PUBLIC-DOMAIN CHRISTIAN BOOK
The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah
Edersheim, Alfred, 1825-1889 · 873,712 words · 1020 reading sections
Are Respectfully Dedicated
__________________________________________________________________ Title: The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah Creator(s): Edersheim, Alfred (1825-1889) Print Basis: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1953 Rights: Public Domain CCEL Subjects: All; Classic; History; LC Call no: BT301 LC Subjects: Doctrinal theology Christolog…
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On other grounds also, such a full portraiture of Jewish life, society, and thinking seemed requisite. It furnishes alike a vindication and an illustration of the Gospel-narratives. A vindication - because in measure as we transport ourselves into that time, we feel that the Gospels present to us a real, historical…
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Another explanation seems more necessary in this connection. In describing the Traditionalism of the time of Christ, I must have said what, I fear, may, most unwillingly on my part, wound the feelings of some who still cling, if not to the faith of, yet to what now represents the ancient Synagogue. But let me appea…
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Of the three modes of criticism just indicated, importance attaches only to the third, which has been broadly designated as the mythical theory. The fraud-theory seems - as even Strauss admits - psychologically so incompatible with admitted facts as regards the early Disciples and the Church, and it does such viole…
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Yet another part of the task in writing this book remains to be mentioned. In the nature of it, such a book must necessarily have been more or less of a Commentary on the Gospels. But I have sought to follow the text of the Gospels throughout, and separately to consider every passage in them, so that, I hope, I may…
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September 1883 __________________________________________________________________ [1] Comp. the historical account of these symbols in Zahn, Forsch. z. Gesch. d. Neu-Test. Kanons, ii. pp. 257-275. __________________________________________________________________ PREFACE TO THE SECOND AND THIRD EDITIONS. IN iss…
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What has just been stated, while it fully disposes of all Anti-Semitism,' only the more clearly sets forth the argument which forms the main proposition of this book. Here also we have the highest example. None loved Israel so intensely, even unto death, as Jesus of Nazareth; none made such withering denunciations …
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And so, with great thankfulness for what service this book has been already allowed to perform, I would now send it forth on its new journey, with this as my most earnest hope and desire: that, in however humble a manner, it may be helpful for the fuller and clearer setting forth of the Life of Him Who is the Life …
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Farrar: Eternal Hope. Fassel: Das Mos. rabb. Civilrecht. Fassel: Gerichts-Verf. Field: Otium Norvicense. Filipowski: Liber Juchassin. Fisher: Beginnings of Christianity. Frankel: Targum der Proph. Frankel: Ueb. d. Einfl. d. palast. Exegese auf die Alexandr. Hermeneutik. Frankel: Monatschrift fur das Judenthum …
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Löwe: Schulchan Aruch. Lowy: Biggoreth ha Talmud. Lucius: Essenismus in sein Verhältn z. Judenth. Lücke: Johannes (Gospel). Lundius: Jüdische Heiligthumer. Luthardt: Johann. Evangelium. Luthardt: Die modern. Darstell. d. Lebens Jesu. Lutterbeck: Neutestamentliche Lehrbegriffe. McLellan: New Testament (Gospels).…
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Steinmeyer: Die Parabeln des Herrn Stein: Schrift des Lebens. Stern: Die Frau im Talmud. Stern: Gesch. des Judenthums. Stier: Reden des Herrn Jesu. Strack: Pirké Aboth. Strack: Proleg. Crit. in V.T. Hebr. Strauss: Leben Jesu. Supernatural Religion. Surenhusius: Biblos Katallages. Surenhusius: Mishnah. Talmud…
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The Babyl. Talmud is, in all its editions, equally paged, so that a quotation made applies to all editions. It is double-paged, and quoted with the name of the Tractate, the number of the page, and a or b according as one or another side of the page is referred to. The quotations are distinguished from those of the…
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Chull. The Talmudic Tractate Chullin, the rubric as to the mode of killing meat and kindred subjects. Debar R. The Midrash Debharim Rabba, on Deuteronomy. Dem. The Talmudic Tractate Demai, regarding Produce, the tithing of which is not certain. Ech. R. The Midrash Ekhah Rabbathi, on Lamentations (also quoted as …
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Sot. The Talmudic Tractate Sotah, on the Woman accused of Adultery. Sukk. The Talmudic Tractate Sukkah, on the Feast of Tabernacles. Taan. The Talmudic Tractate Taanith, on Fasting and Fast-Days. Tam. The Talmudic Tractate Tamid, on the daily Service and Sacrifice in the Temple. Teb. Yom. The Talmudic Tractate …
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{hebrew} All the prophets prophesied not but of the days of the Messiah.'-Sanh. 99 a {hebrew} The world was not created but only for the Messiah.'-Sanh. 98 b __________________________________________________________________ CHAPTER I. THE JEWISH WORLD IN THE DAYS OF CHRIST - THE JEWISH DISPERSION IN THE EAST. A…
