The Epistle of Barnabas

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.

Again, why does[*](Joshua) Moses say to Jesus, the son of Naue,[*](i.e. Joshua the son of Nun, of which names Jesus and Naue are the Greek forms.) when he gives him, prophet as he is, this name, that the whole

Moses therefore says to Jesus the son of Naue, after giving him this name, when he sent him to spy out the land, Take a book in thy hands and write what the Lord saith, that the Son of God shall in the last day tear up by the roots the whole house of Amalek.

See again Jesus, not as son of man, but as Son of God, but manifested in a type in the flesh. Since therefore they are going to say that the Christ is David’s son, David himself prophesies, fearing and understanding the error of the sinners, The Lord said to my Lord sit thou on my right hand until I make thy enemies thy footstool.

And again Isaiah speaks thus, The Lord said to Christ my Lord, whose right hand I held, that the nations should obey before him, and I will shatter the strength of Kings. See how David calls him Lord and does not say Son.