The Seventy's Course in Theology, First Year / Outline History of the Seventy and A Survey of the Books of Holy Scripture

LESSON XIV.

SCRIPTURE READING EXERCISE—NOTE 3.

THE PROPHETIC BOOKS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT. (Continued.)

SPECIAL TEXT: "Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me. When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul."—EZEKIEL.

NOTES.

1. Ezekiel: "The author of this book was a native of Jerusalem, and, like Jeremiah, of priestly descent, a member of a family of some standing in the city. When, as would appear, about twenty-five years of age, and after he had seen some service as a priest, he was carried away captive to Babylon along with Jehoiachin and other noble Jews in 599 B. C., and before the destruction of Jerusalem (II Kings xxiv: 15). He must have been a witness of the plundering of the temple by Nebuchadnezzar, as recorded in II Kings xxiv: 13, and his prophecies give evidence of a familiar acquaintance with its structure (chap. viii: 5-16, etc.) His place of banishment was Tel-Abib, on the banks of the river Chebar, about 200 miles north of Babylon. Here he settled with his family, and here he established himself as the prophet of the captivity, his house being the rendezvous of all who mourned over the dispersion and sought for the restoration of Israel." (Bagster Bible Helps, p. 39.)

2. The Book of Daniel. Perhaps no book of prophecy is more bitterly criticised than the Book of Daniel, and certainly no book is of more prophetic value.. Its prophecies concerning the rise and fall of empires, with the final supremacy of the kingdom of God as a universal empire, renders it at once one of the most important of prophetic books.

"Porphyry, the assailant of Christianity in the third century, asserted that the book of Daniel was a forgery of the time of the Maccabees (170-164 B. C.), a time when confessedly there were no prophets, written after the events as to Antiochus Epiphanes, which it professes to foretell; so accurate are the details. A conclusive proof of Daniel's inspiration, if his prophecies can be shown to have been before the events. Now we know, from Josephus, that the Jews in Christ's days, recognized Daniel as in the canon. Zachariah, Ezra, and Nehemiah, centuries before Antiochus, refer to it. Jesus refers to it in his characteristic designation, 'Son of man,' Matthew xxiv: 30; Daniel vii: 13); also expressly by name, and as a prophet, in Matthew xxiv: 15 (cf. Matthew xxiv: 21, with Daniel xii: 1, etc.); and in the moment that decided his life (Matthew xxvi: 64) or death, when the high priest adjured him by the living God. Also, in Luke 1:19-26, 'Gabriel' is mentioned, whose name occurs nowhere else in scripture, save Daniel viii: 16; ix: 21. Besides the references to it in Revelation, Paul confirms the prophetical part of it, as to the blasphemous king (Daniel vii: 8, 25; xi: 36), in I Corinthians 6:2; II Thessalonians ii: 3, 4; the narrative part, as to the miraculous deliverances from 'the lions' and 'the fire,' in Hebrews xi: 33, 34. Thus the book is expressly attested by the New Testament on the three points made the stumbling block of neologists—the predictions, the narratives of miracles, and the manifestations of angels." (Commentary, Explanatory and Critical, p. 620.)

A Sample Scripture Reading. At this lesson we introduce the scripture reading exercise referred to in our introduction, and as an illustration of what is meant we give the following as an example of such reading:

The Reader says: "I have selected for this reading the first nine verses of the 19th Psalm of David, universally conceded, I think, to be one at least of the most beautiful psalms of this very remarkable collection of Hebrew poetry. (Reading):

"The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge. There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard. Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun, which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race. His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it; and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.

The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether."

Let us contemplate a little so much of this Psalm as we have read.

"The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge."

If that could be said of the heavens in the days of David, how much more abundantly can it be said now, when the few thousand stars visible to David's unaided vision, our modern telescopes have to our vision increased to more than forty millions of such stars! Each, as is supposed, a sun, the center of a planetary system—when thus we contemplate the heavens, truly they "declare the glory of God, and the firmament sheweth his handywork!" and "day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge!"

Mark how David notes that the heavens speak a universal language:—"there is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world." The special revelation to the Hebrews might be locked up from some parts of our human race for centuries in the mystery of the Hebrew language; but in the heavens, as David contemplated them, there is a universal language, a world book—spread out in glory for all men to read, and somehow or other, all men have read it with more or less clearness, and have arrived at the same conclusion with the Hebrew prophet,—"the heavens declare the glory of God." Paul must have felt something of this when he exclaimed, "The invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead." So that he concludes that the ungodly are without excuse, by reason of this revelation found in the creations of God—the heavens that declare God's glory. Then notice how David glides from the contemplation of the heavens to the contemplation of the law of the Lord—"perfect, converting the soul;" the "testimony" of the Lord which is "sure, making wise the simple." The "statutes of the Lord that are right, rejoicing the heart;" the "commandment of the Lord" that is "pure, enlightening the eyes." The "fear of the Lord" that is "clean, enduring forever;" the "judgments of the Lord" that "are true, and righteous altogether." Such a scripture prepares the mind for devotion, and is a worthy introduction to the act of worship. (End of reading.)

This kind of exercise is intended to run through the remainder of the lessons of this year, and every week someone should be appointed to come to the following week's lesson prepared with a scripture reading, which should be delivered as above, that is, read with reflections, and comments, to which it gives rise.

LESSON XV.

SCRIPTURE READING EXERCISE.

THE PROPHETIC BOOKS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT. (Continued.)

SPECIAL TEXT: "Execute true judgment, and shew mercy and compassions every man to his brother; and oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart."—ZECHARIAH.

NOTES.

1. The Greater and Minor Prophets: "A review of the books as they stand in our Bible gives us first the Greater Prophets, and secondly the Minor Prophets. It should be understood that this arrangement is determined by the length of the books, not by the comparative rank of the writers. The minor prophets are not to be regarded as necessarily less important persons than the greater prophets. Amos may have been a grander man than Ezekiel—yet Amos is classed with the minor and Ezekiel with the greater prophets. This simply means that we have less of the writings of Amos preserved than of those of Ezekiel—and so of the other minor prophets." (Cambridge Bible Helps, p. 34.)

2. The Historic Period of the Minor Prophets: "The Minor Prophets form in the Hebrew canon one whole, and go collectively under the name of the Book of the Twelve Prophets. They cover a period of four hundred years, from the ninth to the fifth centuries before Christ, but they are not arranged in the order of the time of their production." (Cambridge Bible Helps, p. 41.)

