LIEUT.-COL. G. MACKINLAY, ON SOME LUCAN PROBLEMS. 217 



foundations that they are worthless. But can these things correctly 

 be said of the evangelist who gives two very distinct dates, by 

 referring to well known secular events — the " decree from Caesar 

 Augustus that all the world should be enrolled" (Luke ii, 1), and 

 "the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Csesar " (chapter iii, 1), 

 after the manner of the historians of his day 1 Luke also gives a 

 Jewish dating for the vision of Zacharias (i, 5, 8, 11), because 

 it is known from Jewish records when the course of Abia served 

 in the Temple. St. Luke also tells us that our Lord came to 

 the Temple at the age of twelve (ii, 42), and that He began 

 His Ministry when He was about thirty years of age (iii, 23). 

 The fulfilment of periods of time (i, 57, ii, 6, 43, xxi, 24), also of 

 years (ii, 37, iv, 25), months (i, 24, 26, 56), days (i, 59, ii, 21, 22, 

 44, iv, 2, xxii, 7, etc.), and hours (xxii, 14, xxiii, 44, xxiv, 33), are 

 each referred to repeatedly. The near approach of summer is also 

 pointedly alluded to (xxi, 30). In the central chapter of Luke, 

 with which we are now especially concerned, we find attention 

 directed to the near approach of the time (ix, 51) when our Lord 

 should be delivered up. Various periods are stated in years 

 (viii, 42, 43, xiii, 7, 11) and others in days (ix, 28, 37, x, 35, xiii, 

 32, 33). In one place (vi, 1) the time of year is plainly shown to 

 be that of harvest, and in another, the Sabbath year then 

 present is clearly indicated by the reference to the fulfilment of 

 of one of its obligations (c/. xi, 4, with Deut. xv, 1, 2). Sir Isaac 

 Newton noticed that Christ referred in His parabolic teaching to 

 things actually present, for instance, to the lilies of the field 

 (xii, 27), indicating that it was the summer. Archbishop Trench 

 has suggested that sowing was actually in progress when the 

 parable of the sower was delivered ; thus we have winter indicated 

 at a certain part of Luke (A) (viii, 4-15), and also at a place in 

 Luke (B) (xiii, 18, 19). There are also several other indirect 

 allusions to the season of the year in Luke's Gospel, but we have 

 not space to refer to them ; they all harmonise chronologically with 

 the threefold narrative theory. Another chronological indication is 

 furnished by the teaching of the Lord, — it was only after the 

 Transfiguration, during the last six months of the Ministry, that 

 the clearest indications were given of the offer of salvation to the 

 Gentiles ; consistently with this fact we find references to their 

 acceptance at the end of Luke (A) (x, 33, 36, 37) ; of Luke (B) 



