Chapter V: Book VI (1)

_II. David, the King._ I Samuel Chap. XVI-XXXI;
also II Samuel
Chaps. I-XXIV. I Kings
Chaps. I-II. I Chronicles
Chaps. X-XXIX. The
Psalms of David, Josephus'
Antiquities,
Books VI and VII.

_III. Maccabees, the Patriots, their Times Books of the Maccabees
and Achievements._[1] I and II (found in
Douay Bible). Josephus'
Antiquities, Book XII,
Chaps. VI-XI.

_SPECIAL TEXT: "I exhort you, especially, to agree with one another; and in what excellency any one of you exceeds another, to yield to him so far, and by that means to reap the advantage of everyone's own virtues."_--MATTATHIAS, _Father of the Maccabees, to his sons._

_NOTES._

1. _Suggestions in the Formation of an Unwritten Lecture:_ "The simplest formal address that can be constructed has three distinct parts. They may be named as follows:

1. _The Introduction_.

2. _The Discussion_.

3. _The Conclusion_.

On this framework a speech-plan can be constructed simple enough for any child. And it is at the same time true that even a child, with such a plan, might speak appropriately who would otherwise not be able to begin at all.

_The Introduction:_ "This is at once important and embarrassing. First words are nearly always heard attentively, and they do much to determine the degree of attention that will be bestowed on the remainder of the speech. The young speaker should select something as an introduction upon which his mind can fasten, instead of dwelling upon the frightful generality of the naked theme. * * * * The introduction should be simple, and, above everything else, easy for the speaker to comprehend and remember. If there is anything in the whole world which he is sure he can talk about for a few moments, and which can be made to have a moderate degree of connection with his subject, let that be chosen for an opening. * * * * When the introductory topic is selected it should be turned over in the mind until the speaker knows just what he is going to say about it. This process will have a wonderfully quieting effect upon his nerves. He has fairly mastered something, and knows that at all events he can begin his speech. It is well to make a note of this introduction in a few simple words, which will strongly fasten themselves in the memory. No effort toward elaboration should be made, for that would naturally lead to a memorized introduction, and either require the whole speech to be written, or produce a painful and difficult transition.

_The Discussion:_ "This should deal directly with the subject or central idea of the discourse. Here a clear statement of at least one thought which the speaker can fully grasp should be made. The pen (or pencil) may be used in preparation without impropriety. If but one idea is thought of, let that be written in the fewest and strongest words at the students' command. While doing this it is likely that another and related thought will spring into mind which can be treated in the same manner. With diligent students there may even be a danger of getting down too many seed-thoughts. When this central division is completely wrought out, two other points claim attention. How shall the transition be made from the introduction to the discussion? A little reflection will show how to glide from one to the other, and that process should be conned over, without writing, until it is well understood. It is wonderful how many outlines of ideas the memory will retain without feeling burdened; and this power of retention grows enormously through exercise. After this, the mode of gliding from the discussion to the conclusion may be treated in the same manner, and with equal profit.

_The Conclusion:_ "The conclusion itself is scarcely less material than the introduction; but there is much less range of choice in the manner of closing than in that of beginning. The subject is before the audience, and any wide departure from it seems like the beginning of a new speech--something not usually well received. There is this distinction between the relative value of introduction and conclusion; a good introduction adds most to a speaker's ease, confidence, and power during the moment of speech; but a good conclusion leaves the deepest permanent impression upon the audience. It is usually remembered longer than any other part of the address." (Extempore Speech, Pittenger, pp. 46-49.)

Footnotes

1. Paper.

LESSON XII.

ANALYSIS. REFERENCES.

_I. The Greater Prophets--Four._ All Bible Dictionaries
1. Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel. and Helps (including Bible
_II. The Minor Prophets--Twelve:_ Treasury), Heretofore
1. Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, cited in Part II,
Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, under title of "Prophets."
Zephamiah, Haggai, Zechariah, Notes 1, 2.
Malachi.
_III. The Prophetic Calling._ See the Dictionaries
1. Distinction between major (greater) and Helps heretofore
and minor prophets. cited, as also ordinary
2. Mission of the Prophets. Dictionaries on "Inspiration,"
3. Schools of the Prophets. "Revelation,"
"Prophecy," "Prophets,"
etc.
Notes 3, 4.

_SPECIAL TEXT: "And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the Lord hath not spoken? When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him."--Deut. xviii: 22._

_NOTES._

1. _Of the Term Prophet._ "The Hebrew word _"Nabi"_ is uniformly translated in our English Bible by the word "Prophet." In classical Greek, it is said by highest authority, to signify 'one who speaks for another, especially one who speaks for a God and so interprets his will to man.' (Liddell and Scott.) Hence, its essential meaning is "an interpreter." In fact, the English word 'prophet,' like the word 'inspiration,' has always been used in a larger and in a closer sense. In the larger sense our Lord Jesus Christ is a 'prophet,' Moses is a 'prophet,' Mahomet is a 'prophet.' The expression means that they proclaimed and published a new religious dispensation. In a similar though not identical sense, the church is said to have a 'prophetical,' i. e., an expository and interpretative office. But in its closer sense the word, according to usage, though not according to etymology, involves the idea of foresight. And this is and always has been its more usual acceptation. The different meanings, or shades of meaning, in which the abstract noun is employed in scripture, have been drawn out by Locke as follows: 'Prophecy comprehends three things: prediction; singing by the dictate of the Spirit; and understanding and explaining the mysterious, hidden sense of scripture, by an immediate illumination and motion of the Spirit.'" (Smith's Bible Dictionary, Vol. III, pp. 2591-2.)

