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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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htljy we have* a Stoical enumeration <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> fonr<br />

cardinal viftnes, oHAK temperance, prudence,<br />

jaatice, <strong>and</strong> fortitnde, <strong>and</strong> close by it <strong>the</strong> in<br />

Platonic idea <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> soars pre-existence,** <strong>and</strong> <strong>of</strong><br />

earth <strong>and</strong> matter ' ' ' pressing it down.* How such<br />

views would point in <strong>the</strong> direction <strong>of</strong> 7 <strong>the</strong> need <strong>of</strong><br />

a perfect revelation from on high, as in <strong>the</strong> Bible,<br />

<strong>and</strong> <strong>of</strong> m°^' ^*' its rational possibility, need<br />

scarcely be shown. • iz. i«<br />

But how did Eastern Judaism bear itself towards<br />

this Apociyphal literature ? We find it described<br />

by a term which seems to correspond to our ^<br />

Apocrypha,' as ^ Sepharim Oenuzim/ ' hidden<br />

books,' i.e.j ei<strong>the</strong>r such whose origin was hidden,<br />

or, more likely, books withdrawn from common or<br />

congregational use. Although <strong>the</strong>y were, <strong>of</strong> course,<br />

carefully distinguished from <strong>the</strong> canonical<br />

Scriptures, as not being sacred, <strong>the</strong>ir use was not<br />

only allowed, but many <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>m are quoted in<br />

Talmudical writings.^ In this respect <strong>the</strong>y are<br />

placed on a very dififorent footing fi^m <strong>the</strong> socalled<br />

SephcMrim Ohitsonimj or ^outside books,'

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