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The Grounds of Christianity
Examined by Comparing
The New Testament with the Old
by George Bethune English, A.M.
"First understand, then judge."
"Bring forth the people blind, although they have eyes;
And deaf, although they have ears.
Let them produce their witnesses, that they may be justified;
Or let them hear their turn, and say, THIS IS TRUE."
ISAIAH.
Boston 1813
To the Intelligent and the Candid
Who are
Willing to Listen to Every Opinion
That is Supported by Reason;
And
Not Averse to Bringing their Own Opinions
To the Test of Examination;
THIS BOOK
Is Respectfully Dedicated
By
The Author
CONTENTS
Chapter I.
Introductory,--Showing that the Apostles and Authors of the
New Testament endeavour to prove Christianity from the Old.
Chapter II.
Statement of the Question in Dispute.
Chapter III.
The Characteristics of the Messiah, as given by the Hebrew
Prophets.
Chapter IV.
The character of Jesus tested by those characteristic marks of the
messiah, given by the Prophets of the Old Testament.
Chapter V.
Examination of the arguments from the Old Testament adduced in
the New, to prove that Jesus of Nazareth was the Messiah.
Chapter VI.
Examination of the meaning of the phrase "this was done that it
might be fulfilled."
Chapter VII.
Examination of the arguments alledged from the Hebrew Prophets,
to prove that Jesus was the Messiah.
Chapter VIII.
Statement of Arguments which prove that Jesus was not the
Messiah of the Old Testament.
Chapter IX.
On the character of Jesus of Nazareth, and the weight to be
allowed to the argument of martyrdom, as a test of truth, in this
question.
Chapter X.
Miscellaneous.
Chapter XI.
Whether the Mosaic Law be represented in the Old Testament as a
temporary, or a perpetual institution.
Chapter XII.
On the character of Paul, and his manner of reasoning.
Chapter XIII.
Examination of some doctrines in the New testament, derived from
the Cabbala, the Oriental philosophy, and the tenets of Zoroaster.
Chapter XIV.
A consideration of the "gift of tongues," and other miraculous
powers, ascribed to the Primitive Christians; and whether recorded
miracles are infallible proofs of the Divine Authority of doctrines
said to have been confirmed by them.
Chapter XV.
Application of the two tests, said in Deuteronomy to have been
given by God as discriminating a true prophet from a false one, to
the character and actions of Jesus.
Chapter XVI.
Examination of the evidence, external and internal, in favour of the
credibility of the Gospel history.
Chapter XVII.
On the peculiar morality of the New Testament, as it affects
nations and political societies.
Chapter XIX.
A consideration of some supposed advantages attributed to the
New, over the Old, testament; and whether the doctrine of a
Resurrection and a Life to Come, is not taught by the Old
testament, in contradiction the assertion, that "life and immorality
were brought to light by the Gospel."
Conclusion
Appendix
Addenda
PREFACE
The celebrated Dr. Price, in his valuable "Observation on
the Importance of the American Revolution," addressed to the
people of the United States, observes that, "It is a common
opinion, that there are some doctrines so sacred, and others of so
bad a tendency, that no public discussion of them ought to be
allowed. Were this a right opinion, all the persecution that has
ever been practised would be justified; for if it is a part of the duty
of civil magistrates to prevent the discussion of such doctrines,
they must, in doing this, act on their own judgments of the nature
and tendency of doctrines; and, consequently, they must have a
right to prevent the discussion of all doctrines which they think to
be too sacred for discussion, or too dangerous in their tendency;
and this right they must exercise in the only way in which civil
power is capable of exercising it--'by inflicting penalties upon all
who oppose sacred doctrines, or who maintain pernicious
opinions.' In Mahometan, countries, therefore, magistrates would
have a right to silence and punish all who oppose the divine
mission of Mahomet, a doctrine there reckoned of the most sacred
nature. The like is true of the doctrines of transubstantiation,
worship of the Virgin Mary, &c. &c., in Popish countries; and of
the doctrines of the Trinity, satisfaction, &c., in Protestant
countries. All such laws are right, if the opinion I have mentioned
is right. But, in reality, civil power has nothing to do in such
matters, and civil governors go miserably out of their proper
province, whenever they take upon them the care of truth, or the
support of any doctrinal points. They are not judges of truth, and if
they pretend to decide about it, they will decide wrong. This all
the countries under heaven think of the application of civil power
to doctrinal points in every country, but their own. It is indeed
superstition, idolatry, and nonsense, that civil power at present
supports almost every where under the idea of supporting sacred
truth, and opposing dangerous error. Would not, therefore, its
perfect neutrality be the greatest blessing? Would not the interest
of truth gain unspeakably, were all the rulers of states to aim at
nothing but keeping the peace; or did they consider themselves
bound to take care, not of the future, but the present, interest of
man; not of their souls and of their faith, but of their person and
property; not of any ecclesiastical, but secular, matters only?"