2. _School of the Prophets, or the Prophetic Order:_ "Samuel, himself a Levite, of the family of Kohath (I Chron. vi: 28), and almost certainly a priest, was the instrument used at once for effecting a reform in the sacerdotal order (I Chron. ix: 22), and for giving to the prophets a position of importance which they had never before held. * * * * Samuel took measures to make his work of restoration permanent, as well as effective for the moment. For this purpose he instituted companies, or Colleges of Prophets. One we find in his lifetime at Ramah (I Sam. xix: 19, 20); others afterwards at Bethel (II Kings ii: 3), Jericho (II Kings ii: 5), Gilgal (II Kings iv: 38), and elsewhere (II Kings i). Their constitution and object were similar to those of Theological Colleges. Into them were gathered promising students, and here they were trained for the office which they were afterwards destined to fulfill. So successful were these institutions, that from the time of Samuel to the closing of the canon of the Old Testament, there seems never to have been wanting a due supply of men to keep up the line of official prophets. The apocryphal books of the Maccabees (I, iv: 26; ix: 27, xiv: 41) and of Ecclesiasticus (xxvi: 15) represent them as extinct. The colleges appear to have consisted of students differing in number. Sometimes they were very numerous (I Kings xviii: 4; xxii: 6; II Kings ii: 16). One elderly, or leading prophet, presided over them (I Sam. xiv: 20), called their father (I Sam. x: 12), or master (II Kings ii: 3), who was apparently admitted to his office by the ceremony of anointing (I Kings xix: 16; Isaiah lxi: 1; Psalms cv: 15). They were called his sons. Their chief subject of study was, no doubt, the Law and its interpretation; oral, as distinct from symbolical, teaching being henceforward tacitly transferred from the priestly to the prophetical order." (Smith's Bible Dictionary, Vol. III, pp. 2592-3.)

3. _The Prophetic Gift:_ "We have been speaking of the Prophetic Order. To belong to the prophetic order and to possess the prophetic gift are not convertible terms. There might be members of the prophetic order to whom the gift of prophecy was not vouchsafed. There might be inspired prophets, who did not belong to the prophetic order. Generally, the inspired prophet came from the College of the Prophets, and belonged to the prophetic order; but this was not always the case. In the instance of the Prophet Amos, the rule and the exception are both manifested. When Amaziah, the idolatrous Israelitish priest, threatens the prophet, and desires him to 'flee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread and prophesy there, but not to prophesy again any more at Bethel,' Amos in reply says, 'I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet's son; but I was an herdsman, and a gatherer of sycamore fruit; and the Lord took me as I followed the flock, and the Lord said unto me, Go prophesy unto my people Israel' (vii: 14). That is, though called to the prophetic office, he did not belong to the prophetic order; and had not been trained in the prophetical colleges; and this, he indicates, was an unusual occurrence." (Smith's Bible Dictionary, Vol. III, p. 2593.)

4. _Revelation and Inspiration Defined:_ "The word 'revelation' stands for the act of God in making truth known to men, and then, in a secondary sense, for the truth itself, which is thus made known. Inspiration is the name of the special divine influence under which the writers of the Bible worked. We speak of the 'revelation' of God in the Bible, and of the 'inspiration' of the writers of the Bible. In order to understand the questions which have been raised on these two subjects it is important that we should discriminate between them in thought, but in fact they are closely connected. It is the association of the two that gives its supreme value to the Bible. This is recognized as a book of unique character, because, as we have seen, it is an inspired record of divine revelation." (Teacher's Bible Helps, Bagster's Bible, p. 2.) The whole article, comprising several pages, should be studied. Also the article, "Prophets," in the Seventy's Bible Dictionary.

LESSON XIII.

_THE PROPHETIC BOOKS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT._

_I. The book of Isaiah._ Isaiah I-LXVI. Notes
1. Historic Period of Isaiah. 1, 2. Seventy's Bible
2. General Outline of His Prophecies. Dictionary, Art. "Isaiah,"
3. His Prophecies of the Messiah. Bible Treasury Ditto.
4. Select Readings from Isaiah. Other Bible Helps and
Dictionaries, under
same title.
"Messianic Prophecies,"
Chap. IX: 6, 7; XLIX: 1-13;
LIII: 1-12; LXI: 1-3.

_II. The Book of Jeremiah._ Select Readings--Fall
1. Historic Period. of Lucifer, Chap. XIV: 12-29.
2. General Nature of His Warnings The Apostasy,
to Israel. XXIV: 1-6. Book of Mormon,
XXIX: 1-24. The
Gathering of Israel, XI: 10-16.
3. Prophecies yet to be fulfilled--especially Bible Dictionaries and
on the restoration of Helps as above, Art.
Israel. "Jeremiah, Book of,"
etc. Warnings: Jeremiah
XIV: 1-22, and XV: 1-3.
(Read as if is in one
chapter), XVII and
XVIII; also XXI and
XXII.
Prophecies (in course
of fulfillment and those
yet future). Chap. III: 12-19;
XVI: 14-16;
XXXIII: 1-14.

_SPECIAL TEXT: "And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction, yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more, but thine eyes shall see thy teachers; and thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left."_--ISAIAH.

_NOTES._

1. _Isaiah,_ (i. e., the Lord is Salvation), son of Amoz, a prophet in Jerusalem during 40 years, (B. C. 740-701.) He had great religious and political influence during the reign of Hezekiah, whose chief adviser he was. Tradition states that he was "sawn asunder" during the reign of Manasseh; for that reason he is often represented in art, holding a saw." (Cambridge Bible, p. 82.)

