We have thus examined, step by step, the alleged evidences of Christianity, both external and internal; we have found it impossible to rely on its external witnesses, while the internal testimony is fatal to its claims; it is, at once, unauthenticated without, and incredible within. After earnest study, and a careful balancing of proofs, we find ourselves forced to assert that THE EVIDENCES OF CHRISTIANITY ARE UNRELIABLE.
APPROXIMATE DATES CLAIMED FOR THE CHIEF CHRISTIAN AND HERETICAL AUTHORITIES.
A.D.
Between 92 and 125 Clement of Rome Very doubtful
Between 90 and 138 Barnabas " "
Said to be martyred 107 Ignatius " "
Between 117 and 138 Quadratus " "
Possibly 138 Hermas " "
About 150-170 Papias " "
About 135-145 Basilides and " "
Valentinus
About 140-160 Marcion
Said to be martyred 166 Polycarp Very doubtful
Said to be martyred 166 Justin Martyr
After 166 Hegesippus
About 177 Epistle of Lyons
and Vienne
Between 150 and 290 Clementines Real date quite unknown
Between 166 and 176 Dionysius of Corinth
About 176 Athenagoras
Between 170 and 175 Tatian
177 to about 200 Irenæus
About 193 Tertullian
About 200 Celsus Very doubtful
205 Clement of Alexandria
succeeded as head of
School.
About 205 Porphyry
205-249 Origen
Between 92 and 125 Clement of Rome Very doubtful
Between 90 and 138 Barnabas " "
Said to be martyred 107 Ignatius " "
Between 117 and 138 Quadratus " "
Possibly 138 Hermas " "
About 150-170 Papias " "
About 135-145 Basilides and " "
Valentinus
About 140-160 Marcion
Said to be martyred 166 Polycarp Very doubtful
Said to be martyred 166 Justin Martyr
After 166 Hegesippus
About 177 Epistle of Lyons
and Vienne
Between 150 and 290 Clementines Real date quite unknown
Between 166 and 176 Dionysius of Corinth
About 176 Athenagoras
Between 170 and 175 Tatian
177 to about 200 Irenæus
About 193 Tertullian
About 200 Celsus Very doubtful
205 Clement of Alexandria
succeeded as head of
School.
About 205 Porphyry
205-249 Origen
THE SO-CALLED TEN PERSECUTIONS.
A.D.
61 under Nero
81 " Domitian
107 " Trajan
166 " Marcus Aurelius
193 " Severus
235 under Maximin
249 " Decius
254 " Valerian
272 " Aurelian
303 " Diocletian
61 under Nero
81 " Domitian
107 " Trajan
166 " Marcus Aurelius
193 " Severus
235 under Maximin
249 " Decius
254 " Valerian
272 " Aurelian
303 " Diocletian
DATES OF ROMAN EMPERORS AT ALLEGED BIRTH OF CHRIST.
Augustus Cæsar
A.D.
14 Tiberius
33 Caligula
41 Claudius
54 Nero
68 Galba
Otho
69 Vitellius
69 Vespasian
79 Titus
81 Domitian
96 Nerva
98 Trajan associated
117 Hadrian
138 Antoninus Pius
161 Marcus Aurelius
180 Commodus
192 Pertinax
193 Julian
Severus
211 Caracalla and Geta
217 Macrinus
218 Heliogabalus
222 Alexander Severus
235 Maximin
237 The Gordians
Maximus and Galbinus
238 Maximus, Galbinus, and Gordian
238 Gordian alone
244 Philip
249 Decius
251 Gallus
253 Valerian
260 Gallienus
268 Claudius
270 Aurelian
275 Tacitus
276 Florianus
276 Probus
282 Carus
283 Carinus and Numerian
285 Diocletian
286 Maximian associated
305 Galerius and Constantius
305 Severus and Maximin
306 Constantine
Licinius
Maxentius
324 Constantine alone
A.D.
14 Tiberius
33 Caligula
41 Claudius
54 Nero
68 Galba
Otho
69 Vitellius
69 Vespasian
79 Titus
81 Domitian
96 Nerva
98 Trajan associated
117 Hadrian
138 Antoninus Pius
161 Marcus Aurelius
180 Commodus
192 Pertinax
193 Julian
Severus
211 Caracalla and Geta
217 Macrinus
218 Heliogabalus
222 Alexander Severus
235 Maximin
237 The Gordians
Maximus and Galbinus
238 Maximus, Galbinus, and Gordian
238 Gordian alone
244 Philip
249 Decius
251 Gallus
253 Valerian
260 Gallienus
268 Claudius
270 Aurelian
275 Tacitus
276 Florianus
276 Probus
282 Carus
283 Carinus and Numerian
285 Diocletian
286 Maximian associated
305 Galerius and Constantius
305 Severus and Maximin
306 Constantine
Licinius
Maxentius
324 Constantine alone
INDEX TO SECTION I. OF PART II.
