The Harmony of the Four Evangelists, Volume 3, Part 2

After Martin Luther, Martin Chemnitz and Johann Gerhard are often recognized as the two greatest theologians of the Lutheran Church. Both men served as Superintendents (Bishops) of the Lutheran Church, and Chemnitz distinguished himself through his labors as one of the authors of the Formula of Concord and through his numerous erudite private writings, including his Loci Theologici. Gerhard was renowned throughout the Lutheran world from the 17th century down to the present, in part because of his more'academic' works such as the Loci Theologici, but also because of his devotional works, such as the Sacred Meditations and the Daily Exercise of Piety. Only one published work was the fruit of the labors of both Chemnitz and Gerhard: The Harmony of the Four Evangelists. Chemnitz's incomplete work was continued by his successor to the office of Superintendent of Braunschweig, Polycarp Leyser, but its completion awaited the arrival of a theologian equal to the task of finishing such a monumental undertaking. The Harmony, in short, takes the text of all four Gospels and arranges them in chronological order, and then accompanies the complete text with annotations and commentary by Chemnitz, Leyser and Gerhard. Throughout, The Harmony benefits from the authors' encyclopedic knowledge of the writings of the Church Fathers, and their pastoral insights explaining the texts in a way which is extremely beneficial for clergy and laity alike. Book Three, Part Two contains chapters 52 through 70: Chap. 52, the healing of the leper, the episode which immediately followed that discourse on the Law which Christ delivered on the Mount, Mat. 8:1-4. Chap. 53, the account of the centurion in Capernaum who intercedes on behalf of his servant that Christ deliver him from his paralysis, Mat. 8:5-13 and Luke 7:1-10. Chap. 54, the raising of the dead young man, the widow's son, in the city of Nain, Luke 7:11-17. Chap. 55, the account of the Baptist sending from prison his disciples to Christ, Mat. 11:2-6 and Luke 7:18-23. Chap. 56, Christ's sermon to the crows after the disciples of John the Baptist had already departed, Mat. 11:7-30 and Luke 7:24-35. Chap. 57, the conversion and absolution of the sinful woman and of Simon the Pharisee, Luke 7:36-50. Chap. 58, Christ's wandering through cities and villages with the apostles and some women, Luke 8:1-3. Chap. 59, Christ's return from that sojourn to Capernaum to His own home where He casts out the blind and dumb evil spirit, as a result of which a great controversy arises between Him and the scribes, Mat. 12:22-45 and Mark 3:19-30. Chap. 60, Christ's mother and brothers who wish to converse with Him, Mat. 12:46-49, Mark 3:31-34 and Luke 8:19-21. Chap. 61, the "Sermon of Parables" which Christ delivered at the sea from a boat, Mat. 13:1-35, Mark 4:1-34 and Luke 8:4-18. Chap. 62, Christ returning home from the sea, Mat. 13:36-52. Chap. 63, the scribe who offers himself as a disciple and of some other person who wished to first bury his father, Mat. 8:18, Mat. 13:53, Mark 4:35. Chap. 64, Christ's crossing the sea in the land of the Gergesenes, Mat. 8:23-27, Mark 4:36-41 and Luke 8:22-25. Chap. 65, the acts of Christ in the land of the Gergesenes, Mat. 8:38-34, Mark 5:1-20 and Luke 8:26-38. Chap. 66, the return of Christ from His crossing of the sea, of the feast of Matthew and of the debate which the scribes and Johnites stirred at the same place, Mat. 9:1, 10-18, Mark 2:15-22, Mark 5:21, and Luke 5:29-39. Chap. 67, the accounts of the raising of Jairus' daughter and of the healing of the woman with an issue of blood, Mat. 9:18-26, Mark 5:22-43 and Luke 8:41-56. Chap. 68, the account of the healing of the two blind men, Mat. 9:27-31. Chap. 69, the account of the healing of the dumb demonic, Mat.9:32-34. Chap. 70, the account as to how Jesus came for the second time into His hometown of Nazareth, Mat. 13:54-58 and Mark 6:1-6. The End and Summary of the Activities of the Second Year of Christ's M