against Jews and Gentiles that Jesus Christ is the true God.

The full title of this work is as follows: "Against Jews and Gentiles, the proof that Christ is God, borrowed from the repeated predictions of the prophets about Him." In all likelihood, it was not pronounced from the church pulpit, but was appointed for reading, and was written when St. John was not yet in Constantinople (Rev. 9) and when he was preparing the Homilies exclusively against the Jews (Rev. 17). Thus, the place of writing of this discourse can be considered the city of Antioch, and the time of writing or promulgation - 386 or 387 A.D. X.

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I will begin the contest with the pagans. If a pagan asks: How can it be seen that Christ is God? (this must be offered in the first place, since everything else follows this), I will not point to heaven or anything else of the kind to prove it. If I tell him that he created the heavens, the earth, and the sea, he will not accept it; if I say that He raised the dead, healed the blind, and cast out demons, he will not accept this; if I say that He has promised a kingdom and unspeakable blessings, if I speak of the resurrection, he will not only not accept, but will even laugh. How are we going to convince him, especially if he is a commoner? What else but that which is equally and unquestioningly recognized by me and by him, and of which he cannot doubt? If I say beforehand that Christ created the heavens and the other things of which I have spoken, he will not soon agree to believe. What is it that even a pagan recognizes as the work of Christ, and which he will never contradict? That Christ planted Christianity; and a Gentile will certainly not contradict the fact that Christ founded churches throughout the universe. From this we shall borrow the proof of His power, and show that He is God, and say that it is impossible for a common man in a short time to traverse so vast a world, and a land, and a sea, and to attract so many people to Christianity, and moreover, preoccupied with bad customs, or, rather, given over to such vices. However, Christ managed to free the human race from all this, not only the Romans, but also the Persians and barbarian tribes in general. He did this without using arms, without spending money, without leading an army, without stirring up wars, but in the beginning through eleven men, ignoble, humiliated, unlearned, simple, poor, half-naked, unarmed, without shoes.

And the pagans, of course, will not contradict the fact that Christ was crucified by the Jews and endured innumerable tortures from them, and that the preaching (of the Gospel) increases from day to day. It is especially surprising that it flourishes not only here, but also among the Persians, although even now it is persecuted by them. Already among the pagans there are many martyrs, and those who were fiercer than the wolves, after receiving the sermon, have become more humble than sheep and are already inquiring about immortality, resurrection and ineffable blessings.

2. Moreover, such beneficent actions appeared not only in the cities, but also in the desert, and in the villages, and in the villages, and on the islands, and in the wharves of ships; and not only the commoners and their leaders, but also those clothed with diadems themselves submitted to the Crucified One with full faith. And that all this did not happen by chance, but was foretold long before the fulfillment, I will try to prove in the present reasoning; or rather, in order that my words may not be subject to suspicion, it is necessary to open the books of the Jews who crucified Him, and to set forth the testimonies of Him contained in these Scriptures, which are still preserved by them, before the eyes of unbelievers. Thus, Jeremiah is the first to proclaim that God will become man without ceasing to be God: "This is our God, and no one else can compare with Him. He found all the ways of wisdom and gave it to His servant Jacob and His beloved Israel. After that He appeared on earth and spoke among men." (Baruch 3:36-38). Do you see how clearly he depicted everything in a few words, and that God, without ceasing to be God, became man, and dealt with people, and that He Himself founded the Old Testament? "He hath found," says the prophet, "all the ways of wisdom, and hath bestowed it upon his servant Jacob, and unto his beloved Israel." With these words he shows that the Lord, even before His appearance in the flesh, Himself governed everything, Himself did everything: He gave laws, provided for Himself, preserved, and did good. And another prophet, listen to how he says that the Lord will not only be made man, but will also be born of a Virgin: "Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel, which means, God with us" (Isaiah 7:14; Matt. 1:23). Then, in order to show that the Lord will not only be visible, but truly man, he adds: "He will feed on milk and honey, until he understands to reject