LIBRARY
OF THK
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA.
OIKT OK
j-i*-</ ' ~
I/ f*"'^
Accession No. ~% . (flats No.
CINCINNATI DAILY GAZETTE:
CHAS. B. WAITE'S HISTORY
A LAWYER'S i:i I OUT TO DISPUOVK THE
TRUTH oi TIII;
Jli.s Argument as to the Authorship of the
Kviiii-.'lists' Narratives Iiulicatioiis of Pro-
tnso hut Uncritical Learning.
HISTORY OF THF. CHRISTIAN UF.I.I.
TIII: YFAuTuo lIrNnr.rn. by ('has. I'. Waitr, is
the contribution of a ( 'hicago lawyer and .i
to anti-Christian literature. Like most w
of his cla-s. Mr. Waite has a hypothesis of his
own by which to explain the origin of (
tianity on natural grounds, or rather he has
d up two or three old theories, of wh --h
only the garnishing is original. I5y rep
r omitting to say a good d--al tha:
re, he sho .-.
with former attempts, and it now rema : :
own pla;
.nits the hi -,,-e of
ilineepis-
known in
lie contends tit; 1 .'
mention
belief in the supernatural
Christ wa- n I ion, he i-
enough ascribes priority to t
apocryphal
Infancy, and Nicodcim;-, or
the last named is often calitd. I
well known, swarm with absurd stories, while
in othi they harmonize with the
general run of the narrat
canonical in thi'j
instance, the evolution of myth 1
backward, and the later !
;al>les are the more free from exr n< -' r
Furthermore, he contends that these IU
yphal gospels \vrre lar-ely in::
from 'India. The accounts of the star
of Bethlehem are lounded on an
prophecy of Zoroaster, while Krishna
scribed in the JJhagavat Purana, was a j.roto-
type of the wonder working Christ
Waite profess great reverence fur I
vine teachings of Christ.'' yet, singularly
enough, endeavors to lower His character by
^^
'lluis mucii lor Jns scheme ot uenial. Tn
\ reply we have to say that much of it is not
! new, and what is new is absurdly untenable.
In the iirst place, no skeptic of 'honesty and
ability pretends to ascribe so late ad:':
17o. even for the composition of the Gospel
of John. M"Si unbelieving (ierman scholars-
it' we are not mistaken, Mr. Waite is unac-
quainte'd with German refer it to a period
earlier than 1 ;',<>, while they unhesitatingly
admit that the three synoptical gospels, Mat-
thew. Mark, and Luke, were productions of
the first century, and some of them hold that
they were written before the destruction of
Jerusalem. Dr. Kzr.i Abbot, in his Kxternal
Kvidences of the Apo-tolie Origin of the
Fourth Gospel, has well nigh demonstrated
its use by Justin Martyr as early as A. 1>. \-\~\
and the remaining links of evidence connect-
ing it with the close of the iirst eentnr.
i!y strong. Kven that obstinate !'
orlorn hope, the author of Supernatural
d to concede that"
taken up the universal voice
tiquity and the well nigh nniveixi
i Inration of modern criticism. Why he did so
in his seventh edition, alter affirming tie
trary in the fir his work, the
onsulting the .
iday's masterly little volume, The
ntury, a work to be
' iblic Library. "
abunilant evidence that
iiurch and all the le i ittle
d from 1
the i.iL'in i ii.ity. ami that
ied in our
: enr time, had
: >m the ap >d for tie
C the
well remembered events, our
cut G,.spels were named with special a:,
elusive reverence. The quotation.-, of their
where the authors are not men-
more merely substantial than
from the Old Testament in the New, or
; than many similar in modern au-
thors. Mr. W. (a by endeavor-
ing to make it apt" ar that the fathers tn
the iter he allows that '
they id the ephemeral and heretical ;
yphal utterances just alike, lie is not j
a! ways eareful to eonfe-s thai these quotations
rally made in a different man-
just as a modern Methodist would dider
his citations from John Wesley,
and one of Wesley's non-Method-
ist contemporaries. Any one who will
consult Lardper's great work on the. Credi-
bility of the Gospel History, or even its mea-
ger synopsis in Taley's JO vide nets, will sei
fallacy of Mr. Waite's claims for equal honors. :
lie only repeats the fallacies which Toland :
broached nearly J< u years ago, and which
were repeat, d in the Kxameii Critique des
,1 ^ i .. i > ,., i : ^ .. /!.,*:
repeating by way of comparison, the fabie.- Apologistes de la Religion Chretienne,
wl.ieh Vli, r'nrles; 'fnUl reso,.ptin.r .\i,,,llninim falsely attributed to the illustrious Freret.
The evidence for the genuineness of the
canonical Gospels is far greater than that of
any of the Greek or Roman class'u s. Many
more manuscripts are in existence, and the
slight discrepancies in style ailed no im-
. nt doctrine. According to the estimate
rton, very high authority, the Christians
of the latter part ul the second century mu.s:
llurocles told respecting Apollo
ot Tyana. a century and a qn ilie
tatter's death, taking advant:
Avhen the Christians were sutlering from per- '
)ii for the publican
Our author al- lit parallel for the
sutlering i : Abono-
teichus, t!. an.
have had as many as fi
They existed in all parts of the then
known world, and their material falsifi-r
cation of any one cony would
impossible, gince'bbth the orthodox and '
tic- appealed to them. It was not an uncritical
for the Christian who wrote ti
I'auland Theela. -as a pii.us fraud was.'
i)lined for his mi.-eouduct. No one could now
alter the text of a Look, copies of whir 1
isted in l>< '-ton, New York, Cincinnati, <
and San Francisco, without a <
of the fraud, and such an act would have been
'equally difficult in regard to manus;
:cred, hut on certain statcine:-
which religiousdifferenees held to be important
^ The Muratorian Fragmri.:
unen/clating back to about 17u, ile<-:
that ibi/canonical hooks differed from
apocryphal forge ries as honey from gall, and it
would" have been at no time possible for
MCI-S to supersede the genuine books by
if the latter .
nient.s not in accordance with pre\ai
tion. We iind. a-, we migh that
apocryphal books enjoyed only a lip.
and qualified iv.pect in the early Church, and
as their real character became established
were repudiated and i JUit
even without the (io-pcls we have informa-
tion in the New Testament books, conceded to
.mine by -Mr. Waite. which ihows that
, Christianity was what the four Gospels
atlirm it to be.
Any careful student of the Epistles to the
Romans, Corinthians, (ialatians. Ephesians,
will lind the resurrection, heavenly
in, and divine power of Christ emphatic*
ally asserted. These letters are addressed to
believers, supposed to he already convinced
ie facts of the uo>pcl histories; hence it is
not to be expected thai these last would he
n detail, as if heathens were being
,,-d into conviction of their truth. The
S the less, and so d<
of the voluntary humiliation of One who j
came from heaven, who rose from the
1. and who Justified all believers
through His blood, virtually include
working of miracles. " At all
- no evidence that anv of the
early Christians thought differently, "and the
heathen Pliny, A. 1). jpi. represents the be-
lievers of I) is day as singing hymns to < 'hi :
while CelsuSj .V. I). ITS, repeats ahout
everything in the < mspeis, ascribing, however,
Christ's miracles to magie. He was critical
enough in various particulars to show that he
no blind concedcr of his opponent's
:id has furnished even the unbeliev-
of our own day with many of their stock
Vet he never pretended to deny;
;:ents of the (iospels. ] Ie only tried '
\plain them away. It will never do. as
long as riiny and Celsus continue to speak,
liline epistles to be read, to affirm
that there was no belief in the .supernatural
!-:i dialed by Mr. Waite. Further-
to -ay that the resurrec-
tion, to which minute testimony is borne
the fifteenth chapter of First Corinthians, on '
the evidence of awstlrs. and of ;">00 brethren, '.
many of whom were then alive leaving out '
Pauls own experience near Dan;
not a matt-rial one, but a
mere subjective phenomenon. Such refine-
ment?! may be labor saving inventions, but
Mr. Waite would have been more candid to
admit with Hour the inexplicability of the
resurrection history.
Finally, in ascribing priority or authority
to the three surviving apocryphal gosrj
\Yaite is not only in conflict wi:ii ali
Christian critics, orthodox and heu-rodox.
but flies directly in the face of both Strauss
and Jit-nan, each of whom regard thorn as
prophecy of the star can mrt he shown to be
pre-Christian, for it docs not occur in the
Zend Avesta and even the Zend A
we have it, is a compilation of the third Chris-
tian century. Abulfaratrius, who tells the
story, was ah' Armenian Bishop of the thir-
h century. The Uhagavat Purana. which
attributes to Krishna exploits very much like
those of the apocryphal gospels, and also
parallels a few of the miracles of the canoni-
cal gospels, is not as old as the days of
Mohammed, being perhaps three or four cen-
turies later. This is no assertion of ours, but
the carefully formed opinion of German and
English scholars entirely free from theologi-
cal bias.
Such are the main points of a pretentious
book issued with a great flourish of trnm]
a> a work which Christians would not be al-
lowed to dismiss with a sneer. We think we
have said enough about it, though we might
add that we have noticed some needless
blunders which show that the author is not
il versed in dealing with patristic litera-
ture as with le/::'.' questions. For example.
lie mentions in text and index Victor
pnamis Catena as a church writer. There was
a Victor Capua. us. or Victor of Capua, but
Catena is the nairimpf a classified collection
of extracts, amJP not of a man.
he seems to believe. He has no doubt
been industrious, but he quo'.es a strange
medley of authorities, many of them obsolete,
and so' largely on one side as to show that his
opinion was made up before he began
his work. Indeed, the book is ohvi<
that of a special pleader. The pro-
duction of a mere advocate, it u.
to the dignity of candid argument. It i
aims, as we have .seen, to diminish the repu-
tation of Christ, by comparing Him with tin-
savory personages; it browbeats Irenams and
Fusebius, because they are important wit-
! on the other side. It permits its own
witnesses to teil only so much as is good for
the cause, and to crown all, were its hypothe-
sis admitted to be the true one, Christianity
would exiM as a causeless and inexplicable-
ellect. Mr. \Vaite has not broken the array of
Christian evidences, and he has made no ad-
dition to the really sharp assaults which have
been directed against them. rtvo. Chicago-
C. V. A\
HISTORY
OF THE
CHRISTIAN RELIGION,
TO THE
YEAR TWO HUNDRED,
rv rilAlM.KS K WAITE, A. M.
*tfNn^siTY
"Turni is THE DAUGHTER OF Tmri." Aulus Gelliw, in Noctes Attica.
CHICAGO:
C. V. WAITE & COMPANY.
1881.
Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year IfiSO, by
CHARLES B. WAITE,
In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.
Right of translation reserved
17,0 H
PREFACE.
This volume is the result of an investigation, ex-
tending through several years, and instituted for the
satisfaction of the author.
Two years of the time were spent in the Library of
Congress, which is peculiarly rich in the department of
Biblical Literature. It contains the writings of all the
earlier fathers, in the original, and an immense collec-
tion of the works of later writers.
The intent to publish was formed upon ascertaining
facts and arriving at conclusions, which appeared of
great importance, and which had never before been
fully made known.
To the accomplished librarian, who furnished the
author with every facility for the prosecution of his
work, and gave him much valuable information, he re-
turns his sincere thanks. Also to the assistant librari-
ans, for the promptness with which the treasures of
the library were from time to time placed at his
disposal
It is believed that this will be found to be the most
complete record of the events connected with the
IV PREFACE.
Christian religion during the first two centuries, which
has ever been presented to the public.
The time has been divided into six periods, and the
different writers and events are carefully arranged
in regular chronological order. In fixing the dates
of the various writers, it was found that the subject
was involved in much confusion.
In each case, the different dates were carefully ex-
amined, and the one selected which appeared the most
consistent, and supported by the best authority.
A comprehensive view is given of the gospels of the
first two centuries, with a brief sketch of those of a
later date. The comparisons which have been institut-
ed between the canonical and certain apocryphal gos-
pels, is a peculiar feature of this work, and one which
is believed to be of great importance, in arriving at
correct conclusions.
The Gospel of Marcion has been reproduced from the
writings of the fathers, principally from the Greek of
Epiphanius. This is something which, so far as the
author is aware, has never before been attempted in
this country.
The references to authorities will be found useful to
those who may desire to pursue further the investiga-
tion of the questions discussed.
The reader will find considerable repetition in the
following pages. The importance of the subject, and
the necessity of examining many of the questions
from different points of view, would seem to jus-
PREFACE. V
tify, if not absolutely to demand, a re-statement from
time to time, of the same facts and propositions in
different chapters.
In the preparation and publication of this work,
the author has proceeded upon the assumption that
the ascertainment of the truth is all important, and
that its promulgation cannot fail to result in the per-
manent benefit of the human race.
The author is under special obligations to the Hon.
William Birney, of Washington, formerly Professor in
the University of France, who took a deep interest in
the prosecution of the work, and devoted many hours
to its examination and criticism.
The final result of the undertaking is submitted to
the public, in the hope that it may add something to
the pages of reliable history.
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
FIRST PERIOD. APOSTOLIC AGE. A. D. 30 to A. D. 80.
CHAPTER I.
THE TX>ST GOSPELS OP THE FIBST CENTUBT.
CHAPTER II.
JOHN THE BAPTIST JESUS CHRIST PAUL PETEB AOT> THE OTHER
APOSTLES THE EPISTLES OP THE NEW TESTAMENT.
SECOND PERIOD. APOSTOLIC FATHERS. A. D. 80 to 120.
CHAPTER IIL
CLEMENT OF ROME IGNATIUS POLTCABF.
CHAPTER IV.
LOST GOSPELS OP THE SECOND CENTUBY. GOSPEL OF THE HEBBEWB.
CHAPTER V.
LOST GOSPELS OP THE SECOND CENTUBT. Continued. GOSPEL OF THB
EGYPTIANS.
CHAPTER VI.
LOST GOSPELS OP THE SECOND CENTUBT. Concluded.
CHAPTER VII.
THE AGE OF MIRACLES. APOLLONIUB OF TTAHA.
CHAPTER VIII.
AOE OF MIRACLES. Continued. SIMON MAGUS.
Vlll CONTENTS.
CHAPTER IX.
OTHER MIRACLES AND MIRACLE- WORKERS JEWISH SUPERSTITIONS-
MIRACLES OP THE FATHERS MIRACLES OF THE NEW TESTAMENT.
THIRD PERIOD.
THE THREE APOCRYPHAL GOSPELS. A. D. 120 to 130.
CHAPTER X.
EXTANT APOCRYPHAL GOSPELS.
THE PROTEVANGELION, OR BOOK OF JAMES.
CHAPTER XL
THE PROTEVANGELION AND THE FIBST Two CHAPTERS OF LUKE AND
MATTHEW COMPARED.
CHAPTER XII.
GOSPEL OF THE INFANCY.
CHAPTER XIII.
THE GOSPEL OF THE INFANCY COMPARED WITH THE FIRST Two CHAP-
TERS OF LUKE AND MATTHEW.
CHAPTER XIV.
ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF THE GOSPELS OF THE INFANCY.
CHAPTER XV.
ACTS OF PILATE; OR THE GOSPEL OF NICODEMUS.
CHAPTER XVI.
ACTS OF PILATE AND THE CANONICAL GOSPELS COMPARED.
CHAPTER XVIL
OTHER EXTANT APOCRYPHAL GOSPELS.
CHAPTER XVIII.
WRITERS OF THE THIRD PERIOD MENANDER SATURNINUS BASTLI-
DE& BARNABAS, AND OTHERS.
FOURTH PERIOD. FORTY YEARS
OF CHRISTIAN WRITERS. A. D. 130 to 170.
CHAPTER XIX.
WRITERS FROM A. D. 130 to A. D. 150. CARPOCRATES HERMAS CE-
RINTHUS VALENTINUS PAPIAS, AND OTHERS.
CONTENTS. ix
CHAPTER XX.
MARCION. A. D. 145.
CHAPTER XXI.
JUSTIN MARTYR. A. D. 150 to 160.
CHAPTER XXII.
WRITERS FROM A. D. 150 TO 170. CONTINUED. APELLES PEREGBINUS
-MARCELLINA MONTANUS TATIAN, AND OTHERS.
CHAPTER XXIII.
VALUE OP THE TESTIMONY OF EUSEBIUS.
CHAPTER XXIV.
REVIEW OP THIRD AND FOURTH PERIODS. A. D. 120 to 170.
FIFTH PERIOD. THE FOUR CANONICAL GOSPELS.
A. D. 170 to A. D. 185.
CHAPTER XXV.
THE FOUR CANONICAL GOSPELS.
CHAPTER XXVI.
THE FOUR GOSPELS AS A GROUP.
CHAPTER XXVII.
HISTORY OP JESUS AS GIVEN IN THE GOSPELS.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE.
CHAPTER XXIX.
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MARK.
CHAPTER XXX.
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN.
CHAPTER XXXI.
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW.
CHAPTER XXXII.
THE ACTS OP THE APOSTLES.
CHAPTER XXXIII.
ORIGIN AND HISTORY OP CHRISTIAN DOCTRINES. THE IMMACULATE
CONCEPTION MIRACLES OP CHRIST His MATERIAL RESURRECTION His
DIVINITY THE TRINITY ATONEMENT ORTCHNAL SIN, &c.
X CONTENTS.
CHAPTER XXXIV.
WRITERS OF THE FIFTH PERIOD. ATHENAGORAS THEOPHILTJB OF AN-
TIOCH PANT^SNUS HEGESIPPUS, AND OTHERS.
CHAPTER XXXV.
REVIEW OF FIFTH PERIOD. DESTRUCTION OF THE LITERATURE OF THE
GOSPELS LIST OF GOSPEL WRITINGS OF THAT AGE LOST OR DESTROYED.
SIXTH PERIOD. CLOSE OF THE SECOND CENTURY.
A. D. 185 to A. D. 200.
CHAPTER XXXVI.
WRITERS OF THE SIXTH PERIOD. HERACLEON SERAPION PTOLKMJB-
US, AND OTHERS.
CHAPTER XXXVII.
T OF ALEXANDRIA, AND TERTULLIAH.
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
FORMATION OF THE ROMAN CATHOLIC HIERARCHY.
CHAPTER XXXIX.
REVIEW OF SIXTH PERIOD TESTIMONY OF HEATHEN WRITERS
GENERAL REVIEW CONCLUSION.
LIST OF CHRISTIAN WRITERS
AND WRITINGS, OF THE FIRST TWO CENTURIES.
CHRONOLOGICALLY ARRANGED.
A.D.
Grades of Christ, by Matthew, 50
Gospel of Paul, do.
Gospel or Recollections of Peter, "
PAUL'S EPISTLES. (See Note.)
1. '2d Epistlf to thf Thessalonians, 52
2. 1st do. 53
o. 1st " " Corinthians, 57
4. 2d "
5. lo to the Galatians, 58
6. " " Romans,
7. to Philemon, 62
8. to the Colossians, , "
9. Philippians, g3
10. " " Ephesians,
The General Epistle of Peter, (1st Peter), 80
" James,
Jude,
First Epistle of Clement of Rome, to the Corinthians, 97
Epistle of Ignatius to the Romans, Ho
" " " Ephesians,
to Polycarp,
Gospel according to the Egyptians, "
Epistle of Polycarp to the Philippians, 116
Provrrbs of Xyhtas, H<)
Menander, Prodicus, 120
i LIST OF WRITERS.
A.D.
Preaching of Peter, Doctrine of Peter, 125
Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs,
Sibylline Oracles, later form, Preaching of Paul,
Some Syriac Documents,
Gospel according to the Hebrews,
Gospel of Perfection, Gospel of Philip, "
Gospel of Matthaias, Gospel of Judas Iscariot, "
Gospel or Harmony of Basilides, Book of the Helkesaites, "
Midwife of our Savior, Gospel of Thaddaeus, "
And many other gospels now lost, written about this time.
Acts of Peter, Acts of Paul, "
Acts of Peter and Andrew, Acts of John, Acts of St. Mary, "
And more than 30 other books of Acts, some of which are extant.
Apocalypse of Peter, Apocalpse of Paul, of Bartholomew, "
And many other books of Revelation, written about the same time.
Saturninus, Basilides,
The Protevangelion, or Book of James, "
Aristides, Quadratus, 126
Gospel of the Infancy, attributed to Thomas, 130
Acts of Pilate, or gospel of Nicodemus, "
Epistle of Barnabas, Epistle to Titus, attributed to Paul, "
First and Second Epistles to Timothy, attributed to Paul, "
General Epistle of John, (1st John),
Second and Third Epistles of John, "
Agrippa Castor, Aristion, John the Presbyter, "
Revelation or Apocalypse of John,
Carpocrates, 135
Epistles to the Magnesians, Trallians, Smyrnaeans and Philadel-
phians, attributed to Ignatius, 140
Epiphanes, Cerdon, Epistle to Diognetus, "
Epistle to the Laodiceans, attributed to Paul, "
Hennas, Author of The Shepherd, 145
Cerinthus and his Gospel, "
Marcion and his New Testament, "
Isadoras, Valentinus, and The Gospel of Truth, 150
Justin Martyr, Papias, The Clementines,
LIST Off WRITERS.
Apelles and his Gospel, Peregrinus, Marcellina, 160
Epistle to the Hebrews, attributed to Paul, "
Soter, 164
Tatian and his Harmony or Gospel, 170
Philip, Montanus, Second Epistle of Peter, "
(iospel according to Luke, "
Aristo of Pella, Dionysius of Corinth, Miltiades, 175
Maximus, Pinytus, Dialogue between Jason and Papiscus, "
Gospel according to Mark, "
Modestas, Musanus, 176
Florinus, Blastus, Epistle of Churches of Vienne and Lyons, 177
Melito of Sardis, Athenagoras, Claudius Apollmaris, "
Gospel according to John, 178
Theophilus of Antioch, Bardesanes, Hennogenes, 180
Bacchylus of Corinth, Pantaenus, "
Gospel according to Matthew, '*
Acts of the Apostles, "
Marcia, 183
Hegesippus, 185
Asterius Urbanus, 188
Irenaeus, Cassianus, Ptolomaeus, Horacleon, Victor, 190
Serapion, Bishop of Antioch, Maximilla. Muratorian Fragment, "
Theododotus, of Byzantium, 192
Rhodon, Narcissus, Bishop of Jerusalem, 195
Palmas, Polycrates, Bishop of Ephesus, 196
Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian, Noetus, Hernias, 3d, 200
Praxeas, Symmachus, Maximus, Bishop of Jerusalem, "
Seleucas, Artemon, Pistis Sophiae, "
Julius Africanus, 2d Epistle of Clement of Rome. "
[Note. THE EPISTLES OF PAUL. We hav<- takrii as genuine, the ten
epistles which constituted the Apostolicon of Marcion. The same course has
been adopted by Dr. Davidson, except that he rejects, upon what appears in-
sufficient grounds, the Epistle to the Ephesians.]
FIRST PERIOD. A. D. 30 to A. D. 80.
THE APOSTOLIC AGE.
CHAPTER I.
LOST GOSPELS OF THE FIRST CENTURY.
THE GOSPEL OP PAUL GOSPKL OB RECOLLECTIONS OP PETER REFEB-
ENCES AND CITATIONS BY THE FATHERS OF THE CHURCH VlEWS OF MOD-
EBN WRITERS ORACLES OR SAYINGS OF CHRIST, ATTRIBUTED TO MAT-
THEWTHESE THE GERMS OF THE SYNOPTIC GOSPELS, LUKE, MARK AND
MATTHEW.
This is an attempt to write a history of the Chris-
tian religion during the first two centuries. Not a his-
tory of Christianity, which would require us to follow
the principles of that religion, in their dissemination
through various countries, and in their influence upon
other institutions. Nor yet a history of the church;
which would make it necessary to examine questions
of ecclesiastical polity, to trace the rise and progress of
different forms of church government, and to notice
the manners and customs of the early Christians, and
their treatment by the civil magistrates.
These are touched upon only in their bearing upon
the main object of the inquiry; which is, an examina-
2 FIRST PERIOD. A. D. 30 TO A. D. 80.
tion into the principal doctrines distinctive of the
Christian religion, so far as they were known and
taught in the first two centuries; also the principal
books through which those doctrines were dissemina-
ted.
The difficulty of the undertaking is great. The gos-
pels of the first century are unfortunately lost. There
are left, of that century, only the epistles of Paul, the
one epistle of Clement of Rome, some slight notices
by Jewish and heathen writers, and the few legends
and traditions preserved in the writings of the fath-
ers, and in the extant second century gospels. And
when we enter upon the next century, though there is
more remaining than of the first, still, the great body
of the Christian literature of that age also, has been
lost or destroyed.
Availing ourselves of what remains, we shall, though
'conscious of the magnitude of the task, enter upon
it, at least with fidelity to truth, and in the hope
that something may be contributed to the pages of re-
liable history.
The time will be divided into six periods; to be des-
ignated as follows:
FIRST PERIOD, Apostolic Age. A.D. 30 to A. D. 80.
SECOND PERIOD, Apostolic Fathers. . . 80 to . . 120.
THIRD PERIOD, The three Apoc-
ryphal Gospels. . . 120 to . . 130.
FOURTH PERIOD, Forty Years of
Christian Writers. . . 130 to . . 170.
FIFTH PERIOD, The four Canon-
ical Gospels. ' . . 170 to . . 185.
SIXTH PERIOD, Close of the Sec-
ond Century. . . 185 to . . 200.
3
FIKST PERIOD.
LOST GOSPELS OF THE FIRST CENTURY.
When Christianity had become partially established
by the teaching of Christ and the preaching of his a-
postles and disciples, there arose among the Christians
of the various churches a necessity, and hence a de-
mand, for some written testimonies or records of the
life and doctrines of their great master. But this need
was not so apparent, or pressing in the first century,
and especially during the life-time of those who had
been with Jesus, and had been his followers and
companions.
Of the numerous gospels which were in circulation
in the second century, not more than three can, with
any certainty, or with any high degree of probability,
be traced back to the times of the apostles. These are
the Gospel of Paul, the Gospel or Recollections of
Peter, and the Oracles or Sayings of Christ, attributed
to Matthew.
THE GOSPEL OF PAUL.
Ewald, one of the best of the German critics, con-
cludes that there was a Gospel of Paul; thinks it was
in the Greek language, and that it may have been
written by the evangelist Philip. 1
It may be inferred that it afterward became incor-
porated into the Gospel of Marcion, [A. D. 145], since
Marcion was a follower of Paul, and for his own gos-
pel claimed the sanction of that apostle. 2
Marcion was a native of Sinope, a town of Asia
Minor, on the south shore of the Black Sea. It is sup-
(1.) Yahrbucher, 1848, 1849.
(2.) See Fabricius, Codex Apocryphus, Hamb. 1703, vol. 1 p. 372. Also His-
tory of the Canon, by Westcott, 3d Ed. Lond. 1870, p. 282.
4 FIRST PERIOD. A. D. 30 TO A. D. 80.
posed that the church at Sinope was furnished by Paul T
at the time of its formation, with a collection such as
he supplied to the other Asiatic Churches; containing
records of the life and teachings of Christ.
It was the opinion of Jerome, and of several other
writers, that when Paul spoke of his gospel, [Bom. 2. 16;
16. 25; 2d Thess. 2. 14]; he referred to a written gospel
then in circulation.
Paul may have had such a gospel in mind; but his
language is not sufficiently explicit to justify us in con-
cluding with any certainty, that he meant any thing
more than that gospel of good tidings, of which he
was the great expounder.
There is, however, a more distinct trace of the Gospel
of Paul in his First Epistle to the Corinthians, ch. 11,
v. 23 to 25. By comparing this passage with Luke 22.
19, 20, it will be seen that the language is almost iden-
tical; while the parallel passages, Matt. 26. 26 to 28, and
Mark 14. 22 to 24, have no such complete similarity,
though the idea is the same. The Gospel of Luke,
whether directly, or through Marcion's,' was founded
partly upon the Gospel of Paul. That Paul had some-
thing to do with a written gospel, which now appears,
in whole or in part, in the compilation of Luke, is gen-
erally acknowledged; and this passage in First Corin-
thians, taken in connection with the corresponding
passage in Luke, is strong evidence, that in Corinthians,
Paul refers to a written gospel, which he had "deliver-
ed" to the Church at Corinth, and a portion of which
written gospel appears in Luke 22. 19, 20. Paul may
have referred, also, to the same gospel, in Galatians 2. 2.
This supposition receives countenance from a passage
in Tertullian. In his work against Marcion, [A. D. 207
-210], after saying that Marcion did not ascribe his
gospel to any author, and arguing thence that it was
LOST GOSPELS OF THE FIRST CENTURY. 5
not authentic, he proceeds as follows:
"Had Marcion even published his gospel in the name of Paul himself, the
single authority of the document, destitute of all support from preceding au-
thorities, would not be a sufficient basis for our faith. There would still be
wanting that gospel which Paul found in existence, to which he yielded his be-
lief, and with which he so earnestly wished his own to agree, that he actually
on that account went up to Jerusalem, to know and consult the apostles, 'lest
he should run or had been running in vain;' in other words, that the faith
which he had learned, and the gospel which he was preaching, might be in ac-
cordance with theirs. Then, at last, having conferred with the authors, and
having agreed with them touching the rule of faith, they joined their hands
in fellowship, and divided their labors thenceforth in the office of preaching
the gospel, so that they were to go to the Jews, and Paul to the Jews and Gen-
tiles. Inasmuch, therefore, as the enlightener of Luke himself, desired the
authority of his predecessors, for both his own faith and preaching, how much
iiion- may I not require from Luke's Gospel, that which was necessary for the
ii<-|.i-l of his master." TertuUian adv. Marcion, bk. 4, ch. 2, Ante-Nicene
Christian Library, wl. 7, p. 180.
From this passage of TertuUian, it is manifest, first,
that there was a Gospel of Paul, and the inference is
very strong, that it was in writing; since Paul is repre-
sented as going to Jerusalem to compare his gospel
with another, and while there, conferring with the
"authors" of the other gospel; secondly, that it was ne-
;iry, for the purpose of verification, that these two
go-pels should be compared; and thirdly, that all this
was anterior to the Gospel according to Luke. It might
be inferred, from the closing portion of the paragraph,
that TertuUian thought the Gospel of Luke itself stood
in need of some verification.
It does not follow, however, that the gospel with
which Paul was so anxious to compare his own, was
written before his. The word "primitive" inserted by
the Ante-Nicene translator, in brackets, before the word
"authors," we have therefore discarded, as unnecessary
to the sense, and unauthorized.
The language of TertuUian is, "Denique, ut cum auctoribus contulit, et
convenit de regula fidei, dexteras miscuere," &c. Tertull. Op., torn. 1, p. 251.
6 FIRST PERIOD. A. D. 30 TO A. D. 80.
The opinion of Ewald is, that the Greek Gospel of
Paul was the first ever written. There was probably
no great length of time intervening, between the origin
of that and of the other two gospels of the first century.
The testimony of Irenseus, [A. D. 190], concerning
this gospel, is, that it was written by Luke.
"Luke, also, the companion of Paul, recorded in a
book, the Gospel preached by him." 1
Notwithstanding the positive language here used, the
statement is to be taken with some allowance. Irense-
us was fully committed to the four gospels, and was
engaged in endeavoring to give them authority. He
may be said, in fact, to have introduced them to the
notice of the literary world; since he is the first author
who mentions more than one of them. He speaks fre-
quently of these gospels, and argues that they should
be four in number, neither more nor less, because there
are four universal winds, and four quarters of the
world.
Davidson calls him "credulous and blundering." 3
Those who are so quick to receive the statement of
Irenaeus, that the Gospel of Paul was written by Luke,
a statement manifestly made to give apostolic sanction
to the Gospel of Luke, are not prepared to accept so
readily his assertion, that the ministry of Jesus lasted
twenty years, and that he was fifty years old at hi&
crucifixion. 3
THE GOSPEL OR RECOLLECTIONS OF PETER.
Tnis was a book more generally known than the
Gospel of Paul, and of the existence of which there
can be no doubt. In the year 190, a large number of
(1.) Irenseus v. Hser. bk. 3, ch. 1, Ante-Nic. vol. 5, p. 259.
(2.) Canon, p. 121.
(3.) Iren. v. Hser. 2. 22, Ante-Nic. vol. 5, p. 196.
LOST GOSPELS OF TEE FIRST CENTURY. 1
the Gospels of Peter were found in use by the Church
of Khossus, in Cilicia; and so much were the Christians
of that church attached to them, that it became neces-
sary for Serapion, one of the bishops, to suppress them,
and to substitute the canonical gospels in their stead. 1
Another case of the suppression of older gospels, in
use in the churches, to make way for those which had
been selected, will be noticed hereafter. [See Tatian.J
Eusebius, [A. D. 325,] speaking of the Gospel accord-
ing to Peter, with other books, says:
"Neither among the ancient nor the ecclesiastical writers of our day, has
there been one that has appealed to the testimony taken from them."
in book 3, chapter 25, he speaks of the Gospel of Peter as among those that
were "adduced by the heretics, under the name of the apostles," and "of
which no one of those writers in the ecclesiastical succession, has condescended
to make any mention in his works;" ami says, "they are to be ranked not on-
ly among 1 the spurious writings, but are to be rejected as altogether absurd
and impious." Ecdes. Hist. bk. 3, ch. 3.
Eusebius had a peculiar faculty for diverging from
the truth. Let us see how far from it he has gone in
these assertions:
1. Justin Martyr, in the Dialogue, written about A.
D. 160, says:
"The mention of the fact, that Christ changed the name of Peter, one of the
Hl-t-tW, and that the event has been recorded in his (Peter's) Memoirs, to-
gether with his having changed the name of two other brethren, who were
sons of Zebedee, to Boanerges, tended to signify that he was the same
through whom the surname Israel was given to Jacob, and Joshua to
Hosea." Dialogue with Trypho, ch. 106.
The translation, as given in the Ante-Nicene Christian
Library, vol. 2, p. -233, is as follows:
"And when it is said that he changed the name of one of the apostles to
Peter, and when it is written in the memoirs of Him that this so happened, as
well as that he changed the names of other two brothers," &c.
(1.) Dr. Lardner's Works, vol. 4, p. 636; Theodoret, Fab. Hser. 2. 2; Euseb.
Ecc. Hist. 6. 12; Lost and Hostile Gospels by S. Baring-Gould, p. 245.
Theodoret there says, the Nazarenes held that Christ was a just man, and
they used the Gospel of Peter. He speaks as of his own day; A.D. 430.
8 FIRST PERIOD. A. D. 30 TO A. D. 80.
The word "Him," commencing with a capital letter,
of course refers to Christ; thus making it read, the
memoirs of Christ; and ignoring Peter as the author.
The Greek is,
Kotl ro etTtelv ueroovofiaHevai avrov Ilf'rpor era roov Arco'-iTo'k-
oor, nai ysypdgj^ai kv ToiS artojuvwoveviiacyir avrov, &c.
Such a construction, beside referring the pronoun
atrov, [of him], at the close of the sentence, to the more
distant antecedent, contrary to the rule in such cases,
attributes to Justin language which he is not in the
habit of using. Elsewhere, when speaking of the
gospels which he cites so frequently, he calls them, not
Memoirs of Christ, but "Memoirs of the Apostles." He
has ten times "Memoirs of the Apostles," and five times
"Memoirs;" not once "Memoirs of Christ."
For the rendering we have adopted, we have the au-
thority of Dr. Westcott, 1 and other eminent scholars.
Moreover, it is powerfully supported by the fact, that
the only one of the canonical gospels which has this
account of the change of the name of James and John
to Boanerges, is Mark, which has such an intimate
connection with the Gospel of Peter. [See Mark 3. 17.J
We conclude, therefore, that Justin Martyr here re-
fers to the Memoirs or Recollections of Peter; which
can be nothing else than the Gospel of Peter. It was
probably a consideration of this passage, which in-
duced Credner to say that Justin made use of this
gospel. 2
2. The next writer who refers to the Gospel of Peter,
is Tertullian; [A. D. 207-210.] He was one of the three
fathers who were engaged in establishing the canonical
gospels. And as Irenseus had undertaken to confound
(1.) Hist, of the Canon, p. 103.
(2.) Geschict. N. T. Kan. p. 22.
LOST GOSPELS OF THE FIRST CENTURY. 9
the Gospel of Paul with the Gospel of Luke, so Tertull-
ian endeavors to identify the Gospel of Peter with the
Gospel of Mark. He says:
"The Gospel which Mark published, is affirmed to be
Peter's, whose interpreter Mark was."
Jones, who is unwilling to recognize the Gospel of
Peter as authoritative, attempts to break the force of
this testimony by interpolating, in the translation, the
words "by some;" thus: "is affirmed by some to be Pe-
ters." But this is entirely unauthorized.
The original is, "Evangelium quod edidit Marcus, Pe-
tri affirmatur, cujus interpres Marcus;" translated in
the Ante-Nicene collection, "That [gospel] which Mark
published, may be affirmed to be Peter's, whose inter-
preter Mark was."
Tertullian manifestly intended to assert, that in his
day, the Gospel of Mark was understood to be Peter's;
or to have the Gospel of Peter for its original.
3. The third father who referred to this Gospel, was
Origen; A. D. 230.
"There are some," says he, "who say the brethren of Christ [here mention-
ed] were the children of Joseph, by a former wife, who lived with him before
Mary: and they are induced to this opinion by some passages in that which is
entitled The Gospel of Peter, or The Book of James." Com. on Matt. 13. 55.
It must not be inferred that Origen here speaks
of the books as the same; but that the opinion was
held, in accordance with passages in the one book or
the other. In the Protevangelion, or Book of James,
as it was called, it is related, that when the high priest
told Joseph that he was the person selected to take the
virgin, he demurred, saying, "I am an old man and
have children; but she is young, and I fear lest I should
appear ridiculous in Israel."
(1.) Tert. ad. Marcion, 4. 5.
10 FIRST PERIOD. A. D. 30 TO A. D. 80.
Though Origen was not fully prepared to accept
this statement, not seeing it in the canonical gospels,
which had then, to use his own language, been "cho-
sen," ' and were thenceforth to be authoritative, yet the
fact had become so well understood, from the previous
use of the other gospels, that it was, by most of the
fathers, implicitly received as true, for a long time af-
terward. Epiphanius, Chrysostom, Cyril, Theophilact,
(Ecumenius, and all the Latin Fathers till Ambrose,
and the Greek Fathers afterward, held to the opinion
that Joseph was a widower, and had children by a for-
mer wife; showing that the Gospel of Peter and the
Protevangelion were regarded "as authority.
Thus we find the Gospel of Peter expressly referred
to by three of the fathers before Eusebius, though
that historian asserts that no one of them had conde-
scended to make any mention of it.
Eusebius exhibited a still more reckless disregard for
the truth, in regard to the Preaching of Peter. He
made a similar sweeping assertion respecting that;
while the fact was, it had been mentioned by Herac-
lion and Lactantius, and six times by Clement of Al-
exandria, and every time with indications of approval.
It may be well to mention an error of some writers,
in supposing the Preaching of Peter and the Preaching
of Paul to be one book, or parts of the same book,
merely from their being mentioned in the same con-
nection by Lactantius. Such an inference is not au-
thorized.
(1.) "And that not four gospels but very many were written, out of which
those we haw were chosen, and delivered to the churches, we may perceive,"
& c> Origen, in Proem, LUCCB, Horn. 1 T. 2, p. 210.
Again: "Four gospels only have been approved, out of which the doctrines
of our Lord and Saviour are to be learned.' 1
These gospels were selected, or "separated" from others. Westcott, p. 317.
LOST GOSPELS OF THE FIRST CENTURY. II
Other writers have mentioned this gospel. Theodo-
ret, [A. D. 430,] says, "The Nazarenes are Jews who
venerate Christ as a just man merely, and it is said
they use the Gospel according to Peter." 1
Credner thinks the gospel was one of the oldest writ-
ings of the church, and the source from which Justin
drew many of his quotations; also that it was essential-
ly identical with the Harmony of Tatian, and the Gos-
pel according to the Hebrews. 9
Dr. Mill 3 says it was publicly read by the Christians;
and Mr. Whiston 4 asserts that it was, probably, in
some sense, a sacred book.
Jones, who wishes to discredit it, says that it was in-
terdicted by the decree of Pope Gelasius, [A. D. 494,] ac-
cording to some copies; though he does not explain
how the interdict crept into those copies, nor why it
is not in the decree, as generally published, and as it
appears in his own work, vol. 1 p. 154.
The Gospel of Peter favored the opinions of the Doce-
tae, who held that Christ and Jesus were different; that
Jesus really suffered, but Christ, only in appearance.
Norton, 6 whose opinion is entitled to great weight,
thinks this gospel was not a history of Christ's ministry.
Eev. S. Baring-Gould asks the question, "Was this
gospel a corrupted edition of St. Mark?" and answers it
thus: "Probably not. We have not much ground on
which to base an opinion, but there is just sufficient to
make it likely that such was not the case."*
(1.) Haer. Fab. 2. 2.
(2.) Gesch. d. N. T. Kanon, p. 22.
(3.) Prolegom. in Nov. Test. sec. 336.
(4.) Essay on the Constitutions of the Apostles, p. 24.
(5.) Evidences of the Genuineness of the Gospels, by Andrews Norton, Bos-
ton, 1837, vol. 1 p. 234. Notes.
(6.) Lost and Hostile Gospels, p. 221.
12 FIRST PERIOD, A. D. 30 TO A. D. 80.
He considers the statement concerning the brothers
and sisters of Christ, as most valuable, as the gospel is
"wholly unprejudiced, and of great antiquity." '
THE ORACLES OR SAYINGS OF CHRIST.
Our information concerning this collection, is ex-
ceedingly meager; being based entirely upon a passage
in Eusebius, in which Papias is represented as saying,
"Matthew set forth the Oracles in the Hebrew dialect,
which every one interpreted as he was able." 2
Eusebius says further, that Papias wrote five books
of "Expositions of the Oracles of the Lord." These
are a part of the multitude of lost writings of those
times.
Baring-Gould thinks the Oracles consisted of five
parts, ending at the following passages:
First, at Matthew ch. 7, v. 28; second, at Matt. 11. 1;
third, at Matt. 13. 53; fourth, at Matt. 19. 1, and fifth,
at Matt. 26. 1. Upon this theory, the Oracles were a
compilation of different manuscripts. It is the gener-
ally received opinion, that a number of older man-
uscripts have entered into the construction of the Gos-
pel according to Matthew, and that this gospel was
to some extent, based upon the Oracles.
RECAPITULATION.
THE GOSPEL OF PAUL, though it does not stand out so
clearly and indisputably as the Gospel of Peter, has
yet sufficient evidence of having been one of the gos-
pels of the first century. It is testified to by Marcion,
and is apparently alluded to by Irenseus and Tertull-
ian, and by Paul himself. It was in the Greek lan-
guage.
(1.) p. 222.
(2.) Euseb. Ecc. Hist, bk. 3, ch. 39.
LOST GOSPELS OF THE FIRST CENTURY. 18-
THE GOSPEL OR EECOLLECTIONS OF PETER, was a book
well known, and of high authority among the ancient
Christians. Even after the introduction of the four
gosp< Is afterward made canonical, the Gospel of Peter
main fcained so firm a footing, that it became necessary
to suppress it in some of the churches. It was retained
and used by the Nazarenes, long afterward.
It is cited by Justin Martyr, and referred to by
Tertullian and Origen. The statement of Eusebius,
that no one of the ecclesiastical writers had appealed
to testimony taken from it, and that no one of them
had condescended to make any mention of it, is un-
true. The passage in Justin Martyr mistranslated in
the Ante-Nicene collection, and the passage in Tertull-
ian mistranslated by Jones.
The statement contained in this gospel, that Joseph
had children by a former wife, was generally received
by the fathers, for several centuries. The Gospel of Pe-
ter highly spoken of by Dr. Mill, Mr. Whiston, and
other eminent modern writers. Credner, a German
writer of high authority, thinks it was used by Jus-
tin Martyr; A. D. 150-160.
THE ORACLES, OR SAYINGS OF CHRIST, in the Arama-
ic language, we know but little about. It has been
generally conceded, on the authority of Eusebius, that
Papias [A. D. 150,] had such a book, and that he wrote
commentaries upon it.
DOCTRINES. There is no evidence that either of these
gospels taught the immaculate conception, or the ma-
terial resurrection of Christ, or contained any account
of his miracles, or any reference to any book contain-
ing either of those doctrines.
It will be seen, as we proceed, that the three gospels
which have been considered, were the germs of the
three synoptic gospels, respectively. That is, the Gos-
14 FIRST PERIOD. A. D. 30 TO A. D. 80.
pel of Paul was the germ of the Gospel according to
Luke; the Gospel of Peter, of the Gospel according to
Mark; and the Oracles, of the Gospel according to
Matthew.
They cannot, however, in any sense, be considered
the same. The synoptic gospels were undoubtedly
written long afterward, and contained, in many re-
spects, very different material. Moreover, the Gospel
of Paul appears to have passed through the Gospel
of Marcion, before reaching the author of Luke, and
the Oracles through the Gospel of the Hebrews, before
reaching the author of Matthew.
APOSTOLIC AGE. JOHN THE BAPTIST. 15
CHAPTEE II.
APOSTOLIC AGE.-A. D. 30 TO A. D. 80.
JOHN THE BAPTIST JESUS CHRIST PAUL PETER JOHN THE JAMESES
THE JUDASES THE OTHER APOSTLES EPISTLES OF THE NEW TESTA-
MENT THE APOCALYPSE.
The first character in Christian history is John the
Baptist.
What was his connection with Jesus, and what were
his relations to the origin of the Christian religion?
Josephus, while he gives an account of John, and of
his baptizing and making converts, says nothing of his
announcing the approach of a coming Messiah. '
The author of Luke commences his account of
John the Baptist, by saying that he appeared in the
fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius
Pilate, being governor of Judaea, and Herod being Te-
trarch of Galilee, his brother Philip Tetrarch of Iturea,
and of the region of Trachonitis, Lysanias Tetrarch
of Abilene, Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests.
[Luke 3. 1, 2.]
In the 23d verse of the same chapter, after relating
the baptism of Jesus, he states that he began to be a-
bout thirty years of age.
If by this language the author of Luke meant to say,
that Jesus was not then past thirty, did he not make a
(1.) Antiquities, bk. 18, ch. 5, 2.
16 FIRST PERIOD. A. D. 30 TO A. D. 80.
mistake of at least three years? Tiberius commenced
reigning A. D. 14, and the fifteenth year of his reign'
would be A. D. 29, or when Jesus was thirty-three years
of age, as he was four years old, at the commencement
of the Christian era.
We do not, however, look upon this as a very serious
discrepancy, and think Dr. Lardner over-estimated the
question, when he spoke of it as one of "very great
difficulty." The word "a$rf*i," "about," used by the gos-
pel historian, relieves him from any very exact crit-
icism.
So of another objection; the statement that Annas
and Caiaphas were high priests; it being notorious that
the Jews never had but one high priest at a time.
This has been partially explained by showing that
Josephus, in one place, spoke of one as a high priest^
who had held, but did not at the time referred to, hold
that office. The language here is somewhat more defi-
nite, and appears more plainly to intimate that two did
actually hold the position the same year.
This would indicate that this portion of the book
was written long afterward, by one not acquainted
with Jewish customs. Dr. Lardner says, "It would be
extremely unreasonable to impute to St. Luke so great
a mistake as the supposing there were properly
two high priests among the Jews at the same time.' 7
The most effectual way to relieve him from the impu-
tation is, not to charge upon him the authorship of a
work which bears so many marks of having been writ-
ten long after his day.
If the passage in Josephus concerning Christ were
genuine, then the failure to connect him with John the
Baptist, would be utterly incomprehensible. But since
it is the general verdict of scholars, that the paragraph
in the 3d chapter of the 18th book of the Antiquities,
APOSTOLIC AGE. JOHN THE BAPTIST. 17
wherein it is stated that Jesus was the Christ, &c., is
an interpolated forgery, the matter appears very differ-
ently. It is easy to see that Josephus, retaining all his
Jewish prejudices and antipathies, might have inten-
tionally passed over the proclamation of the coming
Messiah.
Pursuing the biography of John, as given in the
gospel history, the next incident presents a difficulty
of a more serious character.
It is stated that Herod the Tetrarch shut up John in
prison, being reproved by him for Herodias, his broth-
er Philip's wife. [Luke, 3. 19, 20; Mark, 6. 17-20; Mat-
thew, 14. 3-5.] This Philip could be no other than Phil-
ip the Tetrarch of Trachonitis, mentioned in Luke 3. 1.
He was the brother, or rather half-brother of Her-
od the Tetrarch, and Herod had no other brother Phil-
ip. They were both sons of Herod the Great.
But according to Josephus, Philip could not have
been the former husband of Herodias. It was another
Herod, half-brother of Herod the Tetrarch, having the
same father, but not the same mother. The father of
this Herod was Herod the Great, while his mother was
Mariamne, daughter of Simon the high priest. '
Josephus could not well be mistaken in this matter,
being himself a Jew, and all the parties occupying a
high position among his people. Not only were all
these sons of Herod the Great, but Herodias was sister
of Agrippa the Great. The attention of the historian
was particularly called to the transaction, and he re-
lates in full the visit of Herod the Tetrarch to Herod,
his half-brother, his falling in love with Herodias, his
brother's wife, and their subsequent arrangement to
be married. Also the difference that arose on this very
(1.) Antiq. bk. 18, ch. 5, sec. 1, and same, sec. 4.
18 FIRST PERIOD. A. D. 30 TO A. D. 80.
account, between Herod the Tetrarch, and Aretas,
King of Petraea, father of the wife whom Herod put
aside, in favor of Herodias; a difficulty which resulted
in a war.
The gospel account of the death of John, is also very
different from that of the historian. It does not appear
in Luke, but in Mark and Matthew it is related that the
daughter of Herodias danced before Herod, at a sup-
per given by him on his birthday; [Mark, 6. 21, 22;]
that Herod was pleased, and promised to give her
whatever she should ask; and she, being instructed by
her mother, asked the head of John the Baptist; that
the king ordered it to be given her, and it was brought
in a charger. [Mark, 6. 21-29; Matt. 14. 6-1 1J
The account byJosephus, is, in substance:
That John was a good man; that he commanded the
Jews to exercise virtue, and exhorted them to come to
his baptism; that crowds came about him, much
pleased at his discourses; that Herod feared that
his great influence over the people, might put it into
his power and inclination to raise a rebellion; the peo-
ple being ready to do anything he should advise; that
to prevent any mischief he might do, and to put it out
of his power to raise a rebellion, Herod had him
thrown into prison at Macherus, and there put to
death.
Though it might be possible, by the exercise of skill
and ingenuity, to show that the accounts of John the
Baptist, as given by Josephus on the one hand and the
gospel historians on the other, are not absolutely con-
tradictory, except as to the former husband of Herodi-
as; yet the general tenor of the two biographies is so
different, and the narratives so divergent, as to render
it problematical, whether John sustained any such re-
lation to Jesus as is commonly supposed.
APOSTOLIC AGE. JOHN THE BAPTIST JESUS. 19
The Gospel of Marcion, [A. D. 145], which, in other
respects, was very similar to Luke, contained no such
history of John. Marcion's Gospel was probably first
written. The first two chapters of Luke were not in
Marcion. In place of the 3d and 4th chapters, there
was the first chapter in Marcion's Gospel, which com-
menced as follows:
"Now in the fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate ruling in Judsea,
Jesus came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and straightway on the
sabbath days, going into the synagogue, he taught.
'2. And they were astonished at his doctrine, for his word was with power."
There was no statement in Marcion, as to the age
of Christ, nor concerning the two high priests, nor
were there any contradictions of Josephus.
Before leaving the history of John the Baptist, we
cannot refrain from referring to the grotesque inci-
dent, of the daughter of Herodias dancing at a supper
given by Herod, to his lords, high captains and chief
estates. This portion of the narrative caused a sore
trial to the faith of the great Dr. Lardner.
"It may perhaps be expected," he says, "I should here produce an instance,
about that time, of some lady of like station with Herodias' daughter, who
danced at a public entertainment. But I must own, I am not furnished with
any instance exactly parallel. "
Although the Doctor did not hesitate to believe in
miracles, yet, when any thing purported to be inside
the bounds of nature, he desired to see it within the
range of probability.
JESUS CHRIST. The next character is Christ himself.
He is said to have been begotten of a virgin, by the
overshadowing of the Holy Ghost.
This event does not appear to have been mentioned
in heathen, Jewish or Christian history, until more
than a hundred years after it is said to have taken
place. The doctrine of the immaculate conception,
20 FIRST PERIOD. A. Z>. 30 TO A. D. 80.
when it was promulgated to the Christians of the sec-
ond century, was found to be so congenial to the pre-
vailing disposition to deify Christ, that it was at once
taken up by the bishops, and incorporated among the
foundations of the grand religious structure then be-
ing erected.
Paul, who had already laid the foundations of the
structure, seems to have known nothing of the doctrine.
It was somewhat incongruous to deify a person born
in the ordinary course of generation. The immaculate
conception was needed, to give form and consistency
to the doctrine of the divinity of Jesus.
Many attempts have been made to write the life
of Christ. But it is difficult to see where, outside the
gospels, the material for such a work is to come from;
while, if the gospels are to be taken as a basis, it is
equally difficult to understand, what is to be gained by
rewriting what is contained in them. Any such at-
tempt only brings out, in a plainer light, the discrep-
ancies in those accounts, and finally results in a mere
display of ingenuity on the part of the biographer, in
his efforts to reconcile them; or, as in the case of some
writers, in a sublime unconsciousness of any discrep-
ancies whatever.
We know of Christ historically, that he was a great
moral and religious teacher; that he had the most de-
voted followers and disciples; that he was put to death
in the reign of Tiberius Caesar; ' and that upon his doc-
trines and precepts, and upon a belief in his spiritual
resurrection, Paul, the chief of his disciples, founded a
new religion.
PAUL. That Paul was the one who did the work, is
manifest, from recorded tradition, and from those
(1.) See Appendix,
APOSTOLIC AGE. PAUL. 21
wonderful epistles, written in the first century, which
are still extant, and the most of which are considered
by scholars to be genuine.
Volumes have been written concerning Paul; works
abounding mostly in unmixed eulogy. It is the duty
of the impartial historian, while appreciating and ad-
miring those grand qualities, which mark him as one
of the greatest men of any age while conceding his
intellectual and moral grandeur, his thorough convic-
tion of the truth of the doctrines he was teaching, and
the zeal and devotion which he manifested in their
propagation, to point out, at the same time, some of
the defects in his character.
The chief of these, which was the result of his ex-
cessive zeal, was an impatience, and even a vindictive-
ness, toward those who differed with him in opinion.
By an occasional outburst of that spirit of persecu-
tion, under the influence of which he had so unrelent-
ingly pursued the Christians, he demonstrates, that
however thorough was his religious conversion, it had
not eradicated or essentially changed those traits of
character, and peculiarities of disposition, which dis-
tinguished him from other men. Commentators would
have us believe, that when, in his Epistle to the Gala-
tians, he said, "I would they were even cut off, who
trouble you," he meant nothing more, than that they
should be cut off from the church. But this he had
power to have done; and did direct it, in addressing
other churches. An examination of the context, and
of the whole epistle, in the commencement of which
he had anathematized any one who should preach
any other doctrine, ("let him be accursed,") together
with the application of a careful and thorough philo-
logical analysis of the words used by the apostle, all
combine to give to his language a deeper meaning;
22 FIRST PERIOD. A. D. 30 TO A. D. 80.
showing that in a moment of exasperation, he gave ut-
terance to a sentiment, which, taken in connection
with the teaching and practice of Peter, and the con-
struction which was put upon some of the sayings
of Christ, resulted in the most fearful and wide spread
persecutions, through subsequent ages.
It is not strange that the apostle should have such
feelings toward those whom he saw endeavoring to re-
move some of the beautiful pillars from the splendid
edifice he was constructing; but it is to be regretted
that he did not foresee the use which could be made
of his language in after times.
Again: notwithstanding the spirit of kindness, of
brotherly love, and even of tenderness, pervading the
letters of the apostle, there may be discovered occa-
sionally, beneath it all, glimpses of an overbearing and
tyrannical disposition. This is particularly noticeable
in his injunctions to the female Christians, and in
his determination to discountenance any ambition on
their part to take an equal place with their brothers,
in the management of church affairs.
They were permitted to hold the position of deacon-
ess, an office the functions of which consisted princi-
pally in ministering to the necessities of the saints.
An office of labor and subserviency, they could fill, but
not one of honor; "I suffer not a woman to teach ;" said
Paul; thus disclosing his domineering spirit, and his
inability to rise above the prejudices of the age.
This prohibition of the apostle was scrupulously car-
ried out; and in the Council of Laodicea, A. D. 365, the
llth Canon forbade the ordination of women for the
ministry, while the 44th Canon prohibited them from
entering into the altar. J
(1.) Landon's Manual of Councils, pp. 284 to 287.
APOSTOLIC AGE. PAUL. 23
But the point upon which the fathers were most
sensitive, in reference to the position of women in the
church, related to administering the rite of baptism.
One of the earliest Christian writings, was the Acts
of Paul and Thecla. It was a sort of romance. Thec-
la, who was engaged to be married, had heard, from
an upper window, Paul, preaching. She had fallen in
love with him; had deserted her lover and relatives,
and had followed Paul; had become a devoted Chris-
tian; had baptized; first baptizing herself. Then she
worked miracles, became a saint, and finally a martyr.
She was held in the highest veneration by the fathers.
But the book gave implied sanction to the right of wo-
men to baptize. On that account it was declared he-
retical, and search was made for the author; an unu-
sual proceeding in those days. It was traced to a pres-
byter of one of the eastern churches, who acknowledged
he had written it "for the honor of Paul." He was
tried for the offense, and being convicted, was deposed
from the ministry. '
The women claimed the right to baptize their own
sex. But the bishops and presbyters did not care to
be relieved from the pleasant duty of baptizing the
female converts. 2
Of the life of Paul, we know but little. The accounts
in the Acts of the Apostles, cannot, for reasons which
will hereafter be given, be considered historical.
In the first Epistle of Clement of Rome, it is stated
that Paul was seven times imprisoned. Dr. Dollinger
(1.) Tertullian, cle Baptismo, eh. 17; Jercme. de Vir. 1. 7. Jerome states,
erroneously, that Tertullian had said he was convicted before John.
(2.) See Bunsen's Christianity and Mankind, vol.7, pp. 386 to 393, pub-
lished in the 3d volume of the Analecta. The converts were first exorcised
of the evil spirits that were supposed to inhabit them; then, after undressing,
and heinj: baptizrd, they were anointed with oil. The custom may not have
prevailed in the colder climates.
OF THF.
TT"KT TtriTTD CTT V
24 FIRST PERIOD, A. D. 30 TO A. D. 80.
says Paul was seven times imprisoned. *
WAS PAUL MARRIED? Eusebius said,
"Paul does not demur, in a certain epistle, to mention his own wife, whom
he did not take about with him, in order to expedite his ministry the bet-
ter."
In saying this, Eusebius was quoting from the
Stromata, of Clement of Alexandria. [A. D. 200.]
The full passage in Clement is as follows:
"Paul does not, indeed, in a certain epistle, fear to speak of his own wife,
whom he did not take about with him, because it was not necessary for him, in
the great work of the ministry. Therefore he says in a certain epistle, 'Have
we not power to take about a sister wife, as also the other apostles ?, For they,
as was proper, while engaged in the ministry, because they could not keep
them apart, were accustomed, doubtless as a matter of commendation, to take
about with them female attendants, not as wives, but as sisters, who, togeth-
er with the female servants, might be among the women who had charge of
the house, by whom without any reprehension or suspicion of evil, the doctrine
of the Lord might be carried even to the secret apartments of the women."
Strom, bk. 3, ch. 6, Latin Translation in Ante-Nicene' Collection, vol. 12, p. 109.
Paul, according to the fathers, was martyred at Rome,
A. D. 67 or 68.
An interesting story is preserved, of Paul and Per-
petua. It is related that Perpetua, seeing Paul dragged
along the streets of Rome, in irons, had compassion
upon him, and wept bitterly. She had but one eye.
Paul asked her for her handkerchief. She gave it.
It was tied around Paul's head, and afterward re-
turned to her bloody. When she received it back, her
other eye was restored. Perpetua was afterward
thrown into prison, and tortured, and at last, with a
great stone tied to her neck, was thrown over a preci-
pice.
There was, between Paul and his followers, on one
side, and Peter and his followers on the other, a strong
antagonism, not generally understood in our day, and
(1.) First Age of the Church, p. 87.
APOSTOLIC AGE. EPISTLES OF PAUL. 25
which, if properly taken into account, will explain sev-
eral knotty points of scripture, and throw light upon
many controverted questions in the early history of the
church. Paul was rejected by large bodies of Jewish
Christians; and in the entire volume of the Recogni-
tions, a Petrine work of the early ages, abounding in
scripture quotations, there is not a single citation from
Paul's epistles.
The controversy related, principally, in the "first in-
stance, to the observance, by the Christians, of Jewish
rites and ceremonies; but afterward it became heredi-
tary and traditional.
The Ebionites claimed that Paul was an impostor;
that he only became a convert for the purpose of ob-
taining a Jewish lady with whom he had fallen in love,
and when he failed, he turned against the Jews, and
opposed their observancies and customs.
His EPISTLES. Ten of the Epistles of Paul are prob-
ably genuine; though some of the German critics hold
that we cannot be certain of more than four; Romans,
1st and 2d Corinthians, and Galatians. ' The 15th and
16th Chapters of Romans, also, are disputed, or at least
not considered part of the Epistle to the Romans; not
only by German critics, but by many others. David-
son and some others confine the objections to the 16th
chapter. 2
Though all the fourteen epistles ascribed to Paul,
have maintained a place in the canon, many, even
among evangelical writers, look with distrust upon the
Epistle to the Hebrews, as having been admitted into
the canon upon insufficient evidence.
(l.J See an interesting and well written work, entitled 'What is the Bible?'
by J. T. Sunderland, Chicago, 1878; where authorities are referred to.
(2.) Davidson, Int. to N. T. 1. p. 137. Weiss, das Marc. 1872, p. 495.
26 FIRST PERIOD. . A. D. 30 TO A. D. 80.
Westcott states that at the close of the second cen-
tury, it had not yet become established as authorita-
tive in the churches. ' It was not in the Latin version
made by Tertullian, A. D. 210; Jerome speaks of it du-
biously, and Toland says it was doubted by "the sound-
est part" of the ancients. 2 Dr. Dollinger says Paul did
not write it. 3
The New Testament as compiled by Marcion, [A. D.
145], contained ten epistles of Paul. He knew of no
epistles to Timothy, to Titus or to the Hebrews; or he
did not consider them genuine. Probably they were
later productions.
The style of the Apostle Paul, though strong and
concise, is sometimes elliptical and ambiguous. He in-
dulges in mystical and allegorical expressions, and his
applications are at times far-fetched and fanciful. "He
often" says Dollinger, "gets more out of a passage, than
the words or historical sense convey." This author
shows, that in one place he applies to his argument, a
meaning precisely opposite to that of the passage quo-
ted. The passage is Psalms 68. 18; where, instead of
"Thou receivedst gifts among men," or, "Thou hast re-
ceived gifts for men," Paul reads, "He gave gifts unto
men." [Ephes. 4. 8.]
DOCTRINES. The epistles of Paul being the oldest
Christian writings extant, 4 their importance in the his-
tory of the Christian Eeligion, cannot be overestima-
ted.
Paul believed in the resurrection of Christ, with a
spiritual body. His idea of the resurrection, like that
(1.) History of the Canon, p. 306.
(2.) Amyntor, p. 56.
(3.) First Age of the Church, p. 83.
(4.) Origin of the Four Gospels, by Tischendorff, 1867, p. 24; Credibility
of the Gospel History, by Dr. Lardner, vol. 3, p. 148.
APOSTOLIC AOE. EPISTLES OF PAUL. 27
of Clement of Rome, was, that the spiritual body arose
from the decay of the natural body, as a plant from the
decay of the seed sown to produce it. It is manifest
that when Paul saw Jesus, he saw what appeared to
be a spirit; since it was after the time when, as is al-
leged, Christ had ascended in the body. There is no ev-
idence that Paul knew any thing of the canonical gos-
pels; nor is there any reason to believe he had ever
seen a gospel in which Jesus denied being a spirit, after
the resurrection. With Paul, the resurrection and as-
cension were one and the same thing; and obviously
meant, a manifestation from the spiritual world.
Paul believed that Christ, after his resurrection, or
ascension, communicated to the disciples, by the agen-
cy of the Holy Spirit, through intercession with the
Father, supernatural gifts; 'charismata;' and that these
gifts were imparted by the laying on of hands. The
precise nature of these 'charismata/ has been the sub-
ject of much discussion. There is no doubt that in the
view of Paul, they not only included some miraculous
powers, but extended as well, to the natural operations
and processes of the mind; those involved in preach-
ing and exhorting, as well as in interpreting, prophe-
cying, &c. The assistance of this extraordinary gift
extended to all the qualities necessary for the gui-
dance, as well as the edification of the church.
Notwithstanding this advantage however, the church-
es which he addressed, and especially that at Cor-
inth, which appears to have possessed an extra share
of these gifts, could not have been, as Paul him-
self shows, much superior to the communities by which
they were surrounded.
Whether Paul claimed to have himself performed
miracles, is also a mooted question. He apparently
makes such a claim, in Rom. 15. 18, 19, and in 2d Co-
28 FIRST PERIOD. A. D. 30 TO A. D. 80.
rinthians, 12. 12; but it has been contended that the
original does not necessarily require that construc-
tion. '
Whatever Paul may claim for himself and his fellow
disciples, by virtue of the descent of the Holy Ghost,
there is no reference in his epistles, to any miracles
performed by Jesus, during his earthly ministry, nor
any evidence that Paul believed in any such miracles,
or had ever heard of them.
It has often been asked, why did not any heathen or
Jewish writer of the first century, speak of the mira-
cles of Christ? But a question arises which is equally
suggestive, why does neither Paul nor Clement of
Rome, the only Christian writers of the first century,
make the slightest allusion to them?
The same is true of the immaculate conception.
Justin Martyr is constantly referring to Christ as "born
of a virgin." So with other writers of the second cen-
tury. Bat in the epistles of Paul and Clement, though
they abound continually in references to Christ, we
look for that phrase in vain.
PETER. If the fanatics of subsequent times could
point to the sayings of Paul, as apparent authority for
their excesses, they could, with still more confidence,
turn to the teaching and example of Peter.
"When," says Dr. Dollinger, "Ananias and Sapphira,
through their hypocrisy and. avaricious attempt at de-
ception, had made the first assault on the authority
of the apostles and the Holy Ghost ruling in the Church,
St. Peter inflicted a terrible punishment upon them."
When we meet with such language in a Christian
writer of the nineteenth century, what might not be
(1.) Supernatural Religion, vol. 3, pt. 2, eh. 2.
(2.) First Age of the Chnrch, by John Ignatius Dollinger, D. D., 2d London
Edition, 1867, p. 44.
APOSTOLIC AGE. PETER. 29
expected of the priests of the middle ages?
In the Epistle of Clement to James, published in the
Ante-Mcene colPn, Clement describes his ordination.
He says, when Peter was about to die, the brethren
being assembled, (at Rome), he laid his hands on Clem-
ent as the bishop, and communicated to him the pow-
er of binding and loosing, &c.; and as to him who
should grieve the president of the truth, after declar-
ing that such a one sins against Christ, and offends the
Father of all, Peter proceeded as follows:
"Wherefore, he shall not live; and therefore it becomes him who presides, to
hold the place of a physician; and not to cherish the rage of an irrational
beast." Ante-Nicene Christian Library, wl. 17, p. 7.
It does not require a forced construction, to enable
one to find the inquisition in this sentence. The gen-
uineness of the epistle is not generally admitted by
Protestants; but it appears among the ancient wri-
tings of the church. If its authenticity cannot be pro-
ven, the same may be said of other writings which are
implicitly received as genuine.
But little is known of the personal history of Peter.
His name was Simon, but there has not been the same
difficulty in distinguishing him from the Apostle Si-
mon Zelotes, as in the case of the two apostles James,
and the two apostles Judas. There results, however,
considerable confusion, when an attempt is made to
identify Peter with the Cephas so often alluded to by
Paul, and we are tempted to seek refuge from the di-
lemma, by supposing, with Eusebius, that Paul alludes
to a person, supposed to be one of the seventy; not to
Peter the Apostle. '
It is also remarkable, that in all the places in the
gospels but one, (and the total number is nearly a
(1.) Eccl. Hist. 1. 12, citing Clement of Alexandria.
30 FIRST PERIOD. A. D. 30 TO A. D. 80.
hundred), where Peter is mentioned, the Greek name
Tetros' is given, which is supposed to be used by Jews
as well as others. This would indicate that all the ca-
nonical gospels, Matthew included, are original Greek
productions.
So little is there authentic in the history of Peter,
that to this day, the learned cannot agree, whether he
ever went to Rome. Protestants generally, do not ad-
mit that such a journey was made. '
Theodore of Mopsuestua, about A. D. 394, says, Peter
went to Rome, the others elsewhere. But he probably
took it from Eusebius. That writer does not hesitate
to make the statement explicitly, and to give the most
circumstantial evidence. But in this instance, as in so
many others, his testimony is at second hand, from
lost writings. He quotes from Caius, a writer whose
works, if they ever existed, are now lost or destroyed,
what he said, disputing with Proclus, and Caius quotes
from another writer whose works are lost, Dionysius
of Corinth. 2
Going back 135 years, we find the same thing in Ire-
naeus. He says:
"Matthew wrote his gospel for the Jews, and in the language of the Jews,
at the same time when Peter and Paul founded the church at Rome." Iren.
adv. Har. 3. 1.
This complicates the question somewhat. Perhaps
the easiest way to dispose of this testimony, would be
to adopt the construction of Dupin, who, maintaining
that Matthew wrote his gospel earlier, says the words of
Irenaeus are not to be understood in the literal sense. 8
(1.) Rev. Dr. Sunderland, late Chaplain of the United States Senate, is said
to have thanked the Lord, in a prayer, at a public meeting, that Paul had vis-
ited Rome, though Peter had not.
(2.) Euseb. Eccles. Hist. 2. 25.
(3.) Du Pin, Ecc. Hist. vol. 1, p. 46.
APOSTOLIC AGE. PETER. 31
The journey of Peter to Kome, and his residence
there, cannot be denied by Protestant writers, without
rejecting the testimony of witnesses who, in other
matters, are, by the same writers, relied upon with im-
plicit confidence.
The received accounts of the miracles of Peter, are
sufficient to excite our astonishment; but the most
wonderful of all his miracles, is related in the Acts of
Peter and Andrew, where he is represented as making
a camel go through the eye of a needle.
"Alter the needle had been brought, and all the multitude of the city were
standing by to see, Peter looked up and saw a camel coming. And he ordered
her to be brought. Then he fixed the needle in the ground, and cried out with
aloud voice, saying: 'In tin- iiaiiu' of Jesus Christ, who was crucified under
Pontius rilatf. I ordr thee, camel, to go through the eye of the needle. 1
Then the eye of the needle was opened like a gate, and the camel went through
it, and all the multitude saw it." Ante-Nicene, vol. 16, p. 371.
The miracle was repeated. Onisephorus, who would
not believe, sent for another needle and another camel,
with a woman sitting on the camel. "And they went
through twice."
His EPISTLES. The First Epistle of Peter is not free
from doubt, and the Second has long been a subject
of controversy.
It was omitted in the Latin Version of Tertullian, of
Africa, [A. D. 210], ' in the Muratorian Fragment, 2 in
the Peshito Version, used in the east in ancient times; 3
and as Mr. Toland says, was doubted by the soundest
part of the ancient writers.
Westcott says, there was no trace of it before A. D.
170, 4 and that it was not authoritative at the close of
the second century. 5 Davidson says, it was the last of
(1.) Weetcott, Hist, of Canon, p. 234.
(2.) McClintock and Strong.
(3.) Westcott, p. 221. (4.) p. 234. (5.) p. 306.
32 FIRST PERIOD. A. D. 30 TO A. D. 80.
the New Testament documents, ' and Norton declares
that there is no historical evidence to justify us in be-
lieving it to be the work of the Apostle Peter. 2
DOCTRINES. There is too little extant, which can be
relied upon as the genuine writing of Peter, to throw
much light upon the history of Christian doctrine. The
two epistles ascribed to him are as silent as those of
Paul, concerning the miracles of Christ, or the materi-
al resurrection, or the immaculate conception.
If we could rely upon the Clementine writings as
authority for the views of Peter, we might infer that
he did not look upon Jesus as equal to the Father.
"Our Lord," he is represented as saying, "neither asserted that there were
gods, except the Creator of all, nor did he proclaim himself to be God, but he
pronounced him blessed, who called him the Son of that God who ordered the
universe." Clementine Homilies, 16. 15.
JOHN. John is the only one of the twelve apostles,
whose life appears to extend into the region of authen-
tic history. And of him, this can only be said of the
latter portion of his life. He is supposed to have been
driven to Patmos, by some persecution, but the learned
cannot agree what emperor it was under; the range
being from Claudius to Domitian. In the persecution
under Domitian he was taken to Rome. There, it is
said, the boiling oil, into which he was thrown, had no
power to hurt him. '
The account of his living to an old age, at Ephesus,
has been universally received, and may be considered
historic. Irenseus says that at Ephesus, John leaped
out of a public bath, with horror, when he saw Cerin-
thus, the heretic, entering it. Cerinthus flourished
about the middle of the second century. Some eccle-
(1.) Canon, p. 85.
(2.) Genuineness of the Gospels, vol. 2, p. 162.
(3.).Tertullian, de Prses. c. 36.
APOSTOLIC AGE. JOHN. 33
siastical historians, in aid of Irenaeus, have tried to
bring Cerinthus within the first century.
THE WRITINGS OF John. Of the writings attributed
to the apostle, not more than his first general epistle
can be considered genuine.
His 2d and 3d epistles were omitted in the Peshi-
to, l were not established as late as at the close of the
second century, a and were doubted by Eusebius himself.
Even as late as 1562, when Ignatius, Patriarch of Anti-
och, hearing of the advantages of printing, sent a cer-
tain priest of Mesopotamia into Europe, with a copy of
the Syriac Testament to be printed, it lacked the 2d
Epistle of Peter, 2d and 3d John, Jude and Revela-
tion. 3
THE APOCALYPSE OR REVELATION, ascribed to John,
seems to have been one of many productions of the
kind which appeared early in the second century. It is
similar to the Revelation of Cerinthus, and may have
emanated from the same source.
It was omitted from the Peshito Version; from the
Catalogue of Cyril of Jerusalem; from that of Gregory
Nazianzen; and Davidson thinks it was not in the col-
lection of New Testament books made by Eusebius, for
the use of the churches, by order of Constantine. 4
It was not established at the close of the second cen-
tury, 5 and was not in the Syriac Testament, sent to be
printed in 1562.
But the most remarkable circumstance is the fact,
that it was rejected by the very churches to whom it
was addressed.
(1.) Westcott, Hist. Canon, p. 221.
(2.) Ib. p. 297.
(3.) Jones, vol. 1, p. 87.
(4.) Canon, p. 118.
(5.) Westcott.
34 FIRST PERIOD. A. D. 30 TO A. D. 80.
In the Council of Laodicea, A. D. 365, consisting of 32
bishops, from the different Asiatic churches, by the
60th canon, it was solemnly decreed what should be
the canonical books of the New Testament. The Apoc-
alypse was omitted. *
Eusebius argues against it, and thinks it was written
by John the Presbyter, or Elder, who lived in the sec-
ond century. 2
After all this evidence, it would seem superfluous to
add, that the church of Thyatira, one of those to whom
it was addressed, had not then, A. D. 96, been founded.
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. The Rev. Dr. David-
son, who is considered such high authority, that he was
employed to write the article on the Canon for the new
edition of the Encyclopedia Brittanica, says:
"Its existence [the Gospel- of John], before 140 A. D.,
is incapable either of decisive or probable showing."
And again: "The Johannine authorship has receded be-
fore the tide of modern criticism; and though the tide
is arbitrary at times, it is here irresistible." 3
THE JAMESES. Two apostles are mentioned by the
name of James; one, the son of Zebedee, and brother of
John, called also James the Elder, and the other, James
the son of Alphaeus, who was called James the Less,
and James the Just. But whether the latter James was
the same with the brother of the Lord, commentators
have not been able to decide. This, the great church
historian, Neander, pronounces the most difficult ques-
tion in apostolic history.
James, the brother of Jesus, is a historic personage.
An account of his death is given, with full particulars,
(1.) Landon's Manual of Councils, pp. 284 to 287.
(2.) Eoc. Hist. 3. 39. Also, 7. 25. The argument is credited to Dionysius.
(3.) Canon of the Bible, by Samuel Davidson, D. D., L. L. D., London,
1877, p. 99.
APOSTOLIC AGE. THE JAME8E&. 35
by Josephus. Some evangelical writers have been in-
clined to let this passage go with the other, as a forgery.
But there does not appear to be any good reason to
deny its authenticity. The account is as follows;
"Festus was now dead, and Albinus was but upon the road; [having been
appointed procurator of Judaea] ; so he [Ananus, who had just been appointed
high priest], assembled the Sanhedrim of judges and brought before them the
brother of Jesus, who was called Christ, whose name was James, and some
of his companions; and when he had formed an accusation against them, as
breakers of the law, he delivered them to be stoned." Antiq. bk. 20, ch. 9.
The historian then proceeds to relate, that some of
the citizens condemned the proceeding, and went to
meet Albinus, who was returning from Alexandria;
that they complained to him of Ananus, and claimed
that he had no right to assemble the Sanhedrim with-
out Albinus' consent; that Albinus, taking the same
view of the matter, wrote a severe letter of reproof to
Ananus, and soon after, had the high-priesthood taken
from him. Now here is a network of historical facts
and incidents, connected with the customs and ecclesi-
astical polity of the Jews, which forbid the supposition
of the whole account being a forgery. And if the words
relating to Christ are to be stricken out, there must be
some good reason given for it. We do not see any.
There is nothing inconsistent in the language. Josephus
is not here, as in the other passage, made to declare
that Jesus is the Christ. He is spoken of, as "Jesus who
was called Christ," to distinguish him from other Jews
by the name of Jesus.
EPISTLE OF JAMES. Commentators think this epistle
was written by James the son of Zebedee, according to
the subscription of the Syriac Version; or James the son
of Alphaeus, ', or James the brother of the Lord, 2 or an
(1.) Dr. Davidson, Introduction to N. T.I. 385, supports 2d or 3d hypothesis.
(2.) Alford, Gr. Test. 4. 28, supported by Eusebius.
36 FIRST PERIOD. A. D. 30 TO A. D. 80.
unknown James, which was Luther's opinion. As the
Epistle maintains its place among the writings of the
New Testament, we must conclude that upon the ques-
tion of its inspiration, it is immaterial by whom it was
written.
THE JUDASES AND THE OTHER APOSTLES. There were
two apostles by the name of Judas. The one, called
Thaddaeus, the other, Judas Iscariot. Whether the one
called Thaddseus, and at other times Lebbseus, was also
the Lord's brother, here again the learned cannot agree;
nor whether he was the author of the Epistle of Jude.
This epistle was not in the Peshito, nor in the Syriac
Version of 1562. It was rejected by Norton l and had
been long before by Michaelis. a This was one of the
seven books which were for a long time discredited by
the fathers. The others were 2d Peter, 2d and 3d
John, James, Hebrews and Eevelation.
It is scarcely worth while to attempt to complete a
history of the apostles. The whole subject is involved
in obscurity. After, with much difficulty, we have
settled upon eleven apostles, the twelfth, in the synop-
tic gospels was Bartholomew, while in John it was
Nathanael.
(1.) Vol. 2, p. 162.
(2.) Vol. 1, p. 291.
APOSTOLIC FATHERS. CLEMENT OF ROME. 87
SECOND PERIOD. A. D. 80 T A. D. 120.
CHAPTER III.
THE APOSTOLIC FATHERS.
CLEMENT OF ROME, IGNATIUS, AND POLYCARP.
CLEMENT. A. D. 97. No grander character appears in
Christian history, than Clement of Rome.
Whether we look at his First Epistle to the Corinthi-
ans, generally considered to be genuine, or at the nu-
merous other writings attributed to him, and the
recorded traditions concerning his life and teachings,
we find in either case, one of the highest and noblest
types of Christian character. His first Epistle, written
about A. D. 97, will compare favorably with the Epistles
of Paul.
The great and absorbing question connected with this,
the first authentic Christian writing outside the gospels,
and subsequent to the New Testament Epistles, is,
whether any of the gospels are recognized in it, and
which?
There are some passages claimed as parallel, but
there is no mention of any gospel by name. Of the
supposed parallel passages, some have a similarity of
language, while the idea is different; in others, the same
or a similar meaning is conveyed in different language.
38 SECOND PERIOD. AD. 80 TO AD. 120.
When these are eliminated, it will be found, that
while there are, in Clement, twenty passages parallel
to similar ones in the N". T. Epistles, there are but five
parallel to any in the canonical gospels. But these do
not by any means indicate that these gospels were then
in existence. The passages all relate to the sayings of
Christ, which were preserved by tradition, as well as in
older gospels. Four of the parallelisms are in Matthew,
and no doubt were in the Oracles, or other collections
of sayings, to which Clement had access. The other is
in Luke, 6th chapter, vv. 36 to 38. That also, is a saying
of Christ, which in Clement differs considerably from
Luke, although Clement professes to give the very
"words of the Lord Jesus, which he spake." [Clem.
Ep. ch. 13.]
Tischendorff concludes that Clement's Epistle does
not furnish proof of the existence of the four gospels
at that time. 1
In connection with the Epistle of Clement, there is a
circumstance worthy of notice.
In the 17th chapter of Luke, between the 1st and 2d
verses, the words elsewhere occurring in the gospels,
"it had been good for that man if he had not been
born," are wanting. Now these very words were in the
Gospel of Marcion, in the same connection as they
would be if between verses 1st and 2d, of 17th Luke.
They were also used in a similar connection, by Clement,
in the 46th chapter of his Epistle, long before the time
of Marcion. If then, as is claimed, Marcion's Gospel is
nothing but a corruption of Luke, how did it happen,
that Marcion should interpolate a sentence precisely in
the same connection, in which it had been used by
Clement? Is it not more probable that Clement and
(1.) Origin of the Four Gospels, p. 52.
APOSTOLIC FATHERS. CLEMENT OF ROME. 39
Marcion were using in common an ancient gospel, in
which that sentence occurred, and that the author of
Luke either omitted the sentence, or made use of a dif-
ferent version of the same ancient gospel? It is true,
these or similar words occur in Mark and Matthew,
but not in the same connection as in Marcion. In
Clement they are in the same connection.
The authorities are somewhat conflicting, as to the
time when Clement was Bishop, but it is now pretty
generally agreed that he wrote his Epistle, about A. D.
97. He is said to have lived to the year 100. '
Besides his First Epistle to the Corinthians, there are
several volumes of writings attributed to Clement.
There is a Second Epistle to the Corinthians; the Epis-
tle to James, giving an account of his ordination by
Peter; two Epistles in praise of Virginity; the Canons
and Apostolic Constitutions, and the Clementines, so
called, consisting of the Epitome, the Homilies and the
Recognitions.
The Recognitions is a religious romance of much in-
terest, throwing light upon the manners and customs of
the times, and upon the religious views and practices of
the early Christians, and especially illustrating the pre-
vailing rage for miracles.
There is but little doubt that portions of it, at least,
were written in the second century; the evidences which
have been detected of a later date, being in the inter-
polations. The Latin translator, Rufinus, [A. D. 410], is
the same who is generally believed to have taken such
unwarrantable liberties with the text of Origen.
Origen referred to the Recognitions, A. D. 230.
Clement commences, in the Recognitions, by stating
that he was born in the City of Rome, and was, from
(1.) Mosheim, vol. 1, p. 96; 2d ed. note.
40 SECOND PERIOD. A.D.SQ TO A. D. 120.
his early youth, given to meditating upon serious sub-
jects; upon the nature of life, whether there was
pre-existence, and would be immortality, &c. While
engaged in these reflections, a report reached him, which
took its rise in the regions of the east, in the reign of
Tiberius Caesar. He speaks of the miracles of Christ.
These reports became confirmed. About this time,
Barnabas came to Eome to preach, and being derided
by the people, and a tumult having arisen, Clement,
who was a person of distinction, interfered in behalf of
Barnabas. He becomes interested, and resolves to re-
turn with him to the east. Barnabas sails, and Clem-
ent as soon afterward as he can arrange his affairs.
Arriving at Csesarea, Barnabas presents Clement to
Peter, who receives him joyfully, and running up to
him, kisses him. Peter is preparing for a debate with
Simon Magus. (For an account of this discussion, see
chapter 8.)
After a long stay, and meeting with many incidents,
Clement recognizes in two of the disciples of Peter, Ni-
ceta and Aquila, two brothers of Clement, who, with
their mother, had gone to a distant country, in their
boyhood, and whom he had never heard of since. He
also recognizes, in an old woman, and an old man, who
are unknown to each other, and whom Clement meets
at different times, his mother and his father; neither
of whom had he seen since his boyhood. These are the
"Recognitions," which give title to the book.
DOCTRINES. Turning again to the First Epistle of
Clement to the Corinthians, which, out of deference to
the learned, is the only one of tlie writings attributed
to him which can be recognized as genuine, let us
see what it contains.
Though it is a long epistle, covering more than forty
octavo pages, and is full of doctrinal allusions, we look
APOSTOLIC FATHERS. CLEMENT OF ROME. 41
in vain for any trace of the immaculate conception
of Jesus, or of his miracles, or of his material resur-
rection.
His views of the resurrection, are given in the 24th
chapter, in beautiful language, similar to that used by
Paul, in his letter to the Corinthians. He compares
the burial of the body, to the sowing of fruit in the
earth.
"The sower goes forth and casts it into the ground; and the seed being
thus scattered, though dry and naked when it fell upon the earth, is gradual-
ly dissolved. Then, out of its dissolution, the mighty power of the providence
of the Lord, raises it up again,' 1 &c.
He then refers to the phenix; a bird which was re-
ported to live to a great age; and says, when its days
are fulfilled, it builds its nest, and lies down and dies,
and when its flesh has decayed, a new bird arises in its
place.
It is difficult to believe, that Clement, when he wrote
these words, or Paul, when he declared, "It is sown in
corruption, it is raised in incorruption;" "it is sown a
natural body, it is raised a spiritual body," had before
him a gospel in which it was recorded, that Jesus ex-
pressly denied being a spirit, after his resurrection, and
called for meat, that he might demonstrate to his
disciples, that he had a material body like theirs.
The spiritualism of Paul and Clement was too re-
fined for the gross conceptions of the second century,
which would be satisfied with nothing less than the
resurrection of the very crucified body of Jesus. Gos-
pels were accordingly constructed, containing accounts
of such a resurrection, related with great circumstan-
tiality.
In the 40th chapter, Clement recognizes the rites and
ceremonies of the Jewish worship, as still subsisting
in his day, apparently even in the Christian church.
42 SECOND PERIOD. A. D. 80 TO A. D. 120.
A large part of his epistle relates to those stirring
up sedition and schism in the church. By the acts of
these, the large-hearted father was deeply grieved.
After reminding them of the time when they were
united and harmonious, in the following beautiful and
affecting words,
"Every kind of faction and schism was abominable
in your sight; ye mourned over the transgressions of
your neighbors; their deficiencies you deemed your
own," he refers to those who, "through pride and sedi-
tion, have become the leaders of a detestable emula-
tion." But so far from, expressing feelings of hatred
toward them, he says in the same paragraph, "Let us
be kind to one another, after the pattern of the tender
mercy and benignity of our Creator." After citing
many examples of humility and long suffering from the
Old Testament, he calls upon his brethren to reflect,
how free from wrath God is, toward all his creation.
[ch. 19.J
Illustrating his subject by the peace and harmony of
the universe, he says:
i "The heavens, revolving under his government, are subject to him in peace.
Day and night run the course appointed by him, in no wise hindering each
other. The sun and moon, with the companies of the stars, roll in harmony,
according to his command, within their prescribed limits, and without any de-
viation. The fruitful earth, according to his will, brings forth food in abun-
dance," &c. "The vast, immeasurable sea, gathered together by his working,
into various basins, never passes beyond the bounds placed around it, but dees
as he has commanded." ,
"Those" said he, "who have been the leaders of sedi-
tion and disagreement, ought to have respect to the
common hope."
He closes with this sublime benediction:
"May God, who seeth all things, and who is the ruler of all spirits, and the
Lord of all flesh, who chose our Lord Jesus Christ, and us through him, to
be a peculiar people, grant to every soul that calleth upon his glorious and
APOSTOLIC FATHERS. IGNATIUS. 43
holy name, faith, fear, peace, patience, long-suffering, self-control, purity and
sobriety; to the well pleasing of his name, through our High Priest and Pro-
tector, Jesus Christ, by whom be to Him glory, and majesty, and power, and
honor, both now and forevermore, Amen."
IGNATIUS. A. D. 115. The personal history of Igna-
tius is so complicated with that of his epistles, that
they cannot be separated.
Two hundred years ago, there were fifteen epistles in
circulation, ascribed to Ignatius, who was Bishop of An-
tioch, about the commencement of the second century.
Scholars soon decided that eight of them were spuri-
ous. The other seven, being those addressed to the
Ephesians, Magnesians, Trallians, Romans, Philadelphi-
ans and Smyrnaeans, and to Polycarp, appeared in two
forms; one very much longer than the other, and in
some places, containing whole pages not in the shorter
form. "Internal and other evidence caused the rejection
of the long form, or long recension, and the learned
settled down upon the short recension, or the Vossian
Epistles, as they were named, from Vossius, their pub-
lisher, as the genuine writings of Ignatius; not, how-
ever, without some doubt expressed, as to the genuine-
ness even of these.
Thus matters stood until 1845; when Dr. Cureton, who
had charge of the Syriac department of the British Mu-
seum, published three Syriac Epistles of Ignatius, which
had been discovered three years previous, having been
procured by Archdeacon Tattam, from the monastery
of St. Mary Deipara, in the desert, of Mtria, in Egypt.
Dr. Cureton, in an able treatise, maintained that these
were the only genuine epistles of Ignatius. They were
the Epistles to the Ephesians, to the Romans, and to
Polycarp; all in a shorter form than in the Vbssian
Letters.
44 SECOND PERIOD. A. D. 80 TO A. D. 120.
For a number of years, the opinion of Dr. Cureton
gained ground, and promised fair to become universal.
But of late, the investigations of German scholars have
resulted in raising grave doubts, as to the genuineness
of any of the epistles. In England, the subject has
undergone an animated discussion, and has been made
the occasion of exhaustive research, resulting in very
able treatises on both sides of the question.
The subject was opened by the author of "Super-
natural Religion/' who, after reviewing the arguments
against the accepted statements of the fathers, that
Ignatius was sent from Antioch to Eome to be mar-
tyred, statements upon which the genuineness of the
letters in any shape depends, since in every form they
purport to be written on such a journey, the author says:
"This conclusion, irresistible in itself, is, however, confirmed by facts ar-
rived at from a totally different point of view. It has been demonstrated that
Ignatius was not sent to.Rome at all, but suffered martyrdom in Antioch itself
on the 20th of December, A. D. 115; when he was condemned to be cast to
wild beasts -in the amphitheater, in consequence of the fanatical excitement
produced by the earthquake which took place on the 13th of that month. "-
Sup. Eel. vol. 1, p. 268.
The writer refers to a number of authorities, all Ger-
man, except Dr. Davidson.
This statement was subjected to the most searching
criticism, by Mr. Westcott, in the Preface to the 4th
edition of his work on the Canon, and by Dr. Lightfoot,
in an article on the Ignatian Epistles, published in the
Contemporary Review, for February, 1875. Also in a
milder and more liberal style, by Mr. Sanday, in "The
Gospels of the Second Century."
The criticisms of Lightfoot, Westcott and others,
were replied to with great ability, in over fifty pages of
the Preface to the sixth edition of Supernatural Religion.
The -argument briefly stated, on both sides, is as
follows:
APOSTOLIC FATHERS. IGNATIUS. ' 45
AGAINST THE MARTYRDOM AT ROME, AND AGAINST THE
GENUINENESS OF ANY OF THE EPISTLES. It is shown that
during the winter of 115-116, 'the Emperor Trajan, be-
ing engaged in a war with the Parthians, was in Antioch.
If, therefore, he condemned Ignatius to martyrdom, he
would be more likely to do it there, where they both
were. Sending him to Rome would be an additional
act of cruelty, not in accordance with the character of
Trajan, who was a mild prince, under whose reign but
one other instance of martyrdom is recorded, and that
not well established. Ignatius, according to the ac-
count, was sent by a long and difficult land route, in-
stead of the shorter and easier route by sea; which is
improbable. Deputations of Christians have access to
him, and accompany him, though he represents him-
self as guarded strictly by ten leopards. (Roman sol-
diers.) He is represented as being permitted to write
long letters, advocating the very doctrines for which he
is condemned. The epistles do not contain the last ex-
hortations and farewell words that might be expected;
but "are filled with advanced views of church govern-
ment, and the dignity of the episcopate." There is no
instance recorded, even during the persecutions under
Marcus Aurelius, in which any one was sent to Rome,
to be cast to wild beasts; although such executions fre-
quently took place in Syria. Again, an earthquake
occurred in Antioch, on the 13th of December, A. D.
115, which caused great consternation. This was a
week before the martyrdom. It is probable that Igna-
tius fell a victim to the superstitious feeling which re-
sulted from it. His remains were afterward known to
be at Antioch, said to have been brought from Rome,
but they were probably there all the time.
These arguments are endorsed by Davidson in Eng-
land, and in Germany, by Volkmar, Bauer, Scholten and
46 SECOND PERIOD. A. D. 80 TO A. D. 120.
Hilgenfeld. Volkmar, also, adds the authority of an
ancient writer, John Malalas, about A. D. 600, who lived
at Antioch, and would therefore, be likely to know.
FOR THE MARTYRDOM AT EOME, AND THE GENUINENESS
OF THE CURETON (THE THREE SYRIAC) EPISTLES. The
unbroken testimony of the fathers' for nearly five hun-
dred years. If Malalas lived at Antioch, so did Chry-
sostom and Evagrius, both earlier than Malalas, and
both of whom state the martyrdom was at Eome. Be-
sides, Malalas is shown to be entirely unreliable on
several other subjects. Many reasons may have oper-
ated on the mind of Trajan, to induce him to send Ig-
natius to Rome, which cannot be judged of at this late
day. Other instances are shown, where Christians,
when in imprisonment, had been permitted to see their
friends, and communicate with them. It is conceded
that Ignatius suffered martyrdom, by order of Trajan.
Arguments therefore go for naught, which are based
upon the clemency of Trajan, or on the supposed fact
that there were not other martyrdoms. The objection
that he was permitted to write long letters, is removed,
since it is generally conceded, that not more than the
three short letters, according to the Syriac version, are'
genuine. But little can be inferred from the contents
of the letters. The martyr wished to improve that op-
portunity, to give advice and instruction which would
be of lasting benefit. The connection between his ex-
ecution and the earthquake, is mere speculation. Fur-
thermore, and these two considerations are probably
the strongest of all, First, the epistles are referred to
in such a way in the Epistle of Polycarp, as to require
a complicated double forgery, if the Ignatian letters
are not genuine; and secondly, the Epistles of Ignatius
are quoted by Origen, A. D. 230, and still earlier, by Ir-
APOSTOLIC FATHERS. EPISTLES OF IGNATIUS. 47
enaeus, A. D. 190; both quotations being found in the
Cureton Epistles.
Such arguments are urged by Drs. Westcott, Light-
foot and others in England, and in Germany, by Bleek,
Guericke and Mayerhoff.
In our judgment, the scales turn on the side of the
martyrdom at Rome, and of the authenticity of the
Cureton Epistles.
Dr. Lightfoot, while he accepts these epistles as gen-
uine, states that the Vossian letters are a production of
not later than the middle of the second century, and
desires the question of their genuineness to remain an
open one. But do not the Cureton letters^ if genuine,
exclude any longer form of the same epistles? Besides,
that question was supposed to have been settled by
Lipsius, whose opinion Dr. Lightfoot himself had en-
dorsed, before writing this article for the Contempora-
ry Review. Lipsius had come to the conclusion that
the Vossian letters were an interpolation; that is, a
forgery as to four, and an interpolation as to the oth-
er three; and that they were written about A. D. 140.
THE CURETON EPISTLES. They are written in an af-
fectionate and fatherly spirit, and the sentiments and
views of the writer are expressed in language at once
simple and dignified.
When referring to those making trouble in the
church, he does so in the following words:
"Bear with all men, even as our Lord beareth with thee." (Addressed to
Polycarp.) "If thou lovest the good disciples only, thou hast no grace; rath-
er subdue those that are evil, by gentleness." "Let not those who seem to be
somewhat, and teach strange doctrines, strike thee with apprehension."
"More especially is it fitting, that we should bear every thing, for the sake
of God, that he also may bear us."
In the Epistle to the Romans, the condemned mar-
tyr looks joyfully forward to the time when he shall be
48 SECOND PERIOD. A. D. 80 TO A. D. 120 .
offered up, as a testmony to the faith. He is even
apprehensive, lest the brethren should interfere.
"Ye cannot, " isaid he, "give me any thing more precious than this, that I
should be sacrificed to God, while the altar is ready." Again: "I am the
wheat of God, and by the teeth of the beasts I shall be ground, that I may be
found the pure bread of God." (Quoted, with a slight variation, by Irenae-
us, adv. Haer. 5. 28.)
The zeal and enthusiasm of Ignatius, in contempla-
tion of his martyrdom, rose to the height of fanaticism.
His mind even dwelt with delight upon the details of
his sufferings.
"Fire and the cross, and the beasts that are prepared, cutting- off of the
limbs, and scattering of the bones, and crushing of the whole body, harsh tor-
ments of the devil, let them come upon me, but only let me be accounted wor-
thy of Jesus Christ."
He coveted and earnestly desired the glory of mar-
tyrdom, and feared the brethren at Eome, whom he
was addressing, might interfere in his behalf, before
his arrival.
THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION.
DOCTRINE. In the Epistle of Ignatius to the Ephes-
ians, there is, apparently, an obscure reference to the
immaculate conception of Jesus; the first intimation of
such a doctrine, which we have been able to find in
history.
It is in these words:
"There was concealed from the ruler of this world, the virginity of Mary,
and the birth of our Lord, and the three renowned mysteries, which were done
in the tranquillity of God, from the Star."
This, at first, even in connection with what follows,
is not very clear. There appears to be a hidden mean-
ing, not easily fathomed.
But if it be remembered, that Ignatius was Bishop
of Antioch, in Syria, a country imbued with the relig-
ious and mythological ideas of Persia, that he must be
APOSTOLIC FATHERS. IGNATIUS. 49
supposed to have been familiar with the two principles,
one of good, and the other of evil, and of their conflict
through the ages; also that Zoroaster had been immacu-
lately conceived* by a ray from the divine reason; had
been taken to heaven by lightning, and there enthron-
ed as a living star; if we suppose these thoughts and im-
ages to be blended with his Christian convictions, giv-
ing his religious views a tinge of that Gnosticism then
commencing to prevail so extensively in the church,
the paragraph cited may be read with what follows
more intelligibly.
"There was concealed from the ruler of this world, the virginity of Mary,
and the birth of our Lord, and the three renowned mysteries, which were done
in the tranquillity of God, from the Star." Then the following: "And here,
at the manifestation of the Son, magic began to be destroyed, and all bonds
were loosed; and the ancient kingdom and the error of evil were destroyed."
The ancient struggle is at an end; the priilciple of
good has triumphed; and this has come from the influ-
ence of the living Star. The Gospel of the Infancy,
which appeared about this time, and which possibly Ig-
natius may have seen, states that the magi came to
Bethlehem, guided by a star, in accordance with the
prophecy of Zoroaster.
EVIDENCE AS TO THE FOUR GOSPELS. There is but
one passage in the Cureton Epistles, which can be ci-
ted, even as apparent evidence of the existence of eith-
er of the four gospels.
"Be thou wise as the serpent in every thing, and
harmless as to those things which are requisite, as the
dove." No source is indicated, whence this is taken.
It is one of the sayings of Jesus, which were preserved
in various forms, both by tradition, and in the older
gospels. It is not much relied upon as evidence. Rev.
Mr. Sanday, after citing the passage, from the Epistle
of Ignatius to Polycarp, and thinking it ought to be
50 SECOND PERIOD. A. D. 80 TO A. D. 120.
referred to the similar passage in Matthew 10. 16, adds:
"It is however, possible, that Ignatius may be quoting, not directly from
our gospel, but from one of the original documents, (such as Ewald's hypo-
thetical Spruch-Samnilung), out of which our gospel was composed; though
it is somewhat remarkable that this particular sentence is wanting in the par-
allel passage in St. Luke. 1 ' Gospels in the Second Century, p. 78.
Ignatius had been forty years bishop of Antioch, and
was said to be 86 years old at the time of his death.
"THE MARTYRDOM OF IGNATIUS." This purports to
have been written soon after the martyrdom, by some
persons who accompanied Ignatius to Rome.
Many have expressed doubts as to its authenticity;
others have rejected altogether. It is not necessary to
decide. The document has but little historical value,
since the martyrdom is generally admitted.
POLYC'ARP. A. D. 116. It is difficult to understand
how the Ante-Mcene editors and some other writers
can concede the genuineness of the Epistle of Polycarp
to the Philippians, and still claim that it cannot be
dated earlier than the middle of the second century.
If there is any portion of it that belongs to that period,
it must be an interpolation. The original epistle, if gen-
uine, was written very soon after the martyrdom of
Ignatius. This will become manifest, by comparing
this letter with the one from Ignatius to Polycarp.
In that letter, Ignatius says, "I salute him who is
reckoned worthy to go to Antioch, in my stead, as I di-
rected thee." This can only become intelligible by ref-
erence to the 13th chapter of the Epistle of Polycarp
to the Philippians. It must be borne in mind that
Smyrna, the residence of Polycarp, was south east of
Philippi, in Macedonia, the place -to which his letter
was directed; that Ignatius had passed through Mace-
donia, on his way to Rome, and that Antioch, whence
APOSTOLIC FATHERS. POLTCARP. 51
he started, was a long way south east of Smyrna.
Polycarp, writing from Smyrna to the Philippians, says:
"Both you and Ignatius wrote to me, that if any one
went into Syria, he should carry your letter with him."
He proceeds to say, in substance, that he will send the
letter, if he has an opportunity. Again, same chapter,
(13), he says: "Any more certain information you may
have obtained, both respecting Ignatius himself, and
those with him, have the goodness to make known
to us."
He refers to Ignatius in language implying that he
had proceeded, with his friends, on his journey to Eome.
Nothing can be plainer, than if the letter is genuine, it
was written after Ignatius had gone to Rome to suffer
martyrdom, but before information of the particulars
had been sent to Smyrna.
It has been objected, that in ch. 9, he spoke of Igna-
tius as having already suffered martyrdom, while after-
ward, he asked for information of Ignatius and 'those
with him." The latter portion has been thought to be
an interpolation. But we do not think the two passag-
es irreconcilable. Ignatius had gone to Eome as a
martyr, and Polycarp believed him to have suffered
when he wrote; and enquired after his companions, and
for the particulars of the martyrdom.
