The works of the Reverend and learned John Lightfoot D. D., late Master of Katherine Hall in Cambridge such as were, and such as never before were printed : in two volumes : with the authors life and large and useful tables to each volume : also three maps : one of the temple drawn by the author himself, the others of Jervsalem and the Holy Land drawn according to the author's chorography, with a description collected out of his writings.

CHAP. XXII. The Chamber or Room Gazith, the seat of the Great Sanhedrin. (Book 22)

THE building Gazith (a 1.1 so called because it was made of stone neatly wrought, as the word is used 1 King. V. 16.) appeareth b 1.2 by the Author of Juchasin to have been built by Simeon ben Shetah c 1.3 who was the Vice-President of the San∣hedrin, when Judah ben Tabbai was Nasi in the sixth Generation from Ezra, d 1.4 even in the time of Hyrcanus Jannaeus the Asmonaean. It was 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 e 1.5 half of it holy, and half of it common; that is, half of it stood within the Court, and half of it with∣in the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Chel, and it had a Door into either place. f 1.6 And in that half of it that stood in the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Chel, did the Great Council or Sanhedrin sit, of seventy one Judges: Now a special reason why they sate on that side of the House, which was in the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Chel was, because it was not lawful for any Man whosoever to sit within the verge of the Court unless it were the King, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 g 1.7 there is no Man may sit in the Court unless it be one of the Kings of the House of David. In the other part

of this building which stood within the Court, the Priests used to ••ast lots daily for the distribution of the Service amongst them; of which we have spoken largely elsewhere.

We cannot come so near the Great Sanhedrin, as to survey the Room in which they sate, but that we must take some notice of them before we go, and look a little into their constitution, sitting, power and story: They will not take it well if we pass by them and take no notice of them at all.

The h 1.8 number of the Judges in this High Court was seventy and one, answering to Moses and the Seventy Elders chosen by him, when God in the Wilderness did first or∣dain this great Judicatory, Numb. XI. They were to be indifferently chosen of Priests, Levites, and Israelites, (the New Testament often expresseth the distinction, by Chief Priests, Scribes and Elders) 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 but if Priests and Levites fitly qualified were not to be found, i 1.9 if all the Council were Men of other Tribes, it was good and lawful.

Their k 1.10 qualifications must be, that they must be Religious and Learned both in Arts and Languages: must have some skill in Physick, Arithmetick, Astronomy, Astrology, yea to know what belonged to Magick, Sorcery, and Idolatry, that so they might know to judge of them: They were to be without maim or blemish of body, Men of years, but not extream old, because commonly such are of too much severity, and they must be Fathers of Children, that they might be acquainted with tenderness and compas∣sion.

Their manner of sitting was thus; The eminentest among them for worth and wis∣dom, they appointed to be the chief in the Council, and him they called the Nasi or Presi∣dent, and him they took to represent Moses. Then the next eminent, they chose to be his second, and him they called Abh beth Din, The Father of the Council, or Vice-President. He sate upon the right hand of the Nasi, (compare the Phrase of sitting on the right hand of power, Matth. XXVI. 64.) and then the whole Sanhedrin sate on the one hand and on the other in a semicircle. On the right hand before them, and on the left there were two Clarks of the Council, one Registred the acquitting Votes and Testimonies, and the other the casting: compare, Matth. XXV. 33.

The l 1.11 proper and constant time of their sitting, was from the end of the Morning Service, to the beginning of the Evening Service, and so their sitting and the Divine Service did not clash one with another: yet sometime did occasions that came before them, prolong their Session even until night, and then they might determine the matter that they had been debating on by day: but they might not begin a new business by night: They violated their own custom and tradition in judging of Christ by night.

It was in their power and cognisance to judge all persons, and all matters (yet inferior matters they meddled not withal, but referred them to inferior Courts) insomuch that they judged a whole Tribe, a Prophet, the High-Priest: nay the King himself if there were occasion: m 1.12 If the High-Priest did any thing that deserved whipping they whipped him (saith Maymony) and restored him to his dignity again: n 1.13 And although they admitted not the King of the House of David to be a member of the Sanhedrin (saith the same Author) yet did the Kings judge the people, and the Sanhedrin judged them if there were occasion: They had th••se two Traditions clean contrary one to another, and yet both of force and took place in their several seasons, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The King judgeth and they judge him: And 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 The King judgeth not and they judge not him: o 1.14 The former was in vigour, till King Jannai was convented before them, and then be∣cause partiality could not be prevented they enacted the latter.

