“Fromthattime，“saysthefirstevangelist，“JesusbegantoshowtohisdisciplesthathemustgotoJerusalem，andsuffermanythingsfromtheeldersandchiefpriestsandscribes，andbeputtodeath，andriseagainonthethirdday。“Herewehave，obviously，theknowledgeofthewriter，aftertheevent，reflectedbackandattributedtoJesus。ItisofcourseimpossiblethatJesusshouldhavepredictedwithsuchdefinitenesshisapproachingdeath；norisitverylikelythatheentertainedanyhopeofbeingraisedfromthegrave“onthethirdday。“Toamaninthatageandcountry，theconceptionofareturnfromthelowerworldofshadeswasnotadifficultonetoframe；anditmaywellbethatJesus’senseofhisownexaltedpositionwassufficientlygreattoinspirehimwiththeconfidencethat，evenincaseoftemporaryfailure，Jehovahwouldrescuehimfromthegraveandsendhimbackwithlargerpowerstocarryoutthepurposeofhismission。Butthedifficultyofdistinguishingbetweenhisownwordsandtheinterpretationputuponthembyhisdisciplesbecomeshereinsuperable；andtherewillalwaysberoomforthehypothesisthatJesushadinviewnoposthumouscareerofhisown，butonlyexpressedhisunshakenconfidenceinthesuccessofhisenterprise，evenafterandinspiteofhisdeath。
　　Atallevents，thepossibilityofhisdeathmustnowhavebeenofteninhismind。Hewasundertakingawellnighdesperatetask，——tooverthrowthePhariseesinJerusalemitself。Nootheralternativewaslefthim。AndherewebelieveMr。F。W。NewmantobesingularlyatfaultinpronouncingthisattemptofJesusuponJerusalemafoolhardyattempt。AccordingtoMr。Newman，nomanhasanybusinesstorushuponcertaindeath，anditisonlyacrazyfanaticwhowilldoso。[21]Butsuch“glitteringgeneralizations“willherehelpusbutlittle。ThehistoricdatashowthattogotoJerusalem，evenattheriskofdeath，wasabsolutelynecessarytotherealizationofJesus’Messianicproject。Mr。NewmancertainlywouldnothavehadhimdragoutaningloriousandbaffledexistenceinSyro-Phoenicia。IftheMessianickingdomwastobefairlyinaugurated，therewasworktobedoneinJerusalem，andJesusmustgothereasoneinauthority，costwhatitmight。Webelievehimtohavegonethereinaspiritofgrandandcarelessbravery，yetseriouslyandsoberly，andundertheinfluenceofnofanaticaldelusion。Heknewtherisks，butdeliberatelychosetoincurthem，thatthewillofJehovahmightbeaccomplished。
　　WenexthearofJesustravellingdowntoJerusalembywayofJericho，andenteringthesacredcityinhischaracterofMessiah，attendedbyagreatmultitude。ItwasnearthetimeofthePassover，whenpeoplefromallpartsofGalileeandJudaeaweresuretobeatJerusalem，andthenatureofhisreceptionseemstoindicatethathehadalreadysecuredaconsiderablenumberoffollowersuponwhoseassistancehemighthopetorely，thoughitnowhereappearsthatheintendedtouseotherthanpurelymoralweaponstoinsureafavourablereception。WemustrememberthatforhalfacenturymanyoftheJewishpeoplehadbeenconstantlylookingforthearrivaloftheMessiah，andtherecanbelittledoubtthattheentryofJesusridinguponanassinliteralfulfilmentofprophecymusthavewroughtpowerfullyupontheimaginationofthemultitude。Thatthebelieversinhimwereverynumerousmustbeinferredfromthecautious，nottosaytimid，behaviouroftherulersatJerusalem，whoarerepresentedasdesiringtoarresthim，butasdeterredfromtakingactivestepsthroughfearofthepeople。Weareledtothesameconclusionbyhisdrivingthemoney-changersoutoftheTemple；
　　anactuponwhichhecouldhardlyhaveventured，hadnotthepopularenthusiasminhisfavourbeenforthemomentoverwhelming。Buttheenthusiasmofamobisshort-lived，andneedstobefedupontheexcitementofbrilliantanddramaticallyarrangedevents。Thecalmpreacherofrighteousness，oreventhefierydenouncerofthescribesandPharisees，couldnothopetoretainundiminishedauthoritysavebythedisplayofextraordinarypowerstowhich，sofarasweknow，JesuslikeMohammedmadenopresenceMatt。xvi。1-4。TheignorantandmaterialisticpopulacecouldnotunderstandtheexaltedconceptionofMessiahshipwhichhadbeenformedbyJesus，andasdayafterdayelapsedwithouttheappearanceofanymarvelloussignfromJehovah，theirenthusiasmmustnaturallyhavecooleddown。