The Acts of the Apostles

CONCLUSION 303
Zahn cannot efface the impression that he conducts
historical investigations Hke a counsel for the defence
a tout prix. Moreover, all these scholars, and those
allied with them, showed little sense of the debt we
owe to Baur and his followers, of the deepening of
our insight into historical questions, and the broadening
of our outlook that have been brought about by
their labours. Thus it is that the criticism of the
Acts of the Apostles has arrived at the position in
which it now stands. This book may perhaps suc-
ceed in effecting some alteration, and in bringing the
opposing camps nearer to one another. Perhaps it
will at last be seen that criticism, after its long and
painful exertions, must return to the occupation of
positions that it has deserted. These exertions were
certainly not fruitless, but they sought to facilitate
the solution of difficult historical problems by extend-
ing the periods of time traditionally assigned to the
processes of historical development, by the rejection
of some traditional authorities, and by the analysis of
others into various sources—a method well known,
very popular, and quite justifiable in every branch of
historical criticism whenever there is absolutely no
other way out of a difficulty ! In this case, however,
the witness of the source in most points, and those
essential points, stands the test of reliability, and on
this assumption the historical problems admit of a
solution which does no violence to probability.