Demonstration 2: On Love

Demonstration on Love In the first place, my beloved, the entire Law and the Prophets are suspended upon two commandments, as the Savior said: for unless the Law and the Prophets were confirmed by these two, they would be of no use for confirming it. For the Savior said that upon these two commandments hang the Law and the Prophets: when a person loves the Lord his God with all his soul, with all his might, and with all his heart, and when a person also loves his neighbor as himself. And when you examine the essence of these two commandments, upon them hang all the power of the Law and of the Prophets. For if these two commandments, upon which all the power of the Law and of the Prophets hangs, were fixed in the heart and mind of the children of men, then neither the Law nor the Prophets would have been needed to be written. As it is written, the Law was not given for the righteous, but for the wicked; and because of the wicked the Law was given. And if righteousness had prevailed among the children of men, the Law would not have been needed. Again, if the Law had not been given, the power of God would not have been known throughout the generations, and through all the wonders He showed. By the transgression of the commandment in the house of Adam, death was decreed upon the world, and the power of God was revealed when all the children of men stood at the end, at the time when the dominion of death was taken away. And because of the wicked in the days of Noah, the power of God was revealed through the waters of the flood. And Abraham, because he kept righteousness before the Law was given, until the Law was given, the power of God was revealed in him through righteousness, when he turned back the captivity of Sodom by the power of his God, and did not stretch out his hand to the spoils. And God said to him after that day, "Your reward is very great because of your righteousness," even though the Law had not been given to him. He showed the works of the Law, and the Law was not needed for his righteousness. Thus also Isaac and Jacob, his sons, had no need of instruction.

...the law was established for their chastity, because their father commanded them to practice righteousness and judgment, as it is written that the Lord said concerning Abraham, that he knew that he would command his sons after him to keep all the commandments. And also Joseph kept the chastity of the law, when he did not obey his mistress, for he said, "How can I do this great evil and sin against God?" And also Moses kept the chastity of the law, when he refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter. Therefore the Lord appointed him, that through his hand the law would be given to his people. For all these showed the works of the law, and the law was not established for their chastity, but they themselves were the law for themselves. For when the time of the law came, it was added because of the need, and it was shown concerning it that the law is an addition. And how could this addition be? But because of the calling of the nations, which was prepared beforehand, it was full from before the law, and it was the law, a guardian and a teacher, until the seed came through which the nations would be blessed. For the word of the promise that was spoken to Abraham, and it is the covenant of the kingdom, which God said to him, that through your seed all the nations would be blessed. And this is the word that is the covenant, from before the law was established, four hundred and thirty years, which was spoken to Abraham, that the nations would be blessed through his seed, who is the Messiah. And the law was after these four hundred and thirty years. For when Abraham received this kingdom, he was one hundred and five years old. And from that time until Jacob went down to Egypt, there were one hundred and five years. And from the time Jacob went down to Egypt until the people went out through Moses, there were one hundred and twenty-five years. And the word of their establishment was inscribed.

...the children of Israel dwelt in the land of Egypt for four hundred and thirty years. And concerning this, my beloved, that when they entered, they dwelt there for two hundred and fifteen years, it was written for them as four hundred and thirty years. But because of that hour when it was said to Abraham, "Know that your seed will be a sojourner in a land not their own, and they will serve and be enslaved there for four hundred years." For at that time when this word was spoken to Abraham, "A son will be born to you," faith was established in Abraham's heart, as it is written that Abraham believed in God, and it was accounted to him as righteousness. And also the word of the servitude that would be served in Egypt by his sons was fixed in Abraham's heart. And he began to be anxious about where his seed would be in servitude, and his heart became enslaved in Egypt. Thus also Isaac and Jacob were mindful of that servitude, and their mindfulness was enslaved within Egypt. And servitude was decreed for Abraham's seed before they were born. For the first word was from the birth of Isaac, fifteen years; and the first beginning of servitude was from their entry into Egypt, one hundred and five years; and the first beginning of the blessing of all peoples through Abraham's seed was from the Law, four hundred and thirty years. And the Law was not able to abolish the beginning. Therefore the Law became an addition to that word of the beginning until its time came. And that word was fulfilled after one thousand nine hundred and ninety-four years from the time it was decreed for Abraham, and until it came, and that word was in abeyance for one thousand three hundred and sixty-four years after the Law was established. And the first word was from the Law, four hundred and thirty years. And when it came, it abolished the boundaries of the Law.

