Tertullian — An Answer to the Jews 9

Begin we, therefore, to prove that the Birth of Christ was announced by prophets ; as Isaiah ( e.g. ,) foretells, Listen, house of David; have no petty contest with men, since God is proposing a struggle. Therefore God Himself will give you a sign; Behold, the virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and you shall call his name Emmanuel (which is, interpreted, God with us ): butter and honey shall he eat; : since, before the child learn to call father or mother, he shall receive the power of Damascus and the spoils of Samaria , in opposition to the king of the Assyrians .

Accordingly the Jews say: Let us challenge that prediction of Isaiah, and let us institute a comparison whether, in the case of the Christ who is already come, there be applicable to Him, firstly, the name which Isaiah foretold, and (secondly) the signs of it which he announced of Him. Well, then, Isaiah foretells that it behooves Him to be called Emmanuel ; and that subsequently He is to take the power of Damascus and the spoils of Samaria , in opposition to the king of the Assyrians . Now, say they, that (Christ) of yours, who has come, neither was called by that name, nor engaged in warfare. But we, on the contrary, have thought they ought to be admonished to recall to mind the context of this passage as well.

For subjoined is withal the interpretation of Emmanuel — God with us — in order that you may regard not the sound only of the name, but the sense too. For the Hebrew sound, which is Emmanuel , has an interpretation, which is, God with us. Inquire, then, whether this speech, God with us (which is Emmanuel ), be commonly applied to Christ ever since Christ's light has dawned, and I think you will not deny it. For they who out of Judaism believe in Christ , ever since their believing on Him, do, whenever they shall wish to say Emmanuel , signify that God is with us: and thus it is agreed that He who was ever predicted as Emmanuel is already come, because that which Emmanuel signifies has come — that is, God with us.

Equally are they led by the sound of the name when they so understand the power of Damascus, and the spoils of Samaria , and the kingdom of the Assyrians , as if they portended Christ as a warrior; not observing that Scripture premises, since, before the child learn to call father or mother, he shall receive the power of Damascus and the spoils of Samaria , in opposition to the king of the Assyrians . For the first step is to look at the demonstration of His age , to see whether the age there indicated can possibly exhibit the Christ as already a man , not to say a general .