[Contents]SECTION II.—CANONICITY OF THE BOOK.This book possesses all the external marks which entitle other writings to a place in the list of the sacred books. The evidence for its canonicity is as conclusive as that which is commonly adduced to prove the canonicity of any other portion of the Old Testament. In the Mishna Yadim (sect. iii. 5), we find the following testimony respecting it from R. Akiba, one of the most celebrated Rabbins, who lived at the end of the first century, and was president of the academy of Bani-Brac:No Israelite has ever disputed the canonicity of the Song of Songs. No day in the whole history of the world is of so much worth as the one in which the Song of Songs was given to Israel; for all the Scriptures are holy, but the Song of Songs is most holy.Another Rabbi (Simeon b. Azzai), in the same place, says,I[3]received it from the mouth of the seventy-two elders, at the time when R. Eliezer b. Azzaria was appointed Elder, that the Song of Songs and Ecclesiastes are canonical.1We have here positive evidence that this book existed in the canon in the Apostolic age; and that it was comprised in the sacred books, which our Lord callsτὰς γραφὰς,the Scriptures, Matt. xxii. 29. It has, therefore, been transmitted to us both by the Jewish and Christian churches as canonical. It was translated into Greek, between the years 90 and 130, by Aquila, who was anxious to furnish his Jewish brethren with a faithful version of thesacredbooks; and also by Symmachus and Theodotion, before the end of the second century. It is contained in the catalogue given in the Talmud;2and in the catalogue of Melito, Bishop of Sardis (fl. 170,A.D.), which he brought from Palestine, whither this learned and pious prelate expressly travelled to[4]obtain information respecting the number of the sacred books.3Those who in modern days have questioned the canonicity of this book have done so, not from external evidence, but from misapprehension of its design.
[Contents]SECTION II.—CANONICITY OF THE BOOK.This book possesses all the external marks which entitle other writings to a place in the list of the sacred books. The evidence for its canonicity is as conclusive as that which is commonly adduced to prove the canonicity of any other portion of the Old Testament. In the Mishna Yadim (sect. iii. 5), we find the following testimony respecting it from R. Akiba, one of the most celebrated Rabbins, who lived at the end of the first century, and was president of the academy of Bani-Brac:No Israelite has ever disputed the canonicity of the Song of Songs. No day in the whole history of the world is of so much worth as the one in which the Song of Songs was given to Israel; for all the Scriptures are holy, but the Song of Songs is most holy.Another Rabbi (Simeon b. Azzai), in the same place, says,I[3]received it from the mouth of the seventy-two elders, at the time when R. Eliezer b. Azzaria was appointed Elder, that the Song of Songs and Ecclesiastes are canonical.1We have here positive evidence that this book existed in the canon in the Apostolic age; and that it was comprised in the sacred books, which our Lord callsτὰς γραφὰς,the Scriptures, Matt. xxii. 29. It has, therefore, been transmitted to us both by the Jewish and Christian churches as canonical. It was translated into Greek, between the years 90 and 130, by Aquila, who was anxious to furnish his Jewish brethren with a faithful version of thesacredbooks; and also by Symmachus and Theodotion, before the end of the second century. It is contained in the catalogue given in the Talmud;2and in the catalogue of Melito, Bishop of Sardis (fl. 170,A.D.), which he brought from Palestine, whither this learned and pious prelate expressly travelled to[4]obtain information respecting the number of the sacred books.3Those who in modern days have questioned the canonicity of this book have done so, not from external evidence, but from misapprehension of its design.
[Contents]SECTION II.—CANONICITY OF THE BOOK.This book possesses all the external marks which entitle other writings to a place in the list of the sacred books. The evidence for its canonicity is as conclusive as that which is commonly adduced to prove the canonicity of any other portion of the Old Testament. In the Mishna Yadim (sect. iii. 5), we find the following testimony respecting it from R. Akiba, one of the most celebrated Rabbins, who lived at the end of the first century, and was president of the academy of Bani-Brac:No Israelite has ever disputed the canonicity of the Song of Songs. No day in the whole history of the world is of so much worth as the one in which the Song of Songs was given to Israel; for all the Scriptures are holy, but the Song of Songs is most holy.Another Rabbi (Simeon b. Azzai), in the same place, says,I[3]received it from the mouth of the seventy-two elders, at the time when R. Eliezer b. Azzaria was appointed Elder, that the Song of Songs and Ecclesiastes are canonical.1We have here positive evidence that this book existed in the canon in the Apostolic age; and that it was comprised in the sacred books, which our Lord callsτὰς γραφὰς,the Scriptures, Matt. xxii. 29. It has, therefore, been transmitted to us both by the Jewish and Christian churches as canonical. It was translated into Greek, between the years 90 and 130, by Aquila, who was anxious to furnish his Jewish brethren with a faithful version of thesacredbooks; and also by Symmachus and Theodotion, before the end of the second century. It is contained in the catalogue given in the Talmud;2and in the catalogue of Melito, Bishop of Sardis (fl. 170,A.D.), which he brought from Palestine, whither this learned and pious prelate expressly travelled to[4]obtain information respecting the number of the sacred books.3Those who in modern days have questioned the canonicity of this book have done so, not from external evidence, but from misapprehension of its design.
