The modern name of the brook ^idron is Wady Sitti Mar yam, 'Valley of the Lady Mary.' As early as Eusebius and Jerome it was known as the Valley of Jehoshaphat, Jl 3- [Heb. 4^]. According to a tradition, common to Jews, Moslems, and Christians, this is to be the scene of tlie final Judg- ment. As against the Temple, which overlooked it, the valley ranked as an unclean district, and it
238
BROTHERHOOD
BROTHERHOOD
seems to liave afforded burying-ground for people of the humbler orders (2 K 23"). To this day the Jews greatly covet a grave in the Kidron valley. AV. EwiXG.
BROTHERHOOD The word (doeX^dr,,?) does not
occur at all in the Gospels, and is found only twice in the NT (1 P i" and 5"). The idea, however, is common and of very great importance.
1. The natural brotherhood of man is assumed rather than asserted. It probably underlies Clirist's argument about the Sabbath {Mk 2" and parallels), and also such language as is found in Lk 15""'- and 16^. This is the more likely in view of such OT passages as Gn Y^-^ 9=', Job 31"-i=, and Mai 2'» (which regard it as a corollary of our creation by the one God and Father), and Lv 19"- " (which not only commands love of neighbour, but also ex- plicitly enjoins like love for the stranger). HUlel and other Rabbis gave this law the broadest in- terpretation, and Philo declares that mnn must love the whole world as well as God (see Koliltr, Jewish Encyc. art. 'Brotherly Love,' and IMonte- fiore in the JQR, April 1895). This, however, does not represent the dominant feeling among the Jews in our Lord's time. They narrowed the term 'neighbour,' as His language in Mt 5" plainly implies. It was the scribe's suggestion of this naiTOW view that drew from Jesus the parable of the Good Samaritan, in which the terra ' neigh- bour ' is made the equivalent of brother-man (Lk 10^- )•
Into this brotherhood Christ entered when He 'became flesh.' That at least is implied in the title ' Son of Man ' which He so frequently applies to Himself. He was ' the seed ot the woman.' The Son of Mary, of David, of Abraham, was also Son of Adam (Lk 3^) and one of the race.
Yet of natural brotherhood the NT has sur- prisingly little to say. Very little importance is attached to it. No hopes are built on it. The reason, doubtless, is that it had been destroyed by sin — a melancholy fact visible in the threshold tragedy of Cain and Abel. Such is St. Paul's summary of OT teaching (Ro S^-'^). So Jesus found it when He was in the world. Men were dead to brotlierhood as to all else that was wholly good (Jn 6», cf. Eph 2'}. For thirty years He moved among men with a true Brother's heart, but met no equal response, even among those peculiarly His own (Jn l'"- "). ' Of the peoples there was no man with him' (Is 63'). He was sorrowfully alone (Is 53^), standing among sinful men like one unharmed temple amid a city's ruins.
2. The new brotherhood. — Under these circum- stances nothing short of a new beginning would serve. Anything less radical must fail. A new creation is necessary (Gal 6"). This Jesus states explicitly. Men rausi be born again (Jn 3' ; cf. Eph 2^). They must be redeemed from sin and given a new life. This was His appointed mission (Mt 1~, Jn lO""). To that work He formally dedi- cated Himself in His b.iptism, which also sym- bolized the nu'iuis l.\ w hirh tlie redemption should be eflected, num. lv! Hi- ..uii death (with Mt 3'=, cf. Mt 20^ 2t)^- Hiul l;., 3- -\ 1 Co 15», Eph 1', 1 P V- '", Rev P). Temiited to swerve from it. He held to that stern, slow path. Meantime He begins to gather about Him a band of brothers on the new basis. They are such as believe or receive Him. In faith they follow Him and forsake all else (Mk ^18. 20 1028^ i;;^ 1433). That it is no mere external following is manifest. A N-ital union is established between them and Him, the significance of which is indicated by the figure of the vine and tlie branches (Jn 15'"*). The new birth is effected (Jn 1'""), the new life received (Jn 6" 1<P-^), and their sins graciously forgiven (Mk 2'"", Lk 7"''" ; cf. Col 1"). Thus they become partakers of the
Divine nature (2 P l-"), children or sons of God T^Km, i-loi, 1 Jn 3'«, Ro8»-i«-2', Gal 3=«4'), endowed with a deatliless life (Gal 3=», Jn 10=«), and Christ )iecomes the firstborn among many brethren (Eo S"'). Elsewhere the change is called a new creation {2 Co 5", Gal 6'S Eph 2'"), of which Christ is tlie beginning (Rev 3», Col V%
It is this profound experience which underlies ,ind accounts for tlie remarkalile statements of Jn l'"'-''. St. Peter's new name is a sign of it (v.''-); tlie 'Israelite indeed in whom is no guile' is a condensed description of the new man (v.'"; cf. Ps 32-, the first half of which is the germ of Ro 3-'- 5-', and the second of Ro 6' -8'"). These men are nearer to Jesus now than any other persons. Hence the appropriateness of the strong language of this early record in the most spiritual of the four Gospels. St. John had learned meantime the potency of the faith that began so simply, and in the light of that recalls those wonderful earlj- utterances and the steady progress of their faith from strengtli to strength.