3. Passages from the Prophets Quoted by Moroni to Joseph Smith: "After telling me these things, (concerning the Book of Mormon) he commenced quoting the prophecies of the Old Testament. He first quoted part of the third chapter of Malachi, and he quoted also the fourth or last chapter of the same prophecy, though with a little variation from the way it reads in our Bibles. Instead of quoting the first verse as it reads in our books, he quoted it thus:

"For behold, the day cometh that shall burn as an oven, and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly shall burn as stubble; for they that come shall burn them, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.

"And again, he quoted the fifth verse thus:

"'Behold, I will reveal unto you the Priesthood, by the hand of Elijah the prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.'

"He also quoted the next verse differently:

"'And he shall plant in the hearts of the children the promises made to the fathers, and the hearts of the children shall turn to their fathers; if it were not so, the whole earth would be utterly wasted at his coming.'

"In addition to these, he quoted the eleventh chapter of Isaiah, saying that it was about to be fulfilled. He quoted also the third chapter of Acts, twenty-second and twenty-third verses, precisely as they stand in our New Testament. He said that that Prophet was Christ, but the day had not yet come when "they who would not hear his voice should be cut off from among the people," but soon would come. He also quoted the second chapter of Joel, from the twenty-eighth verse to the last. He also said that this was not yet fulfilled, but was soon to be. And he further stated that the fullness of the Gentiles was soon to come in. He quoted many other passages of Scripture, and offered many explanations which cannot be mentioned here." (History of the Church, Vol. 1, pp. 12, 13.)

LESSON XVI.

SCRIPTURE READING EXERCISE.

MISCELLANEOUS BOOKS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT.

1. Psalms, Book of: "This collection of sacred poetry received its name, in consequence of the lyrical character of the pieces of which it consists, as intended to be sung to stringed and other instruments of music. The word is thus aptly defined by Gregory of Nyssa. The Hebrew title signifies hymns or praises, and was probably adopted on account of the use made of the collection in divine service, though only a part can be strictly called songs of praise, not a few being lamentations and prayers. (Cycl. of Biblical Literature, Kitto, p 377.)

2. Authors of the Psalms: "Many of the ancients, both Jews and Christians, maintained that all the Psalms were written by David; which is one of the most striking proofs of their uncritical judgment. So the Talmudists; Augustine, who is never a good critic; and Chrysostom. But Jerome, as might be expected, held the opinion which now universally prevails. The titles and the contents of the Psalms most clearly show that they were composed at different and remote periods, by several poets, of whom David was only the largest and most eminent contributor." (Cycl. of Biblical Literature, Kitto, p. 580.)

3. Character of the Psalms. "The distinguishing feature of the Psalms is their devotional character. Whether their matter be didactic, historical, prophetical, or practical, it is made the ground or subject of prayer, or praise, or both. The doctrines of theology and precepts of pure morality are here inculcated. God's nature, attributes, perfections, and works of creation, providence, and grace, are unfolded." (Commentary, Critical and Explanatory, p. 345.)

4. Song of Solomon, or Canticles, called in Hebrews the Song of Songs (i. e. the Song of supreme excellence). Some regard it as a beautiful romance in glorification of true love. Tennyson called it "the most perfect Idyll of the faithful love of a country girl for her shepherd, and of her resistances to the advances of a great king, that ever was written." Others see in it a parable of singular depth, a revelation of the future of the Church to the end of the world." (Seventy's Bible Dictionary, p. 144.)

5. The Age when Job Lived: "Eusebius fixes it two ages before Moses, (i. e., about the time of Isaac): eighteen hundred years before Christ, and six hundred after the Deluge." (Commentary, critical and Explanatory, p. 308.)

6. Job a Real Person: "It has been supposed by some that the Book of Job is an allegory, not a real narrative, on account of the artificial character of many of its statements. Thus the sacred numbers, three and seven, often occur.. He had seven thousand sheep, seven sons, both before and after his trials; his three friends sit down with him seven days and seven nights; both before and after his trials; he had three daughters. So also the number and form of the speeches of the several speakers seem to be artificial. The name of Job, too, is derived from an Arabic word signifying repentance. But Ezekiel 14:14 (cf. v. 16, 20) speaks of "Job" in conjunction with "Noah and Daniel," real persons. St. James (5:11) also refers to Job as an example of "patience," which he would not have been likely to do had Job been only a fictitious person. Also the names of persons and places are specified with a particularity not to be looked for in an allegory." (Commentary, Critical and Explanatory, p. 308.)

7. Design of the Book: "It is a public debate in poetic form on an important question concerning the divine government; moreover the prologue and epilogue, which are in prose, shed the interest of a living history over the debate, which would otherwise be but a contest of abstract reasoning. * * * * The question to be solved, as exemplified in the case of Job is, Why are the righteous afflicted consistently with God's justice? The doctrine of retribution after death, no doubt, is the great solution of the difficulty. And to it Job plainly refers in chapter 14:14, and chapter 19:25. The objection to this, that the explicitness of the language on the resurrection in Job is inconsistent with the obscurity on the subject in the early books of the Old Testament, is answered by the fact that Job enjoyed the divine vision (chapter 38:1; 42:5), and therefore, by inspiration, foretold these truths." (Commentary, Critical and Explanatory, p. 309.)

8. Proverbs: "The Hebrew title of this book is the 'Mishele,' (i. e., the maxims) 'of Solomon,' and it was in early ages, sometimes along with other similar portions of the Bible, often referred to as "Wisdom," in one instance specifically defined as the "wisdom that respects virtuous conduct"—as summarizing the teachings of wisdom in their bearing on the conduct of life. Though ascribed to Solomon, these maxims are obviously not all of his composition, or even his collection, being of very varied authorship, and the vintage of the observation and experience of many wise men at different periods of Jewish history." (Cambridge Bible Helps, p. 32.)

9. Ecclesiastes: "This title, which we receive through the Vulgate, is the translation into Greek by the LXX of the Hebrew title "Koheleth," a word which is, agreeably to Jewish tradition, rendered 'preacher,' but meant originally 'gatherer, or summoner together,' and means here one who, personifying Wisdom (for the word is feminine, as that for wisdom is), gathers men together to listen to her verdict."

10. Authorship and Date of Ecclesiastes: "This book was for long accepted as the production of Solomon, written in his old age, and intended as a warning to others against sundry delusions of which he had himself been the victim; but it is now, from internal evidence, and by almost universal consent, allowed to be the work of one who wrote about the time of Malachi (i. e., about 400 B. C.), though in the name of Solomon, and dramatically personifying the famous king." (Cambridge Bible Helps, p. 33.)

