Page:Philochristus, Abbott, 1878.djvu/418

410 II.

Here again the writer of this history addeth nothing to our knowledge: for of all the words that Philo the Alexandrine uttereth to Philochristus, there is scarce one that may not be found in the writings of Philo, such as we now possess.

The like observation also is to be made concerning that which Philochristus reporteth of the sayings of the Scribes: whereof there is scarce one but I have found it (or the like of it) among these sayings which have been handed down to us even to this day.

III.

''Whereas Philochristus reporteth that a certain Scribe in his days spake of "eating the Messiah" I find no such saying current in those days. But true it is that, many years afterwards, Rabbi Hillel (but this is not the same as Hillel the Great, who lived in the generation before Philochristus) said these words: "There is no Messiah for Israel, since they have already eaten him in the days of Hezekiah''." Moreover the saying of Moses, how that the nobles of Israel "saw God and did eat and drink," ''is, without doubt, explained by some of the Teachers among the Jews to mean that the Shekinah was as meat and drink to the nobles. But whether this saying was current in those days, or whether Philochristus erreth here also (as elsewhere), certain it is that many of the sayings of the Scribes reported by Philochristus were not made known nor published till very long after; and meseemeth he hath perverted the doclrine of the Scribes with intent to cause the reader to have them in derision''.