The people's hand-book of the Bible ...

Front matter

r -

Chap. Copyright No.,

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

Part I

Chapter. INTRODUCTORY TO THE BIBLE. Page.

I. EVIDENCES OF REVELATION 18

Sec. 1. Genuineness Defined and Proved 18

" 2. Original Hebrew and Various Readings 21

" 3. The Greek— N T and Sept 23

" 4. Age and Character of MSS 24

" 5. Hebrew Text 26

II. GENUINENESS CONTINUED 27

Sec. l. Ancient Versions 27

" 2. Various Readings 28

" 3. Authorized Version 32

" 4. Revised Version 38

III. AUTHENTICITY AND AUTHORITY 42

Sec. 1. The Bible the only Inspired Teacher 42

" 2. Inspiration 45

" 3. The Canon 48

" 4. Preservation of the Books 49

11 5. Apocrypha 50

IV. EXTERNAL EVIDENCES 51

Sec. 1. Historical 51

" 2. Miracles 55

" 3. Prophecy 58

V. INTERNAL EVIDENCES 64

Sec. 1. Moral 64

11 2. Literary 72

Sec. 1. A Revelation of God and Man 78

" 2. A Revelation of Spiritual Truth 79

" 3. Gradual and Progressive 82

" 4. Unity of the Bible 85

" 5. Not Systematic 88

Part II. INDUCTIVE STUDY

I. INTERPRETATION OF SCRIPTURE 91

Sec. 1. Necessity of Care in Studying the Scriptures . . 91

" 2. Tropical Words, Allegory, Type, Symbol 94

" 3. On the Spirit of Searching the Scriptures .... 96

II. RULES OF INTERPRETATION 99

Sec. 1. Sense of the Words 99

" 3. Context 103

" 5. Comparing Scripture with Scripture 107

ix x TOPICAL INDEX.

Chapter. Page.

III. INTERPRETATION CONTINUED. EXTERNAL HELPS Ill

Sec. l. opinions and Ideas Ill

" 2. History lis

" 3. Ecclesiastical History ill

" •"). Natural History 120

IV. INTERPRETATION CONTINUED 122

Sec. l. Manners and customs 122

" 2. Revenue and Tax ]25

" 3. Coins and Measures 126

11 4. Time, Modes of Reckoning, etc 126

V. INTERPRETATION CONTINUED 128

Sec. 1. Geography, 128

Hebron, Jericho, Gilgal, Sliiloh, Beersheba, Bethlehem, Shechem, Samaria 130

Sec. 2. Palestine . . 131

VI. INTERPRETATION CONTINUED 130

Sec. 1. Jerusalem, Zion, Moriah, Acra, Bezetha, Gethsem-

ane, Hinnom 136

" 2. Physical Geography 146

VII. ALLEGORIES, SYMBOLS, TYPES, PARABLES, INTERPRETA- TION OF 149

VIII. PROPHECY, INTERPRETATION OF 154

Part III

I. SYSTEMATIC AND INFERENTIAL STUDY 164

Sec. 1. Doctrines 164

" 2. Precepts 168

". 3. Moral and Positive Precepts 170

II. SYSTEMATIC AND INFERENTIAL STUDY 172

Sec. l. Promises 172

" 2 Fxamples 177

III. QUOTATIONS OUT OF THE OLD IN THE N* T, CLASSIFIED *AND

EXAMINED WITH REFERENCE TO THE TEXT, TRUTHS AND EVIDENCES OF SCRIPTURE, AND PRINCIPLES OF INTERPRETATION 185

IV. ORIGIN, NATURE AND USE OF SCRIPTURE DIFFICULTIES . . 188

Sec. 1. Origin. Class I Enumerated, Are Matters of Interpretation only. Examples 188

" 2. Class II Enumerated. Difficulties in the Sense.

V. STATE OF THE JEWS FROM THE EXILE TO CHRIST, AS ILLUS- TRATIVE OF COD'S MORAL GOVERNMENT, FROM

THEIR OWN SCRIPTURES AND HISTORY 210

Sec. 1. The Exile, with Notice of the Prophets and Books

in Order, Belonging to this Period 210

M 2. From the Restoration to Malachi— 139 yrs. Close

of the Canon 222

" 3. The Jews from Mal to Christ— Civil History .... 239

" 4. From Malachi to Christ- Moral History 248

VI. LETTERS 254

Advent and Nativity of Christ 254

Life of Jesus until " He Began to Teach" 257

The Four Gospels 262

The Evangelists in their Mutual Relation to the Gospels 265

RESUME.

