The Life of Christ, for the Use of Classes in Secondary Schools and in the Secondary Division of ...
•k \ ES #^/jl •*- ° 1^ so M to X^ .NTHt 1^^ ^ I : S T It I A TIME OF CHRIST .' O ? f ^ ' ^^ ' "C-^SAREA PH9UPPf T u n E A a, ^- ^ ^ '' - GALILEE l^Sjf" ^ O ^ ' ^ A, TmEmAS'VfteT K ca^atha* i^Blla^^jLti NAiN« ^r * -^"•^ \/ B A T A f* C A ■^,»*u Ik. -AMftlCTHAURA t ^w t * LsIa MARIA ^ SAMARIA* *"*"' fiVCHAl^:. AHECHElif* cSAktM * id * J U b E A J AJOTua JERUSALEM ♦ ^ETH*«vr SCTHLCHCM" <^ ^ / it i * y PHrUliOELPIHlA' •hebmmn / n • OLERSNUA ^ V AC'*''''*' Copyright by The Bible Study Publisbiag Co. THE LIFE OF CHRIST FOR THE USE OF CLASSES IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS AND IN THE SECONDARY DIVISION OF THE SUNDAY SCHOOL ADAPTED FROM THE LIFE OF CHRIST BY ERNEST D. BURTON and SHAILER MATHEWS By Isaac Bronson Burgess THE UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO PRESS CHICAGO, ILLINOIS COPYSIOBT XQOS By The University of CmcAoo All Rights Reaerved Published September igoS Second Impression December xgxi Third Impression October 19x2 Fourth Impression December 1913 Fifth Impression September 19x5 Sixth Impression October 19x6 Seventh Impression July 19x7 Eighth Impression September 19x8 ^nth Impression March 19x9 Tenth Impression October 19x9 Eleventh Impression October 1920 Twelfth Impression July 192 1 Thirteenth Impression October 192 x Composed and Printed By The UniTersity of Chicago Press Chicago. lUinois. U.S.A. PREFACE The Life of Chrhl by Burton and Mathews, published m 1900, upon which this volume is based, coptains the foEowing preface: In the preparation of this volume we have had specially in mind the needs of students in academies and colleges, and in the advanced classes of Sonday schools. Il is otir hope in some measure to- promote the thorough, systematic study of the Bible, and in particular the histoncat study of the gospels along such lines as are ordinarily followed in constructive and historical work Such study has, we are convinced, a proper place in the curriculum of every academy and college. The reasons which in the past have denied to the Bible and to biblical history what was freely granted to other an dent classics and to other andent history are rapidly ceasing to exist, and the day must soon come when trustees and faculties will see their way to respond to the demand already made by stu- dents for thorough instruction in the Bible. Of the proper spirit and aim of such study we speak on a later page. It is not le^ firmly our conviction that the Sunday school should have a curriculum of study as carefully and as intelligently graded as any other school, and that this curriculum should include a thorough course in biblical history. Such a course, covering both the Old Testament and the New, dealing with teachings as well as events, and recognizing relations of events as well as mere facts, should occupy not less than three or four years. The present work has been prepared with the thought that it should constitute the middle third of such a course in biblical hbtory, properly following a thorough study of Old Testament history, and itself to be followed by a study of the history of the apostolic church. These words appropriately introduce the present volume. The need for constructive and historical Bible study is more keenly felt than ever before, especially in the Sunday schooL This volume is intended for students of high-school and academy rather tharr of college age. In revising Burton and Mathews* Life of Ckrisi matter which seemed too abstract or detailed has been cut out, the form of statement has often been simplified, and matter which would appeal to the imagination and the emotions has been freely added. Everywhere the concrete has been emphasised and [ action rather than discourse. In reading the proofs I have been greatly aided by the skill and 5 6 PREFACE judgment of Professor Frank M. Bronson of Morgan Park, IlL- My son Robert has verified many of the references and the sympathy and suggestion of my wife have added to the value of the book. My greatest obligation is to Professor E. D. Burton, editor of this series. It was at his solicitation that I undertook to prepare the volume^ and it is only by his patient and active help generously and constantly given that I am able to complete it. Isaac B. Burgess Cambridge, Mass. Augiist, 1908 TABLE OF CONTENTS lAOK Preface. *. $ List OF Maps AND Illustrations. * ... lo Suggestions for Using the Book ii Books on the Life of Jesus and Kindred Topics .... 13 Historical Introduction: Palestine diiring the Last Two Centuries before Christ .15 PART I ' ''■ THE THIRTY YEARS OF PRIVATE LIFE FROM THE BIRTH OF JESUS UNTIL THE COMING OF JOHN THE BAPTIST Chapter I. — ^The Sources of Our Knowledge of the Life of Jesus: the Origin and Purpose of the Gospels 23 Chapter n. — ^The Annunciations 36 Chapter ni.— -Birth of John the Baptist and of Jesus 37 Chapter IV. — ^The Infancy of Jesus 48 Chapter V. — ^Jesus' Life in Nazareth • • • 53 PART n THE OPENING EVENTS OF CHRIST'S MINISTRY FROM TBS COMING OF JOHN THE BAPTIST UNTIL THE PUBLIC APPEARANCE OF JESUS m JERUSALEM Chapter VI. — ^The Herald of the New Era or the Ministry of John the Baptist. ,. ... 