[2359] The same order is followed by St. Luke. From the connection between St. Mark and St. Peter, we should naturally look for the fullest account of that early Capernaum-Ministry in the Second Gospel.
[2360] St. John v.
[2361] St. Mark ii. 6, 7.
[2362] St. John v. 27.
[2363] The A. V. mars the meaning by rendering it: power.'
[2364] St. Mark ii. 9.
[2365] So according to the best readings.
[2366] In St. John v. 8.
[2367] St. John v. 36; comp. St. Mark ii. 10.
[2368] It is, of course, not pretended by negative critics that the Fourth Gospel borrowed from St. Mark. On the contrary, the supposed differences in form and spirit between the Synoptists and the Fourth Gospel form one of the main arguments against the authenticity of the latter. In regard to the 5th chap. of St. John, Dr. Abbott writes (Art. Gospels,' Encycl. Brit. p. 833 b): That part of the discourse in which Christ describes Himself in the presence of the multitude as having received all power to judge and to quicken the dead, does not resemble anything in the Synoptic narrative' - except St. Matt. xi. 27; St. Luke x. 22, and that was uttered privately to the disciples.' To complete the irony of criticism, Dr. Abbott contrasts the faith of the Synoptists,' such as that half-physical thrill of trust in the presence of Jesus. Which enables the limbs of a paralysed man to make the due physical response to the emotional shock consequent on the word "Arise," so that in the strength of that shock the paralytic is enabled to shake off the disease of many years,' with faith such as the Fourth Gospel presents it.
[2369] {hebrew}. See Wetstein in loc.
[2370] Sketches of Jewish life,' pp. 93-96.
[2371] Shabb. i. 4; Jer. Sanh. 21 b; Jer. Pes. 30 b, and often.
[2372] Such a crowd could scarcely have assembled there - and where were those about and beyond the door?
[2373] This is the suggestion of Dr. Thomson (The Land and the Book,' pp. 358, 359). But even he sees difficulties in it. Besides, was Christ inside the small room of such a house, and if so, how did the multitude see and hear Him? Nor can I see any reason for representing Peter as so poor. Professor Delitzsch's conception of the scene (in his Elin Tag in Capern,') seems to me, so far as I follow it, though exceedingly beautiful, too imaginative.
[2374] Baba B. vi. 4.
[2375] In Jer. Keth. iv. 14, p. 29 b.
[2376] Tos. B. Mets. c. iv. 2.
[2377] u. s., c. viii. 31, ed, Z.
[2378] Baba Mets. v. 2.
[2379] Jos, Ant. xiii. 5. 3; Bab. Mez. 88 a.
[2380] St. Matt. ix. 2.
[2381] In our A. V. it is erroneously Deut. xxix. 1.
[2382] Lev. ii. 13.
[2383] Deut. xxviii. 69 b.
[2384] Ber. 5 a.
[2385] Ber. 5 b.
[2386] Nedar. 41 a.
[2387] So according to the greater number of MSS., which have the verb in the perfect tense.
[2388] The expression, reasoning in their hearts,' corresponds exactly to the Rabbinic {hebrew}, Ber. 22 a. The word {hebrew} is frequently used in contradistinction to speaking.
[2389] In Sanh. 93 b this reading of the thoughts is regarded as the fulfilment of Is. xi. 3, and as one of the marks of the Messiah, which Bar Kokhabh not possessing was killed.
[2390] That the expression Son of Man' ({hebrew}) was well understood as referring to the Messiah, appears from the following remarkable anti-Christian passage (Jer. Taan 65 b, at the bottom): If a man shall say to thee, I am God, he lies; if he says, I am the Son of Man, his end will be to repent it; if he says, I go up into heaven (to this applies Numb. xxiii. 19), hath he said and shall he not do it?' [or, hath he spoken, and shall he make it good?] Indeed, the whole passage, as will be seen, is an attempt to adapt. Numb. xxiii. 19 to the Christian controversy. __________________________________________________________________