lunar months. They consisted of 29 and 30 days alternately. Originally they had no names, as appears from the account of the flood, but were called first, second, &c. Afterwards they were called by names, but whence derived is not well known.

7. The YEAR was made up of twelve of these lunar months, with such additions in reference to the solar year, as were necessary to keep the festivals in their proper places. There were strictly two years, the civil and the ecclesiastical. The civil year began in September, from a tradition that the world was created at that time. By this year the Jews computed their jubilees, dated contracts, reigns, births, &c. The ecclesiastical year commenced in March, because at that time they departed from Egypt. Exod. xii. 2. From this year were computed the feasts, the visions of the prophets, &c. The year was generally divided into six seasons, each of two months. Seed-time, comprising October and November; winter, embracing December and January; the cold-season, occupying February and March; the harvest, in April and May; summer, comprising June and July; and the hot-season, August and September.

8. In counting time the Jews were accustomed to reckon any part of a period for the whole. Thus, a child was said to be circumcised when eight days old, though this was required by law to be done on the eighth day. Levit. xii. 3. Hence it is written, that John the Baptist was circumcised on the eighth day (Luke i. 59), and Jesus "when

eight days were accomplished." Luke ii. 21. If a child were born on the last hour of the day, it was counted as a whole day in this respect. And, in some countries of the East, a child born in the last week of December, is counted as one year old on the first day of January, the one week, though so small a part, being reckoned as a whole year. This fact will serve to explain the account of the resurrection. In Matt. xvi. 21, Jesus showed that he should be raised on "the third day"; but in Mark viii. 31, it is "after three days," both which expressions are made equivalent by this custom. Accordingly, after this manner of reckoning, Jesus was crucified on Friday, about the sixth hour, or noon, and the remainder of that day was counted as one day. Saturday, during all which, he was in the sepulchre, made the second, or two days. The third day began at sunset, on Saturday, at which time the Saviour was still under the power of death, and continued thus until about sunrise, when he rose from the dead, — and this was also counted as a whole day. And, thus according to the Jewish mode of reckoning, he was three days in the grave. See a similar example in 2 Chron. x. 5, 12.

QUESTIONS ON CHAPTER XX.

1.2. How did the Jews divide the day? Were these hours always of the same length? Why were they not? At what part of the day did they begin to number the

hours? What was the hour of noon or twelve o'clock called? What o'clock was the third hour? The ninth? The eleventh? What is the readiest method of harmonizing the Jewish time with ours? Give some examples. How many stated hours of prayer had the Jews? At what hours were they? What hours of our time? What is said about eating and drinking before the hour of morning prayer? How does this explain Peter's language on the day of Pentecost, in reply to the charge, that the disciples were drunken? What is said of the use of the word hour in Scripture? Examples.

3. 4. At what time did the Jews begin their day? What day was the Jewish Sabbath? Did they consider it lawful to heal on that day? Can you give an instance? Luke xiii. 14. Why did the people wait till after sunset before they brought their sick to be healed?

When did

the Sabbath end? What is said of evenings? What evidence is there named? How did the Jews divide the night in earlier times? What is the passage, — Psalm cxxx. 6? How many watches in the time of the Roman power? Give the hours of each. How is the word day used in Scripture? Give an example. What did Christ mean by Abraham's rejoicing to see his day? What is meant by night and day in Rom. xiii. 12? How do you explain, "Now is the accepted time; now is the day of salvation"? What is the meaning of Acts xvii. 30, 31? How do you understand "the day of judgment" of Sodom and Gomorrah in Matt. x. 14, 15? Explain "the great day of the Lord," "the day of wrath," &c. in Zeph. i. 5-8. What is said of the Jewish week? What was the day before the Sabbath called? What was the week of years? What other week was there? And what followed it? What of the Jewish months? How many days had they? What of their names? What of the

year? What were the two years recognised by the Jews? When did the civil year begin,

and why? What was computed by this? When did the ecclesiastical year begin, and why? What was reckoned by this? Into how many seasons was the year divided? In which of our months did the seed-time come? The winter? The harvest? The cold season? The hot season? The sum

mer? In counting time, how did the Jews reckon parts of times, as days and years? Give an example. Supposing a child were born on the last hour of the day? Is there an eastern custom similar to this,—and what? Can you explain by this custom the fact, that Jesus rose on the third day, and yet was said to have been dead three days?

CHAPTER XXI.

Jewish and Roman Judicature.

Areopagus.

1. JEWISH JUDICATURE. In the early ages of the world, the gate of the town or city was not only the place of trade and business, but also the seat of justice, or the court, where complaints were made, trials held, and sentence passed by the elders of the people, who, in those primitive times, were generally the judges. See Gen. xxiii. 10, 18; xxxiv. 24. 2 Kings vii. 1, 17, 18. Also, Ruth iv. 1-10, where Boaz declares his intention of marriage in the gate of Bethlehem. The palace of Constantinople, or the Ottoman court, is to this day called the Porte, in allusion to this custom of administering justice at the gate of the city. And one of the gates of the Moorish Palace, called the Alhambra, is still known as the "Gate of Judgment." This practice will render intelligible such passages as these,-The wicked "shall be crushed in the gate" (Job v. 4), that is, condemned or sentenced. "The elders have ceased from the gate" (Lam. v. 14); or, justice is no longer done. "Rob not the poor, -nor oppress the afflicted in the gate." Prov. xxii. 22. husband is known in the gates, when he sitteth Prov. xxxi. 28. He "Hate the evil, and

among the elders of the land." is known as an upright judge.

"Her