Introduction

A. J. KYNETT, D.D., LL.D.

AT no time in the history of the world has there been more thorough and critical study of the Holy Scriptures than now ; and never before has there been so great popular interest in the problems and difficulties developed by Biblical research. This is true of both friends and foes of the Bible. The results of the so-called higher criticism, filters down through current literature into popular thought and conversation. Questions never before thought of are raised, and difficulties entirely new, are suggested. The interests of truth demand prompt and satisfactory answers. Nor should these answers be confined to voluminous, scholastic books ; they should be accessible to the multitude of busy thinkers and workers, whose time is largely pre-occupied with other things. Ours is a busy, hurrying age. What is spoken, or read, or done, must conform to this spirit. Even in our great newspapers, secular and religious, the old-time editorials are largely giving place to concise, pungent paragraphs.

It is especially necessary, that any system of popular instruction in the Holy Scriptures, should be available to parents and Sunday-school teachers, on whom the children and youth depend for Biblical knowledge. Without this, Sunday-school instruction will of necessity, be superficial and unsatisfactory ; and our young people, emerging from our Sunday-schools, will on the first attack of intelligent and determined skepticism, be thrown into confusion and perhaps defeat.

The People's Hand-Book of the Bible will, therefore, supply a real need. It is the condensed product of many years of devout and careful study of the Bible and Biblical literature. The author has happily chosen, as a basis for his plan, the well known work of Joseph Angus, D.D., which is, in its sphere, without a rival. But the People's Hand-Book of the Bible is no mere copy. Our author has condensed, improved and simplified, making his work

xi xii INTRODUCTION.

what the title expresses — The People's Hand-Book of the Bible. The best authorities on evidences and principles of interpretation have been consulted with great care, so that the student of this book will have before him, in small compass, the equivalent of prolonged research in the archives of Biblical literature and theology. The topical index will suggest the wide scope and thorough treatment of the subject, and the body of the work will reveal the ability and scholarship of the author, and his familiarity with the results of the latest Biblical science.

For the sacred text, the author has adopted the Revised Version. While conceding the unequalled English diction of King James' Bible, he maintains that the later revision is the better translation, that many obscure expressions are made clear, and even holds the opinion that the New Version will gradually supplant the Old. All will agree that the Revised Version is a great help to a correct understanding of the original Scriptures. The concise and simple style of the author will prove of great advantage to the ordinary reader, as no difficulty will be found in understanding exactly what lie means.

A marked feature of this work is, the apt quotations in illustration and proof of his positions, taken from the best authors, ancient and modern. Above all, it will be found throughout that the " Holy One," " of whom Moses in the law and the prophets did write," is constantly in the foreground. All lovers of the Lord Jesus will find themselves in hearty sympathy w T ith the spirit and faith of the writer.

This book should be in every family, and in the hands of all Sunday-school teachers, w T ho are so often called upon promptly to meet difficulties and solve questions unthought of before. It will prove an invaluable companion to our English Bible, a well-ordered, spiritual armory, in which weapons, offensive and defensive, are so arranged as to be promptly available as occasion may require. The author has condensed into this treatise his life, and tenders it as his legacy to the Christian Church.

Philadelphia, June, 189-1.

Part I. Introductory To The Bible

Scarcely can we fix our eye on a single passage of this book, that has not afforded comfort and encouragement to thousands. — Dr. Payson, Bible ab All Phice.

This lamp from off the everlasting throne,

Mercy took down, and in the night of time

Stood, casting on the dark her gracious bow. — Pollok.

THIS Book of God, "the god of books" as one calls it, opens with Genesis — " creation ' ' of the worlds, about six thousand years ago, and ends with Revelation a d 100.

Create in ver 1, means out of nothing, when time began. The six days work refer to the re-formation — reconstruction of our earth.

On the meaning of " day " there are two views ; some reading it as literal, others as an indefinite period of time. " One day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day " II Pet 3:8.

While it was as easy to create, i e prepare in six days as six milleniums, there are evidences both in nature and revelation, in favor of reading " day " as an age.

2 As the Bible is the oldest, so it is the only record dating back to the beginning, shedding on our minds light as to the great First Cause, formation of the universe, of man, providence etc.