Upon the question of the genuineness of this Epistle,
also, there has been considerable discussion. But it
was expressly referred to, about the year 190, by Ire-
nseus, who in his youth, had known Polycarp personal-
ly. Polycarp lived till 155.
EVIDENCE AS TO THE FOUR GOSPELS. The passages
claimed as parallel, are all sayings of Christ, somewhat
similar to those in the canonical gospels, but not as-
cribed to any definite source. No mention is made
52 SECOND PERIOD. A. D. 80 TO A. D. 120.
of either of the Gospels, Luke, Mark, John or Matthew,
by Clement, Ignatius or Polycarp.
One of the sayings of Jesus quoted by Polycarp, is
precisely like one quoted by Clement; but is not in any
one of the four gospels. It is as follows: "Be pitiful,
that ye may be pitied." In Clement, word for word
the same. Again: Clement; "Forgive, that it may be
forgiven you;" Polycarp; "Forgive, and it shall be for-
given you;" The nearest to which in the canonical
gospels, is, "For if ye forgive men their trespasses," &c.
These circumstances and some others, struck the
mind of the Rev. Mr. Sanday with so much force, that
he admitted the passages might have been derived
from other collections. *
He concludes, that if the apostolic fathers did not
make use of our gospels, they had writings closely re-
sembling them. That is true, so far as the sayings
of Christ are concerned. But in other respects, they
were widely different. The sayings of Jesus had be-
come so extensively known among his disciples, and
had been preserved in so many different ways, that
they maintained, for the most part, a substantial iden-
tity, in whatever writing contained.
Perhaps the most satisfactory solution of the ques-
tion of the evidence of the apostolic fathers, was found
by Dr. Less, a German evangelical scholar, who wrote
about the year 1770. He was author of a celebrated
work, written to establish the "authenticity, uncorrup-
ted preservation, and credibility of the New Testa-
ment." He was stimulated to investigate the question,
by a remark of Lord Bolingbroke. In his Letters on
the Study of History, Bolingbroke had exposed a want
of judgment in "those who attempt to vindicate the
(1.) Gospels in the Second Century, p. 87.
APOSTOLIC FA THERS NOT WITNESSES TO THE O OSPELS. 53
antiquity of the sacred writings by examples drawn
from the fathers of the first century, with a design to
prove that these fathers had read the gospels; though
the instances alleged amounted to no demonstration."
Whereupon Dr. Less gave the subject a very careful
and thorough examination. The result is given by
Bishop Marsh, in a note to Michaelis; as follows:
"From the EPISTLE OF BARNABAS, no inference can be adduced, that he
had read any part of the New Testament.
"From the GENERAL EPISTLE, as it is called, of CLEMENT OP ROME, it
may be inferred, that Clement had read the First Epistle of the Corinthians.
"From the SHEPHERD OF HERMAS, no inference whatever can be drawn.
"From the EPISTLES OF IGNATIUS, it may be concluded that he had read
St. Paul's Epistle to the Ephesians, and that there existed in his time, evan-
gelical writings, though it cannot be shown that he has quoted from them.
[This investigation was made long before the discovery of the Cureton Epis-
tles, and the remark of Dr. Less was founded upon the Vossian Letters, which
were more voluminous, and included four spurious letters, ascribed to Ignatius.]
"FROM POLYCAKT'S KIMSTI.K TO THE PHILIPPIANS, it appears that he had
heard of St. Paul's Epistle to that community, and that he quotes a passage,
which is in the First Epistle to the Corinthians, and another which is in the
Epistle to the Ephesians; but no positive conclusion can be drawn, with re-
spect to any other Epistle, or any of the Four Gospels." MicJiadis by Marsh,
wl .1, p. 354, citing Less, Gesch. der Religion, p. 503-537, ed'n 1786.
As the result of this analysis, including, besides the
apostolic fathers proper, Barnabas and Hernias, and ex-
tending to about the middle of the second century, no
evidence of the four gospels was seen, in the writings
of the apostolic fathers, by this eminent German the-
ologian. Subsequent English and American ecclesiasti-
cal writers have discovered much, as they suppose,
which escaped his careful scrutiny.
All three of the apostolic fathers mentioned Paul ex-
pressly, and referred to his writings.
Clement, in writing to the Corinthians, referred to
Paul's Letter to them, and Polycarp, in his Letter to
the Philippians, spoke of Paul's Epistle to that Church.
54 SECOND PERIOD. A. D. 80 TO A. D. 120:
There has been an attempt made to make Polycarp a
witness for the four gospels, in another manner. Feu-
ardentius, in his note on Irenaeus, 3. 3, published, with
some other fragments, what purported to be a fragment
of Polycarp, out of a very ancient manuscript of Victor
Capuanus Catena, upon the four evangelists, wherein
Polycarp mentioned each by name; "which," says Feu-
ardentius, "Catena he there promises to publish; but
whether he did or no, I know not." Victor Capuanus
lived, A. D. 480; according to this writer. Grynseus
places him at A. D. 455: others a hundred years la-
ter.
This testimony may be stated thus: Feuardentius
says, that Capuanus had, in 480, a manuscript, showing
that Polycarp, more than 300 years previous, mention-
ed the four gospels.
Westcott prudently abandons this evidence, signifi-
cantly asking, "Is anything known of the MS. Catena,
from which it was taken?"
Polycarp was, for many years, Bishop of Smyrna, and
was martyred, A. D. 155.
He was a devoted Christian, and an able expounder
of the faith. In his treatment of heretics, he travelled
in the footsteps of Clement and Ignatius. The spirit
of persecution finds no sanction in the writings of the
three apostolic fathers.
Speaking of Valens, who had been a presbyter, but
who had departed from the faith, he says:
"I am deeply grieved, therefore, brethren, for him and for his wife; to whom
may the Lord grant true repentance ! And be ye then, moderate in regard to
this matter, and do not count such as enemies, but call them back as suffering
and straying members, that ye may save your whole body." [Ch. 11.]
(1.) Canon, p. 36.
APOSTOLIC FATHERS; CLEMENT, IGNATIUS &POLYCARP. 55
BE CAPITULATION.
The apostolic fathers make no mention of the mir-
acles of Jesus, nor do they refer to any of the circum-
stances connected with his alleged material resurrec-
tion.
Upon that subject, Clement holds the same views with
Paul, and illustrates them in an impressive and beauti-
ful manner.
Ignatius, A. D. 115, appears to allude, in a mysterious
way, to the immaculate conception; the first time we
find it mentioned in history.
No reference is made to either of the four gospels,
nor to the Acts of the Apostles, nor are there any quo-
tations except such as evangelical writers concede
may have been taken from other sources.
U THE MARTYRDOM OFPOLYCARP." This was doubtless,
one of the earliest of the martyria. Its genuineness
has been denied; but the question is of little impor-
tance, as the document contains nothing of much
historical value, in the way of fact or doctrine.
56 SECOND PERIOD. A.D.SQ TO A.D.12Q.
CHAPTER IV.
THE LOST GOSPELS OF THE SECOND CENTURY.
GOSPEL ACCORDING TO THE HEBREWS.
This is the most celebrated of all the ancient gos-
pels. It made its first appearance early in the sec-
ond century. Probably not later than 125, and possi-
bly five or even ten years sooner.
As this gospel, in various forms, and under different
titles, was the one most in use among the Christians of
the second century, we shall give all the citations of it
by the fathers, and all the fragments of the gospel
which they have preserved.
1. HEGESIPPUS; A. D. 185. According to Eusebius,
Ecclesiastical History, bk. 4, ch. 22.
Eusebius here says of Hegesippus,
"He has also written (laid down) some things concerning the Gospel accord-
ing to the Hebrews and Syrians, as also concerning the Hebrew language, by
which he evidences that he was converted from Judaism to Christianity."
It may be mentioned in passing, that this is the
principal testimony relied upon to show that there was
a Syriac Version of the canonical gospels in the second
century. But so far from its being any evidence of
that fact, Eusebius was not referring at all to the ca-
nonical gospels, or either of them, but to the Gospel
LOST GOSPELS. GOSPEL OF THE HEBREWS. 57
of the Hebrews. He calls it the Gospel according to
the Hebrews and Syrians; by which he evidently means,
that it was used by the Jews in Syria, as well as else-
where.
This view is confirmed by the statement of Jerome,
which will appear presently, that the Gospel of the
Hebrews was written "in the Chaldee and Syriac lan-
guage." It appears it was used by the Nazarenes re-
siding in Berea, Syria; hence it was translated into
Syriac.
2. CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA; A.D. 200. Stromata, bk.
2, ch. 9:
"And it is written in the Gospel according to the Hebrews, 'He who wonders
shall ivi.irn, and he who reigns shall be at rest.' ''
3. ORIGEN; A.D. 230. Comm. in Joan.:
"But if any one will receive the Gospel according to the Hebrews, in which
our Savior says, 'The Holy Ghost, my mother, lately took me by one of my
hairs, and bore me to the great mountain Tabor," ' &c.
From the same. Fragment of the gospel, preserved
in Horn. 8, in Matt. torn. 3, p. 21 :
"But let us treat this place a little otherwise: It is written in a certain gos-
pel, which is entitled, 'according to the Hebrews,' (if any one be pleased to
receive it, not as of any authority, but only for illustration of the present
question),"
Then comes the following account of the colloquy
between Jesus and the rich man, which the reader can
compare with Matt, 19. 16-24. As he does so, he may
wonder at its being pronounced by Origen, "not of any
authority,"since it is in spirit, the same as the account
in Matthew, and is somewhat more simple and na-
tural.
There is "reason to believe that the clause in brackets,
is one of the many interpolations to which it is well
known the writings of Origen have been subjected. In
58 SECOND PERIOD. A. D. 80 TO A. D. 120.
the same sentence he himself speaks of it as a gospel;
not as a book called "the Gospel according to the He-
brews/' but as a gospel, "entitled according to the He-
brews." The phrase "it is written," when used by the
fathers, is generally understood to apply to writings
considered scriptural. Origen says, "It is written in a
certain gospel." It will be seen also directly, that Je-
rome speaks of this gospel as "one which Origen often
used."
The following is the narrative:
"Another rich man said unto him, 'Master, What good thing shall ] do that
I may live?' He said unto him, '0 man, fulfil the law, and the prophets. 1
And he answered him, 'I have done so.' Then said he unto him, 'Go, sell all
thou hast, and give to the poor; and come, follow me.'
"Then the rich man began to smite his head, and it pleased him not. And
the Lord said unto him, 'How sayest thou, I have fulfilled the law and the
prophets, when it is written, in the law, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself?
And lo, many of thy brethren, sons of Abraham, are covered with filth, and
dying of hunger, and thy house is full of many good things, and nothing there-
from goeth forth at any time unto them.'
"And turning himself about, he said unto Simon, his disciple, sitting near
him, 'Simon, son of Jonas, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a
needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of heaven.' '
Eev. S. Baring-Gould, after comparing this with the
corresponding passage in Matthew, says:
"The comparison of these two accounts is not favorable to that in the canon-
ical gospel. It is difficult to understand how a Jew could have asked, as did
the rich oung man, (according to Matthew's Gospel), what commandments
he ought to keep, in order to enter into life. The decalogue was known by
heart to every Jew. Moreover, the narrative in the lost gospel is more con-
nected than in the canonical gospel."
To which maybe added, that the account is consider-
ably shorter than in the Gospel of Matthew, or Mark;
indicating, according to a principle which will be fre-
quently adverted to as we proceed, that it was first
written. The narrative in Luke is of about the same
length with that in the Hebrews.
LOST GOSPELS. GOSPEL OF TEE HEBREWS. 59
4. EUSEBIUS; A. D. 325. Ecc. Hist. bk. 3, ch. 25.
In enumerating the apocryphal books, he adds:
"In this number, some have placed the Gospel according to the Hebrews;
with which they of the Jews, who profess Christianity, are very much de-
lighted."
Again, when speaking of the Ebionites; Ib. ch. 27:
"They made use only, of that which is called the Gospel according to the
Hebrews; very little esteeming any other."
Again, speaking of Papias; ch. 39:
"He mentions another history, concerning a woman accused of many
crimes before our Lord, which is contained in the Gospel according to the He-
brews."
5. EPIPHANIUS; A. D. 385. Haeres. 29, sec. 9:
"They (the Nazarenes) have the Gospel of Matthew most entire in the He-
brew language, among them: for this truly is still preserved among them; as
it was at first in Hebrew characters. But I know not whether they have taken
away the genealogy from Abraham to Christ."
Again, against Heresies, 30: (Ebionites.)
"They (the Ebionites) also receive the Gospel according to Matthew. For
this, both they and the Cerinthians make use of, and no other. They call it
the Gospel according to the Hebrews; for the truth is, that Matthew is the
only one of the New Testament writers, who published his Gospel and
preaching in the Hebrew language, and Hebrew characters."
Again; in Sec. 13:
"In the gospel which they (the Ebionites) have called the Gospel according
to Matthew, which is not entire and perfect, but corrupted and curtailed, and
which they call the Hebrew Gospel, it is written :
" "There was a certain man called Jesus; and he being about thirty years
of age, made choice of us. (This was called also the Gospel of the Twelve
Apostles.) And coming to Capernaum, he entered into the house of Simon,
called Peter, and opening his mouth, said: When I passed by the Lake of Ti-
berias, I chose John and James, the sons of Zebedee, and Simon and Andrew,
andThaddeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas Iscariot; and thee, Matthew,
sitting at the receipt of custom, I called, and thou didst follow me. I will,,
therefore, that ye be my twelve apostles, for a testimony to Israel. And John
the Baptist was baptizing, and the Pharisees went out to him, and were bap-
tized, and all Jerusalem.
60 SECOND PERIOD. A. D. 80 TO A. D. 120.
" 'And John had his garment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about
his loins, and his meat (according to that gospel) was wild honey, the taste
of which was like manna, or as cakes made with honey and oil.' Thus they
change the true account into a falsehood, and for locusts, put cakes made with
oil and honey.
"The beginning of their gospel was this: 'It came to pass, in the days
of Herod, King of Judaea, that John came baptizing with the baptism of re-
pentance, in the River Jordan, who was reported to be of the family of Aaron,
the high priest, the son of Zacharias and Elizabeth; and all people went out
after him.'
"And after several other things, it is said in this gospel: 'The people being
baptized, Jesus also went, and was baptized by John; and as he ascended out
of the water, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Holy Spirit of God in
the form of a dove, descending and entering into him ; and a voice was made,
(eyevETo), from heaven, saying: Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am
well pleased; and then another, I have this day begotten thee; and suddenly
there shone around the place a great light; which when John saw, (says this
gospel), he said to him, Who art thou Lord? and then another voice from
heaven came to him, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.'
Hereupon, (according to this gospel), John fell down before him, and said, '0
Lord, I pray thee, *baptize me;' but he hindered him saying, that it is so fit,
that all things should be fulfilled. ' See how their false doctrine appears
every where, how all things are imperfect, disordered and without truth or
order.
"So also Cerinthus and Carpocrates, using the same gospel of theirs, would
prove from the beginning of that Gospel according to St. Matthew, viz. by the
genealogy, that 'Christ proceeded from the seed of Joseph and Mary.' But
they (the Ebionites) have quite other sentiments; for they have taken away the
genealogy from Matthew, and accordingly begin their gospel, as I have above
said, with these words: 'It came to pass, in the days of Herod, King of Ju-
daea,' &c."
Again, Epiphanius says, sec. 16:
"They (the Ebionites) do not say that he, (Christ), was begotten of the Fath-
er, but made as one of the angels; but being greater than they, he has domin-
ion over them, and all the works of the Almighty; and that he came and taught
that which is contained in their gospel, viz. 'I came to abolish sacrifices; and
unless ye cease to offer sacrifices, the wrath (of God) shall not cease from
you.' And such as these are their tenets."
Epiphanius also tells us, ' that a certain Jew, called
Joseph, found in a cell at Tiberias, in the time of Con-
stantine, the Hebrew Gospel ascribed to Matthew. Not
(l.)Hseres. 30, Ebion. sec. 6.
LOST GOSPELS. GOSPEL OF THE HEBREWS. 61
much confidence has been placed in this statement by
subsequent writers.
6. JEROME; A. D. 400. Catal. Vir. Illust. in Matt.
Matthew also called Levi, who became from a publican an apostle, was the
first who composed a gospel of Christ; and, for the sake of those who believed
in Christ from among the Jews, wrote it in the Hebrew language and letters;
but it is uncertain who it was who translated it into Greek. Moreover the He-
brew (copy) itself is to this time preserved in the library of Csesarea, which
Pamphylus the martyr, with much diligence, collected. The Nazarenes who
live in Berea, a city of Syria, and make use of this volume, granted me
the favor of writing it out; in which (gospel), there is this observable, that
wherever the evangelist either cites, himself, or introduces our Savior as ci-
ting, any passage out of "the Old Testament, he does not follow the translation
of the LXX, but the Hebrew copies; of which there are these two instances,
to wit: 'out of Egypt have I called my Son;' and 'he shall be called a Naza-
rene.' "
[NOTE. If this statement of Jerome, who is not very reliable, could be de-
pended upon, there was a version of the Old Testament then in circulation,
containing the latter passage; a passage which, it has been often asserted,
was not in the Old Testament; and which is not now to be found in that
volume.]
Again, same work, Life of James; after relating var-
ious wonderful things concerning James, he says:
"The gospel also, which is called, 'according to the Hebrews,' and which I
translated into Greek and Latin, and which Origen often used, relates, that
after our Savior's resurrection, when our Lord had given the linen cloth to the
priest's servant, he went to James, and appeared to him; for James had sworn
that he would not eat bread, from that hour in which he drank the cup of the
Lord, till he should see the Lord risen from the dead. And a little after, the
Lord said, 'Bring the^ table and the bread;' and then it is added, he took the
bread and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to James the Just, and said to
him, 'My brother eat thy bread; for the Son of man is risen from the dead.' "
This appearance is not related in the canonical gos-
pels; but an appearance to James is mentioned by Paul,
1 Cor. 15. 7; which would indicate that the Gospel of
the Hebrews contained the oldest traditions.
Again; JEEOME, adv. Pelag. 1. 3, in prin.
"In the Gospel according to the Hebrews, which is written in the Chaldee and
Syriac' languages, which the Nazarenes use, that according to the Twelve
62 SECOND PERIOD. A. D. 80 TO A. D. 120.
Apostles; or as most think, according to Matthew; which is in the library
of Caeserea, there is the following history:
" 'Behold, the mother and brethren of Christ spake to him: John the Baptist
baptizeth, for the remission of sins; let us go and be baptized of him. He said
to them, In what have I sinned, that I have any need to go and be baptized by
him '? unless my saying this proceeds, perhaps, from ignorance?'
"And in the same volume it is said, 'If thy brother oifend thee by any word,
and make thee satisfaction, though it be seven times in a day, thou must for-
give him.' Simon, his disciple, said to him, 'What! Seven times in a day?'
The Lord answered and said unto him, 'I tell thee also, even till seventy times
seven.' "
Again; Jerome, Lib. 4, Comm. in Jesai. c. 11, 2:
"According to their gospel, which is written in the Hebrew language, and
read by the Nazarenes, the whole fountain of the Holy Ghost descended upon
him. Besides, in that gospel just mentioned, we find these things written:
" *It came to pass, when the Lord ascended from the water, the whole fount-
tain of the Holy Ghost descended, and rested upon him, and said to him, 'My
Son, among all the prophets, I was waiting for thy coming, that I might rest
upon thee; for thou art my rest; thou art my first begotten Son, who shall
reign to everlasting ages.' '
And again, in Lib. 11, Comm. in Jesai. 40, 11:
"But it is written in the Gospel according to the Hebrews, which the Naza-
renes read, "The Lord said, The Holy Ghost, my mother just now laid hold
on me.' "
By the same, in Lib. 2, Comm. in Mic. 7. 6:
"Whoever reads the book of Canticles, and will understand, by the spouse
of the Soul, the word of God, and will believe the gospel which is entitled, "The
Gospel according to the Hebrews, ' which I lately translated, in which our Sa-
vior is introduced, saying, 'Just now my mother, the Holy Ghost, laid hold on
me by one of my hairs,' will not scruple to say, the Word of God was born
of the Spirit, and the soul, which is the spouse of the Word, has the Holy
Ghost for its mother-in-law, who, in the Hebrew language, is expressed in
the feminine gender."
The same, in Lib. 6, Comm. Ezek. 18. 7:
"In that which is entitled, "The Gospel according to the Hebrews,' it is
reckoned among the chief of crimes, for a person to make sorrowful the heart
of his brother."
Again; Jerome, Lib. 1, Comm. in Matt. 6. 11:
"In the gospel entitled, 'according to the Hebrews,' I find, instead of su-
persubstantial bread,' "Machar;" which signifies the morrow; so, the sense
LOST GOSPELS. GOSPEL OF THE HEBREWS. 63
is, 'Give us this day, the bread necessary for the morrow;' i. e. for the future."
Again, the same. Lib. 2, Comm. in Matt. 12. 13:
4 'In the gospel which the Nazarenes and Ebionites use, (which I lately
translated out of Hebrew into Greek, and which is by most esteemed the au-
thentic Gospel of Matthew), the man who had the withered hand, is said to be
a mason, and prayed for relief in the following words:
" 'I was a mason, who got my livelihood by my hands; 1 beseech thee, Je-
sus, that thou wouldst restore to me my strength, tfcat I may no longer thus
scandalously beg my bread."
And again, in Lib. 4, Comm. in.Matt. 23:
"In the gospel which the Nazarenes use, for the son of Barachiah, I find
written, "The son of Joiada. 1 "
The following extracts also are from Jerome:
From Lib. 4, Comm. in Matt. 27. 16:
"In the gospel entitled, 'according to the Hebrews,' he (Barabbas) is inter-
preted, The son of their master, who was condemned for sedition and mur-
der."
Same book:
"In the gospel which I have often mentioned, we read, that a lintel of the
temple, of immense size, was broken and rent." (At the time of the crucifixion.)
From Epistle ad. Hedib. 149:
"In that Gospel which is written in Hebrew letters, we read, not that the vail
of the temple was rent, but that a lintel (or beam) of a prodigious size fell
down."
From lib. 3, Comm. in Ep. ad. Eph. c. 5, v. 4:
"In the Hebrew Gospel, we read, that our Lord said to his disciples, 'Be ye
.never cheerful, unless when you can see your brother in love.' "
From Praef. lib. 18, Comm. in Jesai.:
"For when the apostles supposed him to be a spirit, or according to the Gos-
pel which the Nazarenes received, an incorporeal demon, he said to them, 'Why
are ye troubled,' &c."
And in De vir. 111. n. 16, in Ig., he bears the following
testimony to the source whence Ignatius was supposed
to have taken the quotation, concerning the con versa-
64 SECOND PERIOD. A.D. 80 TO A.D.12Q.
tion between Jesus and his disciples, after the resurrec-
tion.
"In the Epistle to the Smymseans, (which, in the time of Jerome, and until
lately, was thought to have been written by Ignatius,) he (Ignatius) takes a tes-
timony from the Gospel which I lately translated, as spoken by Christ; he says,
'I saw Christ in the flesh after the resurrection, and believe that it was he; and
when he came to Peter, and to those who were with Peter, he said unto them,
Behold, feel me, and see that I am not an incorporeal spirit; and presently they
touched him and believed. ' ' '
Such are the testimonies of the fathers concerning
this famous gospel, and the fragments of it which they
have preserved for our inspection.
It may be added, that it was not condemned in the
decree of Gelasius, A. D. 494.
There has been much diversity of opinion, and a good
deal of learning brought to bear upon the question,
whether the Gospel according to the Hebrews was
written by Matthew; and if not, whether Matthew
wrote a Gospel in Hebrew.
It will be seen by the foregoing extracts, that Epi-
phanius and Jerome are very explicit in asserting that
this was the Gospel of Matthew.
The readiness with which these statements are set a-
side by able modern writers, may be regarded as an
instructive commentary upon the degree of credit and
authority to which the fathers are entitled, on ques-
tions requiring for their decision, an educated and crit-
ical judgment.
It will be noticed hereafter, that Jerome asserts,
with the same positiveness, that the Gospel of the In-
fancy, which he translated from memory, and a portion
of which translation has since been called the Gospel
of the Birth of Mary, was written also by Matthew.
In that case, he went so far as to say, it was in Mat-
thew's own hand-writing. [See chapter 17.]
LOST GOSPELS. GOSPEL OF THE HEBREWS. 65
That the Gospel of the Hebrews was Matthew's He-
brew Gospel, was the opinion of Du Pin, ' and Father
Simon. 2 Beausobre considered it, whether written by
Matthew or not, very ancient, and of very high au-
thority.
Dr. Niemeyer thought this gospel, "the fountain from
which other writings of this sort, have derived their or-
igin; as streams from a spring." Baronius said, "The
present Greek text of St. Matthew, is of no value or
authority, unless it were to be compared with the He-
brew Gospel of the Nazarenes, which is the true or-
iginal." 3
Michaelis [A. D. 1777], examined the question criti-
cally. After citing Father Simon, Dr. Mill, and other
writers, and admitting frankly that the Nazarenes
knew nothing of the Greek gospels, he considers
whether in the gospel of the Nazarenes, like that of the
Ebionites, the first two chapters of Matthew were want-
ing. He .examines Jerome's references to the gospel
which he had translated, and comes to the conclusion,
that while there is no trace of the first chapter of Mat-
thew, it probably contained the second chapter. He
does not speak with much confidence, however, and
says, "at different times, I have entertained different
opinions on this subject."
The difficulty experienced by this eminent scholar,
appears to have been easily surmounted by more mod-
ern writers, some of whom do not hesitate to assert,
in the most positive manner, that the references of
Jerome prove that the gospel which he translated con-
tained both chapters.
(1.) History of the Canon, vol. 2, c. 2, 3.
(2.) Crit. Hist. N. T., Pt. 1, ch. 7, 9.
(3.) Annal. ad. Am. Ct. 34, num. 175.
66 BECOND PERIOD. A. D. 80 TO A. D. 120.
Michaelis finally concludes, upon the main question,
that if the Gospel of the Hebrews was originally the
Hebrew Gospel of Matthew, it received various addi-
tions among the Nazarenes, after it had been translat-
ed into Greek. '
Bishop Marsh, assuming that the Gospel of Matthew
was a translation from the Hebrew, thinks the first two
chapters may not have been in the original, and that
the Greek translator prefixed a translation of some oth-
er Chaldee document, containing an account of the
birth of Christ. 2
Stroth, [1780J, whose essay on the subject was printed
in Eichhorn's Repertorium, contended that the Gospel
of the Hebrews was used by Justin Martyr; an opinion
which many others have since adopted.
Bishop Marsh, referring to this theory of Stroth, and
to the reasons given, which had been favorably referred
to by Dr. Eosenmuller, [A. D. 1800], says, "It is true that
if the force of these arguments be admitted, [and they
seem really convincing], we cannot produce Justin as
an evidence of the four gospels." :
Norton thinks the Gospel of the Hebrews should not
be considered apocryphal, and says, in its primitive form
it was probably the Hebrew original of Matthew. 4
Toland, speaking of the Gospel of the Hebrews, says:
"It was read in the Christian churches for three hundred years, not rejected
by Origen and Eusebius, but alleged as a true gospel by Papias, Ignatius,
Clemens Alexandrinus, Justin Martyr, Hegesippus and others." Naz. 20. 78.
Tischendorff finds that the Gospel of the Hebrews
was probably used by Justin; also by the author of the
(1.) Vol. 3, p. 169.
(2.) Notes to Michaelis, vol. 3, pt. 2, p. 139.
(3.) Notes to Michaelis, vol. 1, p. 361.
(4.) Genuineness of the Gospels, vol. 1, pp. 214, 225.
LOST GOSPELS. GOSPEL OF THE HEBREWS. 67
Clementines, and by Tatian and Hegesippus. l
From the views of these writers, after comparing
them carefully with the testimony of the fathers, in the
foregoing pages, we may, perhaps, elicit the truth, and
state it in a few simple propositions.
1. The Gospel of the Hebrews was an ancient gospel,
and nearly the only one in use among the Jewish Chris-
tians, in the first ages of the Church. It was also
extensively used by others, and was of high authority
with the fathers.
2. It was universally attributed to Matthew.
3. There was no other Gospel of Matthew at that
time. (First half of second century.) The Hebrew Gos-
pel of Matthew so much talked about, other than the
Gospel of the Hebrews, is a myth, so far as there is any
historical evidence.
4. The Greek Gospel of Matthew was a subsequent
production, and either originally appeared in the Greek
language, or was a translation of the Gospel of the He-
brews, with extensive changes and additions. There is
reason to believe it to have been an original compila-
tion, based upon the Oracles of Christ, but containing,
in whole, or in part, a number of other manuscripts.
The arguments used to prove that Matthew's Gospel
was originally in Hebrew, all run in a circle. They as-
sume that the Greek gospel is in some way from Mat-
thew, and is therefore authoritative. The reasoning then
runs smoothly, and ends in proving a Hebrew Matthew,
a document of the existence of which no mention is
made in history; if we except a vague tradition never
yet traced to its source.
As a specimen of this reasoning, we may refer to the
argument of Jones, contained in three propositions:
(1.) Origin of the Four Gospels, p. 78.
68 SECOND PERIOD. A.D. 80 TO A. D. 120.
1. The Greek gospel contains all that Matthew ever
wrote; else it would not be a complete revelation of the
divine will, so far as Matthew is concerned.
2. It differed from the Gospel of the Hebrews.
3. Therefore the latter was not written by Matthew.
The corollary would be, that there was a Gospel of
Matthew in Hebrew, different from the Gospel of the
Hebrews.
BY WHOM AND WHEN WRITTEN. It will be safe to ac-
cept the almost unanimous opinion of theological
writers, that the Hebrew Gospel used by the Nazarenes
and Ebionites, was not written by Matthew. The au-
thor is unknown.
It was a compilation, made for the use of the Jewish
Christians, from the gospels and gospel documents then
in circulation; the manuscripts principally used appear-
ing to be, the Oracles or Sayings of Christ, and the
Gospel, Preaching and Doctrine of Peter. The Oracles
probably constituted the principal basis, and as they
had been attributed to Matthew, that circumstance is
sufficient to account for the association of the apostle's
name with this gospel.
The exact time when it was written can only be a
matter of conjecture. It could not have been later
than the first quarter of the second century.
Jerome supposed it to have been written before the
epistles of Ignatius. But this was because he thought
Ignatius had referred to it in his epistle to the Smyr-
nseans; a document of which Ignatius was not the
author.
DOCTRINES. There is no sufficient evidence that this
gospel contained the doctrine of the immaculate con-
ception. On the contrary, it is well understood that
the earlier Jewish Christians did not believe in it.
LOST GOSPELS. GOSPEL OF THE HEBREWS. 69
The miracles of Christ now first begin to be heard of,
and as might be expected, the first mentioned are those
relating to the healing of the sick and deformed. The
more wonderful and startling, such as turning water
into wine, and raising to life a human body in a state
of decomposition, are not met with until some time
afterward.
The doctrine of the resurrection of Christ in a material
body, now for the first time appeared, and was stoutly
maintained by the fathers afterward.
70 SECOND PERIOD. A. D. 80 TO A. D. 120.
CHAPTER V.
LOST GOSPELS OP THE SECOND CENTURY.-Continued.
GOSPEL ACCORDING TO THE EGYPTIANS.
This is universally conceded to have been a very an-
cient gospel. The learned Dr. Lardner thinks it was
not written until the second century. '
Clement of Alexandria [A D. 200J, mentions it in
various places, and gives several fragments from it:
1. From Stromata, bk. 3, ch. 6.
"When Salome asked our Lord, 'How long death should prevail,' (not as
though life were an evil, or the creation an evil), he answered, 'As long as ye
women do bring forth children.' "
From what follows, it will be seen that this passage
was in the Gospel of the Egyptians. The fact that the
gospel is not cited by name in this place, becomes, after
we know the quotation was taken from that book,
a very strong endorsement of it; since it is asserted
that Jesus said what he was reported to have said, in
the Gospel of the Egyptians.
2. From the same, ch. 9.
"But they who oppose the established order of God, by their spurious pre-
tences to celibacy, cite those things which our Savior spake to Salome, which I
(1.) Works, vol. 3, p. 204.
LOST GOSPELS. GOSPEL OF THE EGYPTIANS. 71
just before mentioned. They are, I think, in the Gospel according to the Egyp-
tians; for they say that our Savior himself said, 'I am come to destroy the
works of the woman; that is, the works of female concupiscence, generation
and corruption.'
"Afterward, Salome asked him how long it should be that death should pre-
vail against men? And he answered, 'While ye women bring forth children.'
"Hereupon she said, "Then I have done well in bearing no children, seeing
there is no necessity of generation.' To which our Lord replied, 'Feed upon
every herb, but that which is bitter, eat not.' "
3. From the same, ch. 13.
"Wherefore Cassianus saith, that when Salome asked, when the things
should be known concerning which she enquired, our Lord answered, "When
you shall despise the covering of your nakedness, and when two shall become
one, and the male with the female, neither male nor female. ' First, (I observe)
we have not this saying in the four gospels given to us, but in that according
to the Egyptians."
This passage, quoted from the Gospel of the Egyptians,
may be found in similar language in the second Epistle
to the Corinthians, formerly attributed to Clement of
Eome, but which is now thought to have been written,
not earlier than A. D. 150.
The next author who refers to this gospel, is Origen;
[A. D. 230.] In his Homily on the Gospel of Luke, ch.
1. v. 1, he says:
"The church has four gospels, the heretics many; among which is that ac-
cording to the Egyptians, that according to the Twelve Apostles," &c. (This
according to the Latin translator of Origen.)
The next is Jerome; Prsef. in Com. in Matt.:
"The evangelist Luke declares that there were many who wrote gospels,
when he says, "Forasmuch as many," &c. &c. (ch, 1, v. 1,) which being pub-
lished by various authors, gave birth to several heresies; such as that according
to the Egyptians, and Thomas, and Matthias, and Bartholomew, that of the
Twelve Apostles, and Basilides, and Apelles, and others, which it would be
tedious to enumerate; in relation to these it will be enough at present to say,
that there have been certain men, who endeavored, without the spirit and grace
of God, rather to set forth some sort of account, than to publish a true history."
It will be seen that Jerome admits that not only the
Gospel of Basilides, composed about A. D. 125, and other
72 SECOND PERIOD. AD. 80 TO A. D. 120
gospels, admitted to have been first published in the sec-
ond century, were written before that of Luke, but even
the Gospel of Apelles also, which was written not earlier
than A. D. 160.
That the Gospel of the Egyptians was one of those
referred to in Luke's preface, was the opinion of Origen,
Theophylact and others of the" ancients, and among the
moderns the same view has been expressed by Grotius,
Dr. Grabe, Erasmus, and many others.
Epiphanius speaks of this gospel, ' and thus refers to
one of its doctrines:
"They (the Sabellians), make use of all the Scriptures, both of the Old and
New Testament, but principally of some certain passages, which they pick out
according to their own corrupt and preposterous sentiments. But the whole of
their errors, and the main strength of their heterodoxy they have from some
apocryphal books, but principally from that which is called the "Gospel of the
Egyptians; 11 which is a name some have given it: for in that, many things are
proposed in a hidden, mysterious manner, as by our Savior, as though he had
said to his disciples, that the Father was the same person, the Son the same
person, and the Holy Ghost the same person."
The learned Dr. Grabe, 2 has a long dissertation con-
cerning this gospel, the substance of which is, that it
was composed by some Christians in Egypt; that it was
published before either of the canonical gospels, and
that Clement of Alexandria did not reject it, but en-
deavored rather to explain it; which he would not have
done, had he considered it the work of a heretic.
Dr. Mill 3 thinks this and the Gospel of the Hebrews
were composed before either of our canonical gospels,
and that the authors of it were probably Essenes, who
received the Christian doctrine from the preaching of
Mark at Alexandria.
Mr. Whiston says:
"The Therapeutae mentioned by Philo seem to have been those first Christian
(1.) Hseres. 62. 2.
(2.) Spiceleg. Patr. torn. 1, p. 31 to 34.
(3.) Prolegom. in N. T. sec. 35 to 38, and sec. 50.
LOST GOSPELS. GOSPEL OF THE EGYPTIANS. 73
ascetics, who were converted from the Jews, chiefly in Egypt, soon after our
Savior 'K passion, before the coming of Mark thither, and to have both imper-
fectly understood and practiced the Christian religion. Eusebius, Epiphanius
and Jerome plainly take them for Christians, and their sacred, ancient, mystic-
al books are by Eusebius supposed to be the gospels and epistles of the New
Testament. The modern critics are entirely puzzled about these Therapeutce,
and yet are not willing commonly to believe them Christians. And indeed
Eusebius' opinion, that their ancient allegorical books were our gospels and
epistles, is liable to great exceptions, since they are not allegorical in their na-
ture, nor were they published any considerable time before Philo's own writings;
so that upon the whole, I believe, it is more reasonable to say, these Therapeu-
tse were those first Christian ascetics, who had gotten very imperfect accounts
of Christianity, and were guided by the Gospel according to the Egyptians,
which we know by the fragments remaining, was a gospel sufficiently mystical
and allegorical, according to the genius of that nation. 1 ' Essay on Const. 1. 37.
The statement of Eusebius, ' that the Therapeutse of
Egypt became Christians, (though not in the first cen-
tury), may be accepted. It is supported by Epiphanius
and Jerome, and by the historical fact, that the Chris-
tian monkish system had its origin in Egypt.
How far the Therapeutae of Egypt and the Essenes
of Palestine may be identified, as one and the same
class or sect, is a question which has been much dis-
cussed. Their beliefs and practices were similar; they
both had, anterior to the Christian system, many of
its peculiar doctrines, and the members became easy
converts to the new religion, and were among the first
Christian disciples.
A full account of the Essenes will be found in the
writings of Josephus.
Jerome says, in his life of Mark,
"He went with his gospel into Egypt, and there constituted a church; that
he was so' remarkable in the abstemiousness of his life, that he obliged all hii
converts to follow his example; insomuch that Philo, the most eloquent of all
the Jewish writers, when he saw the first church at Alexandria still observing
the Jewish customs, thought it would be to the honor of his nation to write a
book concerning their way of life; and as Luke says the Christians at Jeruaa-
(1.) Ecc. Hist. 2. 16. 17.
74 SECOND PERIOD. A. D. 80 TO A. D. 120.
lem had all tilings common, so he relates that it was at Alexandria, under
Mark's instructions." Catal. Vir. lUust. in Marco.
And again, in his life of Philo, he says, he places
Philo among the church writers, because,
"By writing a book concerning the first church of Mark at Alexandria, he has
said much in commendation of the Christians. He not only mentions such as
were there, but in many other provinces; and calls their places of abode monas-
teries; from whence it appears, that the first Christians, who believed there on
Christ, were such as the monks now pretend and desire to be; to wit, to have
all things common, "&c. Catal. Vir. Illust. in Philone.
This is a good illustration of the careless writing of
the fathers, and of their readiness to supply, from their
own imaginations, what is wanting in historical data.
Philo, though he writes of the Therapeutae, and of their
mode of life, says nothing of any church of Mark
at Alexandria, or of any other church, nor does he once
mention the Christians in that connection, if indeed in
any other.
There is, in fact, no historical evidence, at all relia-
ble, that any Christian church was founded in Egypt in
the first century. The first reliable information upon
the subject, is in the letter of Hadrian to Servianus,
husband of Paulina, the Emperor's sister. Servianus
was consul, A. D. 134. The letter is preserved by Vo-
piscus, who wrote about the year 300, and who took it
from the books of Phlegon, the historian, who was a
freedman of Hadrian. From this epistle it appears,
that the religion of the Christians was so crude that
Christ and Serapis were worshipped indiscriminately;
from which we may reasonably infer that the Christian
religion had not long been established in that country.
The testimony of Epiphanius is as follows:
"They who believed on Christ were called Jessaei, (or Essenes), before they
were called Christians, either because Jesse was the father of David, or from
Jesus, the name of our Lord, because they were his disciples, and derived their
constitution from him, or from the signification of the name Jesus, which in
LOST GOSPELS. GOSPEL OF THE EGYPTIANS. 75-
Hebrew signifies the same as Therapeutes, (the name by which Philo calls
them), i. e. a Savior or physician." Hares. 29. 4.
Who this Mark or Marcus was, who established the
first Christian Church at Alexandria, is uncertain; pos-
sibly it was the same who wrote the Gospel of Mark,
in the second century.
That it was not Mark, the associate of Peter, who
wrote the Preaching, and perhaps the Gospel, of Peter,
is manifest from the fact, that in this first church in
Egypt, the ascetic system among the Christians, had its
origin; and that system, as we learn from other sourc-
es, originated not earlier than the second half of the
second century. '
Jerome, also, witnesses that it was not earlier than
that, in the following passage:
"It has often been a question, from whom the desert way of life of the monks,
derives its original. Some derive it as far as from Elijah and John.
"Others, which is the prevailing opinion, from Antonius; which is in part
tine; for he was not so much the first in this way of life, as the means of prop-
agating it; for Amathas and Macarius, two disciples of Antonius, affirm, that
one Paul of Thebais, (in Egypt), was the chief author of this matter; which I
also assent to." In Vita Paul, Eremit. par.3,tr.8. De Vit. Con. Ep.37.
Antonius and Paul of Thebais are thought to have
lived in the third century. However that may be, it is
manifest, from all the evidence, that the ascetic sys-
tem of the Christian monks cannot be traced back
further than the latter half of the second century.
Baring-Gould thinks the Gospel of the Egyptians
was related to that of Mark, and that it was composed
at the beginning of the second century. He classes it
among the Petrine Gospels. 2
It was no doubt, older than Mark, and this, as has
been shown, is the opinion of eminent Christian writers.
(1.) Consult Serarius, Sozornen and Spanheim.
(2.) Lost and Hostile Gospels, pp. 117, 123.
76 SECOND PERIOD. A. D. SO TO A. D. 120.
Davidson says, ' it was classed by Origen with the
Gospel of the Hebrews, as inauthentic.
Norton 2 thinks it was not a historical, but a doctrin-
al book.
This gospel was not condemned in the famous decree
of Pope Gelasius.
As has been already seen, the decree did not include
either of the first century gospels; the Gospel of Paul,
the Gospel of Peter, the Oracles of Matthew; neither
did it touch the Gospel of the Hebrews.
Jones objects to the Gospel according to the Egyp-
tians, that it contradicts the canonical gospels, in re-
presenting Salome to be a single woman. But it will be
found, upon examination, that the objection is hastily
made. Matt. 27. 56, and Mark 15. 40, are cited to show
that Salome was the mother of Zebedee's children; as-
suming that the third woman spoken of in each place,
as present, at the crucifixion, was the same. But this
may or may not have been the case. It is stated, both
in Mark and Matthew, that many women were there.
Because each historian mentions two of the number a-
like, it by no means follows, that the third was also the
same.
If Salome had been the mother of the two apostles,
James and John, she would doubtless have been so
designated, wherever spoken of.
Before leaving the Gospel of the Egyptians, it will
be necessary to notice a mis-translation of Jones, made
for the purpose of bringing this gospel into disrepute.
He makes Clement of Alexandria say, Strom. 3, ch. 9,
"The things which follow, spoken to Salome, they cite, who had rather fol-
low any thing, than the true canon of the gospel," &c. Jonet, vol. 1, p. 208.
(1.) Canon, p. 115.
(2.) Vol. 3, p. 243.
LOST GOSPELS. GOSPEL OF THE EGYPTIANS. 77
The inference would be that Clement considered the
Egyptian Gospel an uncanonical book.
The Greek used by Clement is,
"Eiticpepovtiiv 61 TtdvTa jLiahhov 7) rca ycard rr)v a^jjQeiav svay-
HO.VOYI, (pajLtevrjS ydp avrrjS," &c.
"They cite, who rather follow any thing, than what is according to the
truth, in the gospel rule."
The Greek word -KO.VGOV meant, literally, a rule of measurement; hence,
secondarily, a moral rule. It was not used, as applied to a collection of New
Testament books, until the fourth century; while Clement wrote at the close
of the second.
WHEN AND BY WHOM WRITTEN. The original of this
gospel may have been in use among the Therapeutae of
Egypt, a long time before the introduction of Christi-
anity, the passages relating to Christ being afterward
added. Or it may have been written in another coun-
try, and brought into Egypt, with the Christian relig-
ion. In either case it may be dated as early as A. D.
110 to 115.
DOCTRINES. We find no evidence that this gospel con-
tained the doctrine of the immaculate conception or of
the material resurrection, or made any allusion to the
miracles of Christ.
RECAPITULATION.
The Gospel of the Egyptians was very ancient; writ-
ten early in the second century; is mentioned in several
places, and fragments given by Clement of Alexandria,
A. D. 200, who emphatically endorses it, although Jones
disingenuously attempts to prove otherwise. The gos-
pel taught abstemiousness and celibacy and gave coun-
tenance to the Sabellian form of the doctrine of the uni-
ty of the Godhead. According to Jerome, Origen and
Theophylact of the ancients, and.Grotius, Erasmus, Dr.
Grabe, Dr. Mill, and others of the moderns, it was writ-
ten before the Gospel of Luke, and in the opinion of
78 SECOND PEBIOD. A. D. 80 TO A. D. 120.
Drs. Grabe and Mill, and other eminent theologians, be-
fore either of the canonical gospels. Was not condemned
in the decree of Gelasius. The objection as to Salome
shown to be untenable. The gospel probably written
more than fifty years before the introduction of Chris-
tianity into Egypt; the Christian religion having
probably been introduced at the same time with Mark's
gospel, and with the establishment of the monkish
system; toward the close of the second century.
The story of Joseph and Mary appears not to have
been known when this gospel was written. Neither is
any thing said, so far as we have information of its
contents, of the miracles of Christ, or of the material
resurrection.
LOST GOSPELS. GOSPEL OF PERFECTION. 79
CHAPTER VI.
LOST GOSPELS OF THE SECOND CENTURY.-Concluded-
OTHER LOST GOSPELS.
GOSPEL OF PERFECTION GOSPEL OF ANDREW OF BARTHOLOMEW OF
PHILIP THE SYRIAC GOSPEL GOSPEL OF EVE THE GOSPEL OF MAT-
THIAS OF JUDAS OTHER GOSPELS AND UNCANONICAL WRITINGS.
THE GOSPEL OF PERFECTION. Epiphanius alludes to
this gospel in the following manner;
"But others of them (the Gnostics), produce a certain spurious and supposi-
titious work, to which work they have given the name of the Gospel of Per-
fection; which really is no gospel, but the perfection of sorrow; for all the
perfection of death is contained in that product of the devil." Adv. Ha-
re*. 26. 2.
Baring-Gould classes this as a Pauline gospel. It was
regarded as sacred by the Ophites. Bauer thinks it the
same as the Gospel of Eve. But they are distinguished
by Epiphanius. Norton says, if it ever existed, it was
not a historical work. '
The doubt expressed by Norton, as to the existence
of this gospel, might well be indulged, if it depended
only upon the assertions of Epiphanius. But it is ex-
pressly mentioned in the Gospel of the Infancy, one of
the oldest pre-canonical gospels which have been
preserved.
(1.) Genuineness of the gospels, vol. 8, p. 222.
80 SECOND PERIOD. A.D. 80 TO A. D. 120.
In that gospel, after a lengthy account of the miracles
performed by Christ while a child in Egypt, it is added:
"And the Lord Jesus did many miracles in Egypt, which are neither to be
found in the Gospel of 'the Infancy, nor in the Gospel of Perfection." [In-
fancy, ch. 25.]
Camerarius supposed that Basilides and other Gnos-
tics used this gospel, and that it was the same with the
Gospel of Philip. l But Epiphanius distinguishes between
them. (See Gospel of Philip.)
GOSPEL OF ANDREW. There are no fragments extant,
of the Gospel of Andrew, and but little is known of it
beyond the fact, that it was condemned as apocryphal
in the decree of Pope Gelasius; A. D. 494. In some
copies of the decree, however, it was not mentioned.
The Gospel of Andrew is considered by Jones and
others, to have been one of the "many" referred to in
the preface to Luke. It is thought to have been alluded
to by Augustine, (A. D. 420), in his Prol. in Matthaeum.
GOSPEL OF BARTHOLOMEW. Strauss refers to the Gos-
pel of Bartholomew as one of those "always current/'
quoted by heretics and sometimes by orthodox. 2
No fragments are extant. It was pronounced apoc-
ryphal by the decree of Gelasius. Was counted by
Jerome, Venerable Bede and others, among those re-
ferred to in Luke;
Some have thought it the same as the Hebrew Gospel
of the Nazarenes; but Jerome, who saw and read the
Gospel of the Nazarenes, spoke of the Gospel of Bar-
tholomew as distinct from it.
It was reported that Pantsenus, when sent to India
to preach the gospel, found that Bartholomew had
preached there before 'him, and had left the Gospel of
(1.) Fabricius, Codex. Apoc. vol. 1, p. 373. Note.
(2.) New Life of Jesus, vol. 1, p. 56.
LOST GOSPELS. GOSPEL OF PHILIP. 81
Matthew in Hebrew; and Jerome says he brought it
back with him to Alexandria. This has been thought
to be the same as the Gospel of Bartholomew. The sub-
ject is involved in much confusion and uncertainty.
Nicephorus says, Bartholomew, while in India, dic-
tated the Gospel of Matthew to them out of his mem-
ory, and did not take it along with him. '
Monsieur Daille supposed the Gospel of Bartholomew
was forged, a short time before Gelasius. a
GOSPEL OF PHILIP. The following notice of this gos-
pel, and fragment of its contents, is taken from Epi-
phanius on Heresies, ch. 26, sec. 13.
"They (the Gnostics) laugh at the conduct of the monks, and those who pro-
fess chastity and virginity, as submitting to unnecessary hardships. They
produce a forged gospel, under the name of the holy Apostle Philip; in which
it is written :
** 'The Lord hath revealed to me what the soul must say when it ascends into
heaven, and what answer it must make to each of the celestial powers : 'I knew
myself and gathered ; recollected myself on all sides, and did not raise children
for the devil, (Archon, prince of this world), but extirpated all his principles,
and I have gathered myself together, the scattered members; and I know who
thou art, for I am one of the celestial number. And thus,' says that book,
'she is set at liberty. ' But it adds, that if the soul be found to have propagated
children, it is obliged to stay below, till she shall be able to receive and bring
those children to herself."
It is not safe to place reliance upon these accounts.
Norton says, "Epiphanius is a writer as deficient in
plausibility, as in decency and veracity." 3 He was
fond of indulging in obscenity, when treating of the
doctrines and practices of heretics. 4
Du Pin supposes the Gospel of Philip was made use
of by Basilides and Apelles, and by the Ebionites. 6
(1.) Ecc. Hist. 1.4, c.3,2.
(2.) De Pseud. Dion. Areop. c. 27.
(3.) Genuineness of the Gospels, by Andrews Norton, 1837, vol. 2, p. 211,
(4.) See his work, adv. Hser. 26. 5.
(5.) Hist of the Can. vol.2.
82 SECOND PERIOD. A.D. 80 TO A. D. 120. ,
If Epiphanius is to be at all relied upon, there could
have been but little affinity between the Gospel of Phil-
ip and that of the Hebrews, or Nazarenes.
The Gospel according to Philip is mentioned by Ti-
motheus, l as one of the new books which the impious
Manichaeus, inspired by the devil, had made. It is one
of the Pauline gospels of Baring-Gould. Philip, like
Paul, is said to have been an apostle of the Gentiles.
"This Gospel," says Baring-Gould, "belongs to the same category as those
of Perfection, and of Eve, and belonged, if not to the Ophites, to an analo-
gous sect, perhaps that of the Prodicians." Lost and Hostile Gospels, p. 293.
THE SYRIAC GOSPEL. This was probably nothing but
the Gospel of the Hebrews in the Syriac language. It
is said to have been used by Hegesippus, the first church
historian, A. D. 185.
GOSPEL OF EVE, Is another of the gospels of Epipha-
nius. The following extract is from his famous work
against heresies.
"Some of these, (the Gnostics), do produce a certain spurious and forged
writing, which they call the Gospel of Perfection; others have the impudence
to produce one called the Gospel of Eve; for under her name, as reported to
have received great discoveries, revealed to her in her discourse with the ser-
pent, they propagate their principles.
"But as the discourses of a person in drink, pretending to give advice, are
according to his giddy fancy, not equal, but some of them merry, others mel-
ancholy, so are the wicked principles of these impostors. For they are led
away with certain ridiculous testimonies and visions, which are in that gospel
which they make use of. They produce such as the following:
" 'I stood upon a very high mountain, and saw one man very tall, and an-
other short. And I heard a voice, as it were, of thunder; upon which I went
nearer to hear; and he spake to me saying, I am thou, and thou art I; and
again, I am thou and thou art 1; and where thou art, there am I; and I am
in all places, and in everything; and wheresoever thou wilt, thou shaltfind me,
and in finding me, thou findest thyself. ' Behold the doctrine of devils. ' '46. 47.
Other pretended quotations are made from this gos-
pel, which can scarcely be given in English. 2
(1.) InEpist. &c.p. 117.
(2.) See the Greek text of Epiphanius, adv. Haer. ch. 26, sec. 2, 3, and 5.
LOST GOSPELS. GOSPEL OF JUDAS. 83
Baring-Gould dignifies this doubtful production, with
a place among his Pauline gospels. ' He thinks it was
used by Marcus the Valentinian, and says it contained
the Alpha Beta story of the childhood of Christ, to be
found in some of the extant gospels.
GOSPEL OF MATTHIAS. There are no fragments of the
Gospel of Matthias extant. It was well known by the
ancients, having been referred to by Origen, Eusebius,
Ambrose and Jerome, and in some copies of the decree
of Gelasius.
Origen calls it a gospel of the heretics. '
Jerome and Erasmus include it among those which
they think were written before Luke. So also Origen.
Venerable Bede was of the same opinion. Dr. Grabe
and Dr. Mill think it the same as the Traditions of
Matthias.
GOSPEL OP JUDAS ISCARIOT. Judas also, had his gospel.
It is mentioned by Ireneeus as follows:
"But there are other heretics who say Cain [was delivered] by a heavenly
power, and who acknowledge Esau, Corah and the Sodomites, as their pattern;
who, though they were fought against by the Creator, yet received no damage
thereby; for Wisdom took from them whatever belonged to it. These things,
they say, Judas, who betrayed Christ, carefully obtained the knowledge of;
and as he was the only one of the apostles who knew the truth, he accom-
plished the mystery of betraying Christ. By him (Judas) they say, all things
in heaven and earth were dissolved; and according to their views, they pro-
duce a certain forgery, which they call The Gospel of Judas." Adv. Hwr. 1.
31.1.
Epiphanius says,
"They will have him to be their relation, and esteem him to have obtained
extraordinary knowledge; inasmuch as they produce a certain book under his
name, which they call the Gospel of Judas." Adv. Hcer. 38. 1.
Mr. Toland having spoken of the gospel with some
respect, Jones becomes indignant, and calls those who
(1.) Lost and Hostile Gospels, p. 287.
(2.) Homil. in Luc. 1. in init.
84 SECOND PERIOD. A.D.8Q TOA.D.m.
use it, "a set of impious, beastly, profane wretches."
He must have accepted the statements of Epiphanius
concerning them, which, by more moderate writers, are
rejected as malicious slanders. Dr. Lardner refers to
some of his stories concerning the heretics, as "fictions
of Epiphanius." *
Theodoret speaks of this gospel. 2 Baring-Gould
makes it a Pauline gospel. 3 He thinks it was compos-
ed by the Cainites.
Not a fragment has been preserved, outside of the
writings of Irenaeus and Epiphanius.
OTHER LOST GOSPELS.
The following, mentioned by various writers, are not
included in the foregoing list, for reasons which will be
given.
GOSPEL OF APELLES. This and some others will be
treated of in connection with the persons to whom
they are attributed. [See Apelles.]
THE GOSPEL OF BARNABAS, does not appear to belong
to the second century.
It is first expressly mentioned, in the decree of Gela-
sius, A. D. 494. It has been supposed, however, by some,
that Clement of Alexandria alluded to it, when, com-
menting on Psalms, 118. 19, 20, he says:
"Barnabas, expounding this saying of the prophet, thus reasons:
" 'Although there are many gates opened, righteousness is the gate, which
is in Christ, at which all they that enter shall be blessed.' "Stromata, 6. 8.
But as this passage is not in the Epistle of Barnabas,
but is in the first Epistle of Clement of Rome to the
Corinthians, it has been thought by Dr. Grabe and oth-
ers, that Clement of Alexandria made a mistake in the
(1.) Vol. 4, p. 397.
(2.) Lib. 1, Ha*. F. c. 15.
(3.) Page 305.
LOST GOSPELS. GOSPEL OF BARNABAS. 85
citation. Either that, or both Clements took the passage
from the Gospel of Barnabas.
Dr. Grabe found also in an ancient manuscript, an oth-
er citation, as follows:
"Barnabas the apostle saith, 'He who prevails in unlawful contests, is so
much the more unhappy, because he goes away, having more sin.' "
Dr. Grabe was inclined to think this came from the
Gospel of Barnabas. Others were of the opinion that
it was in the lost portion of the Epistle of Barnabas.
Since the discovery of the entire manuscript of the
Epistle by Tischendorff, as it is found not to contain this
passage, more weight is now to be given to the conjec-
ture of Dr. Grabe.
Mr. Toland, in the "Nazarenes," says that he saw this
passage in substance, in an Italian manuscript, in Hol-
land, entitled "The True Gospel of Jesus called Christ,
a new Prophet sent by God to the world, according to
the relation of Barnabas the Apostle. 7 ' This is supposed
to have been a Mohammedan imposture, as Mohammed
is, in several places, expressly named as the Paraclete,
or promised Comforter.
There is a hypothetical history of the Gospel of Bar-
nabas, which may be worthy of attention.
It is related by Theodorus Lector, Suidas, Nicephorus
and others, that, in the reign of the Emperor Zeno, the
remains of Barnabas, the apostle and companion of
Paul, were found in Cyprus, under a tree, and upon the
breast the Gospel of Matthew in Barnabas' own hand-
writing. The book was carried to the emperor, and
was very highly esteemed by him, and put under a
crown in his palace. There is a historical incident con-
nected with this story, which gives it an air of probability.
It is stated that on account of the honor which attached
to Cyprus, by virtue of this discovery, the inhabitants,
by means of it, prevailed in their contest with the
86 SECOND PERIOD. A. D. 80 TO A. D. 120.
Bishop of Antioch, so that their metropolis had an in-
dependent bishop, not subject to the jurisdiction of
Antioch.
The hypothesis was, that this book, thus found on the
breast of Barnabas, was an interpolated and corrupted
Gospel of Matthew, and was henceforth called the
Gospel of Barnabas.
According to this, one of the gospels became so cor-
rupted and interpolated by being copied by an" apostle,
that it became necessary for the head of the church to
pronounce it apocryphal.
GOSPEL OR HARMONY OF BASILIDES. [See Basilides.J
THE CLEMENTINE GOSPEL occupies a conspicuous place
in the work of Baring-Gould. He appears to be the-
only writer who has given this name to the gospel or
gospels used in the Clementines. It is commonly sup-
posed that the principal gospel made use of in these
works, was that of the Hebrews.
GOSPEL OF CERINTHUS. [See Cerinthus.]
ACCOUNTS OR GENEALOGIES OF THE DESPOSYNI. The
Desposyni is the term made use of by Eusebius, to des-
ignate those relations of Christ, who were supposed to
keep family records and genealogies. Fabricius has the
above title in his list of gospels.
DESCENT FROM THE CROSS, BY JOHN. One of the many
apocryphal writings of uncertain origin, sometimes
classed among the gospels.
GOSPEL OF THE ENCRATITES. Fabricius and others
have inferred that Epiphanius ascribed a gospel to the
sect of the Encratites. It is more probable, however,
that he referred to the Gospel of Tatian. '
THE ETERNAL GOSPEL. The idea of an Eternal Gos-
pel, was taken from Revelation, 14. 6. It was thought
(1.) See Epiph. Hseres. bk. 30, 13. also bks. 46 and 47.
LOST GOSPELS. BOOK OF THE HELKESAITES. 87
John had promised an eternal gospel; and none having
appeared, one was accordingly brought to light, as late
as the 13th contury; attributed by some, to John of
Parma.
GOSPEL OF THE GNOSTICS, is a term sometimes used.
The Gnostics had various gospels. Epiphanius speaks
of their writing "The Revelations of Adam, and other
false gospels."
FALSE GOSPELS OF HESYCHIUS. This phrase is found
in the decree of Pope Gelasius, wherein certain gospels
are condemned by that title. What they were, is un-
certain. Jerome speaks of "those books which go un-
der the names of Lucian and Hesychius, and are es-
teemed through the perverse humors of some."
THE BOOK OF THE HELKESAITES, is spoken of, by Ep-
iphanius and Eusebius. The Helkesaites affirmed, that
the book had fallen down from heaven; and that they
who believed and observed it, should obtain the par-
don of their sins.
Epiphanius says, it described Christ as a power,
whose height was twenty-four schaenia, or Egyptian
leagues, or about sixty-six miles; his breadth twenty-
four miles, and his thickness in proportion. His limbs
and feet were correspondingly large. Also, that ac-
cording to this book, the Holy Ghost was of the female
sex, and like Christ, reaching above the clouds, and
standing between two mountains.
GOSPEL OF JUSTIN. Renan employs this term in re-
ferring to the gospel principally used by Justin Martyr.
This is supposed to have been the Gospel of the He-
brews, or the Gospel of Peter, which may have been
nearly the same.
GOSPEL OF JAMES THE LESS. This is spoken of by
(1.) Praefat. in Ev. ad. Damas.
88 SECOND PERIOD. A.D. 80 TO A. D. 120.
some writers, but appears to be none other than the
Protevangelion, which will be fully considered in a
subsequent chapter.
GOSPEL OF JUDE. The same as the Gospel of Judas
Iscariot.
GOSPEL OF THE LORD. One of the Lost Gospels of
Rev. S. Baring-Gould. He says the Gospel of the Lord
was used by Marcion, and apparently before him by
Cerdo. It may however, be affirmed with much confi-
dence, that Marcion's Gospel was not used before his
time; since Marcion is universally conceded to have
been the author or compiler of it. But as this consisted
of a collection of numerous manuscripts, it is possible
that Cerdo may have used a collection, consisting of a
portion of the same manuscripts.
GOSPEL OF Lucius. Such a title is to be seen in the
list of Fabricius, but it appears to be one of the books
designated as the
FALSE GOSPELS OF LUCIANUS. These were pronounced
apocryphal in the decree of Gelasius; but as in the case
of the False Gospels of Hesychius, they are not de-
scribed with sufficient certainty, to enable us to identi-
fy them.
GOSPEL OF LIFE. This is mentioned by Fabricius, ci-
ting Photius, Cod. 85; also Timotheus, Presb. C., Poli-
tanus, in Epist. &c., p. 117, who says: "The impious
Manichseans, following him, [Manes], and inspired by
the devil, make new books, such as, (1.) Evangelium
Vivum," &c.
THE LEGAL PRIESTHOOD OF CHRIST, is an obscure
book, sometimes spoken of as a gospel. But little is
known of its contents.
GOSPEL OF LONGINUS. Nothing definitely known con-
cerning it. Probably not of the second century.
GOSPEL OF MANES. [See Manes.]
LOST GOSPELS, AND UNCANON1CAL WRITINGS. 89
GOSPEL OF MARCION. [See Marcion.]
MEMORABILIA OF JUSTIN. No gospel, though some-
times alluded to as such. Same as the "Memoirs," so
often referred to by Justin.
MIDWIFE OF OUR SAVIOR. Condemned by Gelasius,
which appears to be all that is known of it.
MANICHEE GOSPEL. [See Manes. J
GOSPEL OF MERINTHUS. Merinthus was only another
name for Cerinthus.
PASSING OF ST. MARY, by St. John. In the list of Fa-
bricius. But little is known of it.
PERSIAN HISTORY OF CHRIST. Written bv Jerome
Xaverius, from the Persian, A. D. 1600.
GOSPEL OF SCYTHIANUS. Nothing known relating to it.
GOSPEL OF SIMONIDES, or of the Simonians. [See Si-
mon Magus.]
SPEL OF THADD^JUS. Rejected by Gelasius.
GOSPEL OF TATIAN. [See TATIAN.]
GOSPEL OF TRUTH. [See Valentinus.]
OTHER UNCANONICAL WRITINGS OF THE SECOND CENTURY.
Besides the foregoing gospels, there appeared in the
second century, a large number of other writings,
relating to Christ and his apostles; Acts, Epistles, Reve-
lations, &c. Fabricius gives a list, alphabetically
arranged, of Apocryphal Acts of the Apostles, 36 in
number; among which are the Acts of Peter, Acts of
Peter and Andrew, Acts of John, Acts of St. Mary, &c.
Then there was the Apocalypse of Peter, Apocalypse
of John, (another), Apocalypse of Paul, Bartholomew &c.
These were subsequently called apocryphal; a term,
meaning, at first, only hidden; but which, afterward,
when the books had been for some time laid aside and
disused, came to be looked upon as a term of reproach.
90 SECOND PERIOD. A.D.8Q TO A. D. 120.
CHAPTER VII.
THE AGE OF MIRACLES.
APOLLONIUS OF TYANA.
Apollonius Tyaneus, one of the most remarkable
characters of history, was born two years before the
commencement of the Christian era. He lived a hun-
dred years, witnessed the reign of a dozen Roman
emperors, and during his long and brilliant career, sus-
tained the role of a philosopher, teacher, traveler,
religious reformer and worker of miracles.
The most of our information concerning him, is de-
rived from his biography, written in Greek, by Flavius
Philostratus, in the year 210. It was composed at the
request of the beautiful and gifted Julia Domna, wife
of the Emperor Septimius Severus.
As soon as Julia was made empress, she gathered a-
round her the finest intellects and the greatest orators
of the day. Among them were Dion Cassius, the his-
torian, the eminent lawyers, Paulus, Papinian and
Ulpian, and the learned sophist and scholar, Philostra-
tus. It was under such auspices, that the life of
Apollonius was written. The work has attracted much
AGE OF MIRACLES. APOLLONIU8. 91
attention, and has been translated into various
languages.
In England, in 1680, Charles Blount, the deist, com-
menced a translation, and had proceeded as far as the
first two books, which he published with extensive
notes, when he seems to have become alarmed at the
opposition of the ecclesiastics of his day, and did not
further prosecute the work.
In his preface, Blount refers, in his quaint manner, to
the supposed opposition of the book of Philostratus, to
the Christian Scriptures. "Philostratus does not," says
he, "any where so much as mention the name of Christ;
and if one heathen writer, Hierocles, did make an ill
use of this history, by comparing Apollonius to Christ,
What is that to Philostratus? Now as to myself," he con-
tinues, "I am so far from comparing him to our blessed
Savior, or from giving credit to any new miracles, that
my daily request of God is, to give me faith enough to
believe the old."
In the year 1809, the Eev. Edward Berwick, Vicar
of Leixslip, in Ireland, translated the whole eight books
of Philostratus; the celebrated Dr. Lardner having in
the mean time given his opinion, that the work was
not intended to antagonize the New Testament.
Let us now open this celebrated book of Philostratus,
and take a brief survey of its contents.
He commences by giving an account of the materials
from which the work was composed; stating that he ob-
tained them from the different cities and temples, from
tradition, and from the epistles of Apollonius^ "a<J-
dressed to kings, and sophists, and phlosophers; to
Elians, Delphians, Indians and Egyptians." Also that
he had made use of the book of Maximus the J^gaean,
the biography written by Damis the Assyrian, who had
92 SECOND PERIOD. A.D.SQ TO A. D. 120.
accompanied Apollonius in his travels, and a work writ-
ten by one Meragenes.
The following is an epitome of the biography, as giv-
en by Philostratus:
LIFE OF APOLLONIUS.
Apollonius was born at Tyana, a town founded by Greeks, in Cappadocia.
Before his birth, Proteus, an Egyptian god, appeared to his mother. She
asked the god, whom she should bring forth. To which he replied, "Thou
shalt bring forth me." Apollonius was born in a meadow, under a temple
since dedicated to him. When his mother was near the time of her delivery,
she was warned in a dream to go and gather flowers in a meadow. When she
came there, while her maidens were dispersed up and down, employed in their
several amusements, she fell asleep on the grass. While thus situated, a flock
of swans that was feeding in the meadow, formed a chorus around her, and
clapping their wings as their custom is, sung in unison, while the ah* was fan-
ned by a gentle zephyr. At the same time, her son was born. The natives of
the place affirm that at the instant of his birth, a thunderbolt, which seemed
ready to fall upon the ground, rose aloft, and suddenly disappeared.
All the people of the country said he was the son of Jupiter; but he con-
stantly called himself the son of Apollonius.
As he grew up, he gave signs of great strength of memory, and persevering
application.
The eyes of all were attracted by his beauty.
His youth was spent, partly in Tarsus, and partly in ^Egae, where he enjoyed
the conversation of the disciples of Plato, Chrysippus and Aristotle. He was
an enthusiastic admirer and devoted follower of Pythagoras. He declined
eating any thing that had life, living exclusively on fruits, and other produc-
tions of the earth. His fame was spread far and near. While in his youth,
he lost his parents, and buried them in his native town, Tyana. He resolved
never to marry.
As a true disciple of Pythagoras, he maintains silence for five years. Opposes
hot baths. Wherever he goes, he reforms religious worship.
His probationary term of silence having expired, he resolves to travel to India,
and visit the Brahmins and German es, and converse with the magi inhabiting
Babylon and Susa; saying it was his duty to go where wisdom and his guardian
AGE OF MIRACLES. APOLLON1US. 93
angel led him. While on this journey, he acquired from the Arabians a
knowledge of the language of animals; an art for which others of ttie ancients
were celebrated; Melampus, Teresius, and Thales Milesius.
Entering the territories of Babylon, he had an interview with the satrap.
He continued his journey, interpreting to Damis, his companion, dreams and
visions, by the way. Then we have an account of Babylon; with its royal
mansions, covered with brass, and the apartments and porticos, adorned with
silver, with tapestry of gold, and with beaten gold.
Apollonius enters the king's palace, conversing with Damis, and not noticing
at all, the splendid things surrounding him. He was received with honor by
the king, Bardanes, who invited him to join in the sacrifice he was then
preparing, of a white horse from the Nisaean plains, to be offered to the sun,
adorned, as if in a solemn procession. Apollonius declined; but sacrificed to
the sun with frankincense, and then retired; lest he should be made a parta-
ker in the shedding of blood.
He visits India, and is well received by Phraotes, the king. He is offered
money by both these kings, but refuses to receive it.
We must not omit to mention, that while on this journey to India, Dam is
the companion of Apollonius, saw, on Mt. Caucasus, the very chains with
which Prometheus had been bound.
They arrive at the wonderful hill occupied by the Brahmins. The sages
communicate freely with Apollonius, who participates in their ablutions and
ceremonies. Philostratus relates, that when, with staves uplifted, the Brah-
mins struck the earth all together, they made it heave and swell like the waves
of the sea, and they themselves were elevated to the height of almost two cu-
bits above it. There they would dance awhile in chorus, and then descend
together. larchus, the chief of the Brahmins, declares that Apollonius was,
in a previous life, a pilot of an Egyptian vessel. Apollonius admits it to be true,
and gives some account of his life as a pilot.
Then comes a feast, given by the king and Brahmins. Four Pythian tripods,
like those described in Homer, came forward of their own accord. Then ad-
vanced cup-bearers of black brass, like the Ganymedes and Pelops of the
Greeks. The earth strewed under them herbs, softer than beds. Bread and
fruits, and the vegetables of the season, together with the dainties used at
second courses, came of themselves, each in order, better dressed than they
could be by our cooks. The cup-bearers of brass, mixed the wine and the
94 SECOND PERIOD. A.D. 80 TO A.D. 120.
water for the company, which they presented, in small cups, to every guest.
larchus cures the lame, and the blind, and performs many other miracles.
Apollonius returns home by going south to the sea, thence by vessel, up the
. Euphrates to Babylon, thence by way of Antioch, to Cyprus and Paphos.
He goes to Ephesus. People flock about him. Certain prophecies from the
oracles at Colyphon, Didyme and Pergamos, in his favor, spread abroad.
Embassadors come to him from several cities. He predicts the plague, and
tells what is going on at a distance.
The plague raging at Ephesus, ambassadors were sent to him at Smyrna,
entreating him to come to their assistance. Apollonius said, "I think the
journey is not to be delayed.' No sooner had he uttered these words, than he
was at Ephesus. There he put an end to the plague, by having the people
stone a demon, which took various forms.
He travels through Greece. At Athens, casts out an evil spirit from a youth.
As soon as Apollonius fixed his eyes upon him, the demon broke out into the
most angry and horrid expressions, and then swore he would depart out of the
youth. Apollonius rebuked him, commanded him to come out, and told him
to give a visible sign. Immediately the demon cried out, "I will make that
statue tremble;" to which he pointed, standing in a royal portico. Whereupon
the statue first began to shake, then totter, and finally tumbled down.
Apollonius visits the temples of Greece, and reforms their religious rites and
ceremonies.
At Corinth, Menippus, one of his disciples, a young Lycian, was in love with
a beautiful and intelligent woman, whom he was soon to marry. Apollonius
goes as a guest to the wedding. When everything is ready, Apollonius an-
nounces that the woman is one of the Empusa3, who pass under the name of
Lamiee and Larvse. Upon this announcement, everything vanished into thin
air; the gold and silver vessels, cup-bearers and cooks, and the whole domestic
apparatus. Whereupon the phantom, appearing as if in tears, begged not to
be tormented, nor forced to make a confession. But Apollonius was peremptory,
and she confessed to being Empusa, and that she had pampered Menippus with
rich dainties, for the express purpose of devouring him, Philostratus says, "I
have been necessarily induced to mention this transaction, as it was one of the
most celebrated performances by Apollonius, and as it happened in the center
of Greece, many were acquainted with it."
Having traveled all over Greece, he next went to Rome. As Nero was per-
AGE OF MIRACLES. APOLLONIUS. 95
secuting philosophers, his companions became frightened, and nearly all left
him. At Rome, he was accused of treason. The accuser came forward, hold-
ing in his hand a roll, on which had been written the accusation. When the
roll was unfolded, lo and behold, neither letter nor character was to be seen.
A girl, when about to be married, "seemingly died," says the biographer,
and the funeral procession was on its way to bury her. She was of a consular
family, and all Rome condoled with the young husband. Apollonius meeting
the procession, said to the attendants, "Set down the bier, and ] will dry up
the tears which you are shedding for the maid. ' ' He touched the young woman,
and uttering a few words over her, in a low tone of voice, he wakened her from
that death, with which she seemed to be overcome. The relatives of the girl
presented him with a hundred and fifty thousand drachmas, which he settled
upon the bride, as a marriage portion.
"It is difficult to me, 1 ' adds Philostratus, "as it was to all who were present,
to ascertain whether Apollonius discovered the vital spark, which had escaped
the faculty, (for it was raining at the time, which caused a vapor to rise from
her face), or whether he cherished and brought back her soul, which to all ap-
pearance was extinct."
Apollonius visits Spain and Africa, and thence returns to Italy and Sicily.
At Syracuse, he makes a prediction, concerning the three emperors which
Rome was soon to have, which was fully verified in Galba, Vitellius and Otho.
He again travels through Greece. Leaving one vessel, and taking another,
the one he leaves is shipwrecked. He goes to Egypt. Arriving at Alexan-
dria, he declares a convicted man innocent. A further examination proves
him to be so, and his life is saved.
At Alexandria, he has an interview with Vespasian, who, on his way to
Rome from Judaea, where he had been carrying on the Jewish war, goes to
Egypt, on purpose to visit Apollonius.
While Apollonius was in this part of Egypt, a tame lion coming up to him,
and paying him special attention, Apollonius stated to the people, that the
lion wanted him to tell them by what human soul he was inhabited. He tells
them it is the soul of Amasis, who was formerly king of Egypt, in the district
of Sais. The moment the lion heard this, he roared in a piteous strain,
crouching on his knees, and at the same time, bursting into tears. The lion
was then dressed in collars and garlands, and sent into the interior parts
of Egypt, accompanied all the way, with the sound of flutes, and the sing-
ing of hymns.
96 SECOND PERIOD. A. D. 80 TO A. D. 120.
Journeying into the interior of Ethiopia, Apollonius visits the gymnoso-
phists. To show they could perform wonders as well as the Brahmins, Thes-
pesion their leader, said to an elm tree near the one under which they wore
sitting, "Salute Apollonius, tree." No sooner were the words uttered,
than the tree saluted him; speaking in a voice which was articulate, and re-
sembling that of a woman.
Titus, having been declared emperor of Rome, requested Apollonius to meet
him at Argos. On his arrival, Titus embraced him, and said he had a letter
from his father, Vespasian, wherein he said, he considered that Apollonius
was his benefactor, to whom they were under many obligations.
Apollonius again travels through Greece and Italy. In the Hellespont, he
drove out the wandering Egyptians and Chaldseans, who, for their own gain,
operating on the fears of the people, who were dreading earthquakes, were
collecting money, on pretence of making costly sacrifices.
He now took up his residence at the grove of Smyrna, on the banks of the
Meles, where he discoursed of fate and necessity. Knowing that Nerva was
to succeed Domitian, he spoke of it as a matter of public notoriety; and showed
that tyrants themselves were unable to resist the decrees of fate.
Some of his expressions having been repeated to Domitian, Apollonius was
cited to appear before him. Before receiving the summons, however, he was
apprised of it by his guardian spirit, and started at once for Italy. Arriving
at Rome, he is brought before the emperor, and is accused with great violence,
of being an enchanter. Is taken to prison. Discourses encouragingly to his
fellow prisoners.
Being brought before the emperor, he talks with so much boldness, that Do-
mitian orders his hair and beard to be cut off, and that he be sent back to pris-
on, loaded with chains, and be cast among the vilest felons. He was now
nearly a hundred years old.
Damis, who was also in prison, asked him when he would be at liberty.
"To-morrow, " answered Apollonius, "if it depends on the judge; this instant,
if it depends on myself." Saying this, he drew his leg out of the fetters, and
said to Damis, "You see the liberty I enjoy." He then put his leg in the fet-
ters again.
He goes to the tribunal, to make his defense. Domitian perused the indict-
ment, sometimes hi great wrath, sometimes with more composure. "I think, ' '
says Philostratus, "we may represent Domitian to our minds, as a man highly
AGE OF MIRACLES. APOLLONIUS. 97
incensed at the laws, for ever having suffered such things as tribunals to be
constructed. Apollonius was required to enter the tribunal, free from amulet,
book or charm, or any writing whatever. As he went into the room, he did
not once look at the emperor. He was commanded to look at Domitian, as the
god of men. Apollonius lifted his eyes to the vaulted arch of the court, and
by his gesture showed that they were turned to Jupiter. The water was then
measured into the clepsydra, the dropping from which, was to measure the
time of his defense.
There were four articles of accusation.
The accuser thus began: "What is the reas6n, Apollonius, you do not
wear the same kind of garments, as other men?"
"Because," replied he, "the earth, which supplies me with food, supplies
me also with raiment; and by wearing garments derived from it, I offer no
injury to miserable animals."
2. "Why do men call you a god?"
"Because" said he, "every man that is good, is entitled to the appellation."
8. How could he foretell the plague at Ephesus? Answer, "By living on a
lighter diet than other men."
4. "Tell me Apollonius," said the accuser, "on whose account you sacrificed
a boy on the day you left your house and went into the country?" "If it can
be proved," replied Apollonius, "that I left my house on the day alluded to, I
will grant my being in the country, and offering the sacrifice in question; but
it shall require persons of both credit and character, to substantiate the fact."
Thereupon a shout of applause arose from the spectators; and Domitian him-
self, being affected by the strength and ingenuity of his answers, said, "I acquit
you of the crimes laid to your charge; but here you shall stay until I have had
some private conversation with you."
Apollonius replied, "You can detain my body, but not my soul; and I will
add, not even my body; for as Homer says,
'Not even thy deadly spear can slay me,
Because I am not mortal.' "
While uttering these words, he vanished from the tribunal.
Damis had gone to Puteoli, where he and Demetrius the philosopher, a friend
of Apollonius, were on that day, musing and walking together, on the sea-
shore, celebrated by the story of Calypso.
They had little or no hopes of ever seeing Apollonius again. Tired with
their walk, they sat down in a Nymphseum, a building adorned with statues of
98 SECOND PERIOD. A.D.&Q TOA.D.IM.
the nymphs, wherein was a cistern of white marble, containing a living spring
of water, which never rose above, and was never drawn below its margin.
They were talking listlessly, while sorrow filled their hearts, when suddenly
Apollonius appeared before them. It was on the same day of the trial, though
Puteoli was more than three days journey from Rome. Demetrius wished to
know if he was alive. Apollonius stretched out his hand, and commanded
him to take it, to assure himself that he was still living.
He returned to Greece, and traveled through all the cities, teaching the
crowds who flocked to see him.
While Domitian was being assassinated at Rome, by Stephanus, Apollonius
was walking and talking, disputing among the trees, in one of the xystas of
Ephesus. It was about mid-day. Suddenly Apollonius let his voice fall, as if
alarmed at something. He then went on, conversing in a lower tone. Then
became quite silent. Soon after, fixing his eyes steadfastly on the earth, and
advancing three or four steps, he cried out, "Strike the tyrant; strike;" as if
actually witnessing some occurrence.
All Ephesus was astonished at what was heard, there being a large con-
course present. But Apollonius, after stopping some time, cried out, "Keep
up your spirits, Ephesians, for this day the tyrant is killed. And why do I
say this day? At this very moment, while the words are in my mouth, ]
swear it by Minerva, the deed is done." Then he remained silent.
This is the account of Philostratus. The same transaction is related by Di-
on Cassius, with such variation of details, as is supposed to strengthen state-
ments of that kind. That author's account is as follows:
On the veiy day nay, the moment Domitian was assassinated, as it was af-
terward known upon a most exact search into the matter, Apollonius Tyaneus
got up, whether it was in the city of Ephesus or elsewhere, upon a very high
stone, and calling the people together, cried out with a loud voice, "Courage,
Stephanus, courage! strike the murderer. Thou hast struck him; thou hast
wounded him; thou hast killed him." "As incredible as this fact seems to
be," says the historian, "it is no less true." Manning's Dion Cassius, wl. 2,
p. 92.
This testimony of Dion Cassius is more important from the fact that he was no
admirer of Apollonius, but in another part of his history, puts him down as
an impostor and a magician. He complains of Caracalla, that he was such a
favorer of impostors and magicians, that he paid great honors to the mem-
AGE OF MIRACLES. APOLLONIUS. 99
cry of Apollonius, of Cappadocia, and raised a monument to him. Dion Cas-
sius, wl 2, p. 327.
Baronius supposes the assassination of Domitian, to have been communica-
ted to Apollonius, by a demon.
The time was now approaching, which was to terminate the career of this re-
markable man. Nerva having sent a letter to the philosopher, requesting him
to come to Rome and give him his advice, Apollonius replied as follows:
"We will converse together, emperor, during a long time, where we will
neither command others, nor will others command us."
This letter was afterward construed to mean, that Apollonius was about
to leave this world, and that Nerva's reign was to be short.
"Here," says Philostratus, "ends the history of Apollonius the Tyanean, as
written by Damis the Assyrian. Concerning the manner of his death," he
continues, "if he did die," various are the accounts.
"Some say he died at Ephesus, waited on by two handmaids, to one of
whom he gave her freedom, foreseeing it would be better for the other, to re-
main where she was.
"Some say he entered the temple of Minerva at Lindus, and there dis-
appeared.
Others affirm that his exit was made at Crete, in a still more extraordinary
way. The temple of Dictyma, at Crete, was under the protection of dogs,
who took care of the riches laid up in it. When Apollonius entered the tem-
ple, the dogs did not bark at him as they did at others, but received him with
fawning affection. The priests who had the care of the temple, seeing this,
seized Apollonius, and bound him; thinking him a magician, or a robber.
About midnight, he freed himself from his chains, and called the priests, to
show that he did nothing in secret. Then, going to the gates of the temple,
he found them open. As soon as he entered them, they shut of themselves,
as they had been before, and the temple resounded with the singing of many
virgins; the burden of whose song was, "Leave the earth; come to heaven;
come, come!"
After his death, he appeared at Tyana, to a young man who had doubted the
immortality of the soul, and discoursed with him upon the subject. The young
man cried out, "I believe you now." He had often requested Apollonius to
appear to him, and he finally did so.
Here ends the history by Philostratus. Suidas and
Eudocia inform us that a life of Apollonius was writ-
100 SECOND PERIOD. A. D. 80 TO A. D. 120.
ten also, by one Soterichus Oasites.
For several centuries after his death, Apollonius was
worshiped as a god, in many parts of the world. Not
only did Caracalla build him a temple, but Alexander
Severus held him in such esteem, that he had his stat-
ue in his private closet. On account of Apollonius,
Tyana was held sacred, and exempted from the jurisdic-
tion of governors sent from Rome.
Eoman Emperors have not refused him the same
honors as were paid to themselves; and Gibbon relates
that when Aurelian took the town of Tyana, "a super-
stitious reverence induced him to treat with lenity the
countrymen of Apollonius the philosopher."
M. Bayle remarks that Apollonius was worshiped in
the beginning of the fourth century, under the name of
Hercules, and refers to Vopiscus, Eusebius and Marcel-
linus, to show that the people of Tyana had not left
off the worship of Apollonius in the beginning of the
fourth century. His image was set up in many temples.
Roman emperors encouraged it.
Lampridius states that Christ was really worshiped
by some of the later heathen emperors, together with
Abraham, Orpheus, and Apollonius; these being all look-
ed upon as holy men, and tutelary genii. l
Albert Re ville says, "The universal respect in which
he was held by the whole pagan world, testified to the
deep impression which the life of this supernatural
being had left indelibly fixed in their minds; an im-
pression which caused one of his contemporaries to
exclaim, "We have a god living among us." "Pag<m
Christ," <&c., by Albert Jteville, London, 1866,^. 39.
Eunapius, who wrote at the beginning of the fifth
century, says of him, that he was not so much of a
(1.) Lamp. Life of Alex. Severus.
AGE OF MIRACLES. APOLLON1U3. 101
philosopher, as something between a god and a man,
and that Philostratus ought to have entitled his his-
tory, "The Descent of a God upon Earth." 1
Sidonius Apollinaris, [A. D. 475], praises the morals
and philosophy of Apollonius, without speaking of his
miracles. In the 8th book, 3d epistle to Leon, counselor
of the king of the Goths, he delivers a glowing eulogi-
um upon Apollonius; speaks of his disdain for riches and
ostentatious display; of his love for science, his frugali-
ty, his gravity, sincerity and uprightness of character,
his abstinence from animal food, &c., and closes as fol-
lows: "In one word, to say the truth, I do not know as
there is, in all antiquity, the life of a philosopher equal
to this one; and I am very certain that such a one can-
not be found in this age." a
Notwithstanding all this evidence of the high es-
teem in which he was held by the ancients, the historian
Froude, on the strength of a sentence or two of Lucian,
in a letter to Celsus, would place him on a level with
the impostor, Alexander Abonoticus, of the second cen-
tury.
That such a classification would do great injustice to
Apollonius, is manifest from his epistles, which are
still extant. 8
They are addressed to individuals, to societies, to
philosophers, to kings and emperors.
These writings show him to have been a man of
learning, with a consummate knowledge of human na-
ture, embued with the noblest sentiments, and with the
principles of a profound philosophy.
In his letter to Hestiseus, he says:
"The truth is not concealed from us, how beautiful it is to have all the earth
(1.) Life of Apollonius, by M. le Nain de Tillemont, p. 42.
(2.) History of Apollonius, by Du Pin,- Paris, 1705, Pref. p. 16.
<3.) They may be seen in the original Greek, in the Library of Congress.
102 SECOND PERIOD. A. D. 80 TO A. D. 120.
for one's country, and all men for brothers and friends; and that those who de-
rive their origin from God, are all endowed with one and the same nature,
and with a community of reason and affections; and that wheresoever any
one may be, or in whatever manner born, whether barbarian or Greek, he is
still a man. But the claims of kindred cannot be evaded, and one recalls to
himself, whatever is properly his own. Thus the Ulysses of Homer, as they
say, did not prefer immortality, even when offered by the goddess."
In the epistle to Valerius, we have the doctrine of the
indestructibility of matter:
"There is no death of any thing, except in appearance; and so, also, there is
no birth of any thing, except in appearance. That which passes over from es-
sence into nature, seems to be birth, and what passes over from nature into es-
sence, seems, in like manner, to be death; though nothing really is originated,
and nothing ever perishes; but only now comes into sight, and now vanishes. It
appears, by reason of the density of matter, and disappears by reason of the
tenuity of essence; but is always the same, differing only in motion and con-
dition."
In the next paragraph, enlarging upon the same idea,
he closes by saying, "no thing is ever created or de-
stroyed." Again:
"By what other name, then, than First Essence, shall this rightly be called?
These things are done and permitted by the Eternal God, who becomes all, in
all, and through all, and who, if Tie were to clothe himself in names and forms,
would suffer loss and damage in his own nature."
To a brother, who had lost his wife, he writes:
"It is destined, that whatever has come to perfection, must pass away.
Let not, therefore, the loss of your wife, in the ripeness of age, shock you, and
not, because something is called death, consider life better than it, since life is
considered inferior, by every wise person.
"If there had been any thing to be reprehended in your late wife, you might
reasonably be cast down. But she was always esteemed by us, was always
loving to her husband, and every thing to be desired."
He closes the letter, with these affecting words:
For tears have I not been able to write more, and more than this I have not
thought necessary."
As to the miracles ascribed to Apollonius, the most
of them were probably the invention of the second
century. There is little doubt, however, that he pos-
AGE OF MIRACLES. APOLLONIUS. 103
sessed some extraordinary faculty, which he exercised
in such a way as to establish and maintain an influ-
ence over his fellow men, beyond what he could other-
wise attain.
Perhaps the highest tribute paid to Apollonius, was
by the emperor Titus. The philosopher having writ-
ten him, soon after his accession, counseling modera-
tion in his government, Titus replied as follows:
"In my own name, and in the name of my country, I give you thanks; and
will be mindful of those things. I have indeed, taken Jerusalem, but you
have captured me."
The miracles of Apollonius were extensively believed
in the second century, and for hundreds of years after-
ward; and by Christians as well as others. As late as
the fourth century, when Hierocles had drawn a paral-
lel between Apollonius and Christ, Eusebius, who
thought it necessary to make an elaborate reply, did
not deny the performance of miracles by Apollonius,
but attributed them to sorcery.
Tillemont thought he had the assistance of Satan.
"The devil" said he, "may know the history of past
ages," &c., "and he may know what men are doing, in
very distant places. And what he knew, he might dis-
cover to Apollonius." Reville is of the opinion, that
Apollonius practiced what this writer calls "theurgy;"
a sort of compromise between imposture and the dis-
play of miraculous power.
The difficulty in placing a proper estimate upon such
a character, at this distance of time, is great. But it
may safely be asserted, that Apollonius was a man,
possessed of many elements of greatness; that he
was a man of much learning and great ability; and
whatever may have been his weaknesses, he was en-
dowed with a certain grandeur of soul, which at once
commands our respect and admiration.
104 SECOND PERIOD. A.D.8Q TO A.D.12Q.
CHAPTER VIII.
THE AGE OF M 1 R A C L E S .Continued.
SIMON MAGUS.
Simon Magus was another miracle worker, who lived
in the first, and whose miracles were written up in the
second century.
Simon was the prince of heretics. His miracles were
notorious, and admitted by all. By orthodox Christians,
they were attributed to magic, or to the machinations
of Satan. At a later day, it has been supposed they
might be accounted for on scientific principles.
Dr. Westcott says, "It would be interesting to inquire
how far the magic arts universally attributed to Simon
and his followers, admit of a physical explanation. In
his school, if any where, we should look for an ad-
vanced knowledge of nature. '
Mosheim is not willing to class Simon among the her-
etics, since that would be impliedly admitting that he
was a Christian; but he concedes that "nearly all the
ancient and modern writers make him to have been the
(1.) History of the Canon, p. 249, Note.
A GE OF M1RA CLE8. SIMON MAG US. 105
head, the father and the ringleader of the whole heret-
ical camp." '
This conspicuous position makes his opinions of some
importance.
Theodoret, (A. D. 430), says that he denied that there
was but one principle. He asserted two, and held that
there was another maker of this world. This was the
Demi-Ourgos, who was under the control of the Su-
preme God, who presided over the whole universe. a -
This doctrine was extensively believed in by the Gnos-
tics of the second century. 3 In his system, the third
power in the trinity was a woman. 4 For this his fol-
lowers had the authority of the Gospel of the Hebrews.
Simon held that matter was eternal, and that an evil
deity presided over it. * He was educated at Alexan-
dria. 6 His followers became so numerous that they were
spread over the whole world, and in Rome, in the reign
of Claudius, a statue was erected in his honor. 7
In the 8th chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, we
have a glimpse of Simon, who had bewitched the people,
insomuch that they all gave him heed, "from the least
to the greatest, saying, 'This man is the great power of
God.'" [Acts, 8. 9, 10.]
In the Recognitions, attributed to Clement of Rome,
and a portion of which, at least, was written about the
same time with the Acts, there is a fuller account of
this wonderful man. As in the Acts of the Apostles, so
in the Recognitions, he appears as the great antagonist
of Peter.
(1.) Mosheim, vol. 1, p. 92.
(2.) Hseret. Fab. 4. 188.
(3.) See Dr. Lardner's Works, vol. 4, p. 511.
(4.) Fabricius, Codex Apoc. vol. 1, p. 362. Note.
(5.) Mosheim, Ecc. Hist. vol. 1, p. 93.
(6.) Clementine Homilies, 2. 22.
(.7.) Justin Martyr, 1st Apology, 26. 56; Trenseus, v. Haer. 1. 23.
106 SECOND PERIOD. A. D. 80 TO A. D. 120.
The reader may be introduced to Peter at Csesarea*
where he is preparing for a discussion with Simon
Magus.
"When the day dawned, which had been fixed for the discussion with Simon r
Peter, rising at the first cock-crowing-, aroused us also; for we were sleeping
in the same apartment, thirteen of us all; of whom, next to Peter, Zaccheus
wasfirst, then Sophronius, &c. After these, I [Clement] and Nicodemus, then
Niceta and Aquila, who had formerly been disciples of Simon, and were con-
verted to Christ, under the teachings of Zaccheus. Of the women, there
was no one present." Recognitions, book 2, chapter 1.
Peter then tells them that he has formed the habit of
waking in the middle of the night, and lying awake till
morning, recalling and arranging in his memory, the
words of the Lord.
The conversation turning on the coming discussion,
Peter wishes to know what kind of a person Simon is.
Niceta thinks he will prove to be a formidable antag-
onist. Aquila gives a full history of Simon, from which
it appears, that his father was Antonius, and his mother
Rachel. By nation he was a Samaritan, of the village
of the Gettones. His profession was that of a magician,
yet exceedingly well trained in Greek literature; desir-
ous of glory, and boasting above all the human race.
"So that he wishes to be an exalted person, who is above God the Creator,
and to be thought to be the Christ, and to be called 'the Standing one.' He
uses this name, as implying that he can never be dissolved; asserting that his
flesh is so compacted by the power of his divinity, that it can endure to eter-
nity." Ibid. chs. 3 to 1.
Simon had been a disciple of Dositheus, and became
one of the thirty. Aquila proceeds with his story:
"But not long after, he fell in love with that woman whom they call Lu-
na, and he confided all things to us as his friends; how he was a magician,
and how he loved Luna, and how, being desirous of glory, he was unwilling
to obtain her ingloriously;" but was waiting patiently, when he could have
her honorably.
"Yet so if we also would conspire with him, in the accomplishment of his
desires.
"Meantime, at the outset, as soon as he was reckoned among the thirty dis-
AGE OF MIRACLES. SIMON MAO US. 107
ciples of Dositheus, he began to depreciate Dositheus himself, saying that he
did not teach purely or perfectly, and that this was the result, not of ill inten-
tion, but of ignorance. But Dositheus, when he saw that Simon was depre-
ciating him, fearing lest his reputation among men might become obscured,
(for he himself was supposed to be the Standing One), moved with rage, when
they met as usual at the school, seized a rod and began to beat Simon; but
suddenly the rod seemed to pass through his body, as if it had been smoke. On
which Dositheus, being astonished, said to him, 'Tell me if thou art the Stand-
ing One; that I may adore thee.' And when Simon assured him that he was,
then Dositheus, perceiving that he himself was not the Standing One, fell
down and worshipped him, and gave up his own place as chief to Simon, order-
ing all the rank of thirty men to obey him; himself taking the inferior place
which Simon formerly occupied. Not long after this he died.
"After the death of Dositheus, Simon took Luna to himself, and with her he
still goes about, as you see, deceiving multitudes, and asserting that he himself
is a certain power, which is above God, the Creator, while Luna, who is with
him, has been brought down from the higher heavens. That she is Wisdom,
the mother of all things; 'for whom,' says he, 'the Greeks and barbarians, con-
tending, were able in some measure, to see an image of her; but of herself,,
as the dweller with the first and only God, they were wholly ignorant."
He then proceeds to relate a miracle which he (Aquila)
once saw; Luna being in a tower, and looking out of all
the windows of the tower at the same time.
Peter evidently believes what Aquila has related, for
he says, "It has been permitted to the wicked one, to
use those arts by which the affections of every one to-
ward the true father may be proved." [Bk. 2, chs. 9-18.]
THE DISCUSSION.
CHAPTER 19. Zaccheus enters, saying it is time the disputation com-
menced, for a great crowd, collected in the court of the house, was awaiting
him. Then Peter, having prayed with the brethren, went forth to the
court of the house, and when he saw the multitude all looking intently on
him, hi profound silence, and Simon, "standing like a standard bearer in the
midst of them," he commenced:
First, he invoked a peaceable discussion. But Simon at once retorted, that
Christ said, he came, not to send peace, but a sword. Peter replies in the
words of Jesus, "Blessed are the peace-makers." Simon continues to com-
ment upon the inconsistency of Christ, if he came not to bring peace, enjoin-
ing upon others to keep it. [Chs. 19 to 27.]
108 SECOND PERIOD. A.D.SQ TO 4. Z). 120.
Simon announces his position. "I say," said he, "that there are many gods,
and that there is one, incomprehensible and unknown to all; that he is the God
of all these gods. He then argues for polytheism; saying to Peter, that he
will prove it from his own scriptures. He cites Genesis, 3. 5: "On the day ye
eat of the tree of knowledge, of good and evil, ye shall be as gods." Also,
Gen. 3. 22: "Behold, Adam is become as one of us." Also, Gen. 1. 26: "Let
as make man, after our image and likeness;" and Gen. 3. 22: "Let us drive
him out." Also, Gen. 11. 7: "Come, let us go down, and confound their
language; 1 ' and Exodus, 22, 28: "Thou shalt not curse the gods," &c. "One
of these," says Simon, "was chosen by lot, that he might be the god of the
Jews."
"But" says he, "it is not of him that I speak; but of that God who is also
his God, whom even the Jews themselves do not know. For he is not their
God, but the God of those who know him."
Peter has a long disquisition on God, to which Simon replies, that he would
refute him from the words of his master, who said, no one knew the Father
but the Son, and he to whom the Son should reveal him. Yet the god of the
Jews was known to Adam, to Enoch, to Noah, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob,
and to Moses. [Chs. 38 to 47.]
"Remember," Simon urges, "that you said that God has a Son; which is do-
ing him wrong; for how can he have a Son, unless he is subject to passions,
like men or animals? My opinion is, that there is a certain power of the Uni-
verse, an ineffable light, whose greatness is to be held to be incomprehensible;
of which power, even the maker of the world is ignorant, and Moses the law-
giver, and Jesus, your master." [Ch. 49.]
The reasoning of Simon : That there is one God, who is better than all, from
whom all that is, took its beginning; that he must be perfect. That the god
who created the world, shows many signs of imperfection. There must, there-
fore, be a God over him. He argues the imperfection of the god who made
the world and men, thus: The many evils in the world which are not correct-
ed, show that its creator is powerless, if he cannot correct what is done amiss;
or else, if he does not wish to remove the evils, then he is himself evil; but
if he neither can nor will, then he is neither powerful nor good. [Chs. 53,
-64.]
The disputation is closed for the day.
The audience, of whom there were about 3000, divided, about one-third go-
ing away with Simon, and the rest, staying with Peter.
AGE OF MIRACLES. SIMON MAGUS. 109
Book 3. The debate is re-commenced next day, and is continued two days
longer. Chs. 1 to 69. Ante-Nic. Ch. Lib. wl. 3, pp. 240 to 265.
The second day, there is some acrimony in the discussion, and some differ-
ence as to the questions to be debated.
They discuss the nature of evil, free will, the power of God, &c.
CH. 23. Simon says, "What I wish to know is this: If what God wishes
to be, is; and what He does not wish to be, is not?" The purport of the an-
swer of Peter is, that some actions depend upon the will of man.
The discussion closed for the day; Simon calling upon Peter each day to show
him whether the soul was immortal.
Third day. Simon pressing for evidence of the immortality of the soul, Pe-
ter argues in favor of it, because of the necessity of having a day of judgment;
since men do not get their deserts in this world.
Simon claims that Peter cannot assert that the soul is immortal, and that
he knows if it be proved to be mortal, his religion will fall.
"But Peter, when he heard him speaking thus, grinding his teeth, and rub-
bing his forehead with his hand, and sighing with a profound grief, said : 'Arm-
ed with the cunning of the old serpent,, you stand forth to deceive souls.' "
[Ch. 42.]
CH. 44. Peter having offered to prove to Simon, in one sentence, that the
soul is immortal, asks him, which is the best evidence, hearing or seeing? Si-
mon answers, seeing. Peter then tells him. to go to his [Simon's] own house,
and entering the inner bed-chamber, he would see an image, containing the
figure of a murdered boy, clothed in purple.
Simon hearing this, was smitten in his conscience, changed color, and became
bloodless. He then proposed to become a convert; thinking Peter possessed the
power of divination. But Peter disabused him, and admitted that he had on-
ly stated what he had been informed of, and spake "what he knew, and not
what he foreknew."
Thereupon Simon, seeing himself betrayed, went from one extreme to the
other, and becoming fairly furious with anger, burst forth as follows:
"I stood by and spoke with you in my goodness, and bore patiently with you.
But now, I shall show you the power of my divinity, so that you shall quickly
fall down and worship me. I am the first power, who am always, and without
beginning. But having entered the womb of Rachel, I was born of her as a
man, that I might be visible to men. I have flown through the air; I have
mixed with fire, and been made one body, with.it; I have made statues to
110 SECOND PERIOD. A.D.SQ TO A. D. 120.
move; I have animated lifeless things; I have made stones bread; I have
flown from mountain to mountain; I have moved from place to place, upheld
by angels' hands, and have lighted on the earth. Not only have I done these
things, but even now I am able to do them; that by facts I may prove to all,
that I am the Son of God, enduring to eternity, and that I can make those
who believe on me, endure in like manner forever. But your words are all
vain; nor can you perform any real works. (Such as 1 have mentioned.) He
also who sent you is a magician, who yet could not deliver himself from the
suffering of the cross."
To this speech, Peter answered:
* 'Do not meddle with the things that belong to others; for that you are a
magician, you have confessed and made manifest, by the deeds that you
have done."
