Bible Myths and their Parallels in other Religions by T. W. Doane
CHAPTER XXXIV.
1234 words | Chapter 274
THE BIRTH-DAY OF CHRIST JESUS.
Christmas--December the 25th--is a day which has been set apart by the
Christian church on which to celebrate the birth of their Lord and
Saviour, Christ Jesus, and is considered by the majority of persons to
be really the day on which he was born. This is altogether erroneous, as
will be seen upon examination of the subject.
There was no uniformity in the period of observing the Nativity among
the early Christian churches; some held the festival in the month of May
or April, others in January.[359:1]
The _year_ in which he was born is also as uncertain as the month or
day. "The year in which it happened," says Mosheim, the ecclesiastical
historian, "has not hitherto been fixed with certainty, notwithstanding
the deep and laborious researches of the learned."[359:2]
According to IRENÆUS (A. D. 190), on the authority of "The Gospel," and
"all the elders who were conversant in Asia with John, the disciple of
the Lord," Christ Jesus lived to be nearly, if not quite, _fifty years
of age_. If this celebrated Christian father is correct, and who can say
he is not, Jesus was born some twenty years before the time which has
been assigned as that of his birth.[359:3]
The Rev. Dr. Giles says:
"Concerning the _time_ of Christ's birth there are even
greater doubts than about the _place_; for, though the four
Evangelists have noticed several contemporary facts, which
would seem to settle this point, yet on comparing these dates
with the general history of the period, we meet with serious
discrepancies, which involve the subject in the greatest
uncertainty."[359:4]
Again he says:
"Not only do we date our time from the exact year in which
Christ _is said to have been born_, but our ecclesiastical
calendar has determined with scrupulous minuteness the day and
almost the hour at which every particular of Christ's
wonderful life is stated to have happened. All this is
implicitly believed by millions; _yet all these things are
among the most uncertain and shadowy that history has
recorded. We have no clue to either the day or the time of
year, or even the year itself, in which Christ was
born._"[360:1]
Some Christian writers fix the year 4 B. C., as the time when he was
born, others the year 5 B. C., and again others place his time of birth
at about 15 B. C. The Rev. Dr. Geikie, speaking of this, in his _Life of
Christ_, says:
"The whole subject is _very uncertain_. Ewald appears to fix
the date of the birth at _five_ years earlier than our era.
Petavius and Usher fix it on the 25th of December, _five_
years before our era. Bengel on the 25th of December, _four_
years before our era; Anger and Winer, _four_ years before our
era, _in the Spring_; Scaliger, _three_ years before our era,
in _October_; St. Jerome, _three_ years before our era, on
December 25th; Eusebius, _two_ years before our era, on
_January_ 6th; and Idler, _seven_ years before our era, in
_December_."[360:2]
Albert Barnes writes in a manner which implies that he knew all about
the _year_ (although he does not give any authorities), but knew nothing
about the _month_. He says:
"The birth of Christ took place _four_ years before the common
era. That era began to be used about A. D. 526, being first
employed by Dionysius, and is supposed to have been placed
about four years too late. Some make the difference two,
others three, four, five, and even eight years. He was born at
