75 In Acts xvi. 19, 20 it is said that the owners of the demented girl “seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the agora before the magistrates”. The words which immediately follow are: “and bringing them to the presence of the praetors, they said....” Ramsay’s comment is: “The expression halts between the Greek form and the Latin ... as if the author had not quite made up his mind which he should employ.... It is hardly possible that a writer, whose expression is so concise, should have intended to leave in his text two clauses which say exactly the same thing” (_St. Paul_, p. 217 f.). In reference to Acts xx. 4, 5, Ramsay writes: “In verse 4 we have probably a case like xvi. 19 f., in which the authority hesitated between two constructions, and left an unfinished sentence containing elements of two forms” (ib., p. 289). He adds that the sentence “perhaps never received the author’s final revision”. 76 Cf. Loofs, _What is the Truth about Jesus Christ?_, p. 122. 77 Speaking of the late appearance of the Virgin Birth tradition G. H. Box writes (op. cit., p. 137): “Its comparatively late appearance and primitive character can only be reconciled by the explanation that it is based upon facts which were for long treasured within a narrow circle in close contact with our Lord, and which were only gradually divulged to the Church.” Cf. also Sanday, _Outlines_, pp. 193, 196. 78 Cf. Burkitt, _The Gospel History and its Transmission_, pp. 260, 274 f. 79 Cf. Burkitt (_Evangelion Da‐Mepharreshe_, ii. 260); Moffatt (INT., 250); Box (_The Virgin Birth of Jesus_, p. 12); Sanday (_Outlines_, p. 201). 80 So among others Westcott, Burkitt, Box, Allen, Barnard, A. J. Maclean, Moffatt. 81 _Evan. Da‐Meph._, ii, p. 260. Cf. also Allen (ICC., St. Mt., p. 5); Box (ib., p. 14); Moffatt (ib., p. 251). 82 “It is merely an embodiment, in genealogical form—a form specially calculated to appeal to Jewish readers—of the idea that Jesus belonged, through His relation to Joseph, to the royal family of David” (Box, ib., p. 15). 83 See Appendix to present chapter. 84 _The N. T. Documents, their Origin and early History_, p. 148. W. C. Allen (op. cit., p. lxxxv f.) seems to emphasize the more negative aspects of the writer’s style, but calls attention to phrases and constructions which are said to be “strikingly characteristic of the Gospel”. Cf. Moulton, _Gk. Gr._, ii, p. 29. 85 Cf. Burkitt (GHT., p. 184 f.) 86 Sir J. C. Hawkins points out (HS., 2nd Ed., p. 9) that the “characteristic” words and phrases of Mt. are “used considerably more freely in these two chapters than in the rest of the book”.