61 Chapter Vn. — ^The Baptism and Temptation of Jesus. .67 Chapter VIIL — ^The BQ;innings of Faith in Jesus 74 PART in THE early JUDEAN MINISTRY FROM 1HB PUBLIC APPEARANCE OF JESUS IN JERX7SALEM UNTIL HIS RETURN TO GALILEE Chapter EX.— The Bq;inning of Christ's Work in Jerusalem. ,. 3o Chapter X. — ^Jesus Baptizing and Teaching in Judea and Samaria 1 85 7 8 OQBnZKIS PART IV "^ FISST FESIOD OF THE GALILEAN lONISTRT nOM THE lETDEH TO GALILEE UNTIL THE CHOOSDIG OF THE TWELVE Chaftek XL— The Begumings of Christ's Public Work in Galflee. 99 Chapter XH— Call of the Four and the First Preaching Tour ... 98 Chapter Xm.— Growing Hostility of the Scribes and Pharisees to Jesos 103 PART V SECOND PERIOD OF THE GALILEAN MINISTRY FROM THE CHOOSING OF THE TWELVE UNTIL THE WITHDRAWAL DflO NORTHERN GALILEE Chapter XIV.— The Choosing of the Twelve and the SeruKm on the Mount iia Chapter XV. — ^A Preaching Tour in Galilee 118 Chapter XVL— Further Conflict with the Scribes, and Teachmg Con- cerning the Kingdom 124 Chapter XVIL — ^A Chapter of Miracles in Galilee 133 Chapter XVIIL — ^Further Evangelization in Galilee 137 Chapter XIX. — ^The Crisis at Capernaum 143 PART VI THIRD PERIOD OF THE GALILEAN MINISTRY FROM THE WITHDRAWAL INTO NORTHERN GALILEE X7NTIL THE FINAL DEPARTURE FOR JERUSALEM Chapter XX. 1. It demands, first of all, a mastery of the facts of the Scripture narrative. The student is brought face to face with the gospels, which are our principal sources of knowledge for the life of Jesus. The first duty of a historian is the mastery of his sources. Nothing should be allowed to take the place of this or to crowd it out. What- ever else a course of study based on this book may or may not accom- plish, it will be largely a failure if the student fails to acquire as a permanent possession the gospel narrative of the life of Jesus. Such an acquisition requires not only an open and eager mind in the first contact with the facts, but a repeated and varied review of these facts. To secure this there should be frequent repetition of the analysis of the Life of Christ contained in the Table of Contents, and faithful use of tiie "Review Questions" repeatedly given throughout the volume. In addition, the cross-references will be found most valuable not only in intelligent review but also in correlating the details of Christ's life so as to bring out its main purposes and achievements. For this reason the cross-references have purposely been made numerous. It is not to be inferred that every student will need to look up every reference. The context will often call to mind the incident or comment referred to. The indices at the end of the volume will also be found useful in review. 2. It demands real and vital understanding of the Scripture maierial. The student should constantly ask himself: "What is the actual meaning of this? For what thought in the mind of the speaker did these words stand? Where was he when he said them?" It is to secure such understanding and to give definiteness to the student's work that the "Questions and Suggestions for Study" are inserted. We regard the use of these or similar questions by students in studying and by teachers in teaching as almost indispensable to the success of the plan of study here outlined. Especially important is it thai the qtiestions marked with a* be answered in writing. Teachers should receive the papers containing these answers from the pupils, correct them carefully, and return them. The questions calling upon students to "tell the story" of gospel incidents should be made the occasion of earnest efiFort toward artistic story-telling after the fashion so well described in W. L. Hervey's Picture Work, Such efforts of the constructive imagination high-school pupils are not too old to hear and the power to tell a story well is a valuable asset. In gaining vivid and definite ideas as to gospel scenes the pictures in this volume and those provided for the note- II X2 SUGGESTIONS FOR USING THE BOOK book which accompanies it will be a help. Other similar material is suggested on pp. 13, 14, and in paragraph 33. Pictures may well be studied by means of ques- tion and answer in the way well illustrated by Forbush in his Travd Lessons on the Life of Jesus, 3. The method aims to encourage the student to do constructive work. Out of the Scripture material, rightly understood, he is encouraged to make for himself a "Life of Christ" which, though necessarily only a sketch or foimdation, shall be, as far as it goes, true to the sources and the facts. Unless unavoidable obstacles exist, this part of the work ought by no means to be neglected. Per- sonal experience convinces us of its high utility. The earlier chapters of this volume contain detailed and illustrated instruc- tions as to the method of doing it, and the specially prepared notebook will still further assist in it 4. The book is divided not into lessons but into chapters. The limits of these chapters have been determined not by the amoimt of work which can be assigned for a lesson but by the nature and relations of the material itself. In assigning lessons teachers should be guided by the ability of their students and other conditions. It is highly desirable that the whole book be covefred as it stands but omissions may be made if this is done with a definite plan. The work should be complete from some point of view and the continuity of the narrative should be preserved. The Perean ministry of Jesus is from many points of view interesting and valu- able, but it consists largely of discourses and contains comparatively few events in Jesus' life. Classes which must cover the book between September and June may devote but two lessons to the eight chapters given to this ministry by simply reading the Bible text rapidly and talung the summary in paragraph 249 and the review questions in paragraph 253. 