The great problem of the present age is to preserve the religious spirit, whilst getting rid of the superstitions and absurdities that deform it, and which are alike opposed to science and common sense. The works of Mr. F.W. Newman and of Bishop Colenso, and the "Essays and Reviews," are rendering great service in this direction. The work of M. Renan will contribute to this object; and, if its utility may be measured by the storm which it has created amongst the _obscurantists_ in France, and the heartiness with which they have condemned it, its merits in this respect must be very great. It needs only to be added, that whilst warmly sympathizing with the earnest spirit which pervades the book, the translator by no means wishes to be identified with all the opinions therein expressed. _December 8, 1863._ CONTENTS PAGE Introduction, by John Haynes Holmes 15 Introduction, in Which the Sources of This History Are Principally Treated 25 CHAPTER I Place of Jesus in the History of the World 67 CHAPTER II Infancy and Youth of Jesus--His First Impressions 81 CHAPTER III Education of Jesus 89 CHAPTER IV The Order of Thought Which Surrounded the Development of Jesus 99 CHAPTER V The First Saying of Jesus--His Ideas of a Divine Father and of a Pure Religion--First Disciples 119 CHAPTER VI John the Baptist--Visit of Jesus to John, and His Abode in the Desert of Judea--Adoption of the Baptism of John 135 CHAPTER VII Development of the Ideas of Jesus Respecting the Kingdom of God 148 CHAPTER VIII Jesus at Capernaum 160 CHAPTER IX The Disciples of Jesus 173 CHAPTER X The Preachings on the Lake 184 CHAPTER XI The Kingdom of God Conceived as the Inheritance of the Poor 194 CHAPTER XII Embassy from John in Prison to Jesus--Death of John--Relations of His School with That of Jesus 206 CHAPTER XIII First Attempts on Jerusalem 213 CHAPTER XIV Intercourse of Jesus with the Pagans and the Samaritans 227 CHAPTER XV Commencement of the Legends Concerning Jesus--His Own Idea of His Supernatural Character 235 CHAPTER XVI Miracles 248 CHAPTER XVII