Footnotes
[1.] Vie de Jesus, ed. xiii., pp. 10, 11. [2.] See Lamy, vol. ii., pp. 246-270; Cornely, Introd. iii., pp. 216-260. [3.] See, e.g., Cornely, iii., pp. 222, 223. [4.] Eusebius, Hist. Eccl., iii. 39. [5.] St. Ephrem († 373) wrote a Commentary, in Syriac, on the Diatessaron, and this Commentary is still extant in an Armenian translation, which is probably as old as the fifth century. [6.] It is important to note this, because the Rationalist arguments against the Johannine authorship prove nothing against St. John that they do not prove also against all his contemporaries. [7.] See notes on chronology of the Acts. [8.] St. Jerome, referring to this, writes: “Refert Tertullianus quod Romae missus in ferventis olei dolium purior et vegetior exierit quam intraverit.” (Advers. Jovin, i. 26.) [9.] “Joannes quum esset in Asia, et jam tunc haereticorum semina pullularent Cerinthi et Ebionis et ceterorum qui negant Christum in carne venisse ... coactus est ab omnibus tunc pene Asiae Episcopis et multarum ecclesiarum legationibus de divinitate Salvatoris altius scribere.”—Prol. in Matthew. [10.] Iren., Haer. iii. 1: “Joannes volens per evangelii annunciationem auferre, eum qui a Cerintho inseminatus erat hominibus errorem et multo prius ab his qui dicuntur Nicolaitae ... sic inchoavit evangelium.” [11.] “Joannes discipulus Domini ... et ipse edidit evangelium Ephesi Asiae commorans.”—Haer. iii. 1. [12.] Corluy, indeed, supposes the heads of doctrine to be reported in precisely the exact words of our Lord: “Eas propositiones quae quasi capita doctrinae apparent ... ad verbum referri admittendum putamus,” are his words. But the fact that the words of institution of the Blessed Eucharist are differently reported by the Synoptic Evangelists seems to us to refute this view. [13.] “Joannes novissime omnium scripsit evangelium, rogatus ab Asiae episcopis, adversus Cerinthum aliosque haereticos et maxime tunc Ebionitarum dogma consurgens, qui asserunt Christum ante Mariam non fuisse.”—Jer. de Vir. Illust., 9. [14.] The words of Irenæus are:—“Et Cerinthus autem quidam in Asia, non a primo Deo factum esse mundum docuit, sed a Virtute quadam valde separata, et distante ab ea principalitate, quae est super universa, et ignorante eum, qui est super omnia, Deum. Jesum autem subjecit non ex Virgine natum (impossibile enim hoc ei visum est); fuisse autem Joseph et Mariae filium similiter ut reliqui omnes homines.... Et post baptismum descendisse in eum ab ea principalitate quae est super omnia (ἐκ τῆς ὑπὲρ τὰ ὄλα αὐθεντίας) Christum figura columbae, et tunc annuntiasse incognitum Patrem, et virtutes perfecisse, in fine autem revolasse iterum Christum de Jesu, et Jesum passum esse et resurrexisse, Christum autem impassibilem perseverasse, existentem spiritalem.”—Iren., Adv. Haer., i. xxvi. [15.] “Ebionaei autem consentiunt quidem mundum ab eo, qui revera Deus est, factum esse; quae autem ad Christum pertinent, consimiliter Cerintho fabulantur. Moribus Judaicis utuntur secundum legem; quapropter et Christum Dei vocatum esse Jesum, quum nemo ex reliquis observaret legem. Etenim si quis alius fecisset quae in lege praescripta sunt, ille evasisset Christus. Posse autem etiam ipsos, si similiter egerint, Christos evadere; etenim illum quoque hominem aeque ac reliquos fuisse dicunt.”—Philosophumena, vii. 16, 3342 (Migne). [16.] Referring to this sublime prologue, St. Augustine says: “Ceteri tres evangelistae tanquam cum homine Domino in terra ambulant, et de divinitate ejus pauca dixerunt, istum autem quasi piguerit in terra ambulare, sicut in ipso exordio sui sermonis intonuit, erexit se non solum super terram et super omnem ambitum aeris et coeli, sed super omnem etiam exercitum angelorum, omnemque constitutionem invisibilium potestatum; et pervenit ad eum per quem facta sunt omnia, dicendo: ‘In principio erat verbum.’ Huic tantae sublimitati principii etiam caetera congrua praedicavit,” etc.