First Christian Voices: Practices of the Apostolic Fathers

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First Christian Voices

118:12), and “for my clothing they cast lots” (Ps 22:18). Since, therefore, He was about to be revealed and suffer in the flesh, His suffering was foreshown. For the Prophet speaks against Israel, “Woe to their soul because they have consulted an evil counsel against themselves saying, ‘Let us lie in wait for the Righteous One, because He is displeasing to us’” ( Isa 3:9–10; Wis 2:12 ). And Moses also says to them, “Behold these things says the Lord God, ‘Go up to the good land which the Lord swore to Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and inherit it, a land flowing with milk and honey’” ( Exod 33:1, 3 ). B arnabas 12: In a similar way, He points to the cross of Christ in another Prophet who says, “And when will these things be accomplished? And the Lord says, ‘When a tree will be bent down, and again arise, and when blood will flow out of wood.’” 3 Here again you have an allusion concerning the cross and Him who would be crucified. Yet again He speaks of this in Moses when Israel was attacked by strangers. When they were assaulted, He reminded them that it was on account of their sins that they were delivered to death. So, the Spirit speaks to the heart of Moses that he should make a symbol of the cross and of Him who was to suffer on it. For unless they put their trust in Him, they will be overcome forever. Moses therefore placed one weapon above another in the midst of the hill, and standing upon it so as to be higher than all the people, he stretched out his hands and once again Israel acquired the advantage. But when he let his hands down again, they were again destroyed. For what reason? That they might know that they could not be saved unless they put their trust in Him.

3 Unknown source.