evil and choose good; for before this child understands to reject evil, and to choose good" (Isaiah 7:15-16). And that the Lord will not only be made man and be born of a virgin, but will also come from the house of David, listen to how Isaiah foretold long ago, though not in his own words, but figuratively, yet he foretells thus: "And there shall come forth a sprout from the root of Jesse, and a branch shall spring forth from his root; and the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and strength, the spirit of knowledge and godliness; and shall be filled with the fear of the Lord" (Isaiah 11:1-3). Jesse was David's father. From this it is evident that the Lord came from this tribe, and not only from this tribe, but from the house of Jesse, as the prophet predicted in the words: "A sprout shall come forth from the root of Jesse," meaning not just a rod, but Christ and His kingdom. And that he did not say this about the rod, he himself explained in the following words; For when he said, "A sprout shall come," he added, "And the Spirit of the Lord, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, shall rest upon him." No one, even the most foolish, will say that the grace of the Spirit descended on the tree, but it is obvious that it dwelt in that most pure Temple. Why did the prophet not say, "He will come," but says, "He will rest"? Because the Spirit, having descended (upon Christ), remained in Him and did not depart from Him, as the Evangelist John clearly said: "I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and abiding upon Him" (John 1:32). The Evangelists did not keep silent about the mood of the Jews at His very birth. Matthew says: "When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him" (Matt. 2:3). And Isaiah, listen to how long ago he predicted about this: "They shall be given to be burned, to be food for the fire. For unto us a child is born, a Son is given unto us; the dominion is on His shoulders, and they shall call His name Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace" (Isaiah 9:5-6). That this cannot be said of the common man is evident even to people who are very inclined to verbiage; for from time immemorial no man was called a mighty God, and the prince of such a world as the prophet says: "To the increase of His dominion and peace there is no end" (Isaiah 9:7). Experience has indeed shown that the peace of Christ has spread over all the earth, over all the sea, over all the world, inhabited and uninhabited, over mountains, and caves, and hills, from the day on which He, before His ascension, said to His disciples: "My peace I give unto you; not as the world giveth I give unto you" (John 14:27). Why did Christ say so? Because the human world is easily disturbed and subject to many changes; but His peace is firm, unshakable, strong, permanent, immortal, infinite, although innumerable persecutions are everywhere raised up against it, and many intrigues are daily plotted. His all-powerful word suited Him with all this, along with everything else.

3. And not only that the Lord would become man, but also the very image of His coming was foretold by the prophets. He came, not sending thunder and lightning from above, not shaking the earth, not shaking the heavens, and not producing any terrible manifestations, but being born without noise and in obscurity, in a carpenter's house, poor and ignoble; about which, listen, how David did not keep silent: "It will come down," he says, "like rain on a mown meadow" (Psalm 71:6), expressing with these words silence and tranquility. And not only about this, but also about how mercifully and meekly He will deal with everyone, see how clearly another prophet speaks. Being subjected to insults, spitting, backbiting, dishonor, scourging, and finally death on the cross, Christ did not take revenge on those who did this, but generously and meekly endured everything: reproaches, intrigues, fury and insane fury of the people, and other attacks; The prophet expressed all this in the words: "He will not break a bruised reed, nor quench a smoking flax; he shall execute judgment in truth, and shall not faint, nor faint, until he establish judgment on earth, and in his law the isles shall trust" (Isaiah 42:3-4). And another prophet also designated the place where the Lord was to be born: "And you," he says, "Bethlehem-Ephrathah, are you small among the thousands of Judah? from thee shall come forth a Leader, Who shall shepherd My people Israel, and Whose origin is from the beginning, from everlasting days" (Micah 5:2; Matt. 2:6). He points both to the Divinity and to humanity (Christ); for with the words, "From the beginning, from eternal days," he depicts the pre-eternal existence of the Lord; and with the words, "There shall come forth a Leader who shall shepherd my people Israel," His birth according to the flesh. Note here another clear prediction. The prophet said not only that the Lord would be born, but that the place of His