Letter 88

To the Same Person. Consider for me those of the Hebrews who believe, whether, as they come to the preaching of the apostles, you will understand how the first are shown to be second, so that the word of Moses may be fulfilled, who prophesied concerning the descendants of Abraham and said: "The proselyte who is among you shall go up higher and higher, but you shall come down lower and lower; he shall rule over you, but you shall not rule; he shall become the head, but you the tail." [echoing Deuteronomy 28:43-44] And by "proselyte" he means the people from among the nations who have believed in Christ.

Βλέπε μοι τοὺς ἐξ Ἑβραίων (1) πιστεύοντας, εἰ προσερχόμεναι τῷ κηρύγματι τῶν ἀποστόλων, ἐννοήσεις, πῶς οἱ πρῶτοι δεύτεροι ἀποδείκνυνται, ἵνα πληρωθῇ ὁ λόγος τοῦ Μωσέως προφητεύσαντος ἀπὸ ἀπογόνοις τοῦ Ἀβραάμ, καὶ λέγοντος, ὅτι «Ὁ προσήλυτος ὁ ἐν σοί, ἄνω ἄνω· σὺ δὲ, κάτω κάτω ἐκεῖνος ἄρξει σου, σὺ δὲ ἄρξῃ· ἐκεῖνος γενήσεται εἰς κεφαλήν, σὺ δὲ εἰς οὐράν.» Προσήλυτον δέ φησι τὸν ἐξ ἐθνῶν τῷ Χριστῷ πεπιστευκότα λαόν.