Although not only in the New Testament, but in 1 Macc. x. 30, and in the writings of Josephus, [1910] Western Palestine is divided into the provinces of Judæa, Samaria, and Galilee, the Rabbis, whose ideas were shaped by the observances of Judaism, ignore this division. For them Palestine consisted only of Judæa, Peræa, and Galilee. [1911] Samaria appears merely as a strip intervening between Judæa and Galilee, being the land of the Cuthæans.' [1912] Nevertheless, it was not regarded like heathen lands, but pronounced clean. Both the Mishnah [1913] and Josephus [1914] mark Anuath ({hebrew}) as the southern boundary of Samaria (towards Judæa). Northward it extended to Ginæa (the ancient En-Gannim) on the south side of the plain of Jezreel; on the east it was bounded by the Jordan; and on the west by the plain of Sharon, which was reckoned as belonging to Judæa. Thus it occupied the ancient territories of Manasseh and Ephraim, and extended about forty-eight miles (north and south) by forty (east and west). In aspect and climate it resembled Judæa, only that the scenery was more beautiful and the soil more fertile. The political enmity and religious separation between the Jews and Samaritans account for their mutual jealously. On all public occasions the Samaritans took the part hostile to the Jews, while they seized every opportunity of injuring and insulting them. Thus, in the time of Antiochus III. they sold many Jews into slavery. [1915] Afterwards they sought to mislead the Jews at a distance, to whom the beginning of every month (so important in the Jewish festive arrangements) was intimated by beacon fires, by kindling spurious signals. [1916] We also read that they tried to desecrate the Temple on the eve of the Passover; [1917] and that they waylaid and killed pilgrims on their road to Jerusalem. [1918] The Jews retaliated by treating the Samaritans with every mark of contempt; by accusing them of falsehood, folly, and irreligion; and, what they felt most keenly, by disowning them as of the same race or religion, and this in the most offensive terms of assumed superiority and self-righteous fanaticism.
In view of these relations, we almost wonder at the candour and moderation occasionally displayed towards the Samaritans in Jewish writings. These statements are of practical importance in this history, since elaborate attempts have been made to show what articles of food the disciples of Jesus might have bought in Samaria, in ignorance that almost all would have been lawful. Our inquiry here is, however, somewhat complicated by the circumstance that in Rabbinic writings, as at present existing, the term Samaritans (Cuthim [1919] ) has, to avoid the censorship of the press, been often purposely substituted for Sadducees,' or heretics,' i.e. Christians. [1920] Thus, when [1921] the Samaritans are charged with denying in their books that the Resurrection can be proved from the Pentateuch, the real reference is supposed to have been to Sadducean or Christian heretical writings. Indeed, the terms Samaritans, Sadducees, and heretics are used so interchangeably, that a careful inquiry is necessary, to show in each case which of them is really meant. Still more frequent is the use of the term Samaritan' ({hebrew}) for stranger' ({hebrew}), the latter, and not strictly Samaritan descent being meant. [1922] The popular interchange of these terms casts light on the designation of the Samaritan as a stranger' by our Lord in St. Luke xvii. 18.
In general it may be said that, while on certain points Jewish opinion remained always the same, the judgment passed on the Samaritans, and especially as to intercourse with them, varied, according as they showed more or less active hostility towards the Jews. Thus the Son of Sirach would correctly express the feeling of contempt and dislike, when he characterised the Samaritans as the foolish people' which his heart abhorred.' [1923] The same sentiment appears in early Christian Pseudepigraphic and in Rabbinic writings. In the so-called Testament of the Twelve Patriarchs' (which probably dates from the beginning of the second century), Sichem' is the City of Fools, derided by all men. [1924] It was only natural, that Jews should be forbidden to respond by an Amen to the benediction of Samaritans, at any rate till they were sure it had been correctly spoken, [1925] since they were neither in practice nor in theory regarded as co-religionists. [1926] [1927] Yet they were not treated as heathens, and their land, their springs, baths, houses, and roads were declared clean. [1928]