INTRODUCTORY NOTICE.
The following interesting and eloquent epistle is
anonymous, and we have no clue whatever as to its author. For a considerable
period after its publication in 1592, it was generally ascribed to Justin
Martyr. In recent times Otto has inserted it among the works of that writer,
but Semisch and others contend that it cannot possibly be his. In dealing with
this question, we depend entirely upon the internal evidence, no statement as
to the authorship of the epistle having descended to us from antiquity. And it
can scarcely be denied that the whole tone of the epistle, as well as special
passages which it contains, points to some other writer than Justin.
Accordingly, critics are now for the most part agreed that it is not his, and
that it must be ascribed to one who lived at a still earlier date in the
history of the church. Several internal arguments have been brought forward in
favour of this opinion. Supposing chap. XI to be genuine, it has been
supported by the fact that the writer there styles himself "a disciple of
the apostles." But there is great suspicion that the two concluding
chapters are spurious; and even though admitted to be genuine, the expression
quoted evidently admits of a different explanation from that which implies the
writer's personal acquaintance with the apostles: it might, indeed, be adopted
by one even at the present day. More weight is to be attached to those passages
in which the writer speaks of Christianity as still being a new thing in the
world. Expressions to this effect occur in several places (chap. i. ii. ix.),
and seem to imply that the author lived very little, if at all, after the
apostolic age. There is certainly nothing in the epistle which is inconsistent
with this opinion; and we may therefore believe, that in this beautiful
composition we possess a genuine production of some apostolic man who lived not
later than the beginning of the second century.
The names of Clement of Rome and of Apollos have
both been suggested as those of the probable author. Such opinions, however,
are pure fancies, which it is perhaps impossible to refute, but which rest on
nothing more than conjecture. Nor can a single word be said as to the person
named Diognetus, to whom the letter is addressed. We must be content to leave
both points in hopeless obscurity, and simply accept the epistle as written by
an earnest and intelligent Christian to a sincere inquirer among the Gentiles,
towards the close of the apostolic age.
It is much to be regretted that the text is often
so very doubtful. Only three mss. of the epistle, all probably exhibiting the
same original text, are known to exist; and in not a few passages the readings
are, in consequence, very defective and obscure. But notwithstanding this
drawback, and the difficulty of representing the full force and elegance of the
original, this epistle, as now presented to the English reader, can hardly fail
to excite both his deepest interest and admiration.
THE EPISTLE TO
DIOGNETUS
I —Occasion of the Epistle.
Since I see thee, most excellent Diognetus,
exceedingly desirous to learn the mode of worshipping God prevalent among the
Christians, and inquiring very carefully and earnestly concerning them, what
God they trust in, and what form of religion they observe[1], so as all to look down upon the world itself, and
despise death, while they neither esteem those to be gods that are reckoned
such by the Greeks, nor hold to the superstition of the Jews; and what is the
affection which they cherish among themselves; and why, in fine, this new kind
or practice [of piety] has only now entered into the world,[2] and not long ago; I cordially welcome this thy
desire, and I implore God, who enables us both to speak and to hear, to grant
to me so to speak, that, above all, I may hear you have been edified,[3] and to you so to hear, that I who speak may have
no cause of regret for having done so.
II —The vanity of idols.
Come, then, after you have freed[4] yourself from all prejudices possessing your mind,
and laid aside what you have been accustomed to, as something apt to deceive[5] you, and being made, as if from the beginning, a
new man, inasmuch as, according to your own confession, you are to be the
hearer of a new [system of] doctrine; come and contemplate, not with your eyes
only, but with your understanding, the substance and the form[6] of those whom ye declare and deem to be gods. Is
not one of them a stone similar to that on which we tread? Is[7] not a second brass, in no way superior to those
vessels which are constructed for our ordinary use? Is not a third wood, and
that already rotten? Is not a fourth silver, which needs a man to watch it,
lest it be stolen? Is not a fifth iron, consumed by rust? Is not a sixth
earthenware, in no degree more valuable than that which is formed for the
humblest purposes? Are not all these of corruptible matter? Are they not
fabricated by means of iron and fire? Did not the sculptor fashion one of them,
the brazier a second, the silversmith a third, and the potter a fourth? Was not
every one of them, before they were formed by the arts of these [workmen] into
the shape of these [gods], each in its[8] own
way subject to change? Would not those things which are now vessels, formed of
the same materials, become like to such, if they met with the same artificers?