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Nor were such the feelings of the Palestinian Jews only. These indeed were now a minority. The majority of the nation constituted what was known as the dispersion; a term which, however, no longer expressed its original meaning of banishment by the judgment of God, [12] since absence from Palestine was now entirely…
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Far other was the estimate in which the Babylonians were held by the leaders of Judaism. Indeed, according to one view of it, Babylonia, as well as Syria' as far north as Antioch, was regarded as forming part of the land of Israel. [30] Every other country was considered outside the land,' as Palestine was called, …
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Nor was it merely purity of descent of which the Eastern dispersion could boast. In truth, Palestine owed everything to Ezra, the Babylonian, [51] a man so distinguished that, according to tradition, the Law would have been given by him, if Moses had not previously obtained that honor. Putting aside the various tra…
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After this, it seems almost idle to inquire whether, during the first period after the return of the exiles from Babylon, there were regular theological academies in Babylon. Although it is, of course, impossible to furnish historical proof, we can scarely doubt that a community so large and so intensely Hebrew wou…
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Later Jewish notices connect the final discovery and the return of the lost tribes' with their conversion under that second Messiah who, in contradistinction to the Son of David' is styled the Son of Joseph,' to whom Jewish tradition ascribes what it cannot reconcile with the royal dignity of the Son of David,' and…
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[21] Philo in Flaccum (ed. Francf.), p. 971. [22] Comp. Jos. Ant. xii. 3; xiii. 10. 4; 13. 1; xiv. 6. 2; 8. 1; 10. 8; Sueton. Cæs. 85. [23] Acts ii. 9-11 [24] Grimm (Clavis N.T. p. 113) quotes two passages from Philo, in one of which he contradistinguishes us,' the Hellenist Jews, from the Hebrews,' and speaks of…
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[56] Could St. Paul have had this in mind when, in referring to the miraculous gift of speaking in other languages, he directs that one shall always interpret (1 Cor. xiv. 27)? At any rate, the word targum in Ezra iv. 7 is rendered in the LXX. by rmeneo. The following from the Talmud (Ber. 8 a and b) affords a curi…
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CHAPTER II. THE JEWISH DISPERSION IN THE WEST - THE HELLENISTS - ORIGIN OF HELLENIST LITERATURE IN THE GREEK TRANSLATION OF THE BIBLE - CHARACTER OF THE SEPTUAGINT. When we turn from the Jewish dispersion' in the East to that in the West, we seem to breathe quite a different atmosphere. Despite their intense nationa…
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And in these Synagogues, how would brotherly love' be called out, since, if one member suffered, all might soon be affected, and the danger which threatened one community would, unless averted, ere long overwhelm the rest. There was little need for the admonition not to forget the love of strangers.' [95] To entert…
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One thing at any rate was quite certain. The Old Testament, leastwise, the Law of Moses, was directly and wholly from God; and if so, then its form also - its letter - must be authentic and authoritative. Thus much on the surface, and for all. But the student must search deeper into it, his senses, as it were, quic…
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But all these are indications of a tendency existing. How wide it must have spread, appears from the fact that the ban had to be pronounced on all who studied Greek wisdom.' One of the greatest Rabbis, Elisha ben Abujah, seems to have been actually led to apostacy by such studies. True, he appears as the Acher' - t…
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These circumstances will account for the different elements which we can trace in the Greek version of the Old Testament, and explain the historical, or rather legendary, notices which we have of its composition. To begin with the latter. Josephus has preserved what, no doubt in its present form, is a spurious lett…
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Putting aside clerical mistakes and misreadings, and making allowance for errors of translation, ignorance, and haste, we note certain outstanding facts as characteristic of the Greek version. It bears evident marks of its origin in Egypt in its use of Egyptian words and references, and equally evident traces of it…
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Whether or not the LXX. was read in the Hellenist Synagogues, and the worship conducted, wholly or partly, in Greek, must be matter of conjecture. We find, however, a significant notice [128] to the effect that among those who spoke a barbarous language (not Hebrew - the term referring specially to Greek), it was t…
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[95] philoxena, Hebr. xiii. 2. [96] lgos paraklseos prs tn lan, Acts xiii. 15. [97] Men. 99 b, towards the end. [98] Jer. Chag. ii. 1; comp. Chag. 15. [99] Jer. Sanh. x. 28 a. [100] Yad. iv. 6. [101] Through this literature, which as being Jewish might have passed unsuspected, a dangerous acquaintance might have…
