Harmony of the Gospels, Section 1
SECTION I.
S. LVKE. CHAP. I.
The Preface or Epistle Dedicatory. The occasion and warranty of Lukes writing the Gospel.
FORASMVCH as manyaforeign used for a lawfull undertaking, and a successeful progresse in it, in Plat. in Phaedro concerning Isocrates, and in Isocr. himselfe ad Demonic. have taken in handbTo compile a narration, Syr. Erasm. Bruciol. &c. to set forth in order a declaration of those things which arecforeign: It signifieth in Scripture style, not onelyonly the certainty of the things done, but also the certain beleefe that they were so done. See Rom. 4 21. & 14. 5. Col. 22 1 Thes. 1. 5. 2 Tim. 4. 5. Heb. 6. 11. The Lxx: once use it in a bad sense, Eccles. 8. 11. for settlement in evill. most surely beleeved among us,
2 Even as theydforeign. Here were traditions of the highest forme that ever were any, Delivered by Christs own Disciples, and generally beleeved and intertained, yea, and committed to writing, and yet made nothing worth in comparison of Scripture. delivered them unto us which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and Ministers of the Word:
3 It seemed good to mee also, having had perfect understanding of all thingseOr From above. from the very first, to write unto theefIn Order, either in order to those that have written before; As they have done, so it seemed good to mee to doe also after them, as foreign is used, Act. 3. 24. or in order of story, for the generall, as to lay down Christs Conception, Circumcision, Baptisme, Preaching, Death, Resurrection, methodically, and as one followed another; but for the particulars, of Christs Journies, Miracles, Speeches, &c. wee shall find in the progresse of the story, that hee doth not so precisely observe the very order. So that the former sense doth seem to be the better. in order most excellent Theophilus.
4 Thatg1 Luke held it not unlawfull, nor unfit for a Layman to read the Scriptures. 2 He held not ignorance to be the mother of Devotion, nor an implicite faith sufficient for salvation. thou mightest know the certainty of those things wherein thou hast been instructed.
Reason of the Order.
FOrasmuch as none of the Evangelists have made a Preface to their story, but onelyonly Luke, this of his may serve as a generall one for all the rest. And like the beautifull gate of the Temple, may bee as an entrance, or inlet into the glorious and royall Fabrick of the Gospels.
Harmony and Explanation.
Ver. 1. Many have taken in hand.Psal. 68. 11.
HEE condemneth not the undertakings of these men, as very many Expositors hold hee doth; for first, hee saith, they had taken in hand a declaration of those things which were most surely beleeved. Secondly, Hee saith, they had done it even as the eye-witnesses and Ministers had delivered it. Thirdly, Hee maketh his own undertaking of the like nature with theirs, when hee saith, It seemed good to mee also: But hee mentioneth these their writings as only humane Authorities [undertaken without the injunction of the Holy Ghost] which his divine one was to exclude: So the Books of Jasher, of Gad, of Iddo, of the warres of the Lord, &c. are cited by the Old Testament, neither as altogether disapprooved, nor yet approoved above humane: In the losse of them there perished none of the Canonicall Scriptures, but onelyonly the works of men; no more did there in the losse of these.
Vers. 2. Eyewitnesses] these were the twelve Apostles. Ministers] these were the 70 Disciples. From their Sermons and Relations, many undertook to write Gospels, of a godly intention and holy zeale. Of which the Evangelist here speaking aimeth neither at the Gospel of Matthew nor Marke, though they were written when hee thus speaketh; for the first was an eyewitnesse, and one of the twelve, and the other [it is like] a Minister or one of the 70… and so wrote not from the intelligence of others, as those did of whom the Evangelist speaketh, but by their owne.
Vers. 3. It seemed good to mee also, having had perfect understanding of all things from above:] For so might foreign bee best translated; And so it signifieth John 3. 3. 31. & 19. 11. James 1. 17. &c. And thus taken, it sheweth Lukes inspiration from heaven, and standeth in opposition to the many Gospels mentioned, ver. 1. which were written from the mouthes and dictating of men, ver. 2. but his intelligence for what hee writeth was from above.
[Most excellent hforeign an Epithe… for men of ranke as Act. 24. 3. & 26. 25.Theophilus] In most probability, a Nobleman of Antioch, and fellow Citizen with Luke converted by Paul at his Preaching there, Act. 11. 26. Luke adhered to his Master, and forsook him not, 2 Tim. 4. 11. but Theophilus staying at Antioch after Pauls departure, what hee wanted in verball instructions from the mouth of his Master, when hee went away, Luke doth in this his Gospel supply by writing, that so hee might know the certainty of these things wherein hee had beeniforeign See Act. 18. 25. & 21. 2. Rom. 2 18. 1 Cor 14. 19. Col. 6. 6. Catechized.
Theophilus in Greek is the same in signification with Jedidiah in Hebrew, the name of Solomon, the Lords Beloved, or with glorious title of Abraham, the Friend of God.
And thus was that Prophecy most sweetly fulfilled, Esai. 60. 14. The sonnes of the afflicters shall come bending to thee, &c. when in that Town, which had been the residence, and bare the name of Antiochus, [the sharpest enemy that ever Israel groaned under] the professors of the Gospel were first named Christians, and such an Evangelist hath his Originall.