Chapter 13.
Christians, and not Jews, the heirs of the covenant
But let us see if this people is the heir, or the former, and if the covenant belongs to us or to
them. Hear now what the Scripture says concerning the people. Isaac prayed for Rebecca his
wife, because she was barren; and she conceived. Genesis 25:21 Furthermore also, Rebecca
went forth to inquire of the Lord; and the Lord said to her, Two nations are in your womb, and
two peoples in your belly; and the one people shall surpass the other, and the elder shall serve
the younger. Genesis 25:23 You ought to understand who was Isaac, who Rebecca, and
concerning what persons He declared that this people should be greater than that. And in
another prophecy Jacob speaks more clearly to his son Joseph, saying, Behold, the Lord has
not deprived me of your presence; bring your sons to me, that I may bless them. And he brought
Manasseh and Ephraim, desiring that Manasseh should be blessed, because he was the elder.
With this view Joseph led him to the right hand of his father Jacob. But Jacob saw in spirit the
type of the people to arise afterwards. And what says [the Scripture]? And Jacob changed the
direction of his hands, and laid his right hand upon the head of Ephraim, the second and
younger, and blessed him. And Joseph said to Jacob, Transfer your right hand to the head of
Manasseh, for he is my firstborn son. Genesis 48:18 And Jacob said, I know it, my son, I know
it; but the elder shall serve the younger: yet he also shall be blessed. Genesis 48:19 You see on
whom he laid [his hands], that this people should be first, and heir of the covenant. If then, still
further, the same thing was intimated through Abraham, we reach the perfection of our
knowledge. What, then, says He to Abraham? Because you have believed, it is imputed to you
for righteousness: behold, I have made you the father of those nations who believe in the Lord
while in [a state of] uncircumcision.