792 w>^ ^f:- X.S.S. /-f- ^ PRINCETON, N. J. ^ Presented by Dr. F.LT^l^o-n BR 145 .C92 1883"^ VTa Cyclopedia of religious literature . . OF m \> OYCLOPEDlk FEB 25 iai4 .4 r^V< EELIGIODS LITERATURE. ■VOLTJl5.d:E THIR^EE, CONTAINING: THE EARLY DAYS OF CHRISTIANITY, by F. W ^ , BY F. W. FarrAK. NEW YORK : JOHN B. ALDEN, PUBLISHER, 1883. ROBERT BROWNING, Esq.. • AUTHOR OF "a DEATH IN THE DESERT," AND OF MANY OTHER POEMS OF THE DEEPEST INTEREST TO ALL STUDENTS OF SCRIPTURE, THIS VOLUME WITH SINCERE ADMIRATION AND ESTEEM. PREFACE. I COMPLETE in this volume the work which has absorbed such leisure as could be spared from many and onerous duties during the last twelve years. My object has been to furnish English readers with a companion, partly historic and partly expository, to the whole of the New Testament. By attention to the minutest details of the original, by availing myself to the best of my power of the results of modern criticism, by trying to concentrate upon the writ- ings of the Apostles and Evangelists such light as may be derived from Jewish, Pagan, or Christian sources, I have endeavoured to fulfil my ordination vow and to show diligence in such studies as help to the knowledge of the Holy Scriptures. The " Life of Christ " was intended mainly as a commentary upon the Gospels. It was written in such a form as should reproduce whatever I had been able to learn from the close examination of every word which they contain, and should at the same time set forth the living real- ity of the scenes recorded. In the " Life of St. Paul" I wished to incorporate the details of the Acts of the Apostles with such biogra- phical incidents as can be derived from the Epistles of St. Paul, and to take the reader through the Epistles themselves in a way which might enable him, with keener interest, to judge of their separate purpose and peculiarities, by grasping the circumstances under which each of them was written. The present volume is an at- tempt to set forth, in their distinctive characteristics, the work and the writings of St. Peter, St. James, St. Jude, St. John, and the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews. If my effort has been in any degree successful, the reader should carry away from these pages vi PREFACE. some conception of the varieties of religious thought which prevailed in the schools of Jerusalem and of Alexandria, and also of those phases of theology which are represented by the writings of the two greatest of the twelve Apostles. In carrying out this design I have gone, almost verse by verse, through the seven Catholic Epistles, the Epistle to the Hebrews, and the Revelation of St. John — explaining their special difficulties, and developing their general characteristics. Among many Christians there is a singular ignorance of the Books of Scripture as a whole. With a wide knowledge of particular texts, there is a strange lack of familiarity with the bearings of each separate Gospeland Epistle. I have hoped that by considering each book in connection with all that we can learn of its author, and of the circumstances under which it was written, I might perhaps contribute to the intelligent study of Holy Writ. There may be some truth in the old motto, Bonus textuariiis bonus thcologus ; but he whose knowledge is con- fined \o '^ texts," and who has never studied them, first with their context, then as forming fragments of entire books, and lastly in their relation to the whole of Scripture, incurs the risk of turning theology into an erroneous and artificial system. It is thus that the Bible has been misinterpreted by substituting words for things ; by making the dead letter an instrument wherewith to murder the liv- ing spirit ; and by reading into Scripture a multitude of meanings which it was never intended to express. Words, like the chameleon, change their color with their surroundings. The very same word may in different