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| Chapter CXII.—The Jews expound these signs jejunely and feebly, and take up their attention only with insignificant matters.
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Chapter CXII.—The Jews expound these
signs jejunely and feebly, and take up their attention only with insignificant
matters.
“But you, expounding these things in a low [and
earthly] manner, impute much weakness to God, if you thus listen to them
merely, and do not investigate the force of the words spoken. Since even
Moses would in this way be considered
a transgressor: for he
enjoined that no likeness of anything in heaven, or on earth, or in the
sea, be made; and then he himself made a brazen serpent and set it on a
standard, and bade those who were bitten look at it: and they were saved
when they looked at it. Will the serpent, then, which (I have already
said) God had in the beginning cursed and cut off by the great sword, as
Isaiah says,2371
be understood as having
preserved at that time the people? and shall we receive these things in
the foolish acceptation of your teachers, and [regard] them not as signs?
And shall we not rather refer the standard to the resemblance of the
crucified Jesus, since also Moses by his outstretched hands, together
with him who was named Jesus (Joshua), achieved a victory for your
people? For in this way we shall cease to be at a loss about the things
which the lawgiver did, when he, without forsaking God, persuaded the
people to hope in a beast through which transgression and disobedience
had their origin. And this was done and said by the blessed prophet with
much intelligence and mystery; and there is nothing said or done by any
one of the prophets, without exception, which one can justly reprehend,
if he possess the knowledge which is in them. But if your teachers only
expound to you why female camels are spoken of in this passage, and are
not in that; or why so many measures of fine flour and so many measures
of oil [are used] in the offerings; and do so in a low and sordid manner,
while they never venture either to speak of or to expound the points
which are great and worthy of investigation, or command you to give no
audience to us while we expound them, and to come not into conversation
with us; will they not deserve to hear what our Lord Jesus Christ said to
them: ‘Whited sepulchres, which appear beautiful outward, and
within are full of dead men’s bones; which pay tithe of mint, and
swallow a camel: ye blind guides!’2372
| 2372 Matt. xxiii. 27, 23, 24. [Note the
examples he gives of the rabbinical expositions. He consents to their
principle, but gives nobler analogies.] | If, then, you will
not despise the doctrines of those who exalt themselves and wish to be
called Rabbi, Rabbi, and come with such earnestness and intelligence to
the words of prophecy as to suffer the same inflictions from your own
people which the prophets themselves did, you cannot receive any
advantage whatsoever from the prophetic writings.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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