THE PROGRESS OF THE GOSPEL FROM THE DEATH OF CHRIST TO THE DEATH OF
THE APOSTLE JAMES, THE BROTHER OF JOHN.

A.D. 31 TO A.D. 44.


When our Lord bowed His head on the cross and "gave up the ghost," the
work of atonement was completed. The ceremonial law virtually expired
when He explained, by His death, its awful significance; and the crisis
of His passion was the birthday of the Christian economy. At this date
the history of the New Testament Church properly commences.

After His resurrection Jesus remained forty days on earth, [51:1] and,
during this interval, He often took occasion to point out to His
disciples the meaning of His wonderful career. He is represented as
saying to them--"Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to
suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and
remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations,
_beginning at Jerusalem_." [51:2] The inspired narratives of the
teaching and miracles of our Lord are emphatically corroborated by the
fact, that a large Christian Church was established, almost immediately
after His decease, in the metropolis of Palestine. The Sanhedrim and the
Roman governor had concurred in His condemnation; and, on the night of
His trial, even the intrepid Peter had been so intimidated that he had
been tempted to curse and to swear as he averred that he knew not "The
Man." It might have been expected that the death of Jesus would have
been followed by a reign of terror, and that no attempt would have been
made, at least in the place where the civil and ecclesiastical
authorities resided, to assert the Divine mission of Him whom they had
crucified as a malefactor. But perfect love casteth out fear. In the