2. _Character of Isaiah's Prophet Writings:_ "In Isaiah we see prophetic authorship reaching its culminating point. Everything conspired to raise him to an elevation to which no prophet either before or after could as a writer attain. Among the other prophets, each of the more important ones is distinguished by some one particular excellence, and some one peculiar talent: in Isaiah, all kinds of talent and all beauties of prophetic discourse meet together so as mutually to temper and qualify each other; it is not so much any single feature that distinguishes him as the symmetry and perfection of the whole. * * * * He is not the especially lyrical prophet, or the especially elegiacal prophet, or the especially oratorical and hortatory prophet, as we should describe a Joel, a Hosea, a Micah, with whom there is a greater prevalence of some particular color; but, just as the subject requires, he has readily at command every several kind of style and every several change of delineation; and it is precisely this that, in point of language, establishes his greatness, as well as in general forms one of his most towering points of excellence." (Smith's Bible Dictionary, pp. 1162-3.)

3. _Isaiah as a Messianic Prophet:_ The following are the outlines of Messianic prophecies in the book of Isaiah: A scion of David, springing from his family, after it has fallen into a very low estate, but being also of divine nature, shall, at first, in lowliness, but as a prophet filled with the Spirit of God, proclaim the divine doctrine, develope the law in truth, and render it the animating principle of national life; he shall, as high priest, by his vicarious suffering and his death, remove the guilt of his nation, and that of other nations, and finally rule as a mighty king, not only over the covenant people, but over all nations of the earth who will subject themselves to his peaceful sceptre, not by violent compulsion, but induced by love and gratitude. He will make both the moral and the physical consequences of sin to cease; the whole earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord, and all enmity, hatred, and destruction shall be removed even from the brute creation. This is the survey of the Messianic preaching by Isaiah, of which he constantly renders prominent those portions which were most calculated to impress the people under the then existing circumstances. * * * * Jesus Sirach (xlviii: 22-5) bestows splendid praise upon Isaiah, and both Philo and Josephus speak of him with great veneration. He attained the highest degree of authority after the times of the New Testament had proved the most important part of his prophecies, namely, the Messianic, to be divine. Christ and the Apostles quote no prophecies so frequently as those of Isaiah, in order to prove that he who had appeared was one and the same with him who had been promised. The fathers of the Church abound in praises of Isaiah. (Kitto's Biblical Literature, pp. 49-50.)

4. The First Nephi on Isaiah as the Messianic Prophet. "And now I, Nephi, write more of the words of Isaiah, for my soul delighteth in his words. For I will liken (apply) his words unto my people, and I will send them forth unto all my children, for he verily saw my Redeemer, even as I have seen him. And my brother Jacob also has seen him as I have seen him: wherefore I will send their words forth unto my children, to prove unto them that my words are true.. Wherefore, by the words of three, God hath said, I will establish my word." (II Nephi ii: 13.)

5. _Jeremiah, Book of. Arrangement:_ "The absence of any chronological order in the present structure of the collection of Jeremiah's prophecies is obvious at the first glance; and this has led some writers (Blayney, Pref. of Jeremiah) to the belief that, as the book now stands, there is nothing but the wildest confusion--'a preposterous jumbling together' of prophecies of different dates. Attempts to reconstruct the book on a chronological basis have been made by almost all commentators on it since the revival of criticism; and the result of the labors of the more recent critics has been to modify the somewhat hasty judgment of the English divine (Blayney). Whatever points of difference there may be in the hypothesis of Movers, Hitzig, Ewald, Bunsen, Nagelsbach, and others, they agree in admitting traces of an order in the midst of the seeming irregularity, and endeavor to account, more or less satisfactorily, for the apparent anomalies. The conclusion of the three last-named is that we have the book substantially in the same state as that in which it left the hands of the prophet, or his disciple Baruch." (Smith's Bible Dictionary, p. 1261.)

5. _Jeremiah:_ "The author of the prophecies of this book was the son of Hilkiah, a priest, and a native of the priestly city of Anathoth, situated three miles north of Jerusalem. He was early called to the prophetic office (chap. i: 6), and began his career as a prophet in his native place. This he soon left, to prosecute his calling in Jerusalem; and here, in the exercises of it, he spent the greater part of his life. His ministry commenced seventy years after the close of Isaiah's, and extended from the thirteenth year of Josiah's reign to the eleventh of Zedekiah's, i. e., from 629 to 588 B. C., thus embracing a period of forty-one years. It was a life-long protest against the iniquity and folly of his countrymen, and conceived in bitter foreboding of the hopeless ruin they were bringing down upon their heads." (Bagster's Bible Helps, p. 37.)

6. _Jeremiah and His Contemporaries:_ "Jeremiah was contemporary with Zephiniah, Habakkuk, Ezekiel, and Daniel. None of these, however, are in any remarkable way connected with him, except Ezekiel. The writings and character of these two eminent prophets furnish many very interesting points both of comparison and contrast. Both, during a long series of years, were laboring at the same time and for the same object. The representations of both, far separated as they were from each other, are in substance singularly accordant; yet there is at the same time a marked difference in their modes of statement, and a still more striking diversity in the character and natural disposition of the two. No one who compares them can fail to perceive that the mind of Jeremiah was of a softer and more delicate texture than that of his illustrious contemporary. His whole history convinces us that he was by nature mild and retiring." (Cycl. of Biblical Literature, Vol. II, p. 83.)

LESSON XIV.

SCRIPTURE READING EXERCISE--NOTE 3.

_THE PROPHETIC BOOKS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT._ _(Continued.)_

ANALYSIS. REFERENCES.

