APHRAHAT THE PERSIAN SAGE, DEMONSTRATIONS I, V, VI, VIII & X
APHRAHAT
SELECT DEMONSTRATIONS.
I. OF FAITH.
V. OF WARS.
VI. OF MONKS.
VIII. OF THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD.
X. OF PASTORS.
XVII. OF CHRIST THE SON OF GOD.
XXI. OF PERSECUTION.
XXII. OF DEATH AND THE LATTER TIMES.
APHRAHAT
LETTER OF AN INQUIRER.
1. Beloved, I send thee inquiries and questions, for I am compelled to
seek further instruction of thee on many points. Do not thou refuse to hear me. My
spirit urges me to warn thee about many topics(1) that thou mayest unfold for
me the spiritual perceptions of thy mind, and mayest show me of all that thou
hast apprehended from the holy books, that so my deficiency may be supplied by
thee and my hunger satisfied by thy doctrine, and that thou mayest assuage my
thirst from the fountain of thine instruction. Yet though many things are set in
my thought to ask thee, they all are notwithstanding reserved with me, that
when I come to thee, thou mayest instruct me on all subjects.
2. But before all things I desire that thou wouldst write and instruct me
concerning this that straitens me, namely, concerning our faith; how it is, and
what its foundation is, and on what structure it rises, on what it rests, and
in what way is its fulfilment and consummation, and what are the works required
for it. For I of myself firmly believe that God is one, Who made the heavens
and the earth from the beginning; that He adorned the world by His handiwork;
that He made man in His image; He it is that accepted the offering of Abel. He
translated Enoch because of his excellence. He preserved Noah because of his
righteousness. He chose Abraham because of his faith. He spake with Moses on
account of his meekness. He it is that spake in all the prophets, and furthermore He
sent His Christ into the world. Since then, my brother, I thus believe in these
things that so they are, I therefore, brother, request of thee that thou
wouldest write and show me what are the works required for this our faith, that so
thou mayest set me at rest.
THE "DEMONSTRATIONS" OF APHRAHAT.
DEMONSTRATION I.--OF FAITH.
1. I have received thy letter, my beloved, and when I read it, it greatly
gladdened me that thou hast turned thy thoughts to these investigations. For
this thing that thou hast asked of me shall be freely granted,(2) for freely it
was received. And whosoever has, and desires to withhold from him that seeks,
whatsoever he withholds shall be taken away from him. Whoever of free grace
receives, of free grace also does it behove him to give. And so, my beloved, as to
that which thou hast asked of me, so far as my insignificance has apprehended,
I will write to thee. And also whatsoever thou hast not sought of me, invoking
God, I will explain to thee. Hear then, my beloved, and open the inward ears
of thy heart unto me, and the spiritual perceptions of thy mind to that which I
say unto thee.
2. Faith is compounded of many things, and by many kinds is it brought to
perfection. For it is like a building that is built up of many pieces of
workmanship and so its edifice rises to the top. And know, my beloved, that in the
foundations of the building stones are laid, and so resting upon stones the whole
edifice rises until it is perfected. Thus also the true Stone, our Lord Jesus
Christ, is the foundation of all our faith. And on Him, on [this] Stone faith
is based. And resting on faith all the structure rises until it is completed.
For it is the foundation that is the beginning of all the building. For when any
one is brought nigh unto faith, it is laid for him upon the Stone, that is our
Lord Jesus Christ. And his building cannot be shaken by the waves, nor can it
be injured by the winds. By the stormy blasts it does not fall, because its.
structure is reared upon the rock of the true Stone. And in this that I have
called Christ the Stone, I have not spoken, of my own thought, but the Prophets
beforehand called Him the Stone. And this I shall make clear to thee.
3. And now hear concerning faith that is based upon the Stone, and
concerning the structure that is reared up upon the Stone. For first a man believes,
and when he believes, he loves. When he loves, he hopes. When he hopes, he is
justified. When he is justified, he is perfected. When he is perfected, he is
consummated. And when his whole structure is raised up, consummated, and
perfected, then he becomes a house and a temple for a dwelling-place of Christ, as
Jeremiah the Prophet said:--The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the
temple of the Lord are ye, if ye amend your ways and your works.(1) And again He
said through the Prophet:--I will dwell in them and walk in them.(2) And also
the Blessed Apostle thus said:--Ye are the temple of God and the spirit of
Christ dwelleth in you.(3) And also our Lord again thus said to His disciples:--Ye
are in Me and I am in you.(4)
4. And when the house has become a dwelling-place, then the man begins to
be anxious as to that which is required for Him Who dwells in the building.
Just as if a king or an honourable man, to whom a royal name is given, should
lodge in the house, there would be required for the King all the appurtenances of
royalty and all the service that is needed for the King's honour. For in a house
that is void of all good things, the King will not lodge, nor will he dwell in
the midst of it; but all that is choicest in the house is required for the
King and that nothing in it be deficient. And if anything be deficient there in
the house in which the King lodges, the keeper of the house is delivered over to
death, because he did not make ready the service for the King. So also let the
man, who becomes a house, yea a dwelling-place, for Christ, take heed to what
is needed for the service of Christ, Who lodges in him, and with what things he
may please Him. For first he builds his building on the Stone, which is Christ.
On Him, on the Stone, is faith based, and on faith is reared up all the
structure. For the habitation of the house is required pure fasting, and it is made
firm by faith. There is also needed for it pure prayer, and through faith is it
accepted. Necessary for it too is love, and with faith is it compounded.
Furthermore alms are needed, and through faith are they given. He demands also
meekness, and by faith is it adorned. He chooses too virginity, and by faith is it
loved. He joins with himself holiness, and in faith is it planted. He cares also
for wisdom, and through faith is it acquired. He desires also hospitality, and
by faith does it abound. Requisite for Him also is simplicity, and with faith
is it commingled. He demands patience also, and by faith is it perfected. He has
respect also to long-suffering, and through faith is it acquired. He loves
mourning also, and through faith is it manifested. He seeks also for purity, and
by faith is it preserved. All these things does the faith demand that is based
on the rock of the true Stone, that is Christ. These works are required for
Christ the King, Who dwells in men that are built up in these works.
5. And if perchance thou shouldest say:--If Christ is set for the
foundation, how does Christ also dwell in the building when it is completed? For both
these things did the blessed Apostle say. For he said:--I as a wise architect
have laid the foundation.(1) And there he defined the foundation and made it
clear, for he said as follows man can lay other foundation than that which is
laid, which is Jesus Christ.(2) And that Christ furthermore dwells in that building
is the word that was written above--that of Jeremiah who called men temples
and said of God that He dwelt in them. And the Apostle said:--The Spirit of
Christ dwelleth in you.(8) And our Lord said:--I and My Father are one.(4) And
therefore that word is accomplished, that Christ dwells in men, namely, in those who
believe on Him, and He is the foundation on which is reared up the whole
building.
6. But I must proceed to my former statement that Christ is called the
Stone in the Prophets. For in ancient times David said concerning Him:--The stone
which the builders rejected has become the head of the building.(5) And how
did the builders reject this Stone which is Christ? How else than that they so
rejected Him before Pilate and said--This man shall not be King over us.(6) And
again in that parable that our Lord spake that a certain nobleman went to
receive kingly power and to return and rule over them; and they sent after Him envoys
saying:--This man shall not be King over us.(7) By these things they rejected
the Stone which is Christ. And how did it become the head of the building? How
else than that it was set up over the building of the Gentiles and upon it is
reared up all their building. And who are the builders? Who but the priests and
Pharisees who did not build a sure building, but were overthrowing everything
that he was building, as is written in Ezekiel the Prophet:--He was budding a
wall of partition, but they were shaking it, that it might fall.(9) Anti again it
is written:--I sought amongst them a man who was closing the fence and
standing in the breach over the face of the land, that I might not destroy it and I
did not find.(1) And furthermore Isaiah also prophesied beforehand with regard to
this stone. For he said:--Thus saith the Lord, Behold I lay in Zion a chosen
stone in the precious corner, the heart of the wall of the foundation.(2) And he
said again there:--Every one that believeth on it shall not fear.(3) And
whosoever falleth on that stone shall be broken, and every one on whom it shall
fall, it will crush.(4) For the people of the house of lsrael fell upon Him, and He
became their destruction for ever. And again it shall fall on the image and
crush it.(5) And the Gentiles believed on it and do not fear.
7. And He shows thus with regard to that stone that it was laid as head of
the wall and as foundation. But if that stone was laid as the foundation, how
did it also become the head of the wall? How but that when our Lord came, He
laid His faith in the earth like a foundation, and it rose above all the heavens
like the head of the wall and all the building was finished with the stones,
from the bottom to the top. And with regard to the faith about which I said that
He laid His faith in the earth, this David proclaimed beforehand about Christ.
For He said:--Faith shall spring up from the earth.(6) And that again, it is
above, he said:-Righteousness looked down from the heavens.
8. And again Daniel also spoke concerning this stone which is Christ. For
he said:--he stone was cut out from the mountain, not by hands, and it smote
the image, and the whole earth was filled with it.(7) This he showed beforehand
with regard to Christ that the whole earth shall be filled with Him. For lo! by
the faith of Christ are all the ends of the earth filled, as David said:--The
sound of the Gospel of Christ has gone forth into all the earth.(8) And again
when He sent forth His apostles He spake thus to them:--Go forth, make disciples
of all nations and they will believe on Me.(9) And again the Prophet Zechariah
also prophesied about that stone which is Christ. For he said:--I saw a chief
stone of equably and of love.(1) And why did he say "chief"? Surely because from
the beginning(2) He was with His Father. And again that he spoke of love, it
was because when He came into the world, He said thus to His disciples:--This is
My commandment, that ye love one another.(3) And again He said:--I have called
you My friends(lovers).(4) And the blessed Apostle said thus:--God loved as in
the love of His Son.(5) Of a truth Christ loved us and gave Himself for us.(6)
9. And definitely did He show concerning this stone:--Lo! on this stone
will I open seven eyes.(7) And what then are the seven eyes that were opened on
the stone? Clearly the Spirit of God that abode on Christ with seven operations,
as Isaiah the Prophet said:--The Spirit of God shall rest and dwell upon Him,
(a spirit) of wisdom and understanding, of counsel and of courage, of knowledge
and of the fear of the lord.(8) These were the seven eyes that were opened
upon the Stone, and these are the seven eyes of the Lord which look upon all the
earth.(9)
10. And also with reference to Christ was this (which follows) said. For
he said that He was given as a light to all the Gentiles as the Prophet Isaiah
said:I have given Thee as a light to all the Gentiles, that Thou shouldest be
My redemption to the ends of the earth.(1) And furthermore David also said;--Thy
word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my paths.(2) And also the word
and discourse of the Lord is Christ, as is written in the beginning of the Gospel
of our Saviour:--In the beginning was the Word.(8) And with regard to the
light there again he bore witness:--The light was shining in the darkness and the
darkness comprehended it not.(4) What then is this:--The light was shining in
the darkness and the darkness comprehended it not? Clearly Christ, Whose light
shone in the midst of the people of the house of Israel, and the people of the
house of Israel did not comprehend the light of Christ, in that they did not
believe on Him, as it is written:--He came unto His own, and His own received Him
not.(5) And also our Lord Jesus called them darkness, for He said to His
disciples;--Whatsoever I say unto you in the darkness, that speak ye in the light,(6)
namely, let you light shine among the Gentiles;(7) because they received the
light of Christ, Who is the Light of the Gentiles. And He said again to His
Apostles:--Ye are the light of the world.(8) And again He said unto them;--Let your
light shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your
Father which is in heaven.(9) And again He showed with regard to Himself that He is
the light, for He said to His disciples:--Walk while the light is with you,
ere the darkness overtake you.(1) And again He said to them:--Believe on the
light that ye may be children of light.(2) And again He said:--I am the light of
the world.(3) And again He said:--No man lighteth a lamp and putteth it under a
bushel or under a bed, or putteth it in a hidden place, but putteth it upon the
lamp-stand that every one may see the light of the lamp.(4) And the shining
lamp is Christ, as David said;--Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light to my
paths.(5)
11. And furthermore the Prophet Hosea also said:--Light you a lamp and
seek ye the Lord.(6) And our Lord Jesus Christ said:-What woman is there who has
ten drachmos and shall lose one of them, and will not light a lamp and sweep the
house and seek her drachma that she lost?(7) What then does this woman
signify? Clearly the congregation of the house of Israel, to which the ten
commandments were given. They lost the first commandment--that in which He warned them
saying:--I am the Lord your God, Who brought you up from the land of Egypt.(1) And
when they had lost this first commandment, also the nine which are after it
they could not keep, because on the first depend the nine. For it was an
impossibility that while worshipping Baal, they should keep the nine commandments. For
they lost the first commandment, like that woman who lost one drachma from the
ten. So the Prophet cried unto them:--Light you a lamp and seek ye the Lord.(2)
And furthermore the Prophet Isaiah also said:--Seek ye the Lord and when ye
shall have found Him, call upon Him; and when He is near let the sinner abandon
his way and the wicked man his thought.(3) For that lamp shone and they did not
by it seek the Lord their God. And its light shone in the darkness and the
darkness did not comprehend it. And the lamp was set up on the lamp-stand and those
who were in the house did not see its light. And what then means this, that
the lamp was set up on the lamp-stand? Clearly His being raised up upon the
cross. And by this all the house was made dark over them. For when they crucified
Him, the light was darkened from them, and shone amongst the Gentiles, because
that from the time of the sixth hour (of the day) on which they crucified Him
even unto the ninth hour there was darkness in all the land of Israel. And the sun
set in midday and the land was darkened in the shining daytime, as is written
n Zechariah the Prophet:--It shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord, I
will cause the sun to set in midday, and will make dark the land in the shining
daytime.(5)
12. Now I must proceed to my former subject of faith, that on it are
reared up all the good works of the building. And again, in what I said with regard
to the building, it was in no strange fashion that I spoke, but the blessed
Apostle wrote in the first Epistle to the Corinthians, saying;--I as a wise
master-builder have laid the foundation, but every one buildeth on it.(5) One builds
silver and gold and goodly stones; another builds reed and straw and stubble.
In the last day that building shall be tried by fire; for the gold and silver
and goodly stones shall be preserved in the midst of the fire, because they are a
firm building. But as for the straw and reed and stubble, the fire shall have
power upon them and they shall be burned. And what is the gold and silver and
goodly stones by which the building is raised up? Clearly the good deeds of
faith, which shall be preserved in the midst of the fire; because Christ dwells in
that secure building, and He is its preserver from the fire. And let us
consider and understand (this) from the example that God has given us also in the
former dispensation, because the promises of that dispensation will abide sure for
us. Let us then understand from (the case of) those three righteous men who
were cast into the midst of the fire and were not burned, namely, Hananiah,
Azariah and Misael, over whom the fire had no power, because they built a secure
building and rejected the commandment of Nebuchadnezzar the king and did not
worship the image that he made. And as for those who transgressed the commandment of
God, the fire at once prevailed over them and burned them, and they were burned
without mercy. For the Sodomites were burned like straw and reed and stubble.
Furthermore, Nadab and Abihu were burned, who transgressed the commandment of
God. Again, two hundred and fifty men were burned, who were offering incense.
Again, two princes and a hundred who were with them were burned, because they
approached the mountain on which Elijah was sitting, who ascended in a chariot of
fire to heaven. The caluminators also were burned because they dug a pit for
righteous men. Accordingly, beloved, the righteous shall be tried by the fire,
like gold and silver and goodly stones, and the wicked shall be burned in the
fire like straw and reed and stubble, and the fire shall have power upon them and
they shall be burned; even as the Prophet Isaiah said:--By fire shall the Lord
judge and by it shall He try all flesh.(1) And again he said:--Ye shall go out
and see the carcases of the men who offended against Me, whose worm shall not
die, nor shall their fire be quenched, and they shall be an astonishment to all
flesh.(2)
13. And again the Apostle has commented for us upon this building and upon
this foundation; for he said thus;--No man can lay another foundation than
that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.(3) Again the Apostle said about faith
that it is conjoined with hope and love, for he said thus:--These are three
which shall abide, faith and hope and love.(4) And he showed with regard to faith
that first it is laid on a sure foundation.(5)
14. For Abel, because of his faith his offering was accepted. And Enoch,
because he was well-pleasing through his faith, was removed from death. Noah,
because he believed, was preserved from the deluge. Abraham, through his faith,
obtained blessing, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Isaac, because
he believed, was loved. Jacob, because of his faith, was preserved. Joseph,
because of his faith, was tried in the waters of contention, and was delivered
from his trial, and his Lord established a witness in him, as David
said:--Witness hath he established in Joseph." Moses also by his faith performed many
wonderful works of power. By his faith he destroyed the Egyptians with ten plagues.
