On the Incarnation of the Word 40
40 Summary of foregoing. Cessation of pagan oracles, &c.: propagation of the faith. The true King has come forth and silenced all usurpers
This, then, after what we have so far said, it is right for you to realize, and to take as the sum of what we have already stated, and to marvel at exceedingly; namely, that since the Saviour has come among us, idolatry not only has no longer increased, but what there was is diminishing and gradually coming to an end: and not only does the wisdom of the Greeks no longer advance, but what there is is now fading away: and demons, so far from cheating any more by illusions and prophecies and magic arts, if they so much as dare to make the attempt, are put to shame by the sign of the Cross. 2. And to sum the matter up: behold how the Saviour’s doctrine is everywhere increasing, while all idolatry and everything opposed to the faith of Christ is daily dwindling, and losing power, and falling. And thus beholding, worship the Saviour, “Who is above all” and mighty, even God the Word; and condemn those who are being worsted and done away by Him. 3. For as, when the sun is come, darkness no longer prevails, but if any be still left anywhere it is driven away; so, now that the divine Appearing of the Word of God is come, the darkness of the idols prevails no more, and all parts of the world in every direction are illumined by His teaching. 4. And as, when a king is reigning in some country without appearing but keeps at home in his own house, often some disorderly persons, abusing his retirement, proclaim themselves; and each of them, by assuming the character, imposes on the simple as king, and so men are led astray by the name, hearing that there is a king, but not seeing him, if for no other reason, because they cannot enter the house; but when the real king comes forth and appears, then the disorderly impostors are exposed by his presence, while men, seeing the real king, desert those who previously led them astray: 5. in like manner, the evil spirits formerly used to deceive men, investing themselves with God’s honour; but when the Word of God appeared in a body, and made known to us His own Father, then at length the deceit of the evil spirits is done away and stopped, while men, turning their eyes to the true God, Word of the Father, are deserting the idols, and now coming to know the true God. 6. Now this is a proof that Christ is God the Word, and the Power of God. For whereas human things cease, and the Word of Christ abides, it is clear to all eyes that what ceases is temporary, but that He Who abides is God, and the true Son of God, His only-begotten Word.
Οὐκοῦν μυθολογοῦσιν Ἰουδαῖοι, καὶ παρόντα τὸν νῦν καιρὸν ὑπερτίθενται. πότε γὰρ ἐπαύσατο προφήτης ἢ ὅρασις ἀπὸ τοῦ Ἰσραήλ, εἰ μὴ νῦν ὅτε ὁ ἅγιος τῶν ἁγίων Χριστὸς παρεγένετο; σημεῖον γὰρ καὶ μέγα γνώρισμα τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ Λόγου παρουσίας, τὸ μηκέτι μήτε τὴν Ἱερουσαλὴμ ἑστάναι, μήτε προφήτην ἐγερθῆναι, μήτε ὅρασιν ἀποκαλύπτεσθαι τούτοις, καὶ μάλα εἰκότως.
Ἐλθόντος γὰρ τοῦ σημαινομένου, τίς ἔτι χρεία τῶν σημαινόντων ἦν; καὶ παρούσης τῆς ἀληθείας , τίς ἔτι χρεία τῆς σκιᾶς ἦν; διὰ τοῦτο γὰρ καὶ προεφήτευον ἕως ἂν ἔλθῃ ἡ αὐτοδικαιοσύνη καὶ ὁ λυτρούμενος τὰς πάντων ἁμαρτίας. διὰ τοῦτο καὶ Ἰερουσαλὴμ ἐπὶ τοσοῦτον συνειστήκει, ἵν’ ἐκεῖ προμελετῶσι τῆς ἀληθείας τοὺς τύπους.
Παρόντος τοίνυν τοῦ ἁγίου τῶν ἀγίων, εἰκότως ἐσφραγίσθη καὶ ὅρασις καὶ προφητεία, καὶ ἡ τῆς Ἰερουσαλὴμ βασιλεία πέπαυται. ἐπὶ τοσοῦτον γὰρ ἐχρίοντο παρ’ αὐτοῖς βασιλεῖς, ἕως ἄν ἐχρίσθη ὁ ἄγιος τῶν ἀγίων καὶ Μωυσῆς ἕως αὐτοῦ τὴν Ἰουδαίων ἵστασθαι βασιλείαν προφητεύει λέγων Οὐκ ἐκλείψει ἄρχων ἐξ Ἰούδα, καὶ ἡγούμενος ἐκ τῶν μηρῶν αὐτοῦ, ἕως ἂν ἔλθῃ τὰ ἀποκείμενα αὐτῷ, καὶ αὐτὸς προσδοκία ἐθνῶν
Ὅθεν καὶ αὐτὸς ὁ Σωτὴρ ἐβόα λέγων Ὁ νόμος καὶ οἱ προφῆται ἕως Ἰωάννου προεφήτευσαν . εἰ μὲν οὖν ἐστὶ παρὰ Ἰουδαίοις νῦν βασιλεύς, ἢ προφήτης, ἢ ὅρασις, καλῶς ἀρνοῦνται τὸν ἐλθόντα Χριστόν. εἰ δὲ μήτε βασιλεύς, μήτε ὅρασις ἀλλ’ ἐσφράγισται λοιπὸν καὶ πᾶσα προφητεία, καὶ ἡ πόλις καὶ ὁ ναὸς ἑάλω· τί τοσοῦτον ἀσεβοῦσι, καὶ παραβαίνουσιν, ὡς τὰ μὲν γενόμενα ὁρᾶν, τὸν δὲ ταῦτα πεποιηκότα Χριστὸν ἀρνεῖσθαι; τί δὲ καὶ τοὺς ἀπὸ τῶν ἐθνῶν θεωροῦντες καταλιμπάνοντας τὰ εἴδωλα, καὶ ἐπὶ τὸν Θεὸν Ἰσραὴλ διὰ τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἔχοντας τὴν ἐλπίδα, ἀρνοῦνται τὸν ἐκ τῆς ῥίζης Ἰεσσαὶ κατὰ σάρκα γενόμενον Χριστὸν καὶ βασιλεύοντα λοιπόν; εἰ μὲν γὰρ ἄλλον ἐθρήσκευον τὰ ἔθνη θεὸν ἀλλὰ μὴ τὸν Θεὸν Ἁβραὰμ καὶ Ἰσαὰκ καὶ Ἰακὼβ καὶ Μωϋσέως ὡμολόγουν· καλῶς ἂν πάλιν προεφασίζοντο μὴ ἐληλυθέναι τὸν Θεόν.
