However, our question has not yet been resolved. What does it consist of? In the fact that God has determined how much time the Jews should spend in this slavery, just as in the first four hundred, and in the second seventy years. And so let us see if there is not a time here as well. But where can you find it? In the further narration (of the Prophet Daniel). When he heard of the many and grievous calamities, of the burning (of Jerusalem), of the overthrow of the state (of Judah), of the captivity of his fellow countrymen, he wanted to know whether there would be an end to these calamities. And he said, inquiring about this: Lord, what is the last of these? And he said, "Come, Daniel, for the word is barred and sealed" (indicating the obscurity of the words) even to the end of time. Then he reveals the reason for the allowance of calamities: "Until they are chosen, and they are made white, and many are tempted by fire: and the wicked shall be guilty of iniquity, and all the wicked shall not understand, but shall understand the wise" (Dan. XII, 9, 10). Then, predicting the very time during which these calamities will weigh upon them, he says: from the time of the change of the sacrifice of the everlasting. A daily sacrifice was called "everyday" because it was constant and uninterrupted. It was the custom of the Jews to offer sacrifice to God in the evening and in the morning of every day: for this reason the prophet called that sacrifice permanent. And since Antiochus, having come, destroyed this custom and put an end to it, the angel also said that from the time of the change of the everlasting sacrifice, that is, from the time of the cessation of this sacrifice, there are two hundred and ninety days, that is, three years and a half, and a little more. Then, revealing that there would be an end and a cessation of these calamities, he added: Blessed is he who endures and has reached to the days of three hundred and thirty-five, that is, to one thousand two hundred and ninety forty-five days; for one month and a half the war continued, which ended (for the Jews) with a brilliant victory, and at the same time with a complete deliverance from the calamities that weighed on (the Jews). And so, with the words, "Blessed is he who endures, and attains to the days of three hundred and thirty-five," the angel prophesied deliverance (from calamities); however, he did not say simply: attained, but endure and attained. Many of the wicked have seen the change of circumstances, but the angel does not bless indiscriminately, but only those who have suffered during the time of tribulation, have not betrayed their piety, and then have already attained peace. That is why he did not simply say: attained, but endure and attained. What could be clearer than this? You see how the prophet foretold both the captivity and the deliverance from captivity with all accuracy, not only to the last year and month, but to the last day. And in confirmation that I say this not only from my own conjecture, I will also bring you another witness, whom the Jews consider worthy of special probability, I mean Joseph, who both touchingly described their calamities, and set forth in detail the entire Old Testament. Living after the coming of Christ and having talked about the captivity (of the Jews by the Romans) predicted by Him, Joseph also told about this captivity that had taken place (under Antiochus Epiphanes), and he also interpreted the prophet's vision of the ram, the goat, the four horns, and the last horn that appeared after them. And so that no one should suspect our words, we will offer his true words. Having praised Daniel to the point of excess, and placing him above all the other prophets, Joseph refers to this vision as well, saying:14 "He (Daniel) left writings in which he gave us an accurate and trustworthy description of his prophecy. He says that in Susa, the capital of Persia, he went out into the field with some of his men, and when a sudden earthquake happened, his friends fled, and he was left alone. Then he fell on his face, leaning on both hands; And when someone touched him and commanded him to stand up and see what was to happen to his countrymen after many generations, he arose, and there appeared to him a great ram, which had grown many horns, but the last of them was taller than the others. Then, looking to the west, he saw a goat rushing through the air, which fought with a ram, struck it twice with its horns, knocked it to the ground and trampled it down. Then he saw that the goat had grown taller, and a large horn had grown on his forehead; when this horn was broken, the other four sprang up, facing each of the (four) winds; and out of them came another smaller (horn), which then grew. Having shown this (to Daniel), God said that his people would be defeated, the city taken by force, the temple plundered, the sacrifice stopped; and this will continue until one thousand two hundred and ninety days. This is what Daniel saw, as he himself wrote, in the field in Shushan, and the explanation of the vision, he says, was given to him by God, who said that the ram signified the kingdom of Persia and the Medes, and the horns of the kings to come; The last horn signifies the last king, who will surpass all in wealth and glory. The goat means that the Greeks will produce a king who, having twice attacked the Persian king, will defeat him in war and completely deprive him of power. The large (first) horn on the forehead of the goat means the first king; and the other four, which grew up after his destruction and turned to the four corners of the world, point to the successors of the first king and the division of the kingdom between them; for neither his children nor his relatives shall rule over the world for many years. From these (successors) will come one king, who will conquer (the Jews), abolish both their laws and statutes, plunder the temple, and forbid sacrifice for three years. And all this our people had to suffer from Antiochus Epiphanes, as Daniel had predicted and recorded many years before."

