FullReads

We may next turn to the essential part of Dr. Wace’s citation (“Nineteenth Century,” p. 365) touching the first Gospel:–

St. Matthew evidently deserves peculiar confidence for the discourses. Here are the “oracles”–the very notes taken while the memory of the instruction of Jesus was living and definite.

M. Renan here expresses the very general opinion as to the existence of a collection of “logia,” having a different origin from the text in which they are embedded, in Matthew. “Notes” are somewhat suggestive of a shorthand writer, but the suggestion is unintentional, for M. Renan assumes that these “notes” were taken, not at the time of the delivery of the “logia” but subsequently, while (as he assumes) the memory of them was living and definite; so that, in this very citation, M. Renan leaves open the question of the general historical value of the first Gospel; while it is obvious that the accuracy of “Notes” taken, not at the time of delivery, but from memory, is a matter about which more than one opinion may be fairly held. Moreover, Renan expressly calls attention to the difficulty of distinguishing the authentic “logia” from later additions of the same kind (“Les Evangiles,” p. 201). The fact is, there is no contradiction here to that opinion about the first Gospel which is expressed in “Les Evangiles” (p. 175).

The text of the so-called Matthew supposes the pre-existence of that of Mark, and does little more than complete it. He completes it in two fashions–first, by the insertion of those long discourses which gave their chief value to the Hebrew Gospels; then by adding traditions of a more modern formation, results of successive developments of the legend, and to which the Christian consciousness already attached infinite value.

M. Renan goes on to suggest that besides “Mark,” “pseudo-Matthew” used an Aramaic version of the Gospel, originally set forth in that dialect. Finally, as to the second Gospel (“Nineteenth Century,” p. 365):–

He [Mark] is full of minute observations, proceeding, beyond doubt, from an eye-witness. There is nothing to conflict with the supposition that this eye-witness … was the Apostle Peter himself, as Papias has it.

Let us consider this citation by the light of “Les Evangiles”:–

This work, although composed after the death of Peter, was, in a sense, the work of Peter; it represents the way in which Peter was accustomed to relate the life of Jesus (p. 116).

M. Renan goes on to say that, as an historical document, the Gospel of Mark has a great superiority (p. 116); but Mark has a motive for omitting the discourses, and he attaches a “puerile importance” to miracles (p. 117). The Gospel of Mark is less a legend, than a biography written with credulity (p. 118). It would be rash to say that Mark has not been interpolated and retouched (p. 120).

If any one thinks that I have not been warranted in drawing a sharp distinction between “scientific theologians” and “counsels for creeds”; or that my warning against the too ready acceptance of certain declarations as to the state of biblical criticism was needless; or that my anxiety as to the sense of the word “practical” was superfluous; let him compare the statement that M. Renan has made a “practical surrender of the adverse case” with the facts just set forth. For what is the adverse case? The question, as Dr. Wace puts it, is, “It may be asked how far can we rely on the accounts we possess of our Lord’s teaching on these subjects.” It will be obvious that M. Renan’s statements amount to an adverse answer–to a “practical” denial that any great reliance can be placed on these accounts. He does not believe that Matthew, the apostle, wrote the first Gospel; he does not profess to know who is responsible for the collection of “logia,” or how many of them are authentic; though he calls the second Gospel the most historical, he points out that it is written with credulity, and may have been interpolated and retouched; and, as to the author, “quel qu’il soit,” of the third Gospel, who is to “rely on the accounts” of a writer, who deserves the cavalier treatment which “Luke” meets with at M. Renan’s hands.