We have before had an occafion of mentioning the religious exercifes performed on the sabbath. Feaftings and rejoicings were also thought effential to the fabbath, according to Philo, Jofephus, and the Thalmudifts (n). Thefe however do not seem to have been of divine inftitution. It is only faid in the law, that the fabbath was appointed as a day of refpite, as a breathing-time according to the feptuagint, or as a day of refreshment according to the ancient Latin verfion. This cuftom is certainly of a very long standing, fince it is taken notice of by a heathen author (0), by way of reflection upon the Jews. There could be no manner of harm in it, if, fatisfied with some few innocent diverfions, and moderate mirth, they had not exceeded the bounds of temperance and fobriety, as they are charged by that Author, as well as by St. Auguftin (p), of having done. JESUS CHRIST made no fcruple of being at a feast on the fabbath-day (q)But fuch was the fenfuality of that people, that they could not but foon make an ill use of this cuftom. Accordingly we find fome foot-fteps of it in the prophet Isaiah (r), where rewards are proposed to such as would not take an occafion from the fabbath to indulge themselves in all manner of rioting and excess. It is certain that the fabbath was a day of rejoicing, and that, as a token of it, they founded the trumpet at feveral different hours (*), made great illuminations, and every one put on his best garments, and dressed over night a greater quantity of victuals than usual. Before we conclude this article concerning the fabbath properly fo called, it will be proper to explain what (s) St. Luke means by the fecondfirft fabbath, the which is the more neceffary to do here, because the note on that paffage happens to be omitted in our verfion of the New Teftament. As this expreffion is to be found no where but in this place, the learned are very much divided about the fignification of it, and Gregory Nazianzen excufed himself in a very pleafant manner from delivering his opinion about it, when defired by St. Jerom (t). The Jewish year having two beginnings, as hath been fhewn before, fome authors pretend, that there were confequently two firft fabbaths, namely, the first fabbath of the month Tifri or September, which was the beginning of the civil year. This, according to them, was the firft fabbath of all. The other was the first sabbath in the month Nifan or March, and this was named the fecond-firft. Clemens of Alexandria fpeaks indeed of a fabbath (u), that was ftiled the firft. And this conjecture would appear plaufible enough, was it not liable to this difficulty, viz. That if the fecond (n) Philo de Vita Mofis. Jof. cont. App. 1. 1. (*) The first time was at the ninth hour, or our three in the afternoon, and then they left off working in the country; the fecond was fome time after, and this moment all the workmen in the city left off working, and fhut up their fops; and the last was, when the fun was ready to fet, and then they lighted up the lamps. Lamy. p. 129. (s) Luke vi. 1. (4) Clem. Alexand. Str. vi. p. 656. (t) Hier. Epift. xxiv. ad Nepotian. fecond-firft fabbath mentioned by St. Luke had been the first fabbath of the month Nifan, it would thence follow that the disciples had tranigreffed the law by eating ears of corn (x), fince the omer of barley, which was not prefented to God till the next day after the feast of unleavened bread, that is, the fixteenth, had not been at that time offered up. Yet we do not find that the Pharifees upbraided the difciples for having tranfgreffed the law in this refpect, but only for having plucked ears of corn on the fabbath. Others have imagined that the Jews called firft fabbaths, those three, that immediately followed their three folemn feftivals; infomuch that the first of all was that which came after the paffover, the fecond-firft after the pentecoft, and the third-firft after the feaft of tabernacles; but this conjecture is built upon too weak grounds to be depended on. The moft probable opinion therefore is that which is commonly received among the learned, namely, That by the fecond-firft fabbath is to be understood the first fabbath after the fecond day of the feaft of unleavened bread, when the handful of barley was offered (y), and from which the feven weeks between the paffover and pentecoft were reckoned. Every circumftance tends to confirm this fuppofition. The difciples might then lawfully cat ears of corn. Jofephus fays (z), that on the fecond day of the feaft of unleavened bread, which is the fixteenth of the month, they are allowed to reap, but not before. Befides, the Greek word ufed by St. Luke (a), properly fignifies the firft after the fecond. This moreover agrees with the Jewish way of computing the fifty days between the passover and pentecoft (b). The next day after the offering of the omer, they were ufed to fay, this is the first day of the omer, and fo on, till the fiftieth. The Hellenift-Jews, inftead of faying the first after the omer (c), faid the firft after the fecond, that is, after the fecond day of the feast of unleavened bread. The fabbatical year happened every seventh year, and Of the fabbatherefore it was alfo named the fabbath (d), according to tical year. the Jewish calculation. The first fabbatical year celebrated by the children of Ifrael was the fourteenth after their coming into the land of Canaan, because they were to be feven years in making themfelves mafters thereof, and feven more in dividing it among themselves. This year was reckoned, not from Abib or March, but from Tifri or September. It was called the year of release, for several reafons. 