[1329] In St. Matthew the expression occurs thirty-two times; six times that of the Kingdom;' five times that of Kingdom of God.'
[1330] As in Shebhu 35 b; Ber. R. 9, ed Warsh, pp. 19 b, 20 a.
[1331] As in the Targum on Ps. xiv. 7, and on Is. liii. 10.
[1332] As in Targum on 1 Kings iv. 33 (v. 13).
[1333] The distinction between the Olam habba (the world to come), and the Athid labho (the age to come), is important. It will be more fully referred to by-and-by. In the meantime, suffice it, that the Athid labho is the more specific designation of Messianic times. The two terms are expressly distinguished, for example, in Mechilta (ed. Weiss), p. 74 a, lines 2, 3.
[1334] For example, in Ber. R. 88, ed. Warsh. p. 157 a.
[1335] Targ. PseudoJon. on Ex. xl. 9, 11.
[1336] Jer. Targ. on Gen. iii. 15; Jer. and PseudoJon. Targ on Numb. xxiv. 14.
[1337] This will be more fully explained and shown in the sequel. For the present we refer only to Yalkut, vol. ii. p. 75 d, and the Midr. on Ruth ii. 14.
[1338] The whole subject is fully treated in Book V. ch. vi.
[1339] So expressly in Mechilta, p. 75 a; Yalkut, vol. ii. p. 14 a, last line.
[1340] Ber. ii. 2.
[1341] The Shema, which was repeated twice every day, was regarded as distinctive of Jewish profession (Ber. iii. 3).
[1342] For example, Ber. 13 b, 14 b; Ber. ii. 5; and the touching story of Rabbi Akiba thus taking upon himself the yoke of the Law in the hour of his martyrdom, Ber. 61 b.
[1343] In Ber. 14 b, last line, and 15 a, first line, there is a shocking definition of what constitutes the Kingdom of Heaven in its completeness. For the sake of those who would derive Christianity from Rabbinism. I would have quoted it, but am restrained by its profanity.
[1344] So often Comp. Siphré p. 142 b, 143 b.
[1345] Ber. R. 98.
[1346] Yalkut, vol. ii. p. 43 a.
[1347] Midr. on 1 Sam. viii 12; Midr. on Eccl. i. 18.
[1348] In Yalkut ii. p. 178 a.
[1349] Zech. xiv. 9.
[1350] The same passage is similarly referred to in the Midr. on Song. ii. 12, where the words the time of the singing has come,' are paraphrased; the time of the Kingdom of Heaven that it shall be manifested, hath come' (in R. Martini Pugio Fidei, p. 782).
[1351] Midr. on 1 Sam. viii. 7. Comp. also generally Midr. on Ps. cxlvii. 1.
[1352] As in Shabb. 63 a, where at least three differences between them are mentioned. For, while all prophecy pointed to the days of the Messiah, concerning the world to come we are told (Is. lxiv. 4) that eye hath not seen, &c.'; in the days of the Messiah weapons would be borne, but not in the world to come; and while Is. xxiv. 21 applied to the days f the Messiah, the seemingly contradictory passage, Is. xxx. 26, referred to the world to come. In Targum Pseudo-Jonathan on Exod. xvii. 16, we read of three generations: that of this world, that of the Messiah, and that of the world to come (Aram: Alma deathey=olam habba). Comp. Ar. 13 b, and Midr. on Ps. lxxxi. 2 (3 in A.V.), ed. Warsh. p. 63 a, where the harp of the Sanctuary is described as of seven strings (according to Ps. cxix. 164); in the days of the Messiah as of eight strings (according to the inscription of ps. xii.); and in the world to come (here Athid labho) as of ten strings (according to Ps. xcii. 3). The references of Gfrörer (Jahrh. d. Heils, vol. ii. p. 213) contain, as not unfrequently, mistakes. I may here say that Rhenferdius carries the argument about the Olam habba, as distinguished from the days of the Messiah, beyond what I believe to be established. See his Dissertation in Meuschen, Nov. Test. pp. 1116 &c.