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e spiritualized until it really lost its identity； and was transformed into a code fit for the whole Roman world。 And we do not doubt that if any one had asked Jesus whether circumcision were an essential prerequisite for admission to the Messianic kingdom； he would have given the same answer which Paul afterwards gave。 We agree with Zeller and Strauss that； 〃as Luther was a more liberal spirit than the Lutheran divines of the succeeding generation； and Sokrates a more profound thinker than Xenophon or Antisthenes； so also Jesus must be credited with having raised himself far higher above the narrow prejudices of his nation than those of his disciples who could scarcely understand the spread of Christianity among the heathen when it had become an accomplished fact。〃
January； 1870。
IV。 THE CHRIST OF DOGMA。＇22＇
＇22＇ Saint…Paul； par Ernest Renan。 Paris； 1869。
Histoire du Dogme de la Divinite de Jesus…Christ； par Albert Reville。 Paris； 1869。
The End of the World and the Day of Judgment。 Two Discourses by the Rev。 W。 R。 Alger。 Boston： Roberts Brothers； 1870。
The meagreness of our information concerning the historic career of Jesus stands in striking contrast with the mass of information which lies within our reach concerning the primitive character of Christologic speculation。 First we have the four epistles of Paul； written from twenty to thirty years after the crucifixion； which； although they tell us next to nothing about what Jesus did； nevertheless give us very plain information as to the impression which he made。 Then we have the Apocalypse； written by John； A。 D。 68； which exhibits the Messianic theory entertained by the earliest disciples。 Next we have the epistles to the Hebrews； Philippians； Colossians； and Ephesians； besides the four gospels； constituting altogether a connected chain of testimony to the progress of Christian doctrine from the destruction of Jerusalem to the time of the Quartodeciman controversy （A。 D。 70…170）。 Finally； there is the vast collection of apocryphal； heretical； and patristic literature； from the writings of Justin Martyr； the pseudo…Clement； and the pseudo…Ignatius； down to the time of the Council of Nikaia； when the official theories of Christ's person assumed very nearly the shape which they have retained； within the orthodox churches of Christendom； down to the present day。 As we pointed out in the foregoing essay； while all this voluminous literature throws but an uncertain light upon the life and teachings of the founder of Christianity； it nevertheless furnishes nearly all the data which we could desire for knowing what the early Christians thought of the master of their faith。 Having given a brief account of the historic career of Jesus； so far as it can now be determined； we propose here to sketch the rise and progress of Christologic doctrine； in its most striking features； during the first three centuries。 Beginning with the apostolic view of the human Messiah sent to deliver Judaism from its spiritual torpor； and prepare it for the millennial kingdom； we shall briefly trace the progressive metamorphosis of this conception until it completely loses its identity in the Athanasian theory； according to which Jesus was God himself； the Creator of the universe； incarnate in human flesh。
The earliest dogma held by the apostles concerning Jesus was that of his resurrection from the grave after death。 It was not only the earliest； but the most essential to the success of the new religion。 Christianity might have overspread the Roman Empire； and maintained its hold upon men's faith until to…day； without the dogmas of the incarnation and the Trinity； but without the dogma of the resurrection it would probably have failed at the very outset。 Its lofty morality would not alone have sufficed to insure its success。 For what men needed then； as indeed they still need； and will always need； was not merely a rule of life and a mirror to the heart； but also a comprehensive and satisfactory theory of things； a philosophy or theosophy。 The times demanded intellectual as well as moral consolation； and the disintegration of ancient theologies needed to be repaired； that the new ethical impulse imparted by Christianity might rest upon a plausible speculative basis。 The doctrine of the resurrection was but the beginning of a series of speculative innovations which prepared the way for the new religion to emancipate itself from Judaism； and achieve the conquest of the Empire。 Even the faith of the apostles in the speedy return of their master the Messiah must have somewhat lost ground； had it not been supported by their belief in his resurrection from the grave and his consequent transfer from Sheol； the gloomy land of shadows； to the regions above the sky。
The origin of the dogma of the resurrection cannot be determined with certainty。 The question has； during the past century； been the subject of much discussion； upon which it is not necessary for us here to comment。 Such apparent evidence as there is in favour of the old theory of Jesus' natural recovery from the effects of the crucifixion may be found in Salvador's 〃Jesus…Christ et sa Doctrine〃； but； as Zeller has shown； the theory is utterly unsatisfactory。 The natural return of Jesus to his disciples never could have given rise to the notion of his resurrection； since the natural explanation would have been the more obvious one； besides which； if we were to adopt this hypothesis； we should be obliged to account for the fact that the historic career of Jesus ends with the crucifixion。 The most probable explanation； on the whole； is the one suggested by the accounts in the gospels； that the dogma of the resurrection is due originally to the excited imagination of Mary of Magdala。＇23＇ The testimony of Paul may also be cited in favour of this view； since he always alludes to earlier Christophanies in just the same language which he uses in describing his own vision on the road to Damascus。
＇23＇ See Taine； De l'Intelligence； II。 192。
But the question as to how the belief in the resurrection of Jesus originated is of less importance than the question as to how it should have produced the effect that it did。 The dogma of the resurrection has； until recent times； been so rarely treated from the historical point of view； that the student of history at first finds some difficulty in thoroughly realizing its import to the minds of those who first proclaimed it。 We cannot hope to understand it without bearing in mind the theories of the Jews and early Christians concerning the structure of the world and the cosmic location of departed souls。 Since the time of Copernicus modern Christians no longer attempt to locate heaven and hell； they are conceived merely as mysterious places remote from the earth。 The theological universe no longer corresponds to that which physical science presents for our contemplation。 It was quite different with the Jew。 His conception of the abode of Jehovah and the angels； and of departed souls； was exceedingly simple and definite。 In the Jewish theory the universe is like a sort of three…story house。 The flat earth rests upon the waters； and under the earth's surface is the land of graves； c