Theophany 4.15–4.18

English translation by Samuel Lee (1843); the original is not shown

After the Parable which has already been mentioned, the word of the Divine Scripture states, that “When the chief Priests and Pharisees had heard His parables, they knew that He spake against themselves, and they sought totake Him: but they feared the people, because they held Him as a Prophet.” And Jesus answered them, and said again in a parable: The kingdom of heaven is like to a (certain) man, a king, who made a (marriage) feast for his son, and sent his servants to call those who had been bidden to the feast ; but they would not come. And again, he sent out other servants, and commanded them to say to those who had been bidden: Behold, my dinner is ready, my fatted oxen are slain, and every thing is prepared for you: Come to the feast. But they disregarded and went away, One to the village (farm), and Another to (his) merchandise. But they who remained seized his servants, and abused and slew (them). And the king was enraged, and sent his army and slew those murderers, and burnt up their city. He then said to his servants, My dinner is ready, but those who were bidden were unworthy of it. Go ye out therefore, into the ways and paths, and every one that ye find, call to the feast. So those servants went out into the ways, and they brought together all they could find, (both) bad and good.” Now, in the former Parable, the Vineyard, the Tower, the Winepress, and the Husbandmen, were evil: and the servants sent, first and last, were killed. And, at last, even the Son of the Lord of the vineyard was himself slain: by which were pointed out, the People, the Temple, the Altar, and the Rulers of the Jews; and also those wicked husbandmen, who, standing at the head of the people, slew both the former and latter Prophets, and at last the Son of God Himself !

English translation by Samuel Lee (1843); the original is not shown

Now the Parable before our eyes, obviously introduces the familiar feast, and bringing together, of the Bridegroom and Bride, with a marriage-supper: and again the servants also, who are here destroyed and slain, and the former and latter persons bidden. By means of these again, He points out covertly, the things that happened after His resurrection from the dead. For the Bridegroom is, THE Word of God; the Bride, the rational soul, which is associated with Him, and receives the Divine seed that is of Him. And (this) Divine and rational association, (represents) that of His Church: and, consequent upon these things, the rational feast and marriage supper, (represent) the Divine and heavenly aliments (so prepared). He does not here speak of the inviting servants, with reference to those who were formerly sent to the vineyard, but, with reference to the latter ones. For those were the Prophets; but these, His own Apostles, who were sent forth to make the call, (and) first, of those who were of the circumcision. For, when He first sent these forth, He charged them, saying, ‘‘ Into the way of the Gentiles go ye not; and into a city of the Samaritans enter ye not; but rather go ye to the wandering sheep of the house of Israel.” These same persons therefore, the servants did first invite; but, when they hearkened not to the call, He sent also, the second time, many Evangelists and Preachers of the Gospel; those whom He chose, after the twelve Apostles, the seventy other Disciples, who also first preached the Gospel to the Jewish people, and called them to the feast of the New Testament. But they availed nothing, because they, who had been bidden, were busied with their merchandise; and who, after they had heard the call of the servants, abused some, and killed others. And it is in our power to find from the Scriptures, how many of the Disciples of our Saviour they afterwards killed, both in Jerusalem and in the rest of Judea. Stephen then was, in the first place, forthwith slain by them by stoning. After him, James the brother of John?. And again after them, he who first chose (to accept) the throne of the Church of that place, James who was called the Brother of our Lord: whom, on account of his great excellence, they called “the Just’... Him too, the Jews of those times killed by stoning. How they abused the Apostles by stripes, the Book of the Acts relates. And these things did He, by His divine knowledge, foretel before they happened; He also foretold the things which should befall them from the Jews. By means of a parable too, He predicted what should come to pass before these things took place, by these expressions, . (viz.) “ The king was enraged,” at the abuse and slaughter of his servants, “‘and sent his army, and slew those murderers, and burnt wp their city.” And, What can be more obvious than this foreknowledge, and the fulfilment of the things themselves (so predicted)? For the army of the Romans came soon after, and took the city, and destroyed the Temple itself by fire. And, of Whom was it, except of Him who is King of all, God over all, that it was thus said, that ‘“‘the King shall send his army, and shall slay those murderers, and shall burn up their city?” To this very time indeed, the remnants of the conflagration which took place in various parts of the city, are obvious to the sight of those who travel thither. But, how those murderers of the Apostles were taken in the reduction (of the city), and suffered the punishment which they deserved, it is not nécessary we should say, as the things which were done to them, may readily be found in the record of the Romans' by Flavius Josephus’. After the slaughter of these therefore, and the reduction of the metropolis of their kingdom, they,—who remained of those servants that had first heard it said by their Lord, “They who were first called were not worthy; but go ye out into the ways and paths, and ali that ye find, call to the feast”—performed even the thing commanded. Our Saviour said to them therefore, after His resurrection, “Go ye and make Disciples of all nations in my name.” And these things He said, who formerly had commanded: “ In the way of the Gentiles go ye not,” but (enjoined) that they should preach to the Jews only. But, when these had abused (their) Inviters, then He dismissed the servants the second time, and said, ‘ Those that were called were not worthy. Go ye out into the ways and paths, and all that ye find call to the feast.” And this they fulfilled in deed. They went out into the whole creation, and they preached to all nations, the divine and heavenly calling; and they collected together as many as they could find, (both) bad and good.” Let no one therefore wonder, that, of those, who are collected into the Church of Christ, all are not good; but, that in the mixture together with the good, the evil will also be collected. Nor did this escape the foreknowledge of our Saviour. And it is accordingly seen to remain in fact, in conformity with that foreknowledge: and, what the end of those will be, who are brought together unworthily in His Church, He Himself shews; for He afterwards teaches these things in the parable, saying, “‘ And‘ the feast was Jilled with guests : but, when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man who had not (on) wedding garments. And he said to him, My friend! how camest thou in hither not having put on wedding garments? And he was silent. Then the king said to the ministers: Bind him hands and feet, and cast him out into outer darkness. here shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. For many are the called, but few the chosen.” He likewise previously rebuked, with these predictive words, those who should conduct themselves unrighteously in His Church. Again, on the rejection of the Jewish people. From the Gospel of Matthew.

