Pocket College

Professor: Rushdoony Dr. R.J.R.

Subject: Systematic Theology

Genre: Speech

Lesson: 9 of 19

Track: #09

Year:

Dictation Name: 09 Authority and Ministry

[Rushdoony] Let us begin with prayer. Our help is in the name of Lord who made heaven and earth. Oh come let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker for He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand. Oh God our Father whose holiness fills all heaven and earth and whose glory lightens our days. Give us grace so to walk that we might know indeed that heaven and earth are filled with Thy glory. That Thy word is truth and Thy word shall prevail, that every knee shall bow unto Thee and every tongue confess Thee before Thy work on earth is finished. Therefore we praise Thee Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and we come into Thy presence with joy and Thanksgiving knowing that this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Our God we praise Thee, in Jesus name, amen.

Our Scripture this morning is from the gospel of Saint Matthew, the twentieth chapter verses twenty-five through twenty-eight. Matthew 20:25-28 and our subject Authority and Ministry.

“25 But Jesus called them unto him, and said, ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.

26 But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister;

27 And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:

28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” 

The occasion of these comments by our Lord was when the mother of James and John, two of the disciples, came to Him to ask for enthroned places for her sons in Christ’s kingdom. Now the mother of James and John whose name was Salome was our Lord’s aunt. As a result she felt that she had a privileged position and therefore could ask for privileges for her sons. Our Lord had denied Salome her request, but when the other disciples heard what she had done they were indignant. Our Lord called the disciples together to speak to them and verses 25-28 give us His words. Now the word that our Lord uses in verse twenty-five when He says “Ye know that the princes of the gentiles exercise dominion over them.” That word dominion is a particular word for a particular type of dominion. It is used in the New Testament only in an evil sense. For example in Acts nineteen verse sixteen it refers to the power of demons over men. In First Peter 5:3 it refers to evil elders, lording it over others, over Christ’s people. And it is a combination of two words; “kyrios” – Lord or dominion, and Kata – which means down, intensively so. So the meaning is “Lording it over someone.” So what our Lord is saying, “Ye know that the princes of the gentiles love to Lord it over them, and that they that are great exercise authority upon them.” Now again the word authority is different from the usual word for authority because here again instead of just ousia there is the prefix kata; so it means the authority to put down. It refers to something other than the Godly exercise of authority; it refers to putting down people. So here we have the usage of two words, not normally used for dominion and authority, which indicate lording it over others and putting them down and this, our Lord says, is what ungodly authority is all about. At the same time our Lord says “it shall not be so among you but whosoever will be great among you,

Professor: Rushdoony Dr. R.J.R.

Subject: Systematic Theology

Genre: Speech

Lesson: 8 of 19

Track: #08

Year:

Dictation Name: 08 Authority and False Responsibility.

[Rushdoony] Let us worship God. Grace be unto you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh unto you. Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise. Let our prayer be set forth before Thee as incense, and the lifting up of our hands as the evening sacrifice. Let us pray.

Oh Lord our God we thank Thee that Thou who dwellest in the heaven of heavens has chosen to dwell with those who long for Thy presence and humbly seek Thy face. We thank Thee that Thou art Thee who are the restorer of all things. Strengthen our faith, amend our lives according to Thy holy will, restore in us the joy of salvation. Bind up that which is broken. Give light to our minds, strength to our wills, and rest to our souls that we may rejoice in Thee and praise Thee as Thou hast summoned us to do. Grant us this we beseech Thee in Jesus name, amen.

Our scripture this morning is from the thirteenth chapter of the gospel of Saint Luke verses one through five, and our subject authority and false responsibility, authority and false responsibility.

“There were present at that season some that told him of the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.

2 And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galileans were sinners above all the Galileans, because they suffered such things?

3 I tell you, nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

4 Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem?

5 I tell you, nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.” 

When we deal with the question of authority we are dealing with something which is God ordained. But the word authority has been used to cover a multitude of sins. A great deal of what passes for authority in this world is ungodly. Moreover the relationship of authority and responsibility is very important one and a tangled one. Before we go into the subject let us examine briefly some of the errors that impede an understanding of authority and responsibility.