At this point in the proceedings, the historian relates, that Simon endeav-
ored to make a riot, and the people, in indignation, cast him from the court,
and drove him forth from the gate of the house. It does not appear, however,
that Peter denied the truth of what Simon asserted, or that he challenged him
to a proof of his miraculous powers.
After Simon and his friends had gone, Peter explained to those remaining,
his reference to the image of the murdered boy: Simon had been deluded by
demons, and he had persuaded himself, that he had the soul of a murdered
boy, ministering to him, in whatever office he pleased to employ it.
Peter then pronounced a benediction, and dismissed the multitude, and thus
ended this most remarkable discussion. [Chs. 48 to 50.]
The next morning, Mceta said to Peter, he desired to
learn how Simon, who was the enemy of God, was able
to do such wonderful things. "For indeed," says Mceta,
"he told no lie in his declaration of what he had done."
(Mceta had been one of Simon's disciples.) Peter un-
dertakes to explain how Simon "is able to do so great
marvels." Simon, he said, was a magician.
Mceta asked, "In what respect do they sin, who be-
lieve Simon, since they see him do so great marvels?
Or is it not marvelous to fly through the air, to be so
mixed with fire as to become one body with it, to make
AGE OF MIRACLES. SIMON MAGUS. Ill
statues walk, &c. Yea," says Niceta, "he has also been
seen to make bread of stones. But if he sins who be-
lieves those who do signs, how shall it appear that he
also does not sin, who has believed our Lord, for his
signs and works of power?" [Chs. 52 to 57.]
Peter replies, that if a man believes him who comes
first, showing signs, he must of necessity, for the same
reason, believe him who comes second. When he be-
lieves the second one, he will learn from him that he
ought not to believe the first, who comes of evil. [Chs.
58 to 62.]
After the discussion, Simon sets out for Rome, and
Peter resolves to follow him. [Chs. 63 to 65.]
Following Simon Magus to Rome, we learn that he
there lost his life. In the Encyclopedia Americana it
is stated that he perished in an aeronautic expedition;
giving as authority, Eusebius and Suetonius. Suetoni-
us, in relating the cruel sports and games which Nero
instituted for his own diversion, merely says, "Icarus
fell, splashed with blood." From which the reader
may infer, only, that Nero had compelled some one to
attempt the flight of Icarus. The story is to be traced
to "THE ACTS OF PETER AND PAUL."
From that book, we take the following:
"When, consequently, the people were making a seditious murmuring, Si-
mon, moved with zeal, roused himself, and began to say many evil things
about Peter; saying that he was a wizard and a cheat. And they believed
Simon, wondering at his miracles. For he made a brazen serpent move itself,
and stone statues to laugh, and move themselves, and himself to run, and
suddenly to be raised into the air. As a set-off to this, Peter healed the sick
by a word, by praying made the blind to see, and put demons to flight by a
command. Sometimes, he even raised the dead. Those who adhered to Si-
mon, strongly affirmed Peter to be a magian."
The matter coming to the ears of Nero, he ordered
Simon the Magian to be brought before him.
"And he, coming in, stood before him, and began suddenly to assume dif-
112 SECOND PERIOD. A.D. 80 TO A. D. 120.
ferent forms; so that on a sudden he became a child, and after a little an old
man, and at other times, a young man. For he changed himself both' in face
and stature, into different forms, and was in a frenzy, having the devil as his-
servant.
"And Nero, beholding this, supposed him to be truly the Son of God. But
the apostle Peter showed him to be both a liar and a wizard. 1 '
After considerable conversation, Nero says:
"Art thou not afraid, Peter, of Simon, who confirms
his godhead by his deeds?"
Peter replies, that Simon does not know the hidden
thoughts of men.
Nero said, "Do you mean me to believe, that Simon
does not know those things, who both raised a dead
man, and presented himself the third day after he had
been beheaded, and who has done whatever he said he
would do?"
Peter said, "But he did not do it before me." Nero
said, "But he did all these things before me. For assu-
redly, he ordered angels to come to him, and they
came." Peter still demanded, that Simon should tell
what was in his thoughts. Simon made the same chal-
lenge to Peter. Peter then demanded of Simon, to
know what he, Peter, had just done in secret. For,
having taken a barley-loaf, he had broken it, and hid it
in his sleeves.
"Then Simon, enraged that he was not able to tell the secret of the apostle,
cried out, saying: 'Let great dogs come forth, and eat him up, before Csesar.'
And suddenly there appeared great dogs, who rushed at Peter. But he,,
stretching forth his hands to pray, showed to the dogs the loaf which he had
blessed, and the dogs, seeing it, no longer appeared. 1 '
"Simon said, 'Dost thou believe, Good Emperor, that I, who was dead
and rose again, am a magician? 1 "
[The writer of the Acts of Peter and Paul here explains how Nero had
been deceived by Simon; stating, that as Simon was to be beheaded, he
had requested that it be done in a dark place; and when the executioner
came, and was about to strike the blow, Simon turned himself into a ram.
He so remained until the ram's head was taken off, when he became him-
self again. On the third day, he appeared, as if risen from the dead.]
AGE OF MIRACLES. SIMON MAGUS. 113
Then followed a conversation in which Nero, Simon,
Peter, and Paul also, who was present, participated.
Nero, not being able to satisfy himself, says: "The
three of you show that your reasoning is uncertain;
and thus in all things you have made me doubt, so that
I find I can give credit to none of you."
Simon now proposes to Nero, that if he will build a
high wooden tower, he will go to the top, and thence fly
through the air, attended by his angels; and thus give
open evidence of his divinity.
Nero agrees to the proposal, and the next day builds
the tower. Simon goes upon it, and commences flying
in the air, attended by his angels. Peter, looking stead-
fastly at him, prays to the Lord to stop him. His pray-
er is answered, and Simon falls headlong, in a place
called Sacra Via, or Holy Way, and perishes. '
This, no doubt, was the aeronautic expedition, allu-
ded to by the encyclopedic compiler, and to which he
supposed Suetonius to refer, when "Icarus fell splashed
with blood."
(1.) Ante Nicene Ch. Lib. vol. 16, pp. 263 to 273.
114 SECOND PERIOD. A. D. 80 TO A. D. 120.
CHAPTER IX. .
THE AGE OF M 1 R A C L E S .Concluded.
OTHER MIRACLES AND MIRACLE-WORKERS.
ALEXANDER ABONOTICHUS APULEIUS ANTINOUS JEWISH SUPERSTI-
TIONS MIRACLES OF THE FATHERS THE THUNDERING LEGION CHANGE
OP WATER INTO OIL, &c. THE MIRACLES OF THE NEW TESTAMENT.
ALEXANDER ABONOTICHUS. The satirist, Lucian, at
the request of Celsus, wrote an account of this cele-
brated impostor. The following is a condensed state-
ment of it, as reproduced by the historian, Froude:
Alexander was born at Abonotichus, a small town on the south shore of the
Black Sea, early in the second century. The boy was of unusual beauty.
He was taken up by a doctor, who had been a disciple of Apollonius. Alexan-
der's master was a magician, and he himself became an apt pupil.
At the age of twenty, when his master died, he set up for himself. He
started for Byzantium, the great mart of ancient commerce. Here he became
acquainted with one Cocconas, by whom he was introduced to a wealthy Ma-
cedonian lady. She fell in love with him, and took him and his friend with
her, to her country seat at Pella. Here the two friends laid plans for the fu-
ture. They purchased a large, tame snake; took it with them when they left
Pella, and by the aid of the serpent, made a business of fortune-telling.
They repaired to Abonotichus. From Chalcedon they brought some brass
plates, which had been discovered buried, and which bore an inscription, that
AGE OF MIRACLES. ALEXANDER ABONOTIGHUS. 115
Apollo and Esculapius were about to appear at Pontus. The people of Abo-
notichus commenced building a temple for Alexander, who now soon acquired
great reputation and renown.
Lucian describes him as he then appeared; tall, majestic, extremely hand-
some hair long and flowing, complexion fair, a moderate beard, partly his
own and partly false, but the imitation excellent; eyes large and lustrous, and
voice sweet and limped. "As to his character," says he, "God grant that 1
may never meet with such another. His cunning was wonderful, his dexterity
matchless. His eagerness for knowledge, his capacity for learning and power
of memory, were equally extraordinary."
He made for the serpent a human face, of linen, which was painted in an
ingenious manner, and so arranged that the mouth would open and shut, and
this was the face of Esculapius. From it he delivered oracles and spoke in
unknown tongues.
The temple was finished, the god was formally established in it, and the or-
acles became a permanent institution. People flocked from all parts of Asia
Minor, to consult them. Immense treasures flowed into the coffers of Alex-
4
ander.
"The air was full of miracles. The sick were healed; the dead were raised
to life." The Christians considered him a missionary of the devil.
Among his dupes was Rutelian, a senator, in high favor with the emperor.
There was a girl, said to be the daughter of Selene, the moon, and Alexan-
der. She is declared to be destined for Rutelian, and the marriage is celebra-
ted with great pomp and splendor.
'Lucian himself visited Alexander and endeavored to expose him. He frank-
ly admits that the attempt was a complete failure. When the prophet gave
him his hand to kiss, Lucian bit it to the bone. For this, he came near pay-
ing the forfeit of his life. Alexander, concealing his pain and mortification,
treated Lucian with the utmost courtesy and kindness, and gave him a vessel
for his return home. The commander was secretly instructed to throw him
overboard. This he was too humane to do, but told Lucian, he should be
obliged to put him ashore, which he did; and Lucian found himself in Bi-
thynia, a long way from home.
He returned, a wiser man, and the prophet continued to flourish. The em-
peror bestowed distinctions upon him. He lived to be an old man, and died in
the acme of his fame.
116 SECOND PERIOD. A.D.SQ TO A.D. 120.
APULEIUS. Some of the early writers speak of Apu-
leius as a worker of miracles. He was a pagan philos-
opher of the Platonic school, born at Madaura, in Af-
rica.
He lived about A. D. 150. He was distinguished
for his eloquence, and stood high as a Latin writer.
Having married a rich widow at Tripoli, he was prose-
cuted by his relations, on a charge that he had, in his
courtship, made use of magical arts. He defended
himself, on that occasion, by an "apology," which is
still extant. There has also come down to us, another
of his works, entitled, "Metamorphosis, or the Golden
Ass;" supposed to have been a satire on the wealthy
debauchees of his time. Lactantius, referring to what
Hierocles had asserted, that Apollonius was greater
than Christ, because he rescued himself from Domi-
tian, while Christ was put to death, says it is some-
what strange that writers should pass over Apuleius, "of
whom many wonderful things are commonly said." l
ANTINOUS was a beautiful youth, a favorite of the
Emperor Hadrian. He was born in Bithynia. He ac-
companied Hadrian to Egypt, and was drowned in the
Nile, A. D. 132. A city called Antino-opolis, was built
by the emperor, near the spot where he. perished, and
countless statues were erected in his honor. Some of
them still exist, and are remarkable for their beauty.
Justin Martyr says he was worshipped as a god. 3
Origen says there were miracles wrought in many pla-
ces, 8 and Celsus mentions, as miracle-workers, Escula-
pius, Aristeas of Proconnesus, and Cleomedes of Asty-
palsea.
(1.) Lact. Inst. lib. 5, ch. 3.
(2.) 1st Apology, ch. 29.
(3.) Contra Celsum, 3. 3.
AGE OF MIRACLES. JEWISH Si'lEBSTITIONS. 117
JEWISH SUPERSTITIONS.
The Jews? were ever exceedingly superstitious. The miracles of the Old Tes-
tament are familiar to the reader. These were supplemented by an innu-
merable multitude of angels and demons of every description. .
The casting out of demons was familiar to the Jews, long before the coming
of Christ. In the Book of Tobit, the angel Raphael directs fumigation with
the heart and liver of a fish, in order to drive a demon out of a man or woman,
so that it will never return. The demon Asmodeus was in love with Sara, the
daughter of Raguel, and had strangled seven men who were going to marry
her; but by the process mentioned above, he was driven out, and flew into
Egypt, where he was bound by the angel. Book of Tobit, 6. 7; 3. 7; 6. 14, &c.
In the Book of Enoch, the names of twenty-one angels are given, who had
fallen, through love for the daughters of men. The offspring of these were
giants, whose height was 8,000 ells. From these come the evil demons
of earth.
h'aphael was the angel who presided over the spirits of men. Uriel was the
an <:! of thunder, earthquakes, &c. There were spirits controlling the winds
and the lightning, others over the seas, and still others over hail, snow, frost,
&c, &cSook of Enoch, ch. 69; chs. 7, 8, 9, 34, tfec.
The Jews believed the stars were animated beings. Gfrorer, das Yahr des
Hells, 1, p. 362.
Enoch saw seven stars bound together, and he enquired of the angel, on ac-
count of what sin they were bound. Uriel replied, they were stars which had
transgressed the commands of the highest God, and they were thus bound
till ten thousand worlds, the number of days of their transgression, should be
accomplished. [Chs. 21 and 18.]
The targums are full of similar views, concerning the stars and other heav-
enly bodies.
The multitude of angels was innumerable.
Each angel had a particular duty to perform. Michael was angel over wa-
ter, Jehuel over fire, Jechiel over wild beasts, and Anpiel over birds. Hariel
was appointed over cattle, Messannahel over reptiles, Deliel over fish, and
Samniel over created things moving in the waters, and over the face of the
earth. Ruchiel was set over the winds, Gabriel over thunder and fire, and
over the ripening of fruit. Nuriel over hail, Makturiel over rocks, Alpiel over
118 SECOND PERIOD. A.D. 80 TO A. D. 120.
fruit-bearing trees, Saroel over those which do not bear fruit, and Sandalfon
over the human race. Under each of these were subordinate angels. San-
Tied. 95. 2; ffisenmenger, Entd. Jitd. 2. 378. Sup. Eelig. wl. l,p. 108.
The demons were equally as numerous. They were in the air, on earth,
in the bodies of men and animals, and even at the bottom of the sea. They
were the offspring of the fallen angels who loved the daughters of men. Eis-
enmenger, Ent. Jud. 1. 380; 2. 437.
"Their number is infinite. The earth is so full of them, that if man had
power to see, he could not exist, on account of them. There are more demons
than men, and they are about as close as the earth thrown up out of a newly
made grave."
It was stated that each man had 10,000 demons at his right hand, and 1,000
on his left. "He who wishes to discover these spirits, must take sifted ashes,
and strew them about his bed, and in the morning he will perceive their foot-
prints upon them, like a cock's tread. If any one wishes to see them, he must
take the afterbirth of a black cat, which has been littered by a first born black
cat, whose mother was also a first birth, bum and reduce it to powder, and put
some of it in his eyes, and he will see them." Bab. Beracoth. 6. 1.
The casting out of demons, was an important feature in the Jewish theolog-
ical system. Dr Lightfoot says, "There was hardly any people in the whole
world, that more used, or were more fond of amulets, charms, mutterings, ex-
orcisms, and all kinds of enchantments." Lightfoot, HOTCB Heb. et Talm.
Works, 11. p. 299.
Josephus states, that among other gifts, God gave to Solomon knowledge
of the way to expel demons. He himself had seen a countryman of his own,
named Eleazar, release people possessed of devils, in the presence of the Em-
peror Vespasian, and his sons, and of his army. He put a ring, containing
one of the roots prescribed by Solomon, to the nose of the demoniac, and drew
the demon out by his nostrils, and in the name of Solomon, and reciting one
of his incantations, he adjured him to return no more. Antiquities of the Jews,
bk. 8, ch. 2, sec. 5.
MIRACLES OF THE FATHERS. These commence about
the middle of the second century. More than a hun-
dred years ago, Rev. Dr. Middleton, in his 'Free Enqui-
ry into the Miraculous Powers of the Christian church/
called attention to the fact, that in the writings of the
AGE OF MIEACLES. MIRACLES Of THE FATHERS. 119
apostolic fathers, [referring to those who had written
previous to about A. D. 150,] there was not the least
pretense to the possession of extraordinary gifts, nor
to any standing power of working miracles; and show-
ed that the claim in the second century, was first set
up about the time of Justin Martyr.
"Here then," said he, "we have an interval of about
half a century, the earliest and purest of all Chris-
tian antiquity, after the days of the apostles, in
which we find not the least reference to any standing
power of working miracles."
In the writings of Justin Martyr, [A. D. 150 to 160],
the claim to miraculous power was put forth with much
distinctness. He says:
"There are prophetical gifts among us at this day,
and both men and women are endued with extraordi-
nary powers by the spirit of God." 8
He frequently appeals to what he says every one
might see with his own eyes, in every part of the world,
and particularly in Rome, in the case of persons pos-
sessed with devils, "who were cured and set free, and
the devils themselves baffled and driven away, by the
Christians adjuring and exorcising them in the name
of Jesus, when all other exorcists and enchanters had
tried in vain to help them." ;
Justin says the angels to whom God had committed
the care of mankind, had been led away by love of the
daughters of men, and begat children, who are the de-
mons, who have corrupted the human race. 4
He thinks demoniacs are possessed and tortured by
the souls of the wicked dead. 6
(1.) Middleton's Miscellaneous Works, vol. 1, p. 8.
(2.) Dialogue, chapter 88. (3.) Apology, 2. 6.
(4.) Apol. 2. 5. Ibid. 1. 5, 14. (5.) Ibid. 1. 18.
120 SECOND PERIOD. A.D.8Q TO A. D. 120.
Irenseus [A. D. 190 to 200], affirms, that "all who are truly disciples of Je-
sus, receiving grace from him, wrought miracles in his name, for the good of
mankind, according to the gift which each man had received. Some cast out
devils, so that those from whom they were ejected, often turned believers, and
continued in the church. Others had the knowledge of future events, visions,
and prophetical sayings. Others healed the sick by the imposition of hands.
Even the dead had been raised, and lived afterward many years among them.
It was impossible to reckon up all the mighty works which the church per-
formed, every day, to the benefit of nations." Adv. Hcer. lib. 2, ch. 82.
And in regard to raising from the dead, he declares it to have been "fre-
quently performed on necessaiy occasions, when by great fasting, and the joint
supplication of the church of that place, the spirit of the dead person returned
into him, and the man was given back to tfce prayers of the saints." Adv.
Hcer. 2. 31.
Again: "We have many," says he, "in the church, endued with prophetic
gifts; speaking with ajl kinds of tongues, laying open the secrets of men, for
the public good." Ibid. 5. 6.
Clement of Alexandria [A. D. 200], says presiding an-
gels were distributed over nations and cities. That the
Son gave philosophy to the Greeks, by means of the in-
ferior angels, and argued that it was absurd to attrib-
ute it to the devil. l
Tertullian [A. D. 200 to 210], calls upon the heathen magistrates to "sum-
mon before their tribunal any person possessed with a devil; and if the evil
spirit, when exorcised by any Christian whatsoever, did not own himself to be
a devil, as truly, as in other places he would falsely call himself a god, not dar-
ing to tell a lie to a Christian, that then they should take the life of that Chris-
tian." Apology, ch. 23.
Again: "There is a sister among us, endued with the gifts of revelations,
which she suffers in the church, during the time of divine service, by an ecsta-
sy, in the spirit. She converses with angels, and sometimes also with the
Lord; sees and hears mysteries; and knows the hearts of some, and prescribes
medicines to those who want them." De Anima, sec. 9.
He has a disquisition concerning angels and demons,
in which he enters into minute details. 2
He gives the case of a woman who went to a thea-
ter, and came back possessed by a demon; and on be-
ing cast out, the evil spirit said he had a right to act
(1.) Stromata, 6. 17.
(2.) Apol. sec. 22; Ad. Scapulain, sec. 2.
AGE OF MIRACLES. MIRACLES OF THE FATHERS. 121
as he did, having found her within his limits. *
Origen, [A. D. 230], was of the opinion, that certain
demons, offspring of the Titans or giants, who haunt
the grosser parts of bodies, and the unclean places of
the earth, had the power of divining the future. a
After fully discussing the question, and citing many
passages of scripture, he comes to the conclusion, that
the sun, moon and stars are living, rational beings. 8
He says many could heal the sick, by invoking the
name of God over them, and of Jesus, with a recital of
some story of his life. "I myself," says he, "have seen
many so healed in difficult cases; loss of senses, mad-
aess, and innumerable other evils, which neither men
nor devils could cure." '
Theophilus, Bishop of Antioch [A. D. 180], says that
evil and seducing spirits were exorcised, and cast out
in his day. *
Mimicius Felix, [3d century], addressing himself to his heathen friend, in
his Dialogue of "Octavius", says, "The greatest part of you know what con-
fessions the demons make, concerning themselves, as oft as they are expelled
by us, out of the bodies of men, by the torture of our words, and the fire of
our speech. Saturn himself, and Serapis, and Jupiter, and the rest, of them,
whom you worship, constrained by the pain which they feel, confess what they
are. 1 ' Minuc. Octav. p. &!, cli. i!7.
Cyprian [A. D. 250], Arnobius [A. D. 303], and Lac-
tantius [A. D. 310], all give testimony, in similar lan-
guage, to the casting out of devils, and evil spirits, by
the Christians. 6
Eusebius had similar views. T
(1.) De Spectaculis, sec. 26.
(2.) Contra Celsum, 4. 92; 8. 11.
(8.) De Principiis, 1. 7, sec. 3; Contra Gels. 5. 10, 11.
(4.) Ibid. lib. 3, ch. 24.
(5.) Ad Autolycum.
(6.) Cyprian, Epist; Arnobius, lib. 1, 46; Lactantius, Divin. Inst. 1. 2,
c. 16.
(7. 1 Prsep. Evang. 5. 2.
122 SECOND PERIOD. A. D. 80 TO A. D. 120.
Tertullian relates that a woman, whom he knew, a
member of the church, after having died, when the
presbyter was praying for her, removed her hands from
her sides, and folded them in the attitude of suppli-
cation. *
Even the great Augustine relates a number of most
astounding miracles, which were performed in the
church, in his immediate neighborhood. a
THE THUNDERING LEGION. Eusebius quotes from a
lost work of Claudius Apollinaris, his account of a re-
markable answer to prayer, received, about A. D. 175 r
by the Christian soldiers of the Emperor Marcus Aure-
lius, in his war with the Quadri. Tertullian, writing
about A. D. 200, in a public apology, also urges the same
fact.
The incident referred to was this:
"It is said, that when Marcus Aurelius Caesar was forming his troops in
order of battle, against the Germans and Sannatians, he was reduced to ex-
tremities, by a failure of water."
Thereupon, in answer to the prayers of the Christian soldiers of the Melitine
Legion, so called, there came thunderbolts, which caused the enemy's flight
and overthrow. And upon the emperor's army, a rain, "which restored it en-
tirely, when it was all but perishing by thirst." Euseb. Ecc. Hist. 5. 5.
This circumstance we mention, not because there is
any miracle connected with it, even in appearance;
since there is nothing miraculous in a sudden shower,
or in a superstitious people being frightened by thun-
derbolts; but because of the great prominence which
has been given to it, in what might be called miraculous
literature.
Much has been written upon it. Dion Cassius attrib-
utes the occurrence and the preservation of the army
to an Egyptian magician, by the name of Amuphis. Ju-
lius Capitolinus attributes it to the emperor's prayers.
(1.) De Anima, sec. 51. (2.) De Civ. Dei, 22. 8.
AGE OF MIRACLES. TEE THUNDERING LEGION. 123
Themistius the same. Baronius, Moyle, Scaliger, Yale-
sius and others have written about it; and more lately,
Dr. John Henry Newman has devoted fourteen pages to
it, at the close of which, he concludes it to have been
a very noted miracle. *
There was no doubt, an occurrence of the kind; the-
army, when in dire extremity, having been relieved by
a sudden fall of rain. This we learn from Dion Gas-
sius and other heathen writers, and from a sculpture
on the celebrated Antonine Column at Eome, where is
a figure of Jupiter Pluvius, scattering lightning and
rain, the enemy and their horses lying prostrate, and
the Eomans, sword in hand, rushing upon them.
We hear nothing of any connection of Christians in
the transaction, except from Tertullian and Eusebius,
and those who copied from them.
As to the Christian legion, called, according to Euse-
bius, the Melitine Legion, which he represents as after-
ward remaining intact, Moyle says there were few or no
Christians in the army; and adds, "I would as soon be-
lieve my Lord Marlborough had a whole regiment
of Quakers in his army, as that Antoninus had a whole
legion of Christians in his. 3
Then, as to the name "Thundering," applied to the
Melitine Legion, which Eusebius makes Apollinaris
say, the emperor gave to it on account of this transac-
tion, the fact is, that one of the Eoman Legions liad
that name, from the time of Augustus Caesar.
TURNING WATER INTO OIL. Narcissus, Bishop of Je-
rusalem, when oil failed for lamps, at the vigil of East-
er, sent the persons who had the care of them, to the
(1.) Two Essays on Scripture Miracles, &c., London, 1870, 2d Edn. pp. 240
to 254.
(2.) Moyle's Posthumous Works, vol. 2, pp. 84, 85.
124 SECOND PERIOD. A.D.SQ TO A.D.m.
neighboring well for water. When they brought it, he
prayed over it, and it was changed into oil. At least,
so says Eusebius. * Narcissus was made bishop about
180.
This reported miracle has been the occasion of learn-
ed disquisitions by Dodwell, Jortin and many others.
Newman devotes several pages to it, and closes by say-
ing, that while he cannot say positively that he be-
lieves it, yet he has no doubt about it. 2
From the list of noted miracles discussed by Dr.
Newman, these two have been mentioned, because
they are said to have occurred in the second century.
It is a significant fact, that they both come, either
originally, or with important accessions, from Euse-
bius.
APOCRYPHAL WRITINGS.
From the middle of the second century, and even earlier, the Christian
world was flooded with anonymous writings of a religious character, filled
with miracles of every description. There was a morbid demand for that kind
of literature. At a later day, these writings were styled apocryphal.
There were gospels, acts, revelations, epistles, &c. &c.
The Revelation of Moses, gives a long history of Adam and Eve. The Rev-
elation of Esdra, resembles somewhat the Apocalypse of John. The Revela-
tion of Paul is of the same sort, relating at great length, the wonderful things
revealed to Paul, when he went up to the third heaven, and was caught up
into paradise, and heard unspeakable words. [2d Cor. 12. 4.] There is an-
other Revelation of John, the Book of John concerning the Falling Asleep
of Mary, the Passing [Translation] of Mary, &c.
The Acts of Peter and Paul, the Acts of Paul and Thecla, and the story
of Perpetua, have been already mentioned.
The Acts of Barnabas relate the journeyings, the miracles and martyrdom
of that apostle.
Finding a town, called Curium, was very wicked, he rebuked it, and the
' western part fell, "so that many were wounded, and many of them also died."
(1.) Ecclesiastical Hist. 6. 9. (2.) Essays on Miracles, p. 259.
AGE OF MIRACLES. APOCRYPHAL WRITINGS. 125
THE ACTS OF PHILIP. Nicanora, wife of the proconsul of Hierapolis,
having been converted and healed of her sickness by the preaching of Philip,
her husband was so enraged, that he caused them both, with Bartholomew, to
be scourged, and the two apostles to be hanged, Philip head downward. In
this position, Philip has a long conversation with Bartholomew, and preaches
a discourse to those standing about. When Mariamne was stripped, her body
was changed, and became a glass chest filled with light.
THE ACTS AND MARTYRDOM OP ANDREW. Andrew has a discussion with
JDgeates, the proconsul. ^Egeates, becoming very angry, has Andrew cruci-
fied. Afterward, he was himself tormented by the devil, and came to a vio-
lent death.
Besides these, there were the Acts of Andrew and Matthias, in the City
of the Man-Eater, the Acts of Peter and Andrew, the Acts and Martyrdom
of St. Matthew, the Acts of the Holy Apostle Thomas, and many others.
Fabricius has a list of Apocryphal Acts, 36 in number. Some of them are
written very much in the style of the Acts of the Apostles.
THE MIRACLES OF THE NEW TESTAMENT.
When we turn to the miracles of the New Testa-
ment, we instinctively feel like making them an excep-
tion to the mass of wonders of that age. How much
of this feeling may be owing to education and associa-
tion, we will not stop to enquire; and perhaps it would
not be found easy to determine.
The fact, however, cannot be ignored, that there is
no evidence showing that either of the five books in
which these miracles are recorded, was written until
nearly one hundred and fifty years after the transac-
tions are said to have occurred. How much earlier the
manuscripts existed from which these books were com-
piled, is not known. None of them can be clearly
traced to the first century.
126 SECOND PERIOD. A.D. 80 TOA.D.12Q.
Other facts will bear consideration. A large number
of these miracles consist in casting out demons from
human beings. But the doctrine of demons, is a doc-
trine of the past. It is now recognized and admitted,
that from the beginning, the demons have existed on-
ly subjectively, as forms of doctrine and belief. What
then becomes of this class of miracles?
If, without irreverence, we carefully examine even
the most imposing class of New Testament miracles,
looking upon them at the same time as violations of
known laws of nature, (without which, a miracle los-
es its force and meaning), we meet with very serious
obstacles, in the way of giving them implicit credence.
In the case of Jairus' daughter, we have but to take
the explicit language of Jesus himself, "The maid is
not dead, but sleepeth."
There are two other reported cases of raising from
the dead, in the canonical gospels. The raising of the
son of the widow of Nain, is found only in the compi-
lation of Luke. The authorship of the manuscript
containing it and the time when it was written, are in-
volved in obscurity.
The raising of Lazarus, and the turning of water into
wine, the two transactions most plainly contravening
the laws of nature, are only related in the Gospel of
John; the author of that work having probably taken
them from the Acts of Pilate.
Why do the other canonical gospels contain no men-
tion of those stupendous miracles?
AGE OF MIRACLES. THE MIRACLES OF THE N. T. 127
How can the belief in miracles, be of any import-
ance, in the Christian system? If the doctrines and
precepts of the Christian religion, are adapted to the
nature of man, and in harmony with the divine econ-
<omy of the universe, they will stand, through all time.
If not, they will fall. The changing of one element or
substance into another, or even the raising of a person
from the dead, cannot make wrong right, or change
the truth into a falsehood.
This great truth was all but comprehended by Ter-
tullian, intellectually the most vigorous of all the ear-
ly fathers. He declared that the proof of the Christian
religion by miracles, was inconclusive; "because/' said
he, "Jesus Christ has assured his disciples, that some
would arise, who should work false miracles."
Adv. Marcion^ 3. 3.
Archbishop Trench falls into the same line of argu-
ment:
"A miracle does not prove the truth of a doctrine, or the divine mission
of him that brings it to pass. The doctrine must first commend itself to the
conscience as being good, and only then can the miracle seal it as divine."
JVotes on the Miracles of our Lord, Sth Edn. 1866, p. 25.
The same view is taken by Mozly and others. But
if the doctrine has received the sanction of the con-
science as good, is it not already divine? And what
need of the miracle afterward?
We gladly accept the views of these eminent divines,
and hail them as a long step forward, in that progress
which will bring science and religion into harmony, as
tout different phases of universal law.
128 THIRD PERIOD. A. D. 120 TO A. D. 130.
THIRD PERIOD. A. D. 120 TO A. D. 130.
THE THREE APOCRYPHAL GOSPELS.
CHAPTER X.
EXTANT GOSPELS OF THE SECOND CENTURY.
THE PROTEVANGELION.
Of the extant gospels of the second century, the
three most ancient are, the Protevangelion, or Book of
James, the Gospel of the Infancy, and the Acts of Pi-
late, or Gospel of Mcodemus.
The Protevangelion was attributed to the apostle
James, and was called by Origen, The Book of James.'
It is generally considered one of the oldest gospels
of the second century; probably appearing about the
third decade. The name, 'First Gospel, 7 would indicate
it to be the first of certain writings of the kind.
The following is an abstract of its contents:
THE PROTEVANGELION.
CHAPTER 1. An account ot Joachim, and of the refusal of his offerings, in
the temple, which were despised, because he had no children.
CHAPS. 2 and 3. Anna, the wife of Joachim, mourns her barrenness, and
has a conversation upon the subject, with her maid, Judith.
APOCRYPHAL GOSPELS. THE PROTEVANGELION. 129
CHAPS. 4 to 7. The angel announces to Anna, that she is to have a child.
She brings forth a daughter, and calls her name Mary.
When Mary was nine, months old, she walked nine steps. When she wus a
year old, Joachim gave a great feast to the priests, scribes, elders, and all the
people of Israel.
When she was three years old, they took her to the temple, accompanied by
the daughters of the Hebrews, carrying lamps.
CHAPS. 8 and 9. She continued in the temple, and received her food from
the hand of an angel. When she was twelve years old, the priests met in con-
sultation, to determine what to do with her. Zacharias, the high priest,
consulting the Lord, was told to summon the widowers with their rods, <(;.
The priest took the rods, and went into the temple to pray. After finishing
his prayer, he came out and distributed the rods.
"The last rod was taken by Joseph, and behold, a dove proceeded out of the
rod, and flew upon the head of Joseph." The high priest then designated
Joseph, as the one to take the virgin.
"But Joseph refused, saying: 'I am an old man, and have children; but she
is young, and I fear lest I should appear ridiculous in Israel.' " The priest
insisting, Joseph took her to his house, and then went away, to mind his trade
of building.
CHAP. 10. Mary selected by the prieste to spin the true purple, for ;:
veil for the temple.
CHAP. 11. The announcement to Mary by the angel. Similar to Luk-
CHAP. 12. Mary visits her cousin Elizabeth. Similar to the account in
Luke. She is now 14 years old.
CHAPS. 13 and 14. Joseph, returning from building houses abroad, found
the virgin with child, and reproached her. Mary protested her inno
saying, she knew not how it had occurred.
Joseph was about to put her away, when an angel appeared, and dissu;: <!<!
him from it. Joseph then took the virgin, glorifying God.
CHAPS. 15 and 16. Joseph and Mary were brought before the pries'
cused of having violated her virginity; Joseph having taken her, merely to
keep as a virgin.
Joseph was required to drink holy water, which he did, unharmed. He was
then acquitted.
CHAPS. 17 and 18. Joseph and Mary went to Bethlehem to be taxed. As
Mary's time drew near, they were obliged to stop, three miles from Bethlelv -:a.
Mary was taken into a cave, and left, with Joseph's sons, while Joseph went
to Bethlehem after a midwife. On the way, he saw various prodigies. Fowls
of the air, stopping in the midst of their flight; people sitting before a table
at dinner, their hands on the table motionless; sheep standing still, the shep-
herd with his hand raised to smite them, his hand remaining motionless: IT* .
with their mouths to the water, but not drinking.
130 THIRD PERIOD. A D. 120 TO A. D. 130.
CHAPS. 19 and 20. Joseph met a midwife. As they approached the cave, a
bright cloud overshadowed it, and going in, they found Jesus was born. Sa-
lome came to the cave, and desiring proof that Mary was a virgin, proof was
vouchsafed. But as a result, Salome's hand immediately withered. She pray-
ed to the Lord; an angel appeared, and told her to take the child, and her
hand would be restored. She took the child, and her hand was made whole.
CHAP. 21. Wise men came from the east to Bethlehem, enquiring for the
King of the Jews. The interview between Herod and the wise men. Similar
to Matthew.
CHAPS. 22 to 24. Herod, having issued his order for the slaughter of the
children, "Mary, hearing that the children were to be killed, being under much
fear, took the child, and wrapped him up in swaddling-clothes, and laid him
in an ox-manger, because there was no room for them in the inn."
Elizabeth, hearing that her son John was to be searched for, took him, and
went up into the mountains. There a mountain opened and received them.
Zachanas, because he would not disclose the hiding place of his son John, was
murdered in the entrance of the temple. When Zacharias was killed, "the
roofs of the temple howled, and were rent from the top to the bottom, and his
blood was congealed to stone. 1 '
CHAP. 25. CONCLUSION. "I, James, wrote this history in Jerusalem; and
when the disturbance was, I retired into a desert place, until the death of
Herod. And the disturbance ceased at Jerusalem."
OPINIONS OF THE FATHERS.
The account in the Protevangelion, of the murder of
Zacharias, father of John the Baptist, was generally
accredited by the fathers. It is mentioned and endors-
ed by Tertullian, ' by Origen, 2 by Epiphanius, 3 by The-
ophilact, 4 and others.
The Protevangelion says, Zacharias was killed at the
entrance of the temple, and his blood was hardened in-
to stone. [Ch. 24.]
Tertullian says, Zacharias was killed between the al-
tar and the temple, and the drops of his blood made
indelible impressions on the stones.
(1.) Scorpiac. adv. Gnost. c. 8.
(2.) Horn. 26, in Matt. 23, fol. 49.
(8.) De Vit. Prophet, vol. 2, p. 250, (attributed to Epiphanius.)
(4.J In Matt
APOCRYPHAL GOSPELS. THE PROTEVANGELION. 131
As has been already mentioned, the circumstance of
Joseph being an old man when Mary was betrothed to
him, and having had children by a former wife, was ac-
credited by the fathers generally. The Protevangeliou
was here supported by the Gospel of Peter.
Origen it is true, only refers to it as believed by some,
but others adopt it implicitly. Eusebius says James
was called the brother of Christ, because he was
also called the son of Joseph. ' Epiphanius says the
same, u and in another place, that Joseph was about
fourscore years old when he married Mary; and had six
children before that time, by a former wife; 3 and again,
writing against a sect which denied the perpetual vir-
ginity of Mary, he says:
"Joseph was very old when he married Mary, and had been many years
a widower; that he was the brother of Clophas, the son of James, sin-
named Panther; that he had his first wife of the tribe of Judah, and by her
six children, to wit, four sons and two daughters. His eldest son was James,
surnamed Oblias, (this proUiidy Taken from Eusebius, Ecc. Hist. 2. 23), that he
begat him when he was about forty years old; after him he had another son
naint'd Jose, then Simeon and Judas, and then his two daughters Mary and
Salome: after his wife's death, he continued many years a widower, and about
fourscore years old, married Mary." Epiph. Hwes. 78. sec. 8.
So also was the account in the Protevangelion ac-
cepted as true by Hilary, 4 by-Chrysostom, [A. D. 407],
Cyril [A. D. 375], by Euthimius and Theophylact, and
generally, as Bishop Pearson says, 5 by all the Latin fa-
thers till Ambrose, [A. D, 390], and the Greek fathers
afterward.
Epiphanius refers, also, to the death of Zacharias, but
there is a wide departure from the account in the Pro-
tevangelion.
(1.) Ecc. Hist. 2. 1. (2.) Hseres. 29; Naz. sec. 3, 4.
(0.) Hseres. 51; Alogor. sec. 10.
(4.) In Matth. 1. (5.) On the Creed, p. 175, Art. 3.
132 THIRD PERIOD. A. D. 120 TO A. D. 130.
"It was" he says, "the occasion of the death of Zacharias in the temple,
that when he had seen a vision, he through surprise was willing to disclose it,
and his mouth was stopped. That which he saw, was at the time of offering
incense; and it was a man standing in the form of an ass.
"When he had gone out, and had a mind to speak thus to the people, 'Wo
unto you, whom do ye worship?' he who had appeared to him in the temple,,
took away the use of his speech. Afterwards, when he recovered it, and was
able to speak, he declared this to the Jews, and they slew him. They add,
that on this very account, the high priest was appointed by their lawgiver, to
carry little bells, that whensoever he went into the temple to sacrifice, he
whom they worshiped, hearing the noise of the bells, might have time enough,
to hide himself, and not be caught in that ugly shape and figure." Epiph.
Hew. 79. 5.
That Mary, at three years of age, was taken to the
temple, and remained there eleven years, was received
as true by Euodius, Gregory of Nyssen, [380], Damas-
cene, [725], Germanus, Bishop of Constantinople, An-
dreas Cretensis, [675], George bishop of Mcomedia and
others. '
The Protevangelion was not condemned by the de-
cree of Pope Gelasius.
Jones was mistaken in supposing that Epiphanius
and Austin were the first writers who had recog-
nized the Protevangelion. a Origen mentioned it as 'the
Book of James; 5 Tertullian was acquainted with it,
and still earlier, Justin Martyr.
The fact that Christ was born in a cave, is frequently
alluded to in the writings of the fathers. Thus Greg-
ory Nyssen [380], says:
"We are indeed, cheered by the gospel, when we revert to the speech at
Bethlehem, and when we contemplate the divine mysteries in the cave."
"tfTtTjhaio) /uvdrypia." Greg. Nys. Op. vol. 3, p. 348. [See also, the chap-
ter of this work entitled, 'Justin Martyr. 1 ]
(1.) See Baronius, [1588], Apparat. ad Annal. no. 48.
(2.) Jeremiah Jones, New Method, &c. vol. 2, p. 144.
APOCRYPHAL GOSPELS. THE PROTEVANGELION. 133
CHAPTER XI.
THE PROTEVANGELION,
AND THE GOSPELS OF LUKE AND MATTHEW.
THE PKOTEVANGELION ONE OF THE MANUSCRIPTS USED IN THE COM-
PILATIONS 01 LIKE AND MATTHEW THE PROTEVANGELION AND THE
FJKST TWO < 11 \i'i I:HS OP LUKE AND MATTHEW COMPARED. WHICH WAS
Fills'! 1 V.KITTKX?
Dr. Frederick Schleiermacher, who is styled, in the
Imperial Dictionary of Biography, "the most influen-
tial theologian of Protestant Germany, that has ap-
peared during the present century," in an able essay,
has shown, that the Gospel of Luke consists, almost
entirely, of a compilation of manuscripts, older than
the time of the compiler.
Speaking of the first and second chapters, he says:
"It is impossible, at the outset, to avoid observing the great difference of
style, between the introductory passage, (ch. 1, w. 1 to 4), and this section
(balance of chs. 1 and 2); since from very tolerable and well constructed
Greek, which even makes some attempts at elegance, we suddenly drop into
the harshest Hebraistic phraseology; so that one is loth to attribute both to the
same hand." Critical Essay on Luke, p. 2l,Edn. London, 1825.
Again:
"If we compare the end of the first chapter with the beginning of the second,
we can scarcely remain in doubt, that the section from verse 5 to the end of
the chapter, (ch. 1), was originally an independent whole. In the first place,
the 80th verse is an evident form of conclusion.
"To this it may be added, that if it were the same narrator who is proceeding
in the second chapter, many things ought to be differently stated." Ib. p. 22.
134 TH1ED PERIOD. A. D. 120 TO A. D. 130.
"Thus then we begin, by detaching the first chapter as an originally inde-
pendent composition. If we consider it in this light somewhat more closely
we cannot resist the impression, that it was originally, rather a little poetical
work, than a properly historical narrative. The latter supposition in its strict-
est sense, at all events, no one will adopt; or contend that the angel Gabriel
announced the advent of the Messiah, in figures so purely Jewish, and in ex-
pressions taken mostly from the Old Testament; or the alternate song between
Elizabeth and Mary actually took place in the manner described; or that
Zachariah, at the instant of recovering his speech, made use of it to utter the
hymn, without being disturbed by the joy and surprise of the company, by
which the narrator himself allows his description to be interrupted.
"At all events then, we should be obliged to suppose that the author made
additions of his own, and enriched the historical narrative by the lyrical
effusions of his own genius. But even in the historical part, there is much
that will not admit of being understood as literal narrative. In the first
place, the whole chronology depends on the circumstance, which the author
was desirous of introducing, that the child in Elizabeth's womb leaped for joy
at Mary's approach. Mary is on this account, made to defer her visit till af-
ter the fifth month; and in order to leave no chasm in the whole, the angel v
for the same reason, is made to come to her no sooner. Immediately after the
annunciation, she sets out, and stays three months with her cousin; a cir-
cumstance also very improbable, on account of her own approaching nuptials
in order that upon her return, the birth of Jesus might be immediately sub-
joined.
"Similar to this is the circumstance, that Zacharias is punished with dumb-
ness for his unbelief, and thus contrasted with Mary, who breaks forth, under
divine inspiration, into songs of praise; and yet that, although his unbelief
must long before have ceased, he does not recover his speech till the instant,,
when, by confirming the name, he solemnly recognizes the angel's declaration
of his son's calling.
"If to this we add the whole grouping, the angel coming to Zacharias, and
announcing the last prophet of the old covenant in the temple, the same com-
ing afterward to Mary, and announcing the advent of the Messiah in the des-
pised Nazareth, the meeting of Mary and Elizabeth, the winding up of the
whole by the restoration of Zacharias to speech, and his hymn, which form the-
conclusion, there naturally presents itself to us, a pleasing little composition,,
completely in the style and manner of several Jewish poems, still extant among
our apocryphal writings-, written in all probability, originally in Aramaic, by a
Christian of the more liberal Judaizing school, and of the general style of
which, a faithful image is conveyed in the early severe school of Christian
painting. Essay on Luke, by Schleiermacher, pp. 24 to 26.
The Protevangelion, which is one of the extant apoc-
ryphal writings alluded to, is in the Greek language,
but is filled with Hebraisms, showing it to have been.
APOCRYPHAL GOSPELS. THE PROTEVANGELION. 135
written by a Hellenic Jew: and justifying the supposi-
tion of our author, that it was originally in the Ara-
maic tongue.
The following comparison of the tw T o gospels, will,
it is believed, sustain the inference of Schleiermacher,
that the apocryphal gospel, so called, was first written:
[We have consulted the original Greek text, from the Orthodoxographa
of Grynaeus, p. 71, <fec,]
THE PROTEVANGELION
COMPARED WITH LUKE AND MATTHEW.
PROTEVANGELION, ch. 11.
And she [Mary] took a pitcher, and
went out to fill it with wat-r. And
behold, a voice, saying: Hail, full of
the Lord is with thee;
blessed
art thou among women.
And she looked around, to the right
and to the left, to see whence this voice
And trembling, she went into
LUKE, ch. 1.
v. 26. And in the sixth month the
angel Gabriel was sent from God, unto
a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,
27. To a virgin espoused to a man
whose name was Joseph, of the house
of David; and the virgin's name (was)
Mary.
28. And the angel came in unto her,
and said. Hail (thou that art) highly fa-
vored, the Lord is with thee : blessed
art thou among women.
29. And when she saw him, she was
in her seat, to work it.
the angel of the Lord [one version n-a<N,
"a young man of ineifable beauty,"]
stood by her, and said: Fear not, Mary;
for thou hast found favor with God.
And behold ! mindwhatmanner of 8alutation tms
When she heard this, she reasoned
with herself, What sort of salutation
is this to me? And the angel said un-
to her, The Lord is with thee, and thou
shalt conceive. And shall I conceive,
said she, by the living God, and bring
forth as other women do V
The angel replied, Not so Mary, for
the Holy Ghost shall come upon thee,
and the power of the Highest shall over-
shadow thee; therefore also the holy
30. And the angel said unto her,
Fear not, Mary; for thou hast found fa-
vor with God.
31. And behold, thou shalt conceive
in thy womb, and bring forth a son,
and shalt call his name Jesus.
32. He shall be great, and shall be
called the Son of the Highest; and the
Lord God shall give unto him the throne
of his father David.
33. And he shall reign over the house
of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom
there shall be no end.
34. Then said Mary unto the angel,
how shall this be, seeing 1 know not
a man?
35. And the angel answered and
said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall
come upon thee, and the power of the
Highest shall overshadow thee; there-
fore also, that holy thing which shall
136 THIRD PERIOD.
A.D. 120 TO A.D. 130.
PKOTEVANGELION, ch. 11.
thing which shall be born of thee shall
be called the Son of the living God.
And thou shalt call his name Jesus,
for he shall save his people from their
sins.
And behold thy cousin Elizabeth, she
has also conceived a son in her old
age. And this is the sixth month with
her who was called barren.
For nothing shall be impossible
with God.
And Maiy said, behold the hand-
maid of the Lord; be it unto me ac-
cording to thy word.
CHAPTER 12.
And she wrought the purple, and
took it to the high priest. And the
high priest blessed her, saying : Mary ,
the Lord God hath magnified thy
name, and thou shalt be blessed in all
the generations of the earth.
Then Mary, filled with joy, went
away to her cousin Elizabeth, and
knocked at the door.
When Elizabeth heard, she ran, and
opened to her, and blessed her,
And said: Whence is this to me,
that the mother of my Lord should
come to me ?
For lo, as soon as the voice of thy
salutation came to my ears, that which
is within me, leaped and blessed thee.
But Mary, being ignorant of those
mysterious things, which the archan-
gel Gabriel had spoken to her, lifted
up her eyes to heaven, and said : Lord,
what am I, that all the generations
of the earth should call me blessed?
But as day by day, she grew big, be-
ing afraid, she went to her home, and
'iid herself from the children of Israel.
She was fourteen years old, when
these mysteries happened.
LUKE, ch. 1.
be born of thee, shall be called the Son
of God.
36. And behold, thy cousin Eliza-
beth, she hath also conceived a son in
her old age; and this is the sixth month
with her who was called barren :
37. For with God nothing shall be
impossible.
38. And Mary said, Behold the
aandinaid of tfie Lord; be it unto me
according to thy word. And the an-
gel departed from her.
39. And Mary arose in those days,
and went into the hill-country with
laste, into a city of Judsea,
40. And entered into the house of
Zacharias, and saluted Elizabeth.
41. And it came to pass, that when
Elizabeth heard the salutation of Ma-
ry, the babe leaped in her womb; And
Elizabeth was filled with the Holy
Ghost.
42. And she spake out with a loud
voice, and said: Blessed art thou
among women, and blessed is the fruit
of thy womb.
43. And whence is this to me, that
the mother of my Lord should come to
me?
44. For lo, as soon as the voice
of thy salutation sounded in mine
ears, the babe leaped in my wornb
for joy.
45. And blessed is she that believed;
for there shall be a performance of
those things which were told her from
the Lord.
46. And Mary said, My soul doth
magnify the Lord, [&c. See the song
of Mary, Luke, ch. 1, vv. 46 to 55.]
56. And Mary abode with her about
;hree months, and returned to her own
louse.
APOCRYPHAL GOSPELS. , THE PROTEVANGELION. 137
No one can doubt that one of the foregoing narra-
tives was used in the composition of the other.
If, as Schleiermacher supposes, the author of Luke
has inserted an entire manuscript, running from verses
5 to 80, then the author of that manuscript drew from
the Protevangelion, or the author of the Protevangel-
ion drew from the manuscript, either before or after
it was placed in the gospel of Luke.
t-rynseus, the author of the Orthodoxographa, be-
lieved that the Protevangelion was first written. '
If the foregoing parallel passages be carefully exam-
ined, in connection with the abstract in the previous
chapter, it will be seen that the internal evidence fa-
vors the earlier composition of the passages from the
Protevangelion. Those are in the midst of a much
Joiner story, forming a natural and consistent part of
it: while the account in Luke is a disjointed and un-
connected narrative.
The variations in Luke, are evidently for a purpose.
For instance, in the 27th verse, it is stated that Jo-
seph was of the house of David; and in the 32d verse,
that Jesus should be given the throne of his father Da-
vid; for neither of which is there any parallel in the
Protevangelion. The earlier fathers, who followed this
gospel, thought it sufficient to trace the descent of Ma-
ry from David. But the author of Luke desired to show
that Joseph was- descended from David; hence the
change, which appears to have been made in support
of his genealogy.
In pursuance of the same object, in the 4th verse
of the 2d chapter, he represents that Joseph went up
(1.) He says: "Multa habet quae narrationibus quatuor evangelistarum
pulchre consentiunt, pluraautemquae ab illis velut parerga sunt praetermissa. "
"It contains many things which perfectly agree with the accounts of the
four evangelists, but mere which are omitted by [from] them as needless."
138 THIRD PERIOD. A. D. 120 TO A. D. 130.
from Galilee to Bethlehem, to be taxed "because he was
of the house and lineage of David." The 17th chapter
of the Protevangelion represents Joseph as going to
Bethlehem to be taxed, but says nothing of his being of
the house and lineage of David. If the Protevangel-
ion had been last written, there is no reason why that
circumstance, if true, should have been omitted; and
especially if that was the reason why Joseph went to-
Bethlehem to be taxed. On the contrary, the author
of the Protevangelion would have inserted the refer-
ence to David, as calculated to magnify the importance
of Jesus, by showing his royal descent, on the male
side of his ancestry.
Then the song of praise with .which Mary breaks
forth, has a theological look, being composed, almost
entirely from passages in the Old Testament. This, al-
so, is not in the Protevangelion. If, indeed, it was
spoken by Mary herself, it may be looked upon as strong
evidence of the truth of the statement, that Mary was
brought up in the temple; since in no other way would
she have been so conversant with the Jewish scrip-
tures.
Passing on to the second chapter of Luke, Dr. Schlei-
ermacher, commenting on verses 1 to 20, and suggesting
that it appears like a separate narrative, says:
"We can recognize neither the same author, nor the prevalence of a poeti-
cal character, since this would necessarily have occasioned the introduction.
of more lyrical passages. Here, therefore, we must refer the main fact, at
least, to an historical tradition. But upon this, if we seek grounds for an exact,
conclusion, there arises in the first place the question, from what source the
narrative may be drawn. For two may be conceived, Joseph and Mary on
the one side, the shepherds on the other."
After considering the circumstances, he inclines to
the opinion, that the narrative came originally from
the shepherds. He thinks the shepherds related what
APOCRYPHAL GOSPELS. THE PROTEVANOELION. 139
occurred, and the affair became known in the neighbor-
hood of Bethlehem. He concludes as follows:
"We must therefore suppose, that this stoiy was only drawn forth from the
dust of oblivion, by the recollection of individuals, after the fame of Jesus
was already established, and therefore probably did not obtain further publi-
city until after his death." Essay on Luke, pp. 32 to 35.
The following parallel may enable us to determine
which of these gospels contains the earlier record of
this story:
THE BIRTH OF JESUS.
PROTEVANGELION, ch. 17.
And it came to pass that there went
forth a decree from the Emperor Au-
gustus, that all the Jews should be
taxed, [ditoypa<pc6Sai], who were
of Bethlehem of Judaea.
And Joseph said, I will take care
that my children shall be taxed; but
what shall I do with this young wo-
man ? To have her taxed as my wife
I am ashamed; But if as my daugh-
ter, all Israel knows she is not my
daughter. The day itself of the Lord
shall bring to pass what it will.
And he saddled the ass, and placed
her upon it. Joseph and Simeon fol-
lowed, und arrived within three miles,
[of Bethlehem.]
(Here, as the time for Mary's deliv-
erance approached, they stopped, and
Mary was taken into a cave.)
CHAPTER 18.
And he found there a cave, and led
her into it, and leaving her and his
sons in the cave, he went forth to seek
a Hebrew midwife in the country of
Bethlehem.
[On his way, Joseph sees the prodi-
gies mentioned in last chapter.]
[Ch. 19. He meets a midwife com-
ing down from the mountains. They
return together, and find Jesus born,
in the cave.
In subsequent chapters, various re-
markable events are related, including
the visit of the wise men "to Bethle-
hem," and the order for the slaughter
LUKE, ch. 2.
And it came to pass in those days,
that there went out a decree from Cae-
sar Augustus, that all the world should
be ta^ed.
2. And this taxing was first made
when Cyrenius was Governor of Syria.
3. And all went to be taxed, every
one into his own city.
4. And Joseph also went up from
Galilee, out of the city of Nazsnvth,
into Judasa, unto the city of ]>;ivi<l,
which is called Bethlehem; (because he
was of the house and lineage of David.)
5. To be taxed with Mary, his es-
poused wife, being great with child.
6. So it was, that while they were
there, the days were accomplished that
she should be delivered.
7. And she brought forth her first-
born son,
140 THIRD PERIOD. A. D. 120 TO 130.
PROTEVANGELION, ch. 18.
of the children. The story proceeds
as follows:]
But Mary, hearing that the children
were to be killed, being under much
fear, took the child, and wrapped him
up in swaddling-clothes, and laid him
LUKE, ch. 2.
and wrapped him in swad-
dling-clothes, and laid him in a man-
in an ox-manger, because there was ger; because there was no room for
no room for them in the inn. [ch. 22. ]1 them in the inn.
The account of the vision to the shepherds, &c. does
not appear in the Protevangelion; a circumstance which
cannot well be accounted for, if Luke was first written.
The author of the Protevangelion enlarges upon inany
unimportant circumstances, and is not in want of space.
It is difficult to see why, if his work was last written,
,he should omit so interesting a portion of the story, as
that concerning the shepherds; one too, which would
have added so much to the importance of the transaction.
In a subsequent chapter, it will be seen that this ac-
count has a parallel in the Gospel of the Infancy. This
gospel states also that Jesus was circumcised in the cave.
So with the presentation in the temple: 22d to 40th
^of 2d chapter of Luke, which, Schleiermacher thinks,
was a separate narrative, from another manuscript.
This, though not in the Protevangelion, is in the Gos-
pel of the Infancy. The same may be said of the
balance of the chapter, verses 41 to 52.
Of this portion of the narrative, Schleiermacher says:
"That the last piece of this division, too, Jesus' first visit to the temple,
did not originally belong to the same context with what goes before, is render-
ed evident by a variety of marks. Verse 40, which some most strangely con-
sider as the beginning of this last piece, against all analogy with 1st. 80, and
2d. 52, is a mere form of conclusion." Essay, p. 41.
This learned writer sums up his view of the compo-
sition of the first two chapters of Luke, as follows:
"Thus, then, by an apparently gradual annexation of several detached nar-
iratives, committed to writing independently of each other, to a piece which
was originally composed, not as an historical narrative, but as a poem, did the
APOCRYPHAL GOSPELS. THE PROTEVANGELION. 141
first division of this gospel,, according to these indications, take its rise. Es-
say, p. 44.
The internal evidence going to show that this gospel
was written before Luke, is supported by the historical
fact, that Justin Martyr, [A. D. 150 to 160], who furnish-
es no evidence of having seen the Gospel of Luke, was
acquainted with the Protevangelion history, and re-
ceived it as true. He refers to Christ being born in a
cave, and to various other incidents of the narrative,
not found in the canonical gospels.
Let us now pass on, to the Gospel of Matthew:
JOSEPH AND THE ANGEL.
PROTEVANGELION, ch. 13.
And when her sixth month was come,
Joseph, returning from his building
houses, and entering into- his house,
found the virgin grown big with child.
CHAPTER 14.
Then Joseph was exceedingly a
fraid, and went away from her, con
sidering what he should do with her:
and he thus reasoned with himself:
If I conceal her crime, I shall be
found guilty, by the Law of the Lord;
and if 1 discover her to the children of
Israel, I fear lest, she being with child
by an angtl, I shall be found to betray
the life of an innocent person. What
therefore, shall I do? I will privily
put her away.
And night came upon him, and be-
hold, an angel of the Lord appeared
to him in a dream, saying: Be not a-
fraid to take the young woman, for
that which is within her, is of the Holy
Ghost.
And she shall bring forth a son, and
thou shalt call his name Jesus, for he
shall save his people from their sins.
MATTHEW, ch. 1.
v. 18. Now the birth of Jesus Christ
was on this wise: When as his mother
Mary was espoused to Joseph, before
they came together, she was found
with child, of the Holy Ghost.
19. Then Joseph her husband, being
a just man, and not willing to make
her a public example, was minded to
put her away privily.
20. But while he thought on these
things, behold, the angel of the Lord
appeared unto him in a dream, saying:
Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to
take unto thee Mary thy wife; for that
which is conceived m her is of the Holy
Ghost.
21. And she shall bring forth a son,
md thou shalt call his name Jesus, for
ae shall save his people from their sins.
22. Now all this was done that it
might be fulfilled which was spoken of
the Lord by the prophet, saying:
23. Behold a virgin shall be with
ihild, and shall bring forth a son, and
jhey shall call his name Emmanuel,
which being interpreted is, God with us..
142 THIRD PERIOD.
A. D. 120 TO A. D. loO.
PROTEVANGELION, ch. 14.
Then Joseph arose from his sleep,
and glorified the God of Israel, \vho
had shown him such grace, and he kept
the maiden.
MATTHEW, ch. 1.
24. Then Joseph, being raised from
sleep, did as the angel of the Lord had
bidden him, and took unto him his wife.
Here again, the later, and more theological character
of the composition, is apparent in Matthew.
Not only does the angel address Joseph as the son of
David, which form of address is not in the Protevan-
gelion, but verses 22 and 23 are injected into the
Protevangelion history, for the purpose of making the
account fit in with a certain prophecy of the Old Tes-
tament. Those verses are, however, no improvement
upon the Protevangelion. When that prophecy is ex-
amined, it is found not to relate to Christ at all.
The passage is in the 7th chapter of Isaiah.
In the days of Ahaz, King of Judah, the kings of
Syria and Israel went up to Jerusalem, and made war
against it. Then the Lord sent Isaiah forth with in-
structions, to meet Ahaz, and to bid him be quiet, and
fear not. He was instructed to assure Ahaz, that with-
in three-score and five years, Ephraim should be broken.
The Lord then bid Ahaz ask for a sign. But Ahaz re-
plied, he would not ask, neither would' he tempt the
Lord. Then the Lord (through Isaiah) said:
"Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall
conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel. Butter and
honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good.
For before the child shall know to refuse the evil, and choose the good, the land
that thou abhorrest, shall be forsaken of both her kings." Isaiah, 1. 14, 16.
The 8th chapter proceeds as follows:
"Moreover, the Lord said unto me, Take^thee a great roll, and write in it
with a man's pen concerning Maher-shalal-hash-bux. And I took unto me
faithful witnesses to record, Uriah the priest, and Zechariah the son of Jobt-r-
echiah. And I went unto the prophetess.; .and she conceived, and bare a son.
APOCRYPHAL GOSPELS. THE PROTEVANGELION. 143
Then said the Lord to me, Call his name Maher-shalal-hash-baz. (In making
speed to the spoil, he hasteneth the prey.) For before the child shall have
knowledge to cry, My father, and my mother, the riches of Damascus and the
-spoil of Samaria shall be taken away before the king of Assyria. [lsa.8, 1-4.]
It is only necessary to read the passage, in connection
with the context, to see that it had no reference to
Christ whatever. The language does not profess to be
prophetic, beyond sixty-five years. Otherwise, it is
historical, throughout, and the history needs no inter-
pretation.
VISIT OF THE MAGJ, AND SLAUGHTER OF THE CHILDREN.
PROTEVAN<;I;I.ION, ch. 21.
Then Joseph was preparing to go a-
way. For there was a great commo-
tion in Bethlehem, by the coming of
wise men from the East, saying: Where
is he that is born King of the Jews?
For we have seen his star in the east,
and are come to worship him.
When Herod heard this, he was ex-
ceedingly troubled; and having sent
messengers to the wise men and the
priests, he enquired of them in the
prsetoriurn, saying to them, Where is
it written among you, of Christ the
king, that he should be born ?
Then they say unto him, In Bethle-
icy
Kill
hem of Judaea; for thus it is written;
And thou Bethlehem, in the land of
Judah, art not the least among the
princes of Judah ; for out of thee shall
come a governor, who shall rule my
people Israel.
And having sent away the chief
priests, he enquired of the wise men in
the prfetorium, and said unto them:
What sign was it ye saw concerning
the king that is born ? They answered,
We saw an extraordinary large star,
shming among the stars of heaven, and
it so outshined all the other stars, that
they became not visible; and we know
that a great king has come in Israel,
and therefore have come to worship
MATTHEW, ch. 2.
Now when Jesus was born in Beth-
lehem of Judaea, in the days of Herod
the king, behold, there came wise men
from the east to Jerusalem,
2. Saying: Where is he that is born
King of the Jews? For we have seen
iiis <tiir in the east, and are come to
worship him.
3. When Herod the king had heard
these things, he was troubled, and all
Jerusalem with him.
4. And when he had gathered all the
chief priests and scribes of the people
together, he demanded of them where
Christ should be born?
5. And they said unto him, In Beth-
lehem of Juda>a; for thus it is written
ly the prophet;
6. And thou Bethlehem in the land
of Judah, art not the least among the
princes of Judah; for out of thee shall
come a governor, who shall rule my
people Israel.
7. Then Herod, when he had privily
called the wise men, enquired of them
diligently what time the star appeared?
144
THIRD PERIOD.
A. D. 120 TO A. D. 130.
PROTEVANGELION, ch. 21.
Then said Herod to them, Go and
make diligent inquiry, and if ye find
him, bring me word again, that 1 may
come and worship him also.
So the wise men went forth, and be-
hold the star which they saw in the
east went before them, till it came and
stood over the cave where the young-
child was, with Mary his mother.
MATTHEW, ch. 2.
8. And he sent them to Bethlehem,
and said, Go and search diligently for
the young child, and when ye have-
found him, bring me word again, that
I may come and worship him also.
9. When they had heard the king,
they departed; and lo, the star which
they saw in the east, went before them
till it came and stood over where the
young child was.
10. When they saw the star, they
rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
11. And when they were come into
the house, they saw the young child
with Mary his mother, and fefl down
and worshiped him; and when they
had opened their treasures, they pre-
sented unto him gifts; gold, and frank-
incense, and myrrh.
12. And being warned of God in a
dream, that they should not return to
Herod, they departed into their own
country, another way.
[The warning to Joseph, and the
flight to Egypt, not in the Protevan-
gelion. They are however, in the Gos-
pel of the Infancy.]
16. Then Herod, when he saw he
was mocked by the wise men, was ex-
ceeding wroth, and sent forth and slew
all the children that were in Bethle-
hem, and in all the coasts thereof, from
two years old and under, according
to the time which he had diligently
enquired of the wise men.
17. Then was fulfilled that which was
spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying:
18. In Rama there was a voice
heard, lamentation and weeping, and
arreat mourning; Rachel weeping for
her children, and would not be com-
forted, because they are not.
Here is another prophecy, not alluded to in the
Protevangelion.
In this case as in the other, it is only necessary to
read the prophecy, in its connection with the context,
in order to determine whether its application here is
legitimate.
In the 30th and 31st chapters of Jeremiah, the proph-
et predicts the return of the children of Israel from
DUght \
treasures, and offered unto him gold,
and frankincense, and myrrh.
And being warned in a dream by an
angel, that they should not return to
Herod, through Judaea, they departed
into their own country, another way.
CHAPTER 22.
Then Herod, when he perceived that
he was mocked by the wise men, being
very angry, sent murderers, command-
ing them to slay all the children, from
two years old and under.
APOCRYPHAL GOSPELS. THE PROTEVANGELION. 145
their captivity. The revelation was, it appears, com-
municated to him in a dream; for in the 26th verse of
the 31st chapter, he says, "Upon this I awaked, and be-
held ; and my sleep was sweet unto me."
The 30th chapter commences thus:
"The word that came to Jeremiah, from the Lord, saying:
Verse 3. "For lo, the days are come, saith the Lord, that I will bring again th
captivity of my people Israel and Judah, saith the Lord; and I will cause them
to return to the land that I gave to their fathers, and they shall possess it."
v. 5. "For thus saith the Lord : A\V have heard a voice of trembling, ot
and not of peace. 1 '
v. 10 "And Jacob shall return, and shall be in rest, and be quiet, and
none shall make him afraid."
v. 18. "Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will bring again the captivity of Ja-
cob's tents," &c.
v. 20. "Their children also shall be as aforetime," &c.
CH. 31, v. 8. "Behold, I will bring them from the north country." &c.
v. 9. "They shall come with weeping," &c.
Then, soon after, with nothing intervening, to change
the subject matter, comes the following:
v. 15. "Thus >aitli the Lord, A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and
l>itt-r weeping: Rachel weeping for her children, refused to be comforted tor
her children, because they were not.
v. 16. "Thus saith the Lord; Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes
from tears; for thy work shall be rewarded, saith the Lord; and they shall
come again from the land of the enemy.
v. 17. "And there is hope in thine end, saith the Lord, that thy children
shall come again, to their own border."
It needs no argument or construction to show that
the children of Israel are the children referred to in
this chapter, and that it had no more reference to the
infant children of Bethlehem to be slain by Herod,
than it had to the children of Chicago.
It is only by applying a principle known to theolo-
gians as "accommodation/' that any such application
of the language can be made. But by the method of
accommodation, any conceivable proposition can bo
proven from any chapter of the bible.
146 THIRD PERIOD. A.D. 120 TO A. D. 130.
The reference to the prophecy of Micah, "And thou,
Bethlehem," &c. is only in some copies of the Protevan-
gelion. It is not in the Ante-Nicene version, and was
probably an interpolation.
From the subsequent verses of the 5th chapter of
Micah, it appears that the prophecy related to a ruler
of Israel, who should be able to cope successfully with
the king of Assyria.
If the prophecy related to Christ, then it was necessa-
ry he should be born in the village of Bethlehem. But
all the copies of the Protevangelion, represent that he
was born in a cave three miles from Bethlehem. So it
is related in the Gospel of the Infancy, that Jesus was
born in a cave, before his parents reached Bethlehem,
though the distance is not stated. But Bethlehem be-
ing comparatively a small village, the prophecy would
not thus be fulfilled. "For out of thee shall come," &c.
Hence the probability that the reference to the proph-
ecy in some copies of the Protevangelion, is an inter-
polation. Hence also the necessity, that in Matthew,
where the verses relating to the prophecy stand on the
same footing with the rest, Jesus should be born in the
very village of Bethlehem.
If Matthew was first written, and was known to the
authors of the other gospels, it is strange that they
should have Jesus born outside of Bethlehem, at the
risk of disconnecting the event from the prophecy. The
authors of those gospels were disposed, neither to de-
ny the Messiahship of Jesus, nor to deprive him of the
benefit of any of the Jewish prophecies.
For the reasons given, and because in the Protevan-
gelion, all the circumstances are simply and naturally
related in their connection, as portions of a longer sto-
ry, we conclude the Protevangelion was first written.
APOCRYPHAL GOSPELS. GOSPEL OF THE INFANCY. 147
CHAPTER XII.
THE GOSPEL OF THE INFANCY.
DIFFERENT VERSIONS SYNOPSIS OF CONTENTS TESTIMONIES AND CI-
TATIONS OF THE FATHERS.
The complete Gospel of the Infancy of the Savior,
first appeared in the Arabic language. It was transla-
ted into Latin, and was published by Mr. Sike, Profes-
sor of Oriental languages at Cambridge, England. It
was published at Utrecht, in 1697.
Beside this, there is a fragment of what is thought to
be a more ancient gospel, ascribed to the Apostle
Thomas, and known as Thomas' Gospel of the Infancy.
It is published in the Ante-Nicene collection, in three
forms: two being translations from the Greek, and one
from the Latin. It is manifest that these, as well as
the publication of Mr. Sike, are but different versions
of the one Gospel of the Infancy.
The following is a synopsis of the complete gospel,
as published by Mr. Sike:
CHAPTER 1. "The following accounts we have found in the book of Joseph,
the high priest, who lived in the time of Christ; and some say that he is
Caiaphas. He has said that Jesus spoke, and indeed, that when he was lying
148 THIRD PERIOD. A. D. 120 TO A. D. 130.
in his cradle, he said to his mother Mary, 1 am Jesus, the Son of God, the Logos-
whom thou hast brought forth, as the angel Gabriel announced to thee; and
my Father hath sent me for the salvation of the world."
CHAPS. 2 & 3. The decree for the taxing; the journey of Joseph and Mary;
stopping at the cave; Joseph going after a midwife, and the birth of Jesus in
the cave; the general tenor of the stoiy being the same as in the Protevan-
gelion, but the account being in a condensed form, and differing in, some
details.
CHS. 4, 5 & 6. The story of the shepherds, the circumcision in the cave r
&c. Jesus brought to Jerusalem. Simeon, and Hannah. [See next chapter
of this work.]
CH. 7. The wise men came from the east, "according to the prophecy of Zo-
radascht," [Zoroaster], and brought offerings, gold, &c. The Lady Mary gave
them one of the swaddling-clothes of Jesus, ' 'which they received from her,
as a most noble present. " They followed the star back to their own country.
CH. 8. On their return to their own country, having made a fire and wor-
shiped it, they cast in the swaddling-cloth, which remained unharmed by the
fire.
CH. 9. Herod enquired concerning the wise men; whereupon Joseph, being
warned by an angel, fled into Egypt.
CHS. 10 to 22. [Here follows a series of most astounding miracles, per-
formed by Jesus, while a baby, in Egypt:
Idols fall down at his approach people possessed of devils, are cured by
touching his swaddling-clothes; in one case, the devils coming out of the
mouth of one who had put a swaddling-cloth on his head.' A bride who had
become dumb, recovers her 'speech, by taking the infant Jesus in her arms
a girl whose body was white with leprosy, is cured by "being sprinkled with
water in which the Lord Jesus had been washed. " Another is freed from Sa-
tan, who flees away in the form of a young man. A young man who had
been changed into a mule, is re-transformed into his proper shape, by the boy
Jesus having been placed on the mule's back; &c. &c.]
CH. 23. In a desert country they met two robbers, named Titus and Duma-
chus. Titus having interested himself for the safety of the mother and child,
St. Mary prophesied that the Lord God would receive him on his right hand,
and grant him the pardon of his sins. Jesus also said to his mother,. "When
thirty years are expired, mother, the Jews will crucify me at Jerusalem,
and these two thieves shall be with me, at the same time, upon the cross, Ti-
tus on my right hand, and Dumachus on my left, and from that time,. Titus
shall go before me into paradise."
CH. 24. In Matarea, the Lord Jesus caused a well to spring forth,, in which
St. Mary washed his coat.
CH. 25. Thence they proceeded to Memphis, and saw Pharaoh. They
abode three years; "And the Lord Jesus did very many miracles in Egypt,.
APOCRYPHAL GOSPELS. GOSPEL OF THE INFANCY. 149
which are neither to be found in the Gospel of the Infancy, nor in the Gos-
pel of Perfection.."
[Mr. Ellicott, in his Essay on the Apocryphal Gospels, which will be noticed
hereafter, very ingeniously supposes the writer of the Infancy, by the Gospel
of Perfection, here to mean the four canonical gospels; though it is well un-
derstood, that one of the lost gospels of the second century was called "The
Gospel of Perfection." See that title.]
(Jii. 26. At the end of three years, they returned out of Egypt, and when
they came near Judaea, Joseph was afraid of Archelaus. At the same time,
he was warned by an angel, to go to Nazareth.
The wnter then makes this pertinent remark :
"It is strange, indeed, that he who is the Lord of all 'countries, should be
carried backward and forward, through so many countries."
CHS. 27 to 34. Here follows another series of miracles, similar to those per-
formed in Egypt.
St. Mary had healed a sick boy, by giving his mother one of the swaddling
cloths of the boy Jesus, in exchange for a handsome carpet. Another woman,
who was envious, threw Caleb, [the boy who had been healed], into a hot
oven. When his mother returned, she saw Caleb, lying in the middle of the
oven, lunching. When the woman told her story, St. Mary replied, "Be quiet,
for I am concerned, lest thou shouldst make this matter known." After this,
the other woman threw Caleb into a well, but he sat upon the surface of the
water, uninjured. The woman who had thrown him in, fell in herself and
perished.
A boy whose eyes were closed in death, revived at the smell of the garments
of the Lord Jesus.
A girl who was afflicted by Satan sucking her blood, put upon her head, as
JSutan approached her, one of the swaddling cloths of Jesus. Thereupon
there issued forth from the cloth, flames and burning coals, which fell upon
the dragon. Then the dragon cried out, "What have I to do with thee, Je-
sus, thou son of Mary? Whither shall 1 flee from thee?" He then left the
girl.
OH. 35. A boy named Judas was possessed by Satan. Whenever Satan
Bt'i/rd him, he wished to bite any one present. The mother of the miserable
boy took him to St. Mary. In the mean time, James and Jose had taken a-
way the infant Lord Jesus, to play, and were sitting down together. Judas
came and sat down, at the right hand of Jesus, and tried to bite him. Because
he could not do it, he struck Jesus in the right side, so that he cried out; and
at the same moment, Satan went out of the boy, and ran away like a mad
dog. This boy was Judas Iscariot.
CH. 36. When the Lord Jesus was seven years old, he with other boys
of about the same age, were making clay into the shape of asses, oxen, birds,
&c. Jesus commanded his to move and walk, which they did. He also made
figures of sparrows, and caused them to fly. The fathers of the other child-
ren told them Jesus was a sorcerer.
150 THIRD PERIOD. A. D. 120 TO A. D. 130.
CHS. 37 to 39. Other miracles. Jesus, playing with other boys, threw the
clothes of a dyer into a furnace. When taken out, they were all dyed, with
the desired colors. Jesus accompanied his father Joseph in his carpenter work,
and whenever Joseph wanted any thing made longer or shorter, Jesus would
stretch his hand toward it, and it became of the proper length. Joseph had
spent two years making a throne for the king of Jerusalem. It was short on
each side, two spans. Joseph was so afraid of the king's anger, that he went
to bed without his supper. In the morning, Jesus took hold on one side, and
Joseph on the other, and pulled, and the throne came to the right dimensions.
CH. 40. Jesus turned some boys into kids; saying to them, "Come hither,
Oye kids, to your shepherd." The boys came forth like kids, and leaped
about. He then turned the kids back into boys.
CH. 41. Jesus gathered the boys together, and ranked them as though he-
had been a king. They spread garments on the ground for him to sit upon,
and crowned him with flowers.
CH. 42. In the mean time, a boy was brought along upon a couch. Hav-
ing put his hand into a partridge's nest, to take out the eggs, he had been
stung by a poisonous serpent. When they came to the place where the Lord
Jesus was sitting, like a king, and the other boys standing round him like his
ministers, Jesus enquired on what account they carried the boy ? When they
told him, he returned with them to the nest, and there caused the serpent to
suck all the poison out again.
CH. 43. James the son of Joseph was bitten by a viper. Jesus blew up-
on it, and cured it instantly.-
CH. 44. The Lord Jesus was playing with other boys upon a house top.
One of them fell off and was killed. Jesus being accused of throwing him
off, he stood over the dead boy, and said in a loud voice, "Zeinunus, Zeinunus,
who threw thee down from the house top?" Then the dead boy answered,
"Thou didst not throw me down, but (such a one) did."
CH. 45. Jesus, being sent by his mother to the well for water, broke the
pitcher. He thereupon gathered the water into his mantle, and brought it
to his mother.
CH. 46. Jesus was with some other boys by a river, drawing water out
of the river by little channels, and making fish pools. Jesus made twelve
sparrows, and caused them to fly. The son of Hanani, a Jew, came by, and
asked if they thus made figures on the sabbath ? And he broke down their
fish pools. Coming to the fish pool of Jesus to destroy it, the water vanished
away; and the Lord Jesus said to him, "In like manner as this water has van-
ished, so shall thy life vanish." And presently the boy died.
CH. 47. "Another time, when the Lord Jesus was coming home, in the
evening, with Joseph, he met a boy, who ran so hard against him, that he
threw him down; to whom the Lord Jesus said, 'As thou hast thrown me
down, so shalt thou fall, nor ever rise! 1 And that moment, the boy fell down
and died."
APOCRYPHAL GOSPELS. GOSPEL OF THE INFANCY. 151
Cns. 48 and 49. Jesus was sent to school to Zaccheus. The master told
him to say Aleph, which he did. Then, to say Beth. "Then the Lord Jesus
said to him, 'Tell me first the meaning of the letter Aleph, and then I will pro-
nounce Beth. 1 " Jesus explained the meaning of Aleph and Beth, and all the
alphabet. He was taken to a more learned master. When tin- same scene was
repeated, the master raised his hand to whip him, but his hand presently with-
ered, and he died.
(' ii. 50. Jesus with the doctors in the temple. [See next chapter of this
work.]
Cn. ">! . Jesus explains to an astronomer, "the number of the spheres and
liea\ enly bodies, as also their triangular, square and sextile aspect: their pro-
gressive and retrograde motion; their size, and several prognostications.' 1
Cn. .VJ. He explains to a philosopher, physics and natural philosophy.
"The things which were above and below the power of nature ; the powers
of the body; the numbers of its members, and bones, veins, arteries and
nerves: how the soul operated on the body," v,c. [The particulars of these
explanations, are not given.]
Cn. ">:'.. His parents find him among the doctors, in the temple.
Cii. o4. .lesus conceals his mir,i !.- and ^ecret works, an I devotes him-
self to the study of the law, till thirty yars old. His arkimv/leilgment by
the Father, at the .Ionian.
('ii.-V). CONCLUSION. "The end of the whole Gospel of the Infancy, by
the assistance of the Supreme God. according to what we found in the
original."
TESTIMONIES AND CITATIONS BY THE FATHERS.
1. Justin Martyr was acquainted with this gospel, A.
D. 150 to 160. [See Justin Martyr.]
All the arguments, therefore, against its antiquity,
drawn from internal evidence, if directed against the
gospel as a whole, fall to the ground. Those argu-
ments are based upon modes of expression which were
thought not to prevail until the third or fourth century,
or even later; such as "The Lord Christ," "The Lady St.
Mary;" &c. also upon the veneration and devotion
paid to Mary, and the efficacy ascribed to relics and
emblems. Whatever force there may be in these ob-
jections, they can only apply to some portions of the
gospel, and to some of its phraseology, which may have
been introduced by a copyist or a translator.
152 THIRD PERIOD. A. D. 120 TO A. D. 130.
2. It is referred to by Irenaeus, [A. D. 190], in an un-
mistakable manner.
He claims it was a forgery of the Marcosians, of the
second century, and relates with much particularity,
the scene between Jesus and the school master. l
3. It is alluded to by Origen, [A. D. 230], as the Gospel
of Thomas. 2 Also by Epiphanius, [385], 3 by Eusebius,
[325], 4 by Cyril, [375], 5 and by Athanasius. [373.]
It is possible that some of the miracles in Egypt,
may have been added by a later hand, to a changed
version of the Gospel of Thomas. Epiphanius, how-
ever, refers to the miracles performed by Jesus in his
childhood, and doe's not discredit them. He says:
"Christ wrought his first miracle in Cana of Galilee, the third day after he
began to preach; for Christ is not said to have been at the marriage before
his temptation. Nor did he work any miracles, or preach any sermons before
that time, except 'some things which some say he did at play, when a child.
And indeed it was fit some things should be done by him in his childhood,
that there might not be any foundation for the assertion of those heretics,
who say that Christ did not come upon him till he was baptized, in Jordan, in
the form of a dove." Hcer. 51. 20.
Both Eusebius and Athanasius relate, that when Jo-
seph and Mary arrived in Egypt, they took up, their
abode in Hermopolis, a city of Thebais, in which was
a superb temple of Serapis. When Joseph and Mary
entered the temple, not only the great idol, but all the
lesser gods fell down before them. 6
It is agreed by Origen, Jerome and many others, that
the Gospel of the Infancy, or the Gospel of Thomas,
was one of "the many," referred to in Luke.
Jones, who has made an elaborate attack upon the
Gospel of the Infancy, pronouncing its miracles absurd
(1.) Adv. Hser. 1. 20. (2.) In Luc. 1. 1.
(3.) Haer. 51. 20. (4.) Ecc. Hist. 3. 25.
(5.) Hier. Catech. 4, p. 38.
(6.) Euseb. Demonst. Evang. lib. 6, c. 20; Athan. de Incarn. Verbi, p. 89.
APOCRYPHAL GOSPELS. GOSPEL OF THE INFANCY. 153
and ridiculous, concedes, nevertheless, that the origi-
nal of this gospel was written early in the second cen-
tury. '
In the Ecclesiastical History of Sozomen, one of the
Greek fathers, who wrote A. D. 439, will be found the
following reference to some of the incidents connected
with the residence of Christ in Egypt.
"At Ermopolis in Thebais, is a tree called Persea, of which the branches, the
leaves, and the feast portion of the bark, are said to heal disease, when touch-
ed by the sick. It is related by the Egyptians, that when Joseph fled with
Christ and Mary, the Holy Mother, from the wrath of Herod, they went to
Ermopolis ; and as they were entering the city, this tree bent down, and wor-
shiped Christ. I relate precisely what I have heard, from many sources, con-
cerning this tree. I think that this was the sign of the presence of God, in the
city: or perhaps, as seems most probable, it may have arisen from the fear of
tin- demon, who had been worshiped in this large and beautiful tree, by the
people of the country, for at the presence of Christ, the idols of Egypt were
shaken, even as Isaiah tin? prophet had foretold. On the expulsion of the de-
mon, the tree was permitted to remain as a monument to what had occurred,
ami was endued with the property of healing those who believed. The inhab-
itants of Egypt and of Palestine, [referring to another event which he had re-
lat-Ml, also], testify to the truth of these events which took place among them-
selves." Sozomen's Ecc. Hist, bk.b, ch. 21.
Such is the testimony, and such are the conclusions,
of one of the more moderate of the ancient ecclesiasti-
cal historians. There were many miracles ascribed to
Jesus, which were fully accredited by the fathers, for
several centuries. Those not contained in the canon-
ical gospels, became after a while, first doubted, then
discredited; the miracles related in those gospels only,
being considered finally worthy of belief.
(1.) Jones on the New Testament, vol. 2. p. 259.
154 THIRD PERIOD.
A. D. 120 TO A. D. 130.
CHAPTER XIII.
THE GOSPEL OF THE INFANCY,
COMPARED WITH LUKE AND MATTHEW.
THE GOSPEL OF THE INFANCY ONE OF THE MANUSCRIPTS USED TN THE
COMPILATIONS OF LUKE AND MATTHEW THE FIRST TWO CHAPTERS OF
THOSE GOSPELS AND THE GOSPEL OF THE INFANCY COMPARED.
In regard to the taxing, &c., the parallel passage in
the Protevangelion, has already been given. The fol-
lowing is the parallel with the Infancy:
THE TAXING, AND THE BIRTH OF CHRIST.
GOSPEL OF THE INFANCY, ch. 2.
In the three hundred and ninth year
of the era of Alexander, Augustus pub-
lished a decree, that all persons should
go to be taxed, into their own coun-
try.
Joseph therefore arose, and with
Mary his spouse, he went to Jerusa-
lem, and then caoie to Bethlehem, that
he and his family might be taxed, ID
the city of his fathers.
["When they came by the cave,"
they stopped, and there Jesns was
born.l
GOSPEL OF LUKE, ch. 2.
And it came to pass in those days,
that there went out a decree from
Caesar Augustus, that all the world
should be taxed.
2. And this taxing was first made,
when Cyrenius was Governor of Syria.
3. And all went to be taxed, every-
one into his own city.
4. And Joseph also went up from
Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth,
into Judaea, unto the city of David
which is called Bethlehem, (because he
was of the house and lineage of David.)
5. To be taxed, with Mary, hi> es-
poused wife, being great with child.
(Christ was then born in Bethlehem.)
This reference to "the cave/ 7 as something well un-
derstood, indicates that the writer of the Infancy was
familiar with the Protevangelion.
APOCR YPHA L G OSPELS. G 08PEL OF THE INFANCY. 155
VISION TO THE SHEPHERDS.
INFANCY, ch. 4, LUKE, ch. 2.
After this, when the shepherds
came, and had made a fire, and they
were rejoicing exceedingly, the heav-
enly host appeared to them, praising
and adoring the Supreme God. As
the shepherds were engaged in the
same employment, the cave at that
time seemed like a glorious temple, be-
cause both the tongues of angels and
men united to adore and magnify God,
on account of the birth of the Lord
Christ.
8. And there were in the same coun-
try shepherds abiding in the field,
keeping watch over their flock by night.
9. And lo, the angel of the Lord
came upon them, and the glory of the
Lord shone round about them; and
they were sore afraid.
10. And the angel said unto them,
fear not; for behold I bring you good
tidings of great joy, which shall be to
all people.
11. For unto you is born this day,
in the City of David, a Savior, who is
Christ the Lord.
12. And this shall be a sign unto you;
ye shall find the babe wrapped in
swaddling-clothes, lying in a manger.
13. And suddenly there was with the
angel, a multitude of the heavenly
host, praising God, and saying:
14. Glory to God in the highest, and
on earth, peace, good will toward men.
15. And it came to pass as the angels
were gone away from them into heav-
-n. the shepherds said one to anothet,
Li-t us now go even unto Bethlehem,
and see this thing which is come to
pass, which the Lord hath made known
to us.
16. And they came with haste, and
found Mary and Joseph, and the babe
lying in a manger.
The account in the Gospel of the Infancy, though
sufficiently marvelous, has much the more natural sur-
roundings.
Mary, on her way to Bethlehem, not being able to
continue the journey, stops at a cave, used by shep-
herds for herding cattle. Here Jesus is born. In the
mean time, the shepherds, returning to the cave, build
a fire, and as they come to understand the nature
of the transaction, they unite in praises to God, in
which they are joined by the heavenly host of angels.
In Luke, Jesus is born in Bethlehem, and the shep-
herds, who are in the field, are informed by an angel
156 THIRD PERIOD. A. D. 120 TO A. D. 130.
of the birth of a Savior, and that he is lying in a man-
ger; but they are left to find the place the best way
they can. Then the heavenly host, instead of appear-
ing where Jesus was, is made to appear to the shep-
herds in the field.
It is manifest that the story has been taken from its
natural setting, in order that Jesus might be born at
Bethlehem, in fulfillment of the prophecy of Micah.
THE CIRCUMCISION.
INFANCY, ch. 5.
And when the time of circumcision
which the law commanded that a boy
LUKE, ch. 2.
21. And when eight days were ac-
was come, viz. the eighth day, on complished for the circumcising of the
child, his name was called Jesus, which
should be circumcised, they circum^was so named by the angel before he
cised him in the cave, <fec. 'was conceived in the womb.
PRESENTATION IN THE TEMPLE.
Here again, it may be well to note the remarks
of Shleiermacher. He says:
"What we read from 22 to 40 in chapter 2, respecting the presentation
of the child in the temple, .which was combined with the purification of his
mother, seems also to have been originally related and committed to writing,
without connection with the preceding passage; for at the end, mention is
made of the return to Nazareth, just as though the parents had come from
that place to Jerusalem, without notice being taken by a single word, of their
residence up to that time in Bethlehem, which would nevertheless have been
so easy and natural. This narrative, therefore, knows nothing of that resi-
dence. Only I would not on that account understand the surprise of Mary at
the language of Simeon, as implying that she herself did not know yet who her
son was. 1 ' Essay on Luke, p. 39.
While the narrative of the vision to the shepherds,
as contained in Luke, had a basis in the Gospel of the
Infancy, there had been a wide departure from the sto-
ry as there given, and much new matter introduced,
showing that the whole account had been re-written.
In the following, however, it will not be difficult to
perceive, that we have but different versions of the
same narrative:
APOCRYPHAL GOSPELS. GOSPEL OF THE INFANCY. 157
INFANCY, chs. 5 and 6.
Ten days having intervened, they
brought him to Jerusalem; and on
the fortieth day of his birth, they pre-
sented him in the temple before the
Lord, making offerings for him, ac-
cording to what is prescribed in the
law of Moses, to wit: Every male who
openeth the womb, shall be called the
holy of God.
Then old Simeon saw him shining
as a pillar of light, wheu the Lady
Virgin Mary, his mother, was carry-
ing him in her arms, and rejoicing ex-
ceedingly, over him. And angels,
praising him, stood around him in a
circle, like life-guards standing by a
king.
Then Simeon, going up before Lady
Mary, and stretching out his hands
before her, said to the Lord Christ,
Now, O my Lord, let thy servant de-
part in peace, according to thy word.
For mine eyes have seen thy mercy,
Which thou hast prepared for the
salvation of all peoples.
A light to all nations, and a glory to
thy people Israel.
Hannah, a prophetess, was also
present, and drawing near, she gave
LUKE, ch. 2.
22. And when the days of her purifi-
cation, according to the law of Moses,
were accomplished, they brought him
to Jerusalem, to present him to the
Lord. .
23. (As it is written in the law of the
Lord, Every male that openeth the
womb, shall be called holy to the
Lord.)
24. And to offer a sacrifice, accord-
ing to that which is said in the law
of the Lord, a pair of turtle-doves or
two young pigeons.
25. And behold there was a man in,
Jerusalem, whose name was Simoon;,
and the same man was just and devout,,
waiting for the consolation of Israel;,
and the Holy Ghost was upon him.
26. And it was revealed unto him
by the Holy Ghost, that he should not
see death, before he had seen the
Lord's Christ.
27. And he came by the spirit into
the temple; and when the parents
brought in the child Jesus, to do for
him after the custom of the law,
28. Then took he him up in his
arms, and blessed God, and said:
29. Lord now lettest thou thy serv-
ant go in peace, according to thy word.
80. For mine eyes have seen thy sal-
vation
31. Which thou hast prepared be-
fore the face of all people.
32. A light to lighten the Gentiles,
and the glory of thy people Israel.
33. And Joseph and his mother
marveled at those things which were
spoken of him.
34. And Simeon blessed them, and
said unto Mary his mother, Behold,
this child is set, &c.
35. Yea, a sword shall pierce, &c.
36. And there was one Anna, a
prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel,
of the tribe of Aser; she was of great
age, and had lived with a husband
seven years from her virginity.
37. And she was a widow of about
four-score and four years, who depart-
ed not from the temple, but served
God with fastings and prayers, night
and day.
158 THIRD PERIOD.
A. D. 120 TO A. D. 130.
INFANCY, ch. 6.
LUKE, ch. 2.
38. And she, coming in that in^tnnt,
thanks to God, and celebrated the gave thanks likewise unto the L vd,
happiness of Lady Mary.
and spake of him to all them that
looked for redemption in Jerusalem.
JESUS DISPUTING WITH THE DOCTORS.
INFANCY, ch. 50.
And when he was twelve years old,
they took him to Jerusalem, to the
feast.
And when the feast was finished,
they indeed returned, but the Lord Je-
sus remained behind, in the temple,
among the doctors and elders, and
learned men of the sons of Israel; to
whom he put various questions in the
sciences, and gave them answers in
his turn.
[The balance of chapter 50 and the
whole of chapters 51 and 52 are taken
tip with an account of this discus-
sion. It is stated that Jesus explained
the books of the law and the mysteries
of the prophets; also the sciences of
astronomy, philosophy, &c . But the
particular explanations are not given.]
CHAPTER 53.
While they were speaking to each
other these and other things, the Lady
St. Mary came, after having been go-
ing about for three days, with Joseph,
seeking for him. She therefore, seeing
him sitting among the doctors, asking
them questions, and answering in his
turn, said to him, My son, why hast
thou thus dealt with us? Behold, I
and thy father have sought thee, with
much trouble.
LUKE, ch. 2.
41. Now his parents went to Jeru-
salem every year, at the feast of the
passover.
42. And when he was twelve years
old, they went up to Jerusalem, after
the custom of the feast.
43. And when they had fulfilled the
days, as they returned, the child Jesus
tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Jo-
seph and his mother knew not of it.
44. But they, supposing him to have
been in the company, went a day's
journey; and they sought him among
their kinsfolk and acquaintance.
45. And when they found him not,
they turned back again to Jerusalem,
seeking him.
46. And it came to pass, that after
three days, they found him in the tem-
ple, sitting in the midst of the doctors,
both hearing them, and asking them
questions.
47. And all who heard him, were
astonished at his understanding and
answers.
48. And when they saw him, they
were amazed; and his mother said un-
bo him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt
with us ? Behold, thy father and I
have sought thee, sorrowing.
APOCRYPHAL GOSPELS. GOSPEL OF THE INFANCY. 159
INFANCY, ch. 53,
He replied, Wherefore did ye seek
me '? Did ye not know that I ought to
be employed in my father's house ? But
they understood not the word which he
spake unto tin -111.
Then the doctors asked Mary wheth-
er he was her son. And when she sig-
nified that he was, they said, happy
Mary, who hast brought forth such a
son.
Then he returned with them to \a/-
areth, and obeyed them in all things;
and his mot her kept all these sayings
in her heart.
And the Lord Jesus grew in stature
and wisdom and in favor with God and
man.
LUKE, ch. 2.
49. And he said unto them, How is
it that ye sought me? Wist ye not,
that I must be about my father's bus-
iness ?
50. And they understood not the
saying which he spake unto them.
51. And he went down with them,
and came to Nazareth, and was sub-
ject unto them; but his mother kept
all these sayings in her heart.
52. And Jesus increased in wisdom
and stature, and in favor with God
and man.
The foregoing accounts are closely parallel, with no
particular inference, as to which was first written.
The next chapter of the Infancy is as follows:
CH. 54. "But from this time, he began to conceal his miracles and secret
works, and gave himself to the study of the law, till he arrived to the end of
his thirtieth year; at which time the Father publicly owned him at Jordan,
sending down this voice from heaven: This is my beloved Son, in whom 1 am
well pleased; the Holy Ghost being also present, in the form of a dove."
Passing on to the Gospel of Matthew, the parallel
commences with the 7th chapter of the Infancy, and
the 2d chapter of Matthew, as follows:
VISIT OF THE MAGI.
INFANCY, ch. 7.
And it came to pass, when the Lord
Jesus was bora at Bethlehem, a city
of Judoea, in the time of Herod the
King, behold, wise men came from
the East to Jerusalem, as Zoradascht
[in the Ante-Nicene copy, Zeraduscht],
had predicted; and there were with
MATTHEW, ch. 2.
Now when Jesus was born in Beth-
lehem of Judaea, in the days of Herod
the King, behold, there came wise men
from the East to Jerusalem,
2. Saying: Where is he that is bom
King of the Jews? For we have seen
his star in the East, and are come to
worship him.
[Verses 3 to 10 have a parallel in
the Protevangelion, which has been
given.]
160 THIRD PEEIOD.
A.D. 120 TO A.I}. 130.
MATTHEW, ch. 2.
11. And when they were come into
the house, they saw the young < Iiild
with Mary his mother, and fell <io\vu
they;
and
and worshiped him. And when
had opened their treasures,
E resented unto him gifts; gold,
ankincense and myrrh.
12. And being- warned of God in a
dream, that they should not return to
Herod, they departed into their own.
country, another way.
INFANCY, ch. 7.
them gifts; gold, and frankincense,
and myrrh. And they adored him,
and presented to him their gifts.
Then the Lady Mary took one of
those swaddling-clothes, (in which the
infant was wrapped), and gave it to
them instead of a blessing; which they
received from her as a most noble pres-
ent. And in the same hour, there ap-
appeared unto them an angel in the
form of that star, which had before
been their guide in their journey; and
they went away, following the guid-
ance of its light, till they returned into
their own country.
[On their return, having made afire
and worshiped it, they cast in the
swaddling-cloth, which remained un-
harmed by the fire.]
It will be noticed, that according to the Infancy Gos-
pel, the visit of the magi was made in accordance with
the prophecy of Zoradascht. (Zoroaster.)
The reference to the prophecy of Zoroaster cannot
well he explained, except on the hypothesis, that the
Gospel of the Infancy was first written.
THE FLIGHT TO EGYPT.
INFANCY, ch. 9.
But Herod, perceiving that the wise
men did delay, and not return to him,
called together the priests and wise
men, and said, Tell me in what place,
the Christ is to be born. And when
they replied, In Bethlehem, a city of
Judaea, he began to contrive in his
mind, the death of the Lord Jesus
Christ.
Then appeared an angel of the Lord
to Joseph in his sleep, and said, Arise,
take the boy and his mother and go
into Egypt, at the crowing of the cock.
So he arose and went.
MATTHEW, ch. 2.
13. And when they were departed,
behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth
to Joseph in a dream, saying: Arise
and take the young child and his
mother, and flee into Egypt; and be
there until I bring thee word; for Her-
od will seek the young child, to de-
stroy him.
14. When he arose, he took the
young child and his mother, by night,
and departed into Egypt.
[Here follows the passage of Hosea r .
ch. 11, v. 1, referring to the calling
of Israel out of Egypt, which is ap-
plied, as a prophecy, to this transac-
tion.]
APOCRYPHAL GOSPELS. GOSPEL OF THE INFANCY. 161
In reply to the enquiry of Herod, as to the place
where the Christ was to be born, the priests and wise
men said, In Bethlehem. Yet, according to the Infan-
cy Gospel, he was born on the road, before his parents
reached Bethlehem. (According to the Protevangelion.
three miles distant.) The author of Luke, perceiving
this inconsistency, has Christ born in the village of
Bethlehem. But in so doing, as has been seen, he is
obliged to break up the consecutive incidents, and, in
several respects, to reconstruct the narrative.
The slaughter of the children is mentioned in the
Protevangelion, but not in the Infancy, in this con-
nection.
In the twelfth chapter, there is a reference to it, as
also, to the prophecy of Micah, thrown in, in the midst
of the miracles wrought in Egypt. It is, doubtless, an
interpolation.
Josephus, though he enlarges upon the cruelties of
Herod, says nothing of the slaughter of the children.
The account can scarcely be considered historical.
It must be looked upon as legendary, and probably first
appeared in the Protevangelion.
THE RETURN FROM EGYPT.
INFANCY, ch. 26. MATTHEW, ch. 2.
19. But when Herod was dead, be-
hold, an angel of the Lord appeareth
in a dream, to Joseph in Egypt,
20. Saying: Arise, and take the
young child and his mother, and go
into the land of Israel; for they are
dead, who sought the young child's
life.
21. And he arose, and took the
At the end of three years, he re- young child and his mother, and came
turned out of Egypt; and when he into the land of Israel,
came near to Judsea, Joseph was afraid
to enter; for, hearing that Herod was
dead, and that Archelaus his son
reigned in his stead, he was afraid;
and when he went to Judaea, an angel
22. But when he heard that Arche-
laus did reign in Judsea, in the room
of his father Herod, he was afraid to
go thither. Notwithstanding, bein<i
162 THIRD PERIOD. A. D. 120 TO A. D. 130.
MATTHEW, ch. 2.
warned of God in a dream, he turned
aside, into the parts of Galilee.
23. And he came and dwelt in a city
called Nazareth.
INFANCY, ch. 26.
of God appeared to him, and said:
Joseph, go into the city of Nazareth,
and there abide.
It is indeed wonderful, that the'Lord
of all countries should thus be earned
about, through so many regions.
In the foregoing comparisons, the reader must have
noticed, that where, in the account of the birth and
childhood of Jesus, as given in Luke and Matthew,
there was no parallel in one of the apocryphal gospels,
the history was, almost invariably, supplemented in the
other. This will appear more plainly by the following
arrangement, where the portions of each which con-
tain parallel passages are indicated:
LUKE.
THE ANNOUNCEMENT, AND THE VISIT TO ELIZABETH.
Protevangelion, chs. 11 and 12. Luke, ch. 1 , w. 26 to 56.
THE TAXING, AND THE BIRTH OF JESUS.
Protevangelion, chs. 17 and 18. )
Also, Infancy, chs. 2 and 3. \ * Luke, ch. 2, w. 1 to 7.
VISION TO THE SHEPHERDS.
Infancy, ch. 4. Luke, ch. 2, w. 8 to 16.
CIRCUMCISION OF JESUS.
Infancy, ch. 5. Luke, ch. 2, v. 21.
PRESENTATION IN THE TEMPLE.
Infancy, chs. 5 and 6. Luke, ch. 2, vv. 22 to 38.
JESUS DISPUTING WITH THE DOCTORS.
Infancy, chs. 50 to 53. Luke, ch. 2, w. 41 to 52.
MATTHEW.
JOSEPH AND THE ANGEL.
Protevangelion, chs. 13 and 14. Matthew, ch. 1, w. 18 to 24.
APOCRYPHAL GOSPELS. GOSPEL OF THE INFANCY. 163
VISIT OF TPE MAGI, AND SLAUGHTER OF THE CHILDREN
Proteyangelion chs. 21 and 22. )
Also visit of the magi, Infancy, ch. 7. f Matthew, ch. 2, w. Ito 18.
FLIGHT TO EGYPT.
Infancy, ch. 7. Matthew, ch. 2, w. 13 to 15.
RETURN FROM EGYPT.
Infancy, ch. 26. Matthew, ch. 2, w. 19 to 23.
