Harmony of the Gospels, Summary of Synoptic gospels
The argument of the Gospell of Iesus Christ, according as it is sette foorth by MATHEVVE, MARKE, and LVKE.
THAT we may read this Euangelicall hystorie to our profite a…d commoditie, it shall not be litle auaileable to vnderstand the sence of this word EVANGELIVM, which we call in English the GOSPEL: for thereby we shall easily discerne what mooued these heauenly witnesses to c…mmit these things to wryting, and to what ende all things that they hauehave wrytten, are to be referred. For these hystories were not so named by other men, but that the authours themselues did so intitle them, it is manifest by Marke: which sayeth in plaine woordes, that he declareth the beginning of the Gospel of Iesus Christ. Moreouer, the perfecte and plaine definition of the Gospell is gathered specially out of a certaine place in Paule, where he sayeth that it was promised of GOD in the scriptures by the Prophets as concerning his sonne which was borne of the seede of Dauid,Rom. 1. 2 and declared mightely to be the sonne of God, through the spirit of sanctification, by the rising againe of the deade. First, he shew…th that it is a testimonie of saluation offered, which was promised long agoe to the fathers by continuall successe of ages, wherein doeth appeare a plaine difference betweene those promises which did hold in doubt the mindes of the faithfull, and those glad tidinges whereby God witnesseth that he hath now throughly perfourmed all things which before he woulde hauehave them to hope for. Like a… a little after the same Paule sayeth that the iustice of God is sette foorth in the same Gospel, which before was signified by the lawe and the prophets.2. Cor. 5. 20▪ And therefore in another place, the Apostle calleth it an ambassage, wherin is daily declared vntounto men a reconciliation which is once for all concluded betweene God & the world, by the death of Christ. He signifieth also that Christ is not only a pledge of all good things that euer were graunted vntounto vsus by God, but also that in him they are fully and wholely offred vntounto vsus, according as he sayeth elsewhere, that all the promises of God are fulfilled in Christ, euen so, and Amen. And doubtlesse, that free adoption whereby …e are made the children of God, as it proceedeth from the euerlasting good wil of the father: so is it opened vntounto vsus in that, that Christe (who is the onelyonly natural sonne of God) taking our flesh vponupon him, did chuse vsus to be his brethren. Neither ought we to seeke any where else, but onelyonly in the sacrifice of his death, for that exp…ation or blessing, wherewith our sinnes are blotted out: so that the cursse or sentence of death cannot fall vponupon vsus. Righteousnesse, saluation, and perfect felicity hauehave a sure foundation in his resurrection. VVherfore the Gospel may be defined to be a solemne publishinge or proclamation, wherein the sonne of God is declared to hauehave beene offred vppe in the flesh, to the intent that be might renew the wicked worlde, and restore menne that were dead, to life. Neither is it without cause called good and glad tidings, since in it is comprehended the summe of our felicitye: for the ende thereof i…, that it, hauing beg… in vsus the kingdome of God, and hauing abolished the corruption of our flesh, might bring vsus, being renewed through the spirite, vntounto the celestial and heauenly glory. In which sense it is oft times called the kingdome of heauen, and a reparation of a blisseful life, atchieued by Christ: and sometime it is called the kingdome of God.Mar. 1. 534. As when Marke sayeth that Ioseph looked for the kingdom of God, doubtlesse it is to be vnderstoode of the comminge of Messias: whereby it is manifest that the name of the Gospel doeth properly pertaine to the Nowe Testament: and that those wryters speake very c…susely, which thinke it to be like common to all ages, and that the prophets may at aptly be called …asters of the Gospel, at the Apostles. Christes woordes …unde farre otherwise,Lu. 16. 16. who making mention that the lawe and the Prophets were of … till the comminge of Iohn, declareth that then the kingdome of God began to be preached. And Marke (as before was mentioned) signifieth that the Gospell … b…ginne with the preachinge of Iohn▪ but this name and … was not without good aduisement giuen to these … hystories, wherin is declared, that Christ toke vponupon him the office & function of amediator. For since that in the birth, death, & resurrection of Christ, is comp…sed the sum of our saluation, and they are the very matter whereof it doeth consiste, they may very well and fitly be called Euangelists: that is to say, bringers of merrye newes, whiche portraite out before our eyes Christ sent of his father, so that by faith we may ack…wledge him to be the only authour of our felicitie. The force and effecte of his comming is m…re plainely put downe in other bookes of the Newe Testament. And Iohn in this respect differeth farre from the other three, who is wholely occupied in expressing the vertue of Christe, and the frute that we reape thereby, where as the rest stand more vppon this poynt, that our Christe is the sonne of God which was promised to be the redeemer of the world. In deede they doe teache heere and there the doctrine of Christes office: that we may be certified of his fauour towarde vsus, and to what ende he was giuen vntounto vsus: but this (as I sayde) is the chiefest matter they handle, that Christe Iesus did fully finish all things in his owne person, whatsoeuer was promised by God euer since the beginning of the worlde. For