Simeon in the temple: through Zebulon He was believed in among the Gentiles, as says the prophet, "the land of Zabulon;"[1] and through Benjamin [that is, Paul] He was glorified, by being preached throughout all the world.[2]
XVIII.
And this was not without meaning; but that by means of the number of the ten men,[3] he (Gideon) might appear as having Jesus for a helper, as [is indicated] by the compact entered into with them. And when he did not choose to partake with them in their idol-worship, they threw the blame upon him: for "Jerubbaal" signifies the judgment-seat of Baal.
XIX.
"Take unto thee Joshua (Ἰησοῦν) the son of Nun."[4] For it was proper that Moses should lead the people out of Egypt, but that Jesus (Joshua) should lead them into the inheritance. Also that Moses, as was the case with the law, should cease to be, but that Joshua (Ἰησοῦν), as the word, and no untrue type of the Word made flesh (ἐνυποστάτου), should be a preacher to the people. Then again, [it was fit] that Moses should give manna as food to the fathers, but Joshua wheat;[5] as the first-fruits of life, a type of the body of Christ, as also the Scripture declares that the manna of the Lord ceased when the people had eaten wheat from the land.[6]
- ↑ Isa. ix. 1.
- ↑ Compare the statement of Clemens Romanus, vol. i. p. 11 of this series, where, speaking of St. Paul, he says: "After preaching both in the east and west .... having taught righteousness to the whole world, and come to the extreme limit of the west."
- ↑ See Judg. vi. 27. It is not very clear how Irenæus makes out this allegory, but it is thought that he refers to the initial letter in the name Ἰησοῦς, which stands for ten in the Greek enumeration. Compare the Epistle of Barnabas, vol. i. p. 117 of this series.
- ↑ Num. xxvii. 18.
- ↑ Harvey conceives the reading here (which is doubtful) to have been τὸν νέον οἰτον, the new wheat; and sees an allusion to the wave-sheaf of the new corn offered in the temple on the morning of our Lord's resurrection.
- ↑ Josh. v. 12.
