Book III.

This book contains a demonstration of the harmony of the evangelists from the accounts of the Supper on to the end of the Gospel, the narratives given by the several writers being collated, and the whole arranged in one orderly connection.

Prologue.

1. Inasmuch as we have now reached that point in the history at which all the four evangelists necessarily hold their course in company on to the conclusion, without presenting any serious divergence the one from the other, if it happens anywhere that one of them makes mention of something which another leaves unnoticed, it appears to me that we may demonstrate the consistency maintained by the various evangelists with greater expedition, if from this point onwards we now bring all the statements given by all the writers together into one connection, and arrange the whole in a single narration, and under one view.732    Matt. i. 1.    The text gives: et in unam narrationem faciemque digeramus. For faciem the reading seriem, series, also occurs. I consider that in this way the task which we have undertaken may be discharged with greater convenience and facility than otherwise might be the case. What we have now before us, therefore, is to attempt the construction of a single narrative, in which we shall include all the particulars, and for which we shall possess the attestation of those evangelists who, (each selecting for recital out of the whole number of facts those which he had either the ability or the desire to relate,) have prepared these records for us:733    Matt. viii. 20, ix. 6.    The text gives: ut aggrediamur narrationem omnia commemorantes, cum eorum evangelistarum attestatione qui ex his omnibus, etc. Some editions have cum eorundem evangelistarum attestatione quid ex his, etc. = the attestation of the same evangelists as to what, etc. this being done in such a manner, moreover, that all these statements, in regard to which we have to prove an entire freedom from contradictions, are taken as made by all the evangelists together.

LIBER TERTIUS.

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In quo Evangelistarum a coenae narratione ad Evangelii finem concordia, collato simul ordineque digesto singulorum contextu, demonstratur.

PROLOGUS.

1. Jam quoniam omnium quatuor narratio in eo versatur loco, in quo necesse est eos usque in finem pariter ambulare, nec multum digredi ab invicem, sicubi forte alius aliquid commemorat, quod aliu, praetermittit; videtur mihi expeditius nos demonstrare posse omnium Evangelistarum convenientiam, si ab hoc jam loco omnium omnia contexamus, et in unam narrationem faciemque digeramus. Sic ergo arbitror commodius faciliusque id quod suscepimus explicari, ut aggrediamur narrationem omnia commemorantes, cum eorum Evangelistarum attestatione, qui ex his omnibus quisque quod potuit aut quod voluit commemoravit: ut tamen ab omnibus haec omnia dicerentur, quae demonstrandum est in nullo sibi esse contraria.