1. Septuagint, Tobit, 6.13-6.15 (10th cent. BCE - 2nd cent. BCE)
| 6.13. Then the young man said to the angel, "Brother Azarias, I have heard that the girl has been given to seven husbands and that each died in the bridal chamber. 6.14. Now I am the only son my father has, and I am afraid that if I go in I will die as those before me did, for a demon is in love with her, and he harms no one except those who approach her. So now I fear that I may die and bring the lives of my father and mother to the grave in sorrow on my account. And they have no other son to bury them. 6.15. But the angel said to him, "Do you not remember the words with which your father commanded you to take a wife from among your own people? Now listen to me, brother, for she will become your wife; and do not worry about the demon, for this very night she will be given to you in marriage. |
|
2. Hebrew Bible, Deuteronomy, 20.7, 22.24 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
20.7. וּמִי־הָאִישׁ אֲשֶׁר־אֵרַשׂ אִשָּׁה וְלֹא לְקָחָהּ יֵלֵךְ וְיָשֹׁב לְבֵיתוֹ פֶּן־יָמוּת בַּמִּלְחָמָה וְאִישׁ אַחֵר יִקָּחֶנָּה׃ 22.24. וְהוֹצֵאתֶם אֶת־שְׁנֵיהֶם אֶל־שַׁעַר הָעִיר הַהִוא וּסְקַלְתֶּם אֹתָם בָּאֲבָנִים וָמֵתוּ אֶת־הנער [הַנַּעֲרָה] עַל־דְּבַר אֲשֶׁר לֹא־צָעֲקָה בָעִיר וְאֶת־הָאִישׁ עַל־דְּבַר אֲשֶׁר־עִנָּה אֶת־אֵשֶׁת רֵעֵהוּ וּבִעַרְתָּ הָרָע מִקִּרְבֶּךָ׃ | 20.7. And what man is there that hath betrothed a wife, and hath not taken her? let him go and return unto his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man take her.’" 22.24. then ye shall bring them both out unto the gate of that city, and ye shall stone them with stones that they die: the damsel, because she cried not, being in the city; and the man, because he hath humbled his neighbour’s wife; so thou shalt put away the evil from the midst of thee." |
|
3. Hebrew Bible, Genesis, 23.3-23.4 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
23.3. וַיָּקָם אַבְרָהָם מֵעַל פְּנֵי מֵתוֹ וַיְדַבֵּר אֶל־בְּנֵי־חֵת לֵאמֹר׃ 23.4. גֵּר־וְתוֹשָׁב אָנֹכִי עִמָּכֶם תְּנוּ לִי אֲחֻזַּת־קֶבֶר עִמָּכֶם וְאֶקְבְּרָה מֵתִי מִלְּפָנָי׃ | 23.3. And Abraham rose up from before his dead, and spoke unto the children of Heth, saying:" 23.4. ’I am a stranger and a sojourner with you: give me a possession of a burying-place with you, that I may bury my dead out of my sight.’" |
|
4. Hebrew Bible, Psalms, 22.1-22.2, 22.4-22.5, 22.7-22.9, 22.16-22.18, 22.23 (9th cent. BCE - 3rd cent. BCE)
22.1. לַמְנַצֵּחַ עַל־אַיֶּלֶת הַשַּׁחַר מִזְמוֹר לְדָוִד׃ 22.1. כִּי־אַתָּה גֹחִי מִבָּטֶן מַבְטִיחִי עַל־שְׁדֵי אִמִּי׃ 22.2. אֵלִי אֵלִי לָמָה עֲזַבְתָּנִי רָחוֹק מִישׁוּעָתִי דִּבְרֵי שַׁאֲגָתִי׃ 22.2. וְאַתָּה יְהוָה אַל־תִּרְחָק אֱיָלוּתִי לְעֶזְרָתִי חוּשָׁה׃ 22.4. וְאַתָּה קָדוֹשׁ יוֹשֵׁב תְּהִלּוֹת יִשְׂרָאֵל׃ 22.5. בְּךָ בָּטְחוּ אֲבֹתֵינוּ בָּטְחוּ וַתְּפַלְּטֵמוֹ׃ 22.7. וְאָנֹכִי תוֹלַעַת וְלֹא־אִישׁ חֶרְפַּת אָדָם וּבְזוּי עָם׃ 22.8. כָּל־רֹאַי יַלְעִגוּ לִי יַפְטִירוּ בְשָׂפָה יָנִיעוּ רֹאשׁ׃ 22.9. גֹּל אֶל־יְהוָה יְפַלְּטֵהוּ יַצִּילֵהוּ כִּי חָפֵץ בּוֹ׃ 22.16. יָבֵשׁ כַּחֶרֶשׂ כֹּחִי וּלְשׁוֹנִי מֻדְבָּק מַלְקוֹחָי וְלַעֲפַר־מָוֶת תִּשְׁפְּתֵנִי׃ 22.17. כִּי סְבָבוּנִי כְּלָבִים עֲדַת מְרֵעִים הִקִּיפוּנִי כָּאֲרִי יָדַי וְרַגְלָי׃ 22.18. אֲסַפֵּר כָּל־עַצְמוֹתָי הֵמָּה יַבִּיטוּ יִרְאוּ־בִי׃ 22.23. אֲסַפְּרָה שִׁמְךָ לְאֶחָי בְּתוֹךְ קָהָל אֲהַלְלֶךָּ׃ | 22.1. For the Leader; upon Aijeleth ha-Shahar. A Psalm of David." 22.2. My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken me, and art far from my help at the words of my cry?" 22.4. Yet Thou art holy, O Thou that art enthroned upon the praises of Israel." 22.5. In Thee did our fathers trust; they trusted, and Thou didst deliver them." 22.7. But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people." 22.8. All they that see me laugh me to scorn; they shoot out the lip, they shake the head:" 22.9. 'Let him commit himself unto the LORD! let Him rescue him; let Him deliver him, seeing He delighteth in him.'" 22.16. My strength is dried up like a potsherd; and my tongue cleaveth to my throat; and Thou layest me in the dust of death." 22.17. For dogs have encompassed me; a company of evil-doers have inclosed me; like a lion, they are at my hands and my feet." 22.18. I may count all my bones; they look and gloat over me." 22.23. I will declare Thy name unto my brethren; in the midst of the congregation will I praise Thee." |
|
5. Septuagint, Tobit, 6.13-6.15 (4th cent. BCE - 2nd cent. BCE)
| 6.13. Then the young man said to the angel, "Brother Azarias, I have heard that the girl has been given to seven husbands and that each died in the bridal chamber. 6.14. Now I am the only son my father has, and I am afraid that if I go in I will die as those before me did, for a demon is in love with her, and he harms no one except those who approach her. So now I fear that I may die and bring the lives of my father and mother to the grave in sorrow on my account. And they have no other son to bury them. 6.15. But the angel said to him, "Do you not remember the words with which your father commanded you to take a wife from among your own people? Now listen to me, brother, for she will become your wife; and do not worry about the demon, for this very night she will be given to you in marriage. |
