CHAP. assemblies, compare that which hath been said with that 42 II. which followeth, concerning the prophets of the New Testament, and the things that have been said will no doubt appear unquestionable. The profession of that succeeded the CHAPTER III. THE PROFESSION OF SCRIBES, THAT SUCCEEDED THE PROPHETS. WISE MEN THAT the chief, if not the only knowledge, to which men scribes, of learning were bred among the people of God from the beginning, was that of the law, and afterwards of the other prophets. Scriptures, the name of "scribes" is evidence enough: whose profession Epiphanius thus describeth; Οἵ τινες ἦσαν δευτερωταὶ τοῦ νόμου, ὡς γραμματικήν τινα ἐπιστήμην ὑφηγούμενοι, τὰ ἄλλα πράττοντες τῶν Ἰουδαίων". These,” saith he, “ were men that repeated the law, teaching a kind of grammatical knowledge in other things practising the fashions of the Jews." And Abarbinel in the words alleged afore, hath expressed three particulars concerning the law, wherein the 43 66 עם פירושיה ודקדוקיה : Jews were instructed upon the Sabbaths קבלת דבריה The first concerneth no more than the very words, and the ordinary reading of them, as it was delivered, and as the people received it: and by this continual hearing the law, the people came to be so cunning in it, as Josephus professeth, in the place afore named: 'Hμŵv & óvtivoûv eï τις ἔροιτο τοὺς νόμους, ῥᾷον ἂν εἴποι πάντα, ἢ τοὔνομα τὸ ἑαυτοῦ. τοιγαροῦν ἀπὸ τῆς πρώτης εὐθὺς αἰσθήσεως αὐτοὺς ἐκμανθάνοντες, ἔχομεν ἐν ταῖς ψυχαῖς ὥσπερ ἐγκεχαραγμένους. "But if a man ask any of us concerning the laws, he will tell every thing readier than his own name: for learning them straight as soon as we come to knowledge, we keep them im Lib. i. contra Scribas, p. 32. ed. b Chap. ii. sect. 5. с Chap. ii. sect. 4. III. printed in our minds." The third thing, which he calleth CHAP. 77, concerneth the grammatical niceties in reading the words of the law, the knowledge whereof Epiphanius saith the scribes did profess. § 2. This is the reason that it is recorded for the commendation of Esdras, Esd. vii. 6, " that he was a ready scribe in the law of Moses." As in the third book of Ezra, chap. viii. [19] for the same cause he is called αναγνώστης τοῦ νόμου τοῦ Θεοῦ, "a reader in the law of God," who is called a "scribe of the law of God" elsewhere d. And that is the reason of the language which our Lord useth to the scribe, "What is written in the law? How readest thou?" Luke x. 26. For as it is true that the vowels, which the letters must be sounded with, are not distinguished in the substance of that language, so it is most certain, that the way of reading was not at the first delivered to that people, in that method of general rules 44 which since hath been invented, but was taught and received by particular tradition, and continued by remembrance and practice. Whereupon it is evident what difference of sounds may be fastened upon the same characters of letters, if it be but from that most ancient translation of the Bible in Greek, commonly ascribed to seventy elders of Israel. The substance whereof still remaining-whatsoever alterations may have been made-is sufficient to shew how much difference there was between the reading which they followed, and that which we now use. And by consequence, how much it concerned the true meaning of the law to have learned the true reading of it, which the Jews, whose reading we follow, pretend to have received from Esdras, and the men of learning in his time, whom they call "the men of the grand synagogue." But the endless niceties and curious observances wherewith the reading, which we now deservedly use, is delivered unto us, is sufficient to demonstrate that which I was saying afore, that from the beginning, the certain manner of reading was delivered by particular observance, and in time 45 became reduced unto that general method which now we use with such unspeakable speed and advantage. d 1 Esdras vii. 12, 21. • See the two concluding chapters of THORNDIKE. K the first book of the Epilogue. СНАР. Wise men were the learned sort of scribes. § 3. Thus, all that made profession of book-learning among that people are called "scribes;" though it seemeth some that of the Jews enjoyed the style went no further than writing and reading. And such as these they were that taught little children afterwards among the Jews, of whose office we find rules in Maimoni, Talmud Torah, cap. ii. And the Jewish doctors imagine that Jacob prophesied that most of these should be of the tribe of Simeon, when he said, Gen. xlix. 7, "I will divide them in Jacob, and scatter them in Israel." And the Commentaries under St. Ambrose's name expound the office of those doctors of whom St. Paul speaketh, 1 Cor. xii. 28, in these words, Illos dicit doctores, qui in ecclesia literis et lectionibus retinendis pueros imbuebant, more synagogæ, quia traditio illorum ad nos transitum fecit: "He speaketh of those teachers in the Church which instructed children in reading and retaining their lessons, after the fashion of the synagogue, for their tradition hath passed over to us." How well he hath deciphered the office of doctors in the Apostle we shall see afterwards; but that which he saith of the fashion of teaching children to read, and say over lessons of the Scripture, which the Church learned from the synagogue, is that business of less learned scribes whereof we speak. For 46 there was a further degree of knowledge, consisting in the exposition of the law, which is the third particular remaining, expressed in Abarbinel's words, in the second place; and those which came to this pitch, as they were still scribes, which is the name common to all men of learning among that people, so they were counted "wise men" besides, in regard of the knowledge of the law they professed, which was the wisdom of that people, according to Deut. iv. 6. § 4. Thus you shall find scribes and wise men joined together in the New Testament: Matt. xxiii. 