Lecture XIII.

On the words, Crucified and Buried.

Isaiah liii. 1, 7

Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed?…He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, &c.

1. Every deed of Christ is a cause of glorying to the Catholic Church, but her greatest of all glorying is in the Cross; and knowing this, Paul says,  But God forbid that I should glory, save in the Cross of Christ  1  Gal. vi. 14. . For wondrous indeed it was, that one who was blind from his birth should receive sight in Siloam  2  Cf. Athanas. (de Incarn. § 18, 49). ; but what is this compared with the blind of the whole world? A great thing it was, and passing nature, for Lazarus to rise again on the fourth day; but the grace extended to him alone, and what was it compared with the dead in sins throughout the world? Marvellous it was, that five loaves should pour forth food for the five thousand; but what is that to those who are famishing in ignorance through all the world? It was marvellous that she should have been loosed who had been bound by Satan eighteen years: yet what is this to all of us, who were fast bound in the chains of our sins? But the glory of the Cross led those who were blind through ignorance into light, loosed all who were held fast by sin, and ransomed the whole world of mankind.

2. And wonder not that the whole world was ransomed; for it was no mere man, but the only-begotten Son of God, who died on its behalf. Moreover one man’s sin, even Adam’s, had power to bring death to the world; but  if by the trespass of the one death reigned over the world, how shall not life much rather reign  by the righteousness of the One  3  Rom. v. 17, 18. ? And if because of the tree of food they were then cast out of paradise, shall not believers now more easily enter into paradise because of the Tree of Jesus? If the first man formed out of the earth brought in universal death, shall not He who formed him out of the earth bring in eternal life, being Himself the Life? If Phinees, when he waxed zealous and slew the evil-doer, staved the wrath of God, shall not Jesus, who slew not another, but  gave up Himself for a ransom  4  1 Tim. ii. 6. , put away the wrath which is against mankind?

3. Let us then not be ashamed of the Cross of our Saviour, but rather glory in it.  For the word of the Cross is unto Jews a stumbling-block, and unto Gentiles foolishness , but to us salvation: and  to them that are perishing it is foolishness, but unto us which are being saved it is the power of God  5  1 Cor. i. 18, 23. . For it was not a mere man who died for us, as I said before, but the Son of God, God made man. Further; if the lamb under Moses drove the destroyer  6  Ex. xii. 23. far away, did not much rather the  Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world  7  John i. 29. , deliver us from our sins? The blood of a silly sheep gave salvation; and shall not the Blood of the Only-begotten much rather save? If any disbelieve the power of the Crucified, let him ask the devils; if any believe not words, let him believe what he sees. Many have been crucified throughout the world, but by none of these are the devils scared; but when they see even the Sign of the Cross of Christ, who was crucified for us, they shudder  8  Cf. Cat. i. 3; xvii. 35, 36. . For those men died for their own sins, but Christ for the sins of others; for He  did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth  9  1 Pet. ii. 22, quoted from Isa. liii. 9. . It is not Peter who says this, for then we might suspect that he was partial to his Teacher; but it is Esaias who says it, who was not indeed present with Him in the flesh, but in the Spirit foresaw His coming in the flesh. Yet why now bring the Prophet only as a witness? take for a witness Pilate himself, who gave sentence upon Him, saying,  I find no fault in this Man  10  Luke xxiii. 14. : and when he gave Him up, and had washed his hands, he said,  I am innocent of the blood of this just person  11  Matt. xxvii. 24. . There is yet another witness of the sinlessness of Jesus,—the robber, the first man admitted into Paradise; who rebuked his fellow, and said, “  We receive the due reward of our deeds; but this man hath done nothing amiss  12  Luke xxiii. 41. Cf. Cat. xiii. 30, 31. The Benedictine Editor remarks, “We know not whence Cyril took the notion that the two robbers were present at the trial of Jesus.” He may have inferred from the words ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ κρίματι that the sentence of crucifixion was pronounced on them at the same time as on Jesus. ; for we were present, both thou and I, at His judgment.”

