who has power to forgive sins (2^"), and to whom all men owe absolute spiritual allegiance (8^^-^8)_ xhe other Synoptics, as well as Jn., specifically repre- sent Him as claiming to be superior to the wisest lawgivers and propliets of the past (Mt 12^2 jgs^ Lk IP', Jn 1''') — One whose mission in the world was to give His life a ransom for the race (Jn 3'®, cf. Mk 10^5)^ Himself the centre and object of the devotion of all men loyal to the inner light (Lk 19'^ 20'8, Jn S"*" 7'"); the only Being who knew God (Mt 112^), a Saviour and Judge whose 'Depart from me ' Avas the severest penalty Avhich could be 2ironounced on guilty man (Mt P^ 72^*). Yet, not- withstanding all this. He is represented in every Gospel as being peculiarly calm, sincere, humble, and self -forgetful, possessing a heart of singular piirity, having not the slightest doubt of His OAvn right relationship to God, trusting the inner Avitness l)erfectly, and constantly possessing a peace ' deep as the unfathomed sea,' Avliich peace He believed He coiald impart to others. The self-consciousness of Jesus Avas the spring undeineath the Temple- altar, out of Avhich floAved the healing Avaters of Christianity.
6. Christ's relation to Christian experience. — Whatever Ave think, Avho never ate at the same table with Him, there is not the slightest doubt as to Avhat the earliest Christians thought, of Jesus. They never attempted to analyze His states of consciousness, — He Avas to them the object rather than the subject of religion, — but of one thing they Avere absolutely sure, it Avas He Avho had Avorked the mighty change in them. Whereas they had been blind, they could noAV see ; Avhereas they had been helpless, they noAV had conscious victory over sin ; and ncAv poAvers in many directions Avere theirs. These neAV experiences came through Him. In coming to Him they had found God, and a ncAv type of thought and life had ajjpeared Avithin them- selves. Jesus Christ Avas the source of this change of personality. All the NT Avriters agree as to this.
A writer in the JE (art. ' Jesus ')> though believing that Jesus never claimed to be the Messiah, at the same time acknowledges that ' his most striking characteristic was his claim that spiritual peace and salvation were to be found in the mere acceptance of his leadership.' Nathaniel Schmidt (Projihet of Nazareth, 1905) also makes a suggesti\'e admission when he sa.ys that, while Jesus never claimed to be the Messiah, yet all the hopes of OT prophets embodied in King, Redeemer, and Divine Manifesta- tion were more than fulfilled in Him ; and although He never, probably, claimed to forgive sins, yet He could forgive them, and historically He has actuallj' been the Saviour of the world, and is saving men yet (pp. 8, 203, 317).
That Jesus Christ was the Saviour every man needed, One Avho could save up to and beyond the limit of the man's best hope, Avas the common thought of those Avho most thoughtfully observed His influence and reported His Avords. It is con- stantly assumed as a fact of consciousness, and often declared in unequivocal language, that every man has so flagrantly sinned against light and become such a slave to sin that he needs tlie very power of the Almighty to enable him to fulfil his moral duty and reach his spiritual ideal. He needs more than one act of omnipotence. He needs a God Avho Avill come and stay close to him, ruling the life, not from Avithout but from Avithin (Mk 7'^ Mt IS^, Lk 1721, Jn 42' 15'-"). The earliest Christians are unanimous in the declaration that in coming to Jesus Christ they had found the Father, and tiiat He Avas not afar off but Avithin ; and after Pente- cost they speak of the iuAvard Presence either as ' God,' 'Spirit of God,' ' Holy Spirit,' or ' Spirit of Christ.'
7. Origin of Christian experience.— Herein lies the explanation of the earliest typical Christian experience. The neAV religion AA^as rooted in a ncAv conception of the Holy Ghost. A perfected Christian experience Avas not possible until after Pentecost. There is no emphasis in the Gospels
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