WHY has our meeting become more numerous today? Surely you are gathered together to destroy the promise, you have come to receive the silver purified by fire, which I promised to give you. The word of the Lord, it is said, is pure, the silver is kindled, the earth is tempted (Psalm. XI, 7). Blessed be God, who has invested in you such diligence to listen to spiritual instruction! As those who are addicted to wine and drink, every day, as soon as they get up, search and inquire where the drinks, feasts and suppers, feasts and gatherings of drinkers, vessels, cups and glasses are: so every day, as soon as you get up, you inquire where the exhortation and advice, the instruction and instruction, and the word for the glory of Christ are. For this reason we also take up this task all the more willingly, and with all readiness we offer what we have promised. And so our struggle with the Jews ended as it should: a trophy was set up, a crown was woven for us, and we received a reward for the previous conversation. Our aim was to prove that what the Jews are now doing is lawlessness and wickedness, the warfare and war of men against God: and this has been proved, with the help of God, with all exactness. For even if they had the hope of regaining their city, of returning to their former order, and of seeing their temple restored, which will never be the case, they could not in any way justify what they are now doing. Behold, the three youths, and Daniel, and all the others who lived in captivity (of Babylon), hoped to receive their city again, to see the land of their homeland in seventy years, and to live according to the former laws; however, even having a clear and undoubted promise, they did not dare to do any of the things that were decreed (about the feasts) until the fulfillment of this promise and before their return (to Jerusalem), as the Jews do today. In the same way you can stop the mouth of the Jew. Indeed, ask him: why do you fast without having a city? And if he says, Because I hope to get the city again; Say to him, "So remain in peace until you receive it; for those saints, until they returned to their homeland, did not dare to do what you are doing now. From this it is evident that now, even if you hope, as you say, to receive the city again, you act lawlessly, violate the covenants with God, and show disrespect to the very institution of Judaism. And so, in order to restrain the insolence of the Jews and to rebuke them for their wickedness, what was said to your love in the previous discourse is sufficient. But since we have set ourselves the goal not only to stop the mouths of the Jews, but also to teach the church more about its own dogmas; then now let us prove in detail that the temple (of Jerusalem) will no longer be rebuilt, and the Jews will not again receive the former order. In this way, you will also know the apostolic dogmas more accurately, and they will be more convicted of impiety. And let us imagine as a witness to this not an angel, not an archangel, but the Lord of the entire universe himself, our Lord Jesus Christ. When He entered Jerusalem and saw the temple, He said that Jerusalem would be trampled down by the tongues of many, until the times of the tongue of many would be finished (Luke 2:10). XXI, 24), that is, time until the end of the world. He uttered the same threat about the temple, telling His disciples that there should not be left stone upon stone in this place, which would not be destroyed (Matt. XXIV, 2); and thus foreshadowed the complete destruction and final desolation of the temple. But the Jew, of course, rejects this testimony and does not accept what is said (by Jesus Christ). This, he says, was said by my enemy; I have crucified him, how shall I accept his testimony? This is marvellous, O Jew, that He whom thou hast crucified, already after His crucifixion, has destroyed thy city, scattered thy people, and scattered thy tribe over all the face of the earth; and by this He showed that He was resurrected and alive and is now in heaven. Since you did not want to know His power in beneficence, He made you understand His invincible and invincible power in punishments and punishments. But even after this you do not believe, and do not recognize Him as God and Lord of the entire universe, but consider Him to be an ordinary man. But consider (Him), even as a (common) man. And how do we consider people? When we see that famous people always tell the truth, and never lie about anything, then, even though they are our enemies, we, if only we have understanding, accept their words; on the contrary, when we see that they lie, even if they say the truth about something, we do not easily accept their words.

