II. HISTORICAL ANALYSIS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT*. BEFORE HEROD the son of Antipas, or Antipater, an Idu- CHRIST. 40 mean, declared by the Romans king of Judea. Herod, assisted by Sosius the Roman general, lays siege to Jerusalem, and takes it; the soldiers fill all corners of the city with blood, rapine, and cruelty. Antigonus, the prince and high priest, is by Sosius carried away prisoner to Rome, and Herod put in full possession of the kingdom. About this time Hillel a Babylonian, descended from David, flourished at Jerusalem; one of whose disciples was Jonathan the son of Uzziel, the famous author of the Chaldee paraphrase. Herod this year begins to enlarge, or rather to rebuild the Temple at Jerusalem, forty-six years before the first passover of the ministry of Christ, and in nine years and a half finishes that magnifi cent structure. 37 31 18 The angel Gabriel appears to Zachary the priest, 6 as he is offering incense in the Temple, telling him that a son shall be born unto him, whom he shall call John; who also shall be a Nazarite, and the forerunner of the Lord in the spirit and power of Elias. In the sixth month after John was conceived, the same angel Gabriel is sent by God to Nazareth in Galilee, to the most blessed Virgin Mary (espoused to Joseph, a person of the house and lineage of David;) the angel declares unto her, that she shall conceive by the overshadowing of the Holy Ghost, and bring forth a son, and call his name JESUS. John the Baptist born six months before Christ. CHRIST Our Lord and Saviour in the fulness of time is born of the blessed Virgin Mary at Bethlehem, and laid in a manger. On the eighth day after his nativity he is circumcised, and named JESUS. The wise men of the east bring presents to the new-born King of the Jews. Joseph flees into Egypt with the child Jesus, and Mary his mother. Herod commands the infants in and about Bethlehem to be slain. Herod dies, and his son Archelaus is by Cæsar made tetrarch of Judæa; other dominions, which belonged to Herod, are divided among his sons. Christ, by God's appointment, is brought back out of Egypt into Nazareth. The first year of the vulgar Christian Era 5 4 3 AFTER CHRIST. Ar the passover Our Lord goes up with his parents to Jerusalem, and there disputes with the doctors in the Temple. 8 Augustus dies, and Tiberius succeeds him. Josephus, called Caiaphas, is made high-priest of the Jews by the favour of Valerius Gratus, the Roman governor. 14 Towards the end of this year Pontius Pilate is sent to be procurator of Judæa, in the place of Valerius Gratus. 26 John the Baptist begins to preach and to baptize 27 in the desert of Judæa, thereby preparing the way of the Lord, and doing his endeavour that Christ coming after him may be made known unto Israel. Unto John God gives a sign whereby he may know the Lord's Christ, that upon whom he shall see the Spirit descending and remaining on him, the same is he which shall baptize with the Holy Ghost. Jesus, entering upon the 30th year of his age, comes from Galilee to Jordan, and is baptized of John; at which time a most signal manifestation is made of the blessed Trinity; for the Son of God AFTER ascending out of the water, and praying, the heavens CHRIST. are opened, and the Spirit of God, in the shape of a dove, descends upon him; and the voice of the Father is heard from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. John sees it, and bears record that this is the Son of God. Jesus, full of the Holy Ghost, returns from Jordan, and is led by the Spirit into the wilderness, where he fasts forty days and forty nights, and is tempted by the devil. After this Our Lord returns into Galilee. John gives testimony to Our Saviour passing by him; Andrew, Peter, Philip, and Nathaniel, acknowledge him to be the Messias, and become his disciples. Christ, at a marriage in Cana of Galilee, turns water into wine; this was his first miracle. The first passover of Christ's public ministry. JESUS comes to Jerusalem at the time of the passover, and, entering into the Temple, scourges out those that bought and sold there. The Jews require a sign of his authority: Christ bids them destroy that temple (understanding the temple of his body), and in three days he will raise it up. Herod the tetrarch casts John the Baptist into prison, for reproving his incest with his brother Philip's wife, and other evils done by him. Christ discovers himself to the woman of Samaria. The second passover of Christ's ministry, John v. 1, JESUS comes up to Jerusalem at the