Testimonies from the Divine and Sacred Scriptures

Title and Chapter List§1

1Testimonies of the holy and blessed Epiphanius, Archbishop of Constantia in Cyprus, from the God-inspired and holy Scriptures, concerning the coming of the only-begotten God the Word from heaven to earth, the wonders done through Him, His passion and resurrection, and His second appearing, which is yet to come.

1. That the Son was begotten before the ages.

2. That He was with the Father.

3. That He is co-creator.

4. That He was sent.

5. That He will come.

6. That He was seen, and that, being God, He became man.

7. That the Lord is of the seed of David.

8. That He comes from a virgin.

9. That after He is born He will keep the mother who bore Him a virgin.

10. That the womb is a gate.

11. That the virgin will give birth without pangs.

12. That He was anointed.

13. That on earth He is without a father and without intercourse.

14. That He is a child.

15. That He will be born in Bethlehem.

16. That the Magi will worship Him.

17. That the star will rise (Numbers 24:17).

18. That the infants will be slain.

19. That Herod will be troubled, and all who are with him.

20. That he will seek, in pretence, to worship Him.

21. That he will be enraged at being deceived.

22. That he will search and make inquiry.

23. That he will kill the infants.

24. That he will not kill the Christ.

25. That Christ will go down into Egypt.

26. That He will be called out of Egypt.

27. That, when He is baptized, He will sanctify the waters.

28. That He will come up from the baptism in glory.

29. That He will walk on the sea.

30. That the hem of His garment will heal.

31. That He will wither the fig tree.

32. That He will be tempted by the devil.

33. That He will heal many.

34. That He will raise the dead.

35. That the Jews will not believe.

36. That from five loaves He will feed many.

37. That He will enter Zion on a donkey.

38. That the little children will run ahead of Him, crying, “Blessed is He who comes” (Psalm 118:26; Matthew 21:9).

39. That He will rebuke the people.

40. That nard will be poured over Him.

41. That they will gather together against Him.

42. That they will bear false witness against Him.

43. That Judas will betray Him.

44. That Judas will say, “Greetings, Rabbi” (Matthew 26:49).

45. That He will be sold for silver.

46. That they will bind Christ.

47. That they will put Him on trial.

48. That they will strike Him and treat Him with contempt.

49. That the apostles will flee.

50. That Peter will deny Him.

51. That they will crucify Him.

52. That they will crown Him with thorns.

53. That they will give Him vinegar and gall to drink (Psalm 69:21).

54. That they will clothe Him in a scarlet robe.

55. That He will keep silent when He is tried.

56. That He will be mocked.

57. That He who hangs on the tree is Himself the Life.

58. That His suffering is freedom from suffering.

59. That He will suffer at night, while it is cold and a charcoal fire has been laid (John 18:18).

60. That the sun will set.

61. That the sun will set at noon (Amos 8:9).

62. That they will divide His garments among themselves (Psalm 22:18).

63. That He will be crucified with robbers.

64. That they will pierce His side.

65. That not one of His bones will be broken (Exodus 12:46; John 19:36).

66. That water will flow from His side as a figure of baptism.

67. That He will be laid in a rock.

68. That the door of the tomb is a stone.

69. That they will set a seal on Him.

70. That He will be buried.

71. That the passion will take place as summer begins, in the month we call March.

72. That, once buried, He will strike Hades with fear.

73. That He is without sin.

74. That He will rise again.

75. That the soldiers will guard the tomb in vain.

76. That the resurrection is at dawn.

77. That the place will be a witness.

78. That it is by the outer wall.

79. That He will be sought by the women.

80. That He will first meet women.

81. That they will go away in fear.

82. That He will breathe the Holy Spirit upon the apostles.

83. That after the resurrection He will eat honey from the comb.

84. That they will say He was stolen.

85. That the dead will rise.

86. That He will go up into the heavens.

87. That He Himself was the one who preached.

88. That His name is in all the earth.

89. That He took His seat at the right hand of the Father not from the time He ascended, but even before that.

90. That we shall be called Christians.

91. That the marking of the cross on the forehead was also foretold.

92. That baptism in Christ was foretold.

93. That the second coming was foretold.

94. That He will judge the…

Before the Ages, Sent, and Coming§2

2…world, and that judgment will be given to Him.

95. That the sun and the moon will be darkened.

96. That the heavens will be rolled up.

97. That the Antichrist will come before the coming of Christ.

98. That he will kill many.

99. That then there will be a time of tribulation.

100. That Christ will come after him, and how He will come.

101. That the sign of Christ will be plain to see.

102. That the kingdom will have no end.

1. That the Son was begotten before the ages.

David the great is the first to say it, in Psalm 109: “From the womb, before the morning star, I begot You” (Psalm 110:3).

Wisdom, too, speaks in the same way: “Before the age He founded me, in the beginning, before He made the earth, and before He made the depths, and before the springs of the waters came forth, and before the mountains were settled; and before all the hills He begets me” (Proverbs 8:23-25).

And David says again, in Psalm 71: “He will endure with the sun, and before the moon, from generation to generation” (Psalm 72:5).

2. That He was with the Father.

Moses says, in the account of the creation of the world: “Let Us make man in Our image and after Our likeness” (Genesis 1:26).

3. That He is co-creator.

Wisdom says: “When He was preparing the heaven, I was present with Him; and when He was marking out His own throne; and when He was making the clouds above strong upon the winds; and when He was setting the springs beneath heaven firm; and when He was making the foundations of the earth strong, I was beside Him, fitting all things together” (Proverbs 8:27-30).

And David says in Psalm 32: “By the word of the Lord the heavens were made firm, and by the breath of His mouth all their host” (Psalm 33:6).

And again Wisdom says: “I saw Your works, being present when You were making the world” (Wisdom of Solomon 9:9).

4. That He was sent.

Isaiah speaks thus: “The Lord God, who made the heaven and fixed it, who made firm the earth and what is in it, who gives breath to the people upon it and breath to those who walk on it: I am the Lord God who called You, and I have given You as a covenant for the race, as a light for the nations, to open the eyes of the blind, to bring out from their chains those who are bound, and from the prison house those who sit in darkness” (Isaiah 42:5-7).