Εἰ δὲ τὸν Μωϋσῇ δεδωκότα τὸν νόμον, καὶ τῷ Ἁβραὰμ ἐπαγγειλάμενον Θεόν, καὶ οὗ τὸν λόγον ἠτίμασαν Ἰουδαῖοι, τοῦτον τὰ ἔθνη σέβουσι, διὰ τί μὴ γινώσκουσι, μᾶλλον δὲ διὰ τί ἑκόντες παρορῶσιν, ὅτι ὁ προφητευόμενος ὑπὸ τῶν γραφῶν Κύριος ἐπέλαμψε τῇ οἰκουμένῃ καὶ ἐπεφάνη σωματικῶς αὐτῇ, καθὼς εἶπεν ἡ γραφή· Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ἐπέφανεν ἡμῖν· καὶ πάλιν· Ἐξαπέστειλε τὸν Λόγον αὐτοῦ καὶ ἰάσατο αὐτούς· καὶ πάλιν· Οὐ πρέσβυς, οὐκ ἄγγελος, ἀλλ’ αὐτὸς ὁ Κύριος ἔσωσεν αὐτούς.
Ὅμοιον δὲ πάσχουσιν, ὡς εἴ τις παραπεπληγὼς τὴν διάνοιαν, τὴν μὲν γῆν φωτιζομένην ὑπὸ τοῦ ἡλίου βλέπει, τὸν δὲ ταύτην φωτίζοντα ἥλιον ἀρνεῖται. τί γὰρ καὶ πλεῖον ἐλθὼν ὁ προσδοκώμενος παρ' αὐτοῖς ἔχει ποιῆσαι; καλέσαι τὰ ἔθνη; ἀλλ’ ἔφθασαν κληθῆναι. ἀλλὰ παῦσαι προφήτην, καὶ βασιλέα, καὶ ὅρασιν; γέγονεν ἤδη καὶ τοῦτο. τὴν εἰδώλων ἀθεότητα διελέγξαι; διηλέγχθη ἤδη καὶ κατεγνώσθη. ἀλλὰ τὸν θάνατον καταργῆσαι; κατήργηται ἤδη.
Τί τοίνυν οὐ γέγονεν, ὃ δεῖ τὸν Χριστὸν ποιῆσαι; ἢ τί περιλείπεται, ὃ μὴ πεπλήρωται, ἵνα νῦν χαίρωσιν Ἰουδαῖοι καὶ ἀπιστῶσιν; εἰ γὰρ δή, ὥσπερ οὖν ὁρῶμεν, οὔτε βασιλεύς, οὔτε προφήτης, οὔτε Ἰερουσαλήμ, οὔτε θυσία, οὔτε ὅρασίς ἐστι παρ’ αὐτοῖς· ἀλλὰ καὶ πᾶσα πεπλήρωται ἡ γῆ τῆς γνώσεως τοῦ Θεοῦ, καὶ οἱ ἀπὸ τῶν ἐθνῶν καταλιμπάνοντες τες τὴν ἀθεότητα, λοιπὸν πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν Ἀβραὰμ καταφεύγουσι διὰ τοῦ Λόγου, τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ· δῆλον ἄν εἴη καὶ τοῖς λίαν ἀναισχυντοῦσιν ἐληλυθέναι τὸν Χριστόν, καὶ αὐτὸν πάντας ἀπλῶς τῷ ἑαυτοῦ φωτὶ καταλάμψαντα, καὶ διδάξαντα περὶ τοῦ ἑαυτοῦ Πατρὸς τὴν ἀληθῆ καὶ θείαν διδασκαλίαν
Ιουδαίους μὲν οὖν ἐκ τούτων καὶ τῶν πλειόνων, παρὰ τῶν θείων γραφῶν εἰκότως ἄν τις ἐλέγξειεν.