[864] xvii. 5.
[865] v. 23.
[866] v. 35.
[867] v. 36.
[868] v. 41.
[869] vv. 42, 43.
[870] v. 47.
[871] vv. 25-35.
[872] In illustration of this tendency we may quote the following evidently polemical saying, of R. Abbahu. If any man saith to thee, "I am God" he is a liar; "I am the Son of Man," he will at last repent of it; "I go up to heaven," hath he said, and shall he not do it?' [or, he hath said, and shall not make it good] (Jer. Taan. p. 65 b. line 7 from bottom). This R. Abbahu (279-320 of our era) seems to have largely engaged in controversy with Jewish Christians. Thus he sought to argue against the Sonship of Christ, by commenting, as follows, on Is. xliv. 6: "I am the first" - because He has no father; "I am the last" - because He has no Son; "and beside me there is no God" - because He has no brother (equal)' (Shem. R. 29, ed. Warsh. vol. ii. p. 41 a, line 8 from bottom).
[873] It is, to say the least, a pity that Mr. Drummond should have imagined that the question could be so easily settled on the premises which he presents.
[874] xii. 32; xiii. 26, 52; xiv. 9.
[875] The 4th Book of Esdras (in our Apocr. II. Esdras) dates from the end of the first century of our era - and so does the Apocalypse of Baruch.
[876] lxx.9- lxxiv.
[877] Ed. Lemb. p. 7 a
[878] These are: the Throne of Glory, Messiah the King, the Torah, (ideal) Israel, the Temple, repentance, and Gehenna.
[879] Pirqé de R. E. 3; Midr.on Ps. xciii.1; Ps. 54 a; Nedar. 39 b; Ber. R. 1; 3 Tanch. on Numb. vii. 14, ed. Warsh. vol. ii Midr. on Ps. 54 a; Nedar. 39 b; Ber. R. 1; Tanch. on Numb. vii. 14, ed. Warsh. vol. ii. p. 56 b, at the bottom.
[880] In Pirqé de R. El. and the other authorities these seven things are: the Torah, Gehenna, Paradise, the Throne of Glory, the Temple, repentance, and the Name of the Messiah.
[881] In Ber. R. six things are mentioned: two actually created (the Torah and the Throne of Glory), and four which came into His Mind to create them (the Fathers, Israel, the Temple, and the Name of the Messiah.
[882] In Tanch, seven things are enumerated (the six as in Ber. R., with the addition of repentance), and some say: also Paradise and Gehenna.'
[883] Jer. Ber. ii. 4, p. 5 a.
[884] Sanh. 98 a; comp. also Jerus. Targ. on Ex. xii. 42; Pirqé de R. El. 30, and other passages.
[885] See for example Pesiqta, ed Buber, p. 49 b.
[886] In that passage the time of Messiah's concealment is calculated at forty-five days, from a comparison of Dan. xii. 11 with v. 12.
[887] Gen.. xxxviii. 1, 2.
[888] Ber. R. 85, ed. Warsh. p. 151 b.
[889] Mentioned in 1 Chr. iii. 24 6.
[890] The comment on this passage is curiously mystical, but clearly implies not only the pre-existence, but the superhuman character of the Messiah.
[891] Tanch. Par. To edoth, 14. ed. Warsh. p. 37 b.
[892] Ber. R. 65 ed. Warsh. p. 114 b; Vayyikra R. 30, ed. W. vol. iii. p. 47 a; Pes 5 a.
[893] Yalkut ii. p. 56 c.
[894] The whole of this very remarkable passage is given in Appendix IX., in the notes on Is. xxv. 8; lx l; lxiv. 4; Jer. xxxi. 8.
[895] Shem. R. 1, ed. W. vol. ii. p. 5 b; Tanch. Par. Tazrya, 8, ed. W. vol. ii. p. 20 a.
[896] Pesiqta, ed. Buber, p. 49 b; Midr. Ruth. Par. 5, ed. W. p. 43 b.
[897] Sanh. 98 a.
[898] Pirqé de R. El. 31, ed. Lemb. p. 38 a.