_I. Ezekiel, the Prophet of the Captivity._ Book of Ezekiel. All
1. Prophecies against Jerusalem and the Dictionaries, Bible
the Nation, chaps. i-xxiv. Helps, Bible Treasury,
2. Prophecies of the Restoration of Kitto's Biblical Literature
Israel, chaps. xxv-xxxix. previously quoted,
3. Visions of the Reconstruction of Art. "Ezekiel." Note 1.
the Temple, chaps. xl-xlviii.
4. Prophecy of the Resurrection,
chap. xxxvi: 1-14.
_II. Daniel, Book of_ Book of Daniel I-XII.
1. Historical--i-vi. All the above Dictionaries
2. Prophetical--the Rise and Fall of and Bible Helps,
Empires, vii-xii. Encyclopaedias, etc.
above cited. Art. "Daniel."
Church History
Vol. I, Introduction, pp. xxxvi-xl.
Note 2.

_SPECIAL TEXT: "Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel; therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me. When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Yet if thou warn the wicked, and he turn not from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul."_--EZEKIEL.

_NOTES._

1. _Ezekiel:_ "The author of this book was a native of Jerusalem, and, like Jeremiah, of priestly descent, a member of a family of some standing in the city. When, as would appear, about twenty-five years of age, and after he had seen some service as a priest, he was carried away captive to Babylon along with Jehoiachin and other noble Jews in 599 B. C., and before the destruction of Jerusalem (II Kings xxiv: 15). He must have been a witness of the plundering of the temple by Nebuchadnezzar, as recorded in II Kings xxiv: 13, and his prophecies give evidence of a familiar acquaintance with its structure (chap. viii: 5-16, etc.) His place of banishment was Tel-Abib, on the banks of the river Chebar, about 200 miles north of Babylon. Here he settled with his family, and here he established himself as the prophet of the captivity, his house being the rendezvous of all who mourned over the dispersion and sought for the restoration of Israel." (Bagster Bible Helps, p. 39.)

2. _The Book of Daniel._ Perhaps no book of prophecy is more bitterly criticised than the Book of Daniel, and certainly no book is of more prophetic value.. Its prophecies concerning the rise and fall of empires, with the final supremacy of the kingdom of God as a universal empire, renders it at once one of the most important of prophetic books.

"Porphyry, the assailant of Christianity in the third century, asserted that the book of Daniel was a forgery of the time of the Maccabees (170-164 B. C.), a time when confessedly there were no prophets, written after the events as to Antiochus Epiphanes, which it professes to foretell; so accurate are the details. A conclusive proof of Daniel's inspiration, if his prophecies can be shown to have been before the events. Now we know, from Josephus, that the Jews in Christ's days, recognized Daniel as in the canon. Zachariah, Ezra, and Nehemiah, centuries before Antiochus, refer to it. Jesus refers to it in his characteristic designation, 'Son of man,' Matthew xxiv: 30; Daniel vii: 13); also expressly by name, and as a prophet, in Matthew xxiv: 15 (cf. Matthew xxiv: 21, with Daniel xii: 1, etc.); and in the moment that decided his life (Matthew xxvi: 64) or death, when the high priest adjured him by the living God. Also, in Luke 1:19-26, 'Gabriel' is mentioned, whose name occurs nowhere else in scripture, save Daniel viii: 16; ix: 21. Besides the references to it in Revelation, Paul confirms the prophetical part of it, as to the blasphemous king (Daniel vii: 8, 25; xi: 36), in I Corinthians 6:2; II Thessalonians ii: 3, 4; the narrative part, as to the miraculous deliverances from 'the lions' and 'the fire,' in Hebrews xi: 33, 34. Thus the book is expressly attested by the New Testament on the three points made the stumbling block of neologists--the predictions, the narratives of miracles, and the manifestations of angels." (Commentary, Explanatory and Critical, p. 620.)

_A Sample Scripture Reading._ At this lesson we introduce the scripture reading exercise referred to in our introduction, and as an illustration of what is meant we give the following as an example of such reading:

The Reader says: "I have selected for this reading the first nine verses of the 19th Psalm of David, universally conceded, I think, to be one at least of the most beautiful psalms of this very remarkable collection of Hebrew poetry. (Reading):

"The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth
his handywork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night
sheweth knowledge. There is no speech nor language where their
voice is not heard. Their line is gone out through all the earth,
and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a
tabernacle for the sun, which is as a bridegroom coming out of his
chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race. His going
forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends
of it; and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.

The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony
of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The statutes of the
Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord
is pure, enlightening the eyes.. The fear of the Lord is clean,
enduring forever; the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous
altogether."

Let us contemplate a little so much of this Psalm as we have read.

"The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth
his handywork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night
sheweth knowledge."

If that could be said of the heavens in the days of David, how much more abundantly can it be said now, when the few thousand stars visible to David's unaided vision, our modern telescopes have to our vision increased to more than forty millions of such stars! Each, as is supposed, a sun, the center of a planetary system--when thus we contemplate the heavens, truly they "declare the glory of God, and the firmament sheweth his handywork!" and "day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge!"

Mark how David notes that the heavens speak a universal language:--"there is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world." The special revelation to the Hebrews might be locked up from some parts of our human race for centuries in the mystery of the Hebrew language; but in the heavens, as David contemplated them, there is a universal language, a world book--spread out in glory for all men to read, and somehow or other, all men have read it with more or less clearness, and have arrived at the same conclusion with the Hebrew prophet,--"the heavens declare the glory of God." Paul must have felt something of this when he exclaimed, "The invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead." So that he concludes that the ungodly are without excuse, by reason of this revelation found in the creations of God--the heavens that declare God's glory. Then notice how David glides from the contemplation of the heavens to the contemplation of the law of the Lord--"perfect, converting the soul;" the "testimony" of the Lord which is "sure, making wise the simple." The "statutes of the Lord that are right, rejoicing the heart;" the "commandment of the Lord" that is "pure, enlightening the eyes." The "fear of the Lord" that is "clean, enduring forever;" the "judgments of the Lord" that "are true, and righteous altogether." Such a scripture prepares the mind for devotion, and is a worthy introduction to the act of worship. (End of reading.)

