twentieth year of the reign of Artaxerxes Longimanus, to the reign of Darius Nothus, his son, which began in the year of the world 3581. After this general history of the Jews, follow two histories of particular persons, viz., Esther and Job. The first contains the account of a miraculous deliverance of the Jews, which was accomplished by means of the heroine named Esther. The Scripture says it happened under the reign of Ahasuerus, king of Persia; but as there have been several Persian kings of that name, it is not exactly known in which reign it is to be dated. Dr. Lightfoot thinks it was that Artaxerxes who hindered the building of the temple, and who, in the book of Ezra, is called also Ahasuerus, after his great grandfather, the king of the Medes. The history of Job, which is next in order, is not only a narration of his actions, but contains also the entire discourses which this pious man had with his wife and his friends, and is, indeed, one of the most eloquent books in the Holy Scriptures. It is generally conjectured that Moses was the writer or compiler of this book; but this is very uncertain. occasion; and this, no doubt, was from some ancient tradition: but, in the original Hebrew, these Psalms have no such title prefixed to them, neither have they any other to contradict it." It is not probable, however, that all those whose names they bear were the true authors of them; it is more likely that these are only the names of those to whom they were first given to sing. After the Psalms are the Proverbs, which are a collection of moral sentences, of which Soloinon was the writer. This name is given them by the Greeks, but the Hebrews call them Myste, that is, parables, or comparisons; and the word may also signify sentences, or maxims. It is a collection of divine precepts, proper for every age, and every condition of life. The book which follows is also a moral one, and was likewise composed by Solomon. The Greeks call it Ecclesiastes, which answers to the name of Koheleth, which it bears in the Hebrew. Both these words signify, in our language, a preacher, or one who speaks in an assembly. In this book is given an admirable picture of the vanity of the world. Among the moral books is also reckoned the Song of Songs; that is to say, according to the Hebrew manner of speaking, a most excellent song. This book has nothing of morality in it, and therefore, it is thought the only reason of its being placed here is because it was a third work of Solomon; for there is not one moral or religious maxim in it, and the name of God is not so much as mentioned in it, except once in the original Hebrew, where it The Hebrew, where it is used adjectively. It is an Epithalamium, or nuptial song, wherein, by the expressions of love between a bridegroom and his bride, are set forth and illustrated the mutual affections that pass between God and a distinguished remnant of mankind. It is a sort of dramatic poem or pastoral: the bride and bridegroom, for the more lively representation of humility and innocence, are brought in as a shepherd and shepherdess. We learn from St. Jerome, that the Jews were not permitted to read this song, or the chapters at the beginning of the book of Genesis, till they were thirty years old. Next to the historical books of Scripture follow those of a moral ature. The first of these is the Book of Psalms, which is like wise in some measure historical; for they recite the miracles which God had wrought, and contain, as it were, an abridgment of all that had been done for the Israelites, and that had happened to them. The Hebrews call them "the Book of Praises," by which they mean, "of the Praises of God. of the Praises of God." The word psalm is Greek, and properly signifies the sound of a stringed instrument of music. The Hebrews sung the Psalms with different instruments. We make but one book of them all, but the Hebrews divide them into five parts, which all end with the words Amen, Amen. Though the Psalms bear the name of David, yet they were not all composed by him; some of them are more ancient, and others are of a later date than his time; some of them being ascribed to Moses, Samuel, and Ezra. Speaking of the dedication of the second temple, Prideaux says, "In this dedication, the 146th, 147th, and the 148th psalms seem to have been sung; for in the Septuagint versions they are styled the Psalms of Haggai and Zechariah, as if they had been composed by them for this In regard to the prophets, it may be observed, that all the Old Testament is considered to be in substance one continued prophecy of the coming of Jesus Christ; so that all the books of which it consists are a short time afterward, but his book is placed understood to be in some sense prophetical. But this name is more especially given to those books which were written by persons who had a clearer knowledge of futurity, who forewarned both kings and people of what would happen to them, and who at the same time pointed out what the Messiah was to do, whom they who are acknowledged to have been prophets had always in view: and this is what ought most especially to be taken notice of in their writings. The prophecies bear the name of those to whom they belong. Some learned men are of opinion that the prophets made abridgments of the discourses which they had written, and fixed them up at the gates of the temple, that all the people might read them; and that after this the ministers of the temple might take them away, and place them among the archives, which is the reason why we have not the prophecies in the order in which they were written. But the interpreters of Scripture have long since labored to restore that order, according to the course of their history. first, because it is the largest of them all, and is more explicit relative to the advent of Christ than any