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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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Synagogue, <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> social isolation which Judaism<br />

rendered necessary. It was avowedly unlawful for<br />

<strong>the</strong> Jew even 'to keep company, or come unto one<br />

<strong>of</strong> ano<strong>the</strong>r nation.' * • aou x. sa To quarrel with<br />

this, was to find fault with <strong>the</strong> law <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> religion<br />

which made him a Jew. But besides, <strong>the</strong>re was that<br />

pride <strong>of</strong> descent, creed, enlightenment, <strong>and</strong><br />

national privileges, which St. Paul so graphically<br />

sums up as' making boast <strong>of</strong> Grod <strong>and</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> law.' ^<br />

However dif- ^ GomD. ferently <strong>the</strong>y might have<br />

expressed it, Philo <strong>and</strong> Hillel would have been u<br />

at one as to <strong>the</strong> absolute superiority <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Jew as<br />

such. Pretensions <strong>of</strong> this kind must have been <strong>the</strong><br />

more provocative, that <strong>the</strong> populace at any rate<br />

envied <strong>the</strong> prosperity which Jewish industry,<br />

talent, <strong>and</strong> capital everywhere secured. Why<br />

should that close, foreign corporation possess<br />

every civic right, <strong>and</strong> yet be free from many <strong>of</strong> its<br />

burdens ? Why should <strong>the</strong>ir meetings be excepted<br />

from <strong>the</strong> * collegia illicita' ? why should <strong>the</strong>y<br />

alone be allowed to export part <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> national<br />

wealth, to dedicate it to <strong>the</strong>ir superstition in<br />

Jerusalem ? <strong>The</strong> Jew could not well feign any real

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