Trypho said: Because you are endeavouring to prove an incredible and almost impossible thing, that God endured to be born and to become man.
If, said I, I undertook to prove this by themes and arguments derived from men, it would not be fitting that you should bear with me. But if I adduce Scriptures spoken for this very object, both many in number and repeated often, and I ask you to recognize them — you show yourselves hard of heart in knowing the mind and will of God. And if you deem it well so always to remain, I myself shall feel no injury, but still retaining what I held before I met with you, will bid you now farewell.
Trypho said: Consider, dear Sir, that you have been able to acquire this with much trouble and toil. So we too must test and try all that meets us, and thus assent to what the Scriptures compel us.
To this I replied: I do not ask you to refrain from examining with all your power the subjects of our discussion, but not to contradict again — when you have nothing to say — those points to which you have already assented.
Trypho said: This will we endeavour to do.
Again I said: In addition to the questions that have just been put by me I desire to put another question to you, for by means of these questions I am doing my utmost to bring the discussion to a speedy close.
Trypho said: Put the question.
I said, Do you think that any one else is spoken of in the Scriptures as one to be worshipped and as Lord and God, save He who made this universe, and save Christ, who was proved by so many Scriptures to have become man?
Trypho. How can we admit that this is so, when we have held so long a discussion whether there is even any other save the Father alone?
I said again. I am obliged to make even these enquiries of you, that I may know whether you think otherwise than you have already admitted.
He said: No, Sir.
I said again. When therefore you in truth assent to this, and the word says: His generation who shall declare, ought you not also to think at once that He is not the seed of human parentage?
Trypho. How then does the word say to David that of his loins God will take to Himself a son, and will establish the kingdom for him, and will set him on the throne of his glory?
I replied: If, Trypho, Isaiah does not speak his prophecy with reference to the house of David: Behold, the virgin shall conceive, but with reference to another house of the twelve tribes, perhaps there would be some difficulty in the matter. But since this prophecy refers to the house of David, that which was said of David by God in a mystery was explained by Isaiah as it was to come to pass. Unless perchance you are not aware of this, my friends, that many sayings which were spoken in a covert way and in parables, or in mysteries, or in symbolic actions, the prophets that came after those speakers explained.
Assuredly, said Trypho.
If therefore I prove that this prophecy of Isaiah is spoken of this our Christ, and not of Hezekiah, as you say, shall I not importune you not to believe your teachers, who dare to say that the interpretation made by your Seventy elders, when at the court of Ptolemy king of Egypt, is in some points untrue?
For whatever in Scripture appears expressly to convict their foolish and selfish opinion, this they dare to say is not so written (in the original). But whatever (they think) they can drag into supposed agreement with human actions, this they say was not spoken of our Jesus Christ, but of him of whom they endeavour to explain it. Thus this passage also, which we are now discussing, they have taught you is spoken of Hezekiah, an assertion which, as I promised, I will prove to you is false.
Now the Scriptures which we bring before them, expressly proving that Christ both suffers and is worshipped and is God, which I also have already related to you, they are indeed compelled to agree are spoken of Christ. But they dare to say that He (whom we worship) is not the Christ, who they confess will come, and suffer, and reign, and be worshipped as God. This I will likewise prove to you is absurd and foolish. But since I am pressed to reply first to what you have said in this absurd way, I will make my reply to this, and afterwards state the proofs of the other subjects.