these merely human precepts to pernicious plants, which must be entirely rooted up, Matt. 15: 13; bitterly censured the Pharisees for taking so much pains to make proselytes to a disfigured religion, Matt. 23: 15; and finally, engaged to deliver the poor oppressed people from the whole burden of the Mosaic law, and give them the easy yoke of a pure, spiritual religion in its stead, Matt. 11: 28, 29. Could it have been the design of a man to spare and defend a constitution, concerning the most essential and most holy parts of which he made such declarations? On the other hand, is it not sufficiently apparent from these assertions, that he had determined to weaken its authority and gradually prepare the way for its overthrow?

In

Jesus made known his resolution in still more definite terms, whenever the circumstances under which he spoke, were such, that an undissembled declaration of it could produce no injury and occasion no misunderstanding. the very first year of his public ministry, he informed,a Samaritan woman, who could not possibly take offence at what she heard, that the religious constitution of the Jews was drawing to a close; that the time was then at hand in which the true worship of the father should no longer be confined to a particular place ;-in which all Jewish and Samaritan, all merely external worship, should entirely cease, and God be adored in spirit and in truth, John 4: 20-24. Jesus could not have expressed in clearer and stronger terms than it is here done, his determination to substitute a new, better, and more extensive religion, instead of the Jewish constitution, which presented such obstacles to the extension of a spiritual religion, and was calculated to confine it to a single nation,-to one corner of the earth. In the confidential circle of his apostles, he spoke in a similar manner. When Peter, in a conversation, at which none but his fellow apostles were present, declared they were convinced he was the Messiah, Jesus not only approved of this decision, but added that by means of Peter, he intended to found a church which should endure forever, and into which Peter should admit whom he would, Matt. 16: 18, 19. In these words, the resolution of Jesus to establish a religious society, peculiar, and

entirely different from that of the Jews, is too clearly expressed to be mistaken. His church is to be founded. Had he had the improvement of the Jewish religion solely in view, he certainly would not have spoken of founding a church. In the new church the highest power is to be conceded to Peter, who is to open and shut it whenever he pleases. In the Jewish church neither Christ nor his apostles sought after authority and power. It must have been his intention therefore to separate his church from that, and give it regulations entirely distinct. Indeed he says so, in Matt. 18: 17, 18, where, under the new constitution, soon to go into operation, similar power is also conferred upon the other apostles. If with the above we compare Matt. 16: 28. Mark 9: 1, and Luke 9: 27, it will appear that the successful enlargement of this church, or, which is the same thing, the kingdom of heaven, which he was engaged in founding, was to commence with the destruction of the city of Jerusalem, when, as is well known, the Jewish constitution ceased, and the Christian stood forth entirely alone. This last point, however, deserves more particular attention. It cannot be denied that Jesus spoke of a near overthrow of the Jewish state, and an entire destruction of the temple. He spoke of these changes more than once, Luke 13: 34, 35. 19: 41-44. Matt. 22: 7. 23: 33-39, and described them to his apostles, with all their attending circumstances, and the consequently successful progress of his undertaking, in so clear and minute a manner, Matt. xxiv. Mark xiii. Luke xxi., as to remove all doubt that he expected such a revolution, and considered it as altogether unavoidable. When we reflect therefore, that he expressly makes a distinction between his own affairs and those of the religious constitution of the Jews, and represents the decay of the latter and the destruction of the temple, as events which should conduce to the advantage of his own undertaking, and the kingdom of heaven, Matt. 24: 30, 31. Luke 12: 27, 28, can we deem it in the least degree probable that he aimed solely at the improvement of his own nation, without ever forming the design of separating himself from

that society, which he knew would remain faithful to the old order of things? And, finally, what shall we say, when he speaks in direct terms of another community and an entirely new system of religion, which should not only be opposed to the old one, but render it superfluous?—when he assures us of his determination solemnly to consecrate and confirm this new constitution by his blood,-by his death? Matt. 26: 28. Mark 14: 24. Luke 22: 20. Must

we not admit this to be a declaration, that the constitution then existing, was antiquated and useless, and an intimation as clear as possible, that he was thinking upon something new and better?

§ 11. If we can show, however, that the plan in which Jesus was engaged, was of universal extent, embracing all mankind, then no room will be left for the supposition that he intended merely to reform his own nation. Now that such was the extent of his views and the compass of his plan, is too evident to be misapprehended. It shines forth from his conduct, is expressed in his words, and confirmed by the truths, which he generally inculcated.

