For a general Preface to the series of volumes which this volume is the third, the reader is referred to Volume I. In regard to the present volume it is perhaps sufficient to say, that on account of the limited time (daily recitations through one year) given to the study of the Gospels by my classes, the work is not so thorough as might be desired; yet on account of the comparatively long time given to it, the work is much more thorough than in any other College known to the author. Having tried the method of teaching these four Narratives by a harmony; and having found, that while by this method the student may acquire a fair knowledge of the events recorded, he must be constantly in some confusion as to where he is in any one of the Narratives, and this must end his course without a distinct apprehension of the mode of treatment followed by any one of the four writers, I have long since abandoned this method, and followed the one which is indicated in this volume. Each of the Four Gospels is studied alone, with only such references to the others as may serve to elucidate a passage or to compare the plans of the authors; and at the close a rapid review is taken of the chronological order of the events. In this way it is found that the student comes to know both the general plan of every writer, and his distinctive method of treating every subject, without failing to learn, so far as it can be ascertained from the scanty information given, the order of time in which the events occurred. He acquires a systematic knowledge of that which may be known in the life of Jesus, and he knows individually the narratives out of which this knowledge has been compiled.

THE AUTHOR.

Lexington, Ky., September, 1893. [iv]

 
      This electronic edition of J. W. McGarvey's Class Notes on Sacred History has been prepared from copies of the books obtained from Philipps Memorial Library, Bethany College (Volumes I, II, IV) and the Disciples of Christ Historical Society (Volume III). The text was transcribed and formatted between December 1995 and May 1996; it was released into the public domain in 1996 as note files for the Online Bible. Archives of the files are available at the Bible Foundation e-Texts Library. The first three volumes are of the third edition; as I have not yet been able to locate that edition for the fourth volume, the first edition has been used.

      In the printed text, the questions (and answers) are presented in paragraph form; in the electronic version, they are presented in bulleted lists to facilitate reading. Pagination in the electronic version has been represented by placing the page number in brackets following the last complete word on the printed page. Inconsistencies in spelling, capitalization, punctuation, and typography have been retained; however, corrections for misspellings and other accidental corruptions have been offered. Emendations are detailed in a critical apparatus.

      Throughout, the citations to "Lands of the Bible" and "L. of B." refer J. W. McGarvey's Lands of the Bible: A Geographical and Topographical Description of Palestine, with Letters of Travel in Egypt, Syria, Asia Minor, and Greece (St. Louis: John Burns, 1880; Cincinnati: Standard Publishing, 1880; Philadelphia: Lippincott, 1881; Louisville: Guide Printing and Publishing Company, 1890).

      Addenda and corrigenda are earnestly solicited.

Ernie Stefanik
373 Wilson Street
Derry, PA 15627-9770
stefanik@westol.com

Revised 30 June 1997.
Updated 29 March 1999

      The following apparatus details the additions and corrections made in the transcription of J. W. McGarvey's Class Notes on Sacred History, Volume III.
 Page       Printed Text [ Electronic Version
 -----------------------------------------------------------------------
 Matthew
 p. 8:      Nane the sins [ Name the sins
 p. 30:     "on Moses seat"? [ "on Moses' seat"?
 p. 35:     shepherd," etc? [ shepherd," etc.?
 p. 36:     sanhedrim? [ Sanhedrim?
 p. 41:     healed? [ healed.

 Mark
 p. 50:     argument? [ argument.
 p. 58:     required of him? [ required of him.
 p. 69:     sanhedrim [ Sanhedrim
 p. 70:     Carried forward - - - - 58 [
 p. 71:     Brought forward - - - - 58 [

 Luke
 p. 97:     sanhedrim? [ Sanhedrim?
 p. 104:    bearing of each? [ bearing of each.
            supererogation? [ supererogation.

 John
 p. 132.    12, 13, 15. [ 12, 13, 14.

 Comparison of the Gospels

 Chronological Order of the Gospels
 p. 147:    God;" [ God";