The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1906-07-22


fessor Bernhard " eiss of the Univer-
sity OF Berlin, whose newly published
work, a Commentary on the New
Testament" has been painstakingly
and reyerently accomplished as the
GROWING effort of his life. The au-
thor is numbered among the foremost
living New Testament scholars. The
works previously written by him have
materially led up to this important un-
dertaking and have prepared him, by
long familiarity with his subject, TO
give TO his commentary at once the
virtue OF comprehensiveness and OF
simplicity. He is the author of a
critical life Of Christ, of a work on
the religion Of the New Testament, and
previous TO this complete commentary
he has written commentaries on most
OF the evangelical scriptures. His
work is scientific, but not merely scien-
tific, for he has added to his critical
research the devOUtness and reverence
which give clearness and sympathy TO
vision. The ideal he has had in view
IS 10 help people TO a fruitful study
Of the Scriptures.
The work is in four thick volumes
The plan Of il is interpretive para
phrase or parallel explanatory nara
tive. The text of the Scriptures is
given on the upper part Of the page
and below the commentator gives the
same narratives in fuller form and
elucidated by HIS scholarship, pointing
out connections with other parts of the
Bible, and making explanation with
out interrupting the continuity OF his
story. This system does away al
most entirely with notes. II greatly
simplifes the study for the reader. but
10 the writer this method makes his
task much more difficult, for all the
result Of his energies has to be
given, not in the separate fragmen-
Iary notes as he might make them
during the time Of his study, but in
carefully given form, and cleverly COM
bined into a narrative, the hard labor
OF whose preparation is concealed by
its apparent simplicity and easy read
ing.
The American edition has an intro
duction by James S. Riggs the profess
scr OF biblical criticism in Auburn
Theological Seminary and he gives
high praise to the scholarship Of Weiss
and explains 10 US the thoroughness of
the German theologian's work by say
ing that he has studied all round his
New Testament as well as through 1t"
AS we read the commentary we become
aware Of the great value this thor
oughness Of studying "al round" his
New Testament is to Weiss in the
elucidation Of many passages of Scrip
ture, for il is in understanding all the
spoke and in which the gospels and
epistles were written that a learned
commentator is Of chief assistance to
the student who pores over the text of
the Scriptures in search Of their deep
est and fullest meaning.
Many a subtle thought will be lost
by him who never seeks the aid of the
wise commentator to explain some ref
erence or allUsiOn grown dim to all of
Us in this age except those who by
studiOus research can reconstruct to
their imagination important related
things that were around" the wonder
full story OF the New Testament and
the making Of the books that tell it.
The tone Of the book is so full Of faith
in the substantial truth of the gospel
story that it viii astOnish those many
skeptics who think that a high qualif-
cation for a critical study of the Bible
is the sure, quick way 10 freedom from
belief in the supernatural elements of
the evangelist books.
Weiss informs US that in this collec-
ton of writings of the apostolic age,
known as the New Testament, the say
ings OF the Lord have been preserved
most faithfully and the mighty deeds
most reliably attested. The four gos-
pels are the fundamental part Of the
New Testament. and as this review
must be very brief IN comparison with
the extent Of the great work most of
the references here will be TO some
selections from the commentary on
these fundamental four books.
OF the book Of Matthew in the form
we now possess il we are told that it
was written in Greek, and this Greek
was not a translation from the Ian
guage of Palestine, in which Christ
spoke. but an original composition in
the Hellenic speech. 1t was founded,
however on an older narrative of Mat
J. s.-f, T.1u% fr1- he
contained the words OF Christ in the
language in which he spoke them. The
early church believed that the story of
the earlier narrative was substantially
preserved in the Greek writing we
know now as the Gospel Of Matthew.
Modern research has confirmed this be-
lief, and discovers that our Matthew
has some additions from oral tradition
and an enlarged historical framework
from that OF the second gospel.
OF the gospel Of Mark we are told
that IL is equally old and equally as
trustworthy as the book of Matthew.
Weiss explains to US that Mark is not
a historical book in our sense Of the
word. but that it was written with a
tendency" it was planned because
men had begun 10 take offense because
Of Christ's death on the cross and to
lose their faith. It's intent was 10 tes-
tify Of the Savfor's words and deeds so
as 10 snow MN lOI III dS Inc IutQldLOI
Of redemption.
The commentator has studied out the
reasons Of the varied constructions Of
the four gospel stories. While telling
US substantially the same narrative
each was done with a different purpose
IN view, and so the four are rather COM
PIGMENTS than repeaters Of each other,
and combined they give US a COM
pleter picture OF the Christ and render
the influence Of his life more full upon
our lives than could any one Of the
gospels standing alone. The distinc-
tive purpose OF the first gospel was to
convince the Jews, who were scattered
among the Gentle nations OF Asia
Minor. that the history of Jesus was
fulallment OF the Old Testament
prophecies. It was written by be-
lieving Jew
The third gospel was written dec
ade later, intended to confirm the
Christian doctrine as St Paul con-
ceived it, for its author, Luke was to
a large extent a pupil Of St Paul
Luke for his foundation, combined the
gospel Of Mark with the Oldest now
lost, book of Matthew and enriched
both from an original tradition.
The portrayal OF Christ in the diner-