4

But besides this, I will try to prove to you in another way that the Roman kings did all this to you, not by their own power, but because God was angry with you and forsook you. If this were a human matter, then your misfortunes should be limited only to captivity, and your humiliation would not extend further. Let it be according to you that the people have destroyed the walls, destroyed the city, and overthrew the altar: but have the people also ceased (the row) of the prophets? Have they taken away (from you) the grace of the Spirit? Have they also destroyed your other holy things, such as the voice of the purgatory, the power of anointing, and the appearing (Exod. XXVIII, 30) on the stones (vestments) of the priest? The beginnings of the Jewish system were not all earthly, but most and the most important of them were from above, from heaven. For example, God allowed sacrifices to be offered; the altar, of course, was on the ground, and the wood, and the knife, and the priest; but the fire that was to descend into that sanctuary and consume the sacrifices had a beginning from above. For it was not man who brought fire into the temple, but the flame descended from above and performed the service at the sacrifice. Likewise, if there was a need to know something, a voice came from within the cherubim from the purgatory, and foretold the future. Again, on the stones that were on the breast of the high priest, there was a certain radiance, or the so-called manifestation, and through it the future was revealed. In addition, when it was necessary to anoint someone, the grace of the Spirit was sent down and descended on the oil: the prophets performed these actions, and often a cloud and smoke covered the sanctuary. Wherefore, when the Jew saith unto thee, Men have risen up against us, men have done evil, say unto him that men would not have risen against us, and that men have done evil. if God had not allowed it. Let men break down your wall: but has man forbidden fire to descend from above? Did man forbid the voice that was constantly heard from the purgatory? Did the revelation on the stones, and the holy anointing, and all the rest, be destroyed by man? Did not God destroy this? Everyone understands. Why did He destroy? Is it not evident that because of anger and utter disgust for you? No, you will say, but since we do not have a capital, we do not have this either. Why don't you have a capital? Is it not because God has forsaken you? However, in order to completely stop the shameless lips of the Jews, let us prove from the Scriptures themselves that the reason for the cessation of the prophecy was not the destruction of the temple, but the wrath of God, and that they now provoke Him to anger Christ by enmity much more than when they worshipped the calf. When Moses prophesied, there was neither temple nor altar, and yet, though they did innumerable wicked works, the prophetic anointing was not taken away from them; on the contrary, there were then this great and valiant man, as well as other seventy prophets besides him. Yes, not only then (they had prophets), but also afterwards, when the temple and the entire order of divine services were given. And when (the temple) was burned, and all the Jews were led away to Babylon, and then Ezekiel and Daniel, though they did not see the holy of holies, did not stand before the altar, but were in the land of the foreigners, among lawless and unclean people, yet they were filled with the Spirit, foretold the future, even spoke of more numerous and wondrous things than the former (prophets), and saw a divine vision, as far as they could see him. Why, tell me, do you have no prophets now? Is it not evident that God has turned away from you? Why then did He turn away from you? It is also evident that for the Crucified One and for the wicked deed (done to Him). From what can this be seen, you say? Of the things that ye formerly lived, though ye lived wickedly, yet had all things; but now, after the cross, although you seem to live better, you nevertheless endure a greater punishment and have nothing of the former kind.

