CHAPTER IV.

SACRED TIMES AND SEASONS OBSERVED BY THE JEWS.

In order to perpetuate the memory of the numerous wonders God had wrought in favour of his people, Moses by the divine command instituted various festivals, which they were obliged to observe; these sacred seasons were either weekly, monthly, or annual, or recurred after a certain number of years.

I. Every seventh day was appropriated to sacred repose, and called the SABBATH; although this name is in some passages given to other festivals, as in Levit. xxv. 4., and sometimes it denotes a week, as in Matt. xxviii. 1. Luke xxiv. 1. and Acts xx. 7. It was originally instituted to preserve the memory of the creation of the world (Gen. ii. 3.); and when God gave the Israelites rest in the land of Canaan, he commanded the Sabbath to be statedly kept. (Exod. xx. 10, 11. xvi. 23.) Accordingly, it was observed with great solemnity; the Jews religiously abstaining from all servile work. (Exod. xx. 10. xxiii. 12, &c. &c.) It was therefore unlawful to gather manna on that day (Exod. xvi. 22—30.), to light a fire for culinary purposes, and also to sow or reap. (Exod. xxxv. 3. Numb. xv. 32-36. Exod. xxxiv. 21.) The services of the temple, however, might be performed without profaning the Sabbath, such as preparing the sacrifices (Lev. vi. 8-13. Numb. xxviii. 3—10. Matt. xii. 5.); and it was also lawful to perform circumcision on that day. (John vii. 23.) The Sabbath commenced at sunset, and closed at the same time on the following day. (Matt. vii. 16. Mark i. 32.) Whatever was necessary was prepared on the latter part of the preceding day, that is of our Friday; whence the day preceding the Sabbath is termed the preparation in Matt. xxvii. 62. Mark xv. 42. Luke xxiii. 54. and John xix. 14. 31. 42.

We know not with certainty from the Mosaic writings what constituted the most antient worship of the Israel

ites on the Sabbath-day. It is, however, evident from the New Testament, that the celebration of this day chiefly consisted in the religious exercises which were then performed: though there is no injunction recorded, except that a burnt-offering of two lambs should on that day be added to the morning and evening sacrifices (Numb. xxviii. 9.): and that the shew-bread should be changed. (Levit. xxiv. 8.) In the synagogues, as we have already seen, the sacred writings were read and expounded, to which was sometimes added a discourse or sermon by some doctor or eminent teacher. (Luke iv. 16. Acts xiii. 15.)

Prayer also appears to have formed a part of their sacred worship in the synagogue, and especially in the temple. (1 Sam. i. 9, 10. 1 Kings viii. 29, 30. 33. Psal. xxviii. 2. Luke xviii. 10.)

II. The Jewish months being lunar were originally calculated from the first appearance of the moon, on which the Feast of the new moon, or beginning of months (as the Hebrews termed it), was celebrated. (Exod. xii. 2. Numb. x. 10. xxviii. 11. Isa. i. 13, 14.) It seems to have been in use long before the time of Moses, who by the divine command prescribed what ceremonies were then to be observed. It was proclaimed with the sound of trumpets. (Numb. x. 10. Psal. lxxxi. 3.): and several additional sacrifices were offered. (Numb. xxviii. 11—15.)

Besides the Sabbath, Moses instituted other festivals: three of these, viz. the passover, the feast of pentecost, and the feast of tabernacles, which are usually denominated the Great Festivals, were distinguished from the Sabbath, and indeed from all other holy days, by the circumstance of each of them lasting seven (one for eight) successive days; during which the Jews were bound to rejoice before the Lord for all their deliverances and mercies. (Deut. xvi. 11-15.) All the males of the twelve tribes were bound to be present at these grand festivals (Exod. xxxiv. 23. Deut. xvi. 16.): and for their

encouragement to attend, they were assured that "no man should desire their land" during their absence (Exod. xxxiv. 24.); in other words, that they should be secure from hostile invasion during their attendance on religious worship: - a manifest proof this of the divine origin of their religion, as well as of the power and particular providence of God, in working thrice every year an especial miracle for the protection of his people.

