[2157] Succ. 51 b.
[2158] Ber. 6 b.
[2159] Ber. 6 b.
[2160] Kidd. 81 a.
[2161] Taan. 16 a. See Duschak, u. s. p. 285.
[2162] Yalkut ii. p. 43 a, beginning.
[2163] In connection with this the proverb quoted in the New Testament is thus used by Rabbi Tarphon: I wonder whether anyone at present would accept reproof. If you said, Remove the mote from thine eye, he would immediately reply, First remove the beam out of thine own eye' (Arach. 16 b). May this not indicate how very widely the sayings of Christ had spread among the people?
[2164] Even the celebrated R. Eliezer had the misfortune that, at a festival, his hearers one by one stole out during the sermon (Bez. 15 b). On the other hand, it is said of R. Akiba, although his success as a preacher was very varied, that his application to Israel of the sufferings of Job and of his final deliverance moved his hearers to tears (Ber. R. 33).
[2165] Comp. Zunz, Gottesd. Vortr. pp. 101-106, 351.
[2166] See Zunz, Gottesd. Vortr. p. 352, Note b.
[2167] As in Ber. R. 14.
[2168] Shem. R. 15.
[2169] Thus, in Tanch. on Ex. xxii. 24 (ed. Warsh. p. 105 a and b, sect. 15, towards the end), the expression in Deut. xv. 7, Meachikha,' from thy brother, is rendered m achikha,' not thy brother. Similarly, in the Pesiqta, the statement in Gen. xxii. 7, 8, God will provide Himself a lamb for a burnt-offering,' is paraphrased. And if not a Seh (lamb) for a burnt-offering, my son, se (thee) for a burnt offering.' It is added, se leolah is Greek, meaning, thou art the burnt-offering.' But the Greek in the former passage is also explained by rendering the achikha' as an Aramaic form of oika, in which case it would targumically mean Withhold not thy hand from the poor, who is like to thee.' Comp. the interesting tractate of Brüll (Fremdspr. Redens. p. 21). A play upon Greek words is also supposed to occur in the Midrash on Cant. ii. 9, where the word dodi,' by omitting the second d, and transposing the yod and the vav, is made into the Greek dios, divine. But I confess I do not feel quite sure about this, although it has the countenance of Levy. In the Midrash on Cant. ii. 15, a whole Greek sentence is inserted, only Aramaically written. See also Sachs, Beitr. pp. 19 &c.
[2170] Thus, when on one occasion the hearers of Akiba were going to sleep during his sermon, he called out: Why was Esther Queen in Persia over 127 provinces? Answer: She was a descendant of Sarah, who lived 127 years' (Ber. R. 58). On a similar occasion R. Jehudah startled the sleepers by the question: One woman in Egypt bore 600,000 men in one birth.' One of his hearers immediately replied to the question, who she was: It was Jochebed, who bore Moses, who is reckoned equal to all the 600,000 of Israel' (Midr. Shir haSh. R., ed. Warsh., p. 11 b, towards the end, on Cant. i. 15).
[2171] Midr. on Eccl. vii. 5; ix. 17 b.
[2172] In both these passages the fools' are explained to refer to the Methurgeman.
[2173] Chag. 14 a. __________________________________________________________________
CHAPTER XI. THE FIRST GALILEAN MINISTRY.
(St. Matt. iv. 13-17; St. Mark i. 14, 15; St. Luke iv. 15-32.)
The visit to Nazareth was in many respects decisive. It presented by anticipation an epitome of the history of the Christ. He came to His own, and His own received Him not. The first time He taught in the Synagogue, as the first time He taught in the Temple, they cast Him out. On the one and the other occasion, they questioned His authority, and they asked for a sign.' In both instances, the power which they challenged was, indeed, claimed by Christ, but its display, in the manner which they expected, refused. The analogy seems to extend even farther - and if a misrepresentation of what Jesus had said when purifying the Temple formed the ground of the final false charge against Him, [2174] the taunt of the Nazarenes: Physician, heal thyself!' found an echo in the mocking cry, as He hung on the Cross: He saved others, Himself He cannot save.' [2175]