(II.) The Method or Plan which the writer adopted to carry out the design of this epistle will best be seen from a brief analysis of its contents. Being convinced of the unchangeable love of God towards his people (i, 2), and of the close attachment subsisting between all the tribes (ver. 3), Baruch feels constrained to write this epistle before he dies (ver. 4) to comfort his cap- tive brethren under their sufferings (ver. 5), which are far less than they deserve (ver. 6), and are designed to atone for (ver. 7, 8), as well as to wean them from, their sins (ver. 9), so that God might gather them together again. Baruch then informs them, first of all, that Zion has been delivered to Nebuchadnezzar because of the sins of the children of Israel (ver. 11, 12). That the enemy, however, might not boast that he had destroyed the sanctuary of the Most High by the strength of his own arm, God sent angels from heaven to destroy the forts and walls, and also to hide some of the vessels of the Temple (ver. 13-16) ; whereupon the enemy carried the Jews as captives to Babylon, and left only few in Zion (ver. 17), this being the burden of the epistle (ver. 18, 19). But they are to be comforted (ver. 20), for while he was mourning over Zion and praying for mer- cy (ver. 21, 22) the Lord revealed words of consolation to Baruch that he might comfort his brethren, which is the cause of his writing this epistle (ver. 23, 24), viz.
that the Most High will punish their enemies, and that the day of judgment is nigh (ver. 25, 26). The great prosperity of the world (ver. 27), its splendid govern- ment (ver. 28), great strength (ver. 29) and glory (ver. 30), luxurious life (ver. 31), barbarous cruelty (ver. 32), and glorious dominion (ver. 33) which the Gentiles now enjoy, notwithstanding their wickedness, will speedily vanish, for the day of judgment is at hand (ver. 34), when every thought and deed will be examined and made manifest (ver. 35, 36). The captive Jews are therefore not to envy any of the present things, but patiently to look forward to the promises of the latter days (ver. 37, 38), the fulfilment of which is rapidly ap- proaching, and for which they are to prepare them- selves, lest, by neglecting this, they might lose both this world and the world to come (ver. 39-41). All that now happens tends to this truth (ii, 1-7). This Baruch sets forth to lead his brethren to virtue (ver. 8), and to warn them of God's judgment before he dies (ver. 9), that they may give heed to the words of Mo- ses, who, in Deut. iv, 26; xxviii; xxx, 19; xxxi, 28, foretold what would befall them for leaving the law (ver. 9-12). Baruch also assures them that after they have suffered and become obedient they shall receive the reward laid up for them (ver. 13, 14), charges them to regard this epistle as a testimony between him and his brethren that they may be mindful of the law, the holy land, their brethren, the covenant of their forefa- thers, the solemn feasts and Sabbaths (ver. 15, 16), to transmit it, together with the law, to their children (ver. 17), and to be instant in prayer to God that he may pardon their sins and impute unto them the righteous- ness of their forefathers (ver. 18, 19), for "unless God judges us according to the multitude of his mercies, woe to us all who are born" (ver. 20). He, moreover, assures them that notwithstanding the fact that they have now no prophets and holy men in Zion to pray for them as in former days, yet if they rightly dispose their hearts they will obtain incorruptible treasures for their corruptible losses (ver. 21-27), and admonishes them constantly to remember these things, and prepare themselves, while in possession of this short life, for the life that is to come (ver. 28-35), when repentance will be impossible, as the judgment pronounced upon every one will be final (ver. 36-39) ; and to read the epistle on the solemn fast (ver. 40, 41).
(III.) The Unity of the Ejristle.— The foregoing anal- ysis will show that every part of this epistle contributes to the development of the main design of the writer, thus demonstrating the unity of the whole. This is, moreover, corroborated by the uniformity of diction which prevails throughout this document. It must, however, be admitted that hypercriticism may find some ground for scepticism in the latter part of it, viz. ii, 21- 41. But even if it could be shown that this is a later addition, it would not interfere with the design of the whole.
(IV.) The A uthor, Date, and Canonieity of the Epistle. — With the solitary exception of the learned and eccen- tric William Whiston (who has translated it in A Col- lection of Authentic Records [Lond. 1727J), this epistle has been, and still is, regarded by all scholars as pseu- depigraphic, and we question whether a critic could be found in the present day bold enough to defend its Ba- ruchic authorship. All that we can gather from the document itself is: 1. That it was written by a Jew, as is evident (a) from the Hagadic story, mentioned in i, 13-15, about the destruction of the walls and forts by the angels and the hiding of the holy vessels (comp. also 2 Mace, ii, 1-4) ; (6) from the solemn admonition strictly to adhere to the. law of Moses; (c) from the charge that this epistle be transmitted by the Jews to their posterity, together with the law of Moses, and be read in their assemblies at their fasts; and 2. That it was written most probably about the middle of the 2d cen- tury B.C., as appears from the admonition to be patient under the sufferings from the Gentiles, and to wait for