e supposed to have been written during
the captivity, by others as late as Antiochus Epiphanes (B. C. 75), the
restoration of the Jews is described in tremendous language, and the
Messiah is portrayed as a supernatural personage, in close relation with
Jehovah himself. In the book of Enoch, supposed to have been written at
various intervals between 144 and 120 (B. C.) and to have been completed
in its present form in the first half of the second century that
preceded the advent of Jesus, the figure of the Messiah is invested with
superhuman attributes. He is called "The Son of God," "whose name was
spoken before the Sun was made;" "who existed from the beginning in the
presence of God," that is, was pre-existent. At the same time his human
characteristics are insisted on. He is called "Son of Man," even "Son of
Woman," "The Anointed" or "The Christ," "The Righteous One," &c.
(Frothingham: The Cradle of the Christ, p. 20.)
[433:3] This is clearly seen from the statement made by the Matthew
narrator (xvii. 9-13) that the disciples of Christ Jesus supposed John
the Baptist was Elias.
[434:1] Isaiah, xlv. 1.
[434:2] Bunsen: The Angel-Messiah, p. 17.
[434:3] Quoted in Middleton's Letters from Rome, p. 51.
[434:4] Hieron ad Nep. Quoted Volney's Ruins, p. 177, _note_.
[434:5] See his Eccl. Hist., viii. 21.
[435:1] Gibbon's Rome, vol. ii. pp. 79, 80.
[435:2] "On voit dans l'histoire que j'ai rapportee une sorte
d'hypocrisie, qui n'a peut-etre ete que trop commune dans tous les tems.
C'est que des ecclesiastiques, non-seulement ne disent pas ce qu'ils
pensent, mais disent tout le contraire de ce qu'ils pensent. Philosophes
dans leur cabinet, hors dela, ils content des fables, quoiqu'ils sachent
bien que ce sont des fables. Ils font plus; ils livrent au bourreau des
gens de biens, pour l'avoir dit. Combiens d'athees et de profanes ont
fait bruler de saints personnages, sous pretexte d'heresie? Tous les
jours des hypocrites, consacrent et font adorer l'hostie, bien qu'ils
soient aussi convaincus que moi, que ce n'est qu'un morceau de pain."
(Tom. 2, p. 568.)
[435:3] On the Use of the Fathers, pp. 36, 37.
[435:4] Quoted in Taylor's Syntagma, p. 170.
[435:5] Mosheim: vol. 1, p. 198.
[435:6] "Postremo illud quoque me vehementer movet, quod videam primis
ecclesiae temporibus, quam plurimos extitisse, qui facinus palmarium
judicabant, caelestem veritatem, figmentis suis ire adjutum, quo facilius
nova doctrina
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