4. Jesus then really suffered for all men; for the Cross was no illusion  13  δόκησις. Cf. Ignat. Smyrn. § 2: “He suffered truly, as also He raised Himself truly: not as certain unbelievers say, that He suffered in semblance (τὸ δοκεῖν αὐτὸν πεπονθέναι).” See § 37, below. , otherwise our redemption is an illusion also. His death was not a mere show  14  φαντασιώδης. Athanas. c. Apollinar. § 3: “Supposing the exhibition and the endurance of the Passion to be a mere show (φαντασίαν).” , for then is our salvation also fabulous. If His death was but a show, they were true who said,  We remember that that deceiver said, while He was yet alive, After three days I rise again  15  Matt. xxvii. 63. . His Passion then was real: for He was really crucified, and we are not ashamed thereat; He was crucified, and we deny it not, nay, I rather glory to speak of it. For though I should now deny it, here is Golgotha to confute me, near which we are now assembled; the wood of the Cross confutes me, which was afterwards distributed piecemeal from hence to all the world  16  Cf. iv. 10; x. 19. . I confess the Cross, because I know of the Resurrection; for if, after being crucified, He had remained as He was, I had not perchance confessed it, for I might have concealed both it and my Master; but now that the Resurrection has followed the Cross, I am not ashamed to declare it.

5. Being then in the flesh like others, He was crucified, but not for the like sins. For He was not led to death for covetousness, since He was a Teacher of poverty; nor was He condemned for concupiscence, for He Himself says plainly,  Whosoever shall look upon a woman to lust after her, hath committed adultery with her already  17  Matt. v. 28. ; not for smiting or striking hastily, for He turned the other cheek also to the smiter; not for despising the Law, for He was the fulfiller of the Law; not for reviling a prophet, for it was Himself who was proclaimed by the Prophets; not for defrauding any of their hire, for He ministered without reward and freely; not for sinning in words, or deeds, or thoughts, He  who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth; who when He was reviled, reviled not again; when He suffered, threatened not   18  1 Pet. ii. 22, 23. ;  who came to His passion, not unwillingly, but willing; yea, if any dissuading Him say even now, Be it far from Thee, Lord , He will say again,  Get thee behind Me, Satan  19  Matt. xvi. 22, 23. .

6. And wouldest thou be persuaded that He came to His passion willingly? others, who foreknow it not, die unwillingly; but He spoke before of His passion:  Behold, the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified  20  Ib. xxvi. 2. . But knowest thou wherefore this Friend of man shunned not death? It was lest the whole world should perish in its sins.  Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and the Son of man shall be betrayed, and shall be crucified  21  Ib. xx. 18.  ; and again, He stedfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem  22  Luke ix. 5. . And wouldest thou know certainly, that the Cross is a glory to Jesus? Hear His own words, not mine. Judas had become ungrateful to the Master of the house, and was about to betray Him. Having but just now gone forth from the table, and drunk His cup of blessing, in return for that drought of salvation he sought to shed righteous blood.  He who did eat of His bread, was lifting up his heel against Him  23  Ps. xli. 9. ; his hands were but lately receiving the blessed gifts  24  “τὰς εὐλογίας. The word has this meaning in Chrysostom and Cyril of Alexandria also; afterwards it came to signify consecrated bread, distinct from that of the Eucharist. Vid. Bingham, Antiq. xv. 4, § 3.” (R.W.C.) The custom of sending the bread of the Eucharist was forbidden in the latter part of the 4th century by the Synod of Laodicea, Canon 14: “At Easter the Host shall no more be sent into foreign dioceses as eulogiae.” Bp. Hefele (Councils II. p. 308) says—“It was a custom in the ancient Church, not indeed to consecrate, but to bless those of the several breads of the same form laid on the altar which were not needed for the Communion, and to employ them partly for the maintenance of the Clergy, and partly for distributing them to those of the faithful who did not communicate at the Mass.” See Eusebius (Hist. Eccles. V. 24), with the note thereon in this Series. , and presently for the wages of betrayal he was plotting His death. And being reproved, and having heard that word,  Thou hast said  25  Matt. xxvi. 25. , he again went out: then said Jesus,  The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified  26  John xii. 23. . Seest thou how He knew the Cross to be His proper glory? What then, is Esaias not ashamed of being sawn asunder  27  See Cat. ii. 14, note 4. , and shall Christ be ashamed of dying for the world?  Now is the Son of man glorified  28  John xiii. 31. . Not that He was without glory before: for He was  glorified with the glory which was  before the foundation of the world  29  Ib. xvii. 5. . He was ever glorified as God; but now He was to be glorified in wearing the Crown of His patience. He gave not up His life by compulsion, nor was He put to death by murderous violence, but of His own accord. Hear what He says:  I have power to lay down My life, and I have power to take it again  30  Ib. x. 18. : I yield it of My own choice to My enemies; for unless I chose, this could not be. He came therefore of His own set purpose to His passion, rejoicing in His noble deed, smiling at the crown, cheered by the salvation of mankind; not ashamed of the Cross, for it was to save the world. For it was no common man who suffered, but God in man’s nature, striving for the prize of His patience.

