chiefs

These are their chiefs of tens.

And these are the chiefs of their angels and their names, and their chief ones over hundreds and over fifties and over tens.

And many chiefs of the stars shall transgress the order (prescribed). And these shall alter their orbits and tasks, And not appear at the seasons prescribed to them.

And they shall be judges and princes, and chiefs of all the seed of the sons of Jacob; They shall speak the word of the Lord in righteousness, And they shall judge all His judgments in righteousness. And they shall declare My ways to Jacob And My paths to Israel. The blessing of the Lord shall be given in their mouths To bless all the seed of the beloved.

There was there also a young woman afflicted by Satan; for that accursed wretch repeatedly appeared to her in the form of a huge dragon, and prepared to swallow her. He also sucked out all her blood, so that she was left like a corpse. As often as he came near her, she, with her hands clasped over her head, cried out, and said: Woe, woe's me, for nobody is near to free me from that accursed dragon. And her father and mother, and all who were about her or saw her, bewailed her lot; and men stood round her in a crowd, and all wept and lamented, especially when she wept, and said: Oh, my brethren and friends, is there no one to free me from that murderer? And the daughter of the chief who had been healed of her leprosy, hearing the girl's voice, went up to the roof of her castle, and saw her with her hands clasped over her head weeping, and all the crowds standing round her weeping as well. She therefore asked the demoniac's husband whether his wife's mother were alive. And when he answered that both her parents were living, she said: Send for her mother to come to me. And when she saw that he had sent for her, and she had come, she said: Is that distracted girl your daughter? Yes, O lady, said that sorrowful and weeping woman, she is my daughter. The chief's daughter answered: Keep my secret, for I confess to you that I was formerly a leper; but now the Lady Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ, has healed me. But if you wish your daughter to be healed, take her to Bethlehem, and seek Mary the mother of Jesus, and believe that your daughter will be healed; I indeed believe that you will come back with joy, with your daughter healed. As soon as the woman heard the words of the chief's daughter, she led away her daughter in haste; and going to the place indicated, she went to the Lady Mary, and revealed to her the state of her daughter. And the Lady Mary hearing her words, gave her a little of the water in which she had washed the body of her son Jesus, and ordered her to pour it on the body of her daughter. She gave her also from the clothes of the Lord Jesus a swathing-cloth, saying: Take this cloth, and show it to your enemy as often as you shall see him. And she saluted them, and sent them away.

There was there also a young woman afflicted by Satan; for that accursed wretch repeatedly appeared to her in the form of a huge dragon, and prepared to swallow her. He also sucked out all her blood, so that she was left like a corpse. As often as he came near her, she, with her hands clasped over her head, cried out, and said: Woe, woe's me, for nobody is near to free me from that accursed dragon. And her father and mother, and all who were about her or saw her, bewailed her lot; and men stood round her in a crowd, and all wept and lamented, especially when she wept, and said: Oh, my brethren and friends, is there no one to free me from that murderer? And the daughter of the chief who had been healed of her leprosy, hearing the girl's voice, went up to the roof of her castle, and saw her with her hands clasped over her head weeping, and all the crowds standing round her weeping as well. She therefore asked the demoniac's husband whether his wife's mother were alive. And when he answered that both her parents were living, she said: Send for her mother to come to me. And when she saw that he had sent for her, and she had come, she said: Is that distracted girl your daughter? Yes, O lady, said that sorrowful and weeping woman, she is my daughter. The chief's daughter answered: Keep my secret, for I confess to you that I was formerly a leper; but now the Lady Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ, has healed me. But if you wish your daughter to be healed, take her to Bethlehem, and seek Mary the mother of Jesus, and believe that your daughter will be healed; I indeed believe that you will come back with joy, with your daughter healed. As soon as the woman heard the words of the chief's daughter, she led away her daughter in haste; and going to the place indicated, she went to the Lady Mary, and revealed to her the state of her daughter. And the Lady Mary hearing her words, gave her a little of the water in which she had washed the body of her son Jesus, and ordered her to pour it on the body of her daughter. She gave her also from the clothes of the Lord Jesus a swathing-cloth, saying: Take this cloth, and show it to your enemy as often as you shall see him. And she saluted them, and sent them away.