—Tract 36 on St. John. [17.] Compare also 1 John i. 1, where our Vulgate should have translated by “erat” instead of “fuit.” [18.] According to many, Heb. iv. 12 affords another instance in the New Testament. [19.] “Huic nomini seligendo occasionem forte dederunt tunc jam grassantes doctrinae Gnosticorum, qui ita post Philonem vocabant ens aliquod sublimius quod dicebant Jesu fuisse unitum. Sic etiam nomina ἀρχή, ζωή, χάρις, ἀλήθεια, μονογενής, a Gnosticis tribuuntur aeonibus suis, quae omnia Joannes in suo prologo sensu genuino exponit.”—Corl., Comm. in S. Joan., Quaer. 3, p. 26. [20.] Sometimes (with πρός) the import of the accusative is apparently lost, πρός signifying with, particularly in connection with names of persons (John i. 1); but here πρός indicates (ideal) annexation, implying rather the active notion of intercourse than a mere passive idea.—Winer, Gr. Gram. N. T., 8th Eng. ed., p. 504, h. and note 4. [21.] “The omission of the article before the predicate, when the predicate stands before the copula is the usage of the New Testament.”—Alford, on this verse. [22.] See Patrizzi, iii. Diss. viii. 21. [23.] Patriz. [24.] The R. V. has “apprehended it not,” with marginal alternative: “overcame it not.” [25.] “Pluralis adhibetur ratione habita utrusque parentis.”—Beel, Gr. Gram. § 273, note. [26.] St. Thomas seems to prefer St. Augustine's peculiar view, that the woman is here meant by “caro.” The other opinion given above is given by him only in the second place as an alternative. [27.] Compare our expression: he acted like a man. [28.] Verba “a Patre” aeque jungi possunt nomini sive “unigeniti,” sive “gloriam.” Si primum, sensus erit unigeniti, qui est ex Patre, neque enim Verbum γεννάσθαι, quod continetur in μονογενοῦς constructum reperitur cum praepositione παρά.—Patriz. [29.] Patrizzi, following Kuinoel, contends that ἐμπρόσθεν (before) is never used of priority in dignity; but see Alford, who cites Gen. xlviii. 20, as well as Plato and Demosthenes, for this meaning. [30.] Thus far, the prologue of our Gospel, of which Franzelin truly says:—“Singula doctrinae capita de J. Christo vero Deo, Deique Filio in unum quodamodo collecta verticem conspiciuntur. Hoc enim loco is qui in tempore caro factus est, docetur esse Deus, Deus aeternus, Deus creator universi, Deus auctor gratiae et ordinis supernaturalis, Deus cui supremus cultus debetur.”—De Verbo Incarn., Th. 8. [31.] Simon, vel Symeon (Act xv. 14 sine var. lect. in Gr. codd., 2 Pet. i. 1, א, A, K, L, P, &c.) שׂמעון (exauditio, Gen. xxix. 33). “Nomen Patris aut Jonas, Ἰωνᾶ (Matt. xvi. 17), aut Ἰωάνες vel Ἰωάννες (Joan xxi. 15) legitur; Joan i. 43 codd. graeci alii Ἰωνᾶ alii Ἰωάνου vel Ἰωάννου; unde prius nomen non essi nisi alterius corruptionem nec quidquam cum nomine prophetae Jonae habere commune elucet.”—Corn. iii. § 212, note 1. [32.] Publ. Life of our Lord, vol. i., p. 185. [33.] Consult also, as almost exactly the same, 2 Kings xvi. 10; Josue xxii. 24; Matthew viii. 29; Matthew xxvii. 29; Mark i. 2. [34.] See M'Carthy, Gospels of the Sundays, p. 72. [35.] Nisan, the first month of the sacred year of the Jews, corresponded to the latter half of March and the first half of April. [36.] “Additus ibi voci διδάσκαλος articulus Nicodemum exhibet tanquam ex Israelis doctoribus excellentibus unum.”—Beel., Gr. Gram., § 17, 4, adnot 3. [37.] Smith's Dictionary of the Bible, 2nd edition, 1893. [38.] Trench, Studies in the Gospels, p. 84. [39.] The name Sichar is derived by some from shikkor (שׂכר), a drunkard; by others sheqquer (שׂקר), a liar; the city of liars, perhaps of false worship. [40.] “Venit mulier ad puteum et fontem quem non speravit invenit.”