23.  The first gospel impresses the careful reader with three things:  (1) A clear sense of the development of Jesus’ ministry.  The author introduces his narrative by an account of the birth of Jesus, of the ministry of John the Baptist, and of Jesus’ baptism and temptation and withdrawal into Galilee (i. 1 to iv. 17).  He then depicts the public ministry by grouping together, first, teachings of Jesus concerning the law of the kingdom of heaven, then a series of great miracles confirming the new doctrine, then the expansion of the ministry and deepening hostility of the Pharisees, leading to the teaching by parables, and the final withdrawal from Galilee to the north.  This ministry resulted in the chilling of popular enthusiasm which had been strong at the beginning, but in the winning of a few hearts to Jesus’ own ideals of the kingdom of God (iv. 18 to xvi. 20).  From this point the evangelist leads us to Jerusalem, where rejection culminates, the sterner teachings of Jesus are massed, and his victory in seeming defeat is exhibited (xvi. 21 to xxviii. 20). (2) The evangelist’s interest is not satisfied by this clear, strong, picture; he wishes to convince men that Jesus is Israel’s Messiah, hence, throughout, he indicates the fulfilment of prophecy.  The things in which he sees the fulfilment are striking, for, with but one or two exceptions, they are features of the life of Jesus objectionable to Jewish feeling.  This fact, taken in connection with the emphasis which the gospel gives to the death of Jesus at the hands of the Jews, and to the resurrection as God’s seal of approval of him whom his people rejected, forms a forcible argument to prove the Messiahship of Jesus, not simply in spite of his rejection by the Jews, but by appeal to that rejection as leading to God’s signal vindication of the crucified one. (3) This evangelist, while proving that Jesus is the Messiah promised to Israel, recognizes clearly the freedom of the new faith from the exclusiveness of Jewish feeling.  The choice of Galilee for the Messianic ministry (iv. 12-17), the comment of Jesus on the faith of the centurion (viii. 10-12), the rebuke of Israel in the parable of the Wicked Husbandmen (xxi. 33-46), and especially the last commission of the risen Lord (xxviii. 18-20), show that this gospel sought to convince men of Jewish feeling not only that Jesus is Messiah, but also that as Messiah he came to bring salvation to all the world.

24.  The second gospel is much simpler in construction than the first, while presenting essentially the same picture of the ministry as is found in Matthew.  To its simplicity it adds a vividness of narration which commends Mark’s account as probably representing most nearly the actual course of the life of Jesus.  While it reports fewer incidents and teachings than either of the others, a comparison with Matthew and Luke shows a preference in Mark for Jesus’ deeds, though addresses are not wanting; and, while shorter as a whole, for matters which he reports Mark’s