[67] Solom. Jarchi. Gen. 49. Vide Ambros. Tom. 4. cap. 2. & Targum Hierosol.
The second sort of Scribes belonged to the Clergy; they were Expositors of the Law, and thence are they called γραμματεῖς τοῦ νόμου, νομικοὶ, & νομοδιδὰσκαλοι, Scribes of the Law, Esra. 7. 9. Expounders of the Law, Luk. 7. 30. and Doctors of the Law, Luk. 5. 17. Their Office was to write, read, and expound the Law of Moses to the people. The name was a name of Office, not of Sect. Of this sort was Esdras, Esra 7. 6. who though he were a Levite, yet[68] others there were of the Tribe of Judah, and, as it is thought, they might indifferently be of any Tribe. The name was of the like esteem among the Hebrews as the Magi were among the Chaldeans; the Quindecemviri among the Romans, for expounding Sybilla’s Oracles: Or the Canonists in the Church of Rome. The word סופרים Sopherim, translated Scribes signifieth Numberers, or Computers, and is applyed to the Masorites, because they spent their time in reckoning, and numbring, not onely the verses, but the words also, and letters of each Book throughout the Bible; which, as it is an argument of their industry,[69] so likewise of Gods providence, in the preservation of his truth inviolable. As the Wise men in their Preaching pressed Traditions; so the Scribes clave to the written word, whence they were termed[70] Text-men, or Masters of the Text. And to this purpose it is worth our observing, that whereas both the Scribes and the Pharisees sought to fasten accusations upon our Saviour, Mat. 9. The Scribes accused him of blasphemy, v. 3. The Pharisees of eating with Publicans and sinners, v. 11. The Scribes accusation was a breach of the Law; the Pharisees a breach of Traditions.
[68] Drus. de tribus sectis, l. 2. c. 12. ex Chald. Paraphast.
[69] Augustin. in Psal. 40.
[70] Drusius de trib. sectis l. 20. cap. 13.
3. The Disputer.[71] He insisted upon Allegories, and searched out mystical interpretations of the Text. Hence himself was termed Durschan, and his exposition, or Homily, Midrasch; and their School, Beth Hammidrasch: They were counted the profoundest Interpreters, whence that of the Psalmist, Psal. 84. 7. They go from strength to strength, is interpreted,[72] from their Temple to their Beth-Hammidrasch, from an inferiour to an higher School. Hereby we see the difference between those three sorts of Predicants mentioned by Saint Paul. The Wise men were teachers of Traditions, the Scribes teachers of the Text according to the literal interpretation, and the Disputers teachers of Allegories and Mysteries; which fabulous expositions, because they breed questions and disputations ζητήσεις παρέχουσι, 1 Tim. 4. Hence is it, that such an expositor is termed συζητητὴς, A Disputer. These three sorts of Preachers, which S. Paul termeth, the Wiseman, the Scribe and the Disputer, 1 Cor. 1. 20. are by the Hebrews named חכם Ghacham, סופר Sopher, דרשן Darschan.
[71] Vide Thisbit. in דרש
[72] Targum, Ps. 84. 7.