Of p 1.15 capital penalties, in which kind of matters they especially judged, they had four sorts: stoning, burning, slaying with the sword, and strangling. In reference to which the Targum on Ruth hath this Gloss in the first Chapter, Vers. 16. q 1.16 Naomi said unto her, we are commanded to keep Sabbaths and Holy days, so that we may not walk above two thou∣sand cubits: Ruth saith, whithersoever thou goest, I will go: Naomi saith, we are commanded not to lodge together with the heathen; Ruth saith, where thou lodgest I will lodge: Naomi saith, we are commanded to keep the six hundred and thirteen Commandments; Ruth saith, what thy people observe I will observe as if they were my people: Naomi saith, w•• are commanded not to worship strange Gods; Ruth saith, thy God shall be my God: Naomi saith, we have four judicial deaths for offenders, stoning with stones, burning with fire, killing with the sword, and hanging on the tree; Ruth saith, as thou diest I will die.

1. Those r 1.17 whom they burned they used thus: They set them up to the knees in a Dunghil, and two with a Towel about his neck pulled and strained him till he opened his mouth wide, and then they poured in scalding Lead which ran down into his bowels.

2. Those that were strangled, they also set up to the knees in a Dunghil, and two with a Towel stifled and strangled him, the one pulling at the one end, and the other at the other, till he died.

3. Those whom they slew with the Sword, they did it by beheading them.

4. Whom s 1.18 they stoned they stoned naked: first one of the witnesses threw him or pushed him that he might dash his loins against a stone, if that killed him, there was no more adoe, if it did not, the other witness took a great stone and dashed it on his breast as he lay on his back, if that killed him there was an end, if not, all the people flang stones at him: This helps us to understand what is meant by the Witnesses laying down their Garments at Saul's feet, at the stoning of Stephen, Act. VII. 58. namely because they were to be imployed first in his stoning, and they laid by their upper Garments that they might not trouble them. And this illustrates that passage of our Saviour, which indeed alludes to this manner of stoning. Whosoever shall fall upon this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder, Matth. XXI. 44. for he that was stoned, was first flung upon a stone, and then a stone was dashed upon him. These that were stoned were also hanged: there is some dispute among the Talmudists whether all were hanged that were stoned: but howsoever, they conclude that Blasphemers and Ido∣laters were: and this helps us still to understand the usage of Stephen whom they con∣demned and stoned for blasphemy, for so they made it: He was first dashed upon a stone by one of the Witnesses, and then a huge stone dashed upon him by the other, yet died he not by either of these, but recovered his knees again, and died kneeling and praying, all the people flinging stones at him; and afterward he was hanged upon a Gibbet, and that night taken down and buried: for so was the Law that he should not hang upon the Tree all night: Now his burial was different from the common burial of those that were Executed: as Christ's was also, being beg'd by Joseph of Arimathea: for whereas the San∣hedrin had two burying places for Executed Malefactors, one for those that were stoned and that were burnt, and the other for those that were slain with the sword and that were strangled, it appeareth that some devout Christians took down the body of Stephen and made a solemn burial for him in some other place.

Although the Sanhedrin did sit in the Temple, yet were the Executions without the City: as Levit. XXIV. 14. Deut. XVII. 5. Heb. XIII. 12. Act. VII. 58. whipping and stocking was executed often in the Temple, as Deut. XXV. 2. Jer. XX. 2. and for this purpose they had their 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Sarjeants for Officers ready attending them continually for the execution of such a penalty. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 t 1.19 The Shoterim (saith May∣mony) were such as carried Rods and Whips: and they stood before the Judges: they went about the streets and Inns to look to measures and weights, and to beat every offender: and all their doings were by the appointment of the Judges: and whomsoever they saw offending, they brought him to the Judges, and they judged him according to his offence.

This u 1.20 great Sanhedrin in Gazith 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 was the foun∣dation of the traditional Law and pillar of instruction (compare the phrase 1 Tim. III. 15.) and from them decrees and judgments went out for all Israel. And whosoever believed Moses and his Law, was bound to rest upon them for matters of the Law. Thus Maymony in the place cited in the Margin. Therefore in all doubts, about Judicial matters, the ultimate recourse was hither as to a determiner not to be doubted of or varied from. The manner was thus: w 1.21 Had a Man occasion to inquire about any such matter, he went first to the Judicatory that was in his own City: if they could resolve it, well and good: if they could not, one of them went to the next Sanhedrin: if that could not resolve it, he went to the Sanhedrin of the three and twenty in the Gate of the Mountain of the House: if that could not, he went to the other Sanhedrin of three and twenty in the Gate of Nicanor: and if that could not, he went to this in the Room Gazith, and there he received a po∣sitive determination: which for him being a Judge to transgress against, it brought him under the notion of 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 A rebellious Elder, and in danger of trying for his life.

SECT. I. The Presidents of the Sanhedrin from the Captivity to its dissolution.

