John Wesley's Notes on the Bible

A. The conception of John Chap. i, 5-25

B. The conception of Christ 26-56

C. The birth and circumcision of John; the hymn of Zacharias; the youth of John 57-80

D. Christ's birth ii, 1-20; Christ's circumcision and name 21; Presentation in the temple 22-38; Country and growth 39, 40

II. The middle, when he was twelve years old and upward 41-52

III. The course of the history.

A. The introduction, wherein are described John the Baptist; Christ's baptism, and temptation iii, iv, 1-13

B. The acceptable year in Galilee,

1. Proposed at Nazareth 14-30

2. Actually exhibited,

a. At Capernaum and near it; here we may observe,

(1.) Actions not censured, while Jesus

[a.] Teaches with authority 31, 32

[b.] Casts out a devil 33-37

[c.] Heals many sick 38-41

[d.] Teaches every where 42-44

[e.] Calls Peter; then James and John Chap. v, 1-11

[f.] Cleanses the leper 12-16

(2.) Actions censured, more and more severally, here occur,

[a.] The healing the paralytic 17-26

[b.] The calling of Levi; eating with publicans and sinners. 27-32

[c.] The question concerning fasting 33-39

[d.] The plucking the ears of corn vi, 1-5

[e.] The withered hand restored; snares laid 6-11

(3.) Actions having various effects on various persons,

[a.] Upon the apostles 12-16

[b.] Upon other hearers 17-40

[c.] Upon the centurion vii, 1-10

[d.] Upon the disciples of John,

[1.] The occasion: the young man raised 11-17

[2.] The message and answer 18-23

[3.] The reproof of them that believed not John 24-35

[e.] Upon Simon and the penitent sinner 36-50

[f.] Upon the woman who ministered to him viii, 1-3

[g.] Upon the people 4-18; Upon his mother and brethren 19-21

b. On the sea, and 22-26; Beyond it 27-39

c. On this side again.

(1.) Jairus and the flux of blood 40-55

(2.) The apostles sent ix, 1-6

(3.) Herod's doubting 7-9

(4.) The relation of the apostles 10

(5.) The earnestness of the people; our Lord's benignity; five thousand fed 11-17

C. The preparation for his passion,

1. A recapitulation of the doctrine concerning his person: his passion foretold 18-27

2. His transfiguration; the lunatic healed; his passion again foretold; humility enjoined 28-50

3. His last journey to Jerusalem, which we may divide into eighteen intervals,

a. The inhospitable Samaritans born with 51-57

b. In the way, improper followers repelled, Proper ones pressed forward 58-62

c. Afterward

(1.) The seventy sent; and received again x, 1-24

(2.) And the scribe taught to love his neighbour, by the example of the good Samaritan 25-37

d. In Bethany, Mary preferred before Martha 38-42

e. In a certain place

(1.) The disciples taught to pray xi, 1-13

(2.) A devil cast out, and the action defended 14-26

(3.) The acclamation of the woman corrected 27, 28

(4.) Those who desire a sign reproved 29-36

f. In a certain house, the scribes and Pharisees censured. 37-54

g. Our Lord's discourse

(1.) To his disciples xii, 1-12

(2.) To one that interrupts him 13-21

(3.) To his disciples again 22-40

(4.) To Peter 41-53

(5.) To the people 54-59

h. The necessity of repentance shown xiii, 1-9 A woman healed on the Sabbath 10-21

i. The fewness of them that are saved 22-30

j. Herod termed a fox: Jerusalem reproved 31-35

k. In the Pharisee's house, he

(1.) Cures the dropsy on the Sabbath; and xiv, 1-6

(2.) Teaches

[a.] Humility 7-11;

[b.] Hoseapitality 12-14;

[c.] The nature of the great supper 15-24;

[d.] The necessity of self denial 25-35

l. Joy over repenting sinners defended, and xv, 1-10

(1.) Illustrated by the story of the prodigal son 11-32

(2.) The unjust steward, wise in his generation xvi, 1-13

(3.) The Pharisees reproved; and warned by the story of 14-18 the rich man and Lazarus 19-31

(4.) Cautions against scandals xvii, 1-4

(5.) The faith of the apostles increased 5-10

m. In the confines of Samaria and Galilee he heals ten lepers. 11-19

n. Answers the question concerning the time when the kingdom of God should come 20-37; Commends constant prayer xviii, 1-8; Recommends humility by the story of the Pharisee and publican 9-14

o. Blesses little children 15-17; Answers the rich young man 18-27; And Peter, asking what he should have 28-30

p. Foretells his passion a third time 31-34

q. Near Jericho, cures a blind man 35-42

r. In Jericho, brings salvation to Zaccheus xix, 1-10 Answers touching the sudden appearance of his kingdom. 11-28

D. Transactions at Jerusalem,

1. The four first days of the great week,

a. His royal entry 29-44

b. The abuse of the temple corrected 45, 46; Its use restored, and 47, 48; Vindicated xx, 1-8

c. His discourses in the temple,

(1.) The parable of the husbandmen 9-19

(2.) The answer concerning paying tribute 20-26 And the resurrection 27-40

(3.) The question concerning the Son of David 41-44

(4.) The disciples admonished 45-47

(5.) The poor widow's offering commended xxi, 1-4

d. His prediction of the end of the temple, the city, and the world 5-38

e. Judas's agreement with the chief priests xxii, 1-6

2. Thursday,

a. Peter and John prepare the passover 7-13

b. The Lord's Supper: discourse after it 14-23

c. The dispute, which of them was greatest 24-30

d. Peter, and the other apostles warned 31-38

e. On the mount of Olives,

(1.) Jesus prays; is in an agony; strengthened by an angel; wakes his disciples 39-46

(2.) Is betrayed; unseasonably defended 47-53

(3.) Carried to the high priest's house 54; Denied by Peter 55-62; Mocked 63-65

3. Friday,

a. His passion and death: transactions,

(1.) In the council 66-71

(2.) With Pilate xxiii, 1-5

(3.) With Herod 6-12

(4.) With Pilate again 13-25

(5.) In the way 26-32

(6.) At Golgotha, where,

[a.] The crucifixion itself, and Jesus's prayer 33, 34

[b.] His garments parted 34

[c.] Scoffs: the inscription on the cross 35-39

[d.] The penitent thief 40-43

[e.] The prodigies, and the death of Jesus 44-46

[f.] The beholders of it 47-49

b. His burial 50-53

4. Friday evening and Saturday 54-56

a. His resurrection made known,

(1.) To the women Chap. xxiv, 1-12

(2.) To the two going into the country, and to Peter 13-35

(3.) To the other apostles 36-45

b. The instructions given his apostles: his ascension 46-53

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Classic Bible Commentaries
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