the commencement of the last year of the reign of Herod, or at
the close of the year preceding."[360:3]
"The Jews sent out their flocks into the mountainous and
desert regions during the summer months, and took them up in
the latter part of October or the first of November, when the
cold weather commenced. . . . It is clear from this that our
Saviour was born before the 25th of December, or before what
we call _Christmas_. At that time it is cold, and especially
in the high and mountainous regions about Bethlehem. _God has
concealed the time of his birth. There is no way to ascertain
it._ By different learned men it has been fixed at each month
in the year."[360:4]
Canon Farrar writes with a little more caution, as follows:
"Although the date of Christ's birth cannot be fixed with
absolute certainty, there is at least a large amount of
evidence to render it _probable_ that he was born _four_ years
before our present era. It is universally admitted that our
received chronology, which is not older than Dionysius
Exiguus, in the sixth century, is wrong. But all attempts to
discover the _month_ and the _day_ are useless. No data
whatever exists to enable us to determine them with even
approximate accuracy."[360:5]
Bunsen attempts to show (on the authority of _Irenæus_, above quoted),
that Jesus was born some _fifteen_ years before the time assigned, and
that he lived to be nearly, if not quite, fifty years of age.[361:1]
According to Basnage,[361:2] the Jews placed his birth near a century
sooner than the generally assumed epoch. Others have placed it even in
the _third century_ B. C. This belief is founded on a passage in the
"_Book of Wisdom_,"[361:3] written about 250 B. C., which is supposed to
refer to Christ _Jesus_, and none other. In speaking of some individual
who lived _at that time_, it says:
"He professeth to have the knowledge of God, and he calleth
himself _the child of the Lord_. He was made to reprove our
thoughts. He is grievous unto us even to behold; for his life
is not like other men's, his ways are of another fashion. We
are esteemed of him as counterfeits; he abstaineth from our
ways as from filthiness; he pronounceth the end of the just to
be blessed, _and maketh his boast that God is his father_. Let
us see if his words be true; and let us prove what shall
happen in the end of him. For if the _just man_ be the son of
God, he (God) will help him, and deliver him from the hand of
his enemies. Let us examine him with despitefulness and
torture, that we may know his meekness, and prove his
patience. Let us condemn him with a shameful death; for by his
own saying he shall be respected."
This is a very important passage. Of course, the church claim it to be a
_prophecy_ of what Christ Jesus was to do and suffer, but this does not
explain it.
If the writer of the "_Gospel according to Luke_" is correct, Jesus was
not born until about A. D. 10, for he explicitly tells us that this
event did not happen until Cyrenius was governor of Syria.[361:4] Now it
is well known that Cyrenius was not appointed to this office until long
after the death of Herod (during whose reign the Matthew narrator
informs us Jesus was born[361:5]), and that the taxing spoken of by the
Luke narrator as having taken place at this time, did not take place
until about ten years after the time at which, according to the Matthew
narrator, Jesus was born.[361:6]
Eusebius, the first ecclesiastical historian,[361:7] places his birth at
the time Cyrenius was governor of Syria, and therefore at about A. D.