INDEX OF BOOKS USED.
Adrian...206
quoted by Meredith...225Agbarus, letter of, in Eusebius...243Akiba, quoted in Keim...315Alford, Greek Testament...288Apostolic Fathers...215, 216, 217, 218, 220, 221, 230Athenagoras, Apology...226Augustine, Syntagma, quoted in Diegesis...234
Barnabas, Epistle of...233, 302Besant, According to St. John...337Butler, Lives of the Fathers, etc...324
Caecilius, quoted in Diegesis...348Celsus, quoted by Norton...233Clement, First Epistle...233, 299, 300, 301Clementine, Homilies...310 quoted in Supernatural Religion...301Corpus Ignatianum, quoted in Apostolic Fathers...218
Davidson, Introduction to New Testament...286, 294, 295, 296, 298
Ellicott, quoted in Cowper's Apocryphal Gospels...250Epictetus...206Epiphanius, quoted by Norton...297Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History...216, 230, 231, 234, 243, 246, 248 250, 257, 260, 277, 279, 284, 290 291, 292, 294, 321, 323 quoted in Apostolic Fathers...217
Faustus, quoted in Diegesis...284
Gibbon, Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire...195, 206, 209 213, 227, 322Giles, Christian Records...197, 207, 230, 259, 261, 263, 265 267, 276, 288, 293, 297, 313, 328 335, 336
Hegesippus, quoted in Supernatural Religion...302Home, Introduction to New Testament...197, 203
Ignatius, Epistle to the Smyrnaeans...220 " Ephesians...233 " Philippians...302Inman, Ancient Faiths...344Irenæus, Against Heresies...258, 291, 323, 336 " quoted in Keim...234 " quoted in Eusebius...258
Jones, The Canon of the New Testament...240, 245, 257Jones, Sir W., Asiatic Researches...345
quoted by Meredith...225Agbarus, letter of, in Eusebius...243Akiba, quoted in Keim...315Alford, Greek Testament...288Apostolic Fathers...215, 216, 217, 218, 220, 221, 230Athenagoras, Apology...226Augustine, Syntagma, quoted in Diegesis...234
Barnabas, Epistle of...233, 302Besant, According to St. John...337Butler, Lives of the Fathers, etc...324
Caecilius, quoted in Diegesis...348Celsus, quoted by Norton...233Clement, First Epistle...233, 299, 300, 301Clementine, Homilies...310 quoted in Supernatural Religion...301Corpus Ignatianum, quoted in Apostolic Fathers...218
Davidson, Introduction to New Testament...286, 294, 295, 296, 298
Ellicott, quoted in Cowper's Apocryphal Gospels...250Epictetus...206Epiphanius, quoted by Norton...297Eusebius, Ecclesiastical History...216, 230, 231, 234, 243, 246, 248 250, 257, 260, 277, 279, 284, 290 291, 292, 294, 321, 323 quoted in Apostolic Fathers...217
Faustus, quoted in Diegesis...284
Gibbon, Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire...195, 206, 209 213, 227, 322Giles, Christian Records...197, 207, 230, 259, 261, 263, 265 267, 276, 288, 293, 297, 313, 328 335, 336
Hegesippus, quoted in Supernatural Religion...302Home, Introduction to New Testament...197, 203
Ignatius, Epistle to the Smyrnaeans...220 " Ephesians...233 " Philippians...302Inman, Ancient Faiths...344Irenæus, Against Heresies...258, 291, 323, 336 " quoted in Keim...234 " quoted in Eusebius...258
Jones, The Canon of the New Testament...240, 245, 257Jones, Sir W., Asiatic Researches...345
Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews 195, 198, 315 " Wars of the Jews...317 " Discourse on Hades...198Justin Martyr, First Apology...231, 253, 302, 347 " Second Apology...226, 323 " Dialogue with Trypho...231, 275, 302, 310Juvenal...203
Keim, Jesus of Nazara...197, 202, 315
Lardner, Answer to Dr. Chandler, quoted from Diegesis...196 " Credibility of the
Gospels...209, 210, 211, 216, 218 230, 263, 269Livy...222
Marcus Aurelius...206Marsh, quoted in Norton...267 " quoted in Giles...287Meredith, Prophet of Nazareth...223Mosheim, Ecclesiastical
History...214, 216, 217, 235, 237, 238, 239Muratori, Canon of...282
Nicodemus, Gospel of...253Norton, Genuineness of the Gospels...215, 216, 219, 247,
263, 269, 295
Origen, quoted in Gibbon...213 " " Diegesis...234 " " Supernatural Religion...323
Paley, Evidences of Christianity...198, 202, 203, 205 208, 209, 210, 212, 228, 229, 231 235, 236, 243, 244, 247, 248, 260 262, 269, 273, 281, 290, 309, 317 319.
