The Life and Death of our Lord
Volume 7
Preface
The present volume of the Daily Bible Illustrations is substantially a history of the Lord Jesus, reduced from the four Gospels, and so related as to comprise an interpretation of the incidents recorded. The consecutive “Readings” are more connected with each other than in any of the previous volumes, and might be almost perused as a continuous narrative divided into chapters. This feature of the volume has grown out of the necessity which existed for producing all the incidents of our Lord’s career. But although a selection of topics was thus precluded, some circumstances have been set forth in more full detail than others, either on account of their paramount importance, or from the illustrative matter they involved, or the explanations they required.
The explanations embodied in the narrative, or embraced in the mere terms of statement, are the result of careful consideration, and often of much research. And it is hoped that some readers may receive assistance and benefit, for the better understanding of our Lord’s history as a whole, from the solicitude with which the writer has endeavored to realize, and to bring continually into view, the position which Jesus appeared to occupy in the eyes of the people—the condition of the country, and the state of Jewish public opinion at the time He appeared—the fluctuations of that opinion in regard to himself—and the causes that led to, or the effects that resulted from, the particular circumstances recorded, showing, it is believed, that the Gospel history is not made up of a series of isolated incidents or “anecdotes;” but that all its parts will be found, by those who examine them with attention, not only to manifest a determinate purpose, but to bear a close relation to each other.
To arrange these incidents, as reported in varying order by four different historians, into one coherent narrative, is, however, confessedly a work of great difficulty; and their proper allocation in the present volume, has often been a matter of anxious consideration with the author. The order adopted, is mainly that of Dr. White’s Greek Diatesseron, with the emendations of Dr. Macbride, compared with the Greek Harmony of Abp. Newcome, in the edition of Dr. Knapp, with the improvements thereon in Dr. E. Robinson’s Harmony, and with due reference to Lightfoot, and to the recent Synopsis Evangelica of Dr. Tischendorf. The attention which has been given to the orderly arrangement of the different incidents of our Lord’s history which the Evangelists record, will be abundantly rewarded, if it should induce any reader to enter upon the synoptical study of the Gospel narratives.
In the course of the work, the writer has often, in a quiet way, endeavored to meet various exceptions which have been taken to particular points in the Gospel history of Christ. But this has not been done always; nor has it been formally any part of his undertaking to consider cavils which have often been refuted, and which few of his readers are likely to encounter, and none of them to entertain.
The issue of the present volume has been retarded beyond the due time, chiefly from the protracted illness of the author: but restored health allows him to hope that, with the Lord’s blessing, the remaining volume, comprising Readings in the History of the Apostles, will not be subjected to any such delay.
London, January 1853.
Autor: JOHN KITTO