In the course of the appointing of a successor to Moses, Hoshea the son of Nun is certainly transferred from his pristine name and begins to be called Jesus [Joshua]. Certainly, you say. This we first assert to have been a figure of the future. For, because Jesus Christ was to introduce the second people (which is composed of us nations, lingering deserted in the world previously) into the land of promise, flowing with milk and honey^[1] (that is, into the possession of eternal life, than which nothing is sweeter). This had to come about not through Moses (that is, not through the law’s discipline) but through Joshua (that is, through the new law’s grace), after our circumcision with a knife of rock (that is, with Christ’s precepts, for Christ is in many ways and figures predicted as a rock^[2]). Therefore the man who was being prepared to act as images of this sacrament was inaugurated under the figure of the Lord’s name, even so as to be named Jesus [Joshua].

I may wish in this place to inquire of the Jews how anyone is able to be circumcised a second time with the circumcision of the flesh. For once anyone is circumcised, he does not have anything more to be removed a second time. But see how fittingly and consistently those things may be resolved by us, to whom it is said, The law is spiritual.^[1] For we say that that person who was skilled in the law and taught by Moses cast off the errors of idolatry and put aside the superstition and worship of images. This is the first circumcision through the law. But if he comes from the law and the prophets to the gospel faith, then he also receives the second circumcision through the rock, who is Christ,^[2] and what the Lord said to Jesus [Joshua] is accomplished: Today I have taken away the reproach of Egypt from the sons of Israel.

Just as the apostle said, They drank from the spiritual rock following them, but that rock was Christ,^[3] so also we are able to say aptly in this place that they were circumcised from the spiritual rock following them, but the rock was Christ. For if anyone has not been cleansed through the gospel by a second circumcision, he is not able to put aside the reproach of Egypt, that is, the allurement of fleshly vices.

Now, this was a figure of baptism, for, just as circumcision cuts off from the body a part which is not useful but a useless superfluity, so by holy baptism are we circumcised of sin. It is obvious that sin is a superfluity of concupiscence^[1] and of no use. For it is impossible for anyone not to have any concupiscence at all or to be entirely without any taste for pleasure, but the useless part of pleasure, this is the sin which holy baptism circumcises.

The circumcision was given to Abraham before the law, after the blessings and after the promise, as a sign to set him and those born of him and those of his household apart from the Gentiles in whose midst he was living.^[1] And this is obvious, because, when Israel spent forty years alone by themselves in the desert without mixing with any other nation, all those who were born in the desert were not circumcised. However, when Joshua brought them across the Jordan, they were circumcised and a second law of circumcision was made. For, under Abraham a law of circumcision was given, and then it was inoperative for forty years in the desert. Then, after the crossing of the Jordan, God again gave the law for a second time, as is written in the book of Joshua, son of Nave [Nun]: At that time the Lord said to Joshua: make knives of stone from the sharpest rock, and sitting down circumcise the second time the children of Israel; and a little further on: for during forty-two years Israel dwelt in the wilderness of Midbar, and for this reason very many were uncircumcised of the sons of the fighting men who had come out of Egypt, who had disobeyed the commandments of God and to whom he declared that they should not see the good land which he had sworn to give to their fathers, the land flowing with milk and honey. The children of these he made to succeed in their place whom Joshua circumcised because of their not having been circumcised in the way. Hence, circumcision was a sign by which Israel was set apart from the Gentiles among whom they lived.

For it is not enough for us to be circumcised, but [we must] also be healed after circumcision, that is, until a scar closes up the wound of circumcision itself. When, therefore, is the scar spread over the wound of our circumcision? I myself think that to be circumcised by our Jesus is this: to be free from faults, to put aside wicked habits and vile practices, to cut off filthy and rude customs and whatever recoils at the rule of honesty and piety.

But, in the beginning, when we do this we are fettered in a certain measure by the difficulty of newness and, as if with a certain labor and anguish of spirit, we change the defects of the old habit for a new practice. On that account, as I said, there is a certain distress in the beginning, and with difficulty and grief are we able to remove the first things and to receive the second. Therefore, this seems to me to be the time when we are said to tarry, just as in the pain of our circumcision, until after the scar is closed and we are healed. And we close the scar when, without difficulty, we adopt new manners and there is within us a transformation to a practice that previously seemed difficult because we were not used to it. And at that time, we are truly said to be healed when, lacking vices, we instill a virtue in our nature by its new use.