9

What could be clearer than this? It is now, however, if we have not tired you, to turn to the main subject, that is, to the present captivity, to the present slavery (of the Jews), because of which we have said all this. Be attentive, for we are not dealing with unimportant matters. Those sitting at the Olympic Games from midnight to noon wait to see who will get the wreath; they take the red-hot rays of the sun on their naked heads, and leave the spectacle no sooner than when the judgment on the feats of the fighters is pronounced; it is so inappropriate for us now to complain of fatigue, when the struggle is not even for such a wreath, but for an imperishable crown. Thus we have sufficiently proved that three captivities were foretold, of which one lasted four hundred years, another seventy, and the third three and a half years. Now let's talk about the current one. And what the prophet foretold about him, I will again present as a witness the same Joseph, their (the Jews') like-minded man. After he has spoken of the above, listen to what he says further: "In like manner Daniel wrote of the dominion of the Romans, and that Jerusalem would be taken by them, and the temple desolate." Here consider that the writer of this, although he was a Jew, nevertheless did not dare to imitate you in his passion for disputes. For when he said that Jerusalem would be taken, he did not dare to add that (that city) would be rebuilt again, nor to give a fixed time for this; but, since he knew that the prophet had not appointed a time, although he had said above, concerning the victory of Antiochus and the devastation he had wrought, how many days and years the captivity would last, yet he did not add anything about the dominion of the Romans; he only wrote that Jerusalem and the temple would be desolate, and whether there would ever be an end to the desolation they had wrought, he did not add this, because he saw that the prophet did not add to it. "And when God showed all these things to Daniel, he wrote them down, and left them with us, that when we read his prophecies, and saw them fulfilled, we might marvel at the honor which God had vouchsafed Daniel." So let's see, where did Daniel say that the temple would be desolate? After he had made the above-mentioned prayer in sackcloth and ashes, Gabriel came to him and said, "Seventy weeks are shortened for thy people, and for the holy city" (Dan. IX, 24). Here, you say, is the time indicated? Yes, the time, only not (the end of) the captivity, but the time after which the captivity should take place. For it is one thing to say how long the captivity will last, and another how long it must follow and come. Seventy weeks, he says, are shortened for thy people; He did not say, Concerning my people, although the prophet said, Show thy face to thy people; no, God is already shunned (by the Jewish people) for their future sin. Then he also points out the reason: that sin may be promised and sin will end. What does it mean: that sin may end? They (the Jews) sin many, he says, but the height of their iniquities will be when they kill their Lord. Christ also speaks of this: "And ye shall fulfill the measure of your father" (Matt. XXIII, 32). You, he says, have killed the slaves: add the blood of the Lord already. See what agreement there is in your thoughts. Christ said: "Fulfill; The prophet says: Sin will end, and sins will be sealed. What does it mean: they will be sealed? That there will be nothing left (to make the Jews so wicked). And everlasting righteousness will be brought forth. What eternal truth is this, if not that which is given by Christ? And the vision and the prophet will be sealed, and the holy of holies will be anointed, that is, the prophecy will finally cease, for this is to seal, the anointing will cease, the vision will cease. Therefore Christ said: "The law and the prophets before John" (Matt. XI, 11). Do you see how God threatens the Jews here with complete desolation and retribution for sins and wickedness? He does not (promise) to forgive, but threatens to punish them for their sins!

