Chap. VII Of the Feast of Trumpets, and Their New Moons
For the understanding of the time when this Feast was to be observed, we must note, the month Tisri was the seventh month, according to their sacred Computation; and therefore it is commanded to be celebrated the first day of the seventh month, Levit. 23. 24. But according to their Civil Computation it was their first month, so that this Feast may be termed their New-years-day.
The first day of every month had its solemnities. First, when they repaired to the Prophets for the hearing of the word, as on other Sabbaths. Wherefore wilt thou go to him to day? It is neither New Moon, nor Sabbath day, 2 Kings 4. 23. Secondly, It was then unlawful to buy and sell: When will the New Moon be gone, that we may sell corn? Amos 8. 4. Thirdly, They had then special sacrifices over and above their daily sacrifices.
Notwithstanding, this feast of Trumpets differed from other New Moons. First, in respect of their sacrifices; in their ordinary New Moons they offered (besides the daily sacrifice) two Bullocks, one Ram, seven Lambs, for burnt-offerings; with their meat and drink-offering, and a Goat for a sin-offering, Num. 28. 11, 15. But at this New-Moon, which was the beginning of their year, they offered all the aforesaid sacrifices, and over and besides them, one Bullock, one Ram, and seven Lambs, for burnt-offerings, and a Goat for a sin-offering, umb. 29. 1, 6. Secondly, in Other New Moons they blowed no Trumpets: In this they blowed342 from the Sun rising till night: whence we learn what New Moon it is that David speaketh of, Psal. 81. 3. Blow the Trumpet in the New Moon, in the time appointed, at our feast day.
The reason in general of this blowing, and great noise of Trumpets, I take to have been, to make their New-years-day the more remarkable, because from it all their deeds and contracts bore date, and their Sabbatical years and Jubilees were counted thence: But why it should be made remarkable by the sound of Trumpets, or Cornets, there are three conjectures.
First, the Hebrews think343 it was done in memory of Isaac his deliverance, and that they did therefore sound Rams horns, because a Ram was sacrificed instead of him. Secondly, Basil344 is of opinion, that the people were hereby put in mind of that day, wherein they received the Law in Mount Sinai with blowing of Trumpets. Thirdly, others think it was to put them in rememberance of the Resurrection, which shall be with the sound of Trumpets; He shall send his Angels with a great sound of a Trumpet, Mat. 24. 31.
There are three things considerable in New Moons.345 First, σύνοδος, the conjunction of the Moon with the Sun. Secondly, ἐξαυγασμὸς, the waxing of the Moon. Thirdly, σχῆμα μηνοειδὲς, the prime of the Moon. In the first it was quite dark; in the second it did open it self to receive the Sun-beams: In the last it did appear, corniculata, horned.
Because in all these three degrees of the change, there was a kind of mutual participation both of the Old and New Moon: Hence the Jews observe two daies,346 namely, the last of every moneth, and the first day of the next following. Now because the thirtieth was the last in their longest months; Hence Horace calleth these last days, Tricesima Sabbata: The first days they termed, Neomenias, new Moons.
For certain reasons the Jews used a kind of change, or translation of daies; which translation, though it were of use in other months also, yet the greatest care was had in translating the beginning of their year, or their first day in their month Tisri; and he that shall diligently calculate these changes, shall find, that all other translations depended on this first.
Translation of daies was threefold.347 First, Lunary: Secondly, Politik: Thirdly, Mixt.
The reason of Lunary translation, was, that they might not observe the Feast of the New Moon, until the old were quite over-past. For the understanding of this, note these three rules.
First, The Hebrews counted their Holy-daies from night to night, beginning at six of the clock; so that from six of the clock the first night, till the next noon, were just eighteen hours.
Secondly, Always before the New Moon, there is a conjunction between the Sun and the Moon; during this conjunction she is called Luna silens, by reason of her darkness, and all this time there is a participation of the New Moon.
Thirdly, When the conjunction was over past before noon-tide, namely, in any of those first 18 hours, then the New Moon was celebrated the same day.348 But if it continued but one minute after twelve of the clock at noon, then the feast was translated to the day following, because otherwise they should begin their Holy-day in the time of the old Moon. And this translation they noted with this abbreviation יה, that is, 18, because of those eighteen hours which occasioned it.
The reason of Politick translation, was, that two Sabbaths, or feast-days might not immediately follow each other: because say they,349 it was unlawful those two daies to dress meat, or bury the dead; and it was likewise inconvenient to keep meat dressed, or the dead unburied two daies. Yet here two exceptions must be remembred, when the meeting of two Sabbaths could not be avoided.
First, When the Passover, or the fifteenth day of Nisan, fell on Saturday; for then the Pentecost must needs fall on Sunday.
