I
PRACTICAL HANDBOOK
FOE
THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
AND OP
BIBLE LITERATURE
I- u
SI
PRACTICAL HANDBOOK
FOR
THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
AND OF
BIBLE LITERATURE
INCLUDING
BIBLICAL GEOGRAPHY, ANTIQUITIES, INTRODUCTION
TO THE OLD AND THE NEW TESTAMENT,
AND HERMENEUTICS
BY
DR. MICHAEL SEISENBERGER
ROYAL LYCEUM, FREISING
TRANSLATED FROM THE SIXTH GERMAN EDITION
BY
A. M. BUCHANAN, M.A. (LONDON)
AND EDITED BY
THE REV. THOMAS J. GERRARD
NEW YORK
JOSEPH F. WAGNER
litfjtl batat
REMIGIUS LAFORT, S.T.L.
Censor Librorum
Bmjmmattir
*JOHN M. FARLEY, D.D.
Archbishop of Ne<w York
NEW .YORK, October I, 1911
IOAN STACK
Copyright, 1911, by JOSEPH F. WAGNER, New York
THE UNIVERSITY PRESS, CAMBRIDGE, U.S.A.
EDITORIAL PREFACE
book is offered to the English-speaking peoples as a small
* contribution towards the realization of the great and noble
aims of the reigning Sovereign Pontiff, Pope Pius X. The heroic
stand which he has made for the preservation of the Word of
God, commands at once the sympathy and admiration of all the
faithful. Just as in the realm of philosophy he has insisted on
the true personality and dignity of man, and as in theology on
the true transcendence and majesty of God, so also has he in the
realm of biblical science insisted on the Divine Character of the
Inspired Word.
When the Church speaks officially through the Sacred Congre-
gations, she does not argue with her children. She teaches them.
She says, plainly, what is the truth concerning the Divine Reve-
lation. Then, after the Church has spoken, the work of the
theologians and critics begins. It is their office to justify the
Word of the Church to men. Hence, the remark of those who
say that their errors have been condemned, but not refuted, is
pointless. The functions of condemnation and refutation are
quite distinct, and pertain to different spheres of the Church's
action.
A translation of Dr. Seisenberger's work has been asked for, as
providing a bird's-eye view of the biblical question from the
Catholic standpoint, suitable to the exigencies of the present day.
It is a handbook for the hard-worked parochial clergy. It is an
introduction for the Seminary student. Yet, although it is
merely a synopsis, it is enriched on every page with ample refer-
ences to the more specialized works a detailed list of which is
appended to the book so that the reader who wishes to pursue
any given subject more deeply has the material at hand without
further search.
C89
vi EDITORIAL PREFACE
The treatment in the book itself, however, will be found amply
sufficient for dealing with that ever-increasing number of souls
who pick up rationalist conclusions anywhere and everywhere,
and are thus, somewhat needlessly, disturbed in their faith.
The editor would beg, with all deference, to call attention to
a theological distinction which would seem to have come into
prominence since the author first wrote his book, and which does
not appear to have been made sufficiently clear even in the latest
edition. It is the distinction between inspiration and revelation.
All the Bible is inspired, but not all the Bible is revealed. A
sacred writer, for instance, might write down an account of an
event as he had seen it or heard it from an eye-witness. The
source of his information is purely natural. In writing it down,
however, he does so under the influence of that supernatural
charism which is known as inspiration. On the other hand, he
might have the knowledge infused into his mind directly by God.
Such was the way in which St. Paul received the information for
his classical passage on the Holy Eucharist. That was a reve-
lation. And, since he was moved by the Holy Spirit to embody
it in one of his epistles, it was also a part of inspiration. The
distinction is necessary, if one is to understand the difference
between Catholic plenary inspiration and Protestant literal
inspiration.
The Douay version of Scripture has been generally adopted,
but there are about three or four places where this did not liter-
ally agree with the German version used by the author. These
cases have been rendered by a literal translation of the German.
THOMAS J. GERHARD.
HERRENWIEB, BADEN-BADEN.
Feast of SS. Peter and Paul, 1911.
CONTENTS
Page
Editorial Preface v
first Part
THE HOLY LAND
GEOGRAPHY
Introduction 3
1. Situation of Palestine 4
2. Extent 6
3. Names 6
4. Climate 8
5. Configuration . 9
6. Natural Products 11
7. Plagues of Common Occurrence * . . 14
8. Dwellings, Food, and Clothing 15
9. Inhabitants Before the Israelites . . 19
10. Palestine as Divided among the Israelites 21
11. Descriptions of Places
I. Judaea 22
II. Samaria 30
HI. Galilee 31
IV. The Country East of the Jordan 32
Secotrti
THE HOLY PEOPLE
BIBLICAL ARCHAEOLOGY
A. Outlines of the History of Israel
1. Traditional and Modern Accounts of the History of Israel 37
2. Results of the Modern Account 41
3. General Refutation 42
4. Refutation fr-nn the Olu Testament 45
5. Refutation f-om the S imaritan Pentateuch 52
6. Refutation from Oriental Records 55
B. God, and the Gods, in Israel
1. Monothe.' 3m and Polytheism 56
2. Worship of the Stars 58
3. Worship of Images 59
4. Chanaanite Deities 60
5. Assyrian and Babylonian Deities 63
6. Egyptian Deities 65
C. The Religious Institutions of Israel
Sources of Information .... . . 66
viii CONTENTS
JFirst Section
HOLY PLACES
I. THE TABERNACLE
Page
1. General Description ........................ 69
2. The Court of the Tabernacle ..................... 72
THE SACRED FURNITURE AND UTENSILS
3. Furniture in the Court of the Tabernacle ................ 74
4. Furniture in the Holy Place ..................... 75
5. The Holy of Holies ........................ 78
II. THE TEMPLE
(a) Solomon's Temple
6. Introductory ....................... ... 80
7. The House of the Temple ........... ........... 81
8. The Courts of the Temple ...................... 83
9. Furniture of the Temple ...................... 84
(b) The Second Temple
10. Zorobabel's Temple ........................ 85
11. Herod's Temple .................... ..... 87
12. The Synagogues ......................... 89
ton
HOLY PERSONS
13. Introductory .......................... 90
14. TheLevites ........................... 91
].-. The Priests ........................... 94
16. The High Priest ......................... 96
17. Consecration of Priests ....................... 99
The Mosaic Origin of the Priesthood .................. 101
Appendix, The Synedrium and the Jewish Sects ............. 103
irtJ Section
SACRED RITUAL
I. SACRIFICES
18. What could be Offered ....................... 106
19. Ritual of Sacrifice ................... ..... 107
20. Varieties of Sacrifice ........................ 109
(a) Bloody Sacrifices
21. Holocausts, or Burnt Offerings ............... ..... 109
22. Peace Offerings ......................... 110
23. Sin Offerings .......................... 112
24. Trespass Offerings ............... . ........ 113
25. Special Kinds of Bloody Sacrifices ................... 115
(b) Unbloody Sacrifices
26. Meat Offerings .......................... 117
27. Drink Offerings ........................ 118
28. Jealousy OfferingR ............... . ........ 119
'JO. The Temple Taxes ........................ 119
CONTENTS ix
II. PURIFICATIONS AND OTHER RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES
Page
30. Legal Defilement .......................... 12}
31. The Defilement of Death ...................... 121
32. Uncleanness Due to Leprosy ..................... 122
33. Sexual Uncleanness ........................ 123
34. Marriage Laws . . . .......... ............. 124
35. Circumcision .......................... 127
36. Reception of Proselytes ....................... 130
37. Laws Concerning Food ....................... 131
38. Fasting ............................ 133
39. Prayer ............................ 134
40. Music and Singing ........................ 134
41. Blessings ............................ 137
42. Vows and Curses ......................... 137
JFourtfj Section
SACRED SEASONS
43. The Calendar .......................... 139
44. Daily Worship in the Temple ..................... 141
45. The Sabbath .......................... 141
46. The New Moons ......................... 144
47. The Sabbatical Year ........................ 144
48. The Tear of Jubilee ........................ 145
49. ThePasch ..... - ...................... 146
50. Pentecost ............................ 149
51. The Day of Atonement ....................... 150
52. The Feast of Tabernacles ...................... 153
53. Festivals Instituted after the Captivity ................. 154
ftjnrti part
HOLY SCRIPTURE
DECREES OP THE HOLY SEE RELATING TO HOLY SCRIPTURE
Encyclical of Pope on the Biblical Question .............. 159
Syllabus of Errors .......................... 179
Pius X on the Decisions of the Biblical Commission, etc ............. 184
INTRODUCTION TO THE BIBLE
1. General Principles. Historical Survey ................. 187
2. Arrangement of an Introduction to the Bible ........... . . . 189
JFtrgt
ORIGIN OF HOLY SCRIPTURE, OR HOLY SCRIPTURE AS THE WORD OF GOD
3. General Survey ......................... 19
INSPIRATION
4. Teaching of the Church on the Subject of Inspiration . . .......... 190
5. What in Meant by Inspiration .................... 192
THE CANON OF HOLY SCRIPTURE
6. Meaning of the Expression ..................... 195
7. Old and New Testaments
196
8. Formation of the Old Testament Canon 196
x CONTENTS
Page
9. Contents of the Old Testament Canon ................. 198
10. Continuation .......................... 200
11. Origin of the Canon of the New Testament ................ H>2
12. Contents of the New Testament Canon ................. 203
13. The New Testament Canon of the Earliest Churches ............ 205
14. Ecclesiastical Decisions ....................... 207
Appendix. Protestant Opinions Regarding the Canon ............ 207
15. Apocryphal Books ......................... 208
SeconU Part
GENERAL INTRODUCTION. THE BIBLE AS A WHOLE
16. Transition ........................... 212
THE ORIGINAL TEXT OF HOLY SCRIPTURE
17. Biblical Languages in General ............. ....... 212
18. Hebrew ............................ 213
19. Chaldee .......................... . . 214
20. Greek ............................. 215
21. Original Form of the Hebrew and Chaldee Texts .............. 216
J-2. Later Forms of the Hebrew and Chaldee Texts ............. ,217
23. TheMasora ........................... 220
24. Hebrew Manuscripts and Printed Editions ................ 222
25. Value of the Masoretic Text ..................... 225
26. The Original Text of the Greek Books of the Bible ............. 226
27. The Greek Manuscripts ....................... 227
28. The Most Important Greek Manuscripts ................. 228
29. Greek Printed Editions .................... \ . . 231
TRANSLATIONS OF THE BIBLE
30. General Remarks ......................... 235
31. The Septuagint .......................... 235
32. Other Greek Translations ...................... 238
33. Later History of the Septuagint. Origen ................ 240
34. Chaldee Translations (Targumim) ................... 242
35. Samaritan Translation of the Pentateuch ................ 244
36. Syriac Translations" ........................ 244
37. Latin Translations. Itala and Vulgate ................. 247
38. Continuation. The Vulgate in the Middle Ages .............. 252
39. Continuation. The Council of Trent .................. 253
part
SPECIAL INTRODUCTION. THE SACRED BOOKS CONSIDERED SINGLY
The Books of the Old Testament
1. Survey and Classification ...................... 257
JFirst Section
2. The Pentateuch. History, Criticism, Objections, Defense .......... 258
JSeconto .Section
From the Entrance of the Israelites into Chanaan to the Division of the Kingdom
3. Survey ............................. 275
4. Josue ............................. 275
5. Judges ............................ 277
6. Ruth ............................. 279
7. The Books of Samuel, or First and Second Books of Kings .......... 280
CONTENTS xi
Page
8. Old Testament Poetry 282
9. The Psalter 284
10. Proverbs 291
11. Canticle of Canticles 294
12. Ecclesiastes 297
13. The Book of Job 298
StyirtJ Section
From the Division of the Kingdoms until the End of the Captivity
14. Historical Survey 302
15. Prophecy in General 304
16. Jonas 307
17. Amos 309
18. Joel 310
19. Abdias 312
20. Osee 313
21. Micheas 314
22. Isaias 315
23. Nahum 318
24. Sophonias 319
25. Habakuk 320
26. Jeremias 322
27. The Book of Lamentations 325
28. Baruch 326
29. Ezechiel 328
30. Daniel 330
JFourtlj Section
From the Captivity to the Close of the Old Testament Revelation
31. Historical Survey 333
32. Kings. (Third and Fourth Books of Kings) 334
33. Chronicles or Paralipomena 336
34. Esdras and Nehemias 338
35. Esther 340
36. Tobias 342
37. Judith 344
38. The Books of Macliabees 346
39. Aggeus 348
40. Zacharias 349
41. Malachias 350
42. Sirach or Ecclesiasticus 352
43. Wisdom 355
THE BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT
1. Classification 358
JFirst Section
2. The Gospels in General 358
3-9. St. Matthew 365
10-15. St. Mark 374
16-20. St. Luke 383
21. The Synoptic Writers 390
22-26. St. John 391
27-31. The Acts of the Apostles 399
SeconD Section
32-36. St. Paul the Apostle 404
37. The Epistle to the Romans 412
xii CONTENTS
Page
38-38. The Epistles to the Corinthians 415
40. The Epistle to the Galatians 418
41. The Epistle to the Epheslans 420
42. The Epistle to the PhUippians
43. The Epistle to the Colossians 423
44-45. The Epistles to the Thessalonians
46-47. The Epistles to Timothy 427
48. The Epistle to Titus 429
49. The Epistle to Philemon 431
50. The Epistle to the Hebrews 431
51. The Catholic Epistles 434
52. The Epistle of St. James 434
63. The Two Epistles of St. Peter 436
54. The Three Epistles of St. John
55. The Epistle of St. Jude the Apostle . . 442
Cfjiro .Section
56. The Apocalypse 444
JFourtfj part
INTERPRETATION OF HOLY SCRIPTURE (HERMENEUTICS)
1. Introduction 449
jhrst .Section
THE MEANING OF HOLT SCRIPTURE
2. The Meaning in General of Holy Scripture 450
3. The Application of the Literal and Mystical Meaning 453
4. Of Accommodation 457
Secant! Section
OF DISCOVERING THE MEANING OF HOLY SCRIPTURE (HEURISTICS)
6. Principles laid down by the Church 459
6. Hermeneutical Rules Based on the Peculiar Character of the Bible 462
(Efyiro Section
EXPLANATIONS OF THE TEXT
7. Paraphrases 466
8. Scholia 467
9. Glosses . . . 468
10. Commentaries 470
11. Study and Reading of the Bible 472
Eiegetical Bibliography 473
Works to which Reference has been Made 475
Conclusion 479
INDEX or SUBJECTS 483
MAPS AND ILLUSTRATIONS
The Temple at the Time of Christ Frontispiece
Chanaan as Divided among the Twelve Tribes opposite 20
Ancient Jerusalem , 22
Environs of Jerusalem
Journeyings of the Children of Israel
The Tabernacle
Palestine in the Time of Christ , 370
The Journeys of St. Paul , 406
FIRST PART
PRACTICAL HANDBOOK FOR
THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
INTRODUCTION
THE Christian religion, and with it the whole civilization of
Christian nations, is based upon Israel. The modern world,
which calls itself Christian, is inseparably connected with the
people of Israel, and the new Covenant between God and man,
instituted by Christ, is only the extension and development
of the old Israelite Covenant. Out of Israel proceeded the
Saviour and salvation for the whole world. " Salvation is of
the Jews " are words used by Christ Himself in His conversation
with the Samaritan woman (John iv. 22). Amidst the Israel-
ites grew up the body of literature also, that both Jews and
Christians venerate as " Holy Writ." What Greece and Rome
received from the East they passed on with their own additions
to the West, and thence the benefits of salvation have been
spread abroad over the whole world.
Not only believers, but also unbelievers, study Holy Scripture
with peculiar interest. The former do so for their own edifi-
cation, to strengthen their faith and to find means to defend
the truth; the latter often show even greater zeal, if possible, in
their efforts to undermine the foundations of faith. No one can
attain to a full comprehension of the documentary evidence for
our faith without taking into consideration the circumstances
of the early history of the Jewish race and the course of events
affecting this people.
Therefore, before beginning to discuss Holy Scripture, we pro-
pose to give some account of the Holy Land, including a sketch
of the history and religious institutions of Israel. Then we can
proceed to discuss the Bible and its interpretation.
THE HOLY LAND
GEOGRAPHY 1
1. SITUATION OF PALESTINE
IF Israel was the nation chosen by God to preserve the true
religion and to be instrumental in the salvation of mankind,
and for the present we shall assume this to be the case,
then it was but fitting that a suitable habitation should be
assigned to this people, where it might live its own life and
fulfill the task assigned to it. No country could be found better
adapted to this purpose. (1) Palestine resembled a lofty for-
tress, shut off and protected on all sides from hostile invasions.
In the north Lebanon formed a strong boundary; on the west
was the sea, the stormy breakers of which made approach on
that side almost impossible; the south and the east were pro-
tected by deserts. In this way the inhabitants of this country
1 Apart from the sacred writings themselves, we derive our knowl-
edge of the geographical features of Palestine from the works of some
Greek and Latin authors who mention the East, and especially the little
Jewish nation. Chief among these are Strabo the geographer, and the
Elder Pliny; but Herodotus, Diodorus of Sicily, Plutarch and Tacitus
also supply information. Allusion must be made, moreover, to the Ono-
masticon (Name book) of Holy Scripture, compiled by Eusebius and
translated into Latin by Saint Jerome (printed by Vallarsi among
Saint Jerome's works; cf. Onomastica sacra, ed. de Lagarde, Gottingen,
1887). Descriptions written by travelers, and especially by pilgrims in
biblical countries, are also important. The earliest pilgrim's book is the
Itinerarium Burdigalense, the author of which was an unknown Chris-
tian from Bordeaux, who visited the Holy Land about 333 A. D. ; but the
Peregrinatio 8. Silvia? Aquitance (385-388), Rome, 1888, and the Pere-
grinatio s. Paulce, by Saint Jerome, are almost equally old. The Hodce-
poricon s. Willibaldi, Eichstadt, 1881, contains an account of a journey
made by this saint in the years 723-727. Cf. Itinera hierosolymitana
THE HOLY LAND 5
were cut off from intercourse with the world and its errors, and
were able to live in peace and to serve the true God undisturbed.
(2) Palestine lay in the center of the civilized world as known
to the ancients. Its seclusion was not absolute, for it was sur-
rounded by civilized countries, viz., Assyria and Babylonia, Phoe-
nicia and Egypt, Greece and Italy. Jerusalem lay midway
between Babylonia and Athens and between Ninive and the
mouth of the Nile. The chief trading routes skirted the bound-
aries of Palestine and the great trading cities of Tyre and
Sidon, Damascus, Ninive and Babylon were all in its neigh-
borhood. Thus it was possible for God's chosen people to
enjoy all the benefits of civilization without being forced to
share its disadvantages. (3) The position of Palestine was
favorable to its future task. Its central situation between the
three continents of the ancient world was carefully adapted by
Providence for the speedy dissemination amongst all countries
of the tidings of the Messianic kingdom, when the time for
redemption should come. Such a position was of the utmost
importance at a period when almost all journeys were made
on foot, apart from scanty intercourse by means of caravans,
and navigation, which was carried on with great difficulty.
Nowadays it is scarcely possible to form any idea of the ob-
stacles to travel and transport that existed in antiquity.
scec. IV-VHI ex recensiotie Pauli Geyer (Corp. script, eccl. lat. Vindob.,
T. xxxviiii.), Leipz., 1898. Many pilgrims' books have come down to us
from the Middle Ages, and of the more recent books of travels we may
mention particularly the works of Niebuhr, Seetzen, Chateaubriand,
Schubert, Geramb, Robinson, Tobler, Mislin, Sepp, Dixon, Schegg, Mess-
mer, Socin, Keppler, Fahrngruber, Lie"vin, Badeker-Benzinger and Riick-
ert; also Meistermann's Nouveau guide de Terre Sainte avec 23 cartes
et 140 plans, Paris, 1906. Atlas Scriptures sacrce, auctore R. de Riess,
ed. 2, Friburgi, Br., 1906. M. Hagen, S.J., Atlas BiUicus, Paris,
1907.
Architectural remains and pieces of sculpture that have come down
to us from early times are also interesting, but very few remains of this
kind have been preserved in Palestine. Further information regarding
the sources of our knowledge of biblical geography may be obtained by
referring to the Catholic Encyclopedia; Roehricht, Bibliotheca geo-
graphica Palcestince, Berlin, 1890; Cheyne and Black, Encyclopaedia
biblica, London, 1901; Hastings, "A Dictionary of the Bible," Edin-
burgh, 1898-1902; Vigouroux, Dictionnaire de la Bible, Paris.
6 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
Ezechiel v. 5 : " Thus saith the Lord God : This is Jerusalem, I have
set her in the midst of the nations, and the countries round about her."
Ezechiel xx. 6: "I lifted up my hand for them (the Israelites) to
bring them out of the land of Egypt, into a land which I had provided
for them, flowing with milk and honey, which excelleth amongst all
lands."
Deuteronomy iv. 6: (The heathen are to say of the Israelites,) "Be-
hold a wise and understanding people, a great nation."
Cf. Gen. xii. 7; xiii. 14; xv. 7, 18; xvii. 8; xxvi. 4, etc.; Deut.
xxxii. 8, etc.; xxxiii. 28, 29.
2. EXTENT
In its configuration Palestine falls into two parts, being di-
vided by the Jordan into a large region lying to the west of the
river and a smaller one lying to the east. The country to the
west of the Jordan is Chanaan, properly so called, stretching
from Lebanon in the north to the Arabian desert in the south,
and from the Jordan on the east to the sea on the west. The
smaller district east of the Jordan was formerly called Galaad
or G-ilead, 1 and, in the time of Christ, Perasa; it extends from
the range of Hermon on the north to the Arnon on the south,
which river flowing from the east falls into the Dead Sea. On
its eastern side this district is gradually merged in the great
plain of the Euphrates. Between these two regions lies the
valley of the Jordan, now called El Ghor the depression.
Palestine extends, therefore, from latitude 31 1ST. to beyond 33
N., and from longitude 52 E. to beyond 54E. Its length
from north to south is approximately 150 English miles and
its breadth from east to west 125 miles. Its total area is
about the same as that of the kingdom of Belgium.
3. NAMES
The oldest name for the chief part of the country was
Chanaan. This name was borne by Cham's fourth son, the
ancestor of the Chanaanites, who occupied all the land west
of the Jordan. The name Chanaan therefore excludes the dis-
1 Tjn^ is interpreted as meaning " the rugged region," from y'w
rough, rugged; but the traditional meaning is "hill of testimony" (see
Gten. xxxi. 21, etc.).
THE HOLY LAND 7
trict eastward of the Jordan, but includes Phoenicia, and when
in course of time the Chanaanites were driven to the northwest
as the Israelites settled in the country, only Phoenicia re-
tained the old name of Chanaan. (" The woman of Chanaan,"
Matt. xv. 22. ) 1 Other names are: the Land of Israel, because
it was inhabited by the descendants of Jacob or Israel; Land
of the Hebrews, i. e. the descendants of Heber, or the people
from beyond; 2 Land of Yahweh (God), because the country was
always to be regarded as belonging to God in a peculiar degree,
and He permitted the Israelites to dwell in it under definite
conditions; Land of Juda, because from the time of David
and Solomon onwards the tribe of Juda was pre-eminent, and
because the exiles who returned from the Babylonian captivity
belonged almost exclusively to this tribe, so that the people
came to be known as Jews, and Greek and Roman writers speak
of the whole country as Judaea. The Jews call Palestine the
Holy Land because it belonged especially to God and was sanc-
tified by God's presence in the Temple; and Christians give
1 It is possible to derive Chanaan from kana', to bend, to settle down,
and thus Chanaan would mean the low-lying land, as opposed to 'aram,
the high ground (Maurer, Leorikon). The early inhabitants might have
been called Chanaanites, the low-landers, and in this case the name of
the founder of the race would not have been Chanaan, but would simply
be unknown. This interpretation is, however, inaccurate. Chanaan is
a mountainous country and Aram is chiefly a plain watered by rivers;
hence Aram cannot mean " high ground," and the origin of the word is
doubtful. We may therefore assume that the name of the founder of
the race was transferred to the country inhabited by the race. As the
Phoenicians were traders, the Israelites often called all merchants
" Chanaanites."
2 Ewald derives the name from Heber, but it seems better to connect
it either with l abar, to pass over, or with 'eber, beyond. The name seems
to have been originally given to the Israelites by the heathen inhabit-
ants, because they came from beyond the Jordan. They generally spoke
of themselves as the Children of Israel. " Israel " means " God fight-
eth," a very suitable name for the community of believers, who were
constantly assailed by enemies and seemed again and again to be on the
verge of destruction, but nevertheless outlasted all their foes, because
God fought for and with them. Thus the followers of God under the
new dispensation are known as the " Church Militant." Cf. Wellhausen,
Isr. u. jiid. Geschichte, 15. The struggle described in Gen. xxxii. 24, etc.,
when Jacob's name was changed to Israel, probably signifies that Jacob's
descendants would be punished for their repeated resistance to God's
commands, just as Jacob was lamed in wrestling.
8 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
it the same name because it was the scene of our Lord's life
and death. It is called the Land of Promise (Heb. xi. 9), or
the Promised Land, because God promised it to the patriarchs
as their dwelling place. Lastly, the name Palestine comes from
peleschet or Philistine-land; this name was originally given
only to the strip of coast on the southwest inhabited by the
Philistines, but the Greeks and Romans, who visited the coast
before they penetrated inland, applied the name to the whole
country.
4. CLIMATE
Lying as it does in latitude 32, Palestine has a mild climate,
and suffers neither from excessive heat nor from extreme cold.
The seasons differ from one another less than they do with us,
and in Holy Scripture as a rule only two seasons, winter and
summer, are mentioned. Winter lasts from the beginning of
November until March, but is not so cold as ours. It sets in
with the early rains (jore or chariph), which soften the ground
and facilitate the sowing of the winter crops (barley and
wheat). Rain continues to fall intermittently during the fol-
lowing months, and occasionally snow is seen, but seldom lies
more than a few days ; the earth hardly ever freezes. February
is the wettest month of the year. Corn reaches its full height
in March, and after the late rains (malgosch) at the end of this
month the summer crops are sown. 1 The corn grown in winter
is harvested in April and May, and then the summer sets in,
during which rain seldom falls; the earth soon loses its ver-
dure and most of the brooks dry up. The heat increases
rapidly and is very oppressive in August, when the ther-
mometer often rises above 100 Fahrenheit. The nights, how-
ever, are cool and there is abundant dew. The days vary in
length from ten to fourteen hours. In December the sun
rises a little before seven and sets about five; in June it rises
a little before five and sets soon after seven.
1 The farmers anxiously await the rain, for it causes the floors to
be filled with wheat and the presses to overflow with wine and oil
(Joel ii. 24). Job boasts that men waited for him as for rain and
they opened their mouth as for a latter shower (xxix. 23)..
THE HOLY LAND
5. CONFIGURATION *
Almost the whole country is hilly, as it is crossed by off-
shoots of the Lebanon range. Lebanon itself (=the white
mountain) lies to the north of Palestine and belongs not to it
but to Syria; Little Lebanon (Antilibanus) to the east and
Hermon, about 10,000 feet high, with its summit always covered
with snow, likewise belong to Syria. Between these two ranges
lies a broad, deep valley called Coelosyria (KoCkij ^vpia = hol-
low Syria) which never formed part of Palestine.
1. Offshoots of Mount Lebanon form the hill country west-
ward of the Jordan. The most conspicuous heights in the
north are Thabor (1850 feet), and the promontory of Carmel
(1800 feet above the Mediterranean). Farther south, in
Samaria, are Garizim and Ebal, both about 2500 feet high, and
still farther, near Jerusalem, the Mount of Olives reaches a
height of about 2650 feet, while some points near Hebron, quite
in the south, are 2800 feet above sea level. The whole range
is intersected by numerous valleys, the broadest being the plain
of Esdrelon, watered by the brook Kison. Towards the east
the mountains terminate abruptly with the valley of the Jordan,
but towards the west they sink in a succession of terraces down
to the sea. Along the coast is a flat strip of fertile land, known
as the Plain of Saron, where the Philistines dwelt.
2. The mountains east of the Jordan are a prolongation of
the Little Lebanon range, and are from 1300 to 2200 feet above
the sea. On the east they sink gradually down to the great plain
of the Euphrates, but on the west the descent to the valley of the
Jordan is steep and abrupt. The high ground is intersected by
several deep valleys, along which rivers flow, the chief being the
Jabbok and the Arnon.
3. The valley of the Jordan runs nearly due north and south
between these ranges of hills and extends from the foot of Her-
mon to the Dead Sea, and even beyond it, being shut in by steep
hills on either side. Its length is about 125 English miles,
1 A fuller account of the configuration of Palestine will be found in
J. Wimrner's Paldstinas Boden mit seiner Pflanzen- und Tierwvlt, Co-
logne, 1902.
10 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
and its breadth varies from 6 to 13 miles. Its climate is mild,
and its soil more fertile than that of the hill country. The
Jordan (Hajjarden, the descending) rises on Mount Hermon
and is the chief river in the Holy Land; owing to the rapid
slope of the land it flows very quickly, and contains about
thirty waterfalls; it is not navigable. Quite in the north, not
far from its source, it flows through the small, swampy Lake
Merom, and ten miles further on it enters the beautiful Lake
of Genesareth. The lake is over 600 feet below the sea level,
is 14 miles long and 6 broad, and has sweet, clear water, abound-
ing in fish. Its banks are picturesque, though now desolate. In
our Saviour's time they were covered with prosperous villages,
which He took pleasure in visiting. The Jordan leaves the lake
by a cataract at its southern end, being by this time a stream
about 40 feet broad and 7 feet deep. It does not flow in the
middle of the valley, but keeps along the eastern side, until after
a further course of nearly 80 miles it enters the Dead Sea.
This lake, called by the Arabs Bohr Lut or Lot's Sea, .lies 1300
feet below sea level, and is 47 miles long and 10 miles across.
It is shut in by high, barren walls of rock, and is justly called
the Dead Sea, as no vegetation is visible anywhere near it and
no fish can live in it. The water is of a grayish green tint,
not quite transparent, and it contains 25 per cent of salt. It
is therefore more brackish than sea water and of a greater
specific gravity than the human body. The lake is divided into
two very different parts by a promontory stretching out from
the eastern shore. The northerly part is on an average 1100
to 1300 feet deep, while the southern part, which forms about
a quarter of the whole lake, is only 13 to 16 feet in depth.
This smaller part appears to be of later formation than the
rest, and it seems probable that the soil, permeated as it is
with resinous substances, was at some period set on fire, possibly
by lightning, and it gradually burnt itself out. 1
1 The subject has been discussed in a periodical called Gaa (1897, nos.
7 and 8, pp. 402, etc. ) and the writers of the articles tend to ascribe the
present state of the lake to the action of an earthquake. Cf., however,
Natur und Offenbarung, 1900, no. 3, and also Elbert, Entstehung und
Oeschichte des Toten Meeres. In any case we see the results of punitive
THE HOLY LAND 11
This resulted in the formation of a depression over which
the water of the northern part of the lake poured. It would
seem that the water acquired its extreme saltness only after
this occurrence, as it has since then been brought into contact
with the bed of rock salt to the south of the lake. The biblical
account of the catastrophe is given in Genesis xix. According to
it four towns, Sodom, Gomorrha, Seboim and Adama, stood on
a fertile plain to the south of the lake, and were destroyed in
the time of Abraham, while Segor, a smaller city, was spared. 1
6. NATURAL PRODUCTS
In consequence of Israel's want of faith and God's curse,
Palestine is at the present time barren and unproductive. For-
merly, however, it was a very fruitful country, capable of
supporting four or five million inhabitants, whereas now it has
scarcely 800,000. 2
The natural causes of the present desolation are : the destruc-
tion of forests, which has caused the former abundant supply
of water to diminish (Deut. viii. 7) ; 3 the numerous wars and
action on God's part, as recorded in Holy Scripture. Nature is God's
instrument.
1 Since 1900 a steamer, built in Hamburg and carrying thirty-four
passengers besides cargo, has been plying regularly along the Dead Sea,
which had been deserted for thousands of years. It has opened up trade
between Jerusalem and Kerak, the old capital of the Moabites, which
has a population of 1800 Christians and 6000 Mahometans, and is the
only town of any commercial importance situated east of the Jordan.
2 According to Fr. Lie"vin, and also Badeker-Benzinger, Palastina,
fifth ed., Leipzig, 1900, the population consists of about 440,000 Mahome-
tans; 200,000 Jews, mostly immigrants in the last few years; 50,000
Christians, half of whom are Catholics and the other half Greeks not
Uniates; and the remainder includes Armenians and Druses and a few
Protestants. The population is only a quarter as dense as that of
Germany.
3 " For the Lord thy God will bring thee into a good land, of brooks
and of waters, and of fountains, in the plains of which and the hills deep
rivers break out." Even in the time of Esdras and Nehemias the high
ground must still have been covered with forests, for in Nehemias viii.
15, we read the command to " Go forth to the mount and fetch branches
of olive, and branches of beautiful wood." When forests are cut down
the springs and brooks dry up, the banks of which are mentioned in
Leviticus xxiii. 40, as the places where the willows grow.
12 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
devastations with which the country was harassed; and the
Turkish supremacy, which has always proved hostile to progress.
In spite of all this, however, Palestine still shows traces of
great fertility. 1
Palestine is poor in minerals. There are some iron mines
in the north, and rock salt is found in the south, near the
Dead Sea, but these are almost all the mineral products. The
vegetable kingdom is abundantly represented.
At the time when the Scriptures were written the natural
fertility of the soil was increased by the extraordinary care
with which it was cultivated. Plots of ground were protected
against wild animals by hedges and walls and against floods
by being laid out in terraces. Artificial means of irrigation
were everywhere employed (cisterns, channels and ponds) wher-
ever the natural water supply was deficient. "Wheat and barley
were grown in great quantities, rye and oats were unknown.
The corn surplus was so large that much could be exported, and
the Phoenicians especially imported from Palestine the large
amount of grain that they required (cf. Acts xii. 20). Palestine
was very rich also in vineyards, and even now the vines often
grow to the height of trees and bear bunches of grapes weigh-
ing several pounds. There was no dearth of lentils and beans,
and flax was plentiful, though it is doubtful whether cotton
was cultivated. Among the trees with foliage may be mentioned
the fig, the olive, palms, pomegranate, apple (tappuach), oak,
terebinth, acacia, tamarisk and sycamore; they furnished the
ordinary wood used for building purposes; among conifers the
cypress and the cedar, the wood of the latter being used for
buildings of the highest class. Many shrubs abounded, such
as the oleander, myrtle, mandragora and hyssop.
According to Leviticus x. and xi., animals were divided into
four classes, (1) the larger land animals, (2) water crea-
tures, (3) birds, (4) other animals.
(1) The first class is subdivided into cattle (betiema), i.e.
1 The sect of the German Templars have in modern times succeeded
in raising very fine crops in various places; e.g., near Jaffa and Jerusa-
lem. The same is true of recent Jewish settlers in both the east and the
west of the country.
THE HOLY LAND 13
tame domestic animals, and beasts of the field (chajjath liaarez),
i. e. wild creatures. Of the domestic animals, oxen, sheep and
goats were bred in great numbers, 1 so that every year many
thousands of them could be sacrificed and killed for food. Cattle
were used in agriculture, for plowing, for threshing out the
corn, and for drawing wagons. Many asses were kept, intelligent
animals, on which people generally rode, though they were also
employed in drawing the plow and in working the larger mills.
Camels, or rather dromedaries with one hump (animals with
two humps occur only in the heart of Asia), served then, as
now, to carry merchandise and travelers on long journeys.
Horses were not much used until the time of David. Dogs
were generally despised as savage and bloodthirsty and as re-
sembling wolves (Ps. Iviii. 7) ; it is only in the book of Tobias
and in the New Testament that there is any mention of dogs
as domestic animals. Swine were not kept at all.
Many wild animals were used for food, such as stags, ante-
lopes or gazelles, and ibexes. The hare was regarded as unclean.
Mention is made of the following savage beasts: the wild boar,
the bear, the wolf, the lion, the panther, the hyena, the lynx
and the jackal.
(2) Only such fish were eaten as had fins and scales. The
Lake of Genesareth abounded in fish and at the time of our
Lord many of the people in that neighborhood lived by fishing.
In this region fish served as the usual relish eaten with bread
(cf. Matt. xiv. 17).
(3) There were many pigeons, wood pigeons and turtledoves
in Palestine (Ezech. vii. 16), and partridges, swallows and
cranes were well known; hens are only mentioned in the New
Testament. Birds of prey were numerous, and were all regarded
as unclean. Birdcatching was common, but when a bird's nest
was discovered it was forbidden to take with the young ones also
1 In spring the cattle were driven out to pasture and left out during
the whole summer, until the approach of winter. At night they were
collected into a fold, a space surrounded by a low wall, at the entrance
to which one of the shepherds kept watch all night. Such folds were
often very large, and afforded room for several flocks under different
shepherds. Similes from pastoral life abound in Holy Scripture, and
our Lord speaks of Himself as the Good Shepherd, John x.
14 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
the mother bird (Deut. xxii. 6). In this way the various
species were preserved. 1
(4) Other creatures are divided into four classes, according
to Leviticus xi. 20, etc. : (a) animals that walk upon the earth,
such as the weasel, the mouse and various kinds of lizards; (&)
those that creep on their belly, such as worms and all kinds
of snakes; (c) small creatures with wings, such as grasshoppers
(four varieties of which are mentioned in Lev. xi. 22 as edible),
flies, gnats, wasps and bees; the latter abounded, although no
attention was paid to bee-keeping, and honey was frequently
eaten; (d) small creatures with many feet, such as beetles, ants,
spiders and scorpions.
7. PLAGUES OF COMMON OCCURRENCE
Under this heading four things may be mentioned:
1. The Samum, a hot wind that prevails in the desert and
is dangerous to life. It is injurious owing to its being very
hot and dry, and it carries a quantity of fine dust with it. Men
try to avoid it by throwing themselves flat on the ground, as
it always blows a few feet above the earth.
2. The plague, which formerly visited Palestine very fre-
quently and caused great loss of life. For the last few years
the Holy Land has been spared this visitation.
3. Leprosy, 2 at one time very common throughout the East,
but now of less frequent occurrence.
4. Locusts, a kind of grasshopper, capable of breeding in
incredible numbers, so as often to overspread and devastate
whole districts. Joel ii. 3, "The land is like a garden of
pleasure before it, and behind it a desolate wilderness."
1 In Lev. xi. 13-16, and Deut. xiv. 12, etc., the following birds are men-
tioned as unfit for food: the eagle, the griffin, the osprey, the kite, the
vulture, the raven, the ostrich, the owl, the sea mew, the falcon, the
screech owl, the cormorant, the ibis, the swan, the pelican, the purple
water hen, the stork, the heron, the lapwing and the bat (among the
ancients the bat was always reckoned as a bird).
2 For full information regarding this disease, that is still prevalent
in Palestine and elsewhere, see Die Kath. Hissionen, 1902, 1903.
THE HOLY LAND 15
8. DWELLINGS, FOOD AND CLOTHING
1. The Patriarchs lived as nomads in tents resembling those
of Bedouin Arabs at the present time. Covers made of goats'
hair or sometimes of linen were stretched over several uprights
and fastened down to the earth by means of pegs at the sides.
As a rule a curtain divided each tent into two apartments, one
for the men and the other for the women and little children;
occasionally there was a third apartment for the servants. Some-
times the women occupied a separate tent. A cluster of tents
round that of the chieftain, now called the Sheikh, formed a
village.
In mountainous parts of the country caves were often used as
dwellings, or artificial caves were hollowed in the rocks. The
Horites to the east of the Jordan were so called from their
living in caves (c/ior = cave). An entrance was often built in
front of the cave, so that the dwelling consisted of two parts.
The house of the Holy Family in Nazareth seems to have been
of this kind. Caves served also as places of burial, and were
then closed with a stone; such was our Lord's grave. Cf. also
Gen. xxiii. 9 ; Matt. viii. 28 ; John xi. 39.
2. The houses of the settled population were then as now
built of clay bricks, which were seldom baked, but only dried
in the sun; hence the buildings did not last long. The houses
of wealthy persons were built of hewn stone. The beams were
mostly of sycamore wood, i. e. the wood of the fig-mulberry
tree, which often grows to an enormous size. The walls were
lime-washed, and the floors were of clay, firmly stamped down.
As a rule a house had but one story and a flat roof, on which
the occupants could walk about and follow their employments,
especially in the cool of the evening. In order to prevent them
from falling down, it was often necessary to have a parapet
or a trellis round the roof (Deut. xxii. 8). Often there was
an upper room on the roof. A staircase led from the roof down
into the house or else to the road outside.
The door of the house was secured with a wooden bolt having
openings in it, into which a large key fitted, with a movable iron
16 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
tip, so that the bolt could be moved backwards and forwards.
Above the door a text of Scripture was inscribed (Deut. vi. 9).
The windows were not glazed, for glass was very costly, but
they were latticed, and there were fewer of them than in our
houses. One indispensable article in every house was a candle-
stick, a wooden stand supporting a lamp. A hand mill was
to be found in almost every house.
3. The food of the people consisted chiefly of grain. Wheat
supplied the daily bread, and only the poor ate barley bread.
Unripe grain was often cooked in oil, but as a rule it was ground
to flour and baked into bread, which very frequently was un-
leavened, such as is still common in the East. The loaves
were round or long in shape, about the size of a plate, and of
the thickness of a finger. They were not cut but broken at
meals. Bread was the chief article of food, hence in the Lord's
Prayer we ask for " our daily bread." As a relish the Israelites
often ate fruit or fried fish, although there was no lack of meat.
Only very poor people or strict penitents ate locusts (Lev. xi. 22 ;
Matt. iii. 4).
The ordinary beverage was water. The dearth of water in
the East causes a draught of fresh water to be regarded as a
great boon, hence a special reward is promised to the giver of
it (Matt. x. 42; xxv. 42). As the water was seldom quite
fresh, but drawn from cisterns, the common people in summer
quenched their thirst (Num. vi. 3; Euth ii. 9) with a sour
drink (chomez) made from dates, into which they dipped their
bread. The upper classes drank wine (jajin], which was no
doubt mixed with water. 1 They had also an artificial wine
(schekar, o-itcepa, sicera) prepared by fermentation from grain,
fruit or honey, with the addition of spices.
4. They usually took two meals daily, at noon and in the
evening. The latter meal seems to have been the more impor-
tant, as the solemn Paschal supper had to be celebrated at
night (the meal at which the Holy Eucharist was instituted) ;
also the wedding feasts were held in the evening (Matt. xxv.
1 The Greeks and Romans drank wine much diluted with water.
Vi/num temperatum consisted of one part of wine to three parts of water.
THE HOLY LAND 17
1-13). 1 Both before and after a meal it was customary to
wash the hands. In early times people sat at table (Judges xix.
6: "They sat down together and ate and drank"), but after-
wards it became the fashion to recline on cushions, 2 leaning on
the left arm, and using the right to carry the food to the mouth.
The feet, that were of course bare, were stretched out at the
back.
5. The clothing worn by the Israelites was commonly a tunic
(IcetTionetJi, ^m6z>, tunica) with a cloak or upper garment
(beged) over it. The tunic was made of linen or woolen cloth
and reached to the knees; it had very short sleeves or none
at all. A coat that came down to the ankles and wrists was
considered a festival garment (kethoneth passim , Gen. xxxvii. 3).
The tunic was held in place by a girdle round the waist. Over
it was worn the cloak, a square piece of cloth, which frequently
served also as a bed covering. At its four corners were tassels
fastened to a blue cord (arba kanphoth = fringes. Num. xv.
38). The feet were shod with sandals, and a band formed the
headgear; women wore a veil. Isaias speaks of the vanity of
women in dress (iii. 16-23). "The daughters of Sion are
haughty, and have walked with stretched-out necks, and wanton
glances of their eyes, and made a noise as they walked with their
feet and moved in a set pace. . . . The Lord will take away the
ornaments of shoes and little moons, and chains and necklaces,
and bracelets, and bonnets, and bodkins, and ornaments of
the legs and tablets, and sweet balls, and earrings, and rings,
and jewels hanging on the forehead, and changes of apparel, and
short cloaks, and fine linen and crisping pins, and looking-
glasses, and lawns, and headbands, and fine veils."
The present state of the native population is very depressing.
Their dwellings are mostly mud huts with flat roofs, and it
is only through the narrow doorway that light and air can
penetrate into them. The fellah generally owns a small plot
1 The Greeks and Romans also took their chief meal (Selirvov, cena)
in the evening. The midday repast was a lighter meal, more like our
breakfast or luncheon, hence it was called prandium, i. e., early meal
(irpav Trpunjv, early, connected with vpul).
2 Triclinia, so called because there was generally room for three per-
sons. These couches had no backs.
18 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
of land, on which he grows wheat, barley and a few vegetables.
He may possess also some olive and fig trees, and perhaps some
sheep, goats and fowls, an ass, a horse or a camel. The work
of a fellahin family is divided between the husband, who looks
after the land, and the wife, who does everything else. Thus
the chief burden falls on the weaker sex. The woman has to
provide the meals, which, simple as they are, involve fetching
water, preparing fuel by mixing chaff with animals' dung,
grinding the corn at the handmill, and making and baking the
bread. She has moreover to make all the clothing, and carry
a child on her back while she does her work.
The meals are very simple; the chief article of food is
bread, mostly unleavened and newly baked, and as a relish
a few olives or onions, figs or grapes; sometimes rice with sour
milk. Meat is seldom seen. The ordinary beverage is water,
generally drawn from a cistern, and only on festive occasions
is a cup of coffee produced. Amusements as we understand
them do not exist, with the sole exception of tobacco smoking.
No one can be called well to do, although so very little is re-
quired to maintain a family. The chief reason for this deplor-
able state of affairs is that the taxation is very heavy. The
tenth part of all that the land produces is claimed by the govern-
ment. For every sheep, goat and pig three piasters (about 12
cents) must be paid yearly, and in addition there is a land tax
of four piasters (16 cents) on every piece of land worth 1000
piasters ($40.00). All non-Mahometans have to purchase exemp-
tion from military service, and according to Lievin each man
has to pay yearly 38 piasters ($1.50). Besides all this there
are tolls on bridges and roads, customs duties, death duties,
trade taxes, etc. Moreover the manner of collecting the taxes
makes them more oppressive; all taxes, but especially the
tax on land produce, are generally leased the man who ac-
cepts the contract paying a fixed sum to the government and
then collecting the tax for himself, in doing which he is
often assisted by armed men, and tales of atrocities are by
no means uncommon. The fellah is often obliged to borrow
money from usurers, who charge from 100 to 200 per cent
interest. Turkish officials seldom draw a fixed salary with any
THE HOLY LAND 19
regularity, and each, tries to wring money out of his unhappy
subordinates to make up for his own arrears of salary. In
this way there is no end to the extortions.
The European immigrants, who are now fairly numerous,
are in a far better position, and are engaged in trade and in
opening up means of communication. Their profits increase
rapidly. The chief exports are oranges, oil and wine, while
every kind of European produce is imported. It is hoped that
considerable impulse to progress in Palestine and Syria will
be caused by the Anatolian railway, which, when completed,
will serve as a connection between the countries near the
Euphrates and those of the West.
9. INHABITANTS BEFORE THE ISRAELITES
Before God's chosen people settled in Palestine, the land had
already had Semitic and afterwards Chamitic inhabitants. Tribes
of Chanaanite origin had come into the country possibly from
the northwest, but more probably from the east, and had mingled
with the earlier Semitic population and had adopted its lan-
guage and lost their own. Abraham and his descendants like-
wise lost their Aramaic dialect and acquired that of the country,
which on their account was designated Hebrew.
To the old Semitic inhabitants of Palestine belonged the
following tribes: (1) the Pherezites, mentioned in Gen. xiii. 7,
as living near Bethel; (2) the Eaphaites (Rephaim = giants), in
the district east of the Jordan (Gen. xiv. 5) ; (3) the Enakites
(Anaqim = long-necked), who were also men of great stature,
living near Hebron in the south. They were to a great extent
exterminated by Josue (Num. xiii. 22, 28; Jos. xi. 21); (4)
the Hevites or Awites ('Avvim, Deut. ii. 23), who came into
conflict with the Philistines and were subdued by them. They
seem not to have been akin to the Philistines, but to have been
of the same race as the Hevites of Chanaan (see p. 21); (5)
the Kenites (qenim, Gen. xv. 19), who lived in the southeast, but
now and then were in alliance with the Amalakites, whose
lands lay still farther south (I Kings, xv. 6). To the same race
belonged the Eechabites, a small tribe who lived by breeding
20 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
cattle (they are mentioned in Jeremias xxxv.), and also perhaps
the Cenezites and the Cedmonites (Gen. xv. 19). Melchisedech,
king of Salem, was undoubtedly a Semite, but his lineage is
unknown.
The greater part of the country, however, before the coming
of the Israelites, was occupied by the Chanaanites, descendants
of the fourth son of Cham. Chanaan had eleven sons (Gen.
x. 15-18), and the tribes descended from six of them settled
along the seacoast in the northwest. The Greeks called them
Phoenicians from the color of their skin (fyoiviices, from $oivi%,
reddish purple). The tribes descended from the other five
sons settled in Palestine itself. They were :
1. The Hethites, descended from Cheth, Chanaan's second
son. They lived in the south of the country. It was from
them that Abraham bought a plot of land as a burial place
(Gen. xxiii.). Like the Amorites they spread over the Holy
Land, and founded a great empire in the north, with two
principal cities, Kades on the Orontes and Karkemisch on the
Euphrates/ The Hethites are compared as warriors with the
Egyptians in IV Kings, vii. 6, and in early Egyptian records
there is mention of wars between the Egyptians and the Heta
or Hethites. Barneses II (about 1350), called by Herodotus
Sesostris, was forced to ratify peace with them by marrying
a Hethite princess. The Hethites were a source of danger to the
Assyrians also, until Sargon took Karkemisch in 717, and
destroyed their power. That they were of Chanaanite origin
is proved by their worshiping Baal and Astarte. 1
2. The Jebusites, descended from Jebus, Chanaan's third
son. They lived in and round Jerusalem, which was at that
time called Jebus.
3. The Amorites, descended from Amor, the fourth son, are
mentioned as living in the south, near the Dead Sea, but they
settled also far to the north, in the country east of the Jordan.
4. The Gergesites were descended from Girgas, the fifth son
of Chanaan; their abode is unknown.
1 See Sayce, " Fresh Light from Ancient Monuments," pp. 96-99. It is
possible that the Hethites ought to be identified with the Hyksos. Sayce,
however, regards the Hyksos as Western Semites.
CANAAN,
AS DIVIDED AMONG
t THE TWELVE TRIBES
English Miles Zareplmt
The Cities of Refuge are
underlined tfi us Golan
^ E P,H R A I
THE HOLY LAND 21
5. The Hevites, descended from Chev, the sixth son, lived
in the north, near Lebanon.
Besides the Semitic and Chanaanite tribes, the Philistines
had settled in the south, before the time of Abraham ;* they were
a Chamitic people (Gen. x. 14; xx. 2, etc.) that had migrated
from Kaphtor. 2 Their chief towns were Gaza, Asdod (Azotus),
Ascalon, Gath and Accaron.
All these tribes were governed by rules of their own; almost
every district had a king.
10. PALESTINE AS DIVIDED AMONG THE ISRAELITES
When the Israelites entered the Promised Land under Josue,
the previous inhabitants were either conquered or driven out,
and some were exterminated by God's command as a punishment
for their sins. Then the country was divided among the twelve
tribes as their possession. The tribe of Levi, whose duty it
was to attend to the worship of God, received no land, but the
members of that tribe were distributed over the whole country
and occupied forty-eight towns. The tribe of Joseph received
two portions, as Ephraim and Manasses were adopted by Jacob
(Gen. xlviii. 5). (I) The territory assigned to the tribe of
Juda lay in the south. (2) "Westward of it was that belonging
to Simeon, the weakest of the tribes. (3) To the north of Juda
lay Benjamin. (4) the tribe of Dan, that was very numerous,
lived at first between Juda and the Philistines, but as its terri-
tory was too small, and constant fighting was required for its
defense, part of the tribe migrated northwards and settled near
the town of Lais, which was thenceforth called Dan. (5)
Ephraim, a large tribe, occupied the center of the country.
(6) To the north of Ephraim dwelt half the tribe of Manasses,
1 In the Septuagint the name Philistine is rendered 'A\\6(f>v\oi,
strangers, so possibly it ought to be connected with the Ethiopian word
falasa, to travel or wander. "Pheleschet" is therefore the strangers'
land, and if this be correct the Philistines did not belong to the origi-
nal Semitic or Chanaanite population.
2 Kaphtor was a strip of coast to the east of the delta of the Nile.
It must not be identified with Crete, nor with Cappadocia, as is done in
the Septuagint and the Vulgate versions of Amos ix. 7. The Philistines
certainly came from Egypt.
22 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
the other half having been left by Moses in the northern part of
the country east of the Jordan. (7) The tribe of Issachar lived
round the plain of Esdrelon. (8) The tribe of Zabulon settled
to the west of the Lake of Genesareth. (9) The tribe of Aser
lived near Mount Carmel. (10) Nephtali occupied the north-
ernmost part of the country. (11) Euben dwelt in the south
of the district east of the Jordan, and (12) Gad in the north.
In the period following the captivity this division of the
country fell into disuse, as the majority of those who returned
belonged to the tribe of Juda, and thenceforth the whole nation
became known as Jews.
At the time of our Lord, under the Eoman government, the
land west of the Jordan was divided into three parts; viz.,
Judaea, Samaria and Galilee. The country east of the Jordan
was called Peraea.
11. DESCRIPTION OF PLACES
I. Judcea
1. Jerusalem, 1 formerly called Salem, then Jebus, then 2Elia
Capitolina (under the Eoman Emperor Hadrian) and now El
Kuds, the holy (its Mahometan name), is situated on an uneven
slope, divided from northwest to southeast by a depression,
which Josephus calls the Tyropceon, and surrounded by valleys
on the north, south and west. 2
1 DHEftV = either " vision of peace " or " foundation of peace," ac-
cording to the derivation of jeru from a verb meaning " to see " or from
one meaning " to found." In the hymn Ccelestis urbs Jerusalem, beata
pacis visio the former derivation is accepted. The dual form seems to
refer to the upper and lower cities. As early as 1400 B. c., in the cunei-
form inscriptions of Tell el Amarna, the name of the town was Urusalem.
The Assyrian form is Urusalimmu.
2 Upon two ridges of unequal height,
That front each other, stands Jerusalem,
Through which there runs a narrow vale, whose site
Divides the town in two, and severs them.
Three sides a steep ascent the town defends,
But on the fourth you go, nor seem to rise,
And this plain side, which toward the north extends,
By loftiest ramparts more defended is.
TOBQU. TASSO, Jerus. Delivered, III, 55, trans. K. James.
THE HOLY LAND 23
The town originally did not extend beyond Mount Sion on
the southwest, and consisted of the stronghold of Sion and the
old city clustered about it. It was here that David dwelt.
Solomon enlarged the town and built the Temple, which occupied
a large area on the low hill called Moria, situated northeast
of Sion and due north of Ophel. 1
After the captivity the second Temple was erected on the same
site, and the restored city retained its former limits. Antiochus
Epiphanes built a fortress to the north of the Temple, on the
Hill of Akra (II Mach. iv. 12), in order to dominate the Temple.
Eound this fortress a new quarter of the town gradually arose,
and as it was on a lower level than Sion, it was known as the
Lower City. 2
Herod I, who had a mania for building, effected great changes
in the fortress of Sion, the Temple and Akra, which he called
Antonia. It was here that our Saviour was brought before
1 Recent explorers have sought Mount Sion in the east of the city,
though this is contrary to tradition, their reason being that we often
read that the Lord dwelleth on Sion, and this must refer to the hill on
which the Temple stood. The periodical entitled Das HI. Land (Cologne,
Oct. 1, 1896, p. 77) contains, however, the following important informa-
tion : " The most recent discovery in the topography of Jerusalem is that
of the steps of the city of David. It is scarcely possible to doubt that
these are the steps of the city mentioned in Nehemias iii. 15 and xii. 36.
These newly discovered steps are on the southwest hill, not on the south-
east, but where the former hill slopes down in an easterly direction
towards the Tyropoeon, on the west side of the valley. They could only
lead up to the southwest hill. Hitherto about fifteen steps have been
found. . . . The problem of Mount Sion is therefore approaching its solu-
tion, and in all probability the traditional Sion will win the day, and the
theory of the southeast hill will be proved erroneous." If we occasion-
ally read that God dwelleth in Sion, Sion stands for Jerusalem, just as
the Vatican often means Rome, and the Seine Paris. The name is also
used figuratively for the theocratic Jerusalem. (The steps mentioned in
Neh. xii. 36, can hardly be the same as those referred to in iii. 15, but
were steps in the city wall.) Gatt, a missionary in Gaza, who knows
Jerusalem very thoroughly, in a work on the hills of Jerusalem defends
the traditional position of Sion, and Riickert does the same. In a recent
work Gatt aims at justifying the traditional view and at establishing it
more firmly.
2 According to Mommert (Topographic des alien Jerusalems, Leipz.,
1903), an upper and a lower city existed as early as the time of Josue.
Mommert does not locate David's stronghold in the upper city of Sion,
but on the Hill of Akra, which he thinks was included with the upper
city at a very early period under the general name of Sion.
24 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
Pilate, and from this place of His condemnation He carried
the cross to the place of His execution outside the city. 1
To the north of this fortress, on the hill Bezetha and also
to the west of it, a new quarter has gradually sprung up, called
the suburb or new town.
Jerusalem as it now is, situated in a barren, rocky region, has a deso-
late and lifeless appearance, and makes a gloomy impression upon those
who behold it. The words of Jeremias' lamentation are even more ap-
plicable now than they were after the Babylonian devastation: "How
doth the city sit solitary that was full of people! " (Lam. i. 1.) The
population has, however, increased rapidly in the last few years, and
has risen from 20,000 to 66,000 (1905). Of these 45,000 are Jews, 8000
Mahometans, 6000 Greeks (Orthodox Church), 2500 Latins, 950 Arme-
nians, 800 Protestants, 250 Uniate Greeks, 150 Copts, 100 Abyssinians,
100 Jacobite Syrians, 50 Uniate Syrians and a few Maronites. During
the nineteenth century twelve Catholic churches and several chapels were
built in Jerusalem, but of the thirty existing Catholic places of worship
only three are of ancient origin; viz., the Church of the Holy Sepulcher,
St. Anne's, and the Grotto of the Agony; the rest have all been built
since 1840. (The schismatic Greeks possess thirty- four churches and
chapels, the Russians five, all newly built, and the Protestants four.
Cf. Das HI. Land, 1897, p. 37.) Since 1892 there has been a railway con-
necting Jerusalem with Jaffa. At the present time the still existing
" Pools of Solomon," which he made to the south of Bethlehem, are being
reconstructed so as to supply again the capital with water. The water-
courses will follow the same lines as they did three thousand years ago.
The following places in and near Jerusalem are familiar
to us, as their names occur in Holy Scripture :
(a) Golgotha, i. e. place of a skull (golgoiha = golgoltlia,, the
Aramaic form of the Hebrew word gulgoletli. The Evangelists
translate the name as icpaviov TOTTO? = calvarice locus) . The
name is certainly not derived from skulls of executed male-
factors. They would not have been allowed to lie about, as
contact with a corpse or any part of one caused legal uncleanness.
1 On this subject Father Barnabas Meistermann wrote a well-grounded
argument in favor of the Catholic tradition regarding the holy places in
Jerusalem. The same religious has written very careful monographs on
the grave of Our Lady, on Thabor, Emmaus, Arimathea, and the home of
John the Baptist (Atw = Karim St. John in the mountains). Several
writers have attempted to prove that by Pilate's Pretorium is meant,
not the fortress Antonia, but Herod's palace on Sion. If this were cor-
rect, would not the tradition regarding the Way of the Cross have to be
abandoned 1
THE HOLY LAND 25
The spot must have borne some resemblance to a skull, and
have been bare and somewhat raised. It was here that our
Saviour redeemed us by His death on the Cross. At that time
the place was outside the city, and, according to an unbroken
tradition, lay to the northwest of it. After our Lord's death
Jerusalem was extended in this direction and so Golgotha came
to be included within the city wall. Hence the Church of the
Holy Sepulcher, which contains the place of the Crucifixion,
is now within Jerusalem. 1
From the point of view of accuracy the question may be asked whether,
as our Lord was crucified "without the gate" (Heb. xiii. 12; cf. Matt,
xxvii. 33, John xix. 15), the city wall at that time included or excluded
the site of the present church of the Holy Sepulcher. Three walls may
be considered:
( 1 ) David's wall, which only surrounded Sion, and this, according
to tradition, was the western hill.
(2) The wall of Ezechias and Manasses, restored by Nehemias after
the Captivity, and still forming the city wall in our Lord's time. It
branched off from the earlier wall and surrounded the city on the west,
north and east, terminating at the Temple.
( 3 ) Herod Agrippa's wall, begun about 43 A. D. The second wall is
the one that we have to consider. Those who defend the literal accuracy
of the text maintain that it was possible and even probable for the place
of crucifixion to have been outside this wall. Their opponents hold that
the second wall must have enclosed the site of the church of the Holy
Sepulcher, as Jerusalem was then very populous. The difficulty has now
been solved, and the question decided in favor of the text. In 1883 re-
mains of the second wall were discovered, showing quite plainly that it
did not include the site of the church. (Keppler, Wanderungen, etc., im
Oriente, 208.)
(&) On the southern plateau of Mount Sion, outside the
present Sion Gate and not far from the Christian cemeteries,
is a huge building containing a mosque, in which, according
to Mahometan tradition, King David is buried. There is proba-
bly no truth in this tradition.
Christians, on the other hand, assert that the room where
the Last Supper was eaten used to be here, and tradition iden-
tifies the place further with the room where our risen Saviour
1 Mommert has proved beyond all question that Constantino's basil-
ica contained our Lord's sepulcher, Golgotha with a church called the
Martyrion on it, the chapel of Saint Helena and the Finding of the
Cross.
26 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
appeared to His Apostles in Jerusalem, and where the Holy
Ghost came down upon them. Finally we are told that it was
in this neighborhood that Mary, the mother of our Lord, lived
and died, for which reason the space to the north of the above-
mentioned building has been called the Dormitio &. M. V. It
was acquired in the autumn of 1898 by the German Emperor
William II, who presented it to the German Catholics, and a
church and a Benedictine Monastery have been erected on this
site. 1
It is certain that from the very earliest times of Christianity
until 1551 there was a church here, Sancta Sion, the original
parent church of the world. 2
(c) The Mount of Olives (har Jiassethim), so called from
the numerous olive trees with which it was formerly covered;
now only a few remain. It lies to the east of the town, about
a quarter of an hour's walk from it.
(d) Between the town and the Mount of Olives lies the
Valley of Josaphat with the brook Cedron (Kidrori). ^The name
Josaphat (i. e. the Lord judgeth) seems to be very ancient,
although its use cannot be actually traced farther back than
to the time of Eusebius and Saint Jerome. The Cedron (i. e. the
dark or cloudy) receives water only from rains; its source has
1 The monastery was given over to the German Benedictines on March
21, 1906; the church was opened in April, 1910.
2 Of sources of information regarding the history of this site we men-
tion as very important the following: Diekamp, Hippolytos v. Theben,
Miinster, 1898, p. 96, etc.; Zahn, Dormitio s. virginis u. das Haus des
Joh. Marcus (Neue kirchl. Ztschr., X, 5) ; Lagrange, La dormition de la
s. vierge et la maison de Jean-Marc, in the Revue biblique, 1899, IV, 589.
It may be assumed that the house of John Mark's mother, where Peter
took refuge (Acts xii. 12), is identical with the room of the Last Sup-
per, the room where our Lord appeared to the Apostles, and the room
where the Holy Ghost descended upon them; it is possible that Our
Lady too sought shelter there. Nirschl opposes the theory, based on
K. Emmerich's visions, that Mary died and was buried in Ephesus. We
may, however, very well believe that she joined Saint John there and re-
mained there for some time, as is related in the visions of K. Emmerich.
J. Niessen, in a work entitled Panagia Kapuli (Dtilmen, 1906), upholds
the unsatisfactory theory that Mary died at Ephesus. (Panagia Kapuli
= the Gate of the B. Virgin, is a little house situated to the south of the
ruins of Ephesus.) Bardenhewer and Liibeck do not agree with Niessen
on this point.
ENYIRONS OF JERUSALEM V^f j
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THE HOLY LAND 27
long been dry. Its course begins near Jerusalem and its mouth
is in the Dead Sea, but usually the river bed is quite dry.
(e) Gethsemane (the oil-press) was a lonely farm on the
western foot of the Mount of Olives, beyond the brook Cedron.
Beside it was a garden, whither Jesus withdrew before His
Passion.
(/) The Valley of Hinnom is to the south of Jerusalem.
The depression begins in the west and continues round Sion,
terminating in the southeast at the village and spring of Siloa,
and joining the Cedron Valley. It was here that the idolatrous
Israelites once offered their children to Moloch. From the
name gehinnom the word gehenna, hell, has been formed, and
in later times the Jews, mindful of the fires of Moloch and
the shrieks of the victims, applied the name of this abhorred
spot to the place of suffering of the damned. 1
(g) On the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives lay the little
villages of Bethphage (house of figs) and Bethany (beth anija
= place of low ground), both familiar to us in the life of
Christ.
2. Bethlehem. 2 This little town, the birthplace of David
and of Christ, lies two hours' journey to the south of Jerusalem,
and is situated on the northern slope of a hill running east
and west. The Grotto of the Nativity lies to the east, at a
little distance from the town. Above it a church has been
built, and there is a monastery near it.
The latter is divided into three parts, one of which belongs to the
Latins, one to the schismatic Greeks and the third to the Armenians.
The Catholics have a little church of their own near their monastery,
it is dedicated to Saint Catherine and serves as a parish church. 8
1 Hinnom seems to have been the name of some man, perhaps a Jebu-
site, as the designation ge lene Hinnom also .occurs. Cf. Vigouroux,
Diet.
2 i. e. house of bread, probably because much grain was grown in the
neighborhood.
3 This church was rebuilt in 1880, by the assistance of the Emperor
of Austria, and it was consecrated on Aug. 18, 1882. In Bethlehem there
are still some descendants of the Crusaders, who call themselves Vene-
tians, and speak chiefly Italian. The Catholic community numbers 4000
souls. The rest of the 8000 inhabitants of Bethlehem are Greeks, and a
few Armenians and Mahometans. A very small part of the population
28 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
The Grotto of the Nativity and the large church dedicated
to our Lady once belonged to the Catholics, but were seized
by the Greeks, the church in 1758 and tlje Grotto in 1847. 1
3. Hebron (= fellowship) lies in a beautiful mountainous
region, six hours' journey south of Bethlehem. The town is
well known from the history of Abraham and David. At the
present time it has 10,000 inhabitants, who are almost all Ma-
hometans. There is a mosque on the east of the town, contain-
ing the graves of the patriarchs. An hour's journey north of
Hebron is the Valley Mambre, where Abraham dwelt for some
time.
4. On the southern boundary of Chanaan was the town of
Beersabe (= seven springs), which is often mentioned in Holy
Scripture.
5. Jericho, 2 a very ancient city of the kings of Chanaan.
It lay seven hours' journey to the east of Jerusalem, at some
distance from the Jordan. Now it is deserted, and only ruins
mark the site of the former city, and a tiny village called Riha
reminds us of its name.
6. Anathoth, the birthplace of the prophet Jeremias, was
a priestly city, one and one-half hours' journey north of
Jerusalem.
7. Rama, now Ram, lay three hours' journey north of Jeru-
salem.
8. Bethel, now Beitun, the place where Jacob saw the ladder
from heaven, is four and a half hours' journey north of Jeru-
salem. After the separation of the two realms it belonged to
Samaria, and became one of the chief seats of idolatrous worship
(cf. Amos vii.).
9. Silo, a little north of Bethel, now a place of ruins called
is Protestant; this denomination has a church and a school of its own.
There are no Jews in Bethlehem.
1 The well-justified claims of Latin Christians upon the holy places
are almost all jeopardized by attacks made by schismatics. On Nov. 4,
1901, several Franciscans were severely injured in the Church of the
Holy Sepulcher, as also happened on Jan. 22, 1907, in Saint Mary's at
Bethlehem.
2 i.e. the fragrant (from HVl), not the moon-city (from rnj). The
neighborhood of this town formerly abounded in fragrant plants', such as
balsams and rose trees.
THE HOLY LAND 29
Seilun, was the resting place of the Tabernacle at the time of
the Judges.
10. Emmaus (see Luke xxiv. 13). It is now a village called
Kubeibeh, and is situated 60 furlongs (three hours' journey)
to the northwest of Jerusalem. 1
11. Lydda, now Ludd, is mentioned in Acts ix. 33. It is
believed to have been the birthplace of Saint Georgius, and lies
ten hours' journey westward of Jerusalem. Near it is Ramie,
which tradition identifies with Arimathea, although many people
believe Rama near Jerusalem to be Arimathea. 2
12. Joppe or Jaffa, a town on the Mediterranean; the place
where Jonas took ship in order to flee to Tharsis. The town
has 45,000 inhabitants, and is still, as it was in the Middle
Ages, the usual landing place for pilgrims, although the stormy
sea and the sunken rocks make the harbor -unsafe.
1 The name = chammath, to be hot, is equivalent to Thermae. The
district was formerly rich in springs. The Franciscans now have a
church and a friary, and the German Holy Land Society has acquired
some property there. Kubeibeh or Kubebe is, according to Haneberg's
Archdologie, to be identified with Gabeon, frequently mentioned in the
Old Testament, but its position is disputed. The above statement is
based upon a tradition that goes back to the time of the Crusades.
The Franciscans believe Kubeibeh to be the Emmaus mentioned by Saint
Luke, and so do various other writers ; but there are several other opin-
ions on the subject. Some identify Emmaus with the present Amwas on
the plain to the east of Jaffa. Eusebius and Saint Jerome both say that
this place, which is also called Nicopolis, was the Emmaus of the Bible.
It is, however, too far from Jerusalem, being at a distance of 176 fur-
longs, or nearly nine hours* journey, and so it cannot be reconciled with
Saint Luke's account. Sepp thinks that the present Kulonieh (Colonia),
about 30 furlongs from Jerusalem on the way to Jaffa, may have been
Emmaus, but there is no tradition supporting this theory, and Kulonieh
is too near. The Greeks believe Abu-Gosch, the ancient Kariathiarim,
60 furlongs from Jerusalem, to be Emmaus, but this view also is unsup-
ported by tradition.
The Codex Sin. reads in Luke xxiv. 16, 160 furlongs, and not 60.
Tischendorf and others regard this as an intentional alteration. After
careful observations and personal investigations in Palestine, Belser has
pronounced himself opposed to the Nicopolis theory, and in favor of
Kubeibeh, chiefly on account of its distance from Jerusalem. The reason
why Eusebius and Saint Jerome preferred Nicopolis is probably that in
their time Emmaus-Kubeibeh was destroyed, devastated and forgotten.
Cf., however, Knabenbauer, Comm. in Luc., p. 632.
2 Ever since 1296 the Franciscans have had a mission at Ramie; in
1902 their chapel was transformed into a beautiful church.
30 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
II. Samaria
The central portion of Palestine derives its name from the
town that was once the capital of the northern kingdom.
1. Samaria (Hebr. schomron, Gk. ^afJLapeia and afterwards
2e/3a0T77, which name is still retained, though the natives pro-
nounce it Usbuste). The town was built by Omri, king of the
northern State, about the year 930 B. c. It was situated on a
hill which the king had bought from a certain Schemer, called
in the Septuagint Se^p, and in the Vulgate Somer (III
Kings xvi. 24). It remained the capital for two hundred years,
but was destroyed in 722, though subsequently rebuilt. Herod I
enlarged it, and gave it the name of Sebaste in honor of the
Emperor Augustus. 1
At the present time it is only a village with 500 inhabitants.
Among the ruins of the old town those of the Church of St.
John the Baptist are conspicuous. According to tradition his
body was buried here. Thirza (i.e. grace), which served for
a short time as a royal residence, may have been in the neigh-
borhood ; perhaps it should be identified with the modern Tejazir,
thirteen miles northeast of Sichem.
2. Sichem (Hebr. schelcem = ridge or stretch of land) was
the central point of the Holy Land, and lay fourteen hours'
journey north of Jerusalem, between the hills Garizim and Ebal,
the former being to the south, the latter to the north of the
town. Sichem is mentioned as early as the time of Abraham
and Jacob. After the division of the kingdoms, Sichem was
the residence of the kings of the northern State. In Apostolic
times it was generally called Neapolis, the new city, probably
because it had been almost completely rebuilt under Vespasian.
The modern name Nablus comes from Neapolis. The town now
contains 25,000 Mahometan inhabitants. A small body of
Samaritans, about 200 in number, still live at the foot of
Garizim.
3. Ccesarea, situated on the west coast, and therefore known
1 <re/9a<TT?) = augusta ; <r^/3w, fftfiofuu = to honor ; <rc/3a(rr6s = honored,
honorable = augustus.
THE HOLY LAND 31
as Maritima, to distinguish it from Caesarea Philippi, was built
by Herod I, and raised by Augustus to the dignity of an imperial
city. In Koman times the procurator of the province generally
lived here. Saint Paul was a prisoner here for two years. After
the destruction of Jerusalem, Caesarea was regarded as the capital,
and very early became a bishop's see. In the eighteenth century
some part of the town was still inhabited, but now it all lies in
ruins.
III. Galilee
In the north of Chanaan the Israelites lived in the midst of
pagans, and hence this part of the country received the name
gelil haggojim = the heathen district, in Greek Ta\i\ata
TUT etiv&v* or simply Ta\t\ala (Is. viii. 23; I Mach. v. 15;
Matt. iv. 15). Its chief towns were:
1. Nazareth (from nezer, flower, hence Nazareth = city of
flowers) is never mentioned in the Old Testament. It lies on
a hill in southern Galilee, six hours' journey southwest of the
Lake of Genesareth. From very early times pilgrims have
visited Nazareth, and it soon possessed several churches, and
was a bishop's see in the Middle Ages. Since the fourteenth
century the little town has been decaying. In 1620 the Fran-
ciscans restored the Church of the Annunciation, 1 and in 1720
a friary, and then some other houses, arose from the ruins.
Nazareth has now 11,000 inhabitants, mostly Catholics.
2. The little town of Nairn, now scarcely more than a village,
lay three hours' journey southeast of Nazareth.
3. Cana, now a village with 600 inhabitants, and known as
1 The casa santa, or house of the Holy Family, is venerated at Loreto
in Italy. According to the legend it was brought to the west in 1291,
first to Dalmatia, and in 1395 to Loreto. A basilica has been built over
it. Many people have doubted whether it is genuine; the following are
the reasons for believing it to be so: (a) By permission of Pope Pius
IX in 1861 the Roman antiquarian Bartolini caused some stone and
mortar from the casa santa, and also some from the foundations of the
house at Nazareth, to be chemically examined, and they proved to be
exactly similar, whereas such stone and mortar are not used in Italy.
(6) In Kresser's work, Nazareth, ein Zeuge fur Loreto (Graz, 1908), evi-
dence is adduced to show that the house of the Holy Family was in
Nazareth until 1291, but vanished after that date, (c) Father Poisat,
S.J., in the Univers, 1907.
32 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
Kefr-Kana, is an hour and a half's journey north of Nazareth.
This village, rather than the more distant Kana-Eldschelil, 1
ought to be regarded as the place where our Lord wrought His
first miracle. It is believed to have been the birthplace of
Saint Bartholomew the Apostle.
4. On the west coast of the Lake of Genesareth is the city
of Tiberias, built by Herod Antipas and named after the
Emperor Tiberius. It is now called Tubarieh, and contains
8000 inhabitants of various creeds.
5. Not far away, and also on the west coast of the lake,
was the village of Magdala, now Medschdel, which is thought
to have been the birthplace of Saint Mary Magdalen.
6. Also in the same neighborhood was Bethsaida, the home
of several of the apostles, but it cannot now be identified.
Another Bethsaida with the additional name Julias ('louXia?,
-aSo?, after the daughter of Augustus), lay on the northeast
shore of the lake. The feeding of the five thousand took place
near there. 2
7. Capharnaum, our Saviour's favorite town, was on the north-
west shore of the lake. In Saint Jerome's time it was still
a town, though decaying. In the sixteenth century it was a
heap of ruins, and now every trace of it has disappeared, so
that its very site is a matter of discussion (cf. Matt. xi. S3). 3
IV. The Country East of the Jordan
The southern part of the region east of the Jordan was for-
merly called Galaad or Gilead, and the northern part Basan;
but at the time of our Lord the whole province was known as
1 Sepp follows the Onomasticon of Eusebius in regarding Kana-Galil,
four hours' journey north of Nazareth, as the scene of our Lord's first
miracle. This is a mistake, for tradition always pointed to Kefr-Kana.
Cf. Josue xix. 28.
3 Sepp and Guthe think the Bethsaida on the northeast shore was the
only town of that name, but they have many opponents.
8 Most authorities regard the ruins at Tell-Hum (Sepp derives this
name from re\uviov, place of tribute) as marking the site of the ancient
Capharnaum. Sepp prefers to identify it with Chan-Minieh, which lies
farther south, not far from Medschdel, although he thus is at variance
with the old pilgrims' reports and with Josephus.
THE HOLY LAND 33
Peraea, i. e. the land beyond, irepav rov'IopSdvov. At that period
it was divided into three portions : (1) In the north were the five
districts known as Gaulonitis, Iturasa, Auranitis, Trachonitis
and Batanaea, these being the Greek forms of the Semitic names
Golan, Jethur, Hauran, Trachona and Basan. (2) In the center
eight towns, viz. Philadelphia (Eabbath Ammon), Eaphana,
Gerasa, Duim, Pella, Scythopolis, Gadara and Hippus, had
formed a league with the more distant cities of Kanatha and
Damascus, so that the- Evangelists speak of the region as
Decapolis, i. e. the ten cities. (3) The southern portion was
Peraea in the narrower sense of the word, and, together with
Galilee, was governed by Herod Antipas.
The best known towns in this country are :
1. Cwsarea Philippi in the north, originally called Paneas, so
named from a cave in the neighborhood dedicated to the god
Pan. The town was enlarged by Philip the Tetrarch and named
Caesarea, with flattering reference to Augustus. A mere hamlet
known as Banias now stands on the site of the former city.
2. Gerasa, now Dscherasch, and Kabbath Ammon ( Phila-
delphia), now Amman, are situated farther south, in what was
once Decapolis.
3. Hesebon, a very ancient royal city, lay opposite to Jericho,
not far from the Jordan.
4. Still farther south, near the Dead Sea, was the fortress
Machcerus, in which, according to Josephus Flavius, John the
Baptist was put to death (Jos. PL, Antiq., XVIII). Near it
was Callirrhoe, a place with hot springs, where Herod I, towards
the end of his life, vainly sought a cure for his disease.
5. Dibon, on the plain north of the Arnon, was sometimes
claimed -by the tribe of Gad and sometimes by that of Euben.
It is now in ruins, but is occasionally mentioned because one
of the earliest Hebrew monuments, a triumphal column of King
Mesa of Moab, dating from 896 B. c., was discovered here in
1868.
This column is 1.13 meters in height, 0.7 meters in breadth and con-
firms the statements contained in IV Kings iii. 4, etc. It was first seen
by Klein, a German missionary. In 1869 Clermont-Ganneau, a French-
man, took a cast of it. After that, the Bedouins broke the stone, but the
34 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
black basalt is so extremely hard that it was possible to collect the
fragments and convey them to Paris, where they are preserved in the
Louvre.
6. Madaba, thirteen miles east of the north end of the Dead
Sea, was generally reckoned as belonging to the land of Moab ?
but in Josue xiii. 9 and 16 it is ascribed to the tribe of Euben.
Later on it became a bishop's see and contained several churches.
This town long lay desolate, but is now again inhabited by 800 schis-
matics and 400 Latin Christians. During the process of rebuilding a
Greek church, among the ruins of an ancient basilica, a mosaic map of the
Holy Land was discovered, dating from the sixth century A. D. It origi-
nally covered the whole floor of the basilica from wall to wall, and was
a most important find. Cf. Revue biblique, 1897, II, 165.
It is quite possible that, as the prophecies seem to suggest, Palestine
is destined to play an important part in the salvation of mankind. It
seems to exert a wonderful attraction, not only upon many Jews, but
also upon Christian nations, who are drawn towards this cradle of Juda-
ism and Christianity. From east and west, Asiatics, Europeans, and
Americans; Armenians, Copts, Greeks, Russians, and Latins; Catho-
lics and Protestants, all are eager to acquire settlements in the Holy
Land. The most energetic in this respect are the Russians, who far sur-
pass all other nations in the number of pilgrims who yearly visit the
Holy Land, and also in founding schools and other establishments, espe-
cially in the northwest of Jerusalem. There can be no doubt that their
zeal is aimed against Rome.
SECOND PART
THE HOLY PEOPLE
BIBLICAL AECH^EOLOGY
A. OUTLINES OF THE HISTORY OF ISRAEL
1. TRADITIONAL AND MODERN ACCOUNTS OF THE HISTORY
OF ISRAEL
A. Traditional Account
THE people of Israel are descended from the Patriarchs
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Abraham, the founder of
the race, was born at Ur in Chaldea, and with his whole family he
migrated to Haran in Mesopotamia, where his father Thare
(Terach) died. Being a worshiper of the one true God, he
left Haran, which was an idolatrous city, and about the year
2080 B. c. betook himself with Lot, his nephew, to Chanaan. Lot
parted from him and became the ancestor of the Ammonites and
the Moabites. Abraham had several sons, who founded various
tribes of Arabs; viz. Ismael, son of the Egyptian woman Agar,
and the twelve sons of Ketura; but by his first wife, Sara,
Abraham had only one son, Isaac. God made a covenant with
him for the preservation of the true religion among his descend-
ants, and for the eventual redemption of mankind by means
of a Saviour to be born of his line. The two sons of Isaac,
Esau and Jacob, founded the nations of the Edomites and
the Israelites respectively. Through the action of Joseph, one
of Jacob's twelve sons,, the families of Israelites went to Egypt
before 1800 B. c. and remained there a considerable time, becom-
ing very numerous. Being oppressed, they were led back out
of Egypt by Moses, and lived for many years as nomads in
Arabia. They received the divine law on Sinai, and concluded
a covenant with Yahweh, whereby they became the chosen
people of the one true God, chosen to receive His revelations,
thus being raised above all other nations.
38 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
Finally they entered the Promised Land from the east, and
expelled the earlier inhabitants or subjugated them, extermi-
nating some as a punishment for their sins. Thenceforth they
lived under the rule of judges, until Saul, of the tribe of Benja-
min, was made their king. He was succeeded by David, of the
tribe of Juda, and David by his son Solomon. During the
reign of Eoboam, Solomon's son and successor, ten tribes fell
away from David's dynasty and founded another kingdom in
the north, in Samaria, with kings of their own. This northern
kingdom was destroyed by the Assyrians in 722 B. c. and the
majority of its inhabitants were carried off to Assyria. One
hundred and thirty-four years later the southern kingdom with
Jerusalem, the capital, was plundered by the Babylonians
(588 B.C.), the magnificent temple was destroyed, and the in-
habitants were taken in captivity to Babylon. When tha Persians
took this city in 538 B. c., the Jews were allowed to return home,
but not all availed themselves of this permission.
Those who returned rebuilt the Temple, and gradually re-
gained their national and religious self-confidence. Two men
in particular, Esdras and Nehemias, did very much to restore
a settled state of affairs; Esdras induced the people to renew
the covenant with God on the basis of the Mosaic law ; Nehemias
attended to the revival of the external political order. After the
fall of the Persian Empire the Jews became dependent first
upon the Egyptian Ptolemies, and then upon the Syrian
Seleucidae. In the second century before Christ they recovered
their freedom after a severe struggle, and thenceforth had kings
of their own nation. After 64 B. c. they gradually became sub-
ject to the Eomans, who in the year 70 A. D. destroyed Jerusalem
and put an end to the existence of the Jewish State. Since that
time the people of Israel have been scattered all over the world,
but have nevertheless preserved the purity of their race almost
unimpaired throughout this long period. The present number
of Jews is about eleven millions. 1
1 The history, religion, literature and customs of the Jewish people,
from the earliest times to the present day, have been discussed very fully
in the " Jewish Encyclopedia " in twelve volumes, published in New York
and London, 1901-1906; 605 writers, mostly Jews, contributed to the
work.
THE HOLY PEOPLE 39
B. Modern Account of the History of Israel
Eationalistic criticism accepts the foregoing account of the
history of Israel only partially. According to it, no nation knows
anything of the founder of its race, and therefore the stories of
Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, and their immediate descendants,
as recorded in Scripture, is to be regarded as purely mythical
and devoid of historical truth. 1
Owing to the absence of Egyptian testimony it is disputed
whether all or any of the Israelite tribes ever lived in
Egypt. 2
Moses is to be recognized as an historical person, who in-
structed the Israelites in the worship of one God, Yahweh, who
was especially adored on Sinai. This god " Yahweh was not
originally the universal deity, becoming later the God of Israel;
but he was primarily the God of Israel, and much later became
God of the whole world " (Wellhausen). It is possible that
Moses wrote something, but it cannot be proved; in any case,
the Thora, as we now have it in five books, cannot have been
compiled by him. The cultus, however, which was connected
with the portable Ark of the Covenant, and in some degree the
1 This is an arbitrary assumption, arising from the denial of the
supernatural, and of the character of Israel as the people of revelation.
The only nation which clung to the true God was not permitted to mix
with other races; those who belonged to the kingdom of God could not
be permitted to mingle with the subjects of worldly rulers. Therefore
this particular nation of necessity had to know the founders of its race,
and the sacred records carefully preserved the genealogies and handed
them down unaltered. After the Captivity those Israelites who could prove
their descent were clearly distinguished from those unable to do so, and
the latter could not enjoy the full privileges of citizenship (I Esdras ii.
59, 60). It made a vast difference who belonged to the line inheriting
the blessing, and who did not. Other nations perhaps know nothing of
their ancestry, but Israel is not like other nations. The name of Abram
is actually found on early Babylonian contract tablets, and the position
of Ur, his home, now Mugheir on the Euphrates, has been discovered
( Sayce, " Records of the Past " ) . Further details will be found in Dorn-
stetter's work, "Abraham," 1901. In it excellent reasons are given for
opposing the attempt to relegate the story of Abraham to the sphere of
legend.
2 Spiegelberg's investigation, however, comfirms the traditional ac-
count of the history of Israel.
40 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
Thora, i. e. the administration of justice, which was bound
up with the cultus, both have come down to us from Moses.
The Thora was one of the chief supports of the national life.
A priest on Sinai, said by tradition to have been Moses' father-
in-law, took an important part in the work of composing it.
After leaving the peninsula of Sinai, Israel migrated to the
country east of the Jordan, but the date and the route of this
migration are unknown. As the population increased, it over-
flowed into the district west of the river, migrating first after
the fashion of Bedouins, i. e. making small but frequent inroads
upon the territory of the Chanaanites, but in course of time
forming permanent settlements. It is impossible to believe in
a rapid conquest of Chanaan by force of arms under Josue's com-
mand; probably the Israelites and the Chanaanites often lived
peaceably together, as is implied in Judges i. From the
Chanaanites, who were superior to the Israelites in civilization,
the immigrants adopted many outward forms of civilized life,
and recognized their holy places and chief festivals. Through
amalgamating with the Chanaanites and other tribes, the Israel-
ites became an agricultural nation and it is at this point that
their real history begins. The reigns of Saul, David and Solomon
are all historical, and so is the separation of the kingdom into
two parts, Samaria and Juda, and the destruction of these king-
doms by the Assyrians and the Babylonians. The Captivity is
also an historical fact; a small remnant of Jews returned from
Babylon, and it was not until then that the books professing to
be historical, as we know them, were composed.
These books are: First, the Pentateuch, which is believed to
have been compiled from various older sources, viz. (1) a Yahvis-
tic and (2) an Elohistic history, so called from the use of the
names Yahweh and Elohim to designate God. The former
work perhaps dates from about 800 B. c., and was written in the
southern kingdom ; the latter is of the same date, but was written
in the north; (3) the Deuteronomium, consisting of the original
Deuteronomium (chapters xii.-xxvi.), written in 623 B.C. and
some later additions; (4) the "priests' code," written about
500 B. c. in Babylon, and containing regulations for offering
sacrifices, purification, etc. (i. e. especially the present book of
THE HOLY PEOPLE 41
Leviticus). The second class of books contains Josue, Judges,
Samuel, Kings and Euth ; in the compilation of all of these use
was made of earlier records. The Psalms too, and all the other
books, but more particularly the so-called writings of Solomon,
belong to the period after the Captivity, and nothing remains
that can be ascribed to an earlier date except some of the pro-
phetic works, which go back to about 800 B. c.
2. RESULTS
If these theories are correct, then we must conclude :
1. That the Israelite priests, who (IV Kings xxii. 8, etc.) in
623 B. c. under King Josias (Stade, I, 642) are said to have com-
piled the Law of Moses, or, as Stade calls it, " the Book of Doc-
trine " (i. e., according to modern criticism, Deut. xii. xxvi.), and
especially Helcias the priest, who " found " it in the temple and
pointed it out to the king as the work of Moses, were all liars
and forgers. Josias, the king, and the whole nation would in
that case have been deceived by a very clumsy forgery, quite
easy of detection;
2. That Esdras and Nehemias, who, after the Captivity,
strove to revive the national spirit on the ground of the Mosaic
Law, " which the Lord God had given to Israel " (Esdras vii. 6),
and to renew the covenant between God and His people
(Nehem. viii. 1, etc.), were likewise liars and forgers (Stade, I,
16), and the Israelites of that time were deceived, as a recently
composed work was read to them and expounded as the Law of
Moses, and they were credulous enough to accept it without
question ;
3. That the whole of Judaism and Christianity based upon
it are the outcome of repeated acts of deception and not of
divine revelation ;
4. That Jesus Christ Himself, who speaks of Abraham as the
founder of the race, of Moses as a writer, and of t)avid as a
Psalmist, was Himself ignorant, and therefore could not be
God.
42 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
3. GENERAL EEFUTATIOK
The theories just stated have already won so much popularity
among non-Catholic theologians that an adherent of the old
traditional doctrine is assumed by them to have no place in the
ranks of scholars. The recognition of the post- Captivity origin
of the Pentateuch is extolled as one of the most brilliant results
of scientific research. It is admitted that for the present these
results of "science" cannot be communicated to the general
public nor to the young (Stade, I, 11). "Whether the material
employed be really historical need not be considered" in teach-
ing " what is called Bible history, . , . which aims at edification
and appeals to children." But the " scientific statements are
meant for adults, who strive solely after truth and the whole
truth." 1 But let us examine the value of this " truth."
1. The attempts to give a natural explanation for everything
and to deny the occurrence of all supernatural intervention of
God in human affairs, and especially in the fortunes of the
people of Israel, are in direct opposition to any conception of
God as the almighty, omniscient and all-good personal Being,
who does not allow Himself to be completely cut off from His
creatures. These attempts lead, therefore, to Pantheism and
Atheism.
2. According to modern criticism the Hebrew race was
originally as polytheistic as any other nation; it is true that
from the time of Moses onwards Yahweh was regarded as their
deity, but Yahweh was in no respect superior to Baal of the
Phoenicians, Kemosch of the Ammonites, or Milkom of the
Moabites. Every nation had its own particular god, and so
had Israel. Modern critics, like the Moabites of old, say, " Be-
hold, the house of Juda is like all other nations " (Ezech. xxv. 8).
They maintain that the ancient Jews enjoyed no exclusive
position in their relation to God; the existence of other gods
was recognized as well as that of Yahweh; Monotheism de-
1 Smith, G. A., " Modern Criticism and the Preaching of the Old Testa-
ment," London, 1901, tries to show that the results of modern criticism
can very well be used in preaching; that what is important is not names,
but the inward reality and types of character.
THE HOLY PEOPLE 43
veloped gradually, and then Yahweh was regarded as the sole
ruler, not of Israel alone, but of all nations and lands. The
prophets called monotheism into existence, and after the Cap-
tivity it won universal acceptance among the Jews, Yahweh
being exalted above all other gods.
But how is it that other nations did not ascribe to their gods
any omnipotence or universal dominion, any lordship over hu-
manity as a whole? How can we account for the fact that the
insignificant little nation of Israel alone attained to this clear
view of God ? The Jews were not on a level with greater races,
such as the Greeks and Romans, in point of civilization or
political life, how could this people not only evolve the idea
of there being one supreme God, but cause their worship of this
one God to penetrate and influence the whole of their political,
religious and social life?
Israel's monotheism is inexplicable unless it was an inher-
itance (often too lightly esteemed) from remote ages and based
upon revelation. 1
3. The strongest evidence against these theories is supplied
by the origin, growth 2 and permanence of Christianity, which,
had it been of human origin, would long ago have been de-
stroyed by its bitter foes, so that its continued existence is a
proof that it is the work of God. "If ... this work," said
Gamaliel, "be of men, it will come to nought; but if it be
of God, you cannot overthrow it" (Acts v. 38, 39).
With its fixed and exalted doctrines and institutions, Chris-
1 That the Israelites' religion was monotheistic before the Captivity is
proved by Dr. J. Nikel in his work entitled Der Monotheismus Israels in
der vorexilisclien Zeit (Paderborn, 1893). Recent excavations in the
neighborhood of the Euphrates do not support but overthrow the theory
that Israel adopted monotheism at a comparatively late period, in con-
sequence of studying the records of the Babylonians. All their monu-
ments show that the Babylonian religion was polytheistic. How should
Israel alone, amidst a number of heathen nations, have actually become
monotheistic ?
2 Mommsen's " Roman History " was intended to fill five volumes ; of
these, one, two and three appeared, and then five; the fourth volume is
missing. When Mommsen was asked to account for this, he replied that
he could not understand the period with which he had meant to deal in
the fourth volume it was to him inexplicable how Christianity had
suddenly appeared in the world, spread all over it and transformed it.
44 HANDBOOK FOB THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
tianity has bestowed upon the nations who received it both
the highest civilization and supremacy in the world, it has
inspired many individuals to make heroic sacrifices, it has
formed the noblest characters and has brought untold multi-
tudes to happiness.
4. It is inconceivable that a nation, settled in the midst
of the civilized peoples of antiquity, should have remained for
centuries without a literature. The Egyptians were very fond
of writing and have bequeathed to us a vast literature, going
back more than 3000 years before Christ. Scarcely less abun-
dant is the very ancient literature of the countries bordering
on the Euphrates, which has recently been discovered. The
Phoenicians, the nearest neighbors of the Israelites, are believed
to have taught the Greeks the art of writing with letters of the
alphabet, and they certainly did this before 1200 B. c., at which
period the Greek tribes were already strong enough to carry
the Trojan War to a successful end. And yet the Israelites
are supposed to have produced no literature before the year 800,
if (as Reuss, p. 76, and his followers assume) " the prophets are
older than the Law, and the Psalms of later date than both
Law and prophets." It is true that the Israelites did not use
for writing materials either the papyrus of Egypt or the clay
tablets of Babylon and Ninive, but, as beseemed a pastoral
people, they employed the prepared skins of animals, and occa-
sionally tablets of stone.
5. Neither Jewish nor Christian tradition knows anything
of an Israelite law laid down after the Captivity, but they both
acknowledge a law of Mosaic origin. Whoever completely aban-
dons tradition, and interprets Holy Scripture without reference
to it, often in accordance with preconceived opinions, arbitrarily
invents a history of Israel, and builds on an insecure foundation.
6. It is impossible that an entire nation should allow itself
to be deceived with books that made very serious demands upon
it, contained severe censures, and even threatened its rejection.
If the Jews had composed such books, they would perhaps have
revealed and proclaimed to the whole world the honor and glory
of their nation, but not its shame. (Just as Christians would
not have submitted to the obligation of Confession, but would
THE HOLY PEOPLE 45
have resisted it, had it been imposed, as some maintain, by the
Fourth Lateran Council, and not inherited from Christ and
the Apostles, so the Jews would certainly not have submitted
to the yoke of the law, unless the law had been given by God
through Moses.)
7. The mightiest nations known to history, such as the
Assyrians, Babylonians and Phoenicians, have disappeared in
course of time, or have long ceased to play any part in the
affairs of the world; the descendants of the ancient Egyptians
and Greeks are now obscure but the small Jewish nation,
although so constantly hated, persecuted and despised, still
survives, and, scattered amongst all peoples, exercises a great
influence. This permanence of the Israelite race, neither in-
creasing nor diminishing in numbers, 1 is inexplicable, unless we
acknowledge that the Israelites were chosen and set apart,
were rejected and yet preserved to the end of time to fulfill the
final purpose of God, in short, unless we recognize their char-
acter as the people of the revelation.
4. KEFUTATION FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT
The preceding arguments are quite enough to demolish the
fancies devised by spurious scholarship; but it is easy to
quote facts mentioned in the Old Testament which will show
the groundless character of the rationalistic assertions that
we have mentioned. If it can be proved that the Pentateuch
existed long before the time of Esdras or of Josias, and was
regarded as the work of Moses, then the bold speculations of
modern criticism are at once overthrown. Let us now undertake
to prove it.
We may begin by referring to the Book of Judges, in which
1 Cf. Ezech. xii. 16. "I will leave a few men of them . . . that they
may declare all their wicked deeds among the nations whither they shall
go." Chateaubriand, in his " Journey from Paris to Jerusalem," remarks
that the Persians, Greeks and Romans have vanished from the face of
the earth, whilst a little nation, whose origin is far more ancient than
the time when these great nations appeared, still lives on, keeping its
race pure. If anything among the nations of the earth bears the stamp
of the miraculous, it is the case with these people.
46 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
(viii. 14 *) the art of writing is spoken of as something quite
familiar and commonplace. The Judge Gedeon, long before
the time of the kings, took a young man from Soccoth, who had
to write down for him the chiefs and the principal inhabitants
of Soccoth, in all 77 men. According to Kautzsch and Cornill
this passage forms part of one of the oldest historical portions
of the Old Testament. All critics acknowledge as genuine the
letter written by David and sent through Urias (II Kings xi. 14) ;
it shows that in the year 1000 B. c. reading and writing were
quite common. These are only indirect testimonies, but they
show that it is possible that the Pentateuch existed long before
the time of the prophets Amos, Osee, etc. "We can, however,
derive much more evidence than this from the Old Testament.
I. The Original Deuteronomwm
Let us begin by asking what we are to understand by "the
book of the law" or, as Stade calls it, the "book of doctrine,"
found in the reign of Josias (IV Kings xxii. 8, etc.) which the
priests are supposed to have forged. Did it really consist only,
as is suggested, of fragments of Deuteronomy (especially chap-
ters xii.-xxvi.), or was it the whole law?
1. Immediately after its discovery the book is described as
one familiar to all, but hidden away during the time of idola-
trous worship. Helcias does not say that he has found a strange
book, hitherto unknown, but " I have found the book of the
law (sepher hattora) in the house of the Lord." It was not
indeed the original manuscript written by Moses, but a later
copy, which could be read at once without any difficulty. Never-
theless, it was the "book of the (Mosaic) law." 2
1 The word "describe," as will be seen from the context, must be
taken in its derivative sense, meaning " to write down."
2 We need not of course assume that every word and sentence in the
Pentateuch have come down to us from Moses. The work has no doubt
been revised, and additions have been made, and it must have been fre-
quently copied, and the language modified to suit the changes in the
speech of the people. The same kind of alterations have been made in our
prayers and popular books. Saint Jerome even declared that Moses
might be regarded as the author, but Esdras as the instaurator of the
book; but long before Esdras lived many additions must have been
THE HOLY PEOPLE 47
2. King Josias had not been well instructed in the law
during his youth, as idolatry prevailed everywhere. For this
reason he was astonished and shocked at the contents of the
book, after its discovery, and modern criticism regards this as
a proof that the book was altogether new. He must, however,
have known of the law by hearsay, as he at once realized his
position; and the chief outlines of the law must have been
known to him, as, even before the book was found, in the twelfth
year of his reign (II Chron. xxxiv. 3), he had begun to reform
religion, and was putting down idolatry with vigor. The law
was no longer observed, but it had not been quite forgotten, and
now the long-neglected work of Moses reappeared, after being
hidden in the Temple, as of old in the Tabernacle.
3. The author of the third and fourth books of Kings wrote
them, as critics admit, about the year 608 B. c., towards the end
of the reign of Josias or at the beginning of that of Joakim.
He narrates the history of the kings before Josias in such a
way that everything contrary to the book of the law, which Josias
and his people solemnly swore to observe, is represented as a
breach of the law of Moses. He regards the discovered book
as having come down from Moses. Is he so dull as to know
nothing about the past? He was alive long before 623. But
he certainly knew more than just the book of Deuteronomy.
In III Kings xxi. 10 he plainly quotes Lev. xxiv. 16 and Ex.
xxii. 28 (witnesses to blasphemy against God and the king).
In xxii. 17 he quotes Num. xxvii. 17 (sheep without a shepherd).
In IV Kings iv. 16 he distinctly refers to Gen. xviii. 10, and in
v. 17 he shows that he knows of the altar of burnt offering in
the Tabernacle (Ex. xx. 24). In IV Kings xii. 4 there is a
mention of money paid to redeem the living; therefore the law
of sacrifice in Num. xviii. 16 was known. In the same way in
made to the law as written down by Moses. Vetter acknowledges that
the whole Pentateuch has not a common origin, but he ascribes a large
part of it to Moses. Huinmelauer (Comm. in I. Deut.) is inclined to
ascribe part of Deuteronomy (xii.-xxvi.) to Samuel, because we read in
I Kings x. 25 that " Samuel told the people the law of the kingdom, and
wrote it in a book, and laid it up before the Lord." It is, however,
unsafe to disregard the many passages (at least ten) in these chapters
which are expressly ascribed to Moses.
48 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OP THE BIBLE
xii. 16 trespass and sin offerings are mentioned. In chapter
xvii. of this book there are frequent allusions to the clauses
of the Covenant which Yahweh made with Israel (e. g. v. 15 and
v. 38). In xviii. 4 we read of the "brazen serpent which Moses
had made" (Num. xxi. 8, 9). In xxiii. 9 we hear of priests
who on account of some transgression shared the food of the other
priests, but might not exercise any priestly functions (cf. Lev.
xxi. 21, etc.). In xxiii. 21 the Paschal celebration is spoken of,
which is certainly mentioned in Deut. xvi, but is far more clearly
described in Ex. xii.; Deut. xvi. only becomes intelligible when
read with Ex. xii., and must have been written by one who
took for granted the knowledge of this chapter. According to
Kautzsch, all the passages referred to occur in the so-called
"priests' code," which is assumed to have been drawn up in
Babylon about 500 B. c. How is this possible, since they were
quoted as early as the seventh century before Christ ? If then the
author of the Books of Kings (who is rightly believed to have
been the prophet Jeremias) knew the Pentateuch as a whole in
608, and especially if he knew those portions also which are sup-
posed to have been written during the Captivity, there can be
no ground at all for maintaining that Helcias deceived Josias
by forging a Deuteronomium, or that Esdras was the first to
foist upon the people the " priests' code " as a work of Moses, in
or about the year 444 B. c., and that he read it to the people,
and induced them, on the strength of it, to form a covenant with
Yahweh, or that the Pentateuch was not completed until about
400 B. c.
II. The Prophets and the Pentateuch
The ancient prophets, upon the date and authenticity of whose
writings even modern criticism has cast no doubt, refer to the
Pentateuch again and again, and also to those particular pas-
sages which are supposed to have been written during the
Captivity.
Isaias i. 11, etc., speaks of the sacrifices, new moons and Sab-
baths, in just the same language as Exodus xxix., etc. Leviticus i.,
etc. (the "priests' code"), Ezechiel (iv. 14, etc.), complain that
the people in heathen lands will be forced to eat unclean food
THE HOLY PEOPLE 49
(cf. Lev. xi. See also Ezech. vi. 4 and cf. Lev. xxvi. 30). The
same prophet in ix. 6, etc., speaks of defilement from dead bodies,
which violates the law in Num. xix. 11, etc. This nineteenth
chapter is another of those belonging to the " priests' code "
(cf. also Ezech. xi. 20 with Ex. vi. 7; Ezech. xxii. 10 with
Lev. xviii. 7, 8, 19).
Jeremias insists upon keeping holy the Sabbath day (xvii. 19,
etc.) ; Ezechiel does the same (xx. 13, 16, 21, where the viola-
tion of the Sabbath is mentioned as a reason for the punishment
inflicted upon the people). In spite of this evidence, the critics
suggest that the law regarding the Sabbath is derived chiefly
from the "priests' code" that was drawn up during the Cap-
tivity. Osee, writing about 750 B.C., says (i. 9) that Israel
ought no longer to be called God's people : " Call his name Not
My People (Lo-ammi), for you are not my people, and I will
not be yours." There is plainly a reference here to Ex. vi. 7:
" I will take you to myself for my people," which words are now
ascribed to the "priests' code." Compare also Osee iv. 4 with
Num. xvi., a chapter most of which is supposed to belong to the
"priests' code." Compare further iv. 10 with Lev. xxvi. 26.
In viii. 12 there is a particularly plain reference to the existence
of the Pentateuch : " I shall write to him my manifold laws,
which have been accounted as foreign. They shall offer victims,
they shall sacrifice flesh, and shall eat it, and the Lord will not
receive them: now will he remember their iniquity, and will
visit their sins: they shall return to Egypt." This passage
affords absolute proof that the "priests' code" existed at the
time of Osee. Amos (ii. 4) reproaches the Jews with not having
kept the commandments of Yahweh. In iv. 4 he speaks of
sacrifices and tithes (cf. v. 21, etc.). 1
Micheas (iii. 11) finds fault with the priests for taking money
for teaching, and Ezechiel too (vii. 26) mentions such instruc-
tion given by the priests. Now Ezechiel, writing in 594 B. c.,
might have referred to the Deuteronomium that is supposed to
1 That Amos must have been acquainted with the so-called " priests'
code " has been proved by Vetter. He has proved also that even Hoseas
knew the Pentateuch, and that the compilation of it dated back before
his time, and before that of the separation of the kingdoms.
50 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
have been discovered in 623, for the law occurs in Deut. xvii. 9,
etc. But if Micheas also speaks of something forbidden by law,
Deuteronomy must be much older than 700 B. c., as Micheas
lived under Achaz and Ezechias. The reference in Micheas vi. 15
to Deut. xxviii. 38 affords a similar proof.
When such quotations from the prophets are brought for-
ward as evidence of the antiquity of the " priests' code " and
the whole Pentateuch, we sometimes meet with the argument
that the code is derived from the prophets! But whence did
the prophets take their zeal, their indignation and their re-
proaches against Israel if not from Moses? How could they
blame the people so bitterly, and hurl such denunciations upon
them, and threaten them with God's vengeance, if the people
had no definite law of God binding upon them? If that were
so, the prophets would be simply beating the air.
AN OBJECTION. Cornill says, p. 64 : " Such passages as Isaias
i. 13, 14 and Amos v. 21-23 would be almost inexplicable, if the
laws in the ' priests' code' had been known to these men and
their hearers as a divine command and binding obligation. How
could Jeremias utter the words in vii. 22, if he had had before
him the books of Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers in their
present form?"
Let us examine these passages.
Isaias in chapter i. directs the Israelites to the right path
when he says (12) : "Who required these things at your hands,
that you should walk in my courts? (13) Offer sacrifice no
more in vain, incense is an abomination to me. The new moons
and the Sabbaths and other festivals I will not abide, your
assemblies are wicked. (14) My soul hateth your new moons
and your solemnities, they are become troublesome to me."
Amos v. 21. " I hate, and have rejected your festivities, and
I will not receive the odor of your assemblies. (22) And if
you offer me holocausts and your gifts, I will not receive them.
(23) Take away from me the tumult of thy songs, and I will
not hear the canticles of thy harp."
Jeremias vii. 22. "I spoke not to your fathers and I com-
manded them not, in the day that I brought them out of the
land of Egypt, concerning the matter of burnt offerings and
THE HOLY PEOPLE 51
sacrifices; (23) but this thing I commanded them, saying,
' Hearken to my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall
be my people.' *
It is maintained by some that these passages prohibit sacri-
fices and festivals, and that the prophets were indignant at such
things as being a heathen element in the worship of Yahweh
hence the "priests' code" enjoining such forms of worship (es-
pecially Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers in their present form)
could not have existed when the prophets used these words.
"All these prophets fail to find words enough to express
Yahweh's hatred of sacrifice and all formal worship" (Volck, 36).
But any unprejudiced reader will easily perceive that what
is condemned as wrong by all the prophets is the merely ex-
ternal worship of God, since He demands not so much exterior
homage as interior submission and righteousness of life. The
words, however, actually prove that before the Captivity, in the
time of Isaias, Amos and Jeremias, the sacrificial worship was
regularly performed. If, however, these passages are regarded
as sufficient proof that the "priests' code" did not exist in the
eighth, seventh and sixth centuries before Christ, the following
words from the Psalter, which, according to modern criticism,
belongs to a period long after the Captivity (Kautzsch, AHes
Testament, Beilage 130, etc.) would prove that the code was
still non-existent in the fifth, fourth, third and second cen-
turies. In Ps. xlix. (Vulg.) 9, etc., we read: "I will not take
calves out of thy house, nor he-goats out of thy flocks. Eor all
the beasts of the woods are mine, the cattle on the hills and
the oxen. ... If I should be hungry, I would not tell thee,
for the world is mine and the fulness thereof. Shall I eat the
flesh of bullocks ? or shall I drink the blood of goats ? " Simi-
lar passages occur in Ps xxxix. 7, etc., 1. 18. Kautzsch (loc.
cit., Beilage 207) thinks, indeed, that these psalms may be-
long to an earlier, prophetic period. But if the men who
collected the psalms, often, as he assumes, made serious al-
terations in their original form, and if, when they lived, the
exterior liturgical forms of worship were regarded " as the chief
and absolutely indispensable proof of a disposition pleasing to
God" (ibid. 209), what could hinder these persons from sup-
52 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
pressing such passages as these, which must have seemed to
them very objectionable?
If, however, the Psalter recognizes and emphasizes the fact
that outward sacrifices cannot please God, unless accompanied
by the right inward dispositions, ought not the same inter-
pretation to be assigned to the prophets' utterances? (cf. Is.
Iviii. 3, etc.).
5. REFUTATION- FROM THE SAMARITAN PENTATEUCH
The mixed race of the Samaritans possessed the Pentateuch,
but in a form that differs frequently from the Masoretic text,
and has more points of agreement with the Septuagint version,
that existed long before the time of our Lord. This fact and the
use of the old Semitic characters in which it was written and
is still preserved and used by the few remaining Samaritans,
are proofs of its great antiquity. When did the Samaritans
obtain possession of it?
There are three answers possible to this question.
1. The usual opinion at the present day is that the law
became known to the Samaritans about the time of Esdras and
Nehemias, or perhaps at the time of Alexander the Great.
Josephus Flavius records in his "Antiquities" (XI, viii. 2),
that a priest from Jerusalem, Manasses by name, was exiled in
consequence of having broken the law, and joined the Samari-
tans. With the aid of his father-in-law Sanaballat, governor of
Samaria, he built a temple on Mount Garizim, and instituted
the worship of Yahweh. Josephus says that this occurred in
the time of Alexander; but Nehemias relates a very similar
story as belonging to his own lifetime (xiii. 28). In speaking
of the reprehensible custom of taking foreign wives, he says that
even a priest, one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliasib, the
high Driest, had married the daughter of Sanaballat the Horo-
nite, and he adds : " I drove him from me." It seems quite
improbable that the Sanaballat mentioned by Nehemias was not
the same man as the Sanaballat mentioned by Josephus, and
that on two occasions, separated by no long interval of time,
a member of the high priest's family should have married the
THE HOLY PEOPLE 53
daughter of a Samaritan ruler named Sanaballat, and was there-
fore excluded from all priestly duties at Jerusalem. It seems
fairly certain that Josephus has made a mistake ; he is not quite
trustworthy with regard to the history of Esdras and Nehemias.
However, whether it was about 430 or about 330 B. c. that a
priest left Jerusalem for Samaria, it is assumed that when the
Samaritan temple was built on Garizim, a form of worship
conformable to Jewish usage was instituted,, and that part of
the service consisted in reading the Book of the Law, which this
priest Manasses is said to have carried with him from Jerusalem.
2. According to IV Kings xvii. 24, etc., after the destruc-
tion of the northern kingdom in 722, the king of Assyria sent
people from the region of the Euphrates to occupy Samaria,
and they mingled with the remainder of the Israelites. That
some Israelites were left there is clear from Jeremias xli. 5;
II Chronicles xxxiv. 9, 21, and also from the Book of Judith,
which (even if it were not canonical) is certainly based upon
historical traditions. 1 In the sparsely populated country in the
north, wild beasts increased so rapidly that lions made their way
into the villages. This was regarded as a punishment inflicted
upon the heathen colonists for not worshiping Yahweh, the God
of the country, but their own deities. Consequently, a priest was
sent back home from the number of those in captivity in Assyria,
in order to instruct the people in the worship of Yahweh. For
this purpose the priest may have provided himself with a book
of the law, which thenceforth remained in use in Samaria.
3. The Samaritans may have possessed the book of the
law before the separation of the two kingdoms, and have retained
it after that event. Although King Jeroboam drove out the
lawful priests and Levites and introduced the worship of idols,
some faithful servants of Yahweh were no doubt left in the
northern kingdom, as we see, for instance, from the story of
Tobias, which, even if it were purely fictitious, would neverthe-
less bear witness to the feelings of the population of the north,
as does the activity of Amos and Osee, the prophets, who re-
proached Samaria with having fallen away from the right wor-
1 In the same way some Jews were, after 588, left in Juda, for not all
the people, not, for instance, old men, children and the sick, were removed.
54 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
ship and threatened the country with God's vengeance. Nahum,
who was zealous for Yahweh's honor, came from the north.
This last explanation seems by far the best ; for (a) immedi-
ately after the return of the Jews from the Captivity, the
Samaritans asked to be allowed to take part in building the
Temple, saying : " We seek your God as you do, and have sacri-
ficed to him" (Esdras iv. 2, etc.). They knew, therefore, the
religious institutions of the Pentateuch, (b) When their re-
quest was not granted, they developed bitter hostility against
the Jews, which lasted for centuries, and still existed in the
time of our Lord, so that it is inconceivable that they still re-
ceived and accepted religious books from them.
(c) If they had received the Book of the Law long after the
Captivity, through Manasses the priest, it could hardly have
been in the old Hebrew script, which the Samaritans have pre-
served to the present day, but in square characters. According
to Jewish tradition, Esdras brought these square characters or
Assyrian writing back with him from exile. We read in the
Talmud: "The Law was originally given to the Israelites in
Hebrew script and in the holy language. It was given the
second time in the days of Esra in Assyrian writing." Origen
and Saint Jerome adopt this statement. In opposition to this
tradition it is useless to argue that the Samaritans received
the Pentateuch in the old Hebrew script from the Jews about
the year 400 (Benzinger, Arch'dologie, 287), for this statement
would first have to be proved.
(d) How can the fact be accounted for that the Samaritans
possess only the Pentateuch and a mutilated version of Josue,
if they received the holy book from the Jews long after the
Captivity? Modern criticism assumes that the historical part
of the Pentateuch was united with Josue, Judges, Samuel and
Kings, about 561 B. c., so as to form one body of sacred litera-
ture; why, then, did the Samaritans receive a comparatively
small part of it? And why have they none of the prophetic
writings, which at that date had long been held in honor by
the Jews?
(e) We have an account of Manasses taking refuge with the
Samaritans, and of the building of the temple on Garizim, but
THE HOLY PEOPLE 55
there is no record of any transfer of a book of the law. " Neither
Nehemias nor Josephus says a word about the Pentateuch in
this connection " (Keuss, 381).
(/) In Jerusalem there would have been taken all precautions
against allowing the apostate to obtain the holy book. "Was it
so badly guarded that he could steal it? Would not this theft
have been a constant ground of reproach against the Samari-
tans? There is no trace of anything of the kind.
(g) It would not be to the interest of the apostate priest to
take with him, and to introduce into Samaria,, a book the pre-
cepts of which he had himself transgressed by his marriage, as
it would contain his own condemnation.
6. KEFUTATION FROM ORIENTAL EECORDS
(a) The chief weapon of the modern critics is "divergence
of authorities." When, however, they attempt to apply this
principle to the subject of the Deluge they are found to be un-
trustworthy and wholly misleading. The account of this event, as
given in Genesis vi.-ix., is supposed to have been derived partly
from the Yahvist and partly from the " priests' code." The
Chaldasan Genesis, however, discovered by Smith, an English-
man, in cuneiform characters at Mnive, and published by him,
contains all the essential features of the Bible narrative. 1 " Di-
vergence of authorities" ought, therefore, to be applied also to
the Chaldaean work, which formed part of the library belonging
to King Asurbanipal of Assyria (667-626). If that work is
inadmissible, we may say the same of Genesis.
(&) It has been proved that the proper names occurring in
the Pentateuch, which in their construction bear witness to
monotheism, are not, as Wellhausen asserts, of very late in-
vention, but that names of quite similar meaning (e.g. "my
God knoweth," "my God hath heard") were used long before
the time of Moses by some of the western Semites in Asia Minor.
These tribes of Arab origin won supremacy over Babylon, and
hence similar names occur also in polytheistic Babylon. They
1 Two other texts of the Babylonian account of the Deluge are in
existence.
56 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
prove (1) that monotheism belongs to a period long anterior
to the prophets and Moses, and (2) that the five books of Moses
containing these proper names are much older than modern
criticism will allow. 1
B. GOD AND THE GODS IN ISRAEL
1. MONOTHEISM AND POLYTHEISM
In the history of antiquity we everywhere meet with the
worship of God, but as the deity is worshiped differently in
different places, it has been assumed by modern students of
religion that polytheism was the original, and that monotheism
was a later development, as generally what is imperfect pre-
cedes what is perfect; the latter developing from the former.
This opinion is, however, erroneous. In the lives of nations, as
of individuals, there may be a falling away from good to bad.
Polytheism is a degeneration of the earliest religion of mankind,
and hints of this decay are given plainly enough in the stories
of a golden age, stories that are of almost universal occurrence
among all nations, and therefore certainly contain a grain of
historical truth. We have, moreover, the generally accepted
axiom that the plural presupposes a singular.
It is indeed true that ancient nations generally worshiped
several gods, but amidst the plurality of gods there is always
a glimmer of the original idea of one true God. Even the name
of this one God exists in similar forms among many nations.
El of the Israelites is the same as Ilu of the Babylonians and
Assyrians, Allah of the Arabs and Alloho of the Syrians. In
the Turin "Book of the Dead/' that goes back to nearly 3000
years before Christ and supplies us with the earliest recorded
doctrines of the Egyptians, we read : " There is One most Holy,
1 With all the preceding portion of this section of the book (pp.
37-56) cf. Lex mosaica, an excellent work. The authors, eminent Eng-
lish scholars and theologians, succeed in proving that the whole history
of the Jews depends upon the Mosaic Law, which reappears in the pro-
phetic writings. Many other scholars, for instance Cornill who once
supported radical criticism, are now disposed to pay due regard to tradi-
tion in many respects.
THE HOLY PEOPLE 57
Creator of the world in its fullness. He sees as you see, hears
as you hear, stands as you stand. Suffer me to praise the
Architect, who hath made the fullness of the universe; who
caused all things on the earth and beyond the world to come
into being in due time, who hath fashioned them for me." But
when Moses lived there were eight elementary deities recog-
nized by this ancient and highly civilized nation. In Babylonia
originally one, and only one, local deity was honored in each
town, but a plurality of gods was recognized from the time when
the various districts were united into one monarchy ; 1 and the
deities were all classed together in the same way as the towns
and people. The same thing happened in Eome; and this is
how polytheism originated.
It is a remarkable fact that we know of no nation, either
in ancient or modern times, completely devoid of religious
faith. Atheism and materialism have always appealed only to
individuals. It is almost equally remarkable, however, that
among most nations the worship of the one true God perished,
and that even among the most civilized peoples religious wor-
ship was perverted. The former fact can be explained only by
accepting a very early revelation, which was never completely
forgotten, but in remote times was more fresh in men's minds.
The latter has several causes :
(1) Man cannot and will not live without God. His re-
ligious feelings need satisfaction, and whenever, in consequence
of human transgression, the true God is no longer recognized,
man seeks his god in the stars, in thunder and lightning, in
wood and stone. (2) True religion at all periods has required
strict control of the passions. Heathen religions, on the con-
trary, have taken the sensual inclinations of mankind under
their protection, and thus have won ready acceptance. (3)
Demoniacal influences have played their part. The fallen angels
wished to be equal with God, and having failed in this attempt
in Heaven, they tried to win divine honors for themselves on
earth. Just as the devil contributed to the sin of the first
human beings, so he has promoted the errors of mankind in
1 Hammurabi became the first overlord in about 2100 B. c., when Abra-
ham left Ur, his native place (Gen. xi. 34; Jos. xxiv. 2).
58 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
later periods. The devils would not relinquish the influence
that they had once secured in Paradise (Deuteronomy xxxii. 17).
The faithless Israelites in the wilderness "sacrificed to devils
and not to God" 1 (Psalms xcv. 5). "All the gods of the
Gentiles are devils." 2 The Fathers of the Church held the
same opinions. (4) Another reason for the repeated lapses of
the Israelites into idolatry was the example of the Chanaanites
and other heathen neighbors, as all around heathen worship pre-
vailed with its seductive charm. Many kings, too, set a bad
example; those of the northern kingdom especially had a po-
litical ground for opposing the worship of the true God. If
their people had no religious interest in the Temple at Jerusalem
and ceased to visit it, they would lose also their affection for
David's line, that ruled in Jerusalem (IV Kings xii. 27).
2. WORSHIP OF THE STARS
Probably the earliest form of degeneration undergone by the
original monotheism was the worship of stars, known as Sabaism,
from N32T == host of the heavenly bodies. It occurred occa-
sionally among the Israelites. In Deuteronomy xvii. 3 it is
strictly forbidden, as opposed to the worship of the true God,
and the penalty of death by stoning was imposed upon any who
practiced it. In the Book of Job (xxxi. 26) the holy man de-
clares that he has never worshiped the heavenly bodies. " If I
beheld the sun when it shined, and the moon going in brightness ;
and my heart in secret hath rejoiced, and I have kissed my
hand with my mouth, which is a very great iniquity, and a
1 According to the Hebrew words 0"l#S in3r this passage means
literally " they sacrificed to the destroyers " (from "Nfr = "ntf, to attack
violently, to ruin). The Septuagint translated eOvaav datpoldis, and un-
derstood thereby the gods of the heathen, who, in contrast to the true
God, could only bring disaster. This is only possible if they are self-
conscious beings, hostile to God, viz. evil spirits.
2 Hebrew D^Vx (from S, not) = nothings, vanitates. But the Sep-
tuagint renders the word 3cu/t<5j>ia, according to the meaning given it by
their countrymen. That the Jews were well aware who was the object
of idolatrous worship appears from their designating the prince of the
devils by the name of the false god Beelzebub (Matt. ix. 34; Mark iii.
22; Luke xi. 15).
THE HOLY PEOPLE 59
denial against the most high God." From Ezechiel viii. 16, 17
we learn that the worshiper turned his face towards the rising
sun, keeping a branch before his eyes, probably as a token of
gratitude for the growth of plants. From Jeremias xix. 13
we see that incense was burnt, and from Job (loc. cit.) that it
was the custom to kiss the hand to the sun.
3. WORSHIP OP IMAGES
"Thou shalt not make to thyself a graven thing, nor the
likeness of anything that is in heaven above or in the earth
beneath, nor of those things that are in the waters under the
earth" (Ex. xx. 4). The reason for this prohibition was the
danger of idolatry that prevailed generally. Especially in Egypt
the Israelites had witnessed idolatrous worship, and hence in
the wilderness they attempted to worship the true God under
the form of a golden calf; just as the Egyptians worshiped
the deity under the form of a bull. The same thing occurred
in the schismatic kingdom of Samaria. Jeroboam I, who had
lived in Egypt in his youth, caused two golden calves to be
made, one to stand in Dan, and the other in Bethel, as repre-
sentations of Yahweh (IV Kings xii. 29). The prophets vigor-
ously opposed this design, and denounced it as being idolatrous
(Amos iii. 14; v. 5; Osee iv. 15; viii. 5). Other images of
gods were the teraphim, little domestic deities, mentioned as
early as the times of the Patriarchs and Judges (Gen. xxxi. 19;
Judges xvii. 5; xviii. 31), and there was also the statue
Kijjun, a representation of the planet Saturn, which the
Israelites carried with them in the wilderness (Amos v. 26;
Acts vii. 43) and is often identified with Moloch or Kronos.
The prohibition only referred to figures intended to represent the true
God or other deities, for in Lev. xxvi. 1, it has the addition " to worship
it." Figures having no religious significance were not prohibited; cheru-
bim were set up near the Ark of the Covenant and brazen cattle near the
laver in the Temple. At a later period the Jews extended the prohibition
to all figures, and would not even allow the Roman soldiers to enter
Jerusalem with eagles on their standards. This aversion on the part of
the Jews passed on to Islam. It is well known that Leo III, the Isaurian,
encouraged iconoclasm among the Christians, in his anxiety to conciliate
Jews and Mahometans (726-841).
60 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
Other deities, repeatedly worshiped by the Israelites, were of
Chanaanite, Assyrian or Egyptian origin.
4. CHANAANITE DEITIES
1. The chief god, common to all Chanaanite tribes, was Baal
or Bel, 1 i. e. the Lord, and especially the husband. He was
honored as personifying the procreative and propagating prin-
ciple in nature, but he was also thought of as a natural force
tending both to preserve and to destroy. His worship varied
at different periods and in different places. Therefore there
were several Baals (I Cor. viii. 5, tcvpioi TroXXot).
Babylon was the original home of this cultus. In Holy
Scripture there is mention of:
(a) Baal-berith = Baal of the Covenant. A temple in Sichem
was dedicated to the god under this name.
(&) Baal-semes = Baal as sun-god.
(c) Baal-sebub = Beelzebub = Baal of the flies. Under this
name he was worshiped in Accaron (Ekron), a city of the
Philistines. He was believed to have power to bring swarms
of destructive flies and to remove them again. The Israelites
in later times, who detested idolatry, gave this name to the chief
of the devils, and, through the similarity in sound, they seem
often to have called him Beelsebul, i. e. lord of the dwelling,
because he chose human bodies as his habitation, for the name
is given in this form in the Gospels.
(d) Baal-peor, probably so called from the hill Peor or
Phegor situated opposite Jericho. This god was worshiped
by the Moabites.
There were originally no figures of Baal, but upright pillars
(chammanim or mazzeboth) served to mark the sites of his
worship; later, however, he was represented in human form.
Chald. S#3, abbreviated S? ; in the cuneiform inscriptions
Bil. After the introduction of polytheism the name was used to desig-
nate the chief of the gods, as were the names Zeus and Jupiter. Here,
too, a trace of the primitive monotheism remains. The frequently men-
tioned name Marduk (in the Bible Merodak or Merodach) was only an-
other expression for Bel. Marduk was primarily the god worshiped at
Babel.
THE HOLY PEOPLE 61
The so-called Tyrian Herakles is really a statue of Baal. He
was known also as Melkart, i. e. the city king. According to
Miillenhof (Deutsche Altertumskunde, I, 69) Herakles him-
self is not of Greek origin, but both the legends about him and
his cultus came to the Greeks from the East.
2. The chief female deity of the Chanaanites, occupying a
position like that of Baal, was Axhtoreth; the meaning of her
name is uncertain. Its Greek form is 'Aa-Taprrj, and in the
Vulgate it is spelled Astarthe. Another name for the same god-
dess is Aschera (rntfK happiness). She represents the female
principle in nature, i. e. nature herself, as conceiving and bring-
ing forth ever new forms of life. There were originally no real
statues of this deity, but wooden columns, called Ascherim or
Ascheroth, marked her cultus. They stood on mountains and
hills, or among trees with thick foliage, for which reason the
Septuagint and Vulgate translate the word Aschera by " wood "
or " grove." They generally were placed near the altars to Baal,
but were shaped differently from the stone pillars dedicated to
the god. Astarte was subsequently often represented as a cow, or
as a woman with a cow's head, or with a human head and cow's
horns. The worship of this goddess was very obscene; men and'
women gave themselves up to obscenity in her honor. She had
persons specially dedicated to her, ge deschim and gedeschot (Gen.
xxxviii. 15). Christian chastity dedicated to God stands out in
beautiful contrast to her worship, which did not, however,
originate in western Asia, but was introduced from the lands
near the Euphrates, as was probably also the cultus of Baal.
From Phoenicia it spread westward to the Greeks and the
Romans. Hence Astarte is to be identified with Baaltis or Beltis
of the Babylonians (also called Bilit or Mylitta), also with
Istar of the Assyrians, with the Syrian goddess Anaitis, with the
Greek Aphrodite and the Eoman Venus. On account of her
cow's horns the western nations sometimes honored her as Luna
or Juno, as the horns suggested a crescent moon. The Israelites
very early adopted her worship, as may be seen from Judges ii.
13; x. 6; II Kings iii. 4; xii. 10. Out of deference to his
Phoenician wives, Solomon afterwards transferred her cultus to
Jerusalem.
62 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
3. The worship of Tammus 1 seems to have been connected
with the service of Baal, and had its chief seat in the Phoenician
town of Biblos. This cultus, too, spread from Phoenicia to
the west; first to Cyprus and then to Greece, where the god
was known as Adonis = my Lord. Under the Jewish kings his
worship was introduced into Jerusalem, for Ezechiel says that
the women in the Temple mourned over Adonis or Tammus
(Ezech. viii. 14). The idea underlying this cultus is the ex-
pression of sorrow for the decay and death of the powers of
nature in the autumn, and of joy over their re-awakening, as
soon as the sun turns again to the north. In spring, therefore,
there was a joyful festival and in late autumn a time of mourn-
ing, when women especially gave themselves up to sorrow and
lamentation over the loss of Adonis. Ezechiel tells us that the
Israelites observed the time of mourning, but it cannot be
proved from Holy Scripture that they also celebrated the joyful
festival.