Might not these, which are now worshipped by you, again be made by men vessels
similar to others? Are they not all deaf? Are they not blind? Are they not
without life? Are they not destitute of feeling? Are they not incapable of
motion? Are they not all liable to rot? Are they not all corruptible? These
things ye call gods; these ye serve; these ye worship; and ye become altogether
like to them. For this reason ye hate the Christians, because they do not deem
these to be gods. But do not ye yourselves, who now think and suppose [such to
be gods], much more cast contempt upon them than they [the Christians do]? Do
ye not much more mock and insult them, when ye worship those that are made of
stone and earthenware, without appointing any persons to guard them; but those
made of silver and gold ye shut up by night, and appoint watchers to look after
them by day, lest they be stolen? And by those gifts which ye mean to present
to them, do ye not, if they are possessed of sense, rather punish [than honour]
them? But if, on the other hand, they are destitute of sense, ye convict them
of this fact, while ye worship them with blood and the smoke of sacrifices. Let
any one of you suffer such indignities![9] Let
any one of you endure to have such things done to himself! But not a single
human being will, unless compelled to it, endure such treatment, since he is
endowed with sense and reason. A stone, however, readily bears it, seeing it is
insensible. Certainly you do not show [by your[10]
conduct] that he [your God] is possessed of sense. And as to the fact that
Christians are not accustomed to serve such gods, I might easily find many
other things to say; but if even what has been said does not seem to any one
sufficient, I deem it idle to say anything further.
III —Superstitions of the Jews.
And next, I imagine that you are most desirous of
hearing something on this point, that the Christians do not observe the same
forms of divine worship as do the Jews. The Jews, then, if they abstain from
the kind of service above described, and deem it proper to worship one God as
being Lord of all, [are right]; but if they offer Him worship in the way which
we have described, they greatly err. For while the Gentiles, by offering such
things to those that are destitute of sense and hearing, furnish an example of
madness; they, on the other hand, by thinking to offer these things to God as
if He needed them, might justly reckon it rather an act of folly than of divine
worship. For He that made heaven and earth, and all that is therein, and gives
to us all the things of which we stand in need, certainly requires none of
those things which He Himself bestows on such as think of furnishing them to
Him. But those who imagine that, by means of blood, and the smoke of sacrifices
and burnt-offerings, they offer sacrifices [acceptable] to Him, and that by
such honours they show Him respect,—these, by[11] supposing
that they can give anything to Him who stands in need of nothing, appear to me
in no respect to differ from those who studiously confer the same honour on
things destitute of sense, and which therefore are unable to enjoy such
honours.
IV —The other observances of
the Jews.
But as to their scrupulosity concerning meats, and
their superstition as respects the Sabbaths, and their boasting about
circumcision, and their fancies about fasting and the new moons, which are
utterly ridiculous and unworthy of notice,—I do not[12]
think that you require to learn anything from me. For, to accept some of
those things which have been formed by God for the use of men as properly
formed, and to reject others as useless and redundant,—how can this be lawful?
And to speak falsely of God, as if He forbade us to do what is good on the
Sabbath-days,—how is not this impious? And to glory in the circumcision[13] of the flesh as a proof of election, and as if,
on account of it, they were specially beloved by God,—how is it not a subject
of ridicule? And as to their observing months and days,[14]
as if waiting upon[15] the stars and the
moon, and their distributing,[16] according to
their own tendencies, the appointments of God, and the vicissitudes of the
seasons, some for festivities,[17] and others for
mourning,—who would deem this a part of divine worship, and not much rather a
manifestation of folly? I suppose, then, you are sufficiently convinced that
the Christians properly abstain from the vanity and error common [to both Jews
and Gentiles], and from the busy-body spirit and vain boasting of the Jews; but
you must not hope to learn the mystery of their peculiar mode of worshipping
God from any mortal.
V —The manners of the
Christians.