2

Now let us see what is the custom of Christ, what is His disposition. He foretold and foretold not only one thing, but many other things, which were to take place after a long time. Let us present these prophecies, and if you see that in them He speaks a lie, do not accept and do not consider this (the prophecy about the destruction of the temple) true; but if you see that He always speaks the truth, that this prophecy has also been fulfilled, and that immeasurable time bears witness to the truth of what was foretold, then cease to be shameless, do not argue against such deeds as are clearer than the sun. Let us see what else He foretold. A woman came to Him, with an alabaster vessel of precious myrrh, and poured out (on Him) myrrh. The disciples were indignant at this, saying: "Why was this myrrh not sold for three hundred pennies, and was given to the poor" (John. XII, 5). But (Jesus) rebuked them, and said thus, Why do you labor for a wife? for he has done a good deed. I say unto you, Where this gospel shall be preached in all the earth, it shall be spoken, and done in remembrance thereof" (Matt. XXVI, 7-13). Did He lie, or did He tell the truth? Did the prophecy come true, or not? Ask a Jew; and, even if he be immensely impudent, he cannot argue against this prophecy. We hear that woman read in all the churches, and the hearers in all the cities are consuls, generals, men, women, noble, noble, noble, glorious; Wherever you go, you will find that everyone is listening in deep silence about the deed of that woman, and there is no place in the universe in which it is not known. How many kings have there been who have done many great favors to the cities, who have fought successfully, who have raised up trophies for themselves, who have saved nations, who have built cities, and who have gathered for themselves innumerable treasures; yet not a word is said about them and their deeds. There were many queens and great women, who showed innumerable benefactions to their subordinates; but they are also unknown to anyone by name. And this poor woman poured out only myrrh, and is glorified throughout the world; So much time has passed, but the memory of it has not been erased, and will never be erased. Meanwhile, her work is not important: for what is it to pour out myrrh? And she is not a noble person: for she was an outcast woman; and the witnesses are few: for she did it in the presence of (only) disciples; and the place is not open: for she did not do it at a spectacle, but in a house where there were only ten people. However, neither the insignificance of her face, nor the small number of witnesses, nor the obscurity of the place, nor anything else could erase the memory of her: no, this woman is now more glorious than all queens and all kings, and for such a long time did not consign her deed to oblivion. Why, tell me? Who did it? Was it not God, whom she then served, who spread this rumor (about her) everywhere? Tell me, then, is it in the human capacity to predict such an event? What clever person would say that? It is wondrous and extraordinary when (Christ) foretells something that He Himself will do; but it is much more important and surprising when He also predicts what others will do, and arranges it in such a way that it becomes reliable and obvious to everyone. Again He foretold Peter, "Upon this rock I will build My church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it" (Matt. XVI, 18). Tell me, then, Jew, can you object to these words and prove that this prophecy is false? But the testimony of the works themselves will not allow you to do this, no matter how much you may strengthen. How many abuses were raised against the church! Great hordes were prepared, weapons were refined, all kinds of executions and tortures were invented, frying pans, shooting weapons, cauldrons, furnaces, pits, rapids, the teeth of beasts, seas, exiles and other innumerable tortures, which can neither be depicted in words nor endured in deeds; and such tortures are not only from strangers, but also from their own. Everything was then seized by some kind of internecine war, or even one that is fiercer than any internecine strife; for not only citizens fought against citizens, but also relatives against relatives, friends against friends, friends against friends. However, nothing destroyed the church, did not weaken it; And what is especially wondrous and extraordinary, all this happened in the first period (of the Church's existence). If these calamities had befallen her when the preaching had already been planted and rooted in the whole universe, it would not have been so marvelous that the church was not destroyed. But if so much abuse was kindled at the very beginning of the (Christian) teaching, when the seed of faith had just been sown, and the minds of the hearers were still very weak, and yet our deeds not only suffered no damage, but were still more intensified, this is already beyond any miracle. Lest you say that the church now stands firm because of peace with kings, God allowed her to endure persecution when she was smaller and seemed weaker, so that you may be convinced from this that her present firmness does not depend on peace with kings, but on the power of God.

