t Confirmed also by the character of ' the Teaching of the I
later form warrants the idea that 'Gnostic' or metaphysical doctrines are here meant in any degree. The 'secrets' in question are just those detailed aspects of the Kingdom and its develop- ment, as parts of the Divine counsels, wiiich form the essence of the jmrables which follow in this connexion and elsewhere. They are of the nature of moral principles such as verify themselves in the experience of the loyal life, rather than remain 'mysteries of faith' in the later sense of these words.
This is not the place for full discussion of the limits of know- ledge, even religious knowledge in a sense, attaching to the gospel in the mind of Jesus Himself. Such hmits clearly exist as regards ' the times and seasons ' of the Kingdom's temporal development. This is manifest in the sajing in Mk 1332 y ' But of that day or that hour knoweth no one, not even the angels in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father' (alone). It is also implied in the parable of the Seed Growing Unobserved (Mk 4-'6-29)^ if the Sower who ' himself knows not h<nv ' the seed grows, be none other than Christ, as seems to be the case,— a fact which at once explains the omission of the parable by Mt. and Luke. Such ignorance only confirms our general view as to the strictly spiritual character of the ' knowledge ' conveyed by Jesus in His ' teaching,'— a statement which applies even to the knowledge referred to in the high utterance in Mt 1125-27^ Lk 102if., touching Jesus' unique knowledge of the Father and His corresponding ' revelation ' of Him to receptive souls. See, further, art. Kenosis.
ii. The Fourth Gospel.— So far we have had in view ' knowledge ' and the ' teaching ' of it in the Synoptic Gospels only. But like results hold good in essence of the Fourth Gospel also, though with characteristic differences as to form. There, while the special word for ' knowledge ' (yvQais) does not occur, the corresponding verb, with its suggestions of progressive insight gained bjr moral affinity, is very frequent {e.g. W^ 'recognize and go on re- cognizing,' 13'' 'thou dost not know now, but thou shalt come to recognize hereafter,' cf. 14'^). The knowledge in view is still such as can be verified by spiritual experience, and not such as must necessarily remain mero objective theory or ' dogma ' in the later sense.
A typical pas.sage is 3^-^^ where, however, it is impossible to say exactly how much is due, in form at least, to the Evangelist, and how much to Him of whom he writes. At v.'^ even the form ceases to be historic, and passes into reflexion on the principles involved in what jirecedes. But what underlies the whole is the idea of religious experi- ence as conditioning insight into such knowledge as the new Rabbi had to convey (3-^-). Its subject- matter is the 'Kingdom of God,' the nature of which dawns on a man's inner eye like the light of a fresh world of experience, into which he comes as by a new birth. This correlation of ' light ' and 'life' implies that the knowledge in question is not abstract or impersonal, but vital and personal, such as can best be learned from and througii a person, as it animates and gives iiini his specific character and attitude to life. Thus the 'life' in Jesus Himself was the 'light' He bore about in His personal walk among men. This is why ' belief in ' Jesus as a person and recognition of the 'light of His message are so closely related, indeed practically identified, in the Fourth Gospel in particular. Both attitudes of soul are con- ditioned by a man's will, and this again by his underlying character — so far as developed — and the .sympathetic affinities proper thereto. ' For everyone that doeth ill hateth the ligiit, and cometh not to the light, lest his works should be reproved. But he that doeth the truth cometh to the light, that his works may be made manifest, that they have been wrought in God ' (3-"'-). Here we get the
Lord through the Twelve Apostles ' as it was understood in the circle represented by the Didache, — a fact the more striking if, as seems probable, this compilation of traditional matter represents in the main Syrian Christianity (c. 75-100 a.d.), the source also of our Synoptic tradition.
704
TEACHING OF JESUS
TEACHING OF JESUS
Johannine terms in their most essential meaning, as defined by the context. Christ's manifestation of the knowledge of God (on which the King- dom depends) as His essential life, is the ' truth ' about God and man in their mutual relations, — a truth, therefore, practical in its scope, — and so the 'light' of men as regards their special concern, the art of life. 'He that followeth me shall not Avalk in darkness, but sliall have the light of life ' (8^^). ' My teaching is not mine, but his that sent me. 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 (T^*'')-
This agrees essentially with the Synoptic teach- ing as to ' righteousness ' and its conditions ; * it even coincides in form as regards the metaphor of 'light' for man's footsteps in the journey of life (Mt 6-3, Lk lp3f-, Jn 812), ^n^j ^he vision or blindness of men as determined by tlieir prior moral affinities (Mt 15" 2318-26, Lk 418 63"). \yhat is peculiar to the Johannine presentation is the use of 'truth' where the Synoptic word is 'righteousness.' But OT usage t helps us to see tlieir equivalence in idea, and that ' truth ' is here at bottom no more speculative or dogmatic than 'righteousness.' It means ' the way of God in truth ' (Mt 22i6, Lk 20^1, cf. 1611) ; and the Fourth Evangelist's choice of the more intellectual synonym is probably due to a habit which he had adopted in bringing the message home to men of Greek rather than Jewish training. But the practical and vital sense in which the term is used appears, for instance, in the central saying : ' I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh to the Father but by me' (Jn 14^). When, too, Jesus goes on with, 'If you had come to recognize me (for Avhat I am), of my Father also you M'ould have had knowledge ' {el iyviiiKeire . . . av ijdeire), He does not pass into another sphere than that of spiritual quality and power, experimentally perceived : ' He that hath seen me, hath seen the Father.' The very fact that this is said in surprised reply to Philip''s request, 'Show us the Father,' proves that distinct and explicit teaching as to the Father in Himself had formed no part of ' the teaching ' ; it had all been implicit in the authoritative yet dej^endent or filial mien with which the Son had spoken and acted for God.J How far any sayings recorded in the great discourse and prayer which follow, go beyond such manifested sj^iritual unity, into the realm of metaphysics, is still an ojien question among scholars. Yet it should be remembered that the thouoht moves ever on the devotional rather than the dogmatic level of thought, especially in the prayer in ch. 17 ; and that to all believers is open a like oneness to that between Jesus and His Father {'iva waiv iu KadCjs rj/j-eh ev, 17"^), though this comes to others throiigli relation to Himself (^70; ec avTols Kal ffii iv ifxoi, v.-^). In any case the unity is that of Love made perfect (vv.-*- ^), and rests on recognition of the Father's name, gained by recog- nition of Jesus as sent of the Father (v.^''-).