The sacred writings of the apostles and evangelists of Jesus Christ, commonly styled the New Testament

Front matter

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I

APOSTLES AND EVANGELISTS

Preface

them, and from the house of king David, I would conclude unless I could satisfactorily prove- that this Jesus was legitimately descended from Abraham through David, all further attempts to convince my countrymen would he in vain. For this purpose, then, I would apply to the register's office for a copy of the roll of the lineage of the house of David, wt |] attested; and from this trace Jesus to David, and thus prove that, in as far a3 pedigree was concerned, this person had the most legitimate claims upon their faith, as being unquestionably from the most public and well attested documents, a descendant of king David. In the next place I would remember, that not only his descent from David, but many circumstances of his nativity > nd infancy had been pointed out bv the prophets of my nation, and that the people of my time expected these to be fulfilled in the Messiah. I would therefore introduce those circumstances which had been foretold; such as, the character of his mother — the place of his nativity — the slaughter of the infants in Kamah — his flight into Egypt — his being recalled— his being brought up in Nazareth — and the history of that Elijah that was to come before him. Thus 1 would adduce the testimonies of Moses, David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Hosea, Malachi, as all concurring /n 'urn.

.Having then introduced him under all these favorable circumstances, and fairly brought him before my readers, accompanied with every attestation which eilher their own expectations or the sayings of their prophets had made necessary; my next effort would be to furnish such evidences as their expected Elijah presented in his behalf, and such unexpected attestations as his Father from heaven and the Holy Spirit had given at his first public manifestation to Israel. Then I would give a specimen of his own character, deduced from what he said and what he did, that they might judge whether there was any thing in his doctrine or deeds incompatible with his pretensions. In selecting his own declarations I would prefer those of the greatest notoriety, such as his public discourses; and of his miracles I would adduee not only those of the most splendid character, but those which were performed in the presence of the largest and most respectable assemblies.

1 would occasionally, as opportunity served, state the success attendant on his labors, mention the names of his principal followers, and introduce as early as possible to the notice of my readers those prominent characters who afterwards occupied so conspicuous a place in the triumphs of his cause. I would sometimes record such incidents in their history as would unfold their true character, and serve to give them credit with the people. We would always introduce the ancient predictions that bore upon him or them, and thus present a chain of evidence addressed to all that is in man, and to the peculiar temper and feelings of my countrymen. For this purpose pains would be taken to shew how he acted in all sorts of company — amongst friends and foes; and still having regard to the prejudices and errors of the times, such occurrences as would have a tendency to correct those mistakes

PREFACE. XXl

would be minutely detailed. Combining brevity and great comprehension with simplicity and perspicuity; tracing every prominent incident from his birth to his grave, his resurrection and ascension into heaven, we would thus produce such a phalanx of evidence as would leave without excuse every man who had read the ancient oracles, or only heard the comments of the public instructors of the people.

Such, I say, would be the general outlines of the course which reason would suggest to a person whose design would be to convince a people circumstanced as the Jews were, at the time Matthew published his testimony in Judea. And such, substantially, Is the course that Matthew has adopted, and pursued.

JSToto as the design of a -writer is his oion guide in the selection and arrangement of his materials, arguments, and evidences, so it is the only infallible guide, -when known, to the interpretation of -what he has -written. A regard to the grand design of the whoie, and the grand design of each item in the narrative, will do more to explain to us the meaning of what is written, than all comments upon the meaning of words, or what is called "the doctrines" of scripture.

