THAT THE FOUR GOSPELS ARE GENUINE FROM EXTERNAL TESTIMONY.
(_A._) THE UNDISPUTED TESTIMONY.
End of second century; Irenæus, his evidence of great
value.
(_B._) THE ALMOST UNDISPUTED TESTIMONY.
(1.) Justin Martyr, A.D. 150, refers to some Apostolic
_Memoirs_, which were publicly read among Christians;
and his quotations show that these were our
Four Gospels.
(2.) Tatian, Justin's disciple, A.D. 175, wrote the Diatessaron,
or harmony of Four Gospels.
(3.) Marcion, A.D. 140, wrote a Gospel based on St. Luke's.
(_C._) THE DISPUTED TESTIMONY.
(1.) Papias, mentions the first two Gospels by name.
(2.) Aristides, A.D. 125, alludes to some Gospel as well
known.
(3.) The Apostolic Fathers, Polycarp, Ignatius, Clement,
Barnabas, and the Teaching of the Twelve, seem to
contain references to our Gospels.
Having shown in the last chapter that the Christian Religion is
_credible_, we have next to consider what evidence there is in its
favour. Now that it was founded on the alleged miracles and teaching
of Christ, and chiefly on His Resurrection, is admitted by everyone.
So we must first examine whether we have any trustworthy testimony
as to these events; more especially whether the Four Gospels, which
appear to contain such testimony, are genuine. By the _Four
Gospels_, we of course mean those commonly ascribed to SS. Matthew,
Mark, Luke, and John; and by their being _genuine_, we mean that
they were written, or compiled by those persons. And we will first
consider the _external testimony_ borne by early Christian writers
to these Gospels, leaving _the internal evidence_ from the Books
themselves for the next chapter.
It may be mentioned at starting that we have no complete manuscripts
of the Gospels earlier than the beginning of the fourth century; but
there is nothing surprising in this, as for the first two centuries
books were generally written on _papyrus_, an extremely fragile
material. Therefore, with the exception of some fragments preserved
in Egypt, all documents of this period have entirely perished. A
much better material, _vellum_, began to take the place of papyrus
in the third century; but did not come into common use till the
fourth. Moreover, during the persecutions, which occurred at
intervals up to the fourth century, all Christian _writings_ were
specially sought for, and destroyed. So the absence of earlier
manuscripts though very unfortunate, is not perhaps unnatural; and
it is anyhow no worse than in the case of classical works. I have
seen it stated, for instance, that there are no manuscripts of
either Cicero, Cæsar, Tacitus, or Josephus, within 800 years of
their time.
(_A._) THE UNDISPUTED TESTIMONY.
Passing on now to the testimony of early writers; we need not begin
later than the end of the second century; since it is admitted by
everyone that our Four Gospels were then well known. They were
continually quoted by Christian writers; they were universally
ascribed to the authors we now ascribe them to; and they were always
considered to be in some sense divinely inspired.
As this is undisputed, we need not discuss the evidence; but one
writer deserves to be mentioned, which is _Irenæus_, Bishop of
Lyons. His works date from about A.D. 185; and he not only quotes
the Gospels frequently (about 500 times altogether), but shows there
were only _four_ of acknowledged authority. Since the fanciful
analogies he gives for this, likening the four Gospels to the four
rivers in Paradise, and the four quarters of the globe, render it
certain that the fact of there being four, neither more nor less,
must have been undisputed in his day.
Moreover he had excellent means of knowing the truth; for he was
born in Asia Minor, about A.D. 130, and brought up under Polycarp,
Bishop of Smyrna. And in later years he tells us how well he
remembered his teacher. 'I can even describe the place where the
blessed Polycarp used to sit and discourse--his going out, too, and
his coming in--his general mode of life and personal appearance,
together with the discourses which he delivered to the people; also
how he would speak of his familiar intercourse with John, and with
the rest of those who had seen the Lord; and how he would call their
words to remembrance.'[182]
[Footnote 182: Irenæus, Fragment of Epistle to Florinus. The
translations here and elsewhere are from the Ante-Nicene Christian
Library.]
The importance of this passage, especially in regard to the Fourth
Gospel, can scarcely be exaggerated. For is it conceivable that
Irenæus would have ascribed it to St. John, unless his teacher
Polycarp had done the same? Or is it conceivable that Polycarp, who
personally knew St. John, could have been mistaken in the matter?
