95. In fact every member of the human race will be
through Moses, and set it up for a sign!, and by this sign those who had been bitten by serpents were healed, and God cannot be charged with doing wrong?
He proclaimed a mystery by these means, as I have said already; he declared by this that he is dissolving the power of the serpent, who caused the sin done by Adam to come about, and to those who believe in him who was destined to be killed by this sign, that is by the cross, he declared salvation from the bites of the serpent, which are evil deeds, idolatry and other wrongdoing.
If this interpretation is not given, supply me with a reason why Moses set up the brazen serpent as a sign and told those who were bitten to turn their eyes to it, and those who were bitten were healed, and yet this is the man who had given a command to make no image of any sort."
The second of the group who had arrived on the second day said, "What you say is true; we have no reason to give.
Indeed, I have often asked the teachers about this point, and nobody gave me a reason.
So continue with your argument, for we are interested in your explanation of a mystery in a subject which lays the doctrines of the prophets open to disparagement.""
I continued, "In the same way as God commanded the sign to take place by means of the brazen serpent and yet is not to be blamed, in just this way a curse attaches itself to crucified men in the law, and yet no curse is attached to God's Christ, through whom he saves all who have done things which deserve the curse.
95.
In fact every member of the human race will be found liable to the curse according to the law of Moses; for it said Cursed is every one who does not continue in the things written in the book of the law to do them?.
Even you would not dare to deny that nobody has scrupulously performed everything, but some have observed the ordinances more
1Num. 21:8,9.
2Deut. 27:26.