But the historical character of the work is not
hereby altered in the smallest degree, it is merely shared by
the so-called "sources." 2Maccabees and a multitude of other
compositions have also made use of "sources," but how does this
enhance the value of their statements? That value must in the
long run be estimated according to their contents, which, again,
must be judged, not by means of the primary sources which have
been lost, but by means of the secondary literary products
which have survived. The whole question ultimately resolves
itself into that of historical credibility; and to what
conclusions this ]eads we have already seen. The alterations and
additions of Chronicles are all traceable to the same
fountain-head--the Judaising of the past, in which otherwise the
people of that day would have been unable to recognise their
ideal. It was not because tradition gave the Law and the
hierocracy and the _Deus ex Machina_ as sole efficient factor in
the sacred narrative, but because these elements were felt to be
missing, that they were thus introduced. If we are to explain
the _omissions_ by reference to the "author's plan," why may we
not apply the same principle to the _additions_? The passion
displayed by Ewald ( Jahrbb.
Pages:
484
485
486
487
488
489
490
491
492
493
494
495
496
497
498
499
500
501
502
503
504
505
506
507
508