BOOK V

THE JEW AND THE TALMUD

INTRODUCTORY

The story of the Jew--his past--his condition now, is the weightiest argument that can be adduced in support of the truth of Christianity--What happened to the “sad remnant” of the people after the exterminating wars of Titus and Hadrian, A.D. 70 and 134-5, is little known; yet the wonderful story of the Jew, especially in the second and third centuries, is a piece of supreme importance--How Rabbinic study and the putting out of the Talmud have influenced the general estimate of the Old Testament among Christian peoples 325

I

THE LAST THREE GREAT WARS OF THE JEWS

_The First War_, A.D. 66-70--Revolt of the Jews--The dangerous revolt was eventually crushed by Vespasian, and when he succeeded to the Empire his son Titus completed the conquest--Fate of the city of Jerusalem, A.D. 70--Why was the Temple burned?--The recital of Sulpicius Severus gives the probable answer--The account in question was apparently quoted from a lost book of Tacitus--The Roman triumph of Titus--The memories of the conquered Jews on the Arch of Titus in the Forum--The great change in Judaism after A.D. 70, when the Temple and city were destroyed--The change was completed after the war of Hadrian in A.D. 134-5 (the third war)--Brief account of the _second and third wars_--The bitter persecution after the third war soon ceased, and the sad Jewish remnant was left virtually to itself 329

II

RABBINISM (_a_)

The conservation of the remnant of the Jews was owing to the development of Rabbinism--Rabbinism, however, existed before A.D. 70--Traditional story of the rise of Rabbinism contained in the “Mishnah” treatise Pirke Aboth--Effect of the great catastrophe of A.D. 70--Mosaism was destroyed, and was replaced by Rabbinism 338

III

RABBINISM (_b_)

Extraordinary group of eminent Rabbis who arose after the catastrophe of A.D. 70--Their new conception of the future of Israel--The Torah (Law of Moses) and other writings of the Old Testament from the days of Ezra had been esteemed ever more and more highly--The “Halachah” or (Rules round the Torah) gradually multiplied--The elaboration of these “Halachah” and “Haggadah” (traditions) formed the “Mishnah”--this work roughly occupied the new Jewish schools during the whole of the second century--Explanation of term “Mishnah”--The next two or three centuries were occupied by the Rabbis in their schools of Palestine and Babylonia in a further commentary on the “Mishnah”--This second work of the Rabbis was termed the “Gemara” 342

IV

THE TALMUD

Portions of the “Talmud” had existed before A.D. 70--probably some few of the “Halachah” and “Haggadah” even dating from the days of Moses--some from the times of the Judges, and others belonging to the schools of the Prophets--In the times of Ezra arose the strange and unique “Guild of Scribes,” devoted to the study and interpretation of the sacred writings and the traditions which had gathered round them in past ages--R. Hillel a little before the Christian era began the task of arranging the results of the labours of the scribes--R. Akiba after A.D. 70 continued the work of arrangement, but was interrupted--His fame and story--R. Meir further worked at the same task, which was finally completed by R. Judah the Holy, who generally arranged the Mishnah in the form in which it has come down to us--This “Mishnah” served as the text for the great academies of Palestine and Babylonia to work on in the third and two following centuries--Their writings are known as the “Gemara”--The Mishnah and Gemara together form the Talmud--A picture of the great Rabbinic academies of Palestine and Babylonia--Their methods of study 347

V

HOW THE TEXT OF THE BOOKS OF THE OLD TESTAMENT WAS PRESERVED

Description of the Massorah--The work of the Massorites in the preservation of the text of the sacred books--Present condition of the Massorah 361

VI

CONCLUDING MEMORANDA

Inspiration of the Old Testament Scriptures, according to the Talmud account 364

The story of the Talmud through the ages 365

The Talmud and the New Testament 366

Influence of the Talmud on Judaism 368

Influence of the Talmud on Christianity 370

VII

(_A_) AN APPENDIX ON THE “HAGGADAH”