HAving digressed thus far in viewing the Judicatory that sate in the Room Gazith, let it be excusable yet a little further to interrupt our further survey so far as to take a Catalogue and notice also particularly of all the heads or Presidents of this Court, in the generations, from the return out of the Babylonian Captivity, till City, Temple and Sanhedrin came to nothing: as their names and order are recorded in the Jewish Writers: as in the Talmudick Treatise Avoth: in Avoth Rabbi Nathan: in the Preface of Maymony to Jadh: in the Author of Juchasin: and in dispersed passages in the Talmuds.

1. The first was Ezra, of whom there is so renowed mention in the Scripture. The Sanhedrin of his time, is ordinarily called by the Jews 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the great Synagogue, and those eminent persons are reckoned of it, which are named, Ezr. II. 2. Zerubbabel, Jo∣shua, Nehemiah, Seraiah, Reelaiah, Mordecai, &c. He is said to have come up to Jerusalem in the seventh year of Darius, Ezr. VII. 8. which was four and twenty years after the peoples

return out of Babylon, and how the Sanhedrin was disposed of before that time, is hard to determine. His Sanhedrin or great Synagogue is ordinarily reckoned of an hundred and twenty Men (compare Act. I. 15.) but whether all at once or successively, it is not much important to dispute here. He lived by the computation of some Chroniclers of his own Nation, till that very year that Alexander the Great came to Jerusalem, and then died on the tenth day of the month Tebeth: and so by their account he wore out both the Babylonian and Persian Monarchies; they hold also that Haggai, and Zachary, and Malachi died the same year with him, and then Prophecy departed. Compare Act. XIX. 2.

2. Simeon the just: Some Hebrew Writers that doubt not that he was head of the San∣hedrin, do yet question whether he were High Priest, or an ordinary Priest, but Josephus who wrote in Greek, asserteth him for High Priest: And some again that hold him to have been High Priest can find in their hearts to think that he was the very same with Jaddua, but Josephus doth clearly distinguish them, placing Simeon after Jaddua and Oni••s between. The times of his Government may be discovered by observing that Eleazer his Brother who succeeded him in the High Priesthood was he, to whom Ptolomy Philadelphus sent for the Septuagint, to translate the Bible. There are exceeding high things spoken of this Simeon by his Countrymen, some of which, we have mentioned else∣where; to which I shall only add this record of him, That in his time the scarlet list on the Scape-Gotes head turned white: that the lot for the Scape-Goat ever came up in his right hand: that the western Lamp never went out, and the fire on the Altar ever burnt pleasantly, but when he died its force abated. This Adagie is ascribed to him: The world standeth upon three things, upon the Law, upon Religion, and upon shewing Mercy; He was surnamed, the Just, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Both because of his piety towards God, and his good will towards his Nation, Josph. Ant. lib. 12. eap. 2.

3. Antigonus of Soco: He was the Master of Sadoc and Baithus, who mistaking and misconstruing his good Doctrine, vented the Heresie against the Resurrection: his Doctrine was this, Be not as Servants that serve their Master because of receiving a reward, but be as Servants that serve their Master, not because of receiving a reward, but let the fear of Heaven be upon you: which his crooked Disciples construed into this impious sense, that there was no reward at all to be had for the service of God, and so they denied the world to come. But his Scholars, Joseph ben Joezer and Joseph ben Jochanan held orthodox.

4. Josi, or Joseph, ben Joezer of Zeredah (Jeroboams Town, 1 King. XI. 26.) he had Josi or Joseph ben Jochanan of Jerusalem for his Vice-President. Here the Talmudick Records begin to reckon them 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 by couples, That is, the President and Vice-President both: not but that there were Vice-Presidents before, but they be not named, and so were there after the times of Hillel also, though they be not named then neither.

This Joseph ben Joezer had Children so untoward, that he would not leave them his Land but bequeathed it to pious uses.

5. Joshua the Son of Perehiah President: Nittai the Arbelite Vice-President. This Joshua is Recorded to have lived in the time of King Jannai, called also Alexander, the Son of Hyrcanus: This Hyrcanus was likewise called Jannai; he affected the Kingdom, and there∣upon the wise men or great ones of that time would have put him from the High Priest∣hood: but he maintained his station by the sword, for he slew divers of the wise men, which caused Joshua the Son of Perahiah to flee to Alexandria, but he was recalled, upon the mediation of Simeon ben Shetah.

6. Judah the Son of Tabbai President: Simeon ben Shetah Vice-President. A gallant pair for integrity and justice: Were their lives to be written, most eminent actions of theirs might be related which are recorded of them: as that they hanged fourscore Witches in one day: Judged King Jannai: the one of them wept daily for an error of Judgment that he had committed, and the other preferred the execution of justice, before the safety of his own Son. This Simeon ben Shetah is he whom we suppose the builder of this Room Gazith that we are surveying.

7. Shemaiah President, and Abtalion Vice-President: These were Kinsmen, and of the posterity of Sennacharib, but their Mother was an Israelite.