Secondly, When the Passover fell on Sunday; for then their Passover immediately followed their weekly Sabbath.
The first Author of this Politick translation was a certain chief man amongst them, named Eleazar;350 three hundred and fifty years before Christ his Nativity.
The several species or kinds of Politick translation, were five. The first, אדו Adu. The second, בדו Badu. The third, גהז Gahaz. The fourth, זבד Zabad. The fifth, אגו Agu. For the understanding of these abbreviatures, we must know, that in these made words the letters only stand for numbers, and are applied to the seven daies of the week, thus א 1. Sunday. ב 2. Munday. ג 3. Tuesday. ד 4. Wednesday. ה 5. Thursday. ו 6. Friday. ז 7. Saturday: which was the Jews Sabbath.
Their rules touching Politick translation, stood thus.351 First, that neither their New-years-day, which was the first of the month Tisri, neither their Feast of Tabernacles, which was the fifteenth day of the same month, should be celebrated on Adu, that is on Sunday, or Wednesday, or Friday. Not on Sunday, or Friday, because then the weekly Sabbath must needs concur with it, either going immediately before, or following after: not on Wednesday, because then the Feast of expiation, which is the tenth of that month, would fall on Friday the day going immediately before their weekly Sabbath. This instance is only concerning the first of Tisri, which is called the Feast of Trumpets: but it holdeth also, by way of consequence, in the fifteenth day, which is the Feast of Tabernacles, because the fifteenth must always necessarily be of the same day of the week that the first is. Therefore if the first be not Adu, the fifteenth cannot be Adu.
The second rule was,352 that the Passover should not be observed on Badu; that is on Munday, Wednesday, or Friday.
The third rule is,353 that Pentecost was not observed on Gahaz; that is, on Tuesday, Thursday, or Saturday.
The fourth rule is,354 that the Feast of Purim, or casting lots, was not observed on Zabad, that is, on Munday, Wednesday, or Saturday.
The fifth rule is,355 that the Feast of expiation was not observed on Agu; that is, on Sunday, Tuesday, or Friday.
Mixt translation is, when both the Lunary and the Politick meet in the changing of daies. And the translation occasioned by this mixture or meeting of both these two, is twofold. First, Simple. And secondly, Double.
Simple translation is, when the Feast is translated to the next day following. For examples sake, If the Moon changed after noon-tide on Sunday, here the Feast must be translated, for two reasons: the first is Lunary, because the point of the change was after eighteen hours; the second, Politick, because the rule Adu forbids Sunday to be kept: notwithstanding, in as much as the very next day, namely Munday, was observed; I term this translation simple. Of this sort was that translation which they called Batu takphat.
בטו תקפט Batu Takphat,356 is a word invented for help of memory; each letter is a numeral, and may be thus resolved, ב 2. טו 15. תקפט 589. The meaning is, that in the year following Annum Embolymæum (wherein one whole month was ingrafted) if the point of the change happened upon the second day of the week, that is, Munday not before the fifteenth hour, and the 589 moment, the Feast of the New Moon was translated unto Tuesday. How both the Lunary and Politick translation work in this change, read Scaliger, de emend. temp. lib. 2. pag. 87.
Double Translation, is, when the Feast is translated not to the next, but to some further day: as if the first day of the month Tisri should happen upon Saturday; here, if the Moon hath not overpast her conjunction before the afternoon, Lunary translation removeth this Feast till Sunday, because of יח, that is, the eighteen hours: Politick translation removeth it till Munday, as appeareth by the rule Adu, forbidding Sunday; of this sort is Gatrad.
גטרד Gatrad, is a made word, each letter is a numeral, and it may be thus resolved, ג 3. ט 9. רד 204. The meaning thereof is thus: In their common year (when a whole month is not inserted) if the point of the change happen upon the third day of the week, that is, Tuesday, not before the ninth hour, and the 204 moment of an hour, then the New Moon shall be translated to Thursday.
Note in the last place, that 1080 moments make an hour.357
The Feast of Tabernacles was observed in the month Tisri, and therefore that could not be observed the morrow after the Sabbath, as appeareth by the rule Adu. The Passover was observed in the month Nisan, and therefore that might be observed the morrow after the Sabbath, as appeareth by the rule Badu. If any ask the reason why the Passover might be observed the next day after the Sabbath, seeing the Feast of Tabernacles might not? I take it to be thus; All the after translations depended upon the first translation of the first New Moon in Tisri; but that could not be so changed, as to prevent all concurrence of two Feasts; and thus to have their Passover sometimes to follow their Sabbath, they thought the most convenientest ordering of the year, because though not all meetings of two Sabbaths, yet most were hereby prevented.
