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he says, at the beginning of creation, Let us make man in our image and likeness, enigmatically revealing to us the divinity of the Son, with whom He is speaking. Then, showing that this was not contrary to the former polity, but that this too was the will of God, for that sacrifice to be abolished and for this one to be introduced in its place—for it was an intensification of the correction, not a contradiction or a conflict—having said, In the chapter of the book it is written of me, he added, I desired to do your will, O God, and your law is in the midst of my heart; then saying what the will of God is, passing over sacrifice, and whole burnt offerings and offerings and toils and sweats, he says, I have preached righteousness in the great Church. What does it mean, I have preached righteousness? He did not say simply, I have given, but, I have preached. Why is that? Because He justified our race not from achievements, nor labors, nor reward, but from grace alone. This is what Paul also declared, saying: But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law; the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ, not through any toil and labor. And taking up this testimony he spoke thus: For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with the same sacrifices which they offer continually year by year make those who approach perfect. Therefore, when He comes into the world, He says, Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, 48.920 but a body you have prepared for me, speaking of the entrance of the Only-Begotten into the world, the economy through the flesh. For thus He came to us, not changing from place to place—for how could He who is everywhere and fills all things do so?—but by being made manifest to us through the flesh. But since our struggle is not only against the Jews, but also against the Greeks and many of the heretics, come, let us reveal to you a deeper meaning here, and let us inquire why Paul, though having myriad testimonies which render the law and the old polity inactive, mentioned this one. For he did not do this simply or by chance, but with a certain reason and ineffable wisdom. For that he had other testimonies, longer and more forceful, if he wished to bring them forward for this hypothesis, all would agree. For Isaiah also says, I have no pleasure in you; I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of lambs, and the blood of bulls and goats I do not desire, nor if you come to appear before me. For who has required this at your hands? If you bring me fine flour, it is in vain; incense is an abomination to me. And again elsewhere: I have