4. _Origin of the New Testament:_ The twenty-seven books collected in the New Testament were written by a number of authors, eight at least (nine, in case the Epistle to the Hebrews was not written by Paul). For each book there was some special occasion, each had its distinct purpose, and between the writing of the earliest and latest parts nearly half a century intervened. The agreement, under these circumstances, is truly wonderful, and the adaptation of a volume, thus penned, for all ages and classes is not less so. Nothing will account for such agreement and adaptation save a supernatural element in the composition; but we are now concerned with the human conditions which called forth these writings. Christ wrote nothing; but is himself the book of life to be read by all. He is written on the world's history and on men's hearts, and furnishes an unending theme of holy thoughts, discourses, and songs of praise. So, too, the Lord chose none of his Apostles, Paul excepted, from among the learned; he did not train them to literary authorship, nor expressly command them to perform such labor. They were to preach the glad tidings of salvation. Personal oral teaching was the means used for first propagating the gospel and founding the Church; as it is today the indispensable instrumentality. No book of the New Testament was written until about twenty years after the resurrection of Christ, and more than half a century had passed before John wrote the fourth Gospel." (International Commentary, Introduction,[2] p. 8.) 5. _The Language in Which the New Testament was Written:_ The New Testament was written in Hellenistic Greek, i. e., in that idiom of Macedonian Greek spoken by the Jews of the Dispersion (called Hellenists) at the time of Christ. It has a Greek body, a Hebrew soul, and a Christian spirit." (International Commentary, Introduction to Matthew, p. 9.)