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is interpreted to show that sometimes literally and sometimes through riddles most of the prophecies must be understood, 7.1.122 whence indeed starting it is fitting also to examine the remaining parts of the prophecy at hand in the same way. 7.1.123 But if even now those of the circumcision say these things will happen at some future time, expecting them to be only expressly and literally at the time of their awaited Christ, they must be asked, how will the one who is to come, according to them, “take the power of Damascus and the spoils of Samaria before the king of the Assyrians,” when Samaria has already been destroyed at the present time and no longer exists, but also the so-called power of Damascus in no way exists, nor the dynasty of the Assyrians, which the Medes and Persians overthrew and succeeded long ago. With all of these together at the present time not even existing in the first place, how is it possible to expect their destruction in a future time? But neither is it possible to say that the things prophesied have ever happened at some other time long before. 7.1.124 For no one among the Hebrews, born of a prophetess mother and the prophet Isaiah, is ever recorded to have taken the spoils of Samaria and the power of Damascus, warring against the king of the Assyrians, according to the literal meaning, 7.1.125 so that one must altogether confess that they have been fulfilled only according to the interpretation given, at no other time than at the coming of Jesus our savior, at which time we have demonstrated the foretold things came to their end. 7.1.126 Therefore, according to the prophecy, the new volume was also written at his coming, the word of the new covenant containing the birth of the son of the prophetess, who both literally and by an ineffable and divine power handed over the royal power of Damascus and of all Syria, and the things interpreted by us as the “spoils of Samaria” into the hands of the Roman kingdom; but indeed also spiritually, having made his disciples from the Jews as certain spoils, having fortified them with spiritual and rational weapons, he set them “in the face” of the indicated “king of the Assyrians.” And these he prepared as his own soldiers and hoplites, 7.1.127 but those who had refused the fruitful and life-giving water of his teaching, “that which flows gently,” but had chosen things warlike and hostile to God, he gave over to the king of the Assyrians, to whom they happen to be enslaved even now. 7.1.128 For this one went up “upon every ravine” of theirs, and upon “every wall” of