And Malachi says: “Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, and he will survey the way” (Malachi 3:1; Mark 1:2).

And again: “He has sent Me to bring good news to the poor” (Isaiah 61:1).

And David says in Psalm 106: “He sent His word and healed them” (Psalm 107:20).

5. That He will come.

Jacob says: “A ruler will not fail from Judah, nor a leader from his loins, until what is laid up comes; and He is the expectation of the nations” (Genesis 49:10).

Moses says: “The Lord God will raise up for you a Prophet from among his brothers, like me; you will listen to Him in all things. And whoever does not listen to that Prophet will be utterly destroyed for ever” (Deuteronomy 18:15, 19; Acts 3:22-23).

And Hosea says: “We will find Him ready as the dawn, and He will come to the earth like the early and the late rain” (Hosea 6:3).

And Amos says: “On that day He will raise up the fallen tent of David, and rebuild its ruins” (Amos 9:11).

Micah says: “On the tops of the mountains, out of Zion will go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem” (Micah 4:1-2).

And Joel says: “The Lord will cry out from Zion, and from Jerusalem He will utter His voice” (Joel 3:16).

And again: “You will know that He is the Lord our God, and that He will dwell on His holy mountain” (Joel 3:17).

And again: “The Lord will dwell in Zion” (Joel 3:21).

Obadiah says: “On Mount Zion there will be salvation; for the day of the Lord is near upon all the nations” (Obadiah 1:17, 15).

Jonah will be enough by himself to make plain the figure of the death (Jonah 1:17; Matthew 12:40).

And Nahum says: “The Lord is good to those who wait for Him.” “For behold, I am against you, says the Lord Almighty” (Nahum 1:7; 2:13).

And Habakkuk: “He will rise at the end, and at the appointed time; and if He is slow, wait for Him, for He will surely come and will not delay” (Habakkuk 2:3).

And again: “When the time has come, You will be shown forth” (Habakkuk 3:2).

And that “God will come from Teman” (Habakkuk 3:3).

And Zephaniah says: “Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion; proclaim it, daughter of Jerusalem; be glad and delight with all your heart. The Lord has taken away your wrongdoings; He has redeemed you from the hand of your enemies. The Lord will reign in your midst; you will no longer see evil” (Zephaniah 3:14-15).

And again: “Take courage, Zion; do not let your hands grow slack. The Lord God is in you; He is mighty to save you” (Zephaniah 3:16-17).

And Haggai says: “I am with you, says the Lord, and My Spirit stands over you” (Haggai 2:4-5).

And Zechariah says: “Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion, for behold, I am coming, and I will dwell in your midst, says the Lord” (Zechariah 2:10).

And again: “Behold, a man whose name is the Branch, and He will spring up from His place” (Zechariah 6:12).

And again: “Thus says the Lord Almighty: I will return to Zion, and I will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem, and Jerusalem will be called the true city” (Zechariah 8:3).

Prophets of His Coming§3

3And Malachi says: “I am a great King, says the Lord Almighty, and My name will be renowned among the nations” (Malachi 1:14). “And suddenly He will come to His temple, says the Lord God, He whom you desire, and the Angel of the covenant, whom you seek. Behold, He comes, says the Lord” (Malachi 3:1). “He will rise for you who fear Him; His name is the Sun of Righteousness, and healing is in His wings” (Malachi 4:2).

Isaiah says: “In those last days the mountain of the Lord and the house of God will be plain to see on the top of the mountains; out of Zion will go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem” (Isaiah 2:2-3). “The Lord Himself will come for judgment with the elders of the people” (Isaiah 3:14).

And again: “On that day God will shine forth with glory upon the earth” (Isaiah 4:2). “A rod will come forth from the root of Jesse, and a flower will come up from the root; and the Spirit of God will rest upon Him, the Spirit of wisdom, the Spirit of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and godliness; and the Spirit of the fear of God will fill Him” (Isaiah 11:1-3).

And again: “You will see a King in glory” (Isaiah 33:17). “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight the paths of our God” (Isaiah 40:3). “Behold our God; behold, the Lord comes with strength” (Isaiah 40:9-10).

And again: “Say to the daughter of Zion: Behold, your Savior is coming, bringing His reward with Him” (Isaiah 62:11).

And again: “The hand of the Lord will be made known to those who fear Him” (Isaiah 66:14).

And again: “There will be the root of Jesse, He who rises to rule the nations; in Him the nations will hope” (Isaiah 11:10).

And again: “To You they will pray, because God is in You, and they will say: There is no God besides You; for You are God, and we did not know it” (Isaiah 45:14-15).

And Jeremiah says: “The Spirit before our face is Christ the Lord” (Lamentations 4:20).

And again: “Remember me, Lord, and visit me, and vindicate me against those who persecute me” (Jeremiah 15:15).

And again: “Behold, days are coming, says the Lord, they are coming, and I will raise up for David a righteous Branch; and a King will reign and will act with understanding, and He will do judgment and righteousness on the earth. In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell trusting in Him. And this is His name, by which He will call Him: Josedek, and He is among the prophets” (Jeremiah 23:5-6).

And again: “They will know the Prophet whom the Lord sent to them in faithfulness” (Jeremiah 28:9).

And again: “Pray to Me, and I will hear you; you will seek and you will find Me, if you seek Me with all your heart, and I will appear to you” (Jeremiah 29:12-14).

And again: “The Lord is coming to His holy mountain of righteousness” (Jeremiah 31:23).

And Ezekiel says: “As for the likeness of their faces, all four had the face of a man, the face of a lion, the face of a calf and the face of an eagle” (Ezekiel 1:10).

And again: “I will remember My covenant with you in the days of your infancy, and I will establish for you an everlasting covenant; and you will remember your way” (Ezekiel 16:60-61).