4. In the Old Testament (first in Lev. xxvi. 30), especially
in the books of Kings and Chronicles, but also in the Prophets,
we read of a worship on high places which is censured (bama =
height, plural bamoth). It is well known that the Chanaanites,
who worshiped nature, preferred to celebrate their rites on
natural or artificial hills, which became the scenes of great
revelry. The Israelites copied the Chanaanite custom and also
chose hills on which to worship their God. This was very
natural, as the true God had appeared to them on Mount Sinai ;
but soon heathen practices and obscenity crept into their cere-
monies, and consequently the prophets sternly denounced them,
and pious kings destroyed these high places.
5. The two Philistine deities, Dagon and Derketo (Gr.
'ArapyaTis), bore some resemblance to Baal and Astarte.
Both were represented with the bodies of fish, and human heads
and hands. Dagon, the male deity, symbolized water and the
procreative forces of nature, which are rendered active by means
of water. The female deity, Derketo, is supposed to represent
the power of the earth to absorb moisture, and as a result to
produce living things.
- The meaning of the name is obscure.
THE HOLY PEOPLE 63
It would be reasonable to suppose that the cultus of these deities in
Philistsea was connected with its proximity to the sea; but the monu-
ments and records of the lands near the Euphrates show representations
of Dagon, proving that the Babylonians and Assyrians also honored this
god. That his cultus was not limited to Philistsea appears from the oc-
currence of the name Bethdagon in the territory of Juda and Aser (Jos.,
Antiq., XV, 41; XIX, 27). An Atargateion, or temple of Atargatis, ex-
isted in the district east of the Jordan in the time of Judas Machabaeus,
and was destroyed by him (II Mach. xii. 26 in the Septuagint). The
name Dagon is certainly connected with dag, a fish ; Atargatis or Derketo
appears to be another expression for Astarte, just as Dagon represented
one definite side of the Baal worship.
5. ASSYRIAN AND BABYLONIAN DEITIES
1. The god Moloch (i. e. king), also called Milkom or Mal-
kom, is often mentioned in Holy Scripture, and was honored
in western Asia as early as the time of Moses. In Leviticus xviii.
21 the Israelites are warned against him. He is generally spoken
of as the false god of the Moabites, but Chamos (i. e. ruler),
the god of the Ammonites, is identical with him (Num. xxi. 29;
Judges xi. 24; III Kings xi. 5); and Orotal ( God's fire)
mentioned by Herodotus as the fire-god of the Edomites may
also be regarded as the same deity. To please his heathen wives,
Solomon built shrines to him on the Mount of Olives (III
Kings xi. 7 and 33), but they were intended only for the king's
wives and for foreigners in general. The Israelites, however,
themselves worshiped Moloch in the valley of Hinnom, south of
Jerusalem, as we read in many places, especially in Jeremias.
Holy Scripture records also (IV Kings xvii. 31) that the
colonists from the Euphrates, who settled in Samaria after the
downfall of the northern kingdom, offered children in sacrifice
to their national god Moloch, whom they called Adramelech
(splendor of the king) or Anamelech (King Anu). This fact
shows that the cultus of Moloch, like that of Baal, was intro-
duced from Assyria and Babylonia. It was intended to empha-
size one special aspect of the worship of Baal, viz. the honoring
of the destructive and therefore fearful forces of nature. That
Moloch was well known in Assyria appears from inscriptions
on monuments that still exist, on which the name Anamalech
(King Anu) very frequently occurs.
64 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OP THE BIBLE
The worship of Moloch consisted chiefly in the sacrifice of
children. In order to appease the dread deity, people offered
him their children, their most precious possession. Even King
Achaz (IV Kings xvi. 3) offered his own son to Moloch in
the valley of Hinnom. The statue of the god was of metal,
and probably in human form; it was hollow inside, and was
made red hot with fire. Then living children were laid upon
the outstretched arms of the figure, so that they rolled into the
open mouth and, falling into the midst of the fire, were burned
to death. 1 The idea underlying this cultus is that time destroys
all existing things as well as produces them. Hence Moloch
is identical with Kronos and Saturn, a god of the west, who
devours his own offspring.
2. "We read of King Achaz in Holy Scripture (IV Kings xvi.
10) that in the Temple at Jerusalem he set up an idolatrous
altar resembling an Assyrian one that he had seen in Damascus,
and caused sacrifices to be offered upon it. It seems that he
did not intend to honor any particular god by this means, but
wished to propitiate the deities in general, who had raised the
Assyrians to such power and dignity. "The gods," he said,
" of the kings of Syria help them, and I will appease them with
victims, and they will help me," but the passage concludes,
" whereas on the contrary they were the ruin of him and of
all Israel (II Chron. xxviii. 23).
3. In IV Kings xvii. 30 Holy Scripture tells us that the
immigrants into Samaria from the east honored the God of
Israel as god of the country, but retained their heathen deities
as well. Besides Moloch (Adramelech and Anamelech), to
whom the people of Sepharvaim (i. e. Sebarim, Ezech. xlvii. 16)
sacrificed children, mention is made of (a) Sochothbenoth,
1 Diodorus Siculus describes the statue of this god at Carthage as fol-
lows : " There was a brazen statue of Kronos, in human shape, stretch-
ing its hands upwards and somewhat sloping, so that children, laid upon
them, rolled down and fell into its throat, which was full of fire."
Raschi (Jarchi), the rabbinical commentator, says on Jer. vii. 31:
" Moloch was made of brass and heated from below. The hands were
stretched out and glowed with heat, and the child was laid upon them
and burned up, shrieking all the while; but the sacrificing priests made
a noise with kettledrums, so that the father could not hear its cries.?
THE HOLY PEOPLE 65
(6) Nergal, (c) Asima, (d) Nibhaz (Nebahaz), (e) Thartak.
Nothing is known as to the worship of these gods. 1
6. EGYPTIAN DEITIES
1. In Egypt there was a worship of animals, which were
adored as symbols of the deity. The Israelites while in Egypt
had become familiar with their cultus, and so in the desert,
wishing to honor the god who had brought them out of Egypt,
they represented him as a calf, no doubt remembering the wor-
ship of Apis. This did not imply a falling away from the
true God, and Aaron proclaimed that the ceremony should be
regarded as held in honor of Yahweh (Ex. xxxii.). It appears,
however, that the people only desired the sensual pleasures con-
nected with the heathen worship and with the sacrifices per-
formed at that time; therefore the occurrence was declared
sinful and sternly censured, and was not regarded as a par-
donable mistake.
2. In Ezechiel viii. we read that shortly before the destruction
of the kingdom of Juda, the Israelites, fearing the Babylonians,
tried to win the favor of the Egyptians by again adopting the
worship of Egyptian gods. Animal worship revived, this time
in direct antagonism to the service of the true God. If Ezechiel's
narrative is to be understood literally, this idolatrous cultus was
carried on actually in the Temple at Jerusalem; it is, however,
possibly not intended to be thus understood. The prophets often
denounced a mere inclination towards heathen nations and a
1 According to Erasmus Nagl : Sochothbenoth = Zakmuku Zarbanit,
i.e. a solstice festival in honor of Marduk and his spouse Zarbanit; the
names may have been abbreviated in the common dialect. The people of
Cutha (Assyrian: Kutu, a town north of Babel, now Till Ibrahim) made
a Nergal; he was a sun-god, also ruler of war pestilence and hell. The
men of Emath (Chamath, Egyptian and Assyrian Chamati, now Chama)
worshiped Asima, i. e. the old Chanaanite deity Esmun-Thammus, the
god of death and resurrection; Emath is mentioned in Gen. x. 18 as a
Chanaanite settlement. The Hevites (Avvites) honored Nibhaz and Thar-
tak. They were a tribe of Chanaanite origin, and so their gods are also
Chanaanite (see pp. 19 and 21) (Gen. x. 17). Nibhaz is called in the
Septuagint 'EjSXafe'p, which is probably a corrupt form of Baal-azar=
Baal is our help. Thartak seems to be the same as Derketo or Atargatis.
66 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
desire to seek help from them instead of from God as worship
of heathen deities.
On account of their obstinate falling away from the 'true God, Moses
had threatened the people with the penalty of exile from the Promised
Land and even of losing this land altogether (Deut. xxviii. 63; xxx. 18).
These threats were fulfilled when they were carried into captivity; but
the punishment had the wholesome result of making the Jews thenceforth
abhor idolatrous worship of false gods. After their return from Babylon,
they showed so little tendency towards it that every attempt by the
Syrian King Antiochus Epiphanes to introduce the cultus of other gods
amongst the Jews remained completely unsuccessful.
C. THE RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS OF ISRAEL
Religious antiquities are generally discussed under four head-
ings: (1) holy places, (2) holy persons, (3) sacred ritual, (4)
sacred seasons.
SOURCES OP INFORMATION
(a) Principal Sources of Information. These are primarily
the Holy Scriptures, especially the historical books of the Old
Testament.
Next in importance are the works, not included in the Bible,
of Jewish writers of the same period as the Bible. There are,
unfortunately, very few of these, and they are not earlier than
the time of Christ and the Apostles. We may mention par-
ticularly the works of Philo and of Josephus Flavius, both of
whom wrote in Greek.
Philo was born in Alexandria in 25 B. c. He was the son
of a Jewish priest, lived in Alexandria and received there a
comprehensive Greek education. He employed the knowledge
thus acquired in writing books intended to defend and expound
Judaism for the benefit of pagan readers. His chief works are :
The Life of Moses; The Creation; The Decalogue; Circum-
cision ; Sacrifices.
The writings of Josephus, who bore the Roman cognomen
Flavius, are still more important. He, too, was the son of
a Jewish priest, and was born in Jerusalem in 37 A. D. His
works, written in Rome, far from Palestine, and after the de-
struction of Jerusalem, are nevertheless most valuable, especially
THE HOLY PEOPLE 67
for the later period, of which the Bible does not give much
account. They are : History of the Jewish War, in seven books ;
Jewish Antiquities, in 20 books ; * two books against the Sophist
Apion, and the history of his own life.
(b) Secondary Sources of Information. The foremost of
these is the Talmud (from lamad, to learn, hence the book of
learning, or doctrine). For the Jews this is by far the most
important book after the Bible ; 2 it consists of two parts, the
Mishna and the Gemara. The first part, which forms the
Talmud strictly so called, is the Mishna (from schana, to repeat,
hence it is the repetition of the Law). This is in Hebrew, 3 and
contains a collection of the earliest Jewish traditions, written
down at the end of the second or at the beginning of the third
century by Eabbi Juda Hakkadosch, head of the school at
Tiberias, in order to preserve them from being forgotten or
tampered with. 4 Explanations were added later, and these form
1 In the "Antiquities," XVIII, iii. 3, Josephus speaks of Christ, in
whom he did not himself believe. The passage is as follows: "At this time
lived Jesus, a wise man, if indeed we may call him a man; for he was a
worker of miracles and a teacher to those who gladly receive the truth.
He had many followers, both Jews and Gentiles, and was regarded as the
Messias. In consequence of the envy of our rulers he was condemned by
Pilate to be crucified. Nevertheless those who had formerly loved him
remained loyal to him, for he showed himself to them alive again on the
third day. This and many other wonderful things had been foretold con-
cerning him in the writings of the prophets, and hitherto the sect of
Christians, taking its name from him, has not ceased to exist." Many
critics have pronounced this passage to be a forgery, but it bears every
token of being genuine.
2 The Jews maintain that everything taught by our Lord may be
found also in the Talmud ; this book, however, is of later origin than the
New Testament. It is based not only upon the oral teaching of the
Rabbis, but has also written sources. Much in it is pure gold, but inter-
mixed with worthless matter.
8 i. e. in modern Hebrew, which bears the same relation to biblical
Hebrew as is borne by the Latin of mediaeval scholars to that of the
Roman classical authors.
* Rabbi Juda divided his writings into six sections (sedarim, arrange-
ments ) : viz. ( 1 ) seder ser'im = seed section, containing all relating to
husbandry, i. e. explanations of the laws regarding it ; ( 2 ) seder mo'ed =
of festivals (Sabbath, Pasch, Day of Atonement, etc.) ; (3) seder naschim
= of women, marriage laws; (4) seder nesigin = of injuries (damage to
property, compensation, trials, etc. ) ; ( 5 ) seder qodaschim = of holy
things (regulations for sacrifice); (6) seder theharoth = purifications
68 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
the second part of the Talmud, viz. the Gemara (from gamar,
Aramaic gemar, to complete, hence conclusion, completion) . This
part is in Aramaic and falls into two portions, the Jerusalem
and the Babylonian. The former originated, like the Mishna,
in the school at Tiberias, and was compiled by Eabbi Jochanan
(189-279). It is in the West Aramaic dialect. The Babylonian
Gemara is much longer and is in East Aramaic, a dialect akin
to the Syrian. It was brought from Babylon, where there had
always been many Jews, ever since the Captivity, and where
they had famous schools. It was written in the fifth and sixth
centuries, and was the joint work of several Eabbis (Asche,
Jose, etc.). 1
(Levitical uncleanness, ablutions, bathing, etc.). The Gemara also, both
in the Palestine and in the Babylonian portions, shows the same division
into sections.
1 The Gemara is often called simply the Talmud, so that we hear of the
Palestine and the Babylonian Talmud. Cf. Monumenta Judaica: I Bib-
liotheca Targiunica, II Bibliotheca Talmudica. Vienna and Leipzig.
FIRST SECTION
HOLY PLACES
I. THE TABERNACLE
1. GENERAL DESCRIPTION
(Exodus xxvi.)
AT God's command Moses employed skillful workmen to
erect a tent temple on Sinai, according to the plan revealed
to him by God. This was called the Dwelling (mischkan) or
Tabernacle. 1 This tent was entered from the east and was
divided into two parts, the Holy and the Most Holy places. It
formed a long quadrangle, and its length (interior) was 30
cubits, 2 its breadth 10 cubits and its height 10 cubits; it was
made of a wooden framework, composed of 48 strong planks 3
or beams of acacia wood.* Each plank was covered with gold,
and measured 10 cubits in length and 1% in breadth. This
wooden frame surrounded the interior on three sides, but on
the fourth side were columns and a curtain. The two side
walls contained 20 planks each, the shorter end wall only 8.
1 In the Vulgate it is called tabernaculum fcederis or tabernaculum
testimonii. In the Septuagint, ffwn rov fiaprvpiov ; in the Hebrew Bible,
" Tent of the Agreement, Tent of the Testimony, Dwelling of the Testi-
mony."
2 An ell or cubit is the length from the point of the middle finger to
the elbow = six handbreadths or two spans ; about half a yard.
* The Hebrew D'EHD (from ff"}P, to cut off) is generally translated
planks. The word, however, only signifies something cut or hewn of
wood, as in Ezech. xxvii. 6. In the Septuagint it is rendered <TTV\OI,
pillars. The Vulgate has (less accurately) tabulw. The word might be
translated beams or uprights.
* Hebrew, " wood of schittim." This is the plural of schittah = the
genuine acacia. Mimosa nilotica. The tree grew to a considerable size
and its wood was very durable and at the same time very light. This
wood was to be used because the acacia is the only tree that thrives in
the valleys of Sinai.
70 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
Each plank must have been a cubit in thickness, so that the
two at the ends of the shorter wall were flush with those at the
ends of the long walls. 1 At the lower end of each plank were
two projections 2 which fitted into silver sockets, and on the
outer side were strong golden rings, five on each beam, through
which were passed the gilded bars that kept all the planks in
place, and so kept the whole erection together. On the front
side stood five gilded pillars of acacia wood with artistic capitals.
These pillars rested on brazen sockets and supported a curtain,
through which the Tabernacle was entered. The curtain was
arranged thus : At the top of the pillars were golden hooks hold-
ing up gilded rods to which the curtain was fastened. In
the inside was another curtain dividing the Tabernacle into two
parts, the Holy and the Most Holy Places. It hung down from
four gilded pillars, resting on silver sockets. The inner por-
tion, which was the Most Holy Place, measured 10 cubits in
length, breadth and height ; the Holy Place had the same breadth
and height, but was 20 cubits in length.
The bare earth formed the floor, nor had the Tabernacle any
wooden roof, the place of which was taken by coverings stretched
over the framework. These coverings were four in number
(Ex. xxvi.).
The lowest covering was the most magnificent. It consisted
(Ex. xxvi. 1, etc.) of ten cloths or curtains of white linen, fine
but strong, prepared in such a way that on the white ground
cherubim could be artistically worked with thread of a violet,
dark red and bright red color. Each of the ten curtains was
28 cubits long and 4 wide, and they were joined together
in two sets of five, so as to form two large curtains each
measuring 28 by 20 cubits, and the whole covering that they
1 The transport of such solid wooden pillars from one encampment to
another must have caused great difficulty, though there was not so much
hurry as in our day and in our countries. According to Num. vii. 4, etc.,
the heavier articles were laid on wagons drawn by oxen.
3 As beams measuring 1%. cubits in breadth were perhaps difficult to
obtain, it may be assumed that each consisted of two parts, firmly fas-
tened together the " two projections " seem to suggest this. Accord-
ing to the reports of missionaries, however, even at the present time the
acacia furnishes very substantial wood for building purposes in China.
HOLY PLACES 71
formed together was 40 cubits long and 28 wide. We are not
told how the five separate parts of each half were composed;
but we know that each of the two at the end of the curtains had
50 violet loops, placed opposite to one another, and fastened
together by means of 50 golden pins, which gripped them on
either side. This covering was arranged over the holy Taber-
nacle so that the join down the middle lay precisely above the
inner curtain. It must therefore have hung down 8 cubits
on the two long sides (north and south) and 9 cubits at the
back, behind the Most Holy Place. It was probably fastened
down to the earth by means of pegs. 1
The second covering was less precious. It was woven of goats'
hair, and was composed not of 10, but of 11 pieces, each of which
was 30 cubits long and 4 wide. Its total extent, therefore, was
30 by 44 cubits. It, too, consisted of two parts, the front one
being made of 6 pieces and the back one of only 5. These two
parts were fastened together by means of 50 loops and 50 brass
clasps, so as to form one whole. The part consisting of 5 pieces
was spread over the Most Holy Place, and that of 6 pieces over
the Holy Place. One piece hung over, and this was folded back
and doubled on the front of the Tabernacle, to gain more
solidity, so that it measured only 2 cubits, and projected for
a space of 1 cubit, so as to form a kind of shelter over the
entrance. At the other end of the tent this covering extended
1 cubit beyond the former, and this was the case also at the
sides, so that the second covering was a protection to the inner-
most one, stretching 1 cubit beyond it in all directions. The
fastenings, where the two halves were joined together, cannot
apparently have been exactly above the entrance to the Most
Holy Place, but about half a yard behind it.
1 If the planks were each 1 cubit in thickness, the covering could
not have hung down more than 8 cubits, rather than 9, at the west
end. That it hung outside is very probable, as this was, and still is, the
usual arrangement for tents, and moreover there would have had to be
some special means of securing it on the inner side, and no such thing is
mentioned. The pegs (or pins) and cords of the Tabernacle are referred
to in Ex. xxvii. 19; xxxv. 18; xxxviii. 20 and 31. The space thus formed
under the coverings could be used for the storage of utensils and as a
sleeping place ( I Kings iii. 3 ) .
72 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
The two outer coverings are mentioned in Holy Scripture, but
are not fully described. The lower one of these, i. e. the third
covering, consisted of rams' skins dyed red, 1 the upper, or fourth
covering, of tachasch skins. 2 The tachasch was probably the
sea-cow found in the Bed Sea, and now called Manati; some
authorities, however, believe that the badger is meant, as
tachasch = to penetrate, creep in; and the badger lives in
holes in the earth. We may reasonably suppose that the
Tabernacle was not always erected with all these four cover-
ings over it, but that often one sufficed. The innermost ap-
pears to have been intended chiefly as an ornament; the others
served as protections against dust and storms.
The two curtains separating the Holy and Most Holy Places
formed each a square, measuring 10 cubits in each direction.
They were made of the same materials as the first or innermost
covering, but whereas the inner curtain also bore pictures of
cherubim, the outer one had none, but was only embroidered
in colors.
2. THE COURT OP THE TABEBNACLE
(Ex. xxvii. 9, etc.)
The Tabernacle that has just been described was always sur-
rounded on all sides by a court. This was marked off on the
outer side by a wall of curtains, 5 cubits in height. The
court was 100 cubits long and 50 broad; on the north and
south sides stood 20 pillars, and on the east and west sides 10.
These had brass sockets and their capitals were covered with
silver. Silver rods resting on hooks kept them in place, and
supported the curtains, which were made of strong linen, and
ran round the whole court, not, however, touching the ground,
but being secured on the outer side by means of stakes (Ex.
xxvii. 19). Towards the east the curtains projected only 15
cubits beyond the corners, so as to leave in the center a space
1 Vulgate, de pellibus arietum rubricates; Septuagint, tepuara Kptuv
3 In the Septuagint the name is given as Stpfiara va.Klv6i.va. ; in the
Vulgate, ianthince pelles = violet-colored hides.
HOLY PLACES 73
20 cubits wide, that served as the entrance. This was closed
by another curtain embroidered with colors, 5 cubits high
and 20 broad, hanging from four pillars. It took the place
of a door.
The holy tent was probably not erected quite in the middle
of the courtyard, but nearer to its western than to its eastern
end. Philo says that the two sides and the back were all at
the same distance, viz. 20 cubits, from the outside boundary
of the court, so that the open space in front of the Tabernacle
formed a square of 50 cubits.
Modern critics outside the Church declare the whole account of the
Tabernacle to be a fiction. " We have to deal here not with historical
facts but with unrestrained fancy " ( Benzinger, 397 ) . As in later times
only the Temple in Jerusalem was the recognized place of worship, and
as the performance of religious rites on high places and all sacrifices
outside the Temple were strictly forbidden, the authors of the " priests'
code " invented the story of the Mosaic Tabernacle, as if Moses wished
God to be served in only one place and had made these regulations to
secure this end. " It is impossible that an uncivilized nomadic nation
could have erected such a magnificent shrine in the wilderness." " An
additional argument against the truth of the story is its inexactitude."
On the other hand the Egyptians were skillful craftsmen, and them-
selves erected temples of similar construction. Why may we not believe
that they imparted their skill to the Israelites? The latter nation had
not come out of Egypt in a state of destitution (Ex. xxxiii. 24, 25, 29),
so it is easy to account for the abundance of costly materials. 1 The wood
that they used for building is said to have been that of the genuine acacia
or schittah; if the story of the Tabernacle had been drawn from the
imagination of men in later times, the wood mentioned would certainly
have been that of the cypress or cedar, as known in Palestine. In fact,
Philo understands schittah to mean cedar wood. This fact alone is
enough to convince us that the Tabernacle really existed and was made
on Sinai (cf. p. 69, note 4). The alleged inexactitudes in the descrip-
tion vanish if a right explanation is given, and the "unrestrained
fancies " prove to be on the side of the modern critics, who always dis-
cover what they want to find. 1
1 Cf. also Num. xxxi. 22, where we read that the Israelites plundered
the Madianites of the wealth of their mines.
2 Wellhausen feels obliged to recognize the existence of a tent cover-
ing the Ark of the Covenant, but he will not admit that it is identical
with the one described in Exodus xxvi. Passages containing clear refer-
ence to the Tabernacle, such as Judges xviii. 31, I Kings i. 9, i. 24, ii. 22,
xxi. 7, II Kings vii. 6, are arbitrarily pronounced suspicious, and ex-
plained as later interpolations (cf. Kautzsch, Altes Testament).
74 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
THE SACRED FURNITURE AND UTENSILS
3. FURNITURE IN THE COURT OF THE TABERNACLE
In the court stood the altar of burnt offering or holocausts,
and the laver.
1. The altar of holocausts (Ex. xxvii. 1-8; xxxviii. 1, etc.)
consisted of a framework of acacia wood, 5 cubits in length and
breadth and 3 cubits in height. The frame was hollow and
was filled up with earth and stones, so that the latter formed
the altar proper. The wooden sides were covered with brass, 1
and provided at the corners with four brazen horns. 2 Half-way
up the altar, i. e. at a height of 1% cubits from the ground, ran
a projecting ledge about a cubit in breadth, having at its outer
edge a copper grating or network resting on the ground; brass
rings were attached to the four corners. This ledge served for
the priests to stand on, so that they might more easily perform
their duties at the top of the altar. The fire on this altar,
which consumed the victims, was never allowed quite to die
out (Lev. vi. 9, 12, 13). "This is the perpetual fire which
shall never go out on the altar."
2. The brazen laver, made of metal mirrors (Ex. xxx. 17-
21; xxxviii. 8), stood between this altar and the Tabernacle,
a little to the south. It is not clearly described in Holy Scrip-
ture, but, on the analogy of the great basin in the Temple, we
may imagine it to have been shaped like a cauldron, and of
considerable size. Probably there were openings and taps at
the sides for letting out the water when necessary, as it was used
for washing the priests' hands and feet, whenever they entered
the Tabernacle, and also to cleanse the flesh of the sacrifice, and
the sacrificial vessels and garments if they happened to be
= something dense or hard; i.e. metal. The name is always
given to CBS cyprium = cyprian brass, or copper with its alloys.
2 These horns suggest that the altar and the sacrifices were means of
averting the punishments inflicted by God and also attacks from ene-
mies, as an animal defends itself with its horns. Hence " horn " often
means power, strength, security, confidence ; e. g. I Kings ii. 1 ; II Kings
xxii. 3; Ps. xvii. 3; Luke i. 69. They have nothing to do with the
representation of the deity in the form of an ox, as Benzinger imagines.
HOLY PLACES 75
stained. There was below the laver a base of brass to receive the
water that flowed out of it (Ken). 1 Among the other furniture
of the courtyard we have mention made of pots to hold the
ashes, tongs, forks and censers. Besides there must certainly
have been the apparatus required for slaughtering the victims
and for skinning them; and tables on which the flesh of the
sacrifice could be laid, such as were used later in the Temple.
4. FURNITURE IN THE HOLY PLACE
Three things stood here: the candlestick, the table for the
loaves of proposition or shewbread, and the altar of incense.
1. The golden candlestick (Ex. xxv. 31, etc.) stood sideways
1 The correct explanation of the words in Ex. xxxviii. 8 is doubtful:
Vi'sn n &JH :TH)D SIIK nns q* I#K nfc:j'2m nfcona ntfrq tea r\ n^'ru
The Septuagint renders them: ical tirolriffe rbv Xovrypa rbv xaX/coO^ teal rty
(3dcru> avrov x a ^ K ^ v ^ K r ^> v Karbirrpuv r&v vtjffrevffaffuv, ai frforevo-av irapd. TTJS
06pas TTJS <ncr)VTjs TOV paprvpiov. Vulgate : Fecit et labrum wneum cum basi
sua de speculis mulierum, quce excubabant in ostio tabernaculi. It seems
certain that the word r\iO denotes women who took some kind of
part in the service of the Tabernacle. Knobel (Ex., p. 332) suggests
that these were Levite women, who visited the sanctuary from time to
time, in order to wash, clean and polish it; he says that figures of
such women occur on basins. If he is right, we ought to translate:
" He made the brazen laver and its brazen base with figures of serving
women. . . ." But figures of women with brooms, etc., would not
probably be considered suitable for the sanctuary. The Hebrew HK^D
and K&ToiTTpov, mean, not figure, but mirror. It is more likely that
women are referred to, who lived austere lives near the Tabernacle, and
sometimes were employed there, perhaps in baking, and in making the
priests' garments. Cf. II Mach. iii. 19, where, in the account of the
plundering of the Temple, mention is made of " shut up " virgins ( al
KaraKKiiaroi TUV rrapetvav ) who sought by their prayers to avert the sacri-
lege. The Septuagint translators must have been guided by some tradition,
when they rendered the Hebrew 3 (= by, by means of, with) by IK, and
K3K by vT]<TTev<a (= to fast, abstain). The sons 6f Heli were said to have
sinned by behaving ji an unseemly way towards such women (I Kings
ii. 22 ) . Jephte seems to have placed his daughter among these women in
consequence of his vow (Judges xi. 31). The mirrors belonging to such
persons might have been attached to the laver, in order that the priests
could always see whether their clothes and faces were properly clean;
but this would probably have been stated in the Hebrew in a separate
clause. It is most likely that these women offered their metal mirrora
as the material out of which the laver was made. This is the Vulgate
interpretation, and Kautzsch takes the same view.
76 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
on the south side of the Holy Place. It was of beaten work
of the finest gold (therefore not massive), and it had seven
branches, the one in the middle rising straight up, and the others
being in pairs on either side of it. The central shaft rested
upon a pedestal called in Holy Scripture jarek, i. e. hip or loin ;
the name seems to have been selected because there were prob-
ably feet lower down, whilst the upper part suggested a body
with outstretched arms. On the branches were ornaments like
the cup of a flower, consisting of a knob and a blossom. These
were placed on the central shaft below the points where the arms
branched off, and also at the place where the shaft joined its
pedestal. Moreover, each side branch bore three such ornaments,
so that there were twenty-two in all. At the upper ends were
lamps, but these did not actually form part of the candlestick,
and only rested on the seven branches. In shape they probably
resembled the ordinary lamps of antiquity; that is to say, they
were oval, having at one end a projecting wick and at the other a
handle by which they could be carried. At the ends of the seven
arms were slight depressions to hold them. The lamps cast their
light inwards, towards the " side of the Countenance " on the
north. Every morning they had to be taken down to be cleaned,
and then were replaced. 1 The purest olive oil was burned in
these lamps. As accessories are mentioned (Ex. xxv. 38) golden
tongs (probably snuffers) and dishes to hold the snuffers and
wicks.
2. The table of the bread of proposition or shewbread (Ex.
xxv. 23-30) stood on the north side of the sanctuary, opposite
the candlestick. It was of acacia wood, measuring 2 cubits
long, 1 cubit wide and 1% cubits high, and completely cov-
ered with sheets of gold. At the top was a projecting ledge
of gold ( misger eth = enclosure) as wide as a man's hand, so
that the surface of the table lay below it, and round about this
margin ran a golden garland. To the legs of the table four rings
1 It is uncertain whether the lamps burned constantly, day and night.
Josephus Fl. (Antiq., VI, iii. 9) agrees with the Rabbis in saying that
by day only three were alight, but at night all seven. While Lev. xxiv.
4 states that they were always (tamid) to be burning, it probably only
means that the light ought never quite to be extinguished.
HOLY PLACES 77
were fastened, through which rods could be passed, so that it
might be carried. The rods also were of acacia wood, overlaid
with gold. Upon the table lay always twelve thin loaves * of the
finest wheat flour; they were arranged in two rows of six, and
Josephus Flavius assures us that they were unleavened. The
Hebrew text calls them " loaves of the Countenance"; the Au-
thorized Version has " shrewbread." Every Sabbath they were
taken away and replaced by fresh ones; and the priests ate
the stale bread within the sanctuary. At this ceremony the
incense near the loaves was burned (perhaps on the altar of
incense). The loaves were carried in on (probably two) shal-
low dishes and set in order; the incense was placed in little
bowls. Wine also was brought in (perhaps only on the Sabbath)
in special jugs, poured into bowls and then offered as libations,
being thrown out on the ground. All these accessories were of
pure gold.
3. The altar of incense (Ex. xxx. 1, etc.; xxxvii. 25, etc.)
occupied a position in the middle before the inner curtain.
It was four-cornered and made of acacia wood, measuring
2 cubits in height and 1 cubit in length and breadth. It had
a so-called " roof " (gag) ; i. e. a raised edge ran all round
the flat upper surface, and a golden garland was fastened to
the edge, as in the table of the shewbread. Below the gar-
land were two golden rings on each side, through which staves
were passed for carrying the altar. Horns were fastened to
the four corners. The whole was overlaid with gold. Incense
was offered on this altar daily, both morning and evening. The
ritual was as follows : 2
A priest took some glowing charcoal from the altar of holo-
causts and carried it in a golden vessel into the Tabernacle,
1 The number refers to the twelve tribes of Israel, and the offering
placed before the Face of God testified that they owed their bread to the
Lord's goodness.
a Mishna, order Qodaschim, tract. 9 ; Thamid, chap, v.-vii. According
to Isaias vi. 6 it appears that the charcoal was not laid immediately upon
the top of the table, which would soon have been destroyed if this had
been done, but it was placed on stones ; probably pebbles. It is, however,
possible that only the censer rested on the altar, although this is contra-
dicted by the Mishna (cf. Heb. ix. 4: habens thuribulum aureum).
78 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
whilst another carried the incense. The first priest scattered
the charcoal on the altar, and the second laid the incense upon
it. Meanwhile the people stood in the court, engaged in prayer,
and then they received the priest's blessing. The incense con-
sisted of four ingredients, which were called collectively sam-
mim sweet perfumes. It had to be salted, and had to be
clean and holy, i. e. some salt was strewn over it, as over every-
thing offered in sacrifice; it was not to contain any foreign in-
gredients, and after it was mixed, was to be used only in the
sanctuary. It was forbidden, under penalty of death, to use
incense mixed in this particular way for any profane purpose.
5. THE HOLY OF HOLIES
The ark of the Covenant stood here; it was a chest of acacia
wood, covered with gold both inside and outside. Its length was
2!/2 cubits, its breadth and height 1% cubits. Round the mid-
dle of it ran a garland of pure gold. At the four corners were
golden rings, through which gilded rods were passed to enable
the ark to be carried; these rods were never to be removed.
Inside the ark was nothing but the two stone tables, on which
the Ten Commandments were inscribed (Ex. xxvi. 16; Deut.
x. 4, 5). According to Hebrews ix. 4, beside the holy ark
were kept Aaron's rod, and a vessel of manna. 1 In Deuteronomy,
xxxi. 25, etc., we read that the Book of the Law also lay beside
the ark. Moses commanded the Levites: "Take this book and
put it at the side of the ark of the covenant." pH "itfp, etc 7r\a-
yicov rfj<; KificoTov, Vulgate, in later e arc. The book was, as it
were, the commentary upon the Decalogue.
1 In Heb. ix. 4 the reading is ev $ (KI/SWTW), which is generally trans..
lated "in which [ark]." But ev, like the Latin in, also means near, be-
side. In Ex. xvi. 33 all that is said of the vessel of manna is that it was
rPJT ''JS 1 ? = before the Lord ; Sept. Ivavrlov rdv 0eov. In Num. xvii. 35
(Vulg. xvii. 10) Aaron's rod is commanded to be carried into the Taber-
nacle for safe keeping. At the time of Solomon, according to III Kings
viii. 9 and II Chron. v. 10, there were only the two tables of the law in
the ark, but it is possible that for a time the vessel of manna and Aaron's
rod, probably cut short, were kept in it also.
HOLY PLACES 79
Over the ark was the Kapporeth, i. e. a cover of pure gold. It
was by no means intended merely to close the ark, but had a far
higher purpose. This is implied by the fact that it was of solid
gold, whilst the ark was only of wood overlaid with sheets of
gold, and also by the command that the Kapporeth should be
as long and as broad as the ark (Ex. xxv. 17), if it were only
a cover, this would be a matter of course. Its true destination
is suggested by the Holy of Holies being called the house of the
Kapporeth. The word Kapporeth may indeed mean "cover-
ing/' but it may equally well be translated "place of atone-
ment." 1 The Kapporeth may be explained as God's resting
place. At either end of it, and inseparable from it, was a cherub
of beaten gold, undoubtedly in human form, but with wings,
which were stretched inwards over the ark. The space between
the two cherubim on the Kapporeth was considered to be God's
abode on earth. It was therefore called the ScJiekina = dwell-
ing. From this spot God made answer to Moses and other
leaders of the people, when they consulted Him on important
matters. 2 If the question is asked how we are to imagine this
presence of God, whether it was perceptible to the senses or
only perceptible intellectually, we may reply that the object of
the Holy of Holies was to perpetuate the memory of the events
on Sinai, and that for this reason we may believe the presence
of God to have been perceptible in clouds and fire (Lev. xvi. 2 ;
Is. xxxvii. 15; I Chron. xiii. 6). It is, however, improbable
that this presence could always be perceived; as a rule, it was
latent, and became visible only on important occasions.
1 The name comes from Kaphar, to cover ; Kapper = to atone, propi-
tiate. On the Day of Atonement every year the solemn ceremony of
atonement had to be performed here.
2 Ex. xxv. 22 : " Thence will I give orders, and will speak to thee
over the propitiatory, and from the midst of the two cherubims, which
shall be upon the ark of the testimony, all things which I will command
the children of Israel by thee." Cf. Num. vii. 89 ; Deut. v. 7 ; I Kings
iii. 3.
80 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
II. THE TEMPLE
(a) Solomon's Temple
6. INTRODUCTORY
As long as the people of Israel were wandering in the
wilderness, the Tabernacle and all its furniture and uten-
sils were carried by the Levites (Num. iv.) from one en-
campment to another. 1 After the Israelites had taken pos-
session of the Promised Land, the Tabernacle was erected in
various places. It stood for a long time at Silo, then at Nobe,
and later still at Gabaon. Meantime the ark had been sepa-
rated from it, and during a war had passed into the possession
of the Philistines, but they voluntarily restored it, arid it was
kept for a time in a private house, and then was placed by
David in a specially erected tent 2 on Mount Sion, whence it
was transferred to the new Temple.
When the Israelites took Jerusalem from the Jebusites and
obtained complete possession of the city, it was proposed to
build a Temple to the Lord on Mount Moria, 3 according to the
1 The Tabernacle stood within the camp. In Ex. xxxiii. 7, etc., we
read that Moses erected a " tabernacle of the covenant " outside the camp.
Benzinger (p. 370) follows Wellhausen in believing this to have been
another tent and not the Tabernacle, which was required to be within it.
The matter is, however, explicable in the following way: On account of
their rebellious spirit the Israelites were not permitted to be in God's
immediate neighborhood, but later on (Ex. xl.) the holy Tabernacle
was erected inside the camp, and the tribe of Levi was placed nearest to
it, the other tribes were further away, three on each side of it. To the
east was the tribe of Juda, and to the left of Juda was Issachar, and to
the right Zabulon; to the south was Ruben with Simeon and Gad; to
the west Ephraim with Manasses and Benjamin; and to the north Dan
with Aser and Nephtali.
a This was no longer the Tabernacle made by Moses, but a new tent,
probably made in the same fashion as the Mosaic Tabernacle which re-
mained in Gabeon, having possibly become damaged in course of time.
Solomon had it solemnly removed and brought into the new Temple,
where it was most likely kept in the upper story above the Holy of
Holies. Allusions to it occur in III Kings iii. 4; I Chron. xxi. 29;
II Chron. i. 3, 13; II Mach. ii. 4, 5.
* Moria is perhaps = ITTIDK = Land of the Amorites.
HOLY PLACES 81
same plan as the Tabernacle. 1 King David collected a great
quantity of materials for this purpose (I Chron. xxix. 2, etc.)
and gave them and the designs that he had prepared to his son
Solomon, who faithfully carried out his father's wishes. He
began to build the Temple in the fourth year of his reign, and
completed it in seven years (III Kings vi).
The surface of Mount Moria proved to be too small for the
Temple, so huge walls were built up on the eastern side and
the space between them and the hill was filled up with earth,
and thus a sufficiently large site was obtained (Jos. Fl., Ant., III.,
iii. 9; Bell. Jud., V, v. 1).
The stone and the cedar and cypress wood all came from
Lebanon, as Solomon had made an agreement for this purpose
with Hiram, King of Tyre; who supplied also some work-
men, well trained in their art. Solomon gave Hiram in re-
turn the products of his country, especially grain, oil and wine.
Like the Tabernacle, its model, the Temple was divided into
a house and a court.
7. THE HOUSE OF THE TEMPLE
(HI Kings vi.-viii.; II Chron. iii.-v.; Ez. xl.-xlii., xlvi.)
The Temple proper, called the House (habbajith), was built
of hewn stone, and measured 60 cubits in length, 20 in breadth,
and 30 in height; these are the inside measurements, not
including the thickness of the walls. It had a flat roof. The
interior was divided into the Holy Place and the Holy of
Holies. The former was 40 cubits long, 20 broad and 30
high; the latter was 20 cubits in length, breadth and height,
as the other 10 cubits, deducted from the total height of the
building, formed an upper chamber. The masonry was covered
on the inside with wooden panels; these were not smooth, but
were carved with figures of cherubim, palms, gourds and open-
ing blossoms. Over these very thin plates of gold were fastened
with golden nails, so that the carved figures showed through
the gold with which they were covered. It is probable that
1 In Wisdom ix. 8 the Temple is called fdpripa ffKtjvfy &ylat.
82 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
some beams of wood were built into the masonry. The ceiling
and the floor were also covered with wood and sheets of gold,
but no figures were carved upon them.
A door of sycamore wood with five corners, 1 in the middle
of the partition wall, formed the entrance to the Holy of Holies.
It was 6 cubits in width (Ezech. xli. 3) and was in two
parts; they, like the walls, were covered with gilded carvings,
and turned on golden hinges. Both halves of the door were
usually open, but it was not possible to see into the Holy of
Holies, as a curtain of the same kind as that which hung for-
merly in the Tabernacle (II Chron. iii. 14) shut off all view.
The Holy Place was entered by folding doors of cypress wood,
but they folded back in two pieces on each side, and were orna-
mented like the doors of the Holy of Holies. In front of the
house of the Temple was a porch 10 cubits in depth, and run-
ning along the whole breadth of the building (20 cubits) ;
nothing is stated as to its height in III Kings, but in II
Chronicles iii. 4 we are told that it was 120 cubits high. If
this be correct, the porch must have been a kind of tower, but
as we nowhere else find any suggestion of a tower, the number
may perhaps be due to a copyist's mistake. In the porch stood
two thick columns,, one known as Jakin and the other as Boaz.
They were made by Churam of Tyre, a skillful artist (II Chron.
ii. 13). They were hollow, cast of brass, measuring 12 cubits
in circumference and 18 in height, and on the top of each was
a capital specially cast, 5 cubits high, so that the columns and
capitals together measured 23 cubits, and this may have been
the height of the porch. 2
1 i. e. a quadrangle running up into a point at the top.
8 Saint Ephrem gives the following explanation of the names of these
columns : " Solomon called the one Jakin, i. e. ' may he establish.* This
expresses the wish that the building may stand firm and be strong. He
called the other Boaz, i. e. * in strength/ so that together the names
contain a request for strength and permanence " ( Opera, ed. Rom. Syr.
Lat., I, p. 460). The two names were sometimes taken to be those of
people, perhaps of the two artists who made the columns; and both
designations, ry and T^D, actually occur elsewhere as proper names. An-
other explanation might be : " May he strengthen ! with him is strength."
Benzinger quite arbitrarily assumes that the columns " were unmis-
takably copied from the pillars dedicated to Baal." It would be more
HOLY PLACES 83
All round the outside of the Temple, except at the east or
front, ran an annex (jazua = spread out) containing three
tiers of chambers for the things used in the Temple worship
and for storage of supplies. The beams supporting these stories
rested on rebatements in the Temple wall at each story; the
beams were not built into the wall. As the thickness of the
Temple wall diminished by a cubit at each story, the chambers
in the annex varied in width. At the basement they were
5, above that 6, and in the third tier they were 7 cubits wide.
The height of each story was 5 cubits. If the ceilings are
included, we may assume that the whole annex was about 18
cubits in height; the house of the Temple itself, being 30
cubits high, rose considerably above it, and in the upper part
of the wall on either side were windows, i. e. latticed openings
intended to admit air rather than light. The Holy Place was
lighted with lamps, but the Holy of Holies was totally dark.
Doors on the north and south sides (Ezech. xli. 11) formed
the entrances to the lowest story in the annex, and a winding
staircase, beginning close to the door, led up to the apartments
above.
8. THE COUIITS OP THE TEMPLE
1. Eound the house of the Temple was the Inner Court for
priests. It was enclosed by a wall of hewn stone, covered with
cedar wood, and, according to II Chronicles vii. 3, this court
(and probably the other also) was paved with stones.
2. The Outer or Great Court for the people seems to have
surrounded the Inner Court on all four sides, and it was
certainly also enclosed by a wall, as it had gateways with fold-
ing doors. Jeremias xxxvi. 10 speaks of the Inner Court as
the Upper; it was therefore on higher ground than that of the
people, and it is most likely that the house of the Temple,
following the form of Mount Moria, occupied the highest part
of the hill, and was raised above the court of the priests.
3. The extent of these courts is nowhere stated. As they
were only enlarged copies of the court of the Tabernacle, we
reasonable to regard them as copied from Egyptian obelisks, which often
stood at the entrance to temples.
84 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
may perhaps infer that the inner court was 200 cubits long
and 100 broad, and the outer court about double the size.
9. FURNITURE OP THE TEMPLE
1. In the Holy of Holies stood the Ark of the Covenant.
Apparently no new one was made, but Moses' ark with the
Kapporeth and the two cherubim upon it was transferred to
the Temple (III Kings viii. 1, etc.; II Chron. v. 22, etc.). 1
Near the ark, however, were stationed two large cherubim, i. e.
figures of angels in human form, made of sycamore wood
overlaid with gold, keeping watch over it. Each figure was
10 cubits high and had wings each 5 cubits long. One wing
was stretched out backwards and touched the wall; the other
was lifted forwards so as to meet the corresponding wing of
the other cherub above the Kapporeth. The figures stood up-
right, with their faces turned towards the entrance (II Chron.
iii. 13). The staves for carrying the ark, that were never
removed, projected so that their ends could be recognized
through the curtain (III Kings viii. 8).
2. In the Holy Place stood: (a) The Altar of Incense near
the curtain; it was of cedar wood overlaid with gold. (6)
Ten golden candlesticks, bearing seven lamps each; the candle-
sticks were arranged five along the north and south walls re-
spectively, (c) Ten tables of shewbread, five on each side.
We have no information regarding the size and shape of all
these things; they no doubt differed only in size from those in
the Tabernacle.
3. In the Inner Court were: (a) The brazen altar of holo-
causts, 20 cubits in length and breadth and 10 cubits in height.
In design it resembled that of Moses, and was filled up inside
with earth and stones. It probably had several projecting
ledges, on the uppermost of which the officiating priests stood.
It must also have had steps, at least on the east side, as may
be inferred from Ezechiel xliii. 17, "and its steps turned
1 As at this time the ark contained only the two tables of the law
(see p. 78), it seems probable that Aaron's rod and the vessel of manna
and the Book of the Law were kept, with Moses' Tabernacle, in the room
above the Holy of Holies.
HOLY PLACES 85
towards the east." (&) The brazen sea or laver was a great
round basin of water, 5 cubits high and 10 cubits in diameter
at the top. It was cast of brass of the thickness of a man's
hand and had an edge curving outwards, beneath which were
two rows of gourds as ornamentation. The laver contained
2000 baths, i. e. about 360 hectoliters of water. It rested on
twelve brazen bulls, three of which looked towards each quarter
of the heavens, and presumably they stood on a brazen base.
The water could probably be drawn off as required, by means of
taps. It was used for washing the hands and feet, and also
the flesh of the victims. We can scarcely suppose that the laver
was filled by hand labor; there must have been some sort of
aqueduct. Near the altar on the north and south sides were
ten brazen stands with brazen basins upon them, intended for
the reception of the flesh of the victims. These stands were
four-cornered boxes, 40 cubits square at the top and 3 cubits in
height. Under each were four wheels, BO that they could be
moved to and fro when required, and convey the flesh to the
laver and the altar. On the sides of these stands were bib-
lical figures, oxen, lions, and cherubim. The basins on them
contained each 4 bath (about 7 hectoliters) and were remov-
able. These stands and basins were not used either in the
Tabernacle nor in the second Temple. On the completion of
the building the ark was solemnly carried from Sion into
the Temple, and the dedication took place (III Kings viii. 1,
etc.; II Chron. v. 1, etc.).
Solomon's Temple stood for 416 years (1004-588 B. c.) and
was used as was intended during the whole time of the kings
of Juda. In 588 it was plundered by the Babylonians and
burned with the city of Jerusalem. The holy vessels and furni-
ture, in as far as they were of precious materials, were taken to
Babylon.
(6) The Second Temple
10. ZOEOBABEL'S TEMPLE
After the Israelites were released by Cyrus, perhaps through
Daniel's influence (I Esdras i.), they returned home from the
86 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
Captivity in 536 B. c., under Zorobabel's leadership, and at
once restored the altar of holocausts on its old site and re-
newed the daily sacrifices. At the same time they began to
rebuild the Temple, but were so much hindered by the hos-
tility of the Samaritans that building operations ceased alto-
gether for fifteen years and were only resumed in 520 ; the work
was then carried on with such zeal that the Temple was ready
for consecration in 515. From Esdras vi. 3 it appears that
the new Temple was larger in extent than Solomon's, 1 but far
less magnificent, owing to the poverty of the Israelites. More-
over, the chief treasure of the earlier Temple, the Ark of the
Covenant, 2 was missing, and the Holy of Holies was empty.
Where the ark should have stood, a stone was placed, on which
the high priest set the censer on the day of Atonement. In the
Holy Place was the altar of incense, a golden candlestick and
a table for the shewbread; in the court was an altar of holo-
2austs built of stone ; and a laver stood between the altar and the
porch, somewhat to the south (Middoth iii. 6; cf. Ecclus. 1. 3).
The Court of the Priests was surrounded by a larger court for
the people. In consequence of many costly offerings being
made, this temple gradually became more magnificent, and the
temple tax of half a shekel (about 30 cents), demanded yearly
of every Jew, even in foreign countries, supplied funds for its
decoration.
In the second century before Christ, Antiochus Epiphanea
plundered and laid waste the Temple and desecrated it by the
worship of false gods. Judas Machabaeus, after driving out the
Syrians, repaired the buildings, as far as they had been injured,
caused some of the furniture to be replaced by new, and had
the Temple reconsecrated. This was the origin of the feast
of the Encaenia or Dedication (eyKatwa, John x. 22, or <wTa).
At this time strong fortifications were added to the Temple,
1 It is said to have been 60 cubits high and 60 wide.
2 According to II Mach. ii. 4, 5, the prophet Jeremias in 588 " com-
manded that the tabernacle and the ark should accompany him, till he
came forth to the mountain (Nebo) . . . and when Jeremias came thither
he found a hollow cave : and he carried in thither the tabernacle, and the
ark, and the altar of incense, and so stopped the door." But afterwards
the place could not be found ( 1. c., 6, 7 ) .
HOLY PLACES 87
but nevertheless it was again taken by the Romans under
Pompey (64 B.C.), and also by Herod the Great, who by the
aid of Roman troops captured Jerusalem (37 B. c.) and stormed
the Temple.
11. HEROD'S TEMPLE
Herod the Great showed his passion for building by enlarg-
ing and altering the Temple, although he did not actually
rebuild it. 1
Work on the Temple began in 20 B. c., and in a year and
a half the whole house of the Temple had been transformed;
all the building being done by priests and Levites, after the
materials had been prepared and arranged for them. The
courts were finished in ten years, but work on the surrounding
buildings was still going on during our Lord's lifetime, and
even later.
In the form that it now assumed the Temple area measured
a stade, or 500 cubits, in each direction. 2 It was laid out in
terraces, so that one court was on a higher level than the
other, and the Temple itself occupied the top of the hill.
It could therefore be seen from all parts of the city and also
from a great distance, and presented a magnificent appearance.
The outermost court was that of the Gentiles. It was sur-
rounded by a high wall with several gates; it contained several
halls, and was paved with colored stones. It ran round all
the other buildings, enclosing them on all four sides. This
huge court was generally filled with a crowd of people, and
goods were sold in it as if it had been a market place. It was
twice cleansed by our Saviour from this desecration.
Within it, and on higher grounds, being reached by 14 steps,
1 The reason why Herod did not undertake to build an entirely new
Temple, which would perhaps have been less costly, was, as many people
think, because the prophet Aggaeus (ii. 10) foretold that the second
Temple should excel Solomon's in glory. Herod's Temple is always
spoken of as the second, never as the third.
2 1 stade = fa geographical mile ; so 4 stades = ^ mile = 742 meters
(nearly half an English mile). The Talmud contains an account of this
Temple (tract Middoth) ; see also Jos. Flavius, Antiq., XV, 11, and Bell.
Jud., V, 5.
88 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
was the Court of the People, also surrounded by a wall, on
which were notices in Greek and Latin, warning the Gentiles
on pain of death to go no farther. On the east side this
court waa entered by Nicanor's Gate, which was very large
and magnificent, 1 and is called the Beautiful Gate in Acts iii.
2 and 10. 2 Besides this gate there were several others on
the north and south sides, leading into the Court of the
People, one on each side into that of the Women and three
into that of the Men, for this Court was divided into a square
and somewhat lower court assigned to the women, and a higher
court for the men; the former lay nearest to Eleanor's
Gate.
On the same level as the Court of the Men was that of the
Levites, separated from it only by a low fence. In it was the
great altar of holocausts, 15 cubits high, and at its lowest pro-
jection 40-50 cubits broad, and, somewhat to the south, the
huge laver.
The house of the Temple was situated on rather higher
ground. It was built of immense blocks of white marble and
was richly gilded both inside and outside, and had larger dimen-
sions than the earlier temple. It consisted of a magnificent
porch (100 cubits high, 100 broad and 20 deep) ; the Holy
Place (40 cubits long, 20 broad and 40 high) and the Holy of
Holies (20 cubits long, 20 broad and 40 high). The Holy
of Holies was empty; the Holy Place contained the altar of
incense, one golden candlestick and one table for shewbread.
At the sides, as in Solomon's Temple, there were three stories
containing small rooms. The roof was a low gable, with gilded
spikes on the gable.
Such was the Temple where our Lord taught and worked
miracles. Beholding it, He foretold its speedy destruction, and
that no stone would be left upon another. This prophecy was
fulfilled in the year 70.
1 This Nicanor is not to be identified with the Syrian General Nicanor,
mentioned in the books of Machabees; it was an Alexandrian Jew who
had this gate built. .
3 The Beautiful Gate of the Acts, the Brazen Gate of Josephus and
Nicanor's Gate of the Mishna are identical.
HOLY PLACES 89
At the time of Nehemias * the Samaritans built themselves a temple on
Mount Garizim near Sichem, which the Jewish king John Hyrcanus de-
stroyed in 129 B. c. Another temple, also built to rival the Temple at
Jerusalem, existed at Leontopolis (near Cairo) in Egypt. It was poorly
equipped and was pulled down by the Romans under Vespasian.
12. THE SYNAGOGUES
Besides the Temple, but not as substitutes for it, for they
were totally different, were the synagogues, <rvva<ya><yal, houses of
prayer or assembly. We hear of them only after the Captivity.
No sacrifices could be offered in them, and therefore, since the
destruction of the Temple, the Jews have had no sacrifices. In
the time of our Lord, as at the present day, synagogues existed
not only in Palestine but wherever Jews had settled.
The requisites for the establishment of a synagogue are only (1) a
cupboard for books on the side of the building towards Jerusalem in it
the parchment rolls of the Holy Scriptures are stored; (2) a lectern;
the synagogue is especially the place where instruction is given in the
law, and those learned in scripture are required to expound it; (3) seats
for the congregation, the sexes being separated, the front row of seats
being reserved for those learned in the law; (4) one or more candlesticks
to give solemn light on important festivals. To keep order a ruler of the
synagogue was appointed; he was assisted by a college of elders, and by
a minister who had to attend to the opening, closing and cleaning of the
building.
1 Cf. John iv. 19. Josephus is in error when (Ant., XI, viii. 2) he says
that this Temple was built in the time of Alexander the Great (see p. 52).
SECOND SECTION
HOLY PEKSONS
13. INTRODUCTORY
SINCE the Israelites quitted Egypt, the firstborn son of
every family was dedicated to God for the purpose of
attending to His worship (Num. viii. 17; cf. iii. 13). Subse-
quently the command was given that, instead of the first-
born sons, all the males of a whole tribe should be in a peculiar
way God's property and look after His service (Num. iii. 41,
etc.). This was the tribe of Levi, to which Moses belonged. 1
The reason for this change was probably that the setting apart
of the firstborn would have caused excessive disturbances in
the maintenance of families; however (Num. iii. 47), in order
that the original custom should not be forgotten, every first-
born son had to be redeemed by the payment of a sum fixed
by the priest, but not exceeding five shekels.
The task of the tribe of Levi was generally to preserve and
continue the work of Moses. The Levites had to keep the
Law of Moses free from all falsification; 2 they themselves
had to observe its precepts most strictly and instruct the people
1 Fr. v. Hummelauer, S.J., in a monograph on the subject, has at-
tempted to prove the existence of an Israelite priesthood before the time
of Moses, that it was transmitted through Manasses from Joseph who
had been admitted to the priestly caste of the Egyptians, and then was
exterminated on Sinai, because it had lapsed into Egyptian paganism
(Ex. xxxii.). This hypothesis might perhaps throw some light on the
lists in the early chapters of I Chronicles; but in Ex. xxxii. and xxxiii.
the men killed are nowhere described as priests, and the account refers
to the whole nation that had sinned through idolatry. It seems, there-
fore, very unsafe to assume the existence of a priesthood before the time
of Moses.
2 The book of the law was kept in the Holy of Holies, but there can be
no doubt that copies existed for the use of the priests and Levites. In
Deuteronomy xvii. 18, 19 we read that the king, when he wanted the
book of the law, had to apply to the priests of the tribe of Levi. The
law had to be read aloud to the people from time to time.
HOLY PEKSOISTS 91
in the observance of the law. It was their business to watch
over the manner in which the law was kept, to give verdicts
in accordance with it, to hand it down in all its purity to their
descendants, and, finally, to provide for the whole worship of
God in the sanctuary.
Unlike the other tribes, the Levites received no land as their
property in Palestine. God alone was to be their portion. " Levi
hath no part nor possession with his brethren, because the Lord
Himself is his possession" (Deut. x. 9). There were, how-
ever, forty-eight places assigned to them as dwellings in the midst
of the other tribes; a list of these is given in Josue xxi. 940.
Besides these they had pasture ground for their cattle, but
no land for cultivation. These forty-eight places were by no
means the property of the Levites, who only lived there amidst
the other inhabitants.
The tribe of Levi had, however, a sufficient income, at least
if the law was faithfully observed. To the Levites belonged
all tithes, i. e. the tenth part of all the yearly produce of the
fields and gardens, and of all cattle and sheep ; and in addition
the first fruits, i. e. the first produce of all the fields and gar-
dens, the firstborn of all animals, and the sums paid for the
redemption of the firstborn sons. They had also definite shares
of all sacrifices.
The duty of attending to the actual worship of God was
imposed upon one particular family, viz. the descendants of
Aaron. Aaron himself and the firstborn of his family in each
generation were the high priests, all his other direct descendants
formed the priesthood, and the whole tribe was subject to them.
This division of his family corresponds with that of the sanc-
tuary. The high priest had to serve in the Holy of Holies;
the priests attended to all the ceremonies in the Holy Place,
whilst the Levites were only required to help the priests in
the court.
14. THE LEVITES
Levi, the founder of the tribe, Jacob's third son by Lia,
had three sons, Gerson, Cahath and Merari, so the tribe was
divided into three parts, the Gersonites, the Cahathites and the
92 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
Merarites. To these Levites were assigned thirty-five places as
their dwellings, and as means of livelihood they had, besides the
produce of their herds, a tithe of the produce of all fields and
gardens and of all cattle. They had, however, to pay a tenth
of this tithe to the priests. They were summoned to take part
at the sacrificial meals.
They were admitted to the holy service by means of a special
dedication, called taker = cleansing. They were sprinkled with
water of purification, prepared for the purpose; their hair was
cut off, and they washed their clothes. Then they came to the
place of the sanctuary, where the people were assembled, with
two oxen destined for sacrifice. Here some men of the people,
acting in the name of the nation, laid their hands upon the
Levites, who on their part laid their hands on the oxen, which
were then sacrificed, one being a burnt offering and the other
a sin offering. After this ceremony, the Levites entered on
their duties.
It is easy to see that the laying on of hands on the part of the com-
munity signified that the whole nation was really pledged to God's ser-
vice and was ready to perform it, but the Levites were the representa-
tives of the people and especially of the firstborn. The Levites on their
side acknowledged that they, as sinners, were unworthy to serve the Lord,
and deserved death. As, however, in that case there would be no minis-
ters for the sanctuary, they allowed the oxen to die in their stead, and
signified that these creatures were their representatives by laying their
hands upon them.
The first dedication of the Levites in the wilderness was
performed in the manner just described. It is uncertain whether
this held good always, or was repeated subsequently. There is
no record of a renewed dedication, and so probably the first
dedication held good forever.
We are not told anything of a special official clothing being
prescribed for the Levites. It would seem that they wore the
ordinary dress, both in daily life and when engaged in their
sacred duties. In the performance of these duties the Levites
were absolutely subordinate to the priests, and were regarded
as their assistants (Num. viii. 26). They were forbidden to
do sacrifice, and might not touch the furniture of the Holy
Place, nor the altar of incense, under penalty of death (Num.
HOLY PEKSONS 93
xviii. 3). During the wandering of the Israelites in the wilder-
ness, their business was to keep guard over the Tabernacle, for
which reason they were encamped nearest to it, the Gersonites
on the west, the Cahathites on the south and the Merarites on
the north (Num. iii. 23, 29, 35), whilst Moses and Aaron and
the priests were stationed on the east side- near the entrance.
The Levites had to erect the Tabernacle, and take it down
when the march was resumed, and carry the parts of it, when
it was taken to pieces, as well as the sacred furniture, which was
all covered up. In Palestine they had to guard the Tabernacle
and later the Temple, to open and to close it. Every day six-
teen Levites kept watch at the gates of the Temple (I. Chron.
xxvi. 12), and in the second Temple still more were employed
because the spaces were so great and the gates so numerous. 1
Moreover, the Levites were required to clean the Temple and
everything connected with it, to prepare the shrewbread and the
cakes used at sacrifices, to procure and look after all the acces-
sories of worship (garments, grain, flour, salt, wine, oil and
beasts for sacrifice) and to supply whatever was wanting. Fur-
ther, they were bound to provide for the music in the Temple
and to arrange for the singing. They assisted the priests in
slaying and skinning the victims.
Besides serving in the Temple, the Levites acted as judges,
and therefore they had to instruct the people in the Law and
to punish transgressors in conformity with its precepts. Accord-
ing to I Chronicles xxiii. 4, there were four distinct classes of
Levites: (1) ministers of the priests; (2) overseers and judges;
(3) porters, or doorkeepers; (4) singers and musicians. They
were bound to devote themselves to their official duties between
the ages of 25 and 50. 2
Besides the Levites, there were other men employed in menial work in
the Temple, such as cutting wood and carrying water. These were called
Nethinim = given ones, bondmen (see Jos. ix. 27; I Chron. ix. 2;
I Esdr. ii. 43 and 70).
1 The " Officer of the Temple," mentioned in Acts iv. 1, was probably
the commander of the guard of Levites.
' Numbers viii. 24. In Numbers iv. 2 the age when a Levite could
enter upon, his duties is mentioned as thirty, but this passage refers to
the removal of the Tabernacle during the wandering in the wilderness.
94 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
15. THE PRIESTS
Only the descendants of Aaron, Moses' elder brother, be-
longing to the Cahath branch of the tribe of Levi, were chosen
by God to be priests. Aaron had four sons, two of whom,
Abin and Nadam, were slain for their carelessness in the
service of God (Lev. x. 1), so only the two remaining sons,
Eleasar and Ithamar, could pass on the priestly office to their
descendants. Not every one belonging to Aaron's family was
fit to be a priest; all were excluded who had any bodily defect,
who were blind, lame, deaf, or suffering from permanent sores,
etc. (Lev. xxi. 16, etc.). No fixed age is prescribed in the Law,
but the age appointed for the priests no doubt was the same as
that for the Levites. Thirteen of the Levite towns were as-
signed to the priests as their dwellings.
The maintenance of the priests was provided for by ( 1 ) tithes,
which the Levites had to give over to them from their tithes;
(2) first fruits of field and garden produce; (3) money paid for
the redemption of the firstborn, each of whom was redeemed for
a sum to be fixed by the priest, but not exceeding 5 shekels;
(4) the first male born of all clean beasts had to be sacrificed ;
the fat was burnt on the altar, but the rest of the carcass be-
longed to the priests (Num. xviii. 18) ; (5) the first male born
of unclean beasts either had to be killed, or a clean beast, that
could be sacrificed, was substituted for it, and the fifth of its
value was paid in addition; (6) the skins of all the animals
used for burnt offerings, and definite parts of those used in
other sacrifices, belonged to the priests. Their sources of in-
come were abundant; they had no taxes to pay and were free
from military service. It was to their own interest to preserve
a knowledge and the observance of the law among the people;
for only thus had they an assured income.
Apart from their sacred duties, the priests wore the ordinary
dress of the people, but when engaged in these duties they wore
special garments prescribed by law. These were: (1) a tunic 1
with narrow sleeves, reaching from the neck to the ankles, and
from jJTD, to spin, weave.
HOLY PEKSONS 95
made of white linen; (2) a head-covering, 1 made of byssus, in
the shape of an inverted flower-calyx, so that it was a kind of
hat; (3) a loin-cloth, also of byssus, 2 probably a large cloth,
such as was worn also by other people beneath the tunic for the
sake of decency (in Ex. xxviii. 42 it is mentioned as covering
the middle of the body), as the ordinary garments reached only
to the knees; (4) a colored girdle, of white, purple, crimson and
dark blue threads, all interwoven. According to the Eabbis, this
was 3 fingers in breadth and 32 cubits in length, so that it could
be wound several times round the body. The priests wore no
shoes, as the sacred places must be entered barefoot.
The priest's office consisted of the following duties: (1) Every
morning and evening he had to put incense on the altar of
incense, near the inner curtain in the Holy Place, and trim the
lamps on the golden candlestick. The old shewbread had to
be removed and the fresh substituted on the table of proposition
every Sabbath. 3 (2) In the Court of the Temple the priests
offered very many sacrifices on the great altar, where they kept
the fire burning day and night. Every morning after the daily
offering of incense, they blessed the people. (3) They were
especially bound to uphold the Law of Moses, and therefore it
was their duty to instruct the people in the law and to attend
to the administration of justice (Deut. xvii. 8; xix. 17; xxi. 5) ;
(4) among their extraordinary occupations were: (a) negotiat-
ing about first fruits and the firstborn; (6) blowing the silver
trumpets at certain festivals; (c) examining lepers and pro-
nouncing them clean, as well as inspecting houses and garments
infected with leprosy; (d) releasing Nazirites from their vows;
(e) performing the ceremony of the offering on behalf of women
suspected of adultery.
Priests were required to be in a state of cleanness whenever
they discharged any part of their office. As long as they were
1 Hjjlin, Exodus xxviii. 40 and elsewhere. The word is connected with
JT3J> a cup, so the head-covering was probably cup shaped.
* *\2 IDJpD, covering of cleanness; it does not mean breeches or
drawers.
3 Cf. page 75. Descendants of Aaron, who were disqualified from the
sacred service by some physical defect, might eat of the loaves of proposi-
tion or shewbread, but only in the court, not entering the Holy Place.
96 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
engaged in the sacred service they might not drink wine nor
anything intoxicating (Lev. x. 9) and remained apart from
their wives (Ex. xix. 14). Even when not employed in their
priestly duties, they were forbidden to touch any corpses (Lev.
xxi. 1), with the exception of those of their nearest relatives
(Lev. x. 6), nor might they wear mourning, for sin and its
consequences are an abomination to God, and therefore no re-
minder of it, such as mourning for the dead would imply, could
be tolerated in His priests. If, accidentally, a priest incurred
legal defilement, he could not discharge any sacred duty, nor
eat anything consecrated, until, after the lapse of a definite
time, he had been cleansed by legal ceremonies. The priests
were particularly bound to lead pure and blameless lives, as the
law prescribed, and the same obligation rested also upon their
families, so that even a priest's daughter, who had fallen into
immorality, was required to be burned to death (Lev. xxi. 9).
It seems, however, that the priests often went astray, for the
prophets frequently complain of their setting the people a bad
example ; e. g. Jer. v. 31 ; vi. 13 ; Mich. iii. 11.
16. THE HIGH PRIEST *
(Exodus xxviii., xxix., xxxix.)
The head of the priesthood was the high priest, who was
always the firstborn of Aaron's race, provided that he possessed
the necessary physical and mental qualifications. His exalted
position conferred upon him various prerogatives, so that he
stood to the other priests in the relation of a father to his sons
("Aaron and his sons"); but it was his duty to live a life
peculiarly pure and blameless.
Dress. Over and above the usual priestly attire (tunic, loin-
cloth, girdle and head-covering) an official costume in keeping
with his exalted dignity was given to the high priest and worn
exclusively by him. If his head-covering be included, this cos-
tume also consisted of four parts, viz. :
The ordinary name isVrun |rl3n, sacerdos magnus, but occasionally
called BNOn jriSH, sacerdos princeps.
HOLY PEKSOtfS 97
1. The Meil, 1 a garment made of dark bluish purple, and
worn over the priest's tunic. It had an opening at the top,
so that it could be passed over the head. There were no sleeves.
On the lower edge it was ornamented with artificial pome-
granates made of yarn and twelve 2 golden bells arranged alter-
nately. It probably reached onlytto the knees, so that the white
tunic could be seen below it.
2. The Ephod, 3 made of white linen skillfully interwoven
with gold and colored threads, dark blue, dark red and bright
red. It consisted of two squares of cloth, one covering the
breast and the other the back. These two squares were fastened
together and held in place by means of shoulder-pieces of gold,
on each of which was an onyx.* On the two precious stones
were engraved the names of the twelve tribes of Israel, six on
each. The lower part of the ephod was fastened to the body
by means of a girdle of the same materials.
3. The Choschen* or breastplate. This was a double square
folded in half, so as to form a sort of pocket (not unlike
the burse to contain the corporal). It measured half a cubit
in each direction, and was made of the same material as the
ephod. On the outer side were twelve precious stones set in
from jpQ, upper ; hence " upper garment."
2 This is the number given in the apocryphal Gospel of Saint James.
The Rabbis say seventy-two, but this is plainly too large a number.
3 Yiax = dress. In every place where the word occurs, not excepting
Judges viii. 27 and I Kings xxi. 9, it has this meaning. It never means,
as Wellhausen suggests, the figure of a deity, or, as A. Macklenburg as-
sumes, a shrine in which to keep pictures. Kayser (Theol. d. A. T., 2d
ed., 28 ) agrees with Wellhausen, and thinks " the figure of God took
its name ' Ephod ' from the fact of its being covered over." But in
that case the high priest too ought to have been called an Ephod. The
question is connected with the assertion that . the Pentateuch could
not have existed as early as the time of the Judges and the first few
kings, because representations of the deity existed, and the making of
these is strictly forbidden in the Pentateuch. But a violation of the law
in the midst of Gentile surroundings is no evidence that it did not exist.
There is a proverb to the effect that " clothes make people," but that
clothes also make gods is something new. Cf. p. 39 and also p. 102.
* Heb. D7l$, perhaps the sea-green beryl. The word means in Arabic
"pale." Sept., a/^pa-ySos, Vulg., lapis onychinus; Hvvl- = finger nail.
j$n from jEJn, to cut off, secure, keep. The meaning is certainly " re-
ceptacle," and is correctly rendered 86j(iov by the Sept.
98 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
gold, arranged in four rows, and bearing the names of the
twelve tribes of Israel engraved upon them. At each corner of
the choschen was a golden ring. To the rings at the two upper
corners were attached little gold chains, having at their ex-
tremities golden clasps, by means of which they were fastened
to the shoulder-pieces of the ephod, close to the onyx stones.
Blue cords were passed through the rings at the two lower
corners, and also through two other rings which were sewn
on to the edge of the shoulder-pieces of the ephod below the
arms. In this way the choschen was fastened to the ephod, both
at the top and at the bottom, and so was drawn close to the
breast and prevented from slipping out of place.
Inside the choschen the Urim and TTiummim were placed.
What they were, is not explained, and the names do not help
us ; they probably mean " Light and Eight " or " Clearness and
Truth " ; Septuagint, S^Xaxri? Kal aXtfOeia ; Vulgate, doctrina et
veritas. The Jewish authors, Josephus and Philo and the Eabbis,
are all at a loss as to the interpretation. It appears from
Exodus xxviii. 16, 30, and from Leviticus viii. 8 l that some
solid thing is meant, which could be put into the choschen and
taken out again, and that this served as an instrument whereby
the high priest could ascertain God's will in matters of im-
portance. We may be sure that the Septuagint translation
Stj\a><ns and ahtfOeia has some foundation. The words signify
clearing away of doubt and recognition of the truth. The
high priest was believed to be inspired and capable of deciding
upon the right course of action.
4. The head-covering worn by the high priest was, according
to Josephus (Ant. f III, vii. 7) and Philo, the ordinary covering
worn by the priests, with the addition of dark blue ribbon, to
which a little gold plate was fastened, having engraved upon
it the words "Holy to the Lord" qodesch la adonai. The
high priest did not always wear his official dress. As a rule,
when he had only ordinary business to transact, he dressed like
the other priests, but the ribbon and plate on his head-covering
1 The rational of judgment (rationale judicii) "shall be four square
and doubled . . . thou shalt put in the rational of judgment doctrine
and truth . . . the rational, on which was doctrine and truth."
HOLY PEESONS 99
always distinguished him from them (cf. Kirchenlexicon, 3d ed.,
VI, 168, 169).
Duties of the High Priest. The following duties were assigned
exclusively to him: (1) To perform the important ceremonies
on the great Day of Atonement. (2) To ascertain God's will
by means of the ITrim and Thummim, and to make it known.
(3) In the administration of justice to give the final decision,
from which there was no appeal. (He seems to have presided
at trials of important cases, and in the Synedrium.) (4) To
watch over everything connected with the worship of God, and
over the Levites and Priests. He could, of course, discharge
all the priestly functions.
Sanctity of the High Priest. Standing as he did near to God,
and above the whole nation and the ordinary business of life, the
high priest was strictly bound by the law: (1) to touch no
corpse, not even that of his father or mother; (2) at the death
of his nearest relatives to show no outward token of mourning
and to omit none of his official duties; (3) to take a virgin as
his wife, not a dishonored woman, or a widow, or a divorced
person.
Tenure of Office. The high priest retained his dignity until
his death, if he were not disabled by sickness or old age, and so
rendered incompetent to perform his sacred duties. Occasionally
two high priests are mentioned as holding office at the same
time, but only one of these is to be regarded as really acting
as high priest.
17. CONSECRATION OF THE PRIESTS
(Ex. xxix., Lev. viii., and also Ex. xl.)
The ceremony whereby the Levites were set apart for the
service of the Temple was called a purification (Num. viii. 6)
(taker), but the consecration of the priests, hallowing (qad-
desch). The consecration consisted of several parts, but, like
the purification of the Levites, it falls into two main portions,
viz., the actual consecration and the accompanying sacrifices.
1. The consecration was effected by bathing the body, put-
ting on the priestly garments, and anointing. A specially pre-
100 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
pared oil was used to anoint the priests' hands, but in the case
of the high priest some oil was poured also on his head.
2. For the sacrifices a young bull, two rams, unleavened
bread and other cakes were required. The newly consecrated
priests laid their hands on all the animals before they were
killed. The bull was slain as a sin offering; one ram served
as a holocaust and the other as a thank offering. The right
ear, right hand and right foot of the consecrated priest were
smeared with the blood of the second ram. Whatever was not
burnt of the flesh of the thank offering and whatever remained
of the bread and cakes was eaten by the new priests as a sacri-
ficial feast.
The consecration was not completed for seven days, but the
first day was the most important. On the six other days the
anointing was repeated and other sin offerings sacrificed, and
on the eighth day the priests entered upon their office.
It was thus that Aaron and his sons were admitted to the
priesthood. Whether the same ceremonies were observed in the
case of subsequent priests and high priests is not certain.
According to the Rabbis * all that was necessary for a high priest,
on entering office, was to put on Aaron's robes and to offer an
unbloody sacrifice (Lev. vi. 14, etc.). The same rule applied to
all priests, and no further ceremonies were required. This is
quite in harmony with the spirit of the Old Testament. The
Holy Spirit had not yet been poured forth, and the idea of
individuality had not yet been so fully developed as in the
New Testament, and hence the consecration of each priest was
unnecessary, as the father of his tribe continued to live in him
and his dignity was transmitted by the act of procreation.
Just as Abraham's blessing passed on to the whole of God's
people, so the consecration of Abraham's family affected all
their descendants. In Hebrews vii. 15, 16, emphasis is laid
upon the fact that, in contrast to Christ's spiritual priesthood,
Aaron's priesthood was propagated according to the flesh, i. e. by
procreation. Hence, after the Captivity all were excluded from
1 Exodus xxix. 29 may be understood to mean that each high priest was
to share in Aaron's consecration if he put on the garments of the founder
of his line, and if his hands were anointed.
HOLY PEKSONS 101
the priesthood who could not prove with certainty that they were
descended from Aaron (Esdras ii. 62; Nehemias vii. 64). Cf.
page 91, on the purification of the Levites. As in time the
number of priests increased very greatly, David arranged for
their division into twenty-four classes or courses, each under
a chief (I Chron. xxiv. 3, etc.), and each course in turn had
to officiate in the sanctuary for a week, from Sabbath to Sab-
bath. The various offices connected with the Temple worship
were assigned by lot; and according to the Talmud there was
a special superintendent of the lots (cf. Luke i. 9).
The Mosaic Origin of the Priesthood and of Levites. Wellhausen
(Proleg., 121, etc.) denies that the distinction between priests and Levites
dates from the time of Moses and claims that Ezechiel did not recognize
it as the sharp distinction which the Priests' Code ascribes to it ; and so,
argues Wellhausen, the Priests' Code did not exist at the time of Ezechiel.
In his vision of the restoration of Israel and particularly of the Temple
after the Captivity, Ezechiel says (xliv.) that only the descendants of
Sadok, who had acted as priests in Jerusalem from the time of David on-
ward, might officiate in the new Temple, but those priests of the tribe of
Levi who, here and there in the country, had gone astray and served false
gods, should thenceforth (in the persons of their descendants) be admitted
to only the lower duties in the Temple worship, as a punishment for their
guilt. They had forfeited their priesthood by misusing it in order to wor-
ship on high places. Wellhausen thinks that Ezechiel is the first to dis-
tinguish priests and Levites, in much the same way as the distinction
between Israelites and Gentiles on the one hand, and that between the
mass of the people and those engaged in the worship of God on the other,
should not be referred to any very remote period. " In the chief part of
the Book of Judges there is no mention of any one officially engaged in the
cultus; we hear twice of sacrifice being offered, but it is by Gideon and
Manoah. A priest was not thought necessary. ... If the priests and
Levites living in the midst of the Children of Israel had been so arranged
from the time of Moses, they could not have vanished completely in the
time of the Judges." In I Kings vi. 15 Levites are indeed mentioned aa
serving in connection with the ark of the Covenant, but this is regarded
as a later gloss.
In answer to all this we may say that before the building of the Temple
the divine worship was not organized with the regularity of later times.
The constant wars which kept the people in an unsettled state, the novelty
of all their circumstances and the prevalence everywhere of heathen cus-
toms, which could not but affect the Israelites, did not admit of an orderly
observance of religious rites. It was a long time, for instance, before
Christianity prevailed in Germany and displaced the heathen customs,
traces of which still exist in some places. It is, however, clear from the
story of Heli and Samuel that the central sanctuary, first at Silo and
then at Nobe, was generally respected, and that a large number of men
102 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
were already engaged in the religious worship. Saul had eighty-five
priests from Nobe killed at one time (I Kings xxii. 18). Even if indi-
viduals here and there, following the custom of olden times, offered
sacrifice elsewhere in their capacity as heads of families or even as
private persons, this might be still tolerated as an ancient custom. Strict
centralization was possible, however, and its necessity appeared more
and more after the Temple was built, for the isolated sanctuaries in
the country had become for the most part the homes of superstition, im-
morality and idolatry.
In support of his theory, Wellhausen relies: (1) upon the Book of
Judges, in the greater part of which (iii.-xvi.) there is no mention of a
class of persons engaged in religious observances; (2) upon the same
book, which in an appendix (xvii., xviii.) speaks of a priestly function
in a way that does not agree with the Pentateuch; (3) upon II Kings
viii. 18, where we read that David's sons were priests, which, according to
the Pentateuch, they could not have been permitted to be.
In reply it may be stated ( 1 ) that other passages of the Old Testa-
ment, belonging to a later period, also contain no mention of a priestly
class, because there is no reason why such mention should be made in
them. For instance, in the first and second sections of the Psalms the
words priest and Levite do not once occur ; and yet, according to modern
critics, the whole psalter belongs to the period after the Captivity, and
Wellhausen even regards it as doubtful whether any psalms of an earlier
date exist. Is it possible to argue from the silence of these two sections
that there was no legally established priesthood even after the Captiv-
ity? No! Therefore it is not permissible to prove from the above-men-
tioned chapters in the Book of Judges that in the time of the Judges
the official priesthood organized by Moses did not exist.
(2) That even in that remote period the tribe of Levi was officially
connected with public worship appears as a recognized fact in Judges
xvii. and xviii. the very chapters upon which Wellhausen relies.
Michas, an Ephraimite, caused a costly metal statue of Yahweh to be
made, and appointed one of his own sons to be priest of this statue and
of the little temple erected to contain it. That this was an abuse, aris-
ing probably out of superstition, is suggested by the words, " In those
days there was no king in Israel, but every one did that which seemed
right to himself." Then a Levite named Jonathan came into the dis-
trict from Bethlehem. 1 Michas persuaded him to remain with him as
1 As Bethlehem was not a Levite town, it has been suggested, as this
place is mentioned as Jonathan's home, that he belonged to the tribe of
Juda, and that, in the time of the Judges, the word Levite did not mean
a man belonging to the tribe of Levi, but one of the wandering people,
who, being descended from Egyptian priests, practiced all manner of arts
(fortune-telling, etc.), like our modern gypsies. Their ancestors are
supposed to have left Egypt with Moses, and in course of time they
succeeded in securing plenty of money on the ground of their priestly
powers. The text of the Book of Judges, however, contains a clear
sattement that Jonathan was descended from Moses, and consequently
from Levi, Jacob's son. "Jonathan, the son of Gerson, the son of
Moses" (xviii. 30). His residence in Bethlehem had nothing to do with
HOLY PEESONS 103
priest, in place of his son, in return for payment, food and clothing, and
the Levite consented. Michas felt quite happy at having " a priest of
the race of the Levites " with him. Afterwards men belonging to the
tribe of Dan, in the course of their wanderings to their new settlement,
came to Michas, and violently deprived him of his statue and all con-
nected with it, including the Levite, and erected a sanctuary for them-
selves in their new home farther north. Thenceforth the Levite was
their priest. That the tribe of Levi "was completely destroyed at the
first attempt to conquer Chanaan " ( Volck, p. 44 ) cannot be inferred
from Genesis xlix. 5-7, as the tribe of Simeon, mentioned in the same
verses, continued to exist.
(3) While the sons of David are called Kohanim in II Kings viii.,
this word cannot here bear its ordinary meaning of " priest." In
verses 16-18 the men are named who held posts of honor at court; Joab
was commander of the army, Josaphat was recorder, Sadok and Achime-
lech were priests, Saraias was the scribe, Banaias was set over the body-
guard and " David's sons were Kohanim." As the priests are mentioned
in verse 17, the word Kohanim must receive another interpretation. The
Septuagint renders it avXdpxcu. Probably the king's sons held some high
offices about the court, that we no longer know. The word is generally
translated " princes." By designating the king's sons Kohanim, as if
they were priests, the writer suggests that they lived with the king as
his confidants in the same way as the priests dwelt with God in the
sanctuary. The king represents God's majesty. (Cf. I Chron. xviii. 17,
where David's sons are called the first at the king's hand.
APPENDIX
THE SYNEDBIUM AND THE JEWISH SECTS
The Synedrium
or Sanhedrin, the Council of the Jews, was, during the closing period of
the Jews' existence as a State, the chief religious and political body, hav-
ing authority to decide on the most important matters in the national
life, and claiming also the right to pronounce sentences of life and death.
Our Saviour and the Apostles, Saint Stephen also and Saint Paul, were
all brought before this tribunal, which was formed on the lines laid
down by Moses (Ex. xviii. 25; Num. xi. 16) of seventy of the chief
priests, elders and doctors of the law, and met under the presidency of
the high priest, generally in one of the side buildings of the Temple, but
occasionally in the high priest's house.
Jewish Sects
1. Mention is often made in the New Testament of Scribes, doctors
and teachers of the law (ypawareis, vofiiKoL, vojj.o8i5d<rKa\oi) ; these per-
his descent; possibly his mother came thence, as in xvii. 7 we read that
he was " of Bethlehem Juda (rn^TT nnSBPQQ) of the kindred thereof, and
he was a Levite and dwelt there '
104 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
sons were not connected with the Temple worship in these capacities,
but belonged for the most part to the sect of the Pharisees, the upholders
of the claims and doctrines of orthodox Judaism. Their name comes
from parasch, to separate, and means " those set apart," those who by
their piety and wisdom are conspicuous above the mass of the people.
Their reputation was so great that even the priests, who formed the
hereditary aristocracy of the nation, found it expedient to join this sect,
in order to retain their prestige, and the Council or Synedrium consisted
chiefly of Pharisees. They seem to have originated before the time of the
Machabees, as they were already strong and influential under Jonathan
Machabseus in 144 B. c. (Jos., Ant., XIII, v. 9). Besides the Holy Scrip-
tures they reverenced a particular tradition, which they ascribed to
Moses, as the source of the Law; this developed later into the Talmud.
The sect was at first worthy of high esteem, but it gradually degenerated,
and at the time of our Lord the Pharisees appear as sanctimonious per-
sons, full of uncharitableness, pride and avarice. There were, however,
noble exceptions, e.g. Nicodemus (John iii.) and Gamaliel (Acts v. 34).
Inasmuch as they were the expounders and teachers of the Law, they re-
ceived the honorable title of Rabbi = master ( ^\ from 2~\ , much,
great = magister) .
At the time of Christ there were two famous teachers with a numer-
ous following, Shammai and Hillel. The former represented the strict-
est school of thought, especially with regard to divorce; the latter ad-
hered to milder doctrines and practice.
2. In direct contrast to the stern Judaism of the Pharisees were the
easy-going views of the party of the Sadducees, which had penetrated
into Palestine from the west after the Graeco-Persian wars. It is impos-
sible not to recognize a connection between the Sadducees and the Epi-
curean philosophy. In origin and name this sect is generally derived
from a certain Sadok, a disciple of Antigonus of Socho (died 264 B.C.).
According to another account they called themselves Zaddikim = honest
people. It is, however, most probable that they declared themselves to
be Sadokides, i. e. members of the high priest's party, for, from the time
of David, the high priesthood remained hereditary in the family of Sadok.
They accepted Holy Scripture, at least the Pentateuch, but no tradi-
tions. They believed in God, but not in angels; declared the soul to be
material and mortal, and consequently rejected the doctrines of the
resurrection of the body and of future rewards or punishments; more-
over they denied the action of Divine Providence. This sect consisted
chiefly of rich and powerful persons, for which reason it became influen-
tial in the Synedrium, and secured the high priesthood (Acts xxiii. 6,
etc.), but it never won much esteem among the nation as a whole (Jos.
FL, Bell. Jud. y II, viii. 14; Ant., XVIII, i. 2).
3. The Essence are not mentioned in the Bible, but Josephus and
Philo describe them as ascetics, who apparently had added to Judaism
the tenets of heathen and especially of the Pythagorean philosophy.
Various explanations are given of their name; it may be derived from
an Aramaic word chase, pious, pi. chasen, chasajja. They formed a kind
of religious order governed by definite rules and divided into four classes.
They conceived of the Deity as the purest light, and the sun they re-
garded as His symbol. They honored Moses and his law ; believed in the
HOLY PERSONS 105
immortality of the soul; observed the Sabbath very strictly but re-
jected the Jewish sacrificial worship. Their morality was based on love
of God and man, and on self-control. For love of God they sought to
lead pure lives and always to speak the truth; their love of man showed
itself in good will, charitable deeds and community of property. They
exercised self-control by despising wealth, honors and pleasures, and
many refrained from marriage. They lived partly in settlements of their
own near the Dead Sea, partly in the midst of other Jews in towns and
villages, supporting themselves by the work of their hands or by agri-
culture. Their number did not exceed four thousand.
4. A fourth, and probably not numerous sect, was that of the Hero-
dians, who are mentioned a few times in the New Testament. They were
adherents of the Herodian royal family, and were therefore inclined to
favor the Romans, and were hostile to the Jewish religion.
THIRD SECTION
SACRED RITUAL
I. SACRIFICES
18. WHAT COULD BE OFFEKED
AS a rule it was required of an Israelite coming to the
Temple, that he should not appear empty handed. The
gifts which might be offered up in honor of God were partly
animal, partly vegetable, and also salt. Only clean, domestic
animals could be sacrificed, viz. (1) oxen (bullocks, cows and
calves); (2) rams, sheep, lambs, goats and kids; (3) doves
(turtledoves and young pigeons = bene jona). The latter were
sometimes offered by the poor, who could not afford to give
more costly creatures, but sometimes they served for the less
important sacrifices. 1 The animals for sacrifice had to be with-
out blemish; they might not be mutilated or deformed, blind,
or affected with sores or wounds; they must not walk crooked,
etc. (Lev. xxii. 19-25). Moreover, they must have reached a
certain age; the young must be at least eight days old; sheep
and goats were generally sacrificed when a year old, and bullocks
when three years old.
The following vegetable products might be offered : (a) grain,
including ears of grain, flour, bread and cakes variously prepared ;
(&) garden produce, fruit, especially grapes, wine and olive
oil; (c) incense. Salt was used at all sacrifices both bloody
and unbloody. The incense and even the blood were salted.
1 Leviticus xii. 6: A woman after childbirth had to offer a lamb and
a pigeon, or, in case of poverty, two pigeons. Leviticus xv. 14 and 29:
Certain defilements required to be cleansed by the sacrifice of pigeons.
Numbers vi. 10: A Nazarite who had broken his vow had to sacrifice
two pigeons.
SACRED RITUAL 107
The chief sacrifices always consisted of animals. A man doing sacri-
fice may give what he possesses. The Israelites were originally a pas-
toral people. (Gen. xlvi. 34: "We are shepherds . . . both we and our
fathers.") It was only later that they practiced agriculture also, and
hence the sacrifice of animals was always the most important, especially
as the sense of guilt finds its serious expression in shedding the blood of
the sacrifice. This is implied also by God's satisfaction at Abel's sacri-
fice, whose faith is extolled in Heb. xi. 4. Abel in spirit beheld the
future Redeemer, but Cain did not recognize Him.
Honey and leaven were expressly forbidden. 1
19. RITUAL OF SACRIFICE
Animal sacrifices were performed in the following way: The
animal was brought into the court of the Tabernacle or Temple,
for it was forbidden, under pain of death, to offer sacrifices else-
where. It was tied up to a ring fastened in the earth, and the
person offering it laid his hands on its head. (This was omitted
in the case of the Paschal lamb, and of pigeons.) The meaning
of this ceremony was that the sin of the offerer passed over to
the victim, who was to die in place of the sinful man. 2 Accord-
ing to the Rabbis (Otho, Lex Rabbin.), a confession of sin accom-
panied the laying on of hands, the words being as follows:
" I have sinned, have acted amiss, have been rebellious, especially have
I committed 8 . . . But I return to Thee full of repentance. May this
[i. e. the offering of the victim] be my expiation! " Cf. Numbers v. 6, 7.
1 Leviticus ii. 11: "Neither shall any leaven or honey be burnt in the
sacrifice to the Lord." The reason is probably that honey by its sweet-
ness symbolized sinful sensual enjoyments, and leaven as the means of
fermentation typified that inherited element in human nature which al-
ways keeps it in a state of wild passion, viz. sensual concupiscence,
which originated in sin and leads to sin. Sin, and all connected with it,
had to be excluded from the altar of sacrifice, which was undefiled, a
place dedicated to God, raised above the sin-stained earth.
2 Leviticus i. 4: "He shall put his hand upon the head of the victim,
and it shall be acceptable and help to its expiation."
3 The confession of sins answers a need of human nature and has at
all times appeared as accompanying true penance. Adam had to acknowl-
edge his guilt and did so, but Cain refused (Gen. iii. 11, iv. 9). David
says of himself, " Because I was silent -my pain consumed me." He
rightly perceived that sacrifice alone was not enough. Si voluisses sacri-
ficium, dedissem utique (Ps. 1. 18). Happily for him God sent the
prophet Nathan, before whom he acknowledged his guilt (II Kings xii.
108 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
Thus laden with the sin of the offerer, the victim was slain
on the north side of the altar, generally by the person who
offered it, but it might be done by the priest (II Chron. xxix.
24). The priest caught the blood in a vessel, and, according
to the kind of sacrifice intended, he sprinkled some of it either
on the side of the altar, or on the horns, or on the altar of
incense, or even towards the Kapporeth in the Holy of Holies.
The rest of the blood was poured out on the ground near the
altar of holocausts (Lev. iv. 7). Then the victim was skinned
and cut to pieces. Either all the flesh was laid upon the altar
and burnt, or only some of the fat was consumed by the altar
fire, and the rest of the flesh was cooked and eaten by the
priests, or used by the offerer of the sacrifice for a sacrificial
feast, or burnt outside the city or encampment.
When pigeons were offered, the priest killed them by breaking
their necks, not by cutting off the heads (Lev. i. 15; v. 8). 1
Apparently a cut was then made in one place, and the blood
was allowed to drip on the side of the altar. The wings were
slightly torn and then the birds were thrown into the fire on
the altar. Vegetable offerings were seldom made alone, but
generally in conjunction with bloody sacrifices. The procedure
was as follows: (1) If the sacrifice belonged to the class of
burnt offerings, the priest took only a small portion of the flour,
cakes, etc., and burnt it with incense on the altar. The rest
belonged to the priest, but had to be eaten unleavened in the
Court, after being prepared for food. If the offerer were him-
self a priest, the whole was burnt. If the sacrifice was a peace
offering, one cake out of all that were brought was taken for
the Lord and given to the priest; the rest was used by the
offerer for a sacrificial feast.
13). The Baptism of John was connected with confession of sins (Matt.
iii. 6). It cannot, however, be maintained that under the old dispensa-
tion a special confession of sins was a conditio sine qua non of forgive-
ness. Special confession was ordained first by Christ (John xx. 23).
1 The Hebrew pyQ means to break off; Septuagint, diroKvlgeiv ; Vul-
gate, retorquere ad collum, ad pennulas. It seems that the neck was not
wrung, but violently bent backwards, so that the throat was separated
inside from the body, remaining united to it only by the skin.
SACRED EITUAL 109
20. VARIETIES OP SACRIFICES
According to the objects brought as offerings, sacrifices were
divided into (1) bloody, or slain offerings, and (2) unbloody,
or meat and drink offerings. According to the reasons for
offering the sacrifices they were distinguished as (1) holocausts,
or burnt offerings; (2) peace offerings; (3) sin offerings; (4)
trespass offerings.
There can be no doubt that the offerings have a symbolic meaning. In
the New Testament we have but one sacrifice, which, however, contains
all the various sacrifices of the Old Testament, and they were merely
foreshadowings of it. The holy Sacrifice of the Mass is a holocaust,
the whole victim, the Lamb, who hung in burning agony on the Cross, is
offered up; it is a peace offering a sacrificial feast takes place, at
which Christians appear as God's guests; it is a sin offering, for our
sins constrain us to offer this holy sacrifice in order to appease the wrath
of God; it is a trespass offering, making reparation for the wrong
done to God, and obtaining reconciliation with one's neighbor, hence the
kiss of peace. It is at the same time a bloody and an unbloody sacrifice.
(a) Bloody Sacrifices
21. HOLOCAUSTS, OK BURNT OFFERINGS
(Leviticus i. 3-17, vi. 8-13)
1. Name. The Hebrew name for this kind of sacrifice is
old = that which rises, i. e. that which rises to heaven from the
altar as a fragrance pleasing to God. Still more expressive are
the Greek names, oXoKavrcofjia or oXo/catmoo-t?, selected by the
Septuagint with reference to the Hebrew word kalil, 1 or
oXd/cavarrov, which Philo uses. All these signify that the
whole victim was burnt. The Vulgate has adopted the word
holocaustum from the Greek. The words " burnt offering " are
less expressive.
2. Ritual. Only male animals could be used for these sacri-
fices; in fact, in all animal sacrifices males are preferred, as
being larger and stronger. Every kind of animal that could be
sacrificed at all might be offered. The victims were brought
1 Deuteronomy xiii. 17, xxxiii. 10; I Kings vii. 9; Ps. li. 22.
110 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
in, hands were laid upon them, and they were slain, as in all
sacrifices. The blood was sprinkled round about the altar. The
skins belonged to the priest, who did not as a rule take them off
himself, this being done by the offerer. The animal was cut to
pieces, its entrails taken out and purified, and then the whole
was burnt together on the altar of holocausts in the Court.
Only the sinew of the thigh (the so-called sciatic nerve) was
removed. The reason for this is stated in Genesis xxxii. 32,
" therefore the children of Israel unto this day eat not the
sinew that shrank in Jacob's thigh, because He [God] touched
the sinew of his thigh and it shrank."
Just as men are not accustomed to eat flesh without bread
and drink, so with every holocaust was connected an unbloody
addition, a meat and drink offering. The materials and quan-
tities of these offerings varied in accordance with the animal
sacrificed. There was no unbloody sacrifice connected with an
offering of doves.
The holocaust was the most usual form of sacrifice. Twice daily,
morning and evening, a lamb was sacrificed in accordance with the law;
and in addition similar offerings were prescribed on various occasions,
such as the purification of women after childbirth, of those who had re-
covered from leprosy, etc. There were also voluntary holocausts (Ps. 1.
20), and these might be offered even by Gentiles. According to Philo,'
the Emperor Augustus had a bull and two lambs offered for himself
daily as holocausts in the Temple at Jerusalem.
22. PEACE OFFERINGS
(Lev. iii. 1-17, vii. 11-21, vii. 28-36)
1. The second kind of bloody sacrifice is known by various
names; the commonest is schelem, or sebach schelamim =
peace offering * = elprjvucij sc. 6v<r(a (Sept.); the others are
sebach hattoda = thank or praise offering, sebach neder==
votive offering, sebach nedab a = freewill offering. We may
assume that "peace offering " is a general name, and that the
1 The name seems to have been chosen by way of contrast to the sin
and trespass offerings, which presupposed a sort of separation between
God and man, whereas this sacrifice has a more cheerful character, and
man appears as God's guest at the sacrificial meals.
SACRED RITUAL 111
three other expressions designate particular kinds of peace
offerings.
2. Every animal regarded as fit for sacrifice could be used
as a peace offering; it was not necessary that it should be a
male, and for freewill offerings of this kind animals might be
taken that had some imperfection in them.
3. The ritual began like that of the holocaust. The blood
was sprinkled all round the altar, but from this point the pro-
cedure differed. Only four, or, in the case of sheep, five parts
of the victim were placed on the altar, viz. : (1) the fatty tissues
enclosing the entrails; (2) the fat on the entrails; (3) the two
kidneys; (4) the liver, and (in sheep) (5) the fat tail ('alja).
The breast (chase) and the right leg (schoq) x were separated
from the rest of the flesh, and laid by the priest on the hands
of the man offering the sacrifice. Then the priest laid his own
hands under those of the offerer, and made a movement forwards
(towards the altar and the sanctuary) and back again, this
ceremony was called "waving" (tenupJia), then another
movement from below upwards, and then down again, which
was called "heaving" (teruma). After this the pieces of fat
were burnt on the altar, and a sacrificial meal followed. The
breast (wave offering) and the leg (heave offering) 2 were eaten
by the priests, and their wives and children could share the
food. The people who offered the sacrifice consumed the rest
on the holy spot, being in a condition of legal purity. If the
sacrifice was a thank offering, the meal was bound to take place
on the day that the victim was killed; if it was a free-will or a
votive offering, the flesh remaining over from that day might
be consumed on the following morning, but whatever was still
1 The right hind leg must be meant, for schoq means runner, and is
used of the thigh of a man's leg, below the loins. The Septuagint read-
ing is Ppaxiuv and the Vulgate armus = shoulder. Cf. Knobel on Leviti-
cus vii. 32, 33 ; Scholz, Altertumer, II, 175.
2 Chase hattenupha, schoq hatteruma. It seems that sometimes only
the breast was " waved " and only the leg " heaved," but sometimes the
two movements were connected. Exodus xxix. 26, 27 : " take the breast
. . . and elevating it thou shalt sanctify it to the Lord . . . and thou
shalt sanctify both the consecrated breast and the shoulder." The cere-
mony signified that the portions of the victim should be devoted to the
sanctuary and lifted up to the altar.
112 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
left had to be burnt. 1 An unbloody offering always accom-
panied sacrifices of this kind also.
23. Six OFFERINGS
(Leviticus iv. 1, etc., vi. 24^30)
1. The third kind of sacrifice bears the same name as the
sin = chattath, and the very name shows that in this case the
victim was offered as an atonement for definite transgressions.
These were not, however, intentional, as every intentional vio-
lation of the law was punishable with death; but they were
rather unintentional faults and certain conditions of unclean-
ness, which had some resemblance to or connection with sin,
such as leprosy, issue of blood. Moreover, at certain times it
was required that sin offerings should be made on behalf of
the whole people, for it was taken for granted that many un-
noticed violations of the law must have occurred.
Before our Lord's coming there was no certain outward means of get-
ting rid of sin, for the so-called " sacraments of the Old Covenant " (cir-
cumcision, consecration of priests and Levites, the Paschal lamb and the
various sacrifices and purifications) could not of themselves remove sin;
they secured only righteousness in the eyes of the law. Hence Saint
Paul calls them ( Gral. iv. 9 ) " weak and needy elements." The means of
removing sin were the inward acts of faith in a future Redeemer (Heb.
xi.) which found expression in prayer and in sacrifice, accompanied with
an acknowledgment of guilt. Cf. p. 107.
2. The occasions when a sin offering had to be made, can be
divided into (a) permanent occasions recurring at certain fixed
times, and (&) unforeseen occasions.
a. The fixed times when sin offerings had to be made were
(a) the Pasch, (6) Pentecost, (c) feast of Tabernacles, (d)
Day of Atonement, (e) the New Year's festival, (/) the New
Moons, i. e. the first day of each month. At each of these
seasons a sin offering was made for the whole people, the victim
being always a he-goat.
2 The Agape of the early Christians had probably no connection with
these sacrificial feasts of the Old Testament, but was an imitation of the
Paschal supper, eaten by our Lord and His Apostles before the institu-
tion of the holy Eucharist.
SACRED RITUAL 113
b. The unforeseen occasions were much more numerous. As
chief of them may be mentioned: (a) the purification of a
woman after childbirth; (6) the purification of a leper or of
one suffering from any discharge; (c) the purification of a
woman with an issue of blood. In these cases doves were gen-
erally offered, (d) If the high priest accidentally violated any
precept in the law, he sacrificed a young bullock, free from all
blemish, (e) If the whole community had transgressed in the
same way, the same offering had to be made. (/) In such case
the head of a tribe or family offered a he-goat, (g) Any indi-
vidual Israelite atoned for such a transgression by offering a
she-goat.
3. With regard to the ritual observed, sin offerings were
divided into two classes, interior and exterior. The former were
sacrifices in which the blood of the victim was carried inside the
Temple or Tabernacle. The latter were sacrifices in which the
blood only was taken to the altar of holocausts. The flesh
of the victims in the former class of sin offerings was burnt
outside the city or the camp. The flesh of the victims in the
second class was eaten by the priests, with the exception of the
pieces of fat, which were burnt on the altar. Interior sin offer-
ings were the more important; such was, for instance, the
sacrifice on the great Day of Atonement. 1
24. TRESPASS OFFERINGS
(Leviticus v. 15, etc.; Vulgate, also vi. 2, etc.)
1. The Hebrew name for this kind of offering is *ascliam =
guilt. The ritual for it was the same as that for the sin
offering, and therefore many archaeologists identify the two, and
regard 'ascliam only as a particular kind of chattath. Those who
1 Cf. on this subject Heb. xiii. 10-15, which is explained as follows:
It was certainly no mere accident that Christ was crucified outside the
city. He died as a sin offering. The Jews were forbidden to eat the
flesh of the more important sin offerings; it had to be burnt outside
the city. Therefore the author of this epistle calls upon the Jewish
Christians thus : " Let us go forth to him without the camp, bearing his
reproach " let us separate ourselves from the Jews, let us share in His
sacrifice, even if those who believe not despise.
114 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
identify them reckon only three bloody sacrifices. There are,
however, differences in the cause for these sacrifices and in their
object, (a) The trespass offering was always made for an
individual, whilst the sin offering might also be on behalf
of the whole people. (&) The chief difference lies in the fact
that a trespass offering was always connected with some in-
jury committed to the rights of God Himself or of a man's
neighbors; whereas, no such thing was presupposed in the case
of a sin offering. The damage done had to be made good, a
fifth of the value being paid in addition, and a sacrifice
offered.
2. In the Law of Moses several cases are mentioned in which
a trespass offering was required. The chief are: (a) If a man
keep back or diminish the duties payable to the priests. (&) If
he deny the receipt of a deposit, or that he has found or
damaged anything, (c) If he unintentionally violate the law
to the detriment of his neighbor, and later recognize his fault.
In every case, as with the sin offerings, it is assumed that the
fault proceeded, not from malice, but from inattention and
carelessness.
3. The victim was a ram, sometimes a lamb.
4. Ritual. The blood was sprinkled on the altar of holo-
causts; the fat was burnt on the altar and the rest of the flesh
was eaten by the priests within the sacred precincts. Thus the
ritual is the same as that of the exterior sin offerings.
The rationalistic theory of sacrifice denies the Mosaic origin of the
various kinds of offering and seeks to explain the bloody sacrifice by the
act of killing. " At all times people have shrunk from attacking nature.
One of the most grievous attacks possible is killing, i. e. suppressing, de-
stroying the life of an animal created by God. As, however, men desired
to slaughter animals, and were obliged to do so, they tried to calm their
fears at least by restoring to God, i. e. by sacrificing, the blood, in which
is the life. As often as they prepared flesh food they gave a befitting
share to the Deity. If the feast was particularly solemn, or if many
were invited to share it, the Deity received a whole animal. In this way
arose first the kind of sacrifice called later peace offerings, but originally
referred to as victims or offerings (I Kings iii. 14) and subsequently the
holocausts (Deut. xii. 11) developed. In very early times sacrifices of
atonement (sin and trespass offerings) were unknown. They arose first
out of the consciousness of guilt felt by the people in exile hence they
are mentioned for the first time in the Priests' Code."
SACRED RITUAL 115
All these are arbitrary assumptions. The act of slaughtering was
not accompanied by sacrifice ( Gen. xviii. 7 ) - 1
The so-called " Priests' Code " dates, as we have shown on p. 46, etc.,
not from the time of the Captivity, but from a far earlier period. And
quite apart from these considerations, the custom of offering human
sacrifices, once prevailing over the whole world, is opposed to this theory.
Human sacrifices point to a primeval consciousness of guilt felt by the
whole human race, and they certainly belonged to the earliest period,
since they were of universal occurrence. On the subject of consuming
blood, see page 131, Laws concerning Food.
25. SPECIAL KINDS OF BLOODY SACRIFICES
The Sacrifice of the Red Cow
(Num. xix.)
This peculiar sacrifice was not made either in the Tabernacle
or in the Temple, but outside the camp or town. A young
full-grown cow, red in color and without blemish, that had
never carried the yoke, was chosen and given over to the priest.
He had to lead her outside the camp or town, in later times
always to the Mount of Olives, and kill her there. Then dipping
his finger in her blood, he sprinkled it seven times towards
the Tabernacle or Temple. Then the cow's body was laid on
a pile of wood, which was set on fire, cedar wood hyssop and
scarlet wood being laid upon it. The cow had to be reduced
to ashes, which were sifted and then used in the preparation of
water for purification. If any one had incurred one of the legal
defilements, he had to be separated from the people, and could
only be purified again after the lapse of a definite time ; the puri-
fication consisted of being sprinkled with water containing some
of the red cow's ashes. Not only persons, but vessels, houses and
tents, were sprinkled with this water and restored to their
normal condition, 2 if they had become legally unclean 3 (cf. Heb.
ix. 13).
1 Abraham caused beasts to be slain as soon as the three strangers
arrived.
2 A bunch of hyssop, fastened by a red thread to a stick of cedar wood,
was used for sprinkling persons or things.
3 The red cow seems to represent the people of Israel, that through
their repeated unfaithfulness (red symbolizes guilt) had deserved death,
i. e. destruction, but through faith in the future Messias and by doing
penance might hope for salvation.
116 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
Sacrifice for Lepers
(Leviticus xiy.)
When a leper recovered from his disease, he had to show
himself to a priest, and if the latter judged him to be cured,
he had to bring two living birds, which must be " clean," not
birds of prey that eat carrion, and also a bunch of hyssop.
One of the birds was killed over living water (i. e. water from
a spring or a river) in such a way that its blood dripped into the
water, into which the bunch of hyssop was dipped, and the healed
leper sprinkled seven times. The other bird was dipped in
the same water and then allowed to fly away; this symbolized
the recovery of health. Then the man who was healed washed
his clothes, cut his hair and bathed his body, and thenceforth
he was clean, and might come into the camp or city, though
he must not occupy his tent or house for another week. On
the eighth day he had to bring a threefold sacrifice, 1 and was
then on a level with all the other Israelites.
The significance of the ceremony concerning the two birds was prob-
ably this: The leper was to acknowledge that as a sinner he had de-
served death, which is " the wages of sin," but he was preserved through
the offering of living creatures, which the justice of God accepted as
types of a better sacrifice.
The Nazirite Sacrifice
(Num. vi. 1-21)
Every Israelite could, by a vow, consecrate himself exclusively
to God, either for a definite period or for life. Persons bound
by such a vow were called Nazirites, i. e. set apart (TU from *in,
1 Namely, a trespass offering (a ram and one log of oil) , a sin offering
(a female lamb) and a burnt offering (a ram and three issaron of fine
flour ) . In case of poverty two pigeons might be used for the burnt and
sin offerings, and only one issaron of flour was required, but no reduc-
tion could be made in the trespass offering, which was required because
the leper, during his illness, had been unable to render any service in the
sanctuary or to his neighbors; a sin offering was necessary, because he
had been prevented from keeping the law in every point, and a burnt
offering was his homage paid to God.
SACRED RITUAL 117
to set apart). The obligations incurred by those thus conse-
crated were threefold: (1) they had to avoid all intoxicating
drinks; (2) the hair of their head must be allowed to grow; 1
(3) they were forbidden to take any part in mourning for the
dead. 2 If the vow was temporary, it held good for thirty days,
and when these expired the Nazirite had to make a threefold
sacrifice, viz. a sin offering, a burnt offering and a thank
offering. 3 After making the thank offering, the Nazirite cut
off the hair of his head and cast it into the fire on the altar.
If a Nazirite broke his vow, by joining in lamentation for the
dead, or in any other way, he had to offer two pigeons in
reparation, and begin his time of consecration over again.
Nazirites were held in great respect. Saint John the Baptist and
Saint James the Less, the Apostle, were Nazirites; even Saint Paul did
not hesitate to become one for a time.
(W Unbloody Sacrifices
26. MEAT OFFERINGS
1. A meat offering was not always merely an addition to a
holocaust or a peace offering, but it was often an independent
sacrifice. Just as the sin and trespass offerings stood alone, and
required no unbloody addition, so also there were independent
meat offerings. Such were especially (1) the loaves of propo-
sition or shewbread; (2) the Paschal sheaf; (3) the loaves at
Pentecost; (4) first fruits, i.e. first produce of the soil; (5)
jealousy offerings.
1 According to I Corinthians xi. long hair was a mark of a subordinate
position and of dependence on another, hence it befitted women.
2 Death suggests sin and is due to sin, but God is the Lord of Life,
who will bestow eternal life on all that serve Him. Probably also some
heathen superstitions were often connected with mourning for the dead,
as a cultus of the dead was very common among the Gentiles, and who-
ever took part in it showed a tendency to heathenism.
* A sin offering, because during the time of consecration some trans-
gressions of the law might have occurred; a burnt offering, because the
Nazirite wished to show especial honor to God; a thank offering, to ex-
press his gratitude for the successful completion of the period for which
he had taken the vow.
118 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
In addition to these, which were prescribed by law, there were
probably (Lev. ii. 1, etc.) also free-will meat offerings.
2. Ritual. Of the meat offerings that accompanied bloody
sacrifices, only a small part, about as much as could be grasped
with three fingers, was taken as ascara, i. e. reminder, memorialed
and burnt in the fire on the altar. The rest belonged to the
priest. An independent meat offering, especially such as priests
had to offer for themselves, was often altogether burnt (Lev. vi.
23), though sometimes only the portion taken as a reminder
was put on the altar. As a rule the meat offerings belonged
solely to the priests, e. g. the first fruits of fields and gardens
(Lev. ii. 12).
27. DRINK OFFERINGS
Only wine might be used for a drink offering, and according
to Josephus Flavius it was poured out all round the altar. There
were no independent drink offerings, but, in conjunction with
meat offerings, they were connected with the bloody sacrifices,
viz. holocausts and peace offerings. The quantity of wine used
corresponded with the size of the victim. For a bullock half a
hin of wine was taken, for a ram one-third, and for a lamb
a quarter (Num. xxviii. 14 ). 2 In the Temple there was an
1 This probably means that the fact of burning these things before
God should remind men of the fulfillment of their duty.
2 The measures for liquids were : ( 1 ) the Bath ; ( 2 ) the Hin, a sixth
part of the Bath ; ( 3 ) the Log, a twelfth part of the Hin. The measures
for solids were: (1) the Chomer or Kor; (2) the Letech, half the
chomer; (3) the Epha, the tenth part of the chomer; (4) the Seah, one-
third of the epha; (5) the Omer (issaron), one-tenth of the Epha (Ex.
xvi. 36) ; (6) the Kab, the sixth of the seah. There are difficulties in
reducing these measures to those now in use. Josephus Flavius says
(Ant., VIII, 2, 9) that the epha and bath were both equal to an Attic
methetes (about 8 gallons). The Rabbinical mode of reckoning, which
was very inexact, gave the capacity of a Log as = six hens' eggs. This
would make the log = nearly half a pint, the hin about five pints, the
bath four gallons. The kab would be nearly a quart; the omer nearly
half a gallon; the seah 1^4 gallons, the epha (like the bath) four gal-
lons, the letech about 20 gallons and the chomer about 40 gallons. Ben-
zinger follows Josephus and doubles all these quantities, therefore the
chomer is equivalent to about 80 gallons, reckoning the log as = one pint,
etc. But the contents of six hens' eggs can only be half a pint
(Cf. John ii. 6) ; the six water pots at Cana would at this rate have con-
tained between 100 and 130 gallons.
SACRED RITUAL 119
official who superintended the drink offerings, and the requisite
wine could be bought of him.
A libation of water was madeon the Feast of Tabernacles (see p. 153) .
Similar libations are mentioned in I Kings vii. 6 and II Kings xxiii. 16.
28. JEALOUSY OFFERINGS
(Num. v. 11-31)
When a husband suspected his wife of adultery but could
not prove her guilt, he brought her to a priest, with a meat
offering consisting of one-tenth of an epha of barley meal. The
priest took some of the sacred water from the laver in the
Temple Court, in an earthern vessel, mixed with it some dust
from the floor of the sanctuary, uncovered the woman's head,
laid the meat offering in her hands and pronounced a formula
of words, assuring her that if she drank the water, being inno-
cent, it would do her no harm; if she were guilty, it would
destroy her body. The woman replied "Amen, Amen/' Then
he wrote the curse on a roll of parchment, washed the writing
off in the same water, took the meat offering, laid an
ascara on the altar, and finally gave the woman the water to
drink.
This ordeal is only apparently hard upon the woman; it must be re-
membered that as soon as the offering was made she was free from all
suspicion. It served to protect her from reproaches and ill treatment,
and hence women must often have desired and demanded it.
29. THE TEMPLE TAXES
Every Israelite over twenty years of age had to pay half a
shekel yearly to the Temple. This tax was payable not only
in Palestine, but by all the Jews of the Dispersion. Whoever
could not pay it in person, sent the money to Jerusalem through
collectors or pilgrims.
Similar offerings for the sanctuary were demanded even by
Moses. In Exodus xxx. 12-16 we read: "Every one of them
shall give a price for their souls to the Lord, and there shall
be no scourge among them. . . . Half a side shall be offered to
120 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
the Lord. He that is counted in the number from twenty
years and upwards, shall give the price. The rich man shall
not add to half a side, and the poor man shall diminish nothing.
And the money received . . . thou shalt deliver unto the uses
of the tabernacle of the testimony." This seems to have been
a single, not a yearly payment. Later the tax was collected
from time to time when there was unusual need of money
(II Chron. xxiv. 6), but after the Captivity Nehemias required
a yearly tribute ; he diminished it, however, to one-third shekel,
perhaps on account of the poverty of the Jews at that time
(Nehem. x. 32). "We make ordinances for ourselves to give
the third part of a side every year for the work of the house of
our God." At the time of Christ the amount had been raised
again to half a shekel = a double drachma (Matt. xvii. 23).
In the Holy Land the tax was payable in the month Adar
(February) ; as it had to be paid in half shekel, pieces, and
other coins were in use all over the country, places for
the exchange of money existed, both in the Temple and in the
provinces. Priests and Levites also paid this tax.
The shekel (fW = weight; in the Septuagint the word is rendered
didpaxfjiov, in the Vulgate siclus argenti) is mentioned as early as the
time of Abraham, who acquired a piece of land at Hebron for four
hundred silver shekels (Gen. xxiii. 15). Subsequently we hear of half
and quarter shekels ( Ex. xxx. and xxxviii. and I Kings ix. ) . Very large
sums were reckoned in talents ( rd\avrov = balance, weight; Heb., 133 ?
circle, i. e. a large silver disc = 3000 shekels). The mina (fivd = weight,
Heb. r^D = -fa talent) was a silver coin worth 50 shekels. After the
Captivity values were often given in darics, Persian coins ; and still later
Greek coins also became current, especially the stater and the drachma.
The Machabees again had shekels coined, but were not able to abolish the
use of western coins. Some of their shekels exist at the present time.
Under the Romans their coinage too became current, viz. the as (prop-
erly etc), denarius (piece of 10 as), quadrans (*4 as), and the lepton
(\cTrrbv sc. p<5/u0y*a, little coin, % quadrans).
The value of these coins in our money may be determined approxi-
mately as follows: The Machabean shekels that have been discovered
weigh on an average 14.55 grammes; so that their value is about 60
cents; a mina is worth about $30 and a silver talent about $1800. The
daric was of the same value as the shekel. The drachma weighed 4.36
grammes, and was worth about 18 cents, the double drachma about
35 cents, and the stater, four drachmas, about 75 cents, although the Jews
regarded the stater as equivalent to their shekel, and so demanded a
double drachma as the Temple tax. In the time of our Lord the Roman
SACRED RITUAL 121
as was a copper coin worth about one cent in our money. The de-
marius was a silver coin, which originally contained 10 as, but in the
time of Christ 16, so that its value was about 16 cents. The Romans
reckoned the denarius as equivalent to the drachma.
II. PURIFICATIONS AND OTHER RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES
30. LEGAL DEFILEMENT
In the Law of Moses certain natural conditions are said to
constitute uncleanness in persons who have made a covenant
with God, and directions are given for removing this defile-
ment. The reason is that these conditions are due to sin and
bear a resemblance to it. They fall into three classes: the de-
filement of death, the uncleanness of leprosy, and sexual un-
cleanness.
31. THE DEFILEMENT OF DEATH
(Num. ix. 11, etc.)
A human corpse defiled (1) the tent or house in which it
lay, all open vessels in that house, and the people living in it
or entering it, for the space of seven days. In the same way
(2) contact with a corpse or bones or a grave made a man
unclean for seven days. (3) The defilement of death was
contagious, for every person and thing touched by the unclean
person became unclean until the evening. (4) The dead body
of an animal caused any one who touched it to be unclean until
the evening.
For the removal of this uncleanness, persons and things had
to be sprinkled, on the third and seventh days after contracting
it, with water of purification specially prepared (from the red
cow). Human beings were required, moreover, to take a bath
on the seventh day, and to wash their clothes. For those who
were unclean until the evening, including the man who per-
formed the ceremony of sprinkling with the water of puri-
fication, and any one else who accidentally touched this water,
it sufficed to take a bath and to wash their garments.
According to Benzinger (481) the idea that death caused defilement
was only " the energetic protest of the Yahweh religion against any cul-
122 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
tus of the dead, and a most emphatic condemnation of the same." The
theory that death was a consequence of original sin was based upon the
epistle to the Romans, and then referred by Christian theologians to the
Old Testament. Benzinger, however, would do well to turn his attention
to the author of the Book of Wisdom (i. 13; ii. 23, 24) and also to Saint
Paul (Romans v. 12; vi. 23), who lived under the old Covenant and
drew upon Jewish opinions and tradition. The underlying reason is to
be found in the recognition of the fact that death, the " wages of sin," is
something foreign to human nature, imposed upon it, that must be again
removed from it. By this means the desire for release could be kept
alive, and it was intended that this should be so. The same holds good
of sickness, the most appalling form of which is leprosy, and also of
various abnormal sexual conditions.
32. UNCLEANNESS DUE TO LEPROSY
Leprosy rendered every person attacked by the disease un-
clean. If any one was suffering from a suspicious eruption,
he had to show himself to a priest, and if the latter recognized
his disease as true leprosy (according to the rules laid down in
Leviticus xiii.) and declared it to be such, he was bound forth-
with to exclude the unhappy man from all intercourse with
healthy people. The leper had to rend his garments (i. e. tear
them down a short distance over his breast), uncover his head,
muffle up his chin, and cry to every one meeting him : " Unclean,
unclean ! " His dwelling could only be outside the camp or out-
side any inhabited place. It very rarely happened that any one re-
covered from leprosy; but when this occurred, he had again to
allow himself to be examined by a priest, and if the latter judged
him to be really free from the disease, the prescribed ceremonies
had to be performed for his purification, and offerings made as
described above (p. 116).
Besides human leprosy, the Mosaic law recognized a leprosy
affecting houses and clothes.
Leprosy in a house (Lev. xiv. 33, etc.) showed itself by spots
and dents of a greenish or reddish color on the walls. As soon
as this was noticed, the owner of the house had to give in-
formation to a priest, who, if he thought the condition of the
house suspicious, had all the furniture removed, and locked up
the house for seven days. If he found on the eighth day that the
mischief had spread, he caused the stones to, be removed at the
SACRED RITUAL 123
suspicious part, the whitewash scraped off, and all that was
taken away thrown outside the town or village on to some
unclean place. New stones were then built into the wall and
the whole was whitewashed. If the mischief appeared again,
the leprosy was pronounced malignant, the house was declared
unclean by the priest, and had to be pulled down. If, however,
nothing fresh showed itself through the new whitewash, the
priest declared that the evil was remedied, the house was purified
by means of ceremonies resembling those by which a man healed
of leprosy was purified, and it could then be inhabited again.
Leprosy of garments (Lev. xiii. 47, etc.) showed itself in
greenish or reddish marks appearing on woolen or linen clothes
and stuffs, and also on leather. As soon as information was
given to the priest, he locked up the suspected article for seven
days. If, on re-examining it on the seventh day, he found that
the mark had increased, he pronounced the article unclean, and
it was burnt. If, however, the leprous mark had grown fainter,
the part affected was taken out and burnt, and the article could,
after being washed, be used again, provided no new spots
appeared.
Much obscurity rests on the nature of this evil. Leprosy in houses
may perhaps be identified with a kind of rot, injurious to health, and due
to the corrosive action of something resembling saltpeter. 1 Leprosy in
clothes may be a kind of mold, caused by damp and want of air, and
destructive to woven materials and leather. But there is perhaps an as-
sumption that through want of cleanliness human leprosy can be imparted
to houses and clothes, and therefore measures must be taken to prevent
the disease from spreading.
33. SEXUAL UNCLEANNESS
1. Vir, qui patitur fluxum seminis, immundus erit. A.
chronic morbid condition is meant. The uncleanness connected
with it extended to the persons, furniture and utensils touched
by the sick man. Persons so touched were unclean until the
evening, and were obliged to wash their clothes and to bathe.
Earthen utensils must be broken, wooden ones washed with water.
1 Father Jullien, S.J., refers to Leviticus xiv. in his account of this rot
appearing in the basement of dwelling houses in Egypt.
124 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
For the ceremony of purification after recovery two pigeons were
required as burnt and sin offerings (Lev. xv. 2-15).
2. Coitus viri cum uxore ambo immundos reddit usque ad
vesperam, ac sc et vestimenta aqua lavabunt (Lev. xv. 16-18).
3. Homo, qui nocturno pollutus sit somnio, egredietur extra
castra et non revertetur, priusquam ad vesperam lavetur aqua
(Deut. xxiii. 10, 11).
4. A flow of blood in women caused uncleanness, as long
as it lasted. When it was over, the woman had to present two
pigeons as burnt and sin offerings (Lev. xv. 25, etc.).
5. Menstruation made a woman unclean for seven days. Per-
sons and things that she touched were unclean until the evening,
and required purification in the way described. On the seventh
day she had to bathe (Lev. xv. 19, etc.).
6. After childbirth (Lev. xii. 6-8) a woman was unclean,
for seven days after the birth of a son, and for fourteen days
after that of a daughter. Moreover, in the former case she
had to remain at home for thirty-three days, and in the latter
for sixty-six ; i. e. any considerable walks, and especially visits
to the sanctuary, were forbidden. When the time of purification
expired she had to present a lamb as a burnt offering and a
pigeon as a sin offering. If she were poor, two pigeons sufficed.
34. MARRIAGE LAWS
1. God Himself instituted marriage as a monogamy, but the
original ordinance, according to which marriage is the indis-
soluble union of one man with one woman, became obscured by
sin. Lamech, one of Cain's immediate descendants, had two
wives, and among the patriarchs we find the custom of having
one or more additional wives besides the real wife. This was
especially the case when there were no hopes that the real wife
would carry on the race. This custom was not altered by the
Mosaic Law, although various regulations show plainly that
monogamy was to be preferred. Thus, for instance, in Deu-
teronomy xvii. 17, one who would probably become king of
Israel is recommended not to have many wives. Not much
attention was paid to this precept, for Solomon had 700 wives
SACKED KITUAL 125
and 300 concubines (III Kings xi. 3). The Israelites as a
rule had, however, mostly only one wife, for whom a sum of
money was paid to her parents or relatives when the marriage
took place ; the practice of giving a dowry did not prevail. The
position of women was not degraded, as with the Gentiles.
Proverbs xxxi. shows how much liberty and independence a wise
wife could enjoy in her household. There is no doubt that
monogamous marriages were the rule, and after the Captivity
we scarcely hear of bigamy or polygamy. Thus the way was
prepared for the New Testament ordinance, which restored
marriage to its original condition, and at the same time raised
it to the rank of a Sacrament and bestowed upon it a special grace.
For only by God's grace is it possible for fallen man to observe
the ordinance as God designed it.
2. The following obstacles to marriage are enumerated in the
Law of Moses:
(1) Marriage with Gentile women, and especially with Cha-
naanites, was forbidden (Gen. xxiv. 3; Ex. xxxiv. 16; Deut. vii.
3). (2) Marriage was forbidden between persons closely con-
nected by consanguinity or affinity (Lev. xviii. 6, etc., xx. 11, etc.),
i. e. a man might not marry (a) his mother or stepmother, (b)
his sister or half-sister, (c) his aunt, (d) his granddaughter, 1
(e) his uncle's wife, (/) his mother-in-law or daughter-in-law,
(g) his sister-in-law, (h) his step-daughter and step-grand-
daughter, (i) his wife's sister, as long as the wife is alive. 2 The
prohibitions are only stated as applying to men, not to women,
for the latter had no freedom of choice, but submitted to the will
of parents or bridegroom.
3. If a married man died, leaving no son, his surviving
brother was bound to marry the widow. This custom of Levirate
marriage exists also among some heathen nations. According
to the Mosaic Law, the eldest son born of such a marriage took
the dead man's name, and was regarded as his legitimate son
1 There is no mention of his daughter, probably because it was taken
for granted that such a sin could not occur. The same is most likely
true of a niece.
a Jacob's marriages were exceptional, for his wives were sisters, but he
lived before the law was given.
126 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
and heir. The object of this law was to secure as far as possible
security of tenure and permanence to each family. If the brother-
in-law were unwilling to comply with his obligation, the widow
could summon him before a court of justice, and if he still
refused, he had to put up with public reviling from the widow,
but was not forced to marry her (Gen. xxxviii. 8; Deut. xxv. 5;
Matt. xxii. 24).
4. As long as marriage was not a Sacrament, divorce could
not altogether be forbidden. According to Deuteronomy xxiv.
1-4, it was permitted :
" If a man take a wife, and have her, and she find not favor in his
eyes for some uncleanness, he shall write a bill of divorce, and shall give
it in her hand, and send her out of his house. And when she is departed
and marrieth another husband, and he also hateth her and hath given her
a bill of divorce and Tiath sent her out of his house, or is dead, the former
husband cannot take her again to wife."
The expression translated "some uncleanness" is in Hebrew
'ervath dabar, i. e. literally shame or disgrace of a thing, some-
thing arousing horror or disgust. The doctors of the law did
not agree concerning the interpretation of this passage, and in
our Lord's time it was hotly discussed by the followers of
Hillel and Shammai. The former thought that it meant any
unpleasant fact, giving rise to dislike, such as want of skill in
cooking on the woman's part. The latter believed that it re-
ferred only to indecencies and particularly to adultery. The
first interpretation was the one commonly accepted, and our
Saviour protested against this frivolous opinion when He de-
clared adultery to be the sole ground for the dissolution of
a marriage, and forbade re-marriage under His new law (Matt.
xix. 3-12). Divorce must have been rare; there are very few
allusions to it in the Old Testament, and the prophet Malachias
(ii. 13, etc.) speaks very emphatically against it. The woman
had not the same rights as the man, and therefore was not
entitled to claim a divorce for herself. We always read that
it was the wife who was divorced.
