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.

VERS. II.

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

Ananias the High Priest.

IT is a question among some Expositors whether this Ananias be the same Ananias that Josephus mentions, that was High Priest. And I ask again, whether 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in this place, be to be necessarily rendred High Priest.

I. That Ananias the High Priest whom Josephus mentions t 1.1, was sent bound to Rome, by Quadratus the Governour of Syria, to render an account of his actions to Claudius Cesar, and that, before Felix entred upon the procuratorship of Judea; but whether he ever returned to Jerusalem again, is uncertain: still more uncertain whether ever re∣stored to his place of High Priest: and most uncertain of all, whether he filled the Chair at that time when Paul pleaded his cause, which was some years after Felix had been set∣tled in the Government, Acts XXIV. 10.

II. About this time there was one Ananias, a man very much celebrated indeed, but not the High Priest, only the Sagan of the Priests, concerning whom the Talmudic Writers re∣cord these passages: u 1.2 There were thirteen Corban Chests, thirteen Tables, thirteen Adorati∣ons in the Temple: But to them that were of the House of Rabban Gamaliel 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and to those that were of the House of R. Ananias, Sagan of the Priests, there were fourteen, &c. w 1.3 R. Ananias Sagan of the Priests saith, &c. Ananias Sagan of the Priests was slain in the time of the destruction (of Jerusalem) with Rabban Simeon the Son of Gamaliel. x 1.4 R. Ananias the Sagan, is said to be slain on the five and twentieth day of the month Sivan, together with Rabban Simeon ben Gamaliel, and R. Ismael. y 1.5

If we cannot reconcile the Ananias in Josephus, with this in St. Luke; let Ananias the Sagan be the Ananias mentioned in this place, who may very well be called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or High Priest, as may be evident from those titles given to Annas and Caiaphas; Luk. III. 2. Nor doth any thing hinder but that we may easily suppose that Ananias the Sagan was in the possession of his Saganship at this very time.

Notes

• t 1.1

  Antiqu. lib. 20. cap. 5. & De Excid. lib. 2. cap. 21.
• u 1.2

  Shekalim, cap. 6. hal. 1.
• w 1.3

  Pesachin, c. 1. hal. 6. & Misn. Hieros.
• x 1.4

  Tsemach, Da∣vid.
• y 1.5

  Juchasin, fol. 57. 1.