The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1918-03-09
POPULAR APoLoeETIcs.
Adapted from the German of Rev.
Peter Mikes, S. j., by Rev.
James Watcher.
Al. The Credibility and Trustworthi-
ness of the Evangelists.

Objection: If | am to make an i'm
portant resolution on the testimony of
a man, l must be certain that the
witness could tell the truth and that
he wanted to tell it. But how am |
to get that certainty about Evange-
lists? a7t,
Answer: "a The Evangelists could
know the truth Of their narrative.
Matthew and John are eye and ear
witnesses. THAT which was from the
beginning, which we have heard, which
we have seen with our eyes, which
we have looked upon, and our hands
have handled, of the word of life . :.
we declare unto you" Il John I, 49,
Mark and Luke wrote what they heard
from the Apostles and other eye-wit-
nesses, after having diligently attend
ed to all things from the beginning"
Luke !, %.
The sacred writer's are not enthusi-
astically over-eXcited, not credulous
and searchers after miracles, but just
the contrary; they are men Of clear
common sense, who as observers and
spectators narrate the truth with eX-
actness, sObriety, clearness and with
out passion. They write without a
subjective admixture, without an eX-
preston of wonder and establishment
even at the most astounding things,
without a word of indignation even at
the most indignant facts, e. g., at the
unjust I death sentence of their
Master, of His GROWING with thorns,
+ etc., without a syllable of justification
even at the most unjust accusations
against the Saviour.
The Gospels are real models of an
objective history. Their writer's were
outwardly and inwardly fit to know
and tell the truth of the facts.
"The seal of truth which the Cos
pels possess" says the infdel Rous-
seau & 1873, rs so great, SO surpris.
. ing, so inimitable, that the inventors
would have to be greater than the hero
(of the story In this way
one does not invent; the actions of
Socrates & B. c. 399), which no one
doubts, are not as we'll attested as
the actions of Jesus"
CD The Eyangelists wanted to tell
the truth; they were no hypocrites,
liars and impostors. Their character
is faultless; no one can accuse them
of sordid motives; they do not strive
after earthly reward their own ad-
vantage of honors or human fayors.
On the contrary, they knew full well
that with the same pen with which
they wrote the Gospels they we're writ
ing their own death sentence. Pas
cal q 1862, the French philosopher
and writer, says: Il believe witness
es who die for their testimony" The
:. EYangelists relate with .au openness
and humility their own faults, foolish
ness and weakness, caring nothing for
honor or. dishonor, and appear thus
as simple, guileless and thoroughly
honest men who are incapable of a
lie and deception.
In history they are considered as
saints and martyrs, and modern in.
fidelity has no right, without a shadow
Of a proof, to cast the suspicion of ly.
ing deception on honorable men, This
suspicion falls back on the infidel &C.
cusers.
CD The Evangelists had to tell the
truth; they could not spread false re
ports. The lies and false reports
would have been detected Immediately
The Jews needed only go to Naim and
ask: where is the son of the widow
who is supposed to have been raised
from the dead?" or to Bethania tc
find the gave of Lazarus. They could
have said: 1--WE went with the funeral
and here are still his bones.'' Among
the 5000 present at the multiplication
of bread they could certainly have
found few truth-loving witnesses
when they found false witnesses on
another occasion.
The Jews certainly had an interest
to expose any deception: there was
question Of public and very important
events there was at stake the honor
and good name of certain persons anC
places a(Pilate, Herod, Caiphas, Car
pharnaum, Corozain, Bethsaida, and es
pecially of Jerasalem), of the priests
and of the whole Mosaic religion.
With such Watchful and passionate
opponents it was simply impossible
to bring false facts as proofs for ;
new religion. The Jews prosecuted thu
Christians even after the destruction
of Jerusalem Tin the year 70), into the
second and third century, but they
could never successfully deny the
events related in the Gospels.
(Cf. Knabenbauer, S. J., Evangeliun
secundum Joannem, INTRODUCTORY.