Chapter V

But that a light is suddenly kindled in the soul, as by a fire leaping forth, is a fact known long ago to our Scriptures; as when the prophet said, “Light ye for yourselves the light of knowledge.”[1053] John also, who lived after him, said, “That which was in the Logos was life, and the life was the light of men;”[1054] which “true light lighteneth every man that cometh into the world” (_i.e._ the true world, which is perceived by the understanding[1055]), and maketh him a light of the world: “For this light shone in our hearts, to give the light of the glorious gospel of God in the face of Christ Jesus.”[1056] And therefore that very ancient prophet, who prophesied many generations before the reign of Cyrus (for he was older than he by more than fourteen generations), expressed himself in these words: “The Lord is my light and my salvation: whom shall I fear?”[1057] and, “Thy law is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path;”[1058] and again, “The light of Thy countenance, O Lord, was manifested towards us;”[1059] and, “In Thy light we shall see light.”[1060] And the Logos, exhorting us to come to this light, says, in the prophecies of Isaiah: “Enlighten thyself, enlighten thyself, O Jerusalem; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee.”[1061] The same prophet also, when predicting the advent of Jesus, who was to turn away men from the worship of idols, and of images, and of demons, says, “To those that sat in the land and shadow of death, upon them hath the light arisen;”[1062] and again, “The people that sat in darkness saw a great light.”[1063] Observe now the difference between the fine phrases of Plato respecting the “chief good,” and the declarations of our prophets regarding the “light” of the blessed; and notice that the truth as it is contained in Plato concerning this subject did not at all help his readers to attain to a pure worship of God, nor even himself, who could philosophize so grandly about the “chief good,” whereas the simple language of the Holy Scriptures has led to their honest readers being filled with a divine spirit;[1064] and this light is nourished within them by the oil, which in a certain parable is said to have preserved the light of the torches of the five wise virgins.[1065]

Footnote 1053:

Hos. x. 12. φωτίσατε ἑαυτοῖς φῶς γνῶσεως (LXX.). The Masoretic
text is, נִ֥ירוּ לָכֶ֖ם נִ֑יר וְעֵת, where for וְעֵת (_and time_)
the Septuagint translator apparently read דעת (_knowledge_), ד and
ו being interchanged from their similarity.

Footnote 1054:

Cf. John i. 3, 4.

Footnote 1055:

τὸν ἀληθινὸν καὶ νοητόν.

Footnote 1056:

Cf. 2 Cor. iv. 6.

Footnote 1057:

Ps. xxvii. 1 (attributed to David).

Footnote 1058:

Ps. cxix. 105.

Footnote 1059:

Ps. iv. 6 (Heb. “Lift upon us,” etc.).

Footnote 1060:

Ps. xxxvi. 9.

Footnote 1061:

Cf. Isa. lx. 1.

Footnote 1062:

Cf. Isa. ix. 2.

Footnote 1063:

Cf. Isa. ix. 2.

Footnote 1064:

ἐνθουσιᾶν.

Footnote 1065:

Cf. Matt. xxv. 4.