This kind of exercise is intended to run through the remainder of the lessons of this year, and every week someone should be appointed to come to the following week's lesson prepared with a scripture reading, which should be delivered as above, that is, read with reflections, and comments, to which it gives rise.

LESSON XV.

SCRIPTURE READING EXERCISE.

_THE PROPHETIC BOOKS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT._ _(Continued.)_

_I. The Twelve Minor Prophets._ Note 1 and 2. Each of
1. Historical Period of their ministry. the books of the 12
_II. Select Readings from Zechariah:_ prophets should be read.
1. Repentance. See also the summary of
2. Prophecies Yet Future. each book in the Bible
Helps, Dictionaries, Bible
Treasury, quoted in
previous lessons.
Readings, Zech. 1: 1-7.
Chaps. vii and viii.
Chaps. xii, xiii, xiv.
_III. Select Readings from Malachi:_
1. His Arraignment of Israel for Unfaithfulness. Mal. iii: 7-18.
The Promise of
God's Returning Favor.
2. The Coming of Messiah's Messenger. Mal. iii: 1-6.
3. Destruction of the Wicked--Elijah's Mal. iv: 1-6.
Mission.

_SPECIAL TEXT: "Execute true judgment, and shew mercy and compassions every man to his brother; and oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart."_--ZECHARIAH.

_NOTES._

1. _The Greater and Minor Prophets:_ "A review of the books as they stand in our Bible gives us first the Greater Prophets, and secondly the Minor Prophets. It should be understood that this arrangement is determined by the length of the books, not by the comparative rank of the writers. The minor prophets are not to be regarded as necessarily less important persons than the greater prophets. Amos may have been a grander man than Ezekiel--yet Amos is classed with the minor and Ezekiel with the greater prophets. This simply means that we have less of the writings of Amos preserved than of those of Ezekiel--and so of the other minor prophets." (Cambridge Bible Helps, p. 34.)

2. _The Historic Period of the Minor Prophets:_ "The Minor Prophets form in the Hebrew canon one whole, and go collectively under the name of the Book of the Twelve Prophets. They cover a period of four hundred years, from the ninth to the fifth centuries before Christ, but they are not arranged in the order of the time of their production." (Cambridge Bible Helps, p. 41.)

3. _Passages from the Prophets Quoted by Moroni to Joseph Smith:_ "After telling me these things, (concerning the Book of Mormon) he commenced quoting the prophecies of the Old Testament. He first quoted part of the third chapter of Malachi, and he quoted also the fourth or last chapter of the same prophecy, though with a little variation from the way it reads in our Bibles. Instead of quoting the first verse as it reads in our books, he quoted it thus:

"For behold, the day cometh that shall burn as an oven, and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly shall burn as stubble; for they that come shall burn them, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch.

"And again, he quoted the fifth verse thus:

"'Behold, I will reveal unto you the Priesthood, by the hand of Elijah the prophet, before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord.'

"He also quoted the next verse differently:

"'And he shall plant in the hearts of the children the promises made to the fathers, and the hearts of the children shall turn to their fathers; if it were not so, the whole earth would be utterly wasted at his coming.'

"In addition to these, he quoted the eleventh chapter of Isaiah, saying that it was about to be fulfilled. He quoted also the third chapter of Acts, twenty-second and twenty-third verses, precisely as they stand in our New Testament. He said that that Prophet was Christ, but the day had not yet come when "they who would not hear his voice should be cut off from among the people," but soon would come. He also quoted the second chapter of Joel, from the twenty-eighth verse to the last. He also said that this was not yet fulfilled, but was soon to be. And he further stated that the fullness of the Gentiles was soon to come in. He quoted many other passages of Scripture, and offered many explanations which cannot be mentioned here." (History of the Church, Vol. 1, pp. 12, 13.)

LESSON XVI.

SCRIPTURE READING EXERCISE.

_MISCELLANEOUS BOOKS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT._

_I. Poetical Books:_ Book of Psalm, Lamentations
1. Psalms; Lamentations, The Song and Song of
of Solomon[1] Songs.
_II. Didactic Books:_ All the Dictionaries
1. Job, dramatic. Bible Helps cited in
_III. Sapiential:_ previous lessons may be
1. Proverbs, gnomic.[2] consulted on the separate
2. Ecclesiastes, Speculative.[3] books mentioned in this
lesson.

1. _Psalms, Book of:_ "This collection of sacred poetry received its name, in consequence of the lyrical character of the pieces of which it consists, as intended to be sung to stringed and other instruments of music. The word is thus aptly defined by Gregory of Nyssa. The Hebrew title signifies hymns or praises, and was probably adopted on account of the use made of the collection in divine service, though only a part can be strictly called songs of praise, not a few being lamentations and prayers. (Cycl. of Biblical Literature, Kitto, p 377.)

2. _Authors of the Psalms:_ "Many of the ancients, both Jews and Christians, maintained that all the Psalms were written by David; which is one of the most striking proofs of their uncritical judgment. So the Talmudists; Augustine, who is never a good critic; and Chrysostom. But Jerome, as might be expected, held the opinion which now universally prevails. The titles and the contents of the Psalms most clearly show that they were composed at different and remote periods, by several poets, of whom David was only the largest and most eminent contributor." (Cycl. of Biblical Literature, Kitto, p. 580.)

