ground themselves on, right conceptions of God. On any other view, what would be the propriety of the pronoun 'thee,' which certainly singles out from all other possible individuals or 'entities Him in the knowledge of whom Christ declares that ' eternal life ' consists ? If right conceptions of God are not essential to right relation between God and man, where, again, would be the propriety of the ^^■ords ' the only true,' and the emphasis evidently centred ujion them ? (cf. also Mt 11-'').
(2) A second passage of fundamental significance for Christ's conception of religion is Mt 22""'- 1| Mk 12".8ii. -xhou Shalt love the Lord thy God, etc. Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, etc. On these two commandments hangeth the whole law and the prophets.' But that, according to the teaching of Christ, there is an emotional element in religion, is so generally recognized that it would be superfluous to multiply references, especially in such an incidental treatment of the subject as the present.
(3) The third passage that may be regarded as fundamental for our Lord's conception of religion is Mt 7-' ' Not every one that saitli unto me. Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven ; but he that doeth tlie %\ill of my Katlier which is in heaven.' This, like the last jjassage cited, is typical. It represents a group of statements tliat need not be reproduced here.
While, therefore, the hrst of these three great passages implicates man's understanding in re- ligion, and the second his eniutious, this last implicates his will, as cdiitrnlliuL; liis ruiuhu-t and finding its legitimate exprussKiu'thioiii^li it.
What may be called, tlicii, a inialitiitive analysis of Christ's conception of religion reveals the fact, that it contains this trinity of elements bound together in the indissoluble unity of the rational soul. Were any of them totally lacking, there would be no real religion. On the other hand, the necessary interrelation and interaction between them are recognized by Christ in such declarations as, 'If any man willeth to do his will, he shall know of the teaching whether it be of God, or whether I speak from myself (Jn 7") ; ' How can ye believe which receive glory one of another, and the glory that cometh from the only God ye seek not ' ( Jn 5^^) ; ' While ye have the light, believe on the light, that ye may become sons of light' (Jn 12^"). Such is the essential unity of the soul, that it cannot experience depravation in one of its functions without all of the others being more or less afl'ected thereby.
While, however, we can with a measure both of ease and of certainty make what we have ventured to call a qualitative analysis of Christ's conception of religion, it would not be so easy to arrive at a quantitative analysis of it, and say just how much knowledge, how much emotion, and how much volitional activity must be present in order to the existence in the soul of any real religion. Indeed, it is hard to conceive of Christ as elaborat- ing any views upon such a subject. We may re- frain, then, from pressing our investigation into what would only be a region of arid and empty speculation. Itisenousli. if it lias been shown that Christ's conception of rdi-icn in i.^^nizcs the essen- tial unity of the .soul, nml iii\iihr, us right rela- tion to God in all its .scnii;il |ii>uiis or functions. To this conception His tcauhiiij^s i tj;arding author- ity in religion will be found to conform. See, further, art. Religion.
i. Chrlst's teaching as to the ultimate
STANDARD OF RIGHT, AND THE ULTIMATE SOURCE
OF RIGHTS. — Obviously we need not expect to find Christ dealing with the ultimate standard of right under the forms of Western dialectics, or in the abstract terms of philosophy. At the same time,
154 AUTHORITY IN RELIGION
AUTHORITY IN RELIGION
we need not despair of obtaining some insight into His mind even upon this miestion. For one thing, His mode of addressing His Father is significant. Especially is it so when we take into account the circumstances under whicli it was employed. ' Holy Father,' He says in His intercessory prayer ; and again, 'O righteous Father.' Now, under the circumstances, this language is more, far more, than the ascription to His Father of the possession of the qualities expressed by the words 'holy ' and ' righteous.' For we must not forget that Christ's intercessory prayer was oft'ered at the very crisis of His career. We cannot pretend to fatliom the experiences of His soul in that hour. The prayer itself, however, as recorded in Jn 17, is tense w'ith the emotions that wrought in our Lord's soul a.s He poured it forth. He was, so to speak, getting His footing as the floods of great waters gathered around Him in their mysterious energy. And the bed-rock upon wliich He plants Himself is one lying out of sight so far as the visible providence of God is concerned. He assures Himself of its existence as a reality by turning away from what is taking place under the providence of God, and fixing His mind upon tlie nature of God. God's nature is His voucher for the righteousness of the course of God's providence towards Himself. In the time of stress that was upon Him, He fixes His eye upon God's holiness and righteousness as His .sole but sufficient guarantee for the existence of the quali- ties for which these words stand.