of the others. The language of this eminent writer is exceedingly sublime and affecting; so much so, that it has never been equalled by any profane poet either in ancient or modern times. It is impossible to read some of the chapters without being struck by the force of the prophetic allusions to the character and sufferings of the Messiah; and in consequence of these prevailing characteristics, the author is ordinarily styled the evangelical prophet, and by some of the ancients, a fifth evangelist. The Jews say that the spirit of prophecy continued forty years during the second temple; and Malachi they call the seal of prophecy, because in him the succession or series of prophets broke off, and came to a period. The book of Malachi, therefore, appropriately closes the second record of the Old Testament. The second and lesser division of the Bible relates entirely to the Christian religion, or the fulfilment of that which was predicted in the preceding and more ancient department of the work. This division of the sacred Scriptures is generally styled the New Testament; and that portion of it which relates to the history of the life of Christ is called the Gospel, and by some the Evangel, both these words having the same meaning, and implying good news, or glad tidings, from the circumstance that the narratives contain an account of things which are to benefit mankind. The works of the prophets are divided into two parts, the first of which contains the greater, and the second, the lesser prophets. This distinction, of course, does not apply at all to the persons of the prophets, but only to the bulk of their works. The greater prophets are Isaiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, and Jeremiah. The Lamentations of Jeremiah make a separate book by themselves, containing that prophet's descriptions of the destruction of the city of Jerusalem, and of the captivity of the people. The lesser prophets are The New Testament, like the Old, is a Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, compilation of books written by different inMicah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Hag-spired individuals, and all put together in a gai, Zechariah, and Malachi. They were for- manner so as to exhibit a regular account of merly contained in one single volume, the birth, actions, and death of Christ the which the Hebrews call Thereaser, which doctrines he promulgated—and the prophemeans twelve, or the book of the twelve. cies regarding the future state of the church which he founded. The historical books are the four gospels and the Acts of the Apostles, all these being of the character of narratives of events; the doctrinal are the Epistles of St. Paul, and some others; the prophetic book is the last, and this is called the Revelation or Apocalypse of St. John, having been written by that apostle while he was in the island of Patmos. The dates of many of the prophecies are uncertain, but the earliest of them was in the days of Uzziah, king of Judah, and Jeroboam the Second, his contemporary, king of Israel, about 200 years before the captivity, and not long after Joash had slain Zechariah, the son of Jehoiada, in the court of the temple. Hosea was the first of the writing prophets, and Joel, Amos, and Obadiah, published their prophecies about the same time. Isaiah began his remarkable prophecies The writers of the books of the New Testament are generally well known, each having the name of the author affixed to it, with the departure of his Master from the earth. Many of the ancients say that he wrote it in the Hebrew or Syriac language, but Dr. Whitby is clearly of opinion that this tradition is entirely void of foundation, and that it was doubtless written in Greek, as the other parts of the New Testament were. Yet it is probable that there might be an edition of it in Hebrew, published by St. Matthew himself, at the same time that he wrote it in Greek; the former for the Jews, the latter for the Gentiles, when he left Judæa to preach among the heathen.* the exception of the Acts of the Apostles, which, it is presumed, was compiled by St. Luke. It was long disputed whether St. Paul was the writer of the Epistle to the Hebrews; Tertullian, an ancient Christian writer, and some others, attribute it to St. Barnabas; others to St. Luke; and others to St. Clement; while some think, with greater probability, that St. Paul dictated it, and St. Luke acted as the writer; and that the reason why the name of the true author was not affixed to it, was because he was disliked by the Jews. The four evangelists, or writers of the leading narra- In regard to Mark, the writer of the tives, are St. Matthew, St. Mark, St. Luke, second Gospel, it may be observed, that and St. John; these having been compan- although Mark, or Marcus, was a Roman ions to Christ during his ministrations, and, name, and a very common one, yet we therefore, personally acquainted with his life have no reason to think but that he was by and character. Each of the four books is birth a Jew; but as Saul, when he went principally a repetition of the history of among the Gentiles, took the Roman name Christ, yet they all possess a difference of Paul, so did this evangelist take that of of style, and each mentions some cir- Mark, his Jewish name, perhaps, being cumstances omitted by the others, so that Mardacai, as Grotius observes. Jerome the whole is essential in making up a com- and Tertullian say that he was a disciple of plete life of the Messiah. These distinctions the Apostle Peter, and his interpreter or in the tone of the narratives and other pecu- amanuensis. We have every reason to beliarities, are always considered as strong lieve that both he and Luke were of the circumstantial evidence in proof of their au- number of the seventy disciples who comthenticity, and