It has been thought that the dove had a sacro- sanct character among the Hebrews. Though it was a favourite food with some neighbouring peoples, it was not eaten in Palestine. Young pigeons and doves were ottered in sacrifice, where no sacrificial meal was involved. So we find in tlie temple courts them that sold doves (Mt 21", Mk 11'°, Jn 2"- "5),— no doubt for such sacrifices, —whom Christ drove out, along with the inoney- changers. In Palestine the dove was considered
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DOXOLOGY
DOXOLOGY
saored by the Phoenicians and the Pliilistines, and the Samaritans were often accused of -worshipping it. There were holy doves at Mecca ; and, accord- ing to Lucian (Dea Syria, 54), doves were taboo to the Syrians ; lie who touched them being unclean a whole day.
In Christian Art in representations of the Lord's Baptism, the presence of the Holy Spirit is indi- cated by the dove. In churches in early times the figure of a dove appeared in the baptisteries, a golden or silver dove being suspended above the font. Lamps, too, were sometimes made in the form of doves. In later times pyxes were some- times made of gold and silver in the .shape of a dove, and used for the reservation of the host.
E.vclusive of the turtle-dove, four species of dove are found in Palestine ; Coluiaba pahuiibus, the ring-dove, or wood- pigeon ; Columba tpiias, the stock-dove, found in Gilead and Bashan and the Jordan Valley ; Columba liria, the rock-dove, abundant along the coast and in the uplands ; Columba schimperi, closely allied to the preceding, and found in the
; Thomson, Land and Book Expositor, 1st ser. ix. [18791 p. 81 ff.
David M. W. Laird. DOXOLOGY. — An ascription of praise to God in forms of words more or less ii.xed by usage. Though the terra does not occur in the XT, it con- tains many doxologies, and they were an important element in the devotional life of the primitive Christians. This indeed was inevitable, because they carried with them what was best in the prac- tice of Judaism, and were especially influenced in the expression of their worship by the language of the OT.
1. The OT and Jewish usage. — Doxologies are common in the OT,|being found in germ even in its oldest portions. In the Song of Deborah praise is given to Jehovah for national deliverance (Jg 5-- ' ; cf. Ex IS'"). In 1 K 1« S'5 there is thankful recog- nition of Jehovah's power and control in national events. Tlie Psalms are especially rich (28' 34-- '■ 135, 146), though one form, ' give thanks unto Jehovah, for His lovingkindness endureth for ever,' seems to be the most common both in tlie Psalms and all post-exilic literature (Ps 106' 107' US'- 2- 3, 1 Ch 16", 2 Ch 5" V- ", Ezr 3"). The regular liturgical conclusion of the services of the Temple, and afterwards of the Synagogue, came to be a doxology beginning ' blessed be (or ' is ') God.' By the time of our Lord the employment of doxological expressions had increased so largely, that they were in the mouth of the people for any event which stirred their gratitude or wonder, in fact as thanksgiving for almost everything in life. Though the fundamental religious idea of the doxolog}-, that Jehovah is the Holy One whose sovereign power must be acknowledged at all times, was a noble one, its use had too often degenerated into the veriest formalism.
2. NT usaf/c. — Traces of Jewish custom may be seen in the Gospels (Mt 15^', Mk 2>% Lk !«• '« 2™ 525. 38 ';i6)_ The words and attendant conditions of the life of Jesus .so im|in'"iMl tlir jipuple that a new hope was born in tliiiii, ;iiiJ ili..\ ]iraised God for signs of His returniiiu i.iM.ur in Israel through this prophet. Jesus do.^., unt yet receive Divine homage. No doxology is ottered to Him anywliere in the Gospels, for the Messianic acclaim (Mk 119. lu) is jiQt, to be so interpreted (see Dalman, }Vords of Jesus, 220ff. , and Swete, in lor. ). God alone has the right to such ascription, for He is ' holy ' ; He is 6 ei5\o77p-6s, the One to whom blessing is due (Mk 14"'), N'T -nj c'nijn being a well-known Jewish formula. See artt. BENEDICTION and Blessing.
Immediately after the Resurrection, Jesus is associated with the Father in glory, and receives worship as Messiah and Son of God. This is the universal Apostolic view (Ac 2™-^3"'"5", Ro \\
Ph 2«-", He 1' 2^ Ja 2', 1 P 1='). So the ascrip- tion of doxologies to the risen Christ naturally followed. But the doxology continued to be ad- dressed most frequently to God the Father (Ro 1P«, Gal P, Eph 3»- =', Ph 4» 1 Ti 1" 6'«, 1 P 5", Rev 7''-'). In several Jesus Christ is associated more or less directly with God the Father (Ro 16", 1 P 4", Jude ==, Rev 5'=). Ro 9* and He 13^' present baffling evidence as to the recipient ; but in 2 Ti 4'8, 2 P 3'», Rev P glory is ascribed to Jesus Christ. Thus in conformity with Christian belief the OT usage was expanded, so that at a very early date there arose a Christian formula, which in the public adoration of the worship of the Church would serve in a secondary sense as a creed, expressing the doctrine that the risen Christ shared in Divine honour with the Father.