stablished (see Wrede, above work, p. 65), but yet it is hardly to be
rejected. The Jewish catechetical and missionary instruction in the
Diaspora needed such collections, and their existence seem to be proved
by the Christian Apologies and the Sybilline books.]

[Footnote 215: It is an extremely important fact that the words of the
Lord were quoted and applied in their literal sense (that is chiefly for
the statement of Christian morality) by Ecclesiastical authors, almost
without exception, up to and inclusive of Justin. It was different with
the theologians of the age, that is the Gnostics, and the Fathers from
Irenaeus.]

[Footnote 216: Justin was not the first to do so, for it had already
been done by the so-called Barnabas (see especially c. 13) and others.
On the proofs from prophecy see my Texte und Unters. Bd. I. 3. pp.
56-74. The passage in the Praed. Petri (Clem. Strom. VI. 15. 128) is
very complete: [Greek: Hemis anaptixantes tas biblous tas eichomen ton
propheton, ha men dia parabolon ha de dia ainigmaton, ha de authentikos
kai autolexei ton Christon Iesoun onomazonton, euromen kai ten parousian
autou kai ton thanaton kai ton stauron kai tas loipas kolaseis pasas,
hosas epoiesan auto hoi Ioudaioi, kai ten egersin kai ten eis ouranous
analepsin pro tou Hiersoluma krithenai, kathos egegrapto tauta panta ha
edei auton pathein kai met' auton ha estai; tauta oun epignontes
episteusamen to theo dia ton gegrammennon eis auton.] With the help of
the Old Testament the teachers dated back the Christian religion to the
beginning of the human race, and joined the preparations for the
founding of the Christian community with the creation of the world. The
Apologists were not the first to do so, for Barnabas and Hermas, and
before these, Paul, the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews, and others
had already done the same. This was undoubtedly to the cultured classes
one of the most impressive articles in the missionary preaching. The
Christian religion in this way got a hold which the others--with the
exception of the Jewish--lacked. But for that very reason, we must guard
against turning it into a formula, that the Gentile Christians had
comprehended the Old Testament essentially through the scheme of
prediction and fulfilment. The Old Testament is certainly the book of
predictions, but for that very reason the complete revelation of God
which needs no additions and excludes subsequent changes. The historical
fulfilmen