Were we to write at a great distance from Judea, as John did; where the people knew little or nothing of the Jewish prophets, or of the Jewish customs, we would not think of troubling them with a roll of lineage about his pedigree, nor with many quotations from the ancient prophets; except to let them know that he had been the subject of ancient prophecy, and mention afew instances to show that those prophecies had been most exactly fulfilled in him. We would introduce John the harbinger merely as "a man sent from God." If we spoke of the people of Canaan, we would simply call them Jews. If we introduced any Hebrew names, such as Rabbi or Messiah, we would interpret them. If any of the sacred institutions of the Jews' religion, such as the passover, was introduced, we would call it a feast of the Jems. U we referred to any of the usual customs of the Jews, we would explain them, such as the Jewish manner of purifying. If we spoke of places in that country, we would give a geographical description of them, such as Bethany on the Jordan. If we alluded to the sectarian feelings of these people, we would describe to what extent they were carried, by informing our readers that the Je-ws have no intercourse -with the Samaritans. Nay we would adopt the style of the-j east as far as compatible with a lucid statement of facts; and as light was a favorite topic of the Asiatics, we would, under this similitude, introduce to their consideration, Jesus as "the light of the world." In affording them the evidences of the mission of this wonderful personage, knowing that they would argue much from the reception which Jesus met with at home in his own country > we would be particular in narrating the miracles wrought in and near to the metropolis; and the different arguments to which they gave rise: and as they would be more likely to have heard his fame from the people that visited Jerusalem at the great annual festivals *nd convocations, we would more minutely detail what happened.

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on those occasions. Such would be 9ome of the peculiaritres In addressing a people so great strangers to the Jewish history.

With similar varieties both Luke and Mark are distinguished, bat for the same reasons, and subordinate to the same ends, and are fust as easily understood as those of Matthew and John, when all the preceding considerations are attended to.

He who sincerely desires to understand these narratives will not only most unfeignedly present his supplications and prayers to him who givettt his Holy Spirit to them that ask him, but he will exercise those faculties ot understanding which God has given him, and to which he has adapted all his communications since man became a transgressor. He will apply the same rules of interpretation to these compositions which he would apply to any other writings of the same aniiquity. He will consider the terms, not otherwise explained by the writers, as conveying the same ideas which they are wont to convey in common acceptation. He will alwajs keep the design of the writer before his mind. And, for this purpose, he will attend to all circumstances requisite to ascertaining his design— Such as the character of the writer himself, the circumstances of the people whom he addressed, or amongst whom he published his writings; their peculiar prejudi* ces, views, and feelings, at the time of his writing to or for the»; his own most explicit avowals with regard to his motives and intentions in making any communications to them. All these things will be attended to, and the writings examined in the natural order In which they are presented; noting every allusion and incident with the greatest circumspection, whether it regard time, place, or character. But above all, the most prominent object which the writer has in view will be the most prominent in <he consideration of a rational reader of his writings. And when difficulties occurj not to be satisfactorily solved by the mere import of the word?, that meaning which best accords with the design of the whoLe writing, or with the particular passage, will be preferred.

But, as yet, we have not called the attention of the reader to the ultimate design of these narratives. We have, indeed, noticed that the immediate design of these narratives is to convince the reader — that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah, the Son of God — and that this object is subordinate to another design.

Viz. that THE READER MIGHT, THROUGH THIS COXVICTIOX, ESJOV EVERLASTING LIFE.

Reader! this is the glorious end of these sacred histories. On thp following pages is inscribed the most astonishing narrath e ever read; the sublimest and the simplest story ever told. But this is not all. It is designed to accomplish an object superlatively grand, transcending, — in degrees inexpressible,— the most magnificent scheme that created intelligence ever conceived. To convert a race of polluted, miserable, and dying mortals, into pure, happy, and glorious immortals; to convert the gates of death into the gates of immortality; to make the pathway to rottenness, and corruption a high road to deathless vigor and incorruptible glory , tq make the grave itself the vestibule, the antechamber, to a pitEFACE. xxiiti

"house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens;" to make the dying 1 groans of sin-worn nature a prelude to ecstacies unalloyed,, Yes! this is the benevolent and glorious design of these testimonies. 13ooks written with such a design, with a design to purify, elevate, and glorify, the debased and degraded children of men; to prepare, furnish, and adorn them for the society of principalities and powers, for the society of their God and King, in a world of perfect bliss, most assuredly comes with a divine character to men. Their claims on the attention and examination of those to whom they are presented, most certainly, are paramount to all others. And the bare hypothesis, to say nothing of the moral certainty, that they came from God with such a design, methinks is quite enough to woo our whole rational nature, to constrain all our moral powers; to test their high pretensions to a character so philanthropic and divine.

