The disciples, we are told, (Acts 11:26) were first called Christians at Antioch on the Orontes,
somewhere about A.D. 43. They were known to each other as, and were among themselves called,
brethren, (Acts 15:1,23; 1 Corinthians 7:12) disciples, (Acts 9:26; 11:29) believers, (Acts 5:14)
saints, (Romans 8:27; 15:25) The name “Christian,” which, in the only other cases where it appears
in the New Testament, (Acts 26:28; 1 Peter 4:16) is used contemptuously, could not have been
applied by the early disciples to themselves, but was imposed upon them by the Gentile world.
There is no reason to suppose that the name “Christian” of itself was intended as a term of scurrility
or abuse, though it would naturally be used with contempt.
Chronicles, First And Second Books Of
the name originally given to the record made by the appointed historiographers in the kingdoms
of Israel and Judah. In the LXX. these books are called Paralipomena (i.e. things omitted), which
is understood as meaning that they are supplementary to the books of Kings. The constant tradition
of the Jews is that these books were for the most part compiled by Ezra. One of the greatest
difficulties connected with the captivity and return must have been the maintenance of that
genealogical distribution of the land which yet was a vital point of the Jewish economy. To supply
this want and that each tribe might secure the inheritance of its fathers on its return was one object
of the author of these books. Another difficulty intimately connected with the former was the
maintenance of the temple services at Jerusalem. Zerubbabel, and after him Ezra and Nehemiah,
labored most earnestly to restore the worship of God among the people, and to reinfuse something
of national life and spirit into their hearts. Nothing could more effectually aid these designs than
setting before the people a compendious history of the kingdom of David, its prosperity under God;
the sins that led to its overthrow; the captivity and return. These considerations explain the plan
and scope of that historical work which consists of the two books of Chronicles. The first book
contains the sacred history by genealogies from the Creation to David, including an account of
David’s reign. In the second book he continues the story, giving the history of the kings of Judah,
without those of Israel, down to the return from the captivity. As regards the materials used by
Ezra, they are not difficult to discover. The genealogies are obviously transcribed from some register
in which were preserved the genealogies of the tribes and families drawn up at different times;
while the history is mainly drawn from the same document as those used in the books of King.
[Kings, First And Second Books Of, BOOKS OF]
Chronology
By this term we understand the technical and historical chronology of the Jews and their ancestors
from the earliest time to the close of the New Testament Canon.
•TECHNICAL CHRONOLOGY.—The technical part of Hebrew chronology presents great
difficulties.
•HISTORICAL CHRONOLOGY.—The historical part of Hebrew chronology is not less difficult
than the technical. The information in the Bible is indeed direct rather than inferential although
there is very important evidence of the latter kind, but the present state of the numbers make
absolute certainty in many cases impossible. Three principal systems of biblical chronology have
been founded, which may be termed (the Long System, the short, and the Rabbinical. There is a
fourth, which although an off shoot in part of the last, can scarcely be termed biblical, in as much
as it depends for the most part upon theories, not only independent of but repugnant to the Bible:
this last is at present peculiar to Baron Bunsen. The principal advocates of the Long chronology
are Jackson. Hales and Des-Vignoles. Of the Short chronology Ussher may be considered as the
frankie
(Frankie)
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