In considering the question of priority, it must be
borne in mind, that these are, so far as is known, the
only histories of the birth and childhood of Jesus,
to be found in the ancient gospels. There was no such
history, in the Gospel of the Hebrews, in the Gospel of
Marcion, or in the Gospel of Tatian; nor have we any
evidence that there was any such in the gospels still
older, those of the first century, or in any of the lost
gospels of the second century.
On the hypothesis, that the Protevangelion and the
Infancy were first written, it might be interesting to
enquire, according to what rule or law, the selections
were made by the authors of Luke and Matthew. Upon
this point, we will venture to make a suggestion.
The Protevangelion and the Infancy were rude gos-
pels. They were very inartificially constructed, and
both of them contained accounts which were inconsis-
tent and irreconcilable. They were inconsistent, not
only with each other, but each with itself.
Looking at them together, we find, in endeavoring
to trace the history of Jesus, that according to' one ac-
count, he was taken from Bethlehem to Jerusalem, and
publicly presented in the temple; thence to Nazareth,
where he remained till his dispute with the doctors.
The other account represented his parents fleeing with
him, soon after his birth, from Bethlehem to Egypt, un-
der a warning from an angel not to return by Jerusalem.
These conflicting accounts, founded on different tra-
164 THIRD PERIOD. A. D. 120 TO A. D. 130.
ditions, ran through the two gospels, indiscriminately.
Each of the compilers of Luke and Matthew, wish-
ing to give, as a sort of preface to his gospel, a history
of the birth and childhood of Christ, not too long, but
one which would appear consistent in itself, selected,
we may suppose, such portions of the other two gos-
pels, as, in his judgment, would form such a history;
the one adopting the theory of the presentation in the
temple, and the other, the flight to Egypt. This would
result in giving us, precisely what we have; two di-
verse, inconsistent, and utterly irreconcilable histories
of the birth and childhood of Jesus.
"If we compare," says Schleiermacher, "without any prepossession, thi&
(Luke, chs. 1 and 2), and the corresponding portion in Matthew, we have two
parallel successions of narratives; parallel in the stricter sense of the word, in-
asmuch as they have no single point, that is, in this case, no entire fact, in
common. They are not at all supplemental to each other, but on the contra-
ry, the corresponding members of the two successions, almost entirely exclude
each other. Hence, then, if in any one point, the narrative of the one evan-
gelist is correct, that of the other, so far as it relates to the same epoch, can-
not be so." Essay on Luke, pp. 44, 45.
Again: "All attempts to reconcile these two contradictory statements, seem
only elaborate efforts of art, to which one should not needlessly resort; or in-
deed, should rather give no explanation at all." Ibid. p. 48.
Conceding them to be irreconcilable, he undertakes,
by an ingenious process, to pick out the truth, a little
here from Luke, and a little there from Matthew.
He thinks the accounts rest upon "a totally differ-
ent tradition, one from the other." [p. 48.]
In the Protevangelion and in the Infancy, the tradi-
tions are grouped together. In Luke and Matthew,
they are separated.
In the next chapter, we shall endeavor to trace the
origin and history of these traditions, and in so doing,
some further light may be thrown upon the question of
priority as between the two apocryphal and the two
canonical gospels.
APOCRYPHAL GOSPELS. GOSPELS OF THE INFANCY. 165
CHAPTER XIV.
ORIGIN AND HISTORY
OF THE GOSPELS OF THE INFANCY.
We are now to search for the origin of the legendary
accounts of the conception, birth and childhood of
Jesus.
For the purpose of this investigation, the Protevan-
gelion and the Gospel of the Infancy may be consider-
ed together, as Gospels of the Infancy.
While in the subsequent history of the childhood of
Christ, there are incidents which may be traced to oth-
er countries, there are certain leading features in the
first part of the narrative, which stamp it as of Persian
derivation. These are, the visit of the magi, guided
by a star, and the fact that the visit was made in ac-
cordance with the prophecy of Zeraduscht, or Zoro-
aster.
This prophecy will be found in the life of Zoroaster,
in Du Perron's translation of the Zend-Avesta.
Faber thinks the materials from which the Zend-
Avesta was composed, were taken from heathen, rather
than from Jewish sources, giving many reasons, based
upon the peculiar construction of the legends of the
Zend-Avesta. One of these peculiarities consists in the
166 THIRD PERIOD. A. D. 120 TO A. D. 130.
association of a star with the deluge; a circumstance
not to be found in the Mosaic account of the flood.
Taschter, the second man bull, of the creation, to
whom was committed the charge of bringing on the
deluge, was said to be a star, and his light is spoken of,.
as shining on higl^ during thirty days and thirty
nights, while the waters of the deluge were increasing.
The star may be found in the mythology of other na-
tions. Astarte consecrated at Tyre, a star, which she
found falling from the sky. Electra, the mother of
Dardanus, was one of the seven stars of the Pleia-
des, and was saved from a deluge, both in Arcadia and
Samothrace.
The star is older, even than Zoroaster, and according
to Faber, older than Hebrew tradition.
There were two Zoroasters. The first, spoken of by
Greek writers, flourished, according to these authors,
several thousand years before Christ. Pliny speaks of
him as thousands of years before Moses; and from that
writer and Aristotle, it may be concluded that he lived
some six thousand years before Christ. Hermodorus,
Hermippus, and Plutarch concur in dating him five
thousand years before the siege of Troy.
The other Zoroaster flourished, according to Dr.
Prideaux, in the time of Darius Hystaspes. l Sir Wil-
liam Jones agrees in assigning him to that period.
It was the opinion of the learned Mr. Faber, that
there were two Zeraduschts, or Zoroasters, and that the
primeval Zoroaster was none other, than Menu or Ma-
habad, or Buddha. He traces many analogies and re-
semblances between the ancient religions and mytholo-
gies of the Persians and the Hindoos, and thinks the
Zend-Avesta a modern compilation, founded upon re-
(1.) Prideaux's Connect, pt. 1, b. 4, p. 219.
APOCRYPHAL GOSPELS. GOSPELS OF THE INFANCY. 167
ligious books compiled by the second Zeraduscht; and
those again, based upon more ancient legends, which
were substantially identical with the older mythology
of India.
He ably antagonizes the theory of Dr. Prideaux, that
the accounts of the Zend-Avesta concerning the deluge
and the ante-deluvial age, were taken from the Mosaic
history. '
Malcolm, in his history of Persia, states that Zoroas-
ter first introduced the worship of fire.
In the Recognitions, may be found an interesting
tradition upon this subject.
Peter states that Zoroaster, being frequently intent
upon the stars, and wishing to be esteemed a god
among them, began to draw forth sparks from the
stars, that he might astonish, as with a miracle, rude
and ignorant men. That he attempted those things
again and again, until he was set on fire, "and con-
sumed by the demon himself, whom he accosted with
too great importunity." That the men of his day, af-
ter this, extolled him all the more; raised a monument
to his honor, and adored him as a friend of God, and
one who had been removed to heaven, in a chariot
of lightning. They then worshiped him as a living
star; which, says the author of the Recognitions, is the
meaning of the name; from 'zoe,' life, and 'aster/ star.
The star, which had previously been an object of
worship, now became associated with Zoroaster.
But what about the prophecy, upon which was
founded the legend of the magi?
In the life of Zoroaster, as given by Du Perron, in
his translation of the Zend-Avesta, is an account of
(1.) Origin of Pagan Idolatry, by George Stanley Faber, B. D., Rector
of Long-Newton, London, 1816, vol. 2, pp. 58 to 73.
168 THIRD PERIOD. A. D. 120 TO A. D. 130.
the three prophetic sons of Zoroaster, who were to ap-
pear, according to the Pehlvian and Parsian books of
the Persians, at successive periods of time. They were
to be the result of immaculate conceptions, caused
by the washing of virgins in the water, in which the
wife of Zoroaster had bathed.
"The first is named Oschederbami. He will appear in the last millennium
of the world. He will stop the sun for ten days and ten nights, and the sec-
ond part of the human race will embrace the law, of which he will bring the
22nd portion.
"The second posthumous son of Zoroaster, is Oschedermah. He will appear
400 years after Oschederbami. He will stop the sun twenty days and twenty
nights, and he will bring the 23rd part of the law, and the third part of the
world will be converted."
This is somewhat different from the prophecy as giv-
en by Hyde, in his work on the religion of the ancient
Persians. But the Oschedermah and the Oschederbami
of Du Perron, are doubtless the same as the Oshander-
bega and the Osiderbega of Hyde. '
Then follows, in Du Perron, this remarkable proph-
ecy: 2
"The third is named Sosiosch. He will be born at the end of the ages. He
will bring the 24th part of the law; he will stay the sun thirty days and thir-
ty nights, and the whole earth will embrace the law of Zoroaster. After
Mm will be tJte resurrection. Behold what the books of the Parsees apprise us
of the family of the legislator." "Viede Zoroastre" in the French transla-
tion of the Zend-Avesta, by Du Perron, Paris, 1771, vol. 1, pt. 2, p. 45.
From Abulpharagius, we learn that the prophecy
was connected with the appearance of a star, and the
visit of magi.
(1.) See his work, de Rel. Vet. Pers. c. 81.
(2.) The following is the text of Du Perron:
"Le troisi^me est nomme Sosiosch. II naitra a la fin des socles, apportera
le 24 Nosk de la Loi, arrctera le Soleil trente jours, et trente nuits; & toute
la terre embrassera la Loi de Zoroastre. Aprfes lui se sera la resurrection. Voi-
1& ce que les Livres des Parses nous apprennent de la famille de ce L%isla-
teur."
APO CR TPHA L 08PELS. G 08PELS OF THE INFANCY. 169
Zoroaster declared, says this writer, that in the lat-
ter days, a pure virgin would conceive, and that as
soon as the child should be born, a star would appear,
blazing even at noonday, with undiminished lustre.
"You my sons," exclaimed the seer, "will perceive its rising before any oth-
er nation. As soon, therefore, as you shall behold the star, follow it, whither-
soever it shall lead you; and adore that mysterious child, offering your gifts to
him, with profound humility. He is the Almighty Word, which created the
h'iv.-ns." Abulpharagius, accwding to Hyde, de Eel. Vet. Pers. c. 3.
Here, from a writer vouched for by Faber, as high
authority, we have, not only the immaculate concep-
tion, the star and the magi of Matthew, but also the
Logos of John. The Kev. Mr. Faber considers thor-
oughly the question, whether this remarkable predic-
tion was before or after the birth of Christ; and con-
cludes it was a long time before. One reason why he
rejects the idea of its being a subsequent forgery, is,
tluit in the old Irish history, there was a Zeraduscht,
associated with a similar prophecy, which was first
delivered by a Daru or Druid of Bokhara. *
The same prophecy was, in the East, ascribed by
Abulpharagius to a Zeraduscht who was actually a Da-
ru or Druid of Bokhara. This coincidence is so singu-
lar, that Faber thinks it can only be accounted for on
the hypothesis of an ancient emigration from Persia
to Ireland, by the north-west passage, which carried
the legend with it. '
Thus, in the prophecy of Zoroaster, we have the ori-
gin of the legend of the star and the magi, which ap-
peared early in the second century, in the Infancy gos-
pels, and thence became incorporated into the prefa-
(1.) As authority, see Vallancey's Vindication of the Ancient History of Ire-
land, Collect, de Reb. Hibern. vol. 4, p. 202. (Chicago Libraiy.)
170 THIRD PERIOD. A. D. 120 TO A. D. 130.
tory chapters of Luke and Matthew. To which may
be added, that there was a Christian sect called Prodi-
ceans, whose leader, Prodicus, [about A. D. 120], boast-
ed that they had the secret books of Zoroaster. l
Having traced to their source, the legends connected
with the conception and birth of Jesus, and having
found them associated with the central figure of Per-
sian mythology, let us now go farther south, and see
what light may be thrown upon the subsequent history,
as given in the gospels of the Infancy; portions of
which also, are to be found in Luke and Matthew; not
forgetting, as we proceed, the intimate connection
which existed between the ancient religions of Persia
and India.
CHRISHNA.
In the history of Hindostan, by Rev. Thomas Mau-
rice, vol. 2, will be found a complete history of Chrish-
na, the eighth incarnation of the Hindoo God Vishnu;
translated by Mr. Maurice from the Bhagavat Purana,
one of the sacred books of India.
Chrishna, according to Col. Tocld, was born 1156
years before Christ. 2
There are many other traditions, that might be col-
lected from different writers, and thrown together,
which would show a still closer resemblance between
the narratives. But without going into these, except
Baldaeus, taking the translation of Mr. Maurice from
the sacred Hindoo scriptures, we have the following
parallel between Chrishna and Christ:
(1.) Clement of Alexandria, Stronmta, bk. 1, ch. 15.
(2.) Annals and Antiquities of Rajust'han, vol. 1, p. 37.
APOCRYPHAL GOSPELS. GOSPELS OF THE INFANCY. 171
CHRISHNA AND CHRIST.
BHAGAVAT PURANA.
CHRISHNA
Was believed to be God incarnate
by a miraculous conception.
Was bom in a dungeon.
At the time of his birth, the wall
of his chamber were illuminated.
At the time of his birth, a choru
of devatas, or angels, saluted the new
born infant.
Of royal descent.
As soon as born, had the powe:
of speech. (According to Baldaeus
Chrishna, immediately when born
conversed with his mother, soothing
and comforting her.)
Cradled among shepherds.
Cansa, the ruler of the country, fears
the loss of his kingdom, and seeks the
life of the infant.
The child is carried away by night
and concealed in a remote region.
Cansa is wroth, and issues an order
for the slaughter of all the young chil-
dren, throughout his kingdom.
Has a combat with, and subdues a
huge serpent, in his infancy.
The serpent vomits streams of fire
from his mouth and nostrils.
Performs many miracles in his in-
fancy and boyhood.
While a boy, raises the dead to life.
While a boy, strikes dead, persons
who have offended him.
Was preceded by his elder brother,
Rum, who was his associate in the
work of purification, and was hurried
away as soon as born, to escape the
decree of Cansa.
Lived at Mathurea.
One of his first miracles, was curing
a leper.
While a boy, is chosen by the other
boys as their king. [Baldoeus.]
Learns all the sciences, in one day
and night.
GOSPELS OF THE INFANCY.
CHRIST
Was believed to be God incarnate,
by an immaculate conception.
Was born in a cave.
The ca.ve was filled with a great
light, and seemed like a glorious tem-
ple.
At the time of his birth, a chorus
of angels saluted the new-born infant.
Of royal descent.
As soon as bora, spoke to his moth-
r, informing her of nis divine charac-
ter, his origin and destiny.
Cradled among shepherds.
Herod, the ruler of the country, fears-
the loss of his kingdom, and seeks the-
ife of the infant.
The child is carried away by night,
and concealed in a remote region.
Herod is wroth, and issues an order,
'or the slaughter of all the children
of Bethlehem, from two years old,
and under.
Has several combats with serpents;
overcomes them, and drives them out
of persons possessed.
In one case, there issued forth, from
ne of his swaddling-clothes, flames
nd burning coals, and fell on the
lead of the serpent.
Performs many miracles in his in-
ancy and boyhood.
While a boy, raises the dead to life.
While a boy, strikes dead, persons
who have offended him.
Was preceded by John the Baptist,
who was sent into the wilderness, to
scape the decree of Herod.
On his visit to Egypt, in his child-
ood, stopped at a place called Matu-
ea. This name it afterward retained.
Among the first miracles, was the
uring of lepers.
While a boy, is chosen by the other
oys as their king.
While a boy, teaches the doctors
nd philosophers in the temple, the-
hole circle of the sciences.
172 THIRD PERIOD. A.D.12Q TO A. D. 130.
This remarkable parallel, which leaves no room for
doubt, that one of the narratives was drawn upon in
the construction of the other, raises at once the ques-
tion, which was first written? A question of the ut-
most importance; since if the Bhagavat Purana pre-
ceded the gospels of the Infancy, it could hardly be
contended, at the same time, that it was subsequent to
to Luke and Matthew.
It is considered, by evangelical writers, that the In-
fancy gospels were composed early in the second cen-
tury, and the same writers do not now claim that the
canonical gospels appeared much sooner. If, there-
fore, the Hindoo production was long anterior to that
time, the only question remaining would be, whether
the parallelisms between the life of Chrishna, and that
of Christ as recorded in Luke and Matthew, were ta-
ken direct from the Bhagavat Purana, or through the
medium of the Infancy gospels.
The Rev. Mr. Maurice, who fully appreciated the im-
portance of the question, and saw that in discussing
it, the gospels must all be considered together, would
have his readers believe, that the Bhagavat Purana
was interpolated, "both from the real and the spuri-
ous gospels."
In advocating this theory, however, he found him-
self embarrassed by the fact, that in various places in
this and others of his works, he had contended for the
great antiquity of the Hindoo books, and had repeat-
edly hinted at the absurdity of supposing that the
Brahmins would ever "descend so far from the con-
scious superiority of mental distinction" to which they
laid claim, as to receive instruction, either in regard
(1.) Volume 2, p. 320.
APOCRYPHAL GOSPELS. GOSPELS OF THE IS FANCY. 173
to the rites of religion, or the principles of science,
from aliens.
But while he did not entertain for a moment, the
idea, that the Indian philosophers had taken any thing
from Greece or Arabia, from a mythology much akin
to their own; and while he believed many of the Indian,
legends to be older than the oldest of Greece, he found
no difficulty in supposing that eastern magi would
travel a year or more, in search of a king of the Jews;
would fall down and worship him, and on their return,
would incorporate accounts concerning him, into their
own sacred scriptures.
He overlooked the fact r that the prophecy of Zoro-
aster, in which the magi had been instructed, had no
reference to a Jewish king, or to the Jewish people.
What are the facts, upon which an intelligent opin-
ion upon the subject, is to be based? The original
Gospel of the Infancy was attributed to the apostle
and evangelist, Thomas. In this connection, we can-
not ignore the ancient tradition of the church, that
Thomas was a missionary to Parthia, and to India.
According to that tradition, and the testimony of the
fathers, when the distribution was made by the apos-
tles, of the several regions of the Gentile world, in
which they were respectively to preach the gospel, the
vast district of Parthia, and the more eastern empires
of Asia, were allotted to Thomas. He visited the va-
rious countries then constituting the Parthian empire ;
that is, Media, Persia, Carmania, Hyrcania and Bactria.
The capital of Bactria was Balkh, the ancient residence
of the magi. Here, according to eastern tradition, he
had an interview with the sages, and the tradition
does not fail to say, he converted them. '
(1.) See a work entitled, 'Opus Imperfectum in Matthaeum, ' horn. 2. This-
"Imperfect Commentary on Matthew," was written about A. D. 560.
174 THIRD PERIOD. A. D. 120 TO A. D. 130.
From Parthia, St. Thomas is said to have visited In-
dia. It is not claimed that he converted the Brahmins,
but it is thought the Brahmins may have profited by
his visit, to interpolate their sacred books, from his in-
structions!
But how did it happen, that after St. Thomas return-
ed, there appeared among the Christians of Palestine,
and countries west of it, a Gospel of Thomas, full of
stories so closely resembling the legends of the Bhaga-
vat Purana? If the interpolations were made by the
Brahmins, how was it, that this gospel appeared after
the interpolations, and not before?
In confirmation of the visit of Thomas to India, it is
related by Maffseus, that at Cranganor, on the Malabar
oast, St. Thomas instituted an order of Christians, still
known by his name, and which boasts to retain the re-
cords of their institution, and a grant of land to St.
Thomas, their pastor, from the reigning king of India. l
The records and grant were engraved on tablets of
brass, which had been lost for centuries, but were dug
up, during the vice-royalty of Don Alfonsa Sonsa,
one of the early governors of Portuguese India.
Thomas is said to have been murdered at Meliapoor;
from which circumstance, it was afterward called St.
Thome.
The conclusion must be, that while for some of the
salient points of the Gospels of the Infancy, the au-
thors were indebted to Zoroaster, and the legends of
Persia, the outline of the story was largely filled up
from the history of Chrishna, as sent back to Pales-
tine, by the Apostle Thomas, from the land of the
Brahmins.
(1.) History of India, 1. 2, p. 85.
APOCRYPHAL GOSPELS. GOSPELS OF THE INFANCY. 175
As to the slaughtered infants, there was discovered,
in a cavern at Elephanta, in India, a sculptured repre-
sentation, of great antiquity, of a huge and ferocious
figure, bearing a drawn sword, and surrounded by
slaughtered infants, while mothers were weeping for
their slain. '
ANTIQUITY OF THE BHAGAVAT PURANA.
The Puranas are eighteen in number. The fifth,
which was translated by Maurice, is the Bhagavata.
The legends concerning Chrishna appear, in substan-
tially the same form, in several of the others.
Those who may wish to examine further as to the
antiquity of these books, will find the whole subject
thoroughly and ably discussed, in a correspondence be-
tween Col. Vans Kennedy, and Prof. Horace H. Wil-
son, author of a translation of the Vishnu Purana.
The correspondence is in the form of five letters
from Col. Kennedy, the reply of Prof. Wilson, and re-
joinder of Kennedy. It was published originally, in
the London Asiatic Journal, for 1840 and 1841, and was
republished in the Appendix to the 5th volume of the
work of Prof. Wilson. *
This writer inclines to the opinion, that the Puran-
as, in their present form, are modern compilations;
and gives some countenance to the theory, though
he does not fully endorse it, that the Bhagavata was
written by one Bopadeva, as late as the twelfth cen-
tury.
This position is opposed, with great ability, by Col.
Kennedy, who reminds the learned author of the
(1.) See Forbe's Oriental Memoirs.
(2.) The Vishnu Parana: A System of Mythology and Tradition, translated
from the original Sanscrit, by Horace Hayman Wilson, F. R. S. &c., London,
1864.
176 THIRD PERIOD. A. D. 120 TO A. D. 130.
'Vishnu Purana/ that he had himself, in his Preface
to that work, stated, that there is "abundant posi-
tive and circumstantial evidence of the prevalence
of the doctrines which they [the Pur anas] teach, the
currency of the legends which they narrate, and the
integrity of the institutions which they describe, at
least three centuries before the Christian era."
This concession, Col. Kennedy thinks, leaves it com-
paratively unimportant when the Puranas assumed
the exact form they now have. The word 'Purana'
itself signifies 'old,' thus indicating the character of
the contents. He maintains, however, that they are
now essentially the same that they were two thous-
and years ago.
"It is unquestionable, " says Col. Kennedy, "that certain works called Pu-
ranas, have been immemorially considered by the Hindus, as sacred books.
They inculcated the doctrines of the Hindu religion/'
And proceeding to consider the theory which had
been advanced as to the authorship of the Bhagavata
Purana, he says:
"If the Bhagavata was written by Bopadeva, at Doulutabad, in the twelfth
century, was the original Bhagavata then in existence or not '? If it was, what
reason, consistent with probability, can be assigned, for supposing that the
Brahmins of all India would have suppressed one of their sacred books, to
which they ascribed a divine origin, and received, as entitled to the same rev-
erence, the acknowledged composition of an obscure grammarian ? The sup-
position is evidently absurd." Appendix to vol. 5, of Vish. Pur. by Wilson,
p. 278.
He concludes, "that the present Puranas are, in fact,
in all essential respects, the same works which were
current, under that name, in India, in the century pri-
or to the Christian era."
(1.) Vishnu Purana, &c., by H. H. Wilson, Pref. p. 99.
APOCRYPHAL GOSPELS. THE ACTS OF PILATE. Ill
CHAPTER XV.
THE ACTS OF PILATE.
It has been supposed that Pilate made a report to
Tiberius Caesar, of the crucifixion of Christ, and of
the circumstances attending it.
Frequent references to such a report, were made by
early Christian writers, who called it "The Acts of Pi-
late." That Justin Martyr [A. D. 150], made frequent
allusions to a book or writing of some sort, entitled
"The Acts of Pilate," will be seen in a subsequent
chapter. [See Justin Martyr.]
Some writers have thought that he alluded to the ori-
ginal report, supposed to have been made to Caesar.
It will be seen however, that he must have alluded to
a gospel then in circulation, entitled "The Acts of Pi-
late, or Gospel of Nicodemus:" since his citations not
only were in that gospel, but were such as would not
have been in any report made by Pontius Pilate him-
self. It is possible, that he was not able to distin-
guish between them, or did not care to do so. He was
not a critical writer.
The fact that one of the early gospels was confound-
ed by the Christians themselves, with the report of Pi-
178 THIRD PERIOD. A. D. 120 TO A. D. 130.
late, renders the existence of such a report, somewhat
problematical; although it would have been in accor-
dance with the mode of procedure in such cases, that
a report should have been made.
Tertullian, some sixty years later than Justin, refers
to it several times; but not in a manner sufficiently
definite, to determine whether or not, he distinguishes
it from the gospel. He says:
"Tiberius, accordingly, in whose days the Christian name made its entry
into the world, having himself received intelligence from Palestine, of events
which had clearly shown the truth of Christ's divinity, 'brought the matter be-
fore the senate, with his own decision in favor of Christ. The senate, because
it had not given the approval itself, rejected his proposal. Csesar held to his
opinion, threatening wrath against all accusers of the Christians." Apology,
ch. 5, Ante-Nicene, will, p. 63.
Speaking of the darkness at the time of the crucifix-
ion, he says:
"You yourselves have the account of the world portent, still in your ar-
chives." Apol. ch. 21," Ant. Nic. wl. 11, p. 94.
The account of the darkness at the crucifixion, was
in the Gospel of the Acts of Pilate. Whether Tertull-
ian, like Justin Martyr, alluded to this, assuming that
it was the same as the Romans had in their archives,
or whether he referred to another document, it is im-
possible to determine. Again, he says:
"All these things Pilate did to Christ; and now in fact a Christian in his
own conviction, he sent word of him to the reigning Caesar, who was at the
time, Tiberius. 1 ' Ibid. oh. 21, p. 95.
It would be very important to ascertain, whether
there was any report of Pilate. That there was such
a report, was the general opinion of the fathers; Euse-
bius, Jerome and others. Also of Grotius, Bishop Pear-
son, Spanheim, Fabricius, and modern writers gener-
ally. But these opinions are all founded upon the tes-
timony of Justin Martyr and Tertullian. The writings
APOCRYPHAL GOSPELS. THE ACTS OF PILATE. 179
of these fathers throw no light upon the subject; every
thing referred to by them being contained in the gos-
pel. The report, if any ever existed, could not have
contained much in common with the gospel. For in-
stance, would Pilate, in describing the crucifixion, have
quoted from the Jewish scriptures, and said, "Upon
his vesture they cast lots?"
Le Clerk, Jones and others conclude, with good rea-
son, that if there was such a report, neither Justin or
Tertullian had ever seen it, nor any subsequent Chris-
tian writer.
Eusebius supposes the heathens forged Acts of Pilate
to bring the Christian religion into disrepute; a thing
in the highest degree improbable.
An attempt has lately been made, to reproduce the
original Report of Pilate. This will be considered in
another chapter.
THE ACTS OP PILATE ABSTRACT OF CONTENTS.
CHAPTER 1. Annas and Caiaphas, and eight others, who are named, went
to Pilate, accusing Jesus of many crimes; declaring they were satisfied that he
was the son of Joseph the carpenter, and that he declared himself the Son of
God, and a king. Also that hie attempted a dissolution of the sabbath, and of
.the laws of their fathers.
Pilate enquired what Jesus had done?
The Jews replied, that he worked cures on the sabbath, contrary to their
law; that he cured the lame and the deaf, those afflicted with the palsy, the
blind, the lepers, and demoniacs; by wicked methods.
Pilate sent a messenger after Christ. When the messenger met him, he
worshiped him, and spread his cloak for Jesus to walk upon. The Jews com-
plained of this act of the messenger. When Pilate asked him why he had
done it, he replied, "When thou sentest me from Jerusalem to Alexander, I
saw Jesus, sitting in a mean figure, upon a she-ass, and the children of the
Hebrews cried out, 'Hosanna; 1 holding boughs in their hands; others spread
their garments in the way, and said, 'Save us, thou who art in heaven; blessed
180 THIRD PERIOD. A. D. 120 TO A. D. 130.
is he who cometh in the name of the Lord.' " The messenger was again sent,,
and did as before. "And as Jesus was going in by the ensigns who carried
the standards, the tops of them bowed down, and worshiped Jesus.' 1 This
was repeated, in the presence of Pilate.
CH. 2. Pilate's wife sent to him, saying: "Have nothing to do with that
just man; for I have suffered much concerning him in a vision, this night."
Pilate, then calling Jesus, said: "Hast thou heard what they testify against
thee, and makestno answer?" Jesus replied, "If they had not the power
of speaking, they would not have spoken; but because every one has the com-
mand of his own tongue, to speak both good and bad, let them see to it."
The elders of the Jews charged him, with being born through fornication ;.
also that on account of his birth, the infants were slain in Bethlehem, and his
father and mother fled into Egypt, because they could not trust the people.
Others of the Jews spoke more favorably, among whom a number are named,,
including James and Judas. (These are the only names that correspond with
those of the twelve apostles.) Then Pilate ordered all to go out, except the
twelve, and Jesus to withdraw. He then asked the twelve, why the Jews
wished to kill Jesus. They replied, that they were angry, because he wrought
cures on the sabbath.
CH. 3. Scenes between Jesus and Pilate. [See next chapter of this work.]
The closing conversation is as follows:
"Pilate saith to him, 'What is truth?' Jesus said, 'Truth is from heaven.'
Pilate said, 'Truth, therefore, is not on earth?' Jesus replied, 'Believe that
truth is on earth, among those who, when they have the power of judgment,
are governed by truth, and form their judgment aright.' "
CH. 4. Scenes between Pilate and the Jews. Pilate finding no fault in Je-
sus the report of the Jews as to what Jesus had said about the temple Pi-
late declaring himself innocent of the blood of Jesus, &c.
"Then the governor again commanded the Jews to depart out of the hall;
and calling Jesus, said to him, 'What am I to do with thee?' Jesus answered
him, 'According as it is written.' Pilate said to him, 'How is it written?' Je-
sus answered, 'Moses and the prophets made known beforehand, concerning
my suffering and resurrection.'
The Jews, hearing this, were enraged, and said to Pilate, "Why will you
longer listen to his blasphemy?" Pilate said to them, "If these words seem,
to you blasphemous, take him, bring him before your synagogue, and try him
APOCRYPHAL GOSPELS. TEE ACTS OF PILATE. 181
according to your law." The Jews said to Pilate, "It is contained in our law,
that if one man has sinned against another^ he is worthy of nine and thirty
stripes; but when he has blasphemed in this manner, against the Lord, he is
to be stoned."
Pilate replied, "If this speech is blasphemy, then judge him according to
your law." The Jews said, "Our law commands us not to put any one to
d.'uth. [The preceding sentence in some copies, only.] We desire that he
may be crucified, because he is worthy of the death of the cross." Pilate said
to them, "It is not proper to crucify him. Let him be whipped and sent
away."
"The governor, looking upon the people, and upon the Jews standing
around, saw many of the Jews in tears; and said to the foremost of the Jew-
ish priests, 'Not all of the multitude wish him to die.' The Jewish elders said
to Pilate, 'We and the whole multitude came hither for this purpose, that he
should die/ Pilate said to them, 'Wherefore should he die ?' They replied,
'Because he declares himself the Son of God, and a king/ "
CH. 5. But Nicodemus, a certain Jew, stood before the governor, and said:
4 'I entreat thee, merciful Judge, that thou wouldst deign to hear me a few
words." Pilate said to him, "Speak on."
Nicodemus said, "I have spoken to the elders of the Jews, and the scribes,
the priests and the Levites, and to the whole multitude of the Jews in the syn-
agogue, and have asked them what they would do with this man? He is a
man who has. done many useful and glorious signs and wonders, such as no
man on earth has done, or can do. Dismiss him, and do him no harm. If he
is from God, his wonderful works will stand. But if from men, they will come
to naught. Thus Moses," &c. [Alluding to the miracles wrought in Egypt,
oy Jannes, Jambres, &c.]
fhe Jews became angry at Nicodemus for interfering. Colloquy between
them and Nicodemus.
CH. 6. "Another certain one of the Jews, rising up, asked the Governor,
that he would hear him a word. The governor said, 'Whatever thou hast to
say, say/' 1 [Here follows an account of the miracle at the sheep-pool. See
next chapter.]
And another certain Jew, coming forth, said: "I was blind," &c. [See next
chapter.]
182 THIRD PERIOD. A. D. 120 TO A. D. 130.
"And another Jew, starting forth, said: 'I was a leper,' &c. [See next ch.]
"And another Jew came forth and said, 'I was crooked, and he made me
straight by his word.'"
CH. 7. "And a certain woman named Veronica, 1 ' &c. (See next chapter.)
Then follows from another Jew, the account of the turning of water into-
wine; from another, the casting out of a devil at Capernaum.
"The following things were also said by a Pharisee:
" '1 saw that a great company came to Jesus, from Galilee and Judea,. and
the sea coast, and many countries about Jordan; and many infirm persons-
came to him, and he healed them all. And I heard the unclean spirits crying
out and saying, 'Thou art the Son of God.' And Jesus strictly charged them,
that they should not make him known.' "
CH. 8. "After this, another person, whose name was Centurio, said," &c.
(See next chapter.)
"And many others, also, from the Jews, both men and women, cried out,
saying:
" 'He is truly the Son of God, who cures all diseases, only by his word; and
to whom all the demons are subjected.' Some from among them said, "This-
power is only from God.'
"Others said to Pilate, that he restored Lazarus from the dead,, after he had
been four days in the tomb."
"The governor, hearing these things, trembling, said to> the multitude-
of the Jews, 'What will it profit you, to shed innocent blood,? 1 "
Chapters 9, 10 & 11 give an account of the sentence of Jesus, and of the cir-
cumstances attending his crucifixion. [See next chapter.]
CH. 12. The Jews, having heard that Joseph had begged and buried the
body of Jesus, sought for Joseph and others, his companions and accomplices.
They concealed themselves, all but Nicodemus. He showed himself boldly,
and disputed with the Jews. Joseph also, afterward appeared, and expostu-
lated with them. The elders of the Jews were enraged, "and seizing Joseph,
they put him into a chamber, where was no window. They fastened the door,
and put a seal upon the lock." They also placed a guard about it.
CH. 13. When he was ordered brought forth, they found the same seal on
the lock of the chamber, but could not find Joseph. While they were all won-
dering at this, one of the soldiers who had guarded the sepulcher, entered, and
APOCRYPHAL GOSPELS. THE ACTS OF PILATE. 183
reported, that while they were guarding the sepulcher, &c. [See next ch.J
"Then the Jews called together all the soldiers who kept the sepulcher
of Jesus, and said to them, 'Who were those to whom the angel spoke ? Why
did ye not seize them ?' The soldiers answering said, 'We know not who the
women were; besides, we became as dead persons, through fear of the angel;
and how could we seize the women?' "
The Jews do not believe the soldiers, and an altercation ensues between
them. The soldiers say, "Do ye produce Joseph, whom ye put under guard
in your chamber, and we will produce Jesus, whom we guarded in the sep-
ulcher." The Jews gathered a large sum of money, and gave it to the sol-
diers, &c. [See next chapter.]
CH. 14. Three persons came from Galilee to Jerusalem, and reported that
they had seen Jesus in Galilee, talking with his eleven disciples, &c. [See next
ch.] The chief priests gave these persons a large sum of money, and had
them take oath not to declare what they had seen, and sent them back to their
own country. The Jews were now in great consternation.
"But Annas and Caiaphas comforted them, saying: 'Why should we believe
the soldiers?' " &c. [See next ch.]
CH. 15. On the advice of Nicodemus, men were sent into the mountains,
to search for Jesus. They could not find him, but found Joseph. They in-
duced him to return. He related his marvelous escape. Jesus had appeared
to him in the room, and having liberated him, had shown him the tomb in
which he had been laid, &c.
( 'ir. 16. The Jews were astonished. They said, they knew the father and
mother of Jesus. A certain Levite said, he knew his relations, &c.
Ch. 17. Joseph related to the Jews, that the two sons of Simeon had ris-
en from the dead, and were at Arimathea. He suggested visiting them,. for
the purpose of ascertaining some of the mysteries of their resurrection. Five
persons then visited their graves, and found them open. They found them in
the village, and brought them to Jerusalem, to the synagogue. They took
the book of the law of the Lord, and swore them by the God Adonai, and the
God of Israel, to tell them how they were raised from the dead, and what they
had seen.
Charinus and Lenthius, the two sons of Simeon, called for paper, and wrote
down the mysteries which they had experienced.
184 THIRD PERIOD. A. D. 120 TO A. D. 130.
GOSPEL OF NICODEMUS. PART 2. THE DESCENT INTO
HELL. [HADES.] This part of the gospel consists of the
story thus written down, which is, briefly, as follows:
When they were in the depths of hell, suddenly there
was a golden light, as of the sun. Adam then rejoiced;
also Isaiah the prophet,' &c. Then their father Simeon
came, and quoted what he said, when he took Jesus in
his arms; the saints in hell then rejoiced; then came
John the Baptist, like a little hermit. Seth appeared,
and repeated a long speech of Michael. Then Satan, the
prince and captain of death, announced to the prince
of hell that Jesus was coming. The prince of hell and
Satan made long speeches. While they were discours-
ing, there was heard a voice as of thunder. "Lift up
your gates, ye princes, and the King of Glory shall
come in."
The prince of hell prepared to resist, but the sound
was repeated, and the mighty Lord appeared in the form
of a man, lighting up the darkness. The King of Glory
tramples upon death; seizes the prince of hell, and
takes father Adam and the saints with him to glory.
In exchange for the loss of Adam and his righteous
sons, he gives Satan over to Beelzebub, the prince of
hell, to be subject to his dominion forever.
CH. 27. "These are the divine and sacred mysteries,
which we saw and heard." Thus say Charinus and
Lenthius.
They, having written this all down, gave one copy
to the Jewish priests, and one copy to Nicodemus and
Joseph; "and immediately they were exchanged into
exceeding white forms, and were seen no more."
"But immediately, all these things, which were re-
lated by the Jews in their synagogue, concerning Jes-
us, were directly told to the governor, by Joseph and
Mcodemus, and Pilate wrote down all the transac-
tions, and placed them all in the public records of the
praetorium."
CH. 28. Pilate went to the temple, and calling to-
gether the rulers, and the scribes, and the doctors of
the law, he stated that he had heard they had a large
book in the temple, and he desired it to be brought.
APOCRYPHAL GOSPELS. THE ACTS OF PILATE. 185
When the great book, carried by four ministers of the
temple, and adorned with gold and precious stones, was
brought, Pilate adjured them to tell him, if they had
found any thing in the scriptures, about Jesus coming
for the salvation of the human race; and at what time
of the world he should have come. Annas and Caia-
phas being sworn, declared that they had found, in the
first of the seventy books, where Michael the archan-
gel, gave to the third son of Adam, an account concern-
ing the appearance of Christ after 5500 years.
Here follows, in the copy of the gospel which we
have adhered to, taken from the Orthodoxographa,
vol. 1, torn. 2, p. 643, a list of chronological periods,
footing up 4964 years. But in the Latin form of the
gospel, published in the 16th volume of the Ante-Ni-
cene collection, is a list of dates, which, after a slight
correction, foots up, 5500 years.
The copy from the Orthodoxographa, closes with
a formal ending, stating that these Acts of Christ were
found, in the 19th year of Tiberius Caesar, by the Em-
peror, Theodosius the Great, in Jerusalem, in the prae-
torium of Pontius Pilate, among the public records.
Thiit it was in the 17th year of Herod the Tetrarch,
and in the 102d Olympiad. That the history was writ-
ten in Hebrew, by Nicodemus. l
(1.) In the preface to the Latin form, it is stated, that the Acts were trans-
lated liy .Kin-its, from the Hebrew, into the language of the Gentiles, in the
17th consulship of Theodosius, and the 5th consulship of Valentinian. That
they had been written by Nicodemus, in Hebrew, in the 19th year of Tiberius.
The same copy closes by saying-, that Pilate laid up a statement of the Acts
of Christ in the public records of the praBtorium, and wrote a letter to Clau-
dius, stating that Jesus had been crucified, and referring to the miracles which
he had wrought. Also, that he rose again the third day, while the soldiers
were keeping guard.
18(> .THIRL PERIOD. A.JJ.12Q- TO A. D. 13O-
CHAPTER XVI.
ACTS OF PILATE
AND THE CANONICAL GOSPELS COMPARED.
Before instituting a comparison of these gospels, it
will be necessary to consider more carefully, a custom
which prevailed extensively in the first ages of the
church, and especially in the first two centuries.
The prevailing religious excitement and enthusiasm,
the trusting credulity and love of the marvelous, which
were characteristic of the early Christians, led them to>
accept, unhesitatingly, what came to them, sanctioned
by the authority of their bishops and teachers.
When the better educated among them were called
upon to translate or to transcribe the religious wri-
tings of the day, they saw at a glance, what liberties
had been taken with previous materials, and how read-
ily the changes had been accepted. Accordingly, not
with any improper motives, but for the purpose of ed-
ification, and of increasing, somewhat, the volume, not
then very large, of current Christian literature, they
made additions, more or less extensive, to the writings
which they were copying or translating. This process,
which may be termed literary accretion, prevailed sa
APOCRYPHAL GOSPELS. THE ACTS OF PILATE. 187
extensively and universally, in those times, that it was
the rule, rather than the exception; and must be con-
stantly kept in view, in all investigations and discus-
sions of Christian doctrine, as well as in the exegesis of
the Christian scriptures.
This practice is well understood by ecclesiastical
writers, as well as the disposition and habits of thought
to which it is to be referred. "The ancient transcri-
bers of the gospels," says Michaelis, "were always
more inclined to insert new passages, than to erase
what already exsisted." '
Many passages in the New Testament are thus to be
accounted for; notably may be mentioned, the last
twelve verses of the Gospel according to Mark; which
are generally considered a later addition to the nar-
rative. a
One of the most remarkable illustrations of the pro-
cess of interpolation and accretion, is in the Ignatian
Epistles. It is now established that the only genuine
writings of Ignatius extant, are the Cureton Epistles.
These consist of about twelve octavo pages. They
were written, A. D. 115.
Twenty-five years later, these three epistles had in-
creased from 12 pages to 20, while four new ones
had appeared, making in all, 40 pages. Some time af-
terward, the 40 pages, which constituted the seven
epistles, were found swollen to 60, while eight new
epistles had appeared, adding 40 pages more, mak-
ing 100 pages of the Epistles of Ignatius! These all
(1.) Volume 3, p. 169.
(2.) It is stated in the religious Encyclopedia of Me Clintock and Strong,,
that one of the Greek manuscripts of the New Testament, the one called 'Co-
dex Bezae,' or the Cambridge manuscript, "is chiefly remarkable for its bold
and extensive interpolations; amounting to some 600 in the Acts alone.''
[Article 'Cambridge MS.'l
188 THIRD PERIOD. A. D. 120 TO A. D. 130.
passed as genuine, for hundreds of years. Here was a
natural growth, from 12 pages to 100. They were all
for edification. They all breathed the same spirit with
the original epistles; some new doctrines had crept in;
but no harm had been intended, and no great violence
had been done to any thing but the truth of his-
tory.
While 88 pages had been added to the Ignatian Epis-
tles, how many had been taken away? One half page,
and that supposed to be by mistake, from the loss of
the last half sheet of the MS.
Of the 150,000 various readings which Grriesbach
found in the manuscripts of the New Testament, prob-
ably 149,500 were additions and interpolations.
Prof. Abbott gives us a list of over 60 passages, in the
New Testament, the genuineness of which the present
Bible Revision Committee consider "more or less ques-
tionable." They include Mark, ch. 16, vv. 9 to 20, and
John 8. 1 to 11; and if published together, would con-
stitute, of themselves, a gospel of no mean dimensions.
What part of the same space would be occupied by
the portions which they will find to have been erased?
Probably not one-hundredth.
In comparing the Gospels of the Infancy with Luke
and Matthew, it was seen, that the changes were to be
accounted for by other considerations.
Now, however, when we come to the miracles of
Christ, which are given in the Acts of Pilate, on the
one hand, and in the canonical gospels on the other,
the principle is allowed full play, and can be applied,
as internal evidence, tending to show which were first
written.
The fact that in the Acts, the narratives are related
to Pilate by Jews, testifying in behalf of their master,
is no reason why the accounts should be shortened, but
APOCRYPHAL GOSPELS. THE ACTS OF PILATE. 189
rather the contrary. The witnesses would be anxious
to have Pilate impressed with the details of the won-
derful occurrences. If the writer of the Acts of Pilate,
had before him the gospels containing these narratives,
we may be assured he would have put into the mouths
of the witnesses, every circumstance of an impressive
character, contained in those accounts, and would prob-
ably have added others. Let us see if that was the case.
SOME OF THE MIRACLES OF JESUS.
TURNING WATER INTO WINE.
This miracle is related in only one of the four gos-
pels; the Gospel according to John.
The comparison can be made between the Acts of
Pilate, and the Gospel of John, with no disturbing for-
ces from the other gospels, to be accounted for:
ACTS OF PILATE, ch. 7.
And after other things, a certain
Jew said: I saw Jesus invited to a
wedding with his disciples, and there
was a want of wine ; in Cana of Gali-
lee.
And when the wine was all drank,
he commanded the servants, that they
should fill six pots that were there,
with water; and they filled them up to
the brim. And he blessed them, and
turned the water into wine.
And all the people drank, being sur-
prised at this miracle.
GOSPEL OP JOHN, ch. 2.
And the third day, there was a mar-
riu.u r <',. in Cana of Galilee; and the
mother of Jesus was there.
2. And both Jesus was called, and
his disciples, to the marriage.
3. And when they wanted wine, the
mother of Jesus saith unto him, They
have no wine.
4. Jesus saith unto her, Woman,
what have I to do with thee ? Mine
hour is not yet come.
5. His mother saith unto the servants
Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.
6. And there were set there, six wa-
ter-pots of stone, after the manner
of the purifying of the Jews, contain-
ing two or three firkins apiece.
7. Jesus saith unto them, fill the
water-pots with water. And they
filled ttiein up to the brim.
8. And he saith unto them, Draw
out now and bear unto the governor of
the feast. And they bare it.
9. When the ruler of the feast,,
had tasted the water that was made
wine, and knew not whence it was,
(but the servants who drew the water
knew), the governor of the feast call-
ed the bridegroom,.
190 THIRD PERIOD.
A. D. 120 TO A. D. 130.
ACTS OF PILATE, ch. 7. JOHN, ch. 2.
10. And saith unto him, Everyman
at the beginning doth set forth good
wine; and when men have well drunk,
then that which is worse; but thou hast
kept the good wine until now.
11. This beginning of miracles did
Jesus, in Cana of Galilee, and mani-
fested forth his glory; and his disciples
believed on him.
Which of the foregoing accounts was probably first
written?
The process of accretion, which has been alluded to,
has two modes of development. The one, by clothing
the same facts in a more copious dress, the other, by
the interpolation of additional facts.
Both these processes are here to be observed. Not
only are the facts constituting the miracle, which, in
the Acts of Pilate, are narrated in a plain, concise and
impressive manner, enveloped in much additional and
useless verbiage, in John, but also, two additional cir-'
cumstances are inserted; the size of the water pots, and
the fact, that the newly made wine was better than the
other. If the author of the Acts had been acquainted
with the Gospel of John, is it probable that he would
have omitted these circumstances? Would they not
have been mentioned, as calculated to impress Herod
with the truth of the transaction?
The next miracle, also, is related only by John:
HEALING OF THE NOBLEMAN'S SON.
ACTS OF PILATE, ch. 8.
Then a certain nobleman said, I had
a son at Capernaum, who lay at the
point of death.
And when I heard that Jesus was
come into Galilee, I went and besought
him, that he would come down to my
house, and heal my son;
For he was then about to die.
JOHN, 4. 46 to 54.
46. And there was a certain noble-
man, whose son was sick at Capernaum.
47. When he heard that Jesus was
come out of Judaea into Galilee, he
went unto him, and besought him that
he would come down, and heal his son;
for he was at the point of death.
48. Then said Jesus unto him, Ex-
cept ye see signs and wonders, ye will
not believe.
49* The nobleman saith unto him,
Sir, come down, ere my child die.
APOCRYPHAL GOSPELS. THE ACTS OF PILATE. 191
ACTS OF PILATE, ch. 8. JOHN, ch. 4.
He said tome, Go thy way ; thy son 50. Jesus saith unto him, Go thy way;
liveth. And my son was cured, from thy son liveth. And the man believed
that hour. the word that Jesus had spoken unto
him, and he went his way.
51. And as he was now going down,
his servants met him, and told him,
saying, Thy son liveth.
52. Then enquired he of them the
hour when he began to amend. And
they said unto him, Yesterday, at the
seventh hour, the fever left him.
53. So the father knew that it was
at the same hour in the which Jesus
said unto him, Thy son liveth: and
himself believed, and his whole house.
54. This is again the second miracle
that .Ifsus did, when he was come out
of .Imhea into Galilee.
The difference in the narrative consists, almost en-
tirely, in the greater diffuseness of style and copiousness
of detail, in John, with no new facts introduced of any
importance. This difference indicates a later narrative
in John. That the short paragraph in the Acts, should
under the hand of the author of John, grow into the
nine verses, would be in perfect accordance with the
law of accretion, then prevailing.
The next miracle is related in Luke and Mark, but
not in John or Matthew. The comparison will be made
with the shorter narrative, in Luke.
CASTING OUT THE UNCLEAN DEVIL AT CAPERNAUM.
ACTS OF PILATE, ch. 7.
And another Jew stood forth in the
midst of them, and said:
I saw Jesus in Capernaum, teach-
ing in the synagogue ; and there was in
the synagogue, a certain man who had
a devil.
And he cried out, saying: Let me
alone; what have we to do with thee,
Jesus of Nazareth? Art thou come to
destroy us? 1 know that thou art the
Holy One of God.
LUKE, 4. 31 to 35.
31. And on the sabbath days, he
taught them.
32. And they were astonished at his
doctrine; for his word was with power.
33. And in the synagogue, there was
a man who had a spirit of an unclean
devil; and he cried out with a loud
voice,
34. Saying: Let us alone; what have
we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Naz-
areth ? Art thou come to destroy us ?
I know thee, who thou art, the Holy
One of God.
192 THIRD PERIOD.
A.D. 120 TO A.D. 130.
ACTS OF PILATE, ch. 7.
And Jesus rebuked him, and said
to him, Hold thy peace unclean spirit,
and come ont of the man. And pres-
ently he came out of him, and did not
at all hurt him.
LUKE, 4. 31 to 35.
35. And Jesus rebuked him, saying:
Hold thy peace, and come out of him.
And when the devil had thrown him
in the midst, he came out of him. ;md
hurt him not.
In the foregoing account, there is amplification in
Luke. Not satisfied that the man should be possessed
of a devil, the writer makes it "the spirit of an unclean
devil;" and he has the devil, before leaving the man,
"throw him in the midst." In Mark, where the narra-
tive is longer, and the amplification still greater, the
devil, when required to come out, is made to cry out
with a loud voice.
HEALING OF THE LEPER.
The miracle is related in Luke, Mark and Matthew.
The account in Matthew is almost exactly the same as
that in Luke. Mark shows some evidence of addition-
al accretion. The comparison will be continued with
Luke:
ACTS OF PILATE, ch. 6. LUKE, 5. 12, 13.
also coming forth, 12 : And ^ came to pass when he
' was in a certain city, behold, a man
full of leprosy; who seeing Jesus, fell
Another Jew,
said:
I was a leper, and
he cured me
by his word only; saying, I will, be
thou clean. And immediately I was
cleansed from my leprosy .
on his face, and besought him, saying,
Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me
clean.
13. And he put forth his hand and
touched him, saying: I will: be thou
clean. And immediately the leprosy
departed from him.
HEALING OF THE INFIRM MAN AT BETHESDA.
This miracle, again, is only related in John:
ACTS OF PILATE, ch. 6.
Then another certain one of the
Jews, rising up, desired of the gover-
nor, that he would hear him a word.
The governor said, What thou wish-
est to say, say.
JOHN 5. 1 to 16.
After this, there was a feast of the
Jews; and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.
2. Now there is at Jerusalem, by the
sheep market, a pool which is called in
the Hebrew tongue, Bethesda; having,
five porches.
JNIVERSI
APOCRYPHAL GOSPELS. THE ACTS OF PILATE. 193
ACTS OP PILATE, ch. 6.
He said, I lay for thirty-eight years,
by the sheep-pool at Jerusalem, suffer-
ing under a great infirmity. I was ex-
pecting a cure to come from the com-
ing of an angel, who disturbed the
water at a certain time. Whoever, af-
ter the troubling of the water, first de-
scended into it, was made whole of
every infirmity.
Jesus, finding me languishing there,
said to me,
Wilt thou be made whole? And I
answered, Sir, I have no man, when
the water is troubled, to put me into
the pool.
And he said unto me, Rise, take
up thy bed, and walk.
And I was made whole, and imme-
diately took up my bed, and walked.
[Here follows a colloquy concerning
the sabbath, of the same general ten-
or as that in John, but much shorter.]
JOHN, 5. 1 to 16.
3. In these, lay a great multitude of
impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered,
waiting for the moving of the water.
4.' For an angel went down at a cer-
tain season, into the pool, and troubled
the water; whosoever then first, alter
the troubling of the water, stepped in,
was made whole of whatsoever di.M'usr
lie had.
5. And a certain man was there
who had an infirmity, thirty and eight
years.
6. When Jesus saw him lie, and
knew that he had been now a long
time so, he saith unto him, Wilt thou
be made whole ?
7. The impotent man answered him,
Sir, I have no man, when the water is
troubled, to put me into the pool; but
while I am coming, another steppeth
down before me.
3. Jesus saith unto him. Rise, take
up thy bed and walk.
9. And immediately, the man was
made whole, and took up his bed, and
walked.
[Then follows a c6lloquy, concerning
the sabbath, verses 10 to 16; varying
in detail from that in the other gospel,
and considerably longer.]
HEALING OF THE SERVANT OF
CENTURIO, OR, THE SERVANT OF THE CENTURION.
The comparison will be made with Luke; the account
in that gospel, being more nearly parallel. In Matthew,
the narrative is somewhat shorter, but still twice as
long, as in the Acts of Pilate.
ACTS OF PILATE, ch. 8.
After this, a certain person whose
name was Centurio, said:
I saw Jesus in Capernaum, and I
entreated him, saying:
Lord, my servant lieth at home, a
paralytic.
LUKE, ch. 7.
Now, when, [&c.], he entered into
Capernaum.
2. And a certain centurion's servant,
who was dear unto him. was sick, an-l
ready to die.
194 THIRD PERIOD.
A.D. 120 TO A.D. 130.
ACTS OF PILATE, ch. 8.
And Jesus said to me, I will coine
and cure him. But I said,
Lord, I am not worthy, that thou
shouldst come under my roof; But on-
ly speak the word, and my servant
shall be healed.
And Jesus said unto me, Go thy
way ; and as thou hast believed, so be
it done unto thee.
And the servant was healed, from
that same hour.
LUKE, ch. 7.
3. And when he heard of Jesus, he
sent unto him the elders of the Jews,
beseeching him, that he would come,
and heal his servant.
4. And when they came to Jesus,
they besought him instantly; saying
that he was worthy, for whom he
should do this.
5. For he loveth our nation, and he
hath built us a synagogue.
6. Then Jesus went with them. And
when he was not far from the house,
the centurion sent friends unto him,
saying unto him, Lord, trouble not thy-
self, for 1 am not worthy, that thou
shouldst enter under my roof.
7. Wherefore neither thought I my-
self worthy to come unto thee: but
say in a word, and my servant shall be
healed.
8. For I also am a man set under
authority, having under me soldiers;
and I say unto one, Go, and he goeth;
and to another, Come, and he cometh;
and to'iny servant, Do this, and he
doeth it.
9. When Jesus heard these things,
he marveled at him, and turned him
about, and said unto the people that
followed him, 1 say unto you, 1 have
not found so great faith, no not in
Israel.
10. And they that were sent, return-
ing to the house, found the servant
whole, that had been sick.
Here, the account in Luke, is nearly three times as
long as that in the other gospel.
It is manifest, also, that one of the historians made
a mistake in the person upon whose servant the miracle
was performed; a mistake arising from the use of the
word Centurio, or centurion.
In which gospel, was the mistake probably made?
If the Acts of Pilate was written last, and the author
;had at first mistaken the word centurion for the name
of the person, he would, as he proceeded with the nar-
APOCRYPHAL GOSPELS. THE ACTS OF PILATE. 195
rative, discover his mistake, by noticing the character
of the person, and his military position, as a command-
er of men. On the other hand, if Luke was last written,
it would be very natural for the author to suppose,
inasmuch as Centurio was an unusual name, that cen-
turion was intended. And having once made the change,
either by mistake or otherwise, he would naturally, in
the usual process of interpolation, make additions to
the narrative, illustrative of the peculiar position oc-
cupied by the person upon whom the miracle was
wrought, and of the willingness of Jesus to cure Gen-
tiles as well as Jews.
THE HEALING OF VERONICA.
ACTS OP PILATE, ch. 7.
And a certain woman, Veronica by
name, said:
I was flowing with blood for twelve
years; and I touched the fringe of his
garment, and immediately the flowing
of my blood stopped.
not given, in the first Greek form of
the Acts of Pilate, as published in the
Ante-Nicene Christian Library, vol. 16,
pp. 125 to 148.]
LUKE, 8. 43 to 48. [Shortest form.]
43. And a woman having an issue
of blood twelve years, who had spent
all her living upon physicians, nei-
ther could be healed of any,
44. Came behind him, and touched
the border of his garment: and imme-
[Note. The name of the woman is diato ^' her is8ue of blood stoched -
[Then follow four verses, giving a
conversation concerning the matter,
between Jesus, the people and the
woman.]
According to Eusebius, this woman erected a statue
to the honor of Christ, on account of the miracle. '
The historian says, the woman lived at Csesarea
Philippi; that her house was to be seen in his time, and
several monuments of the miracle. That near her
house was a brazen statue of the woman, fixed on a
pedestal of stone, in the posture of a suppliant, on
bended knees, with outstretched hands. Opposite to it,
made of the same metal, was the statue of a man, in a
standing posture, with a cloak over his shoulders, and
stretching forth his hand to the woman. At the foot of
(1.) Ecclesiastical History, 7. 18.
196 THIRD PERIOD. A. D. 120 TO A. D. 130.
this statue, at the very base of the column, grew a cer-
tain unknown herb, which, growing up to the hem of
the garment, was a present remedy, so said Eusebius,
for all sorts of distempers. This statue was said to be
like Christ. "It continued," says Eusebius, "to my time,
and I went to that city, and saw it myself."
Sozomen, the historian, [A. D. 439], mentions the
same story, and says that Julian, the apostate, took
down the statue, and placed his own in the room of it.
He adds, that a fire from heaven smote the statue erect-
ed by Julian, and took off the head and neck, and fixed
it in the earth; where it continued to his day, looking
black, as if it had been burnt by lightning. 1
The statue is also mentioned by the historian, Cassi-
odorus, [A. D. 550], by Theophylact, Epiphanius and
Mcephorus. Also by Asterius, a writer of the fourth
century, who says it was removed by the Emperor
Maximus. a
Lubke, who was unacquainted with this tradition, or
did not give credit to it, speaks of the first statue of
Christ, as having been erected by Alexander Severus. '
It is said, also, that the second picture of Christ ever
taken, (the first being the one sent by him to Abgarus,
King of Edessa), was stamped or impressed upon the
handkerchief of Veronica. That when Jesus was led
to his crucifixion, Veronica, who followed him, put a
handkerchief to his face, on which Christ impressed his
picture. This is attested by Methodius, Bishop of Tyre,
[A. D. 300], Constantius Porphyrogenitus, and others. 4
(1.) Sozomen's Ecc. History, 5. 21.
(2.) See Photius, Bib. Cod. 272, p. 1507.
(3.) History of Art, vol. 1, 3d Ed. p. 306.
(4.) See Durant, de Retib. Cath. Eccles. 1. 1, c. 5:
"Altera Christi imago sudario Veronicas iinpressa fuit: cum enim Christus
ad crucifigedum duceretur, Veronica, qua? Christum sequebatur, faciei suda-
APOCRYPHAL GOSPELS. THE ACTS OF PILATE. 197
CURING BLIND BARTIMEUS.
ACTS OF PILATE, ch. 6.
And a certain other Jew, rising up,
said: I was blind; could hear sounds,
but could see no one.
And as Jesus was going along, I
heard the multitude passing by, and I
asked what was there ? They told me
that Jesus was passing by. Then I
cried out, saying: Jesus, Son of Da-
vid, have mercy on me.
And he, standing still, commanded
me to be brought to him, and said to
me, What wilt thou? I said, Lord,
that I may receive my sight.
And he said to me, Receive thy
eight.
And immediately I saw, and follow-
ed him, rejoicing and giving thanks.
LUKE, 18. 35 to 43.
35. And it came to pass, that as he
was come nigh unto Jericho, a certain
blind man sat by the way side, beg-
ging:
36. And hearing the multitude pass
by, he asked what it meant.
37. And they told him that Jesus of
Xa/.areth passed by.
38. And he cried, saying: Jesus thou
Son of David, have mercy on me.
89. And they who went before, re-
buked him ; that he should hold his
peace; but he cried so much the more,
Thou Son of David, have mercy on
me.
40. And Jesus stood, and command-
ed him to be brought unto him; and
when he was come near, he asked
him,
41. Saying: What wilt thou that I
shall do unto thee? And he said,
Lord, that I may receive my sight.
42. And Jesus said unto him, re-
ceive thy sight; thy faith hath saved
thee.
43. And immediately he received his
sight, and followed him, glorifying
God; and all the people, when they
saw it, gave praise unto God.
The author of Matthew has two blind men; and as
Schleiermacher observes, has a habit of duplicating, in
such cases.
THE RAISING OF LAZARUS.
ACTS. OP PILATE, ch. 8.
But others said to Pilate, that he
raised Lazarus from the dead, after he
had been four days in his grave.
GOSPEL OF JOHN.
The reader is familiar with the long
account of this miracle, contained in
the llth chapter of John, consisting of
44 verses.
rium, admovit, in quo Christi effigiem, expressam retulit. Hujus rei, aucto-
res sunt Methodius," &c.
Durant also refers to the image of Christ erected by the woman cured of the
flowing of blood.
198 THIRD PERIOD. A. D. 120 TO A. D. 130.
The foregoing are all of the gospel miracles, which
are related in the Acts of Pilate. The result of the
comparison may be stated thus:
In every instance, the account in the Acts of Pilate, is short-
er than the shortest narrative in the canonical gospels.
In view of the practice of interpolation, which pre-
vailed so extensively in the second century, it is for the
reader to judge which were last written.
THE CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS.
The account of the crucifixion, as given in the Acts
of Pilate, is undoubtedly the nearest historical, of any
religious writings of the second century. As every
thing connected with this event, is of absorbing interest,
the subject cannot be approached with indifference.
Bishop Ellicott, in an able Essay on the Apocryphal
Gospels, published in the Cambridge Essays, for 1856 r
admits that this account was used by the earlier fathers.
To show the value of this testimony, we will quote
from his prefatory remarks, the contemptuous language
which he employs, when speaking of the apocryphal
gospels as a class:
"Their real demerits, their mendacities, their absurdities, their coarsenesses,
the barbarities of their style, and the inconsequence of their narratives, have
never been excused or condoned. It would be hard to find any competent
writer, in any age of the church, who has been beguiled into saying any thing
civil or commendatory."
And yet the writer who could not refrain from ex-
pressing himself thus strongly toward these unfortunate,
bantling gospels, when he comes to consider the Acts
of Pilate, feels compelled to speak in a more respectful
manner. In commencing, he says:
"We pass onward, to a very important document, apparently of a very early
date, the first part of the Gospel of Nicodemus, or, as it is commonly called,
the Acta Pilati.
APOCRYPHAL GOSPELS. THE ACTS OF PILATE. 199
"The question of real interest is this:
"Whether the present Acta Pilati are substantially the same with the very
ancient document, referred to with such respect by Justin Martyr, Tertullian,
and other early and reputable writers. It need scarcely be said, that these an-
cient Acta were not the real, judiciary acts of Pilate. The Acta noticed by
Tertullian, was probably an account of onr Savior's condemnation, written by
some early Jewish-Christian, and derived from eye-witnesses, or from impor-
tant oral traditions, which, in so short a time, and on such an event, could not
have become seriously erroneous."
After stating that it would be liable to changes and
interpolations, and that there is reason to think the
apocryphal Acts of Pilate, was one of the interpolated
manuscripts, he says:
"When, however, it is remembered that the quotations made by Tertullian
and others from the ancient Acta, are all found in the present Acta, it seems
fair to conclude, especially from the nature and length of the composition,
that these changes or interpolations have not been very serious, and that we
have, in this first part of this Gospel of Nicodemus, substantially, the very
ancient and important Acta Pilati, of the second century."
Again: "If we strip off the obviously fabulous, it does seem that the writer
has related some portions of the trial in a manner so very probable and plau-
sible, that we may well pause, before we sweep away the whole as a mere party
fiction. There is something very natural in the way in which the Jews heap
up indiscriminate accusation; there is an eager ferocity on their part, met by a
steady and almost indignant scorn on the part of the governor, that seems, at
any rate, very happily depicted. The desire of the Jews, not only that Christ
should die, but that he should be crucified, that he should die the death of a
malefactor, is brought out very distinctly.
"There are minor incidents, the weeping populace, the appearance of wit-
nesses in favor of the accused, (though here*there is evidently much interpolat-
ed), the steady defence of Nicodemus the persecution of the pious Joseph,
the cloth wound round the crucified Savior the crown of thorns still retained
on the brow the account given by the centurion to Pilate, and the distress of
that unjust man and his wife which all tend to make us to regard these inter-
polated, but still very ancient records, with a greater interest than we can feel
for any other member of the apocryphal family."
200 THIRD PERIOD.
A. D. 120 TO A. D. 130.
After so respectable a testimony for this gospel,
from one who cannot be accused of any prejudice in its
favor, we proceed to contrast its narrative of the cru-
cifixion and resurrection of Jesus, with the parallel ac-
counts in the canonical gospels:
THE PROPOSAL TO RELEASE A PRISONER.
This account is given in all four of the evangelical
gospels. The narrative is, however, so divergent, that
it can scarcely be considered parallel, except in Mark
and Matthew. Of these, the comparison will be made
with the shorter form:
ACTS OF PILATE, ch. 9.
Pilate, again calling the multitude,
said to them, Since there is a custom
among you, on the day of passover,
that I should release to you one that is
bound; I have a noted murderer,
called Barabbas, also Jesus who is
called Christ; in whom I find no cause
of death.
Which, therefore, of these two, do
you wish to have released? They all
cried out, saying, Release unto us Ba-
rabbas.
Pilate saith unto them, What then
shall I do with Jesus who is called
Christ ? They all say unto him,
him be crucified.
Let
MATTHEW, 27. 15 to 23.
15. Now at that feast, the governor
was wont to release unto the people a
prisoner, whom they would.
16. And they had then a notable
prisoner, called Barabbas.
17. Therefore, when they were gath-
ered together, Pilate said unto them,
Whom will ye that I release unto you ?
Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?
18. For he knew that for envy they
had delivered him.
19. [Omitted. Parallel in another
part of the Acts of Pilate.]
20. But the chief priests and elders
persuaded the multitude, that they
should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus.
21 . The governor answered and said
unto them, Whether of the twain will
ye that 1 release unto you ? They said,
Barabbas.
22. Pilate saith unto them, What
shall I do then with Jesus who is call-
ed Christ? They all say unto him,
Let him be crucified.
23. And the governor said, Why,
what evil hath he done? But they
cried out the more, saying: Let him
be crucified.
The foregoing accounts are closely parallel. But
the canonical gospel exhibits considerable accretion.
There is some amplification of language, and the in-
troduction of the dream of the wife of Pilate.
APOCRYPHAL GOSPELS.
THE ACTS OF PILATE. 201
PILATE WASHING HIS HANDS OF THE BLOOD OF JESUS.
ACTS OF PILATE, ch. 9.
Then Pilate, taking water, washed
his hands before the people, saying:
I am innocent of the blood of this
just person; see ye to it.
The Jews answered, saying:
His blood be upon us, and upon
our children.
MATTHEW, ch. 27.
24. When Pilate saw that he could
prevail nothing, but that rather a tu-
mult was made, he took water, and
washed his hands before the multitude,
saying: I am innocent of the blood of
this just person, see ye to it.
25. Then answered all the people,
and said, his blood be on us, and on
our children.
Not in either of the other gospels.
In the Acts of Pilate, Jesus is now sentenced, as fol-
lows:
"Then Pilate commanded Jesus to be brought before him, and spake to hi
the following words :
" 'Thy own nation hath charged thee, as making thyself a king. Where-
fore, 1, Herod, sentence thee to be whipped, according to the laws of former
governors; and that thoube first bound, then hanged upon a cross, in that place
where thou art now a prisoner; and also two criminals with thee; whose names
are Demas and Gestas.' "
JESUS TAKEN TO EXECUTION.
As the account is less connected in the canonical
gospels, we shall be obliged here, in order to preserve
the parallel, to put several passages together:
ACTS OP PILATE, ch. 10. MATTHEW, ch. 27.
Then Jesus went out of the hall,
and the two thieves with him. And
when they were come to the place
which is called Golgotha, they strip-
ped him of his raiment, and girt him
about with a linen cloth, and put a
crown of thorns upon his head, and
put a reed in his hand.
26. And he delivered him to be cru-
cified.
33. When they were come unto a
place called Golgotha, that is to say,
a place of a skull,
28. They stripped him, and put on
him a scarlet robe,
29. And when they had platted a
crown of thorns, they put it upon his
head, and a reed in his right hand.
PRAYING FOR HIS ENEMIES.
ACTS OP PILATE, ch. 10. LUKE, 23. 34.
But Jesus said, My Father, forgive
them; for they know not what they
do.
Then said Jesus, Father, forgive
them; for they know not what they
do.
202 THIRD PERIOD.
A.D. 120 TO A.D. 130..
HIS GARMENTS ARE DIVIDED.
ACTS OF PILATE, ch. 10.
And they divided his garments, and
upon his vesture they cast lots.
LUKE, 23. 24.
And they parted his raiment, and
cast lots.
MARK, 15. 24.
And when they bad crucified him,
they parted his garments, casting lota
upon them, what every man should
take.
MATTHEW, 27. 35.
And parted his garments, casting
lots ; that it might be fulfilled which was
spoken by the prophet: They parted
my garments among them, and upon
my vesture did they cast lots.
The law of accretion is well illustrated here, by com-
paring the short statements in Luke and the Acts of
Pilate, on the one hand, with Mark and Matthew on
the other. Luke being a compilation, this portion of
it is probably from a manuscript older, even, than the
Acts of Pilate.
In John, the account is extended, with the addition-
al statement, that the garments were divided into four
parts, to every soldier a part, and that lots were cast
for the coat, which was without seam.
MOCKED BY THE CHIEF PRIESTS AND SOLDIERS.
ACTS OF PILATE, ch. 10.
The people in the mean time stood
by, and the chief priests and elders
of the Jews mocked him, saying:
He saved others, let him now save
himself if he can; if he be the Son
of God, let him now come down from
the cross.
The soldiers also mocked him, and
taking vinegar and gall, offered it to
him to drink, and said to him: If thou
art King of the Jews, deliver thyself.
MARK, 15. 29 to 32, 36.
29. And they that passed by, railed
on him, wagging their heads, and
saying: Ah, thou that destroyest the
temple, and buildest it in three days,
30. Save thyself, and come clown
from the cross.
31. Likewise, also, the chief priests
mocking, said among themselves, with
the scribes, He saved others, himself
he cannot save.
32. Let Christ, the King of Israel,
descend now from the cross, that we
may see and believe.
36. And one ran and filled a sponge
full of vinegar, and put it on a reed,
and gave him to drink.
APOCRYPHAL GOSPELS.
THE ACTS OF PILATE. 203
JESUS PIERCED IN THE SIDE.
ACTS OP PILATE, ch. 10.
Longinus, a soldier, taking a spear,
pierced his side; and directly, there
came forth blood and water.
JOHN, 19. 34.
But one of the soldiers with a spear
pierced his side, and forthwith there
caine out blood and water.
THE TITLE UPON THE CROSS.
ACTS OP PILATE, ch. 10.
And Pilate wrote a title upon the
cross, in Hebrew, Latin and Greek
letters; to wit:
THIS is THE KING OF THB JEWS. '
JOHN, 19. 19, 20.
19. And Pilate wrote a title and put
it on the cross. And the writing was,
JESUS OP NAZABETH, THE KING
OP THE JEWS. '
20. This title then read many of the
Jews : for the place where Jesus was
crucified, was nigh to the city: and
it was written in Hebrew, and Greek,
and Latin.
In the synoptic gospels, it is not stated who wrote
the title. In Luke, it is 'This is the king of the Jews/
In Mark, 'The King of the Jews/ In Matthew, 'This is
Jesus, the King of the Jews/ In Luke, it is stated to
have been in Greek, Latin and Hebrew.
THE THIEVES ON THE CROSS.
ACTS OP PILATE, ch. 10.
But one of the two thieves who were
crucified with Jesus, whose name was
Gestas, said to Jesus, If thou art the
Christ, deliver thyself and us.
But the thief who was crucified on
the right hand, whose name was De-
mas, answering, rebuked him, and
said:
Dost not thou, who art condemned
to this punishment, fear God? We,
indeed, rightly and justly, according
to what we have done, receive our re-
ward. But this Jesus, what evil hath
he done?
After this, groaning, he said to Je-
sus, Lord, remember me when thou
comest into thy kingdom.
Jesus answering, said to him, Veri-
ly, I say unto thee, to-day thou shalt
be with me in paradise.
LUKE, 23. 39 to 43.
39. And one of the malefactors who
were hanged, railed on him, saying:
If thou be Christ, save thyself and
us.
40. But the other answering rebuked,
him, saying: Dost not thou Jear God,
seeing thou art in the same condemna-
tion?
41. And we indeed justly; for we re-
ceive the due reward of our deeds : but
this man hath done nothing amiss.
42. And he said unto Jesus, Lord,
remember me, when thou comest into
thy kingdom.
43. And Jesus said unto him, Verily
I say unto thee, to-day shalt thou be
with me in paradise.
The account in the compilation of Luke, is the short-
est, and indicates a manuscript of greater antiquity
204 THIRD PERIOD.
A. D. 120 TO A. D. 130.
than the Acts of Pilate. The accretion is in the latter
gospel, which gives as additional circumstances, the
names of the thieves; the crucifixion of Demas on the
right hand and Gestas on the left hand of Jesus, and the
groaning of Demas, before making his dying request.
In Mark and Matthew, both of the thieves revile
Jesus.
Attention might here be called to the fact, that
while there are older manuscripts concerning the cru-
cifixion, &c., which found their way into the Gospel
of Luke, the case is different with the miracles. The
shortest, and as there is reason to believe, the earliest
accounts of these, are in the Acts of Pilate.
THE DARKNESS AT THE CRUCIFIXION.
ACTS OP PILATE, ch. 11.
And it was about the sixth hour;
and there was darkness over the whole
earth until the ninth hour. And while
the sun was eclipsed, &c.
LUKE, 23. 44, 45.
44. And it was about the sixth hour,
and there was a darkness over all the
earth, until the ninth hour.
45. And the sun was darkened, &c.
In Mark and Matthew, it is stated, "There was dark-
ness over all the land, until the ninth hour."
RENDING OF THE VAIL OF THE TEMPLE.
ACTS OF PILATE, ch. 11.
Behold, the vail of the temple was
rent from the top to the bottom; and
the rocks also were rent.
MATTHEW, 27. 51.
And behold, the vail of the temple
was rent in twain from the top to the
bottom; and the earth did quake, and
the rocks rent:
In Matthew, there is the work of a later hand, which
interpolated the earthquake. In Luke and Mark, there
is only the rending of the vail.
RISING OF THE SAINTS.
ACTS OF PILATE, ch. 11.
And the graves opened, and many
bodies of saints who slept, arose.
MATTHEW, 27. 52, 53.
52. And the graves were opened;
and many bodies of the saints who
slept, arose,
53. And came out of the graves
after his resurrection, and went into
the holy city, and appeared unto many.
APOCRYPHAL GOSPELS. TEE ACTS OF PILATE. 205
No such account in any of the other gospels. The
interpolation by the author of Matthew, of the Acts of
Pilate or of some common manuscript, is manifest.
The whole of the 53d verse is accretion; and by a
strange anachronism, though the author of Matthew has
the graves opened by the earthquake, at the time of
the crucifixion, and manifestly intends to represent
their inhabitants as coming forth, in consequence of
that event, they do not arise, until several days after-
ward.
Michaelis, Farrer, Dean Milman and others, attribute
this scene to the excited imaginations of some of the
disciples.
THE DYING WORDS, AND DEATH OF JESUS.
ACTS OF PILATE, ch. 11.
And about the ninth hour, Jesus
cried out with a loud voice, Heli, Heli,
lama, zabathani? Which interpreted,
is, My God, my God, why hast thou
forsaken me?
And after these things, Jesus said,
Father, into thy hands 1 commend my
spirit. And having said this, he gave
up the ghost.
MARK, 15. 34.
And at the ninth hour, Jesus cried
with a loud voice, saying: Eloi, Eloi,
lama, sabachthani? Which is, being
interpreted, My God, My God, why
hast thou forsaken me?
LUKE, 23. 46.
And when Jesus had cried with a
loud voice, he said, Father, into thy
hands, I commend my spirit; and hav-
ing said thus, he gave up the ghost.
SCENES AT THE CROSS AFTERWARD.
ACTS OF PILATE, ch. 11.
The centurion, when he saw that
Jesus, crying out, thus gave up the
ghost, glorified God, and said :
Of a truth, this was a iust man.
And all the people who stood by,
were accordingly troubled at the sight,
and reflecting upon what had passed,
smote upon their breasts, and returned
to the city of Jerusalem.
LUKE, 23. 47, 48.
47. Now when the centurion saw
what was done, he glorified God, say-
ing: Certainly this was a righteous
man.
48. And all the people that came to-
gether to that sight, beholding the
things which were done, smote their
breasts, and returned.
In one of the canonical gospels, the centurion is
made to say, "Truly this was the Son of God;" and
in another, "Truly this man was the Son. of God."
206 THIRD PERIOD.
A. D. 120 TO A. D. 130.
THE WOMEN AT THE CRUCIFIXION.
ACTS OP PILATE, ch. 11.
But all his acquaintances stood at a
distance, as also the women who had
followed him from Galilee; beholding
these things.
LUKE, 23. 49.
And all his acquaintance, and the
women who followed him from Galilee,
stood afar off, beholding these things.
JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA.
ACTS OF PILATE, ch. 11.
And, behold,, a certain man of Ar-
imathea, named Joseph, who also was
a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear
of the Jews, came to the governor,
and entreated the governor, that he
would permit him to take the body
of Jesus from the cross. And the gov-
ernor permitted it.
JOHN, 19. 38.
And after this, Joseph of Arimathea,
being a disciple of Jesus, (but secretly
for fear of the Jews), besought Pilate,
that he might take away the body of
Jesus; and Pilate gave him leave.
[Longer accounts in Luke and Mark.]
THE BURIAL OF JESUS.
ACTS OF PILATE, ch. 11.
And Nicodemus came, bringing with
him a mixture of myrrh and aloes,
about a hundred pound weight.
And with tears, they took down Je-
sus from the cross, and bound him in
linen clothes, with spices, according
to the custom of burying among the
Jews, and placed him in a new tomb,
which Joseph had built and had caused
to be cut out of a rock; in which no
man had yet been placed; and they
rolled a great stone to the door of the
sepulcher.
JOHN, 19. 39 to 41.
39. And there came also Nicodemus,
(who, at the first, came to Jesus by
night), and brought a mixture of myrrh
and aloes, about a hundred pounds
weight.
40. Then took they the body of Je-
sus, and wound it in linen clothes, with
the spices, as the manner of the Jews
is to bury..
41. Now, in the place where he was
crucified, there was a garden; and in
the garden a new sepulcher, wherein
was never man yet laid.
42. There laid they Jesus, therefore,
because of the Jews' preparation day;
for the sepulcher was nign at hand.
MATTHEW, 27. 60.
And he rolled a great stone to the
door of the sepulcher, and departed.
THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS.
ACTS OF PILATE, ch. 13. MATTHEW, 28. 1 to 7.
And while they (the priests and ru-
lers of the Jews assembled) were all
wondering (at the miraculous escape
of Joseph), behold, one of the soldiers
In the end of the sabbath, as it be-
gan to dawn, toward the first day of
the week, came Mary Magdalene, and
the other Mary, to see the sepulcher.
APOCRYPHAL GOSPELS. THE ACTS OF PILATE. 207
ACTS OF PILATE, ch. 13.
who were guarding the sepulcher, (of
Jesus), spake in the synagogue, and
said :
While we were guarding the sepul-
cher of Jesus, there was an earth-
quake; and we saw an angel of God,
who rolled away the stone from the
sepulcher, and sat upon it; and his
countenance was like lightning, and
his garment like snow; and we became
through fear, as dead persons.
And we heard the angel saying to
the women at the sepulcher of Jesus,
Fear not; I know that ye seek the
crucified Jesus. He has risen, as he
foretold. Come and behold the place
where he was laid; and go quickly,
and say to his disciples, He has risen
from the dead, and will go before you
into Galilee. There ye shall see him,
as he told you. .
MATTHEW, ch. 28.
2. And behold, there was a great
earthquake; for the angel of the Lord
descended from heaven, and came and
rolled back the stone from the door,
and sat upon it.
3. His countenance was like light-
ning, and his raiment white as snow.
4. And for fear of him, the keepers
did shake, and became as dead men.
5. And the angel answered and said
unto the women, Fear not ye; For I
know that ye seek Jesus, who was
crucified.
6. He is not here: for he is risen, as
he said. Come, see the place where
the Lord lay.
7. And go quickly, and tell his dis-
ciples, that he is risen from the dead;
and behold, he goeth before you unto
Galilee. There shall ye see him; lo, I
have told you.
BRIBING THE SOLDIERS.
ACTS OP PILATE, ch. 13.
The Jews, hearing this, were afraid ;
and said among themselves. If by any
means these things become public, ev-
erybody will believe in Jesus.
Then gathering a large sum of mon-
ey, they gave it to the soldiers, saying:
Tell the people, that while ye were
sleeping, the disciples of Jesus came
by night, and stole the body of Jesus.
And if this should come to the ears
of Pilate the governor, we will satisfy
him, and secure you.
The soldiers, accordingly, receiving
the money, said as they were instruct-
ed by the Jews. And their report was
spread abroad, among all the people.
MATTHEW, 28. 11 to 15.
11. Now when they were going, be-
hold, some of the watch came into the
city, and showed unto the chief priests,
all the things that wer^ done.
12. And when they were assembled
with the elders, and had taken coun-
sel, they gave large money unto the
soldiers,
13. Saying: Say ye, His disciples
came by night and stole him away,
while we slept.
14. And if this come to the gover-
nor's ears, we will persuade him, and
secure you.
15. So they took the money, and
did as they were taught. And this
saying is commonly reported among
the Jews, until this day.
The account in Matthew, which is most nearly par-
allel with the Acts of Pilate, differs from it in one very
important feature. In the Acts of Pilate, the resurrec-
208 THIRD PERIOD.
A.D. 120 TO A.D. 130.
tion is only stated upon the report of the soldiers. In
Matthew, it is related as a distinct narrative, on the
authority of the historian himself; while the report
of the soldiers is brought in afterward, as confirmato-
ry testimony. But in the bribing of the soldiers, for
the purpose of keeping the resurrection a secret, the
narratives again run together.
The closing sentence in the Acts of Pilate, is,
'And their report was spread abroad, among all the
people."
In Matthew it reads, "And this saying is common-
ly reported among the Jews, until this day."
The language of Matthew appears to be that of the
later document.
THE ASCENSION OF JESUS.
ACTS OF PILATE, AND APPENDIX TO MARK.
It is generally agreed, that the last twelve verses
of the Gospel of Mark, are an interpolation; a sort
of appendix to the gospel, added by some transcriber.
There is the following parallel between the Acts
of Pilate and a portion of this appendix:
MARK, ch. 16.
14. Afterward, he appeared unto
the eleven, as they sat at meat, and
upbraided them with their unbelief,
and hardness of heart, because they
believed not them who had seen him
after he was risen.
ACTS OF PILATE, ch. 14.
But a certain priest named Phineas,
Ada, a schoolmaster, and a Levite
named Ageus, they three came from
Galilee to Jerusalem, and told the
chief priests and all who were in the
synagogues, saying:
We have seen Jesus, whom you cru-
cified, talking with his eleven disci-
ples, and sitting in the midst of them
on Mt. Olivet, and saying to them:
Go ye into all the world; preach to
all nations; baptizing them in the
name of the Father, and the Son, and
the Holy Spirit; and he who shall be-
lieve and be baptized, will be saved.
15. And he said unto them, Go ye-
into all the world, and preach the gos-
pel to every creature.
16. He that believeth and is bap-
tized, shall be saved; but he that be-
lieveth not, shall be damned.
17. And these signs shall .follow
them that believe : In my name shall
they cast out devils; they shall speak
with new tongues;
APOCRYPHAL GOSPELS. THE ACTS OF PILATE. 209
ACTS OF PILATE, ch. 14, MARK, ch. 16.
18. They shall take up serpents;
and if they drink any deadly thing:, it
shall not hurt them; they shall lay
hands on the sick, and they shall iv-
cover.
And when he had said these things
to his disciples, we saw him ascend-
ing into heaven .
19. So then, after the Lord had spo-
ken unto them, he was received up into
:. and sat on the right hand
of God.
This parallel would indicate that the Acts of Pilate
was antecedent to the gospel, since if it were subse-
quent, this portion of the Acts could not be accounted
for; it not being in the original Gospel of Mark.
In the Acts of Pilate, the narrative is continued in
the following manner:
The chief priests, being alarmed at the news of the
resurrection of Jesus, and his appearance to the Gali-
leans, gave them money, and sent them back.
The Jews then assembled in consultation, and Annas
and Caiaphas comforted them, saying:
"Why should we believe the soldiers who guarded the sepulcher of Jesus,
telling us that an angel rolled away the stone from the door ef the sepnlcher?
Perhaps his own disciples told them this, and gave them money, that they
should declare these things; and that they, the disciples, might bear away the
body of Jesus. Besides, consider this: That there is no credit to be given to
the foreigners, because they also took a large sum from us, and have declared to
all, according to the instructions we g-ave them. They have to maintain
faith either to us, or to the disciples of Jesus."
The foregoing are all the parallels between the Acts
of Pilate and the canonical gospels.
It is impossible not to perceive, that the narrative
in the Acts of Pilate is more natural and consistent,
and better sustained throughout.
In LUKE, there is a preliminary trial before Herod;
who has Jesus arrayed in a gorgeous robe, and sent back
to Pilate. Then, after the trial, he is taken to execu-
tion, addressing the women by the way. After the
mocking and deriding, the dividing of the raiment.
210 THIRD PERIOD. A. D. 120 TO A. D. 130.
&c., and the inscription on the cross, the historian gives
the prayer of Jesus for his enemies. Then the scene
between the two thieves on the cross, and between one
of them and Jesus. It is stated that the sun was dark-
ened at the crucifixion. After describing the other
scenes in a manner somewhat similar to the other syn-
optics, the author of this gospel states that on the h'rst
day of the week, early in the morning, the women who
came with him from Galilee, came to the sepulcher,
bringing spices, &c. for the purpose of embalming the
body of Jesus. They found the stone rolled away, and
the sepulcher empty. They then saw two men, clothed
in shining garments, who told them Jesus had ris-
en, and reminded them of his words, that he should
rise the third day. Then Peter went, and saw the grave
empty. Jesus afterw*ard appeared to the two disciples,
on their way to Emmaus, and to the eleven apostles,
at Jerusalem. Then, leading them to Bethany, he
blessed them, and ascended into heaven.
In MARK,. Jesus is delivered to Pilate, directly, by the
chief priests, who, after holding a consultation with
the elders and scribes, and with the council, had appre-
hended and bound Jesus; nothing being said about the
examination before Herod. Then follows the trial or
examination, before Pilate the clamor of the Jews
the show of resistance and final yielding by Pilate-
scenes on the way to the crucifixion, and at the cross,
differing from Luke, in various details, with which the
reader is familiar. Then, after the death and burial of
Jesus, when the sabbath was past, three women, whose
names are mentioned, went with spices, to embalm
him. They found the stone rolled away, and entering
into the sepujcher, they saw a young man, sitting,
clothed in a long white garment. He told them Jesus
had gone into Galilee. Jesus then appeared, first to
APOCRYPHAL GOSPELS. THE ACTS OF PILATE. 211
Mary Magdalene, after that to the two disciples. Then
to the eleven, as they sat at meat. Then follows the
remainder of the spurious appendix.
In MATTHEW, the author relates nearly all the inci-
dents given in Luke and Mark, concerning the cru-
cifixion, and several of his own besides. He has two
earthquakes, and many other incidents, unknown to
the other synoptics. After the death and burial, the
two Marys came to the sepulcher; there they saw
one who is now represented, as the angel who
had rolled away the stone from the sepulcher. He
stated also, that Jesus had gone into Galilee. Jesus
appeared to the women, as they were returning. He
then appeared to the eleven, on a mountain in Galilee.
The narrative in JOHN, differs still, in many particu-
lars, from all three of the synoptics; not only omitting
many incidents, but adding important additional mat-
ter, not always consistent with the other accounts.
Among such might be mentioned much that Jesus said
to Pilate, sayings of Jesus on the cross, &c., the piercing
of his side; the scene with Thomas after the resurrec-
tion; the appearance of Jesus, after that event, to the
fishermen on the Sea of Tiberias, and the miraculous
draft of fishes, which are manifestly confounded with
scenes in Christ's ministry.
If we turn to the narrative of all these events, as
found in the Acts of Pilate, while there is sufficient
that is marvelous, there will be found, nevertheless, a
degree of unity and consistency, which is wanting in
the other gospels.
In the first place, there is the trial before Pilate; and
in the language of Bishop Ellicott, the Jews "heaping
up indiscriminate accusation;" "an eager ferocity on
their part, met" at first, "by a steady and almost indig-
nant scorn on the part of the governor." At the same
212 THIRD PERIOD. A. D. 120 TO A. D. 130.
time, "the weeping populace; the appearance of wit-
nesses in favor of the accused." These witnesses testi-
fy to many miracles that Jesus had wrought, hoping
thereby to save his life.
All this having failed, Pilate, overborne by the Jews,
passes sentence on Jesus; something quite natural, in
a judicial proceeding, but which is entirely omitted in
the other gospels, except that in Luke it is stated, that
Pilate gave sentence, that it should be as the Jews
required.
Then Jesus is taken to execution. The scenes at the
cross are stated briefly, and in natural order.
Coming to the resurrection, we find it related on the
report of the soldiers. The appearance of Jesus was
to the Galileans and to Joseph of Arimathea.
When considered in reference to the length of the ac-
counts, it will be found that the narratives in the Acts
of Pilate are generally, though not invariably, shorter
than those in the canonical gospels.
Upon the whole, w r e may reasonably conclude,, that
the older gospels those of the first century contain-
ed fragmentary accounts of the crucifixion; that these
were first put together, in a connected form, in the
Acts of Pilate, to which there was added, for the first
time, the material resurrection. This event, at first
stated at second hand, as coming from the soldiers, was
afterward incorporated into the canonical gospels, as a
part of the principal narrative.
APOCRYPHAL QOSPEL3. HISTORY OF JOSEPH. 213
CHAPTEK XVII.
OTHER EXTANT GOSPELS.
HISTORY OF JOSEPH THE CARPENTER NARRATIVE OP JOSEPH OF AR-
IMATH EA PSEUDO MATTHEW THE SUPPOSED GOSPEL OF THE NATIVITY
OF MARY LETTER OF PONTIUS PILATE REPORT OF PILATE THE GIV-
ING UP OF PONTIUS PILATE THE DEATH OF PILATE AVENGING OF THE
SAVIOR THE NEWLY-DISCOVERED ACTS OF PILATE.
The remaining extant gospels must be considered
very briefly; since none of them have fully established
their claims to the great antiquity accorded to those
which have been examined. As a part of the litera-
ture connected with the early history of the Christian
religion, they cannot be passed unnoticed.
HISTORY OF JOSEPH THE CARPENTER. Tischendorft
thinks this gospel was written in the fourth century.
There is no reason for placing it earlier. The early
fathers knew nothing of it.
It purports to be a discourse of Jesus Christ himself
to his disciples, on the mount of Olives, in which he re-
lates to them the history of his father Joseph.
He speaks of the former marriage of Joseph, and the
death of his first wife; his marriage to the virgin Mary.
Says she brought up James, one of the sons of Joseph's
former wife; whence she was called the mother of
James, Refers to the birth at Bethlehem, the flight to
Egypt, and return. Joseph lived to be 111 years old.
214 THIRD PERIOD. A. D. 120 TO A. D. 130.
A large part of the gospel is occupied in a minute and
affecting account of the scenes attending the death of
Joseph.
The last paragraph of the narrative, is as follows:
' 'Having thus spoken, I embraced the body of my father Joseph, and wept
over it; and they opened the door of the tomb, and placed his body in it, near
the body of his father Jacob. And at the time when he fell asleep, he had
fulfilled a hundred and eleven years. Never did a tooth in his mouth hurt
liim, nor was his eyesight rendered less sharp, nor his body bent, nor his strength
impaired: but he worked at his trade of a carpenter, to the very last day of his
life; and that was the six-and- twentieth of the month of Ahib."
This having been, related to the apostles, they rose
up and prostrated themselves, making an address to Je-
sus, to which he replied, referring to the prophecies, and
to the return into the world of Enoch and Eli as, &c.
NARRATIVE OF JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA. The full title
of the gospel is,
"The Narratiive of Joseph of Arimathea, that begged the
Lord's Body; in which also he brings in the Cases of the
Two Robbers."
It is not known when it was written. It was popular
in the middle ages.
It is based upon the Gospel of Mcodemus, or the
Acts of Pilate. The narrative in the Acts is closely
followed. But Judas charges Jesus with stealing the
law from the temple, and betrays him. Judas was son
of the brother of Caiaphas the priest. Trial of Jesus,
and crucifixion with the thieves.
In the incidents taken from the Acts of Pilate, there
is the customary accretion. For instance, the thief says
to Jesus,
"Before, then, Lord, my spirit departs, order my sins to be washed away,
and remember me, the sinner, in thy kingdom, when upon the great, most
lofty throne, thou shalt judge the twelve tribes of Israel."
APOCRYPHAL GOSPELS. PSEUDO MATTHEW. 215
This sentence is sufficient evidence, that the compo-
sition of the book was subsequent to the second centu-
ry. The law of accretion is also aptly illustrated in
the address of the other thief upon the cross:
"If thou art the Christ, come down from the cross, that I may believe in
tliH-. But now I see thee perishing along with me, not like a man, but like
a \vild beast."
The gospel contains original matter, also, of a won-
derful and startling character.
PSEUDO MATTHEW. A mere compilation of portions
of the Gospel of the Infancy, with such accretions as
might be expected after two hundred years.
There is reason to believe, it did not appear much
before the time of Jerome. Some have thought it to
have been the publication of Seleucas, alluded to in
the correspondence between Jerome and the bishops.
Others have thought it the translation which Jerome
made at the request of the bishops. But that, as will
be seen, was another document.
THE SUPPOSED GOSPEL OF THE NATIVITY OF MARY.
In all the collections of apocryphal gospels, will be
found a Gospel of the Birth of Mary. It is sometimes
spoken of as among the most ancient.
We are satisfied there was anciently no such gospel;
that its supposed existence is based upon a misappre-
hension. The facts are these:
In the works of Jerome is found a correspondence
between him and two bishops, named Chromatius and
Heliodorus. The bishops, addressing their beloved
brother and presbyter, Jerome, state that they had
found in some apocryphal books, "an account of the
birth of the Virgin Queen Mary, as also the birth and
216 THIRD PERIOD. A. D. 120 TO A. D. 130.
infancy of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ;" in which
they had observed many things contrary to their faith.
They say they had heard that he (Jerome) had found a
volume in Hebrew, written with St. Matthew the Evan-
gelist's own hand; "in which was described the infant
state of the Virgin Mary and our Savior." They there-
fore entreat him to translate it out of Hebrew into
Latin; that they might know what the famous things
concerning Christ were, and to refute the heretics, who
had mixed other things "with the genuine history
of the Savior's nativity. 7 '
Jerome replies, saying it was a difficult task which
they had imposed on him,
"Because the holy apostle and evangelist Matthew did not himself wish to
have it written for the public, [nee voluit in aperto conscribi.] For if it was
not to have been a secret, he would certainly have annexed it to his own gos-
pel which he published.
"But he composed this little book in Hebrew letters, [sed fecit hunc libel-
lum Hebraicis literis obsignatum], which he so published, in order that this
book might be in the hands of religious men, written in his own hand, in He-
brew characters, [ex nianu ipsius scriptus Hebraicis literis.] They have
transmitted it from preceding to subsequent times. They have taken care,
however, never to have it translated by any one, and have given different ac-
counts of its contents, [tex ejus aliter atque aliter narraverunt.]
"But the truth is, that the book was published by a certain Manichaean dis-
ciple, Seleucas by name, who also composed a false history of the Acts of the
Apostles."
He speaks of the publication as injurious, and not to
be listened to by the church. He then accedes to their
request.
In another epistle, he says that he will translate it
"as well as he can remember;" [in quantum recordari
possum]; and notifies them, that not only will the
translation not be literal, but that he will feel at liberty
to wander considerably from the original. He says he
will translate, following the meaning rather than the
words, and saying nothing "which is not written, or
APOCRYPHAL GOSPELS. NATIVITY OF MAEY. 217
may be supposed consistently, to have been written;"
[et non alia dicam, quam quae aut scripta sunt ibi, aut
consequenter scribi potuerunt;] "sometimes walking
in the same path with the author, though not in the
same steps; and though sometimes turning a little one
side, returning the same way again." [nunc eadem
semita non iisdem vestigiis incedens, nunc quibusdam
diverticulis, et eandem viam recurrens.]
It will be noticed that nowhere in the correspon-
dence, is either the gospel which the bishops had seen,
or the one which Jerome claimed to have seen in Mat-
thew's handwriting, spoken of as a Gospel of the Birth
or Nativity of Mary only, but in connection with the
Infancy of the Savior.
Jerome proceeded to make his translation, but the
ptil disher of his works, for some reason, omitted the
last part, and published only that relating to the birth
and infancy of Mary. This was placed after the corres-
pondence, and the whole was entitled, "De Nativitate
Mariae:" indicating that all that followed, was con-
cerning the nativity of Mary. The translation was
only what Jerome remembered of the trospels of the
Infancy; he having probably seen a version purer than
that published by Seleucas.
The translation, under the very wide latitude which
the pious father had given himself, doubtless differed
from any version of those gospels which had pre-
viously been seen. Hence it was thought to be a new
gospel; an impression which was strengthened by the
title placed by Jerome's publisher before the corres-
pondence; "De Nativitae Mariae."
This view of the matter is confirmed by the histori-
cal evidence. The first writers who refer to this gos-
pel, are Epiphanius and Gregory Nyssen, both of whom
were contemporary with Jerome. Neither of these
218 THIRD PERIOD. A. D. 120 to A. D. 130.
writers speak of it as "the Gospel of the Birth of
Mary," but as "De Nativitate Mariae." *
LETTER OP PONTIUS PILATE. This letter may be seen
in translation from Latin and Greek manuscripts, the
date of which is uncertain. The Greek text is given
in "The Acts of Peter and Paul"
There is a discussion between the Emperor Nero, Pe-
ter, and Simon Magus. Peter appeals to the writings
of Pontius Pilate, sent to Claudius. Nero orders them
to be brought and read, which was done. The letter
stated,
That the fathers of the Jews had promised, that God would send Jesus from
heaven, who should be their king; and he should come to earth, by means of
a virgin. That he came into Judaea, and the Jews saw him enlightening- the
blind, cleansing lepers, healing paralytics, expelling demons from men, raising
the dead, subduing the winds, walking upon the waves of the sea, and doing
r.riny other wonders. That the Jews seized him and delivered him up to Pi-
lute, who, after scourging him, gave him up to their will. That they crucified
Km, but Jesus rose on the third day, while the soldiers of Pilate were guard-
ing him. That the Jews bribed the soldiers. That the soldiers could not
keep silence, and had testified that they had seen Jesus, after he was risen.
Another and j>robably older form of this letter is
in one version of the Acts of Pilate. It is not materi-
ally different.
REPORT OF PILATE. There are two forms of this in
the Greek. It is similar to the foregoing. It enlarges
upon the miracles, and is written in a more fervid style.
It is possible that some ancient form of the Letter or
Report, was the original from which the Acts of
Pilate, or the first part of the Gospel of Mcodemus
was constructed. In their present form the Letter and
Report are manifestly of a later date.
(1.) See Epiphanius, Hseres. 26. Gnost. No. 12, and Hreres. 79. Collyr. No.
5. Also Gregory Nyssen, Horn, de Nativ. S. Mari. Vir. torn. 3. Opp. p. 346.
APOCRTHAL GOSPELS. DEATH OF PILATE. 219
THE GIVING UP OF PONTIUS PILATE. Caesar, filled
with rage at what had happened, sent soldiers, and or-
dered them to bring Pilate a prisoner. When brought
to Kome, he was arraigned for what he had done.
While Caesar was addressing Pilate, when he named the name of Christ, all
the multitude of gods fell down in a body. Pilate making his defense, and
throwing the blame on the Jews, Caesar sent, and had "all the nation of the
Jews" seized. He ordered Pilate to be beheaded. Pilate prayed to the Lord,
and received assurances that he should be blessed, because, under him the
prophecies had been fulfilled.
When he was beheaded, an angel of the Lord received his head. His wife
Procla, seeing- this, filled with joy, immediately gave up the ghost, and was
buried with her husband.
THE DEATH OF PILATE. A variation of the foregoing.
Tiberius Caesar, emperor, had a disease, and sent for Jesus to come and cure
him. The messenger, on arriving in Palestine, found that Christ had been
crucified. But on his journey, he met Veronica, who lent him the cloth on
which was impressed an image of the Savior, which, she said, would cure
Caesar.
"Caesar therefore ordered the way to be strewn with silk cloths, and the pic-
tun to be presented to him. As soon as he had looked upon it, he regained
his former health."
Pilate was brought to Rome, where the emperor was furious against him.
But Pilate appearing before him in the seamless tunic which Jesus had worn,
all the anger of Tiberius at once disappeared.
Having been condemned to a disgraceful death, Pilate killed himself with
his own knife. His body was bound to a great mass, and sunk in the River
Tiber.
"But malignant and filthy spirits, in his malignant and filthy body, all re-
joicing together, kept moving themselves in the waters, and in a terrible man-
ner, brought lightnings and tempests, thunders and hail-storms, in the air, so
that all men were kept in horrible fear." Wherefore the Romans, driving
him out of the Tiber, carried him to Vienna, and sunk him in the River Rhone.
"But there evil spirits were present, working the same things in the same
place. Those men therefore, not enduring such a visitation of demons, re-
moved from themselves that vessel of malediction, and sent him to be buried
in the territory of Losania. And they, seeing that they were troubled by the
aforesaid visitations, removed him from themselves, and sunk him in a certain
pit, surrounded by mountains; where, to this day, according to the account of
gome, certain diabolical machinations are said to bubble up."
