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THOUGH the emperor hated and opressed the Christians, he
manifested benevolence and humanity towards the Jews. He wrote to the
Jewish patriarchs and leaders, as well as to the people, requesting
them to pray for him, and for the prosperity of the empire. In taking
this step he was not actuated, I am convinced, by any respect for
their religion; for he was aware that it is, so to speak, the mother
of the Christian religion, and he knew that both religions rest upon
the authority of the patriarchs and the prophets; but he thought to
grieve the Christians by favoring the Jews, who are their most
inveterate enemies. But perhaps he also calculated upon persuading the
Jews to embrace paganism and sacrifices; for they were only acquainted
with the mere letter of Scripture, and could not, like the
Christians and a few of the wisest among the Hebrews, discern the
hidden meaning.
Events proved that this was his real motive; for he sent for some of
the chiefs of the race and exhorted them to return to the observance of
the laws of Moses and the customs of their fathers. On their replying
that because the temple in Jerusalem was overturned, it was neither
lawful nor ancestral to do this in another place than the metropolis out
of which they had been cast, he gave them public money, commanded them
to rebuild the temple, and to practice the cult similar to that of
their ancestors, by sacrificing after the ancient way. The Jews
entered upon the undertaking, without reflecting that, according to
the prediction of the holy prophets, it could not be accomplished.
They sought for the most skillful artisans, collected materials,
cleared the ground, and entered so earnestly upon the task, that even
the women carried heaps of earth, and brought their necklaces and other
female ornaments towards defraying the expense. The emperor, the
other pagans, and all the Jews, regarded every other undertaking as
secondary in importance to this. Although the pagans were not
well-disposed towards the Jews, yet they assisted them in this
enterprise, because they reckoned upon its ultimate success, and hoped
by this means to falsify the prophecies of Christ. Besides this
motive, the Jews themselves were impelled by the consideration that
the time had arrived for rebuilding their temple. When they had
removed the ruins of the former building, they dug up the ground and
cleared away its foundation; it is said that on the following day when
they were about to lay the first foundation, a great earthquake
occurred, and by the violent agitation of the earth, stones were
thrown up from the depths, by which those of the Jews who were engaged
in the work were wounded, as likewise those who were merely looking
on. The houses and public porticos, near the site of the temple, in
which they had diverted themselves, were suddenly thrown down; many
were caught thereby, some perished immediately, others were found half
dead and mutilated of hands or legs, others were injured in other parts
of the body. When God caused the earthquake to cease, the workmen
who survived again returned to their task, partly because such was the
edict of the emperor, and partly because they were themselves
interested in the undertaking. Men often, in endeavoring to gratify
their own passions, seek what is injurious to them, reject what would
be truly advantageous, and are deluded by the idea that nothing is
really useful except what is agreeable to them. When once led astray
by this error, they are no longer able to act in a manner conducive to
their own interests, or to take warning by the calamities which are
visited upon them.
The Jews, I believe, were just in this state; for, instead of
regarding this unexpected earthquake as a manifest indication that God
was opposed to the reerection of their temple, they proceeded to
recommence the work. But all parties relate, that they had scarcely
returned to the undertaking, when fire burst suddenly from the
foundations of the temple, and consumed several of the workmen.
This fact is fearlessly stated, and believed by all; the only
discrepancy in the narrative is that some maintain that flame burst from
the interior of the temple, as the workmen were striving to force an
entrance, while others say that the fire proceeded directly from the
earth. In whichever way the phenomenon might have occurred, it is
equally wonderful. A more tangible and still more extraordinary
prodigy ensued; suddenly the sign of the cross appeared spontaneously
on the garments of the persons engaged in the undertaking. These
crosses were disposed like stars, and appeared the work of art. Many
were hence led to confess that Christ is God, and that the rebuilding
of the temple was not pleasing to Him; others presented themselves in
the church, were initiated, and besought Christ, with hymns and
supplications, to pardon their transgression. If any one does not
feel disposed to believe my narrative, let him go and be convinced by
those who heard the facts I have related from the eyewitnesses of
them, for they are still alive. Let him inquire, also, of the Jews
and pagans who left the work in an incomplete state, or who, to speak
more accurately, were able to commence it.
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