3

And that this is true, consider how many wanted to introduce a (new) doctrine among the Greeks, and to establish a new way of life, such as: Zeno, Plato, Socrates, Diagoras, Pythagoras, and very many others; however, they had so little success that they are not known to the people even by name. And Christ not only prescribed a (new) way of life, but also planted it throughout the universe. How much is said about the deeds of Apollonius of Tyana? But that you might know that all is a lie and a fabrication, and that there is nothing true in it, (the work of Apollonius) collapsed and ended. Let no one consider it an insult to Christ that, speaking of Him, we have mentioned Pythagoras and Plato, Zeno and (Apollonius) of Tyana; this we do not of our own volition, but condescending to the weakness of the Jews, who consider (Christ) to be a simple man. Thus did Paul: when he came to Athens, he spoke to the Athenians, not from the prophets or from the Gospels, but began his exhortation from the altar; not because he considered the altar more worthy of probability than the Gospel, and not because the inscription made on that altar was more important than the prophetic writings, but because he spoke to the pagans, who believed none of our things; so he caught them by their own teaching (Acts 2:10). XVII, 23). That is why, he says, you are a Jew as a Jew, a lawless Jew, as lawless, not a lawless man to God, but a lawyer to Christ (1 Cor. IX, 20-21). This is what the Old Testament does, when, speaking about God to the Jews, it says: "Who is like unto thee in God, O Lord" (Exod. XV, 11)? What say thou, Moses? Can there be any comparison between the true God and the false gods? I have said this, he says, not because I am making a comparison, but because I am conversing with the Jews, who have a high conception of demons; condescending to their weakness, I used this way of teaching. Since we also speak to the Jews, who consider Christ to be a simple man, and moreover a transgressor of the law, therefore we have cited as an example those who are especially respected by the Greeks. But if you want (to see examples) of such people who attempted the same thing among the Jews themselves, gathered disciples for themselves, proclaimed themselves leaders and leaders, and immediately disappeared, let us also present such examples. Thus also Gamaliel stopped (the Jews') mouths. When he saw that the Jews were possessed and thirsted to shed the blood of the disciples (of Christ); then, in order to restrain their uncontrollable fury, he, having commanded them to yield little to the apostles, thus said to them: "Take heed to yourselves about these men, what you will do." For before these days Theudas arose, saying that he was great to himself, and four hundred men clung to him: who were slain, and all who obeyed him, dispersed. Therefore Judas the Galilean arose, and the people were distracted: and he perished, and his disciples perished. And now I say unto you, Take heed unto yourselves, that if this work be of man, it shall be destroyed: but if it be of God, ye cannot destroy it, lest ye also be found by the God-fighters. V, 35-38). How can we see that if the work is of man, it will be ruined? You have, he says, an example in Judas and Theudas. Thus, if this (Christ), preached by these (the apostles), is the same as those (Judas and Theudas); if even here everything is not done by divine power; then be patient a little, and the very outcome of the matter will assure you, in the end you will clearly see whether he (Christ) is a deceiver and a lawless one, as you say, or God, who contains everything and arranges our affairs with ineffable power. And so it was; they waited, and the divine and irresistible power was revealed in the very deeds; and that cunning, devised to deceive people, turned on the head of the devil. When the devil saw that Christ had come, then, in an effort to obscure His coming and true dispensation, he sent out several deceivers, of whom we have spoken above, so that Christ might also be counted among them. What he did in relation to the cross, preparing the two thieves for crucifixion with Christ, he did the same in relation to His coming, he tried to obscure the truth with an admixture of falsehood: however, he did not succeed in any way either here or there, on the contrary, this very thing especially showed the power of Christ. Why, tell me, of the three crucified in the same place, at the same time, and according to the decision of the same judges, do all keep silent about those (the two thieves), but worship one (Christ)? Why, again, although many have tried to introduce a new way of life and to have disciples, they are still unknown in name, and this is served throughout the whole universe? Deeds are explained especially by comparison. Compare, then, O Jew, and know the supremacy of truth. What deceiver has built for himself so many churches throughout the world, spread his religion from the ends of the earth to the ends of the earth, subjugated everyone, and moreover in spite of countless obstacles? There is not a single one. Thus, it is clear that Christ is not a deceiver, but the Savior, Benefactor, Provider and Author of our life. I will cite one more prophecy (of Christ), and then return to my subject. "Thou hast not come," said Christ, "Bring peace to the earth, but the sword" (Matt. X, 34), not that He willed it, but that this would be the outcome of the events themselves. For when he comes, he says, separate a man from his father, and a daughter-in-law from his mother-in-law, and a daughter from her mother, v. 35.