5. This volume is based upon Stevens and Burton, Harmony of the Cos pels y third revised edition, 1904. While the possession of that book by the student is desirable, it is not indispensable, since the references to the passages treated are conspicuously given. Some teachers will prefer that students construct their own harmonies. This may be done by cutting the parallel passages cited out of two inexpensive testaments and pasting them into a blank book in parallel columns under the proper headings. 6. These studies provide for thorough historical and constructive work. But through them all, however exacting and intellectual they may seem, the aim has been to enrich the religious life through a closer and deeper knowledge of the life of Jesus. Were it not for this aim, not one page of the book would have been written. BOOKS ON THE LIFE OF JESUS AND KINDRED TOPICS ScuOeer, The Jewish People in the Time of Jesus ChrisL Divisioii I, a vola,; Division II, 3 vols. New York: Scribners. Very cotnplete witti full references to Hteraiure. The larger topira are treated with literary abiHty. B(£ath£WS, a History of New Tesiameni Times *» FaksHm, New York; Macmiltan. Gives tie essentials in the briefest form. EDEiLSHEiMf Jewish Social Life. London: ReUgiom TVact Sodety, Pjk 341. Illuminating and interesting. George Adam Smith, The Historical Geography of the Holy Land. New York: Armstrong, MacCoun, The Holy Land in Geography and History,' mth 154 maps, a vols* Chicago and New York; Re veil. Smith 13 fnller and more scholarly. Mac Counts small volumes are very attract! vie and contain maps of every kind and for every locality in Palestine* BuETON, Relief Map of Palestine^ confonning to the surveys of the Falestiiie Exploration Fund, 41X2S inches. Chicago: Adas School Supply House Small reproductions of this map, without names, in heai^f brown cardboard, can be procured of the Sunday-school supply houses , American Remsed Bikle. New York: Nelson & Co.» or American Bible Sodetj. All styl^ and pricey, indudtng Bibles with references, dictionaries, and concordances. The excetlence of the American Revision of the Bible is being more and more recognized. Weymouth, The New Testament in Modem Speech, London: James Clarke &C6. Stevens and Burton, A Harmony of the Gospds for Historical Study. New York: Scribners, This Life of Christ is based on this hannooy, Trumbull, A Pilgrimage to Jerusalem. Philadelphia: The Sunday-School Tim^ Co. Illustrated by many recent and e^cceltent photographs of scenes in Palestine. BUsTmGS, A New Dictionary of the Bible; with maps and illustrations complete. in one volume. New York: Scribners, Do not confuse with the five-volume edition of Hastinf^, published some years ago. Burton, A Short Introduction to the Gospds. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press. Pp, 144* M 14 BOOKS ON THE LIFE OF JESUS AND KINDRED TOPICS Edersheim, The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, Two vols. New York: Longmans, Green & Co. Faxrar, Thfi Life of Christ. New York: E* P. Duttpn. Rhees, The Life of Christ. New York: Scribners. Sanday, Article "Jesus Christ" in Vol. 11 of Hastings^ Bible Dictionary. New York: Scribners. Also published separately by Scribners Andrews, The Life of Our Lord upon the Earth. Revised edition, 1895. ^^^ York: Scribners^ Stalker, The Life of Jesus Christ. New York: Scribners. GII3ERT, The Student* s Life of Jesus. New York: Macmillan. FoRBUSH, The Boy's Life of Christ. Pp. 320. New York: Funk & Wagnalls. , Edersheim is full and contains detailed explanations of Jewish customs. Farrar is vivid in its style and very popular. Rhees is topical and has references to litera- ture. Sanday is not a narrative life, but deals with the larger questions of Christ's ministry in a scholarly and interesting way. Andrews is largely devoted to chronology and geography. Stalker is very brief but notably clear and sympathetic and adapted to those whose time for study is limited. The words "Student's" and "Boys'" sufficiently describe, perhaps, the books of Gilbert and Forbush. Seeley, Ecce Homo. Pp. 369. Boston: Little, Brown & Co. A group of studies upon the work of Jesus which have held a high position for many years. Hughes, The Manliness of Christ. Published in several forms; inexpensive. By the author of Tom Brown* s School Days and written in the direct and lively style of ihat famous book. Bruce, The Training of the Twelve. New York: Armstrong. A strong and discriminating book upon a part of the work of Jesus which is sometimes neglected. Speer, Studies of "The Man Christ Jesus.