English tongue has undergone some changes, and words then current are now obsolete. The ancient languages and sacred antiquities have been more profoundly investigated, and the light of new researches and discoveries has since their day been shed upon the pages of inspiration. Strongly bound as they were to a peculiar, and, as is believed, now waning system of theology, they occasionally let their doctrinal biases appear in the work. There is also a want of uniformity in the phraseology of different portions, attributable to the employment of many translators. But, consecrated as this version has been by the antiquity of its use, its acknowledged excellence on the whole, and the unanimity of its adoption by all sects of Christians, it has commanded a respect but little short of that paid to infallibility and inspiration. Its rhetorical merits are undoubtedly great, and no book has been a richer or purer repository of the sound old Saxon virtues of our tongue. But the imperfect Greek text on which it was grounded, together with the reasons above stated, obviously suggests the need of its revision, or of a totally new translation in its stead, if we would possess the Word of God in its greatest uncorruptness and simplicity. For, since King James' day, besides the invaluable results of philology, sacred antiquities, and history, as explanatory of the Scriptures, the most fruitful and important critical researches have been carried on by Mill, Bengel, Wetstein, Matthäi, Alter, Birch, and especially by the celebrated Griesbach. But while their patient collation of manuscripts, versions, and fathers, has yielded many thousands of various readings of the Greek original, yet, as almost all of them are of minor consequence, they have materially strengthened the pillars of our faith in the Christian Scriptures. They have demonstrated that the sacred records have been preserved with an uncommon freedom from gross corruptions, more so than the classic works of antiquity, and in a purity, indicating that the providence of God, through the instrumentality of man, has watched over their preservation under the most disastrous circumstances, and brought out of dark and distant ages this great light of truth, to shine with undimmed splendor, and to spread over all coming generations. CALENDAR OF OUR LORD'S MINISTRY. BY LANT CARPENTER, LL. D. [The precise dates are of course conjectural, but the general outlines of the table are based upon historical facts. N. B. The Jewish Sabbaths are marked §.] A. D. 29. Jan. 20. BAPTISM OF JESUS: after this, he retires to the Desert, for forty days. Feb. 28. The Priests and Levites come to John from the Sanhedrim. 2. John, Andrew, and Peter follow Jesus. 3. Philip and Nathanael become disciples of Jesus. 7. FIRST MIRACLE, at Cana. 8. Our Lord goes to Capernaum, which was thenceforward his ordinary residence. 19. The FIRST PASSOVER begins: during the festival, our Lord drives the traders from the Temple, and converses with Nicodemus. 27. Christ exercises his ministry in the country of Judea. Apr. 22. Conference with the Samaritan woman at Sychar. 27. Jesus, while at Cana, heals the youth lying ill at Capernaum. May 8. The PENTECOST begins. June. July. 14. The cure of the infirm man at Bethesda. 15. Christ departs for Galilee, where he remains till the FEAST OF 21. 28. August. TABERNACLES. The walk through the cornfields. During these months, our Lord appears to have been occupied in preparatory instruction in the synagogues of Galilee; occasionally employing his miraculous powers; but awaiting the fit season, and the signal given by the imprisonment of John, to commence the public announcement, and the series of wonderful works, which immediately afterwards ensued. XX CALENDAR OF OUR LORD'S MINISTRY. Sep. 13. The FEAST OF TABERNACLES begins. A little before this, probably, the Baptist was imprisoned by Herod Antipas. 16. Our Lord reaches Jerusalem. 19. "The last day, the great day of the feast." 