Scribe
SCRIBE
In the earlier Hebrew writings, was one skilled in writing and accounts, Exo 5:6 Jdg 5:14 Jer 52:25 ; the person who communicated to the people the commands of the king, like the modern Secretary of State, 2Sa 8:17 20:25. In the later times of the Old Testament, especially after the captivity, and in the New Testament, a scribe is a person skilled in the Jewish law, a teacher or interpreter of the law. So Ezra was “a ready scribe in the laws of Moses,” Ezr 7:6 1Ch 27:32 . The scribes of the New Testament were a class of men educated for the purpose of preserving and expounding the sacred books. They had the charge of transcribing them, of interpreting the more difficult passages, and of deciding in cases which grew out of the ceremonial law, Mat 2:4, and were especially skilled in those glosses and traditions by which the Jews made void the law, Mat 15:1-6 . Jewish writers speak of them as the schoolmasters of the nation; and one mode in which they exercised their office was by meeting the people from time to time, in every town, for the purpose of holding familiar discussions, and raising questions of the law for debate.Their influence was of course great; many of them were members of the Sanhedrin, and we often find them mentioned in connection with the elders and chief priests, Mat 5:20 7:29 12:38 20:18 21:15. Like the Pharisees, they were bitterly opposed to Christ, and joined with the priests and counselors in persecuting him and his followers, having little knowledge of Him concerning whom Moses and the prophets did write. The same persons who are termed scribes, are in parallel passages sometimes called lawyers and doctors of the law, Mat 22:35 Mar 12:28 . Hence “scribe” is also used for a person distinguished for learning and wisdom, 1Co 1.20.
Fuente: American Tract Society Bible Dictionary
Scribe
Judaism was a religious system which regulated the lives of its adherents in the minutest particulars. The necessary regulations were contained partly in a written Law, partly in a mass of oral tradition and authoritative precedents. Hence a class was needful who should make it their business to preserve and expound these. This class was the scribes.
1. Functions.-(a) Their primary function has just been indicated. It involved the making of accurate copies of the Scriptures, and the laborious memorizing of tradition. (b) In the synagogue a scribe acted as the expounder of Scripture to the people. (c) The scribe was a lawyer who had to decide all legal disputes. (d) To meet new cases for which there was no regulation written or oral, and no precedent to guide, he had to determine what the law should be. Hence the mass of traditions and precedents assumed overwhelming proportions. (e) The education of the young in schools was the charge of the scribe. As the Law was regulative of all human activities, the knowledge of the scribe was encyclopaedic. In his person were combined the offices now distributed among clergymen, doctors, lawyers, and teachers.
2. Training.-The period of training for such a profession was naturally long. When it was finished and he had been called to a particular post, the scribe was ordained, and received the title Rabbi (see Doctor).
3. Schools.-Scribes were divided into various schools. While doubtless the majority were Pharisees, the Sadducees had their scribes also (implied in Act 23:9). Further, the Pharisee scribes were divided into two great schools, the followers of Hillel and of Shammai. It was only on points of detail, and on no fundamental principle, that they divided. On the whole, the school of Shammai was the more rigid.
4. Influence.-The influence of the scribes was naturally very great, and they were highly esteemed. After the fall of Jerusalem, they became more important than ever. Temple and priesthood disappeared. The synagogue became the sole centre of Jewish religious and national life, and the scribe the most important official (see under Pharisees).
5. Relation to the early Church.-In the early history of Christianity we have only three references to the scribes. (1) Gamaliel, a scribe and the teacher of St. Paul (Act 22:3), on the occasion of the trial of St. Peter and his associates counselled toleration, and his advice was accepted (Act 5:34 ff.). (2) When St. Paul was on his trial, the Pharisaic scribes repeated Gamaliels advice (Act 23:9). (3) On the other hand, Act 6:12 mentions scribes among those who proceeded against Stephen. Probably we should regard them as Sadducees. But in nearly all cases of Jews rising against Christians, especially outside Jerusalem, we may be sure that the scribes, the recognized leaders of the people, were the instigators.
Literature.-articles Scribe in Hasting’s Dictionary of the Bible (5 vols) , Dict. of Christ and the Gospels , Encyclopaedia Biblica , Jewish Encyclopedia ; E Schrer, HJP [Note: JP History of the Jewish People (Eng. tr. of GJV).] II. i. [Edinburgh, 1885] 312 ff.; W. Bousset, Die Religion des Judentums im neutest. Zeitalter, Berlin, 1903, p. 139 ff.; W. O. E. Cesterley, The Books of the Apocrypha, their Origin, Teaching and Contents, London, 1914, p. 113 ff.
W. D. Niven.
Fuente: Dictionary of the Apostolic Church
SCRIBE
This word has different significations in Scripture.