Chapters
1. Chapter 1
2. INTRODUCTION.
3. Chapter XXXIX.), we have considered the _Miracles of Christ Jesus_, the
4. PART I.
5. INTRODUCTION iii
6. CHAPTER I.
7. CHAPTER II.
8. CHAPTER III.
9. CHAPTER IV.
10. CHAPTER V.
11. CHAPTER VI.
12. CHAPTER VII.
13. CHAPTER VIII.
14. CHAPTER IX.
15. CHAPTER X.
16. CHAPTER XI.
17. CHAPTER XII.
18. CHAPTER XIII.
19. CHAPTER XIV.
20. CHAPTER XV.
21. CHAPTER XVI.
22. CHAPTER XVII.
23. CHAPTER XVIII.
24. CHAPTER XIX.
25. CHAPTER XX.
26. CHAPTER XXI.
27. CHAPTER XXII.
28. CHAPTER XXIII.
29. CHAPTER XXIV.
30. CHAPTER XXV.
31. CHAPTER XXVI.
32. CHAPTER XXVII.
33. CHAPTER XXVIII.
34. CHAPTER XXIX.
35. CHAPTER XXX.
36. CHAPTER XXXI.
37. CHAPTER XXXII.
38. CHAPTER XXXIII.
39. CHAPTER XXXIV.
40. CHAPTER XXXV.
41. CHAPTER XXXVI.
42. CHAPTER XXXVII.
43. CHAPTER XXXVIII.
44. CHAPTER XXXIX.
45. CHAPTER XL.
46. PART I.
47. CHAPTER I.
48. CHAPTER II.
49. CHAPTER III.
50. 147. See also Smith: Chaldean Account of Genesis, p. 48, and Volney's
51. CHAPTER IV.
52. CHAPTER V.
53. 357. Josephus: Jewish Antiquities, book xviii. ch. 13. Dunlap: Son of
54. CHAPTER VI.
55. CHAPTER VII.
56. 5. Not to lie. 6. Not to swear. 7. To avoid impure words. 8. To be
57. CHAPTER VIII.
58. CHAPTER IX.
59. CHAPTER X.
60. Book ii. ch. 36.)
61. CHAPTER XI.
62. 182. Inman: Ancient Faiths, vol. ii. pp. 782, 783; and Goldziher: Hebrew
63. 125. Smith's Bible Dictionary art. "Chemosh."
64. PART II.
65. CHAPTER XII.
66. CHAPTER XIII.
67. CHAPTER XIV.
68. CHAPTER XV.
69. CHAPTER XVI.
70. CHAPTER XVII.
71. CHAPTER XVIII.
72. CHAPTER XIX.
73. CHAPTER XX.
74. Introduction. Some of these are ascertained, by historical or
75. 31. Anacalypsis, vol. i. p. 649.
76. CHAPTER XXI.
77. CHAPTER XXII.
78. CHAPTER XXIII.
79. CHAPTER XXIV.
80. 9. Hist. Hindostan, vol. ii. pp. 498-500.)
81. CHAPTER XXV.
82. CHAPTER XXVI.
83. CHAPTER XXVII.
84. 173. Albert Barnes, in his "Lectures on the Evidences of Christianity,"
85. CHAPTER XXVIII.
86. 1. "Crishna was born of a chaste virgin, called Devaki, who was selected
87. 1. Jesus was born of a chaste virgin, called Mary, who was
88. 2. A chorus of Devatas celebrated with song the praise of Devaki,
89. 2. The angel of the Lord saluted Mary, and said: "Hail Mary!
90. 3. The birth of Crishna was announced in the heavens by _his
91. 3. The birth of Jesus was announced in the heavens by _his
92. 4. On the morn of Crishna's birth, "the quarters of the horizon were
93. 4. When Jesus was born, the angels of heaven sang with joy,
94. 5. Crishna, though royally descended, was actually born in a state the
95. 5. "The birth of Jesus, the King of Israel, took place under
96. 6. "The moment Crishna was born, the whole cave was splendidly
97. 6. The moment Jesus was born, "there was a great light in the
98. 7. "Soon after Crishna's mother was delivered of him, and while she was
99. 7. "Jesus spake even when he was in his cradle, and said to
100. 8. The divine child--Crishna--was recognized, and adored by cowherds,
101. 8. The divine child--Jesus--was recognized, and adored by
102. 9. Crishna was received with divine honors, and presented with gifts of
103. 9. Jesus was received with divine honors, and presented with
104. 10. "Soon after the birth of Crishna, the holy Indian prophet Nared,
105. 10. "Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea, behold,
106. 11. Crishna was born at a time when Nanda--his foster-father--was away
107. 11. Jesus was born at a time when Joseph--his
108. 12. Crishna, although born in a state the most abject and humiliating,
109. 12. Jesus, although born in a state the most abject and
110. 13. Crishna's father was warned by a "heavenly voice," to "fly with the
111. 13. Jesus' father was warned "in a dream" to "take the young
112. 14. The ruler of the country in which Crishna was born, having been
113. 14. The ruler of the country in which Jesus was born, having
