The harmony, chronicle and order of the New Testament the text of the four evangelists methodized, story of the acts of the apostles analyzed, order of the epistles manifested, times of the revelation observed : all illustrated, with variety of observations upon the chiefest difficulties textuall & talmudicall, for clearing of their sense and language : with an additional discourse concerning the fall of Jerusalem and the condition of the Jews in that land afterward
Lightfoot, John, 1602-1675.

§. V. The Sanhedrin still at Iabneh. R. Akibah President.

THe twelve years of Rabban Iochanan and Rabban Gamaliel, raught from the second year of Vespasian, when the Sanhedrin was first setled at Iabneh, to the second year of Domitian: there begins R. Akibah his Presidency, and sate fourty years, namely to the time of the sacking of the Town Bitter or Beth tar, which the Jews generally fix fifty two years after the fall of the Temple, or at most fifty five: So that he sate all the time of Domitian and Trajan, to the 5th or at most the 8th year of Hadrianus.

His time was a troublesom time with the Jews. In Domitians daies, Iudaicus fiscus praeter caeteros acerbissimè actus, Above all others the Iews were plagued with taxes and confiscations. Sueton in Domit. cap. 12. where he adds, I remember when I was a boy, I was present when a man of 90 years old was searched before a great company whether he were Circumcised or no.

In Trajan's time was that horrid insurrection of the Jews, mentioned by Dion. lib. 68. about Cyrene, where they murdered Romans and Greeks, to the number of two hundred and twenty thousand; ate their flesh, devoured their intrails, and dawbed themselves with their blood: And the like insurrection they made in Egypt and Cyprus, and murdered to the number of two hundred and fourty thou∣sand. Tsemach David makes Ben Coziba a chief leader in this businesse: who if he were, received his just reward in the time of Hadrian. He took on him to be Messias; made himself a King, stamped Coyn of his own: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉Ierus. Maasa Sheni fol. 52. col. 4. brought the Romans against him, who destroyed him and the City Bitter, and multitudes of thousands of Jews with him. The Jews commonly write it 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, but in Ierus. Taanith. fol. 68. col. 4. it is writ∣ten 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉Beth tar: which properly signifies the house of spies. And there a story is told that makes it no better, of the great ones that had escaped at the ruine of Ierusalem, and dwelt here, and intrapped any man that they saw go toward Ie∣rusalem. Eusebius Hist. lib. 4. cap. 6. cals it Betheka, and saith it was not farre from Ierusalem: which Baronius boldly translates Bethlehem. The Jews do cha∣racter the dolefull slaughter at this place as the saddest stroke that ever they recei∣ved, but the fall of Ierusalem. R. Akibah himself perished in it, dotingly have be∣come Armour bearer to Ben Coziba, as holding him to be the Messias. You may observe what kinde of a Messias they expect.

Dion tels that in this Warre Severus, whom Hadrian had sent to quell them, took fifty of their strongest Garrisons, and destroyed nine hundred fourscore and five fair Towns. And he also destroyed all the Olive trees in Iudaea. Jerus. Peah. fol. 20. col. 1. How they themselves record the slaughter at Beth tar, may be seen in the Ierusalem Talmud in Taanith, the place cited above, and the Babylonian in Gittin fol. 57.2.

Whence their first tumultuating took its rise, is of some obscurity, only it may be resolved into Gods just judgement upon them to stirre to their own ruine. Yet Spartianus speaking of their stirring in the time of Hadrian saith, it was because they were forbidden Circumcision. Moverunt ea tempestate & Iudaei bellum quod vetabantur mutilare genitalia. In vit. Hadrian. Trajan put a restraint upon Christi∣anity and persecuted it. Plin. Epist. lib. 10. ep. 97. It may be he did the like upon Judaism, and that might move them to an insurrection. The horrid Massacres Page  185 that they committed in Cyrene, Egypt and Cyprus might be looked upon as a just judgement for his persecution of Christianity, if multitudes of Christians did not also perish in those slaughters, if Ben Coziba were ringleader in them: For Iustin Martyr, Apol. 2. saith, that Barchochebas brought Christians only to torture, unlesse they would deny Christ and blashheme him. And Euseb. in Chron. Chochebas the ringleader of the Iews, put to death with all exquisite torture those Christians that would not assist him against the Romanes. That is worth observing which is spoken by Ierus. Ievamoth. fol. 9. col. 1. There were many that had retracted their foreskin in the daies of Bon Coziba, were Circumcised again: which R. Nissim speaks out more at large: There were many Circumcised ones in the daies of Ben Coziba, who had retracted their foreskin perforce, in the Town of Bitter, but the hand of Ben Coziba prevailed, and reigned over them two years and an half, and they were Circumcised again in his daies. In Alphes. in Iovam. fol 428. their retracting their foreskin per∣force speaks much like to that which was mentioned before out of Spartianus.

In these times also [of Trajane I suppose] there was an Edict against the Jews Ordination upon pain of death to him that did Ordain, and him that was Ordain∣ed, and ruine of the place where any Ordination should be. Talm. Bab. Avodah Zarah fol. 8.2.

And from the time of these tumults forward that began to take place which is spoken in Ierus. Sanhed. fol. 24. col. 2. That in the daies of R. Simeon ben Iochai [who was now alive] the judging even in pecuniary matters was taken away. In fol. 18. col. 1. This is said to have been in the daies of Simeon ben Shetah: but that is a mistake▪ which is corrected in the place cited.

Upon these warres and tumults Hadrian forbids the Jews to go to Ierusalem, or so much as to look upon it from any hill where it might be seen. Euseb. hist. l. 4. c. 6.

Tryphon the Jew that hath the long dispute with Iustin Martyr, fled from these Warres. Iustin. Dial. cum Tryph. he might very well be R. Tarphon, a great asso∣ciate with R. Akibah, and one much mentioned in the Talmuds.