10.); but in the time of Jesus Christ it had become lawful, or at least was tolerated as an expression of horror at hearing what was deemed blasphemy against God. This will explain the conduct of Caiaphas, who is said (Matt. xxvi. 65.) to have rent his garments.1

The Jewish writers have discovered much recondite meaning in the pontifical vestments. According to Josephus and Philo, the high priest's linen garment represented the body of the earth; the glorious robe which encompassed it, heaven; the bells and pomegranates, thunder and lightning. Or, the ephod of various colours is the universe; the breast-plate, the earth in its centre; the girdle, the sea; the onyx-stone on each shoulder, the sun and moon; the twelve jewels in the breast-plate, the twelve signs of the zodiac; the mitre, heaven; and the golden plate, with the name of God engraven on it, the splendour of Jehovah in heaven. Some Christian aivines have allegorised them in a manner equally extravagant: but such wild comments serve no other purpose than to throw an air of romance, of uncertainty, and of ridicule, over sacred things. It is sufficient for us to be assured, that these minute prescriptions were adapted to wise and excellent purposes, in the comparatively infant state of the church; and, particularly, that they served the general uses of an emblematical and typical religion, which was intended to impress moral and spiritual truth by sensible and striking representations.2

The high priest, who was the chief man in Israel, and appeared before God in behalf of the people in their sacred services, and who was appointed for sacrifice, for blessing, and for intercession, was a type of Jesus Christ, that great high priest, who offered himself a sacrifice for sin, who blesses his people, and who evermore liveth to make intercession for them. The term priest is also applied to every true believer, who is enabled to offer up himself a spiritual sacrifice acceptable to God through Christ. (1 Pet. ii. 5.; Rev. i. 6.)3

3

The pontifical dignity, in its first institution, was held for life, provided the high priests were not guilty of crimes that merited deposition; for we read that Solomon deprived Abiathar of this office for being concerned in treasonable practices with Adonijah, who aspired to the throne of Israel. (1 Kings ii. 27.) At its first institution, also, the high priesthood was made hereditary in the family of Aaron (Numb. iii. 10.), who was the first person invested with this dignity. (Lev. viii. 1. et seq.; Heb. v. 4, 5.) From Aaron it descended

1 Tappan's Lectures, p. 164.

2 Besides the authorities already cited in the course of this article, the reader who is desirous of investigating the nature and functions of the Jewish priesthood is referred to Reland's Antiquitates veterum Hebræorum, part ii. cc. 1-6. pp. 141–238.; Ikenius's Antiquitates Hebraicæ, part i. cc. 10, 11. pp. 105-128.; and to Schacht's Animadversiones ad Ikenii Antiquitates, pp. 471-544.; Dr. Jennings's Jewish Antiquities, book i. c. 5. pp. 95-174.; Michaelis's Commentaries on the Law of Moses, vol. i. pp. 251-262.; Dr. Lightfoot's Works, vol. i. pp. 401. 915–918., and vol. ii. pp. 377-380. 397. 681.; Carpzovii Antiquitates Hebr. Gentis, pp. 64-110.

The typical nature of the Jewish priesthood, especially of the high priest, is discussed by the Rev. W. Jones, in his Lectures on the Figurative Language of Scripture, and on the Epistle to the Hebrews. (Works, vol. iii. pp. 58-62. 223-227.)

to Eleazar, his eldest son, from whom, at the end of two hundred and ninety-six years, it passed to Eli, the first high priest of the line of Ithamar, the fourth son of Aaron. How or why this dignity was transferred to Eli from the family of Eleazar, the eldest son of Aaron, we have no information. It may have been conferred on Eli, either because the legitimate successor to the high priesthood of the elder line was either a minor or otherwise incapacitated; or because Eli was judge of Israel. That it was not without an express declaration of the divine will, we may infer from 1 Sam. ii. 27, 28. The high priesthood continued in the family of Eli, through Ahitub, Ahiah, and Ahimelech to Abiathar; whom Solomon deposed from his high office for his guilty participation in Adonijah's attempt upon the throne after the death of David; and transferred the high priesthood to Zadok, who was of the family of Eleazar (1 Kings ii. 35.), in which it remained until the Babylonian captivity. During that period the high priest was elected by the other priests, or else by an assembly partly consisting of priests.