—St. Aug. [41.] Massillon, in a beautiful Lenten Sermon on this subject, says: “Nouvelle artifice, dont elle s'avise pour détourner la question de ses mœurs, qui lui déplait, et qui l'embarasse, elle se jette habiliment sur une question de doctrine.” [42.] Compare Acts xvii. 23, where the true reading is ὃ οὖν, agreeing with the Vulgate. [43.] Compare the saying, common in parts of Ireland: “It is long till Hallow-day.” [44.] Our Lord was probably baptized by John between the middle of October and the 25th December: “Quae quum ita sint, dies baptismi fuerit oportet inter medium Octobrem interque viii. Kal., Januar,” Patrizzi, Diss. xlvii., c. i. 11. [45.] It is not certain which is the correct reading, whether ἑορτὴ or ἡ ἑορτὴ (a feast, or the feast). Nearly all the critics are against reading the article. So Lachmann, Tisch, Westc., and Hort; and, so too, the Protestant Revised Version. Still, there are a great many ancient authorities, among them the Codex א (Sinait.) in favour of reading the article. But even if the reading were certain, it would still be doubtful what feast is meant. [46.] The passage is regarded as spurious by Tisch., Tregell., Westc., and Hort, and by the Rev. Vers. [47.] “δίωκειν haud raro est verbum forense, atque significat accusare.”—Kuin. [48.] “Unde secundum Augustinum, demonstrare Patrem Filio, nihil aliud est quam Patrem generare Filium. Et Filium videre quae Pater facit, nihil aliud est quam Filium esse et naturam a Patre recipere.”—St. Thom. on verse 20. [49.] “Est argumentum ab humano modo sumptum, respectu hominum illorum, qui se amant, hi enim mutuo sibi omnia communicant, nihil sibi occultant, et cum revera Pater summe diligat Filium, utitur hoc argumento ut signo, et probatione propter nos, non autem quod causa sit cur omnia demonstret,”—Tolet. For other explanations, Corl., page 118, may be consulted. [50.] Mald. thinks that the principal reference in verses 21 and 25 is to the general resurrection. [51.] “Deus eam (potestatem judiciariam) communicare noluit nec congrue potuit puro homini, sed Christo soli, qui Deus est et homo. Ipse enim ut Deus, summam habet auctoritatem judicandi; ut homo vero habet facultatem judicium hoc visibiliter coram hominibus salvandis et damnandis exercendi.”—A Lap. [52.] “Nam ipse, qua Deus, idem numero habet judicium, eandem numero mentem et voluntatem divinam quam habet Pater; qua homo vero, totus regitur a deitate et verbo inhabitante, ut aliud judicare et velle nequeat quam id quod ejus deitas, quasi praeses, judicat et vult.”—A Lap. [53.] The inspiration of the prophets, though usually attributed to the Holy Ghost, is, like every work that is not terminated in God Himself, common to the three divine Persons, and is here referred to the Father, since Christ is addressing the Jews, who knew nothing of the Holy Ghost, and would not value His testimony. [54.] From Juvenal we learn that in Rome the cophinus was carried about with them by the Jews: “Judaeis Quorum cophinus foenumque supellex.”—Sat. iii. 14. [55.] Calvin retained Baptism, Eucharist, and Holy Orders; Zwingli, Baptism, Eucharist, and Matrimony; Luther, in the Confession of Augsburg, Baptism, Eucharist, and Penance; and the Anglican Church, in the 25th of the Thirty-nine Articles, Baptism and the Eucharist. [56.] Though it is not defined that there is reference to the Blessed Eucharist in any part of the 6th chapter of St. John, still, since the Council of Trent understood the passage (52-59) in this sense (Sess. xiii., cap. 2), as did nearly all the fathers who commented on the chapter, it would be rash for a Catholic to deny that the Blessed Eucharist is promised in the passage 52-59. [57.] “De hac significatione inter philologos nulla est dubitatio, confer Psal. xxvi. (Hebr. 27) 2; Job xix. 22; Mich. iii. 3.”—Franz., De Euch., Thes. iii., p. 22, note. [58.] Though Franz. holds that the discourse from verse 35-47 regards faith in Christ, yet he holds that the Blessed Eucharist is referred to in verse 27.—De Euch. Thes., iii., p. 15. [59.] “Noli te cogitare invitum trahi; trahitur animus et amore ... Ramum viridem ostendis ovi, et trahis illam. Nuces puero demonstrantur et trahitur.”—St. August. [60.] See, e.g., above iii. 6: What is born of the spirit is spirit; i.e., spiritual. [61.] Even Renan, who had held this view in the Vie de Jesus abandoned it in a later work: Les Evangiles, Appendix, page 542. [62.] That James the brother of the Lord was an Apostle, is proved from Gal. i. 19. See also Acts ix. 27, 28. Now Jude, the author of the short Epistle which bears his name, who is commonly referred to as identical with Jude the Apostle, calls himself a brother of James (only James the Less, the brother of the Lord, and well-known bishop of Jerusalem can be meant). Jude 1; hence, two at least, of the brothers of the Lord mentioned by Matthew (xiii. 55), Mark (vi. 3), were Apostles: and since the Apostle Simon is mentioned side by side with them in the four lists of the Apostles, it is fairly concluded that he was their brother Simon; hence three of these brethren of the Lord were Apostles. [63.] Evangelistaries are selections from the Gospels for the purpose of liturgical reading. [64.] “Relate ad stylum haec praesertim notantur; pro particala οὖν quam amat Joannes, semper adhibetur δέ; deinde occurunt vocabula (vel phrases), quibus Joannes nullibi utitur: ὄρθρον, πᾶς ὁ λαός, καθίσας ἐδίδασκεν αὐτούς, οἱ γραμματεῖς καὶ οἱ φαρισαίοι, ἐπιμενεῖν, ἀναμάρτητος, καταλείπεσθαι, κατακρίνειν, et πλήν.”—Corn., Introd., iii., p. 235, n. 3. [65.] e.g., ix. 21-28, ἡλικίαν ἕχειν; συντίθεσθαι; λοιδορείν. [66.] “Rien dans le morceau ne fait disparate avec le style du quatrième Evangile.”—Renan, Vie de Jesus, ed. 18, page 500. [67.] Theiner, i., pp. 71-77. [68.] So the Protestant Revised Version, which in the margin gives as an alternative: How is it that I even speak to you at all? [69.] It is hardly necessary to remind the reader that the present of this verb means to place, and hence the perfect means, I have placed myself, or stand. [70.] Besides the Pharisees believed that only the good souls passed into other bodies. See Josephus, Ant., viii. 1, 3; B. Jud., ii. 8, 14. [71.] That προσκύνεω is often used of merely civil worship in the Old Testament is not denied by anyone; and that it is so used in the New Testament also, see Matt. xviii. 26, where it is far more probable that προσεκύνει (“adorabat,” not “orabat,” as Vulg.) is the correct reading. [72.] “Significat enim haec phrasis primo securitatem, secundo fiduciam, tertio libertatem conversandi ubilibet, suo munere fungendi, et quaelibet negotia peragendi pro Christo et per Christum.”—A Lap. [73.] “Patres omnes ... intelligunt de uno pastore in terris existente qui visibiliter pascat et regat.”—Suarez, De Fide, Tract. 1, Disp. 9, Sect. 6, n. 3. [74.] “Lectio Vulgatae ita foret exponenda: Pater quod dedit mihi, divinam naturam secum identicam, id majus est rebus omnibus, adeoque omnibus creaturis potentius; ideoque nemo potest oves rapere de manu mea, sicut nec de manu Patris, nam Ego et Pater unum sumus.... Ceterum si duo versiculi in Vulgata complexive sumuntur, exprimunt quum Patris omnipotentiam tum Filii cum Patre consubstantialitem; quae duo dogmata etiam in originali textu habentur, licet alio modo. Ergo duae lectiones dogmatice concordant substantialiter.”—Corl. [75.] “Praesens adhibetur ad significandum id quod jam jam eventurum est, aut quod quis jam in eo est ut faciat.”—Beel., G. G., 41, 2, a. [76.] The bodies of the wicked also shall be raised on the last day, but, as A Lap. says: “Quia resurgent ad tormenta Gehennae, hinc vita eorum potius mors dicenda est, quam vita.” [77.] The Perfect here has a Present signification. “Praesentis temporis loco Perfectum adhibetur eatenus tantum quatenus verbo perfecti temporis significatur actio quaepiam aut conditio, quae praeterito tempore incepta nunc perdurat quaeque adeo sui initium tantum praeterito tempore habeat.”