many attacks which the Messianic line had suffered from the enemy of all

truth, whose antagonism from the very first was directed against the true

'Seed' (Gen. 3:15).  The very fact that the line had been diverted to

Nathan's seed, led to the fulfilment of the promise of the Seed of the woman,

in a way that would not have been so evident had Joseph still retained full

rights to the throne of David.  The Saviour is presented in these two

genealogies as the Seed of the Woman, the Seed of Abraham, the Seed of David

and as Emmanuel, God with us.

Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable Gift.

It is not our intention to give a verse by verse exposition of the

Gospel of Luke, and in the sections already written, those features which

seemed to be of outstanding importance have been examined, leaving much to

the reader to fill in.  We have already alluded to the fact that Luke seems

to have adopted an approach to the main story of the Lord's earthly life that

differs from Matthew's and Mark's, in that he traces the earthly ministry of

the Son of God from His opening statement in the synagogue of Nazareth to the

house of Martha and Mary (Luke 4:14 to 10:42).  The Beatitudes of the Sermon

on the Mount find their place in Luke 6:20-49, but the Lord's prayer, which

forms an important part according to Matthew 6:9-13 is omitted.  The second

aspect of the ministry of Christ as traced by Luke, opens with this prayer.

This second section commences with Luke 11:1 and ends with 14:24, the parable

of the Great Supper.  For the third time Luke goes back on the story and

leads us by yet another path to the closing days of the Lord's life on earth

(Luke 14:25 to 22:53).  We quote now from Mackinlay's book Recent Discoveries

in St. Luke's Writings.

'St. Luke has made two retrogressions in his Gospel, each followed by a

narrative in correct historical sequence, forming together with the

main account before the end of chapter ten, three parallel narratives

which lead up to and emphasize the main subject of the Gospel, the

death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ'.

The three avenues pursued by Luke with their different starting points

and their common rendezvous may be set out thus:

First line ends at Bethany, six days

Luke 4:14

before Crucifixion

Luke 10:42

Revert to

3 years

Sermon on the Mount

Luke 11:1

to week of Lord's

Luke 14:24

2 years

Luke 14:25

Luke 22:53

6 months