The difficulties of either alternative are very great; yet there is
no other, unless we admit that St. John was the author.
It should also be noticed that Irenæus, when discussing two readings
of Rev. 13. 18, supports one of them by saying that it is found _in
all the most approved and ancient copies_; and was also maintained
by men _who saw John face to face_.[183] He had thus some idea as to
the value of evidence; and he is not likely to have written as he
did about the Four Gospels, unless he had seen of them equally
_approved and ancient_ copies.
[Footnote 183: Irenæus, Bk. 5. 30.]
(_B._) THE ALMOST UNDISPUTED TESTIMONY.
We next come to the testimony of some earlier writers, which was
formerly much disputed, but is now admitted by nearly all critics.
(1.) _Justin Martyr._
By far the most important of these is _Justin Martyr_; whose
works--two _Apologies_ (or books written in defence of Christianity)
and a _Dialogue_--date from about A.D. 145-50. He was no ordinary
convert, but a philosopher, and says that before he became a
Christian, he studied various philosophical systems and found them
unsatisfactory; so we may be sure that he did not accept
Christianity without making some inquiries as to the facts on which
it rested.[184] And as his father and grandfather were natives of
Palestine, where he was born, he had ample means of finding out the
truth.
[Footnote 184: Dial., 2.]
Now Justin does not allude to any of the Evangelists by name, but he
frequently quotes from the '_Memoirs of the Apostles_,' which he
says were sometimes called _Gospels_,[185] and were publicly read
and explained in the churches, together with the Old Testament
Prophets. And he gives no hint that this was a local or recent
practice, but implies that it was the universal and well-established
custom. These Memoirs, he tells us,[186] were written _by the
Apostles and their followers_, which exactly suits our present
Gospels, two of which are ascribed to Apostles (St. Matthew and St.
John), and the other two to their immediate followers (St. Mark and
St. Luke). And as Justin was writing for unbelievers, not
Christians, there is nothing strange in his not mentioning the names
of the individual writers.
[Footnote 185: Apol. 1. 66; Dial., 100.]
[Footnote 186: Dial., 103.]
He has altogether about sixty quotations from these Memoirs, and
they describe precisely those events in the life of Christ; which
are recorded in our Gospels, with scarcely any addition. Very few of
the quotations however are verbally accurate, and this used to be
thought a difficulty. But as Justin sometimes quotes the same
passage differently, it is clear that he was relying on his memory;
and had not looked up the reference, which in those days of
manuscripts, without concordances, must have been a tedious
process. Also when quoting the Old Testament, he is almost equally
inaccurate. Moreover later writers, such as Irenæus, who avowedly
quoted from our Gospels, are also inaccurate in small details. It is
hence practically certain that Justin was quoting from these
Gospels.
(2.) _Tatian._
And this is strongly confirmed by Justin's disciple, _Tatian_. He
wrote a book about A.D. 175, discovered last century, called the
_Diatessaron_, which, as its name implies, was a kind of harmony of
_Four_ Gospels. It was based chiefly on St. Matthew's, the events
peculiar to the others being introduced in various places. And its
containing nearly the whole of _St. John's_ Gospel is satisfactory;
because it so happens that Justin has fewer quotations from that
Gospel, than from the other three. We may say then with confidence,
that our four Gospels were well known to Christians, and highly
valued by them, in the middle of the second century.
(3.) _Marcion._
Another important witness is Marcion. He wrote (not later than A.D.
140), a kind of Gospel, so similar to St. Luke's that one was
evidently based on the other. And though his actual work is lost,
Tertullian (about A.D. 200) quotes it so fully that it is fairly
well-known; and that St. Luke's is the earlier is now admitted by
critics of all schools. Therefore as Matthew and Mark are generally
allowed to be earlier than Luke, this shows that all these Gospels
were in circulation before A.D. 140.
(_C._) THE DISPUTED TESTIMONY.
We pass on now to the testimony of still earlier writers, all of
which is more or less disputed by some critics.
