priests, for a long time succeeded in preserving Jerusalem from Syrian violence. And when Antiochus Sidetes, with a large army, came against them, although they could not sustain the siege, they obtained very reasonable condi tions upon surrendering. At length they threw off the Syrian yoke, and remained independent twenty-one years. 12. A contention having arisen between the two sons of the deceased high priest-Hircanus and his brother Aristobulus-concerning the kingdom, an appeal was made to Pompey, the Roman general, then in Syria. Before the decision was given, Aristobulus, fearing it might be unfavorable to himself, hastened back and fortified Jerusalem. Pompey, indignant at this insult, marched with his army and laid siege to the city, and after three months took it by storm, slaying twelve thousand of its inhabitants: He made Hircanus high priest and prince of the Jews. 13. From this time (about sixty-five years before Christ) Judea remained a Roman province. Pompey had destroyed the walls, but they were again rebuilt at the command of Cæsar, (who had overcome and succeeded Pompey in the Roman empire,) under the direction of Antipater, an Idumean, who was appointed governor of Judea. Antipater was suc ceeded in his office by his more memorable son, Herod the Great, who eventually received the title of king, and reigned, in state, over the province of Judea, still acknowledging the supremacy of Rome. 14. The sceptre had now, indeed, departed from Judah, and the lawgiver from between ner feet, a stranger wore her sacred crown, a foreign empire swayed its sceptre over her: the fullness of time had come, and in the eventful reign of the cruel Idumean, the Saviour of the world was born. 15. During the reign of this monarch Jerusalem was much enlarged and beautified. He built a splendid palace for himself, a magnificent theatre, and towering citadels upon the walls. But the most stupendous work of Herod was the taking down and reconstructing of the temple. For nine years he employed eighty thousand workmen upon this vast undertaking, and even after this the Jews continued to ornament it; so that there was nothing inconsistent in their asserting that forty and six years had the temple been in building. John ii, 20. 16. The whole of the temple, with its courts, formed a square of half a mile in circumference. The sanctuary, or holy of holies, according to Josephus, was the most dazzling object that the eye ever beheld, being covered on every side with gold. In this building were several stones, about sixty-five feet in length, eight in height, and nine in breadth. No wonder then that the disciples, in view of this, exclaimed, “Master, see what manner of stones, and what buildings are here!" Mark xiii, 1. And how improbable 9 must that wonderful prediction of the Saviour have appeared: "There shall not be left one stone upon another that shall not be thrown down!" And yet how closely and literally has his been fulfilled! CHAPTER III. RELIGIOUS AND POLITICAL SECTS OF THE JEWS. 1. A SHORT account of the Jewish sects wil. serve to throw additional light upon the study of the New Testament. While our Saviou was upon the earth the Jews were divided inte certain sects, differing widely from each other in their religious opinions and habits. 2. I. The Pharisees-a numerous and distinguished sect, that arose about one hundred and fifty years before the advent of Christ They derived their name from the Hebrew word Pharash, which signifies to set apart, or to separate, because they separated themselves from the rest of their countrymen, and professed & peculiar strictness in religion. 3. On account of their apparent sanctity they rendered themselves extremely popular among the people, and on account of this influence were feared by the great, and obtained the highest offices in the state and priesthood. They had become exceedingly proud and ostentatious in our Saviour's time, seeking the corner of the streets, and the presence of the multitude for the performance of their worship. 4. In addition to the law of Moses they held t> certain traditions which they pretended were nded down by the elders or teachers from Moses, called the unwritten law, which they con-sidered fully as binding, and even more sacred, than the written law of God. Thus they scrupulously washed before and after their meals, and fasted twice a week-Thursday, when they supposed Moses ascended Mount Sinai, and Monday, when he descended; they wore broad phylacteries, or pieces of parchment, upon which were inscribed portions of the law, and enlarged the fringes or borders of their garments. 5. Some of these traditions were arrayed against the spirit of the written law, and made it of none effect. Although they made great pretensions to purity and virtue, offered long prayers with a loud voice, fasted with a demure countenance, and paid their tithes to the last farthing; still many of them were exceedingly lax in their morals, and very corrupt in their hearts. For this hypocrisy they were often and deservedly rebuked by our Lord. 6 II. The Sadducees. This was another sect, composed of some of the most opulent Jews, though not so large, or so much respected. as the Pharisees. They are supposed to have received their name from Sadoc, who flourished about two hundred and sixty years before the Christian era. He was the pupil of Antigonus Sochæus, president of the sanhedrim, who taught the duty of serving God disinterestedly, without hope of reward or fear of punishment. Sadoc, not understanding, or willfully misrepre. senting, the doctrines of his master, drew the inference that there was no future state of rewards and punishments, and upon this belief founded this sect. 7. The other doctrines that they held in connection with this were, that there was no resurrection, no overruling Providence, no angel or spirit, and they rejected the traditions of the elders. This sect spread principally among the rich-whose whole interests were in this world, and who cared to know little, and only to have their fears allayed, concerning another world; and the young, whose light and giddy minds are eager to embrace a doctrine offering so wide a license. 8. III. The Essenes. This was an ancient sect which had spread throughout Syria, Egypt, and the neighboring countries. They were the Jewish hermits. They maintained that religion consisted wholly in contemplation and silence. Some of them passed their lives in a state of celibacy, and the strictest seclusion, while some were married, and lived in society, and were distinguished for their simple and innocen lives. 9. Both classes were very abstemious, exemplary in their moral deportment, averse to profane swearing, and rigid in their observance of the sabbath. They believed the soul im |