Footnotes

1. Sometimes called the Canticles—the "Song of Songs," a superlative meaning—"the Matchless Song."

2. "Sapiential: "Marked by or consisting of Sapience—wisdom—profound knowledge."

3. Gnomic—Expressed in maxims—"gnomic poetry consists of observations on human life and society or generalizations respecting conduct and character."

PART III.

A Study of the Christian Scriptures.—-The New Testament. (note 1)

LESSON I.

SCRIPTURE READING EXERCISE.

THE CLASSIFICATION OF THE BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT.

SPECIAL TEXT: "Fear not; for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Savior, which is Christ, the Lord.—THE ANGEL to the Shepherds.

NOTES.

1. The New Testament—Definition: "This is the name given in the Western Church, ever since the days of Tertullian [second century A. D.] to the collection of sacred books that were written by certain disciples of Christ at different periods after the planting of the Christian Church, and that were afterwards accepted by the Church as the inspired record of the new dispensation of the grace of God to the world. The expression New Testament is the Latin translation of the expression New Covenant." (The Comprehensive Teacher's Bible Helps, p. 57.)

2. Origin of the New Testament as Scripture: "The institution of the Christian Church was, of course, prior to any record of it. That institution was founded at first, and for long rested, on the merely oral testimony of those who had witnessed, or were otherwise assured of, the life, death, and rising again of its founder, Jesus the Son of God and Savior of the world (Acts ii: 22 seq.; xiii: 31, 32). Except this oral testimony, as confirmed, moreover, by signs and wonders [and the testimony of the Holy Ghost], the first Christian churches had no other evidences of the character and certainty of the events on which their faith was grounded, unless we add the surprising correspondence between these events and the predictions of prophecy—which, in point of fact, we find to be the chief argument insisted on by the Apostles in persuading their countrymen to accept Jesus of Nazareth as the promised Messiah. It was only when controversies arose affecting the first principles of the faith, and misapprehensions and irregularities began to show themselves in certain sections and quarters of the Church, that it was found necessary to have recourse to a literary vehicle in the statement of the facts and doctrines of the gospel." (Comprehensive Teacher's Bible Helps, p. 57.)

3. The Gospels. The Gospel narratives record in writing what had previously been propagated by oral teaching respecting the sayings and doings of Christ; and this history appears to have continued to be so propagated till the time when the original ear and eye witnesses were beginning to die out, and some uncertainty to attach to the traditional oral accounts. * * * * * From all this we are not to conclude that the early Christian Church had no sacred scripture; for they had and read the Old Testament scripture, the authority, as well as the significance and importance of which was so enhanced to them by the fulfilment it had received [in part] in the facts of Christianity. (Comprehensive Teacher's Bible Helps, p. 57.)

4. Origin of the New Testament: The twenty-seven books collected in the New Testament were written by a number of authors, eight at least (nine, in case the Epistle to the Hebrews was not written by Paul). For each book there was some special occasion, each had its distinct purpose, and between the writing of the earliest and latest parts nearly half a century intervened. The agreement, under these circumstances, is truly wonderful, and the adaptation of a volume, thus penned, for all ages and classes is not less so. Nothing will account for such agreement and adaptation save a supernatural element in the composition; but we are now concerned with the human conditions which called forth these writings. Christ wrote nothing; but is himself the book of life to be read by all. He is written on the world's history and on men's hearts, and furnishes an unending theme of holy thoughts, discourses, and songs of praise. So, too, the Lord chose none of his Apostles, Paul excepted, from among the learned; he did not train them to literary authorship, nor expressly command them to perform such labor. They were to preach the glad tidings of salvation. Personal oral teaching was the means used for first propagating the gospel and founding the Church; as it is today the indispensable instrumentality. No book of the New Testament was written until about twenty years after the resurrection of Christ, and more than half a century had passed before John wrote the fourth Gospel." (International Commentary, Introduction,^[2] p. 8.)

5. The Language in Which the New Testament was Written: The New Testament was written in Hellenistic Greek, i. e., in that idiom of Macedonian Greek spoken by the Jews of the Dispersion (called Hellenists) at the time of Christ. It has a Greek body, a Hebrew soul, and a Christian spirit." (International Commentary, Introduction to Matthew, p. 9.)

6. The Character of the New Testament: The Apostles all drew their doctrine from personal contact with the divine human history of the crucified and risen Savior, and from the inward illumination of the Holy Spirit, revealing the person and work of Christ in them, and opening to them his discourses and acts. This divine enlightenment is inspiration, governing not only the composition of the sacred writings, but also the oral instructions of their authors; not merely an act, but a permanent state. The Apostles lived and moved continually in the element of truth. They spoke, wrote, and acted from the Spirit of truth; and this, not as passive instruments, but as conscious and free agents. For the Holy Spirit does not supercede the gifts and peculiarities of nature, ordained by the Lord; it sanctifies them to the service of the kingdom of God. * * * * * While the New Testament forms one harmonious whole, it was written by different men, inspired indeed, and yet free and conscious agents. The peculiar character, education, and sphere of the several writers, therefore, necessarily show themselves in their writings." (International Commentary and Introduction, p. 9.)

7. The Chronological Order of the Books: This cannot be determined with absolute certainty, as no dates are given in the books themselves. Some of the Epistles of Paul, especially that to the Romans, contain indications and allusions which enable us to assign them to a particular year. The Epistle of James, and the Epistles to the Thessalonians were probably writen first, the writings of John last. The three Synoptic Gospels must have been composed before the destruction of Jerusalem (A. D. 70), which by them is predicted as a future event. The Acts were written after 63, yet before the death of Paul, (which is supposed to have occurred 68 A. D.), as they suddenly close with his imprisonment in Rome." (Ibid, pp. 10, 11.)

8. Unity of the New Testament: The New Testament is a collection of twenty-seven distinct writings, from eight (or nine) different hands. Of these writers, four were Apostles—St. Matthew, St. John, St. Paul, and St. Peter; two were companions of the Apostles—St. Mark and St. Luke; two were our Lord's brothers, probably not Apostles—St. James and St. Jude. The books are usually classed as Historical (five), Didactic (twenty-one), Prophetical (one), though the writings of the first class include much more than one-half of the entire matter. The unity of the whole is remarkable; all the books find their center in Jesus Christ our Lord. The four Gospels narrate his life on earth; the fifth historical book tells how the new life, that came from Him through the Holy Spirit, passed from Jerusalem to Rome. The epistles, written by men of varied personal character and temperament, set forth the significance of the gospel facts, as revealed to them, according to our Lord's promise (John xvi: 12, 13). The single prophetical book, however it is to be interpreted, shows the Lamb as King, to become Victor on earth, where his church is preparing through conflict to share his triumph. (Bible Treasury, p 123.)