ages involve almost opposite connotations. The vague and differing notions attached to the same term have been the most fruitful sources of theological bitterness, and of the internecine opposition of contending sects. The abuse of sacred phrases has been the cause, in age after age, of incredible misery and mischief. Texts have been perverted to sharpen the sword of the tyrant and to strengthen the rod of the oppressor— to kindle the fagot of the Inquisitor and to rivet the fetters of the slave. The terrible wrongs which have been inflicted unnn mankind in their name have been PREFACE. Vll due exclusively to their isolation and perversion. The remedy foi these deadly evils would have been found in the due study and com- prehension of Scripture as a whole. The Bible does not all lie at a dead level of homogeneity and uniformity. It is a progressive reve- lation. Its many-coloured wisdom was made known '' fragmentarily and multifariously " — in many parts and in many manners. In the endeavour to give a clearer conception of the books here considered I have followed such different methods as each particular passage seemed to require. I have sometimes furnished a very close and literal translation ; sometimes a free paraphrase ; sometimes a rapid abstract ; sometimes a running commentary. Avoiding all parade of learned references, I have thought that the reader would generally prefer the brief expression of a definite opinion to the reit- eration of many bewildering theories. Neither in this, nor in the previous volumes, have I wilfully or consciously avoided a single difficulty. A passing sentence often expresses a conclusion which has only been formed after the study of long and tedious mono- graphs. In the foot-notes especially I have compressed into the smallest possible space what seemed to be most immediately valua- ble for the ilkistration of particular words or allusions. In the choice of readings I have exercised an independent judgment. If my choice coincides in most instances with that of the Revisers of the New Testament, this has only arisen from the fact that I have been guided by the same principles as they were. These volumes, like the '' Life of Christ" and the " Life of St. Paul," were written before the read- ings adopted by the Revisers were known, and without the assist- ance which I should otherwise have derived from their invaluable labours.' The purpose which I have had in view has been, I trust, in itself a worthy one, however much I may have failed in its execution. A living writer of eminence has spoken of his works in terms which, in very humble measure, I would fain apply to my own. " I have * I take this opportunity of thanking the Rev. John de Soyres and Mr. W. R. Brown for the assistance which tliey have rendererl in preparing this book for the press. Viii PREFACE. made," said Cardinal Newman — in a speech delivered in 1879 — *' many mistakes. I have nothing of that high perfection which be- longs to the writings of the saints, namely, that error cannot be found in them. But what, I trust, I may claim throughout all I have written is this — an honest intention ; an absence of personal ends ; a temper of obedience ; a willingness to be corrected ; a dread of error; a desire to serve the Holy Church; and" (though this is perhaps more than I have any right to say) " through the Divine mercy a fair measure of success." F. W. FARRAR. S/. Margaret's Rectory, Westminster, June 7, 1882. TABLE OF CONTENTS. Book I. _ THE WORLD. CHAPTER I. MORAL CONDITION OF THE WORLD. Degradations which accompanied the Decadence of Paganism — The Slaves — The Rich and Noble — The Emperor — Fatal Degeneracy — Greeklings — Literature, Art, the Drama — The Senate — Scepticism and Superstition — Stoic Virtue — The Holy Joy of Christians . CHAPTER n. THE RISE OF THE ANTICHRIST. The Nemesis of Absolutism — Reign of Nero — Christians and the Roman Government — St. Paul