tt +o . “+ =~ ete wey eye τυ eet Sever yess Sever ey ys ey yet phew wv veer very yy Over ΟῚ ΧΟ ΧΑ Ων ELLE LEREL ALLEL TELS LAST) 3 | | | PS SLPAALE EES DDL S. ~ ~ eee Ἄγ 4 ς feantes >» fore aa5es39 tat ete rheerseetpbetey, > Mansasatesy i » > +4 44 ap4s9e Γὲ > See? eases) basa tale reas Ὗ 4 [41 4474 ἐς γεν» * ῬῊ-ἢοπ ἘΡΡΡΡΡΝ ΔΤ ΡΡΙΡ ἢ» 4 Ὁ (74) Poke , ΝΟ ba ΤΟ ΚῚΣ ΩΣ βουὴ ¥. Pa" a ν ᾿ > ta 343 144 ae Tears Se μ SEER. eee , 7 a3 % taf ἴα aa 4434 y4949 19 nn at A vere ee er. eee verry fad - ttn ed > ὺ ἜΡΡΡῈΡ oS wer + ee τ See “+ Ty, revere re ryyreery vyyryy prerec eet Cie ie τῆς Rhian Τα ξ ατοε γόνον era's! we ν ΠΡΟΣ Δ ΚΡΩΝ RR Ὁ gfe 4. «.. “τὰ aes ee Ὁ Yee 5 oa Fe Ἤν τς ὡς A aA =4 IIT EEE ‘Se ee 2 a Ὁ " οἶος. Cee KSEE Qo ey mI ee ἊΣ Ἢ Sa ace Aa ho A ae reat Seance Saas an or pate CRU ᾿ τ τς ΩΣ Feige ayy > 4 2." παι, y79"9 * ue SSIS SL hy 2 ee Seas ἐν ros Paral ae = Lees ets ΚΣ pee ΟΣ ΤΟΣ ee Sere a - ‘= > -- Ὁ rs Cr PN te κα αὶ ὧν ϑν. SIT. Cr. eae, Ky cone. Kooy -— Ks Χο. ΜΡ , γ᾽» 5414] fed STOVE CCE ψ' acecaas ἐς ἐξ eth Ἔν ν δ εν " ἰς i * Bette ἐς preToT ho PaParar, atastas Η ἐν ἐν SSERIEEEERERSSESESESSSS ER SRR eee Sere det bana Peas: μ᾿ San <2 a? vere vy > } >) TP ERE I ISL ἐὺς ὑεῖς τς τῷ eases retro ore ge ee pepeetee asesd) a4 28 ἐν ( [ἐς ais ν᾽ a) Ἵν ‘> ἐπ τς ς ineyage FRPP LOE L OEIC TY Se COA ee ee ee Te ee gf the Gheologicns rae gw ὃ αι ee PRINCETON, N. J. a oF fee ial Bee ek FROM THE BEGINNING BY EDWARD GOUGH, B.A. (Lonp.), Congregational Minister, Barrowford, GRADUATE IN HONOURS IN LOGIC AND MORAL PHILOSOPHY, DESIGNED AS A COMMENTARY ON ALL THOSE PORTIONS OF SCRIPTURE THAT ARE MOST QUESTIONED AND ASSAILED, ‘Thy Word is true from the beginning,’—Ps. cxix. 160, Znrw γὰρ τὴν ἀλήθειαν, ὑφ᾽ ἧς οὐδεὶς πώποτε ἐβλάβη. Βλάπτεται δὲ ὁ ἐπιμένων 2 Ν ~ ε ~ > ‘ , ἐπὶ τῆς ἑαυτοῦ ἀπάτης καὶ ἀγνοίας. Αντονινῦϑ, Book VI., p. 21. ‘For I seek the Truth, by which no one ever yet was injured. But he is injured who abides in his deception and ignorance.’ VOL. V. LONDON: KEGAN PAUL, TRENCH, TRUBNER & CO., Lr: 1801. CON EEN TS. CHAPTER I. We XII. XIII. XIV. XV. XVI. XVII. XVIII. XIX, XX. ΧΧΙ. XXII. THE C@CONOMY: LUKE I. 5 B 5 . THE CCONOMY: LUKE II. . BAPTISM : INTRODUCTORY - BAPTISM: MATTHEW III. . BAPTISM: MARK I. ° 5 ¢ - ° . BAPTISM: LUKE III. - BAPTISM: JOHN I., ETC. . ° C 5 δ . THE TEMPTATION OF CHRIST: MATTHEW IV. . THE TEMPTATION OF CHRIST: MARK I. THE TEMPTATION OF CHRIST: LUKE IV. . . . . THE CALL TO BECOME FISHERS OF MEN: MATTHEW IV. THE CALL TO BECOME FISHERS OF MEN: MARK TI. . THE CALL TO BECOME FISHERS OF MEN: LUKE V. . DEMONIACAL POSSESSION . 5 ᾿ ς . . CHRIST’S LAW FROM THE MOUNTAIN: MATTHEW V.-VII. THE CLEANSING OF THE LEPER: MATTHEW VIII. THE CLEANSING OF THE LEPER: MARK I. : 5 THE CLEANSING OF THE LEPER: LUKE V. THE HEALING OF THE CENTURION’S SERVANT : MATTHEW VIII. THE HEALING OF THE CENTURION’S SERVANT: LUKE VII. THE HEALING OF SIMON’S WIFE’S MOTHER 5 . HEALING AT THE SUNSET : . ° . PASSAGES OF SCRIPTURE SPECIALLY CONSIDERED, APART FROM NARRATIVES EXPOUNDED. GENESIS. XV. 7. LOZ xxv. 18 > TOP LEVITICUS. Xiv. 3 ae 470 xlv. 7-20 soy KSI xvi. 8-10 .. 476 DEUTERONOMY. XVili. 15 ae . 280 JosHUA. ΧΟ 11g) ΠΣ: sO = xv. 16 ΤΠ 182 I CHRONICLES, ΧΧΙΪ, 9 5 PSALMS. sg i Ὡς 308 XVlll. 45 τος ΙΖ xlv. 5 ano IS Ivil. 9 ono. 9/2) Ixiv. 6 τ 392 ]xix. 3 103 ci. 8 con 212! CXXXVii. 9 ΠΤ ECCLESIASTES., x. II . 465 ISAIAH. vi. ὃ : 251 ix. I : we 393 XXIV. 4 Ὡς τς 282 ΧΧΥΤΙ: ΤΌ. 17... ve. 204 ΧΧΧΙΙ. 18 ... 260 XXXIV. 5 . 383 HOSEA. ib 2 . 250 HAGGAI, il. 6 ia soa LOW) ZECHARIAH. ili. 8 : . 207 iv. 7-10 ves 303 xiv. 12-16 5 UO ’ MALAcutI, 111. I . 