e
to continue the work which he had begun. Unfortunately the end of
Mark, which undoubtedly described the details, has disappeared, but the
general sequence is as clear as anything can be which is not definitely
narrated.

The general tenor of the narrative in Acts makes it plain that in
Jerusalem they settled down as a separate synagogue. Any ten Jews had
a right to form a synagogue of their own, and general community of
interests, joined to opinions differing from those of others, would be
the natural basis of its organisation; but it is sometimes hard for
Christians, who have come to think of identity of opinion, especially
on points beyond the reach of proof, as {40} the basis of
ecclesiastical life, to understand that Palestinian Judaism admitted
the widest possible range of thought, and that the Church of Israel
rested not on uniformity of thought, but on obedience to the Law.
Naturally there was in point of fact considerable agreement in opinion,
and naturally also difference of opinion led to quarrels and hostility;
but in general the Church of Israel in the first century was as
characteristically based on uniformity of conduct as the Christian
Church in the fourth and following centuries was based on uniformity of
opinion.

On three points this synagogue of the Nazarenes, as the disciples were
called, differed from other Jews: (1) They held the opinion that they
were inspired, at least at intervals, by the Spirit of God; (2) they
followed a special kind of communistic rule which they probably
regarded as fulfilling the teaching of Jesus; (3) they held and
preached distinctive opinions about Jesus himself.

The opinion that the disciples were inspired by the Holy Spirit was in
some ways the keystone of Christian life. It formed a connecting link
with the authority of Jesus himself; for, whatever the later generation
of Christians may have thought, it is clear from Mark that Jesus in his
public preaching never claimed the authority of any special office or
function such as that associated with the word "Messiah" or with the
title "Son of Man," even though he may have allowed an inner ring of
disciples to believe that these were the offices to which he was {41}
entitled. Nor during his lifetime did he even permit his followers in
their preaching to ascribe any such rank to him. The authority which
he actually claimed for his words and deeds was that of the Holy Spirit
of God; and those who maintained that