forhehasonlytolookabouthimintheworldtofindthattheworkwhichheattributestoanall-wise，all-beneficent，andall-powerfulCreatorisbynomeansfreefromevilandwrong。
Butthisanalogylongescapeshim，andtheexponentofeachgreatreligionprovestohisownsatisfaction，andtotheedificationofhisfellows，thattheirownsacredliteratureisabsolutelyaccurateinstatement，infinitelyprofoundinmeaning，andmiraculouslyperfectinform。Fromthesepremisesalsohearrivesattheconclusionthathisownsacredliteratureisunique；thatnoothersacredbookcanhaveemanatedfromadivinesource；andthatallothersclaimingtobesacredareimpostures。
Stillanotherlawgoverningtheevolutionofsacredliteratureineverygreatworldreligionis，thatwhenthebookswhichcomposeitareonceselectedandgroupedtheycometoberegardedasafinalcreationfromwhichnothingcanbetakenaway，andofwhichevenerrorinform，ifsanctionedbytradition，maynotbechanged。
Theworkingofthislawhasrecentlybeenseenonalargescale。
Afewyearssince，abodyofchosenscholars，universallyacknowledgedtobethemostfitforthework，undertook，atthecallofEnglish-speakingChristendom，torevisetheauthorizedEnglishversionoftheBible。
Beautifulaswasthatoldversion，therewasabundantreasonforarevision。Theprogressofbiblicalscholarshiphadrevealedmultitudesofimperfectionsandnotafewgrosserrorsintheworkoftheearlytranslators，andthese，ifuncorrected，weresuretobringthesacredvolumeintodiscredit。
Nothingcouldbemorereverentthanthespiritoftherevisers，andthenineteenthcenturyhasknownfewhistoricaleventsofmoresignificantandtouchingbeautythantheparticipationintheholycommunionbyallthesescholars——prelates，presbyters，ministers，andlaymenofchurchesmostwidelydifferinginbeliefandobservance——kneelingsidebysideatthelittlealtarinWestminsterAbbey。
Norcouldanyworkhavebeenmoreconservativeandcautiousthantheirs；asfaraspossibletheypreservedtheoldmatterandformwithscrupulouscare。
Yettheirworkwasnosoonerdonethanitwasbitterlyattackedandwidelycondemned；tothisdayitislargelyregardedwithdislike。InGreatBritain，inAmerica，inAustralia，theoldversion，withitsglaringmisconceptions，mistranslations，andinterpolations，isstillreadinpreferencetothenew；thegreatbodyofEnglish-speakingChristiansclearlypreferringtheaccustomedformofwordsgivenbytheseventeenth-centurytranslators，ratherthananearerapproachtotheexactteachingoftheHolyGhost。
Stillanotherlawis，thatwhenonceagroupofsacredbookshasbeenevolved——eventhoughthegroupreallybeagreatlibraryofmostdissimilarworks，ranginginmatterfromthehundredthPsalmtotheSongofSongs，andinmannerfromthesublimityofIsaiahtotheoffhandstory-tellingofJonah——allcometobethoughtoneinseparablemassofinterpenetratingparts；everystatementineachfittingexactlyandmiraculouslyintoeachstatementineveryother；andeachandeveryone，andalltogether，literallytruetofact，andatthesametimefullofhiddenmeanings。
TheworkingoftheseandotherlawsgoverningtheevolutionofsacredliteratureisveryclearlyseeninthegreatrabbinicalschoolswhichflourishedatJerusalem，Tiberias，andelsewhere，afterthereturnoftheJewsfromtheBabyloniancaptivity，andespeciallyasweapproachthetimeofChrist。TheseschoolsdevelopedasubtletyinthestudyoftheOldTestamentwhichseemsalmostpreternatural。Theresultantsystemwasmainlyajugglerywithwords，phrases，andnumbers，whichfinallybecamea“sacredscience。”withvariousrecogniseddepartments，inwhichinterpretationwascarriedonsometimesbyattachinganumericalvaluetoletters；sometimesbyinterchangeoflettersfromdifferentlyarrangedalphabets；sometimesbythemakingofnewtextsoutoftheinitiallettersoftheold；andwithever-increasingsubtlety。
Sucheffortsastheseculminatedfitlyintherabbinicaldeclarationthateachpassageinthelawhasseventydistinctmeanings，andthatGodhimselfgivesthreehourseverydaytotheirstudy。
