As, then, all these things were spoken concerning Christ and the nations, so you think those words also were spoken: for the proselytes have no need of a covenant, if, one and the same law being laid upon all who are circumcised, the Scripture says concerning them thus: 'And the stranger shall also be joined to them, and shall be joined to the house of Jacob.' And that the proselyte who is circumcised, in order to have access to the people, is as a native-born, while we, who have been counted worthy to be called a people, are likewise a nation, on account of our being uncircumcised.
And besides, it is ridiculous for you to think that the eyes of those proselytes themselves have been opened, but not yours, and that you are called blind and deaf, while they are enlightened. And the matter will turn out yet more ridiculous for you, if you say that the Law was given to the nations, but you yourselves did not know that Law.
For you would have stood in awe of the wrath of God, and would not have been lawless and wandering sons, abashed to hear Him saying each time: 'Sons in whom there is no faith'; and 'Who is blind but my servants, and deaf but those who lord it over them? And the servants of God have been blinded. You have seen many things, and have not kept them; your ears are open, and you have not heard.'
Or is this praise of you from God good, and a testimony from God befitting servants? Are you not ashamed, hearing the same things again and again, nor do you tremble when God threatens, but you are a foolish and hard-hearted people? Therefore, 'Behold, I will proceed to remove this people,' says the Lord, 'and I will remove them, and will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will hide the understanding of the prudent.' With reason. For you are neither wise nor prudent, but cunning and crafty—wise only to do evil, but unable to know the hidden counsel of God or the faithful covenant of the Lord, or to find out the eternal paths.
Therefore, He says, 'I will raise up to Israel and to Judah a seed of men and a seed of beasts.' And through Isaiah, concerning another Israel, He thus says: 'In that day there shall be a third Israel among the Assyrians and the Egyptians, blessed in the land which the Lord of hosts has blessed, saying: Blessed shall be my people that is in Egypt and that is in Assyria, and my inheritance Israel.'
Since, then, God blesses this people, and calls them Israel, and cries that they are His inheritance, how is it that you do not repent both of deceiving yourselves, as if you alone were Israel, and of cursing the people blessed of God? For indeed, when He spoke to Jerusalem and the regions round about it, He thus added again: 'And I will beget upon you men, my people Israel, and they shall inherit you, and you shall be to them for a possession, and you shall no more be bereaved of them.'
What, then? says Trypho. Are you Israel, and does He say these things concerning you? If, I said to him, we had not made much discourse concerning these things, I might be in doubt whether you ask this without understanding it; but since we have brought this question to a head with demonstration and your assent, I do not suppose that you are ignorant of what was said before, nor that you are again contentious, but that you challenge me to make the same demonstration for these things too.
And when he assented by a nod of his eyes, I said again: Again, in Isaiah—if you have ears to hear with—God, speaking concerning Christ in a parable, calls Him Jacob and Israel. Thus He says: 'Jacob is my servant, I will uphold him; Israel is my chosen, I will put my Spirit upon him, and he shall bring forth judgement to the nations. He shall not strive nor cry, nor shall anyone hear his voice in the streets; a bruised reed he shall not break, and smoking flax he shall not quench, but he shall bring forth judgement in truth; he shall take up judgement and shall not be broken, until he set judgement on the earth; and in his name shall the nations hope.'
As, then, from that one Jacob, who was also surnamed Israel, your whole race was named Jacob and Israel, so also we, from Christ who begot us unto God—like Jacob and Israel and Judah and Joseph and David—are called and are true children of God, we who keep the commandments of Christ.