S. AURELII AUGUSTINI HIPPONENSIS EPISCOPI De Consensu EVANGELISTARUM LIBRI QUATUOR .

 CAPUT PRIMUM. Evangeliorum auctoritas.

 CAPUT II. Ordo Evangelistarum, et scribendi ratio.

 CAPUT III. Matthaeus cum Marco ad regiam, Lucas ad sacerdotalem Christi personam intentionem retulit.

 CAPUT IV. Joannes ipsius divinitatem exprimendam curavit.

 CAPUT V. Virtutes duae circa contemplativam Joannes, circa activam Evangelistae alii versantur.

 CAPUT VI. Quatuor animalia ex Apocalypsi de quatuor Evangelistis alii aliis aptius intellexerunt.

 CAPUT VII. Causa suscepti operis de Evangelistarum consensu. Occurritur iis qui dicunt Christum nihil scripsisse, discipulos vero ejus Deum illum prae

 CAPUT VIII. Si fama narrante Christus creditur sapientissimus, cur majori fama praedicante non credatur Deus.

 CAPUT IX. Quidam fingunt Christum scripsisse libros de magicis.

 CAPUT X. Eosdem libros Petro et Paulo inscriptos quidam delirant.

 CAPUT XI. In eos qui somniant Christum magico arte populos ad se convertisse.

 CAPUT XII. Judaeorum Deus, illis subjugatis, ideo non fuit a Romanis receptus, quod is juberet se solum coli simulacris deletis.

 CAPUT XIII. Judaeos cur Deus passus est subjugari.

 CAPUT XIV. Deus Hebraeorum victis illis se victum non esse ostendit idolorum eversione, et Gentium omnium ad ipsius cultum conversione.

 CAPUT XV. Pagani Christum laudare compulsi, in ejus discipulos contumeliosi.

 CAPUT XVI. Apostoli de subvertendis idolis nihil a Christo vel a Prophetis diversum docuerunt.

 CAPUT XVII. In Romanos qui Deum Israel solum rejecerunt.

 CAPUT XVIII. Hebraeorum Deus a Romanis non receptus, quia se solum coli voluerit.

 CAPUT XIX. Hunc esse verum Deum.

 CAPUT XX. Contra Deum Hebraeorum nihil a Paganorum vatibus praedictum reperitur.

 CAPUT XXI. Hic solus Deus colendus, qui cum alios coli prohibeat, coli non prohibetur ab aliis.

 CAPUT XXII. Opinio Gentium de Deo nostro.

 CAPUT XXIII. De Jove et Saturno quid nugati sint Pagani.

 CAPUT XXIV. Non omnes Deos colunt, qui Deum Israel rejiciunt nec eum colunt, qui alios colunt.

 CAPUT XXV. Dii falsi alios coli secum non prohibent. Deum Israel esse Deum verum convincitur ex operibus ejus et praedictis et impletis.

 CAPUT XXVI. Idololatria per Christi nomen et Christianorum fidem juxta prophetias eversa.

 CAPUT XXVII. Urget idololatrarum reliquias, ut demum serviant vero Deo idola ubique subvertenti.

 CAPUT XXVIII. Praedicta idolorum rejectio.

 CAPUT XXIX. Deum Israel quidni colant pagani, si eum vel praepositum elementorum esse opinantur.

 CAPUT XXX. Deus Israel impletis prophetiis jam ubique innotuit.

 CAPUT XXXI. Prophetia de Christo impleta.

 CAPUT XXXII. Apostolorum contra idololatriam doctrina vindicatur ex prophetiis.

 CAPUT XXXIII. In eos qui rerum humanarum felicitatem per christiana tempora deminutam esse conqueruntur.

 CAPUT XXXIV. Epilogus superiorum.

 CAPUT XXXV. Mediatoris mysterium antiquis per prophetiam, nobis per Evangelium praedicatur.

 LIBER SECUNDUS.

 CAPUT PRIMUM. Quare usque ad Joseph generatores Christi commemorentur, cum de illius semine Christus non sit natus, sed de Virgine Maria.

 CAPUT II. Quomodo sit Christus filius David, cum ex Joseph filii David concubitu non sit natus.

 CAPUT III. Quare alios progeneratores Christi Matthaeus enumerat, alios Lucas.

 CAPUT IV. Quare quadraginta generationes, excepto ipso Christo, inveniuntur apud Matthaeum, cum quatuordecim triplicet.

