Chapter LIX.—God distinct from the Father conversed with Moses.

When I had spoken these words, I continued: “Permit me, further, to show you from the book of Exodus how this same One, who is both Angel, and God, and Lord, and man, and who appeared in human form to Abraham and Isaac,214    Some conjecture “Jacob,” others insert “Jacob” after “Isaac.” [Gen. xxii. The Jehovah-angel was seen no doubt by Isaac, as well as by his father.] appeared in a flame of fire from the bush, and conversed with Moses.” And after they said they would listen cheerfully, patiently, and eagerly, I went on: “These words are in the book which bears the title of Exodus: ‘And after many days the king of Egypt died, and the children of Israel groaned by reason of the works;’215    Ex. ii. 23. and so on until, ‘Go and gather the elders of Israel, and thou shalt say unto them, The Lord God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, hath appeared to me, saying, I am surely beholding you, and the things which have befallen you in Egypt.’ ”216    Ex. iii. 16. In addition to these words, I went on: “Have you perceived, sirs, that this very God whom Moses speaks of as an Angel that talked to him in the flame of fire, declares to Moses that He is the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob?”

[59] Καὶ ταῦτα εἰπών: Ἀνάσχεσθέ μου, ἔλεγον, καὶ ἀπὸ τῆς βίβλου τῆς Ἐξόδου ἀποδεικνύοντος ὑμῖν, πῶς ὁ αὐτὸς οὗτος καὶ ἄγγελος καὶ θεὸς καὶ κύριος καὶ ἀνὴρ καὶ ἄνθρωπος, Ἀβραὰμ καὶ Ἰσαὰκ φανείς, ἐν πυρὶ φλογὸς ἐκ βάτου πέφανται καὶ ὡμίλησε τῷ Μωυσεῖ. κἀκείνων ἡδέως καὶ ἀκαμάτως καὶ προθύμως ἀκούειν λεγόντων, ἐπέφερον: Ταῦτα δέ ἐστιν ἐν τῇ βίβλῳ ἣ ἐπιγράφεται Ἔξοδος. Μετὰ δὲ τὰς ἡμέρας τὰς πολλὰς ἐκείνας ἐτελεύτησεν ὁ βασιλεὺς Αἰγύπτου, καὶ κατεστέναξαν οἱ υἱοὶ Ἰσραὴλ ἀπὸ τῶν ἔργων: καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ μέχρι τοῦ: Ἐλθὼν συνάγαγε τὴν γερουσίαν Ἰσραήλ, καὶ ἐρεῖς πρὸς αὐτούς: Κύριος, ὁ θεὸς τῶν πατέρων ὑμῶν, ὤφθη μοι, ὁ θεὸς Ἀβραὰμ καὶ ὁ θεὸς Ἰσαὰκ καὶ ὁ θεὸς Ἰακώβ, λέγων: Ἐπισκοπῇ ἐπισκέπτομαι ὑμᾶς καὶ ὅσα συμβέβηκεν ὑμῖν ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ. Καὶ ἐπὶ τούτοις ἐπέφερον: Ὦ ἄνδρες, νενοήκατε, λέγων, ὅτι ὃν λέγει Μωυσῆς ἄγγελον ἐν πυρὶ φλογὸς λελαληκέναι αὐτῷ οὗτος αὐτός, θεὸς ὤν, σημαίνει τῷ Μωυσεῖ ὅτι αὐτός ἐστιν ὁ θεὸς Ἀβραὰμ καὶ Ἰσαὰκ καὶ Ἰακώβ;