29.03.2013 Views

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

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

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

SHOW MORE
SHOW LESS

Create successful ePaper yourself

Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.

ethical ordinances, such as <strong>the</strong> repudiation <strong>of</strong><br />

slavery, <strong>the</strong>ir refusal to take an oath, <strong>and</strong> even <strong>the</strong>ir<br />

scrupulous care <strong>of</strong> truth. <strong>The</strong> white garments,<br />

which <strong>the</strong>y always wore, seem to have been but a<br />

symbol <strong>of</strong> that purity which <strong>the</strong>y sought. For this<br />

purpose <strong>the</strong>y submitted, not only to strict<br />

asceticism, but to a discipline which gave <strong>the</strong><br />

<strong>of</strong>ficials authority to expel all <strong>of</strong>fenders, even<br />

though in so doing <strong>the</strong>y virtually condemned <strong>the</strong>m<br />

to death by starvation, since <strong>the</strong> most terrible oaths<br />

had bound all entrants into <strong>the</strong> order not to partake<br />

<strong>of</strong> any food o<strong>the</strong>r than that prepared by <strong>the</strong>ir *<br />

priests,'<br />

In such a system <strong>the</strong>re would, <strong>of</strong> course, be no<br />

place for ei<strong>the</strong>r an Aa/ronic priesthood^ or bloody<br />

sacrifices. In fact, <strong>the</strong>y repudiated both. Without<br />

formally rejecting <strong>the</strong> Temple <strong>and</strong> its services,<br />

<strong>the</strong>re was no room in <strong>the</strong>ir system for such<br />

ordinances. <strong>The</strong>y sent, indeed, thank-<strong>of</strong>ferings to<br />

<strong>the</strong> Temple, but what part had <strong>the</strong>y in bloody<br />

sacrifices <strong>and</strong> an Aaronic ministry, which<br />

constituted <strong>the</strong> main business <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Temple ?

Hooray! Your file is uploaded and ready to be published.

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!