 CAPUT V. Quomodo Matthaei ordini congruat ordo Lucae in his quae de conceptu et de infantia vel pueritia Christi alius praetermittit, alius commemorat

 CAPUT VI. De ordine praedicationis Joannis Baptistae inter omnes quatuor.

 CAPUT VII. De duobus Herodibus.

 CAPUT VIII. Quomodo Matthaeus dicat timuisse Joseph ire cum infante Christo in Jerusalem, propter Archelaum et non timuisse ire in Galilaeam, ubi era

 CAPUT IX. Quomodo dicat Matthaeus ideo isse in Galilaeam Joseph cum infante Christo quia timuit Archelaum pro suo patre regnantem in Jerusalem cum Lu

 CAPUT X. Quomodo Lucas dicit, Ibant parentes ejus per omnes annos in Jerusalem in die solemni Paschae cum illo puero cum dicat Matthaeus quod metu Ar

 CAPUT XI. Quomodo potuerint, completis diebus purgationis matris Christi, sicut Lucas dicit, ascendere cum illo in templum ad peragenda solemnia, si s

 CAPUT XII. De verbis Joannis inter omnes quatuor.

 CAPUT XIII. De baptizato Jesu.

 CAPUT XIV. De verbis vocis factae de coelo super baptizatum.

 CAPUT XV. Quomodo secundum Joannem Evangelistam dicat Joannes Baptista, Ego non noveram eum cum secundum alios inveniatur quod jam noverat eum.

 CAPUT XVI. De tentato Jesu.

 CAPUT XVII. De vocatione apostolorum piscantium.

 CAPUT XVIII. De tempore secessionis ejus in Galilaeam.

 CAPUT XIX. De illo sermone prolixo quem secundum Matthaeum habuit in monte.

 CAPUT XX. Quomodo dicat Matthaeus Centurionem ad eum accessisse pro puero suo, cum Lucas dicat quod amicos ad eum miserit.

 CAPUT XXI. De socru Petri quo ordine narratum sit.

 CAPUT XXII. De ordine rerum quas post hoc narrant utrum nil inter se dissentiant Matthaeus, Marcus et Lucas.

 CAPUT XXIII. De illo qui ait Domino, Sequar te quocumque ieris, et aliis quae juxta sunt, quo ordine narrentur a Matthaeo et Luca.

 CAPUT XXIV. De transfretatione ejus, ubi dormivit in navicula, et de expulsis daemoniis, quos permisit in porcos, quomodo ea quae gesta vel dicta sunt

 CAPUT XXV. De paralytico cui dixit, Dimittuntur tibi peccata, et, maxime utrum locus ubi hoc factum est, conveniat inter Matthaeum et Marcum quia Mat

 CAPUT XXVI. De vocatione quoque Matthaei, utrum Marco et Lucae qui dicunt Levin Alphaei, idem Matthaeus congruat.

 CAPUT XXVII. De convivio ubi objectum est e quod cum peccatoribus manducaret, et quod non jejunarent discipuli ejus, quod videtur alius alios dicere a

 CAPUT XXVIII. De filia Archisynagogi resuscitata, et muliere quae tetigit fimbriam vestimenti ejus: utrum ordo quo dicta sunt nihil cuiquam eorum adve

 CAPUT XXIX. De duobus caecis et muto daemonio, quae solus Matthaeus dicit.

 CAPUT XXX. Ubi turbarum misertus misit discipulos suos, dans eis postestatem sanitatum praestandarum, et eis multa mandavit, ordinans quemadmodum vive

 CAPUT XXXI. Ubi Joannes Baptista misit ad Dominum de carcere discipulos suos, quid Matthaeus et Lucas dicunt.

 CAPUT XXXII. Ubi exprobravit civitatibus quod non egerint poenitentiam, quod et Lucas dicit: ubi quaerendum est quemadmodum illi Matthaeus ipso ordine

 CAPUT XXXIII. Ubi vocat ad tollendum jugum et sarcinam suam, quemadmodum Matthaeus a Luca non discrepet in narrandi ordine.

 CAPUT XXXIV. Ubi discipuli spicas vellentes manducaverunt, quemadmodum inter se congruant Matthaeus, Marcus et Lucas in narrandi ordine.

