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They confess him as Savior of 2429 Israel, as having long ago saved Israel; that is, Israel must now be taken as the one who sees God. "For not all who are descended from Israel are Israel." But those who opposed him, not having wronged his glory, are ashamed; for they will be a spectacle for all flesh. And from the Egyptians and their neighbors, he has brought the word to the nations in general, calling islands the Churches from the nations of those who have been renewed into newness of life, having put off the old, as Paul commands: Put off the old man; and again: Put on the new man who is being renewed in the image of his creator. And again: Be renewed by the renewing of your mind. Our affairs, therefore, are a renewal, "If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation." Some, however, from the phrase, "lest the one who plows," have explained it thus: In a parabolic way he urges them to bear fruits of righteousness. For do you wish me, he says, to only plow your souls, while you provide no fruit? Then he instructs them to yield to the counsels of God concerning the nations, as neither clay opposes the potter, nor a child hinders a father or mother hastening to the procreation of other sons, nor offers blame for this. The one who made, he says, the things to come through foreknowledge, shaming them into understanding his own power. For let it be, he says, that you did not follow with knowledge the one making and forming you; will you also disbelieve the one who foretells the future? for things that happen, happen in part; but with him knowledge is all at once, from me. But do not despair of salvation, as though you could not sin without my noticing. But having become better, entrust your affairs to me. For I do not need a reminder from you, as though to deem my own creations, who are counted as sons and daughters, worthy of providence. For I did not make the heaven and the earth for myself, but for your need. And when the stars were made, the angels marveled. Since all things, therefore, are governed by me, not even the things on earth escape my administration. Therefore even Cyrus, moved by me, though not himself pious, will set your affairs right. Since even before, he says, I freed you from Egypt, and it grew weary with my plagues. But you, sinning again, did not cease and laboring in vain in your own commercial dealings. But nevertheless, believing me you will have all the glorious ones tributary, and full of pride, and bound with bonds of love they will come down to Jerusalem, as to a school of piety, and they will bless you, as worshiping the only God, whom they themselves did not