The Jews: "It is fitting for them to make use of one other witness, as the Law says."
58. The bishops: "To whom was it said, 'Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies the footstool of your feet?' "
The Jews: "Christ sits at the right hand of God, until he makes his timely arrival—which he promised through the prophets."
59. The bishops: "To the one who is sitting , he says, 'Sit at my right hand'? And with whom were the enemies at enmity? With the one who was not yet there? Indeed, the word 'sit,' which he says, refers to his going back up from earth to the heavens and sitting, as before, above his enemies—so that you are under the feet of his nation, being trampled until the last hour."
The Jews: "You too should by all means expect to be trampled at the proper time."
60. The bishops: "After unjustly trampling, you are justly trampled. Hence, what will happen to you is just." The bishops, again: "As for the time which you say is coming upon you—it is approaching, quite terrible to see; and with it, both you and the deceiver in whom you trust at that time will be handed over to the eternal embrace of fire. Nevertheless, we put before you your own witnesses, who understood Christ's presence in the flesh. For indeed, you also have what we are going to say to you in your records: Your ancestors (who had suffered grave defeat and were recalling the defeat as an unconquerable victory) at that time commanded that no one possess or even look for these things, so that diligence would not procure knowledge for the many. But we say these things to those who know—even if you are compelled by your custom to conceal the truth. Did you not hear about the magi who crossed over from here to there, [p. 35] led by divine prophecy, in connection with whom your leaders at the time met with Herod and told him where [the Messiah] was [to be] born, such that Herod became jealous of the kingdom that had sprouted, and committed such a huge slaughter of children? Wasn't John the Baptist of Jewish ancestry?—to whom you sent people to ask whether he was the Messiah, and he said, 'I am not'; but he pointed him out and said, 'This is the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.'" Futhermore, [what about] Nicodemus, your ruler, and Nathanael and Joseph from Arimathaea, and Bizes and Alexander, who dined with him at the marriage of Simon of Galilee, where he turned the water into wine? [What about] the elders who were sent by those very men on an embassy on behalf of the centurion's servant—that he trouble himself on account of his salvation —they said: 'For he is worthy that you provide this for him; for indeed, he loves our people and he himself built the synagogue for us'? Basilicus the proconsul, the brother of Jairus the leader of the synagogue, whose son he made well? This man's brother, Jairus, who implored him [p. 36] and raised his daughter from the dead? Caiaphas, who counselled that a single man should die 'and the whole nation not perish'? Your own children who shout, 'Hosanna to the son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord,' 'King of Israel'? The disciple Judas, with whom you settled thirty pieces of silver, so that he would betray him to you? The soldiers, to whom you gave silver so that they would say, 'His disciples came at night and stole him away while we were sleeping'? Josephus your own writer of history, who spoke about Christ, who was demonstrated to be a righteous and good man by divine grace, by means of signs and wonders, one who bestowed benefits on many? And as many other things as are recorded, which we do not bring forward now?"
61. The Jews: "We crucified a certain man , but not the Messiah."
Aphroditianus: "Who was it that you crucified?"
And they said: "A certain man who said that he was God, not indeed the Messiah."
Aphroditianus: "You crucified, in short, the one you say was a man, the son of Mary?"
They said: "Yes."
62. Aphroditianus: "And why did you crucify him?"
"Because he said that he was God."
"And for this reason," he said, "he was killed?"
They said: "Yes."
63. Aphroditianus: "And which of those who claimed to be God have been killed, in all times? But this one, by contrast, did more good, and healed people."
The bishops: "In reference to whom did they, according to the prophet David, 'divide my garments amongst themselves, and cast lots for my clothes' ?"
But they were silent. [p. 37]
The bishops: "Concerning whom did Moses say, 'You will see your life suspended before your eyes, and you shall surely not believe' ?"
64. Jacob and Pharas said: "Truly, a great mistake has occurred, even should those of our nation recoil from us in horror ten thousand times over. For as the hierophants proclaimed beforehand vinegar and gall and division of garments, we did these things because of great blindness, so that his blood would come upon the nation and the events would prove true. For, carried away by envy of his signs and wonders, which he did before them, they hurried to destroy him (because everyone followed him afterwards), so that the nation would stand firm—and not only did it not stand firm, but we were even handed over to multiple scatterings and we sang the song of the Lord in a strange land because of our power-hungry teachers at that time, whose minds Satan had blinded."
65. The bishops: "We urge, Lord, that all this be reported back to the divine hearing."
Aphroditianus: "It shall be so reported. Dastikon labokétras; autíka pithígrisab lestrin — which means, We shall immediately make it known." And he went off and made it all known to the king. And the king rejoiced, as did those under his rule, at the uprightness of Aphroditianus.
66. And now the rest of the Jews, and their leaders, learning of this, rose up against these two, Jacob and Pharas, and cast them out of the synagogue, saying to them: "You have shamed us since you have become advocates for the Christians; you have begun to be Christians, you have scorned your ancestors, you have dissolved the Law. You have learned, in short, to worship a human being." And straightway they went off to Mithrobades the son of Arrhinatus, agreeing to pay him 30 centenaria , [p. 38] so that those men would not lead them any longer, but instead be [cast] out of the priestly rank. But Arrhinatus said to his son: "Why do you want money for such a reason, as though the Persian kingdom is in need? Count up its wealth: All the treasures of the Medes and Bactrians, the Scythians and Elymaeans and Semiramites, are in your hands. And you pay attention to this paltry sum, especially when it is provided for the sake of breaking the Law? Stand aside from this, child. Let the priests act in accordance with their consciences."
67. Jacob and Pharas, when they found out what had been said, left and assembled all their households and their friends and those who were diligent for the truth, and they divided their people, such that their part was more than half. And in the other part were Simon and Barnaes and Scillas (this last had converted from paganism). And Jacob's party implored Aphroditianus that they should have a decree not to be subject to any attack from the authorities—and "we [will] defend ourselves also with the justification speeches that are available to us." And the king did accordingly. [p. 39] Arríkês exaktoraklés— which means, "I order each [group] to plead their cause."
68. On the next day, both came in and did obeisance to Aphroditianus and the bishops; and they were commanded to sit down, the two groups separately, as they ought to do. And when they had sat down, Aphroditianus said to the bishops: "Now the controversy is not between us , but between these people. Therefore, I urge you not to interrupt this debate, so that they themselves may persuade themselves. For if you stand in opposition, they themselves too [will] become more vigorous in opposition, and the audience-chamber [will] be thrown into confusion—and for such a thing to happen is especially contrary to your dignity."