[Contents]SECTION II.—CANONICITY OF THE BOOK.This book possesses all the external marks which entitle other writings to a place in the list of the sacred books. The evidence for its canonicity is as conclusive as that which is commonly adduced to prove the canonicity of any other portion of the Old Testament. In the Mishna Yadim (sect. iii. 5), we find the following testimony respecting it from R. Akiba, one of the most celebrated Rabbins, who lived at the end of the first century, and was president of the academy of Bani-Brac:No Israelite has ever disputed the canonicity of the Song of Songs. No day in the whole history of the world is of so much worth as the one in which the Song of Songs was given to Israel; for all the Scriptures are holy, but the Song of Songs is most holy.Another Rabbi (Simeon b. Azzai), in the same place, says,I[3]received it from the mouth of the seventy-two elders, at the time when R. Eliezer b. Azzaria was appointed Elder, that the Song of Songs and Ecclesiastes are canonical.1We have here positive evidence that this book existed in the canon in the Apostolic age; and that it was comprised in the sacred books, which our Lord callsτὰς γραφὰς,the Scriptures, Matt. xxii. 29. It has, therefore, been transmitted to us both by the Jewish and Christian churches as canonical. It was translated into Greek, between the years 90 and 130, by Aquila, who was anxious to furnish his Jewish brethren with a faithful version of thesacredbooks; and also by Symmachus and Theodotion, before the end of the second century. It is contained in the catalogue given in the Talmud;2and in the catalogue of Melito, Bishop of Sardis (fl. 170,A.D.), which he brought from Palestine, whither this learned and pious prelate expressly travelled to[4]obtain information respecting the number of the sacred books.3Those who in modern days have questioned the canonicity of this book have done so, not from external evidence, but from misapprehension of its design.
SECTION II.—CANONICITY OF THE BOOK.
This book possesses all the external marks which entitle other writings to a place in the list of the sacred books. The evidence for its canonicity is as conclusive as that which is commonly adduced to prove the canonicity of any other portion of the Old Testament. In the Mishna Yadim (sect. iii. 5), we find the following testimony respecting it from R. Akiba, one of the most celebrated Rabbins, who lived at the end of the first century, and was president of the academy of Bani-Brac:No Israelite has ever disputed the canonicity of the Song of Songs. No day in the whole history of the world is of so much worth as the one in which the Song of Songs was given to Israel; for all the Scriptures are holy, but the Song of Songs is most holy.Another Rabbi (Simeon b. Azzai), in the same place, says,I[3]received it from the mouth of the seventy-two elders, at the time when R. Eliezer b. Azzaria was appointed Elder, that the Song of Songs and Ecclesiastes are canonical.1We have here positive evidence that this book existed in the canon in the Apostolic age; and that it was comprised in the sacred books, which our Lord callsτὰς γραφὰς,the Scriptures, Matt. xxii. 29. It has, therefore, been transmitted to us both by the Jewish and Christian churches as canonical. It was translated into Greek, between the years 90 and 130, by Aquila, who was anxious to furnish his Jewish brethren with a faithful version of thesacredbooks; and also by Symmachus and Theodotion, before the end of the second century. It is contained in the catalogue given in the Talmud;2and in the catalogue of Melito, Bishop of Sardis (fl. 170,A.D.), which he brought from Palestine, whither this learned and pious prelate expressly travelled to[4]obtain information respecting the number of the sacred books.3Those who in modern days have questioned the canonicity of this book have done so, not from external evidence, but from misapprehension of its design.
This book possesses all the external marks which entitle other writings to a place in the list of the sacred books. The evidence for its canonicity is as conclusive as that which is commonly adduced to prove the canonicity of any other portion of the Old Testament. In the Mishna Yadim (sect. iii. 5), we find the following testimony respecting it from R. Akiba, one of the most celebrated Rabbins, who lived at the end of the first century, and was president of the academy of Bani-Brac:No Israelite has ever disputed the canonicity of the Song of Songs. No day in the whole history of the world is of so much worth as the one in which the Song of Songs was given to Israel; for all the Scriptures are holy, but the Song of Songs is most holy.Another Rabbi (Simeon b. Azzai), in the same place, says,I[3]received it from the mouth of the seventy-two elders, at the time when R. Eliezer b. Azzaria was appointed Elder, that the Song of Songs and Ecclesiastes are canonical.1We have here positive evidence that this book existed in the canon in the Apostolic age; and that it was comprised in the sacred books, which our Lord callsτὰς γραφὰς,the Scriptures, Matt. xxii. 29. It has, therefore, been transmitted to us both by the Jewish and Christian churches as canonical. It was translated into Greek, between the years 90 and 130, by Aquila, who was anxious to furnish his Jewish brethren with a faithful version of thesacredbooks; and also by Symmachus and Theodotion, before the end of the second century. It is contained in the catalogue given in the Talmud;2and in the catalogue of Melito, Bishop of Sardis (fl. 170,A.D.), which he brought from Palestine, whither this learned and pious prelate expressly travelled to[4]obtain information respecting the number of the sacred books.3Those who in modern days have questioned the canonicity of this book have done so, not from external evidence, but from misapprehension of its design.