incorrigible portion of the Jews to yield the precedency to the heathen. What else can be the meaning of the words, Many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven; but the children of the kingdom shall be cast into outer darkness; there shall be weeping, and gnashing of teeth?" Matt. 8: 11, 12. What else can be the import of what he said on another occasion very similar, 'that it would prove of no avail to the Jews, if they did not amend, to have had him, a fellow citizen, for their teacher and intimate associate;-that on the other hand, there should come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, those that should sit down in the kingdom of God; and that the last should be first, and the first last?" Luke 13: 24-30. What but a plan embracing the heathen, is intended in the touching description, in which he represents himself as 'the good shepherd who lays down his life for the welfare of his flock, but who has other sheep which are not of this fold, and which must also be brought in, in order that there may be but one shepherd and one fold?" John 10: 16.* How could he have expressed his determination to extend his instructions and the benefits thence resulting, beyond the boundaries of his native country, in plainer language, than when, on a previous occasion, he informed his disciples, that after his departure from them, they should encounter the hatred of their fellow citizens, and be driven into other regions ;treatment which was to result from their making known the truth to the heathen? Matt. 10: 18. 24: 14. Mark

*

[The author of Jesus Universal-Religion, ein Seitenstück zu Reinhard, &c., S. 26, L. 1811, very properly suggests, that by the other sheep in this place, Jesus did not mean those tribes in Syria and Palestine, which had revolted at the time of Rehoboam, nor those Jews, who, after Alexander, by means of an extensive commerce, were scattered all over Europe, (as Paulus assumes in his comments upon the passage,) but all other nations. To take yernoɛraι, however, as an optative, may there be one fold and one shepherd," is evidently at variance with the manner in which the clauses of the 16th verse are connected together by xa, as well as Christ's mode of speaking in verse 28, which does not express a wish merely, but is altogether positive.]

13: 10. From this collection of passages,* it is evident, that Christ's thoughts were always directed to the Jews and heathen at the same time, and that the work in which he was engaged, was calculated as much for the one as the other. Now as in the idiom of that country, the phrase, Jews and heathen, designated all mankind, it necessarily follows that Jesus, in making use of it, gave his plan the greatest universality, and distinguished it as a plan for the whole human family.

The phrase, the world, has a meaning of similar extent. Sometimes it designates the whole earth as the dwelling place of the human race, at others, this race itself.Jesus makes use of this phrase also, for the purpose of defining the object and compass of his benevolent plan. In the parable of the tares, Matth. 13: 24-30, he has compared his followers to the good seed which was obliged to grow up with noxious weeds. The field however, where the seed was to be found, according to his own explanation, vs. 37, 38, was not Palestine, nor the region inhabited by the Jews, but the whole earth, the world, without exception or limitation. He informed Nicodemus, John 3: 16, 17, a man proud of the imaginary preference due to his nation, in express terms, that he had been sent by the love of God for the good of the world, the whole human family; that he came not to condemn the world but to save it ;-an expression, which, as is evident from chap. 12: 46, 47, he used often to repeat and inculcate. In the 6th chap. of John, with reference to his having fed a great multitude on a former day, he calls himself the living bread, sent by God to give nourishment, and strength, not to the Jews only, but to the world, to all mankind without exception, vs. 33 and 51. Precisely in the same way he describes himself as the light of

* The sentence, Matt. 9: 13. Mark 2: 17. Luke 5: 32, also indicates with no inconsiderable degree of plainness, a resolution to improve the heathen, provided the expression dizator is understood of the worshippers of the true God, and the uαorwho, of those who are not,―of the heathen. Vid. Nachtigall's Buch der Weisheit, S. 195 ff.

the world, John 3: 19. 8: 12. 9: 5, as the teacher and benefactor of mankind, and compares himself to the sun which produces its effect upon every part of the globe, chap. 11: 9. In the latter part of his life, a woman poured a costly perfume upon his head, while he sat at meat in Bethany. His disciples were indignant at her for the act, but he told them that, wheresoever the Gospel should be introduced throughout the whole world, what she had done should be spoken of for a memorial of her, Matt. 26: 13. Mark 14: 9. He went with willingness to the scene of his sufferings, and to meet death, in order to exhibit to the whole world his great love towards God as well as the punctuality of his obedience, John 14: 31; and after his departure, the Spirit of truth, by means of his disciples, was to teach this very same world, and rescue it from the power of ignorance and vice, John 16: 8-11. In particular, he frequently makes use of this very comprehensive expression in the prayer to God, which he uttered shortly before his crucifixion, John xvii. Among other things, in v. 18, he says expressly that as God had sent him into the world, so he would send his disciples into the world; that the world, all mankind, should yet learn to consider him as the messenger of God, v. 27. Now in these passages, it cannot be doubted, that the phrase, the world, means all mankind without exception, for it cannot be limited in any respect, without opposing the usus loquendi. Jesus, therefore, unquestionably had the whole human family in view and consequently deserves well of all mankind.*

