Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers: Series II/Volume III/Theodoret/Ecclesiastical History/Book III/Chapter 18

.&#8212;Of the prediction of the pedagogue.

instance is that of an excellent man at Antioch, entrusted with the charge of young lads, who was better educated than is usually the case with pedagogues, and was the intimate friend of the chief teacher of that period, Libanius the far-famed sophist.

Now Libanius was a heathen expecting victory and bearing in mind the threats of Julian, so one day, in ridicule of our belief he said to the pedagogue, &#8220;What is the carpenter&#8217;s son about now?&#8221; Filled with divine grace, he foretold what was shortly to come to pass. &#8220;Sophist,&#8221; said he, &#8220;the Creator of all things, whom you in derision call carpenter&#8217;s son, is making a coffin.&#8221;

After a few days the death of the wretch was announced. He was carried out lying in his coffin. The vaunt of his threats was proved vain, and God was glorified.