not now called you, Jacob, nor have I made you weary, Israel, you have not honored me with sacrifices, nor have you served me with your gifts, nor have I made you weary with frankincense, nor have you bought for me incense with silver, And Jeremiah, To what purpose do you bring me frankincense from Sheba, and cinnamon from a far country? Your burnt offerings have not pleased me. And again: Gather your burnt offerings with your sacrifices, and eat flesh. And another of the prophets spoke thus: Take away from me the noise of your songs, and I will not hear the melody of your instruments. And again elsewhere, the Jews saying, Will the Lord accept burnt offerings, if I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? and the prophet rebuking them said, It has been told to you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord your God require of you, but to love mercy, and to do judgment and righteousness, and to be ready to walk after the Lord your God. And David spoke thus: I will not accept calves from your house, nor he-goats from your flocks. For what reason then, having so many testimonies to cite, through which God is seen to reject those sacrifices, the new moons, the sabbaths, the feasts, leaving all those aside, did he mention this one alone? Not simply nor by chance, but we shall now state the reason. Many of the unbelievers and the Jews themselves contending against us

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λέγῃ, ἐν ἀρχῇ τῆς κτίσεως, Ποιήσωμεν ἄνθρωπον κατ' εἰκόνα καὶ καθ' ὁμοίωσιν ἡμετέραν, αἰνιγματωδῶς ἡμῖν τοῦ Υἱοῦ τὴν θεότητα ἀποκαλύπτει, πρὸς ὃν διαλέγεται. Εἶτα δεικνὺς ὡς οὐκ ἐναντία αὕτη τῇ προτέρᾳ πολιτείᾳ, ἀλλὰ καὶ τοῦτο θέλημα Θεοῦ ἦν, καταλυθῆναι μὲν ἐκείνην τὴν θυσίαν, ἀντεισαχθῆναι δὲ ταύτην ἐπίτασις γὰρ ἦν τῆς διορθώσεως, οὐκ ἐναντίωσις οὐδὲ μάχη, εἰπὼν, Ἐν κεφαλίδι βιβλίου γέγραπται περὶ ἐμοῦ, ἐπήγαγε, Τοῦ ποιῆσαι τὸ θέλημά σου, ὁ Θεὸς, ἐβουλήθην, καὶ τὸν νόμον σου ἐν μέσῳ τῆς κοιλίας μου· εἶτα λέγων, τί ποτέ ἐστι τὸ θέλημα τοῦ Θεοῦ, παρεὶς θυσίαν εἰπεῖν, καὶ ὁλοκαυτώματα καὶ προσφορὰς καὶ πόνους καὶ ἱδρῶτας, φησὶν, Εὐηγγελισάμην δικαιοσύνην ἐν Ἐκκλησίᾳ μεγάλῃ. Τί ποτέ ἐστιν, Εὐηγγελισάμην δικαιοσύνην; Οὐκ εἶπεν ἁπλῶς, Ἔδωκα, ἀλλ', Εὐηγγελισάμην. Τί δήποτε; Ὅτι οὐκ ἀπὸ κατορθωμάτων, οὐδὲ πόνων, οὐδὲ ἀμοιβῆς, ἀλλ' ἀπὸ χάριτος μόνης τὸ γένος ἐδικαίωσε τὸ ἡμέτερον. Ὅπερ οὖν καὶ ὁ Παῦλος δηλῶν ἔλεγε· Νυνὶ δὲ χωρὶς νόμου δικαιοσύνη Θεοῦ πεφανέρωται· δικαιοσύνη δὲ Θεοῦ διὰ πίστεως Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ, οὐ διὰ καμάτου τινὸς καὶ πόνου. Καὶ ταύτης δὲ ἐπιλαμβανόμενος τῆς μαρτυρίας οὕτως ἔλεγε· Σκιὰν γὰρ ἔχων ὁ νόμος τῶν μελλόντων ἀγαθῶν, οὐκ αὐτὴν τὴν εἰκόνα τῶν πραγμάτων, κατ' ἐνιαυτὸν