9. Order: In our English Bible the order is not chronological. In ancient manuscripts there was much variation in position; the seven General Epistles were usually placed immediately after Acts, the Gospels coming first, though not always in the order now universal. The Pauline Epistles seem to have been arranged according to length, so that the earliest and the latest stand together, viz., I and II Thes. with I and II Timothy, and Titus." (Bible Treasury, p. 123.)

Footnotes

1. "Pertaining to or of the nature of teaching; intended to instruct or edify." (Dictionary.)

2. The above and some of the following notes of this lesson are taken from the "International Revision Commentary," on the New Testament. The comments are based upon the revised version of the New Testament of 1881 by English and American scholars. The International Commentaries were considered necessary, owing to the Anglo-American revision of the New Testament. For this revision it is claimed that it is based upon a much older and purer text, and corrects several thousand errors and inaccuracies which mar the excellence of the version of 1611. It also claims to put "the English reader as nearly as possible into the position of the student of the Greek Testament." We shall have occasion now and then to quote this work, and it will always be done under the title, "International Commentary," and must not be confounded with the "Commentary, Critical and Explanatory," by Messrs. Jamieson-Faussett-Brown, already frequently quoted, and still to be quoted in subsequent lessons.

LESSON II.

SCRIPTURE READING EXERCISE.

THE BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT.

SPECIAL TEXT: After these things the Lord appointed other Seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come. Therefore said he unto them, the harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth laborers into his harvest."—ST. LUKE.

NOTES.

1. The Name "Gospels" Defined: "The word "gospel" (God's spell, good spell, or story, message) is the nearest English equivalent for the Greek 'evangelion,' and means 'good news,' 'glad tidings' of salvation by Jesus Christ. It is also applied to the four books of the New Testament, which contain the fourfold authentic record of the one gospel of Christ, according to Matthew Mark, Luke, John (not the Gospel of Matthew, etc.)." (International Commentary, Intro. 12.)

2. Character and Aim of the Gospels: "The canonical Gospels do not assume to be full biographies of Jesus, but give only a selection of the characteristic features of his life and work, for the practical purpose of leading the reader to a saving faith in Jesus as the promised Messiah and Son of God (John xx: 31). They are not photographs which represent the momentary image in a single attitude, but living pictures from repeated sittings, which represent a combination of the varied expressions and aspects of Christ's person." (International Commentary, Intro. p. 12.)

3. St. Matthew: "Matthew (or Levi; see Mark ii: 14; Luke v: 27, 29) was a publican, or tax-gatherer, called by our Lord from the toll-booth, near the Sea of Galilee, where he was performing his secular duty (Matt. ix: 9-13). The name is derived from the same word as Matthias (Acts i: 23, 26), or Theodore, meaning "gift of God." It was probably adopted as his new Christian name (which Jesus was wont to give his disciples. See Simon Peter-Cephas, etc.). His former avocation was regarded by the Jews with contempt, but gave him an extensive knowledge of human nature and accurate business habits, which tended to fit him for his great work as an evangelist. The topical arrangement of his gospel may be largely due to the influence of his previous occupation. The New Testament is silent in regard to his special labors. Tradition says he was murdered in Ethiopia, while at prayer; but according to the earlier statement of Clement of Alexandria, he died a natural death. The first Gospel is his immortal monument. If he had done nothing else, he must be ranked among the most useful servants of Christ. In this book he still preaches the gospel to all nations. (xxviii: 19.)" (International Commentary, Intro., pp. 15, 16.)

4. Time of Writing the Book of Matthew: "From the Gospel itself it is plain that it was written before the destruction of Jerusalem, but a number of years after the resurrection (xxvii: 7; xxviii: 15). Irenaeus says it was written, 'when Peter and Paul were preaching at Rome,' which was certainly after 61 A. D.; though most of the fathers think it was the first one written. The very early date often assigned (45 A. D.) may be correct if applied to an Aramaic original; but the Greek Gospel, which we have should probably be assigned to a later date, since, on the theory that the Synoptic Gospels are independent of each other, this one could not have preceded by many years the two others. All were probably written between 60 and 64 A. D., and that of St. Matthew may have been written about 60 A. D." (Bible Treasury, p. 124.)

5. The Language of the Original Text Book of Matthew: There is some controversy as to the language in which Matthew first wrote his book. The status of the controversy is well stated in the following quotation:

"Papias and Irenaeus, both of whom lived in the second century, state that Matthew wrote in the Hebrew dialect (Aramaic). The former uses the word 'logia,' or oracles, which was certainly used of writings containing more than discourses, and applied very early to books of Scripture. But the earliest citations from the Gospels, some of them in works of the earlier half of the second century, give the exact words of the Greek Gospel we now have. No certain traces of a previous Aramaic Gospel have been discovered, nor does the Greek Gospel show any marks of being a translation. It is therefore probable either that there was no Aramaic original, or that it was superseded very soon by a Greek narrative which the Apostle made, or caused to be made. As Greek was extensively spoken in Palestine, and a publican would necessarily be familiar with that language, a Greek original is not improbable. At all events, we now have a well-attested Greek Gospel; and we are not likely to discover in it, or anterior to it, traces of an Aramaic original written by St. Matthew." (Bible Treasury, p. 124.)

6. Apparent Aim of Matthew: "The aim of this Gospel is to show that the Messiah promised in the Old Testament has appeared in Jesus of Nazareth—in a form, however, which led to his rejection by the Jews and their consequent rejection by him, to the eventual emancipation and salvation of the Gentile nations (chap. xxviii: 19, 20). It is the author's justification, as it was that of the Apostles generally, for missionary work among the heathen to the neglect of his own countrymen, who had spurned his message." (Bagster Bible Helps, p. 60.)

