JEWISH PATRIARCH, a dignity, respecting the origin of which there are a variety of opinions. The learned authors of the Universal History think, that the first appearance and institution of those patriarchs happened under Nerva the successor of Domitian. It seems probable that the patriarchs were of the Aaronic or Levitical race; the tribe of Judah being at that time too much depressed, and too obnoxious to the Romans to be able to assume any external power. But of whatever tribe they were, their authority came to be very considerable. Their principal business was to instruct the people; and for this purpose they instituted schools in several cities. And having gained great reputation for their extraordinary learning, zeal, and piety, they might, in time, not only bring a great concourse of other Jews from other parts, as from Egypt and other western provinces of their dispersion, but likewise prove the means of their patriarchal authority's being acknowledged there. From them they ventured at length to levy a kind of tribute, in order to defray the charges of their dignity, and of the officers, (viz. the Apotoli or Legati) under them, whose business it was to carry their orders and decisions through the other provinces of their dispersion, and to see them punctually executed by all, that some shadow of union at least might be kept up among the western Jews. They likewise nominated the deacons who were to preside over their schools and academies; and these were in process of time styled chiefs and princes, in order to raise the credit of that dignity, or to imply the great regard which their disciples were to pay to them. These chiefs became at length rivals of the patriarchs; and some of them possessed both dignities at once; an usurpation which caused not only great confusion amongst them, but oftentimes very violent and bloody contests. However, as the Jewish Rabbies have trumped
Patriarch. trumped up a much older era for this patriarchal dignity, and have given us a succession of them down to the fifth century, in which it was abolished, it will not be amiss to give our readers the substance of what they have written of the rise and progress of this order of men; and at the same time to show them the absurdity and falsehood of that pretended succession to this imaginary dignity.
According to them, the first patriarch was Hillel, furnished the Babylonian, because he was sent for from thence to Jerusalem about 100 years before the ruin of their capital, or 30 years before the birth of Christ, to decide a dispute about the keeping of Easter, which on that year fell out on the Sabbath-day; and it was on account of his wife's decision that he was raised to that dignity, which continued in his family till the said fifth century. He was likewise looked upon as a second Moses, because he lived like him 40 years in obscurity, 40 more in great reputation for learning and sanctity, and 40 more in possession of this patriarchal dignity. They make him little inferior to that lawgiver in other of his excellencies, as well as in the great authority he gained over the whole Jewish nation. The wonder will be, how Herod the Great, who was so jealous of his own power, could suffer a stranger to be raised to such a height of it, barely for having decided a dispute which must in all likelihood have been adjudged by others long before that time.
However, Hillel was succeeded by his son Simeon, whom many Christians pretend to have been the venerable old person of that name, who received the divine infant in his arms. The Jews give him but a very obscure patriarchate; though the authors above quoted make him, moreover, chief of the sanhedrim; and Epiphanius says, that the priestly tribe hated him so much for giving so ample a testimony to the divine child, that they denied him common burial. But it is hardly credible that St Luke should have so carelessly passed over his two-fold dignity, if he had been really possessed of them, and have given him no higher title than that of a just and devout man.
He was succeeded by Jochanan, not in right of descent, but of his extraordinary merit, which the Rabbies, according to custom, have raised to so surprising a height, that, according to them, if the whole heavens were paper, all the trees in the world pens, and all the men writers, they would not suffice to pen down all his lessons. He enjoyed his dignity but two years, according to some, or five according to others: and was the person who, observing the gates of the temple to open of their own accord, cried out, "O temple, temple! what art thou thus moved? We know that thou art to be destroyed, seeing Zechariah hath foretold it, saying, "Open thy gates, O Lebanon, and let the flames consume thy cedars." Upon this he is further reported to have complimented Vespasian, or rather, as some have corrected the story, Titus, with the title of king, assuring him that it was a royal person who was to destroy that edifice; on which account they pretend that general gave him leave to remove the sanhedrim to Japhne.
