Chapter I.—Occasion of the epistle.

Chapter I.—Occasion of the epistle.

Since Christ has, to our wonder, ¹³⁵⁶ been made known among us to be the Son of the living God, and to have become man in these last times by means of the Virgin Mary, ¹³⁵⁷ of the seed of David and Abraham, according to the announcements previously made regarding Him and through Him by the company of the prophets, we therefore beseech and entreat that, by thy wisdom, Maris our friend, bishop of our native Neapolis, ¹³⁵⁸ which is near Zarbus, ¹³⁵⁹ and Eulogius, and Sobelus the presbyter, be sent to us, that we be not destitute of such as preside over the divine word as Moses also says, “Let the Lord God look out a man who shall guide this people, and the congregation of the Lord shall not be as sheep which have no shepherd.” ¹³⁶⁰

Footnotes

120:1356

Or, “wonderfully.”

120:1357

The ms. has, “and.”

120:1358

The ms. has ᾽Ημελάπης, which Vossius and others deem a mistake for ἡμεδαπῆς, as translated above.

120:1359

The same as Azarbus (comp. Epist. to Hero, chap. ix.).

120:1360

Num. 27:16, 17.