First of all there is a great difference between the authority of God and that of man. Man is God’s creature and subordinate, and no man however God-given the authority he may have in his particular office can identify himself with God and act as though because this is a God given authority I can act like a little God. Man’s authority is derivative and always conditional. Responsibility and authority under God mean accountability to the person or the standard who is greater than ourselves. We must remember that the terms responsible and irresponsible cannot be applied to God. There is no one to whom God is accountable. He is not responsible to some idea or being greater than himself. But all of us who are not God, all of us, are responsible to persons and ultimately to God who is greater than all of us. When men seek to become God they do not live beyond good and evil, as they dream a la Nietzsche and Adam, nor do they live beyond responsibility, they simply live in terms of irresponsibility because as creatures they can only be either responsible or irresponsible. And Adam and Eve who had been created by God, and established in a pilot project for exercising dominion and subduing,

Professor: Rushdoony Dr. R.J.R.

Subject: Systematic Theology

Genre: Speech

Lesson: 7 of 19

Track: #07

Year:

Dictation Name: 07 Undermining Authority

[Rushdoony] Our help is in the name of the Lord who made heaven and earth. The hour cometh and now is when the true worshipers shall worship the Father and Spirit and in truth. For the Father seeketh such to worship Him. God is a spirit and they that worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in truth. Let us pray.

Oh Lord our God who art from all eternity, who art greater than all things visible and invisible. We thank Thee that in Thy grace and mercy Thou art mindful of us, Thy creatures. We thank you our Father that there is nothing to small nor to great for Thee. In this confidence we come our Father, to cast our every care upon Thee who carest for us and to rejoice in Thy works. To give thanks that all our yesterdays, today’s, and our tomorrows are in Thine omnipotent hand. Bless us ever in Thy service, in Jesus name, amen.

Our scripture is from the gospel of Saint Mark, the thirteenth chapter verses thirty-two thru thirty-seven, our subject: undermining authority.

32 But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father.

33 Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.

34 For the Son of Man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch.

35 Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning:

36 Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping.

37 And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.

Over the centuries there has been a continuing war against authority often openly, often as an undercurrent. We’re speaking here of Godly authority, not rebellion against ungodly authority. Man being a sinner and in rebellion against God is therefore in rebellion against authority, Godly authority. However open rebellion against authority is often less damaging then the covert rebellion which hides under the mask of a seeming orthodoxy, a seeming respect for authority but actually undermines it. Very often covert undermining authority comes with an insistence on greater authoritarianism. 

Let us begin with some obvious examples. Emanuel Swedenborg whose influence in the English speaking world began about 1788 has been very influential in Western history. His influence on English and American writers of the last century is enormous. Emerson very extensively shows Swedenborg’s influence. One almost needs to know what Swedenborg said in order to decode Melville’s novels with their highly involved symbolism. According to Swedenborg the whole of the Bible was a coded book and He only had the key. And so in order to understand the Bible you had to accept Swedenborg and his theory of correspondences, his decoding, as authoritative. He gave a symbolic meaning to every passage in the Bible, and established himself as the only decoder. Thus he established himself as the only mediator between God and man. This of course has been the mark of cultists over the centuries. Now the sad fact is that all too many Catholic and Protestant scholars over the years have been guilty of a like esoteric approach. In the medieval emphasis for example there were four levels of meaning.

Professor: Rushdoony Dr. R.J.R.

Subject: Systematic Theology

Genre: Speech

Lesson: 6 of 19

Track: #06

Year:

Dictation Name: 06 Authority and Power

[Rushdoony] Let us begin with prayer. Our help is in the name of the Lord who made heaven and earth. Thus said the high and lofty one who inhabiteth eternity, whose name is holy; “I dwell in the high and holy place with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the Spirit of the humble and to revive the heart of the contrite. If thou shalt seek the Lord Thy God thou shalt find Him; if thou seek Him with all thy heart, and with all thy soul.” Let us pray.

Glory be to Thee oh God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. We praise Thee on this day and always that Thy hand is every upon us for good. That all the days of our life Thou art mindful of us. Thou hast beset all our goings and our comings with Thy gracious love and care. Give us grace so to walk oh Lord that in all things we may seek to serve Thee, be faithful to Thy word, and rejoice in Thy providence, in Jesus name amen.

Our scripture this morning is two verses of the chapter of Acts, Acts 1:7&8. Our subject is authority and power, authority and power.

“7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.