theirs, and took away “from Judea” every ruler and king, called a “head”, and everyone “able to accomplish something”; so that from that time until now they possess neither a “head” nor anyone “able” in divine matters, such as the prophet or otherwise righteous and God-loving man who once excelled among them. 7.1.129 And it is very clear how also all their land has been subjected to their enemies and foes even now, and how all these things have been fulfilled at the coming of Emmanuel. For so the Hebrew scripture contains, all but signifying Emmanuel who was disbelieved by the Jews and became the cause for them of so many disasters, but for us the Gentiles who believed was shown to be the source of salvation and knowledge of God. 7.1.130 Wherefore it says next: “God is with us, know it, O nations, and be vanquished.” For we of the nations who have believed in him have indeed truly been vanquished, conquered by the truth and by the power of God who was with us, and being vanquished we obeyed him, all of us together who dwell to the ends of the earth, according to the prophecy that said, “hearken unto the end of the earth”; 7.1.131 But we have been vanquished and have obeyed his call, but to those of the nations who still disobey, the following is addressed, saying: “you who are mighty, be vanquished; for if you are mighty again, you will be vanquished again. And whatever word you shall plan shall not abide in you, because God is with us. Thus says the Lord to the

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ἑρμηνεύεται εἰς τὸ παραστῆσαι ὡς ποτὲ μὲν κατὰ λέξιν ποτὲ δὲ δι' αἰνιγμῶν τὰ πλεῖστα τῶν προφητειῶν ἐκλαμβάνειν δεῖ, 7.1.122 ἔνθεν γε ὁρμωμένους προσήκει καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ τῆς ἐν χερσὶν προφητείας ὁμοίως ἐπιθεωρεῖν. 7.1.123 εἰ δὲ ἔτι καὶ νῦν εἰς μέλλοντά ποτε χρόνον γενήσεσθαι ταῦτα οἱ ἐκ περιτομῆς φασιν, ἐπὶ τοῦ προσδοκωμένου αὐτοῖς Χριστοῦ ῥητῶς μόνον καὶ πρὸς λέξιν ἔσεσθαι αὐτὰ προσδεχόμενοι, ἐρωτητέον αὐτούς, πῶς ὁ μέλλων ἥξειν κατ' αὐτοὺς «λήψεται δύναμιν ∆αμασκοῦ καὶ τὰ σκῦλα Σαμαρείας ἔναντι βασιλέως Ἀσσυρίων», καθῃρημένης μὲν ἤδη τῆς Σαμαρείας κατὰ τὸν παρόντα καιρὸν καὶ μηκέτ' οὔσης, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῆς ὀνομαζομένης δυνάμεως ∆αμασκοῦ μηδαμῶς ὑπαρχούσης, μηδὲ τῆς τῶν Ἀσσυρίων δυναστείας, ἣν Μῆδοι καὶ Πέρσαι καθελόντες πάλαι ποτὲ διεδέξαντο. ὧν ὁμοῦ πάντων κατὰ τὸν ἐνεστῶτα καιρὸν μηδὲ τὴν ἀρχὴν ὑφεστώτων, πῶς δυνατὸν εἰς μέλλοντα χρόνον τὴν καθαίρεσιν αὐτῶν προσδοκᾶν; ἀλλ' οὐδὲ ἄλλοτε πώποτε πάλαι πρότερον γεγενῆσθαι τὰ προφητευόμενα ἔστιν εἰπεῖν. 