217 



ill a manner so singularly absurd and incomprehensible, that 

 it detracts very much from the character for learning and 

 research, usually attributed to Origen. Independent of which, 

 the translation of the verse (John 2. 20.) is generally acknow- 

 ledged to bo inaccurate, and that it means " 46 years has it 

 been in building, and yet it is not finished," which should 

 have of itself explained the weakness of his reasoning, and 

 the futility of his parade of objection and solution ;— but I 

 trust the argument is now fully disposed of.* 



7. The last argument of the learned author, is equally sin- 

 gular and indefensible as those on which we have already 

 animadverted :— that, " because the earlier chronologists do 

 not expressb/ quote the controverted passage, or adopt it as 

 the base of their several hypotheses, therefore it must be in- 

 terpolated," would be a sjiecies of argument rather equivocal 

 and inconsequent, even if we could not, as we have done. 

 assign the causes of this apparent neglect, viz. that they es- 

 teemed the period of 480 years to include and refer merely to 

 the prosperous and peaceful ages of the Jewish confederacy, 

 and intentionally to omit the interval of foreign domination, 



o p 2 and 



• Vide also Joseph. Ant. lib. 1 5. c.l 4. «here speaking of the Temple, built ov enlarge.! 

 by He.oa in the eighteenth year of his reign, he adds, " we have continued to increase 

 and embellish it, even till the reign of Nero." The Polyglott Version of the Septuagmt 

 by Walton, (and I believe, the Sixline also, to which it is usually conformable) omits the 

 very difficult and obscure passage, (1. S. 13. 1.) and begins with the second verse. 

 •' And he chose, &c." Is this, I would ask, an argument against the authenticity of 

 that passage ? I leave it to the reader to make the application. 



