1845.] Other Paschal Sacrifices. 409 fering was made, no husbandman could begin his harvest; nor might any one eat of the new grain; Lev. 23: 14. It was therefore a rite of great importance; and, in the time of our Lord and later, was performed with various formalities. Some of these were the following, according to the Mishnah, Menach. c. 10. Towards the end of the fifteenth of Nisan, some members of the Sanhedrim, appointed for the purpose, went with much ceremony out of Jerusalem over the brook Kidron, and there, in some field not far from the city, selected the portion of barley. During the evening or night following, i. e. early on the sixteenth of Nisan it was cut and brought into the court of the temple; even though that day might be the Sabbath. Here the grain was separated from the ears, ground in a hand-mill, and sifted thirteen times. Of the flour, the tenth part of an ephah was mixed with oil and frankincense for a wave-offering; one handful of which was burnt upon the altar, and the rest eaten by the priests.2 3. There was also another sacrifice connected with the Passover, known among the later Hebrews as the Khagigah (nan); of which there would seem to be traces likewise in the Old Testament. It was a festive thank-offering (ny, Engl. Vers. peace-offering), made by private individuals or families, in connection with the Passover, but distinct from the appointed public offerings of the temple. Such voluntary sacrifices or free-will of ferings (i), differing from those offered in fulfilment of a vow (D), were provided for in the Mosaic law. After the fat was burned upon the altar (Lev. 3: 3, 9, 14), and the priest had taken the breast and right shoulder as his portion (Lev. 7: 29–34. 10: 14), the remainder was eaten by the bringer with his family and friends in a festive manner, on the same or the next day; beyond which time none of it might be kept; Lev. 7: 16-18. 22: 29, 30. Deut. 12: 17, 18, 27. 27:7. These private sacrifices, or free-will offerings, were often connected with the public festivals, both in honour of the same, and as a matter of convenience; Num. 10: 10. Deut. 14: 26. 16: 11, 14. comp. 1 Sam. 1:3-5, 24, 25. 2: 12-16, 19. be eaten in any clean place within the city (Lev. 10: 14. Deut. 16:11, 14); but those only might partake of them, as likewise of the Passover, who were themselves ceremonially clean; Num. 18: 11, 13. John 11:55. comp. Num. 9: 10-13. 2 Chr. 30: 18. Joseph. B. J. 6. 9. 3. 1 Lightfoot Hor. Heb. in John 19: 31. See Lev. 2: 14–16. Jos. Antt. 3. 10.5. Reland Antiqq. Sac. 4. 3. 8. They might Reland Antt. Sac. 4. 2. 4. p. 227. Such a voluntary private sacrifice in connection with the Passover, would seem to be implied in Deut. 16: 2; Thou shalt therefore sacrifice the Passover unto the Lord thy God, even flock and herd (pa Ny), Sept. θύσεις τὸ πάσχα κυρίῳ τῷ θεῷ σου πρόβατα xai Bóas. It might indeed be said, that while the "flock" here stands for the paschal lambs, the "herd" is mentioned in allusion to the extraordinary public sacrifices on each of the seven days; Num. 28: 19. Yet other passages in the later Jewish history show that such a limitation is unnecessary and improbable. Thus in 2 Chr. 35: 7-9, Josiah and his princes are said to have given to the people not only nearly forty thousand lambs, but also three thousand eight hundred oxen; which latter especially could not of course have all been for the daily public sacrifices. Indeed, it is expressly said, that when these were offered in sacrifice they "sod them in pots and in caldrons and in pans, and divided them speedily among all the people;" vs. 12, 13. So too thank (peace) offerings are enumerated in connection with Hezekiah's great passover; for which likewise he and his princes gave to the people two thousand bullocks and seventeen thousand sheep; 2 Chr. 30: 22, 24. It was, moreover, the general law, that on this and other great festivals, none should appear before the Lord empty; Ex. 23: 15. Deut. 16: 16. Hence, as being a sacrifice connected with a festival, these voluntary offerings were themselves called, at least by the later Hebrews, a, a festival; a word strictly synonymous with the earlier an1 Such apparently was the origin and character of the festive Khagigah of the