12. We cannot but wonder that a work so precious as the Logia of Matthew was allowed to perish, and earnestly wish that, if possible, it might even yet be restored. Attempts at gratifying this natural feeling have recently been made, and conjectural reconstruc- tions of the lost treasure lie before us in such works as that of Wendt on the Teaching of Fesus,) and of Blair on the Apostolic Gospel2 A critical estimate of these essays cannot here be given. Of course they are tentative; nevertheless they are interesting, and even fascinating to all who desire to get behind the existing records, and as near to the actual words of our Lord as possible. And, though an approach to a consensus of opinion may never be reached, the discussion is sure to bear fruit in a more intimate acquaintance with the most authentic forms of many of our Lord’s sayings. As another aid to so desirable a result, one must give a cordial welcome to such works as that of Resch on Extracanonical Parallel Texts to the Gospels.8 Resch believes it poesible, through the use of Codex Bezae, the old Latin and Syriac versions, and quotations from the Gospels in the early fathers, to get behind the text of our canonical Gospels, and to reach a truer reflection in Greek of the Hebrew original in the case of many sayings recorded in the Logia of Matthew. There will be various estimates of the intrinsic value of his adventurous attempt Personally, | am not sanguine that much will come out of it. But one cannot be sorry that it has been made, and by one who thoroughly believes that he is engaged in a fruitful line of inquiry. It is well to learn by exhaustive experiment how much or how little may be expected from that quarter.
13. Among those who accept the hypothesis of the two sources a difference of opinion obtains on two subordinate points, vis., first, the relation between the two sources used in Matthew and Luke, and, second, the relation between these two Gospels. Did Mark know and use the Logia, and did Matthew know Luke, or Luke Matthew? Dr. Bernhard Weiss answers the former question in the affirmative and the latter in the negative. From certain pheno- mena brought to light by a comparative study of the synoptists, he thinks it demonstrable that in many parts of his narrative Mark leans
1 Wendt, Die Lehre Fesu, Erster Theil. This part of Wendt’s work has not been translated. His exposition of Christ’s words has been translated by Messrs. T. & T, Clark, Edinburgh.
2 The Apostolic Gospel, with a Critical Reconstruction of the Text, by J. Fulton Blair, 1896. Mr. Blair's critical position differs widely from Wendt's, and his Apostolic Gospel contains much more besides sayings.
5 Aussercanonische Paralleltexte xu den Evangelien.