And again: “From My holy mountain, on a high mountain, says the Lord, there all the house of Israel will serve Me to the end” (Ezekiel 20:40).

And again: “Thus says the Lord: Behold, I will seek out My sheep and I will visit them, as a shepherd seeks his flock” (Ezekiel 34:11-12).

And again: “They will know that I am the Lord their God, when I appear to them among the nations” (Ezekiel 39:28).

And Balaam says: “A man will come forth from the seed of Israel, and He will rule over many nations” (Numbers 24:7).

And again: “A star will rise out of Jacob, and a man will rise up out of Israel, and He will crush the mighty of Moab” (Numbers 24:17).

And Daniel says: “Until Christ the Prince, seven weeks and sixty-two weeks” (Daniel 9:25).

And David says: “When the Lord turns back the captivity of His people, Jacob will rejoice and Israel will be glad” (Psalm 14:7).

And again: “He Himself set His tent in the sun; and He, like a bridegroom coming out of His chamber, will rejoice like a giant to run the course. His going forth is from the end of heaven, and His circuit reaches to the end of heaven” (Psalm 19:4-6).

And again: “Make Your face shine upon Your servant” (Psalm 31:16).

And again: “He bowed the heavens and came down” (Psalm 18:9).

And again: “The God of gods will be seen in Zion” (Psalm 84:7).

And again: “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord; God is the Lord, and He has appeared to us” (Psalm 118:26-27).

And again: “The angel of the Lord will encamp around those who fear Him, and will deliver them” (Psalm 34:7).

And again: “He will come down like rain upon a fleece” (Psalm 72:6).

And again: “The Lord is near to those who are broken in heart” (Psalm 34:18).

And again: “May He make His face shine upon…

God Made Man, Born of a Virgin§4

4…us, and may He have mercy on us” (Psalm 67:1).

And again: “All the peoples have seen the salvation of our God” (Psalm 98:3).

Solomon says: “Will God truly dwell with men?” (1 Kings 8:27; 2 Chronicles 6:18).

6. That He was seen, and that, being God, He became man.

Jeremiah says: “This is our God; no other will be reckoned beside Him. He found out every way of knowledge and gave it to Jacob His servant and to Israel, who was loved by Him” (Baruch 3:35-36).

And again: “He is a man, and who will know Him?” (Jeremiah 17:9).

And again: “After these things He was seen on earth and lived among men” (Baruch 3:37).

And David says: “Truth has sprung up from the earth” (Psalm 85:11).

And again: “And a man was born in her, and He Himself, the Most High, founded her” (Psalm 87:5).

Hosea says: “My flesh is from them. What shall I do with you, Ephraim? I will shield you, Israel, for I am God and not man” (Hosea 9:12; 11:8-9).

Isaiah says: “God is with us; know it, you nations, and be defeated” (Isaiah 8:8-9).

And again: “I became manifest to those who did not ask for Me; I was found by those who did not seek Me” (Isaiah 65:1).

And again: “To You they will pray, because God is in You, and there is no God besides You; for You are God, and we did not know it” (Isaiah 45:14-15).

7. That the Lord is of the seed of David.

David says in Psalm 88: “Once for all I have sworn by My holiness that I will not lie to David: his seed will remain for ever” (Psalm 89:35-36).

And again: “The Lord swore truth to David, and He will not go back on it: Of the fruit of your body I will set upon your throne” (Psalm 132:11).

And again: “I will establish his seed for ever and ever, and his throne as the days of heaven” (Psalm 89:29).

And Isaiah says: “I will set His kingdom upon the throne of David, to establish it and to uphold it in righteousness and judgment” (Isaiah 9:7).

And again Jeremiah: “Behold, days are coming, says the Lord, and I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and a King will reign and will act with understanding, and He will do judgment and righteousness on the earth. In His days Israel will be saved, and Judah will dwell in Him” (Jeremiah 23:5-6).

8. That He comes from a virgin.

Isaiah, the great and glorious, is the first to cry aloud, saying: “Behold, the virgin will conceive and bear a Son, and they will call His name Emmanuel,” which is translated “God with us” (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23).

9. That after He is born He will keep the mother who bore Him a virgin.

Ezekiel says: “The Lord said to me: Son of man, this gate will be shut; no one at all will pass through it but the Lord God alone; and He will enter and sit, for He is the Prince; and He will go out and shut the doors behind Him, and the gate will be shut for ever and ever” (Ezekiel 44:2-3).

10. That the womb is a gate.

Job says: “Why did you not shut the gates of my mother’s womb for me?” (Job 3:10).

11. That the virgin will give birth without pangs.

Isaiah cries aloud, saying: “Before she who was in labor gave birth, before the pain of her pangs came, she escaped and gave birth to a male” (Isaiah 66:7).

12. That He was anointed.

David says in Psalm 44: “Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness above Your companions” (Psalm 45:7).

And Isaiah says: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me” (Isaiah 61:1).

13. That on earth He is without a father and without intercourse.

Jeremiah says: “Woe is me, mother! As what kind of man have you borne me, a man at law and at odds with the whole earth?” (Jeremiah 15:10).

And David says in Psalm 21: “God, my God, attend to me” (Psalm 22:1). “For You are He who drew me out of the womb, my hope from my mother’s breasts; upon You I was cast from the womb; from my mother’s belly You are my God” (Psalm 22:9-10).

And Daniel: “He was watching until a stone was cut out without hands, and it struck the image” (Daniel 2:34).

And that He is a stone, Isaiah says: “Behold, I lay in Zion a stone of stumbling and a rock of offense; and whoever believes in Him will not be put to shame” (Romans 9:33; Isaiah 8:14; 28:16).

And Zechariah says: “On the one stone there are seven eyes, looking upon all the earth” (Zechariah 3:9; 4:10).

14. That He is a child.

Isaiah bears witness, saying: “For a Child has been born to us, a Son has also been given to us, whose rule is upon His shoulder, and His name is called the Angel of Great Counsel” (Isaiah 9:6).

And again the same prophet says: “Before the Child knew how to call His father or His mother, He took the power of Damascus” (Isaiah 8:4).