34, "Behold I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes :" and 1 Cor. i. 20,"Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world?" And for this cause it is that the disciples of the prophets are translated "scribes" in Jonathan, as was said aforeh: and the same are the "wise men" which De doctrina Legis. Latinè vers. a ed. Ben. Rob. Clavering, pp. 7, 8, 9. Oxon. 1705. S. Ambr. Opp., tom. ii. col. 153. Chap. ii. sect. 21. UIL taught the law of God in the temple: which we also read of CHAP. Ezra the scribe, vii. 10, "For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord, and to do, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments." Whether they were priests and Levites, or whether they were others, that were bred from their youth to the knowledge of the law and Scriptures, these 47 were the men, and no other but these, that were indifferently assumed to sit in all courts of judgment of that people, and to teach in their schools and synagogues. You heard afore i some slight remembrance of places of learning, where companies of prophets had their residence, some suspicion of synagogues, where that people assembled, not for that ceremonial worship which was confined to the temple, but for the moral and spiritual service of God, according to the light of that time, during the time of Solomon's temple. But after the return from Babylon, schools and synagogues, for certain, were multiplied all over the country, and the effect of it was, without doubt, of unspeakable benefit. try after § 5. Men of learning have thought it strange, and inquired [No idolawhat the reason might be, that this people, before their cap- the captitivity, when they had the prophets to teach and admonish vity.] them, still from time to time should fall away from God to the worship of idols: whereas after their return, though there were no more prophets, nor miracles wrought, nevertheless they continued constant in the service of one God, however the service and knowledge of Him were corrupted. To my understanding this one reason goeth far in giving account of it; because where assemblies were held,-where the law was read and taught, where the service of God was exercised, that is, 48 where there were synagogues, there was the most powerful means to hold them constant to that which they professed. three s § 6. But on the other side, we see what a great evil sprung Scribes of among them instead of it, diversities of opinions, sects and all the divisions, among them which held all constant to one law, whereof the learned professed the knowledge. The chief whereof were those of the Sadducees and Pharisees which the Gospel remembereth; and which are remembered here, to shew that they took not upon them the teaching of the law, but as they were scribes, as well as Pharisecs or Sadducees: Chap. ii. sectt. 17, 18. III. CHAP. the name of "scribes" importing the learning of the law to which they were bred, the name of "Pharisees" and "Sadducees," the sect and manner of life they professed, according to the opinions those orders maintained. So that as nothing hindereth him that hath professed some monastical order to proceed in the degrees of the schools, no more inconvenience is it to take the same men both for scribes, and also for Pharisees and Sadducees. "The scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses' chair," saith our Lord, Matt. xxiii. 2. The difference is made because many were scribes that were not Pharisees, as also many Pharisees that were no scribes: as in those words which Sigonius hath produced out of the life of James son of Zebedee, Josias unus è Scribis Pharisæorum, 49 misit funem in collum Apostoli: "Josias a scribe, one of the Pharisees, put a rope upon the Apostle's neck." They taught in syna gogues. § 7. Gamaliel, of whom we read in the Scripture for St. Paul's master, is called there a "Pharisee;" and that he was a scribe for his learning there can be no doubt. And when it is said, Acts xxiii. 9, "The scribes that were of the Pharisees' part," it is plain that there were also scribes of the Sadducees: which seem to have carried more credit after our Lord's death, under another High Priest, than when He was alive. For when it is said, Acts v. 17, "Then the High Priest rosc up, and all that were with him, which is the sect of the Sadducees, and were filled with indignation," it may be observed that afore, iv. 1, we read thus, "And as they spake unto the people, the priests and captain of the temple, and the Sadducees came upon them;" which same faction is thus specified, ver. 5, 6, “And it came to pass on the morrow that their rulers and elders, and scribes .. .. were gathered together at Jerusalem;" out of which as it is to be presumed that the faction of the Sadducees, cherished by the High Priest, had then the stroke,—whereupon the Apostles, preaching then the resurrection of our Lord, found some advantage in Gamaliel, and St. Paul afterwards in the Pharisees, so there is necessity to think the same were scribes and Sadducees both which 50 dealt in these matters. And for the third sect of the Essenes, Carol. Sigon. de Republ. Hebræorum, lib. v. cap. 10. Tunc ille Scriba Pharisæorum qui funem ei in collum misit.. Josias, id enim ei nomen erat.-Mombritii Acta Sanctorum, fol. 20. col. 2da. tom. ii. Mediolan. ante 1 480. |