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2. These differ from the Jews in this first, that the writing of the prophets after Moses was not given to them, but only the Pentateuch given through Moses to the seed of Israel in the exodus of the journey from Egypt, I mean Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy; and in the Hebrew dialect they are thus called, Bresith, Ellesimoth, Ouikra, Ouidaber, Elleaddebarin. And the sign of the resurrection of the dead is indeed sown in these five books, yet it is not proclaimed clearly, and there is sown in them teaching concerning the only-begotten son of God and concerning the holy spirit and against idols; but the clearer introduction in them is that concerning the monarchy, and in the monarchy the trinity is spiritually proclaimed. But those who received the law were zealous to be converted from idolatry and to know the one God, for whom there was no concern to know more precisely. But such men, being mistaken and not having clearly grasped the entire part of the faith and the exactness of our life, were ignorant of the resurrection of the dead and disbelieve1.199 it, and they do not accept the holy spirit; for they were ignorant. And this heresy, while rejecting the resurrection of the dead and pushing away idolatry, yet practices idolatry itself in ignorance because the idols of the four nations were hidden in the mountain near them, Gerizim, which is slanderously so called. For he who wishes to inquire precisely concerning Mount Gerizim must know that the two mountains lie near Jericho, both that of Gerizim and that of Gebal, beyond the Jordan to the east of Jericho, as Deuteronomy and the book of Joshua the son of Nun have it. They practice idolatry, therefore, in ignorance by turning everywhere toward the mountain when they pray * on the pretext that it has been sanctified. For it is impossible for the scripture to lie, which says, “they remained doing the law and worshipping their own idols until this day,” as is contained in the fourth book of Kings. 3. But these are refuted from every side concerning the resurrection of the dead; first from Abel, because after he died his blood speaks to the Lord. But blood is not soul, but the soul is in the blood, and he did not say “the soul cries to me,” but “the blood cries to me,” showing that there is hope of the resurrection of bodies; but also Enoch was translated that he should not see death and was not found; but also Sarah, after her womb had become dead and the customary fount had dried up, being made alive again for the conception of seed, and the old woman conceiving a child according to the promise because of the hope of resurrection; not only that, but also Jacob, taking care of his own bones, gave instructions as if concerning things not perishing; not only 1.200 but also Joseph, giving instructions in the same sequence, hinted at the form of the resurrection. not only that, but also the rod of Aaron which budded, being dry, again bore fruit for the hope of life, signifying that our dead bodies will be raised and brought to resurrection; and Moses’ rod likewise, the wooden one, being animated by the will of God and becoming a serpent, signified resurrection. but also Moses, blessing those concerning Reuben, says “let Reuben live and not die,” he who had died long ago *, in order to show that there is life after death, and a judgment of a second death for condemnation. Wherefore he bestows two blessings on him, saying “let him live” in the resurrection and “let him not die” in the judgment, not meaning the death through departure from the body, but that through condemnation. At any rate, these few things will suffice for a refutation of these men. But they also have certain other things full of foolishness, being rinsed with urine, whenever from