And after these things shall Abraham and Isaac and Jacob arise unto life; and I and my brethren shall be chiefs of the tribes of Israel:

And the likeness of future torment, and the multitude of innumerable angels, and the flaming hosts, and the splendor of the lightnings, and the voice of the thunders, and the orders of the chiefs of the angels, and the treasuries of light, and the changes of the times, and the investigations of the law.

And I went forth and destroyed their multitude, the number of whose chiefs only was a hundred and eighty-five thousand, and each one of them had an equal number (at his command).

Will much embellish helmed chiefs of war,

And chiefs all flee into another land,

But tyrants, and there be of thousands chiefs

By reason of the wickedness of chiefs.

But when two chiefs, men swift in war, shall rule

For victory, shall cast down hostile chiefs

. . . And, when they shall have entered into the land [five] years, afterwards chiefs and kings shall have the dominion for eighteen years, and for nineteen years the ten tribes shall break off from them,

Then Pharaoh's son gave the four brethren five hundred men each and appointed them their chiefs and leaders.

THAT THE DEACON OUGHT TO DO NOTHING EXCEPT BY PERMISSION OF THE BISHOP. Even as the Son is the good pleasure of the Father, and His angel of counsel and His prophet, in like manner is the deacon the messenger and prophet of the bishop. [ii., 31.] Wherefore it is not right that he should do anything without the counsel of the bishop. And if he give in secret to one that is destitute without the knowledge of the bishop, he causeth reproach, and imputeth (unto him) neglect and sloth as touching the poor, and needy, and afflicted. And he that speaketh evil against the bishop, or doeth (him) wrong, hath sinned against God, not understanding that which is said, “Thou shalt not speak evil against the ruler of thy people.” For this law was not ordained concerning stones and trees which the Gentiles worship, but rather with respect to priests and wise men. For to these He said, “Ye are gods, and all of you sons of the Most High.” [ii., 32.] Understand then, O deacon, if thou seest a destitute man, and he be ashamed to beg, speak concerning him to the bishop, and reveal not his poverty to another, nor speak of it, lest he be ashamed and murmur. But if thou revealest his secrets, thou shalt bring sorrow on thy brother, and for his sake the Lord will be wroth with thee. “And He said unto them, Wherefore were ye not afraid to speak evil against my servant Moses? And the anger of the wrath of the Lord came (upon them). And Moses said unto those that murmured against him, And we, what are we? and this your murmuring—it is not against me that ye murmur, (but) against the Creator.” And if there be anyone that saith to a layman, Thou fool, he shall be condemned, for he hath blasphemed against the name of Christ. And if this be so, much more then shall those (be condemned) that blaspheme against the bishop. For when he stretcheth forth his hands, the Holy Spirit cometh down; and by him ye are taught the spiritual commandment, and know God, and have believed in Christ, by whom ye are saved by the oil of gladness and the holy chrism, and are made the sons of light. For when the bishop layeth his hand upon you in holy baptism, the Lord sendeth His holy Word upon you, saying, “Ye are my sons, and I to-day have begotten you.” [ii., 33-] Understand, then, O man, that by the prayer of the bishop thou art called a son of God. Now also know that which was granted unto thee; and love him that hath loved thee, and called thee to this glory and honour. Revere the bishop who is under God a father unto thee. For ye have heard the word which saith concerning those who begat you according to the flesh, “Honour thy father and thy mother, and for this thou shalt find good"; and, “he that speaketh an evil word against his father or his mother, let him die the death.” And if this be so, how then is it that ye do not magnify and honour those who have begotten you again with water and the Holy Spirit, and have fed you with spiritual milk, and nurtured you with the word of admonition, and strengthened you by the eucharist, and made you meet to receive the holy Body and the precious Blood of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ? These are they who have loosed you from the bond of sin, and made you partakers of the holy eucharist, and of the love of God, that ye may be partakers of the inheritance and joint-heirs with His Son. Fear them, then, and honour them in every thing, for they have been granted life from God, that they may give judgment against them that have sinned, and save them from the fire of Gehenna, and pardon them that turn from their sins. (ii., 34-] These then you ought to fear as chiefs and rulers; and obey them as kings, and receive them into your houses. Even as Samuel the prophet commanded the people concerning the king in the first Book of Kings, and Moses also commanded concerning the priests, we in like manner command you concerning the bishops, that ye give them their due, even as is appointed. For of old Moses and Elijah and Samuel commanded the people to honour kings and priests, who do service in matters of this world; and