God has preserved his own truth through the ages of change, waste and death ; the fires and floods of persecution of devils and men, like his only begotten Son, who during infancy, must be kept alive by the ministry of angels.

Even as a literary production , it has been the admiration of mankind. It is the only reliable account of the origin

14 INTRODUCTORY

of matter and mind, of the nations and God's government to the time modern history begins. The Bible is worth more — contains says Sir Win Jones, purer doctrines of morality and religion, more important history and biography, sublimer strains of poetry and eloquence, than all other books.

3 Herodotus the Father of history (wrote abt 445 b c), and Josephus (37-93 a d), are the most trustworthy ancient authors that have survived the ordeal of time. Herodotus gives us a history of a few of the nations between 713-479. And this mere sketch is from oral tradition and unauthentic sources mostly. From the creation then — for 3300 yrs, there is scarce a ray of light outside the Bible to illume the darkness of our world.

The Iliad and Odyssey of Homer (from 1000-900 b c), regarded by the Greeks as authentic, is all that is known about the heroic age of that remarkable people. All uninspired ancient histories and biographies have perished.

Had the Bible been a cunningly devised fable, it too would have passed away. What a comment is this on Is 40 : 6-8, quoted I Pet 1 : 25, a voice out of the Old and N Testaments

"All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness— ' the glory thereof,' is as the flower of the field. . . . But the Word of our God shall stand forever ! "

4 Again, the Bible is the only book that grows not old, but renews its youth from generation to generation. The secret of its preservation and influence is, it contains in itself the indestructible germs of life And blessed thought !

" The Power that gave it still supplies The gracious light and heat."

5 What the sun — that fount of light and heat is to this planet — the source of vegetable and animal life, this book is to man intellectual, religious and social.

For example the Greeks, the most enlightened of the heathen, taught that the worlds came by chance, matter is eternal, and deified fate. Claudius Ptolemaus 150 A d,

TO THE BIBLE. 15

the most renowned astronomer and geographer perhaps of any age, taught and was followed till Copernicus (1532) discovered — " revived the true solar system," that this earth is at rest, and the sun, moon and stars revolved round it. It was also a popular belief that our planet is flat, rested on the head of a (the old) serpent, which in turn was supported on the back of a tortoise etc.

The light of nature, and teaching of their wisest, purest reformers as Socrates, Plato and Confucius, was cold and inefficient as a rule of faith and practice.

The doctrine of one living and true God, creation and fall of man, the devil, providence, promise — coming and atonement of Christ, immortality, resurrection and general judgment, were either unknown or imperfectly understood. And what the gentiles knew of God, his work and ways, was the lingering, waning light of revelation, the traditions of their golden age in Eden.

The religion of the Greeks and Romans allowed fornication, revenge, suicide ; and their gods were of like appetites, desires and passions. The beings worshipped were, so to speak, the reflection of the vices and virtues of the worshipper.

Of the other nations, we have but an idea of their sin, misery and degradation. There are to day tribes in Africa who eat their kind, and millions who worship God in the character of a devil ! Paul's picture Rom 1, is not overdrawn.

The pagan compared to the Christian world, is like the part of the globe the sun shines on, to that immersed in its shadow.

6 Man in innocency had the law of his Maker written in his heart. He saw God in his works, walked and talked with him. Reason (if he had to depend on that faculty), was then a guiding, unerring light. When he lost the Holy Spirit and became " earthly, sensual, devilish," reason was darkened. Gen 3, I Cor 2 : 14.

Faith in its nature and office, is right reason, never contrary, and was required after man's apostacy, for his guid-

16 INTRODUCTORY

ing light. Faith implies ignorance, sin, dependence. Sin did not obliterate the idea of God. The sense of one Supreme is innate. And atheism, the lowest form of unbelief, is unnatural, a credulity born of sin. Ps 14: 1. So Watson's Insts.

7 Ex nihilo nihil fit — out of nothing nothing comes, is an axiom — self evident truth. The mind is constituted to ascribe every effect to a cause.

It is observable that inspired writers assume the existence of God, uncreated, self existent, creator and ruler of all. Moses opens "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth "

The a posteriori — from effect to cause, and a priori — from cause to effect arguments, have both been used to prove as against atheism, there is a God. The first is the one depended on by theologians, and is the one employed by the

Holy Spirit. " The heavens declare the glory of God "

Ps 19. " The invisible things of him . . . are understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead'' Kom 1.

