Books Which Influenced Our Lord and His Apostles - Being a Critical Review of Apocalyptic Jewish Literature Book

PREFACE. nPHE present work owes its origin to a paper read by the author to a Theological Club a society in which a few friends discuss theological questions. The subject seemed to the members one of interest, and at the same time one very little known, and they suggested the advisability of enlarging the paper into a volume. Notwithstanding the advice given, the author still hesitated, as the field he would occupy had to a great extent been already filled by Schiirers Jewish People in the Time of Jesus Christ transl., 5 vols. and Index vol. T. T. Clark, Edinburgh Hausraths New Testament Times transl., 2 vols. Williams Norgate, London Langens Judenthum in Paldstina zur Zeit Christi, among Germans and by such works as Drummonds Jewish Messiah Longmans, London, and Stantons Jewish and Christian Messiah T. T. Clark, Edinburgh, for English readers. But on further consideration the thought of the many points on which he had found himself com- pelled to differ from his predecessors in this field, and of the important, if only indirect, bearing the contents of the apocalyptic books had on evangelic history, led him to listen to the advice so kindly tendered. The primary object of the present work was to give an analysis and description of the little known Jewish apocalyptic books. But to make this analysis really intelligible, it was imperatively necessary also to give the setting of these books and their origin. This further involved the study of the peculiarly intimate connection they had with early Christianity. The more these Apocalypses were studied, the more clearly did the writer seem to see that our Lord and His apostles must have stood in a close and intimate relation with the school from which these books proceeded. The primary object now became subsidiary to another, viz. to show the links connecting the Jewish Apocalypses with Christianity. In pursuance of this design, it was the authors intention to have given a full digest of the doctrinal standpoint of the different books here taken under con- sideration, and to have shown how this formed a bridge from the position of old Judaism to Christianity but time and space both failed. He has simply devoted a single chapter to this subject, and gives in it merely the outlines of what he had purposed. As the doctrinal evolution of the books in question implied a knowledge of the order in which they were written, it was necessary to subjoin to the analysis and description of them a criticism of their date, language, and probable place of origin. In this part of his inquiry the writer thought that it would be merely confusing to carry on the investigation by calling together all the theories he objected to, and,by dint of combating them, establish his own. It seemed better to lay down canons, and work rigidly in accordance with them. These canons, although not stated in so many words by any one of the numerous writers on this subject, so far as the present writer is aware, are implied in the criticism of every one of them. Instead of loading the pages with references, which few persons verify, but which would have increased unduly the bulk of the present volume, deemed better to give a vidimus of the reading it has been advisable for one who would master the subject...Read More