8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” 

As we have seen the New Testament word for authority in the Greek is exousia. It is translated in several ways in the New Testament. In Luke twenty-three verse seven it is translated as jurisdiction. In first Corinthians eight verse nine as liberty. Many, many times exousia is translated as “right” and when it is used in these various sense what it is trying to convey is that the authority to speak or act and the liberty to do so, and the rightness of such actions are all one and the same. We also have it translated as “strength” in one instance. In other words there is a relationship between power and authority; they are essentially one in God. In man power and authority do not necessarily go together. A tyrant may have a great deal of power but no, or very little, legitimate authority. A usurper or conquering army may have power, but no legitimate authority. A gunman breaking in and holding a family as hostage has power, but he has no authority. Authority means legitimate jurisdiction, a rightness morally; a liberty which comes from this legitimacy. There can be no separation of authority and power in the triune God. This is why kenosis is so evil and destructive a doctrine. 

But we have to go a step further; can we legitimately separate Godly authority and power? An ironic fact is that in the modern age a great deal of to-do is made about mothers when their authority is at a low ebb. But in terms of scripture than can be no separation of authority and power; in this sinful world Godliness may have authority, but it attracts hostility, it incites attacks. The aim of the ungodly is to obliterate God’s witness in man’s righteousness. Westminster Confession of faith says, with regard to holiness, that we are quickened and strengthened and given more authority in the practice of holiness. We are told that they who are effectually called and regenerated, have a new heart and a new spirit created in them are further sanctified really and personally through the virtue of Christ’s death and resurrection by His word and spirit d...

Professor: Rushdoony Dr. R.J.R.

Subject: Systematic Theology

Genre: Speech

Lesson: 5 of 19

Track: #05

Year:

Dictation Name: 05 Living Under Authority

[Rushdoony] Let us Worship God. Our help is in the name of the Lord Who made heaven and earth, oh come let us worship and bow down, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker, for He is our God and we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand. Let us pray.

Oh Lord our God Thy dominion extends to heaven and earth and all things therein and we Thy people come into Thy presence to give Thee Thy due praise. Give us ever joyful and grateful hearts that we live, move, and have our being in Thee; that Thou art He who didst make heaven and earth and hast ordained all things for Thy glory and for their fulfillment in Thee. Give us grace to walk in terms of Thy holy purpose, to rejoice in Thy grace and to trust in all Thy tomorrow’s, in Jesus name, amen.

Our scripture this morning is from Colossians the first chapter. Beginning with verse twelve and continuing through verse twenty-three. Our subject Living under authority, living under authority Colossians one twelve through twenty-three.

12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:

13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:

14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:

15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:

16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:

17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.

18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell;

20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.

21 And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled

22 In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:

23 If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister; 

Our subject is living under authority and our particular concern is the thirteenth verse of Colossians one. It is important for us to know the nature of authority. To know what constitutes true authority and false authority. Most people have a preference through a superficial solution which will make life easier. Hence they avoid the essential question of authority. Moreover our age has a penchant for seeing alternatives in terms of ridiculously obvious ones. We are told for example by some, and I hear it regularly, that the federal government is a legitimate God created authority, and therefore we have a duty of obedience. True,

Professor: Rushdoony Dr. R.J.R.

Subject: Systematic Theology

Genre: Speech

Lesson: 4 of 19

Track: #04

Year:

Dictation Name: 04 The Spirit of Adoption

[Rushdoony] Let us worship God. Our help is in the name of the Lord who made heaven and earth. This is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to his will he heareth us, having these promises let us draw near to the throne of grace with true hearts in full assurance of faith. My voice shalt Thou hear in the morning oh Lord. IN the morning will I direct my prayer unto Thee and will look up. Let us pray.

Almighty God our heavenly Father in Whom we live and move and have our being. We come to Thee Thy creatures Whom Thou hast made for Thy sovereign purpose, to cast our every care upon Thee who carest for us. We know that our times are in Thy hands, that Thy purposes and ways are altogether righteous. Give us grace therefore so to walk day by day that we may ever be mindful that because Jesus Christ is our Lord we are more than conquerors in Him. Grant us this we beseech Thee, in Jesus name amen.

Our scripture lesson is from Romans eight verses fourteen through seventeen, and our subject as we continue our studies in the doctrine of authority is the spirit of adoption, the spirit of adoption, Romans eight fourteen through seventeen. “14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 15 For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: 17 And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.”

