Be well assured therefore, Trypho, I proceeded to say, that the very things which the Devil, rightly so called, corrupted, and then made into current tales among the Greeks (even as he wrought both by the magicians in Egypt and by the false prophets in the time of Elijah) have confirmed my knowledge of the Scriptures and my faith.
For when they say that Dionysius was born son of Zeus by his intercourse with Semele, and relate that he was the discoverer of the vine, and, after being torn in pieces and having died, rose again, and has ascended into heaven; and when they bring forward an ass in his mysteries; must I not think that he has imitated the prophecy of the patriarch Jacob which has been already cited, and was recorded by Moses?
And when they say that Hercules was strong and travelled round the whole earth, and that he was born to Zeus of Alcmena, and died, and has ascended into heaven, must I not think that the passage spoken about Christ, strong as a giant to run his course, has likewise been imitated? And when he brings forward Æsculapius as raising the dead, and healing all other diseases, must I not say that he has likewise imitated the prophecies about Christ in this respect also?
But since I have not related to you any such passage as signifies that Christ would do these things, I will of necessity remind you of one, from which you may understand how even to those who are destitute of the knowledge of God — I mean the heathen, who, though having eyes saw not, and having hearts understood not, but worship mere material images — the word foretold that they should deny them and set their hope on this our Christ.
Now the saying is as follows: Rejoice O desert that thirsteth! Let the desert be glad, and blossom as the lily. And the desert places of Jordan shall blossom and be glad, and the glory of Lebanon is given it, and the honour of Carmel. And my people shall see the exaltation of the Lord, and the glory of God. Be strong, ye slack hands, and ye palsied knees. Take courage, ye fainthearted, be strong, fear not. Behold, our God renders judgment, and will render it. He Himself will come and save us. Then shall blind men’s eyes be opened, and deaf men’s ears shall hear. Then shall the lame leap as a hart, and the tongue of stammerers be clear. For water is cloven forth in the wilderness, and a torrent in the thirsty land, and the waterless shall be marsh-meadows, and for the thirsty land shall there be a fountain of water.Isaiah 35:1-7
As a fountain of living water from God, in the land destitute of the knowledge of God, the land of the Gentiles, has this our Christ gushed forth, who has appeared in your race, and them who from their birth and after the flesh were maimed, and deaf, and lame, He healed, making by His word this man to leap, and that man to hear, and yet another to see. And He raised dead men also and made them live, and by His works He importuned the men of that day to recognize Him.
Yet when they saw these things come to pass they said it was a display of magic art, for they even dared to say that He was a magician and a deceiver of the people. But He did all this to persuade them that would believe in Him, that if one whose body were mutilated should prove to be guardian of the doctrines delivered by Him, He would raise him up whole at His second coming, besides making him immortal, and free from all corruption and from all sorrow.