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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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Platonic idea, that matter was something existent,<br />

<strong>and</strong> that it resisted God.^ Such speculations must<br />

have been current among <strong>the</strong> Jews long before, to<br />

judge by certain warnings given by <strong>the</strong> Son <strong>of</strong><br />

Sirach.* * And Stoic views <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> origin <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

world seem implied even in <strong>the</strong> Book <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

Wisdom <strong>of</strong> Solomon (i. 7; vii. 24 ; viii. 1 ; xii. 1).'<br />

<strong>The</strong> mystics in <strong>the</strong> Talmud arrived at similar<br />

conclusions, not through Greek, but through<br />

Persian teaching. <strong>The</strong>ir speculations ^ boldly<br />

entered on <strong>the</strong> dangerous ground,^ forbidden to <strong>the</strong><br />

many, scarcely allowed to <strong>the</strong> few,® where such<br />

deep questions as <strong>the</strong> origin <strong>of</strong> our world <strong>and</strong> its<br />

connection with God were discussed. It was,<br />

perhaps, only a beautiful poetic figure, that Qod<br />

had taken <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> dust under <strong>the</strong> throne <strong>of</strong> His glory,<br />

<strong>and</strong> cast it upon <strong>the</strong> waters, 8heB.B.iB which thus<br />

became earth.^ But so far did isolated teachers<br />

become<br />

As for mnple teliis.iiL 1-14<br />

* With singular <strong>and</strong> characteristic inconsistency,

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