and the Empire — Horrors of (^assarism— The Palace of the Anti- christ— Agrippina the Younger — Infancy of Nero — Evil Auguries — Intrigues af Agrippina— Her Marriage with Claudius— Her Career as Empress— Her Plots to Advance her Son— Her Crimes— Her Peril— Murder of Claudius— Accession of Nero 1 1-23 CHAPTER III. THE FEATURES OF THK ANTICHRIST. Successful Guilt— Fresh Crimes— The "Golden Quinquen>ttrttn^'—YoY�s of Nero —Threats of Agrippina— Jealousy of Britannicus— Murder of I'.ritannicus— Nero estranged from Agrippina— Influence of Poppaa- Plot to Murder Agrip- pina—Burrus and Seneca— Murder of Agrippina— A Tormented Conscience — The Depths of Satan 23-33 CHAPTER IV. THE BURNING OF ROME AND THE FIRST PERSECUTION. The Era of Martyrdom— The Fire of Rome— Was Nero Guilty ?— Devastation of the City — Confusion and Agony — The Golden House — Nero Suspected — ^The Christians Accused — Strangeness of this Circumstance — Tacitus — Popular Feeling against the Christians — Secret Jewish Suggestions — Poppasa a Prose- lyte— incendiarism attributed to Christians — ^^sthetic Cruelty— A Huge Mul- titude— Dreadful Forms of Martj'rdom — Martyrs on the Stage — The Antichrist — Retribution — Awful Omens — The Revolt of Vindex — Suicide of Nero — Ex- pectation of his Return 34~52 X CONTENTS. Book II. ST. PETER AND THE CHURCH CATHOLIC. CHAPTER V. WKITINGS OK THE APOSTLES AND EARLY CHRISTIANS. PAGB Annals of the Church— End of the Acts— Obscurity of Details— Little known about tlie Apostles— St. Andrew— St. Bartholomew— St. Matthew— St. Thomas— St. yamcs the Less — St. Simon Zelotes — Judas — Late and Scanty Records — Writ- ings of the Great Apostles— Invaluable as illustrating different Phases of Cliris- tian Thought — They E.xplain the opposite Tendencies of Heretical Develop- ment— The Revelation — The Epistle to the Hebrews — The Seven Catholic Epistles — The Epistle of St. Jude — The Episde of St. James — The Epistles of St. Peter — Catholicity of St. Peter — The 'I'hree Epistles of St. John — Genuine- ness of these Writings — Contrasts between different Apostles — Difference be- tween St. Paul and St. John — Superiority of the New Testament to the Writ- ings of the Apostolic Fathers — The Episde of St. Clemens — Its Theological and Intellectual Weakness — The Epistle of Barnabas — Its exaggerated Pauhnism — Its E.xtravagant E.xegesis — The Christian Church was not ideally Pure— Yet its Chief Glory was in the Holiness of its Standard 53-72 CHAPTER VI. ST. PETER. Outline of his early Life — Events recorded in the Acts — Complete Uncertainty as to his Subsequent Career — Legends — Domine quo vadisl — ^The Legends embel- lished and Doubtful — Legend about Simon Magus — Was Peter Bishop of Rome? — Improbability of the Legend about his Crucifixion head downwards — His Martyrdom — His Visit to Rome 72-79 CHAPTER VII. SPECIAL FEATURES OF THE FIRST EPISTLE OF ST. PETER. Date of the Epistle — Its certain Genuineness— Style of the Episde — A Christian Treatise — Natural Allusions to Events in the Gospels — Vivid Expressions — Re- semblance to the Speeches in the Acts — Allusions to the Law — Resemblances to St. Paul and St. James— Plasticit\' of St. Peter's Nature— Struggle after Unity — Originality— His View of Redemption — His View of Faith^HIs Views upon Regeneration and Baptism — Not Transcendentc^l but Practical — Christ's Descent into Hades— Great Importance of the Doctrine — Attempts to explain It away — Reference to the Epistle to the Galatlans — Addressed to both Jews and Gentiles— Crisis at which It was Composed — A Time of Perse- cution—Keynote of the Letter— Analysis 79-98 CHAPTER VIII. the first epistle of ST. PETER. Title which he Adopts — Address — Provinces of Asia — Thanksgiving — Exhortation to Hope — Special Appeals — Duty of Blameless Living — Duty of Civil Obedience Humble Submission — Address to Servants — To Christian Wives — Exhortation to Love and