And again: “A little child will write them down” (Isaiah 10:19).

15. That He will be born in Bethlehem.

Isaiah says: “He will dwell in a high place, upon a strong rock” (Isaiah 33:16).

16. That the Magi will worship Him.

David says in Psalm 71: “The kings of Tarshish and the islands will offer gifts; the kings of the Arabians and of Sheba, gifts…” (Psalm 72:10).

From the Magi to the Temptation§5

5…will bring them; and all the kings of the earth will worship Him (Psalm 72:10–11).

And Isaiah says: “They will come from Sheba bearing gold and frankincense and myrrh, and they will proclaim the good news of the salvation of the Lord” (Isaiah 60:6).

17. That the star will rise.

Balaam says: “A star will rise out of Jacob, and a man will rise up out of Israel” (Numbers 24:17). “And His kingdom will be exalted” (Numbers 24:7).

18. That the infants will be slain.

Jeremiah laments in these words: “Thus says the Lord: A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation and woe and weeping and wailing; Rachel, weeping for her sons, would not cease, because they are no more” (Jeremiah 31:15). “Thus says the Lord: Let your voice cease from weeping and your eyes from your tears, for there is a reward for your works; and they will return from the land of their enemies, and your children will stay for good” (Jeremiah 31:16–17).

19. That Herod will be troubled, and all who are with him.

Jeremiah says: “On that day, says the Lord, the heart of the king will perish, and the heart of the rulers; the priests will be astounded, and the prophets will marvel” (Jeremiah 4:9).

20. That he will seek, in pretence, to worship Him.

David says in Psalm 66: “In the greatness of Your power Your enemies will lie” (Psalm 66:3).

21. That he will be enraged at being deceived.

David says in Psalm 112: “The sinner will see and be angered; he will gnash his teeth and waste away” (Psalm 112:10).

22. That he will search and make inquiry.

David says in Psalm 64: “They said, ‘Who will see them?’ Or, ‘Who will tell of their hiding snares?’ They have worn themselves out searching and searching” (Psalm 64:5–6).

23. That he will kill the infants.

This was spoken of in chapter 18.

24. That he will not kill the Christ.

David says in Psalm 37: “The sinner watches the righteous one to destroy Him, but the Lord will not abandon Him into his hands” (Psalm 37:32–33). And again in Psalm 112: “The desire of sinners will perish” (Psalm 112:10).

25. That Christ will go down into Egypt.

Isaiah says: “Behold, the Lord is seated on a light cloud and will come into Egypt, and all the works of men’s hands in Egypt will be shaken” (Isaiah 19:1). And again: “The Lord will be made known to the Egyptians, and the Egyptians will fear the Lord on that day” (Isaiah 19:21).

26. That He will be called out of Egypt.

Joel says: “Out of Egypt I called My Son” (Hosea 11:1). And Balaam says: “God led Him out of Egypt; His glory is like that of a unicorn” (Numbers 24:8).

27. That, when He is baptized, He will sanctify the waters.

Ezekiel, telling what he saw, says: “Behold, water was coming down from the right side; and its going out was like a man going out. And he passed through the water, a water of forgiveness” (Ezekiel 47:1–3). “And the Lord said to me: ‘Son of man, this water that goes out to the land of Galilee will sanctify the waters; and every soul on which this water comes will live and be healed’” (Ezekiel 47:6, 8–9).

28. That He will come up from the baptism in glory.

Jeremiah says: “Behold, like a lion He will come up from the midst of the Jordan” (Jeremiah 49:19).

29. That He will walk on the sea.

Job says: “He who alone stretched out the heaven, who walks on the sea as on dry ground” (Job 9:8).

30. That the hem of His garment will heal.

Malachi says: “For those who fear His name the sun of righteousness will rise, with healing in its wings” (Malachi 4:2).

31. That He will wither the fig tree.

Habakkuk says: “For the fig tree will not bear fruit” (Habakkuk 3:17). And Ezekiel says: “I am the Lord, who dries up the green tree” (Ezekiel 17:24).

32. That He will be tempted by the devil.

Zechariah says: “And the Lord showed me Jesus the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and the devil stood at His right hand to oppose Him. And the Lord said to him: ‘May the Lord rebuke you, devil, the Lord who has chosen Jerusalem’” (Zechariah 3:1–2).

And the Lord Himself, speaking of Himself, said to Job: “Have you not seen him, and have you not marvelled at what is said? Are you not afraid, because he has been made ready for Me? For who is the one who has stood against Me…” (Job 41:9–10).

From His Healings to His Betrayal§6

6“…has stood against Me? Or who will stand against Me and endure?” (Job 41:10-11)

33. That He will heal many. Isaiah says, “Be strong, you drooping hands and feeble knees; give comfort, you who are faint of heart; do not be afraid” (Isaiah 35:3-4). And again, “Then God will come; then the eyes of the blind will be opened, and the ears of the deaf will hear; then the lame will leap like a deer, and the tongue of those who stammer will speak clearly” (Isaiah 35:4-6).

34. That He will raise the dead. Isaiah says, “Death, grown strong, swallowed up; and again God has taken away every tear from every face” (Isaiah 25:8).

35. That the Jews will not believe. Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?” (Isaiah 53:1). “Those to whom nothing was announced about him will see, and those who have not heard will understand” (Isaiah 52:15).

36. That from five loaves He will feed many. Isaiah says, “On that day they will say: Behold, our God; we have hoped and rejoiced in our salvation, for God will give rest on this mountain” (Isaiah 25:9-10).

37. That He will enter Zion on a donkey. Zechariah says, “Rejoice greatly, daughter of Zion; proclaim, daughter of Jerusalem, for your king is coming to you, righteous and gentle, mounted on a beast of burden and a young colt” (Zechariah 9:9). And Jacob says, “Binding his donkey to the vine” (Genesis 49:11). And Malachi says, “Suddenly the Lord whom you desire will come to His temple, and the messenger of the covenant” (Malachi 3:1).

