Samson Occom’s Sermon on Matthew 22:42

An Electronic Edition · Samson Occom (1723-1792)

Original Source: Unpublished manuscript published here by kind permission of the Connecticut Historical Society, Hartford, CT. The manuscript can be found in their collection, Index # 79998, folder 25 (microfilm pages 457-59).

Copyright 2005. This text is freely available provided the text is distributed with the header information provided.

Full Colophon Information

Matt. 22.42*  
Saying what think ye of Christ? 

Samson Occom’s Sermon on Matthew 22:42 *

Man is a rational creature. He is capable of thinking and reflecting. The mind of man is a restless thing, it is always upon a go, diving into many things daily. It is very inquisitive, and there are innumerable objects of thought continually. But Christ is [the] only worthy object of our thoughts.1.

But, alas, in our fallen state, our minds are running upon wrong objects.* 2.

We find in this chap[ter] several questions* put to our blessed Savi[or] by several sorts of people, and he answered them all, to their shame and confusion; for they brought their questions to him to entangle him. They did not come to [him] for enlightenment or knowledge, for they had knowledge and wisdom enough in their own conceit.3.

But they were shamefully entangled in their own net. Now they had nothing to say for themselves and they durstn’t ask him any more questions. Now Christ had waited patiently &c. It was now a good time for him, while they were together to put forth unto them but one q[uestion] that was most material in their religion, which they had forgot. This he did out of pity and compassion to them, to enlighten them not to entangle them as they intended to him in their q[uestion]s. Saying, [What think ye of Christ?]4.

This question is the very center of our holy religion; it is the centre of the Bible. Our life depends upon it, if we answer it right we shall live, if not we shall die. The method I shall take is only to give a short history of Christ according to Scripture account, and see what opinion, there has been among men about Christ,* and what opinion there is now and then ask ourselves the question, and answer it before God. 5.

And here first, what think [ye] of Christ as he was the promised Messiah under the Mosaic dispen[sation].* 6.

2ly what think ye of Christ at his birth. Godman* 7.

3ly what think ye of Christ in public appearance and ministration–prophet.8.

4 what think ye of Christ in his accusation, condem[nation] and death.9.

5 of his Resurrection10.

6 of the Ministration of [his life?]11.

7 of his Ascension12.

8 of Intercession13.

9 What think ye of Christ as a Judge at the Last Day* 14.

Full Colophon Information

Genre: Prose
Subjects: Religion, Theology
Location: New England
Format: Sermon

This text was written ca. 1771.

The text of the document was initially prepared from the manuscript housed at the Connecticut Historical Society in Hartford, CT. It has been transcribed and subsequently proofed against this manuscript. Line numbers have been automatically generated. In the header, personal names have been regularized according to the Library of Congress authority files as "Last Name, First Name" for the REG attribute and "First Name Last Name" for the element value. Names have not been regularized in the body of the text.