birth, previously ignoble and unimportant, would become glorious: "Are you small among the thousands of Judah?" Indeed, the entire universe now flocks to Bethlehem to see the place where the newborn Lord was laid, and flocks for nothing else, but only for this. Another prophet also foretold the time in which the Lord was to appear: "He will not depart," he said, "the scepter from Judah, and the lawgiver from her loins, until the Mediator comes, and to Him is the obedience of the nations. He binds his colt to the vine, and to the vine of the best vine the son of his donkey; he washes his garments in wine, and his garments in the blood of the grapes; [his] eyes are shining with wine, and white teeth with milk" (Gen. 49:10-12). Note the correspondence of this prediction with the event itself. The Lord did come when the Jewish rulers had already lost their autocracy and were subject to the sceptre of Rome; thus were fulfilled the words of the prophecy: "The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor the lawgiver from his loins, until the Mediator comes," which were spoken of Christ. At the same time as His birth, the first census of the people was made, when the Romans began to rule over the Jews and subjected them to the yoke of their power. Another thing is signified by the words: "And to Him is the obedience of the nations" - that the Lord, having come, drew all nations to Himself. Herod, persecuting the newborn Jesus, gave orders to kill the infants who were in that place. And the prophets did not keep silent about this, but long ago they predicted thus: "A voice is heard in Ramah, a cry and bitter weeping; Rachel weeps for her children, and will not be comforted for her children, for they are not" (Jeremiah 31:15; Matt. 2:18). Likewise, they predicted His return from Egypt in the words: "Out of Egypt I called My Son" (Hos. 11:1). It was also foretold that soon after His appearance in open places Christ would perform signs and teach. Listen to what Isaiah says: "The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, on the way by the sea, beyond the Jordan, the Galilee of the Gentiles, a people sitting in darkness saw a great light, and light shone for them that sat in the land and in the shadow of death" (Isaiah 9:1-2; Matt. 4:15-16); by this he points to the appearance and teaching of the Lord in those places, and to the confession made in people by His miracles. Further, the prophet depicts other miracles and says how He will heal the lame, heal the blind, make the dumb speak: "Then the eyes of the blind will be opened, and the ears of the deaf will be opened. Then shall the lame man leap up like a deer, and the tongue of the dumb shall sing" (Isaiah 35:5-6). Such miracles never happened before the coming of Christ. Some signs, in particular, were also foretold by the prophets. For example, when Jesus entered the temple, the children, still fed on milk and unable to speak articulately, sang sacred songs to Him, exclaiming, "Hosanna in the highest, blessed is he that cometh in the Name of the Lord" (Matt. XXI, 9). The prophet foretold this long ago in the words: "Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings Thou hast ordained praise for the sake of Thy enemies, that Thou mayest make silent the enemy and the avenger" (Psalm 8:3). Do you see how innocent children who do not have an articulate voice, contrary to their nature, glorify the Creator and proclaim the apostolic gospel?

4. Often, when conversing with the Jews, because of their hardness of heart, the Lord spoke about many things in secret, in mysterious expressions and parables, about which it was also foretold long ago: "I will open my mouth in parables, I will speak divination from ancient times" (Psalm 77:2). And the wisdom of His conversations was foretold long ago by the prophet in the words: "Grace has poured out of Thy mouth" (Psalm 44:3). Another prophet also predicted the same thing: "Behold, My servant shall understand, and he shall be exalted, and glorified" (Isaiah 52:13). The same prophet, briefly narrating the blessings of His coming, combined with signs, said thus: "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, for the Lord has anointed Me to preach good news to the poor, He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and the opening of prison to the prisoners" (Isaiah 61:1). And it was foretold that after so many blessings His people would turn away from Him in vain and in vain, having no reason to accuse Him of anything, neither small nor great. Listen to how David foretold this: "With them that hate the world," he says, "I am at peace: but only when I speak, they are unto war" (Psalm 119:6-7). That the Lord, sitting on a colt, would enter the city, and this was long foretold by Zechariah in these words: "Rejoice with joy, O daughter of Zion, rejoice, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee, righteous and saving, meek, seated on an ass, and on a colt, the son of a foal" (Zech. 9:9).