220 THIED PERIOD. A. D. 120 to A. D. 130.
THE AVENGING OF THE SAVIOR. There are, in this
document, two distinct legends; one of Veronica, the
other, that of Nathan's embassy.
In the days of Tiberius Caesar, Titus, a prince under Tiberius, in Equitania,
was afflicted with a cancer in his face. And Tiberius was ill, and full of ulcers
and fevers, having nine kinds of leprosy. Nathan was sent from Judaea, to
carry a treaty to Rome. He tells about Christ, his miracles, his crucifixion and
his resurrection. Titus addresses Tiberius strongly in condemnation of the
Jews who had slain Jesus. Whereupon the wound fell from the face of Titus,
"and his flesh and his face were restored to health. And all the sick who were
in the same place, were made whole, in that hour." He then sent for Ves-
pasian, who brought five thousand armed men. With them they went and
made war on the Jews for killing Jesus.
Jerusalem was taken with great slaughter. A search was made, and Ve-
ronica was found, who had the portrait of Jesus. When the emperor saw the
portrait, he was immediately cured. And all the blind, the lepers, and those
afflicted in divers ways, were healed.
Nathan then came forward, and baptized Tiberius, who ascended his
throne, and publicly returned thanks to God.
THE NEWLY DISCOVERED ACTS OF PILATE. A learn-
ed German, while traveling in Missouri, some years
ago, became the guest of a clergyman by the name of
W. D. Mahan, at Boonville. In conversation, he men-
tioned to this clergyman, that he had seen, in the Vat-
ican Library, at Eome, the original Acts of Pilate.
After the German had left, Mr. Mahan, deeming the
matter of great importance, wrote to him, in Europe,
and at considerable expense, had the manuscript copied.
He then published it, with the correspondence.
Afterward, the same document was published, under
an arrangement with the proprietor, by Eev. George
Sluter, A.M., of the Presbyterian Synod of Missouri.
The publication is preceded by a statement of the
discovery and procuring of the document; an intro-
duction, giving the references to the Acts of Pilate
APOCRYPHAL GOSPELS. NEW ACTS OF PILATE. 221
by Justin Martyr and Tertullian, and the subsequent
comments of Eusebius. The volume contains, also,
remarks and critical notes.
Without doubt, these clergymen are acting in good
faith, and think they have obtained the original Acts
of Pilate. There is none the less doubt that they are
mistaken. One sentence alone is sufficient to show
that the document published by them is of compara-
tively modern date; if indeed the whole affair is not an
imposition upon them, by some astute adventurers.
When Pilate requested Jesus to be more circum-
spect in his language, when discoursing to the Jews,
he is represented in this document, as replying to Pilate,
as follows:
"Say to the torrent, Stop in the midst of the mountain home, because it
will uproot the trees of the valley." Page 55, of Sinter's Edition.
This, with considerable more of the same sort, is
sufficient, without taking time with other reasons, to
brand the document, not only as a forgery, but as a
modern, and a vulgar one. Any person of but a small
degree of literary skill, would have come nearer to the
simple and impressive style of Jesus. ''Brief and con-
cise utterances," says Justin Martyr, "fell from him;
for he was no sophist, but his word was the power of
God."
222 THIRD PERIOD. A. D. 120 TO A. D. 130.
CHAPTER XVIII.
WRITERS OF THE THIRD PERIOD.
MENANDER SATURNINUS BASILIDES PRODICUS ARISTIDES QUAD-
RATUS BARNABAS AGRIPPA CASTOR ARISTION JOHN THE PRESBY-
TER. ANONYMOUS WRITINGS. PROVERBS OF XYSTAS PREACHING AND
DOCTBINE OF PETER TESTIMONY OF THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS SIBYL-
LINE ORACLES PREACHING OF PAUL SYRIAC DOCUMENTS.
Most of the Christian writers of the second century,
who immediately succeeded the apostolic fathers,
advocated doctrines which were afterward considered
heretical.
"Heresy," says Dr. Lardner, "in Greek, aipstii 1 -:, signifies election, or choice;
and is used for any opinion which a man chooseth as best, or most probable. ' '
Works, wl. 4, p. 505.
Menander, Saturninus and Basilides, are generally
classed together, by the orthodox fathers, and their
heresies considered in the order here named.
MENANDER, A. D. 120,
Is said to have been the fellow countryman and
disciple of Simon Magus. ' This is denied, however, by
some. He is said to have aspired to the honor of be-
ing a Messiah, and one of the ^Eons, sent from the ple-
roma, or celestial regions, to succor souls oppressed by
the demons of earth. He had a form of baptism in his
(1.) Westcott, Canon, p. 252.
CHRISTIAN WRITERS. BASILIDES. 223
own name. His influence continued for several centu-
ries. He was written against by Justin Martyr, by Ir-
enseus, Eusebius, and several others. Justin speaks
of him as follows:
"And a man, Menander, also a Samaritan, of the town of Capparetaea, a*
disciple of Simon, and inspired by devils, we know to have deceived many,
while he was in Antioch, by his magical art. He persuaded those who ad-
hered to him, that they should never die. And even now, there are some liv-
ing, who hold this opinion of his. Apology, 1. 26.
SATURNINTJS. A. D. 125.
Saturninus. like Menander, held that there was one
Father, unknown to all, who made angels, archangels,
principalities and powers. He said the world and all
things therein, were made by a company of seven an-
gels: Man was made, too, by angels. The Savior, he
taught to be unbegotten and incorporeal; and that he
was a man in appearance only. "He says that mar-
riage and generation are of Satan." l
BASILIDES, A. D. 125,
Was a Gnostic of Alexandria. Is said to have writ-
ten a commentary, in 24 books, on "The Gospel." This
was refuted by Agrippa Castor.
Fragments of his writings are given by Hippolytus,
who wrote in the third century. They have caused
much discussion in reference to the gospel upon which
he commented; whether it was in writing, and wheth-
er his own or another's.
He made use of "The traditions of Matthias;" or, as
Miller supposes, the traditions of Matthew. These
"claimed to be grounded on private intercourse with
the Savior." ! They were, possibly, the much talked
of Oracles of Matthew.
(1.) Irenseus, adv. Haer. lib. 1, c. 24.
(2.) Westcott, Canon, p. 264.
224 THIRD PERIOD. A.D.m TO A. D. 130.
The fact that Basilides made use of such a collec-
tion, is significant, and may go far to explain the
source of many of the sayings of Christ, so often quo-
ted by the fathers before Irenaeus, and which have been
supposed to be evidence of the existence of the canon-
ical gospels.
Some have claimed Basilides as a witness to the four
gospels, more particularly to Luke. The arguments
upon which the claim is based,* are vague and unsatis-
factory. Perhaps it will be sufficient, upon this ques-
tion, to take the judgment of Dr. Davidson. He says,
"As to Basilides, his supposed quotations from the New Testament, in Hip-
polytus, are too precarious to be trusted." Canon, p. 86. See also his Intro-
duction to the N. T., wl. 2, p. 388.
Any apparent use of Luke may be explained by the
fact, that Basilides had access to the same manuscripts
from which the Gospels of Marcion and Luke were
compiled.
DOCTRINES. "Basilides/ 1 says Irenaeus, "that he may appear to have dis-
covered something more sublime and plausible, gives an immense develop-
ment to his doctrines. He sets forth that Nous was first born of the unborn
Father; that from him again was born Logos, from Logos Phronesis, from
Phronesis Sophia and Dynamis; and from Dynamis and Sophia, the powers
and principalities, and angels, whom he calls the first; and that by them the
first heaven was made. Then other powers, being formed by emanation from
these, created another heaven, similar to the first." &c.
The chief of the angels who occupy the lowest heaven, is the God of the
Jews, and he and his angels created the world.
That Jesus himself was not crucified, but Simon of Gyrene, who bore the
cross, and assumed the form of Jesus. Salvation belongs to the soul alone r
for the body is by nature, subject to corruption. Irenceus-adv. Hares, bk. 1,
ch. 24. Ante Nic. wl 5, p. 90.
Eusebius makes the doubtful statement, that lite
Pythagoras, Basilides enjoined upon his followers, a si-
lence of five years. ' A gospel is attributed to him.
But this is thought to be the same as the commentaries.
(1.) Ecclesiastical History, 4.. 7; attributing it to Agrippa Castor.
CHRISTIAN WRITERS. PRODICUS. 225
PRODICUS . A. D. 120.
But little is known of this writer, except that he was
a leader of a sect called Prodiceans; and that they
were accused by Clement of Alexandria, of licentious
practices.
"They say, 1 ' says Clement, "they are by nature, the children of the supreme
deity; but they dishonor their high birth and freedom; for they live as they
choose, and they choose to live in pleasure. They scorn to be controlled, as
being lords of the sabbath, and the King's children." Clem. Alex. titr. o. 4.
They also held that prayer was needless. '
They did not separate themselves from the Christian
churches.
The followers of Prodicus boasted of having the se-
cret books of Zoroaster. a
Baring-Gould thinks they may have used the Gospel
of Philip. '
ARISTIDES AND QUADRATUS. A. D. 126.
They delivered to the Emperor Hadrian, Apologies
for the Christian Religion. That of Quadratus is said
to have procured the Rescript of the emperor to Minu-
cius, in favor of the Christians.
Eusebius says that this was in circulation among
the brethren, and that he had a copy of it. He gives
an extract, in which there is reference to the miracles
of Christ. 4 If we could rely upon the correctness of
the statement, this might be recorded as the earliest
historical reference to the miracles of Jesus.
The same historian, speaking of Quadratus and oth-
ers, "who held the first rank in the apostolic succes-
sion," makes a statement, by which he manifestly in-
tends to leave the impression, that the canonical gos-
pels were in circulation at that time. He says:
(1.) Stromata, 7. 7. (2.) Strom. 1. 15.
(3.) Lost and Hostile Gospels, p. 293.
(4.) Ecc. History, 4. 3.
226 THIRD PERIOD. A. D. 120 TO A. D. 130.
"Afterwards, leaving their country, they performed the office of evangelists
to those who had not yet heard the faith, whilst with a noble ambition to pro-
claim Christ, they also delivered to them the books of the holy gospels. " Ecc.
Hist. 3. 37.
Westcott, after speaking of the apologies of Quadra-
tus and Aristides, says: "Nothing, it will be seen, can
be drawn directly from these scanty notices, in support
of the Canon/' '
BARNABAS. About A. D. 130.
The Epistle of Barnabas, is often classed among the
writings of the apostolic fathers. There is much dif-
ference of opinion as to its date, but those writers who
place it after A. D. 120, comprise a large majority.
The ancient fathers of the church held it in high es-
teem, and attributed it to Barnabas, the companion of
Paul. Such was the opinion of Clement of Alexan-
dria. 2 Origen called it a "catholic epistle," and ranked
it among the sacred scriptures. 3
In the introduction to the epistle, in the Ante-Mcene
Collection, it is stated, the ancients unanimously attri-
bute it to Barnabas the Levite, of apostolic times.
"Certainly," says the editor, "no other name is even
hinted at in Christian antiquity, as that of the writ-
er." 4 The editor is equally explicit in asserting, that
scarcely any scholars now ascribe it to the illustrious
friend and companion of St. Paul. What a commen-
tary upon the credit to be given to the opinions of the
fathers, upon such questions!
THE GOSPELS. Some writers have supposed they saw
in this epistle, evidence of the use of the canonical gos-
pels. It is not, however, much relied upon. The read-
(1.) Canon, p. 76.
(2.) Strom. 2. 6; 2. 7. &c.
(3.) Contra Celsum, 1. 63, Comm. in Rom. 1. 24.
(4.) Ante. Nic. vol. 1, p. 99.et seq.
CHRISTIAN WRITERS. AGRIPPA CASTOR. 227
er will remember the verdict of Dr. Less, upon this
subject.
Dr. Davidson says he has apparently a citation from
Matthew, but it is uncertain. '
Dr. Westcott, speaking of this class of evidence, says:
"References in the sub-apostolic age, to the discourses or actions of our
Lord, as we find them recorded in the gospels, show, so far as they go, that
what the gospels relate, was then held to be true; but it does not necessarily
follow, that they were already in use, and were the actual source of the pas-
sages in question." Canon, p. 49.
THE MIRACLES. In the 5th chapter of the epistle of
Barnabas, is the first reference to the miracles of
Christ; if we except those in the apocryphal gospels,
which appeared about the same time. Speaking of Je-
sus, he says:
"Moreover, teaching Israel, and doing such great miracles and signs, [Hc/o-
aSyi TOI dedatiKoov rwv I6parj\ xal itifXtxavra Tepara nal tiyjueia
roioov], he preached the truth to him, and greatly loved him."
AGRIPPA CASTOR. A. D. 130.
According to Eusebius, Agrippa Castor wrote books
against Basilides. a Eusebius says he was one of the
most distinguished writers of that day. 3
These with many other writings of the kind, are
lost or destroyed. It was a natural source of infor-
mation, and would have disclosed, almost certainly
the nature of the gospels or other writings used by
Basilides.
It is somewhat remarkable, that all the writings ot
the second century, which would have furnished the
most direct evidence as to the gospels then in use, have
perished.
(1.) Canon, p. 94.
(2.) Ecclesiastical History, 4. 7.
(3.) See also Jerouie, Catal. Script, c. 20.
228 THIRD PERIOD. A. D. 120 TO A. D. 130.
ARISTION. About A. D. 130.
It might be inferred from a passage in Eusebius y
that Aristion had preserved written traditions of the
time of Christ. Speaking of Papias, he says:
"He moreover hands down, in his own writing, other narratives given him
by the previously mentioned Aristion, of the Lord's sayings, and the traditions-
of the presbyter, John. Ecc. Hist. 3. 39.
A fair inference would be that these ^narratives"
were in writing; as they are distinguished from the
"traditions" of the presbyter.
JOHN THE PRESBYTER, About A. D. 130,
Is supposed by some, to have written the Revela-
tion. This was the opinion of Eusebius. '
He is also, not without reason, believed to have been
the author of the epistles of John. It will be noticed
that in the 2d and 3d of these epistles, the writer
styles himself "the elder," or presbyter.
The theory that he wrote the Gospel of John,
has less plausibility; since there is no sufficient evi-
dence of its existence, until about half a century later.
ANONYMOUS WRITINGS.
There are also some anonymous writings, belonging
to the third period, which will be briefly considered.
THE PROVERBS OF XYSTAS.
Written, about A. D. 119.* The genuineness of the book is doubted by
Westcott and others. Ewald places it among the most valuable relics of early
Christian literature. GoU. Gel. Am. 1859, p. 261; and Gesch. 1. 321.
Westcott says it contains no definite references to the New Testament.
Hist. Canon, p. 174.
THE PREACHING, AND DOCTRINE OF PETER.
These books were well known in the second century.
The preaching of Peter was condemned by Eusebius, in the same language
used in reference to the Gospel of Peter. He pronounced it a forgery, and
stated that none of the ancients, nor any ecclesiastical writers had. taken testi-
monies from it. Ecc. H. 3. 3.
(1.) Ecc. Hist. 3. 39.
ANONYMOUS WRITINGS OF THE THIRD PERIOD. 229
On the contrary, it is referred to by Heracleon, A. D. 190, according to Ori-
gen, [Tom. 1, in Joan. p. 211], and repeatedly by Clement of Alexandria.
Stromata, 1. 29y 2. 15; 6. 5; 6. 6, and 6. 15. Also by Lactantius; all before
Eusebius. Clement took numerous testimonies from it, and endorsed it in the
most emphatic manner; declaring that Christ said to his disciples, what he is
reported to have said, in the Preaching of Peter. Strom. 6. 6.
It was also referred to in the epistle of Peter to James, published by Cotele-
rius. See Ante-Nic. Ch. Lib. vol. 17, p. 1.
The book was subsequently cited by Theodotus, Byzantius, and Gregory Na-
zianzen, of the ancients, and among the moderns has been very favorably spo-
ken of by Dr. Grabe, Mr. Toland, Mr. Whiston, Dr. Mill, and others.
The Doctrine of Peter was a small book, in use in the 2d century, of which
littln is now known. It was referred to, and condemned by Origen. From
t him we learn, that it contained the same passage which Jerome says was in
the Gospel of the Hebrews, in which Christ said to those who were with Pe-
ter, "Lay hold, handle me, and see that I am not an incorporeal spirit." Or-
igen. dc Princtp. Prcpf. sec. 8.
TESTAMENTS OP THE TWELVE PATRIARCHS.
Supposed to ha.ve been written, about A. D. 125. The character of the
book, is indicated by the title. Each of the sons of Jacob gives his dying tes-
timony, on some important subject. "The Testament of Reuben concerning
Thoughts;' 1 "The Testament of Simeon concerning Envy;" &c.
Dr. Lardner thought he discovered in it, some slight evidence of the use
of some of the canonical gospels. Nothing better illustrates the dearth of ev-
idence, than the necessity of searching for it in a document of this kind.
THE SIBYLLINE ORACLES,
Belong properly to an earlier age, but are supposed to have been interpola-
ted about this time, in order to furnish additional evidence for the Christian
religion. They were extensively quoted, from Justin Martyr down; though
the quotations of Justin have reference, for the most part, to the utterances
of the ancient sibyl.
THE PREACHING OP PAUL.
This, as well as the Preaching of Peter, was referred to by Lactantius and
others, and was generally known in the second century. It contained refer-
ences to the sibylline writings. Also to the fire in Jordan, at the time of the
baptism of Jesus. See Anonymous Treatise on Re-Baptism, Ante-Nicene vol
13, p. 426.
It has been favorably referred to by Cardinal Baronius, Dr. Grabe, and oth-
ers. Sixtus Senensis believed it to have been written by Paul. Bib. Sane
lib. 2, p. 113.
SYRIAC DOCUMENTS.
The late Dr. Cureton found among the Syriac manuscripts of the British
Museum, several documents purporting to have been written in the first and
second centuries. See 2Qth volume of Ante-Nicene Collection.
They are full of mistakes and anachronisms, and cannot be considered
of much value. Consult " Revelations of Anti- Christ;" Boston and JY. T. 1879/
an able work, but written in an ' objectionable style.
230 FOURTH PERIOD. A. D. 130 to A. Z>. 170.
FOURTH PERIOD. A. D. 130 TO 170.
FORTY YEARS OF CHRISTIAN WRITERS.
CHAPTEE XIX.
FIRST HALF OF FOURTH PERIOD. A. D. 130 to 150,
CAHPOCRATES EPIPHANES CERDO HERMAS CERINTHUSISIDOKUS
VALENTINUS PAPIAS EPISTLE TO DIOGNETUS THE CLEMENTINES.
CARPOCRATES. About A. D. 135.
Irenaeus, in his first book against Heresies, writes as
follows:
"Carpocrates, again, and his followers, maintain that the world and the
things which are therein, were created by angels greatly inferior to the unbe-
gotten Father. They also hold that Jesus was the son of Joseph, and was
just like other men, with the exception that he differed from them in this re-
spect, that inasmuch as his soul was steadfast and pure, he perfectly remem-
bered those things which he had witnessed within the sphere of the unbegot-
ten God. On this account, a power descended upon him from the Father,
that by means of it, he might escape from the creators of the world."
After enlarging upon this idea, and stating that
they believe the human soul, which is like that of
Christ, can rise above the creators of the world, he
says:
"This idea has raised them to such a pitch of pride, that some of them de-
clare themselves similar to Jesus; while others still more mighty, maintain
that they are superior to his disciples, such as Peter and Paul, and the rest of
the apostles, whom they consider to be in no respect inferior to Jesus.."
He then charges them with practicing magical arts
and incantations; of using philters and love potions;
CHRISTIAN WRITERS. CARPOCRATES. 231
of having recourse to familiar spirits, dream-sending
demons, "and other abominations;" and of leading a
licentious life. '
Dr. Lardner thinks the charge of licentiousness a
slander. 2
Clement of Alexandria speaks of Carpocrates and
Epiphanes as both advocating a community of wives.
Clement argues against it in the 2d Chapter of the
3d book of the Stromata. 3
EPIPHANES, About A. D. 140,
Was the son of Carpocrates, and was, like his fath-
er, a Gnostic. He believed in an infinite, eternal prin-
ciple. It is ignorance and passion, which, in disturb-
ing the equality and community of goods, have intro-
duced evil into the world. The idea of property forms
no part of the divine plan. All unequal laws should
be abolished, and equality should be re-established.
He is reported to have advocated the community of
wives, as well as of the fruits of the earth.
He died at the early age of seventeen years.
A temple was consecrated to him in Cappadocia, and
according to Clement of Alexandria, he was honored
as a god. 4
CERDO, OR CERDON. About A. D. 140.
Cerdon, ajso, was a Gnostic. Irenaeus says he came
to Rome from Syria, in the time of Hyginus. His
views were adopted, and amplified by Marcion. Like
Marcion. he is accused of mutilating the Gospel of
Luke; and with as little reason. [See 'Marcion.']
(1.) Adv. User. 1. 25. Ante-Nic. vol. 5, p. 93.
(2.) Lard. Works, vol. 4, p. 562.
(3.) Ante-Nic. vol. 12, p. 86.
(4.) Stromata, bk. 3, ch. 2.
232 FOURTH PERIOD. A. D. 130 to A. D. 170.
HERMAS. A. D. 145.
Hennas, like Barnabas, is often classed with the apos-
tolic fathers. He is, however, placed after 120, by a
large majority of writers, and most of them date his
works near the middle of the second century.
The authorship of the Pastor or Shepherd of Her-
mas, as stated in the Muratorian Fragment, is gener-
ally accepted. "The Pastor, moreover," says the Frag-
ment, "did Hernias write, very recently, in our times,
in the city of Rome, while his brother, Bishop Pius sat
in the chair, in the Church of Rome."
According to the 'Handbuch der Kirchengeschichte,'
a work extensively used as a text book among Catho-
lics, Pius was Bishop from A. D. 142 to 157.
This, which may now be considered the settled ver-
dict of scholars as to the authorship of the Pastor, by
no means accords with the opinions of the fathers.
With them, Hernias, the author of the Shepherd,
was the Hernias of apostolic times. Origen distinctly
ascribes the Shepherd to the Hernias mentioned in the
Epistle to the Romans. ' This is favored by Eusebi-
us, a and by Jerome. 3
The early writers considered it an inspired book.
Irenseus quotes it as scripture. 4 Clemens Alexandri-
nus considered it divinely inspired. 5 It was read in
the churches as scripture.
Here we have the same phenomenon as in the case
of the Epistle of Barnabas. A work universally at-
tributed to a co-worker and companion of Paul, which
modern scholrrs, of all shades of religious opinion,
(1.) Comment, in Rom. 16. 14; lib. 10, 31. Origen there states that he
thinks it divinely inspired.
(2.) Ecc. Hist. 3. 3. (3.) De Viris Illust. c. 10.
(4.) Adv. Hsrer. 4. 20. 2.
(5.) Strom. 1. 29.
CHRISTIAN WRITERS. HERMAS. 233
concur in deciding was never written by him, nor even
in that century. In view of such facts, it is impossible
not to perceive that the books finally admitted into the
canon, were selected with reference to their contents,
rather than to any question of authenticity, or of
proof of apostolic origin.
The Shepherd of Hernias was one of the most popu-
lar books, among the Christians of the second century.
About the year 494, it was condemned in the decree
of Pope Gelasius; from which time it began to decline
in public favor.
As late as the 15th century, a translation of the Shep-
herd of Hernias was found in a MS. of the Latin bible.
The Pastor or Shepherd consists of three books.
The first is entitled Visions, the second, Command-
ments, the third, Similitudes. There is in it all, nothing
attractive to the modern mind. It is not easy to un-
derstand how, in any age, its wild vagaries and crude
piety, could have been found interesting, and even been
considered inspired. A partial explanation may be
found in its supposed semi-apostolic origin.
ITS EVIDENCE FOR THE GOSPELS. Dr. Westcott says
it contains no definite quotation from either the Old
or New Testament. x
"From the Shepherd of Hernias," says Dr. Less, "no
inference whatever can be drawn."
CERINTHUS AND HIS GOSPEL. About A. D. 145.
The history as well as the writings of Cerinthus are
strangely blended with those of John the presbyter,
and even with John, the apostle.
By the ancient writers on heresies, he is generally
placed after Carpocrates.
A sect called the Allogi, attributed to him, (so says
(1.) Canon, p. 181.
234 FOURTH PERIOD. A. D. 130 to A. D. 170.
Epiphanius), the gospel, as well as the other writings
of John.
Cerinthus had both a gospel and a revelation.
Toland intimates that the Gospel of John might have
been written by Cerinthus. '
Cerinthus is believed to have been a Jew by birth.
He was educated at Alexandria, and taught philosophy
there. a
Irenaeus says:
"He represents Jesus as not having been born of a virgin, but as being the
son of Joseph and Mary according to the ordinary course of human generation;
while he nevertheless, was more righteous, prudent and wise than other men."
"Moreover, after his baptism, Chiist descended upon him in the form of a
dove, from the Supreme Ruler, and that he proclaimed the unknown Father,
and performed miracles. 11 Adv. Ilcer. 1. 26.
The same writer says, John's Gospel was written to
confute the errors spread abroad by Cerinthus. 3
This may be accepted, as throwing some light on the
time when the Gospel of John was written. Jerome
also asserts that John wrote against Cerinthus. 4
ISIDORUS. A. D. 150.
Isidorus was the son of Basilides. He wrote works
of an exegetical and ethical character. Fragments are
preserved by Clement of Alexandria and Epiphanius.
There are other fragments by Hippolytus. Isadoras
maintained the doctrine of his father.
"No references to the gospels;" says Westcott.*
VALENTINUS, AND THE GOSPEL OF TRUTH. A. D. 150.
Yalentinus was one of the most famous Gnostics, in
the early history of the church. According to Tisch-
(1.) Amyntor, p. 65.
(2.) Mosheim, vol. 1, pp. 93 to 95.
(3.) Adv. Hser. 3. 11.
(4.) See Michaelis, vol. 3, p. 278.
(5.) Canon, p. 267.
CHRISTIAN WRITERS. VALENTINUS. 235
endorff, he came from Egypt to Home, about A. D. 140.
He was by birth an Egyptian and possibly of Jew-
ish descent. Lardner says he was a man of letters. l
The Valentinians did not admit that Christ had a
human body. Such a body, they said, must have
sprung, not from spirit, or from God, but from the will
of man. 2
The Gospel of Truth is generally attributed to Val-
entinus; though Westcott says it was composed by his
followers.
There was a tradition among the Valentinians, that
Jesus remained among his disciples eighteen months
after his resurrection. 3
THE CANONICAL GOSPELS. An effort has been made,
to make Valentinus a witness for the canonical gospels.
Davidson says it is doubtful whether Valentinus' al-
leged citations from the New Testament can be relied
upon. *
PAPIAS. A. D. 150.
Papias, who had long been considered an immediate
successor to the apostles, is now, by general consent,
relegated to the middle of the second century. The
time when he suffered martyrdom, is variously stated,
from A. D. 161 to 167.
Papias was bishop of Hierapolis, in Phrygia. He was
a millenarian. The doctrine that the end of the world
was near at hand, was extensively believed, and may
be considered as orthodox in the second century.
FRAGMENTS FROM PAPIAS. (Ecumenius represents him
as saying that Judas came to his death in this manner:
(1.) Vol. 4, p. 526.
(2.) Tertullian, de Came Christi, c. 15.
(3.) Irenaeus adv. Haer. 1. 3. 2.
(4.) Canon, p. 87.
236 FOURTH PERIOD. A. D. 130 to A. D. 170.
"His body having swollen to such an extent, that he could not pass where
a chariot could pass easily, he was crushed by the chariot, so that his bowels
gushed out."
The writer of this could scarcely have seen the Gos-
pel of Matthew. Irenseus, in the 33d chapter of the
5th book against heresies, cites from Papias, sayings of
Christ unlike any thing in the New Testament:
"The elders who saw John, the disciple of the Lord, related that they had
heard from him, how the Lord used to teach, in regard to these times,
and say:
'The days will come, in which vines shall grow, each having ten thousand
branches, and in each branch ten thousand twigs, and in each twig ten thou-
sand shoots, and in each one of the shoots ten thousand clusters, and on every
one of the clusters ten thousand grapes, and every grape, when pressed, will
give five and twenty metrets of wine. ' "&c.
Also that 1,000,000,000 pounds of clear, pure, fine
flour would be produced from one grain of wheat; and
that animals should become peaceful and harmonious,
and in perfect subjection to man.
Irenseus adds, that these things were borne witness
to by Papias, the hearer of John, and companion of
Polycarp.
The famous testimony of Eusebius, concerning Pa-
pias, which, in some form, will be found in every work
on the canon of the New Testament, is as follows:
That Papias wrote five books, called an Exposition of the Oracles of the
Lord; citing Irenseus.
That Papias affirmed that he received the sayings of the apostles from those
who accompanied them, and that he heard in person Aristion, and the presby-
ter John; and gives their traditions.
That there was a narrative received by Papias from the daughters of Philip,
of the raising of a man from the dead, and how Justus, surnamed Barsabas,
swallowed a deadly poison, and received no harm.
That Papias had set down, as coming to him from unwritten tradition,
"some strange parables and instructions of the Savior, and some other things,
.of a more fabulous nature."
CHRISTIAN WRITERS. PAPIAS. 237
Eusebius then adds "as a matter of primary importance, a tradition regard-
ing Mark, who wrote the gospel."
That the presbyter said that Mark, having become the interpreter of Peter,
wrote down accurately, whatsoever he remembered. It was not, however, in
exact order, that he related the sayings or deeds of Christ. For he neither
heard the Lord, nor accompanied him. But afterward, he accompanied Peter,
who accommodated his instructions to the necessities (of his hearers), but with
no intention of giving a regular narrative of the Lord's sayings. Wherefore
Mark made no mistake in thus writing some things as he remembered them.
For of one thing he took especial care, not to omit any thing he had heard, and
not to put any thing fictitious in the statements.
That "Matthew put together the oracles (of the Lord) in the Hebrew lan-
guage, and each one interpreted them as best he could."
That Papias gives a story of a woman who was accused of many sins before
the Lord, which was to be found in the Gospel of the Hebrews.
Also that Papias considered, "That the information which he could derive
from books, was not so profitable as that which was preserved in a living tra-
dition." Eusebius, Ecc. Hint. bk. 3, ch. 39.
Such is this far famed testimony. That portion re-
lating to the Gospels of Mark and Matthew, may be
stated as follows:
Eusebius says, that Papias said, that John the pres-
byter said, in what manner certain writings of Mark
and Matthew had been constructed.
The value to be attached to any statements of Euse-
bius, will be considered hereafter.
One important circumstance will be noted, in the
evidence, as it stands:
Notwithstanding this explanation of the apostolic
origin of the books, it appears that Papias considered
them, as evidence, inferior to oral tradition. That, too,
a hundred years after the time, when, as is claimed,
they were written.
Again, it is contended by able critics, that the lan-
guage here attributed to Papias, concerning the book
288 FOURTH PEEIOD. A. D. 130 to A. D. 170.
written by Mark, cannot be applied to the gospel which
bears his name. ' They insist that it must be referred
to the Preaching of Peter, or some other document
more ancient then the Gospel of Mark. So also of the
logia, oracles or sayings of Christ, by Matthew, which
were not the same as the Gospel of Matthew.
EPISTLE TO DIOGNBTUS. About A. D. 140.
This is an apology, or argument, in favor of the
Christian system, and in defense of the Christians of
that day. It is well written. It has been variously at-
tributed to Quadratus, to Aristides, Justin Martyr, and
others. Bunsen thought part of it was written by
Marcion. 3 Westcott thinks he sees some indications
of John's Gospel in this document, but says there are
no direct references. 3 This epistle is only to be found
in a single manuscript of a late date, and hence has
been suspected of being a forgery.
THE CLEMENTINES. A. D. 150.
The Recognitions, the Homilies, Epitome, &c. These
are Ebionite productions. The writer appears to have
had the same gospels which were used by Justin.
Tischendorf thinks the Gospel of the Hebrews was
used by Justin Martyr, by the author of the Clemen-
tines, and by Tatian and Hegesippus. 4
(1.) Credner, Davidson, Guericke, Griesbach, Neander and many others.
(2.) Analecta Ante-Nic. 1. 103.
(3.) Canon, p. 81.
(4.) Origin of the Four Gospels, p. 78.
WH1TER8. MARCION. 239
CHAPTER XX.
FIRST HALF OF FOURTH PERIOD. Continued.
MARCION. A. D. 145.
Marcion, the great heresiarch, was born at Sinope,
in Pontus, early in the second century. He came to
Rome, about the year 142.
Tertullian says, the fiercest and most barbarous na-
tions lived upon the Euxine Sea that nothing had the
glow of life there that all things were torpid and stiff
with cold that nevertheless, nothing in Pontus was so
barbarous and sad, as that Marcion was born there.
Dr. Lardner, on the authority of Jerome and Augus-
tine, credits Marcion with being a man of letters. ' He
preached and disseminated his doctrines, for twenty
years; and with such success, that in the time of Epipha-
nius, his followers were in every nation under heaven.
The story that before he came to Rome, he had se-
duced a young woman, Dr. Lardner thinks an inven-
tion of Epiphanius. 2 It probably originated in the
fact, which we learn from Jerome, that Marcion had
sent before him to Rome, a woman, to prepare the
minds of the people for his doctrines. '
(1.) Lardner's works, vol. 4, p. 526. (2.) Ibid. vol. 4, p. 591.
(3.) Jerome, adv. Ctesiph. t. 4, p. 477.
240 FOUliTU PERIOD. A. D. 130 to A. D. 170.
Marcion is said to have rejected the Old Testament
entirely; not considering it of any authority, after the
coming of Christ. He wrote a work entitled "Antith-
eses," in which he contrasted the old system with the
new the God of the one, with the God of the other
the law with the gospel. He represented Christianity
as a new system, abrogating the old, and as entirely
disconnected from it. The Creator of the world de-
scribed in the Old Testament, [The Demi-ourgos], was
different from the God of the new dispensation, and
inferior to him. From the superior God, Jesus had
come, endued with divine power, commencing with the
beginning of his ministry.
He maintained the doctrine of the impurity of matter
and could not therefore, believe in the immaculate con-
ception. According to Tertullian, ' he even denied the
corporeal reality of the flesh of Christ. But this state-
ment may be received with some allowance.
Marcion denied the resurrection of the body, and be-
lieved in the doctrine of necessity.
He was a follower of Paul, and accused the other
apostles of having perverted the gospel doctrines.
Tertullian ingeniously endeavors to treat this accu-
sation as aimed at the four gospels; and argues thence
that they must have been in existence before Marcion.
His argument, however, destroys itself; since the apos-
tles denounced, were Peter, James and John; only one
of whom has credit for writing either of the four gos-
pels, while to the other two were attributed two of the
apocryphal gospels. Marcion probably referred to the
corruption of "the gospel," and not to any written
books.
Marcion taught and permitted the baptizing by wo-
(1.) Adv. Marcion, 3. 8. See also de Pr. c. 33, 34.
THE FIRST NEW TESTAMENT. 241
men. It may be inferred, also, from Epiphanius, that
he did not treat with much respect, those who refused
them this privilege. '
MARCION'S NEW TESTAMENT.
The first New Testament that ever appeared, was
compiled and published by Marcion. It was in the
Greek language. It consisted of 'The Gospel/ and 'The
Apostolicon.' No Acts no Revelation, and but one
gospel. The Apostolicon comprised ten of Paul's Epis-
tles, as follows: Galatians, 1st and 2d Corinthians, Ro-
mans, except the 15th and 16th chapters, 1st and 2d
Thessalonians, Ephesians, Colossians, Philemon and
Philippians; arranged in the order as here named. 2
This canon of the New Testament was prepared and
published soon after his arrival at Rome; probably
about A. D. 145. Baring-Gould thinks he brought the
gospel with him from Sinope. 3
Tertullian accuses Marcion of giving no name or ti-
tle to his gospel. It was called simply "the Gospel;"
and sometimes, "the Gospel of the Lord." Marcion
claimed for it, the authority of Paul himself. It closely
resembles the Gospel of Luke, but is much shorter.
Ever since the time of Tertullian, it has been, by
many, charged against Marcion, that he, corrupted the
Gospel of Luke. This charge, it will be seen as we pro-
ceed, cannot be sustained.
Nearly all we have concerning the Gospel of Mar-
cion, comes through Tertullian and Epiphanius, both of
whom were violently opposed to him, and neither
of whom was particularly scrupulous in the means
employed against an adversary. Hence it has been
difficult to reproduce the gospel. Several German crit-
(1.) Adv. Hser. 42. 4.
(2.) Also part of the Ep. to the Laodiceans. (3.) Lost and Host, Gos. p. 241.
242 FOURTH PERIOD. A.D. 130 to A. D. 170.
Lcs have attempted to reconstruct it, and it is pub-
lished in the Codex Apocryphus of Thilo, from the
works of Hahn.
In Marcion's Gospel, there was nothing correspond-
ing to the first three chapters of Luke.
The first chapter of Marcion was similar to the
fourth of Luke, but had many variations from it; and it
is here that the critics have had the most difficulty.
After passing the first chapter of Marcion, and fourth
of Luke, the progress is somewhat easier. Tertullian
furnishes but little aid; but Epiphanius, who wrote in
the same language with Marcion, gives a list of 78 pas-
sages, in which, as he claims, Marcion corrupted the
text of Luke. As he mentions the most trivial devia-
tions, giving the exact words in every instance, we
think it may be taken as the correct text of Marcion.
This opinion is confirmed by the fact, that in his
scholia, he recapitulates every reading in almost pre-
cisely the same words; the deviations being few and
unimportant.
Tertullian, in his work against Marcion, has a run-
ning commentary on Luke, with a constant invective
against Marcion, and an occasional allusion to his gos-
pel. From this some little further assistance may be
obtained. Too much reliance has been placed upon it
by some critics, as it is quite uncertain, in many cases,
whether Tertullian is referring to the Gospel of Mar-
cion, or to the text of Luke, as it prevailed in his day.
By comparing all that is said by these two writers, the
text of Marcion may be pretty nearly discovered.
We have not been able to procure a copy of this im-
portant gospel, as it appears in Thilo, or elsewhere.
From the works of Tertullian and Epiphanius, we
have, however, attempted to reproduce it; occasional-
ly invoking the aid of some of the German critics.
THE GOSPEL OF MARCION. 243
THE GOSPEL. [According to Marcion.]
CHAPTER 1. [Mostly in the 4th chapter of Luke.]
In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberias Caesar, [Part of Luke 3. 1],
Jesus came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and taught them on the
sabbath days. [Luke 4. 31.]
Verse 2. And they were exceedingly astonished at his doctrine, for his
word was with power. [For parallel to verses 2 to 9 inclusive, see Luke, ch. 4.
vv. 32 to 39.]
3. And in the Synagogue there was a man who had a spirit of an unclean
devil, and who cried out, with a loud voice,
4. Saying: Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, Jesus? [omitting
the words " of Nazareth".] Art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who
thou art, the holy one of God.
5. And Jesus rebuked him, saying: Hold thy peace, and come out of him.
And when the devil had thrown him in the midst, he came out of him, and
hurt him not.
6. And they were all amazed, and spake among themselves, saying: What
a word is this ? For with authority and power, he commandeth the unclean
spirits, and they come out.
7. And the fame of him went out into every place, in the country round
about. [This verse -is omitted by Volkmar, but retained by Hahn, Hilgen-
feld and others. See Sup. Rel. vol. 2, p. 128. Note. Baring-Gould, who repro-
duces this chapter, follows Volkmar. The two following verses are omitted
by Ritschl and Bauer, but retained by others.]
8. And he arose out of the synagogue, and entered into Simon's house.
And Simon's wife's mother was taken with a great fever; and they besought
him for her.
9. And he stood over her and rebuked the fever; and it left her; and imme-
diately she arose and ministered unto them. [Following this, Volkmar has
the last part of Luke 4. 14, and 15; but he is not supported by other critics.] '
10. And he came to Nazareth, and as his custom was, he went into the
lynagogue on the sabbath day, and began to preach to them. [See Luke 4. 16.]
11. And he sat down, and the eyes of all who were in the synagogue, were
fastened on him. [Luke 4. 20.]
12. And he began to speak to them. And all bare him witness, and won-
dered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. [Luke 4. 21, 22.]
13. And he said unto them, Ye will surely say unto me this proverb: Phy-
sician, heal thyself; whatsoever ye have done in Capernaum, do also here.
[Luke 4. 23.] [The next verse, 24th of Luke, was not in Marcion. Neither
were verses 25 and 26, according to Hahn, Ritschl and DeWette. We ac-
cordingly omit them, though they were retained by Volkmar and Hilgenfeld.
244 FOURTH PERIOD. A. D. 130 to A.D. 170.
Verse 27 is also omitted by most critics. Baring-Gould, who follows Volkmar,
retains these three verses.]
14. And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were
filled with wrath. [Luke 4. 28.]
15. And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him to the brow of
the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong.
[Luke 4. 29.]
16. But he, passing through the midst of them, went his way. [Volkmar
says "to Capernaum."] [See Luke 4. 30.]
17. Now when the sun was setting, all they that had any sick with divers
diseases, brought them unto him; and he laid his hands on every one of them,
and healed them. [Luke 4. 40.]
18. And devils also came out of many, crying out and saying: Thou art
Christ, the Son of God. And he, rebuking them, suffered them not to speak:
for they knew that he was Christ. [For parallel to verses 18 to 21, inclusive,
see Luke 4. 41 to 44.]
19. And when it was day, he departed, and went into a desert place. And
the people sought him, and came unto him, and staid him, that he should not
depart from them.
20. And he said unto them, I must preach the kingdom of God to other cit-
ies also; for therefore am I sent.
21. And he preached in the synagogues of Galilee.
CHAPTEK II. [See Luke, ch. 5.1
Verses 1 to 13, same as in the Gospel of Luke.
14. And he charged him to tell no man, But go and show thyself to the
priest, and offer for thy cleansing, according as Moses commanded, for a tes-
timony unto you.
Verses 15 to 39 inclusive, same as in Luke.
CHAPTER III. [Luke, ch. 6.]
Verses 1 to 16, same as in Luke.
17. And he came down among them, [V avrois], and stood in the plain,
and the company of his disciples, and a great multitude of people, out of all
Judsea and Jerusalem, and from the sea c6ast of Tyre and Sidon, who came
to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases.
18. Same as in Luke.
19. And the whole multitude sought to touch him:
20. 21 and 22, Same as in Luke.
23. Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy; for behold your reward is great
in heaven; for in the like manner did your fathers unto the prophets.
24 to 49 inclusive, same as in Luke.
THE GOSPEL OF MARCION. 245
CHAPTER IV. [Luke, ch. 7.]
Verses 1 to 28, same as in Luke, except some unimportant verbal differences.
[Verses 29 to 35 inclusive, of Luke, not in Marcion.J
29. [36 of Luke.] And going into the house of a Pharisee, he ate with
him.
30. [37 and 38 of Luke.] But a sinful woman standing near, before his feet,
washed his feet with her tears, and anointed them, and Ivissed them.
31 to 35 inclusive, same as 39 to 43 of Luke.
36. [44, 45 and 46 of Luke.] And he turned to the woman, and said unto
Simon, See'st thou this woman? I entered into thy house; thou gavest me no
water for my feet. She has washed my feet with her tears, and has anointed
them, and kissed them.
37 txa 40 inclusive, same as 47 to 50 of Luke.
CHAPTER V. [Luke, ch. 8.]
Verses 1 to 18 inclusive, same as in Luke. [Verse 19 of Luke not in Marcion.]
19, 20 and 21 inclusive, same as 20, 21 and 22 of Luke. But Volkmar has,
in verse 20 of Marcion, [21 of Luke], "Who is my mother? and who are my
brethren? My mother and my brethren are," &c.
22. [23 and 24 of Luke.] He was sleeping with the sailors. And he arose,
and rebuked the wind, and the sea.
23 to 40 inclusive, same as 25 to 42 of Luke.
41. [ 43, 44 and 45 of Luke.] And a woman, touching him, was healed of
an issue of blood; and the Lord said, Who has touched me?
42 to 52 inclusive, same as 46 to 56 of Luke.
CHAPTER VI. [Luke, ch. 9.]
Verses 1 to 15 inclusive, same as in Luke.
16. Same as in Luke, except, "he asked blessing upon them.
av tot's.]
17 to 21 inclusive, same as in Luke.
22. Saying, The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be put to death,
and after three days, rise again.
23 to 29 inclusive, same as in Luke.
30. [30 and 31 of Luke.] And behold two men talked with him; Elias and
Moses; in glory.
31 to 33 inclusive, same as 32 to 34 of Luke.
34. [35 of Luke.] From the cloud a voice, saying: This is my beloved Son.
35 to 38 inclusive, same as 36 to 39 of Luke,
246 FOURTH PERIOD. A. D. 130 to A. D. 170.
39. [40 of Luke.] And I besought thy disciples, and they were not able to
cast him out. {OVH rfdvrriSrjtiav kuftdTiXeiv avro.]
40. [41 of Luke.] And he said to them, faithless generation; how long
shall I suffer you?
41 to 61 inclusive, same as 42 to 62 of Luke.
CHAPTER VII. [Luke, ch. 10.]
Verses 1 to '20 inclusive, same as in Luke.
21. In that hour, he rejoiced in the spirit, and said: I thank thee, Lord of
heaven, that those things which are hidden from the wise and prudent, thou
hast revealed unto babes. Even so Father, for it seemed good in thy sight
22. All things are delivered to me of my Father; and no man hath known
the Father save the Son, nor the Son save the Father, and he to whom the
Son hath revealed.
23 and 24, same as in Luke.
25. And behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him. saying: Mas-
ter, doing what shall I obtain life? [cdoovior omitted.]
26. He said unto him, What is written in the law ?
27 and 28, same as in Luke, except that instead of opSooS otitEKpiSrfSr
Marcion had op$ao$ etitsS.
29 to 42 inclusive, same as in Luke.
CHAPTER VIII. [Luke, ch. 11.]
Verse 1, same as in Luke.
2. And he said unto them, When ye pray, say, Father, may thy Holy Spirit
come to us. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, as in heaven, so on earth.
3 and 4, same as in Luke.
5. And he said: Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him
at midnight, asking for three loaves ? [atroov rpeiS aprov$;]
[Verses 6, 7 and 8 of Luke, not in Marcion.]
6. [9 of Luke.] Ask, and it shall be given. [Verse 10 of Luke, not in
Marcion.]
7. [11 and 12 of Luke.] Who of you, being a father, if his son ask a fish,
instead of a fish, will give to him a serpent? Or, instead of an egg, a
scorpion?
8. [13 of Luke.] If therefore, you, being evil, know how to give good
things unto your children, how much more your Father, who is in heaven?
9 to 23 inclusive, same as 14 to 28 of Luke.
24. [29 of Luke.] And when the people were gathered thick together, he
began to say: This is an evil generation; they seek a sign; no sign shall be
given them.
THE GOSPEL Of MARCION. 247
[Verses 30, 31 and 32 of Luke, not in Marcion.] 25 to 33 inclusive, same as
33 to 41 of Luke.
34. [42 of Luke.] Wo unto you, Pharisees! For ye tithe mint and rue, and
all manner of herbs, and pass over the calling \HXrj6iv], and the love of God.
These ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.
35 to 40 inclusive, same as 43 to 48 of Luke. [Verses 49, 50 and 51 of Luke,
not in Marcion.] 41, 42 and 43, same as 52, 53 and 54 of Luke.
CHAPTER IX. [Luke, ch. 12.]
Verses 1, 2 and 3, same as in Luke.
4. [4 and 5 of Luke.] I say unto you, be not afraid of them who kill the
body; fear him who has power, after killing, to cast into hell.
I Verses 6 and 7 of Luke, not in Marcion.]
5. [8 of Luke.] Also I say unto you, whosoever shall confess me before
men, him shall the Son of Man also confess before God.
6. [9 of Luke.] But he that denieth me before men, shall be denied before
God.
7 to 24 inclusive, same as 10 to 27 of Luke. [Verse 28 of Luke, not in
Marcion.]
25. same as 29 of Luke.
26. [30 of Luke.] For all these things do the nations of the world seek af-
ter. And your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things of the flesh.
27. [31 of Luke.] itXr)v before fyreire, omitted.
28. [32 of Luke.] Instead of o nart/p VJUGOV, Marcion had 6 Ttarijp;
"the Father."
29 to 33 inclusive, same as 33 to 37 of Luke.
34. [38 of Luke.] And if he shall come in the evening watch, [ttinepi-
rjy (pvXawrjv}, and shall find them so, blessed are those servants.
35 to 41 inclusive, same as 39 to 45 of Luke.
42. [46 of Luke.] The Lord of that servant will come, and will cut him in
sunder, and will appoint his portion with the unbelievers.
43 to 53 inclusive, same as 47 to 57 of Luke.
54. [58 of Luke.] Instead of de Ttapadcp, Marcion has Ttapadoatisi tie.
55, same as 59 of Luke.
CHAPTER X. [Luke, ch. 13.]
[Verses 1 to 10 of Luke, not in Marcion.] Verses 1 to 5 inclusive, *ame as
11 to 15 of Luke.
248 FOURTH PERIOD. A. D. 130 to A. D. 170.
6. [16 of Luke.] Ought not this daughter of Abraham, whom Satan hath
bound, lo these eighteen years, be loosed from this bond, on the sabbath day?
7 to 17 inclusive, same as 17 to 27 of Luke.
18. [28 of Luke. ] There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye
shall see all the righteous in the Kingdom of God, and yourselves cast out,
and held back.
[Verses 29 to 35 of Luke, not in Marcion.]
CHAPTER XL [Luke, ch. 14.]
Verses 1 to 6 inclusive, same as in Luke. [Verses 7 to 11 inclusive of Luke,
not in Marcion.]
7 to 30 inclusive, same as 12 to 35 of Luke.
CHAPTER XII. [Luke, ch. 15.]
This chapter consisted of the first 10 verses only, of 15th Luke.
CHAPTER XIII. [Luke, ch. 16.]
Verses 1 to 11 inclusive, same as in Luke.
12. And if ye have not been faithful in that which is another man's, who
will give you that which is mine?
13 to 16 inclusive, substantially the same as in Luke.
17. Heaven and earth may pass, but one tittle of my words shall not fall.
18 to 28 inclusive, substantially the same as in Luke.
29. [In place of the last three verses of 16th Luke.] Abraham saith unto
him, They have Moses and the prophets, let them hear them. Not after
one has risen from the dead, will they listen, \kitel ovdk TOV kyeipo/j.evov
aito vexpaor afnovovtiir.]
CHAPTER XIV. [Luke, ch. 17.]
Verse 1, same as in Luke.
2. [According to Volkmar.] It would be better for him, if he had not been
born; or if a mill-stone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the
sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.
3 to 9 inclusive, same as in Luke.
10. So likewise ye, when ye shall have done all those things which are
commanded you.
11, 12 and 13, substantially as in Luke.
14. And he sent them away, saying: Go, show yourselves unto the priests.
And it came to pass, that as they went, they were cleansed.
15, 16 and 17, same as in Luke.
THE GOSPEL OF MARCION. 249
18. These are not found returning, to give glory unto God. And there
were many lepers, in the days of Eliseus the prophet, and none of these were
cleansed, except Naaman the Syrian.
19 to 37, substantially the same as in Luke.
CHAPTER XV. [Luke, ch. 18.]
Verses 1 to 18 inclusive, same as in Luke.
19. Jesus said to him, Do not call me good; one is good; the Father.
20 to 30 inclusive, same as in Luke. [Verses 31 to 34 inclusive of Luke, not
in Marcion.]
31. [In place of 35 to 43 inclusive, in Luke, were this verse and the follow-
ing.] And it came to pass, as he came near Jericho, a blind man cried out,
Jesus, thou son of David, have mercy on me.
32. And when he had healed him, he said, Thy faith hath saved thee.
CHAPTER XVI. [Luke, ch. 19.]
Verses 1 to 8 inclusive, same as in Luke.
D. And Jesus said unto him, This day is salvation come to this house.
10 to 28 inclusive, same as in Luke.
[Verses 29 to 48 of Luke, not in Marcion.]
CHAPTER XVII. [Luke, ch. 20.]
Verses 1 to 8 inclusive, same as in Luke. [Verses 9 to 18 of Luke, not ii
Marcion.]
9. [19 of Luke.] And the chief priests and the scribes the same hour sought
to lay hands on him, and they feared the people.
10 to 24 inclusive, same as 20 to 34 of Luke.
25. [35 of Luke.] But they who shall be accounted worthy of God, to
obtain that world, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are
given in marriage.
26, same as 36 of Luke. [Verses 37 and 38 of Luke, not in Marcion.J
27 to 35 inclusive, same as 39 to 47 of Luke.
CHAPTER XVIII. [Luke ch. 21.]
Verses 1 to 17 inclusive, same as in Luke. [Verse 18 of Luke, not in
Marcion.]
18 and 19, same as 19 and 20 of Luke. [Verses 21 and 22 of Luke, not
in Marcion.]
20 to 35 inclusive, same as 23 to 38 of Luke.
250 FOURTH PERIOD. A.D. 130 to A.D. 170.
[Dr. Lardner thought, the first 18 verses of 21st Luke were not in Marcion.
But later authorities include w. 1 to 17.
CHAPTEK XIX. [Luke, ch. 22.]
Verses 1, 2 and 3, same as in Luke.
4. And he communicated with the captains, how he might betray him
unto them.
5, 6 and 7, same as in Luke.
8. And he said to Peter and the rest, Go and prepare, that we may eat of
the passover.
[Kai EtTte, TCO IIsTpcp nai TOI$ TioiitoU, dTtekSovreS eroijuatiare,
iv a (pdyGo^ev TO itd(5%a.\
9 to 13 inclusive, same as in Luke.
14. And he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him.
15. Same as in Luke, except. TtpoS avrovS omitted.
[Verses 16, 17 and 18 of Luke, not in Marcion.]
16 to 24 inclusive, same as 19 to 27 of Luke. [Verses 28, 29 and 30 of Luke,
not hi Marcion.]
25 to 28 inclusive, same as 31 to 34 of Luke. [Verses 35 to 38 of Luke, not
in Marcion.]
29 to 38 inclusive, substantially the same, as 39 to 48 of Luke.
[Verses 49, 50 and 51 of Luke, not in Marcion.]
39 to 49 inclusive, same as 52 to 62 of Luke.
50, substantially the same as 63 of Luke.
51. [64 of Luke.] And striking him, they said: Prophesy; Who is it that
wnote thee?
52 to 58 inclusive, same as 65 to 71 of Luke.
CHAPTER XX. [Luke, ch. 23.]
Verse 1, same as in Luke.
2. And they began to accuse him, saying: We found this fellow perverting
the nation, and destroying the law and the prophets; forbidding to give trib-
ute to Caesar, and turning away the women and children.
3 to 32 inclusive, same as in Luke.
33. And coming to the place called the place of Calvary, [place of a skull,
npaviov TOKO'S,] they crucified him, and divided his garments; and the sun
was darkened.
34 to 42 inclusive, same as in Luke, excepting from Luke the portions con-
contained in verse 33 of Marcion.
[Verse 43 of Luke, not in Marcion.] 43, same as 44 of Luke.
THE GOSPEL OF MARCION. 251
44. [45 of Luke.] And the vail of the temple was rent in the midst.
45. [46 of Luke.] And crying out, with a loud voice, he expired.
46. 47 and 48, same as 47, 48 and 49 of Luke.
49. [50 to 53 of Luke.] And behold, a man named Joseph, taking down the
body, wrapped it up, and placed it in a hewn tomb.
50 and 51, same as 54 and 55 of Luke.
52. [56 of Luke.] And returning, they rested the sabbath day, according
to the commandment.
CHAPTER 21. [Luke, ch. 24.]
Verses 1 to 4 inclusive, same as in Luke.
5. And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, those
in white clothing said to them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?
6. He has risen; remember what he said, while yet living, [en GOV.]
7. That it was necessary that the Son of Man should suft'er, an I be deliv-
ered up.
8 to 24, same as in Luke.
_'">. Then he said unto them, fools, and slow to believe all that he said to
you!
26, same as in Luke. [Verse 27 of Luke not in Marcion.]
27 to 30 inclusive, same as 28 to 31 of Luke.
31. [32 of Luke.] And they said one to another, Did not our hearts burn
within us, while he talked with us by the way?
32 to 36 inclusive, same as 33 to 37 of Luke.
37. [38 and 39 of Luke.] And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled ?
Behold my hands and my feet; a spirit hath not bones, as ye see me have.
38 to 41 inclusive, same as 40 to 43 of Luke.
42. [44 of Luke.] These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was
yet with you.
[Verse 45 of Luke, not in Marcion. J
43. [46 of Luke.] That thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from
the dead, the third day.
44 to 48 inclusive, same as 47 to 51 of Luke.
[Versed 52 and 53 of Luke, not in Marcion.]
From the foregoing synopsis, the reader can write
out the Gospel of Marcion, and will have the text of
that gospel, very nearly as it stood, in the fourth cen-
tury. The English reader may pass over, as unimportant,
the Greek readings not translated, and may adopt the
corresponding text of Luke.
252 FOURTH PERIOD. A. D. 130 to A. D. 170.
.
MAKCION AND LUKE.
The question of priority, as between these gospels,
is one of the most interesting, connected with the
history of early Christian literature.
From the commencement of the third, down to the
beginning of the present century, it has been fashion-
able to accuse Marcion of corrupting the Gospel of
Luke;, the emphatic and oft-repeated assertions of Ter-
tullian and Epiphanius to that effect, having been
deemed sufficient authority.
Bishop Marsh was one of the first to do Marcion
justice. He said there was no proof that Marcion used
Luke's Gospel at all. 1
Since then, many of the most intelligent German
critics have come to the same conclusion.
Baring-Gould also says: "Marcion was too conscien-
tious and earnest a man, wilfully to corrupt a gospel. a
This author thinks that the Church of Sinope, where
Marcion formerly resided, had been furnished by Paul,
with a collection of the records of the life and teach-
ing of Christ; that Marcion thus obtained his gospel,
.and brought it to Rome. 3
Again: "Marcion's Gospel contained a different arrangement of the narra-
tive, from the canonical Luke, and was without many passages which it is
;not possible to believe, he wilfully excluded." Ibid. p. 242.
He afterward speaks of differences of arrangement,
which are unaccountable on the theory that Marcion
corrupted Luke, and says that Marcion's Gospel was
without several passages which apparently favor his
-views. 4
(1.) Notes to Michaelis, vol. 3, pt. 2, p. 160.
,(2.) Lost and Hostile Gospels, p. 241. (3.) Ibid.
(4.) Ibid. p. 243; referring to Luke 11. 51; 13. 30, 34, and 20. 9 to 16.
CHRISTIAN WRITERS. MARCION. 253
Canon Westcott is equally explicit in acquitting Mar-
cion from the accusation made against him by the
early fathers of the church.
He says: "Tertullian and Epiphanius agree in affirming that Marcion al-
tered the text of the books which he received, to suit his own views; and they
quote many various readings in support of the assertion. Those which they
cite from the epistles, are certainly insufficient to prove the point; and on the
contrary, they go to show that Marcion preserved without alteration, the text
which he found in his manuscript. Of the seven readings noticed by Epipha-
nius, [in the epistles], only two are unsupported by other authority; and it is
altogether unlikely that Marcion changed other passages, when, as Epiphaniua
himself shows, he left untouched those which are most directly opposed to his
system." History of the Canon, p. 284.
It is one of the most hopeful signs of the times, that
men, even in religious matters, can vindicate the char-
acter of an adversary, after it has been aspersed for
fifteen hundred years.
Some writers still persist in repeating the old slander.
But the more candid and intelligent opinion of West-
cott and Baring-Gould, is supported by Semler, Gries-
bach, Loeffler, Schmidt, Schleiermacher, Hahn, and
many others.
These writers, perceiving how little reliance is to be
placed upon the statements of the fathers, in matters
of critical exegesis, or of authorship, or upon their
assertions concerning the heretics, have examined
carefully the text of Marcion, and finding the state-
ments of Tertullian and Epiphanius unsupported by
internal evidence, have rejected them altogether.
The question of priority, in this case, is closely con-
nected with that of brevity.
254 FOURTH PERIOD. A. D. 130 to A. D. 170.
The first three chapters of Luke were entirely want-
ing in Marcion, except the opening clause in the third
chapter, which was the commencement of the Gospel
of Marcion: "In the fifteenth year of the reign of Ti-
berius Caesar." The balance of the first chapter of
Marcion is contained with some variations, in the fourth
of Luke. About half that chapter is wanting entirely,
in Marcion.
After passing this, the different chapters of the two
gospels correspond, the 2d of Marcion with 5th of Luke,
3d of Marcion with 6th of Luke, and so on.
The Gospel of Luke is the most copious throughout.
The number of verses in Luke, in excess of those in
Marcion, is as follows: In chapter 7, .seven verses; in
ch. 8, one; in ch. 11, ten; in ch. 12, three; in ch. 13,
seventeen; in ch. 14, five; in ch. 15, twenty-two; inch.
18, four; in ch. 19, twenty; in ch. 20, twelve; in ch. 21,
three; in ch. 22, thirteen; in ch. 23, one, and in ch. 24,
four. Total 122 verses. To this add the excess of 23
verses in the 4th chapter of Luke, and we have alto-
gether 145 verses, or more than three average chapters.
Add the first three chapters of Luke, which are entirely
wanting in Marcion, and the result is, more than six
chapters, or more than one-fourth of the entire Gospel
of Luke, wanting in Marcion.
But this is not all. In a number of places, the verses
of Marcion are shorter. Then again, two or more ver-
ses of Luke are contained, in substance, in one of
Marcion, and in one place, nine verses of Luke in two
of Marcion.
MARCION AND L UKE
COMPARED.
255
THE LAW OF ACCRETION.
LUKE AND MARCION COMPARED.
Leaving out of view, for the present, the wholesale
accumulation of matter, aggregating 315 verses, the
law of accretion will be well illustrated by those cases
where one or more verses in Marcion are found swollen
into several in Luke, or where a single passage has
additions. They are as follows:
I.
MARCION, ch. 1, v. 4.
Saying: Let us alone; what have we
to do with thee, Jesus?
LUKE, ch. 4, v. 34.
Saying: Let us alone; what have we
to do with thee, Jesus of Nazareth?
The difference is important. According to Matthew,
the parents of Jesus, when they returned from Egypt,
being warned of God in a dream, turned aside, (they
were going to Bethlehem or Jerusalem), into the parts
of Galilee, that a certain prophecy might be fulfilled.
The language does not imply that Nazareth was their
residence.
The theory of the author of Luke was, that Nazareth
was their residence. Accordingly, in this passage,
which, though followed in Mark, has no parallel in
Matthew, Jesus is addressed as, u of Nazareth;" a phrase
not in Marcion.
II.
A corresponding variation will be found in
MARCION, 1. 10.
And he cauie to Nazareth, and as
his custom was, &c.
LUKE, 4. 16.
And he came to Nazareth, where he
had been brought up; and as his cus-
tom was, &c.
These are probably interpolations, made for the
purpose of establishing Nazareth as the birth-place
of Jesus.
256 FOURTH PERIOD.
A. D. 130 to A. D. 170.
III.
MABCION, 3. 19.
And the whole multitude sought to
touch him.
LUKE, 6, 19.
And the whole multitude sought to-
touch him; for there went virtue out
of him, and healed them all.
There is no reason why Marcion, who had not reject-
ed the miracles of Christ, should omit the closing
sentence. It is more probable that it was added in
Luke, to give expression to a very natural inference on
the part of the writer, as to the object of the multitude
in pressing forward toward Jesus, and seeking to touch
him.
There is no parallel in the other gospels.
IV.
MABCION, 4. 29.
And going into the house of a Phar-
isee, he ate with him.
LUKE, 7.
And one of the Pharisees desired
him, that he would eat with him. And
he went into the Pharisee's house, and
sat down to meat.
V.
JESUS AND THE SINFUL WOMAN.
MABCION, 4. 30.
But a sinful woman, standing near,
before his feet, washed them with
tears, and anointed them, and kissed
them.
Gratia, dnitio rj dju-
itapd rov$ rtoda?, eftpE^e
Sdxpvtii, nai rjA.iij>E Hal HOL-
re<piA.ei.
LUKE, 7. 37' and 38.
37. And behold, a woman in the
city, who was a sinner, when she knew
that Jesus sat at meat in the Phari-
see's house, brought an alabaster box
of ointment,
38. And stood at his feet, behind
him, weeping, and began to wash his
feet with tears, and did wipe them
with the hairs of her head, and kissed
his feet, and anointed them with the
ointment.
37. Kai idov, yvvrj kv ry Tto-
Xei, JjTiS TJV dfj.ce.pT who's, kitiy-_
vov6a on dvaKSirai er r oinic.
TOV (pa.pi6a.iov, uo^i6a6a.
6rpov fj,vpov,
38. ual 6ra.6a Ttapd
aS avrov ortitio K\.aiov<5a.,
oVs ic6da<s avr
uai rcaS Qpt^i r
avrrf<s e^e'/uadtfe, uoA Hare
(piA.8i roVs TCodcfs avrov, yca.1 -q/\.i~
cpe rep juvp(p.
it68
K(p-
MARCION AND LUKE
COMPARED.
257
This touching incident, simply and beautifully told in
the sixteen Greek words of Marcion, is spun out, by the
author of Luke, into more than three times the number,
with no improvement in the story. The washing of
the feet of Jesus, which in Marcion, is left as a figura-
tive expression, denoting the great grief of the woman,
is stated in Luke, as an actual fact. While weeping,
"she began to wash his feet with tears." Then, having
washed them, she must needs "wipe them with the hair
of her head."
There can be but little doubt, that Marcion was first
written, and that the author of Luke, drew upon his
imagination, in filling up the text.
Again, there is a similar variation, in the following
reference to the same transaction:
VI.
MARCION, 4. 86.
And he turned to tin- woman, and
said unto Simon, See'st thou this wo-
man? I entered into thy house; thou
ravest me no water for my feet. She
has washed my feet with her tears, and
has anointed them, and kissed them.
LUKE, 7. 44 to 46.
44. And he turned to the woman,
and said unto Simon, See'st thou this
woman? I entered into thine house;
Thon uavest me no water for my feet.
]>ut she hath washed my feet with
tears, and wiped them with the hairs
of her head.
45. Thou gavest me no kiss; but
this woman, since the time I came in,
hath not ceased to kiss my feet.
46. My head with oil thou didst not
anoint; but this woman hath anointed
my feet with ointment.
The use here, by Jesus himself, of the figurative ex-
pression, "she has washed my feet with her tears,"
misled the author of Luke, into conceiving and hence
expressing, a literal and complete washing of feet, fol-
lowed by wiping them in the manner described.
This account is not in the other canonical gospels.
It is simply a question between Marcion and Luke.
258 FOURTH PERIOD.
A. D. 130 to A. D. 170.
VII.
JESUS REBUKING THE STORM.
MARCION, 5. 22.
He was sleeping with the sailors, and
lie arose, and rebuked the wind, and
the sea.
LUKE, 8. 23, 24.
23. But as they sailed, he fell asleep :
and there came down a storm of wind
on the lake; and they were filled (with
water), and were in jeopardy.
24. And they came to him, and a-
woke him, saying' : Master, Master, we
perish! Then he arose, and rebuked
the wind, and the rag-ing- of the water:
and they ceased, and there was a calm.
The language of Marcion, as given by Epiphanius, is
highly elliptical. It was probably preceded by some
sentence, having reference to the storm. The text of
the synoptics is more copious; especially Mark, in which
a pillow is provided, for the head of Jesus.
VIII.
HEALING OF THE WOMAN.
MARCION, 5. 41.
And a woman, touching him, was
healed of an issue of the blood. And
the Lord said, Who has touched me?
LUKE, 8. 43 to 45.
43. And a woman, having an issue
of blood twelve years, who had spent
all her living upon physicians, neither
could be healed by any,
44. Came behind him, and touched
the border of his garment; and im-
mediately her issue of blood stanched.
45. And Jesus said, Who touched
me ? When all denied. Peter and they
who were with him, said, Master, the
multitude throng thee and press thee,
and sayest thou, Who touched me ?
If these accounts came from a common manuscript,
it had passed through many hands, before reaching the
author of Luke.
IX.
MARCIOX, 6. 22.
Saying; The Son of Man must^ suffer
many things, and be put to death, and
after three days, rise again.
LUKE, 9. 22.
Saying: The son of man must suffer
many things, and be rejected by the
elders, and chief priests and scribes,
and be slain, and be 'raised the third
day.
MARCION AND LUKE
COMPARED. 259
X, XI, XII, XIII, XIV.
MARCION, 6. 30.
And behold two men talked with
him; Elias and Moses in glory.
MARCION, 6. 84.
From the cloud a voice, saying: This
is my beloved son.
MARCTON, 6. 40.
And he said to them, 0, faithless
generation; how long shall I suffer you ?
MARCION, 7. 21.
In that hour, he rejoiced in the spir-
it, and said: I thank thee, Lorcf of
heaven, that, &c. [balance of the verse
substantially as in Luke.]
MARCION, 7. 25.
Master, doing what shall I obtain
life?
LUKE, 9. 30, 31.
30. And behold, there talked with
him two men, who were Moses and
Elias.
31. Who appeared in glory, and
spake of his decease, which he should
accomplish at Jerusalem.
LUKE 9. 36.
And there came a voice out of the
cloud, saying: This is my beloved son.
Hear him.
LUKE, 9. 41.
And Jesus, answering, said: faith-
less and perverse generation ! How long
shall I be with you, and suffer you ?
LUKE, 10. 21.
hi that hour, Jesus rejoiced in spirit,
and said, I thank thee, Father, Lord
of heaven and earth, that, &c.
LUKE, 10. 25.
Master, what shall I do to inherit
eternal lite?
The word aiwviov, (eternal), was inserted by the author of Luke, to
make more clear the meaning of Marcion.
The argument of Tertullian, [adv. Mar. 4. 25], that Marcion struck out
ai&nov, so that the question might be confined to this life, is weak and
untenable.
XV, XVI.
MARCION, 7. 26.
And he said unto him, what is writ-
ten in the law?
MARCION, 8. 5.
And shall go unto him at midnight,
asking for three loaves?
LUKE, 10. 26.
He said unto him, what is writ-
ten in the law ? How readest thou ?
LUKE, 11. 5.
And shall go unto him at midnight,
and say unto him, Friend, lend me
three loaves.
260 FOURTH PERIOD.
A. D. 130 to A. D. 170.
XVII, XVIII, XIX, XX.
MARCION, 8. 6.
Ask, and it shall be given. [Atrei-
re, -H.a.1
MARCION 8. 7, 8.
7. Who of you, being a father, if
his son ask a fish, instead of a fish,
will give to him a serpent? Or instead
of an egg, a scorpion?
8. If ye, then, being evil, know how
to give good gifts, unto your children,
how much more your Father who is in
heaven ?
MARCION, 8. 24.
This is an evil generation; they seek
sign; no sign shall be given it.
MARCION, 9. 4.
I say unto you, be not afraid of them
that kill the body; fear him who has
er after killing, to cast into hell.
yeevvav.]
LUKE, 11. 9.
Ask, and it shall be given yon. \At-
rsire, nal
LUKE, 11. 11 to 13.
11. If a son shall ask bread of any
of you that is a father, will he give
him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will
he for a fish, give him a serpent?
12. Or if he shall ask an egg,will he
offer him a scorpion ?
13. If ye then, being evil, know how
to give good gifts unto your children,,
how much more shall your heavenly
Father give the Holy Spirit to them
that ask him ?
LUKE, 11. 29.
This is an evil generation; they seek
a sign, and there shall no sign be giv-
en It but the sign of Jonas the prophet.
LUKE, 12. 4, 5.
4. But I say unto you my friends,,
be not afraid of them that kill the
body, and after that, have no more
that they can do.
5. But I will forewarn you whom ye
shall fear; fear him who, after he hath
killed, hath power to cast into hell.
[h$ TTJV yeevrar.} Yea, I say unto
you, fear him.
The last passage illustrates, throughout, the prevail-
ing practice of verbal accumulation. The language of
Jesus, "I say unto you," becomes, when it reaches the
author of Luke, "I say unto you my friends;" "Be not
afraid of them who kill the body," becomes, "Be not
afraid of them that kill the body, and after that, have
no more that they can do;" &c.
MABCION AND LUKE
COMPARED.
261
XXI, XXII, XXIII,
MARCION, 9. 5.
Him shall also the Son of Man con-
fess before God.
MAKCION, 9. 34.
And if he shall come in the evening
watc-h. and shall find them so, blessed
are those servants.
MARCION, 9. 42.
And the Lord of that servant will
come, and will cut him in sunder, and
will appoint his portion with the un-
believers.
MARCION, 13. 29.
Abraham saith unto him, They have
Moses and the prophets, let them hear
them. Not after one has risen from
the dead, will they listen.
MARCION, 14. 10.
So likewise ye, when ye shall have
done all those things which are com-
manded you.
MARCION, 15. 31, 32.
81. And it came to pass, as he came
near to Jericho, a blind man cried out,
Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy
on me.
'.'<!. And when he had healed him,
he said, Thy faith hath saved thee.
XXIV, XXV, XXVI.
Luke, 12. 8.
Him shall the Son of Man also con-
fess before the angels of God. [Simi-
lar difference in the next verse.]
LUKE, 12. 38.
And if he shall come in the second
watch, or come in the third watch, and
find them so, blessed are those ser-
vants.
LUKE, 12. 46.
The lord of that servant will come
in a day when he looketh not for him,
and at an hour when he is not aware,
and will cut him in sunder, and will
appoint him his portion with the un-
believers.
LUKE, 16. 29 to 31.
29. Abraham saith unto him, They
have Moses and the prophets; let them
hear them.
30. And he said, Nay, father Abra-
ham; but if one went unto them from
the dead, they will repent.
31. And he said unto him, If they
hear not Moses and the prophets, nei-
ther will they be persuaded, though
one rose from the dead.
LUKE, 17. 10.
So likewise ye, when ye shall have
done all those things which are com-
manded you, say, We are unprofitable
servants: we have done that which
was our duty to do.
LUKE, 18. 35 to 43.
35. And it came to pass, that as he
was come nigh unto Jericho, a certain
blind man sat by the way side, beg-
ging:
36. And hearing the multitude pass
by, he asked what it meant.
37. And they told him, that Jesus
of Nazareth passeth by.
38. And he cried, saying: Jesus,
thou Son of David, have mercy on me !
39. And they who went before, re-
buked him, that he should hold hia
262 FOURTH PERIOD.
A.D. 130 to A.D. 170.
peace; but he cried so much the more r
Son of David, have mercy on me.
40. And Jesus stood, and command-
ed him to be brought unto him; and
when he was come near, he asked
him,
41. Saying: What wilt thou that I
shall do unto thee '? And he said, Lord,
that 1 may receive my sight.
42. And Jesus said unto him, Re-
ceive thy sight. Thy faith hath saved
thee.
43. And immediately he received
his sight, and followed him, &c.
XXVII, XXVIII,
MARCION, 16. 9.
And Jesus said unto him, This day
is salvation come to this house.
MARCION, 19. 4.
And he communicated with the cap-
tains, how he might betray him unto
them.
MARCION, 19. 14.
And he sat down, and the twelve
apostles with him.
MARCION, 19. 51.
And striking him, they said, Proph-
esy; who is it that smote thee?
XXIX, XXX.
Luke, 19. 9.
And Jesus said unto him, This day
is salvation come to this house, foras-
much as he also is a Son of Abraham.
LUKE, 22. 4.
And he went his way, and com-
muned with the chief priests and cap-
tains, how he might betray him unto
them.
LUKE, 22. 14.
And when the hour was come, he sat
down, and the twelve apostles with
him.
LUKE, 22. 64.
And when they had blindfolded him,
they struck him on the face, and asked
him, saying: Prophesy; who is it that
smote thee?
The account in Marcion, besides being shorter, is the
more natural. Being struck from behind, or by a
stranger, Jesus was called upon to tell who struck
him. It was an impulsive action.
But the author of Luke has the Jews deliberately
blindfold Jesus, before striking him.
XXXI.
MARCION, 20. 45.
And crying out with a loud voice, he
expired.
LUKE, 23. 46.
And when Jesus had cried with a
loud voice, he said, Father, into thy
hands I commend my spirit; and hav-
ing said thus, he gave up the ghost.
MARCION AND LUKE
COMPARED. 263
These dying words of Jesus are not in either of the
other three canonical gospels. They may have been
taken by the author of Luke from the Acts of Pilate,
or from a later version of the manuscript used by
Marcion.
XXXII, XXXIII, XXXIV, XXXV, XXXVI.
MARCION, 20. 49. LUKE, 23. 50 to 53.
And behold, a man named Joseph,
taking down the body, wrapped it up,
and placed it in a hewn tomb.
MARCION, 20. 52.
And returning, they rested the sab-
bath day, according to the command-
ment.
MARCION, 21. 6.
He has risen; remember what he
said, while yet living.
MARCION, 21. 7.
That it was necessary that the Son
of Man should suffer, and be delivered
up.
MARCION, 21, 37.
And he said unto them, Why are ye
troubled? Behold my hands and my
feet; a spirit hath not bones, as ye see
me have.
50. And behold, there was a man
named Joseph, a counselor; and he*
was a good man, and a just;
51 . (The same had not consented to
the counsel and deed of them; he
was of Arimathea, a city of the Jews;
who also himself waited for the king-
dom of God.)
52. This man went unto Pilate, and
begged the body of Jesus.
53. And he .took it down, and
wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a
sepulcher, that was hewn in stone,
wherein never man before was laid.
Luke, 23. 56.
And they returned, and pivpnn-d spi-
ers ;;nd ointments; and n-strd MM- sab-
bath day, according to the command-
ment.
LUKE, 24. 6.
He is not here, but is risen ; remember
how he spake unto you, when he was
yet in Galilee.
LUKE, 24. 7.
Saying: The Son of Man must be
delivered into the hands of sinful men,
and be crucified, and the third day,
rise again.
LUKE, 24. 38, 39.
38. And he said unto them, Why
are ye troubled ? and why do thoughts
arise in your hearts V
39. Behold my hands and my feet,
that it is I, myself; handle me and
see; for a spirit hath not flesh and
bones, as ye see me have.
264: FOURTH PERIOD.
A. D. 130 to A. D. 170.
THE OTHER SIDE.
We will now give the cases, where the text of
Marcion is the more copious:
I.
MARCION, 5. 20. LUKE, 8. 21.
According to Volkmar, (though not in the schedule
or scholion of Epiphanius), in this verse, after the words,
"And he answered and said unto them," is the question,
"Who are my mother and my brethren?" Balance
of the verse, same as in Luke.
Volkmar may have taken some of his variations from
the "Dialogues," &c. attributed to Origen; to which he
appears to have given too much attention;
II, III, IV, V, VI.
MARCION, , 9. 26.
And your Father knoweth that ye
have need of these things of the flesh;
[rcov
MARCION, 14. 2.
[On the authority of Volkmar. J
It would be better for him, if he had
not been born; or if a mill-stone were
hanged about his neck, &c.
[This may have been the reading
of Luke at that time. See Tertullian
adv. Marcion, 4. 35.]
MARCION, 17. 25.
But they who shall be accounted
worthy of God, to obtain that world, &c.
MARCION, 20. 2.
And they began to accuse him, say-
ing: We found this fellow perverting
the nation, and destroying the law and
the prophets, and forbidding to give
tribute to Caesar, and turning away the
women and children.
MARCION, 21. 5.
And as they were afraid, and bowed
down their faces to the earth, those in
white clothing said to them, &c.
LUKE, 12. 30.
And your Father knoweth that ye
have need of these things.
LUKE, 17. 2.
It were better for him. that a mill-
stone were hanged about his neck, &c.
LUKE, 20. 35.
But they who shall be accounted
worthy to obtain that world, &c.
LUKE, 23. 2.
And they began to accuse him say-
ing: We found tnis fellow perverting
the nation, and forbidding to give trib-
ute to Caesar, saying that he himself is
Christ, a King.
LUKE, 24. 5.
And as they were afraid, and bowed
down their faces to the earth, they
said unto them &c.
CHRISTIAN WRITERS. MARCION. 265
Here are six cases in Marcion, against thirty-six in
Luke; or 35 new words in Marcion, to 660 in Luke. If
to these we add 315 verses of Luke which are not in
Marcion in any form, we have a ratio of 1 to 230.
The strength of the argument, then, based upon the
principle of accretion, would be as 230 to 1, that the
Gospel of Marcion was first written.
But there is other evidence of priority. The Gospel
of Marcion is more simple and natural, not only in the
mode of expression, but in the order of arrangement.
In the fourth chapter of Luke, Jesus is represented
as being tempted in the wilderness, immediately after
his baptism; thence he returned into Galilee, and came
to Nazareth; [Luke, 4. 16]; where his public ministry
commenced. But though commencing at Nazareth,
he is made to refer [v. 23], to works which he had done
at Capernaum; a place to which he goes, afterward,
[v. 31.]
In Marcion, on the contrary, his public ministry
commenced at Capernaum; [Marcion,!. 1]; whence, [v.
10], he came to Nazareth, and preached; and here, in
the natural order, [v. 13], he refers to the works done
at Capernaum.
This accords with the Gospel of Matthew, which re-
presents that Jesus did not commence preaching, until
after he had taken up his residence in Capernaum.
j Matt. 4. 13 to 17.] Mark follows Luke. Matthew and
Marcion were probably from a common manuscript.
In the Gospel of John, Jesus is represented as per-
forming his first miracle in Cana of Galilee, after which
he went down to Capernaum. [John 2. 11, 12.] This
therefore, is confirmatory of Marcion.
It is probable that in Luke, the manuscripts were put
together out of their natural order, and that this dis-
order was followed in Mark. It was the opinion of
266 FOURTH PERIOD. A. D. 130 to A. D. 170.
Griesbach that the author of Mark had before him the
whole of the present Gospel of Luke. Schleiermacher
thinks he had some of the manuscripts which comprise
the Gospel of Luke. '
All the arguments of Schleiermacher, showing that
Luke consisted of a compilation of older manuscripts,
will apply with equal force to Marcion, so far as it con-
tains the same material. It is not necessary, therefore,,
to assume that either of these gospels was formed di-
rectly from the other. It may well be, that common
manuscripts were used.
At the same time, the fact that nearly every word of
Marcion is in Luke, besides much additional matter, is
strongly suggestive of the theory, that the author of
Luke had before him, besides other material, the Gospel
of Marcion entire. On the supposition that Marcion
was last written, it is difficult to conceive why he should
have excluded so large a portion of the Gospel of Luke,
especially as it is now conceded that it was not done
for dogmatic purposes. On the other hand, if Luke
was written last, the accumulations were in accordance
with the spirit of the age, and the practice of the times.
Besides, it was necessary to have a gospel different
from that of Marcion, who was a heretic. There is no
satisfactory evidence that Marcion had seen either of
the canonical gospels, or had even heard of them.
The first two chapters of Luke were wanting in the
gospels of the first century. They were also wanting
in the Gospel of the Hebrews, or Nazarenes, about A.
D. 125, as well as in the Gospel of Marcion, A. D. 145.
They first appeared in the Protevangelion, about A.
D. 125, and were probably not deemed by Marcion,
authentic.
(1.) Schlei. on Luke, p. 91.
CSWST1AX WfUimS. JUSTIX MAKXY8. 267
CHAPTER XXI.
SECOND HALF OF FOURTH PERIOD.
JUSTIN MARTYR. A. D. 150 to 160.
There has been much diversity of opinion as to the
time when Justin Martyr lived, and wrote his far-famed
Apologies.
His first Apology was supposed by Page, Neander,
Otto, Semisch and others, to have been written, A. D.
139. But the reason given for the opinion was, that
Verissimus became Caesar in 139, and it was thought,
if the First Apology had been written after that date,
he would have been styled Caesar by Justin. He calls
him "the philosopher;" a title in which Justin himself
took great pride. He says:
"Do you, then, since ye are called pious and philosophers; guardians of jus-
tice and lovers of learning, give good heed, and hearken to my address. 1st
Apology, ch. 2.
And again: "This judgment of yours, Urbicus, does not become the Em-
peror Pius, nor the philosopher, the son of Caesar, nor the sacred senate." 2d
Apology, ch. 2.
Here Verissimus is called the philosopher, in the
Second Apology, also, which is admitted by all, to have-
been written after 139. The title "philosopher" was at
that time, esteemed a very honorable one. The em*
bassy or apology of Athenagoras, A. D. 177, was addressed
as follows:
268 FOURTH PERIOD. A . D. 130 to A. V. 110.
"The Embassy of Athenagoras, the Athenian, a phi-
losopher and a Christian, concerning Christians, to the
Emperors Marcus Aurelius Antoninus, and Lucius Au-
relius Commodus, Armeniaci, Sarmatici, and above all,
philosophers."
There are other considerations, which go strongly
against so early a date.
Justin was born, A. D. 114, and therefore would be
but 25 years of age, in 139.
Again: Marcion did not come to Rome, until about
140. The date is 'generally fixed at 142. But Justin,
in the First Apology, speaks of him in terms which im-
ply that he had been a long time, disseminating his
docrines.
"And there is Marcion, a man of Pontus," says he, "who is even at this day
alive, and teaching his disciples to believe in some other god greater than the
Creator." 1st Apology, ch. 26.
Still further: Justin himself says impliedly, that he
was writing 150 years after Christ:
"But lest some should, without reason," says he, "and for the perversion of
what we teach, maintain that we say that Christ was born one hundred and
fifty years ago, under Cyrenius, and subsequently, in the time of Pontius Pi-
late, taught what we say he taught," &c 1st Apology, ch. 46.
Those who contend for an early date, claim that Jus-
tin is here speaking in round numbers, merely. But if,
when writing in 139, he wished to speak in round num-
bers, would he not have said 140? Some writers, seeing
that for this reason, the date should be nearer 150 than
140, have placed it at 146 to 148. Burton has 148. '
We think it consists better with the age of Justin,
and with what he says of Marcion, as well as with a
true construction of this passage, to take the 150 years
as the true time, certainly the minimum time after the
(1.) Ecc. Hist. Vol. 2, p. 111.
CHRISTIAN WRITERS. JUSTIN MARTYR. 269
birth of Christ, when the First Apology was written.
This is the opinion of Tillemont, Fleury, Ceillier, Dr.
l)e and others, and is sanctioned by the authority of
Norton. Dr. Davidson speaks of Justin as flourishing
about 150, though he is inclined to date the Apology
two or three years earlier.
We have thought it necessary to review the evidence
on this question, because of its importance, and because,
though the evidence of a later date than 139, appears
almost overwhelming, we find, in the very valuable en-
cyclopedia of McClintock and Strong, it is still stated,
that the First Apology was written, A. D. 139. '
WHAT GOSPELS WERE USED BY JUSTIN?
This is a question of the highest importance. We
have now come to the middle of the second century,
and to one of the ablest and most celebrated of the
fathers; one whose works are famous for the zeal and
piety which they display.
Canon Westcott, through some seventy-five pages,
labors with great earnestness, and with much ability,
to show that Justin Martyr was acquainted with the
canonical gospels.
At the very threshold of the subject, we are met by
the fact, that nowhere in all the writings of Justin,
does he once so much as mention any of those Gospels.
Nor does he mention either of their supposed authors,
except John. Once his name occurs. Not however, as
the author of a gospel, but in such a connection as
raises a very strong presumption, that Justin knew of
no gospel of John the Apostle:
"And further," says he. "there was a certain man with us, whose name was
John, one of the apostles of Christ, who prophesied, by a revelation that was
(1.) Article, "Marcion." The article ia accredited to Prof. Worman, of
Drew Theological Seminary.
270 FOURTH PERIOD, A. D. 130 to A. D. 170.
made to him, that those who believed in our Christ, would dwell a thousand
years in Jerusalem; and that thereafter, the general, and in short, the eternal
resurrection and judgment of all men, would likewise take place." Dialogue
with Trypho, ch. 81.
This language is quite inconsistent with the theory,
that John was the author of a gospel then well known
and generally received, and which was a part of the
"Memoirs of the Apostles," used and referred to by
Justin.
The failure of Justin Martyr to refer to either of the
supposed authors of the four gospels, as a writer of
such a book, becomes still more significant, when it is
considered how often he refers to the Old Testament
writers by name, (nearly 200 times in all), and that be-
sides "The Memoirs of the Apostles," the title of which
is somewhat indefinite, he specifically mentions tw r o
gospels, one of wjiich, the Acts of Pilate, is still extant.
The other, the Gospel of Peter, is lost.
The argument of Westcott and others is, that inas-
much as there are found in the canonical gospels,
passages closely resembling those quoted by Justin,
and in two or three instances, passages exactly the
same, that by the Memoirs of the Apostles, which Jus-
tin frequently refers to, he must mean the canonical
gospels.
On the contrary, it has been shown, by Hilgenfeld,
Credner, Mayerhoff and others, and more lately, by the
author of "Supernatural Religion," who has reviewed
the whole subject with great ability, that the argument
based upon the similarity of these passages, is entirely
inconclusive, That except in two or three instances,
it becomes necessary, in order to . obtain parallels, to
put together, not only passages from different portions
of the same gospel, but in some cases, passages from
different gospels. Also that by this process the con-
CHRISTIAN WRITERS. JUSTIN MARTYR. 271
nection is broken up, while the quotations in Justin
have, for the most part, a consecutive order, and, as is
shown by the context, had such an order in the gospel
from which they were taken.
There are also a number of sayings of Christ, given
by Justin as quotations, which are not in the canonical
gospels at all.
Again, the references of Justin to the various inci-
dents in the life of Jesus, show a divergence from the
canonical gospels, not only in the mode of stating
facts, but in the facts themselves. In some instances,
they point unmistakably to a known source, whence
they were taken.
While in Luke and Matthew, the genealogy of Jesus
is traced through Joseph, Justin traces it through
Alary. In the Protevangelion, of the use of which by
Justin there is much evidence, Mary is said to be of the
lineage of David. l
Justin, in relating the announcement to Mary, has
the angel say, "Behold,, thou shalt conceive of the Holy
Ghost, and shalt bear a Son, and he shall be called the
Son of the Highest, and thou shalt call his name Jesus,
for he shall save his people from their sins." a
In the Protevangelion, the angel says to Mary,
"The power of the Most High shall overshadow thee; wherefore also the holy
thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of the Highest, [in
on<- version, the 'Son of the living God,'] and thou shalt call his name Jesus;
for he shall save his people from their sins." [Chapter 11.]
In Luke, the closing of the salutation is,
"Therefore also, that holy thing which shall be born of thee, shall be called
the Son of God." [Luke, 1. :;:>.]
The closing phrase, "for he shall save his people from
their sins," which is exactly the same in the Apology
(1.) Protevangelion, ch. 10.
(2.) Apology, 1. 38.
272 FOURTH PERIOD. AD. 130 to A. 2). 170.
and in the Protevangelion, is not in this passage of
Luke; neither is it in the 31st verse, which reads, "And
behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring
forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus."
Again, in one version of the Protevangelion, the an-
gel says to Mary, "Fear not Mary, for thou hast found
favor before the Lord, and thou shalt conceive of his
Word." 1
Justin, after quoting what the angel said to Mary,
but without giving his authority, says:
"It is wrong therefore, to understand the spirit and the power of God, n -
thing else than the Word, who is also the first-born of God, as tlie af'or
prophet Moses declared; and it was this which, when it came upon the virgin
and overshadowed her, caused her to conceive; not by intercourse, but by
power."
Nothing of this in Luke. Justin then adds:
"And the name Jesus, in the Hebrew language, means Savior, in the Greek
tongue; 1 ' and continuing, he repeats the closing words in the announcement
to Mary, thus:
"Wherefore, too, the angel said to the virgin, "Thou shalt call his name
Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins. 1 ' Apology, ch. 33.
This deliberate repetition of the sentence, in the same
words, indicates, quite conclusively, that he was quot-
ing the words of the Protevangelion, from that gospel,
or from some other now lost.
Tischendorff himself thinks this passage was a recol-
lection from the Protevangelion, and that it wa>,
"unconsciously added, by Justin, to the account in
Luke." 2
Justin, when speaking of the journey of Joseph and
Mary to Bethlehem, says:
"On the occasion of the first census, which was taken in Judgoa, under Cyre-
nius, he (Joseph) went up from Nazareth, where he lived, to Bethlehem.
(1.) Ch. 11, as given by Tischendorff, Evang. Apoc. p. 21.
(2.) Wann wurden, &c. p. 77.
CHRISTIAN WRITERS. JUSTIN MARTYR. 273
to which he belonged, to be enrolled; for his family was of the tribe of Judah,
which then inhabited that region." Dialoyue with TrypTio, ch. 78.
The differences between the account of Justin, and
that in Luke, are manifest.
In the one, the census was taken in Judaea. [In the
Protevangelion, all the Jews were to be taxed, who were
of Bethlehem, in Judaea.] In the other, the census
was to extend to all the world, or in other words, to the
whole Roman Empire. In the one, [not in this passage,
but in 1st Apology, ch. 34], Cyrenius is styled "your
first procurator in Judaea," and in this passage it is stat-
ed, that the going to Bethlehem, was on the occasion
of the first census, which was taken under him. In the
other, the census is spoken of as being made when Cy-
renius was governor of Syria. In the one, the descent
of Joseph is said to be from the tribe of Judah. In the
other, it is asserted that he was of the house and line-
age of David, and that is given as the reason for going
to Bethlehem, it being the city of David.
Justin represents Jesus as having been born in a
cave. ' So do the Protevangelion, and the Gospel of the
Infancy. In the 70th and 78th chapters of the Dialogue,
Justin quotes from Isaiah 33. 16, to prove that it was
necessary, for the fulfillment of prophecy, that Christ
should be born in a cave. That the birth of Christ
took place in a cave, was quite generally believed by
the fathers. Origen and Eusebius state that the cave
was shown in their day. 2
"Later Fathers," says Westcott, "speak of the cave,
without any misgivings that they contradict St. Luke." 3
(1.) Dialogue, ch. 78.
(2.) Origen, cont. Gels. 1. 51, and Euseb. Vita Const. 3. 40. See also Soc-
rates, Ecc. Hist. 1. 17; Sozomen, Ecc. Hist. 2. 2; Epiph. Haer. 20. 1; Jerome,
Ep. 58, ad Paul. The reference to the cave by Gregory Nyssen, has already
been given. [Ch. 10.] Origen refers to the Gospel of the Infancy.
(3.) Canon, p. 92, note; referring to Origen and Kpiphanius.
274 FOURTH PERIOD. A. D. 130 to A.D. 170.
Justin when referring to the Magi, nearly every time
speaks of their coming from Arabia; making the asser-
tion no less than nine times. This must have been
taken from some gospel now lost.
Justin says, speaking of Christ,
"He was deemed a carpenter, (for he was in the habit of working as a car-
penter, when among men, making plows and yokes; by which he taught the
symbols of righteousness and an active life.)" Dial. ch. 88.
In the copy of the Gospel of the Infancy published
by Tischendorff, l it is said of Jesus,
"Now his father was a carpenter, and made at that time, plows and yokes."
Justin speaks of a fire in the River Jordan, when Je-
sus was baptized. So did the Gospel of the Hebrews. 2
It is also mentioned in "The Preaching of Paul." 3
Justin has the Holy Spirit say to Jesus, at his bap-
tism, "This is my beloved Son; to-day have I begotten
thee." The same form of expression was in the Gospel
of the Hebrews, and was quoted by others of the fathers.
These are some of the indications, and it must be
admitted they are plain ones, showing that Justin
made extensive use of other gospels.
Some of those used by him, are expressly named.
Not only does he allude to the Gospel or Memoirs
of Peter, 4 but he twice cites by name, the Acts of Pi-
late, or Gospel of Mcodemus.
In the 35th chapter of the First Apology, he says
of Christ,
"And after he was crucified, they cast lots upon his vesture, and they that
crucified him, parted it among them. And that these things did happen, you
can ascertain from the Acts of Pontius Pilate."
(1.) Ev. Apoc. p. 144.
(2.) See chapter 4 of this work, fragment from Epiphanius.
(3.) Treatise on Re-Baptism, appended to Cyprian's works.
(4.) See chapter 1 of this work.
CHRISTIAN WRITERS. JUSTIN MARTYR. 275
Some writers have thought that the reference here
is to the official report, said to have been made by Pi-
late to Tiberius. At the same time it is conceded, that
even if such a report was made, Justin had never seen
it. These writers do not explain, how he could so con-
fidently refer to a report which he had never seen, or
how such a report could contain an account so mani-
festly founded upon Jewish prophecies.
In the text of the gospel called "The Acts of Pilate,"
as published in the Orthodoxographa of Grynseus, is
the following:
"And they divided his garments, and upon his vesture they cast lots." Acts
of Pilate, ch. 10.
Justin says,
"They cast lots upon his vesture, and they that crucified him, parted it
among them."
And refers to the Acts of Pilate, as authority for the
statement. There is but little doubt, that the gospel
by that name now extant, was the work referred to by
Justin. ' It will be seen that the phraseology is differ-
ent from that in the canonical gospels. Davidson also
thinks Justin had this gospel. a
Again: In the 48th chapter of the First Apology,
Justin says:
"And that it was predicted that our Christ should heal all diseases, and
raise the dead, hear what was said: There are these words: 'At his coming,
the lame shall leap as an hart, and the tongue of the stammerer shall be
clear speaking: the blind shall see, and the lepers shall be cleansed; and the
dead shall rise, and walk about. 1 And that he did those things, you can learn
from the Acts of Pontius Pilate."
A number of these miracles are reported in the Gos-
pel of the Acts of Pilate, including the raising from
(1.) This is the opinion of Tischendorff. Evang. Apoc. Proleg. p. 64;
Wann Wurden, &c. p. 82.
(2.) Canon, p. 100.
276 FOURTH PERIOD. A. D. 130 to A. D. 170.
the dead. It is undoubtedly the authority referred to
in this passage of Justin Martyr. If any official report
was ever made by Pilate to Tiberius, it would scarcely
contain admissions that a person whom he had put to
death, had performed such miracles.
If then, as there is every reason to believe, the Gos-
pel of the Acts of Pilate was the work alluded to, we
have, on the supposition that the canonical gospSls
then existed, the extraordinary spectacle presented, of
a writer of the middle of the second century, one of
the most prominent fathers of the church, passing over
gospels in general circulation, and which were consid-
ered authoritative, and as evidence of the miracles of
Jesus, citing an apocryphal and discredited gospel.
Various other considerations might be mentioned, af-
fecting, with more or less force, the question, as to what
gospels were used by Justin. But let these suffice.
When it is considered, That no one of the canonical
gospels is expressly mentioned, nor either of the sup-
posed writers, except John, and he under such circum-
stances as negative the presumption that Justin knew
of him as the author of a gospel that Justin refers by
name to the writers of the Old Testament Scriptures
nearly 200 times that from a large number of quota-
tions from written accounts of the sayings of Christ,
only two or three agree literally with the canonical
gospels that in nearly all cases, parallel passages can
only be obtained, by patching together different passa-
ges, and sometimes from different gospels that Justin
quotes sayings of Christ not in the canonical gospels
that he refers to incidents in the life of Jesus, not
found at all in those gospels, but which are in other
known gospels and finally that he cites two or three
such by name, and one of them as authority for the
miracles of Jesus; it cannot be denied, that the evidence
CHRISTIAN WRITERS. JUSTIN MARTYR. 277
that the canonical gospels were unknown to Justin
Martyr, is very strong, and indeed, well nigh conclusive.
There are two circumstances which should be men-
tioned, which are sometimes relied upon, to break the
force of this accumulated evidence.
One is, the fact that Justin quotes from the Old Tes-
tament loosely, the difference between his quotations
and the passages themselves, being, in several instances,
as great, as between the quotations which have been
referred to, and the corresponding passages in the New
Testament. The proportion of exact quotations is,
however, much greater, in the one case, than the other,
there being over sixty from the Old Testament, or nearly
one-half of the whole number; while in a large num-
ber of other instances, the variation is very slight.
In the citations, on the other hand, relating to the
sayings and doings of Christ, the number of exact quo-
tations will not exceed three, out of nearly a hundred.
Those which are the same, consist of the sayings of
Christ, which were preserved in other gospels, and by
oral tradition. Thus, where the quotations are the
most important, and should therefore more exactly
correspond, they are found, on the contrary, the more
divergent.
The other circumstance is, that Justin does not ex-
pressly mention Paul, or his writings. Hence, it is
argued, his omission to mention other New Testament
writers, should not be looked upon with surprise.
There is some force in the suggestion. At the same
time, it is claimed on the other side, that there were
special reasons for this omission. The silence concern-
ing Paul, has been referred to the well-known schism
between him and Peter. Justin's works have been con-
sidered as standing upon the Petrine side, or at least,
'as anti-Pauline. It is possible that some further ex-
278 FOURTH PERIOD. A. D. 130 to A. D. 110.
planation of the silence of Justin, may be found in the
fact, that the only collection of Paul's epistles then in
circulation, had been made by Marcion, a heretic, who
was peculiarly obnoxious to Justin.
In regard to the "Memoirs of the Apostles," which
are referred to some fifteen or twenty times by Justin,
as the source of many of his quotations, those who con-
tend that he meant the Gospel of the Hebrews, ' in
support of their theory, point to the significant fact
that the Gospel of the Hebrews was also known as "The
Gospel of the Twelve Apostles." This, they think, was
"The Memoirs of the Apostles," referred to by Justin
Martyr.
Justin was of Greek descent, but was born at Flavia
Neapolis, a city of Samaria. He studied in the various
schools of philosophy, and afterward became an earnest
and devoted Christian. He lived for awhile at Ephesus,
and then settled in Rome. Here he suffered martyr-
dom, about the year 165.
DOCTRINES. Dr. Priestly thought that Justin was the
first who advanced the doctrine of the Divinity of
Christ. a
From the time of Justin Martyr, the doctrine of the
Logos, or Word, which had prevailed, in various forms,,
from ancient times, and which had been so extensively
treated by Philo, became associated with the person of
Jesus Christ.
The "Word" of Philo, was "The first begotten Son of
God," 3 "the first begotten Word," 4 "the Image of God,"
"the Divine Word," 5 his most ancient Word, 6 "the Image
(1.) Davidson, Ewald, Credner, Tischendorff, De Wette, and many others*
(2.) History of the Corruptions of Christianity, vol. 1, p. 46.
(3.) De Agricult. sec. 12. (4.) De Confus. Ling. sec. 28
(5.) De Somniis, 1. sec. 12. (6.) Ibid. 1. 39.
CHRISTIAN WRITERS. JUSTIN MARTYR. 279
of God, by which the whole world was created." But
Philo was a Jew, and knew nothing of Christ, as the
Word.
In the writings of Justin Martyr, this phraseology
was applied to Jesus. ' A similar application of the
term was afterward adopted in the Gospel of John.
Some allusion to the Logos is found in the Eevela-
tion, [19. 13], which appears to have been written
before this time, as Justin refers to it. 3 It is possible
he might have taken some hint from this passage, or
from the Gospel of the Infancy, but it is probable that
for his doctrine of the Logos, he is more indebted to
the works of Philo.
Paul had applied to Jesus, the language of the Psalm-
ist, "Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee;"
but he had not identified the Son and the Word as the
same. The "Word" of Paul, was the written word of
Scripture.
