12. It might be an interesting question, had we the means of accuratelj'' determining, how and by what in- strumentalities Jesus, in a hiimuH point of view, attained his spiritual power, or to what intluence (aside from di- vine inspiration) he owed his intellectual formation as a founder of religion (Ammon, Bibl. Theolog. i, 234 sq. ; Jlamlbuch der christi. Sitteulehre, i, 43 sq. ; Kaiser, Bibl. Theolog. i, 234 sq. ; De Wette, Bibl. Dogm. p. 185 sq. ; Colin, Bibl. Theolog. ii, 8 sq. ; Hase, p. 56 stj. ; compare Rau, De moinentis iis quce ad Jes. divinar. reriim scientia imbuendiim viri habuisse, videantur, Erlang. 1796 ; Grei- ling, Lebeii Jesu, p. 58 sq. ; Planck, i, 23 sq. ; Briefe iiber national, p. 154 S(j.). But while there has evidently been on the one side a general tendency to exaggerate the difficulties which the natural improvement of Jesus liad to overcome (Reinhard, Plan Jesu, \\ 485 sq.), yet none of the hypotheses proposed for the solution of the question has satisfied the conditions of the problem, or been free from clear historical difficulties. INIany, for instance, suppose that Jesus had his religious education in the order of the Essenes (q. v.), and they think that ill the Christian morals they especially find many points of coincidence with the doctrines of that Jewish sect (Reiin, Christus und die Vermuft. p. 668 sq. ; Stiiudlein, Gesch. d. Sitteulehre Jesu, i, 570 sq. ; see, on the contrary, Llidcrwakl, in Menke's Magaz. iv, 378 sq. ; Bengel, in riatt's Magaz. vii, 126 sq. ; J. H. Dorfni tiller, De disjuiri Jesu Essaoruinqiii' (//.'.Y7'y;//;«r,Wunsidel. 1803 ; Wegnern, in Illgen's Ziit^^chr. IMl. pt. 2; comp. Heubner, 5th Ap- pend, to his eilit. uf liciuhard's Plan Jesu). Others at- tribute the culture of Jesus to the Ale xandrio- Jewish religious philosophy (Bahrdt, Briefe iiber die Bibel im Volkston, i, 376 sq.; Gfriirer, in the Gesch. des Urchris- teuth.). Still others imagine that Sadducajism [see Sad- dl'cee] , or a comparison of this with Pharisaism [see Piiakisee], was the source of the pure religious views of Jesus (Henke, Magaz. v, 426 sq.; Des Cotes, Schutz- schr. fur Jesus von Nazareth, p. 128 sq.). Although single points in the teaching and acts of Jesus might be illustrated by each of these theories (as could not fail to be the case with respect to one who threw himself into the midst of the religious efforts of the age, and com- bined efficiency with right aims), yet the whole of liis spiritual life and deeds, the high clearness of under- standing, the iHirity of sentiment, and, above all, the independence of spirit and matchless moral power which stamp each particular with a significance that was his alone, cannot be tlius explained (Tliomson, Ijtnd and Book, ii, 86 sq.). A richly -endo^ved and profound mind is, moreover, iiresupposed in all such hypotheses (comp. Pauliis, Leb. Jesu, i, 89). Our object is simply to inves- tigate the influences that aroused these spiritual facul- ties, unfolded them, and directed them in that path. And in determining these, it is clear at the outset that a powerful impulse must have been given to the natural development of Jesus's mind (Luke ii, 52) by a diligent study of the Holy Scriptures, especially in the prophet- ical books (Isaiah and the Psalms, Paiilus, Leben .Jesu, i, 119 sq.), which contained the germs of an improved monotheism, and are, for the most part, free from Jew- ish niceties. He would also derive assistance from a comparison of the Pharisaical statutes, which were un- questionably known to Jesus, and particularly of the