of there having been no col-panied all along with the apostles, and who lusion on the part of the writers. But, had a commission like to theirs: so that it is indeed, the events they record are detailed no diminution at all to the validity or value in so exceedingly simple and unaffected a man- of this Gospel that Mark was not one of the ner, that it is impossible to suppose that they twelve, as Matthew and John were. Jewere written with a view to impose on the rome says, that after the writing of this Goscredulity of mankind. The veracity and pel he went into Egypt, and was the first actual belief of the evangelists themselves are placed beyond a doubt. The first book is written by Matthew, who was by birth a Jew, and exercised the profession of a publican- that is, a collector of the public tax or assessment imposed upon the Jewish people by their conquerors, the Romans. Matthew, who was also called by the name of Levi, was one of the twelve apostles of Christ, and he is said to have written his narrative about eight years after *Dr. Lange, in his Introduction to the New Testament, favors the idea that the Gospel of Matthew was originally written in Hebrew, and translated at a very early period into our present Greek version, which has ever since been received as canonical in the Church. In confirmation of this conclusion, we have the testimony of Papias, one of the Christian fathers who lived in the first half of the second century. His statements as to a Hebrew original of Matthew's Gospel were adopted by some of the early fathers of the Christian Church. The historic fact that the that preached the gospel at Alexandria, where he founded a church, to which he was a great example of holy living The Gospel of St. Mark is much shorter than that of Matthew, not giving so full an account of Christ's sermons as that did, but insisting chiefly on his miracles; and in regard to these, also, it is very much a repetition of what we have in Matthew, many remarkable circumstances being added to the stories there related, but not many new matNazarenes, one of the earliest Christian sects, possessed a Hebrew version of Matthew's Gospel, seems to have been the ground of the argument that he composed it originally in Hebrew. Dr. Tischendorf, who has no superior in the department of textual criticism, advocates the Greek original of Matthew, and that the Hebrew version was made from it at a very early date. He refers to Jerome, a Hebrew scholar, as supporting his view, and advances other strong, if not conclusive, reasons for the ground he takes. — A. B. ters. There is a tradition that it was first written in Latin, because it was written at Rome; but this is generally thought to be without foundation, and that it was written in Greek, as was St. Paul's Epistle to the Romans, the Greek being the more universal language. death, all the rest suffering martyrdom ; and some of them say that he wrote this Gospel in Ephesus, at the request of the ministers of the several churches of Asia, in order to combat certain heresies. It seems most probable that he composed it before his banishment into the isle of Patmos, Luke, the name of the third evangelist, is for there he wrote his Revelation, the close considered by some to be a contraction of of which seems designed for the closing up Lucilius, and it is said by St. Jerome to of the canon of scripture; in which case have been borne at Antioch. Some think this Gospel could not have been written that he was the only one of all the penmen after. It is clear that he wrote the last of of the Scriptures that was not of the Israel- the four Evangelists, and, comparing his ites; that he was a Jewish proselyte, and was Gospel with theirs, we may observe that he converted to Christianity by the ministry of relates what they had omitted, and thus St. Paul at Antioch, and after his coming into gleans up what they had passed by. Macedonia he was his constant companion. These four Gospels were early and conHe had employed himself in the study and stantly received by the primitive church, and practice of physic, and hence Paul calls him read in Christian assemblies, as appears by Luke, the beloved physician." It is more the writings of Justin Martyr and Irenæus, than probable, however, as is testified both who lived little more than one hundred years by Origen and Epiphanius, that he was one after the origin of Christianity; they deof the seventy disciples, and a follower of clared that neither more nor fewer than four Christ when he was upon earth; and if so, were received by the church. A Harmony he was most likely to be a native Israelite. of these four Evangelists was compiled by Luke most probably wrote his Gospel at Tatian about that time, which he called Rome, a little before he wrote his history of The Gospel out of the four." In the the "Acts of the Apostles," which is a con- third and fourth centuries there were tinuation of the former, when he was there gospels forged by divers sects, and pubwith Paul, while he was a prisoner, and lished, one under the name of St. Peter, preaching in his own hired house," with another of St. Thomas, another of St. which the history of the Acts concludes Philip, &c. But they were never owned In this case, it must have been written by the church, nor was any credit given to about twenty-seven years after Christ's de- them, as the learned Dr. Whitby shows. parture, and about the fourth year of the And he gives this good reason why we reign of Nero. Jerome says that St. Luke should adhere to these written records: died when he was eighty-four years of age," because," says he, "whatever the preand that he was never married. Dr. Cave tences of tradition may be, it is not sufficient observes that "his way and manner of writ- to preserve things with any certainty, as ing are accurate and exact, his style