Again, by faith he divided the sea, and caused his people to cross over and sank
the Egyptians in the midst of it. By faith he cast the wood into the bitter
waters and they became sweet. By faith he brought down manna and satisfied his
people. By faith he spread out his hands and conquered Amalek, as is
written:--His hands continued in faith till the selling of the sun.(7) Also by faith he
went up to Mount Sinai, when he twice fasted for tim space of forty days. Again by
faith he conquered Sihon and Og, the Kings of the Amorites.
15. This is wonderful, my beloved, and a great prodigy that Moses did in
the Red Sea, when the waters were divided by faith, and stood up on high like
mountains or like mighty cliffs. They were checked and stood still at the
commandment; they were closed up as in vessels, and fast bound in the height as in the
depth. Their fluidity did not overflow the boundary, but rather they changed
the nature of their creation. Irrational creatures became obedient. The billows
became rigid and were awaiting the vengeance, when the people should have
passed over. Wonderful was it how the waves stood still and expected the commandment
and the vengeance. The foundations (hidden) from the ages of the world were
revealed, and that which from the beginning had been liquid suddenly became dry.
The gates lifted up their heads and the everlasting gates were lifted up.(8)
The pillar of fire entered and illuminated the entire camp. The people passed
over by faith. And the judgment of righteousness was wrought upon Pharaoh and upon
his host and upon his chariots.
16. Thus also Joshua the son of Nun divided Jordan by his faith, and the
children of Israel crossed over as in the days of Moses. But know, my beloved,
that this passage of the Jordan was three times laid open by its being divided.
First through Joshua the Son of Nun, and secondly through Elijah, and then
through Elisha. For the word of the Book makes known that over against this passage
of Jericho, there Elijah was taken up to heaven; for when Elisha turned back
from following him and divided the Jordan and passed over, the children of the
Prophets of Jericho came out to meet Elisha and said:--The spirit of Elijah
rests upon Elisha.(9) Furthermore when the people crossed over in the days of
Joshua the son of Nun (it was there), for thus it is written:--The people passed
over, over against Jericho.(1) Also Joshua the son of Nun by faith cast down the
walls of Jericho, and they fell without difficulty. Again by faith he destroyed
thirty-one kings and made the children of Israel to inherit the land.
Furthermore by his faith he spread out his hands towards heaven and stayed the sun in
Gibeon and the moon in the valley of Ajalon.(2) And they were stayed and stood
still from their courses. But enough! All the righteous, our fathers, in all that
they did were victorious through faith, as also the blessed Apostle testified
with regard to all of them:--By faith they prevailed.(3) Again Solomon
said:--Many men are called merciful, but a faithful man who can find?(4) Also Job thus
said:--My integrity, shall not pass from me, and in my righteousness will
persist.(5)
17. Also our Saviour used thus to say to every one who drew near to Him to
be healed:--According to thy faith be unto thee. (6) And when the blind man
approached Him, He said to him:--Dost thou believe that I am able to heal thee?
That blind man said to Him:--Yea, Lord, I believe.' And his faith opened his
eyes. And to him whose son was sick, He said:--Believe and thy son shall live. He
said to Him:--I believe, Lord; help thou my feeble faith.(8) And by his faith
his son was healed. And also when the nobleman(9) came near to Him, by his faith
was his boy healed, when he said to our Lord:--Speak the word and my servant
(7) be cure.(1) And our Lord was astonished at his faith, and according to his
faith it happened to him. And also when the chief of the Synagogue requested Him
concerning his daughter, He said thus to him:--Only firmly believe and thy
daughter shall live.(2) So he believed and his daughter lived and arose. And when
Lazarus died, our Lord said to Martha:--If thou believest, thy brother shall
rise. Martha saith unto Him;--Yea, Lord, I believe.(3) And He raised him after
four days. And also Simon who was called Cephas because of his faith was called
the firm rock,(4) And again when our Lord gave the Sacrament of Baptism to His
apostles, He said thus to them:--Whosoever believeth and is baptized shall live,
and whosoever believeth not shall be condemned.(5) Again He said to his
Apostles:--If ye believe and doubt not, there is nothing ye shall not be able to
do.(8) For when our Lord walked on the billows of the sea, Simon also by his faith
walked with Him; but when in respect of his faith he doubted, and began to
sink, our Lord called him, thou of little faith.(7) And when the Apostles asked of
our Lord, they begged nothing at His hands but this, saying to Him:--Increase
our faith. He said to them:--If there were in you faith, even a mountain would
remove from before you.(8) And He said to them:--Doubt ye not, lest ye sink down
in the midst of the world, even as Simon when he doubled began to sink in the
midst of the sea, (9) And again He said thus;--This shall be the sign for those
that believe; they shall speak with new tongues and shall cast out demons,
and they shall lay their hands on the sick and they shall be made whole.(1)
18. Let us draw near then, my beloved, to faith, since its powers are so
many. For faith raised up to the heavens (Enoch), and conquered the Deluge. It
caused the barren to bring forth. It delivered from the sword. It raised up from
the pit. It enriched the poor. It released the captives. It delivered the
persecuted. It brought down the fire. It divided the sea. It cleft the rock, and
gave to the thirsty water to drink. It satisfied the hungry. It raised the dead,
and brought them up from Sheol. It stilled the billows. It healed the sick, It
conquered hosts. It overthrew walls. It stopped the mouths of lions, and
quenched the flame of fire. It humiliated the proud, and brought the humble to
honour. All these mighty works were wrought by faith.
19. Now thus is faith; when a man believes in God the Lord of all, Who
made the heavens and the earth and the seas and all that is in them; and He made
Adam in His image; and He gave the Law to Moses; He sent of His Spirit upon the
prophets; He sent moreover His Christ into the world. Furthermore that a man
should believe in the resurrection of the dead; and should furthermore also
believe in the sacrament of baptism. This is the faith of the Church of God. And (it
is necessary) that a man should separate himself from the observance of hours
and Sabbaths and moons and seasons, and divinations and sorceries and Chaldaean
arts and magic, from fornication and from festive music, from vain doctrines,
which are instruments of the Evil One, from the blandishment of honeyed words,
from blasphemy and from adultery. And that a man should not bear false witness,
and that a man should not speak with double tongue. These then are the works
of the faith which is based on the true Stone which is Christ, on Whom the whole
building is reared up.
20. Furthermore, my beloved, there is much besides in the Holy Books about
faith. But these few things out of the much have I written to recall them to
thy love that thou mayest know and make known and believe" and also be believed.
And when thou hast read and learned the works of faith, thou mayest be made
like unto that tilled land upon which the good seed fell, and produced fruit a
hundred-fold and sixty-fold and thirty-fold. And when thou comest to thy Lord, He
may call thee a good servant and prudent and faithful, who on account of His
faith, that abounded, is to enter into the Kingdom of his Lord.
DEMONSTRATION V.--OF WARS.
1. This reflection has befallen me at this time concerning the shaking
that is to take place at this time, and the host that has assembled itself for the
sword. The times were disposed beforehand by God. The times of peace are
fulfilled in the days of the good and just; and the times of many evils are
fulfilled in the days of the evil and transgressors. For it is thus written:--Good must
happen and blessed is he through whom it shall come to pass; and evil must
happen, but woe to him through whom it shall come to pass.(1) Good has come to the
people of God, and blessedness awaits that man through whom the good came. And
evil is stirred up as regards the host that is gathered together by means of
the evil and arrogant one who glories; and woe also is there reserved for him
through whom the evil is stirred up. ut do not, my beloved, reproach the evil
person who has inflicted evil upon many; because the times were beforehand
disposed and the time of their accomplishment has arrived.
2. Therefore because it is the time of the Evil One, hear in mystery that
which I am writing for thee. For thus it is written:--Whatsoever is exalted
amongst men is despicable before God.(2) And again it is written:--Everyone who
exalteth himself shall be abased, and everyone who humbleth himself shall be
exalted.(3) Also Jeremiah said:--Let not the mighty glory in his might, nor the
rich in his riches.(4) And again the blessed Apostle said:--Whosoever glorieth,
let him glory in the Lord. (6) And David said:--I saw the wicked exalted and
lifted up as the cedar of Lebanon; and when I passed by he was not, and I sought
him and found him not.(6)
3. For every one that glories shall be humbled. Cain gloried over Abel his
brother and slew him. And he was cursed and became a fugitive and a vagabond
in the earth. Again the Sodomites gloried over Lot, and there fell upon them
fire from heaven and burned them up and their city was overthrown upon them. And
Esau gloried over Jacob and persecuted him, and Jacob received the birthright
and blessings of Esau. And the children of Jacob gloried over Joseph, and
(afterwards) fell down and worshipped him in Egypt. And Pharaoh gloried over Moses and
over his people; and Pharaoh and his host were drowned in the sea. And Dathan
and Abiram gloried over Moses, and they went down alive to Sheol. And Goliath
threatened David, and he fell before him and was crushed. And again Saul
persecuted David, and he fell by the sword of the Philistines. And Absalom exalted
himself against him, and Joab slew him in the battle. Again Benhadad gloried over
Ahab, and he was delivered into the hand of Israel. And Sennacherib blasphemed
against Hezekiah and his God, and his host became dead carcases when one of the
Watchers went forth and slew in the camp one hundred and eighty-five thousand
at the prayer of Hezekiah and at the prayer of Prophet Isaiah, most glorious of
the Prophets. Ahab exalted himself over Micah, and he went up and fell in
Ramoth Gilead. Jezebel gloried over Elijah, and the dogs devoured her in the
portion of Jezreel. Haman gloried over Mordecai, and his iniquity turned back upon
his own head. The Babylonians gloried over Daniel and cast him into the den of
lions, and Daniel came up victorious, and they were cast instead of him into the
den. Again the Babylonians gloried and accused Hananiah and his companions, and
they were cast into the furnace of fire; and they came up victorious and the
flame devoured the accusers.
4. Now Nebuchadnezzar said:--I will ascend to heaven and exalt my throne
above the stars of God and sit in the lofty mountains that are in the borders of
the North.(1) Isaiah said concerning him:--Because thy heart has thus exalted
thee, therefore thou shalt be brought down to Sheol, and all that look upon
thee shall be astonished at thee.(2) And Sennacherib also said thus:--I will go up
to the summit of the mountains and to the shoulders of Lebanon.(3) I will dig
and drink water and will dry up with my horses' hoofs all the deep rivers. And
because he thus exalted himself, Isaiah again said concerning him:--Why does
the axe boast itself against him that cutteth with it, or the saw exalt itself
against him that saweth with it, or the rod lift itself up against him that
wieldeth it?(4) For thou, Sennacherib, art the axe in the hands of Him that cuts,
and thou art the saw in the hands of Him that saws, and the rod in the hand of
Him that wields thee for chastisement, and thou art the staff for smiting. Thou
art sent against the fickle people, and again thou art ordained against the
stubborn people, that thou mayest carry away the captivity and take the spoil; and
thou hast made them as the mire of the streets for all men and for all the
Gentiles. And when thou hast done all these things, why art thou exalted against
Him Who holds thee, and why dost thou boast against Him Who saws with thee, and
why hast thou reviled the holy city? and hast said to the children of
Jerusalem:--Can your God deliver you from my hand? (5) And thou hast dared to say:--Who
is the Lord that He shall deliver you from my hands? Because of this, hear the
word of the Lord, saying:--I will crush the Assyrian in My land, and on My
mountains will I tread him down.(6) And when he shall have been crushed and trodden
down, the Virgin, the daughter of Zion, will despise him, and the daughter of
Jerusalem will shake her head and say:--Whom hast thou reviled and blasphemed,
and against whom hast thou lifted up thy voice? Thou hast lifted up thine eyes
towards heaven against the Holy One of Israel, and by the hands of thy
messengers thou hast reviled the lord. Now see that the hook has been forced into thy
nostrils, and the bridle into thy lips, and thou hast turned back with thine
heart crushed, who camest with thine heart uplifted.(7) And his slaying was by the
hands of his loved ones; and in the house of his confidence,(8) there was he
overthrown, and fell before his god. And truly it was fight, my beloved, that his
body should thus become a sacrifice and offering before that god on whom he
relied, and in his temple, as a memorial for his idol.
5. Again the ram was lifted up and exalted, and pushed with its horns
towards the west, and towards the north, and towards the south, and humbled many
beasts. And they could not stand before him, until the he-goat came from the west
and smote the ram and broke his horns and humbled the ram completely. But the
ram was the King of Media and Persia, that is, Darius; and the he-goat was
Alexander, the son of Philip, the Macedonian. For Daniel saw the ram when he was in
the East before the gate of Shushan the fortress that is in the province of
Elam, upon the river Ulai. And he was pushing towards the West and towards the
North and towards the South. And none of the beasts could stand before him.(1)
And the he-goat of the goats came up from the region of the Greeks, and exalted
himself against the ram, And he smote him and broke both his horns, the greater
and the lesser. And why did he say that he broke both his horns? Clearly
because he humbled both the kingdoms which he ruled; the lesser, that of the Medes,
and the greater, that of the Persians. But when Alexander the Greek came, he
slew Darius, King of Media and Persia. For thus the angel said to Daniel, when he
was explaining the vision to him:--The ram that thou sawest was the King of
Media and Persia, and the he-goat the King of the Greeks. (2) Now, from the time
that the two horns of the ram were broken, until this time, there have been six
hundred and forty-eight years.(8)
6. Therefore, as for the ram, its horns are broken. And though its horns
are broken, lo! it exalts and uplifts itself against the fourth beast, that is
strong and mighty and its teeth of iron and its hoofs of brass, and it shall
devour and grind down, and trample with its feet whatsoever remaineth.(4) O Ram,
whose horns are broken, rest thou from the beast, and provoke it not lest it
devour thee and grind thee to powder. The ram could not stand before the he-goat;
how shall it stand before that terrible beast, whose mouth speaketh great
things,(5) and whatsoever it finds it couches over as a lion over his prey ? Whoever
provokes the lion becomes its portion; and whoever stirs up that beast, it
shall devour him. And who is there that shall escape out from under the feet of
that beast when it is trampling on him? For the beast shall not be slain until
the Ancient of Days shall sit upon the throne, and the Son of Man shall come near
before Him, and authority shall be given to Him.(6) Then shall that beast be
slain and its carcase shall perish. And the Kingdom of the Son of Man shall be
established, an eternal Kingdom, and His authority from generation to generation.
7. Be quiet, O thou that dost exalt thyself; vaunt not thyself! For if thy
wealth has lifted up thy heart, it is not more abundant than that of Hezekiah,
who went in and boasted of it before the Babylonians, (yet) it was all of it
carried away and went to Babylon. And if thou gloriest in thy children, they
shall be led away from thee to the Beast, as the children of King Hezekiah were
led away, and became eunuchs in the palace of the King of Babylon.(7) And if thou
dost glory in thy wisdom, thou dost not in it excel the Prince of Tyre, whom
Ezekiel reproached, saying unto him:--Art thou wiser than Daniel, or hast thou
seen by thy wisdom the things that are hid?(8) And if thy mind is puffed up by
thy years, that they are many; they are not more in number than those of the
Prince of Tyre who ruled the Kingdom during the days of twenty-two Kings of the
house of Judah, that is, for four hundred and forty years. And since the years of
that King of Tyre were many, all the time he thus said in his heart, I am God
and sit in the seat of God in the heart of the seas.(1) But Ezekiel said to
him: Thou art a man and thou art not God. For while the Prince of Tyre was walking
without fault in the midst of the stones of fire, there was mercy upon him.
But when his heart was lifted up, the cherub who overshadoweth, destroyed him.(2)
8. Now, what are the stones of fire, but the children of Zion and the
children of Jerusalem? For in the ancient time, in the days of David and of Solomon
his son, Hiram was a friend to those of the house of Israel. But when they
were carried away captive from their place, he rejoiced over them and spurned them
with his feet, and did not remember the friendship of the house of David. And
as to that which I said that the children of Judah were called the stones of
fire, it was not of my own thought that I said it, but Jeremiah the Prophet spake
concerning them; for when he was calling forth tears for them in the
Lamentations, he said:--The children of Zion were more excellent than precious
stones.(3) And again he said:--How are the stones of the Santuary cast down at the head
of all the streets?(4) And again He said by the Prophet:--The stones were holy
that were cast down in his land.(5) And as to these very stones, the fire was
burning in them, as Jeremiah said:--The word of the Lord became in my heart
like burning fire and it was hot in my bones.(6) And again He said to
Jeremiah:--Lo! I give My word in thy mouth as fire, and this people shall be as wood.(7)
And again He said words shall go forth as fire, and as iron that cutteth the
stone.(8) On this account the Prophets, amongst whom Hiram the Prince of Tyre was
walking, were called stones of fire.
