their eyes are not able to bear his rays. The Son of God therefore came in the flesh with this view, that He might bring to a head the sum of their sins who had persecuted His prophets[1] to the death. For this purpose, then, He endured. For God saith, "The stroke of his flesh is from them;"[2] and[3] "when I shall smite the Shepherd, then the sheep of the flock shall be scattered."[4] He himself willed thus to suffer, for it was necessary that He should suffer on the tree. For says he who prophesies regarding Him, "Spare my soul from the sword,[5] fasten my flesh with nails; for the assemblies of the wicked have risen up against me."[6] And again he says, "Behold, I have given my back to scourges, and my cheeks to strokes, and I have set my countenance as a firm rock."[7]
Chap. vi.—The sufferings of Christ, and the new covenant, were announced by the prophets.
When, therefore, He has fulfilled the commandment, what saith He? "Who is he that will contend with me? let him oppose me: or who is he that will enter into judgment with me? let him draw near to the servant of the Lord."[8] "Woe unto you, for ye shall all wax old, like a garment, and the moth shall eat you up."[9] And again the prophet says, "Since[10] as a mighty stone He is laid for crushing, behold I cast down for the foundations of Zion a stone, precious, elect, a corner-stone, honourable." Next, what says He? "And he who shall trust[11] in it shall live for ever." Is our hope,
- ↑ Cod. Sin. has, "their prophets," but the corrector has changed it as above.
- ↑ A very loose reference to Isa. liii. 8.
- ↑ Cod. Sin. omits "and," and reads, "when they smite their own shepherd, then the sheep of the pasture shall be scattered and fail."
- ↑ Zech. xiii. 7.
- ↑ Cod. Sin. inserts "and."
- ↑ These are inaccurate and confused quotations from Ps. xxii. 21, 17, and cxix. 120.
- ↑ Isa. l. 6, 7.
- ↑ Isa. l. 8.
- ↑ Isa. l. 9.
- ↑ The Latin omits "since," but it is found in all the Greek mss.
- ↑ Cod. Sin. has "believe." Isa. viii. 14, xxviii. 16.
