Syriac Patrology, Volume 1: The Demonstrations of Aphrahat

APHRAATIS

was weak. However, the needy were not for this reason prohibited from eating the sweetness of that tree and living; for the tree extended its branches, and spread its boughs, and extended its shoots beyond the enclosure, and it benevolently dropped its fruits beyond the boundary by which it was guarded for protection. Then, from the people who previously had obtained many punishments on account of their confused and deadly knowledge, the curse that had been promised was averted through the help of this remedy. When the enemy perceived this, shame overcame his mind, his arts were rendered ineffective, and he became enraged at the fruit and those who ate it. These, however, in their bodies received the abrogation of the curse, and the knowledge of the truth overcame the deceit of the evil one. Those who ate the fruit were preserved like a grain in a cluster, and on account of the blessing, the entire cluster was preserved until the time ordained by the Most High was completed. But, although the appointed time for the rest of the cluster was prolonged, they did not wish, through the power of the blessing, to be converted so that they might mature, and mitigate the bitterness they had previously received, and participate in the sweetness of the fruit, whose plant, cultivated by the wise husbandman, had for a long time been deprived of help.

was not able to do so. And for this reason, those who look upon its sweetness were not held back by the hedges, but it threw out branches and spread boughs, and cast shoots outside of its hedge; and it cast its fruits to the outside from the boundary in which it was guarded. And there came humanity, those who had received [knowledge] from an evil and ugly mind, and by the help of this root 1 the curse that had been promised to them was turned away. And when the adversary saw this, he was filled with shame, and his crafts were nullified, and he became angry at the fruit and at those who ate it. And they, in their bodies, received the beginning of the abrogation of the curse. 1 And the knowledge of the truth overcame the deceit of the evil one. And those who ate from the fruit were preserved like a grain in a cluster. And on account of the blessing, the entire cluster was preserved 2 until the time that was ordained for it by the Most High. And while the time stood, just as for the rest of the cluster, they did not wish to be turned by the power of the blessing, that they might ripen, and be rid of the bitterness they had received from before, and participate in the sweetness of the fruit 2 which the wise husbandman had planted, and which for a long time had been left without help.