9. And again (God) said to him:--Thou wast with the Cherub who was
anointed and overshadowing.(9) For the king, who was anointed with the holy oil, was
called a Cherub. And he was overshadowing all his people, as Jeremiah said:--The
anointed of the Lord is the breath of our nostrils, he of whom we said that in
his shadow shall we live amongst the Gentiles.(1) For they were sitting in the
shadow of the king, while he was standing at their head. And when the crown of
their head fell, they were without shade, And if any one should say that this
word is spoken concerning Christ, let him receive that which I write for him
without disputation, and thus he will be persuaded that it was said with
reference to the king. For Jeremiah said in behalf of the people:--Woe unto us, for the
crown of our head has fallen!(2) But Christ has not fallen, because He rose
again the third day. For the king fell from the house of Judah, and never again
was their kingdom set up. And as for that He said again:--I will destroy the
overshadowing Cherub.(3) For the Cherub that He will destroy is Nebuchadnezzar, as
it is written:-- He performed a work in Tyre, and there was given him by Tyre
no hire for his host, and in return for the work of Tyre there was given him
the land of Egypt.(4) And why was hire not given by Tyre to Nebuchadnezzar?
Clearly because its wealth went away in the sea, so that Nebuchadnezzar did not
receive it. And at that time He destroyed the overshadowing Cherub, which is
Nebuchadnezzar. For there are two Cherubs, one anointed and overshadowing, and one
overshadowing but not anointed. For He said above Thou wast with the Cherub
anointed and overshadowing.(5) And lower down He said will destroy thee the
overshadowing Cherub;(6) and did not say "anointed." For Nebuchadnezzar was not
anointed; but David and Solomon were, and the other kings who arose after them. And
how was Nebuchadnezzar called overshadowing ? Clearly on account of the vision of
the tree, when he saw a tree in the midst of the earth, beneath which dwelt
all the beasts of the wilderness and on its branches dwelt all the birds of
heaven, and from it all flesh was fed. When Daniel interpreted his dream to him,
Daniel said to him:--Thou art the tree, that tree which thou sawest in the midst
of the earth and beneath thee dwell all the nations.(1) On this account he was
the overshadowing Cherub; who destroyed the Prince of Tyre, because he rejoiced
over the children of Israel, for that they were carried away captive from their
land, and because his heart was exalted. This Tyre also lay waste seventy
years like Jerusalem which sat in desolation seventy years. For Isaiah said
concerning it:-- Tyre shall wander seventy years, as the days of one king, and shall
commit fornication with all the kingdoms that are upon the face of the earth.(2)
10. O thou that art exalted and lifted up, let not the vaunting of thine
heart mislead thee, nor say thou, I will go up against the rich land and against
the powerful beast For that beast will not be slain by the ram seeing that its
horns are broken. For the he-goat broke the horns of the ram.(3) Now the
he-goat has become the mighty beast. For when the children of Japhet held the
kingdom, then they slew Darius, the king of Persia. Now the fourth beast has
swallowed up the third. And this third consists of the children of Japhet, and the
fourth consists of the children of Shere, for they are the children of Esau.
Because, when Daniel saw the vision of the four beasts, he saw first the children of
Ham, the seed of Nimrod, which the Babylonians are; and secondly, the Persians
and Medes, who are the children of Japhet; and thirdly, the Greeks, the
brethren of the Medes; and fourthly, the children of Shem, which the children of Esau
are. For a confederacy was formed between the children of Japhet and the
children of Shem. Then the government was taken away from the children of Japhet, the
younger, and was given to Shem, the elder; and to this day it continues, and
will continue for ever. But when the time of the consummation of the dominion of
the children of Shem shall have come, the Ruler, who came forth from the
children of Judah, shall receive the kingdom, when He shall come in His second
Advent.
11. For in the vision of Nebuchadnezzar, when he saw it, which Daniel made
known and showed to Nebuchadnezzar, when he saw the image which stood over
against him, the head of the image was of gold, and its breast and arms of silver,
and its belly and thighs of brass, and its legs and feel of iron and potter's
clay. (4) And Daniel said to Nebuchadnezzar:--Thou art the head of gold.(5) And
why was he called the head of gold? Was it not because the word of Jeremiah
was fulfilled in him? For Jeremiah said:--Babylon is a golden cup in the hand of
the Lord, that makes all the earth to of its wine.(6) And also Babylon was
called the head of all the kingdoms, as it is written:--Babylon was the head of the
of Nimrod.(7)
12. And he said that the breast and the arms of the image were of silver.
This signified concerning a kingdom which was inferior to it; namely, Darius
the Mede. For (God) put the kingdom into the balance. For the kingdom of the
house of Nimrod was weighed and was found wanting. And since it was wanting, Darius
received it. Because of this he said that his kingdom was inferior.(8) And
because it was inferior, the children of Media did not rule in all the earth. Now
the belly and thighs of the image were of brass, and he said:--The third
kingdom shall rule in all the earth.(9) It is the kingdom of the children of Javan,
who are children of Japhet. For the children of Javan came in against the
kingdom of their brethren. For Madai and Javan are sons of Japhet.(1) But Madai was
foolish and incapable of governing the kingdom, until Javan, his brother came,
who was wise and cunning, to destroy the kingdom, For Alexander, son of Philip,
ruled in all the earth.
13. And the legs and feet of the image were of iron. This is the kingdom
of the children of Shem, who are the children of Esau, which is strong as iron.
And he said:--As iron breaks and subdueth everything, so also the fourth
kingdom shall break and bruise everything.(1) And he explained with reference to the
feet and toes, that part of them was of iron and part of them of potter's clay.
For he said:--Thus they shall be mingled with the seed of man, and they shall
not cleave one to another, as iron cannot be mixed with clay.(2) This referred
to the fourth kingdom. Because in the kingdom of the children of Esau(3) there
was not a king, the son of a king, established to govern the kingdom; but when
the children of Esau were gathered together into a powerful city, then they
made a senate. And from thence they used to set up as chief of the city a wise man
to govern the kingdom, lest when the Governor of their kingdom should weigh
them, they might be found wanting, and the kingdom might be taken away from them
as the kingdom of the children of arrogant Nimrod was taken away and given to
the children of foolish Modai. And this king who was set up, the seed of that
former king was destroying him; and they did not cleave one to another. But as to
the seed of man which is compared with the clay, the meaning is this; that
when the king was chosen for the kingdom, he mingled himself with the root of the
kingdom of iron.
14. And he showed that in the days of those kings, who shall arise in the
kingdom, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which shall not be destroyed
and shall not pass away for ever.(4) This is the Kingdom of King Messiah, which
is that which shall cause the fourth kingdom to pass away. And above he
said:--Thou sawest a stone which was cut out, but not by hands; and it smote the image
upon its feet of iron and potter's clay and broke them to pieces.(5) Now he
did not say that it smote upon the head of the image, nor on its breast and arms,
nor yet on its belly and thighs, but on its feet; because that, of the whole
image, that stone when it comes will find the feet alone. And in the next verse
he said:--The iron and the brass and the silver and the gold were broken to
pieces together.(6) For after them, when King Messiah shall reign, then He will
humble the fourth kingdom, and will break the whole image; for by the whole image
the world is meant. Its head is Nebuchadnezzar; its breast and arms the King
of Media and Persia; its belly and thighs the King of the Greeks; its legs and
feet the kingdom of the children of Esau; the stone, which smote the image and
brake it, and with which the whole earth was filled, is the kingdom of King
Messiah, Who will bring to nought the kingdom of this world, and He will rule for
ever and ever.
15. Again hear concerning the vision of the four beasts which Daniel saw
coming up out of the sea and diverse one from another. This is the appearance of
them:--The first was like a lion, and it had the wings of an eagle. And I saw
that its wings were plucked away, and it stood up like a man upon its feet, and
the heart of a man was given to it.' And the second beast was like a bear, and
it raised itself up upon one side and there were three ribs in its mouth
between its teeth. And the third beast was like a leopard, and it had four wings and
four heads. And the fourth beast was exceedingly terrible and strong and
powerful, and it had great teeth. It devoured and brake to pieces, and whatsoever
remained, it stamped with its feet. Now the great sea that Daniel saw(8) is the
world: and these four beasts are the four kingdoms signified above.
16. Now as to the first beast, he said concerning it, that it was like a
lion, and it had the wings of an eagle. For the first beast was the kingdom of
Babylon, which was like a lion. For thus Jeremiah wrote saying:--Israel is a
wandering sheep. The lions caused them to wander. First the king of Assyria
devoured him. And this last was stronger than he, Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon.(1)
So Jeremiah called him a lion. And he said:--He has the wings of an eagle. For
thus it is written that, when Nebuchadnezzar went out to the wilderness with
the beasts, he grew hair like (the plumage) of an eagle. And he said:--I saw that
its wings were plucked away and it stood upright upon its feet as a man, and a
man's heart was given to it,(2) For first, in the vision of the image, he was
compared to gold which is more precious thou anything which is used in the
world. So in the vision of the beasts he is compared to a lion which excels in its
might all the beasts. And again he was compared to an eagle which surpasses
every bird. Whatsoever was written about him was fulfilled in him. For the Lord
said concerning him: --I have placed a yoke of iron upon the neck of all the
nations, and they shall serve the king of Babylon seventy years. And also the
beasts of the desert and the birds of heaven have I given to him to serve him. For
since the king was like the head of gold, men served him as a king. And when he
went out to the wilderness, the beasts served him as a lion. And when his hair
was like (the plumage) of an eagle, the birds of heaven served him as an eagle.
But when his heart was lifted up, and he knew not that the power was given to
him from heaven, the yoke of iron was broken from the neck of men, and he went
forth with the beasts, and instead of the heart of a king there was given him
the heart of a lion. And when he was lifted up over the beasts, the heart of a
lion was taken away from him, and there was given him the heart of a bird. And
when wings grew upon him like those of an eagle, he exalted himself over the
birds. And then his wings also were plucked away and there was given to him a
humble heart. And when be knew that the Most High has authority in the kingdom of
man, to give it to whomsoever He will, then as a man he praised Him.
17. And as for the second beast, he said concerning him that it was like a
bear and raised itself up upon one side. Because when the kingdom of Media and
Persia arose, it arose in the east. And three ribs were in its mouth. Because
the ram was pushing towards the West and towards the North and towards the
South, towards three winds of heaven. These three winds it held, and pushed
against, like the three ribs that were in the mouth of the bear; until the he-goat
came forth from the west, and smote the ram and took out the ribs that were in his
mouth.
18. And concerning the third beast he said that it was like a leopard, and
it had four birds' wings on its back and that beast had four heads. Now this
third beast was Alexander the Macedonian. For he was strong as a leopard. And as
for the four wings and the four heads that the beast had, that was because he
gave the kingdom to his four friends to govern after him, when he had come and
slain Darius and reigned in his stead.
19. And of the fourth beast he said that it was exceedingly terrible and
strong and mighty, devouring and crushing and trampling with its feet anything
that remained. It is the kingdom of the children of Esau.(4) Because after that
Alexander the Macedonian became king, the kingdom of the Greeks was founded,
since Alexander also was one of them, even of the Greeks. But the vision of the
third beast was fulfilled in him, since the third and the fourth were one. Now
Alexander reigned for twelve years. And the kings of the Greeks arose after
Alexander, being seventeen kings, and their years were two hundred and sixty-nine
years from Seleucus Nicanor to Ptolemy. And the Caesars were from Augustus to
Philip Caesar, seventeen kings. And their years are two hundred and ninety-three
years;(1) and eighteen years of Severus.
20. For Daniel said:--I was considering the ten horns that were upon the
head of the beast. Far the ten horns were ten kings(2) who arose at that time
until Antiochus. And he said:--A little horn arose from between those ten and
three fell before it.(3) For when Antiochus arose in the kingdom, he humbled three
kings, and he exalted himself against the saints of the Most High and against
Jerusalem. And he defiled the sanctuary.(4) And he caused the sacrifice and the
offerings to cease for a week and half a week, namely, for test and a-half
years. And he brought in fornicators into the house of the Lord, and he caused the
observances of the Law to cease.(5) And he slew righteous men and gave them to
the birds of heaven and to the beasts of the earth. For in his days was
fulfilled the word that David spoke:(6) O God, the Gentiles have come into thine
inheritance, and have defiled Thy holy temple. They have made Jerusalem desolate.
They have given the dead bodies of Thy servants as food to the birds of heaven,
and the flesh of Thy righteous ones to the beasts of the earth. They have
poured out their blood like water round about Jerusalem, and there is none to bury
them. For this was accomplished at that time, when the venerable and aged
Eleazar was slain, and the sons of the blessed Samuna, seven in number,(7) and when
Judas (Maccabeus) and his brethren were struggling on behalf of their people,
when they were dwelling in hiding-places.(8) At that time the horn made war with
the saints,(9) and their power prevailed. And the wicked Antiochus spake wards
against the Most High, and change the times and the seasons.(1) And he made to
cease the covenant of Abraham, and abolished the Sabbath of rest.(2) For he
commanded the Jews that they should not circumcise. Therefore, (the Prophet) said
concerning him;--He shall think to change the times and the seasons and the
laws, and they were given into his hand for a time, times, and half a time.(3)
Now the time and half a time is the week and a half, which is ten years and a
half. Again he said:-- The judgment was set and they took away his authority from
him, to injure and destroy him until the end of the kingdom.(4) For the
judgment came upon Antiochus, a judgment from heaven;(5) and he became sick with a
grievous and evil sickness, and on account of the smell of him as he rotted, no
man could approach him, for worms were crawling and falling from him and eating
his flesh because he oppressed the worm Jacob.(6) And his flesh rotted in his
lifetime, because he caused the dead bodies of the sons of Jerusalem to rot and
they were not buried. And he became defiled in his own eyes, because he had
defiled the sanctuary of God. And he prayed and was not heard,' because he did not
hearken to the groanings of the righteous whom he slew. For he wrote a letter
and sent it to the jews and called them "my friends," but God had not mercy on
him, but he died in his torment.
21. He said again:--The saints of the Most High shall receive the
Kingdom.(8) What shall we say concerning this? Have the children of Israel received the
Kingdom of the Most High? God forbid. Or has that people come upon the clouds
of heaven? This has passed away from them. For Jeremiah said concerning
them:--Call them rejected silver, for the Lord has rejected them.(9) Again he
said:--He will not again regard them.(1) And Isaiah said concerning them: --Pass by;
pass by; approach not the defiled.(2) And concerning the saints of the Most High
(Daniel) said thus:--They shall inherit the Kingdom for ever.(1) For these
rested a little from the burden of kings and princes,(2) namely, from after the
death of Antiochus till the sixty-two weeks were fulfilled. And the Son of Man
came to free them and gather them together, but they did not receive Him. For He
came to obtain fruit from them, and they did not give it to Him. For their vines
were of the vine of Sodom and of the stock of Gomorrha, a vineyard(3) in which
thorns grew, and which bore wild grapes.(4) Their vine was bitter, and their
fruit sour. The thorns could not be softened, nor could the bitterness change to
the nature of wine, nor could the sour fruit change to a sweet nature.
22. For Isaiah first set men of Judah as judges over them,(5) and there
was planted amongst them a new and beloved planting. But these are those judges
who shall sit on twelve thrones and judge their twelve tribes.(6) And thus He
said to the judges:(7)--Judge between Me and My vineyard, what further, O ye
judges, should I have done to My vineyard, that I did not do? For lo! I planted it
with vine scions, and they became strange vines. I surrounded it with a fence
of heavenly Watchers and I built its tower, the holy Temple. And I dug out its
winepress, the baptism of the priests. And I brought down rain upon it, the
words of My Prophets. And I pruned it and trimmed it, from the works of the
Amorites. I looked that it should produce grapes of righteousness, and it produced
wild grapes of iniquity and sin. I looked for judgment and behold oppression, and
for righteousness and there was a cry. Hear, O ye judges, what I will do to My
vineyard. I will break open its fence, and it shall be for down-treading. And
will tear down its tower, and it shall be for pillage. And I will make it to
become a desert because it produced wild grapes. And shall not be dressed and it
shall not be pruned. And thorns and weeds shall grow up in. And I will command
the clouds that they send not down rain upon it. For the heavenly Watchers
departed from the fence of the vineyard; and the mighty tower on which they relied
was torn down. The winepress, the cleansing away of their offences, was
overthrown. When the vine was without blemish, it did not prove of service. Now that
the fire has devoured it and that it is laid waste, how shall it prove of
service? The fire has devoured its two branches and its inward parts are wasted.(8)
For its two branches are the two kingdoms, and its inward part which is laid
waste is Jerusalem. Many servants were sent to them by the Lord of the vineyard.(9)
And they slew them and did not send the fruit to the Lord of the vineyard.
After the servants the beloved Son was sent, to receive from them the fruit and to
bring it back to Him that sent Him. And they seized Him and cast Him out of
the vineyard; and they cut spikes from the thorns of the vineyard and fixed them
in His hands. And He was hungry and asked food of them; and they took and gave
Him gall from the fruit of the vineyard. He was thirsty and asked of them
drink; and they gave Him vinegar and He would not drink it. And they platted a crown
of thorns that had sprung up in the vineyard, and placed it on the head of the
Son of the Lord of the vineyard. For from the time that the vineyard was made,
it displayed these fruits. Therefore its Lord uprooted it and cast it in the
fire; and planted good fruit-bearing vines in the vineyard, and such as gladden
the husbandman. For Christ is the vineyard, and His Father is the husbandman;
and they who drink of His cup are the vines. Therefore vineyard was formed
instead of vineyard. And furthermore at His coming He handed over the kingdom to the
Romans, as the children of Esau are called. And these children of Esau will
keep the kingdom for its giver.