ThenthePhariseesappearcautiouslyendeavouringtoentraphimintoadmissionswhichmightrenderhimobnoxioustotheRomangovernor。Hesawthroughtheirdesign，however，andfoiledthembythemagnificentrepartee，“RenderuntoCaesarthethingsthatareCaesar’s，anduntoGodthethingsthatareGod’s。“Nothingcouldmoreforciblyillustratethecompletelynon-politicalcharacterofhisMessianicdoctrines。Nevertheless，wearetoldthat，failinginthisattempt，thechiefpriestssubornedfalsewitnessestotestifyagainsthim:thisSabbath-breaker，thisderiderofMosaicformalism，whowithhisMessianicpretensionsexcitedthepeopleagainsttheirhereditaryteachers，mustatalleventsbeputoutoftheway。Jesusmustsufferthefatewhichsocietyhastoooftenhadinstoreforthereformer；thefatewhichSokratesandSavonarola，VaniniandBruno，havesufferedforbeingwiserthantheirowngeneration。MessianicadventurershadalreadygivenmuchtroubletotheRomanauthorities，whowerenotlikelytoscrutinizecriticallythepeculiarclaimsofJesus。
　　AndwhenthechiefpriestsaccusedhimbeforePilateofprofessingtobe“KingoftheJews，“thisclaimcouldinRomanapprehensionbearbutoneinterpretation。Theoffencewastreason，punishable，saveinthecaseofRomancitizens，bycrucifixion。
　　[21]PhasesofFaith，pp。158-164。
　　SuchinitsmainoutlinesisthehistoriccareerofJesus，asconstructedbyourauthorfromdatafurnishedchieflybythefirstgospel。Connectedwiththenarrativetherearemanyinterestingtopicsofdiscussion，ofwhichourrapidlydiminishingspacewillallowustoselectonlyoneforcomment。
　　Thatoneisperhapsthemostimportantofall，namely，thequestionastohowfarJesusanticipatedtheviewsofPaulinadmittingGentilestoshareintheprivilegesoftheMessianickingdom。Ourauthorargues，withmuchforce，thatthedesignsofJesuswereentirelyconfinedtotheJewishpeople，andthatitwasPaulwhofirst，byadmittingGentilestotheChristianfoldwithoutrequiringthemtolivelikeJews，gavetoChristianitythecharacterofauniversalreligion。Ourauthorremindsusthatthethirdgospelisnottobedependeduponindeterminingthispoint，sinceitmanifestlyputsPaulinesentimentsintothemouthofJesus，andinparticularattributestoJesusanacquaintancewithhereticalSamariawhichthefirstgospeldisclaims。HearguesthattheapostleswereineveryrespectJews，saveintheirbeliefthatJesuswastheMessiah；andhepertinentlyasks，ifJames，whowasthebrotherofJesus，andPeterandJohn，whowerehisnearestfriends，unanimouslyopposedPaulandstigmatizedhimasaliarandheretic，isitatalllikelythatJesushadeverdistinctlysanctionedsuchviewsasPaulmaintained？
　　Inthecourseofmanyyears’reflectionuponthispoint，wehaveseveraltimesbeeninclinedtoacceptthenarrowinterpretationofJesus’teachinghereindicated；yet，onthewhole，wedonotbelieveitcaneverbeconclusivelyestablished。InthefirstplaceitmustberememberedthatifthethirdgospelthrowsaPaulinecolouringovertheeventswhichitdescribes，thefirstgospelalsoshowsadecidedlyanti-Paulinebias，andtheonepartywasaslikelyastheothertoattributeitsownviewstoJesushimself。OnestrikinginstanceofthistendencyhasbeenpointedoutbyStrauss，whohasshownthattheversesMatt。v。
　　17-20areaninterpolation。ThepersonwhoteachesmentobreakthecommandmentsisundoubtedlyPaul，andinordertofurnishatextagainstPaul’sfollowers，the“Nicolaitans，“Jesusismadetodeclarethathecamenottodestroyonetittleofthelaw，buttofulfilthewholeineveryparticular。SuchanutteranceisinmanifestcontradictiontothespiritofJesus’teaching，asshownintheverysamechapter，andthroughoutagreatpartofthesamegospel。Hewhotaughtinhisownnameandnotasthescribes，whoproclaimedhimselfLordovertheSabbath，andwhomanifestedfromfirsttolastamorethanEsseniancontemptforritesandceremonies，didnotcometofulfilthelawofMosaism，buttosupersedeit。NorcananyinferenceadversetothisconclusionbedrawnfromtheinjunctiontothedisciplesMatt。x。5-7nottopreachtoGentilesandSamaritans，butonly“tothelostsheepofthehouseofIsrael“；forthisremarkisplacedbeforethebeginningofJesus’Messianiccareer，andthereasonassignedfortherestrictionismerelythatthediscipleswillnothavetimeeventopreachtoalltheJewsbeforethecomingoftheMessiah，whoseapproachJesuswasannouncingMatt。x。23