Jewish Hellenism (Alexandrianism ; see Alexandrian School), with those simjile doctrines of the old Mosa- ism, especially as spiritualized by the prophets. How much may have been derived from outward circum- stances we do not know; that the maternal training, and even the open (Luke iv, 29) and romantic situation of Nazareth, had a beneficial intluence in unfolding and cultivating his mind (Greiling, Leb. ,7esu, p. 48), scarcely admits a doubt, nor that the neighborhood of (Jentile inhabitants in the entire vicinity might have already weakened and repressed in the youthful soul of Jesus the old Jewish narrow-mindedness. The age also af- forded a crisis for bringing out and determining the bent of his genius. Learned instruction (see No. '6 above) Jesus had not enjoyed (iSIatt. xiii, 54 sq. ; John vii, 15), although the Jewish fables {Toledo/ h Jesu, p. 5) assign him a youthful teacher named J^lhanan ("SHpX), and Christian tradition (^Uistoria Josephi, c. 48 sq.) attributes to him wonderful aptness in learning (see generally Paulus, Leben Jesu, i, 121 sq.). In addi- tion to all these natural influences o]ierating upon his human spirit, there was, above all, the plenary inspira- tion (John iii, 34) which he enjoyed from the intercom- munication of the divine nature; for the bare facts of his career, even on the lowest view that can be taken of the documents attesting these, are incapable of a ra- tional explanation on the ground of his mere liumanity (see J. Young, Christ oflJisfori/, Loud. 1855, N. Y. 1857). See Chrlst. (For additional literature, see Yolbeding, p. 36 sq.) His prediction of future events would not of itself be an evidence of a higher character than that of other prophets. See Propiiecv.
13. Respecting the enterprise on behalf of mankind which Jesus had conceived, and which he undeviating- ly kept in view (sec especially I\einhard,]'ersuch. iib. d. i'hiii (h II ihr SI 1ft, r d,r rhr. I!, I. -.inn Besten der Mensch. ,iihniif:>\]i edit. I. V lli'iihucr, W'ittemh. 1830 [compare i\w Xnnii f/n<,/.J,iiirii.xiy,->4 ^q.j; J , r Ziveck Jesu ge- schiditl. u. seelkumlL dargestellt, Leipz. 1816 ; Planck, i, 7 sq., 86 sq. ; Greiling. p. 120 sq. ; Strauss, i, 463 sq. ; Ne- ander, p. 115 sq. ; Weisse, i, 117 sq.), a few observations only can here be indulged. See Rede.mptiox. That Jesus sought not simply to bo a reformer of Judaism (.John iv, 22; JMatt. xv, 24; compare Matt, v, 17) [see Law], much less the founder of a secret association (Klotzsch, De Christo ab instituenda societate clandestina ulieno, Viteb. 1786), but to unite all mankind in one great sacred family, is vouched for by his own declara- tions (John iv, 23; x, 16), bj^ the whole tendency of his teaching, by his constant expression of the deepest sym- pathy with humanity in general, and finally by the se- lection of the apostles to continue his work ; only he wished to confine himself personally to the boundaries of Judica in the publication of the kingdom of God (^latt. XV, 24), whereas his disciples, led by the Holy Spirit, should eventually traverse the world as heralds of the truth (Matt, xxviii, 19 sq.). It is evident that to Jesus himself the outline of his design was always clearly defined in the course of his labors, but, on ac- count of the dogmatic conformity of the delineations in John's Gospel, and the loose, unchronological develop- ment of it in the syiioiitical gospels, it is impossible ac- curately to sho^v historically the gradual realization of this sulijcctive scheme. But that Jesus at any moment of his life whatever had stated the political element o*" the theocracy as being blended with his spiritual emol- uments (Hase, Leb. Jesu, p. 86 S(j., 2d edit.) is an luiwar- rantable position (comp. Heubner, in Reinhard, lit sup. p. 394 sq. ; Liicke, Pr. examinatur sententia de mutafo per eventa adeoque sensim emendato Christi consilio, Gott. 1831 ; Neander, p. 121 sq.\ The reason why he did not directh"^ announce himself to the popular masses as the expected Messiah (indeed, ne even evaded the question, Luke XX, 1 sq., and forbade the spread of this report, Matt, xvi, 20) imquestionably was, that the minds of the Jews were incapable of separating their carnal an- ticipations from the true idea of the Messiah (q. v.). He