Dialogue with Trypho

As they remained quiet, I continued: "[The Scripture], speaking through David about this Christ, my friends, no longer said that 'in His seed' the nations would be blessed, but 'in Him.' It states: 'His name shall rise forever above the sun; and in Him all nations shall be blessed.' If all nations are blessed in Christ, and we from all nations believe in Him, then He is truly the Christ, and we are blessed by Him. God once allowed the sun as an object of worship, as it is written, but no one has been known to endure death for faith in the sun; yet for the name of Jesus, you can see people from every nation enduring all sufferings rather than denying Him.

For His word of truth and wisdom is more passionate and illuminating than the sun's rays, reaching deep into the heart and mind.

Therefore, Scripture said, 'His name shall rise above the sun.' Zechariah also says, 'His name is the East.' And speaking of Him, he says that 'each tribe shall mourn.' If He shone so brightly and was so powerful in His first coming (which was without honor and beauty, and very contemptible) that in no nation is He unknown, and everywhere people have repented of old wickedness in each nation's way of living, so that even demons were subject to His name, and all powers and kingdoms feared His name more than they feared all the dead, will He not in His glorious coming destroy all those who hated Him, and unfairly turned away from Him, but give rest to His own, rewarding them with all they have hoped for? Therefore, it has been granted to us to hear, to understand, and to be saved by this Christ, and to recognize all the [truths revealed] by the Father.

He said to Him: 'It is a great thing for You to be called my servant, to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and bring back the dispersed of Israel. I have appointed You as a light to the Gentiles, that You may be their salvation to the ends of the earth.'"