Unity— Christ Preaching to the Spirits In Prison— Obvious Import of the Passage — Ruthlessncss of Commentators — The approaching End — Ad- dress to Elders— Conclusion 99-113 CHAPTER IX. PECULIARITIES OF THE SECOND EPISTLE. Overpositlveness in the Attack and Defence of its Genuineness- Its Canonlclty — Ex- aggeration of the Ar.;uments urped in its Favour — Extreme Weakness of External Evidence — Tardy Acceptance of the Epistle — Views of St. Jerome, &c. —Cessation of Criticism— The Unity of its Structure- Oudine of the Letter CONTENTS. xi PAGE — Internal Evidence — Resemblances to First Epistle — Difference of Stj'Ie — Peculiarity of its Expressions — Difference in general Form of Thought— Irrele- vant Arguments about the Style — Marked Variations — Dr. Abbott's Proof of the Resemblance to Josephus — Could Josephus have Read it? — Reference to the Second Advent — What may be urged against these Difficulties— Priority of St. Jude — Extraordinary' Relation to St. Jude — Method of Dealing with the Stranger Phenomena of St. Jude's Epistle— Possible Counter-considerations — Allusion to the Transfiguration— Ancientness of the Epistle — Superiority of the Epistle to the Post-Apostolic Writings — The Thoughts may have been Sanc- tioned and Adopted by St. Peter 114-136 CHAPTER X. THE SECOND EPISTLE OF ST. PETER. Reasons for OfTering a Literal Translation of the Epistle— Translation and Notes- Abrupt Conclusion 137-142 CHAPTER XI. THE EPISTLE OF ST. JGDE. Its Authenticity' — Who was the Author? — Jude, the Brotherof James— Not an Apos- tle— One of the Brethren of the Lord— Why he does not use this Title— Why be calls himself "Brother of James" — Story of his (Grandchildren — Circum- stances which may have called forth the Epistle — Corruption of Morals— Who were the Offenders thus Denounced ? — Resemblances to Second Epistle of St, Peter — ^IVanslation and Notes — St^ie of Greek — Simplicity of Structure — Fond- ness for Apocryphal Allusions— Methods of Dealing with these Peculiarities — "■ Verbal Dictation " — Rabbinic Legends — Corrupt, Gnosticising Sects 143-157 Book III. APOLLOS, ALEXANDRIAN CHRISTIANITY, AND THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. CHAPTER XII. JUDAISM, THE SEPTUAGINT, ETC. Unity of Christian Faith — Diversity in LTnity — Necessity and Blessing of the Diver- sity— Individuality of the Sacred Writers — Phases of Christian Truth — Alex- a^tdrian Christianity — The Jews and Greek Philosophy — Hebraism and Hellenism — Glories of Alexandria — Prosperity of the Jews in Alexandria — The Diapleuston — Favour shown the Jews by the Ptolemies— The Septuagint — De- light of the Hellenists — Anger of the Hebraists — Effects on Judaism— Bias of the Translators — Harmless Variations from the Hebrew — Hagadoth— Avoid- ance of Anthropomorphism and Anthropopathy — Deliberate Manipulation of the Original — Aristobulus — The Wisdom of Solomon — Semi-Ethnic Jewish Literature — Philo not wholly Original 158-170 CHAPTER XIII. PHII.O AND THE DOCTRINE OF THE LOGOS. Family of Alexander the Alabarch— Life of Philo — Classification of his Works— Those that bear on the Creation — On Abraham — Allegorising Fancies — The Life of Moses — Arbitrary Exegesis— Meanings of the word Logos — Personification of the Logos — The High Priest — A Cup-bearer — Other Comparisons — Vague Oudines of the Conception — Contrast with St. John 170-178 xii CONTENTS. CHAPTER XIV. l'HI1.0NISM— ALLEGORY— THE CATECHETICAL SCHOOL. PAGE Influence of Philo on the Sacred Writers— Sapiential Literature of Alexandria— De- fects of Philonism — ^The School of St. Mark — Motto of the Alexandrian School — Ailcsory applied to the Old Testament — ^The Pardes of the Kabbalists — History of Allegory in the Alexandrian School — Allegory in the Western Church 178-183 CHAPTER XV. AUTHORSHIP AND STYLE OF THE EPISTLE TO THE HKBREWS. Continuity of Scripture — Manifoldness of Wisdom — Ethnic Inspiration — The