The first high priest, after the return from the captivity, was Joshua, the son of Josedek, of the family of Eleazar; whence the succession went into a private Levitical family. The office was then filled by some of the princes of the Maccabæan family. According to the law, it was or ought to have been held for life; but this was very ill obeyed under the Roman government, especially during the time of our Saviour, and in the latter years of the Jewish polity, when election and the right of succession were totally disregarded. The dignity, sanctity, and authority of the high priest were then almost annihilated; and this office was not unfrequently sold to the highest bidder, to persons who had neither age, learning, nor rank to recommend them; nay, even to individuals who were not of the sacerdotal race; and sometimes the office was made annual.' This circumstance will account for the variations in the lists of the succession to the high priesthood contained in the Scriptures, in Josephus, and in the Talmudical writers2; and will also explain the circumstance of several high priests being in existence at the same time, or, rather, of there being several pontifical men who, having once held the office for a short time, seem to have retained the original dignity attached to the name.3

Josephus de Bell. Jud. lib. iv. c. iii. §§ 7, 8.

2 That this was the case with Annas and Caiaphas, is fully proved by Dr. Lardner, Credibility, book ii. c. 4. § 1. (Works, vol. i. pp. 383-386.) The various successions of the high priests are given at length by Reland, Antiq. Hebr. part ii. c. 2. pp. 160-168. Utrecht, 12mo. 1717; and by Calmet, Dissertations, tom. i. pp. 487-490., and Dict. voce Priest, from whom we have copied the table in the following pages.

Antiq. Jud. lib. viii. c. 2. § 2. c. 4. § 3.

The following TABLE exhibits a

CHRONOLOGICAL SERIES OF THE HIGH PRIESTS OF THE HEBREWS, From the Commencement to the Subversion of their State and Government.

The following succession is collected from Ezra, Nehemiah, and Josephus.

29. Joachim, under the reign of Xerxes, Jos. Ant. 1. ii. c. 5.

30. Eliasib, Joasib, or Chasib, under Nehemiah, A. M. 3550.

31. Joiada, or Juda, Neh. xii. 10.

32. Jonathan, or John.

33. Jaddua, or Jaddus, who received Alexander the Great at Jerusalem in 3673, and died in 3682.

34. Onias I. made high priest in 3681, governed 21 years, and died in 3702.

35. Simon I. called the Just, made high priest in 3702 or 3703, and died in 3711.

36. Eleazar, made in 3712. Under this pontiff the translation of the Septuagint is said to have been made, about the year 3727: he died in 3744.

37. Manasseh, made in 3745, died in 3771.

38. Onias II., made in 3771, died in 3785.

39. Simon II., made in 3785, and died in 3805.

40. Onias III., made in 3805, deposed 3829, died in 3834.

41. Jesus, or Jason, made in 3830, deposed in 3831.

42 Onias IV., otherwise called Menelaus, made in 3832, died in 3842.

43. Lysimachus, vicegerent of Menelaus, killed in 3834.

44. Alcimus, or Jacimus, or Joachim, made in 3842, died in 3844.

45. Onias V. He did not exercise his pontificate at Jerusalem, but retired into

Egypt, where he built the temple Onion in 3854.

46. Judas Maccabæus, restored the altar and the sacrifices in 3840, died in 3843.

47. Jonathan, the Asmonæan, brother to Judas Maccabæus, created high priest in 3843, and died in 3860.

48. Simon Maccabæus, made in 3860, died in 3869.

49. John Hyrcanus, made in 3869, died in 3898.

50. Aristobulus, king and pontiff of the Jews, died 3899.

51. Alexander Jannæus, also king and pontiff during 27 years, from 3899 to 3926.

52. Hyrcanus was high priest for the space of 32 years in the whole, from 3926 to 3958.

53. Aristobulus, brother to Hyrcanus, usurped the high priesthood, and held it three years and three months, from 3935 to 3940.

54. Antigonus, his son, also usurped the priesthood in prejudice to the rights of Hyrcanus, and possessed it for three years and seven months, from 3964 to 3967, when he was taken by Sosius.