10

When did it come true? When did prophecy cease altogether? When was the anointing destroyed so that it will never be restored? If we remain silent, the stones will cry out: "Events are so clearly to speak!" And we cannot point to any other time in which this would be fulfilled than the present, which has already lasted so long and will continue even more. Further, God says even more precisely: "And weigh and understand, from the departure of the word, if thou shalt declare, and if thou shalt keep Jerusalem even unto Christ, the elders of seven seven, and sixty-two sevens" (Dan. IX, 25). Now listen to me attentively: for here lies the whole question. Seven weeks and sixty-two weeks make four hundred and eighty-three years: the weeks here are not meant days or months, but years. But from Cyrus to Antiochus Epiphanes and the captivity (who was with him) passed (only) three hundred and ninety-four years. Thus (God) makes it clear that He is not speaking of that desolation of the temple (from Antiochus Epiphanes), but about that which came after him from Pompey, Vespasian, and Titus; and thus spends time further. Then, in order to show us whence the reckoning should lead, he says that (it is necessary to count) not from the day of return, but from where? From the exodus of the word, to declare, and to protect Jerusalem; but it was built not under Cyrus, but under Artaxerxes Longimanus. For after the death of (Cyrus) Cambyses ascended (the throne), after him the Magi, after them Darius Istaspus, then Xerxes, the son of Darius, after him Artabanus; after Artabanus, Artaxerxes Longiman reigned in Persia, and during his reign, in the twentieth year of his reign, Nehemiah, returning (from captivity), rebuilt the city. Ezra told us about this in detail. If, therefore, we begin to count four hundred and eighty-three years from here, we shall surely come to the time of this (last) destruction (of the temple). Therefore (God) says: The stack will be gathered and taken away. So from that time, he says, when (the city) rises (from the ruins) and receives its form, count seventy weeks, and you will see that the present captivity is not yet over. And in order to show this still more clearly, that is, that the calamities that weigh upon the Jews will have no end, He says thus: "And after the weeks of the sixty-two anointing shall be needed, and judgment shall not be in it: but the city and the holy shall be scattered with the elder to come, and shall be consumed as in the flood, so that there shall be no more remnant nor root; who would sprout again; and to the end of the army, reduced by the rank of perdition. And again of the same captivity he says: "Sacrifice and drink offering shall be taken away, and besides, in the sanctuary shall be the abomination of desolation, and even to the end of time the end shall be given to desolation" (IX, 2627). And when you, Jew, hear about the end, what else can you expect? And moreover: what does this mean beyond that? This means that to this, as has been said, to the taking away of sacrifice and libation, a still greater evil will be added. What is it? In the sanctuary is the abomination of desolation; the temple is called the sanctuary here, and the statue which the destroyer of the city placed in the temple is called the abomination of desolation. And even to the end, he says, desolation. For this reason Christ, who came in the flesh after Antiochus Epiphanes, foretelling of the impending captivity (of the Jews), and showing that Daniel prophesied about this captivity, says: "When ye see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, I stand in a holy place: whosoever honoreth, let him understand" (Matt. XXIV, 15). For among the Jews every idol and every image of man was considered an abomination; then Christ, mysteriously pointing to that statue, suddenly predicted and when, and from whom the captivity would take place. And that this is said of the Romans, Josephus also testified, as we have shown above. And so, what remains for us to say, when the prophets have foretold about other captivities with the appointment of a time (their continuation), and for the present one they not only did not appoint any time, but also added the opposite, that even to the end there will be desolation? And that what has been said is not false, we will also present evidence of experience itself. If (the Jews) had not attempted to build the temple, they might have said that if we had wanted to proceed and set about building, we would certainly have succeeded in doing so. But I will show that they attempted not once, not twice, but even three times and were repelled as it happens (happens with fighters) at the Olympic Games, so that the crown (of victory) indisputably belongs to the Church.

