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           ThentherewasmytripintoIdumæa.Also,ItravelledintoSyriainobediencetothecommandofSulpiciusQuirinius,who,asimperiallegate,wascuriousofmyfirst-handreportofaffairsinJerusalem.Thus,travellingwideandmuch,IhadopportunitytoobservethestrangenessoftheJewswhoweresomadlyinterestedinGod.Itwastheirpeculiarity.Notcontentwithleavingsuchmatterstotheirpriests,theywerethemselvesforeverturningpriestsandpreachingwherevertheycouldfindalistener.Andlistenerstheyfounda-plenty.

           Theygaveuptheiroccupationstowanderaboutthecountrylikebeggars,disputingandbickeringwiththerabbisandTalmudistsinthesynagoguesandtempleporches.ItwasinGalilee,adistrictoflittlerepute,theinhabitantsofwhichwerelookeduponaswitless,thatIcrossedthetrackofthemanJesus.Itseemsthathehadbeenacarpenter,andafterthatafisherman,andthathisfellow-fishermenhadceaseddraggingtheirnetsandfollowedhiminhiswanderinglife.Somefewlookeduponhimasaprophet,butthemostcontendedthathewasamadman.Mywretchedhorse-boy,himselfclaimingTalmudicknowledgesecondtonone,sneeredatJesus,callinghimthekingofthebeggars,callinghisdoctrineEbionism,which,asheexplainedtome,wastotheeffectthatonlythepoorshouldwintoheaven,whiletherichandpowerfulweretoburnforeverinsomelakeoffire.