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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> Ghasidim, or * pious ones,' who formed <strong>the</strong><br />

nationalist party in <strong>the</strong> l<strong>and</strong>, <strong>and</strong> who had ga<strong>the</strong>red<br />

around <strong>the</strong> liberators <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir faith <strong>and</strong> country. But<br />

<strong>the</strong> later bearing <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Maccabees had alienated<br />

<strong>the</strong> nationalists. Henceforth <strong>the</strong>y sink out <strong>of</strong> view,<br />

or, ra<strong>the</strong>r, <strong>the</strong> extreme section <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>m merged in<br />

<strong>the</strong> extreme section <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Pharisees, till fresh<br />

national calamities awakened a new nationalist<br />

party. Instead <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> CJiasidimy we see now two<br />

religious parties within <strong>the</strong> Synagogue—<strong>the</strong><br />

Pharisees <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> Sadducees. <strong>The</strong> latter originally<br />

represented a reaction from <strong>the</strong> Pharisees—<strong>the</strong><br />

moderate men, who sympathised with <strong>the</strong> later<br />

tendencies <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Maccabees. Josephus places <strong>the</strong><br />

origin <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se two schools in <strong>the</strong> time <strong>of</strong> Jonathan,<br />

<strong>the</strong> successor <strong>of</strong> Judas •i«a-i48B.c, Maccabee,*<br />

<strong>and</strong> with this o<strong>the</strong>r Jewish notices agree. Jonathan<br />

accepted from <strong>the</strong> foreigner (<strong>the</strong> Syrian) <strong>the</strong> High-<br />

Priestly dignity, <strong>and</strong> combined with it that <strong>of</strong><br />

secular ruler. But this is not all. <strong>The</strong> earlier<br />

Maccabees surrounded <strong>the</strong>mselves with a<br />

governing «»<strong>The</strong>r*- eldership.'*^ On <strong>the</strong> coins <strong>of</strong><br />

<strong>the</strong>ir reigns this is designated as <strong>the</strong> TuLc. xiu

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