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The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah Vol 1 - Predestination

The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah Vol 1 - Predestination

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Before proceeding, a few sentences are required in<br />

explanation <strong>of</strong> seeming differences in <strong>the</strong><br />

Evangelic narration <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> event. <strong>The</strong> historical<br />

part <strong>of</strong> St. John's Gospel begins after <strong>the</strong><br />

Temptation—that is, with <strong>the</strong> actual Ministry <strong>of</strong><br />

Christ; since it was not within <strong>the</strong> purport <strong>of</strong> that<br />

work to detail <strong>the</strong> earlier history. That had been<br />

sufficiently done in <strong>the</strong> Synoptic Gospels.<br />

Impartial <strong>and</strong> serious critics will admit that <strong>the</strong>se<br />

are in accord. For, if St. Mark only summarises, in<br />

his own brief manner, he supplies <strong>the</strong> two-fold<br />

notice that <strong>Jesus</strong> was ' driven' into <strong>the</strong> wilderness, '<br />

<strong>and</strong> was with <strong>the</strong> wild beasts,' which is in fullest<br />

internal agreement with <strong>the</strong> detailed narratives <strong>of</strong><br />

St. Mat<strong>the</strong>w <strong>and</strong> St. Luke. <strong>The</strong> only noteworthy<br />

difference between <strong>the</strong>se two is, that St. Mat<strong>the</strong>w<br />

places <strong>the</strong> Temple-temptation before that <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

world-kingdom, while St. Luke inverts this order,<br />

probably because his narrative was primarily<br />

intended for Gentile readers, to whose mind this<br />

might present itself as to <strong>the</strong>m <strong>the</strong> true gradatioA <strong>of</strong><br />

temptation. Tq St. Mat<strong>the</strong>w we owe <strong>the</strong> notice, that<br />

after <strong>the</strong> Temptation ^ Angels came <strong>and</strong> ministered'

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