He speaks to you with simplicity. The calf[1] is Jesus: the sinful men offering it are those who led Him to the slaughter. But now the men are no longer guilty, are no longer regarded as sinners.[2] And the boys that sprinkle are those that have proclaimed to us the remission of sins and purification of heart. To these He gave authority to preach the gospel, being twelve in number, corresponding to the twelve tribes[3] of Israel. But why are there three boys that sprinkle? To correspond[4] to Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, because these were great with God. And why was the wool [placed] upon the wood? Because by wood Jesus holds His kingdom, so that [through the cross] those believing on Him shall live for ever. But why was hyssop joined with the wool? Because in His kingdom the days will be evil and polluted in which we shall be saved, [and] because he who suffers in body is cured through the cleansing[5] efficacy of hyssop. And on this account the things which stand thus are clear to us, but obscure to them, because they did not hear the voice of the Lord.
Chap. ix.—The spiritual meaning of circumcision.
He speaks moreover concerning our ears, how He hath circumcised both them and our heart. The Lord saith in the prophet, "In the hearing of the ear they obeyed me."[6] And again He saith, "By hearing, those shall hear who are afar off; they shall know what I have done."[7] And, "Be ye circumcised in your hearts, saith the Lord."[8] And again He says, "Hear, O Israel, for these things saith the Lord thy God."[9] And once more the Spirit of the Lord proclaims, "Who is he that wishes to live for ever? By hearing let
- ↑ Cod. Sin. has, "the law is Christ Jesus," corrected to the above.
- ↑ The Greek text is, "then no longer [sinful] men, no longer the glory of sinners," which Dressel defends and Hilgenfeld adopts, but which is surely corrupt.
- ↑ Literally, "in witness of the tribes."
- ↑ "In witness of."
- ↑ Thus the sense seems to require, and thus Dressel translates, though it is difficult to extract such a meaning from the Greek text.
- ↑ Ps. xviii. 44.
- ↑ Isa. xxxiii. 13.
- ↑ Jer. iv. 4.
- ↑ Jer. vii. 2.
