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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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<strong>the</strong> spring <strong>of</strong> all sin. <strong>The</strong> gr<strong>and</strong> task, <strong>the</strong>n, was to<br />

get rid <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> sensuous, <strong>and</strong> to rise to <strong>the</strong> spiritual.<br />

In this, <strong>the</strong> ethical part <strong>of</strong> his system, Philo was<br />

most under <strong>the</strong> influence <strong>of</strong> Stoic philosophy. We<br />

might almost say, it is no longer <strong>the</strong> Hebrew who<br />

Helleniees, but <strong>the</strong> Hellene who Hebraises. And<br />

yet it is here also that <strong>the</strong> most ingenious <strong>and</strong><br />

wide* reaching allegorisms <strong>of</strong> Scripture are<br />

introduced. It is scarcely possible to convey an<br />

idea <strong>of</strong> how brilliant this method becomes in <strong>the</strong><br />

h<strong>and</strong>s <strong>of</strong> Philo, how universal its application, or<br />

how captivating it most hare proved. Philo<br />

describes man's state as, first one <strong>of</strong> sen-<br />

BuousnesB, but also <strong>of</strong> unrest, misery, <strong>and</strong><br />

unsatisfied longing. If per* sisted in, it would end<br />

in complete spiritual insensibility.^ But from this<br />

state <strong>the</strong> soul must pass to one <strong>of</strong> devotion to<br />

reason.' This change might be accomplished in one<br />

<strong>of</strong> three ways: first, by study —<strong>of</strong> which physical<br />

was <strong>the</strong> lowest; next, that which embraced <strong>the</strong><br />

ordinary circle <strong>of</strong> knowledge; <strong>and</strong> lastly, <strong>the</strong><br />

highest, that <strong>of</strong> Divine philosophy. <strong>The</strong> second<br />

method was AsJcms: discipline, or practice, when

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