For the Christians are distinguished from other
men neither by country, nor language, nor the customs which they observe. For
they neither inhabit cities of their own, nor employ a peculiar form of speech,
nor lead a life which is marked out by any singularity. The course of conduct
which they follow has not been devised by any speculation or deliberation of
inquisitive men; nor do they, like some, proclaim themselves the advocates of
any merely human doctrines. But, inhabiting Greek as well as barbarian cities,
according as the lot of each of them has determined, and following the customs
of the natives in respect to clothing, food, and the rest of their ordinary
conduct, they display to us their wonderful and confessedly striking[18] method of life. They dwell in their own
countries, but simply as sojourners. As citizens, they share in all things with
others, and yet endure all things as if foreigners. Every foreign land is to
them as their native country, and every land of their birth as a land of
strangers. They marry, as do all [others]; they beget children; but they do not
destroy their offspring.[19] They have a common
table, but not a common bed.[20] They are in the
flesh, but they do not live after the flesh.[21] They
pass their days on earth, but they are citizens of heaven.[22] They obey the prescribed laws, and at the same
time surpass the laws by their lives. They love all men, and are persecuted by
all. They are unknown and condemned; they are put to death, and restored to
life.[23] They are poor, yet make many rich;[24] they are in lack of all things, and yet abound in
all; they are dishonoured, and yet in their very dishonour are glorified. They
are evil spoken of, and yet are justified; they are reviled, and bless;[25] they are insulted, and repay the insult with
honour; they do good, yet are punished as evil-doers. When punished, they
rejoice as if quickened into life; they are assailed by the Jews as foreigners,
and are persecuted by the Greeks; yet those who hate them are unable to assign
any reason for their hatred.
VI —The relation of Christians
to the world.
To sum up all in one word—what the soul is in the
body, that are Christians in the world. The soul is dispersed through all the
members of the body, and Christians are scattered through all the cities of the
world. The soul dwells in the body, yet is not of the body; and Christians
dwell in the world, yet are not of the world.[26] The
invisible soul is guarded by the visible body, and Christians are known indeed
to be in the world, but their godliness remains invisible. The flesh hates the
soul, and wars against it,[27] though itself
suffering no injury, because it is prevented from enjoying pleasures; the world
also hates the Christians, though in nowise injured, because they abjure
pleasures. The soul loves the flesh that hates it, and [loves also] the
members; Christians likewise love those that hate them. The soul is imprisoned
in the body, yet preserves[28] that very body;
and Christians are confined in the world as in a prison, and yet they are the
preservers[28] of the world. The immortal soul
dwells in a mortal tabernacle; and Christians dwell as sojourners in
corruptible [bodies], looking for an incorruptible dwelling[29] in the heavens. The soul, when but ill-provided
with food and drink, becomes better; in like manner, the Christians, though
subjected day by day to punishment, increase the more in number.[30] God has assigned them this illustrious position,
which it were unlawful for them to forsake.
VII —The manifestation of
Christ.
For, as I said, this was no mere earthly invention
which was delivered to them, nor is it a mere human system of opinion, which
they judge it right to preserve so carefully, nor has a dispensation of mere
human mysteries been committed to them, but truly God Himself, who is almighty,
the Creator of all things, and invisible, has sent from heaven, and placed
among men, [Him who is] the truth, and the holy and incomprehensible Word, and
has firmly established Him in their hearts. He did not, as one might have
imagined, send to men any servant, or angel, or ruler, or any one of those who
bear sway over earthly things, or one of those to whom the government of things
in the heavens has been entrusted, but the very Creator and Fashioner of all
things—by whom He made the heavens—by whom he enclosed the sea within its
proper bounds—whose ordinances[31] all the stars[32] faithfully observe—from whom the sun[33] has received the measure of his daily course to
be observed[34]—whom the moon obeys, being
commanded to shine in the night, and whom the stars also obey, following the
moon in her course; by whom all things have been arranged, and placed within
their proper limits, and to whom all are subject—the heavens and the things
that are therein, the earth and the things that are therein, the sea and the
things that are therein—fire, air, and the abyss—the things which are in the
heights, the things which are in the depths, and the things which lie between.
This [messenger] He sent to them. Was it then, as one[35]
might conceive, for the purpose of exercising tyranny, or of inspiring
fear and terror? By no means, but under the influence of clemency and meekness.
As a king sends his son, who is also a king, so sent He Him; as God[36] He sent Him; as to men He sent Him; as a Saviour
He sent Him, and as seeking to persuade, not to compel us; for violence has no
place in the character of God. As calling us He sent Him, not as vengefully
pursuing us; as loving us He sent Him, not as judging us. For He will yet send
Him to judge us, and who shall endure His appearing?[37]
… Do you not see them exposed to wild beasts, that they may be persuaded
to deny the Lord, and yet not overcome? Do you not see that the more of them
that are punished, the greater becomes the number of the rest? This does not
seem to be the work of man: this is the power of God; these are the evidences
of His manifestation.