248 MATTHEW. vill. 16 : ι 452 ΣΧ. 22 Bs 300 X. 35, 36 ... Ἐπ 509) ΧΙ]. 44 300 +s» 440 XVl. 16-19 ... 307, Xxv. 46 bo dyy 2 MARK, bh QA, DR se 446 ix. 38, 39 nae LUKE xl. 40 2 sue 447 JOHN i. 3 ὧν τὸς ΕΖ. 1. 14 Sod ly 5 i. 42 νος 526 Vii. 24 son 5366 X. 7 vee 523 ΧΧΙ, 15 . 3232 ROMANS. Υ 12, 12 οὐ poo IZLE Vill. 23 On ἷχ. 4, 5 ie §O I CORINTHIANS. il. 6-8 seid wes 50, 187, 263 ili. 12-15 237, 205 ΙΧ. 27 ... 406 χῖν. 34 . 524 xv. 28 τς 270 XV. 44 τον 20; 64 2 CORINTHIANS. xe) . 366 ΧΙ. 13-15 . 360 GALATIANS. i. 18-24 τις 306 iv. 25, 26 sun Bye) iv. 29 .. 496 vi. 4 . 110 EPHESIANS 1. 14 i εἰς (OL! 1, 5, 6 ΠΣ ili. 15 . 106 iv. 13 non 177 vi. 12 on 393 vi PASSAGES OF SCRIPTURE SPECIALLY CONSIDERED, % PHILIPPIANS, 1 PETER. 1. 8 tet pad) ATS ii. 4-8 το ἀν ἘΣ, 2 TIMOTHY. ] lv. I bee eee eve 6 11. 16 ΔΑ eee SO | 1 Joun. HEBREWS. 16 ip ee ae eee iv. 15 πον ἀπε wy soa 340 iv. 2 oe IXO=10) see nea =e LOG ix. 26 Ἐπ Lata ΧΟ ΩΣ ' 2 JOHN. hm OP air eel ees LOO | 7 cite aes Sete ΧΠ 25 Sore hore, econ xil. 26 πρῶ 702 | REVELATION. JAMES. | xix. 10 Mey eee 1:12 ‘Gee manly aoe 4s neatly eh @) τ no. τῇ 0. PV ERODUEe TION, WHEN the writer began this work, it was with the intention that it should be a work on Everlasting Punishment, and on that subject only. In pursuing this design, he found it needful to examine the early chapters in ‘Genesis.’ Thereby he was led to consider the verse which tells of the cherubim at Eden’s gate. That he might the better understand what was therein said of the cherubim, he thought it advisable to con- sider the early chapters in ‘Ezekiel,’ which contain much cherubic imagery. It was from these chapters that he obtained his first idea of the grades. That idea led on to an examination of Scripture far ex- ceeding the purposed limits, and to a work of seven Volumes instead of one. Let the reader examine, as did the writer, this early part of ‘ Ezekiel.’ He will find in it a law of progress or evolution. The first chapter, as writers like Hengstenberg have admitted, deals with the lower animal creation. We read of ‘living creatures,’ but neither the Adamic Prophet nor any human being has any active part in the whole chapter. The next chapter begins to describe human beings, and makes no reference to the living creatures. But its first allusions are to human beings who are in an imperfect and savage state. They are compared to briars, thorns, scorpions, rebels, and are said to be impudent and stiffhearted (verses 3-6). The Adamic Prophet now begins to carry God’s message to this savage people. But it is the very beginning of this intermediary prophetic action. The Divine Spirit has but newly entered into him (verse 2). Moreover, as yet, while the Prophet speaks God’s words (verse 7), no allusion is made to a written Revelation. But in verses 8-10 we read of a written Revelation coming to the Prophet. ‘This appears to be the beginning of such written Revelation. Moreover this first revealed writing is said to be full of lamentations, and mourning, and woe. Such a description is very applicable to the Book of Job, a Book which ancient Christians regarded as the oldest in the Bible (Orig., Cont. Cels., Lib. VI., c. xliii.). From the beginning of c. iii., Vili INTRODUCTION. we see that after the Adamic Prophet has thus begun to receive a written Revelation, he is sent to some persons on a higher moral level. These are not of a strange speech and a hard language (verse 6). Then follows a description of a great rushing (verse 12), and of a noise (verse 13), the symbolism being in close affinity with what is said of the moral shaking and noise attending the giving of Sinaitic