SAINT EPHREM THE SYRIAN

A to cut off what had been handed down through successions, lest it should prosper throughout all ages and times.

Therefore Moses was sent by God to Egypt, so that as the day of true wisdom returned, error might grow dull where it had broken forth. And so that he might add indubitable and certain faith to his words and writings, God performed great miracles and signs through him; He breathed His spirit into his mind and illuminated his body with unusual light, so that the conspicuous splendor of his face might reveal the hidden spirit speaking within him.

B Therefore, after the wonderful deeds performed among the Egyptians and the covenants struck in the wilderness, Moses began to write about the origin and creation of things; and he taught that the name and worship of Divinity could not be attributed to created things except through the greatest madness and impiety. Furthermore, he taught that God is one, before whom thousands and myriads stand. In addition, he explained the mysteries of the Son of God, foreshadowed C in the constitution and ordering of things; but he also displayed their images, both those which the former Righteous ones had described by their own conduct, and those which he himself had expressed by his own deeds and the signs produced by his staff. Furthermore, he restored the precepts of true piety, which had almost vanished through the vice of men. Finally, he added the genealogy of his own people.

D First, therefore, he deals with the constitution of the World, circumscribed in six days, in which the supreme Author of all things fashioned everything through the Mediator Latin: "Mediatorem"; referring to the Word or Son of God as the agent of creation., with whom He shares a common nature and power. As for what he adds, This is the book of the generation of Heaven and Earth, he indicates that things omitted in the previous narrative are to be supplied from the present chapter. He proceeds further and writes of the creation of Adam and his spouse, and their dwelling in Paradise. He then tells of the serpent's entrance and deceits, and the bold E deed of the first-fashioned ones Latin: "protoplastorum"; a term for Adam and Eve as the first created humans. concerning the tree forbidden to them; and since they were expelled from Paradise for that crime, he likewise relates the punishment of exile.

Soon he proceeds to the sacrifices of Cain and Abel; and describes the latter's murder and the curses pronounced against Cain. This part of the history is brought down to the seventh generation of the Cainites, as far as the conversation of Lamech, Cain's grandson, with his wives.

F He then adds the deeds of the human race through ten ages from Adam to Noah: where he describes the depraved morals of both lineages, Noah himself being alive, and on that occasion the construction of the Ark, and the preservation of the seeds of things by its help. He adds Noah’s exit from the Ark and his sacrifice, and the bow appearing in the clouds, taken as a sign of the covenant of peace. There follow those things which are narrated concerning the vineyard of Noah—

A in this world from generation to generation, lest it should increase and spread throughout all times and generations.

For this reason Moses was sent from God to Egypt, so that in the sunrise of truth the darkness of error might be extinguished. And so that the truth of his words and his writings might be established, God performed through his hands great powers and signs. And He caused His Spirit to dwell in his mind, and He enlightened his body with a glory that was beyond nature original: "d-lo nomuso"; literally "without law," implying a supernatural radiance that transcends natural physical laws., so that the glory of his face might be known—the hidden Spirit B speaking in him. He was anointed with power in Egypt, and in the covenants at Horeb he was gloriously perfected.

Then he began to write the work of creation and the entry of the world. And he taught that God cannot have the name of His Divinity and His worship placed upon created things, except through heathenism and wickedness. And he showed that God is one, and thousands and ten-thousands stand before Him. C And he revealed the mysteries of the Son of God, which are marked in the order of creation. And he revealed the likenesses of the righteous fathers: those which they had depicted in their conduct, and those which he himself drew in his deeds and in the signs of his staff. And he restored the commandments of the fear of God which had been corrupted by the iniquity of the sons of men. And at the end he set down the account of his tribe and his lineage.

D And he wrote first the account of creation which was established in six days; for He established everything in it through the Mediator original: "metsyoyo"; the Middle One or Intermediary, identifying the Son’s role in Genesis 1. as through the Son, who is equal to Him in nature and in power. And when he said, "This is the book of the generations of heaven and earth," he makes known that whatever was left out in the first account was fulfilled in this one. And he wrote again the account of Adam and Eve, and how they dwelt in Paradise. And how the serpent entered with its deceit, and the E rebellious deed of those who were fashioned; and how they were cast out from Paradise because of the cause of sin, and how exile was decreed upon them.

And he wrote again of the sacrifices of Cain and Abel, and the killing of Abel, and the curses that were upon them. And he reached the account of the lineage of Cain, until the seventh generation, and the word of Lamech with his wives.

F And he wrote again the conduct of the sons of men for ten generations, from Adam until Noah. And he showed the corruption of the two lineages, Noah being then alive, and the making of the Ark in which was the preservation of the creatures. And he showed the exit of Noah from the Ark, and his sacrifice, and the bow in the clouds, which became a sign of peace. And he wrote about the wine and the planting of Noah.

planting.