על אברהם י׳On Abraham 10
א׳
1[48] So now we have explained the first trinity of those who yearn for virtue; but greater is the second trinity of which we have now to speak. The first we may compare to the studies of children, but the latter to the exercises of athletes who are preparing for games which are really sacred, men who despise bodily training but foster robustness of soul in their desire for victory over their antagonists, the passions.
ב׳
2[49] How each of these differed from the others while pressing on to one and the same goal will be described in detail later; but there is something to be said about them taken as a whole which must not be omitted.
ג׳
3[50] We find that these three are all of one house and one family. The last is the son of the second and grandson to the first. All alike are God-lovers and God-beloved, and their affection for the true God was returned by Him, Who deigned, as His utterances shew, in recognition of their high and life-long virtues to make them partners in the title which He took,
ד׳
4[51] for He united them by joining His special name to theirs and calling Himself by one combined of the three. “For this,” He said, “is my eternal name —the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob,” relative instead of absolute, and surely that is natural. God indeed needs no name; yet, though He needed it not, He nevertheless vouchsafed to give to humankind a name of Himself suited to them, that so men might be able to take refuge in prayers and supplications and not be deprived of comforting hopes.