—Beel., Gr. Gram., § 41, 4 a. [78.] By its original institution, the office of High-priest was to be held for life; but we know from Josephus that the High-priest was frequently deposed by the Romans. “Praetor in Judaeam missus est Valerius Gratus; qui Ananum Pontificatu privavit, et eum Ismaeli Phabi filio tribuit, atque hunc non multo post abdicavit, et id munus Eleazaro Anani Pontificis filio commisit. Uno autem anno post sacerdotium huic ademtum Simoni Camithi filio tradidit; cumque is dignitatem non ultra anni spatium tenuisset, Josephus, cui etiam Caiphae nomen fuit, ei successit.”—Josephus, Antiq., xviii. 2, 2. [79.] “Dubium non est, quin Matthaeus et Marcus, ut explicent quo modo Judas ad traditionem pervenerit, narrationem hanc parenthetico modo illis, quae de Pharisaeorum et sacerdotum consilio tradunt, inseruerint.”—Corn., iii., p. 296, note n. So too Coleridge, Life of our Life, vol. ii., p. 46: “The two earlier Evangelists give their accounts of that supper out of its place, and in immediate connection with the Passion of our Lord, for the obvious reason that it was an incident of that supper, which finally determined Judas to betray our Lord to His enemies, and thus to bring about His death.” [80.] So Lachm., Tisch., Treg., West & Hort. The R. V. has: Suffer her to keep it against the day of my burying, and in margin: Let her alone; it was that she might keep it. [81.] It is frequently mentioned as a proof of our Lord's humility that He condescended in this hour of triumph to ride upon an ass; and the context in the prophecy of Zachary quoted above seems to favour this view. Still there is good reason for supposing that the ass was commonly used by nobles in the East (see, e.g., Judg. v. 10, x. 4; 3 Kings i. 33), and that for this reason, Christ may have used it in the hour of His triumph. [82.] See, e.g., John xviii. 28, where we are told that the Jews, on the morning of the crucifixion, abstained from entering the hall of Pilate, “that they might not be defiled, but that they might eat the pasch.” [83.] Matt. xxvi. 17-20; Mark xiv. 12-17; Luke xxii. 7-14. [84.] See Coleridge, Passiontide, Part ii., p. 33. [85.] Passiontide, Part ii., pp. 40-42. [86.] Since the Jews removed all leaven from their houses on the 14th Nisan, that day seems to have been called the first day of Azymes. It was during that day that the last supper was prepared, but it was during the following night (Exod. xii. 8), and therefore when the next Jewish day had already commenced, that it was eaten. [87.] The following are the passages from which the objections are drawn:—John xiii. 1; xiii. 29; xviii. 28; xix. 14, 31. [88.] See the able article, by Dr. Molloy, in I. E. Record, vol. ix., pp. 445-464. [89.] The reader may consult with profit I. E. Record, vol. x., pp. 110-114. [90.] “Adhuc coenabatur quum Dominus surrexit et pedes lavit discipulis suis.”—St. Aug. [91.] Anyone who desires fuller information on the rites of the Paschal Supper will find it in Maclean's account given by Dr. Walsh in the note referred to above. [92.] “Quam enim Romani togam aut pallium, id est summan vestem, Graeci, ui ex Plutarcho discimus, το ἱμάτίον appellabant.”—Mald, in loco. [93.] Matt. xxvi. 25: “And Judas that betrayed him, answering said: Is it I, Rabbi? He saith to him: Thou hast said it,” presents considerable difficulty, as Judas appears to be there distinctly pointed out. Some have held that only the traitor himself heard Christ's reply; but it is difficult to see how some of the others close to Jesus should not also hear it. Hence we prefer to hold that these words, though recorded by St. Matt. before his account of the institution of the Blessed Eucharist were in reality not spoken till after the dipped bread had been given to the traitor. [94.] Dr. Walsh, Harmony of the Gospel Narratives, pp. 137, 138. [95.] It is read by Lachm., Tisch., Tregel., Westc., and Hort, and by the Revised Version as well as the Vulgate. [96.] The quantity of the third syllable in this word varies. Strictly it ought to be long, the word being derived from the Greek παράκλητος; but in ecclesiastical Latin it is generally short, and spelled with i instead of e, as in the Veni Creator: Qui diceris Paraclitus. [97.] “Ex dictis colligitur duo ad missionem proprie dictam concurrere, alterum, sempiternam processionem personae, quae mittitur; alterum, externam aliquam efficientiam, sive sub sensus incidat, ut cum, homine suscepto. Verbum hominibus apparuit, aut sub columbae specie Spiritus Sanctus, sive interius sit nec aspectabile quod agitur, ut cum Spiritus S. ad fidelium quemque demittitur.”