He expelled from the temple those who sold doves and changed money (Matt. 21:12; Jn. 2:15). He did this, zealous for the house of God, and at the same time desiring to show that He did not resist God, but was in agreement with the Father; therefore He punished for His house, in which trade was carried on. And this is not left unindicated, but the Prophet David foretold about it, foretelling the intention with which Christ performed this punishment: "Zeal for Thy house," he says, "devours Me" (Psalm 68:10). What could be clearer than this? Christ was to be betrayed, and this betrayal was committed by the one who shared the meal with Him. See how the same prophet foretold this in the words: "The man who is at peace with me, in whom I trusted, who ate my bread, lifted up his heel against me" (Psalm 40:10). Notice how the Evangelist tells in agreement with him: "He who has put his hand into the dish with Me will betray Me" (Matthew 26:23). The betrayer not only betrayed the Lord, but by selling His precious blood and receiving money for it. And the prophet did not keep silent about this, but also pointed out the shameless conditions and consultations of the enemies of Christ. "O God of my praise!" he says, "be not silent, for ungodly lips and deceitful lips have been opened against me" (Psalm 108:1). The same traitor, later recognizing his guilt, threw away the pieces of silver, ended his life, hanging himself on a tree, leaving his wife a widow, his children orphans, and his house desolate. See how the prophet describes this sad event: "Let his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow" (Psalm 108:9-10). The place of the traitor was taken by Matthias; and this was foretold by the same prophet in the words: "Let another take his dignity" (Psalm 108:8). After Christ was betrayed and voluntarily gave Himself into the hands of His enemies, a judgment seat was formed of Jews and Gentiles, filled with great iniquity. See how the prophet foretells this: "Why," he says, "are the nations troubled, and the nations plot vain?" (Psalm 2:1)? And not only did the prophets foretell this, but Isaiah also clearly spoke about the silence of the Lord, which He kept when those around Him spoke and accused Him much: "Like a sheep He was led to the slaughter, and as a lamb before his shearer is silent, so He did not open His mouth" (Isaiah 53:7). Then, showing the injustice of the sentence, He adds: "In His humility is His judgment" (Isaiah 53:8), that is, no one judged Him justly; and then he explains the cause of Christ's death. He, as blameless and innocent, did not suffer for His sins, but was delivered up for the sins of the universe; on both, see how the prophet indicated: "He committed no sin, and there was no lie in His mouth" (Isaiah 53:9). With these words he explained why Christ was betrayed. There is another reason: "For the transgressions of my people I have suffered execution" (Isaiah 53:8). Wishing to show not only the cause, but also the fruits of His death on the cross, see how the prophet foretells about this: "We all," he says, "have wandered like sheep, each one has turned into his own way; the chastisement of our peace [was] upon Him, and by His stripes we were healed" (Isaiah 53:5-6). Then the same prophet also predicts the punishment to which the Jews were to be subjected for these iniquities in the following words: "They appointed a tomb for him with evildoers, but he is buried with the rich" (Isaiah 53:9). And David, having said: "Let us break their bands, and cast off their fetters," added: "He that dwelleth in heaven shall laugh, and the Lord shall mock them: then shall he speak unto them in His wrath, and with His wrath shall bring them into confusion" (Psalm 2:3-5), meaning the scattering of the Jews throughout the whole world, of which Christ Himself in the Gospel foretold in the following words: "And those of my enemies, those who would not have me reign over them, bring them hither, and slay them before me" (Luke 19:27). In addition, having spoken about the death of the Lord, the prophets did not keep silent about the very method of death, but David explained it in the following way: "They pierced My hands and My feet, it would be possible to number all My bones" (Psalm 21:17-18). Nor did he keep silent about the iniquity committed after Christ's death on the Cross, saying: "They divide my garments among themselves, and cast lots for my garments" (Psalm 21:19). Further, he also spoke about the burial of the Lord in the words: "Thou hast laid me