so when the Jews said that, it was only because he had kept himself at the rank to which his Lord and Master had assigned him—namely, that he was a prophet. Had they sensed from him any claim to divinity, they would certainly have mentioned it,(1) repudiated it, and used it as the strongest reason(2) to turn people away from obeying him, for such a lie is known by sense, reason, innate nature, and by the unanimous testimony of the prophets.

Indeed, had it been in God’s eternal wisdom to appear to His servants, descend from the throne of His majesty, and deal with them in person, it would not have been fitting for Him to enter the private parts(3) of a woman and remain in her womb—between urine, excrement, and blood—for several months. And if He had done that, He would not have emerged as a small infant, nursing and crying; and if He had done that,(4) He would not have eaten, drunk, and slept among people. And if He had done that, He would certainly not have urinated or defecated, nor exposed Himself to that indignity, for relieving oneself is a deficiency with which man is tried in this world because of his weakness and need.

He—Most High—is singled out by attributes of perfection and described with qualities of majesty; neither His heavens nor His earth can contain Him, while His Footstool encompasses the heavens and the earth. How, then, could the womb(5) of a woman contain Him? Exalted is God, Lord of all realms! Yet you are all agreed that the Messiah ate, drank, urinated, defecated, and slept.

So, O assembly of Trinitarians and worshippers of the cross, tell us: who was holding the heavens and the earth firm when their Lord and Creator was bound to a piece of wood?