Demonstration 18: Against the Jews, On Virginity and Holiness

Demonstration 18: Against the Jews, On Virginity and Holiness I desire, my beloved, to write to you also concerning this which you have pressed me about, concerning this holy covenant, and concerning the virginity and holiness of those who stand in it, because on account of their shamelessness and the foulness of their bodies, the people of the Jews stumble, and the thoughts of men, youths, and laymen are disturbed and relaxed, those who are troubled and captivated by the persuasion of their disturbance, and they say to us: "When God created Adam, he blessed him and said to him: 'Be fruitful, multiply, beget, and fill the earth.' And also to Noah, in like manner, he said to him: 'Multiply on the earth and beget on it.' And to Abraham he blessed him and said to him: 'Look at the heavens and count the stars, if you are able to count them,' and he said to him: 'Thus will be your seed.' And to Israel, in the blessings, he said to him: 'There shall not be among you one who is barren or a eunuch.' And again he said: 'There shall be no one who is a maimed or a eunuch in your land.' And to Abraham, through the blessing, Isaac was given; and Isaac prayed over Rebecca that she might give birth, and he blessed Jacob that his seed might multiply. And Hannah lived righteously and asked for Samuel, and the son of the barren woman multiplied through his birth. And all the righteous received birth and blessing. And you, why do you do something that was not commanded by God, that you have received a curse and increased barrenness? You have stopped birth, the blessings of the righteous. Women do not take husbands, and men do not take wives, and you have abolished birth, the blessing that was given by God." Concerning these words, my beloved, as much as I am able, I will write to you. For concerning Adam, whom God blessed, he said to him: "Beget and multiply on the earth," because he blessed them that the world might be filled from them. For from his children there were fruits, and when they multiplied, they corrupted and did evil, until by their sins they grieved and distressed the spirit of their Creator, and he said: "I repent that I made them.

And in wrath they were cast out, and in a sharp decree they were submerged in the waters of the flood. Now, I say, what did the blessing of the seed of Israel avail, that they corrupted their ways and were submerged in the waters of the flood? And in that very covenant they corrupted and were condemned. And the blessing was extinguished by the sins of the wicked. And a small remnant remained, when the altar was not yet many, and the mercy of the Holy One was kindled. And that remnant was preserved in its smallness from the whole corrupt generation. And from it a steadfast world was established. Again, that blessed remnant multiplied in offspring, so that the world was filled and the sons of Adam multiplied. And when they multiplied and grew numerous and increased in offspring, they strayed from God and worshipped idols—all the peoples and tongues that were from his seed. And they were accounted before God as nothing, like a drop from a holy thing, and like the spittle of a measure. Only the seed of the righteous lived and was saved before God. For what did the blessing avail the ten generations before the flood? And what did it profit the Sodomites, who were destroyed by fire and brimstone? And the blessing was extinguished by the sins of the wicked. Or what benefit and advantage did the blessing bring to the six hundred thousand who went out from Egypt, who perished in the desert of Shur and angered the Holy One? And what advantage and benefit was there in the blessing of offspring among the unclean peoples whom Jesus destroyed? Or what did the blessing avail Israel, that its seed multiplied like the stars, which war and the sword utterly consumed? But to God, one righteous man does the will, better and more known before his greatness than the multitudes and thousands of the wicked. That remnant was better and more known before God than the ten corrupt generations that preceded it. And Abraham was accounted before God more than the ten generations before him and after him. And also from those after him, Isaac and Jacob, the sons of the covenant, were better.

They were good and righteous before God, more than all the Amorites, who dwelt in their houses. And Joseph was accounted before God more than the whole wicked people in the house of Pharaoh. And Moses, the great prophet of Israel, was good and righteous before God more than the six hundred thousand whom he brought out of Egypt, because by their rebelliousness they vexed God, and they were not able to enter the land of the kingdom. And concerning virginity and holiness I am writing to you, that in that beloved people you were righteous before God, in that first people, more than the multitude of unworthy offspring. Moses, the great prophetic man, the leader of all Israel, from the time his Lord spoke with him, loved holiness and served the holy one, and separated himself from the world and from his offspring, and remained with himself to please his Lord. But show me, what do you say, O wise teacher of the people, that from the time God spoke with Moses, he served the service of partnership? Or has a false interpretation come to you, that this is not fitting for your confusion, because you sought to defile the holy one on account of your falsehood? For if he had served partnership, he would not have been able to serve the greatness of his Lord, just as Israel was not able to receive the holy command and the living words which the holy one spoke with Moses on the mountain, until he sanctified the people for three days, and then the holy one spoke with them. For he said to Moses, "Go down to the people and sanctify them for three days." And thus Moses said to them plainly, "Do not approach a woman." And when they were sanctified for these three days, then on the third day the holy one appeared in a mighty radiance, and in great glory, and in a gentle voice, and in a terrible thunder, and in a strong trumpet, and in flashing lightning, and in bright thunderbolts, and the mountains quaked and the heights trembled, and the sun and moon were disturbed from their course, and Moses went up to Mount Sinai.