23. And the holy People inherited an eternal Kingdom; the holy people who
were chosen instead of the People. For He provoked them to jealousy with a
people that was not a people. And with a foolish people He angered them.(1) And He
set free the holy people. For lo! every covenant of God is freed from the
burden of kings and princes.(2) For even if a man has served the heathen, as soon as
ever he draws nigh unto the covenant of God, he is set free. But the Jews are
toiling in bondage amongst the Gentiles. For thus he said about the
Saints;--They shall inherit the Kingdom that is beneath the heaven.(3) But if he had said
it about them (the Jews), why are they toiling in service amongst the Gentiles?
And if they say that it has not taken place as yet; then (we ask) is the
Kingdom that shall be given to the Son of man, to be heavenly or earthly? And lo!
the children of the Kingdom are sealed, and they have received their emancipation
from this world. For since it exists now, it will not be willing to be
subjected to the power of the King, Who shall come and take to Himself His Kingdom.
But it will guard His pledges with honour, that when He shall come to bring to
nought the Kingdom, he may come upon them not in anger. For when He, Whose is the
Kingdom,(4) shall come in His second coming, He will take to Himself whatever
He has given. And He Himself will be King for ever and ever. And His Kingdom
shall not pass away, because it is an eternal Kingdom.
24. For first, He gave the Kingdom to the sons of Jacob, and subdued to
them the children of Esau; as Isaac said to Esau :-Thou shall serve Jacob thy
brother.(5) And when again they did not prosper in the Kingdom, He took it away
from the children of Jacob and gave it to the children of Esau until He should
wine Whose it is.(6) And they will deliver up the deposit to its Giver, and will
not deal fraudulently with it. And the Guardian of the Kingdom is subject to
Him to Whom all things are subject. Therefore this Kingdom of the children of
Esau shall not be delivered up into the hand of the hosts that are gathered
together, that desire to go up against it; because the Kingdom is being kept safe for
its Giver, and He Himself will preserve it. And as to this that I wrote to
thee, beloved, that the Kingdom of the children of Esau is being kept safe for its
Giver, doubt not about it, that that Kingdom will not be conquered. For a
mighty champion Whose name is Jesus shall come with power, and bearing as His
armour all the power of the Kingdom. And search out and see that also by the
poll-tax(7) He was enrolled amongst them. And as He was enrolled by the poll-tax
amongst them, He will also succour them. And His standard abounds in that place, and
they are clothed in His armour, and shall not be found wanting in war. And if
thou shouldest say unto me:--"In the years of the Kings that preceded these,
why did they conquer and subdue the beast?" It was because the chiefs and kings
who stood up at that time in the Kingdom of the children of Esau did not wish to
lead with them to the war the Man who was enrolled with them in the poll-tax.
Therefore the beast was subdued a little, but was not slain.
25. But concerning these things that I have written for thee, my beloved,
namely, concerning that which is written in Daniel, I have not brought them to
an end, but (have stopped) short of the end. And if any man dispute about them,
say thus to him, that these words are not concluded, because the words of God
are infinite, nor will they be concluded. For the foolish man says, "Here unto
(these) words reach." And again, it is not possible to add to them or to
diminish from them.(8) For the riches of God cannot be computed or limited. For if
thou take away water from the sea, the deficiency will be imperceptible. And if
thou remove sand from the sea-shore, its measure will not be diminished. And if
thou count the stars of heaven, thou wilt not arrive at the sum of them. And if
thou kindle fire from a burning, it will not a whit be lessened. And if thou
receive of the Spirit of Christ, Christ will not a whir be diminished. And if
Christ dwell in thee, yet He will not be completed in thee. And if the sun enter
the windows of thy house, yet the sun in its entirety will not come to thee,
And all these things that I have enumerated for thee were created by the word of
God. Therefore know thou, that, as concerning the word of God no man has
reached or will reach its end. Therefore, have thou no disputation about these
things, but say:--"These things are so. That is enough." But hear these things from
me, and also enquire about them of our brethren, children of our faith. But
whosoever shall mock at the words of his brother, even if he say, "mine are wise,"
yet hearken not to his words. And concerning what I wrote to thee about these
forces that are being stirred up to war, it is not as though anything has been
revealed to me that I have made known these things to thee, but attend to the
words at the head of the letter:--Every one who exalteth himself shall be
humbled. For even if the forces shall go up and conquer, yet know that it is a
chastisement of God; and though they conquer, they shall be condemned in a righteous
judgment. But yet be thou assured of this. that the beast shall be slain at its
(appointed) time. But do thou, my brother, at this time be earnest in imploring
mercy, that there may be peace upon the people of God.
DEMONSTRATION VI.--OF MONKS.
1. Expedient is the word that I speak and worthy of acceptance:--Let us
now awake from our sleep,(1) and lift up both our hearts and hands to God towards
heaven; lest suddenly the Lord of the house come, that when He comes He may
find us in watchfulness.(2) Let us observe the appointed time of the glorious
bridegroom,(3) that we may enter with Him into His bride-chamber. Let us prepare
oil for our lamps that we may go forth to meet Him with joy. Let us make ready
provision for our abiding-place, for the way that is narrow and strait. And let
us put away and cast from us all uncleanness, and put on wedding garments. Let
us trade with the silver that we have received,(4) that we may be called
diligent servants. Let us be constant in prayer, that we may pass by the place where
fear dwells. Let us cleanse our heart from iniquity, that we may see the Lofty
One in His honour. Let us be merciful, as it is written, that God may have
mercy upon us.(5) Let there be peace amongst us, that we may be called the brethren
of Christ. Let us hunger for righteousness, that we may be satisfied(6) from
the table of His Kingdom. Let us be the salt of truth, that we may not become
food for the serpent. Let us purge our seed from thorns, that we may produce
fruit a hundred-fold. Let us found our building on the rock,(7) that it may not be
shaken by the winds and waves. Let us be vessels unto honour(8) that we may be
required by the Lord for His use. Let us sell all our possessions, and buy for
ourselves the pearl,(9) that we may be rich. Let us lay up our treasures in
heaven,(1) that when we come we may open them and have pleasure in them. Let us
visit our Lord in the persons of the sick,(2) that He may invite us to stand at
His right hand. Let us hate ourselves and love Christ, as He loved us and gave
Himself up for our sakes.(3) Let us honour the spirit of Christ, that we may
receive grace from Him. Let us be strangers to the world,(4) even as Christ was
not of it. Let us be humble and mild, that we may inherit the land of life. Let
us be unflagging in His service, that He may cause us to serve in the abode of
the saints. Let us pray His prayer in purity, that it may have access to the
Lord of Majesty. Let us be partakers in His suffering, that so we may also rise up
in His resurrection.(1) Let us bear His sign upon our bodies, that we may be
delivered from the wrath to come. For fearful is the day in which He will come,
and who is able to endure it?(2) Furious and hot is His wrath, and it will
destroy all the wicked. Let us set upon our head the helmet of redemption,(3) that
we may not be wounded and die in the battle. Let us gird our loins with truth,
that we may not be found impotent in the contest. Let us arise and awaken
Christ, that He may still the stormy blasts from us Let us take as a shield against
the Evil One, the preparation of the Gospel of our Redeemer. Let us receive
power from our Lord to tread upon snakes and scorpions.(4) Let us lay aside from
us wrath, with all fury and malice. Let no reviling proceed out of our mouth,
with which we pray unto God. Let us not be cursers, that we may be delivered from
the curse of the law. Let us be diligent workers, that we may obtain our
reward with those of old. Let us take up the burden of the day, that we may seek a
more abundant reward. Let us not be idle workers, for lo! our Lord has hired us
for His vineyard.(5) Let us be planted as vines in the midst of His vineyard,
for it is the true vineyard. Let us be fruitful vines, that we may not be
uprooted out of His vineyard. Let us be a sweet odour, that our fragrance may breathe
forth to all around. Let us be poor in the world, and let us enrich many by
the doctrine of our Lord. Let us not call anyone our father in the earth,(6) that
we may be the children of the Father which is in heaven. Though we have
nothing, yet We possess all things.(7) Though no man know us, yet they that have
knowledge of us are many. Let us rejoice in our hope at every time,(8) that He Who
is our hope and our Redeemer may rejoice in us. Let us judge ourselves
righteously and condemn ourselves, that we may not hang down our faces before the
judges who shall sit upon thrones and judge the tribes.(9) Let us take to ourselves,
as armour for the contest,(1) the preparation of the Gospel. Let us knock at
the door of heaven,(2) that it may be opened before us, and we may enter in
through it.
Let us diligently ask for mercy, that we may receive whatsoever is
necessary for us. Let us seek His Kingdom and His righteousness,(3) that we may
receive increase in the land. Let us think upon the things which are above,(4) on the
heavenly things, and meditate on them, where Christ has been lifted up and
exalted. But let us forsake the world which is not ours, that we may arrive at the
place to which we have been invited. Let us raise up our eyes on high, that we
may see the splendour which shall be revealed. Let us lift up our wings as
eagles, that we may see the body there where it is. Let us prepare as offerings
for the King desirable fruits, fasting and prayer. Let us guard His pledge in
purity, that He may trust us over all His treasury. For whosoever deals falsely
with His pledge, they suffer him not to enter into the treasure-house. Let us be
careful of the body of Christ, that our bodies may rise at the sound of the
trumpet. Let us hearken to the voice of the bridegroom, that we may go in with Him
into the bride-chamber. Let us prepare the marriage-gift for His bridal day,
and let us go forth to meet Him with joy. Let us put on holy raiment, that we
may recline in the chief place of the elect. Whosoever puts not on wedding
raiment,(5) they cast him out into outer darkness. Whosoever excuses himself from the
wedding shall not taste the feast.(6) Whosoever loves fields and merchandise,
shall be shut out of the city of Saints. Whosoever does not bear fruit in the
vineyard, shall be uprooted and cast out to torment. Whosoever has received
money from his Lord, let him return it to its Giver with its increase.(1) Whosoever
desires to become a merchant, let, him buy for himself the field and the
treasure that is in it.(2) Whosoever receives the good seed, let him purge his land
from thorns.(3) Whosoever desires to be a fisherman, let him cast forth his net
at every time. Whosoever is training for the conflict, let him keep himself
from the world. Whosoever wishes to gain the crown, let him run as a winner in
the race. Whosoever wishes to go down into the course to contend, let him learn
to (contend) against his adversary. Whosoever wishes to go down to the battle,
let him take unto him armour wherewith to fight, and let him purify himself at
every time. Whosoever adopts the likeness of angels, let him be a stranger to
men, Whosoever takes upon him the yoke of the saints, let him remove from him
getting and spending. Whosoever desires to gain himself, let him remove from him
the gain of the world. Whosoever loves the abode that is in heaven, let him not
toil at the building of clay that will fall. Whosoever is expectant of being
caught up in the clouds, let him not make for himself adorned chariots. Whosoever
is expectant of the marriage-feast of the Bridegroom, let him not love the
feast of this present time. Whosoever wishes to have pleasure in the banquet
reserved there, let him remove drunkenness from himself. Whosoever prepares himself
for the supper, let him not excuse himself,(4) nor be a merchant. Whosoever he
be on whom the good seed falls, let him not allow the Evil One to sow tares in
him. Whosoever has begun to build a tower, let him count up all the cost
thereof.(5) Whosoever builds ought to finish, that he be not a laughing-stock to them
that pass by the way. Whosoever sets his building on the rock, let him make
its foundations deep, that it may not be cast down by the billows. Whosoever
wishes to fly from the darkness, let him walk while he has light.(6) Whosoever
tears to fly in winter,(7) let him prepare himself from the summer-time. Whosoever
looks forward to enter into rest,(8) let him make ready his provision for the
Sabbath. Whosoever begs forgiveness of his Lord, let him also forgive his
debtor.(9) Whosoever does not demand back a hundred dinars, his Lord forgives him ten
thousand talents. Whosoever casts down his Lord's money on the banker's
table,(1) will not be called an unprofitable servant. Whosoever loves humility, shall
be heir in the land of life. Whosoever wishes to make peace, shall be one of
the sons of God.(2) Whosoever knows the will of his Lord, let him do that will,
that he may not be beaten much.(3) Whosoever cleanses his heart from deceits,
His eyes shall behold the King in his beauty.(4) Whosoever receives the Spirit
of Christ, let him adorn his inner man. Whosoever is called the temple of
God,(5) let him purify his body from all uncleanness. Whosoever grieves the Spirit of
Christ,(6) shall not raise up his head from griefs. Whosoever receives the
body of Christ, let him keep his body from all uncleanness. Whosoever casts off
the old man,(7) let him not turn back to his former works. Whosoever puts on the
new man, let him keep himself from all filthiness. Whosoever has put on armour
from the water (of baptism), let him not put off his armour that he may not be
condemned. Whosoever takes up the shield(8) against the Evil One, let him keep
himself from the darts which he hurls at him. Whosoever shall draw back, his
Lord has no pleasure in him.(9) Whosoever thinks upon the Law of his Lord, shall
not be troubled with the thoughts of this world. Whosoever meditates on the Law
of his Lord, is like a tree planted by the waters.(1) Whosoever again has
trust in his Lord, is like a tree that is set out by the river. Whosoever puts his
trust in man shall receive the curses of Jeremiah.(1) Whosoever is invited to
the Bridegroom, let him prepare himself. Whosoever has lighted his lamp, let him
not suffer it to go out. Whosoever is expectant of the marriage-cry, let him
take oil in his vessel.(2) Whosoever is keeper of the door, let him be on the
watch for his Master. Whosoever loves virginity, let him become like Elijah.
Whosoever takes up the yoke of the Saints, let him sit and be silent. Whosoever
loves peace, let him look for his Master as the hope of life.
2. For, my beloved, our adversary is skilful. He that contends against us
is crafty. Against the brave and the renowned does he prepare himself, that
they may be weakened. For the feeble are his own, nor does he fight with the
captivity that are made captive to him. He that has wings flees from him and the
darts that he hurls at him do not reach him. They that are spiritual see him when
he assails, and his panoply has no power upon their bodies. All the children of
light are without fear of him, because the darkness flies from before the
light. The children of the Good fear not the Evil, for He hath given him to be
trampled by their feet. When he makes himself like darkness unto them, they become
light. And when he creeps upon them like a serpent, they become salt, whereof
he cannot eat. If he makes himself like the asp unto them, then they become like
babes. If he comes in upon them in the lust of food, they, like our Redeemer,
conquer him by fasting. And if he wishes to contend with them by the lust of
the eyes, they lift up their eyes to the height of heaven. If he wishes by
enticements to overcome them, they do not afford him a hearing. If he wishes openly
to strive with them, lo! they are clothed in panoply and stand up against him.
If he wishes to come in against them by sleep, they are wakeful and vigilant and
sing psalms and pray. If he allures them by possessions, they give them to the
poor. If he comes in as sweetness against them, they taste it not, knowing
that he is bitter. If he inflames them with the desire of Eve, they dwell alone,
and not with the daughters of Eve.
3. For it was through Eve that he came in upon Adam,(3) and Adam was
enticed because of his inexperience. And again he came in against Joseph through his
master's wife,(4) but Joseph was acquainted with his craftiness and would not
afford him a hearing. Through a woman he fought with Samson,(5) until he took
away his Nazariteship. Reuben was the first-born of all his brethren, and
through his father's wife,(6) (the adversary) cast a blemish upon him. Aaron was the
great high-priest of the house of Israel, and through Miriam(7) his sister he
envied Moses. Moses was sent to deliver the people from Egypt, and took with him
the woman who advised him to shameful acts,(8) and the Lord met with Moses,
and desired to slay him, till he sent back his wife to Midian. David was
victorious in all his battles, yet through means of a daughter of Eve(9) there was
found a blemish in him. Amnon was beautiful and fair in countenance, yet (the
adversary) took him captive by desire for his sister,(1) and Absalom slew him on
account of the humbling of Tamar. Solomon was greater than all the kings of the
earth, yet in the days of his old age his wives led his heart astray.(2) Through
Jezebel, daughter of Ethbaal, the wickedness of Ahab was increased,(3) and he
became altogether a heathen. Furthermore, the adversary tempted Job through his
children and his possessions,(4) and when he could not prevail over him, he
went and brought against him his armour, and he came, bringing with him a daughter
of Eve, who had caused Adam to sink, and through her mouth he said to Job, her
righteous husband:--Curse God.(5) But Job rejected her counsel. King Asa also
conquered the Accursed-of-life, when he wished to come in against him, through
his mother.(1) For Asa knew his craftiness and removed his mother from her high
estate, and cut in pieces her idol and cast it down. John was greater than all
the prophets, yet Herod slew him because of the dancing of a daughter of
Eve.(2) Haman was wealthy and third in honour from the King, yet his wife counselled
him to destroy the Jews.(3) Zimri was head of the tribe of Simeon, yet Cozbi,
daughter of the chiefs of Midian, overthrew him, and because of one woman
twenty-four thousand of Israel fell in one day.(4)
4. Therefore, my brethren, if any man who is a monk or a saint, who loves
the solitary life, yet desires that a woman, bound by monastic vow like
himself, should dwell with him, it would be better for him in that case to take (to
wife) a woman openly and not be made wanton by lust. So also again the woman, if
she be not separated from the solitary, it is better for her to marry openly.
