[Page 292].—The offering of the appearance before Jehovah.] It was grounded on Exod. xxiii. 15. “None shall appear before me empty-handed.” It was called Corban Raajah. ראיה. See Lightfoot, i. 968. It was a voluntary offering, no penalty being annexed to the omission. The general law of burnt-offerings is found Lev. i. 1-13. vi. 8-13. vii. 8.
[Page 294].--Schools of the prophets.] See Vitringa Syn. lib. i. p. 2. chap. 6, 7.
[Page 295].—Synagogue.] See Calmet, sub. voc. Vitringa, i. 1. 8. Lightfoot’s Works, i. 610.
[Page 296].— Any one who chose might teach.] Lightfoot (i. 612.) denies this liberty of teaching; and supposes that our Saviour, though not an appointed preacher, was allowed to speak from the fame of his miracles: but throughout this author’s account of the synagogue, he seems to have had in view the controversies on church discipline of his own time, and to have leant to a rigorous exclusion of all but ordained teachers. But the invitation to Paul and Barnabas at Antioch, in Pisidia, (Acts iii. 15.) where they were strangers, proves that the account given in the text is correct.
[Page 302].—Approach of the sabbath.] The interval time between three o’clock on Friday afternoon and six, when the sabbath began, was called the Parasceue of the sabbath. Augustus exempted the Jews from appearing in a court of justice after three o’clock P. M. on Friday. Lewis, iv. c. 16. Of the six blasts of the trumpet, see Reland, Ant. Heb. 520.
[Page 303].—The custom of the Jews to celebrate their sabbath by the lighting of lamps, was remarked in ancient times by the heathens. See the Scholiast on Pers. v. 180. Respecting the lighting of the sabbath-lamp by the mother of the family, see Vitringa, Syn. i. 195. Of the sabbath-psalm, see Lightfoot, i. 923.
[Page 304].—To take a family meal was the first thing done.] The Romans very falsely supposed that the Jews fasted on their sabbath. Sueton. Oct. 76. Justin, 36. 2.
[Page 310].—Additional sacrifice for the sabbath.] See Numb. xxviii. 9, 10.
[Page 312].—Not fewer than 100,000 men.] Some idea may be formed of the vast multitudes assembled in the temple at the great solemnities, by what Josephus says, Ant. xx. 4. 3. Bell. Jud. ii. 12. 1. that on one occasion 10,000, on another 20,000 men were trodden to death in the gates, when they were endeavouring to escape from an apprehended attack of the Romans.
[Page 312].—The thirteen chests.] Respecting the Gazophylacia, or treasure chests in the temple, see Lightfoot, i. 1095. This was the tax demanded of our Lord, Matth. xvii. 24. The law of Moses does not appear to have contemplated an annual capitation tax; this meaning was given to it after the captivity. Mich Mos. Law, § 173.