word; at the end of it, if derived from any other source. Further still, the primary or etymological meaning is always given, within inverted commas, in Roman type, and so much also of each word's history as is needful to bring down its chain of meanings to the especial force, or forces, attaching to it in the particular "Text." In the Vocabulary, however, to Eutropius—which is essentially a book for beginners-the origin is given of those words alone which are formed from other Latin words.

Moreover, as an acquaintance with the principles of GRAMMAR, as well as with ETYMOLOGY, is necessary to the understanding of a language, such points of construction as seem to require elucidation are concisely explained under the proper articles, or a reference is simply made to that rule in the Public Schools Latin Primer, or in Parry's Elementary Greek Grammar, which meets the particular difficulty. It occasionally happens, however, that more information is needed than can be gathered from the above-named works. When such is the case, whatever is requisite is supplied, in substance, from Jelf's Greek Grammar, Winer's Grammar of New Testament Greek, or the Latin Grammars of Zumpt and Madvig.

LONDON: February, 1876.

Of the personal history of St. John, the fourth and latest of the Evangelists, more particulars are recorded than of that of any of the other three. John was the son of Zebedee and Salomë, and the brother of James surnamed "the Great." His father Zebedee was a fisherman on the Lake of Galilee, otherwise the Lake of Gennesaret or the Sea of Tiberias. Salōmë his mother was, according to tradition, the daughter of Joseph, the husband of the Virgin Mary, by a former wife; according to some recent critics, the sister of the Virgin. She would thus stand to Jesus in the relation of half-sister, through Joseph, in the former case; in the latter case, of aunt; while her sons, James and John, would occupy for the same reason the position of either the children of His half-sister on Joseph's side, or of His own cousins. All this, however, seems to be utterly inconsistent with the fact that, when John (as presently mentioned) accompanied Jesus to His abode, he evidently possessed no previous knowledge of the Lord's person; a thing that could hardly have been, had their two families been in any way related or connected. Added to which, the call of John and his brother James to become the Lord's followers is stated in just the same terms as the call of Peter and Andrew, and no intimation whatever is given that they were His kinsmen or even acquaintance. But to pass from this matter. John and his brother were brought up to their father's calling. The craft they thus followed was one of some importance, as it probably supplied the adjacent towns and country with an article of food largely used by the Jews. Their home was on the shore of the Lake of Gennesaret, probably in,

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or near, Bethsaïda, "the city of Andrew and Peter" (i. 44), the latter of whom is said by St. Luke (Luke v. 10) to have been their "partner." The mention of their "hired servants" (Mark i. 20), and, at a later date, of John's own house" (rà ĭdia, John xix. 27), implies that the family possessed a competency, if not some substance. This view appears to be strengthened by the fact that John "was known unto the High Priest," Caiaphas (xviii. 15); and as their acquaintance was not likely to have commenced after John had avowed himself the disciple of Jesus, the probability is that some intimacy had existed in former years between them or their families. It may

here be mentioned that after the call of James and John, the name of Zebedee (who interposed no obstacle to his sons' leaving him) disappears from Gospel-history. Probably he died about the time they quitted him. This is the more likely, as Salōmë appears to have followed them when they became our Lord's companions. She is mentioned by St. Matthew (xx. 20), in the character of Zebedee's wife, as preferring a request that her sons might be seated next to Jesus in His kingdom; and is also specified by name as being a spectator of the Crucifixion (Mark xv. 40), and as one of the three women, who had bought sweet spices for the purpose of anointing the Lord's body, and through whom the Angel sent to the disciples (Mark xvi. I sqq.) the message that Jesus of Nazareth was risen.