How could He have known and arranged this, if there had been an ordinary man? Whence did it occur to Him that He would be more honorable to children than parents, and more pleasing to parents than children, and more amiable to wives than husbands? And this is not in one house, nor in two, nor three, nor in ten, or twenty, or in a hundred, but in the whole world, in all cities and countries, on land and sea, in places inhabited and uninhabited. Nor can it be said that He only said it, but did not put it into effect. For in the beginning and in the first times (of the church) there were many of these, and even now there are still those who are hated for their piety, who are expelled from their fathers' homes; yet they pay no attention to this, finding sufficient consolation for themselves in the fact that they endure it for Christ's sake. What kind of person could ever do this, tell me? Therefore Christ, who foretold all these things, both of the woman and of the church, and of this struggle, also foretold that the temple would be destroyed, that Jerusalem would be taken, and that the city would no longer be the city of the Jews as before. If He lied about that, if those prophecies didn't come true, don't believe that either; but if you see that they have been brilliantly fulfilled, and that every day they are gaining new strength, that the gates of hell have not prevailed against the church, that the work of a woman has been preached throughout the whole world for so long, and that men who have believed in Him have preferred Him to parents, wives, and children, then tell me, why do you not believe this prophecy alone, especially when the testimony of time stops the mouth of your insolence? When some ten, or twenty, or thirty, or fifty years had passed after the capture (of Jerusalem); then even then it would not be necessary to persist, although there would still be some pretext for the hunters to argue. But behold, not fifty, but a hundred, twice and thrice, so many years, and even much more, have passed since the destruction (of Jerusalem), and to this day there is not a trace or shadow of the change you are expecting: why then do you persist in vain and without any reason?

4

What we have said would suffice to prove that the (Jerusalem) temple will never be restored. But since the truth has very abundant means, then, leaving the Gospel, I will turn to the prophets, whom the Jews seem to especially believe, and by them I will prove that the Jews will never receive either a temple or a city. For me, in fact, there was no need to prove that (the temple) would not be restored, and it was not mine, but their business would be to prove the opposite, that is, that it would be restored. I have a proof in time itself, which testifies and stands for me; but they, who are refuted by the events themselves, and who are not able to confirm their words with deeds, but only boast in vain and without reason, it is they who must present this testimony. What I say is confirmed by the very works; and the fact that, for example, the city fell, and that it was not restored after so much time; and what they say is all empty words. They would have to prove that the city would be rebuilt again: and in judicial places, as we see, evidence is produced in the same way. When people argue among themselves about something, and one of them presents written proofs of his words, and the other rejects the testimony (of the opponent), then this one must already present witnesses and other refutations that the matter did not happen as the written testimony (of the opponent) says, and not the one who presents this testimony. Thus it would be fitting for the Jews to do now, to present us with a prophet who would say that their city would certainly be restored; for if their present captivity were to end, the prophets would certainly have foretold it. This is obvious to anyone who has at least somewhat delved into the prophetic books. Among the Jews, from ancient times, the prophets used to predict in advance everything that was to happen to them, good or bad. What is it for, and why? By the great treachery and shamelessness (of the Jews). They constantly forgot about God, who had done them good, and attributed all events to demons, and they were considered to be the authors of good. Thus, after leaving Egypt, when the sea