VIII —The miserable state of
men before the coming of the Word.
For, who of men at all understood before His
coming what God is? Do you accept of the vain and silly doctrines of those who
are deemed trustworthy philosophers? of whom some said that fire was God,
calling that God to which they themselves were by and by to come; and some
water; and others some other of the elements formed by God. But if any one of
these theories be worthy of approbation, every one of the rest of created
things might also be declared to be God. But such declarations are simply the
startling and erroneous utterances of deceivers;[38] and
no man has either seen Him, or made Him known,[39] but
He has revealed Himself. And He has manifested Himself through faith, to which
alone it is given to behold God. For God, the Lord and Fashioner of all things,
who made all things, and assigned them their several positions, proved Himself
not merely a friend of mankind, but also long-suffering [in His dealings with
them]. Yea, he was always of such a character, and still is, and will ever be,
kind and good, and free from wrath, and true, and the only one who is
[absolutely] good;[40] and He formed in His mind
a great and unspeakable conception, which He communicated to His Son alone. As
long, then, as He held and preserved His own wise counsel in concealment,[41] he appeared to neglect us, and to have no care
over us. But after He revealed and laid open, through His beloved Son, the
things which had been prepared from the beginning, He conferred every blessing[42] all at once upon us, so that we should both share
in His benefits, and see and be active[43] [in
His service]. Who of us would ever have expected these things? He was aware,
then, of all things in His own mind, along with His Son, according to the
relation[44] subsisting between them.
IX —Why the Son was sent so
late.
As long then as the former time[45] endured, He permitted us to be borne along by
unruly impulses, being drawn away by the desire of pleasure and various lusts.
This was not that He at all delighted in our sins, but that He simply endured
them; nor that He approved the time of working iniquity which then was, but
that He sought to form a mind conscious of righteousness,[46] so that being convinced in that time of our
unworthiness of attaining life through our own works, it should now, through
the kindness of God, be vouchsafed to us; and having made it manifest that in
ourselves we were unable to enter into the kingdom of God, we might through the
power of God be made able. But when our wickedness had reached its height, and
it had been clearly shown that its reward,[47] punishment
and death, was impending over us; and when the time had come which God had
before appointed for manifesting His own kindness and power, how[48] the one love of God, through exceeding regard for
men, did not regard us with hatred, nor thrust us away, nor remember our
iniquity against us, but showed great long-suffering, and bore with us,[49] He Himself took on Him the burden of our
iniquities. He gave His own Son as a ransom for us, the holy One for
transgressors, the blameless One for the wicked, the righteous One for the
unrighteous, the incorruptible One for the corruptible, the immortal One for
them that are mortal. For what other thing was capable of covering our sins
than His righteousness? By what other one was it possible that we, the wicked
and ungodly, could be justified, than by the only Son of God? O sweet exchange!
O unsearchable operation! O benefits surpassing all expectation! that the
wickedness of many should be hid in a single righteous One, and that the
righteousness of One should justify many transgressors I Having therefore
convinced us in the former time[50] that our
nature was unable to attain to life, and having now revealed the Saviour who is
able to save even those things which it was [formerly] impossible to save, by
both these facts He desired to lead us to trust in His kindness, to esteem Him
our Nourisher, Father, Teacher, Counsellor, Healer, our Wisdom, Light, Honour,
Glory, Power, and Life, so that we should not be anxious[51] concerning clothing and food.
X —The blessings that will flow
from faith.