5. Adultery, i. e. intercourse with another man's wife or be-
trothed, was punished with death; both parties were stoned
(Lev. xx. 10; Deut. xxii. 22-24; John viii. 5). This penalty
SACKED RITUAL
was of course inflicted only if the case were brought before a
judge. A husband might, in secret instances, adopt the line of
action proposed by Joseph, "the just man/' and put away his
wife privately.
35. CIRCUMCISION
1. Institution. Circumcision is mentioned as early as Genesis
xvii., where we read that God Himself imposed it upon Abraham
and his descendants; it was to be a mark of participation in
the covenant that God made with him. The obligation of cir-
cumcision was binding not only upon all male descendants of
Abraham, but also upon their slaves. Every male child had
to be circumcised on the eighth day after birth, and every uncir-
cumcised person was ordered to be exterminated from among
God's people, because he was regarded as unclean. In the Mosaic
Law this rule is referred to as if it had long existed, not as
if it were then laid down for the first time : " On the eighth day
the infant shall be circumcised " (Lev. xii. 3).
Circumcision was a painful operation, consisting in the re-
moval of the foreskin by means of a sharp knife. Originally
stone knives were used for the purpose (Ex. iv. 25; John v. 2),
but later on iron ones. As a rule this ceremony of purification
was performed by the head of the household.
Precise instructions as to the manner of fulfilling the divine
command are not given in the law. Some details have, how-
ever, come down to us by tradition, which was always an adjunct
to the written law. The most important are as follows :
1. Any one can circumcise, but it is only to be done by women if no
man is present.
2. A Gentile is not permitted to circumcise a descendant of Abraham,
and such circumcision by a Gentile is invalid.
3. If an already circumcised Gentile embraces Judaism, a wound is
made at the place of circumcision in order to bring out the blood of the
Covenant.
4. A sick child or a Proselyte is not circumcised until he has recovered
his health. If a child dies before he is eight days old, circumcision is still
performed on the dead body.
5. Circumcision is permissible even on the Sabbath (John vii. 23).
The later Israelites generally performed circumcision in the synagogue,
and united the naming of the child with it. The latter custom is men-
128 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
tioned in the New Testament, but neither it nor the various blessings and
rejoicings of modern Jews are to be traced back to Moses or Abraham, or
even to God Himself; they have developed in course of time. The same
remark applies to the choice of a godfather, on whose knee the ceremony
is performed. This practice seems to have arisen in the Middle Ages and
in imitation of the custom at Christian baptism.
2. Origin of Circumcision. We find circumcision not only
among the Israelites, but also among other nations, especially
many Arab tribes, 1 and the Phoenicians, Egyptians and Ethio-
pians. It is quite possible that the Gentiles adopted circumcision
from Abraham and his descendants, but it is maintained, on the
other hand, that the Egyptians practiced it before the time of
Abraham, who adopted it in Egypt and thence brought it with
him to Asia. This latter theory is supported by Herodotus
(ii. 104), 2 who states that the " Syrians in Palestine " had learnt
from the Egyptians to practice circumcision. But we can scarcely
attach much importance to this statement, as Herodotus is only
reporting what he was told by the Egyptian priests, and their
national vanity often led them to represent themselves as the
teachers of other nations. 3 If it is suggested that the Israelites
were too isolated and politically too insignificant for the Egyp-
tians to have adopted circumcision from them, it is enough to
refer to the honors that fell to Abraham and still more to Joseph
in Egypt, to make it appear credible.* But even if we assume or
1 To the present day the Mahometans insist most strictly upon it. It
is performed between the seventh and the thirteenth years. Cf. Genesis
xvii. 15: " Ismael was thirteen years old when he was circumcised."
2 jj-ovvoi irdvTuv avdp&irwv K6\xoi Kal AlyfaTioi ical AWlo-jres TrepiT&fjLvovrai an'
apxijs ra aldoia. 3>oivucS d Kal *vpoi oi tv TTJ IlaXcutmj'jj Kal afoot 6/j,o\oyovffi
Trap AlyvTrrluv fj^efji.ad'rjK^ai.
8 Reitzenstein expresses the opinion that in Egypt only the priests and
other persons connected with the temples were circumcised, and that the
Israelites derived the practice from them. If this were true, however, cir-
cumcision would certainly have been limited to the priests among the
Israelites also. It seems certain that in Egypt and Arabia from remote
times the operation was performed at about the age of thirteen.
4 It is very improbable that other nations practiced circumcision be-
fore the Jews. In the Old Testament circumcision is spoken of as the
mark distinguishing the servants of the true God from the worshipers of
false gods. In Ezechiel xxxii. 21, etc., all non-Israelites, including a great
number of tribes, are spoken" of as uncircumcised. Scholz believes that the
Egyptians adopted circumcision either directly from Joseph, who was ad-
SACRED EITUAL 129
grant that circumcision was commonly practiced by the Egyptians
before the time of Abraham, this does not affect the religious
importance of the ceremony. If Abraham learnt it in Egypt,
he was being prepared to be commanded by God, at a later
period, to introduce it into his own race.
Why did God order the people of the Covenant to be circum-
cised? What is the religious signification of the rite? Was
it meant merely as a sanitary precaution? Philo laid stress on
this aspect of it, and Christian archasologists have tried to
strengthen this theory by pointing out how much it furthers
cleanliness, which is beneficial to the health and diminishes
sexual excesses. But other nations living under the same climatic
conditions, and not practicing circumcision, were neither less
healthy nor less moral than the circumcised for that reason.
Circumcision seems to have been ordered because the sexual
life had been corrupted by sin. If the human race was to be
raised, a purification of this life was absolutely necessary. Cir-
cumcision was only a symbol and type of such a purification.
The true remedy for the evils that had crept in was supplied
by Christ, who restored monogamy, raised marriage to the rank
of a Sacrament, and gave His followers the counsel of perfect
chastity, at the same time making it possible to practice it by
means of the grace that He bestowed. Since then circum-
cision has ceased to be obligatory. It was a type of baptism,
but could not remove original sin.
mitted to their priestly caste, or indirectly, through Arab tribes. Egypt
was not always completely cut off from intercourse with foreign coun-
tries, as is shown by the reign of Hyksos. If traces of circumcision can
really be found on very ancient mummies, the first question to decide is
to what period they belong. Among the carvings at Karnak the actual
operation of circumcision is depicted, but it should be noticed that it is
being performed on two boys of about twelve years of age, which is the
age at which circumcision takes place among the Arabs, whereas the
Israelites circumcise children of eight days old; hence neither the Egyp-
tians nor the Arabs seem to have been their instructors in this respect.
It is possible that the Egyptians adopted circumcision from the descend-
ants of Ismael. Cf. Genesis xxi. 21: "This mother" (Agar, the Egyp-
tian) "took a wife for him out of the land of Egypt."
130 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
36. RECEPTION OF PROSELYTES
In every age, but especially after the Captivity, strangers,
members of other races, have lived among the Israelites. They
were called gerim = those added. Although every Gentile was
regarded by the Israelites as unclean, these strangers were
tolerated by the Mosaic law, but they had to pledge themselves
to conform to some extent to the worship of the true God. Ac-
cording to tradition, they were especially bound to observe the
seven Noachic commandments ; i. e. they must refrain from
(1) blaspheming the true God; (2) worshiping the heavenly
bodies and false gods; (3) murder; (4) incest, i.e. marriage
with very near relatives; (5) robbery; (6) rebellion against
authority; (7) eating blood and flesh containing blood. 1
If these strangers desired to attain to the full rights of Israel,
they had to seek admission to the Mosaic Covenant by submitting
to circumcision, and thereby pledge themselves to observe the
whole Jewish law.
At the time of Christ (according to the Mishna and Gemara),
the Proselytes of the Gate were distinguished from the Prose-
lytes of Righteousness or of the Covenant. The former lived
indeed within the gates of Jewish towns, but were only tolerated,
the latter had acquired civil rights, observed all the precepts of
the law, and were completely on a level with the Israelites. The
Babylonian Gemara tells us that sacrifice and baptism were re-
quired in their case, as well as circumcision. 2 This baptism
is nowhere mentioned in Holy Scripture and seems to be a
further development of the bath that preceded the performance
of religious ceremonies. The whole ceremony expresses a desire
for purification from sin and to be born again to a new life.
1 These rules of late Jewish origin plainly received their name Noachic
from the instructions given by God to Noe ( Gen. ix. 3, etc. ) , relating to
the killing of beasts and the eating of blood. That these particular rules
have come down from Noe cannot be proved.
2 The baptism was complete immersion in running water in token of
their new birth.
SACKED RITUAL 131
37. LAWS CONCERNING FOOD
The nourishment of which a man partakes is not a matter of
perfect indifference, because it influences also his spiritual life.
Hence God in His revelation repeatedly laid down rules governing
food.
According to God's original ordinance, the human race was to
live on vegetables. In Genesis i. 29, 1 grass is assigned to the
beasts, and to man the produce of the fields and the fruits of the
trees as food. Most commentators are of opinion that in the
first few centuries there were no beasts of prey, and human
beings ate no animal food. 2 Only after the Deluge were men
permitted to eat flesh as well as vegetables, and consequently
to kill animals, although it was with the limitation that no
blood, or flesh stained with blood, should be eaten (Gen. ix.
3, etc.).
The Mosaic law contains many other limitations, and a num-
ber of rules regarding the kinds of flesh food that were per-
mitted, and those that were not.
The flesh of all unclean beasts was forbidden to be eaten.
Such included (Lev. xi. ; Deut. xiv.) :
1. Of four-footed beasts, (a) all that walk on paws, such as
dogs, wolves, foxes and lions; (&) all that do not chew the cud,
as swine; (c) all that, though they chew the cud, have hoofs not
quite divided. In this way only those quadrupeds are reckoned
as clean which both have divided hoofs and chew the cud. These
are oxen, sheep, goats, and animals resembling them, such as
gazelles, wild goats, stags and fallow deer.
2. Of birds about twenty varieties are declared to be unclean,
mostly birds of prey (Lev. xi. 13, etc. Cf. p. 12). On the
other hand, pigeons, turtledoves and quails are mentioned as
clean.
3. All water animals are unclean unless they have fins and
1 The Vulgate text is not so clear in this verse as the original, with
which the Septuagint, Peshitto and other ancient texts are in agreement.
2 A reminiscence of this peaceful age has been preserved in the writ-
ings of heathen nations. Cf. Virgil, Georg., I, 130; Ovid, Metamorph.,
XV, 96, etc.
132 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OP THE BIBLE
scales. So eels, all creatures resembling snakes, and sala-
manders, are unclean.
4. All creeping beasts are considered unclean ; and
5. All insects, except such as walk on four feet and have two
others with which to hop. This exception permitted some kinds
of grasshoppers to be eaten (Lev. xi. 21).
But it was not allowed to eat even clean beasts indiscriminately.
With reference to them it was forbidden
1. To eat the blood and portions of flesh containing blood
(Lev. vii. 26). 1 This prohibition was upheld in the New Testa-
ment (Acts xv.), but since the Middle Ages it has been gradu-
ally disregarded by the Church, as the Apostles respected it only
out of consideration for the Jews, intending thus to facilitate
their entrance into the Church.
2. It was forbidden to eat the flesh of any beast, that had
died a natural death or that had been killed by some wild animal.
In the New Testament (Acts xv.) it is stated in a still more
general way that the flesh of all strangled beasts (TTVIKTVO)
(e. g. killed through being caught in a snare) is forbidden.
The reason in both cases is that the blood would have been either
only partially or not at all drained out of the body, whereas when
an animal was slaughtered, it was all removed.
3. Certain fatty parts of oxen, sheep and goats might not be
eaten, because they were destined for the altar of sacrifice, i. e.
they were considered sacred, even apart from a sacrifice (Lev.
iii. 16, 17). 2 Cf. p. 111.
4. A kid might not be boiled in its mother's milk (Exod.
xxiii. 19). Tradition extended this prohibition to every form
of mixture of flesh and milk. 3
1 The blood is the life. Man cannot bestow life; therefore originally
he was not permitted to kill animals, although this was allowed after the
Deluge. By pouring out the blood man aimed at giving back the crea-
ture's life to God, without necessarily always offering a sacrifice.
2 " All the fat shall be the Lord's. By a perpetual law for your genera-
tions, and in all your habitations : neither blood nor fat shall you eat at
all." Streaks of fat in the meat, however, might be eaten.
8 The reason for this precept is obscure. Luther and others have
thought that it was forbidden to eat any sucklings. Others fancy that
the custom was regarded as cruel. Possibly some heathen superstition
gave rise to this prohibition.
. SACKED KITUAL 133
5. It was also forbidden to eat the flesh of any beast sacri-
ficed to a heathen god (Exod. xxxiv. 15). In order not to
violate this precept,, the later Israelites refrained from all Go jinn
meat. They have, therefore, their own butchers. 1
38. FASTING
In every age, and probably among all nations, men have striven
by means of self-restraint to recover that union with God which
was originally forfeited by intemperance.
Fasting was especially practiced by the Israelites, when great
misfortunes had occurred or were feared. In the Book of Judges
it is mentioned frequently (iii. 9, 15; iv. 3) that "the people
cried unto the Lord," when they were being oppressed by the
Gentiles. 2 General fasts were often ordered by the High Coun-
cil in later times.
In the Law itself a general fast is ordered to be kept by
the whole people on the 10th of Tischri in each year, i. e. on
the Day of Atonement. This fast was called <e affliction of soul "
(innah nephesch or taanith). In course of time other fast days
were observed, especially the days on which the destruction of
Jerusalem and that of the Temple were commemorated. The
Jews still keep these days as fasts.
At the time of our Lord pious Jews were in the habit of
fasting twice in the week (Luke xviii. 12), on Monday and
Thursday; and in every age individuals have imposed a fast
upon themselves for particular reasons; e. g. Sara (Tob. iii. 10) ;
Judith (iv. 8); Esther (iv. 16). This custom also prevails
still among the Jews.
The fasts were severe. From sunset to sunset no food or
drink was taken, nor were baths and anointing allowed.
Special marks of mourning during a fast were wearing a tight,
sack-like garment, sprinkling the head with ashes and rending
the garments. Certain penitential prayers generally accom-
panied fasting (Joel ii. 12; Judith iv. 8).
1 As such meat occasionally came into the market, it is mentioned by
Saint Paul, I Corinthians viii.-x. He allowed the Christians to use it,
but adds that if any one is scandalized, they must refrain from doing so.
a Cf. Isaias Iviii. 5; Joel i. 14, ii. 12.
134 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
39. PRAYER
The house of God (Tabernacle and Temple) was regarded as
the house of prayer (Is. Ivi. 7; Matt. xxi. 13; Luke xix. 46).
Even those far away from the sanctuary were in the habit of
turning towards it when they prayed (III Kings viii. 44; Dan.
vi. 10). For many religious ceremonies prayers were prescribed
by the law, especially when first fruits and tithes were offered
(Deut. xxvi. 10, 13) ; and prayers were always recited at sacri-
fices (see p. 107; cf. Lev. xvi. 21)* But from the earliest
times prayers were said privately. Abraham's servant Eliezer
prayed earnestly for the success of his mission (Gen. xxiv. 12).
Anna, the mother of Samuel, prayed silently in the sanctuary,
begging God to hear her request (I Kings i. 11). At the time of
the Captivity it was the custom for pious Israelites to pray thrice
daily, morning, noon and night (Dan. vi. 10), and the same
practice is mentioned in Psalms liv. 18. The spirit of prayer
possessed by faithful Israelites reveals itself particularly in the
Psalms, which have been adopted by the Church of the New
Covenant, and serve as forms of prayer in daily use. However,
prayer often became mere lip service, reprobated both by the
prophets and by our Saviour. As to the attitude of the body
during prayer, it was usual to pray standing, but sometimes
the Israelites prayed kneeling or with the face bent down to the
ground. Our practice of folding, or stretching out, the hands,
as prescribed in the liturgy of the Church, undoubtedly has
come down to us from the Old Covenant through the apostles
(III Kings viii. 54; Dan. vi. 10; Luke xxii. 41; Acts vii. 59;
Tim. ii. 8).
40. Music AND SINGING
1. Music and singing date from the most remote past. As early
as Genesis iv. mention is made of the invention of musical instru-
ments by Jubal, and of his father Lamech as singing a battle
song. When Jacob returned home from Mesopotamia there is
Our Lord prayed before He died as a victim.
SACRED EITUAL 135
further mention of music, 1 and again after the escape of the
Israelites from Egypt. 2
David was the chief musician among the Hebrews; he
played the harp so beautifully that he was able to banish
Saul's melancholy by means of it. He introduced music and
singing to the sanctuary; 4000 Levites, with Asaph., Heman
and Idithun at their head, had to supply it (I Chron. xxiii. 5;
xxv. 1, etc.). Solomon and his successors maintained the music,
but gradually the interest in it diminished, and Ezechias and
Josias had to make new arrangements. During the Captivity
it was no longer a joy to practice sacred music (Ps. cxxxvi.), 3
but it was not completely forgotten, for among those who re-
turned home were 200 singers (Esdras ii. 65). Their piety
caused David's music to be revived (Esdras iii. 10; Nehem.
xii. 27), and thenceforth, as long as the Temple existed, it was
always kept up with joy.
2. The chief part of the music seems always to have been
singing ; instruments served only to support it ; i. e. to supply
a prelude and an accompaniment, to make a transition from one
key to another, and to fill up pauses when the singers rested.
It is doubtful whether the Hebrews had melodies, strictly so
called. It might be assumed that the singing resembled that
somewhat high-pitched kind of recitative that is still heard in
the synagogues when the Scriptures are read. This monotonous
declamation could hardly, however, be called singing. The head-
ings of the Psalms, too, show that different modes of singing
were in use; for instance, in the Masoretic text the heading of
the 8th Psalm is " according to the Gathitic tune," and that of
1 Laban says to him : " I might have brought thce on the way with joy,
and with songs, and with timbrels and with harps " ( Gen. xxxi. 27 ) .
2 Exodus xv. 1: "Moses . . . sung this canticle to the Lord."
Verses 20, 21 : " Mary the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a timbrel
in her hand, and all the women went after her with timbrels and with
dances, and she began the song."
3 " Upon the rivers of Babylon, there we sat and wept, when we remem-
bered Sion. On the willows in the midst thereof we hung up our instru-
ments. For there they that led us into captivity required of us the words
of songs, and they that carried us away, said : * Sing ye to us a hymn of
the songs of Sion/ How shall we sing the song of the Lord in a strange
land?"
136 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
the 21st Psalm is that it must be sung to "the hind of the
dawn," i. e. to the tune of a well-known song. It seems probable,
therefore, that the songs possessed melody, but harmony was
absent, i. e. the union of high and deep voices singing together.
Musical notation was unknown. 1
3. The musical instruments mentioned in the Bible may be
divided into stringed and wind instruments and instruments of
percussion. 2
(a) Stringed Instruments. Those in use among the Israelites
were known as the Jcinnor and the neb el. The Tcinnor by its
very name suggests a harp, lyre or guitar. It had six strings.
The nebel was like the kinnor, but larger, with 10 or 12 strings.
As nebel means skin, the sounding-board was probably uneven, or
twisted. The instruments called in Daniel iii. 5, etc., the sabbeJca
(*O3p, aanftvicr)) and pesanter (prups, tya\Tiqpiov) were some-
thing like the harp. They were used in Babylon.
(1)) Wind Instruments: the bagpipe or ugab (3-JW); the
flute, chalil (Vbn), made of reed or wood; the trumpet,
chazozera (rmkri), and the trombone, schophar (*)2ity); ac-
cording to Josephus, the trumpet was a straight, thin tube of
metal, about a cubit in length, with a bell-shaped mouthpiece.
It is represented on the Arch of Titus. The trombone or horn
( P-R-) was probably originally an ox or a ram's horn, and was
afterwards made of metal in the same shape.
(c) Percussion Instruments: the tambourine (pjh, ru/ATravov),
a ring of wood or metal, with a skin stretched over it and bells
attached to it ; 3 cymbals ( D' 1 ?^? ) 4 two concave pieces of metal,
giving a clear note when struck together; the sistrum (D\jnjnD) 5
an oval ring of metal, across which were four metal rods loosely
attached to it; the instrument had a handle, by which it was
1 Dancing often accompanied the music, even at religious ceremonies.
Even King David danced before the ark (II Kings vi. 14). The two
sexes never danced together except at the sacrifices to false gods.
2 Bow instruments seem not to have been known.
8 It was held in the left hand and shaken in time, whilst the right hand
struck the skin, perhaps with a little stick.
* In I Esdras iii. 10, cymbals are called D^SvW.
5 Gk. aelarpov, Lat. sistrum, a sort of gong, used in Egypt chiefly in.
honor of Isis.
SACRED B1TUAL 137
shaken and swung; the triangle (D^Stf), made of steel, and
attached to a string, by which it was held; it was struck with
a little metal rod.
41. BLESSINGS
Numbers vi. 22, etc., contains the prescribed form of words
used in blessing the people. It runs :
" The Lord bless thee and keep thee.
The Lord show His Face to thee and have mercy on thee.
The Lord turn His Countenance to thee and give thee peace."
Every day, after the morning sacrifice and the offering of incense,
the officiating priest had to raise his hands and pronounce this
blessing over the people assembled and praying in the court, or
over their representatives. The people answered : " Amen."
The evening sacrifice was not followed by a blessing. 1
42. Vows AND CURSES
1. In Holy Scripture a vow (cherem) is the dedication of
persons or things to be exclusively God's property. The conse-
quence of it was that the persons must be killed and the things
given to the sanctuary or burnt (Lev. xxvii. 1, etc.; Num. xxxi.
17; Deut ii. 34, xiii. 15).
In the Mosaic law this doom was pronounced upon Israelites
who sacrificed to false gods, and even upon whole cities that fell
into idolatry (Ex. xxii. 19). Human beings and animals in such
towns were to be slain by the sword, houses and goods to be
consumed with fire. On account of particularly wicked practices
this curse was pronounced against the Chanaanites and subse-
quently also against the Amalekites, who were probably of kindred
race with the Chanaanites, 2 but it was carried out in all its se-
verity only in the case of one city Jericho. Other town were
treated more leniently, and were allowed to remain standing. If
1 So Haneberg, who relies on Maimonides.
2 Josephus Flavins (Antiq., II, i. 2) is mistaken in believing the
Amalekites to be the descendants of Amalech, the grandson of Esau
(Gen. xxxvi. 12, 16). They are mentioned long before the time of Esau
(Gen. xiv. 7). Philo reckons them among the Phoenicians.
138 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
any one retained for himself any part of what was cursed, he
himself incurred the curse, and was put to death. 1
A temporary vow differed from the curse. Under certain cir-
cumstances it could be removed. Not infrequently persons, es-
tates, animals and other things, were consecrated to God and to
the sanctuary, but they could be redeemed by payment of a
ransom. This kind of vow was called qorban (cf. Lev. xxvii. 1,
etc.; Mark vii. 11).
2. Altogether different from the vows and curses of the
Mosaic law is the banishment from the synagogues of the
later Jews. It implies that a man is excluded from the syna-
gogue and congregation and all intimate dealings with other
Israelites (John ix. 22, 34). This sentence was generally pro-
nounced in consequence of some religious offense, especially blas-
phemy. In the Mishna and by the Eabbis this excommunication
is called Nidduj.
3. The Jews of the Christian era have extended this excom-
munication, and they now distinguish three varieties of it, viz.
Cher em = the Mosaic curse ; Nidduj = simple excommunication,
generally for 30 days ; and Nidduj accompanied ly a curse, often
also called Cherem, a solemnly pronounced curse and perpetual ex-
clusion from the congregation.
1 The extreme severity that dominated the Old Covenant was inevit-
able if the worship of the true God was to be maintained. It was only
by the sternest measures that the idolatrous worship, everywhere preva-
lent, could be repressed and prevented from contaminating God's own
little nation (cf. Josue vii. 21, etc.).
FOURTH SECTION
SACRED SEASONS
43. THE CALENDAR
THE Israelites had not a solar, but a lunar year ; i. e. the
calendar was governed by the moon.
A day was reckoned not from midnight to midnight, but from
sunset to sunset, perhaps because it is only after the sun has gone
down that the crescent moon shows itself in the sky. (This
division of time has been adopted by the Church, as festivals and
days begin with first vespers and end with second vespers.) The
natural day, the period of daylight, was divided at first only
into morning, noon and evening; but later into twelve hours,
which were longer in summer than in winter. The night was
divided into three (Judges vii. 19), and afterwards into four
watches, called evening, midnight, cock-crow and morning. 1 The
week, a quarter of a lunar month, was based on the story of Crea-
tion, as God created the world in six days and rested on the
seventh day. With the exception of the seventh, the days had no
particular names, they were called simply the first, second, etc.
The seventh was the Sabbath = rest.
The church adopted the Jewish week, hence the names feria secunda,
tertia, etc., in use in ecclesiastical language. The Sabbath has retained
its old name, and the first day of the week is called domi i nica l as being
the day of our Lord's resurrection. Among heathen nations the days
were generally named after the heavenly bodies. This custom probably
originated in Babylon, where astrology was practiced. In this respect
the Israelites took nothing from the Babylonians.
The month (=moon) corresponds with the duration of the
moon's circuit round the earth. It lasted 29 or 30 days. 2 Ac-
1 6\f/e, neavvKTLov, dXeKTopoQcavta, irpui (Mark vi. 48; xiii. 35).
2 Astronomically a lunar month consists of 29 days, 12 hours, 44
minutes and 3 seconds. For want of astronomical knowledge it was im-
possible to determine this precisely, and people had to reckon from the
moment when the new moon became visible.
140 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
cording to the Talmud, whoever in or near Jerusalem caught
sight of the new moon was bound to notify the fact to the priests
in the Temple, who then declared the previous month with its
29 days to be ended, and the 30th day to be the first of the new
month. If the sky was too cloudy for the new moon to be seen,
the month was ended with the 30th day, and the following day
was regarded as that of the New Moon. In very early times
no special names were given to the months, with the exception
of the first, which was called Abib (ear of corn), but during the
Captivity the Babylonian names came into use and are still re-
tained by the Jews. These names, the meaning of which is
quite obscure, are as follows : (1) Nisan, the spring month. The
Pasch was kept on the 14th of Nisan. (2) Ijjar. (3) Sivan;
Pentecost fell on the 6th day of this month. (4) Tammus.
(5) Ab. (6) EM. (7) Tishrij on the 1st fell the civil New
Year's festival, on the 10th the Day of Atonement, on the 15th
the Feast of Tabernacles. (8) Marcheshwan. (9) Kislev; the
Feast of the Dedication of the Temple, that occurred in winter,
was celebrated on the 25th (John x. 22). (10) Tebeth. (11)
Shebat. (12) Adar. Sometimes there was a thirteenth inter-
calary month, called Veadar.
As the Pasch had always to be celebrated at the beginning of
harvest (about April 1st), and Pentecost at the end of it, the
lunar year of 364 days had to be reconciled with the solar year
of 365 days, as otherwise the festivals would have been celebrated
at the wrong seasons. For this reason about every three years an
intercalary month was inserted. The beginning of the year was
probably reckoned thus: Towards the end of the 12th month
Adar, the cornfields were surveyed to see if the barley would be
ripe by the middle of the following month, so that the harvest
could be begun with the ceremony of offering the first sheaf at
the Pasch. If the corn seemed likely to be ripe, the new year
began with the next month, but if not, the old year was lengthened
by the month Veadar. After the Captivity, the decision whether
the month should be inserted or not rested with the Synedrium,
and the rule was observed that in the Sabbatical year there should
never be 13 months.
The new year was originally reckoned as beginning in the
SACRED SEASONS 141
spring, but after the Captivity it became the custom to begin
the civil year with the first day of Tishri, in the autumn, whilst
the religious year always began with the first day of Nisan, in
the spring. For an agricultural people the beginning of seed-
time seems the most appropriate date for the beginning of the
year. 1
44. DAILY WORSHIP IN THE TEMPLE
Every morning and evening a lamb a year old was sacrificed
as a burnt offering in the name of the whole people (Ex. xxix. 38 ;
Num. xxviii. 3). It was accompanied by an unbloody sacrifice
of one-tenth epJia of wheat flour (rather less than two quarts),
sprinkled with oil, and one-fourth liin (about a pint) of wine.
Besides this, fragrant incense was laid on the altar in the Holy
Place every day, in the morning and evening; and in the morn-
ing, after offering the incense, the officiating priest had to pro-
nounce Aaron's blessing (see p. 137) over the- people in the Court.
According to tradition, at least the twelve so-called Officers of
the Temple must be present at this ceremony, to lay their hands
upon the victim in the name of the people, and to receive the
blessing.
Private sacrifices as a rule followed the usual morning offering.
From the time of David onwards the daily services were made
more solemn by the Levites, who provided music and psalmody.
45. THE SABBATH 2
1. Origin. Keeping the Sabbath day was not peculiar to tlie
Israelites; we find at least traces of it among heathen nations.
The Babylonians and Assyrians distinguished the 7th, 14th, 21st
1 The Jewish era, reckoning from the creation of man, only came into
general use about the fifteenth century of the Christian era. The Jews
say that 1656 years elapsed between the creation and the Deluge, and
3828 years between the creation and the destruction of Jerusalem by the
Romans. According to them, the birth of Christ took place in the year
3760.
3 r\3tf is an emphatic form of ra^, to rest. It designates a particular
kind of quiet and rest.
142 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
and 28th days from the other days of the month. 1 A week as
a period of seven days occurs among the Hindoos and Chinese
and also among the people of Peru. Like the Babylonians and
Assyrians, the Germanic nations dedicated the days of the week
to various deities, and these names have remained, at least par-
tially, to the present time. The name sabattu or sapattu, which
suggests Shabbat, occurs in the cuneiform inscriptions. Among
the Greeks and Eomans all remembrance of the observance of a
day of rest seems to have died out, and they often ridiculed the
Jews as idlers. 2 The institution of the Sabbath did not, there-
fore, originate in the Mosaic Law, as many people assume, but
is to be referred to the history of creation. The hallowing of the
seventh day was therefore no new thing imposed upon the Israel-
ites on Sinai, but it had been almost forgotten, and consequently
they are ordered to " Eemember to keep holy the Sabbath day "
(Ex. xx. 8. Cf. Ex. xii. 16, xvi. 22, etc.).
2. Duration. The whole nation was required to rest from
sunset of the sixth day to sunset of the seventh. According to
tradition, the beginning and the end of the Sabbath were made
known by trumpet-blasts in every town in the country.
3. Mode of Observance. The observance of the seventh day
had both a negative and a positive side ; the former consisted in
refraining from work, the latter in particular devotion to God
and His law.
(a) Negative Side. The law does not contain precise instruc-
tions regarding the kinds of work forbidden, but the general
sense of the ordinance is quite clear from certain passages. In
Exodus xxxv. 3, it is forbidden to light a fire for the purpose
of cooking. 3 In Numbers xv. 32, we read that picking up sticks
1 We must not, however, overlook the fact that among these nations
the days mentioned, and also the 19th, were not days of rest and joy and
remembrance of the Creation, but days of penance and atonement. Hence
the Sabbath of the Pentateuch can certainly not have been derived from
Babylon (see p. 272).
2 Juvenal, Sat., XIV, 105; Sen. in Aug. de civ. Dei, VI, 11.
3 " Six days you shall do work : the seventh day shall be holy unto you,
the sabbath, and the rest of the Lord: he that shall do any work on it,
shall be put to death. You shall kindle no fire in any of your habitations
on the sabbath day." Food for the sabbath was cooked on the preceding
day. Also the lights were kindled before sunset on Friday evening.
SACEED SEASONS 143
on the Sabbath was severely punished. 1 It seems, therefore, that
every kind of bodily work, even the most trivial, must cease.
Therefore the Jews believed all traveling and trading on the
Sabbath to be prohibited. 2 How rigorously the Pharisees observed
the day of rest is seen in the New Testament. The Mishna, which
contains a special treatise on Sabbath observances, names thirty-
nine chief kinds of work (dboth melakoth = patres operum), each
with many subsidiary occupations (toledoth = generationes),
which were all prohibited on the Sabbath. 3
(6) Positive Side. The Law contains no definite regulations
for the positive observance of the Sabbath. In general, the
Israelites regarded it as a duty to employ themselves reverently
with God and His law. The daily sacrifice in the Temple was
doubled * and fresh loaves of proposition (shewbread) were pro-
vided. Prayers were held in the synagogues, and passages of
the law and the prophets were read aloud and expounded. The
Sabbath was regarded as a day of rejoicing (Is. Iviii. 13; Judith
viii. 6; Luke xiv. 1). Cheerful meals were held in the houses,
as far as this was possible without cooking on the day itself, and
people wore their best garments.
1 The offender had to be put to death. It seems likely, however, that
he did not merely collect wood, but, in order to obtain it, either cut
down a tree or exerted himself to break down bushes. This at least is
the interpretation of the Samaritan Targum.
2 All that the law enacts with regard to walking is that every man
is to stay at home and not go forth out of his place (Ex. xvi. 29). The
doctors of the law fixed two thousand cubits, about a quarter of an
hour's walk, as the farthest point to which a man might go. In Acts i.
12 the distance of the Mount of Olives from Jerusalem is defined as a
Sabbath day's journey. Even at the present day the Sabbath day's jour-
ney is marked out in Jewish communities by means of a string or wire.
The Jews refused also to bear arms on the Sabbath, often to their
own great disadvantage. But in later times they were less strict, and
sometimes they availed themselves of the law regarding the Sabbath to
practice some stratagem of war.
3 To carry the smallest burden, even a piece of broken crockery, or a
needle or a false tooth, was enough to violate the commandment.
4 Numbers xxviii. 9. " On the sabbath day you shall offer two lambs
of a year old without blemish, and two tenths of flour."
144 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
46. THE NEW MOONS
The Israelites kept each new moon as a religious festival,
As the date could not be precisely fixed by means of astronomy,
it was necessary to choose the day after the first appearance of
the new moon; on the day when the moon changes, it cannot
be seen, owing to the proximity of the sun. In the Temple this
day was celebrated by special sacrifices of several animals with
the corresponding meat and drink offerings, in addition to the
usual sacrifices (Num. xxviii. 11, etc.). To increase the so-
lemnity, trumpets were blown (Num. x. 10). The day was
observed as a Sabbath, although this was not absolutely pre-
scribed, and feasts took place. The new moon of the seventh
month (1st of Tishri) received particular honor, like the seventh
day of the week; it was called the day of the blowing of trum-
pets; and on it an extra sacrifice was offered, over and above
those usually offered at the new moons (Num. xx. 2, etc.). As
after the Captivity the civil year began with the seventh new
moon, this day is also called New Year's day.
The custom of honoring the new moons has been altogether lost under
the new Covenant, perhaps because the Sun of Righteousness has arisen,
and so the faint moonlight of the Old Covenant is bound to disappear.
The change seems to rest upon instructions given by the Apostles. Just
like the observance of the first instead of the last day of the week, the
abolition of the New Moon ceremonies marks the freedom of Christians
from the Jewish law. Saint Paul writes to this effect in Galatians iv.
10 and Colossians ii. 16, etc.
47. THE SABBATICAL YEAK
(Leviticus xxv.)
Men and beasts, after six days of work, had to dedicate the
seventh day to God and spend it in rest; and in the same way,
after six years of cultivation and fruit-bearing, the whole country
was ordered to keep a year's Sabbath in God's honor, and to
rest. During this seventh year no field might be cultivated or
sown, no garden and no fruit tree might receive attention. What-
ever grew without any action on the part of mankind, was com-
mon property, belonging to all without distinction.
SACEED SEASONS 145
The Sabbatical year always began in the autumn, when the
usual sowing did not take place.
As during the Sabbatical year no profit could be derived
from the soil, it necessarily followed that no creditor could
forcibly demand payment of debts during it. In the same way
no taxes could be claimed by the government. According to
Josephus Flavius (Ant., XIV, x. 6), even the pagan rulers of
Palestine always remitted their taxes to the Jews in the Sab-
batical year.
On the Feast of Tabernacles in this year, the Mosaic law
(Deut. xxxi. 10-14) required that the law should be solemnly
read aloud to the whole people by the Levites in the sanctuary.
It is a mistake to suppose (1) that as soon as the Sabbatical year
began, every debtor was absolutely released from payment, so that his
creditor had thenceforth no claim upon him. The law only states (Deut.
xv. 2) that in this year the creditor shall not raise his hand, nor oppress
his neighbor therewith, i. e. in this year he is not recklessly to claim his
due, as his debtor can have no income. (2) Equally mistaken is the
supposition that Hebrew slaves always obtained their freedom in the
Sabbatical year. The law (Ex. xxi. 2; Deut. xv. 12) orders their emanci-
pation to take place in the seventh year, i. e. not necessarily in the Sab-
batical year, but in the seventh year of their service. Although slavery
existed in Israel as well as in the rest of the ancient world, it was of a
far milder type than among the heathen (cf. also the following).
48. THE YEAR OF JUBILEE
After seven times seven years there followed one year (no
doubt beginning in the autumn) of particular rejoicing. This
was called the Jubilee, schenath ha j job el, because on the 10th
of the month Tishri, i. e. on the Day of Atonement of the seventh
Sabbatical year, it was proclaimed throughout the country with
the sound of trumpets.
1. In this year the whole land rested, as in the Sabbatical
year, and might not be cultivated. Thus in two successive years
there was no agriculture, but the fertility of the soil was so
great that provision could be made, and there was no reason
to fear a famine. The rest affected only agriculture; cattle
breeding and other business went on as usual.
2. In the year of jubilee all persons, who for any reason had
146 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
been reduced to slavery, were set at liberty, if one of their
relatives had not previously purchased their freedom. When a
man was set free, all the members of his family acquired their
freedom. 1
3. All landed property that had passed into the possession of
strangers reverted in the year of jubilee to the original owner
or his descendants, without payment. This contributed greatly
to the prevention of oppression and destitution among the
people.
Josephus Flavius (Ant., II, xii. 3) says that in the year of jubilee
all debts were canceled; but there is no mention of this in Holy Scrip-
ture, and no stress can be laid upon the statement.
THE YEARLY RECURRING FESTIVALS
49. THE PASCH
I. The Pasch (Ex. xii.). 2 The first and most important
festival in the year was always the Pasch, celebrated on the 14th
of Nisan. The feast itself and the seven days following it com-
memorated the delivery of the Israelites from Egypt. On the
10th day of the first month a male lamb, free from blemish, and
one year old, was set aside for each family. On the 14th, about
sunset (Deut. xvi. 6), 3 the head of the household killed it. If
any family was too small to eat a whole lamb, two families might
unite for the purpose. A bundle of hyssop was dipped into the
blood as it streamed out, and some was smeared on the two door-
posts and on the lintel of the house. No bone of the animal might
1 This applied only to the slaves who were Israelites, not to those who
were Gentiles. The latter could be bequeathed by a man to his descend-
ants (Lev. xxv. 46). The law disapproved of the enslavement of people
of the same race (Lev. xxv. 42. Cf. John viii. 33).
2 KHD3 is the Aramaic name; the Hebrew is HOf); both signify pass-
ing over, sparing.
3 Exodus xii. 6, " between the two evenings." Various explanations
are given of this expression; it probably means that the killing was to
take place just at sunset. Before the sun went down, the evening be-
longed to the 14th, after sunset, to the 15th of Nisan. Each evening was
divided into two parts, one belonging to the preceding, and the other to
the following day. The modern Samaritans sacrifice on Mount Garizim,
as soon as the sun has set.
SACRED SEASONS 147
be broken, nor was it cut up, but, after the skin and the entrails
had been removed, it was roasted whole at the fire. When it
was cooked through, it had to be eaten the same night, with
unleavened bread and bitter herbs. 1 All the household took
part in the meal; only the uncircumcised were excluded. As
the ceremony commemorated the flight from Egypt, all present
had to have their loins girt, shoes on their feet, and a staff in
their hand. 2 The head of the house had to explain why the
feast was held. "What could not be consumed must be burnt on
the following morning.
When settled conditions prevailed in Palestine a change was
made in the ceremony, and all full-grown males were required
to attend in the sanctuary. The Paschal lambs were no longer
sacrificed in each house, but were killed and eaten near the
Tabernacle or Temple. Some of the blood was sprinkled on the
altar and the fatty parts were burnt. Pilgrims visiting Jerusa-
lem at the time of the festival received the necessary accommo-
dation gratis from the inhabitants, but it was usual to present
the hosts with the lambs' skins. As the number of strangers
was very great, many spent the nights in the open air, and ate
the lamb in tents.
Whoever was prevented from keeping the feast on the 14th
of Nisan, by reason either of legal uncleanness or some other
impediment, was bound to keep the Pasch on the 14th of the
second month, under pain of death.
The Pasch, like all the Old Covenant, though in a special degree, had
a symbolical meaning. It represents the sacrifice of Christ, the true
Paschal lamb, not one of whose bones was broken on the Cross, and whose
blood brings forgiveness to mankind. His death and the sacrifice of the
Holy Eucharist obtained thereby are means of salvation for all men.
For this reason every one was sentenced to death who took no part in
the celebration of the Pasch.
According to the Mishna (Pesach 10), the Paschal rites were per-
formed as follows: In commemoration of God's promise in Exodus vi.
6 : " I am the Lord, who will bring you out from the work-prison of the
1 Merorim. Apparently these might not be selected at will, but the
wild lettuce is meant; for the Septuagint has iriicptdes, and the Vulgate
lactuca agrestis.
3 It was not until the institution of the Eucharist that Saint John
leant on our Lord's breast ( John xiii. 25 ) .
148 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
Egyptians, and will deliver you from bondage and redeem you with a
high arm . . . and I will take you to myself for my people " four cups
of wine were brought in. After the first cup the roasted lamb with the
unleavened bread and bitter herbs was carried in, whilst the 112th and
113th Psalms were sung (in the Heb., 113 and 114). The second cup of
wine was now handed round. Then the son asked the father the meaning
and significance of the Paschal ceremony (Ex. xii. 26) and the father ex-
plained fully that it was held in remembrance of the delivery from
Egypt and the sparing of the firstborn among the Israelites. The un-
leavened bread was next distributed and then the third cup, the " cup
of blessing," was handed round; it was so called because meantime the
blessing was pronounced over the food, which was now eaten. After the
feast the fourth cup of wine was passed round, and at the close the 114th
to 117th Psalms were sung. A fifth cup might be added; if so,
Psalms 119 to 136 had to be sung.
Our Saviour appears to have instituted the Holy Eucharist after the
fourth cup of wine, so that He made the optional fifth cup the " cup of
blessing" of the New Covenant (I Cor. x. 6), i.e. the chalice of His
Blood. Also the washing of the feet, which was the preparation for the
Holy Eucharist, cannot have taken place until after the fourth cup had
been drunk, for Saint John says (xiii. 2) : " When supper was done . . .
he riseth from supper [CK rov delirvdv] and . . . girded himself," etc. In
the same way Saint Paul says (I Cor. xi. 25) Atera rb denrvrjcrai = postquam
cenavit. The Paschal feast was therefore at an end; now followed the
washing of the feet and the feast of the New Covenant, and that was
concluded with singing psalms (Matt. xxvi. 30).
II. The Paschal supper was not the whole of the festival,
which lasted for an entire week. Connected with the Pasch
was the seven days' feast of unleavened bread (cJiag hammazzoth)
from the 15th to the 21st of Nisan. On the 15th and 21st
people refrained from work * and assembled in the sanctuary ;
the other days might be spent in work, provided the weekly Sab-
bath did not fall upon one of them. On each of the seven
days a special sacrifice was offered after the usual daily sacri-
fice (Num. xxviii. 19-23). Only unleavened bread might be
eaten during the whole period, and after midday on the 14th
no leaven might remain in the houses.
1 Leviticus xxiii. 7, 8. " The first day shall be most solemn unto you
and holy, you shall do no servile work therein, but you shall offer sacri-
fice in fire to the Lord seven days. And the seventh day shall be more
solemn and more holy, and you shall do no servile work therein." Cf.
Numbers xxviii. 18. As only " servile work " is expressly forbidden, we
may infer that these days were not required to be kept as Sabbaths. For
this reason the bodies of Christ and the two thieves could be taken down
from the cross on this day (John xix. 31, etc.).
BACKED SEASONS 149
The festival was regarded as the beginning of the harvest.
Therefore on the 16th of Nisan, the second day, 1 the beginning
of the harvest was marked by the offering of a sheaf of barley. 2
Before this offering was made, none of the new harvest might
be used.
Significance. We read in Exodus xii. 34 that for some days after
leaving Egypt the Israelites were obliged to eat unleavened bread, be-
cause, in the haste of their departure, there was no time to leaven the
bread prepared for baking. In God's design this historical fact was in-
tended to symbolize a higher thought. Leaven is a type of original sin,
and so unleavened bread was suitable food for the sanctified race that
had just been cut off from the horrors of Egyptian idolatry. By the
yearly recurrence of the practice of eating such bread they were con-
stantly reminded and admonished to keep themselves free from sin.
We need not hesitate to assume that on entering Palestine the Israelites
found a festival, resembling this sequel to the Pasch, among the Chanaan-
ites, celebrating the beginning of harvest, but they brought their own
ideas into it. The same is true of Pentecost and the Feast of Taber-
nacles at the close of the harvest. ( Compare the Yule feast and the sum-
mer solstice feast observed by Teutonic nations on December 25 and June
24. The preachers of Christianity found these feasts already existing.)
50. PENTECOST
(Ex. xxxiv. 22; Lev. xxiii. 15, etc.; Deut. xvi. 9, etc.)
1. From the 16th of Nisan, on which the harvest was opened
by the offering of the first sheaf, seven full weeks were reckoned,
and another festival observed on the 50th day. This was Pente-
cost, so called because it fell on the 50th day (irevrrjicoa-Tri sc.
rjfjLepa) after the beginning of harvest.
2. It was also called the Feast of Weeks (Ex. xxxiv. 22; Deut.
xvi. 9) because seven weeks had to pass before it might be cele-
brated. Another name was the Feast of the Harvest (Ex. xxiii.
16), because as the harvest was then over, it was regarded as
1 Leviticus xxiii. 11, mimmacJiorath Jiaschscha'b'bat = altero die sab-
bati. The 15th was the first and chief day of the festival, on which
people refrained from all heavy work. Knobel and Hitzig regard the
15th as the beginning of harvest.
2 The law does not specify what kind of grain is to be offered, nor does
the Mishna; but there can be no doubt that barley is meant, as it is the
first to ripen. According to the Mishna it was not the sheaf itself that
was offered, but flour hastily ground from it, and of this an aseara was
placed on the altar.
150 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
a thanksgiving festival. In Numbers xxviii. 26 it is called the
Feast of First Fruits, because two loaves were then offered as the
first bread baked from the new harvest.
3. Legal regulations : (a) Again on this day all adult males
were required to appear in the sanctuary (Ex. xxiii. 16), and
they were expected to bring with them free-will offerings accord-
ing to the abundance of the harvest. In later times this festival
was largely attended by foreign Jews, because it occurred at the
most favorable season (Acts ii. 9-11).
(b) All work, except cooking, had to cease.
(c) After the ordinary morning sacrifice, there was another
special offering of several beasts with the accompanying meat
and drink offerings (Num. xxviii. 26, etc.).
(d) Two loaves of wheaten flour were offered as the first
fruits of the harvest now just gathered in. These loaves were
leavened, hence they might not be burnt on the altar, but were
only " waved " and then eaten by the priests. Two lambs were
sacrificed as a thank offering.
4. The feast lasted, according to the law, only one day, but
modern Jews have added another day.
5. In Holy Scripture this feast appears only as a harvest
festival; but it cannot be accidental that it coincides exactly
with the season when the law was given on Sinai. "We are
therefore forced to assume that Pentecost had a double sig-
nificance: it was the harvest thanksgiving, but it was at the
same time a commemoration of the giving of the law, and
Jewish and Christian tradition both lay more stress on the
latter than on the former significance. Cf., however, H. Grimm,
Das isr. Pfingstfest und der Plejadenkult, Paderborn, 1907.
51. THE DAY OF ATONEMENT 1
On the 10th day of Tishri, the 7th month, Israel celebrated
every year its reconciliation with the Lord. All work was
1 Jom hakkippivrim ; in the Mishna "the Great Day" or simply "the
Day," joma. The passages of the law relating to it are Lev. xvi. 1-34,
xxiii. 26-32; Num. xxix. 7-11. Josephus Flavins refers to it (Antiq.,
III. x. 3).
SACKED SEASONS 151
forbidden on this day, and the whole nation was required to
fast, i. e. to take no food at all, from the evening of the 9th to
the evening of the 10th of Tishri.
Preparations. This was the day when the high priest per-
formed his chief functions. He was obliged to watch during the
whole preceding night, so as not to become unclean according to
the law. In the morning he bathed, and put on the simple
white dress of a priest. 1 In this attire, without the distinctive
ornaments of his rank, he appeared as a penitent. For himself
and his house, i. e. for the entire priesthood, he brought a young
bullock as a sin offering and a ram as a burnt offering; and
from the people he received two he-goats, one to be a sin offer-
ing, the other to be turned loose into the desert, and also a ram
to be a burnt offering. With these five beasts expiation was to
be made for priests and people.
After the ordinary morning sacrifice, the ceremonial peculiar
to the day began, and the high priest, standing in the Court
of the Temple, before the sanctuary, cast lots for the two goats,
to decide which should be dedicated to Yahweh and which to
Asasel. 2 The one on whom the lot fell "for the Lord" was
destined to be slain as a sin offering; the other who received
the lot " for Asasel " was to be forever removed from the abode
of Israel.
After casting these lots, the high priest made a confession
of sins and then slew the bullock for himself and all the priests.
He next took the censer, filled it with coals from the altar, and
taking incense with him, passed through the Holy Place into
1 His dress was distinguished from that of ordinary priests only by
having a plain white girdle instead of a colored one (Lev. xvi. 4).
8 The meaning of this name is uncertain; probably it signifies the
chief devil (Gesenii thes., 1012; Ewald, Altertumskunde, 402; Maurer,
Handworterbuch ; Knobel on Lev. x. ). The name is an intensive form of
'asal or 'asal } to separate, connected with the Arabic ( azal. The full form
should be Asalsel; in the same way Babel is a shortened form of Balbel,
and Golgotha of Golgoltha. The word denotes the wicked one, who, cut
off from others, lives apart. The Arabs still believe that the desert is
the devil's abode. Cf. also Luke xi. 24, where our Saviour speaks of the
unclean spirit as being in the wilderness. In Tobias viii. 3 we read that
the devil was banished to a distant desert. It was in the wilderness
that our Lord was tempted by the devil.
152 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
the Holy of Holies, where he strewed the incense on the coals
immediately, so that the cloud of smoke might rise up between
him and the Lord, and he might not die. Then he came out
again and, taking with him the bullock's blood, he re-entered
the Holy of Holies, and with his finger sprinkled the blood
once on the front of the Kapporeth, and seven times on the
ground in front of the ark of the covenant. Then, com-
ing out, he sacrificed in the Court the goat destined for
Yahweh, as a sin offering on behalf of the people. He used
its blood in the same way, going again into the Holy of
Holies. By means of these sprinklings with blood, the Holy
and Most Holy Places were purified from the defilements that
the priests might have caused in the course of the year. The
high priest now returned to the Court, and smeared the horns
of the altar of holocausts with the mingled blood of * the bul-
lock and the goat, and sprinkled the blood seven times on the
ground beside the altar. Thus both the altar and the court
were purified.
The high priest next proceeded to set the living goat, destined
for Asasel, before him in the Court. He laid both his hands
upon its head and pronounced a solemn confession of sin in the
name of the people. A man stood ready to drive away the goat,
thus laden with sins, into the desert, that it might die or be lost
there. All the sins of Israel were believed to vanish with it. 1
The high priest returned to the sanctuary, took off the garments
he had worn hitherto, bathed somewhere in the neighborhood,
and put on all the attire belonging to his office. Then he went
back to the Court, and offered the two rams, that still remained,
as holocausts, one for himself and the priesthood, the other for
the people. The flesh of the two sin offerings (the bullock and
one goat) was carried, after the fat had been burnt on the
altar, outside the camp or town, and was there destroyed by
fire. Those who performed this duty, as well as the man who
had taken the living goat into the wilderness, were required to
wash their garments and to bathe before returning.
Other special sacrifices, enumerated in Numbers xxix. 7-11,
1 The man received instructions to throw the goat down somewhere if
possible, that it might be sure to perish.
SACRED SEASONS 153
were offered before the usual evening sacrifice. 1 This ended the
day's ceremonies.
If we are asked how many times the high priest entered the Holy of
Holies on this day, we cannot reply, with Philo, that he did so twice, but
we must agree with the Talmud that he entered it four times. First he
carried in the incense, then the blood of the bullock, then that of the
goat, and lastly he had to fetch out the censer, which, according to the
Talmud, he did after the evening sacrifice. In coming out of the Holy
of Holies, the high priest was required never to turn his back to the
Kapporeth.
It is not difficult, after what has been said, to recognize the significa-
tion of this day. It was intended that on the Day of Atonement all
transgressions of priests and people should be expiated. The chief
feature in the ceremonial was the sending forth of the goat into the
wilderness, carrying with him all the sins of the Israelites committed
during the year. The wilderness was supposed to be the abode of devils,
and by the fact that the sins were sent back thither, they w r ere returned
to the devils, from whom they had originally come. 2
52. FEAST OF TABERNACLES
(Lev. xxiii. 34, etc.; Ex. xxiii. 16; Deut. xvi. 13)
The Day of Atonement was penitential in character, but the
Feast of Tabernacles (chag hassukkoth), celebrated five days
later, was a joyful festival. It marked the completion of the
gathering in of all the fruits, and lasted from the 15th to the
21st of Tishri, occurring thus exactly six months after the Pasch.
Sabbath rest was observed on the first and eighth days, i. e. the
15th and 22d of Tishri, the latter being added to close the
festival, but not being reckoned as actually j>art of it ; the other
days were not ordered to be kept as Sabbaths. All adult males
again appeared in the sanctuary, and on each day solemn sacri-
fices were offered. On the first day booths of green boughs of
1 One he-goat as a sin offering, one bullock, one ram and seven lambs
as holocausts, with the customary meat and drink offerings.
2 The ceremony called Taschlich, observed by the Jews in various
countries, still contains a reminiscence of the Day of Atonement. Wher-
ever the Jews live near running water (as, for instance, in Vienna), they
are in the habit of praying beside it for forgiveness of sins, and after
the prayer they throw a handkerchief into the water, or they put their
hands into their pockets, as if to take out something which they then
pretend to throw into the water. The sins of the preceding year are
supposed to be carried away by the stream.
154 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
trees were erected in the streets and open spaces, and also on
the roofs and in the courtyards of the houses; and these were
occupied by the people throughout the festival, though probably
only occasionally. This custom commemorated the dwelling of
the ancient Israelites in tents, after their departure from Egypt.
According to the Mishna (succah III, 1, etc.) those participating in
the festival carried in their hands branches of citrons and palms. More-
over a solemn libation of water was made each day. At the time of the
morning sacrifice a priest fetched water from the spring of Siloe in a
golden jug, and poured it and wine together into two bowls or pipes
near the altar. Music and singing accompanied this ceremony. In the
evening the court of the women was illuminated in honor of the feast.
It seems that our Saviour referred to these customs when He said (John
vii. and viii. ) : "If any man thirst, let him come to me," and " I am the
light of the world." It is probable that the libation of water had refer-
ence to the water from the rock, and the illumination to the pillar of
fire in the wilderness.
53. FESTIVALS INSTITUTED AFTER THE CAPTIVITY
After the return of the Jews from Captivity, several festivals
were added to those prescribed by the Mosaic law, and some of
those then introduced are still observed. We may mention:
1. The Feast of Purim. The name comes from the Persian
word pur, 1 plural purim = lots. The Persian governor, Aman,
had determined on the death of all the Jews in the Persian
Empire, and the 13th of Adar had been chosen by lot as the
day for this massacre. 2 The murderous plan was frustrated
through Queen Esther and her kinsman, MardochaBUS. In re-
membrance of this event, the Jews, first in Persia, but after-
wards also in Palestine and elsewhere, celebrated a festival on
the 14th and 15th of Adar, keeping the 13th as a fast. The
celebration consisted in reading the Book of Esther aloud in
the synagogues; joyful feasts were held in the houses (cf. Book
of Esther).
1 Esther iii. 7. *U3 Heb. Sl'l-l = lot.
3 If it should appear incredible that so many thousands could be mur-
dered at the command of the king, we may remember that between the
years 1896 and 1900 in Turkey about three hundred thousand harmless
Armenians were butchered by the rabble under the eyes of the Turkish
rulers. The ambassadors of the European powers vainly protested
against this " Asiatic barbarity."
SACKED SEASONS 155
2. The Feast of the Dedication of the Temple (TO, ey/catvia,
Encagnia, John x.) was kept every year in commemoration of
the purification of the Temple from the idolatrous worship of
the Syrians, and its re-dedication by Judas Machabaeus in
164 B. c. On the 25th of Kislev and on the following seven days
the houses in Jerusalem and other places were illuminated ; hence
Josephus calls the feast <omi. There seems to have been no
special ceremony in the Temple, but perhaps more sacrifices
than usual were offered.
3. The Feast of Rejoicing of the Law, on the 23d of Tishri.
On the last day of the Feast of Tabernacles every year the read-
ing of the Pentateuch was concluded, and on the following day
again begun.
4. The Feast of Wood Carrying (ffXoc^o/ota or eoprrj
%v\o(f>opia>v) was, according to Josephus (Bell. Jud., II, 17, 6),
celebrated on the 14th of Ah, but the Talmud does not mention
it. It appears that all who wished to do so carried wood to the
Temple on this day, for the maintenance of the fire on the
altar of holocausts.
According to Nehemias x. 34, certain families were appointed
by lot, at least in the period immediately after the Captivity, to
supply wood, and the days on which they performed this duty
were, for the persons concerned, days of rejoicing and honor.
Modern Jews observe the following festivals:
( 1 ) The Pasch, 15th to 22d of Nisan.
(2) Lag Beomer, 18th of Ijjar, to commemorate the cessation of a
pestilence.
(3) Pentecost, or Feast of Weeks, 6th and 7th of Sivan.
(4) New Year, 1st and 2d of Tishri.
(5) Day of Atonement, 10th of Tishri.
(6) Feast of Tabernacles, 15th to 22d of Tishri.
( 7 ) Rejoicing of the Law, 23d of Tishri.
(8) Dedication of the Temple, 25th of Kislev.
(9) Feast of Purim, 14th and 15th of Adar. And all the Sabbaths of
the year.
THIRD PART
HOLY SCRIPTURE
DECREES OF THE HOLY SEE RELATING TO
HOLY SCRIPTURE
ENCYCLICAL LETTER PROVIDENTISSIMUS DEUS
November 18, 1893
THE TEACHING OF THE CHUBCH
THE God of all providence, who in the adorable designs of His love
at first elevated the human race to the participation of the divine
nature, and afterwards delivered it from universal guilt and ruin, re-
storing it to its primitive dignity, has, in consequence, bestowed upon
man a splendid gift and safeguard making known to him, by super-
natural means, the hidden mysteries of His divinity, His wisdom and His
mercy. For although in divine revelation there are contained some
things which are not beyond the reach of unassisted reason, and which
are made the objects of such revelation in order " that all may come to
know them with facility, certainty, and safety from error, yet not on this
account can supernatural revelation be said to be absolutely necessary;
it is only necessary because God has ordained man to a supernatural
end." 1 This supernatural revelation, according to the belief of the uni-
versal Church, is contained both in unwritten tradition and in written
books, which are, therefore, called sacred and canonical because, "being
written under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, they have God for their
author, and as such have been delivered to the Church." 3 This belief has
been perpetually held and professed by the Church in regard to the Books
of both Testaments; and there are well-known documents of the gravest
kind, coming down to us from the earliest times, which proclaim that
God, who spoke first by the prophets, then by His own mouth, and lastly
by the apostles, composed also the canonical Scriptures, 8 and that these
are His own oracles and words 4 a Letter written by our Heavenly
Father and transmitted by the sacred writers to the human race in its
pilgrimage so far from its heavenly country. 5 If ; then, such and so great
is the excellence and dignity of the Scriptures, that God Himself has com-
posed them, and that they treat of God's marvelous mysteries, counsels
1 Cone. Vat. sess. iii. cap. ii. de revel.
2 Ibid.
8 S. Aug. de civ. Dei. xi. 3.
* S. Clem. Rom. 1 ad Cor. 45; S. Polycarp, ad Phil. 7; S. Iren. c.
haer. ii. 28, 2.
8 S. Chrys. in Gen. horn. 2, 2; S. Aug. in Ps. xxx., serm. 2, 1; S.
Greg. M. ad Theo. ep. iv. 31.
160 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
and works, it follows that the branch of sacred theology which is con-
cerned with the defense and elucidation of these divine books must be
excellent and useful in the highest degree.
THE INTENTION OF THE HOLY FATHER
Now We, who by the help of God, and not without fruit, have by fre-
quent Letters and exhortation endeavored to promote other branches of
study which seem capable of advancing the glory of God and contributing
to the salvation of souls, have for a long time cherished the desire to give
an impulse to the noble science of Holy Scripture, and to impart to Scrip-
ture study a direction suitable to the needs of the present day. The solici-
tude of the apostolic office naturally urges, and even compels us, not only
to desire that this grand source of Catholic revelation should be made
safely and abundantly accessible to the flock of Jesus Christ, but also
not to suffer any attempt to defile or corrupt it, either on the part of
those who impiously or openly assail the Scriptures, or of those who are
led astray into fallacious and imprudent novelties. We are not igno-
rant, indeed, Venerable Brethren, that there are not a few Catholics,
men of talent and learning, who do devote themselves with ardor to the
defense of the sacred writings and to making them known and better
understood. But whilst giving to these the commendation they deserve,
We cannot but earnestly exhort others also, from whose skill and piety
and learning We have a right to expect good results, to give themselves
to the same most praiseworthy work. It is Our wish and fervent desire
to see an increase in the number of the approved and persevering laborers
in the cause of Holy Scripture; and more especially that those whom
divine grace has called to Holy Orders should, day by day, as their state
demands, display greater diligence and industry in reading, meditating,
and explaining it.
BENEFIT OF BIBLE STUDY
A. In General
Among the reasons for which the Holy Scripture is so worthy of com-
mendation in addition to its own excellence and to the homage which
we owe to God's Word the chief of all is, the innumerable benefits of
which it is the source, according to the infallible testimony of the Holy
Ghost Himself, who says: All Scripture inspired of God is profitable to
teach, to reprove, to correct, to instruct in justice: that the man of God
may be perfect, furnished to every good work. 1 That such was the pur-
pose of God in giving the Scripture to men is shown by the example of
Christ our Lord and of His apostles. For He Himself who " obtained
authority by miracles, merited belief by authority, and by belief drew
to himself the multitude " 2 was accustomed, in the exercise of His divine
mission, to appeal to the Scriptures. He uses them at times to prove
that He is sent by God, and is God Himself. From them He cites in-
structions for His disciples and confirmation of His doctrine. He vindi-
1 II Tim. iii. 16, 17. 2 S. Aug. de util. cred. xiv. 32.
HOLY SCKIPTUKE 161
cates them from the calumnies of objectors; He quotes them against
Sadducees and Pharisees and retorts from them upon Satan himself when
he dares to tempt Him. At the close of His life His utterances are from
the Holy Scripture, and it is the Scripture that He expounds to His dis-
ciples after His resurrection, until He ascends to the glory of His Father.
Faithful to His precepts, the apostles, although He Himself granted
signs and wonders to be done by their Jtands, 1 nevertheless used with the
greatest effect the sacred writings, in order to persuade the nations every-
where of the wisdom of Christianity, to conquer the obstinacy of the
Jews, and to suppress the outbreak of heresy. This is plainly seen in
their discourses, especially in those of St. Peter; these were often little
less than a series of citations from the Old Testament making in the
strongest manner for the new dispensation. We find the same things in
the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. John and in the Catholic Epistles;
and, most remarkable of all, in the words of him who " boasts that he
learned the law at the feet of Gamaliel, in order that, being armed with
spiritual weapons, he might afterwards say with confidence, * the arms of
our warfare are not carnal but mighty unto God.' " 2 Let all, therefore,
especially the novices of the ecclesiastical army, understand how deeply
the sacred books should be esteemed, and with what eagerness and rever-
ence they should approach this great arsenal of heavenly arms. For
those whose duty it is to handle Catholic doctrine before the learned or
the unlearned will nowhere find more ample matter or more abundant
exhortation, whether on the subject of God, the supreme Good and the
all-perfect Being, or the works which display His glory and His love.
Nowhere is there anything more full or more express on the subject of
the Saviour of the world than is to be found in the whole range of the
Bible. As St. Jerome says, to be ignorant of the Scripture is not to
know Christ. 3 In its pages His Image stands out, living and breathing;
diffusing everywhere around consolation in trouble, encouragement to
virtue, and attraction to the love of God. And as to the Church, her
institutions, her nature, her office and her gifts, we find in Holy Scrip-
ture so many references and so many ready and convincing arguments
that, as St. Jerome again most truly says, " A man who is well grounded
in the testimonies of the Scripture is the bulwark of the Church." 4 And
if we come to morality and discipline, an apostolic man finds in the
sacred writings abundant and excellent assistance; most holy precepts,
gentle and strong exhortation, splendid examples of every virtue, and
finally the promise of eternal reward and the threat of eternal punish-
ment, uttered in terms of solemn import, in God's name and in God's
own words.
B. For the Pulpit Orator
And it is this peculiar and singular power of Holy Scripture, arising
from the inspiration of the Holy Ghost, which gives authority to the
1 Acts xiv. 3.
2 St. Hier. de stud. Script, ad Paulin. ep. liii. 3.
8 in Isaiam, Prol.
4 in Isaiam liv. 12.
162 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
sacred orator, fills him with apostolic liberty of speech, and communicates
force and power to his eloquence. For those who infuse into their efforts
the spirit and strength of the Word of God speak not in word only, "but
in power also, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much fullness. 1 Hence, those
preachers are foolish and improvident who, in speaking of religion and
proclaiming the things of God, use no words but those of human science
and human prudence, trusting to their own reasonings rather than to
those of God. Their discourses may be brilliant and fine, but they must
be feeble and they must be cold, for they are without the fire of the
utterance of God 2 and they must fall far short of that mighty power
which the speech of God possesses: for the Word of God is living and
effectual, and more piercing than any two-edged sword; and reaching
unto the division of the soul and the spirit. 3 But, indeed, those who have
a right to speak are agreed that there is in the Holy Scripture an elo-
quence that is wonderfully varied and rich and worthy of great themes.
This St. Augustine thoroughly understood and has abundantly set forth. 4
This, also, is confirmed by the best preachers of all ages, who have grate-
fully acknowledged that they owed their repute chiefly to the assiduous
use of the Bible, and to devout meditation on its pages.
The Holy Fathers well knew all this by practical experience, and they
never cease to extol the sacred Scripture and its fruits. In innumerable
passages of their writings we find them applying to it such phrases as an
inexhaustible treasury of heavenly doctrine,* or an overflowing fountain
of salvation, or putting it before us as fertile pastures and beautiful
gardens in which the flock of the Lord is marvelously refreshed and
delighted. 7 Let us listen to the words of St. Jerome, in his Epistle to
Nepotian : " Often read the divine Scriptures ; yea, let holy reading be
always in thy hand; study that which thou thyself must preach. . . .
Let the speech of the priest be ever seasoned with Scriptural reading." 8
St. Gregory the Great, than whom no one has more admirably described
the pastoral office, writes in the same sense. " Those," he says, " who
are zealous in the work of preaching must never cease the study of the
written Word of God." 8 St. Augustine, however, warns us that " vainly
does the preacher utter the Word of God exteriorly unless he listens to it
interiorly " ; 10 and St. Gregory instructs sacred orators " first to find
in Holy Scripture the knowledge of themselves, and then carry it to
others, lest in reproving others they forget themselves." n Admonitions
such as these had, indeed, been uttered long before by the apostolic voice
which had learned its lesson from Christ Himself, who "began to do
I Thess. i. 5. 8 Hebr. iv. 12.
Jerem. xxiii. 29. * De doctr. chr. iv. 6, 7.
S. Chrys. in Gen. Horn. xxi. 2; Horn. Ix. 3; S. Aug. de Disc.
Christ, ii.
S. Athan. ep. fest. xxxix.
S. Aug. serm. xxvi. 24; S. Ambr. in Ps. cxviii. serm. xix. 2.
S. Hier. de vita cleric, ad Nepot.
S. Greg. M. Regul. past. ii. 11 (al. 22) ; Moral, xvii. 26 (al. 14).
10 S. Aug. serm. clxxix. 1.
11 S. Greg. M. Regul. past. iii. 24 (al. 14).
HOLY SCRIPTUEE 163
and teach." It was not to Timothy alone, but to the whole order of the
clergy, that the command was addressed: Take heed to thyself and to
doctrine; be earnest in them. For in doing this thou shalt both save
thyself and them that hear thee* For the saving and for the perfection
of ourselves and of others there is at hand the very best of help in the
Holy Scriptures, as the Book of Psalms, among others, so constantly
insists; but those only will find it who bring to this divine reading
not only docility and attention but also piety and an innocent life. For
the sacred Scripture is not like other books. Dictated by the Holy
Ghost, it contains things of the deepest importance, which in many in-
stances are most difficult and obscure. To understand and explain such
things there is always required the " coming " 2 of the same Holy Spirit ;
that is to say, His light and His grace ; and these, as the royal psalmist
so frequently insists, are to be sought by humble prayer and guarded
by holiness of life.
THE SOLICITUDE OF THE CHURCH
It is in this that the watchful eye of the Church shines forth con-
spicuously. By admirable laws and regulations, she has shown herself
solicitous that " the celestial treasure of the sacred books, so bountifully
bestowed upon man by the Holy Spirit, should not lie neglected." 3 She
has prescribed that a considerable portion of them shall be read and
piously reflected upon by all her ministers in the daily office of the sacred
psalmody. She has ordered that in cathedral churches, in monasteries,
and in other convents in which study can conveniently be pursued, they
shall be expounded and interpreted by capable men; and she has strictly
commanded that her children shall be fed with the saving words of the
Gospel at least on Sundays and solemn feasts. 4 Moreover, it is owing to
the wisdom and exertions of the Church that there has always been con-
tinued, from century to century, that cultivation of Holy Scripture which
has been so remarkable and has borne such ample fruit.
A. In the Early Times
And here, in order to strengthen Our teaching and Our exhortations,
it is well to recall how, from the beginning of Christianity, all who have
been renowned for holiness of life and sacred learning have given their
deep and constant attention to Holy Scripture. If we consider the im-
mediate disciples of the apostles, St. Clement of Rome, St. Ignatius of
Antioch, St. Polycarp, or the apologists, such as St. Justin and St.
Irenseus, We find that in their letters and books, whether in defense of
the Catholic faith or in its commendation, they drew faith, strength, and
unction from the Word of God. When there arose, in various sees, cate-
chetical and theological schools, of which the most celebrated were those
of Alexandria and of Antioch, there was little taught in those schools but
what was contained in the reading, the interpretation, and the defense
of the divine written word. From them came forth numbers of Fathers
and writers whose laborious studies and admirable writings have justly
1 I Tim. iv. 16. * Cone. Trid. sess. v. decret. de reforaa. 1.
2 S. Hier. in Mic. i. 10. 4 Ibid., 1, 2.
164 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
merited for the three following centuries the appellation of the golden
age of biblical exegesis. In the Eastern Church the greatest name of all
is Origen a man remarkable alike for penetration of genius and perse-
vering labor; from whose numerous works and his great Hexapla almost
all have drawn who came after him. Others who have widened the field
of this science may also be named as especially eminent; thus, Alexan-
dria could boast of St. Clement and St. Cyril ; Palestine, of Eusebius and
the other St. Cyril; Cappadocia, of St. Basil the Great and the two
Gregories, of Nazianzus and Nyssa ; Antioch, of St. John Chrysostom, in
whom the science of Scripture was rivaled by the splendor of his elo-
quence. In the Western Church there are as many names as great: Ter-
tullian, St. Cyprian, St. Hilary, St. Ambrose, St. Leo the Great, St. Greg-
ory the Great; most famous of all, St. Augustine and St. Jerome, of
whom the former was so marvelously acute in penetrating the sense of
God's Word and so fertile in the use that he made of it for the promotion
of the Catholic truth, and the latter has received from the Church, by
reason of his pre-eminent knowledge of Scripture and his labors in pro-
moting its use, the name of the " great Doctor." 1
B. In the Middle Ages
From this period down to the eleventh century, although biblical
studies did not flourish with the same vigor and the same fruitfulness as
before, yet they did nourish, and principally by the instrumentality of
the clergy. It was their care and solicitude that selected the best and
most useful things that the ancients had left, arranged them in order,
and published them with additions of their own as did St. Isidore of
Seville, Venerable Bede, and Alcuin, among the most prominent; it
.was they who illustrated the sacred pages with "glosses" or short
commentaries, as we see in Walafrid Strabo and St. Anselm of Laon,
or expended fresh labor in securing their integrity, as did St. Peter
Damian and Blessed Lanfranc. In the twelfth century many took up,
with great success, the allegorical exposition of Scripture. In this kind,
St. Bernard is pre-eminent; and his writings, it may be said, are Scrip-
ture all through. With the age of the scholastics came 'fresh and wel-
come progress in the study of the Bible. That the scholastics were
solicitous about the genuineness of the Latin version is evident from the
Correctoria Biblica, or list of emendations, which they have left. But
they expended their labors and industry chiefly on interpretation and
explanation. To them we owe the accurate and clear distinction, such
as had not been given before, of the various senses of the sacred words;
the assignment of the value of each " sense " in theology ; the division
of books into parts, and the summaries of the various parts; the inves-
tigation of the objects of the writers; the demonstration of the con-
nection of sentence with sentence, and clause with clause; all of which
is calculated to throw much light on the more obscure passages of the
sacred volume. The valuable work of the scholastics in Holy Scripture
is seen in their theological treatises and in their Scripture commen-
1 See the Collect on his feast, September 30.
HOLY SCRIPTURE 165
taries; and in this respect the greatest name among them all is St.
Thomas Aquinas.
When Our predecessor, Clement V, established chairs of Oriental
literature in the Roman College and in the principal universities of
Europe, Catholics began to make more accurate investigation on the
original text of the Bible as well as on the Latin version. The revival
amongst us of Greek learning, and, much more, the happy invention of
the art of printing, gave a strong impetus to biblical studies. In a brief
space of time, innumerable editions, especially of the Vulgate, poured
from the press and were diffused throughout the Catholic world; so
honored and loved was Holy Scripture during that very period against
which the enemies of the Church direct their calumnies.
C. In Modern Times
Nor must we forget how many learned men there were, chiefly among
the religious orders, who did excellent work for the Bible between the
Council of Vienna and that of Trent ; men who, by the employment of
modern means and appliances, and by the tribute of their own genius
and learning, not only added to the rich store of ancient times but pre-
pared the way for the succeeding century, the century which followed
the Council of Trent, when it almost seemed that the great age of the
Fathers had returned. For it is well known, and We recall it with
pleasure, that Our predecessors, from Pius IV to Clement VIII, caused
to be prepared the celebrated editions of the Vulgate and the Septua-
gint, which, having been published by the command and authority of
Sixtus V, and of the same Clement, are now in common use. At this
time, moreover, were carefully brought out various other ancient ver-
sions of the Bible, and the Polyglots of Antwerp and of Paris, most im-
portant for the investigation of the true meaning of the text; nor is
there any one book of either Testament which did not find more than
one expositor, nor any grave question which did not profitably exercise
the ability of many inquirers, among whom there are not a few more
especially of those who made most use of the Fathers who have ac-
quired great reputation. From that time downwards the labor and
solicitude of Catholics have never been wanting; for, as time went on,
eminent scholars have carried on biblical studies with success, and have
defended Holy Scripture against rationalism with the same weapons of
philology and kindred sciences with which it had been attacked. The
calm and fair consideration of what has been said will clearly show that
the Church has never failed in taking due measures to bring the Scrip-
tures within reach of her children, and that she has ever held fast and
exercised profitably that guardianship conferred upon her by Almighty
God for the protection and glory of His Holy Word; so that she has
never required, nor does she now require, any stimulation from without.
. RULES FOB THE PBESENT TIME
We must now, Venerable Brethren, as Our purpose demands, impart
to you such counsels as seem best suited for carrying on successfully
the study of biblical science.
166 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
But first it must be clearly understood whom we have to oppose and
contend against, and what are their tactics and their arms. In earlier
times the contest was chiefly with those who, relying on private judg-
ment and repudiating the divine traditions and teaching office of the
Church, held the Scriptures to be the one source of revelation and the
final appeal in matters of faith. Now we have to meet the rationalists,
true children and inheritors of the older heretics, who, trusting in their
turn to their own way of thinking, have rejected even the scraps and
remnants of Christian belief which had been handed down to them.
They deny that there is any such thing as revelation or inspiration, or
Holy Scripture at all; they see, instead, only the forgeries and false-
hoods of men; they set down the Scripture narratives as stupid fables
and lying stories: the prophecies and oracles of God are to them either
predictions made up after the event or forecasts formed by the light of
nature; the miracles and wonders of God's power are not what they are
said to be, but the startling effects of natural law, or else mere tricks
and myths; and the apostolic Gospels and writings are not the work of
the apostles at all. These detestable errors, whereby they think they de-
stroy the truth of the divine books, are obtruded on the wjorld as the
peremptory pronouncements of a newly invented free science; a science,
however, which is so far from final that they are perpetually modifying
and supplementing it. And there are some of them who, notwithstand-
ing their impious opinions and utterances about God, and Christ, the
Gospels and the rest of Holy Scripture, would fain be considered both
theologians and Christians and men of the Gospel, and who attempt to
disguise by such honorable names their rashness and their pride. To
them we must add not a few professors of other sciences who approve
their views and give them assistance, and are urged to attack the Bible
by a similar intolerance of revelation. And it is deplorable to see these
attacks growing every day more numerous and more severe. It is some-
times men of learning and judgment who are assailed; but these have
little difficulty in defending themselves from evil consequences. The
efforts and arts of the enemy are chiefly directed against the more igno-
rant masses of the people. They diffuse their deadly poison by means of
books, pamphlets, and newspapers; they spread it by addresses and by
conversation; they are found everywhere; and they are in possession
of numerous schools, taken by violence from the Church, in which, by
ridicule and scurrilous jesting, they pervert the credulous and unformed
minds of the young to the contempt of Holy Scripture. Should not these
things, Venerable Brethren, stir up and set on fire the heart of every
pastor, so that to this knowledge, falsely so-called, 1 may be opposed the
ancient and true science which the Church, through the apostles, has
received from Christ, and that Holy Scripture may find the champions
that are needed in so momentous a battle?
Let our first care, then, be to see that in seminaries and academical
institutions the study of Holy Scripture is placed on such a footing as
its own importance and the circumstances of the time demand. With
this view, the first thing which requires attention is the wise choice of
professors. Teachers of sacred Scripture are not to be appointed at hap-
1 I Tim. iv. 20.
HOLY SCEIPTUEE 167
hazard out of the crowd; but they must be men whose character and
fitness are proved by their love of, and their long familiarity with, the
Bible, and by suitable learning and study.
It is a matter of equal importance to provide in time for a continuous
succession of such teachers; and it will be well, wherever this can be
done, to select young men of good promise who have successfully accom-
plished their theological course, and to set them apart exclusively for
Holy Scripture, affording them facilities for full and complete studies.
Professors thus chosen and thus prepared may enter with confidence on
the task that is appointed for them; and that they may carry out their
work well and profitably, let them take heed to the instructions We now
proceed to give.
INTRODUCTION
At the commencement of a course of Holy Scripture, let the professor
strive earnestly to form the judgment of the young beginners so as to
train them equally to defend the sacred writings and to penetrate their
meaning. This is the object of the treatise which is called "Introduc-
tion." Here the student is taught how to prove the integrity and author-
ity of the Bible, how to investigate and ascertain its true sense, and how
to meet and refute objections. It is needless to insist upon the impor-
tance of making these preliminary studies in an orderly and thorough
fashion, with the accompaniment and assistance of theology; for the
whole subsequent course must rest on the foundation thus laid and make
use of the light thus acquired.
INTERPRETATION
Next, the teacher will turn his attention to that more fruitful division
of Scripture science which has to do with interpretation, wherein is im-
parted the method of using the Word of God for the advantage of reli-
gion and piety. We recognize, without hesitation, that neither the extent
of the matter nor the time at disposal allows each single book of the
Bible to be separately gone through. But the teaching should result in
a definite and ascertained method of interpretation and, therefore, the
professor should equally avoid the mistake of giving a mere taste of
every book, and of dwelling at too great a length on a part of one book.
If most schools cannot do what is done in large institutions take the
students through the whole of one or two books continuously and with
a certain development yet at least those parts which are selected
should be treated with suitable fullness, in such, a way that the students
may learn from the sample that is put before them to love and use the
remainder of the sacred book during the whole of their lives. The pro-
fessor, following the tradition of antiquity, will make use of the Vulgate
as his text ; for the Council of Trent decreed that " in public lectures,
disputations, preaching, and exposition," l the Vulgate is the " authen-
tic " version ; and this is the existing custom of the Church. At the
same time, the other versions, which Christian antiquity has approved,
should not be neglected, more especially the more ancient MSS. For,
1 Sess. iv. deer, de edit, et usu sacr. libror.
168 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
although the meaning of the Hebrew and Greek is substantially rendered
by the Vulgate, nevertheless wherever there may be ambiguity or want of
clearness, the " examination of older tongues," * to quote St. Augustine,
will be useful and advantageous. But in this matter we need hardly say
that the greatest prudence is required, for the " office of a commentator,"
as St. Jerome says, " is to set forth not what he himself would prefer but
what his author says." 2 The question of " reading " having been, when
necessary, carefully discussed, the next thing is to investigate and ex-
pound the meaning. And the first counsel to be given is this: that the
more our adversaries contend to the contrary, so much the more solici-
tously should we adhere to the received and approved canons of inter-
pretation. Hence, whilst weighing the meaning of words, the connec-
tion of ideas, the parallelism of passages, and the like, we should by all
means make use of such illustrations as can be drawn from opposite
erudition of an external sort; but this should be done with caution, so
as not to bestow on questions of this kind more labor and time than are
spent on the sacred books themselves, and not to overload the minds of
the students with a mass of information that will be rather a hindrance
than a help.
The professor may now safely pass on to the use of Scripture in mat-
ters of theology. On this head it must be observed that, in addition to
the usual reasons which make ancient writings more or less difficult to
understand, there are some which are peculiar to the Bible. For the
language of the Bible is employed to express, under the inspiration of
the Holy Ghost, many things which are beyond the power and scope of
the reason of man that is to say, divine mysteries and all that is
related to them. There is sometimes in such passages a fullness and a
hidden depth of meaning which the letter hardly expresses and which
the laws of interpretation hardly warrant. Moreover, the literal sense
itself frequently admits other senses, adapted to illustrate dogma or to
confirm morality.
SENSUS, QUEM TENET ECCLESIA
Wherefore, it must be recognized that the sacred writings are wrapped
in a certain religious obscurity, and that no one can enter into their
interior without a guide ; 3 God so disposing, as the holy Fathers com-
monly teach, in order that men may investigate them with greater ardor
and earnestness, and that what is attained with difficulty may sink
more deeply into the mind and heart, and, most of all, that they may
understand that God has delivered the Holy Scripture to the Church,
and that in reading and making use of His Word they must follow the
Church as their guide and their teacher. St. Irenseus long since laid
down that where the chrismata of God were, there the truth was to be
learned, and the Holy Scripture was safely interpreted by those who
had the apostolic succession. 4 His teaching and that of other holy
1 De doctr. chr. iii. 4.
2 Ad Pammachium.
8 S. Hier. ad Paulin. de studio Script, ep. liii. 4.
4 C. haer. iv. 26, 5.
HOLY SCEIPTUKE 169
Fathers is taken up by the Council of the Vatican, which in renewing
the decree of Trent declared its " mind " to be this that " in things of
faith and morals, belonging to the building up of Christian doctrine,
that it is to be considered the true sense of Holy Scripture, which has
been held and is held by our Holy Mother the Church, whose place it is
to judge of the true sense and interpretation of the Scriptures; and,
therefore, that it is permitted to no one to interpret Holy Scripture
against such sense or also against the unanimous agreement of the
Fathers." 1
No RESTRAINT
By this most wise decree the Church by no means prevents or restrains
the pursuit of biblical science, but rather protects it from error, and
largely assists its real progress. A wide field is still left open to the
private student, in which his hermeneutical skill may display itself with
signal effect and to the advantage of the Church. On the one hand, in
those passages of Holy Scripture which have not as yet received a certain
and definite interpetation, such labors may, in the benignant providence
of God, prepare for and bring to maturity the judgment of the Church;
on the other, in passages already defined, the private student may do
work equally valuable, either by setting them forth more clearly to the
flock or more skillfully to the scholars, or by defending them more power-
fully from hostile attack. Wherefore the first and dearest object of the
Catholic commentator should be to interpret those passages which have
received an authentic interpretation either from the sacred writers them-
selves, under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost (as in many places of the
New Testament), or from the Church, under the assistance of the same
Holy Spirit, whether by her solemn judgment or by her ordinary and
universal magisterium 2 to interpret these passages in that identical
sense, and to prove by all the resources of science that sound hermeneu-
tical laws admit of no other interpretation. In the other passages the
analogy of faith should be followed, and Catholic doctrine, as authorita-
tively proposed by the Church, should be held as the supreme law; for,
seeing that the same God is the author both of the sacred books and of
the doctrine committed to the Church, it is clearly impossible that any
teaching can, by legitimate means, be extracted from the former which
shall, in any respect, be at variance with the latter. Hence it follows
that all interpretation is foolish or false which either makes the sacred
writers disagree one with another, or is opposed to the doctrine of the
Church.
COMMENTARIES OF THE FATHEES
The professor of Holy Scripture, therefore, amongst other recommen-
dations, must be well acquainted with the whole circle of theology and
deeply read in the commentaries of the holy Fathers and Doctors, and in
other interpreters of mark. 3 This is inculcated by St. Jerome, and still
1 Sess. iii. cap. ii. de revel.; cf. Cone. Trid. sess. iv. decret de edit,
et usu sacr. libror.
2 Cone. Vat. sess. iii. cap. ii. de fide.
8 Ibid.
170 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
more frequently by St. Augustine, who thus justly complains : " If there
is no branch of teaching, however humble and easy to learn, which does
not require a master, what can be a greater sign of rashness and pride
than to refuse to study the books of the divine mysteries by the help of
those who have interpreted them ? " * The other Fathers have said the
same, and have confirmed it by their example, for they " endeavored to
acquire the understanding of the Holy Scriptures not by their own lights
and ideas but from the writing and authority of the ancients, who. in
their turn, as we know, received the rule of interpretation in direct line
from the apostles." 2 The holy Fathers "to whom, after the apostles,
the Church owes its growth who have planted, watered, built, gov-
erned, and cherished it " ; 3 the holy Fathers, We say, are of supreme
authority, whenever they all interpret in one and the same manner any
text of the Bible, as pertaining to the doctrine of faith and morals; for
their unanimity clearly evinces that such interpretation has come down
from the apostles as a matter of Catholic faith. The opinion of the
Fathers is also of very great weight when they treat of these matters
in their capacity of Doctors unofficially; not only because they excel in
their knowledge of revealed doctrine and in their acquaintance with
many things which are useful in understanding the apostolic 'books, but
because they are men of eminent sanctity and of ardent zeal for the
truth, on whom God has bestowed a more ample measure of His light.
Wherefore the expositor should make it his duty to follow their foot-
steps with all reverence, and to use their labors with intelligent
appreciation.
But he must not on that account consider that it is forbidden, when
just cause exists, to push inquiry and exposition beyond what the
Fathers have done; provided he carefully observes the rule so wisely
laid down by St. Augustne not to depart from the literal and obvious
sense, except only where reason makes it untenable or necessity re-
quires ; 4 a rule to which it is the more necessary to adhere strictly in
these times, when the thirst for novelty and the unrestrained freedom of
thought make the danger of error most real and proximate. Neither
should those passages be neglected which the Fathers have understood
in an allegorical or figurative sense, more especially when such interpre-
tation is justified by the literal, and when it rests on the authority of
many. For this method of interpretation has been received by the
Church from the apostles, and has been approved by her own practice,
as the holy Liturgy attests; although it is true that the holy Fathers
did not thereby pretend directly to demonstrate dogmas of faith, but
used it as a means of promoting virtue and piety, such as, by their own
experience, they knew to be most valuable.
OTHER INTERPRETERS
The authority of other Church interpreters is not so great; but the
study of Scripture has always continued to advance in the Church, and,
therefore, these commentaries also have their own honorable place, and
1 Ad Honorat. de util. cred. xvii. 35. 3 S. Aug. c. Julian, ii. 10, 37.
2 Rufinus Hist. eccl. li. 9. 4 De Gen. ad litt. Iviii. c. 7, 13.
HOLY SCRIPTUKE 171
are serviceable in many ways for the refutation of assailants and the
explanation of difficulties. But it is most unbecoming to pass by, in
ignorance or contempt, the excellent work which Catholics have left in
abundance, and to have recourse to the work of non-Catholics and to
seek in them, to the detriment of sound doctrine and often to the peril
of faith, the explanation of passages on which Catholics long ago have
successfully employed their talent and their labor. For although the
studies of non-Catholics, used with prudence, may sometimes be of use to
the Catholic student, he should, nevertheless, bear well in mind as the
Fathers also teach in numerous passages J that the sense of Holy Scrip-
ture can nowhere be found incorrupt outside the Church, and cannot be
expected to be found in writers who, being without the true faith, only
know the bark of sacred Scripture, and never attain its pith.
THE PLACE OF SCRIPTURE RESEARCH AMONG THEOLOGICAL STUDIES
Most desirable is it, and most essential, that the whole teaching of
theology should be pervaded and animated by the use of the divine Word
of God. That is what the Fathers and the greatest theologians of all
ages have desired and reduced to practice. It is chiefly out of the sacred
writings that they endeavored to proclaim and establish the Articles of
Faith and the truths therewith connected, and it was in them, together
with divine tradition, that they found the refutation of heretical error,
and the reasonableness, the true meaning, and the mutual relation of
the truths of Catholicism. Nor will any one wonder at this who con-
siders that the sacred books hold such an eminent position among the
sources of revelation that without their assiduous study and use theol-
ogy cannot be placed on a true footing, or treated as its dignity de-
mands. For although it is right and proper that students in academies
and schools should be chiefly exercised in acquiring a scientific knowl-
edge of dogma, by means of reasoning from the Articles of Faith to their
consequences, according to the rules of approved and sound philosophy
nevertheless the judicious and instructed theologian will by no means
pass by that method of doctrinal demonstration which draws its proof
from the authority of the Bible ; " for theology does not receive her first
principles from any other science, but immediately from God by revela-
tion. And, therefore, she does not receive of other sciences as from a
superior, but uses them as her inferiors or handmaids." 2 It is this
view of doctrinal teaching which is laid down and recommended by the
prince of theologians, St. Thomas of Aquin ; 3 who moreover shows
such being the essential character of Christian theology how she can
defend her own principles against attack : " If the adversary," he says,
" do but grant any portion of the divine revelation, we have an argu-
ment against him; thus, against a heretic we can employ Scripture
authority, and against those who deny one article we can use another.
1 Cfr. Clem. Alex. Strom, vii. 16; Orig. de princ. iv. 8; in Levit. horn.
48; Tertull. de praescr. 15, seqq.; S. Hilar. Pict. in Matt. 13, 1.
3 S. Greg. M. Moral, xx. 9 (al. 11).
8 Summ. Theol. p. i. q. i. a. 5 ad 2.
172 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
But if our opponent reject divine revelation entirely, there is no way
left to prove the Articles of Faith by reasoning; we can only solve the
difficulties which are raised against them." * Care must be taken, then,
that beginners approach the study of the Bible well prepared and fur-
nished; otherwise, just hopes will be frustrated, or, perchance, what is
worse, they will unthinkingly risk the danger of error, falling an easy
prey to the sophisms and labored erudition of the rationalists. The best
preparation will be a conscientious application to philosophy and the-
ology under the guidance of St. Thomas of Aquin, and a thorough train-
ing therein as We Ourselves have elsewhere pointed out and directed.
By this means, both in biblical studies and in that part of theology
which is called positive, they will pursue the right path and make satis-
factory progress.
AUTHORITY OF THE BIBLE
To prove, to expound, to illustrate Catholic doctrine by the legitimate
and skillful interpretation of the Bible is much; but there is a second
part of the subject of equal importance and equal difficulty the main-
tenance in the strongest possible way of its full authority. This cannot
be done completely or satisfactorily except by means of the living and
proper magisterium of the Church. The Church, by reason of her won-
derful propagation, her distinguished sanctity, and inexhaustible fecun-
dity in good, her Catholic unity, and her unshaken stability, is herself
a great and perpetual motive of credibility, and an unassailable testi-
mony to her own divine mission." 2 But, since the divine and infallible
magisterium of the Church rests also on Holy Scripture, the first thing
to be done is to vindicate the trustworthiness of sacred records, at least
as human documents, from which can be clearly proved, as from primi-
tive and authentic testimony, the divinity and the mission of Christ our
Lord, the institution of a hierarchical Church and the primacy of Peter
and his successors.
DEFENDERS OF THE BIBLE
It is most desirable, therefore, that there should be numerous mem-
bers of the clergy well prepared to enter on a contest of this nature, and
to repulse hostile assaults, chiefly trusting in the armor of God recom-
mended by the Apostle, 3 but also not unaccustomed to modern methods
of attack. This is beautifully alluded to by St. John Chrysostom, when
describing the duties of priests : " We must use every endeavor that the
' Word of God may dwell in us abundantly ' ; * not merely for one kind
of a fight must we be prepared for the contest is many-sided and the
enemy is of every sort; and they do not all use the same weapons nor
make their onset in the same way. Wherefore it is needful that the
man who has to contend against all should be acquainted with the en-
gines and the arts of all that he should be at once archer and slinger,
commandant and officer, general and private soldier, foot-soldier and
horseman, skilled in sea-fight and in siege; for unless he knows every
1 Ibid. a. 8. " Eph. vi. 13, seqq.
* Cone. Vat. sess. iii. c. ii. de fide. 4 Cfr. Coloss. iii. 16.
HOLY SCEIPTUEE 173
trick and turn of war, the devil is well able, if only a single door be left
open, to get in his fierce bands and carry off the sheep." 1 The sophisms
of the enemy and his manifold arts of attack we have already touched
upon. Let us now say a word of advice on the means of defense.
MEANS OF DEFENSE
A. Ancient Languages
The first means is the study of the Oriental languages and of the art
of criticism. These two acquirements are in these days held in high
estimation, and, therefore, the clergy, by making themselves fully ac-
quainted with them as time and place may demand, will the better be
able to discharge their office with becoming credit; for they must make
themselves all to all, 2 always ready to satisfy every one that asketh them
a reason for the hope that is in them. 3 Hence it is most proper that pro-
fessors of sacred Scripture and theologians should master those tongues
in which the sacred books were originally written; and it would be well
that Church students also should cultivate them, more especially those
who aspire to academic degrees. And endeavors should be made to estab-
lish in all academic institutions as has already been laudably done in
many chairs of the other ancient languages, especially the Semitic,
and of subjects connected therewith, for the benefit, principally, of those
who are intended to profess sacred literature.
B. Criticism
These latter, with a similar object in view, should make themselves
well and thoroughly acquainted with the art of true criticism. There
has arisen, to the great detriment of religion, an inept method, dignified
by the name of the "higher criticism," which pretends to judge the
origin, integrity and authority of each book from internal indications
alone. It is clear, on the other hand, that in historical questions, such as
the origin and handing down of writings, the witness of history is of
primary importance, and that historical investigation should be made
with the utmost care; and that in this manner internal evidence is sel-
dom of great value, except as confirmation. To look upon it in any other
light will be to open the door to many evil consequences. It will make
the enemies of religion much more bold and confident in attacking and
mangling the sacred books; and this vaunted ' ; higher criticism " will
resolve itself into the reflection of the bias and the prejudice of the
critics. It will not throw on the Scripture the light which is sought, or
prove of any advantage to doctrine; it will only give rise to disagree-
ment and dissension, those sure notes of error which the critics in ques-
tion so plentifully exhibit in their own persons ; and seeing that most of
them are tainted with false philosophy and rationalism, it must lead to
the elimination from the sacred writings of all prophecy and miracle,
and of everything else that is outside the natural order.
1 De Sacerdotio iv. 4. 2 I Cor. ix. 22. 8 I Peter iii. 15.
174 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
C. Natural Sciences
In the second place, we have to contend against those who, making an
evil use of physical science, minutely scrutinize the sacred book in order
to detect the writers in a mistake, and to take occasion to vilify its con-
tents. Attacks of this kind, bearing as they do on matters of sensible
experience, are peculiarly dangerous to the masses, and also to the young
who are beginning their literary studies ; for the young, if they lose their
reverence for the Holy Scripture on one or more points, are easily led to
give up believing in it altogether. It need not be pointed out how the
nature of science, just as it is so admirably adapted to show forth the
glory of the Great Creator, provided it is taught as it should be, may,
if it be perversely imparted to the youthful intelligence, prove most
fatal in destroying the principles of true philosophy and in the corrup-
tion of morality. Hence, to the professor of Sacred Scripture a knowl-
edge of natural science will be of very great assistance in detecting
such attacks on the sacred books, and in refuting them. There can
never, indeed, be any real discrepancy between the theologian and the
physicist, as long as each confines himself within his own lines, and
both are careful, as St. Augustine warns us, " not to make rash asser-
tions, or to assert what is not known as known." 1 If dissension should
arise between them, here is the rule also laid down by St. Augustine,
for the theologian : " Whatever they can really demonstrate to be true
of physical nature we must show to be capable of reconciliation with
our Scriptures; and whatever they assert in their treatises which is
contrary to these Scriptures of ours, that is to Catholic faith, we must
either prove it as well as we can to be entirely false, or at all events
we must, without the smallest hesitation, believe it to be so." 2 To
understand how just is the rule here formulated we must remember, first,
that the sacred writers, or, to speak more accurately, the Holy 'Ghost
" who spoke by them, did not intend to teach men these things [that is
to say, the essential nature of the things of the visible universe], things
in no way profitable unto salvation." 3 Hence they did not seek to pene-
trate the secrets of nature, but rather described and dealt with things in
more or less figurative language, or in terms which were commonly used
at the time, and which in many instances are in daily use at this day,
even by the most eminent men of science. Ordinary speech primarily
and properly describes what comes under the senses; and somewhat in
the same way the sacred writers as the Angelic Doctor also reminds
U3 "went by what sensibly appeared," 4 or put down what God,
speaking to men, signified, in the way men could understand and were
accustomed to.
The unshrinking defense of the Holy Scripture, however, does not.
require that we should equally uphold all the opinions which each of
the Fathers or the more recent interpreters have put forth in explain-
1 In. Gen. op. imperf. ix. 30.
2 De Gen. ad litt. i. 21, 41.
8 S. Aug. ib. ii. 9, 20.
4 Summa Theol. p. i. q. Ixxx. a. 1 ad 3.
HOLY SCKIPTUKE 175
ing it; for it may be that, in commenting on passages where physical
matters occur, they have sometimes expressed the ideas of their own
times, and thus made statements which in these days have been aban-
doned as incorrect. Hence, in their interpretations, we must carefully
note what they lay down as belonging to faith, or as intimately con-
nected with faith. what they are unanimous in. For " in those things
which do not come under the obligation of faith, the saints were at
liberty to hold divergent opinions, just as we ourselves are," 1 according
to the saying of St. Thomas. And in another place he says most ad-
mirably: "When philosophers are agreed upon a point, and it is not
contrary to our faith, it is safer, in my opinion, neither to lay down
such a point as a dogma of faith, even though it is perhaps so pre-
sented by the philosophers, nor to reject it as against faith, lest we thus
give to the wise of this world an occasion of despising our faith." 2 The
Catholic interpreter, although he should show that those facts of natu-
ral science which investigators affirm to be now quite certain are not
contrary to the Scripture rightly explained, must, nevertheless, always
bear in mind that much which has been held and proved as certain has
afterwards been called in question and rejected. And if writers on
physics travel outside the boundaries of their own branch, and carry
their erroneous teaching into the domain of philosophy, let them be
handed over to philosophers for refutation.
D. History
The principles here laid down will apply to cognate sciences, and es-
pecially to history. It is a lamentable fact that there are many who
with great labor carry out and publish investigations on the monuments
of antiquity, the manners and institutions of nations, and other illus-
trative subjects, and whose chief purpose in all this is to find mistakes
in the sacred writings and so to shake and weaken their authority.
Some of these writers display not only extreme hostility but the greatest
unfairness; in their eyes a profane book or ancient document is ac-
cepted without hesitation, whilst the Scripture, if they only find in it a
suspicion of error, is set down with the slightest possible discussion as
quite untrustworthy. It is true, no doubt, that copyists have made mis-
takes in the text of the Bible; this question, when it arises, should be
carefully considered on its merits, and the fact not too easily admitted,
but only in those passages where the proof is clear. It may also happen
that the sense of a passage remains ambiguous, and in this case good
hermeneutical methods will greatly assist in clearing up the obscurity.
INSPIRATION
But it is absolutely wrong and forbidden either to narrow inspiration
to certain parts only of Holy Scripture or to admit that the sacred
writer has erred. For the system of those who, in order to rid them-
selves of those difficulties, do not hesitate to concede that divine in-
spiration regards the things of faith and morals, and nothing beyond,
1 In Sent. ii. Dist. q. i. a. 3. 2 Opusc. x.
176 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
because (as they wrongly think) in a question of the truth or falsehood
of a passage we should consider not so much what God has said as the
reason and purpose which He had in mind when saying it this system
cannot be tolerated. For all the books which the Church receives as
sacred and canonical are written wholly and entirely, with all their
parts, at the dictation of the Holy Ghost; and so far is it from being
possible that any error can co-exist with inspiration, that inspiration
not only is essentially incompatible with error, but excludes and rejects
it as absolutely and necessarily as it is impossible that God Himself, the
Supreme Truth, can utter that which is not true. This is the ancient
and unchanging faith of the Church, solemnly defined in the Councils of
Florence and of Trent, and finally confirmed and more expressly formu-
lated by the Council of the Vatican. These are the words of the last:
"The books of the Old and New Testament, whole and entire, with all
their parts, as enumerated by the decree of the same Council (Trent)
and in the ancient Latin Vulgate, are to be received as sacred and canon-
ical. And the Church holds them as sacred and canonical not because,
having been composed by human industry, they were afterwards ap-
proved by her authority, nor only because they contain revelation without
error, but because, having been written under the inspiration of the
Holy Ghost, they have God for their Author." * Hence, because the Holy
Ghost employed men as His instruments, we cannot, therefore, say that
it was these inspired instruments who, perchance, have fallen into error,
and not the primary author. For, by supernatural power, He so moved
and impelled them to write He was so present to them that the
things which He ordered, and those only, they, first, rightly understood,
then willed faithfully to write down, and finally expressed in apt words
and with infallible truth. Otherwise, it could not be said that He was
the Author of the entire Scripture. Such has always been the persuasion
of the Fathers. "Therefore," says St. Augustine, "since they wrote
the things which He showed and uttered to them, it cannot be pretended
that He is not the writer; for His members executed what their head
dictated." 2 And St. Gregory the Great thus pronounces : " Most super-
fluous it is to inquire who wrote these things we loyally believe the
Holy Ghost to be the author of the Book. He wrote it who dictated it
for writing; He wrote it who inspired its execution." 3
It follows that those who maintain that an error is possible in any
genuine passage of the sacred writings either pervert the Catholic notion
of inspiration or make God the author of such error. And so emphati-
cally were all the Fathers and Doctors agreed that the divine writings,
as left by the hagiographers, are free from all error, that they labored
earnestly, with no less skill than reverence, to reconcile with each other
those numerous passages which seem at variance the very passages
which in a great measure have been taken up by the " higher criticism " ;
for they were unanimous in laying it down that those writings, in their
entirety and in all their parts were equally from the afflatus of Almighty
God, and that God, speaking by the sacred writers, could not set down
anything that was not true. The words of St. Augustine to St. Jerome
1 Sess. iii. c. ii. de Rev.
a De consensu Evangel. 1. 1, c. 35. * Praef. in Job, n. 2.
HOLY SCKIPTUKE 177
may sum up what they taught : " On my own part I confess to your
charity that it is only to those books of Scripture which are now called
canonical that I have learned to pay such honor and reverence as to
believe most firmly that none of their writers has fallen into any error.
And if in these books I meet anything which seems contrary to truth
I shall not hesitate to conclude either that the text is faulty, or that the
translator has not expressed the meaning of the passage, or that I myself
do not understand." *
CATHOLIC SCHOLARS
But to undertake fully and perfectly, and with all the weapons of the
best science, the defense of the Holy Bible is far more than can be looked
for from the exertions of commentators and theologians alone. It is an
enterprise in which we have a right to expect the co-operation of all
those Catholics who have acquired reputation in any branch of learning
whatever. As in the past, so at the present time, the Church is never
without the graceful support of her accomplished children; may their
service to the Faith grow and increase! For there is nothing which We
believe to be more needful than that truth should find defenders more
powerful and more numerous than the enemies it has to face; nor is
there anything which is better calculated to impress the masses with
respect for truth than to see it boldly proclaimed by learned and distin-
guished men. Moreover, the bitter tongues of objectors will be silenced,
or at least they will not dare to insist so shamelessly that faith is the
enemy of science, when they see that scientific men of eminence in their
profession show towards faith the most marked honor and respect. See-
ing, then, that those can do so much for the advantage of religion on
whom the goodness of Almighty God has bestowed, together with the
grace of the faith, great natural talent, let such men, in this bitter con-
flict of which the Holy Scripture is the object, select each of them the
branch of study most suitable to his circumstances, and endeavor to
excel therein, and thus be prepared to repulse with credit and distinction
the assaults on the Word of God. And it is Our pleasing duty to give
deserved praise to a work which certain Catholics have taken up that
is to say, the formation of societies and the contribution of considerable
sums of money for the purpose of supplying studios and learned men with
every kind of help and assistance in carrying out complete studies.
Truly an excellent fashion of investing money, and well suited to the
times in which we live! The less hope of public patronage there is for
Catholic study, the more ready and the more abundant should be the
liberality of private persons those to whom God has given riches thus
willingly making use of their means to safeguard the treasure of His
revealed doctrine.
CAUTION IN DOUBT
In order that all these endeavors and exertions may really prove ad-
vantageous to the cause of the Bible, let scholars keep steadfastly to the
principles which We have in this Letter laid down. Let them loyally,
1 Ep. Ixxvii. 1, et crebrius alibi.
178 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
hold that God, the Creator and Ruler of all things, is also the Author of
the Scriptures and that, therefore, nothing can be proved either by
physical science or archaeology which can really contradict the Scriptures.
If, then, apparent contradiction be met with, every effort should be made
to remove it. Judicious theologians and commentators should be con-
sulted as to what is the true or most probable meaning of the passage in
discussion, and hostile arguments should be carefully weighed. Even if
the difficulty is after all not cleared up and the discrepancy seems to
remain, the contest must not be abandoned; truth cannot contradict
truth, and we may be sure that some mistake has been made either in
the interpretation of the sacred words or in the polemical discussion
itself; and if no such mistake can be detected, we must then suspend
judgment for the time being. There have been objections without number
perseveringly directed against the Scripture for many a long year, which
have been proved to be futile and are now never heard of; and not in-
frequently interpretations have been placed on certain passages of Scrip-
ture (not belonging to the rule of faith or morals) which have been rec-
tified by more careful investigations. As time goes on, mistaken views
die and disappear; but truth remaineth and groweth stronger forever
and ever. 1 Wherefore, as no one should be so presumptuous as" to think
that he understands the whole of the Scripture, in which St. Augustine
himself confessed that there was more that he did not know than that he
knew, 2 so, if he should come on anything that seems incapable of solution,
he must take to heart the cautious rule of the same holy doctor : " It is
better even to be oppressed by unknown but useful signs than to inter-
pret them uselessly, and thus to throw off the yoke only to be caught in
the trap of error." 3
As to those who pursue the subsidiary studies of which We have
spoken, if they honestly and modestly follow the counsels We have given
if by their pen and their voice they make their studies profitable
against the enemies of truth, and useful in saving the young from the
loss of their faith they may justly congratulate themselves on their
worthy service to the sacred writings, and on affording to Catholicism
that assistance which the Church has a right to expect from the piety
and learning of her children.
CONCLUSION
Such, Venerable Brethren, are the admonitions and the instructions
which, by the help of God, We have thought it well, at the present mo-
ment, to offer to you on the study of Holy Scripture. It will now be
your province to see that what We have said be observed and put in
practice with all due reverence and exactness; that so We may prove
our gratitude to God for the communication to man of the words of His
wisdom, and that all the good results so much to be desired may be real-
ized, especially as they affect the training of the students of the Church,
which is our own great solicitude and the Church's hope. Exert your-
selve with willing alacrity, and use your authority and your persuasion
1 III Esdr. iv. 38.
2 Ad lanuar. ep. Iv. 21. * De doctr. chr. iii. 9, 18.
HOLY SCRIPTURE 179
in order that these studies may be held in just regard and may flourish
in seminaries and in educational institutions which are under your juris-
diction. Let them flourish in completeness and in happy success, under
the direction of the Church, in accordance with the salutary teaching
and example of the holy Fathers, and the laudable traditions of anti-
quity; and, as time goes on, let them be widened and extended as the
interests and glory of truth may require the interests of that Catholic
truth which comes from above, the never-failing source of man's salvation.
Finally, We admonish with paternal love all students and ministers
of the Church always to approach the sacred writings with reverence
and piety; for it is impossible to attain to the profitable understand-
ing thereof unless the arrogance of " earthly " science be laid aside,
and there be excited in the heart the holy desire for that wisdom " which
is from above." In this way the intelligence which is once admitted to
these sacred studies, and thereby illuminated and strengthened, will ac-
quire a marvelous facility in detecting and avoiding the fallacies of
human science, and in gathering and using for eternal salvation all that
is valuable and precious; whilst, at the same time, the heart will grow
warm, and will strive, with ardent longing, to advance in virtue and in
divine love. Blessed are they who examine His testimonies; they shall
seek Him with their whole heart*
And now, filled with hope in the divine assistance, and trusting to
your pastoral solicitude as a pledge of heavenly grace, and a sign of
Our special good-will to you all, and to the clergy, and to the whole
flock intrusted to you, We lovingly impart in Our Lord the Apostolic
Benediction.
SYLLABUS OF ERRORS
CONDEMNED BY THE S. CONGB. OF THE INQUISITION, JULY 3, 1907.
WITH truly lamentable results, our age, intolerant of all check in
its investigations of the ultimate causes of things, not unfre-
quently follows what is new in such a way as to reject the legacy, as it
were, of the human race, and thus fall into the most grievous errors.
These errors will be all the more pernicious when they affect sacred dis-
ciplines, the interpretation of the Sacred Scripture, the principal mys-
teries of the faith. It is to be greatly deplored that among Catholics
also not a few writers are to be found who, crossing the boundaries fixed
by the Fathers and by the Church herself, seek out, on the plea of higher
intelligence and in the name of historical considerations, that progress of
dogmas which is in reality the corruption of the same.
But lest errors of this kind, which are being daily spread among the
faithful, should strike root in their minds and corrupt the purity of the
faith, it has pleased His Holiness Pius X, by Divine Providence Pope,
that the chief among them should be noted and condemned through the
office of this Holy Roman and Universal Inquisition.
1 Ps. cxviii. 2.
180 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
Wherefore, after a most diligent investigation, and after having taken
the opinion of the Reverend Consultors, the Most Eminent and Reverend
Lords Cardinals, the general inquisitors in matters of faith and morals,
decided that the following propositions are to be condemned and pro-
scribed, as they are, by this general Decree, condemned and proscribed:
1. The ecclesiastical law, which prescribes that books regarding the
Divine Scriptures are subject to previous censorship, does not extend to
critical scholars or students of the scientific exegesis of the Old and New
Testament.
2. The Church's interpretation of the Sacred Books is not indeed to be
condemned, but it is subject to the more accurate judgment and to the
correction of the exegetes.
3. From the ecclesiastical judgments and censures passed against free
and more scientific (cultiorem) exegesis, it may be gathered that the
faith proposed by the Church contradicts history and that the Catholic
dogmas cannot be reconciled with the true origins of the Christian
religion.
4. The magisterium of the Church cannot, even through dogmatic defi-
nitions, determine the genuine sense of the Sacred Scriptures. ,
5. Since in the deposit of the faith only revealed truths are contained,
under no respect does it appertain to the Church to pass judgment con-
cerning the assertions of human sciences.
6. In defining truths the Church learning (discens) and the Church
teaching (docens) collaborate in such a way that it only remains for the
Church docens to sanction the opinions of the Church discens.
7. The Church, when it proscribes errors, cannot exact from the faith-
ful any internal assent by which the judgments issued by it are embraced.
8. Those who treat as of no weight the condemnations passed by the
Sacred Congregation of the Index or by the other Roman Congregations
are free from all blame.
9. Those who believe that God is really the author of the Sacred Scrip-
ture display excessive simplicity or ignorance.
10. The inspiration of the books of the Old Testament consists in the
fact that the Israelite writers have handed down religious doctrines
under a peculiar aspect, either little or not at all known to the Gentiles.
11. Divine inspiration is not to be so extended to the whole of Sacred
Scriptures that it renders its parts, all and single, immune from all
error.
12. The exegete, if he wishes to apply himself usefully to Biblical
studies, must first of all put aside all preconceived opinions concerning
the supernatural origin of the Sacred Scripture, and interpret it not
otherwise than other merely human documents.
13. The evangelists themselves and the Christians of the second and
third generation arranged (digesserunt) artificially the evangelical par-
ables, and in this way gave an explanation of the scanty fruit of the
preaching of Christ among the Jews.
14. In a great many narrations the evangelists reported not so much
things that are true as things which even though false they judged to be
more profitable for their readers.
15. The Gospels until the time the canon was defined and constituted
HOLY SCEIPTUBE 181
were increased by additions and corrections; hence in them there re-
mained of the doctrine of Christ only a faint and uncertain trace.
16. The narrations of John are not properly history, but the mystical
contemplation of the Gospel; the discourses contained in his Gospel are
theological meditations, devoid of historical truth concerning the mys-
tery of salvation.
17. The Fourth Gospel exaggerated miracles not only that the won-
derful might stand out but also that they might become more suitable
for signifying the work and the glory of the Word Incarnate.
18. John claims for himself the quality of a witness concerning
Christ; but in reality he is only a distinguished witness of the Chris-
tian life, or of the life of Christ in the Church, at the close of the first
century.
19. Heterodox exegetes have expressed the true sense of the Scrip-
tures more faithfully than Catholic exegetes.
20. Revelation could be nothing but the consciousness acquired by
man of his relation with God.
21. Revelation, constituting the object of Catholic faith, was not com-
pleted with the Apostles.
22. The dogmas which the Church gives out as revealed, are not
truths which have fallen down from heaven, but are an interpretation of
religious facts, which the human mind has acquired by laborious effort.
23. Opposition may and actually does exist between the facts which
are narrated in Scripture and the dogmas of the Church which rest on
them; so that the critic may reject as false facts which the Church holds
as most certain.
24. The exegete is not to be blamed for constructing {remises from
which it follows that the dogmas are historically false or doubtful, pro-
vided he does not directly deny the dogmas themselves.
25. The assent of faith rests ultimately on a mass of probabilities.
1 26. The dogmas of faith are to be held only according to their prac-
tical sense, that is, as preceptive norms of conduct, but not as norms of
believing.
27. The Divinity of Jesus Christ is not proved from the Gospels; but
is a dogma which the Christian conscience has derived from the notion
of the Messias.
28. Jesus, while He was exercising His Ministry, did not speak with
the object of teaching that He was the Messias, nor did His miracles tend
to prove this.
29. It is lawful to believe that the Christ of history is far inferior to
the Christ who is the object of faith.
30. In all the evangelical texts the name Son of God is equivalent
only to Messias, and does not at all signify that Christ is the true and
natural Son of God.
31. The doctrine concerning Christ taught by Paul, John, the Coun-
cils of Nicea, Ephesus and Chalcedon, is not that which Jesus taught,
but that which- the Christian conscience conceived concerning Jesus.
32. It is not possible to reconcile the natural sense of the Gospel texts
with the sense taught by our theologians concerning the conscience and
the infallible knowledge of Jesus Christ.
182 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
33. It is evident to everybody who is not led by preconceived opinions
that either Jesus professed an error concerning the immediate Messianic
coming, or that the greater part of His doctrine as contained in the
Gospels is destitute of authenticity.
34. The critic cannot ascribe to Christ a knowledge circumscribed by
no limits except on a hypothesis which cannot be historically conceived
and which is repugnant to the moral sense, viz., that Christ as man had
the knowledge of God and yet was unwilling to communicate the knowl-
edge of a great many things to His Disciples and to posterity.
35. Christ had not always the consciousness of His Messianic dignity.
36. The Resurrection of the Saviour is not properly a fact of the his-
torical order, but a fact of merely supernatural order, neither demon-
strated nor demonstrable, which the Christian conscience gradually de-
rived from other facts.
37. Faith in the Resurrection of Christ was in the beginning not so
much in the fact itself of the Resurrection, as in the immortal life of
Christ with God.
38. The doctrine of the expiatory death of Christ is not Evangelical
but Pauline.
39. The opinions concerning the origin of the sacraments with which
the Fathers of Trent were imbued and which certainly influenced their
dogmatic canons are very different from those which now rightly obtain
among historians who examine into Christianity.
40. The sacraments had their origin in the fact that the Apostles and
their successors, swayed and moved by circumstances and events, inter-
preted some idea or intention of Christ.
41. The sacraments are merely intended to bring before the mind of
man the ever-beneficent presence of the Creator.
42. The Christian community imposed (iuduxit) the necessity of bap-
tism, adopting it as a necessary rite, and adding to it the obligations
of the Christian profession.
43. The practice of conferring baptism on infants was a disciplinary
evolution, which became one of the causes why the sacrament was divided
into two, viz. : baptism and penance.
44. There is nothing to prove that the rite of the sacrament of con-
firmation was employed by the Apostles: but the formal distinction of
the two sacraments, baptism and confirmation, does not belong to the
history of primitive Christianity.
45. Not everything which Paul narrates concerning the institution of
the Eucharist (I Cor. xi. 23-25) is to be taken historically.
46. In the primitive Church the conception of the Christian sinner
reconciled by the authority of the Church did not exist, but it was only
very slowly that the Church accustomed itself to this conception. Nay,
even after penance was recognized as an institution of the Church, it
was not called a sacrament, for it would be held as an ignominious
sacrament.
47. The words of the Lord: Receive ye the Holy Ghost; ivhose sins ye
shall forgive they are forgiven them, and whose sins ye shall retain they
are retained (John xx. 22, 23) do not at all refer to the sacrament of
penance, whatever the Fathers of Trent may have been pleased to say.
HOLY SCKIPTUBE 183
48. James in his Epistle (v. 14 and 15) did not intend to promulgate
a sacrament of Christ, but to commend a pious custom, and if in this
custom he happens to distinguish (cernit) a means of grace, it is not in
that rigorous manner in which it was received by the theologians who laid
down the notion and the number of the sacraments.
49. The Christian Supper gradually assuming the nature of a litur-
gical action, those who were wont to preside at the Supper acquired the
sacerdotal character.
50. The elders who filled the office of watching over the gatherings of
the faithful, were instituted by the Apostles as priests or bishops to pro-
vide for the necessary ordering (ordinationi) of the increasing oppor-
tunities, not properly for perpetuating the Apostolic mission and power.
51. It is not possible that matrimony could have become a sacrament
of the new Law until later in the Church; for in order that matrimony
should be held as a sacrament it was necessary that a full theological
development (explwatio) of the doctrine of grace and the sacraments
should first take place.
52. It was foreign to the mind of Christ to found a Church as a So-
ciety which was to last on the earth for a long course of centuries ; nay,
in the mind of Christ the Kingdom of Heaven together with the end of
the world was about to come immediately.
53. The organic constitution of the Church is not immutable; but
Christian society, like human society, is subject to perpetual evolution.
54. Dogmas, sacraments, hierarchy, both as regards the notion of them
and the reality, are but interpretations and evolutions of the Christian
intelligence which by external increments have increased and perfected
the little germ latent in the Gospel.
55. Simon Peter never even suspected that the primacy in the Church
was intrusted to him by Christ.
56. The Roman Church became the head of all the churches not
through the ordinance of Divine Providence but through merely political
conditions.
57. The Church has shown herself to be hostile to the progress of
natural and theological sciences.
58. Truth is not any more immutable than man himself, since it is
evolved with him, in him, and through him.
59. Christ did not teach a determinate body of doctrine applicable to
all times and to all men, but rather inaugurated a religious movement
adapted or to be adapted for different times and place.
60. Christian doctrine in its origin was Judaic, but through succes-
sive evolutions became first Pauline, then Joannine, and finally Hellenic
and universal.
61. It may be said without paradox that there is no chapter of Scrip-
ture, from the first of Genesis to the last of the Apocalypse, which con-
tains a doctrine absolutely identical with that which the Church teaches
on the same matter, and that, therefore, no chapter of Scripture has the
same sense for the critic and for the theologian.
62. The chief articles of the Apostolic Symbol had not for the Chris-
tians of the first ages the same sense that they have for the Christians
of our time.
184 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
63. The Church shows itself unequal to the task of efficaciously main-
taining evangelical ethics, because it obstinately adheres to immutable
doctrines which cannot be reconciled with modern progress.
64. The progress of science involves a remodeling (ut reformentur)
of the conceptions of Christian doctrine concerning God, Creation, Rev-
elation, the Person of the Incarnate Word, Redemption.
65. Modern Catholicism cannot be reconciled with true science unless
it be transformed into a non-dogmatic Christianity, that is into a broad
and liberal Protestantism.
And on the following Thursday, the fourth day of the same month
and year, an accurate report of all this having been made to Our Most
Holy Lord Pope Pius X, His Holiness approved and confirmed the De-
cree of the Most Eminent Fathers, and ordered that the propositions
above enumerated, all and several, be held by all as condemned and
proscribed.
PETER PALOMBELLI,
Notary of the H. R. U. I.
FEOM THE MOTU PEOPEIO OF PIUS X
ON THE DECISIONS OF THE BIBLICAL COMMISSION AND ON THE CEN-
SURES AND PENALTIES AFFECTING THOSE WHO NEGLECT TO OBSERVE
THE PRESCRIPTIONS AGAINST THE ERRORS OF THE MODERNISTS
IN his Encyclical Letter Providentissimus Deus, given on November 19,
1893, our predecessor, Leo XIII, of immortal memory, after describ-
ing the dignity of the Sacred Scripture and commending the study of it,
set forth the laws which govern the proper study of the Holy Bible;
and having proclaimed the divinity of these books against the errors and
calumnies of the rationalists, he at the same time defended them against
the false teachings of what is known as the higher criticism, which, as
the Pontiff most wisely wrote, are clearly nothing but the commentaries
of rationalism derived from a misuse of philology and kindred studies.
Our predecessor, too, seeing that the danger was constantly on the in-
crease, and desiring to provide against the consequences of the propa-
gation of rash and erroneous views, by his Apostolic Letters Vigilantice
studiique memores, given on October 29, 1902, established a Pontifical
Council, or Commission on Biblical Matters, composed of a number of
cardinals of the Holy Roman Church, distinguished for their learning and
prudence, adding to these, under the title of consultors, a considerable
body of men in sacred orders, chosen from among the learned in theol-
ogy and in the Holy Bible, of various nationalities and differing in their
methods and views concerning exegetical studies. In this the Pontiff had
in mind, as an advantage admirably adapted for the promotion of study
and for the time in which we live, that in this commission there should
be the fullest freedom for proposing, examining, and judging all opin-
ions whatsoever; and the letter also ordained that the cardinals of the
commission were not to come to any definite decision until they had
taken cognizance of and examined the arguments on both sides, omitting
HOLY SCEIPTUEE 185
nothing which might serve to show in the clearest light the true and
genuine state of the Biblical questions proposed for solution; and when
all this had been done, that the decisions reached should be submitted
for approval to the Supreme Pontiff, and then promulgated.
After mature examination and the most diligent consultations, cer-
tain decisions have been happily given by the Pontifical Commission on
the Bible, and these of a kind very useful for the proper promotion and
direction on safe lines of Biblical studies. But we observe that some
persons, unduly prone to opinions and methods tainted by pernicious
novelties, and excessively devoted to that principle of false liberty, which
is really immoderate license, and in sacred studies proves itself to be
most insidious and a fruitful source of the worst evils against the purity
of the faith, have not received and do not receive these decisions with
the proper obedience.
Wherefore we find it necessary to declare and prescribe, as we do now
declare and expressly prescribe, that all are bound in conscience to sub-
mit to the decisions, regarding doctrine, of the Biblical Commission,
which have been given in the past and which shall be given in the future,
in the same way as to the Decrees of the Roman Congregations approved
by the Pontiff; nor can all those escape the note of disobedience or te-
merity, and consequently of grave sin, who in speech or writing impugn
these decisions; and this besides the scandal they give and the other
reasons for which they may be responsible before God, for other temerities
and errors usually accompanying such oppositions.
Moreover to check the daily increasing audacity of a great many
modernists who are endeavoring by all kinds of sophistry and devices to
detract from the force and efficacy not only of the Decree Lamentabili
sane exitu, issued, by our order, by the Holy Roman and Universal
Inquisition of July 3 of the present year, but also of our Encyclical
Letters Pascendi dominici gregis given on September 8 of this same year,
we do by our Apostolic authority repeat and confirm both that Decree of
the Supreme Sacred Congregation and those Encyclical Letters of Ours,
adding the penalty of excommunication against contradictors; and this
we declare and decree, that should anybody, which may God forbid, be
so rash as to defend any one of the propositions, opinions or teachings
condemned in these documents, he falls ipso facto under the censure con-
tained under the Chapter Docentes of the Constitution Apostolicce Sedis,
which is first among the excommunications latce sententiw simply re-
served to the Roman Pontiff. This excommunication is to be understood
as salvis pcenis, which may be incurred by those who have violated in any
way the said documents, as propagators and defenders of heresies, when
their propositions, opinions or teachings are heretical, as has happened
more than once in the case of the adversaries of both these documents,
especially when they advocate the errors of modernism, that is the syn-
thesis of all heresies.
Wherefore, we again and most earnestly exhort the ordinaries of the
dioceses and the heads of religious congregations to use the utmost vigi-
lance over teachers, and first of all in the seminaries; and should they
find any of them imbued with the errors of the. modernists, and eager
for what is new and noxious, or lacking in docility to the prescriptions
186 HANDBOOK FOB THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
of the Apostolic See, no matter how they may be published, let them ab-
solutely forbid the teaching office to such ; so, too, let them exclude from
sacred orders those young men who give the very faintest reason for
doubt that they hold the condemned doctrines and the pernicious novel-
ties. We exhort them also to take diligent care to put an end to those
books and other writings, now growing exceedingly numerous, which con-
tain opinions or tendencies of the kind condemned in the Encyclical Let-
ters and Decree above mentioned; let them see to it that these publica-
tions are removed from Catholic publishing houses, and especially from
the hands of students and the clergy. By doing this they will at the
same time be promoting real and solid education, which should always
be a subject of the greatest solicitude for those who exercise sacred
authority.
All these things we will and order to be sanctioned and established by
our Apostolic authority, aught to the contrary notwithstanding.
Given at Rome at St. Peter's November 18, 1907, in the fifth year of
our Pontificate.
PIUS X, POPE
INTRODUCTION TO THE BIBLE
1. GENERAL PRINCIPLES
FEOM very early times the Holy Scriptures have been read,
studied and expounded both by Jews and Christians,, by
Catholics and non-Catholics. The results of all their exertions
are, however, very various and often in direct antagonism to one
another. As it is impossible for two or more opinions to be
correct at the same time, it follows that many mistakes have been
made.
Whoever desires not to err in studying the Scriptures must
not separate them from the Church, but regard them as be-
longing to the Church, and therefore he must recognize the
following truths :
1. Holy Scripture is God's word. But as, in accordance
with -our Lord's commission (Matt, xxviii. 19), it is the task
of the Church to make known to men the whole of God's reve-
lation, Scripture is the property of the Church.
2. The Church has preserved Holy Scripture in its integrity
and in all its parts free from falsification.
3. The Church alone possesses the correct interpretation of
Scripture.
The statement and proof of the first two truths form the sub-
ject of the historical and critical introduction to Holy Scripture,
whereas the third is the foundation of Biblical Hermeneutics.
Historical Survey
What we call the historical and critical introduction to Holy
Scripture is a product of recent times, and it has become an im-
portant branch of knowledge only in the last hundred years
or thereabouts.
In early Christian times there was no particular reason for
carrying on biblical study as we understand it. People believed
188 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
and accepted the living traditions, as they were still near the
time when the sacred books were written. The heathen, too, did
not, as a rule, meddle with the sacred books of the Christians.
Celsus aimed his attacks upon their contents, i. e. upon the doc-
trines of Christianity, and so did Lucian. Much valuable ma-
terial for our present preliminary studies is scattered about in
the works of the Fathers of the Church and of ecclesiastical
writers, particularly in Origen (185-254), Eusebius of Ca3sarea
(270-338), Saint Jerome (331-420, especially in his De Viris
Illustribus and in the introductions to his Latin translation
of the Bible) and Saint Augustine" (354-430). Cassiodorus, a
contemporary of some of the Fathers, who was first a states-
man and afterwards an abbot (c. 470-560), wrote the Isagoge, 1
a special work on the Bible, for his religious, and the African
lawyer, Junilius, wrote a similar book about the year 550, basing
it on Theodorus of Mopsuestia.
