The Epistle of Barnabas

But how was it possible for them to understand or comprehend these things? But we having a righteous understanding of them announce the commandments as the Lord wished. For this cause he circumcised our hearing and our hearts that we should comprehend these things.

But let us enquire if the Lord took pains to[*](Baptism) foretell the water of baptism and the cross. Concerning the water it has been written with regard to Israel that they will not receive the baptism that brings the remission of sins, but will build for themselves.

For the Prophet says, Be astonished O heaven, and let the earth tremble the more at this, that this people hath committed two evils: they have deserted me, the spring of life, and they have

Is my holy mountain Sinai a desert rock? For ye shall be as the fledgling birds, fluttering about when they are taken away from the nest.

And again the Prophet says, I will go before you and I will make mountains level, and I will break gates of brass, and I will shatter bars of iron, and I will give thee treasures of darkness, secret, invisible, that they may know that I am the Lord God.

And, Thou shalt dwell in a lofty cave of a strong rock. And, His water is sure, ye shall see the King in his glory, and your soul shall meditate on the fear of the Lord.

And again he says in another Prophet, And he who does these things shall be as the tree, which is planted at the partings of the waters, which shall give its fruit in its season, and its leaf shall not fade, and all things, whatsoever he doeth, shall prosper.

It is not so with the wicked, it is not so; but they are even as the chaif which the wind driveth away from the face of the earth. Therefore the wicked shall not rise up in judgment, nor sinners in the counsel of the righteous, for the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous, and the way of the ungodly shall perish.

Mark how he described the water[*](The Cross) and the cross together. For he means this: blessed are those who hoped on the cross, and descended into the water. For he speaks of their reward in his season; at that time, he says, I will repay. But now when he says, Their leaves shall not fade, he means that every word which shall come forth from your mouth in faith and love, shall be for conversion and hope for many.

And again another Prophet says, And the land of Jacob was praised

What does he say next? And there was a river flowing on the right hand, and beautiful trees grew out of it, and whosoever shall eat of them shall live for ever.

He means to say that we go down into the water full of sins and foulness, and we come up bearing the fruit of fear in our hearts, and having hope on Jesus in the Spirit. And whosoever shall eat of them shall live for ever. He means that whosoever hears and believes these things spoken shall live for ever.

Similarly, again, he describes the cross in[*](The Cross) another Prophet, who says, And when shall all these things be accomplished? saith the Lord. When the tree shall fall and rise, and when blood shall flow from the tree. Here again you have a reference to the cross, and to him who should be crucified.

And he says again to Moses, when Israel was Avarred upon by strangers, and in order to remind those who were w arred upon that they wrere delivered unto death by reason of their sins—the Spirit speaks to the heart of Moses to make a representation of the cross, and of him who should suffer, because, he says, unless they put their trust in him, they shall suffer wTar for ever. Moses therefore placed one shield upon another in the midst of the fight, and standing there raised above them all kept stretching

Why? That they may know that they cannot be saved if they do not hope on him.

And again he says in another Prophet, I stretched out my hands the whole day to a disobedient people and one that refuses my righteous way.

Again Moses makes a representation of Jesus, showing that he must suffer, and shall himself give life, though they will believe that he has been put to death, by the sign given when Israel was falling (for the Lord made every serpent bite them, and they were perishing, for the fall[*](Literally the transgression.) took place in Eve through the serpent), in order to convince them that they will be delivered over to the affliction of death because of their transgression.

Moreover, though Moses commanded them:—You shall have neither graven nor molten image for your God, yet he makes one himself to show a type of Jesus. Moses therefore makes a graven serpent, and places it in honour and calls the people by a proclamation.

So they came together and besought Moses that he would offer prayer on their behalf for their healing. But Moses said to them, Whenever one of you, he said, be bitten, let him come to the serpent that is placed upon the tree, and let him hope, in faith that it though dead is able to give life, and he shall straightway be saved. And they did so. In this also you have again the glory of Jesus, for all things are in him and for him.