The Epistle of St. Paul to the Galatians, Explained and Illustrated (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1893. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... 81. Genuineness. Under the head of genuineness we have to consider whether a writing is really the work of the man by whom it professes to have been composed, and, if so, whether it has come down to us in the form in which it was originally written. In examining the question of authorship it is usual to divide the evidence into external and internal. The external evidence consists of the testimony of men who lived near the time of the supposed author, and had therefore opportunities of knowledge which are no longer open to us. The internal brings before us the indications which the writing itself affords of agreement or disagreement with the alleged authorship. Both these lines of evidence confirm our belief that Paul was the author of the Epistle to the Galatians. The external evidence does not go back to a very early date, for a great deal of the Christian literature of the second century has been lost, and we know that books once existed which must have contained valuable information on some questions which are now under dispute. However, we have sufficient evidence that about the end of the second century the Epistle was ascribed without hesitation to Paul. It is quoted as his by Irenaeus of Gaul, Tertullian of Africa, and Clement of Alexandria. They quote it just as we might do, without any suggestion of doubt; and they are therefore not giving a critical judgment of their own, but are simply taking for granted the truth of what had been handed down and was generally accepted. We are told that the heretic Marcion, about the middle of the second century, included Galatians among the Epistles of Paul. Beyond this period our knowledge does not extend. It may be thought that evidence which only brings us within eighty years of the time of Paul is not very stron...