|
6. Anon., Testament of Job, 53.7 (2nd cent. BCE - 2nd cent. CE)
|
7. Mishnah, Berachot, 3.1 (1st cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)
| 3.1. One whose dead [relative] lies before him is exempt from the recital of the Shema and from the tefillah and from tefillin. The bearers of the bier and their replacements, and their replacements’ replacement, both those in front of the bier and those behind the bier those needed to carry the bier, are exempt; but those not needed to carry the bier are exempt. Both, however, are exempt from [saying] the tefillah." |
|
8. New Testament, Acts, 5.6-5.10 (1st cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)
| 5.6. The young men arose and wrapped him up, and they carried him out and buried him. 5.7. About three hours later, his wife, not knowing what had happened, came in. 5.8. Peter answered her, "Tell me whether you sold the land for so much."She said, "Yes, for so much. 5.9. But Peter asked her, "How is it that you have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? Behold, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out. 5.10. She fell down immediately at his feet, and died. The young men came in and found her dead, and they carried her out and buried her by her husband. |
|
9. New Testament, Apocalypse, 4.9 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 4.9. When the living creatures give glory, honor, and thanks to him who sits on the throne, to him who lives forever and ever |
|
10. New Testament, John, 11.39 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 11.39. Jesus said, "Take away the stone."Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to him, "Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days. |
|
11. New Testament, Mark, 8.31, 9.31, 10.34 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 8.31. He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. 9.31. For he was teaching his disciples, and said to them, "The Son of Man is being handed over to the hands of men, and they will kill him; and when he is killed, on the third day he will rise again. 10.34. They will mock him, spit on him, scourge him, and kill him. On the third day he will rise again. |
|
12. New Testament, Matthew, 1.18, 16.14, 27.63 (1st cent. CE - 1st cent. CE)
| 1.18. Now the birth of Jesus Christ was like this; for after his mother, Mary, was engaged to Joseph, before they came together, she was found pregt by the Holy Spirit. 16.14. They said, "Some say John the Baptizer, some, Elijah, and others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets. 27.63. saying, "Sir, we remember what that deceiver said while he was still alive: 'After three days I will rise again.' |
|
13. Anon., The Acts of John, 73 (2nd cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)
| 73. And when we were at the place, at the commandment of the master, the doors were opened, and we saw by the tomb of Drusiana a beautiful youth, smiling: and John, when he saw him, cried out and said: Art thou come before us hither too, beautiful one? and for what cause? And we heard a voice saying to him: For Drusiana's sake, whom thou art to raise up-for I was within a little of finding her -and for his sake that lieth dead beside her tomb. And when the beautiful one had said this unto John he went up into the heavens in the sight of us all. And John, turning to the other side of the sepulchre, saw a young man-even Callimachus, one of the chief of the Ephesians-and a huge serpent sleeping upon him, and the steward of Andronicus, Fortunatus by name, lying dead. And at the sight of the two he stood perplexed, saying to the brethren: What meaneth such a sight? or wherefore hath not the Lord declared unto me what was done here, he who hath never neglected me? |
|
14. Anon., Leviticus Rabba, 18.1 (2nd cent. CE - 5th cent. CE)
18.1. דַּבֵּר אֶל בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאָמַרְתָּ אֲלֵהֶם אִישׁ כִּי יִהְיֶה זָב מִבְּשָׂרוֹ וגו' (ויקרא טו, ב), הֲדָא הוּא דִכְתִיב (קהלת יב, א): וּזְכֹר אֶת בּוֹרְאֶיךָ בִּימֵי בְּחוּרֹתֶיךָ, תְּנַן (משנה אבות ג-א): עֲקַבְיָא בֶּן מַהַלַּלְאֵל אוֹמֵר הִסְתַּכֵּל בִּשְׁלשָׁה דְבָרִים וְאֵין אַתָּה בָּא לִידֵי עֲבֵרָה, דַּע מֵאַיִן בָּאתָ מִטִּפָּה סְרוּחָה, וּלְאָן אַתָּה הוֹלֵךְ, לֶעָפָר רִמָּה וְתוֹלֵעָה, וְלִפְנֵי מִי אַתָּה עָתִיד לִתֵּן דִּין וְחֶשְׁבּוֹן לִפְנֵי מֶלֶךְ מַלְכֵי הַמְלָכִים הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא וכו', רַבִּי אַבָּא בַּר כַּהֲנָא אָמַר בְּשֵׁם רַב פַּפֵּי וְרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ דְּסִכְנִין בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי לֵוִי שְׁלָשְׁתָּן דָּרַשׁ רַבִּי עֲקִיבָא מִתּוֹךְ פָּסוּק אֶחָד, וּזְכֹר אֶת בּוֹרְאֶךָ, בְּאֵרְךָ זוֹ לֵיחָה סְרוּחָה, בּוֹרְךָ זוֹ רִמָּה וְתוֹלֵעָה, בּוֹרְאֶךָ זֶה מֶלֶךְ מַלְכֵי הַמְּלָכִים הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא שֶׁעָתִיד לִתֵּן לְפָנָיו דִּין וְחֶשְׁבּוֹן. בִּימֵי בְּחוּרֹתֶיךָ, בְּיוֹמֵי טַלְיוּתָךְ עַד דְּחֵילָךְ עֲלָךְ. (קהלת יב, א): עַד אֲשֶׁר לֹא יָבֹאוּ יְמֵי הָרָעָה, אֵלּוּ יְמֵי זִקְנָה, (קהלת יב, א): וְהִגִּיעוּ שָׁנִים אֲשֶׁר תֹּאמַר אֵין לִי בָהֶם חֵפֶץ, אֵלּוּ יְמֵי הַמָּשִׁיחַ, שֶׁאֵין בָּהֶם לֹא זְכוּת וְלֹא חוֹבָה, (קהלת יב, ב): עַד אֲשֶׁר לֹא תֶחְשַׁךְ הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ וְהָאוֹר וגו', הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ זֶה קְלַסְתֵּר פָּנִים, וְהָאוֹר זֶה הַמֵּצַח, וְהַיָּרֵחַ זֶה הַחוֹטֶם, וְהַכּוֹכָבִים אֵלּוּ רָאשֵׁי לְסָתוֹת, (קהלת יב, ב): וְשָׁבוּ הֶעָבִים אַחַר הַגָּשֶׁם, רַבִּי לֵוִי אָמַר תַּרְתֵּי חָדָא לְחַבְרַיָיא וְחָדָא לְבוּרַיָא. חָדָא לְחַבְרַיָא, בָּא לִבְכּוֹת זָלְגוּ עֵינָיו דְּמָעוֹת. חָדָא לְבוּרַיָא, בָּא לְהַטִּיל מַיִם הַגְּלָלִין מְקַדְּמִין אוֹתוֹ. (קהלת יב, ג): בַּיּוֹם שֶׁיָּזֻעוּ שֹׁמְרֵי הַבַּיִת וגו', בַּיּוֹם שֶׁיָּזֻעוּ שֹׁמְרֵי הַבַּיִת אֵלּוּ אַרְכֻּבּוֹתָיו, (קהלת יב, ג): וְהִתְעַוְתוּ אַנְשֵׁי הֶחָיִל אֵלּוּ צְלָעוֹתָיו. רַבִּי חִיָא בַּר נַחְמָן אָמַר אֵלּוּ זְרוֹעוֹתָיו, (קהלת יב, ג): וּבָטְלוּ הַטֹּחֲנוֹת זֶה הַמַּסָּס, (קהלת יב, ג): כִּי מִעֵטוּ אֵלּוּ הַשִּׁנַּיִם, (קהלת יב, ג): וְחָשְׁכוּ הָרֹאוֹת בָּאֲרֻבּוֹת אֵלּוּ הָעֵינַיִם. רַבִּי חִיָּא בַּר נַחְמָן אָמַר אֵלּוּ כַּנְפֵי הָרֵאָה, שֶׁמִּשָּׁם יוֹצֵא הַקּוֹל, (קהלת יב, ד): וְסֻגְּרוּ דְלָתַיִם בַּשּׁוּק אֵלּוּ נְקָבָיו שֶׁל אָדָם, שֶׁהֵן כְּמוֹ דֶּלֶת הַפּוֹתֵחַ וְהַסּוֹגֵר, (קהלת יב, ד): בִּשְׁפַל קוֹל הַטַּחֲנָה בִּשְׁבִיל שֶׁאֵין הַמַּסָּס טוֹחֵן, (קהלת יב, ד): וְיָקוּם לְקוֹל הַצִּפּוֹר, הָדֵין סָבָא כַּד שָׁמַע קוֹל צִפֳּרִין מְצַיְצִין אֲמַר בְּלִיבֵּיהּ לִיסְטִין אָתָאן לִמְקַפְּחָא יָתִי, (קהלת יב, ד): וְיִשַּׁחוּ כָּל בְּנוֹת הַשִּׁיר אֵלּוּ שִׂפְתוֹתָיו, רַבִּי חִיָּא בַּר נְחֶמְיָה אָמַר אֵלּוּ הַכְּלָיוֹת, שֶׁהֵן חוֹשְׁבוֹת וְהַלֵּב גּוֹמֵר, (קהלת יב, ה): גַּם מִגָּבֹהַּ יִרָאוּ וגו', גַּם מִגָּבֹהַּ יִרָאוּ הָדֵין סָבָא דְּצָוְחִין לֵיהּ זִיל לַאֲתַר פְּלַן וְהוּא שָׁאֵיל וַאֲמַר אִית תַּמָּן מַסְּקִין, אִית תַּמָּן מַחֲתִין, (קהלת יב, ה): וְחַתְחַתִּים בַּדֶּרֶךְ, רַבִּי אַבָּא בַּר כַּהֲנָא וְרַבִּי לֵוִי, רַבִּי אַבָּא בַּר כַּהֲנָא חִתִּיתָא שֶׁל דֶּרֶךְ נוֹפֵל עָלָיו, וָחֳרָנָא אֲמַר הִתְחִיל מַתְוֶוה תְּוָואִים, אֲמַר עַד אֲתַר פְּלַן אִית לִי מַהֲלַךְ בַּאֲתַר פְּלַן לֵית לִי מַהֲלַךְ. (קהלת יב, ה): וְיָנֵאץ הַשָּׁקֵד אִילֵּין קַרְסוּלוֹת, (קהלת יב, ה): וְיִסְתַּבֵּל הֶחָגָב זֶה לוּז שֶׁל שִׁדְרָה. אַדְרִיָּנוּס שְׁחִיק עֲצָמוֹת שָׁאַל אֶת רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בַּר חֲנַנְיָא אָמַר לוֹ מֵהֵיכָן הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא מֵצִיץ אֶת הָאָדָם לֶעָתִיד לָבוֹא, אָמַר לוֹ מִלּוּז שֶׁל שִׁדְרָה, אָמַר לוֹ מִן הֵן אַתְּ מוֹדַע לִי, אַיְיתֵי יָתֵיהּ קוֹמוֹי נְתָנוֹ בַּמַּיִם וְלֹא נִמְחָה, טְחָנוֹ בָּרֵיחַיִם וְלֹא נִטְחַן, נְתָנוֹ בָּאֵשׁ וְלֹא נִשְׂרַף, נְתָנוֹ עַל הַסַּדָּן הִתְחִיל מַכֶּה עָלָיו בַּפַּטִּישׁ, נֶחְלַק הַסַּדָּן וְנִבְקַע הַפַּטִּישׁ וְלֹא הוֹעִיל מִמֶּנּוּ כְּלוּם. (קהלת יב, ה): וְתָפֵר הָאֲבִיּוֹנָה זוֹ הַתַּאֲוָה שֶׁהִיא מַטִּילָה שָׁלוֹם בֵּין אִישׁ לְאִשְׁתּוֹ. רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן חֲלַפְתָּא הֲוָה סָלֵיק שָׁאֵיל בִּשְׁלָמֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי בְּכָל יֶרַח וְיֶרַח, כֵּיוָן דְּסָב יָתֵיב לֵיהּ וְלָא יָכוֹל לְמֵיסַק, יוֹם חַד סָלֵיק אֲמַר לֵיהּ מָה עִסְקָךְ דְּלֵית אַתְּ סָלֵיק לְגַבִּי הֵיךְ דַּהֲוֵית יָלֵיף, אֲמַר לֵיהּ רְחוֹקוֹת נַעֲשׂוּ קְרוֹבוֹת, קְרוֹבוֹת נַעֲשׂוּ רְחוֹקוֹת, שְׁתַּיִם נַעֲשׂוּ שָׁלשׁ, וּמֵטִיל שָׁלוֹם בַּבַּיִת בָּטֵל, [ופרושו: רחוקות נעשו קרובות, אילין עיניא דהוו חמיין מרחוק כדו אפלו מקרוב לית אינון חמיין. קרובות נעשו רחוקות, אילין אודני דהוו שמעין בחד זמן בתרי זמני, כדו אפלו במאה זימנין לית אינון שמעין. שתים נעשו שלש, חוטרא ותרתין ריגלי. ומטיל שלום בבית בטל, זו התאוה שמטיל שלום בין איש לאשתו]. (קהלת יב, ה): כִּי הֹלֵךְ הָאָדָם אֶל בֵּית עוֹלָמוֹ, בֵּית הָעוֹלָם לֹא נֶאֱמַר אֶלָּא בֵּית עוֹלָמוֹ, מְלַמֵּד שֶׁכָּל צַדִּיק וְצַדִּיק יֵשׁ לוֹ עוֹלָם בִּפְנֵי עַצְמוֹ, מָשָׁל לְמֶלֶךְ שֶׁנִּכְנַס לַמְּדִינָה וְעִמּוֹ דֻּכָּסִין וְאִפַּרְכִין וְאִיסְטְרַטְיוֹטִין, אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהַכֹּל נִכְנָסִין בְּפוֹלִין אֶחָד, כָּל אֶחָד וְאֶחָד שָׁרוּי לְפִי כְבוֹדוֹ, כָּךְ אַף עַל פִּי שֶׁהַכֹּל טוֹעֲמִין טַעַם מִיתָה, כָּל צַדִּיק וְצַדִּיק יֵשׁ לוֹ עוֹלָם בִּפְנֵי עַצְמוֹ. (קהלת יב, ה): וְסָבְבוּ בַשּׁוּק הַסּוֹפְדִים אֵלּוּ הַתּוֹלָעִים, (קהלת יב, ו): עַד אֲשֶׁר לֹא יֵרָתֵק חֶבֶל הַכֶּסֶף זֶה חוּט הַשִּׁדְרָה, (קהלת יב, ו): וְתָרֻץ גֻּלַּת הַזָּהָב זוֹ גֻּלְגֹּלֶת. רַבִּי חִיָּא בַּר נְחֶמְיָא אָמַר זוֹ גַּרְגֶּרֶת שֶׁמְכַלָּה אֶת הַזָּהָב וּמֵרִיקָה אֶת הַכָּסֶף. (קהלת יב, ו): וְתִשָּׁבֶר כַּד עַל הַמַּבּוּעַ זוֹ כָּרֵס. רַבִּי חִיָּא בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַבִּי פַּפֵּי וְרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ דְּסִכְנִין בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי לֵוִי לְאַחַר שְׁלשָׁה יָמִים כְּרֵיסוֹ שֶׁל אָדָם נִבְקַעַת וּמוֹסֶרֶת לַפֶּה וְאוֹמֶרֶת לוֹ הֵילָךְ מַה שֶּׁגָּזַלְתָּ וְחָמַסְתָּ וְנָתַתָּ לִי. רַבִּי חַגַּי בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי יִצְחָק מַיְיתֵי לָהּ מִן הָדֵין קְרָיָא (מלאכי ב, ג): וְזֵרִיתִי פֶרֶשׁ עַל פְּנֵיכֶם פֶּרֶשׁ חֲגֵיכֶם. רַבִּי אַבָּא בְּרֵיהּ דְּרַב פַּפֵּי וְרַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ דְּסִכְנִין בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי לֵוִי כָּל תְּלָתָא יוֹמִין נַפְשָׁא טָיְיסָא עַל גּוּפָה סָבְרָה דְּהִיא חָזְרָה לֵיהּ, וְכֵיוָן דְּהִיא חָמְיָא לֵיהּ דְּאִישְׁתַּנֵּי זִיוְהוֹן דְּאַפּוֹי, הִיא אָזְלַת לָהּ, דִּכְתִיב (איוב יד, כב): אַךְ בְּשָׂרוֹ וגו'. בַּר קַפָּרָא אָמַר עַד שְׁלשָׁה יָמִים תָּקְפּוֹ שֶׁל אֵבֶל קַיָּם, לָמָּה שֶׁצּוּרַת הַפָּנִים נִכֶּרֶת, דִּתְנַן אֵין מְעִידִין אֶלָּא עַל פַּרְצוּף פָּנִים עִם הַחֹטֶם, וְאֵין מְעִידִין לְאַחַר שְׁלשָׁה יָמִים. (קהלת יב, ו): וְנָרֹץ הַגַּלְגַּל אֶל הַבּוֹר, תְּרֵין אֲמוֹרָאִין, חַד אָמַר כְּאִילֵּין גַּלְגְּלַיָא דְצִפּוֹרִי, וְחוֹרָנָא אֲמַר כְּאִילֵּין רִגְבַיָּיא דִּטְבֶרְיָא, כְּמָה דְתֵימָא (איוב כא, לג): מָתְקוּ לוֹ רִגְבֵי נָחַל. (קהלת יב, ז): וְיָשֹׁב הֶעָפָר עַל הָאָרֶץ כְּשֶׁהָיָה וגו', רַבִּי פִּנְחָס וְרַבִּי חִלְקִיָה בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי סִימוֹן אֵימָתַי הָרוּחַ תָּשׁוּב אֶל הָאֱלֹהִים אֲשֶׁר נְתָנָהּ, כְּשֶׁשָּׁב הֶעָפָר אֶל הָאָרֶץ כְּשֶׁהָיָה, וְאִם לָאו (שמואל א כה, כט): וְאֶת נֶפֶשׁ אֹיְבֶיךָ יְקַלְּעֶנָּה וגו'. רַבִּי יִשְׁמָעֵאל בַּר נַחְמָן מַתְנֵי לָהּ בְּשֵׁם רַבִּי אַבְדִּימֵי דְמִן חֵיפָא לְכֹהֵן חָבֵר שֶׁמָּסַר לְכֹהֵן עַם הָאָרֶץ כִּכָּר שֶׁל תְּרוּמָה, אָמַר לוֹ רְאֵה שֶׁאֲנִי טָהוֹר וּבֵיתִי טָהוֹר וְכִכָּר שֶׁנָּתַתִּי לְךָ טָהוֹר, אִם אַתָּה נוֹתְנָהּ לִי כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁאֲנִי נָתַתִּי לְךָ מוּטָב, וְאִם לָאו הֲרֵינִי זוֹרְקָהּ לְפָנֶיךָ. כָּךְ אָמַר הַקָּדוֹשׁ בָּרוּךְ הוּא לְאָדָם זֶה, רְאֵה שֶׁאֲנִי טָהוֹר וּמְעוֹנִי טָהוֹר וּמְשָׁרְתַי טְהוֹרִים וּנְשָׁמָה שֶׁנָּתַתִּי לְךָ טְהוֹרָה, אִם אַתָּה מַחֲזִירָהּ לִי כְּדֶרֶךְ שֶׁאֲנִי נוֹתְנָהּ לְךָ, מוּטָב, וְאִם לָאו הֲרֵינִי טוֹרְפָהּ לְפָנֶיךָ, כָּל אֵלּוּ בִּימֵי זִקְנוּתוֹ אֲבָל בִּימֵי בַּחֲרוּתוֹ אִם חָטָא לוֹקֶה בְּזִיבוּת וּבְצָרַעַת, לְפִיכָךְ משֶׁה מַזְהִיר אֶת יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאוֹמֵר לָהֶם: אִישׁ כִּי יִהְיֶה זָב מִבְּשָׂרוֹ. | |
|
15. Anon., Acts of John, 73 (2nd cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)
| 73. And when we were at the place, at the commandment of the master, the doors were opened, and we saw by the tomb of Drusiana a beautiful youth, smiling: and John, when he saw him, cried out and said: Art thou come before us hither too, beautiful one? and for what cause? And we heard a voice saying to him: For Drusiana's sake, whom thou art to raise up-for I was within a little of finding her -and for his sake that lieth dead beside her tomb. And when the beautiful one had said this unto John he went up into the heavens in the sight of us all. And John, turning to the other side of the sepulchre, saw a young man-even Callimachus, one of the chief of the Ephesians-and a huge serpent sleeping upon him, and the steward of Andronicus, Fortunatus by name, lying dead. And at the sight of the two he stood perplexed, saying to the brethren: What meaneth such a sight? or wherefore hath not the Lord declared unto me what was done here, he who hath never neglected me? |
|
16. Irenaeus, Refutation of All Heresies, 1.27, 3.22.4, 4.6.2, 5.19.1 (2nd cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)
|
17. Justin, First Apology, 28, 31-32, 34-35, 47-49, 52, 58, 60, 63, 26 (2nd cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)
| 26. And, thirdly, because after Christ's ascension into heaven the devils put forward certain men who said that they themselves were gods; and they were not only not persecuted by you, but even deemed worthy of honours. There was a Samaritan, Simon, a native of the village called Gitto, who in the reign of Claudius C sar, and in your royal city of Rome, did mighty acts of magic, by virtue of the art of the devils operating in him. He was considered a god, and as a god was honoured by you with a statue, which statue was erected on the river Tiber, between the two bridges, and bore this inscription, in the language of Rome: - Simoni Deo Sancto, To Simon the holy God. And almost all the Samaritans, and a few even of other nations, worship him, and acknowledge him as the first god; and a woman, Helena, who went about with him at that time, and had formerly been a prostitute, they say is the first idea generated by him. And a man, Meder, also a Samaritan, of the town Capparet a, a disciple of Simon, and inspired by devils, we know to have deceived many while he was in Antioch by his magical art. He persuaded those who adhered to him that they should never die, and even now there are some living who hold this opinion of his. And there is Marcion, a man of Pontus, who is even at this day alive, and teaching his disciples to