16. Was it without reason that Christ was
made Man? Are our teachings ingenious phrases and human
subtleties? Are not the Holy Scriptures our salvation? Are
not the predictions of the Prophets? Keep then, I pray thee, this
deposit ταύτην τὴν
παρακαταθηκην.
1 Tim. vi. 20; 2 Tim. i.
14. undisturbed, and
let none remove thee: believe that God became Man. But
though it has been proved possible for Him to be made Man, yet if the
Jews still disbelieve, let us hold this forth to them: What
strange thing do we announce in saying that God was made Man, when
yourselves say that Abraham received the Lord as a guest Gen. xviii. 1 ff.? What strange thing do we announce,
when Jacob says, For I have seen God face to face, and my life is
preserved Ib. xxxii.
30.? The Lord,
who ate with Abraham, ate also with us. What strange thing then
do we announce? Nay more, we produce two witnesses, those who
stood before Lord on Mount Sinai: Moses was in a clift of the
rock Ex. xxxiii. 22., and Elias was once
in a clift of the rock 1 Kings xix. 8.: they being
present with Him at His Transfiguration on Mount Tabor, spoke to
the Disciples of His decease which fire should accomplish at
Jerusalem Luke ix. 30, 31. On the tradition that Mt. Tabor
was the place of the Transfiguration, accepted by S. Jerome and other
Fathers, compare Lightfoot (Hor. Hebr. in Marc. ix. 2).. But, as I
said before, it has been proved possible for Him to be made man:
and the rest of the proofs may be left for the studious to
collect.