AfterthistheJewishworldwaspreparedforanything，anditdoesnotsurpriseustofindsuchdiscoveriesinthedomainofethicalcultureasthedoctrinethat，forinflictingthefortystripessaveoneuponthosewhobrokethelaw，thelashshouldbebraidedofox-hideandass-hide；and，aswarrantforthisconstructionofthelash，thetext，“Theoxknowethhisowner，andtheasshismaster’scrib，butIsraeldothnotknow“；and，asthelogicconnectingtextandlash，thestatementthatJehovahevidentlyintendedtocommandthat“themenwhoknownotshallbebeatenbythoseanimalswhoseknowledgeshamesthem。”
BysuchmethodsalsowererevealedsuchhistoricaltreasuresasthatOg，KingofBashan，escapedthedelugebywadingafterNoah’sark。
Therewere，indeed，nobleexceptionstothiskindofteaching。
ItcannotbeforgottenthatRabbiHillelformulatedthegoldenrule，whichhadbeforehimbeengiventotheextremeOrientbyConfucius，andwhichafterwardreceivedayetmorebeautifulandpositiveemphasisfromJesusofNazareth；butthesevenrulesofinterpretationlaiddownbyHillelweremultipliedandrefinedbymenlikeRabbiIsmaelandRabbiEleazaruntiltheyjustifiedeveryabsurdsubtlety。[462]
[462]Foramultitudeofamusingexamplesofrabbinicalinterpretations，seeanarticleinBlackwood’sMagazineforNovember，1882。Foramoregeneraldiscussion，seeArchdeaconFarrar’sHistoryofInterpretation，lect。iandii，andRev。
Prof。H。P。Smith’sInspirationandInerrancy，Cincinnati，1893，especiallychap。iv；alsoReuss，HistoryoftheNewTestament，Englishtranslation，pp。527，528。
AneminentscholarhassaidthatwhiletheletterofScripturebecameossifiedinPalestine，itbecamevolatilizedatAlexandria；andthetruthofthisremarkwasprovedbytheAlexandrianJewishtheologiansjustbeforethebeginningofourera。
This，too，wasinobediencetoalawofdevelopment，whichis，thatwhenliteralinterpretationclasheswithincreasingknowledgeorwithprogressinmoralfeeling，theologianstakerefugeinmysticmeanings——alawwhichweseeworkinginallgreatreligions，fromtheBrahmansfindinghiddensensesintheVedas，toPlatoandtheStoicsfindingthemintheGreekmyths；
andfromtheSofireadingnewmeaningsintotheKoran，toeminentChristiandivinesofthenineteenthcenturygivinganon-naturalsensetosomeoftheplaineststatementsintheBible。
Nothingismorenaturalthanallthis。Whennaivestatementsofsacredwriters，inaccordwiththeethicsofearlyages，makeBrahmaperformatrocitieswhichwoulddisgraceapirate；andJupitertakepartinadventuresworthyofDonJuan；andJahvehpractisetrickery，cruelty，andhigh-handedinjusticewhichwouldbringanycivilizedmortalintothecriminalcourts，theinventionofallegoryistheonemeansofsavingthedivineauthorityassoonasmenreachhigherplanesofcivilization。
Thegreatearlymasterinthisevolutionofallegory，forthesatisfactionofJewsandChristians，wasPhilo：byhimitsusecameinasneverbefore。ThefourstreamsofthegardenofEdenthusbecomethefourvirtues；Abraham’scountryandkindred，fromwhichhewascommandedtodepart，thehumanbodyanditsmembers；thefivecitiesofSodom，thefivesenses；theEuphrates，correctionofmanners。ByPhiloandhiscompeerseventhemostinsignificantwordsandphrases，andthoseespecially，wereheldtoconcealthemostpreciousmeanings。
AperfectlynaturalandlogicalresultofthisviewwasreachedwhenPhilo，saturatedashewaswithGreekcultureandnourishedonpioustraditionsoftheutterancesatDelphiandDodona，spokereverentlyoftheJewishScripturesas“oracles“。Oraclestheybecame：asoraclestheyappearedintheearlyhistoryoftheChristianChurch；andoraclestheyremainedforcenturies：
eternallifeordeath，infinitehappinessoragony，aswellasordinaryjusticeinthisworld，beingmadetodependonshiftinginterpretationsofalongseriesofdarkanddoubtfulutterances——interpretationsfrequentlygivenbymenwhomighthavebeenprophetsandapostles，butwhohadbecomesimplyoracle-mongers。
Pressingtheseoraclesintotheserviceofscience，Philobecametheforerunnerofthatlongseriesoftheologianswho，fromAugustineandCosmastoMr。Gladstone，haveattemptedtoextractfromscripturalmythandlegendprofoundcontributionstonaturalscience。Thushetaughtthatthegoldencandlesticksinthetabernaclesymbolizedtheplanets，thehighpriest’srobetheuniverse，andthebellsuponittheharmonyofearthandwater——whateverthatmaymean。SoCosmastaught，athousandyearslater，thatthetableofshewbreadinthetabernacleshowedforththeformandconstructionoftheworld；andMr。Gladstonehinted，morethanathousandyearslaterstill，thatNeptune’stridenthadamysteriousconnectionwiththeChristiandoctrineoftheTrinity。[463]