“Haggadah” in the Talmud and in other ancient Rabbinical writings--Signification of the “Haggadah”--Its great importance--Its enduring popularity 371

Examples of “Haggadah” quoted from the Palestinian Targum on Deuteronomy 373

VIII

(_B_) ON THE “HALACHAH” AND “HAGGADAH”

The general purport of the “Halachah”--Some illustrations--Further details connected with the “Haggadah”--It is not confined to the later Books of the Old Testament--The “Haggadah” also belongs to the Pentateuch--Examples of this quoted--Instances of the influence of “Haggadah” in the New Testament Books 376

IX

WOMEN’S DISABILITIES 380

INDEX 381

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

PAINTING IN THE CATACOMBS, SECOND AND THIRD CENTURIES. THE GOOD SHEPHERD IN THE CENTRE. ON THE LEFT, DANIEL IN THE DEN OF LIONS. ON THE RIGHT, THE THREE CHILDREN IN THE FURNACE _Frontispiece_

From Palmer’s _Early Christian Symbolism_. By permission of KEGAN PAUL, TRENCH, TRUBNER & CO.

FACING PAGE

THE “COME AND DINE” OF THE LAST CHAPTER OF ST. JOHN’S GOSPEL--THE MYSTIC REPAST OF THE SEVEN DISCIPLES (CEMETERY OF CALLISTUS, SECOND CENTURY. A FAVOURITE PICTURE IN THE CATACOMBS) 219

ENTRANCE TO THE CEMETERY OF S. DOMITILLA (CRYPT OF THE FLAVIANS, FIRST CENTURY) 240

From _Roma Sotterranea Cristiana_. By permission of the Author, ORAZIO MARUCCHI

PAINTINGS IN A CHAPEL OF CATACOMB OF S. CALLISTUS, SHOWING A TOMB SUBSEQUENTLY EXCAVATED ABOVE THE ORIGINAL TOMB OF THE SAINT 245

Photo, S. J. BECKETT

MOSAIC IN THE APSE OF THE CHURCH OF STA. PUDENZIANA, ROME 263

Photo, MOSCIONI

IN THE CATACOMB OF S. PRISCILLA (SECOND OR THIRD CENTURY) 267

Photo, S. J. BECKETT

CHAPEL OF THE TOMBS OF THE THIRD-CENTURY BISHOPS OF ROME, PARTLY RESTORED--CATACOMB OF S. CALLISTUS 273

Photo, S. J. BECKETT

S. PETER’S, ROME--THE CONFESSION 281

Photo, S. J. BECKETT

A REPLICA OF MADERNO’S EFFIGY OF S. CECILIA--AS SHE WAS FOUND--IS IN THE NICHE OF THE S. CALLISTUS CHAMBER, WHERE THE BODY ORIGINALLY WAS DEPOSITED 293

Photo, S. J. BECKETT

SEPULCHRAL INSCRIPTIONS FROM THE ROMAN CATACOMBS 310

Photo, S. J. BECKETT

THE TEMPLE--JERUSALEM--THE HOLY PLACE 330

From the _Jewish Encyclopædia_. By permission of FUNK & WAGNALLS CO.

THE “WAILING-PLACE” OF THE JEWS, BEFORE THE RUINED WALLS OF THE TEMPLE 332

Photo, THE PHOTOCHROM CO.

THE TEMPLE, JERUSALEM, BEFORE ITS DESTRUCTION BY TITUS, A.D. 70 340

From a drawing in the _Jewish Encyclopædia_. By permission.

“Assured the trial, fiery, fierce, but fleet, Would, from his little heap of ashes, lend Wings to that conflagration of the world Which Christ awaits ere He makes all things new: So should the frail become the perfect, rapt From glory of pain to glory of joy.” BROWNING, _The Ring and the Book_, x. 1797