The Pleroma: An Essay on the Origin of Christianity

This book outlines the Gnostic beliefs which are said to be the forerunners of Christian Theology and not heresies from it, then speaks of the period of transition and builds an argument on the followers of John the Baptist, preferring to take doubtful possibilities as to his connection with certain sects rather than the clear statement of the Gospels which imply the supernatural. Gnosticism in its more favorable aspects appears before us and we are then asked to consider the kindred sects in Palestine and Egypt. Here occur some surprising statements about John and Jesus as being of the sects of the Zabians and the Nazarenes. The difficulty arises in confusing the cause for the effect . The Nazarenes arose because the followers of Jesus were called contemptuously after the despised name of their Master's native city. The reference to the Ebionites as "the poor" of the sermon on the mount is amusing, but impossible, as in the Gospels there is nowhere any evidence that Jesus allied himself with any faction or sect. He strove to keep free from them.... ....The book makes increasingly manifest the need of thorough Bible study. Its form is so attractive, its material so well chosen and its conclusions, on their face, so natural and so plausible that it can only harm those who will not investigate for themselves. Truth is ever good and ever necessary, but half truths are exceedingly dangerous to those who are either too lazy to study and think for themselves or are too ignorant to be able to distinguish and to understand. The only real antidote for this propaganda is a thorough knowledge of what the Bible really is and what it really teaches, and this can come only through study. A church or a body of Christians ignorant of doctrine and the Bible must be ever at the mercy of the latest plausible and tempting theory. One thing very clear, this book is very valuable. In the heart of man, of the universal man, is a vague hope for a saviour, is a longing for personal communion with God. The desired things of all nations are found in Jesus. Hindu and Egyptian, Greek and Chinaman have hoped that the things that have been revealed to us might be true. Their prophets have desired to know what God has given to the world. There are many who even now claim that all we need is the moral value of the truths of Christianity and that historicity is of no importance. If this is so, Dr. Carus is right in his contention. If this is so, we have only what the heathen have-vague longings, unfulfilled hopes, no certainty, a great IF, to believe and worship. The fullness of time came but it did not of itself produce the needed religion. Some of the elements were present, some of the outward emblems, in their form at least, were in readiness; but there was no life, no power, no incarnation of truth. The world was skeptical, tired, and hopeless. Then God sent forth His Son, and hope became reality; and the Power of the Spirit of God has ever since proved the uniqueness and exclusive right of the good news of Jesus Christ.