Rebuilding of Jerusalem Temple. - Julian\'s encoura

St. Chrysostom shows that the destruction of Jerusalem is to be ascribed, not to the power of the Romans, for God had often delivered it from no less dangers; but to His special providence. God was pleased to put these hypocrites out of His Vineyard for fleecing His devotees such as the widow who gave the mite through these now useless ceremonial observances out of business. Today, a much greater hypocrite is the Pope who adopted many useless rituals and ceremonies to create a blind following in the name of Jesus. No wonder Popes started to sell tickets to the non-existent heaven after one\'s death when it is the living Royal Kingdom of God within our hearts that counts in living Christ Jesus. Further, Chrysostom says As a physician by breaking the cup, prevents his patient from indulging his appetite in a noxious draught; so God withheld the hypocrite Jews from their sacrifices by destroying the whole city itself, and making the place inaccessible to all of them for being unfaithful to Abraham in whose property the Temple was built and they became unfaithful also to God. Further, St.Gregory Nazianzen, Socrates, Theodoret, and other Christian writers of the Book lacking spirit, are unanimous in what they say of Julian\'s motive, ascribing to him the intention already mentioned, of falsifying the scripture prophecies, those of Daniel and Christ, which his actions sufficiently bear evidence. Julian was not a devout worshipper of God but an opportunist as most politicians are today. Thus, the historians of Julian, The Apostate, indeed, say, that he undertook this work out of a desire of rendering the glory of his reign immortal by so great an achievement: but this was only an after-thought or secondary motive; and his real motive was political. Julian acted not out of love for the Jewish people, but because he was a pagan who - despite its ascendancy - despised Christianity. Brought up as a Christian, Julian rejected the religion and turned back to the paganism of Greek and Roman days. He argued that Christianity would weaken and ultimately destroy the Roman Empire. As a result, he attempted to restore Hellenism, which earned him everlasting Christian disdain. Known to Christians as Julian the Apostate, the emperor restored pagan temples and the cult of the old Roman gods. These were to be served by a reform-minded pagan clergy with high moral character, who would compete with the Christian clergy in meeting the religious needs of the people. Julian remains famous for having declared absolute freedom for all religious beliefs - making him perhaps the first leader to extend toleration of religion to all Romans. Thus, Julian himself wrote a letter to the body or community of the Jews informing them of his intentions. In it he declares them free from all exactions and taxes, and orders Julus or Illus, probably Hillel, their most reverend patriarch, to abolish the taxes; begs their prayers, such was his hypocrisy, and promises, after his Persian expedition, when their temple should be rebuilt, to make Jerusalem his residence, and to offer up his joint prayers together with them. On July 19th, 362 A.D., Julian left Constantinople and arrived in Antioch to prepare for the invasion of Persia. However busy he must have been, he met with the chiefs of the Jews. He assembled the chief among the Jews, and asked them why they offered no blood sacrifices, since they were prescribed by their law. They replied, that they could not offer any but in the temple, which then lay in ruins. He promised: I shall endeavour with the utmost zeal to set up the Temple of the Most High God. Whereupon he commanded them to repair to Jerusalem, rebuild their temple, and re-establish their ancient worship, promising them his concurrence towards carrying on the work. The restoration of the Jewish Temple in Jerusalem would, in Julian\'s opinion, defeat the Christian argument of replacement theology - that the Church was the true Israel, and that the Temple\'s destruction and the subsequent exile was the just punishment suffered by the Jewish people for the Crucifixion. In Moses, we had brick built temple, the Synagogues whilst in Christ Jesus, our Temple is the living Temple, our physical body not built by human hands but Nature. The Temple\'s restoration, Julian figured, would persuade Christian converts that God still favoured the Jewish people. Also, As an army commander, embarking on a war against a formidable Persian enemy, Julian could also expect that the Jews of Mesopotamia would assist his legions. The Jews received this warrant to rebuild their Temple with inexpressible joy, and were so elated with it, that, flocking from all parts to Jerusalem, they began insolently to scorn and triumph over the Christians, threatening to make them feel as fatal effects of their severity, as they themselves had heretofore from the Roman powers.