EDUCATION
62
EDUCATION^
In later times the prophecies, and comments on them as well as on the earlier Scripturus, together with otlier subjects, were studied (Prol. to Ecclus., and Ecclus. xxxviii, 24, 2G ; xxxix, 1-11). St. Jerome adds that Jewish children were taught to say bj' heart the genealogies (Jerome on Titus, iii, 9 ; Calmet, Diet. s. V. Genealogie). Parents were required to teach their children some trade, and he who failed to do so was said to be virtually teaching his child to steal (Mishna, Kid- dush. ii, 2, vol. iii, p. 413, Surenlius. ; Lightfoot, Chron. Temp, on Acts xviii, vol. ii, p. IV).
The sect of the Essenes, though themselves abhor- ring marriage, were anxious to undertake, and careful in carrying out the education of children, but confined its subject matter chiefly to morals and the divine law (Josephus, War, ii, 8, 12 ; Philo, Quod omnis probus liber, ii, 458,' ed. Mangey ; § 12, Tauchn.).
Previous to the captivity, the chief depositaries of learning were the schools or colleges, from which, in most cases (see Amos vii, 14), proceeded that succession of public teachers who, at various times, endeavored to reform the moral and religious conduct of both rulers and people. (See Werkmeister, Be prima scholarum op. Hehr. orirjine, Jesnit. 1735 ; Hegewisch, Ob bei den Alien offentl. Erziehung war, Altona, 1811.) In these schools the Law was probablv the chief subject of in- struction ; the study of languages Avas little followed by anv' Jews till after the Captivity, but from that time the number of Jews rei?iding in foreign countries must have made the knowledge of foreign languages more common than before (see Acts xxi, 37). From the time of the outbreak of the last war with the Romans, parents were forbidden to instruct their children in Greek literature (Mishna, Sotah, c. ix, 15, vol. iii, p. 007, 308, Surenhus). Nor had it ever been generally pursued by the Jews (Origen, con:ra Celsum, ii, 34).
Besides the prophetical schools, instruction was given bj' the ]M-iests in the Temple and elsewhere, but their subjects were doubtless exclusively concerned with re- ligion and worship (Lev. x, 11 ; Ezek. xliv, 23, 24; 1 Chron. xxv, 7, 8 ; Mai. ii, 7). Those sovereigns who exhibited any anxiety for the maintenance of the re- ligious element in the Jewish polity were conspicuous in enforcing the religious education of the people (2 Chron. xvii, 7, 8, 9 ; xix, 5, 8, 11 ; 2 Kings xxiii, 2).
From the time of the settlement in Canaan there must have been among the Jews persons skilled in writing and in accounts. Perhaps the neighborhood of the tribe of Zebulun to the commercial district of Phoenicia maj' have been the occasion of their reputa- tion in this respect. The "writers" of that tribe are represented (Judg. v, 14) by the same word, T3D, so- pher' , used in that passage of the levying of an army, or, perhaps, of a military officer (Gesenius, s. v.) as is applied to Ezra in reference to the Law (Ezra vii, 6); to Seraiah, David's scribe or secretary (2 Sam. viii, 17) ; to Shebna, scril)e to Hezekiah (2 Kings xviii, 37) ; Shemaiah (1 Chron. xxiv, G) ; Baruch, scribe to Jere- miah (Jer. xxxvi, 32), and others filling like oflices at various times. The municipal officers of the kingdom, especially in the time of Solomon, must have required a staff of well-educated persons in their various depart- ments under the recorder, "l^ZT'a, muzk'ir' , or historiog- rapher, whose business was to compile memorials of the reign (2 Sam. viii, 16; xx, 24 ; 2 Kings xviii, 18 ; 2 Chron. xxxiv, 8). Learning, in the sense above men- tioned, was at all times highly esteemed, and educated persons were treated with great respect, and, accord- ing to Rabbinical tradition, were called "sons of the noble," and allowed to take precedence of others at table (f.ightfoot, Chr. Temp. Acts xvii, vol. ii, 79, fol. ; Ilor. Ilebr. Luke xiv^, 8-24 ; ii, 540). The same author- ity deplores the degeneracy of later times in. this re- spect (Mishna, Sotah, ix, 15, vol. iii, 308, Surenhus).
To the schools of the prophets succeed^d, after the Captivity, the synagogues, which were either them-
selves used as schools, or had places near them for that purpose. In most places there was at least one, and in Jerusalem, according to some, 394, according to oth- ers, 460 (Calmet, Diet. s. v. Ecoles). It was from these schools, and the doctrines of the various teachers pre- siding over them, of whom Gamaliel, Sammai, and Hillel were among the most famous, that many of those traditions and refinements proceeded by which the Law was in our Lord's time encumbered and ob- scured, and which may be considered as represented, though in a highly exaggerated degree, by the Tal- mud. After the destruction of Jerusalem, colleges, in- heriting and probably enlarging the traditions of their predecessors, were maintained for a long time at Japh- ne in Galilee, at Lydda, at Tiberias, the most famous of all, and at Sepphoris. These schools, in process of time, were dispersed into other countries, and by de- grees destroA'ed. According to the principles laid down in the Mishna, boys at five years of age were to begin the Scriptures, at ten the Mishna, at thirteen the}' became subject to the whole Law (see Luke ii, 46), at fifteen they entered the Geniara (Mishna, Pirk. Ab. iv, 20; v, 21, vol. iv, p. 460, 482, 486, Surenhus.). Teachers were treated with great respect, and both pupils and teachers were exhorted to respect each oth- er. Phj'sical science fonned part of the course of in- struction (ib. iii, 18). Unmarried men and women were not allowed to be teachers of boys (Jlishna, Kid- dush. iv, 13, vol. iii, p. 383). In the schools the Rab- bins sat on raised seats, and the scholars, according to their age, sat on benches below or on the ground (Light- foot on Luke ii, 46 ; Philo, vt sup. 12, ii, 458, MangeA').