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Patristic and talmudic studies : from the German of Dr. M. Friedlander
The writings of the fathers of the church of recent centuries differ widely from those which appeared in the times of the first teachers of the new faith. While the former offer too much shade, the latter present more light. Although occasionally, Janusfaced, glancing very fondly with one eye into far distant regions, ogling the heathen world, from which they had not yet entirely severed their connection, yet the other eye was exclusively devoted to us, and with it they looked at us so charmingly pleasant, so faithfully true, that we could no longer bear any grudge against them. Still we could not oblige them so much as to accept that Platonic love with which they wished to make us happy. Plato had won them completely, had ensnared them with his highly poetical philosophy. Intoxicated with this Platonic draught, they turned to the Jewish Mysteries and — singular! before their deluded eyes stood their Plato, his very self. How came he in these works? How came this heathen Saul among the prophets? This burning question had to be answered and an answer was soon found. Plato— so the answer ran — had attended the Jewish schools, had studied thoroughly the Mosaic law, and had translated it into his beloved Greek.*
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