New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1882-09-24


mombered. The variations of detail in the gospels
for example tho occasional dssonant form in
which the Lords sayings arc given-shows the
inevitable effect Of time OH memory. Tradition,
even if the Gulf SPAWNED by it is short Will hetray
toe modifying effect of Influences from which IT
cannot escape. Tho great safeguard in the case OF
the Apostles was the sense of the Obligation OF
truth which peryaded their minds. In intercourse
with Jesus they acquired, moreover. an essentially
correct rs well as vivid picture Of his person ms
teaching and life; and this pcturc, stamped indeh-
bly on the soul protected them from all wide deNa-
ton from strict historical truth in their accounts Oh
him. even IN the particulars OF these accounts
with regard to Johns Gospel there is here indeed
"a magnificent freedom winch MARKS tNe
closing STAGE IN the process Of Transformation
through which the tradition had heen passing Io'
number OF decades. Here however, rs we nave
seen. there lie everywhere ut tie foundation rl'n
r.colleetons OF an earwi' ness OF the words. DIS
courses and conversations of Jesus hni I'D Inc pro-
portion in which the increasing remotencss Of time
excluded all thought of an immediately authentic
reproduction Of particulars in their form ANA con
nertion. and in which The dldact.c Interest more
and more influenced the record, the freedom Of the
rerorts must grow wider AMI wGcr: ana we have
sern how even the eyewitness could the more
readily aud lunoceuty avail himself OF tins iree-
dom. the moro completely he felt assured against "a
mixture Of material cmanating from himself or
from Heterogeneous sources.
The possibility that oral tradition in the lapse of
time should gather about it,eli legendary accre'
tions and at last transform itself into pure legend
Weiss comedies But in the case OF the evaneeHcal
history, the room open for the growth OF legend
was small. iuasinuch as the whole gtounuWorN Oh
the Gospel narratives was committed to writing
tt.satf f'Illl
Moreover, the oral tradition had acquired h> ed
form in the Apostolic circle at Jerusalem even
prior to this date A. far as the birth and child
mood of Jesus are concerned, the interval between
event and record is longer; bat it must be IeInem-
bercd that the mother and brothers OF Jesus sur
viyed hlln and were prominent ia the Jerusalem
Church, The first disciples knew how 10 CiH'lh-
puish between the miraculous and the n3n'lhifacu-
Ions: and it, here and There, mIracuops aspect Is
given to experiences which are capable OF ano'her
Interpretation. it is only because the marks Oh
particular Providence were dscerned IN thcm ana
because 30 many actual and undeniable miracles III
connection with the life of Jesus were known 10y
them 10 have taken place. Wl.h respect 10 the
mythical theory of Strauss, Weiss shows that 1t
was in fact abandoned by its author. strauss
makes the previous idea rs 70 the Messiah among
the Jews far more definite than II really was llad
ll-ll
taken a direction very diverse from anything that
appears in the Gospel narratives. 1t Is iu nearer
the truth to say that the events moved the carly
discioles to look up the prophecies, and shared
tbeir INTERPRETATION Of Old reNamcnt passages,
than 10 say that the passages lei to an imagining
nj the events The moce we seek clear ideas con
cerniDs legend and myth, and concerning the con-
ditions If their origin. the more do wc come to tie
conclusion that the application Of these conceP-
tons within tne domain OF the cyangeiica traui'oh
Is inadmlssible or that, in any case u Is lt''
more than an empty strife about words. whether
ono shall name such ideal features as attached
themselves to the popular tradition. legendary
Having handled in the first book. the great
question OF the Sources and the essential CIedl-
bil,tv of the GOSPEL history, Weiss proceeds to
consider in the second book DE Ad'tseit or the
Preparation of Jesus for his public activity ana,
in tbe third book-the last section Of the volume
Die Noat:cif-The Period of Seed-SoWng, or the
carly division of Christs career Teacher 1t IS
imnossbe within the limits of this nUtlce to follow
him In the details of these important chapters. lie
Is much more conservative in his Judgments thah
those whose belief in the evangelical history Is
identified with the traditional formulas OF Inspra-
ton might be led to expect. For example, he de
funds the fact of the miraculous birth Of Jesus, on
grounds of purely historical and eXcsetical critl-
cism lie maintains the truth OF the essential lacts
in the Visit of the Mag and the Flight in:o Egypt
On thefuuestion OF Demonacal Possessions, where
so many thcologians. not TO be claSsed with
Rationalists are inclined to suppose IN accommo-
dation on the part OF Jesus, If not 10 the vulgar
opinion at least to the deluslve notion OF the
afflicted persons whom he was to cure, Weiss al
heres to tho older and more prevalent view. He
holds that the cutlery of the maniac in the syna-
cogue at Capernaum is thoroughly attested a. an
actual occurrence, and one of a class OF phe-
nomena which obse rs to presuppose demonlacal
influence THIS, 1t will he observed, is question
which is taken. not az the result Of any theological
bias but on Il careful weighing OF historical test
monies.
There are numerous points on which the lnce-
pendent student of the gospels mHy not unfre-
qucntly find occasion to dissent from the opinions
of Weiss; but the bcstnformed theOlOgIans and
scholars will appreciate most highly the value of
tbs noble work, and Will await with Impotence
tho appearance OF the second and concluding vol
umc 1t is work which Will probably be trans
lated INTO English and find its way into the hands
of all ministers who do not wish 10 be ignorant of
the ablest and most instructive productions in the
literature OF theology.
MI