On such a theme who would not wish to be eloquent! But how can we equal in style a subject, which, when but faintly and in prospective viewed, exhausted the sublimest strains of heaventaught prophets, and of poets, fired with God's own inspiration; whose hallowed lips tasted not the fabled springs of Pagan muses* but the fountain of living waters, springing from eternal love! Yet even these failed to lisp ifes praise. Nay, the brightest seraph that burns in heavenly light, fails in his best effort, and in profound thought, pores upon the marvellous theme. The compassion of the eternal God; the benevolence and philanthropy of the Father of the whole family in heaven and in earth towards us, the fallen children of his love, has transcended the loftiest grasp of the highest intelligence, and has made to falter the most expressive tongue in all the ranks of heavenly powers. In all the rapturous flights of those morning stars of creation, in all the ecstatic acclamations of these elder sons of God, the theme has not been reached; and though they have tuned their harps a thousand times, and' swelled their voices in full chorus in countless efforts, yet the theme is still unequalled, and, as it were, untouched. Vain then would be the attempt, and fruitless every effort, to express, in corresponding terms, a subject so divine. Indeed, we have no language, we have not been taught an alphabet adapted to such themes, "Come then, expressive silence, rvuse it» praiae,"

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HINTS TO READERS,

IT has often been noticed that the grand bus of the natural *vorld, that the fuid. mental principles of the philosophy of nahire ^re few and simple; that all sciences predicated upon God's works are reducible to a few leading or general Drinciples. The same may be said of the grandest of all systems, of the nobles? or all sciences— God's own system of virtue, and his science of happiness.

All the law and all the prophets Wrr» predicated upon two general principles, according to the reasoning of th*- Author of the christian religion. In the estimation of the same person, the whole christian religion is predicated upon one Jjct. But this fact is of such an astonishing nature fiat it affects both heaven and earth. Its meaning is every thing that regulates, or, it is the veryprinciple upon which is predicated the moral government of the world. It affects the government of God over all men, ana the cheerful and acceptable allegiance of any part of them. Ir )5 t the moral system and to the moral empire, every thing that the Sun is to the solar system and to the globe which we inhabit. It is the centre around which all pure and gracious affections in human minds revolve; and it is the source of light and life to a benighted and dying world. It attracts to itself every happv eye in i i, e universe, and draws to itself every pious emotion in every human breast. The eyes of all saints, in all lands, are gladdened bv its light; and the hearts of all are cheered and warmed by its vivifying powers. That the christian religion should be based upon such a fact is every way becoming of its author, and exhibits it to the rational mind as every way glorious and divine.

When one question of fact is answered in the affirmative, the way to happiness is laid open, and all doubts on the nature of true piety and humanity are dissipated. This question is one which the following histories alone can answer. The fact is a historic one, and this question is of the same nature. It is this: Was Jesus the JVazarene the Son and Apostle of God? This question is capable of being converted into various forms, such as, Are the subsequent naVYativestrue? Did Jesus actually and literally arise from the dead after being crucified and interred? Did he ascend into heaven in the presence of his disciples? Is he constituted the Judge of the living and the dead? Or, Was he an impostor and a deceiver of men? It may be proposed in many a form; but it is still a unit, and all comes to this — Is Jesus the J\azarene, the Son of God, the Apostle of the Father, the Saviour of men? When this question is answered in the affirmative, our duty, our salvation, and our happiness are fixed and determined.

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' vVihoug-h the subsequent writings of the apostles add un immense w'eight of evidence to that afforded by these Histories, still the fact on which the whole system is built, is exhibited and attested in the following narratives; and from these primarily, if nut exclu siveiy, its truto and certainty must be determined.

