The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1936-01-02

Dlt OF historical writing. IheSs
two books will be found in TIT
Apocrypha, which is often founc
in large family Bibles. DR.. H. A
Ironside has written most ex
cellent little book entitled "The
Four Hundred Silent Years.
which should find its way into the
hands of Sunday-school teachers
1t costs but thirty cents in paper
binding and seventy-fve cents in
! CLOTH, -..... .'.''
Y 90 Explanation
Our study is the first chapter
of Luke. Read the chapter with
care. The first thing that impress
.es US in this and the chapter fol-
lowing is that We are still in the
Old Testament, The atmosphere,
the characters, the worship, the
setting of these chapters partake
of the spirit and nature of Old
Testament times. In Luke we pass
without a jolt into New Tesla
ment times by, way Of the thresh-
old of his first two chapters, thus
bringing us to see at once that
the Old and New Testaments be-
long together as an unfolding of
Gods revelation of himself to
man. The same God who spoke
in times past by the prophets is
now speaking to us by his Son.
(Hebrews l.: l, 2.) Another thing
that impresses US is the fact of
Gods breaking the silence of
centuries to again make himself
known to man. No prophet had
spoken since Malachi, now God is
to resume his prophetic voice.
The outstanding idea of this
chapter is PROMISE. Here begins
a story that will have a marvel
Gus ending. - .... .... ... ...
DISCUSSION
The purpose of Luke's Gospel
is not to give the life of Jesus
Christ after the manner of a mod
ern biography, with its minute de-
tails and chronological arrange
ment, but rather to give a picture
of the Saviour that reveals his
personality in all it's beauty and
perfection. The material given is
adequate for this purpose. We
would gain little by knowing more
of the details of the life of Jesus,
or by having more of his teaching
transmitted to Us. AS We study
this Gospel there will be things
untold that we should like to
know, but on thought we shall
see that such knowledge, while
satisfying our curiosity, would
add practically nothing to the es-
sential knowledge of Jesus Christ.
At this point in our study the
question of the =. historicity of
Jesus should be, given considera-
ton. Both in private study and in
class a little time given to this
problem will settle the issue once
for ALL Make this the theme for
discussion: , .-..... -.
Jesus Christ Was an Historical
H. Person - ,
By this we. mean that he ac-
tually lived in the world, as re-
corded in the Gospels. Once in a
while there arises some person
who teaches that Jesus. is a myth
and classes him among the figures
of mythology. Such a view has
had no standing among scholars
for the reason that, the evidence
for the existence of Jesus as a
person in history is overwhelm-
ing. Luke brings this issue square
ly to the fore in his preface. He
there states that he is writing his
tory, and that he is writing it af-
ter careful investigation of his
facts. When we remember that
Luke wrote his Gospel within
thirty-five years of the Crucifix-
ion we see that he was near
enough to the events he recorded
to check them as to their truth
and accuracy. Matthew, Mark,
and Luke are genuine historical
documents, produced while people
who knew the facts were still liv-
ing, Matthew himself being one
of the twelve apostles. Then, too,
the apostle Paul stands out as an
incontestable witness for the his
toricity of Jesus. Paul himself is
accepted as an historical fact. He
was a man of intellect and cul-
ture. 1t was to his interest to dis
prove the fact of Jesus, and he
would have, done so had it been
possible. He must have known
much about the ministry of Jesus,
certainly about his crucifixion.
About six years after this event
Paul became a Christian, and
built the remainder of his life up.
on the fact of Christ. The teach
ings of this great man rests upon
the historical reality of Jesus
Christ. Paul is not interpreting a
mythical personality. The fact OF
Jesus. as given in the Gospels is
the only adequate explanation OF
Paul. The existence of the Chris
tan church throughout the cen.
turtles is further evidence for the
truth of our theme. The church
rests upon the fact that Jesus
Christ lived in the world as the
Gospels tell US. The Christian re,
ligion is an historical religion that
stands or falls with its facts. The
church has witnessed in all gen,
erations to the fact Of Christ. AL
it's enemies ever needed to do was
to prove that Jesus never lived
and that, the Gospels !wer record
Of fables a1d the church woulc
have persisted without another
weapon being raised against it
The fact that it is here today j:
a testimony to the truth of it: