This new doctrine was in both form and content absolutely new to
the Jewish world in which it originated, and still more to the
Roman world in which it was preached and diffused.

In the midst of the elaborate religious observances of Judaism, in
which, in the words of Isaiah, law was laid upon law, and in the
midst of the Roman legal system worked out to the highest point of
perfection, a new doctrine appeared, which denied not only every
deity, and all fear and worship of them, but even all human
institutions and all necessity for them. In place of all the
rules of the old religions, this doctrine sets up only a type of
inward perfection, truth, and love in the person of Christ, and--
as a result of this inward perfection being attained by men--also
the outward perfection foretold by the Prophets--the kingdom of
God, when all men will cease to learn to make war, when all shall
be taught of God and united in love, and the lion will lie down
with the lamb. Instead of the threats of punishment which all the
old laws of religions and governments alike laid down for non-
fulfillment of their rules, instead of promises of rewards for
fulfillment of them, this doctrine called men to it only because
it was the truth. John vii. 17: "If any man will do His will, he
shad know of the doctrine whether it be of God." John viii. 46:
"If I say the truth, why do ye not believe me? But ye seek to
kill me, a man that hath told you the truth. Ye shall know the
truth, and the truth shall make you free. God is a spirit, and
they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
Keep my sayings, and ye shall know of my sayings whether they be
true." No proofs of this doctrine were offered except its truth,
the correspondence of the doctrine with the truth. The whole
teaching consisted in the recognition of truth and following it,