The Law and the Prophets were silenced concerning these two commandments, of which my Lord spoke concerning them. For the word is written, that the entire Law and the Prophets, up to John the Baptist, were completed. And my Lord said, that I did not come to abolish the Law and the Prophets, but to fulfill them. Again it is written, that the truth of the Law was through Jesus. For how could the Law and the Prophets be lacking, and they needed to be fulfilled? But because the covenant of the word of the kingdom was hidden in them. For that covenant which was given to Moses was not sealed, until this other covenant came, which is the first, which above was deliberated, and below was inscribed. And the death of the covenant died, and the two covenants were loosed, and he made them one for the two. And the Law of commandments was abolished by his commandments. For the preparations of the Law were abolished at the coming of the Life-Giver. And he offered himself in place of the sacrifices of the Law. And he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, in place of the lambs of atonement. And he was killed as the fattened bull, so that there would be no need for the sacrifice of the sons of cattle. He came and went up on the cross, so that the sacrifices and offerings would not be sought. He gave his blood in place of all the animals, so that the blood of beasts would not be required. And he entered the sanctuary not made by hands, and became priest and minister of the holy. For with the sacrifice that came, he abolished all the offerings of the Law. And with the feast that bound him, the feasts were bound in chains. And concerning that they thought to stone the innocent, he removed from them the stones. And concerning that they rejected his kingdom, he took the kingdom from them. Because he came with that which is his own, the kingdom. And he offered a living sacrifice for us, and abolished their sacrifices for them. And the children of Israel sat without sacrifices and without an altar, and without wearing the ephod and placing incense.

and the visions and the prophets ceased, because they did not listen to the great prophet. And the first testament was fulfilled in the last. And the works of the law grew old and worn out, and they were destined for destruction. For with the sacrifice that was given anew, the old one was abolished. And not only at the coming of the sacrifice of our Savior did the sacrifices cease, but even before the sacrifice, their sacrifices were not pleasing to him, as it is written: "The just man does not eat the flesh of wild beasts, and the just man does not drink the blood of goats." But rather, he sacrificed to God a confession, and offered up to the Most High the fruits of his righteousness. And again he said: "A contrite heart God does not reject." And again he said: "I have not desired sacrifices, nor have I been pleased with the smoke of offerings." The sacrifices of God are a humble spirit. And also the prophet Isaiah said: "I do not require the multitude of your sacrifices," says the Lord. And again he said to them: "I have rejected and cast aside your festivals, and I have not smelled the incense of your offerings." And this too is the word that the Savior spoke, upon which the Law and the Prophets depend—it is fitting, good, and proper. For thus the Lord said: "Do not transgress even one letter from the Law and the Prophets until everything is fulfilled." For he took the Law and the Prophets and suspended them upon two commandments. And nothing from them was abolished. And when you look well at this word, it is truly thus: the observance of the Law and everything written in it is subject to this word: "Love the Lord your God with all your soul, with all your might, and with all your heart." And everything that was done in the Law was for the sake of making them love the Lord their God, and that a man should love his bodily neighbor as himself. And these two commandments are above the entire Law. And when you set your mind and look at the Law, at the beginning of the entire Law it is written thus: "You shall love the Lord your God.

I brought you up from the land of Egypt. Do not make for yourself any image or likeness with me. And when a man did not make with him another god, he was under the word that hung the law and the prophets. And I was remembering, my beloved, that I wrote to you, that for the foolish the law was not given, because from the time the covenant was sealed, above the commandments are he, the law, and the prophets. And true is the word that my Lord said, that you shall not remove a jot of the signs from the law and from the prophets, because he sealed and hung the signs on both sets of commandments. Now hear, my beloved, the interpretation of this word. For if a man says, For what reason is this word written, that the children of Israel were settled in the land of Egypt for four hundred and thirty years? When this word was deliberated, it was said to Abraham that four hundred years would be, and they received thirty as an addition. I will show you, my beloved, as it is. For when the time of the fulfillment of the four hundred years arrived, Moses was sent to redeem them. When he killed the Egyptian, they denied their redeemer, and Moses fled to Midian. And wrath came upon them, that they remained in Egypt for thirty years. For they said to Moses, Who appointed you ruler and judge over us? And when they denied their redeemer, the wrath of God kept them for thirty years within Egypt. And Moses was in Midian for thirty years. Then, when distress grew heavy upon them, he brought them out of Egypt. This hardness of spirit God showed, one that they were cast out because they denied Moses, and the second that the debts of the Amorites were completed, more than what was promised to Abraham. He added thirty years to the people, and for the Amorites he completed a spirit of seventy years: thirty in Egypt and forty in the wilderness. And when four hundred and thirty-four years were completed, the debts of the Amorites were fulfilled.