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2. ∆ιαφέρονται δὲ οὗτοι Ἰουδαίοις κατὰ τοῦτο πρῶτον, ὅτι οὐκ ἐδόθη αὐτοῖς προφητῶν τῶν μετὰ Μωυσέα γραφὴ ἢ μόνον ἡ πεντάτευχος ἡ διὰ Μωυσέως τῷ σπέρματι Ἰσραὴλ ἐν τῇ ἐξόδω τῆς ἀπ' Αἰγύπτου πορείας δοθεῖσα, φημὶ δὲ Γένεσις Ἔξοδος Λευιτικὸν Ἀριθμοὶ ∆ευτερονόμιον· ἐν δὲ τῇ Ἑβραΐδι διαλέκτῳ οὕτως καλοῦνται, Βρεσὶθ Ἐλλεσιμὼθ Οὐϊκρὰ Οὐιδαβὴρ Ἐλλεαδδεβαρίν. καὶ ἔσπαρται μὲν ἐν ταύταις ταῖς πέντε βίβλοις ἀναστάσεως νεκρῶν τὸ σημεῖον, οὐ μέντοι γε τηλαυγῶς κεκήρυκται, καὶ ἔσπαρται ἐν αὐταῖς περὶ τοῦ μονογενοῦς υἱοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ περὶ τοῦ ἁγίου πνεύματος καὶ κατὰ εἰδώλων· τὸ δὲ τηλαυγέστερον ἐν αὐταῖς τὸ περὶ μοναρχίας ἔχει τὴν εἰσαγωγήν, ἐν δὲ τῇ μοναρχίᾳ πνευματικῶς ἡ τριὰς καταγγελλομένη ἐστίν. οἱ δὲ δεξάμενοι τὸν νόμον εἰς τὸ μετατεθῆναι τῆς εἰδωλολατρείας καὶ τὸν ἕνα θεὸν ἐπιγνῶναι ἐσπουδάσθησαν, οἷς οὐ γέγονεν ἐπιμέλειά τις τὸ ἀκριβέστερον ἐπιγνῶναι. σφαλέντες δὲ οἱ τοιοῦτοι καὶ μὴ τηλαυγῶς τὸ πᾶν μέρος τῆς πίστεως καὶ τῆς ἡμετέρας ζωῆς τὸ ἀκρίβασμα κατειληφότες ἠγνόησαν μὲν νεκρῶν ἀνάστασιν καὶ ἀπι1.199 στοῦσι, πνεῦμα δὲ ἅγιον οὐ παραδέχονται· καὶ γὰρ ἠγνόησαν. καὶ αὕτη ἡ αἵρεσις ἀθετοῦσα μὲν νεκρῶν ἀνάστασιν, ἀπωθουμένη δὲ εἰδωλολατρείαν, ἐν ἑαυτῇ δὲ εἰδωλολατροῦσα κατ' ἄγνοιαν διὰ τὸ ἀποκεκρύφθαι τὰ εἴδωλα τῶν τεσσάρων ἐθνῶν ἐν τῷ ὄρει τῷ παρ' αὐτοῖς Γαριζὶν σεσυκοφαντημένως καλουμένῳ. τῷ γὰρ βουλομένῳ ἀκριβῶς περὶ τοῦ ὄρους Γαριζὶν ἐρευνᾶσθαι ἰστέον ὅτι πρὸς τῇ Ἱεριχῷ κεῖνται τὰ δύο ὄρη, τό τε τοῦ Γαριζὶν καὶ τὸ τοῦ Γεβάλ, πέραν τοῦ Ἰορδάνου πρὸς τῇ ἀνατολῇ τῆς Ἱεριχώ, ὡς ἔχει τὸ ∆ευτερονόμιον καὶ Ἰησοῦ τοῦ Ναυῆ ἡ βίβλος. εἰδωλολατροῦσιν οὖν ἀγνοοῦντες ἐκ τοῦ πανταχόθεν προσέχειν πρὸς τὸ ὄρος ἐν τῷ αὐτοὺς εὔχεσθαι * δῆθεν ὅτι ἡγίασται. ἀδύνατον γὰρ τὴν γραφὴν ψεύσασθαι φάσκουσαν «ἔμειναν ποιοῦντες τὸν νόμον καὶ προσκυνοῦντες τὰ αὐτῶν εἴδωλα ἕως τῆς σήμερον ἡμέρας», ὡς ἐμφέρεται ἐν τῇ τετάρτῃ τῶν Βασιλειῶν. 3. Ἐλέγχονται δὲ οὗτοι πανταχόθεν περὶ νεκρῶν ἀναστάσεως· πρῶτον ἀπὸ τοῦ Ἄβελ, ὅτι μετὰ τὸ ἀποθανεῖν τὸ αἷμα προσδιαλέγεται τῷ δεσπότῃ. αἷμα δὲ οὐ ψυχὴ τυγχάνει, ἀλλ' ἐν αἵματι ἡ ψυχή, καὶ οὐκ εἶπεν «ἡ ψυχὴ βοᾷ πρός με», ἀλλὰ «τὸ αἷμα βοᾷ πρός με» δεικνὺς ὅτι ἔστιν ἐλπὶς ἀναστάσεως τῶν σωμάτων· ἀλλὰ καὶ Ἐνὼχ μετετέθη τοῦ μὴ ἰδεῖν θάνατον καὶ οὐχ ηὑρίσκετο· ἀλλὰ καὶ Σάρρα μετὰ τὸ νεκρωθῆναι αὐτῆς τὴν μήτραν καὶ τὴν πηγὴν τὴν κατ' ἐθισμὸν ξηρανθῆναι αὖθις ἀναζωογονουμένη εἰς καταβολὴν σπέρματος καὶ ἡ πρεσβῦτις κυΐσκουσα τέκνον κατ' ἐπαγγελίαν διὰ τὴν ἐλπίδα τῆς ἀναστάσεως· οὐ μὴν δὲ ἀλλὰ καὶ Ἰακὼβ ἐπιμελόμενος τῶν ἰδίων ὀστέων ὡς οὐ περὶ ἀπολλυμένων ἐνετέλλετο· οὐ μόνον 1.200 δὲ ἀλλὰ καὶ Ἰωσὴφ τῇ αὐτῇ ἀκολουθίᾳ ἐντελλόμενος τῆς ἀναστάσεως ὑπέφαινε τὸ εἶδος. οὐ μὴν δὲ ἀλλὰ καὶ ἡ ῥάβδος τοῦ Ἀαρὼν ἡ βλαστήσασα ξηρὰ οὖσα αὖθις καρπὸν ἤνεγκεν εἰς ἐλπίδα ζωῆς, τὰ νεκρὰ ἡμῶν σώματα ἀναστήσεσθαι σημαίνουσα καὶ εἰς ἀνάστασιν φέρουσα· καὶ τοῦ Μωυσέως ἡ ῥάβδος ὁμοίως ἡ ξυλίνη κατὰ θεοῦ βούλημα ἐμψυχουμένη καὶ ὄφις γινομένη ἀνάστασιν ἐδήλου. ἀλλὰ καὶ Μωυσῆς εὐλογῶν τοὺς περὶ Ῥουβὴν λέγει «ζήτω Ῥουβὴν καὶ μὴἀποθανέτω», τὸν ἀπὸ πάλαι τελευτήσαντα *, ἵνα δείξῃ ζωὴν εἶναι μετὰ θάνατον, κρίσιν δὲ δευτέρου θανάτου εἰς καταδίκην. διὸ δύο εὐλογίας αὐτῷ ἐπιτίθησι, τὸ «ζήτω» λέγων ἐν τῇ ἀναστάσει καὶ «μὴ ἀποθανέτω» ἐν τῇ κρίσει, οὐ θάνατον τὸν διὰ σώματος ἀπαλλαγῆς λέγων, ἀλλὰ τὸν διὰ καταδίκης. ἀρκέσει γοῦν τὰ ὀλίγα πρὸς ἀντίθεσιν τούτων. ἔχουσι δὲ καὶ ἄλλα τινὰ ἀνοίας ἔμπλεα, οὔρῳ κλυζόμενοι, ἐπὰν ἀπὸ