believe in some other god greater than the Creator. And he, by the aid of the devils, has caused many of every nation to speak blasphemies, and to deny that God is the maker of this universe, and to assert that some other being, greater than He, has done greater works. All who take their opinions from these men, are, as we before said, called Christians; just as also those who do not agree with the philosophers in their doctrines, have yet in common with them the name of philosophers given to them. And whether they perpetrate those fabulous and shameful deeds - the upsetting of the lamp, and promiscuous intercourse, and eating human flesh - we know not; but we do know that they are neither persecuted nor put to death by you, at least on account of their opinions. But I have a treatise against all the heresies that have existed already composed, which, if you wish to read it, I will give you. |
|
18. Justin, Dialogue With Trypho, 103, 105-108, 117, 119, 132-133, 16-19, 27, 30, 38, 45-46, 55, 73, 76, 83, 91, 95, 97, 102 (2nd cent. CE - 2nd cent. CE)
| 102. The prediction of the events which happened to Christ when He was born. Why God permitted it Justin: And what follows—'My hope from the breasts of my mother. On You have I been cast from the womb; from my mother's belly You are my God: for there is no helper. Many calves have compassed me; fat bulls have beset me round. They opened their mouth upon me, as a ravening and a roaring lion. All my bones are poured out and dispersed like water. My heart has become likes wax melting in the midst of my belly. My strength has become dry like a potsherd; and my tongue has cleaved to my throat'— foretold what would come to pass; for the statement, 'My hope from the breasts of my mother,' [is thus explained]. As soon as He was born in Bethlehem, as I previously remarked, king Herod, having learned from the Arabian Magi about Him, made a plot to put Him to death and by God's command Joseph took Him with Mary and departed into Egypt. For the Father had decreed that He whom He had begotten should be put to death, but not before He had grown to manhood, and proclaimed the word which proceeded from Him. But if any of you say to us, Could not God rather have put Herod to death? I return answer by anticipation: Could not God have cut off in the beginning the serpent, so that he exist not, rather than have said, 'And I will put enmity between him and the woman, and between his seed and her seed?' Genesis 3:15 Could He not have at once created a multitude of men? But yet, since He knew that it would be good, He created both angels and men free to do that which is righteous, and He appointed periods of time during which He knew it would be good for them to have the exercise of free-will; and because He likewise knew it would be good, He made general and particular judgments; each one's freedom of will, however, being guarded. Hence Scripture says the following, at the destruction of the tower, and division and alteration of tongues: 'And the Lord said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they have begun to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them of all which they have attempted to do.' Genesis 11:6 And the statement, 'My strength has become dry like a potsherd, and my tongue has cleaved to my throat,' was also a prophecy of what would be done by Him according to the Father's will. For the power of His strong word, by which He always confuted the Pharisees and Scribes, and, in short, all your nation's teachers that questioned Him, had a cessation like a plentiful and strong spring, the waters of which have been turned off, when He kept silence, and chose to return no answer to any one in the presence of Pilate; as has been declared in the memoirs of His apostles, in order that what is recorded by Isaiah might have efficacious fruit, where it is written, 'The Lord gives me a tongue, that I may know when I ought to speak.' Isaiah 50:4 Again, when He said, 'You are my God; be not far from me,' He taught that all men ought to hope in God who created all things, and seek salvation and help from Him alone; and not suppose, as the rest of men do, that salvation can be obtained by birth, or wealth, or strength, or wisdom. And such have ever been your practices: at one time you made a calf, and always you have shown yourselves ungrateful, murderers of the righteous, and proud of your descent. For if the Son of God evidently states that He can be saved, [neither] because He is a son, nor because He is strong or wise, but that without God He cannot be saved, even though He be sinless, as Isaiah declares in words to the effect that even in regard to His very language He committed no sin (for He committed no iniquity or guile with His mouth), how do you or others who expect to be saved without this hope, suppose that you are not deceiving yourselves? |
|
19. Tertullian, On The Resurrection of The Flesh, 63 (2nd cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)