In the Middle Ages not much attention was paid to his-
torical and linguistic studies, and for this reason the great
medieval theologians are not of much assistance in supplying
the sort of material we need. It is, however, not true that Holy
Scripture was unknown at that time. On the contrary, the
Bible was the foundation of almost all their learned works, and
that the people were familiar with it is proved by the numerous
works of art, e. g. stained-glass windows, in churches dating
back to the Middle Ages. The Bible was the first book that ever
appeared in print (1450), and by 1500 it had been printed over
100 times (Janssen, Gesch. d. d. Volkes, I, p. 18). In the
Middle Ages the Bible was studied with particular zeal in Spain,
where the Christians were obliged to defend their faith against
Mahometans and Jews. These circumstances prompted the com-
position of the Pugio fidei adv. Mauros et Judceos by Kaimundus
Martini, and of many works by the Franciscan Eaimundus
Sullus. Another Franciscan, Nicholas of Lyra (died 1340),
collected and arranged in the prefaces to his postils such infor-
mation about Holy Scripture as then existed.
1 Migne, Patres Lat., Vol. LXX. The word Isagoge is used in the
same sense as by Cassiodorus, also by the Dominican Santes Pagninus,
1536.
INTRODUCTION TO THE BIBLE 189
The Dominican Sixtus of Siena (died 1599) in his Bibli-
otheca Sancta, essayed to defend in an intelligent manner the
teaching of the Council of Trent regarding Holy Scripture
against the Reformers. Cardinal Bellarmine, S.J., wrote the
first book (De Verio Dei) of his great work De Controversiis
Fidei with a similar intention. Many of the numerous com-
mentators who followed him, especially Salmeron, Serarius and
Bonfrerius, wrote works that were to be introductory to the
study of the Bible.
What we at present call historical and critical study intro-
ductory to Holy Scripture was begun by Richard Simon, priest
of the Oratory (died 1712), * who opposed the pantheist Spinoza,
and Calmet, a Benedictine (died 1757).
2. ARRANGEMENT OF AN INTRODUCTION TO THE BIBLE
An introduction to the Bible may suitably be divided into
the following headings :
1. The origin of the sacred books, or Holy Scripture as
God's word, first and fundamental part.
2. The collection of the sacred books, or Holy Scripture as a
whole, second part, general introduction.
3. Component parts of Holy Scripture, or the sacred books
considered singly, third part, special introduction.
1 Of his many writings the ones to which special reference is made
here are his Histoire critique du Vieux Testament and his Histoire cri-
tique du text du Nouveau Testament.
FIRST PART
ORIGIN OF HOLY SCRIPTURE, OR HOLY SCRIP-
TURE AS THE WORD OF GOD
3. GENERAL SURVEY
GOD, who is above all, has communicated to some individuals
particular supernatural knowledge, and this communica-
tion is called revelation. Those honored by receiving it made
known the revealed truths to others, partly by word of mouth
(tradition) and partly by writing them down by aid of God's
special co-operation (Holy Writ). As the divine truths were
communicated at different times, they were written down at dif-
ferent times, and in this way several sacred books gradually came
into existence, which, being collected into one whole, are called
the canonical books or Bible. The mark therefore by which
the sacred books are distinguished from others is their divine
origin, i. e. they came into being in consequence of some par-
ticular action on God's part, which is called inspiration. The
instrument by which we are assured of the divine character
of the written revelation, or by which we recognize the inspired
writings, is the Canon, i. e. the list of the sacred books drawn
up by the Church.
We have therefore to consider: (1) Inspiration; (2) the
Canon.
FIRST SECTION
INSPIRATION
4. TEACHING OF THE CHURCH ON THE SUBJECT OF
INSPIRATION
It is the teaching of the Church that Holy Scripture owes its
origin not merely to human, but more especially to divine action.
OKIGUST OF HOLY SCRIPTUKE 191
This teaching was formulated last by the Vatican Council in
1870 and stated in the words: Spiritu Sancto inspirante con-
scripti (libri) Deum habent auctorem (Sess. 3, cap. 2). In
the same way the Council of Trent declared that God was the
author of the books of both the Old and the New Testaments
(Sess. 4, de can. scr.). 1 Pope Eugenius IV also used similar
language in the decree of Union, 1439 ; 2 and still earlier, at the
Second Council of Lyons in 1274, the same fact was proclaimed. 3
Cf. Decretum Inquis. Rom. d. d. 3d Julii 1907, Nos. 9, 10, 11.
Evidence in support of this doctrine of the Church is derived
from Holy Scripture itself and from tradition.
Holy Scripture itself frequently bears witness to its divine
origin.
(a) In the prophet Osee viii. 12, God ascribes to Himself the author-
ship of the Pentateuch: "I shall write to him [Israel] my manifold
laws [i.e. far more often than has already been done; Moses is known
to have written several times at God's bidding], which have been ac-
counted as foreign." In Acts iv. 24, 25, the 2d Psalm, although composed
by David, is ascribed to God : " Lord, thou art he ... who by the Holy
Ghost, by the mouth of our father David, . . . hast said." In Hebrews
i. 7 the 103d Psalm is quoted as God's word: " And to the angels indeed
he saith: qui facit angelos suos spiritus." In the same way there is a
reference in Heb. iv. 4, etc., to Gen. ii. 2, 3, and to Ps. xciv. Cf. Acts
xxviii, 25; II Tim. iii. 16; II Peter i. 21.
(6) Jesus Christ Himself quoted passages from the sacred books,
adding that they proceeded from the Holy Ghost: Matthew xxii. 43;
Mark xii. 36.
Its divine origin may be recognized in the construction of the
Bible.
(a) It contains many statements which could not be the outcome of
merely human knowledge. This is true particularly of the types and
prophecies, many of which were at first obscure and unintelligible, and
only gradually became plain and were understood (e.g. Gen. iii. 15; xvi.
21, 22; xlv, 7; Is. vii. 14; xiv. 23; xxi. 1; Luke xii. 32).
(&) The Holy Scriptures, although belonging to various periods and
1 Sacra synodus omnes libros tarn veteris quam novi testamenti, quam
utriusque unus Deus sit auctor, . . . suscipit et veneratur.
3 (Romana ecclesia) Deum veteris et novi testamenti profitetur auc-
torem, quoniam eodem Spiritu sancto inspirante utriusque testamenti
Sancti locuti sunt.
3 Credimus novi et veteris testamenti, legis et prophetarum et aposto-
lorum unum esse auctorem Deum ac Dominum omnipotentem.
192 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
written by many different persons, nevertheless bear a uniform character,
and appear as one consistent whole, dominated by the same opinions and
having the uniform aim of bringing men to God. One and the same
spirit prevails and speaks in all the books of the Bible. " As in Paradise,
God walks in the Holy Scriptures, seeking man. When a sinner reads
these Scriptures, he hears God's voice saying, ' Adam, where art thou ? ' "
(Ambros., de Paradiso). The Old Testament tells us of the preparations
made for saving the lost; the New Testament tells us of the actual sal-
vation; in the one are the promises, in the other their fulfillment. See
Hermeneutics, p. 449.
Tradition supplies very numerous testimonies to it.
Thus Clement of Rome calls the sacred books of the Old Testament
"true pronouncements of the Holy Ghost"; 1 Justin Martyr says the
prophets were inspired by the Logos (Apologia, I, 36, 39) ; Clement of
Alexandria designates the sacred books " divine utterances " ( Beta \6yta )
(Strom., IX, 345), etc. Cf. Leo XIII, Encyclical, pp. 159 and 175.
5. WHAT is MEANT BY INSPIRATION
The Church declares God Himself to be the primary author of
Holy Scripture. The Councils have not given us any explanation
of this doctrine., and so it is left to theologians to give a precise
account of what is meant by inspiration. 2 Now theologians
understand by inspiration, or theopneustia, an action of the
divine spirit upon the human mind, whereby the latter is raised
so far above its natural powers that its productions cease to
be merely human works, but are at the same time divine.
1 Ep. I ad Cor., 45 : ^Y/ctfTrrere els rds ypa<J>as, rets a\ri6eis pTjcreis
TOV aylov.
2 See Schmid, De inspirationis Bibliorum vi et ratione, Brix., 1885.
Dausch, Die Schriftinspiration, Frbg., 1891. Leitner, Die prophet. In-
spiration, Frbg., 1896. Chauvin, Die Imp. d. HI. Schr., ubers. v. Pletl,
Regensb., 1899. Holzhey, Schopfung, Bibel und Insp., Stuttgart, 1902.
v. Hummelauer, S.J., Exegetisches zur Inspirationslehre, Frbg., 1904.
Fonck, S.J., Kampf um die Wahrheit der HI. Schrift, Innsbr., 1905.
Peters, Stellung der Kath. Kirche zur Bibelforschung, Paderborn, 1905.
Pesch, Chr., S.J., De inspiratione s. Script., Frbg., 1906. Cf. Haidacher,
Lehre d. hi. Joh. Chrysostomus ilber die Schriftinspiration, Salzb., 1897.
(According to Saint John Chrysostom God is really and truly the pri-
mary author of Holy Scripture, and throughout we have to assume a
real inspiration, and in exceptional passages also a verbal inspiration.
Consequently the Scriptures are completely free from error.) Zollig,
Die Inspirationslehre des Origines, Frbg. i. Br., 1902. (According to
Origen the literal meaning is of minor importance, and may often be
quite wrong, but the mystical sense is the chief matter.)
OKIGIN OF HOLY SCEIPTUKE 193
When they proceed to determine this divine action more par-
ticularly with reference to the sacred books, theologians differ.
1. Some give too broad an interpretation of the idea of
inspiration, and say that a book originating in a merely human
way, without supernatural intervention of the Holy Ghost, may
be called inspired, if the Church under the guidance of the Holy
Ghost admits it to the Canon, thus confirming its contents and
declaring that it contains divine revelation without error. This
view leaves practically no scope for inspiration, and it cannot
be reconciled with the Church, which declares God Himself to
be the primary author of Holy Scripture. The Vatican Council
expressly condemned this opinion (Sess. 3, cap. 2). Equally
wrong is the theory that inspiration affects only res fidei et
morum, so that Holy Scripture may contain mistakes on such
subjects as science and history, for its aim is not to impart in-
formation on matters of this kind, but only to teach men what
they must believe and how they must live. In this way God
Himself, the primary author of the Scriptures, would be the
author of error ; 1 and for this reason Leo XIII condemned the
theory as false in his Encyclical Providentissimus.
Cdnsequitur ut qui in locis authenticis librorum, sacrorum quidpiam
falsi contineri posse existiment, ii profecto aut catholicam divince in-
spirationis notionem pervertcmt, aut Deum ipsum erroris faciant auc-
torem (see p. 176).
2. Too broad also is the opinion of others who say that
"inspiration consists in the divine impulse to write, and in
preservation from error whilst writing." If God is the primary-
author of Holy Scripture, His divine influence must do more
than merely avert errors ; some positive action of God must have
made itself felt in the composition of the sacred books.
3. Others have too narrow an idea of inspiration, and assume
that every word was a matter of divine communication. Against
this theory we may say: (a) God's divine influence never de-
1 There are indeed mistaken opinions and doctrines in Holy Scripture,
but they are only quotations made for the purpose of controverting them.
Such, for instance, occur in Ecclesiastes ii. 24, viii. 15; 1 Cor. xv. 32.
This was the reply given to a question referred to the Papal Biblical
Commission, Feb. 15, 1905.
194 HANDBOOK FOB THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
stroys human individuality, but is wont only to raise, ennoble
and transform nature. 1 (5) Every one of the sacred writers has
his own particular language; Isaias no less than Jeremias, and
Saint John as well as Saint Paul, all reveal their definite char-
acter, (c) The same event, e. g. the birth of Christ, His Pas-
sion and Eesurrection, is described in different ways by different
authors, (d) The sacred writers declare that they have en-
countered difficulties in their work, and have had to take trouble
over it (e. g. Ps. Ixxii. 16 ; Eccles. xii. 9. Sirach in his preface) .
Accordingly we cannot accept a strictly verbal inspiration, 2 yet
we must admit: (a) that God gave special revelations to the
sacred writers, and that the choice of many most important
words and expressions, such as Eloliim, Yahweh, Logos. Sophia,
Mashiach, was made through inspiration; (&) that the language
of the sacred writers was permeated, raised and ennobled by
the divine influence ; for just as God is the author of the written
word, so is He also of the language (cf. I Cor. ii. 13 ). 3 There-
fore the language of Holy Writ is the model most worthy of
imitation by preachers.
4. The correct view of inspiration is the following: (1) The
Holy Ghost impels the authors to write; (2) He enlightens them,
so that they fall into no error; (3) He directs them in the
choice of their subject; (4) He assists them in finding language
to express their meaning; (5) He imparts to them supernatural
revelation with regard to all that they otherwise could not know,
1 It may also be taken for granted that the sacred writers often spoke
of things as they saw them, and used everyday expressions, although
strictly scientific accuracy would have required other forms of speech.
In just the same way modern astronomers speak of sunrise and sunset.
Thus bees (Sir. xi. 3) and bats (Lev. xi. 19) are called birds, not in the
narrower sense, but in a general way, as winged creatures.
2 The early Protestants declared that the original text had come di-
rectly from God; hence they regarded even the vowel marks and accents
of the Hebrew as inspired. This theory had to be abandoned when it
became known that these marks had not been inserted before the sixth
century.
8 Pope Leo XIII writes: "He [i.e. the Holy Ghost] so assisted them
[the inspired writers] during their writing, that all those things, and
those alone, which He ordered, they both rightly conceived in their mind,
and wished to write faithfully, and expressed them in suitable language
with infallible accuracy; otherwise He would not ha the author of the,
entire Sacred Scripture (see p. 176).
ORIGIN OF HOLY SCEIPTURE 195
e.g. respecting prophecies; (6) He provides also that the de-
posit of faith contained in Holy Scripture shall be correctly
rendered in various languages, so that inspiration belongs not
only to the original text but to every authentic text.
The question whether in the case of the Apostles (as well as in that
of the prophets) inspiration was given through the call of God, or
whether this affected only their oral discourses, must probably be de-
cided in the second sense. They were told simply to go forth and preach;
therefore a special inspiration was required to enable them to write.
(The first view, that no further inspiration was necessary, is supported
by Schanz, Dausch and others; the second by Pesch, Cornely, etc.)
Were the inspired persons aware of the divine influence? Not always,
or at least not always clearly, as is shown by Caiphas, who prophesied
unconsciously (John xi. 51).
SECOND SECTION
THE CANON OF HOLY SCRIPTURE
6. MEANING OF THE EXPRESSION
Ever since the time of the Fathers of the Church, the col-
lection of sacred books has been known as the Canon. The
Greek word Kavcov signifies rule or standard. Two opinions
exist as to the sense in which this name is given to Holy Scrip-
ture. Some think that it means that these books, as they con-
tain divine revelations, are a rule and standard of faith and
life for men. According to this interpretation, therefore, the
expression " Canonical Books "' means regulating or standard-
izing books. According to the other opinion, the word " Canon "
implies that the collection of these books by the Church con-
stitutes the sole rule or standard for what is to be read aloud
in the Church or used generally in church worship; so that it
is not permissible to go beyond these books and adopt others.
Since the time of Saint Jerome the latter view has been com-
monly accepted, although the other was emphasized by the
earlier ecclesiastical writers.
The list of saints is also called the Canon (as the rule for public ven-
eration ) ; hence we have the word " Canonization." In the same way
the most important part of the sacrificial prayers at Mass is called the
Canon, as it is a standing rule for the priest.
196 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
7. OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS
Some of the sacred books were written before the time of our
Lord and the rest after. Therefore they are divided into the
books of the Old and the books of the New Covenant, or shortly
(following II Cor. iii. 14) into the Old and the New Testament.
This use of the word " Testament " is identical with " Covenant/'
being, in accordance with the usage of the old Latin version of
the Bible, the translation of the Greek StaQtiKij, by which word
the Septuagint generally translates the Hebrew beritli, Covenant.
The word 8ia6^Kij signifies also a testament or will disposing of prop-
erty. There is a reference to this meaning in Hebrews ix. 16, etc., where
we read " where there is a testament, the death of the testator must of
necessity come in." Now the Old Testament came into force with the
death of beasts, and was sealed with their blood; the New Testament
came into force with the Son of God, and was sealed with His Blood.
How much higher is the New than the Old Covenant !
8. FORMATION OF THE OLD TESTAMENT CANON
In speaking of the Old Testament we have to distinguish two
canons, the Jewish and the Ecclesiastical; the latter contains
some books not included in the former.
In order to come to a correct decision as to the power of the
Church to add to the Hebrew Canon, we must go back beyond
the present opinions held by the Jews, to the time when they
were still regarded as God's people: Their later judgments are
no longer authoritative. Let us ask, therefore: How did the
canon of the Old Testament come into existence, and when was
it concluded?
1. It is hardly possible to give a satisfactory answer to
the question relating to the origin of the Old Testament
Canon, as we do not know what criteria guided the Jews in
distinguishing the inspired writings from others and in put-
ting them together. All that we know with certainty is (a) that
sacred books have in every age been distinguished from those of
merely human authorship, and (&) that in every age care has
been taken to collect the sacred books and guard against their
OBIGIN OF HOLY SCBIPTUKE 197
loss. 1 The charge of the sacred books does not seem to have
been laid upon the whole nation, but especially upon the priests
(Deut. xvii. 18).
Speaking generally, we may say that the whole literature of
Israel after the time of Moses is an outgrowth of the Mosaic
law, having this as its foundation and its groundwork.
The beginning of a collection of the sacred books was made
under Josue, when the Book of Josue was added to the five
books of Moses (Jos. xxiv. 26). In a similar way the other
historical books must have been appended to those already ex-
isting, since they form an exact continuation of them (Judges
i. 1; Euth i. 1, etc.). 2 At a very early period the prophetic
writings were regarded as forming part of Holy Scripture, for
Daniel (ix. 2) speaks of them as belonging to the collection
of sacred books. In the time of the Machabees the didactic
books also were considered sacred, as we read (I Mach. xii. 9)
that their holy books were a comfort to the Jews, and this re-
mark would apply particularly to the class of didactic writings.
In any case, long before the time of Christ there were three
classes of sacred books, as there are now, for in the preface
to the Book of Ecclesiasticus or Sirach mention is made of
" The Law and the Prophets and the other books " undoubt-
edly as of a collection of sacred writings.
2. With regard to the date of the conclusion of the Old
Testament Canon, we have to distinguish the Palestine from the
Alexandrian Canon. In Palestine the Book of Esdras was ex-
cluded from the Canon, according to the Jewish tradition, which
is stated by Josephus Flavius, a contemporary of the Apostles.
In his work against Apion (I, 8) he speaks of the books which
the Jews " regard as divine." He names first " the five books of
Moses." "After Moses," he continues, ''the prophets who fol-
lowed Moses recorded the events of their time in thirteen books,
until the period when Artaxerxes ruled, who succeeded Xerxes.
There are, moreover, four books containing songs in praise of
1 Cf. Proverbs xxv. 1. "These are also parables of Solomon, which the
men of Ezechias, King of Juda, copied out."
2 It is, however, not improbable that this connection was made when
the sacred books were collected in the time of Esdras.
198 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
God and rules of life. Between the time when Artaxerxes lived
and our own, other books have indeed been written, but they
enjoy no such reputation as the above-mentioned, which are so
highly esteemed that no one has dared to alter anything in
them. It is impressed upon all Jews from their birth that
they must believe these to be divinely written, and that they
must hold fast to them, and, if need be, sacrifice life itself for
them." From this passage it appears that in the opinion of
Josephus, 1 in the time of Artaxerxes I, when Esdras and Nehe-
mias were alive, the Hebrew Canon was closed. The Jews in
Alexandria and elsewhere outside Palestine, not knowing Hebrew,
read the sacred books in Greek (Septuagint), not only those
collected by Esdras, but others also, which they must have
regarded as being likewise of divine origin, for they certainly
would not have associated profane with holy writings. The
Jews in Palestine, too, had some sacred books not included
in the strict canon; for in II Machabees ii. 15 they offer to
send more recent books to their fellow countrymen in Egypt.
To some extent, even in Palestine itself, the Greek books were
read in the synagogues. The full Canon of the Old Testament
was not concluded until the grace of inspiration ceased among
the Jews, when the foundations of the Church, the new King-
dom of God, were already being laid, and the Jewish people
were approaching its final rejection.
9. CONTENTS OP THE OLD TESTAMENT CANON
The Church received the sacred books through Christ and
His Apostles. The question therefore arises, what books were
considered sacred in our Saviour's time? Unfortunately we
possess no complete list of them dating from His time or from
the period before His life; 2 but not long after His death
1 We can see from his words that in his time, viz. about 100 A. D., the
Jews had already become exclusive, and recognized only the Hebrew
books, and tried to exclude the Greek.
2 From II Machabees ii. 13 we learn only that Nehemias added to the
already existing sacred books those of Kings and Chronicles, the writ-
ings of some prophets, the Psalms, and the books of Esdras and Nehe-
mias. It is certain that the author of the Book of Ecclesiasticus or
OKIGIN OF HOLY SCKIPTURE 199
Josephus Flavius (born 37 A. D.) gave a catalogue of them.
At a later period Melito of Sardes (about 150 A. D.) and Origen
(born 185 A. D.) made very precise statements regarding the
sacred books recognized by the Jews of their day. The Talmud,
too, gives a similar list.
1. In his already quoted work against Apion (I, 8) Josephus
Flavius speaks of 22 books "which are considered divine." It
is true that we cannot decide which books he means, as he
specifies only "5 books of Moses, 13 of the prophets and 4
others." His testimony is, however, important, inasmuch as it
proves that in his time the Jews recognized at least 22 books as
sacred.
2. Melito (Me\tTG>i>), Bishop of Sardes, made a journey to
Palestine expressly to ascertain from the Jews there what sacred
books they possessed. He wrote thence a letter to his brother
Onesimus, which has been preserved (Euseb., Hist. Eccl., IV,
26), and in it he enumerates the sacred books of the Jews. The
only books contained in the present Jewish canon that he fails
to mention are Nehemias and Esther. 1
3. Origen's list corresponds with the present Jewish canon,
but the 12 minor prophets are not mentioned, although it in-
cludes the two books of Machabees (Euseb., Hist. Eccl., VI, 25).
4. The earliest official list of the books regarded by the Jews
as inspired is contained in the Talmud, that was compiled at
various times between the third and sixth centuries of our era.
It mentions:
I. Thorn, i. e. law ; the 5 books of Moses.
II. Nebiim, i. e. prophets, viz. :
(a) the early prophets; 6. Josue, 7. Judges, 8. Kuth,
9. two books of Samuel, 10. two books of Kings.
(&) the later prophets; 11. Isaias, 12. Jeremias, 13.
Lamentations, 14. Ezechiel, 15. the twelve minor
prophets.
Sirach was familiar with all the protocanonical books with the excep-
tion, perhaps, of Daniel (Lit. Rundschau, 1900, No. 11).
1 Nehemias was probably reckoned as part of Esdras, and Esther may
not have been acknowledged because Melito displayed this book in its
expanded Greek form.
200 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
III. Kethiibim, i.e. hagiographa. 16. Psalms; 17. Proverbs;
18. Job; 19. Canticles; 20. Qohelet; 21. Esther; 22.
Daniel; 23. Esdras and Nehemias; 24. Chronicles.
If Kuth is reckoned as part of Judges, and Lamentations as
part of Jeremias, the list contains only 22 books. Saint Jerome
(prologus galeatus) arranges the Jewish canon thus. 1 We cannot
ascertain from any of these lists which books were regarded as
sacred by our Saviour and the Apostles, and yet there is no
doubt on the subject, as we shall proceed to show.
10. CONTINUATION. CONTENTS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT
CANON, ACCORDING TO THE TEACHING OF THE CHURCH.
JUSTIFICATION OF THIS TEACHING.
The Council of Trent (Sess. 4) drew up an official list of
the sacred books of the Old Testament. It contains all those
already mentioned, and in addition (1) Baruch, (2) Tobias,
(3) Judith, (4) and (5) the first and second Books of Macha-
bees, (6) Sirach or Ecclesiasticus, and (7) "Wisdom, as well
as extensions of Daniel and Esther. As these books do not occur
in the canon recognized by the Jews, they have been known since
the time of Sixtus of Siena as deuterocanonical, whilst the
others are called protocanonical. (The Vatican Council, III, 2,
simply renewed the decision of the Council of Trent.)
Had the Church any right to add to the Jewish canon, and
to recognize 31 books in the Old Testament instead of 22 ? 2
The New Testament contains about 270 quotations from the Old,
and these are mostly from the Septuagint, 3 so that in the time
1 This is still the Canon of the Jews, except that in modern Hebrew
Bibles Ruth and Lamentations are classed among the Kethubim, and
with Canticles, Qohelet and Esther form the so-called five Megilloth or
rolls. They are put together because they are read aloud in the syna-
gogues on certain days, viz. Canticles at the Pasch, Ruth at Pentecost,
Lamentations on the 9th of Ab (the day when the destruction of both
the first and the second Temple is commemorated), Qohelet on the Feast
of Tabernacles, and Esther on the Feast of Purim.
2 If the single books are counted, there are 46, viz. 39 protocanonical
and 7 deuterocanonical.
8 Saint Matthew has a few quotations from the Hebrew, the other
Evangelists practically none.
OKIGIN OF HOLY SCKIPTUKE 201
of our Lord the Hebrew Bible seems to have been less the standard
version than the widely spread Greek text of the Old Testament.
It was the Greek text that the Apostles used themselves and
gave to the Christians, and this text contains the above-mentioned
31 sacred books.
The Jews nowadays pay no attention to this Greek text of
the Septuagint, but they esteemed it very highly in the time of our
Lord and the Apostles. Originating among the Jews, it was
regularly read aloud in the Synagogues, as Justin Martyr (born
about 100 A. D. at Sichem) testifies (Dial. c. Tryph., 137). Like
the Apostles, Josephus Flavius made use of it in his writings.
Even in the third century Baruch was read in the synagogues,
and in the Talmud Sirach or Ecclesiasticus is mentioned with
the Law and the Prophets. 1 The Church accepted this text and
all that it contained from the apostles, and could not give it
up, as she retained the apostles' teaching.
That from the very beginning the Church has recognized also
the deuterocanonical books of the Old Testament appears from
the following evidence :
1. In the Catacombs, used in the time before Constantine the
Great as places of assembly for the purpose of worship, there
are many representations of scenes from the Old Testament,
and among them some from the deuterocanonical books.
There are, for instance, pictures of the men in the fiery furnace, sing-
ing the praises of God; of Habakuk bringing Daniel food; of Tobias
with the fish, and of his guide Raphael; there are scenes from Judith
and Esther. There is, however, scarcely a single subject from the
apocryphal books, not even from such as were used in public worship, as
e. g. Hernias' " Pastor," and this is a proof that the distinction was clear
between the canonical and the apocryphal books.
2. In the disputes between heretics and the faithful quo-
tations from the deuterocanonical books were made and accepted
on both sides. Thus, for instance, at the First Council of
Mcaea (325), the Book of Judith was treated as canonical
(Hier. prcef. in I Judith).
1 They were regarded by the Jews in Palestine as sacred, though not
canonical, whereas the Hellenistic Jews considered them to be inspired
and included them in their canon.
202 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
3. The earliest Fathers and ecclesiastical writers quote all
our sacred books as being quite on a level. Thus Polycarp
(Ep. ad Phil., c. 10) quotes the book of Tobias; Hippolytus of
Rome comments on the Book of Daniel, including the deutero-
canonical portions; Saint Ambrose quotes passages from Sirach
or Ecclesiasticus and Wisdom, and refers to these books as
scripturw. After the fourth century, however, a few of the
ecclesiastical writers began to treat the deuterocanonical books
as of inferior importance. This was done by Saint Athanasius
and especially by Saint Jerome, who, in his prologus galeatus.,
tried to show that the books not contained in the Hebrew canon
were of value only for edification, and could not be used in
support of dogmas, and he pronounced them apocryphal. This
view never won universal acceptation, and most people continued
to abide by the old arrangement. There were some who followed
the example of this great scholar until the Middle Ages; even
Thomas Aquinas wavers to some extent, and this wavering on
the part of individuals led the teaching authority in the Church
to fix the canon. This was done by the Council of Trent.
4. That the decision at Trent was not suddenly thrust upon
the Church, but was based on tradition, appears from earlier
ecclesiastical decisions, which had not, however, been addressed
to the universal Church. Exactly the same list of the Old
Testament scriptures as the Tridentine was given by Pope
Damasus in a decretal of the year 374, 1 by a synod held in
Africa in 393, during the lifetime of Saint Augustine, and by
Pope Innocent I in a letter to Bishop Exsuperius of Toulouse,
in 405.
5. The Oriental sects, severed during the first few centuries
from the unity of the Church, agree absolutely with the Church
regarding the canon.
11. ORIGIN OF THE CANON OP THE NEW TESTAMENT
The early Christians set upon the writings of the Apostles
exactly the same value as upon their oral teaching; they recog-
1 The authenticity of this decretal is challenged by Friedrich.
OKIGIN OP HOLY SCKIPTUKE 203
nized both alike as the word of God. But at a very early period
some books appeared under pretense of apostolic origin, but not
really authentic. Saint Luke (i. 1) speaks of many who had
written an account of Christ. Precautions had to be taken with
regard to these works, and the following principle was found
to be a safe one:
As a rule the Apostles wrote only when particular local or
personal conditions caused them to do so. Only a few of
their works were from the outset intended for general use, such
as the epistles to the Colossians and Galatians, and the first
Epistle of Peter. In the churches where the apostolic writings
had been composed (e.g. Saint Mark's Gospel in Home), or to
which they were addressed, and whither they had been brought
by trustworthy messengers, it was the custom to read them at
public worship. If then one or another Christian church ex-
pressed a desire to possess also some particular book of apostolic
authorship, a copy was made and dispatched. No work was
accepted as apostolic unless it had the evidence for its authen-
ticity of the Church where it had been written, or to which it
was addressed. If no such evidence were forthcoming, the book
was not considered authentic, even though it professed to be
written by an Apostle. 1
12. CONTENTS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT CANON
It is plain from what has been said that not every Christian
congregation can originally have possessed every book written
by the Apostles. The multiplication and diffusion of the apos-
tolic writings was hindered by well-grounded suspicions of their
authenticity, by the poverty of the majority of Christianity, by
the difficulties of traveling and of transport, as well as by the
danger of persecution. The collections of books must have
varied at first, and must have remained so for a longer or
shorter time, according to circumstances. After the third cen-
tury still greater caution was shown on account of heretics, and
the Christians, remembering the Apostle's warning in II Thessa-
1 Iren., Adv. hcer., Ill, iv. 1 ; Tertull., Adv. Maroion, IV, 5 ; Kaulen, I,
31, etc.
204 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
lonians, ii. 14, as a rule were unwilling to depart from the tra-
dition that had come down to them.
Some of the apostolic writings were, however, comparatively
soon collected and circulated almost everywhere, so that, as far
as we know, there was never any doubt as to their authenticity.
These were the 4 Gospels, Acts, 13 Epistles of Saint Paul, the
first Epistle of Saint Peter and the first of Saint John. The
Apostolic Fathers Papias and Saint Ignatius the Martyr are
witnesses to the existence of a collection which probably com-
prised these books. For Papias speaks expressly of the Gospels
(see the Special Introduction), and Ignatius refers to the " Gos-
pel and the Apostles" in exactly the same way as to the Law
and the Prophets of the Old Covenant (Ep. ad Philad., c. 5
and 9).
The seven remaining books of the New Testament were known
in some congregations from the beginning, but only later found
general acceptation. These are the Epistle to the Hebrews, the
second Epistle of Peter, the second and third of John, the
epistles of James and Jude and, finally, the Apocalypse. (These
books may be termed deuterocanonical, on the analogy of the
Old Testament.)
In his edition of the Apostolic Fathers, Funk has counted 68 allu-
sions to the New Testament in the Epistle of Barnabas, 158 in the first
epistle written by Clement of Rome to the Corinthians, 79 in the second
epistle, 53 in the letters of Ignatius, 68 in those of Polycarp, and 29 in
the epistle to Diognetus.
Comely (Comp., 39) points out that Saint Matthew's Gospel was
known to all the Apostolic Fathers; Saint Mark's at least to Papias;
Saint Luke's at least to Clement of Rome, Polycarp and the heretic
Basilides; Saint John's to Ignatius, to the author of the Epistle to
Diognetus and to Basilides; Acts to Clement of Rome, Ignatius and
Polycarp; Saint Paul's Epistles to different churches were known to
almost all the Apostolic Fathers, and the Pastoral Epistles also to Clem-
ent of Rome, Ignatius and Polycarp; the first of Saint Peter to Papias
and Polycarp; the first of Saint John and the Apocalypse at least to
Papias and Polycarp; the second of Saint Peter probably to Clement of
Rome and Polycarp, Saint James to Clement of Rome. We ought,
however, to remember that the writings of the Apostolic Fathers are few
in number, and were not intended for all Christians nor addressed to all ;
it is therefore surprising that only four short epistles are not mentioned
by them, viz. Philemon, second and third of Saint John, and Saint Jude.
Thus during the first of the second century the greater and more impor-
tant books of the New Testament were already well known.
OKIGIN OF HOLY SCRIPTUKE 205
13. THE NEW TESTAMENT CANON OF THE EARLIEST CHURCHES
If we ask the chief churches of early Christianity, those that
were the parents of others, what was their oldest canon of the
New Testament, we shall obtain the following information:
1. From the Roman church we have a very ancient list of
the books of the New Testament, contained in the so-called
Fragmentum Muratorii* dating from the second century. 2 It
contains all our books of the New Testament, except four epistles
(Hebrews, James, first and second of Peter). The earliest
Latin translation (Itala), which was compiled at least in part
as early as the first century, contains all our New Testament
books. 3
2. In the church of Antioch, the Syrian translation, known
as Peshitto, dating from the second century, was in general use.
This contained all the books of the New Testament with the
exception of five (second of Peter, second and third of John,
Jude, and the Apocalypse).
It is true that Ephrem the Syrian, writing soon after 300 A. D., quotes
the latter books, but they probably did not form part of the original
Peshitto, but were added later. The translation of them is certainly of
later date than that of the rest of the book. Instead of the Gospels,
Tatian's Diatessaron was read in Edessa (see p. 210).
3. With regard to Palestine, no catalogue of the New Testa-
ment books exists older than that made by Saint Cyril of Jerusa-
lem in the middle of the fourth century. It contains all the
books as we have them, with the exception of the Apocalypse.
4. From the church of Alexandria we have the testimony
of Clement of Alexandria (150-217), of whom Eusebius tells us
1 For a fuller account see Comely, Comp., 621; Introd., i. 167.
2 Zahn fixes 210 as its date. The writer however says that Hermas
wrote his " Pastor," " nuperrime temporibus nostris" whilst his brother
Pius was pope. This can be no one but Pius I (142-157) ; hence the
" Pastor " belongs to the second century, and the " Fragment " is of the
same period. It is so called because its beginning and end are missing.
M. Schanz believes it to be a translation from a Greek original.
8 Of course it is impossible that it should from the very beginning
have contained all the books of the New Testament, as the Can. Mur.
shows.
206 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
(Hist. Eccl., VI, 14) that he made a summary of all the sacred
books, including those of doubtful authenticity. In the writings
that have come down to us he mentions all the apostolic writ-
ings except the second Epistle of Saint Peter, and the second and
third of Saint John. He must, however, have known the latter
epistles, as he speaks of the first Epistle as " the greater." His
pupil Origen (185-254) gives (Horn. 7, in Josue) a list of all
our books of the New Testament; and Saint Athanasius, who
lived somewhat later, is in complete agreement with it.
The Coptic translations, which are of very early origin, dating
probably from the second century, contain likewise all our
canonical books (see Kaulen, I, 40).
5. The practice of the West African church can be learnt
from a list contained in an African manuscript dating from a
period before Saint Augustine, which Mommsen has edited.
Three Epistles, viz., Hebrews, James and Jude, are missing in
this list. From Africa we have also the list given in the Codex
Claramontanus (cf. p. 231), in which three of Saint Paul's
Epistles are not mentioned (Phil, and first and second Thess.).
The Codex Claramontanus belongs to the sixth century, but the list
of the sacred books is copied from an earlier original, dating from the
third or fourth century.
6. The fullest account of the books of the New Testament
is given by the ecclesiastical writer Eusebius. In his " Church
History " (iii. 26) he gives the names of all the books which in his
time were regarded as being of apostolic origin, and he classifies
them thus: (a) those universally acknowledged as genuine
(6/JLo\oyovfiva), (b) those decidedly not genuine or of heretical
origin (iravre\.Si^ vdda), and (c) those whose authenticity is
contested.
Under the heading (a) he places the four Gospels, the Acts,
14 Epistles of Saint Paul, first of Saint Peter and first of Saint
John, and (though with some hesitation) the Apoclypse. Under
(&) the Shepherd of Hermas, the Apocalypse of Saint Peter,
etc., and under (c) the Epistle of Saint James, that of Saint
Jude, the second Epistle of Saint Peter, and the second and
third of Saint John.
OEIGIN OF HOLY SCRIPTURE 207
14. ECCLESIASTICAL DECISIONS REGARDING THE CANON OP
THE NEW TESTAMENT
The African Synods already mentioned (p. 202) and still
earlier Pope Damasus (374) and afterwards Pope Innocent I,
declared all the 27 books, that now form the canon, to be of
apostolic origin. As, however, these decisions were not ad-
dressed to the universal church, some doubt was still possible;
especially as the apostolicity of the Apocalypse was questioned
in many quarters, at least in the East. It was not until the
Council of Trent (s. 4 de can.) that the 27 books of the New
Testament "with all their parts, as they are contained in the
old Latin Vulgate," were expressly declared canonical for the
whole Church.
Supplementary Note. The historical result of investigations regard-
ing the canon of the New Testament is : ( 1 ) The apostolic origin of the
four Gospels, Acts, thirteen epistles of Saint Paul, the first Epistle of
Saint Peter and the first of Saint John has never been doubted. (2) The
other books of the New Testament have always been generally consid-
ered apostolic, but individuals have doubted their authenticity. (3) From
the fourth century onwards all the books of the New Testament, as we
now have them in the canon, have been accepted in all parts of the
Church. (4) The previous hesitation on the part of some churches to
accept certain books of the New Testament proceeded from reasonable
prudence, especially with regard to Heretics.
APPENDIX. PROTESTANT OPINIONS CONCERNING
THE CANON
These opinions conflict with those of Christians in ancient
times. The Reformers began by adhering closely to the canon,
but as it was one of their principles that in matters of religion
private judgment is the chief authority, differences were inevi-
table on this point as on others. Karlstadt drew attention to
Saint Jerome's view of the deuterocanonical books in the Old
Testament, and soon many people declared these books to be
apocryphal. Modern Protestants, as far as they still believe in
inspiration, adhere to this opinion. With reference to the New
Testament, Luther stated that every man could think what he
liked about the Apocalypse, and believe what his own intellect
208 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
suggested. He also spoke against the Epistle to the Hebrews,
that of Saint Jude, and particularly that of Saint James, but
he did not absolutely reject them. Later Lutherans recognized
only the 6)uoXoyov/iei>a, and declared the seven others to be
apocryphal, although many at the present day have come back
to the old opinion. Rationalistic Protestants in quite modern
times refuse to acknowledge any inspiration, and then of course
the canon plays no part. 1
Many refuse altogether to accept the dogmatic conception of an Old
and a New Testament, but abandon it as a " measure taken from the
tool-chest of the Catholic Church," and regard the books hitherto called
canonical with many others " extra-canonical " merely as sources of in-
formation for the history of religion in general.
15. APOCRYPHAL BOOKS
1. Before the time of Christ, and still more frequently after-
wards, books were written which many people believed to be
inspired, but which the Church never included in the canon.
These are called apocryphal.
The name is borrowed from the religious books of the heathen, which
were carefully kept secret (d^KpvQos = concealed). The Christians seem
to have regarded all books falsely claiming to be inspired with the same
sort of horror as the secret religious writings of the heathen. The word
implies, therefore, that these books ought not to be used, but set apart
and not read in the churches. 3
2. Among the Apocryphal Writings of the Old Testament we
must mention particularly: (a) The Book of Henoch, written by
Jews in the second century before Christ. 3 (b) The Psalms of
1 Three schools of thought regarding inspiration are now distinguished
among Protestants: Liberal, Strict (who, like the older Protestant dog-
matic writers, believe in verbal inspiration) and those midway between
them. Hitherto no one has succeeded in steering a middle course
satisfactorily.
3 Collections of Apocrypha: Fabricius, Codex pseud-epigraphus,
V. T.; idem, Codex apocryphus, N. T., Hamburg, 1703-1723; Thilo,
Codex apocryphus, N. T., Lips., 1832; Tischendorf, Evangelia apocrypha,
Lips., Ed. 2, 1876; Acta apost. apocr., Lips. 1851; Apocalypses apocr.,
Lips., 1866; Hilgenfeld, Novum Test, extra canonem receptum, Lips.,
1866.
* The complete text exists only in Ethiopian, edited by Dillmann in
1853. An imperfect Greek text was found at Akhmim in Upper Egypt.
ORIGIN OF HOLY SCRIPTURE 209
Solomon, a collection of 18 psalms, that have been preserved
in Greek but were composed in Hebrew by pious Jews in the
second century before Christ, (c) The third and fourth books
of Esdras; the third was written before Christ, but the fourth
about 100 A. D. (d) The Prayer of King Manasses, date
unknown. The two last mentioned books, (c) and (d), were
formerly often regarded as canonical, and BO are appended to
official editions of the Vulgate.
3. The Apocryphal Books of the New Testament are very
numerous. They fall into two classes: (a) those written in
support of heresies, (b) harmless legends and similar works.
(a) To the apocryphal books of the first kind belong :
(1) The Gospel according to the Hebrews, used by the
Nazarenes and Ebionites, two sects of Christian Jews. The com-
mon opinion of antiquity was that this book was the Hebrew
original of Saint Matthew's Gospel but had suffered many
alterations. This view was not shared by the sects mentioned,
nor by many modern critics. 1 (2) The Gospel and Apocalypse of
Peter, and works with Docetic tendencies, written probably in
Syria, in the second century. A fragment of the Gospel was dis-
covered in 1892 by Bouriant (cf. Zahm, Das Petrusevangelium,
Erl. and Lpz., 1893). (3) The Gospel of Marcion, a mutilated
version of Saint Luke, dating from the time of the second
century. The Gospel of Basilides seems to have been a similar
work. 2
(6) Among the legends and similar works, which are very
numerous, we may mention:
(1) The Protoevangelium of James, brother of the Lord.
The greater part of this book is concerned with Mary, the
Mother of Christ, and the Wise Men from the East. The story
is told in a simple and dignified manner, and it must be very
ancient, as Origen was acquainted with it. Many believe the con-
1 Kaulen regards it as a re-written version of the Gospel of Saint
Matthew, compiled not later than 100 A. D. Handmann, however, thinks
it is of independent origin, though related to Saint Matthew's Gospel. He
believes that it was written in Aramaic, translated into Greek very soon
afterwards, probably in Alexandria, and kept on strictly Jewish Christian
lines.
2 This is mentioned by Origen, Horn, in Luc., I, 1.
210 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
tents of this book to be perfectly true. (2) The Gospel of Mco-
demus, extant both in Greek and Latin, a very dignified account
of Christ's Passion, was highly esteemed and widely known in
the Middle Ages. (3) The Ada Pilati, a collection of written
documents and reports concerning our Lord's Passion. (4) The
letter written by King Abgar of Osroene to Christ and His reply
to it. This correspondence cannot be regarded as genuine, for the
first Christian King of that district was Abgar VIII, who only
ascended the throne in 176 A. D. (5) The Didache, i. e. teaching
of the Twelve Apostles, written in Syria or Palestine, and dis-
covered in Constantinople in 1884. It is quoted by many of the
Fathers, and was often used in ancient times for the instruction of
catechumens, but as it does not possess any apostolic credentials,
Eusebius (Hist. EccL, III, 52) classes it among the avn\e<y6peva.
It is important on account of its high antiquity, for it probably
dates from the first century. It contains 16 chapters in Greek.
(6) The Sayings of Jesus, very recently discovered, and be-
longing probably to the third century. At first it was sug-
gested that these were a part of the \6yia icvptov, which, accord-
ing to Papias, formed the groundwork of the Gospel of Saint
Matthew (see chapters on Matthew) ; but this view is not tenable.
We have only six or eight short utterances, which bear more re-
semblance to Saint John than to Saint Matthew; one, for in-
stance, is "I appeared to them in the flesh." The origin of
these words is quite unknown (see Eatholik, 1898, I and II).
(7) Tatian's Diatessaron. Tatian was a disciple of Saint
Justin Martyr; as the name of his book implies, it is a har-
mony of all the Gospels; it was written in Syrian about 170 A. D.,
and until 400 was used in the churches in Syria, but was then
removed and destroyed, because the separate gospels were ordered
to be read; hence not a single Syrian or Greek copy of this
work has come down to us. 1
1 This work, which Ephrem the Syrian still used instead of the sepa-
rate Gospels, was, as the name implies, translated into Greek, and later
into Latin, in 545, by Victor, Bishop of Capua. From the Latin version
an old German translation was made in the ninth century, which is one
of the earliest existing books in the German language. The Augustinian
Ciasca discovered an Arabic text of the Diatessaron in Rome; it was
published in 1888 with a Latin translation. The book called "Our
ORIGIN OF HOLY SCRIPTURE 211
Lord's Testament/' discovered and published by Rahmani in 1899,
was originally written in Greek, and versions of it are extant in the
Syrian, Arabic and Ethiopian languages. It must not be classed with
the apocryphal books, but was compiled about 475 from the Egyptian
service book, and this again from the 8th Book of the Apostolic
Constitutions.
SECOND PART
GENERAL INTRODUCTION THE BIBLE
AS A WHOLE
16. TRANSITION
JUST as the Bible has not one, but many authors, so all its
parts were not written in the same language, and the sacred
books have not in every case been handed down in the language
in which they were composed but often in translations. Thus
for centuries the Old Testament was known to the Greeks and
Romans only in Greek, but later also in Latin. Accordingly,
when we consider the Bible as a whole, we have to consider (1)
the original text, (2) the translations of Holy Scripture.
FIRST SECTION
THE ORIGINAL TEXT OF HOLY SCRIPTURE
17. BIBLICAL LANGUAGES IN GENERAL
Holy Scripture was written partly in Hebrew, partly in
Chaldee, and partly in Greek; but we do not possess all the
books written first in Hebrew and Chaldee in their original
language. The greater part of the Old Testament was both
composed and preserved in Hebrew. Only some portions of the
Book of Esdras (iv. 7-v. 18; xxii.-xxvi.) and about half of the
Book of Daniel (ii.-vii.) are Chaldee.
The Books of Judith, Tobias, Baruch, Ecclesiasticus or Sirach,
I Machabees and parts of Daniel (iii. 24-90; xiii. and xiv.) and
Esther (x.-xvi.) were written in either Hebrew or Chaldee, but
were lost in their original form, and have been preserved only
in translations, of which the Greek Septuagint is the oldest.
The Book of Wisdom, second Machabees and the whole of the
THE BIBLE AS A WHOLE 213
NQW Testament were written in Greek, and have come down
to us in that language ; only the first Gospel was originally com-
posed in Hebrew or Chaldee.
18. HEBREW
I. Hebrew is one of a large group of languages spoken in
Western Asia, and called generally the Semitic languages. They
are divided into four chief branches :
1. Arabic, used in the south of the Semitic speaking region.
Closely allied to it is Ethiopian, which, like our languages, is
written and read from left to right, whilst most of the Semitic
languages are written from right to left.
Ethiopian, too, was written from right to left, but the Ethiopians
adopted the opposite direction in imitation of the Greeks (Dillmann,
Aethiop. Grammatik, 1899).
2. Aramaic is spoken in the north of the region of the
Semitic languages. It is divided into Eastern Aramaic, or Syriac,
that appears chiefly in Christian literature, but also, though in
a different form, in the Babylonian Talmud, and Western Ara-
maic, that occurs especially in later Jewish literature (the
Targumim, Palestine Talmud). The Samaritan belongs to
the same class. Western Aramaic has from ancient times been
called Chaldee.
3. The Babylonian- Assyrian language of the far East appears
from the cuneiform inscriptions, that have now mostly been
deciphered, to have been a Semitic language, akin to Hebrew. 1
4. From the point of view both of geography and of language,
Hebrew stands midway between Arabic and Aramaic; and
Phoenician or Punic is closely allied with it.
1 In the Keillnscliriftliche BilliotJiek, Berlin, 1889, etc., Schrader
has brought out six volumes containing most valuable information re-
garding the history of Babylonia and Assyria, which is so closely con-
nected with the Gold Testament. " At a time when all the resources of
scholarship are marshaled to throw discredit upon the historical char-
acter of the Old Testament, divine Providence has confirmed its accuracy
by means of documents which lay forgotten for thousands of years under-
ground, but were only concealed, being indestructible." Thus Kaulen, in
the Lit. Handweiser.
214 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
With the exception of Arabic, all these languages are at the present
time quite or very nearly (Syriac) extinct. Arabic has a script of its
own, like Ethiopian and Syriac; Samaritan still uses the old Semitic or
Phoenician alphabet, with which the sacred books were originally writ-
ten. Babylonian-Assyrian has cuneiform characters; Chaldee had at
one time, like Hebrew, the old Semitic or Phoenician alphabet, but after
the Captivity the " Square-script " was used in writing both languages,
being simpler than the old Semitic. It is also called the Assyrian script,
and this name refers to its origin in the lands near the Euphrates, not
specially in Assyria. The various Semitic languages are as closely con-
nected with one another as are the Romance or the Teutonic languages.
There are great resemblances between them both in vocabulary and
grammar.
With regard to the importance of the study of these languages see the
words of Pope Leo XIII, p. 173.
II. Even in the oldest books, Hebrew appears as a fully
developed language, and it retained this character for about a
thousand years. 1 With the Babylonian Captivity (about 600 B.C.)
the language began to fall into decay, and gradually ceased to
be used by the people, giving place to the Chaldee, that they had
learnt in exile.
19. CHALDEE
One of the Semitic languages is known by this name because
it originally developed in the land of the Chaldaeans, i. e. in
ancient Babylonia. The Jews used it during and after the
Babylonian Captivity, for at the time that they were taken
into exile it was the ordinary means of communication between
all the Semitic nations, and it remained so even under the
Persian supremacy (Esdr. iv.-vii.), and was not much affected
by the introduction of Greek under Alexander the Great. Ac-
cording to Nehemias viii. 9, it was necessary to translate the
book of the Law, when it was read aloud to the people; hence
Hebrew was no longer understood. The small portions of the
Bible which are written in Chaldee (= Aramaic, Dan. ii. 4,
1 We know nothing as to the earliest forms of Hebrew; for nothing
older than the Pentateuch has come down to us. However, this book with
its archaisms is undoubtedly very old (see p. 270), though, as it has fre-
quently been re-written, many of its oldest forms of speech may have
been lost. We can recognize three periods in the language, that of the
time of Moses, that of David and Solomon, and that of the Captivity.
THE BIBLE AS A WHOLE 215
form the oldest extant memorials of this language.
As in them it displays considerable perfection, it must have
been in process of development for a long previous period, of
which no records remain. Many of later date still survive,
especially from the time of Christ until 500 A. D. To this
period belong the Targumim, i. e. translations or paraphrases of
the Hebrew Bible, which were required for use in the syna-
gogues, and the chief part of the Talmud. At the time of
Christ Chaldee was the language usually spoken, and our
Saviour Himself used it, as appears from several expressions
occurring in the Gospels (e.g. Talitha qumi, Kepha, abba). 1
In the New Testament Chaldee is called Hebrew. John xix.
20, Acts xxii. 2.
20. GREEK
The Greek that we have in the Bible is not the classical Greek,
but a dialect that developed after the time of Alexander the
Great in the countries that he had conquered, and chiefly in
Northern Egypt. It is often called " Macedonian- Alexandrian " 2
or KOLvrj StaXetfro?. The Jews in Egypt translated their sacred
books from the original Hebrew or Chaldee into this dialect,
and some sacred books were written in it. The whole of the
New Testament is in Greek of this kind, because the various
writers, though not living in Egypt, adopted the language of the
Septuagint, which was known all over the world and used also in
Palestine. Biblical Greek has two chief peculiarities: it con-
tains a good deal of Semitic coloring, and in the New Testa-
ment many Latinisms. If the Greek books in the Bible are
compared with others of the same date, written in the Alex-
andrine dialect, they all show the same idiom. Language, there-
fore, is a testimony to the authenticity of the sacred books and
the purity of their text. They may be compared with many
1 Sometimes our Lord seems to have spoken Greek, especially with
Greeks who wished to make His acquaintance (John xii.) . The Apostles,
too, understood Greek, though imperfectly. Many people belonging to
the western nations were living then in Palestine.
2 Thumb thinks that the name " Macedonian- Alexandrian " ought to
be given up, for the KOIVTI 5td\e/cros became the universal language of the
Greek world, after the old dialects had disappeared.
216 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
apocryphal writings and papyrus rolls written in Greek that
have been discovered in Egypt.
21. ORIGINAL FORM OF THE TEXT OF THE HEBREW AND
CHALDEE BOOKS OF THE BIBLE
Hebrew and Chaldee are both written in the " square " script,
but the square form of the letters was not the original one, and
the earliest sacred writers used the old Semitic alphabet, which
is generally called Phoenician, although it was not peculiar to
the Phoenicians, but was common to all Semitic nations. We
know this older kind of writing from inscriptions and coins
belonging to the Assyrians, Babylonians, Moabites and other
nations, and also to the Jews. It gradually assumed two forms,
as in the west the old script was retained, and in the east a
simpler script was adopted.
1. The Jews used the Phoenician alphabet until the time
of the Babylonian Captivity, after which they used the new
script, which is called the Assyrian, or, from the shape of the
letters, the square ] script. The sacred books were in course
of time re-written from the older script into the Q script; this
was done perhaps partly during the Captivity.
2. Jewish tradition asserts most positively that Esdras col-
lected and arranged all the extant sacred books, and that he intro-
duced in place of the old Hebrew or Phoenician script the As-
syrian or square writing, in the sacred books of course. If this
be so, that priest who is repeatedly described in the first and
second Book of Esdras (e.g. I Esdr. vii. 6, 11, 12) as "the
scribe instructed in the words and commandments of the Lord,"
must have been engaged, of course with others, in rewriting
the sacred books.
In the oldest script the words were not divided, but the text
ran on without interruption. Vowel points were unknown in
manuscripts until at least the fifth century after our Lord.
Therefore, according to our ideas, the earlier text was very
defective, and it was only by means of tradition that the
reading and understanding of the sacred books could be con-
tinued in the Jewish schools. Such schools existed at the time
THE BIBLE AS A WHOLE 217
of Christ chiefly in Jerusalem and Alexandria; later on there
were schools at Tiberias, on the Lake of Genesareth, and in
distant Babylon.
The Phoenician script may be regarded as a variety of the Egyptian
hieratic writing, and it is possible that Moses undertook this task of re-
writing. As the art of writing was known in the time of the Patriarchs,
long before Moses, the Semitic alphabet may have originated in Baby-
lonia. The very plausible theory has been suggested that in the East, at
a very early period, a kind of square script was common as well as the
cuneiform writing, whilst in the West the so-called Phoenician, originat-
ing in Egypt, came into use. It is well known that the Phoenician alpha-
bet was carried to the Greeks, and through them to all western countries.
Kaulen assumes that the Septuagint possessed the sacred books in the
Phoenician script. This appears, for instance, from Genesis xlvi. 16,
where the Septuagint have Qaaapdv for Esban (pN), because they read
the Phoenician Tav instead of Aleph, whereas it would not have been pos-
sible to confuse J"l with N. Haneberg, however, and Reuss^ as also the
Talmud, Origen and Saint Jerome, adhere to the traditional opinion, that
the square script came into use at the time of Esdras and was used by the
Septuagint. 1 That the rewriting into square characters had been com-
pleted long before the time of Christ is plain from Matthew v. 18.
The Synedrium removed to Tiberias after the destruction of Jeru-
salem, and at the same time many Jews migrated to Babylon, as they
found many of their own nation there, who had remained after the
Captivity.
22. LATER FORMS OF THE HEBREW AND CHALDEE TEXT
1. In the earlier text only the consonants were written, but
in course of time, in order to facilitate reading, marks were
introduced to denote vowels. To alter the sacred text as little
as possible, these marks were only little dots or lines, placed, as
a rule, below the consonants. The practice of using these vowel
points originated in the Rabbinical school at. Tiberias, and
became general in the eighth century. 2 A text provided with
marks for the vowels is called "pointed," and the earlier
mode of writing is "unpointed." It is certain that in all
1 F. Perles shows, from many mistakes in the text, that the square
script was in use at least as early as the third century before Christ.
Neubauer, in " The Introduction of Square Characters in Biblical Manu-
scripts," is of the same opinion.
2 Saint Jerome complains of the ambiguity of the Hebrew text, so he
cannot have known any way of marking the vowels. The Talmud often
uses expressions showing that only consonants were written when it was
compiled. It was completed in the sixth century.
218 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
essentials this vowel pointing renders the meaning of the
Bible text correctly, as the Rabbis, to whom we owe it, were
guided by uninterrupted tradition. 1 The Hebrew text, how-
ever, cannot claim to be so perfectly and absolutely correct
as to constrain us, where there are various readings, to disre-
gard all the old translations (Septuagint, Vulgate and Peshitto)
and adhere solely to the Hebrew Bible. The Greek, Latin and
Syriac texts are actually older than the pointed Hebrew. It
is incredible that the text of a dead language, written without
vowels, should for centuries invariably have been read correctly
even in the smallest details. At the present time it is perhaps
generally admitted that the Hebrew text has been corrupted
in consequence of similar letters being confused 2 and words
wrongly divided. Proper names especially often seem to be
corrupt. Thus the name " Nebukadnezar," as it often stands in
the Hebrew text, is less like the form " Nabukudurusur 9 * of the
cuneiform inscriptions, than is the Septuagint " Nabuchodono-
sor," which the translators adopted from an earlier tradition.
We cannot therefore agree with the Jews and the early Protes-
tants, who generally prefer this text to any translation, nor can
we follow Saint Jerome in speaking of an exclusively hebraica
veritas.
The vowel points may be left out and the passage read in a way differ-
ing from the traditional mode of the Jews; and the early translators
have in many cases adopted other readings. We must not, however, lay
too much stress upon this, as Jewish tradition supports the vowels now
in use.
2. The division of the text of the Hebrew Bible into chap-
ters and verses is not original, but comparatively recent. The
division into chapters is not older than the fifteenth century. In
1 There was another less satisfactory method of pointing which came
from Babylon. In it the points are generally above the consonants. Both
systems are based on the usage of the Syrians, who, about the time of
Mahomet, began to add points or dots to their consonantal writing, and
later adopted the Greek vowels. (The so-called accents in the Hebrew
text were primarily intended as aids to the readers in the synagogues;
for us they serve chiefly as marks of punctuation.
2 In the Phoenician script, Aleph and Tav, Beth and Kesch, Jod and
Zade resemble one another very closely, and in the square characters He
and Cheth, Daleth and Resch, Vav and Nun finale are much alike.
THE BIBLE AS A WHOLE 219
the thirteenth century, about 1206, Stephen Langton, who was
Archbishop of Canterbury and died in 1228, began to divide
the Vulgate into chapters, and he was followed by Cardinal
Hugo a Santo Caro, who died in 1262. From the Vulgate the
practice was applied also to the Hebrew Bible, in the fifteenth
century. Cardinal Hugo divided each single chapter into seven
sections, which he lettered a, b, c, d, e, f, g, in order to make
it easier to find any required passage. This method of using
letters of the alphabet is still employed in the missal and breviary.
A number was prefixed to each verse first by Eobert Stephanus
(Etienne), a printer in Paris, who in 1551 brought out an
edition of the Bible in Greek and Latin. This arrangement
was soon universally adopted, and the verses were numbered
then also in the Hebrew text.
3. Long before this time, though within the Christian era,
the Israelites had divided the books of the Bible into sections,
which, in the case of the Pentateuch, were called Parashioth.
These divisions were made for convenience in reading the Law
in the synagogue; one parashe was read on every Sabbath.
The other sacred books are also divided into sections, called
Haphtaroth, serving a similar purpose. There are 85 of them,
for the Haphtaroth do not include the whole text, but only
part of it. They stand in the same relation to the Parashioth
as our epistles to the gospels. There is besides these a division
into sedarim, i. e. classes, rows, which is carried through the
whole Hebrew canon. It was made by Jewish scholars to aid
them in making grammatical and critical comments on the
sacred text.
ParasTi (nifh3, from parash, to divide, separate) means a section.
The signification of Haphtarah seems to be the same, as it comes from
patar OB3, to split, divide). 1
The Pentateuch is divided into fifty-four Parashioth, which are called
open or closed, according as they commence at the beginning of a line or
in the middle of it. In Hebrew Bibles we often find marks 3 2 3 or D D D
to denote parascha petucha = open parash, or parascha sethuma = closed
parash, respectively.
1 Theile, Biblia heb., 1232, says, however, that haphtarah means dis-
missal, because it was read at the conclusion of divine worship. Hence
the reader is called Haphtarah maphtir = the one who dismisses.
220 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
Smaller sections are also marked with a or D . Every copy of
the Bible was most exact, agreeing with the model even in the
number of lines and the shape of the letters.
23. THE MASORA 1
This name is given to an ancient collection of grammatical and
critical remarks on the Hebrew text of the Bible. They were
originally handed down orally from generation to generation
in the Jewish schools, but as in time the original came to be-
long to a remote historical past, and it grew increasingly difficult
to understand it, the* danger of corruption in the text increased
also, and consequently these notes were written down. Most
of them contain instructions for reading the sacred text, hence
the Masora is defined as the record, committed to writing, of the
traditional rabbinical teaching as to the form and reading of the
Hebrew books of the Bible.
The scholars, who gave rise to the Masora, are called Masoretes, and
the text corresponding with their rules is known as the Masoretic.
Of particular importance are the Masoretic notes, which come
under the Chaldee heading qeri ( qere = " read " or " should
read") and contain corrections of the text. They were always
written on the margin of the copies of the Bible, when, in the
opinion of the Masoretes, something had come down to them
in an inaccurate form. The wrong word in the text is called
Jcethib (written). However, a q$ri is not always a real
emendation of the text, for not unfrequently the kethib shows
the correct reading. Of minor importance, though not without
value, are the often trivial observations on the text of the Bible
which occur in the Masora. It notes the number of verses in
each book, and states which is the middle word or sentence in it.
For instance a note of this kind on Genesis is : " The number of
verses in the book Bereschith is 1534, and the middle of it is: ' Thou shalt
live by the sword ' ( Gen. xxvii. 40 ) , and the number of its Parashioth is
12.'* On Jeremias the note states that the book contains 1365 verses, and
or rniDD, masora or massora = tradition, from the Chaldee
-)DD, to hand down.
THE BIBLE AS A WHOLE 221
the words " And Ananias spoke " occur in the middle of it. Other re-
marks of this kind are : " In the Pentateuch there are two verses that
begin with Samech, and eleven verses in which the first and the last letter
is Nun. . . . There are eight verses in the book in which the word
chattaa [sin] is construed with asa [to do]," etc. The Masora actually
states how often each letter of the alphabet occurs in the Bible, for
instance, that Gimel occurs 29,537 times.
These remarks so fenced in the sacred text that afterwards
it could not be altered, but their comparatively late origin
diminishes the value of the notes in the Masora; none of them
are earlier than the Christian era. Even if, since the Masora
has existed, the Hebrew text in the hands of the Jews has
undergone practically no alteration, yet we cannot say for cer-
tain that at an earlier period, either soon after our Lord's life
or even before it, some error may not have slipped in here and
there, which has been perpetuated forever by the Masora. That
such errors exist appears frequently from comparison with the
Septuagint, as well as from parallel passages in the Hebrew
text itself.
For instance, in Psalm cxlv., which is alphabetical, the verse beginning
with 3 is wanting in the Hebrew, though it exists in the Septuagint,
Peshitto and Vulgate : TTHTTOS ( JDM ) Kvpios KT\.
Joachin ( Jechonias) when he ascended the throne was eight years old
according to II Chronicles xxxvi. 9, while his age is given correctly as
eighteen in IV Kings xxvi. 8. Cf. Kaulen I, 77, Cornill, 293, etc.
Antiquity of the Masora. We have no trustworthy testimony
from ancient times as to the origin of the Masora. Jewish
scholars have asserted Moses himself to have been the author
of the Masora, whilst Esdras subsequently added to it. The
earlier Christian scholars believed that Esdras, and afterwards
the Synedrium, had most to do with writing the Masora. At
the present time the universal opinion is that it was the work
of Jewish Eabbis, written between the fifth and ninth cen-
turies.
As all the notes in the Masora are not of equal importance,
extracts have been made for the convenience of readers, and
thus the great and the little Masora came into being.
The Masoretic remarks, only a small part of the whole, occurring in
the Hebrew editions of the Bible, are not pointed. As a key to their inter-
222 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
pretation we have the Claws Masoretica in Theile's editions of the Hebrew
Bible, Leipzig. The whole Masora is printed in Bomberg's Bible (Venice,
1518, and in Buxtorf's (Bale, 168). The most recent but incomplete edi-
tion of the Great Masora was brought out by Frensdorff, Hanover, 1867.
The whole mass of Masoretic notes was collected by Ginsburg, 4 vols.,
London, 1880-1885.
24. HEBREW MANUSCRIPTS AND PRINTED EDITIONS
As the Masoretic text is not absolutely correct, it has been
necessary to seek means for its emendation. These seemed to
be the manuscripts dating from centuries antecedent to the
invention of printing, and preserved here and there, especially
in synagogues. Many of them have been collected and ex-
amined. The scholars who deserve particular recognition for
their labors are the following :
1. Norzi, an Israelite living at Mantua in the seventeenth
century, collected a large number of manuscripts of the Bible
and the Masora, and used them in preparing an edition of the
Bible that was printed in 1742, in Mantua.
2. Benjamin Kennicott, an Englishman, collated over 600
of the oldest and best Hebrew manuscripts and about 40 of
the earliest printed Bibles, for the purpose of bringing out
a critical text-edition. This appeared in Oxford, 1776 and 1780,
in two folio volumes. Notice was taken in it only of the
consonants.
3. Bernardo de Rossi, an Italian, acquired possession of about
700 ancient Hebrew manuscripts; and in addition he collated
many others, in order to construct a text of the greatest possible
accuracy. He paid attention also to the pointing. The result
of his investigations was published in his work, Varice lectiones
Vet. Test, Parmse, 1784-88.
All these workers did not, however, attain the end that they
desired. They had hoped by examining and comparing so many
old manuscripts to be able to form a text differing considerably
from the traditional Jewish version. They expected to find
one in complete agreement with the Septuagint, from which the
Masoretic text frequently varies, although not in the matter
of dogmatic importance. These hopes were not fulfilled; not
THE BIBLE AS A WHOLE 223
indeed because the Masoretic text is perfectly correct, but be-
cause all the manuscripts hitherto discovered only reproduce the
Masoretic text, as it was fixed in the early part of the Christian
era, in accordance with older manuscripts.
That at this time very particular attention was paid to the Hebrew
text, probably because of the strife with Christianity, appears from
the Talmud, which was compiled in the fourth, fifth and sixth centuries.
It contains precise rules, like those in the Masora, for preventing all cor-
ruption of the text of the Bible. As to the date when the present Hebrew
text was definitely fixed, the following may be said : The Septuagint and
the Samaritan Pentateuch are based upon older versions, since they fre-
quently differ from the Masoretic text. Onkelos and Jonathan (in the
time of Christ) differ considerably from it; but on the other handAquilas,
Theodotion and Symmachus (in the second century) show great resem-
blance to the Masoretic text, as do the later Targumin. Saint Jerome
used a text that was almost identical with our own. We may assume,
therefore, that the Jews fixed their text soon after the time of the
Apostles. Stade says that this was certainly not done until after the
year 70, and then the work was performed in a very slipshod manner, as,
instead of collating several texts, the compilers simply put together a
copy of the Bible from the manuscripts that they happened to have at
hand, and this manuscript thenceforth was the one copied and regarded
as containing the settled text. Hence the unequal characters of the vari-
ous books. Cornill thinks that the Jews fixed their text about the year
90, in Jabne (Jamnia), where there was a famous school, and it was de-
cided at that time which books should be recognized by the Jews, and
the Greek books were rejected. Stade and Cornill base their arguments
upon Lagarde, who tried to prove that all the Hebrew manuscripts,
hitherto discovered, can be traced back to a single original, which was so
absolutely regarded as the standard that every mistake and every acci-
dental inperfection was reproduced in each copy.
Strack does not accept this theory.
The Hebrew manuscripts hitherto discovered are not very
old. Most of them go back only to the twelfth century, and
only one single manuscript, containing the prophetical books,
has been found that goes back to 916 A. D., and one, containing
the whole Hebrew Bible, was written in 1009. The latter was
discovered in the Crimea, and is now in St. Petersburg. 1 The
oldest Hebrew manuscript in Germany is the so-called Eeuchlin
Codex in Carlsruhe; it was written in 1105. Hitherto no trace
has been discovered of any manuscripts earlier than the Masoretic,
1 In February, 1903, the news was brought from Cairo of the discovery
of a Hebrew parchment manuscript containing the Pentateuch, written in
735 A. D. in Samaritan (or early Semitic) characters.
224, HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
or written before the Christian era; and it would be only from
such that we could hope to construct another text.
Many have a date, but, where this is not the case, the age can be deter-
mined from various indications. The manuscripts taken from synagogues
are all rolls (volumina) and not pointed; those belonging to private per-
sons are mostly books ( codices ) like our own, and contain vowels, accents
and Masoretic notes. Cf. Comely, Comp., p. 66.
Of critically important printed editions of the Hebrew Bible,
in addition to the works of the three scholars named above, the
following deserve mention:
1. The Alcala Bible, Complutensis? is a polyglot, the famous
work of Cardinal Ximenez; it was published at Alcala in 1517.
The Hebrew text in it is based upon manuscripts that were pur-
chased for over 4000 golden guldens.
2. Daniel Bomberg's editions, which appeared at Venice from
1518 onwards. The most famous is one that was published under
the direction of Jacob ben Chajim, one of the most learned Jews
of his time. This and the Alcala Bible have served as the basis
for most of the later editions. They were used in the com-
pilation of the Hebrew text of several polyglot Bibles, published
(1) at Antwerp (1569-1572), (2) at Paris (1629-1645), and
(3) in London (1657, etc.). The elder Buxdorf, too, based his
edition of the Bible (Bale, 1618 and 1619) upon Bomberg.
3. An amended version of Chajim's text is contained in
Johann Leusden's edition, printed at Amsterdam in 1661 by
Joseph Athias, and also in Everard van der Hought's edition,
Amserdam, 1705. Upon the latter are based two more modern
smaller editions, viz., Hahn's, Leipsig, 1839, and Theile's, Leip-
zig, 1849.
4. Bar's editions, containing all the Hebrew books of the
Old Testament (Leipzig, 1869-1892), were prepared with the
use of the Masora, some good manuscripts and the best printed
editions. 2
1 Complutum is the older name of Alcala in Spain.
2 The Hebrew text of the Psalms, with Saint Jerome's Latin transla-
tion made directly from it, was edited in 1876 by Bar, Delitzsch and
Tischendorf. Cf. with it Ik. Ecker, Psalterium juxta Hebraos Hieronymi,
Treves, 1906; a valuable work on the textual criticism of the Psalms.
THE BIBLE AS A WHOLE 226
A new edition of the Hebrew text of the Old Testament, with critical
notes by P. Haupt of Baltimore, has been appearing since 1893, pub-
lished by Hinrichs at Leipzig. The edition is the result of many years'
work, and many German and English scholars have collaborated in its
preparation. The " genuine " and " spurious " passages are distinguished
by the use of ink of various colors. Thus Genesis, for instance, is in
eight colors, Josue seven, Esdras and Nehemias nine, and Chronicles in
four. Hence the book is known as the " Rainbow Bible." Among the
collaborators may be mentioned Cornill, Kautzsch, Stade and Wellhausen.
25. VALUE OF THE MASORETIC TEXT
In the early centuries of Christianity it was often said that the
Jews had falsified the Hebrew text, in order to supply them-
selves with a weapon against the Christians, and that this was
apparent from the Septuagint version. Justin Martyr and
Origen, especially, brought such charges against the Jews, but
Saint Jerome decidedly refused to admit any such suspicion,
and no one in fact has succeeded with any certainty in proving
the presence in the text of a single intentional falsification. 1
On the whole, the Masoretic text deserves great respect (cf.
Leo XIII on the Holy Scriptures, above, p. 167). At the same
time it cannot claim that its accuracy is above all criticism, as
has already been shown (p. 220). It is very probable that be-
fore the Masoretic text was fixed, and whilst the Septuagint
was most esteemed by the Jews, the original text underwent
somewhat careless treatment. This appears not only on com-
1 In Psalm xxi. 17 the reading kaari instead of Jcaaru, which the
Septuagint read, is, however, very suspicious. According to the Septua-
gint, the passage means: "They have pierced my hands and my feet";
according to the Masoretic text : " As a lion my hands and feet." There
must have been a verb in the passage, perhaps =n&O ("1X3 = *TD) or n^S
or n3 (from rH3) = they have pierced, or UKD (from jND, to dig
through ) .
On the ground of the resemblance between Aleph and Tav in the
ancient script, F. Perles (Analekten zur Textkritik des A. T., 1895) pro-
poses to read }"1FO = " they have shut in." But what would be the mean-
ing of " they have shut in my hands and feet " ? There is a similar pas-
sage in Psalm ex. 3, where the allusion undoubtedly is to the eternal
generation of the Messias. The Septuagint read " from the womb before
the daystar I begot thee," but the Masoretic text " from the womb of the
sky in the morning [comes] to thee the dew of thy youth," which has no
sense at all.
226 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
paring it with the text of the Septuagint, but also from the
Samaritan Pentateuch, which is of very early origin, as it is
still written in Phoenician characters; in many places it agrees
with the Septuagint rather than with the Masoretic text.
This text, therefore, and then the early translations (Septua-
gint and Peshitto especially) are of assistance in criticising
and correcting the present Hebrew text. 1
26. THE ORIGINAL TEXT OF THE GREEK BOOKS OF
THE BIBLE
The Greek books of the Bible came into existence at a less
remote period than the Hebrew books, but nevertheless the
originals, and earliest copies of them also, have long been lost.
The originals were no longer extant in the third century as
is plain from the writings of Origen, Clement of Alexandria
and Tertullian, 2 who complain of difficulties occurring in their
copies of the Bible, and of their having to take pains to dis-
cover the correct text by comparing parallel passages and other
means. Had the originals still existed, it would have been quite
simple for these writers to consult them, or to employ others
to do so. Tertullian especially would have been able to save
himself a great deal of trouble if he could have appealed to
the originals against Marcion, who tampered with the Bible.
The early loss of the originals is probably due to want of
durability in the Egyptian vegetable paper, which was uni-
versally used for writing purposes in the time of our Lord
and the Apostles. Cf. II John 12. "Having more things to
write unto you, I would not by paper and ink, for I hope that
I shall be with you." Many manuscripts perished, too, during
the persecutions of the Christians. In spite of all this, how-
1 In translating the Bible even Luther preferred the Greek text to the
Masoretic, but he did so apparently not so much because he thought the
latter less valuable as because Hebrew was not his strong point.
a Reference is occasionally made to Tertullian, De Prescript., c. 35,
where he states that the Apostles' authenticce still existed in his time at
Corinth, Philippi, etc. The word, however, does not mean the Apostles'
autograph writings, but only the Greek text as distinguished from the
Latin translation.
THE BIBLE AS A WHOLE 227
ever, an attempt to ascertain the correct text is much easier in
the case of the Greek books than in that of the Hebrew, as we
still possess ancient Greek manuscripts dating from the early
centuries. Moreover, the oldest translations are very useful in
helping us to determine the text, and the numerous biblical
quotations occurring in the writings of the Fathers and ecclesi-
astical authors serve the same purpose. Quotations are not
a very safe guide, as early writers generally quoted from mem-
ory, and consequently rendered the text inaccurately.
27. THE GREEK MANUSCRIPTS
In the period immediately following the invention of printing,
whenever a Bible was to be produced the first manuscript that
came to hand was printed; and the more the Bibles were
distributed the more did they seem to differ. The spirit of
rivalry, however, constrained scholars to have recourse to older
and more numerous manuscripts, and thus in course of time
many old manuscripts were brought to light and used.
The older a manuscript the greater is its value, as it stands
closer to the original, and there is less fear of corruption in
the text, which very easily, though it may be unintentionally,
creeps in when a book is frequently copied.
All the ancient Greek manuscripts of the Bible that have
hitherto been discovered are in book form (codices) ; rolls
(volumina) have not so far been found. All (with the sole
exception of the codex Q. Paul.) are written on parchment.
It was only after the Crusades that paper made of linen gradu-
ally came into use.
The word parchment is derived from Pergamus, the name of a town in
Asia Minor, where the art of preparing writing material from the skins
of animals was particularly well understood. Parchment was costly, but
it had the advantage of being durable, so that when it was used the
great trouble and expense of frequently copying the sacred books were
avoided and the risk of originating mistakes was diminished. Vegetable
paper is less durable, and the results of using it had been unsatisfactory.
The kind of writing employed in the old manuscripts of
the Bible differs very much from our own. The ancients did
228 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
not distinguish small letters and capitals, and until the tenth
century they always wrote with what are called uncials or
majuscules, i. e. the letters resembled our capitals and were
not connected with one another. Minuscules came into use
only in the tenth century, and thus all the oldest manuscripts are
uncials. 1 Moreover, ancient writers did not divide their words,
and employed no punctuation or accents. In order, however,
to make it easier for the reader to survey the whole, they did
not write in extenso, but each page of parchment was divided
into three or four columns. After the fifth century the sticho-
metric mode of writing came into use, in which as much of
the text was written on one line as was to be read in one breath ;
this was called a o-r^o?. 2 Later on, in order to economize
space on the costly material, the end of each C-TI^O? was marked
with a dot or a little stroke, and the writing was continued in
the same line. This was the origin of punctuation. Greek
accents came into general use only after the seventh century. 3
In some manuscripts, both profane and biblical, it is possible
to see that the accents have been added by a later hand, and
were not inserted by the original writer. The text began to be
divided into words in the ninth century. Its division into chap-
ters and verses is recent, as has been shown on page 218; the
division into chapters dates from the thirteenth, into verses
from the sixteenth century.
28. THE MOST IMPORTANT GREEK MANUSCRIPTS
The number of ancient Greek manuscripts of the Bible
hitherto discovered amounts to about 4000. 4 They have not
1 LitercB unciales, literally, letters measuring an inch. Literw ma-
jusculce, minuscules, large, small letters.
2 vrlxos = arrangement, row, member, division.
8 They were intended originally to serve the same sort of purpose as
the vowel points in Hebrew, viz. they were to preserve the Greek pronunci-
ation, which was in danger of being lost, as ancient Greek was gradually
dying out.
* Nestle follows Scrivener in giving the number as 3829, but he adds
" most of these are, however, recent." Among them are 127 uncials and
3702 minuscules. Only* 30 belong to a period prior to the seventh cen-
tury. This refers primarily to the New Testament
THE BIBLE AS A WHOLE 229
yet all been thoroughly examined or printed. It is likely that
treasures may still be discovered in various places, particularly
in the East, but also in Spain and Italy.
The manuscripts are often only fragments, written on parch-
ment that has been used to bind other books. Sometimes the
Bible text has been obliterated, and other works copied on the
same sheets of parchment. Such remains are called codices
rescripti, or palimpsests. When the sheets have been used in
this way, they have often been separated and fastened together
again in different order.
= rubbed off again (^dw = to wipe, rub). The original
writing was wiped or rubbed off, and the parchment then smoothed with
pumice stone to make it fit for use again. The old writing is sometimes
still legible, but sometimes it has to be revived by means of chemicals.
Often it remains illegible, and occasionally the chemicals employed injure
the parchment and the writing with it.
For the sake of brevity, uncial manuscripts are generally designated
by Greek and Latin capital letters, and recently Hebrew letters have also
been used; minuscule manuscripts are numbered. Indices are added to
the capital letters to distinguish the manuscripts. Thus J is a palimp-
sest from Palestine, now in St. Petersburg; Jb is a manuscript in the
British Museum; 51 is a minuscule manuscript in Oxford; 422 to 430
are minuscles at Munich. To the books of pericopce also Arabic num-
bers are assigned, as Evl. 45 in Vienna (a book of the Gospels).
The chief Greek manuscripts are the following:
1. The Codex Vaticanus, B. It is in the Vatican Library in
Eome. It contains the whole of the Old and New Testaments,
with some very small omissions. It is written in three columns
and came probably from Egypt, dating from about the time of
the First Council of Nicaea (325).
Several printed editions of this manuscript have appeared, but they
are not all free from mistakes. The Old Testament was printed in Rome
in 1587, by order of Sixtus V. August Mai published the whole codex in
1858, and Vercellone brought out a more accurate edition in 1881 in
Rome.
The New Testament was published by Loch a.t Ratisbon, in 1862, and
by Tischendorf at Leipzig, in 1867. An edition of the New Testament,
reproduced by photolithography was brought out by Cozza-Luzi in Rome,
1889, and a similar edition of the Old Testament in 1890. We owe this
magnificent work to Pope Leo XIII. As some defects could still be de-
tected, Pius X has determined that a still more accurate phototype edi-
tion shall be prepared, which will enable every student to see the exact
form of Codex B.
230 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
2. The Codex Sinaiticus, designated N by its discoverer.
It was found by Constantine Tischendorf on February 4,
1859, in Saint Catherine's monastery on Mount Sinai. It con-
tains almost the whole of the Old and New Testaments in
Greek, and is written in four columns. This codex, like the
preceding, belongs probably to the fourth century. It is now
in St. Petersburg.
Tischendorf believes this manuscript to be older than the Vatican
Codex, but others doubt its being so old. It was printed at St. Peters-
burg in 1862; and the New Testament was published separately by
Tischendorf at Leipzig in 1863, under the title, Novum Testamentum
Sinaiticum.
3. The Codex 'Alexandrinus, A, in the British Museum in
London. It was found on Mount Athos and given to King
Charles I of England in 1628 by the Patriarch Cyrillus Lucaris.
It dates from the fifth century.
A printed edition of the Old Testament, by Baber, appeared in 1816-
1828; one of the New Testament by Cowper, in London, 1860. The miss-
ing portions ha-ve been supplied from R. Stephanus. A photolithographic
reproduction of this important codex has existed since 1883.
4. Codex C, also called Regius or Parisiensis, or Ephrcemi
rescriptus, belongs to the same period. It is in the National
Library in Paris.
Originally it contained the whole Old and New Testaments, but in the
tenth or eleventh century the writing was obliterated, and the parchment
used for a copy of some works of Saint Ephrem the Syrian. Much of
what was written first has in this way become illegible. About two hun-
dred leaves are left, containing the greater part of the New Testament.
It was printed by Tischendorf, 1843 and 1845.
5. Codex s. Matthcei Dublinensis rescripts, Z. This con-
tains the greater part of Saint Matthew's Gospel, and serves
to fill up the voids in other manuscripts. It resembles C, and
seems to belong to the same period.
As the name suggests, it is now in Dublin, and was printed there in
1801.
The following manuscripts are stichometric :
6. Codex Bezce or Cantdbrigiensis, D, belongs probably to
the sixth century. It was found in a monastery in Lyons, and
THE BIBLE AS A WHOLE 231
came into the possession of Theodore Beza, one of the reformers,
who presented it in 1581 to the University of Cambridge.
This manuscript differs from the other texts in a very remarkable
way. As it was found at Lyons, and exactly agrees with the quotations
made by Saint Irenaeus from the Bible, it seems to be based upon a copy
belonging to this bishop (177-202). It has received great attention re-
cently. It was printed by Scrivener in 1864.
7. Codex Laudianus, E, contains the Acts of the Apostles.
It is named after the English Archbishop William Laud, to
whom it belonged in the seventeenth century. It dates probably
from the sixth century and is now at Oxford.
8. Codex Claramontanus, D 2 , belongs to the sixth century,
and contains the Pauline epistles. It is now in Paris, and was
printed by Tischendorf, Leipzig, 1852. It was brought from the
north of Africa, and contains a list of the canonical books (see
above, page 206).
9. Codex Rossanensis, 2, found at Kossano in Calabria. It
belongs to the sixth century and contains Saint Matthew's and
Saint Mark's Gospels. 1
29. GREEK PRINTED EDITIONS
(a) Cardinal Ximenez in Spain, the editor of the Poly-
glotta Complutensis, was the first to have the Bible printed in
Greek. His work contains the whole of the Old Testament in
Greek, according to manuscripts of the Septuagint translation,
and also the New Testament, which is based on several Greek
manuscripts. The Greek text was printed in 1514.
Almost at the same time Erasmus of Eotterdam edited the
New Testament in Greek at the instigation of the great printer,
Frobenius, at Bale. His text is defective, as, in order to out-
strip the Cardinal, he worked very fast, and used only a few
1 This codex was only discovered in 1879. It is also called Codex
purpureus, because the parchment leaves are dyed purple, and the letters
are written in gold and silver. It is of artistic and liturgical impor-
tance on account of the miniatures in it. Another purple codex of the
sixth century, containing a large portion of Saint Matthew's Gospel, and
agreeing in its text precisely with S, was discovered recently at Sinope
in Pontus and placed in the National Library in Paris.
232 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
newer manuscripts. Robert Stephanus (Etienne), the great
printer in Paris, in 1546 and subsequent years, brought out
several editions of the New Testament in Greek. These were
based on those of Erasmus and Cardinal Ximenes, also on Codex
D and some later manuscripts.
The fourth edition, published in 1551, was the first in which the verses
were divided.
Stephanus's editions, with a few manuscripts and some old
Oriental translations, formed the foundation of a Greek edition
of the New Testament that was the work of Th. Beza, the re-
former. This appeared first in 1565, and was reprinted several
times.
Great but undeserved attention was paid to the Greek editions
of the New Testament that were published by the Elzevir
Brothers at Leyden, in and after 1624. They contain the text
of the Stephanus and Beza editions, which has many defects,
but as they boldly proclaimed it to be generally accepted and
perfectly free from mistakes (textum ab omnibus receptum) it
was held in the highest honor among Protestants for nearly
200 years, and was circulated in innumerable reprints. At the
present time it is not considered important, but it retains the
name textus receptus, or editio recepta. 1
(b) The polyglot Bibles published during the seventeenth
century in Antwerp (by Plantin), Paris and London, are
modeled on the Alcala Bible, and, as far as the Greek text
is concerned, are derived from the following sources: The Ant-
werp polyglot follows the Complutensis; the Paris polyglot
simply reprints the Greek text from the Antwerp edition; the
London polyglot follows the text of the Septuagint as printed
in Eome in 1587, and for the New Testament it adopts that of
Eobert Stephanus.
Two German scholars, Bengel and Griesbach, deserve espe-
cial mention as editors of the Greek text of the New Testa-
ment during the eighteenth century. They used many old
manuscripts and produced a text differing considerably from
1 Even the English Bible Society in its most recent editions has sub-
stituted Nestle's text for the recepta.
THE BIBLE AS A WHOLE 233
the recepta. However, the reccpta was not set aside, though
it lost some of its prestige.
BengeFs edition appeared first in 1734 and Griesbach's in 1775.
They divided the existing manuscripts into families, according to
their place of origin, Constantinople and Syria, Egypt, or the West.
They cared less for the number of manuscripts than for the agreement
of the different families. A reading was considered correct if it was sup-
ported by all the families, and the consensus of two families preponder-
ated over a third. This classification has been upheld even to the pres-
ent time, especially by Westcott and Hort (see below) and the principle
has been further developed.
(c) In recent years excellent work has heen done by some
English and German scholars on the text of the New Testament.
We may mention : Karl Lachmann, died in Berlin, 1851 ; Con-
stantine Tischendorf, died in Leipzig, 1874; Bernard Weiss
(Berlin) ; C. E. Gregory (Leipzig) ; Tregelles, died in Eng-
land, 1875; Westcott and Hort (in England).
Lachmann started with the principle that our aim should be,
not being guided by the recepta, to restore the text to the state
in which it was in the fourth century, as we have no means of
discovering the original, and as a text of that century can have
differed only slightly from it. He hoped that other subse-
quent workers might gradually be able to restore the text
approximately as it was in the second century. His text is
based chiefly upon six or eight of the earliest Greek manu-
scripts and upon the Itala. His edition of the New Testament
appeared first in 1831, and again in 1842 and 1850.
Tischendorf did not regard Lachmann's method as satis-
factory, and thought that we possessed means of going back
beyond the fourth century and of very nearly discovering the
original text. He used not only all the manuscripts that he
could get, but also translations and quotations of the Fathers.
His critical edition of the New Testament appeared first in
1841 and 1842; the eighth edition in 1869-1890. (Pocket
edition, sixteenth edition, 1887.)
Tregclles, an English philologist, was a Quaker. He adhered
to Lachmann's principle as a general rule, but his apparatus
criticus was far more extensive. His edition appeared in seven
parts between 1857 and 1879. Still more accurate is the edition
234 HANDBOOK TOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
prepared by two Englishmen, Westcott and Hort. It appeared
in 1881 and has no references to original sources, but the value
of all the critical apparatus collected up to that time is assigned
according to Griesbach and Laehmann's principles. These guid-
ing principles are expounded in a special volume bearing the
title " Introduction," 1882. 1
A new and independent revision of the Greek text of the New
Testament has been brought out in three volumes by Bernhard
Weiss (Berlin, 1894-1900).
A new method of arriving, if not at the original text at least as near
as possible to it, was devised by Hermann Freiherr von Soden in Berlin.
The text had hitherto been taken from the earliest uncial manuscripts (by
Tischendorf also), but von Soden, with the assistance of several friends,
tried to trace the alterations in it, and in this way to approach the
original. They examined 1716 manuscripts of the Gospels; 521 con-
taining Acts and the Catholic Epistles; 628 containing Saint Paul's
Epistles; and 219 containing the Apocalypse; and they studied, besides
these, many of the earliest commentaries, to which but little attention
had previously been paid. In this way they ascertained that the oldest
Greek codices (B and K) represent a revised version of an earlier text.
Instead of following the traditional custom of designating the majus-
cules by capital letters and the minuscules by Arabic numerals, Soden
prefers a very much simpler method of using the small letters of the
Greek alphabet and the Arabic numerals, in which he will perhaps find
others to imitate him. For further information see his work, Die
Schriften des N. T. in ihrer altesten erreicKbaren Textgestalt, Berlin,,
1902, 1903.
The labors of these students have almost completely destroyed the
reputation of the recepta, whilst they have established the purity of the
Vulgate text. 2
1 Westcott and Hort distinguish four classes of texts: (a) the primi-
tive text, as it left the author's hands; (6) a text originating in Alex-
andria; (c) a text originating in Constantinople; (d) a text brought
from Syria to the West before 200 A. D.
2 A good and at the same time inexpensive edition is O. v. Gebhardt's
New Testament, Leipzig, 1895, based on Tischendorf, Tregelles, and West-
cott and Hort. It does not, however, satisfy Catholic requirements on
account of Mark xvi. 9, etc., and John viii. 3, etc. Mention may be
made of Nestle's cheap edition (3d ed., 1901, Stuttg.) and of Wey-
mouth's (London, 1892). Tauchnitz in Leipzig has published a very
convenient Greek and Latin edition, revised in accordance with Gries-
bach, Lachmann and Tischendorf. It has been approved by the Catholic
Consistory in Dresden.
THE BIBLE AS A WHOLE 235
SECOND SECTION
TRANSLATIONS OF THE BIBLE
30. GENERAL REMARKS
Translations of the books of the Bible from the original into
another language are of importance, not only as enabling us
to ascertain the correct text, but also as aids in interpreting the
Bible, for we see from them how early readers understood the
meaning of the original. All translations are not of equal value.
As a rule, those made from the original surpass those made
from another translation in importance and authority; literal
translations deserve consideration more than free; and, above
all, the old translations have more weight than later ones.
Hence particular importance is attached to such as were made
before the seventh century.
Early translations are fairly numerous. There are several
Greek and Chaldee translations (of the Old Testament) ; a
Samaritan version (of the Pentateuch), some Syriac, several
Arabic, one Armenian, one Persian, some Egyptian (Coptic),
one Ethiopian, one Slavonic, one Georgian, one Gothic, several
Latin and fragments of an Anglo-Saxon version.
The most important are the Greek, Syriac and Latin trans-
lations.
GREEK TRANSLATIONS
31. SEPTUAGINT
At the time of Christ and His Apostles the Holy Scriptures
were mostly read in a Greek translation made in Egypt for
the use of the Jews there. Outside Palestine, and to some
extent in Palestine itself, the Jews used this version when they
read the Scriptures in the synagogues on the Sabbath. From
many quotations in the New Testament it is clear that the
Apostles were more familiar with this translation than with the
Hebrew text, which did not contain all the sacred books; and,
when they converted pagans to Christianity, they gave this ver-
236 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
sion to their converts. Testimony to the respect paid to this
translation, and to its universal use, is borne by Josephus Flavius
(who always used it himself in his writings), and by Justin
Martyr, who, in his conversation with the Jew Tryphon, shows
that among the Jews this translation was still accepted in the
second century, when he lived (see above, p. 201).
The name Septuagint (LXX) is due to an old story preserved
by Josephus Flavius (Antiq., XII, ii. 1, etc.), and by the ecclesi-
astical historian Eusebius (Prcep. Ev., viii. 2). It originated in
a letter written by Aristeas, an official at the Egyptian court, to
his brother Philo crates, in which Aristeas says that Demetrius
Phalereus, chief librarian at the royal library at Alexandria,
advised his master, King Ptolemy Philadelphus, to add the
Jewish law to the treasures in his library. The king was
pleased with the advice, and in order to procure the book of the
law, he set 200,000 Jews at liberty, and then sent some men,
amongst whom was Aristeas himself, with costly presents to
Jerusalem, in order to fetch the book from the high priest.
The latter not only gave the book to the envoys, but sent seventy-
two learned Jews to Egypt to translate the Thora. They were
received honorably in Egypt, and sent with Demetrius Phalereus
to the neighboring island of Pharos, where they worked at their
translation undisturbed. According to the story, each man
was shut up alone in a cell, and made a translation by himself,
but when all the results were compared, they were found to be
exactly the same.
In ancient times this story was universally regarded as true,
but it cannot be correct in every detail, for it contains fabulous
additions. The truth probably is that the translation was made
by Jews in Alexandria, and supplied an existing need, as the
Egyptian Jews mostly did not understand Hebrew. An Egyp-
tian king, probably not Ptolemy Philadelphus (285-247), who
banished Demetrius Phalereus soon after his accession, but,
according to Clement of Alexandria (Strom., I, 22), his father,
Ptolemy Lagi (323-285), admitted the Greek version of the
Jewish law into his library. This occurrence, flattering to the
Jews, has been connected with the production of the translation.
Possibly the fact that the sacred writings had been rendered
THE BIBLE AS A WHOLE 237
into a heathen language displeased some Jews, and a story was
invented to calm their indignation.
In any case the report about the translation of the LXX ap-
plies only to the Pentateuch. The other sacred books were
gradually translated into Greek in Egypt, and therefore the
same name of the LXX was given to them also.
The date of the beginning of the translation may be given
as about 300 B. c. Probably it was prior to 286, i. e. to the
establishment of the library at Alexandria, for there were many
Jews in Egypt ever since the time of Alexander the Great.
By 200 B. c. the translation must have been nearly completed,
as the translator of the Book of Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) knew
a Greek text "of the Law and the Prophets and the other
books," and mentions it frequently in his prologue. 1
Character of the Translation. It is, on the whole, faithful
and .often almost slavishly literal. The Alexandrians frequently
translated the Hebrew text word for word; and in this way
their language became very barbarous, beside often distorting
the meaning.
The Pentateuch is best translated, and next in order of merit are the
books of Josue, Judges, Ruth, Chronicles and Proverbs. Less to be com-
mended is the translation of the four books of Kings, and of Esdras,
Nehemias and Esther. Ecclesiastes is translated too literally, Job too
arbitrarily. The Psalms and the prophetic writings are unsatisfactory,
and the worst translation is that of the Book of Daniel, for which reason
the Church did not admit the Septuagint version of this prophet into
the Canon, but a later rendering by Theodotion. 2
Taken as a whole, this translation was and still is of inesti-
mable value. As the first rendering of the written word of
God from the little known Hebrew into the widely diffused
Greek language, it was the first and oldest instrument by which
the civilized nations could learn God's special revelation. The
Jews carried this version to the east and to the west, thus
preparing the way for the Apostles, preaching and supporting
1 His prologue shows that he wrote primarily only for Jews, and not,
as Loch and Reischl suppose, also for Gentiles.
2 The Septuagint text of Daniel was consequently lost, and was only
recovered in the eighteenth century. It was printed in Rome in 1772,
and it is given in the appendix to Tischendorf's edition of the Septuagint.
238 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
it. For us it is valuable, because it forms an excellent means
for us to control the Masoretic text, and to understand the
sacred books. In the Church it has always been highly es-
teemed,, and not a few of the Fathers considered it to be inspired.
Many old translations are based upon the LXX, such as the
Itala, the Coptic, the Ethiopian and the Armenian versions.
The Jews pay no attention to it at the present time, but that
is due to their hostility towards the Church; at the time of
Christ and still later, it was valued very highly by the Jews,
even in Palestine, and it was the work of Jews for Jews. The
Talmud mentions it frequently with respect.
32. OTHER GREEK TRANSLATIONS
After Christianity was fairly established, the diffusion of the
Holy Scriptures increased. Christians had to defend their
faith against both Jews and pagans; and in doing so they
generally appealed to the Septuagint to prove that the prophe-
cies of the Old Testament had found their fulfillment in Christ.
The Jews now often had recourse to the evasive answer that
this text was not trustworthy, and only the original ought to
be relied upon. They maintained that the LXX writers had
not been sufficiently faithful in their translation, and for this
reason new translations seemed to be required, although there
was plainly no ground for the Jews' complaints, as the LXX
version is only too literal.
1. It was probably from motives of hostility to Christians
that in the second century Aquilas of Sinope in Pontus, a
Jewish proselyte, made a translation following the Hebrew so
slavishly as to violate all the rules of Greek grammar. For
instance, he rendered Genesis i. 1 : 'Ei> /cefaXatq* eKrurev o 0eo?
crvv TOV ovpavov ical crvv rrjv yfjv. Several passages favorable
to Christianity he translated differently from the LXX, al-
though their version was correct. For instance, in Isaias vii.
14, he rendered alma not by Trapdtvos , as the LXX did, but by
veavis. His work was warmly welcomed by the Jews, and the
Talmud praises it and calls it the Targum Agilas.
2. Theodoiion, an Ebionite from Ephesus, was the next to
THE BIBLE AS A WHOLE 239
translate the Old Testament into Greek. His work resembles
the LXX, and he retained that text whenever, in his opinion,
it gave a correct rendering of the Hebrew, and he translated
only when the LXX appeared altogether misleading, as, e. g., in
Daniel. His intention was therefore to revise the LXX. His
translation was held in more esteem by the Christians than
that of Aquilas, and his version of the Book of Daniel was
admitted to the Canon of Holy Scripture. Theodotion lived
in the second century, and Irenseus, writing in 176, knew his
work (Adv. hcereses, III, 24).
3. Symmachus, another Ebionite, made a translation some-
what later. Regarding his date we know with certainty that
he wrote after Irenaeus and before Origen, as the latter knew
his work, but the former did not. He seems to have written
before 200 A. D., perhaps in the reign of Marcus Aurelius the
Philosopher ( 161-180). x The old writers who mention his
translations, say at the same time that they are freer than those
of his predecessors; he tried to write good Greek, to remove
whatever there was in earlier translations offensive to Western
ears, and to avoid what seemed foreign. He cared more for the
thoughts than the words. Saint Jerome praises his version and
undoubtedly often took Symmachus as his model for his own
works, for it is impossible not to perceive a similarity between
their versions. When Origen was working at the Bible, he
found three other translations besides the four already men-
tioned, and numbered them 5, 6 and 7. Consequently they
are known as quinta, sexta, septima. None of them seems to
have contained the whole of the Old Testament.
Only fragments of all the translations other than the LXX have come
down to us. They were collected by Montfaucon, a Maurist, Origenis
Hexaplorum qua supersunt, Paris, 1713, 2 vols., fol. This work has
been superseded by Field's Origenis Hexaplorum qucB supersunt, Oxonii,
1871-75, 2 vols., 4to.
1 Mercati, L'etfet di Simmaco, Freibg., 1893. The only authority is
Epiphanius (De Ponderibus et Mensuris, c. 16, 17), who assigns him to
this period, but he is not trustworthy.
240 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
33. LATER HISTORY OF THE SEPTUAGINT. ORIGEN"
The more the Septuagint was used by Christians, the more
did its reputation among the Jews diminish, until at last their
dislike amounted to hatred and horror. 1 Christians, however,
read this text, handed down to them by the Apostles and the
first preachers of the faith, in their meetings for public wor-
ship, just as they read the writings of the Apostles. As the
Christian communities became more numerous, copies of this
book had to be multplied, and no ancient work was so fre-
quently copied. The very fact of its wide diffusion was harmful
to the text; many various readings crept in as a result of its
being so often copied, and many persons who possessed Bibles,
especially if they understood Hebrew, ventured to make a
slight alteration here and there, which was perpetuated when
the manuscript was copied. The condition of the copies of the
Bible caused anxiety and sorrow to many Christians, particu-
larly to scholars, as they had to hear the Jews assert, in argu-
ments respecting the faith, that the very book from which
Christian doctrines should be proved and Jewish errors refuted
was devoid of all authority, as it often differed from the Hebrew
text, and the various Greek versions of it did not agree with
one another. (The mistake was made of setting too high a
value on the Hebrew text, and of assuming that it was quite
free from errors.)
In order to put an end to these reproaches, Origen, a learned
Alexandrian, undertook a very comprehensive work on the Bible,
and collated the various texts. This work, known as the
Hexapla, was completed in 231. Origen's system of arrange-
ment was the following:
He divided the rolls of manuscript into six columns, or, in
dealing with some books of the Bible, into seven, eight or
even nine. In the first he wrote the Hebrew text in Hebrew
letters; in the second the same text in Greek characters; in
the third the literal translation, viz., that of Aquilas; in the
1 Later Jews mourned over the existence of the LXX as over the wor-
ship of the golden calf, and said that darkness had enveloped the earth
for three days, when this work was completed.
THE BIBLE AS A WHOLE 241
fourth that of Symmachus ; in the fifth the Septuagint version,
and in the sixth that of Theodotion. In the case of some
books other columns were added, containing the quinta, sexto,
and septima, so that these parts of the whole may be called
heptapla, octapla and enneapla respectively. In the fifth column,
containing the Septuagint, Origen inserted definite marks, in-
tended to show exactly the relation between that version and
the original. If he found something added in the LXX that
was absent in the Hebrew text, he marked it with an obelus 9
signifying that it ought to be omitted; if he detected some-
thing left out, he supplied it, generally from Theodotion, mark-
ing it with an asterisk * and naming the source whence he had
taken what was missing. A metobelus (*-*) marked the end of
the passage to which the other marks applied.
This great work being of the highest value was received with
approval and diligently used. On account of its bulkiness it
could not be reproduced, and had to be studied and consulted
at Csesarea in Palestine, where it was kept. Extracts from it
were, however, made: (1) Origen himself prepared the so-called
Tetrapla; i. e. an arrangement of the four best known transla-
tions (LXX, Aquilas, Theodotion and Symmachus) in four
parallel columns. This enabled the Christians to see where
they could safely rely upon the LXX without fear of contra-
diction, as the other translations gave them valuable indications,
and Aquilas was almost a substitute for the original text. (2)
At a later date Eusebius, Bishop of CaBsarea, the well-known
writer on " Church History," and his friend, Pamphilus, had the
Septuagint text, with all Origen's marks and emendations, copied
from the fifth column of the Hexapla, and these copies were
approved by the Church in Palestine. Thus the Hexapla and
Tetrapla fell out of use, and only fragments of them are
extant (see p. 239).
Additional Notes. 1. Origen was not the only scholar of antiquity
who undertook to revise the Alexandrian text. The same was done by
Lucian, a priest and afterwards a martyr (312 A. D. ) in Antioch, and by
the Egyptian Hesychius, who also suffered martyrdom in 311. They
studied the Hebrew text, but referred also to early manuscripts of the
LXX. Lucian's revision was used in many congregations in Asia (not
in Palestine) and in Eastern Europe; Hesychius', in Egypt.
242 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
2. The Alexandrian translation has been preserved in several old
manuscripts. The codices B, N and A (cf. Cornill, 302), which have
been already mentioned, contain probably the purest text. The small
editions brought out by Loch (2d ed., Ratisbon, 1886) and Tischen-
dorf (7th ed., Leipzig, 1887) are based upon printed editions of these
three codices. L. van Ess, Vetus Test. gr. juxta 70 interpreter, Leipz.,
1824, 1855, 1887, is printed from the Roman edition of Codex B, 1587 (see
above, p. 229 ) .
In 1883 P. v. Lagarde published in Gottingen the first volume of an
editions already mentioned, contain probably the purest text. The small
inclusive, but unhappily no other volume appeared. The text is that of
Lucian, which is given also in the Complutensian Polyglot. Between
1887 and 1895 a very carefully prepared edition of the Septuagint in
three volumes was published in Cambridge, and a second revised edition
was printed, 1895-1899, under the title " The Old Testament in Greek,"
by H. Barclay Swete. Also by Swete is an excellent "Introduction
to the Old Testament in Greek," with an appendix containing the letter
of Aristeas (Cambridge, 1900).
3. Origen's autograph still existed at Cseaarea until after 600 A. D.,
but it disappeared when the Arabs conquered Palestine. Not long be-
fore its disappearance the Monophysite Bishop Paul of Telia translated
at Alexandria (617) the fifth column of the LXX quite literally into
Syriac, inserting all the critical marks (see p. 246). By aid of this
translation it is not difficult to restore the Greek text. This Syriac
version has been preserved in a manuscript of the eighth century now
in the Ambrosian Library at Milan. A photolithographic reproduction
of it was published by Ceriani in 1874. 1
34. CHALDEE TRANSLATIONS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT
(TARGUMIM) 2
When Hebrew ceased to be a living language, it was found
necessary to translate the Bible into Chaldee. As early as the
1 A small portion of the Hexapla, not including the first column for
Hebrew in Hebrew characters, has been found in a palimpsest in the
Ambrosiana at Milan. The discoverer was Dr. Mercati, mentioned on
p. 239. The manuscript dates from the tenth century, and contains the
Hexapla of eleven Psalms. It is written in minuscules. The discovery
is important for several reasons; e.g. for the reading of the Hebrew in
the early centuries of the Christian era, i. e. in the time before the
Masora was written, and also for the criticisms on the text of those par-
ticular Psalms. An account of it was given by Ceriani in the Rendi-
conti of the Lombard Literary Institute, Ser. II, vol. 29. The collections
made by Montfaucon and Field ( see p. 239 ) do not of course contain this
portion of the Hexapla.
2 Targum, pi. Targumim, means simply "translation," "interpreta-
tion," from tagam ( = ta'am ) , to be double, targem ( = taggem ) , to
double, used especially of something written hence to interpret, eluci-
THE BIBLE AS A WHOLE 243
time of Esdras and Nehemias, the people no longer understood
the ancient Hebrew (Neh. viii. 8), and so it was not enough
to read the Sacred Books in the synagogues of Palestine in
the original, but what was read had to be translated into the
vulgar tongue, viz. into Chaldee. For a long time this was
done orally, but gradually the translations were written down.
They must all belong to a very early period, as nowhere can
any hostility to Christianity be traced in them. They origi-
nated partly in Palestine, partly in Babylon, in the rabbinical
schools of these districts. We possess Targumim of all the
books in the Hebrew Bible except Esdras, Nehemias and Daniel.
The most important Targum is that of Onkelos, 1 and dates
from the time of the Apostles. It is limited to the Pentateuch,
and is very faithful and free from mistakes. A second Targum,
that of the Prophets, 2 is ascribed to Jonathan, a disciple of
Hillel, who was a teacher of the law. Apparently this was
written during our Lord's life. It is not so accurate as the
work of Onkelos, contains many explanatory additions, and
might almost be called a paraphrase explaining the text. The
pseudo-Jonathan's Targum of the Pentateuch and others of
various books of the Bible 3 were the work of unknown authors
of later date, and are regarded as less valuable. Nevertheless,
as they, too, date from very early in the Christian era, they are
useful aids in studing the Hebrew text. It is generally acknowl-
edged that the text used by these later translators differed very
little from the Masoretic.
date. Oral elucidation seems to have given rise to the sermon, the edi-
fying explanation of what is written, which is still called Turgam by-
Syrian Christians.
1 According to the Talmud, Onkelos was a proselyte ; he showed great
honor to the famous Gamaliel at his death (52 A. D.)> so he must have
lived in the first century (see Kaulen, I, 115). His Targum is printed
in the great polyglot editions, and a new reprint of it was published by
A. Berliner in Berlin, 1884.
2 It contains Josue, Judges, Samuel, Kings, Isaias, Jeremias, Ezechiel
and the twelve minor prophets.
3 Namely an anonymous Targum of the Psalms, Proverbs and Job;
another of the five "Rolls" (Megilloth, i.e. Canticles, Ruth, Lamenta-
tions, Ecclesiasticus and Esther) ; another of Esther and one of Chroni-
cles. For printed editions of the Targums see Kaulen, Einl., I, 114;
Petermann, Linguw chald. grammatica, pp. 83-88.
244 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
35. SAMARITAN TRANSLATION OP THE PENTATEUCH
The Samaritans were a mixed race, speaking a Semitic dialect
of their own, and using the old Semitic or Phoenician writing.
They were accustomed to read the Mosaic law (written in
Phoenician characters), when they assembled for the worship
of God. 1 Just as a translation became necessary for use in the
Jewish sjTiagogues, so did the Samaritans too require a trans-
lation, for they ceased to understand Hebrew. According to
the statements made by the few remaining people of this
nation, one was made by a priest named Nathanael, about the
year 20 B. c. The ancients were familiar with this work, and
Origen often quotes it in his Hexapla, and calls it TO ^apapei-
TLKOV. It became known in the West through Delia Valle,
a scholar who in 1616 acquired a manuscript of it at Damascus,
as well as one of the original. Both dated from the year 1514,
and are now in the Vatican at Rome. Another manuscript, also
from Damascus, is in the library of the Barberini family in
Rome, and still older manuscripts, which are, however, frag-
mentary, are at Oxford, Cambridge and St. Petersburg.
The Samaritan translation is contained in the polyglot editions
printed in Paris and London, and it has been reprinted from them by
Briill, Frankfurt, 1873. This text is based upon one single manuscript of
the year 514, which is both recent and defective. Petermann's edition,
completed by Vollers (Berlin, 1891), is based on several manuscripts and
is therefore very valuable. According to a critique by Samuel Kohn, the
Samaritan translation is very literal, reproducing the text of the Samari-
tan-Hebrew Bible almost letter for letter, with servile fidelity, and be-
traying a want of knowledge of Hebrew. The original composition prob-
ably passed through many hands and underwent many alterations.
36. SYRIAC TRANSLATIONS
The Syrian Church, the first community of Gentile Chris-
tians, possessed various translations of the Bible, of which the
most important is that known as the Peshitto version. It
is certainly not the work of one man. The New Testament
alone may have been done by one writer, at least as far as the
1 With regard to the time when the Pentateuch and the Book of Josue
came into the possession of the Samaritans, see above, p. 52. .
THE BIBLE AS A WHOLE 245
6/jLo\ojovfJieva are concerned. The writings of the Apostles
were read in every church at assemblies for worship, and as
the Syrian Church is one of the oldest, the Syriac version of the
New Testament must belong to quite the early part of the second
century, and the uniformity of the language points to its being
the work of one translator. The books of the Old Testament,
at least the protocanonical, had existed in Syriac before this
time, for in the New Testament Peshitto quotations are made
from the Old Testament Peshitto, hence the latter must have
been written in the first century of our era; it was translated
from the Hebrew text, and is probably the work of several
persons, as its language has not the same uniformity and even-
ness as that of the New Testament Peshitto.
The name Knt3'tf3, Peshittho or PesMttha, is explained in various
ways. It seems to be connected with BBfe) (Chald. and Syr. peshat),
i. e. to spread out, expound, so that the meaning would be the expounded,
i. e. translated ( Scripture ) .
The deuterocanonical books of the Old Testament and the avri\'y6(jiei>a
of the New were added to the Peshitto before the fourth century, as
Saint Ephrem the Syrian (300-380), who did not understand Greek,
often quotes from them. That they originally were not included seems
probable from notes in some manuscripts of the Peshitto ( cf. p. 205 ) .
In 1858 Cureton, an Englishman, published some fragments of a
Syriac text of the Gospels that is older than the Peshitto in its present
form. Bathgen used his work (1885) in an attempt to restore the Greek
text from which the Syriac translation had been made. In 1892, in the
monastery on Sinai, a palimpsest manuscript of the gospels in Syriac
was discovered that appears to be still older than Cureton's text. This
Codex Sinaiticus Syrus is called Lewis Codex after the lady who dis-
covered it, Mrs. Smith-Lewis, an English widow. It was photographed
in situ, and published at Cambridge in 1894, under the title " The Four
Gospels in Syriac, transcribed from the Sinaitic Palimpsest," 4to. It was
followed by " A Translation of the Four Gospels," by Smith-Lewis, Lon-
don, 1894, Svo. 1
1 See K. Holzhey, Der neuentdeckte Codex Syrus Sinaiticus, Munich,
1896. This work contains a thorough examination of the codex, as well
as a comparison of it with Cureton's text. Both texts appear, according
to Holzhey, to have been translated from the same Greek original; they
are not independent translations, but are revised versions of one and the
same text, and are older than the Peshitto. Tatian's Diatessaron is
based upon the Lewis Codex, and is possibly later than the Cureton
Codex. Both manuscripts are orthodox; only the genealogy in Saint
Matthew in the new Sinai palimpsest seems to have been taken from an
246 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
The discoverer made a second journey to Sinai in the spring of 1895,
in order, if possible, to fill up the voids in the first edition and to verify
some doubtful readings. She published the results of this re-examina-
tion of the codex in her work, " Some Pages of the Four Gospels re-
transcribed from the Sinaitic Palimpsest with a Translation of the
Whole Text," Cambridge, 1896. This book contains many additions to
the text as first published. The discovery is of great importance in Bible
criticism, for this is the oldest Syriac text known hitherto. Unhappily
it is very incomplete. 1
Besides the Peshitto, there are two other Syriac translations,
viz.: (a) In the seventh century (617) Paul of Telia, a Mono-
physite bishop, translated the Old Testament from the LXX.
The rendering is so literal as to be very useful in determining
the text of the Septuagint at that time (see p. 24:2). (b) At
a still earlier date, about 500 A. D., a suffragan bishop, named
Polycarp, translated part of the Bible into Syriac from the
Greek. He did so at the instigation of his bishop, Philoxenus
of Mabug (=Hierapolis). His version contained at least the
Psalms and the New Testament. These two translations were
used by heretics (Monophysites). 2
The Bible was translated into Arabic only at a comparatively late
date, and then not all at once, nor by one man, but book by book, by
various persons. The best known of these translators is Rabbi Saadia
Gaon (died 942), an Egyptian. He translated the whole of the Jewish
canon of the Old Testament directly from the Hebrew. Not all the books,
however, in his translation have been preserved, and some still extant
have not yet been printed. Cf. Engelkemper, De Saadice Gaonis vita,
Bibliorum versione, hermeneutica. Monast., 1897. Much older, and there-
fore more important, are the Coptic (Egyptian) translations made from
Ebionite manuscript of the Gospels, as, in i. 16, it contains the words,
"Joseph begot Jesus." The discoverer of the codex, however, does not
agree with this theory, and lays stress upon the argument that the text
cannot be tainted with heresy, as immediately after the genealogy fol-
lows the account of the birth of Christ from the Virgin Mary by the
Holy Spirit. She maintains that the word " begot " has throughout the
genealogy the purely conventional meaning " was reckoned legally or
socially as the son." It has this meaning in verse 8, where Joram is
said to have begotten his great-grandson Ozias, and in verse 12, where the
childless Jechonias is said to have begotten Salathiel. Cf. also A. Bonus,
Collatio Cod. Lew. c. Cod. Curet, Oxford, 1896.
1 It is supposed that the manuscript was revised about 400 A. D., in
accordance with a Greek text belonging to the second century.
2 Printed editions: Ceriani, Translatio syra Vet. Test., Mediolani,
1876, etc.; Gutbir, Nov. Test. Syr., Hamburg, 1664.
THE BIBLE AS A WHOLE 247
the Greek in the second or, at latest, in the third century. Of almost
equal value are the Ethiopian (fourth century) and the Armenian (not
much later) versions, both based on Greek originals. Of the Gothic
translation by Vulfilas (died 381) only some considerable fragments re-
main. This version, too, was made from the Greek.
37. LATIN TRANSLATIONS
The Itala and the Vulgate
1. In the Western Church from very early times of Chris-
tianity, the Holy Scriptures have been read in a Latin version,
known as the Vulgata (versio) in consequence of its widespread
use. This translation is taken partly from an older version, that
was made soon after the introduction of Christianity to the
West, and partly is the work of Saint Jerome.
2. As soon as Christianity was adopted, it was necessary to
read the sacred books during divine worship in the vernacular,
and this gave rise to the Latin translation. Scarcely any one
in the West (except the Jews) understood Hebrew, and only
the educated classes knew Greek. Most of the early Christians
belonged to the lower classes (I Cor. i. 26) and consequently a
Latin version was needed.
Whether divine worship in Rome was originally performed in Latin
or in Greek is still an open question. Ferd. Probst agrees with De
Rossi in believing the Greek language to have been in use until the end
of the fourth century, but Kaulen thinks Mass was said in Latin. Even
if Greek was the usual language for the sacrificial rite, the Bible would
have had to be read to the people in the vernacular.
3. It is tolerably certain that not only one but several Latin
translations existed long before Saint Jerome. 1 The first his-
torical mention of the existence of the Bible in Latin comes
from Africa, where Tertullian (160-240), writing about the
end of the second century, speaks of such a version as in use
among the Christians. 2 Saint Augustine, who wrote later, says
that there were many Latin versions, but he preferred the Itala
1 Wiseman and others have supposed that all the Latin texts of the
Bible, before the time of Saint Jerome, were only different versions of
one original translation made probably in Africa. Comely shares this
opinion, but Kaulen thinks that the translation was made in Rome.
2 In usum exiit nostrorum.
248 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
(sc. interpretatio) to all the rest, as it was accurate and yet
intelligible. Probably he had brought it with him from Italy,
and therefore gave it this name. 1 The text used by Saint
Augustine was certainly not the same as Tertullian's, as may
be seen by comparing their quotations. There were therefore
at least two Latin versions known in Africa. 2 In Europe also
there were probably several Latin texts in existence, as the
patristic quotations do not always agree, and Saint Jerome com-
plains of there being many Latin texts containing great dis-
crepancies. 3
4. Still there must have been one translation regarded in
Italy as better than the rest, as also in Saint Augustine's
opinion; for Saint Jerome often mentions a communis editio
or antiqua translatio. Moreover, the quotations made by the
Italian Fathers often agree exactly and point to their having
used one and the same text; and, as a matter of fact, as com-
parison shows, this text must have been the one used by Saint
Augustine, viz. that of the Itala. Saint Augustine's preference
must have made itself felt in Italy (ceteris prccferatur) , and so
there was what may be called an official text.
5. It is true that to a great extent this translation is lost
for us, as in most of the books of the Old Testament it has been
replaced by Saint Jerome's translation, that will be discussed
later. A good deal, however, of the lost translation can be
recovered from quotations made by the Fathers who lived before
Saint Jerome, and especially by Saint Augustine. Moreover,
many remains of older Latin manuscripts have been found.
1 De doctrina Christ., II, 15: In ipsis interpretationibus Itala ceteris
prceferatur, nam est verborum tenacior [sc. than others] cum perspicui-
tate sent entice. Burkitt, an English scholar, has tried to show that
this Itala was not an earlier Latin text, but the work of Saint Jerome
in 383 in Rome. Saint Augustine wrote the above words in 397. But
if this were the case, Saint Augustine's Itala would have contained only
the Psalms and the New Testament, whereas he is speaking of the whole
Bible.
2 Cf. also Wunderer, BruchstiicJce einer Afrik. Bibeliibersetzung in der
pseudocyprianischen Schrift exhortatio de pwnitentia, Erlangen, 1889.
This translation agrees fairly with Tertullian, but not with Saint
Augustine.
8 Prccf. in 1. Josue: apud Latinos tot [sunt~\ exemplaria quot codices.
THE BIBLE AS A WHOLE 249
As early as the eighteenth century Sabatier of the Congregation of
Saint Maur attempted to restore the Itala completely from the scattered
fragments that remain of it ( Paris, 1743 ) . Since his time many discov-
eries have been made. In Munich part of the Acts of the Apostles, ac-
cording to the Itala, was found on parchment that had once been used
to bind books belonging to the monastic library at Freising. This was
published by L. Ziegler (Italafragmente, Marburg, 1875). That these
fragments really formed part of the Itala is clearly seen, if they are
compared with Saint Augustine. The same may be said of an edition of
the Gospels by H. J. White, "The Four Gospels" ("Old Latin Biblical
Texts," iii. 1888). This is based upon a sixth-century manuscript belong-
ing to a priest named Valerian; it was found at Freising, and is now in
Munich. Tischendorf refers to this manuscript as q.
Other parts of the Itala from Freising were published by Belsheim
and Wolmin. According to Wolmin the Freising manuscript belongs to
the sixth century. He praises the translation of the Itala } and, like
Saint Augustine, admires its exact correspondence with the Greek origi-
nal and the lucidity of its expressions. It aims not so much at correct
Latinity, but at preventing " any particle of God's word from being lost."
Wolmin thinks that the oldest Latin translation was made in Africa,
because Greek was not understood there, whereas in Rome and Southern
Italy Greek was spoken as well as Latin. " When and where it was
written will only be stated with certainty after we have acquired a
better knowledge of African Latin." Other editions of texts belonging to
a period before Saint Jerome, and now generally called collectively
Itala, are mentioned by Kaulen.
6. The existing remains of the old Latin version enable us
to see (1) that it was translated from a Greek text, and, in
the case of the Old Testament, from the text of the Septuagint
that existed before the Hexapla; (2) that it reproduced this
text with great accuracy, and might justly be called the Septua-
ginta in Latino; (3) that it was in vulgar Latin, and (4) that
it was the work of an Oriental. We may assume that the
translator (or translators) belonged to the number of those who
preached the faith in the earliest age of Christianity. Eufinus
the Presbyter, the friend and afterwards the antagonist of
Saint Jerome, intimates that the translation, or at least the
beginning of it, must be traced back to Saint Peter. In fact,
if the founder of the Eoman Church established the order
of worship, it seems that he must have taken care to have a
generally intelligible text of the sacred books, which were read
at the assemblies.
7. The widespread use of the Latin text gave rise to many
variant readings in the copies of the Bible, as it did in the
250 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
case of the Septuagint. Complaints gradually arose, and in-
creased as time went on, and they caused the energetic Pope
Damasus to commission the learned Saint Jerome, who was
then living in Rome, to revise and amend the Latin text that
was in general use in that city. He set to work at once, and
in the same year produced a revised version of the New Testa-
ment and Psalms. This version of the New Testament has
ever since been used in the liturgy. The Psalms, too, were
at once introduced into it, and this text is still found where
passages from the Psalms occur in the Missale Romanum, as
well as in the Invitatoria and Responsoria of the Breviary. To
distinguish Saint Jerome's text from the unrevised version, the
former was called the Psalterium Romanum. Later on, in 392,
Saint Jerome, being then in Palestine, revised the text of the
Psalms again with more accuracy, comparing it with the
Hexapla version of the Septuagint, for he had discovered
Origen's great work in the library of the church at Csesarea.
This new revision was adopted first in Gaul, and hence it is
called the Psalterium Gallicanum; it is the version given in
the Vulgate and in the Breviary (with the above-mentioned
exceptions). While he was in Palestine, Saint Jerome revised
most of the other books of the Old Testament, collating them
with the Hexapla, but of this revision nothing has been pre-
served except the Book of Job (published by Lagarde, MitteiL,
II, 189-237), as a still better Latin text was soon afterwards
produced.
8. While engaged in the work just described, Saint Jerome
conceived an entirely new plan. As during his sojourn in
Palestine he had learnt Hebrew and Chaldee very thoroughly,
and as he was convinced that the original text was far superior
to the Septuagint translation, and in order also to prevent the
Jews from being able to argue that the text used by the Church
was inaccurate, he determined to translate into Latin, from the
Hebrew and Chaldee, the whole of the Old Testament, as far as
it existed in the original. In spite of some interruptions, he
completed this work in fifteen years (390-405). Unhappily, he
had too high an opinion of his Hebrew original, which he often
calls hebraica veritas, although it was very like the present
THE BIBLE AS A WHOLE 251
Masoretic text, contained many defects, and was in many re-
spects inferior to the Septuagint. However, his reverence for
tradition, and also his knowledge that most Catholics were
averse to any alteration of the sacred text, kept him from
giving free rein to his preference for the Hebrew, and in his
translation we find many passages at variance with the Hebrew
text. Eegarded as a whole, Saint Jerome's work is the best
of all the old translations, since it exactly reproduces the mean-
ing of the original, and does so in very perfect language. 1
9. It did not, however, find ready acceptance everywhere in
the Church, as the prefaces to the sacred books reveal. Many
objected to the new expressions, and disapproved of the apparent
neglect of the Septuagint, which had been used by the Apostles.
Saint Jerome had to encounter bitter antagonism in conse-
quence, and a long time elapsed before the new text won favor,
as the Church gave no special orders enforcing its use. During
the fifth and sixth centuries both translations were in use;
some persons preferred the Itala, others Saint Jerome's text,
and it was only after the time of Gregory the Great that the
latter decidedly prevailed, for, although the Pope said in his
explanation of the Book of Job that either text might be used,
he showed plainly in the course of his commentary that lie
preferred Saint Jerome's. When the Venerable Bede lived, the
Itala had already fallen out of use in the churches, and was
described as prisca, vetusta, antiqua, while Saint Jerome's text
gradually came to be known as nostra or vulgata, and ever
since, up to the present time, it has always been used in the
Church.
The Codex Fuldensis of the New Testament, written about 545, is be-
lieved to be the oldest manuscript of the Latin text as revised by Saint
Jerome (published by Ranke, Marburg, 1868). Of not much later date is
the Codex Amiatinus, written in England, 690-716; it is named after
the Monastery of Amiata near Florence, where it was formerly kept, but
now it is in Florence. It contains the whole Bible with the exception of
the Book of Baruch. The New Testament of this Codex was edited by
Tischendorf under the title Codex Amiatinus N. T. interprete Hieronymo,
Leipz., 1854.
1 Concerning the method of this translation see Hoberg, De s. Hiero-
nym. ratione interpretandi, 1886.
252 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
10. What has been said shows that the Vulgate consists of
the following parts: (a) the protocanonical books of the Old
Testament (with the exception of the Psalms) according to
Saint Jerome's translation from the Hebrew or Chaldee; (&)
the deuterocanonical books of Tobias and Judith, also translated
by him directly from the same languages; (c) the Psalms, from
the Itala but revised twice by Saint Jerome in accordance with
the Septuagint; (d) the deuterocanonical books of the Old
Testament (with the exception of Tobias and Judith), as taken
from the Itala, and not revised by Saint Jerome (Baruch, I
and II Machabees, Ecclesiasticus, Wisdom) ; Saint Jerome
translated Esther x.-xvi. from the Septuagint, and Daniel iii.
24-90, xiii. and xiv. from Theodotion; (e) the whole of the
New Testament is taken from the Itala, but modified by Saint
Jerome's revision mentioned above.
38. CONTINUATION. THE VULGATE IN THE MIDDLE AGES
11. In course of time frequent copying, and the many cor-
rections made by the owners, of Bibles led to great diversity in
the copies of the Latin Bibles. Most of the variant readings
are due to familiarity with the old Itala, and the Liturgy espe-
cially was not without influence upon the text. Charlemagne
employed his learned chancellor Alcuin in revising the text
of the Vulgate, probably in accordance with the oldest manu-
scripts obtainable (801). In the eleventh century the great
scholar, Lanfranc (ob. 1089), undertook a new emendation, and
his text was long considered as the standard for copyists.
12. From the twelfth century onwards the so-called Cor-
rectoria came into use, to secure as far as possible the accuracy
of the text. They originated with Stephen Harding, Abbot
of Citeaux (ob. 1134). He corrected a manuscript of the Bible
in accordance with a very old Latin copy, using at the same
time the Hebrew and the Greek texts. The revised version thus
produced was thenceforth the standard text for the whole
Cistercian Order. Other Orders and learned bodies followed
Stephen Harding, and every community desired in a similar
way to procure for itself a standard copy of the Bible. The
THE BIBLE AS A WHOLE 253
standard copy of the Vulgate used by the University of Paris
was very frequently copied, but as it was by no means free from
mistakes, theologians from the thirteenth century onwards col-
lected various readings, adding notes to say which had the
best claim to preference. These various readings were written
on the broad margins of the Bible texts, and a text containing
them, or even a copy of the apparatus criticus without the text,
was called a correctorium. Many such correctoria are preserved
in various libraries.
13. Towards the close of the Middle Ages two things ex-
erted great influence upon the Latin text; viz., the study of
classical literature and the invention of printing.
The increase of classical studies had the result that in many
places people tried to " improve " the traditional text on classical
lines, because Saint Jerome's language did not savor of Cicero.
Moreover, many wished to make the Latin text conform more
closely to the Greek or Hebrew. Alterations of both these kinds
could be made only at the cost of sacrificing the uniformity and
purity of the text.
