inds. As the generation contemporary with Paul died
away and was gathered into Sheol, it became apparent that the original
theory must be somewhat modified, and to this question the author of
the second epistle to the Thessalonians addresses himself. Instead of
literal preservation from death, the doctrine of a resurrection from the
grave was gradually extended to the case of the new believers, who were
to share in the same glorious revival with the righteous of ancient
times. And thus by slow degrees the victory over death, of which the
resurrection of Jesus was a symbol and a witness, became metamorphosed
into the comparatively modern doctrine of the rest of the saints in
heaven, while the banishment of the unrighteous to Sheol was made
still more dreadful by coupling with the vague conception of a gloomy
subterranean cavern the horrible imagery of the lake of fire and
brimstone borrowed from the apocalyptic descriptions of Gehenna. But
in this modification of the original theory, the fundamental idea of
a future state of retribution was only the more distinctly emphasized;
although, in course of time, the original incentive to righteousness
supplied by Paul was more and more subordinated to the comparatively
degrading incentive involved in the fear of damnation. There can hardly
be a doubt that the definiteness and vividness of the Pauline theory
of a future life contributed very largely to the rapid spread of the
Christian religion; nor can it be doubted that to the desire to be holy
like Jesus, in order to escape death and live with Jesus, is due
the elevating ethical influence which, even in the worst times of
ecclesiastic degeneracy, Christianity has never failed to exert.
Doubtless, as Lessing long, ago observed, the notion of future reward
and punishment needs to be eliminated in order that the incentive to
holiness may be a perfectly pure one. The highest virtue is that which
takes no thought of reward or punishment; but for a conception of this
sort the mind of antiquity was not ready, nor is the average mind
of to-day yet ready; and the sudden or premature dissolution of the
Christian theory--which is fortunately impossible--might perhaps entail
a moral retrogradation.

The above is by no means intended as a complete outline of the religious
philosophy of Paul. We have aimed only at a clear definition of the
character and scope of the doctrine of the resurrection of Jesus, at the
time when it was first elabo