know. But since you neglect repentance, my only-begotten Son will be present, having become Jerusalem and Judah, in whom they will pray, by whose seal both 2432 wicked men and demons will be defeated. Historically, it must also be taken in reference to Cyrus, by whom everyone who opposes him will be put to shame. And in reference to Israel, as having returned from captivity they will conquer those who resist. Then, having said "islands," he also signifies Jerusalem being constrained by the nations surrounding it and being washed over, as its inhabitants through their sins always emulate the impiety of their neighbors. Primarily, therefore, he urges it to be renewed. And already also every place of the nations that has received the knowledge of God. For if Israel, who was deemed worthy of so many things and was called a son, having departed from God, has been deemed worthy of philanthropy, how much more you who are ignorant of the divine laws? and an island is also every soul washed over by pleasures and the salty fantasies of life. Which, having come to know God and ceased from sinning, will be renewed, having taken up its own powers, and having put off the old leaven, and having become beyond all shame, bearing the form of Christ. ιηκʹ. 9Thus says the Lord who made the heaven. This is God, who established the earth, and made it, he himself set it in order. He did not make it in vain, but formed it to be inhabited. I am the Lord, and there is no other. I have not spoken in secret, nor in a dark place of the earth9, etc. Consistently

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ὁμολογοῦσιν αὐτὸν Σωτῆρα τοῦ 2429 Ἰσραὴλ, ὡς πάλαι σεσωκότα τὸν Ἰσραήλ· ἤγουν Ἰσραὴλ ληπτέον νῦν τὸν ὁρῶντα Θεόν. "Οὐ γὰρ πάντες οἱ ἐξ Ἰσραὴλ, οὗτοι Ἰσραήλ." Οἱ δὲ ἀνθεστηκότες αὐτῷ, τὴν αὐτοῦ μὴ ἀδικήσαντες δόξαν, αἰσχύνονται· ἔσονται γὰρ εἰς ὅρασιν πάσῃ σαρκί. Ἀπὸ δὲ τῶν Αἰγυπτίων καὶ τῶν ὁμόρων, ἐπὶ τὸ καθόλου τῶν ἐθνῶν τὸν λόγον ἀνήγαγε, νήσους καλῶν τὰς ἐξ ἐθνῶν Ἐκκλησίας τῶν ἐγκεκαινισμένων εἰς καινότητα ζωῆς, ἀποθεμένων τὴν παλαιότητα, Παύλου προστάττοντος· Ἐκδύσασθε τὸν παλαιὸν ἄνθρωπον· καὶ πάλιν· Ἐνδύσασθε τὸν νέον τὸν ἀνακαινούμενον κατ' εἰκόνα τοῦ κτίσαντος αὐτόν. Καὶ πάλιν· Ἀνακαινοῦσθε τῇ ἀνακαινώσει τοῦ νοὸς ὑμῶν. Ἐγκαινισμὸς οὖν τὰ καθ' ἡμᾶς, "Εἴ τις ἐν Χριστῷ καινὴ κτίσις." Τινὲς δὲ ἀπὸ τοῦ, μὴ ὁ ἀροτριῶν, οὕτως ἐξηγήσαντο· Παραβολικῶς προτρέπεται αὐτοὺς δικαιοσύνης φέρειν καρπούς. Θέλετε γάρ με, φησὶ, μόνον ἀροτριᾷν ὑμῶν τὰς ψυχὰς, καρπὸν μηδένα παρέχοντες. Εἶτα παιδεύει αὐτοὺς τοῖς τοῦ Θεοῦ περὶ τῶν ἐθνῶν εἴκειν βουλεύμασι, μήτε πηλοῦ ἀνθισταμένου τῷ πλάστῃ, μήτε τέκνου πατέρα κωλύοντος ἢ μητέρα σπεύδοντας πρὸς ἄλλων υἱῶν παιδοποιίαν, μηδὲ μέμψιν ἐπὸ τούτῳ προσάγοντος. Ὁ ποιήσας δὲ, φησὶ, τὰ ἐπερχόμενα διὰ τῆς προγνώσεως, δυσωπῶν αὐτοὺς εἰς κατανόησιν τῆς ἰδίας δυνάμεως. Ἔστω γὰρ, φησὶ, ποιοῦντι ὑμᾶς καὶ πλάττοντι οὐ παρηκολουθεῖτε τῇ γνώσει· μὴ καὶ προαγορεύοντι τὰ μέλλοντα ἀπιστήσετε; κατὰ μέρος μὲν γὰρ γίνεται τὰ γινόμενα· ἀθρόα δὲ αὐτῷ ἡ γνῶσίς ἐστι παρ' ἐμοί. Πλὴν μὴ ἀπογνῶτε τὴν σωτηρίαν, ὡς ἄν με λαθεῖν ἁμαρτάνοντες μὴ δυνάμενοι. Κρείττους δὲ γεγονότες ἐμοὶ τὰ καθ' αὑτοὺς ἐπιτρέψατε. Οὐ γὰρ δέομαι τῆς ἐξ ὑμῶν ὑπομνήσεως, ὡς ἂν ὄντας ἐμὰ ποιήματα καὶ εἰς υἱοὺς καὶ θυγατέρας λελογισμένους ἀξιῶσαι προνοίας. Οὐδὲ γὰρ ἐμαυτῷ τὸν οὐρανὸν ἐποίησα καὶ τὴν γῆν, εἰς δὲ χρείαν ὑμετέραν. Καὶ γινομένων ἀστέρων ἐθαύμαζον ἄγγελοι. Πάντων οὖν ὑπ' ἐμοῦ κυβερνωμένων, οὐδὲ τὰ ἐπὶ γῆς τὴν ἐμὴν ἐκφεύγει διοίκησιν. Τοιγαροῦν καὶ Κῦρος. ὑπ' ἐμοῦ κινηθεὶς, οὐκ αὐτὸς ὢν εὐσεβὴς, τὰ καθ' ὑμᾶς διορθώσεται. Ἐπεὶ καὶ πρότερον ὑμᾶς ἐξ Αἰγύπτου, φησὶν, ἠλευθέρωσα, καὶ ταῖς ἐμαῖς ἀπείρηκε μάστιξιν. Ὑμεῖς δὲ πάλιν ἁμαρτάνοντες οὐκ ἐπαύεσθε καὶ ματαιοπονοῦντες ἐπὶ ταῖς ἑαυτῶν ἐμπορίαις. Ἀλλ' ὅμως ἐμὲ πιστεύσαντες ἕξετε πάντας ὑποσόνδους τοὺς ἐνδόξους, καὶ φρονήματος γέμοντας, καὶ ἀγάπης δεδεμένοι δεσμοῖς καταντήσουσιν εἰς Ἱερουσαλὴμ, ὡς εἰς θεοσεβείας διδασκαλεῖον, καὶ μακαριοῦσιν ὑμᾶς, ὡς Θεῷ τῷ μόνῳ λατρεύοντας, ὃν ἠγνόουν αὐτοί. Ὑμῶν δὲ πρὸς μετάνοιαν ἀμελούντων, ὁ μονογενής μου παρέσται Υἱὸς Ἱερουσαλὴμ γενόμενος καὶ Ἰούδας, ἐν ᾧ προσεύξονται, οὗ σφραγῖδι καὶ 2432 ἄνδρες πονηροὶ καὶ δαίμονες ἡττηθήσονται. Ἱστορικῶς δὲ καὶ ἐπὶ Κύρου ληπτέον, ᾧ πᾶς ἐναντιούμενος αἰσχυνθήσεται. Καὶ ἐπὶ τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ, ὡς ἐπανελθόντες ἐκ τῆς αἰχμαλωσίας τοὺς ἀντιστατοῦντας νικήσουσιν. Εἶτα νήσους εἰπὼν, δηλοῖ καὶ τὴν Ἱερουσαλὴμ συνεχομένην ὑπὸ τῶν αὐτὴν περικυκλούντων ἐθνῶν περικλυζομένην τε, τῶν οἰκητόρων τοῖς ἁμαρτήμασιν ζηλούντων ἀεὶ τὴν τῶν περιοικούντων ἀσέβειαν. Προηγουμένως οὖν αὐτὴν ἀνακαινισθῆναι προτρέπεται. Ἤδη δὲ καὶ πάντα τόπον ἐθνῶν τὴν τοῦ Θεοῦ λαβόντας ἐπίγνωσιν. Εἰ γὰρ ὁ τοσούτων ἀξιωθεὶς Ἰσραὴλ καὶ χρηματίσας υἱὸς ἀποστὰς Θεοῦ, φιλανθρωπίας ἠξίωται· πόσῳ μᾶλλον ὑμεῖς οἱ τῶν θείων ἀνήκοοι νόμων; νῆσος δὲ καὶ πᾶσα ψυχὴ περικλυζομένη ταῖς ἡδοναῖς ἁλμυραῖς τε φαντασίαις τοῦ βίου. Ἥτις ἐπιγνοῦσα Θεὸν καὶ παυσαμένη τοῦ πλημμελεῖν, ἀνακαινισθήσεται τὰς ἑαυτῆς ἀναλαβοῦσα δυνάμεις, καὶ παλαιὰν ζύμην ἀποθεμένη, γεγονυῖά τε πάσης αἰσχύνης ἐκτὸς, τοῦ Χριστοῦ τὴν μόρφωσιν περιφέρουσα. ιηκʹ. 9Οὕτως λέγει Κύριος ὁ ποιήσας τὸν οὐρανόν. Οὗτος ὁ Θεὸς, ὁ καταδείξας τὴν γῆν, καὶ ποιήσας αὐτὴν, αὐτὸς διώρισεν αὐτήν. Οὐκ εἰς κενὸν ἐποίησεν αὐτὴν, ἀλλὰ κατοικεῖσθαι ἔπλασεν αὐτήν. Ἐγώ εἰμι Κύριος, καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν ἔτι. Οὐκ ἐν κρυφῇ λελάληκα, οὐδὲ ἐν τόπῳ γῆς σκοτεινῷ9, κ.τ.λ. Ἀκολούθως