11

When did they, these always resisting the Holy Spirit, intricate and rebellious Jews, make attempts? After the devastation wrought under Vespasian and Titus, and having rebelled under Hadrian, they tried to restore their former state, but they did not know that they were going against the decree of God, which had decreed that their city should remain forever desolate, and that it was impossible to conquer by fighting against God. So, by rebelling against the (Roman) king, they only forced him to devastate (the city) in the end. For he, having struck and subdued them, and destroyed all that was still left (in Jerusalem), so that they could no longer act boldly, set up (there) his statue; then, considering that it might one day be destroyed, and wishing to impose on the Jews an indelible stain of defeat and a sign of their rebelliousness, he gave his name to the remnants of the city (Jerusalem). Since he himself was called Elihem Hadrian, he commanded the city to be called in the same way: from this (Jerusalem) to this day it is called Elia, after the name of him who took it and destroyed it. Do you see the first attempt of the shameless Jews? Look at what happened after him. Under Constantine they again attempted to do the same; but the king cut off their ears, and put on their bodies the mark of their indignation, and led them everywhere as fugitives and scoundrels, making them visible to all by such a distortion of the body, and admonishing those who lived everywhere (the Jews) not to dare to do such things. But all this (you will say) is old and was long ago; but your old people still know about it; but what I am going to say now is known even to the youngest; for it did not happen in the time of Hadrian and Constantine, but in the time of a king who lived only twenty years, in our lifetime. When Julian, who surpassed all kings in impiety, first invited (the Jews) to idolatry and persuaded them to their own impiety, then proposed (to restore) the ancient (Jewish) worship, saying that even your ancestors thus served God; Then they also unwillingly confessed the same thing that we have now proved, that is, that they are not allowed to offer sacrifices outside the city, and that they act lawlessly who perform (sacred) rites in a foreign land. And so, they said (to Julian), if you want us to offer sacrifices, give us back the city, rebuild the temple, open to us the holy of holies, restore the altar, and we will offer sacrifices now as before. And they were not ashamed, worthless and shameless, to ask the wicked and pagan king for this, and to invite his foul hands to build up the holy thing; they did not feel that they were encroaching on the impossible, and did not comprehend that if man were to destroy this holy thing, then man could also restore it, but when God destroyed their city, human power can never change what is prescribed by God's decree. For the holy God consults, who will destroy? and whosoever shall turn away His high hand (Isa. XIV, 27)? What He will raise up and will to be firm, it is impossible for people to destroy; just as He destroys and wants to remain ruined forever, it is also impossible to restore him. Suppose, however, Jews, that the king would restore the temple to you and restore the altar, which you expect in vain: but could he bring down to you from above the fire of heaven? And without him, your sacrifice would be both unclean and ungodly. The children of Aaron perished because they brought in an alien fire. But, blind to all this, they begged and begged him to unite with them and begin to build the temple. And he also appointed money for expenses, sent overseers for the work, summoned artists from everywhere, did everything, set everything in motion, so that gradually and little by little he would bring them to the offering of sacrifices, thinking that from this they would easily pass to idolatry, and at the same time, in a frenzy and madness, hoping to destroy the decree of Christ, that their temple would not be restored. But stumble upon the wise in their deceit (1 Cor. III, 19) immediately showed in practice that God's decrees are stronger than all and powerful are the actions of God's words. For as soon as the Jews had taken up this wicked work, and had begun to clear the foundation, and had hauled out not a little earth, and were about to begin the building, suddenly a fire came out of the ground, and burned many people, and even the stones that were in that place, and stopped this untimely audacity, so that not only those who set to work, but many Jews who saw it, they were astonished and ashamed. Hearing of this, the emperor Julian, although he had such an insane zeal for this matter, nevertheless feared lest, by continuing it further, he should attract fire on his head, and he ceased his work, thus defeated with all paganism. And now, if you were to go up to Jerusalem, you would see only one reason; and if you were to ask about the reason, you would hear no other reason than this (of which we have spoken). We are all witnesses of this, for it happened in our presence, not so long ago. See how famous the victory is. This did not happen under pious kings, lest anyone should say that the Christians attacked and hindered the Jews; no, when our faith was persecuted, when we all feared for our lives and were deprived of all freedom, and paganism flourished; When some of the faithful hid themselves in their homes, others moved into the deserts and fled from the cities, then this happened, so that there would be no excuse for shameless obstinacy for the Jews.