This tract of translation of Feasts, it serveth partly to open the customs of the Jews: partly to give light for the understanding of that great dispute among Divines, whether our Saviour did anticipate the Passover. The Greek Church holds,358 that he kept a Passover by himself with his Disciples, on the thirteenth day of the month, when unleavened bread was not yet to be used; and thence they do both use and urge a necessity359 of leavened bread in the Lords supper: But this opinion we reject. First, because it accordeth not with the truth of Evangelical History. Secondly, because it plainly maketh Christ to be a transgressor, not a fulfiller of the Law. Others say,360 that because that year their Passover fell on Friday, hence the feast was translated unto Saturday by the rule Badu. Their inference is that Christ kept the fourteenth day of the month, which was Friday, and the Jews kept Saturday. He kept Gods Command, they the tradition of the Elders. Lastly, others more probably hold,361 that both Christ and the Jews did eat the Passover the same day and hour; namely, on Friday, or the fourteenth day of the month, if we count the beginning of Friday according to the manner of the Jews, from six a clock at night on Thursday. Friday morning he was judged, and crucified; and in the afternoon, about three of the clock, when the preparation of the Sabbath began, he was buried; There laid they Jesus, because of the Jews preparation, John 19. 24.
For reconciling the Evangelists in this point, we must note these particulars, which are more at large proved in the Chapter of the Passover. 1. The fourteenth day of the month, on which the Paschal Lamb was eaten, was called the first day of unleavened bread; the Feast of unleavened bread drew near, which is called the Passover, Luke 22. 1.
The fourteenth day was not holy, but the fifteenth was. In the fourteenth day of the first month is the Passover of the Lord, and in the fifteenth day of this month is the Feast, Numb. 28. 16, 17. Some of them thought, because Judas had the bag, that Jesus had said unto him, Buy those things that we have need of against the Feast, John 13. 29.
The Sheep and Bullocks offered upon this day, are called the Passover, Deut. 16. 2. And of this we are to understand S. John, Joh. 18. 28. They themselves went not into the common Hall, lest they should be defiled, but that they might eat the Passover. So that this eating of the Passover is not understood of the Paschal Lamb. But some may question, How they should have been defiled by entring into the common Hall? The answer is,362 that upon Holy-day-eves, which they termed days of preparation, they held it unlawful for their Judges to sit on life and death. Hence it is that they brought Jesus to Pilate the Roman Deputy. Secondly, they withdrew themselves out of the common Hall. Thirdly, for this reason they said, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death, Joh. 18. 31. that is, upon this, or such like day;363 for though their high Court of Sanedrim were put down at this time, yet all power in cases of life and death was not taken from them, as is implied in the words following; It was that the word of Jesus might be fulfilled, which he spake signifying what death he should die, ver. 32. Which text intimateth, that that unlawfulness was urged by the special providence of God, that he might be crucified, being judged by Pilat: for if the Jews had judged, they used no such kind of death towards Malefactors. Again, Stephen was condemned by them to be stoned, Act. 7. And they complained before Felix, that when they were about to proceed against Paul according to their own Law, the chief Captain Lysias with violence took him out of their hands, Acts 24. Which argueth, that all power in causes capital was not taken from them: But of this see the Chapter, Of their capital punishments.
Notes
342 Sheindler, in voce שפר
343 P. Fag. Levit. 23.
344 Basil. in Psal. 80.
345 Scalig. de emend. temp. pag. 26. It. p. 105.
346 Hospin. de Orig. fest. c. 4. p. 15. Eadem ratio tenet etiam in illis mensibus qui constant 29. diebus.
347 Scalig. de emend. temp. l. 2. p. 85.
348 Munster. Calend. Heb. p. 46.
349 Munst. Calend. p. 139.
350 Hospinian. de Orig. fest. p. 6.
351 Adu.
352 Badu.
353 Gahaz.
354 Zabad.
355 Agu.
356 Batu takphat.
357 Munst. Calend. pag. 45.
358 Epiph. l. 2. Tom. 1. c. 51. p. 147.
359 Usum fermentati panis in cœna Dominica Ecclesia Romana olim non damnavit. Casaubon. exercit. 16. p. 65.
360 Munster. in Mat. cap. 26.
361 Joseph. Scalig. de emend. temp. lib. 6. p. 266.
362 אין דנין דיני נפשות לא בערב שבת ולא בערב יום טוב Moses ben Maimon. li. ult. Iad. c. Sanedrin. Sect. 11.
363 August. tract. 114. In Ioann. ita hunc locum exponunt etiam Cyrill. lib. 12. in Ioan. c. 6. Chrys. hom. 12. in Joan. Beda in c. 18. Joan.