(1.) _Papias._
And first as to Papias. He was bishop of Hierapolis in Asia Minor
(about a hundred miles from Ephesus) early in the second century;
and only a few fragments of his writings have been preserved by
Irenæus and Eusebius. We learn from the former that he was a
disciple of St. John and a companion of Polycarp; and considering
that Irenæus was himself Polycarp's pupil, there is no reason to
doubt this.[187] Now Papias tells us himself what were his sources
of information: 'If, then, anyone who had attended on the elders
came, I asked minutely after their sayings,--what Andrew or Peter
said, or what was said by Philip, or by Thomas, or by James, or by
John, or by Matthew, or by any other of the Lord's disciples: which
things Aristion and the presbyter John, the disciples of the Lord,
say. For I imagined that what was to be got from books was not so
profitable to me as what came from the living and abiding voice.'
[Footnote 187: Irenæus, Bk. 5. 33.]
He had thus very good means of knowing the truth, for though the
Apostles themselves were dead, two of Christ's disciples (Aristion
and the presbyter John) were still alive when he made his inquiries.
And he refers to the first two Gospels by name. He says, 'Matthew
put together the oracles in the Hebrew language, and each one
interpreted them as best he could.' And 'Mark, having become the
interpreter of Peter, wrote down accurately whatsoever he
remembered. It was not, however, in exact order that he related the
sayings or deeds of Christ. For he neither heard the Lord nor
accompanied Him. But afterwards, as I said, he accompanied
Peter.'[188]
[Footnote 188: Eusebius, Hist., iii. 39.]
And his testimony in regard to _St. Matthew_ is specially important,
because in the passage just quoted he says that he had spoken to
those who had known St. Matthew personally; and had carefully
questioned them about what he had said. And this makes it difficult
to believe that he should have been mistaken as to his having
written the Gospel. Nor is it likely that the work of St. Matthew
known to Papias was different from the Gospel which we now have, and
which was so frequently quoted by Justin a few years later. Whether
Papias was acquainted with the Third and Fourth Gospels cannot be
decided for certain, unless his works should be recovered; but there
are slight indications that he knew them.
(2.) _Aristides._
Next as to Aristides. He was a philosopher at Athens, and addressed
an Apology to the Emperor, Hadrian, in A.D. 125, which was recovered
in 1889. He has no _quotation_ from the Gospels, but what is equally
important, he gives a summary of Christian doctrine, including the
Divinity, Incarnation, Virgin-Birth, Resurrection and Ascension of
Christ; and says that it is _taught in the Gospel_, where men can
_read_ it for themselves. And this shows that some Gospel,
containing this teaching, was then in existence, and easily
accessible.
(3.) _The Apostolic Fathers._
The last group of writers to be examined are those who lived soon
after the Apostles. The chief of these are _Polycarp_ of Smyrna, the
disciple of St. John, martyred in A.D. 155, when he had been a
Christian 86 years; _Ignatius_ of Antioch, also martyred in his old
age, about A.D. 110; _Clement_ of Rome, perhaps the companion of St.
Paul;[189] and the writers of the so-called _Epistle of Barnabas_,
and _Teaching of the Twelve Apostles_. Their dates are not known for
certain, but it is now generally admitted by rationalists as well as
Christians that they all wrote before A.D. 120, and probably before
110. Thus the _Encyclopædia Biblica_ (article _Gospels_) dates their
works, Polycarp 110; Ignatius (7 Epistles) before 110; Barnabas,
probably before 100; Clement 95; Teaching 80-100.
[Footnote 189: Phil. 4. 3.]
Now none of these writers mention the Gospels by _name_; but this is
no argument to show that they were not quoting them, because the
same writers, when admittedly quoting St. Paul's Epistles, also do
it at times, without in any way referring to him. And later
Christian writers do precisely the same; the Gospels are often not
quoted by name, but their language is continually employed, much as
it is by preachers at the present day. If, then, we find in these
writers passages similar to those in our Gospels, the inference is
that they are quoting from them; and, as a matter of fact, we do
find such passages, though they are not numerous. A single example
may be given from each.
_Polycarp._ 'But being mindful of what the Lord said in His
teaching; Judge not, that ye be not judged; forgive, and it shall be
forgiven unto you; be merciful, that ye may obtain mercy; with what
measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again; and once more,
Blessed are the poor, and those that are persecuted for
righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of God.'[190]
[Footnote 190: Polycarp, ch. ii.; Luke 6. 36-38; Matt. 5. 3, 10.]
_Ignatius._ 'For I know that after His Resurrection also, He was
still possessed of flesh, and I believe that He is so now. When, for
instance, He came to those who were with Peter, He said to them,
"Lay hold, handle Me, and see that I am not an incorporeal
spirit."'[191]
[Footnote 191: Ignatius to Smyrnæans, ch. iii.; Luke 24. 39.]