| 63. And so the flesh shall rise again, wholly in every man, in its own identity, in its absolute integrity. Wherever it may be, it is in safe keeping in God's presence, through that most faithful Mediator between God and man, (the man) Jesus Christ, 1 Timothy 2:5 who shall reconcile both God to man, and man to God; the spirit to the flesh, and the flesh to the spirit. Both natures has He already united in His own self; He has fitted them together as bride and bridegroom in the reciprocal bond of wedded life. Now, if any should insist on making the soul the bride, then the flesh will follow the soul as her dowry. The soul shall never be an outcast, to be had home by the bridegroom bare and naked. She has her dower, her outfit, her fortune in the flesh, which shall accompany her with the love and fidelity of a foster-sister. But suppose the flesh to be the bride, then in Christ Jesus she has in the contract of His blood received His Spirit as her spouse. Now, what you take to be her extinction, you may be sure is only her temporary retirement. It is not the soul only which withdraws from view. The flesh, too, has her departures for a while - in waters, in fires, in birds, in beasts; she may seem to be dissolved into these, but she is only poured into them, as into vessels. And should the vessels themselves afterwards fail to hold her, escaping from even these, and returning to her mother earth, she is absorbed once more, as it were, by its secret embraces, ultimately to stand forth to view, like Adam when summoned to hear from his Lord and Creator the words, Behold, the man has become as one of us! Genesis 3:22 - thoroughly knowing by that time the evil which she had escaped, and the good which she has acquired. Why, then, O soul, should you envy the flesh? There is none, after the Lord, whom you should love so dearly; none more like a brother to you, which is even born along with yourself in God. You ought rather to have been by your prayers obtaining resurrection for her: her sins, whatever they were, were owing to you. However, it is no wonder if you hate her; for you have repudiated her Creator. You have accustomed yourself either to deny or change her existence even in Christ - corrupting the very Word of God Himself, who became flesh, either by mutilating or misinterpreting the Scripture, and introducing, above all, apocryphal mysteries and blasphemous fables. But yet Almighty God, in His most gracious providence, by pouring out of His Spirit in these last days, upon all flesh, upon His servants and on His handmaidens, has checked these impostures of unbelief and perverseness, reanimated men's faltering faith in the resurrection of the flesh, and cleared from all obscurity and equivocation the ancient Scriptures (of both God's Testaments ) by the clear light of their (sacred) words and meanings. Now, since it was needful that there should be heresies, in order that they which are approved might be made manifest; 1 Corinthians 11:19 since, however, these heresies would be unable to put on a bold front without some countece from the Scriptures, it therefore is plain enough that the ancient Holy Writ has furnished them with sundry materials for their evil doctrine, which very materials indeed (so distorted) are refutable from the same Scriptures. It was fit and proper, therefore, that the Holy Ghost should no longer withhold the effusions of His gracious light upon these inspired writings, in order that they might be able to disseminate the seeds of truth with no admixture of heretical subtleties, and pluck out from it their tares. He has accordingly now dispersed all the perplexities of the past, and their self-chosen allegories and parables, by the open and perspicuous explanation of the entire mystery, through the new prophecy, which descends in copious streams from the Paraclete. If you will only draw water from His fountains, you will never thirst for other doctrine: no feverish craving after subtle questions will again consume you; but by drinking in evermore the resurrection of the flesh, you will be satisfied with the refreshing draughts. |
|
20. Eusebius of Caesarea, Ecclesiastical History, 4.9, 5.13, 5.17.3-5.17.4, 5.18.5 (3rd cent. CE - 4th cent. CE)
| 5.17.3. They cannot show that one of the old or one of the new prophets was thus carried away in spirit. Neither can they boast of Agabus, or Judas, or Silas, or the daughters of Philip, or Ammia in Philadelphia, or Quadratus, or any others not belonging to them. 5.17.4. And again after a little he says: For if after Quadratus and Ammia in Philadelphia, as they assert, the women with Montanus received the prophetic gift, let them show who among them received it from Montanus and the women. For the apostle thought it necessary that the prophetic gift should continue in all the Church until the final coming. But they cannot show it, though this is the fourteenth year since the death of Maximilla. 5.18.5. And again a little farther on he speaks thus concerning one of their confessors:So also Themiso, who was clothed with plausible covetousness, could not endure the sign of confession, but threw aside bonds for an abundance of possessions. Yet, though he should have been humble on this account, he dared to boast as a martyr, and in imitation of the apostle, he wrote a certain catholic epistle, to instruct those whose faith was better than his own, contending for words of empty sound, and blaspheming against the Lord and the apostles and the holy Church. |
