Chapter 5.
The new covenant, founded on the sufferings of Christ, tends to our
salvation, but to the Jews’ destruction
For to this end the Lord endured to deliver up His flesh to corruption, that we might be sanctified
through the remission of sins, which is effected by His blood of sprinkling. For it is written
concerning Him, partly with reference to Israel, and partly to us; and [the Scripture] says thus:
He was wounded for our transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities: with His stripes we are
healed. He was brought as a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb which is dumb before its
shearer. Isaiah 53:5, 7 Therefore we ought to be deeply grateful to the Lord, because He has
both made known to us things that are past, and has given us wisdom concerning things
present, and has not left us without understanding in regard to things which are to come. Now,
the Scripture says, Not unjustly are nets spread out for birds. This means that the man perishes
justly, who, having a knowledge of the way of righteousness, rushes off into the way of
darkness. And further, my brethren: if the Lord endured to suffer for our soul, He being Lord of
all the world, to whom God said at the foundation of the world, Let us make man after our
image, and after our likeness, Genesis 1:26 understand how it was that He endured to suffer at
the hand of men. The prophets, having obtained grace from Him, prophesied concerning Him.
And He (since it behooved Him to appear in flesh), that He might abolish death, and reveal the
resurrection from the dead, endured [what and as He did], in order that He might fulfil the
promise made unto the fathers, and by preparing a new people for Himself, might show, while
He dwelt on earth, that He, when He has raised mankind, will also judge them. Moreover,
teaching Israel, and doing so great miracles and signs, He preached [the truth] to him, and
greatly loved him. But when He chose His own apostles who were to preach His Gospel, [He did
so from among those] who were sinners above all sin, that He might show He came not to call
the righteous, but sinners to repentance. Then He manifested Himself to be the Son of God. For
if He had not come in the flesh, how could men have been saved by beholding Him? Since
looking upon the sun which is to cease to exist, and is the work of His hands, their eyes are not
able to bear his rays. The Son of God therefore came in the flesh with this view, that He might
bring to a head the sum of their sins who had persecuted His prophets to the death. For this
purpose, then, He endured. For God says, The stroke of his flesh is from them; and when I shall
smite the Shepherd, then the sheep of the flock shall be scattered. Zechariah 13:7 He himself
willed thus to suffer, for it was necessary that He should suffer on the tree. For says he who
prophesies regarding Him, Spare my soul from the sword, fasten my flesh with nails; for the
assemblies of the wicked have risen up against me. And again he says, Behold, I have given
my back to scourges, and my cheeks to strokes, and I have set my countenance as a firm rock.
Isaiah 50:67