The Jewish writers add, that he likewise erected an academy there, which subsisted till the death of Akiba; and was likewise the seat of the patriarch; and consisted of 300 schools, or classes of scholars. Another he
erected at Lydda, not far from Japhne, and where the Patriarch Christians have buried their famed St George. He lived 120 years, and being asked, what he had done to prolong his life? he gave this wise answer; I never made water nearer a house of prayer than four cubits; I never disguised my name: I have taken care to celebrate all festivals: and my mother hath even fold my head ornaments to buy wine enough to make me merry on such days; and left me at her death 300 hogheads of it, to sanctify the Sabbath.—The doctors who flourished in his time were no less considerable, both for their number and character; particularly the famed Rabbi Channina, of whom the Bath Col was heard to say, that the world was preserved for the sake of him; and R. Nicodemus, whom they pretend to have stopped the course of the sun, like another Joshua.
He was succeeded by Gamaliel, a man, according to them, of unsufferable pride; and yet of so universal authority over all the Jews, not only in the west, but over the whole world, that the very monarchs suffered his laws to be obeyed in their dominions, not one of them offering to obstruct the execution of them. In his days flourished Samuel the Less, who composed a prayer full of the bitterest curses against heretics, by which they mean the Christians; and which are still in use to this day. Gamaliel was no less an enemy to them; and yet both have been challenged, the former as the celebrated master of our great apostle, the other as his disciple in his unconverted state.
Simon II. his son and successor, was the first martyr who died during the siege of Jerusalem. The people so regretted his death, that an order was given, instead of 10 bumpers of wine, which were usually drunk at the funeral of a saint, to drink 13 at his, on account of his martyrdom. These bumpers were in time multiplied, they tell us, to such shameful height, that the sanhedrim was forced to make some new regulations to prevent that abuse.
These are the patriarchs which the Rabbies tell us, preceded the destruction of the temple; and we need no farther consultation of this pretended dignity, than the silence of the sacred historians, who not only make not the least mention of it, but assure us all along that they were the high-priests who presided in the sanhedrim; and before whom all cases relating to the Jewish religion were brought and decided. It was the high-priest who examined and condemned our Saviour; that condemned St Stephen; that forbade the apostles to preach in Christ's name; and who sat as judge on the great apostle at the head of that supreme court. The same may be urged from Josephus, who must needs have known and mentioned this pretended dignity, if any such there had been; and yet is so far from taking the least notice of it, that, like the evangelists, he places the pontiffs alone at the head of all the Jewish affairs; and names the high-priest Ananus as having the care and direction of the war against the Romans;—which is an evident proof that there were then no such patriarchs in being.
To all this let us add, that if there had been any such remarkable succession, the Talmudists would have preserved it to future ages; whereas, neither they, nor any of the ancient authors of the Jewish church, make any mention of it; but only some of their doctors, who have written a considerable time after them, as of writers to whom little credit can be given in points of this nature;
Patriarch,
Patriarch.
nature; especially as there are such unfurmountable contradictions between them, as no authors either Jewish or Christian have, with all their pains, been hitherto able to reconcile.
Their succession, according to the generality of those rabbies, stands as follows:
1. Hillel the Babylonian. 2. Simeon the son of Hillel. 3. Gamaliel the son of Simeon. 4. Simeon II. the son of Gamaliel. 5. Gamaliel II. the son of Simeon II. 6. Simeon III. the son of Gamaliel II. 7. Judah the son of Simeon III. 8. Gamaliel III. the son of Judah. 9. Judah II. the son of Gamaliel III. 10. Hillel II. son of Judah II. 11. Judah III. son of Hillel II. 12. Hillel III. son of Judah III. 13. Gamaliel IV. son of Hillel III.
According to Gants Tzemach David, who hath reduced them to 10, they are,
1. Hillel the Babylonian. 2. Simeon the son of Hillel. 3. Rabb. Gamaliel Rebona. 4. R. Simeon the son of Gamaliel. 5. Rabb. Gamaliel his son. 6. R. Jehudah the prince. 7. Hillel the prince, his son. 8. Rabb. Gamaliel the Old. 9. Simeon III. 10. R. Judah, Nassi or prince.
On the whole, it cannot be doubted but that their first rise was in Nerva's time, however much Jewish pride may have prompted them to falsify, and to assert their origin to have been more ancient than it really was. Nor have the Jews been faithful in giving an account of the authority of these men. They have exaggerated their power beyond all bounds, for the purpose of repelling the arguments of Christians: for their power was certainly more showy than substantial. In time, however, they certainly imposed upon the people; and what power they did possess (which the Romans only allowed to be in religious matters, or in such as were connected with religion) they exercised with great rigour. Their pecuniary demands, in particular, became very exorbitant; and was the cause of their suppression in the year 429.