1. Because the ground remained untilled. They were not permitted to fow, to plant, or prune trees, in a word, to cultivate the ground in any manner whatfoever (e). So that during the fix foregoing years, and efpecially on the fixth, which was filed the eve of the fabbatical year, they were obliged to lay in provifions again't the enfuing time of need. This hath made fome believe that when JESUS CHRIST told the Jews, (α) Δευτεροπρώλος, 1. e. πεῶιος ἀπὸ τῆς δευτέρας. (b) Leo of Modena Cer. of the Jews. "Pray (c) Bartolocer. Biblioth. Rabb. apud. Bern. Lami, Appar. Chron. p. 202. (d) Lev. XXV. 4. (e) Exod. xxiii. 10, &c. Levit. xxv. 2, 3, 4, 5. "Pray ye that your flight be not on the fabbath (f)," he meant the fabbatical year, when there was but little fuftenance to be found upon the ground. But another sense may be put on that paffage (*). 2. Such debts as had been contracted during the fix preceding years were remitted (g). But it may be questioned whether a creditor was not allowed to demand his debt at the end of the fabbatical year; the Thalmudists are not agreed about it, but thus much is certain, that the fabbatical year was a time of acquittance for debtors. 3. Hebrew flaves were then fet at liberty. It is however probable, that mafters were obliged to make their flaves free at the end of every feventh year, whether it happened to be the fabbatical year or not (b); unless the flaves were willing to remain in the fame ftate for life, in which cafe, their mafters brought them before the judges, and bored their ears through with an awl against the door-pofts. To which David alluded when he faid, that God "did not defire facrifice or oblation from him, but had bored his ears (i)," that he might be his fervant for ever, and become always obedient to his voice. Thefe words to bore the ear, are rendered in the Septuagint by others that fignify to fit, or prepare a body, meaning, that the body or perfon of the Dave was no longer his own, but his master's. The author of the epistle to the Hebrews brings in Jefus Chrift making use of the same expreffion, and applies it to his fubject (k). Laftly, When mention is fo often made in the New Teftament of the remiflion of fins, it is undoubtedly fpoken with allufion to the fabbatical year, which was a year of remiffion in all these refpects. The jubilee (t) was celebrated at the end of feven times Of the jubilee. feven, or forty nine years, that is, every fiftieth year (1), It began on the tenth day of the month Tifri, and was proclaimed throughout the country by the found of a ram's horn, or a trumpet. There is no mention of the jubilees, but whilst the twelve tribes were in poffeffion of the land of Canaan. The Thalmudifts pretend that they ceased when the tribes of Gad, Reuben, and the half of Manasseh were carried away into captivity, and they are not at all mentioned under the fecond temple, though the fabbatical years continued ftill to be obferved. The jubilee had the fame privileges as the fabbatical year; the ground was not then cultivated, and flaves were set at liberty (m). And befides, fuch lands as had been fold or mortgaged, returned to the first owners, if they could not redeem them fooner (n); excepting houses in walked towns (o). These were to be redeemed within a year, (f) Matt. xxiv. 20. (*) Whatever grew of itself, was left on the ground for the use of the poor and the stranger. Exod. xxiii. 11. (g) Deut. xv. 2. (4) Pfalm x'. 6. (b) Exod. xxi. 5, 6. Jerem. xxxiv. 14. (+) The wor jubilee is formed from a Hebrew noun that fignifies a ram's born, because it was uted in proclaiming the jubilee, or elfe from an ther figni fying to remit or bring back again, becaufe alienated eftates returned then to the former owners. (1) Lev. xxv. 8. (2) Ibid, ver. 28. (m) Ibid. ver. 40. (0) Ibid. ver. 30, a year, otherwife they belonged to the purchafer, notwithstanding the jubilee.. Some learned men (p) have attempted to prove by a calculation, that appears pretty exact, that if the Jews had still obferved the jubilees, the fifteenth year of Tiberius, when John the Baptist firft began to preach, would have been a jubilee, and confequently the laft, fince fifty years after the Jewish commonwealth was no longer in being. This particular is of fome confequence in our disputes with the Jews, who pretend (g), that the fon of David will come during the last jubilee. And this alfo exactly agrees with the defign of the gofpel, and the end of John the Baptift's coming, which was to proclaim the grand jubilee, the fpiritual freedom of the children of God, foretold by Zechariah (r), and prefigured by the jubilees of the Jews. This article concerning the fabbath, the fabbatical year, and the jubilee, gives us an occafion of reflecting on the number Seven, fo famous in the Old and New Teftament. It is certain that an extraordinary degree of perfection and holiness hath ever been ascribed to it, even among the