As we have seen the Bible grounds authority on God’s law, his grace and his covenant, not on the natural order. We have seen that the authority of parents is not a naturalistic fact but a supernatural one. The natural fact of generations of parents is a creation of God in an area of His law. God created all things as aspects of His law order. The family is one such area where His law order is expressed, but the priority always belongs to God. The authority comes from God, not from the order He created. The Bible gives an abundant evidence of the secondary nature of the natural order. After all the first Adam was supplanted by the last Adam, Jesus Christ. Cain the first born was supplanted by Able and then Seth. Isaac was supplanted by Ishmael, Jacob prevailed over Esau, and Joseph over Rueben, as did Judah also. The logic of the natural order of authority, its succession is regularly overturned by God in scripture and in all of history. His providence brings to pass His purposes, His authority, not the natural humanistic authority. If the humanistic concept of authority prevailed there would be no change in all of history. The fisrt tyranny would be the last tyranny also. 

The fact of judgment in history makes very clear that the time developed and time honored authorities are set aside. There are many reasons for this, but first of all we can site that given mans sin, the natural order and any authority derived purely from the natural order, would only further mans depravity. It would only further mans’ rebellion against God. Because all any parent or any civil authority or any religious authority would have to say is “we were the original authority and therefore no-one has a right to overturn us.” Then second, even without the fall the natural order cannot be the source of authority.

Professor: Rushdoony Dr. R.J.R.

Subject: Systematic Theology

Genre: Lecture

Lesson: 3 of 19

Track: #03

Year:

Dictation Name: 03 The Power of His Resurrection

[Rushdoony] Thy Son Jesus Christ from the dead, and has given us the promise of the Resurrection so that we live now as citizens of the new creation. Glory be to Thee oh Christ who for us hast overcome death, broken the power of sin, and opened unto us the gates of everlasting life. Glory be to Thee oh God the Spirit who doeth lead us into all truth in the risen Christ. We praise Thee Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, and we pray that now and always we may live in the joy and the resurrection and the certainty of our victory in Jesus Christ our Lord. In His name we pray, amen.

Our scripture is in Philippians the third chapter verses eight through eleven. Philippians 3:8-11.

8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.

Our subject this morning is the phrase in verse ten, the power of His resurrection. There are several Greek words in the New Testament which are translated as power. The word used very frequently is dunamis, which we have in the word dynamite. It is found 118 times in the New Testament. Other words used unite the concepts of power and authority, and the New Testament associates both power and authority with Jesus Christ. As a matter of fact when we look at the words that are used in the New Testament, applied to Jesus Christ, they bring together power and authority, dominion, Lordship, freedom of action, strength, and rule. And all these terms are associated with what the resurrection does for us. 

The scriptures tell us that God declares that “he that sinneth against Me wrongs his own soul.” “All they that hate me love death.” The plain implication is that if we are not in Christ we are born losers. If we are in Christ we are re-born victors. Now Paul uses this word “dynamis” or “dunamis” which we have as dynamite, when he speaks with regard to the resurrection in our text. When he says the power of the resurrection he is talking about the explosive world changing power which the resurrection of Jesus Christ wrought. Moreover the word that is in the Greek and is translated as power here means the power to live and act independently of physical or spiritual strength. It refers to an inherent, not a derived power. That Christ has an inherent power that breaks all boundaries, all powers, destroys all restrictions, and it is this power, the power of the resurrection which is ours in Jesus Christ.

The stoics took that word and equated it with God quite logically. Because they concluded that that word could not be associated with anything other than a supreme being. Paul says this power is the cause of our salvation. This power is the power in all faithful preaching, this power is something the world does not know. The natural man, the fallen man does not have this power,

Professor: Rushdoony Dr. R.J.R.

Subject: Systematic Theology

Genre: Speech

Lesson: 2 of 19

Track: #02

Year:

Dictation Name: 02 Man’s relationship to Authority

[Rushdoony] “But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.”

Let us pray.

Oh Lord our God who of Thy grace and mercy dost pardon all those who truly repent of their sins. Who dost rejoice in the thanksgiving of Thy people; who dost delight in their service and has called us to do these things and ever to rejoice of Thee. We come into Thy presence gladly and joyfully, we thank Thee that Thou hast made us Thine own. We thank Thee that the ends of the earth shall serve Thee, and that we are heirs of Thy kingdom; and that greater is He that is in us and with us then he that is in the world. Give us grace therefore to grow in Thee, to serve Thee, to praise Thee, and in all things to give thanks unto Thee. In Jesus name, amen.