The introduction of the art of printing had similar effects.
It is well known that the first book ever printed was the Latin
Bible (Mayence, 1450). By the year 1500 over one hundred
different editions of the Bible had been printed and were in
circulation. In bringing out the earliest editions, there was
no thought of textual criticism, and any manuscript that came
to hand was printed. As competition increased, however, the
publishers had to comply with the taste of the period and have
recourse to Hebrew and Greek. The more numerous these aids
were, and the more various their sources, the greater and more
striking were the diversities in the Latin text, so much so that
the very idea of a Vulgate, i. e. of a generally recognized and
accepted form of the written words of revelation, was almost
lost.
39. CONTINUATION. THE COUNCIL OF TRENT
14. Meantime the Keformation had broken out, and in con-
sequence of it the Council of Trent had assembled. On account
of the dogmatic questions which it had to consider, it was
254 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
obliged to begin by determining the sources of the Church's
teaching. These were declared to be Scripture and tradition.
As from the earliest times in all ecclesiastical business the Holy
Scriptures had been used in the language of the Eoman metro-
politan Church, it was decided not to depart from this practice,
but it was obvious that the Latin Bibles varied greatly one from
another. It was therefore necessary to point out one book in
which the Holy Scripture might be found accurately and truth-
fully rendered, and such the Council declared to be "the old
Vulgate edition, which has stood the test of use for many cen-
turies in the Church/' It went on to order that the Vulgate
should be regarded as authentic and be taken as the foundation
not only at all proceedings of the Council, but also at all the
official transactions of the Church, at sermons, catechizing and
discussions (Trid., Sess. 4). 1
15. The expression " authentic " (== trustworthy, demonstra-
tive) implies that the Vulgate contains the right text of Holy
Scripture, as that text was written by the authors. Therefore
any evidence derived from it on matters of faith or morals
must be recognized as valid, i. e. it must not be rejected on the
pretext that the Vulgate does not contain the correct text of
the Bible. This does not, however, mean that the Vulgate is
absolutely free from mistakes and cannot and ought not to
admit of any correction, but it only means that it contains no
mistakes of such a kind as that a misleading doctrine can be
derived from them. This decision was not intended to forbid
or exclude the use of the original text, or of other translations.
Leo XIII says in his Encyclical on Holy Scripture: "Although the
meaning of the Hebrew and Greek idioms is, as far as substance is con-
cerned, abundantly clear from the words of the Vulgate, yet if there be
anything ambiguous or inaccurate introduced therein, an examination of
the original language, according to the advice of Saint Augustine, will
be if great service."
According to Bellarmine (De Verio Dei, II, 11, ed. Mogunt, 1842) rek
erence should be made to the original ( 1 ) when there appears to be a mis-
take in the written or printed Latin text, (2) when the Latin codices
1 Sancta synodus declarat, ut Jicec ipsa vetus et vulgata editio, qun
longo tot sceculorum usu in ipsa ecclesia probata est, in publide lectioni-
bus, disputationibus, prcedicationibus et expositionibtts pro authentica
hvbeatur et ut nemo illam rejicere audeat vel prcesumat.
THE BIBLE AS A WHOLE 255
vary, (3) when a word or thought is ambiguous in the Latin, (4) in
order to understand the peculiar use and emphasis of words in the origi-
nal. Salmeron, who was present at the Council, uses similar language.
See Comely, Introd., I, 458; Comp., 112.
16. As the Vulgate had suffered many alterations in conse-
quence of having been frequently reproduced during a very long
period, the Council at the same session ordered that thence-
forth only carefully revised editions of the Holy Scriptures,
and especially of the Vulgate, should be issued. 1 In this way
the arbitrary alterations of editors were to be checked, and a
return to the tradition of the Church was pointed out as the
right course to pursue in restoring the purity of the Bible text.
By saying " as free as possible from mistakes " the Church wished to
guard against " corrections " in the text, which are often only the out-
come of private judgment and cause much harm. She declared that the
old originals or translations ought to be followed as closely as possible.
The appreciative treatment of the oldest discoverable manuscripts, which
in our day is a favorite pursuit of scholars, has therefore long been de-
sired and encouraged by the Church.
Catholic scholars at once attempted to comply with the wishes
of the Council. As early as 1547 the theological faculty at
Louvain -caused a text of the Vulgate, restored according to
strict rules of criticism, to be published by one of their mem-
bers, John Hentenius, and this was frequently reprinted. This
text did not, however, give universal satisfaction, because it
subsequently admitted a number of readings to the margins, and
they were likely to raise doubts as to the accuracy of the
text itself.
17. Meantime the Holy See had determined to issue an offi-
cial edition of the Vulgate. After much careful work upon it,
this Roman edition appeared under Sixtus V, 1590, and again
in a more accurate form under Clement VIII, 1592. As some
misprints still occurred in the latter edition, a still more care-
fully revised reprint appeared in 1593 and 1598. This edition is
now the standard edition of the Church, and all new impressions
of the Vulgate must agree with it word for word. The Council
of Trent imposed upon all printers of Bibles the obligation of
1 Ut posthac sacra scriptura, potissimum vero hcec ipsa vetus et vul-
gata editio quam emendatissime imprimatur.
256 HANDBOOK FOB THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
submitting their Bibles to the bishops and of securing their
written approval for the books (Sess. 4, de ed. et usu sacr.
librorum).
Valentine Loch's Latin Bible (Ratisbon, 3d ed., 1873) is an accur-
ate reprint of this Roman edition, and is issued with the sanction of
Karl August, Archbishop of Munich and Freising. In 1861 a careful re-
print of the Clementine text of 1593 and 1598 was published by Vercel-
lone in Rome; and this was copied at Augsburg in 1880.
Two English scholars, J. Wordsworth and H. J. White, imposed upon
themselves the task of restoring, with the greatest possible fidelity, the
Vulgate text of the New Testament as revised by Saint Jerome. In doing
so they made use of about thirty old manuscripts, but relied chiefly on
the Codex Bibliorum Amiatinus (see p. 251). Their edition was printed
at Oxford: the Gospels in 1889-1898 and the Acts in 1905. This work,
like the attempts mentioned before (p. 233) to restore the Greek text
of the New Testament, shows that our Vulgate need not fear criticism.
Nevertheless many persons desired to have a new edition authorized by the
Church. Such an edition appeared at Innsbruck in 1906; it is the result
of very laborious studies, and follows the copy in the Vatican. P.
Michael Hetzenauer, Biblia sacra Vulgatw editionis. Large octavo,
XXXII, 1143, n. 173. 1
1 At the present moment the Benedictines are busy in preparing what
is to be the new official edition of the Church. (Letter of Pope Pius X
to Abbot Gasquet, Dec. 3, 1907.)
THIRD PART
SPECIAL INTRODUCTION THE SACEED BOOKS
CONSIDERED SINGLY
PRELIMINARY REMARKS
IN a Special Introduction each of the sacred books must be
dealt with separately, its contents stated, the date of compo-
sition and the author discussed, and, if need be, its authenticity
and textual purity defended.
When we call a book authentic, 1 we mean that it is really
the work of the person to whom it is ascribed. Authenticity
is proved partly by internal and partly by external evidence,
i. e. partly from arguments derived from the book itself and
partly from other testimony.
A book is said to possess textual purity when it has under-
gone no essential alteration in the course of time, but has in
the main been preserved as it left the author.
THE BOOKS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT
1. SURVEY AND CLASSIFICATION
The books of the Old Testament were produced gradually
among the Israelites, and the special introduction to it may be
divided into four sections, corresponding to the four chief
periods of Israelite history.
1. From the beginning of the history of Israel to the close
of the Mosaic legislation and the entrance of the Israelites into
Palestine about the year 1400 B. c. ; origin of the Pentateuch.
(from avOevTTjs = ruler, originator) means proceeding from
the originator, genuine (see p. 254). When the Council of Trent pro-
claimed the authenticity of the Vulgate, a wider signification was given
to the word, as it included genuineness and textual purity.
258 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
2. From the occupation of the Holy Land to the separation
of the two kingdoms of Juda and Samaria about 920 B. c. (or,
according to another view, 932 B.C.). The period when the
sacred poetry was at its prime; origin of the books of Josue,
Judges, Kuth, Samuel, then of the Psalms, of Job and Canticles,
later also of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes.
3. From the separation of the kingdoms to the end of the
Babylonian Captivity, 536 B. c. In this period prophecy was at
its prime; origin of the works of the four major and of most
of the minor prophets.
4. The period after the Captivity to the time of Christ;
origin of the books of Kings, Chronicles, Esdras and Nehemias,
Esther, Tobias, Judith, Machabees; Aggaeus, Zacharias and
Malachias; Sirach or Ecclesiasticus, "Wisdom.
FIRST SECTION
THE OLD TESTAMENT REVELATION BEFORE THE EN-
TRANCE OF THE ISRAELITES INTO PALESTINE
2. THE PENTATEUCH
1. Name. The only sacred book belonging to the earliest
period of Israelite history is the Pentateuch 1 (meaning five
books), which is at once the book of the law and the history of
Israel. The Hebrew name is Thora = law ; 2 in the New Testa-
ment it is o i/oVo?.
Our names for the single books, Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus,
Numbers and Deuteronomy, are taken from the Septuagint, and
were given with reference to the contents; the Vulgate re-
tained the Greek names, only rendering apiOpoL by Numeri.
In the Hebrew Bible and among the Rabbis the names of the
five books are taken from the initial word of each. The first
1 Tltvre, five, and revxos, utensil, tool, but in the Alexandrian period also
book. The name is properly feminine = ij irevT&Tevxos /3/jSXos, but is mas-
culine in Latin, because Uber is understood. The word Pentateuch occurs
first in Origen (Ad Joh., IV, 25. Reusch, Einleitung, p. 10), and in Latin
first in Tertullian (Adv. Marc., I, 10).
n, generally with the article.
THE SACRED BOOKS CONSIDERED SINGLY 259
is Bereshith = In the beginning; the second, Shemoth =
Names, because it begins " These are the names " ; the third,
F0//Jgra == And he called; the fourth, Vajjedabber or Bemid-
bar = A.nd. [God] spoke in the desert; the fifth, Debarim =
Words (" These are the words ").
The Pentateuch contains the earliest history of the human
race * and is at the same time the book of the law governing
the people of revelation, who were strictly marked off from poly-
theistic nations.
The division of the work into five books is probably not due to
the author, yet is very old. It is quite certain that the Seventy
did not divide it, for the division of the Book of Psalms into
five parts is based on the similar division of the Book of the
Law.
2. Contents. Genesis (50 chapters) contains the account of
the Creation of the world and of man, the Fall of man and
its immediate consequences, the Deluge, the dispersion of the
human race, the history of Abraham and his descendants to
the death of the Patriarch Jacob in Egypt.
Exodus (40 chapters) contains the history of Moses, the
departure of the Israelites from Egypt, the giving of the Law
on Sinai, and the first arrangements for the worship of God.
Leviticus (sc. liber) (27 chapters) consists chiefly of rules
for worship and the persons engaged in it.
Numeri or Numbers (36 chapters) contains lists of the fight-
ing men and of the Levites, the arrangement of the encamp-
ments, several laws regarding the future abode of the Israelites
in Chanaan, and Balaam's blessing. The thirty-seven years of
wandering in the wilderness are passed over in silence. 2
1 Interest has been awakened by a book written by Merker, a German
officer: Die Masai, ein ostafrikanisches Semitenvolk, 1904. This race
migrated from the Arabian peninsula into eastern Africa in prehistoric
times. They have a monotheistic worship and are acquainted with al-
most the whole account, given in Genesis, of the early history of mankind,
Paradise, the temptation by the serpent, the deluge, etc.
2 Fr. v. Hummelauer (Gommentarius in Numeros, Paris, 1899) tries to
prove that in Numbers xx. 1-11 we may assume the omission of a consid-
erable part of the original history of these thirty-seven years. " Moses
struck the rock twice with his rod." The first stroke had no effect on ac-
count of the want of confidence felt by Moses. Then the people all re-
260 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
Deuteronomium or Deuteronomy (= second law) (34 chap-
ters) emphasizes and partially repeats the previous legislation,
and, at its close, contains an account of Moses 3 last words, his
death and burial.
Genesis: I. Creation, six days' work. 1 2. Second and supplementary
belled against him and remained obstinate for many years (Amos v. 25,
etc.; Acts vii. 42, etc.). The sin of Moses was therefore the immediate
cause of this revolt, and respect for him led subsequent Israelite writers
to suppress the sorrowful events of these thirty-seven or thirty-eight
years. ( ? ) When afterwards Moses' confidence in God returned, he again
struck the rock, and this time with success.
1 Revelation tells us nothing as to the interpretation of the Hexes-
meron; hence there are, on the part of theologians, various opinions
regarding it.
(a) Saint Augustine and Clement of Alexandria (Strom., VI, 16)
assume that the six days must be limited to one moment. (It is true
that in Ecclus. xviii. 1 we read: Creavit omnia simul, but this may
refer to the sudden creation of spirits and of matter out of nothing,
which is mentioned in Gen. i. 1.)
(6) The literal interpretation is that the days of creation were real
days of twenty-four hours each, so that God created the world in the
course of six ordinary days.
(o) The figurative interpretation is that six days are mentioned in
Holy Scripture as employed in various forms of creation because man
was ordered to work for six days and to rest on the seventh. In this
way the work of creation would not have been the foundation of our
week, but the already existing institution of the week would have been
the reason for dividing the account of creation into six days' work.
(d) The Vision theory is that Adam described the work of creation
as having been effected in six days to his descendants, because God in a
vision (tardemah, as is mentioned in Gen. ii. 21 with regard to the
creation of woman) showed him the various results of creation on six
successive days. Cf. v. Hummelauer, Schopfungsbericht.
(e) According to Zapletal the six days' work consists of two parts,
first to third day, creation of places ; fourth to sixth day, creation of
armies. This explanation is based on the word zebaam = their army,
Genesis ii. 1. The verse runs : " Completed were heaven and earth and
all their army." The Septuagint translated zebaam by icoc/nos avr&v, and
so the Vulgate has ornatus eorum. The accurate translation, however,
would have been crrparbs avruv or ir\ij0os avruv = exercitus eorum. The
scholastics, following the Vulgate, distinguish opus distinotionis (first to
third days) and opus ornatus (fourth to sixth days) ; the latter should
strictly be opus exercitus. Zapletal thinks that the reference is to the
heavenly bodies (fourth day), creatures living in water and in air (fifth
day), land animals and man (sixth day) ; these constitute the army or
armies. This division corresponds to the six working days of mankind.
Zapletal, therefore, thinks the account of creation is not strictly histori-
THE SACRED BOOKS CONSIDERED SINGLY 261
account of the creation. The first human beings in Paradise. 1 3. The
Fall of man. 4. Cain and Abel. Cain's descendants. 5. Adam's gene-
cal, which is a questionable doctrine. Moreover we should notice that the
creation of light on the first day is not the production of a place, and
that plants, created on the third day, also form part of the army of
the earth. Reference is made to the meaning of zala = to move, but it
also means to serve ( e. g. Ex. xxxviii. 8 ) . God's army is the vast host
of creatures occupying heaven and earth (angels, stars, plants, beasts
and men). They are witnesses to God's power, and do Him service
against those who deny Him.
(f) Allusion must be made to a theory that at the beginning the
alternating periods of light and darkness were much longer than they
now are, so that each of the six days of creation may have embraced
thousands or millions of years, since they were God's days resembling
God's Sabbath, which still continues. This is called the concordistic
theory.
It has the advantage of being capable of reconciliation with the ac-
count that evidently purports to be historical. We may also notice
Thoene's opinion that the days of creation were probably analogous to
the seventh day which is not yet over. As this day is composed of
many days of evening and morning, so it may have been in the history
of creation.
With regard to the age of the story of creation, Kaulen rightly re-
marks that it was taken from tradition and placed by Moses at the be-
ginning of his law. The investigations of modern scholars offer no
opposition to the theory that the story was brought to the West from
their Chaldaean home by the original ancestors of the people of Israel.
It differs considerably from the stories of creation handed down by the
Babylonians and other nations. The heathen races introduced fanciful
polytheistic elements into the tradition, whereas the Bible account is
monotheistic and contains the absolute truth, viz. the revelation of God
to the first human beings. That this account is connected with the
Babylonian legends, now being discovered by means of excavations in
Babylon, is quite explicable, for Babylon was the first home of civiliza-
tion for the human race. Cf. Genesis xi.
1 Wellhausen thinks that this account may be referred to the class
of Oriental fables that often contain stories of magic gardens and pal-
aces. He proposes, therefore, to set it aside. May not the reverse be
the truth? May not the old tradition of Paradise underlie these Orien-
tal tales? Jeremias (xxxii. 19) declares all human beings to be chil-
dren of Adam. Such inconvenient evidence is rejected by modern critics
as being due to "later interpolations," for they believe that the story
of creation must have been composed during the Babylonian captivity.
The situation of Paradise has been much discussed. Kaulen places it
in Armenia, and Hoberg and Schb'pfer do the same; von Hummelauer
thinks it was in Babylonia, and so does Portner; Hommel refers it to
Arabia. In his work on the rivers of Paradise (Paradiesesftiisse), 1901,
Engelkemper supports the old theory that the Euphrates, Tigris, Indus
or Ganges, and Nile are meant, and he assumes that the writer of Gene-
262 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
alogy. 6. Decay of morality. Noe and the ark. 7. Deluge. 1 8, 9. End
of the flood. Covenant with Noe, Sem, Cham and Japhet. 10. Noe's
genealogy. 11. Building of the Tower of Babel. Dispersion of mankind.
sis accommodated his statements to the geographical knowledge of his
day. It should, however, be borne in mind that great geological changes
have taken place since the time of the first human beings, so that there
may have been a river at one time in Asia, the name of which was trans-
ferred to the African Nile. Engelkemper declares Eastern Armenia to
have been the place where Paradise was situated. Fr. Delitzsch prefers
Babylonia, and thinks the rivers of Paradise were channels of the
Euphrates. Kaulen's view has found most adherents amongst Catholics,
at least up to the present time.
1 With reference to this event see R. de Girard, Le deluge devant la
critique historique, Fribourg, 1892, and Le charactere naturel du deluge,
Fribourg, 1894; also A. Trissl, f^undfluttheorie wnd Gletschertheorie,
and Sundflut oder Gletscher, Ratisbon, 1893-94. That this catastrophe
actually occurred is generally admitted, because the stories regarding
it are so widely spread. The existence of about sixty-eight autochtho-
nous accounts of a deluge can be proved, so that here we are dealing
with a story known all over the world. There is not the same consensus
of opinion regarding the extent of the flood, whether it affected the
whole earth and all mankind, or only part of it. Nor are scholars agreed
as to whether it was absolutely miraculous, or, in part at least, natural.
Schanz, Schb'pfer, Hammerschmid, v. Hummelauer and Hoberg, Erkl. d.
Genesis, all believe that the flood covered only a limited area, but
Kaulen emphatically opposes this view, and so do Trissl and Gander.
REASONS for believing that the Deluge was general : ( 1 ) In II Saint
Peter iii. 5, etc., the Deluge is put on a level with the final destruction
of the whole world, which is to be effected by means of fire. (2) What
would have been the object of building the ark if Noe and his family
could have found safety by migrating? (3) The language of Holy Scrip-
ture clearly implies that the catastrophe was general, and it is a gen-
eral rule in hermeneutics that a passage must be explained literally, as
long as there is no absolute necessity for departing from the literal
sense. (4) The Fathers and the exegetical tradition of the Church as-
sume that the Deluge was general. (5) The Church does the same in
her liturgy.
Most of the objections to the general character of the Deluge are
based upon the assumption that it must have been a merely natural
event. But the language of Holy Scripture indicates that it was due to
God's immediate intervention, and was therefore something miraculous,
and this removes all difficulty as to its being possible by natural means;
it does not prelude the co-operation of the forces of nature but abso-
lutely assumes it. The same remark applies to reports of other, later
events, e.g. the plagues of Egypt. (We must acknowledge that at the
present time the theory that the Deluge did not affect the whole world,
but only the inhabited parts of it, and consequently all mankind, is the
sententia communior of Bible commentators. It seems, however, scarcely
in conformity with the language of the text.)
THE SACKED BOOKS CONSIDERED SINGLY 263
12, 13. Call of Abram and his migration. 14. His victory over four
kings. Melchisidech, King of Salem. 1 15. God's covenant with Abram
16. Hagar and Ismael. 17. Circumcision. 18. God's intercourse with
Abraham. 19. Destruction of Sodom. 20. Abraham and Abimelech.
21. Birth of Isaac, expulsion of Ismael. 22. Abraham's trial on Mount
Moria. 23. Death of Sara. Burial place in Hebron. 24. Rebecca.
25, 26. Ketura, Abraham's death. Ismael's descendants. Isaac and his
sons Jacob and Esau. Abimelech. 27. Jacob outwits Esau. 28. Jacob's
migration. The ladder from heaven. 29. Jacob with Laban. His
wives, Lia and Rachel, Bala and Zelpha. 30. Jacob's children. Compact
with Laban. 31. Return of Jacob. 32, 33. Jacob's wrestling with God,
Israel; meeting with Esau. 34. Ravishing of Dina, destruction of the
Sichemites. 35. Benjamin. Rachel's death. 36. Tribes of the Edo-
mites, i. e. of Esau's descendants. 37. Sale of Joseph. 38. Juda and
Thamar. 39-41. Joseph in Egypt. 42-45. He tests his brethren. 46,
47. Jacob -and his family migrate to Egypt. 48. Jacob adopts Joseph's
sons. 49. Jacob's blessing given to his sons; his death. 50. His
burial at Hebron.
Exodus: 1. Enslavement of the Israelites in Egypt. 2. Moses. 3.
The burning bush. 4. Moses' mission. 5. Moses and Aaron before
Pharao. 2 6. Increased oppression of the Israelites. 7-10. The ten
plagues of Egypt. 12. Institution of the Pasch. Flight from Egypt.
13. Consecration of the firstborn. The journey eastward. 14. Passage
of the Red Sea. 15. Canticle of Moses. 16. Murmuring of the people.
Quails. Manna. 17. Renewal of the journey. Water out of the rock.
Victory over the Amalekites. 18. Jethro comes to Moses. 19. The
people at Sinai. 20. The Decalogue. 21-23. Further legislation. 24.
Conclusion of the Covenant. 25. Rules regarding the ark of the Cove-
nant, the table for the loaves of proposition and the candlestick. 26.
The Tabernacle. 27. The Altar in the Court. 28. The dress of the
priests. 29. The consecration of the priests. 30. The altar of incense
and other furniture. 31. Sabbath observance. Tables of the Law. 32.
The golden calf. 33, 34. New tables of the Law. 35. Free-will offerings
for making the Tabernacle and all belonging to it. 36-40. The Taber-
nacle and its furniture are made.
Leviticus: 1-7. Regulations for the various sacrifices. 8. Consecra-
1 The genuine character of this chapter, formerly rejected by the
critics, cannot now be questioned. King Amraphel of Sennaar (Gen. xiv.
1) has been identified with King Hammurabi of Babylon. (See L. W.
King's " Letters and Inscriptions of Hammurabi," London, 1901.) Mom-
mert has proved that Salem is the old city of Jerusalem.
2 Sayce, " Fresh Light from Ancient Monuments " ( p. 63 ) , identifies
the Pharao of the exodus with Meneptah II, who became king in 1325.
Most probably, however, he lived in the fifteenth century and belonged to
.the eighteenth dynasty. Amenophis II (1461-1436) seems to have been
the Pharao of the Exodus. (Miketta has showed that Israel must have
entered the country west of the Jordan not later than 1392.) In his ac-
count of his victories, Meneptah mentions the Israelites among the
tribes inhabiting Palestine,
264 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
tion of Aaron and his sons. 9. Aaron's first sacrifice. 10. Punishment
of his sons Nadab and Abiu. 11. Clean and unclean beasts. 12. Puri-
fication of women after childbirth. 13, 14. Laws concerning leprosy.
15. Sexual uncleanness. 16. The Day of Atonement. 17. Sacrifices to
be offered only in the sanctuary. Eating blood forbidden. 18. Marriage
laws. 19. Various rules governing the life of the people. 20. Crimes
to be punished with death. 21, 22. Cleanness of priests and sacrifices.
23. Holy days to be kept. 24. Loaves of proposition or shewbread.
Punishment of blasphemy. 25. Sabbatical year and year of jubilee.
26. Blessing for observance and punishment for transgression of the
commandments. 27. Vows.
Numeri or Numbers: 1, 2. Numbering of the people and arrange-
ment of the camp. 3, 4. Number and order of the Levites. 5. Sacrifice
of jealousy. 6. Nazirites. Aaron's blessing. 7. Dedication offerings
made by the heads of the tribes. 8. Dedication of the Levites. 9. Pasch
on Sinai. 10. Regulations for blowing the trumpets on special occa-
sions. Departure from Sinai in definite order. 11. Quails for food. 12.
Mary's murmuring and its punishment. 13. Spies sent to Chanaan.
14. Murmuring of the people, and their punishment. 15. Laws regard-
ing eating the flesh of animals sacrificed. A Sabbath breaker. 16. Sedi-
tion of Core, Dathan and Abiron. 17. Aaron's rod that blossomed.
18. Duties and privileges of the Levites. 19. Sacrifice of the red cow.
20. Mary's death. Want of water. The Edomitea refuse to allow the
people to pass. Aaron's death. Eleazar made high priest. 21. The
brazen serpent. Victory over the Amorites. 22-24. Balaam is required
to curse the Israelites, but blesses them instead. 25. Service of Beel-
phegor and its punishment. 26. Numbering of the people. 27. Law
of inheritance. Moses beholds the Promised Land from afar; he ap-
points Josue to be his successor. 28-30. Rules about sacrifices and vows.
31. Victory over the Madianites. 32. Settlements of the tribes of Ruben,
and Gad, and half of Manasses. 33. List of the encampments. 34.
Boundaries of the land assigned to Israel. 35. Levite cities and cities of
refuge. 36. Marriages within the tribes.
Deuteronomium, Deuteronomy: 1-4. Moses before his death reminds
the people what God has done for Israel through him. 5. He repeats the
Decalogue. 6. He requires them to love God and warns them, 7, against
intercourse with the Gentiles. 8. He impresses upon them the necessity
of obedience to God, and 9, 10, reminds them of God's benefits. 11. A
blessing is to follow obedience and a curse disobedience. 12. The people
are to have one single place of sacrifice. 13. Heathen customs and wor-
ship are to be avoided, 14, also the eating of unclean animals. 15. The
year of remission. 16. Solemn festivals to be observed. 17. Rules for
judges and kings. 18. Levites and prophets. 19. Rights of sanctuary
and protection of witnesses. 20. Laws relating to war. 21. Family
relations. 22. Immorality and adultery. 23. Various rules of life.
24. Divorce. 25. Levirate marriage, etc. 26. First fruits and tithes.
27. Stones to be erected as memorials. 28. Curses and blessings in
proportion to the keeping of the law. 29. Renewal of the Covenant.
30. Be faithful to your God! 31. Moses gives the written Law to the
priests and elders, ordering them to read it every seven years to the
THE SACRED BOOKS CONSIDERED SINGLY 265
people. Josue is appointed to succeed him. 32, 33. Moses' song of
praise, his prophecy and blessing. 34. Moses dies in the Land of Moab;
Josue enters on his office.
AGE AND AUTHORSHIP OF THE PENTATEUCH 1
(a) Criticism
Both the Jewish and the Christian traditions ascribe to the
Pentateuch a very high antiquity, for they regard Moses 2 as
its author, and believe that he wrote it about 1500 B. c., or not
long after. This was the universally accepted opinion until the
seventeenth century. At the present time it is absolutely re-
jected by rationalistic criticism, and the work, as we have it,
is assigned to the period following the Captivity.
The English philosopher Hobbes (ob. 1679), the French writer PeyrSre
(ob. 1676) and the Jew Spinoza (ob. 1677) forestalled the modern critics.
In his " Leviathan," III, 33, Hobbes laid down the principle that we
ought to try to ascertain their date of composition from the contents of
the books of the Bible, and from internal evidence Moses could not be re-
garded as the author of the Pentateuch. Peyrere, in his work on Prge-
Adamites, maintained that the Pentateuch was the work of several
authors. Spinoza (Tractatus theol.-polit., c. 7-10) arrived at practically
the same results as modern rationalistic critics, and assigned all the his-
torical books of the Old Testament to the time of Esdras.
A great impetus was given to the new criticism in the eighteenth
century by J. Astruc (ob. 1766), a French physician, whose book, Con-
jeatures sur les m6moires originaux, dont il paroit que Moyse s'est servi
pour composer le livre de la Genese, was published in 1753. In it he
drew attention to the various names for God in the Hebrew text of Gene-
sis. Some portions contain the name Elohim exclusively, others no less
exclusively the name Jehovah (Yahiveh), while in others the names
alternate. 3 For this reason Astruc assumes that there were two chief
originals, one referring to God as Elohim and the other as Yahweh, and
1 It may be noticed that the Pentateuch is discussed twice in the
present work (pp. 37-56, and pp. 265-274). This was unavoidable, as
in one place we are dealing with the history of Israel and in the other
with the sacred literature. The two passages supplement, and do not
contradict, one another.
2 The name Moses is regarded by Doller, who follows Lepsius and
Ebers, as formed from the Egyptian mes, mesu = Son. Schenz agrees with
Exodus ii. 10 and thinks it is a Coptic word, meaning " drawn out of the
water.'*
* e.g. in chapters i., v., viii. 1-19 God is always called Elohim; in
iii., iv., x., xii.-xvi. He is called Yahweh. (In the Greek text Geos and
in the Latin, Deus and Dominus.)
266 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
these were used by Moses. Astruc thinks that he can detect traces of at
least two other originals, so that Moses' work originally contained four
columns that were subsequently confused. He does not doubt that Moses
was the author.
Astruc's opinions were made known in Germany by Eichhorn (ob.
1827), a Protestant, and gave rise to a violent dispute that has now
lasted over one hundred years among Protestant scholars, though Catho-
lics have not paid much attention to it. Eichhorn believed Moses to be
the author of the Pentateuch, and imagined that he had combined an
Elohim history with a Yahweh history, without removing superfluous
passages, had then inserted additions of his own that he wrote from time
to time, and shortly before his death had completed the work by writing
Deuteronomy. Ilgen (ob. 1834) followed Eichhorn, but thought he
could trace no less than 17 originals, 10 of which he ascribed to the first
Elohist, 5 to the second, and 2 to the Yahwist. The whole theory as
upheld by Astruc, Eichhorn and Ilgen was called the Documentary
Hypothesis.
The Fragmentary Hypothesis was the next put forward. In 1802
Vater (ob. 1826) brought out a Commentary on Genesis, in which he ex-
pressed this opinion regarding the Pentateuch : The five books are made
up of fragments, some large and some small, but originally not closely
connected. Genesis, for instance, consists of thirty-nine such fragments,
strung together by some one who collected them and was anxious that
none of them should be lost. This was not Moses, but a much later
writer. Hartmann (ob. 1838) followed Vater's lines, and assigned the
formation of the Pentateuch to the time of the Captivity.
It is plain, however, that the Pentateuch is no mere collection of stray
fragments, and so the Fragmentary Hypothesis had not many supporters.
Ewald (ob. 1875) in his Komposition der Genesis, that appeared in
1823, recognized the principle of unity running through it, and thought
it possible to reconcile the variation in the names given to God with its
authorship by one man, as he might have used now the one and now the
other name with a definite intention. This argument exploded the Frag-
tary Hypothesis.
The next is known as the Supplementary Hypothesis. Bohlen (ob.
1839), De Wette (ob. 1849), Bleek (ob. 1859), Tuch (ob. 1867), Lengerke
(ob. 1857) and Delitzsch (ob. 1890) declared: We must admit that there
were two authors, one of whom simply expanded the other's work. The
original work was that of an Elohist, the supplementary portions were
written by a Yahwist. The former was a priest who lived about the time
of Saul; the latter during Solomon's reign.
This Supplementary Hypothesis did not meet with universal ap-
proval. Against it was the argument that the Yahwistis portions
contain evidence of being original, so that they cannot be regarded
as mere additions. Eventually, therefore, scholars came back to the Docu-
mentary Hypothesis (Hupfeld, ob. 1866, Knobel, ob. 1863, Schrader,
Kuenen, ob. 1891, and Dillmann, ob. 1894). They believed that there were
several sources whence the author or authors had derived their informa-
tion. Moses could not be the author, as the work belonged to a much
later period.
THE SACKED BOOKS CONSIDERED SINGLY 267
J. Wellhausen, Professor at Gottingen, basing his studies on the earlier
writings of Reuss and Graf, has worked out this documentary hypothesis
most thoroughly, and it owes its name chiefly to him. Stade, Budde,
Cornill, Kautzsch and others have written in accordance with his views.
They distinguish four original documents, which were put together to
form the present Pentateuch at the time of Esdras and Nehemias or not
long after: the first was the work of a Yahwist J, 1 the second of an Elo-
hist E, the third is Deuteronomy D, written and published during the
reign of Josias (623) and the fourth authority was the priesthood P,
from Babylon. (Cf. p. 40.)
In answer to these hypotheses, which are now claimed to be
irrefutable and true, the following arguments may be brought
forward in
(b) Defense of the Mosaic Origin of the Pentateuch
The claim that the Pentateuch is the work of Moses is not a
denial that there are other constituents in it. We may admit
that Moses incorporated earlier documents and records into his
work. 2 No one can doubt that the use of writing was known
at the time of Moses and long before.
There is no tradition among the Israelites of any period when the art
of writing was unknown to them. It has been asserted that the prophets
Elias and Eliseus (900 B. c.) must have been ignorant of it, as no written
works have come down from them, and Amos (after 800) is the earliest
prophet whose writings are extant ( Benzinger, " Arch./' 289 ) . The
Mesa stone, however ( 896 ) , proves not only that the art of writing was
known long before the time of Amos, but also that it had been long in
use, for the inscription on the stone shows an unmistakable tendency to
cursive script, such as could result only from a long-continued develop-
ment. 3 At the time of David (1055-1015) there was already a "re-
corder" at court (II Kings (Sam.) viii. 17, xx, 25), and David himself
1 For the sake of brevity, it is usual to designate these " original docu-
ments," to which reference has often to be made, by letters. Kloster-
mann and Strack add as a fifth document the " Law of Sanctity " ( Lev.
xvii.-xxvi. ) , which they designate by H. Steuernagel (Allg. Einl. in d.
HexateucTi, Gottingen, 1900), adds further R = revision and union of the
various fragments. This author accepts the documentary hypothesis for
the solution of the problem as a whole, but also the fragmentary and
supplementary hypotheses for that of individual problems. Cf. also
Gunkel (Genesis, 1901), who also believes that some one finally edited
the whole.
3 Papal Bible Commission, June 27, 1906.
8 See above, p. 46.
268 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
wrote a letter to Joab and sent it by Urias (II Kings (Sam.) xi. 14, 15).
Long before this period there had been communication in writing between
Egypt and Western Asia, as Cornill (p. 14) admits. The Egyptians,
whose wisdom Moses had acquired, are known as having been fond of
writing. 1 Their learned men were called " scribes." The largest extant
papyrus (Prisse, Paris) belongs to the time of the Twelfth Dynasty, and
partly to the reign of Pharao Snefru, about 2800 B. c. Moses may very
well have come into the possession of written documents and have added
to them, thus compiling the Pentateuch, 2 and he was certainly not the
only Israelite who had acquired the art of writing in Egypt.
Various glosses and additions of later date have undoubtedly
been incorporated into Moses' work ; 3 such, are, e. g. Gen. xii. 6,
xiii. 7, xxii. 14, xxxvi. 31, etc.; Ex. xvi. 35 (cf. Jos. v. 12).
The last chapter (xxxiv.) of Deuteronomy seems certainly to
have been written by Josue, as Jewish tradition records. The
following arguments support the theory that Moses was the author
of the entire Pentateuch:
1. The Pentateuch itself names Moses as its author. Deu-
teronomy xxxi, 9 : " Moses wrote this law and delivered it to the
priests/' 24-27: "After Moses had wrote the words of this
law in a volume, and finished it, he commanded the Levites
. . . saying: Take this book, and put it in the side of the ark
of the covenant of the Lord your God : that it may be there for
a testimony against thee, for I know thy obstinacy." It is also
frequently stated that Moses wrote down this or that regulation
(Ex. xxiv. 4, xxxiv. 27; Num. xxxiii. 2).
2. The Jewish tradition, which has never been contradicted,
always regards the Law as being of Mosaic origin. The various
parties among the Jews, the Jewish writers Josephus and Philo,
and the whole nation both in and beyond Palestine, are unani-
1 " Every object, down to the roughest bits of stone, was covered with
written characters. In public and private life papyrus served as a means
of communication." Brugsch, Aegyptologie, 87.
2 Cf. Winckler, Die Tontafeln von T ell-el- Amarna (5th vol. of the
Keilinschrift. BibliotheJc, Berlin, 1896). This important discovery shows
that in 1500 B. c. Babylonian civilization had reached Upper Egypt, for
the script and language of these tablets are both Assyrian-Babylonian.
News and letters were constantly passing to and fro from the Euphrates
to the Nile.
3 It is possible, however, that many of these remarks nevertheless came
down from Moses himself.
THE SACKED BOOKS COJSTSIDEKED SINGLY 269
mous in declaring the Pentateuch to have been the work of
Moses, actually written by him. This tradition points to a long
recognized fact. It cannot reasonably be supposed that a whole
nation allowed itself to be deceived by forgeries and spurious
documents.
3. It has already been shown (p. 48, etc.) that in the
literature of the Jews the Pentateuch has always been known
and recognized as the work of Moses.
4. Attention has also been drawn (p. 52, etc.) to the fact
that the Samaritan Pentateuch is evidence that the book ex-
isted at a very remote period in the history of the Israelites.
5. Jesus Christ expressly confirmed the Jewish belief that
Moses had drawn up the Book of the Law, when He said (John
v. 46, 47) : "If you did believe Moses, you would perhaps believe
me also; for he wrote of me. But if you do not believe his
writings, how will you believe my words ? " Cf. also Matt. viii.
4, xix. 7; Mark i. 44, vi. 10, x. 3, xii. 26; Luke v. 14, xx. 28,
xxiv. 44; John vii. 19, viii. 5.
6. Other evidence is derived from the structure of the
Pentateuch.
(a) The work professes to have originated in the wilderness. 1
From the second book onwards it contains constant references
to life in encampments. The Tabernacle was made of acacia
wood, and the sacred furniture of the same material; there is
no mention of cedars and cypresses, to which allusion is made
so often later in Palestine. The acacia is the only tree that
flourishes in the valleys of the Sinai peninsula and can be used
for building purposes (cf. p. 69). Some creatures, which might
be eaten, occur in the wilderness, but not in Palestine. The
hides of the tacJiasch (sea cow) (Ex. xxvi. 14) were unknown
to the later Israelites; the only other place where the name
tachasch is found is Ezechiel xvi. 10. 2 Only an eye witness could
know how many palms and springs there were at Elim (Ex. xv.
1 By wilderness we must not understand a sandy desert like the
Sahara, but only an uninhabited and uncultivated country.
2 " I shod thee with tachasch." It is plain that the Israelites in later
times were unacquainted with this animal, otherwise the name would
have been translated in some way and made intelligible. Cf. p. 72.
(N. B. The Douay reads "violet-colored shoes.")
270 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
27), or which men carried away the corpses of Aaron's sons
(Lev. x. 4), etc.
(b) The author knew Egypt very well, and assumed that his
earliest readers were equally familiar with it. In Genesis xiii.
10 (where we ought to follow the Peshitto and read Zoan), the
pasture land near the Jordan is compared with Lower Egypt.
In Numbers xiii. .23 we read that Hebron was older than the
Egyptian town of Zoan. The Israelites are warned against
imitating Egyptian customs (Lev. xviii. 3). The dress of the
priests resembles that of the Egyptian priests. In the history
of the Patriarchs the description given of Egypt exactly agrees
with the accounts taken from the oldest monuments that have
been discovered. A few expressions even are given in the Egyp-
tian language. 1 A foreigner, writing at a later date, could not
have possessed such knowledge of ancient Egypt. The author
and his earliest readers must have been long resident there.
(c) The author and the people of his nation knew practically
nothing of Chanaan; and such knowledge as they had was not
acquired by personal experience. The Egyptian towns of
Pithom, Eamasses (Ex. i. 11), Socoth, Etham (Ex. xiii. 20),
Pi Hachiroth, Beelsephon (Ex. xiv. 9), are mentioned as
familiar, but it is expressly stated of Hebron, Sichem and Lus
that these towns are situated in the Land of Chanaan (Gen.
xxiii. 2; xxxiii. 18; xxxv. 6).
(d) The whole legislation takes shape under the eye of the
reader. Hence there are regulations for the sojourn in the
wilderness, which are modified or extended to suit later cir-
cumstances. These modifications are found chiefly in Deuter-
onomy, which, according to tradition, was composed immediately
before the Israelites entered the Holy Land.
(e) The language of the Pentateuch generally resembles that
of the later books, but it contains some expressions and forms
that point to a very high antiquity. Thus ion is always used
&& = commune, and so is iy:; the infinitive ri or 'i is used
instead of rrt with adverbs nS; the third person plural is p
instead of *, and so on.
1 Cf. Sayce, " Fresh Light from the Ancient Monuments," p. 39, etc.
THE SACRED BOOKS CONSIDERED SINGLY 271
The work must have been rewritten from time to time, for not only
would the material substance of the book wear out in the course of cen-
turies, but the language, being a living language, underwent at least some
changes, and the old Semitic characters were replaced by the square script.
It was unnecessary for many copies to exist, as the Pentateuch was not
intended to be a reading book for the people. The chief revision of it, and
also of the other books written before the Captivity, probably took place
in the time of Esdras and Nehemias. There is therefore some truth in
the statements of modern critics, but they go astray when they confuse
rewriting and final revision with the first compilation of the law, and
deduce their daring conclusions from this confusion.
(/) If Moses, as the lawgiver of Israel, wished to secure per-
manence for his ordinances, he was almost obliged to leave
behind him a written code, which should contain, besides the
rules themselves, the motives for their enactment, which were
contained in the history of the divine revelations. History and
Law were necessarily connected in this work. Moses felt, too,
the necessity of leaving a written record behind him as a
testimony against Israel (Deut. xxxi. 26, 27).
It might be asked whether Moses, having been born and bred in Egypt,
knew the Hebrew language. But Exodus ii. shows plainly that the
Israelites, living in isolation in Gessen, 1 had retained the speech of their
forefathers, and that Moses, in spite of his position at court, felt himself
to be a Hebrew and not an Egyptian.
(g) There is unity, circumspection and system in the com-
position of the book. It is dominated by the thought that the
Israelites had been chosen out from among all the nations of
the world to be the recipients of .God's revelation, and to main-
tain the right worship of God, and also that at some period
redemption for the whole world should proceed from them.
For this reason they had to be cut off from the Gentiles and
their polytheistic errors, and were to dwell in Chanaan and
faithfully serve their God. Only what can stimulate and estab-
lish this thought is admitted into the book. All else is either
passed over in silence, or mentioned briefly as of subordinate
importance and then set aside.
1 The Vulgate has Gessen; Hebrew gosch&n, Septuagint gesem.
272 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
(c) Objections
Objection 1. " It has been proved that the accounts given in the Penta-
teuch of the Creation, the Fall of Man, the Deluge, the institution of the
Sabbath, the doctrine of angels and devils, might all have been read as
early as 2000 B. c. in the cuneiform records of Babylon. They were bor-
rowed from there and admitted to the Bible, but they are not based upon
revelation, and Moses was not their author."
Such views as the above are expressed by Delitzsch and Zimmern.
Answer. These assertions have been refuted in a large number of
works by Keil, Nikel, Doller, Kaulen, Hoberg, Hommel, Budde, Konig,
Jensen, Barth, Jeremias, Knieschke and others, but especially by H. Hil-
precht (see infra, p. 476), who has for a long time been working at the
excavations in Babylon. The truth is that the Babylonians derived their
information from the same source as the Bible, viz. from the primitive
tradition of the human race. But whereas on the Euphrates this tradi-
tion was obscured by fantastic and polytheistic additions ( e. g. the great
flood is ascribed to a whim on the part of the gods, who then themselves
became anxious and crouched down like dogs, hurried to a sacrifice like
flies, etc.), the account given in the Bible has preserved the dignified
purity of the oldest period. The resemblances can be explained by com-
munity of origin, the great divergencies by the fall of Babylon into
idolatry. 1
Objection 2. " May not the Law of the Pentateuch have been modeled
on that of the Babylonian King Hammurabi, who as early as 2100 B. c.
had compiled a collection of laws, remarkable for acumen and wisdom,
arranged them in 282 paragraphs, and recorded them on stone ? "
Answer. Hammurabi is now generally identified with Amraphel, men-
tioned in Genesis xiv. 1, who, in Abraham's lifetime, took part in a
campaign against Palestine (supra, p. 263). His code of laws in cunei-
form writing originated in Babylon, but was brought to Susa, the capital
of the old kingdom of Elam. In 1897-99 it was brought to light by
French excavators. The Dominican Father Scheil, noted for his knowl-
edge of cuneiform inscriptions, published it in French, and Hugo Winkler
translated it into German (Leipzig, 1902). The original is undoubtedly
one of the most important documents in the history of the ancient world.
With extraordinary wisdom the laws regulate the public and private life
of the nation, their trade and traffic. They prove that Moses might well
have acted as a legislator, several centuries later. A comparison of Ham-
murabi's laws with the Mosaic decrees reveals some similarities, but there
1 Cf. especially Father Keil's learned work on Babel und Bibel, Treves,
1903; also Nikel, Genesis und Keilschriftforschung, February, 1903. In
a review of the latter work Hehn remarks: "The individuality of the
Bible is now universally recognized ; that the explorations at Babylon can
endanger the interests of religion is already out of the question." In an-
other work Hehn says that we must reject the idea that the institution of
the Sabbath was borrowed from Babylon, as in Babylonia nothing analo-
gous to it has been discovered.
THE SACKED BOOKS CONSIDEEED SINGLY 273
can be no suggestion that the latter are modeled upon or borrowed from
the former.
Objection 3. " The work contains many parallel passages, which would
certainly have been avoided, had it been written by one author."
Answer. The chief passages of this kind are the apparently double ac-
count of the Creation, Genesis i. 1 to ii. 3 and ii. 4, etc. ; and also Genesis
xx. and xxvi., where the same story is told first of Abraham and then of
Isaac. However, the second account of the Creation would be unintelli-
gible without the first ; the two versions supplement each other, but they
have different objects. The first is intended to describe the creation of
the world, and to throw light on religion and especially on the observ-
ance of the Sabbath; the second is concerned with the history of the
world, and contains its beginning. With regard to the other passages, it
is quite possible for the son to have an experience resembling that of the
father under similar circumstances.
Objection 4. " So much obscurity and confusion, so many omissions,
mutilations and repetitions occur in the Pentateuch, especially in the
three middle books, that we are forced to assume several persons to have
been engaged in its compilation."
Answer. But how is it possible to judge a work thousands of years old
by our standards, and to require of the author strict conformity to the
laws of grammar and logic, as we understand them? Can the chronologi-
cal order, that is maintained throughout the whole work, be mere confu-
sion? All these difficulties can be removed by unprejudiced exegesis. Cf.
supra, p. 271 (g).
Objection 5. " The alternating use of the names Elohim and Yahweh in
speaking of God is alone enough to prove that the Pentateuch is not the
work of one author."
Answer. This assertion may be so far accurate that Moses incorpor-
ated into his work other documents containing the name Elohim, whereas
he himself preferred to use the name Jehovah (Yahweh), which was espe-
cially made known to him by God (Ex. iii. 14). The meanings of the two
names may, however, be the reason why a single author should use some-
times one and sometimes the other. Elohim is an abstract noun or a
pluralis excellentice of the singular Eloah. These two words are derived
from the root alah, which means in Arabic when intransitive, " to be
amazed, to fear," and when transitive, " to honor, to worship," so that the
name Elohim denotes a being most apt to inspire fear or most worthy
of reverence. (Many think it better not to separate the name from El.
El is derived from the root 'ul 3 to surpass, be strong, and its meaning
would be " Strong, Mighty." The plural Elohim * means in this way " the
Mightiest," " the conception of all power."
Yahweh, 2 derived from the verb Hin = JTJT means " the Being." It is
1 This plural is, perhaps, a kind of substitute for a superlative that
does not exist in Hebrew; but it is more likely that it refers to the
three Persons in God, i. e. to the Trinity.
3 This seems to represent the correct pronunciation. The Jews al-
ways read Adonai (Lord) whenever the name HIIT occurs in the sacred
books, and the Masoretes gave the word the vowel mark for Adonai, be-
274 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
the future kal (in the same way as ^pJP, one who waylays, or prCT, a
mocker). Such forms denote a permanent condition. Yahweh is there-
fore He " who is and who was and who is to come " ( Apoc. i. 8 ) , He who
has absolute Being from Himself, the Eternal, Unchangeable. As the
form suggests also the causative (Hiphil) it might perhaps mean also
" He who communicates His Being." * In any case the name is Hebrew,
and denotes God especially as the Lord of Israel, the God of the cove-
nant, whilst Elohim stands for God as ruler of the world and of all
nations. The Gentiles also used the name Elohim (Judges i. 7; Jon.
i. 6). When reference is made to God as the Creator and Lord of the
world, the name Elohim is generally used; but the name Yahweh occurs
when the writer is alluding to the God who has revealed Himself to
mankind and especially to Israel. This is in a peculiar manner the
Second Person of the Godhead, who was in time to assume human na-
ture. The Yahweh or Adonai or Kvpios of the Pentateuch and of all the
Old Testament corresponds, therefore, with the Ao7os and Kvpios 'lycrovs
Xpiffros of the New Testament. 2 Cf. I Cor. x. 9; Heb. xii. 2; Jude 5;
Apoc. i. 8.
cause it must not be spoken in vain, in violation of the Second Com-
mandment. Thus arose the form Jehovah, which is certainly wrong.
The Septuagint did not venture upon any translation; in their time
people must already have read Adonai, because they always wrote Kvpios
in its place (Itala and Vulgate, Dominus). That Yahweh is the correct
pronunciation is apparent from Theodoretus (Qucest. ad Exod., 15) :
Ka\ovffi 5e avrb ^afiapeirai I ABE.
1 Hommel derives the name from the old Arabic verb hawaja (Heb.
hajah) and explains it as meaning " He exists, comes into existence,
reveals Himself." Cornill refers to the Arabic hawd = to fall, and
thinks that the meaning is " He who makes to fall," i. e. the God of
storms, who overthrows His enemies with His thunderbolt. Delitzsch
considers El = goal (as in Heb. el=to) i but this interpretation is too
philosophical to be in keeping with early Semitic ideas. Delitzsch states
that the name Yahweh was used in Babylon at the time of Hammurabi
( 2200 B. c. ) , but this is generally pronounced to be a mistake on his
part. Even if he were correct, it would not destroy the value of Exo-
dus iii. The true God might well communicate to Moses the sense in
which He claimed this name for Himself.
2 Too little attention is paid, even by Catholics, to the fact that God
Himself is the originator of Holy Scripture, and chose this name there-
fore. We consider the human element in it too much, and we keep this
in the foreground when we argue from these names that there must
have been various authors. It is true that critics do not lay so much
stress upon these names as they used to do, but, ever since the time of
Astruc the whole criticism of the Pentateuch has depended upon
them.
THE SACKED BOOKS CONSIDERED SINGLY 275
SECOND SECTION
THE PERIOD FROM THE ENTRANCE OF THE ISRAELITES
INTO CHANAAN TO THE DIVISION OF THE KINGDOM
3. SURVEY
The second period of the history of Israel may be divided into
three parts: (1) The conquest of the Promised Land soon after
the death of Moses and Aaron. (2) The time of the Judges,
divinely inspired men who ruled the people. (3) The estab-
lishment of a monarchy by Samuel, the last of the Judges, and
the reigns of the first three kings.
The following are the sacred books belonging to this period:
(a) Historical books: Josue, Judges, Ruth, two books of
Samuel (in the Vulgate, I and II Books of Kings).
(b) Poetical books: Psalms, Job, Canticle of Canticles.
(c) Didactic books: Proverbs of Solomon and Ecclesiastes, or
the Preacher.
HISTORICAL BOOKS
4. JOSUE
(24 chapters)
1. Contents. Chapters 1-12, Conquest of the greater part of
the Holy Land. 13-19, Distribution of the country. 20-22,
Cities of Refuge and Cities for the Levites. 23 and 24, End
of Josue's life, his last counsels and death.
1. Josue assumes the government of the nation, and is ordered by
God to cross the Jordan and conquer the country. 2. Israelite spies
fall into danger at Jericho, but are saved by a woman named Rahab.
3, 4. The Israelites cross the Jordan dry-shod. 5. Revival of circum-
cision. 6. Fall of Jericho, and later, 7, of Ai. 8. Blessing and curse at
Sichem, according to Deuteronomy xxvii. 2, etc. 9. The Chanaanite
kings prepare for resistance. 10. The south of the country passes into
the possession of the Israelites through the wonderful intervention of
God. 1 11. After a battle near Lake Merom, the northern part also is
1 Much has been said and written about the standing still of the
sun (x. 13). It would be simpler if we might explain the matter natu-
rally, and say: "It remained light so unusually long, that it seemed as
276 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
subdued. 12. Survey of the conquered lands. 13-19. The tribes of
Ruben, Gad and half of Manasses, having already made settlements east
of the Jordan, retire thither, after having assisted their brethren to
conquer Chanaan. The other tribes receive land in the west according
to their numbers. The tribe of Levi receives no continuous territory.
The Tabernacle is set up in Silo. 20-22. The cities of refuge are ap-
pointed and forty-eight districts assigned to the tribe of Levi, as had
been commanded (Num. xxxv.). 23, 24. The elders gather round Josue,
who feels his death approaching; he urges them to be faithful to the
law, makes them renew the Covenant with God, and dies at the age of
one hundred and ten.
Critics who do not belong to the Catholic Church now reckon the Book
of Josue as belonging to the Pentateuch, and thus a Hexateuch is formed,
written by various authors, and containing the early history of Israel. In
the Book of Josue J, E and P are said to be clearly distinguishable
as sources of information. The work displays, however, a uniform
independent character; it contains an account of the manner in which
the divine command (i. 2, etc.) to take possession of the Holy Land
was carried into effect, and at the same time it shows God's fidelity
in fulfilling His promises (xxi. 41). This appears also in passages
such as xiii. 9, etc., and xx. 8, which would seem unnecessary repetitions
of Numbers xxxii. 33, etc., and Deuteronomy iv. 41-43, if this book really
belonged to the Pentateuch. The Jewish canon never classed Josue with
the Pentateuch, but invariably with the Prophets.
2. Date and Author. As the book bears the name of Josue,
he is generally regarded as its author; but there are several
passages indicating that it is of later date. They are iv. 9,
" Josue put other twelve stones in the midst of the channel
of the Jordan, . . . and they are there until this present day."
x. 14, " There was not before nor after so long a day." xix. 47,
" The children of Dan went up and fought against Lesem, and
took it ... and dwelt in it, calling the name of it Lesser Dan."
We must, however, not assume that the book was written as
late as the time of the kings. In xv. 63 the Jebusites are men-
tioned as inhabiting Jerusalem, whilst it is clear from II Kings
v. 5-9, that David expelled them, so the book must have ex-
isted before David's reign; in fact, it must have been. written
if the sun were standing still." The story, however, clearly implies that
a miracle took place. How this can be reconciled with the laws govern-
ing the universe is as far beyond the powers of mortals to decide as it
is to ascertain how water could be turned into wine, or how wine can
become the Blood of Christ. In the Book of Job (xxxviii.-xli.) God
teaches man not to judge of what is too high for him, as even the natu-
ral world contains so many mysteries that he cannot fathom.
THE SACRED BOOKS CONSIDERED SINGLY 277
much earlier, as in xi. 8 and xix. 28, Sidon is called the chief
city of Phoenicia, and in David's time Tyre had long been the
capital. 1 We may therefore believe that Josue wrote the book,
but some later hand added numerous remarks to it. Such is
the tradition of the Jews and of the Western Church. Or we
may believe the author to have lived not long after Josue, and
to have made use of records written by Josue. Those who favor
the latter theory think that it may have been compiled by
Phinees, son of Eleazar the high priest, and grandson of Aaron,
who is mentioned in xxii. 13, xxiv. 33. In this case the work
would be called the Book of Josue, not because Josue was its
author, but because it contains the history of Josue and his
deeds.
5. THE BOOK OF JUDGES
(21 chapters)
1. Contents. Israel is defended by God against the Gentiles
in the Promised Land.
(a) Introduction. Chapters 1-3. Some of the Chanaanites are spared
and occupy the country with the Israelites. The unfortunate result of
this arrangement is that they become dependent upon the Gentiles, and
idolatry spreads among them also.
(6) Chief portion of the book. Chapters 3-16. This clearly reveals
the purpose with which it was written, namely to show that the fortunes
of the Israelites varied in accordance with their obedience or disobedi-
ence to the law. As often as they rebelled against it, they fell into
slavery, but as soon as they returned to their allegiance they were res-
cued by the judges. Some of these judges are mentioned very briefly;
a full account is given of others. The most conspicuous are Barak, with
the prophetess Debora; Gedeon, whose son Abimelech aimed at su-
premacy and was therefore put to death; Jephte and Samson. The last
distinguished himself in the war against the. Philistines, new enemies
who had come from Egypt (supra, p. 20).
The name Judges (shophetim, the same word as suffetes, the chief
magistrates in Carthage) does not only imply that these men judged the
people according to the Mosaic law (I Kings vii. 15, etc.), but also that
they had power of government, and led the nation in war. They pro-
cured justice for the individual Israelite against the malice of his
own countrymen, and for the whole nation against the Gentiles. They
1 According to the Kirchenlexikon, 1st ed., VIII, 430, it had been
the capital since 1209 B. c.
278 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
won their position not by inheritance or election, but by their great
achievements.
The following judges are mentioned by name: (1) Othoniel (of the
tribe of Juda), (2) Aod (Benjamin), (3) Samgar (?), (4) Jahel (?),
(5) Debora (Ephraim), (6) Barak (Nephtali), (7) Gedeon (Manasses),
(8) Thola (Issachar), (9) Jair (Gad), (10) Jephte (Gad), (11)
Abesan (Juda or Zabulon), (12) Ahialon (Zabulon), (13) Abdon
(Ephraim), (14) Samson (Dan). The judges (15) Heli and (16)
Samuel of the tribe of Levi are not mentioned before the Book of Samuel
(I Kings).
(c) Appendix. Chapters 17 and 18. Prohibition of worship on
Mount Ephraim and its transference by the tribe of Dan to Lais in the
north of the country (see p. 103). 19-21. War of the eleven tribes
against Benjamin, to punish an offense that had been committed.
2. The records of time in this book must not simply be added
up, but we must assume that some of the periods were con-
current. According to III Kings vi. 1, only 480 years elapsed
from the time when the Israelites left Egypt to the building of
Solomon's Temple, but the periods mentioned in Judges alone
would amount to almost 400 years, and we have still to take
into account the 40 years' sojourn in the Wilderness, 40 years
of Saul's reign, 40 years of David's reign and 4 years of Solo-
mon's. It seems, therefore, that the time of the Judges cannot
have lasted more than about 350 years, unless perhaps there
is some flaw in the text regarding the numbers.
3. Date and Author. The book was written in the time of
the kings, as in xvii. 6, xviii. 1 and 31, xxi. 24 we read that
there was no king in Israel in those days. The author ascribes
many evils to the absence of a regular government; and as he
seems to have seen no rulers of the type of Eoboam and Jero-
boam, he must have lived before the division of the kingdom.
We may go back beyond the reigns of Solomon and David to
that of Saul, because the Jebusites are mentioned (i. 21; cf.
xix. 12) as still inhabiting Jerusalem. The accounts of the
various events are the work not of one, but of several authors.
This is proved by the variety in the language.
Debora's song (chap, v.) shows archaisms; the history of Gedeon has
always Iff instead of "lt?K for the relative, and the story of Samson is
distinguished by the frequent recurrence of " The spirit of the Lord came
upon him."
THE SACEED BOOKS CONSIDEEED SINGLY 279
Whoever collected these stories probably himself added the in-
troduction and the appendix. In the Talmud Samuel is named
as the author, and his last speech (I Kings xii. 7, etc.) shows
considerable resemblance to the line of thought followed in the
Book of Judges.
4. Objection. The expression geloth Jiaarez = taking away
of the land (xviii. 30) seems to refer to a much later date than
that of Samuel, for it was not until 722 that the land of the
northern tribes passed into the hands of the Assyrians. We
probably ought to read geloth haaron taking away of the Ark
of the Covenant. This took place in Samuel's time, for the
Philistines seized the Ark.
6. KUTH 1
(4 chapters)
1. Contents. This little book tells in four chapters how a poor
widow named Euth, from the heathen land of Moab, became the
wife of Boaz or Boas, a wealthy man in Bethlehem. From their
marriage Obed was born, and his son was Jesse (Isai), David's
father. Thus Boaz and Euth were the king's great-grand-
parents.
2. Motive. The events related are purely a matter of family
history, but there can be no doubt that the book originated in
their connection with King David, and therefore has some higher
significance. One of its objects seems to be to draw the atten-
tion of the Israelites to the fact that God did not absolutely
reject the Gentiles, as a Gentile woman was admitted to the
line of David, that inherited a special blessing, and she thus
became the ancestress of the future Messias.
The readiness with which Orpha and especially Ruth followed their
mother-in-law Noemi from their heathen home to the land of Juda must
have been due to the virtuous life of Noemi and her family, which con-
trasted with the barbarous customs of the Gentiles. The reason was that
1 fill perhaps = rujn, i. e. Friend. In ancient times this book waa
often reckoned as part of Judges. The first words suggest that it waa
an appendix to it : " In the days of one of the judges, when the judges
ruled." The Jewish canon now places Ruth among the Ketubim.
280 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
they worshiped the true God. When Ruth declared " thy God shall be
my God," she acknowledged the excellence of the Israelite religion, and
was determined to renounce heathenism. Thus to some extent she de-
served the honor of being the ancestress of David, and through him of the
Messias.
3. Date. Ruth lived about one hundred years before David,
and the book was written either during his reign or not long
after. His pedigree at the end of the book points to its having
been composed after his death, and the words in iv. 7, referring
to the custom of taking off a shoe in token of renouncing a
claim, with the addition: "That was a custom of ages ago in
Israel/' indicate a later origin.
4. Author. The writer of the book is unknown. The Talmud
(baba bathra f. 14 &.) ascribes it to Samuel, but this is probably
wrong. The differences in the language show that the, author
cannot be identified with that of the Book of Judges, nor with
the writer of the Books of Samuel. 1
7. THE BOOKS OF SAMUEL
In the Vulgate: First and Second Books of Kings
(31 and 24 chapters)
1. Contents. These books contain the history of the intro-
duction of monarchy into Israel, and of the first two kings; the
first book carries the history to the death of Saul and the second
to the end of David's reign. The first twelve chapters give the
story of Heli, judge and high priest, and of Samuel.
I Samuel. 1. Elkana, Samuel's father, and his mother, Anna. Samuel
is dedicated to God and serves in the Tabernacle at Silo. 2, 3. Heli, the
high priest, as a father is weak in his dealings with Ophni and Phinees,
his degenerate sons ; he is threatened with God's vengeance. 4. War with
the Philistines ; removal of the Ark of the Covenant. Death of Heli and
his sons. 5, 6. The Philistines suffer misfortunes on account of the Ark,
so they restore it, but remain masters of the country. 7. Samuel con-
quers the Philistines and practically becomes supreme. 8, 9. The people
demand a king; Samuel yields and anoints Saul. 10-12. Saul is brave,
wins respect, and Samuel retires. 13. Renewal of war with the Philia-
1 So Kaulen. Weiss on the other hand believes, with Haneberg, that
Samuel wrote the Book of Ruth at Najoth at the same time as the
fifty-ninth Psalm.
THE SACRED BOOKS CONSIDERED SINGLY
tines. 14-16. Saul repeatedly disobeys God, and therefore Samuel is
forced to anoint David, though very young, to be the future king. 17.
David conquers Goliath; his friendship with Jonathan, one of Saul's
sons, and his marriage with Saul's daughter Michol. 18-31. Saul's jeal-
ousy and hatred of David, whom he seeks to kill. David has to lead a
life of adventure. Saul and Jonathan die in battle against the Philistines.
// Samuel. 1-3. David is recognized by the tribe of Juda as king,
and takes up his abode at Hebron. Elsewhere Saul's son Isboseth is re-
garded as king. 4. Isboseth is murdered, and all the tribes accept David
as their ruler. 5, 6. He conquers the stronghold of Sion and makes
Jerusalem his residence. He sets up the Tabernacle on Sion. 7. David
is not allowed to build a temple for the Lord, but receives the promise
that his kingdom shall last forever. 8, 9. David sins grievously through
lust ; he does penance. 10-19. His sons Ammon and Absalom cause him
much trouble. 1 20-23. Other difficulties are overcome. David's gratitude
to God. 24. His enumeration of the people through pride, and his
punishment for it. 2
2. Name. The books bear the name of Samuel only because
he is one of the chief characters in the history, and, especially
in the first book, he is the chief actor. He cannot have been
the author, as many events are recorded that occurred long after
his death. The two books were originally united, but they were
divided by the Greek translators, and hence appear as two in the
Itala and the Vulgate. In the Hebrew Bible the division was not
made until 1518. The Vulgate, like the Septuagint, calls them
the First and Second books of Kings, and consequently the other
books of Kings, that are of much later origin, are numbered
Third and Fourth (see p. 334).
3. Date. The work was written after the division of the
kingdom, but before the destruction of the northern part ; i. e.
between 932 and 722. The first statement depends upon the
words in I Samuel xxvii. 6 : " Siceleg belongeth to the kings of
Juda unto this day," the second upon the fact that there is no
1 In chapter xii. 31 the Hebrew reading should perhaps be
if we may accept it, it alters the story of David's remarkable cruety
to the inhabitants of Rabbath Ammon, for then we read not of fearful
forms of death, but of condemnation to compulsory service. In the
parallel passage, I Chronicles xx. 3, the reading should be OBH and not
1EH, as Kautzsch and others have it.
2 Peters is inclined to prefer the Septuagint text to the Masoretic,
especially from I Samuel xvi. 1 to xix. 18. The Masoretic text is longer,
and seems to contain interpolations, and it is in fact much later than
that used by the Septuagint.
282 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
allusion at all in the book to the destruction of the northern
kingdom.
4. Author. The writer is unknown. Old commentators
ascribed the first twenty-four chapters to Samuel and the rest
to the prophets Gad and Nathan. The character of the work is
uniform and it shows design in its composition, so we may re-
gard it as certain that the author, who was probably a prophet
living under the kings, made use of the records left by these
three men, and skillfully adapted them to suit this work.
5. His purpose was to show that both the people of Israel and
their kings could find happiness only in obedience to God.
POETICAL BOOKS
8. OLD TESTAMENT POETRY IN GENERAL 1
1. Varieties of Poetry. In the sacred literature of Israel
lyric and didactic poetry attained a high degree of development.
The one often passes into the other; many of the Psalms are
didactic rather than lyric, whilst the didactic book of Job con-
tains several lyric passages.
Epic and dramatic poetry do not occur. Epos and Drama
would be out of place in the sacred books, as they generally pre-
suppose works of the imagination, which would be inconsistent
with the divine revelation that communicates only truth. The
Hebrews may have possessed some profane poetry, such as
Lamech's defiant war song (Gen. iv. 23), but religious poetry
held the place of honor among God's people, as all poetry in
general originated in worship.
2. Rhythm. Hebrew poems possess a definite rhythm, i. e. a
movement regulated in accordance with certain laws, and a
systematic structure of the parts of the verse. The parallelism
in the clauses is peculiar to Hebrew poets and is very distinctive.
The poet is not satisfied with expressing a thought in one clause,
1 Kautzsch, Poesie des A. T., Tub., 1902, is of opinion that the poetical
books are of late origin, mostly after the Captivity, but tradition as-
signs them to a much earlier period.
THE SACRED BOOKS CONSIDERED SINGLY 283
but he expresses it again in parallel clauses, resembling one
another in meaning and form, and these constitute the verse.
For instance :
My son, hear the instruction of thy father,
And forsake not the law of thy mother.
Prov. i. 8.
or,
Then was our mouth filled with gladness,
And our tongue with joy. Psalm cxxv. 2.
or,
[The wicked] shall be as chaff before the face
of the wind, and as ashes which the whirl-
wind scattereth. j o b. xx i. jg.
In the Psalms of the Roman Breviary the asterisk, marking the
pause to be made in choir, often indicates this parallelism, which
is, however, not always complete, one of the clauses being only
imperfectly developed. Sometimes the second clause does not
contain a repetition so much as a contrast or a new idea. These
three kinds of parallelism all conduce to make the meaning
clear.
The Hebrew poets were not acquainted with the use of rhyme, and,
though rhymed verses occur, it is very doubtful whether the rhyme is
intentional or accidental. It is uncertain whether real meters were in
use. Recent scholars maintain that a trochaic and an iambic meter can
be traced in at least some poems; that there is, for instance, a 12-
syllabled trochaic meter in the third Lamentation of Jeremias, and a
7-syllabled iambic in the lllth and 112th Psalms. This theory has not
yet been generally accepted. Its acceptance would involve great vio-
lence being done to the Masoretic text, as the vowels would mostly have
to be altered. More attractive is a theory put forward by J. K. Zenner,
S.J., who thinks that the Psalms and other songs in the Old Testament
(e.g. Ecclesiasticus xxiv., Baruch iii. 9, etc.) were originally proces-
sional songs, sung by a choir with instrumental accompaniment and
stately gestures, so that the three arts of poetry, music and dancing were
united. These songs can be divided into strophe, antistrophe and transi-
tion. Where a strophe ends, there stands in seventy-one places in the
Book of Psalms the hitherto inexplicable word Sela (see p. 286), which
certainly is one of the old technical terms in use among the Levites,
and indicates a change. Thus Psalm vii. falls into the following parts:
verses 1-3, strophe; 4-6, antistrophe; 7-10, transition; 11-14, second
strophe; 15-18, second antistrophe. Psalm xc: verses 1-3, strophe; 4-6,
antistrophe; 7-10, transition; 11-13 second strophe; 14-16, second
antistrophe. This arrangement explains also the alternation of speakers
in this psalm. Also among the heathen nations of antiquity it was
284: HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
usual to go round the altar, on which the sacrifices were burnt, in stately
processions or dances in honor of the deity.
3. Versification. The ordinary verses in Hebrew poetry con-
sist of two lines, but tristichs and tetrastichs occur, and occa-
sionally verses with five or six lines. Some poems are arranged
according to the letters of the alphabet, probably in order to
be more easily committed to memory. Such, for instance, are
the Lamentations, Psalm cxviii. and Proverbs yxxi,
9. THE PSALTER
1. Name. The canon of the Old Testament contains a col-
lection of one hundred and fifty songs, some long and some short,
which compose the Book of Psalms (Vulg. : Psalmorum liber)
or Psalter (C. Trid. : Psalterium) . The word " psalm " (^aX/Ao?
taken from the Septuagint) means primarily playing on a
stringed instrument, 1 and then a song sung to such music.
Psalter = stringed instrument, and then, by transference, a col-
lection of songs. In Hebrew the psalms are called tehillim or
iillim, songs of praise. 2
2. Date of Origin and Authors. The Psalms were not com-
posed all at one time, nor are they the work of one man, but
they were written by various divinely inspired singers and subse-
quently collected. Most of them have headings containing the
author's name, and often also the time and occasion of compo-
sition, as well as directions for singing them. These headings
are the work of the collectors, not of the composers of the
Psalms, and the information that they contain is derived from
Jewish tradition. 3 In these headings the following authors are
mentioned by name:
1 According to Suidas \f/6.\\eiv is to strike the strings of an instru-
ment with the finger-tips, hence if/a\(Ji6s is playing in this manner.
from n, to praise, extol.
8 Modern critics attach a very slight importance to these headings,
and aim at ascertaining the date and origin of the Psalms from internal
evidence alone. So Cornill and Reuss. Legarde thought that these
headings designated not the composer, but the party of musicians in the
Temple, to whom particular psalms were assigned for performance; so
that one song was described as assigned to David a another to Solomon,
others to Asaph, Core, etc., but tradition is against this theory.
THE SACKED BOOKS CONSIDERED SINGLY 285
1. Moses. The eighty-ninth (Heb. ninetieth) psalm is ascribed to
him.
2. David. The whole Book of Psalms is often called by his name,
and correctly in as far as he began to make the collection; he com-
posed many psalms himself and the rest breathe his spirit. The Hebrew
text assigns seventy-three psalms to him, the Septuagint and Vulgate
add twelve others, so that in all eighty-five are ascribed to him, or,
with Psalm Ixxi., eighty-six.
3. Solomon is mentioned as having composed two psalms, Ixxi. and
cxxvi. The heading of the former is in Hebrew, " To Solomon " lesche-
lomo, and the Seventy render this els SaXw^c&v = on Solomon. Most
writers, therefore, assume that it was not composed by Solomon, but by
David, according to verse 20 : " The praises of David, the son of Jesse,
are ended." Solomon is extolled as a type of the Messias.
4. Asaph, son of Barachias, a Levite and one of David's musicians,
is stated in the headings to have written twelve psalms (xlix. and Ixxii.
to Ixxxii. ) .
5. Eleven of the finest psalms, remarkable for their lyric force (xli.,
xliii.-xlviii., Ixxxiii., Ixxxiv., Ixxxvi. and Ixxxvii.), are ascribed to the
Corahites, the family of Core the Levite. Psalm Ixxxvii. is particularly
ascribed to a Corahite named Eman, a descendant of Esdras.
6. Psalm Ixxxviii. was composed by Ethan, another descendant of
Esdras, and probably also a Corahite.
The remaining thirty-eight psalms bear no indication of their
origin, and their authors are unknown. They are called " owner-
less" (aSeWorot), and in the Talmud "orphaned."
Modern critics, such as Hitzig, Olshausen, Eeuss and others,
regard some psalms as Machabean, i. e. they believe them not
to have been composed until the time of the Machabees, viz., in
the second century before Christ. To this class belong Psalms
Ixxiii., Ixxviii. and cxviii. Not only the headings, but also the
tradition of the Jews refer them to an earlier period, and, more-
over, in the time of the Machabees the Book of Psalms had
already been translated into Greek.
It is not absolutely impossible that some of the psalms may have been
composed in the time of the Machabees, for educated people still used
Hebrew, and the Seventy did not complete their work much before
130 B. c. The newly discovered remains of the Hebrew text of Ecclesias-
ticus prove, however, that the Psalter existed in its present size at the
time when Ecclesiasticus was written. Cf. infra, p. 353.
3. Purpose. As the headings and the final verses of many
psalms show, the Psalter was a book containing the songs sung
286 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
by the Levites at the public worship of the Israelites. Now the
Psalms have become forms of prayer in use in the Church, and
especially appointed for recitation by the clergy.
Psalm, xci. has the heading, " Song for the Sabbath day." Psalm c.
(in the Hebrew), "Psalm at the thank offering." Several psalms are
inscribed " Alleluia " = " Praise the Lord " ; an invitation to the con-
gregation. In the headings the word lamnazzeach occurs fifty- three
times ; it is generally translated " to the chief musician " ; the Seventy
must have pointed the word PI^JD 1 ? differently, as they translated it els
rt\os (Itala and Vulgate in finem), which may be an indication that the
psalm was to be sung at the conclusion of public worship. The expres-
sion sela (nSjp) is generally translated tace (Imp. P. with H parag.,
from nSfr) ; Maurer renders it "raise" (the voice), so that it means
forte or fortius. The Septuagint has Sid^aX^a, music in the interval.
Gittith (Ps. viii. and elsewhere) is undoubtedly a stringed instrument
(from firU, to strike). Kaulen draws attention to the fact that the
liturgical function of many of the psalms that are personal in tone may
be discovered from their concluson. For instance, Psalm iii., which is
otherwise in the first person, ends with the words: "Thy blessing is
upon thy people." Psalm cxxxi. is similar.
The frequently recurring " I " of the Psalms seems to be a kind of
answer to the laws of the Pentateuch, which are mostly given with
"thou" (as, for instance, in the Decalogue), for God regards His people
Israel as one individual. This " I " is also an allusion on the part of
the Holy Spirit to both the ancient theocracy and the Messianic king-
dom, the Church, which our Saviour describes as a Kingdom of God both
on a large and on a small scale, both in mankind in general and in each
individual. For this reason the Psalms are adapted to God's universal
Church and to each of His servants, and especially for His Servant /car*
e|o^7]r, the Messias. The enemies against whom complaints are raised in
the Psalms are the opponents of God and His Anointed, as well as of His
Church and of the faithful individually, who are despised and perse-
cuted for their loyalty to God. The psalms of imprecation (xxxiv., li.,
Ixviii., cviii., Vulgate) are to be judged from this point of view, and not
regarded as the imprecations of a single person. This explanation
solves the difficult problem how curses can be reconciled with the law
of love. Who ever will not turn to God, but attacks God's kingdom and
those belonging to it, loses peace, which is a mark of God's favor, and
brings down a curse upon himself. He is warned in these psalms of
imprecation of the doom that his wickedness deserves. Personal hatred
is as little implied as in Noe's curse laid upon his son Cham. Besides,
it is not reasonable to apply to the Old Covenant the standard of the
New. Strict justice dominated the one, love and mercy the other (see
infra, p. 357).
The Psalms are, therefore: (1) Prayers of individuals under (a) the
Old and (6) the New Covenant; (2) Prayers of the whole congregation
of the faithful under (a) the Old and (6) the New Covenant; (3)
Prayers of the Messias, who speaks not only in His own Name but in
THE SACKED BOOKS CONSIDERED SINGLY 28?
the name of each of the faithful and in that of all mankind who
believe.
This does not, however, mean that to every psalm this threefold or
fivefold description applies. We have here evidence that Holy Scripture
must be inspired by God, for no human being would of himself be able
to impart such manifold meaning to the sacred songs.
4. Date of Collection. The collection of psalms, as we have
it, is very ancient, but cannot go back beyond the Captivity, as
in it are some psalms which clearly were written either during
or after the period of exile (Ixxxiv., cv., cvi., cxxv., cxxxvi.).
Collections of particular psalms must, however, have existed
earlier. We know that David caused religious songs to be sung
in the Tabernacle, thus adding to the beauty of the worship
there, and for this purpose a collection of such songs was
requisite (I Chron. xvi. 41; II Chron. xxiii. 18; I Esdr. iii. 10).
This collection and others like it were incorporated in the gen-
eral collection made after the Captivity. That it consists of
parts, some of which are older than others, appears from the
words at the close of Psalm Ixxi., "The praises of David, the
son of Jesse, are ended." All, therefore, that precedes these
words belongs to the first collection. The collection as we have
it was made at the time when the worship of God was restored
by Esdras and Nehemias (II Mach. ii. 13).
5. Divisions of the Psalter. On the analogy of the Penta-
teuch, the Psalter is divided into five parts, or books, which can
be distinguished by the doxology at the close of each. The first
book contains Psalms i.-xl.; the second, Psalms xli.-lxxi.; the
third, Psalms Ixxii.-lxxxviii. ; the fourth, Psalms Ixxxix.-cv. ; the
fifth, Psalms cvi.-cl. This division corresponds with the five
periods in which the different collections were made. The first
dates from the time when the ark was set up on Sion (I Chron.
xvi. 4) ; the second, from the close of David's life and Solomon's
accession, to which Psalm Ixxi. refers; the third belongs to the
time of Ezechias (II Chron. xxix. 30). A fourth may have been
made during the reign of Josias (II Chron. xxxv. 15). The
songs in the fifth book contain many references to the Captivity
and the return to Palestine. The general collection of all the
psalms was made by Esdras and Nehemias, who did not merely
288 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
arrange the five previous collections, one after the other, but
inserted in each of them other songs, some old and some new.
It is possible that one or two more were added at the time of
the Machabees, to bring the number up to 150.
6. Numbering. The numbering of the psalms in the Hebrew
text differs from that of the Vulgate, which we generally use,
and which is derived from the Septuagint. The Seventy put
Psalms ix. and x. together, treating them as one. Thus the
number assigned to each of the following psalms was one less
than in the Hebrew as far as Psalm cxiv., which they put with
cxv., so that these two together are numbered cxiii. But in
compensation they divided cxvi. into two, so that cxvii. in the
Hebrew is cxvi. in the Septuagint, and the number of each
psalm in the Greek continues to be one less as far as Psalm
cxlvii., which is again divided into two, and in this way the
numbering is made to coincide again with that of the original.
7. Classification according to the Contents.
(a) Songs addressed to God in praise, prayer and thanks-
giving form the largest class of the psalms. To it belong also
those that refer to nature, such as viii., xviii., ciii.
(6) The historical or national psalms also form a numerous
class, in which the theme is the glorious past of Israel and its
distinctive position above all other nations. In others God's
help is besought to prevent it from being oppressed by unbe-
lievers, e. g. Psalms Ixxviii., Ixxix.
(c) Very many of the psalms are didactic, e. g. xxxvi., xlviii.,
Ixxii. give instruction regarding the prosperity of the godless.
(d) Some are lamentations; the penitential psalms belong to
this class (vi., xxxi., xxxvii., 1., cl., cxxix., cxiii.).
(e) Several psalms are prophetic, and celebrate the sufferings
of the Messias (xv., xxi., Ixviii.) and His glory (ii., xliv., cix.).
These are called Messianic psalms.
The fifteen psalms numbered cxix.-cxxxiii. are called the Gradual
Psalms. In the Hebrew each is headed n'lS^^n Tfc? = song of the ascent,
canticum gradwum. This name is variously interpreted. It may refer
to the return to Palestine from the low-lying lands near the Euphrates,
or to the pilgrimages of the Jews to Jerusalem, or to the fifteen steps
leading from the Court of the Women to that of the Men, which were
ascended by people singing, at the ceremony of drawing water, which
THE SACEED BOOKS CONSIDERED SINGLY 289
concluded the feast of Tabernacles. At the present time they are said
before Matins on the Wednesdays in Lent, on which no feast of nine
lessons occurs. There is, however, no special rule enjoining this practice.
More Detailed Statement of Contents
First Book. 1. Theme of the whole Psalter; happiness to those true
to God, destruction to the godless. 2. God and Christ triumph over the
powers of this world. 3. Morning hymn. 4. Evening hymn. 5. Morn-
ing prayer. 6. Cry for help. 7. Help, Lord, for the persecuted! 8. The
firmament of heaven. 9. Song of victory request for further help.
10. Confidence in God. 11. Help, Lord, for the righteous! 12. Delay
not to save us. 13. Alas! godlessness prevails everywhere! 14. Whom
will God suffer to approach Him? 15. The suffering Messias cries out
for help. 16. Save me from oppression! 17. Hymn of thanksgiving for
safety. 18. Glory of God in nature and in the law. 19. Prayer before
battle. 20. Thanksgiving for victory. 21. The crucified Messias im-
plores God to save him. 22. God is my shepherd. 23. Hymn to celebrate
the bringing of the Ark to Sion. 24. O God, help and pardon me! 25.
Chastise me not with the wicked! 26. Courage based on confidence in
God. 27. Chastisement only for sinners! 28. God is glorified in the
tempest. 29. Thanksgiving for delivery from danger. 30. Save me! 31.
Repentance and confession of guilt bring forgiveness. 32. Praise God,
the Mighty and Merciful. 33. Fear of God has ' good results. 34. Pun-
ishment be upon our enemies! 35. Wickedness is on all sides, our help
is in God. 36. Apparent happiness of the wicked. 37. I am weighed
down by sin, Lord have mercy upon me! 38. I suffer, yet I trust in
God. 39. I thank thee, God; help me still further! 40. The merci-
ful shall find mercy.
Second Book. 41. Longing for the sanctuary. 42. Courage and con-
fidence in God. 43. Glorious past and gloomy present, may God help us!
44. Marriage hymn of the Messianic king. 45. God hath delivered Jeru-
salem from danger of enemies. 46. God hath granted victory to Israel.
47. What God hath accomplished in Sion, shall never be forgotten. 48.
The happiness of sinners is fleeting. 49. Not outward sacrifice, but the
service of the heart is pleasing to God. 50. David's confession of guilt.
51. God's chastisement falls on the sinner. 52. Like Psalm 13. 53. Save
me! 54. Lamentation over the deceits of enemies. 55. Like Psalm 33.
56, 57, 58. Destroy us not, but help us to resist the enemy. 59. After
hard fighting came victory; give further aid! 60. Under God's protection
will I stand firm. 61. God alone is faithful. 62. Trusting in God, I wait
for His help. 63. Evil designs fall back on those who invent them. 64.
Thanksgiving for harvest. 65. Thanksgiving for help in time of oppres-
sion. 66. Another thanksgiving for harvest. 67. Song of triumph ; hope
of subjugating all nations. 68. Being oppressed, I cry to God and hope
to be heard; the poet speaks thus as a type of the Messias. 69. Like
Psalm 39, 14-18. 70. God hath helped us hitherto, may He further assist
us. 71. May God abide with Solomon, who is a type of the Messias.
Third Book. 72. The prosperity of the wicked soon passes away. I
will not suffer myself to be misled. 73. Lament over the devestation of
290 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
the sanctuary. 74. Assyria threatens, but our God is stronger. 75.
Hymn of thanksgiving after the destruction of the Assyrian army. 76.
Is there no escape from the power of the enemies? Remember God's
wonderful deeds at the time of Moses and Aaron. 77. The history of
Israel from Moses to David teaches us that to fall away from God in-
volves destruction. Remain loyal to the king anointed by God! 78. The
heathen have entered, cry to God for help (cf. Psalm 73). 79. Israel,
God's vine, is hard pressed. 80. Paschal hymn. 81. Unjust judges are
judged by God. 82. Many foes are in league against Israel, O God, drive
them back ! 83. Joy at belonging to the sanctuary ( cf. Psalm 41 ) . 84.
Prayer of the returning exiles for new mercies. 85. O Lord, strengthen
thy servant! 86. God's city of Jerusalem is the home of all nations.
87. Prayer for delivery in time of great distress, that has already lasted
long. 88. Great promises were made to David, but his race has sunk
from its high position. O Lord, be merciful once more!
Fourth Book. 89. Moses considers human misery, the consequence of
sin, and implores God's mercy. 90. Trust in God. 91. Much in the life
of man is incomprehensible, but God makes all good (cf. Ps. 36, 48, 72).
92. God's power over the world. 93. God is our support against unbe-
lievers. 94. Praise and obedience be to the Lord! Otherwise evil will
come. 95. Sing praises to the Lord, the most exalted King and Judge!
96. Let us be glad that the glorious King of all the world is our God!
97. Israel and all other nations are to praise God, the judge of the world.
98. All nations must reverence the God of Israel. 99. Praise the Lord,
our God, to whom we owe existence and all else. 100. I will lead a
blameless life and keep sinners aloof from me. 101. I am wretched and
deserted, in deep distress I implore God's mercy. 102. Praise God, who
forgiveth all thy sins! 103. God's greatness and providence in the uni-
verse. 104. Song of praise prompted by the history of Israel. 105. Israel
had made a bad return for God's benefits, and so was punished with
exile.
Fifth Book. 106. Thanksgiving for recovery of the Holy Land. 107.
Reminiscences of Psalm 56 and 59. God is with us, we fear no foe. 108.
Appeal for help against false accusations and persecution. 109. The
Messias is king and priest; he conquers all his enemies. 110. Great is
God's goodness to Israel. 111. Happiness will follow those loyal to God,
the schemes of sinners will be frustrated. 112. God in his greatness wel-
comes the downcast. (This psalm and the following, as far as 117, were
recited when the Paschal lamb was eaten.) 113. God's benefits at the
time of the departure from Egypt. 114. God hath helped in time of deep
misery. 115. Thanksgiving for the help. 116. Heathen nations also
must praise the true God. 117. God heard my prayer, I will trust and
thank Him for ever. 118. Utterances of a believer, who proclaims his
loyalty to God and the law against all opposition. The sayings are ar-
ranged alphabetically, eight times over, and the psalm consists of eight
times twenty-two verses; one hundred and seventy-six in all. 119. For-
mer prayers have been granted, therefore I now have confidence. 120.
May God protect me. 121. Joy over Jerusalem. 122. Lord, take away our
reproach. 123. Had God not been with us, we should have perished.
124. Have trust in God, who will not abandon Jerusalem. 125. Joy at
THE SACKED BOOKS CONSIDEEED SINGLY 291
delivery from imprisonment. 126. God's blessing gives prosperity. 127.
He who strives in the fear of the Lord, obtains God's blessing. 128. I
was often in danger, but God always protected me. 129. The greater the
need, the more ready is God's assistance. 130. Humility and confidence
cause God to hear our prayers. 131. David had zeal for God's house,
therefore David's house shall last forever. 132. Praise of harmony.
133. The priests' evening blessing. 134. Song of praise to God, who has
shown His power both in nature and in the history of Israel. 135. God's
mercy is over all His works. 136. Israel mourns in exile. Woe to those
who destroyed Jerusalem! 137. Thanksgiving for God's benefits, request
for further help. 138. God, being present everywhere, knoweth that I
have no part with sinners. 139. Keep me safe from the hand of the
wicked. 140. Guard me from the snares of the wrong-doer. 141. I can-
not help myself, help Thou me, O God! 142. Leave me not, or I shall
perish. 143. Song of triumph after a successful contest. 144. Glorious
are God's greatness and mercy. 145. Happy is Israel in its trust in God,
who ruleth the world. 146, 147. Praise the Lord for all His benefits.
148. All created things in heaven and earth are to announce God's praises.
149. Israel has peculiar reason to praise God. 150. Praise be to God
everywhere, in every way and from all living beings!
10. PROVERBS
(31 chapters)
1. Name. If we had to deal here only with proverbs in the
ordinary sense of the word, the collection would not be included
in the canon of Holy Scripture. But the proverbs of Solomon
(proverbia Salomonis, Trapoipiai, SaXwftoWo?, mishle Shelomo) l
differ altogether from our proverbs. They are reflections on the
truths of divine revelation, composed in poetical form, and ap-
plied to the circumstances of human life. The book also con-
tains maxims of life derived from the author's own experience.
2. Contents and Divisions. The book is divided into several
parts distinguished by their titles.
It begins with a detailed introduction applying not only to the first
part, but to the whole work ( i. 1-7 ) . The general meaning of it is : the
fear of God is the foundation of all wisdom. " Without it there is in
the world nothing but folly, i. e. immorality. Morality is inconceivable
without fear of God."
(a) The first part consists of chapters i.-ix. It contains not so
1 Mashal means primarily comparison, then parable, memento, and
also probably song, poem, because of the regular arrangement of the
parts.
292 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
much a collection of maxims as several continuous instructions and
admonitions, intended to inspire love of wisdom. 1
(6) The second part, chapters x.-xxiv. (or, according to another
view, x.-xxii. 16 ), 2 forms the chief part of the book and contains most
of the collection of maxims. There are about 400 of them, expressing
very various ideas, but clear and easily understood; e.g. "A wise
son maketh the father glad, but a foolish son is the sorrow of his
mother," x. 1. "He that loveth correction, loveth knowledge; but
he that hateth reproof is foolish," xii. 1. "It is the part of man to pre-
pare the soul, and of the Lord to govern the tongue," xvi. 1. "Pride
goeth before destruction, and the spirit is lifted up before a fall,"
xvi. 18. " A foolish man will clap hands, when he is surety for his
friend," xvii. 18.
(c) In chapter xxv. a new collection begins, headed: "These are also
parables of Solomon, which the men of Ezechias king of Juda copied
out." These proverbs display, on the whole, the same characteristics as
the others, so that they afford confirmation of the statement that they
also were composed by Solomon. It is quite possible that of the 3000
maxims of this king (III Kings iv. 32) many besides the 400 already
collected were commonly on the lips of the people, and the wise and
pious counselors of King Ezechias selected a number of these, and
added them to the previous collection. They are contained in the next
five chapters of the book, xxv.-xxx.
As specimens we may quote : " As clouds and wind when no rain
followeth, so is the man that boasteth, and doth not fulfill his promises,"
xxv. 14. "As a moth doth by a garment, and a worm by the wood,
so the sadness of a man consumeth the heart," xxv. 20.
( d ) The last two chapters contain additional maxims, xxx. con-
sists of the sayings of a certain Agur; xxxi. 19, advice given to a
king named Lemuel by his mother; 10-31, praise of a good housewife in
alphabetical form. The names Agur and Lemuel are probably fictitious. 3
1 The book is often mentioned as " Wisdom," as are also Ecclesiastes,
Canticles, the Book of Wisdom, and Sirach or Ecclesiasticus. The " Wis-
dom " of the Bible is quite unlike the ao<t>La of Greek philosophy. The
latter aims at discovering the ultimate causes of all things by means of
human intellect, and knows nothing of revelation; but wisdom in the
Hebrew sense proceeds from revelation, and seeks to explain everything in
the world by its aid. To the Hebrew sage wisdom is theoretically the
knowledge, derived from revelation, of how to live aright, and practi-
cally it is living in accordance with this knowledge. In the Hebrew
sense wisdom, as it proceeds from revelation, is itself revealed and
divine. Even in this book, and especially in chapter viii., wisdom is
represented as a person; but in the New Testament it appears fully
revealed as Logos, as a divine Person.
2 A fresh invitation to accept the teaching of wisdom begins in ii. 17.
8 Cf. however, Kirchenlexikon, 2d ed., article " Agur " ; according to
this article Agur, son of Jake, was really a Hebrew sage. Kaulen,
Emleitung, II, 142, is less sure of it, and says also that we can neither
deny nor prove that Lemuel meant Solomon.
THE SACRED BOOKS CONSIDERED SINGLY 293
3. Date of Composition. It is obvious, after a consideration
of the contents, that all the parts of the book cannot have been
compiled at the same time. The heading of the third part shows
that a collection of proverbs existed at the time of Ezechias, and
that, at this king's instigation, a further collection was made
and appended to the earlier one. The last two chapters also
appear to belong to the time of Ezechias. We have, therefore,
to distinguish two chief periods in the compilation of this book.
I. Chapters i.-xxiv. date from the time of Solomon, and are
to a great extent his composition. (Only the sayings in xxiv.
23-34, are ascribed in xxiv. 23 to other wise men.)
II. Chapters xxv.-xxxi. are in the main of Solomon's com-
position, especially xxv.-xxix., but the sayings were not collected
until the time of Ezechias, when they, with the three additions
of unknown authorship, were appended to the book.
4. Purpose of the Boole. Whoever knows of God's revelation
and feels bound to live in accordance with it, but is still weak
and wavering in the service of God, may be instructed by this
collection of rules of life.
5. Author. That Solomon composed most of the sayings is
expressly stated in i. 1 and xxv. 1, and has always been
acknowledged by Christian and Jewish tradition. The pure and
dignified language bears witness to the composition of this book
as belonging to the golden age of Hebrew poetry, i. e. to the
reign of Solomon.
The Septuagint arrangement of the Book of Proverbs differs in some
respects from the Hebrew and the Vulgate, which have been followed in
this chapter. It contains a few sayings that are not in the Hebrew, and
omits some that are to be found there. Against admitting the book
to the canon of Holy Scripture it is sometimes urged that there are
many sayings in it which any uninspired person might have uttered.
But the divine revelation contains not only supernatural things but also
natural truths, which gain additional weight through this revelation.
Cf. Vatican Council, III. 2, De Revel. The fact that the book is quoted
as scriptural in the New Testament justifies its canonical acceptation;
e.g. Hebrews xii. 5, "Whom the Lord loveth, He chastiseth" (Prov.
iii. 12), and James iv. 6, "God resistetn the proud" (Prov. iii. 34).
294: HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
11. CANTICLE OP CANTICLES
(8 chapters)
1. Name. The names shir hashshirim, aa-pa oGpaTayv, can-
ticum canticorum, all express the idea that this song stands as
much above all others as a poem above ordinary speech.
2. Contents. According to its literal meaning, the song is
simply an account of sexual love.
A shepherd in or near Jerusalem loves a maiden who returns his
affection with similar feelings. They vie with one another in extolling
each other's perfections and in expressions of longing for their union
in marriage. The hindrances that they encounter only intensify their
love. King Solomon is mentioned by name, but it is more than doubtful
whether he is to be identified with the bridegroom, as many assert.
It seems better to assume that the bride refuses to accept hospitality in
the palace, and rejects the king's overtures, because she wishes to re-
main faithful to her beloved shepherd. It is left uncertain whether the
lovers ever attain to a permanent union, as no further reference is
made to it. 1
3. Interpretation. The rationalistic view is that the book is
to be interpreted literally, and that the beautiful poem is merely
an account of human love. 2 In reply we may say:
(a) A mere love-song would never have been admitted to the
collection of the sacred books, especially not as the Song of
Songs ; i. e. as the most exalted and stately canticle.
(&) An erotic poem would certainly conclude with a marriage,
otherwise the account would be incomplete and unsatisfactory.
(c) Tradition not only of the Church, but also among the
Jews, is absolutely opposed to the literal interpretation. 3
(d) At the Second General Council of Constantinople (553)
1 Ewald gives a similar account of the contents.
2 Theodore of Mopsuestia and the more modern rationalists such as
Hitzig and Cornill, take this view. The latter remarks that no un-
prejudiced reader could for a moment doubt "that the theme is the
love of man for woman and of woman for man. . . . That it was
admitted to the canon was owing to the mistake of interpreting its con-
tents allegorically (as was the case with Ps. xlv. (xliv.)."
8 That even the Abyssinian Church has always maintained the alle-
gorical interpretation of the Canticle of Canticles has been thoroughly
proved in a monograph by Seb. Euringer, Lpz., 1900.
THE SACKED BOOKS CONSIDERED SINGLY 295
the Church expressly condemned Theodore of Mopsuestia's theory
of literal interpretation.
We are not even allowed to suppose that originally a real,
human love prompted the composition of the poem, and that later
the account of it was taken to symbolize a higher love, so that
for this reason the book was included in the Canon. Such a
theory would not harmonize with what the Church teaches re-
garding inspiration, namely that the sacred writers were influ-
enced and guided throughout by God, in fact that God is really
the author of the sacred books. They cannot be at first human
productions, and then rendered sacred and divine by subsequent
inclusion in the Canon. The Council of 553 decided that such
an opinion was erroneous.
The correct interpretation is the allegorical ; i. e. we must
assume that under the cloak and appearance of human love is
represented a far higher union, rising above all that is earthly
and sensual. There is no reality in this human love, it is only
the garment in which a lofty mystery is clothed, to render it
intelligible to mankind. 1
4. The Mystery extolled in the Canticle of Canticles is, ac-
cording to the traditional explanation, the union between God
and faithful mankind. This union under the Old Covenant was
the bond between God and the people of Israel, 2 under the New
Covenant it is the bond between Christ the Good Shepherd
and the Church. Revelation often represents this union as
a marriage; our Saviour speaks of Himself as the Bridegroom
1 We can nevertheless comply with the instructions requiring us to
interpret Holy Scripture first literally and then mystically. We must
imagine that the divinely inspired poet described an ideal human love,
but in doing so had all along a sacred mystery in his mind. We may
fix our eyes primarily on the garment or type, but we must consider
the higher mystical meaning.
a Cf. the canticle in Isaias v. 1, 2, that is sung to the "beloved"
( TH) . Language very similar to that of Isaias is used by the
composer of the Canticle of Canticles, e. g. in ii. 8, 10, 16; v. 1.; vi. 1.
Although the bodily perfection and Whole form of the bride are extolled,
there is nothing sensual in this, for it signifies that by surrender to
God, the whole human nature, including the body, is ennobled and
spiritualized, filled with supernatural beauty and rendered well pleasing
to God. For this reason the body, too, can become worthy to last for-
ever, as the bridegroom is everlasting.
296 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
(Matt. ix. 15), and Saint Paul states (Eph. v. 21-33) that
human marriage is particularly sacred for the reason that it is
a type of that mysterious spiritual union. A relation, re-
sembling that which exists between God and the human beings
loyal to Him taken collectively, exists also between God and
every soul filled with love and gratitude towards Him, and in
a special way between God and every soul which, for love of
God, keeps itself in perfect purity and renounces ordinary
marriage. For this reason many passages of the Canticle of
Canticles are applied by the Church particularly to Mary. 1
5. Author. Tradition ascribes the poem to Solomon. In
style and language it belongs to the fairest and happiest period
of the national life. It used to be universally believed, by
Catholics and non- Catholics alike, that Solomon composed the
poem, or that at least it dated from his reign. The most recent
criticism, however, on the ground of a few apparently not
Semitic expressions, assigns it to a very late period, although
in III Kings iv. 32, 33, Solomon is celebrated as a poet of nature,
and therefore seems to be referred to distinctly as the author
of this, the most beautiful of all Hebrew songs. 2
1 In a monograph L. Hug puts forward a remarkable interpretation,
suggesting that the poem expressed the longing on the part of the
kingdom of Samaria for union with that of Juda. In as far as this
is to be understood the noble longing felt by God's faithful people in the
northern kingdom for the Lord of Israel, dwelling in the Temple at
Jerusalem, this interpretation may be accepted. But we must not limit
the poem to this one idea.
2 Reuss thinks that the book was written in the Northern Kingdom,
soon after its separation from the Southern, and whilst Thirza was
still the capital. But would Solomon have been honored there? Cornill
remarks that if it can be said of any book " Thy speech betrayeth thee,"
this is true of the Canticle of Canticles. He refers particularly to the
words appirjon, litter, in iii. 9, declaring that it is the Greek (fropeidv,
and pardes, garden, in iv. 13, which he assumes to be Persian. But
Maurer, certainly a Hebrew scholar, derives pardes from padas, to
spread out, and appirjon from para, to carry. Comely rightly points
out that even in Debora's song (Judges v.) some expressions of the
same kind occur, and yet no one questions its antiquity. A. von
Scholz upholds the allegorical interpretation, but thinks the book was
composed in the school at Jerusalem.
THE SACEED BOOKS CONSIDERED SINGLY 297
12. ECCLESIASTES
(12 chapters)
1. Name. This book is called in Hebrew Qoheleih, which the
Seventy translated by Ecclesiastes = preacher.
QoMleth (from qahal to call an assembly, to speak in an assembly)
is a feminine form, but probably qohel = public speaker. Possibly chokma
might be supplied, and the name would mean " Speaking Wisdom."
2. Contents. The book contains a decidedly melancholy view
and description of human life, written in poetical form.
The author surveys all the various ways and pleasures of life, and
finds nowhere anything that satisfies the heart; all is vanity, because
all is fleeting. Neither life itself, that passes so quickly, nor the so-
called good things of life, such as high rank, power, wisdom and knowl
edge, wealth and pleasure, can bestow happiness, which every man de-
sires. Is man therefore to abandon himself to despair as a pessimist?
Or is he, as a materialist, to adopt the principle: Enjoy life whilst
it lasts, for all will soon be at an end? No; the author, at the close
of the discussion, comes to this decision : he bids man " Fear God and
keep His commandments, for this is all man " ( i. e. the whole duty of
man), and all things that are done, God will bring into judgment for
every error, whether it be good or evil (for reward or punishment).
3. Form. The writer stands as a spectator amidst the fleeting
phenomena of life, and expresses his thoughts as a speaker before
an imaginary audience. The style is therefore rhetorical rather
than poetical, and yet there is a rhythm throughout that dis-
tinguishes the book from the prose writings. Zapletal says
(supra, 325) : " The book is written in a regular meter/ 7
4. Author. Solomon is generally believed to have composed
the book, towards the end of his reign, after he had gone astray
but had repented. We meet with him here as a penitent.
Reasons for regarding Solomon as the author:
(1) He is mentioned in the heading: "Words of the Qohtleth, son of
David, king of Jerusalem."
(2) The author speaks of himself several times in terms applicable
only to Solomon. He describes the splendor of his court, the abundance
of his riches and his wisdom.
(3) On the ground of Jewish tradition, the Rabbis regard Solomon
as the author.
298 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
(4) The Fathers of the Church speak of the three books of Solomon,
so they ascribed to him Ecclesiastes as well as the Canticle of Canticles
and Proverbs. Arguments against his authorship are derived from the
language of the book, which not only differs very much from that of
the Canticle of Canticles and Proverbs, but contains many Aramaic
expressions, that suggest its belonging to the period after the Captivity.
We must, however, remember : ( 1 ) that a man full of youthful vigor
naturally uses vivid language, and in his old age he speaks more calmly
and sadly; (2) that the "Preacher" is addressing the people, and so
must adopt the popular dialect, which in Solomon's time had absorbed
many foreign expressions and forms, in consequence of the constant inter-
course with foreign countries.
Ecclesiastical decisions regarding the canon declare the book to be
Solomon's, but this may be understood to mean that Solomon's wisdom
may be learnt from it, as from Wisdom and Eeclesiasticus. In the
decree of Innocent I, v. 405, mention is made of " Salomonis libri V,"
but the canon of the Council of Trent contains no allusion to its
author. On the ground of the language, Kaulen doubts whether Solomon
can have been the author. Comely, like most of the Catholic writers
(B. Schafer, Schenz, Gietmann), follows tradition, and believes that he
was. Scholz thinks that it was the work of a number of Chakamim
(wise men), and that it consists of an original portion with later addi-
tions. McNeile (Cambridge, 1904) believes that it was composed about
300 B.C. Peters (Bibl. Ztschr., 1903), after careful comparison with
Eeclesiasticus, considers that Ecclesiastes is based upon it, and assigns
Eeclesiasticus to a date between 190-180 B. c. and Ecclesiastes to one
between 145-130 B.C. Zapletal (Bill. Ztschr., 1905) lays stress on the
fact that it is not possible to trace any influence of Greek philosophy in
this book.
13. THE BOOK OF JOB 1
(42 chapters)
1. Contents. Examination into the cause of human suffering,
and especially the sufferings of those faithful to God.
Job, a wealthy, respected and pious man, living in the land of Hus
(Uz) to the east of Palestine, suddenly becomes very unhappy through
the tricks of Satan. He loses his goods and his children, and is at-
tacked by the horrible disease of leprosy. Nevertheless, he long remains
submissive to God and patient in his misery. Three friends, Eliphas,
Baldad and Sophar, come to comfort him, but they are so much horrified
at his state that they for a long time are unable to speak. Job's patience
now gives way, and he breaks out into bitter complaints at his lot, that
he has not deserved, and he longs for death. His friends rebuke him
1 The Hebrew 3i" ought not to be written Hiob (Luther), but Jjob or
Job ( Sept., Vulg. ) . H is not = ft, but is a spiritus lenis, an inaudible
breathing.
THE SACEED BOOKS CONSIDEEED SINGLY 299
for these lamentations, and say he must have drawn down this punish-
ment upon himself by his sins, and so they urge him to do penance,
which perhaps may change his fortune. Job persists in asserting his
innocence, and all attempts of his friends to convince him of his guilt are
fruitless; they finally keep silence and Job remains the victor in this
war of words. Eliphas speaks three times and so does Baldad, but Sophar
only twice. Job answers each of these speeches, and utters both the
introductory and the closing words. There are therefore in all eighteen
speeches, or if Job's last utterance which is once interrupted be reckoned
as two, there are nineteen. Now another speaker enters, a young man,
named Eliu. He wishes to settle the dispute by explaining that neither
Job nor his friends are altogether in the right. To Job he says : " No
man is just, but God alone." Job's assertion of his innocence could
not be accepted, because it made piety appear useless. To the friends
he says it is a mistake to suppose suffering is always the result of sins
committed; God often desires by means of suffering to protect man
from pride and from the sins proceeding therefrom. This decision,
though given with great assurance, satisfies no one completely because
it involves a contradiction; yet there is much truth in it.
It is plain from the speeches made by Job, his three friends and
Eliu, that man of himself is incapable of understanding the causes of
suffering. Therefore God Himself appears and ends the strife. His
judgment is twofold; it is partly against Job, who has grumbled at
Him, whilst appreciating far too little the power and wisdom with
which God guides the destinies of men; and it is partly for Job and
against his friends, whose harshness is rebuked. After Job has asked
forgiveness of God for his complaints, he recovers his prosperity in
greater measure than before.
2. Divisions. (1) Chapters i.-iii., Job's happiness and his
misfortunes. (2) iii.-xxxi., conversation between Job and his
friends regarding the causes of his affliction. (3) xxxii.-xxxvii.,
Eliu's speeches. (4) xxxviii.-xli., appearance of God and His
decision. (5) Job's restoration to happiness.
3. Purpose of the Book. The Book of Job must not be re-
garded as an account of the suffering of a single individual,
but as giving touching expression to the. sorrows of all in afflic-
tion. It may be called the lamentation of all suffering humanity
and especially of such as are not redeemed.
As long as the believer in God under the Old Dispensation
uttered these complaints and cherished at the same time the wish,
so often repeated by Job, that God Himself might appear and
exert His power, he must have been penetrated with a longing
for redemption.
Two causes of suffering are mentioned in the book: (1) At the
300 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
beginning, and still more clearly at the end, it shows how God's
power and wisdom are supreme over mankind and govern their
destinies. God allows suffering that He may test men, purify
them, and finaUv reward them generously. We learn from Job's
example that every sufferer, though he complain, should still trust
calmly to God's providence, for God always turns sorrow to our
advantage. It is a law of Divine Providence that joy shall fol-
low sorrow. (2) The more direct cause of suffering is that
Satan (chap, ii.) through sin has won a hold upon mankind,
and uses his power to drag men with him into misery, as far
as he can. When sin is removed by redemption, the power of
hell, and with it suffering, will vanish more and more.
This examination has not exhausted all the purpose of the
book, for Job has also a typical character. The suffering of
the innocent is incomprehensible to man, and yet in the suffer-
ing of the most guiltless lies the deepest wisdom. There is
namely such a thing as vicarious suffering, and Job is a type
of our Eedeemer, and a dim foreshadowing of Him who was
to endure terrible agony on behalf of others, in order to wipe
away sin and conquer the powers of hell (chap, xl., xli.). The
patristic explanation has always insisted upon this point.
4. Historical Foundation. That the story has an historical
foundation and is not merely a work of the imagination seems
no less certain than that the details are fictitious. The art-
fully composed speeches are all fiction.
Reasons for believing the groundwork to be historical are the fol-
lowing: (a) In both the Old and New Testament (Ezech. xiv. 14; Tob.
ii. 11, etc.; James v. 11) reference is made to Job as to an historical
person who was a model of piety and patience. The Talmud, too,
assumes that he was a real man, a contemporary of Moses. (&) The
indications of place in the book point to his being historical, and so
does the statement that he was an Arab, and therefore a foreigner. If the
author had aimed at describing a fictitious character, he would certainly
have made his hero a Hebrew, (c) Mere romances seem to have been
unknown in the ancient world. Every great poem that has come down
from antiquity (such as the Iliad, Odyssey and JSneid) has an his-
torical foundation.
5. Date and Authorship. Some critics believe the Book of
Job to be as old or older than the Pentateuch; others assign it
to the period of the Captivity or even later.
THE SACEED BOOKS CONSIDERED SINGLY 301
In favor of the first theory is the fact that it contains no
allusion to the law of Moses. But the law could not have been
mentioned, as the hero is not an Israelite. The description of
the perfection of the Creator and Preserver ojfi the world, as
given in the book, suggests that the author must have known the
Pentateuch, and especially the story of Creation contained in the
Book of Genesis. In the same way the enumeration of the sins
(xxiv. 2-11) that Job knows he has not committed, seems to
allude to parts of the Pentateuch (Ex. xxii. 25; Lev. xix. 9, and
xxv. 2; Deut. xxiv. 10). The advanced age to which Job
lived he is said to have lived 140 years after his misfortunes
the mention of star worship (xxxi. 26), from which he held
himself aloof, and his position as prince and priest, are all indi-
cations of his having belonged to the time of the patriarchs.
But though Job himself may have lived at this early period,
the book may have been written later.
The date of its composition cannot however have been so late
as the Captivity. This is plain from Tobias ii. 15, and Ezechiel
xiv. 4, where Job is praised for his virtues; and there are sev-
eral passages in Amos and Jeremias that are borrowed from the
Book of Job. 1 The Aramaic expressions in the book are not
numerous, and are quite natural in a work containing the record
of events in the east of Palestine, where Aramaic was spoken.
No one can prove with certainty that an Aramaic element did
not find its way into Hebrew before the Captivity. Political
connections and frequent intercourse always have some influ-
ence on the speech of a country.
Intercourse with foreign countries was especially frequent in
the time of Solomon, whose dominions extended far to the north
and south. This period coincides with the golden age of Hebrew
poetry, and the Book of Job is perhaps its greatest production.
It is therefore probable that the book was written during
Solomon's reign, and most of the modern critics are of this
opinion. 2
1 Amos v. 8 suggest Job ix. 9; Jer. xvii. 1 suggests Job xix. 24;
Jer. xx. 14, etc., suggests Job iii. 3, etc., and Jer. xx. 17 suggests
Job. iii. 11, etc.
2 Herbst, Welte, Kaulen, Comely, Danko, Zschokke, Schenz, Kna-
benbauer, also the Protestant writers Keil, Delitzsch, Hengstenberg,
302 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
The resemblance between Job and Proverbs leads us to think
that they belong to the same period. The author is utterly un-
known. He may possibly have been Asaph, who composed some
psalms containing opinions and subjects not unlike those to
be found in Job (Ps. Ixxii., Ixxxi.). J. Royer tries to show
that the prophet Jeremias was the author.
For the meter of the book see page 283. Friedrich Delitzsch, an
authority on Assyrian monuments, thinks that the text of Job has
been very accurately preserved.
THIRD SECTION
THE PERIOD FROM THE DIVISION OF THE KINGDOMS
UNTIL THE END OF THE CAPTIVITY
14. HISTORICAL SURVEY
The following historical events are connected with the com-
position of the sacred books belonging to the third period of the
history of Israel.
1. The separation of the kingdom into two parts : the Kingdom
of Juda in the south, where the dynasty of David continued to
rule with Jerusalem as the capital of a State consisting of the
tribes of Juda and Benjamin; and the Kingdom of Samaria
(Israel, Ephraim) in the north, consisting of the remaining ten
tribes, having kings of its own and Samaria (Heb., Schomron
= hill of the watch) as its capital.
2. The overthrow of the northern kingdom by the Assyrians,
and the carrying off of the inhabitants to Assyria (722).
3. The overthrow of the southern kingdom, the destruction
etc. It has been assigned to the time of Moses, or earlier, by Goldhagen,
Jahn, Ackermann and others. Some ascribe it to Moses; several of
the Fathers do this, as well as Saint Jerome, and some more recent
commentators, such as Tostatus and Bellarmine. Saint Gregory of
Nazianzen, Saint John Chrysostom and Calmet believe Solomon to have
been the author. Cornill and Kautzsch, however, think that it is of
much later origin, belonging to the Greek period (between 330 and 200),
their chief reason being that it is not mentioned in the earlier literature ;
but cf. page 301.
THE SACEED BOOKS CONSIDERED SINGLY 303
of the Temple, the plundering and burning of the Temple, and
the carrying off of the Jews to Babylon (588).
4. The return from the Babylonian Captivity (536).
The chronology in the Books of Kings is not perfectly trustworthy,
as data have been stated carelessly and uncritically, but the se-
quence of the Kings is certain. It is also certain that the year 722
witnessed the overthrow of the northern kingdom, 588 the first destruc-
tion of Jerusalem, and 536 the return from Captivity. The duration
of the kings' reigns in the two kingdoms cannot be determined until the
cuneiform inscriptions in Assyria and Babylonia have been more fully
examined. The following dates of the Assyrian and Babylonian kings
have been verified from cuneiform inscriptions : Tiglath Pilesar = Phul,
745-727, king of Assyria; Salmanassar IV, his successor, 727-722;
Sargon, 722-705 (after 709 king of Babylon also) ; Sennacherib, 705-
682; Assarhaddon, 681-668; Assurbanipal, 668-626; Nabuchodonosor,
605-562.
LIST OF THE KINGS
(a) Of the Northern Kingdom
1. Jeroboam I. 2. Nadab. 3. Baasa. 4. Ela. 5. Zambri. 6.
Omri. 7. Achab. 8. Ochozias. 9. Joram. 10. Jehu. 11. Joachaz.
12. Joas. 13. Jeroboam II. Interregnum. 14. Zacharias. 15. Sellum.
16. Manahem. 17. Phaceia. 18. Phacee. Interregnum. 19. Osee, 722.
(&) Of the Southern Kingdom
1. Roboam. 2. Abias. 3. Asa. 4. Josaphat. 5. Joram. 6. Ocho-
zias. 7. Athalia (queen). 8. Joas. 9. Amasias. 10. Ozias ( =
Azarias). 11. Joatham. 12. Achaz. 13. Ezechias. 14. Manasses.
15. Amon. 16. Josias. 17. Joachaz. 18. Joakim. 19. Jechonias.
20. Sedecias, 588.
The Israelites of the northern kingdom who were carried
away to Assyria never returned home, but were lost among the
Gentiles. Colonists from the east settled in their land of
Samaria, intermarrying with the Israelites that still remained
there; but the heathen element was by far the stronger, so that
the Samaritans were of mixed race. The Jews who had been
taken to Babylon were allowed to go back to their own country
by Cyrus, after his conquest of Babylon. Not by any means
did all the Jews return to the Holy Land ; those who did so were
only a small proportion of the people, a "remnant," as the
prophets had foretold. Subsequently other companies of Jews
304 HANDBOOK EOK THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
came back, chiefly as a result of the exertions of Esdras and
Nehemias.
The seventy years of the Babylonian Captivity, foretold by
Jeremias (xxv. and xxix.) are not always assigned to the same
dates. It seems best to take 606, rather than either 588 or
599, as the first of the seventy years, for it was in that year that
Nabuchodonosor first conveyed a great number of Jews, mostly
young men of good birth, to Babylon. In this way the seventy
years end in 536, which was the date of the Eeturn. Within
this period many of the books of the Bible were written ; namely,
all the prophetic books with the exception of three that belong
to the fourth period.
We generally reckon that there were sixteen prophets, four
major and twelve minor, 1 or, if Baruch be regarded not as an
appendix to Jeremias, but as an independent work, there were
seventeen.
To the period before the Captivity belong Isaias and Jeremias,
Jonas, Amos, Joel, Abdias, Osee, Micheas, Nahum, Sophonias,
Habakuk. To the Captivity itself, Baruch, Ezechiel and Daniel.
(Prophets who lived after the Captivity: Aggeus, Zacharias,
Malachias.)
The above is the historical order, but that of the Septuagint is:
Oseas, Joel, Amos, Abdias, Jonas, Micheas, Nahum, Habakuk, Sophonias,
Aggeus, Zacharias, Malachias, Isaias, Jereinias, Baruch, Threni, Letter
of Jeremias, Ezechiel, Daniel. The Vulgate has the same arrangement,
except that the four major prophets, Lamentations and Baruch are
placed before Oseas. In the Hebrew Bible Isaias, Jeremias and Ezechiel
stand before the minor prophets, whilst Daniel is placed after Esther
among the Ketubim.
15. PROPHECY IN GENERAL
1. Those persons under the Old Covenant, who were called
directly by God to proclaim His will, and who received super-
natural powers for the purpose, are known as prophets. 2 They
1 The twelve minor prophets collectively form one book. Sirach,
writing as early as 200 u. c., if not sooner, speaks of the " twelve
prophets" as belonging together (Ecclus. xlix. 12).
The Hebrew name is nali, plural neliim (from naba, to gush
forth, to speak in a lively and inspired manner) = inspiratus, inspired
speaker. They are often called also seers, watchmen, shepherds, or men
THE SACKED BOOKS CONSIDERED SINGLY 305
did not form a class enjoying inherited privileges, as did the
priests and kings, but they were chosen and commissioned by
God for a time to carry certain messages.
Such were Moses, Josue and Samuel in the earliest period of
Jewish national life, -and later Nathan, Elias, Eliseus and others.
The earlier prophets were conspicuous chiefly for their deeds,
the later for their words, many of which were recorded by them-
selves or by others. The activity of the later prophets lasted
from about 800 to 400 B. c.
2. Functions of the Prophets. The primary duty of each
prophet was to benefit his own generation, to maintain the
fidelity of the people towards God, and to threaten sinners with
God's chastisement. They were a kind of conscience to the
nation. Incidentally, a glance into the future of Israel was
often vouchsafed to them, and this they described sometimes in
threatening, sometimes in encouraging language. They also took
into account the destinies of foreign nations, as far as they came
into contact with God's people. To foretell the future was
therefore not the only duty assigned to the prophets, although
it formed an essential part of their functions. The true prophets
were distinguished from the false especially by the fulfillment
of their prophecies, -although this often took place after their
death (Deut. xviii. 21, 22). The most important of their
prophetic utterances are the Messianic prophecies, by means of
which the people of God were prepared for the coming of the
Redeemer, and their longing for Him was awakened, maintained
and intensified.
The false prophets, who are so often mentioned, were generally opti-
mists or flatterers, announcing, ostensibly at God's bidding, nothing
but what was pleasant, thus encouraging the people in their wickedness,
for they relied upon the exalted destiny of Israel as if it made any
chatisement on God's part inconceivable (cf. e.g. Jer. xxiii. and
xxvi.). Our Saviour has warned us that there would be false prophets
also under the New Covenant, and said that they might be recognized
by their fruits, for suffering and misery were involved in following
their doctrines (Matt. vii. 15).
of God. The Greek name signifying " one who foretells " does not convey
an idea of their whole duty. The root of nabi occurs in the form naba'a,
also in Assyrian and Arabic; in Assyrian it means "to speak, an-
nounce " ; in Arabic, " to report, make known."
306 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
3. Personality. The prophets were as a rule holy persons,
but sanctity was not a necessary condition of a prophetic voca-
tion. Hence we find among the prophets not only Jonas, who
in his disobedience wished to escape from God, but also the
Gentile Balaam. Natural qualifications were not absolutely
requisite, and therefore people of very different positions in
life were intrusted with the work of a prophet. We find in
the company of aristocrats, such as David and Daniel, the prophet
Amos who was a simple countryman.
We hear of schools of the prophets, but we must not imagine them
to have been schools in our sense of the word, places where prophets
were trained, as we have schools for physicians or lawyers. The word
" school " denotes only a connection such as existed between Christ and
His Apostles, though it is possible that in these schools a prophetic
vocation was often awakened by the singing and the study of the law
(I Sam. (Kings) x. 5; xix. 20). Of. the article Prophet enschulen
by Welte in the Kirchenlexikon.
4. The Mode of the Divine Communications varied. As a rule,
the prophets received only inward illumination; but often they
had visions, perceived by means of the senses. Sometimes they
were instructed when in a state of ecstacy, or favored with a
vision. They generally speak of the future as if it were present,
for they were seers. The present and the future are often con-
fused in their utterances.
5. The spoken word of the prophets was intended for their
contemporaries, the written for the future, as witness of the
truth and as a testimony against Israel.
6. In order to understand the prophetic books we must always
bear in mind : (a) that Israel is God's people, and as such exalted
above other nations; (6) it possesses the kingdom of God on
earth and is the bearer of the hopes of redemption; (c) it is
false to God, and therefore is punished; (d) God's kingdom is
not to perish on that account, but (e) out of Israel shall come
the Messias. 1
1 It is a purely arbitrary assumption on the part of Wellhausen
and his followers that all predictions of a better future and of re-
demption were interpolated into the writings of the prophets after the
Captivity. Such critics say that the small remnant of the Israelite
nation spent their time in dreaming of a revival of David's kingdom,
THE SACKED BOOKS CONSIDERED SINGLY 307
PROPHETS PREVIOUS TO THE DOWNFALL OF THE
NORTHERN KINGDOM
16. JONAS
(4 chapters)
1. Contents. Jonas, 1 son of Amathi, is commissioned by God
to announce the destruction of the great city of Ninive. The
people of Ninive do penance, and therefore the town is spared.
Jonas belonged to the northern kingdom, having been born at Geth-
Opher, of the tribe of Zabulon (IV Kings xiv. 25). He sought by
flight to avoid carrying out his task of going to Ninive and of announc-
ing the coming destruction of the city, and so he set sail on a Phoenician
ship bound for Tharshish (Tartessus in Spain). A terrible storm arose
at sea on his account, and the sailors, fearing the deity, threw him into
the sea. He was swallowed by a great fish, but remained alive, and
as he repented and prayed to God, he was cast up on the shore still
living after three days. Now he fulfilled God's commission, but as
the Ninivites betook themselves to penance, the sentence was not executed
at that time. Jonas murmured for this reason against God, who re-
buked him gently.
2. Truth or Fiction. This story is to be regarded as perfectly
true, for our Saviour spoke of Jonas as of an historical person
(Matt. xii*. 40-42; Luke xi. 30, 31), thus testifying to the truth
of the story. 2 The occurrences related in the book are certainly
and as their hopes were not realized, they sought consolation partly in
inventing a glorious past, and partly in looking forward to the sub-
jugation of the Gentiles. All that the prophetical books contain re-
garding the triumph of the kingdom of God over the Gentile world is,
according to these critics, really of very late origin, but has been put
into the mouths of the prophets. Some books, such as Daniel, were
altogether fictitious ; to others large additions were made, e. g. Isaias
was more than doubled.
Such theories are inevitable when the supernatural is altogether
denied. Against them Nahum may be quoted, for his book has always
been recognized as genuine, and as belonging to the time before the
Captivity. He speaks in exactly the same way of Assyria as Isaias of
the Gentiles. In chapter ii. he says that Assyria must be overthrown,
because the kingdom of God cannot be allowed to perish. Are we to
suppose that all the Jewish authors after the Captivity were liars and
deceivers, devoid of all conscience?
1 rn'r = dove.
2 "For as Jonas was in the whale's belly three days and three
nights, so shall the son of man be in the heart of the earth three
308 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
unparalleled, but not therefore incredible. Who will dare to
limit the power of the Almighty, and prescribe to Him how far
He may go without encountering human unbelief? The fish
mentioned in the story was probably a gigantic dog fish (Canis
carcharias) ; this species is still found in the Mediterranean, and
not unfrequently destroys human life. If it be asked why God
chose to work this miracle, Jesus Christ (loc. cit.) Himself sug-
gests that it was in order that Jonas should be a type of His own
death and resurrection. This explains also why this story is
included among the prophetic books, and is placed at the be-
ginning of them. The size ascribed to Ninive, " a city of three
days' journey/' is borne out by recent discoveries on the Tigris.
From the beginning of the ruins in the north (Sargon's Palace)
to the end of them in the south (mouth of the great Zab) is about
twenty hours' walk, and one day's journey generally meant from
six to eight hours' walk.
3. Author. Probably Jonas himself composed the book, being
moved to do so by his feelings of contrition for his faults. It
may, however, be assumed that his record was arranged by a
subsequent writer so as to form the present book.
4. Date. The prophet must have lived about the year 800 B. c.,
as, according to IV Kings xiv. 25, he prophesied the successful
expedition made by Jeroboam II against Syria.
Strack thinks that the Book of Jonas may have been written at
the end of the sixth or the beginning of the fifth century. Cornill assigns
it to "the latest period of spoken Hebrew," and refers it to the fourth
century. He bases this view chiefly on peculiarities in diction, but the
nine expressions on which he relies are not so convincing as to force
us to admit so late an origin; they are partly northern provincialisms
and partly technical words. The word (iii. 3) hajetha ("Nivine was
a great town " ) is no proof of a late origin ; it may have been inserted
into a copy of the book by the editor (Esdras?) in whose time Ninive
no longer existed, as his readers could not know the great city. The
days and three nights. The men of Ninive shall rise in judgment with
this generation, and shall condemn it, because they did penance at the
preaching of Jonas; and behold a greater than Jonas hero. The
queen of the south shall rise in judgment with this generation, and
shall condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear
the wisdom of Solomon, and behold a greater than Solomon here." If
Solomon and the Queen of Saba were historical personages, Jonas, who
preached to Ninive, is so no less.
THE SACRED BOOKS CONSIDERED SINGLY 309
prayer in ii. 3-10 bears some resemblance to the psalms, but this is
no evidence of a very late origin; its contents are quite as well suited
to an earlier period, and the Temple ( verses 5 and 8 ) need not necessar^y
be the second.
\
17. AMOS 1
(9 chapters)
1. Date. Amos probably lived not long after Jonas, for in
the introduction to his book the Kings Ozias of Juda and
Jeroboam II of Samaria are mentioned. He is- the oldest of
the prophets whose utterances have been preserved in writing.
2. Mission. Amos was a shepherd and caretaker of a syca-
more plantation at Thekne, near Bethlehem. God called him to
go as a prophet to the northern kingdom, and after fulfilling his
mission he returned home and resumed his previous occupation.
He seems himself to have written down the prophecies he had
uttered as an everlasting testimony against Israel, that had not
listened to his warnings.
His time of activity appears not to have been long, as in i. 1 we read
that he entered on his mission two years before the earthquake. We
do not know what earthquake this was. He probably spoke most of
his prophecies at Bethel, the center of the idolatrous worship, for the
high priest Amasias of Bethel denounced him to the king (vii. 10).
3. Contents. The prophet inveighs against idolatrous wor-
ship and the moral corruption connected with it, which showed
itself in excessive luxury, partiality in the administration of
justice, and oppression of the poor. The whole kingdom is
threatened with destruction and the people with exile. Such
freedom of speech on the part of a man of the lower classes
was intolerable to king, priests and people alike, and Amos
was driven out of the country.
4. Divisions. Chapters i. and ii., God's chastisement for sin
is coming upon all the nations of Western Asia, iii.-vi. It will
fall most heavily upon Samaria, vii. ix. Vision of the punish-
ment to be inflicted upon Samaria.
Chapter i. The neighboring nations have sinned and are being
punished by God (through the agency of the advancing Assyrians).
= carrier of burdens.
