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🎧 Dialogue with Trypho
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Chapter 111: The two arrivals were symbolified by the two goats. Other symbols of the first arrival, in which the Gentiles are liberated by the blood of Christ.

IT WAS SHOWN THROUGH SYMBOLISM: even in the time of Moses, that there would be two comings of this Christ, as I have mentioned before, this is evident from the symbol of the goats offered for sacrifice during the fast.

Moreover, what Moses and Joshua did also symbolically announced and foretold the same event. For one of them, holding out his hands, stayed until evening on the hill, his hands being supported; this reveals a symbol of nothing other than the cross: and the other, whose name was changed to Jesus (Joshua), led the battle, and Israel was victorious.

This happened with both these holy men and prophets of God, so you can understand how one of them could not bear both mysteries: meaning, the symbol of the cross and the symbol of the name. For this has been and always will be the strength of Him alone, whose name every power fears, being greatly tormented because they will be destroyed by Him.

Therefore, our suffering and crucified Christ was not cursed by the law, but He showed that He alone would save those who do not turn away from His faith.

And the blood of the Passover, sprinkled on each man’s doorposts and lintel, saved those who were rescued in Egypt, when the firstborn of the Egyptians were destroyed. For the Passover was Christ, who was later sacrificed, as Isaiah also said, ‘He was led like a sheep to the slaughter.’ And it is written, that on the day of the Passover you seized Him, and also during the Passover you crucified Him. And just as the blood of the Passover saved those who were in Egypt, so also the blood of Christ will save from death those who have believed.

Would God, then, have been wrong if this sign had not been placed above the doors? I do not say that; but I assert that He announced the future salvation for humanity in advance through the blood of Christ. For the sign of the scarlet thread, which the spies sent to Jericho by Joshua, son of Nun, gave to Rahab the harlot, instructing her to tie it to the window through which she let them down to escape from their enemies, also showed the symbol of the blood of Christ, by which those who were once harlots and unrighteous people from all nations are saved, receiving forgiveness of sins, and no longer continuing in sin.

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