38. That the little children will run ahead of Him, crying, “Blessed is He who comes” (Psalm 118:26; Matthew 21:9). David says in the 8th Psalm, “Out of the mouth of infants and nursing babies You have perfected praise” (Psalm 8:2).

39. That He will rebuke the people. Malachi says, “I will draw near to you in judgment, and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulteresses, and against those who swear by falsehoods” (Malachi 3:5). And Jeremiah says, “Is My house a den of robbers? And has My name been called over them?” (Jeremiah 7:11).

40. That nard will be poured over Him. In the Song of Songs it says, “While the king reclined at his table, nard gave forth its fragrance” (Song of Solomon 1:12).

41. That they will gather together against Him. David says in the 2nd Psalm, “Why did the nations rage, and the peoples plot vain things? The kings of the earth took their stand, and the rulers gathered together against the Lord and against His Christ” (Psalm 2:1-2). And again he says in the 3rd Psalm, “Lord, why have those who afflict me multiplied? Many rise up against me; many say to my soul, ‘There is no salvation for him in his God’” (Psalm 3:1-2). And Jeremiah says, “The Spirit before our face, Christ the Lord, was seized in our corruptions, of whom we said, ‘In his shadow we shall live’” (Lamentations 4:20). And again he says, “For they set their hands to words to seize me, and laid snares for me. And You, Lord, have known all their counsel against me for my death; do not hold their wrongs guiltless, and do not blot out their sins from Your sight” (Jeremiah 18:22-23).

42. That they will bear false witness against Him. David says in the 35th Psalm, “Unjust witnesses rose up against me; they questioned me about things I did not know; they repaid me evil for good” (Psalm 35:11-12). And again he says in the 59th Psalm, “Rescue me from my enemies, O God, and redeem me from those who rise up against me; deliver me from those who work lawlessness, and save me from men of blood” (Psalm 59:1-2).

43. That Judas will betray Him. David says in the 41st Psalm, “My enemies spoke evil of me: ‘When will he die, and his name perish?’ And he came in to see; he spoke empty words; his heart gathered lawlessness for itself; he went outside and spoke. All my enemies whispered together against me; against me they devised evil for me; they laid a lawless word against me” (Psalm 41:5-8). And again, “He who eats my bread has raised his heel high against me” (Psalm 41:9). And again he says in the 52nd Psalm, “Why do you boast in wickedness, O mighty one, in lawlessness all day long? Your tongue has devised injustice; like a sharpened razor you have worked deceit; you have loved wickedness more than goodness” (Psalm 52:1-3). And again he says in the 38th Psalm, “My friends and my neighbors drew near and stood opposite me” (Psalm 38:11).

44. That Judas will say, “Greetings, Rabbi” (Matthew 26:49). David says in the 55th Psalm, “His words were softer than oil, yet they are darts. Cast your care upon the Lord, and He will sustain you” (Psalm 55:21-22). And again he says in the 109th Psalm, “O God, do not pass over my praise in silence, for the mouth of the sinner and the mouth of the deceitful has been opened against me” (Psalm 109:1-2).

45. That He will be sold for silver. Zechariah says, “I will say to them: If it is good in your sight, give me my wages, thirty pieces of silver” (Zechariah 11:12).

Arrest, Trial and Crucifixion§7

7And Jeremiah says, “They gave the thirty pieces of silver, the price of the one on whom a price was set, whom some of the sons of Israel priced; and they gave them for the potter’s field” (Matthew 27:9-10; Zechariah 11:13).

46. That they will bind Him. Isaiah says, “Woe to your soul, for they have taken evil counsel against themselves, saying, ‘Let us bind the righteous man, for he is troublesome to us’” (Isaiah 3:9-10). And Solomon says, “Let us lie in wait for the righteous man, for he is troublesome to us; he is a burden to us even to look at” (Wisdom of Solomon 2:12, 14).

47. That they will put Him on trial. David says in the 69th Psalm, “Save me, O God, for the waters have come in up to my soul. I am stuck fast in the mire of the deep, and there is no foothold” (Psalm 69:1-2). And again he says in the 71st Psalm, “In You, Lord, I have hoped; let me never be put to shame. In Your righteousness rescue me and deliver me,” and so on (Psalm 71:1-2). And Isaiah says, “Against whom have you opened your mouth? And against whom have you let loose your tongue? Against whom but the gentle, the humble and the quiet?” (Isaiah 57:4; 66:2). And again, “My inheritance has become to me like a lion in the forest; it has raised its voice against me; therefore I have hated it” (Jeremiah 12:8). “It was not I who refused; it was they who refused me. Therefore I have forsaken my house” (Jeremiah 12:7).

48. That they will strike Him and treat Him with contempt. Micah says, “They will strike the judge of Israel on the cheek” (Micah 5:1). And, “The one abhorred by the nations, by the servants of rulers: kings will see him, and rulers will rise up and worship him” (Isaiah 49:7). And elsewhere he says, “But I do not disobey, nor do I answer back. I have given my back to the whip and my cheeks to blows, and I did not turn my face away from the shame of spitting” (Isaiah 50:5-6).

49. That the apostles will flee. David says in the 38th Psalm, “My friends and my neighbors drew near and stood opposite me” (Psalm 38:11). And again, “You have put my acquaintances far from me” (Psalm 88:8). And, “I looked for someone to grieve with me, and there was none, and for someone to comfort me, and I found none” (Psalm 69:20).

50. That Peter will deny Him. Isaiah says, “And he was afraid of mortal man, of those who will wither like grass; but he has forgotten Me, says the Lord” (Isaiah 51:12-13).

51. That they will crucify Him. Jeremiah says, “But I was like an innocent lamb led to be sacrificed” (Jeremiah 11:19). And Isaiah says, “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and like a lamb silent before its shearer” (Isaiah 53:7). And Wisdom says, “Let us condemn him to a shameful death” (Wisdom of Solomon 2:20). And again, “Come, let us put wood into his bread, and let us wipe him out from the land of the living” (Jeremiah 11:19). And David says, “They pierced my hands and my feet” (Psalm 22:16).

52. That they will crown Him with thorns. In the Song of Songs it says, “Go out and look, daughters of Jerusalem, at the crown with which his mother crowned him” (Song of Solomon 3:11). And Isaiah says, “I waited for it to yield grapes, but it yielded thorns” (Isaiah 5:4).

53. That they will give Him vinegar and gall to drink (Psalm 69:21). David says in the 69th Psalm, “They gave me gall for my food, and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink” (Psalm 69:21). And Moses says, “Is this how you repay the Lord?” (Deuteronomy 32:6). And in the Song of Songs it says, “He came into my garden, my sister, my bride, and they gathered my myrrh” (Song of Solomon 5:1). And again, “My hands dripped with myrrh, and my fingers were full of myrrh” (Song of Solomon 5:5). And again it says, “I will give you spiced wine to drink” (Song of Solomon 8:2).

54. That they will clothe Him in a scarlet robe. Isaiah says, “Who is this who comes from Edom, the red of his garments from Bozrah, this one splendid in his robe, with might? Why are your garments red, and your clothing as if from a trodden winepress?” (Isaiah 63:1-2).

55. That He will keep silent when He is tried. David says in the 38th Psalm, “I became like a man who does not hear and who has no rebukes in his mouth” (Psalm 38:14). And again, “But I, like a deaf man, did not hear, and was like a mute man who does not open his mouth” (Psalm 38:13). And Isaiah says, “And he, because he has been afflicted, does not open his mouth; like a sheep he was led to the slaughter, and like a lamb silent before its shearer, so he does not open his mouth in his humiliation” (Isaiah 53:7-8).

56. That He will be mocked. David says in the 109th Psalm, “They saw me; they shook their heads” (Psalm 109:25). And in Wisdom it says, “If he is a righteous son of God, He will help him” (Wisdom of Solomon 2:18). “He claims to have knowledge of God, and calls himself a child of the Lord” (Wisdom of Solomon 2:13).

57. That He who hangs on the tree is Himself the Life. Moses says, “Your life will hang on a tree before your eyes, and you will be afraid day and…” (Deuteronomy 28:66)

Death, Burial and Resurrection§8

8“…night, and you will not believe in your life” (Deuteronomy 28:66). And again he says, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree” (Deuteronomy 21:23).

58. That His suffering is freedom from suffering. Isaiah cries out, saying, “We reckoned him to be in pain and stricken; but he was wounded for our iniquities and weakened for our sins; the chastisement that brought our peace was upon him, and by his bruise we have all been healed” (Isaiah 53:4-5). And Sirach says, “They beat me, and I felt no pain” (Proverbs 23:35). And David says in the 64th Psalm, “Their blows have become like children’s arrows” (Psalm 64:7).

59. That Christ will suffer at night, while it is cold and a charcoal fire has been laid (John 18:18). Zechariah says, “And on that day there will be cold, and there will be frost for one day” (Zechariah 14:6-7).

60. That the sun will set. Zechariah is the first to say, “And on that day there will be no light; that day is known to the Lord, and it will be neither day nor night, and toward evening there will be light” (Zechariah 14:6-7). And Joel says, “Before his face the earth will be gathered together, and the heaven will be darkened; sun and moon will grow dark, and the stars will withdraw their brightness” (Joel 2:10).

61. That the sun will set at noon (Amos 8:9). Amos says, “And on that day, says the Lord God, the sun will set at noon, and its light will grow dark on the earth by day, and He will turn our feasts into mourning” (Amos 8:9-10).

62. That they will divide His garments among themselves (Psalm 22:18). David says in the 22nd Psalm, “They divided my garments among themselves, and for my clothing they cast lots” (Psalm 22:18).

63. That He will be crucified with robbers. Isaiah says, “And he was numbered with the lawless, and his soul was handed over to death” (Isaiah 53:12).

64. That they will pierce His side. Zechariah says, “They will look on him whom they pierced” (Zechariah 12:10).

65. That not one of His bones will be broken (Exodus 12:46; John 19:36). Moses says, “No bone of his will be broken” (Exodus 12:46; Numbers 9:12).

66. That water will flow from His side as a figure of baptism. Isaiah says, “Bread will be given to him, and his water will be sure” (Isaiah 33:16).

67. That He will be laid in a rock. Isaiah says, “Look to the solid rock that you hewed, and to the hollow of the pit that you dug” (Isaiah 51:1).

68. That the door of the tomb is a stone. He also says, “And they laid a stone upon me” (Lamentations 3:53).

69. That they will set a seal on Him. Daniel says, “And they brought a single stone and laid it on the mouth of the pit, and the king sealed it with his ring and with the ring of his nobles, so that nothing might be changed in the case of Daniel” (Daniel 6:17).

70. That His passion will take place as summer begins, in the month we call March. In the Song of Songs it says, “The season has passed; the nations have gone their way. He has appeared on the earth; the time of pruning has come” (Song of Solomon 2:11-12).

71. That He will be buried. Isaiah says, “The righteous man has been taken away from the presence of injustice; his burial will be in peace” (Isaiah 57:1-2). And again he says, “Because of the sins of my people he was led to death; and I will give the wicked in return for his burial and the rich in return for his death” (Isaiah 53:8-9). And Jacob says, “Lying down, he slept like a lion and like a lion’s cub; who will rouse him?” (Genesis 49:9). And in Numbers it says, “Lying down, he rested like a lion and like a lion’s cub” (Numbers 24:9). And David says in the 22nd Psalm, “You have brought me down to the dust of death” (Psalm 22:15).

72. That, once buried, He will strike Hades with fear. In Job it says, “The gates of death will be opened to him in fear, and the gatekeepers of Hades cowered when they saw you” (Job 38:17). And Isaiah says, “Hades below was embittered when it met you” (Isaiah 14:9). And David says in the 107th Psalm, “He shattered gates of bronze and crushed bars of iron” (Psalm 107:16).

