# “What transformed the weak and cowardly disciples into the spiritual conquerors of the world?” by J. Gresham Machen

- Link: https://tollelege.net/2023/08/05/what-transformed-the-weak-and-cowardly-disciples-into-the-spiritual-conquerors-of-the-world-by-j-gresham-machen/
- Published: 2023-08-05T12:00:10-05:00
- Author: tollelege

“The disciples of Jesus had evidently been far inferior to their Master in every
possible way; they had not understood His lofty spiritual teaching, but even in 
the hour of solemn crisis had quarreled over great places in the approaching Kingdom.

What hope was there that such men could succeed where their Master had failed? Even
when He had been with them, they had been powerless; and now that He was taken from
them, what little power they may have had was gone.

Yet those same weak, discouraged men, within a few days after the death of their
Master, instituted the most important spiritual movement that the world has ever
seen.

What had produced the astonishing change? What had transformed the weak and cowardly
disciples into the spiritual conquerors of the world?

Evidently it was not the mere memory of Jesus’ life, for that was a source of sadness
rather than of joy.

Evidently the disciples of Jesus, within the few days between the crucifixion and
the beginning of their work in Jerusalem, had received some new equipment for their
task.

What that new equipment was, at least the outstanding and external element in it(
to say nothing of the endowment which Christian men believe to have been received
at Pentecost), is perfectly plain.

The great weapon with which the disciples of Jesus set out to conquer the world 
was not a mere comprehension of eternal principles; it was an historical message,
an account of something that had recently happened, it was the message, “He is risen.”

But the message of the resurrection was not isolated. It was connected with the 
death of Jesus, seen now to be not a failure but a triumphant act of divine grace;
it was connected with the entire appearance of Jesus upon earth. The coming of Jesus
was understood now as an act of God by which sinful men were saved.

The primitive Church was concerned not merely with what Jesus had said, but also,
and primarily, with what Jesus had done. The world was to be redeemed through the
proclamation of an event.

And with the event went the meaning of the event; and the setting forth of the event
with the meaning of the event was doctrine. These two elements are always combined
in the Christian message.

The narration of the facts is history; the narration of the facts with the meaning
of the facts is doctrine.

“Suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried”—that is _history_.“
He loved me and gave Himself for me”—that is _doctrine_.

Such was the Christianity of the primitive Church.”

–J. Gresham Machen, [_Christianity and Liberalism_](https://www.amazon.com/dp/1955859108?tag=toletaupanre-20)(
Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1923/
2009), 24-25.

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