Letter 336

To the same person. After the Mosaic Law, the introduction of a better hope was shown forth, through which we are able to draw near to God. Therefore: "Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you," as James says. But the people of the Jews were unwilling to draw near through hope and faith, and to cleave to the Lord; and for this reason David said that "Wrath went up against Israel," since they did not believe in God, nor did they hope in his salvation. And God himself again has spoken through Isaiah: "This people loves me with their lips, but their heart is far removed from me."

Μετὰ τὸν Μωσϊκὸν νόμον ἐπεισαγωγὴ ἐδείχθη τῆς κρείττονος ἐλπίδος, δι’ ἧς ἐγγίζειν τῷ Θεῷ δυνάμεθα. Οὐκοῦν «Ἐγγίσατε τῷ Θεῷ, καὶ ἐγγιεῖ ὑμῖν,» καθά φησιν Ἰάκωβος. Ὁ δὲ τῶν Ἰουδαίων λαὸς οὐκ ἤθελε δι’ ἐλπίδος καὶ πίστεως ἐγγίζειν, καὶ κολλᾶσθαι Κυρ., διόπερ Δαυΐδ ἔλεγεν, ὅτι «Ὀργὴ ἀνέβη ἐπὶ τὸν Ἰσραήλ,» ἐπειδήπερ οὐκ ἐπίστευσεν τῷ Θεῷ, οὐδὲ ἤλπισεν ἐπὶ τὸ σωτήριον αὐτοῦ. Καὶ αὐτὸς πάλιν ὁ Θεὸς εἴρηκε διὰ τοῦ Ἠσαΐου «Ὁ λαὸς οὗτος χείλεσί με ἀγαπᾷ, ἡ δὲ καρδία αὐτῶν πόῤῥω ἀπέχει ἀπ’ ἐμοῦ.»