was divided and other miracles were performed, they, forgetting the God who had performed these miracles, ascribed them to those who were not gods, and said to Aaron, "Make us gods, who will go before us" (Exod. XXXII, 1). And they come to Jeremiah with these words: "The word which thou hast spoken to us in the name of the Lord, we will not listen to thee, for thou hast done every word that proceedeth out of our mouth, to incense to the queen of heaven, and to pour out to her drink-offerings, as we, and our fathers, and our kings, and our princes, have done: and we shall be satisfied with the loaves, and it shall be good for us, and we shall see no evil." And when we burned incense to the Queen of Heaven and poured out drink-offerings, we all lacked bread, and died with sword and famine (Jer. XLIV, 16-18). Therefore, so that the Jews did not ascribe a single event to idols, but believed that both punishments and good deeds were always sent to them from God, the prophets foretold them in advance about the future. And in order that you may be convinced that this was the reason for the prediction, listen to what the most majestic Isaiah says to the people of Judah: "Behold, how cruel thou art and thy vein is iron, that is, unyielding, thy necks, and thy forehead is brass, that is, shameless" (Isa. XLVIII, 4). In the same way, we often have the habit of calling shameless people copperheads. And thou shalt proclaim, saith the prophet, that thou shalt come upon thee, before thou wast unto thee, and thou hast heard, v. 5. Then, explaining the reason for the prophecy, he added: "Not when thou shalt speak, for thou hast made this idols unto me, and hast commanded me, carved and merged." Moreover, since there were people who, in their stubbornness and deceitfulness, even after the very fulfillment (of the prophecies), insolently contradicted, as if they had not heard (the prediction); then the prophets not only predicted the future, but also took witnesses to it. Thus the same Isaiah says: "And make faithful men witnesses unto me, Uriah the priest, and Zechariah the son of Barachiah" (Isa. VIII, 2). Not only that; (Isaiah) also wrote down his prophecy in a new book, so that, after its fulfillment, the very writings would testify against the Jews, that this was foretold by them in advance and long ago. And that it is true, that God foretold to the Jews about all things to come, I will prove not only from this, but also from the very events of the Jews, both calamitous and happy.

5

Three slaverys, the most grievous, were experienced by the Jews, and God did not bring a single one upon them without foretelling, on the contrary, He foretold them all, foretelling with accuracy the place, and the time, and the person, and the type of calamity, and deliverance from it, and all the rest. First of all, I will say about Egyptian slavery. - Speaking to Abraham, (the Lord) says thus: "Know that thy seed shall be in a land that is not thy own: and they shall enslave me, and they shall make me angry for four hundred years." And to the tongue, which will be worked, I judge, God said: but in the fourth generation they shall return to this with many possessions (Gen. 2:11). XV, 13, 14, 16). You see how God spoke about the number of years - four hundred years, and about the quality of slavery, because they will not only enslave, but also embitter. Listen, then, as Moses later tells of this anger: "Hymen is not given to thy servants, and plinths are spoken unto us" (Exod. V, 16). Moreover, every day they were scourged. This is what it means: they will enslave and embitter. As for the tongue, which will be worked, I judge Az (says God), and by this he points to the drowning of the Egyptians in the Black Sea. And Moses, describing this in songs, says thus: "Cast the horse and the rider into the sea" (Exod. XV, 1). Then it is said about the type of return (of the Jews from Egypt) - that they will return with a multitude of vessels: let him ask of his neighbors and friends vessels of silver and gold (Exod. III, 22). And the prophet exclaimed, "And I have made me sick with silver and gold, and I shall not be sick in their tribes" (Ps. CIV, 37). So one slavery is predicted in full detail! Now let us turn our speech to another one. To which one? To the Babylonian. And Jeremiah foretold of him with exactness, saying, "For