ntent on setting forth is the
person and character of Jesus as the Son of God. Matthew gives special
attention to the Saviour's discourses. With these considerably more than
a third of his gospel is occupied. Mark, on the contrary, devotes
himself mainly to the narrative of our Lord's works. With this is
interwoven a multitude of his sayings; since it was the Saviour's custom
to teach in connection with surrounding incidents. But if we compare the
set discourses of our Lord recorded by Mark with those which Matthew
gives, they will hardly amount to a fifth part in quantity. Between the
narrative parts of Matthew and Mark, on the contrary, there is not a
very great disparity in respect to the space occupied by each.

24. Though Mark has but little matter that is absolutely new, he yet
handles his materials in an original and independent way, weaving into
the narratives which he gives in common with one or more of the other
evangelists numerous little incidents in the most natural and artless
way. His characteristics as a historian are _graphic vividness_ of
description and _circumstantiality of detail_. If we except some
striking passages of John's gospel, he brings us nearer to our Lord's
person and the scenes described than either of the other evangelists. He
brings before us, as in a picture, not only our Lord's words and works,
but his very looks and gestures. It is he that records as has been often
noticed, how the Saviour "looked round about" him with anger on the
unbelieving multitudes and on Peter (chap. 3:5; 8:33); with complacency
on his disciples (chap. 3:34; 10:27); and with the piercing look of
inquiry (chap. 5:32); how he looked up to heaven and sighed when he
healed one who was deaf and dumb (chap. 7:34); and how he sighed deeply
in spirit at the perverseness of the Pharisees (chap. 8:12). He
sometimes gives us the very words of the Saviour when he performed his
mighty works--_Talitha cumi_ (5:41), _Ephphatha_ (7:34). His narratives
are remarkable for bringing in little incidents which can have come from
none but an eyewitness, but which add wonderfully to the naturalness as
well as the vividness of his descriptions. When the storm arises he is
asleep _on a pillow_ (chap. 4:38); Jairus' daughter arises and walks,
_for she was of the age of twelve years_ (chap. 5:42); the multitudes
that are to be fed sit down _in ranks by hundreds and by fifties_ (chap.
6:40), etc. As examples of vivid description may be na