worship of the God of Israel (Zech. 2:15; 8:20-23)."

23

Yet the sublime prophecies of the Isaiah of the Exile find an echo even during this period of the restoration. Many of the psalms of that time give expression to a wide universalism. Malachi, somewhat later (before 458), enthusiastically declares that "from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same, My name shall be great among the gentiles; and in every place, incense shall be offered unto My name, and a pure offering; for My name shall be great among the heathens, saith the Lord of hosts" (Mal. I:II). In the earlier times, however, the people who held that " the time has not yet come to rebuild the Temple (Hag. 1:2), had to be aroused by more material pictures, which the good sense and patriotism of Haggai and Zechariah supplied. Zerubbabel, himself a scion of the Davidic dynasty, was to the people the living reminder of a glorious past and the pledge of

an equally glorious future. But this very fact proved to be a great obstacle to the young community. The enemies of Judea found therein an opportunity for accusing the Jews of a desire to re-establish the royal house of David. This the Persians evidently did not wish. Zerubbabel was obliged to return to Babylon, and the Messianic hopes and aspirations were again unrealized.

For almost two centuries after the restoration, nothing is heard of the Messianic hope in the Jewish annals, except in the outpourings of some psalmists, whose exact dates have not been determined with accuracy.

CHAPTER II

THE SECOND COMMONWEALTH

of

Return from Babylon-Great Change in the Character of the Nation-The Scribe rises to Power -Ezra and Nehemiah strengthen the Observance of the Law-Malachi introduces the Figure of Elijah in the Messianic Conception-Observance of the Law a Condition of the Messianic Hope-Belief in the Resurrection thus made more Prominent-Individual Responsibility and Importance stimulated-Rise Apocryphal and Apocalyptic Literature-Ben Sira-The Book of Tobit-Judah Maccabee not recognized as the Messiah-The Book of Daniel -The Ethiopic Book of Enoch-Notion of Two Worlds, the Present and the Future-Apocalypse of the Twelve Patriarchs-The Third Sybilline Book-An Exalted Picture of the Reign of the Messiah-The Psalms of Solomon-The Person of the Messiah placed in Sharpest Relief-The Similitudes-Philo and the Messianic Era-The Unscrupulous Rule of the Roman Procurators intensifies the Hope for Redemption-John the Baptist-The Messiahship of Jesus-"The Suffering Messiah" of the Early Christians.

One of the most important, and, at the same time, the most obscure periods in Jewish history, is that immediately following upon the return from Babylon. Though we can judge of the tremendous importance of

the period from the marks it has left on history, we meet with disappointment when we resort to contemporary documents for the study of the conditions prevailing during those two centuries. We must content ourselves with conjecture and inference. Religious revolutions were transforming conditions. In the course of two centuries, idolatry, against which the prophets had waged so bitter and unsuccessful a fight, entirely and forever disappears. New conceptions of God and His relation to man, of Israel and its place among the nations of the world, arise and take root. The people, who had been regarded by their leaders as the most stubborn of nations, unaffected by the exhortations of prophet or priest, become attentive to the words of their leaders, even forsake deep-rooted affections in obedience to a stringent code of laws. Everywhere new life is seen, new government, new doctrines, new customs and ceremonies.

The prince of the house of David is rele

gated to a secondary position, the priest becomes the nominal ruler of the people, while the Sofer, the Scribe, the man learned in the law, is the real power that guides the destinies of the reorganized commonwealth.' The Torah, until then known only to the priest, now becomes the property of the masses through the efforts of Ezra, who transcribes it in a script intelligible to the people, and has his scribes make many copies. With the co-operation of Nehemiah, Ezra succeeds in influencing the people to live up to the precepts of the Torah, and in introducing new institutions and customs, which help to strengthen and deepen the reverence for law and tradition.

The policy, adopted by Ezra and his associates and followers, of reducing all belief and practice to law, and expanding the law so as to embrace every detail of life, had a negative as well as a positive influence on the development of the doctrinal beliefs of the Jews.