GOSPEL. 62 GOSPEL. The only question would be the time taken for the disciples' journey from Jerusalem to Galilee and return, and this is not a serious one. It wooild further seem quite possible for the general se- quence of events, as given by all the four Gos- pols and by Paul, to have taken place, the order being, in brief, the visit of the women and JIary Magdalene to the Sepulchre (ilark, Matthew, Liike, John) ; the vision of angels to the women (Mark, Matthew, Luke) : the appearance of Jesus to the omen, with their report to the dis- ciples (ilatthew and Luke) ; Mary ilagdalene's report of the empty tomb to Peter and John, and their investigation (John; see also Luke for Peter's investigation) : the appearance of Jesus to Mary Magdalene (John) : the appearance to Peter (Paul, Luke), to the two disciples on the way to Emmaus (Luke), to the eleven in Jerusalem (Luke, John), to the same a week later (John) : tJie appearances in Galilee — to the eleven at the mountain (Matthew [possibly identical or synchronous with the appearance to the five hundred (Paul), before which may have been the appearance of the seven at the Sea of Galilee, recorded iu the supplemental chapter of John] ) ; then to James — most likely in .Jerusalem ( Paul ) ; finally in the same city to the eleven, whom He led out to Bethany, where He ascended from them ( Luke ; cf . Acts i. 2, 3 ) . As a gen- eral result, the problem presents itself, not as one of mutually exclusive records, since, admit- ting all tile minor contradictions, the agreement among the narratives as to the essential facts is clear. The problem reduces itself in reality to the question whether the source of these narra- tives is more likely to have been the actual fact of the restirrection, evidenced to the disciples; or a self-persuasion of it on their part, through a desire to believe it to have occurred, though it had not. The decision between these alterna- tives will lie determined by the inference which must inevitably be drawn from the facts ( 1 ) that the disciples did not reach their belief by any slow process of reasoning, but by an almost im- mediate conviction of the event, in spite of their deep despondency over Calvary; and (2) that it has been on the proclamation of this event, as the basal ground of its faith in Jesus, that Chris- tianity has reached its stupendous results in the world. B. The Peoislem of the Chronology. This concerns itself chiefly with the qupstion as to the length of Jesus' ministry ; and this question turns largely uix)n the character of the feast mentioned in John v. L If this is held to be a PassoA-er. the duration of His active work is ex- tended to at least three years ; if it is not so held, the limit is reduced to perhaps two years. For full discussion of this and minor points, see New Testajient Chronologt. See also the ar- ticles on the individual Gospels. BiBLTOGRAPiiY. In addition to the usual New Tcstuiiicnt Tntrnditctions and Lives of Christ, which are useful for the general subject, consult the following more important recent books: (1) Por the Synoptic Problem (a) as helps in in- vestigation: Riishbrooke, ^i/noptieon (London. 18S0-81): Hawkins, flora; fftinoptirce (Oxford, 18001 ; Veit. Die siinnptisehen Pornllelen (Giiters- loh. 1807) : Huck. Ktinopse der drei ersten Evan- qelien (Freiburg. 18081 ; Heinicke. f^ijnopse der drei ersten knnonisehen Ernnfjclien (Giessen, 1898). (b) For general reference and presenta- tion of specifie views: Wright, The Composition of the Four Gospels (London, 1890) ; Badham, The Formation of the Gospels (London, 1892) ; Westcott, Introduction to the Oitudy of the Gos- pels (New York, 189tj) ; Wernle, Die synoptische Frage (Freiburg, 1899) ; Weizsiicker, inter- sucliuiiycn iiber die evangelische Gcsehichte (Leip- zig, 1901). (2) For the Johannine Problem: Sanday, Authorsltip and llislorieal Charac- ter of the Fourth Gospel (London, 1872) ; Lut- hardt, Der J ohanneische Ursprung des vierten Evanfielinms (Nuremberg, 1874; Eng. trans., Edinburgh, 1885) ; Beyschlag, Zur Johanneisclicn Frage (Gotha, 1876) ; Lightfoot, Essays on Supernatural Religion (London, 1889) ; Thoma, Genesis des Johannis-Evanyelium (Berlin, 1882) ; 0. Holtzman, Johann-Eranyelium (Darmstadt, 1887) ; Ewald, Das Hauptproblcm der Evange- lienfrage (Leipzig, 1890) ; Delff, Das 'ierte Evangeliuni (Husum, 1890) : Watkins, Modern Criticism in delation to the Fourth Gospel (Lon- don. 1890) ; Schiirer, "Ueber den gcgenwartigen Stand der .lohaimeischen Frage," in }'ortrdge der theologischen Eonferen.^ zu Giessen (Giessen, 1889) ; Wendt, Das J ohannis-Evangelium (Eng. trans., London. 1902). (3) For the Nativity: Resell, Das Kindheits-Evangelium naeh Lucas vnd Mallliiius (Leipzig, 1897); Ramsay, Was Christ Born at BethJehemf (New York. 1808); Conrady. Die Quelle der kanonischeti Kindhcits- geschic'hte Jesu's (Gottingen, 1900). (4) For the Lord's Supper: Harnack. Brod iind Wasser (Leipzig, 1802) ; Zahn. Brod und Wein (Leip- zig. 1802) ; .Jiilicher. "Zur Geschiehte des Abend- mahls," in Theologische Abhandlungen (Freiburg, 1892) ; Spitta. Zur Geschiehte des Vrehristen- tums, vol. i. (Gottingen, 1893) ; Gardner, The Origin of the Lord's Supper (London, 1893) ; Schaefer, Das Herrenmahl (Giitersloh, 1897). (5) For the Resurrection: Milligan, The Resur- rect ion of Our Lord (London, 1884) ; Loofs, Die Aufrrstehungsherichte (Leipzig, 1898). GOSPEL. In the liturgical sense, the short selection from the Gospels which is read or simg in the mass and in the .Ainglican communion ser- vice between the epistle and the creed. It formed a regular part of the service as early as the second century. For two hundred years the reading was continuous, taken up each day where the previous one had stopped; but when the calendar was fully developed under Pope Damasus the selections were chosen to correspond with it. The liturgical gospels were not originally included in the same book with the rest of the service, which allowed special ceremonial veneration to be paid to the book containing them. Thus in the fifth century it was brought in solemn procession, and laid upon the altar at the beginning of the service; a relic of this practice is the present custom of having the deacon deposit it for a while upon the altar immediately before singing the gospel. The bearing of lights in connection with it was known to Saint .Jerome, and signifies the illuminatinn of the world by the Gospel messasre. The reading is prefaced by the response Gloria tihi. Doininc ("Glorv be to thee. O Lord!"), and followed by Lavs tihi. Christr ( "Praise be to thee. Christ ! " ) . after which the book is kissed by the celebrant. All present have always stood during the reading with uncovered heads, even kinss laying aside their crowns. The recitation of the 'last Gospel' (commonly the first fourteen verses of John, un-