The marks of design in our world suggests a designer. The sun, moon and stars numberless in space, their order (heaven's first law), the two mysterious forces — centripetal and centrifugal motions, holding them in their orbits, urging on from age to age, proclaim

" The hand that made us is divine. "

Also best means to ends, with simplicity of means, teach infinite wisdom in the Author. Watson's Insts.

God in creation thus displays

His wisdom and his might. Montgomery.

Sec. 2

1 The Bible consists of 66 books and letters, 39 of which are in the O T.

Testament means covenant, the name given by God to indicate the relation between himself and his people. Covenant or appointment at first meant relation, but afterwards

TO THE BIBLE. 17

was applied to the books themselves. Gen 21 : 27, 32, Ex 24: 7.

By the Jews the O T was called the Law, Prophets and Hagiographa (Gr hagios holy, grapha writings), which is composed of the Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Cantica; all which they called Psalms, from the first book.

In the N T, the books are called Scripture Jno 10 : 35, Scriptures, Luke 24: 27, and Word of God Luke 11: 27, 28. Also Oracles of God. Acts 7 : 38.

Oracle is also the name given to the place where the will of God was revealed I Kgs 8 : 6, II Chron 4 : 20, Ps 28 : 2.

The primitive church from the time of Origen 185-213, named the books collectively the Canon (kan'uri), a Greek word meaning straight, rod ; thence tropically — figuratively law, rule Gal 6 : 16, Phil 3 : 16.

Bible is from Greek PipXo~* book; and hence par excellence, the Book.

Of all names The Word of God is the most impressive and complete, justifying the faith of the feeblest, and suggesting the utterance of the infinite wisdom and love.

2 Our aim — "the Sabbath and port of our labors/' is to make more clear and impressive the Bible itself Therefore both writer and reader are cautioned against using such a help to Scripture as an end — confounding it with the study of the Word itself. The road we are about to travel may be attractive ; but the end — " the wells of salvation " — and " living bread , " are more excellent than the means thereto. And the thirsty, hungering seeker after the truth as it is in Jesus, will not rest satisfied with the discovery — the ravishing glimpses, but will quench his thirst at the fountain head, and satisfy his immortal soul longings to the full.

In other view, he will not be content to stand before, to contemplate the Temple of Truth in all its imposing grandeur and proportions, but will strive to enter — seek admission to the sanctum sanctorum, to worship in spirit and

18 EVIDENCES OF REVELATION.

truth, and be in touch with the pure, the beautiful and good there, and possess also of her hidden treasures.

Let no one deceive himself, for it is only the obedient, the loving, humble ; those who " seek her as silver and search for her as hid treasures, that shall understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God " Prov 2 : 4, 5.

Beh oldest thou yonder on the crystal sea Beneath the throne of God, an image fair, And in her hand a mirror large and bright? Tis Truth, immutable, eternal Tkuth, In figure emblematical expressed.

Before it Virtue stands, and smiling, Sees in her reflected soul no spot.

The sons of heaven, archangel, seraph, saint, There daily read their own essential worth; And as they read, take place among the just, Or high, or low, each as his value seems.

******** The Bible holds this mirrors place on earth. Pollok.

Chapter I. Evidences Of Revelation

The evidences of the integrity of the Christian faith are tenfold more various, copious and conclusive than of any other ancient writings. Isaac Taylor.

Sec 1 Genuineness Defined and Proved.

IF a MS of every book of the Bible in the author's own writing were extant, every copy agreeing therewith would be genuine. There are no such autographs now in existence. But there are circumstances attending their preservation and transmission, which prove their genuineness.

When a MS varies from the one its author wrote, it is said to be corrupt. When not the one by its author, it is said to be forged or spurious.

There is a printed copy of the Hebrew Bible dated 1488,

GENUINENESS. 19

in Exeter College Oxford ; and one in the Royal Library Berlin of 1494, from which Luther made his translation. There are copies of the N" T dated Basil 1516, edited by Erasmus. Copies also in Greek and Latin dated Alcala or Complutum Spain, 1514. These copies agree with one another and our own editions. And these two editions form the basia of the received text. The 1st edition of said text was printed by Elzevir in 1624. Erasmus had advantage of editions of Stevens Paris 1546, and of Beza Geneva 1565.

Dr. Kennicott collated 630 MSS for his critical edition of the Heb Bible. De Rossi 734 more. And more than 600 MSS have been examined for our late editions of the N T — Auth Version.

