likely that he would have passed over a cir-Timothy came to the apostle at Athens, a fact cumstance, which is amongst the most obvi- which the epistle, we have seen, virtually as ous and prominent of the facts to be collected from that source of information.

No. IV.

No. V.

Chap. ii. 14. "For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judea are in Christ Jesus; for ye also have suf fered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews."

serts when it makes Paul send Timothy back from Athens to Thessalonica The sending back of Timothy into Macedonia accounts also for his not coming to Corinth till after Paul Chap. iii. 1-7. "Wherefore when we had been fixed in that city for some considercould no longer forbear, we thought it good able time. Paul had found out Aquila and to be left at Athens alone, and sent Timotheus, Priscilla, abode with them and wrought, beour brother and minister of God, to establish ing of the same craft; and reasoned in the syyou, and to comfort you concerning your faith; nagogue every Sabbath day, and persuaded the -but now when Timotheus came from you Jews and the Greeks. Acts, eh. xviii. 1-5. unto us, and brought us good tidings of your All this passed at Corinth before Silas and Ti faith and charity, we were comforted over you motheus were come from Macedonia. Acts, in all our affliction and distress by your faith." ch. xviii. 5. If this was the first time of their The history relates, that when Paul came coming up with him after their separation at out of Macedonia to Athens, Silas and Timo- Berea, there is nothing to account for a delay thy staid behind at Berea: "The brethren so contrary to what appears from the history sent away Paul to go as it were to the sea; itself to have been St. Paul's plan and expecbut Silas and Timotheus abode there still; tation. This is a conformity of a peculiar speand they that conducted Paul brought him to cies. The epistle discloses a fact which is not Athens." Acts, ch. xvii. 14, 15. The his- preserved in the history; but which makes tory farther relates, that after Paul had tar- what is said in the history more significant, ried some time at Athens, and had proceeded probable, and consistent. The history bears from thence to Corinth, whilst he was exer-marks of an omission; the epistle by reference cising his ministry in that city, Silas and Ti- furnishes a circumstance which supplies that mothy came to him from Macedonia. Acts, omission. ch. xviii. 5. But to reconcile the history with the clause in the epistle, which makes St. Paul "I thought it good to be left at Athens say, alone, and to send Timothy unto you," it is necessary to suppose that Timothy had come up with St. Paul at Athens; a circumstance which the history does not mention. I remark, therefore, that although the history do not ex- To a reader of the Acts of the Apostles, it pressly notice this arrival, yet it contains inti- might seem, at first sight, that the persecumations which render it extremely probable tions which the preachers and converts of Chris. that the fact took place. First, as soon as tianity underwent, were suffered at the hands Paul had reached Athens, he sent a message of their old adversaries the Jews. But if we back to Silas and Timothy " for to come to attend carefully to the accounts there deliverhim with all speed." Acts, ch. xvii. 15. Se-ed, we shall observe, that, though the opposi condly, his stay at Athens was on purpose that tion made to the Gospel usually originated from they might join him there: "Now whilst Paul the enmity of the Jews, yet in almost all pla waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stir-ces the Jews went about to accomplish their red in him." Acts, ch. xvii. 16. Thirdly, purpose, by stirring up the Gentile inhabitants his departure from Athens does not appear to against their converted countrymen. Out of have been in any sort hastened or abrupt. It Judea they had not power to do much mischief is said, "after these things," viz his dispu- in any other way. This was the case at Thestation with the Jews, his conferences with the salonica in particular: "The Jews which bephilosophers, his discourse at Areopagus, and lieved not, moved with envy, set all the city the gaining of some converts, "he departed in an uproar." Acts, ch. xvii. ver. 5. It was from Athens and came to Corinth." It is not the same a short time afterwards at Berea : hinted that he quitted Athens before the time" When the Jews of Thessalonica had know. that he had intended to leave it; it is not sug-ledge that the word of God was preached of gested that he was driven from thence, as he Paul at Berea, they came thither also, and was from many cities, by tumults or persecu-stirred up the people." Acts, ch. xvii. 13.— tions, or because his life was no longer safe. And before this our apostle had met with a Observe then the particulars which the histo-like species of persecution, in his progress ry does notice that Paul had ordered Timo- through the Lesser Asia: in every city "the thy to follow him without delay, that he waited unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles, and at Athens on purpose that Timothy might made their minds evil-affected against the brecome up with him, that he staid there as long thren." Acts, ch. xiv. 2. The epistle thereas his own choice led him to continue. Lay-fore represents the case accurately as the hising these circumstances which the history does tory states it. It was the Jews always who disclose together, it is highly probable that set on foot the persecutions against the apos

