The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-09-20
SOME NEW BooKA
The Jewish reopl. q. the Tine o,

Al English translation OF the revised edi tor
Of the History of K,e Jenish People in Tie r. M
Of Jesus Christ By EMIL scHuHEn. OF the fiys
volumes two comprising the FIRST division al o
devoted to the politica, history OF PAlestine
from the time Of Antiocttns Epiphanss tB. C.
1851 to the suppression On the great jewish
rebellion ~ Hadrian "a. D. 1851 In the re-
naming three volumes forminG tho second
division Of the work 10 set forth the In
tsrnal condition OF Palestine and OF the
jewish people In the time OF Jesus
Christ On the political history OF Palestine
during the epoch under review. viz. from tho
attempt to completely HellenLa tho jews to
the final extinction Of their national freedom
By the Romans. 1t ID unnecessary TO dwoll. tho
main features Of 1t being sufficiently familiar
In this notice We confne ourselves to that Sec
ton Of the work which is OF capital in portancs
namely. the researches and conclL sions OF
Prof. BchuIsr with regard 10 the internal con-
dltlon Of Palestine at tho beginning OF our ere.
L.
1t Ii pointed out In the Introduction that no
Incident In the Gospel story. no word in the
preaching OF Jesus Christ. Is Ineligible apart
from ito setting In jewish history. It IL not
enough to know simply that older literature
which has boon collected together in the cRn-
on OF tho Old Tsstament. On tho contrary. the
connected with its Immediately contemporary
surroundings and the tendencies Of thought
prevailing In that particular age. The pre-.
dominance OF Pharisaism il that which most
distinctly characterized this period. The
lsgalislc tendency inRuRurated by Ezra had
now assaMed dimensions far beyond any
thing concentrated BY its originator.
No longer did It suffice to insist upon obedi.
snce to the commandments Of the Scripture
ThorA. These divine precep.s were broken
into On innumerabls series OF minute and
ve1atious particulars the observance OF which
was enforced IS a sacred duty. and even msdo
condition Of salvation. Moreover. this eI-
ageerated le9alism had obtained such IN ab-
eoluto aseendnncy over tho minds OF the
reoplc that all other influences were thrust
entirely into the background. Tho Pharisaic
tendency Ind its origin In the conflicts OF the
Naccahaan age. During tho course OF those
national .struRRlss the leGalistic party not
only obtained the victory over those favor
ably inciiaed toward Greek learning and
customs. but also secured tho entire
condolences OF the people 70 that they wore en-
couraGed 10 put forth claims OF the most OK
travagant and immoderato DIES riptlon. Tho
ecribes became the rulers OF the people. No
other Intellectual or political force was suill-
ciently strong 10 counteract their influence in
Maccabean age. moreover were epoch making
In the Political history OF the Jows Prof. Schurer
IL doubly justified In beginning his exposition
with the history Of tho Maccabean period.
There arc also spiritual and political reasons
for the selection OF tho point at which his in
vestigation 1s brought to @ close. Political
independence was In some measure preserved
under the domination OF the Romans. 1t
was not until tbs time Of Nero and
Vsspasian that all political autonomy was
taken from the Jewish people In consequence
OF tho great revolt which they had endeavored
to carry out. Tho definite abolition OF all
jewish national freedom was finally effected
On tho suppression Of the outbreak under
Hadrian. 1t was also during the reign OF
Hadrian that the jewish scholars for tho first
lime committed to writing the hitherto only
traditional law and In this way laid the founda-
tiou OF tho Taianudio code. I!once orth the
Talmud end NO Longer tho Thorn OF Moses will
form the basis OF all juristic discussion.
This. toe, was the period In which Pharisaism.
IN consequence OF the overthrow OF the Jewish
commonwealth. became o purely spiritual! and
moral power without. however. thereby losing.
but iather increasing. its ascendancy over the
people For with the overthrow o. the tenn DIE the
Sadducean priesthood was eX.in2uished and In
the great dispersion OF the Isrselites which re-
suited from the severe measures OF Had,ian.
tbs lax and Inconsistent Helienistic Judaism
could not permanently maintain Itself against
the strict and consistent Judaism Of the Phari.
secs.
II.
In the authors account OF the internal con-
dition OF tho Jewish people the foil wing
points are kept prominently in view: He de-
scribes first Of all the general character Of the
culture prevailing throughout Palestine. and
gives o particularly careful account Of the
spread OF Hellentsm on the confines OF tho Jew-
ish territory. and even within its bounds
Hero W. should remind the reader that tho eI-
tent OF tho jewish commonwealth. which I'M
der the Greek suzerains D assessed a relatively
considerable measure OF independence. was
probably limited tn Judsa proper. that is the
province lying south OF Samnrla, which in its
range corresponded neatly with tho kingdom
OF Judah OF earlier days. Even from
this narrow territory all the coast cities
were excluded. Returning to tho emu.
ineration OF the most interesting SUBJ
jects discussed IN thu second division OF this
work. We note that the exposition OF tho Jaw.
fish communal constitution gives Prot. Sehurer
an opportunity to recount the history Of the
Sanhedrim and o; the Jewish high priests. The
s~o chief factors. however, in the internal de-
vslopment OF the Hebrew people were. on tho
one hand. the priesthood and the temple ser
Vices. and. on the other hand. the institution OF
Rcrtbism. lnasmuch as tho priests. occupy
Ina prominent and official positions during
the Greek era. were more absorbed By worldly
and political than by religious interests. those
who were still jealous for the law formed
themselves into an opposition party under the
leadership OF the Sorbes. The party OF the
6adducees grouped themselves around tho
Official priests, while around the Scrib.s gath
cred the party OF tho Pharisees. Tho eslab.
lishment Of schools and synagogues served to
preserve and spread the knowledge OF the law
among all classes OF tho people. An attempt is
made By Prof. schursr to describe lie under
the law. He points ont however. that zeal Tor
the law had its uervs-centre In the Messianic
hope. For the gracious reward OF God prom
Used to those who live in accordance with the
law was thought Ut prominently MS q reward
that lay In the future and was heavenly. Zsal
for the law and the Mossianic nope were. thrre-
fore. the TWO oontres around which the life Of
the Isrselires moved. After concluding
hls exposition OF tho inner conditions Of
the everyday Palestinian Judaism In its
main Gestures, tho author chances at the jew
ish monastic institution OF the Essences and