THE NEW TESTAMENT.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 128, 6 July 1914, Page 11

THE NEW TESTAMENT.

[ On Sunday evening Mr Ralph Gebbie | delivered a very cogent address at Moorhouse Avenue Church of Christ on "The Trustworthiness of the New Testament. " In the gospels, said the speaker, there were four separate accounts of Christ, yet a perfect unity was maintained through them all. ft ebbie cited a number of minor discrepancies which he explained and showed that they pointed to the genuineness of tlio books. If the story of Jesus had been invented there would have been no discrepancies. The unity, of the 1 gospels was strong presumptive evidence . that the Divine hand was at the back of them. The preacher then traced the New Testament right back to the days of . the apostles. The existence and authority of the books it contained were attested by quotations in a series of Christian writers, which begun with the immediate successors of the apostles. Clement,of Rome quoted from St, Paul, and also showed that he was acquainted with the writings of St. James and St. John. Polycarp quoted from the Epistles. Irenanis quoted almost every book of the New. Testament and named the writers. Tertullian also quoted extensively from the gospels. Then Josephus, the Jewish historian/ who lived shortly after Christ died, wrote about Christ and John the Baptist. He. gave the only account extant of the death of the Lord's brother James. References of Tacitus and Pliny to the Christians were also on record. ,