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[116] Comp. here, besides the passages quoted in the previous note, Baba B. 13 b and 14 b; for the cessation of revelation in the Maccabean period, 1 Macc. iv. 46; ix. 27; xiv. 41; and, in general, for the Jewish view on the subject at the time of Christ, Jos. Ag. Ap. i. 8. [117] Anterior: Josh., Judg., 1 and 2 Sam…
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[131] Mass. Sopher i. Hal. 7 - at the close of vol. ix. of the Bab.Talmud. [132] Hilch. Ged. Taan. [133] Jer. Meg. i. 11, ed. Krot. p. 71 b and c. [134] Philo, Vita Mos. ii. ed. Francf. p. 660. __________________________________________________________________ CHAPTER III. THE OLD FAITH PREPARING FOR THE NEW - DE…
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But how did Eastern Judaism bear itself towards this Apocryphal literature? We find it described by a term which seems to correspond to our Apocrypha,' as Sepharim Genuzim,' hidden books,' i.e., either such whose origin was hidden, or, more likely, books withdrawn from common or congregational use. Although they we…
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This was an important line to take, and it differed in principle from the allegorical method adopted by the Eastern Jews. Not only the Dorshey Reshumoth, [160] or searches out of the subleties of Scripture, of their indications, but even the ordinary Haggadist employed, indeed, allegoric interpretations. Thereby Ak…
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The mention of these spurious quotations naturally leads us to another class of spurious literature, which, although not Hellenistic, has many elements in common with it, and, even when originating with Palestinian Jews is not Palestinian, nor yet has been preserved in its language. We allude to what are known as t…
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The collection of eighteen hymns known as the Psalter of Solomon dates from more than half a century before our era. No doubt the original was Hebrew, though they breathe a somewhat Hellenistic spirit. They express ardent Messianic aspirations, and a firm faith in the Resurrection, and in eternal rewards and punish…
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[157] See p. 25. [158] A similar principle applied to the prohibition of such species as the mouse or the weasel, not only because they destroyed everything, but because the latter, from its mode of conceiving and bearing, symbolized listening to evil tales, and exaggerated, lying, or malicious speech. [159] Of c…
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To begin with, Philo united in rare measure Greek learning with Jewish enthusiasm. In his writings he very frequently uses classical modes of expression; [175] he names not fewer than sixty-four Greek writers; [176] and he either alludes to, or quotes frequently from, such sources as Homer, Hesiod, Pindar, Solon, t…
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We repeat, that these allegorical canons of Philo are essentially the same as those of Jewish traditionalism in the Haggadah, [182] only the latter were not rationalising, and far more brilliant in their application. [183] In another respect also the Palestinian had the advantage of the Alexandrian exegesis. Revere…
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2. Intermediary Beings. - Potencies (dunmeis, lgoi). If, in what has preceded, we have once and again noticed a remarkable similarity between Philo and the Rabbis, there is a still more curious analogy between his teaching and that of Jewish Mysticism, as ultimately fully developed in the Kabbalah.' The very term K…
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3. The Logos. - Viewed in its bearing on New Testament teaching, this part of Philo's system raises the most interesting questions. But it is just here that our difficulties are greatest. We can understand the Platonic conception of the Logos as the archetypal idea,' and that of the Stoics as the world-reason' perv…
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The vast difference between Alexandrianism and the New Testament will appear still more clearly in the views of Philo on Cosmology and Anthropology. In regard to the former, his results in some respects run parallel to those of the students of mysticism in the Talmud, and of the Kabbalists. Together with the Stoic …
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Similarly, Philo regarded the soul of the child as naked' (Adam and Eve), a sort of tabula rasa, as wax which God would fain form and mould. But this state ceased when affection' presented itself to reason, and thus sensuous lust arose, which was the spring of all sin. The grand task, then, was to get rid of the se…
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Yet another tendency - shall we say, want? - remained, so to speak, unmet and unsatisfied. That large world of latest and most promising Jewish thought, whose task it seemed to bridge over the chasm between heathenism and Judaism - the Western Jewish world, must have the Christ presented to them. For in every direc…
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[175] Siegfried has, with immense labor, collected a vast number of parallel expressions, chiefly from Plato and Plutarch (pp. 39-47). [176] Comp. Grossmann, Quæ st. Phil. i. p. 5 &c. [177] In this sketch of the system of Philo I have largely availed myself of the careful analysis of Siegfried. [178] It should be …
