Sidor som bilder
PDF
ePub

the New Teftament.

33

because they were the immediate difciples of the Apoftles. Their high antiquity, and ftill more their perfect acquaintance with the Apoftles, render them particularly important to us in our prefent inquiry.

1. Barnabas.

BARNABAS was appointed, in conjunction with St. Paul the moft eminent of the firft preachers of Chriftianity, to publish the religion of Chrift among the Gentiles, after they had made many thoufand converts among the Jews and Samaritans°; and is not only placed on a perfect equality with him, but is alfo exprefsly ftiled an

tions of the editor, it contains a variety of new and important additions, which are mentioned in the title. Le Clerc himself has pointed out the advantages of this edition in the Biblioth. ancienne et mod. tom. xxi. part 2. p. 237. feq. An useful abridgement of these writings is to be found in Röfler's Library of the Ecclefiaftical Fathers.

。 Acts xiii. 2, 3.

PA&s xiii. 2. 3. 46. 47. I Corinth. ix. 4-7.

D

Apostle.

[graphic]
[graphic]

is here unimportant, fince it quotes, as we fhall fee hereafter, not a fingle paffage of the New Teftament. It contains indeed now the fame paffages which Clement and Origen have cited from it. But the unnatural mode of interpretation, (known by the name of myftical) which prevails in it; the fables of the Hyæna, &c. which the author believed; and the affertion that the world would be deftroyed in its fix thoufandth year, which is directly contradictory to the affurances of the New Teftament, that the time when it should take place was perfectly unknown, make it certain, that this epiftle was not written by that Barnabas, who was an Apoftle. Nevertheless, the moft learned in ancient hiftory are agreed, that it was compofed not later than the fecond century. And we may allow thus much to the teftimonies of the pri

* See Röfler's Library of the Ecclefiaftical Fathers, i. I. mitive

[graphic]

D 2

[graphic]

the New Teftament.

37

To him who reads this epiftle without any intention of producing teftimonies from it in fupport of the Scriptures of the New Teftament, fcarcely any will be perceptible. What might be produced with the greatest appearance of probability, are two paffages which have been generally brought forward as an evidence for the Gospel of St. Matthew'. Barnabas is speaking in the feventh chapter of the fufferings of Chrift, and delivers this as one of his fayings:-They who will fee me and obtain my kingdom, must receive me with many fufferings and afflictions2. And in the fourth chapter he introduces-Many are called, but few chofen, as the declaration of certain divine Seriptures. For he makes use of a phrafe which was commonly em

Py See Lardner's Credibility, vol. ii. p. 14, 15, of the edition of his works, published in 1788.

* Οντω, φησιν, οι θελοντες με ιδειν και άψασθαι μου της βασιλείας, οφείλουσι θλίβεντες και παθόντες λαβειν H.-Cotel. p. 24.

[blocks in formation]
« FöregåendeFortsätt »