time of the feast, and heals on the sabbath day a man that had an infirmity thirty-eight years, lying at the pool of Bethesda. He makes a strong appeal to the Jews who sought to kill him, because he said that God was his Father. Christ out of the multitude of his disciples chooses twelve, whom he calls Apostles: namely, Peter, Andrew, James, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James the son of Alpheus, Simon called Zelotes, Judas the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot. To these our Saviour chiefly directs his discourse in that glorious, full, and admirable, sermon on the mount. Jesus sends his twelve Apostles by two and two to preach, and heal the sick. The third passover of Christ's ministry, John vi. 4. JESUS is transfigured on the mount; Moses and Elias are seen to talk with him, and a voice from heaven is heard a second time, saying, This is my beloved Son; hear him. Christ pays tribute to Cæsar. A certain village of the Samaritans refuses our Saviour entertainment in his way to Jerusalem: the disciples, desiring to call for fire from heaven to consume them, are severely reprimanded. The seventy disciples are sent out by two and two to work miracles, and to preach. Christ teaches his disciples to pray. 3333 As the events recorded in the New Testament extend only over a limited portion of time, during the whole of which the known world was under the sway of the Roman Empire, it has not been thought necessary to superadd the cotemporary events of Profane. History, which indeed were few and unimportant. Christ raises Lazarus, who had been buried four days. Caiaphas, high priest of the Jews, prophesies concerning the death of Christ. Zaccheus a publican converted. Christ restores his sight to blind Bartimeus. Mary the sister of Lazarus anoints our Saviour's feet with costly spikenard, and wipes them with the hair of her head. Christ rides in triumph into Jerusalem; the multitude spread their garments in the way, and cry, Hosannah to the Son of David. Coming near the city, he weeps over it, and foretells its destruction. He enters the Temple, and casts out those that bought and sold there; and heals the blind and lame. He curses the fruitless fig tree, and the next morning it is found dried up and withered. Thence he takes occasion to show the power of faith. The fourth passover, in which Christ our Passover was sacrificed. 1Cor. v. 7. On the first day of unleavened bread, when the passover of the Jews was to be slain, (Ápril 2,) in the evening, Jesus eats the passover with his disciples, and institutes the sacrament of his body and blood in bread and wine. Christ washes his disciples' feet, and exhorts them to humility and charity. In the selfsame night Christ is betrayed by Judas, mocked, buffeted, and spit upon, by the soldiers. Next day he is condemned by Pilate, and crucified; the sun during the crucifixion is darkened, and the vail of the Temple rent in the midst. Christ praying for his enemies gives up the ghost. Joseph of Arimathea begs the body, and lays it in a new sepulchre. On the third day, the next after the Jewish Sabbath, (April 5,) Christ rises from the dead; his resurrection is declared by angels to the women that came to the sepulchre. Christ first appears to Mary Magdalene, and afterward to his disciples, and dines with them. Christ brings his Apostles to Mount Olivet; commands them to await in Jerusalem the sending down of the Holy Ghost; sends them to teach and baptize all nations, and blesses them; and while they behold, he is taken up, and a cloud receives him out of their sight. After his ascension the disciples are warned by two angels to depart, and to set their minds upon his second coming; they accordingly return, and, giving themselves to prayer, choose Matthias to be an Apostle in the place of Judas. On the day of Pentecost (May 24,) the Holy Ghost descends on the Apostles in the form of cloven tongues, like as of fire, and enables them to speak all languages. Peter the same day preaches Christ and the resurrection, and about 3000 believers are added to the church. Peter by faith in Christ's name heals a lame man. The rulers of the Jews, offended at Peter's sermon, and his miraculous cure of the lame man, cast both him and John into prison; upon their examination they boldly avouch the lame man to be healed by the name of Jesus, and that by the same Jesus we must be eternally saved. After this the Jews forbid them to speak any more in that name; but the Apostles answer, That it is fit they should obey God rather than men. They