ephus also
gives us to understand that the more moderate Jews were not in sympathy
with such a thoroughly unconstitutional proceeding, and that Agrippa
deprived Ananus, the high priest, of his office for invading the rights
of the civil power.

[Sidenote: To whom written.]

"The twelve tribes of the Dispersion." We might suppose that the
writer had in his mind all the Jews who were dispersed throughout the
world, but came to Jerusalem to offer sacrifice when they were able,
and who were all bound by the religious obligation to pay the yearly
tribute to the temple. There had been several dispersions in the
history of the chosen people, to Assyria under Shalmaneser, to Babylon
and Egypt in the time of Nebuchadnezzar, and to Rome under Pompeius.
But ch. ii. 1 shows that the Epistle was written to men who
acknowledged Jesus as Lord. It is therefore natural to think that it
was written only to men who were both Christians and of Jewish origin.
But there is another interpretation of the phrase "the twelve tribes."
Some think that it is merely a symbolical name for the Christian Church
composed both of Jews and Gentiles, and {230} forming the new and
spiritual Israel. Strong arguments have been brought forward in favour
of each of these views, but the former seems to be the sounder. The
argument that the Jews at this period could not have been called
"twelve" tribes when only two had returned from the captivity, is
disproved by the fact that the phrase is unquestionably used in this
meaning in Acts xxvi. 7. We must frankly admit that St. Paul speaks of
the Gentile Christians as forming part of the new Israel of God, but he
never alludes to them as part of twelve tribes. In Rev. vii. the
twelve tribes still mean Christian Jews in contrast with the "great
multitude" of redeemed Gentiles. Justin Martyr speaks of "your twelve
tribes" in addressing Trypho[2] the Jew, and several instances are to
be found in early Christian literature where the words are used in this
literal sense.

We may therefore rest content with this literal meaning. But we must
maintain it with reserve in view of the fact that St. Peter applies the
word "dispersion" to the new and ideal Israel. And we must beware of
arguing that the word "synagogue" (ii. 2) proves that the readers were
necessarily Jews. The word "synagogue" was for a long time
occasionally applied to the Gentile Christian congregations, as we find
in the _Shepherd_ of Hermas[3]