Produced by David Edwards, Hazel Batey and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive) THE MAKING OF THE NEW TESTAMENT THE HOME UNIVERSITY LIBRARY OF MODERN KNOWLEDGE Editors of THE HOME UNIVERSITY LIBRARY OF MODERN KNOWLEDGE Rt. Hon. H. A. L. Fisher, M.A., F.B.A. Prof. Gilbert Murray, Litt.D., LL.D., F.B.A. Prof. J. Arthur Thomson, M.A., LL.D. _For list of volumes in the Library see end of book._ THE MAKING OF THE NEW TESTAMENT _By_ BENJAMIN W. BACON D.D. PROFESSOR OF NEW CRITICISM AND EXEGESIS IN YALE UNIVERSITY [Illustration] THORNTON BUTTERWORTH LIMITED 15 BEDFORD STREET, LONDON, W.C.2 _First Impression September 1912 - All Rights Reserved_ MADE AND PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN CONTENTS PART I CANONIZATION AND CRITICISM CHAP. PAGE I INSPIRATION AND CANONIZATION 7 II THE REACTION TO CRITICISM 33 PART II THE LITERATURE OF THE APOSTLE III PAUL AS MISSIONARY AND DEFENDER OF THE GOSPEL OF GRACE 56 IV PAUL AS PRISONER AND CHURCH FATHER 83 V PSEUDO-APOSTOLIC EPISTLES 104 PART III THE LITERATURE OF CATECHIST AND PROPHET VI THE MATTHÆAN TRADITION OF THE PRECEPTS OF JESUS 128 VII THE PETRINE TRADITION. EVANGELIC STORY 154 VIII THE JOHANNINE TRADITION. PROPHECY 185 PART IV THE LITERATURE OF THE THEOLOGIAN IX THE SPIRITUAL GOSPEL AND EPISTLES 206 X EPILOGUES AND CONCLUSIONS 233 BIBLIOGRAPHY 251 INDEX 255 THE MAKING OF THE NEW TESTAMENT PART I CANONIZATION AND CRITICISM CHAPTER I INSPIRATION AND CANONIZATION The New Testament presents the paradox of a literature born of protest against the tyranny of a canon, yet ultimately canonized itself through an increasing demand for external authority. This paradox is full of significance. We must examine it more closely. The work of Jesus was a consistent effort to set religion free from the deadening system of the scribes. He was conscious of a direct, divine authority. The broken lights of former inspiration are lost in the full dawn of God's presence to His soul.