§. 344. OF THE STRUCTURE, ETC. OF SYNAGOGUES. In speaking of synagogues, it should be noticed that there is nothing said in respect to the existence of such buildings in Palestine, during the reign of Antiochus Epiphanes. They were, therefore, first erected under the Maccabean princes, and not long after were much increased in number; but in foreign countries they were much more ancient, Josephus, Jewish War, vii. 3. 3.

It appears certain, that in the time of the apostles there were synagogues wherever there were Jews. They were built in imitation of the temple of Jerusalem, with a court and porches, as is the case with the synagogues in the east at the present day. In the centre of the court is a chapel, supported by four columns, in which, on an elevation prepared for it, is placed the book of the law, rolled up. This, on the appointed days, is publicly read.

In addition to the chapel there is erected within the court a large covered hall or vestry, into which the people retire when the weather happens to be cold and stormy, and each family has its particular seat, Della Valle's Travels, P. IV. Epist. 5, p. 195; comp. Talmud, succoth, 51. 2.

The uppermost seats in the synagogue, i. e., those which were nearest the chapel, where the sacred books were kept, were esteemed peculiarly honourable, Matt. xxiii. 6; James, ii. 3.

The PROSEUCHE, #poσevxaí, are understood by some to be smaller synagogues, but by others are supposed to be particular places under the open sky, where the Jews assembled for religious exercises. But Josephus, in his account of his own life, §. 54, calls the PROSEUCHA of Tiberius, a large house which held very

many persons.

We infer, therefore, that poreux is the same with Tomos or Oikos Tus #роσεuxus, viz. any place of worship; answering to the Aramean phrase, 7, which is used for synagogue. They differed only from synagogues in this respect, namely, that they were not buildings especially set apart for divine worship, Acts, xvi. 13, 16; Philo de Legat. ad Caium. p. 1011; Juvenal, Satire, iii. 14.

The apostles preached the Gospel in synagogues and proseuche, and with their followers performed in them all the religious services. When excluded, they imitated the Jews in those places,

403 where they were too poor to erect these buildings, and held their religious meetings in the houses of individuals. Hence we not only hear of synagogues in houses, in the Talmud, but of churches in houses, in the New Testament, Acts, ii. 46; v. 42; Rom. xvi. 5; 1 Cor. xvi. 19; Col. iv. 15; Philemon, ii.

The apostles sometimes hired a house, in which they performed religious services and taught daily, Acts, xix. 9; xx. 9.

NOTE. Zuvaywyń means, literally, a convention or assembly; but, by metonymy, was eventually used for the place of assembling; in the same way that ekkλŋola, which means literally a calling together, or convocation, signifies also, at the present time, the place of convocation. Synagogues were sometimes called by the Jews Schools; but they were careful to make an accurate distinction between such, and the Schools, properly so called: the 7, or sublimer Schools, in which the TALMUD was read; whilst the Law, which they placed far beneath the Talmud, was read in the synagogues only.

CHAPTER III.

OF SACRED SEASONS.

§. 345. ON THE ANTIQUITY OF THE SABBATH.

In speaking of sacred seasons it will readily occur, that, of the periods of time which may thus be denominated, the SABBATH, που, που, σάββατον, σάββατα, is especially worthy of attention. It may be remarked, that the Greek and Hebrew words here mentioned are applied, in some instances, to other periods of time set apart for the purposes of religion or recreation; but are more especially used in reference to the seventh day of the week.

Whether the practice of consecrating the Sabbath originated from what is stated in Gen. ii. 1-3, is a question, which, while it has been defended by some, has been disputed by others, on

the ground, that there is no express mention of it previously to the time of Moses. But in regard to this point, viz. the origin and antiquity of the Sabbath, I proceed to state :

I. As we find by an examination of the Mosaic Laws, that the greatest part of the ordinances which are sanctioned by that legislator existed in previous times, we have a right to infer the probability, that this was the case in respect to the Sabbath also.

II. What we should, therefore, naturally expect in this case, is rendered more probable by the expressions used in Exod. xx. 8-11, where the command runs thus; Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. [For these expressions are of such a nature as evidently to imply that the consecration of the seventh day, although it might have been omitted for a time during their residence in Egypt, was not a new thing to the Israelites, and that they understood how the day should be kept or sanctified, and were able to do it if they had a disposition so to do.]

III. This view in respect to the Sabbath is further confirmed by the circumstances that we are nowhere informed what things are to be done, and what are to be omitted on that day; which implies that the duties connected with it were known from

custom.

IV. There is mention made of the sanctification of the Sabbath before the formal promulgation of the Law concerning it from Mount Sinai, Exod. xvi. 22—30.

V. A WEEK occurs under its appropriate name, as far back as Gen. xxix. 27, and we further find that a definite period of seven days occurs in Gen. vii. 4, 10; viii. 10, 12; which implies that one day of the seven was marked by some distinction.

