101

to show the infinity of the divine power, and being unable to teach men otherwise he shows its preeminence from creation; for what a drop is to a bucket, he says, and the turn of a scale, and spittle, that is the whole nature of men in comparison to that ineffable and unlimited power. Then he teaches that all the kinds of quadrupeds are something small and not sufficient for a sacrifice to the divine majesty, and all the wood of Lebanon is not enough to fill the burning fire. What image, then, of such a one will you be able to construct? 19Has a craftsman made an image? Or has a goldsmith, melting gold, gilded it or fashioned it in a likeness? The one who is so infinite, so unlimited, what art can imitate? 20For a craftsman selects incorruptible wood and wisely seeks how he will set it up as an image so that it may not be shaken. Concerning the God of all he spoke thus: 'Lebanon is not sufficient for burning,' but here, mocking the weakness of idols, he shows the craftsman in need of wood for the fashioning of the so-called god. Not only, he says, |149 a| does it receive both its substance and its form from a contribution, but it also needs much art, so that it might achieve a likeness and remain unshaken. Then, reproachfully: 21Will you not know? Will you not hear? Has it not been told to you from the beginning? Have you not known the foundations of the earth? Did I not from above, he says, teach you the weakness of idols? Did you not know who founded the earth upon its own stability? For he added this: 22He who holds the circle of the earth, and its inhabitants are like grasshoppers. He himself, he says, brought it into being, he himself holds and governs it. And men differ in nothing from grasshoppers when compared to the divine power. Then he teaches that he is not only the maker of the earth but also the creator of the heavens: He who set up the heaven like a vault and stretched it out like a tent to dwell in. For since the earth is like a floor, and the heaven imitates a vaulted and domed roof, he fittingly compared it to a tent. And having thus shown us that the God of all is the creator, the prophetic word shows us also his ineffable providence: 23He who brings prince<s> to rule for nothing. For thus he also cast down Sennacherib and Nebuchadnezzar and countless others. And he made the earth as nothing. For the power of the maker is not measured by his creations but by his will alone: 'For,' he says, 'all that the Lord willed, he has done,' not all that he was able to, but all that he willed; for he was able to do many times more, but he has made what he judged to be good. 24For they shall not sow, nor shall they plant, nor shall their root take root in the earth; a wind blew upon them and they were withered, and a tempest will take them up like stubble. He said these things concerning the impious rulers whom he stripped of their power. 25To whom then have you likened me, that I should be exalted? said the Holy One. To whom do you compare the one who has made these things, the one who is continually working these things? What worthy reverence do you offer? 26Lift up your eyes on high and see: Who has shown all these things? For you see, he says, the sun, the moon, the choir of the stars, the turnings of the year, the changes of the seasons, the equal successions of night and day. For he added this: He who brings forth his host by number. And he calls the arrangement of creation the 'host'. He will call them all by name. He is ignorant of nothing, he says, but knows all things clearly; for he himself has also given names to each one. By the greatness of his glory and in the might of his strength, nothing has escaped you. He is strong in all things, he can do all things, he is ignorant of nothing that happens, and he even knows the thoughts of men. 27For do not say, Jacob, and why have you spoken, Jerusalem: My way is hidden from my God, my judgment has passed away? Do not think, he says, that I am ignorant of the counsels of your souls, nor suppose that you escape notice when you devise wicked things. From this it is clear that he also made an accusation of polytheism against these very people. 28And now, have you not known? If you have not heard? The Three have interpreted these things more clearly: for one...