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. XX.

VERS. I.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

The chief Priests and the Scribes with the Elders.

SO it is in Mark XI. 27. but in Matth. XXI. 23. it is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. The Chief Priests and Elders of the people. Now the question is, who these Elders should be, as they are distinguisht, from the Chief Priests and the Scribes. The Sanhedrin consisted chiefly of Priests, Levites, and Israelites, although the original precept was for the Priests and Levites only. a 1.1 The command is, that the Priests and Le∣viies should be of the great Council, as it is said, thou shalt go unto the Priests and Levites: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 but if such be not to be found, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 although they were all Israelites, behold, it is allowed.

None will imagine that there ever was a Sanhedrin, wherein there were Israelites only and no Priests or Levites; nor on the other hand, that there ever was a Sanhedrin wherein there were only Priests and Levites, and no Israelites. The 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 there∣fore or the Scribes, seem in this place to denote either the Levites, or else, together with the Levites those inferior ranks, of Priests, who were not the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or Chief Priests: And then the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Elders, may be the Israelites, or those Elders of the Laity, that were not of the Levitical Tribe. Such an one was Gamaliel the present President of the Sanhedrin, and Simeon his Son, of the Tribe of Judah.

VERS. XXXVII.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c.

He calleth the Lord, the God of Abraham, &c:

b 1.2 WHY doth Moses say, Exod. XXXII. 13. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob? R. Abin saith, the Lord said unto Moses, I look for ten men from thee, as I look∣ed for that number in Sodom. Find me out ten righteous persons among the people, and I will not destroy thy people. Then said Moses, behold here am I and Aaron, Eleazar, and Ithamar, Phineas and Caleb, and Joshua, but saith God, these are but seven, where are the other three? When Moses knew not what to do, he saith, O Eternal God, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 do those live that are dead? Yes, saith God. Then saith Moses, if those that are dead do live, remember Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

VERS. XLII.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, &c.

The Lord said unto my Lord, &c.

WHereas St. Matthew tells us, c 1.3 That no man was able to answer him a word, to that Argument whereby he asserted the Divinity of the Messias, it is plain that those evasions were not yet thought of, by which the Jews have since endeavoured to shift off this place. For the Talmudists apply the Psalm to Abraham; the Targumist (as it seems) to David: others (as Justin Martyr tells us) to Hezekia, which yet, I do not remember I have observed in the Jewish Authors. His words are in his Dialogue with Tryphon d 1.4. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉. I am not ignorant that you venture to explain this Psalm (when he had recited the whole Psalm) as if were to be understood of King Hezekiah.

The Jewish Authors have it thus: e 1.5 Sem the great, said unto Eleazar (Abraham's servant) when the Kings of the East and of the West came against you, what did you? He answered

and said, The Holy blessed God took Abraham, and made him to sit on his right hand. And again, f 1.6 The Holy blessed God had purposed to have derived the Priesthood from Shem; accor∣ding as it is said, thou art the Priest of the most high God, [Gen. XIV.] but because he blessed Abraham before he blessed God, God derived the Priesthood from Abraham. For so it is said, And he blessed him and said, Blessed be Abraham of the most high God, possessor of Heaven and Earth, and blessed be the most high God, Abraham saith unto him, who useth to bless the ser∣vant before his Lord? Upon this God gave the Priesthood to Abraham, according as it is said, The Lord said unto my Lord, sit thou on my right hand. And afterward it is written the Lord sware and will not repent, thou art a Priest for ever for the speaking (for so they ren∣der 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉) of Melchizedech. Midras Tillin and others also in the explication of this Psalm, referr it to Abraham. Worshipful Commentators indeed!

VERS. XLVI.

〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉.

That desire to walk in long robes.

IN Garments to the feet; which their own Rabbins sufficiently testifie. g 1.7 R. Johanan asked R. Banaah 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 what kind of Garment is the inner garment of the Disciple of the wise men? It is such an one that the flesh may not be seen underneath him. The Gloss is, It is to reach to the very sole of the foot, that it may not be discerned when he goes bare-foot. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 What is the Talith, that the Disciple of the wise wears? that the inner Garment may not be seen below it to an hand bredth.

What is that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, Luke XV. 22. the first Robe? Is it the former robe, that is, that which the Prodigal had worn formerly? or the first, i. e. the chief and best robe? It may be quaeried whether it may not be particularly understood the Talith, as what was in more esteem than the Chaluk, and that which is the first Garment in view to the beholders. h 1.8 I saw amongst the spoils 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a Babylonish Garment, Jos. VII. Rabh saith 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a long Garment called Melotes. The Gloss is, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 A Talith of purest Wool.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Maimon. in Sanhedr. cap. 2.
• b 1.2

  Shemoth. rab∣ba. fol. 159. 1.
• c 1.3

  Matt. XXII. 46.
• d 1.4

  Pag. 250.
• e 1.5

  Sanhedr. fol. 148. 2.
• f 1.6

  Nedarim, fol. 32. 2.
• g 1.7

  Bava bathra, fol. 57. 2.
• h 1.8

  Sanhedr. fol. 44. 1.