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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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Judaism. Some intermediate stage must be found;<br />

some common groQud on which <strong>the</strong> two might<br />

meet; some original kindredness <strong>of</strong> spirit to which<br />

<strong>the</strong>ir later divergences might be carried back, <strong>and</strong><br />

wbere <strong>the</strong>y might finally be reconciled. As <strong>the</strong> first<br />

attempt in this direction—first in order, if not<br />

always in time—we mark <strong>the</strong> so-cdled Apocryphal<br />

literature, most <strong>of</strong> which was ei<strong>the</strong>r written in<br />

Greek, or is <strong>the</strong> product <strong>of</strong> Hellenising Jews.' Its<br />

general object was tw<strong>of</strong>old. First, <strong>of</strong> course, it<br />

was apologetic—intended to fiU gaps in Jewish<br />

history or thought, but especially to streng<strong>the</strong>n <strong>the</strong><br />

Jewish inind against attacks from without, <strong>and</strong><br />

generally to extol <strong>the</strong> dignity <strong>of</strong> Israel. Thus, more<br />

wi<strong>the</strong>ring sarcasm could scarcely be poured cm<br />

hea<strong>the</strong>nism than in <strong>the</strong> apocryphal stoiy <strong>of</strong> ^ Bel<br />

<strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> Dragon,' or in <strong>the</strong> so-called * Epistle <strong>of</strong><br />

Jeremy,' with which <strong>the</strong> Book <strong>of</strong> ^Banch' closes.<br />

<strong>The</strong> same strain, only in more l<strong>of</strong>ty tones, resounds<br />

through <strong>the</strong> Book <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> * Wisdom <strong>of</strong> Solomon,' ^<br />

along with <strong>the</strong> b oomp. x, ooDstantly implied<br />

contrast between <strong>the</strong> righteous, or Israel, <strong>and</strong><br />

aimers, or <strong>the</strong> hea<strong>the</strong>n. But <strong>the</strong> next object was to

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