THE FAMILY EXPOSITOR. THE FORMER PART OF THE HISTORY OF CHRIST, AS RECORDED SECT. I. St. Luke's preface to his history, dedicated to Theophilus, a Christian friend, for whose comfort and establishment he was particularly concerned. Luke I. ver. 1—4. LUKE I. ver. 1. FORASMUCH as many LUKE I. Verse 1. i L. 1. have taken in hand WHEREAS many have undertaken to com- SECT. to set forth in order pose the history of those important facts a declaration of those which have been confirmed among us Christians things which are most with the fullest and most satisfactory evidences, as the great foundation of our common faith; and since some of these historians have written, not on their own personal knowledge, but as they 2 Even as they de- (whether apostles or others) have transmitted surely believed among US, livered a Whereas many have undertaken.] This must refer to some histories of the life of Christ which are now lost; for Matthew and Mark, the only evangelists which can be supposed to have written before Luke, could not with any propriety be called many; and of these two, Matthew at least wrote from personal knowledge, not the testimony of others. One must readily conclude the books referred to are lost, as none of the apocryphal gospels now extant, published particularly by Fabricius, (in his Codex. Apoc. Nov. Test.) or Mr. Jones, (in his history of the Canon) can with any shadow of reason pretend to equal antiquity with this of St. Luke. But I cannot, with Ambrose and Epiphanius, suppose that the evangelist here intends the gospels of Basilides, Cerinthus, and some other early heretics; since he seems to allow these histories, whatever they were, to have been at least honestly written, according to information received from the most capable judges. And it is strange that Eusebius should imagine the words are intended as a severe censure on the now unknown com VOL. VI. A them pilers of these histories, whoever they were. Euseb. Eccles. Hist. lib. ii. cap. 24. b To compose the history.] To set forth in order a declaration is so antiquated a phrase, that it would hardly be understood any where but here; at least I am sure none could, by reading it, so much as guess at the elegance and propriety of St. Luke's words, avalação Tai Sinynowy, which may more literally, and, I think, far more justly be rendered, to compose a history: and I doubt not, but our English word compose may express as much regularity in the order of facts as the evangelist meant to intimate. c Confirmed among us with the fullest evidence.] I think popopμry is rather to be understood as referring to the fulness of that evidence with which the facts were attended, than to the confidence with which they were believed. This seems most honourable to the gospel; but as I know the word is ambiguous, and often used in the latter sense, I have chose to express that also in the paraphrase. Compare 2 Tim. iv. 5-17. Gr. 22 St. Luke's dedication of his history to Theophilus.. SECT. them to us, who were themselves from the begin- livered them unto us, i. ning of Christ's ministry eye-witnesses of what which from the beginning were eye-witLuke passed, and in proof of the sincerity of their testi- nesses, and ministers of I. 2. mony courageously became ministers of the the word: word, that is, of the gospel, amidst the greatest perfect understanding very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus, 3 opposition; I also having accurately traced all 3 It seemed good to d Of the word.] Some have conjectured that hoyos, the word, here significs Christ, as in the beginning of St. John's gospel: perhaps it may; but I did not think it so evident as to venture fixing it to that sense. e Having accurately traced all these things.] The original, wapnuod&nxori wa auffs, plainly signifies that accuracy of investigation on which the perfect understanding of his subject was built. From their first rise.] Some very pious and learned writers have pleaded this text as an argument for the inspiration of St. Luke's gospel, and consequently of the rest, because the word avwv sometimes signifies from above, or from heaven; as it plainly doth, John iii. 51. Jam. i. 17. iii. 15, 17. But Luke so evidently uses it in the sense here given, Acts xxvi. 5. and that sense is so common elsewhere, and seems so absolutely necessary in this connection with Jпxt, that I cannot think this text at all to the purpose. The argument I mention is one of those which, like pieces of superfluous armour, encumber rather than defend; and the more I am concerned about the conclusion here or elsewhere, the more cautious shall I always be, that I may not draw it from such premises. To write an orderly account of them, nadiens on peafar.] It is chiefly on the authority of this clause that M. Le Clerc, and many other modern harmonizers have thought (as Beza also did) that all the other gospels are to be reduced to the order of Luke, wherever they differ from it: a conclusion which I apprehend, for reasons that shall afterwards be given at large, to be an occasion of many errors, and particularly IMPROVE 4 