(RECAP) 5967 .705 1882 PREFACE. THE lessons for this year being wholly from the Gospel according to Mark, and - Helps of every class, and from every available source, several large libraries being The general features are much the same as in the former volumes, but with still more May this volume be an aid in opening the Scriptures to many, calling attention to their wonderful treasures, and making the life of Christ a living power in the heart and EXPLANATION OF THE MAP OF THE SEA OF GALILEE. STATISTICS OF THE BIBLE. OLD TESTAMENT. NEW TESTAMENT. Number of Books Number of Chapters Number of Letters Middle Book. Middle Chapter. Middle Verse Least Book Least Verse WHOLE BIBLE. 39 929 27 260 66 1,189 These facts were ascertained by a gentleman in 1718; also by an English gentleman, at Amsterdam, in 1772; and the investigation is said to have taken each gentleman three years. The Bible has been translated into 226 different languages. The Old Testament was divided into chapters, as they now stand, by Cardinal Hugo, in the middle of the thirteenth century. These chapters were divided into verses, as we now have them, by Rabbi Nathan, and adopted by Robert Stephens, a French printer, in his edition of the Vulgate, in 1555, and transferred to the Authorized Version in 1611. The New Testament was divided into chapters by Hugo de St. Cher about 1240, and into verses by Robert Annunciation to Zacharias...... Annunciation to Mary...... CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE OF THE LIFE OF CHRIST. (From ANDREWS.) Mary visits Elisabeth, and remains three months.. The angel and the shepherds Coming of the Magi Flight of Jesus into Egypt Return to Nazareth, and sojourn there.. Jesus, at twelve years of age, attends the Passover. John the Baptist begins his labors Jesus tempted in the wilderness. Deputation of priests and Levites to the Baptist Jesus returns to Galilee Wedding at Cana of Galilee. First passover of Jesus' ministry; cleansing of Temple Jesus departs into Galilee, through Samaria. A few weeks spent by Jesus in retirement Second passover; healing of impotent man Calling of the four disciples, and healings at Capernaum.. Jesus anointed by the woman, a sinner.. Healing of two blind men, and a dumb possessed; Phari- Discourse at Capernaum respecting the bread of life. Jesus returns to Capernaum; is tempted by the Pharisees; Peter's confession that he is the Christ; the transfiguration, He teaches in the temple; efforts to arrest him. Jesus is attended by great multitudes; parable of the good Jesus is told of the murder of the Galileans by Pilate; par- Jesus dines with a Pharisee, and heals a man with dropsy; Resurrection of Lazarus; counsel of the Jews to put him Jesus again announces his death; ambition of James and Healing of blind men at Jericho; Zaccheus; parable of the Saturday, ...... Apr. 1, Apr. 2, Supper at Bethany, and anointing of Jesus by Mary Cursing of the fig-tree; second purification of the temple; Teaching in the temple; parables of the two sons, of the Apr. 4, Sending of Peter and John to prepare the passover; the Thursday, paschal supper " Events at paschal supper...... 888 Apr. 5, 30 Apr. 6, Thurs. eve., Apr. 6, 30 After supper Jesus foretells the denials of Peter; speaks of Thurs. eve., the coming of the Comforter, and ends with prayer Jesus is led to the house of Annas, and thence to the palace Upon the cross is reviled by his enemies; commends his His body taken down and given to Joseph, and laid in his Resurrection of Jesus, and appearance to Mary Magdalene, Appearance to the apostles and Thomas.. Appearance to seven disciples at Sea of Tiberias, and to 5002 at mountain in Galilee. Final appearance to the disciples at Jerusalem, and ascension to heaven.... Thurs., mid- Apr. 7, 30 66 30 ❝ 30 46 30 30 Apr. 16, 30 3 WHO ARE MENTIONED IN THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. A GENEALOGICAL TABLE OF THE HERODIAN FAMILY, INCLUDING THOSE MEMBERS OF IT Maccabees. connected with the Hyrcanus, and so grand-daughter of 1. MARIAMNE, HEROD THE KING (chap. 2: 1, 16, 19) married ten wives, among whom were: d. of Simon, a high-priest. Aristobulus. Herod Philip I. a Samaritan. 3. MALTHAKÉ, chap. 14: 3. | chap. 14: 3-11. chap. 2: 22. chap. 14: 3-11. Herodias. chap. 14:6-11. Robertson, Rev. F. W. Robinson's Biblical Researches. Scott, Sir Walter. Shakspeare. Smith's Bible Dictionary. Spurgeon, C. H., D.D. Stalker, Rev. James, M.A. Stock, Eugene. Thomas, David, D.D. Vincent, Rev. J. H., D.D. Warington, G. Webster. I. By whom written. The author of this Gospel has been universally believed to be Mark, or Marcus, designated in Acts 12: 12, 25; 15: 37, as John Mark, and in chap. 13: 5, 13, as John.