Didascalia Apostolorum

Historical source scan page 131

DIDASCALIA. 103 We will not be soiled with Moses and the people who are with him, for they are polluted. Two hundred and fifty men arose, and led [them] astray in leaving that great Moses, as if they hoped for themselves that they would the better glorify God, and zealously serve Him ; for in that multitude of the people it was said, for one censer of perfumes was offered to the Lord God, but those who were m the schism were two hundred and fifty with their leaders ; every one of them offered a censer of perfumes to God, two hundred and fifty censers, as those who were more pure and zealous than Moses and Aaron, and than the people lof the Lord1; but the multitude of the service of their censers which was in schism was of no advantage to them ; but a fire was kindled from before the Lord and devoured them ; and these two hundred and fifty men were burnt while they were still holding the censers in their hands ; and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed Dathan and Korah and Abiram, and their tents and their vessels and all that was with them, and they went down alive to Sheol. The chiefs of their error of schism were swallowed up by the earth (S. + but these two hundred and fifty men who went astray were burnt in the fire, all the people looking on). The Lord spared the rest of the multitude of the people, though there were many sinners amongst them ; the Lord judged each one of them according to his works. The Lord spared the multitude of the people ; but those who thought that they were purer and more holy and had done more service the f. 67 a fire devoured because they were in schism. And the Lord said unto Moses and unto Aaron, Take the censers of brass from out of the burning, Of. Num- bersxvi.37 and make them into thin plates, and strew them upon the altar, that the children of Israel may see, and not add to their sins by doing thus, (S. + and pour out the strange fire there, because the censers of the sinners are hallowed in their souls, in the fire ; the Lord hath condemned to fire, in that fire came out from before the Lord, and burnt those who put on the incense, which was not permitted to them). Let us look then, beloved, at the latter end of schisms, what happened to them ; because if they appear to be pure and holy, their final consummation is in fire and everlasting burning. Let this therefore be a cause of fear to you, for the fire of schism is also judged by fire (S. + not because it sanctified the censers, for they sanctified them through themselves), that is to say, because the fire finished its work, for these people thought in their hearts that their censers were holy ; for it was necessary that the fire which was 1 S. who were with them.