Epistle Alexandrian — External Evidence — Summary — Superficial Custom — Misuse of Authorities — Later Doubts and Hesitations — Indolent Custom — Phrases com- mon to the Author with St. Paul — Difilerences of Style not explicable — The Episde not a Translation — Fondness of the Writer for Sonorous Amplifica- tions 183-193 CHAPTER XVI. THEOLOGY OF THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. Difference from the Theological Conceptions of St. Paul — ^Three Cardinal Topics — "The People" — Christianity and Judaism — Alexandrianism of the Writer — Prominence of the Jews — Method of treating Scripture — Indebtedness to Philo — Particular Expressions — "The Cutter-Word" — Stern Passages — Melchizedek- Priesthood of Christ— Superiority to Philo — Fundamental Alexandrianism — Judaism not regarded as a Law but as a System of Worship — "The Pattern shewn thee in the Mount" — Effectiveness of the Argument — A Prse-existent Ideal — The World of Ideas — View of Hope — Faith, in this Episde and in St. Paul — RiGHTEousNhss — Chiustology — Redemption — Prominence given to Priesthood and Sacrifice — Peculiar Sentences — The Author could not have been St. Paul 193-212 CHAPTER XVII. WHO wrote the epistle to the HEBREWS. Absence of Greeting — Certainties about the Writer — By some known Friend of St. Paul — Yet not by Aquila — Nor byTiTUS — Nor by Silas — Nor by St. Barna- bas—Nor by St. Clemens of Rome — Nor by St. Mark — Nor by .St. Luke — Strong Probability that the Writer was Apollos — This would not necessarily be known to the Church of Alexandria — Suggested by Luther — Generally and Increasingly Accepted — Date of the Flpistle— Allusion to Timothy — Addressed to Jewish Christians — Not Addressed to the Church of Jerusalem — Nor to Cormth— Nor to Alexandria — May have been Addressed to Rome — Or to Ephesus— " They of Italy "—Apollos 212-222 CHAPTER XVIII. THE epistle to THE HEBREWS. Section \.— TJie Superiority ^/C/z^/j/*.— Comparison between Judaism and Chris- tianity—Outline of the Epistle— Its Keynotes— Striking Opening— Christ Supe- rior to Angels— Peculiar Method of Scriptural Argument— Use of Quotations —\ Admitted Method— Partial Change of View— The Style af Argument less important to us 222-230 Sf-CTIOn II.— ^ Solemn /i.rAcr^rt/wM.— Translation and Notes— Christ Superior to Moses— Parallelism of Structure — Appeal 230-236 Section \.~The High Priesthood of Christ..— TxzLW^MxowaX Exhortation— Quali- fications of Hii;h Priesthood— Sketch of the great Argument of tlie Episde— Translation and Notes — Explanation of Difficulties respecting the Nature of Christ — Digression— Post- Baptismal Sin — Indefectibility of Grace — Calvinistic View of the Passage— Arminian View— Neither View Tenable— Obvious Limi- tations of die Meaning of the Passage—" Near a Curse"—" For Burning"— A Belter Hope 236-251 CONTENTS. Xm I'AGE Section IV. — TJie Prderof .If ^/c/iizrtfci.— Translation and Notes — All thitis known of Melchi/.edck — Salem — El FJion — Allusion in Psahn ex. — Hagadoth — Plulo — Mystery attached to Melchizedek — Fantastic Hypotheses — Wh.o Meichize- dek was — Only Important as a Type — Semitic Phraseology and Modes of Arguing from the Silence of Scripture — Translation and Notes — Argument of the Passage — Superiority of the Melchizedek to the Levitic Priesthood in Seven Particulars — Summary and Notes 2 51-262 Section V. — The Dayo/Atofiement. — Grandeur of the Day — Tran.slation and Notes — A New Covenant — Its Superior Ordinances of Ministration— Translation and Notes — Symbolism of Service — The Tabernacle, not the Temple — " Vacua omnia" — Contents of the Ark — The Tkumiateriori — Censer f?) — Altar of In- cense— ^Translation and Notes — Meanings of the word Diatheke — An obvious Play on its Second Meaning of " Testament "— IVanslation and Notes — Fam- iliarity with the Hagadoth and the Halacha — Cirandest Phase of Levitic Priest- hood— Feelings Inspired by the Day— Careful Preparation of the High Priest — Legendary Additions to the Ritual — Peril of the Function — Chosen as the Highest Point of Comparison — Superiority of Christian Privileges in every re- spect 262-281 Section VI. — A Frcapitulation. — Translation and Notes — Triumphant Close of the Argument — Summary 281-285 Section VIT. — A Third Solemn IVaming: — Exhortation — Its Solemnity — Trans- lation and Notes 285-288 Skctio-hVIW. — The Glories o/Fnitk.