Kebra Nagast

" I am the door." x And observe ye again He saith, that when speaking He distinguished between his disciples even as He did between those who [came] after them, the Bishops and the Christian Community. " Thou art the rock," He said unto Peter, " and upon thee I will build the Christian people." 2 And again He " 3 I am the Shepherd of the sheep," and He said said, " Feed my sheep." 4 And again He unto him thrice, " I am the stem of the vine," and unto them He said, " 6 Ye are its branches and its clusters of fruit." said, And the rod of Moses by means of which he performed the miracle is to be interpreted as the wood of the Cross, whereby He delivered Adam and his children from the punishment of devils. And as Moses smote the water of the river therewith, and turned it into blood, and slew their fish, in like manner Christ slew Death with His Cross, and brought them out of Sheol. And as Moses smote in the air with his rod, and the whole land of Egypt became dark for three days and 6 three nights with a darkness which could be felt so that [the Egyptians] could not rise from their couches, so also Christ, being crucified upon the Cross, lightened the darkness of the hearts of men, and rose up from the dead on the third day and third night. And as the rod 7 of Moses changed itself and transformed itself by the Word of God, being dry yet possessing life, and possessing life yet became a dry thing, even so Christ with the wood of His Cross made life for the Christian people who believed on Him, and with the Sign of the Cross made them to drive away devils. For the demons and the spiritual beings the Christians became changed became reprobates, and through transgressing the commandment of their Lord they became exiled ones ; by the might of His Cross. 1 2 3 1 And we have become spiri- 4 John x, 7, 9. Matthew xvi, 18. John x, II, 14. 80 John xxi, 17. John xv, 5, 1 6. 6 Exodus x, 21, 22. 6 Exodus vii, 10.