7. St. Mark and His Book: "The author of this Gospel is the John Mark spoken of in the Acts, and who accompanied first Paul and then Barnabas in their missionary journeys among the Gentiles (Acts xii: 12 et seq., xiii. 5). He was the son of Mary, Barnabas' sister, apparently a woman of some standing, and of high repute among those that ministered to Christ, and at whose house in Jerusalem the Apostles used frequently to assemble after the death and resurrection of their Master. He appears, from I Peter v: 13, to have been a convert or spiritual child of St. Peter, who there calls him Mark, my son; and tradition alleges, with great probability, that the material for his Gospel was furnished him by that Apostle. His Gospel is certainly written from the standpoint of the Apostle who most clearly recognized the divinity of Christ (Matt. xvi: 16); and it is an expanded narrative of the facts in Christ's life emphasized in Peter's own preaching, e. g., in his speech at the house of Cornelius at Caesarea (Acts x: 36-41). According to ecclesiastical tradition Mark went as a missionary to Egypt and other parts of Africa, where he suffered martyrdom for Christ in 62 or 66 A. D."

8. Date of St. Mark: "The Gospel was, according to Iraneaus, composed by Mark after the death of Peter and Paul. It was probably written after the year 62, when Mary appears only as a relative of Barnabas (see Col. iv: 10), and before the destruction of Jerusalem, and is alleged to have been written in Rome. The language, however, in which it was written was Greek, and not Latin, as some have supposed." (Bagster Bible Helps, p. 61.)

9. Literary Character of St. Mark: "The presence in this Gospel of Latin terms and also of Aramaic words, which are translated into Greek, points to a Gentile circle of readers, probably in Rome, as is generally held. It exhibits Christ in his power, as a worker of miracles, producing amazement and fear.. The discourses are reported very briefly; events are noted in their exact sequence; many vivid details of gesture and action are introduced. All these peculiarities suggest that an eye-witness was the source of information. From the days of Papias it has been believed that St. Peter was this source, and internal phenomena favor this view. No direct supervision by that Apostle can be affirmed, though Eusebius asserts, on the authority of Clement of Alexandria, that it was submitted to him for approval. This Gospel contains few passages (two miracles, one parable, and the story of the young man near Gethsemane) peculiar to itself, but many details are mentioned which are not found elsewhere. Our Lord's gestures are noted; prominence is given to his power over evil spirits; the withdrawals are more frequently indicated. The style is vivacious; the present tense is often used in narrative; the word "straight way" (variously rendered in the authorized version) occurs more than forty times. This Gospel could not have been an abridgement of that of St. Matthew, since it bears all the marks of originality." (Bible Treasury, p. 125.)

10. Book of St. Luke: "Luke was probably of Gentile extraction (Col. iv: 10-14), born at Antioch, and a faithful colleague of Paul. His superior education is proved by the philological excellence of his writings (viz. the Gospel and Acts of Apostles, which are but two volumes of one work). His preface, in pure Greek, implies previous careful study of documentary and other evidence. He speaks of 'other attempts' to write a Life of Christ, which were unsatisfactory. Though it is the same Gospel, it is narrated with peculiar independence, containing additional matter, more accuracy in preserving the chronological order of events, and complying with the requirements of history. He tested tradition by documentary records (e. g., i: 5; ii: 2; iii: 1); by comparing the oral testimony of living witnesses (i: 2, 3); and only when he had 'perfect understanding of all things from the very first,' ventured to compile a 'Life of Christ' as a perfect man, restoring human nature, and offering himself a sacrifice for all mankind." (Oxford Helps, p. 26.)

11. Date of St. Luke: "Luke's Gospel can be proved to have been in use and familiarly known about 120 A. D., and to have been written prior to the year 63 A. D., since it is at that date that the Acts, which continues the Gospel narrative by the same author, closes. It is not known where it was written, though the Acts was probably written at Rome." (Bagster Bible Helps, p. 62.)

12. Purpose and Literary Style: "Luke's Gospel is written, in the first instance, to confirm the faith of Theophilus, a native, it is thought, of Italy, and probably of Rome, and a man of some social position, in whose spiritual edification and Christian steadfastness, as in all likelihood a convert of his own, he took especial interest; and its aim is to represent the Gospel of Christ as destined to bless all mankind, and Jesus as the Savior at once of Jew and Gentile. The literary style is better than that of the other Gospels, as befits the writing of an educated, professional man. This Gospel and the Acts of the Apostles approach more nearly to the 'classic' Greek than the other New Testament narratives." (Bagster Bible Helps, p. 63.)

LESSON III.

SCRIPTURE READING EXERCISE.

BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. (Continued.)

SPECIAL TEXT: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made, that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. * * * * And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth."—JOHN.

NOTES.

1. Authorship of the Gospel of St. John: "It is the almost unanimous tradition of the church that the Apostle John wrote this Gospel. Our earliest authorities for the fact are Theophilus of Antioch (A. D. 175), Irenaeus (A. D. 130-200), the Muratorian Fragment (A. D. 170-180), and Clement of Alexandria (A. D. 160-220). The accounts of these writers differ slightly from each other; but all agree in distinctly attributing our present Gospel to John; while the fourth, who is clearly independent of the other three, draws a remarkable distinction between it and the earlier Gospels, the later being spoken of as containing 'the bodily things,' the former as 'a spiritual Gospel.'" (International Commentary, Intro., p. xiv.)

2. The Apostle St. John: This Apostle was the son of Zebedee and Salome, and younger, as there seems every reason to think, than his brother James. Of Zebedee we know little. He was a fisherman upon the Sea of Galilee, who pursued his occupation in common with his sons, and who continued it even after they had obeyed the summons of their Lord to follow him (Matt. iv: 21). Of Salome we fortunately know more. From John xix: 25, it would seem probable that she was a sister of the Virgin Mary. (International Commentary, p. 8.)

"It is probable that he (John) was born at Bethsaida, on the lake of Galilee. His parents appear to have been in easy circumstances; at least, we find that Zebedee employed hired servants (Mark i: 20), and that Salome was among the number of those women who contributed to the maintenance of Jesus (Matt. xxvii: 56). We also find that John received Mary into his house after the death of Jesus. Since this house seems to have been situated at Jerusalem it would appear that he was the owner of two houses. John's acquaintance, also, with the high priest (xviii: 15) seems to indicate that he lived at Jerusalem, and belonged to the wealthier class." (Cycl. of Biblical Literature, Kitto, pp. 130, 131.)

