Bad Advertisement?
Are you a Christian?
Online Store:Visit Our Store
| Chapter IV.—The other observances of the Jews.
PREVIOUS SECTION - NEXT SECTION - HELP 
Chapter IV.—The other
observances of the Jews.
But as to their scrupulosity concerning meats, and
their superstition as respects the Sabbaths, and their boasting about
circumcision, and their fancies about fasting and the new moons, which
are utterly ridiculous and unworthy of notice,—I do not275
| 275 Otto, resting on ms. authority, omits the
negative, but the sense seems to require its insertion. | think
that you require to learn anything from me. For, to accept some of those
things which have been formed by God for the use of men as properly
formed, and to reject others as useless and redundant,—how can
this be lawful? And to speak falsely of God, as if He forbade us to do
what is good on the Sabbath-days,—how is not this impious? And to
glory in the circumcision276
| 276
Literally, “lessening.” | of the flesh as a proof
of election, and as if, on account of it, they were specially beloved by
God,—how is it not a subject of ridicule? And as to their
observing months and days,277
as
if waiting upon278
| 278 This
seems to refer to the practice of Jews in fixing the beginning of the
day, and consequently of the Sabbath, from the rising of the stars. They
used to say, that when three stars of moderate magnitude appeared, it was
night; when two, it was twilight; and when only one, that day had not yet
departed. It thus came to pass (according to their night-day
(νυχθήμερον)
reckoning), that whosoever engaged in work on the evening of Friday, the
beginning of the Sabbath, after three stars of moderate size were
visible, was held to have sinned, and had to present a trespass-offering;
and so on, according to the fanciful rule described. | the
stars and the moon, and their distributing,279
| 279 Otto supplies the lacuna which here
occurs in the mss. so as to
read καταδιαιρεῖν.
| according to their own tendencies, the appointments of God, and
the vicissitudes of the seasons, some for festivities,280
| 280 The great festivals of the Jews are here
referred to on the one hand, and the day of atonement on the other.
| and others for mourning,—who would deem this a part of
divine worship, and not much rather a manifestation of folly? I suppose,
then, you are sufficiently convinced that the Christians properly abstain
from the vanity and error common [to both Jews and Gentiles], and from
the busy-body spirit and vain boasting of the Jews; but you must not hope
to learn the mystery of their peculiar mode of worshipping God from any
mortal.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
|