** New York: International Com- mittee of Y. M. C. A. By one of the most successful workers with young men in Americju Jenks, The Political and Social Significance of the Life and Teachings of Jesus. New York: International Committee of Y. M. C. A. Mathews, The Social Teaching of Jesus. New York: Macmillan. Pp. 235. Underwood and Underwood, Stereographs to illustrate the Life of Jesusr A set of thirty-six is sold in a case. These views are referred to by number in this volume. A book has been prepared by W. B. Forbush called Travel Lessons on the Life of Jesus (New York: Underwood), which explains these thirty-six views and the method of using them. For further references as to poems and pictures, see paragraph 33. See also under "Art," "Literatiu-e," "Poetry," in the Index of Names and Subjects; and note the Index of Passages on pp. 304 ff. The specially prepared notebook piiblished by the University of Clncago Press to accompany this volume con- tains additional maps and pictures. HISTORICAL INTRODUCTION PALESTINE DURING THE LAST TWO CENTURIES BEFORE CHRIST I. jtidea before the Rise of the Maccabees. — When Alexander the Great died in 323 b. c, his vast empire was divided among his generals, and after years of fighting there finally emerged four strong kingdoms, or, as some call them, empires. Of these the two strong- est were Eg)rpt and Syria. Palestine lay between these two states, and as all the great roads ran through it, and as it was certain to be very important in the case of war, to say nothmg about its tribute, each state endeavored to hold it. So it was thrown back and forth between them. It was altogether too small and weak to make any objection, and it paid its tribute to Egypt or Syria, as the circumstances demanded, or even divided it between them. For almost the entire century, from 300 to 200 b. c, it was imder the power of Egypt. At last, however, in 198 B. c, Antiochus III, the Great, finally got possession of the entire region, and Judea was firmly in the power of Syria. Though there were many Jews all over Palestine they actually controlled and infused with their ideas only a little territory about Jerusalem no larger than a fair-sized American county. This was called Judea. Not only were Samaria, Galilee, and the east- Jordan regions situated outside of Judea, but it was even smaller than the old Kingdom of Judah, for the Philistine cities of the plain encroached upon it on the west and the Idumeans had invaded the South Country, even occupying the stronghold Hebron. Not only did Judea center about Jerusalem, but it might even be said that Judea was Jerusalem, Just as the Roman Empire was once nothing but the city of Rome and the fields about it. Its very government was that of Jerusalem. For although the high priest, the head of the Jewish religion, was at the head of the state, he was assisted by the town council or senate of Jerusalem. This senate was the highest court, but it also made such laws as were needed; and, together with its presiding officer, the high priest, administered the government. By the time of Jesus this senate IS l6 LIFE OF CHRIST had lost some of its powers and had become somewhat different in character. It was then known as the Sanhedrin. So it is clear that whatever history Judea should ever make would have to be centered arouiid its sacred capital, where its high priest presided over the priests in the great temple and over the elders in the senate. Now this close union of religion and politics was to have very important results. For if one were touched, the other would be, too, and if the Jews should be suspected of being imtrue subjects of Syria, a part of their punishment would almost certainly fall upon their religion. And this is what actually happened. It must not be thought that the influence of Alexander ended with his early death. His farsighted statesmanship led to the spread and permanence of Greek ideas over the whole world. The Greek lan- guage, literature, art, religion, government, planted in the seventy cities founded by Alexander, attracted attention and gained favor in contrast with the generally inferior ideals of the Orient. Judea felt this influence. So this period from 323 B. c. to the time of the Mac- cabees is called the " Greek Period" of Jewish history, not the Egyp- tian nor the Syrian. The Jews engaged in trade all over the world were obliged to learn and use Greek, the language of commerce, and about 250 b. c. a translation of the Jewish scriptures from Hebrew into Greek was begim, partly to give foreign people everywhere a chance to read them, partly, however, to make them accessible to those Jews scattered everywhere who could not read Hebrew. This translation, called the Septuagint,. was undertaken imder the direction of King Ptolemy II (Philadelphus), patron of Greek learning, for his library in Alexandria, Egypt. The writers of the New Testament quote from this version of the Old Testament more frequently than from the original Hebrew version. Owing to special favors accorded them throngs of Jews came to Alexandria and participated in the Greek studies for which it was famous. It became next to Jerusalem the greatest Jewish center in the world, and from it must have