Philo had said the Word was the first begotten Son;
Justin Martyr, applying these terms to Christ, asserted
that he was the Word, the first and only begotten Son
of God. In the writings of Justin, however, he is still
subordinated to the Father. It remained for the author
of the Gospel of John to boldly and unqualifiedly an-
nounce, that "the Word was with God, and the Word
was God."
(1.) Dialogue, chs. 87 to 100, 105, and other places.
(2.) Dialogue, ch. 81.
280 FOURTH PERIOD. A.D. i30 to A.D. 170.
CHAPTER XXII,
SECOND HALF OF FOURTH PERIOD. -Continued.
APELLES PEREGRINUS MARCELLINA PHILIP SOTEE MONTANUS
TATIAN.
APELLES. A. D. 160.
Apelles is said to have been excommunicated by
Marcion. He afterward had a sect and a gospel of his
own. He was a Gnostic. There were various Gnostic
sects. One of their cardinal doctrines was, that Jesus
was a man, begotten by man. Some of them held, that
he became Christ, the Son of God, at the time of his
anointing and baptism.
"When" says Baring-Gould, "Gnosticism fixed on the anointing as the
communication to Christ of his divine mission and Messiahship, their mention
of it was cut out of the gospels in possession of the church, and consequently
the canonical gospels are without it to this day." Lost and Hostile Gospels,
p. 202.
Others believed that Jesus and Christ were different.
That Jesus suffered, but Christ only in appearance.
These were called Docetse. Christ, as distinct from the
man Jesus, had a pre-existence.
According to the fathers, Apelles denied the resur-
rection of the dead. He published a collection of
revelations which he had received from a noted cour-
tesan, by the name of Philumene. '
(1.) See Tertullian, de Prses. adv. Hffir. c. 30; Epiph. Haer. 44; Austin, de
Hser. ad Q. 23 in Ap.
I
CHRISTIAN WRITERS. APELLES. 281
Not much reliance is placed upon these assertions.
They are considered slanders by Dr. Lardner and other
candid historians. Especially are such statements
against prominent women, who held heretical opinions,
entitled to but little credit.
Neander defends the character of Apelles, and con-
siders his intimacy with Philumene, altogether
blameless. '
THE GOSPEL OF APELLES.
But little is known of this gospel. Jerome, in the
preface to his Commentary on Matthew, and Venerable
Bede, in his Commentary on Luke, refer to the Gospel
of Apelles, as one of those alluded to in Luke; "Foras-
much as many have taken in hand to set forth/' &c.
[Luke, 1. 1.] According to these writers, then, the Gos-
pel of Luke was written in the latter part of the
second century.
PEREGRINUS. A. D. 150 to 169.
Lucian, author of the Dialogues, A. D. 165, gives a
history of Peregrinus. He says he learned a wonderful
doctrine of the Christians, by conversing with their
priests and scribes, near Palestine. "And in a short
time, he showed they were but children to him; for he
was prophet, high priest, ruler of a synagogue; uniting
all offices in himself alone. Some books he interpret-
ed and explained; others he wrote. They spoke of
him as a god, and took him for a law-giver, and honored
him with the title of master. They still, therefore,
worship that great man who was crucified in Palestine,
because he introduced into the world, this new
religion." 2
Lucian was contemporary with Peregrinus, having
(1.) Church History, vol. 2, p. 151.
(2.) De Morte Peregrin, t. 1. p. 565.
282 FOURTH PERIOD. A. D. 130 to A. Z>. 170.
been born A. D. 124, ' and living until after 180. * The
same writer says further, that Peregrinus was a person
who rambled from place to place, and from one sect of
philosophy to another. "Having been guilty of parri-
cide and other crimes, he was obliged for awhile, to
leave his native country, and travel abroad." He was
afterward imprisoned. While in prison, he was visited
by Christians, who administered to his necessities. The
Governor of Syria set him at liberty. He then return-
ed to Parium, his native place, and afterward, about
the year 169, he ascended a funeral pile, which he had
voluntarily prepared, and perished in the flames, in the
sight of all Greece.
Peregrinus was also called Proteus. His death is
mentioned by some of the fathers. 3
Athenagoras refers to it thus:
"Of the statues of Alexander and Proteus, (the latter, you are aware, threw
himself into the fire near Olympia), that of Proteus is likewise said to utter
oracles." Plea for the Christians, ch. 26.
There is reason to believe that the picture drawn by
Lucian, was, like his portraiture of Alexander Abono-
tichus, and his casual mention of Apollonius of Tyana,
colored by the pen of prejudice.
From other writers, there are more favorable accounts:
Ammianus Marcellinus, [3d century], mentions his
death, and calls him an illustrious philosopher. 4
Philostratus [210], refers to his death, and speaks of
him as a cynic philosopher. 5
Aulus Gellius, [2d century], speaks of him as follows:
"I saw, when I was at Athens, a philosopher named Peregrinus, and sur-
nained afterward Proteus; a man of dignity and fortitude, who resided in a
(1.) Moyle's Works, vol. 2, p. 363.
(2.) Lardner, vol. 4, p. 149.
(3.) Tertullian, ad Mart. cap. 4, p. 157; Athenagoras, see above.
(4.) Amm. 1. 29, cap. 1.
(5.) De Vit. Soph. 1. 2, n. 1, sec. 13.
CHRISTIAN WRITERS. PEKEGRINUS. 283
little cottage, without the city. As I used to go to him frequently, I heard
from him many useful and excellent remarks, among which this is what I
chiefly remember:
"He said, 'A wise man should not be guilty of sin, although gods and men
were alike ignorant of it.' For he thought a wise man should avoid sin, not
from the fear of punishment or disgrace, but from his sense of duty and love
of virtue." Noctes Atticce, bk. 12, ch. 11.
He then represents Peregrinus as quoting these lines
of Sophocles:
"Nor vainly think your skill can aught conceal;
Time, that knows all things, shall all truths reveal."
It is as difficult to reconcile this sprightly picture by
the author of the Attic Nights, with what is said by
Lucian, as it is, the extant Epistles of Apollonius, with
the notice which Lucian chose to take, of that
philosopher.
MARCELLINA. A. D. 160.
Marcellina was the founder ot a sect, called Marcel-
lians. She was a Gnostic a disciple of Carpocrates.
The fathers are almost entirely silent concerning
her. If we are left in ignorance of desirable informa-
tion, her name has at least been handed down, free
from detraction and calumny.
SOTER. A. D. 164.
Soter was Bishop of Eome, about A. D. 175. Dr.
Lardner puts him down as one of the writers of the
second century, whose works are lost, and dates his
writings, A. D. 164. He may have flourished as a writer,
before he was made bishop.
PHILIP. A. D. 170.
This writer is in the same category with the preced-
ing. He is mentioned with Soter and others, as writers
of the second century, whose works are lost. *
(1.) Lardner, vol. 1, p. 436.
284 FOURTH PERIOD. A. D. 130 to A. D. 170.
MONT ANUS. A. D. 170.
Dr. Priestly thinks many of the Montanists were
Unitarians.
Epiphanius gives extracts from the writings of Mon-
tanus, and shows him to have been a millenarian.
Apollonius, the Christian writer of the third century,
became an active opponent of Montanism, and endeav-
ored to counteract the impulse which had been given
to it by Tertullian. This great father had left the
catholic church, and had gone over to Montanism, about
the end of the second century.
Tischendorff says, the opponents of Montanism re-
jected the Gospel of John. x
Epiphanius mentions the Pepuzians, a sect of Mon-
tanists, who permitted women to baptize. a
TATIAN. A. D. 170.
Tatian was by birth an Assyrian. He was converted
by Justin Martyr, but afterward became a Gnostic, a
follower of Marcion. He joined the Encratites, and
has been considered by some, as the founder of that sect.
His Oration against the Greeks, is still extant. It
contains no mention of any of the canonical gospels.
Some writers claim that there are passages parallel
with those gospels. They consist of the sayings of
Christ, and the better opinion appears to be, that they
were taken from the Gospel of the Hebrews.
THE GOSPEL OR HARMONY OF TATIAN.
There is a Harmony of the Gospels attributed to Ta-
tian. It is sometimes called, "The Gospel of Tatian."
The work is first heard of in Eusebius; who says,
"Tatian, however, their former chief, having- put together a certain amal-
gamation and collection, 1 know not how, of the Gospels, named this the Di-
atessaron; which even now is current with some." Ecc. Hist. 4. 29.
(1.) Origin of the Four Gospels, p. 123. (2.) Haer. 49. 2.
CHRISTIAN WRITERS. T ATI AN. 285
The next reference to the Gospel of Tatian, is by Ep-
iphanius. He says:
"It is said that he (Tatian) composed the Gospel by Four, which is called
by some, the Gospel of the Hebrews." Beer. 46. 1.
It does not appear that either of these writers had
seen any such gospel. They wrote from hearsay; and
the statement of Epiphanius as to the name of the
gospel, is no doubt based upon the passage in 'Eusebius.
The third writer is Theodoret. He says:
"He [Tatian] also composed the gospel which is called The Diatessaron, ex-
cising: the genealogies, and all the other parts which declare that the Lord was
born of the seed of David, according to the flesh. This was used, not only by
those of his own sect, but also by those who held the apostolic doctrines, who
did not perceive the evil of the composition, but made use of the book in
simplicity, on account of its conciseness. I found, myself, upwards of two
hundred such books held in honor among your churches, and collecting them
altogether, 1 had them put aside, and instead, introduced the Gospels of the
Four Evangelists.' 1 Haeret. Fab. 1. 20.
The next century, Victor of Capua, referring to Ta-
tian's Gospel, called it "Diapente;" "The Gospel by
Five." '
Such is the evidence concerning the Gospel or Har-
mony of Tatian. Let us attempt to analyze it:
Epiphanius only states, that it was then said that he
(Tatian) composed the Gospel by Four; and immedi-
ately adds, that it was called by some, the Gospel of the
Hebrews. This was about A. D. 385. Half a century
later, Theodoret asserts that it was then called the Di-
atessaron, and states something about its composition.
Independently of Eusebius, then, it only appears,
that in the fourth and fifth centuries it 'was called the
Diatessaron, and in the sixth, the Diapente.
But Eusebius says that Tatian himself called it the
Diatessaron. This is not the first statement of Eusebi-
us, tending to give an early date to the canonical gos-
(1.) Fabricius, Cod. N. T. 1. p. 378.
286 FOURTH PERIOD. A. D. 130 to A. D. 170.
pels, in which he is unsupported by earlier authorities.
The importance of the question renders it necessary
to examine into the credibility of this witness, and to
endeavor to ascertain whether his unsupported state-
ment may be relied upon. This subject will be treat-
ed in the next chapter.
In the mean time, there is a circumstance disclosed,
which in itself goes strongly to rebut the presumption
that Tatian made use of the four gospels.
It appears from the testimony of Theodoret himself,
that he felt under the necessity of suppressing this
gospel, though it was held in high respect, and two hun-
dred were in use in the churches which he visited.
If it was a harmony of the four gospels, what was
the necessity for suppressing it? Why was it necessary
to substitute those gospels for a harmony of them?
The fact that Theodoret felt obliged to suppress it, is
inconsistent with the theory that it was a harmony of
the four gospels, and throws suspicion upon a statement
made manifestly for the purpose of supporting such an
inference.
The pretext for the change was, that Tatian had
omitted certain portions. But it is much more proba-
ble, that those were not in the gospels of which a di-
gest had been made by Tatian.
EUSEBIUS ASA WITNESS. 287
CHAPTER XXIII.
VALUE OF THE TESTIMONY OF EUSEBIUS.
THE ESTIMATE OF FRIENDLY WRITERS.
Those who are disposed to take the most favorable
view of this historian, hold him in low repute, as a
Chronicler of facts.
"The great fault of Eusebius, 11 says canon Westcott, "is a want of indepen-
dent, judgment, He writes under the influence of the last informant, and
consequently his narrative is often confused and inconsistent. This is the case,
in some degree, with his statements on the canon.' 1 Canon, p. 383. He be-
lieves it possible, however, to ascertain his real judgment on the question.
Jones charges him with being too credulous, and
thinks he was imposed upon, in the correspondence be-
tween Christ and Abgarus, or else that the correspond-
ence had been interpolated into the history of Eusebi-
us. ' The historian affirms, that he found the letters
written in the Syriac language, in the public records
of the City of Edessa, and that he himself translated
them into Greek. The letters are very generally dis-
credited, as well as the statement of Eusebius concern-
ing them.
"No one" says Scaliger, speaking of Eusebius, "has
(1.) Jones. Vol. 2, p. 18.
288 FOURTH PERIOD. A. D. 130 to A. D. 170.
contributed more to Christian history, and no one is
guilty of more mistakes." J
His FALSEHOODS AND FORGERIES.
The statements of this historian are made, not only
carelessly and blunderingly, but in many instances,
in falsification of the facts of history.
Not only the most unblushing falsehoods, but litera-
ry forgeries of the vilest character, darken the pages
of his apologetic and historical writings.
His misstatements made for the purpose of bringing
into disrepute the Gospel of Peter and other writings
of the first century, have already been noticed.
As the greater includes the less, we will not stop to
consider the countless number of other merely false
statements to be found in his works, but will proceed
at once, to some of the forgeries of which he has been
convicted.
FORGERIES ON JOSEPHUS.
One of the most notorious of these, is in the account
of the death of Herod Agrippa.
In the 12th chapter of Acts, it is stated that Herod,
while sitting upon his throne, arrayed in royal appar-
el, and as the people were shouting and calling him a
god,, was smitten by the angel of the Lord, and was
eaten by worms, and gave up the ghost. 2
Josephus says, "Agrippa, casting his eyes upward,
saw an owl. sitting upon a rope, over his head." !
Eusebius, in order to make Josephus agree with the
Acts of the Apostles, struck out of the text of the Jew-
(1.) Blench. Trihser. c. 29. See also, Father Maimberg's Hist, of Arianism,,
in French, Tom. 1, 1. 1, p. 32; and Valesius' Life of Eusebius, prefixed to his
Ecclesiastical History.
(2.) Acts, 12. 21 to 23.
(3.) Antiquities, bk. 19. c. 8. 2.
EUSEBIU8 AS A WITNESS. 289
ish historian, a whole Greek phrase, meaning an owl
sitting upon a rope or cord, and substituted the word
meaning angel; so as to make Josephus state that Her-
od, looking up, saw an angel over his head. '
This forgery has been known for centuries, and is
not denied by any. Some endeavor to excuse or palli-
ate it, while others pass it over in silence, or as a mat-
ter of small importance.
Again: It was the opinion of the learned Dr. Lardner,
that Eusebius was the one who was guilty of the for-
gery of the passage in Josephus, concerning Christ.
In the third volume of his works, Dr. Lardner did not
openly charge this forgery upon Eusebius, though he
more than hinted that he believed him to be the author
of it; saying,
"Probably some learned Christian, who had read the works of Josephus,
thinking it strange that this Jewish historian should say nothing of Jesus
Christ, wrote this paragraph, in the margin of his copy, and thence it caine
to be afterward inserted into many copies of Josephus."
"Who was the first author of this interpolation," said he, "cannot be said.
Tanaquil Faber (ap. Havercamp, p. 272), suspected Eusebius. I do not
charge it upon him, but I think it was first made about his time." Works,
vol. 3, p. 542.
Afterward, however, in the preface to the fourth vol-
ume, he speaks more plainly, and says:
"Indeed, it is not Josephus, but Eusebius, or some other Christian about
this time, who composed this paragraph. Every one must be inclined to
think so, who observes the connection in the Evangelical Demonstration,
where is the first quotation of it. In the third book of that work, Eusebius
has a chapter or section, against those who do not give credit to the history
of our Savior's wonderful works. ('IlpdS TOV$ dTtsvSovvTaS rrj rov dao-
rrjpoS jfiidov Ttept raor Ttapadoqcov Ttpa&oov dirfyrjtiei.' 1 Dem. Ev. 1. 3,
c. 7, p. 109.) Where follows an excellent argument, taken from the internal
characters of credibility in the evangelical history, the success of the gospel
(1.) Ecc. Hist. bk. 2, ch. 10. Eusebius omitted the words "fiovfiwra
eni dxoiviov TIVO$ "an owl on a certain rope," and substituted "dy-
," "angel."
290 FOURTH PERIOD. A. D. 130 to A. D. 170.
among the Greeks and Romans, and barbarians, and the zeal, intrepidity and
sufferings of Christ's apostles and the first Christians. Then he says:
" 'Though the testimony of such men concerning our Savior, must be es-
teemed fully sufficient, it cannot be amiss for me to add, over and a'bove, the
testimony of Josephus, a Hebrew; who, in the eighteenth book of the Jewish
Antiquities, writing the history of affairs in the time of Pilate, speaks of our
Savior in these words:' where follows the paragraph which we are considering:
where' 1 continues Dr. Lardner, "our Lord is said to be 'a "worker of wonderful
works, ( l Hv ydp itapa.Soc.Gov epyoov jroz^n/S:') which way of speaking
is so agreeable to Eusebius, and has such a similitude with his style, that I am
disposed to put down below, some instances from him; which must be of use
to satisfy us, that the style of this paragraph is very Christian, if it be not the
composition of Eusebius himself; as Tanaquil Faber suspected."
[Here follow several quotations from the 'Evangelical Demonstration' in the
original Greek, showing the frequent use by Eusebius, of the phrase, nooirf-
rijt epyoor napado^oov, 'worker of wonderful works.'] Lardner" s Works,
vol. 4, p. 6.
Thus it appears that Dr. Lardner, who, in the third
volume, only intimated a strong suspicion against Eu-
sebius, as the author of this forgery, now, in the com-
mencement of the fourth volume, after considering the
matter more fully, draws an indictment, charging him
openly with the crime; and calling up the case, intro-
duces the evidence. The words "or some other Chris-
tian about this time," contained in the indictment, are
to be considered as surplusage; since the evidence and
the argument are directed against Eusebius himself.
There are other, gross liberties, taken by Eusebius,
with the writings of Josephus.
He transcribes Josephus' account of Theudas, and
applies it as confirmatory of Acts, 5. 36; while in fact,
it disagrees with the account in Acts so much, as to
have made commentators great trouble. He quotes the
passage from the fifth chapter of the twentieth book
of the Antiquities, and asserts that the Theudas there
mentioned, is the same referred to in the Acts; skillful-
ly suppressing the fact, that the Theudas mentioned
by Josephus, led that rebellion in the year 45 or 46,
EUSEBIUS AS A WITNESS. 291
at least 38 years after the time mentioned in the Acts
of the Apostles.
Again, in regard to the question of the taxing:
Eusebius, in his Chronicles, p. 76, asserts that Cyre-
nius "made a census of goods and persons" in the time
of Herod. In the Ecclesiastical History, bk. 1, ch. 5,
he says that Christ was born "the same year when the
first census was taken, and Quirinus was Governor
of Syria." He adds, "This census is mentioned by Fla-
vins Josephus, the distinguished historian among the
Hebrews." If a census was taken in the time of Herod,
it is not mentioned by Josephus, who states distinctly,
that after the death of Herod, Archelaus reigned nine
years and was banished, and then Cyrenius had the as-
sessment and taxing. *
Dr. Lardner, referring to this disingenuous passage,
says, he ascribes it, not to ignorance, but "to somewhat
a great deal worse."
"It is impossible," says he, "that a man of Eusebius' acuteness, who had
the New Testament and Josephus before him, should think a census made after
Archelaus' banishment, was the same with that before Herod died; but Euse-
bius was resolved to have St. Luke's History confirmed by the express testimo-
ny of the Jewish historian, right or wrong. Lardner' 8 Works, Vol. l t jp. 179.
THE FORGERY ON PHLEGON.
Origen, in his work against Celsus, says:
' "But of the eclipse, which happened in the time of Tiberius, in whose reign
Jesus was crucified, and of the great earthquakes which were at that time,
Phlegon writes in the thirteenth, or as I think, the fourteenth book of the
Chronicle." Cont. Celsum, lib. 2, o. 33.
Phlegon was a heathen historian, who wrote about
the middle of the second century, and whose works
are lost.
The statement of Origen, which was open to suspi-
cion from the first, was severely handled by contempo-
(1.) Antiquities, bk. 17, ch. 13; also bk. 18, ch. 1.
292 FOURTH PERIOD. A. D. 130 to A. D. 170.
rary writers, who urged, that an eclipse of the sun could
not then have taken place, as the crucifixion occurred
at the time of the Jewish passover, which was at the
full of the moon; when an eclipse of the sun is impos-
sible.
Whether it was further shown that the passage was
misquoted, we know not. At all events, Origen, after-
ward, in his Commentary on Matthew, 27. 45, in reply
to the objections which had been made, said, that Phle-
gon did not assert that the eclipse mentioned by him,
happened at the time of the full moon, and finally
concludes that we must not too positively maintain,
against heathen people, that Phlegon spoke of the
darkness which happened at the death of Jesus Christ.
Now comes Eusebius; who, writing a hundred years
later, not only repeats the original statement, which
had been substantially retracted by Origen, but under-
takes to quote the very words of Phlegon. The
passage in Eusebius is as follows:
"Jesus Christ, the Son of God, our Lord, according to the prophecies concern-
ing him, came to his passion on the 19th year of the reign of Tiberius; about
which time, we find these things related, in other, ' even Gentile memoirs, in
these very words: 'The sun was eclipsed; there was an earthquake in Bithynia,
and many houses were overturned in Nice.' All which things he relates with
what happened at our Savior's passion. So writes and says the author of the
Olympiads, in the thirteenth book, in these words : 'in the fourth year of
the two hundred and second Olympiad, there was an eclipse of the sun, the
greatest of any known before. And it was night at the sixth hour of the day,
so that the stars appeared in the heavens. And there was a great earthquake
in Bithynia, which overturned many houses in Nice.' So writes this afore-
mentioned author.'* Eusebius' Chronicle, p. 77.
This is one of the most manifest of the forgeries of
Eusebius. If there had been any such passage in
Phlegon, stating that there was an eclipse of the sun,
at the very hour when Christ was crucified, it would
have been found out by Origen, who would have availed
himself of it, when hard pressed by his adversaries.
EU3EBIUS ABA WITNESS. 293
Besides, the passage bears internal evidence of being
a fabrication.
Eusebius had already quoted the passage from Phle-
gon, giving the very words. In the first quotation,
Phlegon says: 'The sun was eclipsed; there was an
earthquake in Bithynia, and many houses were over-
turned in Nice.' This is given as the language of
Phlegon. Afterward, Phlegon is made to say, "In the
fourth year," &c. "there was an eclipse of the sun,
the greatest," &c. "And it was night the sixth hour of
the day," &c. and "there was a great earthquake in
Bithynia which overturned many houses in Nice." All
this new matter, prefixed to the quotation, and the
quotation itself different. What was only "an earth-
quake," (giving the very words, as he said, of Phlegon),
becomes, in the second quotation, "a great earthquake,"
and the statement that "the sun was eclipsed," becomes
swollen into a long sentence, full of additional cir-
cumstances. Then a heathen historian, for the purpose
of sustaining the Christian religion, narrates an earth-
quake, and an eclipse of the sun, taking place, at the
very hour when Christ was crucified, although the
moon was at the full!
This was only equaled, by making a Jewish histori-
an declare, that Jesus "was the Christ."
THE FORGERY ON THALLUS.
Eusebius makes Thallus, another heathen historian,
who wrote about 220, testify to the eclipse of the sun.
The following is the language of our historian:
"There was a dreadful darkness over the whole world, and the rocks were
rent by an earthquake, and many buildings were overturned in Judaea, and
in other parts of the earth. This darkness Thallus calls an eclipse of the sun,
in the third book of his histories; but as seems to me very improperly; for the
Jews keep the passover in the fourteenth day of the moon ; at which time an
eclipse of the sun is impossible. 11 Eusebiua, Canon. Chron. Graece, by Scaliger,
p. 77.
294 FOURTH PERIOD. A. D. 130 to AD. 170.
Since quoting from Phlegon, Eusebius appears to
have become enlightened in regard to the possibility of
an eclipse of the sun when the moon is at its full.
Nevertheless, he persists in perpetrating these forger-
ies on the heathen writers. He has no compunction
in making Thallus, a heathen, in his anxiety to support
the gospel historians, declare that there was an eclipse
of the sun, at the crucifixion of Christ.
This forgery Eusebius undertakes to father upon
Africanus, quoting as from that writer, the words which
are attributed to Thallus. As the works of Africanus
are lost, there is no way of determining the question
with complete certainty. There is no reasonable doubt,
however, that the passage emanated in the first instance,
from the author of the church history.
Thallus was a Syrian, and wrote in Greek. He is
cited by Justin Martyr, Tertullian, Minucius Felix,
Lactantius and Theophilus, no one of whom ever
claimed that his works contained any such passage, nor
was the passage known, so far as we have any evidence,
to any other ancient writer.
THE FORGERY ON PORPHYRY.
Eusebius quotes, as evidence of the truth of the
Christian religion, from a pretended work of Porphyry,
entitled "The Philosophy of Oracles," a work never
heard of before the time of Eusebius, and never since,
but from those who accept as authority the author of
the ecclesiastical history. The majority of scholars
are pretty well satisfied, that such a work never ex-
isted.
Porphyry nourished in the latter part of the third
century. He was an active opponent of the Christian
religion. He wrote so strongly and powerfully against
it, that his writings were, by an edict of Constantine,
EUSEB1U8 ASA WITNESS. 295
condemned to the flames. Porphyry is made to speak
of Christianity, as the "prevailing religion;" which it
was not, until fifty years after Porphyry.
It was probably not until after the destruction of the
writings of Porphyry, in accordance with the decree of
Constantine, that this bold attempt was made to bring
him in as a witness in favor of the very religion which
he so powerfully opposed.
The "Philosophy of Oracles" has been branded as
spurious, by Vandale, * by Fontenelle, a and other able
writers.
Other portions of the works of the church historian,
have been suspected.
Dr. Dodwell, Thirlby, and Dr. Jortin thought the let-
ter of rescript of Antoninus Pius, as given by Eusebius,
was a forgery. It is generally suspected that the cor-
respondence between Christ and Abgarus is a literary
work of the same character.
Such was the first chronicler of church history, whose
works have come down to us. Such is the witness,
the only witness to any thing which would indicate,
with any definiteness, the existence of any of the ca-
nonical gospels earlier than about A. D. 170.
"Reject Eusebius," says Prof.-Stowe, "and what have we for a history
of the Christian churches of the first three centuries, or of the books used as
scripture in those churches?" History of the Bible, p. 47.
And yet, the truth requires that he should not at all
be relied upon, except where he is supported by earlier,
or at least contemporary writers, or by strong circum-
stantial evidence.
(1.) De Orac. Ethnic, p. 14.
(2.) Hist, of Oracles, Diss. 1, ch. 4.
296 THIRD AND FOURTH PERIODS. A. D. 120 to 170.
CHAPTER XXIV.
REVIEW OF THE THIRD AND FOURTH PERIODS.
A. D. 120 to 170,
Since leaving the apostolic fathers, we have traversed,
by the uncertain light of patristic literature, through
half a century; the last half of a period well charac-
terized by Dr. Westcott, as the dark age of church
history. [A. D. 70 to 170.]
We have met with twenty-six Christian writers, some
of them, persons of much celebrity, and all of them
writers of considerable repute, besides others of less
note, and with various anonymous works, including the
three most famous so called apocryphal gospels.
In all this mass of Christian literature, there is not
to be found a single mention of any of the canonical
gospels. Not one of all these writers, in any work
which has been preserved, has mentioned Luke, Mark,
John or Matthew, as the author of a gospel.
The Gospel of Marcion, written about A. D. 145, bears
internal evidence of having preceded Luke, and in like
manner the Protevangelion and the Gospel of the In-
fancy were manifestly written before Luke and Matthew,
and the Acts of Pilate before any of the canonical
gospels.
REVIEW OF TRIED AND FO URTH PERIODS. 297
Coming to Justin Martyr, who wrote fully as late as
the middle of the second century, there is no satisfac-
tory evidence that he used or knew of the existence
of any such gospels as those which afterward became
canonical. On the contrary, not only does he quote
many sayings of Christ different from those recorded
in the four gospels, but he has some which have no par-
allel in any of them. He relates incidents in the life
of Jesus, not in the canonical, but which are in other
extant gospels. Finally, he mentions two of those
other gospels by name, and cites one of them as au-
thority for the miracles of Jesus. His "Memoirs of
the Apostles," was probably the Gospel of the Twelve
Apostles, which was but another name for the Gospel
of the Hebrews.
Continuing through the remainder of the period, we
meet with several writers, nearly all of whose works
are lost. These end with Tatian. There is no suffi-
cient evidence, that the so called Diatessaron of this
writer, was a Harmony of the Four Gospels.
The character of Eusebius has been examined, and
he has been found to be, as an unsupported witness,
entirely unreliable. The facts to which this witness
testifies, are not by any means, of a conclusive charac-
ter. But they are skillfully thrown together in such a
manner as to create the impression, that the canonical
gospels were in existence, during the time of which he
was writing.
In every instance, the assertion is by implication.
But the intent to deceive is manifest. The silence,
even of Eusebius, as to any evidence earlier than A. D.
126, is significant.
The evidence of heathen writers, during this period,
is invoked by some authors, but such evidence does not
tend to establish the existence of the four gospels.
298 FIFTH PERIOD. A. I). 170 to A. 2. 185.
FIFTH PERIOD. A. D. 170 TO 185.
CHAPTEE XXV.
THE FOUR CANONICAL GOSPELS.
More than fourteen hundred years ago, Faustus, a
Manichaean bishop, a Christian, in his discussion with
Augustine, after calling attention to the fact, that his
opponent himself rejected many portions of the Old
Testament, said:
"If there are parts of the Testament of the Father which we are not bound
to observe, (for you attribute the Jewish law to the Father, and it is well
known that many things in it shock you, &c.) the testimony of the Son must
be equally liable to corruption, and may equally well contain objectionable
things; especially as it is allowed not to have been written by the son himself,
nor by his apostles; but long after, by some unknown men, who, lest they should
be suspected of writing things they knew nothing of, gave to their books the
names of the apostles, declaring the contents to be according to these originals.
In this, 1 think they do grievous wrong to the disciples of Christ, by quoting
their authority for the discordant and contradictory statements, in these writ-
ings, saying that it was according to them that they wrote the gospels, which
are so full of errors and discrepancies, both in facts and opinions, that they
can be harmonized neither with themselves, nor with one another. This is
nothing else than to slander good men, and to bring the charge of dissension
on the brotherhood of the disciples. In reading the gospels, the clear inten-
tion of our heart perceives the errors, and to avoid all injustice, we accept
TEE FOUR CANONICAL GOSPELS. 299
whatever is useful in the way of building up our faith, and promoting the glo-
ry of the Lord Christ, and of the Almighty God, his Father, while we reject
the rest, as unbecoming the majesty of God and Christ, and inconsistent with
our belief." Works of Augustine. On the Manichcean Heresy, bk. 32, 1. 2.
Again, in a subsequent passage, continuing his argu-
ment, he says:
"I do not suppose you will even consent or listen to such things, as that a
father-in-law should lie with his daughter-in-law, as Judah did; or a father
with his daughters, as Lot; or with harlots, like Hosea; or that a husband
should sell his wife for a night, to her lover, like Abraham; or that a man
should marry two sisters, like Jacob; or that the rulers of the people, and the
men you consider most inspired, should keep their mistresses by hundreds and
thousands; or according to the provision made in Deuteronomy about wives,
that the wife of one brother, if he die without children, should marry the sur-
viving brother, and that he should raise up seed for her instead of his brother,
and if the man refuses to do this, the fair plaintiff should bring her case before
the elders, that the brother may be called, and admonished to perform this
religious duty, and that if he persists in his refusal, he must not go un-
punished, but the woman must loose his shoe from his right foot, and
strike him in the face, and send him away, spat upon and accursed, to perpet-
uate the reproach in his family.
"These and such as these, are the examples and precepts of the Old Testa-
ment. If they are good, why do you not practice them ? If they are bad,
why do you not condemn the Old Testament, in which they are found? But
if you think that these are spurious interpolations, that is precisely what we
think of the New Testament. You have no right to claim from us an acknowl-
edgment for the New Testament, which you do not make for the old." Ibid,
bk. 32, 4.
Again, he says:
"So then, with the help of the paraclete, we may take the same liberties
with the New Testament, as Jesus enables you to take with the Old, unless
you suppose that the Testament of the Son is of greater value than that of
the Father, if it is really the Father; so that while many parts of the one are
to be condemned, the other must be exempted from all disapproval. That
too, when we know, as I &aid before, that it was not written by Christ or his
apostles." Ibid.
800 FIFTH PERIOD. A. D. 170 to A. D. 185.
To this charge, thus repeated, Augustine, after treat-
ing other points at length, replies as follows:
"We can now answer the question, how we know that these books were
written by the apostles. In a word, we know this in the same way that you
know that the books whose authority you are so deluded as to prefer, were
written by Manichseus. For suppose some one should raise a question on
this point, and should contend, in arguing with you, that the books which you
attribute to Manichseus, are not of his authorship. Your only reply would
be, to ridicule the absurdity of thus gratuitously calling in question a matter
confirmed by successive testimonies, of such wide extent. As, then, it is cer-
tain that these books are the production of Manichseus, and as it is ridiculous
in one born so many years after, to start objections of his own, and to raise
a discussion on the point; with equal confidence may we pronounce it absurd,
or rather pitiable, in Manichseus or his followers, to bring such objections
against writings originally well authenticated, and carefully handed down
from the times of the apostles, to our own day, through a constant succes-
sion of custodiers." Ibid.
IN REPLY. "It is not without reason that we bring a critical
judgment to the study of the scriptures, where there are such discrepancies
and contradictions. By thus examining every thing, and comparing one pas-
sage with another, we determine which contains Christ's actual words, and
what may or may not be genuine. For your predecessors have made many in-
terpolations in the words of our Lord, which thus appear, under his name,
while they disagree with his doctrine. Besides as we have proved , again and
again, the writings are not the production of Christ or of his apostles, but a
compilation of rumors and beliefs, made long after their departure, by some ob-
scure semi-Jews, not in harmony even with one another, and published by
them under the name of the apostles, or of those considered the followers of
the apostles, so as to give the appearance of apostolic authority, to all these
blunders and falsehoods." Ibid. bk. 33.
Augustine, in response, repeats the argument already
given, and illustrates it by reference to certain books
which had appeared under the name of Hippocrates,
and had been rejected by physicians, because, when
TEE FOUR CANONICAL GOSPELS. 301
compared with the genuine writings of Hippocrates,
they were seen to be inferior. As to the genuine writ-
ings of that author, he says:
"There is a succession of testimonies of books from the time of Hippocrates
to the present day, which makes it unreasonable now or hereafter to have any
doubt on the subject. How do we know the authorship of the works of Pla-
to, Aristotle, Cicero, Varro, and other similar writers, but by the unbroken
chain of evidence? 1 ' Ibid.
He afterward speaks of 'the ability of the church of
of the apostles a community of brethren as numer-
ous as they were faithful, to transmit their writings
unaltered to posterity, as the original seats of the
apostles have been occupied, by a continuous success-
ion of bishops, to the present day."
This closed the argument.
Such was the state of the Controversy early in the
fifth century; a controversy within the church itself.
On the one side, Faustus had stated, first, that it was
"allowed' 7 that the New Testament was not written by
Christ or his apostles, but long after, by some unknown
men. Then, that they "knew" it was not written by
Christ or his apostles, and finally that they "had proven
it, again and again."
To this Augustine, not expressly denying the asser-
tions of Faustus, or challenging him to the proof, replies,
with the argument founded on tradition. This he il-
lustrates by a comparison with books ascribed to
Hippocrates, Aristotle and other writers.
As to the proof that may have been offered by Faus-
tus on former occasions, we are entirely ignorant. But
302 FIFTH PERIOD. A. D. 170 to A. D. 185.
that such proof of some kind, had been adduced, may
be safely inferred, since the statement was not express-
ly denied by Augustine.
The . argument of Augustine was the same as has
been relied upon, since his day.
The bold challenge of Faustus, would seem to have
required something more at the hands of his adversary;
at least, an enumeration or mention of some of those
by whom the tradition had been preserved and handed
down.
The argument of Augustine was not good, because
the statement upon which it rested, was not true. It
was not true that the books had been "confirmed by
successive testimonies from the times of the apostles;
that they were originally well authenticated, and
carefully handed down," &c. unless, indeed, we are to
suppose, that every successive link in this chain of ev-
idence has been lost, and that of all the writings of
the Christian fathers to the latter part of the second
century, only those which made no mention of the
books were preserved, while those which mentioned
them, were in every instance lost. Such a supposition,
if not actually preposterous, is in the highest degree in-
credible; and we are forced to the conclusion, that
such a chain of evidence existed only in the imagina-
tion of Augustine.
The tradition cannot be traced further back than
Irenseus; A. D. 190. No one of the four gospels was
mentioned earlier, except the Gospel of John, A.
D. 180, by Theophilus of Antioch.
THE FOUR CANONICAL GOSPELS. 303
He does not say it was written oy the apostle, but
44 by an inspired man".
For one hundred and fifty years after the events re-
lated in the canonical gospels, there is no evidence of
any such tradition as was necessary, to sustain the ar-
gument of Augustine. The controversy cannot, there-
fore, be looked upon as having been settled, in his dis-
cussion with Faustus; and as no new light has since
been thrown upon the question, it is still an open one.
As such, we propose to consider it. It is the duty of
the historian to do what he can toward settling truth-
fully, important facts; and surely no fact can be of more
importance in religious history, than the time when
the four gospels were written.
The external evidence has been considered, as our
history progressed. It was necessarily of a negative
character, but has pointed strongly toward the non-
existence of the books, previous to the year 170. We
are now to examine the internal evidence. This nat-
urally comes last, and is not ordinarily to be resorted
to, except when the historical evidence fails to bring us
to a satisfactory conclusion. "History, "says Westcott,
"must deliver its full testimony, before internal criti-
cism can find its proper use."
That the external evidence is unsatisfactory, and
justifies the resort to internal evidence, is distinctly as-
serted by Rev. Dr. Davidson, who says:
"The evidence in favor of the authors traditionally assigned to the gospols.
and some of the epistles, is still uncertain. A wide gap intervenes between
eye witnesses of the apostles or apostolic men that wrote the sacred books,
304 FIFTH PERIOD. A. D. 170 to A. D. 185.
and the earliest fathers who assert their authorship. The additional bridge be-
tween them is a precarious one. As the chasm cannot be filled by adequate
external evidence, we are thrown back on the internal character of the works
themselves." Davidson on tJie Canon, p. 126.
Before proceeding to the internal evidence, there
are certain considerations, a notice of which is neces-
sary to a complete view of the subject.
1. No one of the four gospels is mentioned, in any
other part of the New Testament.
2. No work of art of any kind has ever been dis-
covered, no painting, or engraving, no sculpture or oth-
er relic of antiquity, which may be looked upon a&
furnishing additional evidence of the existence of those
gospels, and which was executed earlier than the lat-
ter part of the second century. Even the exploration
of the Christian catacombs failed to bring to light any
evidence of that character.
3. The four gospels were written in Greek, and there
was no translation of them into other languages, ear-
lier than the third century.
It has been supposed by some, that Matthew was a
translation from a Hebrew gospel. But the tendency
of modern thought and criticism, is strongly toward
the conclusion, that Matthew, as well as the others,
was an original Greek production.
The oldest known translations are the Peshito, in the
Syriac, and in the Latin, an old translation, the origi-
nal of the Vulgate.
Efforts have been made to show that there were Lat-
in translations in the second century. They have re-
THE FOUR CANONICAL GOSPELS. 305
suited in nothing tangible, and may be looked upon as
mere speculations.
In Germany, Semler made an elaborate attempt to
prove that Tertullian had a Latin translation, which
had been used before his time; but the effort cannot
be pronounced successful. The view taken by the au-
thor of the article in the Encyclopedia of McClintock
and Strong, is doubtless the correct one; that Tertul-
lian did not make use of a translation, but translated
for himself. The article was written originally for Kit-
to, by Dr. Alexander, and is entitled "ANTE-HIERONY-
MIAN VERSIONS." The writer says:
"The early and extensive diffusion of Christianity among the Latin-speaking
people, renders it probable that means would be used to supply the Christiana
who used that language, with versions of the scriptures in their own tongue,
especially those resident in countries where the Greek language was less gen-
erally known. That from an early period, such means were used, cannot be
doubted ; but the information which has reached us is so scanty, that we are
not in circumstances to arrive at certainty on many points of interest connected
with the subject. It is even matter of debate, whether there were several
translations, or one translation, variously corrupted or emended.
"The first writer by whom reference is supposed to be made to a Latin ver-
sion, is Tertullian; in the words, 'sciamus plane non sic esse in Graece authen-
tico, quomodo in usum exiit per duarum syllabarum aut callidam, aut simph-
cem eversionem, 1 &c. (De Monogamia, c. 11.) 'We may certainly know, that
in the Greek original, it does not stand in the form in which, (through the
either crafty or simple alteration of two syllables), it has gone out into com-
mon use,' &c. [Ante-Nicene, 'in the form which (through &c.) has gone out,'
&c.]
"It is possible Tertullian has in view here, a version in use among the Af-
rican Christians; but it is by no means certain that such is his meaning, for he
may refer merely to the manner in which the passage in question had come to
be usually cited, but without intending to intimate that it was so written in
any formal version. The probability that such is really his meaning, is greatly
306 FIFTH PERIOD. A. D. 170 to A. D. 185.
heightened, when we compare his language with similar expressions in other
parts of his writings. Thus speaking of the Logos, he says:
"'Hanc Graeci Aoyov dicunt, quo vocabulo etiain Sermonem appellamus.
Ideoque in usu est nostrorum per simplicitatem interpretationis, Sermonem,
dicere, in primordio apud deuin esse, 1 &c. [Adv. Prax. c. 5.] 'This the
"Greeks call 'Logos,' by which term we also designate Word; (or Discourse;)
and therefore, it is now usual, owing to the simple interpretation of our peo-
ple, to say that the Word was in the beginning, with God, 1 &c.
"Where he seems to have in view, simply, the colloquial usage of the Chris-
tian compatriots. 1 '
From this it appears, there is no sufficient evidence
of a Latin translation of the gospels, up to the time of
Tertullian, at the opening of the third century.
The fact that Tertullian did not use a Latin transla-
tion, is made more manifest by a passage in the 9th
chapter of the 2nd book against Marcion. Speaking
of the nature of the soul, he says:
"We must at the outset, hold fast the meaning of the Greek scripture, which
has afflatus, not spirit. (IIvoijv, not Ttrsvjua.) Some interpreters of the
Greek, without reflecting on the difference of the words, and careless about
their exact meaning, put spirit for efflatus;" &c.
Here Tertullian would very naturally have referred
to the translation, had there been one in use, and
would have commented upon the meaning given to the
Greek words by the translator. On the contrary, he
speaks of the meaning attached to the words by dif-
ferent " interpreters of the Greek." Tertullian was a
Greek scholar, and doubtless, did his own translating.
In the passage referred to by Tertullian, the word
is SFIRACULUM, in the Vulgate, not EFFLATUS. If a Lat-
in translation was then in use, it is not probable the
Vulgate would afterward have differed from it, in the
THE FOUR CANONICAL GOSPELS. 307
use of this word.
Again, in his citations from Marcion, Tertullian quot-
ed in Latin, as he did from the four gospels. There is
still less reason to suppose he had before him a trans-
lation of the Greek of Marcion. The reasonable con-
clusion is, therefore, that he gave his own rendering to
the text of all these gospels.
Tertullian aside, there is absolutely no evidence of
any Latin translation of the gospels, earlier than the
third century.
There is in fact, nothing very definite until the fourth
Century. But as the language of Augustine, Jerome
and Hilary, would seem to imply the existence of at
least one translation before their time, it may be as-
sumed that there was a Latin translation in the third
century.
THE VULGATE. This may be said to date properly
from the revision of Jerome, A. D. 383. It is not cer-
tain whether it extended beyond the gospels, though
he was requested by Damasus to revise the New Testa-
ment, and his work is sometimes spoken of as a revis-
ion of the whole.
If any revision of the balance was made, it was less
carefully and thoroughly done; so that the vulgate was
a composite work, consisting of a complete translation
of the gospels, and some corrections and emendations
of the then current Latin version of the balance of the
New Testament.
THE PESHITO. Efforts have been made, also, to date
the Syriac version in the second, or even in the first
808 FIFTH PEEIOD. A. I>. 170 to A. D. 185
century; but with no better success. The whole sub-
ject was carefully examined by Bishop Marsh, who came
to the conclusion that we had no reliable evidence con-
cerning the Peshito, earlier than Ephraim, who lived in
the fourth century. How much earlier than that the
version existed, was a matter of speculation. '
Dr. Davidson goes somewhat farther, but stops at the
third century. He says:
"In Syria, a version of the New Testament, for the use of the church, wa&
made early in the third century." This was the Peshito. Canon, p. 114.
The Latin and the Syriac were the languages spoken
by the great body of Christians, who did not under-
stand the Hebraistic Greek, in which the scriptures
were written. There being, then, no translations into
these languages, before the third century, why, if the
gospels were written in the times of the apostles, were
all the churches where those languages prevailed, de-
prived of the use of the books for more than a hundred
and fifty years?
4. No manuscripts of the gospels are in existence,
dating farther back than the fourth century. Of that
century or the next, there are three or four, and some
twenty or thirty, more than a thousand years old.
Not only are there no older manuscripts now in ex-
istence, but there is no evidence, so far as we are aware,
that older copies have existed, at any time, for hun-
dreds of years past. They are said to have been destroy-
ed in the persecution of Diocletian, about A. D. 303;
(1.) Notes to Michaelis, vol. 2, p. 554.
THE FOUR CANONICAL GOSPELS. 309
but how could every hidden manuscript be thus reached
and destroyed?
5. No autograph manuscript of any of the gospels
has ever been known, so far as there is any authentic
record: nor has any credible witness ever claimed to
have seen such a manuscript. Jerome did claim that
the gospel concerning the birth of Mary, and the in-
fancy of the Savior, which he translated for the bishops,
was in the hand- writing of Matthew. But we are not
aware that he or any one else ever claimed to have
seen a manuscript of either of the four gospels, in the
hand-writing of Luke, Mark, Matthew or John. If the
autograph manuscripts had ever existed, they would
have been preserved, among the most sacred relics of
the church.
If they once existed, and were destroyed, where is the
record of their existence, and when and where were
they destroyed, by whom and under what circum-
stances? Who made the first copies and when, and
what evidence have we that they were correctly trans-
cribed?
6. During the first two centuries, tradition was es-
teemed of more value, and better evidence of the gos-
pel history, than any written books or manuscripts.
Of this, the reader has had repeated evidence in these
pages. Papias, in the middle of the second century,
considered that the information which he could derive
from books, was not so profitable as that which was
preserved in a living tradition.
310 FIFTH PERIOD. A.D. 170 to A.D. 185.
The great outlines of the life of Christ, says Ire-
naeus, "were received by barbarous nations, without
written documents, by ancient tradition." *
The extent to which tradition was relied upon, is well
illustrated by the letter of PtolemsBus to Flora, about
A. D. 190. He says he will explain to her the partic-
ulars of that doctrine which he had just been mention-
ing, " by the help of tradition received from the
apostles, and handed down to us." He adds, "All must
be tried by, and made to square with the doctrine of
the Savior himself, which was to be the rule." :
This extensive use of tradition, and the preferring it
to any written books, is inconsistent with the general
use of gospels which were deemed authoritative and in-
spired records.
7. The dialect in which the New Testament books
were written, a sort of Hebraistic Greek, has been con-
sidered evidence of their antiquity. But this dialect
prevailed for three centuries after Christ, and was in
full use during the second century. The same or sim-
ilar Hebraisms abound in the apocryphal gospels of
that age.
8. The canonical gospels were selected by the bish-
ops from a large number then in circulation. This is
asserted by Origen; who says:
And that not four gospels, but very many were written, out of which those
we have were chosen, and delivered to the churches, we may perceive," &c. In
Prcem. Luca, Horn. 1, t. 2, p. 210.
*
(1.) Adv. Hssr. 3. 4. 2.
(2.) In App. ad Iren. Grabe, Spi. Pat. vol. 2, p. 77.
TEE FOUR CANONICAL GOSPELS. 311
CHAPTER XXVI.
THE FOUR CANONICAL GOSPELS.-Contiimed.
THE GOSPELS AS A GROUP.
Considered together, as a history, the gospels are
fragmentary and incoherent, and far from harmonious.
In the first place, there is a radical difference be-
tween the Gospel of John on the one side, and the three
synoptics on the other.
In the synoptics, Jesus speaks in parables and pro-
verbs. Short, pithy sayings are ever on his lips. In
John, he indulges in theological discourses. In the
Synoptics, his ministry lasted one year. Scene, Galilee,
except the last few days of his life. In John his min-
istry lasted some three years, and the time was spent
mostly in Jerusalem, and other parts of Judaea.
There are a few places where the four gospels run
parallel. There are parallel passages, more or less
similar, concerning the feeding of the multitude on five
loaves and two fishes Jesus riding into Jerusalem
the reference to his betrayal, when in conversation
with his disciples the prediction of his denial to Peter
312 FIFTH PERIOD. A. D. 170 to A. D. 185.
the smiting by Peter of the servant of the high
priest the denial of Christ by Peter the question of
Pilate to Jesus, asking him if he was the king of the
Jews the scene concerning the release of Barabbas
the crucifixion of Jesus, with some few of the circum-
stances attending it the parting of his garments the
crucifixion of the thieves the title on the cross the
begging of the body of Jesus, his burial, and the visit
to the sepulcher. In these, however, there is consider-
able diversity, and even contrariety of statement.
Then again, John is parallel with Mark and Matthew,
in the account of Jesus walking on the sea; and of the
woman who poured ointment upon him.
John is also parallel with Mark, in the appearance
of Jesus to Mary Magdalene, after the resurrection,
though the account is much amplified in John, and is
parallel with Luke, in the report of Pilate to the Jews,
that he found no fault in Jesus, and with the visit of
Peter to the sepulcher; with, as in the case of Mary,
much amplification.
With the exception of these, and perhaps two or
three other passages, every thing in John is different
from the other gospels, or very differently related.
Any consideration of the gospels as a group, must
therefore, be confined to the other three.
THE SYNOPTIC GOSPELS.
No question connected with gospel history, has at-
tracted more attention, or elicited more discussion,
than that of the origin and formation of the synoptic
THE FOUR CANONICAL GOSPELS. 313
gospels, Luke, Mark and Matthew. Volumes have been
written upon it, but with very unsatisfactory results.
That they are not merely copied, one from the other,
with changes, is the almost unanimous verdict of bib-
lical scholars. At the same time the resemblance, not
in incident merely, but in language also, is so close, as
to indicate some common source, which was drawn
upon, in their construction. As to the nature of this
source, some have supposed an original gospel, others,
several original fragmentary gospels; others again,
have believed them written mainly from oral traditions.
Eichhorn thought but one document was used by the
three evangelists; that various additions had been made
to different copies of it; and that some of the evangel-
ists had some of these copies; others, others; that
every thing found in common in the three synoptics,
was in the common document.
In one respect, the theory of Eichhorn deserves es-
pecial attention; recognizing, as it does, the natural
working of the law of accretion. He considered the
portions which were common to Matthew and Mark,
and not in Luke, additions made in the copies of a
common document, which were used by Matthew and
Mark; and in like manner, that those portions found
in common in Mark and Luke, and not in Matthew,
were additions made in the copies used by Mark and
Luke. '
Bishop Marsh made a thorough examination of the
subject, and his views may be condensed as follows:
(1.) Michaelis, by Marsh, vol. 3, pt. 2, p. 192.
314 FIFTH PERIOD. A. D. 170 to A. D. 185,
1. The three evangelists used copies of a common
Hebrew document.
2. Matthew used this with some additions, in writing
his original gospel, which Marsh supposes to have been
in Hebrew.
3. Mark and Luke translated the common 'document
into Greek, and used, besides, another Greek transla-
tion of it.
4. Afterward, Matthew was translated into Greek, by
some one who made use of Mark and Luke.
5. In addition to the common document, there was
another, containing only precepts, parables and dis-
courses of Christ, which was used only by Matthew
and Luke, who had different copies. '
This theory, though quite complicated, comes nearer,
probably, than any other, to explaining all the facts,
on the hypothesis that Matthew is a mere translation.
That hypothesis, is, however, pretty nearly aban-
doned.
Schleiermacher, not looking upon the theory of
Marsh as satisfactory, discarded the hypothesis of a
common, original gospel, and undertook to show that
Luke, which he considered the principal, and the most
reliable gospel, consisted merely of a collection of a
large number of manuscripts, compiled and arranged
by some one, who wrote nothing more than was neces-
sary to adapt the phraseology to a continuous narra-
tive. This theory deserves the most careful attention.
(1.) Notes to Michaelis, vol. 3, pt. 2.
TEE FOUR CANONICAL GOSPELS.
It may prove to be the key to the whole subject; es-
pecially if it shall become established, as we believe it
will be, that Luke was the first of these gospels, and
was written after Marcion.
Ewald supposes an original gospel, containing the
record of the baptism, the temptation and the passion.
This was the substructure, used by Paul, and com-
posed, perhaps, by the evangelist Philip. It was in
Greek. Then followed the Hebrew Oracles, by Mat-
thew, which with some narratives, contained nearly all
the discourses of Christ. Then came Mark, and after
that Matthew and Luke. '
In all these theories, too little attention appears to
have been given to the evidence indicating a late date
to these gospels; too little account taken of their close
relation to the apocryphal gospels; and the law of
accretion, in its application to the question, has not
been sufficiently considered.
Other things being equal, the shortest document is
the oldest. Not until this fact is recognized, can the
complicated questions connected with the synoptic
gospels, ever be solved.
The character of the synoptics is well delineated by
Mr. Sunderland, as follows:
" At least three of the four gospels can have had no real authors, as we
usually understand that word. They are the work of editors; they are com-
pilations; 'mosaics'; the material which enters in to make them up, being
real utterances of Jesu*, real events of his life, together with more or less of
legendary elements, and deviations from historic facts, occasioned by the
(1.) Yahrbucher, 1848, 1849.
316 FIFTH PERIOD. A. D. 170 to A.D. 185.
lapse of years, and the necessary imperfection of the human memory. 1 ' What
is the Bible, &c. p. 65.
THE LAW OF ACCRETION,
APPLIED TO THE CANONICAL GOSPELS.
The result of a careful comparison of the four gos-
pels, noting all the parallels which consist, not of
short passages merely, but of continuous narratives,
may be stated as follows:
1. LUKE COMPARED WITH MATTHEW.
In 92 parallels, Luke is the shortest in 44, and the longest in 32. The others
about equal.
2. LUKE COMPARED WITH MARK.
In 95 parallels, Luke is the shortest in 57, and the longest in 21. The others
equal.
3. LUKE COMPARED WITH JOHN.
In 19 parallels, Luke is the shortest in 13, the longest in 4.
The preponderance of shorter passages in Luke,
As compared with Matthew, is as 11 to 8.
As compared with Mark, as 19 to 7.
As compared with John, more than 3 to 1.
Of all the parallels, 206 in number, Luke is the shortest in 114, the longest
in 57. Proportion, 2 to 1.
This points to Luke as the older gospel, unless some other reason can be
assigned for its greater brevity.
4. MATTHEW COMPARED WITH MARK.
In 105 parallels, Matthew is the shortest in 44 and the longest in 35.
5. MATTHEW COMPARED WITH JOHN.
In 22 parallels, Matthew is the shortest in 13, and the longest in 7.
6. MARK COMPARED WITH JOHN.
In 23 parallels, Mark is the shortest in 12, and the longest in 10.
According to the law of accumulation, or accretion,
the order of date of these gospels would be Luke,
.Matthew, Mark, John.
We think, for reasons which will be given in a subse-
THE FOUR CANONICAL GOSPELS. 317
quent chapter, that the Gospel of Matthew constitutes
an exception to the rule, and the true order is, Luke,
Mark, John, Matthew.
This order for the synoptics, agrees with the conclu-
sions of the Kev. Mr. San day, as to the relative correct-
ness of the three gospels.
"The very same investigation," says he, "which shows that our present St.
Mark was not an original (gospel), tells with increased force against St. Mat-
thew. When a document exists dealing with the same subject matter as two
other documents, and those two other documents agree together, and dift'er
from it, on as many as 944 separate points, there can be little doubt, that in a
great majority of those points, it has deviated from the original, and that it is,
therefore, secondary in character. It is both secondary, and secondary on a
lower stage than St. Mark; it has preserved the features of the original, with a
less amount of accuracy.
"The points of the triple synopsis, on which Matthew fails to receive veri-
fication, are in all, 944; those on which Mark fails to receive verification, 334;
or in other words, the inaccuracies of Matthew are to those of Mark, nearly as
three to one." Gospels of the Second Centwy, p. 152.
The inaccuracies of Matthew as compared with
Luke, he estimates at five to one.
The time when the four gospels were written, cannot
be definitely determined, but may be approximately
stated, thus:
Luke, A. D. 170, Mark, 175, John, 178, Matthew, 180.
The theory of a common document for the synoptic
gospels, so ably advocated by Eichhorn, cannot be con-
sidered as overthrown. The fragmentary character of
Luke, has, it is true, been quite conclusively shown by
Schleiermacher. But suppose the common document
was of a like fragmentary character, and was itself a
compilation. Suppose one copy of this came to the
hands of Marcion, and was afterward used by the au-
thor of Luke, each of whom made additions from other
318 FIFTH PERIOD. A. D. 170 to A. D. 185.
manuscripts. Suppose other copies of the same docu-
ment, in later stages of accretion, came afterward to
the hands of the other gospel historians, successively,
and were used by them, with additions of their own,
or from other manuscripts. This would account for
the complicated phenomena which are presented by
the gospels, and which have proved so perplexing to
commentators.
Eichhorn did not believe, from a comparison of the
four gospels with each other and with older documents,
that they came into use before the end of the second
century.
Thus his theory, based upon internal criticism, har-
monizes with the historical evidence; a fact which
entitles it to greater consideration.
TEE FOUR CANONICAL GOSPEL8. 319
CHAPTER XXVII.
THE FOUE CANONICAL GOSPELS. -Continued.
HISTORY OF JESUS, AS GIVEN IN THE GOSPELS.
The genealogy, birth and childhood of Jesus, are
narrated in two only ot the canonical gospels, Luke and
Matthew.
1. THE GENEALOGY OF JESUS.
If immaculately conceived, Christ had no human
genealogy, except upon the mother's side; a fact which
was recognized in some of the earlier gospels, and by
the earlier fathers, who deemed it sufficient, that Mary
was of the race of David. '
But the compilers of Luke and Matthew, not satisfied
that the genealogy of Jesus should be traced through a
woman, undertook, strangely enough, to show that
Joseph was descended from David. That this was an
afterthought, is sufficiently manifest from the result of
the undertaking. Both historians give a long line of
ancestry; but Matthew has Christ descended from
(1.) Protevangelion, ch. 10; Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho, chs. 23,
43, 45, 100; Clement of Alex. Strom. 1. 21.
320 FIFTH PERIOD. A. D. 170 to A. D. 185.
Solomon, son of David, while, according to Luke, he
descended from Nathan, brother of Solomon.
From that point on, the chain would necessarily be
different. Where the names given are alike, if not en-
tirely fictitious, and thrown in merely to fill up, they
were, of course, different persons having the same
' name; and the genealogy ends, as might be expected;
the chroniclers assigning to Joseph different fathers.
Many attempts have been made to explain this pal-
pable contradiction, but there is no substantial agree-
ment concerning it, among commentators. The theory
that Luke intended the genealogy of Mary, though
flatly opposed to the grammatical construction of the
Greek, finds probably, at the present time, the most
supporters.
Perhaps the reader will be satisfied with the follow-
ing explanation of Augustine:
"St. Matthew descends through Solomon, by whose mother David sinned;
St. Luke ascends through Nathan, another son of the same David, through
whom he was purged from his sin. For we read that Nathan was sent to re-
prove him, and that he might, through repentance, be healed. Both evange-
lists meet together in David, the one in descending, the other in ascending. "-
Sermon 51.
Again: "Now in the generations which Matthew enumerates, the predomi-
nant number is forty. For it is the custom of the holy scriptures, not to reck-
on what is over and above certain round numbers." Ibid.
2. THE BIRTH AND INFANCY OF JESUS.
Here, again, the only canonical historians are the au-
thors of Luke and Matthew, and they agree no better
in this, than in the genealogy of Joseph.
According to Luke, Jesus having been born in Beth-
lehem, his parents remained there until the end of the
THE FOUR CANONICAL GOSPELS. 321
forty days required for the purification of Mary, when
they brought him to Jerusalem, where he was publicly
presented in the temple. Joseph and Mary then return-
ed to Nazareth, which, according to the historian, had
been their former residence. It has been seen in a for-
mer chapter, that the author of Luke made several
changes in Marcion's Gospel, to accommodate it to his
theory that the parents of Jesus had formerly resided
in Nazareth. '
The author of Matthew, on the other hand, did not
recognize Nazareth as having been the former residence
of Joseph and Mary. Instead of returning to that
place from Bethlehem, through Jerusalem, they are
warned to flee into Egypt, since Herod would seek to
destroy the child. And when, after the death of Herod,
they returned from Egypt, being warned in a dream,
they "turned aside" into the parts of Galilee.
In Luke, nothing is said of the magi, the slaughter
of the infants, or the flight to Egypt. In Matthew,
nothing is said of the announcement to Mary, the ap-
pearance to the shepherds, or the presentation in the
temple.
The public presentation of Jesus at that time, in the
temple, at Jerusalem, is utterly inconsistent with the
seeking of his life by Herod, and the warning to his
parents at Bethlehem.
"All attempts," says Schleiermacher, "to reconcile these two contradictory
statements, seem only elaborate efforts of art." Essay on Luke, p. 48.
(1.) This theory was supported by the Gospel of the Infancy.
322 FIFTH PERIOD. A. D. 170 to A. D. 185.
But this is not all. There is a difference between
Luke and Matthew, of about eleven years, in the time
of the birth of Christ.
According to Matthew, Jesus was born during the
reign of Herod, and some time, say two years, before
his death. Herod was succeeded by Archelaus, who
reigned nine years, and was then banished. The coun-
try of Archelaus was then added to the province of
Syria, and Cyrenius was sent out as governor, with in-
structions to take an account of the people's effects, for
the purposes of taxation. '
This, which was more than nine years after the
death of Herod, was, according to Luke, the time when
Jesus was born. [Luke, 2. 1 to 7.]
Numberless attempts have been made to solve the
difficulty. Dr. Lardner has handled the subject at great
length, and with much skill and ingenuity. 2
It may be safely said, however, that the difficulty has
never been removed. In the language of Schleier-
macher, the "most indispensable conditions" to a
solution of these chronological difficulties, "are want-
ing." For which reason, he asserts that in the attempt
to solve them, "no one has yet met with the slightest
degree of success." !
Perhaps the most plausible theory is that of Zumpt,
who supposes Cyrenius was twice Governor of Syria. 4
(1.) Josephus, Antiq. bk. 17, ch. 13; bk. 18, ch. 1.
(2.) Lardner's Works, vol. 1, pp. 136 to 179.
(3.) Essay on Luke, p. 38.
(4.) See Smith's Bible Dictionary, Article, "Cyrenius."
TEE FOUR CANONICAL GOSPELS. 323
The argument of Zumpt, though ingenious, is far
from satisfactory. It is rather a speculation as to what
might possibly have been. The two governorships are
inconsistent with the language of Josephus, who speaks
of Cyrenius as one who had been consul, and who had
passed through various magistracies before becoming
consul. His governorship is then spoken of, in such a
way as indicates it to be a new magistracy.
Besides, even if Cyrenius had before been Governor
of Syria, the difficulty would not be removed, except
by supposing an assessment and taxing, under his first
administration. But the taxing referred to by Josephus,
was a new thing. It was manifestly the first attempt
of the kind, as it resulted in a revolt, of a very serious
character.
In regard to the place of residence of the parents of
Jesus, and the journey to Bethlehem, some light may
be thrown upon the subject by Jerome's translation,
from memory, of one of the gospels of the Infancy, a
translation which has usually been known as the Gospel
of the Birth of Mary. '
It is there stated, [ch. 1J, that the family of Mary's
father was of Nazareth, and the family of her mother
of Bethlehem. According to the Gospel of the Infancy
also, Joseph and Mary were residing at Nazareth.
It would be very natural that as the time of her de-
livery drew near, Mary should desire to be with her
mother, who probably, was not able to visit her. This
(1.) See ch. 17, of this work.
324 FIFTH PERIOD. A. D. 170 to A. D. 185.
furnishes a much more plausible reason for the jour-
ney to Bethlehem, than that of the enrollment for taxa-
tion, as given in Luke; since the personal presence
of Mary, for that purpose, would not, under such cir-
cumstances, have been required.
3. THE CHILDHOOD OF JESUS.
Here Luke is the only historian r and relates but a
single incident; the dispute of Jesus with the doctors
in the temple, when he was but twelve years of age.
This narrative, which Schleiermacher supposes to have
been contained in a separate manuscript, was no doubt
the same which, with accumulations, constituted
the 50th chapter of the Gospel of the Infancy.
With this exception, the whole life of the great teach-
er, except one year or perhaps three years at its close,
is buried in oblivion.
In the Gospel of the Infancy, there are further ac-
counts of the childhood of Jesus. But as some of them
are not to his credit, while all are of an extravagant
nature, they are prudently omitted from the canonical
history.
4. THE MINISTRY OF JESUS.
The plain inference from the synoptic gospels is, that
the ministry of Christ lasted but one year. Every
thing related appears to have taken place in or near
Galilee, and within the year. He goes up to Jerusalem
to but one passover.
But according to John, the ministry must have last-
THE FOUR CANONICAL GOSPELS. 325
ed much longer, as he goes up to three or four passo-
vers, at least. A large part of the time was passed in
Judaea and Jerusalem.
To add to the confusion, Irenaeus, the first writer
who mentions the four gospels, asserts that the minis-
try of Jesus lasted about twenty years, and that he
was more than fifty years old when he was crucified.
He discusses the question at considerable length. The
following is his statement, with the argument by which
he supports it:
IREN^US AGAINST HERESIES, BOOK II, CHAPTER XXII.
CHRIST DID NOT SUFFER IN THE TWELFTH MONTH AFTER HIS BAPTISM;
BUT WAS MORE THAN FlFTY TEAKS OLD WHEN HE DIED.
"I have shown that the number thirty fails them (the heretics) in every re-
spect; too few aeons, as they represent them, being at one time found within
the Pleroma, and then again too many.
"There are not, therefore, thirty seons, nor did the Savior come to be bap-
tized when he was thirty years old for this reason, that he might show forth the
thirty silent seons of their system; otherwise they must first of all separate
and eject (the Savior) himself from the Pleroma of all.
"Moreover, they affirm that he suffered in the twelfth month, so that he
continued to preach for one year after his baptism. They endeavor to estab-
lish this point out of the prophet; (for it is written, 'To proclaim the accepta-
ble year of the Lord, and the day of retribution;') being truly blind, inas-
much as they affirm they have found out the mysteries of Bythus; yet not un-
derstanding that which is called by Isaiah, the acceptable year of the Lord,
nor the day of retribution. For the prophet neither speaks concerning a day
which includes a space of twelve hours, nor of a year the length of which is
twelve months.
"For even they themselves acknowledge, that the prophets have very often
expressed themselves in parables and allegories, and not according to the mere
eound of the words." 1 *
"2. [In this section, Irenseus comments further, upon the meaning of the
phrases, 'acceptable year of the Lord,' and 'day of retribution.' He claims
326 FIFTH PERIOD. A. D. 170 to A. D. 185,
that the day of retribution has not come, and therefore the acceptable year
has not passed, and hence it must be more than a year of twelve months.]
"3. [The argument in this section is based upon the Gospel of John; Ire-
naeus claiming, that according to the record of "John, the disciple of the
Lord," Christ went up to Jerusalem to three passovers. Beside the three
mentioned by Irenseus, there would appear to be another; four in all, as fol-
lows: (1), John, 2. 23; (2), John, 5. 1; (3), John, 6. 4; (4), John, 13. 1. The
first, second and fourth are mentioned by Irenseus. He closes the section
thus:]
"Their explanation^ therefore, both of the year and the twelfth month, has
been proved false, and they ought to reject, either their explanation, or the
gospel; otherwise, how is it possible, that the Lord preached for one year
only?
"4. Being thirty years old when he came to be baptized, and then possess-
ing the full age of a master, [or teacher], he came to Jerusalem, so that he
might be properly acknowledged by all as a master. For he did not seem one
thing while he was another, as those affirm, who describe him as being man,
only in appearance; but what he was, that he also appeared to be. Being
a master, therefore, he .also possessed the age of a master, not despising or
evading any condition of humanity, nor setting aside in himself that law
which he had appointed for the human race, but sanctifying every age, by
that period corresponding to it, which belonged to himself. For he came to
save all through means of himself all I say, who through him are born again
to God infants and children, and boys, and youths, and old men.
"He therefore passed through every age; becoming an infant for infants,,
thus sanctifying infants; a child for children, thus sanctifying those who are
of this age, being at the same time made to them an example of piety, right-
eousness and submission; a youth for youths, becoming an example to youths,
and thus sanctifying them for the Lord.
"So likewise, he was an old man for old men, that he might be a perfect
master for all; not merely as respects the setting forth of the truth, but also
as regards age; sanctifying at the same time, the aged also, and becoming an
example to them likewise. Then, at last, he came on to death itself, that he
might be 'the first born from the dead, that in all things he might have the
pre-eminence;' the Prince of Life, existing before all, and going before all.
"5. They, however, that they may establish their false opinion regarding
that which is written, 'To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord/ main-
THE FOUR CANONICAL GOSPELS. 327
tain that he preached for one year only, and then suffered in the twelfth
month. They are forgetful to their own disadvantage, destroying his whole
work, and robbing him of that age which is both more necessary and more
honorable than any other; that more advanced age, 1 mean, during which
also, as a teacher, he excelled all others. For how could he have had disciples
if he did not teach? And how could he have taught, unless he had reached
the age of a master? For when he came to be baptized, he had not yet
completed his thirtieth year, but was beginning to be about thirty years
of age. (For thus Luke, who has mentioned his years, has expressed it: 'Now
Jesus was, as it were, beginning to be thirty years old,' when he came to re-
ceive baptism.) And, (according to these men), he preached only one year,
reckoning from his baptism; and on completing his thirtieth year, he suffered,
being in fact, still a young man, who had by no means attained to advanced
age.
"Now, that the first stage of early life embraces thirty years, and that this
extends onward to the fortieth year, every one will admit; but from the forti-
eth and fiftieth year, a man begins to decline toward old age; which our Lord
possessed, while he still fulfilled the office of a teacher, even as the gospel
and all the elders testify; those who were conversant in Asia, with John, the
disciple of the Lord, that John conveyed to them that information. And he
(John) remained among them, up to the times of Trajan. Some of them,
moreover, saw not only John, but the other apostles also, and heard the-same
account from them, and bear testimony to the statement.
"Whom, then, should we believe? Such men as these, or Ptolemaeus, who
never saw the apostles, and who never, even in his dreams, attained to the
slightest trace of an apostle?
"6. But besides this, those very Jews who then disputed with the Lord Jesus
Christ, have most clearly indicated the same thing. For when the Lord said
to them 'Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day, and he saw it, and
was glad;' they answered him, 'Thou art not yet fifty years old; and hast
thou seen Abraham ? Now, such language is fittingly applied to one who has
already passed the age of forty, without having yet reached his fiftieth year,
yet is not far from this latter period. But to one who is only thirty years old,
it would unquestionably be said, 'Thou art not yet forty years old.' For those
who wished to convict him of falsehood, would certainly not extend the num-
ber of his years far beyond the age which they saw he had attained. But they
328 FIFTH PERIOD. A. D. 170 to A. D. 185.
mentioned a period near his real age, whether they had truly ascertained this
out of the entry in the public register, or simply made a conjecture from what
they observed, that he was above forty years old, and that he certainly was not
one of only thirty years of age.
"It is altogether unreasonable to suppose that they were mistaken by twen-
ty years, when they wished to prove him younger than the times of Abraham.
For what they saw, that they also expressed ; and he whom they beheld, was
not a mere phantom, but an actual being of flesh and blood. He did not then
want much of being fifty years old; and in accordance with that fact, they
said to him, 'Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?'
"He did not therefore, preach for only one year, nor did he suffer in the
twelfth month of the year. For the period included between the thirtieth and
fiftieth year, can never be regarded as one year, unless, indeed, among their
seons, there be so long years assigned to those who sit in their ranks, with
Bythus, in the Pleroma. Of which beings, Homer, the poet, too, has spoken;
doubtless being inspired by the mother of their error:
" 'The gods sat round, while Jove presided o'er,
And converse held upon the golden floor. 1 "
This extraordinary passage from Irenseus, we have
given almost entire. It is a very important chapter, in
the history of the times; one which has hitherto been
kept in the back ground. It is time an attempt was
made to estimate its historical value.
As to the reasoning of Irenaeus, much of it is of an
a priori character, and as applied to such a subject, en-
titled to but little consideration. But the argument
founded upon the passage, John, 8. 56, 57, is a good
one. If Jesus was then but about thirty years of age,
the Jews might have said, "Thou art not yet forty
years old;" but they would scarcely have said, for
any purpose, "Thou art not yet fifty years old."
Much less, when their object was to remind him
of the few years which he had spent upon the earth,
THE FOUR CANONICAL GOSPELS. 329
would they have added eighteen or twenty years, in
specifying the limit which he had not reached.
Our author was fully aware of the force of the
argument, and accordingly he elaborates it with the
confidence of one conscious of writing from a strong
position. His conclusion cannot well be avoided. We
may therefore, put down the author of the Gospel ac-
cording to John, as the second witness of the second
century, to the fact, that Jesus was nearly fifty years
old at his crucifixion.
Besides these two. there is also, unless Irenaeus tells
an absolute falsehood, the testimony of all the elders
in Asia, who were conversant with John, and some of
them with the other apostles also. It must be remem-
bered that Irenaeus had been a companion of Polycarp
and others who had seen John, and that he was speak-
ing of what had come to his personal knowledge from
the elders in Asia. If, then, Irenaeus tells the truth,
he evidence in favor of the fact, is almost overwhelm-
j. If, on the other hand, he would deliberately falsi-
ty in a matter of this importance, what is his testimony
worth, as to the origin of the four gospels?
Against this evidence, we have only the silence of
the gospels. But if the silence of the synoptics is con-
sistent with a ministry of three or four years, why is
not the further silence of all the gospels, consistent
with a ministry of twenty years?
How would such a theory affect the received chron-
ology concerning Christ? The date of the crucifixion
330 FIFTH PERIOD. A. D. 170 to A. D. 185.
at not later than A. D. 36, or when Christ was, by the
received chronology forty years old, is settled by the
fact, that in that year, Pontius Pilate was removed
from his government. That the death of Jesus occur-
red while Pilate was procurator is attested, not only
by five extant gospels, but by the historian, Tacitus,
who, in speaking of the Christians, says:
"They had their denomination from Christus, who, in the reign of Tiberius,
was put to death as a criminal, by the procurator, Pontius Pilate. Annals,
lib. 15, ch. 44. (Tiberius reigned till A. D. 37.)
If, 'then, it be accepted as a historical fact that Christ
was about fifty years old at his crucifixion, the date of
his birth would have to be set back, at least ten
years.
It having already been found necessary to date his
birth four years before the time first settled upon for
the commencement of the Christian era, there can be
no objection to extending the four to fourteen, if the
facts require it.
It is well known that the date of the Christian era
was fixed, in the year 525, by the Roman Abbot, Dion-
ysius Exiguus. It was based upon the account of the
birth of Christ as given in Matthew, which is a legend
of but little historic value. It is now agreed that
Dionysius was mistaken in his date, by at least four
years. It is agreed that Jesus was born at least four
years before the commencement of the Christian era.
and it may have been fourteen or even twenty.
THE FOUR CANONICAL GOSPELS. 331
5. THE CRUCIFIXION OF JESUS.
In a former chapter, we have given the reasons for
believing that the extant gospel, called the Acts of Pi-
late, contains the most reliable historical account of
the crucifixion.
The accounts in the canonical gospels, are by no
means consistent or harmonious. The four historians
agree that Jesus was apprehended and brought before
the high priest, and taken thence before Pilate, where
he was examined. Luke has him then sent by Pilate
to Herod, who mocked him, arrayed him in a gorgeous
robe, and sent him back to Pilate; an episode of some
importance in the trial, not mentioned in the other
gospels. Passing over some minor discrepancies, such
as that Barabbas was a murderer in Mark and Luke,
while in John, he was only known as a robber, and the
difference in the color of the robe placed upon Jesus,
we come to the statement of John, that Jesus bore his
own cross, (which was customary in such cases), to the
place of crucifixion. The synoptics, on the other hand,
unite in saying that the cross was borne by Simon the
Cyrenian. This discrepancy, on the face of it a some-
what serious one, is explained in one of the apocryphal
gospels, which states that Jesus himself bore the cross
a portion of the way, and Simon the remainder.
Proceeding with the narrative, we find that in Luke
only, is related an address of Jesus to the women, on
the way to his execution. When arrived there, he i&
given to drink, according to Mark, wine mingled with
832 FIFTH PERIOD. A. D. 170 to A. D. 185.
myrrh; according to Matthew, he was given vinegar,
mingled with gall, in fulfillment of a prophecy; Luke
has the vinegar without the gall.
Mark says, Jesus was crucified at the third hour.
(Ch. 15, v 25.) According to John, (19. 14,) it was about
the sixth hour, when he was brought forth to the Jews
by Pilate, after which, he had to be led to execution.
According to Matthew and Mark, there was darkness
over all the land, from the sixth to the ninth hour; to
which Luke adds, that the sun was darkened. The dy-
ing words of Jesus do not agree; Matthew and Mark
giving the same as those in the Acts of Pilate, while
the words in Luke are different, and those in John
different from all the others.
Jesus was upon the cross from three to six hours.
Even the latter period was much less than usual. Per-
sons crucified generally lingered at least twelve hours,
and sometimes two or three days. The remarkably
short time that he remained upon the cross, before be-
ing taken down by his disciples, has led some writers
to adopt the theory of suspended animation, to account
for the supposed resurrection of his body.
The inscription on the cross is given in four different
ways, and Luke and John state that it was written in
Greek, Latin and Hebrew. According to Mark, it con-
sisted of four Greek words; according to Luke, it
consisted of six; according to Matthew, seven; accor-
ding to John, seven also; but with a very important
-difference in two of the words.
THE FOUR CANONICAL GOSPELS. 333
In Mark and Matthew, both of the thieves on the
cross, are represented as reviling Jesus, while, according
to Luke, which follows the Acts of Pilate, but one of
them did so; he being rebuked by the other.
The synoptics state that the vail of the temple was
rent; to which Matthew adds an earthquake, the rend-
ing of the rocks, the opening of the graves, and the
coming forth of the dead, though this last is deferred
until after the resurrection. The graves are opened at
the crucifixion, and remain open two days, the inhabi-
tants waiting till Jesus should first arise, in order that
certain prophecies might be fulfilled.
In the Gospel of John, it is stated that in fulfillment
of certain prophecies, the side of Jesus was pierced
with a spear, and the soldiers refused to break his legs,
according to the custom in such cases, though it is to
be inferred that they had been commanded to do so.
These narratives throughout, bear the impress of
having been constructed, with reference to the fulfill-
ment of divers Jewish prophecies. It is not probable
that the details of the crucifixion had been preserved
in any authentic record, made contemporaneously with
the event. If such record existed, it was disregarded
in the prevailing anxiety to sustain the Messianic
character of Jesus, in accordance with the prophecies.
The Acts of Pilate, which, in its account of the cruci-
fixion, was probably the most authentic of any existing
record, was followed, in the canonical gospels, in some
particulars; in others, it was entirely disregarded.
834 FIFTH PERIOD. A. D. 170 to A. D. 185.
THE KESURKECTION OF JESUS.
The resurrection of the crucified body of Christ, is a
doctrine which cannot be traced back, beyond the sec-
ond century.
Paul, who believed in visions, thought he had seen
Jesus, and enumerates various other occasions when
Christ had been seen by his disciples. First, he was
seen by Cephas, then by the twelve, then by more than
five hundred brethren at once, then by James, then by
all the apostles, and last of all by Paul himself.
It is a fair inference, that these were all apparitions.
Paul had seen, or thought he had seen, the spirit, or
spiritual body of Jesus, and he had heard that the others
mentioned had seen the same. That such was the na-
ture of his own vision of Christ, is evident, not only
from his explanation of the nature of the resurrection,
but from the fact that the appearance to him, was af-
ter the time when, according to the canonical gospels.
Jesus had ascended to heaven. If, then, Jesus appeared
on earth, in the same body in which he was crucified,
it was not to Paul.
The appearance to the others, to which Paul alludes,
was, no doubt, of the same character as that to him-
self. The disciples believed they had seen the spirit
or spiritual body of Jesus.
But the Christians of the second century demanded a
doctrine concerning the resurrection, of a more mate-
rial and tangible character.
Accordingly, in the canonical gospels, the very body
TEE FOVR CANONICAL GOSPELS.
in which Jesus was crucified, and which was buried by
Joseph of Arimathea, is raised from the dead, appears
to the disciples, is not only seen but felt, and Jesus
himself, in the flesh, as he was before he was crucified,
calls for fish to eat, to satisfy his disciples that he was
not a spirit; that his body was not spiritual, but mate-
rial and human like theirs. Such a body fails to ful-
fill the conditions of the resurrection believed in and
described by Paul.
As might have been expected, the accounts framed
for the purpose of establishing this doctrine, are far
from being harmonious or consistent.
In Matthew, two women first come to the sepulcher;
in .Mark, three; in Luke, a larger number, in John, one.
As to the time of day, in Matthew, it had begun to
dawn; in John it was early, while it was yet dark, in
Mark, it was at sunrise.
According to Matthew, after the women had arrived
at the sepulcher, there was another earthquake, and
an angel descended from heaven, rolled back the stone,
and then addressed the women. According to the oth-
er historians, the women, upon arriving at the sepul-
cher, found the stone rolled away.
According to Mark, entering into the sepulcher, they
saw a young man, clothed in a long white garment.
According to Luke, there were two men, in shining
garments. According to John, there being but one
woman, when she saw the stone rolled away, she ran
and told Peter, who, with another, came to the sepul-
cher. The other disciple, outrunning Peter, came and
336 flFTH PERIOD. A. D. 170 to A. D. 185.
looked in. Then Peter came, and going in, saw the
linen clothes, and the napkin only. The other disci-
ple went in, and saw the same. They returned home,
after which, Mary, who remained, saw two angels.
Turning round, she saw Jesus, whom she did not know,
even after he had spoken to her, she supposing him to
be the gardener.
It is obvious, that these accounts, confused and irre-
concilable as they are, cannot be looked upon as his-
toric. They were manifestly written to supply a need
of the church in the second century.
Paul had known no rolling away of the stone from
the door of the sepulcher. The spiritual body in which
he believed, would require no such assistance. But
the Petrine and material element in the church pre-
vailed; the spiritual resurrection was set aside, and
Christ was made to rise in the very body in which he
had been crucified and buried.
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE. 337
CHAPTER XXVIII.
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE.
There is good reason to believe, that Luke was the
first of the canonical gospels. This is rendered prob-
able, partly by internal evidence, (it is compiled from
the oldest manuscripts), and partly by the necessity
which would exist, of having the first church gospel
one which would counteract the influence of Marcion.
This could best be done through a gospel which, while
differing from his, would not vary from it so much as
to be repulsive to his followers.
Besides, Marcion, who was a man of learning, had
with much care, compiled the most ancient gospel
manuscripts which he could obtain, and the church au-
thorities were under the necessity of using, to a con-
siderable extent, the same materials.
According to Schleiermacher, Luke consists of a
compilation of at least 33 different manuscripts; as
follows:
838
FIFTH PERIOD.
A. D. 170 to A. D. 185.
MANUSCRIPTS IN LUKE.
1. Introduction.
2. Chapter I.
3. Ch.
4. "
5. "
6. "
7. Ch.
8. "
9. "
10. "
11. "
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18.
19.
II, w. 1 to 20 inclusive.
" v. 21.
" 22 to 40.
41 to 52.
Ill v. 1, to ch. IV v. 15.
IV, vv. 16 to 30.
20. Chapter IX, vv. 46 to 50.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
; 51 to ch. X, v. 24.
X, vv. 25 to 37.
38 to 42.
XI, vv. 1 to 13.
" 14, to ch. XIII v. 9.
XIII, w. 10 to 22.
" 23, to ch. XIV v. 24.
XIV, vv. 25 to 35.
XV 1, to ch. XVII 19.
XVII 20, to XIX 48,
Consisting of three others;
XVII 20 to XVIII 14, XVIII
15 to XIX 28, and XIX 29 to
XIX 48.
31. Chapters XX and XXI.
32. Ch. XXII v. 1, to XXIII 49.
33. " XXIII v. 50, to the end of
the gospel.
31 to 44.
V, w. 1 to 11.
" " 12 to 16.
17 to 26.
" 27 to 39.
VI, 1 to 11.
" v. 12, to ch. VII v. 10.
VII, w. 11 to 50.
VIII, vv. 1 to 21.
22 to 56.
IX, w. 1 to 45.
No. 32 consisting, also, of two or more, blended.
Some of these divisions may be too artificial, and
may have been established to maintain some supposed
unity of purpose in the gospel historian: but the anal-
ysis itself appears to be founded in fact, and is, in the
main, pursued in a scientific manner.
If now, the same process be applied to the Gospel
of Marcion, it will be found to consist of a compilation
of 26 manuscripts.
An analysis of the two gospels, developes the fact,
that every manuscript, after the first eight of Luke,
appears in both gospels.
This circumstance favors the theory, that one of
these gospels was used in the construction of the other.
Which was probably the model?
Not only is Marcion much the shorter, but its nar-
ratives are simpler and more natural than those of
Luke.
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE. 339
The subject may be illustrated by reference to some
of the more important and extensive differences be-
tween the two gospels.
The first three chapters of Luke were not in Mar-
cion. The first part of the fourth chapter of Luke
Avhich appears in Marcion, is that commencing at verse
16. 'And he came to Nazareth.' This, in Marcion,
comes in its regular order, after the ministry at Caper-
naum; while in Luke, Jesus here refers to his doings
at Capernaum, though his visit there is not stated un-
til afterward. Though not in the same order, the
whole of the fourth chapter of Luke is in Marcion,
substantially, except the first 15 verses. But these
15 verses, together with the preceding chapter, none of
which was in Marcion, constitute altogether, according
to Schleiermacher, a single manuscript. The German
critic was writing without any reference to Marcion.
This coincidence may therefore be considered confirma-
tory at the same time, of the theory of Schleiermacher,
and the priority of Marcion.
In closing the fourth chapter, the author of Luke
having arranged sufficient preliminary matter, we may
suppose that he now took up the Gospel of Marcion,
which he found to be a compilation of manuscripts
carefully collected, and made it, from this point onward,
the basis of the Gospel according to Luke.
Let us see how, upon this supposition, he proceeded
with his work.
The style is pretty much the same in the additional
matter, as in that which is common to both gospels.
Changes and additions are found here and there, some
having been made for dogmatic reasons; others appar-
ently for no other purpose, than to compose a new
gospel.
The first addition of much importance, is Luke, ch.
340 FIFTH PERIOD. A. D. 170 to A. D. 185,
7, vv. 29 to 35. This contains a saying of Christ, in
which is a reference to John the Baptist. V. 34; "The
Son of Man is come, eating and drinking," &c. This
Hahn supposed was omitted by Marcion, because the
representation of Jesus eating and drinking, &c., was
opposed to Marcion's view of the spiritual and ethereal
nature of Christ's person. ' But in the very next verse
of Marcion's Gospel, Jesus is represented as going into
a Pharisee's house, and sitting down to meat. What-
ever reason existed for adding these verses in Luke,
we can see no reason for omitting them in Marcion.
2. The next place, where there is a difference of sev-
eral verses entire, is Luke, 11, vv. 6, 7 and 8. This is a
mere amplification of verse 5, which, in a condensed
form, is in Marcion.
3. Luke, 11. 30, 31 and 32. These verses relate to Jo-
nas, whose name had been inserted in the 29th verse.
In Marcion the reading is, "This is an evil generation;
they seek a sign, no sign shall be given it." In Luke,
"no sign shall be given it, but the sign of Jonas the
prophet." The following three verses explain in what
manner the preaching of Jonas might be regarded as
a sign. It is a continuation of the idea, and the whole
passage must stand or fall together.
4. Luke, 11. 49, 50, 51. This consists of a quotation
from an apocryphal book, called 'The Wisdom of God/
The quotation is of a suspicious character. It contains
the statement concerning Zacharias, who perished be-
tween the altar and the temple; a statement which, as
repeated in Matthew, (23. 35), with the addition of the
words "Son of Barachias," has caused commentators so
much trouble. a
(1.) Das Evangel. Mar. p. 147.
(2.) See Chapter on The Gospel according to Matthew.
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE. 341
Marcion has no allusion to Zacharias, and contains
no doubt, the more ancient form of this passage.
Much of the trouble comes from interpolations.
The interpolation, in Luke, led to the worse interpo-
lation in Matthew.
5. Luke, 13. 1 to 10, contains the legend concerning
Pilate, mingling the blood of the Galileans with their
sacrifices; also reference to those slain by the falling
of the town of Siloam; also the parable of the unfruit-
ful fig tree. None of it in Marcion.
6. Luke, 13. 29 to 35. This passage is doubtless an
interpolation. The portions of it are much disconnect-
ed, and the words "Go ye and tell that fox," referring
to Herod, can scarcely be accepted as the language of
Jesus.
7. One of the most extensive differences, is in the
parable of the prodigal son, Luke 15, 11 to 32; no part
of which is in Marcion. It is essentially Pauline in
spirit, as has been well remarked. l
There is no reason why so beautiful an illustration of
his own views, should have been omitted by Marcion.
8. Luke, 18. 31 to 34. Jesus predicts to the twelve,
his suffering, his death and resurrection. The predic-
tion had already been recorded, (Marcion 6. 22; Luke,
9. 22), and there is no reason why it should be repeated.
This entire passage in the 18th chapter, is probably an
interpolation.
9. The last twenty verses of the 19th Luke, are en-
tirely wanting in Marcion. The riding upon an ass'
olt, is an awkward episode, and was probably inserted
to set forth the fulfillment of the prophecy in Zech. 9.
9. Then follows the prediction concerning the destruc-
tion of Jerusalem. The other reference, in less explic-
(1.) Hahn, Das Evang. Mar. p. 182; Olshausen, Can. Ev. p. 208.
842 FIFTH PERIOD. A. D. 170 to A. D. 185.
it language, to the same event, (Luke 13. 34, 35), is also
wanting in Marcion. There is no certainty that the
prediction was ever uttered by Christ himself. Justin
Martyr, who would have found thi prophecy so perti-
nent to enforce his argument, made no allusion to it.
The remainder of this passage appears to have been
written to illustrate the fulfillment of the prophecy in
Jeremiah 7. 11.
10. Luke, 20. 9 to 18. The parable of the vineyard.
This is essentially Pauline in spirit, and has a man-
ifest application to the preaching of the gospel to
the Gentiles, after it had been rejected by the Jews.
There is no reason why Marcion should have omitted it.
11. Luke, 22. 16 to 18. The Paschal supper, has been
the cause of much controversy in all ages of the church,
and was the occasion of the first exercise of a general
jurisdiction by^the church of Rome. Without entering
into the controversy, suffice it to say, if, as there is
reason to believe, this passage in 22d Luke is an in-
terpolation upon Marcion, the question becomes much
simplified. The supper described in that chapter, ap-
pears to have been an ordinary meal, having been eat-
en the evening before the crucifixion; and yet, in vers-
es 16 to 18, it is referred to, as the passover.
12. Luke, 22. 28 to 30. This is a literal application
of certain prophecies to Jesus; an application such as
the Jews were constantly making, but such as he him-
self would scarcely have made, in the form here
presented.
13. Luke, 22. 35 to 38. Here, for the third time, Je-
sus is made to allude to his coming end. And when
his disciples told him there were two swords, he said,
"It is enough/' This is not the language of Jesus, who
would have rebuked them for making any allusion to
swords.
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LUKE. 343
14. Luke, 22. 49 to 51. Every thing relating to the
swords, and the use made of them, must be looked up-
on as an interpolation.
These are all of the more extended passages in Luke,
which are not in Marcion's Gospel. This analysis,
equally with the one in a former chapter, affords strong
evidence that Marcion was first written.
There are other considerations, indicating a late ori-
gin to this gospel.
1. It is expressly stated, in the introduction, that
many gospels had been written before this one:
"Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order, a declara-
ration of those things which are most surely believed among us, even as they
who from the beginning, were eye-witnesses and ministers of the word, de-
livered unto us ; it seemed good to me, also, ' ' &c.
It is the universal conclusion, that the author of Luke
does not here refer to any of the canonical gospels. '
The fact that the other three of those gospels are im-
pliedly excluded by the language used in Luke, raises
a strong implication, that they were not then written.
Why would the author refer to many unauthorized gos-
pels, and make no allusion to three which were re-
ceived as authority? It is an'opinion quite generally
entertained, that several gospels are referred to in
Luke, which are known to have been written in the
second century.
Origen considered that the Gospel of the Egyptians
and the Gospel of the Twelve Apostles, (of the He-
brews) were among the number. a
(1.) Origen, Homil. in Luc. 1. 1; Ambrose, Com. on Luke, 1; Augustine,
de Cons, Ev. 1. 4, c. 8; Eusebius, Ecc. Hist. 3. 24; Erasmus, in Luc. 1. 1; Bel-
larm. de Mat. Sacr. 1. 1, c. 16; Grotius, in Luc. 1.1; Father Simon, Grit. Hist,
of N. T. par. 1, ch. 3; Jones, vol. 1, p. 25; Stowe's Hist, of the 'Bible, p. 142.
(2.) Homily in Luc. 1.1.
344 fIFTH PERIOD. A. D. 170 to A. D. 185.
Jerome extends the list as follows:
"The evangelist Luke declares that there were many who wrote gospels,
when he says, 'forasmuch as many,' &c. (c. 1, v. 1), which being published
by various authors, gave rise to several heresies. They were such as that ac-
cording to the Egyptians, and Thomas, and Matthias, and Bartholomew, that
of the Twelve Apostles, and Basilides, and Apelles, and others which it would
be tedious to enumerate/' Hieron. Prcef. in Comm. in Matth.
The Gospel of Basilides was written about A. D. 125,
and that of Apelles, about 160. Of course, then, ac-
cording to Jerome, Luke was after 160.
Epiphanius says, in expounding Luke, 1. 1,
"Saying: 'Forasmuch as many have taken in hand,' by which he would in-
timate that there have been many undertakers of the like work. Among them,
I suppose, were Cerinthus, Merinthus, and others." [See also Epi. Haer. 51.7.]
Cerinthus flourished and wrote about A. D. 145, which
Epiphanius thinks was befor6 Luke.
Venerable Bede, [A. D. 734], agrees with Jerome, that
the Gospels of Basilides and Apelles were among those
referred to in Luke. *
Erasmus thought the Acts of Pilate, or Gospel of
Nicodemus, was among the number. 2
Jones includes the Gospel of Marcion. s
All these writers, in thus dating the Gospel of Luke
subsequent to those here named, impliedly renounce
the theory of its apostolic origin.
2. The discrepancies between this gospel and that
according to Matthew, have already been pointed out.
These differences indicate a late origin for one or both,
of these gospels, and involve in confusion, every thing
connected with the early history of Christ.
It is impossible, in the present state of the enquiry,
to name the author of this gospel.
(1.) Bede's Works, London, 1844, vol. 10, p. 273.
(2.) Annot. in Luc. 1.1.
(3.) Jones, vol. 3, Vindication, p. 26.
THE Q08PEL ACCORDING TO LUKE. 345
Westcott thinks it circulated mostly about Alexan-
dria and Antioch, ' when first published.
It may have been written at or near Antioch. In
that case, the person to whom it was addressed, was
probably none other than Theophilus, the writer, who
afterward, about A. D. 180, became Bishop of Antioch.
Basnage thinks Luke was the first of the canonical
gospels, a and there are many reasons for believing he
was correct in that opinion.
Michaelis did not consider it inspired; 8 nor does the
author of this, or of either of the canonical gospels,
lay any claim to inspiration.
(1.) Canon, p. 68. Note.
(2.) Ann. 60, num. 31. (3.) Vol. 1, p. 95.
846 FIFTH PERIOD. A. D. 170 to A. D. 185.
CHAPTER XXIX.
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MARK.
Mark is the shortest of the four gospels. Its brevity
is due partly to the omission of the biography of
Christ, which is contained in Luke and Matthew.
It was probably constructed from the Gospel of Peter,
as a basis, with many changes, and the incorporation
of new material.
If the analysis of Luke be applied to Mark, the fol-
lowing will be the result:
The first seven manuscripts are wanting.
MS. No. 8, Luke, 41. 16 to 30, is omitted in Mark entirely, in place of which
is inserted, the calling of the apostles; Mark, 1. 16 to 20.
The previous account of the preaching of John, Mark, 1. 1 to 8, is so much
different from that in Luke, that it is plain it was not from the same man-
uscript.
No. 9, Luke, 4. 31 to 44, is closely followed in Mark, (1. 21 to 39.) There
is just sufficient expansion of language, to justify the presumption that the
same manuscript was used; or possibly here, as well as in a few other places,
the Gospel of Luke itself.
In point of correctness, it has been already noticed,
that Sanday places this gospel below Luke. The same
view is taken by Schleiermacher. Speaking of the syn-
optics, he says, that in comparing Luke with Matthew
and Mark, he sees evidence that the corresponding nar-
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MARK. 347
ratives in the latter gospels, were originally more
hastily taken down, or were obscured by passing through
a great number of hands. *
Pursuing the analysis,
MS. No. 10, Luke, 5. 1 to 11, is not in Mark, though there is a shorter ac-
count of a similar transaction.
No. 11, Luke, 5. 12 to 16, is contained in Mark, (1. 40 to 45), but with such
an important change at the close, as to draw from Schleiermacher the follow-
ing remark:
"By this alteration, the history assumes almost an apocryphal character;,
and, if, on the one hand, we acknowledge the instruction we receive by this
very circumstance of Mark's narrative, it is no less true, on the other hand,
that the comparison is the more unfavorable to him, as his additions frequently
tend to this sort of exaggeration. "Essay on Luke, p. 78.
No. 12, Luke, 5. 17 to 26, all but the first verse, is found substantially the
same in Mark, 2. 2 to 12.
No. 13, also, Luke, 5. 27 to 39, is closely followed in Mark, 2. 14 to 22.
So also No. 14, Luke, 6, 1 to 11, in Mark, 2. 23 to 3. 5.
In No. 15, Luke, 6. 12 to 7. 10, we first find a break in a manuscript; hith-
to, such as were used, having been inserted entire, though with alterations.
Mark contains the first and last portion of this, while the middle part, con-
taining portions of the sermon on the mount, is omitted.
The circumstances connected with the choosing of
the twelve, Schleiermacher thinks, were misunderstood
by Mark. "He had hitherto/' he says, "followed Luke.
Not that I would assert with Griesbach, that he had
before him the whole of the present Gospel of Luke*
but this collection he most probably had." 5
After showing that the matter was not properly un-
derstood by Mark, he -says:
"Under these circumstances, I do not at all see why one should take pains,
trying all possible explanations, some of them in the highest degree improba-
ble, to show how Jude, the son of James, and Lebbeus who was named Thad-
deus, may be one person. p. 93.
No. 16, Luke, 7. 11 to 50, not in Mark,
(1.) Essay on Luke, p. 77.
(2.) Essay, p. 91.
348 FIFTH PERIOD. A. D. 170 to A.D. 185.
Schleierniacher is perplexed at not finding the mir-
acle of Nain, related by any evangelist but Luke; es-
pecially "considering the scanty number of instances
of restoration to life." He thinks the event was re-
corded by some one who had heard of it at Capernaum,
or Jerusalem, and who did not wish to trouble the
apostles by applying to them for confirmation of the
account. 1
No. 17, Luke, 8. 1 to 21, is, again, broken up, being found neither entire,
nor in the same order, in Mark. The most of it finds a parallel, with much
amplification, in Mark, 4. 1 to 25, and 3. 31 to 35.
Commenting upon the contents of this manuscript
Schleierniacher says:
"In Mark's strange addition, (3. 31), for strange it still appears to me, in
whatever way it be understood and qualified I would not seek any discovery
of the relation then subsisting, between Jesus and his kinsfolk, "p. 127.
Again: "This addition belongs, undoubtedly, to the number of accumula-
tions and exaggerations which are so very common with Mark, both in the
introductions to the several incidents in his gospel, and in the general state-
ments which he occasionally inserts, to fill up a chasm." Essay, p. 128.
No. 18, Luke, 8. 22 to 56, finds a close parallel in Mark, 4. 36 to 5. 43.
The manuscript was inserted entire; not, however, without the usual amplifi-
cation in the different narratives. The differences are not greater than would
result from a few copyings; though it is probable that something was added
by the author himself.
No. 19. Luke, 9. 1 to 45. This manuscript, with many variations, and the
insertion of much new matter, may be traced as follows: Mark, 6. 7 to 16;
same ch. vv. 30 to 44; ch. 8, 27 to 31; same, 34 to 38; ch. 9, w. 1 to 11; same,
17 to 29, and verses 31 and 32. If all this was taken from a common source,
it is difficult to discover upon what principle the selections were made, or the
new matter inserted.
No. 20. Luke, 9. 46 to 50. Paralleled in Mark, 9. 33 to 40, to which is sub-
joined much not in Luke, but parallels to which may be found in Matthew.
MSS. Nos. 21 to 25 inclusive, comprising Luke, 9. 51 to 13. 9, not in Mark,
except a few verses, Mark 3. 22 to 27, parallel with part of No. 25.
Nos. 26 to 29 inclusive, Luke, 13. 10 to 17. 19, not in Mark.
No. 30. Luke, 17. 20 to 19. 48. First division, 17. 20 to 18. 14, not in Mark
The first part of the second division, Luke, 18. 15 to 43, finds a parallel in
(1.) Essay, p. 169.
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MARK. 349
Mark 10, 13 to 34, and vv. 46 to 52. The balance of the 2d division, Luke,
19, 1 to 28, has no parallel in Mark; while, again, the third division, Luke,
19, 29 to 48, will be found followed, more or less closely, in Mark, 11. 1
to 18.
No. 31. Luke, chs. 20 and 21. Parallel, Mark, 11. 27 to 31, and chs. 12
and 13.
No. 32. Luke, 22. 1 to 23. 49. Parallels, Mark, 14. 1, 2; same ch. w. 10 to 17;
w. 22 to 24; v. 26; v. 32; w. 35 to 38; vv. 43 to 49; w. 53, 54, and 61 to 72.
Also, ch. 15, w. 1 to 15, 21 to 33, and 37 to 41.
In all this, we discover parallels, by no means complete, to only a portion
of No. 32. It is impossible to believe that the authors of Luke and Mark
here used a common manuscript. Such an entire breaking up and scattering
of the several portions of it, is scarcely conceivable. The author of Mark,
we may suppose, drew somewhat from manuscripts, something from tradi-
tion, and much from his imagination.
No. 33. Luke, 23 50, to the end. Whatever parallel to this there may be in
Mark, is in the last part of the gospel. But Mark here diverges much from,
the others. The last twelve verses are considered spurious.