are threatened, and let go. Ananias and his wife Sapphira for their hypocrisy are suddenly struck dead. The Apostles are again cast into prison by the high-priest; but an angel sets them at liberty, and bids them preach the Gospel to the people without fear; being taken again teaching in the Temple, they are brought before the council, where by the advice of Gamaliel, a pharisee and doctor of the law, they are delivered. The number of believers increasing at Jerusalem, the Apostles ordain seven deacons, who should distribute the alms of the whole Church to the widows and poorer sort of believers. Stephen, one of these deacons, having confounded some that disputed with him, is by them falsely accused of blasphemy, and AFTER CHRIST. 33 34 AFTER 34 brought before the council, where he reprehends CHRIST. their rebellion, and murdering of Christ. Whereupon they cast him out of the city, and stone him; he in the mean time praying for them. A great persecution of the Church at Jerusalem follows after the death of the first martyr, Stephen. Philip, one of the seven deacons, preaches at Samaria, and converts many; works miracles, and heals the sick. Simon, the sorcerer, seeing the wonders that are done by Philip, believes, and is baptized. The Apostles at Jerusalem, hearing that Samaria had received the faith, send thither Peter and John to confirm and enlarge the Church. The Apostles by prayer and imposition of hands confer the Holy Ghost on all believers. Simon Magus offers them money, that he may receive power of conferring the same, whose impiety is sharply reproved by Peter. Having completed their ministry in those parts, they return to Jerusalem. An angel sends Philip to teach and baptize the Ethiopian eunuch. Saul, a violent persecutor of all that call on the name of Jesus, and one who consented to the death of Stephen, goes now towards Damascus with commission from the high-priest and the council to apprehend all Christians in those parts, and to bring them bound to Jerusalem; on the way he is miraculously converted by a voice from heaven; and three days after baptized by Ananias at Damascus, where he preaches the Gospel of Christ with great boldness, to the astonishment of those that knew upon what design he was sent thither. Saul having preached the Gospel at Damascus a long time, the Jews lay wait to kill him, but he escapes from thence, and comes to Jerusalem; there he sees Peter, and James the brother of Our Lord, and abides with them fifteen days. Here he speaks boldly in the name of Jesus, and disputes with the Grecians, or rather Jews that used the Greek tongue. These also consult how they may kill him. While Saul prays in the Temple, he is in a trance, and the Lord appears unto him, and bids him to depart from Jerusalem, because they will not receive his testimony; adding, that he will send him to the Gentiles. Saul leaving Jerusalem goes to his own country, Tarsus, and from thence travels into Syria and Cilicia. Peter visits the churches of Judæa, Galilee, Samaria, &c. At Lydda he cures Eneas of the palsy; and at Joppa restores Tabitha to life. At Cesarea, Cornelius, a centurion, by prayers and alms finds favour in the sight of God, and is commanded by an angel to send for Peter, now at Joppa. God by a vision teaches Peter not to despise the Gentiles. Peter, being sent for by Cornelius, goes and preaches Christ to him and a great company that were met at his house: while Peter preaches, the Holy Ghost falls upon them all; and immediately the Apostle baptizes them. Peter, at his return to Jerusalem, is accused by those of the circumcision for conversing with the Gentiles; but he declares to them his vision, and the whole matter concerning Cornelius; and they glorify God for granting to the Gentiles also repentance unto life. The believers, who, ever since the martyrdom of Stephen, and the persecution thereupon ensuing, had been dispersed throughout all Phenice and Cyprus, come now to Antioch, and preach the Gospel to the Greeks there, having before preached to none but the Jews. The Church at Jerusalem understanding this, and that the number of believers increased exceedingly, sends Barnabas thither to confirm them; he goes to Tarsus, and takes Saul along with him to Antioch, where they continue a whole year, converting multitudes to the faith. Here the disciples were first called Christians. About this time James the brother of John is beheaded by the command of Herod Agrippa. He also imprisons Peter, whom an angel delivers upon the prayers of the Church. This same Herod, not long