310 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
ii. Samaria, although belonging to God's people, has sinned yet more,
and can least of all be spared, iii. God causes the prophets to announce
the punishment before He inflicts it; Samaria will be destroyed like
a beast torn by a lion, so that nothing remains of it but a few little
bones, iv. The punishments inflicted hitherto have been fruitless, de-
struction is now imminent, v. Song of mourning over Samaria; it
could only be saved by penance, vi. The rich and powerful in Samaria
as in Juda are chiefly to blame for the decay of morality, therefore the
heaviest chastisement shall fall upon them. vii. Three visions, (a)
and (6), show that God has often been induced by prayer to spare His
people, but now (c) all forbearance is over. The idolatrous priest,
Amasias, accused Amos before the king, and received a terrible prophecy
concerning his own family; his wife and children were to perish, his
property should belong to others, he himself should die in a heathen
land and the whole nation go into captivity, viii. Vision of the gather-
ing in of the fruit, meaning that Samaria is ripe for destruction, ix.
The Samaritans, on account of their idolatry, are no better than the
heathen, but the kingdom of God will not pass away, and salvation
will nevertheless come through the Messias.
Strack, Kautzsch and Cornill assign the book to the year 760. The
genuineness of some of the verses, which are thought to disturb the
connection of ideas, has been questioned, but without sufficient reason
(Cornill).
18. JOEL 1
(4 chapters in Septuagint, 3 in Vulgate)
1. Joel, son of Phatuel, seems to have labored in the southern
kingdom, for he pays no attention to Samaria, but mentions
as enemies of God's people the Phoenicians and Philistines (iii. 4)
and the Egyptians and Edomites (iii. 19). We know (II Chron.
xxvi. 6-8) that King Ozias of Juda fought successfully against
such enemies. The time of Joel's activity is not stated in his
book, but it must have been during the reign of Ozias, and even
at the beginning of it, considerably before 760, for the prophet
does not allude to the Assyrians who, towards the close of Ozias'
reign, penetrated as far as Palestine and made Samaria tributary
to them (IV Kings xv. 19).
2. Contents. After a short introduction, the prophet speaks
of a devastation of the Holy Land by locusts.
i. Palestine has suffered terribly again and again from locusts, il.
This plague is a foreshadowing of heavy chastisement, but if the people
= the Lord is God.
THE SACKED BOOKS CONSIDEKED SINGLY 311
turn to God and do penance, blessings may come instead of curses, iii.
God's justice threatens those only who do not believe; redemption shall
come to the righteous. 1
3. Interpretation. It is uncertain whether the prophet was
speaking of a real plague of locusts or whether he spoke of
locusts only as a type of hostile armies. Most of the later com-
mentators prefer the literal explanation, but the old Eabbis
and the Fathers of the Church adopt the figurative interpretation.
They may very well Be united and we may suppose that Joel
saw how the Holy Land was devastated by invasions of locusts
in his day, and so he referred to them, when foretelling to the
people how the land would be laid waste by foreign hosts, unless
Israel returned to its God.
Modern critics assign a late date to this book. According to
Cornill (172), the year 586 (or 588) is the terminus a quo, as it was
only from this time onward that God had cause to expostulate with
the enemies of His people. Cornill says : " We must go far beyond
the year of the destruction of Jerusalem, for the capital is inhabited,
the Temple built, and the worship in it organized. This cannot have
been the case until after the return from Captivity. As the walls of
Jerusalem ( ?) are mentioned in ii. 9, we are brought to the time of
Nehemias. Moreover, Joel knows nothing of moral decadence, he finds
fault with nothing [but cf. ii. 12, etc.], to him the Jews are infinitely
exalted above the heathen. . . . Absolutely convincing is his quotation
from Malachias iii. 23 [Vulg. iv. 4] regarding the great and terrible
day of Judgment." But may not Malachias have borrowed from
Joel? There is nothing to oblige us to relegate the book to the period
following the Captivity and thus to adopt a view opposed to that of the
Canon and to Jewish tradition. The simple sequence of thought, suited
to every period of Jewish history, is this: The Holy Land will be laid
waste by the Gentiles (Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks,
Romans, Mahometans) as a district is eaten up by locusts. However
terrible the visitation may be (though it might be averted if Israel
did penance), it cannot put an end to the kingdom of God. The
future belongs to the faithful, whilst unbelievers sooner or later must
appear before God's tribunal, especially at the Last Judgment at the
end of time.
1 The words in iii. 1, cum convertero capiivitatem Juda et Jerusalem,
which are translated "I shall bring back the captivity of Juda and
Jerusalem," contain no reference to the Captivity of the Jews, but mean,
according to the original, " I shall change the destiny." So translates
also Kautzsch.
312 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
19. ABDIAS 1
(21 verses)
1. Abdias has left on record a short prophecy uttered against
Edom or Idumsea, a country near to the Israelites, the inhabi-
tants of which were akin to them in race. He certainly lived
in the southern kingdom, as he speaks of Jerusalem and Sion.
Edom is a small country, and its inhabitants, the descendants of
Esau, are few in number, but they are proud, and filled with hatred
of Juda. But Juda, being the kingdom and people of God, will triumph,
and Edom, like all other enemies, will be brought low.
2. Date. The contents of the book seem to indicate that at
the time of the Babylonian invasion the Edomites made common
cause with the enemies of Israel, and openly showed their joy
at its misfortunes. This is mentioned as a fact in other places
(e. g. Ezech. xxv. 12; Ps. cxxxvi. 7). If this surmise is correct,
the prophet must have lived about the year 600, in the time of
Jeremias. The position of the book in the canon points to an
earlier date, and in v. 18 there is an allusion to the house of
Joseph, i. e. to t.ie kingdom of Samaria, that was destroyed in
722. 2 Although Abdias seems (verses 1-9) to have borrowed
passages from Jeremias xlix. 7, etc., it is more probable that Jere-
mias had the earlier prophecy in mind when he wrote. 3 If it be
urged that before the time of Nabuchodonosor there was never
a day of ruin and desolation for Juda, such as Abdias describes
(v. 13), we may reply that great distress fell upon Juda in the
reign oi King Joram (889-884) when the Arabs ai: 1 Philistines
invaded the country, took the royal family prisoners, and plun-
dered the royal treasury (II Chron. xxi, 16, etc.). Abdias is
referring to this event; and we may conclude that he lived at
about the same time as Joel (before 760), as the two prophets
1 rn^j? = worshiper of Yahweh.
2 This verse alone is enough to prove the antiquity of the book:
"The house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame,
and the house of Esau stubble, and they . . . shall devour them, and
there shall 1 3 no remains of the house of Esau."
8 In Abdias the speech is connected, whereas in Jeremias parts of it
seem to be quoted from memory.
THE SACRED BOOKS CONSIDERED SINGLY 313
in some places use almost the same expressions. There is no
trace in the language of a later origin.
A. Condamin, S.J., in the Revue liblique (1900, ii. 261) proves from
the structure of the strophes that the whole of Abdias is older than
Jeremias.
20. OSEE 1
(14 chapters)
1. Osee was the son of Beeri, of whom we know nothing. His
birthplace is uncertain, and it is impossible to decide positively
whether he belonged to the northern or the southern kingdom.
As, however, he speaks of Juda only incidentally, and refers
constantly to the northern kingdom and its circumstances and
alludes to its ruler as "our king" (vii. 5), he must have lived
in the kingdom of Samaria.
2. Date. According to the heading (i. 1), he was a contem-
porary of Isaias, who was active in the southern kingdom. He
must, however, have been older than Isaias, as he was active dur-
ing the reign of Ozias, and Isaias did not receive his call until
the last year cf that reign. We may assume that Osee's activity
lasted from about 780 t:> 720.
3. Contents. The northern kingdom is going to ruin. Israel
is like an adulteress who deserves rejection.
rs i. iii. are a narrative. Osee tells of his domestic misery;
his- wife is frequently false to him. This marriage was a type of God's
relation towards His people, iv.-xiv. A collection of disconnected
speeches, strung together, depict the anarchical condition of the northern
kingdom. Like Amos, the prophet rebukes the idolatry, immorality
and deceit prevalent among all classes. These disorders are leading to
the downfall of the State, upon which God has already determined. Re-
liance is placed upon Egypt and Assyria (xii. 1), but no one notices
that the heathen are bringing about the destruction of Israel, a just
punishment for yielding to their vices. By way of consolation a glance
into the Messianic future is vouchsafed, in order that those of the people
who are pious and willing to do penance may find encouragement. In
conclusion (xiv. 5, 6, 10), God says: "I will heal their breaches, I will
love them freely. . . . Israel shall spring up as the lily, and his root shall
shoot forth. . . . Who is wise, and he shall understand these things?
prudent, and he shall know these things? For the ways of the Lord
1 jysnn, helper.
314 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
are right, and the just shall walk in them; but the transgressors shall
fall in them."
Wellhausen (Isr. u. jtid. Gesch., 80) declares that the prophet was
mistaken, and that Israel vanished from the face of the earth. This
is true of the kingdom of Samaria, but not of the whole nation, and
the two kingdoms were intimately connected.
4. Symbolical Marriage. The prophet's marriage, described
in the early chapters, is variously explained. The question
whether he is speaking of real occurrences or relating a parable,
cannot be decided. Most of the Fathers and older commentators
take the former alternative.
21. MlCHEAS *
(7 chapters)
1. Micheas, born in Moresheth of the tribe of Juda, prophesied
under Joatham, Achaz and Ezechias until about the time of the
destruction of the northern kingdom. He was therefore a con-
temporary of Isaias. His prophecies were addressed to both
kingdoms, but especially to the southern.
2. Contents. The prophecies of Micheas bear much likeness
to those of Isaias. They can be divided into three sections, each
ending with a Messianic promise.
I. (Chapters i. and ii.) God is on the point of punishing His people
for their disloyalty. The chastisement is to fall first upon the northern
kingdom, and the southern may take warning from it.
II. (Chapters iii.-v.) The kingdom of Juda will fare no better;
Sion will be taken and destroyed; but still God's kingdom will not
perish ; a glorious time will follow a ruler who proceeds from Bethlehem,
but who has been from eternity.
III. (Chapters vi. and vii.) Punishment must inevitably fall upon
Israel because of the wickedness of the people, who cannot fail to
recognize this fact. But the consequence of the punishment need not
be the final rejection of Israel; a peaceful future may and must be
anticipated. The book ends with a touching prayer offered by the
prophet for his people. 2
, who is like the Lord. Septuagint,
2 " Who is a God like to thee, who takest away iniquity, and passest
by the sin of the remnant of thy inheritance? he will send his fury in
no more, because he delighteth in mercy. He will turn again, and have
mercy on us; he will put away our iniquities; and he will cast all
THE SACKED BOOKS CONSIDEEED SINGLY 315
The Book of Micheas is probably a collection of the essential
portions of the prophecies uttered by him at various times.
Ewald, Stade and Cornill try to prove that several portions of
Micheas are not authentic, but a very thorough defense of the genuine-
ness of the book is contained in a work by V. Ryssel, Untersuchungen
uber Text, etc., des Micha, Leipzig, 1887.
22. ISAIAS *
(66 chapters)
1. Isaias. The prophet who bore this name lived in the
kingdom of Juda, and prophesied during the reigns of Ozias,
Joatham, Achaz and Ezechias. His father, Amos, is not to be
identified with the prophet of that name. Isaias was called by
God about 757 to undertake his special work, and he probably
lived until about 680. According to tradition, King Manasses
had him sawn asunder (Heb. xi. 37 ; Justin., Dial. c. Try ph., 120) .
2. Contents. The Book of Isaias consists of two very different
parts : chapters L xxxvii. and chapters xxxviii. Ixvi. The first
part deals with the present, the second with the future of Israel.
First part. Chapter i. Words of rebuke for disloyalty introduce the
prophetic utterances, the keynote of the whole book is thus struck,
ii.-iv. The Messianic future is indeed in prospect, but it can be realized
only after God's chastisement has been inflicted upon His degenerate
people, v. Israel is an unfruitful vineyard, vi. The prophet relates
that, when he received his mission, he learnt from God that only a small
part of Israel could be saved, the great majority must perish, vii.-xii.
At the present time the Assyrian power is pressing hard upon Israel,
being the instrument used by God for its chastisement ; but the Messianic
future will come nevertheless; the Messias will be born of the Virgin
(blessed by God) ; He will appear in the north of the country and
found a new dominion, a remnant of Israel will be saved, but the
power of the heathen will be overthrown, xiii.-xxiii. All the forces of
the heathen will be subjugated by the kingdom of God, which alone
will last forever. Then follow twelve prophecies of punishment to be
inflicted on the heathen nations (Babylonians, Philistines, Moabites,
Damascenes, Ethiopians, Egyptians, etc.). Juda, too, as a kingdom
will suffer chastisement, but will not perish, for being God's kingdom
it is everlasting, xxiv.-xxvii. The world will finally be judged, and
our sins into the bottom of the sea. Thou wilt perform the truth to
Jacob, the mercy to Abraham; which thou hast sworn to our fathers
from the days of old" (vii. 18-20).
(Sept., 'Hffaias) = the Lord helpeth.
316 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
a people who truly worship God will come forth, xxviii.-xxxv. Even
though in the immediate future the Assyrian yoke may press heavily
upon Juda, all the enemies of God's people must eventually succumb,
and the kingdom of God will prevail. Chapters xxvi. and xxxvii.
contain an historical account of the invasion of the Assyrians; and
this concludes the first part. Chapters xxxviii. and xxxix. are in-
troductory to the second part; * they described the sickness and re-
covery of King Ezechias, as a type of the exile and return of Israel.
The second part begins with chapter xl., and forms a closely con-
nected whole, the purpose of which is to announce the coming redemp-
tion. This part is divided into three sections, each of nine chapters.
With indescribable exultation the prophet foretells a threefold salvation
of Israel, i. e. of God's faithful followers in general : ( 1 ) It shall be
rescued from Captivity, xl.-xlviii.; (2) The Saviour will come, the
Servant of God, the Messias, xlix.-lvii.; (3) There shall be salvation
for eternity, Iviii.-lxvi. (The prophet can scarcely find words in which
to make known with exultant joy the salvation of the faithful, he is
truly a nabi = a speaker overpowered by divine inspiration.)
3. Unity of the Work. The first part is a collection of various
utterances of the prophet; the second is, on the contrary, a dis-
sertation, arranged on a definite plan and incapable of division,
which we can scarcely imagine was ever proclaimed by mouth.
The whole book constitutes the consistent work of a man who is
filled with the spirit of God, and aims first at rousing his people
for their own good, and then at consoling them. "We may follow
Kaulen and call the first part the Book of Sorrow, and the
second the Book of Comfort. We must therefore believe that
not only isolated portions of this book were composed by Isaias,
but that he compiled the whole.
4. Authenticity. The Babylonians are several times men-
tioned in the Book of Isaias as being the enemies of God's people,
and even the name of Cyrus 2 occurs (xliv. 28, xlv. 1), as that
1 Chapters xxxvi.-xxxix. occur also in IV Kings xviii.-xx.; in many
places the two passages are word for word the same. The author of
Kings seems to have taken these accounts from Isaias (if Isaias was
put to death by Manasses, he must have outlived King Sennacherib,
xxxvii., xxxviii., who was murdered in 682).
2 Heb., Bhl3, Pers. Kosru, in the cuneiform inscriptions Kurus, born
598. Even before Cyrus appeared in person, the Israelites seem to
have attempted to discover an etymology for the name, deriving it
either from KHJ3, to cut off, or EhH, to cut into; so that Cyrus =
cutter, a characteristic name for a man who cut his way so remarkably
into the history of the world. The Seventy gave the name as Kvpos.
As a common noun Kvpos means supreme power, authority.
THE SACKED BOOKS CONSIDERED SINGLY 317
of the deliverer of the Jews from the Babylonian despotism.
For these reasons many critics have assumed that the whole of
the second part was the work, not of Isaias, whose active life
belongs to about 760 or 780, but of one or more later authors,
and was added to the real Book of Isaias. They maintain that
Isaias could not have spoken of the Babylonians as existing
enemies, because in his lifetime the power of Babylon was still
insignificant, and it did not come into conflict with Israel for
another hundred years. In the same way he could not possibly
have known the name of Cyrus. Probably some Jew about the
year 538 tried to encourage and console his people, still groaning
under the Babylonian yoke, by means of prophecies directed
against Babylon.
Cornill declares the following passages not to be genuine and to have
been written by a later hand than Isaias*: ii. 2-4; xi. 10; xii. 6; xiii.
2-xiv. 23; xv. 1-xvi. 12; xxi. 1-10 and xxi. 11-17; xxiii.; xxiv.-xxvii. ;
xxxii. and xxxiii.; xxxiv. and xxxv. ; xxxvi.-xxxix., with some small
exceptions, and finally xl.-lxvi., which is generally designated the
Deutero-Jesaja. 1 Those who maintain that the book is not authentic
base their arguments on internal evidence and on the presumption that
the future was as obscure to the prophet as it is to us. Marti believes
the whole book to be a collection of speeches and disserations, some of
which were composed by Isaias. Similar views are expressed in Guthe's
Bibellexikon; he speaks of there being several constituent parts of the
book, varying in age from the eighth to the fourth, or even the third
century.
However, for a man who believes in the existence of God and
the possibility of an enlightenment of the human intellect by
the spirit of God, there appears to be no reason why the book
should not really have been composed by Isaias, whose mission
it was to announce the triumph of the faithful and of God's
kingdom over the unbelievers and the powers of this world. His
glance penetrated far beyond his immediate surroundings, be-
yond Juda and Assyria.
1 By the " servant of God " in chapters xlix.-lvii. E. Sellin formerly
understood Zorobabel, but afterwards Jojachin ( Jechonias) ; Smend,
Konig, Giesebrecht, Marti and Budde think it is a collective name,
denoting the people of Israel. Bertholet and Duhm, on the strength
of Isaias 1. 4 ( " The Lord hath given me a learned tongue " ) , think
some teacher of the Thora is meant. Rothstein declares the expression
not to be collective, and says that it refers to an individual.
318 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
Tradition is in favor of the authenticity of the book, and knows
nothing of a second Isaias, whilst Holy Scripture itself bears testimony
to it. 1 Internal evidence, too, points to its having been composed before
the Captivity. The people are repeatedly warned against idolatry, and
this is declared to be the reason for God's chastisement. Such state-
ments would be unnecessary after the Captivity. In chapters Ivi. and
Ivii. the circumstances preceding it are so vividly described that many
commentators feel constrained to ascribe these passages to a " Pseudo-
jesaja," living at that period.
PROPHETS LIVING BETWEEN THE DOWNFALL OF THE
NORTHERN AND THAT OF THE SOUTHERN KINGDOM
23. NAHUM 2
(3 chapters)
1. Nahumfs Personality. This prophet, who, like Jonas, had
to prophesy the destruction of Ninive and Assyria, was a native
of Elcush, a village in Galilee (Hieron., Comm. in 1. Nahum).
He probably lived in the Holy Land, although his countrymen
were in captivity in Assyria, for he mentions places in Palestine,
especially Basan, Carmel and Lebanon (i. 4).
In the first part of the third volume of Beitrdge zwr Assyriologie
by Delitzsch and Haupt (Leipzig, 1895, pp. 87-188) many reasons are
brought forward in support of the theory that Nahum was an Israelite
exile, a native of some other Elcush or Alcush near Ninive.
2. Subject of the Boole. Ninive's destruction.
i. God has determined that Ninive and the kingdom of Assyria shall
perish, ii. This destruction is effected by a hostile army, which over-
runs the city and the kingdom, and puts an end to the latter, iii. The
destruction is inevitable, and fully justified.
3. Date. Nahum knows that the city of No-Ammon, 3 i. e.
Thebes in Upper Egypt, has been destroyed, and reproaches the
1 " [God] purified them by the hand of Isaias, the holy prophet . . .
with a great spirit he ... comforted the mourners in Sion. He showed
what should come to pass forever, and secret things before they came "
(Eoclus. xlviii. 23-28).
2 DtflJ = comforter or comfort. The name is very suitable to this
prophet, who comforted God's people when they were in fear of the
cruel Assyrians.
8 The Latin text reads Alexandria, but there can be no doubt that
Thebes is meant. Cf. the commentaries.
THE SACKED BOOKS CONSIDEBED SINGLY 319
Assyrians for having devastated it (iii. 8). Eecent investigations
in Assyria show that King Assurbanipal, who came to the throne
in 668., took and plundered this city about 662. The prophet
refers to this event as something fresh in men's remembrance,
and therefore he seems to have been prominent soon after Assur-
banipal's campaign, perhaps about 660. His prophetic threats
Were fulfilled in 606. 1
The authenticity of this work, which is full of the loftiest inspira-
tion, is almost universally acknowledged. The exalted language and the
heartfelt joy that the people of God will soon have nothing more to fear
from the cruel Assyrians, are recognized even by rationalists as tokens
of authenticity.
Happel, Das Buch d. Proph. Nahum, 1902, thinks that the book
was not written until after the Captivity, and that Ninive is a fictitious
name for the Syrian empire under Antiochus IV, Epiphanes.
24. SOPHONIAS 2
(3 chapters)
1. Personality of SopJionias. The genealogy of this prophet
is given at the beginning of his book, which is not done in the
case of any other prophet. He seems to have been a descendant
of Ezechias, and this must have been the well-known king of
that name, for no other reason can be discovered for tracing his
genealogy. It is in keeping with his high rank that he ad-
dresses his prophecy especially to the princes and king's sons
(i. 8).
2. Date. According to the heading of the book, he lived
under King Josias (639-608). He must have been active in
1 The Medes, in alliance with the Scythians, put an end to the king-
dom of Assyria, according to the ordinary reckoning in 625, but ac-
cording to more recent historians in 606. Kaulen gives the date as 606,
so do Sayce (" Fresh Light from Ancient Monuments," 132) and H. Winck-
ler. The latter mentions an inscription discovered in Babylon in 1894,
which refers to Nabonaid, the last king of Babylon (555-538), and says
that the king of the Medes and Scythians had conquered Assyria, and
thus had helped the Babylonian king Nabopolassar (626-606) out of
his difficulties. We must therefore abandon the theory that the allied
armies of the Medes and Babylonians put an end to the Assyrian king-
dom, and believe that the conquest was effected by the Medes and
Scythians.
2 iT:iy = the Lord's protection.
320 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
the early part of the reign, because he complains bitterly of the
prevalence of idolatry in Juda, and as Josias put it down with
a strong hand this complaint would have been unnecessary later
on. The allusion to the Assyrians as still dangerous (ii. 13, etc.)
and the absence of all mention of the Babylonians also are in
agreement with the beginning of Josias' reign.
3. Contents. Announcement of God's just vengeance being
about to fall on Jews and Gentiles.
i. God is ruler and judge of all mankind. Now, in our day, He is
judging Juda (the prophet is undoubtedly referring to the invasion of
the Babylonians, though he does not speak of these enemies by name),
ii. The Gentiles are subject to the same God as the Israelites and will
be punished for* their cruelty ibo them. All the empires of the heathen
will perish, and mighty Assyria in particular will soon be cast down,
iii. Jerusalem should learn from this, and submit loyally to God. But
every warning is in vain; and so God's vengeance will light upon it,
whilst the heathen nations will turn to the true God. There is, how-
ever, still a prospect of mercy for Jerusalem, if Israel will be converted.
According to Cornill, chapter ii. shows a few traces of a later hand,
and iii. a great many, and the concluding portion (verses 14-20), in
which Israel is called upon to rejoice, is particularly suspicious. This
appeal is, however, quite in harmony with the preceding promise that a
remnant of Israel shall be saved (verses 10-13).
25. HABAKUK, OR HABAOUC 1
(3 chapters)
1. Contents. God sends grievous punishments upon Juda
through the Babylonians, who will one day in their turn be
exterminated by Him because of their rapacity.
The book begins (chapter i.) with laments over the wickedness pre-
vailing in Juda, and the long delay in God's interference. God declares
that chastisement will shortly be inflicted through the Chaldeans (Baby-
lonians), who will cause terrible suffering, acting as His instruments.
The prophet is filled with horror, and fears the worst for God's people
and kingdom, which is not to be subjugated by the godless heathen. He
is ordered (chapter ii.) to write down a prophecy, the fulfillment of
which is still far in the future, so that the faithful may read it and be
comforted. It states that the idolatrous Chaldeans will in their turn
fall a prey to others, and the faithful shall be saved. All merely
earthly greatness is to vanish from the kingdom of God. The prophet
1 p*P?i?>
tuagint, 'A
from p?n, to grasp, fold = he that foldeth the hands. Sep-
THE SACEED BOOKS CONSIDEEED SINGLY 321
is (chapter iii.) astonished and alarmed at these communications, but
then he extols God in a magnificent song of praise, as being the almighty
Judge who guides the course of events for men, destroys the godless, in
spite of their apparent prosperity, and saves His own people. Cornill
and others deny the authenticity of chapter ii. 9-20 and of the whole of
chapter iii., but they are indispensable to a comprehension of the whole!
Happel thinks the book is an apocalypse belonging to the period after
the Captivity. (Cf. Nahum, p. 318.)
2. Date. No definite statement occurs in the book as to the
time of this prophet's activity; we must therefore have recourse
to its contents and try to obtain some chronological inferences
from them. We find : (a) that Juda was in a state of disloyalty
to God; (&) that the Chaldean power already existed, but (c)
Juda had no fear regarding it. These indications point to the
rise of the Babylonian Empire, 625; and Habakuk may have
been a contemporary of Jeremias, and have labored in the early
years of King Joakim's reign. 1
It is possible that he was active before Sophonias and Jeremias, for
he speaks of the Chaldeans as still an almost unknown nation ; we should
then have to believe that he thought of them still as the race mentioned
in Job. i. 17, of no great political importance. The place of the book in
the canon suggests, however, that it is of later origin.
3. Personality of Hdbalcuk. The history of his life is un-
known, nor is it certain whether this prophet is identical with
the Habakuk who, according to Daniel xiv., was so miraculously
carried from Palestine to Babylon. 2 Several of the Fathers
identify them, but in this case Habakuk must have appeared only
a short time before the Captivity and have lived throughout its
duration, thus reaching a very great age.
1 Kaulen and Comely assign the beginning, of his activity to the
reign of King Manasses, because the news of the Chaldean power still
seemed wonderful (i. 5). According to Caspari the book was written be-
tween 626 and 605. Cornill dates it after 605.
2 Kaulen thinks they were different persons, and that some confusion
was made by the Seventy, who call both Ambakum. Comely takes the.
same view.
322 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
26. JEREMIAS *
(52 chapters)
1. Personality. We can derive a fairly full account of this
prophet from his book, which, in addition to his prophecies,
contains many details as to his life.
Jeremias was born at Anathoth, one of the priests' cities, north of
Jerusalem. His father was a priest named Helcias. In the thirteenth
year of King Josias (about 626) the first divine communication was
made to the young man in the words : " Before thou earnest forth out
of the womb, I sanctified thee and made thee a prophet unto the nations,"
i. e. against the heathen who were attacking the kingdom of Juda, and
still more against the heathenish minded Jews themselves. Jeremias was
afraid on receiving this communication, and pleaded that he was too
young for the task, but in vain. For a generation and a half he had to
reproach the Jews, mostly to no purpose, for their sinful folly, announce
the destruction of the holy city and the Temple, and with his own eyes
behold it, and then proclaim that the only means left to the nation of
recovering God's favor was to submit humbly to the heathen, who were
commissioned by God to chastise them.
Although Jeremias undertook his difficult task with reluctance, he
performed it most faithfully in spite of all obstacles. His chief oppo-
nents were the false prophets who, in answer to his threats of punish-
ment, reminded the people of God's mighty protection in the past, of
Israel's high destiny and of the impossibility of God's abandoning His
people. Jeremias had to undergo much suffering and persecution.
Under the pious king Josias his lot was endurable, but after Josias
fell in battle in 608, the hated preacher of truth had to encounter open
hostility. Joakim disliked him, and when the Babylonians first invaded
the country in 605, and Jeremias wrote down the prophecies of the past
twenty years and caused his disciple Baruch to read them in the Temple
to convince men of their truth, the king gave orders that Jeremias should
be imprisoned and his writings burnt. The prophet escaped, and wrote
out his prophecies again, adding to them a denunciation of Joakim.
Soon after the king rebelled against the Babylonians, and fresh misfor-
tunes fell upon Juda. Joakim died, and so he did not suffer in his own
person the vengeance of the Babylonians, but the new king Jechonias, who
with part of the people was carried off into exile at Babylon, and Nabu-
chodonosor made the weak and incapable Sedecias king. During his reign
Jeremias wrote to those already in exile, comforting them and exhort-
ing them for the present to submit to the Babylonian bondage, which
would end in seventy years (chapter xxix.). He warned King Sedecias
not to rebel against Babylon, as he would only bring down greater misery
upon the country. Sedecias did not heed the warning, but was induced
to revolt, and Nabuchodonosor hurried to Jerusalem, besieged and de-
1 TDY = appointed by God.
THE SACKED BOOKS CONSIDEKED SINGLY 323
stroyed it. The king was blinded and dragged into captivity with the
rest of his people. During these events, Jeremias suffered much at the
hands of Jewish fanatics, and was finally imprisoned in the royal palace,
being released only after the Babylonians had entered the city. They
treated him with respect, and at his own request left him in the country
where he could still be of service to the few remaining Jews.
The Babylonians had appointed Godolias (Gedalja), a Jew by birth,
to be governor, but he was murdered by an ambitious man who was in
league with others, and in their fear the Jews now fled to Egypt, forcing
the prophet to accompany them. On the way he uttered his last proph-
ecies. Acording to tradition he was stoned to death in Egypt by his own
countrymen.
2. The Book of Jeremias, as we have it, was plainly composed
not by Jeremias himself, but by some one else, probably 'by his
disciple Baruch. It bears traces of the period when it was com-
piled, an age of disorder and confusion. We cannot find in
it any exact chronological arrangement, but the utterances are
so confused that it is difficult, if not impossible, to state with
regard to each chapter the date to which it belongs. There
is, however, a method in the arrangement, for the various parts
are ordered so as to bring out more and more clearly the justice
in God's dealings with His faithless people. According to the
Hebrew and the Latin texts,, the book falls into two chief parts.
The -first contains addresses to the Jews, interspersed with his
torical information (i.-xlv.) ; the second consists of prophecies
concerning heathen nations, Egyptians, Philistines, Phoenicians,
Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Damascenes, Elamites and
finally also Babylon (xlvi.-li.). Chapter Hi. is an historical
addition dealing with the fulfillment of the prophet's words.
Introduction: chapter i., God's commission to the prophet. Part I,
(a) chapter ii.-xx., six admonitions regarding the approaching destruc-
tion of Juda, on account of its obstinate persistence in wrongdoing. (6)
xxi.-xxiv., prophecies regarding the faithless leaders of the people, (c)
xxv.-xxix., Juda, like other nations, will fall a prey to the Babylonians.
(d) xxx.-xxxiii., nevertheless the people of God shall come back from
slavery, (e) xxxiv.-xlv., work and sufferings of the prophet at the time
of the siege and capture of Jerusalem. Part II, xlvi.-li., prophecies re-
garding the heathen, lii., appendix, history of the fate of Sedecias, who
died as a prisoner in Babylon, and of that of his predecessor Jechonias,
who was pardoned. This appendix agrees almost word for word with the
conclusion of the Fourth Book of Kings.
Saint Jerome arranged the Vulgate text in accordance with the He-
brew, but from chapter xxv. onward the Septuagint order is different, aa
324 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
the prophecies regarding foreign nations are interpolated (xxvi.-xxxii.).
The Septuagint text is also about an eighth shorter than the Hebrew and
the Latin. Both the Hebrew and the Greek texts are to be regarded as
authentic; the passages omitted by the Septuagint should be retained in
accordance with the Masorete version, and the Greek arrangement of the
text is preferable to the Hebrew. 1
Streane, " The Double Text of Jeremiah/' Cambridge, 1896, considers
the text used by the Seventy to have been the original, and prefers the
Greek text to the Masoretic, which he believes to be a later expansion of
it. A. Scholz, like Workman and Streane, prefers the Septuagint text,
but Schneedorfer, Kaulen and Strack think the Masoretic text better.
That both are considered authentic may be inferred from the practice of
the Eastern and the Western Church. In the East the Septuagint, and in
the West the Masoretic text (Vulgate) is in use, just as in Matt. ii. 18
the Masoretic text is followed, and in Heb. viii. 9 the Alexandrian
Septuagint.
Rationalistic criticism accepts the prophecies of Jeremias as being on
the whole genuine, but it professes to detect several later interpolations
on the strength of internal evidence; e.g. xvii. 19, etc., where stress is
laid on the observance of the Sabbath, appears to the critics to belong to
the time of Nehemias, and 1. 51, the prophecy against Babylon, that re-
sembles the " Deuterojesaja " and earlier passages in Jeremias, but is
out of place where it stands, seems to be the work of a later hand. But
if the commandment about the Sabbath is older than Jeremias (Ezech.
xx. 12, etc.), if there is no " Deuterojesaja," and if every writer is prone
now and then to repeat himself, we have here no reason at all for deny-
ing such passages to be the work of Jeremias.
1 Arrangements according to the Septuagint. Chapters i.-xxv., as in
the Hebrew and the Latin texts, xxvi. (xlvi. Heb.), prophecy against
Egypt; xxvii. (!.)> against Babylon; xxviii. (li.), ditto; xxix. (xlvii. 1-
7 and xlix. 7-22 ) , against the Philistines, Phoenicians and Edomites ; xxx.
(xlix. 1-5; 23-27; 28-33), against the Ammonites, Damascenes and
Arabs; [the prophecy against Elam, xlix. 34-39, is missing] xxxi. (xlviii.),
against Moab; xxxii. (xxv. 15-38), God's indignation against the wicked;
xxxiii. (xxvi.); xxxiv. (xxvii.); xxxv. (xxviii.), etc., as far as li.,
which corresponds to xliv. and xlv. of the Hebrew, lii. is the same in
both the Greek and the Hebrew. That the .Greek order is preferable ap-
pears from xxv. 14, where, after the punishment coming upon Juda has
been announced, it is stated that God will chastise also the heathen.
The origin of this different arrangement of the text is obscure.
Kaulen thinks that a short copy of the book was made hastily in Egypt
at the time when Jeremias was carried thither, or when he died. Cor-
nely, on the contrary, thinks that the book existed from the beginning
in two different forms, one of which gave rise to the Masoretic text,
and the other, which was shorter, was used by the Greek translators.
The latter view is taken also by Workman, " The Text of Jeremiah,"
Edinburgh, 1889.
THE SACRED BOOKS CONSIDERED SINGLY 325
27. THE BOOK OF LAMENTATIONS
1. Name and Position. These songs, five in number, are called
in the Hebrew Qinoth = lamentations, 1 in Greek Opfjvoi, in the
Vulgate lamentationes. In the Hebrew Bible they are classed
with the Ketubim, but in the Septuagint and the Vulgate they
follow the Book of Jeremias, as tradition names him as their
composer.
Against the tradition that Jeremias was the author of the Lamenta-
tions, it is urged that their position among the Ketubim in the Hebrew
canon makes it plain that they were not in ancient times ascribed to
him, as otherwise they would have been put with his other book. Their
position in the Septuagint cannot, it is said, have been the original one,
as the language shows that they were not translated by the same per-
son as the Book of Jeremias. These considerations, however, cannot
stand against an unbroken tradition and the fact that the contents of
Lamentations savor greatly of Jeremias. The Septuagint and the Vul-
gate express the traditional view at the beginning of the book, with the
words : " And it came to pass, after Israel was carried into captivity,
and Jerusalem was desolate, that Jeremias the prophet sat weeping, and
mourned with this lamentation."
Its poetical character probably caused the book to be classed with
Psalms and Proverbs among the Ketubim.
2. Subject. The singer complains that Jerusalem has fallen
into the hands of cruel enemies, who have plundered and de-
stroyed the Holy City. Many of its inhabitants have been slain,
others ill treated and carried away into captivity. Misery and
famine prevail in the country. These descriptions suit the
period of the first destruction of Jerusalem in 588. The songs
express the sorrow felt at this event.
3. Form. The first, second, fourth and fifth songs each con-
tain twenty-two verses, corresponding to the number of the
letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The third song has 3 X 22 = 66
verses. With the exception of the fifth, they are alphabetical,
i. e. in the Hebrew text the first verse begins with Aleph, the
second with Beth, the third with Gimel, etc. In the third
song, verses 1-3 each begins with Aleph, 4-6 each with Beth,
1 rfirp, from Up or fp, to strike, to sound the strings, to sing, espe-
cially to sing something sad. The book is also often called H^K, from
the first word in it.
326 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
etc. This system occurs also in other poems in the Old Tes-
tament (e. g. Ps. cxviii. and Prov. xxxi. 10-31) ; it probably
served as an aid to the memory, for the songs were intended to
be sung. 1
4. Liturgical Significance. The Church has adopted Lamenta-
tions for use in the Divine Office, and orders some portions to be
sung publicly in Holy Week. In doing so, she is not intending to
mourn over the destruction of the Jewish Temple and the Holy
City, but rather to remind the faithful of the punishments in-
flicted upon disloyalty, and that our Saviour's sufferings on be-
half of mankind were even greater than those of Jerusalem. The
Lamentations in Holy Week, therefore, are the voice of our
Mother, the Church, calling upon us to do penance and to be
faithful to God.
PROPHETS WHO LIVED DURING THE CAPTIVITY
28. BARUCH 2
( Deuterocanonical ; 6 chapters)
1. Personality. In both the Vulgate and the Septuagint the
little Book of Baruch is appended to the prophecies and lamen-
tations of Jeremias, and the Fathers occasionally refer to it by
the name of Jeremias. Baruch was his disciple and faithful
companion; he followed his master to Egypt (Jer. xliii. 3, 6) and
after his death he went to join the exiles in Babylon. Whilst
there he used his prophetic gifts and met with more success than
Jeremias had had in Palestine. The Israelites, being now made
submissive by their misfortunes, gladly listened to the words of
the disciple, although they had persecuted the master. In fact,
Baruch's admonitions seemed to them so important that they
sent the record of them, written by the prophet in the fifth
year after the destruction of Jerusalem, together with a letter of
1 J. K. Zenner, S.J., comes to the conclusion that the Lamentations
are made up of monologues and dialogues, and form a dramatic dirge
over the fall of Jerusalem. Strack says that a long section of a verse
is always followed by a shorter one, and this indicates that they were
to be sung.
2 3113 = blessed, benedictus.
THE SACRED BOOKS CONSIDERED SINGLY 327
introduction to the Jews left behind in the Holy Land. The
prophet himself conveyed the book as well as some vessels taken
from the Temple.
2. Contents and Divisions. Chapter i. contains the above-
mentioned letter of introduction, with an historical preface.
Then follow Baruch's prophetic utterances in chapters i. v.
Chapter vi. is an appendix, containing a letter addressed by
Jeremias to the unfortunate Jews.
i. 1-14, King Jechonias and other exiles are moved by hearing Ba-
ruch's book read aloud to send it and certain gifts to Jerusalem, with
a letter asking that sacrifices might be offered for them on the poorly
restored altar of holocausts, i. 15-iii. 8, prayer acknowledging guilt, com-
posed by the prophet in the name of the penitent nation. " We have
deserved the punishment which even Moses foretold; may God now
fulfill also His comforting promises." iii. 9-v. 9, the prophet's admoni-
tion : " The people have fallen into misery because they despised God's
commandments. May they henceforth be faithful to God. Our troubles
are not to cause our destruction, but God will send us help." vi. 1-7,
Jeremias warns those who are going into captivity against the Baby-
lonian idolatry, the errors and folly of which he describes.
3. Position in the Canon. The Book of Baruch is deutero-
canonical, it is not in the Hebrew Bible. Saint Jerome took the
Latin text from the Itala, because he found no Hebrew version
of the book, but Origen was acquainted with one, as in his
Hexapla he marked the Greek text with obels and asterisks in
the same way as the protocanonical books. That the original was
in Hebrew is proved (a) by the unmistakably Hebrew diction,
(&) the admission of the book into Theodotion's translation, (c)
the repetition of the fourth and fifth chapters in the eleventh of
Solomon's Psalms, which, although now extant only in Greek,
were composed in Hebrew (supra, p. 209).
Jeremias' letter could not be added to the Book of Jeremias, because
it was no longer extant in Hebrew, and so it was joined to the work of
Baruch, his disciple. Against its authenticity it is urged that it had
a Greek tone and is in contrast with the general style of Jeremias. But
it contains some unmistakable Hebraisms, e. g. vi. 1, afjiaprlas ^apr^Kare ;
vi. 2, ecu fytas IJXT' elp-^vrjs ; vi. 6, ^K^TU>V r&5 faxas v^wv, etc. The
contrast with Jeremias seems to be in vi. 3, where the captivity is said
to be destined to last seven generations, whereas Jeremias speaks of
seventy years. But the Hebrew word 1'n does not only mean a genera-
tion, but also a period. That Jeremias had reason enough for giving such
328 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
a warning appears, e. g., from Jer. xliv. 17. The Israelites said to the
prophet that as long as they, like their fathers, served other gods, they
had bread enough and were prosperous, but since they ceased to do so,
they lacked everything and suffered from the sword and from famine.
Another evidence of authenticity is the knowledge shown of the state
and especially of the cultus of the country near the Euphrates, as Kaulen
has shown (Assyrien und Babylonien) , e.g. an idol is mentioned with
sword and battle axe; Layard found a representation of such a deity.
29. EZECHIEL 1
(48 chapters)
1. Personality. Ezechiel belonged to an honorable priestly
family; his father's name was Busi. In 597 he was carried
away to Babylon into captivity, with King Jechonias, and spent
the rest of his life there. In the fourth year of his residence
in Babylon, 593, he received his vocation as prophet, and for
twenty or thirty years he was actively at work. His usual resi-
dence was Tel-Abib, a little town on the river Chabor, a channel
of the Euphrates. His grave is still shown in the neighborhood
of ancient Babylon. According to tradition, he was killed by
an idolatrous Jew, whom he had rebuked for his wickedness.
2. The Book of Ezechiel proclaims (a) that God is about to
inflict a fearful punishment upon His faithless people by means
of the Babylonians, but (6) He will then restore the Covenant
with them.
Four parts may be distinguished in the book.
(1) Chapters i.-iii. Call of the prophet. 2 (2) Chapters iv.-xxiv.
Ezechiel, being a captive in Babylon, sees how Jerusalem is besieged
and captured, and then destroyed, with the Temple which is abandoned
by God. The Holy Land is a wilderness, the false prophets are exter-
minated, and intercession is vain, for Israel is like a, withered vine. In
past ages Israel was espoused to God, but fell into adultery through
following after the heathen and their idols, wherefore it is now punished
by means of the heathen. (3) Chapters xxv.-xxxii. The neighboring
nations, Ammonites, Moabites, Edomites, Philistines, Phoenicians and
Egyptians, on which Israel relied, are likewise to be plundered by the
r = mighty is God, or SKPT5T, God strengthens. Septuagint,
1 In ii. 3 the word D" 1 );! has probably been interpolated by later Jews,
who would not acknowledge the apostasy of Israel. It ia not in the
Septuagint version.
THE SACRED BOOKS CONSIDERED SINGLY 329
Babylonians, for such is God's will. (4) Chapters xxxiii.-xlviii. After
the chastisement God Himself will replace the wicked shepherds, and
watch over His flock, arousing His people from death and showing
mercy towards them. The prophet beholds and describes a complete
change of circumstances, a new Temple, a new form of worship, a new
and far more numerous nation having God dwelling in their midst. This
description is not to be taken as referring only to the period after the
Captivity, but it embraces the Messianic age, to which the vision in
chapter i. also seems to point.
3. Author. The prophet speaks of himself mostly in the first
person ; we may therefore assume that he recorded his prophecies
himself, and bequeathed them to the Jews at the end of his life.
The whole work is remarkably uniform from the first word to
the last, so that criticism has scarcely found any cause to doubt
or deny anything, and its authenticity has hardly ever been
questioned.
Even Cornill acknowledges its authenticity; he says: "If any book
of the Old Testament bears on its surface the mark of authenticity, and
exists still in the form in which it passed from the author's hand, it is
the book of Ezechiel. No other displays a uniformity so magnificently
conceived and so clearly executed; no other reveals from the first letter
to the last the same hand, the same spirit and the same well-marked
individuality." Cornill has attempted to correct the Hebrew text of this
book, using for the purpose the oldest translations: R. Kratzschmar
thinks that the work of an editor can be detected in the book as we have
it. He is supposed to have united two different texts, one longer than
the other; in the longer version Ezechiel speaks in the first person; in
the shorter, which seems to be an abridgment of the longer text, he is
spoken of in the third person. But tradition is opposed to this theory.
4. Style. The style of this prophet is full of vivid descrip-
tions and is highly picturesque; the book contains an account
of several visions, yet is not very difficult to understand.
The most remarkable vision is that of God's chariot (chapter i.).
When the prophet received his commission he saw God Himself in all
His glory seated on a throne, which did not stand still, but was carried
like a chariot to the four quarters of the heavens by four creatures of
wonderful appearance. They resembled respectively a man, a lion, an ox
and an eagle. On account of this vision (and of Apoc. iv.) these four
symbols have been assigned to the Evangelists.
330 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
30. DANIEL 1
(14 chapters)
1. Personality. Daniel was in Babylon before Ezechiel, hav-
ing been sent thither as a hostage in 605 ; he was brought up at
Nabuchodonosor's court, and carefully educated, being known by
the Babylonian name of Baltassar. In consequence of this train-
ing and of his own extraordinary wisdom, he won great respect
and influence at the court of the pagan king, and even under
the Medo-Persian government he constantly held high offices.
His great authority over both Jews and Gentiles appears not
only from his own work, but also from passages in Ezechiel
(xiv. 14; xxviii. 3), and to the present day he is spoken of
with the greatest respect in Oriental stories. He must have
lived to a very advanced age, as his last prophecy (x. 1) belongs
to the third year of Cyrus' reign. His grave is shown in
Shuster, formerly Susa, and is held in great honor by the
Mahometans.
2. Contents. Daniel was not a prophet exclusively for the
Jews, but he addressed the Gentiles more especially, as it was
his task to make known to them the power of the true God and
the indestructibility of His kingdom.
Daniel's prophecies are intimately connected with his own life, and
from his book we can learn most of his history.
Chapter i. Daniel comes to Babylon and is educated at the king's
court, ii. Nabuchodonosor has a wonderful dream of a great statue, the
head of which is of gold, the breast and arms of silver, the lower parts
of the body of brass, the legs of iron, and the feet partly of iron and
partly of clay. Daniel interprets the dream as referring to the various
empires, that follow one on the other, but will all finally be made subject
to God's dominion. 2 iii. Erection of a great idol. Three friends of
Daniel refuse to worship it, and are condemned to death by fire, but are
miraculously delivered, iv. Nabuchodonosor has another dream in which
it appeared to him that he was to have the heart of a beast for seven
years. Daniel interprets this to mean that the king would be mad for a
1 ^jri = God is my Judge.
2 According to Diisterwald, the first empire was the Babylonian, the
second the Medo-Persian, the third the Grseco-Macedonian, the fourth
the Roman, and the fifth the Messianic, that is to outlast all the empires
of the world.
THE SACEED BOOKS CONSIDERED SINGLY 331
long time and behave like a beast, v. Feast of King (i. e. Prince) Baltas-
sar, 1 and the divine sentence, Mene, Thekel, Phares. vi. King Darius, the
Mede, who is governing Babylon on behalf of Cyrus, is well disposed to
Daniel, but by his courtiers' intrigues is induced to cast him into a den of
lions. Daniel is miraculously preserved, vii. Vision of four beasts of
prey, representing the four empires, on the ruins of which the rule of the
Messias is to be established, viii. Vision of a ram and of a he-goat that
overcomes the ram. The ram represents the Persian, and the goat the
Graeco-Macedonian Empire, ix. Revelation concerning the seventy weeks
of years, after which redemption is to come. 2 x.-xii. Visions regarding
the Persian Empire, Alexander the Great and the wars following his
death, and also Antiochus Epiphanes, who is a type of Antichrist, xiii.
Story of Susanna, xiv. Account of the idol Bel, the Babylonian serpent
worship, and Daniel's preservation in the den of lions.
It is remarkable that in the Hebrew Bible the Book of Daniel is not
placed with the prophetical books, but in the last section, among the
Ketubim. This arrangement, however, dates only from about 100 B. c.,
when the Jewish canon was finally fixed. According to the earlier ar-
rangement of the sacred books, Daniel followed Ezechiel, and the Septua-
gint has preserved this order.
3. Divisions. The book may be divided into two parts, one
(chap, i.-vi. and xiii. and xiv.) historical, and the other (vii.-xii.)
prophetical. If it is divided according to the language, six chap-
ters (i. and viii.-xii.) are in Hebrew; six (ii.-vii.) in Aramaic;
two (xiii. and xiv.) and part of chapter iii. are preserved only
in the Greek, and so are reckoned deuterocanonical.
The Septuagint text of Daniel is acknowledged to be very faulty, and
for this reason the Church did not use it, but adopted Theodotion'a
version. The Septuagint text exists in two manuscripts, one Greek and
one Syriac. Cf. supra, p. 237, note.
4. Authenticity. Modern Protestant critics deny Daniel's au-
thorship, and believe that the book was written long after the
Captivity. Many go so far as to declare the book an absolute
forgery, on account of the detailed prophecies that it contains.
As no one in the sixth century before Christ could know what
Alexander the Great would do in the fourth century and
Antiochus Epiphanes in the second, it is maintained that the
book cannot have been in existence before the time of the Mach-
abees. It may have been composed during the conflicts of the
1 King Nabonaid had fled before the approach of Cyrus.
2 See Fraidl, Die 70 Wochen Daniels, 1883. (The reckoning ought
certainly to begin from 458, the seventh year of King Artaxerxes.)
332 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
Jews with the Syrians, with the purpose of encouraging the Jews,
by showing them, from Daniel's great example, that no worldly
power can withstand the dominion of God and His people.
But in answer we may say: (1) The language indicates that
the book was written during the Captivity. Being partly in
Hebrew and partly in Aramaic, it is well suited to a time when
the older language was gradually falling out of use among
the Jews, and giving place to Chaldee. These languages were
equally familiar to Daniel, as a ruler, and so he left his prophecies
on record in both. 1 (2) The contents, too, show that the book
belongs to the time of the Captivity. The author was evi-
dently well acquainted with the events of that period and with
the customs of the Medo-Persian rulers, in a way that would
have been impossible for a Jew in the second century before
Christ. 2 Mathathias when dying reminded his friends particu-
larly of things recorded in the Book of Daniel (Matt. ii. 59;
cf. Dan. iii. and vi.). Our Saviour Himself (Matt. xxiv. 15)
referred to the "abomination of desolation which was spoken
of by Daniel the prophet" (Dan. ix. 27).
5. The deuterocanonical portions of the book belong to the
same period as the protocanonical, and in all probability were
written by Daniel. In style and contents they completely agree
with the historical passages in the first part. Many critics regard
them as imitations of the book, because (1) no Hebrew original
1 If stress be laid on the fact that the language of chapters ii.-vii. is
not the Eastern, but the Western Aramaic, that was used in Palestine,
we may argue that a book intended to be frequently read would have to
be adapted to the ordinary speech of the people, and that in this way
the text, as originally written by Daniel, has suffered some modification.
P. Riessler tries to prove that chapters ii.-vii. were also written in He-
brew in the first instance. In his commentary on Daniel (Vienna, 1902),
Riessler comes to the conclusion that the book was certainly written
before the downfall of the Persian Empire, and most of it by Daniel
himself, although many glosses were added in the time of the Macha-
bees. The language of the book bears traces of Babylonian influence.
2 A great many of the statements in this book have been confirmed
by recent discoveries in Babylon, e. g. the name of the plain Dura
(iii. 1), and the name Baltassar (Belshazzar, v. 1). The description of
Nabuchodonosor's palace is accurate, and so is the remark that Cyrus
did not assume the government of Babylon in person immediately after
his conquest.
THE SACRED BOOKS CONSIDERED SINGLY 333
of them is extant, and (2) in the Greek Bible they are not
connected with the protocanonical Book of Daniel, i. e. they are
not inserted after chapter i. and chapter vi. respectively, where,
according to their contents, they ought to stand.
That a Hebrew text originally existed seems probable from the
fact that not only the Seventy, but also Theodotion and Sym-
machus admitted these portions to their translations, and a study
of the Greek text enables us easily to recognize that it is a
translation. 1 The Book of Daniel, like that of Jeremias, cer-
tainly existed in two forms among the Jews; the Greek trans-
lators made use of the longer version, while the Jews in our
era recognized only the shorter, probably through dislike of the
Christians who had accepted the longer Greek text.
FOURTH SECTION
THE PERIOD FROM THE CAPTIVITY TO THE CLOSE
OF THE OLD TESTAMENT REVELATION
31. HISTORICAL SURVEY
The following events belong to this period :
1. In 536, after Cyrus had conquered Babylon, the Jews
returned from the Captivity and rebuilt the Temple and city
of Jerusalem.
2. An orderly government and mode of life were restored
in the Holy Land, in consequence of the exertions of the
prophets Aggeus, Zacharias and Malachias, the priest Esdras and
the Persian official Nehemias. The claims made upon the Jews
by the Persians were trifling and not oppressive.
3. The rise of western influence, first from Greece (Alexander
the Great), and then from Egypt and Syria (settlement of many
Jews in Egypt) ; the Septuagint, Antiochus Epiphanes.
4. The struggle of the Machabees to maintain the Jewish
religion and independence, and to secure the appointment of
native rulers (175-140).
1 C. Julius tries to prove that they did not originally form part of the
Hebrew-Aramaic book of Daniel, but were written in Alexandria.
334 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
5. More peaceful times under native princes of the tribe of
Levi, who were at the same time high priests. Simon, 140135 ;
John Hyrcanus, 135-106 ; Alexander Jannseus, 106-78 ; regency
of Alexandra and rule of her sons Hyrcanus II and Aristobulus.
6. Eoman supremacy (from 63 onwards).
The books of Holy Scripture that belong to this period are:
(a) Historical writings: Kings, Chronicles, Esdras and Nehe-
mias, Esther, Tobias, Judith, Machabees.
(&) Prophetical writings: Aggeus, Zacharias, Malachias.
(c) Didactic works: Sirach or Ecclesiasticus, Wisdom.
HISTORICAL WRITINGS
32. THE BOOKS OF KINGS 1
(According to the Vulgate, III and IV Kings)
(22 and 25 chapters)
1. The Books of Kings were originally not divided ; they deal
with the history of Israel and its kings from Solomon's accession
to the Babylonian Captivity, i. e. with the history, in round
numbers, of the years 1000-600.
Three parts may be distinguished: (a) Solomon's reign, I, i. to xi.
(6) The two kingdoms, I, xii. to II, xvii. (c) The kingdom of Juda, II,
xviii. to xxv.
Book HI: i., Solomon becomes king; ii., David's death; iii., iv.,
Solomon's wisdom, his court ; v., agreement with Hiram of Tyre ; vi., the
Temple is begun; vii. to ix., it is finished and dedicated, other buildings;
x., Solomon' splendor, his trade, his power; xi., his wives, idolatry and
punishment, his death; xii., Roboam becomes king, ten tribes revolt and
establish the northern kingdom of Israel; xiii. to xvi., the successive
kings of both States; xvii. to xix., the prophet Elias and his work; xx.,
Eliseus, war against Syria; xxi., Naboth's vineyard, his unjust murder
by Achab and Jezabel, Elias' prophecy against them; xxii., Achab falls
in war.
Book IV: i., wonders wrought by Eliseus; ii., the kings of the two
States fight successfully against King Mesa of Moab; iii. to viii., the
worship of Baal prevails in the northern kingdom, and is opposed by
Eliseus; viii. to x., as idolatry is spreading also in the southern king-
dom, the kings and people are chastised by means of the Syrian King
Hasael, and subsequently both kings and Jezabel are killed by Jehu, who
1 The beginning is abrupt; the author continues the second Book of
Samuel (second of Kings).
THE SACRED BOOKS CONSIDERED SINGLY 335
ascends the throne of Israel; xi., xii., Joas reigns in the southern king-
dom; xiii., xiv., death of Eliseus, war between the two kingdoms; xv.,
Ozias, King of Juda, has a prosperous reign of fifty-two years, but in
Israel there are frequent changes in the government, and the Assyrians
are already demanding tribute ; xvi., xvii., Juda too fears the Assyrians,
who seize the northern kingdom; xviii. to xx., Juda, under the pious
King Ezechias, is miraculously saved from the Assyrians, and the king
recovers from a severe illness (supra, p. 316) ; xxi., Manasses is godless,
and Amon not much better; xxii. to xxv., Josias is faithful and energetic,
but his successors Joachaz, Joakim, Jechonias (Joachin) and Sedecias
become more and more subject to the Babylonians, who finally put an end
to the kingdom of Juda and carry away the Jews into captivity.
2. Date and Authorship. The last event recorded in IV
Kings, xxv. 27, is the kindness shown to Jechonias by King
Evilmerodach in the thirty-seventh year of his imprisonment,
i. e. in 560. If the author had known of the release of the
people from Captivity, he would certainly have added this as a
fitting conclusion to his work, which must have been written
during the Captivity. The author is unknown. Judging from
the style and spirit of the book, we may believe it to be the
work of a prophet. Its aim unmistakably is to impress upon the
people of God that happiness is to be found only in confidence
in God and in serving Him, that misery always follows worldli-
ness. The Talmud names Jeremias as the author, and this state-
ment may very well be correct, as the book closely resembles the
prophet's work in spirit and in language. This would, however,
involve our assuming that he began to write it under Josias,
before the downfall of the kingdom of Juda, and carried it on
under the last kings, but that another hand, perhaps Baruch's,
wrote the conclusion. 1 In any case it is impossible that the
books of Samuel and of Kings are by the same author. The
writer of the former describes events in a more objective way,
without showing any such design as is apparent in the Book
of Kings. Moreover, in the latter reference is frequently made
to authorities, 2 and never in the former. Finally, in the Hebrew
1 It is possible that Jeremias, of whose death we know nothing certain,
went to Babylon, and finished the book there at an advanced age.
Holzhey says that the author, or at least the finisher, of the work was an
exile, living between Jeremias and Ezechiel.
2 The author refers once to the chronicles of Solomon, and frequently
to the chronicles of the kings of Israel and of Juda.
336 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
canon the Books of Kings and Samuel were always separated,
so that those who collected the books regarded them as being
of different authorship. It is only in the Greek and Latin
Bibles that the four books were put together.
3. Object. The author wishes to show that God has fulfilled
the promise given in II Samuel vii. 12, etc. God commissioned
Nathan to tell David that his kingdom should not perish like
Saul's, but should last forever. If the kings of his line fell
into sin they would be punished, but David's kingdom should
nevertheless endure.
33. THE BOOKS OP CHRONICLES (PARALIPOMENA)
(29 and 36 chapters)
1. Name. In Hebrew these two books are called dibre hajja-
mim = words of the days, records of events arranged according
to the time = annales. The Seventy call them IlapaXetTro'^era
= completions, supplements, because they supplement the books
of Kings. St. Jerome followed the Itala version in calling them
Chronicon, Chronicles, which name, corresponding as it does both
with the Hebrew and with the contents, has passed into general
use.
2. Contents. The Seventy divided the book, that was origi-
nally one, into two parts ; the first contains twenty-nine chapters,
and consists of two distinct portions, (a) Chapters i.-ix. contain
genealogies from Adam to the Jews, who returned from Cap-
tivity. 1 (b) Chapters x.-xxix. contain the history of David, but
his fall into sin is not mentioned. The second book consists of
thirty-six chapters and contains the history of the kingdom of
Juda from the time of Solomon to the Captivity. Whatever is
praiseworthy in the Kings is emphasized, and the only source
1 The genealogies are intended to supply the Israelites, and especially
their teachers, the priests and Levites, with information regarding the
place of Israel in the history of the world. Ever since the time of
Adam one race of believers has been chosen by God from among all other
nations, and from this race redemption and the Redeemer are to come.
Seth, Noe, Sem, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Juda and David are the chief
representatives of this blessed line, and they are the ancestors of the
Messias. Cf. Matt. i. and Luke iii.
THE SACEED BOOKS CONSIDEBED SINGLY 337
of happiness is shown to be fidelity towards God. Nothing is
said of the northern kingdom and its rulers, because they have
alienated themselves from the blessed line of David, and so have
no share in the salvation that is to come.
Book I: i., genealogy of Jacob; ii. genealogy of Juda; iii., pedi-
gree of David; iv., descendants of Juda and Simeon; v., of Ruben
and Gad; vi., of Manasses and Levi; vii., of Issachar, Benjamin and
Nephtali; viii., of Ephraim and Aser; ix., Saul's pedigree; families in
Jerusalem; x., Saul's death; xi., David and his heroes; xii., David's
Army; xiii., xiv., David's wars; xv., xvi., bringing of the Ark to Sion;
xvii., David determines to build a temple; xviii. to xx., fresh victories;
xxi., numbering of the people, and the punishment for it; xxii., prepara-
tions for building the Temple; xxiii. to xxvii., arrangement and duties of
the persons concerned with the Temple worship; xxviii., xxix., last direc-
tions for the building, Solomon's accession, David's death.
Book II: i., Solomon's wisdom; ii. to iv., building of the Temple;
v. to vii., the Ark is brought into it; Solomon's prayer; viii., other
buildings; ix., the Queen of Saba, Solomon's wealth and magnificence;
x. to xii., Roboam, division of the kingdom; xiii., Abia; xiv. to xvi.,
Asa; xvii. to xx., Josaphat; xxi., Joram; xxii., Ozochias; xxiii., xxiv.,
Joas prospers as long as he serves God, but falls into idolatry and mis-
ery; xxv., Amasias has a similar fate and xxvi., Ozias; xxvii., Joatham
is happier because he fears God; xxviii., Achaz is godless, and therefore
unhappy; xxix. to xxxii., Ezechias is a good king; xxxiii., Manasses
and Amon; xxxiv., xxxv., Josias is faithful; xxxvi., downfall of Juda.
3. Author. According to tradition these books were written
by Esdras, although this is disputed by many critics, who believe
them compiled in the fourth or third century before Christ.
The language and style, however, really resemble those of the
Book of Esdras, which forms an immediate sequel to it. In any
case it was not written until after the Captivity. This is shown
by the exalted religious consciousness and by the absence of all
mention of the history of Samaria, for the northern kingdom
was then occupied not by Israelites, but by hostile Samaritans,
who were to have no interest in the work. Another mark of its
late composition is the mention in I, xxix. 7 of darics as cur-
rent coins; they would become so only under the Persian
supremacy. The mention of them precludes the possibility of
its belonging to the period of Greek influence, because the
Macedonians introduced talents and drachmas.
4. Object. Esdras had one chief and one secondary object in
338 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
writing. The former was to compile a history of the Israelite
nation and its kings viewed in their best and laudable aspect, so
that the religious and national feelings of the people might be
roused, and that they might be convinced of their being the
most important nation in the world, because of God's revelations
to them. 1 His secondary object was to supplement the Books
of Kings. Closely connected with Chronicles are the following :
34. THE BOOKS OF ESDRAS AND NEHEMIAS
(10 and 13 chapters)
In the Vulgate the former is called the First and the latter the Second
Book of Esdras. The similarity in their contents enables us to discuss
them together, and they have always been regarded as closely connected,
both by the Jews and the Church.
1. Contents. These books contain an account of the restora-
tion of civil and religious order in the Holy Land after the
return of the Jews from Captivity. Esdras and Nehemias were
especially active in promoting this restoration.
Contents of the Book of Esdras. Chapters i.-vi. Return of the Jews
from Captivity in Babylon (536 B. c.) ; rebuilding and dedication of the
Temple (515). Chapters vii.-x. Return of another large body of Israel-
ites under the priest Esra or Esdras, who was zealous in restoring or-
derly government and protested against the evil practice of marrying
heathen women.
Contents of the Book of Nehemias. Chapters i.-vii. Account of the
rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem, and of settling a fixed government
among the Jews who had returned. This was particularly the work of
Nehemias, an official at the Persian court. Chapters viii.-x. Esdras reads
the Law of Moses to the people, and makes them solemnly renew their
covenant with God. Chapters xi.-xiii. Supplement added by Nehemias
1 The obvious existence of this object has led critics to question the
historical accuracy of this book. Bleek-Wellhausen, Vatke and Stade
consider that the author falsified history, and left out or altered what-
ever did not harmonize with his own views regarding the Temple wor-
ship, as being the only one sanctioned by God. Stade even thinks the
whole book more or less untrustworthy, but the reasons stated as grounds
for this serious charge are insignificant. That the author has omitted a
good deal that is found in the Books of Kings is to be explained as in
keeping with his object, but he cannot on that account be charged with
falsification of history.
THE SACRED BOOKS CONSIDERED SINGLY 339
regarding his own special work in the Holy Land. All the information
given in the books is fragmentary in form.
Many critics have questioned the trustworthiness of the various letters
and lists in the books, and especially of the* correspondence with the Per-
sian court. In Entstehung des Judentums (Halle, 1896), Eduard Meyer,
an historian by no means inclined to Yahwism, furnishes proof that the
documents are undoubtedly genuine, a fact that surprised no one more
than the author himself.
2. Date of Esdras and Nehemias. The two men were con-
temporaries and supplemented each other's work. Esdras de-
voted his attention more to religious matters; Nehemias to
external and political arrangements. The reign of Artaxerxes I
Longimanus, King of Persia, is generally said to coincide with
the period of their activity (465-425), and this is probably
correct. 1 It is objected that the King Artaxerxes to whom
Nehemias was cupbearer, could not have been Artaxerxes I, be-
cause the Samaritan governor Sanaballat, mentioned in Nehe-
mias ii. 19 and xiii. 28, was still alive, according to Josephus
Flavius (Ant., XI, vii. 2), when Alexander the Great appeared
upon the scene. As Nehemias (xiii. 6) alludes to the thirty-
second year of Artaxerxes' reign, this cannot have been Ar-
taxerxes III Ochus (362-339), and so it must have been
Artaxerxes II Mnemon (405-362) ; and in this way Nehemias
and Esdras were not at work until after 400; the activity of
Esdras may be dated as beginning in 398, and that of Nehemias
in 384 (Kaulen, Einl., II, 73). Josephus Flavius is, however,
not a trustworthy authority regarding the history of Esdras and
Nehemias, and very probably he has made a mistake here. 2
3. Authorship. The books are not the work of one man, but
consist of a collection of official documents and private records.
1 So Welte, KirchenlexiTcon, Art. Esra (1st ed.), also Loch and
Reischl, ii., p. 2; Reusch, Einleitung, 125; Comely, Introd. Comp., 266;
Father A. Hammerschmid in the Passauer Monatschrift, 1894; Hoon-
acker, Nehemie et Esdras: id. Zorobdbel et le second temple; id. Nou-
velles 4tudes sur la restawration, etc., Paris et Louvain, 1890, 92, 96;
Guthe, Bibellex. Esdras began -work in 458, Nehemias in 445, and con-
tinued until 433 or 432.
2 In matters of chronology not much confidence can be placed in Jo-
sephus, as appears from his confusing King John Hyrcanus (135-106)
with his grandson, Hyrcanus II (63-40) , as he does in his " History of the
Jewish People."
340 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
Of the latter, those in Esdras vii.-x. were written by Esdras, and
those in Nehemias i.-vii. and xi.-xiii. by Nehemias; the others
are of unknown authorship. It is very likely that Esdras made
the whole collection, as Jewish tradition has always affirmed;
though a later hand may have given the books their present
form.
This is inferred from Neh. xii. 22, where " Darius the Persian " may be
understood to be Darius Codomanus ; the addition of the word " Persian "
implies that other, viz., Greek kings, were already recognized. In the
same passage there is mention of a high priest named Jeddoa, who, ac-
cording to Josephus, met Alexander the Great (Ant., XI, viii. 4). But
too much stress must not be laid on these speculations. Darius the
Persian may be Darius Nothus, who ascended the throne in 425, and was
therefore contemporaneous with Esdras and Nehemias. Cyrus and Ar-
taxerxes are repeatedly called " Kings of the Persians," and the Jews
spoke of them thus to distinguish them from their own former kings.
The high priest, who went to meet Alexander, was not necessarily Jeddoa ;
Josephus seems to have made a mistake in his chronology here as else-
where. It is quite likely that the whole work, as we have it, was written
by Esdras. 1
35. THE BOOK OF ESTHER
(16 chapters: i.-x. 3, protocanonical ; x. 4-xvi. 24, deuterocanonical)
1. Contents. This book relates how a pious Jewish maiden,
named Esther/ became the wife of the Persian King Assuerus
(Achaschwerosch), and how she frustrated a plan formed by
Aman, a proud official at court, to have all the Jews in the
Persian empire massacred. In memory of this event the feast
of Purim 3 was instituted, and it is still kept by the Jews at
the end of February or the beginning of March. The king, whose
1 In most editions of the Vulgate there are two other books, called the
third and fourth of Esdras, which at one time were regarded as sacred,
but now belong to the apocrypha, not having been declared canonical by
the Council of Trent (supra, p. 208). The third Book, called in the
Septuagint the first, contains nine chapters supplementary to our first
Esdras; the fourth, also known as the Apocalypse of Esdras, contains
prophecies and visions of Esdras, in sixteen chapters.
2 The Hebrew name was Hadassa (Myrtle), Lat. Edissa; the Persian
Esther = dffT-fip, star.
8 Pur, a Persian word (Assyr., puru) = lot, pi. Purim = lots. Aman
had chosen the day for the massacre by lot; it was to be the thirteenth
Adar.
THE SACEED BOOKS CONSIDERED SINGLY 341
wife Esther became, and who is called in the Hebrew text
Achaschwerosch, is probably Xerxes I (485-465), known. to us
from the wars between Greeks and Persians. 1 The Greek text
calls him Artaxerxes; in the Vulgate, from chapter i.-x., he
is Assuerus; from xi.-xvi., Artaxerxes (Luther wrote the name
Ahasverus). Most ancient commentators identified this king
with Artaxerxes Longimanus (465-425).
Contents according to the Vulgate: i., Feast of Assuerus; rejection of
Queen Vashti. ii., Esther becomes queen, but at the bidding of her uncle
Mardochai is silent as to her origin. Conspiracy of two courtiers is dis-
covered by Mardochai. iii., Aman, a foreigner, is exalted above all the
king's servants, and all, with the sole exception of Mardochai, kneel down
at his approach. Aman procures from the king orders for the massacre
of all the Jews in the empire, iv., v., Mardochai and Esther are horri-
fied. Esther goes to the king, but at first only asks that he and Aman
will come to a feast at her house. The request is granted, and the feast
is to be held on the following day. Aman prepares the gallows for
Mardochai. vi., the king wishes to reward Mardochai for saving his
life, so he orders Aman to lead the hated Jew, dressed in gorgeous rai-
ment, about the city, and to proclaim him everywhere to be the king's
favorite, vii., Aman is overthrown and hanged on the gallows that he
has prepared, viii., ix., the Jews receive permission to use arms in
self-defense. Institution of the Feast of Purim. Mardochai becomes
chief official at court and records all these events, x., xi., Mardochai's
dream and its interpretation, xii., the king's decree against the Jews.
xiii., Mardochai's prayer, xiv., Esther's prayer, xv., account of
Esther's appearance before the king, xvi., the king's decree in favor of
the Jews.
2. Canonicity. In the Hebrew text the book has ten chapters ;
in the Latin sixteen. The Septuagint also has ten chapters, like
the Hebrew, but they are very much longer. Saint Jerome, from
whom our Latin text has come down to us, supplied from the
Septuagint those passages which do not occur in the Hebrew
text. There are many Hebraisms in these deuterocanonical por-
tions, and this fact, as well as the existence of another Greek
text, independent of the Septuagint, 1 but of the same length,
proves that the present Hebrew text is only an extract from an
1 In the cuneiform inscriptions at Persepolis, the name of Xerxes ap-
pears as " Chsajarsa, son of King Darius." In this form it bears some
resemblance to Achaschwerosch. See Kaulen, Ninive und Babyl., p. 112.
Xerxes I was the only king of that name who ruled more than seven
years; in ii. 16 the seventh year of the king's reign is mentioned.
2 See Fritzsche, Libri apocr. Vet. Test, grace, Lips., 1871.
342 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
older Hebrew work, which the Seventy translated in extenso, and
thus have preserved.
The present Hebrew text bears no mark of religion; the name of God
does not occur once in it. It was probably mutilated, because gradually
the Feast of Purim came to be regarded by the Jews as a kind of Satur-
nalia or Carnival. Hence the Greek and Latin text is preferable.
3. Author. We might be inclined to regard Esther's uncle
and guardian, Mardochai, as the author, for, according to ix.
20, 1 he recorded at least the chief points of the history. But in
ix. 23, 26 the author of the whole book seems to be clearly
distinguished from Mardochai ; 2 he must have been a Jew, living
somewhat later, who used Mardochai's writings and the Persian
annals as his sources of information. Possibly Esdras or
Nehemias may have been the author. The book was read aloud
at the Feast of Purim.
4. The Date of Composition certainly coincides with the exist-
ence of the Persian Empire. The book was written whilst the
events recorded in it were still fresh in the author's memory,
and it reveals a very detailed knowledge of the Persian court
and of the habits of the people, and speaks with great respect
of the ruling family in Persia.
5. The Object of the book is to express thanks for the provi-
dential preservation of God's people.
36. THE BOOK OF TOBIAS 3
(Deuterocanonical, 14 chapters)
1. Contents. As a reward for his deeds of mercy Tobias is
delivered from great misery. This at once indicates the object
of the book, which is intended to inculcate the duty of charity
1 "Mardochai wrote all these things, and sent them comprised in
letters to the Jews that abode in all the king's provinces."
2 " The Jews undertook to observe with solemnity all they had begun
to do at that time, which Mardochai by letters had commanded to be
done. . . . And since that time these days are called Phurim, that is,
of Lots."
8 In the Vulgate, father and son are both called Tobias = Tobja =
" Good is the Lord." In the Greek, the father is Tobit and the son
Tobias. In the Chaldee, the father is Tobi, and the son Tobja.
THE SACRED BOOKS CONSIDERED SINGLY 343
towards one's neighbors, and especially towards those of the
same faith (cf. Gal. vi. 10).
Chapter i.-iv., Tobias, a pious Israelite of the tribe of Nephtali, was
taken into captivity by the Assyrians and carried to Ninive, with many
of his countrymen from the northern kingdom. He won respect and be-
came wealthy, so that he was often able to help men of his own nation,
and he provided for the burial of many Israelites when they died. Later
he fell into poverty and became blind, and in his sorrow prayed for
death. The same prayer was offered at the same time in Ecbatana by a
young woman named Sara, who was suspected of being a murderess.
Both prayers are answered in a most unexpected way, for an angel is
sent to their help, v.-vii., Tobias, the son, undertakes a journey to ask
for the payment of money owing to them ; he is accompanied on the way
by the angel Raphael in human form, and by means of the angel's help,
the fortunes of the family are restored, viii., ix., young Tobias not only
recovers the loan, but obtains Sara, a rich and God-fearing woman, as
his wife, x.-xiv., the elder Tobias recovers his eyesight; the angel re-
veals his rank and vanishes.
2. Text. The book has not come down to us in the original,
but only in translations, which to some extent differ from one
another. It was written at first in Chaldee or Hebrew. Saint
Jerome had a Chaldee text and made his translation from it
in the space of one day, as he tells us in the preface. This
haste did not detract from the value of his work, for he read
the Chaldee with a Rabbi, and then dictated the translation to
a skillful scribe. The Jews and Protestants do not admit this
book to the canon, because the original text is not extant, but
all the five texts that we have (viz. three Greek versions besides
the Itala and the Vulgate) show distinctly an Oriental and even
a Semitic character. Recently a Chaldee text has been discov-
ered, but scholars do not regard it as the original, and believe it
is a translation from the Hebrew. A Hebrew text was actually
published in 1897. 1
Of the Greek texts, the one used in the Greek Church holds the first
rank. The Codex Sinaiticus contains another, on which the Itala version,
1 Numerous Hebraisms can easily be detected, e. g. chap. iii. 1 and 9,
dicens ( "1D*6 ) ; iii. 15, desuper terram ( pKH hy }D ) ; iii. 24, 25, in
conspectu ( ^flS ) ; vi. 15, deponam senectutem illorum cum tristitia ad
inferos (nSlStf pJTD Wfr-nK Drmim), as in Gen. xlii. 38. Cf. also xii.
8, 15, etc. The Chaldee text was published in 1878 by Neubauer, the
Hebrew in 1897 by Gaster.
344 HANDBOOK FOB THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
that is quite complete, is based. A third Greek text was the foundation
for the Syriac text in the Peshitto.
3. Date of Composition. The book was probably written in
captivity, either in Assyria or in Babylonia, to console the exiled
Israelites.
4. The Author is unknown. According to the Greek texts
(Sept., xii. 20) both father and son wrote down their story.
Some later author made use of these accounts and added in-
formation gathered from the lips of the people.
Vetter thinks that the book was written between 250 and 150 B. c.,
and was composed in Hebrew during the Assyrian-Babylonian disper-
sion. The material is a family history, preserved on the lips of the
people, and made use of by the author for a didactic purpose.
A manuscript (ninth century) from Freising, and now in Munich,
contains a Latin text of Tobias, Judith and Esther. It is an Itala text,
and varies considerably from the Vulgate. ,
37. THE BOOK OP JUDITH
( Deuterocanonical, 16 chapters)
1. Contents. In the time of Eliachim, the high priest, divi-
sions of the Assyrian army penetrated into the north of the
Holy Land and besieged the little mountain stronghold of
Bethulia. 1
Chaper i., supremacy of Nabuchodonosor. ii., campaign of Holofernes,
iii., iv., preparations of the Jews for resistance, v., Achior, the Ammo-
nite, reports to Holofernes that the Jews are invincible whenever they
are faithful to their God; they are so at this time, and therefore he has
no prospect of success, vi., Achior is given over to the Jews that he may
perish with them, vii., Holofernes besieges Bethulia. viii., the inhabit-
ants are disposed to surrender. Judith encourages the leaders, ix.,
Judith's prayer, x. to xii., her visit to Holofernes, who receives her
kindly, xiii., after a feast she cuts off his head and carries it to Be-
thulia. xiv., xv., horror of the Assyrians, their defeat, xvi., Judith's
song of praise.
2. Text. This book also is not in the Jewish canon, because
the original text has perished. It can scarcely be determined
1 New Beit Ilva. The inhabitants, constrained by want of water, were
on the point of surrendering the town, when a pious widow, named
Judith, killed the heathen general, Holofernes, by a stratagem, and so
delivered her native place.
THE SACEED BOOKS CONSIDEEED SINGLY 345
whether it was in Hebrew or Chaldee. That in the fourth
century a Chaldee text still existed is proved by the fact that
Saint Jerome made his translation from one. 1 Besides the
Vulgate text we have the Septuagint Greek version, which is
plainly a translation and not the original, as it is quite at
variance with the genius of the Greek language. From it the
texts of the Itala and Peshitto have been derived.
3. The Author is unknown. He must have written the book
either just before or during the Babylonian Captivity. This is
indicated both by the use of the Chaldee language and by refer-
ences in the text (xiv. 6; xvi. 30) to the time that elapsed
between the occurrence and the recording of the events.
4. Difficulties. The chief arguments against the historical
character of the book are derived from the fact that we do not
hear elsewhere of any high priest named Eliachim, nor of any
Assyrian king named Nabuchodonosor. However, in IV Kings
xviii. 18 and Is. xxii. 20, xxxvi. 3, etc., we read of an Eliachim
who was son of the high priest Helcias in the reign of King
Ezechias, and he no doubt in time succeeded his father. If it
is thought surprising that the high priest, rather than the king,
should take measures for the defense of the country, it should
be remembered that, according to II Chronicles xxxiii. 11, King
Manasses, son of Ezechias, was taken prisoner by the Assyrians
and kept in captivity for some time. We may therefore assign
the events in the story of Judith to his reign. The name
Nabuchodonosor was more familiar to the Jewish scribes who
copied the sacred books, than the names of the Assyrian kings,
and it might easily happen that an uneducated Jew fancied
that he ought to substitute the better known name for Assur-
banipal. The same remark applies to the name of Arphaxad,
1 See his preface to the book of Judith: "Among the Hebrews the
book of Judith is classed with the apocrypha, and its authority is con-
sidered less in settling disputed points. It was written in the Chaldee
language and is reckoned among the historical books. Because it is as-
serted that the Council of Nicaea placed this book among the Holy Scrip-
tures, I have yielded to your demand or rather compulsion, and, laying
aside some work on which I was deeply engaged, I have produced a little
explanation (translation) rendering it more according to the sense than
to the letter."
346 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
king of the Medes (i. 1; i. 5) ; we probably ought to read
Arbaces.
5. Authority. Apart from the testimony of the Church, the
truth of the whole story is vouched for by the existence of
several Midrashim, i. e. Jewish commentaries upon the book, and
also by the institution of a festival, resembling the feast of
Purim, in honor of the victory. The festival is mentioned in
the Vulgate xvi. 31, but in the Greek text the last verse in
omitted, probably because at the time of the Seventy the cele-
bration of it had fallen into disuse. 1
6. Object. The author wished to prove that God's people
were safe under His protection as long as they were faithful
to Him (v. 25).
38. THE BOOKS or MACHABEEs 2
(Deuterocanonical, 16 and 15 chapters)
1. Contents of the First Boole. It records the history of the
wars waged by the Jews against the kings of Syria (175-140).
Under the Seleucidse the Jews had been much oppressed, and
Antiochus IV Epiphanes (175-163) had shown himself particu-
larly cruel. He wished to establish his supremacy by securing
religious uniformity, and ordered the Jews to take part in the
Graeco-Syrian worship; but they steadfastly refused to do this.
A terrible persecution followed, and God had chosen Mathathias
the priest and his sons to be the instruments of saving His
people. They laid ambuscades and attacked the Syrians first
in one place, then in another, winning more and more adherents
among the people, until finally they recovered the Temple that
the Syrians had desecrated. The greatest glory of this achieve-
ment fell to Mathathias' son Judas, who was surnamed maggaba
= hammer; he carried on the work that his father had begun,
1 Bellarmine, De Controversies Fidei, defends the book. Like Kaulen
and Comely, he places the story of Judith in the time of Manasses.
Scholz regards the book as allegorical (see infra, p. 455), and N. Peters
agrees with him.
2 The Vulgate spelling of the name is Machabaeus, probably with ref-
erence to the Talmud form ODD. The Septuagint has MaK/cct/3cuos.
THE SACRED BOOKS CONSIDERED SINGLY 347
and brought the whole country under his sway. From him the
name Machabasus passed to the whole family of Mathathias.
When Judas was killed in battle in 161 B. c., his equally heroic
brother Jonathan took his place as leader, and he again was
followed by Simon, who restored peace to the land. The Jews
in their gratitude bestowed upon him (140 B. c.) the crown, to
be hereditary in his family. He was succeeded by his son
John Hyrcanus (135-106).
Chap, i., ii., cause of the wars; iii.-ix., acts of Judas (166-161);
ix.-xii., acts of Jonathan (161-143); xiii.-xvi., acts of Simon (143-
135).
2. The Author was a Jew, for the book was written originally
in Hebrew, as Saint Jerome testifies. 1 As towards the end
(chap, xvi.) King John Hyrcanus is mentioned in terms of
the highest praise, many people have supposed him to be the
author. But no writer is in the habit of extolling himself, and
it is better to assume that whoever wrote the book knew John
Hyrcanus, and composed it during his reign. The author was
very likely a priest.
3. Text. The Hebrew original text has perished, and we
know the book only through the Septuagint translation; it was
the source of the Vulgate version, for the Itala was translated
from the Septuagint, and Saint Jerome accepted it without
alteration.
4. Contents of the Second Boole. This book has no right to
the name " Machabees," and is not a continuation of the first.
It contains (chapters i. and ii.) two letters sent by the Jews in Pal-
estine to their fellow countrymen in Egypt, inviting them to join in
keeping the feast of the Dedication of the Temple. Then follows a
preface and then some additions to the first book, viz. (chapter iii.) an
account of Heliodorus, who robbed the Temple, (chapter iv.) some
wicked high priests, (chapter v.) the cruelty of Antiochus and (chapter
vi.) of his companions, displayed especially in the case of the aged scribe
Eleazar and (chapter vii.) of a Jewish mother with seven sons. Then
1 Prologus galeatus: Machabceorum primum librum hebraicum re-
peri. Secundus grcecus est, quod ex ipsa quoque phrasi probari potest.
The language of the two books differs greatly; the first contains a num-
ber of unmistakable Hebraisms, while the second is absolutely Greek in
character.
348 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
follow accounts of (chapter viii.) the victories of Judas, (chapter ix.) the
death of Antiochus, (chapter x.) the purification of the Temple, and
finally (chapters xi. xv.) further successes of the Jews against the Syr-
ians and other neighboring nations.
5. The Author is unknown. He is generally believed to have
been a Jew, living either in Egypt or in Palestine.
In the preface or prologue (ii. 24), the author states that a certain
Jason of Cyrene, who is otherwise unknown, but was certainly a Jew
( Jason, Greek = Josue ) , wrote in five books a history of God's people
during the Syrian persecution, and he himself aimed at making a care-
ful abridgement of it. As in the case of the First Book of Machabees,
the history begins with the year 175, but it ends with 161. Like the
work from which it is abridged, this Second Book of Machabees was
composed in Greek, as Saint Jerome rightly perceived. Greek was spoken
at that time at Cyrene in North Africa, where Jason lived, and the com-
piler of our book seems also to have lived in Africa, and probably in
Egypt, as the two letters at the beginning indicate. He knew the Holy
Land very well, however (see iii. 15 and vi. 2), and consequently many
people believed that he wrote his book there. This theory finds support
from his using the Syrian method of dating events (i. 7 and 10), which
could hardly have been familiar in Africa.
6. Date of Composition. The work cannot have been written
much before 100 B. c., as in i. 10 the year 188 of the era of
the Seleucidae is mentioned. This era began in 312 B. c., so
188 in it would correspond with 124 B. c.
PROPHETIC WRITINGS
39. AGGEUS *
(2 chapters)
This prophet is known to us only by name; he came into
prominence at the time of Zorobabel, in the second year of the
reign of Darius Hystaspis (520). His task was to encourage
the Israelites to continue the building of the Temple, that had
been interrupted for many years, and he succeeded in his un-
dertaking. Only four short speeches of his have come down
to us; they are closely connected and contain the essence of
his exhortations. Their authenticity is not questioned.
1 yn = festivals, festive. Saint Jerome : Festwus.
THE SACKED BOOKS CONSIDERED SINGLY 349
Aggeus addressed his words to Zorobabel, who then governed the
country, and to Josue, the high priest, (i.) He reproaches the Israelites
with building their own houses and leaving the house of God neglected.
They seem to have feared that the poor imitation of Solomon's Temple,
which was all that the impoverished Jews could build, would not please
God, and that He would not be willing to dwell in it. For this reason
the prophet assures them (ii.) that this Temple will surpass the other
in splendor, for a great change will take place among all nations, so that
all eyes will turn with reverence towards Jerusalem, whence peace shall
proceed, (iii.) A third speech declares that God can take no pleasure
in His people, as long as they display no zeal for the Law and for build-
ing the Temple, (iv.) The fourth speech is addressed particularly to
Zorobabel, and contains the promise that the house of David, to which
he belongs, may look for God's protection, although all other royal races
shall perish.
40. ZACHARIAS *
(14 chapters)
1. Personality. Zacharias was the son of Barachias and the
grandson of Addo, one of the most respected' priests, who had
returned with Zorobabel from captivity. He came forward about
the same time as Aggeus, in 520 } but as he is spoken of as
nafar (youth) in ii. 4, he seems to have acted as a prophet while
still very young.
2. Contents. Like the Book of Isaias, which it to some ex-
tent resembles, the Book of Zacharias falls into two parts : in
one the prophet speaks of the present and the immediate future
of God's kingdom in the Holy Land, in the other of the more
distant future of God's reign in the Church. The first part
consists of chapters i.-vi., the second of ix.-xiv., and vii. and
viii. serve to connect the two.
In the first part there are several visions regarding God's watchful
care for Israel, now restored to be a nation, and at the close there is a
symbolical act. Chapter i. Introductory: .Before the Captivity God
often gave warnings to his people by means of the prophets, but they
would not hear, so punishment came upon them. Now mercy shall
again be shown them. i. 7-17, mankind is awestruck, and great changes
are made in the national life through God's intervention, i. 18-ii. 4. All
enemies who have risen up against Israel are destroyed. . ii. 5-17. In
God's kingdom there must be room for Jews and Gentiles, iii. 1-10. The
high priest Josue is mediator between God and the people, and a type
of the Messias. iv. Zorobabel will restore the Temple, v. When the
= remembrance of the Lord.
350 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
Temple worship is revived, the people will again become pleasing to God.
vi. 1-8. God has power to turn aside, chastise and destroy the enemies
of His kingdom, vi. 9-15. Symbolical act: The prophet has to crown
Josue, the high priest, as a type of the Messias.
In chapter vii. the question is raised whether fasting pleases God.
That it does so, is not denied, but at the same time we are told that
right dispositions, and especially charity towards one's neighbor, are
more important than merely exterior forms of religion, viii. " If this
rule is observed, the nations of the Gentiles will have recourse to you/''
The next six chapters contain two speeches, ix.-xi. and xii.-xiv. The
first is addressed to the powers of the Gentiles, the second to Israel
itself. First speech, ix. All the enemies of God's kingdom must be
humbled and made to serve it, but its ruler shall be gentle, and shall
enter Jerusalem on a she-ass, x. The people of Israel, though long sub-
ject to the powers of the world, will in the end be gathered together by
God from all parts, and will receive mercy, xi. Unhappily Israel rebels
against its Lord and Shepherd, and values him at no more than 30 pieces
of silver. Second speech, xii. Jerusalem will be for all nations the center
of the world's history, xiii. The Jewish nation will despise the salvation
and the Saviour offered them by God, and the majority of them must
therefore perish, only a small remnant will find mercy, and become
God's people, xiv. The new institution, intended to give salvation, will
meet with much opposition, but will be a source of happiness for all
nations.
The second part is obscure, and its language differs somewhat
from that of the first. This fact, and also the allusion to
idolatry and false prophets, of whom we hear nothing after the
Captivity, 1 have led many to think that Zacharias did not write
these chapters, but that they belong either to a much earlier
or to a later period. Jewish and Christian tradition are op-
posed to such a theory. The collection of the Minor Prophets
was made not long after the time of Zacharias (Ecclus. xlix.
12) and they were translated into Greek; if these chapters
were added to the first part without comment, it must have
been because no uncertainty was felt as to their origin.
41. MALACHIAS 2
(4 chapters, in Hebrew 3)
1. Contents. (1) Eeproof addressed to the priests for their
negligence and rapacity in the sacrifical worship. The prophet
1 The words refer only to Israel's former transgressions.
2 Heb. O^Sp, i. e. probably TTp^Sp, the ambassador of the Lord.
THE SACKED BOOKS CONSIDEKED SINGLY 351
takes occasion to proclaim the new and more perfect sacrifice
on behalf of the whole world. (2) Eeproof addressed to the
people for their evil practices with regard to marriage. (3)
Announcement of the Messias and His Forerunner.
1. God speaks through Malachias: Jacob and Esau were brothers, and
had therefore equal claims upon God's providence. Jacob and his de-
scendants were always favored, but they showed no gratitude or love in
return. The priests in particular display very little respect for God
when they sacrifice lame, blind and diseased animals. Such gifts would
be rejected by the Persian governor (pecha). Moreover, there is care-
lessness about the sacrificial worship. The offerings of the Jews do not
please God, who chooses instead a pure sacrifice, that shall be offered in
all parts of the world, ii. In the past, people, priests and Levites were
far more zealous in observing the covenant with God. Israel is now
rejected for its indifference. Marriage is not what it should be, and
God is displeased with the mixed marriages and frequency of divorce.
(This points to the new marriage law to be given by the Messias.)
iii. The forerunner of the Messias will soon appear, and be followed by
the Ruler Himself, the angel of the Covenant, whom all await. Almost
the whole Jewish nation will show itself incapable of understanding and
accepting the salvation that is to come through the Messias.
2. Personality. We know nothing of the prophet who wrote
this little book. In chapter iii. 1 mention is made of a "mes-
senger" of the Lord (mal'ak) who is to precede the Messias,
and the Messias Himself is called the " messenger of the cove-
nant"; and hence we may infer that the prophet who uttered
these words was not known by name,, and that his prophecy was
described as that " of the messenger/' from its contents. Some
think that Esdras was the author. The Seventy believed the
name to be fictitious, and so wrote as a heading in their trans-
lation : A.fj/j,fjia \oyov Kvpiov eirl TOV '\crpar]\ ev X L P^ ayye\ov
avrov. The Vulgate, however, reads : Onus verbi Domini ad
Israel in manu Malachice. Most people agree with the Vul-
gate and assume that there really was a prophet named Mala-
chias, who was the author of this little book.
3. Date. Malachias is the last of the prophets; hence the
position of the book in the canon. The Temple seems to have
been built when he wrote, but as he rebukes the same evils as
are mentioned in the books of Esdras, viz. carelessness in the
sacrificial worship, and abuses connected with marriage, he may
be regarded as contemporaneous with Esdras and Nehemias.
352 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
We may agree with Cornill in thinking that his activity began rather
earlier than the time of Esdras and Nehemias, as afterwards there was
some improvement on the points that he censures.
DIDACTIC WRITINGS
42. SlRACH, OR ECCLESIASTICUS
( Deuterocanonical, 51 chapters)
1. This sacred book is called Siraeh, after its author, and
Ecclesiasticus (liber), probably because it was believed to be
modeled on Ecclesiastes. Others have thought that its name,
" Book of the Church/' was derived from its frequent use in the
worship of the church. The Seventy call it " The Wisdom of
Jesus, son of Sirach/' or "Wisdom of Sirach." The Peshitto
title is " Wisdom of Sirach's son."
2. Contents. The book is a collection of proverbs, admoni-
tions and instructions, resembling the Proverbs of Solomon.
The contents are strung together without any definite arrange-
ment. It may be divided into a preface x and the following four
parts: (a) Instruction on wisdom in general (chap, i.) ; (&)
collection of proverbs, constituting the chief part of the book
(ii. xliii.) ; (c) survey of the history of the people of revela-
tion and praise of the great men belonging to that nation
xliv.-l.) ; (d) the author's thanksgiving for God's protection and
for the gift of wisdom (li.). Parts (6) and (c) are connected
by considerations of God's greatness revealed in nature (xlii.
15-xliii. 37).
(a) i., origin and fruits of wisdom; its connection with the fear of
God.
(6) ii. 1-iv. 11, the spirit of humility and beneficence are essential
conditions to wisdom, iv. 12-v. 18, wisdom is the highest good in life.
vi. 1-ix. 25, instructions for intercourse with other people, x. 1-xi. 36,
behavior in wealth and poverty, in prosperity and affliction, xii. 1-xiii.
32, prudence in acts of charity and in dealing with the powerful, xiv.
1-xvii. 31, do good in the fear of God, and all will be rewarded, xviii.
1-xxiii. 38, warnings against various sins. xxiv. 1-47, God's wisdom is
a model for man's, xxv. 1-xxvi. 28, instructions on every-day life and
family matters, xxvii. 1-xxxi. 42, instructions regarding anger, revenge,
1 The preface was not written by the author, but by his grandson,
who translated the book into Greek.
THE SACRED BOOKS CONSIDERED SINGLY 353
education and temperance, xxxii. 1-xxxv. 26, instructions for those in
authority, xxxvi. 1-19, may God have mercy on His people, xxxvi. 20-
xlii. 14, behavior towards counselors; in sickness, in death; the wise
man ever seeks to learn, thus he obtains much happiness even amidst the
changing circumstances of life. xlii. 15-xliii. 37, all creation bears wit-
ness to God's power and glory.
(c) xliv., praise of Henoch, Noe, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, xlv.,
of Moses, Aaron and Phinees. xlvi., of Josue and Caleb; of Samuel,
xlvii., of Nathan, David and Solomon, xlviii., of Elias, Eliseus, Ezechias
and Isaias. xlix., of Josias, Jeremias, Ezechiel, Zorobabel and Nehe-
mias. 1., of the high priest Simon.
(d) li., thanksgiving of Jesus Sirach.
Holy Scripture itself, i. e. the earlier books in it, is the chief
source of these instructions. It is suggested in the preface that
the author, after reading and piously meditating upon the sacred
books, had himself derived the benefit of being filled with the
Holy Spirit. Deep study of Scripture led up to inspiration
a hint for all who have to make known the word of God.
The author seems to have read and studied especially the book of
Solomon's Proverbs, for which reason this book also used to be ascribed
to Solomon. This is true in as far as Solomon's wisdom is one of its
chief sources. In the liturgy it is referred to as " Liber sapientise."
3. Language. The book was written originally in Hebrew,
but for a long time the Septuagint had to replace the original,
and the work was known only in translations. That the Greek
is not the original appears from the many Hebraisms that it
contains, and from the frequent parallelism in the parts of the
verses. Saint Jerome says (Prcef. in libros Sal.) that he had
seen the Hebrew text. 1 The fact that a portion of these proverbs
has been preserved in the Talmud is clear proof of their having
been written in Hebrew ; 2 but the Hebrew text was lost, per-
haps because people believed it to have been tampered with, and
it is only recently that a considerable part of it (xxxix. 15-xlix.
II, and some other fragments) has been recovered, so that now
1 Fertur et Panaretos [iravaperos = virtuous] Jesu filii Sirach liber et
alius pseudepigraphus, qui Sapientia Salomonis inscribitur. Quorum
prior em hebraicum reperi; non " Ecclesiasticum," ut apud Latinos, sed
" Parabolas " prcenotatum.
2 The proverbs in the Talmud have been collected and edited by De-
litzsch: Zur Geschichte der judischen Poesie, Leipzig, 1836.
364 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OP THE BIBLE
we have the Book of Sirach in Hebrew, with the exception of
about fifteen chapters and some shorter passages. 1 The Latin
texts of the Itala and the Vulgate are based not upon the
Hebrew, but upon the Greek, as appears from the retention of
many Greek words, such as agonizari, thesaurizare, eucliaris,
acharis, etc. Saint Jerome did not make a Latin translation
of this work, probably because the text of the Septuagint and
the Itala pleased him better than the Hebrew. The Septua-
gint text has suffered in course of time; the Itala was trans-
lated from an earlier and more correct version.
4. Author. The book was composed in Hebrew about the
year 190 by Jesus, son of Sirach, a native of Jerusalem. His
grandson and namesake made a very free translation of it into
Greek about the year 130, in Egypt.
The date may be ascertained in the following way: The author's
grandson says in his preface that in the thirty-eighth year, in the reign
of Ptolemy Euergetes, he came to Egypt, found that the Jews there had
a valuable literature, and determined to add to it a translation of his
grandfather's book. The thirty-eighth year may refer either to the
grandson's age or to the king's reign. Two kings bore the name Euer-
1 "The original Hebrew of a portion of Ecclesiasticus [xxxix. 15-
xlix. 11] together with the early versions and an English translation
. . . edited by Cowley and Neubauer," Oxford, 1897. The other portions
have also been published. Cf. Schechter, " The Wisdom of Ben Sira,
portions of the Book Ecclesiasticus from Hebrew Manuscripts," Cam-
bridge, 1899. The fragments were found in Cairo. Professor Margo-
liouth tried to prove that these discoveries were not parts of a Hebrew
original, but of a translation made in the eleventh century. His theory
was, however, contradicted and disproved by Ed. Konig, in his Orig-
inalitdt des neulich entdeckten hebraischen Sirachtextes, Frbg. i. B.,
1899. The Hebrew text, as far as it has been discovered at present, has
been edited with notes and vocabulary by H. L. Strack (Lpz., 1903, VI,
and 74 pages). It has also been edited with a translation and critical
notes by N. Peters, Frbg., 1902, who brought out in 1905 what is in-
tended to be a supplement to our editions of the Hebrew Bible: Liber
Jesu filii Sirach hebraice secundum codices nuper repertos vocalibus
adornatus addita versione latino, cum glossario hebraico-latino. Edidit
Norbertus Peters," Frib. The Hebrew text with a Latin translation
may be found also at the beginning of Knabenbauer's " Commentary on
Sirach." The fragments show that the Greek translation is very free.
Like Schechter (" The Wisdom of Ben Sira ") , Knabenbauer draws atten-
tion to the fact that Sirach's numerous allusions to all parts of the
book of Psalms make it almost impossible for us to accept the theory
ol Machabeean Psalms.
THE SACRED BOOKS CONSIDERED SINGLY 355
getes, Ptolemy III, 247-222, and Ptolemy VII, also called Physcon, who
ruled at first conjointly with his brother Ptolemy Philometor (170-145)
and afterwards alone (145-117). A further clue is given us by the
mention of Simon, the high priest, the son of Onias, of whom the author
speaks in a way (1. 1-21) that shows he must have known him per-
sonally. There were two high priests named Simon, each being a son of
Onias. Simon I was high priest, 310-291; Simon II., 219-199. The
references in Ecclesiasticus are probably not to Ptolemy III Euergetes,
nor to the first Simon, but to Ptolemy VII Euergetes and the second
Simon. Now Ptolemy VII reigned over thirty-eight years, and the
thirty-eighth year refers, not to the grandson's age, but to the king's
reign, i. e. 132 B. c. It is possible, however, that it may mean the thirty-
eighth year after the book was composed in Hebrew.
In the third and second centuries B. c. Hebrew was no longer com-
monly spoken, but it was known and used by the educated classes. 1
43. THE BOOK OF WISDOM
( Deuterocanonical, 19 chapters)
1. By wisdom (chokma) the Old Testament understands the
insight and knowledge how to act aright, that a man may obtain
by studying divine revelations and especially Holy Scripture
(cf. p. 292). This is the wisdom with which the book of that
name deals. It is an admonition supposed to be addressed by
King Solomon to the rulers of the earth, whom he urges to
cultivate a religious mode of life, rather than to follow the prin-
ciples of false wisdom. In this book there is an unmistakable
reference on the part of the Holy Ghost to the New Testament
revelation, as the author (1) speaks of a just man as the Son
of God, who is hated by the wicked and condemned to a shameful
death (chap, ii.) ; (2) lays stress on the merit of a pure and
perfectly temperate life (chap, iii., iv.) ; and (3) alludes to ever-
lasting rewards and punishments in far plainer terms than the
earlier sacred writers (e. g. iv. 19; v. 16).
2. Divisions. Four sections may be distinguished : (a) i. v. :
General admonition to wisdom : life passed in accordance with the
1 Some people have doubted whether the Jews in Egypt during the
third and second centuries B. c. were numerous enough to have developed
a Graeco- Jewish literature. Schiirer draws attention to an inscription
from Shedia near Alexandria, which proves that a number of syna-
gogues existed in Egypt in the third century. Cf. Revue biblique, 1898,
i. 58.
356 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
faith secures the advantages of quiet and peace on earth, and of
safety at the judgment. (&) vi.-ix. : As the mighty must antici-
pate a stricter examination than others, they should follow Solo-
mon's example, and strive to obtain wisdom, and pray to God
for it. (c) x.-xix. : The advantages of wisdom are shown from
history, as recorded in Holy Scripture, (d) xiii.-xv. : Episode;
condemnation of idolatry as a contrast to wisdom.
i.-iii., the wicked, who mock the righteous, bring ruin upon themselves,
iv., v., the virtuous enjoy inward peace and are justified at the judg-
ment, vi., ye rulers, promote the service of God! a strict trial awaits
yov. vii.-ix., seek, like Solomon, true wisdom, that is most precious
and contains sweet fruits; pray, as I do, for wisdom, x.-xii., in every
age God has protected the wise, and punished the wicked, xiii.-xv., how
foolish is the idolatry of the heathen! xvi.-xix., the heathen Egyptians,
who oppressed the servants of the true God, were grievously afflicted,
but the Israelites found help.
3. Language. The book was composed in Greek, though the
author refers to Hebrew documents. Its composition in Greek
is apparent from the purity of the language and the writer's
familiarity with Greek ways of thought. The frequent parallel-
ism in the verses and the style, savoring of Hebrew, suggest his
having used Hebrew documents.
In i. 14 mention is made of Hades, in xvi. 11 of the river Lethe, in
iv. 2 of the games customary among the Greeks, in xix. of ambrosia, the
food of the gods. Some of the Hebraisms are, e. g., ix. 6, " children of
men," ix. 9, " agreeable to thy eyes."
The old Latin translation and the Peshitto were certainly based on a
Greek original.
4. The Author is unknown. At one time the book was often
ascribed to the Jew Philo, but this theory has long been aban-
doned, for the book is in direct antagonism to Greek philosophy,
which Philo esteemed highly. Moreover, it is never mentioned
in the list of his writings. The Greek title cro^ia 2o\e*tyi(z>, does
not mean that Solomon is to be regarded as the author, but that
the wisdom extolled in the book is found also in Solomon's
writings and is in harmony with the wisdom obtained by this
king from God. 1 It seems certain that the book was written by
1 Hence Saint Jerome says (Prol. in Libr. Sal.) : (liber) pseudepi-
graphus, qui Sapientia Salomonis inscribitur.
THE SACEED BOOKS CONSIDERED SINGLY 357
a Jew in Egypt, as there are several allusions to that country
(the plagues of Egypt, the passage of the Eed Sea, and the
destruction of the Egyptian army).
5. Date. The numerous allusions to the cruelty of the ancient
Egyptians to Israel seem to suggest that the monotheism pro-
fessed by the author and his fellow countrymen displeased the
authorities in Egypt, and that the Jews met with hostility in
consequence. This was the case under King Ptolemy Philopator
( 220-204 J. 1 The book was written during his reign or not long
after. 2
If we consider the OLD TESTAMENT as a whole, we have to acknowledge
that among mankind from the time of Adam, Noe, Abraham and Moses,
a community belonging particularly to God has always existed, sharply
distinguished from the wicked, and kept firm by bonds of justice and fear.
The members of this community have often been hated, despised, perse-
cuted and oppressed, but they could never be completely overcome. Wis-
dom xix. 20, " Thou didst magnify thy people, O Lord, and didst honor
them, and didst not despise them, but didst assist them at all times and
in every place." Destruction and wickedness prevailed not only outside
this race, but often penetrated into it. The faithful servants of God
had a hard task to stand firm, and were often reduced to a very small
number, and these few were frequently devoid of influence, wealth and
power. Beset both from without and from within they besought God's
intervention, God's help and redemption, and they awaited it not merely
for themselves, but for all mankind, for this was the prospect presented to
them in promises and types. Redemption came through JESUS CHRIST.
He transformed the little community into one embracing the whole
world, and in order to facilitate the spread of Christianity God in His
providence had caused the Roman Empire to extend over the world. Now
all mankind possesses the blessing of redemption in the great kingdom
of Christ, where mercy and love reign supreme. John i. 17, "the law
was given by Moses, grace and truth came by Jesus Christ." Before
Christ came man was a servant, now he is a son. These are the tidings
conveyed in the NEW TESTAMENT.
1 Josephus Flavius, Contra Apion, II, 5. The apocryphal third Book
of Machabees, generally to be found at the end of editions of the Septua-
gint, gives a similar account.
2 Lagrange gives the date 145-150 B. c. That date harmonizes with
the author's knowledge of Grseco-Alexandrian philosophy, in opposition
to which he sets the wisdom derived from revelation.
THE BOOKS OF THE NEW
TESTAMENT
1. CLASSIFICATION
THE New Testament Canon may be divided into three parts :
historical, didactic and prophetic. The historical part com-
prises the four Gospels and the Acts of the Apostles ; the didactic
the Epistles written by the apostles, viz. fourteen by Saint Paul
(Romans, first and second Corinthians, first and second Thessa-
lonians, Philippians, Ephesians, Colossians, Galatians, Philemon,
first and second Timothy, Titus, Hebrews), and seven by other
apostles (first and second Peter, first, second and third John,
James, Jude). The only prophetic book of the New Testament
is the Apocalypse of Saint John. There are in all twenty-seven
sacred books.
FIRST SECTION
HISTORICAL BOOKS
A. THE GOSPELS
2. THE GOSPELS IN GENERAL
1. Name. The early Christians gave the name
good tidings, the account of life everlasting, forfeited through
Adam and restored through Christ. The Evangelium, or Gospel,
is therefore the news of the Redemption and the Redeemer,
which the apostles were commissioned by Christ to make known
in all parts of the world. As all our Lord's teaching was oral,
they understood by the gospel oral instruction. The first mean-
ing of the word gospel was therefore the oral preaching of the
apostles, and as, with reference to its contents, this preaching
THE BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT 359
was unanimous, people knew originally of only one gospel. When
the preaching of some of the apostles was written down, men
began to speak of "gospels/' but the various gospels were re-
garded only as various versions of the same good tidings, viz.
of the Redemption by Jesus Christ. One original gospel un-
derlies the four canonical gospels, the first three of which
resemble one another closely, while the fourth supplements
them. Like the written gospels, all the books of the New
Testament are based upon already given oral teaching concern-
ing salvation.
2. Order of the Books. The usual arrangement of the
gospels, in which Matthew always stands first, then Mark and
Luke, and lastly John, occurs in all old translations and in
every list of the canonical books, and in most Greek manu-
scripts. Saint Matthew's Gospel was always believed to be the
first, and Saint John's the latest, in order of composition, so
that the gospels are placed not in any order of merit, but
according to their age.
3. Origin. In examining the gospels and all Holy Scrip-
ture, D. Fr. Strauss and his followers, and especially Renan,
start from the assumption that there are no such things as
miracles or prophecies, and that therefore all accounts of such
are either intentional fictions, or legends, which in course of
time have grown up, as an unhistorical accretion, round an
historical fact. It is often asserted that the gospels, as we
know them, cannot have originated in the first century. The
apostles or their pupils may have perhaps written down a few
statements for their own use, and have left these to their fol-
lowers, but all kinds of additions had been made before these
records passed into use among Christians. 1 F. Chr. Baur (ob.
1860) was willing to believe that intentional falsification and
actual deception had been practiced. At the present time the
Rationalists regard the growth of myths as an important factor.
Harnack is of opinion that Christ's personality made so great
an impression upon His disciples, and awakened such enthu-
siasm in them, that they imputed to him fictitious miracles
1 Modern criticism is busily engaged in discovering such " additions,"
" misunderstandings " and " interpolations " in almost every chapter.
360 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
and prophecies. Jiilicher, B. Weiss, Pfleiderer and others pro-
fess similar views.
All these assertions may be disproved (a) by internal evi-
dence, i. e. by the nature of the gospels; (&) by external evidence,
i.e. by documents from the earliest times of Christianity; (c)
by the history of the text; (d) by the history of the earliest
Christian communities.
(a) Internal Evidence. The Greek of the gospels, abounding
in Hebraisms, suggests that they were the work of Greek-speak-
ing Jews; the intimate acquaintance displayed with the geog-
raphy of the Holy Land indicates that the .writers were natives
of Palestine; their knowledge of the history of Palestine in the
first century shows that they were contemporaries of Christ and
the apostles.
Linguistic evidence. Hebrew is on the whole a poor language, and
this poverty reveals itself in the Greek New Testament. If Greek writers
in the second century had composed the gospels, they would have used
many expressions drawn from the wealth of the Greek vocabulary, where
the meager Hebrew makes the meaning obscure. For instance, instead
of " to see life," they would have said " to enjoy life " ; instead of " love
or hate a master/' they would have said " prefer " ; where we find
" heart," they would often have written " conscience " ; and where we
read " flesh," they would have put " body." Only two authors of books
in the New Testament have a less Hebrew and more Greek coloring;
they are Saint Paul and Saint Luke, both of them born outside Palestine.
Geographical evidence. After the year 70 A. D. Palestine was practi-
cally a wilderness. Fifty towns and nearly one thousand other places
were completely destroyed. A writer living a century later would not
have been able to give with so much accuracy the names of so many
places, their distances and other geographical data.
Historical evidence. Four kings named Herod are mentioned in the
New Testament: Herod I, the Great; Herod Antipas; Herod Agrippa I,
and Herod Agrippa II. Nowhere in the gospels, or in the New Testa-
ment as a whole, is there any mistake in the history of these rulers. It
would have been impossible for a writer of not much education, and
living a century later, to describe the events of their reigns so correctly
as is done in the New Testament. After the death of Herod the Great,
Palestine was divided into tetrarchies. The evangelists know this. In
Luke iii. we hear not of the tetrarch Archelaus, but of the procurator
Pontius Pilate; the author knows therefore that Archelaus was deposed,
a fact which a later writer might hardly have remembered. Salome's
dance after the banquet might cause surprise, as in the Holy Land
women were excluded from such festivities, but just at that time dances
were common at the conclusion of a meal, as we learn from Suetonius
(Caligula, c. 57; Nero, c. 54). Herod and his courtiers belonged to
THE BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT 361
the " best " Roman society. In the gospels the inhabitants of Palestine,
the relation borne by the Jews to the Samaritans, and the Jewish sects
are depicted exactly, as we know from other sources, as they were in the
first century. An author writing a hundred years after the time of our
Lord would certainly have blundered. The tribute in the Temple was
at that time still required to be paid in Jewish coinage, although Greek
and Roman money was current all over the country. A later author
would not have been likely to know this.
In Matt. xx. 2, a denarius is mentioned as the pay of a day laborer.
In the time of Augustus this was the ordinary sum, but later the value
of money decreased until in 300 A. D. 25 denarii were a day's wages.
Hug expresses himself in similar terms on the subject of this inter-
nal evidence; he asks if any one unexpectedly discovered the historical
books of the New Testament without previously knowing anything about
them, and if, being equipped with the necessary training, he opened them,
what opinion would he form of their origin, age and authorship? He
would say : " They are written in Greek, in fact in a degenerate sort of
Greek that is very suggestive of Hebrew. We seem forced to think that
the authors were Greek-speaking Jews. They are written with no regard
to elegance of style; the authors must have been common people, who
show no sign of education or literary training beyond having read some
Jewish books. The Jewish State is everywhere represented as still ex-
isting. The story is told in such a way as to prove the authors to have
seen and heard the things that they record. . . . Throughout we can
perceive a very precise .knowledge of facts and perfect familiarity with
the period to which the life of Christ belongs; such knowledge can be
expected only of contemporaries. . . . The more we examine the gospel
story in detail, the more do we find revealed what we know from other
sources respecting the character of the Pharisees, Sadducees and Samari-
tans, and the Roman system of farming taxes, with all its attendant op-
pression. Reference is made to Greek and Roman coins as well as to
early Jewish money."
(b) External Evidence. The assertion that no proof of the
existence of the gospels before the year 150 can be found is
now seldom heard. It is acknowledged that they must have been
written, in the form in which we have them, before the year HO. 1
Ignatius, Polycarp and other apostolic fathers not only quote
passages from the gospels, 2 but Justin Martyr, in his first
"Apology," 3 written about 150, refers expressly (chapter 67)
1 Jiilicher supposes that Christ's words and deeds were handed down
orally between the years 30 and 60; that the synoptic gospels were
written between 60 and 100; the fourth gospel is not the work of an
eyewitness, but was composed after 100 A.D., in accordance with a defi-
nite design.
2 For details, see the separate gospels.
8 J. A. Cramer tries to show that various extraneous additions have
been made to this apology, and that especially chapter 67 is not genu-
362 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
to the "memoirs of the apostles, that are called gospels," and
states that they were read aloud regularly at public worship.
According to this author, therefore, the Christians used these
gospels constantly, and knew their contents well, so that it
would have been impossible to alter and falsify them, or to set
new or forged gospels in circulation.
Not long ago the " Apology " of a Greek philosopher named
Aristides was discovered. 1 According to Eusebius (Hist. EccL,
IV, iii. 3, Chron. ad ann. 2140), this "Apology" was dedicated
to the Emperor Hadrian (117-138), but most likely it was to his
successor Antoninus Pius (138-161). In it (II, 6, 7) Aristides
writes thus: "Jesus the Messias is called the Son of the Most
High God, and it is said that He came down from heaven
through the Holy Ghost, took and put on flesh from a Hebrew
maiden, and the Son of God dwelt in the daughter of man. This
is taught in what they [the Christians] term the Gospel, which
was preached not long ago, and if you read it, you will recognize
the force that there is in it."
Tatian's Harmony of the Gospels, called SiaTea-crdp&v,, is a
proof that in 170 the four gospels not only existed, but had long
been recognized as sacred books. 2 Still older is the Syriac trans-
lation of the gospels contained in the Lewis Codex, that was
discovered in 1892 (supra, p. 245).
(c) History of the Text. The oldest texts of the Bible that
have come down to us, Greek, Latin, Syriac, etc., all show un-
mistakable traces of being based upon older documents, some
of which must have been earlier than the second century.
Tischendorf has proved this in his work: Wann wurden unsere
Evangelien verfasst? Leipzig, fourth edition, 1880.
(d) The Earliest Communities. At the beginning of the
second century the Christians were not isolated individuals, left
to look after themselves, but they lived in well-organized commu-
ine. Even if this were the case, it would still be true that Justin men-
tions facts in our Lord's life recorded by the synoptic writers, and that
he speaks of the Logos in terms suggestive of Saint John.
1 Seeberg is of opinion that this "Apology" was not written until
140, and was dedicated therefore to Antoninus Pius.
2 Ciasca, Evangeliorum harmonic? arabice et latine, Romse, 1888. See
p. 210.
THE BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT 363
nities, under rules and teachers,, who protected them from all
dangers to their faith. This appears from the epistles of the
apostles, which are universally received as genuine, and from the
writings of the Apostolic Fathers. According to these docu-
ments, innovations in matters affecting the faith were regarded
with suspicion and accepted with the greatest caution among the
Christian communities. Forged epistles and forged gospels could
not find admission or credence among them. Marcion, who
wished to alter Saint Luke's Gospel in 142, met with the keenest
opposition, as we learn from Tertullian's work Adv. Marcion.
In answer to this testimony nothing can be alleged against the histori-
cal character of the gospels, except that, "at the present time, the accounts
of our Lord's miracles are not adapted to secure for Him any special
importance, as all depends upon what He taught rather than upon what
He did. The miracles therefore, as owing their origin merely to the
' enthusiasm ' of the disciples, would have to be eliminated from the
gospels (Harnack). In particular the virgin birth of Christ, the inter-
vention of angels during His childhood, the Temptation, all the miracles
of His active life, and the Resurrection . . . must be regarded as late
interpolations in the account of His presumably Messianic work." There
is, however, no proof at all that the miracles are fictitious.
4. The accounts of the four evangelists may best be harmon-
ized, and a lifelike picture of our Saviour can best be produced,
if we take as our basis the fourth gospel and four paschal festi-
vals during His public life (John ii. 13; v. 1; vi. 4; xi. 55),
and fit into this framework first Saint Luke's account, for he
says (i. 1) that he states events in chronological order, and
then those of Saint Matthew and Saint Mark. Saint Matthew
often departs from the chronological order, for he had another
object in writing (see page 365).
Both in ancient and modern times attempts have been made to show
that the public life of Christ lasted only one year. 1
Reasons for this theory, ( 1 ) In Isaias' prophecy, Ixi. 2, one year and
one day are mentioned. The prophet, speaking as a type of the Messias,
1 J. van Bebber. His views were accepted fully by J. E. Belser. E.
Nagl showed that no tradition from apostolic times exists, but that from
Holy Scripture it is extremely probable that our Lord's active life
lasted three years. L. Fendt believes that the active life lasted only one
year, but he does not state this as a definite conclusion. J. B. Zellinger
thinks that it must be assumed to have lasted two years.
364 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
says: "He hath sent me ... to proclaim the acceptable year of the
Lord [reference to the year of Jubilee] and the day of vengeance [day
of judgment]." In Luke iv. 19 our Lord quotes this passage and applies
it to Himself. He says (John viii. 56) : "Abraham . . . rejoiced that
he might see my day." ( John xi. 9 ) : " Are there not twelve hours of
the day? " (John ix. 4) : "I must work . . . whilst it is day." Caiphas
is spoken of as " the high priest that year" (John xi. 49), i. e. the year
of our Lord's active life.
In support of this theory it is said that we hear of only two Paschs in
our Lord's public life (John ii. 13 and xi. 55). In John v. i., where we
read : " After these things was a festival day of the Jews, and Jesus went
up to Jerusalem," the festival may have been Purim or Pentecost. In
John vi. 4 the words rb irciffxa are believed to be an interpolation. These
assumptions are not, however, well founded. ( 1 ) In John v. 1 we must
understand the Pasch, because shortly before ( iv. 35 ) we read that there
were still four months to harvest, which began with the Pasch. The
words rb iraffxa are found in John vi. 4 in all old manuscripts and trans-
lations, and the Codex Sin. Syr. that belongs to the first half of the
second century has " the feast of the unleavened " in this place.
( 2 ) If the literal meaning of " year " or " day " is to be pressed, we
may with equal right refer to our Lord's words in Luke xiii. 7 : " For
these three years I come seeking fruit on this fig-tree," i. e. on the people
of Israel. Cf. also Luke xiii. 32 : " to-day and to-morrow and the third
day."
(3) It seems impossible that all the events recorded in the four gospels
took place in one year. The apostles must have been gradually led to
understand the dignity of our Lord Himself and His kingdom. He often
complained of the weakness of their faith and the dullness of their minds,
and if He had been crucified so soon after His first appearance, His dis-
ciples would probably have lost faith in Him; the world would not have
been transformed and Judaism and heathendom overthrown by their
preaching. If only one gospel existed, it might be possible to regard
one year as covering the whole of our Lord's active life, but taking
them collectively, they contain so much that a longer period is plainly
necessary.
(4) Knabenbauer aptly refers to our Lord's words in Matt, xxiii. 37:
"Jerusalem, . . . how often would I have gathered together thy chil-
dren, . . . and thou wouldest not?" According to Belser our Lord
spent no more than eight days in all at Jerusalem.
An appeal is made sometimes to the views of early Christian writers.
Belser says : " The Fathers and authors of the ancient Church almost
without exception believe that Christ's activity lasted only one year."
This opinion, however, was by no means universal. It was received by
the followers of Valentinus, but they were opposed by Irenaeus, one of the
earliest witnesses, being a pupil of Poly carp, Saint John's disciple (Iren.,
Adv. Hcer., II, xxii. 3). Theodoretus of Cyrus (in Dan. ix.) refers to the
Messianic prophecy of the seventy weeks of years, after which redemption
is to come. The allusion to the half week of years, which led up to the
Redeemer's death, is decisive in favor of our Lord's active life having
lasted three and a half years. " From Saint John's Gospel it appears
THE BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT 365
that the Lord spent three years and a half in preaching, in instructing
the disciples and strengthening their faith by miracles, and then He
suffered." Eusebius (Demonstr. Ev. Lib., 8) appeals to "the tradition
that the period of teaching and miracles in our Redeemer's life lasted
three and a half years, for this is half a week of years, and this is
apparent especially in Saint John's Gospel."
The Gospel according to Saint Matthew
(28 chapters)
3. CONTENTS, PURPOSE AND ARRANGEMENT
The first volume contains three parts: (1) Our Lord's child-
hood, (2) His life and miracles in Galilee, (3) His Passion and
Death.
In the introduction (chapter i., ii.) an account is given of the child-
hood of Christ (Genealogy, the Magi, Flight into Egypt, Massacre of
the Innocents, Return). The author then passes on to Christ's public
life ( iii.-xviii. ) , the preparation for which were His baptism and temp-
tation (iii.). He describes Christ's first appearance in public, his pre-
liminary choice of apostles ( iv. ) , and the Sermon on the Mount ( v.-vii. ) .
Some miracles of healing, and the raising of Jairus' daughter are re-
corded (viii., ix.), and the experimental sending out of the apostles (x.).
Chapters xi. and xii. deal with Christ's relations with John the Baptist
and with the Pharisees, chapter xiii. contains parables about the new
kingdom of God. The next three chapters, xiv.-xvi., contain the instruc-
tions given to the apostles, who are to be the rulers of the new Mes-
sianic kingdom (feeding of five thousand, walking on the sea, eating
with unwashed hands, the Chanaanite woman, miracles of healing, second
feeding of a multitude, request for a sign, Saint Peter's confession).
In chapters xvii. and xviii. Christ is gradually preparing the disciples for
the necessity of His death (prophecy regarding it, transfiguration, the
lunatic boy, second prophecy of his death, teaching about humility and
scandal). The history of Christ's sufferings now begins. Chapters xix.
and xx., journey to Judea and the teaching given on the way (marriage,
the rich young man, workers in the vineyard, third prophecy of the passion,
Salome's request ) . Chapters xxi.-xxv., entry into Jerusalem, dispute with
the Pharisees, parables containing warnings (wise and foolish virgins,
talents), teaching concerning the judgment. The last three chapters
(xxvi.-xxviii.) record the institution of the Eucharist, the Passion,
Death and Resurrection of Christ.
In the arrangement of his materials the evangelist had a
particular aim in view, viz. to adapt his book to serve Jews
by birth as proof of Christ's being the Messias. It is obviously
366 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OP THE BIBLE
intended for people well acquainted with the Old Testament, and
for this reason it refers frequently to the Old Testament prophe-
cies and types, pointing out how they have been fulfilled in
Christ. 1 The author has to some extent sacrificed chronological
order to his desire to display Christ as the Messias, long foretold
but rejected by the ruling class among the Jews. He says very
little about our Lord's work in Judea, where the influence of the
Synedrium prevented Him from being welcomed, and where He
found few followers. But we have a full account of His successful
Messianic activity in Galilee, which had been foretold by Isaias, ix.
1, etc. This was insulting to the capital and the Temple, and to
the Jewish priesthood, which, being blinded by pride, anticipated
not a poor but a politically powerful Messias, who should estab-
lish the throne of David in Jerusalem. To shame the unbelief
of these men the Messias withdrew almost completely from the
capital, and only went thither to die, on the throne of the Cross.
Most of His followers were Galileans; the writer of the gospel
had probably preached in Galilee, and composed it primarily for
Galileans. Traditon declares the author to have been Saint
Matthew the apostle.
4. SAINT MATTHEW THE APOSTLE
Before our Saviour took him as a companion, Matthew had
been a tax collector at Capharnaum on the Lake of Genesareth,
and was probably very wealthy (Luke v. 27). His name is the
seventh in the lists of apostles given in Mark iii. and Luke vi.,
but it is the eighth in the first gospel (x.), as there that of Saint
Thomas precedes it. His call is recorded in the first three
gospels (Matt, ix., Mark ii., Luke v.), but in Mark and Luke
the name of the man called is given as Levi, son of Alpheus,
whilst it is given as Matthew only in the first. As all the cir-
cumstances are identical in the three accounts, we cannot doubt
that Matthew is the same person as Levi. After his call, in his
joy and gratitude, Levi may have changed his name to Matthew
(i. e. probably "gift of God"). It was not unusual for Jews to
1 Cf. i. 23-ii. 15, 23-iv. 14-viii. 17-xiii. 14. Especially in the account
of the Passion, xxi. 4-xxvi. 24, 54, 56-xxvii. 9, 35.
THE BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT 367
change their names. The New Testament tells us nothing as
to his later history. According to tradition he was engaged
for twelve years in preaching the gospel to his countrymen in
Judea, 1 and then went on to the Gentiles. He is believed to
have been particularly active in Ethiopia, as the Koman Breviary
states; and he is said to have suffered martyrdom there. 2
5. AUTHENTICITY OF THE GOSPEL
If traces of the author be sought in the gospel itself (in-
ternal evidence), they will be found to be very slight and not
perfectly certain. It is striking that in the list of apostles in
chapter x. the humiliating designation of " publican" follows
the name of Matthew; also that in this list Matthew is the
eighth name., whereas it is the seventh in Mark and Luke.
Moreover, Mark and Luke both record the great feast given to
our Lord and His friends by the publican after his call, whereas
in the first gospel the feast is mentioned only incidentally, and
the giver of it is not named. The inference is that the writer
of the gospel put himself in the background from motives of
humility and modesty.
External evidence is much stronger.
(a) Papias (75-150), a disciple of Saint John the Apostle,
and bishop of Hierapolis in Phrygia, says that Matthew wrote
a history of Christ in Hebrew: Margate? IJLCV ovv effpai'Si,
Sia\KT<t) TO, \oyca rov KVpiov ffweypd^aTO, qpfjujvevae Se avra
a>5 TJV SvvaTos etfaoro?. 8
(&) In the same way Irenseus (Adv. Hcer., Ill, I). 4 Clement
1 Euseb., Hist. Eccl, V, 18.
2 By Ethiopia we should probably understand a district in what is
now Armenia.
3 Euseb., Hist. Eccl, III, 39. The work of Papias (\oyiwv KvpiaKtiv
efry-flffeis) is no longer extant. The last words of the quotation refer
to Gentile Christian readers.
* Irenseus, a native of Asia Minor, was a disciple of Saint John's
follower Polycarp. He was bishop of Lugdunum (Lyons) in Gaul from
177 to 202, the year of his death. He says: '0 ptv ST) Martfatoj fr rots
"Eftpalois r$ ISla avr&v 8ta\fKry ypa^ty tt-fyeyKev evayyeXlov rov Rtrpov Kal rov
Hav\ov v 'Pc^/ifl evayyeXifofjifrbiv Kal BefMcXtovvruv TT\V KK\Tjfflav. Merct 5 rty
rovruv ZJ-odov MC/J/COS, 6 fJiad'irrTjs nal tyft-qvevTr)? Utrpov, Kal avrbs ra vtrb Utrpov
368 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
of Alexandria (Strom,., I, 21), Origen (ap. Euseb., Hist. Eccl.,
VI, 25) and Tertullian (De Came Christi, 22), all mention
Matthew as the author of a gospel.
(c) Quotations from the first gospel occur in still earlier
writers. Ignatius (Ad E plies., XIX) speaks of the appearance
of the star at the coming of the Magi, and this is recorded
nowhere but in Matthew ii. Polycarp (Ep., c. 2) quotes from
the Sermon on the Mount (Matt, v.-viii.). Justinus (Dial.,
100) says emphatically that Saint Peter's confession (Matt.
xvi. 16) exists in writing, thus referring to a book recognized
as sacred. Very many quotations, chiefly from the Sermon
on the Mount, occur in the Didache or teaching of the apostles,
compiled in the first century (cf. supra, p. 210).
(d) The earliest heretics, too, 1 especially the gnostics Basil-
ides and Valentine, who lived in the first half of the second
century, quote passages from this gospel.
(e) It is quoted also by Celsus, a pagan and bitter opponent
of Christianity, who lived in the second century under Marcus
Aurelius. His attack upon Saint Matthew's Gospel shows that
it was recognized by the Christians as a canonical book. 2
6. OBJECTIONS
It is only since 1824 that the authenticity of the first gospel
has been denied. The allegations against it are:
1. That the gospel contains what is legendary, composed
with reference to passages in the Old Testament, e. g. ii. 1-1 8, 3
K7]pvff(T6fj,va. yypd<pd)$ ijfuv irapd(i)Kev, Aou/cas 5, 6 d,KO\ov8bs IlaiJXou, rb inr 1 tuflvov
Kr)pvff<r6fj.evoi> evayytXiov tv fiifiXLy Kartdero ( apud Euseb., Hist. EccL, V, X. 3 ) .
1 Tanta autem est circa evangelia hcec firmitas, ut et ipsi hceretici
testimonium reddant eis. Irenseus, Adv. Hcer., Ill, xi. 7.
2 This writer is known only from Origen's eight books against him.
The conviction of the apostolic origin of this gospel must have been so
deeply rooted in ancient times that even so malicious and crafty an
antagonist as Celsus did not dare to deny its authenticity, but used its
contents in his polemic against the Christians. It would have been
both simpler and more effective to say that the sacred books of the
Christians were not genuine, if he had been in a position to point out
any falsification or deception in them.
8 According to one critic the story of the Magi is mythical, and has
been developed out of a journey made in 66 B. c. by Tiridates, an Asiatic,
THE BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT 369
xxi. 5 (cf. Zach. ix. 9), xxvii. 9 (cf. Jer. xxxii. 6, xviii. 2,
etc.; Zach. xi. 12), and is moreover not written in so detailed
and vivid a style as we should expect from an eyewitness.
These are arbitrary assertions, without any solid foundation.
The statement that the stories are fabulous and purely imagi-
nary could have weight only if the impossibility of miracles
and prophecies could be proved. The other assertion, that an
eyewitness would have written otherwise, appears groundless
when we bear in mind the purpose and task of the evangelist,
who did not aim at being an historian so much as at proving
Christ to be the Messias, and who systematically kept that end
in view.
2. "All positive evidence of the authenticity of Saint
Matthew's Gospel is based upon the testimony of Papias. This
is untrustworthy, because, according to Eusebius (Hist. Eccl.,
Ill, 40), Papias was a very simple man, who probably let
himself be deceived by heretical Jewish Christians, if they
showed him a Hebrew book and said it was the gospel of
Saint Matthew. Moreover, his words do not refer to our
gospel, but only to a collection of Christ's sayings ( \oyia ) ." x
In answer we may say (a) that Papias' testimony is by no
means the only statement in support of later evidence. Irenaeus
says more than Papias, for he implies that Matthew wrote his
gospel in Palestine, whilst Peter and Paul, the chief apostles,
were preaching in Koine, so that their gospels originated in
that city. Origen never mentions Papias, and seems to have
had no knowledge of his writings; he appeals for confirma-
tion of his statements, not to Papias, but to tradition "&>? ev
(b) It is true that Eusebius (Hist. Eccl., Ill, 40) describes
Papias as a-^dSpa cr/ju/cpbs TOP vovv, but this unfavorable
opinion refers not to his character and trustworthiness, but
to his Chiliastic views. A man who was a bishop and a pupil
of the apostles must have had common sense enough not to
to Rome, to visit the Emperor Nero. Dio Cassius gives an account of it
in Book Ixiii. 1-7. He came with a large escort and did homage to Nero.
But how different are the two stories!
1 Thus Schleiermacher, Harnack and others.
370 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLR
have allowed himself simply to be deceived in a matter where
the most superficial investigation would have sufficed to reveal
the truth.
(c) The word \6yta does not necessarily mean a mere col-
lection of speeches. This is plain from Papias, who says that
Saint Mark wrote down the words and deeds of Christ, and
that his record 1 is called /cvpiaicol \dyoi. 2 Moreover, Papias
named his own book \oyicov icvpiaicwv egrjyija-eis, although it
must have contained accounts of events as well as speeches.
Finally the Fathers of the Church even later often allude to
Holy Scripture, and especially to the gospels, as \6yia rov
Kvpiov* just as we still occasionally speak of the gospels as
the Word of God, for they contain more speeches and instruc-
tions than records of events. 4
7. HEADERS
Saint Matthew wrote his gospel primarily for Northern
Palestine, where our Lord had been particularly active, and
secondarily for the communities of Jewish Christians through-
out Palestine. This may be inferred partially from the con-
tents. The author deems it unnecessary to give his readers
any information regarding the geography, the provincial pecu-
liarities, the manners and customs of the Jews, although the
other evangelists tell us a good deal on these points (e. g.
Mark v. 41, vii. 3; Luke i. 26, vi. 4; John ii. 6, xi. 18).
1 Corresponding to the Hebrew word dabar, which designates both
the word and the subject-matter. Cf. dibre hajjamim = chronicles.
3 Euseb., Hist. EccL, III, 39.
3 Clem. Rom., Ep. I ad Cor., 53.
4 In 1897 it was reported that Papias' important work on the " Say-
ings of Jesus " had been recovered in the course of excavations in
Egypt. This was a mistake. All that was found was one sheet of papy-
rus measuring about 6 inches by 3*4 inches, and containing six phrases
very like those recorded in the canonical gospels. It dates probably
from the beginning of the third century and so can have nothing to do
with Papias. The discoverers (Grenfell and Hunt) published their find
in a little work with the title: A6yia J Ifl<rov, " Sayings of our Lord," Lon-
don, 1897 (see supra, p. 239). In 1904 the same scholars discovered some
further \6yia at Oxyrhynchus, which they published as " New Sayings of
Jesus," London (Bibl. Ztschr., 1905, pp. 176, 222).
PALESTINE,
IN THE TIME OF CHRIST.
Bullish Miles
.ar^ SJ"Wto>) Bi 1
' ; "
THE BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT 371
The frequent references to the Old Testament, that have al-
ready been mentioned, show that the writer assumed his readers
to be well acquainted with it. In the first gospel there are
over seventy quotations from it, more than in the other three
together, and the quotations are not merely from the Greek,
but they often show a special rendering of the Hebrew text
(e.g. iv. 15, 16; cf. Is. viii. 23, ix. 1). The other evangelists
use the Septuagint exclusively. The gospel gives altogether
the impression of being a work intended for Jews, or rather
Jewish Christians. External evidence adds certainty to this
supposition. Eusebius (Hist. Eccl., Ill, 24) states that Saint
Matthew, having labored long amongst his fellow countrymen
in Palestine, determined to go to other nations, but before
leaving the Jews, he wrote down for them his gospel, i. e. the
tidings that he had preached regarding the Messias, to make
what compensation he could for his absence. 1 Saint Jerome
(De Vir. Illustr., Ill) says that Saint Matthew, first in the
land of the Jews, wrote the gospel of Christ for the Jews
who had accepted the faith. Similar statements occur in the
earlier writers: Irenaeus, 2 Origen, 3 Tertullian, Gregory Nazian-
zen and John Chrysostom. 4
8. LANGUAGE
Saint Matthew wrote his gospel in the language commonly
spoken in Palestine at that time, viz. in the Chaldee or Aramaic
dialect, which is called Hebrew in the New Testament. Just
as the Targumim were necessary in the case of the Old Tes-
tament, so an Aramaic text was indispensable when the gospel
had to be read at public worship. This fact has been much
1 Marflcuos . . . irpdrepov 'Efipalois Kijptij-as, ws ^eXAe? nal e<p' rpovs itvai,
htbrrr] ypcupT) Trapadobs rb /car' avrbv evayytXiov rb \eiirov rrj aurov
irapovffiq. Totfrots, a<j> Siv ^<rrAXeTO, dia TTJS ypa<f>TJs dveirX^pov.
2 Adv. Hcer., Ill, i. 1. "Matthew published among the Hebrews an
evangelical work in their language. Cf. supra, p. 367.
3 According to Eusebius (Hist. Eccl., VI, xxv. 4) Origin said that this
gospel was written for the Jewish Christians (rots airb TOV 'Ioi/5aib>ioO
* For the precise words of each writer see Reithmayr, Einl. in d.
N. T., 353, etc.
372 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
questioned in recent times, especially by Protestants. Erasmus
of Rotterdam was the first to deny it and to pronounce the
Greek to be the original. L. Hug is of the same opinion, es-
pecially because Greek was well understood in Palestine. But
all the evidence of Christian antiquity is unanimous in stating
that the original of Saint Matthew's Gospel was in Hebrew. 1
Papias learnt it from John the Presbyter in Ephesus (Euseb.,
Hist. Eccl., III, 39) ; Irenseus and Origen say the same (see
supra, page 367). Eusebius gives the further information
(Hist. Eccl., V, 10) that Pantasnus, head of the school of
catechists at Alexandria (179-212), had found the Hebrew
original of Saint Matthew's Gospel in India, i. e. in the eastern
part of Arabia. Important evidence in support of the truth
of these statements is furnished by the fact that the Jewish
Christians certainly possessed a Hebrew gospel, called Evange-
lium ad Hebrceos. Some of the remaining fragments of it bear
considerable resemblance to our gospel, but it appears to have
been shorter. 2 The Hebrew original has perished, and the Church
knows Saint Matthew's Gospel only in Greek. No certain an-
swer can be given to the question who translated the Hebrew
into Greek. Ancient writers were at a loss on this subject and
acknowledged their ignorance. 3 Some think that not only the
original but also the translation ought to be ascribed to Saint
Matthew; others say Saint Mark; and Saint James the Less,
bishop of Jerusalem, and Saint John the Apostle might also
1 Kaulen and Schegg are inclined to think that it was in ancient
Hebrew, and Resch agrees with them (Gebh. u. Harnack, Texte u. Unt.,
X, i., p. 107). Comely believes it was in, Aramaic. In the words "TTJ
Idia aiiT&v SiaXe'/cro; " Irenseus is probably referring to the Aramaic dialect,
as Eusebius by the expression " irarpiw yXurry."
2 We may suppose this gospel to have the first written record of the
teaching that the apostles agreed to give in preaching salvation. A
tax collector would certainly be able to write well, and so he was em-
ployed by Saint Peter and the other apostles to reduce it to writing.
The synoptic gospels are an expansion of this teaching adapted to suit
the various requirements of Jews, Romans and Greeks. Cf. infra, p. 390.
8 Saint Jerome (Catalogus Script. Eccl., c. 3), Matthasus, qui et
Levi, ex publicano apostolus primus in Judcea, propter eos, qui ex cir-
cumcisione crediderant, evangelium Christi hebraicis literis verbisque
composuit: quod quis posted in grcecum transtulerit, non satis certum
est.
THE BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT 373
be suggested as possible translators. But whoever translated
it, it is certain that the Greek text of the first gospel has
always been recognized in the Church as a faithful rendering
of Saint Matthew's record, whilst the probably shorter Hebrew
original ceased to be regarded as canonical, for the reason that
it had suffered alterations at the hands of heretical Jewish
Christians. As to the date of the translation, we know that
it was made in the time of the apostles, because the apostolic
fathers quote the Greek text, and Papias alludes to a trans-
lation, saying that originally each one interpreted the Hebrew
text for himself as best he could. 1
9. PLACE AND DATE OF COMPOSITION
From what has been said, we learn that Saint Matthew's
Gospel was written in the Holy Land, perhaps in Capharnaum,
where he had been employed as a publican. With regard to
the date, we know that, according to all ancient writers, Saint
Matthew was the first of the Evangelists to compose his work. 2
He cannot have done so, however, until several years had
elapsed after our Lord's Ascension, for in xxvii. 8 he says:
" That field was called Haceldama, that is, the field of blood,
even to this day." And again in xxviii. 15 (the report that
the disciples had stolen our Lord's body) "was spread abroad
among the Jews even unto this day." At the same time he
must have written before 70 A.D., for the Jewish State is every-
where described as still existing. To arrive at a more pre-
cise date, we may refer to Eusebius, who says (see supra, p. 371)
that Saint Matthew wrote before going into foreign lands to
preach to the Gentiles. If he taught in Palestine from eight to
fifteen years, 3 he may have composed his gospel soon after the
year 40. Eusebius (Chron. a. 41) gives the year 41 as the date,
and so do other Greek authors.
1 Belser believes that the translation was made about the year 70.
3 Orig. ap. Euseb., Hist. EccL, V, 10; Eusebius himself, Hier. Catal.
Scr. EccL, c. 3.
8 Ancient authorities differ as much as this with regard to the dura-
tion of his work in Palestine.
374 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
This does not agree with the statement made by Irenaeus (Adv. Hcer.,
Ill, 1, see p. 367), who says that Saint Matthew wrote his gospel whilst
Saint Peter and Saint Paul were preaching at Rome. If this were cor-
rect, the date of composition would be after 60 A. D., as Saint Paul did
not go to Rome earlier. 1
It seems likely that when Irenaeus wrote these words, he did not in-
tend to fix a date, but simply to state that the first gospel originated
in the parent community in Palestine, and not like the second and third
gospels, in Rome. 2
The Gospel According to Saint Marie
(16 chapters)
10. CONTENTS AND AUTHOR
The keynote is struck at the beginning of the book (i. 1-15),
Jesus Christ, the Son of God, proclaimed at His baptism,
founds the Messianic kingdom. (1) i. 16-viii. 30, Through
His work in Galilee Christ proves Himself to be the Messias
and Son of God. (2) viii. 31-xiii. 37, Instructions .given to
the apostles, men chosen from among the people, to introduce
them to their special duties. (3) xiv.-xvi., Passion, Death and
Eesurrection of Christ. (Comely gives a similar division of the
book.)
More detailed examination, i. John the Baptist appears as the fore-
runner of the Messias, foretold by the prophets; the Messias Himself,
Jesus of Nazareth, at once comes to the Jordan for baptism. It is fol-
lowed by His fasting and temptation, and then His Messianic activity
begins with the call of some disciples. Healing of one possessed by a
devil, of Peter's mother-in-law, and of many sick persons, including a
leper, ii. Cure of a paralytic, call of Levi, the disciples pluck ears of
corn. iii. The man with the withered hand. Pharisees and Herodians
oppose Jesus. Choice of the apostles. His enemies declare Him to be
possessed. His mother and brethren, iv. Parables of the seed, the sower
and the grain of mustard seed. Calming of a storm at sea. v. Cure of
1 A. Schafer and Schanz accept this date on the authority of the
passage in Irenaeus, and believe that the Jewish Christians were in
danger, as the Epistle to the Hebrews shows. No suggestion of it can
be found in the gospel, however, though the epistle is plain enough on
the subject.
2 Kaulen suggests that the name of Saint Paul, the Apostle of the
Gentiles, crept into the text of Irenseus through a copyist's error, and
that he really mentioned only the foundation of the Church at Rome by
Saint Peter about the year 42. Cf. note on page 379, infra.
THE BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT 375
a demoniac on the other side of the lake. Jairus* daughter and the
woman with the issue of blood, vi. Unsuccessful preaching in Nazareth.
Mission of the Twelve. Herod's alarm. Miraculous feeding of the people.
Walking on the sea. vii. Eating with unwashed hands. Dispute with
the Pharisees. The Chanaanite woman. Cure of a deaf mute. viii.
Feeding of four thousand persons. Cure of a blind man. Saint Peter's
confession. Christ foretells His death, ix. Transfiguration. Cure of a
boy. Strife for precedence among the disciples, x. Instruction regard-
ing marriage. Blessing of children. The rich young man. Another
prophecy of death. Request made by two apostles. Cure of a blind man
in Jericho, xi. Entry into Jerusalem. Buyers and sellers in the Temple,
xii., xiii. Conflicts with the ruling parties. Allusions to the rejection
of the Jews, the destruction of Jerusalem, and the end of the world,
xiv. The Paschal Supper. Agony on the Mount of Olives. Seizure by
the Jews. Denial by Peter, xv. Scourging. Crucifixion. Death and
burial, xvi. Resurrection. Ascension into Heaven.
Who was the author of this book? According to tradition
it was Mark; but who was he? He is not to be found in the
lists of the apostles, but if his work is to possess the apostolic
authority, he must have been very closely connected with them.
Among the assistants of the first preachers of the faith, we
often 1 hear of a man named Mark or John Mark, belonging
to a family of Levites in Jerusalem. Mark is a Eoman praeno-
men that he assumed, and gradually, as he came much in con-
tact with Latins, it took the place of his national name John,
although the latter was not quite forgotten. His mother's
name was Mary (Acts xii. 12), and his uncle was Joseph, the
Levite (Col. iv. 10), who, on account of his wonderful elo-
quence in preaching the faith, received the name of Barnabas,
i. e. son of consolation or prophecy ; bar nebua = divinely in-
spired speaker. Barnabas introduced his nephew to the work
of the apostles, and about the year 46, in the company of his
uncle and Saint Paul, Mark made a missionary journey from
Antioch to Cyprus and thence to Asia Minor. At Perge in
Pamphylia, however, he left them, and returned to Jerusalem,
at which Saint Paul was very much hurt. For several years
nothing more is recorded of him in the Acts, and we know
nothing of his movements until in 50 we hear of him at An-
tioch, again with Paul and Barnabas. Another missionary
1 Acts xii. 12, 25, xiii, 5, 13, xv. 37, 39; Col. iv. 10; II Tim. iv. 11;
Philemon 24.
376 HANDBOOK TOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
journey had to be undertaken, as they were to attend the
council of the apostles, and Barnabas wished to take Mark
with him; Paul would not agree to this proposal, and they
separated in consequence. Paul, taking Silas as his com-
panion, set out for Asia Minor, whilst Barnabas and Mark
revisited Cyprus. Here we again lose sight of Mark. In
Col. iv. 1 and Philemon 24, both of which epistles were writ-
ten during Saint Paul's first imprisonment in Rome, about
the year 63, his presence in Rome is mentioned, and he is
said to have the intention of visiting the east. In II Tim. iv.
11, Timothy is commissioned to bring him with him to Rome,
where Saint Paul then was.
The two great gaps in Mark's history (42-50 and 50-63)
may be filled up most suitably in the following way: 1. In
I Peter v. 13 Saint Peter calls Mark his son. This must
undoubtedly mean that he had converted him to Christianity
and baptized him. The Fathers describe Mark as Saint Peter's
interpreter. The question has been raised whether this desig-
nation denotes that verbal or written assistance was given to
Saint Peter by Mark. It is a common word and more often
refers to oral than written explanation; hence we must not
limit it here to the latter meaning, as some persons do. Saint
Peter did not need an interpreter in Palestine or the sur-
rounding countries, where Greek was spoken, but he might
have done so where Latin prevailed, i. e. in Italy. About the
year 42 Saint Peter fled from Jerusalem during the perse-
cution under Herod Agrippa (Acts xii. 17), and according to
tradition he went to Rome; so we may suppose that Mark,
after leaving Paul and Barnabas, went to Rome either with
or to Saint Peter in order to help him.
2. According to the Fathers, 1 Mark was the founder of the
church and bishopric at Alexandria. He may have gone on
thither from Cyprus about the year 54 and have remained
there until 62, when he appointed Anianus to succeed him, 2
and went to rejoin the apostles (Col. ii. 10). The history of
1 Hieronymus (De Viris III., 8), Epiphanius (Hcer., cli. 6), Eusebius
(Hist.Eccl., II, 16).
* Hier. : usque ad octavum Neronis annum.
THE BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT 377
the end of his life is unknown. According to tradition, he
suffered martyrdom at Alexandria under Trajan.
11. AUTHENTICITY
Ecclesiastical tradition ascribes the second gospel to this
follower of the apostles, and it is supported by testimony and
quotations from the earliest times. Justin Martyr (c. Try ph.,
106) quotes the name "Boanerges" from Mark iii. 17.
Irenaeus (Adv. Hcer., Ill, x. 6) gives the beginning and end of
this gospel. 1 There is also a good deal of external evidence,
going back to the apostolic age.
Papias (Euseb., Hist. EccL, III, 39) refers to still earlier
testimony, that, namely, of John the Presbyter in Ephesus,
and says : " Mark, who was interpreter to Peter, wrote down
very accurately what he stated regarding the words and deeds
of Christ. But he did not write them in chronological order
(ov pevroi, rafei) because he had neither heard the Lord nor
followed Him. . . . He paid particular attention to one point,
viz. to omit nothing of what he had heard, nor to add any
falsehood to them." 2
The testimony of Irenaeus is given on p. 367.
Clement of Alexandria (150-217) also refers to earlier wit-
nesses ("the record of the elders from the beginning") and
Bays: "When Peter was preaching in Eome his hearers went
to Mark with the request that he would write down what was
said, for he had long followed Peter, and remembered his
words. After writing the gospel, he handed it to those who
1 Marcus interpres et sectator Petri initium evangelicce conscriptionis
fecit sio: Initium Evangelii Jesu Christi, Filii Dei, quemadmodum scrip-
turn est. . . . In fine autem Evangelii ait Marcus: et quidem Dominus
Jesus, postquam locutus est, receptus est in ccelos et sedet ad dexteram
Dei.
2 Kal TOVTO 6 rrpefffiijTepos Xeye M</>KOS fjikv gpfievevTys H.rpov yev6/&vos oaa.
/cpijSwj fypa\j/V, ov /JL^VTOI Taet, r& virb TOV X/SICTTOU ^ Ae%0&Ta $
a ' otire y&p iJKOvffe TOV wplov, otfre TrapyKoXotdrjo-ev ai)r . . . &<6s
o irpbvoiav TOV p.t)$v &v fjKovcre irapaXi-Treiv $) ^/cvcracrdal n v CLVTOIS. (^/WT;-
fji&vevffev may refer to Mark = " what he remembered," or to Peter =
" what he stated.'* The remark at the end seems to require the latter
interpretation. )
378 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
had made the request, and Peter, knowing of it, neither hin-
dered nor encouraged him" (Euseb., Hist. Eccl., VI, 14).
Numerous other witnesses might be mentioned, but it will
be enough to refer to Saint Jerome, who sums up all our
traditional knowledge of this gospel in the words : " Mark,
the disciple and interpreter of Peter, at the request of the
brethren in Eome, wrote a short gospel in conformity with
what he had heard Peter say" (De Viris Illustr., c. viii. 9).
Against the authenticity of this gospel, it is maintained that the
earliest and most important testimony, that, namely, of Papias, is un-
trustworthy, for, apart from his own character (see supra, p. 369), he
must have been thinking of some quite different book, and not of the second
canonical gospel, as he says that Mark wrote not in order, whereas there
is certainly a chronological order in our gospel, for it begins with John
the Baptist and ends with the history of our Lord's Passion.
It is quite obvious, however, that Papias only meant that Mark had
not intended or been able to give a complete account of the life of Christ,
for he had not been an eyewitness of it. He merely wrote down from
memory the chief events in that life, as Peter had spoken of them.
John the Presbyter in Ephesus, who most likely ought to be identified
with Saint John the Apostle, and who certainly was well acquainted
with the history of Christ, detected many omissions in the work. Our
Lord's words were not fully reported, and in the story of His life events
are left out to which Peter had not alluded in his discourses. The in-
completeness of this gospel was one reason why Saint John in his old
age determined to write a gospel himself to supplement the others.
12. PLACE OF COMPOSITION AND SOURCES OF INFORMATION
The quotations already made prove incontestably that Saint
Mark wrote his gospel in Eome at the request of the faithful,
who wished to possess in writing what Saint Peter had
preached. Confirmation of these facts may be derived from
internal evidence. (1) Saint Mark is fond of explaining He-
brew words by giving the Greek equivalents, e. g. v. 41, xv. 22,
34, 42. In the same way he adds remarks concerning Jewish
customs ; e. g. v. 41, vii. 3, xiv. 12, xv. 22, 34, 42. These
things suggest that he is writing for people who are not Jews
and who live far from Palestine. (2) The occurrence of many
Latin words in a Greek form, such as irpaiT^piov, KVJVO-OS,
cr7re/couXaTa)/o, /cevrvpicov (Matthew and Luke reade/caroWa/3%09),
THE BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT 379
(= quadrans), etc., points to Latin being the usual
language of the readers. (3) Some passages refer directly to
Borne, especially xv. 21; cf. Eomans xvi. 13. If it be asked
why Mark, writing for the Romans, did not use the Latin
language, 1 we may reply that he was obliged to use the lan-
guage of his master; St. Peter preached in Greek, and could
not have approved of the written gospel unless he had under-
stood it thoroughly himself. " Peter's interpreter " would prob-
ably take care that a translation was supplied.
That Saint Peter took some share in the work is also ap-
parent from the contents. (1) The events are related as by
an eyewitness ; cf. e. g. i. 29 with Matthew, viii. 14 and Luke
iv. 38. (2) There are more references to Saint Peter and his
family in the second gospel than in the others. (3) Though
other events are recorded very briefly by Saint Mark, he gives
the most detailed account of Saint Peter's denial, but he passes
over Saint Peter's special commission. (4) In Acts i. 21,
before the election of Matthias, Saint Peter says that they
must choose a man who had been an eyewitness of our Lord's
life, from the time of His baptism to that of His Ascension.
These are the events with which the second gospel begins and
ends.
13. DATE OP COMPOSITION
This gospel must have been written some time after our
Lord's Ascension, as in the last verse (xvi. 20) we read: "They
going forth preached everywhere." The apostles had betaken
themselves to the Gentiles, thus fulfilling the command to go
and "teach all nations" (Matt, xxviii. 19). It is generally
believed that Saint Mark did not write earlier than 67 or even
70 A. D. 2 This theory is based upon a passage in Irenasus, who,
after speaking of Saint Matthew, adds : 3 " After the departure
of Peter and Paul, Mark, the disciple and interpreter of Peter,
who had written down what had been preached by Peter, trans-
1 Eplirem the Syrian says that the gospel was composed in Latin.
2 A. Schafer thinks that the gospel was written in 66 and published
in 67.
3 Adv. Hcer., Ill, 1 ; Euseb., Hist. EccL, V, 10. See p. 367.
380 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
mitted it to us." The two apostles suffered martyrdom in
Rome in the year 67. The gospel cannot well have been
written later than 70, because the evangelist records Christ's
prophecy regarding the destruction of Jerusalem without any
comment (Mark xiii. 2).
However, it is not unlikely that the date of composition was
much earlier. In the Canon this gospel generally stood second,
so that in the ancient Church it must have been considered
older than that of Saint Luke. Now we know that Saint Luke
wrote between 61 and 63. Further, from the quotations given
supra, on p. 377 (authenticity from Clement of Alexandria and
Saint Jerome), we must infer that the gospel existed during the
lifetime of Saint Peter, who gave his sanction to it. We may
even suppose that the faithful in Rome desired to have his
discourses recorded in writing, on the occasion of his leaving
them at the end of his first sojourn in that city. The sub-
scriptions in the manuscripts generally mention the tenth year
after our Lord's Ascension as the date of the composition of
this gospel. 1 If these indications be accepted, we may believe
it to have been written between 42 and 50. The words of
Irenaeus may mean that after the apostles' death Mark pub-
lished the gospel outside as well as inside Rome. It is, how-
ever, more probable that the word efoSo? denotes not the death
of the two apostles, but their departure from Jerusalem. 2
1 See Reithmayr, p. 386. Kaulen (EinL, III, 50) suggests 42-44 as the
date.
2 Io5os means " departure," hardly ever " death," as will be seen in
referring to a lexicon. The only exception seems to be II Peter i. 15. If
this be borne in mind, what Irenaeus means is: "Whilst all the apostles
were still in Palestine, Matthew wrote the first gospel in the Hebrew
language, because he had long been working amongst the Hebrews.
Peter and Paul displayed their greatest energy outside Palestine, espe-
cially in Rome. When they had left Palestine, their written gospels
were composed, namely Peter's through the instrumentality of Mark,
and Paul's through that of Luke in Rome." Knabenbauer (Comm. in
Luc., p. 9) thinks that 2o5os does not mean the death or martyrdom of
the two apostles. Comely (Introd., Ill, 76) is of the same opinion.
Kaulen (EinL, III, 51) proposes to read K/c5o<ru> instead of %o8dv, but in
this context it would be difficult to assign a suitable meaning to it.
THE BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT 381
14. KELATION TO MATTHEW AND LUKE
Saint Mark's Gospel is the shortest of all. It resembles
Saint Luke's in many respects, but still more Saint Matthew's;
in fact the first two gospels contain several passages that are
almost word for word the same. This uniformity cannot be
accidental, and it is generally assumed that one of the evange-
lists used the work of the other. It is more probable that
Saint Mark used Saint Matthew's than the reverse. For, as
we have seen, Saint Matthew left Palestine soon after 40 A. D.,
when it is certain that Saint Mark's Gospel did not yet exist.
On the other hand Saint Mark, being a native of Jerusalem,
must have very early become acquainted with Saint Matthew's
Gospel, written for use in Palestine, and he may very probably
have taken a copy of it with him to Rome. Even if the gospel
of Saint Matthew at that time existed only in Hebrew, it may
have been used by Saint Mark, when he wrote down Saint
Peter's discourses ; and whoever translated Saint Matthew must
have referred to Saint Mark, that was written originally in
Greek. In fact there seems reason for supposing that Saint Mark
himself translated Saint Matthew's Gospel into Greek (supra,
p. 372). In this case the resemblance between the two gospels
is quite explicable. Saint Luke may have used both gospels
when writing his own, and this would account for the likeness
between Saint Mark and Saint Luke.
Against this theory that one evangelist used the writings of
another is the weighty argument that the Fathers never suggest
anything of the kind. The three synoptic gospels reproduce
probably the first catechesis, i. e. the outline which the apostles
agreed to use in preaching, the primitive oral gospel to which
(according to Gal. ii. 2) Saint Paul also adhered. We may
suppose that Mark, or rather his master Saint Peter, took from
Saint Matthew, and so from this primitive gospel, as much as
was necessary for use in preaching salvation in Eome. Saint
Luke, according to his statement in i. 2, added a good deal
from other sources to supplement what Saint Paul taught.
This is a more satisfactory account of the relation borne by
382 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
the three gospels to one another than is supplied by the
hypothesis mentioned above (cf. supra, p. 372, note, and infra,
p. 390).
15. CONTROVERSY REGARDING THE END OF THIS GOSPEL
The last twelve verses, in which our Lord's appearances after
His Eesurrection and His Ascension are recorded (xvi. 9-20),
are missing in the very ancient Syriac Lewis Codex, and in the
important Greek manuscripts B and tf . Several of the Fathers
say that the end of the book is absent in many manuscripts,
and in some of the more recent manuscripts before verse 9
stand the words : ea-rlv Se /cal ravra fapdfjLeva fiera TO e<f>oj3ovvTO
yap avaa-ras Se KT\. There is, however, a good deal of evidence
in favor of its being genuine. Except those mentioned above,
all the older Greek manuscripts contain this conclusion, and
so do most of the old translations (Itala and Peshitto, also the
Coptic version) . Quotations from these verses occur in Irenaeus,
who knows the nineteenth verse as Saint Mark's, and perhaps
in Justinus and Hippolytus. There is also some internal evi-
dence, for Saint Mark could not have ended his gospel with the
words e<f)o/3ovvTo yap. We are not justified in rejecting these
verses. It is probable that this section was omitted, first from the
portions read in the churches, and then from the manuscripts,
because of the exegetical difficulty presented by the apparent dis-
crepancy between Mark xvi. 9, etc., and Matthew xxviii. 1, etc. 1
1 Westcott and Hort have examined the matter very carefully, and
have come to the conclusion that the last verses did not originally form
part of the gospel, but were a later addition. They are, however, very
old and embody an extremely ancient apostolic tradition. These critics
acknowledge that Irenaeus quotes Mark xvi. 19 as being Saint Mark's
words, and they recognize the testimony of Justinus, though they ques-
tion that of Hippolytus.
In an article in the Bibl. Ztschr., 1905, pp. 269-272, Mader ascribes
this passage to Aristion, mentioned by Papias (apud Euseb., Hist. EccL,
III, 39) and possibly one of our Lord's disciples. In doing so, Mader
attaches importance to an Armenian translation of the gospels, of the
year 989, in which Mark xvi. 9-20 bears the heading "by Ariston the
Presbyter." However, Papias does not call Ariston a " Presbyter," nor v
is Ariston the same name as Aristion.
Reithmayr and Aberle refer to the persecution under Diocletian, when
THE BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT 383
The Gospel According to Saint Luke
(24 chapters)
16. SUBJECT, CONTENTS AND AUTHOR
Subject. The Messias has appeared, namely Jesus, the Son
of God, and has established an everlasting kingdom for the
salvation of all nations, such as his forefather Jacob announced,
and David in a slight degree possessed (i. 32).
Contents. 1. (Chapters i.-iv.) History of our Lord's child-
hood and His preparation for His Messianic work. 2. (iv.-ix.)
Teaching and miracles in Galilee. 3. (ix.-xix.) Continuation
of the above and instruction of the apostles. 4. (xx.-xxiv.)
Sufferings and exaltation of the Messias.
Chapters i., ii. Early history of Christ, which the third gospel gives
most fully. (Birth of Our Lord's precursor, John the Baptist; Birth
of Christ in Bethlehem; Presentation in the Temple; Jesus when twelve
years old at the Pasch.) iii. Baptism of Christ, iv. Temptation. Our
Lord begins His ministry in Galilee, v., vi. The first apostles. Instruc-
tions and miracles, vii. The centurion at Capharnaum, *the young man
at Nairn, 1 *Christ is anointed by a sinful woman, viii. Further ministry.
Jairus' daughter, ix. Feeding of five thousand. Peter's confession.
Prophecy of the Passion. Transfiguration, x. *The Good Samaritan.
*Martha and Mary. xi. Denunciation of the Pharisees, xii. Warning
against anxiety about temporal goods. Treasures in heaven. The lord
of the household and his servants, xiii. Leaven, grain of mustard seed,
the narrow gate. xiv. Other parables, xv. *The lost sheep, the lost
drachma, the Prodigal Son. xvi. *The unjust steward, *Dives and Laz-
arus, xvii. Instruction on scandal, on pardoning offenses, on the power
of faith, xviii. *The Pharisee and the Publican. Blessing of children.
the Christians were forced to get rid of their sacred books. After the
persecution ceased, new books had to be procured, and Alexandrian book-
sellers were foremost in supplying them. In Alexandria it was the
custom to fast before Easter only until midnight, because from Matt,
xxviii. 1-7 it was inferred that the Resurrection took place at midnight,
but in Rome the fast continued until the morning, because Mark xvi. 9
speaks of " early." Hence the final verses of Saint Mark's Gospel were
omitted in the Alexandrian Bibles. The Lewis Codex, which also ends
with the words " they were afraid " may have been based likewise upon
an older Alexandrian manuscript. Cf. also Innsbr. Ztschr., 1895, i. 187.
For us the testimony of the Church secures to these verses a place in the
Canon. C. Trid., S. 4, supra, p. 254.
1 Sections marked with an asterisk are peculiar to the third gospel.
384 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
The rich young man. Prophecy of the Passion. The blind man at
Jericho, xix. *Zacheus. Entry into Jerusalem. Purification of the
Temple, xx. Discourse against the Pharisees, xxi. The widow's offer-
ing; the destruction of Jerusalem and the end of the world, xxii.-xxiv.
Account of Our Lord's Passion and Death, Resurrection and Ascension.
Author. The Church has at all times ascribed this gospel
and the Acts of the Apostles to Lucas, a disciple and companion
of Saint Paul, and frequently mentioned in his epistles. We
can gather some information regarding his life from the Acts
of the Apostles. Lukas or Lucas 1 was born at Antioch in
Syria (Euseb., Hist Eccl., Ill, 4). He was undoubtedly of
Gentile origin, as Saint Paul (Col. iv. 14) carefully distin-
guishes him from others who were circumcised. By profession
he was a physican. 2 He must have become a Christian early,
for in the Acts, when he begins to speak of himself (xvi. 10),
he does not make any remarks by way of introduction, as he
does in the case of Timothy (xvi. 1), but comes forward as
already well known to his readers. He accompanied Saint
Paul on his second missionary journey from Asia Minor to
Macedonia, remaining in the latter country, while Saint Paul
went on southwards to Achaia. He seems to have stayed a
long time in Macedonia, for we do not hear of his being with
Saint Paul again until the latter was leaving Macedonia on
his third missionary journey and going to the East, and then
Saint Luke joined him at Philippi (Acts xx. 5, 6). They did
not again part company. Luke was with Saint Paul during
his two years' imprisonment at Caesarea, traveled with him
thence to Rome and remained faithful to him during both his
first and second imprisonment there (II Tim. iv. 11). He died
at Patarae in Achaia between the ages of seventy-four and
eighty-four. 3
1 The name is probably an abbreviated form of Lucanus or Lukianos.
2 Greg. Naz., Sedulius. Hug draws attention to some technical ex-
pressions occurring in Saint Luke, especially irvperbs fi^yas ( iv. 38 ) ;
dxXi/s KaJ <rK6Tos (Acts xiii. 11, <fcx\ta = a mist before the eyes).
Harnack too refers to these expressions as evidence of the authenticity
of the gospel.
8 Hieronymus (De Script. Eccl.) : vixit octoginta et quaiuor annos,
uxorem non habens; sepultus est Constantmopoli. The Church ven-
erates him as a martyr.
THE BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT 385
17. AUTHENTICITY
That this gospel existed in the first century and was recog-
nized as apostolic, we learn from Clement of Rome, who suc-
ceeded to the see of Saint Peter in the year 90. In his letters
to the Corinthians (i. 46 and ii. 8) there twice occurs the pas-
sage: "The Lord says in the gospel, 'He that is faithful in
that which is least^ is faithful also in that which is greater'"
(Luke xvi. 10). 1 Polycarp, a disciple of the apostles, quotes
(Phil, ii.) the words: "Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father
also is merciful" (Luke vi. 36). Justin Martyr, who was
almost a contemporary (c. Tryph., 103, 105), speaks of our
Lord's bloody sweat (Luke xxii. 44) and of His last words:
" Jesus cried with a loud voice, ' Father, into thy hands I com-
mend my spirit'" (Luke xxiii. 46).
In the Didache there are several quotations from Luke vi. 28-
32 on love of one's neighbor and one's enemies. The heretic
Basilides, who lived under Hadrian, knew 2 the angel's words:
"The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee" (Luke i. 35).
What evidence have we that Saint Luke was the author?
The writer was a Greek, not a native of Palestine. This is
quite certain from the comparatively pure Greek of the gospel
and of the Acts, which is surpassed by no book in the New
Testament, except the Epistle to the Hebrews. Saint Luke
was a native of Antioch. He does not actually name himself
anywhere as the author of the two books ascribed to him, but
we have abundant justification for believing that he wrote them.
In the Acts the author often speaks of himself and Saint
Paul in the first person plural: "We journeyed," etc. There-
fore he was a companion of Saint Paul. His name is given
by other witnesses.
1. Irenasus, who through his master Polycarp, Saint John's
disciple, had been well instructed in the apostolic tradition, says :
"Luke, the companion of Paul, recorded in writing the gospel
1 The first of these letters is undoubtedly genuine ; it was written
about the time of Domitian. The second is spurious.
2 Philosophumena, VII, 26, generally supposed to be the work of
Saint Hippolytus of Rome (beginning of third century).
386 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
preached by him." * This testimony shows us what was the
traditional belief in the churches of Asia and Gaul.
2. The Muratorian Fragment (see p. 205), written in Rome
during the second century, contains the words : Tertium evangelii
librum secundum Lucam. Lucas iste medicus," etc.
3. From Africa we have the evidence of Clement of Alexan-
dria (Strom., I, 21) and of Origen (in Matt, i.), as well as of
Tertullian (born about 160 in Carthage), who defended the
third gospel, on the grounds of tradition, against the heretic
Marcion. He constantly speaks of Saint Luke as the author.
"We can see from his defense that at that time no one, not
even Marcion's own followers, questioned the authorship of the
book; all that the heretics desired was to cast out certain
passages that did not agree with their doctrines. It would be
easy to multiply witnesses. There is no trace of suspicion ever
having been cast on the authorship of the book in ancient times.
18. AUTHORITIES
Saint Luke was not himself a follower of Christ but his
work has nevertheless been admitted to the Canon like the
writings of the apostles. This is due to the connection be-
tween Saint Luke and Saint Paul, who is called by Tertullian
(Adv. Marc. 9 IV, 2) the magister and illuminator of his dis-
ciple. Irenagus (1. c.) states that Luke, being Paul's companion,
wrote down the gospel preached by him. The Fathers there-
fore sometimes refer to the third gospel as that of Paul, in the
same way as they speak of the second as that of Peter. Euse-
bius (Hist. Eccl., Ill, 4) and Saint Jerome (De Vir. III., 7)
allude to the belief that Saint Paul is always referring to
Saint Luke's Gospel whenever he speaks of "my gospel." The
similarity in language between the third gospel and the Acts
on the one hand and Saint Paul's epistles on the other, is un-
deniable. Already in the first chapter of Saint Luke there are
at least ten words peculiar to him and Saint Paul. Still more
striking is their agreement on subject matter, such as the.
1 Adv. Hcer., Ill, i. 1-xiv. 1 (dp. Euseb., Hist. Bod, V, 10).
THE BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT 387
words of institution of the Holy Eucharist (cf. I Cor. xi. 24
and Luke xxii. 19), and the successive appearances of Christ
(cf. I Cor. xv. and Luke xxiv. 34).
Saint Luke derived much information from Saint Paul, but,
as he tells us in the introduction to his book, he also used
other authorities, and he mentions those "who from the begin-
ning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word," i. e. our
Lord's own disciples. We must think primarily of those who
had also to do with Saint Paul, Barnabas, formerly a fol-
lower of Christ, 1 Saint Peter, who must have made his ac-
quaintance in Antioch; perhaps Saint John; certainly Saint
James the Less, bishop of Jerusalem (Acts xxi. 18, etc.). The
last named, who was closely related to our Lord, would be in
a position to give Saint Luke the exact details concerning the
childhood of Christ that are recorded in his gospel. Many
think also that he knew Mary, our Lord's Mother. In fact
Saint Luke says emphatically that Mary kept in her heart all
the words and incidents connected with the childhood of Christ.
As, however, Saint Luke says (i. 2) that he had recourse only
to " eyewitnesses and ministers of the word," it seems likely that
Saint James, having been instructed by Mary, was the source
of his knowledge of these events.
19. EEADEES. DATE. PLACE OF COMPOSITION"
Saint Luke dedicates his gospel (i. 3) and the Acts (i. 1),
which is a continuation of it, to a certain Theophilus, to whom
he gives the title /cpdrio-Tos. As is stated in the preface, Theo-
philus, after being orally instructed in the principles of Chris-
tianity, is to be still further established in them by this book,
and is to recognize how trustworthy the doctrines are that have
been imparted to him. For this end Luke has carefully in-
quired what he could ascertain about Jesus Christ.
We know nothing of Theophilus, and ancient writers could
only suggest that he may have been a Gentile Christian, greatly
respected and holding some high office, for this may be inferred
1 Clem. Alex., Strom., II, 20.
HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OP THE BIBLE
from the use of the word /cpdrurTos. 1 The book is certainly
dedicated to him only as a mark of respect, and is intended
for a wide circle of readers, as it aims at supplementing the
already existing gospels (i. 1, etc.). Its readers were primarily
those Christians to whom Saint Paul had preached, viz. both
Jews and Gentiles in Achaia, Macedonia and Asia Minor. No
gospel had yet been written for converts in this part of the
world. Hence Saint Jerome says (Ep. 20 ad Damasum) : " Luke,
who of all the evangelists best understood the Greek language,
being a physician, wrote the gospel for the Greeks." As the
author (ii. 30, etc.) emphasizes the universality of salvation
through the Messias, as Saint Paul was always accustomed to
do, it appears that this gospel was not intended exclusively for
the Greek-speaking nations, but for all Christians.
We may say with certainty that the date of composition is
between 50 and 63. The book cannot have been written before
50, as it was only about this time that Saint Luke can have
come into contact with Saint Paul. Neither the third gospel
nor Acts can have been written after 63, as at the close of
the latter book we read of Saint Paul's arrival in Borne as a
prisoner, but nothing is said of his release, which, according
to tradition, took place in 63. The author would not have
passed over so important an event if he had known of it. We
probably ought not to go back far beyond 63 in fixing the
date. The years of the Apostolic journeys afforded but little
leisure for the compilation of such a work, but the time of
Saint Paul's imprisonment may well have been employed in
this way. Possibly the work was arranged in Cassarea and
actually written in Rome, between the years 61 and 63.
According to Holtzmann (Einl. i. d. N. T.) , 386, 405, the third gospel
and the Acts were both written after the year 70 : " for the author in
his preface reveals himself as a man of a later generation, working on
the basis of tradition, as many before him have written similar
accounts." But it is precisely in the preface ( i. 1 ) that Saint Luke de-
1 Some suppose that the name Theophilus is altogether fictitious, like
Saint Francis of Sales' Philothea. But the designation Kparurros, i. e.
reverend, mighty, is not in keeping with a merely fictitious personage;
it is given chiefly to high officials (Acts xxiii. 26; xxiv. 3; xxvi. 25).
THE BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT 389
scribes himself as our Lord's contemporary (iv ^fJilv) and refers to hia
authorities as eyewitnesses ( avroirrai ) .*
From Acts xxviii. 14, 15 it appears that Theophilus lived in
Rome ; we read : " The brethren . . . came to meet us as far
as Appii Forum and the Three Taverns." These words seem
intended for readers in Rome, for these small places would
be unknown to others. 2
20. THE AUTHOR'S REASON FOR WRITING
In the preface (i. 1) Saint Luke intimates that the already
existing gospels seem to him not fully to satisfy the desires
of the new converts to Christianity, and therefore he has de-
termined to supplement them. There were already several
accounts extant of our Lord's life and works; we possess only
two of them, the gospels according to Saint Matthew and
Saint Mark; the rest have perished, not having apostolic
sanction and authority. There are indeed many omissions in
the first two gospels; Saint Matthew tells us very little, and
Saint Mark nothing at all, about the childhood of Christ. Both
bring in Saint John the Baptist abruptly, having told their
readers nothing of his origin and early history. In his in-
tercourse with Christ's disciples Saint Luke learnt further de-
tails, and felt himself qualified to compose a fuller account
of our Saviour and the history of the redemption. Theophilus
and others may have requested him to do so. It was plain
1 Other commentators (Hausrath, Keim, Clemen, Jtilicher and Kren-
kel) agree with Holtzmann, and think that the books were not written
until after 100 A. D., because they profess to detect a reference to Jo-
sephus Flavius, who wrote between 80 and 104. Belser has critically
examined the alleged traces of reference to Josephus, but the result at
which he arrives is that Josephus was acquainted with both Saint Luke's
works, and intentionally omitted or distorted various things in them.
2 Theophilus was certainly not a native of Palestine, for in mention-
ing Nazareth (i. 26) and Capharnaum (iv. 31) Saint Luke thinks it
necessary to add that they are in Galilee, and he calls Arimathea (xxiii.
51) a town in Judea. He describes the position of the Mount of Olives
and gives its distance from Jerusalem (Acts i. 12) and also states the
distance of Emmaus (Luke xxiv. 13). Theophilus seems not to have
been a Greek, as in that case the Athenians would hardly be mentioned
as they are in Acts xvii. 12. The nearer the actors in the story come to
Rome, the fewer are these descriptive touches.
390 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
that Saint Paul and his companions were able to give fuller
information on many points, than could be found in the gospel
of Saint Mark, already known in Eome.
21. THE SYNOPTIC WRITERS
The first three gospels resemble one another in a remarkable degree,
whilst Saint John's stands quite apart. For this reason Matthew, Mark
and Luke are called the Synoptic Evangelists. 1 The likeness between
the three gospels appears (1) in the choice of the same subjects, (2) in
similarity of language.
(1) With regard to their subject matter, the three evangelists con-
fine themselves almost exclusively to our Lord's preaching in Galilee and
to the history of His Passion. Their accounts and statements are par-
allel; what occurs in one gospel occurs also in the other two. Saint
Luke's order often differs from that of Saint Matthew and Saint Mark,
because he is more accurate in his chronology. Saint Mark has the fewest
peculiarities. His gospel contains only twenty-seven verses that do not
occur in either of the others.
(2) With regard to their style, it often happens that all the three
synoptic writers, at least two of them, report an event or a discourse in
the same way, so that their accounts agree almost word for word for
several sentences in succession. This cannot be due to chance. It is no
less striking, however, that often in the same account there are variations,
additional circumstances being mentioned, or other motives assigned to
the utterances reported.
Besides what has been said on page 381, infra, regarding the relation in
which the three evangelists stand to one another, we may notice that all
difficulties are not removed by the hypothesis that they used one another's
writings. If Saint Matthew wrote down what he himself had taught,
if Saint Mark recorded Saint Peter's doctrine and Saint Luke Saint
Paul's, we should expect considerable differences in the mode of state-
ment, as the three apostles differed greatly in character, position and
work. The similarity, however, is so great that it must have a deeper
source than mere reference to one another's writings on the part of the
apostles. Apparently they agreed amongst themselves how they would
preach the gospel in conformity to the commission given them by Christ.
Just as He associated mostly with the common people, so did the
apostles everywhere address them first. A simple account of our Lord's
teaching and works in Galilee was better suited for purposes of in-
struction than were His disputes with the Rabbis in Jerusalem, re-
corded later by Saint John. All who preached the faith, and conse-
quently all the three evangelists, adhered to this first outline of apostolic
doctrine, which was regarded almost as sacred and not to be tampered
with. We can hardly decide whether this first form was kept in writ-
ing or orally; there is less difficulty in believing that it was oral.
1 The name probably means " agreeing," but it is not well chosen.
Si>vo7TTi/c6s means otherwise " far-sighted," " comprehensive."
THE BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT 391
Saint Paul says (Gal. ii. 2) that about the year 51 he communicated
the gospel, which he preached among the Gentiles, to the other apostles
at Jerusalem, and they were satisfied with it. He does not say that it-
was written down. If the three evangelists derived their information
from a common source, the similarity in their accounts is explained,
and if the source was only oral, being less exact than if it had been
written, this would explain also the differences in their forms of
statement.
The existence of an oral primitive gospel, i. e. a form agreed upon by
the apostles for preaching salvation, and serving as the foundation of
the first three canonical gospels, is assumed by Kaulen, Comely, Knaben-
bauer, Le Camus, Langen, Aberle-Schanz and Al. Schafer. Belser, on
the other hand, believes that there was a written primitive gospel, viz.
the Hebrew original of Saint Matthew.
The Gospel According to Saint John
(21 chapters)
22. CONTENTS OF THE FOURTH GOSPEL
The synoptic writers lay most stress upon proving the God-
Man, Jesus Christ, to be the Messias, but though the fourth
gospel is also concerned with this topic, it is intended chiefly
to teach the divinity of Christ (xx. 31).
Introduction, (i. 1-18) From all eternity the Logos has existed and
has been active, but it was only in our time that He appeared on earth,
clad in our human nature, but unhappily He found but few among His
own people to believe in Him, although He made those who received
Him children of God. An eyewitness (i. 14) intends to relate how He,
being both God and Man, lived amongst men, and taught them.
Part I. (L 19-xii.) Jesus of Nazareth revealed Himself in His public
life as the Messias and Son of God.
1. (i. 19 iv.) His dignity was recognized by John the Baptist and
many who believed in Him in Judea, Samaria and Galilee. (First
miracle at Cana, purification of the Temple, Nicodemus, the Samaritan
woman, the ruler's son.)
2. (v.-xi.) In spite of His miracles (healing of the lame man, feeding
of the five thousand, discourse on the bread from heaven, teaching in the
Temple, the woman taken in adultery, 1 the man born blind, the Good
1 This section, vouched for by Saint Jerome, is omitted in the manu-
scripts B, N, A, C, and in the Lewis Codex. There can be hardly any doubt
that it was left out because, for reasons of discipline, it was not read
in the churches. The object that the Pharisees had in view on this occa-
sion was to throw discredit on our Lord, since they assumed that He
would, as usual, give a merciful judgment, in which case they would be
able to charge Him with violating the law of Moses (John viii. 6).
392 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
Shepherd, the raising of Lazarus) He was opposed by the sect of the
Pharisees and they determined that He must die.
3. (xii.) In consequence of His solemn entry to Jerusalem as Mes-
sias, the Pharisees arranged to put a violent end to His activity.
Part II. (xiii.-xix.) He revealed Himself as Messias and Son of God
also in His Passion and Death.
1. (xiii.-xvi.) The Last Supper and the last discourse to the dis-
ciples, whom He, as Son of God, comforted before His departure.
2. (xvii.) Christ's prayer for His own disciples.
3. (xviii., xix.) His Passion and Death.
Part III. ( xx., xxi. ) The Messias and Son of God revealed His dignity
finally ( 1 ) in His glorious resurrection, ( 2 ) in His repeated appearances,
during which He arranged for the forgiveness of sins and bestowed upon
Saint Peter the office of chief pastor.
This evangelist writes with inimitable ardor, with the deepest inspira-
tion. He betrays unspeakable joy that he, with others, was chosen to
go about with the Son of God, and to be loved by Him even more than
others. " The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we saw
his glory, the glory as it were of the only-begotten of the Father," etc.
23. SAINT JOHN THE APOSTLE
"We have a fairly detailed knowledge of this apostle's life from
the synoptic gospels and the Acts of the Apostles. John 1 was
the son of Zebedee, a fisherman living near the Lake of Ge-
nesareth, and his wife Salome. He had a brother, who as an
apostle is known as Saint James the Great. Their parents must
have lived in comfortable circumstances (Mark i. 20; Luke viii.
3; Matt, xxvii. 56). At first John followed his father's calling,
but when John the Baptist appeared he became his disciple, and
was sent by his master to Jesus (John i. 35, etc.) . After the first
meeting near the Jordan he returned to Galilee with our Saviour,
and resumed his occupation, but he and his brother were soon
called by our Lord to be His constant companions. Saint John
was our Lord's favorite disciple, and with Saint Peter and Saint
James he received special marks of honor (Tabor, the Last
Supper, Mount of Olives, Calvary). The Fathers tell us that
his remarkable innocence was the reason for this preference.
After Christ's Ascension he was one of the most energetic
apostles (cf. Acts iii. and viii.). With Peter and James the
Lees he was regarded as a "pillar of the Church" (GaL ii. 9).
1 Hebrew Jochanan = the Lord is gracious ( fjnV ) .,
THE BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT 393
He afterwards left Jerusalem, and we hear of him subsequently
as bishop of Ephesus (Euseb., Hist. Eccl., Ill, 20, 24), but he
seems to have gone there after Paul and Timothy. 1 Towards
the end of his life he was banished to the island of Patmos in
the ^Egsean Sea, as several of the Fathers state. Tertullian
(De prcescr., 36), Saint Jerome and others say that he was first
taken to Home, and there dipped into a barrel of boiling oil, but
was taken out uninjured. These events occurred in the reign
of Domitian; Nerva, a more merciful ruler, allowed Saint
John to return to Ephesus, and he died a natural death there
in extreme old age, in the year 100.
24. AUTHENTICITY OF THE FOURTH GOSPEL
According to the tradition of the Church, Saint John is the
author of the fourth canonical gospel, but, even more than in
the case of the synoptic gospels, negative criticism has striven
to disprove its authenticity. It is alleged 2 that the book can-
not have been written before about 170, as it is not mentioned
earlier, contains historical and geographical inaccuracies, pre-
1 Papias (apud Euseb., Hist.. Eccl., Ill, 39) speaks of a presbyter
named John at Ephesus. He is probably identical with the apostle, who
was then very old, for the writer of the second and third epistles of
Saint John describes himself simply as 6 ?rpe<r/3i5Tepos. See also A.
Schafer, 259. Most Catholic commentators identify them, e. g. Comely,
Knabenbauer, Felten, Poggel and Bludau, and so do many Protestants,
such as Zahn, Olshausen, Hengstenberg.
8 So Breitschneider and Strauss. They were followed by Baur, Zeller,
Schwegler, all of them adherents of the Tubingen school, and many more
recent critics, e. g. J. ReVille, Le quatridme Svangile, son origine et sa
valeur historique. Paris, 1901. This writer denies all historical value
to the fourth gospel, and believes it to be the work of a mind penetrated
with Philo's speculation regarding the Logos. He thinks that John can
hardly ever have worked in Asia Minor, and that the gospel is not in
harmony with what we know from the New Testament of John, son of
Zebedee, etc. In ancient times this gospel was rejected only by the
Alogi = "A\o7di, those who would not accept the Logos. The name, which
originated with Epiphanius (Hcer., 51, 3), also means "unreasonable."
The Alogi lived in the second century, and members of the sect existed
in many parts of Asia Minor, especially in Phrygia. Their denial, how-
ever, actually serves as a testimony to the universal belief of Christians
at that time, for they strove to show that the gospel could not be the
work of John the Apostle.
394 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
sents us with long and subtle discourses that plainly cannot
have been uttered by Christ, and in short consists of a Logos
doctrine that was not developed before the second century.
In answer to these statements we may mention as:
(a) Internal Evidence. (1) The author generally explains
Hebrew expressions and Jewish customs, e. g. x. 1-16, x. 22, 23 ;
he was therefore a Jew by birth, writing for readers not liv-
ing in Palestine. This would agree with Saint John's resi-
dence in Ephesus. (2) The author, from motives of humility,
does not give his name anywhere, but describes himself as an
eyewitness (i. 14, i. 35, etc.; xix. 35, xxi. 24) and as our
Lord's beloved disciple (xiii. 23, xix. 26, xx. 2). These are
undoubted references to Saint John. 1
(b) External Evidence. (1) Quotations from this gospel
or from the First Epistle of Saint John, which has always
been connected with it, occur in Acts x. and in the ^ works of
Ignatius, Polycarp and Papias. (2) The epistle to Diognetus,
written, according to chapter xi., by a disciple of the apostles,
belonging probably to the first half of the second century as
he speaks of Christianity as a new religion, contains expres-
sions regarding the Logos that are similar to those in the
fourth gospel. (3) In the same way Justin Martyr (circa
140, supra, p. 361), in his doctrine of the Logos, assumes a
knowledge of the fourth gospel, and says that he bases his
teaching concerning Jesus Christ, the Son of God, upon the
"Memoirs of the Apostles, viz. the Gospels" (Dial. c. Tryph.,
105). In another place (ApoL, I, 61) he quotes from John
iii. 5: "Unless a man be born again," etc. (4) The gnostic
Basilides, writing about 120, refers to John i. 9 : " the true
light which enlighteneth every man," etc. (PhilosopJiumena,
1 The name John occurs twenty times in the fourth gospel, but each
time the Baptist is meant; the apostle John and his brother James the
Great are often mentioned in the synoptic gospels, but in this gospel
never by name. The writer, however, declares himself to be a highly
favored apostle; such were only Peter and the sons of Zebedee. Peter
cannot have been the author, as he is expressly (xiii. 24, xxi. 21) dis-
tinguished from the Beloved Disciple, and it cannot have been James the
Great, as the writer was (xxi. 23) very old, whereas James was the first
of the apostles to be put to death, 42 A. D. (Acts xii. 2) .
THE BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT 395
VII, 22). (5) Theophilus, bishop of Antioch (about 170-180),
quotes (Ad AutoL, II, 22) the gospel bearing the name of
John as a sacred book, long and universally recognized. "We
are instructed by the sacred books and all the inspired writers,
of whom John says, 'In the beginning was the Word/" etc.
(6) Irenaeus, who lived almost at the same time, 1 whose mas-
ter, Polycarp, was St. John's own disciple, gives evidence to
the same effect, and says that Saint John wrote his gospel
during his residence in Ephesus (Adv. Hcer., Ill, i. 1 ; II, xxii.
5; III, xi. 1).
(c) No one can deny that towards the close of the second
century the fourth gospel was universally known in the Church,
and ascribed to Saint John. This would be impossible, if it
had been a recent forgery, for the various Christian communi-
ties and their rulers would certainly have resisted the intro-
duction of a work not contained in previous texts, and par-
ticularly if it had not stood in the Latin and Syriac versions.
(d) It is easy by means of correct exegesis to remove the
alleged historical and geographical inaccuracies.
In xi. 49 and xviii. 13 we read that Caiphas was high priest in that
year; now Josephus Flavius says (Antiq., XVIII, ii. 2) that Caiphas was
high priest for a period of ten years. But in matters of chronology Jo-
sephus is known to be untrustworthy. Moreover the gospel does not
state that Caiphas held office only for one year, but that he was high
priest in that ever-memorable year.
Sychar (John iv. 5) is not a mistake for Sichem, but there was really
a place of that name near Sichem; it is now called Askar. There may
very well have been a Bethania beyond the Jordan (John i. 28 ), 2 besides
the better known town of that name near Jerusalem; names compounded
with Beth were very common. Saint John knew the Bethany near Jeru-
salem quite well, for he says it was fifteen furlongs distant from the
capital (xi. 18).
(e) With regard to the often long and sublime discourses
of our Lord., it is probable that Saint John wrote down many
1 The value of this irrefutable witness is f 'iown in a monograph writ-
ten by Gutjahr (Graz, 1903) in reply to Harnack, Gorssen and others.
See also Revue biblique, 1898, I, 59; Corluy, Comm. in ev. s. Joannis,
p. 4.
2 The ru ous place called Betane ( = Betonim in the tribe of Gad,
Jos. xiii. 26) may be identified with this Bethania beyond the Jordan.
396 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
of His sermons and instructions at once. We can hardly im-
agine that he would not wish to communicate to his parents,
friends and relatives many of the Messias' divine lessons, which
he had heard with heartfelt enthusiasm. We must remember,
too, that in performing his task as an apostle, Saint John was
obliged frequently to repeat Christ's teaching so that it re-
mained fresh in his memory, and even as an old man he could
still reproduce it correctly.
(/) The author designates our Saviour as the Logos. About
the year 100 both Jews and Gentiles spoke much of the Word
of God; and the doctrine of the Logos did not develop as late
as the second or third century, but goes back to the first. As
far as we know, our Saviour did not speak of Himself as
Logos, but soon after the year 100 we find complete systems
of a false Logos doctrine existing among the gnostics. The
3 trine must have originated in the first century, $nd Saint
had reason enough to oppose the misuse of the word with
true doctrine of the Logos. He found the name in use
not only among his opponents, but also in the Old Testament,
where there is frequent allusion to the Word of God as to a
person (e.g. Ps. xxxii. 6; Prov. viii. ix.; Wisdom ix. 1, xviii.
15; cf. I Cor. viii. 6; Phil. ii. 6, etc.; Col. i. 15; Apoc.
xix. 13). *
Many recent non-Catholic writers acknowledge now that the fourth
gospel was written not later than 110 (see supra, p. 361). Jiilicher
thinks it was not written by Saint John, but as to its date he merely
says it cannot be earlier than 100. Zahn, on the contrary, declares him-
self in favor of the old eclesiastical tradition. Resch thinks it was writ-
ten soon after 70 A. D., Wuttig about 62, H. Gebhardt soon after 60, and
Rutgers, a Dutch scholar, assigns it even to the year 34. Kiippers is of
opinion that John wrote soon after 44, Luke between 53 and 57, Matthew
about 60 and Mark soon after 64. 2
1 John was able therefore to explain thus to the Gentiles by birth:
" What the Alexandrian Greek philosophers imagined about the Logos,
we Christians understand far better; it is the divine messenger, long
promised and now become flesh, that we call with perfect right the Logos,
because He has spoken to men at all times as God, and now also as Man."
2 If no attention were paid to tradition we might believe the fourth
gospel to be older than the synoptics, as a good deal of internal evidence
would seem to justify this view, e. g. chapters ix. and xi.
THE BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT 397
25. TIME AND PLACE OF COMPOSITION
It is unanimously agreed by early Christian writers that
Saint John was the last of the evangelists to write his gospel,
and this is borne out by internal evidence. (1) In xxi. 18
there is a reference to Saint Peter's crucifixion, hence the year
67 was over. (2) In speaking of places in or near Jerusalem,
the apostle always uses the past tense, %v (xi. 18, xviii. 1,
xix. 41), hence Jerusalem must have been destroyed before the
gospel was written. (3) At the end of the book (xxi. 23)
there is an allusion to the belief among the Christians that
Saint John was not to die. Such an idea could have arisen
only after most or all of the other apostles were dead, and
when Saint John himself was very old. (4) The party hostile
to Christ is always designated ol 'lov&uot; at the time, there-
fore, when the book was written, Gentile Christians
the majority, and Jews were scarcely known in the
except as adversaries. (5) The whole arrangement of the
book points to the existence of the other gospels (see below).
(6) The author's style savors of Hebrew, and shows that he was
a Jew by birth, but the Greek is purer than that of the
Apocalypse. He must therefore have written his gospel later
than the Apocalypse, having in the interval improved his knowl-
edge of Greek through his intercourse with Greek-speaking
Christians. As Saint John (according to Apoc. i. 9, etc.) re-
ceived and wrote the Apocalypse on the island of Patmos,
during the reign of Domitian, we may take the year 100 as
the approximate date of his writing the gospel. We know
from Irenaeus that it was composed at Ephesus. 1
26. OBJECT AND MOTIVE
We may take it for certain that Saint John assumed in his
readers an acquaintance with the other gospels (i. 15, 32, iii.
24, xviii. 33, etc.). He mentions very briefly what the synoptic
1 Iren. : ical av-rds lldci>jrc TO evayytXiov ev 'E0&ry -7-775 'A.ffla.5
(see supra, p. 395, (fe), (6)).
398 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
writers have already recorded, and then adds some fresh in-
formation to their accounts. Hence we are often told that
his object was to supplement the other gospels, and this no
doubt was part of what he intended to do; but he tells us
himself (xx. 30 and 31, xxi. 25) quite plainly what his main
object was. "Many other signs also did Jesus in the sight
of his disciples, which are not written in this book." If any
man were to write in detail all that the Infinite One has done,
"the world itself would not be able to contain the books that
should be written." Therefore a selection has been made, and
only "these are written, that you may believe that Jesus is
the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have
life in His name."
John felt himself impelled to give this testimony, written
with great enthusiasm, to the divinity of Christ and to be-
queath it to the Church, as already some were beginning to
deny His divinity, among whom Irenaeus mentions particularly
Cerinthus, 1 and also because it was easy to foresee that others
would follow their example.
The immediate impulse prompting Saint John to write was
a request addressed to him by many bishops and communities, 2
who begged him to supplement the corporal gospels with a
spiritual gospel, i. e. to record his own memories of our Lord
in a special work, in which His divinity should be more con-
spicuous than in the first three gospels.
The historical character of this gospel is denied by many commenta-
tors. Some assert that the author was influenced by Philo, and was an
idealist, not a genuine historian. However, the fact that he supplements
the synoptic writers shows that he paid attention to history, and the
discourse that he records (chapter vi. ) on the Holy Eucharist is a very
suitable introduction to what they tell us concerning its institution. He
often gives details of time and circumstance in connection with events,
as only an eyewitness could do. No one could describe the incidents of
our Lord's Passion so accurately as Saint John, who never left Him
even in His sufferings; and therefore he gives minute information re-
garding Annas, Pilate and the Crucifixion (cf. Knabenbauer in Stimmen
aus Maria-Laach, 1904, 361, in answer to Loisy and others. Also the
replies given by the Papal Biblical Commission of May 29, 1907).
1 Adv. Hwr., I, 26; III, 11.
2 Frag. Mur.; Clem. Alex., ap. Eus., Hist. EccL, VI, 14; Hier.
THE BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT 399
" God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spoke in times
past to the fathers by the prophets, last of all in these days hath spoken
to us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom
also he made the world." Heb. i. 1.
The gospels tell us of this last and highest revelation; they are the
written reproductions of the oral teaching given by the apostles in ful-
fillment of their commission to go into the whole world and preach the
gospel to every creature (Mark xvi. 15). These four books are the crown
of all the inspired writings, and if we may still further discriminate
among these divine disclosures, the gospel of Saint John is the chief
jewel in this crown, as the Muratorian Fragment suggests, for the writer
believes the fourth gospel to be the outcome of a particular revelation.
The gospels contain the teaching that conquered Rome, the capital of
the world, Italy and Greece, and soon the whole known world. They are
of interest to the antiquarian, who may learn from them how religious
subjects were discussed in the times of the first emperors, and by what
means paganism was overthrown; they are of interest to the historian,
more important than all the excavations at Troy or in Egypt, Assyria
and Babylonia, more important even than all the Greek and Latin
classics; for Plato and Cicero never induced the inhabitants of a single
village to live in accordance with their doctrines, but the gospel has
transformed mankind. In the highest degree they are of interest, or
rather they are objects of veneration, to the Christian. The gospel is
truly a " power of God " (Rom. i. 16), subduing everything to itself, and
penetrating the souls of men like a two-edged sword, 1 for it is the word
of God in the highest sense. This is why we stand when the gospel is
read; this is why candles and incense are brought, for we are dealing
with a most high and divine announcement.
How great and joyful a thing it is that the Church has handed down
to us the word of God, God's message to men for their salvation in time
and in eternity! Can there be any more noble and more honorable occu-
pation than to read and study Holy Scripture in general, and particu-
larly the teaching of Christ, as imparted to us in the gospels! But just
as even in Paradise God's words were misinterpreted, so can it be with
the written word of God, and therefore it is of the greatest importance
to follow with regard to it the rules laid down by the Church, for Holy
Scripture is her property (cf. infra, p. 458).
B. THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES
(28 chapters)
27. CONTENTS
The Acts of the Apostles (7r/oaet? a7roo-ToXa>r, actus apostolo-
rum) in its first part (chapters i.-vii.) deals with the early
1 Heb. iv. 12. "The word of God is living and effectual, and more
piercing than any two-edged sword."
400 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
history of the Church of Christ and its propagation amongst
the Jews. Most of the incidents recorded took place at Jeru-
salem. The second part (viii.-xii.) describes the extension of
the Church from the Jews to the Gentiles, and Antioch be-
comes the chief center of activity in the Church. In both these
parts Saint Peter is the chief actor. The third part, which is
the longest (xiii.-xxviii.), contains the early history of the
Church amongst the Gentiles; the work of Saint Paul occupies
most of this part, and the center of activity is Rome. Hardly
any other book has come down to us from ancient times that
gives so vivid a picture of the state of the Graeco-Roman world
in the time of the apostles. 1
Part I. i. Ascension of Christ. Choice of Matthias, ii. Descent of
the Holy Ghost at Pentecost. Peter's discourse, iii. The man born lame,
iv. Arrest of Peter and John. Community of property among the Chris-
tians, v. Ananias and Saphira. Gamaliel, vi., vii. Stephen.
Part II. viii. Persecution. Conversion of Samaria. Philip and the
eunuch, ix. Conversion of Saul. Peter at Lydda and Joppe. x. Cor-
nelius, xi. The church at Antioch. xii. Peter in prison at Jerusalem,
his miraculous delivery, Ms departure.
Part HI. xiii., xiv. Journey of Paul and Barnabas to Cyprus and Asia
Minor, xv. Council of the apostles. Paul's second missionary journey.
xvi. His activity in Asia Minor and Macedonia, xvii., xviii. Paul in
Athens and Corinth. His third missionary journey, xix. Paul in Ephe-
sus. xx. His journey to Macedonia and Achaia. His return. He takes
leave of the elders from Ephesus at Miletus. xxi.-::xiii. Journey to
Jerusalem. He is taken prisoner and sent to Caesarea. xxiv.-xxvi. Im-
prisonment at Csesarea. Felix and Festus. Agrippa. xxvii. Journey to
Rome. Shipwreck at Malta, xxviii. Arrival in Rome.
Data for the chronology of this book are supplied by II Cor. xi. 32,
and by Josephus Flavius (Autiq., XVIII, 5), vho says that I -ing Aretas,
an Arabian prince, made war up m his son-in-law, Herod Antipas, towards
the end of Hie reign of 'KVrius, because Herod had divorced his daugh-
ter. Herod appealed to Rome for assistance, which was granted. It was
1 Fr. Blass in 1895 edited the Acts, with a short commentary, and in
1896 he brought out a text edition of it, according to Codex D (see
p. 230 ) . He is of opinion that Saint Luke compiled two versions of the
Acts of the Apostles, a fuller one for the Christians in Rome, and a
shorter < le especially for Theophilus. The former is preserved in Codex
D, the latter in our traditional text. In Tie main Belser agrees with
Blass, but other commentators oppose this theory, e. g. Kaulen and Har-
nack. W. Ernst tried to show that the Codices B and K are themselves
secondary, but still stand nearest to the original text of Saint Luke (also
with regard to the gospel).
THE BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT 401
during this war, probably in the year 37, that the governor appointed by
Aretas was in command at Damascus, and tried to seize Saint Paul, so
that he was obliged to escape secretly. Saint Paul's conversion took
place three years before this event, viz. in 34, and the Council of the
Apostles was held fourteen years after it, viz. in 51 (Gal. i. 18; ii. 1).
Saint Paul's first missionary journey was made before the Council, per-
haps in 46-49; the second immediately after the Council, probably 52-
55, and the third lasted from 56 to 59. Then the apostle was kept in
prison at Caesarea for two years (59-61), and in Rome for another two
years (62 and 63). The book ends at this point.
Harnack gives different figures, because he thinks Saint Paul was
converted as early as the year 30.
Weber gives the date of his conversion as 32. It is well known that
there is some uncertainty about the chronology of our Lord's life. Ac-
cording to the chronology of Dionysius, Christ was born in the year 754
after the building of Rome. But now commentators are generally agreed
in fixing an earlier date; 748 seems to be the safest; and then our Lord's
death occurred in 782. (Cf. Cornely, Synopses Script. Sacr., pp. 337
and 365.)
28. AUTHOB. AUTHENTICITY
The author of the Acts of the Apostles does not mention
himself by name, but gives indications by means of which he
may be identified.
1. At the beginning of the book (i. 1) he says that he has
already written a treatise concerning what Jesus said and did;
in other words, he had written a gospel. We have therefore
a choice of four men.
2. He often expressly speaks of himself as Saint Paul's
assistant and companion. Of the four evangelists this descrip-
tion applies to Saint Luke alone. It is true that Saint Mark
came in contact with Saint Paul, but the author of the Acts
says that he accompanied him first on his second missionary
journey, which Saint Mark did not make on account of the
differences that had arisen between them.
3. The style of the book and the dedication to Theophilus
also suggest the third gospel. The book of Acts is therefore
the second part of Saint Luke's historical work. He himself
(i. 1) calls his gospel the " first book."
The Acts of the Apostles was read in the churches less fre-
quently than the gospels, hence it was separated from the
"first book" and put with the epistles. This explains the
402 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
regret, expressed by Saint John Chrysostom, that many Chris-
tians in his day did not know the book (Horn., I, 1, in Ada
Apost.).
Being less used than the gospels, allusions to and quotations
from it are not of frequent occurrence., but it is quite certain
that the Apostolic Fathers were well acquainted with it. Poly-
carp (Ep. ad Philad., c. 1) quotes Acts ii. 24: "whom God
hath raised up, having loosed the sorrows of hell." Ignatius
(Ad Smyrn., c. 3) quotes Acts x. 41. In the Didache (ed.
Schlecht, VI, 2) the word fyybv is used of God's law, as it is
in Acts xv. 10. Other references to Acts occur in the Didache
(IX, 2 and 3, X, 6. The book is mentioned by name in the
Fragm. Murat., by Irenaaus (Adv. Hcer., Ill, xiv. 1), Clement
of Alexandria (Strom., V, 12), Origen (c. Gels., VI, 11), and
Tertullian (De Jejun., c. 10).
Rationalistic commentators challenge the authenticity of the work,
chiefly because they arbitrarily assume it to be the outcome of a dis-
pute between Jewish and Gentile Christians, and intended to reconcile
the Jews, who adhered to Saint Peter, and the Gentiles, who relied upon
Saint Paul. The writer, having this intention, falsified the early his-
tory of the Church by representing it in such a way that the gulf sepa-
rating the two parties should seem to be bridged over, and unity re-
stored. This could not have been done by a disciple and contemporary
of Saint Paul, but a later author must have composed the book. But
if such had been the writer's intention, he would not have allowed the
obstinacy of the Jews to be so conspicuous as it is throughout the
work. The real object with which the book was written is stated
plainly in Acts i. 8. It is to show how our Lord's words were ful-
filled; "You [apostles] shall receive the power of the Holy Ghost
coming upon you, and you shall be witnesses unto me in Jerusalem,
and in all Judea, and Samaria, and even to the uttermost part of the
earth."
29. EEADERS
Like the third gospel, this book also is dedicated by Saint
Luke to Theophilus, who, as we have seen, must have been
a man of high position in Home. But this Christian was not
intended to be the only reader, for at the beginning of the
gospel Saint Luke shows plainly that he meant to supplement
the existing gospels, and so he must have had a wide circle
of readers in view. We may believe that he wrote the Acts,
THE BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT 403
as he did the gospel, primarily for the communities of Greek-
speaking Christians, amongst whom he had labored with Saint
Paul, and then for the whole Church.
30. SOURCES OP INFORMATION
At least a third of the incidents related in the book were
matters of personal experience to Saint Luke. In describing
other things he had to rely upon the accounts given by others.
The same men who supplied him with information for the
gospel, furnished him with it for the Acts of the Apostles.
He refers to them as eyewitnesses and ministers of the Word,
so they were our Lord's apostles and disciples, especially Saint
Peter and Saint James the Less; perhaps Saint John, and
certainly Saint Barnabas. On some points he must have used
written documents, particularly for Saint Stephen's discourse
(chapter vii.) and the speeches at the Apostolic Council (xv.).
Of course he derived a great deal of information from Saint
Paul. Some few speeches, such as Saint Paul's farewell dis-
course (xx. 18-35), he seems to have written down when they
were uttered.
31. TIME AND PLACE OF COMPOSITION
The Acts must have been written whilst Saint Peter was still
alive. His abode is not specified, as to do so might involve
him in danger. Where we read of his delivery from the power
of Herod Agrippa, we are only told that "he went into an-
other place" (xii. 17). The date of the book is therefore
before 67, and the conclusion of it gives us another indication
of time. The writer leaves his readers in uncertainty as to the
result of Saint Paul's trial in Eome. He mentions their ar-
rival there, but says nothing about either an acquittal or a
condemnation. It is only from tradition that we know that
Saint Paul regained his liberty after being in prison for two
years in Eome. 1 We must conclude, therefore, that Saint Paul
was still in prison when the book was finished, for otherwise
1 This view is generally accepted.
404 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
Saint Luke, who reports everything with accuracy and in de-
tail, would not have omitted to inform his readers of his
sentence. We have therefore reason to believe that the Acts
of the Apostles was written in Rome between the years 61
and 63, whilst Saint Luke was encouraging Saint Paul in his
captivity (Col. iv. 14). This was the opinion formed by Saint
Jerome (De Viris Illustr., c. 7).
SECOND SECTION
DIDACTIC BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT
SAINT PAUL'S EPISTLES
32. SAINT PAUL THE APOSTLE
1. Paul, or, as he was called before his missionary journeys,
Saul, 1 was by birth a Jew of the tribe of Benjamin. His
birthplace was the city of Tarsus in Cilicia. His parents brought
him up according to strictly orthodox principles (Acts xxiii.
6), and it was probably whilst he was still at home that he
learnt the business of weaving tent-covers, by which he gen-
erally had to support himself on his apostolic journeys. It
was a matter of principle among the Pharisees that every man
should have his son taught a trade. His parents must have
occupied a good position and have been well-to-do, for their
son from his birth enjoyed full Eoman citizenship and was
sent to complete his education at Jerusalem, 2 where he was
attached to the school of Gamaliel, a famous teacher of the
law, and acquired rabbinical learning and that strict conformity
to Jewish customs which was regarded as a special ornament
to a zealous Israelite. He must have received some instruction
1 Saul: Sha'ul. This Jewish name was unfamiliar to Greeks and
Romans, but Paulus, resembling it in sound, was in frequent use. Per-
haps the apostle adopted the latter name as a token of respect to the
Roman proconsul Sergius Paulus (Acts xiii. 7), and perhaps also from
motives of humility. IlaOXos, paulus = iratpos = insignificant, little.
2 From Acts xxiii. 16 it appears that Saint Paul had a married sister
in Jerusalem, as her son assisted him when he was in prison.
THE BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT 405
in the literature of western nations, probably before he left
Tarsus, for he shows in his writings that he was familiar with
Greek authors (Acts xvii. 28; Titus i. 12; I Cor. xv. 33).
2. Being an ardent enthusiast for the Jewish law, young
Saul took part in stoning Saint Stephen, and it is not improb-
able that he wrote down Saint Stephen's discourse, which
Saint Luke gives very fully in Acts vii., with a view to using
it in further persecutions of the Christians. Saint Stephen's
last prayer may have won for him the grace of conversion,
although for a time his hatred of the followers of the Crucified
seemed intensified (Acts viii. 3, xxii. 4). Not contented with
persecuting them in Jerusalem, he sought and obtained from
the Synedrium letters authorizing him to seize all the disciples
of Christ who were in Damascus, and bring them as prisoners
to Jerusalem. Not far from Damascus he had a vision of our
Lord, which agitated him to a terrible degree and changed
him from an enemy to a most zealous champion of Christianity
(Acts ix., also xxii. 6; xxvi. 13, etc.).
3. He was baptized in Damascus, and at once began to
proclaim Christ as the Messias and as divine. Then for a time
he withdrew to Arabia (Gal. i. 17), 1 probably that by prayer
and penance he might prepare himself for a wider sphere of
action. He returned to Damascus and continued his work,
promoting Christianity with the greatest zeal, so that the Jews,
in their indignation, tried to seize him, and he had to flee
at the risk of his life (Acts ix. 23). He went at first to
Jerusalem in order to make acquaintance with Saint Peter.
This was three years after his conversion, probably in the year
37 (Gal. i. 18). Being persecuted here also by the Jews, and
having received special signs from Christ (Acts xxii. 18), he
went to Tarsus, his native city, and remained there some years
(Gal. i. 21). About this time the first community of Gentile
Christians was formed in Antioch, Barnabas being its ruler,
1 It has been proposed to read "Apa/Sa in this passage, instead of
'Apapla. "Apafia (Tmj?) was a place in Galilee, but, being so obscure,
it would have required some further designation. We might perhaps
read epijtiiav (araba = solitude). There was actually a place called Beth-
Araba in the neighborhood of the Dead Sea ( Jos. xv. 6 ) .
406 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
but as he alone could not accomplish all that had to be done.,
he summoned Saul from Tarsus to be his assistant, perhaps in
the year 42. After both had received their ordination as
apostles (Acts xiii. 2), they proceeded, like the others, on
missionary journeys for the purpose of preaching the gospel.
33. CONTINUATION. FIRST AND SECOND MISSIONARY
JOURNEYS OP SAINT PAUL
Saint Paul's three missionary journeys, recorded in the Acts
of the Apostles, began at Antioch.
4. The first journey (Acts xiii., xiv.) was the shortest. It took place
in the years 46-49. With Barnabas and his young nephew, Mark, the
apostle traveled first to Seleucia and thence to Cyprus. They crossed
the island from east to west, preaching the gospel everywhere. Then
they sailed to Asia Minor. Mark left them at Perge in Pamphylia and
went to Jerusalem, whilst Paul and Barnabas visited the interior of the
country (Antioch in Pisidia, Iconium, Lystra and Derbe in Lycaonia),
founding communities of Christians. Then they took ship at Attalia and
returned to Antioch, where the Christians were at that time in great
excitement regarding the question whether Gentile Christians were
bound to keep the Jewish law. On account of this dispute both Paul
and Barnabas attended the Council of the Apostles at Jerusalem (Acts
xv.), where it was decided that the Gentiles were free from the Mosaic
Law, but were to refrain from all participation in heathen worship ( e. g.
from sacrificial feasts), from incest (marriage between near relatives)
and from blood, which included anything strangled. These regulations
were made chiefly for the sake of the Jews, to facilitate their entrance
into the Church. After the Council, the two apostles returned to
Antioch.
5. Second missionary journey. Not long afterwards, perhaps in the
year 52, Saint Paul undertook another journey (see Acts xv. 36, etc.).
Barnabas and Mark again proposed to accompany him, but Saint Paul
refused to take Mark with him and they separated, though they did
not cherish any resentment against one another, for later on we find
Mark with Saint Paul in Rome (Col. iv. 10). Barnabas determined to
go with Mark to visit the communities in Cyprus, whilst Saint Paul
went to Asia Minor with Silas (Silvanus) whom he had summoned
from Jerusalem. They traveled on foot through Syria and Cilicia,
then through Pisidia, Lycaonia, where they were joined by Timothy,
Phrygia, Galatia and Mysia. At Troas in Mysia, where Saint Luke be-
came one of the apostle's companions, 1 he had in a dream a vision of a
Macedonian, imploring help. Taking this as an indication of God's will
From this point onwards in Acts we read: "ice traveled."
THE BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT 407
that he should go still farther west, and first to Macedonia to preach
the gospel, he at once set out on the way.
6. The city of Philippi was the first place in Europe where he began
to preach. He succeeded in establishing a Christian community there,
which remained devoted to him, showing him much love and loyalty.
From Rome he subsequently addressed a letter of consolation, that we
still possess, to this community. Saint Luke seems to have remained
in Philippi until he rejoined Saint Paul on his third journey at this
point, as it is only in Acts xx. 6 that he resumes the use of the first
person plural in his account. St. Paul was forced to leave Philippi after
suffering scourging and imprisonment, and Thessalonica was the next
scene of his apostolic labors. He could stay here only a short time, as
the Jews raised a disturbance, and he had to flee from the city. The
two letters written soon afterwards from Corinth to the Thessalonians,
prove, however, that he had worked in Thessalonica with success, and
that the community there was deficient in instruction but not in firm-
ness of faith. He had a similar experience in Berea, a neighboring
town; there was again an uproar among the Jews, and he had to take
flight. Then having left Silas and Timothy behind, that they might
continue to work in Macedonia, a not unfavorable field for missionary
enterprise, he himself went southwards to Athens, where very few would
hear him, and on to Corinth, then the capital of Greece. Here he suc-
ceeded in establishing a numerous community, consisting chiefly of Gen-
tile Christians, and he stayed with them for a year and a half. It was
at Corinth that he learnt to know Aquila and his wife Priscilla, Jewish
Christians, who had been driven away from Rome, and they were of great
service to him in his apostolic work. Silas and Timothy rejoined him
in Corinth. He seems to have gone on one occasion to Illyria from Cor-
inth, as in Rom. xv. 19 he says that he has preached the gospel as far
as Illyria, and in 2 Cor. xii. 14 and xiii. 1, he says that before writing
that epistle he had already been twice in Corinth. The journey to
Illyria is not mentioned in the Acts, and no more suitable date for
it can be found. Saint Paul was finally obliged to quit Corinth,
on account of a tumult stirred up by the Jews, and he returned to the
East. He first visited Ephesus, but did not stay there long, though he
left Aquila and Priscilla there and promised to return at a later time.
He sailed to Caesarea in Palestine and went thence (most probably) to
Jerusalem in order to fulfill a vow that he had made (Acts xviii. 18,
etc.). In the year 55 he revisited Antioch. In the meantime Apollos,
an Alexandrian Jew by birth, who had received only the baptism of
John, had appeared in Ephesus, preaching Christ as the Messias. Hav-
ing been more accurately instructed in Christianity by Aquila and
Priscilla, he too went to Corinth, and by means of his ardent zeal and
great eloquence he won extraordinary popularity, so that many of the
Corinthians esteemed him even more highly than Saint Paul (1 Cor. iii.
4, etc.).
408 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
34. CONTINUATIONS SAINT PAUL'S THIRD MISSIONARY
JOURNEY. His IMPRISONMENT 1
7. After some time Saint Paul again traveled through Asia Minor,
revisiting especially the communities of Christians in Galatia and
Phrygia, and encouraging new converts. Then, as he had promised, he
went to Ephesus, and remained there nearly three years. The gospel
made such progress in and near Ephesus that the heathen worship
suffered in consequence, and the pilgrimages to the Temple of Artemis
diminished. This caused Demetrius the silversmith, who maintained
himself and a large number of workmen by making little representations
of the Temple of Diana, to stir up a tumult against Saint Paul, who
was obliged therefore to leave Ephesus.
8. He traveled first to Macedonia, then to Achaia, where he stayed
three months (Acts xx. 3), and he undoubtedly visited Corinth. On his
return to Macedonia he was rejoined by Saint Luke. He had for a long
time been wishing to go once more to Jerusalem and then to Rome
(Acts xix. 21). His plan was carried out, but not in the way he had
intended. He began his journey by sailing to Troas and going thence
on foot to Assus. He went on with his companions by way of Mitylene,
Chios and Samoa to Miletus, where the elders of the church at Ephesus
met him, and he took a touching farewell of them (Acts xx. 17-38).
Sailing on, they passed Cyprus on the left, and landed at Tyre, and
thence, in spite of all the warnings given by the Christians, Saint Paul
went on to Jerusalem. Although he was as cautious as circumstances
allowed, he was recognized on the eighth day by some Jews from Asia
Minor, and was only saved from the violence and fury of the Jews by the
prompt interference of the Roman watchmen. As his life was not safe
even in prison (supra, p. 404, note 2) he was conveyed by a strong
escort of soldiers to Csesarea, and given into the charge of Felix, the
procurator, who kept him in an easy kind of captivity, but did not re-
lease him, hoping for a large ransom from the Christians. Two years
later Felix transferred the prisoner to his successor Festus.
9. Festus showed some inclination to give the apostle up to the Jew-
ish Synedrium, and Saint Paul, perceiving this, and knowing what cruel
vengeance he would have to expect, used his rights as a Roman citizen,
and appealed to the emperor (Acts xxv. 9). The result of this action
was that his case had to be transferred to Rome, and he had to be
taken thither as a prisoner. This was in the autumn of the year 61.
His companions were Saint Luke and Aristarchus, a Macedonian. After
a long and stormy voyage, the ship was wrecked on the coast of Malta,
but all on board were saved. They had to pass the winter in Malta, and
were only able to continue their journey in the spring of 62. They
landed at Puteoli, and proceeded on foot to Rome.
10. Saint Paul's imprisonment in Rome was comparatively easy; he
was allowed to go out, and found opportunities of spreading the gospel. 2
1 Acts xix. 1, etc.
2 " He remained two whole years in his own hired lodging, and he
received all that came in to him, preaching the kingdom of God, and
THE BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT 409
At this point the account of Saint Paul given in the Acts of the Apostles
ends abruptly. Tradition, however, tells us that after two years he was
acquitted, and then undertook a fourth journey, first to Spain, which he
had long intended to visit (Rom. xv. 24, 28), then again to the East,
and afterwards to Rome, where he was imprisoned again, and in the
year 67 on June 29, at the same time as Saint Peter, he suffered mar-
tyrdom, dying by the sword as befitted his Roman citizenship.
We know nothing with certainty as to Saint Paul's age. At the
time of Saint Stephen's death by stoning, he was (Acts vii. 57) still a
young man, certainly under thirty, as he was not allowed to take part
in the actual stoning, for a man under thirty could not perform any pub-
lic action. Saint Stephen's death may be assigned to the year 34; soon
after it Paul was employed by the Synedrium and sent to Damascus, so
he must then have attained the age of thirty. He was converted on his
way, and for about thirty-three years he worked as a Christian and as
an apostle, so that it was at the age of sixty-three that he ended his life,
witnessing to the faith with his blood. 1
35. CHARACTER OF SAINT PAUL AS A MAN AND AS A
WRITER
1. In outward appearance Saint Paul was, according to all
ancient accounts, very insignificant ; 2 and he tells us this
himself in II Corinthians x. 10. The external gifts of a rheto-
rician seem to have been denied him, such as a clear, strong voice,
a bright and lively glance, assurance and resolution. The ab-
sence of these gifts explains why Apollos, being a fluent speaker,
won more favor than Saint Paul in many quarters in Corinth.
teaching the things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ with all con-
fidence, without prohibition" (Acts xxviii. 30, 31).
1 Reithmayr denies that the apostle was ever released, and that he
made a fourth journey. Kaulen, Spitta, oppose this view. Eusebius
(Hist. Eccl., II, 22) and Saint Jerome (De Viris Illustr., c. 5, Comm. in
Amos, V, 8) state definitely that .he did regain his freedom. Saint Clem-
ent of Rome (Ep., I, c. 5) says that Saint Paul went to the limits of
the West. In the Muratorian Fragment, where the Acts of the Apostles
is mentioned, there is an allusion to a journey of St. Paul ab urbe ad
Spaniam proficiscentis. It is probable that Saint Paul did not stay long
in Spain, and traveled thence to Crete, where he left Titus, and then to
Ephesus, where he left Timothy. He visited various communities in the
interior of Asia Minor, went by way of Miletus (.2 Tim. iv. 20) to Mace-
donia and Achaia, then to Nicopolis in Epirus, whither Titus was to fol-
low him (Titus iii. 12), and finally back to Rome.
2 Niceph., Hist. EccL, II, 37 (Migne, Patres Or., 145-147).
410 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
Moreover Saint Paul purposely avoided trying to please by
means of human artifices and especially by rhetorical tricks
of speech, for he did not wish the glory to be his, but God's,
and he was unwilling that any one should ascribe his success to
his own human exertions. 1 He was content to be the humble
instrument of the Holy Ghost. Like Jonas after his wonder-
ful rescue, he was always anxious when preaching, and feared
lest he should fail in his task and be rejected because of his
former sins (I Cor. ix. 16, etc., and 27). Our Saviour had
commissioned him, in compensation for the injury he had done
the Church, to spread the gospel among the Gentiles, and this
duty he fulfilled more abundantly than all the other apostles
(I Cor. xv. 10), for he not only attained greater success, but
incurred more trouble and suffering. 2 Amidst it all he showed
himself so absolutely unselfish that in spite of all the pressure
of his apostolic work and the care for so many churches, he
nevertheless earned his own living by his trade, and was a
burden to no one. He regarded his labors merely as repara-
tion for his former faults, and he expected a reward only
because he worked " without charge" (Acts xx. 34; I Cor.
ix. 18).
2. Saint Paul wrote no special instructions on matters of
faith and morals intended for Christians in general, nor did
he compose any strictly historical works, unless we ascribe the
third gospel and the Acts of the Apostles to him. We have,
however, written remains of his work, for his zeal impelled
him to do what he could to serve the faithful with his written
words where he could not be with them in person. 3 We possess
fourteen epistles by him, of various lengths. Although most
of them are occasional pamphlets, they are priceless jewels from
the rich treasury of his divinely gifted intellect. In them Saint
1 I Cor. ii. 1-4 ; II Cor. x. 10 : " For his epistles indeed, say they, are
weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak and his speech
contemptible."
2 In II Cor. xi., being suspected, he is compelled to speak of his
labors and sufferings, and what he tells us of them in that passage is
certainly not all.
8 Other apostles did the same, and so did the Fathers of the Church,
and our bishops still continue the practice.
THE BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT 411
Paul shows himself a master of the art of bringing conviction
home to the understanding, of touching the heart and of rous-
ing the will. The zeal of this man, amidst his manifold
occupations, the vigor and fullness of his thoughts, the ardor
of his heroic faith are so great that the reader is often unable
to follow his thought, and so many passages remain obscure, a
fact that already Saint Peter regretted (II Peter iii. 16). The
topics that he deals with most frequently are Christ and His
relation to the world, the reconciliation of mankind with God
through Christ's Blood, salvation at the day of judgment, pos-
sible to all through submission to Christ, and the advantages
of the new covenant in comparison with the old, that is now
at an end.
36. SEQUENCE OF SAINT PAUL'S EPISTLES
Saint Paul's epistles were generally read at public worship
in the communities to which they were addressed, and collec-
tions of them were made at a very early date. The first trace
of a collection is in II Peter iii. 15. By the middle of the
second century the heretic Marcion reckoned that there were
ten epistles, for he omitted the pastoral letters and the epistle
to the Hebrews. Most of the Fathers of the Church recognized
thirteen as by Saint Paul, for they ascribed Hebrews to an-
other author. The collection in our Canon is arranged with
reference not to the date of origin but to the importance of
the churches to which the epistles were addressed. If they
are put in chronological order they stand thus:
(1), (2) and (3). The two epistles to the Thessalonians and the
epistle to the Galatians were written during Saint Paul's first residence
in Corinth, about the year 53, so they belong to his first missionary
journey. Three epistles belong to his third journey; viz. (4) the first
epistle to the Corinthians was written at Ephesus in 58 ; ( 5 ) the second
to the Corinthians from Macedonia, also in 58, and (6) the epistle to the
Romans during the apostle's second visit to Corinth, probably in 59.
Saint Paul wrote four epistles whilst he was a prisoner in Rome for
the first time; viz. (7) the epistle to the Philippians, about 62, and in
63 those to (8) the Ephesians, (9) the Colossians and (10) Philemon.
(11) The epistle to the Hebrews is generally believed to have been
written in Italy in 63 or 64, after Saint Paul had been set at liberty.
It is generally assumed that (12) the first epistle to Timothy and (13)
412 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
the epistle to Titus were written about 65, when Saint Paul was on his
fourth journey in the East, and, finally, (14) the second epistle to Tim-
othy was written during his second imprisonment in Rome in 66 or 67.
37. THE EPISTLE TO T:EE ROMANS
(16 chapters)
1. Motive. We know from Horace and other Roman authors
that even before the time of Christ there were many Jews in
Rome, the capital of the world, and that they possessed several
synagogues, which were frequently visited hy Gentiles. It is
possible, therefore, that some account of our Saviour reached
Rome as early as the reign of Tiberius or that of Caligula. It
is certain that a congregation of Christians existed there in
the earlier part of the reign of Claudius, and the epistle is
addressed to readers assumed to be well instructed and stead-
fast in Christianity. Every early Christian writer names Saint
Peter as the founder of this church; he had left Palestine
because of the persecution under Herod Agrippa and came to
Rome soon after the accession of Claudius. 1 It is probable that
he converted first some Jews to Christianity, but they were
soon joined by Gentiles. In his life of the Emperor Claudius
(chapter xxv.), Suetonius says that he expelled all the Jews
from Rome because of their incessant quarrels. 2 He mentions
a certain " Chrestos " as the instigator of these disputes, so we
may suppose that the pagan writer was not accurately in-
formed, and had heard of quarrels about Christ, and that dis-
turbances had broken out among the Jews concerning the
1 Acts xii. 17, where the author cautiously writes: ttropetiQy els
r(yrrov. Cf. also War Petrus in Romf Minister, 1872; Kirchenlex., art.
Petrus; Schmid, Petrus in Rom, Lucerne, 1879 (see p. 438).
2 Judceos impulsore Chresto perpetuo tumultuantes Roma expulit.
(In acordance with iotacism, 97 may be pronounced like t, so that XPIJOTTOS
= xP lffr *' But even if this pronunciation was not usual in Rome, it
would be very natural to put a well-known word like xp^^^s = probus,
honest, instead of the still unfamiliar xp^rte- Cf> Tertullian, Apolog., 3. )
Of the expelled Jews probably many returned, as did Aquila and Pris-
cilla (Rom. xvi. 3). Saint Peter too seems to have been amongst those
driven out; he probably went at first to Asia Minor, whither he after-
wards sent his epistles.
THE BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT 413
Christian religion. It was perhaps in consequence of the ex-
pulsion of the Jews that the majority of the Christians in
Eome were Gentiles by birth, as we read in the epistle. 1 For
a long time a bond of mutual esteem and love had existed
between Saint Paul and this community, and he had greatly
desired to be able to visit Eome ; 2 but as this was not possible
just then, he sought to benefit the Eoman Christians by means
of a written communication, and he also wished to see the
principles that he insisted upon duly appreciated at the center
of the whole civilized world.
What caused the quarrels was the discussion whether salvation
through the Messias was limited to the people of Israel, as the Jews
Deferred to think, or was intended to be within reach of all nations.
In the first case all Gentiles, in order to attain to salvation, would have
to begin by submitting to the Mosaic Law, and could only thus obtain
a share in the benefits of redemption. If this Jewish opinion had pre-
vailed, as far as human reason can judge, Christianity could scarcely
have become common to all nations. The correct doctrine and practice
was stated clearly at the Apostolic Council, but for a long time there
were great difficulties in carrying the rules into execution.
2. Contents. In this epistle Saint Paul gives his opinions
fully regarding paganism, Judaism and Christianity. The con-
tents of the book are therefore chiefly dogmatic (chapter i.-xi.),
though at the end they become ethical (xii.-xvi.).
Dogmatic portion of the epistle. In the introduction (i.-iii.) Saint
Paul speaks of the universal sinfulness of mankind, and the need of re-
demption. All, not only the Gentiles, who did not know the law of Moses,
but also the Jews, who were under the law, have merited rejection by
God through their sins.
Argument. The doctrine of salvation. The way to be justified before
God has been opened to all men by faith in Jesus Christ. This way has
been all along the only possible one; for man could never please God
otherwise than by faith. David and Abraham were justified not by the
law, but by faith in a future Redeemer (iv.). This same justification is
now won through faith in and devotion to the Son of God, appearing in
our flesh, who, being Himself free from sin, by His obedience even to the
death of the Cross, has removed the guilt which was brought upon man-
kind by Adam's disobedience (v.). Henceforth it is possible for every
man justified through Christ to live in a manner pleasing to God, for by
1 Rom. i. 5, 6, 13; vi. 17, etc.; xi. 13; xv. 5, etc. That there were
Jews amongst them appears from Rom. ii. 17; iv. 1, etc.; vii. 1, etc.
3 Acts xix. 22; Rom. i. 13; xv. 22-24.
414 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
baptism the malice inherited from Adam is destroyed, and the Christian
is brought under the influence of the grace that proceeds from Christ
( vi. ) . The Mosaic Law could not confer this capability upon man, but
left him powerless against sin, because grace was wanting (vii.). But
through the spirit of Christ man can overcome sin and the flesh, and,
being chosen by God in the freedom of His grace, can bear with joyful
hope all the sufferings of earthly life (viii.). In reply to the question
how matters now stand with regard to Judaism, Saint Paul says that for
the moment the Jews have been rejected by God, and their place has
been taken by tb.e Gentiles, but in the fullness of time (xi. 25, 26) Israel
shall find mercy by adhering to Jesus Christ (ix.-xi.). Cf. Is. xi. 11, xliii.
5-7; Jer. iii. 18, etc.
In the ethical part of the epistle) Saint Paul speaks of the fruits that
the faithful ought to bring forth in their life. Following our Lord's
example, they should bring forth chiefly humility and love, which shows
itself in loyal fulfillment of duties, and in good will even towards en-
emies (xii.), and further in obedience to the government. They must
also act with consideration towards the weak and imperfect (xiv.), and
preserve harmony by the utmost submission to one another (xv.).
The closing chapter (xvi.) contains personal communications and
greetings.
3. Time and Place of Writing. According to xv. 23, etc.
(cf. I Cor. xvi. 1, etc.; II Cor. viii. 14; Acts xix. 21), Saint
Paul wrote this letter when he was in Achaia on his third
journey. There can be no doubt that he wrote from Corinth,
for he recommends to the Eomans (xvi. 1) a Corinthian
deaconess named Phoebe, who was going to Eome, and probably
took the letter with her, and he also conveys greetings from
Corinthian Christians (Caius, xvi. 23; cf. I Cor. i. 14; Timo-
theus and Sopater, xvi. 21; cf. Acts xx. 4). The date must be
the spring of the year 59, as the apostle was in Philippi on
his way back from Achaia at Easter, and wished to celebrate
Pentecost in Jerusalem (Acts xx. 6-16).
The epistle is generally regarded as authentic, although some modern
critics, like Marcion of old, would reject the last two chapters (xv. and
xvi.), because they contain some expressions favorable to the Jews and
apparently not in Saint Paul's style. He was, however, by no means
hostile to the Jews, and only regretted their antagonism to Christ. (Cf.
i. 16; iii. 2; ix. 1-5; x. 1.) Spitta thinks that the epistle consists
of two letters put together, both written by Saint Paul. The longer may
have been written in 58 at Corinth, but the shorter, containing the last
few chapters, was not written before 63 or 64, after the apostle's release
from prison. Tradition, however, from the earliest times has accepted
the unity of the epistle.
THE BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT 415
38. THE FIRST EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS
(16 chapters)
1. Corinth, a rich and prosperous trading city, was com-
pletely destroyed in 146 B. c by Lucius Mummius. Julius
CaBsar rebuilt it in 46 B. c. and it quickly revived, becoming
the capital of the Roman province of Achaia. As its prosperity
increased, its immorality, for which it was notorious through-
out the world, again attracted attention.
2. Motive. Saint Paul, being on his second missionary
journey, went from Athens to Corinth, to try to estabish
Christianity there, and his attempt was successful. When he
left the city, eighteen months later, he had the consolation
of knowing that he was leaving a large body of Christians,
chiefly Gentiles of the lower classes (i. 26). After his de-
parture many disorders arose in the new community, and many
converts went back to their former immorality. On this ac-
count Saint Paul wrote a letter, now no longer extant, bidding
the Christians, who had remained faithful, to have no inter-
course with such persons (I Cor. v. 9). Whilst he was at
Ephesus, where he remained some considerable time, he re-
ceived still worse news from Corinth, and determined to write
a detailed letter, which is what we still possess as the First
Epistle to the Corinthians.
3. Contents. The news mentioned above had reached him
through three channels, (a) Chloe, a Christian of good posi-
tion, had let him know that parties had been formed in the
community, and by what means. One party called itself after
Paul, another after Apollos, a third after Peter, a fourth after
Christ Himself, (b) From other sources news had reached
him of the careless mode of life among many of the recent
converts, of the incestuous marriage of a Christian, and of the
readiness with which many of the faithful had recourse to
lawsuits, (c) Finally the Corinthian church itself had sent
messengers to Saint Paul at Ephesus, bringing him a letter
to ask for instruction on several points of doctrine and disci-
pline. In his epistle the apostle deals with all these matters
in succession, so we may distinguish three sections in it.
416 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
1. (Chapters i.-iv.) Saint Paul discusses the existence of a party
spirit which he most decidedly condemns.
2. ( Chapters v. and vi. ) He gives orders that the man guilty of incest
shall be expelled from the community; he blames the litigious, who
instead of agreeing peaceably with one another, seek justice before
heathen tribunals, and he speaks of the disgrace of immorality.
3. In reply to the questions addressed to him by the church, he dis-
cusses (vii.) marriage and virginity, (viii.) eating things offered to
idols, which is generally permitted, but (ix.) if there is any risk of
scandal, it is to be avoided; he speaks of participation in idolatrous
feasts, that cannot be tolerated (x.); and of various abuses (xi.) that
had crept into the assemblies for public worship (women with heads
uncovered, celebration of the Holy Eucharist), and then he goes on to
describe the charismata, i. e. the extraordinary gifts of the Holy Ghost
(xii.), then the superiority of charity to them all (xiii.), especially
(xiv.) the charisma of speaking with tongues and prophecy, and finally
(xv.) he speaks of the resurrection of the body. He concludes (xvi.)with
a request for money to be collected for the poor Jewish Christians in
Jerusalem ; he sends personal messages and greetings.
4. Time and Place. In xvi. 3-8 Saint Paul says that he is
writing from Ephesus, and intends to remain there until
Pentecost, and then go to Macedonia and Achaia, and also
to Corinth. This can have been only during his third journey,
towards the end of his residence in Ephesus; so we may
assume that the epistle was written in the spring of the
year 58.
39. THE SECOND EPISTLE TO THE CORINTHIANS
(13 chapters)
1. Motive. After dispatching the first epistle, Saint Paul
sent Titus to Corinth, so that he might report to him on the
impression made by the epistle and the effect produced. In
the meantime the apostle left Ephesus and met Titus in
Macedonia, after having long expected him with the greatest
anxiety. The news that Titus brought was good; the letter
had had a favorable effect upon the Corinthians, and the man
who had committed incest was genuinely penitent. Also the
collection ordered for the church in Jerusalem was making
some progress, though not a very great one. Some serious
evils, however, still were visible. Many, filled with party spirit,
cherished prejudices against Saint Paul, believing him to be
THE BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT 417
ambitious, untrustworthy and dishonest. The tendency, too, to
follow heathen practices still existed, and showed itself in
participation in idolatrous feasts (II Cor. vi. 14-18) ; more-
over the adherents of the Jewish party were more embittered
than ever against Saint Paul. All these facts impelled the
apostle to write a second letter, which Titus, who was glad
to return to Corinth, took with him.
2. Object and Contents. Defense of himself and exhortation
to charity.
The epistle falls into three parts; the first contains Saint Paul's self-
defense addressed to the community in general, the second his self-defense
addressed to the Judaizing party, and the third his exhortation to good
works.
1. (i.-vii.) Saint Paul speaks of himself in relation to the church
at Corinth, and explains the misunderstandings that had disturbed it. As
a pledge of the restoration of harmony, he desires that the incestuous
man, who is now penitent, shall be re-admitted to the congregation (ii.
5-11). He repeatedly expresses his joy that the Corinthians have been
won over to him and so to true Christianity. ( Cf. especially vii. 4, etc. )
2. (viii., ix.) The Corinthians are again urged to collect money for
the Jewish Christians in Jerusalem works of mercy always ought to
be performed. 1
3. (x.-xiii.) Arguments against the Judaizing party. Defense of
Saint Paul's person and doctrine. Announcement of his coming.
In this epistle, more than in any other, Saint Paul speaks from his
heart. On reading it, we can feel that he had not merely won the new
converts to Christ, but had done so almost with violence, and had filled
them at the same time with wonderful affection for himself, since they
saw with what unselfishness he endured all that was painful in his labo-
rious work as an apostle, without ever relaxing his zeal.
3. Time and Place. The epistle was written in Macedonia
(viii. 1, ix. 4), according to several subscriptions at Philippi,
in the summer months of the year 58. 2
1 Saint Paul laid so much stress on this matter because he considered
(Rom. xv. 27) that the Gentile Christians were bound to show their
gratitude for the gift of Christianity to the parent church at Jerusalem.
We learn from Gal. ii. 10 that he had personally undertaken to look
after the poor on the occasion of the Apostolic Council. The Jewish
Christians, hated and despised by their own nation, and for the most part
reduced to poverty, were in danger of falling back into unbelief and
Judaism. See infra, Epistle to the Hebrews, 5.
2 If Saint Paul left Ephesus at Pentecost (I Cor. xvi. 8), and if he
left Philippi again about Easter, 59 (Acts xx. 6), in order to go to
418 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
The authenticity of both epistles to the Corinthians is universally
recognized. The first particularly is expressly mentioned in Saint
Clement's first letter to the Corinthians, c. 47.
40. THE EPISTLE TO THE GALATIANS
(6 chapters)
1. Galatia, in Asia Minor,, took its name from the Galata?,
= Galli = Kelts, who settled there in 257 B. c. Some off-
shoots of the great Gallic race from the far West gradually
made their way through Pannonia and Illyria to Asia Minor,
and there entered the army of King Mcomedes of Bithynia,
receiving from him, in return for their services, part of ancient
Phrygia, with the addition of a portion of Bithynia, to be
their dwelling place. Their chief towns were Ancyra, Tavium
and Pessinus. From 24 B. c. onwards Galatia was, a Eoman
province.
At the time of the apostles the name Galatia was given not merely
to the territory occupied by the Galatse, but to the whole Province,
which contained, besides Galatia proper, Lycaonia, Pisidia and Pamphylia
lying to the south of it. Saint Paul visited these districts on his first
missionary journey (Acts xiii. 13, etc., xiv.), but did not reach Galatia
proper. It is possible that he went there on his second and third jour-
neys, but it is more likely that this epistle is addressed to the inhabit-
ants of the Roman Province of Galatia, and not to the Galatae, or at least
not to them alone. Comely takes this view, and V. Weber and Belser
agree with him. ( 1 ) According to Gal. ii. 5, Saint Paul, at the Council,
resisted his opponents, " that the truth of the gospel might continue with
you." This seems to show that Christianity had been preached in Gala-
tia before the Apostolic Council. (2) In the epistle Saint Paul speaks
of Barnabas (ii. 1, 9, 13) as of a well-known person, but it was only on
the first missionary journey that Barnabas could have become known
there. (3) Saint Paul always follows the Roman usage in speaking of
places he means by Achaia, Macedonia and Asia, the Roman prov-
inces of those names, and not the older regions to which they once
applied.
2. Motive. On his missionary journeys in Asia Minor Saint
Paul visited this province and preached the gospel there with
Jerusalem, having previously spent three months in Achaia, we may be-
lieve that the epistle was written in August or September, allowing
some months for traveling. Kaulen thinks it was written at the end
of June, Comely in the autumn of the year 58.
THE BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT 419
success. But after his departure Jews came to Galatia, who
tried to mislead the people and rouse them to hostility against
Saint Paul, calling upon them to submit to the Jewish law
as well as to Christianity, if they would be saved. We are
not told by whom Saint Paul was informed of the danger
threatening his Galatian converts, but he sought to avert the
evil by means of this epistle, which must be regarded as a
circular letter, for it is not addressed to one particular church,
but "to the churches of Galatia" (i. 2). 1
3. Contents and Object. Kejection of the unjustifiable de-
mands of the Judaizing party.
The epistle consists of three parts, each of two chapters: i. and ii.
Saint Paul's apostleship amd doctrine are of divine origin, and he is in
complete accord with the other apostles, iii. and iv. The doctrine that
he preaches harmonizes with the history of the old covenant, which bears
the same relation to the new as Agar to Sara. v. and vi. To accept the
Mosaic Law, or to add it to the gospel, is unnecessary and reprehensible.
4. Time and Place. It is generally assumed that the epistle
was written in 56, during Saint Paul's visit to Ephesus on his
third missionary journey. The contents, however, point to its
having been written during the second journey, for the vivid
description of the proceedings at the Apostolic Council, and of
the dispute with Saint Peter concerning the legalia at Antioch,
indicates that these events were still fresh in Saint Paul's
memory. It may have been written at Corinth, in 53 or 54,
not long after the epistles to the Thessalonians. 2
The authenticity of this epistle was formerly unquestioned, but has
recently been challenged by some non-Catholic critics.
1 "Paul, an apostle . . . and all the brethren who are with me, to
the churches of Galatia."
2 Val. Weber in discussing this epistle tries to prove not only that
the Galatians to whom the epistle is addressed were the inhabitants of
the Roman province of Galatia, and so were the southern Galatians,
converted on Saint Paul's first journey, but also that the epistle was
written in 48 or 49, before the Apostolic Council; this would make it
the earliest of all the Pauline epistles. Belser, like Weber, thinks it is
addressed to Southern Galatians, and was written perhaps at Antioch in
Syria, in the year 49. Steinmann believes it to be addressed to the
Galatians in the north of the province, and to have been written at
Ephesus in 54 or 55.
420 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
41. THE EPISTLE TO THE EPHESIANS
(6 chapters)
1. Ephesus is situated on the seacoast of Ionia, at the mouth
of the Caystrus, somewhat to the south of Smyrna. It was
a very ancient city of high reputation. The Temple of Diana
was especially famous; it was burnt down by Herostratus in
356 B. c.,, but was rebuilt, and ranked as one of the seven
wonders of the world. In 133 Ephesus became the capital
of the Roman province of Asia. In early Christian times
(431 A.D .) the third general Council against Nestorius was
held here. Ephesus was destroyed by the Turks and is now a
village, called Aja Soluk.
2. Motive. On his second missionary journey Saint Paul
went on to Ephesus from Corinth, and found a community of
Christians there (Acts xviii. 21). On his third journey, after
traveling through Galatia and Phrygia, he again visited Ephesus,
and remained there from two to three years. He was forced
to leave, owing to Demetrius' revolt, but he always retained
particular affection for the faithful in and near Ephesus, and
the touching words that he spoke in Miletus when he bade
them farewell are a witness to it (Acts xx.). When he was in
prison he still tried, by means of the epistle preserved to us,
to encourage the faithful in living a Christian life, for they
were in danger of being led astray by those who wished to sow
the seed of later Gnosticism. The doctrine concerning angels,
strongly emphasized and accurately stated, is aimed at these
enemies (i. 21, iii. 10, vi. 12).
3. Place. Saint Paul wrote the epistle from prison (iii. 1,
iv. 1, vi. 20), but it is uncertain whether it was from Cassarea
or from Rome that he addressed the Ephesians. He is gen-
erally believed to have written it in Rome, and to have dis-
patched it with the letters to the Colossians and Philemon. If
this be the case, it was written in 63.
4. Difficulties. It is remarkable that there are no personal
touches in this epistle; the wording is very general, and almost
suggests (i. 15, iii. 1, 2) that Saint Paul had not come into
THE BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT 421
contact with his readers. Commentators have doubted, there-
fore, whether this epistle was really intended for the Ephesians.
It is true that in the first verse the words ev 'E^eW occur,
but in the earliest manuscripts it is still possible to see that
they have been inserted by a later hand. In Codex B they
are in the margin, in Codex tf they are wanting. We may
therefore suppose that it was intended primarily for Ephesus,
but was to be sent as a circular letter to all the other churches
of the province of Asia, viz. Smyrna, Pergamus, Thyatira, Sardes,
Philadelphia and Laodicea.
5. The contents are partly doctrinal, partly ethical.
Chapters i.-iii. are doctrinal, for Saint Paul states how great is the
happiness of those Gentiles who now belong to the Church, the spotless
Bride of Christ. God's intention to save not only His own people, but
also the morally corrupt Gentiles, through Jesus Christ, was formerly
concealed, but is now manifest, and Saint Paul has the commission and
the will to bring the tidings of it to the Gentiles. Chapters iv.-vi. are
ethical. He states that all the faithful collectively form one body, and
they must show themselves to be one, by the harmony between the
various limbs. They must no longer live as heathen, but must practice
Christian virtues, and by goodness of life correspond to God's loving
intention. Admonitions to Christian families.
6. Carrier of the Epistle. Tychicus, a friend and assistant
of Saint Paul in his work of teaching, was to carry this epistle
(vi. 21). The same man conveyed also the epistle to the
Colossians (Col. iv. 7). These two epistles resemble one an-
other closely, and we can hardly doubt that Tychicus conveyed
them both from Eome towards the end of the year 63, taking
with him at the same time the short letter to Philemon, a
Christian living at Colossae.
The authenticity of this epistle is beyond question, for in
support of it we have the evidence of the Fragm. Mur., Irenaeus,
Origen, Tertullian and Clement of Alexandria, all of whom
know it only as addressed to Ephesus. Even if the words
eV 'E<eVft> in v. 1 are missing in the manuscripts they un-
doubtedly occur in the title.
422 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
42. THE EPISTLE TO THE PHILIPPIANS
(4 chapters)
1. Philippi in Macedonia was the first city on European soil
in which Saint Paul preached the gospel. It was formerly only
a village known as Krenides, 1 but was enlarged and fortified
by Philip II of Macedonia, and thenceforth bore his name. A
Eoman colony was established there in 42 B. c., and the in-
habitants enjoyed immunity from taxation and the privileges
of Eoman citizenship. At the present time a little village
called Filiba stands on the ruins of the former city. Saint
Paul visited Philippi on his second missionary journey and
founded a Christian church there. He returned thither on his
third journey (Acts xx. 6). The faithful in this town were
particularly loyal to their teacher, and were more steadfast
than many others, both in faith and morals. This is plain
from the epistle addressed to them by Saint Paul, which re-
veals the existence of a very close bond between him and them,
and contains almost no rebukes, nor any suggestion of wrong-
doing on their part.
2. Motive. The Philippians had heard that Saint Paul was
in prison, so with loving anxiety they made a collection
of money, and sent the proceeds by one of the chief men in
the community, by name Epaphroditus ('ETra^poStro?), to Saint
Paul (iv. 18). The apostle gave the messenger the letter
that we possess to carry back with him.
3. Contents. Expression of gratitude and warning.
Chapter i. Joy at the proof of the Philippians' loyalty to the gospel.
He tells them how he fares in his imprisonment; he is willing either to
live or to die. ii. He recommends them to be subject to one another ac-
cording to the example of Christ, iii. He warns them against Judaizing
teachers, iv. He thanks them for their affectionate offering that he has
received.
4. Time and Place. Saint Paul speaks of his bonds (i.
7, 13), so the epistle was written in prison, but on which oc-
1 i. e. springs, from the number of springs and watercourses in the
neighborhood
THE BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT 423
casion? He refers to his recognition in the Praetorium
(i. 13), the headquarters of the imperial bodyguard, and he
sends greetings from persons attached to the emperor's house-
hold (iv. 22). These are plain indications that he was in
prison in Eome. We have three other epistles belonging to
the same period, viz. those to the Ephesians, Colossians and
Philemon. In all he expresses the hope of being set at lib-
erty, so they were written during his first imprisonment; but
whereas in the epistle to Philemon (verse 22) he orders a lodg-
ing to be prepared for himself, he writes here less confidently
(i. 20, ii. 17). This epistle therefore is probably earlier than
the other three, and may have been written in the year 62.
It is almost universally acknowledged to be authentic. In his epistle
to the Philippians (iii. 5, 9) Saint Polycarp refers to this work of the
apostles.
43. THE EPISTLE TO THE COLOSSIANS
(4 chapters)
1. Colossce (or Kolassai) was a town in Phrygia, on the
Lycus, about forty hours' journey inland and eastward of
Ephesus. It has perished under Turkish rule, and now there
is only a village, called Konon or Chonas, in the neighborhood.
2. Motive. The Christian church at Colossse was not founded
by Saint Paul himself (i. 4, ii. 1), but it is not improbable
that one of his disciples preached the gospel here during the
apostle's long sojourn in Ephesus. The chief teacher of the
Colossians, Epaphras ('ETra^/oa?), visited Saint Paul when a
prisoner in Eome, and took him news of the condition of that
and the neighboring churches (i. 7, iv. 12). In consequence
of this, Epaphras himself was imprisoned (Philemon 23). The
tidings that he brought included the fact that there were
dangers threatening the faith (ii. 4, 8) ; false teachers with
gnostic tendencies were trying to lead the Christians astray,
partly into Judaism and partly into heathenism, and were
spreading a false doctrine about angels. Saint Paul wrote this
epistle with reference to these matters, and as Epaphras was
in prison, he sent it by Tychicus (iv. 7), probably at the same
424 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
time as the epistles to the Ephesians and Philemon, in the
year 63.
3. Contents. Of the four chapters, the first two contain
instructions, the last two admonitions.
i. The blessings of Christianity, far surpassing all the wisdom of
Jews and Greeks, ii. Suffer not yourselves to be led astray by the
words of philosophers and Rabbis. The worship of angels and a perverse
use of mortification cannot take the place of Christianity, iii. Sanctify
yourselves by purity of life, lay aside the old man more and more, and
put on the new, by becoming like unto Christ, iv. Tychicus and Onesi-
mus will give you further news. Greetings.
At the conclusion of the letter, Saint Paul orders it to be read in
Laodicea, and that which he sent to that city to be read also at Colossse
(iv. 16). We know nothing of any epistle at Laodicea; probably that
to the Ephesians is meant, of which Marcion asserted that it was in-
tended for Laodicea. (Harnack, AltchristL Lit., p. 4, suggests that it
was the epistle to the Ephesians.) These two epistles are very much
alike, as they were both written with a view to opposing the rise of
gnosticism, and to stating the true doctrines of Christianity.
The authenticity of the epistle is vouched for by Ignatius (Eph. x.),
Clement of Rome (I Cor. xlix.), Polycarp (Phil. v. and xi.), but against
it may be urged that gnosticism could not have appeared at so early a
date. If, however, soon after 100 A. D. Basilides and Valentinus came
forward with comprehensive gnostic systems, the beginning of the
heresy must have existed long before. In his first epistle to the Corin-
thians, i. 18; ii. 6, etc.; viii. 1; xii. 8, Saint Paul gives warnings against
what is assumed to be wisdom, very much as he does in the epistle to the
Colossians.
44. FIRST EPISTLE TO THE THESSALONIANS
(5 chapters)
1. Thessalonica (einraAW/n?), the largest city in Mace-
donia, lying southwest of Philippi on the Sinus Thermaicus,
was a flourishing commercial town. It is now called Salonik,
and is, next to Constantinople, the most important place in
Turkey in Europe. Of the seventy thousand inhabitants a third
are Jews, and in ancient times there were many Jews here.
Saint Paul addressed them first, when, on his second mis-
sionary journey, he came hither from Philippi with Silas and
Timothy, to bring tidings of the Messias. They did not long
listen to him with patience, but soon showed their hostility,
although they were unable to hinder the growth of a church
THE BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT 425
consisting chiefly of Gentile Christians. Being forced to take
flight, Saint Paul sent Timothy, probably from Berea, to Thes-
salonica to look after the new converts and then to bring him
news of them to Achaia. Timothy rejoined Saint Paul at
Corinth, and gave him a report of the condition of the newly
founded community.
2. Motive of the Epistle. The church in Thessalonica was
suffering in consequence of not having received sufficient in-
struction (iii. 10). The converts were firm in the faith, but
morally they were not much changed, and their careless,
heathenish mode of life had not been discarded. Several deaths,
too, had occurred, in consequence of which many Christians
abandoned themselves to discouragement, being badly instructed
regarding the future life and the resurrection. These facts led
Saint Paul to write them an epistle.
3. Contents. Saint Paul seeks to strengthen his converts
in the gospel; he warns them against the heathen vices of
fornication, dishonesty, hard-heartedness and indolence, and in-
structs them on the second coming of Christ.
i. To my joy you have become Christians, ii. Remember my sojourn
amongst you. With the greatest earnestness I preached salvation to
you, and you asccepted it with zeal. iii. Timothy, whom I sent to you,
has brought me good news of you. iv. Practice the virtues of Christians ;
be moral, love your neighbors, and be diligent at your work. With re-
gard to those who have passed away, be without anxiety; they will rise
again at Christ's second coming, v. The time of the judgment is un-
certain, the Lord will come like a thief in the night.
4. Time and Place. This epistle is the earliest of all Saint
Paul's writings that have come down to us. It was written
at Corinth in the year 53.
45. SECOND EPISTLE TO THE THESSALONIANS
(3 chapters)
1. Motive. After a short time further news of the church
at Thessalonica reached Saint Paul. His epistle had made a
deep impression and had had a good result; to some extent
it had served to soothe men's minds, but as he had spoken of
426 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
the second coming of Christ and the end of the world, and
had declared the time of the judgment to be uncertain, the
Thessalonians fancied that the end of all things was imminent,
and they were giving themselves up to the greatest alarm.
Their excitement had been aggravated by a forged letter os-
tensibly written by Saint Paul. Some, probably of the lower
classes, were refusing to work and living in idleness, allowing
themselves to be supported by the charity of their fellow
Christians. On receipt of this news, Saint Paul sent a second
epistle to Thessalonica.
2. Contents. Admonition to lead the life of honest Chris-
tians. Completion of his instruction regarding the end of
the world and the Last Judgment.
i. At the last day God will reward your zeal for the faith, ii. But
we must not expect the end of the world immediately; there must first
be a great falling away on the part of Christians (Matt. xxiv. 23), and
the man of sin (Antichrist, I John ii. 18; Acts xx. 7) will appear and
rule with the utmost arrogance. Then, when wickedness has reached
its climax, Christ will come and put a speedy end to it. iii. The apostle
warns the people against idleness, and bids them break off all inter-
course with those who deliberately live on alms. Every man should try
to support himself by his own work. On the other hand, Saint Paul
urges them not to desist from helping the really poor.
3. Time and Place. Like the first epistle, the second was
writen at Corinth, about the year 54.
We possess very ancient testimony vouching for the authenticity of
both epistles. The Muratorian Fragment, and even Marcion, set them
in the Canon. Irenseus knew both ( Adv. Hcer., V, vi. 1 ; III, vii. 2), and so
did Clement of Alexandria (Strom., IV, 12; V, 3). Justin Martyr speaks
of the " Man of apostasy, who speaketh terrible things against the Most
High" (c. Tryph., 32, 110, cf. II Thess., ii. 3, 4). It is only in modern
times that the authenticity of the first epistle has been questioned,
chiefly because of its resemblance to the epistles to the Corinthians, as
if the apostle might not have addressed two churches in a similar
fashion. The authenticity of the second epistle is challenged because it
contains the doctrine of Antichrist, which resembles the Apocalypse, and
the arbitrary assumption is made that this epistle therefore was written
after the time of Saint Paul.
THE BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT 427
PASTORAL EPISTLES
For about a century this name has been given to three
epistles; the first and second to Timothy and that addressed
to Titus. They resemble one another in motive and contents,
and all contain instructions for fulfilling the duties of a
bishop. They have always been classed together.
There is very ancient evidence for the authenticity of these three
epistles. They occur in the Itala and Peshitto and in the Muratorian
Canon. Polycarp (Ad Phil., c. 4 and 9) clearly quotes I Tim. vi. 7 and
10; II Tim. iv. 9; Irenaeus (Adv. Hwr., Ill, iii. 3) refers to II Tim.
iv. 21.
46. THE FIRST EPISTLE TO TIMOTHY
(6 chapters)
1. Timothy, the son of a Gentile father and a Jewish
mother, was born at Lystra in Lycaonia. He was a faithful
disciple and companion to Saint Paul, who, on quitting
Ephesus, left him behind in charge of the church there. From
other points on his journey Saint Paul continued to send him
instructions and admonitions regarding his duties as bishop.
2. Contents, i.-iv., Principles; v. and vi., their application.
i. The reason for Saint Paul's leaving Timothy at Ephesus was the
appearance of heresy, that endeavored to substitute a distorted form of
Judaism for the gospel. The fundamental principle of the gospel teach-
ing, which must constantly be emphasized, is that Christ came to save
sinners, ii. For the further spreading of the gospel, prayer is needed as
well as preaching, iii. Moreover, the right men must be chosen as
clergy; and the qualities are stated which must chiefly be kept in view
in selecting them. iv. Timothy must oppose the teachers of so-called
wisdom, that is only a fiction, and although still young, he must be an
example to all. v. Instructing and guiding men of every rank and age,
and even the priests, vi. No self-interest is to influence him, but he is
always to turn his thoughts to the judgment of Christ and to life
everlasting.
3. It is difficult to fix the date of this epistle, since it seems
to fit no situation in Saint Paul's life, as far as we know
it from the New Testament. For this reason the authenticity
of the epistle has been denied, but we find that it was used
by the earliest Fathers; the oldest translations, viz. the Itala
428 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
and Peshitto, contain it, and it is included in every ancient
list of the canonical books.
