Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 2.djvu/295

 CHRISTIAN SOCIOLOGY 28 1

The revelation of the possibility of the divine sonship of man by Jesus becomes the source of motive power in two particulars.

1. As in the case of all ideals, the revelation of the possi- bilities of human life made by the character and life of Jesus himself stirred men's hearts to emulation and duplication. But Jesus never represents himself in the fashion of the Stoic, strong enough in his own unaided virtue to conquer sin within and dif- ficulty without. His was a life of prayer. 1 He did always the will of his Father. 2 The depths of his life were united with the Divine. 3 He and his Father are one. In these particulars Jesus has always been an inspiration for all those who have studied his life. Men who are dubious about the historic records of his life, nevertheless are anxious to see this ideal type of character more and more reproduced in themselves. * And whatever may have been the explanations of his influence given by others, in Jesus' own mind the highest result that could come from his intercourse with his disciples was their sharing in this complete life; a life that should satisfy their nature's demands for a life united with God ; a life in which they were one with themselves, with him and with his Father. 5

2. Yet the results of this new relationship this sonship were after all the fundamental things with Jesus. As his example was calculated to lead men to something other than an atomistic, self centered moral life (if such a thing is conceivable) so the new sonship would result in new moral impulses, new moral states out of which might rise new motives and choices. And

1 Matt 14:23; Luke 5:16; Mark I :35; Luke 6 : 12 ; 9:28; John 14: 16; 16:26, 17; Matt. 26:36.

John 6 : 39 ; 8 : 29 ; Matt. 26 : 42.

'John 10:30. This is also the clear implication of the stories of the baptism. Matt. 3 : 13-17 ; Luke 3 : 21, 22 ; John 1 : 32-34. How quickly this oldest conception of Jesus passed on the one hand into a confusion of his person with that of the Father and on the other into a mechanical conception of his power, may be seen in the litera- ture of the second century. Compare, for instance, the Kpistle of Barnabas with the Gospel of Peter.

i DON, An Etkital Movement, p. 123. 'John 17 : 22, 23.