(a) The conduct of Jesus, as represented by the evangelists, exhibits no very indistinct traces of views, that stretched beyond the boundaries of Judea. He every where acts like a man, who has something of greater importance before him, than merely the improvement of his fellow citizens. He repeatedly casts a glance upon foreigners, and elevates it even to mankind at large. That he thought of the condition of the heathen, and made their moral necessities an object of contemplation, he has here and there intimated with sufficient plainness. Sometimes he mentions them in his discourses, and when he does so, it is always with a reference to their wants, Matt. 5: 47. 6: 7, 32. 20:25. Mark 10: 42.* Notwithstanding the great caution with which he avoided intimate connexions with the heathen, in order not to offend his intolerant countrymen, he by no means excluded them from participating in

* With respect to the last passage, vid. Michaelis' Syntagma commentationum, Tom. II. p. 30 seqq.

his instructions, whenever they found opportunity for the purpose. This is evident from the reproaches, which were so often heaped upon him for associating with publicans and sinners, Mark 2: 15, 16. Luke 5: 30. 15: 1, 2. 19:7; for according to the usus loquendi of those times, the term sinners may not only have included wicked and abandoned men in general,* but the heathen in particular, and consequently the Romans ;† and that the collectors of the Jewish custom, with whom Jesus associated, were sometimes heathen, is very probable from the fact, that they were in the pay of the Romans, with whom they held constant intercourse. Even the multitudes, which collected around him in desert places, appear occasionally to have been heathen, who, hearing of his general celebrity, undoubtedly felt as anxious to see him as his own fellow citizens. This can be inferred with a tolerable degree of certainty from Mark 3: 8, and Luke 6: 17,|| and that he ever refused such persons, or withdrew himself from them, we are no where informed. Besides, Galilee, the principal scene of Christ's actions, was so full of heathen, that he could not have tarried there a long time, had he wished to abstract himself entirely from them. From John 4: 40, we learn, that soon after the commencement of his public labors, he came in contact with the Samaritans, and, finding them very susceptible of his instructions, spent two whole days with them at Sychar. It is impossible not to perceive the im

* Comp. Bolte's note on Matt. 10: 10. S. 146 seqq.

+ Hence in Matt. 18: 17, the explanatory word heathen, is added to the expression publicans, instead of the common one sinners. The sinners to whom Jesus was to be delivered, were, as is well known, the Romans. Matt. 26: 45. Luke 24: 7, comp. chap. 18: 32, and Gal. 2: 16.

Krebs, De usu et praestantia Romanae Historiae in Nov. Test. interpretatione, III. P. 22 seqq.

Jesus is said to have had hearers from the region of Tyre and Sidon. In all probability these were heathen. Comp. Mark 7: 24— 26. Matt. 15: 21, 22, and Reland's Palaestina, Tom. II. p. 1046 seqq.

§ Bachiene, Beschreibung von Palaestina, Th. II. B. IV. § 620— 624.

partiality with which he did justice, both to the Samaritans and heathen, whenever he found them distinguished for any good qualities. He neglected no opportunity for bringing such excellencies into notice, and putting his own countrymen to the blush in this respect, Matt. 8: 10. 15: 28. Luke 17: 17, 18. 10: 33 seqq. Whenever foreigners applied to him, he kindly assisted them, and performed the same wonderful works for them that he did for afflicted Jews, Matt. 8: 5-13. 15: 21-28, Luke 17: 11-19. It is evident, therefore, that Jesus was not only acquainted with the bitter hatred of his passionate countrymen towards every thing not of Jewish origin, but that he considered strangers also as objects of benevolence, and sought to do them good whenever it was possible to do so without creating offence. His conduct, however, would never have been combined with such prudent foresight, or directed with such propriety as always shone forth from his actions, had his views been limited to his own nation, to the Samaritans, or to the heathen; had not his plan taken in all mankind without distinction.

(b) Whatever doubt, however, we may have had respecting the intention of Jesus to devote himself to the good of the whole human family, it vanishes when we hear him speak. He has given a particular description of the unlimited extent of his views, and, in so doing, employed every expression capable of designating the greatest universality. The usus loquendi of the Jews, as has already been observed, distinguished but two classes of men, and hence by Jews and gentiles in that age, was meant all mankind. Now Jesus unquestionably intended to render himself useful to the Jews. With them indeed he commenced his labors. More than once, however, he asserted that he should not confine himself to them;-that he considered the heathen also as the objects of his solicitude;-that he was to effect a great change in affairs, which should make the rest of mankind partakers of all that kindness and those privileges of which the Jews were so jealous, and, under the influence of an envious selfishness, wished to be exclusively possessed ;-a change, which should oblige the