thus saith the Lord, When the seventy years shall be fulfilled in Babylon, I will visit you, and I will set my word of good against you, that I shall restore you to this place." And I will turn your captivity, and I will gather you from all tongues and from all countries, in which I have cast you out, saith the Lord, And I will bring you back to the place whence I have commanded you to bring you (Jer. XXIX, 10, 14). Do you see how God again indicated the city, and the number of years, and where He wanted to gather them, and where to gather them? Therefore, Daniel did not pray for them until he saw that the seventy years were already fulfilled. Who is talking about this? Daniel himself thus: "O Daniel, do the works of the king, and it seemed to him that he saw a vision, and he did not understand it" (Dan. VIII, 27). And the number of years is understood in the books, as the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah the prophet, seventy years at the end of the desolation of Jerusalem. And I have given my face to the Lord God, that I may seek prayers and petitions in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes (IX, 2, 3). Thou hast heard how this slavery was foretold, and how the prophet did not dare to offer up prayer and supplication to God before a certain time, lest thou pray in vain and in vain, lest thou hear the same thing that Jeremiah heard: "Pray not for these people, neither pray for them, nor ask for them, lest I hear thee" (Jer. VII, 16)? But when (Daniel) saw that (God's) decree had been fulfilled, and the time had already come to return (from captivity); then he begins to pray, and not simply, but in fasting and in sackcloth and in ashes. In relation to God, he acted as it usually happens between people. And when we see that some (masters), for great and frequent offenses, have put their servants in prison, we do not ask now, not immediately, not at the very beginning of the punishment (for the guilty), but, having allowed them to come to their senses for a few days, then we approach the masters with a request, having help for ourselves and in time itself. This is what the prophet did: when the Jews had already suffered a punishment, although not commensurate with their crimes, but had suffered completely, then he came to God to pray for them. If you wish, let us listen to the prayer itself. Confess, saith the prophet, and say: O Lord, great and wonderful God, keep Thy covenant and Thy mercy to them that love Thee, and keep Thy commandments (Dan. IX, 4). What are you doing, Daniel? When you intercede for people who have sinned and offended (God), do you mention those who keep His laws? Do those who transgress His commandments deserve forgiveness? I say this not for the sake of these, the prophet answers, but for the sake of the ancient forefathers, for the sake of Abraham, for the sake of Isaac, for the sake of Jacob. To them, he says, God promised (His mercy), to them who kept His commandments. Since these (descendants) have no right to salvation, that is why I mentioned the ancestors. And lest thou should think that the prophet is speaking of these (descendants), he, after saying, "Keep Thy covenant and Thy mercy unto them that love Thee, and keep Thy commandments," immediately added: "Thou hast sinned, the wicked, the wicked, the wicked, the apostatic, the departed from Thy commandments and from Thy judgments, and Thy servant has not obeyed Thy prophets" (Dan. IX, 5-6). Sinners, after their sins, are left with only one excuse – the confession of their sins. And here you pay attention to the virtue of the righteous man, and to the wickedness of the Jews. He, not knowing anything evil about himself, condemns himself very severely, saying: "I have sinned, I am wicked, I am wicked; but these, guilty of innumerable sins, did the opposite, saying, "Let us keep it: even now we bless strangers, and all who do wickedness are built" (Malach. III, 14, 15). For just as it is customary for the righteous to humble themselves even after good works, so it is for the wicked to be vain after sins. He who knew nothing of himself said, "I am wicked, and we have deviated from Thy commandments; and those who had an innumerable number of sins on their consciences said, "Let us keep Thy commandments!" I say this so that we may avoid this (vanity), and imitate that (humbly).

