The suppressed Gospels and Epistles of the original New Testament of Jesus the Christ, Volume 7, Barnabas

12 Again; What says Moses to Joshua, the Son of Nun, when he gave that name unto him, as being a prophet, that all the people might hear him alone? Because the father did manifest all things concerning his son Jesus, in Joshua, the Son of Nun; and gave him that name when he sent him to spy out the land of Canaan, saying; Take a book in thine hands, and write what the Lord saith. Forasmuch as Jesus the Son of God shall in the last days cut off by the roots all the house of Amalek, see here again Jesus, not the son of man, but the Son of God, made manifest in a type, and in the flesh.

13 But because it might hereafter be said that Christ was the Son of David; therefore David fearing and well knowing the errors of the wicked, saith; the Lord said unto my Lord, sit thou on my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool.

14 And again Isaiah speaketh on this wise, The Lord said unto Christ my Lord, I have laid hold on his right hand, that the nations should obey before him, and I will break the strength of kings.

15 Behold, how doth David and Isaiah call him Lord, and the Son of God.

CHAPTER XII

The Promise of God not made to the Jews only, but to the Gentiles also, and fulfilled to us by Jesus Christ.

BUT let us go yet further, and inquire whether this people be the heir, or the former; and whether the covenant be with us or with them.

2 And first, as concerning the people, hear now what the Scripture saith:

3 Isaac prayed for his wife Rebekah, because she was barren; and she conceived. Afterwards Rebekah went forth to inquire of the Lord.

4 And the Lord said unto her; There are two nations in thy womb, and two people shall come from thy body; and the one shall have power over the other, and the greater shall serve the lesser. Understand here who was Isaac; who Rebekah; and of whom it was foretold, this people shall be greater than that.

5 And in another prophecy Jacob speaketh more clearly to his son Joseph, saying; Behold the Lord hath not derived me of seeing thy face, bring me thy sons that I may bless them. And he brought unto his father Manasseh and Ephraim, desiring that he should bless Manasseh, because he was the elder.

6 Therefore Joseph brought him to the right hand of his father Jacob. But Jacob by the spirit foresaw the figure of the people that was to come.

7 And what saith the Scripture? And Jacob crossed his hands, and put his right hand upon Ephraim, his second, and the younger son, and blessed him. And Joseph said unto Jacob; Put thy right hand upon the head of Manasseh, for he is my first-born son. And Jacob said unto Joseph; I know it, my son, I know it; but the greater shall serve the lesser; though he also shall be blessed.

8 Ye see of whom he appointed it, that they should be the first people, and heirs of the covenant.

9 If therefore God shall have yet farther taken notice of this, by Abraham too; our understanding of it will then be perfectly established.

10 What then saith the Scripture of Abraham, when I he believed, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness? Behold I have made thee a father of the nations, which without circumcision believe in the Lord.

11 Let us therefore now inquire whether God has fulfilled the covenant, which he sware to our fathers, that he would give this people? Yes, verily, he gave it; but they were not worthy to receive it by reason of their sins.

12 For thus saith the prophet And Moses continued fasting in mount Sinai, to receive the covenant of the Lord with the people, forty days and forty nights.

13 And he received of the Lord two tables written with the finger of the Lord's hand, in the Spirit. And Moses, when he had received them, brought them down that he might deliver them to the people.

14 And the Lord said unto Moses; Moses, Moses, get thee down quickly, for the people which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt have done wickedly.

15 And Moses understood that they had again set up a molten image: and he cast the two tables out of his hands; and the tables of the covenant of the Lord were broken. Moses therefore received them, but they were not worthy.

16 Now then learn how we have received them. Moses, being a servant, took them; but the Lord himself has given them unto us, that we might be the people of his inheritance; having suffered for us.

17 He was therefore made manifest; that they should fill up the measure of their sins, and that we being made heirs by him, should receive the covenant of the Lord Jesus.

18 And again the prophet saith Behold, I have set thee for a light unto the Gentiles; to be the saviour of all the ends of the earth, saith the Lord; the God who hath re-deemed thee.

19 Who for that very end was prepared, that by his own appearing he might redeem our hearts, already devoured by death, and delivered over to the irregularity of error, from darkness; and establish a covenant with us by his word.

