Barnabas, The Epistle of Barnabas

Chapter XII.—The cross of Christ frequently announced in the Old Testament.

In like manner He points to the cross of Christ in another prophet, who saith,162 Cod. Sin. refers this to God, and not to the prophet. “And when shall these things be accomplished? And the Lord saith, When a tree shall be bent down, and again arise, and when blood shall flow out of wood.”163 From some unknown apocryphal book. Hilgenfeld compares Hab. ii. 11. Here again you have an intimation concerning the cross, and Him who should be crucified. Yet again He speaks of this164 Cod. Sin. reads, “He speaks to Moses.” in Moses, when Israel was attacked by strangers. And that He might remind them, when assailed, that it was on account of their sins they were delivered to death, the Spirit speaks to the heart of Moses, that he should make a figure of the cross,165 Cod. Sin. omits “and.” and of Him about to suffer thereon; for unless they put their trust in Him, they shall be overcome for ever. Moses therefore placed one weapon above another in the midst of the hill,166 Cod. Sin. reads πυγμῆς, which must here be translated “heap” or “mass.” According to Hilgenfeld, however, πυγμή is here equivalent to πυγμαχία, “a fight.” The meaning would then be, that “Moses piled weapon upon weapon in the midst of the battle,” instead of “hill” (πήγης), as above. and standing upon it, so as to be higher than all the people, he stretched forth his hands,167 Thus standing in the form of a cross. and thus again Israel acquired the mastery. But when again he let down his hands, they were again destroyed. For what reason? That they might know that they could not be saved unless they put their trust in Him.168 Or, as some read, “in the cross.” And in another prophet He declares, “All day long I have stretched forth My hands to an unbelieving people, and one that gainsays My righteous way.”169 Isa. lxv. 2. And again Moses makes a type of Jesus, [signifying] that it was necessary for Him to suffer, [and also] that He would be the author of life170 Cod. Sin. has, “and He shall make him alive.” [to others], whom they believed to have destroyed on the cross171 Literally, “the sign.” when Israel was falling. For since transgression was committed by Eve through means of the serpent, [the Lord] brought it to pass that every [kind of] serpents bit them, and they died,172 Comp. Num. xxi. 6–9; John iii. 14–18. that He might convince them, that on account of their transgression they were given over to the straits of death. Moreover Moses, when he commanded, “Ye shall not have any graven or molten [image] for your God,”173 Deut. xxvii. 15. Cod. Sin. reads, “molten or graven.” did so that he might reveal a type of Jesus. Moses then makes a brazen serpent, and places it upon a beam,174 Instead of ἐν δοκῷ, “on a beam,” Cod. Sin. with other mss. has ἐνδόξως, “manifestly,” which is adopted by Hilgenfeld. and by proclamation assembles the people. When, therefore, they were come together, they besought Moses that he would offer sacrifice175 Cod. Sin. simply reads, “offer supplication.” in their behalf, and pray for their recovery. And Moses spake unto them, saying, “When any one of you is bitten, let him come to the serpent placed on the pole; and let him hope and believe, that even though dead, it is able to give him life, and immediately he shall be restored.”176 Num. xxi. 9. And they did so. Thou hast in this also [an indication of] the glory of Jesus; for in Him and to Him are all things.177 Comp. Col. i. 16. What, again, says Moses to Jesus (Joshua) the son of Nave, when he gave him178 Cod. Sin. has the imperative, “Put on him;” but it is connected as above. this name, as being a prophet, with this view only, that all the people might hear that the Father would reveal all things concerning His Son Jesus to the son179 Cod. Sin. closes the sentence with Jesus, and inserts, “Moses said therefore to Jesus.” of Nave? This name then being given him when he sent him to spy out the land, he said, “Take a book into thy hands, and write what the Lord declares, that the Son of God will in the last days cut off from the roots all the house of Amalek.”180 Ex. xvii. 14. Behold again: Jesus who was manifested, both by type and in the flesh,181 Comp. 1 Tim. iii. 16. is not the Son of man, but the Son of God. Since, therefore, they were to say that Christ was the son182 That is, merely human: a reference is supposed to the Ebionites. of David, fearing and understanding the error of the wicked, he saith, “The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit at My right hand, until I make Thine enemies Thy footstool.”183 Ps. cx. 1; Matt. xxii. 43–45. And again, thus saith Isaiah, “The Lord said to Christ,184 Cod. Sin. corrects “to Cyrus,” as LXX. my Lord, whose right hand I have holden,185 Cod. Sin. has, “he has taken hold.” that the nations should yield obedience before Him; and I will break in pieces the strength of kings.”186 Isa. xlv. 1. Behold how David calleth Him Lord and the Son of God.