—YM-m—V^hat is Faith ?— Exhibited in its Issues — Beginning of the Illustration — Instances from each Period of Sacred History — Translation and Notes 288-294 Section IX. — Final Exhortations. — Exhortation to Endurance — God's Father- hood— ^Translation and Notes — Faith and Patience — Superior Grandeur of Christianity — Moral Appeal of the last Chapter — Translation and Notes — Modern Controversies — " We have an Altar " — Explanation of the Passage — Exhortation — Obedience — Final Clauses — Their Bearing on the Authorship ot the Epistle 294-305 Sooli IV. JUDAIC CHRISTIANITY. CHAPTER XIX. '"the lord"'s brother." A New Phase of Christianity — The Name " James " — The Author was not James the Son of Zebedee — Untenable Arguments — Nor James the Son of Alphaeus — Untenal)le Arguments— Alphaeus — He is James, Bishop of Jerusalem, and the Lord's Ikother — Is he Identical with the Son of Alphseus ? — " Neither did his Brethren Believe on Him " — Paucity of Jewish Names — Helvidian Theoiy — The Simplest and Fairest Explanation of the Language of the Evangelists — The Language not Absolutely Decisive — Dogma of the Aeiparthenia — The Evangelists give no Hint of it — What the Gospels Say — Utter Baselessness of the Theory of St. Jerome — Entirely Untrue that the Terms "Cousins" and " I'rothers " are Identical — ^I'he Theory an Invention due to a priori Concep- tions— Not a single Argument can be Adduced in its favour — Tendencies which Led to the Dogma of the Aeiparthe?iia — Unscriptural and Manichaean Dis- paragement of the Sanctity of Marriage — The Theory arises from Apollinarian Tendencies — Theorj' of Epiphanius — Derived from the Apoci^yphal Gospels — Their Absurdities and Discrepancies — Conclusion 306-323 CHAPTER XX. life and character of ST. JAMES. Inimitable Truthfulness of Scripture narrative — Childhood and Training of St. James — A Boy's Education — "A Just Man" — Levitic Precision — The Home at Nazareth — Familiarity with Scripture—" Wisdom " — Knowledge of Apocryphal xiv CONTENTS. PAGE Kooks— Curious Phenomenon— A Nazarite— Scrupulous Holiness— A Lifelong Vow— Shadows over the Home at Nazareth— Alienation of Christ's " Brethren " —Their Interferences— His Calm and Gentle Rebukes— Their I.ast Interference —Their Complete Conversion— Due to the Resurrection—" He was Seen of Tames"— Legend in the Gospel of the Hebrews — St. James and St. Paul- Death of the Son of Zebedee— James, J'.ishop of Jerusalem— Deep Reverence for his Character— (V'//.tw— St. James and St. Peter— Bearmg of St. James m the Synod of Jerusalem- Wisdom which he Showed— Importance of the 373-401 CHAPTER XXIII. ST. JAMES AND ST. PAUL ON FAITH AND WORKS. St Paul and St. James Contrasted — Is there a Real Contradiction ? — Views of the Tiibingen .School — Is St James thinking of St. Paul at all ? — ^The Questions often I )i.scussed — Jewish Reliance on the Benefit of Theoretic Monotlieism — On Circumcision — On National Privileges — Ou Externalism Generally — St lames probably Intended to Correct Perversions of Pauline Teaching — St Paul's Views Misrepresented even in his Lifetime, and still often Perverted — No Intention to Refute St. Paul — Is the Language of the Apostles reconcil- able?