Among other passages quoted by Origen and Jerome to prove the pre-existence of the soul was that from Jeremiah (1:5):  “Before thou comest from the womb I sanctified thee and I ordained thee a prophet.”  The early writers held that this passage confirmed their particular views regarding the pre-existence of the soul and the possession of certain characteristics and qualities acquired during previous birth, for, they argued, it would be injustice that a man, before birth, be endowed with uncarnal qualities; and that such qualities and ability could justly be the result only of best work and action.  They also dwelt upon the prophecy of the return of Elijah, in Malachi 4:5.  And also upon the (uncanonical) book “The Wisdom of Solomon,” in which Solomon says:  “I was a witty child, and had a good Spirit.  Yea, rather, being good, I came into a body undefiled.”

They also quoted from Josephus, in his book styled “De Bello Judico,” in which the eminent Jewish writer says:  “They say that all souls are incorruptible; but that the souls of good men are only removed into other bodies—­but that the souls of bad men are subject to eternal punishment.”  They also quoted from Josephus, regarding the Jewish belief in Rebirth as evidenced by the recital of the instance in which, at the siege of the fortress of Jotapota, he sought the shelter of a cave in which were a number of soldiers, who discussed the advisability of committing suicide for the purpose of avoiding being taken prisoners by the Romans.  Josephus remonstrated with them as follows: 

“Do ye not remember that all pure spirits who are in conformity with the divine dispensation live on in the loveliest of heavenly places, and in the course of time they are sent down to inhabit sinless bodies; but the souls of those who have committed self-destruction are doomed to a region in the darkness of the underworld?”

Recent writers hold that this shows that he accepted the doctrine of Re-birth himself, and also as showing that it must have been familiar to the Jewish soldiery.

There seems to be no doubt regarding the familiarity of the Jewish people of that time with the general teachings regarding Metempsychosis.  Philo positively states the doctrine as forming part of the teachings of the Jewish Alexandrian school.  And again the question asked Jesus regarding the “sin of the man born blind” shows how familiar the people were with the general doctrine.

And so, the teachings of Jesus on that point did not need to be particularly emphasized to the common people, He reserving this instruction on the inner teachings regarding the details of Re-birth for his chosen disciples.  But still the subject is mentioned in a number of places in the New Testament, as we shall see.