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BOOK II.-ANALYSIS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT.

CHAPTER II.

ON THE HISTORICAL BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT.

SECTION I.-On the Name and Number of the Canonical Gospel.

*

THE word EYANTEAION, (Euangelion,) which we translate Gospel, among Greek profane writers signifies any good tidings, and corresponds exactly with our English word Gospel, which is derived from the Saxon words zod, God or good, and rpel, word or tiding, and denotes God's word or good tidings. In the New Testament this term is confined to the glad tidings of the actual coming of the Messiah, and is even opposed to the prophecies concerning Christ. (Matt. xi. 5, Rom. i. 1, 2.) Hence Ecclesiastical writers gave the appellation of Gospels to the lives of Christ-that is, to those sacred histories in which are recorded the " good tidings of great joy to all people," of the advent of the Messiah, together with all its joyful circumstances: and hence the authors of those histories have acquired the title of Evangelists. Besides this general title, the sacred writers use the term Gospel, with a variety of epithets, derived from the nature of its contents. See instances in Eph. i. 13, vi. 15, Rom. i. 1. 3, and 2 Cor. v. 19.

The Gospels which have been transmitted to us are four in number and we learn from ecclesiastical history, that four, and four only, were ever received by the Christian church as the genuine and inspired writings of the evangelists. And it is a considerable advantage, that a history, of such importance as that of Jesus Christ, has been recorded by the pens of separate and independent writers; for, by the contradictions, whether real or apparent, which are visible in these accounts, (but which admit of easy

* From sv (eu) good, and aryɛλɩa (angelia) a message or tidings,

solution by any attentive reader,) they have incontestably proved that they did not unite with a view of imposing a fabulous narrative on mankind. And in all matters of consequence, whether doctrinal or historical, there is such manifest agreement between them as is to be found in no other writings whatever.

SECTION II.-On the Gospel by Saint Matthew.

Matthew, surnamed Levi, was the son of Alpheus, but not of that Alpheus, or Cleopas, who was the father of James, mentioned in Matt. x. 3. He was a native of Galilee, but of what city in that country, or of what tribe of the people of Israel, we are not informed. Before his conversion to Christianity, he was a publican or tax-gatherer, under the Romans, and collected the customs of all goods exported or imported at Capernaum, a maritime town on the sea of Galilee, and also received the tribute paid by all passengers who went by water. While employed "at the receipt of custom," Jesus called him to be a witness of his words and works, thus conferring upon him the honourable office of an apostle. From that time he continued with Jesus Christ, a familiar attendant on his person, a spectator of his public and private conduct, a hearer of his discourses, a witness of his miracles, and an evidence of his resurrection. After our Saviour's ascension, Matthew continued at Jerusalem with the other apostles, and with them, on the day of Pentecost, was endued with the gift of the Holy Spirit. Of how long he

remained in Judæa after that event, or of where he died, we have no authentic accounts. He is generally allowed to have written first of all the evangelists, though a considerable difference of opinion exists as to the language in which and the time when his Gospel was composed. Some critics think that its original language was Hebrew; others, Greek; while a third class decide in favour of a Hebrew and Greek original. The reasons on which these several opinions are founded are detailed in the author's larger Introduction, which do not admit of abridgment. the most probable is that, which determines that Matthew wrote a Hebrew Gospel for the Hebrew Christians, about

the year 37, and afterwards a Greek Gospel, about the year 61. The present Greek Gospel has every internal mark of being an original writing: and the disappearance of the Hebrew Gospel is sufficiently accounted for, not only by the prevalence of the Greek language, but also by the fact that it was so corrupted by the Ebionites (a sect contemporary with St. John,) as to lose all its authority in the church. The authenticity of his Gospel was never doubted.

The voice of antiquity accords in testifying that St. Matthew wrote his Gospel in Judæa for the Jewish nation while the church consisted wholly of the circumcision, that is, of Jewish and Samaritan believers, but principally Jewish and that he wrote it primarily for their use, with a view to confirm those who believed, and to convert those who believed not, we have, besides historical facts, very strong presumptions from the book itself. Every circumstance is carefully pointed out, which might conciliate the faith of that nation; and every unnecessary expression is avoided, that might in any way tend to obstruct it. The Gospel of St. Matthew consists of four parts;

viz.:

PART I. treats on the Infancy of Jesus Christ. (ch. i., ii.) PART II. records the Discourses and Actions of John the Baptist and of Jesus Christ, preparatory to our Saviour's commencing his public ministry. (ch. iii. iv. 1 -11.)