That thou mightest know the certainty of those things wherein thou hast been instruct injurious to the character of St. Matthew. I would only here observe that the foundation of it is very precarious; since it is evident this evangelist might, with great propriety, be said to have given an orderly account of the history of Christ, as the leading facts are in their due series, though some particulars are transposed. hO most noble Theophilus.] That Theophilus is the name of a particular person eminent in the church in those early days, and not (as Salvian thought it) a general title applicable to every Christian as a lover of God, Dr. Whitby, after many others, hath abundantly proved. What his rauk in life was, we do not indeed certainly know; but it seems that it was pretty considerable; for Kari was then, as Excellency among us is, a title of honour and respect usual in addressing noble personages (see Acts xxiii. 26. xxiv. 3. xxvi. 25.) and it might with some peculiar propriety be applied here, as Theophilus was so worthy the name he bore, which signifies a true lover of God. i Hast been instructed, wifi wv xalnyrus.] The word doth with great accuracy express the instructions given to those who were training up for an admission to the Christian church, whose name of catechumens was, as it is well known, derived from hence, and applied without any particular regard to the age of the persons concerned. Compare Acts xviii. 25. Rom. ii. 18. I endeavour to express this in the paraphrase; but it would be very improper to use the English word which most literally answers to the Greek, because that is now almost wholly appropriated to children. a The Reflections on St. Luke's dedication. IMPROVEMENT. SECT. i. LET us humbly adore the Divine Goodness, that facts of so great importance as these now to be laid before us were not left to the uncertainty of oral tradition, but delivered to the church in writing, by persons who had so many opportunities of learning the Ver. truth, and have given such full proof of their integrity in relating 2 it. Let us be thankful that we have not only one such history, but that several undertook this excellent and necessary work, by 1 whose united testimony the whole is confirmed; while it is also illustrated by the variety of their narrations, each inserting some considerable circumstance which the rest have omitted. Let us rejoice in that providential care which hath preserved this invaluable treasure through so many succeeding ages, and some of them periods of the grossest darkness and the hottest persecution. While we study this orderly series of sacred story, let us be 4 concerned that our faith may be established by it, and our other graces proportionably advanced; maintaining a continual dependance on that blessed Spirit, by whose instruction it was written to lead us into wise and pious reflections upon it. To conclude; from the care which this holy evangelist expresseth for the edification and comfort of his friend Theophilus, let us learn to regard it as one of the most important offices of friendship to labour for the spiritual advantage of each other; by endeavouring not only to awaken and instruct those that are entirely unacquainted or unaffected with divine things, but also, as we have opportunity, to confirm the faith and quicken the zeal of the most established Christians with whom we converse. Happy 5 the men whose tongues and whose pens are employed in so good a work: may they never, in the remotest ages, fail of some e.rcellent Theophilus to welcome and encourage their pious attempts! SECT. II. St. John begins his gospel with a very sublime and emphatical account of the deity and incarnation of Christ; and of those glorious and important purposes for which he condescended to appear among us in the human nature. John I. 1-14. JOHN I. 1. IN the beginning was the word, and the word JOHN I. 1. IN the beginning, before the foundation of the a The word of God.] The Greek logos is now become so familiar to an English ear, the that I doubt not but most of my readers 23 24 St. John asserts the Deity of Christ. SECT. the word was originally with God the Father of word was with God, ii. all; so that to him the words of Solomon might and the word was God. John justly be applied, Prov. viii. 30." He was by 1. 1. him as one brought up with him, and was 2. The same was in beginning with daily his delight.' Nay, by a generation which none can declare, and an union which none can fully conceive, the word was himself God, that is, possessed of a nature truly and pro2 perly divine. I repeat it again, that the condescension of his incarnation may be more atten- the tively considered, this divine [word] was in the God. very beginning with God, and, by virtue of his most intimate union with him, was possessed of 3 infinite glory and felicity. And when it pleased God to begin his work of creation, all things in made by him; and in my translation; which, on account of the &c. b The word was God.] I know how ea- the 3. All things were without rinthians and Ebionites (see Iren. 1. i. c. 26; other |