tles and their followers. He speaks truly ed thence," expressly telling them, "From therefore of them, when he says in this epis- henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles; and he tle, "they both killed the Lord Jesus and their remained in that city a year and six months." own prophets, and have persecuted us-forbid-Acts, ch. xviii. 6-11. At Ephesus, in like ding us to speak unto the Gentiles." (ii. 15, manner, for the space of three months he went 16.) But out of Judea it was at the hands of into the synagogue; but "when divers were the Gentiles, it was "of their own country- hardened and believed not, but spake evil of men," that the injuries they underwent were immediately sustained: "Ye have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews."

No. VI.

that way, he departed from them and separated the disciples, disputing daily in the school of one Tyrannus; and this continued by the space of two years." Acts, ch. xix. 9, 10. Upon inspecting the history, I see nothing in it which negatives the supposition, that St. Paul The apparent discrepancies between our pursued the same plan at Thessalonica which epistle and the history, though of magnitude he adopted in other places, and that though sufficient to repel the imputation of confeder- he resorted to the synagogue only three Sabacy or transcription (in which view they form bath days, yet he remained in the city, and in a part of our argument,) are neither numer-the exercise of his ministry amongst the Genous, nor very difficult to reconcile. tile citizens, much longer; and until the suc

One of these may be observed in the ninth cess of his preaching had provoked the Jews and tenth verses of the second chapter: "For to excite the tumult and insurrection by which ye remember, brethren, our labour and tra- he was driven away.

had been brought over to Christianity. Yet the history, in describing the effects of that ministry, only says, that "some of the Jews believed, and of the devout Greeks a great multitude, and of the chief women not a few." (Ch. xvii. 4.) The devout Greeks were those who already worshipped the one true God; and therefore could not be said, by embracing Christianity, "to be turned to God from idols.”

vel; for labouring night and day, because we Another seeming discrepancy is found in the would not be chargeable unto any of you, we ninth verse of the first chapter of the epistle : preached unto you the Gospel of God. Ye are" For they themselves show of us what manwitnesses, and God also, how holily, and just-ner of entering in we had unto you, and ly, and unblameably we behaved ourselves how ye turned to God from idols to serve the among you that believe." A person who reads living and true God." This text contains an this passage is naturally led by it to suppose, assertion, that, by means of St. Paul's minis that the writer had dwelt at Thessalonica for try at Thessalonica, many idolatrous Gentiles some considerable time: yet of St. Paul's ministry in that city, the history gives no other account than the following: that "he came to Thessalonica, where was a synagogue of the Jews: that, as his manner was, he went in unto them, and three Sabbath days reasoned with them out of the Scriptures: that some of them believed, and consorted with Paul and Silas." The history then proceeds to tell us, that the Jews which believed not, set the city in an uproar, and assaulted the house of Jason, This is the difficulty. The answer may be where Paul and his companions lodged; that assisted by the following observations: The the consequence of this outrage was, that "the Alexandrian and Cambridge manuscripts read brethren immediately sent away Paul and si- (for των σεβομένων Ελληνων πολύ πλήθος) των las by night unto Berea." Acts, ch. xvii. 1boμrver nai 'Eλλnvwv mo^u màntos in which -10. From the mention of his preaching three reading they are also confirmed by the Vulgate Sabbath days in the Jewish Synagogue, and Latin. And this reading is, in my opinion, from the want of any further specification of strongly supported by the considerations, first, his ministry, it has usually been taken for that i obouvoi alone, i. e. without 'Eλanns, is granted that Paul did not continue at Thessa- used in this sense in the same chapter-Paul Ionica more than three weeks. This, however, being come to Athens, duλsysto lv on ouraywyn is inferred without necessity. It appears to τοις Ιουδαίοις και τους σεβομενοις : secondly, that have been St. Paul's practice, in almost every Coμivo and 'Eλλs no where come together. place that he came to, upon his first arrival to The expression is redundant. The di croquevos repair to the synagogue. He thought himself must be 'Eaans Thirdly, that the xa is bound to propose the Gospel to the Jews first, much more likely to have been left out incuagreeably to what he declared at Antioch in Pisi- riâ manus than to have been put in. Or, af dia: "it was necessary that the word of God ter all, if we be not allowed to change the pre should first have been spoken to you." Acts, sent reading, which is undoubtedly retained ch. xiii. 46. If the Jews rejected his ministry, by a great plurality of copies, may not the he quitted the synagogue, and betook himself passage in the history be considered as describ to a Gentile audience. At Corinth, upon his ing only the effects of St. Paul's discourses first coming thither, he reasoned in the syna- during the three Sabbath days in which he gogue every Sabbath; "but when the Jews preached in the synagogue? and may it not opposed themselves, and blasphemed. he depart- The true, as we have remarked above, that his

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application to the Gentiles at large, and his success amongst them, was posterior to this?

