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possible that the first gospel may have lent to the words of Jesus an Ebionite colouring in some instances； and that now and then the third gospel may present us with a truer account。 To this supremely important point we shall by and by return。 For the present it must suffice to observe that the evidences of an overruling dogmatic purpose are generally much more conspicuous in the third synoptist than in the first； and that the very loose manner in which this writer has handled his materials in the 〃Acts〃 is not calculated to inspire us with confidence in the historical accuracy of his gospel。 The writer who； in spite of the direct testimony of Paul himself could represent the apostle to the Gentiles as acting under the direction of the disciples at Jerusalem； and who puts Pauline sentiments into the mouth of Peter； would certainly have been capable of unwarrantably giving a Pauline turn to the teachings of Jesus himself。 We are therefore； as a last resort； brought back to the first gospel； which we find to possess； as a historical narrative； far stronger claims upon our attention than the second and third。 In all probability it had assumed nearly its present shape before A。 D。 100； its origin is unmistakably Palestinian； it betrays comparatively few indications of dogmatic purpose； and there are strong reasons for believing that the speeches of Jesus recorded in it are in substance taken from the genuine 〃Logia〃 of Matthew mentioned by Papias； which must have been written as early as A。 D。 60…70； before the destruction of Jerusalem。 Indeed； we are inclined to agree with our author that the gospel； even in its present shape （save only a few interpolated passages）； may have existed as early as A。 D。 80； since it places the time of Jesus' second coming immediately after the destruction of Jerusalem； whereas the third evangelist； who wrote forty…five years after that event； is careful to tell us； 〃The end is NOT immediately。〃 Moreover； it must have been written while the Paulo…Petrine controversy was still raging； as is shown by the parable of the 〃enemy who sowed the tares；〃 which manifestly refers to Paul； and also by the allusions to 〃false prophets〃 （vii。 15）； to those who say 〃Lord； Lord；〃 and who 〃cast out demons in the name of the Lord〃 （vii。 21…23）； teaching men to break the commandments （v。 17…20）。 There is； therefore； good reason for believing that we have here a narrative written not much more than fifty years after the death of Jesus； based partly upon the written memorials of an apostle； and in the main trustworthy； save where it relates occurrences of a marvellous and legendary character。 Such is our author's conclusion； and in describing the career of the Jesus of history； he relies almost exclusively upon the statements contained in the first gospel。 Let us now after this long but inadequate introduction； give a brief sketch of the life of Jesus； as it is to be found in our author。
Concerning the time and place of the birth of Jesus； we know next to nothing。 According to uniform tradition； based upon a statement of the third gospel； he was about thirty years of age at the time when he began teaching。 The same gospel states； with elaborate precision； that the public career of John the Baptist began in the fifteenth year of Tiberius； or A。 D。 28。 In the winter of A。 D。 35…36； Pontius Pilate was recalled from Judaea； so that the crucifixion could not have taken place later than in the spring of 35。 Thus we have a period of about six years during which the ministry of Jesus must have begun and ended； and if the tradition with respect to his age be trustworthy； we shall not be far out of the way in supposing him to have been born somewhere between B。 C。 5 and A。 D。 5。 He is everywhere alluded to in the gospels as Jesus of Nazareth in Galilee； where lived also his father； mother brothers and sisters； and where very likely he was born。 His parents' names are said to have been Joseph and Mary。 His own name is a Hellenized form of Joshua； a name very common among the Jews。 According to the first gospel （xiii。 55）； he had four brothers；Joseph and Simon； James； who was afterwards one of the heads of the church at Jerusalem； and the most formidable enemy of Paul； and Judas or Jude； who is perhaps the author of the anti…Pauline epistle commonly ascribed to him。