Law (Exod. xix. ; Heb. xii. 18-21). The writer believes that this description of the mighty Divine epiphany, in which God’s hand is strong upon the Adamic Prophet, is emblematic of the giving of the Sinaitic Law. At the end of a symbolic era of seven days (verses 15, 16), a period which Barnabas (c. xvi.), Origen (In Ps. cxix. 164), and others contrast with an eighth day, as the Jewish zon contrasts with the Christian zon, and which the writer regards as symbolic of the Jewish era up to Apostolic times, the Adamic Prophet ceases from his peculiar character of Prophet. He becomes a Watchman, such as were the Apostles (verse 17; Heb. xiii. 17). Asa Watchman he next talks with God mouth to Mouth— that is, through Christ who is God’s Mouth whereby He speaks to us (Ignat., Ad Rom., c. viii.). The Watchman thus talks with God on the Plain of Shinar where the tongues were confounded (verse 22; Gen. x1. 2). The symbolism appears to apply to the Pentecostal era. Next the Adamic Watchman receives the Spirit in fuller measure (verse 24). Then he is persecuted, and ceases to be a reprover to those amongst whom he has laboured (verses 25, 26), as the Apostolic Watchmen were persecuted, and ceased from the Jews. But God promises to open the Watchman’s mouth again, so that he will say: ‘He that heareth, let him hear’ (verse 27). The writer thinks that in these words there is reference to a renewal of the prophetic gift in respect to the Book of Revelation, in which the phrase is several times used. A fact of special importance in these chapters is, that as the evolution advances from a lower to a higher position, new words or phrases are used to betoken each advance. In c. i., which relates to animals, we have no references to Israel, people, etc. In ii. 3, where the lowest classes of human beings are introduced, we read of ‘nations’ or ‘Gentiles,’ and of ‘sons of Israel.’ After the written Revelation has come, we have the word ‘Israel’ without the word ‘ sons,’ and joined to the word ‘house’ (verses 4, 5, 7). Moreover in connection with this class the word ‘people’ is introduced (verse 5). It is applied, however, to such as are as children rather than morally matured people (verse 11). To the sons of Israel the Prophet is to speak the words (ii. 7), but to Israel, or the people having the written Revelation, he is to speak in the words (iii. 4). After the Law of Sinai has come, these people are in a moral captivity at Tel Abib, or ‘The Green-Corn Hill,’ by the river INTRODUCTION, ix ‘Chebar,’ or the Corn-like river (verse 15). After the Adamic Prophet becomes a Watchman he is still associated with ‘Israel’ (verse 17), but nothing is said of ‘nations’ or ‘sons of Israel.’ Then follows the talk- ing with God on Shinar’s plain (verse 22). The gradation in this use of terms is in affinity with what is said in Rey, vii. 9, of ‘nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues.’ While the writer can thus show how he received the first indication of Grades and Grade Words, he cannot set forth every step in an inductive process to which many years’ attention has been given, and in which thousands of verses of Scripture have been examined. Isolated links in the inductive chain could easily be pointed out. For example, an English reader might well think that there was a noticeable peculiarity in the frequency with which the word ‘men’ occurs in Gen. xlill. 