after speaking to the people at Cesarea, some of them cry out, It is the voice of God, and not of 35 333 41 44 THE NEW TESTAMENT. AFTER man: and immediately an angel of the Lord smites CHRIST. him, because he gave not the glory to God; and he is eaten of worms, and dies. Barnabas and Saul set forward in their preaching of the Gospel. They plant the Christian faith in Seleucia, Cyprus, and other places. At Paphos they preach the Gospel to Sergius Paulus, governor of that country: Elymas, a sorcerer, withstanding them, and endeavouring to turn away Sergius from the faith, is at Saul's rebuke struck blind. From this time Saul is always called by his new name, Paul; he preaches at Antioch; the Gentiles believe, but the Jews gainsay and blaspheme. Whereupon he and his assistants turn to the Gentiles, and come to Iconium. At Iconium they are persecuted and ready to be 46 stoned. From hence they fly to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia. At Lystra Paul healing a cripple, the multitude cry out, that the gods are come down, and call Barnabas, Jupiter; and Paul, Mercurius; and would have sacrificed to them, had not the Apostles with clothes rent run in among them, and assured them that they were men like themselves. Soon after there come Jews from Antioch and Iconium, who excite the people against them. Paul is by the furious multitude stoned, and drawn out of the city as dead; but whilst the disciples stand about him, he rises up, and the next day departs with Barnabas to Derbe. In this year, perhaps at this very time, Paul was caught up into the third heaven, and heard unspeakable words, fourteen years before he wrote his second epistle to the Corinthians. About this time Timothy, though a child, with his mother Eunice, and his grandmother Lois, embrace the Christian faith, preached by Paul. Certain Judaizing Christians come from Judæa to Antioch, and teach that the Gentiles ought to be circumcised, and observe the law of Moses; these Paul and Barnabas oppose, and a council is held by the Apostles and others at Jerusalem, to determine this controversy. The decrees of the synod are sent to the churches. Paul and Barnabas, thinking to visit the churches together, fall at strife, and part asunder; Barnabas and Mark go into Cyprus; Paul and Silas into Syria aud Cilicia. Paul coming to Derbe finds there Timothy, whom (because his mother was a believing Jew, though his father a Gentile) he causes to be circumcised, and takes him along with him. He is by a vision admonished to go into Macedonia; coming to Philippi, the chief city of that part of Macedonia, he converts Lydia; casts out of a certain maidservant a spirit of divination, whose master, losing a considerable gain thereby, brings Paul and Silas before the magistrates; these cause them to be whipped and imprisoned; but at midnight, Paul and Silas praying and singing psalms, the doors of the prison fly open, and their bonds are loosed: the jailor, ready to kill himself, is converted to the faith, and baptized the same night with his whole family. Next day the magistrates come themselves, and pray them to depart the city. From Philippi Paul takes his journey through Amphipolis and Apollonia, and comes to Thessalonica, where he finds a synagogue of the Jews; there he preaches three sabbath days; some believe, others persecute him. Leaving Thessalonica, he comes to Berea, and soon after arrives at Athens, disputes with the- philosophers, and declares unto them that UNKNOWN GOD, whom they had ignorantly worshipped. He converts Dionysius, the Areopagite, and thence passes to Corinth. Paul at Corinth meets with Aquila and Priscilla, not long before banished Rome by the decree of Claudius. Here he continues a year and six months, and thence writes to the Thessalonians. Paul is accused by the Jews, and brought before Gallio, proconsul of Achaia, who refuses to be judge in a controversy about religion, and so drives them away from the judgment seat. Paul departs from Corinth, and passes to Ephesus, thence he sets out toward Jerusalem, that he may be at the feast; he lands at Cesarea, goes down to Antioch, and comes into the regions of Galatia and Phrygia, confirming the disciples in all those places. 45 52 32 53 54 33 55 56 1413 AFTER Paul returns to Ephesus, disputes daily in the CHRIST. school of Tyrannus, and continues preaching there, and the parts thereabouts. He writes his epistle to the Galatians. 