Woman then ought to dwell with woman, and man to dwell with man. And also
whatever man desires to continue in holiness, let not his spouse dwell with him, lest
he turn back to his former condition, and so be esteemed an adulterer.
Therefore this counsel is becoming and right and good, that I give to myself and you,
my beloved solitaries, who do not take wives, and to the virgins who do not
marry, and to those who have loved holiness. It is just and right and becoming,
that even if a man should be distressed, he should continue alone. And thus it
becomes him to dwell, as it is written in the Prophet Jeremiah:--Blessed is the
man who shall take up Thy yoke in his youth, and sit alone and be silent,
because he has taken upon him Thy yoke.(5) For thus, my beloved, it becomes him who
takes up the yoke of Christ, to preserve his yoke in purity.
5. For thus it is written, my beloved, concerning Moses, that from the
time the Holy One was revealed to him, he also loved holiness. And from the time
he was sanctified, his wife ministered not to him. But it is thus
written:--Joshua, the son of Nun, was the minister of Moses from his childhood.(6) And of
Joshua again it is thus written concerning him, that he used not to depart from
the tabernacle.(7) And the temporal tabernacle was not ministered to by a woman,
because the Law did not allow women to enter the temporal tabernacle, but even
when they came to pray, they used to pray at the door of the temporal
tabernacle, and then turn back. Moreover, he commanded the Priests, that at the time of
their ministry they should continue in holiness, and should not know their
wives. And also concerning Elijah it is thus written, that at one time he dwelt in
Mount Carmel, and at another he dwelt at the brook Cherith, and was ministered
to by his disciple; and because his heart was in heaven, the bird of heaven
used to bring sustenance to him; and because he took upon him the likeness of the
angels of heaven, those very angels brought him bread and water when he was
fleeing from before Jezebel.(8) And because he set nil his thought in heaven, he
was caught up in the chariot of fire to heaven,(9) and there his dwelling-place
was established for ever. Elisha also walked in the footsteps of his Master. He
used to dwell in the upper chamber of the Shunamite, and was ministered to by
his disciple. For thus the Shunamite said;--He is a holy Prophet of God and
passes by us continually, for thus it becomes his holiness that we should make for
hint an upper chamber and do for him the service that is (necessary) in it.(1)
Now what was the service necessary in the upper chamber of Elisha? Clearly the
bed and table and stool and lamp-stand only. But what shall we say of John? He
also used to dwell amongst men, and preserved his virginity honourably, and
received the Spirit of God. Moreover, the blessed Apostle said concerning himself
and concerning Barnabas:--Had we then not power to eat and to drink and to
lead about vires with us? But it was no becoming or right.(1)
6. Therefore, brethren, because we know and have seen that from the
beginning it was through woman that the adversary had access unto men, and to the end
he will accomplish it by her--for she is the weapon of Satan, and through her
he fights against the champions. Through her he makes music at every time, for
she became as a harp for him from the first day. For because of her the curse
of the Law was established, and because of her the promise unto death was made.
For with pangs she bears children and delivers them to death. Because of her
the earth was cursed, that it should bring forth thorns and tares. Accordingly,
by the coming of the offspring of the Blessed Mary the thorns are uprooted, the
sweat wiped away, the fig-tree cursed,(2) the dust made salt,(3) the curse
nailed to the cross,(4) the edge of the sword removed from before the tree of life
and it given as food to the faithful, and Paradise promised to the blessed and
to virgins and to the saints. So the fruit of the tree of life is given as food
to the faithful and to virgins, and to those that do the will of God has the
door been opened and the way made plain. And the fountain flows and gives drink
to the thirsty. The table is laid and the supper prepared. The fatted ox is
slain and the cup of redemption mixed. The feast is prepared and the Bridegroom at
hand, soon to take his place. The apostles have given the invitation and the
called are very many. O ye chosen, prepare yourselves. The light has shone forth
both bright and fair, and garments not made with hands are prepared. The
marriage cry is at hand. The tombs will be opened and the treasures laid bare. The
dead shall rise and the living shall fly to meet the King. The banquet is laid,
and the cornet shall encourage and the trumpets shall hasten (them). The
Watchers of heaven shall speed, and the throne shall be set for the Judge. He that
laboured shall rejoice, and he that was unprofitable shall fear. He that did evil
shall not draw nigh unto the Judge. Those on the right hand shall exult, and
those on the left shall weep and wail. Those that are in the light shall be
glorified, and those that are in the darkness shall groan that they may moisten
their tongue. Grace has gone by, and justice reigns. There is no repentance in
that place. Winter is at hand; the summer has passed away. The Sabbath of rest has
come; toil has ceased. Night has passed away; the light reigns. As to death,
its sting is broken and it is swallowed up in life.(5) Those that return to
Sheol shall weep and gnash their teeth, and those that go to the Kingdom shall
rejoice and exult and dance and sing praises. For those that take not wives shall
be ministered to by the Watchers of heaven. Those that preserve chastity shall
rest in the sanctuary of the Most High. The Only Begotten Who is from the bosom
of His Father shall cause all the solitaries to rejoice. There is there neither
male nor female, neither bond nor free,(6) but they all are the children of
tile Most High. And all the pure virgins who are betrothed to Christ shall light
their lamps(7) and with the Bridegroom shall they go into the marriage chamber.
All those that are betrothed to Christ are far removed from the curse of the
Law, and are redeemed from the condemnation of the daughters of Eve; for they
are not wedded to men so as to receive the curses and come into the pains. They
take no thought of death, because they do not deliver children to him. And in
place of a mortal husband, they are betrothed to Christ. And because they do not
bear children, there is Given to them the name that is better than sons and
daughters.(8) And instead of the groans of the daughters of Eve, they utter the
songs of the Bridegroom. The wedding-feast of the daughters of Eve continues for
but seven days; but for these (virgins) is the Bridegroom who departs not for
ever. The adornment of the daughters of Eve is wool that wears out and perishes,
but the garments of these wear not out. Old age withers the beauty of the
daughters of Eve, but the beauty of these shall be renewed in the time of the
Resurrection.
7. O ye virgins who have betrothed yourselves to Christ, when one of the
monks shall say to one of you, "I will live with thee and minister thou to me,"
thus shalt thou say unto him:--"To a royal husband am I betrothed, and Him do I
serve; and if I leave His service and serve thee, my betrothed will be wroth
with me, and will write me a letter of divorce, and will send me away from His
house; and while thou seekest to be honoured by me, and I to be honoured by
thee, take heed lest hurt come upon me and thee. Take not fire into thy bosom,(1)
lest it burn thy garments; but be thou in honour alone, and I also alone will
abide in my honour. And as concerning these things which the Bridegroom has
prepared for the eternity of his marriage feast, do thou make thee a wedding-gift
and prepare thyself to meet Him. And as for me, I will make me ready oil, that I
may enter in with the wise virgins and may not be kept outside the door with
the foolish virgins."
8. Hearken then, my beloved, unto that which I write unto thee, namely,
whatsoever things become solitaries, monks, virgins, saints. Before all things it
beseems the man on whom the yoke is laid, that his faith should be firm; as I
wrote to thee in the first epistle; that he should be zealous in fasting and
prayer; that he should be fervent in the love of Christ; and should be humble and
mild and wise. And let his speech be peaceful and pleasant, and his thought be
sincere with all. Let him speak his words duly weighing them, and set a
barrier to his mouth from harmful words, and let him put far from him hasty laughter.
Let him not love the adornment of garments, nor again does it become him to
let his hair grow long and adorn it, or to anoint it with sweet-scented unguents.
Let him not recline at feastings, nor does it become him to wear gorgeous
apparel. Let him not dare to exceed at wine. Let him put far from him proud
thoughts. It does not become him to look upon gorgeous apparel. or to wear fine
raiment. Let him put away from him a crafty tongue; let him drive from him envy and
wrath, and cast away from him crafty lips. The words that are spoken about a
man, when he about whom they are spoken is not near, let him not hear nor receive,
that he sin not, until he search them out. Mockery is a hateful fault, and to
bring it up upon the heart is not right. Let him not lend and take interest,
and let him not love avarice. Let him suffer wrong and not do wrong. Furthermore,
let him put away from him turmoil, and words of jesting let him not utter. Let
him not scorn any man who is repenting of his sins, and let him not mock his
brother who is fasting, and him that cannot fast let him not put to shame. Where
he is received, let him reprove, and where they receive him not, let him
understand his own honour. In an acceptable time let him speak his word; otherwise,
let him be silent. Let him not for his belly's sake make himself despised by
his begging, and to such an one as fears God let him reveal his secret; but let
him keep himself from the evil (man). Let him not speak in complaisance with a
wicked man, nor with his enemy. And so let him contend as to have no enemy at
all. When men envy him in that which is good, let him add to his goodness, and
let him not be harmed because of envy. When he has, and gives to the poor, let
him rejoice; and when he has not, let it not grieve him. With a wicked man let
him have no converse and with a contemptuous man let him not speak, lest he give
himself to contempt. With a blasphemer let him not dispute, lest his Lord be
blasphemed on his account. Let him depart from a slanderer, and let no man please
another man with speciousness of words. These things beseem solitaries who
take up the heavenly yoke, and become disciples of Christ. For thus it befits the
disciples of Christ to be like unto Christ their Master.
9. Let us take pattern, my beloved, from our Saviour. Who though He was
rich, made Himself poor;(1) and though He was lofty, humbled His Majesty; and
though His dwelling place was in heaven, He had no place to lay His head;(2) and
though He is to come upon the clouds,(3) yet rode on a colt and so entered
Jerusalem;(4) and though He is God and Son of God, He took upon Him the likeness of
a servant;(5) and though He was (for others) rest from all weariness, yet was
Himself tired with the weariness of the journey; though He was the fountain that
quenches thirst, yet Himself thirsted and asked for water;(6) though He was
abundance and satisfied our hunger, yet He Himself hungered when He went forth to
the wilderness to be tempted;(7) though He was a Watcher that slumbers not, He
yet slumbered and slept in the ship in the midst of the sea;(8) and though He
was ministered to in the Tabernacle of His Father, yet let Himself be served by
the hands of men; though He was the healer of all sick men, yet nails were
fastened into His hands; though His mouth brought forth things that were good, yet
they gave Him gall to eat;(9) though He injured no man and harmed none, yet He
was beaten with stripes and endured shame; and though he was Saviour of all
mortals, He delivered Himself to the death of the cross.
10. All this humility did our Saviour show us in Himself. Let us then also
humble ourselves, my beloved. When our Lord went outside of His nature,(1) He
walked in our nature. Let us abide in our nature, that in the day of judgment
He may cause us to partake of His nature. Our Lord took from us a pledge when He
went, and He left us a pledge of His own when he ascended. He that was without
need, because of our need devised this expedient. What was ours was His even
from the beginning, but that which was His, who would have given us? But true is
that which our Lord promised us:-- Where I am there ye also shall be.(2) For
whatsoever He took of ours, is in honour with Him, and (as) a diadem is bound
upon His Head. So also that, which of His we have received, we ought to honour.
That which is ours is held in honour with Him who was not in our nature: let us
honour that which is His in His own nature, If we honour Him, we shall go to
Him, Who took upon Him of our nature and so ascended. But if we despise Him, He
will take away from us that which He has given us. If we deal fraudulently with
His pledge, He will there take away that which is His, and will deprive us of
all that He has promised us. Let us magnify gloriously the King's Son Who is
with us, because a hostage for Him has been taken from us. Whoso holds the King's
Son in honour, shall obtain many gifts from the King. That of ours, that is
with Him, has sat down in honour and a diadem is bound upon His head, and He has
sat down with the King. And we who are poor, what shall we do to the King's Son
Who is with us? He needs nothing from us, but that we should adorn our temples
for Him; that when the time is accomplished and He goes to His Father, He may
give thanks to Him because of us, because we have honoured Him. When He came to
us, He had nothing of ours, and also we had nothing of His, though the two
natures were His and His Father's. For when Gabriel made announcement to the
Blessed Mary who bore Him, the word from on high set out and came, and the word
became flesh and dwell in us.(3) And when He returned to Him that sent Him, He took
away, when He went, that which He had not brought, as the Apostle said:--He has
taken us up and seated us with Himself in the heavens.(1) And when He went to
His Father, He sent to us His Spirit and said to us I am with you till the
world shall end. For Christ sitteth at the right hand of His Father, and Christ
dwelleth among men.(2) He is sufficient above and beneath, by the wisdom of His
Father. And He dwells in many, though He is one, and all the faithful each by
each He overshadows from Himself, and fails not, as it is written:--I will divide
Him among many.(3) And though He is divided among many, yet He sits at the
right hand of His Father. And He is in us and we are in Him, as He said:-- Ye are
in Me and I am in you.(4) And in another place He said:--I and Father are one.(5)
11. And if anyone, whose conscience lacks knowledge, should dispute about
this and say:--"Since Christ is one and His Father is one, how does Christ
dwell, and His Father dwell, in faithful men? And how do righteous men become
temples for God that He should dwell in them? If then it is thus, that to each
several faithful man there comes a several Christ, and God Who is in Christ,--if it
is so, there are for them Gods many and Christs without number." But hear, my
beloved, the defence that is suited to this argument. From that which is visible
let him that has thus said receive instruction. For every man knows that the
sun is fixed in the heavens, yet its rays are spread out in the earth, and
(light) from it enters by many doors and windows of houses; and wherever the
sunshine falls, though it be but as (the measure of) the palm of the hand, it is
called the sun. And though it fall in many places, it is thus called, but the real
sun itself is in heaven. Therefore, if it is so, have they many suns? Also the
water of the sea is vast, and when thou takest one cup from it, that is called
water. And though thou shouldest divide it into a thousand vessels, yet it is
called water by its name. Also when thou kindlest fire from fire in many places,
the place from whence thou takest it, when thou kindlest it, lacks not, and the
fire is called by one name. And because thou dividest it into many places, it
does not on that account become possessed of many names. And when thou takest
dust from the earth, and castest it into many places, it is not a whit
diminished, and also thou canst not call it by many names. Thus also God and His Christ,
though they are One, yet dwell in men who are many. And they are in heaven in
person, and are diminished in nothing when they dwell in many; as the sun is
not a whir diminished in heaven, when its power is poured out in the earth. How
much greater then is the power of God, since by the power of God the very sun
itself subsists.
12. Again I will remind thee, my beloved, also of that which is written.
For thus it is written, that when it was a grievous burden to Moses to lead the
camp alone, the Lord said to him:--Lo! will take away of the Spirit that is
upon thee, and will put it upon seventy men, elders of Israel.(6) But when He took
away some of the Spirit of Moses, and the seventy men were filled with it,
Moses nothing lacked, nor could it be known that anything was taken away from his
Spirit. Moreover the blessed apostle also said:--God divided of the of Christ
and sent it into the Prophets.(7) And Christ was in nothing injured, for it was
not by measure that His Father gave unto Him the Spirit.(8) By this reflection
thou canst comprehend that Christ dwells in faithful men; yet Christ suffers no
loss though He is divided among many. For the Prophets received of the Spirit
of Christ, each one of them as he was able to bear. And of the Spirit of Christ
again there is poured forth to-day upon all flesh,(9) and the sons and the
daughters prophesy, the old men and the youths, the men-servants and the
hand-maids. Something of Christ is in us, yet Christ is in heaven at the right hand of
His Father. And Christ received the Spirit not by measure, but His Father loved
Him and delivered all into His hands, and gave Him authority over all His
treasure. For John said:--Not by measure did the Father give the Spirit to His Son,
but loved Him and gave all into His hands.(1) And also our Lord said:--All
things have been delivered unto Me by My Father.(2) Again he said:--The Father will
not judge any man, but all judgment will He give unto His Son.(3) Again also
the Apostle said:--Everything shall be made subject unto Christ except His
Father Who hath subjected all unto Him. And when everything is made subject unto Him
by the Father, then He also shall be made subject to God His Father Who
subjected all to Him, and God shall be all in all, and in every man.(4)
13. Our Lord testifies concerning John, that he is the greatest of the
Prophets. Yet he received the Spirit by limit, because in that measure in which
Elijah received the Spirit, (in the same) John obtained it. And as Elijah used to
dwell in the wilderness, so also the Spirit of God led John into the
wilderness, and he used to dwell in the mountains and caves. The birds sustained Elijah,
and John used to eat locusts that fly. Elijah had his loins girded with a
girdle of leather; so John had his loins girded with a cincture of leather. Jezebel
persecuted Elijah, and Herodias persecuted John. Elijah reproved Ahab, and
John reproved Herod. Elijah divided the Jordan, and John opened up baptism. The
spirit of Elijah rested twofold upon Elisha, so John laid his hand on our
Redeemer, and He received the Spirit not by measure. Elijah opened the heavens and
ascended; and John saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit of God which descended
and rested upon our Redeemer. Elisha received twofold the Spirit of Elijah; and
our Redeemer received that of John and that of heaven. Elisha took the mantle
of Elijah, and our Redeemer the imposition of the hand of the priests. Elisha
made oil from water, and our Redeemer made wine from water. Elisha satisfied with
a little bread a hundred men only; and our Redeemer satisfied with a little
bread five thousand men besides children and women. Elisha cleansed Naaman the
leper, and our Redeemer cleansed the ten (lepers). Elisha cursed the children and
they were devoured by bears, but our Redeemer blessed the children. The
children reviled Elisha, but the children glorified our Redeemer with Hosannas.
Elisha cursed Gehazi his servant, and our Redeemer cursed Judas His disciple and
blessed all His (other) disciples. Elisha raised to life one dead man only, but
our Redeemer raised up three to life. On the bones of Elisha one dead man
revived, but when our Saviour descended to the abode of the dead, He quickened many
and raised them up. And many are the signs that the Spirit of Christ wrought,
which the Prophets received from Him.
14. Therefore, my beloved, we also have received of the Spirit of Christ,
and Christ dwelleth in us, as it is written that the Spirit said this through
the month of the Prophet: --I will dwell in them and will walk in them.(5)
Therefore let us prepare our temples for the Spirit of Christ, and let us not grieve
it that it may not depart from us. Remember the warning that the Apostle gives
us:--Grieve not the Holy Spirit whereby ye have been sealed unto the day of
redemption. For from baptism do we receive the Spirit of Christ. For in that hour
in which the priests invoke the Spirit, the heavens open and it descends and
moves upon the waters.(6) And those that are baptized are clothed in it; for the
Spirit stays aloof from all that are born of the flesh, until they come to the
new birth by water, and then they receive the Holy Spirit. For in the first
birth they are born with an animal souls which is created within man and is not
thereafter subject to death, as he said: --Adam became a living soul.(1) But in
the second birth, that through baptism, they received the Holy Spirit from a
particle of the Godhead, and it is not again subject to death. For when men die,
the animal spirit is buried with the body, and sense is taken away from it, but
the heavenly spirit that they receive goes according to its nature to Christ.
And both these the Apostle has made known, for he said:--The body is buried in
animal wise, and rises again in spiritual wise.(2) The Spirit goes back again
to Christ according to its nature, for the Apostle said again:-- When we shall
depart from the body we shall be with our Lord.(3) For the Spirit of Christ,
which the spiritual receive, goes to our Lord. And the animal spirit is buried in
its nature, and sense is taken away from it. Whosoever guards the Spirit of
Christ in purity, when it returns to Christ it thus addresses him:--"The body into
which I went, and which put me on from the water of the baptism, has kept me
in holiness." And the Holy Spirit will be earnest with Christ for the
resurrection of that body which kept Him with purity, and the Spirit will request to be
again conjoined to it that that body may rise up in glory. And whatever man
there is that receives the Spirit from the water (of baptism) and grieves it, it
departs from him until he dies, and returns according to its nature to Christ,
and accuses that man of having grieved it. And when the time of the final
consummation shall have come, and the time of the Resurrection shall have approached,
the Holy Spirit, that was kept in purity, receives great power from its nature
and comes before Christ and stands at the door of the tombs, where the men are
buried that kept it in purity, and awaits the (resurrection) shout. And when
the Watchers shall have opened the doors of heaven before the King,(4) then the
cornet shall summon, and the trumpets shall sound, and the Spirit that waits for
the (resurrection) shout shall hear, and quickly shall open the tombs, and
raise up the bodies and whatsoever was buried in them, and shall put on the glory
that comes with it. And (the Spirit) shall be within for the resurrection of
the body, and the glory shall be without for the adornment of the body. And the
animal spirit shall be swallowed up in the heavenly Spirit, and the whole man
shall become spiritual, since his body is possessed by it (the Spirit). And death
shall be swallowed up in life,(5) and body shall be swallowed up in Spirit.
And by the power of the Spirit, that man shall fly up to meet the King and He
shall receive him with joy, and Christ shall give thanks for the body that has
kept His Spirit in purity.
15. This is the Spirit, my beloved, that the Prophets received, and thus
also have we received. And it is not at every time found with those that receive
it, but sometimes it returns to Him that sent it, and sometimes it goes to him
that receives it. Hearken to that which our Lord said:--Despise not one of
these little ones that believe on Me, for their angels in heaven do always behold
the face of My Father.(6) This Spirit then goes frequently and stands before
God and beholds His face, and whosoever injures the temple in which it dwells, it
will accuse him before God.
16. I will instruct thee of that which is written, that the Spirit is not
at every time found with those that receive it. For tires it is written about
Saul, that the Holy Spirit, which he received when he was anointed, departed
from him,(7)' because he grieved it, and God sent to him instead of it a vexing
spirit. And whenever he was afflicted by the evil spirit, David used to play upon
the harp, and the Holy Spirit, which David received when he was anointed,
would come, and the evil spirit that was vexing Saul, would flee from before it. So
the Holy Spirit that David received was not found with him at every time. As
long as he was playing the harp, then it used to come. For had it been with him
always, it would not have allowed him to sin with the wife of Uriah. For when
he was praying about his sins, and was confessing his offences before God, he
said thus:--Take not Thy holy spirit from me.(1) Also concerning Elisha it is
thus written, that, while he played upon his harp, then the spirit came to him and
he prophesied and said:--Thus saith the Lord, ye shall not see wind nor rain,
yet this valley shall be made many pits.(2) And also when the Shunamite came to
him because of her son that was dead, he said thus to her:--The Lord hid it
from me and did cause me not to know it.(3) Yet, when the King of Israel sent
against him to slay him, the Spirit informed him before the messenger came upon
him, and he said:--Lo! this son of iniquity has sent to take away my head.(4) And
again he made known about the abundance that came about in Samaria the day
after. And again the Spirit informed him when Gehazi stole the silver and
concealed it.
17. Therefore, my beloved, when the Holy Spirit departs from a man who has
received it, until it returns and comes to him, then Satan draws near unto
that man, to cause him to sin, and that the Holy Spirit may leave him altogether.
For as long as the Spirit is with a man, Satan fears to come near him. And
observe, my beloved, that our Lord also, Who was born from the Spirit, was not
tempted by Satan until in baptism He received the Spirit from on high. And then the
Spirit led him forth to be tempted by Satan. This, then, is the way with man;
that in the hour in which he perceives in himself that he is not fervent in the
Spirit, and that his heart is inclining to the thought of this world, he may
know that the Spirit is not with him, and may arise and pray and keep vigil that
the Spirit of God may come to him, that he be not overcome by the adversary. A
thief does not dig into a house, until he sees that its master is departing
from it. Thus also Satan cannot draw near to that house which is our body, until
the Spirit of Christ departs from it. And be sure, my beloved, that the thief
does not certainly know whether the master of the house is within or not, but
first he applies his ear, and looks. If he hears the voice of the master of the
house within it saying:--"I have a journey to go," and when he has searched out
and seen that the master of the house has set out to perform his business, then
the thief comes and digs into the house and steals. But if he hears the voice
of the master of the house admonishing and commanding his household to watch
and guard his house, and saying to them, "I also am within the house," then the
thief will fear and flee, that he may not be taken and captured. Thus also
Satan, he has not the knowledge beforehand to know or see when the Spirit will
depart, that so he may come to rob the man; but he too listens and watches, and so
assails. But if he hears a man in whom Christ dwells speaking shameful words, or
enraged, or quarrelling, or contending, then Satan knows that Christ is not
with him, and he comes and accomplishes his will in him. For Christ dwells in the
peaceful and the meek, and lodges in those that fear His word, as He says
through the prophet whom shall I look, and in whom shall I dwell, but in the
peaceful and the meek who fear My word?(5) And our Lord said:-- Whoever walks in My
commandments and keeps My love, We will come to him and make Our abode him.(6)
But if he hears from a man that he is on his guard and is praying anti
meditating in the Law of his Lord by day and by night, then he turns back from him, for
he knows that Christ is with him. And if thou shouldest say, "How manifold is
Satan! for lo! he fights with many;" then hear and learn from that which I
proved to thee above concerning Christ, that no matter to what extent He is divided
amongst many, yet He is not a whit diminished. For, as the house, through the
window of which a little sunlight enters, is altogether illumined, so the man
into whom a little of Satan enters, is altogether darkened. Hear that which the
Apostle said:--If Satan is trans-figured to an angel of light, it is no wonder
if his ministers also are transfigured to ministers of righteousness.(1) And
again our Lord said to His disciples:--Lo, I have given you authority to tread
upon the power of the adversary.(2) And the Scriptures have made known that he has
power and also ministers. Moreover Job said concerning him:--God made him to
wage his war.(3) These ministers then that he has, he causes to run in the
world, to wage war. But be sure that he will not fight openly; because from the time
of the coming of our Saviour, (God) has given authority over him. But he will
surely plunder and steal.
18. But I will explain to thee, my beloved, concerning that word which the
Apostle said, by which can be weighed the doctrines that are instruments of
the Evil One and doctrines of deceit. For the Apostle said:--There is an animal
body and there is a spiritual body, seeing that it is thus written:--The first
Adam became a living soul and the second Adam a quickening spirit.(4) So
they(5) say that there will be two Adams. But he said:--As we have put on the image
of that Adam who was from the earth, so we shall put on the image of that Adam
who is from heaven.(6) For Adam who was from the earth was he that sinned, and
the Adam who is from heaven is our Saviour, our Lord Jesus Christ. They then
that receive the Spirit of Christ, come into the likeness of the heavenly Adam,
Who is our Saviour, our Lord Jesus Christ. For the animal shall be swallowed up
in the spiritual, as I wrote unto thee above. And the man that grieves the
spirit of Christ, will be animal in his resurrection; because the heavenly spirit is
not with him, that the animal might be swallowed up in it. But when he shall
arise he shall continue in his natural state, naked of the Spirit. Because he
stripped off from him the Spirit of Christ, he shall be given over to utter
nakedness. And whosoever honours the Spirit, and it is guarded in him in purity, in
that day the Holy Spirit shall protect him, and he shall become altogether
spiritual, and shall not be found naked; as the Apostle said:--And when we shall
have clothed ourselves, may we not be found naked.(7) And again he said:--We
shall all sleep, but in the resurrection we shall not all be changed.(8) And again
he said:--This which dies shall put oN that which dies not, and this which is
corruptible that which is incorruptible, and when this which dies shall have put
on that which dies not, and this corruptible that which is incorruptible, then
shall be accomplished that word which is written that death is swallowed up by
victory.(9) Again he said:--Suddenly as the twinkling of an eye, the dead
shall rise incorruptible and we shall be changed.(1) And they who shall be changed
shall put on the form of that heavenly Adam and shall become spiritual. And
those who shall not be changed, shall continue animal in the created nature of
Adam, namely, of dust; and shall continue in their nature in the earth below. And
then the heavenly shall be caught up to heaven and the Spirit that they have
put on shall cause them to fly, and they shall inherit the kingdom that was
prepared for them from the beginning. And they that are animal shall remain on the
earth by the weight of their bodies, and shall turn back to Sheol, and there
shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
19. In writing this I have reminded myself, and also thee, my beloved;
therefore love virginity, the heavenly portion, the fellowship of the Watchers of
heaven. For there is nothing comparable with it. And in those that are thus, in
them Christ dwells. The time of summer is at hand, and the fig-tree has budded
and its leaves have come out(1)-the signs that our Redeemer gave have begun to
be fulfilled. For he said:--People shall rise against people and kingdom
against kingdom. And there shall be famines and pestilences and terrors from
heaven.(2) And lo! all these things are being accomplished in our days.
20. Therefore read in this whatever I have written unto thee, thou and the
brethren, the monks that love virginity. And be on thy guard against scorners.
For whosoever scorns and mocks his brother, the word that is written in the
Gospel fitly applies to him; namely, when our Lord wished to take account with
the avaricious and with the Pharisees. For it is written:--Because they loved
money, they mocked Him.(3) So also now those that do not agree with these things
mock in the same way. Read then and learn. Be zealous for reading and for doing.
And let the Law of God be thy meditation at every time. And when thou hast
read this epistle, on thy life (I adjure thee), my beloved, arise and pray, and
remember my sinfulness in thy prayer.
DEMONSTRATION VIII.--OF THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD.
1. At all times controversies arise on this matter, how the dead shall
rise and with what body they shall come?(4) For lo! the body wears out and is
corrupted; and the bones also, no doubt, as time lengthens out over them, waste
away and are not to be recognised. And when thou enterest a tomb in which a
hundred dead men are buried, thou findest not there an handful of dust. And thus say
those that reflect on these things:--" We know of course that the dead shall
rise; but they will be clothed in a heavenly body and spiritual forms. And if it
is not so, these hundred dead that were buried in one tomb, of whom after a
long time elapses there remains nothing at all there, when the dead shall be
quickened, and shall be clothed in a body and rise, unless they shall be clothed in
a heavenly body, from whence shall their body come? For lo! there is nothing in
the tomb."
2. Whosoever reflects thus is foolish, and without knowledge. When the
dead were brought in, they were something; and when they were there for a long
time, they became nothing. And, when the time shall have come that the dead shall
rise, that nothing shall become something according to its former nature, and a
change shall be added to its nature. O thou unwise who reflectest thus, hear
that which the blessed Apostle said when he was instructing a foolish man like
thee; for he said fool, the seed which thou sowest unless it die is not
quickened; and that which thou sowest is not like that which grows up into blade, but
one bare grain of wheat or barley or some other seedling. And to each one the
seeds is given its own body. But God clothes thy seed with its body as He
wills.(5)
3. Therefore, O fool, be instructed by this, that each of the seeds is
clothed in its own body. Never dost thou sow wheat and yet reap barley, and never
dost thou plant a vine and yet it produced figs; but everything grows according
to its nature. Thus also the body that was laid in the earth is that which
shall rise again. And as to this, that the body is corrupted and wastes away, thou
oughtest to be instructed by the parable of the seed; that as the seed, when
it is cast into the earth, decays and is corrupted, and from its decay it
produces and buds and bears fruit. For the land that is ploughed, into which seed is
not cast, produces not fruit, even if that land drinks in all the rain. So the
grave in which the dead are not buried, from it men shall not issue forth in
the quickening of the dead, though the full voice of the trumpet should sound
within it. And if, as they say, the spirit of the just shall ascend into heaven
and put on a heavenly body, they are in heaven. And He Who raises the dead dwells
in heaven. Then when our Saviour shall come, whom shall He raise up from the
earth? And why did He write for us:--The hour shall come, and now is, that the
dead also shall hear the voice of the Son of Man, and they shall live and come
forth from their tombs?(1) For the heavenly body will not come and enter into
the tomb, and again go forth from it.
4. For thus say those who are stubborn in folly:--Why did the Apostle
say,--Different is the body which is in heaven from that which is on earth?(2) But
he that hears this, let him hear also the other thing that the Apostle
said:--There is an animal body, and there is a spiritual body.(3) And again he said:--
We shall all sleep, but we shall not all be changed.(4) And again he
said:--This that shall die must clothe itself with that that shall not die, and this
which is corruptible must clothe itself with that which is incorruptible.(5) Again
he said:-- We must all stand before the judgment-seat of Christ, that every man
may be rewarded in his body for everything that before time was done by hun,
whether good or evil.(6) Again he said:-- What shall those do that are baptized
for the dead? For if the dead rise not, why are they baptized for them?(7)
Again he said:--If there is no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen,
and if Christ is not risen then your faith is vain, and our preaching. And if
so we are found false witnesses in that we testified of God, that He raised up
Christ, Whom He raised not up.(8) Therefore, if the dead rise not, there is no
judgment. And if there is no judgment, then let us eat and drink, for to-morrow
we shall die. Be not deceived; evil communications corrupt good purposes.(9)
Now as to this that the Apostle said:--The body that is in heaven is different
from that which is on the earth, let this word be thus understood by thee. When
the body of the just shall arise and be changed, it is called heavenly. And that
which is not changed is called earthly, according to its earthly nature.