3. _Character of the Psalms._ "The distinguishing feature of the Psalms is their devotional character. Whether their matter be didactic, historical, prophetical, or practical, it is made the ground or subject of prayer, or praise, or both. The doctrines of theology and precepts of pure morality are here inculcated. God's nature, attributes, perfections, and works of creation, providence, and grace, are unfolded." (Commentary, Critical and Explanatory, p. 345.)

4. _Song of Solomon,_ or Canticles, called in Hebrews the Song of Songs (i. e. the Song of supreme excellence). Some regard it as a beautiful romance in glorification of true love. Tennyson called it "the most perfect Idyll of the faithful love of a country girl for her shepherd, and of her resistances to the advances of a great king, that ever was written." Others see in it a parable of singular depth, a revelation of the future of the Church to the end of the world." (Seventy's Bible Dictionary, p. 144.)

5. _The Age when Job Lived:_ "Eusebius fixes it two ages before Moses, (i. e., about the time of Isaac): eighteen hundred years before Christ, and six hundred after the Deluge." (Commentary, critical and Explanatory, p. 308.)

6. _Job a Real Person:_ "It has been supposed by some that the Book of Job is an allegory, not a real narrative, on account of the artificial character of many of its statements. Thus the sacred numbers, three and seven, often occur.. He had seven thousand sheep, seven sons, both before and after his trials; his three friends sit down with him seven days and seven nights; both before and after his trials; he had three daughters. So also the number and form of the speeches of the several speakers seem to be artificial. The name of Job, too, is derived from an Arabic word signifying repentance. But Ezekiel 14:14 (cf. v. 16, 20) speaks of "Job" in conjunction with "Noah and Daniel," real persons. St. James (5:11) also refers to Job as an example of "patience," which he would not have been likely to do had Job been only a fictitious person. Also the names of persons and places are specified with a particularity not to be looked for in an allegory." (Commentary, Critical and Explanatory, p. 308.)

7. _Design of the Book:_ "It is a public debate in poetic form on an important question concerning the divine government; moreover the prologue and epilogue, which are in prose, shed the interest of a living history over the debate, which would otherwise be but a contest of abstract reasoning. * * * * The question to be solved, as exemplified in the case of Job is, Why are the righteous afflicted consistently with God's justice? The doctrine of retribution after death, no doubt, is the great solution of the difficulty. And to it Job plainly refers in chapter 14:14, and chapter 19:25. The objection to this, that the explicitness of the language on the resurrection in Job is inconsistent with the obscurity on the subject in the early books of the Old Testament, is answered by the fact that Job enjoyed the divine vision (chapter 38:1; 42:5), and therefore, by inspiration, foretold these truths." (Commentary, Critical and Explanatory, p. 309.)

8. _Proverbs:_ "The Hebrew title of this book is the 'Mishele,' (i. e., the maxims) 'of Solomon,' and it was in early ages, sometimes along with other similar portions of the Bible, often referred to as "Wisdom," in one instance specifically defined as the "wisdom that respects virtuous conduct"--as summarizing the teachings of wisdom in their bearing on the conduct of life. Though ascribed to Solomon, these maxims are obviously not all of his composition, or even his collection, being of very varied authorship, and the vintage of the observation and experience of many wise men at different periods of Jewish history." (Cambridge Bible Helps, p. 32.)

9. _Ecclesiastes:_ "This title, which we receive through the Vulgate, is the translation into Greek by the LXX of the Hebrew title "Koheleth," a word which is, agreeably to Jewish tradition, rendered 'preacher,' but meant originally 'gatherer, or summoner together,' and means here one who, personifying Wisdom (for the word is feminine, as that for wisdom is), gathers men together to listen to her verdict."

10. _Authorship and Date of Ecclesiastes:_ "This book was for long accepted as the production of Solomon, written in his old age, and intended as a warning to others against sundry delusions of which he had himself been the victim; but it is now, from internal evidence, and by almost universal consent, allowed to be the work of one who wrote about the time of Malachi (i. e., about 400 B. C.), though in the name of Solomon, and dramatically personifying the famous king." (Cambridge Bible Helps, p. 33.)

Footnotes

1. Sometimes called the Canticles--the "Song of Songs," a superlative meaning--"the Matchless Song."

2. "Sapiential: "Marked by or consisting of Sapience--wisdom--profound knowledge."

3. Gnomic--Expressed in maxims--"gnomic poetry consists of observations on human life and society or generalizations respecting conduct and character."

_PART III._

_A Study of the Christian Scriptures.---The New Testament. (note 1)_

LESSON I.

SCRIPTURE READING EXERCISE.

_THE CLASSIFICATION OF THE BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT._

ANALYSIS. REFERENCES.

_I. Institutional and Historical:_ Notes 2, 3. Also all the
1. The Gospels: (a) The Synoptic Bible Dictionaries, Helps
Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke; and Bible Treasury heretofore
(b) The Supplemental Gospel, cited in previous
John. lessons--Art. "New Testament,"
2. The Acts of the Apostles. "Bible"--"Canon,"
etc.
_II. Didactic:_[1] Notes 5, 6, 7, 8.
1. The Pauline Epistles, viz: (a)
Doctrinal, (Addressed to
Churches): Romans, Corinthians,
Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians,
Colossians, Thessalonians, Hebrews:
(b) Pastorial, (addressed
to individuals): Timothy and Titus.
2. Special: Philemon.
3. Catholic Epistles (i. e., addressed
to the Church at large); one of
James, two of Peter, three of
John, one of Jude.
_III. Prophetic, The Book of Revelation._

_SPECIAL TEXT: "Fear not; for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Savior, which is Christ, the Lord._--THE ANGEL _to the Shepherds_.