if this be so, much more is it meet that you should give their due and their maintenance to bishops and priests who watch and do service on your behalf, and are your guides unto the Kingdom of heaven. And if of old kings raised armies to fight and war, that they might guard and save men’s bodies, how much more are they (worthy of honour) who have received from God the office of the priesthood, (and) who preserve soul and body from condemnation. [For the soul is of more account than the body, and the priestly office is of more account than the kingly, for this is the office which bindeth those that deserve condemnation, and looseth those that seek for healing. Wherefore it is right that ye should honour and love the bishop as a father, and fear him as a king, and trust in him as (in) God. Bring unto him your gifts, both the fruits of your ground, and the labour of your hands, and your first-fruits, and your presents, and your vows; even the first-fruits of your wheat and wine and oil and wool. And for this shall he pronounce a blessing upon you, that your oblation may be acceptable and well-pleasing as incense, even a sweet savour before the Lord your God; and that the Lord may bless the work of your hands, and multiply the good fruits of your land. For the blessing of the Lord is upon the heads of the righteous who shew mercy. [ii., 35.] Behold now, know ye that the Lord hath freed us from the curse of the Law, and brought us back to life, when we were scattered abroad and lost as sheep without a shepherd, and as the beasts that cannot speak. He hath turned us from our sins, and cleansed us from our iniquities, and commanded us to bring our sacrifices to the priests, and to give alms to the poor who have nothing. For our Lord saith in the Gospel, “Unless ye abound more than the Scribes and Pharisees in doing righteousness ye cannot enter into the Kingdom of heaven.” (This will ye do) if ye take care to give to the priests and the widows and the orphans; even as it is written, saying, ‘He hath dispersed abroad and hath given to the poor, and his righteousness remaineth for ever,” for by righteousness and uprightness and mercy sin is pardoned.”! For a pure and blessed soul pleaseth God. Do, then, righteousness thus as the Lord hath commanded; give to the priests as it befitteth, the first-fruits of thy winepress and thy threshing-floor, for they have authority to give to all the destitute, and power over every matter of the Church. Strive not, then, against the bishops in anything that they do, saying, When did he do it or, To whom hath he given or, When did he spend it or, Whither did he send it? (Nor discuss) whether he hath done good or evil, or acted justly or unjustly, for the Lord God will require it of them, who hath given them the office of the priesthood, and granted unto them the greater degree. (ii., 36.] But do thou set the fear of God before thine eyes, and remember at all times the word that saith, “Love the One Lord, thy God with all thy heart and with all thy strength,” and follow not the way which leadeth unto (false) gods, nor anything like thereto that have no life in them, nor the doctrine of devils, and other creatures ( ) which Christ has not commanded. But seek thou to read the Scriptures which are the law of the Lord thy God, and cease not to read His Scriptures at all times. And remove from thee all evil that opposeth itself, which is not commanded in the law, (even) mocking and anger. But honour thy father and thy mother who begat thee according to the flesh, and love thy neighbour as thyself, and shew mercy to the poor, and keep far from false swearing wherein is no profit. But keep not far from the Church of Christ; resort thither early at all times, and worship humbly with the lowly, who sleep not night or day, giving thanks to God for the life that He hath bestowed upon them. Live by (thy) labour, the work of thy hands, and offer unto the Lord of what thou hast according to thy power; and be a friend of the poor, and gain the Kingdom of heaven, where is no moth nor rust, neither doth the thief find it. And if thou desirest to save thyself, strive not in judgment with the bishop, nor with a layman, thy brother, nor with thy fellow wrongfully. And if thou strivest in judgment with him wrongfully, thou hast drawn on thyself transgression and sin, none constraining thee. For judgment hath been given to the priests, and not to the layman. For the Lord saith (to them) “Judge in righteousness and uprightness ’’; and, “Be of understanding and judge the great ones of the people, each one of them. But to you it is not permitted to judge any man. For it is said to those that have not the office of the priesthood, “Judge not, for your judgment shall not be acceptable.” ii., 37.) But let the bishop judge in uprightness, even as it is written, saying, “Judge the poor and the orphan, do justice to the oppressed and the needy, and save the desolate and destitute.” And moreover it is said, “Wherefore judge ye not amongst you in uprightness, ’’

And these angels appeared unto Esau and his people as two thousand men, riding upon horses furnished with all sorts of war instruments, and they appeared in the sight of Esau and all his men to be divided into four camps, with four chiefs to them.