their purpose and intent was not by their wrytings to abolishe and destroy the lawe and the Prephets, as diuers brainsicke persons doe vainly dreame, that the Olde Testament hath beene to none effecte, euer since the veritie of the heauenly wisedome hath been reuealed vntounto vsus by Christ and his Apostles: Nay, they rather pointing out Christe vntounto vsus, as it were with a …inger, put vsus in minde to seeke at his handes what soeuer the law and the Prophets hauehave ascribed vntounto him. VVherfore then we shall frutefully and effectually read the Gospel, when we shal lea…e to conferre it with the promises of the olde Testament. As concerning the three Euangelists which nowe I take in hand to interpreat, Mathewe is sufficiently knowen, and some thinke Marke to hauehave liued familiarly with Peter as his scholler, and to hauehave receiued the Gospel, which he wrote woorde by woorde out of Peters mouth, so that he supplied only the ro…me of a Scribe or Nota…te. But this matter needeth no curious disputation, for it little appertaineth vntounto vsus to know more, then that he is a lawfull witnesse ordained of God, and that he publisheth nothing in wryting, but that which was reuealed vntounto him, and putte into his head by the holy Ghost. But Ieromes opinion seemeth to hauehave smal grounde, who thinketh his Gospel to be a briefe summe, drawne out of the Gospel of Mathewe. For he differeth from him in handling his matter euen in the entrance: neither doeth he obserue the same Methode that Mathew doeth, and he reck…neth vppe liuers things, lefte vntouched of the other: and some things mentioned in Mathewe, he declareth more at large. I thinke it more probable, and so may I gather by the woorke it selfe, that he had neuer seene Mathewes booke, when he wrote his owne, much lesse did he of purpose make an Epitome or Abridgement of it. And the very same doe I iudge of Luke. For, as concerning the clauses wherein they seeme to differ, I thinke not that they brought them in of sette purpose, but when they all determined truely and faithfully to set foorth those thinges which they had thorowly knowen and approoued, eueryevery one of them followed what order hee thought best him self. And like as this came to passe, not by blinde chance & fortune, but by the diuine prouidece of God: euen so, the holy ghost ministred vntounto them a marueil…us consent, vnderunder a contrary stile and fourme of wryting. The which Harmonie it selfe, were sufficient to confirme their credite, had they not elsewhere receiued greater, and more stedfast authoritie. Nowe, as for Luke, he credibly witnesseth of himselfe, that hee was a companion of Paule, continually conuersant with him. But that which Eusebius reporteth, is very childish, that Paule was the true authour of Luk…s Gospel, because in a certaine place, he maketh mention of his owne Gospel. As though it were not manifest, by that whiche ensueth in the text,2. Tim. 2. 8. that Paule speaketh of his common preaching, and not of any one booke wrytten. For he sayeth: For the which Gospell I suffer affliction, as an euill doer, euen vntounto bondes. And who knoweth n…t, that Paule was accused, not for any Booke he had Compiled, but for that he was a Minister of the woorde, and preached openly the Gospel of Christ: wherby it appeareth that Eusebius was a man very painful, but of small iudgement, since without diligent hede, he heapeth vp togither so many senceles notes, wherof I thought good to admonish the readers, least they chaunce to stumble at such like blockes, which lye heere and there, scattered throughout all his woorkes. Moreeuer, because I hauehave chosen a kinde of Interpretation, which may perhaps displease diuers at the first blush. I meane to yeelde a reason of my doing, trusting thereby to satisfie the vnpartial and godly readers. This first is without controuersie, that none of the three Euangelists, can be truely and rightly interpreated, vnlesse he be conferred with the t…o other. VVherefore faithful and skilful interpreaters, heerein take moste paines, that all things may be reconciled, which are spoken by the three Euangelists. But since that meane wittes cannot easily conferre the Euangelists togither, whilest still they turne and returne from the one to the other, I thought this briefe Methode would seeme pleasant and profitable, if by a continual processe or discours, like as it were in one table, the three hystories were ioyned togither: wherein the readers may see and discerne at once, what is dissonant and agreeable to them all. So I will ouerslip nothing which is wrytten by any one of the three: and I will declare in one discourse what soeuer is handled by diuers. Nowe, whether my paines be wel bestowed (as I hope) or no, let eueryevery manne iudge according to the profite he taketh in reading. Truely it was so farre from my thought to catche after praise and commendation by my newe inuention, that I freely con…esse (as becommeth eueryevery good nature) that in this manner of interpretation I hauehave imitated other men. And most of all I followed Bucer, a man of holy memorie, and a famous teacher in the churche of God, who (in my iudgement) hath trauailed heerein to no smal purpose. And like as he hath had great furtherance by the disigelce of ancient wryters, which hauehave taken paines in the same studie before him: so I pro…esse my selfe to hauehave beene as much eased by his labour and industrie. But whereas I differ from him in some places (the which libertye I graunted my selfe so ofte as seemed necessarye.) I thinke that he himselfe, if he now liued on earth, would not be offended with is.