20. Our Lord gives sight to the blind man. He then goes to Galilee. 23. CHRIST BEGINS HIS PUBLIC PREACHING. Call of Peter, &c. 24. § Cure of the demoniac in the synagogue at Capernaum. 25. FIRST PROGRESS through Galilee. Oct. 16. Our Lord delivers the Sermon on the Mount, heals the leaper, &c. 17. The widow's son at Nain raised from the dead. 20. The tempest stilled, in crossing the Lake, and the demoniacs 21. Cure of the paralytic at Capernaum, and call of Matthew. 24. Christ selects the Twelve, and begins his SECOND PROGRESS Nov. 20. MISSION OF THE TWELVE into Galilee. Dec. Jan. 21. The disciples of John come to Jesus. The visit to. Simon the Pharisee. 22. MISSION OF THE SEVENTY into the Perea. 25. The visit to Martha and Mary at Bethany. 26. § Conference with the Jews near the close of the FEAST OF DEDICATION. 27. Jesus withdraws to Bethabara, east of the Jordan. A. D. 30. Jesus exercises his ministry in the Perea; and there probably many of the Seventy rejoin him, as also some of the Twelve. Jan. 20. The RESURRECTION OF LAZARUS, at Bethany. 22. The Sanhedrim resolve to kill Jesus, and he withdraws to Ephraim, in Samaria, till the death of the Baptist. Feb. 15. Jesus leaves Ephraim, to return to Galilee, on the death of John 18. § Cure of the man with the withered hand. 19. Cure of the dumb demoniac. The Day of Parables. Feb. 25. Last visit at Nazareth, after which our Lord teaches in the rest of the apostles collect to Mar. 4. The infirm woman healed in the synagogue, on the Sabbath. 5. MIRACLE OF THE FIVE THOUSAND, near Bethsaida Philippi. 6. Discourse, the day following, in the synagogue at Capernaum. Mar. 7. Departure for the region of Tyre and Sidon. 9. Cure of the Syrophoenician woman's daughter. 15. Cure of the blind man at Bethsaida of Galilee. 17. Avowal of Peter near Cæsarea Philippi. 25. The TRANSFIGURATION, in the northern part of Galilee. 27. The Temple tribute paid at Capernaum. 29. Having been refused reception by the Samaritans, Christ enters the Peræa. 31. Crosses the Jordan in the afternoon, and passes the Sabbath near Jericho. Apr. 1. Jesus visits Zaccheus at Jericho. 2. Sunday. Our Lord arrives at Bethany: the supper at the house 3. Monday. Public entry into Jerusalem: Voice in the Temple. 6. Thursday. Christ at Bethany: in the evening he goes to Jeru- 8. Saturday, The (Jewish) Sabbath. The sepulchre sealed, and 9. Sunday. Before sunrise our Saviour left the tomb; and, not long after, was seen by Mary Magdalene. 18. Second visit to the apostles, Thomas being present. May. Christ appears to the apostles, and perhaps at the same time to the Five Hundred Brethren, on a mountain in Galilee. 18. The ASCENSION OF CHRIST, near Bethany. 27. The PENTECOST. The communication of the Holy Spirit to the apostles. [CHIEFLY TAKEN FROM ALLEN'S QUESTIONS, PART I.) Money mentioned in the New Testament reduced to Federal Currency. A Mite, (Leptum, Mark xii. 42, Luke xii. 59) 26, Mark xii. 42) A Farthing, (Assarium, Matt. x. 29, Luke xii. 6) A Piece of Silver, (Drachm, Luke xv. 8) Tribute Money, (Didrachm, or half-shekel, Matt. xvii. 24) A Talent of Silver, (Matt. xxv. 15) about A Talent of Gold, about Measures of Length mentioned in the New Testament. A Cubit, (John xxi. 8) about dolls. c. m. 12 4 15 140 140 280 560 13888 1,500 000 24,000,000 miles. rds. ft. i. 1/6 A Fathom, (Acts xxvii. 28) about 74 A Furlong, (Luke xxiv. 13, John xi. 18) about 44 37 A Sabbath Day's Journey, (Acts i. 12) about 292 150 000000 A Day's Journey, (Luke ii. 44) 20 to 30 000 0olo Measures of Capacity mentioned in the New Testament. A Firkin, (Metretes, John ii. 6) probably about 7 gallons, though some say 9 gallons. A Measure, (Satum, Matt. xiii. 33) 1 peck, 4 quarts. A Roman Bushel, (Modius, Matt. v. 15) 1 peck. A Cor, (Corus, or homer, Luke xvi. 7) about 14 bushels. A Pot, (Sextarius, Mark vii. 4) about 1 pint. A Bath, (Batus, Luke xvi. 6) 7 gallons. A Measure, (Chanix, Rev. vi. 6) about one quart. Seasons of the Year in Palestine. 1. Seed Time, corresponding to our October and November. |