CHAP. III. LUKE COMPARED WITH MATTHEW AND MARK. 15
"second," in which latter case they would have been obliged to call the 21st of Nisan the
"third Sabbath," at variance with its old and common appellation. On this supposition we
can best conceive Luke's reason for mentioning at all, that it was a "second—first" Sabbath.
Coming between the two regular Pascal—Sabbaths, it had for a Jewish mind a peculiar lustre
of sacredness about itself (comp. John 19. 31, “that Sabbath was a high day"), which must
have considerably enhanced the disciple's offence in the eyes of the Pharisees.
Now, in this second year of Our Lord's ministry (29 A. D.) the 15th of Nisan fell on a
Monday (18th April), the 21st of Nisan on a Sunday (24th April), and the intermediate weekly
Sabbath, Luke's "deuteróproton", was Saturday, 23rd April. If so, Christ evidently did not
attend this Passover at Jerusalem, but remained in Galilee, a fact, fully corroborated by John,
according to whose statement (6. 4.) the miraculous feeding of the five thousand at the lake of
Gennezareth took place when the Passover was close at hand. The reason, why Jesus did not
go to Jerusalem, is assigned in John 7. 1. comp. with 5. 16.
All this seems to prove, that we are justified in placing Matth. F, Mark e, f, g, and Luke e, f
immediately after the miracle of the loaves and fishes. Hence the Compound—Chain No. 2, in
its augmented shape, appears as follows:
Chain No: 2.
Harmonistic Join—result:
| Another circuit. Christ's compassion on shepherdless Israel. . . | A third circuit in |
| A third circuit in The twelve Apostles instructed and sent out. . . . . . . | Galilee. |
| Galilee. Herod alarmed by the fame of Jesus. Account of the Baptist's end. | |
| Jesus retires with the disciples across the lake. The feeding of the five thousand. | |
| Back to Capernaum. The walking on the sea. | |
| The great discourse on the bread of life, in the synagogue at Capernaum. Many turn back. | |
| The plucking of corn on the Sabbath. | |
| The healing of the withered hand, on another Sabbath. The Pharisees enraged. | |
| Jesus retires to the lake. Multitudes follow him and many are healed. |
All the rest, viz. Luke H, K, L, k, m, n, o, p, r, s, t, u, v, w, x, y and cc can be adjusted
only in connection with the problem of harmonizing John with the other three Gospels
(Chapt. iv.)
