well as its relation to the three preceding gospels, will come up for consideration hereafter.  At present we only remark that John wrote many years after the appearance of the synoptic gospels, and that, whatever reference he may have had to them, his gospel constitutes, in the plan of revelation, a true complement to the other three.  For (1) if we except the narrative of our Lord’s passion, it covers, for the most part, ground not occupied by them.  They give mainly the history of the Saviour’s ministry in Galilee (Luke also, at some length, that of his last journey to Jerusalem); the scene of much of John’s gospel, on the contrary, is Jerusalem and its near vicinity. (2) John unfolds more fully the nature of our Lord’s person, and his peculiar relation to the Father and to his church.  This he does, more especially, in his prologue (chap. 1:1-18); in the record of the Saviour’s discussions with the Jews (chaps. 3, 5-12); and in that of his discourses addressed in private to the circle of the apostles, chaps. 13-17.  Thus John’s gospel is emphatically that of Christ’s person, as illustrated by his works and words; while the three earlier evangelists give rather the gospel of his public ministry, through which his divine person everywhere shines forth.  This deeper view of our Lord’s person and office which the gospel of John unfolds met the wants of the primitive church in a more advanced stage, when false teachers were already beginning to sow the seeds of those errors which, in the next generation, brought forth such a rank and poisonous harvest.  The same great characteristics adapt it to the wants of the church in all ages.  Without the fourth gospel she could not be completely furnished to meet the assaults of error, which, from one generation to another, makes, with unerring instinct, its main assault upon the person and office of the Son of God.

But if the evangelical narrative would not be complete without the fourth gospel, neither would it be perfect for the use of the church with this alone.  The record of our Lord’s life and teachings as given in the first three gospels is preeminently adapted to popular instruction.  It is precisely such a record as the preachers of the gospel need in their public ministrations.  With it they can use the fourth gospel with effect; but without it they would want the natural preparation for and introduction to those deep and spiritual views of Christ’s person and office which the bosom-disciple unfolds.  It is not in the three synoptic gospels, nor in the gospel of John taken separately, that we find the complete evangelical armor, but in the perfect whole of the four.