Uncertainty of the scriptures



507.

Worthy, therefore, of rejection is every one who is willing so much as to hear anything against the monarchy of God;

508.

yet if any one dares to hear anything against God, as trusting in the Scriptures,

let him first of all consider with me that if any one, as he pleases, form a dogma agreeable to himself,

and then carefully search the Scriptures,

he will be able to produce many testimonies from them in favour of the dogma that he has formed.

509.

How, then, can confidence be placed in them against God,

when what every man wishes is found in them?

Simon's intention

510.

Therefore Simon, who is going to discuss in public with us tomorrow,

is bold against the monarchy of God, wishing to produce many statements from these Scriptures,

to the effect that there are many gods,

and a certain one who is not He who made this world, but who is superior to Him;

and, at the same time, he is going to offer many scriptural proofs.

511.

Yet we also can easily show many passages from them that He who made the world alone is God,

and that there is none other besides Him.

512.

Yet if any one shall wish to speak otherwise,

he also shall be able to produce proofs from them at his pleasure.

513.

For the Scriptures say all manner of things,

that no one of those who inquire ungratefully may find the truth, but simply what he wishes to find,

the truth being reserved for the grateful now gratitude is to preserve our love to Him who is the cause of our being.

Distinction between prediction and prophecy

514.

Whence it must before all things be known,

that nowhere can truth be found unless from a prophet of truth.

515.

Yet He is a true Prophet, who always knows all things, and even the thoughts of all men,

and who is without sin, as being convinced respecting the judgment of God.

516.

Wherefore we ought not simply to consider respecting His foreknowledge,

yet whether His foreknowledge can stand, apart from other cause.

517.

For physicians predict certain things, having the pulse of the patient as matter submitted to them;

and some predict by means of having fowls, and some by having sacrifices,

and others by having many various matters submitted to them; yet these are not prophets.

518.

But if any one should say that the foreknowledge shown by these predictions is like to that foreknowledge which is really implanted, he were much deceived.

518.

For he only declares such things as being present, and that if he speaks truth.

519.

However, even these things are serviceable to me,

for they establish that there is such a thing as foreknowledge.

520.

But the foreknowledge of the one true Prophet does not only know things present,

but stretches out prophecy without limit as far as the world to come,

and needs nothing for its interpretation,

521.

not prophesying darkly and ambiguously,

so that the things spoken would need another prophet for the interpretation of them;

yet clearly and simply, as our Master and Prophet,

by the inborn and ever-flowing Spirit, always knew all things.

Prophetic knowledge constant

522.

Wherefore He confidently made statements respecting things that are to be

—I mean sufferings, places, limits.

523.

For, being a faultless Prophet, and looking upon all things with the boundless eye of His soul, He knows hidden things.

524.

Yet if we should hold, as many do, that even the true Prophet, not always,

yet sometimes, when He has the Spirit, and through it, foreknows, but when He has it not is ignorant,

—if we should suppose thus, we should deceive ourselves and mislead others.

525.

For such a matter belongs to those who are madly inspired by the spirit of disorder

—to those who are drunken beside the altars, and are gorged with fat.

Prophetic spirit constant

526.

For if it were permitted to any one who will profess prophecy to have it believed in the cases in which he was found false, that then he had not the Holy Spirit of foreknowledge,

it will be difficult to convict him of being a false prophet;

for among the many things that he speaks, a few come to pass,

527.

and then he is believed to have the Spirit, although he speaks the first things last, and the last first;

speaks of past events as future, and future as already past;

and also without sequence; or things borrowed from others and altered,

and some that are lessened, unformed, foolish, ambiguous,

unseemly, obscure, proclaiming all unconscientiousness.

 

 

Christ's prophecies

528.

But our Master did not prophesy after this fashion;

yet, as I have already said, being a prophet by an inborn and ever-flowing Spirit,

and knowing all things at all times, He confidently set forth, plainly as I said before,

sufferings, places, appointed times, manners, limits.

529.

Accordingly, therefore, prophesying concerning the temple, He said: 'See ye these buildings?