Jesus however makes use of other phrases of the same import, for designating the greatest universality, whenever he speaks of the extent of the plan. He says that he intended to give his life a ransom for many, Matt. 20: 28, and Mark 10: 45; that his blood was to be shed for many, Matt. 16:28. Mark 14: 24. Now we know that

In Matt. 5: 13, 14 also, the destination of the apostles to become the teachers and reformers of mankind at large, is expressed with sufficient clearness.

the many, according to the usus loquendi of the Hebrew, are the whole multitude spoken of, and consequently in this place the whole human family, Rom. 5: 15, comp. v. 12. This expression therefore is used to designate the extent of Christ's benevolence, and show that he was devoted to the best interests of all mankind. In Matt. 18: 11, he states, that the object of his coming into the world, was, to save that which was lost, comp. Luke 19: 10, and Matt. 9: 13, and procure eternal happiness for all who obey him, John 6: 38-40. Consequently it was his intention to leave none unaided who stood in need of his assistance, but to devote himself to the welfare of all without exception. Even the term all, however, is employed. In John 12: 20-32, we are informed that some Greeks, that is heathen, who had turned Jews, having come up to Jerusalem to celebrate the passover, were anxious to form an acquaintance with Jesus, and made known their wishes to Andrew and Philip. As he was expected soon to establish a splendid earthly kingdom, probably their only object was to recommend themselves to his notice, by a timely introduction. He therefore evinced no desire to see them. On the other hand, in his answer to the two disciples, he compared himself to a grain of wheat, which must die before it can bring forth any fruit, and gave them to understand that his end was drawing near; that the man, who would obtain the reward, must pass through such difficulties as he had done; that immediately after his death, his cause, which, like a grain of wheat, was soon to undergo great changes, should germinate and bring forth abundance of fruit; and that then he should draw all men unto him, for that then, the time would have come for him to devote himself indiscriminately to the welfare of all.* About this time, or shortly before his death, he held a private conversation with his apostles, respecting the destruction that awaited their country, the city, and the temple,

*

Nösselt, Opusculorum ad interpretat. Sacr. Scripturar. Fasc. II. Diss. I. p. 3 seqq.

in which, according to Mark 13: 10, he told them expressly, that his doctrines must first be preached among all nations. In the solemn prayer to God, already quoted, John 17: 2, he declares his determination to give eternal life to all flesh, all mankind, as far as God had marked them out for his disciples and followers. The command, however, which he gave to his disciples on his departure out of the world, is decisive in respect to the universality of his plan. In it he no longer limits their labors to Palestine or the Jewish nation, but orders them to go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature,—all mankind without exception, Mark 16: 1-5; to teach all nations and baptize them, Matt. 28: 19. Luke 24: 47; and tells them that they shall be his witnesses at Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria and unto the uttermost part of the earth,' Acts 1: 8. Language, therefore, contains no expression indicative of the greatest universality, of which Jesus did not make use, in order to express the compass of his plan. It is impossible to convey the idea, that he had all mankind in view, in stronger and more definite terms than he has done it.

(c) The doctrines which Jesus taught and inculcated, also exhibit indubitable traces of that extension of thought, of which we have been speaking, and of efforts to effect a benevolent change in behalf of the whole human family, and to facilitate its accomplishment. Of his strong declarations against the traditions of the Jews, which had tended so much to prevent them from holding familiar intercourse with the heathen, I have already taken notice.* He also rejected the distinction of clean and unclean food, which had contributed not a little to increase the difficulties in the way of such intercourse, Mark 7: 14-23, and with the greatest animation attacked the national pride of his

* [The Talmud is at the present day one of the principal obstacles to the conversion of the Jews. Vid. Von Kortum, Ueber Judenthum und Juden, S. 17 f. 44 ff; Rohrer, Ueber die Jüdischen Bewohner der Oesterr. Monarchie, S. 120 ff.; Friedländer, Ueber die Verbesserung der Israeliten in Pohlen, S. 18 ff. 22 ff.]