5. But hear, my beloved, another word like this, which the Apostle has
spoken. For he said:-- The spiritual man judgeth everything, and he is judged by
no one.(1) And again he said:-- They that are spiritual are spiritually minded,
and they that are carnal are carnally minded.(2) And again he said:-- When we
were in the flesh, the weaknesses of sins were working in our members that we
might become fruit for death.(3) Again he said:--If the Spirit of Christ is in
you, ye are spiritual.(4) All these things the Apostle said, while he was clothed
in the flesh but was doing the works of the Spirit. Thus also in the
Resurrection of the dead, the righteous shall be changed, and the earthly form shall be
swallowed up in the heavenly, and it shall be called a heavenly body. And that
which shall not be changed, shall be called earthly.
6. Concerning then this Resurrection of the dead, my beloved, according to
my power I will instruct thee. For from the beginning God created Adam;
moulded him from the dust of the earth, and raised him up. For if, while Adam was
not, He made him from nothing, how much easier now is it for Him to raise him up;
for lo! as a seed he is sown in the earth. For if God should do those things
that are easy for us, His works would not appear mighty to us. For lo! there are
amongst men artificers who make wonderful things, and those who are not
artificers of the works stand and wonder how they were done; and the work of their
fellows is difficult in their eyes. How much more should not the works of God be
as a marvel! But for God this was no great thing, that the dead should be
quickened. Before seed was sown in the earth, the earth produced that which had not
been cast into it. Before it had conceived, it bore in its virginity. How then
is this difficult, that the earth should cause to spring up again what had been
cast into it, and after conception should bear? And lo! her travail-pains are
near; as Isaiah said, Who hath seen anything like this and who hath heard such
things as these? that the earth should travail in one day, and a people should
be born in one hour?(1) For Adam unsown sprang up conceived he was born. But lo!
now his offspring are sown, and wait for the rain, and shall spring up. And
lo! the earth teems with many, and the time of her bringing forth is at hand.
7. For all our fathers, in hope of the Resurrection and the quickening of
the dead, were looking forward and hastening; as the blessed Apostle said, If
the righteous had been looking forward to that city from which Abraham went
forth, they would have had an opportunity of again turning back and to it; but they
showed that they were looking forward to one better than it, namely thai which
is in heaven.(2) They were looking forward to be released and to go speedily
thither. And from that which I am writing unto thee, understand and observe that
they were looking forward to the Resurrection. For Jacob our father, when he
was dying, bound Joseph his son with an oath, and said to him, Bury me in the
tomb of my fathers, with Abraham and Sarah and Isaac and Rebecca.(3) And why, my
beloved, did Jacob not wish to be buried in Egypt, but with his fathers? He
showed beforehand, that he was looking forward to the quickening of the dead;
that, when the Resurrection shout should be raised and the sound of the trumpet
(heard), he might rise up near to his fathers, and might not at the time of the
Resurrection be mingled with the wicked who shall return to Sheol and to
punishment.
8. Thus also Joseph bound his brethren by an oath,(4) and said to
them:--When God shall remember you, take up my bones from hence with you. And according
to the word of Joseph his brethren did, and kept the oath a hundred and
twenty-five years. At that time when the hosts of the Lord went out from the land of
Egypt, then Moses took up the bones of Joseph when he went forth.(5) And the
bones of the righteous man were more precious and better in his estimation than
the gold and the silver that the children of Israel took from Egypt when they
spoiled them. And the bones of Joseph were forty years in the wilderness; and at
that time when Moses fell asleep, he gave them in inheritance to Joshua the son
of Nun. The bones of Joseph his father were better in his estimation than all
the spoil of that land which he subdued. And why did Moses give the bones of
Joseph to Joshua? Clearly, because he was of the tribe of Ephraim the son of
Joseph. And he buried them in the land of promise, that there might be in that land
a treasure, (even) that of the bones of Joseph (that were) buried therein. And
also at the time that Jacob was dying, he blessed his tribes, and showed them
what would happen to them in the latter days, and said to Reuben:--Reuben, thou
art my firstborn, might and the beginning of my strength. Thou hast gone
astray; as water, thou shalt not abide, because thou wentest up father's bed. Truly
thou defilest my couch and wentest up.(6) From the time that Jacob fell asleep
until the time that Moses fell asleep two hundred and thirty-three years
elapsed. Then Moses wished by his priestly power to absolve Reuben from his
transgression and sin, in that he had lain with Bilhah, his father's concubine; that
when his brethren should rise, he might not be cut off from their number. So he
said in the beginning of his blessing:--Reuben shall live and not die, and shall
be in the number.
9. And also when the time came that Moses should sleep with his fathers,
he was grieved and distressed, and he sought of his Lord and entreated that he
might pass over to the land of promise. And why, my beloved, was the righteous
Moses grieved because he did not enter into the land of promise? Clearly,
because he wished to go and be buried with his fathers, and not be buried in the land
of his adversaries, in the land of Moab. For the Moabites hired Balaam the son
of Beor to curse Israel. Therefore Moses wished not to be buried in that land,
test the Moabites should come and take vengeance on him by taking up and
casting forth the bones of that righteous man. And the Lord performed an act of
grace towards Moses. For He brought him forth to Mount Nebo, and showed him all the
land, making it pass before him. And as Moses gazed upon all the land, and
gazed upon the mountain of the Jebusites where the Tabernacle was to dwell, he was
grieved and wept when he saw the tomb in Hebron where his fathers Abraham,
Isaac and Jacob were buried, that he should not be buried with them, nor his bones
cast upon their bones, that he might rise along with them in the Resurrection.
But when he had seen all the land, his Lord encouraged him and said to him, "I
myself will bury thee and hide thee, and none shall know thy tomb." So Moses
died according to the word of the mouth of the Lord, and He buried him in a
valley in the land of Moab over against Beth-Peor, where Israel had sinned, and no
man has known his sepulchre unto this day.(1) Two goodly benefits did his Lord
accomplish for Moses in not making known his tomb to the children of Israel.
He rejoiced that his adversaries should not know it, and cast forth his bones
from his tomb; and in the second place, that the children of his people should
not know it, and make his tomb a place of worship, for he was accounted as God in
the eyes of the children of his people. And understand this, my beloved, from
hence, that when he left them and went up to the mountain, they said:(2)--As
for this Moses who brought us up from the land of Egypt we know not what has
become of him. So they made them a calf and worshipped it, and they remembered not
God Who brought them up from Egypt by means of Moses with a mighty hand and an
uplifted arm.(3) Because of this, God had respect unto Moses, and did not make
known his tomb; lest, if He should make known his tomb, the children of his
people might go astray, and make them an image, and worship it and sacrifice to
it, and so by their sins disquiet the bones of the righteous man.
10. And Moses again proclaimed clearly the Resurrection of the dead, for
he said as from the mouth of his God:--It is I that cause to die and it is I
that make able.(4) Again also Hannah said thus in her prayer:--The Lord causeth to
die and quickeneth ; He bringeth down to Sheol and bringeth up (therefrom).(5)
The Prophet Isaiah also said thus:--Thy dead shall live, O Lord, and their
bodies shall rise, and they that sleep in the dust shall awake and praise thee.(6)
David also proclaimed, saying:--For lo! for the dead Thou workest wonderful
things, and the mighty ones shall rise and make confession unto Thee, and those
that are in the tombs shall recount Thy grace.(7) And how in the tombs shall
they recount the grace of God? Clearly, when they shall hear the sound of trumpet
summoning them, and the cornet sounding forth from on high, and the earthquake
that shall be, and the tombs that shall be opened, then the mighty ones shall
arise in glory, and recount one to another in the tombs, saying, "Great is the
grace that is performed towards us. For our hope was cut off; yet (another) hope
has arisen for us. We were imprisoned in darkness, and have come forth to the
light. We were sown in corruption, and have risen in glory. We were buried
naturally, and we have risen spiritually. Again we were sown in weakness, and have
risen in power." This is the grace that they shall tell of in the tombs.
11. And it was not only in words, my beloved, that God said:--" I quicken
the dead," but also in deeds He showed it to us by many testimonies; that we
might have no hesitation (concerning it). He showed it beforehand plainly; for
through Elijah a wonder was manifested, (in proof) that the dead shall live and
that they that sleep in the dust shall arise. For when the son of the widow
died, Elijah raised him up and gave him to his mother. And Elisha again, his
disciple, raised up the son of the Shunamite; that the testimony of two might be
established and confirmed for us. And also again when the children of Israel cast a
dead man on the bones of Elisha, that dead man revived and arose. And the
witness of three is certain.
12. And also through the Prophet Ezekiel, the Resurrection of the dead was
manifestly shown, when God brought him forth to the valley and showed him many
bones, and made him pass by them round about them, and said to him:--Son of
these bones live? And Ezekiel said to Him: Thou knowest, O Lord of lords. And the
Lord said to him:--Prophesy, O Son Man, over these bones; prophesy and say to
the dry bones, Hear the word of the Lord of lords. And when he had caused them
to hear those words, there was a shaking and a noise, and the bones were
gathered together, even those that were crushed into pieces and broken. And when the
Prophet saw them, he was astonished, for they came together from all sides, and
each bone received its fellow, and each joint approached its fellow-joint, and
they ordered themselves, one on another. And their dryness was made moist, and
the joints were united by the ligatures, and the blood grew warm in the
arteries, and skin was stretched over the flesh, and hair grew up according to its
nature. But they lay prostrate and there was no breath in them Then again He
commanded the Prophet, and said to him Prophesy unto the spirit and say to it,
Come, O spirit, from the four winds, and breathe upon these slain men that they may
live. And when he caused them to hear this second word, the spirit entered
into them, and they revived and stood up upon their feet, a very great host.
13. But why, my beloved, was it that those dead did not rise because of
the one word (spoken) through Ezekiel, and why was not their resurrection, both
of bones and spirit, accomplished (through that one word)? For lo! by one word
the bones were fitted together, and by another the spirit came. It was in order
that full perfection might be left for our Lord Jesus Christ, Who with one
utterance and one word will raise up at the last day every body of man. For it was
not the word that was insufficient, but its bearer was inferior. And with
regard to this, understand and observe that when Elijah also, and Elisha his
disciple, raised the dead, it was not with one word that they raised them up, but
after they had prayed and made intercession and delayed no little time, then they
arose.
14. And our Lord Himself, in that His first Coming raised up three that
were dead, that the testimony of three might be made sure. And He raised up each
one of them with two words each. For when He raised up the widow's son, He
called him twice, saying to him, Young man, young man, arise.(2) And he revived and
arose. And again, He twice called the daughter of the chief of the synagogue,
saying to her, Damsel, damsel, arise.(3) And her spirit returned and she arose.
And after Lazarus died, when He came to the place of burial. He prayed
earnestly and cried with a loud voice and said, Lazarus, come forth.(4)And he revived
and came out of his tomb.
15. And concerning all this that I have explained to thee, that those dead
persons were raised with two words each, it was because for them two
resurrections take place; that former one, and the second, that which is to come. For in
that resurrection in which all men shall rise, none shall fall again; and by
one word of God, sent forth through Christ, all the dead shall rise in the
twinkling of an eye, speedily. For He Who brings it to pass is not feeble or
insufficient. For with one word of summons He will cause all the ends (of the world)
to hear, and all that are laid (in the grave) shall leap forth and rise up; and
no word shall return void to Him that sent it forth, but as it is written in
the Prophet Isaiah,(1) who compares the word to rain and snow; for he said:--As
the rain and the snow come down from heaven and return not thither, but
fertilize the earth and cause it to bring forth and give seed to the sower and bread
for food, so shall the word be that goes forth from My mouth, and it shall not
return to Me void, but shall accomplish whatsoever I desire and shall accomplish
that for which I shall have sent it. For the rain and the snow do not return to
heaven, but accomplish in the earth the will of Him that sends them. So the
word that He shall send through His Christ, Who is Himself the Word and the
Message, shall return to Him with great power. For when He shall come and bring it,
He shall come down like rain and snow, and through Him all that is sown shall
spring up and bear righteous fruit, and the word shall return to His sender; but
not in vain shall His going have been, but thus shall He say in the presence
of His sender:--Behold, I and the children that the Lord has given Me.(2) And
this is the voice through which the dead shall live. Concerning it our Redeemer
testifies, saying:--The hour shall come when even the dead shall hear the voice
of the Son of Man and shall come forth from their tombs;(3) as it is written,
In the beginning was the voice, that is the Word.(4) Again He said, The Word
became a body and dwelt amongst us.(5) And this is that voice of God which shall
sound from on high and raise up all the dead.
16. Again, our Lord explained to the Sadducees with regard to the
resurrection of the dead, when they brought forth to Him the parable of the woman who
was married to seven husbands, and said to Him:--Lo! the woman was wife of them
all; in the Resurrection of the dead, to which of them shall she be wife?(6)
Then our Lord said to them:--Ye do greatly err, and ye know not the Scriptures
nor the power of God. For they who are worthy of that world and of that
Resurrection front the dead, they that are men do not take wives, nor are the women
married to husbands, for they cannot die, for they are as the angels of God and
children of the Resurrection. But concerning the Resurrection, that the dead shall
rise, have ye not read in the Scripture that God said to Moses out of the
bush, "I am the God of Abraham, of Isaac and of Jacob." And lo! He is not God of
the dead, for they all are alive unto Him.(7)
17. And there are those who even while they live are dead unto God. For He
laid a commandment on Adam and said to him, In the day that thou shalt eat of
the tree, thou shall surely die.(8) And after he had transgressed the
commandment, and had eaten, he lived nine hundred and thirty years; but he was accounted
dead unto God because of his sins. But that it may be made certain for thee
that a sinner is called dead even when he lives, I will make it clear to thee.
For thus it is written in Ezekiel the Prophet, As I live, saith the Lord of
lords, I desire not the death of the dead sinner.(9)
18. Moreover our Lord said to that man who said to Him:--Let me go and
bury my father, and I will come to Thee.(1) And our Lord said to him, Let the dead
bury their dead, but go thou, preach the Kingdom of God. But how is this word
understood by thee, my beloved? Didst thou ever see the dead burying their
dead? Or how shall a dead man arise to bury another dead man? But receive this
explanation from me, that a sinner, while he is living, is dead unto God; and a
righteous man, though dead, is alive unto God. For such death is a sleep, as David
said, I lay down and slept, and awake.(1) Again Isaiah said, They that sleep
in the dust shall awake.(2) And our Lord said concerning the daughter of the
chief of the synagogue, The damsel is not dead, but sleeping a slumber.(3) And
concerning Lazarus, He said to His disciples:--Our friend Lazarus has fallen
asleep; but I go to waken him.(4) And the Apostle said:--We shall all sleep, but we
shall not all be changed.(5) And again he said:--Concerning those that sleep,
be ye not grieved.(6)
19. But it is right for us to be afraid of the second death,(7) that which
is full of weeping and gnashing of teeth, and of groanings and miseries, that
which is situated in outer darkness. But blessed shall be the faithful and the
righteous in that Resurrection, in which they expect to be awakened and to
receive the good promises made them. But as for the wicked who are not faithful, in
the Resurrection woe to them, because of that which is laid up for them! It
would be better for them according to the faith which they possess, were they not
to arise. For the servant, for whom his Lord is preparing stripes and bonds,
while he is sleeping desires not to awake, for he knows that when the dawn shall
have come and he shall awake, his Lord will scourge and bind him. But the good
servant, to whom his Lord has promised gifts, looks expectantly for the time
when dawn shall come and he shall receive presents from his Lord. And even
though he is soundly sleeping, in his dream he sees something like what his Lord is
about to give him, whatsoever He has promised him, and he rejoices in his
dream, and exults, and is gladdened. As for the wicked, his sleep is not pleasant to
him, for he imagines that lo! the dawn has come for him, and his heart is
broken in his dream. But the righteous sleep, and their slumber is pleasant to
them, in the day-time and the night-time, and they take no thought of all that long
night, and like one hour is it accounted in their eyes. Then in the watch of
the dawn they awake with joy. But as for the wicked, their sleep lies heavy upon
them, and they are like a man who is laid low by a great and deep fever, and
tosses on his couch hither and thither, arid he is terrified the whole night
long, which lengthens itself out for him, and he fears the dawn when his Lord will
condemn him.
20. But our faith thus teaches, that when men fall asleep, they sleep this
slumber without knowing good from evil. And the righteous look not forward to
their promises, nor do the wicked look forward to their sentence of punishment,
until the Judge come and separate those whose place is at His right hand from
those whose place is at His left. And be thou instructed by that which is
written, that when the Judge shall sit, and the books be opened before Him and the
good and evil deeds recited, then they that have wrought good works shall
receive good rewards from Him Who is good; and they that have done evil deeds shall
receive evil penalties from the just Judge. For towards the good, He changes not
His nature; and He proves Himself just because He justly condemns many. But
towards the evil He changes His nature, in that world where grace is lost in
justice; and He proves Himself just to all. And grace will not be joined with
justice towards them. Like as grace avails not (to remedy) detriment, so justice
(avails not to assist) grace. For grace is far from the judge, but justice urges
the judge. If grace be nigh to any one, let him turn himself towards it, and not
deliver himself into the hands of justice, test it condemn him, exacting for
his shortcomings the penalty at his hands. And if grace be far from any one,
justice will bring him to the trial, and by it he will be condemned, and go away
to the torment.
