Jan.9] SOCIETYOF BIBLICAL ARCHEOLOGY. [1894.hibitedin the Book of Revelation. In many parts,as for instance
in the Woes on Babylon, the language is as pure as it is rich and
noble,whilethe extraordinary defianceof grammatical rule in some
few passages has been all along the perplexity of commentators.
The Septuagintalso, in parts, presentsthe same phenomenonof a
graspof language combinedwitha most anarchichalsyntax. An
explanation mayperhapsbe found in the following passage,taken
fromMr. E. M. Geldart's bookon the Modern GreekLanguage:—
" The phraseology of the Septuagint is modern to an extent which
is quite marvellous when compared with that of contemporary
writers,and only explicableby the assumption that the writers are
usingthe common vernacular, whichhad alreadybecome in its
spiritand essence muchwhatmodernCreeknow is."
In justice to the argument and the author, the whole section,
or rather the whole book,shouldbe read.
The linguistic argument,therefore,pointsto the same conclusion
as that at which Dr. Gaster has arrived fromother considerations,
namely, that this class of literature is popular literature. The
visionsof the Patriarchs, like the visions of our own Piers Plowman,
beingintendedfor the commonalty, wouldnaturallybe written in
the vulgar tongue,so far as the theme permitted.
The Koranseemsto have had a reverse history. Mr. Palgrave
statesthat the language of the Koran is that spoken at the present
day in Djebel Shomerand Upper and Central Nejed; the isolation
of those countries havingapparentlykepttheir speechunchanged
sincethe time of Mahomet. In this case, therefore, a vernacular
dialecthas become the standard of literary Arabic.
One or two words may be discussed whichare of general use in
all this class of literature, includingthe Atiaxv- Of these £t!rvx"',
double-mindedness, is very noticeable. It has a wide range of
meaning,whichincludesboth moralinsincerityand cowardice, and
also doubtfulness in prayer. In this, as in so many cases,Christianity
deals with the thought of the time. Thedouble-minded man is
censuredby St. James. bityv\iain its first meaning is condemnedin
the person of him whowould serve two masters, or who puts his
handto the plough and looks back. " Whatsoever ye shall ask in
prayerbelieving, ye shall receive,"and " Let a man ask in faith,
nothingwavering,"are commands answeringto the second meaning.
It may be remarked that faith is commended as a theological virtue
in this apocryphal literatureas well as in the Christian Scriptures.
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