XXVI PREFACE 



early, probably earliest, Greek Gospel narrative, 

 with least addition, or modification. If, as appears 

 likely from some internal evidences, it was com- 

 piled for the use of the Christian sodalities in 

 Rome ; and that it was accepted by them as an 

 adequate account of the life and work of Jesus, it 

 is evidence of the most valuable kind respecting 

 their beliefs and the limits of dogma, as conceived 

 by them. 



In such case, a good Roman Christian of that 

 epoch might know nothing of the doctrine of the 

 incarnation, as taught by " Matthew " and " Luke " ; 

 still less of the "logos" doctrine of "John "; neither 

 need he have believed anything more than the 

 simple fact of the resurrection. It was open to 

 him to believe it either corporeal, or spiritual. He 

 would never have heard of the power of the keys 

 bestowed upon Peter ; nor have had brought to his 

 mind so much as a suggestion of trinitarian doc- 

 trine. He might be a rigidly monotheistic Judseo- 

 Christian, and consider himself bound by the 

 law : he might be a Gentile Pauline convert, 

 neither knowing of nor caring for such restrictions. 

 In neither case would he find in "Mark" any 

 serious stumbling-block. In fact, persons of all 

 the categories admitted to salvation by Justin, in 

 the middle of the second century, 1 could accept 

 " Mark " from beginning to end. It may well be, 

 that, in this wide adaptability, backed by the 

 1 See p. 287 of this volume. 