In the Greek and Roman classics — their best authors, 20, even 10 MSS, are sufficient for an accurate text. There are 15 MSS of Herodotus extant, oldest only of 10th c}^ How much greater are the evidences in this respect, in favor of the Scriptures !

Most MSS of the Heb. Scriptures may reach back as far as the 10th cy. There are some of the 8th and 9th cys.

A MS. of Virgil in the Vatican claims antiquity of the 4th cy. But most MSS of the classic writers belong to the 10th and 15th cys. In antiquity as in numbers also, are the evidences in favor of the Scriptures.

2 As we go back towards the times when written, another kind and confirmatory evidence is at hand — the quotations and references of the Christian Fathers and Jewish Rabbins.

Quotations from and references to the Classics — Homer, Socrates, Plato ; Herodotus, Cicero, Virgil, may prove their antiquity, but are of such a nature, i e, imperfectly rendered, as to leave them of no critical value as to the originals.

The inspired writings were copied verbatim, with conscientious care, so that not " one jot or one tittle" might fail.

We have the commentaries and writings of about 180 of the Fathers and ecclesiastical writers, including Irenseus,

20 EVIDENCES OF REVELATION.

Clement and Theopkilus of the 2nd, Origen of the 3rd, Chrysostom, Augustine and Jerome of the 4th cys. These authorities reach back to St. John. The works of these contain quotations from the four gospels, Acts, Epistles and Revelation so full and exact, that collected together, they would give us the whole N. T. What a proof of the genuineness of the gospel !

3 The Targums — translations, versions of Onkelos about 60 b c, give us the Pentateuch in Chaldaic Heb. That of Jonathan about the time of Christ, gives us the Prophets and Historical books. In the 4th cy Joseph the Blind wrote one, the Hagiographa. Still later versions were made. These translations, 10 in all, are witnesses of the genuineness of the Heb Bible for nearly 2000 years past.

The Pesh'ito— literal, version of the Old and N Tests in Syriac, made it is probable in the 1st cy. This version was used by the Christians in Syria and in the churches. Being quite literal (as its name implies), it has been of inestimable value in determining the original text. The Vulgate translated by Jerome about 385, is a fair translation, and adopted by the Latin Church.

The Septuagint (so called from its 70 or 72 translators), is the most ancient on the O T. It was made at Alexandria about 285, in the time of Ptolemy Lagus or Philadelphia* The LXX (as it is often called), was well done, and is oftener quoted by our Lord and his apostles than the Heb. It was in high repute with both Jews and Christians It is often spoken of by writers of the 2nd cy.

The above is but a sample of the varied and cumulative

* Under these first two Ptolemies, Egypt was raised to the height of her prosperity. They were the patrons of religion, learning and the fine arts. They founded the celebrated library of Alexandria, built the Pharos (one of the "seven wonders of the world"), restored the Suez Canal, built cities, etc. The second continued the reforms by his father, finished the canal, encouraged commerce. TTis court surpassed any of his age, and was illustrated by such minds as Theocritus. Worcester's Univ. History, c. XIX. Sec. 3.

OEIGINAL HEBREW. 21

evidence of the uncorruptness of our Bible. The libraries of Europe and the world have been ransacked, but nothing discovered to set aside, or cast doubt on, any important doctrine or portion.

And as to such persons as Jesus, Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, and such works as are ascribed to them, history and the whole world wrote, and knew, and talked about them at the time.

Is not such a result — to know our Bible does not differ from that of the primitive church — that we have the word of God as truly as they, ample reward for the time and labor bestowed ? It is our duty, for God challenges us to examine the foundations of our hope, and to prove him in his Word, and rewards them that honor him therein.

To give the reader a more definite idea, examples of various readings are added —

Roms. 7 : 6. For " that being dead wherein we were held," read li having died to that wherein we were holden." 11: 6. Omit the last half. 16 : 5. Read " first fruits of Asia," not " Achaia."

Gal 4: 26. For " mother of us all" read " which is our mother." 5 : 19. Omit " adultery."

Acts 8 : 37. Omit 9 : 6. Omit first part. See n v.

Phil 4: 13. For " through Christ" read "in him."

I Tim 3 : 16. " God manifest" read " He who was manifested."

Rev 8: 13. For "angel" read " eagle."

