Dispute between Simon the Jew and Theophilus the Christian

Contents

Reading pages: 1.0–2.44 · 2.45–4.2

1. 1.0Evagrius dedicates to Valerius his account of a debate between the Jew Simon and the Christian Theophilus.
2. 1.1Simon challenges Theophilus to prove his faith from the law, staking conversion on the outcome.
3. 1.2Theophilus answers with a proverb against premature boasting.
4. 2.1Simon asks whom Theophilus worships.
5. 2.2Theophilus answers: God.
6. 2.3Simon states the question: the crucified Christ whom Christians call Lord.
7. 2.4Theophilus affirms that Christ is Lord and God.
8. 2.5Simon cites Deuteronomy and Isaiah for the oneness of God.
9. 2.6Theophilus says the words are Christ’s and refer to his two comings; faith must precede understanding.
10. 2.7Simon asks about “besides me there is no god”.
11. 2.8Theophilus reads the words as Christ’s warning against the Antichrist, citing Zechariah’s worthless shepherd.
12. 2.9Simon objects that Theophilus makes two gods.
13. 2.10Theophilus argues from the three visitors at Mamre and several psalms, and from the passage of Baruch he ascribes to Jeremiah, that Christ is God beside the Father.
14. 2.11Simon asks for a passage where God himself makes Christ God.
15. 2.12Theophilus cites Exodus, where God makes Moses a god to Pharaoh, as a type of Christ.
16. 2.13Simon objects that Genesis names only God as Creator.
17. 2.14Theophilus reads “in the beginning” as “in Christ” and points to “Let us make man”.
18. 2.15Simon suggests God spoke to the angels.
19. 2.16Theophilus answers that God never called an angel his Son, and commands the angels to worship Christ.
20. 2.17Simon asks for proof that Christ is prince.
21. 2.18Theophilus cites the commander of the Lord’s army who appeared to Joshua.
22. 2.19Simon asks how Christ is Son of God, since God does not beget by intercourse.
23. 2.20Theophilus argues from Nathan’s oracle, Psalms 2, 45, 107, 33 and 147, Isaiah, John’s prologue, Sirach and Proverbs that Christ is the Word begotten from the Father’s heart.
24. 2.21Simon objects that the passage speaks of wisdom.
25. 2.22Theophilus argues that Christ is God’s wisdom and power, that Daniel’s seventy weeks and Isaiah 45 point to him, and that Isaiah 7:14 foretells his virgin birth.
26. 2.23Simon proposes that Isaiah’s virgin is the daughter of Zion who mocked the Assyrians.
27. 2.24Theophilus replies that the daughter of Zion bore no son who ate butter and honey or took the spoils of Samaria.
28. 2.25Simon asks what the butter, honey and spoils of Samaria mean.
29. 2.26Theophilus explains: butter and honey are the Spirit’s anointing and his sweet teaching; the spoils of Samaria are the Magi’s gifts and the conversion of the nations.
30. 2.27Simon asks how Christ is of David’s seed and born in Bethlehem.
31. 2.28Theophilus reads the rod of Jesse as Mary, of David’s line, and the flower as Christ.
32. 2.29Simon grants conception by the Spirit but doubts a virgin could give birth.
33. 2.30Theophilus argues from the water from the rock and introduces Baruch as a witness.
34. 2.31Simon accepts Baruch but says he said nothing of Christ.
35. 2.32Theophilus cites a prophecy he ascribes to Baruch on Christ’s birth and passion, and Micah on Bethlehem.
36. 2.33Simon asks why Christians forbid circumcision, which God commanded and Christ received.
37. 2.34Theophilus argues from Abraham’s faith before circumcision that circumcision is a sign of descent, not of salvation.
38. 2.35Simon cites Zipporah’s circumcision of Moses’ son as proof of its necessity.
39. 2.36Theophilus reads Zipporah as the synagogue and the altar of uncut stones as the church built from the uncircumcised.
40. 2.37Simon asks for proof that Christ circumcised no one.
41. 2.38Theophilus argues that Christ calls the uncircumcised, that the younger people supersedes the elder, and that the prophets foretold a new covenant and circumcision of the heart.
42. 2.39Simon asks what circumcision of the heart is.
43. 2.40Theophilus defines circumcision of the heart as cutting away the vices, kept by Enoch, Noah, Job and Melchizedek before the law.
44. 2.41Simon objects that one who hangs on a tree is cursed, citing Haman and Absalom, and that Jewish tradition knows nothing of Christ’s crucifixion.
45. 2.42Theophilus answers that the curse falls on sinners, while the sinless Christ suffered as the prophets foretold, citing many passages on the cross, and reads the grape cluster of Numbers as Christ on the tree.
46. 2.43Simon asks about the pomegranates brought with the cluster.
47. 2.44Theophilus reads the pomegranate as the church, marked by Christ’s blood.
48. 2.45Simon asks about the fig leaves; Theophilus reads the fig as both the old man and the spiritual life, then expounds Christ’s humility from Isaiah 53 and 50, the Passover lamb, the mark on the forehead in Ezekiel 9, Rahab’s scarlet cord, and Hosea’s wife.
49. 2.46Simon asks whether the church is then a harlot.
50. 2.47Theophilus explains the church as open to all, the synagogue as divorced, Wisdom 2 as prophecy of the Passion, and cites many passages for Christ’s resurrection, ascension, session and second coming.
51. 2.48Simon objects that Psalm 72 is titled for Solomon.
52. 2.49Theophilus answers that Solomon’s limited and sinful reign cannot fulfil the psalm’s everlasting, worldwide kingdom.
53. 2.50Simon begins to accept the light of truth.
54. 2.51Theophilus urges Simon to believe and be freed from the prison of ignorance, as Isaiah 61 and Genesis 1 foretell.
55. 3.1Simon’s last objection: Christians neglect the Sabbath and the food laws.
56. 3.2Theophilus answers that the Sabbath was a figure, broken at Jericho and by the Maccabees and rejected by Isaiah, that the food laws forbid sinful deeds rather than foods, and he turns the charge of unclean wine against the Jews.
57. 4.1Simon declares himself convinced and asks to be made a catechumen.
58. 4.2Theophilus blesses and anoints Simon, who gives thanks to Jesus in a closing prayer.