116 THE REV. PROFESSOR A. S. GEDEN, M.A., D.D., 



questioned whether " the earthly things " could be interpreted as 

 referring to " earthly birth " or the action of the literal " wind." 

 How could it be said that Nicodemus or others " believed not " 

 such things. Nobody then or now throws doubt on " natural birth " 

 or the action of the ^\dnd." What, then, can " earthly things " 

 refer to ? Some have suggested that the contrast lies between " the 

 new birth " and the possession of " eternal life " ; but this seems 

 even less satisfactory, for how can " new birth " — more properly 

 rendered, as has been pointed out, birth from above " — be cor- 

 rectly described as an earthly thing " ? Nicodemus and his 

 fellow-countrymen had seen the powers of the Kingdom," the 

 miracles which Jesus did, but instead of recognising the King, they 

 saw in Him at best a Teacher come from Grod " to whom they 

 would have yielded the professor's chair, while refusing him the 

 kingly throne. 



This leads our Lord to emphasize the need of " the birth from 

 above " in order to see that which was even then being announced 

 by Himself and John — a literal kingdom for Israel. This kingdom, 

 in its centre and scope, was an " earthly thing." Israel refused their 

 King, and the setting up of this form of the kingdom was necessarily 

 postponed to a future day. But was there then to be no kingdom 

 in the absence of the King ? Yes, this is the mystery of the kingdom. 



A spiritual kingdom was to be set up in the hearts of His believing 

 people — " righteousness, peace, joy in the Holy Ghost." These are, 

 I would submit, the heavenly things " the Lord referred to, which 

 required even more faith to grasp than the earthly kingdom foretold 

 by the prophets. 



Mr. Hoste also asked how Professor Geden intended the phrase on 

 p. 109 to be understood : " The New Testament knows nothing of a 

 re-creation of physical existence." Would not such a phrase, as it 

 stands, seem to deny any literal bodily resurrection ? though the 

 words a few lines down, " There will be no tenant left of an earthly 

 tomb," show this is not the Professor's thought. 



Dr. A. Withers Green said : If you look up over the west 

 entrance to St. Paul's Cathedral you will see four groups of figures, 

 one on each side of the north and south bell towers. Beginning from 

 the north you have the Apostle Matthew with a man child, then 

 St. Mark with a lion's head and neck at his side. Passing over the 