114. 15. "Mathura (pronounced Mattra), was the city in which Crishna was
115. 15. Matarea, near Hermopolis, in Egypt, is said to have been
116. 16. Crishna was preceded by _Rama_, who was born a short time before
117. 16. Jesus was preceded by _John_ the "divine herald," who was
118. 17. Crishna, being brought up among shepherds, wanted the advantage of a
119. 17. Jesus was sent to Zaccheus the schoolmaster, who wrote out
120. 18. "At a certain time, Crishna, taking a walk with the other cowherds,
121. 18. "In the month Adar, Jesus gathered together the boys, and
122. 19. Some of Crishna's play-fellows were stung by a serpent, and he,
123. 19. When Jesus was at play, a boy was stung by a serpent, "and
124. 20. Crishna's companions, with some calves, were stolen, and hid in a
125. 20. Jesus' companions, who had hid themselves in a furnace,
126. 21. "One of the first miracles performed by Crishna, when mature, was
127. 21. One of the first miracles performed by Jesus, when mature,
128. 22. A poor cripple, or lame woman, came, with "a vessel filled with
129. 22. "Now, when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the
130. 23. Crishna was crucified, and he is represented with arms extended,
131. 23. Jesus was crucified, and he is represented with arms
132. 24. At the time of the death of Crishna, there came calamities and bad
133. 24. At the time of the death of Jesus, there came calamities
134. 26. Crishna said to the hunter who shot him: "Go, hunter, through my
135. 26. Jesus said to one of the malefactors who was crucified
136. 28. Jesus, after being put to death, rose again from the
137. 29. Crishna ascended bodily into heaven, and many persons witnessed his
138. 29. Jesus ascended bodily into heaven, and many persons
139. 30. Crishna is to come again on earth in the latter days. He will appear
140. 30. Jesus is to come again on earth in the latter days. He
141. 32. Crishna is the creator of all things visible and invisible; "all
142. 32. Jesus is the creator of all things visible and invisible;
143. 33. Crishna is Alpha and Omega, "the beginning, the middle, and the end
144. 33. Jesus is Alpha and Omega, the beginning, the middle, and
145. 34. Crishna, when on earth, was in constant strife against the evil
146. 34. Jesus, when on earth, was in constant strife against the
147. 36. Crishna was transfigured before his disciple Arjuna. "All in an
148. 36. "And after six days, Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John
149. 37. Crishna was "the meekest and best tempered of beings." "He preached
150. 37. Jesus was the meekest and best tempered of beings. He
151. 38. "Crishna is the very Supreme Brahma, though it be a _mystery_ how
152. 38. Jesus is the very Supreme Jehovah, though it be a
153. 39. Jesus is the second person in the Christian
154. 40. Crishna said: "Let him if seeking God by deep abstraction, abandon
155. 40. Jesus said: "But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy
156. 41. Crishna said: "Whate'er thou dost perform, whate'er thou eatest,
157. 41. Jesus said: "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or
158. 42. Crishna said: "I am the cause of the whole universe; through me it
159. 42. "Of him, and through him, and unto him, are all things."
160. 43. Crishna said: "I am the light in the Sun and Moon, far, far beyond
161. 43. "Then spoke Jesus again unto them, saying: I am the light
162. 44. Crishna said: "I am the sustainer of the world, its friend and Lord.
163. 44. "Jesus said unto them, I am the way, the truth, and the
164. 45. Crishna said: "I am the Goodness of the good; I am Beginning,
165. 45. "I am the first and the last; and have the keys of hell
166. 46. Crishna said: "Then be not sorrowful, from all thy sins I will
167. 46. Jesus said: "Be of good cheer; thy sins be forgiven
168. 130. Savary: Travels in Egypt, vol. i. p. 126, in Hist. Hindostan, vol.