_NOTES._

1. _The New Testament--Definition:_ "This is the name given in the Western Church, ever since the days of Tertullian [second century A. D.] to the collection of sacred books that were written by certain disciples of Christ at different periods after the planting of the Christian Church, and that were afterwards accepted by the Church as the inspired record of the new dispensation of the grace of God to the world. The expression New Testament is the Latin translation of the expression New Covenant." (The Comprehensive Teacher's Bible Helps, p. 57.)

2. _Origin of the New Testament as Scripture:_ "The institution of the Christian Church was, of course, prior to any record of it. That institution was founded at first, and for long rested, on the merely oral testimony of those who had witnessed, or were otherwise assured of, the life, death, and rising again of its founder, Jesus the Son of God and Savior of the world (Acts ii: 22 seq.; xiii: 31, 32). Except this oral testimony, as confirmed, moreover, by signs and wonders [and the testimony of the Holy Ghost], the first Christian churches had no other evidences of the character and certainty of the events on which their faith was grounded, unless we add the surprising correspondence between these events and the predictions of prophecy--which, in point of fact, we find to be the chief argument insisted on by the Apostles in persuading their countrymen to accept Jesus of Nazareth as the promised Messiah. It was only when controversies arose affecting the first principles of the faith, and misapprehensions and irregularities began to show themselves in certain sections and quarters of the Church, that it was found necessary to have recourse to a literary vehicle in the statement of the facts and doctrines of the gospel." (Comprehensive Teacher's Bible Helps, p. 57.)

3. _The Gospels._ The Gospel narratives record in writing what had previously been propagated by oral teaching respecting the sayings and doings of Christ; and this history appears to have continued to be so propagated till the time when the original ear and eye witnesses were beginning to die out, and some uncertainty to attach to the traditional oral accounts. * * * * * From all this we are not to conclude that the early Christian Church had no sacred scripture; for they had and read the Old Testament scripture, the authority, as well as the significance and importance of which was so enhanced to them by the fulfilment it had received [in part] in the facts of Christianity. (Comprehensive Teacher's Bible Helps, p. 57.)

4. _Origin of the New Testament:_ The twenty-seven books collected in the New Testament were written by a number of authors, eight at least (nine, in case the Epistle to the Hebrews was not written by Paul). For each book there was some special occasion, each had its distinct purpose, and between the writing of the earliest and latest parts nearly half a century intervened. The agreement, under these circumstances, is truly wonderful, and the adaptation of a volume, thus penned, for all ages and classes is not less so. Nothing will account for such agreement and adaptation save a supernatural element in the composition; but we are now concerned with the human conditions which called forth these writings. Christ wrote nothing; but is himself the book of life to be read by all. He is written on the world's history and on men's hearts, and furnishes an unending theme of holy thoughts, discourses, and songs of praise. So, too, the Lord chose none of his Apostles, Paul excepted, from among the learned; he did not train them to literary authorship, nor expressly command them to perform such labor. They were to preach the glad tidings of salvation. Personal oral teaching was the means used for first propagating the gospel and founding the Church; as it is today the indispensable instrumentality. No book of the New Testament was written until about twenty years after the resurrection of Christ, and more than half a century had passed before John wrote the fourth Gospel." (International Commentary, Introduction,[2] p. 8.)

5. _The Language in Which the New Testament was Written:_ The New Testament was written in Hellenistic Greek, i. e., in that idiom of Macedonian Greek spoken by the Jews of the Dispersion (called Hellenists) at the time of Christ. It has a Greek body, a Hebrew soul, and a Christian spirit." (International Commentary, Introduction to Matthew, p. 9.)

6. _The Character of the New Testament:_ The Apostles all drew their doctrine from personal contact with the divine human history of the crucified and risen Savior, and from the inward illumination of the Holy Spirit, revealing the person and work of Christ in them, and opening to them his discourses and acts. This divine enlightenment is inspiration, governing not only the composition of the sacred writings, but also the oral instructions of their authors; not merely an act, but a permanent state. The Apostles lived and moved continually in the element of truth. They spoke, wrote, and acted from the Spirit of truth; and this, not as passive instruments, but as conscious and free agents. For the Holy Spirit does not supercede the gifts and peculiarities of nature, ordained by the Lord; it sanctifies them to the service of the kingdom of God. * * * * * While the New Testament forms one harmonious whole, it was written by different men, inspired indeed, and yet free and conscious agents. The peculiar character, education, and sphere of the several writers, therefore, necessarily show themselves in their writings." (International Commentary and Introduction, p. 9.)

7. _The Chronological Order of the Books:_ This cannot be determined with absolute certainty, as no dates are given in the books themselves. Some of the Epistles of Paul, especially that to the Romans, contain indications and allusions which enable us to assign them to a particular year. The Epistle of James, and the Epistles to the Thessalonians were probably writen first, the writings of John last. The three Synoptic Gospels must have been composed before the destruction of Jerusalem (A. D. 70), which by them is predicted as a future event. The Acts were written after 63, yet before the death of Paul, (which is supposed to have occurred 68 A. D.), as they suddenly close with his imprisonment in Rome." (Ibid, pp. 10, 11.)