polite appears by experience. For whereas Christ and elegant, sublime and lofty, yet perspicu- said and did many memorable things which ous; and that he expresses himself in a vein were not written, tradition has not preserved of purer Greek than is to be found in the any one of them to us, but all is lost exother writers of this holy history." Thus cept what was written; and that, therefore, he relates several things more copiously than is what we must abide by.' the other evangelists, and thus he especially treats those things which relate to the priestly office of Christ. After the Gospel, or history of Jesus Christ, follows the history of what passed after his ascension, and was transacted by The fourth evangelist, John, was one of the apostles. The book, therefore, which the sons of Zebedee, a fisherman of Galilee, contains this history is called "The Acts of the brother of James, one of the twelve the Apostles." It is a history of the rising apostles, and distinguished by the honora- church for about the space of thirty years. ble appellation," that disciple whom Jesus It was written, as has been already observed, loved. The ancients tell us that John lived the longest of all the apostles, and was the only one of them that died a natural by St. Luke the Evangelist, when he was with St. Paul at Rome, during his imprisonment there. In the end of the book he It has sometimes occurred to the minds of many well-disposed persons, that it would have been better for Christianity had there never been any other record of its origin and doctrines than the writings of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. But, however mentions particularly his being with Paul othy. 13. The second of Peter. 14. The in his dangerous voyage to Rome, when he epistle of Jude. 15. The three epistles of was carried thither a prisoner; and it is evi- John. As it respects the date of these dent that he was with him when, from his apostolic epistles, it is very generally agreed prison there, Paul wrote his epistles to the that they were written between the years Colossians and Philemon; for in both of A. D. 54 and 68, excepting those of John these he is named by him. written probably between the years 96 and Next to this come the Epistles of St. 100.† Paul, which are fourteen in number: one to the Romans, two to the Corinthians, one to the Galatians, one to the Ephesians, one to the Philippians, one to the Colossians, two to the Thessalonians, two to Timothy, one to Titus, one to Philemon, and one to the Hebrews. They contain that part of eccle- plain and satisfactory the histories of these siastical history which immediately follows after what is related in the Acts. The principal matter contained in them is the establishment or confirmation of the doctrine which Jesus Christ taught his disciples. According as the difficulties which raised disputes among the Christians, or the heresies which sprung up in the church from the first age of it, required, St. Paul in these epistles clears up and proves all matters of faith, and gives excellent rules for morality. His epistles may be considered as a commentary on, or an interpretation of, the four books of the Gospel.* The chronological succession of the Epistles is as follows: 1. To the Thessalonians. 2. To the Galatians. 3. To the Corinthians. 4. To the Romans. 5. The epistle of James. 6. To the Ephesians. 7. To the Philippians. 8. To the Hebrews. 9. The first epistle of Peter. 10. The first to Timothy. 11. To Titus. 12. The second to Tim Paul, evangelists may be, and however little they The first division of the Scriptures, as already mentioned, is into the Old and New Testaments. The New belongs to the Chris* In respect to the leading design of the apos- Principles are involved, which are our surest tolical episties, Dr. Bloomfield remarks: "That guides on all points relating to church liberty, though the essential doctrines and precepts of especially as to abstaining from things innocent Christianity are to be found in the Gospels, yet a in themselves, if likely to give offence to scrupufuller and clearer statement of them was neces-lous brethren. A. B. sary, considering the altered state of things to that which existed during our Saviour's life-time; and especially after the uprise of serious corruptions and dangerous errors, originating partly in misconception, but which required to be checked by a more explicit, and yet equally authoritative revelation. Now this was done by St. Paul and the other writers of the Epistles. Consequently, though they were written for the immediate purpose of refuting heresies, arising from a mixture of Christianity with Judaism or Gentilism, of repressing corruptions, reforming abuses, and composing schisms and differences, yet, in point of fact, they became, and were avowedly, commentaries on the doctrines of Christ, as delivered in the Gospels; and though originally intended for particular Christian societies, yet are adapted to the instruction of Christians in all ages." †The apostolic epistles are didactic or catholic. The didactic epistles are those addressed to particular churches; the catholic or general are addressed to the whole church, or to a larger section of it. The writings of Paul, for the most part, belong to the former class. They are analyzed or classified by Lange, as follows: 1. Eschatological epistles, which treat of the last things. 2. Ecclesiastic epistles, which treat of the discipline of the church. 3. Soteriological epistles, which treat of redemption and righteousness by faith. 4. Christological epistles, which treat of the person of Christ. 5. Pastoral epistles. The Epistle to the Hebrews, that of James, and the three of John, and those of Peter and Jude, are classed as catholic epistles. - Vid. Dr. Lange's Introduction to the New Testament, p. 27. A. B. |