later times of the Jewish people, derived in this manner from the festival sacrifices of the Old Testament. Indeed the earlier Rabbins, in commenting on Deut. 16: 2, directly refer the "flock" (1x) to the paschal victims, and the "herd" (p) to the Khagigah.2 There existed, however, some difference of opinion as to the particular day of the passover festival, on which the Khagigah ought to be offered, whether on the fourteenth or fifteenth of Nisan; but the weight of authority was greatly in favour of the fifteenth day. Still, in certain cases, it was permitted to be offered on the fourteenth day; as, for instance, when the paschal lamb was too small for the number of the family or company, and then the Khagigah furnished a fuller meal,3 Yet the later accounts of the mode of celebrating the paschal supper, seem to 1 See Buxtorf's Lex. sub voc. 2 Pesach. fol. 70. 2. Lightfoot Hor. Heb. ad Joh. 18: 28. 3 Aruch, in . Pesach. fol. 89. 2. Lightfoot I. c. 1945.] Details of the Paschal Supper. 411 imply, that a Khagigah was ordinarily connected with that meal. Indeed, mention is made of a "Khagigah of the fourteenth day," so called in distinction from the more important and formal ceremonial Khagigah of the passover festival; which latter was not regularly offered until the fifteenth day, when the paschal supper had already been eaten. The former was then a mere voluntary oblation of thanksgiving, made for the very purpose of enlarging and diversifying the passover meal.1 V. The Paschal Supper. In the original institution of the Passover (Ex. c. 12), the lamb, as we have seen, was to be selected on the tenth of Nisan, killed late in the afternoon of the fourteenth, and eaten the same evening after the fifteenth day had begun; the blood having been struck upon the door-posts; vs. 3-7, 22. The flesh was to be eaten roasted, not raw nor sodden, with unleavened bread and bitter herbs; vs. 8, 9. None of it was to remain until the morning, or to be carried out of the house; and not a bone was to be broken; vs. 10, 46. It was to be eaten in haste, apparently standing, with the loins girded as for a journey, the shoes on the feet, and staff in hand; and no one was to go out of the door of the house until the morning; vs. 11, 22. Some of these particulars would seem to have been intended only for the first Passover in Egypt; and could not well have had place afterwards. Thus when, in later times, crowds went up to Jerusalem to keep this festival, arriving there a day, or two days perhaps, before the fourteenth, and purchasing their lambs of the traders in and around the temple, a previous selection on the tenth was out of question. As too they were strangers in the city, and the lamb was slain in the court of the temple, the smiting of the blood upon the door-posts of other men's houses could hardly have been a matter of custom. Instead also of eating in haste, prepared as for a journey, the Jews in our Saviour's time, and our Lord with his disciples, ate at their leisure, reclining at table in the Roman manner. So, further, instead of not going out of the house before morning, which the Hebrews in Egypt were forbidden to do for fear of the destroying angel, the later Jews, inas 1 See Lightfoot Ministerium Templi 13. 4. ibid. c. 14. Reland Antiqq. Sac. 4. 2. 2. 2 Pesach. 10. 1. Wetstein in Matt. 26: 20. comp. Mark 14: 18. Luke 22: 14. John 13: 12. much as no such reason existed afterwards, disregarded the prohibition; and our Lord and his disciples went out the same evening over the brook Kidron. That the Jews, in the course of many centuries, had introduced various additional ceremonies along with the eating of the pas chal supper, is evident from the manner in which our Lord celebrated it, as narrated by the Evangelists. What all these rites were, we have no specific historical account from any contemporary writer. Yet the precept as to the manner of holding the meal, preserved in the Mishnah and Talmud of Jerusalem,-which were compiled in the third century in the school at Tiberias from the traditional teaching of earlier Rabbins, and have been illustrated and explained by successive Jewish commentators, although they cannot be depended upon as contemporaneous testimony, do nevertheless serve to