8. _Unity of the New Testament:_ The New Testament is a collection of twenty-seven distinct writings, from eight (or nine) different hands. Of these writers, four were Apostles--St. Matthew, St. John, St. Paul, and St. Peter; two were companions of the Apostles--St. Mark and St. Luke; two were our Lord's brothers, probably not Apostles--St. James and St. Jude. The books are usually classed as Historical (five), Didactic (twenty-one), Prophetical (one), though the writings of the first class include much more than one-half of the entire matter. The unity of the whole is remarkable; all the books find their center in Jesus Christ our Lord. The four Gospels narrate his life on earth; the fifth historical book tells how the new life, that came from Him through the Holy Spirit, passed from Jerusalem to Rome. The epistles, written by men of varied personal character and temperament, set forth the significance of the gospel facts, as revealed to them, according to our Lord's promise (John xvi: 12, 13). The single prophetical book, however it is to be interpreted, shows the Lamb as King, to become Victor on earth, where his church is preparing through conflict to share his triumph. (Bible Treasury, p 123.)

9. _Order:_ In our English Bible the order is not chronological. In ancient manuscripts there was much variation in position; the seven General Epistles were usually placed immediately after Acts, the Gospels coming first, though not always in the order now universal. The Pauline Epistles seem to have been arranged according to length, so that the earliest and the latest stand together, viz., I and II Thes. with I and II Timothy, and Titus." (Bible Treasury, p. 123.)

Footnotes

1. "Pertaining to or of the nature of teaching; intended to instruct or edify." (Dictionary.)

2. The above and some of the following notes of this lesson are taken from the "International Revision Commentary," on the New Testament. The comments are based upon the revised version of the New Testament of 1881 by English and American scholars. The International Commentaries were considered necessary, owing to the Anglo-American revision of the New Testament. For this revision it is claimed that it is based upon a much older and purer text, and corrects several thousand errors and inaccuracies which mar the excellence of the version of 1611. It also claims to put "the English reader as nearly as possible into the position of the student of the Greek Testament." We shall have occasion now and then to quote this work, and it will always be done under the title, "International Commentary," and must not be confounded with the "Commentary, Critical and Explanatory," by Messrs. Jamieson-Faussett-Brown, already frequently quoted, and still to be quoted in subsequent lessons.

LESSON II.

SCRIPTURE READING EXERCISE.

_THE BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT._

ANALYSIS. REFERENCES.

_I. The Gospel According to St. Matthew:_ Notes 1, 2, 3.
1. Author.
2. Date.
3. The Language and Aim of the Notes 4, 5, 6.
Book.
_II. The Gospel According to St. Mark._ All the Bible Helps,
1. Author. Dictionaries, Encyclopedias,
2. Date. Biblical Literature,
3. Purpose and style of the Book. Bible Treasuries,
Commentaries, etc., before
cited may be consulted
under the title of
the books of this lesson.
_III. The Gospel According to St. Luke._ Notes 7, 8, 9.
1. Author. Notes 10, 11, 12.
2. Date.
3. Purpose and style.

_SPECIAL TEXT: After these things the Lord appointed other Seventy also, and sent them two and two before his face into every city and place, whither he himself would come. Therefore said he unto them, the harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth laborers into his harvest."_--ST. LUKE.

_NOTES._

1. _The Name "Gospels" Defined:_ "The word "gospel" (God's spell, good spell, or story, message) is the nearest English equivalent for the Greek 'evangelion,' and means 'good news,' 'glad tidings' of salvation by Jesus Christ. It is also applied to the four books of the New Testament, which contain the fourfold authentic record of the one gospel of Christ, _according_ to Matthew Mark, Luke, John (not the Gospel _of_ Matthew, etc.)." (International Commentary, Intro. 12.)

2. _Character and Aim of the Gospels:_ "The canonical Gospels do not assume to be full biographies of Jesus, but give only a selection of the characteristic features of his life and work, for the practical purpose of leading the reader to a saving faith in Jesus as the promised Messiah and Son of God (John xx: 31). They are not photographs which represent the momentary image in a single attitude, but living pictures from repeated sittings, which represent a combination of the varied expressions and aspects of Christ's person." (International Commentary, Intro. p. 12.)

3. _St. Matthew:_ "Matthew (or Levi; see Mark ii: 14; Luke v: 27, 29) was a publican, or tax-gatherer, called by our Lord from the toll-booth, near the Sea of Galilee, where he was performing his secular duty (Matt. ix: 9-13). The name is derived from the same word as Matthias (Acts i: 23, 26), or Theodore, meaning "gift of God." It was probably adopted as his new Christian name (which Jesus was wont to give his disciples. See Simon Peter-Cephas, etc.). His former avocation was regarded by the Jews with contempt, but gave him an extensive knowledge of human nature and accurate business habits, which tended to fit him for his great work as an evangelist. The topical arrangement of his gospel may be largely due to the influence of his previous occupation. The New Testament is silent in regard to his special labors. Tradition says he was murdered in Ethiopia, while at prayer; but according to the earlier statement of Clement of Alexandria, he died a natural death. The first Gospel is his immortal monument. If he had done nothing else, he must be ranked among the most useful servants of Christ. In this book he still preaches the gospel to all nations. (xxviii: 19.)" (International Commentary, Intro., pp. 15, 16.)

4. _Time of Writing the Book of Matthew:_ "From the Gospel itself it is plain that it was written before the destruction of Jerusalem, but a number of years after the resurrection (xxvii: 7; xxviii: 15). Irenaeus says it was written, 'when Peter and Paul were preaching at Rome,' which was certainly after 61 A. D.; though most of the fathers think it was the first one written. The very early date often assigned (45 A. D.) may be correct if applied to an Aramaic original; but the Greek Gospel, which we have should probably be assigned to a later date, since, on the theory that the Synoptic Gospels are independent of each other, this one could not have preceded by many years the two others. All were probably written between 60 and 64 A. D., and that of St. Matthew may have been written about 60 A. D." (Bible Treasury, p. 124.)

5. _The Language of the Original Text Book of Matthew:_ There is some controversy as to the language in which Matthew first wrote his book. The status of the controversy is well stated in the following quotation: