Chapter VIII.--The red heifer a type of Christ.
Now what do you suppose this to be a type of, that a command was given to Israel, that men of the greatest wickedness [1541] should offer a heifer, and slay and burn it, and, that then boys should take the ashes, and put these into vessels, and bind round a stick [1542] purple wool along with hyssop, and that thus the boys should sprinkle the people, one by one, in order that they might be purified from their sins? Consider how He speaks to you with simplicity. The calf [1543] is Jesus: the sinful men offering it are those who led Him to the slaughter. But now the men are no longer guilty, are no longer regarded as sinners. [1544] And the boys that sprinkle are those that have proclaimed to us the remission of sins and purification of heart. To these He gave authority to preach the Gospel, being twelve in number, corresponding to the twelve tribes [1545] of Israel. But why are there three boys that sprinkle? To correspond [1546] to Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, because these were great with God. And why was the wool [placed] upon the wood? Because by wood Jesus holds His kingdom, so that [through the cross] those believing on Him shall live for ever. But why was hyssop joined with the wool? Because in His kingdom the days will be evil and polluted in which we shall be saved, [and] because he who suffers in body is cured through the cleansing [1547] efficacy of hyssop. And on this account the things which stand thus are clear to us, but obscure to them because they did not hear the voice of the Lord.
[1541] Literally, "men in whom sins are perfect." Of this, and much more that follows, no mention is made in Scripture.
[1542] Cod. Sin. has "upon sticks," and adds, "Behold again the type of the cross, both the scarlet wool and the hyssop,"--adopted by Hilgenfeld.
[1543] Cod. Sin. has, "the law is Christ Jesus," corrected to the above.
[1544] The Greek text is, "then no longer [sinful] men, no longer the glory of sinners," which Dressel defends and Hilgenfeld adopts, but which is surely corrupt.
[1545] Literally, "in witness of the tribes."
[1546] "In witness of."
[1547] Thus the sense seems to require, and thus Dressel translates, though it is difficult to extract such a meaning from the Greek text.
Chapter IX.--The spiritual meaning of circumcision.
He speaks moreover concerning our ears, how He hath circumcised both them and our heart. The Lord saith in the prophet, "In the hearing of the ear they obeyed me." [1548] And again He saith, "By hearing, those shall hear who are afar off; they shall know what I have done." [1549] And, "Be ye circumcised in your hearts, saith the Lord." [1550] And again He says, "Hear, O Israel, for these things saith the Lord thy God." [1551] And once more the Spirit of the Lord proclaims, "Who is he that wishes to live for ever? By hearing let him hear the voice of my servant." [1552] And again He saith, "Hear, O heaven, and give ear, O earth, for God [1553] hath spoken." [1554] These are in proof. [1555] And again He saith, "Hear the word of the Lord, ye rulers of this people." [1556] And again He saith, "Hear, ye children, the voice of one crying in the wilderness." [1557] Therefore He hath circumcised our ears, that we might hear His word and believe, for the circumcision in which they trusted is abolished. [1558] For He declared that circumcision was not of the flesh, but they transgressed because an evil angel deluded them. [1559] He saith to them, "These things saith the Lord your God"--(here [1560] I find a new [1561] commandment)--"Sow not among thorns, but circumcise yourselves to the Lord." [1562] And why speaks He thus: "Circumcise the stubbornness of your heart, and harden not your neck?" [1563] And again: "Behold, saith the Lord, all the nations are uncircumcised [1564] in the flesh, but this people are uncircumcised in heart." [1565] But thou wilt say, "Yea, verily the people are circumcised for a seal." But so also is every Syrian and Arab, and all the priests of idols: are these then also within the bond of His covenant? [1566] Yea, the Egyptians also practise circumcision. Learn then, my children, concerning all things richly, [1567] that Abraham, the first who enjoined circumcision, looking forward in spirit to Jesus, practised that rite, having received the mysteries [1568] of the three letters. For [the Scripture] saith, "And Abraham circumcised ten, and eight, and three hundred men of his household." [1569] What, then, was the knowledge given to him in this? Learn the eighteen first, and then the three hundred. [1570] The ten and the eight are thus denoted--Ten by I, and Eight by E. [1571] You have [the initials of the, name of] Jesus. And because [1572] the cross was to express the grace [of our redemption] by the letter T, he says also, "Three Hundred." He signifies, therefore, Jesus by two letters, and the cross by one. He knows this, who has put within us the engrafted [1573] gift of His doctrine. No one has been admitted by me to a more excellent piece of knowledge [1574] than this, but I know that ye are worthy.
[1548] Ps. xviii. 44.
[1549] Isa. xxxiii. 13.
[1550] Jer. iv. 4.
[1551] Jer. vii. 2.
[1552] Ps. xxxiv. 11-13. The first clause of this sentence is wanting in Cod. Sin.
[1553] Cod. Sin. has "Lord."
[1554] Isa. i. 2.
[1555] In proof of the spiritual meaning of circumcision; but Hilgenfeld joins the words to the preceding sentence.
[1556] Isa. i. 10.
[1557] Cod. Sin. reads, "it is the voice," corrected, however, as above.
[1558] Cod. Sin. has, "that we might hear the word, and not only believe," plainly a corrupt text.
[1559] Cod. Sin., at first hand, has "slew them," but is corrected as above.
[1560] The meaning is here very obscure, but the above rendering and punctuation seem preferable to any other.
[1561] Cod. Sin., with several other mss., leaves out "new."
[1562] Jer. iv. 3. Cod. Sin. has "God" instead of "Lord."
[1563] Deut. x. 16.
[1564] This contrast seems to be marked in the original. Cod. Sin. has, "Behold, receive again."
[1565] Jer. ix. 25, 26.
[1566] Dressel and Hilgenfeld read, "their covenant," as does Cod. Sin.; we have followed Hefele.
[1567] Cod. Sin. has "children of love," omitting "richly," and inserting it before "looking forward."
[1568] Literally, "doctrines."
[1569] Not found in Scripture: but comp. Gen. xvii. 26, 27, Gen. xiv. 14.
[1570] Cod. Sin. inserts, "and then making a pause."
[1571] This sentence is altogether omitted by inadvertence in Cod. Sin.
[1572] Some mss. here read, "and further:" the above is the reading in Cod. Sin., and is also that of Hefele.
[1573] This is rendered in the Latin, "the more profound gift," referring, as it does, to the Gnosis of the initiated. The same word is used in chap. i.
[1574] Literally, "has learned a more germane (or genuine) word from me," being an idle vaunt on account of the ingenuity in interpreting Scripture he has just displayed.