Of the Policy of Jesus Christ.
I.
Is there anything, for example, more dextrous than the manner in which
he treated the subject of the woman taken in adultery? (St. John,
c. viii.) The Jews having asked if they should stone this unfortunate,
instead of replying definitely, yes or no, by which he would fall in
the trap set by his enemies: the negative being directly against the
law, and the affirmative proving him severe and cruel, which would have
alienated the saints. Instead of replying as any ordinary person but
him would have done, he said, "whoever is without sin, let him cast the
first stone," a skillful response, which shows us his presence of mind.
II.
Another time being asked if it was lawful to [40] pay tribute to
Cesar, and seeing the image of the Prince on the coin that they
showed him, he evades the difficulty by replying that they should
"render unto Cesar what belongs to Cesar, and unto God what belongs
to God." The difficulty consisted in that he would be guilty of lèse
majesté if he had said it was not permitted, and by saying that it
was, he would reverse the law of Moses which he always protested he
would not do, because he felt that he was either too weak, or that
he would be worsted in the endeavor. So he made himself more popular,
by acting with impunity after the manner of Princes, who allowed the
privileges of their subjects to be confirmed while their power was
not well established, but who scorned their promises when they were
well enthroned.
III.
He again skillfully avoided a trap that the Pharisees had set for
him. They asked him--having in their minds thoughts which would
only tend to convict him of lying--by what authority he pretended
to instruct and catechise the people. Whether he replied that it was
by human authority because he was not of the sacred body of Levites,
or whether he boasted of preaching by the express command of God, his
doctrine was contrary to the Mosaic law. To relieve this embarrassment,
he availed himself of the questioners themselves by asking them in the
name of whom they thought John baptized? The Pharisees, who for policy
opposed the baptism by John, would be condemned themselves in avowing
that it was of God. If they had not admitted it they would have been
exposed to the rage of the populace, who believed the contrary. To
get out of this dilemma, they replied that they knew nothing of it,
to which Jesus answered that he was neither obliged to tell them why,
nor in the name of whom he preached.
IV.
Such were the skillful and witty evasions of the destroyer of the
ancient law and the founder of the new. Such were the origins of the
new religion which was built on the ruins of the old, or to speak
disinterestedly, there was nothing more divine in this than in the
other sects which preceded it. Its founder, who was not quite ignorant,
seeing the extreme corruption of the Jewish republic, judged it as
nearing its end, and believed that another should be revived from its
ashes. The fear of being prevented by one more ambitious than himself,
made him haste to establish it by methods quite opposed to those of
Moses. The latter commenced by making himself formidable to other
nations. Jesus, on the contrary, attracted them to him by the hope
of the advantages of another life, which he said could be obtained
by believing in him, while Moses only promised temporal benefits as a
recompense for the observation of his law. Jesus Christ held out a hope
which never was realized. The laws of one only regarded the exterior,
while those of the other aimed at the inner man, influencing even
the thoughts, and entirely the reverse of the law of Moses. Whence it
follows that Jesus believed with Aristotle that it is with Religion
and States, as with individuals who are begotten and die, and as
nothing is made except subject to dissolution, there is no law which
can follow which is entirely opposed to it. Now as it is difficult to
decide to change from one law to another, and as the great majority
is difficult to move in matters of Religion, Jesus, in imitation of
the other innovators had recourse to miracles, which have always been
the peril of the ignorant, and the sanctuary of the ambitious.
V.
Christianity was founded by this method, and Jesus profiting by the
faults of the Mosaic policy, never succeeded so happily anywhere, as
in the measures which he took to render his law eternal. The Hebrew
prophets thought to do honor to Moses by predicting a successor who
resembled him. That is to say, a Messiah, grand in virtue, powerful in
wealth, and terrible to his enemies; and while their prophecies have
produced the contrary effect, many ambitious ones have taken occasion
to proclaim themselves the promised Messiah, which has caused revolts
that have endured until the entire destruction of their republic.
Jesus Christ, more adroit than the Mosaic prophets, to defeat
the purpose of those who rose up against him predicted (Matthew
xxiv. 4-5-24-25-26. II. Thessalonians ii. 3-10. John ii. 11-18) that
such a man would be a great enemy of God, the delight of the Devil, the
sink of all iniquity and the desolation of the world. After these fine
declarations there was, to my mind, no person who would dare to call
himself Anti-Christ, and I do not think he could have found a better
way to perpetuate his law. There was nothing more fabulous than the
rumors that were spread concerning this pretended Anti-Christ. St. Paul
said (II. Thessalonians xi. 7) of his existence, that "he was already
born," consequently was present on the eve of the coming of Jesus
Christ while more than twelve hundred years have expired since the
prediction of this prophet was uttered, and he has not yet appeared.
I admit that these words have been credited to Cherintus and Ebion,
two great enemies of Jesus Christ, because they denied his pretended
divinity, but it also may be said that if this interpretation conforms
to the view of the apostle, which is not credible; these words for all
time designate an infinity of Anti-Christ, there being no reputable
scholar who would offend by saying that the [41]history of Jesus
Christ is a fable, and that his law is but a tissue of idle fancies
that ignorance has put in vogue and that interest preserves.
VI.
Nevertheless it is pretended that a Religion which rests on such
frail foundations is quite divine and supernatural, as if we did not
know that there were never persons more convenient to give currency
to the most absurd opinions than women and idiots.
It is not strange, then, that Jesus did not choose Philosophers and
Scholars for his Apostles. He knew that his law and good sense were
diametrically opposed. [42] That is the reason why he declaims in so
many places against the wise, and excludes them from his kingdom,
where were to be admitted the poor in spirit, the silly and the
crazy. Again, rational individuals did not think it unfortunate to
have nothing in common with visionaries.