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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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in Jewish tradition. And we are warranted ih<br />

asking: K <strong>the</strong> account be not true, what rational<br />

explanation can be given <strong>of</strong> its origin, since its<br />

invention would niaver have occurred to any<br />

contemporary Jev ?<br />

But this is not all. <strong>The</strong>re seems, indeed, no logical<br />

connection betweeii this astrological interpretation<br />

<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Magi, <strong>and</strong> any supposed practice <strong>of</strong><br />

astrology among <strong>the</strong> Jews. Yet, strange to say,<br />

writers have largely insisted on this.* <strong>The</strong> charge<br />

is, to say <strong>the</strong> least, grossly exaggerated. That<br />

Jewish—as o<strong>the</strong>r Eastern—impostors pretended to<br />

astrological knowledge, <strong>and</strong> that such<br />

investigations may have been secretly carried on<br />

by certain Jewish students, is readily admitted.<br />

> Stravu (Leben Jesn, i. pp. 224-249) flndB a<br />

legendary basis for <strong>the</strong> Evangelic aocotint in<br />

Numb. zxiv. 17, <strong>and</strong> also appeals to <strong>the</strong> legendary<br />

stories <strong>of</strong> pro-fkne writers about stars appearing at<br />

<strong>the</strong> birth <strong>of</strong> great men.

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