same language.1

2

Those who for years had lived by him always saw him holding the bread and then the cup "betwixt his holy and venerable hands," and thus offering himself to them. It was he whom they ate and drank; he became the true passover, the former one having been abolished by his blood. It is impossible to translate into our essentially hard-and-fast modes of speech, where we must always sharply distinguish between the proper meaning and the metaphor, those turns of phrase which by their very essence ascribe objective reality to the metaphor, or, rather, to the idea it represents.

1 Ephes. iii. 17.

2 Words of a very ancient canon of the Greek and Latin Mass.

CHAPTER XIX.

DEEPENING GLOW AND STRESS.

On the

It is clear that such a religious society, founded solely on the expectation of a divine kingdom, must be in itself very incomplete. The first Christian generation lived almost entirely upon hopes and dreams. eve of seeing the world come to an end, it estimated as vain endeavour whatever served only to prolong the world's existence. The desire of property was regarded as a sinful thing.1 Whatever attaches man to earth, whatever draws him aside from heaven, must be shunned. Though several of the disciples were married, it would seem that marriage was no longer contracted after one became a member of the sect.2 Celibacy was distinctly preferred. At one time the Master seems to approve of those who should mutilate themselves in view of the kingdom of God. In this he acted up to his precept, "If thy hand or thy foot cause thee to offend, cut them off, and cast them from thee; it is better for thee to enter into life halt or maimed, rather than having two hands or two feet to be cast into Gehenna. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee; it is better for

1 Matt. xix. 21; Luke xiv. 33; Acts iv. 32-35, and v. 1-11.

2 Matt. xix. 10-12; Luke xviii. 29, 30.

This is the constant teaching of Paul: comp. Revel. xiv. 4. 4 Matt. xix. 12.

thee to enter into life with one eye, rather than having both eyes to be cast into Gehenna." 1 An end of all conjugal relations was further held to be the sign and condition of the kingdom of God.2

It will be seen that this primitive Church would never have formed a durable society, but for the great variety of elements embraced in the teaching of Jesus. It yet required more than a century for the true Christian Church-that which has converted the world— to disengage itself from this little sect of "latter-day saints," and to become a framework suited to human society as a whole. The same was also the case with Buddhism, which at first was founded only for monks. The same thing would have happened in the Franciscan Order, if that Order had succeeded in its claim to become a rule for the whole of human society. Being utopian in their origin, and succeeding by their very extravagance, the great systems just spoken of did not spread over the world till they had been profoundly modified, and had abandoned their excesses. Jesus himself never went beyond this first purely monastic stage, in which one thinks he can attempt the impossible with impunity. He made no concession to necessity. He boldly preached war against Nature, and a total rupture with the ties of blood. "In truth, I declare to you," said he, "whatever man has left house or parents or brethren or wife or children, for the kingdom of God's sake, shall receive a hundred-fold more in this present time, and in the world to come life eternal."

1 Matt. xviii. 8, 9: comp. Babylonian Talmud, Niddah, 13 b.

2 Matt. xxii. 30; Mark xii. 25; Luke xx. 35; Ebionite Gospel of the Egyptians, in Clem. Alex. Strom. iii. 9, 13; Clem. Rom. Ep. ii. 12. 8 Luke xviii. 29, 30.

The instruction which Jesus is represented to have given his disciples breathes the same exaltation.1 He, so lenient with the outside world, at times satisfied with mere half-way adhesions, shows extreme rigour towards his own. He would have no "all buts." all buts." We might call it an "order," founded upon the austerest rules. True to his idea that the cares of life trouble and debase man, Jesus requires of his companions a complete detachment from the earth, an absolute devotion to his work. They must carry with them no money or provisions for the way, not even a wallet or change of clothes. They must practise absolute poverty, live on alms and hospitality. "What you have received freely, give freely," said he, in his own noble words.2 Arrested and arraigned before the judges, let them prepare no defence; the heavenly Advocate will inspire them as to what they shall say. The Father will confer upon them his spirit from on high. This Spirit will control all their acts, direct their thoughts, and guide them through the world.3 When driven from a city, let them shake off the dust from their shoes upon it, and thus, lest it plead ignorance, testify that the kingdom of God is near. "Before you have gone over the cities of Israel," he added, "the Son of Man will appear.'

4

A strange glow pervades all these discourses. They may be in part the creation of the disciples' enthusiasm ;1 but even in this case they came indirectly from Jesus,

1 Matt. x. (throughout); xxiv. 9.

Mark vi. 8-11; ix. 40; xiii. 9-13. Luke ix. 3-5; x. 1-7; xii. 4-12; xxi. 17. John xv. 18-21; xvii. 14.

2 Matt. x. 8: comp. Midrash Ialkout, Deuteron. § 824.

8 Matt. x. 20. John xiv. 16, 17, 25-27; xvi. 7, 13.

4 The expressions in Matt. x. 38 and xvi. 24, in Mark viii. 34 and Luke xiv. 27, must have been conceived after the death of Jesus.

scourged in Brother will When they

since such enthusiasm was his work. He warns those who wish to follow him of bitter persecutions and the hatred of mankind. He sends them forth as lambs in the midst of wolves. They will be the synagogues, and dragged to prison. betray his brother, and the father his son. are persecuted in one country, let them flee to another. "The disciple," said he, "is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord. Fear not those who kill the body, but have no power upon the soul. Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall to the ground but as your Father permits. Nay, the very hairs of your heads are all numbered. Fear nothing, then; you are of more value than many sparrows." 1 "Whoever," he said again, "shall confess me before men, him I will confess before my Father; but whoever shall be ashamed of me before men, him I will deny before the angels when I come in the glory Father who is in heaven." 2

of my

In these moments of severity he went the length of trampling upon the flesh. His requirements no longer have any bounds. Despising the healthy limits of man's nature, he would insist that one should exist only for him, should love no one but him alone. "If any man come to me," said he, "and hate not his father, his mother, his wife, his children, his brethren, his sisters, even his own life, he cannot be my disciple." So too, "If any you shall not renounce all that he has, he cannot be my disciple." Something strange and more than

one of

1 Matt. x. 24-31;

2 Matt. x. 32, 33;

Luke xii. 4-7.

Mark viii. 38; Luke ix. 26 and xii. 8, 9.

8 Luke xiv. 26. Allowance should be made for the vein of exaggeration in Luke.

4 Luke xiv. 33.