Letter 165

To Aphthonius the Samaritan. You ask me how it is possible that the corruptible body should rise incorruptible. I ask you in return: how is it that the manna, which melts and is corruptible, when it was shut up by Moses in the golden jar, remained incorruptible? Clearly it was by the will and power of God. For by that same power Enoch too, though he was mortal, was translated, and has been kept immortal until now.

Ἐρωτᾷς με, πῶς δυνατὸν ἐστιν, τὸ φθαρτὸν σῶμα ἄφθαρτον ἀναστῆναι. Ἀντερωτῶ σε, πῶς τὸ τηκτὸν καὶ φθαρτὸν μάννα ἐν τῇ στάμνῳ τῇ χρυσῇ κατακλεισθὲν ὑπὸ τοῦ Μωϋσέως, διέμεινεν ἄφθαρτον. Δῆλον ὅτι τῇ τοῦ Θεοῦ βουλήσει καὶ δυνάμει. Τῇ γὰρ αὐτῇ δυνάμει καὶ Ἑνὼχ θνητὸς ὢν μετετέθη, καὶ ἀθάν- τος μέχρι νῦν πεφύλακται.