As the result of the foregoing analysis, it will be
seen, that of the 33 manuscripts in Luke, the first 8
are wanting in Mark, being the same, except No. 8,
which were wanting also in Marcion. Of the other 25,
10 are omitted entirely, and 8 are inserted entire, while
the others are more or less broken and disjointed;
some of them so much so, as to lose their identity
completely.
This result, while it confirms the theory of Schleier-
macher, recognizing, as it does, the identity and com-
pleteness of most of the nranuscripts, at the same time
would indicate that the German theologian had, in
some instances, carried his division too far; and had
specified, as distinct manuscripts, some portions of
Luke, which were founded upon tradition, and com-
posed by the author himself. These could not be ex-
pected to correspond, with much strictness, with the
narratives of other writers, drawn from similar tra-
ditions.
Of the general incorrectness of Mark, there is much
350 FIFTH PERIOD. A. D. 170 to A. D. 185.
evidence; many passages, being looked upon by critics,
as interpolations.
The Gospel according to Mark is supposed to have
been written at Kome.
It was not quoted by Tertullian, in Africa.
At Eome, where the gospel was probably composed,
the stories in Luke, concerning the infancy of Jesus, so
manifestly of Eastern original, had not yet obtained
much credence. They were accordingly omitted. In
this respect, the Gospel of Marcion was in that portion
of Christendom, considered the most reliable, and was
looked upon as evidence, that the early biography of
Jesus was unknown.
The Gospel of Peter is supposed to have contained
the substance of the Oracles of Matthew; and as the
former was at the basis of Mark, and the latter, of
Matthew, that would account for much of the similar-
ity between Mark and Matthew, without assuming that
any portion of either was copied directly from the oth-
er. Mark has almost a complete parallel in Luke and
Matthew taken together. There are but 24 verses
which have no parallel in either of the other synoptics.
As to the order in which these gospels were written,
much has been said, but the subject is in the utmost
confusion and uncertainty.
"That St. Mark wrote later than St. Luke," says Michaelis, I have no
doubt." Vol. 3, p. 96. Note.
Other writers have different opinions and theories,
scarcely any two agreeing completely with each other.
The absence of the history of the Infancy, Westcott
says, brings Mark within the limits laid down by St.
Peter, for the extent of the apostolic testimony. l
(1.) Introduction to the Gospels, p. 205, and Note.
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MARK. 351
Baronius, Bellarnrine and some others, think this
gospel was first written in Latin. This is not improba-
ble, if it was composed at Rome, late in the second
century.
That the gospel in its pesent form, was not the
work of Mark, the companion of the apostles, is the
opinion of Credner, ' and several other evangelical wri-
ters, among whom Mr. Sanday may be included.
(1.) Einleit. Sec. 56.
352 1IFTH PERIOD. A. D. 170 to A. D. 185,
CHAPTER XXX.
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN.
But little light can be thrown upon the Gospel of
John, by any comparison with the manuscripts of
Luke.
The first manuscript to which any similarity can be
found, is No. 19; the account of the feeding of the mul-
titude, by a miracle. But the differences in the narra-
tives, are very great. According to all the synoptics,
Jesus had retired to a desert place; in Luke it is stated
that it belonged to the City of Bethsaida. According
to John, he had gone up into a mountain. According to
this historian, who distributes the ministry of Jesus
through several years, it was on the eve of a Jewish
passover. This the synoptics say nothing about; nor
do they connect Jesus with any passover, except the
one at which he suffered. According to Mark and
Matthew, who continue the narrative, Jesus sent. away
the multitudes, and retired into a mountain to pray;
according to John, he departed into a mountain,
[though he was already in a mountain], to avoid the
multitude who wished to take him by force, and
make him a king. It will be remembered that this
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 853
manuscript .could not be fully identified in Mark.
These were probably different versions of a common
tradition.
The essential features of the tradition were, that a
multitude consisting of 5000 men, besides the women
and children, had been fed by Christ, upon five loaves and
two fishes. Beyond this, each historian considered
himself at liberty to fill up the account in his own way.
The next parallel is to No. 30. Of the contents of
this long manuscript, there is but the circumstance of
Jfcsus riding on the colt of an ass, which is briefly no-
ticed, as the fulfillment of a prophecy. This manuscript
also, could not be recognized distinctly in Mark, and
there is no reason to believe it was used in John.
No. 32. Luke, 22. 1 to 23. 49. Portions of this MS.
have partial parallels, in John, 13. 1 to 30; vv. 36 to 38;
ch. 18, vv. 1 to 18; 24 to 28; 33 to 40; ch. 19, vv. 15 to 25;
28 to 30.
No. 33. Luke, 2 50, to the end.
The first part of this manuscript, narrating the beg-
ging of the body of Jesus, and his burial, by Joseph of
Arimathea, has a closer parallel in John than any of
the previous ones; (John, 19. 38 to 42.) The balance of
it however, after the coming of Mary Magdalene to the
sepulcher, cannot be recognized.
Thus, it will be seen, that not a single manuscript in
Luke, can be completely traced in John. In some
instances, the writer may have used Luke or Mark.
The inference is, that Luke and John were not com-
posed from common sources.
The same result will follow, upon comparing John
with Mark and Matthew.
The Gospel of John stands alone. It has every mark
of being an original gospel, while the synoptics are
compilations.
354 FIFTH PERIOD. A. 1). 170 to A. D. 185.
The synoptics are compilations made, for the most
part, with the laudable purpose of preserving the early
traditions of the disciples, concerning the life and
teachings, the sufferings, the death and the resurrection
of Jesus.
The Gospel of John is a theological document, writ-
ten for theological purposes.
The first express testimony to the existence of this
gospel, is that of Theophilus, Bishop of Antioch, A. D.
180, who speaks of it thus:
"And hence the holy writings teach us, and all the spirit-bearing (inspired)
men, one of whom, John, says, 'In the beginning was the Word, and the
Word was with God,' " &c. Ad Autolycum, 2. 22.
Here John is not spoken of as an apostle, but as a
.spirit-bearing, or inspired man. Such the writer may
have considered John the Presbyter, of the second
century, who is by many thought to be the author of
the gospel.
The internal character of this gospel, is quite incon-
sistent with the theory of its having been written by
the unlettered fisherman, the son of Zebedee. It is
hardly possible that such a person could have become
the educated and philosophical theologian, whose pen
i to be traced in the Gospel of John.
It is written in purer, and less Hebraistic Greek, than
the other gospels, and its style is elegant and graceful.
John the apostle, son of Zebedee, was a Jew. But
the author of the Gospel of John, refers to the Jews in
the third person. He speaks of the feasts "of the
Jews," "the passover of the Jews," "the manner of the
purifying of the Jews," &c. The law of Moses is spo-
ken of as "your law," and "their law." Furthermore,
the Jews are denounced as the children of the devil.
The fact that in this gospel, the full and absolute di-
vinity of Christ, is first distinctly taught, is evidence,
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 355
also, that it was not written by a Jew. The divinity
of Jesus was not a doctrine of the Jewish Christians.
It originated witfi. Gentiles, formerly idolaters. To the
Jew, it meant polytheism. The early Jewish Christ-
ians held Christ to be a man only.
There are also many errors in reference to the geog-
raphy of the country. The author speaks of ^Enon,
near to Salim, in Judaea; also of Bethany, beyond Jor-
dan, and of tk a city of Samaria, called Sychar." If
there were any such places, they were strangely un-
known to other writers. The writer of this gospel,
like the authors of some of the apocryphal gospels, af-
fected a knowledge of the country which he did not
possess. The learned Dr. Bretschn eider points out
such mistakes and errors of the geography, chronolo-
gy, history and statistics of Judaea, as no person who
had ever resided in that country, or had been by birth
a Jew, could possibly have committed.
Even the birthplace of John himself, Bethsaida, or
Julias, is assigned to Galilee, when it was situated in
another country. This mistake alone, is fatal to the
authority of the gospel. This is conceded by Hug, ' pro-
vided it cannot be explained. An attempt has been
made to explain it by showing that it was the custom
of the people to speak of the Gaulonite country as Gal-
ilee. Josephus is cited, as calling Judas, the Galilean,
a Gaulonite. Josephus four times refers to Judas as a
Galilean. a The only place where he is spoken of oth-
erwise, 3 is manifestly a mistake on the part of some
transcriber, and arose from the fact, that there were
two cities by the name of Gamala, one in Gaulonitis,
(1.) Introduction to N. T. p. 24.
(2.) Antiquities, bk. 18, 1. 6; bk. 20, 5. 2; Jewish War, bk. 2, 8. 1, and bk.
2, 17. 8.
(3.) Antiquities, bk. 18, 1. 1.
356 fIFTH PERIOD. A. D. 170 to A. D. 185.
the other in Galilee. No doubt the passage in Josephus,
u a Gaulonite, of a city whose name was Gamala," should
read, "a Galilean, of a city whose name was Gamala."
It would then correspond with the other passages in
Josephus, and with the Acts of the Apostles, [5. 37]; in
all of which he was called Judas of Galilee.
Galilee was a well known district of country, with
well defined boundaries; and it is absurd to suppose
that another country, entirely disconnected with it,
was called Galilee, without further evidence than this
passage of Josephus.
The conclusion is, that the author of the Gospel of
John, was ignorant of the birthplace of John the
apostle.
This gospel differs from all three of the synoptics, in
relating several events, which occurred when John the
apostle was not present; while strangely enough, other
transactions in which, according to the synoptics, the
apostle John was present, are not related in the Gospel
of John at all; particularly the transfiguration, which,
according to all the synoptics, took place in the presence
of Peter, James and John.
That John had neglected to testify, where his testi-
mony would naturally be expected, was noticed, very
anciently, by Faustus, the Manichaean, in his contro-
versy with Augustine. Speaking of the passage, "Think
not that I am come," &c., (Matt. 5. 17), he says:
"Who testifies that Jesus said this? Matthew. Where did he say it ? On
the mountain. Who were present ? Peter, Andrew, James and John. Oth-
ers, but not Matthew himself. He had not as yet chosen Matthew. But one
of these four, John, wrote a gospel. Well, then, he relates this somewhere ?
No, not at all. How is it, then, that John, who was on the mountain, does
not testify ? And that this is written by Matthew, who became a follower of
Jesus some time after he descended from the mountain ? It is therefore very
doubtful whether Jesus said this; because a proper witness is silent, while an
improper witness testifies." Augustinm contra Faustum, lib. 17, ch. 1.
TEE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO JOHN. 357
The writer of this gospel quotes the Old Testament
prophecies, almost as loosely, and with as little regard
to their applicability, as the author of Matthew. Psalms,
41. 9, quoted in John 13. 18, did not refer to Christ, nor
to Judas. So of John, 17. 12.
So strong is the evidence of a late date to this gos-
pel, that its apostolic origin is being abandoned by the
ablest evangelical writers. Westcott says, "The earli-
est account of the origin of the gospel, is already
legendary." '
Dr.Davidson, author of the article on the canon in
the new edition of the Encyclopedia Brittanica, says,
its Joannine authorship must be abandoned, and its
existence prior to A. D. 140, cannot be maintained. 3
Both Irenseus and Jerome assert that John wrote a-
galnst Cerinthus. Cerinthus flourished about A. D. 145.
Again, there is evidence that in the construction of
this gospel, as in that of Matthew, the author had in
view the building up of the Roman hierarchy, the
foundations of which were then (About A. D. 177 8,)
being laid. In the 21st chapter, is a detailed account
of an appearance of Jesus, after his resurrection, to
seven of his disciples, at the Sea of Tiberias, something
not heard of in the synoptic gospels, and which bears
the impress of an original narrative, suggested by
scenes in Christ's ministry. After they had dined, Je-
sus is made to say to Peter, "Feed my sheep;" an in-
junction which was afterward repeated.
In Matthew only, is Peter made the rock on which
the church was to be built, and in John only, is he en-
joined to feed the sheep of Christ. There is reason to
believe that both gospels were written in the interest
of the supremacy of the church of Rome.
(1.) Introduction, p. 255.
('!.} Davidson on the Canon, p. 99- In his Int. to N. T., the limit is 150.
358 FIFTH PERIOD. A. D. 170 to A. D.
CHAPTER XXXI.
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW.
The Gospel of Matthew presents at once phenomena
of the most varied and inexplicable character. While
many of its narratives and of its records of the sayings
of Christ, from their brevity and simplicity, are recog-
nized as among the oldest traditions, and as having
been taken from near the fountain head, the gospel
itself bears, in other places, internal evidence of a
comparatively late origin.
The persistent statements of Jerome, supported by
Epiphanius, that the Gospel of the Hebrews was the
Hebrew form of the Gospel of Matthew, statements
not at all borne out by the fragments of the Gospel of
the Hebrews, which they have given, still further com-
plicate a question, in other respects sufficiently dif-
ficult.
Many writers, not willing to discard altogether the
assertions of Jerome and Epiphanius, have supposed
our Matthew to be a translation from a more correct
version of the Hebrew gospel, than that quoted by
those fathers; and that the differences between those
quotations and the Greek Matthew, are to be account-
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW. 359
ed for, partly by the difference in the Hebrew versions,
and partly by the freedom of translation. Among these,
Bishop Marsh is one of the most eminent.
Others, giving but little credit to these fathers,
whom, in other matters they have found so unreliable,
and resting the case upon internal evidence, have pro-
nounced the Gospel of Matthew an original Greek pro-
duction. This view is strongly maintained by Jones
and other modern critics.
Volumes have been written upon the subject, but it
cannot be clearly seen, that any progress has been
made toward a satisfactory solution.
THE MANUSCRIPTS OF LUKE COMPARED WITH MATTHEW.
There is a partial parallel in the third chapter of Matthew, to the first part
of manuscript No. 7; [Luke, 3.1 to 22.] Omitting the genealogies, which are
entirely diti'frent, the parallel is resumed, and more closely followed, in the
history of the temptation; [Luke, 4. 1 to 13; Matthew, 4. 1 to ll.J
MS. No. 8, Luke, 4. 16 to 30, has no parallel in Matthew.
No. 9, Luke, 4. 31 to 44, which hail a eomplrte parallel in Mark, finds only
a partial parallel in Matthew, commencing with verse:!*, of Lnke. [M,
14], and giving an account of the healing of Simon's wife's mother, anil other
sick people.
We early find evidence - of that tendency to am-
plification and exaggeration which is characteristic of
the author of this gospel. Although, in accordance
with the accounts in the other synoptics, he states,
in verse 16, that "when the even was come, they
brought unto him many that were possessed with dev-
ils, and he cast out the spirits with his word, and heal-
ed all that were sick;" adding, according to his cus-
tom, a reference to the fulfillment of prophecy; and
though he had also stated, in ch. 4, v. 23, that Jesus went
about all Galilee, teaching, &c., and healing all man-
ner of sickness, and all manner of disease, among
the people; he there adds, after the narrative has
been closed by the other historians, the following:
360 FIFTH PERIOD A. D. 170 to A. D. 185.
V. 24. "And his fame went throughout all Syria, and they brought unto
him all sick people that were taken with divers diseases and torments, and
those who were possessed with devils, and those who were lunatic, and those
who had the palsy; and he healed them."
MS. No. 10, Luke, 5. 1 toll, cannot be traced in Matthew, though there is
a shorter account of the calling of the four disciples, corresponding to that in
' Mark.
No. 11. Luke, 5. 12 to 16. The parallel account in Matthew, is shorterthan
in Luke or Mark. This is one of the places which indicate Matthew, as con-
taining the earlier narrative. The account of this miracle, as related in the
Acts of Pilate, is shorter than either of these.
No. 12. Luke, 5. 17 to 26. Parallel, Matthew, 9. 1 to 8.
" 13. Luke, 5. 27 to 39. See Matthew, 9. 9 to 17, which has a close resem-
blance.
So also No. 14, Luke, 6. 1 to 11; Matthew, 12. 1 to 13.
No. 15. Luke, 6. 12, to 7. 10. The last ten verses of this manuscript, de-
scribing the healing of the centurion's servant, are paralleled in Matthew, 8.
5 to 13. The other portion, which commences with the choosing of the twelve,
and consists, principally, of sayings of Jesus, can hardly be considered paral-
leled by the sermon on the mount, which is much more extensive.
No. 16, Luke, 7. 11 to 50, which has no parallel in Mark, has a partial par-
allel in Matthew. See Luke, 7. 18 to 35, and Matthew, 11. 2 to 19.
No. 17. Luke, 8. 1 to 21. See Matthew, 13. 1 to 25, and 12. 46 to 50, where
the parallel is nearly complete.
18. Luke, 8. 22 to 56. Parallel, Matt. 8. 18; vv. 23 to 34; ch. 9, 18 to
25.
19. Luke, 9. 1 to 45. Matt. 10. 1 to 15; 14. 1, 2; w. 13 to 21; ch. 16, 13
to 16, 20; vv. 21 to 28, and ch. 17, 1 to 23. This manuscript, if used at all,
is completely broken up.
20. Luke, 9. 46 to 50; Matthew, 18. 1 to 6.
21. Luke, 9. 51, to 10. 24. Partial parallel in Matt. 8. 19 to 22.
MSS. 22, 23 and 24, Luke, 10. 25, to 11. 13. No parallel in Matthew.
No. 25. Luke, 11. 14, to 13. 9. Partial parallel, Matthew, 12. 22 to 30, and
w. 38 to 45.
26 to 29. Luke, 13. 10 to 17. 19. No parallel.
No. 30. Luke, 17. 20, to 19. 48. The first division, 17. 20 to 18 14, has no
parallel. First part of second division, 18. 15 to 30, has as parallel, Matt. 19.
13 to 30. Luke, 18. 31 to 43, has Matt. 20. 17 to 19, and 20. 29 to 34. Luke,
19. 29 to 38, has Matthew, 21. 1 to 9, and Luke, 19. 45, 46, has Matt. 21. 12,
13. These partial parallels do not, however, identify the manuscript.
No. 31. Luke, chs. 20 and 21. Partial parallels, Matt. 21. 23 to 27; 33 to
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW. 361
45; eh. 22, w. 15, 32; vv. 41 to 46; ch. 23, w. 5 to 7; v. 14; and ch. 24, w.
1 to 44; following which, are lengthy sayings of Christ, found in Matthew
alone.
No. 32. Luke, 22. 1 to 23, 49. Matt. 26. 3 to 5; 14 to 25. The parallel
considerably broken. Matt. 27. 1, 2; 11 to 56.
No. 33. Luke, 23. 50, to the end. Some partial parallels, in Matt. 27. 57,
to the end.
RECAPITULATION. Five of the manuscripts are com-
plete in Matthew, though with the customary changes
and accumulations. Some dozen of the others have
parallels more or less extensive. There is indicated a
common use of manuscripts, though not to so great an
extent as by the authors of Luke and Mark.
We will now proceed to consider some of the indica-
tions of a late date for the construction of the Gospel
of Matthew.
1. That Matthew was written for theological purpos-
es, and for the use of the church, after it had become
pretty well established, is shown by the frequent ref-
erence to the prophecies, and the manifest anxiety to
show that the events related, were in fulfillment of the
predictions referred to. True, the author is quite uni-
formly unfortunate, in his selection of prophecies,
scarcely one of which has any reference to the sub-
ject matter to which it is applied. ' But the object of
the writer is apparent, all the same.
2. The comparative late composition of this work
may be inferred from the many additions of incidents
of a striking and marvelous character, not con-
tained in the other gospels. Notably among these,
are the earthquakes at the crucifixion and the resur-
rection, both of which were known to this historian
only. Also, the opening of the graves, and the rising
of the saints.
(1.) For some instances, see the comparisons between Matthew and the In-
fancy gospels.
362 fIFTH PERIOD. A. D. 170 to A. D. 185.
Schleiermacher, in comparing Luke with Mark and
Matthew, sees evidence that the corresponding narra-
tives in the latter gospels, were originally more hastily
taken down, or were obscured by passing through a
great number of hands. '
Speaking of the account of casting out the devils,
[Matt. 8. 28 to 33], he says:
"The alteration made here, by introducing 1 two demoniacs, in itself improb-
able, as it is not usual for madmen to contract a close friendship and intima-
cy with each other, might, indeed, admit of a different explanation, as other
instances of a similar duplication, are found in Matthew." Essay, p. 137.
In regard to the feeding of the multitudes, notwith-
standing the statement in Matthew 16, Schleiermacher
thinks there was but one feeding, and that Matthew
was misled, by having two different accounts of the
same transaction. a
Speaking of Matt. 16. 13 to 28, he says:
"No one will readily believe, that Christ, in the same breath, as it were,
would deliver to Peter the key of the kingdom of heaven, and then call him a
Satan, who did not favor the thing-s which be of God." Page 153.
He thinks the manner in which Matthew represents
the transfiguration, shows that the account had passed
through several hands.
"In this narrative," he says, "one perceives the exclusive direction of the
reporter's imagination toward the marvelous. On this account, the assertion
that the two figures were Moses and Elias, appears far more confident than in
Luke, in whose narrative, every attentive reader easily sees that it is founded
merely on the expression of Peter, in a state between sleeping and waking."
Page 156.
"In the same way, we may remark, likewise, in the healing of the epileptic
in Matthew, a distortion into extravagance." Essay, p. 157.
After commenting at length upon the circumstance,
he says:
(1.) Essay on Luke, p. 77.
(2.) Ibid. p. 144.
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW. 363
"Matthew therefore, either has had a less authentic reporter here, or per-
haps only obscured the state of the case, by his habit of annexing analogous
matter." Ibid. p. 159.
In the account in Matthew, corresponding to Luke 9.
46 to 50, Schleiermacher thinks much is annexed, which
was not spoken on the occasion. l
He comments on the incoherence in the narratives
of Matthew. 2
Referring to the duplication of the blind men at Jer-
icho, he says, Matthew "had before done something of
the same sort, in the case of the demoniac at Gadara."
How the mistake happened, he does not undertake to
determine. 8
Speaking of Matt. 21. 1 to 17, he says:
"As to what is said in Matthew, somewhat strangely indeed, of two ani-
mals, I can only explain it by the attempt to make the application of the fact
to the passage in /( hariah, as close as possible. Every other explanation
appears to be lost labor. For if Matthew is to be reconciled with the rest, it
must have been property the TTGJ/IOS which Christ bespoke for himself; but
tin- TTuTAo? is able to bear the weight of a man, though it has never yet
ridden, the she ass no longer runs by its side, but has long left it to itself."
Essay on Lvke, p. '_'
He thinks the rending of the vail poetical. So also,
the opening of the graves, and the rising of the saints
from the dead, as related by Matthew. "
3. One circumstance indicating a late date for this
gospel, is the passage, Matt. 23. 35:
"That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from
the blood of righteous Abel, unto the blood of Zacharias, son of Barachias,.
whom ye slew, between the temple and the altar."
In Luke, this is quoted from an apocryphal book,
called the "Wisdom of God;" and is 'applied to Zacha-
(1.) Essay, p. 162.
(2.) Ibid. pp. 190 to 199.
(3.) Ibid. p. 249.
(4.) Ibid. p. 305.
364 FIFTH PERIOD. A. D. 170 to A. D. 185.
rias who perished between the altar and the temple."
[Luke, 11. 49 to 51.]
The passage was not in Marcion. In Luke, though
the place of the death of Zachariah is not described
with entire correctness, it is generally considered that
the reference is to Zachariah, the son of Jehoida. [See
2d Chron. 24. 20, 21.] But this was ending, a long way
back, the list of prophets whose blood had been shed
unjustly. The author of Matthew, wishing to bring it
down to a later date, adds, "son of Barachias." This
changes the personage at once, and brings the scene
down to a date subsequent to the time of Christ. Zach-
arias, son of Barouchos, was massacred by the zealots,
inside the temple, shortly before the siege of Jerusa-
lem; about A. D. 69. ' [See Apendix, II. J
It is evident that this portion of the Gospel of Mat-
thew was written, not only after the destruction of Je-
rusalem, but a long time after. It will be noticed that
these words are not here, as in Luke, quoted from the
Wisdom of God. They are put into the mouth of Je-
sus himself, who is made to allude to an event as in
the past, which took place more than thirty years af-
terward. No one, writing immediately after the de-
struction of Jerusalem, could have made such a mis-
take. 'But a writer living more than a hundred years
afterward, might do so. Suppose, a thousand years
hence, a history should be under examination, which
should represent Andrew Jackson as speaking of some-
thing as then past, which has occurred in our own
times; say the death of Senator Chandler. Would not
that be evidence that the history was written, not only
after the death of Chandler, but a long time after?
4. In Matt. 27. 8, after stating that the chief priests
1 . i Josephus, Jewish War, bk. 4, ch. 5. 4.
THE GOSPEL
ACCORDING TO MATTHEW. 365
took the silver pieces which Judas had thrown away,
and bought with them the potter's field, to bury stran-
gers in, it is added,
"Wherefore, that field was called the field of blood, until this day.'*
The phrase "until this day," implies a very long time
between the transaction and the time of relating it.
So again, Matt. 28. 15. In relating the bribing of the
soldiers by the chief priests, there is the following:
"So they took the money, and did as they were taught; and this saying ie
commonly reported among the Jews, until this day."
5. Evidence of the late construction of Matthew, is
to be found in the attempt in the 16th chapter, to
specially connect Peter with the foundation of the
Christian church. The narrative of the conversation
between Jesus and Peter, as given in Luke and Mark,
contains nothing of the kind.
That this was a later interpolation in the gospel his-
tory, made in the interest of the Roman Catholic hier-
archy, then being established, will become more
manifest by comparing the accounts in the synoptic
gospels, as follows:
MATTHEW, ch. 16.
He asked his disciples,
LUKE, ch. 9.
His disciples were with
him ; and he asked them,
saying: Whom say the
people that I am?
They answering said,
John the Baptist; but
some say, Elias ; and oth-
ers say that one of the old
prophets is risen again.
He said unto them, But
whom say ye that I am?
Peter answering, said,
The Christ of God.
MARK, ch. 8.
And by the way, he
asked his disciples, say-
ing unto them: Whom
do men say that I am ?
And they answered,
John the Baptist; but
some say, Elias; and oth-
ers, one of the prophets.
And he sai "
prc
ith
unto
them, But whom say ye
that I am? And Peter
answereth and saith unto
him, Thou art the Christ.
saying: Whom do men
say that I, the Son of
Man, am?
And they said, Some
(say) John the Baptist;
some, Elias; and others,
Jeremias, or one of the
prophets.
He saith unto them..
But whom say ye that I
am? And Simon Peter
answered and said, Thou
art the Christ, the son of
the living God.
And Jesus answered and
said unto him, Blessed art
thou, Simon Barjona; for
flesh and blood hath not
revealed it unto thee, but
366 FIFTH PERIOD.
A. D. 170 to A. D. 185.
LUKE, ch. 9.
MARK, ch. 8.
And he straitly charged And he charged them,
them, and commanded that they should tell no
them, to tell no man that j man of him.
thing.
MATTHEW, ch. 16.
my Father who is in heav-
en.
And I say also unto
thee, that thou art Peter,
and upon this rock I will
build my church ; and the
gates of hell shall not
prevail against it.
And I will give unto
thee the keys of the king-
dom of heaven; and what-
soever thou shalt bind on
earth, shall be bound in
heaven; and whatsoever
thou shalt loose on earth,
shall be loosed in heaven.
Then charged he his
disciples, that they should
tell no man, that he was
Jesus the Christ.
From the closeness of the parallel, it is obvious, that
the account was taken from a common manuscript, or
from a common tradition.
The saying of Christ to Peter ''Blessed art thou," &c.
if it had ever been uttered, was too important to be
omitted by the other historians. Besides, the word
translated church was not in use earlier than the lat-
ter part of the second century.
About this time, A. D. 180 to 190, a violent dispute
had arisen, concerning the celebration of Easter. The
church at Rome was endeavoring to control the ques-
tion, and to make it the occasion for the establishment
of a supreme power. The Asiatic churches had re-
belled against its pretensions. It was very important
to conciliate them. Let us suppose that at this junc-
ture, this gospel had appeared at Alexandria, whose
bishop supported the Pope. It would at once be
adopted in the churches of Africa, Gaul and Italy, all
of which were favorable to the papal claims. It would
then be circulated in Asia Minor, among the churches
embued with Jewish traditions, and among whom the
THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO MATTHEW. 367
name of Peter was all powerful, and would have an
immense influence in favor of consolidation.
The epistle of Clement of Rome to James, was, it is
to be presumed, already in circulation. In that it was
stated that Peter had, at Rome, given to Clement, in
in the presence of the congregation, the keys of the
Kingdom, and had used almost the very words here
attributed to Jesus. Peter had said of Clement, to
the church,
"Wherefore, I communicate to him the power of binding and loosing, so
that with respect to every thing which he shall ordain in the earth, it shall be
decreed in the heavens. He shall bind what ought to be bound, and loose
what ought to be loosed, as knowing the rule of the church."
It only needed a gospel, showing that Christ had
conferred this power upon Peter, and the chain of title
of the Roman pontiff was complete.
WHEN, WHERE AND BY WHOM WRITTEN. No writer
of the first centuries ever assigned a date to the Gos-
pel of Matthew, except Irenseus, whose testimony is
generally discarded. He states that it was written for
the Jews while Peter and Paul were founding the
church at Rome. '
"If," says Bishop Marsh, ''the arguments in favor of a late date for the'
composition of St. Matthew's Gospel, be compared with those in favor of an
early date, it will be found that the former greatly outweigh the latter."
Notes to MicMelis, vol. 3, pt. 2, p. 98.
According to the law of accretion, Matthew would
stand next to Luke, in point of antiquity.
On the other hand, it has been seen, that several
considerations point forcibly to a late date for its com-
position.
It remains to be considered, whether there is any
theory which will explain these seemingly contradic-
tory phenomena. We venture to make a suggestion,
(1.) Irenaeus, adv. Haer. 3. 1.
368 FIFTH PERIOD. A. D. 170 to A. D. 185.
i
which, if not entirely correct, may lead to such inqui-
ries as will result in a correct solution.
About A. D. 180, Pantaenus was sent from Alexan-
dria, as a missionary to India. It is said that he there
found a Gospel of Matthew, which had been left in In-
dia many years before, by Bartholomew, who had
preached in that country. There has been much dis-
cussion, as to what this Gospel of Matthew, sometimes
called the Gospel of Bartholomew, was. Let us sup-
pose, it was a copy of the Oracles of Matthew, to which
had been attached some brief narrative of the minis-
try of Christ. It would be, in that case, one of the
oldest copies in existence.
Suppose this copy was brought back to Alexandria,
accompanied with some old manuscripts of genealo-
gies. That some zealous Christian in that city, wish-
ing, to aid in the consolidation of the church then go-
ing on, untertook, from these and other materials, to
write a new gospel. That it was published in Alexan-
dria.
Such a work would fulfill all the conditions, and
would exhibit the complex character now found in the
Gospel of Matthew. The Oracles and accompanying
narrative would furnish, in some cases, the most au-
thentic records, and in the shortest and simplest form
of any yet published; and this would of itself justify
an addition to the gospels then in circulation.
The author would have before him, the gospels of
the Infancy and the Gospel of Mark.
That Pantsenus was a Jew, we learn from Clement
of Alexandria, who speaks of him as a Hebrew of Pal-
estine, whom he found concealed in Egypt, and who
"was the true Sicilian bee, gathering the spoil of the
flowers of the prophetic and apostolic meadow."-
[Stromata, bk. 1, ch. 1.]
ACTS OF THE APOSTLMti. 369
CHAPTER XXXII.
ACTS OF THE APOSTLES.
The book entitled the "Acts of the Apostles," does
not much differ in its general character, from other
writings of the kind which were in circulation among
the Christians of the second century. There were
Acts of ,the Apostles supposed to have been written by
Lucius; there were The Acts of the Holy Apostles, Pe-
ter and Paul, The Acts of Peter and Andrew, The Acts
of Philip, The Acts of Paul and Thecla, &c.
The same bold appeal to the love of the marvelous
the same disregard of historical facts, and geograph-
ical and chronological accuracy, which are to be seen
in those writings, characterize also, the Acts of the
Apostles.
Gaza is spoken of as a desert place, though at that
time it was a flourishing city.
In Acts, 5. 34 to 36, Gamaliel is represented as refer-
ring, in a speech, to Theudas, and to acts of his, which
were not performed until some forty years after the
time referred to, and more than ten years after the
time when Gamaliel was delivering his address. Again,
the reference in the 21st chapter, to the Egyptian im-
370 KIFTH PERIOD. A. D. 170 to A. D. 185.
postor, does not at all agree with the historical account
of the same transaction, as given by Josephus.
There is the same loose reference to the prophecies,
as in John and Matthew.
This work had but an indifferent standing among the
fathers. As late as at the commencement of the fifth
century, Chrysostom said,
"This book is not so nmcli as known to many. They know neither the
book, nor by whom it was written." Prolegomena to Acts. See also Mill,
Prof, in Act. p. 254.
The text has always been very uncertain. ' The
Cambridge M. S., (Codex Bezse), has six hundred inter-
polations. 2
The author is supposed to have been the same as the
compiler of the Gospel of Luke; a theory based upon
the preface to each, and which finds some confirmation
in linguistic peculiarities, and similarity of style.
That it was written late in the second century, may
be safely assumed.
The following passage is from the writings of Aris-
tides, the sophist, who flourished about A. D. 176.
The similarity in style and incidents to the 27th
chapter of Acts, will be at once apparent.
"We were going to Cephallenia, arid again we had a high sea, and a
contrary wind, and we were tossed up and down, to the great detriment of my
health, and beyond what my constitution could bear. Afterward, the like
happened in the straits of Achaia, when truly the good marines would put out
from Patrae, at the very time of the equinox, against my will, and very much
to my prejudice, under my indispositions. The like things happened again,
in the ^Egean Sea, through the obstinacy of the master of the ship, and of the
mariners; when they would sail, though the winds were contrary; nor would
they hearken to me. So we were carried about by the tempest, over that
whole sea, for fourteen days and nights, and were oftentimes without food,
and at length, with difficulty, got to Miletus." Sacrorum Sermon. 2, torn. 1,
p. 306.
(1.) Westcott, Canon, p. 215.
(2.) McClintock & Strong, Article "Cambridge MS."
ACTS OF THE APOSTLES. 371
There is no reason to believe that Aristides had ever
seen the Acts, or any other book of the New Testament.
That the Acts of the Apostles also, was written in
the interest of the Roman Catholic hierarchy, must be
obvious to any one who will give the matter careful
consideration.
In the Acts, a prominence is given to Peter, not to
be found elsewhere in the New Testament, if we except
the two passages already spoken of. It was Peter who
made a speech, showing the necessity of selecting an-
other apostle, in place of Judas, (the Catholic historians
add, that he presided over the election of Matthias)
it was Peter who made the great speech on the day of
pentecost it was Peter who first preached to the Jews
it was Peter who first announced that the gospel was
to go to the Gentiles it was Peter whom Paul came
to Jerusalem to see, and as Bossuet says, to "study"-
it was Peter who was a prominent actor at, (and as the
Catholic historians have it, who presided over), the
council of Jerusalem. Peter is every where prominent;
every where making speeches, and directing the affairs
of the church. He is the "pillar apostle," oi both Jews
and Gentiles.
Several of these accounts, giving such prominence
to Peter, are in direct conflict with the writings of
Paul. It was the policy of the author of the Acts,
writing in the interest of the Catholic Church, and
aiming at unity of doctrine, to ignore the well-known
differences that existed all through the early age of the
church, between Peter and James, and their Judaistic
followers, on the one hand, and Paul and the Gentile
Christians on the other. Accordingly, in the Acts, Paul
is represented as preaching to the Jews at Samaria and
Jerusalem, immediately after his conversion; although
he himself distinctly informs us, in the epistle to the
372 FIFTH PERIOD. A. D. 170 to A. D. 185.
Galatians, that he preached to the Gentiles seventeen
years, before preaching to the Jews at all. Three years
after his conversion, he went up to Jerusalem, but saw
only Peter and James. Fourteen years afterward, he
went up by revelation, and communicated to the Jews,
even then privately at first, the gospel which he had
been preaching among the Gentiles. [Galatians, ch. 2.]
In the Acts, not only does Paul preach at once to the
Jews, but Peter becomes an apostle to the Gentiles.
He is made to say,
"Ye know how that a good while ago, God made choice among us, that the
ent"
Acts,
Gentiles by my mouth, should hear the word of the gospel, and believe."
' '9, 15. 7.
Thus the distinction so much dw r elt upon by Paul,
between himself as the apostle of the Gentiles of the
uncircumcision, and Peter, as the apostle of the Jews
the circumcision, is entirely broken down. Peter
preaches to Gentiles and Jews, and Paul to Jews and
Gentiles. This is contrary to what is known of the
history of the Christian church in the first century,
and inconsistent with the declaration of Paul:
"The gospel of the uncircumcision was committed to me, as the gospel of the
circumcision was to Peter. For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the
apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gen-
tiles." Galatians, 2. 7, 8.
Even after the conference at Jerusalem, Paul was
obliged to withstand Peter face to face, at Antioch.
[Galatians, 2. 11.]
It is plain that the Acts of the Apostles was written
in the interest of the Roman Catholic Church, and in
support of the tradition that the Church of Rome was
founded by the joint labors of Peter and Paul.
This tradition has no foundation except in the writ-
ings of one or two fathers of the latter part of the
second century; fathers who had in view the same gen-
eral object, as the author of the Acts of the Apostles.
ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN DOCTRINES. 373
CHAPTER XXXIII.
ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN DOCTRINES.
A complete history of Christian doctrines would re-
quire volumes. It is obvious, that within the limits of
a single chapter, but a meager outline can be given.
The completeness of our work requires at least abrief
sketch of the doctrines prevailing in the first two
centuries.
THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION.
The first allusion to the immaculate conception, is in
the Epistles of Ignatius; A. D. 115.
The belief in the miracles of Jesus, a belief which
became common early in the second century, was nat-
urally connected with his deification, and his assignment
to a supernatural origin. A being who can disregard
and overthrow the laws of nature, must needs be a god,
and a god must be begotten by a god. Thus the three
doctrines may be said to postulate and prove each other.
The doctrine of the immaculate conception, when
once announced, rapidly grew into favor, and was
firmly established as a doctrine of the church, before
the close of the second century.
It has always been a favorite doctrine of the Catholic
Church. The Protestants have not placed so much
374 FIFTH PERIOD. A. D. 170 to A.D. 185.
stress upon it, but have accepted it, as apparently the
only consistent explanation of the divinity of Christ.
THE MIRACLES OF JESUS.
The first mention of these was in the Epistle of
Barnabas, A. D. 130, and in the Acts of Pilate and
other apocryphal gospels, which are supposed to have
been written about the same time.
A hundred years of silence, by Christian writers, is at
least wonderful, if such miracles were then believed.
And equally wonderful is the fact, that no Jewish or
heathen historian, during that period, has recorded
that such events were reported of Jesus, and believed
by his followers.
It is not probable that Christ ever claimed or pretend-
ed to work miracles. Such pretensions would have
detracted from his exalted character, and would have
placed him upon a level with Simon Magus, Apollonius,
and other miracle- workers of that age.
MIRACLES IN THE CHURCH.
Beyond what is contained in the epistles of Paul, it
does not appear that any claim was made to the power
of working miracles in the church, until about the
middle of the second century.
THE MATERIAL RESURRECTION.
The doctrine of the resurrection of the material
body of Christ, must be placed in the same category.
Nothing is heard of it earlier than in the Gospel of
the Hebrews, which is generally thought to have been
written early in the second century. In the writings
of the fathers, the doctrine first appeared in the middle
of the second century.
According to the opinion of many in the first cen-
tury, the soul or spirit of Jesus had gone below, to a
ORIGIN AND BISTORT OF CHRISTIAN DOCTRINES. 375
place understood as hades, under or beneath the earth,
and the resurrection was the calling back of the soul
to earth, and its ascension to heaven. To this doctrine
Paul may have alluded, when he asked "Who shall
descend into the deep? That is, to bring up Christ
again from the dead?" [Romans, 10. 7.]
The prevailing view of the resurrection, however, as
taught by the earlier fathers, is well explained by Ne-
ander, the celebrated church historian. He quotes
from Origen, who distinguished "from the mutable phe-
nomenal form, the proper essence lying at the founda-
tion of the body, which remains the same through all
the changes of the earthly life, and which, moreover,
is not destroyed at death. This proper essence, lying
at the foundation of the body, would by the operation
of the divine power, be awakened to a nobler form,
corresponding to the ennobled character of the soul; so
that as the soul had communicated its own peculiar
stamp to the earthly body, it would then communicate
the same to the transfigured body." '
The spiritualism of the first century was destined
to be obscured, after the death of its most illustrious
advocates, Paul and Clement. The Christians of the
second century required a grosser form of doctrine.
Justin Martyr argued for a resurrection of the flesh. *
So Athenagoras, in his Treatise on the Eesurrec-
tion, maintained, that every particle of matter which
constitutes the human body, would be brought back to
its proper place, and thought it a reflection on the
power of God, to object that the same particles of
matter enter into the composition of different bodies.
Tertullian thought the dead would be raised with a
(1.) Neander's Christian Hist. vol. 2, p. 436.
(2.) Works of Justin, Ante-Nicene, vol. 2, p. 345.
376 FIFTH PERIOD. A. D. 170 to A. D. 185.
material body, and afterward, the bodies would be
changed. A real fleshly body was to be reproduced,
and when Christ should appear, it was to be caught up
into the air, and then the material body would be
changed into a spiritual body. '
Irenaeus maintains the identity of the future, with
the present body.
In the midst of all this materialism, howeVer, Clem-
ent of Alexandria and Origen maintained the spiritual-
istic views of Paul and Clement of Rome.
In the construction of the canonical gospels, the ma-
terialistic side prevailed. We there find the resurrec-
tion of a material body, which required the stone to be
rolled away from before the sepulcher.
DIVINITY OF CHRIST.
Paul, though drawing a broad distinction between
God and Jesus Christ, through all his epistles, repeat-
edly designating the latter as a man, "of the seed of
David," at the same time, in other passages, [Philippians,
2. 5, 6; 2d Cor. 5. 19, &c.], used language capable of an-
other construction; and from which was drawn a doc-
trine, which, by successive steps, ended in the complete
deification of Christ, as an essential part of a Triune
God.
The Jewish Christians, and many of the Gentiles,
steadily maintained that Jesus was a man only, born in
the ordinary course of generation. To which the
Gnostics added, that Christ, as an aeon or divine spirit,
entered into him at the time of his baptism; from which
time he was divinely inspired.
Among the mass of Gentile Christians, however, the
tendency to deify their great teacher and exemplar,
(1.) Tertul. adv. Marcion, bk. 5, ch. 20.
ORIGIN AND BISTORT OF CHRISTIAN DOCTRINES. 377
was early manifested, and rapidly gained in strength
and power.
This tendency can be traced among all the orthodox
fathers. Ignatius speaks of him as "Jesus Christ, our
God;" and similar expressions are to be found in other
early Christian writers.
The testimony of Pliny is, that the Christians were
accustomed to meet before day-break, and sing a re-
sponsive hymn, ("carmen dicere secum invicem"), to
Christ as to God. ("Christo quasi Deo.") '
Whether in so doing, they were not giving counte-
nance to polytheism, the Christians of that day did not
stop to inquire. They were too enthusiastic in the new
religion, to formulate scientific creeds, or to take time
to establish consistency of doctrine.
Justin Martyr was the first who undertook to give a
definite shape to the doctrine. He maintained that the
God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, who appeared to
Moses in the flaming bush, was the Word, or Christ,
who he says, was also called angel and apostle. While
he was God, he was entirely distinct from God the
Father, in every respect, except that he was begotten,
or produced from him, by emanation, as a ray of light
proceeds from the sun. 2
He is very emphatic in maintaining that Christ is
really different from the Father.
"This rational power." he says, "is not, like the light of the sun, merely
nominally different (from the Father), but really another, numerically." (Ak-
Xd KCLI dpiS/ua) srspov ri k6n.} Dialogue with Trypho, chs. 128, 129.
This he illustrates by fire kindled from a fire; "which,"
says he, "we see to be distinct from it." *
He repeatedly speaks of Christ as God, but so far
(1.) Ep. 10. 97.
(2.) let Apology, chs. 13, 63; Dialogue with Trypho, chs. 113, 128, 129, &c.
<3.) Dialogue, ch. 128.
378 FIFTH PERIOD. A. D. 170 to A. D. 185.
from asserting his identity with the Father, either in
person or essence, he says:
"They who affirm that the Son is the Father, are proved neither to have be-
come acquainted with the Father, nor to know that the Father of the Universe
has a son." 1st Apology, ch. 63.
In the same passage, he asserts the divinity of Christ,
and says he was the first-begotten Word of God.
Not only does Justin deny the identity of the Son
with the Father, but he is equally explicit in excluding
the idea of equality between them. Speaking of the
Son, he says,
"We esteem him in the second place. faoiJ/oa.)" "For they proclaim," says
he, "our madness to consist in this; that we give to a crucified man, a place
second to the unchangeable and eternal God, the Creator of all." 1st Apolo-
gy, ch. 13.
The tendency to polytheism, which naturally result-
ed from an attempt to deify Christ, had thus culminated
in Justin Martyr. Here were two Gods, the one en-
tirely distinct from, and subordinate to the other. A
reaction followed, which resulted in the doctrine of the
trinity. The divinity of Christ could not be abandon-
ed. It had taken too firm a hold upon the hearts of the
multitude of his disciples. It must now be reconciled
with monotheism. This required that the Son should,
in some way, be identified with the Father. The ob-
ject was accomplished through the growth and devel-
opment of the doctrine of the Logos. In the writings
of Philo, in the first century, the doctrine of the Word,
as the only begotten Son of the Father, existing with
Him, as the creative power, was fully taught and elab-
orated. But Philo, a Jew, knew nothing of Jesus Christ,
as the Word.
Justin Martyr applied this doctrine to Christ, who
then became, to the Christians, the Logos so much
dwelt upon by Philo. But Justin did not, as we have
ORIGIN AND BISTORT OF CHRISTIAN DOCTRINES. 379
seen, identify the Son, or the Word with the Father.
It remained for the author of the Gospel of John, a
quarter of a century later, boldly to announce, with-
out qualification, that 'in the beginning was the Word,
and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."
This was the culmination of the doctrine of the
Logos, and at the same time, the foundation of the
doctrine of the trinity. The disposition to deify Christ,
had been gaining ground for nearly a century, and had
finally prevailed, without overthrowing monotheism,
which was an essential part of the Christian system.
No wonder that a gospel which thus so distinctly
struck for the first time, the key note of that grand
anthem, which was already in the hearts of multitudes,
waiting only for expression, should at once become
popular should be received as canonical should take
its place among the gospels which had already been se-
lected that it should be ascribed to an apostle, and
should maintain its ground, without any examination
of its authenticity, as an apostolic production.
THE TRINITY.
A solid foundation for the doctrine of the trinity,
having thus been laid, the completion of the structure
was the work of the next century and a half. The
doctrine was scientifically formulated at the Council
of Nice, A D. 325.
From what has been said, it will be seen that it was
not a belief of the first two centuries. Those who
would trace the doctrine to that age, refer to the for-
mula of baptism, in the name of the Father, Son and
Holy Spirit. Those who used this formula, however,
did so, without any adequate conception of the doc-
trine of the trinity, so far as we have any evidence
from the writings of the Ante-Nicene fathers. Dr.
380 FIFTH PERIOD. A. D. 170 to A. D. 185.
i
Shedd, speaking of the formulas employed in the so-
called apostle's creed, says:
"This is as definite a statement of the doctrine of the trinity as was made
in any public document, previous to those Sabellian and Arian controversies,
which resulted in the more exhaustive and technical definitions of the Nicene
symbols." History of Christian Doctrine, by William G. T. Shedd, D.D.,
Prof, of Bib. Lit. in Union Theological Seminary, N. T., 1871, wl 1, p. 262.
Again,
"Those of the primitive fathers who speculated at all upon the trinity, con-
fined their reflections mostly to the relations of the first and second persons. 11
Ibid. vol. 1, p. 268.
Origen speaks of the trinity, in de Principiis, bk. 4,
1. 30, according to the Latin of Rufinus, which is not
very reliable.
NATURE OF THE SOUL.
Tertullian held that both body and soul are propa-
gated.
"The soul of a man," he says, "like the root of a tree, is drawn out, (<!'-
ducta), into a physical progeny, from Adam, the parent stock." De Anima,
cfi. 19.
And again, "Both substances (body and soul), are conceived, finished and
perfected together." De Anima, ch. 27.
In the third century, Origen advocated pre-existence. '
IMMORTALITY OF THE SOUL.
The doctrine of the immortality of the soul does not
appear to have been generally held at that time.
"The soul is not in itself immortal, Greeks," says Tatian, "but mortal.
If, indeed, it knows not the truth, it dies, and is dissolved with the body, but
rises again at last, at the end of the world, with the body, receiving death by
punishment in immortality." Address to t/ie Greeks, bk. 1, ch. 13.
Similar views were held by Theophilus of Antioch,
who says:
"Neither immortal, nor yet mortal did he make him, but capable of both."
Ad Auiolycum, bk. 2, ch. 27.
(1.) De Princip. 4. 1. 16; Ibid. 2. 9, 3. 5; Contra Celsum, 4. 39.
ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN DOCTRINES. 381
The nature of the squl, as explained by Tertullian,
has been seen to be entirely inconsistent with its im-
mortality.
FREE WILL AND PREDESTINATION.
Justin Martyr argued in favor of the freedom of the
will, and against predestination. '
The Alexandrian fathers, while they conceded the
apostacy, held that the human will has a plenary pow-
er of good action, and is able to turn by its own inhe-
rent energy. *
Clement of Alexandria asserts that to believe or dis-
believe, is as much at the command of the will, as to
philosophize or not philosophize. That the first act in
regeneration proceeds from man.
THE ATONEMENT.
Dr. Priestly, in his work on the corruptions of Chris-
tianity, claims that the atonement is not taught in the
New Testament, The statement, as applied to the
doctrine in its theological sense, may be correct. But
we do not see how it can be denied, that Paul preached,
in general terms, a doctrine of atonement.
The earlier fathers generally followed the language
of Paul, without attempting any definite statement of
the doctrine. They do not appear to connect it with
original sin or total depravity.
"For our sins/' says Polycarp, "he has even taken death upon himself. "-
Epist. to the PMlippians.
Basilides maintained that penal suffering, or suf-
fering for purposes of justice, of necessity implies per-
sonal criminality in the sufferer, and therefore cannot
be endured by an innocent person like Christ,
(1.) 1st Apology, 43, 10.
(2.)
382 FIFTH PERIOD. A. D. 170 to A. D. 185.
According to Marcion, the suffering was not real; it
was only apparent.
Clement of Rome speaks of the blood of Christ, shed
for our salvation, and of being justified by faith. '
"There was" says Dr. Shedd, "no scientific construction of the doctrine
of the atonement, in the writings of the apostolic fathers." History of Doct.
vol. 2, p. 208.
Clement of Alexandria and Origen held qualified
views in regard to the atonement.
It was a favorite view with Ignatius, that the death
of Christ brings the human soul into communion with
him.
ORIGINAL SIN.
Wiggers says,
"All, or at least the greater part, of the fathers of the Greek Church before
Augustine, denied any real, original $m."Augustinism and Pelagianism,p.
43. Emerson's Translation.
The doctrine had a gradual growth, and was fully
developed by Augustine. A. D. 420.
The maxim of Tertullian was, "Tradux animse, tra-
dux peccati." "The propagation of the soul, is the
propagation of sin."
Dr. Shedd says, no controversy arose, respecting ori-
ginal sin and regenerating grace, until the fifth cen-
tury. 3
Inherited guilt was first distinctly anounced by Au-
gustine.
ETERNAL PUNISHMENT,
Was taught by Justin Martyr, and some others of
the second century.
"We believe," says Justin, "that those who live wick-
edly, and do not repent, are punished in everlasting
fire."
(1.) Epistle to the Corinthians, 7, 32.
(2.) History of Doctrines, vol. 2, "Anthropology."
(3.) 1st Apology, ch. 21.
OE1G1N AND HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN DOCTRINES. 383
The eternal duration of future punishment was de-
nied by Origen and Clement of Alexandria.
"The good God" says Clement, "corrects for these three causes: First, that
he who is corrected, may become better than his former self; then, that those
-who are capable of being saved by examples, may be driven back, being ad-
monished; and thirdly, that he who is injured, may not readily be despised,
and be apt to receive injury. 1 ' Stromata, bk. 4, ch. 24.
Origen believed in the final restoration of the whole
human race.
THE INTERMEDIATE STATE.
Justin Martyr represents the souls of the righteous
as taking up a temporary abode in a happy, and those
of the wicked, in a wretched place; and stigmatizes as
heretical the doctrine, that souls are immediately re-
ceived into heaven at death. '
Tertullian held that martyrs went at once to the a-
bode of the blessed/but that this was a privilege pecu-
liar to them, and not granted to other Christians. a
PROVIDENCE.
Neander considers that the doctrine of providence, as
now held throughout Christendom, is peculiarly new. 3
We look in vain for any distinct statement of the
doctrine, in the words of the Ante-Nicene fathers.
CREATION OUT OF NOTHING.
This was held by some of the fathers. It is distinct-
ly announced in the Shepherd of Hernias; the author
of which speaks of God, "who brought all things into
being out of nothing."
INSPIRATION.
There was at this time, says Neander, "no coherent
and systematic doctrine of inspiration." *
(1.) Dialogue with Trypho, 5 ; 80.
(2.) De Anima, 55; De Resur. 43.
(3.) Hist, of Doct. vol. 1, p. 123.
(4.) Commandment, 1.
(5.) Hist, of Doctrines, vol. 1, p. 90.
384 FIFTH PERIOD. A. D. 170 to A. D. 185.
The Old Testament was held to be inspired, and in-
spired men were spoken of, under the new dispensation.
Hagenbach says, that Iren^eus first taught the doc-
trine of inspiration, as connected with New Testament
books; and cites Irenseus against Heresies, 3. 16. 2.
MlLLENARIANISM.
Barnabas, Hernias and Papias were millenarians.. So
also were Justin Martyr, Irenseus and Tertullian. 1
Justin not only held to the doctrine, but he declared
it the belief of all but the Gnostics. 2
THE SABBATH.
The Jewish Christians insisted upon maintaining the
Jewish institutions, particularly, circumcision and the
sabbath.
Paul protested against it, and urged that the Chris-
tians were freed from those observances. He caution-
ed them against permitting any man to judge them in
respect of the sabbath. [Colossians, 2. 16.]
There is no evidence of the transfer of the Jewish
sabbath to the first day of the week.
On that day, Christians met, to commemorate the
resurrection of Christ.
BAPTISM.
Peculiar efficacy was attached to this rite, by the
early Christians.
That the form of baptism was by immersion, or at
least by a washing of the whole body, must be the con-
clusion from an impartial examination of the writings
of the Ante-Mcene fathers.
The constitution of the church of Alexandria, which
(1.) Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho; Irenseus, adv. Hser. 5. 25. 36;
Tert. adv. Mar. 3. 24.
(2.) Dialogue with Trypho.
ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN DOCTRINES. 385
is thought to have been established about the year 200,
required the applicant for baptism to be divested oi
clothing, and after the ordinance had been administer-
ed, to be anointed with oil. [See ch. 2 of this work.]
Justin Martyr speaks of thelaver, and of baptism as
a washing. '
When the mother of Clement was converted, she
was baptized in the sea. 9
Nothing is heard of infant baptism before Iremeus.
He is supposed to refer to it in the chapter on the min-
istry of Christ, which is quoted at length, in another
part of this volume.
TRANSUBSTANTIATION.
This doctrine is expressly sanctioned by Justin Mar-
tyr, who says:
"So likewise have we been taught that the food which and from which our
blood and flesh by transmutation are nourished, is the flesh and blood of the
Jesus who was made flesh." 1st Apology, ch. 66.
The doctrine is apparently sanctioned, also, in the
Epistle to the Smyrnaens, incorrectly attributed to Ig-
natius, and in other early writings of the church.
EELIGIOUS INTOLERANCE.
Tertullian did not admit the right of the heretics
to use the scriptures:
"We oppose to them," said he, "this step above all others, of not admit-
ting them to any discussion of the scriptures. If in these lie their resources,
it ought to be clearly seen to whom belongs the possession of the scriptures,
that none may be admitted to the use thereof, who has no title at all to the
privilege." Prescription against Heretics, ch. 15.
SECRET DOCTRINES AND CEREMONIES.
There were exoteric and esoteric doctrines. The
esoteric were taught only to members of the church.
(1.) 1st Apology, ch. 65. He speaks of the ceremony "in the water." Ch. 61.
(2.) Recognitions, bk. 7, ch. 38.
386 FIFTH PERIOD. A. D. 170 to A. D. 185.
The instruction in these may have been what is meant
by the initiatory proceedings occasionally spoken of in
the writings of the early Christians.
In the 38th chapter of the 7th book of the Becogni-
tions, a work written in the second or third century, it
is stated of the mother of Clement, who had been
converted,
"She was then baptized in the sea, and returning to the lodging 1 , was ini-
tiated in all the mysteries of religion in their order." Anie-Nicene Ch. Lib.
vol. 3, p. 358.
The secret character of some of the proceedings
among the early Christians, is alluded to by Dr. Doll-
inger in the following terms:
"The vail of mystery in which the Christians shrouded their assemblies for
divine service, from the beginning, fostered the suspicion of indulging in a
criminal secret worship. 1 ' First Age of the Church, p. 100.
The mysteries of the church must be distinguished
from the mere secrecy of their meetings, which was a
necessity in times of persecution.
The esoteric and exoteric doctrines are alluded to by
Origen, who says:
"To the carnal they taught the gospel in a literal way; preaching Jesus
Christ, and him crucified. But to persons further advanced, and burning with
love for divine, celestial wisdom, they communicated the Logos." Origen,
Pref. to Comm. on John, Opera, wl. 2, p. 255.
Whether there were other secrecies than those of doc-
trine, is uncertain. This feature of the church, what-
ever may have been its exact extent and purport, does
not appear to have ante-dated the formation of the
papal hierarchy.
DOCTRINE OF THE MESSIAH.
That Christ was the Messiah whose advent had been
predicted by the prophets, was believed by all the fath-
ers, and is a doctrine too well understood, to require
further comment.
ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN DOCTRINES. 387
ANTIQUITY OF CHRISTIAN DOCTRINES.
Many of the more prominent doctrines of the Chris-
tian religion, prevailed among nations of antiquity,
hundreds, and in some instances, thousands of years
before Christ.
The doctrine of an IMMACULATE CONCEPTION of an in-
fant deity was not uncommon in very ancient times.
The story of Chrishna has already been told.- Zoroaster
also was believed to have been born of an immaculate
conception by a ray from the Divine Eeason. Mars
was conceived by Juno touching a flower, and she con-
ceived Vulcan by being overshadowed by the wind.
An ancient work entitled Codex Vaticanus, gives an
account of the immaculate conception of Quexalcote,
the Mexican Savior. One of the sects of China wor-
shiped a savior named Xaca, who was conceived by his
mother, in her sleep, seeing a white elephant. l Ya,
the first Chinese monarch, was conceived by his mother
being struck with a star while traveling. 9 Another
legend is that Yu, (probably the same as Ya), was con-
ceived from a water-lily. Many cases might be men-
tioned of mortals who had an immaculate conception.
Plato, Pythagoras, Tamerlane, Gengis Khan, Apollo-
nius of Tyana and Augustus Caesar, were all supposed
to have been the product of immaculate conceptions.
Stars also presaged the birth of several of them.
At the birth of Confucius, five wise men from a dis-
tance, came to the house, celestial music filled the air,
and angels attended the scene.
The title of SON OF GOD was very common among
the ancients, and at the commencement of the Chris-
(1.) History of China, by Alvarez Semedo, p. 89.
(2.) History of the Rajahs, by Col. Tod, p. 57.
(3.) See the Five Volumes.
388 FIFTH PERIOD. A. D. 170 to A. D. 185.
tian era. St. Basil says, "Every uncommonly good
man was called the Son of God." When Apollonius,
standing before Domitian, was asked, why men called
him a god, his reply was, "Every good man is entitled
to that appellation." An answer which Dr. Albert
Reville, a theologian of Eotterdam, thought might
throw a bright light upon the divinity of Christ. '
MIKACLES. The belief in miracles has been common
in all ages of the world. From the time of Uranus,
father of all the gods, down through all the ages, the
world has been filled with wonders. Esculapius raised
Hippolytus from the dead Hercules rescued Alcestis
from the very hand of death Actseon was changed to
a stag the walls of Thebes builded themselves to the
music of the flute, while those of Jericho fell before
the blasts of the priests of Israel. The daughters of
Anius the high priest, changed every thing they chose,
into corn, oil and wine, and the hair of Berenice was
changed to a constellation of stars. Meanwhile Pro-
metheus lay bound on Mt. Caucasus, the vultures de-
vouring his vitals, which grew as fast as eaten.
The heavens were full of gods, and earth, air and
sea swarmed with myriads of angels, spirits and de-
mons.
RESUKRECTION. Many cases of resurrection from the
dead, are handed down, in the ancient mythologies.
Mithras, the "Mediator" of Persia, is said to have risen,
after three days. 2 So also, Quexalcote, of Mexico, Osi-
ris of Egypt, and others.
Some of these, after their resurrection, ascended into
heaven. Chrishna, after rising from the dead, and ap-
pearing to his disciples, ascended to Brahma, in heaven.
(1.) See chapter entitled "Apollonius."
(2.) Pitrat, p. 105.
ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF CHRISTIAN DOCTRINES. 389
THE ATONEMENT. This doctrine, has in some form
pervaded the religion of all countries. Offerings of
propitiation, to appease the wrath of an offended God,
or to satisfy the demands of justice, have been common
in every period of the world. Sometimes they have
consisted of fruits of the earth; at other times, of ani-
mals and men. As nations have advanced in civilization,
the offerings have become less bloody in their character.
In the Sandwich Islands, anciently, human beings were
thrown as a sacrifice into the crater of Kileaua, the
great volcano. Afterward, animals were substituted,
and finally products of the earth. The propitiatory
system of the Jews is well known. This is considered
by Paul as a type of the higher Christian system.
THE TRINITY, was an essential feature in the religion
of many oriental nations. The Holy Ghost was the
third member, under various appellations. In the Hin-
doo trinity, it was Siva; the other members of the trin-
ity being Brahma and Vishnu.
Mr. Maurice says, This notion of a third person in
the deity, was diffused among all the* nations of the
earth. ' Mr. Worsely considers the doctrine one "of
very great antiquity, and generally received by the
Gothic and Celtic nations." : In the Hindoo system,
this third person was the Holy Breath, by which living
creatures were made. 3 The Holy Ghost became visible
in the forms of a dove, a tongue of fire, &c.
The Holy Ghost was sometimes the agent in immac-
ulate conceptions. In the Mexican trinity, Y Zona was
the Father, Bascal the Word, and Echvah the Holy
Ghost, by the last of whom Chimalman conceived and
(1.) Ind. Antiq. vol. 4, p. 247.
(2.) Voyage, vol. 1, p. 259.
(3.) M. Dubois, p. 293.
390 FIFTH PERIOD. A. D. 170 to A. D. 185.
brought forth Quexalcote. ' When Sesostris invoked
the oracle, to know who, before him, could subjugate
all things, the answer was, "First God, then the Word,
and with them the Spirit." 2 Plutarch, in his 'Life of
Numa/ shows that the incarnation of the Holy "Spirit
was known to the ancient Egyptians.
The doctrine of the Word, as the creative power, is
also very ancient. The Chinese bible states that "God
pronounced the primeval Word, and his own eternal
and glorious abode sprang into existence." According
to the Zend-Avesta, it was by the Word, more ancient
than the world, that Ormuzd created the universe. The
ancient Greek writer, Amelias, speaking of the God
Mercury, says, "And this plainly was the Logos, by whom
all things were made," &c.
Plato taught a trinity of the soul, in which it is easy
to see analogies, pointing to a higher form of the doc-
trine.
It is said there was an ancient Greek inscrip-
tion on the great obelisk at Rome; thus; 1. The Mighty
God; 2. The Begotten of God; and 3. Apollo the Spirit.
CONFESSION AND REMISSION OF SINS. These doctrines
prevailed anciently in India; also among the ancient
Persians, and Parsees. 3 In China, the invocation of
Omito, was held to remit the punishment of the greatest
crimes. 4
The doctrines of ORIGINAL SIN, FALL OF MAN, and
ENDLESS PUNISHMENT, are all to be found in the religious
systems of several ancient nations.
(1.) Mexican Antiq. vol. 6, p. 1650.
(2.) Nimpod, vol. 1, p. 119.
(3.) Volney, p. 211.
(4.) Rev. Mr. Pitrat, p. 232.
ORIGIN AND BISTORT OF CHRISTIAN DOCTRINES. 391
SPRINKLING with water was a religious ceremony of
much antiquity. ' This may in some degree account for
the change of the form of Christian baptism from im-
mersion to sprinkling. The practice prevailed among
the ancient Romans. a
THE SACRAMENT OR EUCHARIST, has also an ancient
original. It was practiced among the Brahmins of In-
dia, and was introduced into the mysteries of Mithras.
It prevailed also, among the ancient Mexicans. 8
THE GOLDEN RULE was taught hundreds of years be-
fore Christ, by Confucius, Aristotle, and many others. 4
(1.) See Potter's Antiquities, and Herbert's Travels.
(2.) Consult the writings of Virgil, Cicero and others.
(3.) Travels of Father Acosta; Memoirs of Mr. Marolles, p. 215.
(4.) Those who may wish to pursue this subject further, will find a mass of
useful facts in the "Auacalypsis" of Sir Godfrey Higgins; a work in the
preparation of which he was employed for twenty years; and from which
some of the foregoing references, concerning the antiquity of prominent
ft -attires of the Christian system have been taken. Consult also, "The World's
Sixteen Crucified Saviors, or Christianity before Christ," by Kersey Graves; a
work which contains, mixed with some erroneous statements, a fund of very
valuable information."
392 FIFTH PERIOD. A.D. 170 to A.D. 185.
CHAPTER XXXIV.
CHRISTIAN WRITERS OF THE FIFTH PERIOD.
A. D. 170 to A. D. 185.
MARCUS ARISTO OF PELL.A DIONYSIUS OF CORINTH MILTIADES MAX-
IMUS PlNYTUS MODESTAS MuSANUS CHURCH OF VlENNE AND LYONS
FLORINUS BLASTUS MELITO OF SARDIS ATHENAGORAS CLAUDIUS A-
POLLINARIS THEOPHILUS OF ANTIOCH BARDESANES HERMOGENES BAC-
CHYLUS OF CORINTH PANT^ENUS MARCIA HEGESIPPUS.
MARCUS. About A. D. 170.
Marcus was a native of Palestine, and a disciple of
Valentinus. "Valentinianism," says Baring-Gould, "as-
sumed two forms; broke into two sects; the Marcosians
and the Ophites." '
Marcus was considered a heretic. The most that has
been preserved concerning him, comes through Irenae-
us, who treats of him and his followers, in the work on
Heresies, as follows:
"But there is another among these heretics, Marcus by name, who boasts of
himself as having improved upon his master. [Valentinus.J He is a perfect
adept in magical impostures, and by this means drawing away a great number
of men, and not a few women, he has induced them to join themselves to him,
as to one who is possessed of the greatest knowledge and perfection, and who
has received the highest power from the invisible and ineffable regions above,
thus it appears as if he were really the precursor of Anti-Christ."
(1.) Lost and Hostile Gospels, p. 287.
CHRISTIAN WRITERS. MARCUS. 393
After describing some of the magical proceedings of
Marcus, he continues:
"Again, handing mixed cups to the women, he bids them consecrate these
in his presence."
Stating that, after the consecration of the cups,
Marcus would fill larger cups from the smaller ones,
Irenaeus proceeds as follows:
"It appears probable enough, that this man possesses a demon as his fa-
miliar spirit, by means of which he seems able to prophecy, and also enables as
many as he counts worthy to be partakers of his Charis, themselves to proph-
ecy.
"He devotes himself especially to women, and those such as are well bred,
and elegantly attired, and of great wealth ; whom he frequently seeks to draw
after him, by addressing them in such seductive words as these:" [Here giving
what purports to be an address of Marcus, to the women, exhorting them to
receive Charis, or the spirit of prophecy.] The effect of this speech, he says,
is, that the woman, "vainly puffed up and elated by these words, and greatly
excited in soul by the expectation that it is herself who is to prophecy, her heart
bf'uting violently, [from emotion], reaches the requisite pitch of audacity, and
idly as well as impudently utters some nonsense as it happens to occur to her,
such as might be expected from one heated by an empty spirit^"
Our author does not hesitate to add, that the womaD,
deeming herself a prophetess, out of gratitude to Mar-
cus, rewards him, not only by large possessions, but by
yielding up to him her person. '
ARISTO OF PELL A. A. D. 175.
The Dialogue between Jason and Papiscus, has been
attributed to Aristo. Westcott thinks it uncertain
whether he was the author. The same writer adds that
the words of the Dialogue do not prove anything as to
the existence of a New Testament Canon. 2
Of the Apology which Aristo is said to have deliver-
ed to Hadrian, 3 nothing is known.
In the 22d volume of the Ante-Nicene Collection, are
(1.) Irenssus, adv. Haer. bk. 1, 13.
(2.) Canon, pp. 84, 85.
<3.) Chron. Pasc. 477, of Routh, p. 104.
394 FIFTH PERIOD. A. D. 170 to A. D. 185.
five small fragments attributed to Aristo. Four of
these are from the Dispute between Jason and Papiscus,
cited by Jerome and others. The other is from Eusebius.
DIONYSIUS OF COEINTH. A. D. 175.
Some fragments from this writer are supposed to
have been preserved by Eusebius. who, in his Eccl^si-
astical History, gives what purport to be extracts from
his writings.
There has been some controversy over certain pass-
ages, which Canon Westcott supposes to refer to the
New Testament; his conclusions being strongly attack-
ed by the author of Supernatural Religion. It is not
necessary to notice the discussion further; since any
fragments which appear only in Eusebius, are absolutely
unreliable.
This is the writer whom Eusebius cites in reference
to the teaching and martyrdom of Paul and Peter.
After giving an alleged quotation from Caius, a writer
whose works are lost, Eusebius says he "superadds" the
testimony of Dionysius, in order that the truth of his
history, may be still more confirmed. '
MILTIADES MAXIMUS PINYTTJS. About A. D. 175.
But little is known of these writers. Maximus was
Bishop of Jerusalem. He is probably the one referred
to by Eusebius, 2 who says he wrote on the origin of
evil, and on the creation of matter.
The same writer refers thus to Pinytus:
Speaking of the writings of Dionysius of Corinth, he speaks of an epistle
to the Gnossians, in which Dionysius " admonishes Pinytus, not to impose
upon the brethren without necessity, a burden in regard to purity, too great
to be borne; 'but to pay regard to the infirmity of the great mass.' Pinytus
in reply, admires and applauds Dionysius, but exhorts him, at the same time,
to impart, some time or other, stronger food, and to feed the people under him
(1.) Ecclesiastical Hist. 2. 25. (2.) Ibid. 5. 27.
CHRISTIAN WRITERS. MEL1TO OF 8ARD18. 395
with writings abounding in more perfect doctrine, when he wrote again," &c.
Ecclesiastical History, 4. 23.
MODESTAS MUSANUS. A. D. 176.
These writers are mentioned by Dr. Lardner, ' as
writers of the second century, whose works are lost.
CHURCHES OF VIENNE AND LYONS. A. D. 177.
An epistle is said to have been written by these, to
certain eastern churches, and the extracts from it, oc-
cupy a prominent place in ecclesiastical history. The
information comes through Eusebius. The epistle is
supposed to contain references to the Protevangelion
Gospel.
FLORINUS BLASTUS. A. D. 177.
Florinus was a presbyter of the Roman Church.
Was ejected for heresy. He maintained that God was
the author of evil. Blastus was of the same school.
MELITO OP SARDIS. A. D. 177.
It is supposed that some fragments of the lost writ-
ings of Melito, have been preserved in the Ecclesiastical
History of Eusebius. * In these, some have found, as
they supposed, allusions to the New Testament writings.
The inference is by others denied. Michaelis was in-
clined to the opinion, also, that Melito had testified to
the existence of a Syriac version. But Bishop Marsh
shows that the inference of Michaelis, was illogical and
unauthorized. 3 The fact is, we have not sufficient evi-
dence as to what Melito wrote.
Some Syriac writings have appeared under the name
of Melito, but they are not considered genuine. His
Discourse or Apology, and some other supposed frag-
ments, are given in the 22d volume of Ante-Nicene.
(1.) Lard. Works, vol. 1, p. 436.
(2.) Ecc. History, 4. 26.
(3.) Marsh's Michaelis, vol. 2, p. 552.
396 FIFTH PERIOD. A. D. 170 to A. D. 185.
ATHENAGORAS. A. D. 177.
But little is known of Athenagoras, beyond the fact,
that he was an Athenian philosopher, became a Chris-
tian, and about the date above mentioned, is reputed
to have presented to the Emperors Marcus Aurelius and
Commodus, an embassy or apology for Christians, which
is still extant. A Treatise on the Resurrection is also
attributed to him.
In his Apology, Athenagoras has been supposed to
refer to some of the canonical gospels; but nothing
definite can be determined in regard to it.
We may safely accept the conclusion of Dr. Donald-
son, expressed as follows:
"Athenagoras makes no allusion to the inspiration of the New Testament
writers. He does not mention one of them by name, and one cannot be sure
that he quotes from any except Paul. All the passages taken from the gos-
pels, are part of our Lord's discourses, and may have come down to Athenag-
oras by tradition." Hist. Ch. Lit. and Doct.*3. p. 172.
The passages referred to differ also from those in the
canonical gospels, and may have exactly corresponded
with older gospels then extant.
The fact that Athenagoras nowhere mentions either
of the four gospels by name, becomes the more remark-
able when it is considered that he cites by name, Moses,
Jeremiah, Jonah, Thales, Plato, Homer, Hesiod, Or-
pheus, Herodotus, Pythagoras, Euripides, Aristotle and
others.
Though the Gospels of Luke and Mark, and possibly
John, may then have been written, it is not probable
that they were much known, or that any names of re-
puted authors were attached to them.
CLAUDIUS APOLLINARIS, A. D. 178,
Was Bishop of Hierapolis. He is said to have par-
ticipated in the great paschal controversy. In an ex-
tract, purporting to be from a work written by him on
CHRISTIAN WRITERS. THEOPHILUS OF ANT10CH. 397
the passover, there is a reference to what Matthew had
said, and by implication, to the Gospel of Matthew.
The extract is found in the preface to the Paschal
Chronicle, a work of the seventh century. Its genu-
ineness is, however, generally discredited. 1 Three
fragments are given, in Ante-Mcene, vol. 22.
THEOPHILUS OP ANTIOCH A. D. 180.
This writer occupies a prominent place in all uhe
works on the canon. He was Bishop of Antioch. Of
his writings, three letters to Autolycus are preserved,
in one of which the Gospel of John is expressly men-
tioned by name; 3 though it is not stated it was written
by an apostle.
Theophilus is reputed to have written a Commentary
on the gospels; which is lost.
BARDESANES HERMOGENES BACCHYLUS OF CORINTH
PANTSBNUS. A. D. 180.
The works of these writers are lost; except a few
fragments. "The Discourse on Fate," of Bardesanes,
is given in Ante-Mcene, vol. 22, pt. 2, p. 85.
Bardesanes was a native of Mesopotamia, and lived
at Edessa. He was a man of learning. 3
Some have attributed to Bardesanes, the authorship
of the Recognitions. Eusebius mentions him, in his
Ecclesiastical History, 20. 30.
Hermogenes ascribed matter to an irregular mo-
tion. 4
Bacchylus of Corinth was zealous in defending the
faith against heretics. He was one of the bishops
(1.) Donaldson, Hist. Ch. Lit. and Doct. 3. 247; Lardner, Credibility, &c.
vol. 2, p. 296.
(2.) Ad Autolycum, 2. 22.
(3.) Jerome, in Or. c. 10, p. 301 j Augustine, de Civitate Dei, liber 22,
c.24.
(4.) Lardner, vol. 4, p. 266.
398 FIFTH PERIOD. A. D. 170 to A. D. 185.
who convened local councils, at the request of Victor
of Home, to settle the paschal controversy.
Pantsenus has been spoken of in connection with the
Gospel of Matthew. '
Alexandria was the scene of his labors. He preced-
ed Clement of Alexandria in the presidency of the cat-
echetic school, or seminary in that city. Soon after,
he went as missionary to India. He is said to have
been the author of commentaries on the scriptures.
MAKCIA. A. D. 183.
Marcia was a concubine of the Emperor Commodus.
Dion Cassius says of her,
"She is related to have had a great affection for the Christians, and to have
done them many good offices; she having a great ascendency over Commo-
dus." Hist. 1. 72, p. 819.
HEGESIPPUS. A. D. 185.
Hegesippus was a Jewish Christian of Jerusalem.
He traveled extensively, in order to become acquaint-
ed with the condition of the church, and came to Rome
during the bishopric of Anicetus; sometime between
the years 160 and 170.
Afterward, about 185, he wrote, it is stated, a histor-
ical work, called 'Memoirs,' in five books. It is said to
have been a complete history of Christianity, down to
his own time. It is now lost, except a few short frag-
ments, most of them being only such as Eusebius has
thought proper to preserve.
Hegesippus was an Ebionite, and like the others
of that sect, was violently opposed to Paul. The viru-
lence of these Christians against the great apostle
of the Gentiles, is well illustrated by a fragment of
Hegesippus, preserved by Gobarus, of the sixth century.
(1.) See chapter XXXI.
CHRISTIAN WRITERS. HEGE8IPPUS. 399
Referring to the words of Paul, in 1 Cor. 2. 9, u Eye hath
not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the
heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for
them that love him," Hegesippus says:
"Thes^ words are vainly spoken; and those who say these things give the
lie to the divine writings, and to the Lord, saying, 'Blessed are your eyes that
see, and your ears that hear.' "PJwtius, Bib. Cod. 232, col. 893.
This passage, cited by Hegesippus, is supposed to be
taken from the Gospel of the Hebrews, which Eusebius
says, Hegesippus used. ' It will be noticed that the
passage agrees in sense, while differing in phraseology
from Matthew.
Hegesippus, though he traveled extensively over the
Christian world, makes no mention of the canonical
gospels. Some supposed quotations from them, have
given rise to the usual discussion.
(1.) Eoc. Hist. 4. 22.
400 FIFTH PERIOD. A.J). 170 to A. D. 18&
CHAPTER XXXV.
REVIEW OF THE FIFTH PERIOD.
INTRODUCTION OF THE FOUR GOSPELS AND ACTS OF THB APOSTLES,.
PREPARATORY TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE PAPACY THE SUBJECT
INVOLVED IN MYSTERY SOURCES OF INFORMATION GONE SLAUGHTER
OF THE INNOCENTS.
Though we find no mention of the four gospels dur-
ing the fifth period, with the single exception of the
Gospel of John, there is reason to believe they were
all written during this time, as a part of the structure
upon which Roman Catholic dominion was bo rest.
This relation to Roman Catholicism, is more particu-
larly to be noticed, in the Gospels of John and Matthew,
and the Acts of the Apostles. The Gospels of Luke
and Mark may have been composed without any special
reference to the hierarchy; the one to counteract the
influence of Marcion and his Gospel, and the other, to
preserve, in a complete and comprehensive form, some
of the older traditions of the church, which had been
in circulation in various forms, particularly in the Gos-
pel of Peter.
The Gospel of John was adopted, as settling, in beau-
tiful language, and in an acceptable form, the doctrine
of the divinity of Jesus, and as indicating the unity
of the church under Peter. The Gospel of Matthew,
LOSS OR DESTRUCTION OF EVIDENCE. 401
in still more explicit language, laid the foundations
broad and deep, for the establishment of the suprem-
acy of the papal power, on the authority of Christ as
delegated to Peter; while the Acts of the Apostles
bridged over the differences which had so long existed,
between the followers of Peter and Paul.
While thus much is apparent upon the surface, if we
attempt to go deeper into the subject, we find every-
thing involved in mystery.
All the most reliable sources of information, are
closed to the researches of the historian. Those writ-
ings of the second century to which he would naturally
turn for information, commentaries and works written
especially concerning the gospels then in circulation,
are lost or destroyed, without a single exception.
Not one remains, to give its testimony on one side
or the other, of any controverted question. Also many
books written on the same subject, during the next two
or three hundred years; while it is notorious that
others, which have been preserved, have been tampered
with and extensively interpolated.
Loss OE DESTRUCTION OF EVIDENCE, CONCERNING
THE FOUR GOSPELS.
The following is some of the evidence of the second
century, which has disappeared.
1. THE COMMENTARIES OF BASILIDES. A. D. 125.
Basilides is said to have written a Commentary on
"the Gospel," in 24 books. A gospel is also attributed
to him. But the better opinion appears to be that the
Commentaries and the Gospel were one and the same.
These commentaries must have thrown a flood of
light upon the history of the gospels then in exis-
tence. They would at least disclose the number and
character of the principal ones then in circulation.
402 fIFTH PERIOD. A. D. 170 to A. D. 185.
2. AGRIPPA CASTOR, A. D. 130,
Wrote in refutation of the heresies of Basilides.
This has perished with the commentaries of his ad-
versary.
3. THE WORKS OF PRODICUS. A. D. 120.
The followers of Prodicus boasted of having the se-
cret books of Zoroaster. His writings would probably
have disclosed the connection between Persian my-
thology and the Gospels of the Infancy.
4. APOLOGIES OF QUADRATUS AND ARISTIDES. A. D. 126.
If these had been preserved, we could test the cor-
rectness of the assertion of Eusebius that the Apology of
Quadratus referred to the miracles of Christ; which, in
that case, would be, so far as known, the first reference
to them in history. We would know also what is meant
by the statement of the same historian, if there be any
truth in it at all, that Quadratus and others, at that
time, delivered to those who had not heard the faith,
the books of the holy gospels. We would probably
learn from their writings what gospels were extant in
their day.
5. ARISTION, A. D. 130,
According to Papias, as coming through Eusebius,
preserved traditions concerning Christ. These tradi-
tions would have thrown much light upon the gospel
history, and upon the earlier gospels.
6. JOHN THE PRESBYTER. A. D. 130.
John, like Aristion, appears in Eusebius as one of the
informants of Papias, particularly concerning certain
writings composed by Mark and Matthew; information
which was long supposed to relate to the gospels bear-
ing those names. It is now thought they cannot be
regarded as referring to any of the canonical gospels.
LOSS OR DESTRUCTION OF EVIDENCE. 403
Had we the original traditions, or statements, in full,
they would at once settle the matter.
7. CERINTHUS, A. D. 145,
Was the reputed author of a gospel. His gospel and
writings are lost or destroyed.
8. VALENTINUS. A. D. 150.
Valentinus had a gospel, called "The Gospel of Truth."
Irenaeus places it sharply in antagonism with the four
gospels. Says they are false, if that of Valentinus was
the Gospel of Truth; that if they are true, Valentinus'
was false. As the work of Irenaeus is preserved, and
the four gospels, it is much to be regretted, and must
be considered calamitous to the cause of impartial
investigation, that we have not the Gospel of Valen-
tinus, and his writings in support of it.
9. PAPIAS, A. D. 150,
Is said to have written five books, entitled "Exposi-
tion of the Oracles of the Lord." This must have been
a Commentary on the Oracles, or collections of the
sayings ot Christ; and would have been invaluable;
giving those sayings, as they stood in the middle of the
second century.
10. THE WRITINGS OF MARCION.
Pure Christianity has suffered no greater loss, than
that of the writings of Marcion, the great theological
thinker of the second century the compiler of the
first complete gospel the collector of the epistles of
Paul the editor and publisher of the first New
Testament.
While the elaborate work against him, written by
Tertullian, who called him a "hound," has been pre-
served, and the work of Epiphanius, who bestowed up-
on him the euphonious appellation of "beast," the wri-
404 FIFTH PERIOD. A. D. 170 to A. D. 185.
tings of Marcion have perished, except such as are
found in the references and citations of his adversa-
ries. His works have shared the common fate of the
writings of the heretics of the second century, none
of which, in their original form, have been permitted
to come down to us.
Marcion was an educated man, and a profound think-
er, and no relic of Christian antiquity, next to the
Epistles of Paul, would to-day be more valuable, than
his writings. Being himself a collector of gospel and
New Testament manuscripts, his writings upon those
subjects would forever set at rest the question, as to
what gospels were then in circulation.
11. THE WORK OF JUSTIN MARTYR AGAINST HERESIES.
As his Dialogue with Trypho contains an exposition
of the Old Testament, his work against heresies would
probably have thrown light upon the gospels in circu-
tion in his day. It would at least have determined the
much controverted question, as to the gospels used by
Justin himself.
12. THE WRITINGS OF APELLES. A. D. 160.
Apelles was a Gnostic leader, who had a gospel
of his own, and whose writings must have referred to
other gospels. His works are lost or destroyed.
13. PEREGRINUS, A. D. about 160.
An erratic but talented Christian philosopher, held
for a time, a commanding position among the Chris-
tians of Palestine. "Some books" says Lucian, "he in-
terpreted and explained, others he wrote." His writ-
ings would constitute an important chapter in the his-
tory of the times. We have sketches of the man from
Lucian, Ammianus, Aulus Gellius and others, but his
writings have all perished.
LOSS OR DESTRUCTION OF EVIDENCE. 405
14. MARCELLINA. A. D. 160.
It would scarcely be expected that the heretical writ-
ings of a woman would be preserved, amid such
wholesale slaughter of the obnoxious works of the op-
posite sex. The writings of Marcellina have perished.
15. MONTANUS. A. D. 170.
Much has been said about Montanism, but we have
only such extracts from the works of its founder, as
his adversaries have chosen to preserve.
16. THE WRITINGS OF TATIAN. A. D. 170.
Tatian wrote, it is said, a Harmony of the gospels.
Though it is quite evident that he made use of the Gos-
pel of the Hebrews, and his work was even known by
some under that name, an attempt has been made to
connect his Harmony with the four gospels, on the un-
supported and suspicious testimony of Eusebius. He
says it was called the Diatessaron, which he explains
as meaning of or from the four. If we had the writ-
ings of Tatian himself or his Harmony, the question
could speedily be determined.
17. MARCUS, about A. D. 170,
Had, according to Irenaeus, an innumerable multi-
tude of apocryphal writings. He probably wrote in
explanation of these books, and of their origin. Both
the books themselves, with a few exceptions, and what-
ever he may have written concerning them, have per-
ished.
18. PANT^NUS. A. D. 180.
While it could not be expected that Pantaenus, if he
wrote the Gospel of Matthew, would admit the fact,
yet if we had the account of his travels in India, and
of his discovery there, as claimed, of an original Gos-
pel of Matthew, we might have at least some light
thrown upon the origin of that gospel.
406 FIFTH PERIOD. A. J). 170 to A. D, 185.
19. THE CHRONICLES OF HEGESIPPUS. A. D. 185.
Hegesippus was the first church historian. He trav-
eled over nearly all Christendom, for the express pur-
pose of obtaining information, and then wrote the
history of the church, from the beginning to his own
time. This work is lost or destroyed. The extent of
the loss cannot be overestimated.
Eusebius was the next historian, writing 140 years
afterward.
He had the history of Hegesippus before him.
After referring to the death of James, and the .state-
ment of Clement, that James was thrown from a wing,
of the temple, and beaten to death with a club, he says:
"Hegesippus, also, who flourished nearest the days of the apostles, in the
fifth book of his Commentaries, gives the most accurate account of him, thus :
Here follows a lengthy account of the death of James.
Eusebius then adds:
"Such is the more ample testimony of Hegesippus, in which he fully coin-
cides with Clement." Ecc. Hist. bk. 2, 23.
Again, Eusebius gives an account of the grand-chil-
dren of Judas, called the Lord's brother, who were
examined before the Emperor Domitian. He concludes
as follows: "Such is the statement of Hegesippus."
Again, speaking of the martyrdom of Simeon, second
Bishop of Jerusalem, he says:
"To this the same Hegesippus bears testimony, whose words we have already
so often quoted."-Jfcc. //. 3. 32.
He then quotes several passages, further, from the
same author. Subsequently, referring to ecclesiastical
writers, he says:
"Among these Hegesippus holds a distinguished rank, many of whose
writings we have already quoted, where we have given some things as he has
(1.) Ecc. Hist. 3. 20.
LOSS OR DESTRUCTION OF EVIDENCE. 407
delivered them from apostolic tradition. This author compiled, in five books,
the plain tradition of the apostolic doctrine, in a most simple style of compo-
sition, and clearly shows the time in which he lived, where he writes respecting
those who began to erect idols, &c." Here follows a quotation from Hegesip-
pus, concerning the erection of cenotaphs and temples, &c. Ecc. Hist. 4. 8.
Again, in the same book, he says:
"Hegesippus, indeed, in the five books of Commentaries that have come
down to us, has left a most complete record of his own views. In these he
states that he conversed with most of the bishops, when he traveled to Rome,
and that he received the same doctrine from all. We may also add what he
says alter some observations on the Epistle of Clement to the Corinthians."
He then quotes Hegesippus concerning the Church
of Corinth. '
Continuing, Eusebius speaks of Hegesippus coming
to Rome, and of the Roman Bishops Anicetus, Soter
and Eleutherus.
" 'In every succession, however,' says Hegesippus, 'and in every city, the
doctrine prevails, according to what is declared by the law and the prophets,
and the Lord.'"
He then quotes what Hegesippus says, concerning
the beginning of heresies, and the ancient heresies
prevalent among the Jews. a
"He also speaks of many other matters," says Eusebius, "which we have
in part already quoted, and introduced: in their appropriate places. He also
states some particulars from the Gospel of the Hebrews, and from the Syriac,
and particularly from the Hebrew language, showing that he himself was a
convert from the Hebrews. Other matters he also records, as taken from the
unwritten tradition of the Jews. And not only he, but Irenaeus also, and the
whole body of the ancients called the Proverbs of Solomon, 'Wisdom,' com-
prehending every virtue. Also in discoursing on the books called apocryphal,
he relates that some of them were forged in his day, by some of the heretics."
Ecc. History, 4. 22.
From the foregoing it will be seen how much of the
history of Hegesippus, is incorporated into that of
Eusebius. A few meager items, of comparatively no
historical value; the manner of the death of James,
an examination of a few individuals before Domitian
(I.) Ecc. Hist. 4. 22. (2.) Ibid.
408 FIFTH PERIOD. A. D. 170 to A. D. 185.
the martyrdom of Simeon the worshiping of idols
the journey to Rome, and a few words concerning the
commencement of heresies.
Not a word of what was important to be known;
of the history of the progress of the church, and of the
doctrines which had prevailed of the controversies
between the Jewish and Gentile Christians of the
history of Paul and Peter, and of the founding of the
Church of Rome; and above all, of the history of the
gospels and New Testament books which Hegesippus
found in circulation, showing by whom they were
written, and how they had been preserved.
So far as can be learned, Hegesippus was profoundly
silent concerning the four gospels, and spoke only of
the Gospel of the Hebrews.
The History of Hegesippus must have been written
after the accession of Eleutherus, Bishop of Rome, and
probably about A. D. 185. This was, if we have read
history aright, in the infancy of the four gospels.
Whether Hegesippus met with them, and if so, what
estimate he formed of them, in comparison with the
Gospel of the Hebrews, is a question of the utmost
importance, but one upon which Eusebius is silent.
Since Eusebius had the history of Hegesippus in his
possession, why did he not take measures to have it
preserved, or else incorporate into his own history, the
most important portions of it, and' particularly the ev-
idence, if any, in favor of the four gospels?
According to Eusebius, Hegesippus said, that in eve-
ry city, the doctrine prevailed, according to the law
and the prophets, and the Lord, and that he received
the same doctrine from all. Eusebius would have his
readers believe, that the doctrine of a Jewish Christian
of the second century, was precisely the same as that
which prevailed in every city. Again, Eusebius says
LOSS OR DESTRUCTION OF EVIDENCE. 409
that Hegesippus derived his information concerning
apostolic doctrine from tradition. Is that consistent
with the existence of gospels, which were every-where
received in the church as authoritative? Such gospels
would have been superior to, and would have taken
the place of all tradition, concerning apostolic doctrine.
20. COMMENTARIES OF HERACLEON. A. D. 190.
It is claimed that Heracleon wrote Commentaries
on Luke and John. Clement of Alexandria quotes
Heracleon in such a way as to indicate that he had
commented on Luke or Marcion, or on some other gos-
pel, containing the sayings of Christ. The Commenta-
ries on John are inferred from some passages in Origen.
If these commentaries existed, their loss is irreparable.
21. THE WRITINGS OF SERAPION. A. D. 190.
These, of which we have but a brief extract in Euse-
bius, would have enlightened us further in regard to
the transaction at Rhossus. From Serapion, we could
have learned something of the four gospels which he
was substituting in place of the Gospel of Peter. He
could inform us how long the four gospels had been in
circulation where he obtained them what other gos-
pels he had been obliged to suppress, to make way for
them, and whether he was acting under the direction
of the Church of Rome. His writings have perished.
22. CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA,
Is said to have composed a work, specially upon the
scriptures, which wev<> considered authoritative.
Eusebius says, that in the work called Hypotyposes,
Clement gave abridged accounts of all the canonical
scriptures. '
(Li Ecclesiastical Hist. 6. 14.
410 FIFTH PERIOD. A. 2. 170 to A. D. 185.
The reader will appreciate the value of this work,
when he reflects how frequently, in the foregoing pag-
es, he has met with evidence of the use by Clement, of
books afterward pronounced apocryphal. This work
has perished, while most of the other more important
writings ot Clement have been preserved. '
This ends the list of works of the second century,
either written expressly concerning the gospels and
New Testament books in circulation at that time, or
which would have thrown more or less light upon the
subject. More than fifty books, by more than twenty
authors.
Not one of the whole number has been permitted to
see the light of subsequent ages. The list might be
extended considerably further, and would cover most
of the writings of the third century, upon the same
subject.
Nearly every thing written concerning the gospels to>
the year 325, and all the copies of the gospels them-
selves to the same period, are lost or destroyed.
(1.) Besides the Hypotyposes, (TnoTvitw6i<}, consisting of eight books
of exposition of scripture, Clement wrote an Ecclesiastical Canon; (Kavoov
This also, has perished.
CHRISTIAN WRITERS. HERACLEON, 411
SIXTH PERIOD. A. D. 185 to A. D. 200.
CLOSE OF THE SECOND CENTURY.
CHAPTER XXXVI.
ASTERFUS URBANUS CASSIANUS HERACLEON MURATORIAN FRAG-
MENT PTOLEM^EUS MAXIMILLA VICTOR SERAPION, BISHOP OF ANTI-
OCH THEODOTUS OP BYZANTIUM NARCISSUS, BISHOP OP JERUSALEM
RHODON PALMAS POLYCRATES, BISHOP OP EPHESUS MAXIMUS, BISHOP
OP JERUSALEM NOETUS PRAXEAS SYMMACHUS HERMAS SELEUCAS
PISTIS SOPHIAS ARTEMON SECOND EPISTLE OP CLEMENT JULIUS AFRI-
CANUS.
ASTERIUS URBANUS. A. D. 188.
Of this writer, but little is known. According to
Cave, he flourished about the year 188.
CASSIANUS. A. D. 190.
Julius Cassianus was a writer of the second century,
who was quoted by Clemens Alexandrinus, thus:
Wherefore Cassianus saith, that when Salome asked (Christ), when the
things should be known, concerning which she enquired, our Lord answered,
"When you shall despise, 1 ' &c. [See p. 71 of this vol.]
Which, Clement adds, was to be found in the Gospel
according to the Egyptians. From which it is to be
inferred that Cassianus made use of that gospel.
PTOLEM^US HERACLON. A. D. 190.
These were prominent Gnostics.
Ptolemaeus wrote a letter to Flora, which occupies a
412 SIXTH PERIOD. A. D. 185 to A. D. 200.
distinguished place in the literary history of the
times. '
In this letter, Ptolemy, having commented upon the
ceremonial and typical laws of the Pentateuch, as hav-
ing been annulled by the appearing of the truth, adds:
"These things the other disciples of Christ taught, and also the apostle
Paul." After which he tells Flora, that "he will explain to her the particulars
of that doctrine he had just been mentioning, by the help of tradition receiv-
ed from the apostles, and handed down to them. 1 " But he adds, "All must
be tried by, and made to square with, the doctrine of the Savior himself,
which was to be the rule." Append, ad Iren. pp. 360, 361. Grabe, Spi. Pat.
vol. 2, p. 77.
Heracleon is quoted by Clement and Origen, and is
said to have written Commentaries on Luke and John.
This again, is denied by some critics. Origen shows
that Heracleon made use of the Gospel of Peter.
THE MURATORIAN FRAGMENT. About A. D. 190.
Nothing could better illustrate the paucity of mater-
ials, from which to make up a correct judgment con-
cerning the New Testament writings of the second
century, than the prominence which has been given to
an anonymous manuscript, discovered in the last cen-
tury, by the Italian scholar, Muratori.
This celebrated manuscript was found in the Ambro-
sian library at Milan, in a manuscript containing oth-
er writings of little importance.
It speaks of "the third book of the Gospel according
to Luke," of "the fourth of the Gospels of John, one of
the disciples;" of the Acts of the Apostles; 13 Epistles
of Paul, an Epistle to the Laodiceans, and another to
the Alexandrians, (supposed to be the Epistle to the
Hebrews), "forged in the name of Paul, after the heresy
of Marcion;" and "many others which cannot be receiv-
(1.) See Epiphanius, Hoer. 30. 3-7.
CHRISTIAN WRITINGS. MURATORIAN FRAGMENT. 413
ed by the Catholic Church, as gall must not be mixed
with vinegar."
The Epistle of Jude, and the 2d and 3d Epistles of
John are spoken of, doubtfully, as among the received
books. So also the Book of Wisdom. The Apocalyps-
es of John and Peter were received, but some objected
to reading in the church, the apocalypse of Peter.
Special reference is made to the Pastor of Hermas, the
writer thinking it should be read privately, but not
publicly in the church.
It will be seen that the document exhibits a very
confused condition of the canon.
The manuscript was estimated by Muratori himself,
to be about a thousand years old. It bears internal
evidence of being a transcript of an older document.
How often it had been copied, cannot be known, nor
even in what language it was originally written. It
appears in Latin, and the text is very corrupt.
It is supposed by some, to have been written in the
latter part of the second century; the supposition being
based, principally, upon the reference to the Pastor of
Hermas. This it states, "was composed very recently,
in our own times, in the City of Kome, the Bishop Pius,
his brother, sitting in the chair of the Church of the
City of Rome." Pius was bishop, about the middle of
the second century.
There are eminent critics, however, who hold, that
the original was not written earlier than the third
century. ' Their opinion is based upon internal evi-
dedce; particularly the expression, "sitting in the
chair of the church." 3
The document itself, a production of about the eighth
century, cannot be looked upon as very satisfactory
(1. ) Donaldson, Hugr, Tayler, Eichhorn and others.
(2.) Donaldson, Ch. Lit. and Doct. 3. p. 212.
414 SIXTH PERIOD. A. D. 185 to A. D. 200.
evidence of the condition of the canon in the second
century.
VICTOE SERAPION, BISHOP OF ANTIOCH MAXIMILLA.
A. D. 190.
We are not aware, that any of the writings of these
are extant, except a fragment or two of Serapion.
They are given by Eusebius, and relate to the interdict
of the Gospel of Peter, and the substitution of the
canonical gospels, in its stead. l
THEODOTUS, OF BYZANTIUM. A. D. 192.
A considerable fragment from this writer, is given by
-Clement of Alexandria. Theodotus taught that Christ
was a man only. He used and cited the Preaching of
Peter. He was excommunicated by Victor, Bishop of
Eome. a
REODON NARCISSUS, BISHOP OF JERUSALEM. A. D. 195.
There is a fragment in Eusebius, attributed to Rho-
<lon, in which he vindicates the character of Apelles. 8
The same historian relates of Narcissus, Bishop of
Jerusalem, that when the oil failed, at the vigils of the
great watch of Easter, Narcissus commanded that
water from a neighboring well should be poured into
the lamps. Whereupon Narcissus having prayed over
it, the water was changed into oil; of which, Eusebius
says, a specimen had been preserved until that time. 4
The same writer relates, that three men having slan-
dered Narcissus, and sworn to their falsehoods, with
imprecations of death upon themselves, by a miserable
disease, by fire, and blindness, respectively, if their
statements were not true, in each case the curse which
(1.) See page 7 of this volume.
(2.) Darras, Hist. Oath. Church, vol. 1, p. 163.
(3.) Euseb. Ecc. Hist. 5. 13.
(4.) Ecc. Hist. 6. 9.
CHRISTIAN WRITERS. POLTCRATES. 415
had been invoked, was inflicted upon them by an om-
nipotent Providence. '
PALMAS POLYORATES, BISHOP OF EPHESUS. A. D. 196.
These bishops were deputed by Victor, Bishop of
Rome, to convene councils, to consider the question of
the celebration of Easter.
Palmas convened the bishops of Pontus, and Poly-
crates those of pro-consular Asia. The latter refused
to endorse the decree of the Italian Council, which
provided that Easter should be celebrated on Sunday.
Thereupon the Asiatic churches were excommunicated. *
Eusebius says, Polycrates wrote a letter to Victor,
and gives extracts from it. 8
MAXIMUS, BISHOP OF JERUSALEM. A. D. 200.
According to Eusebius, Maximus wrote on the origin
of evil, and on the creation of matter. 4 A lengthy
extract is given by Eusebius. '
NOETUS. A. D. 200.
About this time, the controversy concerning the na-
ture of Christ, was carried on with much spirit, by
Theodotus, Hermogenes, Noetus, Vero, Beryllus and
Sabellius, on the one side, and Artemon, and Paul of
Samosata, on the other.
Noetus was a native of Asia Minor. He maintained,
that Christ was the one God, both Father and Son. He
was excommunicated.
The views of Noetus led to much discussion, which
resulted in the Arian controversy, and the establish-
ment of the doctrine of the trinity.
(1.) Ecc. Hist. 6. 9.
'(2.) See next chapter.
(3.) Ecc. Hist. 3. 31, and 5. 24.
(4.) Ecc. Hist. 5. 27.
(5.) Evangelical Preparation, 7. 22.
416 SIXTH PERIOD. A. D. 185 to A. D. 200.
PRAXEAS SYMMACHUS HERMAS SELEUCAS. A. D. 200.
These writers flourished near the close of the second
century. But little is known concerning them. Seleu-
cas is reputed to have written a number of the books
in circulation in the second century, which were after-
ward pronounced apocryphal.
There is a strange confusion among the fathers, in
regard to his name. He is called Seleucas, Lucianus,
Lucanus, Leucius, Lucian, Leuthon, Lentitius and Le-
ontius. Also Leucius Charinus. It was Seleucas who
had published a version of the Gospel of the Infancy,
which rendered it necessary for Jerome to give the
bishops a better version. '
PISTIS SOPHIA. A. D. 200.
This is a religious work, of the close of the second
century, the author of which is unknown.
SECOND EPISTLE OP CLEMENT. A. D. 200.
It is supposed to have been written about this time.
The divinity of Jesus, which was not distinctly taught
in the earlier Clementines, (but rather the contrary
doctrine), now more clearly appears.
