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Preface
The God of the universe, who created all human beings, in a similar fashion continues to show providence for all people. Even though in ancient times he appeared to care for the Israelites to a greater extent, he was doing this for the common welfare of all human beings. For just as the one showing special care for Israel did not indicate what was to be done by conversing with each Israelite individually, but by choosing the best one from all of them—at one time the great Moses or Joshua, the son of Nun, but at another time Samuel, and still at another time Elijah—and through each of the individuals mentioned above, he led the people to salvation, either by establishing laws, demonstrating marvels, or conveying a warning, so also God, having set the Israelite people apart from the other nations, demonstrated to the Gentiles by providential care for them, the path towards the knowledge of God through continuous epiphanies and incredible miracles. And he taught us this through the divinely inspired Hosea. For it says, “A prophet is a watchman over Ephraim, along with God ” (Hos 9:8).7 For God appointed the people of Israel as a unique watchman and prophet for the benefit and salvation of other nations. Even so, through the Israelites, Egypt has learned the unspeakable power of the God of the universe. And the report, which conveyed to all people the destruction of the Egyptians, caused everyone to marvel at the justice of divine providence. Consequently, Rahab the prostitute, who received the radiance of the knowledge of God, said to the spies: “…since your fear and trembling fell upon us. For we heard how the Lord God dried up the Red Sea before you and he carried you across because your God is Lord, God in heaven above and on earth below” (Josh 2:9-10).9 And at a much later time the Philistines10, when they beheld the ark, shouted with fear and trembling: “This is the God who smote Egypt” (1 Sam 4:8).11_ In addition, by striking down those many thousands of Assyrians before the walls of Jerusalem and forcing Sennacherib to flee with a few men, (2 Kgs 19:35), 12 God has made his power clear to all men and women. Also in Babylon, he kept Daniel unharmed after he was handed over to the lions (Dan 6:23)13 and he transformed that most violent flame of the furnace into cool moisture, with the result that those blessed youths formed a chorus in the middle of the furnace and composed a hymn, (Pr Azar 1:27, Dan 3:25).14 God thereby struck an arrogant king with terror; and through that individual, taught his subjects that the God of the Israelites is the only God.15 And in the time of Cyrus the Persian God has made clear once again, not only to the ones who were living nearby but also the ones living far away, that He alone is able to show providence and direct whatever He wills. He granted to his people that well known return from Exile, provided the release from their servitude as a gift to them alone, rebuilt his own temple, and restored Jerusalem to its prior state of well-being. And in the time of the Macedonians, he often showed his power.17 And by performing miracles and predicting the future through the prophets, He guided many of the nations towards truth. That is why the nation of the Syrians feared the great Elisha, at one time receiving from him a cloud of blindness (2 Kgs 6:18)18 but at another time observing the cleansing of Naaman (2 Kgs 5).19 Such great reverence was attached to this prophet that when the king20 became ill, he sent Azael to Elisha, to inquire if he would get well (2 Kgs 8:7-15).21 But, this very prophet anointed Azael himself king over the Assyrians instead. And the king of the Babylonians considered the divinely inspired Jeremiah worthy of such great honor that he gave him a choice of residences (Jer 40:1-6).22 He was leading away all the other kings and rulers as captives, but he gave to Jeremiah alone the choice to live wherever he wished. This is the way the God of the universe chose the blessed Jonah as a prophet for the Ninevites. A long time ago, this was the greatest city and contained the palace of the king of Assyria. For inasmuch as the only begotten Word of God was about to be made manifest to human beings in human nature, and to enlighten all nations with the light of the knowledge of God, even before His own incarnation, He shows his divine care to the nations, in order that He might establish with certainty future events by those which preceded it, teach everyone that He is God not only of the Jews but the God also of the nations, and point out the close relationship between the Old and the New Testament. For if God did not show any providence for the nations before his incarnation, then the Jews would form the opinion that He was another God, on the grounds that He was doing things contrary to the one who had given the law. For the former God only cared for the Jews, and the latter God showed concern for all human beings. For the abominable Marcion 24 has suffered from this disease, saying that this God is different from that God—and he says these things, even after observing God’s providence for all human beings in the Old Testament!25 But in order that we might not prolong things beyond measure,26 let us proceed to the interpretation itself of the prophet. |