“The Nicene Creed 20 is a statement partly of historical facts, and partly of dogmatic inferences.” Some adequate reason must be found for this difference. The Sermon on the Mount was the promulgation 19 of a new law of conduct. The Christianity of the third and fourth centuries presents the strongest possible contrast when placed alongside of that which existed during the New Testament period. As the history of Christianity progressed, its enlarging spirit brought about a conflict with the narrower phases of Judaism, and hence more or less antagonism 17 towards certain Judaistic interpretations 18 of the Old Testament. There were no written scriptures except the Old Testament. Beyond this common hope there was no settled doctrine 16, no formal ecclesiastical organization. They were made up of Jews alone, or of Jews and those Gentiles who had been converts to Judaism. A common hope and the struggle for holy living according to the law of God bound these communities together. The facts connected with His life and the memory of His teachings formed the soil in which Christianity had its earliest roots. They expected still greater revelations of Him, and through Him, in the near future. The earliest Christian 1 congregations were communities for holy living, upon the ground of a mutual 15 faith in Christ. Men were drawn 14 to each other and to Christ by the power of this love. It was a system of right living, as in the divine presence, and by the help of the divine Spirit. New Testament Christianity was a life born of love, and finding expression in loving obedience 13. Under His teachings Christianity arose as a new life, springing from the law of God, written in the hearts of men. He developed Christianity within the Jewish Church, making it the efflorescence of all that was best in the ancient dispensation.Ĭhrist presented love for God, for truth, and for man, as the mainspring of action in all religious living. He discarded the outward formalities of the Jews, and “reached the heart of things” by His interpretation of the ancient Scriptures 12, by His new precepts, and by His example. He clarified and intensified 10 the ten commandments. He enlarged Judaism without destroying it. He explained and enforced the moral precepts 9 of the Old Testament, developing their deeper spiritual sense, and giving them a new application to the inner life of men. He gave a new meaning to the fatherhood of God. His mission was “not to destroy but to fulfil.” This He did by giving a higher conception and a broader view of all which Judaism had held hitherto. The religion which Christ taught was a direct outgrowth of Judaism. The student of history cannot fail to note the wide difference between the Christianity of the New Testament period and that of the fourth century. Contrast between the Christianity of the New Testament 2 and That of the Later Centuries-Gnosticism and Allegorical Interpretation 3- Testimony 4 of Harnack and Bauer Concerning the “Hellenization of Christianity”-Hatch on “Pagan Exegesis 5”-The “Fathers” as Allegorists Justin, Clement 6 of Alexandria, Barnabas, and Others-Examples: “The Red Heifer a Type of Christ” “Spiritual Circumcision” “Scriptural Significance of Foods” “The Cross in the Old Testament” “Why Are There One Hundred and Fifty Psalms 7?” “The Ph?nix a Type of the Resurrection” “Gnostic Exposition of the Decalogue” “Types of Christ” Various Examples from Augustine.