[463]ForPhiloJudaeus，seeYonge’stranslation，Bohn’sedition；
seealsoSanday，Inspiration，pp。78-85。Foradmirablegeneralremarksonthisperiodinhistoryofexegesis，seeBartlett，BamptonLectures，1888，p。29。Foreffortsingeneraltosavethecreditofmythsbyallegoricalinterpretation，andforthoseofPhiloinparticular，seeDrummond，PhiloJudaeus，London，1888，vol。i，pp。18，19，andnotes。ForinterestingexamplesofAlexandrianexegesisandforPhilo’sapplicationoftheterm“oracle“totheJewishScriptures，seeFarrar，HistoryofInterpretation，p。147andnote。Forhisdiscoveryofsymbolsoftheuniverseinthefurnitureofthetabernacle，seeDrummond，asabove，pp。269etseq。Forthegeneralsubject，admirablydiscussedfromahistoricalpointofview，seetheRev。EdwinHatch，D。D。，TheInfluenceofGreekIdeasandUsagesupontheChristianChurch，HibbertLecturesfor1888，chap。iii。ForCosmas，seemychaptersonGeographyandAstronomy。ForMr。
Gladstone’sviewoftheconnectionbetweenNeptune’stridentandthedoctrineoftheTrinity，seehisJuventusMundi。
Thesemethods，asappliedtotheOldTestament，hadappearedattimesintheNew；inspiteoftheresistanceofTertullianandIrenaeus，theyweretransmittedtotheChurch；andintheworksoftheearlyfatherstheybloomedforthluxuriantly。
JustinMartyrandClementofAlexandriavigorouslyextendedthem。
TypicalofJustin’smethodishisfinding，inaverysimplereferencebyIsaiahtoDamascus，Samaria，andAssyria，aclearprophecyofthethreewisemenoftheEastwhobroughtgiftstotheinfantSaviour；andinthebellsonthepriest’srobeaprefigurationofthetwelveapostles。AnydifficultyarisingfromthefactthatthenumberofbellsisnotspecifiedinScripture，JustinovercamebyinsistingthatDavidreferredtothisprefigurationinthenineteenthPsalm：“Theirsoundisgoneoutthroughalltheearth，andtheirwordstotheendoftheworld。”
Workinginthisvein，ClementofAlexandriafoundintheform，dimensions，andcolouroftheJewishtabernacleawholewealthofinterpretation——thealtarofincenserepresentingtheearthplacedatthecentreoftheuniverse；thehighpriest’srobethevisibleworld；thejewelsonthepriest’srobethezodiac；andAbraham’sthreedays’journeytoMountMoriahthethreestagesofthesoulinitsprogresstowardtheknowledgeofGod。
InterpretingtheNewTestament，helessenedanydifficultiesinvolvedinthemiracleofthebarleyloavesandfishesbysuggestingthatwhatitreallymeansisthatJesusgavemankindapreparatorytrainingforthegospelbymeansofthelawandphilosophy；because，ashesays，barley，likethelaw，ripenssoonerthanwheat，whichrepresentsthegospel；andbecause，justasfishesgrowinthewavesoftheocean，sophilosophygrewinthewavesoftheGentileworld。
Outofreasoningslikethese，thosewhofollowed，especiallyCosmas，developed，aswehaveseen，acompletetheologicalscienceofgeographyandastronomy。[464]
[464]ForJustin，seetheDialoguewithTrypho，chaps。xlii，lxxvi，andlxxxiii。ForClementofAlexandria，seehisMiscellanies，bookv，chaps。viandxi，andbookvii，chap。xvi，andespeciallyHatch，HibbertLectures，asabove，pp。76，77。Astothelooseviewsofthecanonheldbythesetwofathersandothersoftheirtime，seeLadd，DoctrineoftheSacredScriptures，vol。ii，pp。86，88；alsoDiestel，GeschichtedesaltenTestaments。
Buttheinstrumentinexegesiswhichwasusedwithmostcogentforcewastheoccultsignificanceofcertainnumbers。TheChaldeanandEgyptianresearchesofourowntimehaverevealedthemainsourceofthislineofthought；thespeculationsofPlatouponitarewellknown；butamongtheJewsandintheearlyChurchitgrewintosomethingfarbeyondthewildestimaginingsofthepriestsofMemphisandBabylon。
PhilohadfoundfortheelucidationofScriptureespeciallydeepmeaningsinthenumbersfour，six，andseven；butotherinterpreterssoonsurpassedhim。AttheveryoutsetthisoccultpowerwasusedinascertainingthecanonicalbooksofScripture。