20 For so it is written that the father commanded him by delivering us from darkness, to prepare unto himself a holy people.

21 Wherefore the prophet saith I the Lord thy God have called thee in righteousness, and I will take thee by thy hand, and will strengthen thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people; for a light to the Gentiles. To open the eyes of the blind, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison house.

22 Consider, therefore, from whence we have been redeemed. And again the prophet saith The spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me: he hath sent me to preach glad tidings to the lowly; to heal the broken in heart; to preach remission to the captives, and give sight unto the blind; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of restitution; to comfort all that mourn.

CHAPTER XIII

That the sabbath of the Jews was but a figure of a more glorious sabbath to come, and their temple, of the spiritual temples of God.

FURTHERMORE it is written concerning the sabbath, in the Ten Commandments, which God spake in the mount Sinai to Moses, face to face: Sanctify the sabbath of the Lord with pure hands, and with a clean heart.

2 And elsewhere he saith; If thy children shall keep my Sabbaths, then will I put my mercy upon them.

3 And even in the beginning of the creation he makes mention of the sabbath. And God made in six days the works of his hands, and he finished them on the seventh day; and he rested the seventh day, and sanctified it.

4 Consider, my children, what that signifies, he finished them in six days. The meaning of it is this: that in six thousand years the Lord God will bring all things to an end.

5 For with him one day is a thousand years; as himself testifieth, saying, Behold this day shall be as a thousand years. Therefore, children, in six days, that is, in six thousand years, shall a all things be accomplished.

6 And what is that he saith, And he rested the seventh day he meaneth this: that when his Son shall come, and abolish the season of the Wicked One, and judge the ungodly; and shall change the sun and the moon, and the stars; then he shall gloriously rest on that seventh day,

7 He adds, lastly: Thou shalt sanctify it with clean hands and a pure heart. Wherefore we are greatly deceived if we imagine that anyone can now sanctify that day which God has made holy, without having a heart pure in all things.

8 Behold, therefore, he will then truly sanctify it with blessed rest, when we (having received the righteous promise, when iniquity shall be no more, all things being renewed by the Lord) shall be able to sanctify it, being ourselves first made holy;

9 Lastly, he saith unto them Your new moons and your Sabbaths I cannot bear them. Consider what he means by it; the Sabbaths, says he, which ye now keep are not acceptable unto me, but those which I have made; when resting from all things I shall begin the eight day, that is, the beginning of the other world.

10 For which cause we observe the eight day with gladness, in which Jesus rose from the dead; and having manifested himself to his disciples, ascended into heaven.

11 It remains yet that I speak to you concerning the temple: how those miserable men being deceived have put their trust in the house, and not in God himself who made them, as if it were the habitation of God.

12 For much after the same manner as the Gentiles, they consecrated him in the temple.

13 But learn therefore how the Lord speaketh, rendering the temple vain: Who has measured the heaven with a span, and the earth with his hand? Is it not I? Thus with the Lord, Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What is the house that ye will build me? Or what is the place of my rest? Know therefore that all their hope is vain.

14 And again he speaketh after this manner: Behold they that destroy this temple, even they shall again build it up. And so it came to pass; for through their wars it is now destroyed by their enemies; and the servants of their enemies build it up.

15 Furthermore it has been made manifest, how both the city and the temple, and the people of Israel should be given up. For the scripture saith; And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the Lord will deliver up the sheep of his pasture, and their fold, and their tower unto destruction. And it is come to pass, as the Lord hath spoken.

16 Let us inquire therefore, whether there be any temple of God? Yes there is: and there where himself declares that he would both make and perfect it. For it is written: And it shall be that as soon as the week shall be completed, the temple of the Lord shall be gloriously built in the name of the Lord.

17 I find therefore that there is a temple. But how shall it be built in the name of the Lord? I will shew you.

18 Before that we believed in God, the habitation of our heart was corruptible, and feeble, as a temple truly built with hands.

19 For it was a house full of idolatry, a house of devils; inasmuch as there was done in it whatsoever was contrary unto God. But it shall be built in the name of the Lord.

20 Consider, how that the temple of the Lord shall be very gloriously built; and by what means that shall be, learn.