I brought you into the land of the kingdom. But know, my beloved, that a God without law is not. For in time of abundance he diminishes, and in time of scarcity he adds to the little. For he reigned in the days of Noah because of the iniquity of the sons of Noah, whose days were at the beginning one hundred and twenty years. And he cut off from the years of Noah at the time of six hundred years. For he said that one hundred and twenty years were upon the earth, and at the time of six hundred years of Noah's life they were cut off. And he diminished to one hundred and twenty years. And again it is written that when the iniquity of the sinful kingdom of the house of Ephraim increased, when Jeroboam son of Nebat reigned over them, who sinned and caused Israel to sin. And when they sinned, there reigned over them in the prophecy of Isaiah the prophet, who said to them: "From six and five years, the rest of Ephraim with the people." In the first year that this word was seen, and in the fourth year of Hezekiah, Sennacherib king of Assyria came up against them, and with Tiglath-Pileser, and he carried away and exiled them from their land. For he reigned over them from the sixteenth year. And in the fourth year of Hezekiah, the kings of Assyria ruled over them, one hundred and twenty years alone, and the rest of Ephraim with the people of Israel. And forty-five years diminished from them. And this which was said before and set a time, and was not fulfilled, as it was cut off. It was not as if unknown reigned over them, that thus it would be, and then it would be diminished, and also the years would be added. But as known, it was known, for to this measure it came. And he, because of his love, gave a time for repentance, because they were sons of fire who did not let out breath, and they were sons of fire who were easy concerning the severity of the spirit of God. And when they heard that there was much time until the coming of the wrath of the king, they were emboldened in sin before him and said what the prophets said.

...to a distant time. For this reason, when this thought arose in them in the days of Hezekiah the prophet, they said: "That which is done for a distant time is." He said to Hezekiah: "I am the one who says, 'I am the Lord of lords, that again there will be no respite for my words.' For the word that I say I do immediately." And this which he cut off beforehand, he gave them a time for repentance, to the sons of men who had already turned back. And they were rejoicing over the severity of the spirit of God, and they did not repent. And he also deceived the time which he set and cut off for them, and it was not as if he did it unknowingly, but as it is written: "Woe to those who plunder; you shall not plunder, and a liar shall not lie to you. For when you wished to plunder, you were plundered; and when you wished to lie, you were lied to." Again it is written in Jeremiah: "If I say concerning a people and a kingdom to uproot and to destroy and to overthrow and to annihilate, and that people turns from its evil, then I also will lie concerning my word and will turn back from them that which I said against them." Again Jeremiah said: "If I say concerning a people and a kingdom to build and to plant, and that people does evil before me, then I also will lie concerning my word and will turn back from it the good which I said to benefit it." These things, then, all that I have written to you, my beloved, because from the beginning in the first discourse, which was on the order of faith, I showed you that by faith the foundation of this covenant is established, in which we stand. And in this second discourse I have written to you and reminded you that the entire Law and the Prophets depend on two commandments, those which the Savior spoke concerning them, and in these two commandments the entire Law and the Prophets are contained. And in the Law faith is contained, and by faith true love is established, which is from these two commandments.

...to a distant time. For this reason, when this thought arose in them in the days of Hezekiah the prophet, they said: "That which is done for a distant time is." He said to Hezekiah: "I am the one who says, 'I am the Lo When a person loves his Lord God, he also loves his neighbor as himself. Now hear, my beloved, concerning love, that it is from the two commandments. For when the Savior came, he showed the diligence of love. For he said to his disciples: "This is my commandment, that you love one another." And again he said to them: "I give you a new commandment, that you love one another." And again, when he taught about love, he admonished them thus: "Love your enemies, and bless those who curse you, and pray for those who treat you insolently and persecute you." And this also he said to them: "If you love those who love you, what is your merit? For if you love those who love you, even the pagans do likewise: they love those who love them." Again the Savior said: "If you do good to those who do good to you, what is your merit? For even the tax collectors and sinners do likewise." But you, because you are called children of God in heaven, you should be like him, who has mercy even on those who are ungrateful. Again the Redeemer said: "Forgive, and you will be forgiven; release, and you will be released; give, and it will be given to you." Again he said: "And he placed a fear: if you do not forgive the foolishness of the evil ones who act foolishly against you, neither will the Father forgive you." For thus he warned and said: "If your brother sins against you, forgive him. And even if he sins against you seventy times in one day, forgive him." And when Simon Cephas heard this word, he said to his Lord: "How many times, if my brother sins against me, should I forgive him? Seventy times?" His Lord said to him: "Not only seventy, but even seventy times seventy, and even if he sins against you four hundred and ninety times, forgive him in one day, and be like his good Father.

