33. These things being so, and the proof of the resurrection of the
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Refutation of the Jews 33.
These things being so, and the proof of the resurrection of the body and the victory wrought by the Savior over death being clear, come now and let us also refute the unbelief of the Jews and the mockery of the Greeks. Perhaps the Jews do not believe and the Greeks mock for these reasons, disparaging the unseemliness of the cross and the incarnation of the God Word. But our argument will not shrink from advancing to both, especially as it has clear proofs against them.
The unbelieving Jews have their rebuttal from the scriptures which they also read. From beginning to end, and simply every inspired book proclaims these things, as also the very words themselves are obvious. For the prophets previously foretold the miracle regarding the Virgin and the birth occurring from her, saying,
"Behold a virgin will conceive and bear a son, and they will call his name Emmanuel, which is interpreted as 'God with us" (Isa7.14). And Moses, that truly great man, believed by them to be true, considering the saying concerning the incarnation of the Savior as something great, and recognizing it to be true, established this saying, "A star will rise from Jacob and a human being from Israel, and he will break down the princes of Moab" (Num 24.17), and again, "How fair are your tents, O Jacob, and your encampments, O Israel; like shady valleys and like gardens beside rivers, and like tents set up by the Lord, like cedars beside the waters. There will come forth a human being from his seed, and he shall rule over many peoples" (Num 24.5-7). And again
Isaiah "Before the child knows how to cry out 'father' or 'mother; he will take the power of Damascus and the spoils of Samaria before the King of Assyria" (Isa 8.4). That a human being shall appear then is foretold by these. And that the coming one is Lord of all they again predict, saying, "Behold, the Lord sits upon a swift cloud, and he will come to Egypt, and the graven images of Egypt will be shaken" (Isa
19.1). For from there also the Father called him, saying, "From Egypt have I called my Son" (Hos 11.1).
On the Incarnation
Nor is even his death passed over in silence, but rather it is indicated exceedingly clearly in the divine scriptures. For they were not fearful to speak even of the cause of his death—that he endured it not for himself, but for the incorruptibility and salvation of all, and the plotting of the Jews, and the indignities that came upon him from them—in order that no one should be uninformed or in error about what happened. Thus they say, "A man in affliction and knowing how to bear sorrows, because his face was turned away. He was despised and esteemed not. He bears our sins and suffers for our sake; we considered him to be in distress and affliction, and suffering. He was wounded for our sins and bruised for our iniquities. The chastisement of our peace is upon him, by his bruise we have been healed" (Isa 53.3-5). Marvel at the Word's love for human beings, that he is dishonored for our sake, that we might be honored. "For all we, it says, "like sheep have gone astray; the human being has gone astray from his way, and the Lord has delivered him to our sins. And he, though being in affliction, opens not his mouth. Like a sheep led to the slaughter, and as a lamb before its shearers is dumb, so opens he not his mouth. In his humiliation his judgment was taken away" (Isa 53.6-8). Then, lest anyone suppose him, from his suffering, to be a mere human being, scripture anticipates the suspicions of human beings, and relates his power beyond human and the unlikeness of nature to us, saying, "Who will declare his generation? For his life was taken from the earth. By the iniquities of the people he was brought to death. And I shall give the wicked in exchange for his burial and the rich for his death, for he committed no iniquity, nor was deceit found in his mouth. And the Lord wishes to heal him from his iniquity" (Isa 53.8-10).
But perhaps, having heard the prophecy of his death, you ask to learn what is indicated regarding the cross. For not even this is passed over in silence; but is expounded with great clarity by the saints. For first Moses, in a loud voice, predicts it saying, "You will see your life hanging before your eyes, and you will not believe" (Deut
28.66). And after him the prophets again witness to this, saying, "But
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I, as a gentle lamb led to the slaughter, knew it not. And they plotted wickedly against me saying, 'Come, let us cast wood in his bread and efface him from the land of the living" (Jer 11.19). And again, "They pierced my hands and my feet; they numbered all my bones, they divided my garments among them, and for my vesture they cast lots"
(Ps 21.17-19). But death in the air, taking place on wood, could be none other than the cross; in no other death are the hands and feet pierced, except on the cross. Since by the sojourn of the Savior all nations everywhere have begun to recognize God, they did not even leave out this undeclared, for there is also mention of it in the holy letters, "He will be; it says, "the root of Jesse and he that rises to rule the nations, and in him will the nations hope" (Isa 11.10).
These few things contribute to the proof of what happened. But all scripture is full of things which refute the Jews' unbelief. For which of the righteous and the holy prophets and the patriarchs mentioned in the divine scriptures ever had the creation [genesis] of his body from a virgin only? Or what woman without a man was sufficient to produce human beings? Was not Abel from Adam, Enoch from Yared, Noah from Lamech, Abraham from Tarrah, Isaac from Abraham, and Jacob from Isaac? Was not Judah from Jacob, and Moses and Aaron from Ameram? Was not Samuel from Helcana,
David from Jesse, Solomon from David, Hezekiah from Achaz, Josiah from Amos, Isaiah from Amos, Jeremiah from Hilciah, Ezekiel from Buzi? Did not each of these have his father as the author of his being [genesis]? Who then is born ofa virgin only? For much care about this sign was taken by the prophet. And before whose birth did a star run in the heavens and indicate to the inhabited world the one born? For when Moses was born, he was hidden by his parents; nor was David heard of by those in the neighborhood, since even the great Samuel did not know him but asked whether Jesse had another son; and Abraham had already become great when he was known to his kin. No human being was a witness of the birth of Christ but a star appearing in heaven, whence also he descended.