in the pit of hell, in darkness, in the abyss" (Psalm 87:7). See how he also predicted that Christ would rise: "Thou shalt not leave My soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer Thy holy one to see corruption" (Psalm 15:10). And the prophet Isaiah predicts the same thing, only in different words: "The Lord wants to cleanse Him from the plague: to show Him light, to justify the righteous, who serves many well" (Isaiah 53:10-11). The same prophet predicted that the Lord's death would redeem people from their sins: "He bore the sin of many" (Isaiah 53:12); and that Christ will cast out demons from people: "And he will divide the spoils with the mighty" (Psalm 53:12). Nor did he keep silent about the fact that the Lord would accomplish this by His death: "because," he says, "He gave up His life to death" (Isaiah 53:12); he also predicted that Christ would have dominion over the world: "He will inherit many things" (v. 12). Nor did the prophets keep silent about the fact that the Lord, having descended into hell, would bring him into confusion, fill him with confusion and fear, and break down his stronghold. Of this David says: "Lift up your heads, O gates, and be lifted up, O everlasting doors, and the King of glory shall enter!" (Psalm 23:7); but Isaiah says in other words: "I will go before you, and level the mountains, I will break down the doors of brass, and I will break the bars of iron; and I will give thee the treasures that are kept in darkness and the hidden riches, and I will reveal unto thee the things that are not seen" (Isaiah 45:2), meaning hell here. Although it was hell, it contained the souls of the saints and the precious vessels of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. That is why the prophet called them treasures, and dark because the Sun of righteousness had not yet illumined hell and had not announced the resurrection. And that the Lord, after His resurrection, will not be numbered with angels, or archangels, or any other ministering power, but will sit on the royal throne, listen to how David says again: "The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand, until I make Thy enemies Thy footstool" (Psalm 109:1).

5. Isaiah then foretold that Christ would send the apostles (to preach) in the following words: "How beautiful are the feet of the evangelist on the mountains, announcing peace, preaching joy" (Isaiah 52:7). Notice how he glorifies the bodily members, the feet that carried the evangelists everywhere. And David also explains the method of their victory: "The Lord," he says, "gave the word to those who preached the gospel with great power" (Psalm 67:12). In fact, they conquered without the use of weapons, without spending money, not by bodily strength, not by the number of troops, and not by any other such means, but by a simple word, which had great power - the power of signs. They preached the Crucified One and performed signs, and thus conquered the universe. That is why the prophet says: "The Lord gave the word to those who preached the gospel with great power," meaning miracles here. And truly, the ineffable power was in the fact that the fisherman, the publican, and the skin-maker by their own commands raised the dead, cast out demons, delivered them from death, bridled the tongues of philosophers, stopped the mouths of rhetoricians, overcame kings and rulers, defeated barbarians, Greeks, and the entire human race. Well said the prophet. They did all this by word, and by much power they made the dead alive, the sinners righteous, the blind sighted, casting out diseases from the body and vices from the soul. And where did they get such strength? From the Holy Spirit, as it is said: "There appeared to them cloven tongues, as of fire, and rested one upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:3-4). Men and women began to prophesy, as Joel had long foretold in the words: "And it shall come to pass after this, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy; your old men will dream dreams, and your young men will see visions. And also on the male and female servants in those days I will pour out My Spirit, before the great and enlightened day of the Lord comes." (Joel 2:28-31); by the great and enlightened day he means here both the day of the descent of the Spirit and the future day of the end of the world. The same prophet also foretells salvation by faith (for this is not silent) thus: "And it shall come to pass, whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Joel 2:32).