and he went up in the cloud and received the commandments. And Moses saw the glorious radiance, and he trembled and shook, and trembling seized him, because he saw the might of the ram, which was placed upon the mountain, the great power of the throne of God, which myriads and thousands serve, covering their faces from his glorious radiance, and they run and fly on their swift wings, and they call out and sanctify and glorify his greatness, watchful and ready and swift in their running, prepared and fitting and suitable and eager, running and sanctifying and fulfilling his command, ascending and descending in the air like swift lightning. For Moses was speaking, and God answered him with a voice. On that day Israel stood in fear and dread and trembling, and they fell on their faces, and they were unable to endure. And they said to Moses, "Do not speak with God lest you die, or some calamity that is difficult and burdensome happen." But if Israel, for only one hour, spoke with God, for three days he was unable to hear the voice of God, until he went up the mountain and entered the thick cloud. Moses, the great prophet, the eye and light of the whole people, who stood at all times before God and spoke with him mouth to mouth, how could the power of partnership be possible? And if Israel, who for only three days was sanctified, spoke with God, how much more are those who are sanctified and watchful and ready and standing before God all their days, are they not more loved by God? And his spirit dwells in them, as he said, "I will dwell in them and walk in them." And Isaiah said, "I will dwell only with the humble and the lowly who are quiet at my word." And I will show you that the virgin is better and more beloved before God.

He commanded the holy ones concerning the priests, the sons of Aaron, who minister before him, that one of them should not take a widow or a divorced woman, nor a hand that is defiled by fornication, but he should take a virgin from his own people, a hand that has not been defiled by another man. And he saw that the widow is more defiled than the virgin. But if the partnership of virginity and holiness is better, why was it necessary that he warned Israel and sanctified them for three days, and only then spoke with them? And why was it required that the priest take a virgin, and not approach a widow or a divorced woman? And why did Moses restrain himself and sanctify himself from his wife for forty years, so that later he begot other sons, apart from Gershom and Eliezer? Or is this a dead thing, or is this a matter of my opinion? For Levi, Zimri was not born because of his fornication, for in one hour he fell from Israel: twenty-four thousand. And also Achan was not preserved in his mother's womb, for he made the camp of Israel a ban. And Phinehas stood firm in holiness, and to him were not born Hophni and Phinehas, who disgraced the priesthood and were governed wickedly. And when sons were sought for Samuel, they did not keep the law, nor did they walk in his ways. And many like these, who would have been born to them, if they had not begotten, they would not have been born. Moses loved holiness, and was loved by the Holy One, and showed him his glory. And Joshua son of Nun loved virginity and dwelt in a tent, a place where the Holy One was served. And Elijah excelled in virginity, and dwelt in the desert, in the mountains, and in caves. And Elisha remained solitary and was strengthened, and performed wondrous deeds by the hand of God. And Jeremiah also said, "I did not desire the day of the chief," and his Lord also commanded him and said to him,

