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THE EXPANSION OF JUDAISM.
By OLIVER^ J.^ THATCHER, The (^) University of (^) Chicago. Of all ancient (^) religions, Judaism as (^) represented by the (^) Prophets was (^) incomparably the^ best.^ No^ other^ religion had^ such^ a^ con- ception of^ God,^ His^ lofty and^ upright character,^ His^ majesty, His (^) compassion, His (^) fatherly love for^ men, His^ mercy, and at the same (^) time, of the (^) high demands for (^) holy living which He made on all who would be His (^) people and (^) enjoy His (^) protection. But this high conception of^ God^ was^ confined^ to^ one^ little^ people, inhabit- ing a^ small^ province^ and^ having^ little^ communication^ with^ the^ rest of the world. More than (^) that, their^ foreign intercourse was so restricted (^) by the (^) many Levitical rules and (^) regulations, that their (^) religious influence^ on^ other^ nations^ was^ practically nothing. Everywhere else,^ there^ was^ polytheism,^ varying^ in^ grade^ from its finest and noblest forms to the (^) crassest, most (^) degraded and degrading. What^ advantage^ was^ it^ to^ the^ world^ that^ the^ Jews had a better (^) religion, since the Levitical law was a barrier (^) that prevented all^ communication^?^ It^ looked^ as^ if^ the^ heathen^ were to be excluded from (^) having any share in^ the (^) religious truth in which Israel was so rich. The heirs of the (^) prophets were by no^ means^ inclined^ to^ share^ their^ holy inheritance^ with^ the unclean heathen about them. But there can be no (^) lasting monopoly in (^) truth. (^) Deep and wide as was the (^) gulf that^ separated the^ heathen from the (^) Jews, it could be (^) bridged. In (^) spite of the (^) separation, many means of contact and channels of communication were (^) furnished (^) by " the^ Jews in^ the^ Diaspora." Abraham, their^ great forefather, was^ himself^ a^ wanderer^ and in this (^) respect he^ had^ many imitators^ among his children. For centuries the (^) Jews had been (^) spreading beyond Palestine. A constant stream of (^) emigrants was (^) overflowing its (^) boundaries in all directions. At this time there was (^) scarcely a (^) city in all 99
I00 THE (^) BIBLICAL WORLD. the world that did not have (^) Jews (^) among its inhabitants. There were (^) great numbers of them^ in^ the^ lands of the (^) Tigris and Euphrates; Asia^ Minor^ was^ overrun^ by them.^ Alexandria^ in Egypt was^ divided^ into^ five^ districts^ or^ wards,^ two^ of^ which were (^) occupied by Jews. In the Nile (^) Delta, it was estimated that there were more than^ a^ million^ Jews. Along the coast of North Africa (^) they were (^) everywhere at home. The towns and cities of Macedonia and Greece contained (^) Jewish colonies. In Rome there were (^) probably thirty thousand of them. The Jew was^ ubiquitous. But in their (^) wanderings and (^) long residence in (^) foreign lands, they had^ undergone a^ most^ important change. If^ a^ paradox be allowed, (^) they were^ not^ only Jews, (^) they had^ also^ become^ Greeks, and (^) consequently were^ neither^ Jews nor^ Greeks.^ They produced a new (^) culture, a new (^) civilization, (^) composed of the^ best elements of (^) Judaism and of Hellenism. The civilization of the (^) Jews was in (^) many respects very narrow and (^) limited, but in others (^) lofty and (^) imposing. Its^ ideal^ was^ the^ knowledge and^ perfect obedience of the law of God as contained in^ the^ Old Testament. It was monotheistic and (^) intensely religious. The Greek civilization was far wider and more varied. It was (^) great in (^) science, litera- ture, and^ art.