alexandria and her schools-第12节
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private propertyexactly in that proportion they began to lose all living or practical belief that He did guide them。 He became a being of the past； one who had taught and governed their forefathers in old times： not one who was teaching and governing them now。 I beg you to pay attention to this curious result； because you will see； I think； the very same thing occurring in two other Alexandrian schools； of which I shall speak hereafter。
The result to these Rabbis was； that the inspired books which spoke of this Divine guidance and government became objects of superstitious reverence； just in proportion as they lost all understanding of their real value and meaning。 Nevertheless； this too produced good results； for the greatest possible care was taken to fix the Canon of these books； to settle； as far as possible； the exact time at which the Divine guidance was supposed to have ceased； after which it was impious to claim a Divine teaching； when their sages were left to themselves； as they fancied； with a complete body of knowledge； on which they were henceforth only to comment。 Thus； whether or not they were right in supposing that the Divine Teacher had ceased to teach and inspire them； they did infinite service by marking out for us certain writers whom He had certainly taught and inspired。 No doubt they were right in their sense of the awful change which had passed over their nation。 There was an infinite difference between them and the old Hebrew writers。 They had lost something which those old prophets possessed。 I invite you to ponder； each for himself； on the causes of this strange loss； bearing in mind that they lost their forefathers' heirloom； exactly in proportion as they began to believe it to be their exclusive possession； and to deny other human beings any right to or share in it。 It may have been that the light given to their forefathers had； as they thought； really departed。 It may have been； also； that the light was there all around them still； as bright as ever； but that they would not open their eyes and behold it； or rather； could not open them； because selfishness and pride had sealed them。 It may have been； that inspiration was still very near them too； if their spirits had been willing to receive it。 But of the fact of the change there was no doubt。 For the old Hebrew seers were men dealing with the loftiest and deepest laws： the Rabbis were shallow pedants。 The old Hebrew seers were righteous and virtuous men： the Rabbis became； in due time； some of the worst and wickedest men who ever trod this earth。
Thus they too had their share in that downward career of pedantry which we have seen characterise the whole past Alexandrine age。 They； like Zenodotus and Aristarchus； were commentators； grammarians； sectarian disputers： they were not thinkers or actors。 Their inspired books were to them no more the words of living human beings who had sought for the Absolute Wisdom； and found it after many sins and doubts and sorrows。 The human writers became in their eyes the puppets and mouthpieces of some magical influence； not the disciples of a living and loving person。 The book itself was； in their belief； not in any true sense inspired； but magically dictatedby what power they cared not to define。 His character was unimportant to them； provided He had inspired no nation but their own。 But； thought they； if the words were dictated； each of them must have some mysterious value。 And if each word had a mysterious value； why not each letter？ And how could they set limits to that mysterious value？ Might not these words； even rearrangements of the letters of them； be useful in protecting them against the sorceries of the heathen； in driving away those evil spirits； or evoking those good spirits； who； though seldom mentioned in their early records； had after their return from Babylon begun to form an important part of their unseen world？ For as they had lost faith in the One Preserver of their race； they had filled up the void by a ponderous demonology of innumerable preservers。 This process of thought was not confined to Alexandria。 Dr。 Layard； in his last book on Nineveh； gives some curious instances of its prevalence among them at an earlier period； well worth your careful study。 But it was at Alexandria that the Jewish Cabbalism formed itself into a system。 It was there that the Jews learnt to become the jugglers and magic…mongers of the whole Roman world； till Claudius had to expel them from Rome； as pests to rational and moral society。
And yet； among these hapless pedants there lingered nobler thoughts and hopes。 They could not read the glorious heirlooms of their race without finding in them records of antique greatness and virtue； of old deliverances worked for their forefathers； and what seemed promises； too； that that greatness should return。 The notion that those promises were conditional； that they expressed eternal moral laws； and declared the consequences of obeying those laws； they had lost long ago。 By looking on themselves as exclusively and arbitrarily favoured by Heaven； they were ruining their own moral sense。 Things were not right or wrong to them because Right was eternal and divine； and Wrong the transgression of that eternal right。 How could that be？ For then the right things the Gentiles seemed to do would be right and divine；and that supposition in their eyes was all but impious。 None could do right but themselves； for they only knew the law of God。 So； right with them had no absolute or universal ground； but was reduced in their minds to the performance of certain acts commanded exclusively to thema form of ethics which rapidly sank into the most petty and frivolous casuistry as to the outward performance of those acts。 The sequel of those ethics is known to all the world； in the spectacle of the most unrivalled religiosity； and scrupulous respectability； combined with a more utter absence of moral sense； in their most cultivated and learned men； than the world has ever beheld before or since。
In such a state of mind it was impossible for them to look on their old prophets as true seers； beholding and applying eternal moral laws； and； therefore； seeing the future in the present and in the past。 They must be the mere utterers of an irreversible arbitrary fate； and that fate must； of course； be favourable to their nation。 So now arose a school who picked out from their old prophets every passage which could be made to predict their future glory； and a science which settled when that glory was to return。 By the arbitrary rules of criticism a prophetic day was defined to mean a year； a week； seven years。 The most simple and human utterances were found to have recondite meanings relative to their future triumph over the heathens whom they cursed and hated。 If any of you ever come across the popular Jewish interpretations of The Song of Solomon； you will there see the folly in which acute and learned men can indulge themselves when they have lost hold of the belief in anything really absolute and eternal and moral； and have made Fate； and Time； and Self； their real deities。 But this dream of a future restoration was in no wise ennobled； as far as we can see； with any desire for a moral restoration。 They believed that a person would appear some day or other to deliver them。 Even they were happily preserved by their sacred books from the notion that deliverance was to be found for them； or for any man； in an abstraction or notion ending in …ation or …ality。 In justice to them it must be said； that they were too wise to believe that personal qualities； such as power； will； love； righteousness； could reside in any but in a person； or be manifested except by a person。 And among the earlier of them the belief may have been； that the ancient unseen Teacher of their race would be their deliverer： but as they lost the thought of Him； the expected Deliverer became a mere human being： or rather not a human being； for as they lost their moral sense； they lost in the very deepest meaning their humanity； and forgot what man was like till they learned to look only for a conqueror； a manifestation of power； and not of goodness； a destroyer of the hated heathen； who was to establish them as the tyrant race of the whole earth。 On that fearful day on which； for a moment； they cast away even that last dream； and cried； 〃We have no king but Caesar；〃 they spoke the secret of their hearts。 It was a Caesar； a Jewish Caesar； for whom they had been longing for centuries。 And if they could not have such a deliverer； they would have none： they would take up with the best embodiment of brute Titanic power which they could find； and crucify the embodiment of Righteousness and Love。 Amid all the metaphysical schools of Alexandria； I know none so deeply instructive as that school of the Rabbis； 〃the glory of Israel。〃
But you will say： 〃This does not look like a school likely to regenerate Alexandrian thought。〃 True： and yet it did regenerate it； both for good and for evil； for these men had among them and preserved faithfully enough for all practical purposes； the old literature of their race； a literature which I firmly believe； if I am to trust the experience of 1900 year
