Spinoza's bold reading of Scripture strips away mystery to reveal a religion of moral clarity, public teaching, and inward devotion. He first examines the Apostles' Epistles, arguing that they were written not as prophetic revelations but as the free, reasoned guidance of teachers who had received Christ's message and adapted it for different audiences. Their courteous, qualified language stands apart from the absolute formulas of the Old Testament prophets, and even Moses' arguments are treated as imaginative exhortations rather than strict proofs. From there, Spinoza turns to the nature of divine law itself. God's true covenant, he insists, is written in the human heart, not bound to any material book, and Scripture is sacred only insofar as it fosters piety, justice, and charity. The Bible's authority lies in its central doctrines, not in every preserved word, and its essential teaching—love of God and neighbor—has remained intact despite textual loss, human editing, and differing accounts in the Gospels. He closes by rejecting speculative religion, arguing that Scripture demands obedience and practical righteousness, while deeper knowledge of God belongs to philosophy and to the distinct understanding given to Moses and the prophets. This edition has been fully restored with modern typesetting, custom cover design.
