24.  This is why the new was substituted for the old,55    Heb. viii. 8–13. why He Who suffered was for suffering recalled to life, why each property of His, Who was above us, was interchanged with each of ours, why the new mystery took place of the dispensation, due to loving kindness which deals with him who fell through disobedience.  This is the reason for the generation and the virgin, for the manger and Bethlehem; the generation on behalf of the creation,56    Lit. “of the formation”—the substantive here corresponds to the verb in Gen. ii. 7 (LXX.). the virgin on behalf of the woman,57    Gen. ii. 7. Bethlehem58    S. Luke ii. 7. because of Eden, the manger because of the garden, small and visible things on behalf of great and hidden things.  This is why the angels59    S. Luke ii. 14. glorified first the heavenly, then the earthly,60    1 Cor. xv. 49. why the shepherds saw the glory over the Lamb and the Shepherd, why the star led the Magi to worship and offer gifts,61    S. Matt. ii. 9, 11. in order that idolatry might be destroyed.  This is why Jesus was baptized,62    S. Matt. iii. 13, 17. and received testimony from above, and fasted,63    S. Matt. iv. 2. and was tempted, and overcame him who had overcome.  This is why devils were cast out,64    S. Matt. x. 7, 8. and diseases healed, and the mighty preaching was entrusted to, and successfully proclaimed by men of low estate.

ΚΔʹ. Διὰ τοῦτο ἀντεισήχθη τῷ παλαιῷ τὸ νέον: καὶ διὰ πάθους ὁ παθὼν ἀνεκλήθη, καὶ ὑπὲρ ἑκάστου τῶν ἡμετέρων ἕκαστον τοῦ ὑπὲρ ἡμᾶς ἀντεδόθη: καὶ γέγονε καινὸν μυστήριον ἡ περὶ τὸν πεσόντα δι' ἀπείθειαν ἐκ φιλανθρωπίας οἰκονομία. Διὰ τοῦτο γέννησις καὶ Παρθένος: διὰ τοῦτο φάτνη καὶ Βηθλεέμ: ἡ γέννησις ὑπὲρ τῆς πλάσεως: ἡ Παρθένος ὑπὲρ τῆς γυναικός: ἡ Βηθλεὲμ διὰ τὴν Ἐδέμ: ἡ φάτνη διὰ τὸν παράδεισον: τὰ μικρὰ καὶ φαινόμενα ὑπὲρ τῶν μεγάλων καὶ κρυπτομένων. Διὰ τοῦτο ἄγγελοι δοξάζοντες τὸν οὐράνιον, εἶτα ἐπίγειον: καὶ ποιμένες δόξαν ὁρῶντες ἐπὶ τῷ ἀμνῷ καὶ ποιμένι: καὶ ἀστὴρ ἠγούμενος, καὶ μάγοι προσπίπτοντες καὶ δωροφοροῦντες, ἵν' εἰδωλολατρεία καταλυθῇ. Διὰ τοῦτο Ἰησοῦς βαπτιζόμενος, καὶ ἄνωθεν μαρτυρούμενος, καὶ νηστεύων, καὶ πειραζόμενος, καὶ νικῶν τὸν νικήσαντα. Διὰ τοῦτο δαίμονες ἐλαυνόμενοι, καὶ νόσοι θεραπευόμεναι, καὶ τὸ μέγα κήρυγμα μικροῖς ἐγχειριζόμενον καὶ κατορθούμενον.