55. Ananeel of Babylon, made high priest by Herod in 3968 till 3970.

56. Aristobulus, the last of the Asmonæans: he did not enjoy the pontificate a whole year. He died in 3970. Ananeel was made high priest a second time in 3971. 57. Jesus, the son of Phabis, depo ed in

3981.

Succession of High Priests after the Captivity.

58. Simon, son of Boethus, made high priest in 3981, deposed in 3999.

59. Matthias, son of Theophilus, made high priest in 3999. Ellem was substituted in his place for a day, because of an accident that happened to Matthias, which hindered him from performing his office that day.

60. Joazar, son of Simon, son of Boethus, made high priest in 4000, the year of the birth of Jesus Christ, four years before the commencement of the vulgar era.

61. Eleazar, brother to Joazar, made high priest in 4004, of Christ 4, of the vulgar

cra 1.

62. Jesus, son of Siah, made high priest in the year of the vulgar era 6. Joazar was made a second time in 7, and deposed in 13. 63. Ananus, son of Seth, for 11 years, from 4016 to 4027, of the vulgar era 24. 64. Ishmael, son of Phabi, in 24.

65. Eleazar, son of Ananus, made in 24. 66. Simon, son of Camithus, made high priest in 25.

67. Joseph, surnamed Caiaphas, made in 26, and continued till 35.

68. Jonathan, son of Ananus, made in 35, and continued till 37.

69. Theophilus, son of Jonathan, made in 37, and continued till 41.

1

70. Simon, surnamed Cantharus, and son of Simon Boethus, was made high priest in 41.

71. Matthias, son of Ananus, made high priest in 42.

72. Elioneus, made in 44, and continued till 45. Simon, son of Cantharus, was a second time made high priest, A. D. 45, and deposed the same year.

73. Joseph, son of Caneus, was made high priest in A. D. 45, till 57.

74. Ananias, the son of Nebodeus, was made high priest in the year of the vulgar era 47, and enjoyed the priesthood till 63.

63.

75. Ismael was ordained high priest A. D.

76. Joseph, surnamed Cabei, in 63. 77. Ananus, the son of Ananus, in 63. 78. Jesus, the son of Ananus, in 64. 79. Jesus, the son of Gamaliel, in 64. 80. Matthias, the son of Theophilus, was made high priest in the year of the vulgar Christian era 70.

81. Phannias, the son of Samuel, was made high priest in the year 70, in which year Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed by the Romans, and a final period was put to the Jewish priesthood.

Of those who discharged the functions of high priest during the decline of the Jewish polity, there are two particularly mentioned in the New Testament, namely ANNAS (John xviii. 13.; Acts iv. 6.), and CAIAPHAS. (Matt. xxvi. 3. 57.; John xviii. 13. 24. 28.) The former is by Josephus called Ananus, of which name Annas is an abridgment: the latter he calls Joseph, intimating also that he was known by the name of Caiaphas. Annas enjoyed the singular felicity (which indeed had never happened to any other of the Jewish high priests), not only of having himself held the supreme pontifical office for many years, but also of seeing it filled by several successors out of his own family, five of them being his sons, and others his sons-in-law. Hence, although he was deprived of the high priesthood by the Romans, he afterwards continued to take the chief sway in the administration of the Jewish affairs; and is represented in the sacred history, together with Caiaphas, as being chief priest and exercising supreme authority.

IV. Next to the Levites, priests, and high priests, the OFFICERS OF THE SYNAGOGUE may be mentioned here, as being in some degree sacred persons; since to them was confided the superintendence of those places which were set apart for prayer and instruction. Their functions and powers have been fully stated in p. 278. suprà.

Luke iii. 2.; Acts iv. 6. In like manner Josephus (de Bell. Jud. lib. ii. c. 12. § 6.) places Jonathan, who had been high priest (Antiq. Jud. lib. xviii. c. 4. § 3.), and who still continued to possess great authority, before Ananias, who at that time discharged the functions of sovereign pontiff. (Ant. Jud. lib. xx. c. 5. § 2.) See also Lardner's Credibility, book i. c. 7. § 1. and book ii. c. 4. (Works, vol. i. pp. 143. 383—389.)