If you also desire [to possess] this faith, you
likewise shall receive first of all the knowledge of the Father.[52] For God has loved mankind, on whose account He
made the world, to whom He rendered subject all the things that are in it,[53] to whom He gave reason and understanding, to whom
alone He imparted the privilege of looking upwards to Himself, whom He formed
after His own image, to whom He sent His only-begotten Son, to whom He has
promised a kingdom in heaven, and will give it to those who have loved Him. And
when you have attained this knowledge, with what joy do you think you will be
filled? Or, how will you love Him who has first so loved you? And If you love
Him, you will be an imitator of His kindness. And do not wonder that a man may
become an imitator of God. He can, if he is willing. For it is not by ruling
over his neighbours, or by seeking to hold the supremacy over those that are
weaker, or by being rich, and showing violence towards those that are inferior,
that happiness is found; nor can any one by these things become an imitator of
God. But these things do not at all constitute His majesty. On the contrary he
who takes upon himself the burden of his neighbour; he who, in whatsoever
respect he may be superior, is ready to benefit another who is deficient; he
who, whatsoever things he has received from God, by distributing these to the
needy, becomes a god to those who receive [his benefits]: he is an imitator of
God. Then thou shalt see, while still on earth, that God in the heavens rules
over [the universe]; then thou shalt begin to speak the mysteries of God; then
shalt thou both love and admire those that suffer punishment because they will
not deny God; then shalt thou condemn the deceit and error of the world when
thou shalt know what it is to live truly in heaven, when thou shalt despise
that which is here esteemed to be death, when thou shalt fear what is truly
death, which is reserved for those who shall be condemned to the eternal fire,
which shall afflict those even to the end that are committed to it. Then shalt
thou admire those who for righteousness' sake endure the fire that is but for a
moment, and shalt count them happy when thou shalt know [the nature of] that
fire.
XI —These things are worthy to
be known and believed.
I do not speak of things strange to me, nor do I
aim at anything inconsistent with right reason;[54] but
having been a disciple of the apostles, I am become a teacher of the Gentiles.
I minister the things delivered to me to those that are disciples worthy of the
truth. For who that is rightly taught and begotten by the loving[55] Word, would not seek to learn accurately the
things which have been clearly shown by the Word to His disciples, to whom the
Word being manifested has revealed them, speaking plainly [to them], not
understood indeed by the unbelieving, but conversing with the disciples, who,
being esteemed faithful by Him, acquired a knowledge of the mysteries of the
Father? For which[56] reason He sent the Word,
that He might be manifested to the world; and He, being despised by the people
[of the Jews], was, when preached by the apostles, believed on by the Gentiles.
This is He who was from the beginning, who appeared as if new, and was found
old, and yet who is ever born afresh in the hearts of the saints. This is He
who, being from everlasting, is to-day called[57] the
Son; through whom the church is enriched, and grace, widely spread, increases
in the saints, furnishing understanding, revealing mysteries, announcing times,
rejoicing over the faithful, giving[58] to those
that seek, by whom the limits of faith are not broken through, nor the
boundaries set by the fathers passed over. Then the fear of the law is chanted,
and the grace of the prophets is known, and the faith of the gospels is
established, and the tradition of the apostles is preserved, and the grace of
the church exults; which grace if you grieve not, you shall know those things
which the Word teaches, by whom He wills, and when He pleases. For whatever
things we are moved to utter by the will of the Word commanding us, we
communicate to you with pains, and from a love of the things that have been
revealed to us.
XII —The importance of
knowledge to true spiritual life.
When you have read and carefully listened to these
things, you shall know what God bestows on such as rightly love Him, being made
[as ye are] a paradise of delight, presenting[59] in
yourselves a tree bearing all kinds of produce and flourishing well, being
adorned with various fruits. For in this place[60] the
tree of knowledge and the tree of life have been planted; but it is not the
tree of knowledge that destroys—it is disobedience that proves destructive. Nor
truly are those words without significance which are written, how God from the
beginning planted the tree of life in the midst of paradise, revealing through
knowledge the way to life,[61] and when those
who were first formed did not use this [knowledge] properly, they were, through
the fraud of the serpent, stripped naked.[62] For
neither can life exist without knowledge, nor is knowledge secure without life.
Wherefore both were planted close together. The apostle, perceiving the force
[of this conjunction], and blaming that knowledge which, without true doctrine,
is admitted to influence life,[63] declares,
"Knowledge puffeth up, but love edifieth." For he who thinks he knows
anything without true knowledge, and such as is witnessed to by life, knows
nothing, but is deceived by the serpent, as not[64] loving
life. But he who combines knowledge with fear, and seeks after life, plants in
hope, looking for fruit. Let your heart be your wisdom; and let your life be
true knowledge[65] inwardly received. Bearing
this tree and displaying its fruit, thou shalt always gather[66] in those things which are desired by God, which
the serpent cannot reach, and to which deception does not approach; nor is Eve
then corrupted,[67] but is trusted as a virgin;
and salvation is manifested, and the apostles are filled with understanding,
and the passover of the Lord advances, and the choirs are gathered together,
and are arranged in proper order, and the Word rejoices in teaching the
saints,—by whom the Father is glorified: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.
1.
Literally, "trusting in what God, etc.,
they look down."
2. Or,
"life."