^ But^ its^ type was^ not^ religious and^ moral, but intellectual and aesthetic. This^ new^ Hellenistic^ civilization was a union of the two. It (^) got its (^) religion from (^) Judaism, its philosophy and^ its^ learning from^ the^ Greeks. These (^) Jews had no (^) thought of (^) becoming anything else than Jews. (^) They were^ not^ sensible^ of^ any change. They did^ not feel that there was (^) any difference^ between^ them^ and^ their brethren in Palestine. (^) They kept up their connection with the Holy Land.^ Every year thousands^ of^ them^ made^ pilgrimages to (^) Jerusalem, which still remained^ for^ them^ the^ Holy City, the only place^ where^ they could^ acceptably^ offer^ sacrifice.^ They regularly sent^ their^ yearly contributions^ to^ the^ temple, and, whenever it was (^) possible, they went^ in^ person to^ attend^ one^ of the (^) yearly feasts. Besides^ this, (^) they took^ their^ law^ with^ them, and wherever (^) they went, (^) they met (^) every Sabbath to (^) study it. Wherever there were (^) Jews there was a^ synagogue. So (^) by all
102 THE (^) BIBLICAL WORLD. unshaken confidence that (^) they have the one true (^) God, who will not tolerate the (^) worship of (^) anything else. (^) They learned this with (^) great difficulty, but (^) they learned it (^) well, and it has been to them a source of unlimited (^) strength which centuries of persecution and^ oppression have^ not^ exhausted.^ While^ appre- ciating the^ good that^ existed^ among the^ heathen,^ they never ceased to abominate their (^) idolatry. Their zeal for God led them to become missionaries to the heathen about them. We do not think of the (^) Jews as a (^) missionary people, but (^) they have had a most (^) interesting missionary period. For some centuries (^) Judaism made earnest efforts to become a universal (^) religion, to convert the world. But she was (^) finally driven^ from^ the^ mission field by Christianity, which^ proved^ to^ be^ a^ too^ powerful^ rival;^ and at the same (^) time, (^) Judaism drew back from the freer movement and settled down into a (^) rigid, legal orthodoxy. In other (^) words, Phariseeism (^) prevailed over Hellenism. The (^) Judaism of Palestine was never attractive to the heathen and hence was not a (^) good missionary religion. Their refusal to eat swine's flesh led (^) Juvenal to (^) speak of Palestine as the land " where^ the^ long practiced clemency allowed^ the^ hogs to^ reach a (^) ripe old (^) age." They observed the (^) Sabbath, it was (^) said, because they were^ lazy and^ wished^ to^ shirk^ work.^ Since^ they had^ no statues in their (^) temples and^ synagogues, they were (^) charged with the foolishness of (^) worshiping the clouds. Above (^) all, the heathen were offended that the (^) Jews assumed a (^) superiority and refused to associate with them because (^) they were (^) Levitically unclean. So for (^) many reasons the (^) Jews were (^) despised and even hated. It would seem then that the (^) Jew could (^) hope for little (^) success in his (^) missionary efforts. But it (^) must be remembered in (^) the first (^) place, that the (^) Jews in the (^) Diaspora were the real mission- aries, and^ that^ they were^ already undergoing a^ radical^ change in their attitude to the ceremonial law. (^) Consequently their desire to make converts led them to (^) present only the most attractive features of (^) Judaism to the consideration of their hearers. (^) They took from the Old Testament a few (^) great ideas, the essentials^ of their^ relzgion, and^ laid^ all^ emphasis on^ these.