ταῖς αὐταῖς θυσίαις αἷς προσφέρουσιν εἰς τὸ διηνεκὲς οὐδέποτε δύναται τοὺς προσερχομένους τελειῶσαι. ∆ιὸ εἰσερχόμενος εἰς τὸν κόσμον λέγει, θυσίαν καὶ προσφορὰν οὐκ ἠθέλησας, 48.920 σῶμα δὲ κατηρτίσω μοι, τὴν εἴσοδον τοῦ Μονογενοῦς εἰς τὸν κόσμον λέγων, τὴν διὰ σαρκὸς οἰκονομίαν. Οὕτω γὰρ πρὸς ἡμᾶς παρεγένετο, οὐ τόπον ἀμείψας ἐκ τόπου, πῶς γὰρ ὁ πανταχοῦ ὢν, καὶ πάντα πληρῶν; ἀλλὰ διὰ σαρκὸς ἡμῖν φανερωθείς. Ἀλλ' ἐπειδὴ οὐχὶ πρὸς Ἰουδαίους ἐστὶν ἡμῖν ἡ μάχη μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ πρὸς Ἕλληνας καὶ πολλοὺς τῶν αἱρετικῶν, φέρε βαθύτερόν τι νόημα ἐνταῦθα ὑμῖν ἀποκαλύψωμεν, καὶ ζητήσωμεν, τί δήποτε, μυρίας ἔχων μαρτυρίας ὁ Παῦλος, αἳ τὸν νόμον ἀργεῖν ποιοῦσι καὶ τὴν παλαιὰν πολιτείαν, ταύτης ἐμνημόνευσεν. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἁπλῶς οὐδὲ ὡς ἔτυχε τοῦτο ἐποίησεν, ἀλλὰ μετά τινος λόγου καὶ σοφίας ἀφάτου. Ὅτι γὰρ καὶ ἑτέρας εἶχε μαρτυρίας μακροτέρας καὶ σφοδροτέρας, εἴπερ ἐβούλετο παραγαγεῖν, ὑπὲρ τῆς ὑποθέσεως ταύτης, πάντες ἂν ὁμολογήσαιεν. Καὶ γὰρ καὶ ὁ Ἡσαΐας φησὶν, Οὐκ ἔστι μοι θέλημα ἐν ὑμῖν· πλήρης εἰμὶ ὁλοκαυτωμάτων κριῶν, καὶ στέαρ ἀρνῶν καὶ αἷμα ταύρων καὶ τράγων οὐ βούλομαι, οὐδὲ ἐὰν ἔρχησθε ὀφθῆναί μοι. Τίς γὰρ ἐξεζήτησε ταῦτα ἐκ τῶν χειρῶν ὑμῶν; Ἐὰν προσφέρητέ μοι σεμίδαλιν, μάταιον· θυμίαμα βδέλυγμά μοι ἐστίν. Καὶ ἑτέρωθι πάλιν· Οὐ νῦν ἐκάλεσά σε, Ἰακὼβ, οὐδὲ ἔγκοπόν σε ἐποίησα, Ἰσραὴλ, οὐκ ἐδόξασάς με ἐν θυσίαις, οὐδὲ ἐδούλευσάς μοι ἐν δώροις σου, οὐδὲ ἔγκοπόν σε ἐποίησα ἐν λιβάνῳ, οὐδὲ ἐκτήσω μοι ἀργυρίου θυμίαμα, Καὶ ὁ Ἱερεμίας δὲ, Ἱνατί μοι λίβανον ἐκ Σαβᾶ φέρεις καὶ κιννάμωμον ἐκ γῆς μακρόθεν; Τὰ ὁλοκαυτώματα ὑμῶν οὐχ ἥδυνάν με. Καὶ πάλιν· Συναγάγετε τὰ ὁλοκαυτώματα ὑμῶν μετὰ τῶν θυσιῶν ὑμῶν, καὶ φάγετε κρέα. Καὶ ἕτερος δὲ τῶν προφητῶν οὕτως ἔλεγεν· Μετάστησον ἀπ' ἐμοῦ ἦχον ᾠδῶν σου, καὶ ψαλμὸν ὀργάνων σου οὐκ ἀκούσομαι. Καὶ πάλιν ἀλλαχοῦ τῶν Ἰουδαίων λεγόντων, Εἰ προσδέξεται Κύριος ἐν ὁλοκαυτώμασιν, εἰ δώσω πρωτότοκά μου ὑπὲρ ἀσεβείας μου, καρπὸν κοιλίας μου ὑπὲρ ἁμαρτίας ψυχῆς μου; καὶ ὁ προφήτης ἐπιτιμῶν αὐτοῖς ἔλεγεν, Ἀπηγγέλη σοι, ἄνθρωπε, τί καλὸν, καὶ τί Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ἐκζητεῖ παρὰ σοῦ, ἀλλ' ἢ ἀγαπᾷν ἔλεον, καὶ ποιεῖν κρῖμα καὶ δικαιοσύνην, καὶ ἕτοιμον εἶναι πορεύεσθαι ὀπίσω Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ σου. Καὶ ὁ ∆αυῒδ οὕτως ἔλεγεν· Οὐ δέξομαι ἐκ τοῦ οἴκου σου μόσχους, οὐδὲ ἐκ τῶν ποιμνίων σου χιμάῤῥους. Τίνος οὖν ἕνεκεν τοσαύτας ἔχων μαρτυρίας εἰπεῖν, δι' ὧν ὁ Θεὸς φαίνεται τὰς θυσίας παραιτούμενος ἐκείνας, τὰς νουμηνίας, τὰ σάββατα, τὰς ἑορτὰς, πάσας ἐκείνας ἀφεὶς, ταύτης ἐμνήσθη μόνης; Οὐχ ἁπλῶς οὐδὲ ὡς ἔτυχεν, ἀλλ' ἤδη τὴν αἰτίαν ἐροῦμεν. Πολλοὶ τῶν ἀπίστων καὶ Ἰουδαίων αὐτῶν μαχόμενοι πρὸς ἡμᾶς