PART III. relates the Discourses and Actions of Christ in Galilee, by which he demonstrated that he was the Messiah. (ch. iv. 12.—xx. 16.)

PART IV. contains the Transactions relative to the passion and resurrection of Christ. (ch. xx. 17,-xxviii.)

SECTION III.-On the Gospel by Saint Mark.

This evangelist, whose Hebrew name was John, was nephew to Barnabas, (Col. iv. 10,) and the son of Mary, a pious woman in Jerusalem, at whose house the apostles and first Christians often assembled. (Acts xii. 12.) He is supposed to have adopted the surname of Mark, when he left Judæa to preach the Gospel in foreign countries.

The consent of antiquity attests that he wrote his Gospel in Greek, under the inspection of the apostle Peter, at Rome, and between the years 60 and 63. It may be divided into three parts; viz.:

PARTI. The Transactions from the Baptism of Christ to his entering on the more public part of his Ministry. (ch. i. 1-13.)

PART II. The Discourses and Actions of Jesus Christ to his going up to Jerusalem to the fourth and last Passover. (ch. i. 14,—x.)

PART III. The Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Christ. (ch. xi.-xiv.)

SECTION IV.-On the Gospel by Saint Luke.

St. Luke was descended from Gentile parents, and in his youth had embraced Judaism, from which he was converted to Christianity. He was for the most part the companion of the apostle Paul: and as no ancient writer has mentioned his suffering martyrdom, it is probable that he died a natural death. The genuineness and authenticity of his Gospel and of the Acts of the Apostles were never doubted. The Gospel appears to have been written about the year 63 or 64: it was written for Gentile Christians, and the events which he has recorded are classed, after the manner of some ancient profane writers, instead of being disposed in chronological order, as St. Matthew has related them. The Gospel of St. Luke may be divided into five classes or sections; viz. :

CLASS I. contains the narrative of the birth of Christ, together with all the circumstances that preceded, attended, and followed it. (ch. i. ii. 1-40.)

CLASS II. comprises the particulars relative to our Saviour's infancy and youth. (ch. ii. 41-52.)

CLASS III. includes the preaching of John. and the baptism of Jesus Christ, whose genealogy is annexed. (ch. iii.)

CLASS IV. comprehends the discourses, miracles, and actions of Jesus Christ during the whole of his ministry. (ch. iv.-ix. 50.) This appears evident; for, after Saint Luke had related his temptation in the wilderness, (ch. iv.

1-13,) he immediately adds, that Christ returned to Galilee, (14,) and mentions Nazareth, (16,) Capernaum, (31,) and the lake of Gennesareth; (v. 1;) and then he proceeds as far as ix. 50, to relate our Saviour's transactions in Galilee.

CLASS V. begins with chap. ix. 51, and contains an account of our Saviour's last journey to Jerusalem. Consequently, this class comprises every thing relative to his passion, death, resurrection, and ascension. (ix. 51— 62, x.-xxiv.)

SECTION V.-On the Gospel by Saint John.

Saint John, the evangelist and apostle, was the son of Zebedee, a fisherman of the town of Bethsaida, on the sea of Galilee, and the younger brother of James the elder. His mother's name was Salome. He was eminently the object of our Lord's regard and confidence ; and was, on various occasions, admitted to free and intimate intercourse with him, so that he was characterized as "the disciple whom Jesus loved." (John xiii. 23.) Hence we find him present at several scenes, to which most of the other disciples were not admitted. He died a natural death about the year 100. He wrote his Gospel in Greek, most probably about the year 97: it has been universally received as genuine indeed, besides the uninterrupted testimony of Christian antiquity, the circumstantiality of its details prove that his book was written by an eyewitness of the transactions it records.

The general design of Saint John, in common with the rest of the evangelists, is, as he himself assures us, to prove that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that believing, we may have life through his name. (xx. 31.) But, besides this, we are informed by ancient writers, that there were two especial motives that induced Saint John to compose his Gospel. One was, to supply those important events in our Saviour's life which had been omitted by the other evangelists; the other motive was, that he might refute the heresies of Cerinthus and the Nicolaitans, who had attempted to corrupt the Christian doctrine. Of the Nicolaitans nothing certain is known: but, concerning