Page:The early Christians in Rome (1911).djvu/33

BOOK V

THE JEW AND THE TALMUD


INTRODUCTORY

The story of the Jew—his past—his condition now, is the
weightiest argument that can be adduced in support of the
truth of Christianity—What happened to the "sad remnant"
of the people after the exterminating wars of Titus
and Hadrian, A.D. 70 and 134-5, is little known; yet the
wonderful story of the Jew, especially in the second and third
centuries, is a piece of supreme importance—How Rabbinic
study and the putting out of the Talmud have influenced
the general estimate of the Old Testament among Christian
peoples 325

I

THE LAST THREE GREAT WARS OF THE JEWS

The First War, A.D. 66-70—Revolt of the Jews—The dangerous
revolt was eventually crushed by Vespasian, and when he
succeeded to the Empire his son Titus completed the
conquest—Fate of the city of Jerusalem, A.D. 70—Why
was the Temple burned?—The recital of Sulpicius Severus
gives the probable answer—The account in question was
apparently quoted from a lost book of Tacitus—The Roman
triumph of Titus—The memories of the conquered Jews on
the Arch of Titus in the Forum—The great change in
Judaism after A.D. 70, when the Temple and city were
destroyed—The change was completed after the war of
Hadrian in A.D. 134-5 (the third war)—Brief account of
the second and third wars—The bitter persecution after the
third war soon ceased, and the sad Jewish remnant was left
virtually to itself 329

II

RABBINISM (a)

The conservation of the remnant of the Jews was owing to the
development of Rabbinism—Rabbinism, however, existed
before A.D. 70—Traditional story of the rise of Rabbinism
contained in the "Mishnah" treatise Pirke Aboth—Effect
of the great catastrophe of A.D. 70—Mosaism was
destroyed, and was replaced by Rabbinism 338