7.1.124 οὐδεὶς γοῦν παρ' Ἑβραίοις πώποτε ἐκ προφήτιδος μητρὸς καὶ Ἡσαΐου τοῦ προφήτου γεννηθεὶς σκῦλα Σαμαρείας καὶ δύναμιν ∆αμασκοῦ, κατὰ τοῦ βασιλέως Ἀσσυρίων στρατεύσας, ὡς πρὸς ῥητὴν διάνοιαν, λαβὼν ἱστόρηται, 7.1.125 ὥστε ἐξ ἅπαντος ὁμολογεῖν αὐτὰ κατὰ τὴν ἀποδοθεῖσαν διάνοιαν μόνως πεπληρῶσθαι, οὐκ ἄλλοτε ἢ κατὰ τὴν γενομένην παρουσίαν Ἰησοῦ τοῦ σωτῆρος ἡμῶν, καθ' ὃν ἀπεδείξαμεν τέλος εἰληφέναι τὰ προηγορευμένα. 7.1.126 Ἐγράφη δ' οὖν κατὰ τὴν προφητείαν καὶ ὁ καινὸς τόμος ἐπὶ τῆς αὐτοῦ παρουσίας, ὁ τῆς καινῆς διαθήκης λόγος τὴν γένεσιν περιέχων τοῦ τῆς προφήτιδος υἱοῦ, ὃς καὶ πρὸς λέξιν καὶ ∆αμασκοῦ καὶ Συρίας ἁπάσης τὴν βασιλικὴν δύναμιν τά τε ἑρμηνευθέντα ἡμῖν «σκῦλα Σαμαρείας» ἀρρήτῳ καὶ ἐνθέῳ δυνάμει εἰς χεῖρας τῆς Ῥωμαίων βασιλείας παρέδωκεν· οὐ μὴν ἀλλὰ καὶ κατὰ διάνοιαν τοὺς ἐξ Ἰουδαίων αὐτοῦ μαθητὰς ὥσπερ τινὰ σκῦλα περιπεποιημένος, νοητοῖς καὶ λογικοῖς ὅπλοις περιφράξας, «εἰς πρόσωπον» τοῦ δηλωθέντος «βασιλέως Ἀσσυρίων» κατεστήσατο. καὶ τούτους μὲν ὡς οἰκείους στρατιώτας ὁπλίτας παρεσκεύασεν, 7.1.127 τούς γε μὴν παραιτησαμένους τὸ γόνιμον καὶ ζωτικὸν ὕδωρ τῆς αὐτοῦ διδασκαλίας «τὸ πορευόμενον ἡσυχῆ», ἑλομένους δὲ τὰ πολεμικὰ καὶ ἐχθρὰ τῷ θεῷ, τῷ τῶν Ἀσσυρίων ἐξέδωκεν βασιλεῖ, ᾧ καὶ εἰσέτι νῦν τυγχάνουσι δεδουλωμένοι. 7.1.128 ἀνέβη γοῦν οὗτος «ἐπὶ πᾶσαν φάραγγα» αὐτῶν, καὶ ἐπὶ «πᾶν τεῖχος» αὐτῶν, καὶ ἀφεῖλεν «ἀπὸ τῆς Ἰουδαίας» πάντα ἄρχοντα καὶ βασιλέα, «κεφαλὴν» ὀνομαζόμενον, καὶ πάντα «δυνατὸν συντελέσασθαί τι»· ὥστε ἐξ ἐκείνου καὶ εἰς δεῦρο μήτε «κεφαλὴν» αὐτοὺς κεκτῆσθαι μήτε τινὰ «δυνατὸν» ἐν τοῖς θείοις, οἷος ἦν ὁ πάλαι διαπρέπων ἐν αὐτοῖς εἴτε προφήτης εἴτε ἄλλως δίκαιος καὶ θεοφιλὴς ἀνήρ. 7.1.129 πρόδηλον δὲ ὅπως καὶ πᾶσα αὐτῶν ἡ χώρα ὑποχείριος τοῖς αὐτῶν ἐχθροῖς καὶ πολεμίοις εἰσέτι νῦν καθέστηκεν, καὶ ὡς ταῦτα πάντα ἐπὶ τῇ παρουσίᾳ τοῦ Ἐμμανουὴλ τετέλεσται. οὕτω γοῦν ἡ Ἑβραίων γραφὴ περιέχει, μονονουχὶ σημαίνουσα τὸν Ἐμμανουὴλ τὸν ἀπιστηθέντα μὲν ὑπὸ Ἰουδαίων καὶ αἴτιον αὐτοῖς τῶν τοσούτων γενόμενον συμφορῶν, ἡμῖν δὲ τοῖς ἔθνεσι πιστευθέντα σωτηρίας τε καὶ γνώσεως θεοῦ παραίτιον ἀποδειχθέντα. 7.1.130 διὸ ἑξῆς ἐπιλέγεται· «μεθ' ἡμῶν ὁ θεός, γνῶτε ἔθνη καὶ ἡττᾶσθε». ἡττήμεθα γοῦν ὡς ἀληθῶς ἡμεῖς οἱ ἐξ ἐθνῶν εἰς αὐτὸν πεπιστευκότες, νικηθέντες ὑπὸ τῆς ἀληθείας καὶ τῆς τοῦ γενομένου μεθ' ἡμῶν θεοῦ δυνάμεως, ἡττηθέντες τε ὑπηκούσαμεν αὐτῷ πάντες ὁμοῦ οἱ μέχρι τῶν ἐσχάτων κατοικοῦντες τῆς γῆς, κατὰ τὴν φήσασαν προφητείαν «ἐπακούσατε ἕως ἐσχάτου τῆς γῆς»· 7.1.131 ἀλλ' ἡμεῖς μὲν καὶ ἡττήμεθα καὶ καλοῦντι ὑπηκούσαμεν, τοῖς δὲ ἔτι τῶν ἐθνῶν ἀπειθοῦσι τὰ ἑξῆς ἀποτείνεται λέγων· «ἰσχυκότες ἡττᾶσθε· ἐὰν γὰρ πάλιν ἰσχύσητε, πάλιν ἡττηθήσεσθε. καὶ λόγον ὃν ἐὰν βουλεύσησθε οὐ μὴ ἐμμείνῃ ἐν ὑμῖν, ὅτι μεθ' ἡμῶν ὁ θεός. οὕτως λέγει κύριος τῇ