Bad Advertisement?
Are you a Christian?
Online Store:Visit Our Store
| Chapter VIII PREVIOUS SECTION - NEXT SECTION - HELP
Chapter
VIII.
And it is not matter of surprise that in certain
generations there have existed prophets who, in the reception of divine
influence,3707
3707 ἐν τῇ
παραδοχῇ τῆς
θειότητος. | surpassed, by means
of their stronger and more powerful (religious) life, other prophets
who were their contemporaries, and others also who lived before and
after them. And so it is not at all wonderful that there should
also have been a time when something of surpassing excellence3708 took up its abode among the human race, and
which was distinguished above all that preceded or even that
followed. But there is an element of profound mystery in the
account of these things, and one which is incapable of being received
by the popular understanding. And in order that these
difficulties should be made to disappear, and that the objections
raised against the advent of Christ should be answered—viz.,
that, “after so long a period of time, then, did God now bethink
himself of making men live righteous lives, but neglect to do so
before?”—it is necessary to touch upon the narrative of the
divisions (of the nations), and to make it evident why it was, that
“when the Most High divided the nations, when He separated the
sons of Adam, He set the bounds of the nations according to the number
of the angels of God, and the portion of the Lord was His people Jacob, Israel the cord of His
inheritance;”3709 and it will be
necessary to state the reason why the birth of each man took place
within each particular boundary, under him who obtained the boundary by
lot, and how it rightly happened that “the portion of the
Lord was His people Jacob, and Israel the cord
of His inheritance,” and why formerly the portion of the
Lord was His people Jacob, and Israel the cord
of His inheritance. But with respect to those who come after, it
is said to the Saviour by the Father, “Ask of Me, and I will give
Thee the heathen for Thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the
earth for Thy possession.”3710 For
there are certain connected and related reasons, bearing upon the
different treatment of human souls, which are difficult to state and to
investigate.3711
3711 Εἰσὶ γάρ
τινες εἱρμοὶ
καὶ
ἀκολουθίαι
ἄφατοι καὶ
ἀνεκδιήγητοι
περὶ τῆς κατὰ
τὰς
ἀνθρωπίνας
ψυχὰς
διαφόρου
οἰκονομίας. | E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
|