Deuterosis

משנה Mishnah.DEUTEROSIS. Thus the Jews call their Mishnah, or second Law. Deuterosis in Greek has the same signification almost as Mishnah in Hebrew: both signify second, or Eufeb. in Isai. i. 22. p. 362. Epiphan. Hæres. 33. num. 9.rather iteration. Eusebius accuses the Jews with corrupting the true sense of Scripture with the trifling explanations of their Deuteroses. St. Epiphanius says, that there were four sorts of them quoted: the first under the name of Moses; the second under that of Akiba; the third under that of Adda or Judah; and the fourth under the name of the sons of the Asmonæans or Maccabees. It is not easy to say whether the present Mishnah is the same with these, whether it contains them all, or only some part, or whether it be different Hieron. in Isa. viii.from them. St. Jerom says, that the Hebrews referr’d their Deuteroses to Shammai and Hillel; if it were well proved that they were of this antiquity, it would be considerable, Joseph. l. 14. Antiq. & l. 15. c. 1.since Josephus speaks of Sammeas, who is the same with Shammai in the beginning of Herod’s reign. St. Jerom speaks always of the Deuteroses with the utmost contempt; he looked upon them as a collection of fables, childish stuff, and obscenities. He says, the principal Authors of these fine decisions, according to the Jews, are Bar-Akiba, Simeon, and Helles. Bar-Akiba is probably the grandfather or father of the famous Akiba: Simeon and Shammai are the same persons, so are Helles and Hillel. See the Article MISHNAH.

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