And the following appear to me to be childish assertions, viz. that “no good general and leader of great multitudes was ever betrayed; nor even a wicked captain of robbers and commander of very wicked men, who seemed to be of any use to his associates; but Jesus, having been betrayed by his subordinates, neither governed like a good general, nor, after deceiving his disciples, produced in the minds of the victims of his deceit that feeling of good-will which, so to speak, would be manifested towards a brigand chief.” Now one might find many accounts of generals who were betrayed by their own soldiers, and of robber chiefs who were captured through the instrumentality of those who did not keep their bargains with them. But grant that no general or robber chief was ever betrayed, what does that contribute to the establishment of the fact as a charge against Jesus, that one of His disciples became His betrayer? And since Celsus makes an ostentatious exhibition of philosophy, I would ask of him, If, then, it was a charge against Plato, that Aristotle, after being his pupil for twenty years, went away and assailed his doctrine of the immortality of the soul, and styled the ideas of Plato the merest trifling? And if I were still in doubt, I would continue thus: Was Plato no longer mighty in dialectics, nor able to defend his views, after Aristotle had taken his departure; and, on that account, are the opinions of Plato false? Or may it not be, that while Plato is true, as the pupils of his philosophy would maintain, Aristotle was guilty of wickedness and ingratitude towards his teacher? Nay, Chrysippus also, in many places of his writings, appears to assail Cleanthes, introducing novel opinions opposed to his views, although the latter had been his teacher when he was a young man, and began the study of philosophy. Aristotle, indeed, is said to have been Plato’s pupil for twenty years, and no inconsiderable period was spent by Chrysippus in the school of Cleanthes; while Judas did not remain so much as three years with Jesus. But from the narratives of the lives of philosophers we might take many instances similar to those on which Celsus founds a charge against Jesus on account of Judas. Even the Pythagoreans erected cenotaphs to those who, after betaking themselves to philosophy, fell back again into their ignorant mode of life; and yet neither was Pythagoras nor his followers, on that account, weak in argument and demonstration.

Then shall the magus place the petitions of himself and his companions, which should be written down clearly on virgin card, or paper, beyond the circle towards the king or prince of the spirits, and he will receive it and take counsel with his chiefs. After this he will return the card, saying:— That which thou desirest is accomplished, be thy will performed, and all thy demands fulfilled.

May holy MICHAEL the archangel of God, and MUTIEL and MINIEL, the chiefs and captains of the celestial army, be my aid in the operation I am about to perform, so that I may write herewith all things which are necessary, and that all the experiments which I commence herewith may through you and through your names be perfected by the power of the most high Creator. Amen.

“And all the columns on this side and on that side rejoice (here are understood the holy living creatures, the cherubim, which were before the columns, and the chiefs of the angelic guards, and they are said to have come hither); because they hear that which before they knew not. And in the sound of your voices are heard the rushing of countless chariots (the noise of the wings of the hosts of the angelic chariots of God, rushing onwards); and they stand here around you in multitudes, awaiting the speech of your voice.

From the skull of the Head (of Microprosopus) depend all those chiefs and leaders (otherwise, all those thousands and tens of thousands), and also from the locks of the hair.

And Enoch stood up to minister before God in the Cave of Treasures. And the children of Seth turned aside from the right path and willed to go down [to the children of Cain on the plain]. And Enoch and Methuselah, and Lamech and Noah mourned over them. And Enoch had ministered before God for fifty years in the three hundred and [sixty] fifth year of the life of Noah. And when Enoch knew that God was about to remove him [from the earth], he called Methuselah, and Lamech, and Noah, and said unto them, “I know that God is wroth with this generation, and that a pitiless judgment hath been decreed for the people thereof. Ye are the chiefs of this generation and the remnant thereof, for no other man shall be born on this mountain who shall be the chief of the children of his people. But take ye good heed to yourselves, and see that ye minister before God in purity and holiness.”” And when Enoch had given them 5, “sh = a his commandment in these words, God removed him to the Land of Life, and to the delectable mansions which are round about Paradise, and to that country which is beyond the reach of death. And of all the children of Seth there remained only these three Patriarchs in the ‘‘ Mountain of the Triumphant Ones,” viz. Methuselah, Lamech, and Noah, for all the others had betaken themselves to the encampment of the sons of Cain.

