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Untitled Article
validity of his replies to the arguments which they have advanced to justify the mark of doubtful authenticity which they have affixed to the introductory chapters of Matthew and Luke . ; i
1 . They observe that the genealogy in Matthew contradicts the narrative . The table of genealogy is introduced for the express purpose of
proving , that Jesus Christ was the descendant of David who was the descendant of Abraham : agreeably to the predictions of the prophets , and the uniform expectations of the Jews . And how is this fact established ? By exhibiting his pedigree from Abraham , through David , to Joseph . If therefore Joseph was not the father of Jesus , the argu ? ment would be null and void .
Jesus is not the offspring of David , and therefore is not the expected Messiah . But the writer of the narrative of the miraculous conception expressly affirms , th . at Jesus was not the son of Joseph , but of Mary only . The writer of the narrative therefore contradicts the
writer of the genealogy . If the evangelist wrote both accounts lie contradicts himself . If he was inspired to write them both , he was inspired to contradict himself .
All this may pass with the Quarterly Reviewer , if he pleases . His faith may be like that of the honest clergyman , who having subscribed the thirty-nine articles , wished to God that there
were a hundred more , that he Plight prove his orthodoxy by ^ signing thorn all . But he must excuse the Editors of the Improved Version , who are not blest yvjtj } so easy a faith , if they think
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that it argues more reverence of the Divine Being , and more re * speci to the evangelist , to maintain that neither the evangelist nor the holy spirit contradict themselves , but that the writer of the narra
tive is a different person from the writer of the genealogy . After all , as a palpable contra - diction is somewhat revolting even to a well disciplined believer , it i * curious to observe the pains which our orthodox Reviewer takes to make it palatable , and the ingenious manner in which he applies
his golden canon , " to believe every thing to be inspired , and then to unravel difficulties as we can /' In the first place , he gravel / observes , that " Joseph is not calif ed the father of Jesus , but the husband of his mother . " But does the Reviewer , or could the
evangelist mean to cast a slur upon the character of Mary ? In all reason the husband of the mother is to be regarded as the father of the child ; and as such the
evangelist unquestionably intend * ed to represent Joseph , as he could not otherwise have estab * lishecl his proposition , that Jesus was the son of David , the son of Abraham .
cc But , saith our learned Re * viewer , " St . Matthew ' s object was to deduce our Saviour ' s regal descent ; his title bylaw to the throne of David : and that
this line was to be traced according to all Jewish law and custom through the espoused husband of his mother . " But does the evan ^
gelist give any notice that when he asserts that Jesus is descended from David , he does not mean lineally but legally , according to some nice peculiarities of Jewish law ? It is however , consonant t +
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The Quarterly Review and the Improved Version . 415
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Citation
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Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Aug. 2, 1809, page 419, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1739/page/5/
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