Turning away from all this,—(not, however, without an apology for having lingered over such frivolous details so long,)—I desire to point out that we have reverently to look below the surface, if we would ascertain how far it is to be presumed from internal considerations whether S. Mark was indeed the author of this portion of his Gospel, or not. V. We must devise, I say, some more delicate, more philosophical, more _real_ test than the coarse, uncritical expedient which has been hitherto considered of ascertaining by reference to the pages of a Greek Concordance whether a certain word which is found in this section of the Gospel is, or is not, used elsewhere by S. Mark. And I suppose it will be generally allowed to be deserving of attention,—in fact, to be a singularly corroborative circumstance,—that within the narrow compass of these Twelve Verses we meet with _every principal characteristic of S. Mark’s manner_:—Thus, (i.) Though he is the Author of the shortest of the Gospels, and though to all appearance he often merely reproduces what S. Matthew has said before him, or else anticipates something, which is afterwards delivered by S. Luke,—it is surprising how often we are indebted to S. Mark for precious pieces of information which we look for in vain elsewhere. Now, this is a feature of the Evangelist’s manner which is susceptible of memorable illustration from the section before us. How many and how considerable are the _new circumstances_ which S. Mark here delivers!—(1) That Mary Magdalene was _the first_ to behold the risen SAVIOUR: (2) That it was _He_ who had cast out from her the “seven devils:” (3) _How the men were engaged_ to whom she brought her joyful message,—(4) who not only did not believe _her_ story, but when Cleopas and his companion declared what had happened to themselves, “_neither believed they them_.” (5) The terms of the Ministerial Commission, as set down in verses 15 and 16, are unique. (6) The announcement of the “signs which should follow them that believe” is even extraordinary. Lastly, (7) this is the only place in the Gospel where _The Session at the right Hand of _GOD is recorded.... So many, and such precious incidents, showered into the Gospel Treasury at the last moment, and with such a lavish hand, must needs have proceeded if not from an Apostle at least from a companion of Apostles. O, if we had no other token to go by, there could not be a reasonable doubt that this entire section is by no other than S. Mark himself!