worn, nor yet by the priests while officiating in the Temple. Although the words of our

Lord seem only expressly to condemn the making broad of the phylacteries, for

purposes of religious ostentation, it is difficult to believe that He Himself had worn

them. At any rate, while any ordinary Israelite would only put them on at prayer or on

solemn occasions, the members of the Pharisaic confraternity wore them all day long.

The practice itself, and the views and ordinances connected with it, are so characteristic

of the party, that we shall add a few further particulars.

The "tephillin" were worn on the left arm, towards the heart, and on the forehead. They

consisted--to describe them roughly --of capsules, containing, on parchment (that for

the forehead on four distinct parchments), these four passages of Scripture: Exodus

13:1-10, 13:11-16; Deuteronomy 6:4-9 and 11:13-21. The capsules were fastened on by

black leather straps, which were wound round the arm and hand (seven times round the

former, and three times round the latter), or else fitted to the forehead in a prescribed and

mystically significant manner. The wearer of them could not be mistaken. But as for their

value and importance in the eyes of the Rabbis, it were impossible to exaggerate it. They

were reverenced as highly as the Scriptures, and, like them, might be rescued from the

flames on a Sabbath, although not worn, as constituting "a burden!" It was said that

Moses had received the law of their observance from God on Mount Sinai; that the

"tephillin" were more sacred than the golden plate on the forehead of the high-priest,

since its inscription embodied only once the sacred name of Jehovah, while the writing

inside the "tephillin" contained it not less than twenty-three times; that the command of

wearing them equalled all other commands put together, with many other similar

extravagances. How far the profanity of the Rabbis in this respect would go, appears

from the circumstance, that they supposed God Himself as wearing phylacteries (Ber. 6

a). The fact is deduced from Isaiah 62:8, where the "right hand" by which Jehovah

swears is supposed to refer to the law, according to the last clause of Deuteronomy

33:2; while the expression "strength of His arm" was applied to the "tephillin," since the

term "strength" appeared in Psalm 29:11 in connection with God's people, and was in

turn explained by a reference to Deuteronomy 28:10. For "the strength" of God's People

(Psa 29:11) is that which would cause all to "be afraid" of Israel (Deu 28:10); and this

latter would be due to their seeing that Israel was "called by the name of Jehovah," this

ocular demonstration being afforded through the "tephillin." Such was the evidence

which traditionalism offered for such a monstrous proposition.

The above may serve as a specimen alike of Rabbinical exegesis and theological

inferences. It will also help us to understand, how in such a system inconvenient

objections, arising from the plain meaning of Scripture, would be summarily set aside by

exalting the interpretations of men above the teaching of the Bible. This brings us

straight to the charge of our Lord against the Pharisees (Mark 7:13), that they made "the

Word of God of none effect" through their "traditions." The fact, terrible as it is,

nowhere, perhaps, comes out more strongly than in connection with these very

"tephillin." We read in the Mishnah (Sanh. xi. 3), literally, as follows: "It is more

punishable to act against the words of the Scribes than against those of Scripture. If a

man were to say, 'There is no such thing as "tephillin,"' in order thereby to act contrary

to the words of Scripture, he is not to be treated as a rebel. But if he should say, 'There

are five divisions in the prayer-fillets' (instead of four in those for the forehead, as the

Rabbis taught), in order to add to the words of the Scribes, he is guilty." Assuredly, a

more signal instance could scarcely be found of "teaching for doctrines the

commandments of men," and of, even on their own showing, "laying aside the

commandment of God," in order to "hold the tradition of men" (Mark 7:7,8).

Before passing from this subject, it may be convenient to explain the meaning of the

Greek term "phylacteries" for these "tephillin," and to illustrate its aptness. It is now

almost generally admitted, that the real meaning of phylacteries is equivalent to amulets

or charms. And as such the Rabbinists really regarded and treated them, however much

they might otherwise have disclaimed all connection with heathen views. In this

connection we are not going to enter into the unsavoury subject of their heathen