124 QUAKER ASPECTS OF TRUTH 



of Ezra was that the Jews were to separate themselves 

 from their heathen neighbours* The word " Pharisee '' 

 means '' separated/' and although the Pharisees did not 

 yet exist as a sect, it is easy to recognise their ideal of 

 heroic patriotism, combined with a sense of religious 

 superiority and isolation* 



The next great conqueror to march along this old 

 military road was Alexander the Great : and now we 

 come to the Greek period, which was by far the most 

 heroic and most fascinating of alL Unfortunately, how- 

 ever, very few people know anything about it, and this 

 is the more deplorable because a knowledge of Maccabean 

 history throws a flood of much needed light upon the 

 Gospels* The reason why so few people know about 

 this most important epoch is that the First Book of 

 Maccabees failed to gain admittance into the Canon of 

 Scripture* I often think that if only the First Book of 

 Maccabees had got in, instead of the Book of Daniel, 

 a vast improvement would have been made in the sanity 

 of the religious thought of Europe* But the illustrious 

 name associated with the Book of Daniel secured its 

 admission into the Canon, and the First Book of Macca- 

 bees was left out, notwithstanding the fact that it is 

 far more trustworthy as history than any of the so-called 

 historical books of the Old Testament ! 



Alexander himself left the Jews almost unmolested. 

 Why this was so is uncertain* Josephus tells the story 

 of a wonderful dream Alexander had* He dreamed that 

 he saw the High Priest coming towards him in gorgeous 

 apparel, surrounded by other Priests in white raiment, 

 and when he awoke in the morning what he had dreamed 

 actually came to pass* Whether there is any truth in 

 the story we do not know* But it is certain that Alexander 

 treated the Jews with an amount of consideration and 

 respect which was in strange contrast to his treatment 

 of the neighbouring Phoenician ports* 



