Against Heresies: Book IV
Chapter 2: Evidence from the clear statements of Moses, and other Prophets, whose words are the words of Christ, that there is only one God, the creator of the world, whom Our Lord proclaimed, and whom He called His Father
Moses, therefore, summarizing the whole law he received from the Creator, speaks like this in Deuteronomy: “Listen, O heavens, and I will speak; and hear, O earth, the words of my mouth.” Similarly, David, saying that his help came from the Lord, states: “My help is from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” And Esaias acknowledges that words were spoken by God, who made heaven and earth and governs them. He says: “Hear, O heavens; and listen, O earth: for the Lord has spoken.” And again: “Thus says the God, who made the heaven and stretched it out; who established the earth and the things in it; and who gives breath to the people upon it, and spirit to those who walk therein.”
Again, our Lord Jesus Christ acknowledges the same Being as His Father when He says: "I confess to you, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth." Who do those most perverse sophists of Pandora want us to understand as Father by these words? Is it Bythus, whom they fabricated; or their Mother; or the Only-begotten? Or is it the figure the Marcionites or others have invented as god (whom I have thoroughly shown to be no god at all); or is it, as is truly the case, the Maker of heaven and earth, whom the prophets also proclaimed, whom Christ acknowledges as His Father, and whom the law declares, saying: "Hear, O Israel; The Lord your God is one God?"
3. But since the writings of Moses are the words of Christ, He Himself declares to the Jews, as John has recorded in the Gospel: “If you had believed Moses, you would have believed Me: for he wrote of Me. But if you do not believe his writings, neither will you believe My words.” He thus clearly indicates that the writings of Moses are His words. If this applies to Moses, then, without a doubt, the words of the other prophets are His words as well, as I have pointed out. And again, the Lord Himself presents Abraham as having said to the rich man, in reference to all those who were still alive: “If they do not obey Moses and the prophets, neither, if someone were to rise from the dead and go to them, will they believe.”
He has not just told us a story about a poor man and a rich one; instead, He has taught us that no one should live a life of luxury or, by living in worldly pleasures and constant feasting, become a slave to their desires and forget God. He says, "There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and enjoyed splendid feasts."
The Spirit also spoke through Isaiah about such people: "They drink wine accompanied by harps, tablets, psalteries, and flutes; but they do not regard the works of God or consider the work of His hands." Therefore, to avoid the same punishment as these individuals, the Lord reveals their end to us. He shows that if they had obeyed Moses and the prophets, they would believe in the one they preached about, the Son of God, who rose from the dead and gives us life. He demonstrates that all are from one essence: Abraham, Moses, the prophets, and the Lord Himself, who rose from the dead, and in whom many of the circumcision believe, as they hear Moses and the prophets announcing the coming of the Son of God. However, those who mock the truth claim that these men were from a different essence. They do not recognize the first-begotten from the dead, seeing Christ as a separate being, who remained impassible, and Jesus, who suffered, as completely separate from Him.
For they do not receive from the Father the knowledge of the Son, nor do they learn who the Father is from the Son, who teaches clearly and without parables Him who truly is God. He says: “Do not swear at all; neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne; nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King.” These words are clearly spoken about the Creator, as Isaiah also says: “Heaven is my throne, the earth is my footstool.” Besides this Being, there is no other God; otherwise, He would not be called by the Lord either “God” or “the great King,” for a Being who can be described this way allows neither any other being to be compared with nor placed above Him. For one who has any superior over him, and is under the power of another, can never be called either “God” or “the great King.”
But neither can these men claim that such words were spoken sarcastically, since the words themselves prove they were sincere. For He who spoke them was Truth, and He truly defended His own house by driving out the money changers who were buying and selling, saying to them: “It is written, My house shall be called a house of prayer; but you have made it a den of thieves.” And what reason did He have for doing and saying this, and defending His house, if He preached another God? But He did it to point out the transgressors of His Father’s law; for He did not accuse the house, nor did He blame the law, which He had come to fulfill; rather, He reproved those who were using His house improperly and those who were breaking the law. Therefore, the scribes and Pharisees, who since the times of the law had begun to despise God, did not accept His Word, meaning they did not believe in Christ. About them, Isaiah says: “Your rulers are rebellious, companions of thieves, loving gifts, pursuing rewards, not judging the fatherless, and neglecting the cause of the widows.” And similarly, Jeremiah says: “Those who rule my people do not know me; they are senseless and imprudent children; they are wise to do evil, but they do not know how to do good.”
But as many as feared God and were concerned about His law, these turned to Christ and were all saved. For He said to His disciples: “Go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” And it is said that many more Samaritans, when the Lord stayed with them for two days, “believed because of His words and said to the woman, Now we believe not because of your words, for we have heard Him ourselves and know that this man is truly the Savior of the world.” Paul likewise declares, “And so all Israel shall be saved,” and he also said that the law was our guide to bring us to Christ Jesus. Therefore, let them not blame the law for the unbelief of some among them. For the law never prevented them from believing in the Son of God; indeed, it even urged them to do so, saying that people can be saved in no other way from the old wound of the serpent than by believing in Him who, in the likeness of sinful flesh, is lifted up from the earth upon the tree of martyrdom, draws everything to Himself, and gives life to the dead.