English translation by Samuel Lee (1843); the original is not shown

“Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, How shall ye escape hell? Wherefore, behold, I send unto you Prophets, and Wise men, and Scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify, and some of them ye shall scourge im your synagogues, and shall persecute them from city to city; so that there shall come upon you, all the blood of the Righteous, which has been shed upon the land, from the blood of Abel, even to the blood of Zecharias the son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the steps and the altar. I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation.” 'There is no need we should affirm, that all these things are so plain, as to require no explanation whatever; which, being afterwards fulfilled in very deed, confirmed by (their) open fulfilment, the foreknowledge of our Saviour. For the Apostles were scourged by the Jews at a subsequent period, in Jerusalem itself; when also, they went forth from their synagogues, ‘‘ rejoicing‘ that they were found worthy to be reproached for his name's sake.” Stephen also was stoned by them; and James was slain with the sword’; and again, the second James was put to death with stones’. And Simeon, who after James held the Episcopal chair in Jerusalem, was given up to crucifixion, as the history reminds (us). And many others again, who were slain by the Jews, have (thus) set their seal to the foreknowledge of our Saviour. On account of all which, the judgment of God took vengeance on the generation that dared to do all this: and, upon it turned back the (just) consequence of all its deeds. For it was of that generation that their Temple and altar were rooted up, and the kingdom, which had, by tradition from their forefathers, been preserved to that very time, was dissolved. And of the same, was their freedom taken away: and, from the effects themselves it was evident, that the avenging of the blood of all the Righteous was on that generation, in conformity with the words of our Saviour. It is necessary then we should see, with what entire power, and by what sort of force, it was said, ‘ Behold I send to you Prophets, and Wise men.” For (this), ““ Behold I send,” is an intimation of the power of God. And, that He called the Rulers of the Jews to their face, a “ generation of vipers,” affords no proof of deficiency (in this respect). The prediction too, of the destruction which should overtake them, does, after all the rest, afford ample confirmation as to these declarations; and this their complete fulfilment proves. These things are therefore sufficient (here). Let us then, now enquire accordingly, how it happened to the land which had always been precious to them, and to those glories of the metropolis of the kingdom which had been (so) famous with them; of which, by His divine foreknowledge He attested ;—Weeping bitterly as He did over them of his mercy,—that the whole should undergo a change to the extremes of calamity, because of the insolence of its inhabitants against Him. On the destruction of the Temple of Jerusalem.