Papias, quoted by Eusebius...291 Irenæus...291Parkhurst, Hebrew Lexicon...346Pliny, Epistles...203Pilate, Acts of...253
Quadratus, quoted by Eusebius...230
Renan, Vie de Jésus...197Row, The Supernatural in the New Testament...325, 327
Sanday, Gospels in the Second Century...248, 269, 270 279, 287, 298, 300, 302, 305, 311Scott, English Life of Jesus...334Sharpe, Egyptian Mythology...347Smyrna, Circular Epistle of the Church of...221Strange, Portraiture and Mission of Jesus...198, 201, 210 321, 348Strauss, Life of Jesus...289, 312, 320, 330, 331, 332Suetonius...201, 202, 225Supernatural Religion...215, 216, 219, 229, 246, 247, 248 249, 260, 261, 266, 268, 269, 271 276, 278, 279, 280, 281, 282, 283 290, 292, 293, 295, 301, 302, 303 304, 322, 325
Tacitus, Annals...199, 222, 225Taylor, Diegesis...196, 200, 201, 205, 206, 208, 212, 346Tertullian, Apology...226 De Spectaculis...323 quoted in Gibbon...213 " Meredith...225Thomas, Gospel of...251Tischendorf, When were our Gospels Written?...248, 270
Westcott, On the Canon of the New Testament...216, 229, 247, 249 256, 268, 270, 274 275, 278, 286
Keim, Jesus of Nazara...197, 202, 315
Lardner, Answer to Dr. Chandler, quoted from Diegesis...196 " Credibility of the
Gospels...209, 210, 211, 216, 218 230, 263, 269Livy...222
Marcus Aurelius...206Marsh, quoted in Norton...267 " quoted in Giles...287Meredith, Prophet of Nazareth...223Mosheim, Ecclesiastical
History...214, 216, 217, 235, 237, 238, 239Muratori, Canon of...282
Nicodemus, Gospel of...253Norton, Genuineness of the Gospels...215, 216, 219, 247,
263, 269, 295
Origen, quoted in Gibbon...213 " " Diegesis...234 " " Supernatural Religion...323
Paley, Evidences of Christianity...198, 202, 203, 205 208, 209, 210, 212, 228, 229, 231 235, 236, 243, 244, 247, 248, 260 262, 269, 273, 281, 290, 309, 317 319.
Papias, quoted by Eusebius...291 Irenæus...291Parkhurst, Hebrew Lexicon...346Pliny, Epistles...203Pilate, Acts of...253
Quadratus, quoted by Eusebius...230
Renan, Vie de Jésus...197Row, The Supernatural in the New Testament...325, 327
Sanday, Gospels in the Second Century...248, 269, 270 279, 287, 298, 300, 302, 305, 311Scott, English Life of Jesus...334Sharpe, Egyptian Mythology...347Smyrna, Circular Epistle of the Church of...221Strange, Portraiture and Mission of Jesus...198, 201, 210 321, 348Strauss, Life of Jesus...289, 312, 320, 330, 331, 332Suetonius...201, 202, 225Supernatural Religion...215, 216, 219, 229, 246, 247, 248 249, 260, 261, 266, 268, 269, 271 276, 278, 279, 280, 281, 282, 283 290, 292, 293, 295, 301, 302, 303 304, 322, 325
Tacitus, Annals...199, 222, 225Taylor, Diegesis...196, 200, 201, 205, 206, 208, 212, 346Tertullian, Apology...226 De Spectaculis...323 quoted in Gibbon...213 " Meredith...225Thomas, Gospel of...251Tischendorf, When were our Gospels Written?...248, 270
Westcott, On the Canon of the New Testament...216, 229, 247, 249 256, 268, 270, 274 275, 278, 286
INDEX OF SUBJECTS.
