The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 1 — Section 90

'l'wo celebrated signs of the Lord's supernatural power are recordeJ, not oaly by Job a, but by the synoptists, viz. Christ's feeding the five thousand aad walking on the sea (ob. vi. 1-21). '!'here are several additional traits thrown in, but the four recordE refer, without question, to the same fact, aad the excitement produced by the first of these miracles is signalized by each of the narratives. The anoiating of the Lord at Dethany is described by Matthew (xxvi.) and Mark (xiv.). John clearly refers to the same event, and adds certain very noticeable feciture8. The date is fixed "six days before the Passover," the woman's name is given as "Mary," whose personal obligations to the honoured Guest are explained by reference to her brolher Lazarus, whom our Lord bad recalled from the tom b. The objection to her enthusiastic love is made to be the special suggestion of Judas (eh. xii. 4-6). The triumphal entry into Jerusalem from Bethany is recorded with characteristic features by tl1e synoptists and John. The incidents and converse of the Last Supper are conceived from a fresh st11ndpoint, and whereas the synoptists describe a Paschal feast, John calls it simply a liei,rvov; while the earlier evangelists give the institution of the Euchariat, John describes at length the washing of the feet, and records sacra- mental ideas of the valedictory discourse. Yet they are all four agreed on the discovery and exit of Judas, and there are several matters introduced into the discourse which are illuminated by comparison with those conversations "by the way," which Luke expressly records (see notes, eh. xiii. 31-38). '!'he trial-scenes, the denials of the Lord by Peter, the character and conduct of Pilate, the mention of Barabbas, the title "King of the Jews," the presence of the women at the cross, the method of the death, and the fact and place of the burial, as well as the witnesses and chief incidents of the Resurrection, correspond with the analogous details given in the synoptists, while many points mentioned by John imply an acquaintance on his part with matters refeJTed to by the synoptists, and which would be inexplicable except on the hypothesis that John had the synoptic narrative before him. 'l'his is very remarkable in the trial-scenes; e.g. John (xviii. 30, 35) makes it appear that the Jews had formally condemned Jesus in their own court to be guilty of death. The full account of this is only to be found by combining the narratives of Matthew and Luke; but John has said nothing of this scene. Nevertheless, the condemnation by the Sanhedrin, as given by the synoptists, is necessary in order to explain John's narrative. Many similar characteristics pervade the entire Gospel, and deserve special consideration. Our conclusion is, that though there are great peculiarities in Matthew, Luke, and John (and John's are scarcely more numerous than those of the first or third evange- list), yet that the most impressive facts and Cl!,rdinal events in this marvellous narrative are common to all four evangelists; that John's narrative presupposes on the part of l,is readers a knowledge of the synoptists, and throws in return great light upon them, and imparts in many crucial cases the additional fact which confers validity on them. 2. The coincidental and diversified reference in the Fourth Gospel to matters which are given in detail, or differently specified, in the synoptic Gospels. These references are twofold: (1) those which affect matters of fact and date and outward circumstance ; (2) those which relate to the fundamental elements of the character and teaching of our Lord. (1) Among the former : (a) The incidental reference of the Fourth Gospel to the vision and accompaniments of the baptism of Jesus. This act is not described, nor is the vision set forth, but both are involved in the account given by John the Baptist, and are recorded simply because they produced deep effect on all the subsequent character and ministry of the Baptist. (b) The reference, in eh. ill. 24, to the fact that" John was not yet cast into prison." Thie accounts for the descriptions given of John's con- tinued ministry. There is no other reference to John's imprisonment, and none to his death. Ch. v. 35 implies, by the aorist :i,8,>,:/icra.T<, that at that period the public ministry of John had been terminated. Why. was the statement of eh. iii. 24 intro- duced? We see no other reason than that the synoptic tradition (Matt. iv. 12) had made the close of John's public ministrations coincide with the commencement of Christ's Galilrean ministry; and to show the reader of Matthew's statement that the earliest ministry in Judrea and Samaria preceded the departure from J udrea into Galilee. (c) The 1/s TO ~pas of eh. vi. 3 suggests a well-knowu mow1tain, best explained by the r INTRODUCTION TO