 CAPUT XXXV. De illo qui manum aridam cum haberet, sabbato curatus est, quemadmodum narratio Matthaei concordet cum Marco et Luca, vel rerum ordine, ve

 CAPUT XXXVI. Considerandum utrum ab isto cujus arida manus sanata est, ita digrediantur hi tres Evangelistae ut in nullo sibi adversentur ipso narrati

 CAPUT XXXVII. De muto et caeco qui daemonium habebat, quomodo Matthaeus Lucasque consentiant.

 CAPUT XXXVIII. Ubi ei dictum est quod in Beelzebut ejicit daemonia, quidquid ex ipsa occasione locutus est de blasphemia adversus Spiritum sanctum, et

 CAPUT XXXIX. Quod respondit petentibus signum, de Jona propheta et de Ninivitis, et de Regina Austri, et de spiritu immundo, qui cum exierit ab homine

 CAPUT XL. Ubi ei nuntiata est mater et fratres ejus, utrum a Marco et Luca ordo ipse non discrepet.

 CAPUT XLI. Quod ex navicula turbis locutus est de illo cujus in seminando aliud cecidit in via, etc., et de illo cui superseminata sunt zizania, et de

 CAPUT LXII. Quod venit in patriam suam, et mirabantur doctrinam, cum genus ejus contemnerent: quomodo consentiat Marco et Lucae Matthaeus, maxime utru

 CAPUT XLIII. Quemadmodum inter se conveniant Matthaeus, Marcus et Lucas de verbis Herodis cum audisset de mirabilibus Domini, vel de ipso narratiotion

 CAPUT XLIV. De Joanne incluso, vel etiam occiso, quo ordine ab his tribus narretur.

 CAPUT XLV. Ad miraculum de quinque panibus quo ordine ab omnibus, et quemadmodum ventum sit.

 CAPUT XLVI. In ipso de quinque panibus miraculo quemadmodum inter se omnes quatuor conveniant.

 CAPUT XLVII. Quod ambulavit super aquas, quomodo qui hoc dixerunt inter se conveniant et quomodo ab illo loco digrediantur, ubi turbas de quinque pan

 CAPUT XLVIII. Quomodo Matthaeus et Marcus Joanni non adversentur in eo quod ab eis tribus narratur quid posteaquam transfretarunt factum sit.

 CAPUT XLIX. De muliere Chananaea quae dixit, Et canes edunt de micis cadentibus de mensa dominorum suorum, quomodo inter se Matthaeus Lucasque consent

 CAPUT L. Cum de septem panibus pavit turbas, utrum inter se Matthaeus Marcusque conveniant.

 CAPUT LI. Quod dicit Matthaeus inde eum venisse in fines Magedan, quomodo congruat Marco et in eo quod petentibus signum respondit iterum de Jona.

 CAPUT LII. De fermento Pharisaeorum, quomodo cum Marco conveniat, vel re vel ordine.

 CAPUT LIII. Cum interrogavit discipulos, quem illum dicerent homines, utrum nihil inter se repugnent Matthaeus, Marcus et Lucas, rebus aut ordine.

 CAPUT LIV. Ubi praenuntiavit discipulis passionem suam, quae sit inter Matthaeum, Marcum et Lucam convenientia.

 CAPUT LV. Ubi subjungunt iidem tres quomodo praeceperit Dominus ut post eum qui voluerit veniat quam secum concordent.

 CAPUT LVI. Quod se Dominus tribus discipulis in monte ostendit cum Moyse et Elia, quomodo inter se congruant tres isti ordine et rebus, et maxime prop

 CAPUT LVII. Ubi de adventu Eliae locutus est eis, quae sit convenientia inter Matthaeum et Marcum.

 CAPUT LVIII. De illo qui ei obtulit filium suum, quem discipuli sanare non potuerant, quemadmodum tres isti consentiant etiam ordine narrationis.

 CAPUT LIX. Ubi de passione sua cum eis dixisset, contristati sunt, quod tres ipsi eodem ordine commemorant.

 CAPUT LX. Ubi de ore piscis solvit tributum, quod Matthaeus solus dicit.