THE EXPANSION OF (^) JUDAISM. I 03 In the first (^) place, they held (^) strongly to the truth that there is but one (^) God. (^) They thereby introduced into the natural (^) world, into (^) history, and into (^) religion, the (^) principle of (^) unity. The heathen (^) thought of the world as the (^) play-ground of malicious gods and^ spirits, which^ were^ lying in^ wait^ for^ an^ opportunity to (^) play some mad (^) prank in the realm of (^) nature, cross the (^) plans and (^) purposes of some other (^) god, or inflict^ an (^) injury on some unsuspecting and^ helpless mortal.^ To^ the^ thoughtful heathen it was a (^) great relief to learn that there is one all-wise and powerful God,^ who^ made^ and^ controls^ the^ universe. And then the (^) lofty conception of God which was (^) presented, was attractive. (^) He was so (^) great and (^) majestic, so (^) high and spiritual, that^ it^ was^ an^ offense^ even^ to^ try to^ represent Him by anything material.^ No^ picture or^ statue^ was^ allowed;^ such things could^ only hinder^ and^ not^ help the^ mind^ in^ its^ attempt to conceive of Him and His (^) glory. They made^ much^ of^ the^ doctrine^ of^ rewards^ and^ punishments in a future state. (^) This (^) God, so (^) just and (^) holy, is (^) interested in His creatures and will reward or (^) punish each one (^) according to his life. The (^) upright, the (^) pure and noble will receive at His hand the rewards for their (^) conduct, while to the wicked (^) will be meted out the (^) just punishments for their (^) disregard of His (^) holy will. One of the commonest and (^) deepest feelings of (^) the human heart is^ the^ sense of ill desert before^ God.^ The^ conscience is oppressed and^ burdened,^ and^ longs for^ some^ sure^ way of^ concili- ating an^ offended^ God.^ The^ soul^ longs for^ certainty in^ religious matters. The current (^) philosophy of the (^) day was (^) doing much to awaken and^ deepen this sense of sin. (^) People felt their (^) religious needs as never before. Of all ancient (^) religions, Judaism offered the most (^) satisfying symbolical rites and ceremonies of (^) purifica- tion, and^ the^ most^ comforting assurances^ of^ the^ merciful^ and forgiving character^ of^ God.^ In^ one^ sense,^ these^ Jews in^ the Diaspora, were^ the^ true^ successors^ of^ the^ Prophets, for^ like^ them they disregarded the^ letter^ of^ the^ law,^ and^ taught that^ a^ humble and (^) penitent heart and a (^) blameless, (^) helpful life are what God requires.
THE EXPANSION OF (^) JUDAISM. (^) I 0 5 Closely akin^ to^ these^ commentaries^ were^ their^ philosophical works, inasmuch^ as^ these^ were^ often^ based^ on^ some^ section^ of scripture, or^ at^ least,^ treated^ the^ Old^ Testament^ as^ the^ source of all (^) philosophy. The same (^) allegorical method (^) was (^) used, and Moses and^ the^ prophets were^ made^ to^ appear as the true (^) philoso- phers, with^ whom^ Plato,^ Aristotle^ and^ the^ others^ agreed in^ so far as (^) they had uttered the truth. In this (^) way the first (^) place and the (^) highest honors were vindicated to (^) Judaism. These philosophical works^ all^ have^ this^ characteristic^ which^ distin- guishes them^ from^ the^ works^ of^ the^ Greek^ philosophers, (^) namely: they all^ have^ a^ practical,^ moral,^ and^ religious^ object in^ view. The Greeks (^) pursued knowledge for its own (^) sake; the (^) Jews, for the influence it would have on the character and life. (^) They made (^) philosophy the handmaid of (^) religion, for it was its function to make^ men^ better, to (^) help them^ to a^ truly religious life. The (^) Jews were (^) proud of their (^) history. They believed that God's hand was visible in it all. (^) Hence, it was inevitable that they would^ use^ it,^ too,^ for^ missionary purposes. And^ so,^ in^ fact, we find that a (^) great many histories of the (^) Jews were (^) written, in all of which there^ is^ a^ more^ or^ less^ pronounced Chauvinism. They all^ pursued the^ same^ end,^ the^ glorification^ of^ Israel.^ They all seek to show that the (^) Jews have (^) worshiped the true God who has cared for them in the most remarkable (^) way, and there- fore (^) they have (^) played a (^) great (^) r6le in the (^) history of the (^) world. As a^ nation, (^) they have^ a^ long and^ glorious past, because (^) they stand in an intimate relation to the God of all the earth. Epic poetry and^ the^ drama^ were^ also^ used^ to^ acquaint the heathen with (^) Judaism, and to fill them with enthusiasm for Judea's history and^ religion. As^ Homer^ had^ sung of^ Troy and her (^) fate, so (^) Philo, the (^) epic poet, wrote the (^) history of (^) Jerusalem and her (^) kings in the form of a (^) great epic poem. Still more remarkable is the fact that the (^) history of Israel was (^) dramatized. Just as^ the^ Greek^ dramatists^ had^ chosen^ some^ great and^ decisive event in the (^) history of their (^) country for the (^) subject of their greatest dramas,^ and^ thereby held^ up their^ history for^ the admiration of the^ world, so the^ Jews competed for (^) praise and honor for their^ land^ by presenting its^ history in^ the same fas-
