B1] MARK. The
Lord presented as Jehovah's SERVANT. "Behold MY SERVANT"
(Isa. 42:1). "Behold, I will bring forth My Servant THE BRANCH" (Zech.
3:8). Hence
no genealogy is required: and He is presented as what He is-before God
(relatively)-the
lowest earthly position, the ideal Servant.
A2] LUKE. The Lord presented as Jehovah's MAN. "Behold THE MAN Whose name is THE BRANCH" (Zech. 6:12) Hence the human genealogy is required upward to Adam (Luke :23-38): and He is presented as what He is-before MAN (intrinsically)-the ideal man.
B2] JOHN. The Lord presented as JEHOVAH HIMSELF. "Behold YOUR GOD" (Isa.40:9) "In that day shall Jehovah's BRANCH (ie. Messiah) be beautiful and glorious" (Isa. 4:2). Hence no genealogy is required; and He is presented as what He is-before GOD(intrinsically) - Divine.
There are twenty-three Hebrew words translated
"Branch" in the Old Testament. This word occurs twelve times; but
in the passages here quoted it refers specially to the Messiah, and forms
a link which connects the four characteristics of "the branch" with
the four presentations of the Messiah, as set forth in the subject-matter
of each of the four Gospels respectively.
In Jer. 23:5,6 and 33:15, Christ is presented
as "the branch", the KING raised up to rule in righteousness.
This forms the subject-matter of MATTHEW's Gospel.
In Zech. 3:8, Christ is presented as "the
branch", the SERVANT brought forth for Jehovah's service.
This forms the subject-matter of MARK's Gospel. He is seen
as Jehovah's servant, entering at once on His ministerial work without
any preliminary words.
In Zech. 6:12, Christ is presented as "the
branch" growing up out of His place. This is the characteristic
of LUKE's Gospel, in which this growing up forms the subject-matter
of the earlier (and separate) portion of the Gospel, and brings out
the perfection's of Christ as "perfect man".
In Isa. 4:2, Christ is presented as "the Branch
of Jehovah" in all His own intrinsic beauty and glory. This is the
great characteristic of the subject-matter of JOHN's Gospel.
The Four Gospels thus form one complete whole,
and are not to be explained by any "synoptic" arrangement.
The four are required to set forth the four
aspects of the LIFE of Christ, as the four great offerings are required
to set forth the four aspects of His DEATH.
No one Gospel could set forth the four different
aspects of the life and ministry of the Lord Jesus, as no one offering
could set forth all the aspects of His death.
Hence, it is the Divine purpose to give us,
in the four Gospels, four aspects of His life on earth.
God has so ordered these that a "Harmony"
is practically impossible; and this is the reason why, out of more than
thirty attempts, there are scarcely two that agree, and not one that is
satisfactory.
No one view could give a true idea of any
building; and no one Gospel "Harmony" can include a complete presentation
of the Lord's life on earth.
Through failure to recognize this fourfold
Divine presentation of the Lord, the term "Synoptic Gospels" has
been given to the first three, because they are supposed to take one and
the same point of view, and thus to differ from the fourth Gospel:
whereas the difference is caused by the special object of John's Gospel,
which is to present the Lord from the Divine standpoint. John's Gospel
is thus seen from the Structure above to be essentially one of the four,
and not one standing apart from the three.