169. CHAPTER XXIX.
170. 1. Buddha was born of the Virgin Mary,[289:1] who conceived him without
171. 1. Jesus was born of the Virgin Mary, who conceived him
172. 2. The incarnation of Buddha is recorded to have been brought about by
173. 2. The incarnation of Jesus is recorded to have been brought
174. 3. When Buddha descended from the regions of the souls,[290:1] and
175. 3. When Jesus descended from his heavenly seat, and entered
176. 4. The birth of Buddha was announced in the heavens by an _asterim_
177. 4. The birth of Jesus was announced in the heavens by "his
178. 5. "The son of the Virgin Maya, on whom, according to the tradition, the
179. 5. The Son of the Virgin Mary, on whom, according to the
180. 6. Demonstrations of celestial delight were manifest at the birth of
181. 6. Demonstrations of celestial delight were manifest at the
182. 7. "Buddha was visited by wise men who recognized in this marvelous
183. 7. Jesus was visited by wise men who recognized in this
184. 8. The infant Buddha was presented with "costly jewels and precious
185. 8. The infant Jesus was presented with gifts of gold,
186. 9. When Buddha was an infant, just born, he spoke to his mother, and
187. 9. When Jesus was an infant in his cradle, he spoke to his
188. 10. Buddha was a "dangerous child." His life was threatened by King
189. 10. Jesus was a "dangerous child." His life was threatened by
190. 11. When sent to school, the young Buddha surprised his masters. Without
191. 11. When sent to school, Jesus surprised his master Zaccheus,
192. 12. "When _twelve_ years old the child Buddha is presented in the
193. 12. "And when he was _twelve_ years old, they brought him to
194. 13. Buddha entered a temple, on which occasion forthwith all the statues
195. 13. "And as Jesus was going in by the ensigns, who carried the
196. 14. "The ancestry of Gotama Buddha is traced from his father,
197. 14. The ancestry of Jesus is traced from his father, Joseph,
198. 15. When Buddha was about to go forth "to adopt a religious life,"
199. 15. When Jesus was about "beginning to preach," the _devil_
200. 16. _Mara_ said unto Buddha: "Go not forth to adopt a religious life,
201. 16. The _devil_ said to Jesus: If thou wilt fall down and
202. 17. Buddha would not heed the words of the Evil One, and said to him:
203. 17. Jesus would not heed the words of the Evil One, and said
204. 18. After _Mara_ had left Buddha, "the skies rained flowers, and
205. 18. After the _devil_ had left Jesus, "angels came and
206. 20. Buddha, the Saviour, was baptized, and at this recorded water
207. 20. Jesus was baptized by John in the river Jordan, at which
208. 21. "On one occasion toward the end of his life on earth, Gautama Buddha
209. 21. On one occasion during his career on earth, Jesus is
210. 22. "Buddha performed great miracles for the good of mankind, and the
211. 22. Jesus performed great miracles for the good of the
212. 23. By prayers in the name of Buddha, his followers expect to receive
213. 23. By prayers in the name of Jesus, his followers expect to
214. 24. When Buddha died and was buried, "the coverings of the body unrolled
215. 24. When Jesus died and was buried, the coverings of the body
216. 25. Buddha ascended bodily to the celestial regions, when his mission on
217. 25. Jesus ascended bodily to the celestial regions, when his
218. 26. Buddha is to come upon the earth again in the latter days, his
219. 26. Jesus is to come upon the earth again in the latter days,
220. 28. Buddha is Alpha and Omega, without beginning or end, "the Supreme
221. 28. Jesus is Alpha and Omega, without beginning or
222. 29. Buddha is represented as saying: "Let all the sins that were
223. 29. Jesus is represented as the Saviour of mankind, and all
224. 30. Buddha said: "Hide your good deeds, and confess before the world the
225. 30. Jesus taught men to hide their good deeds,[293:20] and
226. 31. "Buddha was described as a superhuman organ of light, to whom a
227. 31. Jesus was described as a superhuman organ of light--"the
228. 32. Buddha came, not to destroy, but to fulfill, the law. He delighted
229. 32. Jesus said: "Think not that I am come to destroy the law,
230. 33. "One day Ananda, the disciple of Buddha, after a long walk in the
231. 33. One day Jesus, after a long walk, cometh to the city of
232. 34. "According to Buddha, the motive of all our actions should be _pity_
233. 34. "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to
234. 35. During the early part of his career as a teacher, "Buddha went to
235. 35. During the early part of his career as a teacher, Jesus
236. 36. Those who became disciples of Buddha were told that they must
237. 36. Those who became disciples of Jesus were told that they
238. 37. It is recorded in the "Sacred Canon" of the Buddhists that the
239. 37. It is recorded in the "Sacred Canon" of the Christians
240. 38. When Buddha's time on earth was about coming to a close, he,
241. 38. When Jesus' time on earth was about coming to a close, he
242. 39. In the Buddhist _Somadeva_, is to be found the following: "To give
243. 39. "And behold, one came and said unto him, Good Master, what
244. 40. Buddha's aim was to establish a "Religious Kingdom," a "_Kingdom of
245. 40. "From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say,
246. 41. Buddha said: "I now desire to turn the wheel of the excellent
247. 41. Jesus, after his temptation by the devil, began to
248. 42. Buddha said: "Though the heavens were to fall to earth, and the
249. 42. "The law was given by Moses, but grace and _truth_ came by
250. 43. Buddha said: "There is no passion more violent than voluptuousness.