57 58 At Ephesus Demetrius a silversmith, jealous of 60 his gain, raises a tumult against Paul, which is appeased by the townclerk. About this time a schism arises in the Church of Corinth, which causes Paul (now in or about Ephesus) to write his first epistle to the Corinthians. Paul departs from Ephesus, and comes into Macedonia, and gathers a contribution for the relief of the saints at Jerusalem. The Apostle, having learnt from Titus the success of his first, writes now his second epistle to the Corinthians; out of Macedonia he goes into Greece, and comes to Corinth, where he writes his epistle to the Romans. Paul purposing to go directly from thence into Syria, that he may carry the collections to Jerusalem, the Jews lay wait for him; he understanding this, thinks it best to return into Macedonia the same way he came, and thence to pass into Asia. After the days of unleavened bread Paul sails from Philippi, and comes to Troas; there he restores Eutychus to life. Having passed through several cities of Greece, he arrives at Miletus; from thence he sends to call the elders of the Church of Ephesus, whom he earnestly exhorts to the performance of their duty. Paul comes to Jerusalem, is apprehended in the Temple, and secured in the castle; he claims the privilege of a Roman, and escapes scourging. Paul pleads his cause before Ananias the high priest. The chief captain, understanding that above forty Jews had bound themselves under a curse neither to eat nor drink till they had killed him, sends him to Felix the governor of the province, by whom he is imprisoned at Cesarea. Paul is accused before Felix by Tertullus the orator: Felix goes out of his office, and, to gratify the Jews, leaves Paul in prison. Porcius Festus succeeds him in the government. The Jews come to Cesarea, and accuse Paul before Festus. He answers for himself, and appeals unto Cesar. King Agrippa comes to Cesarea, and Festus opens the whole matter to him. Paul makes his defence in the presence of Agrippa; who thereby is almost persuaded to be a Christian, and the whole company pronounce him innocent. Paul comes to Rome, is a prisoner at large, and preaches there two years. Here ends the History of the Acts of the Apostles, written by St. Luke, St. Paul's beloved companion in his travels. St. Paul from Rome writes his epistles, To the Philippians. To Philemon. To the Ephesians. About the latter end of this year St. Paul is set at liberty; and a little before his departure out of Italy into Asia he writes his epistle to the Hebrews. He preaches the Gospel in the isle of Crete, and leaves Titus there to set things in order, and ordain elders in every city. St. Paul writes his epistles. To Timothy I. To Titus. To Timothy II. About this time the epistles of St. Peter, St. John, and St. Jude, seem to be written. St. Peter and St. Paul are said to have suffered martyrdom at Rome towards the latter end of Nero's reign. This year Jerusalem (according to Christ's prophecy) is besieged, taken, sacked, and burnt, by Titus, 1,100,000 of the Jews perish, 97,000 are taken prisoners; beside an innumerable company that in other places of Judea kill themselves, or perish through famine, banishment, or other miseries. St. John is banished into the isle of Patmos by Domitian,and there receives and writes his Revelation. After the death of Domitian St. John returns to Ephesus, and at the request of the Church writes his Gospel. Beth-Car. The Philistines were sub- Beth-Dibliathim, c. n. Diblatha, a station of the Israelites. Beth-Emek, a boundary town between Beth Nimrah, Nimrah, or Nimrim, Bethonnaba, Nob, or Nobah, c. n. Nob, a city of the priests Beth-Palet, or Beth-Pheleb 32 21 ::: 25 2 34 35 35 27 to this place when pursued by Gideon 32 21 35 33 Chabor, or Habor, c. n. Chabor, Ab- 37 10.. 28 15 32 44 36 9 40 30 :: 46 30 43 30 51 30 51 34 59 Charran, or Harran, c. n. Charra, Chesulloth, or Chisloth Tabor, c. n. Chezib, or Chesib, the birth-place of Chimham, the residence of Chimham, Chisloth Tabor, or Chesulloth, c. n. Chor-Ashan, or Ashan. To the 31 29 34 43 Chun, or Berothai, c. n. Barathena. 32 48 .. Dabarath, or Dabareh, Daboury, a 31 54 : 37 23 35 57 32 36.. 35 36 Beth-Tappuah, c. n. Beth-Tapphu, a towards Edom Bethuel, or Bethul Bethzur, c. n. Bethsura Betonim, a boundary town between Bezek, c. n. Besec. At this place the Bileam, or Gathrimmon, a city of the Levites. Bilhah, Baalah, or Kirjath-jearim Boaz, Field of. Here Boaz first saw ::: 32 23 32 24 31 48 32 40 31 18 31 38.. 35 20 31 31 35 19 32 40.. 37 0 Same as Jerusalem. 31 30.. 35 40 32 Ellasar, Telassar, or Telharsa, c. n. 35 17 destroyed by Abram 31 47 :: 35 44 35 20 Elon, or Elon-beth-hanan, under the |