6

Having denounced the iniquity of the Jews, the prophet then speaks of the punishment that they suffered, trying to bend God to mercy in this way: "And there came upon us," he says, "the oath inscribed in the law of Moses, the servant of God, as having sinned" (Dan. IX, 11). What is this oath? Do you want us to read it? If ye do not serve, says Moses, the Lord your God, and the Lord shall bring upon you a tongue without a tongue, which thou shalt not hear, and thou shalt remain among the least (Deut. XXVIII, 15, 49, 50, 62). This was also pointed out by the three youths; and they, showing that such a punishment had come upon them for their deeds, and confessing before God the common sins (of the people), said, "Thou hast delivered us into the hands of lawless enemies, vile apostates, and to an unrighteous and wicked king more than all the earth" (Dan. III, 32). Thou seest how the oath was fulfilled, which said: Thou shalt remain among the few; And one more thing: I'll bring the language of Bestuden to you. Daniel points to the same thing here, saying: "And the evil one came against us, and there was no one under all the heavens, according to those who were in Israel" (IX, 12). What kind of evil is this? Mothers ate their children. Moses foretells this, and Jeremiah speaks as if it had already happened. He says that the young in you, and the young in you, whose foot is not accustomed to walk on the ground of youth and youth, will come to the impious meal and eat her child (Deut. XXVIII, 56, 57). And Jeremiah, showing that this had happened, said, "The hands of the merciful wives have cooked their children" (Lamentations. IV, 10). But even after speaking of the sins which the Jews had committed, and having presented the punishment which they suffered, (Daniel) does not yet consider them worthy of pardon. Look, what a conscientious slave he is! Having shown that the Jews have not yet suffered as much as they deserved by their sins, and have not made amends for their iniquities by their sufferings, he finally resorts to the kindness and love of God, saying: "And now, O Lord our God, who hast brought thy people out of the land of Egypt, and hast made unto thyself a name, as this day thou hast sinned, the wicked" (Dan. IX, 15). As Thou didst save them, not because of their good works, but because Thou didst see (their) sorrow and distress, and heard their cry, so deliver us also from present calamities through Thy love for mankind alone; We have no other right to salvation. Having said this, and having wept enough, Daniel finally presents the city as a kind of captive wife, and says: "Show Thy face in Thy sanctuary, incline Thy ear, O my God, and hear, open Thy eyes, and behold our consumption, and Thy city, in which Thy name was called upon it" (Dan. IX, 17, 18). For, having examined the people, he did not see one among them who could propitiate God; then he turns to the buildings, exposes the city itself, points out its desolation, and having thus concluded the word (prayers), propitiated God, as is evident from what follows. But what did I talk about? It is necessary to return again to the very subject of the word; however, I did not introduce this in vain or without intention, but in order to give your mind, which is tired of incessant debates, a little rest. Let us, therefore, return to the beginning of this apostasy, and show that the calamities that were to befall the Jews were foretold with all accuracy. The discussion of the two slaverys proved that they befell the Jews after the prophecies, and not suddenly and unexpectedly. It remains at last to present the third slavery, and then to speak of the present in which they now find themselves, and to show clearly how no prophet has promised that they would receive deliverance and deliverance from their present afflictions. What is the third slavery? The one that was in the time of Antiochus Epiphanes. When Alexander, king of Macedonia, having overthrown Darius king of Persia, and subdued his dominions, died, he was succeeded by four kings. From one of them, after a long time, came Antiochus: he burned the temple, devastated the holy of holies, destroyed the sacrifices, enslaved the Jews, and overthrew their entire social order.