251. 43. Jesus said: "Ye have heard that it was said by them of old
252. 44. Buddha said: "A wise man should avoid married life as if it were a
253. 44. "It is good for a man not to touch a woman," "but if they
254. 45. "Buddhism is convinced that if a man reaps sorrow, disappointment,
255. 45. "And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was _blind
256. 46. Buddha knew the thoughts of others: "By directing his mind to the
257. 46. Jesus knew the thoughts of others. By directing his mind
258. 47. In the _Somadeva_ a story is related of a Buddhist ascetic whose eye
259. 47. It is related in the New Testament that Jesus said: "If
260. 48. When Buddha was about to become an ascetic, and when riding on the
261. 48. When Jesus was entering Jerusalem, riding on an ass, his
262. CHAPTER XXX.
263. 1. "But as the benefit of Initiation was great, such as were convicted
264. 1. "For as the benefit is great, if, with a true penitent
265. 2. "At their entrance, purifying themselves, by washing their hands in
266. 2. See the fonts of _holy water_ at the entrance of every
267. 3. "The priests who officiated in these sacred solemnities, were called
268. 3. The priests who officiate at these Christian solemnities
269. 4. The Pagan Priest dismissed their congregation with these words:
270. 4. The Christian priests dismiss their congregation with these
271. CHAPTER XXXI.
272. CHAPTER XXXII.
273. CHAPTER XXXIII.
274. CHAPTER XXXIV.
275. 10. His words are as follows:
276. CHAPTER XXXV.
277. 886. Taylor's Diegesis and Reber's Christ of Paul.)
278. CHAPTER XXXVI.
279. 1. I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth:
280. 1. I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and
281. 3. Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin
282. 4. Suffered under (whom it might be), was crucified, dead, and
283. 7. He ascended into Heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the
284. 7. He ascended into Heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of
285. 8. From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the
286. 12. The resurrection of the body; and the life
287. 1. To Mercury and Minerva, Tutelary Gods.
288. 3. To the Divinity of Mercury the Availing, the Powerful, the
289. 3. To the Divinity of St. George the Availing, the Powerful,
290. 4. Sacred to the presiding helpers, St. George and St.
291. 6. The Mystical Letters I. H. S.[397:2]
292. 5. Drink no wine.
293. 12. Quoted in Taylor's Diegesis, p. 42.)