Any hints, therefore, which may arrest the attention of the youthful reader, and direct his inquiries in the fair and impartial examination of these witnesses, appear to us of primary importance* F»r if these histories are not believed and understood, there is no enjoyment of the glad tidings which they announce — Philanthropy cannot exhibit itself to so much advantage on the theatre of tins life, as in calling the attention, and in directing the pursuits of the young and the thoughtless, in the acquisition of what may be emphatically called the true knowledge.

In addition to the remarks on this subject, found in our preface to the four following narratives, we will subjoin a few important facts, derived from various sources, which we cannot at this time enumerate. These are designed to aid the youth who are desirous of understanding the following testimonies in their minute and diligent researches in these mines of salvation.

I. A"ot one of these four historians wrote -with any design of improving upon the others, of detailing the things omitted by them, or tf supplying any defects -which he observed in their statements.

From this fact it would follow that none of these writers had any concern or thought when writing, how *his testimony would correspond with, or how it might be viewed as an improvement upon, any other one. We know that this fact is not generally noticed, and that many "Harmonies" and "Sketches of the Life of Jesus," taken from these narratives, are predicated upon the supposition that each subsequent history was written with some design to supply the defects of the preceding. But amongst the arguments which support the above fact, one is chief; and, in our judgment, alone sufficient to make it manifest to alL Fur example; let it be supposed that Luke or John wrote with a design to supply certain omissions in Matthew, to make some improvement upon his testimony; how will such a supposition affect the character of Mitthew as an Apostle, or the Spirit by which he wrote? The Evangelists, Mark and Luke, on tiiis hypothesis, appear as correctors or improvers upon an Aposde!! But John avows his own design in writing, and this settles the point witn regard to kim. Nor can it be inferred from Luke's own preface, that he had ever seen the writings of Matthew or Mark. Ke speaks of many attempts that had been made to write these memoirs, but there is not the least ground to imagine that he ever alludes to any of those we now have.

The above fact is of much importance on many accounts; but we must leave it unaccompanied with any illustration or application to the use and appropriation of the reader.

II. J\ ot one of these historians relates all that he knew of Jesus, nor do the{j all relate as mucli as any one of them could have rttaicd concerning him. In proof of this, see John, chapter xxi. Tim was.

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not their object. They do indeed Rive ■ fair spec doctrine tnd of the evidence end authority which uccompan

in order to explain smut- f..cts which are partially related lr onfc, ni'U-. fully bv another, differently by a third, and not at ill by some ol them; it will be necessary to remember that th omit some things to which some of them refer, and that allusions ;:tv found in one to facts which he omits t.-> record, bot which arc found in another. (As before said, it cannot he proved that any one of them had ie< n the testimony of any other at the tin wrote his own.) An instance or two must suffice. Three of the historians mention that Chorazin is addressed by the Saviour as having been the theatre on which many and stupendous miracles were wrought; such as would have converted Tyre and Sidon; and yet not one of the four witnesses so much as says that Jesus was ever there, much less exhibits one of these miracles. Again we find allusions to a form of prayer which John taughl his di.-xi- X>!es; _\el none of these writers record it. None of them tells ns ihat John the Immerser'a father was sirnck deaf as well as dumb} and yet the fact is alluded to and gathered from these WOrds- "They made signs to /acharias how he would have his son named."

In other parts of the New Testament ceitain facts and occurrences in the life of .Tesus are related and alluded to, which are not found in any of these narratives. Such as his being seen of live hundred brethren at one time, assembled after his resurrection; his discourses concerning his reign previous to his ascension, and even one saying of his is quoted by Paul, which, with the circumstances that gave rise to it, is omitted by them all, vi/. •\!i is mare blessed to give than to receive."

Uut some things aie alluded to by one which happen to he recorded by another. For example; John tells us that the disciple that was known to the High Priest's family went into the palace with Jesus, hut he never tells us that Jesus WtJ carried to Caiaphas. This the others record. J.uke tells us that the women who first visited the empty sepulchre '[found the stone relied avray;" hut never tells us that the stone was sealed, or fixed at the entrance of the sepulchre.