5

But in order that you may know the cause of the present calamities from the prophets themselves, who clearly and thoroughly proclaimed them, listen to what Isaiah says, as he foretells both about the future blessings of Christ, and about your ingratitude. By His wound we are healed, He says, predicting the salvation of all by the Cross. Then, explaining who we are, he added: "All are like sheep that have gone astray, and a man has gone astray in his way." And in explaining the sufferings of the Cross, He says: "As a sheep is led to the slaughter, and as a lamb is silent before his shearer, so he does not open his mouth: in His humility His judgment shall be taken" (Isa. LIII, 58). And where can we see it fulfilled? In the lawless trial of Pilate. For after there had been so many witnesses against Jesus, He, says (the Gospel), answered them nothing: and when the governor said to him, "Have you not heard, they bear witness to you" (Matt. XXVII, 13), He did not answer, but stood silent. This is what the prophet said long before: "As a sheep is led to the slaughter, and as a lamb is silent before his shearers." Then, showing what iniquity was then committed in the judgment seat, he says: In His humility His judgment will be taken. For then no one pronounced righteous judgment on Him, but received false testimony against Him. The reason was that He did not want to defend Himself: for if He had willed, He would have shaken and shaken everything. If already, while on the cross, He tore apart the stones, darkened the world, turned away the sun's rays, made night out of the day over all the earth; then, of course, he could have done the same in the judgment seat. But He did not want this in order to show His meekness and humility. Wherefore saith the prophet, In His humility His judgment shall be taken. Then, showing that He was not one of the common people, the prophet added: "Who shall tell His generation?" Indeed, of whom does the prophet say this, that His life shall be grounded from the earth? That is why Paul also says: our life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ appears, our life, then ye also shall appear with Him in glory (Col. III, 3, 4). But since I have proposed to say and prove that it is for Him that the Jews suffer real calamities, it is time to quote the words of Isaiah. Where does he talk about this? Having spoken of the judgment seat, of murder, of His taking upon Himself (our sins), having said that His life shall be grounded from the earth, the prophet added: "And I will give the wicked instead of burying Him, and the rich instead of His death" (Isa. LIII, 9). He did not simply say, "Of the Jews," but of the wicked. For who can be more cunning than those who, after so many blessings, have killed their Benefactor? If this had not happened, if you had not disgraced yourselves now, and had not lost all that was fatherly; If your temple had not fallen into ruins, and your fate had not been deplorable beyond all description, you might not have believed yet, Jew; But if deeds cry out and the prophecy has come true, why do you persist in vain and in vain? For where is your shrine now? Where is the high priest? Where are the garments, and the word of judgment (Ex. XXVII, 15), and apparition (v. 30)? Do not speak to me of (your present) patriarchs, innkeepers, merchants, who are full of all iniquity. What kind of priest is there, tell me, when there is no ancient anointing, nor all the other holy things? What priest, tell me, when there is no sacrifice, no altar, no worship? If you wish, I will tell you the laws concerning the priesthood, according to which in ancient times (high priests) were ordained, so that you may know that the present patriarchs, so called by you, are not priests, but only wear the guise of priests, and play as it were on the stage, or even cannot endure the masks, so far are they, not only from the truth, but even from its likeness. Remember, then, how Aaron was then ordained a priest, how many sacrifices Moses made for him, how many animals he slaughtered, how he washed him, how he anointed the edge of his ear, his right hand, and his right foot, and then commanded him to remain inside (the tabernacle) for the appointed number of days. But it is better to listen to the very words of the Scriptures. This, it is said, is the anointing of Aaron, and the anointing of his sons (Lev. VII, 35). And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Understand Aaron, and his sons, and their garments, and the anointing oil, and the calf which is for sin, and the ram, and the assembly, thou shalt gather before the door of the Tabernacle of Witness. And Moses spake unto the assembly, This is the word which the Lord hath commanded. And then bring them abridged, let us set forth in abbreviated terms: I shall be clothed with water, and girded with a girdle, clothed with a girdle, with an undergarment, with the upper garment, and with the girdle thereof, and put the word, and upon the word manifestation and truth, and it shall fade upon his head, and upon the golden daughter; And thou shalt take some of the oil, and sprinkle it on the altar, and consecrate it, and the vessels, and the basin, and it stands, and I consecrate, and the drink-offerings thereof upon Aaron's head. And he did the same with his sons, and brought the calf. And when he had slain him, then, after the laying on of the hands of Aaron and his sons, he took him out of the roof, and laid it on the horns of the altar, and cleansed the altar, and shed the blood on the altar stand, and sanctified it, while you prayed therein. And when he had burned some parts of the calf, some inside, some outside the tabernacle, he brought another ram, and offered it for a burnt offering. And he brought another ram, and when the hands of Aaron and his sons had been laid on him, he slew him, and having taken of his blood, he put it on the tip of Aaron's right hand, and on the edge of his right hand, and on the edge of his right foot. and he did the same with his sons. Then, taking some parts of the sacrifice, he put it in the hands of Aaron and his sons, and so he offered it (to God). And again he took the blood and the oil, and sprinkled it on Aaron, and on his garments, and on his sons, and on the garments of his sons. And he sanctified them, and commanded that the flesh should be boiled in the court of the tabernacle, and that it should be eaten there. And out of the door of the tabernacle of witness ye shall not come forth, he said, seven days, until the day is finished, the day of your accomplishment. In the seven days ye shall make your hands (Lev. VIII, 1 et seq.). So when (the Scripture) says that Aaron was thus ordained, thus cleansed, thus sanctified, thus propitiated God, and now none of these things happen, neither sacrifice, nor burnt offering, nor drink-offering of blood, nor anointing with oil; when there is no tabernacle of witness, and the present priest of the Jews does not dwell for a certain number of days in the sanctuary; then it is evident that he is neither perfect, nor pure, nor lawless, nor filthy, and provoking the wrath of God. For if a priest could not be ordained in any other way than in this way, it is evident that they have no priesthood when there are no such rites. You see, I have rightly said that they have deviated far not only from the truth, but also from its very likeness.