gone out a constant influ- ence tending toward the introduction of Greek ideas into Jerusalem. But Jerusalem itself was girt by a circle of cities, Greek, or fast becoming Greek — Samaria on the north, Philadelphia on the east across the Jordan, Askelon and Gaza on the west. It is no wonder PALESTINE BEFORE CHRIST 1 7 that a strong party of influential Jews favored the! introduction of Greek ideas. We read of a Greek school and gymnasium erected by the Jews; of neglect of the law, circumcision, and the Sabbath; of priests playing with the discus, and of a high priest who sent to Tyre a large offering for Heracles. But this Greek, or Hellenizing, tendency among the Jews was checked in a remarkable way. Antiochus the Great, who had taken Judea from Egypt but had himself been defeated by the Romans in 190 B. c, had a son, Antiochus, later called Antiochus Epiphanes, who came to the throne of Syria in 175 b. c. The new king was an enthusiast for all things Greek, including the Greek religion. Almost immediately he became involved in war with Egypt. He made expe- dition after expedition against that coimtry, but each time was pre- vented by the interposition of the Romans or by some defeat from gaining a complete victory. In the course of these campaigns he be- came convinced that the most religious people among the Jews — ^the scribes and their disciples, or, as they were also called, the Pious — ^were more friendly to Egypt than they were to him. So he determined to punish them. He sacked Jerusalem, broke down its walls, and carried bfif all the sacred vessels from the temple. But this was not the worst. He determined to break down the Jewish religion, since he regarded it as the one thing that kept the Jews from becoming good subjects of Syria. Being a rash, impulsive man, he went about his work very savagely. Many were put to death for reading the law, for observing Jewish rites, for refusing the flesh of swine. He sent out oflScers to sec that the Jews obeyed him and many of the party of the Kous were killed or forced to hide in caves in the mountains," where they lived like beasts and fed on herbs." The temple in Jerusalem was dese- crated by the impure revels of the Greek worship and dedicated to Zeus, and a pig was sacrificed to Zeus upon an altar built upon the great altar of burnt sacrifice. He compelled the Jews to eat food ofifered to idols and to go in procession to Bacchus, carrying ivy. 2. The Revolt of the Maccabees and the Pious. — But the Hebrew law and the sanctuary found their champion in Judas, called Macca- baeus, 1. e., the hammer (cf. Charles Martel). In the words of a Jewish historian (I Mace. 3 :3, 4), "he put on a breast plate as a giant and girt his warlike harness about him, and he made battles, protect- l8 LIFE OF CHRIST ing the host with his sword. In his acts he was like a lion and like a lion's whelp roaring for his prey." His courage and religious faith. combined with the mad excesses of Antiochns brought to his standard not only the Pious but all who loved the nation. "All his brethren helped him and fought with cheerfulness the battle of Israel" (I Mace. 3-2). In his first battle he killed the opposing general Apollonius, took away his sword; and thereafter fought with it all his life long. Again and again he defeated armies sent against him by Syria — armies which outnumbered his own three or four to one. Once the S)Tian general was so siu"e of victory that he bargained with the merchants to sell them Jewish captives at the rate of ninety for a talent, hoping thus to pay the tribute owed by Syria to Rome. The slave dealers followed the army so closely that when Judas conquered he took from them the very money they intended to pay for the Jewish slaves and used it in the defense of the "sanctuary and the laws." These words "sanc- tuary and the laws" were continually in the mouth of Judas. On the eve of battle he gave his soldiers such watch words as ''The Help of God" and sent them into battle "fighting with their hands and pray- ing to God with their hearts." See the spirited account of the Battle of Beth-horon in Longfellow, Judas Maccabaeus, Act III. He succeeded in recovering Jerusalem, all but the citadel, cleansed the polluted and neglected temple in the court of which he foimd "shrubs growing as in the mountains," and reconsecrated it with "songs and citherns and harps and cymbals" in December, 165 B. C. In 161 B. c. the Syrians coming into Judea with overwhelming numbers defeated and killed Judas Maccabaeus. 