English translation by Samuel Lee (1843); the original is not shown

What the end of those things should be, which had been foretold respecting the Jewish people, has (already) been said and shewn. But, as He, raz Word of God, prophesied also respecting these places themselves, it is necessary we should see His words on them. Now, when the Rulers of the Jews would not bear the purity of His Doctrine, its publication, nor His rebukes, they so acted as to rid their city of Him. He then, leaving Jerusalem, pronounced these words over their city: ‘‘‘Jerusalem, Jerusalem! that hast killed the Prophets, and stoned them that were sent unto thee, How often would I have gathered thy children together, as the hen gathereth her chickens under her wings: but ye would not. Behold! your house is left desolate. For I say unto you, that ye shall not see me henceforth until ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.” Impurity (and) pollution afterwards marked their doings: and this was the sin in which they dared to persist against our Saviour. And it was right, not only that the Inhabitants of the city, but also the Jand itself,—in which they so greatly boasted,—should be made to suffer the things, which the deeds of its inhabitants deserved. And these they did suffer! For it was not long, before the Romans came against the city: and, of the inhabitants, some they killed by the law of war; others they destroyed by famine; others they led away captive; and others they persecuted. The captive’ (City) and Temple they burnt, and reduced to utter desolation! But the things which took place afterwards, did our Saviour, from his foreknowledge as THE Word of God, foretel should come to pass, by means of those which are (now) before us. For He named the whole Jewish people, the children of the City; and the Temple, He styled their House. And thus He testified, that they should, on their own wicked account, bear the vengeance thus to be inflicted. For many times would He have gathered their children together beneath the yoke of the worship of God, just as all formerly was; even as He had from ancient times been careful for them, and had, during all ages, instructed them by one or other of the Prophets, and called them, but they would not hearken to his call;—-on this account, He gave judgment against them, and said, ‘ Behold your house is left desolate.” It was therefore with special care that He said, not (only) the City itself should be desolate, but the House that was within it: that is, the Temple; (and) which He was unwilling should again be called His, or yet ‘“‘the House of God,” but theirs (only). He prophesied too, that it should be desolate in no other way, than as deprived of that providential care, which was formerly exerted over it: hence He said, Behold your house is left desolate.” And, it is right we should wonder at the fulfilment of this prediction, since at no time did this place undergo such an entire desolation as this was. Not at the time when it was rased to its foundations by the Babylonians, on account of their great wickedness, their worshipping of Idols, and pollution in the blood of the Prophets. For seventy years was the whole period of the desolation of the place in those times: because it was not (thus) fully said to them at that time, Behold your House is left desolate.” Nor was it (then so) forsaken; an event happening soon after, which dignified it with a renewal much more illustrious than its former state, as one of the Prophets had foretold: (viz.) “ The glory of this latter House shall be greater than that of the former’.” After the enouncement therefore of our Saviour,—that they should so be /eft, and their house come, by the judgment of God, to utter desolation ;—to those who visit these places, the sight itself affords the most complete fulfilment of the prediction. The period too has been that of many years, and (of duration) so long, as not only to be double of the desolation of seventy years,— which was that in the time of the Babylonians,—but even to surpass four times (its duration); and (thus) confirming the judgment pronounced by our Saviour. Again, on another occasion, our Saviour—walking by the side of the Temple, just mentioned, and His Disciples wondering at the building which surrounded it, and pointing out to Him the greatness and beauty of the same Temple ;—returned to them answer and said, “ Behold! see ye not all these things? I say unto you, stone shall not be left here upon stone, which shall not be thrown down.” The Scriptures do moreover shew, that the whole building and the extreme ornamenting of the Temple there, were indeed thus worthy of being considered miraculous: and, for proof (of this), there are preserved, even to this time, some remaining vestiges of these its ancient decorations. But, of these ancient things, the greatest