VIII AGNOSTICISM : A REJOINDER 275 



for the most part, scattered about in a totally 

 different connection. 



Interposed, however, between the nomination of 

 the Apostles and a visit to Capernaum ; occupying, 

 therefore, a place which answers to that of the 

 " Sermon on the Mount," in the first gospel, there 

 is, in the third gospel a discourse which is as closely 

 similar to the " Sermon in the Mount," in some 

 particulars, as it is widely unlike it in others. 



This discourse is said to have been delivered in 

 a " plain " or " level place " (Luke vi. 17), and by 

 way of distinction we may call it the " Sermon on 

 the Plain." 



I see no reason to doubt that the two Evan- 

 gelists are dealing, to a considerable extent, with 

 the same traditional material ; and a comparison 

 of the two " Sermons " suggests very strongly that 

 " Luke's " version is the earlier. The correspond- 

 dences between the two forbid the notion that 

 they are independent. They both begin with a 

 series of blessings, some of which are almost 

 verbally identical. In the middle of each (Luke 

 vi. 27-38, Matt. v. 43-48) there is a striking expo- 

 sition of the ethical spirit of the command given 

 in Leviticus xix. 18. And each ends with a pas- 

 sage containing the declaration that a tree is to be 

 known by its fruit, and the parable of the house 

 built on the sand. But while there are only 29 

 verses in the " Sermon on the Plain " there are 

 107 in the " Sermon on the Mount " ; the excess 

 in length of the latter being chiefly due to the 