This fact not only teaches us that the writers willingly omitted to record many things which they knew as well as those which *hey have narrated, becau c e unnecessary to the completion of their design, but that apparent incongruities in their narratives vvght be ■ nsily reconciled by a knowledge of those things which either some, or ail of them, found no occasion to record. This second fact exhibits the weakness oi' those puny critics who reject the testimony of these witnesses because they did not record every thing which they knew, or in a way that suits their peculiar notions of what is biting; and it also shews us how little sense there is in all that talk about "contradictions and incongruities," and the attempts made to "reconcile" them, which w'e so often hear.

lfl These historians Jo not always aim at giving the precise werds -f those thru quote, not even of the Saviour himself, but only the full

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and precise sense of what was uttered or written. This applies, to their quotations from the Jewish prophets, the words of angels, and even of the Father himself.

It is true that where they aim at giving' the words of the Saviour, they do, in some respects, vary from one another. In this way, however: The Saviour's mother tongue was the Syro-Chaldaic, then spoken in Judea. In translating his words into Greek they sometimes differ from one another as other translators differ in selecting words which equally convey the same sense. And in writing to different people they would naturally select such words as would mist correctly communicate to their understanding the sense of his expressions. But as was said, they do not always aim at giving the precise words. For example; the testimony which the Father gave to Jesus at his immersion is differently given by Matthew, Mark, and Luke: — "This is my beloved Son in whom I delight." "Thou art my beloved Son in whom I delight." "Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I delight.*' In words these attestations differ; but as respects the testimony in favor of Jesus, or as respects the sense, they are the same. But these writers do not, in this instance, differ more from one another, than one of them might Jiffer from himself. The heavenly messenger says to Cornelius, "Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial Before God." Yet Peter in quoting these words, says, "Thy prayer is heard, and thine alms are had in remembrance in the sight of God." Many such instances may be found in these narratives, which, instead of detracting from, greatly add to, the credibility of the whole. But the use and application of these facts is beyond our limits, and left :o the judicious reader.

IV. The Saviour often delivered the same maxims, parables, and discourses, during his public labors, and many of his miracles were accompanied with many of the same circumstances t though exhibited ; n times and places far remote.

A very superficial observer must see this. In the commission which Jesus gave both to the twelve and tbe seventy whom he employed during his lifetime, he authorizes and commands them to announce the same truths, to publish the same facts in every village and city, and to perform the same classes of miraculous cures for a confirmation of the truths they declared. And indeed it would be difficult to conceive how any public teacher, daily employed in communicating instructions on a few glorious topics, could avoid delivering the same discourses, answering the same questions, and exhibiting the same evidences in unfolding the same kingdom, and in enforcing the same reformation on all persons, as did the Saviour, and avoid repeating many of the same things. This fact will solve some difficulties which have appeared to some individuals respecting fragments of the "Sermon on the Mount" and other discourses found in the different narratives and in different places of the same narrative; as well as some othe; imaginary difficulties of another kind.

V. A fifth fact of some consequence, is, that the order of narration in these histories is similar to the Jewish and other ancient

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Sjftories, and is not conducted according to the modern plan Of \tstoric writings,- consequently not so lucid to us, who are accustomed to a greater degree of precision in affixing dates to events ind transactional as also in describing the theatres on which they happen, as histories conducted en our own plan.

We art- liable to err in supposing that events following each other in close succession in the thread of narration, as immediately followed each other in time and place, in actual occurrence. But often events which appear to be immediately connected in the narrative, happened at timts and places considerably remote. One would think on reading the close of Luke's testimony, that Jesus ascended to heaven the same evening on which he arose from the grave, but the same historian tells us elsewheie that he did not ascend till nearly six weeks afterwards. We shall leave these facts with the reader, and conclude with a few remarks on the whole plan of these historians.

