Lightfoot's collected works were first published in English (London, 1684), in two folio volumes, the one edited by George Bright, and the other by John Strype. Afterward they were published in Latin at Rotterdam (1686), and at Franeker (1699). The latest edition of his works is by J. R. Pitman (London, 1822-25).
In the light of these facts the story related in Luke ii. 42-49, as observed by the elder Lightfoot, Wetstein, and Holtzmann in their commentaries to the passage, finds its true significance: The child Jesus when only twelve years of age, having not yet attained the religious maturity, joined, of his own accord, the teachers of the Law, and ...
But, while the Septuagint renders by πήλη τοῦ Μαφεκάδ, Jerome translates it by "porta judicialis," which induces Lightfoot ("Horæ Hebraicæ," ii. 27) to suggest that it may refer either to the hall of judgment in the Prætorium or to the east gate of the Temple.
Birthday festivals were not considered by the Rabbis as "ḥukkot ha-goyim" (customs of the heathen; see Maimonides, Yad ha-Ḥazaḳh, 'Akkum we-Ḥuḳotehem, xi. 12), although Lightfoot held a contrary opinion ("Horæ Hebr." on Matt. xiv. 6). Biblical References.
Upon Calmet is based also Daniel Schneider's "Allg. Bibl. Lexikon" (3 vols., Frankfort, 1728-31), containing much material from Geiers, Carpzov, Buxtorf, Bochart, Lightfoot, Selden, and Vitringa.
This, again, gave rise to a number of different versions in the early literature of the Church, many claiming that James the Little was identical with the son of Alphæus, the cousin of Jesus, and was as such called brother (see Lightfoot on Colossians, 10th ed., pp. 260-267, London, 1896).