7

And all this, with all exactness, even to a single day, was foretold by Daniel, and when it will be, and how, and from whom, and how, and where it will end, and what it will change into. But you will see this more clearly when you hear about the very vision which the prophet gave us in the parable, calling the Persian king Darius a ram, the Greek king, i.e. Alexander the Great, a goat, the kings who rose after him with four horns, and Antiochus himself with the last horn. However, it is better to listen to the vision itself. I saw in a vision, says the prophet, and was on the hill (as he calls a place in the Persian language): And my eyes were lifted up, and I saw: and behold, a ram stood alone before the hill, having horns, and horns high: and the one was higher than the other, and the one ascending higher than the last. And when he saw a ram butting on the sea, and to the north, and to the south, and all the beasts would not stand before him, nor deliver him out of his hand, but did according to his will, and became magnified. and I am meditating (Dan, VIII, 2-5). It is he who speaks of Persian power and domination, which extended over the whole earth. Then, speaking of Alexander the Great, he says, "And behold, a goat came from the goats from the west on the face of all the earth: and he did not touch the ground: and to that goat we see a horn between his eyes" (v. 5). Then he speaks of Alexander's attack on Darius, and of his decisive victory over him: "And the goat came to the ram that had horns, and was furious, and smote the ram," we can shorten the story, "and broke both his horns, and did not deliver the ram out of his hand" (v. 6, 7). Then, after mentioning the death of Alexander, he speaks of the appearance of four kings after him: "And when his great horn was strengthened, he was broken: and the four roses arose under him, according to the four winds of heaven" (v. 8). At last, having passed over to the reign of Antiochus, and showing that this Antiochus was descended from one of those four kings, thus he says: "And from one of them the generation is strong, and the nobles are magnified to the south and east," v. 9. Further, he shows that Antiochus also destroyed the kingdom of Judah, saying: "And for his sake the sacrifice shall be troubled by sin, and thou shalt be pleased with it, and the holy shall be desolate, and sin shall be given to the sacrifice." Indeed, after the overthrow of the altar and the trampling of the holy place, Antiochus set up an idol inside the temple, and ordered lawless sacrifices to demons. And righteousness shall be cast down to the ground: and do, and be prosperous, v. 11, 12. Then, speaking on another occasion about this very reign of Antiochus, about the captivity and capture (of Jerusalem) and the desolation of the temple, the prophet determines the time itself. Namely, beginning with the reign of Alexander, and towards the end of the book, having narrated all that had happened during that time, all that the Ptolemies and Seleucids and their generals had done in mutual struggle, of intrigues and victories, of campaigns and wars on sea and land, and having reached Antiochus, the prophet ends this narrative thus: "And the arms of him shall arise, and defile the holy things, and shall make things everlasting" (XI, 31), meaning by the eternal constant daily sacrifices; and they will give the abomination of desolation, and the lawless covenant, that is, the Jews who break the law, will be brought into delusion, they will take with them and resettle. but the people who lead their God will help, meaning here the feats of the Maccabees, performed by Judas, Simon, and John. And the people will understand much, and they will faint in the swords, and in the flames - this is again said about the burning of the city - and in captivity, and in the plundering of the days. And when they are exhausted, he will help them with a little help: with these words the prophet makes it clear that in the midst of those very calamities (the Jews) will have the opportunity to rest and be freed from the evils that have befallen them. And many will be added to them with delusion, and will faint from those who understand: by these words the prophet shows that many of those who stand will fall. Then he also expresses the reason why God allowed the Jews to fall into such calamities. What is this reason? If I kindle, he says, and choose, and open even to the end of time. That is, God allowed this in order to purify them and show the faithful among them. Then, speaking of the power of the same king (Antiochus), the prophet says: "And he will do according to his will, and he will be exalted and magnified." And pointing out his blasphemous designs, the prophet adds that he will cry out against the God of gods, and will rule until his wrath is over, and by this he makes it clear that Antiochus was so strengthened not by his own will, but by the wrath of God against the Jews. Finally, having spoken in greater detail about how much evil (Antiochus) he will do to Egypt and Palestine, how he will return, and at whose call, and for what motivating reason, Daniel also speaks of the change of circumstances, that the Jews, having survived all this, will receive help, and it is to them that the angel will be sent to help: and in the time of it, Michael the great prince will arise, Stand for the sons of thy people: and there shall be a time of tribulation, tribulation, for there shall be no such thing, but a tongue shall be formed on the earth, even unto that time: and at that time shall all thy people be saved, who have been found inscribed in the book (XXII, 1), that is, worthy of salvation.