—Perrone, De Trin., cap. vi., Scholion 4, note 3. [98.] See also A Lap. in loco. Some who hold that this was spoken on the way to Gethsemane, think that the mention of the vine was suggested by the sight of a vine as Christ and the Apostles passed along. [99.] See Less. of Thir. Noct. Comm. Marty. (Temp. Pasch.) [100.] “Non eo modo illi in ipso, sicut ipse in illis. Utrumque autem prodest, non ipsi, sed illis. Ita quippe in vite sunt palmites, ut viti non conferant, sed inde accipiant unde vivant, ita vero vitis est in palmitibus, ut vitale alimentum subministret eis, non sumat ab eis. Ac per hoc, et manentem in se habere Christum et manere in Christo, discipulis prodest utrumque, non Christo. Nam praeciso palmite potest de viva radice alius pullulare; qui autem praecisus est, sine radice non potest vivere.”—St. Aug. in loc. [101.] “Non utique ipso die Pentecostes, sed tempore adventus Spiritus Sancti paulatim, ac per gradus inducti sunt in omnem veritatem, ut ex manifestis factis et ex ipsis verbis constat: inducet in omnem veritatem ὀδηγήσει ὑμᾶς.”—Franz. De Trad., p. 267. note 1. [102.] See Franz., De Div. Trad. Thes., xxii. 11. [103.] “Semper itaque audit Spiritus Sanctus quia semper scit: ergo et scivit, et scit, et sciet; ac per hoc et audivit, et audit, et audiet: quia sicut jam diximus, hoc est illi audire quod scire, et scire illi hoc est quod esse. Ab illo igitur audivit, audit, et audiet a quo est: ab illo est a quo procedit.”—St. Aug. on this verse, Tract. 99. [104.] “Uno verbo: Spiritus Sanctus aeternaliter audit et accipit a Filio cum respectu ad effectum in tempore, qui tum quando Christus loquebatur, promittebatur adhuc futurus; ideo auditio et acceptio quae aeternaliter et ideo etiam tunc est, quando existit effectus, potuit propter hanc operationem et propter effectum futurum ad extra enuntiari in forma temporis futuri.”—Franz., De Trin. Thes., xxxii. i. 4 c. [105.] “Igitur in significatione formali illud meum, quod Spiritus veritatis dicitur accipere communicatum a Filio, est absoluta sapientia cum respectu ad extra, ad doctrinam scilicet inspirandam et annuntiandam. At profecto sapientia absoluta identice ac realiter est ipsamet essentia divina.”—Franz., Thes., xxxii. i. 4 b. [106.] There is a clear and important difference between the two words for asking used in this verse. ᾽Ερωτάω always in classical, and generally in Hellenistic Greek, means to interrogate, to question. In Hellenistic Greek it sometimes means to request, to petition, as in verse 26 below; but even then there is a distinction which is carefully observed throughout the New Testament between it and αἰτέω. ᾽Ερωτάω is used of the request of an equal, or at least of a familiar friend, αἰτέω of the supplication of an inferior. Hence Christ never once uses the latter word in reference to His own asking of the Father. [107.] “Resuscita me, ut innotescas toti orbi per me.”—St. Aug. [108.] All theologians admit that the happiness of the blessed consists radically in the vision of God; but while many Thomists hold that it consists essentially in this, other theologians hold that it consists in acts of the will, as of love and joy, as well as of the intellect. [109.] Christ's human soul enjoyed the beatific vision from the first moment of the incarnation; but the connatural effects of this upon His body were suspended during His mortal life. [110.] “Aoristus ... indicat peractam rem esse aut nunc aut olim, hoc est, aliqua praeteriti temporis parte, quae indefinita relinquitur. Perfectum sicut in classica graecitate, ita et in graecitate N. Testamenti adhiberi solet ad significandam actionem plane praeteritam, quae aut nunc finita est, aut per effectus suos durat.”