TERTULLUS.— Tertullus, a diminutive of Ter- tius, was the name of the ' orator ' emi)loyed by the
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TESTAMENT
TESTAMENTS OF 12 PATRIARCHS
Jews to lay their case against St. Paul before Felix (Ac 24'). The term 'orator' indicates that the man belonged to the class of hired pleaders often employed in the provincial courts by tliose ignorant alike of Roman law anil of the Latin tongue, in which as a rule all judicial procedure w,as carried on (but see Lewin, St. Paul, ii. 156). The speech delivered by Tertullus and briefly summarized in Ac 24 shows us the devices employed by such special pleaders. He seeks to conciliate the judge by tlattering, if not very truthful, allusions to his actions as governor, particularly to his having established peace in the province (v.-), no doubt a reference to the suppression of the bands of robbers that infested the country (Jos. Ant. XX. viii. 5, BJ II. xiii. 2). He carefully selects the points in the prisoner's career fitted to create the impression that St. Paul was a danger to the Roman rule — an exciter of sedition, a leader of a sect, a profaner of the Temple (vv."*-"). In all probability Tertullus was a Roman, and not a Jew, as has been supposed by Blass {Cum. in loc). It was customary for budding Roman i)leaders to practise for a time in the provinces. The fact that in his speech Ter- tullus uses the plural form and speaks of ' our law ' does not by any means prove Jewish birth or nationality. The advocate naturally speaks from the point of view of his clients.
LiTF,R.*TnEE.— R. J. Knowling, EGT, 'Acts,' 1900, p. 476; T. Lewin, Life and Eiiistles of St. I'aul^, 2 vols., IST.S. ii. 166 fl. ; art.' Tertullus' in HDD ; F. W. Blass. Acta Apostulnrum, 1896, in loc. ; H. H. Wendt and H. A. W. Meyer, A cts*, 1899, in loc.
W. F. Boyd. TESTAMENT.— See Covenant.
TESTAMENTSOFTHETWELYE PATRIARCHS.
— Introductory. — ThR Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs consists of a series of discourses assigned to the twelve sons of .Jacob, varying in theme and style, but all more or less on the same general plan — (i.) some personal reminiscences ; (ii. ) some moral advice or psychological discussion; and (iii.) some predictions, usually including a warning to submit to the headship of Levi and Judah. The third section is invariably interpolated with Christian additions, which seldom occur in the other parts. The main theme in each Testament varies greatly ; in one the interest may be moral, in another cere- monial and religious, in another military and political, in another psychological. In all except two Joseph is lield tip as an example of chastity or forgiveness. The references in Test. Naph. v. 7, vi. 6 are to the history of the Northern Kingdom but are quite free from the hostile comments passed on it in the Hebrew Test. Naph. i. 8, etc.
The work survives in a Greek primary version, valuable attestation being attbrded by the second- ary Armenian version, which towards the end of the book is remarkably free from Christian inter- polations. The original work was written in Hebrew in the later years of John Hyrcaniis, prob- ably 109-106 B.C. The author was no doubt a Pharisee. He believes in the Resurrection and in angels, and lays great stress on prayer, almsgiving, and fasting. Visions are mentioned si.v times.
The work is remarkable for its high ethical teaching, in which it approaches nearer the NT than any other Jewish pseudepigraph, and for its expectation of a Messiah from the tribe of Levi. In the Resurrection life, however, the figure of the Messiah vanishes and in the reconstituted nation each tribe is ruled by its ancestor.
There are a number of Jewish interpolations of the 1st cent. B.C., some of which are as bitter in their attacks on the Hasmon£eans as the original Testainents were fervent in their praises.
The Christian interpolations, which were some- what limited in scope by their assumed context.
reveal no great reflexion and an absence of developed theology. The Incarnation is crudely expressed, and there is one instance of Patripassian phrase- ology. Though there are several references to Baptism, there is not one to the Eucharist.
1. Contents. — The Testaynent of Rr.ulien ( ' concern- ing thoughts,' p). — He implores his brethren and children to avoid fornication ; for his own sin he was smitten with a sore disease for seven months, and would have perished but for the prayer of his father Jacob. On recovery he repented with abstinence from flesh and wine for seven years. In this period he received revelations concerning the seven spirits of deceit (i. 1-iii. 6, ii. 3-iii. 2 but is an interpolation, with Stoic affinities, describing the seven bodily senses). He bids his hearers beware of women, and confesses how he fell ; advises them to set their mind on good works, study, and their flocks ; impresses upon them the deadliness of fornication (iii. 8-iv. 7) ; reminds them of how Joseph conquered temptation (iv. 8-11), how women tempt ; he cites the fall of the Watchers ; he depre- cates the meeting of men and women (v. 1-vi. 4) ; commands his sons to submit to Levi and bow down before his .seed (vi. 5-12). Reuben dies and is ulti- mately buried in Hebron (vii. 1, 2).