XII 1. Ὁμοίως πάλιν περὶ τοῦ σταυροῦ ὁρίζει ἐν ἄλλῳ προφήτῃ λέγοντι· Καὶ πότε ταῦτα συντελεσθήται; λέγει κύριος· ὁταν ξύλου αἷμα στάξῃ. ἔχεις πάλιν περὶ τοῦ σταυροῦ καὶ τοῦ σταυροῦσθαι μέλλοντος. 2. λέγει δὲ πάλιν τῷ Μωϋσῇ, πολεμουμένου τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ ὑπὸ τῶν ἀλλοφύλων, καὶ ἵνα ὑπομνήσῃ αὐτοὺς πολεμουμένους, ὅτι διὰ τὰς ἁμαρτίας αὐτῶν παρεδόθησαν εἰς θάνατον· λέγει εἰς τὴν καρδίαν Μωϋσέως τὸ πνεῦμα, ἵνα ποιήσῃ τύπον σταυροῦ καὶ τοῦ μέλλοντος πάσχειν, ὅτι, ἐὰν μή, φησίν, ἐλπίσωσιν ἐπ’ αὐτῷ εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα πολεμηθήσονται. τίθησιν οὖν Μωϋσῆς ἓν ἐφ’ ὅπλον ἐν μέσῳ τῆς πυγμῆς, καὶ ὑψηλότερος σταθεὶς πάντων ἐξέτεινεν τὰς χεῖρας, καὶ οὕτως πάλιν ἐνίκα ὁ Ἰσραήλ. εἶτα, ὁπόταν καθεῖλεν, ἐθανατοῦντο. 3. πρὸς τί; ἱνα γνῶσιν ὅτι οὐ δύναται σωθῆναι, ἐὰν μὴ ἐπ’ αὐτῷ ἐλπίσωσιν. 4. καὶ πάλιν ἐν ἑτέρῳ προφήτῃ λέγει· Ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν ἐξεπέτασα τὰς χεῖρας μου πρὸς λαὸν ἀπειθῆ καὶ ἀντιλέγοντα ὁδῷ δικαίᾳ μου. 5. πάλιν Μωϋσῆς ποιεῖ τύον τοῦ Ἰησοῦ, ὅτι δεῖ αὐτὸν παθεῖν, καὶ αὐτὸς ζωοποιήσει, ὃν δόξουσιν ἀπολωλεκέναι, ἐν σημείῳ πίπτοντος τοῦ Ἰσραήλ, (ἐποίησεν γὰρ κύριος πάντα ὄφιν δάκνειν αὐτούς, καὶ ἀπέθνησκον ἐπειδὴ ἡ παράβασις διὰ τὴν παράβασιν αὐτῶν εἰς θλῖψιν θανάτου παραδοθήσονται. 6. πέρας γέ τοι αὐτὸς Μωϋσῆς ἐντειλάμενος· Οὐκ ἔσται ὑμῖν, αὐτὸς ποιεῖ, ἵνα τύπον τοῦ Ἰησοῦ δείξῃ. ποιεῖ οὖν Μωϋσῆς χαλκοῦν ὄφιν καὶ τίθησιν ἐνδόξως καὶ κηρύγματι καλεῖ τὸν λαόν. 7. ἐλθόντες οὖν ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ ἐδέοντο Μωϋσέως, ἵνα περὶ αὐτῶν ἀνενέγκῃ δέησιν περὶ τῆς ἰάσεως αὐτῶν. εἶπεν δὲ πρὸς αὐτοὺς Μωϋσῆς· Ὅταν, φησίν δηχθῇ τις ὑμῶν, ἐλθέτω ἐπὶ τὸν ὄφιν τὸν ἐπὶ τοῦ ξύλου ἐπικείμενον καὶ ἐλπισάτω πιστεύσας, ὅτι αὐτὸς ὢν νεκρὸς δύναται ζωοποιῆσαι, και παραχρῆμα σωθήσεται ἐν οὕτως ἐποίουν. ἔχεις´πάλιν καὶ ἐν τούτοις τὴν δόξαν τοῦ Ἰησοῦ, ὅτι ἐν αὑτῷ πάντα καὶ εἰς αὐτόν. 8. τί λέγει πάλιν Μωϋσῆς Ἰησοῦ, υἱῷ Ναυή, ἐπιθεὶς αὐτῳ τοῦτο τὸ ὄνομα, ὄντι προφήτῃ, ἵνα μόνον ἀκούσῃ πᾶς ὁ λαός; ὅτι πάντα ὁ πατὴρ φανεροῖ περὶ τοῦ υἱοῦ Ἰησοῦ. 9. λέγει οὖν Μωϋσῆς Ἰησοῦ, υἱῷ Ναυή, ἐπιθεὶς τοῦτο τὸ ὄνομα, ὁπότε ἔπεμψεν αὐτὸν κατάσκοπον τῆς γῆς· Λαβε βιβλίον εἰς τὰς χεῖράς σου καὶ γράψον, ἃ λέγει κύριος, ὅτι ἐκκόψει ἐκ ῥιζῶν τὸν οἶκον πάντα τοῦ Ἀμαλὴκ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ ἐπ’ ἐσχάτων τῶν ἡμερῶν. 1̓10. ἴδε πάλιν Ἰησοῦς, οὐχὶ υἱὸς ἀνθρωπου, ἀλλὰ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ, τύπῳ δὲ ἐν σαρκὶ φανερωθείς. ἐπεὶ οὖν μέλλουσιν λέγειν, ὅτι Χριστὸς υἱὸς Δαυείδ ἐστιν, αὐτὸς προφητέει Δαυείδ, φοβούμενος καὶ συνίων τὴν πλάνην τῶν ἁμαρτωλῶν· Εἶπεν κύριος τῷ κυρίῳ μου· Κάθου ἐκ δεξιῶν μου, ἕως ἂν θῶ τοὺς ἐχθρούς σου ὑποπόδιον τῶν ποδῶν σου. 11. καὶ πάλιν λέγει οὕτως Ἡσαΐας· Εἶπεν κύριος τῷ Χριστῷ μου κυρίῳ, οὗ εκράτησα τῆς δεξιᾶς αὐτοῦ, ἐπακοῦσαι ἔμπροσθεν αὐτοῦ ἔθνη, καὶ ἰσχὺν βασιλέων διαρρήξω. ἴδε, πῶς Δαυεὶδ λέγει αὐτὸν κύριον, καὶ υἱὸν οὐ λέγει.