Patriarchs

PATRIARCHS. This Name is given to the antient Fathers, chiefly to those that lived before Moses, as Adam, Lamech, Noah, Shem, Phaleg, Heber, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Judah, Levi, and the other Sons of Jacob, and the Heads of the twelve Tribes. The Hebrews call them Princes of the Tribes, or Heads of the Fathers, Roshe Aboth. The Name Patriarch come from the Greek Word Patriarcha, which signifies Head of a Family. ‘Tis by an Extention and Imitation of the Name of the first Fathers of the Old Testament, that in the Christian Church the Name of Patriarch is given to the Bishops of the first Churches of the East, as Antioch, Alexandria, Jerusalem, and Constantinople; as also to the first Founders of Religious Orders, as St. Basil, St. Bennet, St. Austin, &c.

After the Destruction of the Temple of Jerusalem by the Romans, and the Dispersion of the Jews, as a Consequence of it, that unfortunate Nation was without King, without Temple, without Sacrifices, without Altar, without Priests, without Ephod, without any solemn Exercise of their Religion. For as to what was still kept up in their Synagogues, it was but the Shadow of a Part of what was before performed in their Temple. They offered neither Offering nor Sacrifice, there was no Altar of Incense, none of Shewd Basnage, History of the Jews, t. 2. l. 4. c. 3. bread, no Candlestick, no Altar of Burnt-offerings. Even the Sacerdotal Families were so confounded with the rest, that they could no longer be distinguished. Even the Tribes and great Families themselves were involved in the utmost Disorder and Confusion.

Yet notwithstanding this Disorder, as well those Jews that continued in Palestine, as those that inhabited beyond the Euphrates, endeavoured to preserve some Form of Government among themselves, especially as to what relates to their Ecclesiastical Polity. Those of Judea chose them a Head, to whom they gave the Name of Patriarch. And those beyond the Euphrates gave their Chief the Title of Prince of the Captivity. The first governed the Jews that dwelt in Judea, Syria, Egypt, Italy, and the Provinces of the Roman Empire. The second had under his Jurisdiction all those that inhabited in Babylonia, Chaldea, Assyria, and Persia.

The Jews¹ make a great Difference between the Patriarchs of Judea, and the Princes of the Babylonish Captivity. These they call Rabbana, and the others Rabban. This last Name is as it were a Diminutive of the former. They pretend that the Princes of the Captivity descended in a direct Line from David by the Males; whereas the Patriarchs descended only by the Females. But this has very little Foundation, and they would be hard put to it to give their Proofs. However, we shall here insert what they say of it. There is much greater Probability, that the Patriarchs who resided at Tiberias, or at Japhne in Palestine, were rather of the Race of Levi than of that of David. Their Functions had relation to the Decision of Cases of Conscience, and to the Explication of the Law. This rather belongs to Priests and Levites, than to Laicks. Besides which they took Cognizance of the important Affairs of the Nation, they presided in the Synagogues, they raised certain Tributes to defray the Expences of their Visitations, and they had Officers under them, who pass’d through the Provinces, to take care of the Execution of their Orders.

If the Jews may be believed, it must be allowed, that the Establishment of Patriarchs was before the Destruction of the Temple an hundred Years. For they reckon that Hillel surnamed the Babylonian, because he came out of that Country, at his Arrival at Jerusalem was consulted about the Celebration of the Feast of the Passover, which in that Year fell upon a Saturday; that they were so well pleased with his Answer, that they made him Patriarch of the Nation, and that his Posterity rity succeeded him down to the fifth Century of the Christian Church, in which the Patriarchs of Judea were abolished.

But what gives Reasons to doubt of this pretended Antiquity of the Patriarchs of Judea is this, that neither the Scripture, nor Philo, nor Josephus make any mention of it; and that neither the Asmonean Princes, nor Herod the Great or his Successors, nor the High Priest, who were at Jerusalem, would have suffered them in Palestine with that Plenitude of Power which the Rabbins invest them with. The interfering of Jurisdiction, and the Jealousy between the two Powers, must often have happened, and History could not but have taken notice of it. Lastly, the Contradictions and Differences which are to be found among the Jewish Authors, who have given us the Succession of these pretended Patriarchs that preceded the Destruction of the Temple, is a farther Proof of their being suppositious. These Patriarchs are only known among the Rabbins that are posterior to the Talmudists, and consequently too modern to give any Credit to a thing of this Nature.

This is the List of the Patriarchs of Palestine, such as is given us by the Rabbins.

1. Hillel the Babylonian. 2. Simeon his Son. 3. Gamaliel Son of Simeon. 4. Simeon II. Son of Gamaliel.

2. Gamaliel II. Son of Simeon.

3. Simeon III. Son of Simeon II. 7. Judah Son of Simeon III. 8. Gamaliel III. Son of Judah.

4. Judah II. Son of Gamaliel III. 10. Hillel II. Son of Judah. 11. Judah III. Son of Hillel II. 12. Hillel III. Son of Judah. 13. Gamaliel IV. Son of Hillel.

David Ganz in his Chronology intituled Tzemach David; that is to say, the Offspring of David, reduces this Genealogy to ten Persons, and reckons them thus:

1. Hillel the Babylonian. 2. Rabban Simeon his Son. 3. R. Gamaliel Ribbona. 4. R. Simeon Son of Gamaliel. This is probably the same who ought to be reckon’d as the first Patriarch, who was established under the Government of Adrian.

2. Rabban Gamaliel, Son of Simeon. 6. R. Jetruda, the Prince.

3. Hillel the Prince, his Son.

4. Rabban Gamaliel the elder.

5. R. Simeon III. 10. R. Judah Nasi, or the Prince.

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