III. The first and most eminent of these festivals was the PASSOVER, instituted the night before the Israelites' departure from Egypt, for a perpetual memorial of their signal deliverance, and of the favour which God showed them in passing over and sparing their first-born, when he slew the first-born of the Egyptians. (Exod. xii. 1214. 29, 30-51.) This festival was also called the feast or the days of unleavened bread (Exod. xxiii. 15. Mark xiv. 1. Acts xii. 3.); because it was unlawful to eat any other bread during the seven days the feast lasted. The name was also by a metonymy given to the lamb that was killed on the first day of this feast (Ezra vi. 20. Matt. xxvi. 17.); whence the expressions to eat the passover (Mark xiv. 12. 14.), and to sacrifice the passover. (1 Cor. v. 7.) Hence also St. Paul calls Jesus Christ our passover (ibid.), that is, our true paschal lamb. But the appellation, passover, belongs more particularly to the second day of the feast, viz. the fifteenth day of the month Nisan. It was ordained to be celebrated on the anniversary of the deliverance of the Israelites. This was an indispensable rite to be observed by every Israelite, except in particular cases enumerated in Numb. ix. 1—13., on pain of death; and no uncircumcised person was allowed to partake of the passover. In the later times of the Jewish Polity, the custom was introduced, of liberating some criminals, in order to render this festival the more interesting and this custom had become so strong that Pilate could not deviate from it, and therefore reluctantly liberated Barabbas. (Matt. xxvii. 15. Luke xxiii. 17. John xviii. 39.)

The particular rites with which this festival was to be celebrated are specified in Exod. xii. The later Jews made some addition to the rites prescribed by Moses respecting the paschal sacrifice. They drank with it four cups of wine, of which the third was called the cup of blessing (alluded to in 1 Cor. x. 16. compared with Matt. xxvi. 27.); after which they sang the hymn called the "Great Hallel," viz. Psalm cxiii.-cxviii. Sometimes, when, after the fourth cup, the guests felt disposed to repeat Psalms cxx.-cxxxvii., a fifth cup was also drunk. These ceremonies appear to have been in part imitated by Jesus Christ, in the institution of the Eucharist. The paschal victim typified Jesus Christ, his sufferings, and death not a bone of it was to be broken; a circumstance in which there was a remarkable correspondence between the type and the antitype. (Exod. xii. 46. John xix. 33. 36.)

IV. The second Great Festival was the FEAST OF PENTECOST, which was celebrated on the 50th day after the first day of unleavened bread. It was a festival of thanksgiving for the harvest, which commenced immediately after the passover. On this account two loaves made of the new meal were offered before the Lord as the firstfruits: whence it is called the day of the first-fruits. The form of thanksgiving is given in Deut. xxvi. 5—10.

V. The FEAST OF TABERNACLES was instituted to commemorate the dwelling of the Israelites in tents while they wandered in the desert. (Lev. xxiii, 34. 43.) Hence it is called by St. John the feast of tents. (σunvoτnyia, skēnopegia, John vii. 2.) It is likewise termed the feast of ingatherings, (Exod. xxiii. 16, xxxiv. 22. Further, the design of this feast was to return thanks to God for the fruits of the vine, as well as of other trees which were gathered about this time, and also to implore his blessing upon those of the ensuing year. During the whole of the solemnity they were obliged to dwell in tents, which antiently were pitched on the

flat terrace-like roofs of their houses. (Neh. viii. 16.) Besides the ordinary daily sacrifices, there were several extraordinary ones offered on this occasion, which are detailed in Numb. xxix. One of the most remarkable ceremonies performed at this feast, was the libation or pouring out of water, drawn from the fountain or pool of Siloam, upon the altar. As, according to the Jews themselves, this water was an emblem of the HOLY SPIRIT, Jesus Christ manifestly alluded to it, when he "cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me and drink." (John vii. 37. 39.)

VI. To the three grand annual festivals above described, Moses added two others, which were celebrated with great solemnity, though the presence of every male Israelite was not absolutely required.

1. The first of these was the FEAST OF TRUMPETS: it was held on the first and second days of the month Tisri, which was the commencement of the civil year of the Hebrews. This feast derives its name from the blowing of trumpets in the temple with more than usual solemnity. (Numb. xxix. 1. Levit. xxiii. 24.) On this festival they abstained from all labour (Levit. xxiii. 25.), and offered particular sacrifices to God, which are described in Numb. xxix. 1-6.

2. The other feast alluded to, was the FAST or FEAST OF EXPIATION, or DAY OF ATONEMENT; which day the Jews observed as a most strict fast, abstaining from all servile work, taking no food, and afflicting their souls. (Levit. xxiii. 27-30.) Of all the sacrifices ordained by the Mosaic law, the sacrifice of the atonement was the most solemn and important: it was offered on the tenth day of the month Tisri, by the high priest alone, for the sins of the whole nation. On this day only, in the course of the year, was the high priest permitted to enter the sanctuary, and not even then without due preparation, under pain of death; all others being excluded from the tabernacle during the whole ceremony, which prefigured