element in the lives of innumerable of His followers"to me to live is Christ." And, broadly speaking, those who have felt this most strongly have in their lives brought forth fruits consonant with the view that the experience was no illusion. An intense mystical consciousness of the presence of Christ is not universal among Christians, or even among good Christians, and from the nature of the case can only carry full conviction to those who have themselves shared it strongly. Yet the phenomenon is sufficiently widespread both in respect of time and place and race to give it a reasonable claim to the serious attention of the dispassionate observer.

But there remains a "sign" palpable and visible to all, a sign unconvincing, indeed, to the "evil and adulterous generation" whom no sign will convince, but sufficient for the only class to whom when on earth the Master cared to give a sign, those who are drawn to His teaching but whose faith is weak.

To found an institution which shall outlive the centuries, to create an influence which shall dominate the future, to mould the mind and outlook of mankind, to leave a name which posterity shall venerate with wonder and admiration, this has from the beginning been the ambition of emperors, statesmen, and warriors with nations and armies at their back to achieve their aim; it has been the ambition of thinkers and poets with all the wisdom and culture of the ages at their command. In the roll-call of fame are names like Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne, Napoleon. There are names like Plato and Kant, Newton and Darwin, Dante and Goethe, and on the history and the mind of our race each of these has left a great and enduring mark. They have left their mark; their name and their influence is still a power. But which of them has done a work, has left an influence or a name like the village Carpenter, unlettered and unarmed, who dreamed that God would redeem the world through Him, and died to make the dream come true?

"All kings shall fall down before Him: all nations shall do Him service."

"For He shall deliver the poor when he crieth: the needy also, and him that hath no helper."

"He shall live, and unto Him shall be given of the gold of Arabia: prayer shall be made ever unto Him, and daily shall He be praised."

"His Name shall endure for ever; His Name shall remain under the sun among the posterities: which shall be blessed through Him; and all the heathen shall praise Him."

In ecstasy and hymn like this, Prophet and Poet had hailed the glorious Christ that was to come.

There stood a prisoner before the High Priest's throne, mocked, buffeted, His cause discredited, friends disillusioned and dispersed, Himself awaiting death in ignominy and torture.

"Art thou the Christ?" "I am," replied the Prisoner. Blasphemy," pronounced the Priest. And History has judged between them.

L

IV

THE INTERPRETATION OF THE CHRIST IN THE NEW TESTAMENT

BY

A. E. J. RAWLINSON

TUTOR OF KEBLE COLLEGE, OXFORD

AND

R. G. PARSONS

PRINCIPAL OF WELLS THEOLOGICAL COLLEGE

AND PREBENDARY OF WELLS CATHEDRAL

EXAMINING CHAPLAIN TO THE BISHOP OF WINCHESTER

FORMERLY FELLOW AND PRAELECTOR IN THEOLOGY OF UNIVERSITY COLLEGE, OXFORD

NOTE.—For the final form of this essay Mr. Rawlinson is throughout responsible : but it is so largely indebted to notes and suggestions supplied by Mr. Parsons, especially in the first six sections, that it seemed best to describe it as a joint production.

SYNOPSIS

I. THE PRIMITIVE COMMUNITY.

I

The Church at Jerusalem: its theology the articulation of its experience. The earliest Christology to be sought in “Q” and in the opening chapters of Acts. Belief in the Resurrection and its significance for the first disciples. Messiahship of Jesus interpreted eschatologically. The note of their religious life is expectancy

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II

The Spirit (i.) a pledge of the nearness of the Kingdom: but also (ii.) a present power in their lives. Inadequacy of what was in form a "theology of the future" to express the richness of Christian experience here and now

III

Relation of the primitive Church to Judaism. Baptism and the Eucharist as eschatological sacraments of the New Israel. Here also a "theology of the future" inadequate as the expression of present experience. Necessity for growth and expansion of thought this only possible as the result of growth and expansion of the Church

II. THE WORK OF ST. STEPHEN.

St. Stephen, a Hellenist Jew, takes up the Hellenist attitude towards Law and Temple. In this he was essentially at one with our Lord, and like Him he is put to death for blasphemy. St. Stephen as the precursor of St. Paul

III. THE CONVERSION OF ST. PAUL.

To St. Paul his conversion always a miracle. Modern theory of conversion suggests psychological explanation. The "religious" conception of miracle not destroyed by "scientific" explanation of the "miraculous" occurrence. Effects of the form of St. Paul's conversion on his Christology

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