[9:1] “De Republ.,” ii.

[9:2] In the “Octavius of Minucius Felix” (c. 25), we meet with the following startling challenge—­“Where are there more bargains for debauchery made, more assignations concerted, or more adultery devised than by the priests amidst the altars and shrines of the gods?” This, of course, refers to the state of things in the third century, but there is no reason to believe that it was now much better.  Tertullian speaks in the same manner ("Apol”. c. 15).  See also “Juvenal,” sat. vi. 488, and ix. 23.

[10:1] “Origen.  Contra Celsum,” lib. i. c. 49.

[10:2] Mat. xxii. 23.

[10:3] Luke ii. 25, 36.

[11:1] See Matt. v. 18; John v. 39, and x. 35.

[11:2] See Josephus against Apion, i.  Sec. 8.  Origen says that the Hebrews had twenty-two sacred books corresponding to the number of letters in their alphabet.  Opera, ii. 528.  It would appear from Jerome that they reckoned in the following manner:  they considered the Twelve Minor Prophets only one book; First and Second Samuel, one book; First and Second Kings, one book; First and Second Chronicles, one book; Ezra and Nehemiah, one book; Jeremiah and Lamentations, one book; the Pentateuch, five books; Judges and Ruth, one book; thus, with the other ten books of Joshua, Esther, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Canticles, Isaiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel, making up twenty-two.  The most learned Roman Catholic writers admit that what are called the apocryphal books were never acknowledged by the Jewish Church.  See, for example, Dupin’s “History of Ecclesiastical Writers,” Preliminary Dissertation, section ii.  See also Father Simon’s “Critical History of the Old Testament,” book. i. chap. viii.

[11:3] Matt, xxiii. 15.

[12:1] Many proofs of this occur in the Acts.  See Acts x. 2, xiii. 43, xvi. 14, xvii. 4.

[12:2] See Cudworth’s “Intellectual System,” i. 318, &c.  Edition, London, 1845.  Warburton has adduced evidence to prove that this doctrine was imparted to the initiated in the heathen mysteries.  “Divine Legation of Moses,” i. 224.  Edit., London, 1837.

[12:3] Gal. iv. 4.

[12:4] Gen. xlix. 10; Dan. ix. 25; Haggai ii. 6, 7.

[12:5] Virgil.  Ec. iv.  Suetonius.  Octavius, 94.  Tacitus.  Histor. v. 13.

[13:1] Haggai ii. 7.

[13:2] Dan. vii. 14.

[14:1] See Supplementary Note at the end of this chapter on the year of Christ’s Birth.

[14:2] Luke ii. 6, 7.

[15:1] Luke i. 11, 19.

[15:2] Luke. 26, 31.

[15:3] Luke ii. 13, 14.

[15:4] Matt. ii. 9.

[15:5] Matt. ii. 12.

[15:6] Matt. ii. 3.  The evangelist does not positively assert that the wise men met Herod at Jerusalem.  On their arrival in the holy city he was probably at Jericho—­distant about a day’s journey—­for Josephus states that he died there. ("Antiq.” xvii. 6.  Sec. 5. and 8.  Sec. 1.) We may infer, therefore, that he “heard” of the strangers on his sick-bed, and “privily called” them to Jericho.  The chief priests and scribes were, perhaps, summoned to attend him at the same place.