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The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah Vol 1 - Predestination

The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah Vol 1 - Predestination

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During <strong>the</strong> whole ' '""^' forty days <strong>of</strong> Christ's stay<br />

in <strong>the</strong> wilderness His Temptation continued^<br />

though it only attained its high point at <strong>the</strong> last,<br />

when, after <strong>the</strong> long fSa^, He felt <strong>the</strong> weariness<br />

<strong>and</strong> weakness <strong>of</strong> hunger. As fasting occupies but a<br />

very subordinate, we might almost say a tolerated,<br />

place in <strong>the</strong> teaching <strong>of</strong> <strong>Jesus</strong>; <strong>and</strong> as, so fi^ as we<br />

know, He ezarcised on no o<strong>the</strong>r occasion such<br />

ascetic practices, we are left to infer internal, as<br />

well as external, necessity for it in <strong>the</strong> present<br />

instance. <strong>The</strong> fo^ mer is easily understood in His<br />

pre-pccupation ; <strong>the</strong> latter must hava had for its<br />

object to reduce Him to utmost outward weakness,<br />

by thjd depression <strong>of</strong> all <strong>the</strong> vital powers. We<br />

regard it as a psychological fact that, under suph<br />

circumstances, <strong>of</strong> all mental faculties <strong>the</strong> meniory<br />

alona is active, indeed, almost preternaturaUy<br />

active. During <strong>the</strong> preceding thirty-nine days <strong>the</strong><br />

plan, or ra<strong>the</strong>r <strong>the</strong> future, <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Worjc to which He<br />

hcwi been consecrated, must have been always<br />

before Him. In this respect, <strong>the</strong>n. He must have<br />

been tempted. It is wholly impossible that He<br />

hesitated for a moment as to <strong>the</strong> means by which

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