—They arc using the .same Words in Different Senses — "Faith" in .St. Paul and in St. James— " Works " in St. Paul and in St James— " Justifica- tion" in .St. Paul and in St James — Illustrations drawn from dijiferent Peri- ods in the Life of Abraham— St. Paul was Dealing with the Vanity of Legal- ism, St James with the Vanity of Orthodoxy — Fundamental Agreement between the two Apostles shown by what they say of Faith and of Works in other Passages — No Bitter Controversy between them— 'I'hey used Different J^xprcssions. and looked on Christianity from Different Points of View— What IJoth would have Accepted- Blessing of Truth revealed under Many Lights. 402-415 CONTENTS. XV Book V. THE EARLIER LIFE AND WORKS OF ST. JOHN. CHAPTER XXIV. ST. JOHN. PAGE The- Pillar-Apostles — Individuality of Each — St. Paul Meets them at Jerusalem — The Special Work of St. John — His Growth in Spiritual Enlightenment — Continuity of his "Godliness — His Boyhood — A Disciple of the Baptist — His Natural Gifts — Independence of Galileans — Messianic Hopes — Becomes a Disciple of Jesus — Why St. John lived at Jerusalem — Teaching of the Ijaptist — Was St. John Married? — " Follow Me" — Belonged to the Innermost Group of Apostles — Not Ideally Faultless — He had Much to Unlearn — His Exclu- siveness — His Intolerance at En Gannim— Mixture of Humane Motives with his Zeal — "AsEliasdid" — "Ye know not what Spirit ye are of' — Christ's Last Journey to Jerusalem — Ambition of the Sons of Zebedee — The Cup and the Baptism — Leaning on the Lord's Bosom — Flight at Gethsemane — The Earliest to Rejoin his Lord — In the High Priest's Palace — A Witness of the Trials — A V Witness of the Crucifixion — " Behold thy Mother ! " — " To his own Home" — Blood and Water — At the Tomb — A Witness of the Resurrection — On the Lake of Galilee—" If I Will that he Tarry till I Come "—Mistaken Interpretation of the Words ■ 416-438 CHAPTER XXV. LIFE OF ST. JOHN AFTER THE ASCENSION. In the Upper Room — Healing of the Cripple — Threatened and Scourged — With Peter in Samaria — Years of Contemplation — Once Mentioned by .St. Paul — At the Synod of Jerusalem — A Judaist — Recognised the Mission of St. Paul — Took no Part in the Debate — No further Record.s of him in Scripture — At Pat- mos — Date of this Banishment — Causes which led to his Departure from Jerusalem — Legends of his Banishment to Patmos — The Boiling Oil and the Poison — Was he ever at Rome? — Certainty that he Resided in Asia Minor — "The Nebulous Presbyter" — John the Presbyter was John the Apostle — The Quartodeciman Controversy — Greek of the Apocalypse — Revealing Effect of the Fall of Jerusalem — The Apocalypse Judaic in tone — St. John at Ephesus — Patmos 438-453 CHAPTER XXVI. LEGENDS OF ST. JOHN. Legend of his Meeting Cerinthus at the Thermae — Reasons for believing the ^tory to be a mere Invention — Spirit of Religious Intolerance in which the Story Originated — .Strange Legend aljout the Messianic Grapes — Credulity of Papias — Possible Explanation of the Stoi-y — Error of Irenseus — Vehemence of Poly- carp — Legend of .St. John and the Robber — Legend of St. John and the Tame Partridge — Tenderness to Animals — St. John and the Petaloii — Other Le- gends— St. John's Last Sermons — Legends of the Death of St. John — Legends of his Immortality 453-464 CHAPTER XXVII. GENERAL FEATURES OF THE APOCALYPSE. The Earliest of St. John's Books — What we Lose by our Unchronological Arrange- ment of the Book — The Apocalypse Written before the Fall of Jerusalem — Im- possibility that it should have been Written after the Gospel 464-467 xvi CONTENTS. PAGE Section \.