"All the experience of past time proves, that the consequence of
allowing civil power to judge of the nature and tendency of
doctrines, must be making it a hindrance to the progress of truth,
and an enemy to the improvement of the world."
"I would extend these observations to all points of faith, however
sacred they may: be deemed. Nothing reasonable--can suffer by
discussion. All doctrines, really sacred, must be clear, and
incapable of being opposed with success."
"That immoral tendency of doctrines, which has been urged as a
reason against allowing the public discussion of them, may be
either avowed and direct? or only a consequence with which they
are charged. If it is avowed and direct, such doctrines certainly will
not spread; the principles rooted, in human nature will resist them,
and the advocates of them will be soon disgraced. If, on the
contrary, it is only a consequence with which a doctrine is charged,
it should be considered how apt all parties are to charge the
doctrines they oppose with bad tendencies. It is well known that
Calvinists and Arminians, Trinitarians and Socinians, Fatalists and
Free-Willers, are continually exclaiming against one another's
opinions, as dangerous and licentious. Even Christianity itself
could not, at its first introduction, escape this accusation. The
professors of it were considered as atheists, because they opposed
pagan idolatry; and their religion was, on this account, reckoned a
destructive and pernicious enthusiasm. If, therefore, the rulers of a
state are to prohibit the propagation of all doctrines, in which they
apprehend immoral tendencies, an opening will be made, as I have
before observed, for every species of persecution. There will be no
doctrine, however true or important, the avowal of which will not,
in, some country or other, be subjected to civil penalties."
These observations bear the stamp of good sense, and their truth
has been abundantly confirmed by experience; and it is the peculiar
honour of the United States, that in conformity with the principles
of these observations, perfect freedom, of opinion and of speech,
are here established by law, and are the birthright of every citizen
thereof. Our country* is the only one which has not been guilty of
the folly of establishing the ascendancy of one set of religious
opinions, and persecuting or tolerating all others, and which does
not permit any man to harass his neighbour, because he thinks
differently from himself. In consequence of these excellent
institutions, difference of religious sentiment; makes here no
breach in private friendship, and works no danger to the public
security. This is as it should be; for, in matters of opinion,
especially with regard to so important a thing as religion, it is
every man's natural right and duty to think for himself, and to
judge upon such evidence as he can procure, after he has used his
best endeavours to get information. Human decisions are of no
weight in this matter, for another man has no more right to.
determine what his opinions shall be, than I have to determine
what another man's opinions shall be. It is amazing that one man
can dare to presume he has such a right over another; and that any
man can be so weak and credulous, as to imagine, that another has
such right over him.
As it is every man's natural right and duty to think and judge for
himself in matters of opinion; so he should be allowed freely to
bring forward and defend his opinions, and to endeavour, when be
judges proper, to convince others also of their truth.
For unless all men are allowed freely to profess their opinions, the
means of information, with respect to opinions, must, in a great
measure, be wanting; and just inquiries into their truth be almost
impracticable; and, by consequence, our natural right and duty to
think and judge for ourselves, must be rendered almost nugatory,
or be subverted, for want of materials whereon to employ our
minds. A man by himself, without communication with other
minds, can make no great progress in knowledge; and besides, an
individual is indisposed to use his own strength, when an
undisturbed laziness, ignorance, and prejudice give him full
satisfaction as to the truth of his opinions. But if there be a free
profession, or communication of sentiment, every man will have
an opportunity of acquainting himself with all that can be known
from others; and many for their own satisfaction will make
inquiries, and, in order to ascertain the truth of opinions, will desire
to know all that can be said on any question.
If such liberty of professing and teaching be not allowed, error, if
authorized, will keep its ground; and truth, if dormant, will never
be brought to light; or, if authorized, will be supported on a false
and absurd foundation, and such as would equally support error;
and, if received on the ground of authority, will not be in the least
meritorious to its professors.
