* God created man for incorruption, And made him an image of his own proper being' (v. 23) ; for thus we have the antithesis which is one of the common forms of Hebrew poetry. (2) For Gratz to assert that it has for him 'absolutely no sense,' is a criticism that would apply to it equally whoever wrote it. (3) The fact that it is without parallel in other Jewish writings must not be taken as con- demning it. The idea is familiar in Christian literature ; yet there is nothing specifically Christian about it, since it sim'ply results from an application of the doctrine of a devil to the Genesis narrative, with the exercise of some ima-rination as to the Evil Spirit's motive. Moreover, Milton's adoption of the idea of envy as that motive in Paradise Last, shows that, to a great poet at all events, the expression is not without a reason- able meaning. The author of Wisdom is a sufficiently brilliant writer to have struck out these ideas and made the inferences without any antecedent example. Diihne considers the passage to be allegorical, because the notion of ' an evil principle in opposition to the Divine is foreign to pure Alexandrianism.' Accordingly he applies Philo's interpretation of Gn 3 to it, and understands the word Sii/3oX»t to stand for the serpent as an image of carnal pleasure. But why should not the writer mention the serpent if he meant it ? Since o Sia/SoXo? appears in the LXX for ' the Satan,' it is impossible that a Jew who was familiar with that version would use the word in an entirely original way for a reptile. The story of fallen angels was not unfamiliar to Jewish Apocalyptic literature (see Drummond, Phito Judceus, p. 196 f.). That, however. Wisdom does not teach the total depravity of the race, we may infer from its singling out the inhabitants of Canaan as deserving to be extirpated because of their innate vice. ' Their nature by birth was evil ' (1210) ; ' they were a seed accursed from the begin- ning' (v.ll). Here a doctrine of heredity is implied ; but it is applied only to the Oanaanites, who are regarded as of an in- It is to be inferred that
The late date of 2 Esdras removes it out of the category of anticipations of Christianity. Still, as a Jewish work it witnesses to Jewish thoughts which have their roots in an earlier period. Now this book distinctly teaches the doctrine of original
sin. The angel Uriel undertakes to teach Esdras ' wherefore the heart is wicked ' (2 Es 4^). In an earlier passage the sin of the race was traced to Adam (3='). The pessimism of the book is espe- cially gloomy in regard to this subject. Esdras declares that ' it had been better that the earth had not given thee Adam, or else, when it had given him, to have restrained him from sinning' (7^*). Though it was Adam who sinned, the evil did not fall on him alone, but on all of us who come from him (v.*).
3. Redemption. — There is nothing approaching the Christian doctrine of redemption in the Apoc- rypha. The NT teachers had to go back beyond all this literature to Is 53 for the seed thoughts of their specific teaching on this subject. In the Messianic ideas, as far as these appear in the Apocrypha, which we have seen is but meagrely, there are the two thoughts of God redeeming His people, and the Christ coming as a personal re- demption. There is no anticipation of the doctrine of the cross. The sombre prediction of the death of the Christ in 2 Es. (later than the Christian gospel, as it is) contains no hint that this is either sacrificial or redemptive. The goodness and mercy of God in delivering His people are frequently cele- brated ; but with no specific doctrine of salvation. The Hokhmah teaching would suggest that escape from sin is to be had through the acquisition of wisdom, which is rooted in the fear of the Lord. It was wisdom that brought the first man out of his fall (Wis W). Tobit has the great OT teach- ing of God's forgiveness for His penitent people whom He scourges for their iniquity, but to whom He will show mercy. If they turn to Him with all their heart and soul to do truth before Him, He will turn to them (To IS'*- '^). Sinners must turn and do righteousness if they would receive His restoring grace. The Patristic idea that the ' blessed . . . wood . . . through which cometh righteousness' (Wis 14', cf. Ac 5™, 1 P 2=^) is the cross, ignores the context, which plainly shows that the reference is to Noah's Ark (see v.*).
4. Liberalizing of religion. — In several respects the Apocrypha shows advance beyond the narrower exclusiveness of Judaism. The historical situation in 1 Mac. did not encourage this movement. When the Jews were struggling for freedom of life and worship against the forcible intrusion of pagan- ism, they were not in a condition for missionary enthusiasm. Judith breathes a spirit of fiercest Jewish patriotism. But Tobit in his prayer of rejoicing declares that many nations shall come from far to the name of the Lord God with gifts in their hands (To 13"). That this is not the re- luctant homage of subject peoples is shown by the sequel, where we read about 'generations of genera- tions ' praising God with songs of rejoicing. Still all this is ministering to the glory of Jerusalem. Israel is exalted in the honour shown to her God. The Palestinian Hokhmah literature is not free from Jewish narrowness. In Sirach, God is prayed to send His fear on all nations. But this is to be by lifting up His hand against them, so that they may see His mighty power. Still some gracious end even in this stern treatment of the heathen may be desired, since the prayer pro- ceeds, ' And let them know thee, as we also have known thee ' (Sir 36=). God is asked to hear the prayer of His suppliants [Israel], in order that all on the earth may know that He is the Lord, the eternal God (v.''). This may not mean more than the acknowledgment of God for His glory and for the reflexion of that on His privileged people. On the other hand, the importance at- tached to wisdom has a widening tendency ; for this is an internal grace, not an external privi- lege. But the identification of wisdom in Sirach