THE PROBLEM OF VARIANT REPORTS
Often the same event or teaching is reported by different
writers in different words.
-
Parable of the sower in the Synoptic Gospels
- Temptation in the Synoptic Gospels,
- Writing over the cross in the Four Gospels
EVENT: Possible for several writers to make an account in his own words, and yet be verbally exact.
--different viewpoint
TEACHING: Christ probably taught the same truths not once, but many times, absurd to think that Christ never repeated His great teachings. Cf. Lord's Prayer (two different occasions)
Matt. 6 "Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen."
Luke 11 "And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so in earth. Give us day by day our daily bread. And forgive us our sins; for we also forgive every one that is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation; but deliver us from evil."
Also Superscription on cross: Writers were interested in the
accusation - the king of the Jews. This verbally exact in each account.
SUB NOTE: In its universal and providential sense, the Kingdom of God had already come, and the will of God was being done, in every place including even the earth. For, as we have seen above, this Kingdom "ruleth over all" (Ps. 103:19), and its sovereign God "worketh all things after the counsel of his own will" (Eph. 1:11). This rule of God, in fact, had always existed and never had been abrogated or interrupted. The duty of man, in relation to such a Kingdom, was to acknowledge its reality and bow to its sovereignty; not to pray for its coming in any objective sense. There should be no confusion as to this distinction.
What then was the Kingdom for which Christ bade His disciples to pray? The infallible key to the meaning of the petition, "Thy kingdom come," must be found in the clause which follows: "As in heaven, so on earth" (Matt. 6:10, ASV). Although this clause is immediately connected with the petition, "Thy will be done," it no doubt qualifies all three of the petitions which precede it. The disciples are to pray for the hallowing of God's name, for the coming of God's Kingdom, and for the doing of God's will - all this to be done "on earth" as it is being done "in heaven." Although the Kingdom of God was already ruling over all, there was nevertheless a profound difference between the exercise of its rule "in heaven" and "on earth." This difference arises out of the fact that rebellion and sin exist upon the earth, sin which is to be dealt with in a way not known in any other place in the universe, not even among the angels which sinned. It is here that the great purpose of what I have named the Mediatorial Kingdom appears: On the basis of Mediatorial redemption it must "come" to put down at last all rebellion with its train of evil results, thus finally bringing the Kingdom and will of God on earth as it is in heaven. When this purpose has been fully accomplished, the Mediatorial phase of the Kingdom will disappear as a separate entity, being merged with the Universal Kingdom of God. Alva J. McClain
What then was the Kingdom for which Christ bade His disciples to pray? The infallible key to the meaning of the petition, "Thy kingdom come," must be found in the clause which follows: "As in heaven, so on earth" (Matt. 6:10, ASV). Although this clause is immediately connected with the petition, "Thy will be done," it no doubt qualifies all three of the petitions which precede it. The disciples are to pray for the hallowing of God's name, for the coming of God's Kingdom, and for the doing of God's will - all this to be done "on earth" as it is being done "in heaven." Although the Kingdom of God was already ruling over all, there was nevertheless a profound difference between the exercise of its rule "in heaven" and "on earth." This difference arises out of the fact that rebellion and sin exist upon the earth, sin which is to be dealt with in a way not known in any other place in the universe, not even among the angels which sinned. It is here that the great purpose of what I have named the Mediatorial Kingdom appears: On the basis of Mediatorial redemption it must "come" to put down at last all rebellion with its train of evil results, thus finally bringing the Kingdom and will of God on earth as it is in heaven. When this purpose has been fully accomplished, the Mediatorial phase of the Kingdom will disappear as a separate entity, being merged with the Universal Kingdom of God. Alva J. McClain
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