3. Some
read, "that you by hearing may be edified."
4. Or,
"purified."
5. Literally,
"which is deceiving."
6. Literally,
"of what substance, or of what form."
7. Some
make this and the following clauses affirmative instead of interrogative.
8. The
text is here corrupt. Several attempts at emendation have been made, but
without any marked success.
9. Some
read," Who of you would tolerate these things?" etc.
10. The
text is here uncertain, and the sense obscure. The meaning seems to be, that by
sprinkling their gods with blood, etc., they tended to prove that these were
not possessed of sense.
11. The
text is here very doubtful. We have followed that adopted by most critics.
12. Otto,
resting on ms. authority, omits the negative, but the sense seems to require
its insertion.
13. Literally,
"lessening."
14. Comp.
Gal. iv. 10.
15. This
seems to refer to the practice of the Jews in fixing the beginning of the day,
and consequently of the Sabbath, from the rising of the stars. They used to
say, that when three stars of moderate magnitude appeared, it was night; when
two, it was twilight; and when only one, that day had not yet departed. It thus
came to pass (according to their night-day (νυχθήμερον) reckoning), that
whosoever engaged in work on the evening of Friday, the beginning of the
Sabbath, after three stars of moderate size were visible, was held to have
sinned, and had to present a trespass-offering; and so on, according to the
fanciful rule described.
16. Otto
thus supplies the lacuna which here occurs in the mss., καταὸ [ιαιρεὶν].
17. The
great festivals of the Jews are here referred to on the one hand, and the day
of atonement on the other.
18. Literally,
"paradoxical."
19. Literally,
"cast away fœtuses."
20. Otto
omits "bed," which is an emendation, and gives the second common the
sense of unclean.
21. Comp.
2 Cor. x. 3.
22. Comp.
Phil. iii. 20.
23. Comp.
2 Cor. vi. 9.
24. Comp.
2 Cor. vi. 10.
25. Comp.
2 Cor. iv. 12.
26. John
xvii. 11, 14, 16.
27. Comp.
1 Pet. ii. 11.
28. Literally,
"keeps together."
28 Literally,
"incorruption."
29 Or,
"though punished, increase in number daily."
30 Literally,
"mysteries."
31 Literally,
"elements."
32 The
word "sun," though omitted in the mss., should manifestly be
inserted.
33 Literally,
"has received to observe."
34 Literally,
"one of men."
35 God
here refers to the person sent.
36 A
considerable gap here occurs in the mss.
37 Literally,
"these things are the marvels and error."
38 Or,
"known Him."
39 Comp.
Matt. xix. 17.
40 Literally,
"in a mystery."
41 Literally,
"all things."
42 The
sense is here very obscure. We have followed the text of Otto, who fills up the
lacuna in the ms. as above. Others have, "to see, and to handle Him."
43 Literally,
"economically."
44 Otto
refers for a like contrast between these two times to Rom. iii. 21–26, v. 20,
and Gal. iv. 4.
45 The
reading and sense are doubtful.
46 Both
the text and rendering are here somewhat doubtful, but the sense will in any
case be much the same.
47 Many
variations here occur in the way in which the lacuna of the mss. is to be
supplied. They do not, however, greatly affect the meaning.
48 In
the ms. "saying" is here inserted, as if the words had been regarded
as a quotation from Isa. liii. 11.
49 That
is, before Christ appeared.
50 Comp.
Matt. vi. 25, etc.
51 Thus
Otto supplies the lacuna; others conjecture somewhat different supplements.
52 So
Böhl. Sylburgius and Otto read, "in the earth."
53 Some
render, "nor do I rashly seek to persuade others."
54 Some
propose to read, "and becoming a friend to the Word."
55 It
has been proposed to connect this with the preceding sentence, and read,
"have known the mysteries of the Father, viz. for what purpose He sent the
"Word."
56 Or,
"esteemed."
57 Or,
"given."
58 Literally,
"bringing forth."
59 That
is, in Paradise.
60 Literally,
"revealing life."
61 Or,
"deprived of it."
62 Literally,
"knowledge without the truth of a command exercised to life." See 1
Cor. viii. 1.
63 The
ms. is here defective. Some read, "on account of the love of life."
64 Or,
"true word," or, "reason."
65 Or,
"reap."
66
The meaning seems to be, that if the tree of
true knowledge and life be planted within you, you shall continue free from
blemishes and sins.
