The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1883-03-07

But it has nestled all these centuries
under the changeless shadows Of the East.
Judaism, on the other hand, confronted
in ancient times the Babylonian, Egyp-
tan, Greek, and Roman civilizations, and,
in the middle ages and in modern times,
it has been subjected to all the pressure
Of European society and European knowl-
edge. 1t has defed one and all, and
hourishes and grows fat.
M. Renan goes on to remark, however,
that this national Hebrew religion has
become cosmopolitan, and he asks, Now
how did this interested religion ct this
religion of tit for tat, as he calls it
become vertically the religion of the
civilised world? ?" His answer deserves
to be noted, for it is an emphatic admis-
sion from an accomplished philosophical
sceptic of the truth of prophecy. Here
is what he says:
This was the work of the prophets about the
eighth century B. c. These prophets were the
glory of Israel. 1t was they who created pure
religion. In the neighboring tribes there were
people consulted when they had lost their asses,
or when they wanted to know secret. But
the ndbis were sorcerers. The prophets of
Israel of whom Isaiah was the most illustrious,
were neither nGbis nor priests. They told the
people that God took no pleasure in the smell
of burning fat, and that the true servant of Je-
hovah was the great and virtuous man.
Through the prof. hets religion becomes some
thing moral, som thing universal, something
penetrated with the idea of Justice. These pro-
phets are all the more remarkable as they have
no conception of future ife According to
them justice ought to reign here below. With
these prophets we get the unique appearance of
| pure religion. The founders of Christianity are
the last representatives of the prophetic spirit
inasmuch as Christianity is resumed IN this
Sacrifices are absolutely archaic phenomenon
which ought TO cease to exist in pure religion.
repeat" said M. Renan, 81 the first founder
| of Christianity is Isaiah about 725 B. c." In In
Producing into the Israelite world the idea of
Justice and of the secondary value of sacrifices,
Isaiah preceded Jesus by six centuries with
his idea of pure religion is combined the con-
ceptlon of kind of golden age. The funda-
mental idea of Isaiah is the announcement Of
brilliant future for humanity of state in which
justice will reign on the EARTH and in which in
ferior coarse idolatrous religions will disappear
Thus, according to Isaiah idolatry will disap-
pear from the world. and that through the in
huence of the Jews The Jewish people will
appear as banner which the nations will see
on the horizon, and around which they will
come and group themselves"
So that Isaiah, writing, according to
M. Renan, seven hundred years before
Christ, distinctly foretold Christianity !
M. Remains lecture wouldahave7 been still
more interesting if he had pointed out
how this same prophet, in his ffty-third
chapter, actually foretold the death and
suferings of the Messiah, through whom
the national religion" of these Hebrews
was to be made universal" And why
should Judaism, fifteen hundred years
after the exodus, become universal" if
it was not true? 1t is only truth that
persists.
Isaiah, the sceptic informs us, pre-
dicted the universal establishment OF
Judaism. This is true, but no one could
have imagined how this could have been
brought about until Christ came. And
even then the solution of the problem was
most wonderful. About the year 60 in
the epistles to the Romans and the Gala
tians Paul explained Though the Jews
could not see it, that all who were
Christ's," were Abraham's seed, and
heirs according to the promise" He
went farther, he announced the rejection
of the Jews until the times of the Gen.
tiles were fulfilled. The epistle to the
Hebrews explained again how the temple
system must pass away-as it did by a
terrific explosion two or three years
after that epistle was written. Christ
had previously foretold the destruction
Of the city and the throwing aside of the
Jewish scafolding from the City of God
which he would set up in the world. He
on all occasions calmly assumed the pre-
valence of his system all over the world
and for all time. Judaism he superseded
by constituting himself High Priest, and
their sacrifices he abolished by entering
in once into the holy place, to obtain
eternal redemption for us"
Now CRITICISM" ought to deal with
all these phenomena. 1t ought not only
to explain the career Of the Jews, but it
ought to explain the apparition and the
career Of Jesus. What about the Resur-
rection?