there seems to be an allusion in John x, 1, 2, 7, 9. This gate at the time the guests were to come, was designedly made narrow, the wicket only being left open, and the porter standing there, that they who were not bidden might not rush into it. Hence Christ exhorts the Jews to enter in at the strait gate. Matt. vii, 13. When all the guests were come, the door was shut, and was not to be opened to any one who came too late, and stood knocking without: so after the wise virgins had entered with the bridegroom, the gate was shut, and was not opened to the foolish virgins, who stood knocking without. Matt. XXV. And probably in this sense we are to understand the words of our Lord, "Many shall seek to enter in, but shall not be able." Luke xiii, 24. It was customary also among the Jews, and other eastern people, to wear long white robes at nuptial and public festivities; and it was esteemed highly culpable and indecorous to appear with any other garments. The person who invited the guests, used to prepare such a garment for each, during the feast; and with which each was furnished by applying to the ruler of the feast. Our Lord evidently alludes to this custom in Matt. xxii, 1-14. * The marriage feast lasted a whole week; (Gen. xxix, 27; Judg. xiv, 12, &c.) and the gaiety and splendour which usually accompanied these nuptial solemnities, * Such a custom was prevalent among the ancient Greeks. Homer relates that Telemachus and the son of Nestor, arriving at Lacedæmon when Menelaus was making a marriage feast for his son and daughter, were accommodated with garments suited to the occasion, after having been bathed and anointed. See Odyss. iv, ver. 49-51. where circumstances would admit, were such, that the Psalmist could find no comparison more suitable to describe the splendour of the rising sun, than that of a bridegroom coming out of his nuptial chamber. Ps. xix, 5. The richness of the bride's attire, the pomp of her attendance, and the grandeur of the solemnity, are elegantly described in Ps. xlv; see also Isa. lxi, 10. There is frequent mention of the friend of the bridegroom in Scripture, who was called among the Jews, raww, shoshebin; and tagavuμpos, paranymph, among the Greeks, whose office was before marriage to procure a husband for the virgin, to guard her, to bear testimony to her corporeal and mental endowments; and it was upon this testimony, that the bridegroom chose his bride. He was the internuncio between her and her spouse elect: for, before marriage, young women were very strictly guarded at home. At the wedding it was his office to invite the guests, to preside over the solemnity, to see that nothing was wanting, (John ii, 9.) if necessary, to vindicate the character of the bride, and to see that neither the bride or bridegroom should be imposed on each other; and therefore, it was his office to examine and exhibit the tokens of the bride's purity, according to the law. Deut. xxii, 13-21. After marriage, he was considered the patron and advocate of the wife, and, in some sort, her guardian, to which the apostle alludes, 2 Cor. xi, 2; he had the keeping also of the marriage contract, which in certain cases, he tore, when there was reason to suspect infidelity on the part of the woman, by which the marriage was dissolved: and thus the suspected person was prevented from suffering capitally. There were generally two persons of this kind; one for the bride, and another for the bridegroom; though in most instances there is only one mentioned. Such persons were never absent from the marriages of kings, princes, and persons of distinction, yet it is probable they were not always found in ordinary weddings. Besides, there were bride maids, and a number of companions, assisting and attending during the whole feast. It is probable, according to eastern custom, that the bride and bridegroom, with their respective companions, had separate tables, apartments, and amusements. These last were singing, music, and dancing, among the women; and some kind of manly exercises among the men, as the proposing of riddles, and, assigning rewards to those who solved them. The Talmudists say, that this was generally a part of the amusements at a marriage feast. Judg. xiv, 11.* It was customary among the Hebrews to contract these marriages while their children were very young: this was called espousing; and both parties remained with their parents till they were of proper age to consummate the marriage. It was also a custom established in the patriarchal times, and probably founded on a *The Rabbins mention several other ceremonies relating to marriage: but some of them are rather too indecent to relate here but the following are worthy of remark.-Before the bride was introduced into the nuptial chamber, these prayers and blessings were used to be said or sung: "Blessed art thou, O Lord of heaven and earth, who hast created man in thine own likeness, and hast appointed the woman to be his partner and companion.— Blessed art thou, who fillest Sion with joy, for the multitude of her children.-Blessed art thou, who makest the barren womb to bear; who sendest gladness to the bridegroom and his bride; who hast ordained for them love, joy, tenderness peace, and mutual affection. Be pleased to bless, not only this couple, but Judah and Jerusalem, with songs of joy and praise, for the joy that thou givest them by the multitude of their sons and daughters." divine precept, that if a man died childless, his brother was to take his wife, and the children produced by this second marriage, were considered as the children of the first husband, and consequently inherited his possessions. Gen. xxxviii, 8, 9. But Moses leaves it in some degree to a man's option, whether to marry her or not, and in case of refusal, the widow could only summon him before the elders or judges of the place; and if he persisted in his refusal, she loosed his shoe, and spat in or before his face, and said, "so shall it be done unto that man that will not build up his brother's house." This ceremony marked the strong contempt the widow felt for the man who had slighted her. And it appears, that the man was ever afterwards disgraced in Israel; "his name shall be called in Israel, The house of him that hath his shoe loosed." Deut. xxv, 5-10. God suffered the Jews to put away their wives, for the hardness of their hearts: and they took advantage to do so for any cause that seemed good to themselves. * *The following is the common form of a bill or writing of divorcement:-"On the day of the week A, in the month B, in the year C, from the beginning of the world, according to the common computation in the province of D, I, N. the son of N, by whatever name I am called, of the city E, with entire consent of mind, and without any compulsion, have divorced, dismissed, and expelled thee-thee, I say, M, the daughter of M, by whatever name thou art called, of the city E, who wast heretofore my wife; but now I have dismissed thee-thee, I say, M, the daughter of M, by whatever name thou art called, of the city E, so as to be free and at thine own disposal, to marry whomsoever thou pleasest, without hinderance from any one, from this day for ever. Thou art there. fore free for any man. Let this be thy bill of divorce from me, a writing of separation and expulsion, according to the law of Moses and Israel. Reuben, son of Jacob, Witness. In the time when our Lord was on earth, there were two famous divinity and philosophical schools among the Jews, that of Shammai, and that of Hillel. On the question of divorce, the school of Shammai maintained, that a man could not legally put away his wife except for adultery. The school of Hillel taught, that a man might put away his wife for many other causes, and when she did not find grace in his sight. Our Lord strongly reprehended the Jews on this account, and shewed that such licence was wholly inconsistent with the original design of marriage; and that in the sight of God nothing could be a legal cause of separation, but adultery on either side. Deut. xxiv, 1-4; Matt. v, 31; xix, 3, 9; Mark x, 12.* II. Of the Waters of Jealousy. WHENEVER a person had a cause to suspect his wife's chastity, he was to bring a peculiar offering for her; viz. a cake of barley-meal, without oil or frankincense, and to put it into the hands of the priest. At the same time he brought his wife also, and declared the grounds of his suspicion. The priest then took the woman and placed her before the Lord, at the tabernacle or temple. After having uncovered her head, and put the offering in her hand, he took some * Fleury, p. 99, Univers. Hist. vol. i, p. 680, fól. ed. Dr. Lightfoot's Works, vol. i, p. 585; vol. ii, p. 527. Schoetgen on John iii, 29. God wyn's Moses and Aaron, b. vi, c. 4. See the modern mode of solemnizing marriage among the Jews in Leo of Modena, partiv. c. 2. |