294. CHAPTER XXXVII.
295. 1. _For the perpetuation of knowledge._ Orders were given to the chief
296. 2. _For the increase of knowledge._ One of the chief objects of the
297. 3. _For the diffusion of knowledge._ In the museum was given, by
298. 414. In Athens itself philosophy awaited its doom. Justinian at length
299. 1. That, "orders were given to the chief librarian to buy at the king's
300. 2. That, "one of the chief objects of the museum was that of serving as
301. 3. That, "any books brought by foreigners into Egypt were taken at once
302. 4. That, "there flocked to this great intellectual centre students from
303. 5. That, "the Christian church received from it some of the most eminent
304. 6. That, the chief doctrines of the Gnostic Christians "had been held
305. 7. That, "the College of ESSENES at Ephesus, the Orphics of Thrace, the
306. 8. That, "_the introduction of Buddhism into Egypt and Palestine
307. 9. That, "_Buddhism_ had actually been planted in the dominions of the
308. 10. That, "it is very likely that the commentaries (Scriptures) which
309. 11. That, "the principal doctrines and rites of the _Essenes_ can be
310. 12. That, "among the doctrines which the _Essenes_ and _Buddhists_ had
311. 13. That, "they (the _Essenes_) had a flourishing university or
312. 14. That, "the _very ancient_ and Eastern doctrine of the
313. 15. That, "we hear very little of them (the _Essenes_) after A. D. 40;
314. CHAPTER XXXVIII.
315. CHAPTER XXXIX.
316. 1. _The birth of Christ Jesus_ is said to have taken place at _early
317. 2. _Christ Jesus was born of a Virgin._ In this respect he is also the
318. 3. _His birth was foretold by a star._ This is the bright _morning
319. 4. _The Heavenly Host sang praises._ All nature smiles at the birth of
320. 5. _He was visited by the Magi._ This is very natural, for the Magi were
321. 6. _He was born in a Cave._ In this respect also, the history of
322. 6. _He was ordered to be put to death._ All the Sun-gods are fated to
323. 7. _He was tempted by the devil._ The temptation by, and victory over
324. 8. _He was put to death on the cross._ The Sun has now reached his
325. Chapter XII. we saw that several illustrious females were believed to
326. 9. "_And many women were there beholding afar off._"[493:3] The tender
327. 10. "_There was darkness all over the land._"[494:5] In the same manner
328. 11. "_He descended into hell._"[494:8] This is the _Sun's_ descent into
329. 12. _He rose again from the dead, and ascended into heaven._
330. 13. _Christ Jesus is Creator of all things._ We have seen (in Chapter
331. 14. _He is to be Judge of the quick and the dead._ Who is better able
332. 15. _He will come again sitting on a white horse._ The "second coming"
333. CHAPTER XL.
334. 1. This Paul owns himself a _deacon_, the lowest ecclesiastical grade
335. 2. The Gospel of which these Epistles speak, had been extensively
336. book xviii. ch. ii. 3.)
337. 1. It was never quoted by any of our Christian ancestors
338. 2. Josephus has nowhere else mentioned the name or word
339. 5. It is _not_ quoted by Chrysostom,[564:5] though he often
340. 6. It is _not_ quoted by Photius, though he has three articles
341. 7. Under the article _Justus of Tiberius_, this author
342. 8. Neither Justin, in his dialogue with Typho the Jew, nor
343. 9. But, on the contrary, Origen openly affirms (ch. xxxv., bk.
344. 1. This passage, which would have served the purpose of Christian
345. 2. It is not quoted by Tertullian, though he had read and largely quotes
346. 3. And though his argument immediately called for the use of this
347. 4. This Father has spoken of Tacitus in a way that it is absolutely
348. 5. It is not quoted by Clemens Alexandrinus, _who set himself entirely
349. 6. It has been nowhere stumbled upon by the laborious and all-seeking
350. 7. Tacitus has in no other part of his writings made the least allusion
351. 8. The use of this passage as part of the evidences of the Christian
352. 9. There is no vestige nor trace of its existence anywhere in the world
353. 10. No reference whatever is made to this passage by any writer or
354. 11. The interpolator of the passage makes Tacitus speak of "_Christ_,"
355. 12. The word "_Christ_" is _not a name_, but a TITLE;[567:2] it being
356. 13. When Tacitus is made to speak of Jesus as "Christ," it is equivalent
357. 15. Tacitus is also made to say that the _Christians_ had their
358. 16. "The disciples were _called_ Christians first at Antioch" (Acts xi.
359. 17. The worshipers of the Sun-god, _Serapis_, were also called
360. 6. _He was ordered to be put to death._
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