This last, must first fall under determination, and it is not of small obscurity in regard of the different measures that are made of it, and in regard of the different glosses that are made upon this Text.
The Syriack readeth it thus, Which was from Jerusalem seven furlongs. And this hath bred some difficulty more than was in the Text before; for that Josephus saith, Mount Olivet was but five furlongs from Jerusalem, Antiq. lib. 20. cap. 6. And John the Evange∣list saith, Bethany was 15 furlongs from Jerusalem, Joh. 11. 18. And certain it is that Luke in this place speaketh of the distance from Olivet, or from Bethany, or from both; and yet the Syriack gloss upon him, hath found out a measure that agrees neither with Jose∣phus, nor with John.
There is a like difference between their opinions that come to measure this space not by furlongs, but by another measure; some holding it to be two thousand paces, or two miles; others two thousands cubits, or but one mile: This latter to have been the mea∣sure of a Sabbath days journey, namely, two thousand cubits, is apparent in the Talmud, and it may be confirmed out of other Writers of the same Nation; for this position is in the Tractate of Erubhin, Chap. 4. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a journey of two thousand middle paces is the bound of the Sabbath: And the Scholiast there saith, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 A middle pace in the way of a mans walk namely a cubit. And so the Chaldee paraphrast on the first of Ruth, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 We are commanded to keep the Sab∣baths and the holy das••; so as to go not above two thousand cubits. And this tradition or custom seemeth to be fetched from that place in Josh. 3. 4. where, because the people in their march after, and on either side the Ark, were to keep two thousand Cubits distance off it; it is thereupon concluded, that they pitched at that distance when the Ark and they were encamped; and so that that was the space that they went from their Tents to the Tabernacle on the Sabbath day: it is not worth the labour, to examine the truth of this opinion in this place; because we have not here so much to deal with it, as with a custom built upon it: and it is not so material whether that was the distance betwixt their Tents and the Tabernacle in their encampings in the wilderness (for some of them were double, treble that distance) as certain it is, that a custom was grown from this opinion of travelling no further than two thousand Cubits on the Sabbath day; and to this custom the Evangelist speaketh, and that is it that we must look after. Now if we count these two thousand Cubits for whole yards, then was the space a mile, and above half a quarter, or somewhat above nine furlongs in all: but if for half yards, which was the common Cubit, then was it but half so much, and neither of these sums agree with the Syriacks seven furlongs nor with Johns fifteen. But the latter agreeth very well with Josephus his five, and so do I understand the measure to be.
For, first, it were easie to prove that the Cubit by which the Tabernacle was measu∣red at the building of it, both for its own body, and for the ground it stood upon, and its Court, and all things about it, was but the common Cubit of half a yard; and it is most likely that those two thousand Cubits that did distance the people from it in the wilderness, and that measured out a Sabbath days journey now, were Cubits of the same size.
Secondly, The Text of Luke exactly measures the distance from the Mount of Olives to Jerusalem, and it is very questionable whether he intend the space from that place upon the Mount where our Saviour ascended, or no. He saith in the last Chapter of his Go∣spel, that Jesus led the Disciples our, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Vers. 50. not towards Bethany, but as far as unto it, as our English, and the Syriack, the Vulgar, Beza, and others do truly render it: now Bethany was about fifteen furlongs from Jerusalem, Joh. 11. 16. and let us take the two thousand Cubits how we will, either common or holy Cubit, either half yard▪ or yard; or Ezekiels Cubit, of a Cubit and hand breadth: Yet will none of these measures reach to so many furlongs.
Now howsoever Beza hath sought to heal this difference by a supposal that Bethany was not only the name of a Town, but also a tract or a space of ground that lay about the Town, as a Lordship or Parish lieth about the Village; and that though the Town it self lay fifteen furlongs from Jerusalem, yet that the grounds and demeans that carried the same name, reacht within half that space to Jerusalem; the grounds of such a supposal are yet to seek; nay, there is good ground to the contrary.