The Reasonableness of Christianity as Delivered in the Scriptures by John Locke

First published: 1695

Edition(s) used:The Reasonableness of Christianity as Delivered in the Scriptures, edited with an introduction, notes, critical apparatus, and transcriptions of related manuscripts by John C. Higgins-Biddle. New York: Clarendon Press, 1999

Genre(s): Nonfiction

Subgenre(s): Exegesis; hermeneutics; theology

Core issue(s): Ethics; God; Jesus Christ; religion

Overview

In The Reasonableness of Christianity as Delivered in the Scriptures, John Locke begins by examining the significance of the Fall and its relation to the teachings of Christ as they are given in the New Testament. Quoting biblical text, he concludes that in Eden, Adam and Eve were in a state of righteousness and immortality. The Fall brought death into the world to all of humanity, but Christ restored all humanity to life, potentially. To gain salvation, one must believe that Jesus was the Messiah and obey God’s commandments.

Locke notes that numerous instances in the Bible support the idea that Christ was the Son of God. Ancient prophecies had spoken of the coming of a great prophet who would work miracles. Jesus was believed to be that prophet because of the miracles he performed and his teachings. He preached that the kingdom of God had come and that the way to heaven was through repentance and baptism and obedience to God’s commandments. He did not immediately declare himself to be the Messiah, however; he left his miracles to speak for his divinity. His trial and crucifixion further proved that Jesus was recognized as the Son of God. Jesus commanded his eleven disciples to go forth after his death and preach that he was the Messiah. Locke concludes that it is therefore reasonable to believe that Jesus was the son of God.

Locke’s primary intent is to establish that Jesus was the Messiah, gleaning copious evidence from the Scriptures and quoting the Greek text along with the English version to support his readings. He traces Jesus’ every move to explain why Jesus did not proclaim himself the Messiah until just before his crucifixion and why Jesus did and said what he did every step of the way to the cross and after the Resurrection. Locke reasons that Jesus had to die when he did to make way for the Holy Ghost, who could not appear until his death and whose duty was to assist the disciples in their preaching and performing miracles. The Holy Ghost is further proof that Jesus was the Messiah.

The meaning of the law of faith is central to Locke’s explanation of Jesus’ role and nature, and he explains what is meant by that law, again quoting biblical passages at length: One must believe that Jesus would reward those who seek him diligently, and one must believe that God is merciful to those who obey him. Locke argues that believing that Jesus was the Messiah brought righteousness. Faith alone, however, is insufficient. Baptism admits men into the kingdom of God, but they must thereafter obey the Ten Commandments and the Golden Rule.

As for those who lived before the coming of Christ, Locke reasons that pre-Christians had only to believe what the ancient biblical text promised, that a great prophet was coming. Faith in God’s promise of an anointed one was sufficient to save souls, but God’s goodness and truth, made manifest by the works of nature, prompted love and faith, as well as God’s words. Another difficult question is what becomes of those who never heard of God’s message or of Jesus. Locke reasons that humanity is endowed with a natural sense of rightness, which also leads people to intuit the existence of a merciful God.

Turning to the question of why humanity needs Jesus, Locke explains that the ways of God are inscrutable and it would be impertinent to question God’s wisdom. A reasonable person would accept without question God’s wisdom and goodness; still, the evidence of Christ’s usefulness to humanity is too abundant for anyone not to see. Before Christ, humankind suffered from weak reason and was kept in darkness by priests who taught superstition. Polytheism and idolatry ruled. The knowledge of morality came too slowly with the use of natural reason, and the wise men who may have taught the rules of morality were few and widely scattered. Moses was not sufficient because only a few people knew of his teaching. Jesus was necessary to disperse the darkness, to save humanity from the grip of the priests and superstition, and to lead them to the truth. He broke down the walls separating people and sent his disciples out into the world to spread the Word. Christ brought divine authority, and his message was simple: believe in him. Before Christ, humanity had no clear idea of a future state. Christ brought the hope of eternal life, evidenced by his own Resurrection and Ascension into heaven. Before, people had little incentive to be virtuous, for virtue was universally incompatible with earthly happiness. The prospect of salvation and immortality gave them the incentive to obey God’s commandments.

According to Locke, the best way to understand God’s message is to read the actual words of Jesus and the Apostles. He explains how to read correctly: One must find the principal aim of the writer, what the main idea is, and how it is delivered, and one must look for the author’s intent in the discourse, note the coherence, and connect the parts. Finally, one must not pick out certain sayings and make them the whole truth. These few instructions aptly describe his own method.

Christian Themes

Locke argues in The Reasonableness of Christianity as Delivered in the Scriptures that biblical text, when examined carefully by a rigorous rationality, provides a clear understanding of Christ’s life, teachings, and death. Christ’s activities on earth form a historical record that establishes his divinity and primary mission on earth, which was to bring salvation to humanity. The Scriptures, which contain the teachings of Jesus and a record of his life up to and just after his crucifixion, provide all the guidance that is needed for salvation. Paramount among the requirements for life eternal is the belief that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God. Faith by itself, however, is insufficient. Salvation cannot be achieved without repentance and a sincere obedience to the laws that God laid down, principally the Ten Commandments.

The teachings of Jesus and his disciples form a canon of law clearly evident from reading the New Testament. Despite the elaborate explanations of the Gospels by learned people, Locke asserts that the individual, to be saved, need only believe that Jesus is the Son of God, is the Messiah, was raised from the dead, delivered humanity from death, and shall come again to pass sentence on them. Learned writers who argue various interpretations of biblical text confuse the meanings of the text and mix in their own ideas. Those who are not as sophisticated as the learned interpreters, are untrained in discourse, or do not have the time, ability, or inclination to reason the mysteries of the Gospel, need not be concerned, for if they adhere to the fundamentals of Christ’s teaching with faith and obedience, they will be saved. God’s goodness and grace are not intended for only the educated or the wise. Locke’s message was that all who believe in God and follow his laws will be saved. God is not only good but also reasonable, and his message is likewise reasonable.

Sources for Further Study

Colman, John. John Locke’s Moral Philosophy. Edinburgh, Scotland: Edinburgh University Press, 1983. Locke’s ideas on morality in general are shown to be consistent with his views of morality in The Reasonableness of Christianity as Delivered in the Scriptures.

Higgins-Biddle, John C. Introduction to The Reasonableness of Christianity as Delivered in the Scriptures. New York: Clarendon Press, 1999. Examines Locke’s text and the controversy it created, together with a scholarly study of variant manuscripts of the work and a lengthy bibliography.

Marshall, John. “Locke, Socinianism, ’Socinianism,’ and Unitarianism.” In English Philosophy in the Age of Locke. Oxford, England: Clarendon Press, 2000. Using The Reasonableness of Christianity as Delivered in the Scriptures as evidence, defends Locke against the claims that he was Unitarian and Socinian in his thinking.

Nuovo, Victor, ed. John Locke and Christianity: Contemporary Responses to “The Reasonableness of Christianity.” Bristol, England: Thoemmes Press, 1997. A collection of original texts that show the extent to which Locke’s work stirred much heated debate. The introduction explains the relevance of each excerpt to The Reasonableness of Christianity as Delivered in the Scriptures.

Nuovo, Victor. “Locke’s Theology, 1694-1704.” In English Philosophy in the Age of Locke. Oxford, England: Clarendon Press, 2000. Discusses the relation of The Reasonableness of Christianity as Delivered in the Scriptures to Locke’s theology as a whole.