John seems to have been among the early disciples of the Baptist, and to have learned from him the near advent of the long-expected Messiah. When, therefore, one day soon after the Temptation, the Baptist "looking upon Jesus as He walked " exclaimed in the hearing of two of His disciples "Behold the Lamb of God!" these two followed Jesus, and at His gracious invitation accompanied Him to His dwelling (i. 35 sqq.). One of them is expressly named, viz. "Andrew, Simon Peter's brother " (i. 40). That the other was John will hardly admit of any doubt, inasmuch as the mention of the name of one and not of the other, coupled with the minute account of all that occurred and John's invariable suppression of his

own name (of which a notable instance is found at xix. 26 sq.), affords an all but certain clue to the identity of the second with John, the fellow-fisher and partner of Andrew. What passed at the interview is not recorded, but that it was not without effect is evident. Andrew tells Peter we have found the Messias," and then brings him to Jesus, who surnames him Cephas. John doubtless communicates to James his own convictions. The hearts of

all the four would thus be stirred, and they themselves would be prepared to receive any command emanating from this new and marvellous teacher. Hence when He shortly afterwards calls them as they are engaged at their usual occupation, they leave their employment and home, and straightway follow Him. The rest of John's history, bound up as it is with the ministerial life of Christ, presents some of the most exquisite touches of character and some of the most pathetic incidents recorded in Scripture. In proof of this it is sufficient to point to the commission given to him by his Master on the Cross (xix. 26 sq.), and the subsequent Revelation.

St. John's Gospel, which was given to the world somewhere between A. D. 94 and 98, has been considered as a complementary work to the writings of the other Evangelists. Some have regarded it as an indirect answer to the Gnosticism of the day. Others have been so impressed with its profound thought and teaching, that they have come to the conclusion that a man of John's antecedents could not have written it.

No doubt this Gospel stands alone in its characteristic dealing with the mission of Jesus; and being rather a record of the Saviour's deeper teaching than a narration of His works, it admirably subserves as a completion of His history. When, therefore, we recall the lateness of the date of its publication, and reflect that the Evangelist was now residing at Ephesus, where all the philosophical speculations and theories of the time were in full vigour, it will easily be supposed that he would indirectly meet the various heresies which were rife, and which he denounces so strongly in his subsequent Epistles.

It has been assumed that John was an uneducated man;

and there is some colour for the notion from the words used at Acts iv. 13, "Now when they (i.e. Annas, Caiaphas, and others specified at preceding verse 6) saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were ignorant (ayрáμμaтоi) and unlearned men, they marvelled." But, as Olshausen justly remarks on the passage, the "word ȧypáμμаTo implies nothing more than the want of formal Rabbinical training; for where this was lacking, the Pharisees, whose minds were quite ossified, were unable to recognize any higher knowledge as existing" (cf. John vii. 15).

But, setting aside the explanatory fact of Inspiration, it is not true that any one of the Apostles was strictly uneducated; for every Jew was bound to give his sons a certain amount of instruction. And surely, too, it is no uncommon thing, in every age, to find self-taught men making for themselves a place in literature. A fortiori what must a companion of Christ, endowed with the intellectual capacity of the Jewish race, have been capable of acquiring! St. John's Epistles are steeped, so to say, in the mind and language of his beloved Master.

After all, the truest and strongest evidence in favour of the Apostolic origin and Divine Inspiration of this Gospel is its own internal proof. For, First;-it would have been beyond the compass of any man's genius to have uttered the truths or discovered the facts therein stated respecting the nature of Christ and His relation to the Father. Second;-as no one could have invented the dialogues and discourses that are recorded, so none but one and the same writer could have preserved the inimit. able harmony that exists throughout the work. Third; -the historical portions must have been contradicted by those contemporaries who were opposed to Christianity, had they been capable of contradiction; whereas they carry on their face the marks of an eye-witness. Fourth; -the writer of this Gospel was so imbued with the character and mind of Christ, that he could not have forged a lie in favour of its Apostolic origin.

The peculiarities of St. John's Gospel may be classified under the following heads, viz. Discourses, Doctrines, and Special Facts. First;-Discourses. It is to be noticed