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

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.

lay in <strong>the</strong> don-geon <strong>of</strong> Machanns; his drcomstances<br />

onchanged—^perhaps, more hopeless than before.<br />

For, Herod was in that spiritnally most desperate<br />

state: he had heard <strong>the</strong> Baptist, <strong>and</strong> was much<br />

perplexed. And still he heard—^but only heard—<br />

^him gladly.^' It was a case by no means singular,<br />

<strong>and</strong> <strong>of</strong> which Felix, <strong>of</strong>ten sending for St. Paul, at<br />

whose preaching <strong>of</strong> righteousness, temperance, <strong>and</strong><br />

<strong>the</strong> judgment to come, he had trembled, <strong>of</strong>fers only<br />

one <strong>of</strong> many parallels* That, when hearing him,<br />

Herod was ^ much perplexed,' we can underst<strong>and</strong>,<br />

since he ' feared him, knowing that he was a<br />

righteous man <strong>and</strong> holy,' <strong>and</strong> thus fearing * heard<br />

him.' But that, being ' much perplexed,' he still<br />

'heard him gladly,' constituted <strong>the</strong> hopelessness <strong>of</strong><br />

hia case. But was <strong>the</strong> Baptist right ? Did it<br />

constitute part <strong>of</strong> hia Divine calling to have not<br />

only denounced, but apparently directly confionted<br />

Herod on his adulterous marriage? Had he not<br />

attempted to lift himself <strong>the</strong> axe which seemed to<br />

have slipt from <strong>the</strong> grasp <strong>of</strong> Him, <strong>of</strong> Whom <strong>the</strong><br />

Baptist had hoped <strong>and</strong> said that He would lay it to<br />

<strong>the</strong> root <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> tree ?

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

Saved successfully!

Ooh no, something went wrong!