3. The Pre-Ordained Mission of St. John: Of all the Apostles St. John is the most interesting to the Latter-day Saints, and this because of the light that is thrown upon his career and character by the Book of Mormon. In the great vision that was granted to the first Nephi concerning the birth, life and mission of Jesus, he comes to the point where he beheld a man dressed in a white robe:

"And the angel said unto me, Behold one of the Twelve Apostles of the Lamb! Behold, he shall see and write the remainder of these things; yea, and also many things which have been; and he shall also write concerning the end of the world; wherefore the things which he shall write, are just and true; and behold they are written in the book which thou beheld [in previous part of vision] proceeding out of the mouth of the Jew; * * * * * And behold, the things which this Apostle of the Lamb shall write, are many things which thou hast seen; and behold, the remainder shalt thou see; but the things which thou shalt see hereafter, thou shalt not write; for the Lord God hath ordained the Apostle of the Lamb of God, that he should write them. * * * * * And I, Nephi, heard and bear record, that the name of the Apostle of the Lamb was John, according to the word of the angel. And behold, I, Nephi, am forbidden that I should write the remainder of the things which I saw and heard." (I Nephi xiv.)

From the above, it appears that John, the beloved disciple, was foreordained to write the things we have in the Jewish Scripture from his pen. And so jealously guarded was the mission assigned to him in his pre-existent state, that a man living upon another continent and six centuries before John's time, was not permitted to trespass upon that divine appointment. And when the peculiar importance of the Gospel according to St. John is taken into account; how that Gospel more specifically than any of the others that have been written, testifies not only to the divinity of Jesus, but to the deeper fact that he is Deity in his own right and person; and how that same Gospel supplies so much in its account of the earth career of the Messiah that was omitted by the other evangelists, it must be conceded that the character of John's work bears out the idea of a specific appointment which the Book of Mormon declares was given to him before he was born in the flesh.

4. Date and Style of St. John: This Gospel would appear to have been written at Ephesus, at the instance, Jerome alleges, of the bishops of the Asiatic churches, with a view to confirm the faith of the Church in the divinity of Christ, of which he was the special witness. Its date must be long after the writing of the other Gospels and towards the end of the first century. It is one of the latest books of the New Testament—much later than the 'Revelation.' On this calculation, it must have been composed after the destruction of Jerusalem." (Bagster Bible Helps, p. 64.)

"The time and place of writing was at Ephesus, as is generally held, not long before the death of the Apostle, and probably at the request of Christians in that city, Ch. xxi: 24 ('And we know that this testimony is true') suggests that others desired to attest the truth of the record as coming from the Apostle. This late date, nearly a generation after the writing of the other Gospels, shows that the leading facts about Jesus were already known to Christians. This Gospel is therefore, in a certain sense, supplementary; but there is no evidence that it was intended to supply omissions in the other narratives. The design is stated in the book itself, and the many events and discourses found only in this Gospel are in accordance with it." (Bible Treasury, p. 129).

5. The Purpose of John's Gospel: Contradictory opinions obtain concerning the purpose for which the Apostle John wrote his account of the gospel. Eusebius quotes Clement of Alexandria as saying that John, perceiving that the bodily influence of Jesus had been made known in the Gospels, (i. e., supposedly Matthew, Mark and Luke), and being at the same time urged by his friends and borne along by the spirit, wrote a spiritual Gospel (third century). A still earlier authority, the unknown author of the so-called Muratorian Fragment (See Apostolic Fathers, Rev. George A. Jackson, p. 186), which most scholars agree belongs to the second century and probably not later than A. D. 170, so far agrees with the idea that John's Gospel was intended to supplement the other Gospels as to say, that when John's fellow-disciples and bishops exhorted him to write, he said: "Fast along with me three days from today, and let us relate the one to the other whatever has been revealed to us. The same night it was revealed to Andrew, the Apostle, that "John should in his own name, write down the whole, and that they all should revise" what he wrote. Another contention is, and this is based on the authority of Irenaeus (third century) that John wrote to controvert the errors of the Nicholaitanes and Cerinthus, in other words, that "his aim was not so much supplementary as polemical." In the midst of the conflicting theories it is just as well that we accept the simple and straight-forward statement of St. John himself in the last chapter but one of his famous Gospel as to the purpose for which he wrote his Gospel, namely, "And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples which are not written in this book; but these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that, believing, ye might have life through his name."

6. The Acts of the Apostles: "The Acts of the Apostles is an account of the conflicts and conquests of Christianity from the ascension of our Lord to the imprisonment of Paul in the city of Rome (33-63 A. D.) It is the earliest manual of Church History, and the only one treating of the age of the Apostles which has come down to us from the first century. Its loss would leave a wide chasm between the Gospels and the Epistles, and involve the student in great ignorance of the progress of events in the history of the Church during the period intervening between the close of our Lord's earthly activity and the destruction of Jerusalem (70 A. D.), which the direct statements and the implications of the Epistles of the New Testament and the Apocalypse would only partially illumine. He, in this case, would know nothing of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, the testimony and death of Stephen, the conversion of Cornelius, the miraculous manifestation making Saul a Christian, or the stages in the advance of the Church from Jerusalem to Rome and other occurrences hardly less important." (Acts of the Apostles, Intro., p. ix.)

7. Authorship of the Acts: "This book, according to internal and external evidence, was writen by Luke, and forms the sequel to his Gospel. It is the history of the foundation and spread of the Christian Church—the former under Peter (i-xii), the latter under Paul (vii-xxviii). It was founded on the Day of Pentecost; its first sons were Jews (hence it appeared only a Jewish sect in Judea), and the former part of the book is occupied with its establishment there, with arguments in its favor, and with challenges to disprove the fundamental fact of Christ's resurrection. Its first development into an organized community, with official staff, provoked the first persecution and martyrdom, which precipitated its extension to Samaria and Syria, caused a new and more independent center of operations to be planted at Antioch, whence under Paul (the first converted persecutor) it spread to Asia Minor, Greece, Rome, and various parts of the Gentile world. The motive influence was the direct impulse of the Holy Spirit, not any preconceived plan of the Apostolic body (ii: 4; xv: 6, 7, 9)." (Oxford Bible Helps, p. 26.)

The Completeness of the Four Gospels: Much is made of the differences between John and the first three Gospels, not only as to the facts related, but also with reference to the style of Jesus' addresses. But the difficulty disappears when we remember that Matthew, Mark, and Luke present the scenes of Christ's Galilean ministry among the rude peasantry who were less acquainted with the law than their southern brethren, and who needed simple and direct teaching; on the other hand, John sets forth mainly Christ's Judean ministry among those who were conversant with the law and were accustomed to elaborate discussions. The ministry of one year implied by the Synoptists, considered by themselves, does not exclude the three years' ministry which is derived from John's Gospel, for the four taken together supplement each other. (Date of Our Gospels, p. 35-6.)

LESSON IV.

SPECIAL LESSON.

THE PECULIAR FORCE OF MORAL DUTIES WHEN REGARDED AS COMMANDMENTS OF GOD.^[1]

Illustrations:

(a) Observance of the "Lord's Day."

