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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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work are described ' as sheep in <strong>the</strong> midst <strong>of</strong><br />

wolves,' a phrase which <strong>the</strong> Midrash^ applies to<br />

<strong>the</strong> position <strong>of</strong> M)nBithflr Israel amidst a hostile<br />

world, adding: How great is that Shepherd, waxJl<br />

ji Who delivers <strong>the</strong>m, <strong>and</strong> vanquishes <strong>the</strong> wolves!<br />

Similarly, <strong>the</strong> admonition to ' be wise as serpents<br />

<strong>and</strong> harmless as doves' is reproduced in <strong>the</strong><br />

Midrash,® where Israel is described as harmless<br />

as <strong>the</strong> •onouii. dove towards God, <strong>and</strong> wise as<br />

serpents towards <strong>the</strong> hostile Grentile nations. Such<br />

<strong>and</strong> even greater would be <strong>the</strong> enmity which <strong>the</strong><br />

disciples, as <strong>the</strong> true Israel, would have to<br />

encounter from Israel afler <strong>the</strong> flesh. <strong>The</strong>y would<br />

be h<strong>and</strong>ed over to <strong>the</strong> various Sanhedrin,^ <strong>and</strong><br />

visited with such punishments as <strong>the</strong>se tribunals<br />

had power to inflict.*^ More than this, <strong>the</strong>y would<br />

be brought before governors <strong>and</strong> «Bt M^t kings—<br />

^primarily, <strong>the</strong> Roman governors <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> Herodian<br />

princes.* ^^ ^^ And so determined would be this<br />

persecution, as to break <strong>the</strong> ties <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> closest<br />

kinship, <strong>and</strong> to bring on <strong>the</strong>m <strong>the</strong> hatred <strong>of</strong> all<br />

men.^ 'tt.si,is <strong>The</strong> only, but <strong>the</strong> all-sufficient,<br />

support in those terrible circumstances was <strong>the</strong>

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