1. A clerk, or writer, or secretary, 2Sa 8:17.
2. A commissary, or muster-master of the army, 2Ch 26:11, 2Ki 25:19.
3. A man of learning, a doctor of the law, 1Ch 27:32.
Fuente: Theological Dictionary
Scribe
(, sopher, a writer; ), a word the early appearance of which in Heb. literature shows the antiquity of the art of writing. The name of Kirjath – Sepher ( “city of the book,” Jos 15:15; Jdg 1:12) may possibly connect itself with some early use of the title. In the song of Deborah (v, 14) the word appears to point to military functions of some kind. The “pen of the writer” of the A.V. has been thought to be the rod or sceptre of the commander numbering or marshalling his troops; but it may naturally signify only that those unused to warfare in the emergency exchanged the pen for the sword. The title appears with more distinctness in the early history of the monarchy. They must not be confounded, however, with the , shoterim (likewise literally recorders) from whom they are expressly distinguished (2Ch 26:11), as the latter were rather inspectors than writers. SEE OFFICER.
Three men are mentioned as successively filling the office of scribe under David and Solomon (2Sa 8:17; 2Sa 20:25; 1Ki 4:3, in this instance two simultaneously). Their functions are not specified, the high place assigned to them, side by side with the high priest and the captain of the host, implies power and honor. We may think of them as the king’s secretaries, writing his letters, drawing up his decrees, managing his finances (comp. the work of the scribe under Joash, 2Ki 12:10). At a later period the word again connects itself with the act of numbering the military forces of the country (Jer 52:25, and probably Isa 33:18). Other associations, however, began to gather round it about the same period. The zeal of Hezekiah led him to foster the growth of a body of men whose work it was to transcribe old records, or to put in writing what had been handed down orally Pro 25:1). To this period accordingly belongs the new significance of the title. It no longer designates only an officer of the king’s court, but a class, students and interpreters of but the law, boasting of their wisdom (Jer 8:8). SEE SCRIBES.
As in ancient times comparatively few could write, this was, ill fact, a learned profession. Such persons, evidently official characters, are frequently depicted on the Egyptian monuments, as that nation was proverbial for recording everything relating both to public and private life. On the Assyrian monuments they likewise appear, but less prominently, and only in the later sculptures (Layard, Nineveh, 2:146). In the East to- day professional letter-writers may be found in the streets plying their vocation in behalf of the uneducated. See Writing.
Fuente: Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature
Scribe
SCRIBE.See King, p. 516b.
Fuente: Hastings’ Dictionary of the Bible
Scribe
We read in the Old Testament Scripture of this office in the time of the Kings, and it should seem at that time that it was an employment of great power. Thus when the king of Assyria sent to Hezekiah a blasphemous message and letter, we are told that then came out to the messengers Eleakim, which was over the household, and Shebna the scribe, and Josh the recorder. (2Ki 18:18) And the name in the Hebrew for scribe, Sepher, seems to intimate a person of learning. In the days of our Lord the scribes were among the leading men of the nation. One thing however appears striking, and worthy our notice, namely learned as they might be in the law, they were ignorant of the spiritual sense of it. And what an awful string of woes hath the Lord Jesus caused to be recorded concerning then! (Mat 23:13-39)
Fuente: The Poor Mans Concordance and Dictionary to the Sacred Scriptures
Scribe
A writer and transcriber of the law
2Sa 8:17; 2Sa 20:25; 1Ki 4:3; 2Ki 12:10; 2Ki 18:37; 2Ki 19:2; 1Ch 24:6; 1Ch 27:32; Neh 13:13; Jer 36:12
King’s secretary
2Ki 12:10-12; 2Ki 22:1-14; Est 3:12; Est 8:9
Mustering officer of the army
2Ki 25:19; 2Ch 26:11
Instructors in the law
Mat 7:29; Mat 13:52; Mat 17:10; Mat 23:2-3 Levites
Test Jesus with questions, bringing to Jesus a woman taken in adultery
Joh 8:3
Members of the council
Mat 2:4
Conspire against Jesus
Mat 26:3; Mat 26:57; Mat 27:41; Mar 14:1; Luk 22:66
Hypocrisy of, reproved by Jesus
Mat 5:20; Mat 9:3; Mat 12:38; Mat 15:1; Mat 16:21; Mat 20:18; Mat 21:15
Fuente: Nave’s Topical Bible
Scribe
Scribe. There are two Hebrew words which mean “a writer,” but one is usually translated in the A. V. by “officer,” the other is rendered “scribe.” The art of writing among the Hebrews may not have been in early times generally learned, and therefore a class of men would arise who earned their living by carrying on correspondence or conducting accounts. Sheva was the scribe of David. 2Sa 20:25. The king’s scribe recorded the edicts, and sometimes acted as treasurer. 2Ki 12:10. Scribes also officiated in the army. Jer 52:25. Scribes in the New Testament were the copyists of the law, and were popularly regarded as the teachers or expounders of the law. Ezra was their leader and pattern. Ezr 7:6. But these learned expounders of the law took greater liberties with the text and made it void through their traditions. Mar 7:13. Some were members of the Sanhedrin. Mat 26:3 (A. V. but omitted in R. V.); 21:15. Jesus reproved them repeatedly and in the most unmeasured terms. Mat 23:1-33. They were his determined and wily foes. Luk 5:30; Luk 6:7; Luk 11:53. That there were exceptions is manifest, for Jesus speaks of scribes being sent of God, Mat 23:34, and one of his parables relates to a scribe “instructed unto the kingdom of heaven.” Mat 13:52. The scribes and lawyers were one class.