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

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XVI is recorded than <strong>the</strong> healing <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> leper. And<br />

it seems also to in- ' ' dicate, that this one miracle<br />

had been so selected for a special purpose. But if,<br />

as we have suggested, after <strong>the</strong> * Unknown Feast,'<br />

<strong>the</strong> activity <strong>of</strong> <strong>Jesus</strong> assumed a new <strong>and</strong> what, for<br />

want <strong>of</strong> a better name, may be called an anti-<br />

Judaic character, we can perceive <strong>the</strong> reason <strong>of</strong> it.<br />

<strong>The</strong> healing <strong>of</strong> leprosy was recorded as typical.<br />

With this agrees also what immediately follows.<br />

For, as Rabbinism stood confessedly powerless in<br />

face <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> living death <strong>of</strong> leprosy, so it had no<br />

word <strong>of</strong> forgiveness to speak to <strong>the</strong> conscience<br />

burdened with sin, nor yet word <strong>of</strong> welcome to <strong>the</strong><br />

sinner. But this was <strong>the</strong> inmost meaning <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> two<br />

events which <strong>the</strong> Gospel-history places next to <strong>the</strong><br />

healing <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> leper: <strong>the</strong> forgiveness <strong>of</strong> sins in <strong>the</strong><br />

case <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> paralytic, <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> welcome to <strong>the</strong> chief<br />

<strong>of</strong> sinners in <strong>the</strong> call <strong>of</strong> Levi-Mat<strong>the</strong>w.<br />

We are still mainly following <strong>the</strong> lead <strong>of</strong> St. Mark,'<br />

alike as regards <strong>the</strong> succession <strong>of</strong> events <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir<br />

details. And here it is noteworthy, how <strong>the</strong> account<br />

in St. Mark confirms that by St. John • <strong>of</strong> • st. John

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