miracle of all is, the Divine word (declaring) the foreknowledge of our Saviour, which fully enounced to those, who were wondering at the buildings (of the Temple), the judgment, that there should not be left in the place at which they were wondering, “one stone wpon another which should not be rased.” For it was right, that this place should undergo an entire destruction and desolation, on account of the audacity of its Inhabitants; because it was the residence of impious men. And, just as the prediction was, are the results in fact remaining: the whole Temple, and its walls,—as well as those ornamented and beautiful buildings which were within it, and which exceeded all description,—have suffered desolation from that time to this! With time too, this increases: and, so has the power of Tur Word gone on destroying, that, in many places, no vestige of their foundations is now visible! which any one who desires it, may see with his own eyes’. And, should any one say, that a few of the places are still existing; we may nevertheless, justly expect the destruction of these also, as their ruin is daily increasing: the predicting word, just mentioned, daily operating by a power which is unseen. I know too—for I have heard it from persons who interpret the passage before us differently,—that this was not said on all the buildings, except only on that place which the Disciples, when expressing their wonder upon it, pointed out to Him; for it was upon this that He spoke the predicting word. Again, the Scriptures of His Disciples which teach respecting Him, (teach) us these things (following), on the utter destruction of the place.— On the taking of the City. From the Gospel of Luke. 19: ‘And’, when He saw the city, He wept over it, and said, If thou hadst known, even in this day the things of thy peace.—But now, they are (so) hidden from thine eyes, that the days shall come upon thee, in which thine enemies shall surround thee, and shall press upon thee from every part of thee: and they shall utterly root thee wp, and thy children within thee.” 'The things, prior to these, were predicted respecting the Temple; these, which are now before us, respecting the City itself; which the Jews named the City of God, because of the Temple of God that had been built within it. Over the whole of this then, the compassionate (Saviour) wept. It was not, that He had so much pity on the buildings, nor indeed upon the land, as He had first upon the souls of its inhabitants, and (then) upon (the prospect of) their destruction. He pointed out moreover, the cause of their desolation when He said, “If thow hadst known, even in this day, the things of thy peace:” intimating too His own coming, which should be for the peace of the whole world. For .” this is He, of whom it was said, “In his days shall righteousness arise (as the sun), and abundance of peace’. He came also for this purpose, that “ He might preach peace to them that were near, and to them that were afar of.” And, of them who received Him, He said, “ Peace I leave to you; my peace give I unto you:” the peace, which all nations who believed on Him throughout the whole creation, have received. But the people, who were of the circumcision and believed not on Him, knew not the things of their peace: and, on this account, He said afterwards, ‘‘ It is now (so) hidden from thine eyes, that the days shall come upon thee, (in which) thine enemies shall surround thee’... The things (I say), which were therefore to take hold on them, a short time after, in the reduction (of the city): (and), because they had no previous perception of the peace, that had been formerly preached to them, it should now be concealed from their eyes. They had therefore, no previous perception of any thing, which should afterwards befall them; He then plainly foretold these things by His foreknowledge, and gave open intimation of the reduction (of the city), which should come upon them through the Romans, (when saying), ‘ The days shall come upon thee...because thou knewest not the things of thy peace.” For,for this cause “ there shall come upon thee the days, (in which) thine enemies shall surround thee, and shall go rownd about thee, and shall press upon thee from every quarter of thee; and they shall root thee out, and thy children within thee.” In these (words) then, has been recorded the form of war which should come upon them. And, how they were fulfilled, we shall presently find from the writings of Josephus, who was himself a Jew, and descended from a tribe of the Jews ;—one of the well known and famous men among that people. At the time of the reduction (of the place), he committed to writing every thing that was done among them; and (so) shewed, that the predictions before us were, in their facts, fulfilled. Again, on the reduction of the City. From the Gospel of Luke.