_Barnabas._ 'Let us beware lest we be found, as it is written, Many
are called, but few are chosen.'[192]
[Footnote 192: Barnabas, ch. iv.; Matt. 22. 14.]
_Clement._ 'Remember the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, how He
said, Woe to that man! It were better for him that he had never been
born, than that he should cast a stumbling-block before one of my
elect. Yea, it were better for him that a millstone should be hung
about (his neck), and he should be sunk in the depths of the sea,
than that he should cast a stumbling-block before one of my little
ones.'[193]
[Footnote 193: Clement, ch. xlvi.; Luke 17. 1. 2.]
_Teaching._ 'Having said beforehand all these things, baptize ye in
the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost in
living water.'[194]
[Footnote 194: Teaching, ch. vii.; Matt. 28. 19.]
The passage from Barnabas deserves special mention, since here we
have words which only occur in our Gospels, introduced with the
phrase _as it is written_, which is only used of Scripture
quotations. And this shows conclusively that at the time of the
writer, some Gospel containing these words must have been well
known, and considered of high authority. And the attempts to explain
it away as being from the Book of Esdras,[195] where the words are,
'There be many created, but few shall be saved;' or else as an error
on the part of the writer, who thought they came somewhere in the
Old Testament, are quite inadmissible.
[Footnote 195: 2 Esdr. 8. 3.]
But it may be said, may not all these quotations be from some _Lost
Gospel_? Of course they may. It is always possible to refer
quotations not to the only book in which we know they do occur, but
to some imaginary book in which they might occur. There is, however,
no need to do so in this case, as all the evidence points the other
way. Though, even if we do, it does not materially affect the
argument; for while it weakens the evidence for our Gospels, it
increases that for the _facts_ which they record; and this is the
important point.
Suppose, for instance, the passage in Ignatius was not taken from
St. Luke's, but from some _Lost_ Gospel. It could not then be quoted
to show that St. Luke's Gospel was known to Ignatius. But it would
afford additional evidence that Christ really did rise from the
dead, that when He appeared to His Apostles, they at first thought
He was a spirit; and that He took the obvious means of convincing
them, by asking them to handle His Body. All this would then be
vouched for, not only by St. Luke's Gospel; but also by some _other_
early Christian writing, which as Ignatius quotes it in A.D. 110
must certainly have been written in the first century, and must have
been considered by him as conclusive evidence. For he is careful to
distinguish between what he thus _knows_ (that Christ had a Body
after His Resurrection) and what he merely _believes_ (that He has
one now). And the same applies in other cases.
And if it be further urged that these writers would have referred
more frequently to the Gospels, had they really known them, we must
remember that their writings are generally short; and while a single
quotation proves the previous existence of the document quoted, ten
pages without a quotation do not disprove it. Moreover when they
refer to the sayings of Christ, or the events of His life, they
always do so without the slightest hesitation; as if everyone
acknowledged them to be true. And as we have seen, their allusions
often begin with the words _remember_ or _be mindful of_, clearly
showing that they expected their readers to know them already. Hence
some books must then have existed which were well known, containing
a life of Christ; and the improbability of these having perished,
and a fresh set of Gospels having been published in a few years, is
very great.
And the evidence in regard to the _Third_ Gospel is particularly
strong, since it was addressed to Theophilus, who was clearly a
prominent convert; and he must have known from whom the book came,
even if for some reason this was not stated in the heading. And as
he is not likely to have kept it secret, the authorship of the book
must have been well known to Christians from the very beginning.
Therefore the testimony of early writers, like Irenæus, who always
ascribed it to St. Luke, becomes of exceptional value; and makes it
almost certain that he was the author.
We may now sum up the _external testimony_ to the Four Gospels. It
shows that at the _beginning_ of the second century they were well
known to Christian writers, and this alone would necessitate their
having been written in the first century, or at all events before
A.D. 110. And thanks to modern discoveries, especially that of the
_Diatessaron_, this is now generally admitted. It may indeed be
considered as one of the definite results of recent controversies.
But if so, it is, to say the least, distinctly probable that they
were written by the men to whom they have been universally ascribed.
We have thus strong external testimony in favour of the genuineness
of the Four Gospels.