Dialogue with Trypho
Chapter 126: The Different Names of Christ According to Both His Natures. It Demonstrates that He is God, and Appeared to the Patriarchs
"But if you knew, Trypho," I continued, "who He is that is sometimes called the Angel of great counsel, a Man by Ezekiel, like the Son of man by Daniel, a Child by Isaiah, Christ and God to be worshiped by David, Christ and a Stone by many, Wisdom by Solomon, Joseph and Judah and a Star by Moses, the East by Zechariah, and the Suffering One, Jacob, and Israel by Isaiah again, and a Rod, Flower, Corner-Stone, and the Son of God, you would not have blasphemed Him who has now come, been born, suffered, and ascended to heaven; who shall also come again, and then your twelve tribes shall mourn.
If you had understood what the prophets wrote, you would not have denied that He was God, the Son of the only, unbegotten, unutterable God. For Moses says in Exodus: 'The Lord spoke to Moses, and said to him, I am the Lord, and I appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as their God; and my name I revealed not to them, and I established my covenant with them.' He also says, 'A man wrestled with Jacob,' and asserts it was God; narrating that Jacob said, 'I have seen God face to face, and my life is preserved.' It is recorded he called the place the Face of God (Peniel), where He wrestled with him, appeared to, and blessed him.
Moses says that God also appeared to Abraham near the oak in Mamre, while he was sitting at the door of his tent at noon. He continues, 'And he lifted up his eyes, looked, and, behold, three men stood before him; and when he saw them, he ran to meet them.' Shortly after, one of them promises a son to Abraham: 'Why did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I surely bear a child, since I am old? Is anything impossible with God? At the appointed time, I will return, and Sarah shall have a son.' And they left Abraham.
Again he speaks of them: 'And the men rose up and looked toward Sodom.' Then to Abraham He who was and is speaks again: 'I will not hide from Abraham, my servant, what I intend to do.'" I quoted and explained what follows in Moses' writings, saying, "From which I have shown that He described as God who appeared to Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and the other patriarchs, was appointed by the Father and Lord, and serves His will." Then I added something not previously mentioned: "And so, when the people desired meat, and Moses had lost faith in Him, who is also called the Angel, promising that God would give them enough, He who is both God and the Angel, sent by the Father, is described as saying and doing these things.
Scripture says: 'And the Lord said to Moses, Will the Lord’s hand not be sufficient? You shall know whether my word shall fulfill itself or not.' And in other words, it says: 'But the Lord spoke to me, You shall not cross this Jordan: the Lord your God, who goes before you, He shall cut off the nations.'"