All persons, even if they come from the law, even if they have learned through Moses, still have the reproach of Egypt in them, the reproach of sins. Who will be like Paul even according to the observance of the law? Just hear him saying, According to the righteousness based upon the law, I lived without blame.^[1] Nevertheless, he himself publicly announces and says, For we were even ourselves at some time foolish, unbelieving, wandering, enslaved to desires and various forms of pleasure, in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another.^[2] Do these things not seem to you to be reproaches, even the reproaches of Egypt? But since Christ came and gave to us the second circumcision through the baptism of regeneration^[3] and purified our souls, we have cast away all these things and in exchange for them we have received the affirming of a good conscience toward God. At that time, through the second circumcision, the reproaches of Egypt were taken away from us, and the blemishes of sins were purified. No one, therefore, fears the reproaches of past transgressions, if he has been wholly converted and has repented from the heart, and, by faith, has parted the waters of the Jordan and been purified through the second circumcision of the gospel. You hear that, Today, I have taken the reproach of Egypt away from you.

After they observed the Passover in Egypt, they began the exodus.^[1] In the book of Joshua, however, after the crossing of the Jordan, on the tenth day of the first month they encamped in Gilgal. . . .

Then the sons of Israel observed the Passover on the fourteenth day of the month much more cheerfully than the one in Egypt, seeing that they also ate unleavened bread and fresh from the grain of the holy land, a food better than the manna.

For God does not feed them on lesser foods when they have received the land according to promise, nor do they obtain inferior bread through Jesus [Joshua] who is so great. This will be clear to the one who has perceived the true holy land and the Jerusalem above.

Now if the law is to be understood only according to the letter, without doubt the sons of Israel will be found to have received poorer things from the promise since they had been partaking of better things—for they were receiving manna from heaven. When they had forsaken the prior food of Egypt, a better food by all means had followed, the manna from heaven. Now in what manner will it be reckoned that with a better food ceasing, a worse has followed, unless a greater and truer account is discovered in a spiritual understanding rather than in the literal text.

Indeed at that time, when the people went out of the land of Egypt, they carried dough in their clothes.^[1] And when the dough had run out and they had no bread, God rained manna on them.^[2] But when they came to the holy land and took the fruit of the province of the palms, the manna ceased for them, and then they began to eat of the fruit of the land.

In this manner, three kinds of food in general are described. The first one we certainly enjoy when going out of the land of Egypt, but this suffices for only a little time. Manna follows after this. But the third fruit we receive now from the holy land. By this diversity, as my insignificant perception comprehends, I think it is indicated that the first food that we carry with us when leaving Egypt is this little school learning (or even more advanced learning if, by chance, anyone has acquired it) that is able to help us only a little. But, placed in the desert, that is, in the condition of life in which we now are, we enjoy the manna only through what we learn by the instructions of the divine law. But the one who will deserve to enter the land of promise, that is, to obtain that which has been promised by the Savior, that one will eat fruits from the region of the palms.^[3] For truly that person who arrives at these promises after having conquered the enemy will discover the fruit of the palm. For it is certain that however great those things are that we are now able to understand or to know in the law of God or in divine learning, those things that the holy ones will deserve to see face to face when the enigma is over, will be far more sublime and lofty.^[4] For what the eye has not seen or the ear heard, what has not ascended into a person’s heart, these are the things God has prepared for those who love him.^[5]

And as Joshua, the successor of Moses, was about to fight against the former possessors of Palestine, his enemies, foreign and most ungodly races, he rightly appears to him with a sword drawn and pointed against the enemy, showing by the vision that he himself is about to attack the ungodly with an unseen sword and with divine power, the fellow soldier and the fellow combatant of his people. Wherefore he gives himself the name of Chief and Captain of the Lord to suit the occasion. PROOF OF THE GOSPEL 5.19.^[1]

So it was with Jacob and Joshua son of Nun, Hananiah and his companions, Peter and others to whom the form of a man appeared to encourage them and to console their faith.^[2]

And so you must beware and exercise great care in order to discern with knowledge the kinds of visions, just as Joshua the son of Nun, when he saw a vision and knew there was temptation in it, immediately asked the one who appeared to him and said, Are you for us, or for our adversaries? So, then, the soul progresses when it comes to the place where it begins to distinguish between visions; and it is proved to be spiritual if it knows how to discern them all.^[1] That is why, as well, one of the spiritual gifts, given by the Holy Spirit, is mentioned as the ability to distinguish between spirits.^[2]

And in what manner is Jericho holy ground since it is retained by the enemies? This indicates, and not by accident, that the chief of the army of the power of the Lord sanctifies every place to which he comes, for Jericho itself was not a holy place. But because the chief of the army of God came there, the place is said to be holy. I also dare something more and say that even the place where Moses stood was not holy through Moses himself but because the Lord stood with him. The presence of the Lord had sanctified the place; and on that account, it is said to him, Loosen the latchet of your sandal; for the place on which you stand is holy ground.^[1]