按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
synoptic gospels were composed；from sixty to ninety years after the death of Jesus。 In the luxuriant mythologic growth there exhibited； we may yet trace the various successive phases of Christologic speculation but imperfectly blended。 In 〃Matthew〃 and 〃Luke〃 we find the original Messianic theory exemplified in the genealogies of Jesus； in which； contrary to historic probability （cf。 Matt。 xxii。 41…46）； but in accordance with a time…honoured tradition； his pedigree is traced back to David； 〃Matthew〃 referring him to the royal line of Judah； while 〃Luke〃 more cautiously has recourse to an assumed younger branch。 Superposed upon this primitive mythologic stratum； we find； in the same narratives； the account of the descent of the pneuma at the time of the baptism； and crowning the whole； there are the two accounts of the nativity which； though conflicting in nearly all their details； agree in representing the divine pneuma as the father of Jesus。 Of these three stages of Christology； the last becomes entirely irreconcilable with the first； and nothing can better illustrate the uncritical character of the synoptists than the fact that the assumed descent of Jesus from David through his father Joseph is allowed to stand side by side with the account of the miraculous conception which completely negatives it。 Of this difficulty 〃Matthew〃 is quite unconscious； and 〃Luke；〃 while vaguely noticing it （iii。 23）； proposes no solution； and appears undisturbed by the contradiction。
Thus far the Christology with which we have been dealing is predominantly Jewish； though to some extent influenced by Hellenic conceptions。 None of the successive doctrines presented in Paul； 〃Matthew；〃 and 〃Luke〃 assert or imply the pre…existence of Jesus。 At this early period he was regarded as a human being raised to participation in certain attributes of divinity； and this was as far as the dogma could be carried by the Jewish metaphysics。 But soon after the date of our third gospel； a Hellenic system of Christology arose into prominence； in which the problem was reversed； and Jesus was regarded as a semi…divine being temporarily lowered to participation in certain attributes of humanity。 For such a doctrine Jewish mythology supplied no precedents； but the Indo…European mind was familiar with the conception of deity incarnate in human form； as in the avatars of Vishnu； or even suffering III the interests of humanity； as in the noble myth of Prometheus。 The elements of Christology pre…existing in the religious conceptions of Greece； India； and Persia； are too rich and numerous to be discussed here。 A very full account of them is given in Mr。 R。 W。 Mackay's acute and learned treatise on the 〃Religious Development of the Greeks and Hebrews｛。｝〃
It was in Alexandria； where Jewish theology first came into contact with Hellenic and Oriental ideas； that the way was prepared for the dogma of Christ's pre…existence。 The attempt to rationalize the conception of deity as embodied in the Jehovah of the Old Testament gave rise to the class of opinions described as Gnosis； or Gnosticism。 The signification of Gnosis is simply 〃rationalism；〃the endeavour to harmonize the materialistic statements of an old mythology with the more advanced spiritualistic philosophy of the time。 The Gnostics rejected the conception of an anthropomorphic deity who had appeared visibly and audibly to the patriarchs； and they were the authors of the doctrine； very widely spread during the second and third centuries； that God could not in person have been the creator of the world。 According to them； God； as pure spirit； could not act directly upon vile and gross matter。 The difficulty which troubled them was curiously analogous to that which disturbed the Cartesians and the followers of Leibnitz in the seventeenth century； how was spirit to act upon matter； without ceasing； pro tanto； to be spirit？ To evade this difficulty； the Gnostics postulated a series of emanations from God； becoming successively less and less spiritual and more and more material； until at the lowest end of the scale was reached the Demiurgus or Jehovah of the Old Testament； who created the world and appeared； clothed in material form； to the patriarchs。 According to some of the Gnostics this lowest aeon or emanation was identical with the Jewish Satan； or the Ahriman of the Persians； who is called 〃the prince of this world；〃 and the creation of the world was an essentially evil act。 But all did not share in these extreme opinions。 In the prevailing； theory； this last of the divine emanations was identified with the 〃Sophia；〃 or personified 〃Wisdom；〃 of the Book of Proverbs （viii。 22…30）； who is described as present with God before the foundation of the world。 The totality of these aeons constituted the pleroma； or 〃fulness of God〃 （Coloss。 i。 20； Eph。 i。 23）； and in a corollary which bears unmistakable marks of Buddhist influence； it was argued that； in the final consummation of things； matter should be eliminated and all spirit reunited with God； from whom it had primarily flowed。
It was impossible that such views as these should not soon be taken up and applied to the fluctuating Christology of the time。 According to the 〃Shepherd of Hermas；〃 an apocalyptic writing nearly contemporary with the gospel of 〃Mark；〃 the aeon or son of God who existed previous to the creation was not the Christ； or the Sophia； but the Pneuma or Holy Spirit； represented in the Old Testament as the 〃angel of Jehovah。〃 Jesus； in reward for his perfect goodness； was admitted to a share in the privileges of this Pneuma （Reville； p。 39）。 Here； as M。 Reville observes； though a Gnostic idea is adopted； Jesus is nevertheless viewed as ascending humanity； and not as descending divinity。 The author of the 〃Clementine Homilies〃 advances a step farther； and clearly assumes the pre…existence of Jesus； who； in his opinion； was the pure； primitive man； successively incarnate in Adam； Enoch； Noah； Abraham； Isaac； Jacob； Moses； and finally in the Messiah or Christ。 The author protests； in vehement language； against those Hellenists who； misled by their polytheistic associations； would elevate Jesus into a god。 Nevertheless； his own hypothesis of pre…existence supplied at once the requisite fulcrum for those Gnostics who wished to reconcile a strict monotheism with the ascription of divine attributes to Jesus。 Combining with this notion of pre…existence the pneumatic or spiritual quality attributed to Jesus in the writings of Paul； the Gnosticizing Christians maintained that Christ was an aeon or emanation from God； redeeming men from the consequences entailed by their imprisonment in matter。 At this stage of Christologic speculation appeared the anonymous epistle to the 〃Hebrews；〃 and the pseudo…Pauline epistles to the 〃Colossians；〃 〃Ephesians；〃 and 〃Philippians〃 （A。 D。 130）。 In these epistles； which originated among the Pauline Christians； the Gnostic theosophy is skilfully applied to the Pauline conception of the scope and purposes of Christianity。 Jesus is described as the creator of the world （Coloss。 i。 16）； the visible image of the invisible God； the chief and ruler of the 〃throues； dominions； principalities； and powers；〃 into which； in Gnostic phraseolo