Notes, Practical and Expository, on the Gospels, Vol 1 of 2 For the Use of Bible Classes, Sunday School Teachers, Catechists, and Other Pious Laymen Classic Reprint

Excerpt from Notes, Practical and Expository, on the Gospels, Vol. 1 of 2: For the Use of Bible Classes, Sunday School Teachers, Catechists, and Other Pious Laymen

But though we may decide this question, in accordance with the good men of the past, we find no facts to explain to us, how the Gospel was translated into Greek, or by whom, or when the original perished, and how it should have been so soon neglected. These matters can give us no uneasiness. The very silence on these points, shows us either that St. Matthew also wrote his Gospel in Greek, or that the change took place very early, when Christians had the infallible author ity of inspired men in their midst, and could not be left in doubt on matters of such importance. It is believed that St. John wrote his gospel as a complement to the other three. If so, and he at any time saw the Gospel of St. Matthew in Greek and approved it, we have a snficient imprimatur. But these doubts ought to make us modest and reverent to that ancient Church, which, under God, pre served these records for us. The arguments of careless men against a due regard to the authority of the Fathers, may be put to silence by the principles which every earnest Christian scholar (such as Mr. Barnes) finds himself compelled to adopt when accounting for the great gift of the ancient Church to us, namely, the authentic books of Scripture. God has bound together the Church in one, so that we cannot break away from Ignatius, Athanasius, or Jerome, without loss. Let us receive the Gospel as we have it at their hands, saying, with the author above cited: The proper inquiry is whether it [the Greek copy] had such evi dence of inspiration as to be satisfactory to the Church in the times when they were under the direction of the Apostles. That it had such evidence none acquainted with ancient history will doubt. For the silence of the Fathers is the best proof of their entire satisfaction.

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