COMPARISON OF THE GOSPELS.

I. AS TO AMOUNT OF SPACE BY PAGES.

      1. John is one a third of Mark; 80 per cent. of Matthew; 73 per cent. of Luke.
      2. Order as to length: Luke, Matthew, John, Mark.

II. AS TO MIRACLES, NOT COUNTING THE RESURRECTION
OF JESUS.

 

1.	Luke	has	30,	covering	22	per cent.	of space
2.	Matthew	"	21,	"	14	"	"
3.	Mark	"	14,	"	28	"	"
4.	John	"	6,	"	6	"	"

III. AS TO PARABLES.

 

1.	Luke	has	21,	covering	16	per cent.	of space
2.	Matthew	"	15,	"	14	"	"
3.	Mark	"	7,	"	7	"	"
4.	John	"	3,	"	3	"	"

IV. AS TO FORMAL SPEECHES, INCLUDING PARABLES.

 

1.	Matthew	has	19,	covering	50	per cent.	of space
2.	Luke	"	25,	"	44	"	"
3.	Mark	"	15,	"	28	"	"
4.	John	"	9,	"	33	"	"

V. AS TO DIRECT NARRATION, INCLUDING ACCOUNTS OF
MIRACLES AND CONVERSATIONS.

 

1.	Mark	-   -   -   -	has	65,	per cent.	of space
2.	John	-   -   -   -	"	63,	"	"
3.	Luke	-   -   -   -	"	56,	"	"
4.	Matthew	-   -   -   -	"	36,	"	"

VI. AS TO LOCALITY.

 

1.	Mark   is	in	Galilee	58	per ct.	of space,	in Jerusalem	37	per ct.
2.	Matthew	"	"	53	"	"	"	33	"
3.	Luke	"	"	28	"	"	"	43	"
4.	John	"	"	14	"	"	"	63	"

VII. AS TO CHRONOLOGICAL ARRANGEMENT.

      John is chronological throughout; Luke and Matthew chronological to the temptation of Jesus, they and Mark not chronological as to ministry in Galilee; Matthew and Mark, chronological from leaving Galilee till the end; Luke, not chronological between Galilee and Jerusalem, but chronological from the public entry till the end.

VIII. RESULT.

      1. As to Miracles: Luke has the greatest number; but Mark, the greatest per cent. of space.
      2. As to Parables: Luke, the greatest number, and greatest per cent. of space; John, the least of each. [137] 
      3. As to Speeches: Luke, the greatest number, and Matthew, the greatest per cent. of space.
      4. As to Direct Narrative: Mark, the greatest per cent.; and Matthew, the least.
      5. As to Locality: Mark, the greatest per cent. in Galilee; John, the least. John, the greatest per cent. in Jerusalem; Matthew, the least.
      6. As to Order of Arrangement: John, the most chronological; Luke, the least.
      7. As to Similarity of Matter: John, the most peculiar; Luke, the next; but Luke, Matthew and Mark, much alike; hence, called Synoptics. [138]

[CNSH3 137-138]