8. Hillel President, and Shammai Vice-President: At first it was Hillel and Menahem, but Menahem departed to the service of Herod: Hillel was one of the eminentest that ever was among the Jewish Doctors both for birth, learning, rule and children: He was of the seed of David by his Mothers side, being of the posterity of Shephatiah the Son of Abital, David's Wife. He was brought up in Babel, from whence he came up to Jerusalem at forty years old, and there studied the Law forty years more, under Shemaiah and Abtalion, and after them he was President of the Sanhedrin forty years more: The beginning of his Presidency is generally concluded upon to have been just an hundred years before the Temple was de∣stroyed: by which account, he began eight and twenty years before our Saviour was born, and died when he was about twelve years old. He is renowned for his fourscore Scholars, one among which was Jonathan ben Uzziel, the Chaldee paraphrast, &c.

9. Rabban Simeon, Hillel's Son: This man was first dignified with the title Rabban, he is supposed to be the Simeon mentioned Luk. II. that took Christ in his Arms, and for that, it is conceived that he is not of so frequent and honourable mention among the Jewish Writers as others of the same rank with him are, they not well relishing his confession of Christ, whom they deny: He began his Presidentship about the thirtenth year of our Saviours age, if the date and account of Hillel's rule mentioned before be current, and how long he sate President, no one mentions, but some assert that his rule was not long. The Author of Juchasin relateth that he is never mentioned in the Mishneh, or in the Code of the Jews Traditions; it may be his embracing Christianity made him cool towards their Traditions, so that there is none to Father on him, as there are on the other Doctors. It is like he was a secret professor of Christ, as Nicodemus was, and kept both his place and profession.

10. Rabban Gamaliel, Simeons Son: This was he under whom Paul was brought up, Act. XXII. 3. and see Act. V. 34. He was President of the Council when Christ was arraigned: and lived two and twenty years after: Onkelos the Targumist of the Law, did solemnly celebrate his Funerals: He is commonly styled Rabban Gamaliel the old, either because he was the first of that name, or because he was of a long life: Of him they have this saying in the last Chapter of the Treatise Sotah: From the time that Rabban Gamaliel the old died, the honour of the Law failed, and purity and Pharisaism died.

11. Rabban Simeon, Gamaliel's Son: He was slain at the destruction of the Temple: and so should his Son also have been, had not Rabban Jochanan ben Zaccai, being in favour with Caesar, begged his life: And thus have we followed the succession of the Presidents of the Sanhedrin till the Temple and City fell: but the Sanhedrin fell not as yet, but conti∣nued in a flitting and languishing condition for a good space still, and had its Presidents till it fell also, which were these:

12. Rabban Jochanan ben Zaccai: He was not of the blood of Hillel, but he was his Scholar: He came to be President upon the death of Rabban Simeon last mentioned; his Sanhedrin sate at Jabneh.

13. Rabban Gamaliel of Jabneh: This was Rabban Simeon's Son whom Rabban Jochanan ben Zaccai begged from death, of the hands of Caesar, at the slaughter of his Father, his minority made him unfit for the Presidency when his Father was slain, therefore Rabban Jochanan ben Zaccai, bare that place, and after his death this Rabban Gamaliel succeeded.

14. Rabban Simeon, the Son of Gamaliel of Jabneh.

15. Rabbi Judah, the Son of this Rabban Simeon: He is eminently called Rabbi and Rabenu haccadosh: He collected and compiled the Mishnaioth.

16. Rabban Gamaliel, the Son of Rabbi Judah: Here the title Rabban expired: and the Sanhedrin was gone.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Aruch. in 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉
• b 1.2

  Iuchan. f. 161
• c 1.3

  Avoth. per. 1. Sect. 8.
• d 1.4

  Iucha. ubi supra.
• e 1.5

  Iom 1 per. 2. in Gemara fol. 25.
• f 1.6

  Maym. in beth▪ habbech. per. 5.
• g 1.7

  Vid. R. Sol. & Kimch. in 1 King. XII. & Midr. Tillin. in Psal. ••. ab ini∣tir.
• h 1.8

  Talm. in San∣hedr. per. 1.
• i 1.9

  Maym. in San∣hedr. per. 1.
• k 1.10

  Id. ibid. per. 2.
• l 1.11

  Id. ibid. per. 3.
• m 1.12

  Id. in.
• n 1.13

  Id. in San∣hedr. per. 2.
• o 1.14

  Sanhedr. per. 2. in G••mar.
• p 1.15

  Ibid. per. 7.
• q 1.16

  Targ. in Ruth. ••. 16.
• r 1.17

  Sanhedr. ubi supr.
• s 1.18

  Ibid. per. 6.
• t 1.19

  Maym. ubi supr. per. 1.
• u 1.20

  Id. in Mam∣rim. per. 1.
• w 1.21

  Talm. in San∣hedr. per. 11.