Page:Who is Jesus?.pdf/17

 is true, it is remarkable what success they have had in creating a character and a life so positively unique that the whole world acknowledges it to have been the greatest character and the greatest life in history. If the Bible account of Jesus was invented, herein is a marvel, for it must have been invented in such a case by ignorant ﬁshermen or their unknown successors; if they are the creators of the character and life of Jesus, we should find them out and honor them as we now honor him, for it is Jesus as presented in the Bible we admire and love; if perchance any of us now worship him as Divine, we should honor them instead; for, as some one has said, only Divinity itself could have invented such a character and such a life.

It must suffice here to say that the only documents claiming to be authoritative which we possess concerning Jesus are contained in the Bible. There are traditions, and a few confirmatory references in profane history, enough to establish the general fact of the existence of such a character, but nothing else which claims to be authoritative as a statement of his life and teachings. If the Bible contains exaggeration, it would be an extremely difficult task to