73. That He is without sin. Isaiah says, “He committed no sin, nor was deceit found in his mouth” (Isaiah 53:9). And again, “Because of the sins of my people he was led to death” (Isaiah 53:8).

74. That He will rise again. David says in the 12th Psalm, “Because of the misery of the poor and the groaning of the needy, now I will arise, says the Lord” (Psalm 12:5). And again he says in the 16th Psalm, “For You will not abandon my soul to Hades, nor will You let Your Holy One see corruption” (Psalm 16:10). And again he says in the 30th Psalm, “You brought up my soul from Hades, from among those who go down into the pit” (Psalm 30:3). And Jeremiah says, “Therefore I awoke, and behold, my sleep became sweet” (Jeremiah 31:26). And David says in the 88th Psalm, “By day I cried out, and by night before You; I was counted among those who go down into the pit” (Psalm 88:1, 4). And again, “I have become like…” (Psalm 88:4-5)

Rising at Dawn and the Raising of the Dead§9

9“…a man without help, free among the dead” (Psalm 88:4-5). And again the same says in the 82nd Psalm, “Arise, O God, judge the earth” (Psalm 82:8). And Isaiah says, “He who brought up from the earth the great shepherd of the sheep” (Isaiah 63:11; compare Hebrews 13:20). And Nahum says, “Behold, swift upon the mountains are the feet of one who brings good news of peace” (Nahum 1:15).

75. That the soldiers will guard the tomb in vain. David says in the 76th Psalm, “They slept their sleep and found nothing” (Psalm 76:5).

76. That the resurrection is at dawn. David says in the 30th Psalm, “Weeping will lodge for the evening, and at dawn there will be rejoicing” (Psalm 30:5). And again he says in the 88th, “I cried out to You, Lord, and at dawn my prayer will come before You” (Psalm 88:13). And again he says in the 57th, “Awake, harp and lyre; I will awake at dawn” (Psalm 57:8).

77. That the place will be a witness. Nahum says, “Make ready, rise early; all their gleanings are spoiled. Therefore wait for Me, says the Lord, for the day of My resurrection, as My witness; for My judgment will bring in all My enemies” (Zephaniah 3:7-8).

78. That it is by the outer wall. In the Song of Songs it says, “Arise, come, my companion, in the shelter of the rock, close by the outer wall” (Song of Solomon 2:13-14).

79. That He will be sought by women. In the Song of Songs it says, “On my bed I sought him whom my soul loved; I sought him, and I did not find him. Have you seen him whom my soul loved?” (Song of Solomon 3:1-3).

80. That He will first meet women. In the Song of Songs it says, “I found him whom my soul loved; I held him and would not let him go” (Song of Solomon 3:4).

81. That they will go away in fear. David says in the 2nd Psalm, “Serve the Lord in fear, and rejoice in Him with trembling” (Psalm 2:11). And Isaiah says, “Women who come from the sight, come here; for this is not a people with understanding” (Isaiah 27:11).

82. That He will breathe the Holy Spirit upon the apostles. Nahum says, “Make ready, rise early; all their gleanings are spoiled. For He went up, breathing into their face” (Zephaniah 3:7; Nahum 2:1).

83. That after the resurrection He will eat from a honeycomb. In the Song of Songs it says, “I ate my bread with my honey” (Song of Solomon 5:1). The bitter before the passion, and the sweet after the resurrection.

84. That they will say He was stolen. Jonah says, “Those who hold to vain and false things have forsaken their mercy” (Jonah 2:8). And Isaiah says, “But tell us, and report to us, another deception” (Isaiah 30:10).

85. That the dead will rise. Hosea says, “They will rise early to Me, saying, ‘Let us go and return to the Lord, for He has struck us, and He will heal us; He will strike, and He will make us whole after two days; and on the third day we shall rise up before Him’” (Hosea 5:15-6:2). And Isaiah says, “The dead will rise, and those in the tombs will be raised, and those on the earth will rejoice” (Isaiah 26:19). And Zechariah says, “And you, by the blood of the covenant, have sent out your prisoners from a pit that has no water” (Zechariah 9:11). And again Hosea says, “I will rescue them from the hand of Hades, and I will redeem them from death. Where is your penalty, O death? Where is your sting, O Hades?” (Hosea 13:14). And Ezekiel says, “Thus says the Lord: I am opening your tombs, and I will bring you up out of your tombs and bring you into the land of Israel; and you will know that I am the Lord when I open your graves…” (Ezekiel 37:12-13).

Ascension, the Right Hand and the New Name§10

10“…to bring you up out of your graves, My people; and I will put breath in you, and you will live” (Ezekiel 37:13-14).

86. That He will go up into the heavens. David says in the 47th Psalm, “God went up with a shout, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet” (Psalm 47:5). And Amos says, “He who builds His ascent into heaven” (Amos 9:6).

87. That He Himself was the one who preached. Isaiah says, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me; He has sent Me to bring good news to the poor, to proclaim release to captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord and a day of recompense for our God” (Isaiah 61:1-2). And again, “My people will know My name on that day, that I Myself am the one who speaks. I am here, like one fair among the fair, like one who announces the good news of peace, making your salvation heard” (Isaiah 52:6-7).

88. That His name is in all the earth. Zechariah says, “And all who are left of all the nations that came against Jerusalem will go up year by year to worship the Lord Almighty” (Zechariah 14:16). And Ezekiel says, “I will cleanse you, and I will put My Spirit within you” (Ezekiel 36:25, 27). And again, “I will give them another heart, and I will give them a new spirit” (Ezekiel 11:19). And David says in the 19th Psalm, “His voice went out into all the earth, and His words to the ends of the world” (Psalm 19:4). And Jeremiah says, “I will give them another way and another heart, to fear Me all their days” (Jeremiah 32:39).

89. That He took His seat at the right hand of the Father not from the time He ascended, but even before that. Isaiah says, “I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up” (Isaiah 6:1). And David says in the 93rd Psalm, “Your throne is prepared, Lord, even from of old; You are from everlasting” (Psalm 93:2). And again he says in the 110th, “The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at My right hand until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet” (Psalm 110:1). And Isaiah says, “Heaven is My throne, and the earth is the footstool of My feet” (Isaiah 66:1).

