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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>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> people, or Census; <strong>and</strong> that Census taken at<br />

<strong>the</strong> bidding <strong>of</strong> a hea<strong>the</strong>n Emperor, <strong>and</strong> executed by<br />

one so universally hated as Herod, would<br />

represent <strong>the</strong> ns plus uUra <strong>of</strong> all that was most<br />

repugnant to Jewish feeMng.^ If <strong>the</strong> account <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

circumstances, which brought Joseph <strong>and</strong> Mary to<br />

Bethlehem, has no basis in fact, but is a legend<br />

invented to locate <strong>the</strong> birth <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Nazarene in <strong>the</strong><br />

royal City <strong>of</strong> David, it must be pronounced most<br />

clumsily devised. <strong>The</strong>re is abso^Mtely nothing to<br />

account for its origination—ei<strong>the</strong>r fix)m parallel<br />

events in <strong>the</strong> past, or &om contemporary<br />

expectancy. Why <strong>the</strong>n connect <strong>the</strong> birth <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>ir<br />

<strong>Messiah</strong> with what was most repugnant to Israel,<br />

especially if, as <strong>the</strong> advocates <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> legendary<br />

hypo<strong>the</strong>sis contend, it did not occur at a time when<br />

any Jewish Census was taken, but ten years<br />

previously ?<br />

But if it be impossible rationally to account for any<br />

legendary origin <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> narrative <strong>of</strong> Joseph <strong>and</strong><br />

Mary's journey to Bethlehem, <strong>the</strong> historical<br />

grounds, on which its accuracy has been impugned,

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