 CAPUT LXI. De puero parvulo quem proposuit imitandum, de scandalis mundi, de membris corporis scandalizantibus, de angelis parvulorum qui vident facie

 CAPUT LXII. Quando interrogatus est utrum liceat dimittere uxorem, quemadmodum inter se consentiant Matthaeus et Marcus, maxime de ipsis interrogation

 CAPUT LXIII. De parvulis quibus manus imposuit, de divite cui dixit, Vende omnia tua de vinea quo conducti sunt operarii per horas diversas, quemadmo

 CAPUT LXIV. Ubi secreto duodecim discipulis de passione sua praedixit, et mater filiorum Zebedaei cum filiis suis petiit ut unus eorum ad dexteram eju

 CAPUT LXV. De caecis Jericho illuminatis, quemadmodum non adversetur Matthaeus vel Marco, vel Lucae.

 CAPUT LXVI. De asinae pullo, quomodo Matthaeu. caeteris congruat, qui solum pullum commemorant.

 CAPUT LXVII. De expulsis templo vendentibus et ementibus, quemadmodum tres isti non repugnent Joanni qui hoc idem longe alibi dicit.

 CAPUT LXVIII. De arefacta arbore ficulnea, et quae juxta narrata sunt, quomodo non repugnet Matthaeus caeteris, et maxime Marco de ordine narrationis.

 CAPUT LXIX. Cum Dominum interrogaverunt Judaei, in qua potestate ista faceret, quomodo inter se consentiant isti tres.

 CAPUT LXX. De duobus quibus imperaverit pater ut irent in vineam, et de vinea quae locata est aliis agricolis, quomodo non adversetur Matthaeus illis

 CAPUT LXXI. De nuptiis filii Regis ad quas turbae invitatae sunt, quem Matthaeus ordinem tenuerit, propter Lucam qui tale quiddam alibi dicit.

 CAPUT LXXII. De nummo Caesari reddendo, cujus habeat imaginem, et de muliere quae septem, fratribus nupserat, quemadmodum tres isti concordent.

 CAPUT LXXIII. De illo cui commendata sunt duo praecepta dilectionis Dei et proximi, qui ordo sit narrantium Matthaei et Marci, ne a Luca discrepare vi

 CAPUT LXXIV. Quod Judaei interrogantur de Christo, cujus eis filius videatur, utrum non repugnet Matthaeus aliis duobus quia secundum istum dicitur,

 CAPUT LXXV. De Pharisaeis sedentibus super cathedram Moysi, et dicentibus quae non faciunt, caeterisque in eos dem Pharisaeos a Domino dictis, utrum s

 CAPUT LXXVI. Cum praenuntiavit templi eversionem, quomodo aliis duobus narrandi ordine congruat.

 CAPUT LXXVII. De sermone quem habuit in monte Oliveti, quaerentibus discipulis quando erit consummatio, quemadmodum tres isti inter se congruant.

 CAPUT LXXVIII. Quod commemorant Matthaeus et Marcus ante biduum futurae Paschae, et postea dicunt quod in Bethania fuit, quomodo non repugnet Joanni,

 CAPUT LXXIX. De coena in Bethania ubi mulier unguento pretioso Dominum perfudit, quomodo inter se congruant Matthaeus, Marcus et Joannes, et quomodo L

 CAPUT LXXX. Ubi mittit discipulos ut praeparent ei manducare Pascha, quomodo inter se congruant Matthaeus, Marcus et Lucas.

 LIBER TERTIUS.

 CAPUT PRIMUM. De coena Domini et de expresso traditore ejus, quemadmodum inter se quatuor conveniant.

 CAPUT II. De praedicta negatione Petri, quemadmodum ostendantur nihil inter se repugnare.

 CAPUT III. De his quae dicta sunt a Domino donec exiret de domo ubi coenaverant, quemadmodum nihil discrepare monstrentur.

 CAPUT IV. De his quae gesta sunt in illo praedio vel horto, quo ex illa domo post coenam venerunt, quomodo trium, id est Matthaei, Marci et Lucae cons

 CAPUT V. De his quae in ejus apprehensione facta et dicta omnes commemorant, quomodo inter se nihil appareat dissentire.

 CAPUT VI. De his quae gesta sunt cum duceretur Dominus ad domum principis sacerdotum, et quae in ipsa domo cum nocte perductus esset, et maxime de Pet

 CAPUT VII. De his quae mane gesta sunt, priusquam Pilato traderetur, quomodo Evangelistae inter se non discrepent et de testimonio Jeremiae quod Matt

 CAPUT VIII. De his quae apud Pilatum gesta sunt, quomodo inter se nihil dissentiant.

 CAPUT IX. De illusione qua illusus est a cohorte Pilati, quomodo non dissonent tres qui hoc dicunt, Matthaeus, Marcus et Joannes.

