for ye tithe mint and anise and cummin, and have left undone the weightier matters of the law, justice, and mercy, and faith." The law was external. did not appeal to man's highest nature. It The connection of Moses with the Pentateuch. -The Hebrews had no such knowledge of historical development as we have. They did not understand the changes that had come about in their racial ideals and customs as we understand them. Believing that a certain law or custom was pleasing to Jehovah, they supposed it must always have been pleasing to him, as he never changes. Moses must have known his will, and the message Moses gave his people must have been for all time. They thought the entire Pentateuch to be the work of Moses. We now understand that it represents the growth of the Hebrew ideals for five or six hundred years. Each new collection of laws grew up in response to new needs. The Pentateuch does indeed embody the spirit and teachings of Moses, but it is the work of a succession of great, inspired leaders, who understood how to take the spirit and heart of the Law as given by Moses and adapt it to the needs of the changing times. Have we lost or gained by this conception of the way the Bible was written? The answer must be that we have gained immeasurably. The history of the Hebrew people and their religion was, according to the traditional view, perfectly unintelligible. Now we see that at each stage of the nation's life God raised up men inspired by his Spirit to interpret their past in the light of the needs of the present. BIBLICAL Sources: Jacob's dream, Gen. 28. 10, 13-16, 19, by "J." Jacob's dream, Gen. 28. 11, 12, 17, 18, 20-22, by "E." Jacob's dream, Gen. 35. 9-13, by "P." The tent of meeting, Exod. 33. 7-11, by "E." QUESTIONS I. Give the derivation and meaning of the word "Pentateuch." 2. Enumerate the documents of which the Pentateuch is composed and give a brief characterization of each. 3. What is the relation of Moses to the Pentateuch? 4. Contrast the new with the old view of the way the Bible was written. 5. Have we lost anything that is vital in giving up the older conception? What have we gained? LESSON L THE DEVELOPMENT OF JUDAISM OLD TESTAMENT history ends with the account of the work of Ezra and Nehemiah. For the next two hundred years, or from about B. C. 400 to 200, we have no history of the Jewish people except from the pen of Josephus,1 and he is often inaccurate. At the end of this long period Judaism appears fullfledged, but its process of development is at many points obscure. During these Increasing power of the priesthood. two hundred years prophecy practically disappeared, for its work was done. Judaism had the Book of the Law, and the living voice of the prophet was no longer needed. The priesthood acquired greater and greater authority and prestige. Having no political life of their own, the best energies of the race were expended on their church. The high priest was anointed like a king, wore the purple and a crown, and he alone could enter the Holy of holies. Under him was a graded corps of priests and Levites, several thousand in number. The chief duty of the priests was to present to Jehovah the sacrifices brought by the people. The duties of the Levites were menial-cleaning the temple, caring for the vessels and utensils, etc. There was everything to encourage corruption in the priesthood. Their income was enormous, for every Jewish family had to 1 Flavius Josephus (A.D. 37 to about 100) was a Jew who wrote among other things The Jewish War, and The Antiquities of the Jews. Though full of inaccuracies, his works are invaluable because of the light they throw upon periods of Jewish history about which too little is known. contribute to them a certain proportion of its income, in produce or money. Corrupt and grasping men too desired these offices. The priesthood became hereditary and the aristocratic, priestly families soon held all the positions of social influence. Nothing could have been more undemocratic. And these men had charge of the religious interests of Judaism! Two hundred years later we find high priests purchasing the office through bribery, and even in one instance committing murder in order to retain it. There must have been something tremendously vital about Judaism to withstand such conditions. The temple service was dignified, costly, and splendid. The people loved it, took pride in it, and gladly supported it. They did not feel it to be a burden. Their love for the temple and its service is reflected in many of the psalms. "I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go unto the house of Jehovah." "My soul longeth, yea even fainteth for the courts of Jehovah." "A day in thy courts is better than a thousand." Duties of the scribes.-These were a new type of religious leaders called into existence by the need of interpreting the law, as was explained in a previous chapter. Their duty was to expound it and to apply it to the practical affairs of life. They had charge of all such matters as inheritance, marriage, and divorce. The scribes eventually became the intellectual leaders of the Jewish church. The law was regarded as author itative and unalterable as we regard the laws of mathematics, and the scribes aimed to have all the people understand it. They were faithful, zealous, and efficient teachers of their race during the formative period of Judaism. Later they became narrow and unprogressive. Democracy of the synagogue.-We have seen that the synagogue grew up in Babylon to meet the needs of the exiles, who, though deprived of temple worship, could at least meet for study and instruction. But after the rebuilding of the temple the institution became firmly established in Palestine, in Egypt, and all over the world wherever there were communities of Jews. The synagogue met a need that was not met by the temple, for in it there was free discussion and constant instruction. Anyone could take part. It |