The following hypotheses have been put forward regarding
the date of its origin:
1. "During his long residence at Ephesus (56-58) Saint
Paul made a journey not mentioned by Saint Luke in the
Acts, and in the course of it wrote this epistle " (Ad Maier,
Reithmayr). But the epistle assumes the existence of an
already well organized community, such as we cannot believe
was formed at so early a period.
2. " Saint Paul, being driven away from Ephesus through
the disturbances caused by Demetrius, traveled to Macedonia
and Achaia, leaving Timothy behind, and it was from Mace-
donia or Achaia that he sent him these written instructions"
(Aberle-Schanz). But on that occasion Saint Paul sent
Timothy before him into Macedonia (Acts xix. 22; II Cor.
i. 1). If we assume that Timothy soon returned, the peaceful
tone of the letter does not agree with this period; it is not
thus that a man writes who has just emerged from a most
difficult contest, and knows that his friend is in the midst of
dangers threatening his life (II Cor. i. 8).
3. The usual supposition is that Saint Paul, being released
from his first imprisonment in Rome (63), first visited Spain,
and then made a journey to see the churches in Greece and
Asia; and it was then that he left Timothy as bishop in
Ephesus, and during his further travels, perhaps in the year
65, wrote this epistle to him (Kaulen, Comely). Old sub-
scriptions to the Epistle give Laodicea in Phrygia as the place
of composition. Against this theory is the fact that Saint
Paul had previously (Acts xx. 25) told the Ephesians that
they would see his face no more. We may, however, limit
these words to the majority of those who went to meet him
at Miletus. The passage in I Timothy iv. 12, "Let no man
despise thy youth," causes less difficulty, for if Timothy was
about twenty when he was converted in 51 or thereabouts, in
the year 65 he would certainly still be very young to hold
the office of a bishop.
THE BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT 429
47. THE SECOND EPISTLE TO TIMOTHY
(4 chapters)
1. Time and Place. Saint Paul wrote this epistle when
he was imprisoned in Rome for preaching the gospel (i. 8, 17;
iv. 16, etc). He had but little hope of regaining his freedom
and was looking forward to a speedy death. As he expresses
himself quite otherwise in the epistles to the Philippians,
Ephesians, Colossians and Philemon, which he also wrote when
a prisoner in Eome, as he even orders a lodging to be pre-
pared for himself in Colossae, we must regard this epistle as
belonging to a later date, and as written during his second
imprisonment in Rome, when he had no prospect of release,
for it ended with his execution. The second epistle to Timothy
was therefore written in Rome in 66 or 67 A. D.
2. Contents. Saint Paul asks Timothy to come to him.
He lays down rules for his guidance in his office, particularly
with regard to heretics. Personal information.
i. How gladly would I again see my beloved Timothy! But it is
possible that you will not find me alive; so receive now my instructions
and last exhortations. Remember the grace of your consecration, and
discharge manfully and steadfastly the duties of a good shepherd. Be
not ashamed of your master, though he is a prisoner, but take him as an
example. Work fearlessly for the gospel, and strive to train up others
as teachers of it. ii., iii. Do not dispute with heretics. The appearance
of wicked men does not injure the sanctity of the Church. Win over the
wavering by gentleness and patience. Prepare for suffering. Let it cost
what it may, you must hold fast to tradition and to Holy Scripture.
iv. Be zealous. You will have to take my place, as my course is nearly
ended. I am abandoned by most of my friends, and only Luke is with
me. Bring me the cloak that I left behind at Troas, and my books, and
come with Mark to join me. Greetings to my friends in Ephesus.
48. THE EPISTLE TO TITUS
(3 chapters)
1. Titus. Saint Paul's disciple and companion was left by
him on the island of Crete to arrange the still confused cir-
cumstances of the Christian communities there, and especially
430 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
to appoint rulers of the churches. From a distance the apostle
gave him further instructions for his guidance.
It is scarcely possible to ascertain when Titus came into contact with
Saint Paul. According to the Menologium of the Emperor Basilius
(August 25, Migne, P. Or., 117, p. 604, etc.), Titus was a native of
Crete, and went to Jerusalem as a young man. Whilst there, he saw
our Lord and accepted the faith. If this be true, he may have become
acquainted with Saint Paul soon after the latter 's conversion.
2. Contents. A statement of what Titus has to do, and
after he has accomplished his task he is to return to Saint
Paul.
i. His chief business is to select suitable men to act as elders, i. e. as
priests and bishops. They must possess a good reputation, virtues and
knowledge, and be capable of defending the doctrines of Christianity.
The Cretans are acknowledged to be very difficult people to deal with,
and false teachers with Judaizing tendencies have already found a
footing amongst them. Zeal and prudence are therefore particularly
necessary, ii. Titus is to display these qualities towards all classes,
men, women and servants, and insist upon the works of the faith, iii.
False teachers are to be left alone, after a few rebukes have been given
them. Saint Paul intends to send some one to Crete as a substitute for
Titus (iii. 12), that he may be able to join him at Nicopolis, where he
intends to pass the winter. (Whether this town is Nicopolis in Cilicia
or Nicopolis in Epirus, over against Actium, is not clear; the former
was a long way from Saint Paul's earlier sphere of activity, but he
might pass the latter on his way from Macedonia and Achaia through
Illyricum (cf. Rom. xv. 19) back to Rome. Hence we should probably
understand Nicopolis in Epirus).
3. Date. Nothing is told us in the Acts of Saint Paul's
visit to Crete and his work there. Some suppose that faq
founded the church in Crete before his long sojourn in Ephe-
sus, perhaps on his way thither; or else he interrupted his
work in Ephesus to go with Titus to Crete, and left his dis-
ciple there. The usual theory is that it was only on his fourth
missionary journey, after his visit to Spain, that Saint Paul
preached the gospel in Crete and left Titus there, sending him
the letter of instructions from some point farther on his jour-
ney. The circumstances are therefore approximately the same
as those connected with the first epistle to Timothy, and the
date of composition may be taken as 65 or 66. The epistle
was perhaps written at Corinth.
THE BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT 431
Whilst he was on his last missionary journey and after it was over,
Saint Paul knew well that his work was drawing to its close ; in II Tim.
iv. 6 he speaks plainly of the end of his life. It was therefore very
natural that he felt bound to give his friends and disciples, who were
to take his place, rules for the maintenance and propagation of true
Christianity.
49. THE EPISTLE TO PHILEMON
(25 verses)
This short letter is addressed to a prominent Gentile Christian
at Colossae, whom Saint Paul had converted. A slave, named
Onesimus, had run away from him, and, learning to know
Saint Paul, who was then in prison in Eome, was brought
by him to the Christian faith. The apostle induced him to
return to his master, and he traveled with Tychicus (Col. iv.
7-9), who was conveying the epistles to the Ephesians and
Colossians. Saint Paul gave Onesimus at the same time a
letter recommending him to his master. This epistle there-
fore, like those mentioned above, was written in the year 63.
Contents. Kecommendation of Onesimus.
Philemon is requested to receive Onesimus kindly, for he has now be-
come a brother, and to forgive him. At the same time Saint Paul asks
Philemon to prepare him a lodging, for he hopes soon to come to Colos-
sae. The oldest authorities vouch for the authenticity of this epistle;
Itala, Peshitto, Tertullian (Adv. Marcion, V, 21), Clement of Alex-
dria, Fragm. Mur., Eusebius and others.
50. THE EPISTLE TO THE HEBEEWS
(13 chapters)
1. Contents. The advantages of Christianity over Judaism.
The writer, without the customary greeting by way of introduction,
begins at once with his expositio: i.-iii. In Jesus Christ the fulfillment
of all the Old Testament prophecies has taken place. The covenant in-
stituted by Him is far better than that of Moses, for Christ is the Son,
Moses only the servant of God. iv. Christ offers peace and everlasting
rest, which no one can despise save at the cost of being rejected, as was
the first generation of Israelites in the wilderness, v., vi., vii. Christ is
the true high priest, appointed by God, of the order of Melchisedech,
and, having been exalted into Heaven, He stands far above the Levitical
priesthood, viii., ix. The place also of worship (Heaven) and the sacri-
432 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
fice of Christ stand far higher than the old form of worship in the
earthly sanctuary, x. Exhortation to perseverance, xi. Reference to
former models of faith: Abel, Henoch^ Noe, Abraham, Moses, xii.,
xiii. Exhortation to concord and sanctity. Request for a friendly recep-
tion of the epistle. Greetings.
2. Readers. The contents show that the Hebrews addressed
in this epistle were not Jews, but Jewish Christians in Pales-
tine, and particularly in Jerusalem, for they loved the Mosaic
ritual and saw it still in use.
3. Canonicity. In ancient times opinions were divided with
regard to this epistle. Whilst some valued it very highly, others
either rejected it altogether or denied that it was the work
of Saint Paul. It is remarkably unlike his other epistles; the
thoughts show a resemblance, but the language is different.
One result of the peculiarities of this epistle was that it was
not everywhere admitted for use in the churches, and it was
only in the East that it was always and everywhere regarded
as canonical. We can see this from Origen, Cyril of Jeru-
salem and the Peshitto. In the West the Fathers before the
fourth century scarcely quote it at all. Saint Jerome, Saint
Ambrose and Saint Augustine were the first who made use of
it, relying upon its reputation in the East, like the other
canonical books. The Councils of Hippo (393) and Carthage
(397) included it in the Canon, as did Innocent I (405). The
long-continued opposition offered to this book in the West may
be explained in connection with the Montanists and Novatians,
who asserted that there was no hope of pardon for a Christian
who apostatized, a view that seemed to find some support in
Hebrews vi. 4 and x. 26.
4. The book was regarded with suspicion also, because
the authorship of it is not quite certain, even at the present
day. The language x is not that of Saint Paul, although the
subject matter is unmistakably his; and as this is the case
1 The author writes pure, classical Greek, and shows great skill in
expression, but he makes use ef a peculiar form of speech which occurs
nowhere else in the New Testament, and especially not in Saint Paul's
epistles. As early a writer as Eusebius (Hist. EccL, III, 38) drew at-
tention to the likeness between this epistle and Saint Clement's first
epistle to the Corinthians.
THE BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT 433
it is pretty generally assumed 1 that Saint Paul employed one
of his fellow workers to write it. Some ascribe the composi-
tion to Barnabas, others to Luke, some few to Apollos, but most
to Clement of Rome. The statements of ancient writers pre-
ponderate in favor of Clement. 2 (Reithmayr, Einl., p. 681;
Comely, Comp., 571). It may be that Saint Paul intentionally
put himself somewhat in the background, because many of the
Jewish Christians disliked him.
5. Time and Place. According to xiii. 24 the epistle was
written in Italy, probably in Rome. 3 It may have been com-
posed during Saint Paul's first imprisonment, but as it con-
tains no allusion to his being in captivity, it is more likely
that it was written after his release, about the year 63 or 64.
At this time the Christians in the Holy Land were in great
danger of relapsing into Judaism, since they had lost their
chief support, the Apostle Saint James the Less, in the
year 62.*
1 B. Heigl, relying on the tradition of the East, maintains the theory
that Saint Paul himself wrote the epistle. It should be noticed that
Saint Jerome (Catal. Scr. Eccl.) believed that Saint Paul wrote it in
Hebrew, and that it was translated into Greek by Barnabas or Luke or
Clement. It would be remarkable, however, if the Hebrew original had
vanished so that no trace of it remained.
3 That Clement knew the epistle to the Hebrews is at least probable.
Irenaeus (Adv. Hcer., Ill, iii. 3) says that he had intercourse with the
apostles. According to Origen (Comm. in Jo., VI, 36) and Eusebius (Hist.
EccL, III, 15), he is identical with the Clement whom Saint Paul calls
his fellow worker ( Phil. iv. 3 ) . We do not know whether he was a Jew
or a Gentile; the character of his first (authentic) epistle to the Corin-
thians leads us to infer that he was a convert from Judaism. He prob-
ably became Pope under Domitian (81-96).
3 " Italy " includes Rome and does not exclude it. Caution may have
been necessary owing to persecutions.
* It is remarkable that this revered head of the Church is not men-
tioned in the epistle, but the words (xiii. 7) "Remember your prelates
who have spoken the word of God to you; whose faith follow, consider-
ing the end of their conversation," are probably a reference to the two
apostles named James, both of whom died as martyrs for the faith in
Jerusalem.
434 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OP THE BIBLE
CATHOLIC EPISTLES
51. THESE EPISTLES IN GENERAL; THEIR NAME
From the very earliest times this name has been given to
seven epistles written by apostles, viz., three by Saint John,
two by Saint Peter, one by Saint James the Less and one by
Saint Jude Thaddeus. It is not quite clear why these seven
epistles were called Catholic.
First Theory: We have here the apostles collectively, not
merely one apostle, Saint Paul, as in the other fourteen
epistles. But against this theory is the fact that here too only
a small proportion of the apostles (four out of twelve) are
concerned.
Second Theory: These epistles are not, like those of Saint
Paul, addressed to single churches or to individuals* but to
all men, or at least to many. But against this is the fact that
the epistles to the Galatians, Ephesians and Colossians are also
intended for several churches, but are not on that account
called Catholic.
Correct Theory: Catholic means here "recognized by the
universal Church." This is the explanation given by Eusebius
(Hist. EccL, III, 3), who says: "The first epistle of Peter is
universally recognized, but his acta, his gospel, his preaching
and his apocalypse are not among the Catholic books." The
expression is not quite synonymous with oiioKoyovpeva, the
universal Church recognized these epistles as apostolic, but the
apostolicity of some was opposed by a few churches.
52. THE EPISTLE OP SAINT JAMES
(5 chapters)
1. The Writer of this epistle is the Apostle Saint James
the Younger or Less, son of Alpheus, Bishop of Jerusalem,
and brother (i. e. near relative) of our Lord. Saint James the
Elder or Great, son of Zebedee, brother of John, suffered mar-
tyrdom in 42 A. D., at which time this epistle certainly did not
THE BOOKS OP THE NEW TESTAMENT 435
exist, as it contains an allusion to the Epistle to the
Romans. 1
2. Readers. The epistle is addressed to the twelve tribes of
Jews which were scattered abroad; that is to the Jewish Chris-
tians outside Palestine. It behooved the Bishop of Jerusalem,
as the ecclesiastical head of the Holy Land, to address them.
3. Motive. It is plain from the epistle itself that some
misunderstanding about Christian liberty had crept in amongst
the Jewish Christians. Many interpreted the freedom from
the Mosaic law, dating from the time of Christ, to mean that
in order to attain to salvation it was enough to believe in
Him, and that no good works need be done. They especially
regarded themselves as released from all obligation of charity
towards their neighbors. Reports of these things could easily
be carried from all countries to Jerusalem, as every year many
pilgrims went to Palestine to celebrate the festivals, and by
their agency the epistle could also be distributed in all
directions.
4. Contents. Encouragement to have patience in trials
affecting the faith. Faith alone is not enough to secure sal-
vation; it is necessary also to carry Christian teaching into
practice, particularly active love of one's neighbor.
i. James, the servant of God and of our Lord Jesus Christ, to the
twelve tribes in the diaspora, i. e. scattered outside Palestine. There
are many dangers and temptations, because the kingdom of God does
not appear with the anticipated outward magnificence. Have patience
and be not foolish. Pray to God for a right understanding. Let the
poor man rejoice in his dignity as a Christian, let the rich humble him-
self as a follower of Christ. To boast of riches is wrong, because they
so soon pass away. We ought always to become more perfect, and not
1 In the New Testament (Matt. xiii. 55; Mark vi. 3; Gal. i. 19)
James the brother of the Lord is mentioned. Is he to be identified with
one of the above-named or not? Some commentators, both ancient and
modern, believe that James, the brother of the Lord, was a third person,
not mentioned in the lists of the apostles, and therefore not an apostle,
and it is to him that they ascribe this epistle. But James, the brother
of the Lord, is certainly identical with James, son of Alpheus, for (1)
Saint Paul says in Gal. i. 19, that when he was in Jerusalem he saw
none of the apostles save James, brother of the Lord; (2) the extremely
ancient distinction between Jacobus maior and Jacobus minor indicates
that tradition knew of only two men of the name.
436 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
only hear Christianity preached, but also practice the works of faith,
ii. In Christianity there is no respect of persons ; rich and poor are alike.
The chief duty is practical love of one's neighbor, for as in the case
of Abraham sacrifice must be added to faith, iii. Particularly to be
avoided are the sins of the tongue, which injure charity towards one's
neighbor, iv. The correction of visible faults does not avail much, unless
the bad interior disposition is combated and cured. Beware of desiring
the fleeting goods of this world, of despising one's neighbor and of esteem-
ing oneself too highly, v. Woe to the rich who oppress the poor! blessed
are those who continue patient in suffering! Beware of unnecessary
oaths; never lose confidence in God either in prosperity or adversity;
receive holy unction in sickness; confess your sins honestly and be
zealous in prayer. Seek to bring those that are astray back to the right
path.
5. Time and Place. The epistle was written in Jerusalem,
probably not earlier than 60 A. D., as it contains allusions to
misunderstood doctrines of Saint Paul (ii. 23; cf. Rom. iv. 3;
Gal. iii. 6), who did not extend his sphere of activity until
between 50 and 60, and whose earliest epistles belong to that
period.
We may assume that Saint James received news, chiefly from Rome
and Galatia, regarding the misunderstanding of Saint Paul's teaching on
the works of the law, when Saint Paul himself was in prison at Csesarea,
and that he made haste to correct those who were in error.
The authenticity of this epistle and its position in the Canon
are vouched for by the Itala and the Peshitto, and by many
quotations in Hennas, Clement of Rome, Irenasus, Hippoly-
tus, etc.
53. THE Two EPISTLES OF SAINT PETER
(5 and 3 chapters)
1. The first of these epistles was probably written when
persecutions were in prospect (i. 7, iii. 13, etc., iv. 12, etc.).
The faithful are exhorted to stand firm in faith and morals,
the latter particularly, in order that among the heathen the
name of Christian may cease to be synonymous with wrong-
doer (ii. 12). They are urged to pay the greatest possible
obedience to authority (ii. 13), to practice brotherly love,
peaceableness and patience in suffering.
THE BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT 437
i. Stand fast in the faith. Christ has come, and through Him we
attain to everlasting salvation, ii. and iii. In union with Christ lead a
holy life; be subject also to authority, so that no one may be able to
reproach you with anything, iv. Beware against heathen vices, be full of
brotherly love, and despair not in affliction and persecution, v. The
rulers of the Church must be an example to all, and every Christian
should be humble at heart.
The- second, shorter, letter, which is remarkably like the epistle
of Saint Jude, is directed against certain false teachers, who,
under a pretense of Christian liberty, are trying to spread a
spurious spirituality and declare all carnal desires to be mat-
ters of indifference.
1. Great are the graces bestowed upon us, but we must zealously co-
operate with them, in order that we may be saved through Christ, ii.
Beware of false teachers who countenance immorality, iii. The Lord
will come to judgment, and the world will be destroyed. Keep your-
selves blameless.
This epistle seems to have been written to introduce, ratify
and recommend Saint Jude's epistle to a circle of readers out-
side Palestine, who were in the same sort of danger as those
whom Saint Jude addresses. It is possible that it was sent
round with Saint Jude's epistle. 1
2. At the beginning of each letter " Peter, the apostle of
Jesus Christ/' makes himself known as the author.
His original name was Simon; his father was John (John xxi. 15) or
Jonas (Matt. xvi. 17). He was brought to our Saviour by his brother
Andrew, and received the name Cephas ( = Petrus = Rock ) and the first
place amongst the apostles. After our Lord's Ascension he was at the
head of the Apostolic College and directed the Church first in Jerusalem,
then in Antioch, and (from the year 42 onwards) in Rome. From Rome
he revisited the East, but returned thither and was crucified in the
year 67.
3. Readers. Both epistles were intended for Christian com-
munities in Asia Minor, viz. in Pontus, Cappadocia, Galatia,
Asia and Bithynia. Several of the Fathers state (Reithmayr,
Eiril., p. 719) that Saint Peter had preached the gospel in
these countries. The readers were chiefly Jewish Christians,
1 A comparison of the text of Jude x. with II Peter ii. 12 shows that
Saint Jude's epistle was written first.
438 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
for an accurate knowledge of the Old Testament is taken for
granted. There must, however, have been Gentile Christians
living in these parts, and several passages refer to those who
have only just learnt to believe in the true God.
4. Time and Place. In the first epistle (v. 13) Babylon
is mentioned as the place of writing. This certainly cannot
be Belbel (Fostat) near Cairo in Egypt, nor the great city on
the Euphrates, but it is undoubtedly the city on the Tiber,
which stood in the same kind of antagonism to the Church
as Babel of old to Israel. The apostle seems to wish his resi-
dence in Rome not to be universally known, and the faithful
would easily understand what he meant by Babylon (cf. Apoc.
xiv. 8, xviii. 1, etc.). 1 Silvanus or Silas is mentioned in verse
12 as the writer of the first epistle; he had probably come to
Eome to bring news of the churches concerned, and Saint Paul
may have already started for Spain. The first epistle was com-
posed at the time of the outbreak of Nero's persecution (64),
and the second belongs to the close of the apostle's life (67),
as Saint Peter speaks of his approaching death (i. 13-15).
5. Canonical Validity. The first of these two epistles has
always been reckoned among the o/jLoXoyovfieva, but the second
was not originally allowed to be read in all churches. Accord-
ing to Eusebius (Hist. Eccl., Ill, 3), it was only in Alexan-
dria that it had always been read at public worship, not in
Syria and the West. In the Fathers there are occasional ref-
1 Saint Peter's residence in Rome was denied first by the Waldenses
and later by the Magdeburg Centuriators in the interests of Lutheran-
ism, but now there is scarcely one serious student who questions it. The
Anglican Bishop Lightfoot acknowledges that Saint Peter lived in Rome,
but denies that he was ever bishop of the Christians there. ( " The Apos-
tolic Fathers," London, 1890.) Harnack agrees with him. Dr. H. Lisco,
Roma Peregrina, Berlin, 1901, tries to show that the headquarters of the
earliest Christianity were not in the city of Rome, but in the port of
Ephesus, also called Rome. He thinks that Paul and Peter founded the
church here, that the epistles were all written here and that Ignatius died
in this place. It was only towards the end of the second century that the
Church migrated to the Italian city of Rome. But all this is pure fic-
tion! C. Erbes tried to prove that Saint Peter died at Jerusalem, not in
Rome. He bases this opinion partly on Matt, xxiii. 34, etc., assuming,
without any proof, that the word " crucify " here refers to Peter, and
those who crucified him would in that case be the Jews.
THE BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT 439
erences to and quotations from it, 1 but still many seem to have
been afraid to use it, and some declare it to be a forgery.
The following considerations are in favor of its authenticity:
(1) The unbroken tradition of the Alexandrian Church, which
must have contained many Jewish Christians for whom the
epistle would have had most interest. Mark, who founded this
church, is mentioned by name in 1 Peter v. 13, and after
Saint Peter's death he may have brought both epistles to
Alexandria. (2) Ephrem the Syrian often quotes the second
epistle, and calls it a sacred book, written by Peter. (3) Saint
Jerome and other Latin Fathers of a later date regard it as
authentic. There are also reasons, derived from the epistle
itself, for thinking it authentic. The author calls himself
Peter, the apostle and servant of Christ. He says that he
was an eyewitness of the Transfiguration, and he refers to
his previous epistle (iii. 1). If these arguments are not enough
to remove all doubt as to its authenticity, it is the duty of
the Church in its teaching capacity to decide the matter. This
decision has been given, and it is in favor of the authenticity
of the second Epistle, so that no one, except heretics, can con-
tinue to question it.
54. THE THREE EPISTLES OF SAINT JOHN
1. The first of these epistles (five chapters) is doctrinal, and
in subject matter and language closely resembles the fourth
gospel. The chief thoughts in it are: (a) There is a kingdom
of darkness as well as a kingdom of light. (6) Jesus Christ,
the son of God, has appeared in the flesh to bring men from
darkness into light, (c) We must therefore believe in the
divinity of Christ, and adhere by faith to the Son of God;
and -then (d) through Him we shall become children of God.
(e) For this reason the faithful ought to love one another as
brethren.
1 Clem. Rom., Ad Cor., I, 7 : " Noe preached penance, and those who
listened to him were saved." Cf. II Peter ii. 5. Also i. 11, "On account
of his hospitality and fear of God, Lot was saved from Sodom." Cf. II
Peter ii. 6. Pastor Hermce Vis., IV, 3. " You are they who have escaped
from this world." Cf. II Peter ii. 20.
440 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
Analysis, i. 1-ii. 28: The present world is the kingdom of darkness.
Warning against love of the world, ii. 29-iii. 22: Necessity of mutual
love amongst Christians, iii. 23 v. 17 : Importance of faith in the
divinity of Christ.
The author nowhere gives his name, but the unmistakable
connection with the fourth gospel and the unbroken tradition
of the Church point to Saint John. 1
Date. The epistle is not addressed to any particular church
or individual, nor does it end as the circular letters of the
apostles usually do; it has, in fact, not the form of a letter
at all. This is accounted for by the theory mentioned in the
Muratorian Fragment, and generally accepted, that it was
intended to accompany Saint John's Gospel and to serve as an
encyclical for several churches. It would, according to this
hypothesis, have been written, like the gospel, about the year
100, in Ephesus. 2
1 In his epistle to the Philippians, c. 7, Polycarp quotes I John Iv.
2, 3. His disciple Irenseus (Adv. Hcer., Ill, 16) knows the epistle as the
work of " John, the Lord's disciple," and it was known also to the
author of the Muratorian Fragment, Tertullian (c. Prax., 15), and
others. The adversaries were not Docetae, but Nomists, i. e. adherents of
Judaism, who denied both our Lord's divinity and that He was the
Messias.
2 The so-called Comma Johanneum did not make its appearance, as
many suppose, until after the eighth century, in the Latin Bibles. In
I John v. 7, 8 we read: " There are three who give testimony [in heaven:
the Father, the Word and the Holy Ghost. And these three are one.
And there are three that give testimony on earth] : the spirit and the
water and the blood, and these three are one." The words within the
brackets are contested. Dollinger especially charges the Western church
with forgery, because the passage does not occur in the Greek manu-
scripts (Allgem. Zeitung, 1887, Nos. 88, 89), but it is indispensable for
the context. It is quoted by as early a writer as Saint Cyprian (De
Unit. Eccl, c. 6), and Tertullian (c. Prase., 25) also refers to it. The
question therefore is not how the words came into the Latin Bibles, but
how they fell out of the Greek. Instead of charging the Western church
with forgery, Dollinger should have accused the Greek church with care-
lessness. Might not the words have been erased from the Bibles during
the disputes with the Arians? It might conceivably be to their interest
to suppress such passages. Some theologians of high reputation, such as
Franzelin, Heinrich and Scheeben, maintain the authenticity of v. 7;
others, e. g. Kaulen and Comely, think it spurious. Comely doubts its
being genuine chiefly because Saint Augustine did not know it, for the
passage generally quoted from the Speculum is not in Saint Augustine's
THE BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT 441
2. The second epistle (13 verses) is to an honorable lady
named Cyria, and the third (14 verses) to some one named
Cains. Many think that Cyria may be a name for some
Christian community, and that Caius may have been the
priest who presided over it. Both epistles express joyful ap-
preciation of the zeal of the Christians to whom they are
addressed. In the second (verse 7) is a warning against the
errors of the Docetae, and in both the writer gives utterance
to his hope of seeing his friends again. Both seem to have
been written after the gospel, as the second epistle (verse 9)
contains a reference to John viii. 31 and some allusions to
the first epistle. These two short epistles were probably
dispatched soon after the gospel and the first epistle.
3. There is no doubt as to the authenticity of the first epistle;
it has always been reckoned among the 6/10X070 v/jLeva, but many
have questioned that of the two shorter epistles, and it has
been suggested that they were written by another John, the
presbyter of Ephesus, not the apostle, as the writer of both
epistles calls himself 6 Trpecrffvrepos. But we have seen
(p. 393) that this presbyter is identical with Saint John the
apostle. The language in these epistles resembles that of
the first epistle and gospel, and there is plenty of evidence
work of that name, but from a later book bearing the same title, and
falsely ascribed to him. It happened that Saint Augustine used the
Itala, which was not the version used by Saint Cyprian and Tertullian.
Kiinstle, Das Comma Johanneum, Feb., 1905, tries to prove that
the passage originated in Spain, where Priscillian (ob. 384) composed
it out of attempted explanations of the words about the three that bear
witness on earth. Kiinstle, however, overlooks the importance of Cyp-
rian's quotation. The latter died in 258, so Priscillian lived over a cen-
tury later. It should also be noticed that the debated words occur in
the Itala MS. from Freising, which goes back to the sixth century (see
p. 249). A decision of the Roman Congregatio s. Officii, dated Jan. 13,
1897, and ratified by Leo XIII on Jan. 15, 1897, states that the authen-
ticity of the passage cannot be tuto either denied or questioned. This
does not mean that henceforth all discussion of it must be at an end, as
if the words were certainly Saint John's, written under divine inspira-
tion; it merely means that they form part of the text approved by the
Church. We may of course hope that further research will remove all
doubt on the subject. The decree is intended to secure their position and
prevent their being needlessly abandoned.
442 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
to show that the apostle was the author. 1 The chief reason
for doubting their authenticity seems to be that they were
not much used in public worship, but this was owing to their
being very short and to the contents apparently being of a
personal nature. In later times anything was viewed with sus-
picion that had not from the beginning been used at public
worship.
55. THE EPISTLE OF SAINT JUDE THE APOSTLE
1. Contents. This epistle contains admonitions, and briefly
but emphatically warns its readers against the attempts made
by some opponents of Christianity to lead people astray; and
it also describes the serious consequences of such errors (26
verses). The enemies mentioned in this epistle were probably
not yet gnostics, but false spiritualists, who, under the pre-
text of Christian liberty, gave way to all kinds of sensual
indulgence. 2 They seem to have resembled the Manicheans of
a later date.
2. The author calls himself at the beginning " Jude, the
servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James." In the lists
of apostles (Luke vi. 16; Acts i. 13) the name occurs of
Jude, brother of James the Less, and this must be the author.
He has the cognomen Thaddeus (tad = breast, therefore the
courageous, the stout-hearted). He describes himself neither
as an apostle nor as a brother of our Lord, though he was
both, a proof of his humility.
3. The authenticity of this epistle was generally recognized
in ancient times; only the Syrian Church long refused to
regard it as apostolic; and on this account Eusebius places
it among the avTi\eyd/ji,eva. The chief reason for doubting it
is that in verse 9 it seems to refer to the apocryphal book known
as the Assumptio Mosis, and in verses 14 and 15 to Henoch,
1 The Murat. Fragment ; Iren., I, xvi. 3 ; III, xvi. 8 ; Clement of Alex-
andria, Origen and others.
2 Rampf mentions the heretics Simon Magus, Menander, Dositheus,
Gorthaeus, Cleobius and Nicolaus, who were distressing the Church in
Palestine.
THE BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT 443
another apocryphal work. Saint Jerome lays particular stress
on this fact. 1 It should, however, be noticed that this refer-
ence does not proceed from any belief in these books being
genuine records of revelation. The writer derives his state-
ments from Jewish tradition, and uses them not because
they are in apocryphal books, but in spite of that fact. These
references give us a clue to the readers to whom this epistle
is addressed.
4. Both the Book of Henoch and the Assumptio Mosis are
Jewish apocrypha, and the circumstance that the author calls
himself emphatically "the brother of James" suggests that the
Christians addressed were Jews, for he must mean James the
Less, who, as bishop of Jerusalem, was the chief support of the
Jewish Christians. Further indications that the epistle was
intended for them occur in verse 5, where the delivery of the
Israelites from Egypt is mentioned, in verse 7, where there
is an allusion to Sodom, and in verse 11, where the readers
are reminded of Cain, Balaam and Core.
5. Date. The Jewish Christians, both in the Holy Land
and in the Diaspora, were in a very dangerous position, as the
head of their church, Saint James the Less, had suffered
martyrdom in the year 62, so that, being deprived of their
accustomed support, they were without support and defenseless
in face of attempts to lead them astray. According to verse 3
the apostle who wrote this epistle considered it his duty to
address it to his countrymen, who were struggling to preserve the
faith delivered to them. The circumstances under which it was
written were therefore almost the same as those of the Epistle to
the Hebrews. Just as the latter warns the Jewish Christians
against falling back into Judaism, so does this epistle warn them
not to let themselves be drawn into heathenish license, under
pretext of its being Christian liberty. It must have been written
about 63-65.
6. The place of its composition cannot be ascertained. Ac-
cording to tradition, Saint Jude preached the gospel at Edessa
in Mesopotamia. This at least is what Eusebius states (Hist.
1 De Viris Illustr., c. 4.
444 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
Eccl., I, 13) ; but others say that the faith was preached there
by one of Christ's disciples named Addeus (Addai). Whether
there is some confusion here is uncertain. This epistle may
have been sent from Jerusalem to Saint Peter, whose second
epistle, written in Eome, is plainly connected with it; and
he, fearing the same sort of dangers for many churches in
Asia Minor, himself wrote to draw attention to what Saint
James's brother, who was well known to them, had announced
in Palestine.
THIRD SECTION
THE PROPHETIC BOOK OF THE NEW TESTAMENT
56. THE APOCALYPSE
(22 chapters)
1. Contents. This revelation ( aTro/caXu-^t? = disclosure) of
mystery gives information regarding the future of the Church
of Christ, the struggles for and against Christ, and the final
victory of the faithful.
It is divided into four parts : 1
(1) Chapters i.-iii. : Communications and admonitions ad-
dressed by Saint John to the Christian churches in the Eoman
province of Asia.
(2) Chapters iv.-xi. : Statements as to the future of the
Church.
(3) Chapters xiii.-xix. : Description of Christ's warfare with
three great powers.
(4) Chapters xx.-xxii. : The end of the world.
i. Christ appears to Saint John at Patmos, and gives him messages
to deliver to the communities of the province of Asia (Ephesus, Smyrna,
Pergamus, Thyatira, Sardes, Philadelphia, Laodicea) with reference
to the righteous life (i.-iii.). The real revelation now begins.
ii. Saint John is caught up to heaven, and sees God on a throne, sur-
rounded by twenty-four ancients and four wonderful beasts. God holds
1 The unity of the Apocalypse is defended by M. Kohlhofer and Belser.
Its prophetic character is recognized also by H. B, Swete, " The Apoca-
lypse of Saint John," London, 1906.
THE BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT 445
in His hand a book fastened with seven seals (denoting the future),
which no one but the Lamb can open ( iv., v. ) . One seal after another is
broken, and each time appears a judgment coming upon mankind for
the purpose of improving them. After the sixth seal is opened there
is a great earthquake, so that people believe the last judgment of God
has come. But a reprieve is granted, as there are still many of the
elect on earth who are not to perish with the wicked. There then ap-
pears around the throne of God an innumerable host of people, who owe
their salvation to Christianity and praise God for it. There are 144,000
of the Jews, and a countless multitude of Gentile nations (vi., vii.).
After the seventh seal is opened, seven angels in succession blow trum-
pets, and fresh plagues come upon the world; but, as soon as they cease,
sin appears again (viii., ix.).
Before the seventh trumpet sounds Saint John has three visions:
(a) He receives further communications in the form of a book that he
has to swallow (x. ) ; (6) he has to use a measure to mark off the inner
part of the Temple from the outer and from the city of Jerusalem. The
outer part and the city share the fate of unbelievers, (c) Two witnesses
of God are announced who preach penance. They are slain by the un-
believers, but raised to life again by God. They are generally believed to
be Elias and Henoch (xi.). Now the seventh trumpet sounds (xi.-xv.).
This heralds a struggle between Christ and His enemies, and at the same
time announces the victory of Christ.
iii. The enemies of Christ are represented first in types, viz. (a) the
dragon, (6) the beast with seven heads and ten horns, (c) the beast
with two horns (xiii.). Ecclesiastical commentators generally under-
stand by these enemies, (a) the devil, (6) the powers of the world, an-
tagonistic to Christ, (c) the prophets of unbelievers with their false
wisdom. Christ and His followers, especially virginal souls, are op-
posed to all these, and at once the song of victory is raised (xiv.).
The conflict of Christ is preceded by the coming of seven angels pour-
ing vials of God's wrath upon the earth, thus signifying and heralding
the last judgment (xv., xvi.). As these also effect no amendment in the
wicked, the conflict proceeds, having as its aim to execute just vengeance.
The first to be subdued are the tools of the devil, then the dragon himself.
Next Babylon, the power of the world antagonistic to Christ, falls, and
then follows His victory over the beast representing the false prophets
and wisdom of unbelievers (xvii.-xix.). Finally the dragon is overcome
and bound for one thousand years, whilst Christ and His followers rule
on earth (xx.).
iv. After one thousand years the dragon is let loose again, and tries
to stir up the nations against the saints of God, but He overthrows all
His enemies and casts the devil and the two beasts into a pool of fire.
Then follows the resurrection and the last judgment. Saint John sees
at the end a new heaven and a new earth, and the new Jerusalem, i. e. a
vision of the Church of Christ in glory (xxi., xxii.).
2. Character and Aim of the Boole. The Apocalypse is a
prophetic book and foretells the future destiny of the Church
446 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
and the faithful. But just as many of the Old Testament
prophecies became intelligible only after their fulfillment, so
it will probably be with those in the Apocalypse. Failing
special instruction by the infallible teaching authority of the
Church, it is scarcely possible to have a perfectly sure com-
prehension of this book.
(a) It does not contain an account of events themselves but of their
types, which admit of various interpretations. ( 6 ) We are living in the
midst of the events foretold in the book; and just as it is scarcely pos-
sible for each combatant in a war to form an opinion as to the general
course of it or even of a single battle, so is any complete comprehension
of the struggles of the Church denied as a rule to individual Christians.
Moreover (c) many of the events foretold He still in the future. It
must not be assumed that all the things foretold are bound to happen
exactly in the order in which they stand in the book. For instance, in
chapter xviii. we read of the fall of Babylon, which primarily means
heathen Rome, but we need not suppose that all the incidents described
before this chapter belong to the period before the fall of that city, and
that only those that stand after it belong to the centuries following the
destruction of the pagan city. We cannot as a rule look for sequence of
time in prophetic visions.
Even without special instruction on the part of the Church,
we can understand much in this book that serves to console
Christians in times of persecution, and especially in the period
preceding the judgment, and to give such consolation is the
chief aim of the book.
Stress is laid particularly on the following points : ( 1 ) The future is
determined by God and not by man. (2) The future of man depends on
Christ and His Church. (3) The various evils of this life are decreed by
God as a punishment, but also for the amendment of man. (4) God is
long-suffering, He waits long before He permits the judgment to come.
(5) Many of the Jews and a countless multitude of the Gentiles will
attain to eternal salvation through Christianity. (6) The depravity of
the world will not remain limited to mankind outside the Church, but
will penetrate even into the Church, that is to say, amongst Christians
(Jerusalem), but will not injure it in its essential character. (7)
There are three chief enemies to Christ and His Church: the devil, the
anti-Christian powers of the world, and false knowledge. (8) The vic-
tory of Christ and the Church over these enemies is absolutely certain.
(9) A completely new order of things is to follow the resurrection and
the last judgment, for heaven and earth are to be transformed and
glorified as the dwelling place of God's servants, whilst the wicked are
cast out.
THE BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT 447
3. Author and Authenticity. The Apostle Saint John was
the author of the Apocalypse. This is plain from internal
evidence; he calls himself John,, speaks of the island of Pat-
mos as his abode (i. 9) 1 and occupies the position of pastor
towards the seven churches of Asia. We have also external
evidence. Papias, a disciple of the apostles, knew the Apoca-
lypse and called it the work of Saint John. His writings have
perished, but his knowledge of the Apocalypse is mentioned in
the Fathers (Cramer, Catena Pair. Grcec., VIII, 360). The tes-
timony of Justin Martyr 2 is quite clear, so is that of Hermas 3
and that of Irenasus (Adv. Hcer., V, xxx. 3). Melito of Sardes
(circa 150) actually wrote a commentary on the Apocalypse. 4
It was not until a later period that some wished to deny
Saint John's authorship. Dionysius of Alexandria, who occu-
pied Saint Mark's see from 248 to 265, laid stress on the fact
that Saint John does not mention himself by name in his other
writings, and the occurrence of his name here makes the authen-
ticity of the book doubtful, and suggests that it is the work
of another author. Eusebius (Hist. Eccl.. Ill, 25) expresses
himself very vaguely; as a peace-loving bishop, connected with
the court, he may have disliked the book because it foretold the
destruction of the Eoman Empire. The chief reason, however,
why the authenticity of the book was questioned, was that the
Chiliastic doctrines, which found their chief support in the
Apocalypse (chapter xx.), assumed after the third century a
more and more heretical tendency. Cyril of Jerusalem, Chrys-
ostom and Theodoretus did not acknowledge the book, but as
soon as Chiliasm lost its reputation, as it did chiefly through
Saint Augustine, all doubt regarding the authenticity of the
Apocalypse vanished likewise.
1 According to Pliny (Hist. Nat., IV, 12, 23) Patmos was often
used by the Romans as a place of exile.
2 c. Tryph., 81: "A man named John, one of the apostles of Christ,
prophesied in the revelation granted to him of the one thousand years."
Eusebius too (Hist. Eccl., IV, 18) says of Justin that he knew and
recognized the Apocalypse.
3 Hermas, who was, according to the Fragm. Mur., brother of Pope
Pius I (142-157) derives many of the thoughts and expressions in his
Pastor from the Apocalypse (e.g. Vis., II, 4; IV, 2).
4 Euseb., Hist. Eccl, IV, 26.
448 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
4. Time and Place. It is generally believed that the book
was written during the reign of Domitian (8196), on the
island of Patmos, where Saint John was then living in exile.
Irenaeus (1. c.) says: "The revelation was seen not long ago,
almost in our own time, towards the end of the reign of
Domitian." It is assumed therefore that the Apocalypse was
written about the year 96 (Kaulen, 271; A. Schafer, 353).
5. It seems, as Kaulen remarks, a special dispensation of
Providence that at the end of Holy Scripture stands a book
in which a new heaven and a new earth are placed in our
anticipation, whereas at the beginning of the Bible the account
is given of the creation of heaven and earth. Genesis and the
Apocalypse correspond to one another; the one depicts the
happiness of the first human beings in their intercourse with
God, the other contains the promise of a new Paradise.
FOURTH PART
INTERPRETATION OF HOLY SCEIPTURE
( HERMENEUTICS )
1. INTRODUCTION
r II HE name " Hermeneutics " (epfjLrjvevriKtj sc. re^vr]) comes
A from ep/jLTjveveiv = to interpret, expound, and designates
the art of making plain a writer's meaning.
There is the more need to expound a writer the more remote
he is in time and place from his readers, and the more the
opinions and circumstances of his age and country differ from
their own.
The fifty-eight books that the Catholic Church reverences as
sacred, have this in common with other ancient writing that
they were composed in foreign languages, now long dead, and
written under circumstances of time and place differing greatly
from our own. The figurative language of the East, and espe-
cially of the ancient East, is strange to us, and the numerous
illustrations derived from Eastern people are frequently unin-
telligible to those who live in the colder West under another
sky. Hence the comprehension of these sacred books is subject
to quite other conditions than those governing our appreciation
of modern authors, and it is often impossible without special
elucidation.
Not only is an explanation of Holy Scripture indispensable
from this merely human aspect of it, but we must remember
that its divine origin raises it above the average human judg-
ment, that is often obscured by our passions. It is only when
a man allows himself to be guided by the same Spirit who
called the sacred books into existence, that they become intel-
ligible to him. The Holy Ghost inspires not each individual
reader, but is ever active in the Church, the pillar and strong-
450 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
hold of truth. If, therefore, an individual desires rightly to
understand and interpret Holy Scripture, he must find out
the opinion of the Church, and be guided by it.
By biblical hermeneutics we mean the sum total of all those
principles and rules in accordance with which the sense of
Holy Scripture, both in its human and its divine aspect, can
be ascertained and expounded.
We have to ask : What are we to understand by the meaning
of Holy Scripture, how is it to be discovered, and how ex-
plained when discovered? Our subject therefore falls into three
divisions :
1. The meaning of Holy Scripture.
2. The discovery of the true meaning of Holy Scripture.
3. The explanation of the text of Holy Scripture.
Hermeneutics differs from exegesis in the same way as theory from
practice.
FIRST SECTION
THE MEANING OF HOLY SCRIPTURE
The meaning of Holy Scripture is its true signification, or
what the Holy Ghost intended to reveal through the written
word. The meaning of the text must not everywhere be limited
to the literal meaning, as underlying the letter many a mystery
is often concealed. There is therefore more than one meaning
of the written word.
2. OF THE MEANING IN GENERAL OF HOLY SCRIPTURE
The Fathers and scholastic writers both distinguish a twofold
sense in Holy Scripture : the literal and the mystical, sensus
literalis and sensus spiritualis sive mysticus.
1. The literal sense is that which the actual words directly
convey. This is again twofold, viz. (a) the precise and (&)
the transferred or metaphorical sense.
The precise literal sense is that which the written words.
INTEKPKETATION OF HOLY SCKIPTUKE 451
taken in their own exact signification, convey, e. g. Gal. iv. 22 :
" Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondwoman and the
other by a free woman." The literal metaphorical sense is
that which the words directly convey when taken figuratively.
When, for instance, in Holy Scripture, our Lord is called a
lion, a lamb or a vine, this is obviously meant not strictly but
figuratively, as properties are ascribed or transferred to Him
which we know a lion, a lamb or a vine to possess. These
designations denote generosity and courage, readiness to be
sacrificed, and abundance of life on the part of our Saviour.
2. The literal sense is frequently only the body of the writ-
ten word, under which the soul or spiritus is concealed. The
spiritual or mystical sense is that which resides not in the
words themselves, but is suggested more or less obscurely by
means of the things signified by the words. It is called mys-
tical or mysterious, because it is not plain to view on the
surface, but is more hidden, and generally more difficult to
discover than the literal sense. So Galatians iv. 22, the pas-
sage quoted above, is explained by Saint Paul allegorically of the
two testaments : Agar, Ismael = the Old Testament ; Sara, Isaac
= the New Testament.
The older theological writers distinguish three kinds of this
mystical or spiritual sense, viz. an allegorical, a tropological
and an anagogical.
The allegorical meaning is the reference of some discourse
or account in the Bible to a doctrine of the faith, especially to
Christ and the Church. If any section of Holy Scripture, in
addition to the obvious, literal meaning (for the mystical sense
always depends upon the literal, and proceeds from it), 1 admits
or requires some reference to Christ or the Church, then the
passage possesses, over and above the literal meaning, also a
higher and mystical sense, which is called allegorical. Thus,
for instance, the story of the rescue of Jonas from the sea is
not to be limited to the prophet, but, according to Matthew xii.
39, refers also to our Lord's rest in the grave and Eesurrectiori.
The tropological or moral meaning is the application of a
1 Leo XIII., Enoycl. Providentissimus, supra, p. 167.
452 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
passage to moral life, whilst the obvious and literal interpre-
tation gives another meaning. Thus Genesis xv. 6, "Abram
believed God, and it was reputed to him unto justice," has,
according to Romans iv. 23, reference also to the necessity that
mankind should believe in Christ.
The anagogical sense of a passage is the application that it
allows to the future life, over and above its obvious and im-
mediate meaning. Thus, according to Matthew xxiv. 37 and
I Peter iii. 20, the account in Genesis of the ark may be applied
also to the faithful who find salvation in the Church.
We may say, therefore, that the allegorical interpretation
concerns faith; the tropological, morals; and the anagogical,
hope; or the allegorical is de rebus credendis, the tropological
de rebus agendis and the anagogical de rebus sperandis. The
allegorical may be said to be based upon the past, the tropo-
logical refers to the present, and the anagogical points to the
future of the faithful. This is all summed up shortly in the
lines :
Litera gesta docet, quid credas allegoria,
Moralis [sc. sensus] quid agas, quo tendas anagogia.
This fourfold interpretation may be found, for instance, in the
word Jerusalem or Sion.
It is de fide that there is really a mystical meaning to Holy
Scripture, for Jesus Christ and the apostles have given mystical
explanations of many passages. Thus our Saviour gave a
mystical meaning to the story of Jonas by applying it to Himself.
The apostle Saint John (xix. 36), in saying that our Saviour's
bones were not broken on the Cross, refers to Exodus xii. 46,
where it is forbidden to break a bone of the Paschal lamb. As
stated above, in Galatians iv. 24, Saint Paul declares Agar and
Sara, Ismael and Isaac to be representatives of the Old and
New Covenants.
The early Christiana were plainly instructed in the mystical or typi-
cal meaning of the Bible by the first preachers of the faith. In the
catacombs in Rome, which served the Christians of the earliest ages as
places of assembly and worship, Noe is often represented as one person
in a floating chest; for, according to I Peter iii. 20, every Christian is
saved from destruction by means of baptism, as Noe was saved from the
INTERPRETATION OF HOLY SCRIPTURE 453
flood. Abraham's sacrifice is often depicted in such a way that Pilate
appears as judge, for that sacrifice was a type of the death of Christ on
the cross. (Stimmen aus Maria-Laach, 1895, VII, 140, etc.).
The Jews too had, and still have, a method of interpreting Holy Scrip-
ture in a spiritual sense. It is called the Midrash ( = investigation) , and
is an explanation that goes beyond the literal meaning. They give the
name Midrash, however, only to those commentaries which go back to
the period of the old schools in Palestine and Babylon, that is, between
the second and the eleventh centuries. In the Midrashim they distin-
guish the Halacha (HjSn, way, direction, rule of conduct) and the Hag-
gada (mjn, story, saying). The Halacha is the authoritative explana-
tion, given originally by a high priest, or by the synedrium or by the
scribes in the schools, and so it embodies a tradition affecting manners
and mode of life. The Haggada does not possess this official character,
and is the work of private individuals, expressing private opinions. In
the Haggada the mystical interpretation is prominent.
3. OF THE APPLICATION OF THE LITERAL AND
MYSTICAL MEANING
1. Only the literal meaning can, as a rule, be used by theo-
logians in proof of doctrinal or moral truths. The reason for
this is that the explanation of a passage in the mystical sense
depends in a great degree upon personal opinions and the feel-
ings of the individual. The right with which one person claims
to explain some passage of the Bible in the mystical sense can
be claimed by another for the purpose of overthrowing such an
explanation.
The case, however, is different when the Church has pro-
nounced in favor of the mystical interpretation of some passage,
or when Holy Scripture or the consensus of the Fathers un-
mistakably requires a mystical explanation. In these circum-
stances the mystical meaning constitutes valid evidence, as it
is then clear that the Holy Ghost has intended that there
should be a mystical meaning, and that therefore God's word
is stated mystically. Thus Deuteronomy xxv. 4 serves to prove
the right on the part of ministers of the gospel to ask and
accept their support from the faithful, because Saint Paul in-
terprets it thus in I Corinthians ix. 9. The same remark ap-
plies to Genesis viii. (cf. I Peter iii. 20).
2. It is not every passage in Holy Scripture that contains
454 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
a mystical sense. Clement of Alexandria, Origen and the
Alexandrian exegetical writers in general went too far in this
respect, 1 and tried to extract a mystical sense from almost
every passage in the Bible. To some extent Saint Ambrose
and Saint Gregory the Great did the same. 2 The school of
Antioch, 3 the chief representative of which was Saint John
Chrysostom, did not go to such extravagant length. What
kind of mystical meaning can be discovered in sentences such
as: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God," "Thou shalt not
kill/' etc.? In the same way it would be wrong to assume
that any passage in Holy Scripture possessed only a mystical,
and not a literal meaning. 4 Even the Canticle of Canticles
admits primarily of a literal interpretation, although it would
be wrong to stop short at it. Not a book nor a passage in
Holy Scripture can be mentioned in which no literal sense
at all is discoverable.
3. Not only in the Old, but also in the New Testament, can
we find a mystical sense. Saint Thomas Aquinas tells us
(Summa, I, qu. 1, art. 10) : Nova lex est figura futures glorice,
"The new law is a type of future glory." In the same
way Saint John Chrysostom said that Christ fulfilled the old
prophecies, but at the same time brought in others and by His
works signified what was in prospect (Horn, in Matt. 66). A
type of this kind is, for instance, His crucifixion outside Jeru-
salem, which signified the cutting off of Christianity and Sal-
vation from Judaism, according to Hebrews xiii. 12. Accord-
1 Scholz thinks that they followed the Jewish school, but this is not
correct, for they had more resemblance with the pagan philosophers who
gave a mystical interpretation to the stories of the gods.
2 Saint Ambrose, after he had unexpectedly become bishop, having
had no theological training, applied himself zealously to the study of
Holy Scripture. As he knew Greek well, he took as his guides Philo and
Origen, from whom he derived his tendency to mystical interpretations,
but to some extent he followed Basilius, who belonged to the school of
Antioch. In his commentary on the book of Job, Saint Gregory the
Great almost restricted himself to the allegorical and moral sense.
* To it belonged also Theodore of Mopsuestia, who is too sober, even
dry and rationalistic, in his interpretations, and his orthodox brother
Polychronius.
4 See Origen's opinion, supra, p. 192.
INTERPRETATION OF HOLY SCEIPTUKE 455
ing to Matthew xxiv., the destruction of Jerusalem seems to
be a type of the last judgment.
Dr. A. von Scholz, 1 Professor of Old Testament Exegesis at the Uni-
versity of Wiirzburg, thought he could vindicate the Bible " in the eyes
of the learned and cultured classes " by giving an allegorical interpre-
tation to most of the books in the Old Testament. In his rectoral ad-
dress of the year 1893 and in his very carefully elaborated commenta-
ries, he opened up new lines to Catholic exegesis, which, if they were
correct, would lead to the solution of many of the problems in the Old
Testament. According to Scholz there are but few strictly historical
books; almost all are allegories regarding the struggle between the
kingdom of God and His enemies. " The Oriental always speaks in alle-
gories. Our Saviour Himself mostly gave His instruction in parables." 2
He believes the whole of the Old Testament to be the work of a school
in the far East, employed in collecting and multiplying the sacred books.
" Isaias and Jeremias are a collection made by this school ; Ezechiel was
a member of it, and so he is the sole author of his book. The book of
Daniel originated there also; his name designates not a statesman, but
the Messias among His people. Joel, Abdias, Habakuk, Nahum 8 and
Jonas were all compiled after the Captivity, as well as Zacharias, Mala-
chias and almost all the Psalms. Joel's grasshoppers are nations. Haba-
kuk mentions the Chaldeans ; these first destroyers of Jerusalem represent
the last enemies of God's kingdom. The reference is the same in Nahum's
Nmive and Abdias' Edom. Jonas is none other than the Messias; the
book of that name does not profess to have been written by Jonas, but to
give an account of him. The problem of Qohelit (Ecclesiastes) is solved
in Is. xlix. 4; Qohelit is the Messias, who has labored in vain, at least
as far as many are concerned, and whose kingdom will be attacked and
apparently suppressed, as He was Himself." The grammatical and his-
torical interpretation must also to a great extent be given up. " Can-
ticle of Canticles and Tobias, for instance, belong together, as both deal
with the same subject, the final conversion of Israel. The same relation
exists between Threni and Job. Judith can be proved not historical.
Esther, Daniel, Ruth, Tobias, Bel and the Dragon are fantastic stories,
incredible in the highest degree, but in reality allegories."
There are many serious arguments against these hypotheses. A few
may be mentioned here :
1. Will the " learned and cultured classes " put more faith in these
uncertain allegories than in the historical opinions?
1 The following remarks are made with all deference to the zeal and
learning of this eminent man, but the matter is much discussed at the
present day, and some mention of it seems necessary in a book of this
kind. It is only fair to say emphatically that Dr. Scholz aimed at noth-
ing but serving the Church. He died in 1908.
2 It should be noticed that our Lord's parables are always easily rec-
ognizable as teachings; they do not profess to be historical (such as
Judith, Tobias, Esther, etc.).
3 Happel and Pprnstetter hold similar opinions.
456 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
2. If all this be true, who would be in a position to expound the
sacred books to the masses? And yet these books are intended for the
instruction of the simplest people, as God's word is always to be made
known. Or is our Lord's teaching alone the word of God, and not also
the Old Testament? Cf. Heb. i. 1.
3. Christ speaks of Jonas as an historical person, and contrasts him
with Himself (Matt. xii. 40, 41). "A greater than Jonas here! " "As
Jonas was in the whale's belly three days and three nights, so shall
the son of man be in the heart of the earth." Or are we perhaps to
give an allegorical interpretation to the account of our Saviour's rest
in the grave also?
4. The headings of the Psalms, derived from Hebrew tradition, can-
not be simply discarded.
5. Josephus Flavius regards the books of Esther, Daniel, etc., as his-
torical, and so supplies evidence regarding Jewish tradition and exegesis
in the first century A. D.
6. The feast of Purim and the feast in honor of Judith's victory
(Judith xvi. 31) testify to the historical character of the books of
Esther and Judith.
7. In the Church, the exaggerated allegorical interpretation of the
Old Testament, due to Origen and the exegetical school of Alexandria,
found no favor, although the Alexandrian scholars did not even occupy
themselves with the distant future.
8. The order of the Canon, as well as exegetical tradition in the
Church, undoubtedly favors the historical view. Neither the Fathers nor
later commentators know anything of the theory of so extensive an alle-
gory. Cf. the encyclical of Leo XIII.
9. Has not a dread of the miraculous had something to do with the
origin and development of these hypotheses? "The miraculous in the
history of theocracy, including that of the sacred books,, is not exterior,
but interior. Omnis gloria eius, filiw regis, ab intus. (Rectoral oration,
p. 35.) Where, however, is the limit to be drawn? Are Cain and Abel,
Noe, Melchisedech and Samson not historical? Is not the brazen ser-
pent historical? or the manna? Is everything merely allegorical? And
what are we to say of the miracles of the New Testament, some of which
are not less striking? Are we to give only a symbolical meaning to
Christ's walking on the sea, to the multiplication of the loaves, and,
finally, even to His calling the dead to life?
10. If these hypotheses were correct, all our catechisms of the Catho-
lic religion and all our handbooks of Christian doctrine for schools and
colleges would have to be withdrawn and revised. Our children at school
must no longer be taught " Bible History " as the truth, but it must be
explained to them as a collection of fictions. In the same way the
Archangel Raphael's name must be removed from the liturgy, for the
Church says, on October 24: Deus, qui Raphaelem archangelum Tobice,
famulo tuo, comitem dedisti in via . . .
11. Is it conceivable that the Holy Ghost in the Church should have
kept the true meaning concealed for so many centuries, and only have
allowed it to be discovered in our time?
12. The Old Testament with its many types has in the main been
INTEBPRETATION OF HOLY SCRIPTUEE 457
fulfilled in Jesus Christ. See Luke xxiv. 27 : " And beginning at Moses
and all the prophets, he expounded to them in all the scriptures the
things that were concerning him." The Old Testament is the shadow
of the New; but now all is relegated to a misty distance, almost all
the Old Testament is supposed to deal with the end of God's kingdom.
Is not, however, the Church of Christ now present with us, the final
kingdom of God? Fond as Saint Ambrose is of allegories, he generally
limits them to Christ and the Church; so, for instance, he interprets
the story of Isaac and Rebecca with reference to Christ and the faith-
ful soul. Origen even, who often goes much too far in his allegorical
explanations, sees in the fall of the walls of Jericho only an indication
of the success of the apostles' preaching. We do not deny that in the
Old, as well as in the New Testament, there are allusions to the final des-
tiny of the Church and of the faithful, e. g. Is. xxiv.-xxviii. ; Dan. xii. ;
but such allusions are so clear and unmistakable, that there can be no
doubt as to the writer's intention. It is very questionable whether this
free interpretation of the sacred books is in accordance with the Biblical
Commission of June 23, 1905. (See Bibl. Ztschr., 1905, p. 443.)
4. OF ACCOMMODATION"
1. By accommodation 1 we understand an explanation by
means of which a passage of Scripture, without regard to its
real meaning, is, by a kind of extension or reference, applied
to something quite foreign to the mind of the sacred writer.
For instance: The words in Ecclus. xliv. 17, Noe inventus est Jus-
tus, are applied by accommodation to other holy men also. Again,
Lament, iv. 4, Parvuli pdtierunt panem, et non erat qui frangeret eis,
is often taken to be a play upon words, and applied to the Christian edu-
cation of the young. Esther v. 12: Etiam eras cum rege pransurus
sum is referred to the daily sacrifice; Psalm Ixvii. 36, Mirabilis Deus in
scmctis suis means in the original "Wonderful [or fearful] is God in
the sanctuary [of the Temple]," but in the translation it can be applied
to the saints.
This sort of interpretation is neither directly nor indirectly
motived by the Holy Ghost, and has no divine authority;
hence it can never be used as a foundation for any proof.
Nevertheless it may be used for purposes of edification, for
1 Accommodation is generally called sensus accommodatitius, but
Comely rightly points out (Comp., 127) that we ought not to speak of
an applied sense, as the word sense always refers to the intention in the
mind of the writer, and that is not present in this case.
458 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
it occurs in Holy Scripture itself, and is used by the Church
and the Fathers.
For instance in the Breviary the words which in Ecclus. xliv. 20 refer
to Abraham, Non est inventus similis illi, qui conservaret legem Excelsi,
are applied to every Confessor Pontiff.
2. There are limitations to the use of accommodation, and
the following conditions must be fulfilled:
(a) Such an interpretation must not be declared to be the
true meaning of a passage.
(b) It may be applied only in a pious manner, so that there
is no lack of the reverence due to Holy Scripture. It would
be a misuse of God's word to apply passages of it to profane
things or in jest. This is expressly forbidden by the Council
of Trent (Sessio 4), and bishops are required to punish, if
need be, any who act in a contrary way. 1
(c) If we read in Holy Scripture that this or that was done
"in order that the Scripture might be fulfilled," we must not
understand this by way of accommodation, but either accord-
ing to the literal sense (sensus literalis), if anything that had
been foretold actually occurred, or according to the mystical
sense (sensus mysticus}, if some type was realized.
For instance, in Matt, xxvii. 35 is a quotation from Ps. xxi. 19:
" They divided my garments among them, and upon my vesture they
cast lots." We must not say that the verse of the Psalm is applicable
to our Saviour, and can be used in reference to Him, but we must believe
that the Holy Ghost, through the Psalmist, was indicating an event in
the Passion of the Messias.
1 (8. Synodus) temeritatem illam reprimere volens, qua ad prof ana
quceque com^ertuntur et torquentur verba et sententice sacrce scripturce,
ad scurrilia scilicet, fabulosa, vana, adulationes . . . mandat et prcecipit
ad tollendam huiusmodi irreverentiam et contemptum, ne de cetera
quisquam verba s. scriptures ad hcec et similia audeat usurpare, ut
omnes huius generis homines temeratores et violatores Dei iuris et
arbitrii poenis per episcopos coerceantur.
INTEKPKETATION OF HOLY SCRIPTUKE 459
SECOND SECTION
OF DISCOVERING THE MEANING OF HOLY SCRIPTURE
(Heuristics)
The use of biblical criticism is essential to a true knowledge of Scrip-
ture. We may distinguish the lower and the higher criticism. The
former is concerned with examining and, if need be, with correcting the
text. As in course of time, even unintentionally, some corruption of the
text may have occurred, we have to try to discover the correct readings,
by the assistance of early manuscripts, ancient translations and quota-
tions in the works of the Fathers (supra, p. 222, etc.). Higher criticism
deals with the age, origin, authenticity and purity of the sacred books.
It is aided less by so-called internal evidence than by historical testi-
mony, although the former may often be adduced in confirmation of the
latter.
That form of criticism is erroneous which refuses to recognize any-
thing supernatural, and therefore desires to eliminate as spurious
whatever appears miraculous or prophetic.
Moral considerations must also be kept in view. Whoever wishes to
comprehend the meaning of Holy Scripture must have a good intention
and moral purity, for "wisdom will not enter into a malicious soul,
nor dwell in a body subject to sins " (Wisd. i. 4), and he must also have
humility, for " where humility is, there also is wisdom " ( Prov. xi. 2 ) .
Reading and study of the sacred books are no less necessary, as Sirach
says in the prologue to Ecclesiasticus ; and lastly, he must pray for
understanding: quod est prcecipuum et maarime necessarium, orent ut
intelligent (Aug., De Doctr. Chr., Ill, 37).
The rules to be observed in trying to discover the correct
meaning of Holy Scripture are partly taken from instructions
given by the Church, and partly proceed from certain peculiari-
ties of the sacred books.
5. PRINCIPLES LAID DOWN BY THE CHURCH
Divine revelation itself indicates how we may attain to a cor-
rect knowledge of the meaning of Scripture. In II Peter i.
2 we find the following statement: Hoc primum intelligent es,
quod omnis prophetia scriptures propria inter pretatione non
fit. Non enim voluntat'e Tiumana allata est aliquando prophetia,
sed Spiritu sancto inspirati locuti sunt sancti Dei homines.
460 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
"Understanding this first, that no prophecy of scripture is made by
private interpretation. For prophecy came not by the will of man at
any time, but the holy men of God spoke, inspired by the Holy
Ghost."
In these words the apostle intends to deny to the individual
the right to interpret the prophecies in the Bible according to
his private judgment. 1 He bases this prohibition upon the
inspiration of the prophets, who were, he says, influenced by
the Holy Spirit when they uttered their prophecies. For this
reason whoever reads and studies Scripture must not stop short,
when he is trying to discover the meaning, at what the writ-
ings of the prophets appear to him, in his private opinion, to
convey; but he must go further, and have regard to the Holy
Ghost working in the prophets. As the same Holy Ghost still
guides the Church and protects her from error, and as the
Holy Scriptures are the property of the Church, it follows
that they can be rightly understood only in and by means
of the Church. The apostle is speaking, it is true, only of
the prophetic books, but by analogy his words apply equally
to the historical, poetical and didactic books. They are all
the work of the Holy Ghost that brings about their compre-
hension no less than their origin. The apostle's rule was
developed and explained by the Council of Trent (Sess. 4) in
the following decision: 8. Synodus deccrnit ut nemo SUM pru-
dentics innixus sacram scripturam ad suos sensus contorquens
contra eum sensum> quern tenuit et tenet s. mater ecclesia, cuius
est iudicare de vero sensu et interpretatione scripturarum sanc-
tarum, aut etiam contra unanimen consensum Patrum ipsam
scripturam sacram interpretari audeat. 2
1 It would be possible to refer the words propria interpretatione to
the prophet, in which case Saint Peter would mean that it was not the
prophet, who by his own insight and penetration perceived and made
known the future, but the spirit of God influenced him to do so. But
interpretation Gk. tirLXvdis = solution, implies that something is given,
and does not mean penetration. If it did, the two sentences would
be tautological.
2 Almost the same language was used by the Vatican Council of 1870,
Sess. 3, cap. 2. Particular stress, however, is laid on the fact that this
rule applies especially in rebus fidei et morum.
INTERPRETATION OF HOLY SCRIPTURE 461
" The holy synod declares that no one relying on his own judgment
shall dare to wrest * Holy Scripture in accordance with his opinion, con-
trary to that which our holy Mother the Church held and still holds,
for to her does it belong to decide upon the true meaning and interpre-
tation of Holy Scripture; nor shall any one dare to expound the same
Holy Scripture in a way contrary to the unanimous decision of the
Fathers."
In this decree we must notice first of all that " it belongs to
the Church to decide upon the meaning and interpretation of
Holy Scripture." This is a fundamental principle, containing
three important rules, which have been observed in the Church
from the beginning, not only since the Council of Trent. The
Council merely gave expression to the tradition of the Church
on this point.
1. It is a fundamental principle of Protestantism that each
person may and must read and interpret Holy Scripture ac-
cording to his own subjective judgment, but in the Church it
is forbidden to regard one's own opinions as the sole standard
in examining Scripture. No one is allowed SUCK prudentice
inniti, in contradiction to the Church, for private judgment is
fallible, but the Church is infallible, for the Holy Ghost was not
given to each individual but to the whole Church.
2. The hermeneutist may never go beyond the limits which
the Church, guided by the Spirit of God, has set to her teach-
ing; if he lights upon an interpretation not agreeing with
the doctrines of the Church, he must recognize it to be false,
for the Holy Ghost cannot contradict Himself. For the same
reason the commentator may never contradict that particular
interpretation which the Church has ever maintained to be the
correct interpretation of a passage.
3. The hermeneutist in examining the meaning of Scripture
must not depart from the unanimous decision of the Fathers,
and he must not pronounce an interpretation to be correct
that is at variance with the consensus unanimis Patrum. The
consensus of the Fathers is nothing but the expression of the
view taken by the Church. Where all the Fathers are agreed,
there we undoubtedly have the apostolic tradition and the
1 Contorqueo = to give anything a forced turn.
462 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
opinion of the Church. When the Fathers are not all agreed
regarding the meaning of a passage, we are free to adopt
whichever opinion we prefer, provided that the teaching author-
ity in the Church has not decided the matter.
These rules involve no limitation of a reasonable use of
human liberty. For (1) nothing more is required than that
man shall submit his opinion to the Holy Ghost, who guides
the Church. (2) Holy Scripture is not something apart from,
or superior to, but of the Church, i. e. it belongs to the Church,
to which Jesus Christ intrusted the whole of revelation, to
make it known to mankind. Holy Scripture stands and falls
with the Church. 1 The contents of Holy Scripture are thus
nothing but the written doctrine of the Church, whose right
and duty it is to watch over it, so that human passion and
prejudice may not foist upon it an interpretation contrary to
her former teaching.
As soon as the Bible is separated from the Church, it ceases to be
respected. This is plainly to be seen in the case of the more recent sects.
The Reformers wished to recognize the Bible, and not the authority of
the Church, and their adherents followed them. But the consequence
was that Holy Scripture has gradually lost all value amongst them, and
at the present time many learned Protestants regard it merely as the
work of men, and consequently in their opinion it is no longer the
word of God. They have rejected the idea of inspiration, and now argue
only about the letter of the book.
6. HERMENEUTICAL EULES BASED ON THE PECULIAR
CHARACTER OF THE BIBLE
In so far as the Bible is the work of men, it has many
properties in common with other ancient books, but as God is
its author, it has also certain peculiarities belonging to it alone,
as the book of revelation. The student of Holy Scripture
has therefore to observe the following rules:
1 " I should not believe the gospel itself, unless the authority of the
Catholic Church induced me to do so " ( Saint Augustine ) .
INTEBPBETATlQN OF HOLY SCRIPTURE 463
A. On ike Human Side
1. He must carefully attend to the connection, both gram-
matical and logical. Both kinds of connection must be kept
in view at the same time,, and be used to make good one an-
other's deficiences. This is particularly important for the Old
Testament. In Hebrew the subject frequently changes; the
numerous particles employed in Western languages are want-
ing; the verb has only the perfect and future tenses; there
are frequent ellipses, etc. Thus the connection can often be
restored only by means of the laws of logic.
2. Of still greater importance is it to observe the usage of
the language. We mean by this the sense of a word, expres-
sion or sentence which at the time of some definite author was
generally assigned to it.
In order to learn the usage of a language, we must have
recourse to witnesses, taking as such the other authors who
wrote in the language of that particular writer whom we desire
to explain. Witnesses may be classified as direct and indirect.
Direct witnesses are authors who used the same language as
their native tongue, at about the same period. Indirect wit-
nesses are those who used the same language only in kindred
dialects or at another period.
The following rules hold good with regard to the witnesses
for the usage of the language in the Bible :
(a) We cannot trace any great changes in the development
of Hebrew as we know it in the Bible. 1 We find nearly the
same language in all the books of the Old Testament; Genesis
differs very little from Malachias in language. For this reason
all the Old Testament writers are direct witnesses to one
another. The same is true of the Greek text of the Septuagint,
which almost all belongs to the same period.
(6) The language of the New Testament is based to a great
1 The long seclusion of the people of Israel and the respect of later
writers for the Mosaic law, were two causes of the preservation of
Hebrew. (<7f., however, p. 270, (e).) In the same way Arabic changed
very little for several centuries, because the Koran was regarded as the
model of style.
464 HANDBOOK FOB THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
extent upon that of the Septuagint version of the Old. A
writer of the Septuagint is regarded, therefore, as a direct
witness for the Greek New Testament, and vice versa. All
the writers of the New Testament are direct witnesses to one
another, as they all wrote about the same time, viz. in the
first century.
(c) The earlier Greek Fathers may be used as direct wit-
nesses for the New Testament and the Septuagint, because they
copied the language of the Septuagint and the New Testament.
The Chaldee, Syriac and Arabic writers are indirect witnesses,
and so are the later Greek Fathers and the Greek profane
authors.
3. Parallel passages of the sacred books serve to throw light
on the usage of the language. In order to discover these more
easily, use is made of biblical concordances, which are either
concordances of words or of subjects.
The former give, in alphabetical order, stating chapter and
verse, all the places where some particular word occurs in the
Bible. The latter do not notice the words, but they state, in
a series of articles arranged alphabetically, all that is to be
found, scattered up and down the Bible, on certain subjects,
such as baptism, sacrifice, prayer, Juda, Sion, etc. Verbal
concordances have been made for the Hebrew as well as for
the Greek and Latin texts of the Bible. 1
1 The best verbal concordances are: of the Hebrew text, Buxtorf,
Bale, 1632. This important work, revised by Fiirst and Bar, is even sur-
passed by the Hebr.-Chald. Konkordanz des Alien Testaments, by Sal.
Mandelkern, Leipzig, 1896.
Of the Septuagint, there is Tromm's Concordance, Amsterdam, 1718,
and an excellent new one by Hatch and Redpath, 6 parts, Oxford, 1897,
in which reference is made also to other early Greek versions. Another
concordance to the proper names in the Septuagint was also published
in Oxford. Of the Vulgate there is a useful concordance by Fr. Lucas,
Antwerp, 1618, etc. An abbreviated concordance of the Vulgate, in-
tended especially for preachers, was brought out by Cornaert, Ratisbon,
1897. Based upon the very useful Manuals concord, by P. de Raze, is
the comprehensive Thesaurus concord, scr. s., compiled by Peultier, Eti-
enne and Gantois, Ratisbon, 1898.
Of subject concordances we may mention Calmet, Lexicon biblicum;
Lueg, Realkonkordanz (5th ed., 1900); Winer (Prot.), Bibl. Worter-
buch; Riehm, Bibel-Lexikon ; Guthe, Kurzes Bibelworterbuch (both
INTEEPRETATION OF HOLY SCEIPTURE 465
B. On the Divine Side
4. We must notice the relation in which the two Testa-
ments stand to one another. 1 The Old Testament is to be
regarded as prefiguring what was- to come through and after
Christ, as the umbra futurorum bonorum (Heb. x. 1; Col. ii.
7). It is- connected with the New Testament as the bud with
the blossom, as the announcement with the fulfillment, as the
shadow with the light. Therefore one Testament cannot be
properly understood without reference to the other (see H.
Weiss, Hessian. Vorbilder im A. T., Feb., 1905).
5. Here and there in the New Testament passages are quoted
from the Old, which cannot be found there in precisely th f e
same form. We need not think that the text has been tam-
pered with; ancient writers generally quoted according to the
sense, disregarding verbal accuracy. On account of the rarity
and costliness of manuscripts, it was not always possible to
verify quotations. Many are therefore inaccurate from our
point of view, but they are not falsified on that account (e. g.
Matt. ii. 23; John vii. 38, quoted roughly from Is. xliv. 1-3).
6. We must not be offended by anthropomorphic expressions,
which seem to us out of keeping with our conception of God. It
is with a well-considered design that Holy Scripture speaks of
God as of a Being resembling man, and ascribes to Him a
face, eyes, ears, mouth, hands, feet and the senses of smell
and hearing. This is done out of consideration for man's power
of comprehension; and the same is the case when the Bible
Prot.). Also a large but still unfinished work by Vigouroux, Diction-
naire de la Bible, Paris; and an English (Prot.) Dictionary of the Bible
by James Hastings, Edinburgh, 18981902, 4 vols., with an extra volume
published in 1904 ; the Encyclopedia Biblica by Cheyne and Sutherland
Black, 4 vols., London, 1903. See also the article Bibelkonkordanzen in
the Kirchenlexikon, II, 636.
1 S. Aug. qu. 30 in Exod.: In veteri testamento novum latet; in novo
testamento vetus patet. In Luke xxiv. 44, 46, 47, our Lord says to the
apostles: "All things must needs be fulfilled which are written in the
law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. . . .
Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise again
from the dead the third day: and that penance and remission of sins
should be preached in his name unto all nations, beginning at Jerusalem."
466 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
represents God as loving or hating, as jealous, angry, glad
or filled with regret, dispositions which apply to God not per
affectum but per effectum. They show us that God is not
coldly indifferent to loyalty or disloyalty on the part of men,
but notices them well. Moreover we must not forget that man
is made in the likeness of God, and that therefore in the
divine Being there must be something analogous to the quali-
ties of men, though in the highest perfection.
THIRD SECTION
EXPLANATIONS OF THE TEXT OF HOLY SCRIPTURE
As early as v the times of the Fathers much attention was
paid to expounding the sacred books, as a powerful means for
furthering the knowledge and piety of the faithful and for
warding off heresies. Every one knows how much Origen, Saint
John Chrysostom, Saint Ambrose, Saint Jerome, Saint Augus-
tine and Saint Gregory the Great contributed to the elucida-
tion of Holy Scripture. The same activity has continued in
every century, and various methods of explanation have been
developed. It is usual to distinguish four kinds of interpre-
tation, viz. paraphrases, scholia, glosses and commentaries.
Every age has produced paraphrases, but scholia belong to the
time of the Fathers, glosses to the Middle Ages, and com-
mentaries to the present day.
Explanations in the form of homilies were usual particularly in the
time of the Fathers, and were intended not only to supply a practical
need, but to promote a better understanding of Scripture. They would
be well adapted for the present time. Saint John Chrysostom and Saint
Augustine have left us models of this method of exegesis.
7. PARAPHRASES
A paraphrase of Holy Scripture is the method of explaining
the meaning of the words, which, while retaining the consecutive
language of the author, inserts in his text whatever may conduce
to its elucidation. Explanations such as seem serviceable are put
INTEBPEETATION OF HOLY SCEIPTUEE 467
into the author's mouth, and his statements are expanded, so
that he is made to elucidate himself.
The essential qualities of a good paraphrase are :
(1) Fidelity. If any one seeks information from a paraphrase, he
wishes to learn from it the author's meaning and not the paraphrast's
subjective opinions. Every deviation from the true meaning and con-
tents of the language of a sacred writer would be a fraud practiced on
the reader.
(2) Intelligibility. The measure of this quality is determined by the
amount of education possessed by those for whom the paraphase is in-
tended. It must therefore be more or less detailed, as it is intended for
uneducated or educated readers. As a general rule in a paraphrase (a)
unintelligible and unfamiliar expressions are replaced by words in ordi-
nary use ; ( 6 ) where the meaning is obscure, it must be expressed clearly
in accordance with the rules of hermeneutics ; (c) where there is an
obvious omission, it must be supplied by a short interpolation.
(3) Dignified diction. The paraphrast must use stately language,
doing his best to adapt it to the words of the original, so that the simple
and dignified character of Holy Scripture is not destroyed. All words
and phrases used only in the vulgar language of everyday life must
be avoided, because reverence for the word of God ought to appear equally
in the paraphrase.
8. SCHOLIA
Scholia are short notes on the text of a book, and they
exist on that of the Bible. They deal with the whole text,
and in this way differ from glosses, which single out for ex-
planation only particular words and phrases. They differ
from commentaries by their brevity and conciseness, and by
their avoidance of every kind of excursus. The requirements
of a good exegesis in scholia are: (a) a short introduction, (6)
a continuous explanation, relevant and philological, (c) criti-
cism and emendation of the text.
Bibliography. In ancient times the scholia of Theodorus of Mopsu-
estia enjoyed great reputation, although his jejune and frivolous inter-
pretations often caused annoyance and offense. The textual elucidations
of Saint John Chrysostom and of Theodoretus, bishop of Cyrus in Syria,
won universal approbation. Saint Jerome too, and Saint Augustine, tried
to some extent to expound the Bible by means of scholia. The works
of these four scholars are of great value to us, especially because they
adhere to the literal meaning, without however excluding the mys-
tical. Procopius of Gaza (A. D. 600) collected earlier Greek scholia.
The Greek writers Theophylactus, who became Archbishop of Achris in
Bulgaria in 1078, and Euthymius Zigabenus, monk in a religious house
468 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
near Constantinople in the eleventh century, followed St. John Chrysos-
tom and Theodoretus, for which reason, although they themselves were
schismatics, their scholia are still valued and used. Oecumenius, bishop
of Tricca in Thessaly, is supposed to have written scholia on the Acts
and Epistles about the year 600; they are generally quoted under his
name, but it is quite possible that they were the work of some other
author. It is certain that Oecumenius wrote an interpretation of the
Apocalypse in the form of a commentary; it has been recently dis-
covered by Fr. Diekamp.
9. GLOSSES
1. By glosses we mean a form of elucidation that deals
only with single obscure words, and does not aim at explain-
ing the subject matter.
The word y\w<rffa means primarily tongue, then language, but the
Greek grammarians, who expounded the Greek authors, applied the
word y\uffffa to some obscure word in the text requiring explanation;
the remark elucidating it was called yXufffftjua. Soon, however, the
usage was reversed; the obscure word in the text was called the
yXuffarjua, and its explanation yXuffo-a. The two words were adopted into
western languages with these significations. Many glosses written by
the earliest readers of the Bible have crept into the sacred text, but
they are as a rule easily recognizable.
2. The subjects of the Greek grammarians' glosses were
words not generally known, especially those derived from for-
eign languages, provincialisms, unfamiliar, obsolete and tech-
nical expressions. They wrote their remarks or glosses gen-
erally in the margin of a copy of the author whom they were
studying, but sometimes the glosses were written apart in a
separate book. Following this method, Greek ecclesiastical
writers composed glosses on obscure words in the Greek of the
Old and New Testaments. Subsequent Greek grammarians
collected glosses of this kind, adding others of their own, and
arranging the whole collection alphabetically, so that the ob-
scure word in the text stood first, and then a word or note
by way of interpretation of it. These collections are called
glossaries, and the author or collector of glosses is a glossator.
A glossary differs from a dictionary in not containing all the
words of a language, but only the obscure words with their
interpretation.
INTERPKETATION OF HOLY SCRIPTUBE 469
3. The chief among the Greek glossators is Hesychius, an
Alexandrian grammarian of the fourth century. His glossary
(which he himself called a lexicon) has come down to us.
That of Suidas, a Greek grammarian who lived about 1000 A. D.,
is equally important.
Other valuable lexicons or glossaries are those of Zonaras of Con-
stantinople, a Greek monk who lived in the twelfth century, and of Pho-
tius, a well-known Patriarch. We ought also to mention the Etymolo-
gicum Magnum, compiled by an unknown scholar in the eleventh century,
and the Glossarium of Varinus Phavorinus (ob. 1537), a Benedictine
from Camerino in Umbria, who had been a pupil of the Greek scholar,
John Lascaris. Most of these glossaries deal with profane works as well
as Holy Scripture, but special glossaries, containing only words from the
Bible, have been compiled from them and published. 1 A collection of
Latin glossaries was made by Lowe and Gotz, 1888-1901.
4. In the Middle Ages the word y\a)o-ffa acquired a some-
what different meaning. It was applied to a collection of
short, objective elucidations of Holy Scripture, and particu-
larly of the Vulgate. The mediaeval glosses scarcely differ at
all from scholia. Glosses of this kind are also called catena,
when several old explanations are, as it were, linked together
and given one after the other. The most famous of these is
the Catena aurea of Saint Thomas Aquinas, a collection in very
condensed form of earlier elucidations of the gospels, collected
from over eighty Greek and Latin authors (new edition, Turin,
1894). A Jesuit named Cordier, who lived at Antwerp about
1628, did excellent work in editing catena. 2 We have two
especially famous glosses dating from the Middle Ages, viz.
Walafried Strabo's Glossa Ordinaria and Anselm of Laon's
Glossa interlinearis.
Walafried Strabo (born 807, died as Abbot of the monastery
at Eeichenau, near Constance, in 849), taking as his founda-
tion the elucidations of Scripture given by. his master Ehabanus
Maurus, compiled a glossa of the Vulgate text of the Old and
1 Ernesti, Glossce sacrce Hesychii, etc. Lipsies, 1785-86.
2 We mention also Pearson's Critici Sacri, 9 vols., London, 1660, and
Frankfurt am Main, 1695-1701, a collection of Catholic and Protestant
commentators ; also J. A. Cramer's collections of " Catenae from the
Greek Fathers," Oxford, 1838-1844.
470 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
New Testaments, which was afterwards called the Glossa Or-
dinaria, partly because it was so generally used, and partly
to distinguish it from Anselm's work. Strabo's explanations
are mostly derived from the Fathers, but he added a good
many of his own, and for nearly seven hundred years, viz. from
the ninth to the sixteenth century, his work was for theolo-
gians the ordinary and almost the only exegesis of Holy
Scripture. (His complete works may be found in Migne's
Patrologia, Tom. 113, 114.) In the twelfth century Anselm,
dean of the Cathedral at Laon (ob. 1117), attempted to make
a still shorter interpretation by writing easily intelligible words
or very brief remarks above the obscure words in the Vulgate,
between the lines of the text, so that his work received the
name of Glossa Interlinearis. From the twelfth century onwards
the Vulgate was regularly copied with both these glosses, so
that the text stood in the middle of the page, the glossa or-
dinaria on the upper margin and on either side of the text,
and the glossa interlinearis between the lines of it. After the
fourteenth century the postil * by the Franciscan Nicholas of
Lyra (Lyranus, ob. 1340) 2 and the additions made by Bishop
Paul of Burgos 3 were written on the very broad margin left
below the Bible text. In this form the Vulgate appeared
among the first productions of the printing press.
10. COMMENTARIES
1. By a commentary we mean a connected and exhaustive
explanation of the meaning of a book. This form of exegesis
belongs to recent times, and is connected with the classical
studies that have been carried on in preference to others since
the fifteenth century.
2. A biblical commentary may be concerned with the exe-
1 The name comes from the words: Post ilia sc. verba textus,
the explanation followed the text.
2 His birthplace was Lyra, a little town in Normandy.
8 He was by birth a Jew, but was converted in 1390. His son became
bishop of Burgos after him, in 1435, and it was to this son that he had
sent his additiones.
INTERPRETATION OF HOLY SCRIPTURE 471
.gesis of the original text or of a translation. In the latter
case, a Catholic commentator is bound to use a version that
has received the sanction of the Church, but where difficulties
occur, he must always compare the original, and if possible
by that means throw light on the obscure passage. We gen-
erally expound the New Testament in accordance with the Greek
text, but reference must always be made to the Vulgate. Most
writers expound the Old Testament according to the Vulgate,
but with reference both to the Hebrew text and to the various
versions, particularly the Septuagint (pf. supra, p. 167).
3. The arrangement of a commentary on the Bible is gen-
erally the following:
(a) The actual commentary is preceded by an introduction
to the book, discussing the author and the readers for whom
he wrote, the motive, purpose and contents of the book, and
the place and date of its composition. In this way the reader
is supplied with a preliminary survey of the book, is enabled
to form some opinion regarding it, and is prepared to under-
stand its various parts.
(b) The text is divided into sections, either corresponding
to the chapters in the book, or so that several chapters of
kindred contents are grouped together under one heading.
(c) To the explanation of each section is suitably prefixed
the text under discussion, either in the original or in a trans-
lation, the latter being more usual.
(d) The commentator has to practice textual criticism, j. e.
where different readings occur he must state which he regards
as correct, and for what reasons.
(e) In the exegesis of the various sections, for the purpose
of elucidating obscure passages, the commentator must avail
himself of all the resources of scholarship in the domains of
philology, history and theology, and also use his own opinions,
provided always that he attends to the fundamental principles
of the Church (cf. p. 167, etc.).
(/) Finally we expect of a commentator that he should
mention the chief explanations put forward -by others with
whom he does not agree, giving at the same time his reasons
for refusing to assent to them.
472 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
11. STUDY AND READING OF THE BIBLE
As it is of the utmost importance that the Word of God should
remain pure and free from all falsification, Leo XIII issued
the following rules on Jan. 25, 1897 :
1. The use of editions of the original text and of early
Catholic versions that are published by non-Catholics but
profess to be faithful and pure,, is permitted only to those
who are engaged in theological or biblical studies, provided
that Catholic doctrines are not attacked in the prolegomena or
notes.
2. In the same way and under similar conditions other
translations of the sacred books, whether in Latin or in some
other language, but not in the vernacular, are permitted though
published by non-Catholics.
3. Translations of the sacred books into the vernacular, even
if made by Catholics, are absolutely forbidden unless they are
approved by the apostolic See, or, under the supervision of the
bishops, are provided with explanatory notes taken from the
Fathers or some approved Catholic authors.
4. All translations of the sacred books into the vernacular
which are the work of non-Catholics are forbidden, especially
those distributed by the so-called Bible societies. They are
permitted, under the conditions stated above (I), 1 only for the
purposes of theological or biblical study.
These rules laid down by the Church have called forth much
adverse criticism from non-Catholics. Protestants go so far
as to declare the reading of the Bible to be a duty, but this is
a mistake.
Reasons for the Catholic regulations: 1. Nowhere in Holy Scripture
is Bible reading prescribed. Jesus Christ gave instructions to preach,
and consequently also to hear, the gospel. If every one were bound
to read the Bible, many could not be saved. The early Christians did
not possess the whole of the Sacred Scriptures, and according to Prot-
estant teaching it is not certain which books belong to them. Cf. p. 208.
2. Such a precept was unknown throughout all the early ages of the
Church. The Fathers recommend the reading of the sacred books, but
1 Gregory XVI issued very similar rules on Jan. 7, 1836, and May
8, 1844.
INTERPRETATION OF HOLY SCRIPTURE 473
know nothing of a command enjoining it; and their recommendation is
addressed to priests and clerics. At the present time laymen are also
recommended to read long or short portions of Holy Scripture, or,
under certain conditions mentioned above (3), the whole Bible.
3. The Bible, being the written teaching of the Church, is intended
primarily for those who teach in the Church, and only through them
for those who hear. It was thus under the Old Covenant. The book
containing the law of Moses was given over to the priests; only the
king was to have a copy of it, and the people were required, not to
read, but to hear. (Deut. xxxi. 9, etc.; cf. Deut. xvii. 18.)
4. The Bible is by no means easy for every one to understand, but
is frequently obscure (supra, p. 168), and even scholars are not agreed
as to the meaning of many passages. Disastrous results have often
followed Bible reading by young persons and inaccurate interpretation
by unqualified people.
5. The schismatic Greek Church, and even many Protestants, agree
with the rules laid down by the Catholic Church. 1
APPENDIX
EXEGETICAL BIBLIOGRAPHY
Of the time of the Fathers special mention must be made of Justin
Martyr (ob. 167) and Irenaeus (ob. 202), who explain many parts of the
Bible in the course of their works; but systematic commentary origi-
nated in Alexandria, through Clement of Alexandria (ob. 217) and Ori-
gen (ob. 254), who were followed by Athanasius (ob. 373). In the
fourth century the exegetic school at Antioch and Nisibis arose, which,
unlike that of Alexandria with its fondness for allegory, always examined
the literal meaning first, without, however, excluding the mystical inter-
pretation. The chief representatives of this school are John Chrysostom
(ob. 407) and Ephrem (ob. 379). Basilius (ob. 379) and Gregory of
Nyssa (ob. 395) occupy a position about midway between the Alexan-
drian and Syrian schools. Theodore of Mopsuestia (ob. 428) went even
further than the school of Antioch, for he refused to admit any mystical
interpretation at all. The most noted Greek commentators in the fifth
century are Cyril of Alexandria (ob. 444) and Theodoretus (ob. 458).
Among the Latin writers Ambrose (ob. 397), Jerome (ob. 420), Augus-
tine (ob. 430) and Gregory the Great (ob. 604) are conspicuous above
all others.
In the Middle Ages we have the Venerable Bede (ob. 735), Walafried
Strabo (ob. 849), Rhabanus Maurus (ob. 856), Rupert of Deutz (ob
1135), Thomas Aquinas (ob. 1274), Bonaventure (ob. 1274), Alphonsus
Tostatus (ob. 1454) and Dionysius the Carthusian (ob. 1471).
Nearer our own times, commentaries of the whole Bible have been writ-
1 Even Protestants have recently felt the necessity of Using only ex-
tracts from the Bible in schools, instead of, as hitherto, allowing the
whole Bible to be read.
474 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
ten by Fr. Vatablus (ob. 1547 in Paris), Emamiel Sa, S.J. (ob. 1596),
James Tirinus, S.J. (ob. 1636), Cornelius a Lapide, S.J. (=van den
Steen, born near Li6ge, 1566, died in Rome, 1637 ),* Stephen Menochius,
S.J. (ob. 1655), Aug. Calmet, Abbot of the Benedictine monastery at
Sennones in Lorraine, died 1757.
Wilhelm Estius (ob. 1613) wrote notes on the most important pas-
sages in Holy Scripture. The commentaries of Sa, Tirinus and Estius
were put together and united in John de la Haye's editions of the Bible
in 1643 and 1660.
The following have written commentaries on single parts of the
Bible: Jansen (ob. 1576) annotated the books of Psalms, Proverbs, Eccle-
siasticus and Wisdom, and wrote a harmony of the gospels. Maldonatus,
S.J. (ob. 1583), annotated Jeremias, Baruch, Ezechiel, Daniel, and espe-
cially the gospels; Salmeron, S.J. (ob. 1585), the gospels and the Acts of
the Apostles; Agellius (ob. 1608), Psalms, Proverbs, Lamentations, Haba-
kuk. Serarius, S.J. (ob. 1609), annotated most of the historical books
of the Old Testament and the Epistles. Pererius, S.J. (ob. 1610), wrote
on Genesis and Daniel; Estius (ob. 1613), on the epistles; Fr. Lucas
(ob. 1619), on the gospels; Bellarmine, S.J. (ob. 1621), on the Psalms;
Pineda, S.J. (ob. 1637), on Ecclesiastes and Job; BonfrSre (ob. 1643),
on the Pentateuch, Josue, Judges, Ruth, Kings and Chronicles; Corde-
rius, S.J. (ob. 1650), on Job.
The best of these older commentaries have been printed in J. P. Migne's
great work: Scripturce s. Cursus completus, 28 vols., Paris, 1839, etc., an
almost inexhaustible storehouse of information.
The most important and comprehensive modern commentary on Holy
Scripture is the one appearing in Latin at Paris, under the superintend-
ence of the Fathers of the Society of Jesus; its title is Cursus sacrw
Scriptures, and over thirty large octavo volumes of it have already been
published. The chief collaborators are the Fathers Comely, v. Humme-
lauer and Knabenbauer. Belonging to it (besides the Introductio, see
p. 475) is the Lexicon biblicum by M. Hagen, S.J., of which three large
volumes have appeared, but it is still unfinished.
1 A new edition of his commentary on the gospels appeared at Turin,
189699, in 4 volumes, edited by A. Padovani.
WORKS TO WHICH REFERENCE HAS
BEEN MADE
(Protestant authors are marked with an asterisk)
Aberle, M. v., Einleitung in das Neue Testament, edited by P. Schanz.
Freiburg i. Br., 1877.
Allioli, J. Fr., Handbuch der biblischen Altertumskunde, conjointly with
Gratz and Haneberg. 2 vols. Landshut, 1844.
Allioli, J. Fr., Die HI. Schrift des A. u. N. Test, iibersetzt und erlautert.
3 vols. Ratisbon, 1897.
Bardenheioer, 0., Patrologie. Freiburg i. Br., 1901.
Belser, J. E., Einleitung in das Neue Testament. 2d ed. Freiburg i. Br.,
1905.
*Benzinger, J., Hebraische Archaologie. Freiburg and Leipzig, 1894. 2d
revised edition. Ttib., 1907.
Boese, H., S.J., Die Glaubwurdigkeit unserer Evangelien. Freiburg i.
Br., 1895.
Comely, Rud., S.J., Historica et critica introductio in U. T. libros saoros.
Paris, 1885 seqq. 4 vols. Ed. 2. 1893-1897.
Comely, Rud., 8.J., Compendium introductionis in s. Scripturas. Paris,
1889. Ed. 5. 1905.
Comely, Rud., S.J., Synopses omnium librorum sacrorum utriusque
Test. Paris, 1899.
*Cornill, C. E., Einleitung in das Alte Testament. Frb., Tiib., 1891,
1895.
* Delitzsch, Fr., Babel und Bibel. Leipzig, 1902, 1903. This little work
has attracted great attention. It originated in some lectures given
in Berlin in the presence of the German Emperor, on Jan. 13, 1902,
and Jan. 12, 1903, by Professor Delitzsch, who is well known as an
Assyriologist. He believes that the most important records in the
Bible were derived from Babylonian and Assyrian sources, this
being particularly the case with Genesis. His theory gave rise to a
lively debate and the publication of many articles that were noticed
at the time in Gottsberger and Sickenberger's " Biblische Zeitschrift,"
1903-1906. Most of these works do not agree with Delitzsch's hy-
pothesis. See also Delitzsch, "Mehr Licht," Leipzig, 1907; cf.
supra, p. 272.
* Driver, 8. R., Introduction to the Literature of the Old Testament, 1891.
*Duhm, B., Die Entstehung des Alten Testamentes. Freiburg i. Br. and
Leipzig, 1897.
Gla, D., Repertorium der Kath.-theol. Literatur von 1700-1894. Vol. I,
sect. 1. Paderborn, 1895.
476 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
Grimm, Jos., Die Samariter. Munich, 1854.
Grimm, Jos., Einheit der vier Evangelien. Ratisbon, 1868.
*Guthe, H., Bibelworterbuch. Ttib. and Lpz., 1903.
Haneberg, D. B., Die religiSsen Altertiimer der Bibel. Munich, 1869.
Hameberg, D. B., Geschichte der bibl. Offenbarung. 4th ed. Ratisbon,
1876.
Herbst, J. G., Einleitung in die Schriften des Alten Testamentes, edited
by B. Welte. Carlsruhe and Freiburg, 1840-1844.
*Hilprecht, H. V., Excavations in Bible Lands during the Nineteenth
Century. Philadelphia, 1903. Hilprecht was born in 1859 at Anhalt,
and is now professor at the University of Philadelphia, U. S. A.
He has devoted much time to the excavations on the Euphrates, and
in 1903 published the above-mentioned work on the subject. Its con-
tents are briefly as follows: In 1802 Grotefend found the key to the
cuneiform inscriptions, and afterwards the regions of the Euphrates
and Tigris were visited by Rich, Botta and Rawlinson; the last-
named discovered Sargon's palace in Ninive in 1842. In 1854 the
town of Ur (now Mugheir or Muqajir), the home of Abraham, was
discovered in South Babylonia, and in 1878 the town of Sippar.
Since 1888 American expeditions have carried on excavation work in
the lower Euphrates, and have succeeded in finding at Nippur the
kings' library. At Nippur remains of the civilization of various
periods have been discovered in layers, one below the other : Roman,
Greek, Parthian, and, lowest of all, Babylonian. Hilprecht takes care
not to destroy the respect paid to the Bible. His work is not limited
to the country near the Euphrates, and many scholars have collab-
orated with him. Benzinger writes on the excavations in Palestine,
the Mesa stone and the inscription at Siloe. P. Jensen discusses the
Hethites, Steindorff the excavations in Egypt, and Hommel the dis-
coveries made in Arabia.
Hoberg, G., Moses und der Pentateuch, 1905. ("We possess a Mosaic
Pentateuch, but not in an edition prepared by Moses.")
*Holtzmann, H. J., Lehrbuch der historisch-kritischen Einleitung in das
Neue Testament. 3d enlarged and improved edition. Freib. i. Br.,
1892.
*Hommel, Fr., Die altisraelitische Uberlieferung in inschriftlicher Be-
leuchtung. Munich, 1897.
Hopft, H., Die hohere Bibelkritik. Paderborn, 1905.
Hug, L., Einleitung in das Neue Testament. 2 vols. Freib. i. Br., 1846.
Hug, L., Gutachten iiber das Leben Jesu von Strauss. Freib. i. Br.,
1846.
v. Hummelauer, Fr., 8.J., Der biblische Schopfungsbericht. Freib. i. Br.,
1877 and 1898.
v. Hummelauer, Fr., S.J., Commentarius in Pent. Paris, 1895, etc.
*Jeremias, A., Monotheist, Stromungen innerhalb der babyl. Religion.
Lpz., 1905. ("There are suggestions of monotheism, but it is im-
possible to maintain that monotheism was invented and discovered
in Babylon. Israel always occupies the foremost position.")
*Jiilicher, Ad., Einleitung in das Neue Testament. 5th and 6th ed. Tttb.
and Leipzig, 1905.
WORKS OF REFERENCE 477
Kaulen, Fr., Einleitung in die Heilige Schrift des Alten und Neuen Tes-
tamentes. 4th and 5th ed. Freiburg i. Br., 1898, 1905.
Kaulen, Fr., Der biblische Schopfungsbericht. Freiburg i. Br., 1902.
*Kautzsch, E., Die Heilige Schrift des Alten Testamentes ubersetzt und
herausgegeben. Freiburg i. Br., 1894.
*Kayser, Aug., Theologie des Alten Testamentes. 2d ed., by Marti.
Strassburg, 1894.
Keil, P., Zur Babel- und Bibelfrage. Reprinted with additions from the
Pastor Bonus. Treves, 1903. A careful work throwing considerable
light on the subject in question.
*Keil, K. P., Handbuch der hebr. Archaologie. 2 vols. Leipzig, 1858.
Keppler, P., Wanderfahrten und Wallfahrten im Orient. Freiburg i. Br.,
1894, 5th ed., 1905.
Kihn, H., Encyklopiidie und Methodologie der Theologie. Freiburg i. Br.,
1892.
Kirchenlexikon by Wetzer and Welte. Freiburg i. Br., 1847-1854.
Kirchenlexikon (Wetzer and Welte), re-edited by Hergenrother and
Kaulen. Vol. I-XII. Freiburg i. Br., 1882-1901.
*Kirchhoff, A., Palastinakunde. Halle, 1899.
Kley, J., Die Pentateuchfrage. Miinster, 1904.
*Kruger, (?., Entstehung des Neuen Testamentes. Freiburg i. Br. and
Leipzig, 1896.
Kunstle, K., Das Comma Johanneum. Freiburg i. Br., 1905.
Langen, J., Grundriss der Einleitung in das Neue Testament. Freiburg
i. Br., 1868.
Loch, V., and Reischl, W., Die hi. Schriften des Alten und Neuen Testa-
mentes ubersetzt und erlautert. Ratisbon, 1851.
*Maurer, Fr., Hebr. u. chald. Handworterbuch zum A. T. Stuttgart, 1851.
Mayer, Bon., Das Judentum. Ratisbon, 1843.
* Meyer, Ed., Entstehung des Judentums. Halle, 1896.
Migne, J. P., Scriptures sacrae cursus completus. 28 vols. Parisiis, 1839.
*Nestle, E., Einfuhrung in das Griech. Neue Testament. Gottingen, 1897.
Nikel, J., Der Monotheismus Israels in der vorexilischen Zeit. Pader-
born, 1893.
Nikel, J., Genesis und Keilschriftforschung. Freiburg i. Br., 1903.
Pawliki, M., Ursprung des Christentums. Mayence, 1885.
Partner, B., Die Autoritat der deuterokanonischen Biicher des Alten Tes-
tamentes. Miinster, 1893.
Reithmayr, Fr. X., Einleitung in das Neue Testament. Ratisbon, 1852.
Reithmayr, Fr. X., Lehrbueh der biblischen Hermeneutik, edited by V.
Thalhofer. Kempten, 1874.
Reusch, Fr. H., Lehrbueh der Einleitung in das Alte Testament. 3d ed.
Freiburg i. Br., 1868.
*Reuss, E., Die Geschichte der heil. Schriften des Alten Testamentes.
Brunswick, 1881.
*Riehm, E. K. A., Worterbuch der bibl. Altertttmer. 2 vols. Bielefeld
and Leipzig, 1875, etc.
*Sayce, A. H., Fresh Lights from Ancient Monuments. London, 1883.
Schafer, B., Altertumer der Bibel, 2d ed. Munster, 1891.
Schafer, B., Kurzgef. wissenschaftl. Kornmentar zum Alten und Neuen
478 HANDBOOK FOR THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
Testament, mit mehreren herausgegeben von B. Schafer. 12 and 7
vols. Vienna, 1901, etc.
Schegg, P., Biblische Archaologie, edited by Wirthmtiller. Freiburg i.
Br., 1886.
Schenz, W., Einleitung in das Alte Testament. Ratisbon, 1887.
*Schleusner, J. Fr., Lexicon gr. lat. in N. T. Lips. 1792.
Schopfer, Am., Geschichte des Alten Testamentes. 4th ed. Brixen, 1906.
Scholz, P., Die heiligen Altertumer Israels. 2 vols. Ratisbon, 1868.
*Schilrer, E., Geschichte des jiidischen Volkes im Zeitalter Jesu Christi.
3 vols. and one vol. containing index. 3d ed. Leipzig, 1898-1902.
Sellin, E., Die alttestamentliche Religion in Rahmen der andern alt-
orientalischen. Leipzig, 1908. The author compares the ritual, cus-
toms, laws, pious practices, faith and doctrine as set forth in the
Old Testament with those of other Oriental religions. Points of re-
semblance are discovered and examined. The result is to prove them
not the same, but totally different. The religion of Israel stands
alone, and is far above that of neighboring nations.
*8iegfried and Stade, Hebraisches Worterbuch zum A. T. Leipzig, 1893.
*Smend and Socin, Die Inschrift des Konigs Mesa von Moab. Freiburg
i. Br., 1886.
* Stade, BernTi., Geschichte des Volkes Israel. 2 vols. Berlin, 1888, etc.
*Stade, Bernh., Entstehung des Volkes Israel. Giessen, 1899.
*Steuernagel, G., Allg. Einleitung in den Hexateuch. Gottingen, 1900.
*Strack, H. L., Einleitung in das Alte Testament. 6th ed. Munich, 1906.
Trenkle, Fr. Sal., Einleitung in das Neue Testament. Freiburg i. Br.,
1897.
*Volck, K. J., Entwicklungsgeschichte der alttest. Religion nach der Graf-
Wellhausenschen Hypo these. Carlsruhe, 1891.
Weinhart, B., Das Neue Testament. 2d ed. Freiburg i. Br., 1899.
*Wellhausen, Jul., Prolegomena zur Geschichte Israels. Berlin, 1886.
*Wellhausen, Jul., Israelitische und jiidische Geschichte. Berlin, 1894.
Welte, B., Nachmosaisches im Pentateuch. Freiburg i. Br., 1841.
*Winer, G. B., Biblisches Realworterbuch. 2 vols. 3d ed. Leipzig, 1847.
*Winckler, H., Die Tontafeln von Tell el Amarna. Berlin, 1896.
*Zahn, Th., Geschichte des neutestamentlichen Kanons. 2 vols. Er-
langen and Leipzig, 1888, 1890.
Ziegler, L., Die lateinischen Bibeliibersetzungen von Hieronymus und die
Itala des Augustinus. Munich, 1879.
*Zimmern, H., Biblische und babylonisch.e Urgeschichte. Leipzig, 1901.
Contains opinions similar to those expressed by Delitzsch in the work
mentioned above. Contents: Creation, Paradise, Patriarchs, story
of the Deluge.
CONCLUSION
I INT Holy Scripture God Himself tells us how His kingdom
was established among men as a protest against godlessness,
and was maintained in the times of the- prophets in spite of
the great powers of the world; how it was transformed by
His Son to be the kingdom of the Messias, which was origi-
nally like a grain of mustard seed, but has spread more and
more among all nations, and for over nineteen hundred years has
stood firm as the power of God amidst mankind. This kingdom,
the Church, has fought its way through paganism in Western
Asia, Greece and Eome, has prevailed over the barbarism of
savages, has endured in spite of all sects and divisions, and
still at the present day stands as firmly on the rock, its foun-
dation, as it ever did in antiquity or in the Middle Ages.
If now the struggle against the Church is carried on with
more violence and arrogance than ever before, we are certain,
from God's promises contained in the sacred books, and from
the experience of so many centuries, that no power in the
world, no malice and no pretended wisdom will ever succeed in
destroying that kingdom which God intended to be for the
salvation of all who desire to avoid temporal and eternal ruin.
If a man has fathomed the secret of God's kingdom on earth,
and it is an open secret, scales seem to fall from his eyes
when he reads Holy Scripture, but if he has not understood
it, and does not know and recognize the divine institution of
the Church, Holy Scripture remains to him a book sealed with
a sevenfold seal. It was only to those of His disciples who
believed in Christ that the Holy Ghost gave understanding
(Matt. xiii. 11).
480 HANDBOOK FOE THE STUDY OF THE BIBLE
Unbelief may proclaim as loudly as it will that it has dis-
covered the key to a correct understanding of the Bible; it is
mistaken, as certainly as God is everlasting truth. For
" Opinionum commenta delet dies ;
sed veritas manet et invalescit in seternum."
3 Esdr. iv. 38.
INDEX
INDEX
Abdias, book of, 312
Abraham, 20, 28, 57 ; history of, 37
Abu-Gosch, 29
Accaron, 21
Achaz, King, 64
Acta Pilati, 210
Acts of the Apostles, 399
Adama, 11
Adonis, 62
Adramelech, 63, 64
Mlid Capitolina, 22
Agar, 37
Aggeus, book of, 348
Akra, 23
Alcala Bible, 224
Allah, 56
Alloho, 56
Altar of holocausts, 74; in the
Temple, 84
Altar of Incense, 77; in the
Temple, 84
Amalakites, 19
Amalekites, 137
Ammonites, 37, 42
Amorites, 20
Amos, book of, 309
Amraphel, 272
Amwas, 29
Anaitis, 61
Anamelech, 63, 64
Anathoth, 28
Animals, unclean, 131
worship of, 65
Antilibanus, 9
Antiochus Epiphanes, 23, 66 ; dese-
crating the Temple, 86
Antonia, 23, 24
Anu, King, 63
Aphrodite, 61
Apion, the Sophist, 67
Apis, 65
Apocalypse, the, 444
Apocryphal books, 208
Aquilas of Sinope, 238
Arimathea, 29
Aristides, 362
Ark of the Covenant, 39; descrip-
tion of, 78
Ark, in possession of Philistines,
80
in the Temple, 84
on Mount Sion, 80
Arnon, 9
Asasel, 151
Ascalon, 21
Aschera, 61
Ascherim, 61
Ascheroth, 61
Asdod, 21
Aser, 22
Asima, 65
Assumptio Mosis, 443
Assyrian deities, 63
Assyrians, 38
Astarte, 20, 61
Asurbanipal, 55
Atargateion, 63
Atargatis, 63
Augustus, 31
Auranitis, 33
Awites, 19, 65
Axhtoreth, 61
Azotus, 21
Baal, 20, 60, 62, 63
Baal-azar, 65
Baal-berith, Baal-peor, Baal-sebub,
Baal-semes, 60
Baaltis, 61
Babylon, 38, 55, 57, 60
Babylonians, 61
484
INDEX
Babylonian deities, 63
Banias, 33
Banishment (Mosaic law), 138
Baruch, book of, 326
Basan, 32, 33
Batanaea, 33
Beelzebub, see Baal-sebub
Beersabe, 28
Beitun, 28
Bel, see Baal
Bellarmine, Cardinal, 189
Beltis, 61
Benjamin, 21
Bethania, 395
Bethany, 27
Bethdagon, 63
Bethel, 28
Bethlehem, situation of, 27
Bethphage, 27
Bethsaida, 32
Bezetha, 24
Biblos, 62
Bilit, 61
Blessings (Mosaic), 137
Bonfrerius, 189
Book of the Dead (Turin), 56
of Wisdom, 355
Books of Chronicles, 336
of Kings, 334
Brazen laver, 74
Bread of proposition, 76
unleavened, 148, 149
Codex Alexandrinus, 230
Amiatinus, 251
Bezce, 230
Cantdbrigiensis, 230
Claramontanus, 206, 231
Fuldensis, 251
Laudianus, 231
Lewis, 245
Matthcei Dullinensis resc., 230
Parisi,ensis, 230
Regius, 230
Rosscmensis, 231
Sinaiticus, 245
Vaticanusy 229
Csesarea, 30
- Philippi, 33
Cahathites, 93
Calendar, 139
Callirrhoe, 33
Calmet, Dom a 189
Cana, 31
Candlestick, golden, 75
Canon, Alexandrian, 197
Hebrew, 196
of Holy Scripture, 195 et . seq.
Palestine, 197
Protestant opinions of, 207
Canonization, 195
Canticle of Canticles, 294
Capharnaum, 32
Cappadocia, 21
Captivity, history of, 38, 39
Carmel, see Mount Carmel
Casa Sancta, 31
Cassiodorus, 188
Catacombs, 201
Cedmonites, 20
Cedron, 26
Valley, 27
Cenezites, 20
Chaldaean Genesis, 55
Chalil, 136
Cham, 5, 19
Chamath, 65
Chamez, 16
Chamos, 63
Chanaan, 6, 7, 28, 31, 37, 40
Chanaanites, 7, 20
deities of, 61
worship of, 62
Chaschen, 97
Chattath, 112
Chazozera, 136
Cheth, 20
Chev, 21
Christ, birthplace of, 27
crucified " without the camp,"
113
place of death of, 25
spoken of by Josephus Fla-
vius, 67
Churam of Tyre, 82
Circumcision, 127 et seq.
Coelosyria, 9
Colossce, 423
Commandments, Noachic, 130
Commentaries, 470
INDEX
485
Complutensis, 224
Confession of sins, in Old Testa-
ment, 107
Corinth, 415
Council of Trent, 200, 253
Creation, six days' work, 260
story of, 261
Crete, 21
Cubit, equivalent of, 69
Curses (Mosaic), 137
Cutha, 65
Cyprus, 62
Dagon, 62
Damascus, 33
Dan, 21
Dancing, 136
Daniel, book of, 330
David, 23, 38, 80, 81
Day of atonement, 150
Dead, cultus of the, 117
Dead Sea, 6, 10
Death, defilement of, 121
Decapolis, 33
Decisions of the Biblical Commis-
sion, 184
Delia Valle, 244
Derketo, 62
Deuterocanonical, 200
Deuteronomium, 40, 260
described and defended, 46
et seq.
Diatessaron, 210, 362
Dibon, 33
Didache, 210
Divine origin of Holy Scripture,
191
Duim, 33
Ebal, see Mount Ebal
Ecclesiastes, book of, 297
Ecclesiasticus, book of, 352
Edomites, 37
Egypt, 37
worship in, 65
Egyptian deities, 65
Egyptians, 20, 44
El, 56
El Ghor, 6
Eliasib, 52
El Kuds, 22
Elohim, 273
Elohistic history, 40
Elzevir, 232
Emath, 65
Emmaus, 29
Enakites, 19
Encaenia, feast of the, 86
Encyclica Providentissimus Deus,
159
Ephesus, 420
Ephod, 97
Ephraim, 21
Era, Jewish, 141
Erasmus of Rotterdam, 231
Esau, 37
Esdras, 38
and Nehemias, books of, 338
Esdrelon, 9, 22
Esmun-Thammus, 65
Esra, 54
Essenes, 104
Esther, book of, 340
Eusebius of Caesarea, 188
Excommunication (Mosaic law),
138
Exegetical bibliography, 473
Exodus, 259
Ezechias, 25
Ezechiel, book of, 328
Faith inherent in all nations, 57
Fasting, 133
Feast of Purim, 154
of Rejoicing of the Law, 155
of Tabernacles, 153
of the Dedication of the Tem-
ple, 155
of Weeks, 149
of Wood Carrying, 155
Feasts of modern Jews, 155
Flavius, see Josephus
Food, laws concerning, 131
Fragmentum Muratorii, 205
Gad, 22
Gadara, 33
Galaad, 32
Galatia, 418
Galilee, 22; geography, 31
486
INDEX
Garizim, see Mount Garizim
Gath, 21
Gaulonitis, 33
Gaza, 21
Gedeon, 46
Gedeschim, 61
Gedeschot, 61
Gehenna, 27
Gemara, 67, 68
Genesareth, see Lake
Genesis, 259
Chaldsean, 55
Gerasa, 33
Gergesites, 20
Gersanites, 93
Gethsemane, 27
Gilead, 6, 32
Girgas, 20
Glosses, 469
Golan, 33
Golden candlestick, 75
Golgotha, 24
Gomorrha, 11
Gospel of Marcion, 209
of Nicodemus, 210
of Peter, 209
of Saint John, 391
of Saint Luke, 383
of Saint Mark, 374
of Saint Matthew, 365
Gospels, evidence of authenticity of,
359
objections refuted, 360
Habakuk, book of, 320
Hadrian, 22
Hammurabi, 57, 272
Haran, 37
Harding, Stephen, 252
Hauran, 33
Heaving, ceremony of, 111
Heber, 7
Hebron, 9, 28
Henoch, book of, 443
Herakles, Tyrian, 61
Hermeneutics, 449 et seq.
Hermon, see Mount Hermon
Herod I, 23, 31
Herod Agrippa, 25
Herod Antipas, 32, 33
Herodians (sect), 105
Herodotus, 20
Herod's Temple, 87
Hesebon, 33
Hesychius, 241
Heta, 20
Hethites, 20
Hevites, 19, 21, 65
Hexapla, 240, 244
High priest, 96
Hillel, 104, 243
Hinnom, 63
valley of, 64
Hippus, 33
Hiram, King, 81
Hodceporicon s. Willibaldi, 4
Holocausts, 109 (see also Altar of)
Holofernes, 344
Holy of Holies, 78
Holy Scripture, accommodation, 457
apocryphal books of, 208
canon of, 195
deuiterocanonical books of, 200
editio recepta, 232
Hebrew manuscripts and
printed editions of, 222
inspiration of, 190 et seq.
interpretation of, 449 et seq.
origin of, 190
original text of, 212 et seq.
polyglot bibles, 232
protocanonical books, 200
translations, 234
Horites, 15
Hugo a Santo Caro, 219
Hyksos, 20
Hyssop, 146
Iconoclasm (of Leo XIII), 59
Ilu, 56
Image worship, 59
Inspiratian of Holy Scripture, 190
et seq.
Interpretation of Holy Scripture,
449
Isaac, 37
Isagoge, 188
Isaias, book of, 315
Ismael, 37
Israel, 7
INDEX
487
Israel, coins, 120
- cubit measure, 69
holy persons in, 90
- measures for liquids, 118
Monotheism and Polytheism,
56
priests in, 94
- religious institutions, 66
Israelites, 21
- history of, 37
- in Egypt, 65
sects, 103
- worship of idols, 61, 62, 63
Issachar, 22
Istar, 61
Itala, 247
Itinera hierosol., 4
Itinerarium Burdigalense, 4
Itursea, 33
Jabbok, 9
Jacob, 21, 37
Jaffa, 29
Jealousy offerings, 119
Jebus, 20, 22
Jebusites, 20
Jeremias, book of, 322
Jericho, 28, 60
Jeroboam, 53
Jerusalem, destroyed, 38
named Jebus, 20
- situation of, 22, 24, 25
Jethur, 33
Jewish sects, 103
Jews, 38
Job, book of, 298
Joel, book of, 310
John Hyrcanus, 89
John the Baptist, place of death, 33
Joiada, 52
Jonas, 29
book of, 307
Joppe, 29
Jordan, 6, 10, 22
Josaphat, see Valley
Joseph, 21, 37
Josephus Flavius, 22, 32, 33, 66, 67
Josias, 47
Josue, 21
book of, 275
Jubilee, year of (Mosaic), 145
Juda, 21
Juda Hakkadosch, 67
Judsea, 22
Judas Maehabaeus, 63, 86
Judges, book of, 277
Judith, book of, 344
Junilius, 188
Juno, 61
Justin Martyr, 361
Kana-Eldschelil, 32
Kana-Galil, 32
Kanatha, 33
Kaphtor, 21
Kapporeth, 79
Kariathiarim, 29
Kefr-Kana, 32
Kemosch, 42
Ken, 75
Kenites, 19
Ketura, 37
Kidron, 26
Kijjim, 59
King Anu, 63
Kings of the Northern Kingdom, 303
of the Southern Kingdom, 303
Kinnor, 136
Kison, 9
Kronos, 59, 64
Kubeibeh, 29
Kulonieh, 29
Kutu, 65
Lais, 21
Lake Genesareth, 10, 13, 22
Lake Merom, 10
Lamentations, book of, 325
Langton, Stephen, 219
Languages, biblical, 212
Laws concerning food (Mosaic),
131
Lebanon, see Mount Lebanon
Legal defilement (Mosaic), 121
Leprosy, 14
uncleanness due to, 122
Levi, 21
tribe of, 90
Levites, as judges, 93
in charge of worship, 91
488
INDEX
Levites, Mosaic origin, 101
- purification of, 94, 99
Leviticus, 259
Lewis Codex, 245
Liquid measures, see Israel
Little Lebanon, 9
Locusts, 14, 16
Lore to, 31
Lot, 37
Lucian, 241
Ludd, 29
Luna, 61
Lydda, 29
Macedonia, 417, 422
Machabseus, see Judas M.
Machabees, books of, 346
Machserus, 33
Madaba, 34
Magdala, 32
Majuscules, 228
Malachias, book of, 350
Malkom, 63
Manasses, 21, 25, 54
Marcion, 209
Marduk, 60
Marriage laws (Mosaic), 124
Martini, Raimundus, 188
Mary, Saint, 26
Masora, the, 220, 225
Masoretic text, 52
Matthew, the apostle, 366 et seq.
Measures, see Israel
Meil, 97
Melchisedech, 20
Melito, 199
Merarites, 93
Merodak, 60
Micheas, book of, 314
Milkom, 42, 63
Minuscules, 228
Mishna, 67
Moab, 33
Moabites, 37, 42, 60
Moloch, 27, 59, 63, 64
Money in Israel, 120
Monophysites, 246
Months in Jewish calendar, 140
Mopsuestia, Theodorus of, 188, 295
Moria, 23
Moses, 22, 37, 268, etc.
Mount Carmel, 9, 22
Mount Ebal, 9
Mount Garizim, 9
building of temple on, 52
Mount Hernion, 9
Mount Lebanon, 4, 6, 9
cedars of, 81
Mount Moria, 80
Mount of Olives, 9, 26
Mount Sinai, 37, 40, 62, 69
Mount Sion, 23
Mount Thabor, 9
Music (in Mosaic worship), 134
Musical instruments, 136
Mylitta, 61
Nablus, 30
Nabuchodonosor, 344
Nahum, book of, 318
Nairn, 31
Nazareth (situation), 30
Nazirites, 95, 116
Neapolis, 30
Nebahaz, 65
Nebel, 136
Nebiim, 199
Nehemias, 25, 38
Nephtali, 22
Nergal, 65
Nethinim, 93
New Moons, festival of, 144
Nibhaz, 65
Nicholas of Lyra, 188
Nicopolis, 29
Noachic commandments, 130
Numbers, book of, 259
Omri, 30
Onesimus, 431
Onkelos, 243
Onomasticon, 4
Ophel, 23
Oriental records, 55
Origen, 188, 199, 240, 244
Orotal, 63
Osee, book of, 313
Palestine, geography of, 4 et seq.
inhabitants of, 19
INDEX
489
Palimpsests, 229
Paneas, 33
Papias, 367
Paralipomena, 336
Paraphrases, 466
Pasch, festival of the, 146
time of, 140
Paschal supper, 16
Patriarchs, 37
Paul of Telia, 242, 246
Peace offerings, 110
Peor, 60
Pella, 33
Pentateuch, criticism, 265
defended, 42, 267
description of, 259
objections to, 272
rationalistic criticism, 39, 40,
50, 272
Samaritan, 52
Pentecost, festival of, 149
time of, 140
Persea, 6, 22, 33
Peregrinatio s. Paulw, 4
Peregrinatio s. Silvice Aquitanw, 4
Persians, 38
Peshitto, 205, 245
Pharisees (sect), 104
Phegor, 60
Pherezites, 19
Philadelphia, 33,
Philemon, 431
Philippi, 422
Philistaea, cultus of, 63
Philistine-land, 8
Philistines, 19, 21
Philo, 66, 73, 398
Phoenicians, 20, 44
Pilate, 24
Plague, 14
Poetry, Old Testament, 282
Polycarp, 246
Polyglot bibles, 232
Polyglotta Complutensis, 231
Prandium, 17
Prayer, 134
Priests, 94
Priests' Code, 40, 48, 49, 51, 55
Priests, consecration of, 99
duties of 3 95 ? 99
Priests, vestments of, 97
Priesthood (Mosaic origin), 101
Prophets, 48, 199, 304 et seq.
Proselytes, reception of, 130
Protocanonical, 200
Protoevangelium of Saint James,
209
Proverbs, book of, 291
Psalter, the, 284
Ptolemies, 38
Purifications (Mosaic), 121
Rabbath Ammon, 33
Rama, 28
Rameses II, 20
Ramie, 29
Raphaites, 19
Raphana, 33
Rationalist criticism, 39, 40, 50,
101, 114, 272
Rechabites, 19
Reformation, 253
Roboam, 38
Rome, 57, 412
Ruben, 22
Sabaism, 58
Sabbath, 141
Sacraments of the Old Covenant,
112
Sacrifices, bloody, 109
drink offerings, 118
fixed times for sin offerings,
112
109
for lepers, 116
holocausts or burnt offerings,
)
jealousy offerings, 119
meat offerings, 117
nature of offerings, 106
Nazirite, 116
peace offerings, 110
ritual of, 107
sin offerings, 112
the red cow, 115
trespass offerings, 113
unbloody, 117
varieties of, 109
Sadducees, 104
Sadok, 104
490
INDEX
Saint Augustine, 188
Saint Bartholomew, 32
Saint Georgius, 29
Saint James, epistle of, 434
Saint Jerome, 188, 250
Saint John, gospel of, 391
the apostle, 392
epistles of, 439
Saint Jude, epistle of, 442
Saint Luke, gospel of, 383
Saint Mark, gospel of, 374
Saint Mary, 26
Saint Mary Magdalen, 32
Saint Matthew, gospel of, 365
Saint Paul, the apostle, 405 et seq.
at Csesarea, 31
epistles of, 411
Saint Peter, 376
epistles of, 436
Salem, 22
Salmeron, 189
Samaria, 22, 38
geography of, 30
Samaritans, 52^ 54
Samuel, books of, 280
Samum, 14
Sanaballat, 52
Sara, 37
Sargon, 20
Saron, 9
Saturn, 64
Saul, 38
Schekina, 79
Schemer, 30
Schittim, wood of, 69
Scholia, 467
ScKophar, 136
Scribes, 103
Scythopolis, 33
Sebarim, 64
Sebaste, 30
Seboim, 11
Segor, 11
SeleucidsB, 38
Semitic inhabitants, 19, 20
Sepharvarim, 64
Septuagint, 52, 235
Seraphim, 59
Serarius, 189
Sesostris, 20
Sexual uncleanness, 123
Shammai, 104
Shechem, see Sichem
Shewbread, 77
Sichem, 30
Silo, 28
Siloa, 27
Simeon, 21
Simon, Richard, 189
Sin offerings, 112
fixed times for, 112
Sinai, see Mount Sinai
Singing (Mosaic worship), 135
Sion, 23
Sirach, book of, 352
Sistrum, 136
Six days' work in creation, 260
Sixtus of Siena, 189
Soccoth, 46
Sochothbenoth, 64
Sodom, 11
Solomon, 23, 38
worship of idols, 61
Somer, 30
Sophonias, book of, 319
Star worship, 58
Stephanus, Robert, 232
Strabo, 4
Sullus, Raimundus, 188
Sychar, 395
Syllabus of Errors^ 179
Symmachus, 239
Synagogues, 89
Synedrium, 103
Synoptic writers, 390
Tabernacle, at Silo, 29
description of, 69
in the wilderness, 80
Tachasch, 72
Talmud, 54, 67
Tammus, 62
Targumim, 242
Taschlich, 153
Tatian's Diatessaron, 210, 362
Taxes, in Palestine, 18
to the Temple, 119
Tejazir, 30
Telia, see Paul
.Temple, the, 23:
INDEX
491
Temple, at Leontopolis, 89
desecrated by Antiochus
Epiphanes, 86
destroyed and rebuilt, 38
duties of the priests in the,
10
Herod's, 87
idolatrous cultus in, 65
officer of the, 93
on Garizim, 54, 89
on Mount Moria, 80
Solomon's, 80
taxes, 119
vestments, 97
worship in, 141
Zorobabel's, 85
Terach, 37
Tetrapla, 241
Thabor, see Mount Thabor
Thare, 37
Tharsis, 29
Thartak, 65
Theodotion, 241
Theophilus of Antioch, 395
Theopneustia, 192
Thessalonica, 424
Thirza, 30
Thora, 39, 199, 236
Thummim, 98
Tiberias, 32
Timothy, 427
Titus, 429
Tobias, book of, 342
Trachona, 33
Trachonitis, 33
Translations of the Bible, 235
Trespass offerings, 113
Triclinia, 17
Tubarich, 32
Tychicus, 421
Tyrian Herakles, 61
Tyropoeon, 22
Ugab, 136
Uncials, 228
Unclean animals, 131
Uncleanness, due to death, 121
due to leprosy, 122
- sexual, 122
Ur, 37, 57
Urim, 98
Valley of Hinnom, 27
of Josaphat, 26
Mambre, 28
Venus, 61
Vespasian, 30
Vows (Mosaic), 137
Vulgate, the, 247
Waving, ceremony of, 111
Works to which reference has been
made, 474
Worship, in Temple, 141
of animals, 65
of images, 59
of stars, 58
on high places, 62
Yahvist, 55
Yahvistic history, 40
Yahweh, 273
Year, Sabbatical, 140, 144
Zabulon, 22
Zacharias, book of, 349
Zaddikim, 104
Zakmuku Zarbanit, 65
Zarabanit, 65
Zorobabel's temple, 85
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