Of the early youth of Jesus； and of the circumstances which guided his intellectual development； we know absolutely nothing； nor have we the data requisite for forming any plausible hypothesis。 He first appears in history about A。 D。 29 or 30； in connection with a very remarkable person whom the third evangelist describes as his cousin； and who seems； from his mode of life； to have been in some way connected with or influenced by the Hellenizing sect of Essenes。 Here we obtain our first clew to guide us in forming a consecutive theory of the development of Jesus' opinions。 The sect of Essenes took its rise in the time of the Maccabees； about B。 C。 170。 Upon the fundamental doctrines of Judaism it had engrafted many Pythagorean notions； and was doubtless in the time of Jesus instrumental in spreading Greek ideas among the people of Galilee； where Judaism was far from being so narrow and rigid as at Jerusalem。 The Essenes attached but little importance to the Messianic expectations of the Pharisees； and mingled scarcely at all in national politics。 They lived for the most part a strictly ascetic life； being indeed the legitimate predecessors of the early Christian hermits and monks。 But while pre…eminent for sanctity of life； they heaped ridicule upon the entire sacrificial service of the Temple； despised the Pharisees as hypocrites； and insisted upon charity toward all men instead of the old Jewish exclusiveness。
It was once a favourite theory that both John the Baptist and Jesus were members of the Essenian brotherhood； but that theory is now generally abandoned。 Whatever may have been the case with John； who is said to have lived like an anchorite in the desert； there seems to have been but little practical Essenism in Jesus； who is almost uniformly represented as cheerful and social in demeanour； and against whom it was expressly urged that he came eating and drinking； making no presence of puritanical holiness。 He was neither a puritan； like the Essenes； nor a ritualist； like the Pharisees。 Besides which； both John and Jesus seem to have begun their careers by preaching the un…Essene doctrine of the speedy advent of the 〃kingdom of heaven；〃 by which is meant the reign of the Messiah upon the earth。 Nevertheless； though we cannot regard Jesus as actually a member of the Essenian community or sect； we can hardly avoid the conclusion that he； as well as John the Baptist； had been at some time strongly influenced by Essenian doctrines。 The spiritualized conception of the 〃kingdom of heaven〃 proclaimed by him was just what would naturally and logically arise from a remodelling of the Messianic theories of the Pharisees in conformity to advanced Essenian notions。 It seems highly probable that some such refined conception of the functions of the Messiah was reached by John； who； stigmatizing the Pharisees and Sadducees as a 〃generation of vipers；〃 called aloud to the people to repent of their sins； in view of the speedy advent of the Messiah； and to testify to their repentance by submitting to the Essenian rite of baptism。 There is no positive evidence that Jesus was ever a disciple of John； yet the account of the baptism； in spite of the legendary character of its details； seems to rest upon a historical basis； and perhaps the most plausible hypothesis which can be framed is； that Jesus received baptism at John's hands； became for a while his disciple； and acquired from him a knowledge of Essenian doctrines。
The career of John seems to have been very brief。 His stern puritanism brought him soon into disgrace with the government of Galilee。 He was seized by Herod； thrown into prison； and beheaded。 After the brief hints given as to the intercourse between Jesus and John； we next hear of Jesus alone in the desert； where； like Sakyamuni and Mohammed； he may have brooded in solitude over his great project。 Yet we do not find that he had as yet formed any distinct conception of his own Messiahship。 The total neglect of chronology by our authorities＇20＇ renders it impossible to trace the development of his thoughts step by step； but for some time after John's catastrophe we find him calling upon the people to repent； in view of the speedy approach of the Messiah； speaking with great and commanding personal authority； but using no language which would indicate that he was striving to do more than worthily fill the place and add to the good work of his late master。 The Sermon on the Mount； which the first gospel inserts in this place； was perhaps never spoken as a continuous discourse； but it no doubt for the most part contains the very words of Jesus； and represents the general spirit of his teaching during this earlier portion of his career。 In this is contained nearly all that has made Christianity so powerful in the domain of ethics。 If all the rest of the gospel were taken away； or destroyed in the night of some future barbarian invasion； we should still here possess the sec