90 



THE REV. A. H. FINN ON 



to what is portrayed therein. And this similitude may help to 

 explain the greatest silence of all. For nearly nineteen centuries 

 now the voices of Revelation have been hushed : no new 

 manifestation has occurred : no new truth has been proclaimed . 

 That is, as it were, the lower margin of darkness which shows 

 that the picture is complete. In the portrait of the Divine 

 Christ the work of the Divine Artist is ended, and we need no 

 addition until the living reality of the living God-Man in all 

 His glory is revealed to our adoring gaze. 



Discussion. 



Lt. -Colonel Gr. Mackinlay said : — Mr. Finn does well in calling 

 attention on pp. 75 and 76 of his valuable paper to the fact that 

 the selection of events and discourses for record, implies a plan 

 on the part of the inspired writers, requiring the omission of which 

 is not essential to the design. 



Acting on this hint we have clues to the following questions which 

 have long puzzled many. 



Why do the first three Gospels omit all mention of the raising 

 of Lazarus, since that miracle was the proximate cause of the 

 crucifixion, arousing the intense opposition of the Jews ? 



And why does the fourth Gospel omit all mention of the 

 Transfiguration and of the last fateful journey to Jerusalem, while 

 all the first three tell of these events fully ? 



The answer to both questions appears to be that the three 

 Synoptists and John have different plans in leading to the same 

 climax, the death of our Lord Jesus Christ ; and they have therefore 

 selected for record only those events which suit them. Their 

 omission are therefore accounted for. 



In the Synoptic Gospels, St. Peter's grand confession of the Christ 

 comes shortly before the culmination of glory at the Transfiguration, 

 which is followed by the healing of the demoniac boy after the 

 failure of the disciples. Little is said about the opposition of the 

 Jews. Almost the next event selected for record by the first three 

 evangelists is our Lord's start for His last journey, of His own 

 accord, to death at Jerusalem (Luke ix, 51). The contrast from 

 glory and success in Galilee to the voluntary death of shame at 

 Jerusalem. 