|
21. Origen, Against Celsus, 1.34, 5.54, 6.53, 6.74 (3rd cent. CE - 3rd cent. CE)
| 1.34. But it was, as the prophets also predicted, from a virgin that there was to be born, according to the promised sign, one who was to give His name to the fact, showing that at His birth God was to be with man. Now it seems to me appropriate to the character of a Jew to have quoted the prophecy of Isaiah, which says that Immanuel was to be born of a virgin. This, however, Celsus, who professes to know everything, has not done, either from ignorance or from an unwillingness (if he had read it and voluntarily passed it by in silence) to furnish an argument which might defeat his purpose. And the prediction runs thus: And the Lord spoke again unto Ahaz, saying, Ask you a sign of the Lord your God; ask it either in the depth or in the height above. But Ahaz said, I will not ask, neither will I tempt the Lord . And he said, Hear now, O house of David; is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord Himself shall give you a sign. Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call His name Immanuel, which is, being interpreted, God with us. And that it was from intentional malice that Celsus did not quote this prophecy, is clear to me from this, that although he makes numerous quotations from the Gospel according to Matthew, as of the star that appeared at the birth of Christ, and other miraculous occurrences, he has made no mention at all of this. Now, if a Jew should split words, and say that the words are not, Lo, a virgin, but, Lo, a young woman, we reply that the word Olmah- which the Septuagint have rendered by a virgin, and others by a young woman- occurs, as they say, in Deuteronomy, as applied to a virgin, in the following connection: If a damsel that is a virgin be betrothed unto an husband, and a man find her in the city, and lie with her; then you shall bring them both out unto the gate of that city, and you shall stone them with stones that they die; the damsel, because she cried not, being in the city; and the man, because he humbled his neighbour's wife. And again: But if a man find a betrothed damsel in a field, and the man force her, and lie with her: then the man only that lay with her shall die: but unto the damsel you shall do nothing; there is in her no sin worthy of death. 5.54. In the next place, he proceeds to answer himself as he thinks fit in the following terms: And so he is not the only one who is recorded to have visited the human race, as even those who, under pretext of teaching in the name of Jesus, have apostatized from the Creator as an inferior being, and have given in their adherence to one who is a superior God and father of him who visited (the world), assert that before him certain beings came from the Creator to visit the human race. Now, as it is in the spirit of truth that we investigate all that relates to the subject, we shall remark that it is asserted by Apelles, the celebrated disciple of Marcion, who became the founder of a certain sect, and who treated the writings of the Jews as fabulous, that Jesus is the only one that came to visit the human race. Even against him, then, who maintained that Jesus was the only one that came from God to men, it would be in vain for Celsus to quote the statements regarding the descent of other angels, seeing Apelles discredits, as we have already mentioned, the miraculous narratives of the Jewish Scriptures; and much more will he decline to admit what Celsus has adduced, from not understanding the contents of the Book of Enoch. No one, then, convicts us of falsehood, or of making contradictory assertions, as if we maintained both that our Saviour was the only being that ever came to men, and yet that many others came on different occasions. And in a most confused manner, moreover, does he adduce, when examining the subject of the visits of angels to men, what he has derived, without seeing its meaning, from the contents of the Book of Enoch; for he does not appear to have read the passages in question, nor to have been aware that the books which bear the name Enoch do not at all circulate in the Churches as divine, although it is from this source that he might be supposed to have obtained the statement, that sixty or seventy angels descended at the same time, who fell into a state of wickedness. 