Besides, not to encourage capable and honest men to profess and
defend their opinions when different from ours, is to distrust the
truth of our own opinion, and to fear the light. Such conduct must,
in a country of sense and learning, increase the number of
unbelievers already so greatly complained of; who, if they see
matters of opinion not allowed to be professed, and impartially
debated, think, justly perhaps, that they have foul play, and,
therefore, reject many things as false and ill grounded, which
otherwise they might perhaps receive as truths.
The grand principle of men considered as having relation to the
Deity, and under an obligation to be religious, is, that they ought to
consult their reason, and seek every where for the best instruction;
and of Christians and Protestants the duty, and professed principle
is, to consult reason and the Scripture, as the rule of their faith and
practice.
But how can these, which are practical principles, be duly put in
practice, unless all be at liberty, at all times, and in all points,
consider and debate with others, (as well as with themselves,) what
reason and Scripture says; and to profess, and act openly,
according to what they are convinced they say? How can we
become better informed with regard to religion, than by using the
best means of information? which consist in consulting reason and
scripture, and calling in the aid of others. And of what use is it to
consult reason, and Scripture at all, as any means of information.,
if we are not, upon conviction, to follow their dictates?
No man has any reason to apprehend any ill consequences to truth,
(for which alone he ought to have any concern,) from free inquiry
and debate.--For truth is not a thing to dread examination, but
when fairly proposed to an unbiased understanding, is like light to
the eye; it must distinguish itself from error, as light does
distinguish does distinguish itself from darkness. For, while free
debate is allowed, truth is in no danger, for it will never want a
professor thereof, nor an advocate to offer some plea in its behalf.
And it can never be wholly banished, but when human decisions,
backed by human power, carry all before them.
We ought to examine foundations of opinions, not only, that we
may attain the discovery of truth, but we ought to do so, on this
account, because that it is our duty; and the way to recommend
ourselves to the favour of God. For opinions, how true soever,
when the effect of education or tradition, or interest, or passion,
can never recommend a man to God. For those ways have no merit
in them, and are the worst a man can possibly take to obtain truth;
and therefore, though they may be objects of forgiveness, they can
never be of reward from Him.
Having promised these observations in order to persuade, and
dispose the reader to be candid, I will now declare the motives,
which induced me to submit to the consideration of the intelligent,
the contents of this volume. The Author has spared, he thinks, no
pains to arrive at certain Truth in matters of religion; the; sense of
which is what distinguishes man from the brute. And in this most
important subject that can employ the human understanding, he
has been particularly desirous to become acquainted with the
Grounds, and Doctrines of the Christian Religion; and nothing but
the difficulties, which he in this volume lays before the public,
staggers his faith in it.
It may perhaps add to the interest the Reader may take in this work
to inform him, that the Author was a believer in the religion of the
New Testament, after what he conceived to be a sufficient
examination of its evidence for a divine origin. He had terminated
an examination of the controversy with the Deists to his own
satisfaction, i.e. he felt convinced that their objections were not
insurmountable, when he turned his attention to the consideration
of the ancient, and obscure controversy between the Christians and
the Jews. His curiosity was deeply interested to examine a subject
in truth so little known, and to ascertain the causes, and the
reasons, which had prevented a people more interested in the truth
of Christianity than any other from believing it: and he set down to
the subject without any suspicion, that the examination would not
terminate in convincing him still more in favour of what were then
his opinions. After a long, thorough, and startling examination of
their Books, together with all the answers to them he could obtain
from a Library amply furnished in this respect, he was finally very
reluctantly compelled to feel persuaded, by proofs he could neither
refute, nor evade, that how easily soever Christians might answer
the Deists, so called, the Jews were clearly too hard for them.
Because they set the Old and New Testament in opposition, and
reduce Christians to this fatal dilemma.--Either the Old Testament
contains a Revelation from God; or it does sot. If it does, then the
New Testament cannot be from God, because it is palpably, and
importantly repugnant to the Old Testament in doctrine, and some
other things. Now Jews, and Christians, each of them admit the
Old Testament as containing a divine Revelation; consequently the
Jews cannot, and Christians ought not to receive and allow any
thing as a Revelation from God which flatly contradicts a former
by them acknowledged Revelation: because it cannot be supposed
that God will contradict himself. On the other hand--if the Old
Testament be not from God, still the New Testament must go
down, because it asserts that the Old Testament is a revelation
from God, and builds upon it as a foundation. And if the
foundation fails, how can the house, stand? The Author pledges
himself to the Reader, to prove, that they establish this dilemma
completely. And he cannot help thinking, that there is reason to
believe, that if both sides of this strangely neglected controversy
had been made public in times past, and become known, that the
consequences would have been long ago fatal at least to the New
Testament.