 CAPUT X. Quomodo non repugnet quod Matthaeus, Marcus et Lucas angariatum dicunt, qui portaret ejus crucem cum Joannes dicat quod eam Jesus ipse porta

 CAPUT XI. De potu quem dederunt ei priusquam commemorata esset ejus crucifixio, quomodo conveniat inter Matthaeum et Marcum.

 CAPUT XII. De divisione vestimentorum ejus, quomodo inter se omnes conveniant.

 CAPUT XIII. De hora dominicae passionis, quemadmodum non inter se dissentiant Marcus et Joannes, propter tertiam et sextam.

 CAPUT XIV. De duobus latronibus cum illo crucifixis, quomodo omnes concordent.

 CAPUT XV. De his qui Domino insultaverunt, quomodo inter se consonent Matthaeus, Marcus et Lucas.

 CAPUT XVI. De latronum insultatione, quomodo non repugnent Matthaeus et Marcus Lucae, qui dixit unum eorum insultasse, alium credidisse.

 CAPUT XVII. De potu aceti, quomodo inter se omnes consentiant.

 CAPUT XVIII. De vocibus Domini quas continuo moriturus emisit, quomodo non repugnent Matthaeus et Marcus Lucae, et ipsi tres Joanni.

 CAPUT XIX. De scissione veli quomodo non dissentiant Matthaeus et Marcus a Luca, quo ordine factum sit.

 CAPUT XX. De admiratione Centurionis et eorum qui cum illo erant, quomodo inter se consentiant Matthaeus, Marcus et Lucas.

 CAPUT XXI. De mulieribus quae ibi stabant, quomodo Matthaeus, Marcus et Lucas, qui dixerunt eas a longe stetisse, non repugnent Joanni, qui nominavit

 CAPUT XXII. De Joseph qui corpus Domini petiit a Pilato, quomodo omnes consentiant, et quomodo a seipso Joannes non dissentiat.

 CAPUT XXIII. De sepultura ejus, quomodo tres a Joanne non dissentiant.

 CAPUT XXIV. De his quae circa tempus resurrectionis Domini facta sunt, quemadmodum omnes non inter se dissentiant.

 CAPUT XXV. In eo quod se postea discipulis manifestavit, quomodo sibi omnes Evangelistae non adversentur, collatis testimoniis et de apostolo Paulo et

 LIBER QUARTUS.

 CAPUT PRIMUM.

 CAPUT II.

 CAPUT III.

 CAPUT IV.

 CAPUT V.

 CAPUT VI.

 CAPUT VII.

 CAPUT VIII.

 CAPUT IX.

 CAPUT X.

Chapter XLII.—Of His Coming into His Own Country, and of the Astonishment of the People at His Doctrine, as They Looked with Contempt Upon His Lineage; Of Matthew’s Harmony with Mark and Luke in This Section; And in Particular, of the Question Whether the Order of Narration Which is Presented by the First of These Evangelists Does Not Exhibit Some Want of Consistency with that of the Other Two.

89. Matthew thence proceeds as follows: “And it came to pass that, when Jesus had finished these parables, He departed thence: and when He was come into His own country, He taught them in their synagogues;”532    Three mss., however, give in synagoga eorum—in their synagogue—as in our version. and so on, down to the words, “And He did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.”533    Matt. xiii. 53–58. Thus he passes from the above discourse containing the parables, on to this passage, in such a way as not to make it absolutely necessary for us to take the one to have followed in immediate historical succession upon the other. All the more may we suppose this to be the case, when we see how Mark passes on from these parables to a subject which is not identical with Matthew’s directly succeeding theme, but quite different from that, and agreeing rather with what Luke introduces; and how he has constructed his narrative in such a manner as to make the balance of credibility rest on the side of the supposition, that what followed in immediate historical sequence was rather the occurrences which these two latter evangelists both insert in near connection [with the parables],—namely, the incidents of the ship in which Jesus was asleep, and the miracle performed in the expulsion of the devils in the country of the Gerasenes,534    Mark iv. 35, v. 17; Luke viii. 22–37. [On the variations in the name, see critical editions of Greek text. Comp. Revised Version. The Latin versions generally read “Gerasenes” in all three accounts.—R.]—two events which Matthew has already recalled and introduced at an earlier stage of his record.535    Matt. viii. 23–34. At present, therefore, we have to consider whether [Matthew’s report of] what the Lord spoke, and what was said to Him in His own country, is in concord with the accounts given by the other two, namely, Mark and Luke. For, in widely different and dissimilar sections of his history, John mentions words, either spoken to the Lord or spoken by Him,536    John vi. 42. which resemble those recorded in this passage by the other three evangelists.

