i. The earlier chapters in the Acts of the Apostles. — In the midst of much critical dis- cussion of these chapters, it can scarcely be ques- tioned that they reproduce, with substantial truth, the type of life and teaching in the primitive Church ; and give us ' a Christology which must have come from a primitive source' (Knowling, Testimony of St. Paul to Christ, p. 171). How, then, did Peter and his associates preach Christ?
Three points seem plain. (1) They lay the basis of the gospel in the humanity of Christ. They do not grudgingly admit His humanity, as though it presented an intellectual difficulty ; nor do they dogmatically insist on it, as though it had been denied by some Docetic scheme. They use His human name. They dwell on His human life and character. He whom they preach as the Christ is the Jesus of that historic past which is so fresh in their memories, so lovely in their hearts. Upon what He had been and done as a man, all that He now is and accomplishes is founded (2.^^ S"! 4i« lOas).— (2) They set the fact of the Resurrection in the forefront of their preaching. That event carries the weight of the greatest doctrines of the faith. This is the message which conveys the glory of God's accom- plished purjiose of mercy: 'He is risen; we arc witnesses' (225 :fj), xhe Resurrection is not merely the miracle of a dead man raised. It is a great historic act on the part of God, who hereby authenticates the mission and vindicates the claims of Jesus. It is not merely that Jesus survives a tragedy. Through death He passes to a higher seat than that of His father David, even the throne of the Divine Majesty (2M 631 755). in doing this for Jesus, God did not take a mere man and make Him what a man cannot be, or set Him where a man could not breathe. Jesus is placed in the position which is His by right, to which His person perfectly corresponds. The earliest preach- ing is in complete harmony with Ito l*. The idea of pre-exist- ence, though not expUcitly stated, is one of the implications of this teaching, even as it is of the Synoptic portraiture.— (3) They apply to Him titles which describe Him as the fulfilment of the highest reach of OT prophecy, and carry with them, in some instances, a distinctly Divine rank of being : Messiah, in Jesus' own interpretation of Messiah and His mission (S'S^O 425-28) ; f^ord (121 23''-'6 1036), i.e. the OT name of Jehovah, which could be borne only by a Divine being, though, it may well be, the theological bearings of such ascription were not fully pre- sent to their minds ; ProphH (3=2), Saviour (531 41=), Pnnce (Ufx-ni!, 521 315), Servant (3i3. 26 427. .10, cf. 832. to), with evident reference to the Serv.ant of the Lord in Deutero-Isaiah : Holy or Righteous One (22' 42'- 3" ?M 752), Son of God (920), a title used in this place only, vet significantly, as a current description of preaching the gospel.— (4) They dwell on certain present func- tions and activities, exercised by the exalted Saviour. He bestows the Spirit (233.1'*). He grants the forgiveness of sins (23S 319 6)1) He operates in miracles of healing (316 410), the condition on the human side being faith in His name. He is the Source of Salvation (412). To Him, therefore, the preachers invite their hearers to come. They insist, however, on repent-
INCARNATION
INCARNATION
aiice, not merely of sin in general, but of the specific guilt of His death (3'3-15), and they require faith as an act of personal trust in Him (10«).— (5) They announce His return, at the completion of the Messianic period, for judgment (3'-l 10-12). This announcement gave a distinctive character to the preach- ing ; and rendered it not so much ' an argument as to certain truths,* as 'the proclamation of a message' (S. Mathews, The ifessianic Hope in the NT, p. 145). None the less it bore, as its heart and centre, the truth of the Lord's superhuman personal dignity.
The Divinity of Christ is not discussed by these missionary preachers. They are concerned with the facts regarding Christ, His power, His pro- raises, His benefits. They do not unfold the doctrine of His person which is implied in their statements : their own conceptions of it were, probably, at a very early stage of development. They held and taught such things regarding Him as implied that conception of Christ whicii was set forth by later teachers. Those brethren who wrote at a later date, and more explicitly, were not moving away from the historic Christ. They were, rather, getting nearer to Him, and seeing Him more clearly, than had been possible to those who bore their witness at an earlier period.
ii. The minor Cheistologie.s.— Some NT writ- ings have scarcely advanced beyond the point of view of the Acts. They are mainly occupied vn.t\\ the saving functions of tlie Messiah, and do not enter deeply into the consideration of His Person. Witli respect to the simplest of them, however, it remains true that the place of Jesus in religious experience is central and supreme. He is the object of faitli, the source of every spiritual bless- ing.