The Christ: A Critical Review and Analysis of the Evidences of His ExistenceRemsburg, John E. (John Eleazer)
Religion
The Christ: A Critical Review and Analysis of the Evidences of His Existence
Remsburg, John E. (John Eleazer)
Jesus Christ -- Historicity; Jesus Christ -- Rationalistic interpretations; Rationalism
There are extant writings accredited to the Apostolic Fathers,
Clement of Rome, Barnabas, Hermas, Ignatius, and Polycarp; written,
for the most part, early in the second century. These writings contain
no mention of the Four Gospels. This also is admitted by Christian
scholars. Dr. Dodwell says: "We have at this day certain most authentic
ecclesiastical writers of the times, as Clemens Romanus, Barnabas,
Hermas, Ignatius, and Polycarp, who wrote in the order wherein I
have named them, and after all the writers of the New Testament. But
in Hermas you will not find one passage or any mention of the New
Testament, nor in all the rest is any one of the Evangelists named"
(Dissertations upon Irenaeus).
The Four Gospels were unknown to the early Christian Fathers. Justin
Martyr, the most eminent of the early Fathers, wrote about the middle
of the second century. His writings in proof of the divinity of Christ
demanded the use of these Gospels had they existed in his time. He
makes more than three hundred quotations from the books of the Old
Testament, and nearly one hundred from the Apocryphal books of the New
Testament; but none from the Four Gospels. The Rev. Dr. Giles says:
"The very names of the Evangelists, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John,
are never mentioned by him [Justin]--do not occur once in all his
writings" (Christian Records, p. 71).
Papias, another noted Father, was a contemporary of Justin. He
refers to writings of Matthew and Mark, but his allusions to them
clearly indicate that they were not the Gospels of Matthew and
Mark. Dr. Davidson, the highest English authority on the canon, says:
"He [Papias] neither felt the want nor knew the existence of inspired
Gospels" (Canon of the Bible, p. 123).
Theophilus, who wrote after the middle of the latter half of the second
century, mentions the Gospel of John, and Irenaeus, who wrote a little
later, mentions all of the Gospels, and makes numerous quotations from
them. In the latter half of the second century, then, between the
time of Justin and Papias, and the time of Theophilus and Irenaeus,
the Four Gospels were undoubtedly written or compiled.
These books are anonymous. They do not purport to have been written
by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. Their titles do not affirm it. They
simply imply that they are "according" to the supposed teachings of
these Evangelists. As Renan says, "They merely signify that these were
the traditions proceeding from each of these Apostles, and claiming
their authority." Concerning their authorship the Rev. Dr. Hooykaas
says: "They appeared anonymously. The titles placed above them in
our Bibles owe their origin to a later ecclesiastical tradition which
deserves no confidence whatever" (Bible for Learners, Vol. III, p. 24).
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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