Mention is made of the synagogue of the Libertines, Acts vi,
9; concerning whom there are different opinions, two of which bid
fairest for the truth. The first is that of Grotius and Vitringa, that
they were Italian Jews or proselytes. The ancient Romans distinguished
between _libertus_ and _libertinus_. _Libertus_ was one who had been a
slave, and obtained his freedom; _libertinus_ was the son of a
_libertus_. But this distinction in after ages was not strictly
observed; and _libertinus_ also came to be used for one not born, but
made free, in opposition to _ingenuus_, or one born free. Whether the
_libertini_ mentioned in this passage of the Acts were Gentiles, who had
become proselytes to Judaism, or native Jews, who having been made
slaves to the Romans were afterward set at liberty, and in remembrance
of their captivity called themselves _libertini_, and formed a synagogue
by themselves, is differently conjectured by the learned. It is probable
the Jews of Cyrenia, Alexandria, &c, built synagogues at Jerusalem at
their own charge, for the use of their brethren who came from those
countries; as the Danes, Swedes, &c, build churches for the use of their
own countrymen in London; and that the Italian Jews did the same; and
because the greatest number of them were _libertini_, their synagogue
was therefore called the synagogue of the Libertines. The other opinion,
which is hinted by Œcumenius on the Acts, and mentioned by Dr.
Lardner, as more lately advanced by Mr. Daniel Gerdes, professor of
divinity in the university of Groningen, is this, that the Libertines
are so called from a city or country called Libertus, or Libertina, in
Africa, about Carthage. Suidas, in his Lexicon, on the word λιβερτινος,
says it was ονομα εθνους, _nomen gentis_. [The name of a nation.] And
the _glossa interlinearis_, of which Nicolas de Lyra made great use in
his notes, hath over the word _libertini, e regione_, denoting that they
were so styled from a country. In the acts of the famous conference with
the Donatists at Carthage, A. D. 411, there is mentioned one Victor,
bishop of the church of Libertina: and in the acts of the Lateran
council, which was held in 649, there is mention of _Januarius gratiâ
Dei episcopus sanctæ ecclesiæ Libertinensis_; [Januarius by the grace of
God bishop of the holy church of Libertina;] and therefore Fabricius, in
his Geographical Index of Christian Bishoprics,” has placed Libertina in
what was called Africa Propria, or the proconsular province of Africa.
Now, as all the other people of the several synagogues, mentioned in
this passage of the Acts, are denominated from the places from whence
they came, it is probable that the Libertines were so too; and as the
Cyrenians and Alexandrians, who came from Africa, are placed next to the
Libertines in that catalogue, it is probable they also belonged to the
same country. So that, upon the whole, there is little reason to doubt
of the Libertines being so called from the place from whence they came;
and the order of the names in the catalogue might lead us to think, that
they were farther off from Jerusalem than Alexandria and Cyrenia, which
will carry us to the proconsular province in Africa about Carthage.
9; concerning whom there are different opinions, two of which bid
fairest for the truth. The first is that of Grotius and Vitringa, that
they were Italian Jews or proselytes. The ancient Romans distinguished
between _libertus_ and _libertinus_. _Libertus_ was one who had been a
slave, and obtained his freedom; _libertinus_ was the son of a
_libertus_. But this distinction in after ages was not strictly
observed; and _libertinus_ also came to be used for one not born, but
made free, in opposition to _ingenuus_, or one born free. Whether the
_libertini_ mentioned in this passage of the Acts were Gentiles, who had
become proselytes to Judaism, or native Jews, who having been made
slaves to the Romans were afterward set at liberty, and in remembrance
of their captivity called themselves _libertini_, and formed a synagogue
by themselves, is differently conjectured by the learned. It is probable
the Jews of Cyrenia, Alexandria, &c, built synagogues at Jerusalem at
their own charge, for the use of their brethren who came from those
countries; as the Danes, Swedes, &c, build churches for the use of their
own countrymen in London; and that the Italian Jews did the same; and
because the greatest number of them were _libertini_, their synagogue
was therefore called the synagogue of the Libertines. The other opinion,
which is hinted by Œcumenius on the Acts, and mentioned by Dr.
Lardner, as more lately advanced by Mr. Daniel Gerdes, professor of
divinity in the university of Groningen, is this, that the Libertines
are so called from a city or country called Libertus, or Libertina, in
Africa, about Carthage. Suidas, in his Lexicon, on the word λιβερτινος,
says it was ονομα εθνους, _nomen gentis_. [The name of a nation.] And
the _glossa interlinearis_, of which Nicolas de Lyra made great use in
his notes, hath over the word _libertini, e regione_, denoting that they
were so styled from a country. In the acts of the famous conference with
the Donatists at Carthage, A. D. 411, there is mentioned one Victor,
bishop of the church of Libertina: and in the acts of the Lateran
council, which was held in 649, there is mention of _Januarius gratiâ
Dei episcopus sanctæ ecclesiæ Libertinensis_; [Januarius by the grace of
God bishop of the holy church of Libertina;] and therefore Fabricius, in
his Geographical Index of Christian Bishoprics,” has placed Libertina in
what was called Africa Propria, or the proconsular province of Africa.
Now, as all the other people of the several synagogues, mentioned in
this passage of the Acts, are denominated from the places from whence
they came, it is probable that the Libertines were so too; and as the
Cyrenians and Alexandrians, who came from Africa, are placed next to the
Libertines in that catalogue, it is probable they also belonged to the
same country. So that, upon the whole, there is little reason to doubt
of the Libertines being so called from the place from whence they came;
and the order of the names in the catalogue might lead us to think, that
they were farther off from Jerusalem than Alexandria and Cyrenia, which
will carry us to the proconsular province in Africa about Carthage.