Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1889-06-28
REVIEW OF THE QUARTER.
LESSON XIII, SECOND QUARTER, IN
TERNATloNAL SERIES, JUNE 80.

Importance of the Lessons Here Reviewed.
Alternative Possibilities of Happiness or
MISREPRESENTATION and Population of Pal
estine-Roman Law.
The lessons for the second quarter of this
year deal with the later teachings and most
monientousprophecy of Christ-that concern
ing the destruction of the Temple, the end of
the world and His second coming-and with
the last scenes of his life, and the thrilling
incidents attendant on his resurrection.
In all literature nothing is recorded that
will compare for one moment in interest with
these events The statements are so import
ant that, If true all other truths are by COM
parison unimportant If false, all other false
hoods are by comparison harmless and insig-
nificant If we could believe that the writers
successors had fabricated this impressive mar
rative we should at once be driven to the
conclusion that far beyond all men that ever
! lived, they discovered the art of making a
falsehood far more vital in its spirit and
more powerful in its effects than truth, for
all the admitted truths recorded in profane
history have had less effect on the subsequent
course of the world, and today have less effect
upon the lives and consciences of men than
this simple narrative. We should, In adopt
ing that theory, be compelled to the utterly
absurd conclusion that little band of Jews,
most of them ignorant and nearly all poor,
had, with most marvellous ingenuity, with a
skill in fiction surprising all the masters in
that art, fabricated a story which revolution
lied the civilized world, forged a theology
which survived all forms of government, and
announced q delusion which has fired the
hearts of hundreds of millions of people and
led them to despise danger and welcome
death Such theory is too preposterous for
discussion.
On the other hand, admit the truth of this
narration and what awful conceptions at
once rise to impress the mind: God, eternity
sin, moral accountability, retribution and IL
ability to eternal VICE. then an incarnated
Saviour, free salvation, redemption, resur-
rection, eternal happiness. The bare posi-
bility of such alternative results should even
on the lowest principles of self love, awaken
every man to earnest inquiry. That there
are points in the prophecy not yet determined
and statements in the history not fully un-
derstood should not weigh for one moment
against the awful Importance of what is
clear. The teachings of each lesson have
been noted in their turn; but it may be well
to set forth few facts in history and Ian
guage which aid in making clear the mean
ing Of the Gospel history.
First, it is to be noted that the four Cos
pels were written in the Greek language,
though there is evidence that Matthew first
composed his in Hebrew, and that they were
written after the Christians had become suf
ficiently numerous to create demand for a
complete record, each gospel being devised to
meet the needs of a special class. These
classes arose as follows: The Jews had lost
the Hebrew language as popular speech,
and at the time of Christ spoke the Syro-
Chaldaic; the country was ruled by the Ro-
mans, SO the language of the laws was Latin,
while the scholars of Palestine and adjoining
countries wrote in Greek. The Romans had
conquered all the civilized world west of
Persia, including Greece, Egypt and Asia
Minor, where the conquests of Alexander the
Great had made Greek a common vehicle of
speech and writing. The Jews retained He
brew as their sacred language. Hence we
see that the inscription over the head of
Christ upon the cross was in the Hebrew and
Greek and Latin, to be read by the priests
and the people in Jerusalem who were not
Jews as well as the residents.
Thus too, those evangelists who wrote for
Gentiles often add the Interpretation of a word
giving its name as the Jews had it in Hebrew
and then the Greek equivalent, which their
readers understood. Golgotha in Hebrew
was Calvaria in Latin. Mark, Luke and
Paul were Greek names, though borne by
Jews. Simon, Levi, etc, were Hebrew
names, while in several cases the writer gives
the name one was known by in both Ian
guages, whether a totally different name or
merely the same name translated. Simon is
Hebrew Peter is Greek, from "petros, rock.
As might be expected from their age, nearly
all the towns retained their old Hebrew
names, as Nazareth, Bethlehem, Capernaum;
but towns recently built had Latin Names as
Cesarea, Philippi.
The government was in like manner COM
posite 1t was the practice Of the Romans to
slaughter without mercy till country was
conquered, then grant universal amnesty,
take the leading men OF the conquered coun-
try into the Roman service, interfere not at
all with religion and as little as possible with
local customs as long as government was re-
spected and the taxes paid. The Roman gov
ernors appointed for the conquered countries
were not only instructed, but it was obviously
their best policy, to be considerable of local
prejudices, and they often yielded to what
they considered folly or injustice because
they feared a sediton of the people" Pi-
late, whose office included the functions of
local governor and judge advocate, repeat
eddy interceded for Jesus and declared that
he found no fault i'll the man," nevertheless
he gave Him up to the Jewish council, and
they condemned Him under Jewish law
The interlock of local and general law was
very similar to that in British India and the
territories belonging to the United States:
For all offenses against the ordinary law the
people retained their old courts and privi
leges, but if the accused was Roman citi-
zen or was charged with treason to Rome, he
laI 60 hi IL.