VI. As the very nature of the case compels us to believe that the doctrines of the Creator and the creation could not have existed at so early a period as they did without a revelation; so there is far from being any improbability or inconsistency in considering Gen. i. 1; ii. 2, 3, as a simultaneous revelation in regard to the Sabbath.

VII. Finally, that this was the case is hinted in Exod. xx. 8 -11; and furthermore, it is on this ground only, viz. that the Sabbath was consecrated previously to the time of Moses; or, in other words, that it existed from the creation, that we are able to account for the fact, that very many nations, who, it is certain, did not take the practice from the Mosaic laws, have, in some

way or other, distinguished that day; Josephus against Apion, ii. 39.

§. 346. ON THE Design of THE SABBATH.

The design of the Sabbath, as mentioned in Exod. xx. 8—11, and in xxxi. 12-17, where there is a repetition of the statement made in Gen. ii. 1-3, was to exhibit a symbolic acknowledgment that God was the Creator of the universe, and that He alone is worthy to be, and should alone be, worshipped. Hence the same punishment was attached to a violation of this institution, as was to an open defection from the true God, viz. death, Exod. xxxv. 2; Numb. xv. 32-36.

In addition to this general design, there was another of a subordinate kind, viz. that men, especially slaves, might rest and be refreshed, and might be led to rejoice in the goodness of God, who gave them this season of suspension from their toils, Exod. xxiii. 12.

That the Sabbath, as some maintain, was consecrated in commemoration of the deliverance from Egyptian servitude, is nowhere asserted; and the most that can be said in favour of this opinion is, that the Jews are exhorted to remember the sufferings they endured in that land, in order that, prompted by reminiscences of this kind, they might the more willingly allow the rest of the Sabbath to their servants and to their cattle, Deut. v. 14, 15.

The statement which is made in Exod. xxxi. 13-17, and Ezek. xx. 20, 21, viz. that the Sabbath is the sign of a coveNANT between God and the Israelites, means merely this, that God, as Creator, had a claim on the worship of the Jews; that he was disposed to exact such worship; and that they had promised to render it.

NOTE. The more recent Jews distinguished certain Sabbaths by particular names. The Sabbath, for instance, immediately preceding the Passover, was denominated the great Sabbath, (John, xix. 31; comp. Orach. chajjim, p. 430, and Schulchan Aruch, p. 33, 2;) because the Israelites, while in Egypt, had witnessed on that day a great miracle. Indeed any Sabbath, which was immediately followed by one of the principal festivals, was denominated great.

Another kind of Sabbath is called the second first, cáßßator BEUTEρóпрWTOY. It is worthy of remark, that the Sabbath, which δευτερόπρωτον. is thus named in Luke vi. 1, the second-first, is called in Matthew, xii. 1, and in Mark, ii. 23, simply the Sabbath. It is difficult to explain what this second-first Sabbath is.

The majority of critics suppose it was that which immediately succeeded the second day of the Passover. For, since the Jews numbered their days from the Passover to the Pentecost, (Deut. xvi. 9,) the first Sabbath after the second day from the Passover, seems to have been properly enough termed SECUNDO-PRIMUM, the second-first. The word σάββατον, in the phrase μεταξὺ σάβο Batov, (Acts, xiii. 42,) is nothing else than the week itself, which, as has been elsewhere observed, is sometimes designated by the customary Greek word for Sabbath.

§. 347. CONCErning those tHINGS WHICH WERE TO BE OMITTED ON THE SABBATH.

The name of the Sabbath itself, n, which signifies rest, is an intimation, that the labours in which men ordinarily engaged shall be intermitted on that day; and we very frequently meet with express commands to that effect, Exod. xx. 10; xxxi. 14— 17; xxxv. 1-3; Deut. v. 12-14. A particular specification, however, or enumeration, of what might, and what might not be done, is nowhere found; and we can only say, that, before the promulgation of the Law on mount Sinai, the gathering of manna was one of those things upon which, we are assured, labour could not be expended; and that, subsequently to its promulgation, the making of a fire was another, Exod. xvi. 22-30; xxxv. 3; Numb. xv. 32, 36. What other things there were, which were expressly prohibited, we have no means of ascertaining.

We are at liberty to say, nevertheless, on the other hand :— I. That the use of arms was not interdicted, as the more recent Jews supposed, 1 Macc. ii. 31, et seq.

II. The healing of the sick also was not forbidden; nor the taking of medicines, as was dreamt by some of the Jewish teachers in the time of Christ, and by some of the writers in the Talmud; nor, in truth, a journey or walk of more than a thousand geometrical paces; nor the plucking of a few ears of corn to appease one's hunger; nor the performance of any acts of necessity, as feeding cattle, or plucking them from the ditch, if they had