—Beel., G. G., § 41. [111.] So Griesb., Lachm., Tisch., Treg., Westc., Hort, and the Revised Version. [112.] Or more correctly: “for we all partake of one bread.” [113.] Fourth Edition, London, 1859. [114.] “Est autem in Graeco sensus hujus sententiae apertior: non enim habetur particula copulativa, sed illativa, et non est praeteritum, sed aoristus primus qui saepe plusquam perfecti significationem habet. Sensus ergo est: Miserat igitur eum Annas ligatum ad Caipham Pontificem, est enim locutio revertentis ad narrationem praetermissam, et particula illativa indicat quae relata sunt, fuisse facta postquam missus est Christus ab Anna ad Caipham.”—Tol., in loc. [115.] We shall not be far from the truth, if we say that the Paschal Supper began about 7 p.m.; that Jesus retired to Gethsemani about 10; that He was arrested between 11 and 12; that the midnight trial was over about 2 a.m.; and that day dawned about 4.30. [116.] Maimonides, De Pasch., vi. 1, says: “Qui cadaver reptilis tetigit, aut reptile, aut quid aliud simile die decima quarta, is lavatur, et postquam lotus est, pro eo pascha mactant, et sub vesperam, quum sol ei occubuit, pascha comedit.” [117.] We read in the Mishna, which is the oldest portion of the Jewish Talmud, and was composed about the beginning of the third century: “Sacrificium festi Chagigah (חגיגה) adducebatur ex grege et jumento, agnis et capris, masculis et feminis; et comedebatur per duos dies et unam noctem.” (Mish., Pesachim, vi. 4.) [118.] Jesus till now had been outside, for it is well known the Roman law required that the criminal should be present to hear the charges brought against him. See Acts xxiv. 2. [119.] We prefer to render: “Thou sayest it, for (ὅτι) I am a king;” and thus St. John's version of Christ's reply is more like that of the other Evangelists. [120.] φραγελλόω indeed belongs to late Greek, and is derived from the Latin flagellum. [121.] We know not what kind of thorns was used for the crown. Benedict XIV. says that in his time it could not be decided from any relics of the thorns known to exist to what species they belonged. [122.] “Jesus igitur flagellis caesus spinisque coronatus fuit, ante quam Pilatus eum capite damnaret. Non ergo est dubium, ordinem in his referendis a Matthaeo et a Marco minime esse observatum.”—Patriz. [123.] See above on [xiii. 1]. [124.] That a division of the night into four watches existed, is proved from the New Testament. See, e.g., Mark xiii. 35: Luke xii. 38. [125.] Whether St. John numbers the hours of the day according to the Jewish or modern method it is extremely difficult to decide from his Gospel. In only four passages (i. 39; iv. 6; iv. 52; and xix. 14) does he refer to distinct hours of the day, and to these passages the patrons of both opinions appeal. In John iv. 6 we read that it was “about the sixth hour” when Jesus met the Samaritan woman at the well, and if we are right in holding that it was then the month of December (see above on iv. 35), this would go to show that our Evangelist numbers according to the Jewish method. For at 6 a.m. or 6 p.m. it would be dark, and it is wholly improbable that Jesus in the darkness would have held conversation alone with the woman. [126.]
Dr. Walsh, Harmony of the Gospel Narratives, note 35.
We have not mentioned the view of those who hold that the error from transcription occurred in St. Mark and not in St. John, and that we ought to read “sixth” instead of “third” in St. Mark xv. 25. For, as Patrizzi well points out, if St. Mark had written “sixth” in verse 25, he would not, after describing the mocking of Christ upon the cross, say in verse 33: “And when the sixth hour was come there was darkness over the whole earth until the ninth hour.” If error has crept in, then, it is not in St. Mark.