The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-06-07
THE Old TESTAMENT.
DR.. Hiden Clearly Establishes that Christ
Recognized Its Authority.


Recognized Its Authority.
Professor c. II. Toy, Of Harvard, has
been delivering some lectures IN New
York on the Old Testament. The Chris
tian Register" OF Boston. in commenting
upon these lectures, says that no
scholar in this country has contributed
more 10 the Advancement OF Biblical crit
cism" than has Professor Toy and 1t
then commcnds the following statement
OF reviewer in the New York Times :
THE founder OF Christianity never
showed the slightest inclination TO treat
what is now called the ola Testament
otherwise than exactly as intelligent
critics treat it to-day. lie never made II
fetch, never recognized its authority
over himself or his followers, and always
exercised what 1t IS not irreyerent 10
call reason IN deciding which or us or
dinances 10 observe and which 10 ig-
more. The early Christians inflated this
example. The later ones forgot II utter
IL. The consequences Were disastrous 10
both science and the Church
In order 20 learn what Christ thought
Of the authority of the Old Testament
Il Is necessary TO consult the four Cos
pels, which tell as what he SAID on me
subject: so / have taken the pains 10 90
very carefully through the four bNange-
lists to lind the required EVIDENCE. about
two days were consumed IN this WORK
and the result was surprising.
OF course the close connection between
the Old Testament and the New was IA
miUhr 10 me- Uul L WIS llNt IA'.hA'h q"
md that Matthew has fOr;y-hve refer
ences and illusions which Christ makes
20 the Old Testament; that Mark gives
nineteen; Luke. twenty-eight, ana John,
fourteen.
In Westcott and Hort's critical edi-
tion of the Greek Testament, Christs
references 10 the Old Testament make
up an average Of more than one 10
every two pages OF Matthews Gospel.
AS the citations and references are too
numerous TO be discussed IN TINS aIlcle'
j shall here cOnfne myself TO those pas
eages which Christ interprets as point
ing TO himsslf as the Messiah II VIII
thus appear that our Lord, so far from
ignoring or disregardng the authority
OF the Old Testament scriptures founded
his claims 10 the Messlahship upon those
Mathew xi. 10 and Luke vii. %. are
paraIlel and are taken from Malachi
list is represented as the messenger
H. l. In which passage John, the zap
sent ito prepare the way before the
Messiah, Jesus. thus identifies himself
as tho Messiah.
Luke Xxx. II. are ali parallel quotations
from Psalm cxviii,. p, %; and they lden-
tify Jesus as The stone which the build
ers rejected"
ample OF his Master in quoting the same
passage, and for the same purpose; ana
we are told in Acts ". 5, that Peter
was ''hlled with the Holy Spirit when
In Matthew xxi. A.. parallel with
Mark, xii 80, and Luke Xxx. 42-44 We
have a quotation from Psalm cX. J. Ihe
Lord said unto my Lord. Sit thou on my
right hand. until | make thine enemies
thy footstoOl' Jesus says that david
called him Lord" The author or the
Epistle 10 the Hebrews uses the same
passage TO prove the Messiahship OF Je-
sus. in Hebrews !. Is, Matthew NNVL
81 and Mark xiv. q. give parallel quota
tions made by Jesus. from Zeehat-ah XIII.
7, "Smite the ShepheTu' anu t1e s.IIP
shall be scattered" Jesus applies TINS
10 himself as the Shepherd and 10 MS
disciples as the sheep, VINO were 10 be
scattered. ,.,-
Mark xiv. ~, Jesus says tnat NE Scrlp-
fures." which spoke of his sunerings,
must be fulfilled. Compare this with the
prophecy Of Isaiah I'LL Al
In his sermon at his ola nome, Nara
reth, Jesus is reported in Luke. ". IS,
as quoting from the prophecy OF lsaitn
Xxi. II: "The Spirit Of the LORD, Goa
Is upon me; because the LORD hath an
nointed me TO preach good tidings 10
the meek; he hath sent me 10 plnd UP
the broken-hcartcd, 10 proclaim liberty
TO the captiVes, and the opening OF the
prison 20 them that were bound' 70 pro,
elaim the acceptable year OF the LORD
And he tells the Nazarenes, "Jhis Gay
Is this scripture fulhlled IN your ears.
that is to say. Il am the preacher whom
the prophet depicts in the passage whlch
] have just read I'm your hearing
In Mark Nv ., parallel with Luke
xii. 81. our Lord quotes from the l-th
verse of that wonderful tfty-third chap
ter OF Isaiah. and thus idenunes himself
with the suffering servant or JehoFah'
1. e., the Messiah.
In Luke. NNiv, 2D-2i. Jesus Demon
strates with his skeptcal disciples ior
being slow Of heart 10 believe all that
the prophets have spoken concerning
him as the suffering Messiah. he ca
ha
siah. In the z4th verse 'of the same
chapter he repioduces tle same aifu-
meat. adding "the Psalms" 70 the usi
OF the witnesses. In John ILL.,, II, we
have a reference to Numbers. XXI, o
..the serpent In the wilderness being
made type. or an emblem, OF the cru
'' In John V. 80. Jesus recognizes the
body OF the Old Testament Scriptures
when he says. They testify Of Me In
vese 46th OF the Same chapter. ne re,
me. And so no nanifestly does in
deuteronomy xviii. 10, THE Lord thy
God will raise up unto thee a Prophet
from the midst Of thee; OF NY o. nre' bI,6.
quotes this passage. and spphes IL TO
jesus. and IN Acts vii, 81, stephen does
likewise; and both speakers are said
to have been "hiled with the Holy
In John xiii. is, parallel with Matthew
XVI, %. Jesus cites the ON verse OF
the 4lst Psalm. and applies the proQhe-
~ 10 Judas Iscariot. as tho one who had
eaten OF Christs bread, and then lifted
ap his heel against tho Messiah
In John XIV, 20. Jesus quotes, as pro-
,hecy. the words. They hated me with
10, q cause" and applies them 10 HIM
Ieli They are found in Psalms NxAv.,
o. and Xix, 4.
Now, 50 far as | can see. there is
riy ono way 20 set aside, or 10 weaken
eiis array OF evidence from Christ him
elf: and hat IL the way which the de-
fructive critics have taken. IL is not 10
70 denied that tho view which eyangeli-
al Christians take OF these "Mossianic"
,assages OF the Old Testament IS. In
ieneral, the view taken by Jesus himself
but. then, Professor Toy does not hest
ate to take issue with Jesus Christ on
question Of exeges!sl And why not? |
tesus Is not supposed 10 have been ac-
,>ainted With the copernican system Of |