15-24 3 Jonah i. 10-16, as compared with its absence from preceding portions. So it is worthy of attention that in one verse Joseph should be said to go over the land, and that in the next verse he should be said to go through the land (Gen. xli. 45, 46). Readers of the Hebrew Bible might well wonder at such a phrase as the following : 737? mp3 DI Sy }— ‘And he became (or ‘ was’) This One before he had finished speaking ’ (Gen. xxiii. 15), a phrase which our Versions adapt rather than translate. One word ‘come’ in Mark xiv. 45 (kat ἐλθὼν, εὐθέως προσελθὼν αὐτῷ), ‘And coming, straightway coming to Him,’ is only brought in because of Gradal need. The peculiar transitions between the words ‘city’ and ‘place’ in Gen. xix. 12, 14; xxviii. 19; such expressions as: ‘Save only that which the young men have eaten’ (Gen. xiv. 24); ‘And took two of his young men with him’ (xxii. 3); ‘And his two young men (Heb.) were with him’ (Numb. xxii. 22); also the strange variation between ‘yeled,’ or ‘child,’ and ‘nahar,’ or ‘ young man,’ in Gen. xxi. 14-20, and between ‘son’ and ‘young man’ in xxii. 12 ; Judges xii. 5, etc., are all suggestive of gradal distinctions. It is an easy matter to hold up to ridicule some of the writer’s applications of Scriptural symbolism, or to scorn the supposition that the very words of entire Books of Scripture follow Gradal Laws But the question cannot be settled by a jibe or a jeer. No ridicule can set aside the fact that between Judges x. 17, and xii. 7, the phrase Sons-of-Ammon occurs twenty-one times. In six instances the words are spelt with the hyphen, and in the rest without, and in those six instances only the words per- tain to the Heathen Grade. The reader should bear in mind that the writer cannot change a Gradal Law to adapt it to varying narratives. It abides the same through all the narratives considered. ‘The histories of Balaam and of Jonah are specially instructive in their relation to Gradal Laws. The Grade-Words show that Balaam is only a sinner INTRODUCTION. when acting above the Heathen Grade. His prophecies all pertain to the Heathen Grade, on which he is not a sinner. From the Grade- Words in Numb. xxii., the writer was able to infer on what Grades the Prophecies in cc. xxili., xxiv. would be found, while, as yet, he had not examined these later cl apters. Balaam’s changes before the Angel all correspond with changes of Grade. Without subscribing to all the teaching of Jewish cabbalists, the writer may yet urge that the fact that some of the Psalms, as Ps. xxxiv. and cxix., are written on the Acrostic principle, tends to show that the words of Scripture may be in ordered arrangement. Some of the most important evidence as to the fact of these Gradal Laws will be found to be contained, as we shall yet see, in John’s narrative of the Crucifixion. From the chapters on Baptism in the present Volume, the reader may see that Water Baptism is always located on the Servants’ Grade. This fact surely merits attention from Baptists of all kinds, inasmuch as it is a verbally-inspired proof that Water Baptism cannot be a Christian Institution. It must pertain to the ritual of Jewish laws and ordinances. All the Narratives of Christ’s Temptation which follows His baptism are likewise on the Servants’ Grade. In his examination of the Grade-Words, it was concerning the two words ‘ Behold,’ and ὧδε, or ‘ Here,’ that the writer was longest in doubt. ‘The former he ultimately saw to be a Grade-Word. The latter has the singular feature for which the writer knows not how to account, that it is a Grade-Word in narratives where its location is the Mount of Olives, and not elsewhere. Many evidences of this will be considered in Vol. VI. Amongst the principles embodied in the Gradal System of Scripture, the following are of importance: (a) The Grade-Words often show that those who have gone to a higher Grade come down again to a lower Grade, and especially to the Grade of Servants. (ὁ) In all such cases the coming down implies one of two things. It is either a sinful moral lapse, as in Gen. Xxxiv. 