90. That we shall be called Christians. Isaiah says, “Nations will see your glory, and all kings your righteousness; and you will be called by the new name, which the Lord will name” (Isaiah 62:2). And again, “But those who serve Me will be called by a new name, which will be blessed on the earth” (Isaiah 65:15-16).

91. That the marking on the forehead was also foretold. David says in the 60th Psalm, “You have given those who fear You a mark, to flee from before the bow” (Psalm 60:4). And Isaiah says, “Those who are sealed will be made manifest, so as to learn the law” (Isaiah 8:16). And Ezekiel says, “The Lord said to the man clothed in the long robe, Put the mark on the foreheads of the men who groan and are in anguish over all the iniquities; and go through the middle of Jerusalem…” (Ezekiel 9:4).

Baptism, the Second Coming and the Judgment§11

11“…and strike, and do not spare, and do not pity; the old man and the young man, the women, the nursing infants: wipe them all out; but do not come near any who bear My sign” (Ezekiel 9:5-6).

92. That baptism in Christ was foretold. Isaiah says, “Wash yourselves, become clean; remove the wickedness from your souls before My eyes” (Isaiah 1:16). And again, more plainly, “On that day God will shine forth in counsel with glory upon the earth, to exalt and glorify what is left of Israel in Zion and what is left in Jerusalem; for all who are written for life in Jerusalem will be called holy. For the Lord will wash away the filth of the sons and daughters of Zion, and He will cleanse the blood of Jerusalem from their midst by a spirit of judgment and a spirit of burning. And He will come, and a cloud will overshadow by day every place of Mount Zion and all that is around it” (Isaiah 4:2-5). And the baptism of the Jews according to the law also bears witness.

93. That the second coming was foretold. Malachi says, “Behold, the Lord Almighty is coming; and who will endure the day of His coming? Or who will stand at His appearing? For He will come in like a refiner’s fire, and He will sit refining and purifying” (Malachi 3:1-3). And again he says, “I will bring you to judgment, and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulteresses, and against those who swear falsely by My name” (Malachi 3:5).

94. That He will judge the world, and that judgment will be given to Him. David says in the 96th Psalm, “The Lord will judge the world in righteousness” (Psalm 96:13). And Joel says, “I will bring all the nations, and I will enter into judgment with them” (Joel 3:2). “And before Him will be a consuming fire, and behind Him a blazing flame; and behind Him a plain of desolation” (Joel 2:3). And again he says, “Before His face peoples will be crushed” (Joel 2:6). And again he says, “For the Lord has a case against His people” (Micah 6:2). And Daniel says, “I was watching in the vision of the night, and behold, One like a Son of Man was coming with the clouds of heaven, and He came as far as the Ancient of Days; and to Him were given the dominion and the honor and the kingdom, and all peoples, tribes, and tongues will serve Him; His authority is an everlasting authority” (Daniel 7:13-14). And David says in the 2nd Psalm, “The Lord said to Me, You are My Son; today I have begotten You. Ask of Me, and I will give You the nations for Your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for Your possession” (Psalm 2:7-8). And again the same says in the 76th Psalm, “The earth feared and was still when God rose up for judgment, to save the meek of the earth; for the thought of man…” (Psalm 76:8-10).

Signs of the End and the Endless Kingdom§12

12“…will give praise to You” (Psalm 76:10).

95. That the sun and the moon will be darkened. Joel says, “I will show wonders in the heaven above and on the earth below, blood and fire and vapor of smoke; and the sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the great and glorious day of the Lord comes; and it will be that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Joel 2:30-32). And again he says, “The day of the Lord is at hand, for near is a day of darkness and gloom, a day of cloud and mist” (Joel 2:1-2). And the Preacher says, “Rejoice, young man, in your youth, and put away anger from your heart, and remember Him who created you, before the days of your evil come, before the sun and the moon and the stars are darkened, and those who look out through the windows grow dim” (Ecclesiastes 11:9-10; 12:1-3).

96. That the heavens will be rolled up. Isaiah says, “And the heaven will be rolled up like a scroll, and all the stars will fall like leaves from a vine, and as leaves fall from a fig tree” (Isaiah 34:4). And David says in the 102nd Psalm, “In the beginning You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the works of Your hands; they will perish, but You will remain; and they will all grow old like a garment, and like a cloak You will roll them up, and they will be changed” (Psalm 102:25-26). And again Isaiah says, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away” (Matthew 24:35; compare Isaiah 51:6).

97. That the Antichrist will come before the coming of Christ. Daniel says, “After them another king will arise, who will surpass in evils all who were before him; and he will speak words against the Most High” (Daniel 7:24-25).

98. That he will kill many. Daniel says, “I was watching, and that horn was making war with the saints” (Daniel 7:21).

99. That then there will be a time of tribulation. Daniel says, “Then there will be a time of tribulation, such tribulation as there had not been among men until then” (Daniel 12:1).

100. That Christ will come after him, and how He will come. Zechariah says, “They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds, and the tribes will mourn, tribe by tribe” (Matthew 24:30; compare Zechariah 12:10-12). And David says in the 50th Psalm, “Our God, and He will not keep silent; fire will blaze before Him, and around Him a mighty storm” (Psalm 50:3).

101. That the sign of Christ will be plain to see. Isaiah says, “Then the sign of the Son of Man will appear; and when He has gathered them, He will not judge by appearance, nor will He convict by hearsay” (Matthew 24:30; Isaiah 11:3).

102. That the kingdom will have no end. Daniel says, “His kingdom will not be destroyed, and it will not be left to another people” (Daniel 7:14; 2:44). And David says in the 45th Psalm, “Your throne, O God, is for ever and ever” (Psalm 45:6). And again the same says in the 102nd, “But You are the same, and Your years will not fail” (Psalm 102:27).