...that he might increase forgiveness. Concerning Jerusalem, when Sennacherib led the children of Israel into captivity, Sennacherib ruled there for seventy years. And when his friends went into exile, Sennacherib returned them to their land by the hand of Ezra the scribe, and he increased forgiveness for them. In the middle of his day, seventy weeks of years, four hundred and ninety years. And when they shed innocent blood, again he was not merciful toward Jerusalem, but he delivered her into the hands of her enemies, and they uprooted her, and they left no stone upon stone in her, and they left no foundations for the Lord. And he did not say to the children of Edom that they should exact vengeance for not having proclaimed against Jerusalem, "Exile, exile," until her foundations. But God, in the middle of his day, forgave four hundred and ninety years, and he bore their sins, and then he uprooted her, and also Jerusalem, and delivered her into the hands of foreigners. Thus commanded the Life-Giver, that in one day a man should forgive his brother four hundred and ninety times. Do not, my beloved, be hindered by the word that I wrote to you, that in the middle of his day God forgave Jerusalem. For thus it is written in David, in the Psalm of the ninety-first, that a thousand years are in the eyes of the Lord like a day that has passed. And also the wise Rabbis say thus, that in the likeness of six days the world was set for God, and for six thousand years the world is sustained, and it becomes the Sabbath of God, in the likeness of the Sabbath after six days, as the Savior explained and showed concerning the Sabbath. For thus he said, that you should pray that your flight not be in winter and on the Sabbath. And also the Apostle said, that until now the Sabbath of God is established; be careful not to enter into her sanctuary. Again, when the Lord of prayer taught his disciples, he said to them that you should pray thus: "Forgive me my debts, and also let the guilty forgive the debtors." And again he said:

...when he wished to offer an offering, and remember that concerning your brother you are guilty of something, leave your offering before the altar, and go and reconcile with your brother, and then come and offer your offering, lest while you pray at the head of the altar, your sins be not forgiven, and even if your sins are forgiven, your prayer be rejected from his mouth, and it be said to him from the receiver of prayers: "You did not forgive your fellow, how are you forgiven?" And your prayer will be cast to the ground. Again, see, my beloved, how he magnifies love. Even the blessed apostle, when he said: "If you are adorned with great gifts, I will again show you which gift is better," and said: "If there be in me poverty and I know all mysteries and all knowledge and all faith, as a mountain of fire, and love is not in me, I have gained nothing. And if I consume all that I have for the poor, and even deliver my body to be burned, and love is not in me, again I have gained nothing.

He said thus: "Love is a good and pleasant spirit, and not envious, and not boastful, and not proud, and it seeks nothing for itself alone, but what is beneficial for the many. Love endures all, bears all, love never falls." Again he said that love is greater than everything, and the Apostle showed and explained that after faith, love is superior, and by it true worship is established, and he showed that humility is established by love, and mysteries are revealed by love, and knowledge is fulfilled by love, and faith is confirmed by love. And he who has faith, the mountain is shaken; for without love there is nothing of worship, and if one gives everything outside to the poor, and his alms are not given with love, there is no profit for him, and even if for the name of his Lord he burns his body in fire, he is not helped. And he showed again that gentleness of spirit, patience, and pleasantness, and not envying one's brother—these are found with the possessor of love. And patience, humility, and meekness are established in love. For faith is placed on the foundation of worship, and love is the beams of worship, by which the planks of the house are bound together. And if a knot is found in the beams of the house, the whole house falls. So also in love: when division is found in it, the whole faith falls, and faith cannot bring forth fruit and profit until the love of Christ comes, just as a house cannot rise beautifully until the planks are bound together with beams. Again, he showed that love is greater than everything, and by it the former righteous ones were perfected. For he demonstrated concerning Moses, that he gave himself over the faces of the children of his people, that he might be blotted out from the book of life, but the people alone were not blotted out. And even when they rose up against him to stone him,

