Mark x. 6

[Greek:  Apo de archaes ktiseos arsen kai thaelu epoiaesen autous ho Theos.]

All that can be said is that the thought here appears to have been suggested by the Gospel—­and that not quite immediately.

A much closer—­and indeed, we can hardly doubt, a real—­parallel is presented by a longer passage:—­

Athenagoras, Leg. pro Christ. 11.

What then are the precepts in which we are instructed?  I say unto you:  Love your enemies, bless them that curse, pray for them that persecute you; that ye may become the sons of your Father which is in heaven:  who maketh his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust.

[Greek:  Tines oun haemon hoi logoi, hois entrephometha; lego humin, agapate tous echthrous humon, eulogeite tous kataromenous, proseuchesthe huper ton diokonton humas, hopos genaesthe huioi tou patros humon tou en ouranois, hos ton haelion autou anatellei epi ponaerous kai agathous kai brechei epi dikaious kai adikous.]

Matt. v. 44, 45.

I say unto you:  Love your enemies [bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you], and pray for them that persecute you; that ye may become the sons of your Father which is in heaven:  for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sendeth rain on the just and the unjust.

[Greek:  ego de lego humin, agapate tous echthrous humon [eulogeite tous kataromenous humas, kalos poiete tous misountas humas], proseuchesthe huper ton diokonton humas hopos genaesthe huioi tou patros humon tou en ouranois, hoti ton haelion autou anatellei epi ponaerous kai agathous kai brechei epi dikaious kai adikous.]

The bracketed clauses in the text of St. Matthew are both omitted and inserted by a large body of authorities, but, as it is rightly remarked in ‘Supernatural Religion,’ they are always either both omitted or both inserted; we must therefore believe that the omission and insertion of one only by Athenagoras is without manuscript precedent.  Otherwise the exactness of the parallel is great; and it is thrown the more into relief when we compare the corresponding passage in St. Luke.

The quotation is completed in the next chapter of Athenagoras’ work:—­

Athenagoras, Leg. pro Christ. 12.

For if ye love, he says, them which love and lend to them which lend to you, what reward shall ye have?

[Greek:  Ean gar agapate, phaesin, tous agapontas, kai daineizete tois daneizousin humin, tina misthon hexete;]

 Matt. v. 46.

For if ye shall love them which love you, what reward have ye?

[Greek:  Ean gar agapaesaete tous agapontas humas tina misthon echete;]