6

However, not only from this, but also from other things, one can also learn how honorable was the dignity of the priesthood. Thus, when certain impious and wicked men rose up against Aaron, endeavouring to deprive him of his authority, and disputing his honor, the meek Moses, desiring to make them understand by his very deed, that he had not raised Aaron to his dignity, because he was his brother, kinsman, and his own man, but because he had entrusted him with the priesthood, in obedience to the decree of God, and commanded that a rod should be offered to each tribe, and also to Aaron. When they were brought, he took all the rods, put them in the tabernacle, and having placed them there, he commanded them to wait for God's decision through these rods. And so, when all the rods remained in the same form, Aaron alone suddenly vegetated, covered himself with leaves and fruits, so that they might know that the Lord of nature had again ordained (Aaron), using leaves instead of letters. For he who said in the beginning, Let the earth bring forth the former grass, and stirred up its power to bear fruit, made this tree also vegetate, dry and barren, without soil or root. And the rod was already a rebuke and a testimony both to the malice of those people and to the judgment of God, not uttering a voice, but by its very appearance more powerful than a trumpet, admonishing everyone not to attempt such deeds in the future. And not only in this way, but in another way, God ordained Aaron. When many, indignant, wanted Aaron's honor (power, as many seek and desire), Moses again commanded them to bring censers, put incense in them, and wait for a decision from above. And when they burned incense, the earth opened up, swallowed up all their partners, and the fire of heaven burned those who took the censer. And so that this would not be forgotten in the course of time and the descendants would know about the wondrous decision of God, Moses commanded that those censers should be hung near the altar, so that just as the rod would speak with its appearance without a voice, so these daughters would speak, instruct and advise all the descendants not to imitate their ancestors in madness, so as not to suffer the same punishment as them. Do you see how priests were ordained in ancient times? And now among the Jews all the children's toys, all the laughter, and shame, and tavern, all are filled with incalculable iniquity. Tell me, then, will you follow them, who are always trying to do and say only things contrary to the laws of God? Do you run to their synagogues? And are you not afraid that lightning will fall from the sky and burn your head? Do you not know that even if someone does not rob, but only finds himself in a den of robbers, he is subject to the same punishment as them? And what can we say about robbers? Surely you all know and remember that when certain scoundrels and deceivers overthrew our (royal) statues, not only these criminals, but all who happened to be there, were seized with them, taken to the judgment seat, and suffered cruel punishment? And you are in a hurry, tell me, to flee to where the Father is offended, where the Son is blasphemed, where the Sweet and Life-Giving Spirit is humiliated? And do you not fear, do you not tremble, entering these vile and unclean places? What excuse will you have, tell me, what excuse will you have, when you voluntarily push yourself into the abyss and throw yourself into the abyss? Do not tell me that the law and the books of the prophets lie there: this is not enough for the sanctification of the place. Which is more important, when the (sacred) books lie in a (known) place, or when (people) speak of what is contained in these books? Obviously, when one speaks and thinks about what is contained in books? Tell me, then, when the devil spoke from the Scriptures, were not his lips sanctified? It cannot be said: he remained what he was, the devil. And what about demons? And they preached and said, "These men are servants of the Most High God, who declare to you the way of salvation" (Acts 2:10). XVI, 17): shall we therefore place them in the ranks of the apostles? Nohow; on the contrary, we also (as before) abhor and hate them. Thus, even the pronunciation of (sacred) words does not sanctify; And do they sanctify books by what they are lying around? How is this possible? For this reason I especially hate the synagogue, because the law and the prophets lie in it, and I hate it now more than when they were not in it. And why? Because it serves as a strong bait, a great temptation for simple souls. Wherefore Paul cast out the demon more quickly when he spoke, than when he was silent: and when he was cold, it is said, the spirit said, Come out of it, v. 18. For what? For shouting: "These men are servants of the Most High God." By keeping silence, (the demons) would not deceive so much; but, if they were to speak, they would attract many weak people, and would force them to listen to them in other cases. In order to open the door to their deceptions and to make the lie more plausible, the demons mixed with it a few truths, just as those who prepare poisonous compositions, by smearing the edges of a vessel with honey, achieve that the harmful potion is easily accepted. That is why Paul especially could not endure and hastened to stop their mouths from arrogating to themselves a dignity that did not belong to them. And therefore I hate the Jews, because they have the law, but break it, and thereby try to deceive the simple-minded. They would not be so guilty if they rejected Christ because they did not believe the prophets. And now they have deprived themselves of all excuse, saying of themselves that they believe the prophets, and yet blaspheming Him of whom they prophesied.

7