2 ; XXxvill. I, or it is a coming down to render Service to others, as in Gen. xliii. 4; Esther v. 4, 5. (c) In several passages a word of the Young Men’s Grade occurs in what is manifestly a Servants’ Grade Portion, as in Gen. xxiv. 7, 40; Exod. vill. 19. It will be found that in every such case the word so used refers to a Divine Being. The writer calls this the Law of Divine Pre-eminence of Grade. (4) One or more words of the Young Men’s Grade are sometimes conjoined with one or more words of the Servants’ Grade. The writer calls this the Conjoined Idiom. This conjoined idiom is used to betoken both the Heathen Grade and the Grade of Tongues. But though the idiom pertains to two Grades there cannot be confusion. When the idiom applies to the Heathen Grade there is always some fleshly or unspiritual emblem associated with it, as the INTRODUCTION. ΧΙ words ‘night,’ ‘Egypt,’ ‘animal,’ etc. Such fleshly emblems are always absent where the idiom pertains to the spiritual Grade of Tongues. (6) Ina similar manner, and with similar safeguards, the words of the Servants’ Grade sometimes have a spiritual application to the Grade of Tongues. It is as when we speak of seeing or serving in the letter, and of seeing or serving in the spirit. (/) Throughout the various narra- tives considered, there run alternating distinctions between portions in which the aspect is Outward, and Sinaitic, pertaining to Law and Mechanical Action ; and portions in which the aspect is Inward and Spiritual, and pertaining to processes of Life. The writer calls the former The Sinaitic Process, while he calls the latter The Seed Process. The Sinaitic Process is everywhere betokened by the phrases : ‘ before,’ ‘before the eyes of’ (Exod. vii. 10, 20), ‘Jerusalem,’ etc. The Seed Process is pre-eminently betokened by the words ‘to call’ (Esth. il. 14), and ‘to pass through’ (Id. iv. 17). The distinction between these Processes is becoming more recognised in Christian teaching generally. After many years of labour at these Inductions, the writer met with Grabe’s Edition of Irenzus. In his examination of that work he was much impressed by the following features: (4) From the Table given on p. 6, and from many parts of the work, it is evident that the early Gnostic Christians believed in a Gradal System. (6) One important feature of this system is that the higher the grade, the more spiritual the condition. At the bottom we have the Realm of Demiurgus, and Flesh, and Plastic or Hand-Works. Above that is the Intermediate Place. Above that again is the Pleroma or Spiritual Realm. Thus it is said of the ‘Locus Medietatis,’ or Middle Place: ‘Esse quidem super Demiurgum, subtus autem sive extra Pleroma usque ad finem’ (Lib. I., c. i, § 9)—‘ And that it is above Demiurgus, but that it is under or outside the Pleroma, even to the end.’ (c) Not only did these Gnostics, of whom Gibbon speaks as ‘the most polite, the most learned, and the most wealthy of the Christian name’ (c. xv.), thus believe in grades ; what is of still more importance, they also believed that Scripture was spoken on these different grades: ‘Et non solim Apostolos, sed etiam ipsum Dominum, modo quidem ἃ Demiurgo, modo autem ἃ medietate, interdum autem ἃ summitate fecisse sermones’ (Lib. II., c. ii.) —‘ And that not only the Apostles, but also the Lord Himself made speeches, part from the Demiurgus, part from the Middle Place, and sometimes from the top.’ Irenzeus devotes one chapter (Lib. IV., c. Ixix.) to an attempt to show that Scripture is not thus spoken on different grades. (4) It modified the writer’s view of Gnosticism to find that its teaching concerning the world and matter ΧΙ INTRODUCTION. related to a world within man, not without, and to inward Flesh, born of Fear, Sadness, Conversion, etc. (Lib. I., c. i., § 7), and not to literal matter. (e) Their theory that the first man Adam was immense in length and breadth—‘ formaverunt hominem immensum latitudine et longitudine’ (Iren., Lib. I., c. xxxiv.)—seemed to the writer to be a clear recognition of the fact that the Adam of Eden is Adamic, as John Bull is Adamic. So the fact that this immense man is not at first erect, but goes on the ground like a worm—‘ quasi vermiculus’ (c. xxii. ; see also Epiphanius, Her. XXIII., c. i.)—before he gets the living spark which makes him a man, is but a recognition of the fact that the term ‘ Adam’ in Gen. 11. covers, as we have seen in Vol. I., the entire animal race in its evolutionary progress up to man. (/) The writer was also impressed with the fact that certain words are referred to by the Gnostics according to their gradal significance. The reader will find this subject more fully considered on pp. 16-21, 157-159, of the present volume. Ad- ditional evidence will be adduced in Vol. VII. in the Exposition of what is said of the Gift of Tongues. The writer regards 1 Cor. xiv. as having special respect to Grades or Tongues. (g) The Jews and Princes in the Gnostic system do not seem to be such as are born and die like ordinary men. Yet it is they who kill Christ. (1). The writer was little less surprised, on reading Bunsen’s ‘ Ueberlieferung’ (c. xv.), to find that a system of grades, almost identical in moral meaning with that which the writer had inferred from Scripture, was recognised in the teachings of the ancient Essenes, Rabbis, and Buddhists. The writer will now proceed to give a Table of the Processes and Grades : TABLE OF WORDS OF THE PROCESSES AND OF FHE GRADES. THE SINAITIC PROCESS. 2, ‘ Before.’ ἔμπροσθεν, ‘ Before.’ *2°V4, ‘In the eyes of.’ εἶναι, ‘To be,’ in all its parts. THE SEED PROCESS. *20, ‘To pass through,’ except of γίγνομαι, ‘To become.’ The verb a passing through Jordan. The in all its parts. verb in all its parts. SP, ‘To call,’ except when used καλέω, ‘To call,’ except when used of naming. ‘The verb in all its of naming. The verb in all its parts. parts. * Even in respect of those in the Seed Process, this verb can be used of Sinaitic Propitiation in respect of actions (Gen. xxxii. 20, etc.). INTRODUCTION. Xlil THE FIRST, OR HEATHEN GRADE, WHICH IS IN THE EARTHLY AND FLESHLY REALM. δὴν, ‘Oak,’ the word in various forms. Ps, ‘ Amorite.’ 7349, « Moreh.’ N92, ‘ Manure.’ 2033, ‘Canaanite,’ is a symbol ot the Heathen, but not of this Grade exclusively. The Conjoined Idiom. Μαρία, ‘ Mary,’ is a symbol of the Heathen, but not of this grade exclusively. The Conjoined Idiom. This Idiom, and Heathen Grade tokens gene- rally, are not frequent in the Gospels. THE SECOND OR SERVANTS’ GRADE, WHICH IS IN THE EARTHLY AND FLESHLY REALM. 72Y, ‘To serve,’ in all its parts. TAY, ‘Servant.’ ΓΞ, ‘Service,’ and all collateral forms of these words. nw, «To minister.’ ny, ‘To work,’ in all its parts. ΠΡΌ, ‘Work,’ and all collateral forms of these words. DY, ‘Shechem,’ or ‘Shoulder.’ 2123, Camel.’ "HON, * Ass.’ S312, ‘To find,’ in all its parts. yo’, ‘To hear,’ in all its parts. wow, ‘ Hearing.’ je, < Simeon.’ mya’,