that you should not take a wife, and that you should not have sons and daughters. Concerning this, the Jewish spirit went out, because on account of you, did he not command Jeremiah that you should not take a wife, and that you should not have sons and daughters in this land? For thus the Lord said concerning the sons and daughters who are born in this land: "The death of those who are smitten by hunger will die." Concerning that same one, did he not say to him that you should not take a wife, or those of deficient mind? Which one stands in this mind? He who gave in mercy to Jeremiah the captive of the king of Babylon; even if he had begotten sons, they would have been saved from the sword and from hunger. Moreover, Ezekiel, his Lord did him a kindness, and took from him the desire of his eyes by a blow that was from the sword, and took and cast from him the evil of the oppressor. But otherwise, show or teach concerning Jesus son of Nun, who took a wife and begot sons; and concerning the Ephesians, and also concerning Elijah and Elisha his disciple, what house was their dwelling in this world? For behold, they dwelt in ruins and in mountains and in caves, in affliction and in persecution, and not one of them had a wife, and they were served by their disciples. And see that when Gehazi, the disciple of Elisha, his mind was disturbed concerning this world, and he desired houses, a wife, and sons, Elisha said to him: "That is the time of the market of houses, vineyards, and olive trees. Now that you have done this, the leprosy of Naaman has clothed Gehazi, and his whole family forever." For if concerning each one of these from the scriptures you are persuaded, I will accept from you, and everything that is from your thought I will judge and speak. Do not listen to me, for you wished to defile the holy one by your false persuasion. Concerning the partnership that God gave in the world, it is enough for you. There is nothing just that is established, for thus it is written: "God saw everything that he made, and it is good and fair.

Nevertheless, there are creations that are better, one than another. God created the heavens and the earth, and the heavens are better and more beautiful than the earth. He created darkness and light, and light is better and more beautiful than darkness. He created night and day, and day is better and more beautiful than night. He created the sun and the moon, and the sun is better and more beautiful than the moon. He created the stars of the sky, and one star is better and more beautiful than another in its brightness. He created Adam and Eve, and Adam is better and more beautiful than Eve. He created the partnership of the generation of the world, and it is good and beautiful, but better than it is virginity. The earth, while it was a virgin, was not defiled, and after rain fell upon it, it conceived fruits. Adam, in his virginity, was beloved and beautiful, but after he begot Eve, he erred and transgressed the commandment. The sons of Seth, in their virginity, were seemly, but when they mingled with the daughters of Cain, they were destroyed by the waters of the flood. Samson was beautiful in his Nazirite vow and his virginity, but by his wantonness he destroyed his Nazirite vow. David was chaste in his youth, but by his lust he transgressed the law with Bathsheba. He abolished three of the Ten Commandments: "Do not commit adultery," "Do not kill," and "Do not steal." Amnon was beautiful in his virginity, but by the wantonness of his lust, Absalom killed him because of his sister. Solomon was seemly and adorned in his virginity, but in his old age, by the lust for women, his heart turned away from his God. Hear what is written in the law: that a man should leave his father and mother and cleave to his wife, and they become one flesh. And truly this is a great and excellent thing. A father and mother are abandoned by one who takes a wife. But this is the reasoning: one who, at the beginning, has not yet taken a wife, loves and honors God his father and the Holy Spirit his mother, and he has no other love. And when, at the beginning, he takes a wife, he abandons his father and mother, those who are above the aforementioned.

and his mind is fixed on this world, and his thought, heart, and reflection are turned away from God toward the world. And he loves and desires it, as a man loves the wife of his youth, and separates his love from his father and from his mother. And he says that the two of them are one flesh, and it is true that like a man and a woman they become one flesh and one mind, and from his father and his mother his thought and reflection are separated. Thus also the head of a woman, as long as he has not taken her, stands alone, with one spirit and one mind with his father. This I have written to you, my beloved, concerning virginity and holiness, because I heard from a Jewish man who reviled one of our brothers, a son of our church, and said to him, "You are impure, you who do not take wives, you are holy ones and excellent ones who beget and multiply seed in the world." Concerning that very thing I have written this persuasion to you. However, concerning virginity and holiness I have already written to you and persuaded you, by the demonstration of the sons of the covenant, how beautiful and desirable virginity is, that even in affliction a man completes it, as the Lord said, that not everyone is sufficient for it, but only he to whom it is given. And the apostle said, "Because of the afflictions of the world, it is fitting for a man to be thus." For this matter there are many rewards, because it is by their freedom that they complete it, and not by the compulsion and affliction of a commandment, and they are not bound by a law under it. Its form and likeness are found in Scripture, and it is seen that among the victorious the likeness is that of the watchers in heaven, and on earth it is established as a gift. That is the standing one which, when lost, cannot be found, and by payments a man cannot establish it; neither he who has it and loses it can find it, nor he who does not have it and runs after it can attain it. Love, my beloved, this gift, which has no equal in the whole world.

In this thing that I have written to you, go out in spirit against the Jews, for in their folly they do not perceive the power of virginity and holiness. The end of the discourse on virginity and holiness.