CHAPTER X.

THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE THESSALONIANS.

No. I.

clear to the person to whom it is directed, and with whom the previous communication had passed. And if, in a letter which thus accidentally fell into my hands, I found a passage expressly referring to a former conversation, and difficult to be explained without knowing that conversation, I should consider this very difficulty as a proof that the conversation had actually passed, and consequently that the letter contained the real correspondence of real persons.

No. II.

Chap. iii. 8. "Neither did we eat any man's bread for nought, but wrought with labour night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you: not because we have no power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow."

In a letter, purporting to have been written to another of the Macedonian churches, we find the following declaration :

66

Now, ye Philippians, know also, that in the beginning of the Gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving but ye only."

The conformity between these two passages is strong and plain. They confine the transaction to the same period. The epistle to the Philippians refers to what passed "in the beginning of the Gospel," that is to say, during the first preaching of the Gospel on that side of the Egean sea. The epistle to the Thessalonians speaks of the apostle's conduct in that city upon his first entrance in unto them," which the history informs us was in the course of his first visit to the peninsula of Greece.

Ir may seem odd to allege obscurity itself as an argument, or to draw a proof in favour of a writing from that which is naturally considered as the principal defect in its composition. The present epistle, however, furnishes a passage, hitherto unexplained, and probably inexplicable by us, the existence of which, under the darkness and difficulties that attend it, can be accounted for only by the supposition of the epistle being genuine; and upon that supposition is accounted for with great ease. The passage which I allude to is found in the second chapter: "That day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition, who opposeth and exalted himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God, sitteth in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. Remember ye not that WHEN I WAS YET WITH YOU 1 TOLD YOU THESE THINGS? And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time; for the mystery of iniquity doth already work, only he that now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way; and then shall that wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming." It As St. Paul tells the Philippians, "that no were superfluous to prove, because it is in vain church communicated with him, as concernto deny, that this passage is involved in great ing giving and receiving, but they only," he obscurity, more especially the clauses distin- could not, consistently with the truth of this guished by Italics. Now, the observation I have declaration, have received any thing from the to offer is founded upon this, that the passage neighbouring church of Thessalonica. What expressly refers to a conversation which the thus appears by general implication in an epis. author had previously holden with the Thes-tle to another church, when he writes to the salonians upon the same subject: "Remember ye not, that when I was yet with you I told you these things? And now ye know what withholdeth." If such conversation actually passed; if, whilst "he was yet with them, he told them those things," then it follows that The texts here cited further also exhibit a the epistle is authentic. And of the reality of mark of conformity with what St. Paul is made this conversation it appears to be a proof, that to say of himself in the Acts of the Apostles. what is said in the epistle might be understood The apostle not only reminds the Thessaloniby those who had been present to such conver-ans that he had not been chargeable to any of sation, and yet be incapable of being explained them, but he states likewise the motive which by any other. No man writes unintelligibly dictated this reserve: "not because we have on purpose. But it may easily happen, that a not power, but to make ourselves an ensampart of a letter which relates to a subject, up-ple unto you to follow us." (Ch. iii. 9.) This on which the parties had conversed together conduct, and, what is much more precise, the before, which refers to what had been before said, which is in truth a portion or continuation of a former discourse, may be utterly without meaning to a stranger who should pick up the letter upon the road, and yet be perfectly

Thessalonians themselves, is noticed expressly and particularly; "neither did we eat any man's bread for nought, but wrought night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you."

end which he had in view by it, was the very same as that which the history attributes to St. Paul in a discourse, which it represents him to have addressed to the elders of the church of Ephesus: "Yea, ye yourselves also

know that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me. I have showed you all things, how, that so labouring ye ought to support the weak." Acts, ch. xx. 34. The sentiment in the epistle and in the speech is in both parts of it so much alike, and yet the words which convey it show so little of imitation or even of resemblance, that the agreement cannot well be explained without supposing the speech and the letter to have really proceeded from the same person.