6.53. In the next place, mixing up together various heresies, and not observing that some statements are the utterances of one heretical sect, and others of a different one, he brings forward the objections which we raised against Marcion. And, probably, having heard them from some paltry and ignorant individuals, he assails the very arguments which combat them, but not in a way that shows much intelligence. Quoting then our arguments against Marcion, and not observing that it is against Marcion that he is speaking, he asks: Why does he send secretly, and destroy the works which he has created? Why does he secretly employ force, and persuasion, and deceit? Why does he allure those who, as you assert, have been condemned or accused by him, and carry them away like a slave-dealer? Why does he teach them to steal away from their Lord? Why to flee from their father? Why does he claim them for himself against the father's will? Why does he profess to be the father of strange children? To these questions he subjoins the following remark, as if by way of expressing his surprise: Venerable, indeed, is the god who desires to be the father of those sinners who are condemned by another (god), and of the needy, and, as themselves say, of the very offscourings (of men), and who is unable to capture and punish his messenger, who escaped from him! After this, as if addressing us who acknowledge that this world is not the work of a different and strange god, he continues in the following strain: If these are his works, how is it that God created evil? And how is it that he cannot persuade and admonish (men)? And how is it that he repents on account of the ingratitude and wickedness of men? He finds fault, moreover, with his own handwork, and hates, and threatens, and destroys his own offspring? Whither can he transport them out of this world, which he himself has made? Now it does not appear to me that by these remarks he makes clear what evil is; and although there have been among the Greeks many sects who differ as to the nature of good and evil, he hastily concludes, as if it were a consequence of our maintaining that this world also is a work of the universal God, that in our judgment God is the author of evil. Let it be, however, regarding evil as it may - whether created by God or not - it nevertheless follows only as a result when you compare the principal design. And I am greatly surprised if the inference regarding God's authorship of evil, which he thinks follows from our maintaining that this world also is the work of the universal God, does not follow too from his own statements. For one might say to Celsus: If these are His works, how is it that God created evil? And how is it that He cannot persuade and admonish men? It is indeed the greatest error in reasoning to accuse those who are of different opinions of holding unsound doctrines, when the accuser himself is much more liable to the same charge with regard to his own. 6.74. After this he returns to the subject of Marcion's opinions (having already spoken frequently of them), and states some of them correctly, while others he has misunderstood; these, however, it is not necessary for us to answer or refute. Again, after this he brings forward the various arguments that may be urged on Marcion's behalf, and also against him, enumerating what the opinions are which exonerate him from the charges, and what expose him to them; and when he desires to support the statement which declares that Jesus has been the subject of prophecy - in order to found a charge against Marcion and his followers - he distinctly asks, How could he, who was punished in such a manner, be shown to be God's Son, unless these things had been predicted of him? He next proceeds to jest, and, as his custom is, to pour ridicule upon the subject, introducing two sons of God, one the son of the Creator, and the other the son of Marcion's God; and he portrays their single combats, saying that the Theomachies of the Fathers are like the battles between quails; or that the Fathers, becoming useless through age, and falling into their dotage do not meddle at all with one another, but leave their sons to fight it out. The remark which he made formerly we will turn against himself: What old woman would not be ashamed to lull a child to sleep with such stories as he has inserted in the work which he entitles A True Discourse? For when he ought seriously to apply himself to argument, he leaves serious argument aside, and betakes himself to jesting and buffoonery, imagining that he is writing mimes or scoffing verses; not observing that such a method of procedure defeats his purpose, which is to make us abandon Christianity and give in our adherence to his opinions, which, perhaps, had they been stated with some degree of gravity, would have appeared more likely to convince, whereas since he continues to ridicule, and scoff, and play the buffoon, we answer that it is because he has no argument of weight (for such he neither had, nor could understand) that he has betaken himself to such drivelling. |
|
22. Epiphanius, Panarion, 48.13 (4th cent. CE - 5th cent. CE)
|
23. Anon., Semahot, 8.1
|