(b) Honor thy Father and thy mother.

(c) Thou shalt not bear false witness.

(d) Thou shalt not steal.

(e) Thou shalt not covet.

(f) "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. * * * Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself."

SPECIAL TEXT: "Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: fear God and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man."

NOTES.

1. Suggestions in the Formation of a Lecture: In a previous lesson on lectures, I made some suggestions in relation to the construction of a lecture (Lesson XI, Part II), quoting from a little work by William Pittenger on "Extempore Speech," calling attention to the simple framework of a lecture, consisting of, 1. The Introduction;; 2. The Discussion; 3. The Conclusion. I now give from the same work an example in outline of such a speech.

"Subject—The Ocean.

"1. Introduction—The vastness of the ocean. No one person has seen more than a small part of it. Power evidenced by storm and shipwrecks.

"2. Discussion.—Five great divisions of the ocean. Use in nature, watering and tempering the land; in commerce, as a highway; in history, by dividing and uniting nations; its mystery, etc.

"3. Conclusion.—Proof of the Creator's power and wisdom found in the ocean.

"THE SAME PLAN CONDENSED.

"Subject—The Ocean.

"1. Vastness and Power.

"2. Parts, Use, and Mystery.

"3. Evidence.

"DEAN SWIFT'S SERMON.

"(Illustrating above plan.)

"This eccentric clergyman once preached a sermon shorter than its own text, yet having all the three parts of which we have spoken. The text was Prov. xix: 20: "'He that pitieth the poor lendeth to the Lord; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.'

"The sermon was:

"'Brethren, you hear the condition; if you like the security, down with the dust.'

"The collection is said to have been munificent.

"In this short sermon the text with the word 'Brethren' constitutes the introduction; the phrase, 'you hear the condition,' is a good transition to the discussion contained in the next member, 'if you like the security,' which assumes the truth of the text, makes its general declarations present and personal, and prepares the way for the forcible and practical, if not very elegant conclusion, 'down with the dust.'" (Extempore Speech, pp. 53, 54.)

Extempore Speech: Extempore speech does not lose its special character, though some scattered quotations be read or repeated from memory. To pick up a book, in the midst of a speech, and read a theme or argument, or the statement of another's position, does not make the discourse composite in character, unless such reading be the principal part of it. * * * * Unwritten speech does not preclude the fullest preparation. The plans advocated in this volume will enable a speaker to gather materials as widely, arrange them as systematically, and hold them as firmly in hand, as if every word was written; while at the same time he may have all the freedom and play of thought, the rush of passion, and the energy of delivery that comes in the happiest moment of outgushing words. (Extempore Speech, Pittenger, p. 25-6.)

Preparation for Extempore Speech: On all ordinary occasions a good speech must result from a previous ingathering of materials—the formation of a mental treasury in connection with a special subject. The speaker works for days or weeks in collecting from all sources and arranging in the happiest manner that which his hearers are to receive in an hour with no other labor than that of listening. The great advantage of writing is supposed to lie in this preparation. Today an orator may write everything he knows about a subject; tomorrow, by means of reading, conversation, or further thought, he may have more ideas to record; and he may thus continue to widen and record his knowledge, until his time, or the subject itself, is exhausted. Then he may revise, select what is most appropriate, refine and polish his language, and finally come before an audience confident that he holds in his hand the very best that he can give them. (Extempore Speech, Pittenger, pp. 27-8.)

Footnotes

1. Note to Teacher.—It would be well for the sake of giving variety to our exercises, as also for the excellence of the exercise itself, to make no assignments of the sub-divisions of the subject of these special lessons to individual members, but let it be a subject for general consideration by all the quorum during the week preceding its treatment in the class; and then call upon the members to speak to the subject without previous warning or notification. In a word, let it be an exercise in extemporaneous speaking. (See suggestions in the Introduction.)

LESSON V.

SCRIPTURE READING EXERCISE.

BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT. (Continued.)

SPECIAL TEXT: "Whatsoever things were written afore time were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scripture, might have hope."—PAUL.

NOTES.

1. Chronological Order: The arrangement of the Epistles as found in our Bibles and as followed in these lessons, is not one of chronological order. As far as the chronological order can be followed at all, it is generally conceded to be about as follows:

1. I and II Thessalonians, A. D. 50, 51.

2. I and II Cor., Gal., Rom., A. D. 55, 56.

3. Phil., Col., Eph., Philemon, A. D. 60, 61.

4. 1 and 2 Tim., Titus, A. D. 64, 65.

As implied above, there is some variation in these dates among authorities on the Epistles.

2. The Epistles of St. Paul: "St. Paul contrived, in a remarkable degree, to maintain a connection with the churches he founded. The care of all the Gentile churches (II Cor. xi: 28) he exercised not merely by occasional revisiting them, but by letter. Of the letters thus produced we possess thirteen. The originals have indeed naturally disappeared; they were written by amanuenses, and authenticated by the addition of a paragraph in St. Paul's own writing (Gal. vi: 11), or by his signature (II Thes. iii: 17). With the exception of the three pastoral epistles to Timothy and Titus, which are still questioned by some critics, the epistles ascribed to St. Paul in our New Testament are generally and justly received as his. These thirteen epistles all belong to the later half of St. Paul's ministry. The first eighteen years after his conversion give us not one epistle. In the year 52 or 53 A. D. the two epistles to the Thessalonians were written. Then follows another blank period till 58, when, within the space of one year, the four great epistles to the Corinthians, Galations, and Romans were produced. Again there occurs an interval of five years till 63, when the four 'Prison Epistles' appeared; and finally, yet another gap, until 66-68 A. D., when he sent the pastoral letters to Timothy and Titus. In the character of these groups there is a marked difference, while within each group the epistles belonging to it resemble one another. In the earliest group there is a reflection of St. Paul's preaching to the heathen, in which the second coming and the kingdom of Christ are in the foreground. The second group exhibits the doctrines of grace in conflict with Judaism, and also shows us in detail the difficulties Christianity had to overcome in the social ideas and customs of the Roman world. The third group is characterized by a calmer spirit, a higher reach of Christian thought, more constructive statements regarding Christ's person. In the fourth group we have chiefly instructions regarding church order, interspersed with passages of remarkable beauty and richness." (Bible Treasury, p. 135).

3. The Pastoral Epistles: The Epistle to Timothy and Titus are called pastoral because they give directions for the training and governing of the churches, the proper treatment of individual members, old and young, official and unofficial, back-sliders and heretics. They treat of practical wisdom, warning and encouragement, rather than of doctrine.

