ministry
which
extended
over
six
months,
and
of
which
the
scene
was
laid
mainly
in
Jerusalem.
There
can
be
little
doubt
that
at
this
point
the
Fourth
Gospel
is
in
possession
of
rehable
information.
Mk.
and
Mt.
are
very
vague
in
their
notices,
and
Lk.
uses
the
journey
to
Jerusalem
(9"-18")
as
the
framework
of
a
mass
of
material
which
obviously
belongs
to
a
number
of
different
places
and
times.
It
is
to
be
noticed
that
there
are
incidental
references
in
Mk.
and
Lk.
which
imply
that
there
were
visits
to
Jerusalem
before
the
end
—
notably
the
incident
at
the
inhospitable
Samaritan
village,
which
may
well
have
occurred
when
Jesus
went
up
on
an
earlier
occasion
from
Galilee
(Lk
9"-";
ct.
17"-").
We
may
hold,
as
Tatian
held,
that
the
Fourth
Gospel
misplaces
important
events,
and
even
that
events
of
the
Judaean
ministry
are
altogether
ante-dated;
but
it
seems
certain
that
it
is
right
in
placing
a
mission
to
Jerusalem
immediately
after
the
closing
scenes
in
Galilee.
Apart
from
the
confidence
and
circumstantiality
of
the
report,
there
are
various
considerations
which
make
it
probable
that
He
proceeded
to
Jerusalem.
For
Jesus
Himself,
with
His
knowledge
of
the
destined
end,
felt
the
necessity
of
bringing
things
to
a
decisive
issue.
He
was
straitened
till
His
baptism
should
be
accomplished
(12™).
From
the
point
of
view
of
the
disciples,
who
could
not
believe
in
the
tragic
event,
it
was
natural
to
expect
Him
to
lay
before
the
reUgious
leaders
and
the
people
of
the
capital
the
evidence
that
had
created
their
own
faith.
We
also
hear
of
a
natural
taunt
of
those
who
believed
not.
Why
hesitate
to
submit
the
case
to
those
who
are
really
competent
to
judge?
(Jn
7*).
On
the
other
hand,
there
are
facts
which
are
difficult
to
explain
on
the
supposition
that
Jesus
only
arrived
in
Jerusalem
a
few
days
before
the
Crucifixion.
The
knowledge
and
the
hatred
of
His
enemies
disclosed
in
the
last
week,
point
to
earlier
collisions,
and
an
earlier
ministry
of
some
duration
seems
clearly
impUed
in
the
words,
'
How
often
would
I
have
gathered
thy
children
together,
even
as
a
hen
gathereth
her
chickens
under
her
wings,
and
ye
would
notl'
(Mt
23").
(1)
Sequence
of
events.
—
At
the
Feast
of
Tabernacles,
which
fell
in
the
third
week
of
the
month
Tishri
(Sept.-Oct.),
Jesus
appeared
in
Jerusalem,
where
He
taught
and
disputed
in
the
courts
of
the
Temple,
making
many
disciples
(Jn
8'°).
The
healing
of
the
man
blind
from
his
birth
belongs
to
this
time.
After
a
brief
retirement
(86»),
He
returned
to
the
Feast
of
Dedication
(lO^^)
on
the
last
week
of
the
ninth
month
(Nov.-Dec),
when
His
clairns
and
rebukes
led
to
a
threat
of
stoning,
and
to
plans
for
His
arrest
(10"-
").
He
next
withdrew
beyond
Jordan,
where
His
ministry
met
with
much
success
(Jn
10*°-''^,
with
which
matter
in
Mk
10,
Mt
19.
20,
Lk
18"-19"
may
be
paraUel).
Hence
He
returns
to
Bethany
on
hearing
of
the
sickness
of
Lazarus,
whom
He
raises
from
the
dead
(
Jn
1
1'
-")
.
Next
follows
a
sojourn
with
His
disciples
at
Ephraim,
a
town
sup-posed
to
be
in
the
N.E.
of
Judaea
(11*^).
The
narratives
are
combined
by
the
hypothesis
that
from
Ephraim
He
proceeded
to
join
the
train
of
Galilaean
pilgrims
—
probably
at
Jericho
(Mk
10«,
Mt
20»,
Lk
18»);and
that
in
their
company
He
made
His
last
journey
to
Jerusalem.
He
arrived
on
the
Friday,
before
the
beginning
of
the
Jewish
Sabbath,
and
lodged
at
Bethany
(Jn
121).
(2)
The
Johannine
picture.
—
In
passing
from
the
Synoptics
to
the
Fourth
Gospel
we
are
conscious
of
many
differences.
In
contrast
to
the
free
movement
of
act
and
speech,
there
is
something
stereotyped
in
the
way
in
which
events
develop
and
arguments
are
sus-tained.
In
place
of
the
vividness
and
the
rich
variety
of
the
Synoptic
discourses,
we
have
the
frequent
re-currence
of
a
few
themes,
and
the
^iteration
and
ex-emplification
of
the
fundamental
ideas
of
the
Gospel.
But
what
is
most
noticeable
is
that,
while
with
the
Synoptics
the
Messiahship
of
Jesus
is
a
secret
which
is
spoken
of
only
after
a
great
venture
of
faith
in
the
Apostolic
circle,
there
is
here
no
evidence
whatever
of
reserve.
