Chapter LXXIV.

In addition to all this, the Jew further says:  “All these statements are taken from your own books, in addition to which we need no other witness; for ye fall upon your own swords.”^34073407    αὐτοὶ γὰρ ἑαυτοῖς περιπίπτετε.  [See note supra, cap. xiii. p. 437.  S.]

Now we have proved that many foolish assertions, opposed to the narratives of our Gospels, occur in the statements of the Jew, either with respect to Jesus or ourselves.  And I do not think that he has shown that “we fall upon our own swords;” but he only so imagines.  And when the Jew adds, in a general way, this to his former remarks:  “O most high and heavenly one! what God, on appearing to men, is received with incredulity?” we must say to him, that according to the accounts in the law of Moses, God is related to have visited the Hebrews in a most public manner, not only in the signs and wonders performed in Egypt, and also in the passage of the Red Sea, and in the pillar of fire and cloud of light, but also when the Decalogue was announced to the whole people, and yet was received with incredulity by those who saw these things:  for had they believed what they saw and heard, they would not have fashioned the calf, nor changed their own glory into the likeness of a grass-eating calf; nor would they have said to one another with reference to the calf, “These be thy gods, O Israel, who brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.”^34083408    Cf. Ex. xxxii. 4.  And observe whether it is not entirely in keeping with the character of the same people, who formerly refused to believe such wonders and such appearances of divinity, throughout the whole period of wandering in the wilderness, as they are recorded in the law of the Jews to have done, to refuse to be convinced also, on occasion of the glorious advent of Jesus, by the mighty words which were spoken by Him with authority, and the marvels which He performed in the presence of all the people.