6. That the Lord will send preachers into all the world, and that no one will remain unheard of the preaching, this is also foretold. Listen to the prophetic words of David about this: "Their sound goes through all the earth, and their words to the ends of the world" (Psalm 18:5). The same prophet in another place predicts that they will preach with authority, and will be more powerful than those who are clothed with diadems: "Thou shalt make them princes over all the earth" (Psalm 44:17). Indeed, the very deeds show that Peter and Paul surpassed kings and rulers. The laws of kings are abolished even during their lifetime; and the laws of these fishermen remain firm and unshakable even after their death, although demons, and long-term habit, and impiety, and voluptuousness, and other innumerable powers, tried to overthrow them. Further, wishing to show that these ordained "princes" would be desired and loved by all, the prophet added: "Therefore the nations shall praise Thee for ever and ever" (Psalm 44:18), that is, they will thank Thee, they will cherish great gratitude for the fact that Thou hast granted them such princes. It was also prophesied that the preaching (of the Gospel) would triumph everywhere. See how David presents this to you in these words: "Ask of me, and I will give the nations for your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for your possession" (Psalm 2:8). Another prophet foretells the same thing, expressing himself thus: "The earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea" (Isaiah 11:9). And note how easily this submission will be accomplished: "And they shall no more teach one another, brother of brother, and say, 'Know the Lord,' for they shall all know me themselves, from the least to the greatest" (Jeremiah 31:34); and what is the steadfastness of the church: "And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be set at the head of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills, and all nations shall flow unto it" (Isaiah 2:2). And that the Church will not only be firm, unyielding, and immovable, but will also spread abundant peace throughout the world, that after many kingdoms and powers have fallen, a single kingdom will rise above all, in which, not as in the former, abundant peace will reign; - since in ancient times even artists of all kinds and rhetoricians took up arms and joined the ranks of the army, after the coming of Christ all this ceased, and war became the occupation of only famous people; - and about this one prophet clearly said: "They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks: nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more" (Isaiah 2:4). In fact, in the past all men were engaged in war: but now they have forgotten the art of war; or rather, most of the people did not touch it at all; and if there are some (engaged in it), then few, rarely and in small numbers, whereas before there were incessant disturbances in every nation. Further, the prophet also predicts who the church will consist of. Since not only modest, meek and good people, but also fierce and inhuman people, and in their morals like wolves, lions and oxen, had to join with them, and all form one church, listen to how the prophet said about the diversity of this flock: "Then the wolf will dwell with the lamb" (Isaiah 11:6), thereby expressing the simplicity of the life of kings. And that it is not about beasts, let the Jew say, when did it happen? The wolf and the lamb never grazed together; and if they had ever begun to graze together, what would have been the benefit to the human race? No, he speaks of people with ferocious morals, of the Scythians, Thracians, Moors, Indians, Sauromatians, Persians. That all these nations would be subject to the same yoke, the other prophet clearly said: "They shall serve Him under one yoke, and shall worship Him every man from his own place" (Zeph. 3:9), not in Jerusalem alone, but throughout the whole world; for there will be no command for people to go to Jerusalem, but each one will remain at home and perform this service.