heathens, as is evident from Philo (s), as well as the feven altars, which Balaam caused to be erected, to facrifice thereon feven bullocks, and seven rams (t). We learn from Genesis that this number was much refpected alfo by the patriarchs. God ordered Noah to chufe feven pairs of clean animals, and bring them into the ark (u). Noah fent every feven days a pigeon out of the ark to fee if the waters were abated (x). Abraham fet apart seven lambs for Abimelech (y). Jacob ferved Laban twice seven years (z). Cain was to be revenged feven-fold, and Lamech feventy and seven, or eleven times feven (a). God commands Job's friends to offer feven bullocks and seven rams for a burnt-offering (b). Pharaoh faw in a dream feven cows, and seven ears of corn, which Jofeph interpreted by feven years (c). This number was no lefs famous under the law, and it became entirely holy by the institution of the seventh day. Most of the extraordinary facrifices were generally feven, and if there were more, they were reckoned by multiplying this number. The afperfions were done feven times. Several festivals lasted seven days. There were feven weeks between the paffover and pentecoft. More festivals were kept during the feventh month than any other; there being no less than fix. The number seven seems alfo to have been obferved in performing several miraculous operations. When the Shunamite's fon was brought again to life by Elifha, he fneezed seven times (d); and the fame prophet ordered Naaman to go and wash himself seven times in the river Jordan, in order to be cured of his leprofy. Is Jericho to be taken, we presently fee seven priefts founding the trumpet for feven days, and on the feventh compafling the city seven times. All these instances, and many others that might easily be produced, plainly fhew (p) Father Lamy. Appar. Chron. p. 142. (5) Phil. de Mundi Opif. 17, 18. (c) Gen. xl. (d) that (x) Gen. viii, 10, 11, 12. (a) Gen. iv. 24. 2 Kings iv. 35. & v. 10. The that the number feven was reckoned full of myfteries. There are likewife in the New Teftament manifeft tokens of the myfteries which this number was fuppofed to contain; particularly in the Revelations, where every thing that can be numbered, is reckoned by fevens. Jews have ranfacked all arts and fciences, to account for the pretended perfection of the number feven. They have fetched arguments for it from phyfics, the human body, and all the parts of nature; from arithmetic, aftronomy, and geography. There was no need of fo much learning. The number feven hath no perfection in itfelf. But it is plain that God was pleased to make it as it were a facrament of the truth of the creation, that men feeing that number fo often diftinguished from the reft, and forming the most remarkable epochas and computations, might always remember, that it was on the feventh day God had refted from his works after the creation of the world. Philo having advanced feveral odd and extravagant things concerning the number feven (e), concludes all his fpeculations upon that point with thefe excellent words: "For "thefe reafons," faith he, "and several others, is the number feven honour"ed; but chiefly, because by it is manifefted the Father and Author of "the universe, and the mind may in it behold, as in a looking-glafs, God "creating the world, and all things that are therein contained." But it must be obferved that this number is myftical, and wherever it occurs in fcripture, is not always to be taken in a literal sense, for frequently it is a certain and definite number put for an uncertain and indefinite one, and fometimes it fignifies no more than some certain large number. We have but little to fay concerning the rest of the Jewish festivals that were of divine inftitution, that is, the new moons. The feaft of the new year, which happened on the first new moon, was celebrated with a great deal of folemnity on the first and fecond days of the month Tifri, which was the beginning of the civil year of the Hebrews (f). This feftival was called in fcripture the feast of trumpets, because during all that time the temple refounded with these instruments. It was spent in rest, feastings, and rejoicings (g). Several extraordinary facrifices were then offered; efpecially a goat that was offered up to the Lord, as is exprefsly said in fcripture (*). There could be nothing more natural, than to confecrate to God a day which had by the heathens been dedicated to their falfe deities, thereby to turn them from idolatry; but among the other reafons which rendered this day holy, the most remarkable is, that it was the first day in the feventh month of the ecclefiaftical year. Befides, it is an old tradition among the Jews, and received by feveral Chriftians, that the world was created at that season of the year. To which may be added, that fabbatical years and jubilees were regulated by the month Tifri, for which reafon perhaps it was called the memorial of the jubilee. Of the new moons. Mention is often made in the facred writings of the folemnity of the (f) Lev. xxiii. 24. new (e) Philo de Decal. (g) Pfalm. Ixxxi. 3. (*) The most famous Jewish doctors obferve, that by these words of fcripture is meant, that this goat was not offered to the moon, as the Gentiles were used to do, but to the true God. |