108.  The story of the Galilean ministry is given chiefly by the first three gospels, John contributing but two incidents to the period covered by that ministry,—­a second miracle at Cana (iv. 46-54), and a visit to Judea (v. 1-47),—­and relating more fully the story of the feeding of the multitudes (vi. 1-71).  The journey from Judea through Samaria (John iv. 1-45) should be identified with the removal to Galilee which stands at the beginning of Mark’s record (i. 14; Matt. iv. 12; Luke iv. 14).  Mark’s account of the Galilean activity of Jesus (i. 14 to ix. 50) is one of such simple and steady progress that the whole period must be considered as a unit.

109.  In the use which Matthew (iv. 12 to xviii. 35) and Luke (iv. 14 to ix. 50) make of Mark’s record this unity is emphasized.  Their treatment of the matter which they add, however, makes it best to study the period topically rather than attempt to follow closely a chronological sequence.  As it is probable that the early writing ascribed by Papias to the apostle Matthew failed to preserve in many cases any record of the time and place of the teachings of Jesus, so is it certain that the first and third evangelists have distributed quite differently the material which they seem to have derived from that apostolic document.  Mention need only be made of the exhortation against anxiety which Matthew places in the sermon on the mount (vi. 19-34), and which Luke has given after the close of the Galilean activity (xii. 22-34).  It is possible to form some judgment of the general relations of such discourses from the character of their contents, but in the absence of positive statement by the evangelists it is hopeless to seek to give them a more definite historical setting.  A topical study can consider them as contributions to the period to which they belong, while a chronological study would be lost in uncertain conjectures.  A topical study may, however, disclose the fact that sequence of time was identical with development of method.  This is, in general, the case with the Galilean ministry.  The new lesson which Jesus began to teach after the confession at Caesarea Philippi marked the supreme turning point in his whole public activity.  Before that crisis the work of Jesus was a constructive preparation for the question which called forth Peter’s confession.  Subsequently his work was that of making ready for the end, which from that time on he foretold.  As has been stated, the Galilean ministry is the story of the first three gospels, except for two incidents and a discourse added by John.  The visit to the feast of Tabernacles (John vii. 1 to viii. 59) stands on the border between the work in Galilee and that which followed.  It was one of Jesus’ many attempts to win Jerusalem, and is evidence that the author of the fourth gospel—­either because of special interest in the capital, or because of superior knowledge of the work of his Master in Judea—­gave emphasis to a side of the life of Jesus which the other gospels have neglected.