Chapter IV: Introduction

DEVELOPMENT OF THE MYTHICAL POINT OF VIEW IN RELATION TO THE GOSPEL HISTORIES.

PAGE

§ 1. Inevitable rise of different modes of explaining sacred
histories 39
2. Different explanations of sacred legends among the Greeks 40
3. Allegorical interpretations among the Hebrews. Philo 41
4. Allegorical interpretations among the Christians. Origen 41
5. Transition to more modern times. Deists and Naturalists of
the 17th and 18th centuries. The Wolfenbüttel Fragmentist 44
6. Natural mode of explanation adopted by the Rationalists.
Eichhorn. Paulus 46
7. Moral interpretation of Kant 50
8. Rise of the mythical mode of interpreting the sacred
history, in reference first to the Old Testament 52
9. The mythical mode of interpretation in reference to the
New Testament 57
10. The notion of the mythus in its application to sacred
histories not clearly apprehended by theologians 59
11. The application of the notion of the mythus too
circumscribed 63
12. Opposition to the mythical view of the Gospel history 65
13. The possibility of the existence of mythi in the New
Testament considered in reference to external evidences 69
14. The possibility of mythi in the New Testament considered
on internal grounds 75
15. Definition of the evangelical mythus, and its distinctive
characteristics 86
16. Criteria by which to distinguish the unhistorical in the
Gospel narrative 87

FIRST PART.

HISTORY OF THE BIRTH AND CHILDHOOD OF JESUS.

CHAPTER I.

ANNUNCIATION AND BIRTH OF JOHN THE BAPTIST.

§ 17. Account given by Luke. Immediate supernatural character
of the representation 95
18. Natural explanation of the narrative 100
19. Mythical view of the narrative in its different stages 104

CHAPTER II.

DAVIDICAL DESCENT OF JESUS, ACCORDING TO THE GENEALOGICAL TABLES OF MATTHEW AND LUKE.

§ 20. The two genealogies of Jesus considered separately and
irrespectively of one another 108
21. Comparison of the two genealogies. Attempt to reconcile
their contradictions 112
22. The genealogies unhistorical 117

CHAPTER III.

ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE CONCEPTION OF JESUS.—ITS SUPERNATURAL CHARACTER.—VISIT OF MARY TO ELIZABETH.

§ 23. Sketch of the different canonical and apocryphal accounts 119
24. Disagreements of the canonical gospels in relation to the
form of the annunciation 121
25. Import of the angel’s message. Fulfilment of the prophecy
of Isaiah 126
26. Jesus begotten of the Holy Ghost. Criticism of the
orthodox opinion 130
27. Retrospect of the genealogies 132
28. Natural explanation of the history of the conception 137
29. History of the conception of Jesus viewed as a mythus 140
30. Relation of Joseph to Mary. Brothers of Jesus 143
31. Visit of Mary to Elizabeth 148