Syriac Patrology, Volume 1: The Demonstrations of Aphrahat

DEMONSTRATIO XXIII. — DE ACINO.

your salvation." And again he taught us these things: that it is a great thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Blessed apostles also preached: "Through much tribulation it is fitting for us to enter into the kingdom of God." And again he said: "The day of the Lord is terrible, and who can sustain it? His anger will come with great force, and he will make the earth a desolation, and he will destroy its sinners from it."

3. For because the first human, Adam, gave a hearing to the serpent, he received the sentence of the curse, so that he would become prey for the serpent; and the curse descended upon all his children. Because he ate from the food of the tree of knowledge, he was prohibited from the fruits of the tree of life, so that he would not eat of it and live forever. From these things, therefore, we learn that when, through the deception of the evil one, the human transgressed the precept, and had presumed to become equal to his Creator, he obtained the discernment of knowledge, and a barrier was set up between him and the tree of life, from whose fruits he was defrauded by the craftiness of the evil one; and the tree, by the command of the Most High, was protected by a sword and a flame that turns and catches. And although the human, having been experienced and taught, knew the way to that tree, he was unable to cross to that tree because of his infirmity.

your salvation. And again he taught us these things: that it is a great thing to fall into the hands of the living God. And also the blessed apostles preached: "Through much tribulation it is fitting for us to enter the kingdom of God." And again he said: "The day of the Lord is terrible: and who can endure it? His anger has come in suspension or 'quietly', and he will make the earth a ruin, and destroy its sinners from it."

10. For because Adam, the first man, gave his hearing to the serpent, he brought upon himself the curse, so that he became food for the serpent; and the curse went out upon all his children. Because he ate from the food of the tree of knowledge, he was held back from the fruits of the tree of life, that he might not eat of it and live forever. From these things, therefore, we learn that when man transgressed the command through the deceit of the evil one, and desired greedily to be equal to his Creator, the separation of knowledge arose between him and the tree of life; and at all times he was stolen from its fruits by the craftiness of the evil one. And the tree, by the command of the Most High, [was protected] by the sword and the flame that is wondrous and turns; and also that man, even if he were to be changed on the path to that tree, his infirmity...