The library · Edition and sources
Aphrahat: Selected Demonstrations
Albert Edward Johnston, edited by John Gwynn; NPNF2-13 (1898) · Translated text
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Demonstration VIII (part 3) Edition note 1
23. But they who are babes in understanding say:—“If no one has received his reward, why did the Apostle say, When we shall depart from the body, we shall be present with the Lord?”Edition note 2 But recollect, my beloved, that I instructed thee concerning this matter in the Demonstration concerning Solitaries,Edition note 3 that the spirit which the righteous receive, according to its heavenly nature, goes to our Lord until the time of the Resurrection, when it shall come to put on the body in which it dwelt.
And at every time it has the memory of this in the presence of God, and looks eagerly for the Resurrection of that body in which it dwelt, as the Prophet Isaiah said about the Church of the Gentiles:—They that make mention of thee shall be faithful and stand before the Lord, and thou shalt not give them rest.Edition note 4 But as to the wicked, they have none to make mention of them before the Lord, because the Holy Spirit is far removed from them, because they are animal, and are buried after the manner of animals.
24. And again, (the followers of) doctrines, which are instruments of the Evil One, are offended by the word which our Lord spake, No one has ascended up to heaven but He Who came down from heaven, the Son of Man, Who was in heaven.Edition note 5 And they say, “Lo! our Lord testified that no earthly body has ascended to heaven.” In their ignorance they cannot apprehend the force of this. For when our Lord instructed Nicodemus, he did not apprehend the force of the saying. Then our Lord said to him:—No one has ascended into heaven, so as to come down and relate to you whatsoever is there.
For if I have spoken unto you of those things that are in the earth, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe if I shall speak unto you of those things which are in heaven?Edition note 6 For lo! no other witness besides Me has come down from thence, to bear witness concerning those things which are in heaven, so that ye should believe. For Elijah went up thither, but he came not down along with Me to bear witness, that the testimony of two might be sure.”
25. But as for thee, my beloved, have no doubt as to the Resurrection of the dead. For the living mouth (of God) testifies:—I cause to die and I make alive.Edition note 7 And both of them proceeded out of one mouth. And as we are sure that He causes to die, and we see it; so also it is sure and worthy of belief, that He makes alive. And from all that I have explained to thee, receive and believe that in the day of the Resurrection thy body shall arise in its entirety, and thou shalt receive from our Lord the reward of thy faith, and in all that thou hast believed, thou shalt rejoice and be made glad.