The sun., 1883-10-28

NJ. Renan has frequently had occasion to
point out that at the epoch reached in his fifth
volume "a. d. 70-75) gospel writings were nu-
merous. The greater part of these writings did
not bear the names OF Apostles; they were Sec
ond-hand ventures. founded on an oral tradi-
tion that they made no rretence Of cxhausting.
Only the Gospel OF Matthew vas Put forward
as certified by an apostolic origin. but this
gospel was not widely disseminated: written
for the Jews of Syria. it had not as yet. appa-
rently. penetratel to homs. II was in these
circumstances tnat ono of the most marked
members of the Church Of Rome undertook on
his part also 10 make Gospel OF his own by
combining previous texts and by permit
ting himself. like his predecessors. to
intercalate what tradition and his own
sense of fitness might provide him with. This
man was no other than Lucanus or Lucas. that
disciple whom we saw joining Paul in Macedo-
nia following him throughout his journeys
and into his captivity, and playing an impor-
tant part In his masters correspondence, We
have tho right to suppose that. after Paurs
death he remained at Rome. and. as he may
have been young when Paul made his ac-
quaintance tabout the year 52). he could hardly
be moro than 60 at the dato whore we now are.
1t is not permissible in such matters to ex-
very serious objection. however. to our accept
ing Luke as the author Of the Gospel which is
ascribed TO him. Luke was not famous enough
to mako it worth whie to speculate on his
name In order to give book authority as was
done in tho case Of the Apostles Matthew and
John. and subsequently in the case Of James.
Peter and others.
Neither is there room for much uncertainty
as regards the date. Everybody admits that
tho book is later than the year 10. but. on the
other hand it cannot bo much later than that
year. Otherwise the declarations touching the
proximity OF Christ's coming in the clouds.
which the author OF tho third Gospel does not
hesitate TO copy from older documents, would
be nonsense. The author. indeed. postpones the
moment of the return of esus to an in,eermin-
ate future; the end" is pushed off rs far ms
possible but the connection between the catas-
trophe Of Judea AMI tho destruction OF the
world is kept up. Tho author likewise pre-
serves tho assertion OF jesus. according to
WHICH the generation that heard him should
not pass before the predictions concerning the
end o! the world had been fHlhlled. In spite OF
the extreme latitude whch the apostoliral OK
e-."sis of Jesus allowed itself in interpreting
the language Of tho Lord. W cannot admit that
n compiler as intelligent aI tho author OF the
third pei a compiler who knows so we'll how
70 osuo'ec. 'he "ofus OF JESUS 10 '"c cnan@es
INP"'ren oy 'He wants Oh 'he ''ne' Wo'iu h"'o
,fahscrioeu phrase 'hat aiiea"' IN MS eyes
loF','e" prre'"p'orv op!e''ioh 10 'he sH' o'
PFnrh''' "'tiou'e" 10 me hh''ef'
~ '"'"''' 'hy u! 'n''e'l"'" '"h, "" con-
ne'' h''"h"" m" ms ',SPai WIN III" 'hr's-
u'h so'e'y o' nome ~ 'h' f''V'nn period II
10 scer,a'h' however tua' 'he sehe'a' character
ot Luxe "onposi''oh' answers very wen 'he
pf Il nj.
nave o''ore remarNe". "I'pl"yS Rinh ol
''iiih s''''t he Is ''''a o' orher' oI h'"f"r'ny
ne h"s pro'"uhu ie'h"'t Tor "nh'n!iohs' Tor
l.o'nan lNh'IloHarlp' IA ."NHlii'. 1ni lEe> ~