Their plan and its execution are alike simple, beautiful, and supernatural. Viewing their narratives as a whole, and taking them together, they furnish a combination of evidence, sublime and majestic as the heavens, and as irrefragable as that which assigns to the Almighty the mechanism of the universe. The -shafts of conceited sceptics aimed at these impregnable bulwarks of our faith fall harmless at their own feet, as the schoolboy's arrows aimed at the extinguishment of the sun.

With what skill, simplicity, and beauty, is the nativity of this long expected child introduced. His birth appears, for a time, to engross the undivided attention of all the pure and high intelligences in heaven and earth. God's heavenly messengers are ever on the wing with some important errand relative to the care, safety, and management of this well beloved Son. The eastern magi and the shepherds of Bethlehem, alike admonished from the skies, are found hasting to the cottage, alike importunate in their inquiries, and equally devout in presenting their acknowledgments at the feet of this wonderful stranger. Both Herod and his noble9 are troubled at the tidings of his birth, and alike apprehensive of a revolution in Judea fatal to their ambitious expectations. The wakeful thoughts and the night visions of those honored females, the relatives and acquaintances of the favorite Virgin, are all engrossed in scenes in which this highborn infant is exhibited as full of grace and truth. The prophets and prophetesses in Jerusalem and Judea, in all their interviews, think and speak of nothing else. Some oracle concerning him, or some expression of his infant lips, are the only subjects which fill their hearts, to the exclusion of all and every thing bes : des.

Thus they introduce him. Through all the meanderings of the seed of Abraham for forty-two generations, they trace his ances try, to the exact accomplishment of every syllable announced to the father of the faithful, or repeated to any of his illustrious descendants. Next they present the last of Israel's prophets who came to consummate the Jewish line, as so rr.uch engrossed in Dreparing his way as to neglect ordinary attention to feed and

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raiment, the chief concern of almost all the human race. Then they open the heaven of all the ancient prophets and pour upon his head a continued stream of prophetic light, illuminating" by its reflection every step of his journey from the cradle to the cross — (rom the manger to the sepulchre of a rich nobleman, a senator of the commonwealth of Israel.

But here they do not stop. They narrate other attestations given of him still more illustrious. While John the Immerser, the favor of God to Israel, is loudly proclaiming to the inhabitants of Judea and Jerusalem Jesus, the Lamb of God, taking away the sin of the world, and putting an end to sin-ofTerings;— soon as Jesus emerges from the Jordan, soon as he is born of w;>ter, the voice of his Father is heard. He bows the heavens. He declares aloud from the excellent glory, "This is my beloved S071 in -whom I delight/" and to identify the person of whom he thus spake, the Spirit of God, as a dove cowers down, descends upon his head, and there abides until it disappears in him.

Having thus introduced him with these high recommendations, with these credentials from earth and heaven, his own deeds are permitted to speak for him. All nature then feels and owns him universal Lord. His hand is never stretched out but his benign and beneficent power is displayed and felt. His lips are ever teeming with grace and truth. Not only does the race of living men amongst whom he is reckoned feel and attest his omnipotence; not only does the air, the earth, and the sea, lay their respective tributes at his feet; but even the dead, and the spirits of the dead, of times past and present, both good and evil, come and own him as the Lord of all. Strange assemblage of evidence! Unparalleled concurrence of things human and divine — of things animate and inanimate — of things above and things beneath — of all ranks and orders of intelligences, both good and evil, of the whole universe, in confirmation of his pretensions!! Nothing like this was ever seen or thought of before. The only occurrence the least analogous to it, and that will not bear a comparison with it, which the annals of the world exhibited, was the universal assemblage of the inhabitants of earth and air to Noah when entering the ark. Moved by Heaven, they forgat all their antipathies and their discords, and all concurred in avouching Noah as their saviour and the founder of a new world. This is but a feeble type, yet it is the only one all history affords of this universal suffrage in acknowledging Jesus of Nazareth as God's own Son and our only Saviour.