No. III.

ever, of the explanation which we propose the reader is desired to observe,

1. The strong fact, that there exists a passage in the first epistle, to which that in the second is capable of being referred, i. e. which accounts for the error the writer is solicitous to remove. Had no other epistle than the second been extant, and had it under these ci"cumstances come to be considered, whether the text before us related to a forged epistle, or to some misconstruction of a true one, many conjectures and many probabilities might have been admitted in the inquiry, which can have Our reader remembers the passage in the little weight when an epistle is produced, conFirst Epistle to the Thessalonians, in which taining the very sort of passage we were seekSt. Paul spoke of the coming of Christ: "This ing, that is, a passage liable to the misinterwe say unto you by the word of the Lord, that pretation which the apostle protests against. we which are alive, and remain unto the com- 2. That the clause which introduces the pasing of the Lord, shall not prevent them which sage in the second epistle bears a particular are asleep for the Lord himself shall descend affinity to what is found in the passage cited from heaven, and the dead in Christ shall rise from the first epistle. The clause is this: first; then we which are alive and remain," We beseech you, brethren, by the coming shall be caught up together with them in the of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gatherclouds, and so shall we be ever with the Lord. ing together unto him." Now, in the first episBut ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that tle, the description of the coming of Christ is that day should overtake you as a thief." 1 accompanied with the mention of this very cirThess. iv. 15-17, and ch. v. 4. It should cumstance of his saints being collected round seem that the Thessalonians, or some however him. "The Lord himself shall descend from amongst them, had from this passage conceiv-heaven with a shout, with the voice of the ed an opinion (and that not very unnaturally) archangel and with the trump of God, and the that the coming of Christ was to take place dead in Christ shall rise first; then we which instantly, or sornmov"; and that this persua- are alive and remain, shall be caught up tosion had produced, as it well might, much agi-gether with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord tation in the church. The apostle therefore in the air." 1 Thess. chap. iv. 16, 17. This now writes, amongst other purposes, to quiet I suppose to be the "gathering together unto this alarm, and to rectify the misconstruction him" intended in the second epistle: and that that had been put upon his words :-" Now the author, when he used these words, retainwe beseech you, brethren, by the coming of ed in his thoughts what he had written on the our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering subject before. together unto him, that ye be not soon shaken 3. The second epistle is written in the joint in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor name of Paul, Silvanus and Timotheus, and it by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day cautions the Thessalonians against being misof Christ is at hand." If the allusion which we led by letter as from us" (as diuwv). Do contend for be admitted, namely, if it be admit- not these words, di pwv, appropriate the referted, that the passage in the second epistle relates ence to some writing which bore the name of to the passage in the first, it amounts to a consi- these three teachers? Now this circumstance, derable proof of the genuineness of both epistles. which is a very close one, belongs to the episI have no conception, because I know no exam-tle at present in our hands; for the epistle ple, of such a device in a forgery, as first to which we call the First Epistle to the Thessaframe an ambiguous passage in a letter, then lonians contains these names in its superscripto represent the persons to whom the letter is tion. addressed as mistaking the meaning of the passage, and lastly, to write a second letter in order to correct this mistake.

4. The words in the original, as far as they are material to be stated, are these: 5 TO μN TUχέως σαλευθήναι ύμας απο του νοός, μητε προςισ I have said that this argument arises out of fαι, μητε δια πνεύματος, μητε δια λόγου, μητε δι the text, if the allusion be admitted; for I am επιστολῆς, ὡς δὲ ἡμων, ὡς ότι ενέστηκεν ἡ ἡμερα του not ignorant that many expositors understand Xirov. Under the weight of the preceding the passage in the second epistle, as referring observations may not the words μnts dia 20to some forged letters, which had been pro- γου, μητε δί επιστολης, ὡς δὲ ἡμων, be construed duced in St. Paul's name, and in which the to signify quasi nos quid tale aut dixerimus aut apostle had been made to say that the coming scripserimus*, intimating that their words had of Christ was then at hand. In defence, how-been mistaken, and that they had in truth said or written no such thing?

* 'OTI VISTYNE, nempe hoc anno, says Grotius, avto* hic dicitur de re præsenti, ut Rom, viii, 38. 1 Cor. 22. Gal i. 4, Heb ix. 9

* Should a contrary interpretation be preferred, I do [not think that it implies the conclusion that a false epis

CHAPTER XI.

THE FIRST EPISTLE TO TIMOTHY.

him in Macedonia: "These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly; but if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself." Ch. iii. 14, 15. "Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine." Ch. iv. 13.