The
confession
of
Peter
is
mentioned
(6"),
but
many
have
known
Him
before,
—
Andrew
as
far
back
as
the
Baptism
(!")■
Moreover,
the
point
of
most
of
the
discourses
delivered
by
Jesus
is
that
He
is
the
Messiah,
and
more
than
the
Messiah,
and
that
His
claim
rests
upon
the
strongest
authentication.
That
this
was
the
burden
of
His
teaching
after
Caesarea
Phllippi,
we
may
well
believe,
for
it
is
quite
in
accordance
with
the
situation
disclosed
by
the
Synoptics
at
the
close
of
the
Galilsean
ministry,
that
Jesus,
after
being
assured
of
the
faith
of
the
Apostles,
should
have
proceeded
to
urge
His
claim
in
the
boldest
and
most
public
way.
But
for
the
same
reason
it
is
difficult
to
beUeve
that
the
discourses
connected
with
earlier
visits
to
Jerusalem,
which
contain
the
same
message,
are
properly
dated.
The
interview
with
Nicodemus,
as
well
as
the
cleansing
of
the
Temple,
may
well
belong
to
the
later
phase
of
the
ministry;
and
the
story
of
the
woman
of
Samaria
may
be
an
incident
of
the
journey
from
Galilee
to
the
Feast
of
Tabernacles.
The
supposition
that
the
Fourth
Gospel
has
interwoven
with
the
GaUlaean
period
events
which
all
belong
to
the
one
Judsean
ministry
of
the
last
six
months
seems
to
the
writer
to
go
far
to
Ughten
the
difficulties
of
the
harmonist,
and
to
make
it
possible
to
profit,
without
being
misled,
by
its
history.
(a)
The
self-witness
of
Jesus.
—
He
publicly
claims
to
be
the
Messiah.
'If
thou
art
the
Christ,
tell
us
plainly.'
■Jesus
answered
them,
I
told
you,
and
ye
believed
not,
(1024.
26;
cf.
935-8').
There
is
also
developed
a
high
doctrine
of
His
origin
and
primordial
dignity.
He
is
from
God
(72»);
He
is
before
Abraham
was
(8");
He
pjid
the
Father
are
one
(lO'")
—
which
last
is
interpreted
to
mean
that
being
a
man.
He
makes
Himself
God
(v.").
Pro-portional
to
His
dignity
are
the
blessings
which
He
bestows
—
repose
and
refreshment
of
soul
(7";
cf.
4"),
true
life
(5'°),
spiritual
freedom
(8*^),
resurrection
and
life
everlasting
(11"').
(5)
The
proof
of
Christ's
claim.
—
To
the
repeated
demand
for
corroboration
Jesus
appeals
to
God
as
His
witness.
The
source
of
His
doctrine,
God
also
attests
its
truth
(81*).
In
this
connexion
the
heaUng
of
the
blind
man
(eh.
7)
is
thought
of
as
decisive:
'
When
the
Christ
shall
come,'
the
multitude
ask,
'will
he
do
more
signs
than
those
which
this
man
hath
done?'
(v.'')-
His
Divine
mission,
it
is
further
declared,
is
accredited
by
His
disinterested
zeal
for
God's
glory
(8"-
'").
On
the
other
hand,
great
stress
is
laid
on
the
tact
that
the
attitude
to
Christ
is
determined
by
the
spirit
and
the
life
of
those
who
come
in
contact
with
Him.
Those
who
are
of
the
truth
instinctively
recognize
Him
for
what
He
is,
as
the
sheep
know
the
voice
of
their
shepherd
(10*,
cf.
18").
To
a
good
man
Christ
is
self-evidencing.
'If
any
man
wiUeth
to
do
his
will,
he
shall
know
of
the
teaching
whether
it
be
of
God'
(7").
(c)
The
explanation
of
the
Passion.
—
He
speaks
of
His
sufferings
and
death
not
merely
to
His
disciples,
but
to
the
half-believing
(3"),
and
before
the
multitude
(10'-™).
The
points
of
view
under
which
the
Passion
is
presented
are
that
it
is
not
an
evidence
of
God's
rejection,
but
an
act
of
self-surrender
which
calls
forth
the
Father's
love
(10"),
that
death
comes
in
the
line
of
the
vocation
of
a
good
shepherd
(10""),
that
it
is
His
own
voluntary
act
(10"),
and
that
it
is
at
once
the
ground
of
salvation
(3'")
and
the
secret
of
the
gospel's
spell
(12*').
(d)
The
response
of
the
hearers.
—
The
Fourth
Gospel
shows
us
Jesus
surrounded
by
three
classes
—
a
band
of
believers,
the
multitude
which,
though
divided
and
wavering,
is
deeply
impressed,
and
the
religious
leaders
who
regard
Him
with
hatred
or
contempt.
The
charges,
as
in
Galilee,
are
mainly
Sabbath-breaking
(728)
and
blasphemous
utterances
(lO^^);
and
the
attempt
is
made
further
to
discredit
Him
as
unlearned
(7")
and
a
Galltean
(v.").
Finally,
a
definite
resolution
is
formed
to
destroy
Him.
What
brought
matters
to
a
head,
according
to
this
Gospel,
was
the
raising
of