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[198] Hammejuchad, appropriatum;' hammephorash, expositum,' separatum,' the tetragrammaton,' or four-lettered name, {hebrew}. There was also a Shem with twelve,' and one with forty-two' letters (Kidd. 71a). [199] Or Ruach ham Maqom, Ab. iii. 10, and frequently in the Talmud. [200] Levy (Neuhebr. Wörterb. i. p. 374 …
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[209] Gen. xlix. 10, 11; Num. xxiv. 17. [210] See the enumeration of these 70 Names in the Baal-ha-Turim on Numb. xi. 16. [211] Comp. Siegfried, u. s., pp. 221-223. [212] Gen. i. 27. [213] De Leg. Alleg. iii. 25, 26. [214] For a full discussion of this similarity of form and divergence of spirit, between Philo -…
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[229] Ber. R. i. [230] For further notices on the Cosmology and Anthropology of Philo, see Appendix II.: Philo and Rabbinic Theology.' [231] We cannot help quoting the beautiful Haggadic explanation of the name Adam, according to its three letters, A, D, M - as including these three names, Adam, David, Messiah. […
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[247] I do not, of course, mean that the narration of St. Mark was not itself derived chiefly from Apostolic preaching, especially that of St. Peter. In general, the question of the authorship and source of the various Gospels must be reserved for separate treatment in another place. [248] Comp. Mangold's ed. of B…
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[258] I cannot agree with Weiss (u. s., p. 122) that the great object of the fourth Gospel was to oppose the rising Gnostic movement, This may have been present to the Apostle's mind, as evidenced in his Epistle, but the object in view could not have been mainly, nor even primarily, negative and controversial. [25…
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Three worlds met in Alexandria: Europe, Asia, and Africa; and brought to it, or fetched from it, their treasures. Above all, it was a commercial city, furnished with an excellent harbour - or rather with five harbours. A special fleet carried, as tribute, from Alexandria to Italy, two-tenths of the corn produce of …
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It is a strange, almost inexplicable fact, that the Egyptian Jews had actually built a schismatic Temple. During the terrible Syrian persecutions in Palestine Onias, the son of the murdered High-Priest Onias III., had sought safety in Egypt. Ptolemy Philometor not only received him kindly, but gave a disused heathe…
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The possession of such wealth, coupled no doubt with pride and self-assertion, and openly spoken contempt of the superstitions around, [288] would naturally excite the hatred of the Alexandria populace against the Jews. The greater number of those silly stories about the origin, early history, and religion of the J…
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And that religion - was it not, in the words of Cicero, a barbarous superstition,' and were not its adherents, as Pliny had it, [295] a race distinguished for its contempt of the gods?' To begin with their theology. The Roman philosopher would sympathise with disbelief of all spiritual realities, as, on the other h…
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Still, the Jew was there in the midst of them. It is impossible to fix the date when the first Jewish wanderers found their way to the capital of the world. We know, that in the wars under Pompey, Cassius, and Antonius, many were brought captive to Rome, and sold as slaves. In general, the Republican party was host…
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One other mode of tracking the footsteps of Israel's wanderings seems strangely significant. It is by tracing their records among the dead, reading them on broken tombstones, and in ruined monuments. They are rude, and the inscriptions - most of them in bad Greek, or still worse Latin, none in Hebrew - are like the…
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In truth, there was no law to prevent the spread of Judaism. Excepting the brief period when Tiberius [320] banished the Jews from Rome and sent 4,000 of their number to fight the banditti in Sardinia, the Jews enjoyed not only perfect liberty, but exceptional privileges. In the reign of Cæsar and of Augustus we ha…
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[264] The journey took about three months, either up the Nile, thence by caravan, and again by sea; or else perhaps by the Ptolemy Canal and the Red Sea. [265] It included gold-dust, ivory, and mother-of-pearl from the interior of Africa, spices from Arabia, pearls from the Gulf of Persia, precious stones and byss…
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[313] Acts xxviii. 17. [314] Comp. Friedländer, u. s. vol. ii. pp. 17-204 passim. [315] It was probably this unity of Israelitish interests which Cicero had in view (Pro Flacco, 28) when he took such credit for his boldness in daring to stand up against the Jews - unless, indeed, the orator only meant to make a po…
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But, indeed, the capital of Syria was one of their favourite resorts. It will be remembered what importance attached to it in the early history of the Christian Church. Antioch was the third city of the Empire, and lay just outside what the Rabbinists designated as Syria' and still regarded as holy ground. Thus it …
703 wordsSource & rights
Public Domain; source text supplied by Christian Classics Ethereal Library.
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Historical Christian writing; not Scripture.