6. Ab. ii. 8.
7. Ber. 45 b 2; Ab. ii. 5; Bemid. R. 3.
8. Jos. Ant. xvii. 6. 2.
9. νοµοδιδας καλος, St. Luke v. 17; Acts v. 34; comp. also 1 Tim. i. 7.
10. St. Matt. ii. 4; xx. 18; xxi. 15; xxvi. 57; xxvii. 41; St. Mark xiv.1.43;xv. 1; St. Luke xxii. 2, 66; xxiii. 10; Acts
iv. 5.
11. The distinction between `Pharisees' and `Scribes,' is marked in may passages in the N.T., for
example, St. Matt. xxiii. passim; St. Luke vii. 30; xiv. 3; and especially in St. Luke xi. 43, comp. with v. 46.
The words `Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites,' in ver. 44, are, according to all evidence, spurious.
12. Siphré or Numb. p 25 b.
13. Siphré on Deut. p. 105 a.
An institution which had attained such proportions, and wielded such power, could not have
been of recent growth. In point of fact, its rise was very gradual, and stretched back to the time
of Nehemiah, if not beyond it. Although from the utter confusion of historical notices in Rabbinic
writings and their constant practice of antedating events, it is impossible to furnish satisfactory
details, the general development of the institution can be traced with sufficient precision. If Ezra
is described in Holy Writ14 as `a ready (expertus) Scribe,' who had `set his heart to seek (seek
out the full meaning of) the law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach in Israel,'15 this might
indicate to his successors, the Sopherim (Scribes), the threefold direction which their studies
afterwards took: the Midrash, the Halakhah, and the Haggadah,16 17 of which the one pointed
to Scriptural investigation, the other to what was to be observed, and the third to oral teaching
in the widest sense. But Ezra left his work uncompleted. On Nehemiah's second arrival in
Palestine, he found matters again in a state of utmost confusion.18 He must have felt the need of
establishing some permanent authority to watch over religious affairs. This we take to have been
`the Great Assembly,' or, as it is commonly called, the `Great Synagogue.' It is impossible with
certainty to determine,19 either who composed this assembly, or of how many members it
consisted.20 Probably it comprised the leading men in Church and State, the chief priests, elders,
and `judges' - the latter two classes including `the Scribes,' if, indeed, that order was already
separately organised.21 Probably also the term `Great Assembly' refers rather to a succession of
men than to one Synod; the ingenuity of later times filling such parts of the historical canvas as
had been left blank with fictitious notices. In the nature of things such an assembly could not
exercise permanent sway in a sparsely populated country, without a strong central authority.
Nor could they have wielded real power during the political difficulties and troubles of foreign
domination. The oldest tradition22 sums up the result of their activity in this sentence ascribed to
them: `Be careful in judgment, set up many Talmidim, and make a hedge about the Torah
(Law).'
14. Ezra vii.6, 10, 11, 12.
15.