90. Now Mark, indeed, gives this passage in terms almost precisely identical with those which meet us in Matthew; with the one exception, that what he says the Lord was called by His fellow-townsmen is, “the carpenter, and the son of Mary,”537    Mark vi. 1–6. and not, as Matthew tells us, the “carpenter’s son.” Neither is there anything to marvel at in this, since He might quite fairly have have been designated by both these names. For in taking Him to be the son of a carpenter, they naturally also took Him to be a carpenter. Luke, on the other hand, sets forth the same incident on a wider scale, and records a variety of other matters which took place in that connection. And this account he brings in at a point not long subsequent to His baptism and temptation, thus unquestionably introducing by anticipation what really happened only after the occurrence of a number of intervening circumstances. In this, therefore, every one may see an illustration of a principle of prime consequence in relation to this most weighty question concerning the harmony of the evangelists, which we have undertaken to solve by the help of God,—the principle, namely, that it is not by mere ignorance that these writers have been led to make certain omissions, and that it is as little through simple ignorance of the actual historical order of events that they have [at times] preferred to keep by the order in which these events were recalled to their own memory. The correctness of this principle may be gathered most clearly from the fact that, at a point antecedent to any account given by him of anything done by the Lord at Capharnaum, Luke has anticipated the literal date, and has inserted this passage which we have at present under consideration, and in which we are told how His fellow-citizens at once were astonished at the might of the authority which was in Him, and expressed their contempt for the meanness of His family. For he tells us that He addressed them in these terms: “Ye will surely say unto me, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capharnaum, do also here in thy country;”538    Luke iv. 23. while, so far as the narrative of this same Luke is concerned, we have not yet read of Him as having done anything at Capharnaum. Furthermore, as it will not take up much time, and as, besides, it is both a very simple and a highly needful matter to do so, we insert here the whole context, showing the subject from which and the method in which the writer has come to give the contents of this section. After his statement regarding the Lord’s baptism and temptation, he proceeds in these terms: “And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from Him for a season. And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of Him through all the region round about. And He taught in their synagogues, and was magnified of all. And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up: and, as his custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath-day, and stood up for to read. And there was delivered unto Him the book of the prophet Esaias: and when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He hath anointed me. He hath sent me to preach the gospel to the poor, to proclaim deliverance to the captives, and sight to the blind; to set at liberty them that are bruised, to proclaim the accepted year of the Lord, and the day of retribution. And when He had closed the book, He gave it again to the minister, and sat down: and the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on Him. And He began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears. And all bare Him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph’s son? And He said unto them, Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capharnaum, do also here in thy country.”539    Luke iv. 13–23. And so he continues with the rest, until this entire section in his narrative is gone over. What, therefore, can be more manifest, than that he has knowingly introduced this notice at a point antecedent to its historical date, seeing it admits of no question that he knows and refers to certain mighty deeds done by Him before this period in Capharnaum, which, at the same time, he is aware he has not as yet narrated in detail? For certainly he has not made such an advance with his history from his notice of the Lord’s baptism, as that he should be supposed to have forgotten the fact that up to this point he has not mentioned any of the things which took place in Capharnaum; the truth being, that he has just begun here, after the baptism, to give us his narrative concerning the Lord personally.540    [The question of the identity of the visits to Nazareth is still an open one. But there are some points ignored by Augustin which indicate that Luke refers to an earlier visit.—R.]

CAPUT LXII. Quod venit in patriam suam, et mirabantur doctrinam, cum genus ejus contemnerent: quomodo consentiat Marco et Lucae Matthaeus, maxime utrum narrandi ordo nihil alteri adversetur.