— Date of the Apocalypse. — The Apocalypse could not have been Writ- ten in the Time of Domitian — Possible Causes of the Error of Irensus— Key to the Apocalypse found in the Neronian Persecution — Why the Book has been so grievously Misunderstood — Theological Romances of Commentary — The Neronian Persecution and tlie Jewish War — Lesson of the Apocalypse — Nero the Antichrist — Nero amid the Ashes of Rome — All Apocalypses deal with Events on the Contemporary Horizon — Outbreak of the Jewish War — The Temple still Standing — The Flight of the Christians to Pella — ^The Date of the Apocalypse Implied in Rev. xiii. 3, and xvii. 10, 11 — Written in the Reign of Galba — Or possibly a little Later — ^I'he Woes of the Messiah — The Doom of Rome 467-476 Section II. — The Revolt of Judcea. — Delinquencies of Pilate — Threatening Symp- toms— Hatred of the Jews for the Romans — The Air full of Prodigies — Wick- edness of Gessius Florus — Insolence of the Greeks at Csesarea — Disgraceful Tyranny of Klorus. — The Jews Appeal to Cestius Gallus — Rise of the Zealots — Seizure of the Tower of Antonia — Epidemic of Massacre — March of Cestius Gallus — His Pusillanimity — His Defeat at Bethhoron — Vespasian Despatched to Judsea — Leading Citizens Involved in the Revolt — Josephus in Cialilee — Siege of Jotapata — Massacres — Siege of Gamala — Mount Tabor — Giscala — Atrocities of the Zealots in Jerusalem — The Idumeans Admitted — Horrible Orgies — Advance of Vespasian Marked by fresh Massacres — A River of Blood — Increasing Horrors — Factions in Jerusalem — Dreadful Condition of the City — Aspect of the World — Physically — Morally' — Socially — Politically — Incessant Civil Wars — General Terror — The Era of Mart^'rdoms — St\'le, Metaphors, and Meaning of the Apocalypse — Dislike felt for the Book — Accounted for by the Perversions to which it has been Subjected — Strange Systems of Interpretation — The PrEEterists — I'he Futurists -The Historical Interpreters — Gleams of Tradition as to the True View of the Book — Increasing Conviction that it Dealt with Events mainly Contemporary' — Multitudes of Fantastic Guesses — Their Extreme Diversity — Essential .Sacrednessof the Book— Apocalyptic Literature — Necessity for its Cryptographic Form T. 476- 502 CHAPTER XXVIII. THE APOCALYPSE. St. John " the Theologian " 502 Section \.— The Letters to the Se^'eii Chia-ches.—OwXy -i. Rapid Oudine of the Apocalypse offered — Sections of the Book — The Seven Churches — I'he Letters Normally Sevenfold — ^The Letter to Ephesus, 8:c. — The Heresies alluded to — Theory that they are Aimed at the Followers of St. Paul — Absurdity of the Theory— The Nicolaitans — "'I'he Depths of Satan" — "The False Apostles" — Volkmar — The Tubingen School — Extravagant Opinions 503-509 Section \.—The Seals.— 'X\q. Vision— The First Seal— The White Horse : The Messiah— The Second Seal — The Red Horse : Slaughter — The Third Seal — 'J'he Black Horse : Famine — "The Oil and the Wine" — The Fourth Seal — The Livid Horse : Pestilence — The Fifth .Seal — The Cry for Vengeance — The Sixth Seal — Universal Catastrophe — .Apocalyptic Style — ^The Pause — The Seal- ing of the 144,000 — Symbols Iterative and Progressive 509-516 Section \.—The Trumpets.— The Censer Hurled to Earth— The First Trumpet— .Storms, Earthquakes. Portents-*-The Second Trumpet — The Burning Moun- tain and the Sea turned into lilood — The Third Trumpet — The Star Absinth — The F«purth Trumpet — The Smiting of .Sun. Moon, and .Stars — The Eagle screaming "Woe I " — The Fifth Trumpet — The Fallen Star — The Scorpion- Locusts — The .Sixth Trumpet — Two Hundred Million Horsemen 516-523 Section IV.— ^J« /t/)/j.— Translation and Notes — Introductory Theme — An Apparent Contradiction— " God is Light" — Meaning of the Phrase— " Walk- ing in Light" — Translation, Notes, Comments — Propitiation — Prevalent Misun- derstandings as to the Style and Manner of St. John — Symmetries of State- ment— Parallels — "Knowing God"— Love — "Abiding in God" — The New and Old Commandment — In what sense "New" and "Old" — The Ideal and the Actual — A Test of Professions— " Litde Children, Fathers, Young Men " — Meaning of the Passage — Warning against Love of the World — What is Meant by ''Antichrist" — Prevalence of Antichrists — The Unction from the Holy Spirit is the Christian's Security— Abiding in the Truth — Eternal Life. .. 608-626 Section W. — The Confidence of Sonship. — (ZoxA.Ac