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.”[497] 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?[498] 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[499] to the death. For this purpose, then, He endured. For God saith, “The stroke of his flesh is from them;”[500] and[501] “when I shall smite the Shepherd, then the sheep of the flock shall be scattered.”[502] 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,[503] fasten my flesh with nails; for the assemblies of the wicked have risen up against me.”[504] 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.”[505] CHAP. VI.—_The sufferings of Christ, and the new covenant, were announced by the prophets._ When, therefore, He has fulfilled the commandment, what saith He? “Who is he that will contend with me? let him oppose me: or who is he that will enter into judgment with me? let him draw near to the servant of the Lord.”[506] “Woe unto you, for ye shall all wax old, like a garment, and the moth shall eat you up.”[507] And again the prophet says, “Since[508] as a mighty stone He is laid for crushing, behold I cast down for the foundations of Zion a stone, precious, elect, a corner-stone, honourable.” Next, what says He? “And he who shall trust[509] in it shall live for ever.” Is our hope, then, upon a stone? Far from it. But [the language is used] inasmuch as He laid his flesh [as a foundation] with power; for He says, “And He placed me as a firm rock.”[510] And the prophet says again, “The stone which the builders rejected, the same has become the head of the corner.”[511] And again he says, “This is the great and wonderful day which the Lord hath made.”[512] I write the more simply unto you, that ye may understand. I am the offscouring of your love.[513] What, then, again says the prophet? “The assembly of the wicked surrounded me; they encompassed me as bees do a honeycomb,”[514] and “upon my garment they cast lots.”[515] Since, therefore, He was about to be manifested and to suffer in the flesh, His suffering was foreshown. For the prophet speaks against Israel, “Woe to their soul, because they have counselled an evil counsel against themselves,[516] saying, Let us bind the just one, because he is displeasing to us.”[517] And Moses also says to them,[518] “Behold these things, saith the Lord God: Enter into the good land which the Lord