The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 37

IV

IV.

Other proofs of the early existence of the Gospels are found,—

1. That Tatian, about A.D. 170, wrote a book in which he endeavours to harmonise the various accounts of the Lord's actions given in the Gospels. This work is called a Diatessaron: literally a work concerning the Four. But clearly such a work would not have been attempted had not the Four Gospels been generally received and valued by Christians. It is again certain that Tatian used our Gospels, for a Greek manuscript in the British Museum has a note in which a different reading is supported by the authority of Tatian.

2. The same argument applies to the Syrian version of the Scriptures, called The Peshito, that is the Literal Version, which in the opinion of learned men was made very early in the second century. A version implies, of very necessity, that the books translated have already become famous. The difficulty for an objector would be to show how books, arising as he would have it the Gospels have arisen, could in about twenty years have won such acceptance as to require that a version should be made of them into another language from that in which they were originally written.

3. Another curious proof has been lately discovered, that of the Muratorian Canon, or List of the Books of Scripture, found by Muratori at Milan, in the Ambrosian Library. It had been brought thither from a convent in Pavia by Columbanus, an Irish monk. The compiler of the Canon has fixed its date when he thus speaks of another book as written "just lately in our times, when Pius was Bishop of Rome." This was A.D. 150, and thus the Canon cannot be later than that date. That such a list should have been made shows, as did The Peshito, that the books thus catalogued had been long held in highest esteem. The beginning of the Canon is imperfect. It commences, "In the third place St. Luke." Then St. John, the Acts, and all the other books of the New Testament are named except the Hebrews and one of St. John's Epistles.

4. From the early adversaries of the Faith, as witnesses for its truth, I would select Celsus, an Epicurean Philosopher, who wrote against Christianity at the middle of the second century. He mentions that the Gospels existed in three forms. He accepts all the prominent facts of the Gospel History, but endeavours from the facts themselves to overthrow the Christian Faith. In no one instance does he cast any discredit upon the narrative. But if, as it is said, the Gospels were but of recent date, so learned and acute a writer would at once have seized upon the late date as the very proof that the professed history could not be true.

It never seems, indeed, to have been imagined in the early days of Christianity that the Gospels were of late origin, when the truth of the case could have been so readily discovered. It has remained for modern criticism, in the face of all evidence against the supposition, to make this assertion. The objectors believe that they have discovered this or that insuperable difficulty—that this Gospel cannot be reconciled with that—this statement with that statement. I read but a short while ago an elaborate magazine article on the Gospel of St. John, in which the writer thus persuaded himself of its late date. But as I read the thought again and again occurred to me, "How very easily St. "John would have cleared this matter." In truth, most of the objections against the Gospels would be readily removed could we but ask the writers how these things were so; or if we were in possession of every possible detail, of all the surroundings, in each case.