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, the word 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, before the fulfillment of this promise and before their return (to Jerusalem), did not dare to do any of the decrees (concerning the feasts), 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, Jew, that He whom you crucified, after His crucifixion, destroyed your city, scattered your people, and scattered your tribe all over 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 are lying, 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, 713). 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, 2021). 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 indomitable fury, he, having commanded the Apostle to yield little outside, thus said to them: "Take heed to yourselves, for these men, what ye desire to 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, 3538). From whence 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 the 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 the least 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 predicted this, tell me, if there had been a simple, ordinary man? His words have the following meaning: since it happened that in one house there was one faithful and another unfaithful, and a father led his son to wickedness, then, predicting this, Christ says: the power of preaching will have such power that children will despise fathers, and daughters of mothers, and parents of children; The faithful will dare not only to leave their relatives, but also to give up their souls, to endure and endure everything, if only they do not renounce piety. 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 this, both about the woman and the church, and about this struggle, also foretold that the temple would be destroyed, Jerusalem would be taken, and this 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 deed of the woman has been preached throughout the whole world for so long, and that men who have believed in Him have preferred Him to their parents, wives, and children, why, tell me, 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 truth has very abundant means, then, leaving the Gospel, I will turn to the prophets, whom the Jews seem to have special faith, 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 foundation, 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 it is this one who must present witnesses and other refutations that the matter was not as the affair (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 books of the prophets. 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, 1618). Thus, so that the Jews did not attribute a single event to idols, but believed that both punishments and good deeds were always sent to them from God, the former for their sins, and these out of love (of 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 eloquent Isaiah says to the people of Judah: "Behold, how cruel thou art and thy vein is of iron, that is, unyielding, thy neck, and thy forehead is of brass, that is, shameless" (Isa. XLVIII, 4). In the same way, we often have the habit of calling shameless people copperheads. And I shall proclaim thee, saith the prophet, that they shall come against thee, before thou wast unto thee, and thou hast heard it, 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, which has been 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.