21. But hear, my beloved, this proof that retribution shall take place at
the end. For when the Shepherd divides His flock and sets some on His right
hand and some on His left.(1) until He shall have acknowledged the service of the
good, then He will cause them to inherit the kingdom; and until He shall have
rebuked the evil and they are condemned, then He will send them to the torment.
And as to them that sent messengers after the King, saying, This man shall not
be king over us,(2) when He shall receive the kingdom and return, then His
adversaries shall be slain before Him. And the labourers who hastened and were
wearied in the vineyard, shall not receive the reward till the labour shall cease.
And the traders who received the money, when the Lord of the money shall come,
then shall He exact the usury. And the virgins who, while waiting for the
bridegroom, slumbered and slept because He delayed to come, when they shall hear the
cry, then they shall awake and trim their lamps; and they that are wise shall
enter in; and the foolish shall be shut out. And they who were before us in
entering the faith, without us shall not be made perfect.(3)
22 From all these things, understand thou, my beloved, as it has been made
certain for thee, that as yet no one has received his reward. For the
righteous have not inherited the kingdom, nor have the wicked gone into torment. The
Shepherd has not as yet divided His flock. And lo! the workmen enter into the
vineyard, and as yet have not received the reward. And lo! the merchants are
trading with the money. And as yet their Lord has not come to take the account. And
the King has gone to receive the Kingdom, but as yet He hats not returned the
second time. And those virgins that are waiting the bridegroom are sleeping up
to the present time, and are awaiting the cry when they will awake. And the
former men who toiled in the faith until the last men shall come, shall not be made
perfect.
23. But they who are babes in understanding say:--" If no one has received
his reward, why did the Apostle say, When we shall depart from the body, we
shall be present with the Lord ?"(4) But recollect, my beloved, that I instructed
thee concerning this matter in the Demonstration concerning Solitaries,(5)
that the spirit which the righteous receive, according to its heavenly nature,
goes to our Lord until the time of the Resurrection, when it shall come to put on
the body in which it dwelt. And at every time it has the memory of this in the
presence of God, and looks eagerly for the Resurrection of that body in which
it dwelt, as the Prophet Isaiah said about the Church of the Gentiles:--They
that make mention of thee shall be faithful and stand before the Lord, and thou
shalt not give them rest.(6) But as to the wicked, they have none to make mention
of them before the Lord, because the Holy Spirit is far removed from them,
because they are animal, and are buried after the manner of animals.
24. And again, (the followers of) doctrines, which are instruments of the
Evil One, are offended by the word which our Lord spake, No one has ascended up
to heaven but He Who came down from heaven, the Son of Man, Who was in
heaven.(7) And they say, "Lo! our Lord testified that no earthly body has ascended to
heaven." In their ignorance they cannot apprehend the force of this. For when
our Lord instructed Nicodemus, he did not apprehend the force of the saying.
Then our Lord said to him:--"No one has ascended into heaven, so as to come down
and relate to you whatsoever is there. For if I have spoken unto you of those
things that are in the earth, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe if I shall
speak unto you of those things which are in heaven?(8) For lo! no other
witness besides Me has come down from thence, to bear witness concerning those things
which are in heaven, so that ye should believe. For Elijah went up thither,
but he came not down along with Me to bear witness, that the testimony of two
might be sure."
25. But as for thee, my beloved, have no doubt as to the Resurrection of
the dead. For the living mouth (of God) testifies :-I cause to die and I make
alive.(1) And both of them proceeded out of one mouth. And as we are sure that He
causes to die, and we see it; so also it is sure and worthy of belief, that He
makes alive. And from all that I have explained to thee, receive and believe
that in the day of the Resurrection thy body shall arise in its entirety, and
thou shalt receive from our Lord the reward of thy faith, and in all that thou
hast believed, thou shalt rejoice and be made glad.
DEMONSTRATION X.--OF PASTORS.
1. Pastors are set over the flock, and give the sheep the food of life.
Whosoever is watchful, and toils in behalf of his sheep, is careful for his
flock, and is the disciple of our Good Shepherd, who gave Himself in behalf of His
sheep.(2) And whosoever brings not back his flock carefully, is likened to the
hireling who has no care for the sheep. Be ye like, O Pastors, to those
righteous Pastors of old. Jacob fed the sheep of Laban, and guarded them and toiled and
was watchful, and so received the reward. For Jacob said to Laban:--Lo! twenty
years am I with thee. Thy sheep and thy flocks I have not robbed and the males
of thy sheep I have not eaten. That which was broken I did not bring unto
thee, but thou required it at my hands ! In the daytime the heat devoured me and
the cold by night.(3) My sleep departed from my eyes. Observe, ye Pastors, that
Pastor, how he cared for his flock. He used to watch in the night-time to guard
it and was vigilant; and he used to toil in the daytime to feed it. As Jacob
was a pastor, so Joseph was a pastor and his brethren were pastors. Moses was a
pastor, and David also was a pastor. So Amos was a pastor. These all were
pastors who fed the sheep and led them well.
2. Now, why, my beloved, did these pastors first feed the sheep, and were
then chosen to be pastors of men ? Clearly that they might learn how a pastor
cares for his sheep, and is watchful and toils in behalf of his sheep. And when
they had learned the manners of pastors, they were chosen for the pastoral
office. Jacob fed the sheep of Laban and toiled and was vigilant and led them well;
and then he tended and guided well his sons, and taught them the pattern of
pastoral work. And Joseph used to tend the sheep along with his brethren; and in
Egypt he became guide to a numerous people, and led them back, as a good pastor
does his flock. Moses fed the sheep of Jethro his father-in-law, and he was
chosen from (tending) the sheep to tend his people, and as a good pastor he
guided them. Moses bore his staff upon his shoulder, and went in front of his people
that he was leading, and tended them for forty years; and he was vigilant and
toiled on behalf of his sheep, a diligent and good pastor. When his Lord wished
to destroy them because of their sins, in that they worshipped the calf, Moses
prayed and besought of his Lord and said:--Either pardon the people for their
sins, or else blot me out from Thy book that Thou hast written.(4) That is a
most diligent pastor, who delivered over himself on behalf of his sheep. That is
an excellent leader, who gave himself in behalf of his sheep. And that is a
merciful father who cherished his children and reared them up. Moses the great and
wise shepherd, who knew how to lead back the flock, taught Joshua the son of
Nun, a man full of the spirit, who (afterwards) led the flock, even all the host
of Israel. He destroyed kings and subdued the land, and gave them the land as
a place of pasturage, and divided the resting-places and the sheepfolds to his
sheep. Furthermore, David fed his father's sheep, and was taken from the sheep
to tend his people. So he tended them in the integrity of his heart and by the
skill of his hands he guided them.(1) And when David numbered the flock of his
sheep, wrath came upon them, and they began to be destroyed. Then David
delivered himself over on behalf of his sheep, when he prayed, saying:--O Lord God, I
have sinned in that I have numbered Israel. Let Thy hand be on me ants on my
father's house. These innocent sheep, in what have they sinned?(2) So also all
the diligent pastors used thus to give themselves on behalf of their sheep.
3. But those pastors who did not care for the sheep, those were hirelings
who used to feed themselves alone. On this account the Prophet(3) addresses
them, saying to them:--O ye pastors who destroy and scatter the sheep of my
pasture, hear the word of the Lord. Thus saith the Lord: Lo! I will visit My sheep as
the pastor visits his flock in the day of the whirlwind, and I will require My
sheep at your hands. O foolish pastors, with the wool of the sheep do ye
clothe yourselves and the flesh of the fatlings do eat, and the sheep ye do not
feed. That which was sick ye did not heal, and that which was broken ye did not
bind The weak ye did not strengthen, and the lost and the scattered ye did not
gather together. The strong ones and the fatlings ye did guard, but with harshness
ye subdued them. The good pastures ye yourselves graze upon, and what remains
ye trample with your feet. The pleasant waters do ye drink, and whatever
remains ye defile with your feet. And My sheep have eaten the trampled (herbage)
which your feet have trampled, and they have drunk the waters which your feet have
defiled. These are the greedy and base pastors and hirelings, who did not feed
the sheep, or guide them well, or deliver them from the wolves. But when the
Great Pastor, the chief of pastors, shall come, He will call and visit His sheep
and will take knowledge of His flock. And He will bring forward those pastors,
and will exact an account from them, and will condemn them for their deeds. And
those who fed the sheep well, them the Chief of Pastors will cause to rejoice
and to inherit life and rest. O stupid and foolish pastor, to whose right hand
and to whose right eye I committed my sheep. Because thou didst say concerning
the sheep, let that which dieth, die, and let that which perisheth perish, and
whatever is left, let them devour the flesh of one another; therefore, behold I
will make blind thy right eye and I will wither up thy right arm. Thy eye
which regarded a bribe shall be blinded, and thy hand which did not rule in
righteousness shall waste away.(4) And as for you, my sheep, the sheep of my pasture,
ye are men; but I am the Lord your God.(5) Behold henceforth will feed you in a
good and rich pasture.(6)
4. The good shepherd giveth himself for the sake of his sheep.(7) And
again He said:--I have other sheep and I must bring them also hither. And the whole
flock shall be one, and one shepherd, and My Father because of this loveth Me;
that I give Myself for the sake of the sheep.(8) And again He said ;--I am the
door of the sheep. Every one that entereth by Me shall live and shall go in
and go out and find pasture.(9) O ye pastors, be ye made like unto that diligent
pastor, the chief of the whole flock, who cared so greatly for his flock. He
brought nigh those that were afar off. He brought back the wanderers. He visited
the sick. He strengthened the weak. He bound up the broken. He guarded the
fatlings. He gave himself up for the sake of the sheep. He chose and instructed
excellent leaders, and committed the sheep into their hands, and gave them
authority over all his flock. For He said to Simon Cephas:--Feed My sheep and My lambs
and My ewes.(1) So Simon fed His sheep; and he fulfilled his thee and handed
over the flock to you, and departed. Do ye also feed and guide them well. For
the pastor who cares for his sheep engages in no other pursuit along with that.
He does not make a vineyard, nor plant gardens, nor does he fall into the
troubles of this world. Never have we seen a pastor who left his sheep in the
wilderness and became a merchant, or one who left his flock to wander and became a
husbandman. But if he deserts his flock and does these things he thereby hands
over his flock to the wolves.
5. And remember, my beloved, that I wrote to thee concerning our fathers
of old that they first learned the ways of tending sheep and in that received
trial of carefulness, and then were chosen for the office of guides, that they
might learn and observe how much the pastor cares for his flock, and as they used
to guide the sheep carefully, so also might be perfected in this office of
guidance. Thus Joseph was chosen from the sheep, to guide the Egyptians in the
thee of affliction. And Moses was chosen from the sheep, to guide his people and
tend them. And David was taken from following the sheep, to become king over
Israel. And the Lord took Amos from following the sheep, and made him a prophet
over his people. Elisha likewise was taken from behind the yoke, to become a
prophet in Israel. Moses did not return to his sheep, nor did he leave his flock
that was committed to him. David did not return to his father's sheep, but guided
his people in the integrity of his heart.(1) Amos did not turn back to feed
his sheep, or to gather (the fruit of) trees, but he guided them and performed
his office of prophecy. Elisha did not turn back to his yoke, but served Elijah
and filled his place. And he(2) who was for him as a shepherd, because he loved
fields and merchandise and vineyards and oliveyards and tillage, did not wish
to become his disciple; and (therefore) he did not commit the flock into his
hand.
6. I beseech you, ye pastors, that ye set not over the flock, leaders who
are foolish and stupid, covetous also and lovers of possessions. Every one who
feeds the flock shall eat of their milk.(3) And every one who guides the yoke
shall be ministered to from his labour. The priests have a right to partake of
the altar, and the Levites shall receive their tithes. Whoever eats of the milk,
let his heart be upon the flock; and let him that is ministered to from the
labour of his yoke, take heed to his tillage. And let the priests who partake of
the altar serve the altar with honour. And as for the Levites who receive the
tithes, they have no portion in Israel. O pastors, disciples of our great
Pastor, be ye not like hirelings; because the hireling cares not for the sheep. Be ye
like our Sweet Pastor, Whose life was not dearer to Him than His sheep. Rear
up the youths and bring up the maidens; and love the lambs and let them be
reared in your bosoms; that when ye shall come to the Chief Pastor, ye may offer to
Him all your sheep in completeness, and so He may give you what He has
promised: Where I am, ye also shall be.(4) These things, brief as they are, will be
sufficient for the good pastors and leaders.
7. Above, my beloved, I have written to remind thee of the character that
becomes the whole flock. And in this discourse I have written to thee about the
pastors, the guides of the flock. These reminders I have written to thee,
beloved, as thou didst ask of me in thy dear letter.
8. The Steward brought me into the King's treasury and showed me there
many precious things; and when I saw them my mind was captivated with the great
treasury. And as I looked upon it, it dazzled my eyes, and took captive my
thoughts, and caused my reflections to wander in many ways. Whosoever receives
thereof, is himself enriched, and enriches (others). It lies open and unguarded
before all that seek it; and though many take from it there is no deficiency; and
when they give of that which they have received, their own portion is greatly
multiplied. They that receive freely let them give freely(1) as they have
received. For (this treasure) cannot be sold for a price, because there is nothing
equivalent to it. Moreover the treasure fails not; and they that receive it are not
satiated. They drink, and are still eager; they eat, and are hungry. Whosoever
is not thirsty, finds not ought to drink; whoever is not hungry, finds nothing
to eat. The hunger for it satisfies many, and from the thirst for it flow
forth water-springs. For the man who draws nigh to the fear of God is like the man
who in his thirst draws near to the water-spring and drinks and is satisfied,
and the fountain is not a whit diminished. And the land that needs to drink in
water, drinks of the fountain, but its waters fail not. And when the land
drinks, it needs again to drink, and the spring is not lessened by its flowing. So is
the knowledge of God. Though all men should receive of it, yet there would
come no lack in it, nor can it he limited by the sons of flesh. He that takes from
it, cannot take away all; and when he gives, he lacks nothing. When thou
takest fire with a candle from a flame, though thou kindle many candles at it, yet
the flame does not diminish when thou takest from it, nor does the candle fail,
when it kindles many. One man cannot receive all the King's treasure, nor when
a thirsty man drinks of the fountain, do its waters fill. When a man stands on
a lofty mountain, his eye does not (equally) comprehend the near and the
distant; nor, when he stands and counts the stars of heaven, can he set limits to the
hosts of the heavens. So when he draws nigh unto the fear of God, he cannot
attain to the whole of it; and when he receives much that is precious, it does
not seem to be diminished; and when he gives of that which he has received, it is
not exhausted, nor has it come to an end for him. And remember, my beloved,
what I wrote to thee, in the first discourse, about faith, that whoever has
freely received ought to give freely as he has received, as our Lord said:--Freely
ye have received, freely give.(2) For whosoever keeps back part of anything he
has received,(3) even that which he has obtained shall be taken away from him.
Therefore, my beloved, as I have been able to obtain now from that treasure that
fails not, I have sent unto thee from it. Yet though I have sent it to thee,
it is all with me. For the treasure fails not, for it is the wisdom of God; and
the steward is our Lord Jesus Christ, as He testified when He said:--All things
have been committed to Me by My Father.(4) And while He is the steward of the
wisdom, again, as the Apostle said:--Christ is the power of God and His
wisdom.(5) This wisdom is imparted to many, yet nothing is lacking, as I explained to
thee above; the Prophets received of the spirit of Christ, yet Christ was not a
whir diminished.
9. Ten treatises have I written unto thee, my beloved. Whatsoever thou
hast asked of me, I have explained to thee without (receiving) ought from thee.
And that which thou enquiredst not of me, I have given unto thee. I have asked
thy name and written unto thee. I have asked of myself thy question, and I have
answered thee as I was able, for thy persuasion. Whatsoever I have written unto
thee, meditate in these things at every thee; and labour to read those books
which are read in the church of God. These ten little books that I have written
for thee, they borrow one from another, and depend one upon another. Separate
them not one from another. From Olaph to Yud I have written for thee, each letter
after its fellow. Read thou and learn thou and the brethren, the monks, and
the faithful, they from whom mocking is far removed; as I wrote unto thee above.
And remember that which I pointed out to thee, that I have not brought these
matters to an end, but short of the end. Nor are these things sufficient; but
hear thou these things from me without wrangling, and enquire concerning them with
brethren who are apt for persuasion. Whatsoever thou hearest that assuredly
edifies, receive; and whatever builds up strange doctrines, overthrow and utterly
demolish. For wrangling cannot edify. But I, my beloved, as a stonecutter have
brought stones for the building, and let wise architects carve them out and
lay them in the building; and all the labourers that toil in the building shall
receive reward from the Lord of the house.