PREFACE XXI 



is composed of a threefold tradition, two twofold 

 traditions, and one peculiar tradition. If the 

 Gospels were the work of totally independent 

 writers, it would follow that there are three wit- 

 nesses for the statements in the first tradition; 

 two for each of those in the second, and only one 

 for those in the third. 



V. If the reader will now take up that ex- 

 tremely instructive little book, Abbott and Rush- 

 brooke's "Common Tradition" he will easily 

 satisfy himself that " Mark " has the remarkable 

 structure just described. Almost the whole of 

 this Gospel consists of the first component; 

 namely, the threefold tradition. But in chap. i. 

 23-28 he will discover an exorcistic story, 

 not to be found in "Matthew/* but repeated, 

 often word for word, in " Luke." This, therefore, 

 belongs to one of the twofold traditions. In chap, 

 viii. 1-10, on the other hand, there is a detailed 

 account of the miracle of feeding the four thou- 

 sand ; which is closely repeated in " Matthew " xv. 

 32-39, but is not to be found in " Luke/ 1 This is 

 an example of the other twofold tradition, possible 

 in " Mark/' Finally, the story of the blind man 

 of Bethsaida, "Mark" viii. 22-26, ^peculiar to 

 Mark." 



VI. Suppose that, A standing for the threefold 

 tradition, or the matter common to all three Gos- 

 pels ; we call the matter common to " Mark " and 

 :t Matthew " only B ; that common to " Mark " 



