For, no principle was more fully established in the popular conviction, than that all Israel
had part in the world to come (Sanh. x. 1), and this, specifically, because of their
connection with Abraham. This appears not only from the New Testament,94 from Philo,
and Josephus, but from many Rabbinic passages. 'The merits of the Fathers,' is one of the
commonest phrases in the mouth of the Rabbis.95 Abraham was represented as sitting at
the gate of Gehenna, to deliver any Israelite96 who otherwise might have been consigned
to its terrors.97 In fact, by their descent from Abraham, all the children of Israel were
nobles,98 infinitely higher than any proselytes. 'What,' e xclaims the Talmud, 'shall the
born Israelite stand upon the earth, and the proselyte be in heaven?'99 In fact, the ships on
the sea were preserved through the merit of Abraham; the rain descended on account of
it.100 For his sake alone had Moses been allo wed to ascend into heaven, and to receive the
Law; for his sake the sin of the golden calf had been forgiven;101 his righteousness had on
many occasions been the support of Israel's cause;102 Daniel had been heard for the sake
of Abraham;103 nay, his merit availed even for the wicked.104 105 In its extravagance the
Midrash thus apostrophises Abraham: 'If thy children were even (morally) dead bodies,
without blood vessels or bones, thy merit would avail for them!'106
94. St. John viii. 33, 39, 53.
95. 'Everything comes to Israel on account of the merits of the fathers' (Siphré on Deut. p.
108 b). In the same category we place the extraordinary attempts to show that the sins of
Biblical personages were not sins at all, as in Shabb. 55 b, and the idea of Israel's merits
as works of supererogation (as in Baba B. 10 a).
96. I will not mention the profane device by which apostate and wicked Jews are at that
time to be converted into non-Jews.
97. Ber. R. 48; comp. Midr. on Ps. vi. 1; Pirké d. R. Elies. c. 29; Sh em. R. 19 Yalkut i. p.
23 b.
98. Baba Mez. vii. 1; Baba K. 91 a.
99. Jer. Chag. 76 a.
100. Ber. R. 39.
101.
Shem R. 44.
102. Vayyikra R. 36.
103. Ber. 7 b.
104. Shabb. 55 a; comp Beer , Leben Abr. p.
88.
105. Professor Wünsche quotes an inapt passage from Shabb. 89 b, but ignores, or is
ignorant of the evidence above given.
106. Ber. R. ed. Warsh. p. 80 b, par. 44.
But if such had been the inner thoughts of his bearers, John warned them, that God was
able of those stones that strewed the river-bank to raise up children unto Abraham;107 108
or, reverting to his former illustration of 'fruits meet for repentance,' that the proclamation
of the Kingdom was, at the same time, the laying of the axe to the root of every tree that
bore not fruit. Then making application of it, in answer to the specific inquiry of various
classes, the preacher gave them such practical advice as applied to the well-known sins of
their past;109 yet in this also not going beyond the merely negative, or preparatory
element of 'repentance.' The positive, and all- important aspect of it, was to be presented