Testimony of Christ to the Old Testament 57 no acquaintance with criticism. Should the fair application of criticism, when its proper time comes, tend to beget doubt as to the general conclusion already reached regarding the Bible, it will doubtless be right to review carefully the evi dence on which our conclusion depends ; but the substantive and direct proofs of the Scriptures being from God should first he handled, and the decision arrived at should be kept in mind, while criticism is occupied with its proper task. This seems to us the true order of the procedure. GOD SPEAKS Our Lord certainly attributes to the Old Testament a far higher character than many have supposed. God speaks in it throughout; and while He will more perfectly reveal Himself in His Son, not anything contained in the older revelation shall fail of its end or be convicted of error. Christ does not use the term “inspiration” in speaking of the Old Testament, but when we have adduced His words re garding the origin and authority of these writings, it will be evident that to Him they are God-given in every part. I t will be seen that His testimony falls not behind that of His Apostles who say: “Every Scripture inspired of God” (2 Tim. 3:16), and “The prophecy came not in old time by the will of man; but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (2 Pet. 1:21). WORDS AND COMMANDS OF GOD In speaking of Christ as teaching that the Old Testament is from God we have referred to passages in which He says that its words and commands are the words and commands of God ; e. g., “God commanded, saying, Honor thy father and thy mother: and He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death” (Matt. 15:4). Again: “Have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob ?”
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