throw light upon some of the circumstances connected with the institution of the Lord's supper; and may therefore properly find a place here.1 According to these authorities, four cups of red wine, usually mingled with one fourth part of water, were drunk during the meal, and served to mark its progress. The first cup being prepared, the master of the family opened the meal with a blessing upon the day and upon the wine, and so the first cup was drunk; apparently the same mentioned in Luke 22: 17. All now washed their hands, the master at the same time giving thanks. Then bitter herbs were brought in, dipped in vinegar or salt water; of which they tasted meanwhile, until the proper paschal dishes were served, viz. the unleavened bread and roasted lamb, and further the Khagigah of the fourteenth day, and a broth or sauce (noin) made with spices; Pesach. 2. 8. The master of the house now pronounced a blessing over the bitter herbs, and ate of them dipped in the sauce; as did also the rest. After this the second cup was filled; the son inquired of the father the meaning of this celebration; and the latter instructed him as to its significancy, pointing out and explaining in their order the lamb, the bitter herbs, and the unleavened bread, etc. Then was repeated the first part of the Hallel or song of praise, Ps. 113, 114. The second cup was now drunk. The master of the family next took two cakes of the unleavened bread; broke one of them in two and laid it upon the other yet unbroken; and pronounced a blessing upon the bread. See the tract Pesachin c. 10. Lightfoot Minist. Templi c. 13. Hor. Heb. in Matt. 26: 26, 27. Othon. Lex. Rabb. p. 504 sq. Werner de Poculo Benedictionis, in Ugolini Thesaur. T. XXX. Wetstein in Matt. 1. c. 1845.] Did our Lord eat the Passover with his Disciples? 413 He then took a piece of the broken bread, wrapped it in bitter herbs, dipped it in the sauce, gave thanks, and ate it. Then followed the blessing upon the Khagigah, of which he ate a morsel; and finally the blessing upon the paschal lamb, of which he ate in like manner. Thereupon began the actual meal, in which they ate this or that as they pleased and at their leisure; partaking of the herbs, of the bread dipped in the sauce, of the flesh of the Khagigah, and lastly of the paschal lamb; after which last they ate nothing more. The eating being thus finished, the master of the family washed his hands and gave thanks for the meal. Next followed the giving of thanks over the third cup, called naan ID, the cup of blessing, which was now drunk; compare the cup in the Eucharist, and also to norýgior ris svλorías, 1 Cor. 10: 16. Upon this, the fourth cup having been filled, the remainder of the Hallel, Ps. 115-118, was repeated; and the fourth cup was drunk. This was ordinarily the end of the celebration. But the Jews have a tradition, that when the guests were disposed to repeat further the great Hallel, Ps. 120-137, a fifth cup might thereupon be added.1 It is obvious that the first cup spoken of above, corresponds to that mentioned in Luke 22: 17; and that the institution of the Lord's supper probably took place at the close of the proper meal, immediately before the third cup or "cup of blessing," which would seem to have made part of it; comp. 1 Cor. 10: 16. VI. Did our Lord, the night in which he was betrayed, eat the Passover with his Disciples? If we were to regard only the testimony of the first three Evangelists, not a doubt upon this question could ever arise. Their language upon this point is full, explicit and decisive, to the effect that our Lord's last meal with his disciples, as recorded by them all, was the regular and ordinary paschal supper of the Jews, introducing the festival of unleavened bread, on the evening after the fourteenth day of Nisan. Matthew and Mark narrate first, that the Passover was approaching after two days; then, that the first day of unleavened bread was come, when Jesus sent two of his disciples into the city to make ready the Passover, of which he and his disciples partook the same evening; Matt. 26: 2, 17-20. Mark 14: 1, 12-17. All this points directly and only to the regular lawful passover-meal, as 'See Lightfoot Minist. Templi XIII. 9. Buxtorf Synagog. Jud. c. 18. |