But while thus stimulating intellectual receptiye- ness everywhere, the most important contribution of the Greeks in the preparation for Christianity was the universal prevalence they gained for their rich and expressive language, inasnnich as by this they supplied a common vehicle of intercourse, calculated to be of immense advantage in the announcement and promulgation of the Christian Evangel.
3. The unifylnq influence of Eomr.—'Vhs.t the entire known world was then embraced witliiu
FULNESS OF THE TIME
GADARA, GADARENES
Koine's imperial sway was a the situation which hml Ini
barriers of language !i;wl 1 u ilnnnli^ln'il ilnoimh
the inliuence of tlie (.in^k^, ~>, iliinu-li tlir in- fluence of the Konians tlir. iMiriris ..| n.'il i(.ii;ilily had been broken down. Thr wli.ilc wuiM \v,is but one country; and from thr Ijqilnutrs lo ihr Atlantic there was settled goM'riinicnl, oidi.'i, .iiid the rule of law under one mjmumuii .^cptrc. In the lull of natiunal .strifes wlii.-li li.ul thus ,-omr- - the pax Eoii,r>„,> ninvli.nit aii.l travrllrr iimjvimI safely from hni.l t.. Imi.l, uu.l l.y tho si.leiidi.l system of roads fur V. Iiuh lln- Ki. 111:111 Kiii|iire -was famed, the lines of c-duiniiinii a.l i.m wen' o|n-iic.l in all directions. In this nmiv ILhiic hail i.rrf'iiriiinl its distinctive part by- hi inuiiiLj almiit a, puht icul i-uii- ditionof the world hilhirlu 1111. .\ain[ihd in lustory.
Thus the three great larr^uf aiitiipiilv had con- tributed their .share t.i^ai.l, the fiilllli'iMiit of a manifestly providential ih>ii;n, and (In- ji<_-iicid had now arrived when tlieir su\ eral lines of historical development converged to a meeting-point, pro- ducing a combination of circumstances which rendered issues of vast moment possible. As it has been .aiitly put, 'the Pity of God is built at the coiilluenii. .if I 111 re ei \ ilizatious ' (Conydieare and Il.iwsi.nsN/. /'.."/, i. ■_').
It is worthy cf nut.' alsi. that tlie little country of Palestine, where the Fouiiihr uf t'lnistianity was to appear, lay at the very e. nii.- .if ihe then known world; and in view of I hi- f.i. 1 ih.il Ihiimgh the provision of a common lannnaje aii.l fi I'e means of movement and intercourse tiie avenues of access were opened to every land, it becomes clear that
tlie iiiost signal facilities were afibrded for tlie dis- s.iuiii.ili.iu of a faith that was destined to wield a \\<iii.l-\\ iih; power.
in aii.lition to this, account has to be taken of the .Ir.My of the old pagan religions, and the ■.iiniili.nii .iir^ iiillux of Oriental ideas. There was a, -.tiaii'ji- iiiiei mingling of races and also of reli- ■ji.ius ill li..i-, NMth the result that men's minds u.r.' uii^i Mh il, ,111(1 a spirit of inquiry was awak- eni'.l .iiniiiiu I h.i-.' who had grown dissatisfied witli th.' |i.iiiiil,n hi-;ilhen cults.
.M,uiiie~i ly I hr age was ripe for a new revelation that w.iiil.l nil I I thi- deepest needs of the human soul; aii.l ill I h.' -il u.ili.iu .■leali'.Iby the course of .l.'wi^h. ( Iri'.'h, ami Kiiiiian hi-tinv, the way for it ha.l at leii-th li.'.n |ir..|iaiv.l. I'heii Jesus Christ appeared. Tlie ' fulness of the time ' had come for the advent of the promised Saviour with His Gospel of life and grace for the regeneration of mankind. .I.rnin .:. i:m:i|.I, //.,/. ../ /, ,v, / i Ij,,. 1 1- i, m,1s. v.and
//.//' I! : ' I . . I . . I,'); Cony-
U-i.p.,iiul II. .>.,.. .11, - /'..I' .,. ,-, : , I, /..•.,. 1/.:.,.. 1.1-9-178;
Eil.a.l.Liii. ,;..;. .,„..':; , .. .. li„:.,i.ui,a,.M. r.i.i.', i. usff. ;
Gwatkin, .lit. ' Krniiiui l';niiiire ' in H.istiiit;s' DI! ; Wernle, Be- ginnings 0/ Christian it ij (Eiig, tr. 1903), i. \-36.
G. M'Haedy. FUNERAL See Bueiai-, and Tomb.
FURLONG.— See Weights and Measures.
FURNACE OF FIRE.— See Fire, p. 595\
FUTURE See Eschatology.
G
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