258 LT.-COL. G. MACKINLAY^ ON THE EMPHASIS OF ST. LUKE. 



we considered in the Acts (see p. 4) proclaiming the Risen Lord. 

 The word ovro^ is used in both : in the one case it points to 

 the triumphant Saviour, and in the other to the saved sinner. 

 A hint is thus given of the intimate personal relationship 

 between the two, which is plainly stated by St. Paul, when he 

 wrote of " the Son of God, Who loved me, and gave Himself for 

 me " (Galatians ii, 20). 



We now find thai, we have a triplication of doctrinal 

 triplications (No. 5) ; the first (iSTo. 8) shews man's failure 

 and guilt, the second (No. 10) God's judgment on unpardoned 

 sinners, and the third (No. 12) (reinforced by No. 13) demon- 

 strates the salvation of God to anyone who trusts in the 

 Atoning Work of Christ. We thus have a summary of the 

 relationship between God and man. 



As we have found so many triplications in the narratives 

 leading up to the Death and Eesurrection of our Lord, we may 

 naturally expect to find others when those events themselves 

 are described. 



Let us first consider the section containing the Betrayal and 

 Crucifixion of our Lord. The failure of human love to help 

 Him in His time of trial, when He indeed suffered alone, is 

 emphasized by the record of Peter's thrice-repeated denial of 

 his Master (No. 14). St. Luke has arranged this triplication in 

 a manner similar to his long one, Luke (A). Luke (B), Luke (C). 

 In both cases, the crisis coming immediately afterwards, he 

 makes the first and last components more striking than the 

 intermediate one. In our present instance (No. 14) Luke 

 records that the first questioner looked steadfastly on Peter and 

 said : " This man also was with Him. But he denied, saying, 

 woman, I know Him not." The last one " confidently affirmed " 

 that the Apostle had been with our Lord, for he was a Galilaean, 

 but Peter said : " Man, I know not what thou sayest." The 

 intermediate questioner is recorded simply as saying : " Thou 

 also art one of them," without any mention of steadfast looking 

 or confident affirmation. Peter's reply on the second occasion 

 is recorded in only three Greek words, while his first denial is 

 ia four, and his last in five words. 



The powerlessness of human authority to rescue our Lord in 

 His time of crisis is emphasized by the record of the failure of 

 Pilate's thrice-repeated efforts (No. 15), though "he had deter- 

 mined to release Him" (Acts iii, 13). The proud Eoman ruler 

 sank deeper and deeper into shame at each attempt, while each 

 time confessing our Lord's faultlessness. At first the Governor 

 simply said: "I find no fault in this Man." This should have been 