7. Nor did the prophets keep silent about the fact that the Jews would be rejected; See how the prophet foretold about it: "And the doors will be shut among you, and you will not kindle a fire on My altar freely" (Mal. 1:10). It is also foretold who will serve God: "From the east of the sun to the west," says the prophet, "My Name shall be great among the nations, and in every place they shall offer incense to My name, a pure sacrifice" (Mal. 1:11). Do you see how he depicted the dignity of this divine service, its superiority and establishment in place of the former one, and that this worship will depend not on the place, but on the inner disposition, and will consist not in incense and smoke, but in some other divine service. How, it will be said, did the apostles draw all the nations to themselves? How could one who knew only one language, the Hebrew, convince a Scythian, an Indian, a Sauromat, and a Thracian? Having received from the Holy Spirit the grace-filled gift of many tongues to convince the pagans; and for the persuasion of Israel, the giving of tongues. But the Jews did not heed the conviction, of which, listen to how the prophet says: "With evil lips and in a strange tongue... they will speak to this people, but they would not hear," saith the Lord (Isaiah 28:11-12). "What could be clearer than that?" The Jews did not believe, but the Gentiles were converted; And this was predicted. Listen to the prophet Isaiah, who clearly says: "I have made myself known to them that have not inquired about me; Those who did not seek Me found Me. "Here I am! behold I!' I said to a people who were not called by My name" (Isaiah 65:1); and about the Israelites: "All day long I stretched out My hands to a disobedient people" (Isaiah 61:2); and again: "I ascended before Him as a sprout, and as a sprout out of dry land" (Isaiah 53:2); and again, "Who believed what we heard, and to whom was the arm of the Lord revealed?" (Isaiah 53:1)? The prophet did not say, "to our teaching," wishing to show that the apostles did not speak of themselves, but proclaimed what they had heard from God. That our worship is more excellent than that of the Jews, Moses foretold, saying: "I will provoke you, "not with a people, but with a people of no sense I will grieve" you (Deuteronomy 32:21); by the expression: "not a people," he denoted the former humiliated state of the pagan people, who were not considered a people because of their contemptibility, ignorance, and madness; but the faith produced such a change in the Gentiles that they became much more honorable than the Jews who were honored. Here it is revealed that this will greatly move the Jews and they will become better because of it; for the prophet did not simply say, "I will prefer," but also indicated that their correction would come from envious irritation. "I will provoke you" with "not the people," he says, as if to say: "I will give them so many blessings that you will be jealous, that you will be irritated." This is what made them the best.

Now none of them slaughters their children, does not turn to idols, does not worship the calf. The beauty of virginity in the Old Testament was not even known by name, but in the New Testament it was to shine, as David predicts: "Virgins, her friends, are brought to Thee with gladness and rejoicing, they enter into the palace of the King" (Psalm 44:15-16). The prophets were not silent about the priests, i.e. about the bishops: "I will make peace your ruler, and righteousness your overseers," says Isaiah (Isaiah 60:17).

8. Christ will come again and demand an account from the human race, among other things from the Jews; about this, see how David and Malachi foretold; the latter says, "And who shall endure the day of his coming, and who shall stand when he comes? For He is like a refiner's fire, and like a cleansing lye, and He will sit down to refine and refine silver" (Mal. 3:1-3), in accordance with the words of Paul, who writes thus: "The day will show, because in fire it is revealed" (1 Cor. 3:13). And David, with the words: "God appears, our God is coming" (Psalm 49:2-3), also indicates His second coming. The first coming of Christ was very humble; but the second will not be the same, fear and terror will accompany it, the angels will precede it, and the very appearance will illuminate everything like lightning: "As lightning proceedeth from the east, and is seen even to the west, so shall be the coming of the Son of man" (Matt. 24:27), says the Lord, thus expressing the brilliance that announces itself, since it does not need a herald, but reveals itself. David expresses the same thing in the words: "Our God is coming." Then, depicting the future judgment, the prophet adds: "Before Him is a consuming fire, and around Him is a mighty storm" (Psalm 49:3). Having spoken of punishments, he also depicts the solemnity of judgment: "He calls from above heaven and earth, to judge His people" (Psalm 49:4), meaning by earth the human race. Further, having mentioned the Jews (to whom he is especially addressed) together with the whole human race, the prophet continues: "Gather to Me My saints, who have entered into a covenant with Me at the sacrifice." And the heavens shall declare His righteousness, for God is the judge."