He brought this petition before God on behalf of his companions. And David also showed the power of love, when he was being pursued by Saul, and at every hour his life was sought as if to kill him. And David, with abundant love, showed mercy toward Saul, his enemy, and he sought his life and delivered himself into David's hands on two occasions, yet he did not kill him, and he repaid good for evil. Because of this, goodness did not depart from his house, and what he forgave was forgiven him. And Saul, who repaid evil for good, did not have evil depart from his house, and he called upon God but He did not answer him, and he fell by the sword of the Philistines, and David wept over him bitterly. And David fulfilled the commandment of the Savior, who said: "Love your enemies, and forgive, and you will be forgiven." Thus David loved and was loved, and he forgave and was forgiven. And Elisha also showed concerning this love, when his enemies came against him to seize him as if to do him harm, and he prepared for them and set bread and water before them, and they dwelt with him in peace. And he fulfilled the word of Scripture: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; and if he is thirsty, give him drink." And also Jeremiah the prophet, concerning those who cast him into a pit and at every hour stoned him, he prayed for them before God. And this is the likeness that the Savior taught: that one should love one's enemies and pray for one's persecutors. And if concerning one's enemies he commanded to love, and concerning one's persecutors to pray, how much more for the spirit that goes forth on the day of judgment, for it helps brothers and members. Because when the body of Christ helps, and the members with its members, for when one of the members of Christ suffers, the whole body is afflicted; and when one helps his brother, he is not separated from the children of God. And this that the Savior taught shows the diligence of love, for first in himself he perfected it.

And he taught his hearers, while he was a shepherd, enmity with his father, because he loved. And he surrendered his victory in place of the guilty, and he exchanged good for evil, and the rich for the poor, and the living for the dead, and by his death he gave life to the dead. And the Son of the Lord of all, for the sake of the death of the servant, took upon himself, and he who is served by all made himself a servant, so that he might free us from the servitude of sin. And by his great love, he gave goodness to the poor in their spirit, and he counselled the servants of peace that they might become his brothers, and be called seekers of God. And he exhorted the humble that they might inherit the land of the living. And he counselled the mourners that they might not be suppliants. And he counselled the hungry to be satisfied in his kingdom, and the weeping to rejoice in his consolation. And he counselled the merciful that they might be compassionate, and to those who were pure in heart he said that they might see God. And again he counselled those who were persecuted for righteousness, that they might enter the kingdom of heaven. And to those who were persecuted for his name, he proclaimed goodness and rest in his kingdom. And for the sake of the dust of the earth, he made the salt of truth, and he freed from the measure of the serpent, and he called the light of the world, that he might free from the power of death. And he did good deeds for the evil, and beautiful things for the ugly, and he gave love in place of hatred. And he shared with the good man, who brings forth good things from his treasures, and he freed from him who brings forth evil things from the recesses of his heart. And because of his abundant love, he healed the wounds of the sick; for he also healed the son of the centurion because of his faith. And he silenced the waves of the sea by his power, and he drove away the demons of the legion because of his grace. And by his compassion he gave life to the daughter of the chief of the synagogue. And again he cleansed the woman from the impurity of blood. And he opened the eyes of the two blind men who approached him. And he also gave to his twelve the power and authority over every pain and disease.

and he gave into your hands, and he closed all the paths of the wicked and the Samaritans, and he gave you power through his compassion, so that you would not fear when they brought you before the rulers of the world. And he cast division upon the earth because of his many persecutors, and he forgave many debts to the sinful woman because of his love for her. And he made equal because of his goodness, that the builder of the tower might be in his gatherings, and he brought out from you the pure spirits, and he made a dwelling for his divinity, and he sowed in you good seed, that it might yield fruit one hundred, sixty, and thirtyfold. And he was placed within the world in the likeness of a treasure deposited in a village, and he showed the power of his greatness, when he was cast from a height into the depth and was not shaken. And he fed the hungry who were being nourished, with five loaves and two fish, five thousand men, besides children and women, and he showed the greatness of his glory. And because of his great love, he heeded the Canaanite woman, and he raised up her daughter from her illness. And by the authority of his apostleship, he stretched out his hand to the man who was a paralytic, whose hand was heavy, and the blind saw his light, and they praised his apostleship through his hand. And when he went up to the mountain of prayer, the rays of the sun were purified by his light, and he made known his excellent power through that youth upon whom a spirit of divination had come. And he sowed a reward through his word, and he gave you an example and a likeness, that you might become in the likeness of children, and enter the kingdom of heaven. And he said and showed concerning the little ones, that a man does not become old in them, that their angels at all times see the Father who is in heaven. And he showed again his complete healing through that man who was sick for thirty-eight years, and he increased his mercy towards him and healed him. Again he gave you a commandment, that you should leave the world and be attached to him, and he revealed to you that as long as one loves the world, he cannot please God, through the example of the rich man who trusted in his own strength, and through that man who was delighted by his good things, and his destruction became in Sheol.

and he asked for water at the head of his courtyard, and he did not give it to him. And he labored in the likeness of the workers of the vineyard in his vineyard, which was the vineyard of truth. All these things are living because of his great love; he did them for my sake. And also, my beloved, let us be partners in the love of Christ, while loving one another, and let us fulfill these two commandments, upon which the entire Law and the Prophets depend. Completed: The Demonstration on Love.