cerning matter, they lived with extreme abftemiouf nefs, using only water, and the plaineft forts of food, mortified the body by fevere aufterities, and either forbade marriage altogether, or permitted no view in contracting it, but continuing the species. Philo. Jofeph. Beaufobre. 1 Tim. iv. 3-8. « Forbidding to marry," as unlawful. «To abftain from meats, "excess of abftemioufnefs, or fuperfti tion as to forts. "God hath created,-every creature good, nothing to be refused," in oppofition to the same practices, and the principle producing them. "Bodily exercife," all their aufterities. Max Col. ii. 20-23. "Touch not, tafte not, handle not. " Knatchb. in loc. i Tim. v. 23. as being made of evil matter. "Ufe a little wine;" contrafted with their notions, and infinuates a reproof of them. 608. They were, at once, a fanatical and superstitious fect, placing religion in filence and contemplation, imagining a fanctity and myfteries in numbers, rigid in their purifications, admitted only on a probation, and distinguished into different orders. Philo. Jofeph. Beaufobre. 609. The Scribes and Lawyers, whom fome have reckoned different, but without fufficient reason, were not a diftinct fect, but a particular profeffion, for explaining the Scriptures, either in the fynagogues, or in the schools; and they were, generally at least, of the Pharifees. Cameron, Cameron, in Mat. xxii. 23. Lightfoot, in Mat. ii. 4. Beau fobre, ib. "Scribes," often joined with " Pharifees," because they were of that fect; and often with " priests," because many were fuch, and all their affiftants; as, to them, explaining the law originally belonged. Mat. ii. 4. 610, Profelytes were fuch perfons, of other nations, as had embraced the Jewish religion; and are, generally, reckoned to have been of two forts; profelytes of the gate, who only embraced a part of it; and, pro-. felytes of righteousness, who embraced the whole of it; though a few have denied this diftinction. Maimon. de Profelyt. Jofeph, Beaufobre, SECT. IV. Of Jewish Opinions. great 611. FOR understanding any writing, it is of importance to know the opinions of those to whom it is addreffed, concerning any part of the subject of it. 612. Befides thofe opinions, which formed the ge neral characteristics of the Jewish fects, others were common to them all, or, though inculcated chiefly by one fect, were not oppofed by the reft; and there are many many of thefe, the knowledge of which throws light upon the Scriptures. 613. Such of their opinions as were truly derived from the Scriptures, were co-incident with the doctrines there taught; the knowledge of them is the fame with knowledge of the fenfe of the paffages which teach them; and explications of them may contribute to the interpretation of Scripture. 614. But, many of their opinions, either arofe from their perverfions of Scripture, or were taken from the notions of the neighbouring nations; and the knowledge of thefe is neceffary for explaining fuch paffages of Scripture, as allude to, reprove, or confute them. 615. Their doctrine concerning the moral law, That it regarded only overt acts, and required only external obedience, but extended not to the inward motions, affections, or intentions, gives a key to fuch paffages of Scripture as are levelled against it. D. Kimchi, in Pfal. lxvi. 18. " Mat. v. 20, Righteousness of the feribes," &c. that is, inculcated by them, namely, external. v, 21-26. "Murder. v. 27-32. " Adultery.' .33-37. "Oaths. v. 38-42. "Retaliation." v. 43-48. V. 43-48." Hatred. " vi. 1-18. Alms, prayer, fafting." Ch, 616. The opinions of the Jews concerning the Meffiah, which prevailed at the time of Chrift's coming, were, That he was then to appear'; That he would be a a prophet', and work miracles; but, chiefly, That he would be their temporal king, and raise them to the empire of the world: which opinions not only prevailed, likewise, among the Samaritans, but gained some reception among other nations; and they illustrate many paffages, and account for many facts, in the New Tef tament. Jofeph. Sueton. Tacitus. Mat. xxvi. 63. Luke ii. 25, 26. iii. 15. xxii. 66. John i 19, 24. iv. 25, 29, 42. x. 24. * John i. 21. iv. 25, &c. vi. 14. Lardner, Credib. p. 1. b. 1. c. 5. § 1, 3, 4. 3 John vii. 31. Hence John met with a general welcome, from the general expectation; Jefus with a lefs general, from their falfe idea. He was always rejected by the rulers, who perceived his contrariety to that idea; better received by the people, who were lefs difcerning; deferted by many who once followed him, because he answered not their idea. He was feldom explicit in declaring himfelf the Chrift, in order to avoid the confequences of their explaining it by their idea; not fo in John iv. 26. Mark v. 19. Luke viii. 39. because there i was no risk of these consequences. He encouraged their proceffion (which was a proclaiming of him king, 2 Kings ix. 7.) into Jerufalem, because no inconvenience could then arife; they were foon eager for his crucifixion, because dif appointed in their hope; but they grew fond of his disciples, Acts v. 26. and their hope revived. Lardner, ib. Macknight, Harm. § 26. 617. The Jews believed that juftification belonged peculiarly to their nation; and that, on account of the piety of their ancestors, their knowledge of the law, and and the observance of its ceremonies; notions confuted in the epiftles, (particularly to the Romans), and neceffary to be known for our understanding the confutation. Michael. 129. 618. They thought that God had elected them to be his people, fo abfolutely, that he was bound to fulfil his promises to their nation, unconditionally; and that a prophet ought not to pronounce predictions against them; but, on the contrary, to intercede for them, and wish his own name to be expunged; an opinion which is combated in fome paffages of Scripture, and gives a key to them. Michael. § 130, 132. Rom. ix. 1-5. The fubject very cautiously introduced. v. 6-29. The opinion directly confuted. V. 30-X. 21. Particular application to themfelves. Ch. xi. God's promise, notwithstanding, kept. 619. The Jews, after their captivity, entertained many groundlefs opinions, borrowed, probably, from the Chaldeans, and confirmed by their intercourse with the Egyptians, Syrians, and Arabians; the extravagant notions, for inftance, of all except the Saducees, concerning angels, their names, their orders, and their offices. 620. They likewife adopted magical notions, and addicted themselves to arts and fuperftitions correfpondent to them; to which there are fome references in Scripture. Michael. 125. Mat. xii. 24, 27. Acts xix. 13. |