106 THE^ BIBLICAL^ WORLD. cinating way. We^ have^ fragments of^ one^ of^ these^ plays which was called ''The (^) Exodus," and, as its name (^) indicates, was a dramatization of the Biblical (^) story of the exodus from (^) Egypt. Thus (^) even the theater (^) was (^) compelled to assist in (^) the (^) missionary work of the (^) Jews. But (^) they found (^) opponents who attacked them and made (^) many severe (^) charges against them. That shows that these (^) missionary efforts were^ so^ strong and^ persistent that^ the^ heathen^ found^ it necessary to^ defend^ themselves^ and^ their^ religion,^ which^ they did (^) by attacking the (^) Jews. These must be (^) refuted, and so we find (^) Jewish (^) apologists writing in defense of their (^) religion and people, and^ refuting at^ great length all^ the^ charges made^ against them. Two of these are (^) especially worthy of notice. The (^) Jews were (^) charged with^ being a^ modern^ people, without^ a^ history, and consequently they had^ contributed^ nothing to^ the^ civilization^ of the world. To (^) disprove that (^) they put forth the most strenuous efforts. (^) They sought for (^) proofs from (^) every quarter to show that (^) they were as old as (^) any of the (^) peoples then (^) existing. And they do^ not^ hesitate^ to^ declare^ that^ the^ Jews^ had^ been^ the^ source of all culture and^ civilization. For^ Abraham^ had^ taught the Egyptians astrology, Joseph^ had^ introduced^ a^ new^ system of irrigation and^ agriculture, Moses^ was^ the^ real^ father^ of^ all^ learn- ing, for^ he^ was^ the^ first^ great philosopher, and^ had^ invented^ the alphabet, and^ written^ the^ Pentateuch^ which^ was^ the^ greatest of all (^) philosophical works. He had lived (^) long before (^) any of the great men^ of^ the^ Greeks,^ who^ had^ derived^ all^ their^ knowledge from (^) him, without (^) giving him the (^) proper credit. Not content with all these (^) efforts, (^) they even made use of forgeries to^ increase^ the^ reputation and^ authority of^ their^ religion. The (^) Sibyls were (^) mysterious prophetesses that were held in (^) great reverence (^) by the heathen. It was (^) very shrewd on the (^) part of these missionaries to make use of the name of the (^) Sibyl to (^) propagate the (^) Jewish faith, for (^) anything that she (^) might utter would at once receive the most (^) ready credence. So in the second (^) century B. C., we^ find^ that^ some^ pious Jew wrote^ a^ work^ which^ purported to be (^) by a (^) Sibyl. In^ the^ prologue she^ was^ made^ to^ say that she was a^ daughter of^ Noah(!), that^ she^ had^ been^ with^ him^ in^ the
108 THE^ BIBLICAL^ WORLD.
inconvenient restrictions. (^) They learned much from the (^) Jews. We (^) might even (^) say they got the true (^) religion from them. (^) They were careful to receive the truth and to frame their lives in accordance with it. But the ceremonial (^) part of (^) Judaism was repellent to^ them,^ and^ furthermore,^ they saw^ that^ it^ was^ not necessary. From what has^ been^ said, it^ will^ be^ seen^ that^ the^ influence^ of the (^) Jews on the heathen was (^) great and (^) good, converting many of them (^) wholly to a (^) high type of (^) Judaism and (^) giving many others a better (^) knowledge of God and of His (^) character. (^) Every synagogue was^ as^ a^ light^ set^ in^ a^ dark^ place,^ and^ about^ each^ of these were (^) gathered many heathen (^) seeking the truth and worshiping with^ more^ or^ less^ purity the^ God^ of^ Israel.^ The scattering of^ the^ Jews throughout all^ lands^ was^ in^ this^ way a blessing, for^ they were^ instrumental^ in^ spreading abroad^ a higher conception of^ God^ and^ purer moral^ standards,^ thus^ help- ing on^ the^ religious education^ and^ development of^ the^ world, and (^) preparing it^ for the (^) reception of^ Christianity.