530.

Verily I say to you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another which shall not be taken away; and this generation shall not pass until the destruction begin,

for they shall come, and shall sit here, and shall besiege it, and shall slay your children here.'

531.

And in like manner He spoke in plain words the things that were straightway to happen,

which we can now see with our eyes,

in order that the accomplishment might be among those to whom the word was spoken.

532.

For the Prophet of truth utters the word of proof in order to the faith of His hearers.

 

Doctrine of conjunction

533.

However, there are many proclaimers of error, having one chief, even the chief of wickedness,

 just as the Prophet of truth, being one, and being also the chief of piety,

shall in His own times have as His prophets all who are found pure.

534.

But the chief cause of men being deceived is this,

their not understanding beforehand the doctrine of conjunction,

which I shall not fail to expound to you in private every day, summarily;

for it were too long to speak in detail.

535.

Be you therefore to me truth-loving judges of the things that are spoken.

 

The Book of Preachings                                                                                      CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Divisions 536-560

PREACHINGS 3

Whether Adam had the Spirit

536.

But I shall begin the statement now.

537.

God having made all things, if any one will not allow to a man, fashioned by His hands,

to have possessed His great and Holy Spirit of foreknowledge,

how does not he greatly err who attributes it to another born of a spurious stock!

538.

And I do not think that he will obtain pardon,

though he be misled by spurious scripture to think dreadful things against the Father of all.

539.

For he who insults the image and the things belonging to the eternal King,

has the sin reckoned as committed against Him in whose likeness the image was made.

540.

Yet then, says he, the Divine Spirit left him when he sinned.

541.

In that case the Spirit sinned along with him; and how can he escape peril who says this?

542.

Yet perhaps he received the Spirit after he sinned.

543.

Then it is given to the unrighteous; and where is justice?

544.

Yet it was afforded to the just and the unjust.

This were most unrighteous of all.

545.

Thus every falsehood, though it be aided by 10,000 reasonings,

must receive its refutation, though after a long time.

Adam not ignorant

546.

Be not deceived, our father was ignorant of nothing;

since, indeed, even the law publicly current, though charging him with the crime of ignorance for the sake of the unworthy, sends to him those desirous of knowledge, saying,

547.

'Ask your father, and he will tell you;

your elders, and they will declare to you.'

548.

This father, these elders ought to be inquired of.

549.

But you have not inquired whose is the time of the kingdom,

and whose is the seat of prophecy, though He Himself points out Himself, saying,

550.

'The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat;

all things whatsoever they say to you, hear them.'

551.

Hear them, He said, as entrusted with the key of the kingdom, which is knowledge,

which alone can open the gate of life, through which alone is the entrance to eternal life.

552.

But truly, He says, they possess the key,

yet those wishing to enter they do not suffer to do so.

 

Reign of Christ

553.

On this account, I say, He Himself, rising from His seat as a father for his children,

proclaiming the things which from the beginning were delivered in secret to the worthy,

extending mercy even to the Gentiles,

and compassionating the souls of all, neglected His own kindred.

554.

For He, being thought worthy to be King of the world to come,

fights against him who, by predestination, has usurped the kingdom that now is.

555.

And the thing which exceedingly grieved Him is this, that by those very persons for whom,

as for sons, he did battle, He was assailed, on account of their ignorance.

556.

And yet He loved even those who hated Him, and wept over the unbelieving,

and blessed those who slandered Him, and prayed for those who were in enmity against Him.

557.

And not only did He do this as a father,

yet also taught His disciples to do the like, bearing themselves as towards brethren.

558.

This did our Father, this did our Prophet.

559.

This is reasonable, that He should be King over His children;

that by the affection of a father towards his children,

and the engrafted respect of children towards their father, eternal peace might be produced.

560.

For when the good man reigns,

there is true joy among those who are ruled over, on account of him who rules.

 

 

 

The Book of Preachings                                                                                      CHAPTER NINETEEN

Divisions 561-595

PREACHINGS 3


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