- Abbott. II. When it was written. Upon this point nothing absolutely certain can be affirmed, and the Gospel itself affords us no information. The most direct testimony is that of Irenæus, who says it was after the deaths of the apostles Peter and Paul. We may conclude, therefore, that his Gospel was not written before A.D. 63. Again, we may as certainly conclude that it was not written after the destruction of Jerusalem, for it is not likely that he would have omitted to record so remarkable a fulfilment of our Lord's predictions, Hence A.D). 63-70 become our limits, but nearer than this we cannot go. Farrar. III. Where it was written. As to the place, the weight of testimony is uniformly in favor of the belief that the Gospel was written and published at Rome. In this Clement, Eusebius, Jerome, Epiphanius, all agree. Chrysostom, indeed, asserts that it was published at Alexandria; but his statement receives no confirmation, as otherwise it could not fail to have done, from any Alexandrine writer. - Farrar. 1 IV. In what language. As to the language in which it was written, there never has been any reasonable doubt that it was written in GREEK. V. Sources of information. Mark was not one of the twelve, and there is no reason to believe that he was an eye and ear witness of the events which he has recorded; but an almost unanimous testimony of the early fathers indicates Peter as the source of his information. The most important of these testimonies is that of Papias, who says, "Ile, the presbyter (John), said: Mark, being the interpreter of Peter, wrote exactly whatever he remembered; but he did not write in order the things which were spoken or done by Christ. For he was neither a hearer nor a follower of the Lord, but, as I said, afterward followed Peter, who made his discourses to suit what was required, without the view of giving a connected digest of the discourses of our Lord. Mark, therefore, made no mistakes when he wrote down circumstances as he recollected them; for he was very careful of one thing, to omit nothing of what he heard, and to say nothing false in what he related." Thus Papias writes of Mark. This testimony is confirmed by other witnesses. - Abbott. VI. For whom it was written. The traditional statement is, that it was intended primarily for Gentiles, and especially for those at Rome. A review of the Gospel itself confirms this view.-Maclear. LIFE OF ST. MARK. 1. MARCUS was his Latin surname. His Jewish name was John, which is the same as Johanan (the grace of God). We can almost trace the steps whereby the former became his prevalent name in the Church. "John, whose surname was Mark," in Acts 12:12, 25; 15: 37, becomes " John" alone in Acts 13: 5, 13, "Mark" in Acts 15: 39, and thenceCol. 4:10. Philem. 24. 2 Tim. 4:11. forward there is no change, 2. The Evangelist was the son of a certain Mary, a Jewish matron of some position, who dwelt at Jerusalem (Acts 12: 12), and was probably born of a Hellenistic family in that city. Of his father we know nothing; but we do know that the future Evangelist was cousin of Barnabas of Cyprus, the great friend of St. Paul. 3. His mother would seem to be intimately acquainted with St. Peter; and it was to her house, as to a familiar home, that the apostle repaired (A.D. 44) after his deliverance from prison (Acts 12:12). This fact accounts for St. Mark's intimate acquaintance with that apostle, to whom also he probably owed his conversion, for St. Peter calls him “his Son" (1 Pet. 5:13). 4. We hear of him for the first time in Acts 12: 25, where we find him accompanying Paul and Barnabas on their return from Jerusalem to Antioch, A.D. 45. 5. He next comes before us on the occasion of the earliest missionary journey of the same apostles, A.D. 48, when he joined them as their "minister" (Acts 13:5). 6. We find him by Paul's side during his first imprisonment at Rome, A.D. 61-63; and he is acknowledged by him as one of his few fellow-laborers who had been a "comfort" to him during the weary hours of his imprisonment (Col. 4 : 10, II. Philem. 24). 7. We next have traces of him in 1 Pet. 5:13: "The church that is in Babylon . . saluteth you, and so doth Marcus, my son." From this we infer that he joined his spiritual father, the great friend of his mother, at Babylon, then and for some hundred years afterwards one of the chief seats of Jewish culture. From Babylon he would seem to have returned to Asia Minor; for during his second imprisonment, A.D. 68, St. Paul, writing to Timothy, charges him to bring Mark with him to Rome, on the ground that he was "profitable unto him for the ministry" (2 Tim. 4:11). From this point we gain no further information from the New Testament respecting the Evangelist. It is most probable, however, that he did join the Apostle at Rome, whither also St. Peter would seem to have proceeded, and suffered martyrdom along with St. Paul. After the death of these two great pillars of the Church, ecclesiastical tradition affirms that St. Mark visited Egypt, founded the Church of Alexandria, and died by martyrdom. — Cambridge Bible for Schools. |