabbath day (v.^**), and His disciples neglected the regulations about purifica- tion of the hands before meals (15'^). After a ministry marked by acts like these. He had been put to death by the Romans at the instigation of the Pharisees and Sadducees. He had expected this fate, and had foretold it to His disciples as being ordained of God and prophesied in Scripture (1621 SeZ, v. 23 rd roO deov, \T^- ^" -■* 20i«- ^^). He had promised that on the third day He should be raised again, and this was fulfilled ; and He had ascended into heaven.