Of the 7959 verses in the N T, there are 10 or 12 which affect the sense, not the doctrines but number of proof passages.

1314 various readings have been found in the O T. Of these, 566 were adopted in the A V. 147 of the whole affect the sense, not the doctrines. Generally they correct a date or complete the sense.

Sec 2 Original Hebrew and Various Readings.

The history of these — an outline, comes in here as related to and on the knowledge of which, genuineness depends.

The Hebrew — the language of nearly all the O T, was that of the Israelites in the days of their independence.

22 EVIDENCES OF REVELATION.

There is evidence that it was the language of the Canaanites and Phoenicians. There is no mention of any difference, and the names of persons, places, etc., as Abimelech, Melchizedek, Salem, are pure Heb. It seems also that the Hebrew of Abraham's time was cognate — kindred with the original, as the names in the first chs. of Genesis show, being significant also of the persons and things applied to.

2 It is divided into three periods. The first was in the days of Moses, and as found in the Pentateuch. Here are words and phrases not found elsewhere, which soon become obsolete, or used in a different sense.

In the post-Mosaic period a change is noticed. New words are introduced, old ones forgotten, and forms not found in Moses, on to the time of David, who writes with great purity and elegance. To this period belong, in order, the book of Judges, Ruth, Samuel, writings of Solomon, Jonah, Amos and Hose a. Isaiah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk and Obadiah are pure, in good style, though in the first and second is admixture of a foreign element. All these belong to the golden age of the language.

Zephaniah, Jeremiah, Daniel and Ezekiel fall into the third period, and exhibit intercourse with foreign tongues, as do the writings in and after the exile — Ezra, Esther and Nehemiah, who use words and phrases not found in the early prophets. (Ezra and Daniel are part in Chaklee.) The later prophets — Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi, write a purer idiom, * the Heb having during the exile, become a written rather than spoken tongue ; and in writing it, was not necessary to use the words in common parlance.

Cl Added to his people" is in the Pent. " Sleep with his fathers," in later books. "People" in the 1st is applied to the Jews. In the prophets, the word is more extended.

It is on the knowledge and use of the original tongues, that the superiority of our modern lexicographers chiefly depends. Angus.

* Expression peculiar to a language.

GEEEK N T AND SEPT. 23

Sec 3 Greek N T and Septuagint.

There was a controversy in the 16th cy. between Erasmus and Stevens, the former asserting the N T was written in Greek, with Hebrew words and phrases ; the latter, that the text is pure Greek. The question was thought important theologically, in evidence, and interpretation of the N T.

The parties forgot that the question is a matter of fact, simply. The book is Hellenistic Greek — Greek mixed with Heb words and ideas, principally. The books are by Jews who spoke Greek, with modes of thinking formed on Heb originals. Hence evidence of the truth of the record. Hence also, a rule of interpreting, though the chief means to the sense of words and expressions is in the Bible itself.

The Hellenists (from Hellas Greece), consisted at first of different tribes, the Dorians and Ionians being chief. The Doric dialect was 1st in time and influence. It is rough and broad sounding, as in Pindar and Theocritus.

The Ionic comes next in time, was soft and smooth, was first in Attica, then in Asia Minor after the Ionians migrated thither. It is represented by Herodotus and Anacreon.

The Attic was formed after the Ionians left Attica, and rates between the Doric and Ionic. The chief authors are in Attic — Thucydides, Plato, Zenophon, Demosthenes, Euripides.

After Philip conquered Greece b o 338, these dialects were blended and Hellenic formed, with Attic for its base.

After Alexander's death (b c 324), the people of Macedon and Alexandria became first in literature and power, and through them, Macedonian and Alexandrian idioms became common in Greece, especially in Egypt and the East.

At Alexandria many Jews lived. Here the Sept was written by Jews whose tongue was Alexandrian Greek. Hence the Hebraisms in it. And this is the language of our N T, as modified by Jews in Palestine and Alexandria. Hence words in Aramean, Latin, Persian, Egyptian, in

24 AGE AND CHAEACTER

their orthography, form, inflexion and gender. Hence words and phrases Jewish and Christian

Aramean is seen Mark 5: 41, Taliiha cumi, 14: 36, Abba, 3:17, Boanerges. Latin Matt 10 : 29, farthiug. Persian Matt 27 : 32, Cyrene. Egyptian Matt 27 : 59, sindoni — linen. Heb 17 : 27, Shekel, R V.