80 THE KEY OF MYSTERIES

to the Hebrews, which was written either by St. Paul himself or by a disciple of his who had learnt his doctrines from St. Paul's lips. What do these parts of the New Testament say about the Deity of Christ? Is their teaching at all different from that of Christ's first disciples?

We have reserved St. Paul's testimony to the last, partly because he became a Christian only after Christ's ascension,1 and partly because our Muslim friends are often much prejudiced against him and will not grant him the title of Apostle. But all this is due to a mistake. He was as distinctly called and sent 2 by the Lord Jesus as was any other of the Apostles (الحواريّون). The word Apostle, whether we use the Arabic رسول or the Æthiopic حواري, means one sent, and the latter word is specially applied to those whom Christ 3 sent to preach the Gospel. His authority to send messengers for this purpose did not cease when He ascended into heaven, hence St. Paul is perfectly justified in claiming to be an Apostle 4 of Jesus Christ, and all Christians agree in admitting his claim. We, therefore, proceed to inquire what testimony he gives regarding the Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Acts ix. 1-31; xxii. 3-21. 2 Acts ix. 15; xiii. 2; xxii. 21.
3 Matt. x. 5; Mark iii. 14; Luke vi. 13.
4 Rom. i. 1; xi. 13; 1 Cor. i. 1; 2 Cor. i. 1; Eph. i. 1; Col. i. 1; 1 Tim. i. 1; 2 Tim. i. 1; Gal. i. 1; 1 Tim, ii. 7; 2 Tim. i. 11; Tit. 1. 1; 2 Cor. xii. 12.
PROOF OF THE DEITY OF CHRIST 81

(1) In the first place, he teaches the oneness and the greatness of God in such words as these: 'Now 1 unto the King eternal, incorruptible, invisible, the only God, be honour and glory for ever and ever: Amen.' And again, 'The 2 blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; who only hath immortality, dwelling in light unapproachable; whom no man hath seen, nor can see.' In this matter St. Paul's teaching is in complete accord with that of the Taurat 3 and the Injil.4

(2) Besides this, however, St. Paul agrees with the other Apostles in teaching the perfect humanity and the perfect Deity of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Thus he writes that Christ, though a man, is sinless, saying: 'We 5 beseech you on behalf of Christ, be ye reconciled to God. Him who knew no sin 6 he made to be sin [or a sin-offering] on our behalf; that we might become the righteousness of God in him.' And in the Epistle to the Hebrews it is written: 'Having 7 then a great high priest, who hath passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we have not a high priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but one that hath been in all points tempted like as we are, yet

1 1 Tim. i. 17. 2 1 Tim. vi. 16-16.
3 Deut. vi. 4. 4 Mark xii. 29.
5 2 Cor. v. 20-1. 6 Cf. John viii. 46; 1 Pet. ii. 22.
7 Heb. iv. 14-16.