FROM the third verse of the first chapter, 'as I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus Since, therefore, the leaving of Timothy bewhen I went into Macedonia," it is evident hind at Ephesus, when Paul went into Macethat this epistle was written soon after St. Paul donia, suits not with any journey into Macehad gone to Macedonia from Ephesus. Dr. donia, recorded in the Acts, I concur with BiBenson fixes its date to the time of St. Paul's shop Pearson in placing the date of this episjourney recorded in the beginning of the twen-tle, and the journey referred to in it, at a petieth chapter of the Acts: "And after the riod subsequent to St. Paul's first imprisonuproar (excited by Demetrius at Ephesus) was ment at Rome, and consequently subsequent ceased, Paul called unto him the disciples, and to the æra up to which the Acts of the Aposembraced them, and departed for to go into tles brings his history. The only difficulty Macedonia." And in this opinion Dr. Ben- which attends our opinion is, that St. Paul son is followed by Michaelis, as he was preced-must, according to us, have come to Ephesus ed by the greater part of the commentators after his liberation at Rome, contrary as it who have considered the question. There is, should seem, to what he foretold to the Ephe. however, one objection to the hypothesis, which sian elders, "that they should see his face no more." And it is to save the infallibility of these learned men appear to me to have overLooked; and it is no other than this, that the su- this prediction, and for no other reason of perscription of the Second Epistle to the Corin-weight, that an earlier date is assigned to this thians seems to prove, that at the time St. Paul epistle. The prediction itself however, when is supposed by them to have written this epistle considered in connection with the circumstanto Timothy, Timothy in truth was with St. ces under which it was delivered, does not seem Paul in Macedonia. Paul, as it is related in to demand so much anxiety. The words in the Acts, left Ephesus" for to go into Mace- question are found in the twenty-fifth verse of donia." When he had got into Macedonia, he the twentieth chapter of the Acts: "And now, wrote his Second Epistle to the Corinthians. behold, I know that ye all, among whom I have Concerning this point there exists little vari- gone preaching the kingdom of God, shall see In the twenty-second ety of opinion. It is plainly indicated by the my face no more." contents of the epistle. It is also strongly im. and twenty-third verses of the same chapter, plied that the epistle was written soon after the e. two verses before, the apostle makes this declaration: "And now, behold, I go bound

apostle's arrival in Macedonia; for he begins in the spirit unto Jerusalem, not knowing the

his letter by a train of reflection, referring to his persecutions in Asia as to recent transac- things that shall befall me there: save that tions, as to dangers from which he had lately the Holy Ghost witnesseth in every city, saybeen delivered. But in the salutation with ing, that bonds and afflictions abide me." This which the epistle opens, Timothy was joined “witnessing of the Holy Ghost" was undoubt with St. Paul, and consequently could not at edly prophetic and supernatural. But it went that time be "left behind at Ephesus." And no farther than to foretell that bonds and afas to the only solution of the difficulty which flictions awaited him. And I can very well can be thought of, viz. that Timothy, though conceive, that this might be all which was he was left behind at Ephesus upon St. Paul's communicated to the apostle by extraordinary revelation, and that the rest was the concludeparture from Asia, yet might follow him so soon after, as to come up with the apostle in sion of his own mind, the desponding inferMacedonia, before he wrote his epistle to the ence which he drew from strong and repeatCorinthians; that supposition is inconsistent ed intimations of approaching danger. And with the terms and tenor of the epistle through- the expression "I know," which St. Paul out. For the writer speaks uniformly of his here uses, does not, perhaps, when applied to intention to return to Timothy at Ephesus, future events affecting himself, convey an assertion so positive and absolute as we may and not of his expecting Timothy to come to at first sight apprehend. In the first chaptle had then been published in the apostle's name. Itter of the epistle to the Philippians, and the will completely satisfy the allusion in the text to allow, twenty-fifth verse," I know," says he, “that that some one or other at Thessalonica had pretended to have been told by St. Paul and his companions, or to I shall abide and continue with you all, for have seen a letter from them, in which they had said, your furtherance and joy of faith." NotwithActs xv. 1. 24. it is recorded that some had pretended to standing this strong declaration, in the second have received instructions from the church at Jerusalem, chapter and twenty-third verse of this same which had been received, "to whom they gave no such commandment." And thus Dr. Benson interpreted the passage μητε προείσθαι, μήτε δια πνευματος μητε δια του you, uNTE di ETO TOAs, as di nu, nor be dismayed by any revelation, or discourse, or epistle, which any one shall pretend to have heard or received from us."

that the day of Christ was at hand. In like manner as,

epistle, and speaking also of the very same event, he is content to use a language of son e doubt and uncertainty: "Him therefore I hope to send presently, so soon as I shall see how it