4. Their Author: "Paul, originally called Saul, was born in Tarsus, the capital of Cilicia, of parents who were Jews, apparently of a strict type, but he had the rights of Roman citizenship. He was sent when young to Jerusalem, where he studied at the feet of a great Jewish doctor, Gamaliel, and wrought at the trade of a tent-maker. Here he became zealous for the law, and distinguished himself by his enmity against those Jews who had apostatized from the faith of their fathers. He went about persecuting the Christians everywhere, and dragging them before the Sanhedrim, that they might be put to death, till, on the road near Damascus, whither he was bound, under commission from the Sanhedrim, in the work of persecution, he was arrested in his course, and suddenly converted, by an apparition of the glorified Christ himself, into a disciple and preacher of the faith he had been seeking to crush." (Bagster Bible Helps, p. 69.)

5. The General Purport of the Epistles: The general purport of these epistles is to teach that salvation is not possible by the works of the law, but is the free gift of God by and in Jesus Christ; and that every man, Jew as well as Gentile, is equally in need, as he is equally capable of this salvation, which is represented as experienced by faith in Christ crucified leading to death with Christ, rising again with Christ, and living with Christ in the inner life. This is the burden of the epistles as it is the sum of Paul's gospel, and it is the exact opposite of the Pharisaic creed in which he had been brought up; his antagonism to that creed now not only enabled him to define better the character of the new faith, but to become the apostle of it to all nations as a religion deriving its inspiration direct from Christ, and alone adequate to the exigency of Jew and Gentile alike, seeing 'all had sinned and come short of the glory of God.'" (Bagster Bible Helps, p. 69.)

6. The Style of the Epistles: The style of these letters shows a man of an eager and impetuous temper, who, on that account, as well as through the fulness of his matter, is impatient of dialectic restraint. The theme is a pressing one, and the writer is to intent to gain his end to study his steps. In his hurry to carry his thought forward he sometimes forgets what he has been saying, and passes on to another point, more urgent perhaps, leaving the original sentence unfinished; while in his eagerness to express himself he is often careless of the coherence of his thought. [May it not be that the defect here pointed out can be accounted for by some of the passages being lost?] He has no time to adjust himself to any formulae: he must make his way at any expense. All forms are alike to him, and he will use any or use none, if only he can thereby gain his point." (Bagster Bible Helps, p. 69.)

7. Date of the Epistle to the Romans: Although this epistle stands first among the Pauline letters, this position has been accorded to it, not because it is the earliest in point of time, but partly owing to its doctrinal importance, and mainly on account of its being addressed to the metropolis of the world. Its probable date is the early spring of the year 58 A. D." (Bible Treasury, p. 135.)

8. Its Purpose: St. Paul's primary purpose in writing to the Romans was to explain why during the many years of his missionary journeyings he had never yet reached Rome, and to pave the way for his intended visit. He had many friends among the Christians of Rome (ch. 16), and it is likely that in a friendly way they had been chiding him with attending so much to others, and so little to them. He assures them that this was due to no oblivion of the claims of Rome, nor to any intentional neglect on his part. On the contrary, he, himself a Roman citizen, had intensely felt the attraction of Rome, and had 'oftentimes' (i: 13) proposed to visit it, and had only been hindered by work from which he could not escape." (Bible Treasury, p. 135.)

9. The Gospel According to St. Paul Expounded in Romans: "St. Paul takes the opportunity of presenting an exposition of his 'gospel' more systematic than we have in any other of his letters. Why, if he expected so soon to see his friends in Rome? Possibly because it was said that he shrank from bringing his bare and simple gospel into the trying light of the metropolis. It is not this, he says, that hinders him from coming to Rome. 'I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ.' (i: 16). And having good reason to know the precariousness of life, and the delays which may hinder and retard the best intentions, he at once proceeds to give the main outline of his habitual teaching. It was natural that, while proposing greatly to extend his mission, he should wish to make clear to the church of the imperial city, the center of the Gentile world, what his gospel was, and that it was applicable to Gentiles as well as to Jews, to metropolitans as well as to provincials. The letter is a justification of his mission to the Gentiles." (Bible Treasury, p. 135.)

10. The Church at Rome: "The name of the original founder of the Roman Church has not been preserved to us by history, nor even celebrated by tradition. This is a remarkable fact, when we consider how soon the Church of Rome attained great eminence in the Christian world, both from its numbers, and from the influence of its metropolitan rank. Had any of the Apostles laid its first foundation, the fact could scarcely fail to have been recorded. It is, therefore, probable that it was formed, in the first instance, of private Christians converted in Palestine, who had come from the eastern parts of the Empire to reside at Rome, or who had brought back Christianity with them, from some of their periodical visits to Jerusalem, as the 'Strangers of Rome,' from the great Pentecost. Indeed, among the immense multitudes whom political and commercial reasons constantly attracted to the metropolis of the world, there could not fail to be representatives of every religion which had established itself in any of the provinces. On this hypothesis, the earliest of the Roman Christians were Jews by birth, who resided in Rome, from some of the causes above alluded to. By their efforts, others of their friends and fellow countrymen (who were very numerous at Rome) would have been led to embrace the Gospel. But the Church so founded, though Jewish in its origin, was remarkably free from the predominance of Judaizing tendencies. This is evident from the fact that so large a proportion of it at this early period were already of Gentile blood; and it appears still more plainly from the tone assumed by St. Paul throughout the Epistle, so different from that in which he addresses the Galatians, although the subject-matter is often nearly identical." (The Life and Epistles of St. Paul (Conybeare & Howson), p. 544.)

A Pen Picture of Paul: Paul was small in size, and his personal appearance did not correspond with the greatness of his soul. He was ugly, stout, short, and stooping, and his broad shoulders awkwardly sustained a little bald head. His sallow countenance was half hidden in a thick beard; his nose was aquiline, his eyes piercing, and his eyebrows heavy and joined across his forehead. Nor was there anything imposing in his speech, for his timid and embarrassed air gave but a poor idea of his eloquence. He shrewdly, however, admitted his exterior defects, and even drew advantage therefrom. The Jewish race possesses the peculiarity of at the same time presenting types of the greatest beauty, and the most thorough ugliness; but this Jewish ugliness is something quite apart by itself. Some of the strange visages which at first excite a smile, assume, when lighted up by emotion, a sort of deep brilliancy and grandeur. (The Apostles, Renan, pp. 165-6.) See also description of Paul, Richards & Little's Compendium.