The Author has been earnestly dissuaded from making public the
contents of this volume on account of apprehended mischievous
consequences. He thought, however, that the age of pious frauds
ought to be past, and their principle discarded, at least in Protestant
countries. Deception and error are always, sooner or later,
discovered; and truth in, the long run, both in politics, and religion,
will never be ultimately harmful. If what the Book states is true, it
ought to be known, if it is erroneous; it can, and will, be refuted.
The Author therefore makes it public, for these reasons,--because
he thinks, that the matter contained in the book, is true, and
important,--because he wished, and found it necessary to justify
himself from contemptible misrepresentations uttered behind his
back; and to give to those who know him, good and sufficient
reasons for past conduct, of which those to whom he is known,
cannot be ignorant; and finally, he thought it right, and proper, and
humane, to give to the world a work which contained the reasons
for the unbelief of the countrymen of Jesus; who for almost
eighteen hundred years have been made the unresisting victims of,
as the reader will find, groundless misrepresentation, and the most
amazing cruelty; because they refused to believe what it was
impossible that they should believe, on account of reasons their
persecutors did not know, and refused to be informed of.
If the arguments and statements contained in this volume should be
found to be correct, he believes that every honest and candid man,
after his first surprise that they should not have been made known
before, will feel for the victims of a mistake so singular and so
ancient as the one which is the subject of the following pages; and
will think with the author, that it is time, high time, that the truth
should be known, and justice be done to them.*
There is not in existence a more singular instance of the
mischievous mistakes arising from taking things for granted which
require proof, than the case before the reader. The world has all
along been in total error with regard to the reasons and the motives
which have prevented the Hebrew nation from receiving the
system of the New Testament. They have been successfully
accused of incorrigible blindness and obstinacy; and while
volumes upon volumes have been written against them, and the
arguments therein contained, supported and enforced by the power
of the Inquisition, and the oppressions of all Christendom, these
unfortunate people have not been willingly suffered to offer to the
world one word in their own defence. They have not been
allowed, after hearing with patience both arguments, and "railing
accusations" in abundance, to answer in their turn; but have been
compelled, through the fear of confiscation, persecution, and death,
to leave misapprehensions unexplained, and misrepresentations
unrefuted.
Is it then to be wondered at, that mankind have considered their
adversaries as in the right, and that deserted by reason, and even
their own Scriptures, they were supported in their opinion only by
a blind and pertinacious obstinacy, more worthy of wonder than
curiosity? Alas! the world did not consider, that nothing was more
easy than to confute people whose tongues were frozen by the
terror of the Inquisition!! But, thanks to the good sense of this
enlightened age, those times are past and gone. There is now one
happy country where freedom of speech is allowed, where every
harmless religious opinion is protected by law, and where every
opinion is listened to that is supported by reason. The time, I trust,
is now come when the substantial arguments of this oppressed,
and, in this respect, certainly calumniated, people, may be
produced and their reasons set forth, without the fear of harm, and
with, and with the hope of hearing from the intelligent and the
candid. They, we believe, will be fully convinced, that their
adversaries have for so long a time triumphed over them without
measure, only because they have been suffered to do so without
contradiction.
The reader is assured, that, notwithstanding the subject, he will
find nothing in this volume but what is considered by the author to
be fair and liberal argument; and such no honest man ought to
decline looking in the face. He has endeavoured to discuss the
important subject of the book in the most inoffensive manner; for
he has no wish, and claims no right, to wound the feelings of those
who differ from him in opinion. There is not, nor ought there to be,
a word of reproach in it, against the moral character of Jesus, or the
twelve Apostles; and the utmost the author attempts to prove is,
that their system was founded, not upon fraud and imposture, but
upon a mistake. After the deaths of Christ and his Apostles, it was
indeed aided and supported by very bad means; but its first
founders, the author believes, were guilty of no other crime than
that of being mistaken; a very common one indeed.
He hopes, therefore, that such a discussion as the one now laid
before the public, will be fairly met, and fairly answered, if
answered at all, and that recourse will not be had to dishonest and
ungentlemanly misrepresentations, and calling names, in order to
prevent people from examining things they have a right to know,
and in order to blind and frighten the public, the jury to which he
appeals. It is infallibly true, that the knowledge of truth is, and
must be beneficial to mankind; and that, in the long run, it never
was, and never can be, harmful. It is equally certain, that God
would never give a Revelation so slightly founded as to be
endangered by any sophistry of man. If the Christian system be
from God, it will certainly stand, no human power can overthrow
it; and, therefore, no sincere Christian who believes the New
Testament, ought to be afraid to meet half way the objections of
any one who offers them with fairness, and expresses them in
decent language; and no sensible Christian ought to shut his ears
against his neighbour, who respectfully asks "a reason for the faith
that is in him."
The author has been told, indeed, that, "supposing the Christian
system to be unfounded, yet that it is reasonable to believe, that the
Supreme Being would view any attempts to disturb it, with
displeasure, on account of its moral effects." But is not this
something like absurdity? Can God have made it necessary, that
morals should be founded on delusion, in order that they might be
supported? Can the God of TRUTH be displeased to have men
convinced that they have been mistaken, or imposed upon, by
Revelations pretended to be from Him, which if in fact not from
him, must be the offspring either of error or falsehood? And if the
Christian system be, in truth, not from God, can we suppose, that
in his eyes its doctrines with regard to Him are atoned for, by a few
good moral precepts? Can we suppose, that that Supreme and
awful Being can feel Himself honoured, in having his creatures
made to believe, that He was once nine months in the womb of a
woman; that God, the Great and Holy, went through all the
nastiness of infancy; that be lived a mendicant in a corner of the
earth, and was finally scourged, and hanged on a gibbet by his own
creatures? If these things be, in truth, all mistakes, can we
suppose, that God is pleased in having them believed of Him? On
the contrary, can they, together with the doctrine of the Trinity, I
would respectfully ask, be possibly looked upon by Him (if they
are not true), otherwise, than as so many--what I forbear to
mention. But this is not all. The reader is requested to consider,
that the Christian system is built upon the prostrate necks of the
whole Hebrew nation. It is a tree which flourished in a soil watered
by their tears; its leaves grew green in an atmosphere filled with
their cries and groans; and its roots have been moistened and
fattened with their blood. The ruin, reproach, and sufferings of that
people, are considered, by its advocates, as the most striking proof
of the Divine authority of the New Testament; and for almost
eighteen hundred years the system contained in that book has been
the cause of miseries and afflictions to that nation, the most
horrible and unparalleled in the history of man.
Now, if that system be indeed Divine, all this may be very well,
and as it should be. But if, perchance, it should turn out to be a
mistake if it be, in truth, not from God; will not, then, that system
be justly chargeable with all those shocking cruelties which, on
account of it, have been inflicted on that people?
If that system be verily and indeed founded on a mistake, no
language, no indignation, can do justice to its guilt in this respect.
All its good moral effects are a mere drop of pure water in that
ocean of Jewish and Gentile blood it has caused to be shed by
embittering men's minds with groundless prejudices. And if it be
not divine; if it be plainly and demonstrably proved to have
originated in error; who is the man, that, after considering what has
been suggested, will have the heart to come forward, and coolly
say, "that it is better that a whole nation of men should continue, as
heretofore, to be unjustly hated, reproached, cursed, and plundered,
and massacred, on account of it, rather than that the received
religious system should be demonstrated to be founded on
mistake?" No! If it be, in fact, founded on mistake, every man of
honour, honesty, and humanity, will say, without hesitation, "Let
the delusion (if it is one) be done away, which must be supported
at the expense of truth, of justice, and the happiness and
respectability of a whole nation, who are men like ourselves, and
more unfortunate than any others, in having already suffered but
too much affliction and misery on account of it." No! though the
moral effects ascribed to this system of religion were as good, as
great, and ten times greater than they ever have been, or can be,
yet, if it is a delusion, it would be absolutely wicked to support it,
since it is erected upon the sufferings, wretchedness, and
oppression of a people who compose millions of the great family
of mankind.
It is remarkable, that the ablest modern advocates for the truth and
divine authority of the gospel, as if they knew of no certain,
demonstrative proof which could be adduced in a case of so much
importance, seem to content themselves, and expect their readers
should be satisfied, with an accumulation of probable arguments in
its favour; and it has been even said, that the case admits of no
other kind of proof. If it be so, the author requests all so persuaded
to consider, for a moment, whether it could be reconciled to any
ideas of wisdom in an earthly potentate, if he should send an
ambassador to a foreign state to mediate a negotiation of the
greatest importance, without furnishing him with certain,
indubitable credentials of the truth and authenticity of his mission?
And to consider further, whether it be just or seemly, to attribute to
the Omniscient, Omnipotent Deity, a degree of weakness and folly,
which was never yet imputed to any of his creatures? for unless
men are hardy enough to pass so gross an affront upon the
tremendous Majesty of Heaven, the improbability that God should
delegate the Mediator of a most important covenant to be proposed
to all mankind, without enabling him to give them clear and, in
reason, indisputable proof of the divine authority of his mission,
must ever infinitely outweigh the aggregate sum of all the
probabilities which can be accumulated in the opposite scale of the
balance. And to conclude, I presume it will not be denied, that the
authenticity and celestial origin of any thing pretending to be a
Divine Revelation, before it has any claims upon our faith, ought to
be made clear beyond all reasonable doubt; otherwise, it can have no
just claims to a right to influence our conduct.
And as for the opinions and the arguments contained in this
volume, I have but trembling hopes that they will meet with
favour, merely because the author is sincere, and wishes to do
right. Conscious that I make a perilous attempt, in daring to
defend myself by attacking ancient error supported by multitudes,
with no other seconds besides Truth and Reason, it would be
bootless for me to ask indulgence for them on account of my good
intentions; and as they can derive no credit from the authority of
the writer, I am sensible they must fall by their own weakness, or
stand by their own strength. I must leave them, therefore, to their
fate; and I can cheerfully do it, without fear for the issue, if the
reader will only be candid, and will comply with my earnest
request--"first to understand, and then judge."
Before I conclude these prefatory remarks, I would observe, that as
the contents of this volume will be perfectly novel to nine hundred
and ninety-nine out of a thousand, it is but justice to the public, and
to myself, to avow, that I do not claim to have originated all the
arguments advanced in this book. A very considerable proportion
of them were selected, and derived, from ancient and curious
Jewish Tracts, translated from Chaldee into Latin, very little
known even in Europe, and not at all known there to any but the
curious and inquisitive. And I reasonably hope, that discerning
men will be much more disposed to weigh with candour the
arguments herein offered, when they consider that they are, in
many instances, the reasonings of learned, ancient and venerable
men, who, in times when the inquisition was in vigour, suffered
under the most bloody oppression, and whose writings were
cautiously preserved, and secretly handed down to the seventeenth
century in manuscript, as the printing of them would assuredly
have brought all concerned to the stake. Some few other arguments
were derived from other authors, and were taken from works not so
much known as I hope they will be.
Finally, I commit my work to the discretion of the good sense of
the reader, believing that if he is not convinced, he will at least be
interested; and hoping that he will discover from the complexion of
the book (what my own heart bears witness to) that the author is a
sincere inquirer after truth, and perfectly willing to be convinced
that he is in error by any one who can remove the difficulties, and
refute the arguments, now laid by him before the public, with
deference and respect.
September 28, 1813.
THE
EVIDENCES OF CHRISTIANITY
Examined by Comparing the
NEW TESTAMENT WITH THE OLD.
CHAPTER I.
Introductory,--showing that the Apostles and the authors of the
New Testament, endeavour to prove Christianity from the Old.
Christianity is founded on Judaism, and the New Testament upon
the Old; and Jesus of Nazareth is the person said in the New
Testament to be Promised in the Old, under the character and name
of the Messiah of the Jews, and who as such only claims the
obedience, and submission of the World. Accordingly, it is the
design of the authors of the New, to prove Christianity from the
Old, Testament; which is said Jo. 5:39, to contain the words of
eternal life: and it represents Jesus and his Apostles, as fulfilling by
their mission, doctrines and works, the predictions of the Prophets
and the Law: which last is said to prophecy of, or to typify
Christianity.
Matthew, for example, proves several parts of Christianity from
the Old Testament, either by asserting them to be things foretold
therein as to come to pass under the gospel dispensation; or to be
founded on the notions of the Old Testament.
Thus he proves Mary's being with child by the Holy Spirit, and the
Angel's telling her she "shall bring forth a son, and call his name
Jesus;" and the other circumstances attending his miraculous birth;
Jesus' birth at Bethlehem; his flight into Egypt; the slaughter of the
infants; Jesus Dwelling at Nazareth, and at Capernaum, in the
borders of Zabulon, and Naphtali; his casting out devils, and
healing the sick; his eating with Publicans and sinners; his
speaking in parables that the Jews might not understand him; his
sending his disciples to fetch an ass, and a colt; the children's
crying in the Temple; the resurrection of Jesus from the dead;
Jesus' being betrayed by Judas, and Judas' returning back the
thirty pieces of Silver, and the Priest's buying the Potter's Field
with them; and his hanging Himself; &c. &c. All these events, and
many more, are said to be fulfillments of the Prophecies of the Old
Testament, see Mat. 1, 2: and 4 chapters, and ch. 8: v. 16,17, and
ch. 9: 11,13, and ch. 13: 13, ch. 21: 2--7. 15,16, ch. 22: 31, 32, ch.
26: 54, 56, ch. 27: 5--10.
Jesus himself is represented as proving the truth of Christianity
thus. He, joining himself to two of his Disciples, (Luke 28: 15--
22,) after his resurrection, who knew him not, and complaining of
their mistake about his person, whom they now took not to be the
Messiah, because he had been condemned to death, and crucified;
he, observing their disbelief of his resurrection, which had been
reported to them by "certain women of their acquaintance," upon
the credit of the affirmation of angels, said unto them, "O Fools,
and slow of heart to believe all that the Prophets have spoken.
Ought not Christ (i.e. the Messiah) to have suffered these things,
and to enter into his Glory? and beginning at Moses, and all the
Prophets, he expounded unto them in all the Scriptures the things
concerning himself."
Again he discoursed to all his Disciples, putting them in mind, that,
before his Death, he told them (Luke 24: 44, 46, 47,) that "all
things must be fulfilled which were written in the law of Moses,
and in the Prophets, and in the Psalms concerning him;" adding,
"thus it is written, and thus it behoveth Christ (1. e. the Messiah) to
suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day; and that repentance,
and remission of sins should be preached in his name, beginning at
Jerusalem."
When the people of several nations, Acts 2:12, were amazed at the
Apostles speaking in their several tongues, and when many
mocked the Apostles, saying they were full of new wine, Peter
makes a speech in public, wherein, after saying they were not
drunk, because it was but the third hour of the day, he endeavours
to show them, that this was spoken of by the Prophet Joel, and he
concludes with proving the resurrection of Jesus from the book of
Psalms.
Peter, and John, tell the people assembled at the Temple, "that
God had showed by the mouth of all his Prophets, that Christ
should suffer," Acts 3:18.
Peter to justify his preaching to the Gentiles, concludes his
discourse with saying, Acts 10: 43--"To Jesus gave all the
Prophets witness, that through his name whosoever (i.e. Jew, or
Gentile) believeth in him, shall receive remission of sins."
Paul also endeavours to prove to the Jews in the Synagogue of
Antioch, (Ib. v. 13) that the history of Jesus was contained in the
Old Testament, and that he, and Barnabas were commanded in the
Old Testament, to preach the gospel to the Gentiles.
On the occasion of a dispute among the Christians whether the
Gentile converts were to be circumcised after the Law of Moses,
and to observe the Law, we find, that after much disputing, the
point was settled by James by quotation from Amos.
The Bereans are highly extolled (Acts 17: 11,) for searching the
Scriptures, i.e. the Old Testament, daily, in order to find out
whether the things preached to them by the Apostles were so, or no:
who if they had not proved these things, i.e. Christianity from the
Old Testament, ought, according to their own principles, to have
been rejected by the Bereans, as teachers of false doctrine.
Paul, when accused before Agrippa by the Jews, said (Acts 26; 6,)
"I stand, and am judged for the hope of the promise made of God
unto our fathers," i.e. for teaching Christianity, or the true doctrine
of the Old Testament, and to this accusation he pleads guilty, by
declaring in the fullest manner, that he taught nothing but the
Doctrines of the Old Testament. "Having therefore (says he)
obtained help of God, I continue unto this day, witnessing both to
small, and great, saying now other things than those which the
Prophets, and Moses did say should come, that the Christ should
suffer, and that he should be the first who should rise from the
Dead, and should show light unto the People, and unto the
Gentiles."
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