ARTEMON JULIUS AFRICANUS. A. D. 200.
But little is known of Artemon, beyond the fact, that
he was prominent in the Noetian controversy.
Africanus was the writer cited by Eusebius, in his
forgery upon Thallus. [See p. 294.]
These names close the list of the more important
Christian writers of the first two centuries, except the
three great fathers, who will be briefly noticed in the
next chapter.
(1.) See Supposed Gospel of the Birth of Mary.
CHRISTIAN WRITERS. THE THREE FATHERS. 417
CHAPTER XXXVII.
. IREN^EUS CLEMENT OP ALEXANDRIA TERTULLIAN.
Irenaeus in Gaul, Clement in Egypt, and Tertullian in
Northern Africa, were the three fathers, by whose in-
fluence, the four gospels were introduced into general
circulation, and who laid, broad and deep, the founda-
tions of Roman Catholic supremacy.
It is not easy to form a just estimate of these men.
That they were so far above the masses, in general in-
telligence, as to give them an immense and controlling
influence in the church, is certain; while, judged by
the standard of more enlightened times, they them-
selves appear at a disadvantage.
The Rev. Dr. Davidson says of them,
"Irenseus was credulous and blundering; Tertullian, passionate and one-
sided; and Clement of Alexandria, embued with the treasures of Greek
wisdom, was mainly occupied with ecclesiastical ethics." Davidson, Canon,
p. 121.
Again, "Irenseus argues that the gospels should be four in number, neither
more nor less, because there are four universal winds, and four quarters of the
.vorld. The Word or Architect of all things gave the gospel in a four-fold
shape. According to this father, the apostles were fully informed concerning
all things, and had a perfect knowledge after their Lord's ascension.
"Matthew wrote his gospel while Peter and Paul were preaching in Rome,
and founding the church. [Citing Iren. adv. Hser. 3. 1. 1.] Such assertions
show both ignorance and exaggeration.
"Tertullian affirms, that the tradition of the apostolic churches, guarantees
418 SIXTH PERIOD. A. D. 185 to A. D. 200.
the four gospels, [Citing adv. Marc. 4. 5.J, and refers his readers to the church-
es of Corinth, Philippi, Ephesus, &c., for the authentic epistles of Paul. [Cit-
ing de Praes. Hser. 36.] What is this but the rhetoric of an enthusiast?
"Clement contradicts himself in making Peter authorize Mark's Gospel to
be read in the churches; while in another place, he says the apostle "neither
forbade nor encouraged it." [Citing Clement according to Eusebius, Ecc. Hist.
2. 15, and 6. 14.]" 7W&
The same writer continues thus:
"The three fathers of whom we are speaking, had neither the ability nor
the inclination to examine the genesis of documents surrounded with an
apostolic halo. No analysis of their authenticity and genuineness was seri-
ously attempted. In its absence, custom, accident, taste, practical needs
directed the tendency of tradition. All the rhetoric employed to throw the
value of their testimony as far back as possible, even up to or very near the
apostle John, is of the vaguest sort. Appeals to the continuity of tradition
and of church doctrine, to the exceptional veneration of these fathers for the
gospels, to their opinions being formed earlier than the composition of the
works in which they are expressed, possess no force.
"The ends which the fathers in question had in view, their polemic motives,
their uncritical, inconsistent assertions, their want of sure data, detract from
their testimony. Their decisions were much more the result of pious feeling,
biassed by the theological speculations of the times, than the conclusions of
a sound judgment. The very arguments they use to establish certain conclu-
sions, show weakness of perception. What are the manifestations of spiritual
feeling, compared with the results of logical reasoning?" Davidson on the
Canon, pp. 123, 124.
One great work of these fathers, was the establish-
ment of the four gospels, which had now appeared,
and were being introduced into the churches.
Immediately connected with this was the establish-
ment of the papal power.
That this end was had in view by at least one of the
fathers mentioned, we have the clearest evidence.
Ireneeus, in the third book against Heresies, written,
about A. D. 190, gave the opinion, that every church
should agree with the Church of Rome on account of
its pre-eminent authority. [See next chapter.] About
five years afterward, he was called upon by the Roman
Bishop Victor, to assemble a council of the bishops of
Gaul, to consider the subject of the celebration of
Easter; the question having already been passed upon
CHRISTIAN WRITERS. THE THREE FATHERS. 419
by a council of Italian bishops. Irenseus presided in
the council, and the result of its deliberations was, the
approval of the decree of the Italian council. Other
councils were in like manner held throughout the
Christian world, and the result, with a single exception,
was everj 7 where the same. The object of the movement
was, to furnish a precedent for the jurisdiction of. the
Church of Rome, over all questions of the kind.
Doubtless, the pre-eminent authority, which Irenaeus
had already conceded to the Church of Rome, had more
to do with the result, than any critical discussion of
the question at issue.
It will be seen in the next chapter, that the views of
Tertnllian, concerning the pre-eminence of the Roman
Church, were, notwithstanding his difference with some
of the Roman bishops, scarcely less decided than those
of Irenseus.
As to Clement, he is less explicit in the assertion of
any supremacy or even superiority of the Roman Church.
On the contrary we might fairly infer from his writings,
the equality of all the churches. At the same time, we
find no protest against the assumption of power on the
part of Victor. Victor was sustained at Alexandria,
where the influence of Clement was all powerful.
There is little room to doubt that there existed an
understanding among these fathers, and a concert of
action, in upholding and establishing, at the same time,
the four gospels, and the authority of the Roman
Bishop.
A brief sketch of the lives of these distinguished
men, must here suffice.
IRENAEUS was Bishop of Lyons. The chronological
confusion that prevails, concerning the most important
dates of this period, is well illustrated in the case of
Irenaeus. He was born, according to Dodwell, in the
420 SIXTH PERIOD. A. D. 185 to A. D. 200.
year 97. According to Dr. Grabe, A. D. 108; Tillemont,
about 120, Du Pin, about 140. The last is probably
the nearest correct.
About the year 178, he was sent by the Church of
Lyons, to Eleutherus, Bishop of Eome, with an epistle,
describing their sufferings during the persecution under
Marcus Aurelius. On his return, he was elected Bishop
of Lyons, in the year 180. He is supposed to have
been martyred about A. D. 202. His martyrdom is de-
nied by some critics.
CLEMENT OF ALEXANDRIA was born either at Athens
or Alexandria, about the year 160. From 190 to 202,
he presided over the catechetic school, at Alexandria.
In the latter year, he was compelled to leave that city,
by the persecution under Severus. It is supposed by
some, that he returned A. D. 211. His return is doubt-
ed by others. He died about the year 220.
TEETULLIAN was the first Latin father, whose works
have been preserved. He was born at Carthage, about
the middle of the second century, and lived to a very
advanced age.
He was converted about the year 185, and was mar-
ried the year afterward. Was admitted to the priest-
hood, in 192; became a Montanist, in 199, and died
about 220.
He was a vigorous, and at times, powerful writer.
But his works abound in looseness of argument, and
in whimsical applications of Scripture, such as were
common in that day.
THE ROMAN CATHOLIC HIERARCHY. 421
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
THE ROMAN CATHOLIC HIERARCHY.
It was during the sixth period, that the foundations
were laid, of that great ecclesiastical power, which
dominated the Christian world for thirteen hundred
years, and whose supremacy is still acknowledged
throughout a large part of Christendom.
For more than a hundred years after the foundation
of the Church of Rome, there is no trace of its juris-
diction over other churches, outside of the Italian
provinces.
In the latter part of the second century, a dispute
existed, concerning the celebration of Easter. The
Latin churches claimed it should be on Sunday. The
Eastern churches had been celebrating it on the four-
teenth day of the moon. The controversy had lasted
nearly half a century. About A. D. 150, Poly carp,
Bishop of Smyrna, visited Rome, and explained the
views of the Eastern churches. He was treated by
Anicetus, who was then bishop, as an equal; no attempt
was then made to impose a different day upon the Asi-
atic churches. On the contrary, Polycarp and others
celebrated Easter, according to their own views, in the
City of Rome.
422 SIXTH PERIOD. A. D. 185 to A. D. 200.
But in the time of Victor, the controversy becoming
more heated, an attempt was made to settle it. A
council was called of all the churches of Italy. At
this council it was decreed that Easter should be cele-
brated on Sunday. Victor then issued a general let-
ter, requesting local councils to be assembled by the
following bishops: Theophilus of Caesarea, Irenseus of
Lyons, Bacchylus of Corinth, Demetrius of Alexandria,
Palmas of Pontus, and Polycrates of Ephesus. '
The local councils were held. One consisted of the
bishops in Gaul; another, of those in Palestine, another
in Egypt, &c. All these approved the decree of the
Italian Council, except the churches of pro-consular
Asia, presided over by Polycrates. These refused to
conform.
Thereupon Victor, encouraged and strengthened by
all the other councils, proceeded to excommunicate the
non -conforming Asiatic churches. [About A. D. 195.]
This appears to be the first assumption of supreme
power by any Roman bishop. From this time, the su-
premacy of the Church of Rome rapidly culminated,
both in theory and practice. It is true, that for a long
time, some churches remained rebellious, but they were
considered by the great body of Christians, as without
the pale of the church universal, as it had been estab-
lished by Christ, and had been represented by a reg-
ular succession of supreme pontiffs, commencing with
Peter. For, as soon as the supremacy of the Roman
(1.) The Catholic Historian Da.rras, [Genl. History of the Catholic Church,
vol. 1, p. 160], calls this letter an "order." According to Eusebius, it was a
request. He quotes Polycrates, as writing to Victor, thus: "I could also men-
tion the bishops that were present, whom you requested to be summoned by
me, and whom 1 did call." Euseb. Ecc. Hist. 5. 24. It is more probable, the
letter was in the form of a request. The council called by Victor himself,
consisted of all the bishops of Italy; which may be looked upon as indicating
the extent of his jurisdiction at that time.
THE ROMAN CATHOLIC HIERARCHY. 423
Church was once admitted, the Christians of that day
found no difficulty in believing that such supremacy
had continued from the times of the apostles. They
were no more disposed to trace back the title of a
power which they found established, than they were to
investigate the origin of books which they found in
circulation.
Protestant writers have claimed, that the power of
the papacy was not established, nor its claims admitted
in the writings of the fathers, until several hundred
years after Christ. Even the fair minded Neander
does not see in the writings of Irenaeus or Tertullian,
any acknowledgment that "the Eoman Church held a
prominence as tiie Cathedra Petri, over all the other
apostolic churches." Whether as Cathedra Petri, or
as the Church of Peter and Paul, not only the promi-
nence, but the supremacy of the Church of . Rome,
would seem to be pretty clearly acknowledged, in the
following passage from Irenaeus:
"Since, however, it would be very tedious, in such a volume as this, to
reckon up the successions of all the churches, we do put to confusion all those
who, in whatever manner, whether by an evil self-pleasing, by vain-glory, or
by blindness and perverse opinion, assemble in unauthorized meetings; (we
do this) by indicating that tradition derived from the apostles, of the very
great, the very ancient, and universally known church, founded and organ-
ized at Rome, by the two most glorious apostles, Peter and Paul; as also (by
pointing out) the faith preached to men, which comes down to our times by
means of the successions of the bishops.
"For it is a matter of necessity that every church should agree with this
church, on account of its pre-eminent authority; that is, the faithful every
where, inasmuch as the apostolic tradition has been preserved continually by
those who exist everywhere."
"The blessed apostles, then, having founded and built up the Church, com-
mitted into the hands of Linus, the office of the episcopate. Of this Linus,
Paul makes mention in the Epistles to Timothy. To him, succeeded Anacletus,
and after him, in the third place, from the apostles, Clement was allotted the
bishopric."
(1.) Church Hist. vol. 1, p. 290.
424 SIXTH PERIOD. A. D. 185 to A. D. 200.
He then gives the names of nine bishops, following
Clement, and proceeds as follows:
"In this order, and by this succession, the ecclesiastical tradition from the
apostles, and the preaching of the truth have come down to us. And this is
most abundant proof, that there is one and the same vivifying faith, which has
been preserved in the church, from the apostles until now, and handed down
in truth." Irenceus adv. Hcer. 3. 3.
In the time of Tertullian, some twenty years later,
the Roman bishops issued peremptory edicts, and ap-
pealed to the authority of their predecessors. ' They
called themselves bishops of bishops; episcopi epis-
coporum. a
Tertullian himself, was scarcely less explicit than
Irenaeusr
"Since, moreover," he says, "you are close to Italy, you have Rome, from
which there comes, even into our hands, the very authority. How happy is
its church, in which apostles poured forth all their doctrine, along with their
blood! Where Peter endures a passion like his Lord's! Where Paul wins
his crown -in a death like John's! Where the apostle John was first plunged,
unhurt, into boiling oil, and thence remitted to his island-exile! See what
she has learned, what she has taught, what fellowship she has had, even with
churches in Africa! One Lord God does she acknowledge, the Creator of the
Universe, and the Christ Jesus of the Virgin Mary, the Son of God, the Cre-
ator, and the resurrection of the flesh. The law and the prophets she unites
in one volume, with the writings of evangelists and apostles, from which she
drinks in her faith; this she seals with the water, arrays with the Holy Ghost,
feeds with the eucharist, cheers with martyrdom; and against such a disci-
pline thus she admits no gainsayer." Tertullian, Prescription against
Heretics, ch. 06.
This passage is evidence, not only of the supremacy
of the Roman Church, but that the New Testament
then in circulation, had been compiled under the same
authority. The New Testament of Marcion, consisting
of the Gospel and the Apostolicon, had been superseded
by a larger collection, containing the Acts of the Apos-
tles, the Revelation of John, a larger number of
Epistles of Paul, and in place of the one gospel, of
(1.) Tert. De Virg. Velandis. (2.) Ibid. Be Pudicitia, ch. 1.
THE ROMAN CATHOL10 HIERARCHY. 425
Marcion, four gospels, which were to stand as four
pillars, to support the authority of the Church of Rome.
Irenseus, while he clearly concedes the supremacy of
that church, at the same time shows the weakness of
the foundation upon which the supremacy rested. He
declares that the church had been founded by Peter
and Paul, and that the episcopacy had been by them
committed into the hands of Linus. From Linus it
had gone to Anacletus, and "after him, in the third
place from the apostles, Clement was allotted the bish-
opric." The tradition of the Catholic church has been,
that Peter was the first Bishop of Rome, and that the
keys of the kingdom, as well as the bishopric, were de-
livered immediately by Peter to Clement. This tradi-
tion is in accordance with the letter from Clement to
James, which was in circulation at an early day, but it
is not sustained by Irenaeus.
This discrepancy has been the occasion of much dis-
cussion. The most ingenious explanation is given by
Rufinus, the Latin translator of the Recognitions. He
conjectures that Linus and Anacletus merely assisted
Peter in the management of the church, which was
still, at the death of Peter, delivered over to Clement.
But then what becomes of the continuous "succession,"
dwelt upon by Irenaeus, in the chain of which, two of
the links consisted of Linus and Anacletus?
, The difficulty does not end here. According to Ire-
na?us, the next bishop to Clement, was Evaristus. But
this succession, though accepted by some Catholic
writers, is found by others, not to accord with the tra-
ditions of the church. Accordingly, the Roman Alman-
ac, entitled Gerarchia Catholica, interposes Anacletus
between Clement and Evaristus. The third bishop,
the second, exclusive of Peter, according to this au-
thority, was Cletus, instead of Anacletus, while Anacle-
426 SIXTH PERIOD. A. D. 185 to A. D. 200.
tus came after Clement, and ruled over the church
twelve years; from A. D. 100 to 112. Darras, the Cath-
olic historian, whose work received the indorsement
of Pope Pius IX, has followed the succession as given
by Irenaeus; stating that his chronology is that of the
Chronologique deThistoire Ecclesiastique, on the model
of the great work of the President Henault, on the
History of France.
But this author does not agree with other Catholic
authorities. He has the bishopric of Peter commence
in the year 33. fixing the very day; the 29th of June.
This is nine years earlier than the time given in the
Almanac, which on this point is supported by Alzog's
Handbuch der Kirchengeschichte, a book very exten-
sively used heretofore among Catholics, as a text book
of church history.
Cletus, whose bishopric, according to the Roman
Almanac, ends in 90, rules a year longer, according to
Darras, his bishopric ending A. D. 91. Then comes
Clement, his office terminating, according to both, in
the year 100. After him, Evaristus, until 109, accord-
ing to Darras, but according to the Almanac, until 121.
Then Alexander, his bishopric, according to Alzog and
Darras, ending in the year 119, but according to the
Almanac, in the year 132.
After Alexander, the succession of the pontificates
was as follows, according to these three authorities:
Sixtus, according to the Almanac, A. D. 132 to 142.
do. do. Alzog, " 119 to 127.
" Darras, " 119 to 128.
Telesphorus, " Almanac, " 142 to 154.
" Alzog, " 127 to 139.
Darras, " 128 to 138.
Hyginus, " Almanac, " 154 to 158.
" Alzog, u 139 to 142.
THE ROMAN CATHOLIC
HIERARCHY. 427
Hyginus, acccording to
Pius I, "
Anicetus,
Soter or Soterus, "
ti
Eleutherus,
Victor I,
M
Darras,
Almanac,
Alzog,
DaiTas,
Almanac,
Alzog,
Darras,
Almanac,
Alzog,
Darras,
Almanac,
Alzog,
Darras,
Almanac,
Alzog,
Darras,
,.
A. D. 138 to 142.
" 158 to 167.
" 142 to 157.
" 142 to 150.
" 167 to 175.
157 to 168.
150 to 161.
175 to 182.
168 to 177.
162 to 174.
182 to 193.
177 to 192.
174 to 186.
193 to 203.
192 to 202.
186 to 200.
Thus, in these eight pontificates, there are but two
points in which any two of the three authors agree;
the commencement of the bishoprics of Sixtus and
Pius. In these particulars, Darras agrees with the
Handbuch. But the Handbuch and Almanac do not
agree in a single date; neither does Darras agree with
the Almanac in a single date.
Darras and the Handbuch give the names of fourteen
popes or bishops, previous to the year 200; the Almanac
gives fifteen.
If Irenaeus be brought into the comparison, while he
does not give the dates of the pontificates, he differs
from all these authorities, in neglecting to say that
Peter was bishop of Rome at all. On the contrary, he
states that the church was founded by Peter and Paul,
and by them handed over to Linus.
If, during all this time, the bishops of Rome had ex-
ercised supreme jurisdiction, can it be possible, that
nowhere throughout the Christian world, there would
have been kept a record of so much importance as the
428 SIXTH PERIOD. A.D. 185 to A.D. 200.
succession of the supreme bishops? Would it not
have been possible to arrive at a more harmonious
result than this?
It will have been observed, that the Roman Catholic
Church was established about the same time, that the
four gospels and the Acts of the Apostles were brought
into general circulation. When Serapion, Bishop of
Antioch, in the year 190, put aside the Gospel of Peter,
and substituted in its stead the four gospels, he was
engaged in the unification of the church.
And it is a significant fact, that Irenaeus, the first
writer who mentions the four gospels, was the first who
acknowledged the supremacy of the Church of Rome.
REVIEW OF SIXTH PERIOD. 429
CHAPTER XXXIX.
REVIEW OF THE SIXTH PERIOD TESTIMONY OF HEATHEN WRITEM
REVIEW CONCLUSION.
REVIEW OF SIXTH PERIOD. 1. The termination of
the sixth period, which closes the century, finds the
tour gospels and the Acts of the Apostles coming into
general circulation, with most of the other New Testa-
ment writings.
The condition of the church in reference to the New
Testament books at the time, is well summed up by
Rev. Dr. Davidson, in the closing paragraphs to his two
volumes of Introduction to the New Testament:
"The following propositions, " says he, "are deducible from an impartial
survey of the history of the first two centuries:"
The propositions condensed are as follows :
1. Before A. D. 170, no book of the New Testament was termed "scripture."
2. No certain trace of the existence of the fourth gospel, till after Justin
Martyr. [This proposition might with equal truth be applied to the synoptic
gospels, in their present form.]
8. The gospels of Matthew and Mark, cannot be identified with the "logia"
of Matthew, and the things "said and done" by Jesus, which Mark wrote,
mentioned by Papias.
4. The writings of Paul were either not used, or little regarded by the
prominent ecclesiastical writers of the first half of the second century. After
A. D. 150, they began to be valued.
5. The present gospels did not assume a canonical position, till the latter
half of the second century.
430 SIXTH PERIOD. A. D. 185 to A. D. 200.
6. No canon of the New Testament, i. e. no collection of New Testament
literature like the present one, supposed to possess divine authority, existed
before A. D. 200.
[Davidson's Introduction to the New Testament, vol. 2, p. 520. The last
proposition cannot be accepted without some hesitation. The reader will re-
member the words of Tertullian, written about the year 200:
"The law and the prophets she (the Church of Borne) unites in one volume,
with the writings of evangelists and apostles," &c.
There is reason to believe, that very soon after the four gospels appeared,
somewhere between the years 180 and 200, they were published under the au-
thority and by the direction of the Church of Rome, in a volume with the Old
Testament, and with the other New Testament books then in circulation.]
2. Closely following the introduction into general
circulation, of the hooks mentioned, was the establish-
ment of the supremacy of the Bishop of Kome over
the universal catholic church; the Gospels of John and
Matthew being used as powerful agencies in the con-
summation of that object. Not that the gospels were
considered of higher authority than the traditions of
the church, but those traditions themselves were es-
tablished upon the firmest foundation, by the sanction
,of gospels bearing the names of two of the apostles of
Jesus.
And here it is worthy of remark, that while in cne
earlier gospels, attributed to Luke and Mark, neither of
whom was an apostle, had been recorded the older
legends and traditions of the churches, when, to aid the
Bishop of Eome in assuming authority over the entire
Christian world, it was thought necessary to have still
other gospels, they were both attributed to apostles of
Christ.
HEATHEN WRITERS. Something is said in almost
every complete work on the canon, concerning the evi-
dence of heathen writers. Such evidence is absolutely
of no value in reference to the canon, because no men-,
tion is found in any heathen writer, of any of the
Christian writings, before they are referred to by the
Christians themselves.
GENERAL REVIEW. CONCLUSION. 431
Celsus, who, as quoted by Origen, is perhaps most
relied upon as referring to the New Testament books,
does not appear to have written the work cited by
Origen, "The True Word," until early in the third
century.
There is, however, important evidence concerning
the life and death of Jesus at the time claimed by the
Christians; facts which have been disputed by some
learned writers. '
GENERAL REVIEW CONCLUSION. In taking a general
review of the first hundred and seventy years of the
Christian religion, the first thing that strikes the mind,
is the dearth of material, from which to construct a
reliable history. It is seen at once, how much must
rest upon probability in its different degrees how
much must be relegated to the province of speculation.
The works of the only church historian who wrote
during that period, lost or destroyed the few frag-
ments that are left, being of comparatively no value
the writings of Porphyry and others who wrote against
Christianity, and those of the heretic Christians, all de-
stroyed there remain only the works of some of the
orthodox fathers, and the text of those in a mutilated
and corrupted condition.
As from a few bones, the scientist can re-construct
the entire anatomy, so from these fragments can the
historian arrive at the frame-work of the orthodox re-
ligion of the second century. But the complete and
living form of Christianity is wanting.
With the exception of the epistle of Clement of
Rome, written near the close of the first century, and
a few scattering writings afterward, there is but little
in the fathers of that day, to remind one of the pure
(1.) See Appendix, I.
432 SIXTH PERIOD. A. D. 185 to A. D. 200.
and lofty morality of Jesus, or the fervid utterances
of the apostle to the Gentiles. The fathers of the sec-
ond century were, with united energies, engaged in
the work of suppressing heresy. Justin Martyr was
writing against the Jews, Tertullian, against Marcion,
and Irenseus against all the heretics. This raid against
those who differed from the established faith, left but
little time to cultivate the more kindly Christian graces*
and finally culminated in the establishment of a power
which should be competent for the suppression of
heresy by force.
Another thing that strikes the attention, in a com-
prehensive review of the period, is, the ignorance and
superstition, even of the most enlightened, and best
educated of the fathers. Their bigotry has been no-
ticed their ignorance and superstition were no less.
With rare exceptions, they were men who utterly
despised that learning of the heathen, which consisted
in attempts to ascertain the laws of the material uni-
verse. Construing in the narrowest and strictest sense,
the maxim, that the wisdom of this world is foolish-
ness with God, they confined themselves, almost exclu-
sively, to an exposition of the Jewish scriptures, and
of the sayings of Christ, construed in the light of those
scriptures; drawing oftentimes, in the application of
the prophecies, the most fanciful and whintsical
analogies.
Their credulity was unbounded. They had a sublime
disregard for truth; not so much from x perversity, as
from carelessness, and indifference to its sacred char-
acter. Their unscrupulousness when seeking for argu-
ments to enforce their positions, is notorious; as well
as the prevalence among them, of what are known as
pious frauds. Jones, himself a zealous Christian wri-
ter, says, that Justin Martyr, Clemens Alexandrinus-
GENERAL REVIEW. CONCLUSION. 433
and Lactantius made use of testimonies out of forger-
ies and spurious books, to prove the very foundation of
the Christian Re veMion; 1 and it is believed on good
grounds, that Irenseus was no better. This father,
while engaged in the introduction of gospels which
show that the ministry of Christ lasted from one to
three years, not longer than three and a half, himself
declares that it lasted about twenty years, and that he
had the tradition from the elders of Asia, who had ob-
tained it from John and the other apostles.
Such is the material at the hands of the historian.
Of course he cannot rely implicitly upon the unsup-
ported assertion of any such writer, for the truth of
any historical fact whatever. In every instance, he is
obliged to scrutinize carefully, and endeavor to ascer-
tain whether any ulterior motives may have prompted
whatever statement may be under consideration. If
he can find none, and the fuct stands uncontradicted
by other writers, it is cautiously accepted. Under such
circumstances, progress is slow and uncertain. The
most that any writer can hope to accomplish, is to place
in proper shape, what is already known, and to estab-
lish here and there a landmark, for the benefit of sub-
sequent historians.
In conclusion, as the result of this investigation, it
may be repeated, that no evidence is found, of the ex-
istence in the first century, of either of the following
doctrines; the immaculate conception the miracles
of Christ his material resurrection. No one of these
doctrines is- to be found in the epistles of the New
Testament, nor have we been able to find them in
any other writings of the first century.
As to the four gospels, in coming to the conclusion
(1.) Jones, vol. 1, p. 374.
434 SIXTH PERIOD. A. D. 185 to A. D. 200.
that they were not written in the first century ,.we have
but recorded the conviction of the. more advanced
scholars of the present day, irrespective of their reli-
gious views in other respects; with whom, the question
as now presented is, how early in the second century
were they composed? l
Discarding, as inventions of the second century,
having no historical foundation, the three doctrines
above named, and much else which must necessarily
stand or fall with them, what remains of the Christian
religion?
All that is of any value all that is in harmony with
the immutable laws of the universe, still remains.
We have still the divine teachings of Christ. The
more important of these, though more or less interpo-
polated and corrupted, have been preserved and handed
down, both by tradition and in writing; and unlike
the books referred to, can be traced back to well au-
thenticated records of the first century.
These teachings impress upon the mind and heart,
the highest and purest form of morality. They have
never been improved upon by any theological specula-
tions. After all the systems of theologians shall have
passed away, they will stand forth, shining brighter
and brighter,, even unto the perfect day.
(1.) Dr. Davidson does not think either of the four gospels, in its present
form, written before the year 100. The Gospel of John, not before 150. See
his Introduction to the New Testament.
APPENDIX.
I.
JESUS CHRIST AS A HISTORICAL PERSONAGE.
Some able writers, observing the confusion and uncertainty existing in the
chronology of nearly all the events connected with the early history of Chris-
tianity, have doubted whether such a person as Jesus Christ lived at the time
alleged. These doubts have, in some instances, been expressed by writers
of much learning, and cannot well be disregarded.
There are three good and reliable witnesses of the first century; one a
Christian, one a Jew, and the other a heathen:
1. PAUL. The Epistles of Paul stand out as a fact, utterly unexplainable,
and incomprehensible, except upon the hypothesis of the life and suffering
of the central figure of them all.
That Paul wrote his Epistles in the first century, is attested by Clement
of Rome, A. D. 97, who refers to one of them expressly, and by tne fathers
and writers of the first half of the second century, particularly Marcion, who,
about 145, made a compilation of those then in circulation; ten in number.
2. JOSEPHUS; who gives an account of the death of James, the brother
of Jesus, in the 9th chapter of the 20th book of the Antiquities. While nar-
rating the particulars of the death of James, he speaks of him as "the broth-
er of Jesus who was called Christ. 11 We know of no good reason for doubt-
ing the authenticity of this passage. [See ante, pp. 34, 35.]
3. TACITUS; who, in the 44th chapter of the 15th book of the Annals,
speaks of Christus, "who, in the reign of Tiberius, was put to death as a
criminal, by the procurator, Pontius Pilate." [See p. 330. J
II.
ZACHARIAS.
There were four persons by that name, who have been referred to in the
apocryphal and canonical gospels, and in the writings of the fathers, in such
an indiscriminate manner, as to create great contusion.
1. Zacharias or Zechariah, the son of Jehoida. He was stoned to death, m
the court of the temple." 2. Chron. 24. 20, 21.
2. Zacharias or Zechariah, the prophet, who was the son of Berechiah.
Zech. 1.1. We have no account of his death.
3. Zacharias, father of John the Baptist.
In the Protevangelion, it is stated that because* he would not disclose the
hiding place of his son John, who had been concealed from Herod, he was
murdered "in the entrance of the temple." [See ante, p. 130.]
This account is referred to and accredited by the earlier fathers, including
Tertullian and Origen. It does not appear who was the father of this
Zacharias.
4. Zacharias, the son of Barouchos, who was murdered inside the temple,
about A. D. 69. [Josephus, Jewish War, bk. 4, ch. 5, 4.]
Thus it will be seen, that three of the persons by that name, were put to
death in or near the temple. Of these, the first was the son of Jehoida; the
father of the second, not named, and the third was the son of Barouchos.
This comes the nearest to the description of the Zacharias mentioned in
Matt. 23. 35. We have therefore adopted the opinion of able writers, who
consider the last the one referred to by the author of Matthew.
GEN ERAL INDEX.
(The figures in bracketts indicate the year when the person lived or flour-
ished.)
Aaron, the High Priest, John the
Baptist of the family of, 60.
Abbott Prof., doubtful passages, 188.
Abuli'aragius, [1256], 168, 169.
Abgarus, King of Edessa, first picture
of Christ sent to, 196;
correspondence with Christ, 287;
4 * probably a forgery, 295.
Abraham, worshiped by heathen em-
perors, 100.
Acosta Father, [1640], 391.
ActaBon, 388.
Accommodation, a mode of constru
ing scripture, 145.
Acts of the Apostles , when broughi
into general circulation, 429;
not historical, 23, 369-372;
not referred to by the apostofic
fathers, 55; Cambridge MS. con
tains 600 interpolations, 187;
not in Marcion s N. T., 241;
critically considered, 369-872;
referred to in Murator'nfrag., 412
references to passages in, 105, 288
289, &56;
its relation to Roman Catholicism,
400, 401, 424, 428.
Acts and Martyrdom of Andrew, ab-
stract of, 125.
Acts of Andrew and Matthias, 125.
' of Barnabas, 124.
44 of John, 89.
" of the Apostles, by Lucius, 369.
4< of Paul and Thecla, 23, 124, 369.
" of Peter, 89.
" of Philip, 369; abstract of, 125.
44 of Peter and And. 31, 89, 125, 369.
Acts of Peter and Paul, 124, 369;
containing Letter of Pontius Pi-
late, 218; also account of Peter and
Simon Magus before Nero, 111,
112, 113.
Acts of St. Mary, 89.
Acts of the Holy Apostle Thomas , 125.
Acts and Martyrdom of St. Matthew,
Acts of Pilate, 126, 214, 218, 332, 333,
374; one of the three most ancient
pels of the2d century extant,
128; abstract of the gospel, and its
standing with the fathers, 177-
185; compared with the canonical
gospels, 186-212; mentioned by
Justin Martyr, 270, 274, 275, 276;
written before any of the canoni-
cal gospels, 296; contains the most
reliable account of the crucifixion,
331; Erasmus thought it was writ-
ten before Luke, 344; contains the
shortest and probably the oldest
accounts of the miracles attribu-
ted to Christ, 189-198; newly dis-
covered Acts of Pilate, 220, 221.
Africanus. See Julius.
Agrippa Castor, [130], 223; sketch of,
'I'll ; wrote against Basilides, his
writings lost or destroyed, 227, 402.
Agrippa the Great, was brother of
Herodias, 17.
.Eons, 222, 325.
Ahaz, King of Judah, 142, 14a
Alvarez Semedo, 387.
Alford, Gr. Test., 35.
Alfonsa Sonsa, 174.
Alexander Abonotichus, [2d century],
101 ; sketch of him by Lucian, 114,
115, 282.
Ylexander, Bishop of Rome, 426.
Vlexander, Era of, 154.
Alexander Dr. on Hieronymian Ver-
sions of N. T., 305.
Alexandrians, Epistle to, [Supposed to
be Ep. to the Heb.], 412.
Albinua, Procurator of Judaea, 35.
438
GENERAL INDEX.
Alzog, 232, 425-427.
Alexander, statue of, 282.
Alcestis, rescued from death by Her-
cules, 388.
Amasis, King of Egypt, 95.
Ammianus Marcellinus, a writer, 3d
century, 282, 404.
Amelias, an ancient Greek writer, 390.
Ambrose, Latin father of 4th cen-
tury, 10, 83, 131, 343.
Amuphis, an Egyptian magician, 122.
Antonius, an ascetic, [3d cent.], 75.
Annas and Caiaphas, High Priests, 15,
16, 179, 183, 185, 209.
Anius, the High Priest, 388.
Anna, the grandmother of Jesus, 128,
129.
Anna, the prophetess, see Hannah.
Antoninus Pius, Emperor, [138 to 161],
267, 295.
Ananus, High Priest, 35.
Anicetus, Bishop of Rome, 398, 407,
421, 427.
Antonius, father of Simon Magus, 106.
Anacletus, Bishop of Rome, 423, 425.
Antonine column, sculpture on, 123.
Ananias and Sapphira, 28.
Announcement to Mary, 129, 135, 136,
162, 271, 321.
Andrew, the Apostle, 59, 356.
Anonymous Writings, 228, 229.
Antinous, the favorite of Hadrian, wor-
shiped as a god, 116.
Angels in the Jewish system, 117, 118.
Antiquity of Christian Doctrines, 387
-391.
Apollo, 115, 390.
Apollonius, Christ'n writer, [3d cent.],
284.
Apollonius, of Tyana, [1st cent.], 114,
116, 282,283,374,387,388; Biog-
raphy of, by Philostratus, 90-99;
estimate of his character by differ-
ent writers, 99- 101; extracts from
his epistles, 101-103.
Apocalypse of John, in N. T., 36, 124,
269, 270, 413, 424; not
nerally
received by the ancients, 33; omit-
ted from the canon by the Asiatic
churches 34; reference to passages
in, 86, 279; supposed to have been
written by John the presbyt'r, 228;
not in Marcion's New Test., 241.
Apocalypse of John (another), 89, 124.
Apocalypse of Esdras, 124.
Apocalypse of Paul, 89, 124.
of Moses, 124.
" of Cerinthus, 33.
of Peter, 89, 413.
" of Bartholomew, 89.
Apocryphal Gospels, and Writings,
79-89, 124, 227, 310, 405, 410.
Apocryphal Acts, Epistles, Revela-
tions, &c., 89, 124.
Apostolic Fathers, 37-55, 232.
Apuleius, pagan philosopher, of the
2d century, 116.
Apostles of Christ, 20-36, 417, 433.
Apelles, [160], a Gnostic leader, sketch
of, 280, 281? his writings lost, 404.
Aquila, brother of Clement of Rome,.
40, 106, 107.
Archelaus, King of Judssa, 149,. 161,
322.
Aristides, [126], author of an Apolo-
gy, 402; sketch of, 225, 226; Epis-
tle to Diognetus attributed to, 288..
Aristides, the Sophist, [176], 370, 371.
Arnobius, Christian writer, early in
4th cent., 121.
Artemon, [200], 415, 416.
Aretas, King of Petraea, 18;
Aristeas, of Proconnesus, 116.
Aristo, of Pella, [175], 393, 394.
Aristotle, 92, 166, 301, 391, 396.
Aristion, [130], 228, 236, 402.
Arian Controversy,. 415.
Asterius Urbanus, [188],. 411.
Asterius, writer, [4th cent.],. 196.
Asceticism, 72-75.
Atonement, the, 381, 382, 389.
Athenagoras, [177], an Athenian phi-
losopher, and Christian writer,
267, 268, 282; sketch of, 396; held
to a material resurrection, 375.
Athanasius, [373], 152,
Augustus Caesar, 123, 139, 154, 387-
Aurelian, [Emp. 270-275],. 100..
GENERAL INDEX.
439
Austin, [600], Christ'n writer, 132, 280.
Aulus Gellius, early in 2d century,
282, 283, 404.
Aurelius, Marcus, [Emp., 161-180],
45, 122, 268, 396, 420.
Aurelius, Lucius Commodus, 268.
Augustine, [420], 80, 239, 307, 343,
356, 397; relates astonishing mir-
acles, 122; discussion with Faus-
tus, the Manichaean, 298-303; his
explanation of the genealogy of
Christ, 320; developed the doc-
trine of original sin, and inherited
guilt, 382."
Avenging of the Savior, 220.
Baring-Gould, Rev. S., 11, 12, 58, 75,
79, 82, 83, 84, 86, 88, 225, 241,
243, 244, 392; exonerates Mar-
cion from having corrupted the
Gospel of Luke, 252, 253.
Baptism, 384, 385, 386; form of, was
immersion, '384; change from im-
mersion to sprinkling, 391.
Baptism of Jesus, 15, 60, 62, 151, 152,
159, 274, 280, 315.
Baptizing women, 23.
Baptizing by women, '23: taught and
permitted by Marcion, 240. 241;
also by a sect of Montanists, 284.
Barachiah, (Barachias), 63.
Bardanes, 93.
Basil, [375], 388.
Basnage, thought Luke the first of the
canonical gospels, ?45.
Bacchylus of Corinth, [180], sketch of,
397, 398, 422.
Bardesanes, [180], sketch of, 397.
Bayle, M., 100.
Barnabas, [1st century], 85, 86, 226;
preaches at Rome, 40.
Barnabas, Epistle of, [130], 84, 85,
226, 227, 232; no evidence for the
N. T., 53; attributed by the fath-
ers to the companion of Paul, 226 ;
such authorship rejected by mod-
ern scholars, io. ; one of the first
books mentioning the miracles of
Christ, 374; the author a millen-
anan, 384.
Basilides, [125], a famous Gnostic, 80,
81, 222, 227, 234, 402; Irenseus'
account of his doctrines, 224;
sketch of, 223, 224; is said to have
written a commentary on "the
gospel," in 24 books, 223, 401;
not a reliable witness for the four
gospels, 224; maintained that
Christ, being innocent, could not
endure penal suffering, 381.
Barsabas, 236.
Barabbas, 63, 200, 312, 331.
Baronius, [15881, 65, 99, 123, 132,
229, 351.
Bartholomew, 36, 80, 81, 125, 068.
Baldseus, 170, 171.
Bopadeva, [12th century], 175, 176.
Bellarmine, [1600], 343, 351.
Berenice, 388.
Berwick, Rev. Edward, [1809], 91.
Beausobre, [1734], 65.
Bede, Venerable, [734], 80, 83, 281,
344.
Beryllus, [200-244], 415.
Bhagavat Purana, 170, 171, 172, 174;
antiquity of, 175, 176.
Bible Revision, 188.
Bishops of Rome to the year 200, 425-
428.
Blastus, [177], notice of, 395.
Blount, Charles, [1680], a celebrated
deist, 91.
Bleek, a German writer, 47.
Book of Enoch, 117.
Book of the Helkesaites, 87.
Book of Joseph, the High Priest, 147.
Book of James, see Protevangelion.
Book of Tobit, 117.
Book of John, concerning the falling
asleep of Mary, 124.
Bolingbroke, [1740], 52, 53.
Bossuet, [1688], 371.
Book of Wisdom, 413.
Bretschneider, [1830], 355.
Brahma, first person in the Hindoo
Trinity, 388, 389.
Brahmins, 93, 96, 174, 176, 391.
Bunsen, [1850],' 23.
Buddha, 166.
Burton, [18:33], 268.
Byzantius, 229.
440
GENERAL INDEX.
Caius, [210], 30, 394.
Carpocrates, [135], 60. 233, 283, no-
tice of, and his doctrines, 230, 231
Cassiodorus, [550], historian, 196.
Cainites, 84.
Canon of the N. T., 76, 77.
Cave, [1700], a writer, 411.
Cave, Christ born in a, 129, 130, 132,
139, 141, 144, 146, 148, 154, 155,
156, 171, 273.
Catholic Church, 373, 413.
Caiaphas, High Priest, 15, 16, 147,
179, 214.
Capuanus Catena, |455], 54.
Canticles, Book of. 62.
Cassianus, Julius, [190], 71, 411.
Camerarms, 80.
Caracalla, Enip., [211-217], 98, 100.
Casting out Demons, 117, 120, 121,
Cambridge Manuscript, [MS. Bezse],
187, 370.
Celsus, [210], 101, 114, 431.
Celibacy taught in the Gospel of the
Egyptians, 77; also by Saturni-
nus, 223.
Cephas, 29, 334.
Cerdo, or Cerdon, a Gnostic, [140], no-
tice of, 231.
Cerinthus, [145], a celebrated Gnostic,
31, 32, 33; held that Jesus was
the real son of Joseph, 60, 234;
sketch of, 233, 234; had a gospel
and a revelation, 234; Toland
thought he might have written the
Gospel of John, 234: Irenaeusand
Jerome assert that John wrote a-
gainst him, 234, 357; his works
lost or destroyed, 403.
Cerinthians. used the Gospel of the
Hebrews, 59.
Centurio, 182, 193, 194.
Chromatius, [400], a Bishop, 215-
217.
Chrishna. [B. C. 1156], 170-174,
175/387, 388; parallel between
Chrishna and Christ, 171; antiq-
uity of the legends concerning,
175, 176.
Chimalinan, mother of Quexalcote, 389.
Chrysostom, [407], 10, 46, 131; his
testimony concerning the Acts of
the Apostles, 370.
Chronicles of Hegesippus, 406-408.
Christ, see Jesus Christ.
Christus, 330.
Christ and Abgarus, alleged corres-
pondence between, 287, 295.
Christian women, 22, 23.
Churches of Vienne and Lyons, Epis-
tle from, [177], 395.
Christian Era, date of, when and by
whom established, 330.
Charinus, 183, 184.
Church of Corinth, 4, 27, 418.
Church of Lyons, 420.
Church of Rome, 408, 409, 418, 419,
430; founded by Peter and Paul,
417.
Church at Sinope, 3, 4.
Church of Philippi, 418.
Church of Rhossus, 7.
Church of Ephesus, 418.
Church of Thyatira, 34.
Chrysippus, [B.C. 230], a Greek phi-
losopher, 92.
Circumcisi9n, insisted upon by Jewish
Christians, 384.
Circumcision of Jesus, see Jesus
Christ.
Oicero, [B. C. 50], 301, 391.
Claudius Apollinaris, [178], a Chris-
tian writer, 122, 123; notice of,
396, 397.
laudius, Emp., [41 to 54], 32, 105.
leomecles, of Astypalaea, a miracle-
worker, 116.
letus, Bishop of Rome, 425, 426.
Clement of Rome, [97], sketch of, 37-
43; when Bishop of Rome, 423,
424, 425, 426; his views concern-
ing the resurrection, 26, 27, 55,
375, 376; says nothing of the im-
maculate conception, or of the
miracles of Christ, 28; not a, wit-
ness to the four gospels, 37-39,
52, 53; his treatment of heretics,
42, 54; the keys of the kingdom
given to him, by Peter, at Rome,
29, 367.
dement of Rome, Epistle to the Co-
rinthians, (called the First Epistle
GENERAL INDEX.
441
of Clement), 2, 23, 37-43, 53, 84,
85, 382, 407, 431; 2d Epistle
to the Corinthians, attributed to
Clement, [150-200], 39, 71. 416;
Clement to James, Epistle, 29, 39,
367, 425; the foundation of the
Inquisition, 29; Epistle of Clem-
ent in praise of Virginity, 39; the
Canons attributed to him, 39;
also Apostolic Constitutions, 39;
Clementines, or Clementine Writings,
. 39, 66, 67, 86, 238, 416;
attributed to Clement, consisting
of Epitome, 39, 2:38; Homilies.
:'/.), 105, 238, and Recogni-
tions; see "Recognitions": Gos-
pel of the Hebrews used in the
Clementine writings, 86, 233.
Clementine Gospel, probably the Gos-
pel of the Hebrews, 86.
Clement, mother of, 385, 386.
Clemert of Alexandria, [200], 66, 72,
'. 398, 406, 409, 412,
414, 417-120. 4:52; references to,
and quotations from his writings.
10, 24, 57, 70, 71, 76, 77. 84,
85, 120, 170, 226, 229, 231, 232,
319, 368, 383, 411, 414; some
of his lost works, 409, 410: held
to the spiritual view of the resur-
rection, 376; denied the eternal
duration of future punishment,
383.
Council of Nice, [325] ; doctrine of the
trinity established, 379.
Council of Laodicea, [305]. forbade the
ordination of women, 22; exclud-
<! the Apocalypse from the canon,
' ''T.
Council, Italian, called by Victor, 418,
419, 422.
Councils, Local, ibid.
Constantius Porphyrogenitus. 196.
Constantino. Emp., [30<>-337], 33,
: by his edict the works of Por-
phyry were burned, '294,
Codex Bezae. see Cambridge.
Confucius, [B. C. 598], Magi attended
his birth, from a distance, :>*7;
golden rule taught by, :>91.
Confession and Remission of Sins, 390.
Commodus, Emp., [180 to 192], 396,
398.
Credner, [1836], 8, 11, 13, 2:38, 270,
278, 351.
Creation out of nothing, taught by
Hernias, [145], 383.
Crucifixion of Jesus, See Jesus Christ.
Cureton, Prof. [1845], 43, 229.
Cyrenius and the Taxing, 154, 268,
272, 273, 291, 322. 323.
Cyril, Bishop of Jerusalem, [375], 10,
33, 131, 152.
Cyprian, [250], 121, 274.
Dardanus, 166.
Damis, [1st cent.], 91, 93, 96, 97, 99.
Damascene, [725], 132.
Damasus, [366], 307.
Darius Hystaspes, [B. C, 500], 166.
I larras, [1855], 414, 422, 426, 427,
Daille, 81.
Davidson, Dr., 6, 25, 31, 32, 33, 34,
35, 44, 45, 76, 224, 227, 235, 237,
238, 269, 275, 278, 303, 304, 308,
357, 417, 418, 429, 430, 434.
De Wette, [1825], 243.
Descent into Hell, 184.
Death of Pilate, 219.
Demetrius, a philosopher, of the first
century, 97, 98.
Demetrius, Bishop of Alexandria,
[195], 422.
Desposyni, see Genealogies.
Descent from the Cross, by John, 86.
Demi-Ourgos, 105, 240.
Demas, 201-204.
Dionysius, Bishop of Corinth, [175],
:'IO: notice of, 394.
Dionysius, Exiguus, [525], 330.
Discussion between Peter and Simon
.Magus, 107-110.
Dion Cassius, [229], 90, 122, 123;
what he says of Apollonius,
98; ofMarcia, 398.
Diocletian, Emp., [284-305], 308.
Dialogue between Jason and Papis-
cus, 393, 394.
Diognetus, Epistle to, [140], notice
of, 238.
Divinity of Christ, 20, 278,354, 355,
388, 400, 416; origin and history
of the doctrine, 376 to 379.
Diatessaron, 284, 285, 297, 405.
442
GENERAL INDEX.
Diapente, 285.
Dositheus, "The Standing One," 106,
107.
Bodwell, Dr. [1700], 124, 295, 419.
Bellinger, Br. [1867J, 23, 24, 26, 386;
wnat he says as to the punishment
inflicted by Peter, 28.
Bocetae, a sect of Gnostics, who be-
lieved that Jesus and Christ were
different, 11, 280.
Bonaldson, Br. [I860], 396, 397, 413.
Bomitian, Emp., [81 to 96], 32, 96, 97,
116, 388, 406, 407; his assassina-
tion at Rome detailed, at the same
time at Ephesus, by Apollonius of
Tyana, 98.
Bomna, Julia, wife of Septimius Se-
verus, [210], 90.
Boctrines, Christian, 13, 26, 32, 40,
48, 55, 68,77, 105, 224, 278; ori-
gin and history of, 373-386; an-
tiquity of, 387-391.
Boctrine of Peter^ see Peter.
Bubois, M., [1800], 389.
Bu Perron, translation of the Zend-
Avesta, [pub'd in 1771], 165-168.
Burant, [pulp'd in 1606,] 196, 197.
BuPin, [1688], 30, 65, 81, 101, 420.
Bumachus and Titus, 148.
Easter, 366, 367, 414, 415, 418, 421,
422.
Ebionites, [2d cent.], 25, 59, 60, 63,
68, 81, 398, 399.
Egyptian Impostor, 369, 370.
Eichhorn, [1794], 66, 313, 317, 318,
413.
Eisenmenger, 118.
Elders quoted by Ireneeus, 236.
Eleutherus, Bishop of Rome, 407, 408,
420, 427.
Ellicott, Bishop, [1856], 149, 198-200,
211.
Elizabeth, mother of John the Bap-
tist, 60, 129, 130, 134, 136.
Elijah, 75.
Electra, mother of Bardamis, 166.
Enoch and Elias, 214.
Epiphanes, [140], sketch of, 231.
Ephrnim, the Syrian, [378], 308.
Epistles of N. T., 37, 38.
Epiphanius, [385], 10, 73, 80-82, 84,
86, 130, 132, 196, 233, 234, 239,
241, 242, 252. 253, 258, 264, 284,
358, 403; references to his wri-
tings, 59, 60, 61, 72, 74, 75, 79,
81, 82, 83, 86, 87, 130, 131, 132,
152, 217, 218, 233, 234, 258, 264,
273, 274, 280, 284, 285, 344, 358,
412: he thought the Gospel of Ce-
rinthus, [A. B. 145], written be-
fore that of Luke, 344.
Erasmus, [1520], 72, 77, 83, 343;
thought the Acts of Pilate written
before the Gospel of Luke, 344.
Esculapius, 115, 116, 388.
Essenes, 72-75.
Esoteric, and Exoteric Boctrines, 385;
386.
Eternal Punishment, 382, 383, 390.
Eternal Gospel, 86, 87.
Eusebius, [325], 7, 10, 13, 33, 35,
56, 73, 83, 100, 103, 111, 178,
179, 221, 223, 225, 228, 229, 237,
285, 286, 297, 394, 398, 402, 405 r
406-409, 414; references to, and
quotations from his writings, 7,
12, 13, 24, 29, 30, 34, 35, 56, 57,
59, 73, 83, 86, 87, 103, 121, 122,
123, 124, 131, 152, 195, 196, 221,
224, 225, 226, 227, 228, 232, 236,
237, 273, 284, 285, 289, 290, 291,
292, 293, 297, 343, 394, 395, 397,
399, 402, 405, 406-409, 414, 415,
418, 422; value of his testimony
as a witness, 287-295; his false-
hoods and forgeries, 288; forgerieg
on Josephus, 288-291; forgery on
Phlegon, 291-293; forgery on
Thailus, 293, 294; forgery on Por-
phyry, 294, 295; other forgeries,
Euthimius, [1120], 131.
Eunapius [400], 100, 101.
Euodms, [410], 132.
Eucharist, 424; of ancient origin, 391*
Eudocia, 99, 100.
Euripides, 396.
Evagrius, [594], 46.
Evaristus, Bishop of Rome, 425, 426.
Ewald, [1800], 3, 6, 50, 228, 278, 315.
GENERAL INDEX.
448
Faber, [1840], 165, 166, 167, 169.
Farrer, 205.
Faustus, a celebrated Manichsean Bish-
op, [400], 298--303, 356.
Fabricius, [1703], 3, 80, 86, 88, 89,
105, 125, 178, 285.
Fall of Man, an ancient doctrine,
390.
False Gospels of Lucianus. see Gospel
of Lucius.
False Gospels of Hesychius, 87, 88.
Festus, Governor of Judaea. [62], :?5.
Feuardentius, 54.
Final Restoration, believed in by Ori-
gen, 383.
Fire in the Jordan, 229, 274.
Fire Worshipers, 148, 160.
Flora, [190], 310, 411, 412.
Fleury, 269.
Florinus, [177], 395.
Forbe's Oriental Memoirs ,[1800], 175.
Fontenelle, [1700], 295.
Froude, the historian, 101, 114, 115.
Freedom of the Will, 381.
Galba, Emp., [68-69], 95.
Gamaliel, 369.
Galilee, 311.
Genealogy of Jesus, see Jesus Christ.
George, Bishop of Nkomedia, 132.
Germanus, Bishop of Constantinople,
[715], 132.
Gestas, 201, 203, 204.
Gelasius, Pope, [494], 81.
Gelasius, Decree of, [494], 11, 64, 76,
78, 80, 83, 84, 87-89, 132, 233.
Genealogies of the Desposyni, 86.
Gerarchia Catholica, the Roman Al-
manac, 425-427.
'Gfroerer, [1850], 117.
Gengis Khan, [1220], 387.
Gibbon, [1780], 100.
Giving up of Pontius Pilate, 219.
Gnostics and Gnosticism, 49, 79, 80--
82, 105, 223, 231, 2:34, 235, 280.
283, 284, 376, 1384, 411.
Gobarus, [6th cent.], 398, 399.
Golden Rule before Christ, 391.
Gospel of Paul, one of the lost gos-
pels of the first century, 3-6, 9,
12, 14, 76 ; the foundation of the
Gospel of Marcion, 3; also of the
Gospel of Luke, 14.
Gospel of Peter, another lost gospel
of the first century, 3, 6--12,
13, 14, 75, 76, 131, 228, 288, 400,
412, 428; was part of the materi-
al entering into the Gospel of the
Hebrews, 68; supposed to be very
similar to it, 11, 87; cited by Jus-
tin Martyr, 7, 8, 270, 274; the
basis of the Gospel of Mark, 9, 14,
346, 350; suppressed by the bish-
ops in 2d century, to make place
for the canonical gospels, 6, 7,
409, 414, 428.
Gospel of the Egyptians, 70 to 78, 411;
frequently cited by Clement of
Alexandria, 70, 71: written be-
fore Luke, 71, 72, 343, 344.
Gospel of the Hebrews, 11, 14, 56-
69, 76, 80, 82, 86, 87, 105, 163,
237, 266, 274, 278, 374; claimed
by Jerome and Epiphanius to be
the Hebrew Gospel of Matthew,.
59-64, 358, 359; written before
the canonical gospels, 71, 72, 343,
344; used by Justin Martyr, 238,
297 ; supposed to have been used
by Tatian, 285, 405; used by He-
gesippus, according to Eusebius,
399, 407, 408.
Gospel of James, see Protevangelion.
Gospel of Nicodemus, see Acts of Pi-
late.
Gospel of the Infancy, attributed to
Thomas, 49, 79, 80, 140, 144,
146, 147, 148-176, 188, 215, 216,
217, 218, 273, 279, 309, 321, 323,
324, 361, 368, 402, 416; one of the
three most ancient extant gospels, .
128; known to Justin Martyr, 273,
274; written before Luke and
Matthew, 71, 296; synopsis of
its contents, 147-151; testimon-
ies of the fathers, 151-153; com-
pared with the first two chapters
of Luke and Matthew, 154-164;
origin and history of, 165-176.
Gospel of Marcion, 3, 4, 5, 19, 38,
39, 88, 89, 163, 224, 241, 242,
321, 337-343, 349, 350, 364, 400,
409, 424, 425; founded on the
Gospel of Paul, 3, 4; written be-
fore the Gospel of Luke, 19, 252--
444
GENERAL INDEX.
266, 296, 343, 344; contained n<
history of the infancy and child
hood of Christ, 163, 242, 339, 350
the gospel reproduced, 243-251
the question of priority as between
Marcjon and Luke, 252-266
Marcion's Gospel interpolated fo
the author of Luke, 254-263
321, 339-343.
Gospel of Perfection, 79, 80, 82, 149.
mentioned in the Gospel of the
Infancy, 80, 149.
Gospel of Andrew, 80; written before
Luke, ib.
Gospel of Bartholomew, 71, 80, 81
344, 368; written before Luke, 71
344.
Gospel of Philip, 80, 81, 82, 225.
Gospel of Matthias, 71, 83, 344; writ-
ten before Luke, ib.
Gospel of Judas, 83, 84, 88; men-
tioned by Irenseus, 83.
Gospel of Basilides, 71, 86, 224, 344;
written before Luke, 71, 344.
Gospel of Cerinthus, 86, 89, 233, 234,
344, 403; written before the Gos-
pel of John, 234; before Luke,
344.
Gospel of Truth, 89, 234, 235, 403;
referred to by Irenaeus, 403.
Gospel of Valentine, the same, 234.
Gospel of ApeUes, 71, 72, 84, 281, 344;,
written before Luke, 71, 72, 281.
Gospel or Harmony of Tatian, 11, 86,
89, 163, 297,405; did not contain
the Infancy, 163; history of, 284
-286; not a harmony of the four
gospels, ib., 297; based on the
Gospel of the Hebrews, 285, 405.
-Gospels, the Four Canonical, 6, 10,
27, 37-99, 49, 51-55, 56, 65, 71,
72, 78, 126, 149, 172, 186-212,
224. 226, 233, 235, 240, 269-271,
275-277, 285, 286, 295-368, 376,
396, 399, 400, 403, 405, 408, 409,
417, 419, 425, 428, 429, 433, 434;
when written, 317; selected for
the use of the churches, from a
large number of gospels, 10, 310;
a support to Roman Catholic su-
premacy, 425, 428.
Gospels, the Synoptic, 13, 311-318,
324, 329, 331, 333, 346, 353, 354,
365, 366.
Gospel according to Luke, 4-6, 9, 14,
15, 19, 38, 52, 71, 72, 77, 80,
126, 129, 133--146, 152, 154-164,
170, 172, 188, 191-195, 201-206,
209-211, 224, 231, 241-266, 271-
273, 281, 291, 296, 309, 312-317,
319, 331-333, 335, 337--350, 362,
367, 370, 396, 400, 409, 412, 429,
430; first two chapters compared
with the Protevangelion, 133-146;
with the Gospel of the Infancy,
154-164; reference to specific pas-
sages in, 4, 17, 38, 50, 58, 72,
80, 133-146, 152, 154-164, 191-
195, 197, 201-206, 243-266, 271.
281, 338-343, 1345-349, 352, :\r>:\,
359-361, 363, 364-366; subsequent
to Apelles, 281; founded on the
Gospels of Paul and Marcion, 6-
14; written subsequent to Mar-
cion, 252-266; when written, 317;
critically examined, 337-345.
Gospel according to Mark, 9, 11, 14,
17, 39, 52, 58, 75, 76, 78, 191,
192, 210, 211, 237, 238, 258, 265,
266, 296, 309, 312, -313-317,
331-333, 335, 352,353, 362,368,
396, 400, 402,^418, 429, 430; ref-
erence to specific passages in, 4, 8,
18, 76, 188, 202-205, 208, 209,
332, 365, 366; founded on the
Gospel of Peter, 9; when written,
317; critically examined, 346
351.
Grospel according to John, 34, 36, 52,
126, 169, 202, 211, 228, 238, 269,
276, 279, 284, 296, 309, 311, 316,
317, 324, 325, 328, 329, 331-
333, 335, 336, 370, 396, 397, 400,
409, 412, 429, 430, 434; reference
to specific passages in, 188-193,
203, 206, 265; written subsequent
to Cerinthus, 234; not known to
Justin Martyr, 269, 270, 276; when
written, 317; the first canonical
gospel mentioned in Christian his-
tory, 302, 303, 397; radically dif-
ferent from the synoptics, 311, 312;
critically examined, 352-357.
ospel according to Matthew, 14, 30,
38, 39, 53, 57-68, 80, 81, 85,
130, 133-146, 154, 155-164, 169,
170, 172, 188, 191, 192, 193, 197,
211, 236, 237, 238, 255, 271, 296,
309, 312-317, 319, 320, 330-
333, 335, 340, 346, 347, 350, 357,
370, 397-400, 402, 405, 417, 429,
430; reference to specific passages
GENERAL INDEX.
445
in, 4, 12, 17, 18, 50, 52, 57, 58,
62, 63, 76, 130, 141-146, 159-
163, 200--208, 265, 332, 333, 335,
340, 352, 353, 356; first two chap-
ters compared with the Protevan-
gelion, 133-146; with the Gospel
of the Infancy, 154-164; an ori-
ginal Greek gospel, 30, 67, 304,
314; when written, 317; critically
examined 858-368.
Gospel of the Syrians, or the Syriac
Gospel, probably same as the Gos-
pel according to the Hebrews, 56,
Gospel of the Twelve Apostles, anoth-
er name for the Gospel of the He-
brews, 59, 61, 62, 71, 278, 297,
43, 344.
Gospel of the Nazarenes, the same, 65,
80,
Gospel of the Ebionites, a version of
the same, 65.
Gospel of the Birth of Mary, (a sup-
posed gospel), nothing but a trans-
lation by Jerome, of a portion of
the Gospel of the Infancy , 215-
218, 3-J3. 416; this gospel was
asserted by Jerome, to be in the
hand-writing of Matthew, 64, 216,
309.
Gospel of Thomas, same as Gospel of
the Infancy, 71, 147, 152, 173,
174, :'41.
Gospel of Eve, a doubtful gospel, re-
ferred to by Epiphanius, 79, 82,
83.
Gospel of the Encratites, referred to
by Epiphanius, 86.
Gospel of Jude, same as Gospel of Ju-
das Iscariot.
Gospel of Barnabas, 84-86.
Gospel of Merinthus, same as Gospel
of Cerinthus, referred to by Epi-
phanius, 344.
Gospel of the Gnostics, properly no
such gospel, though tne term
sometimes used, 87.
Gospel of Justin, sometimes employed
to designate the gospel principal-
ly used by Justin Martyr, 87 ; this
supposed to have been the Gospel
of the Hebrews, ib.
Gospel of James the Less, same as the
Protevarigelion, 87, 88.
Gospel of the Lord, same as the Gos-
pel of Marcion, 88.
Gospel of Lucius, one of the false gos-
pels of Lucianus, so called; these
pronounced apocryphal by the
Decree of Gelasius, 88.
Gospel of Life, a gospel of the Mam-
divans, 88.
Gospel of Longinus, 88.
Gospel of Manes, [3d cent.], same as
the Manichee Gospel, 88.
Gospel of Scythianus, 89.
Gospel of Simonides, or of the Simo-
nians, (followers of Simon Ma-
gus), 89.
Gospel of Simon Magus, the same.
Gospel of Thaddseus, 89.
For other gospels, see Clementine' ,
Acts, Eternal , Ac.
Gregory Nazienzen, [380], 33, 229.
Gregory Nyssen. [380], 132, 217, 218,
Grotius, [1640], 72, 77, 178, 343.
Griesbach, [1800], 188, 238,253,266,
347.
Graves, Kersey, [1876,] 391.
Grabe, Dr., [1710], 72, 77, 78, 83,
84, 85, 229, 269, 310, 412, 420.
Grynseus, [1600], 54, 135, 137, 185,,
275.
Guericke, [1833], 47, 238.
Gymnosophists, 96.
Hannah, the prophetess, 148, 157, 158.
Hadrian, Emp., [117-138], 74, 116,
225, 393; letter to his brother-in
-law, Servianus, 74.
Hahn, [1830], 242, 243, 253, 340, 341.
Hades, 375.
Hagenbach, [1840], 384.
Hercules, 388.
Hesiod, [B. C. 800], 396.
Heiiodorus, [400], a Catholic bishop,
215--217.
Herbert, [1634], 391.
Hermogenes, [180], 397, 415; notice
of, 397.
Heracleon, [190], 10, 229, 409, 411,
412; used the Gospel of Peter, 412;
notice of, 411, 412.
Henault, [1744], 426.
Hennas, companion of Paul, 232.
446
GENERAL INDEX.
Hennas, 2d. [145], 232, 233, 384; sketch
of, 232, 233; the Shepherd or
Pastor of Hermas, a celebrated
book, in the early age of the
church, 53, 232, 233, 383, 413.
Heathen writers, 430, 431.
Herodotus, [B. C. 450], 396.
Hermas, 3d, [200], 416.
Heresy defined by Dr. Lardner, 222.
Heresy and Heretics, 222-225.
.Hegesippus, [185], 56, 66, 67, 82, 238,
398, 399, 406--409; the first Jew-
ish historian, 406; sketch of, 398,
399.
Hermodorus, [B. C. 450], 166.
Hermippus, [B. C. 270], 166.
Herod the Tetrarch, 15, 17, 18, 60,
185, 209, 210.
Herod the Great, 17, 130, 143, 144,
145, 148, 153, 159, 160, 161, 291,
321, 322, 331.
Herod Agrippa, 288, 289.
Herod, half-brother of Herod the Te-
trarch, 17.
Herodias, 17, 18, 19.
Hindoos and Hindoo Religion, 166, 167,
170-176.
Higgins, Sir Godfrey, [1830], 391.
Hilary, [390], 131, 307.
Hierocles, [305], 91, 103, 116.
History of Joseph the Carpenter, 213,
214.
Hippocrates, [B. C. 400], 300, 301.
Hippolytus, restored by Esculapius,
388.
Hippolytus, [3d cent.], 223, 224,
234.
Hilgenfeld, 46, 243, 270.
Historical evidence, its proper place,
Homer, 93, 97, 396.
Holy Spirit or Holy Ghost, 27, 28,
57, 60, 62, 72, 85, 135, 136, 141,
157, 159, 260, 271, 274, 389, 390,
424; the Holy Ghost of the fem-
inine gender, 57, 62, 87.
Hug, [1808], 355, 413.
Hyde, [1700], 168, 169.
Hyginus, Bishop of Rome, 231, 426,
427.
Ignatius, [115], 43-50, 51, 52, 54, 55,
66, 382; his Epistles, 43--50, 53,
68, 187, 373; swollen from 12 to
100 pages, 188; their genuineness
considered, 44-47; references to,
and quotations from, 46-49.
Epistle to the Ephesians, 43, 48.
Epistle to the Romans, 43, 47,
48.
Epistle to Polycarp, 43, 47, 49,
50, 51.
Vossian Epistles, 43, 47, 53.
Cureton or Syriac Epistles, 43,
46, 47, 187; these the genu-
ine epistles, 187.
Epistles ascribed to Ignatius:
Epistle to the Magnesians, 43.
Epistle to the Trallians, 43.
Epistle to the Philadelphians,
43.
Epistle to the Smyrnasans, 43,
63, 64, 68, 385.
Eight others formerly attributed
to him, 43.
Martyrdom of Ignatius, 44-47,
51.
Ignatius, Patriarch of Antioch, [1562],
33.
Immaculate Conception, 13, 19, 20,
28, 32, 41, 55, 68, 77, 129, 130.
169, 170, 171, 240, 271, 272, 319,
374, 433, 434; first allusion to,
extant, 48, 49, 373; immaculate
conceptions, 168, 169, 387.
Imperfect Commentary on Matthew,
173.
Immersion as Baptism, 384.
Immortality of the soul, 380, 381.
Internal criticism, its proper place, 303.
Intermediate State, 383.
Inherited Guilt, 382.
Inspiration, 383, 884.
Infant baptism, 385.
Intolerance, 385.
Irenseus, [190], 6, 8, 12, 32, 33, 46,
47, 51, 54, 84, 223, 224, 328,
329, 357, 367, 376, 384, 403, 405,
407, 412, 417-420, 423, 425, 426,
427, 428, 433; references to, and
quotations from his writings, 6,
30, 48, 83, 105, 120, 152, 223,
224, 230-232, 234, 236, 310, 325-
328, 367, 384, 392, 393, 423, 424;
the first writer who mentioned the
four gospels, 302, 325, 385, 428;
GENERAL INDEX.
447
the first who acknowledged th
supremacy of the Church of Rome
428.
Isidorus, [150], notice of, 2: '4.
Isaiah, see Old Testament.
James, the son of Zebedee, brother
to John, called also James the
Elder, 7, 8, 29, 34, 35, 59, 76.
James the son of Alpheens, callec
James the Less, and .lames the
Just, 29, 34, 61, 128, 130
180, 240. :4, 371, 372; whether
he was brother to Jesus , uncer-
tain, 34.
James, the brother of the Lord, 34, 61,
131, 149, 150, 213, 406, 407; death
of, 34, 35.
James, surnamed Panther, 131.
James, Epistle of, 35, 36, 433.
Jairus' Daughter, 126.
Jewish Institutions, 384.
Jewish Superstitions, 117, 118.
Jewish Christians, :!.V>, :J84.
Jerome, [400], 4, 26, 58, 65, 68, 73,
74, 77, 80, 81, 83, 152, 178, 215-
218, 221). L':',i. :;)7. JJu'J. :;_':',. 357,
358, 394, 416; special references
to, and quotations from his writ-
ings, 23, 57, 61-64, 71-75, 83,
87, 215-218. 227, 232, 239, 273,
281, 344, 397.
Jesus Christ, 3, 4, 7, 8, 11, 16-20,
28, 29, 31, 32, 35, 42, 43, 48,
49, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 63, 70,
71, 72, 74, 75, 77, 84, 87, 91,
100, 103, 106, 107, 108, 110, 116,
117, 120, 126, 127, 136, 142, 213,
214, 218-221, 223, 224, 227, 229,
230, 234, 235, 237, 240, 243-266,
270, 272, 274, 275, 277-280, 285,
287, 289, 295, 298-301, 310-312,
-314, 315, 319-336, 340, 341, 342,
346, 348, 352-357, 363-367, 374-
376, 379, 380-382, 386, 399, 401,
411, 412, 414, 415; a historical
personage, Appendix, I.
Canonical history of, 319-336.
Conception of, see Immaculate
Conception.
Genealogy of, 60, 271, 319, 320.
Birth of, 49, 66, 130, 132, 134,
139, 143, 146, 148, 154, 155,
162, 170, 268, 291, 320-324,
330.
Christ born in a cave, 130, 132,
139, 141, 146, 148, 154, 273.
Infancy and Childhood of Je-
sus, "140, 144, 147-176, 216,
320-324, 350.
Ministry of, 6, 11, 19, 243-250'
311, 324-330, 352, 357, 368
385, 433.
Crucifixion of, 20, 63, 73, 110,
116, 177-212, 214, 218-220,
224, 250, 251, 262, 274, 275,
291-294, 312, 315, 330, SSI-
333, 354.
Resurrection of, 13, 26, 27, 41,
55, 61, 63, 64, 69, 77, 78,
182, 183, 206-212, 218, 220,
229, 251, 263, 312, 334-336,
354, 363, 374-376, 433, 434.
Ascension of, 27, 208, 210, 334.
Brothers and sisters of, 12, 62,
129.
Relations of, 86.
Miracles of, see Miracles.
Jones, Rev. Jeremiah, [1726], 9, 11,
13, 67, 68, 76, 77, 80, 83, 84,
1.-.2, 152, 153, 179, 287, 343, 344,
359, 432, 433.
Jones, Sir Wm., [1790], 166.
Joachim, father of Mary, 128, 129.
Jortin, Dr., [1750], 124, 295.
Joseph the father of Jesus, 9, 10, 13,
78, 129-131, 135, 137-139, 141-
144, 148-150, 152--155. 157-162,
179, 180, 213, 214, 230, 2:34, 255,
271-273, 319-321, 323, 324.
Joseph, who found the Gospel of
Matthew, 60.
Joseph of Arimathea, 182-184, 199,
206, 212, 214, 215, 263, 335, 353.
Tosephus, [70], 15-19, 34, 35, 73,
118, 161, 288-291, 322, 323, 355,
a56, 364, 370.
Jose, brother of Christ, 131, 149.
John, the Apostle, 8, 23, 32, 33, 75,
76, 87, 89, 233, 234, 236, 240,
269, 270, 276, 309, 327, 329, 3-54
-356, 418, 424, 433; his writings,
33, 233, 234; the gospel attribut-
ed to him, see Gospel of John;
1st Epistle of John, 33; 2d and
3d Epistles of John, 133, 36, 228,
413; Apocalypse or Revelation of
John, see Apocalypse.
ohn the Baptist, 15-19, 59, 60, 62,
130, 184, 340, 365.
448
GENERAL INDEX.
John the Presbyter, [130], 34, 233
236, 237, 354, 402, 403; notice oi
228; supposed to have written th
Revelation, 34, 228; also believe*
to have been the author of th
Epistles of John, especially the 2
and 3d, 228.
John of Parma, [13th cent.], 87.
Julian, Emperor, [361], 196.
Julius Africanus, [200], 294, 416.
Justification by Faith, 382.
Jupiter Pluvius, 128.
Julius Capitolinus, [3d cent.], 122.
Juno, immaculate conception by, 387
Judas Iscariot, 29, 36, 59, 83, 149
214, 235, 236, 371.
Judas Thaddseus, called also Lebbseus
29, 36, 180, 347; whether he was
Judas, the Lord's brother, uncer
tain, 36.
Judas, the Lord's brother, 131, 406.
Jude, the son of James, probably not
the same as Judas Thaddseus
347.
Jude, Epistle of 33, 36, 413, 433.
Judas, of Galilee, 355, 356.
Julius Cassianus, see Cassianus.
Justin Martyr, [150-160], 11, 13, 28,
66, 87, 89, 119, 132, 141, 151,
177-179, 199, 221, 229, 238, 267-
279, 284, 294, 297, 342, 377-379,
404, 429, 432; references to, and
quotations from his writings, 7,
8, 105, 116, 221, 223, 267-275,
319, 375, 377, 378, 381-385; did
not mention the canonical gos-
pels, 269; was acquainted with
and used other gospels, 271-276.
Kennedy, Col. Vans, 175, 176.
Kitto, [1850], 305.
Lardner, Dr., [1727], 7, 16, 19, 26,
70, 84, 91. 105, 229, 231, 235,
239, 250, 281-283, 289-291, 322,
395, 397.
Lactantius, [310], 10, 116, 121, 229,
294, 4:33.
Landon's Manual of Councils, 22, 34.
Latin Versions, 304-307.
Lampridius, [310], 100.
Lucius Charinus, Lucianus, Luc-anus,.
Leucius, Lucian, &c., see Seleu-
cas.
Le Clerk, [1716], 179.
Legal Priesthood of Christ, 88.
Less, Dr., [1768], 52, 03, 226, 227,
233.
Lightfoot Dr., [1875], 44, 47, 118.
Lipsius, 47.
Linus, Bishop of Rome, 423, 425, 427.
Literary Accretion, 186-198, 200, 202,
204, 25.5-266, 316-318.
Logos, 148, 169, 278, 279, 306, 378,
379, 386, 390, 417.
Loeffler, [1800], 253.
Lost Gospels, 1-14, 56-89, 163.
Loss or Destruction of Evidence, 401-
410.
Lubke, 196.
Lucian, Author of the Dialogues,.
[165], 101, 114, 115, 281-283,
404.
iuna, wife of Simon Magus, 106, 107.
,uther, [1530], 35, 36.
uke, 73, 309; see Gospel.
Matarea, Mathura, 148, 171.
Malcolm, [1839], 167.
Maurice, [1795-1800], 170-173, 389.
MSS. of the New Testament, 187, l8 r
404.
Marcus, [170], sketch of, 392, 393; his
writings have perished, 405.
itanichseus, or Manee, [3d cent.], 800.
Vlanichaeans, 88, 298.
larcia, [183], notice of, 398.
fatthias, 371.
/larcelliims, [300], 100.
larcellina, [160], notice of, 283; her
writings lost, 405.
/larcellians, 283.
lalalas, [600], 46.
'laimberg, 288.
larcosians, 152, 392.
itaximus, Bishop of Jerusalem, [175,]
394.
laximus, the ^Egean, [1st. cent.], 91.
laximus, Emp., [235-238], 196.
GENERAL INDEX.
449
Marolles, [1650], 391.
Maximilla, a prophetess, [190], 414,
Marcion, [145], 3-5, 12, 88, 89, 231
238, 239-268, 280, 307, 317, 382
400, 403, 404, 412; New Testa
ment of, see New Testament
Gospel of, see Gospel; his writ
ings and doctrines, 240; did no
corrupt the Gospel of Luke. 2-VJ
25: ; : knew nothing of it, 242
266.
Mark, the Evangelist, 9, 72-75, 237
338, 309, 402.
Matthew, the Apostle, 3, 59, 61, 64
65, 67, 68, 216, 237, 309, 356
397, 402.
Mars, Conception of, 387.
Mahabad, same as Menu, or Buddha,
166.
MSS. of the Gospels, 308, 309.
Marcus Aurelius, see Aurelius.
Mary, the mother of Jesus, 9, 48, 78,
129-132, 134-144, 148, 149, 151-
161, 180, 189, 213, 215, 216, 234,
255, 271, 272, 319-221, 323, 324;
sometimes called the mother ol
James, 213.
Mary, the sister of Jesus, 131.
Mary, the mother of James and Jo-
ses, 211.
Mary Magdalene, 210, 211, 312, 335,
336, 353.
Mayerhoff, 47, 270.
Magi, 130, 139, 140, 143, 144, 148,
'159, 160, 163, 165, 167-169, 173,
274, 321, 387.
Matiams, [1588], 174.
Marsh, Bishop, [1802], 53, 66, 252,
308, 313, 314, 359, 367, 395.
Manuscripts in Luke, 338.
Mariamne, daughter of Simon, the
High Priest, 17.
Mariamne, who was changed to a
glass chest, 125.
McClintock and Strong, 31, 187, 269,
305, 370.
Messiah, Doctrine of the, 146, 386.
Melito, Bishop of Sardis, [177], 395.
Methodius, Bishop of Tyre, [300], 196,
It/ I .
Mercury, the Logos, 390.
Menander, [120], sketch of, 222, 22S.
Menu, same as Buddha, 166.
Memoirs of the Apostles, alluded to
by Justin Martyr, 89, 270, 278.
Melitine Legion, 122, 123.
Meragenes, 92.
Miracles and Miracle- Workers, L'S
39, 90-127, 129, 130, 167, 219,
220, 388.
Miracles of Apollonius, [1st cent.],
94-98, 102, 103.
Miracles of Simon Magus, 107-113.
Miracles of the Fathers, 118-124.
Miracles in the Church, 118-125, 374.
Miracles of Paul, 27, 28.
Miracles of Peter, 31.
Miracles of the New Testament, 125-
127.
Miracles of Christ, 13, 28, 40, 41,
55, 63, 69i 77, 78, 91, 126, 127,
151, 181, 182, 188-198, 212, 218,
220, 234, 243-265, 275, 276, 402,
4:J3, 434; first reference to, ac-
cording to Eusebius, 225; first
reference to, extant, 227, 374;
not probable that Christ claimed
to perform miracles, 374.
Miracles of Jesus, in his Infancy and
Boyhood, 80, 148-153, 161.
Miraculous Conception, 171.
Michaelis, [1777], 36, 65, 66, 187,
205, 2:34, 345, 330, 395.
Minucius Felix, [3d cent], 121, 294.
Miltiades, [175], 394.
Miller, [1840], 223.
Mithras, a god of Persia, 388, 391.
Midwife of our Savior, Book of, 89.
Milman, |I850], 205.
Mill, Dr., [1707], 11, 13. 65, 77, 78,
83, 229, 370.
VEiddleton, [1752], 118, 119.
Minucius, Rescript to, 225.
lillenarianism, 235, 384.
Hontanus, [170], 284, 405.
dontanists and Montanism, 284, 405,
420; Tertullian a Montanist, 420.
Mohammed, [630], 8-5.
Mosheim, [1726], 39, 104, 105, 234,
Moyle, [1720], 123, 282.
450
GENERAL INDEX.
Modestas, [176], 395.
Mozly, 127.
Moses, [B. C. 1500], 396.
Musanus, [176], 395.
Muratorian Fragment, 31, 232, 412-
414.
Muratori, [1672], 412, 413.
Narcissus, Bishop of Jerusalem, [195],
123, 124, 414, 415.
Narrative of Joseph of Arimathea,
214, 215.
Nathaniel, Apostle, 36.
Nazarenes, 7, 11, 13, 57, 59, 61, 62,
63, 65, 66, 68.
Nathan's Embassy, 220.
Nero, Emp., [54-68], 94, 95, 111-
113, 218.
Nerva, Emp., [96-98], 96, 99.
Neander, [1840], 34, 238, 267, 281,
375, 383, 423.
Newman, Dr., [1840], 123, 124.
New Testament, 34, 36, 53, 59, 72,
77, 91, 277, 298, 299, 300-302,
304, 307, 308, 310, 371, 381, 393
-396, 408, 410, 412, 429; pub-
lished by the Roman Catholic
Church, 424, 430.
New Testament of Marcion, [145], 26,
424; the first ever published, 241,
403; what it contained, 241.
New Testament of Eusebius, 33.
Niceta, a brother of Clement of Rome,
40, 106, 110, 111.
Nicodemus, 106, 181-185, 199, 206.
Niemeyer, Dr., [1790], 65.
Nimrod, 390.
Nicephorus, the historian, [800], 81,
Norton, [1846], 11, 32, 36, 66, 76, 79,
81, 269.
Noetus, [200], notice of, 415.
Noetian Controversy, 416.
(Ecumenius, [950], 10, 235, 236.
Olshausen, [1830], 341. ,
Old Testament, 42, 61, 72, 117, 134,
138, 240, 270, 276, 277, 298, 299,
857, 384, 404, 430.
Genesis, 108; Exodus, 108,
Psalms, 26, 84, 357; Isai., 142, 143,
273; Jeremiah, 144, 145. 396;
Micah, 143, 146, 161; Hosea,
160; Deuteronomy, 299; Zechari-
ah, 341; Proverbs of Solomon,
407; Pentateuch, 412.
Omito, a Chinese God, 390. .
Ophites, 79, 82, 392.
Original Sin, 381, 382, 390.
Ormuzd, a Persian God, 390.
Original Acts of Pilate, 220.
Orpheus, [B. C. 1200], 100, 396.
Ordination of Clement of Rome, 29,
39.
Ongen, [230], 10, 13, 39, 46, 57, 58,
61, 66, 72, 77, 128, 131, 132, 229,
264, 376, 382, 383, 409, 412, 431;
references to, and quotations from
his writings, 9, 10, 54, 71, 83,
116, 121, 130, 152, 226, 229, 232,
273, 291, 292, 310, 343, 380, 386.
Oracles of Christ, by Matthew, 3, 12-
14, 38, 67, 68, 76, 237, 238, 315,
350, 368, 429.
Osiris, of Egypt, [B. C. 2000], 388.
Oschedermah, and Oschederbami, 168.
Otho, Emp., [69], 95.
Otto, [1150], 267.
Paulus, and Papinian, [210], 90.
Palmas, [196], 415, 422.
Pamphilus, [300]', 61.
Papias, Bishop of Hierapolis, [150],
12, 13, 59, 66, 228, 309, 384, 402,
403, 429; sketch of, 235-238.
Passing (Translation), of St. Mary,
89, 124.
Pantsenus, [180], 80, 81, 368, 397,
398, 405.
Page, [1650], 267.
Paschal Supper, 342.
Paschal Controversy, 396, 398.
Paschal Chronicle, [7th cent.], 397.
Paulina, sister of Hadrian, 74.
Paul of Thebais, an Egyptian, the
first Christian monk, 75. '
Paul, of Samosata, [200-260], 415.
Paul, the Apostle, 3-6, 12,20-28,30,
GENERAL INDEX.
451
41, 53, 82, 85, 113, 230, 232, 240,
241, 252, 277-279, 315, 367, 371,
372, 384, 389, 398, 401, 408, 412,
417, 423-425, 427; Paul a spirit-
ualist, 26, 27, 41, 124, 334-336,
375, 376, 381, 394; Epistles of
Paul, 2, 25, 26, 28, 37, 53, 241,
2- r >3, 277, 278; 374, 376, 396, 403,
404, 412, 424, 429, 433.
Epistle to the Romans, 4, 25,
27, 232, 241, 375.
1st Corinthians, 4, 25, 41, M,
61, 241, 399.
2d Corinthians, 25, 27, 28,241,
376.
Galatians, 4, 21, 25, 241.
Ephesians, 26, 53, 241.
Philippians, :>:5, 241,376.
1st Thessalonians, 241.
2d Thessalouians, 4, 241.
Colossians, 241, 384.
1st Timothy, 26, 423.
2d Timothy, 26, 423.
Titus, 26.
Philemon, 241.
Hebrews, 25, 26, 36, 412.
Laodiceans, 241, 412.
Preaching of Paul, 10, 229, 274.
Pauline Gospels, 79, 82, 83, 84.
Peregrinus, [15CM69], sketch of, 281
-283; his writings have perished,
404.
Perpetua, story of, 24, 124.
Pearson, Bishop, [1672], 131, 178.
Persian History of Christ, 89.
Peshito Version, 31, 33, 36, 304, 307,
308.
Pepuzians, a sect who permitted
women to baptize, 284.
Persians, and Persian Religion and
Mythology, 165-170, 174, 402.
Pehlvian and Parsian Books of the Per-
sians, 168.
Peter, 7-9, 22, 24, 28-32, 40, 59, 62,
64, 105-113, 167, 210, 218, 229,
230, 237, 240, 243, 245, 257, 277,
311, 312, 335, 336, 350, 356, 357,
365-367, 371, 372, 394, 400, 401,
408, 417, 418, 422-427; the first
Bishop of Rome, according to
Catholic authorities, 425,
426; but not according to Irense-
us, 427; his discussion with Si-
mon Magus, 107-110; dispute
with Simon, before Nero, 111-
113; did Peter go to Rome? 30, 31.
Epistles of Peter, 31, 433.
1st Epistle of Peter, 31.
2d do. do. 31, 33, 36.
Epistle of Peter to James, 229.
Peter, Book of the Preaching of, 10,
68, 228, 229, 238, 414; written by
Mark, 75.
Peter, Book of the Doctrine of, 68,
228, 229.
Petrine Gospels, 75.
Philostratus, [210], 90-99, 282.
Philo Judffius, [1st cent.], 72-75, 278,
279, 378.
Philumene, [2dcent.], 280, 281.
Photius, [877], 88, 196, 399.
Phlegon, [150], 74, 291-298.
Philip, Tetrarch of Trachonitis, 15, 17.
Philip, a writer, [170], 283.
Philip, Apostle and Evangelist, 3, 81,
82, 125, 236, 315.
Pious Frauds, prevalent among the
fathers, 432.
Pinytus, [175], 394, 395.
Pistis Sophiae, [200], 416.
Pitrat, 388, 390.
Pius 1, Bishop of Rome, 232, 413, 427.
Pius IX, Pope, [1846], 426.
Plato, [B. C. 375], 92, 301, 387, 390,
396.
Pliny the Elder, [75], 166.
Pliny the Younger, [105], 377.
Plutarch, [100], 166, 390.
Porphyry, [300], 294, 295, 431; wrote
against the Christian religion,
294; his works destroyed by or-
der of the Emperor Constantino,
294, 295.
Polycrates, Bishop of Ephesus, [196],
415, 422.
Potter's Antiquities, [1700], 391.
Popes, or Bishops of Rome, to A. D.
200, 425-427.
Polytheism, 108, 378.
Polycarp, [116], 50-55, 236, 329, 421.
452
GENERAL INDEX.
Epistle to the Philippians, 46,
50-54, 381.
Pontius Pilate, 15, 19, 31, 177-182,
184, 185, 188, 189, 192, 197, 199,
200, 201, 203, 206, 207, 209-212,
218, 219, 268, 275, 276, 312, 330-
332, 341; Letter of, 218; Newly
Discovered Acts of, 220, 221.
Praxeas, [200J, 416.
Prideaux, Dr., [1700], 166, 167.
Prometheus, 93, 388.
Priestly, Dr., [1793], 278, 284, 381.
Providence, Doctrine of, 383.
Predestination, Doctrine of, 381.
Procla, wife of Pilate, 219.
Prodicus, [120], 170, 225, 402.
Prodiceans, followers of Prodicus, 82;
a Christian sect who had the se-
cret books of Zoroaster, 170, 225.
Proverbs of Xystas, 228.
Protevangelion, or Book of James,
9, 10, 87, 88, 128-146, 154, 159,
161-164, 165-176, 188, 266, 319,
361, 368, 395, 402; Justin Mar-
tyr acquainted with it, 271-273;
written before Luke and Mat-
thew, 133-146, 296.
Pseudo Matthew, 215.
Ptolemaeus, [190], 327; Letter of to
Flora, 310, 411, 412.
Puranas, Sacred books of the Hindoos,
175, 176.
Punishment, nature and object of,
383.
Punishment, Endless, see Eternal.
Pythagoras, [B. C. 530], 92, 224, 387,
396.
Quadratus, [126], Apology of, 225, 226,
402; Epistle of Diognetus attribu-
ted to, 238.
Quexalcote, 387, 388, 390.
Rachel, mother of Simon Magus, 106,
109.
Report of Pilate, 177-179, 218.
Reville, Albert, 100, 103, 388.
Resurrection of Saviors, 388.
Resurrection of Christ, See Jesus
Christ.
Revelations of Adam, 87.
Revelations of Anti-Christ, 229.
For other Revela'ns, see Apocalypse.
Regenerating Grace, 382.
Recognitions, 25, 39, 40, 105-111, 167,
238, 385, 386, 425; attributed to
Bardesanes 397.
Rhodon, [195], 414.
Ritschl, [1850], 243.
Rosenmuller, [1800], 66.
Roman Catholic Hierarchy, 357, 365,
366, 371, 372, 400, 401, 417-419,
421-428, 430.
Routh, [1814], 393.
Rufinus, [410], 39, 425.
Saturninus, [125], 222, 223.
Sabbath, the, 384.
Sapphira, 28.
Sanday, Rev. Mr., [1876], 44, 49, 50,
52, 317, 346, 351.
Salome, 70, 71, 76, 78, 130, 411; a
daughter of Joseph, 131.
Sabellius, [200-250], 415.
Sabellians and Sabellianism, 72, 77,
380.
sayings of Christ, 49-52, 106, 224,
228, 271, 276, 277, 358, 396, 409,
434.
Scaliger, [1600], 123, 287, 288, 293.
Scripture, when the term applied to
New Testament books, 429.
Schmidt, J. Alexander, 253.
Schleiermacher, [1820], 133-135, 137-
141, 156, 164, 197, 253, 266, 314,
315, 317, 321, 322, 324, 337-339,
346-349, 362, 363.
Scholten, 45.
Sesostris, [B. C. 1400], 390.
Seleucas, otherwise Leucius, &c.,
[200], 215-217, 416.
Severus, Septimius, Emp., [193-211],
90, 420.
Severus, Alexander, Emp., [222-235],
100, 196.
Secrecy of the Christians, 385, 386.
Serarius, [1600], 75.
Secret Books of Zoroaster, 170, 225.
GENERAL INDEX.
453
Serapis, 74, 121, 152.
Semler, [1783], 253, 305.
Semisch, 267.
Serapion, Bishop of Antioch,
suppressed the Gospel of Peter
7, 409, 414, 428.
Shepherd of Hernias, see Hennas .
Shepherds, the, 155, 156, 162, 321.
Shedd, Dr., [1871], 380, 382.
Siva, third member of the Hindoo
Trinity, 389.
Sidonius Apollinaris, [475], 101.
Sibylline Oracles, 229.
Simon, the Cyrenian, 224, 331.
Simon, the High Priest, 17.
Simon, Father, [1689], 65, 343.
Simon Zelotes, 29, 59.
Simon Peter, see Peter.
Simon Magus, 40, 104-113, 218, 222,
223, 374; discussion with Peter,
107-110; before Nero, 111-113;
his death, 113.
Sike, [1700], 147.
Sixtus Senensis, [1560], 229.
Sixtus I, Bishop of Rome, 426, 427.
Simeon, 148, 156, 157, 1&3, 184.
Simeon, 2d Bishop of Jerusalem, 406,
408.
Simeon, brother of Jesus, i31,'.l:! ( J.
Soul, nature of the, views of Tertul-
lian and Ongen, 380.
Son of God, 387, 388.
Slaughter of the Children, 130, 144,
161, 163, 175, 180, 321.
Smith's Bible Dictionary, 322.
Socrates, historian, [440], 273.
Sozomen, historian, [439], 75, 153, 196,
273.
Sosciosh, a prophetic *on of Zoroaster,
168.
Soter, Bishop of Rome, 283, 407, 427.
Soterichus Oasites, 100.
Spanheim, [1680], 75, 178.
Strauss, [1865], 80.
Sprinkling, 391.
Spiritualism, 41, 120, 334.
Stowe, Prof., [1867], 295, 343.
Stars, 49, 165-170, 387; the Jews be-
lieved them to be animated beings,
117; so also Origen, 121; the star
in the east, 143, 144, 148, 160,
165.
Stroth, [1780], 66.
Stephanus, who assassinated Dorni-
tian, 98.
Statue of Christ, 195, 196.
Suetonius, [125], 111, 113.
Suidas, [10th cent.], 85, 99.
Sunderland, Rev. Dr., 30.
Sunderland, J. T. [1878], 25, 315, 316.
Supernatural Religion, 28, 44, 118,
243, 270, 394
Symmachus, [200], 416.
Syriac Documents, 229, 395.
Syriac Version, 35, 36, 56, 395.
Syriac Epistles, see Ignatius.
Syriac New Testament in 1562, 33.
Tacitus, [Annals, 117], &30.
Taxing, under Cyrenius, 139, 154, 162,
291, 322, 323.
Pargums, 117.
Tattam, Archdeacon, [1842], 43.
L'anaquil Faber, [1665], 289, 290.
Tayler, Rev. J. J., 413.
Taschter, 166.
Tamerlane, [1400], 387.
Tatian, [170], 7, 297; sketch of, 284
-286; used the gospel of the He-
brews, 66, 67, 238, 284; his writings
lost, 405; his Gospel or Harmony,
see.Gospel; did not believe in the
immortality of the soul, 380.
'elesphorus, Bishop of Rome, 426.
Vstuments of the Twelve Patriarchs,
229.
'ertullian, [200-210], and his wri-
tings, 12, 13, 23, 26, 31, 32, 120-
123, 127, 130, 132, 178, 179,
199, 221, 239-242, 252, 253, 259
280, 282, 284, 294, 305-307 350i
380-385, 403, 417-420, 423, 424,
4oO.
Tertullian v. Marcion, 4, 5, 8,
9, 127, 240, 259, 264, 306,
307, 375, 376, 384.
Tierapeutse, 72-75, 77.
Theodoret, [430], 7, 11, 84, 105, 285,
454
GENERAL INDEX.
286.
Theodotus, [192], 229, 415; used an
cited the Preaching of Peter, an
taught that Christ was a man on
ly,414.
Theophilus, of Antioch, [180], 121
294, 345, 380, 397; the first writ
er who mentioned any of the fou
gospels, 302, 303, 354.
Theophilus, Bishop of Csesarea,
cent.], 422.
Theophylact, [1075], 10, 72, 77, 130
Thilo, [1850], 242.
Thales, [B. C. 575], 396.
Thales Milesius, 93.
Theudas, 290, 291, 369.
Theodore, of Mopsuestia, [394-429]
30.
Theodosius the Great, [390], 185.
Thirlby, [1750], 295.
Themistius, [380], 123.
Thundering Legion, 122, 123.
Thecla, 23.
Thaddeus, the apostle, 59.
Theodorus Lector, [6th cent.], 85.
Theurgy, 103.
Thallus, [220], 293, 294, 416.
Thomas, Apostle and Evangelist, 173,
174.
Titus, Emp., [79-81], 96, 103, 220.
Tillemont, [1690], 100, 101, 103, 269,
420.
Tiberius Csesar, Emp., [14-371, 15, 16,
19, 20, 40, 177, 178, 185, 219,
220, 243, 254, 275, 276, 291, 292,
330, 435.
Timotheus, 82, 88.
Tischendorff, [1850], 26, 38, 66, 85,
213, 234, 235, 238, 272, 274, 275,
278, 284.
Todd, Col., [1825], 170.
Toland, [1700], 26, 31, 66, 83, 8-5,
229,234.
Total Depravity, 381.
Trinity, Doctrine of the, 72, 379,
380, 389, 390, 415.
Trail, Dr., 16.
Traditions of Matthias, 83, 223.
Tradition instead of Gospels, 237,
309, 310, 409, 412.
Tradition as evidence of the Gospels,
301, 302, 418.
Traditions concerning Christ, 228,
236, 237, 402, 403.
Trajan, Emp., [98-117], 45, 46, 327.
Treatise on Re-Baptism, 274.
Transubstantiation, 385.
Trench, Archbishop, [1863], 127.
Ulpian, [210], 90.
Unitarians and Unitarianism, 284.
Uranus, 388.
Vandale, [1700], 295.
Valentinus, [150], 392; sketch of, 234,
235; had a gospel; his gospels and
writings lost, 403.
Valesius, [1660], 123, 288.
Various Readings of the N. T., 150,
000, 188.
Vallancey, [1800], 169.
VaiTO, [B. C. 50], 301.
Veronica, 182, 195-197, 219, 220.
espasian, Emp., [69-79], 95, 96, 118,
220.
ero, [200], 415.
/"ersions of the Gospels, 304.
irgil, [B. C. 25], 391.
/itellius, Emp., [69], 95.
Victor, Bishop of Rome, 398,414, 415,
418, 419, 422, 427.
^ictor, of Capua, 285.
fishnu, 170, 389.
folney, [1791], 390.
fossius, [1650], 43.
fopiscus, [300-310], 74, 100.
folkmar, 45, 46, 243-245, 248, 264.
fulgate, 304, 306, 307.
/"ulcan, conception of, 387.
/Veiss, 25.
/Vestcott, [1870], 3, 8, 26, 31, 33,
44, 47, 54, 104, 222, 223, 226
-228, 233-235, 2)38, 253, 269, 270,
273, 287, 296, 303, 345, 350, 357,
GENERAL INDEX.
455
370, 393, 394.
Whiston, [1710], 11, 13, 72, 73,229.
Wisdom of God, 340, 363.
Wiggers, 382.
Wilson, Prof. H. H., [1864], 175, 176.
Worsely's Voyage, [1794], 389.
Woman in the Trinity, 105.
Word, the, 62, 169, 390, see Logos.
Worman, Prof., 269.
Xaverius, L. Hieronymus, [1600], 89.
Xaca, a Chinese Savior, 887.
Yu or Ya, first Chinese Monarch, 387.
Zend-Avesta, 165-168, 390.
Zaccheus, 106, 107.
Zaccheus, the Schoolmaster, 151.
Zacharias, or Zechariah, son of Bere-
chiah, or Jeberechiah, 142, 436.
Zacharias, or Zechariah, son of Jehoi-
da, 340, 364, 436.
Zacharias, the High Priest, father of
John the Baptist, 60, 129-132,
134, 136, 436.
Zacharias, son of Barouches, slain be-
tween the temple and the altar,
340, 341, 363, 364, 436, Append-
ix II.
Zeraduscht, 165, 166, 167, 169, see
Zoroaster.
Zeno, Emp., [474-491], 85.
Zoroaster, 49, 148, 160, 16,5-170, 173,
174, 387, 402.
Zoradascht, (the same), 148, 159, 160.
Zumpt, [1854], 322, 323.
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UNIV. OF CALIF.. B
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UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY
FORM NO. DD6, 60m, 12/80 BERKELEY CA 94720
OF THB
UNIVERSITY
i-
A COMPLETE HISTORY
;MI H 1ST! AX R KLKJ ION
TO A. I). '200.
CHARLKS |{. WA1TK. A M..
Tin's i< .in- ot' tin- \i\-\ import. int
result of ye;ir< ot' la'oriou-> investigation, in
Item pa<>ed over very liii'litly.
All tin- writings of the first two centuries have in'-n
it' flu- fathers of tin' rhiin-h, in tln> i;inu-ii;mv< in which I
A Hood ot' hVht hits lici-n tin-own upon many -jiit'stions hiMi'
olis.-iirijy.
The time has lnvn divitifd into pfrio.|<. and events 1.,
regular and consecutive order.
The author has written in the intere-f ><\ no church, creed or <! _
hus, aimed to produce a relialtle history, and all ot' his statements are .
upon historical records.
The work includes, the? origin and histo
ALL THE GOSPELS,
Not only the four which became canonical, hut those which I
apocryphal. Accounts are yiyen of more than Forty Go*jttl*. Tin
taken up the three most famous of th^ so called apocryphal ^< -
till extant, and has instituted critical
COMPAKISONS WITH THK CANONICAL GOSPELJ-
Km- the purpose of det.-rminino- which were first written. 1- ! thi L
this is the first time that such comparisons have been made. :
given in parallel columns, and constitute an important feature of the work.
One chapter is devoted to
THE LOST GOSPELS OF THE FIHST CKVITKY;
Another, to the famous
GOSPEL OF THE HEBREWS;
In which is given every citation from it to be found in the works of the fath-
ers, and every fragment of the gospel which has been preserved.
THE GOSPEL OF MARCION,
Compiled, A. D. 145, is reproduced, arid is shown to have preceded th>
pel of Luke, and to have been the principal gospel then in circulation.
CHRISTIAN WRITERS.
Sketches are given, of nearly a hundred Christian writers of the first two
centuries, with a notice of their works. Great pains have been taken to irive
a correct chronological position to each writer.
Of the earliest of these, the APOSTOLIC FATHKh'S, a full account is
given, with extracts from their writings.
M1KACLKS OF THE FIHST CKNTI'lfV.
A full history is given, of the miracles and miracle-workers of the h'rst eeii-
tury. including Simon Magus, and Apollonius of Tyana, of each of whom an
interesting biography is given.
JESUS CHRIST NOT A MIRACLE-WORKER.
The silence of Paul, concerning the miracles of Christ, together with tin*
uncertainty as to when the four gospels wen- written, and the quite general
agreement among scholars of all classes, at the present lime, that they were
not composed in the first century, induced a thorough examination of the sub
jert of fhe miracles attributed to .lesus. with the result above indicated.
DOCTRINES.
A complete history 18 given of the origin and progress, to the yeai' l^'H.
of the principal Christian doctrines of that day.
i.'Ksrum-rTioN OK cmnsT.
The author finds that tin 1 Christians of the first century held to the spiritual
resurrection taught by Paul : but that the material resurrection of the crnci
tied body of .lesus. is a doctrine which originated in the -<"cond century.
110 MAX CA T1IOLIC1XM.
A hill ami complete account is given, of the origin and establishment of the
authority of the Church oi Rome over the other churches, in the latter part
of the second century. Hxtensive interpolations of the scriptures arc found
to have Keen. made in the interest of that hierarchy.
AUTHORITIES.
Many reference- are made t> authorities, ancient and modern. The ol>-
ject has been to make tins not only a reliable history. !>ut a work of referene.-
for those who may wish to pursue the subject further.
The liook consist^ of nearly 500 page.-,, octavo, handsomely printed on heavy
paper, and contains, l>esid,'> -,\ ovm-ral index. taMe of cont-nt-. Vc.. a com-
plete \\-i of all tin- writer- ;m d writinn-s "f tin- l\v<\ two mitiiries.
in chronological order.
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