We began last week our study of authority and we continue this week with mans relationship to authority and our scripture is Luke seven verses one through ten, Luke seven verses one through ten. Man’s relationship to authority.

Now when he had ended all his sayings in the audience of the people, he entered into Capernaum.

2 And a certain centurion’s servant, who was dear unto him, was sick, and ready to die.

3 And when he heard of Jesus, he sent unto him the elders of the Jews, beseeching him that he would come and heal his servant.

4 And when they came to Jesus, they besought him instantly, saying, that he was worthy for whom he should do this:

5 For he loveth our nation, and he hath built us a synagogue.

6 Then Jesus went with them. And when he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying unto him, Lord, trouble not thyself: for I am not worthy that thou shouldest enter under my roof:

7 Wherefore neither thought I myself worthy to come unto thee: but say in a word, and my servant shall be healed.

8 For I also am a man set under authority, having under me soldiers, and I say unto one, Go, and he goeth; and to another, Come, and he cometh; and to my servant, Do this, and he doeth it.

9 When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turned him about, and said unto the people that followed him, I say unto you, I have not found so great faith, no, not in Israel.

10 And they that were sent, returning to the house, found the servant whole that had been sick. 

The triune God is the source of all authority. But on the human scene authority can be exercised by man under God. God has not restricted authority and its boundaries to eternity, so that we must say that even more than the fact that authority can be exercised under God, it must be exercised under God. There are spheres of legitimate authority under God. Our work, our family, the church, state, a variety of things wherein we have, in varying degrees, authority.

Now to undermine Godly authority in all these and other spheres is to further anarchy and as a means of rebelling against God himself. But on the other hand if we overstress authority on the human scene,

Professor: Rushdoony Dr. R.J.R.

Subject: Systematic Theology

Genre: Lecture

Lesson: 1 of 19

Track: #01

Year:

Dictation Name:

[Rushdoony] Let us begin with prayer. Oh Lord our God unto whom all glory belongs we come into Thy present again looking for the day when the glory that is Thine shall fill the earth and Thy righteousness cover the earth as the waters cover the sea. Make us thine instruments towards this purpose, that we may proclaim Thy word, Thy salvation, Thy justice unto the ends of the earth, and that we might be instrumental in bringing men, woman, children, and nations under the dominion of Christ our Lord. In His name we pray, amen.

We have been dealing with a theology of work and today we begin a study of the doctrine of Authority. The doctrine of authority, and our subject this morning is author and authority. Our text is Hebrews twelve, one and two. The first two verses of Hebrews twelve.

“1Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

The words author and authority are of course related words. The word author of course comes from the Latin, almost unchanged, and it means to increase or to produce. Its meaning thus is that an author is a creator, an originator, a producer; and an authority is one with the right to command and to exercise dominion, to have jurisdiction. There is however still another word that is commonly used in the New Testament and is translated as author. This particular word appears in Hebrews 12 verse one and two. Here we have a Greek word, not a Latin one which comes from a root archa, as in archangel and it means a prince or a tribal leader. Its root archa means the beginning, or the cause. So the New Testament uses one word from a Latin derivation and another from a Greek derivation and we use these words in the English today. And these word both point to the Creator. 

The basic New Testament word of course is the one used in Hebrews twelve. Thus an author is a creator and an authority is the creator and therefore the one who exercise dominion, makes the law, and has jurisdiction. 

Now religious perspective is always determined by our doctrine of authority. In the Greco-Roman world the autonomous reason of man was the source of authority. So that when we look at Greco-Roman thinking authority is ultimately from man. Thinkers such as Galen, Celsus, Porphyry, and others judged the Bible in terms of their rationalism. In the century before Christ the philosopher of acrecia {?} said, and I quote “nothing can ever be created by divine power out of nothing.” For him all forces in the universe were inherent forces, naturalistic forces, there was no power from beyond nature.

Now this did not mean the Greco-Roman man did not believe in marvels; in things that to us would appear to be supernatural. Their interest however was totally different. They were ready to believe all kinds of marvels could take place because nature had divine power inherent in it. Thus Aristotle was interested in every kind of freakish birth, because that freakish birth could represent the next step in evolution. This is why when Paul at Athens spoke about the doctrine of the resurrection the philosophers were immediately interested because he...