CONTRIBUTORS TO THE EXPOSITOR THE VERY REV. THE DEAN OF CANTERBURY. REV. A. MACLAREN, D.D. REV. CANON FARRAR, D.D., F.R.S. REV. JAMES MORISON, D.D. REV. PROFESSOR PLUMPTRE, M.A., D.D. REV. H. R. REYNOLDS, D.D. REV. W. SANDAY, M.A. REV. J. OSWALD DYKES, D.D. REV. J. RAWSON LUMBY, B.D. REV. PROFESSOR A. B. DAVIDSON, M.A. REV. CANON PEROWNE, D.D. REV. ALEX. Raleigh, D.D. REV. JOSEPH HAMMOND, LL.B. REV. HENRY ALLON, D.D. REV. PROFESSOR STANLEY LEATHES, M.A. REV. R. W. DALE, M.A. REV. RAYNER WINTERBOTHAM, M.A., B.SC. REV. MARCUS DODS, M.A., D.D. REV. A. B. BRUCE, D.D. REV. HENRY BURTON, B.A. REV. PROFESSOR W. ROBERTSON SMITH, M.A. REV. PROFESSOR A. M. FAIRBAIRN. REV. PROFESSOR W. MILLIGAN, D.D. REV. PROFESSOR ALEX. ROBERTS, D.D. THE EXPOSITOR. EDITED BY THE REV. SAMUEL COX. VOLUME V. London: HODDER & & STOUGHTON, 27, PATERNOSTER ROW. MDCCCLXXVII. THE EXPOSITOR. THE GOSPEL IN THE EPISTLES. INTRODUCTION. IN the "Evidences of Christianity" (Part i. chap. viii.), Paley, when treating of the probable order in which the books of the New Testament were produced, says: "Whilst the transaction [meaning the life and death of Christ] was recent; . . . whilst the apostles were busied in preaching and travelling, . whilst they exercised their ministry under the harassings of frequent persecution . . . it is not probable that they would think of writing histories for the information of the public or of posterity. But . . . emergencies might draw from them occasional letters to converts, or to societies of converts with which they were connected." He then proceeds to shew that it would only be after accounts had got abroad which needed correction that the apostles, or their companions, would find it expedient to send out authentic memoirs of the life and doctrine of their Master. That one of the histories in the New Testament was set forth with this view we have the testimony of its writer. St. Luke (whose history of Christ's JANUARY 1877 2 VOL. V. 253663 |