3. The Rise of the New Theocracy of Judea. — But the death of Judas did not check the revolt. His brothers, first Jonathan and then Simon, carried it forward until, owing in part to dissension between rivals for the throne of Syria, they recovered the citadel of Jerusalem and Judea became practically independent. Furthermore, first Jona- than and then Simon was made high priest, as well as military and civil head of the state, and the oflSce was declared hereditary in the family of the latter. The son and grandson of Simon were warriors and gradually by diplomacy and arms extended the bounds of Judea until they included Philistia, Idumea, the country east of the Jordan, PALESTINE BEFORE CHRIST 19 Samaria, Galilee, and indeed almost all that had been niled over by Solomon. Judas Maccabaeus had been very much opposed to the Greek influence of his day and full of zeal for the law. He, therefore, as a rule had the support of the party of the Kous, who in consequence of his successes grew stronger and stronger, while the Jews who sympa- thized to any degree with the Greeks grew weaker and fewer. But when the later Maccabees, even though they were high priests, showed little regard for religion, formed foreign alliances, and gave them- selves almost exclusively to politics and war, the Pious opposed them and gradually began to be known as Pharisees, i. e.. Separatists, be- cause they wanted Judea to make no foreign alliances and to devote all its energies to keeping aloof from everything that was defiling from their point of view, i. e., not Jewish. When thus opposed the Maccabaean high priests sought the support of the liberal party or Sadducees, whose fathers had been among those who had favored the introduction of Greek customs. The Sadducees thus in alliance with the priesthood and with the rulers became influential but were never so popular with the people as the Pharisees. Schiirer (Div. I, Vol. I, pp. 2, 3) thus sums up the results of the Maccabaean period, 165 to 63 B. c. : . This Pharisaic tendency had its origin in conflicts of the Maccabaean Age. During the course of these national struggles the legalistic (paragraph 366) party not only obtained the victory over those favorably inclined toward Greek learning and customs, but also secured the entire confidence of the people so that they (i. e., the legalistic party) were encouraged to put forth claims of the most extravagant and immoderate description. The scribes were now the rulers of the people. No other intellectual or political force was sufficiently strong to counteract their influence in any appreciable degree. The battles of the Maccabaean Age, however, were also epoch-making in the political history of the Jews. By them was the fpimdation laid for the construction of an independent Jewish commonwealth. .... Judea became an independent state under native princes, and continued in this position until conquered by the Romans. 4. Roman Rule. — The Romans had established a protectorate over the East by defeating Antiochus the Great of Syria at Magnesia in 190 B. c. (see paragraph i). They did not see fit to govern it directly, but exacted a great tribute from Syria and exercised control over the larger affairs of the kingdom as it seemed best to them. 20 LIFE OF CHRIST I Mace, cRap. 8, tells how Judas Maccabaeus made a treaty with them and gives the exact words of the treaty. (This chapter is very illuminating as to the way in which Rome was regarded by the Jews of that day. It is quoted in part with comment in Goodspeed, History of the Ancient Worlds p. 315.) We have seen, too (paragraph i), how Rome kept Antiochus Epiphanes from successfully invading Egypt. Finally, however, the increasing disorders of the East compelled Rome to take a more direct share iri its government and Pompey the Great, in large measure because of the eloquence of Cicero in his speech for the Manilian law, was sent out in 66 B. c. to conquer Mithradates and regulate the affairs of the Orient. While there he was appealed to by two rival Maccabaean high priests — the brothers H)rrcanus II and Aristobulus — who were actually at war. He settled the matter by conquering Jerusalem for the Romans after a bloody conflict, and is said to have entered the temple and penetrated even into the holy of holies sword in hand. This was in 63 b. c, only a few weeks from the time when Cicero in Rome was delivering his speeches against CatiUne in which he praises the world-wide conquests of Pompey. The Jews became subject to Rome and never again established their independence. Pompey made Hyrcanus II high priest, but did not allow him to be king. In fact, most of the administration of the state was in the hands of a very keen, able man, Antipater, who was not a real Jew, but an Idumean, and who had been for some time the chief adviser of the weak Hyrcanus II. 5. Herod the Great. — ^This condition of affairs lasted for several years, Antipater being aided in the government by his two sons, Phasael and Herod. The Jews, especially the members of the San- hedrin, as the senate of Jerusalem was now called, hated Herod most heartily, since he was very severe in maintaining order in Galilee, and usurped what they believed their prerogative, especially in the matter of inflicting the death penalty. But when Antipater was killed by a rival, it looked as if his sons might succeed him in the control of Hyrcanus II and the state. This aroused dangerous and violent opposition. Phasael came to his death and for many years Herod occupied a precarious position. But finally, by his indomitable energy in crushing opposition and his cunning in securing the support PALESTINE BEFORE CHRIST 2X of the Roman rulers, he was victorioxis, and m 37 b. c. established him- self as king over all Palestine. In order to preserve the Maccabaean succession he married Mariamme, a princess of that house. Herod was an unscrupulous man, but for many years (37-4 b. c.) he maintained peace on the frontier and peace within his kingdom. His subjects seldom loved him, but they never rebelled against him. He was a great builder, not only of temples and colonnades in heathen cities, and of public buildings at Jerusalem, but of entire cities as well. In his treatment of the Jews themselves Herod mingled severity and gener- oaty. He put down disorders very cruelly, but in time of famine he remitted taxes, and even sold his gold dishes to buy food for his people. The Pharisees did not like him, for he surrounded himself with learned Greeks, built heathen temples in Palestine, and had Greek games cele- brated every fom: years at Jerusalem. He also deposed and appointed high priests in a most arbitrary way, many of those appointed being Hellenistic Jews from Alexandria. Yet, in order to secure the good- will of the priests and the people at large, he rebuilt the temple with great magnificence, and surroimded it with huge pillars and marble courts* During the earlier and the later years of his reign he was especially anxious about making his position as king secure, and executed every person he thought might prove a dangerous rival. Among his victims were Hyrcanus II, his own wife Mariamme, and her mother and brother, his own uncle, and three of his sons. When he died the people begged Augustus not to appoint any more kings. 6. Palestine after the Death of Herod I. — But Augustus paid no attention to this request, and divided the kingdom of Herod, according to the king's will, between his three sons. Archelaus had Judea, Samaria, and Idumea, imtil he was removed for bad government in 6 A. D., when his territory was made into the Roman province of Judea. Herod Antipas had the tetrarchy of Galilee and Perea. Herod Philip had another tetrarchy composed of a number of small territories l)dng to the east of Galilee. These were the three political divisions of Palestine during all the lifetime of Jesus save the first few months. 7. Questions and Suggestions for Study. — (i)* What two king- doms strove to gain possession of Palestine and why ?^ (2) What is < The questions distinguished by a * are for written answers; see "Suggestions for Using the Book," p. 11. 22 LIFE OF CHRIST the period of Egyptian control ? (3) What of Syrian ? (4)* What was the geographical extent of Judea at this time ? (5)* Show clearly the close connection between religion and politics in Judea. (6)* Give some of the ways in which the spread of Greek ideas influenced the Jews. (7) In what ways did Antiochus Epiphanes ofifend and oppress the Jews ? (8)* Show from the narrative the religious character of the revolt under Judas Maccabaeus. (9) What qualities and actions of his would attract the people ? (10) Describe the success of the Maccabaeans who followed Judas. (11) Why did they fail to retain the support of the Pious ? (12)* What were the religious and political results of the Maccabaean period ? (13) When and where did the Romans conquer Syria? (14)* When and why did they take away the independence of Judea ? (15) Describe the character of Herod the Great. (16) Accotmt for his rise to supreme power. (17) What good things did he do? (18)* Describe his attitude to the Jews. (19) What great Romans were connected more or less directly with the history of the Jews ? 8. Supplementary Topics for Study. — i. The general influence of world-history upon that of the Jews in the centuries immediately before Jesus. The greatest work is tliat of ScHtJRER, The Jewish People in the Time of Jesus Christ, Div. I, Vols. I, II. Smaller books are: Mathews, A History of New TestO" ment Times in Palestine; Riggs, History of the Jewish People during the Maccabean and Roman Periods. Consult also Kent, History of the Jewish People during the Babylonian, Persian and Greek Periods; Stevens and Burton, Harmony of the Gospels, Appendix VI, "Leading Events of Jewish History." 2. Greek influence among the Jews. Kent, pp. 271-322; ScntJRER, Div. I, Vol. I, pp. 194-218; Goodspeed, pp. 208-39, especially p. 221, "Comparative Studies," Question 3. 3. The Heroic Element in Judas Maccabaeus. The apociyphal books of I and II Maccabees (found in many family Bibles) and Longfellow, /ttioj Maccabaeus. 4. Herod the Great. Schurer, Div. I, Vol. I (with full bibliography). PART I THE THIRTY YEARS OF PRIVATE LIFE CHAPTER I THE SOURCES OF OUR KNOWLEDGE OF THE LIFE OF JESUS: THE ORIGIN AND PURPOSE OF THE GOSPELS 9 (§ i). Prologue of John's Gospel. > John i: 1-18. 10 (§ 2). Preface of Luke's Gospel. Luke i : 1-4. To THE TEACHER.-^This introductory matter may be omitted for a time in the case of those pupils who can best be interested by immediately taking up the narrative of Christ's life. After a few weeks, however, even the youngest will feel the need of knowing what is here presented and will ask questions about it. Then use the chap- ter, at least for reference. 9 (§ i). Prologue of John's Gospel.— John 1:1-18. — These verses, commonly called the prologue of the Gospel of John, are not, strictly speaking, a part of the gospel narrative of the life of Jesus on earth, but are prefixed to the gospel somewhat as a modem writer puts a preface or an introduction to his book. They stand before and some- what apart from the narrative of the book, and are designed, by the use of words which were familiar to those who would read the book, to set forth a true conception of Jesus as the one mediator between God and the world, the Word of God become flesh. John here emphasizes especially these thoughts: The Word of God, he through whom God has expressed himself to the world, is one who perfectly reveals God; he was "in the beginning;" as far back as thought can go he was already there; existed, moreover, in » When the title of a division.of a chapter is preceded by two numbers, one in pa- rentheses, the latter number preceded by §, the latter refers to the corresponding section in the Harmony of the Gospels for Historical Study ^ by William Arnold Stevens and Ernest DeWitt Burton. The titles bearing this double notation are taken from thai book by permission of the publishers, Charles Scribner's Sons. It is suggested that the numbered divisions of the present book be referred to as paragraphs, the divisions of the Harmony distinguished by the § being called sections. Thus paragraph 9 of this book (see above) deals with § i of the Harmony, Paragraphs bearing but one number deal with matters for which there is no exactly corresponding section in the Harmony. 23 24 UF£ OF CHRIST "fellowship with God;" was himself "God." All things that are came into existence through him; he is the sole and only agent of creation; he has always been in the world, giving light to men; they have tried to shut out the light, but have never wholly succeeded; the light has gone on shining, giving light to every man that comes into the world, and life to all that receive him, who thus become sons of Gk)d. And now indeed he has become man, and we have seen his glory, revealing to us truly, as an only son reveals a father, the glorious nature of God. The pupil should study the above summary carefully, comparing every sentence of it with the prologue of John's Gospel and also with the similar prologue to John's first epistle (vss. 1-4). He should concentrate his study on the ideas convejred by "beginning," "Word," "reveal," and, in the epistle, "declare," "life," "feUowship." ID (§ 2). Preface of Luke's Gospel. — ^Luke 1:1-4. — ^These verses, cormnonly called the preface of Luke's Gospel, should be read very attentively. They contain the only distinct statement by a gospel writer of the material which he had at his command, and the method in accordance with which he worked in producing his book. John 20:30, 31 is the only other passage in which a gospel writer states what his purpose in writing was. These verses (Luke i : 1-4) state or imply several facts of great interest. Consider what we learn from them as to what had at the time of this preface already been written about Jesus; as to the kind of testimony upon which these writings were based; as to Luke's care and method and purpose in writing. II. The. Gospels. — For the meaning of this Saxon term, cf. Matt. 4:23 with Luke 4:18 (using margin, Revised Version, in each case). See also Luke 2:10. They were all written by disciples of Jesus, and two of them bear the names of apostles. They are all written in Greek; cf. paragraph i. They were all written between 60 A. D. and about 100 a. d. They are not and do not profess to be complete histories, but we have in them four pictures of Jesus. These pictures differ from each other because the men who painted them, though all believers in Jesus, differed widely in personality, surroundings, and training, and also because of the different natures and needs of the people for whom the several pictures of Jesus were intended. The better we ORIGIN AND PURPOSE OF THE GOSPELS 25 understand for what readers each evangelist (writer of evangel or gospel) wrote, and what he wished by his gospel to do for them, the more perfectly can we understand his book and the Jesus of whom he writes. For this reason a brief study of the characteristics of each gospel is here given. 12. The Gospel of Mark. — ^The gospel which stands second in order in our Bibles is the shortest, the simplest, and probably also the oldest of the four. It has no prologue, Uke John's; no preface, like Luke's; no story of the infancy of Jesus, as have Matthew and Luke; but, after a very brief sketch of the work of John the Baptist, goes on to tell the story of Jesus' public ministry, dwelling here espe- cially on his deeds and reporting his discourses much less fully than any of the other three. It is the majestic figure of Jesus, as he walked and worked and taught among men, that has impressed the writer, and it is this that he seeks to bring before his readers. "Power" has often been said — and justly — ^to be the keyword and thought of the gospel. The Mark to whom from early times the gospel has been ascribed is doubtless the John Mark mentioned in Acts 12:12, 25;. 13:5, 13; 15:37, 39; Col. 4:10; Philem. 24; I Peter 5:13; II Tim. 4:11. Very ancient tradition affirms a connection of the apostle Peter with this gospel; and it is more than likely that Mark derived a consider- able part of his material from what he had heard Peter tell concern- ing Jesus. The gospel was probably put forth before, but not long before, 70 a. d. 