Chapter XXIX.—Christ is useless to those who observe the law.
“Let us glorify God, all nations gathered together; for He has also visited us. Let us
glorify Him by the King of glory, by the Lord of hosts. For He has been gracious towards
the Gentiles also; and our sacrifices He esteems more grateful than yours. What need, then,
have I of circumcision, who have been witnessed to by God? What need have I of that other
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baptism, who have been baptized with the Holy Ghost? I think that while I mention this, I
would persuade even those who are possessed of scanty intelligence. For these words have
neither been prepared by me, nor embellished by the art of man; but David sung them,
Isaiah preached them, Zechariah proclaimed them, and Moses wrote them. Are you acquain-
ted with them, Trypho? They are contained in your Scriptures, or rather not yours, but
ours.260 For we believe them; but you, though you read them, do not catch the spirit that is
in them. Be not offended at, or reproach us with, the bodily uncircumcision with which
God has created us; and think it not strange that we drink hot water on the Sabbaths, since
God directs the government of the universe on this day equally as on all others; and the
priests, as on other days, so on this, are ordered to offer sacrifices; and there are so many
righteous men who have performed none of these legal ceremonies, and yet are witnessed
to by God Himself.
260 [This striking claim of the Old Testament Scriptures is noteworthy.]
Chapter XXIX.—Christ is useless to those who observe the law.
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Chapter XXIX.—Christ is useless to those who observe the law.