Analogies of Christian doctrines...347Apocryphal Gospels, specimens of...250 " Books, recognised...245Authenticity of Apology of Quadratus...230 " Epistle of Barnabas...229 " " Clement...214 " " Ignatius...217 " " Polycarp...216 " " Smyrna...220 " Vision of Hermas...216
Books read in churches...248 " in volume of Scriptures...249
Christian Agapae...223Christianity advantageous to tyrants...237
Date of birth of Christ...333Dates of Fathers, etc...349Dates of Roman Emperors...350Diatessaron of Tatian...259
Evidence of Adrian...206 " Apostolic Fathers...263, 267 " Barnabas...268 " Basilides and Valentinus...280 " Canon of Muratori...282 " Clement ...269 " Clementines...279 " Hegesippus...277 " Hermas...269 " Ignatius...270 " Josephus...195 " Justin Martyr...271 " Marcion...281 " Marcus Aurelius...206 " Papias...271 " Pliny...203 " Polycarp...270 " Suetonius...201 " Tacitus...199
Forgeries in Early Church...238 List of...240Four Gospels: when recognised...257 " why only four...258
Gospels, changes made in...283 " contradictions in...328 " contradictions between synoptical and fourth...337 " growth of...285, 289 " identity of modern and ancient unproven...262 " many current...266 " of later origin...311 " of Matthew and Mark not those of Papias...290 " original, different from canonical...298 " similarity of canonical and uncanonical...245 " synoptical...286 " time of selection unknown...256Genealogies of Jesus...328Greek not commonly known by Jews...314
Ignorance of Early Fathers...232
Krishna, meaning of...345
Length of Jesus' Ministry..336Life of Christ from Justin Martyr...306
Martyrs, small number of...212Massacre of infants unlikely...333Matthew, written in Hebrew...394Miracles...316Morality of Early Christians...221Mythical Theory of Jesus...340
Passages in Fathers, not in canonical Gospels...301Persecution, absence of...209Phrase "it is written"...247Positions laid down as to Gospels...236Position A...238 " B...245 " C...256 " D...257 " E...261 " F...262 " G...290 " H...298 " I...311 " J...314 " K...316Prophecies, Messianic...342
Silence of Jewish writers...198, 201, 259 " Pagan " ...193, 206Story of Christ pre-Christian...340Son-worship and Christ...343
Temptation of Christ...334Ten Persecutions...350Types of Christ...345
Books read in churches...248 " in volume of Scriptures...249
Christian Agapae...223Christianity advantageous to tyrants...237
Date of birth of Christ...333Dates of Fathers, etc...349Dates of Roman Emperors...350Diatessaron of Tatian...259
Evidence of Adrian...206 " Apostolic Fathers...263, 267 " Barnabas...268 " Basilides and Valentinus...280 " Canon of Muratori...282 " Clement ...269 " Clementines...279 " Hegesippus...277 " Hermas...269 " Ignatius...270 " Josephus...195 " Justin Martyr...271 " Marcion...281 " Marcus Aurelius...206 " Papias...271 " Pliny...203 " Polycarp...270 " Suetonius...201 " Tacitus...199
Forgeries in Early Church...238 List of...240Four Gospels: when recognised...257 " why only four...258
Gospels, changes made in...283 " contradictions in...328 " contradictions between synoptical and fourth...337 " growth of...285, 289 " identity of modern and ancient unproven...262 " many current...266 " of later origin...311 " of Matthew and Mark not those of Papias...290 " original, different from canonical...298 " similarity of canonical and uncanonical...245 " synoptical...286 " time of selection unknown...256Genealogies of Jesus...328Greek not commonly known by Jews...314
Ignorance of Early Fathers...232
Krishna, meaning of...345
Length of Jesus' Ministry..336Life of Christ from Justin Martyr...306
Martyrs, small number of...212Massacre of infants unlikely...333Matthew, written in Hebrew...394Miracles...316Morality of Early Christians...221Mythical Theory of Jesus...340
Passages in Fathers, not in canonical Gospels...301Persecution, absence of...209Phrase "it is written"...247Positions laid down as to Gospels...236Position A...238 " B...245 " C...256 " D...257 " E...261 " F...262 " G...290 " H...298 " I...311 " J...314 " K...316Prophecies, Messianic...342
Silence of Jewish writers...198, 201, 259 " Pagan " ...193, 206Story of Christ pre-Christian...340Son-worship and Christ...343
Temptation of Christ...334Ten Persecutions...350Types of Christ...345