Those who lived near [Jerusalem] would bring fresh figs and grapes, while those who lived far away would bring dried figs and raisins. An ox would go in front of them, his horns bedecked with gold and with an olive-crown on its head. The flute would play before them until they would draw close to Jerusalem. When they drew close to Jerusalem they would send messengers in advance, and they would adorn their bikkurim. The governors and chiefs and treasurers [of the Temple] would go out to greet them, and according to the rank of the entrants they would go forth. All the skilled artisans of Jerusalem would stand up before them and greet them saying, “Our brothers, men of such and such a place, we welcome you in peace.”

The greater Sanhedrin was made up of seventy one and the little Sanhedrin of twenty three. From where do we learn that the greater Sanhedrin should be made up of seventy one? As it says, “Gather unto me seventy men of the elders of Israel” (Num. 11:16), and when Moses is added to them there is seventy one. Rabbi Judah says: “Seventy.” From where do we learn that the little Sanhedrin should be made up of twenty three? As it says, “The assembly shall judge”, “The assembly shall deliver” (Num. 35:24-25), an assembly that judges and an assembly that delivers, thus we have twenty. And from where do we know that an assembly has ten? As it says, “How long shall I bear this evil congregation?” (Num. 14:27) [which refers to the twelve spies] but Joshua and Caleb were not included. And from where do we learn that we should bring three others [to the twenty]? By inference from what it says, “You shall not follow after the many to do evil” (Ex. 23:2), I conclude that I must be with them to do well. Then why does it say, “[To follow] after the many to change judgment” (Ex. 23:2). [It means that] your verdict of condemnation should not be like your verdict of acquittal, for your verdict of acquittal is reached by the decision of a majority of one, but your verdict of condemnation must be reached by the decision of a majority of two. The court must not be divisible equally, therefore they add to them one more; thus they are twenty three. And how many should there be in a city that it may be fit to have a Sanhedrin? A hundred and twenty. Rabbi Nehemiah says: “Two hundred and thirty, so that [the Sanhedrin of twenty three] should correspond with them that are chiefs of [at least] groups of ten.

“Rabban Gamliel rose, kissed him on his head, and said to him, come in peace, my teacher and my student.” My teacher in wisdom and my student in the fear of sin. My teacher in wisdom and my student since all that I am deciding about him he fulfills. It is written, our chiefs are patient. Rebbi Joḥanan and Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish. Rebbi Joḥanan said, [it is not written our bulls are carrying but] our chiefs are patient. When the great ones suffer the smaller ones then there is neither breach, nor tumult, nor crying in our streets. Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish inverts this verse. It is not written (our bulls) [the bulls] are carrying but our chiefs are tolerated. When the smaller ones tolerate the greater ones then there is neither breach, nor tumult, nor crying in our streets.

“Rabban Gamliel rose, kissed him on his head, and said to him, come in peace, my teacher and my student.” My teacher in wisdom and my student in the fear of sin. My teacher in wisdom and my student since all that I am deciding about him he fulfills. It is written, our chiefs are patient. Rebbi Joḥanan and Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish. Rebbi Joḥanan said, [it is not written our bulls are carrying but] our chiefs are patient. When the great ones suffer the smaller ones then there is neither breach, nor tumult, nor crying in our streets. Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish inverts this verse. It is not written (our bulls) [the bulls] are carrying but our chiefs are tolerated. When the smaller ones tolerate the greater ones then there is neither breach, nor tumult, nor crying in our streets.

“Rabban Gamliel rose, kissed him on his head, and said to him, come in peace, my teacher and my student.” My teacher in wisdom and my student in the fear of sin. My teacher in wisdom and my student since all that I am deciding about him he fulfills. It is written, our chiefs are patient. Rebbi Joḥanan and Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish. Rebbi Joḥanan said, [it is not written our bulls are carrying but] our chiefs are patient. When the great ones suffer the smaller ones then there is neither breach, nor tumult, nor crying in our streets. Rebbi Simeon ben Laqish inverts this verse. It is not written (our bulls) [the bulls] are carrying but our chiefs are tolerated. When the smaller ones tolerate the greater ones then there is neither breach, nor tumult, nor crying in our streets.