89. Sequitur ergo Matthaeus: Et factum est cum consummasset Jesus parabolas istas, transiit inde: et veniens in patriam suam, docebat eos in synagogis eorum , etc., usque ad illud ubi ait, Et non fecit ibi virtutes multas propter incredulitatem illorum (Matth. XIII, 53-58). A superiore sermone parabolarum sic transit, ut non ostendat consequentis ordinis necessitatem: praesertim quia Marcus ab istis parabolis, non in quod iste, sed in aliud tendens, in quod et Lucas ita contexuit narrationem, ut credibilius ostendatur hoc esse potius consequenter gestum, quod ipsi duo continuanter adjungunt, de navi scilicet in 1121 qua dormiebat Jesus, et de illo miraculo expulsorum daemoniorum apud Gerasenos (Marc, IV, 35; V, 17, et Luc. VIII, 22-37), quae duo Matthaeus jam superius recolens interposuit (Matth. VIII, 23-34). Nunc ergo quae in patria sua Dominus dixerit vel ei dicta sint, videamus utrum cum aliis duobus Marco et Luca concordent. Nam Joannes longe in diversis et dissimilibus narrationis suae locis vel dicta esse Domino talia (Joan. VI, 42), vel eum dixisse commemorat, qualia hoc loco tres caeteri meminerunt.

90. Et Marcus quidem eadem prope commemorat hic omnia quae Matthaeus, nisi quod Dominum fabrum et Mariae filium dicit a civibus suis dictum (Marc. VI, 1-6), non, sicut Matthaeus, fabri filium. Nec mirandum est, cum utrumque dici potuerit: eo enim et fabrum credebant, quo fabri filium. Lucas autem eamdem rem gestam latius indicat, et plura ibi commemorat; nec longe post baptismum et tentationem ejus hoc inserit, sine dubio praeoccupans quod multis rebus interpositis postea gestum est: unde quisque possit advertere, quod huic tam magnae quaestioni, quam de consensu Evangelistarum enodandam Deo adjuvante suscepimus, plurimum necessarium est, non nescientes aliquid eos praetermisisse, aut nescientes quemadmodum se ordo rerum gestarum haberet, alium potius ordinem suae recordationis tenuisse; quod hinc evidentissime intelligi potest, quia Lucas antequam aliquid narraret Dominum fecisse Capharnaum, praeoccupavit hunc locum, quem nunc consideramus, ubi cives ejus et potentiam virtutis in eo stupebant, et ignobilitatem generis contemnebant. Nam hoc eum dicit eis dixisse, Utique dicetis mihi: Medice, cura teipsum: quanta audivimus facta in Capharnaum, fac et hic in patria tua; cum secundum ejusdem ipsius Lucae narrationem nihil adhuc legatur fecisse Capharnaum. Quod quia longum non est, et facillimum est et pernecessarium, totum inserimus, unde ad hoc narrandum et quomodo venerit. Posteaquam baptizatum et tentatum Dominum indicavit, ita sequitur: «Et consummata omni tentatione, diabolus recessit ab illo usque ad tempus. Et regressus est Jesus in virtute Spiritus in Galilaeam: et fama exiit per universam regionem de illo. Et ipse docebat in synagogis eorum, et magnificabatur ab omnibus. Et venit Nazareth, ubi erat nutritus, et intravit secundum consuetudinem suam die sabbati in synagogam, et surrexit legere. Et traditus est illi liber prophetae Isaiae. Et ut revolvit librum, invenit locum ubi scriptum erat: Spiritus Domini super me; propter quod unxit me, evangelizare pauperibus misit me, praedicare captivis remissionem, et caecis visum, dimittere confractos in remissionem, praedicare annum Domini acceptum et diem retributionis. Et cum plicasset librum, reddidit ministro, et sedit. Et omnium in synagoga oculi erant intendentes in eum. Coepit autem dicere ad illos, Quia hodie impleta est haec scriptura in auribus vestris. Et omnes testimonium illi dabant, et mirabantur in verbis gratiae, quae procedebant de ore ipsius, et dicebant: Nonne hic est 1122 filius Joseph? Et ait illis, Utique dicetis mihi hanc similitudinem: Medice, cura teipsum. Quanta audivimus facta in Capharnaum, fac et hic in patria tua (Luc. IV, 13-23), et caetera, donec peragat totum ipsum narrationis suae locum. Quid ergo evidentius, quam hoc eum scientem praeoccupasse narrandum, cum utique jam magna ab illo in Capharnaum facta fuisse et ipse noverit, et ipse commemoret, quae se nondum narrasse utique scit? Neque enim tantum ab ejus baptismo progressus est, ut oblitus putetur nondum se aliquid commemorasse de iis quae in Capharnaum gesta fuerant: modo enim coepit post baptismum aliquid narrare de Domino.