　　Theseexamplesshowthatwemustusecautioninweighingthetestimonyevenofthefirstgospel，andmustnottoohastilyciteitasproofthatJesussupposedhismissiontoberestrictedtotheJews。WhenwecometoconsiderwhathappenedafewyearsafterthedeathofJesus，weshallbestilllessreadytoinsistupontheviewdefendedbyouranonymousauthor。Paul，accordingtohisownconfession，persecutedtheChristiansuntodeath。Nowwhat，inthetheoriesorinthepracticeoftheJewishdisciplesofJesus，couldhavemovedPaultosuchfanaticbehaviour？
　　CertainlynottheirspiritualinterpretationofMosaism，forPaulhimselfbelongedtotheliberalschoolofGamaliel，totheviewsofwhichtheteachingsandpracticesofPeter，James，andJohnmighteasilybeaccommodated。ProbablynottheirbeliefinJesusastheMessiah，forattheriotinwhichStephenwasmurderedandalltheHellenistdisciplesdrivenfromJerusalem，theJewishdiscipleswereallowedtoremaininthecityunmolested。SeeActsviii。1，14。ThismarkeddifferenceoftreatmentindicatesthatPaulregardedStephenandhisfriendsasdecidedlymorehereticalandobnoxiousthanPeter，James，andJohn，whom，indeed，Paul’sownmasterGamalielhadrecentlyActsv。34
　　defendedbeforethecouncil。AndthisinferenceisfullyconfirmedbytheaccountofStephen’sdeath，wherehismurdererschargehimwithmaintainingthatJesushadfoundedanewreligionwhichwasdestinedentirelytosupersedeandreplaceJudaismActsvi。14。ThePetrinedisciplesneverheldthisviewofthemissionofJesus；andtothisdifferenceitisundoubtedlyowingthatPaulandhiscompanionsforboretodisturbthem。ItwouldthusappearthatevenprevioustoPaul’sconversion，withinfiveorsixyearsafterthedeathofJesus，therewasaprominentpartyamongthediscipleswhichheldthatthenewreligionwasnotamodificationbutanabrogationofJudaism；andtheirname“Hellenists“sufficientlyshowseitherthattherewereGentilesamongthemorthattheyheldfellowshipwithGentiles。ItwasthiswhicharousedPaultopersecution，anduponhissuddenconversionitwaswiththeseHellenisticdoctrinesthathefraternized，takinglittleheedofthePetrinedisciplesGalatiansi。17，whowerehardlymorethanaJewishsect。
　　NowtheexistenceoftheseHellenistsatJerusalemsosoonafterthedeathofJesusisclearproofthathehadneverdistinctlyandirrevocablypronouncedagainsttheadmissionofGentilestotheMessianickingdom，anditmakesitveryprobablethatthedownfallofMosaismasaresultofhispreachingwasbynomeansunpremeditated。While，ontheotherhand，theobstinacyofthePetrinepartyinadheringtoJewishcustomsshowsequallythatJesuscouldnothaveunequivocallycommittedhimselfinfavourofanewgospelfortheGentiles。ProbablyJesuswasseldombroughtintodirectcontactwithothersthanJews，sothatthequestionsconcerningtheadmissionofGentileconvertsdidnotcomeupduringhislifetime；andthusthewaywasleftopenforthecontroversywhichsoonbrokeoutbetweenthePetrinepartyandPaul。Nevertheless，thoughJesusmayneverhavedefinitelypronounceduponthispoint，itwillhardlybedeniedthathisteaching，evenasreportedinthefirstgospel，isinitsuttercondemnationofformalismfarmorecloselyalliedtothePaulinethantothePetrinedoctrines。InhishandsMosaismbecamespiritualizeduntilitreallylostitsidentity，andwastransformedintoacodefitforthewholeRomanworld。AndwedonotdoubtthatifanyonehadaskedJesuswhethercircumcisionwereanessentialprerequisiteforadmissiontotheMessianickingdom，hewouldhavegiventhesameanswerwhichPaulafterwardsgave。WeagreewithZellerandStraussthat，“asLutherwasamoreliberalspiritthantheLutherandivinesofthesucceedinggeneration，andSokratesamoreprofoundthinkerthanXenophonorAntisthenes，soalsoJesusmustbecreditedwithhavingraisedhimselffarhigherabovethenarrowprejudicesofhisnationthanthoseofhisdiscipleswhocouldscarcelyunderstandthespreadofChristianityamongtheheathenwhenithadbecomeanaccomplishedfact。“