7. But the Jews contradict this  31  There is so close a resemblance between the remainder of this Lecture and the explanation of the same Article of the Creed by Rufinus, that “I have no doubt,” says the Benedictine Editor, “that Rufinus drew from Cyril’s fountains.” Cf. Rufin. de Symbolo, § 19, sqq. , ever ready, as they are, to cavil, and backward to believe; so that for this cause the Prophet just now read says,  Lord, who hath believed our report  32  Isa. lii. 15. ? Persians believe  33  Cf. Acts ii. 9: Parthians and Medes and Elamites. These Jewish converts of the day of Pentecost would naturally be the first heralds of the Gospel in their respective countries. On the dispersion of the Apostles, “Parthia, according to tradition, was allotted to Thomas as his field of labour” (Euseb. Hist. Eccl. III. 1; cf. I. 13). An earlier notice of the tradition is found in the Clementine Recognitions, L. IX. c. 29, where the Pseudo-Clement professes to have received a letter from “Thomas, who is preaching the Gospel among them.” , and Hebrews believe not;  they shall see, to whom He was not spoken of, and they that have not heard shall understand  34  Rom. xv. 21, quoted from Isaiah, u s. , while they who study these things shall set at nought what they study. They speak against us, and say, “Does the Lord then suffer? What? Had men’s hands power over His sovereignty?” Read the Lamentations; for in those Lamentations, Jeremias, lamenting you, wrote what is worthy of lamentations. He saw your destruction, he beheld your downfall, he bewailed Jerusalem which then was; for that  which now is  35  Gal. iv. 25. shall not be bewailed; for that Jerusalem crucified the Christ, but that  which now is worships Him. Lamenting then he says,  The breath of our countenance, Christ the Lord was taken in our corruptions  36  Lam. iv. 20: The breath of our nostrils, the anointed of the Lord, was taken in their pits. . Am I then stating views of my own? Behold he testifies of the Lord Christ seized by men. And what is to follow from this? Tell me, O Prophet. He says,  Of whom we said, Under His shadow we shall live among the nations  37  Ibid. . For he signifies that the grace of life is no longer to dwell in Israel, but among the Gentiles.

8. But since there has been much gainsaying by them, come, let me, with the help of your prayers, (as the shortness of the time may allow,) set forth by the grace of the Lord some few testimonies concerning the Passion. For the things concerning Christ are all put into writing, and nothing is doubtful, for nothing is without a text. All are inscribed on the monuments of the Prophets; clearly written, not on tablets of stone, but by the Holy Ghost. Since then thou hast heard the Gospel speaking concerning Judas, oughtest thou not to receive the testimony to it? Thou hast heard that He was pierced in the side by a spear; oughtest thou not to see whether this also is written? Thou hast heard that He was crucified in a garden; oughtest thou not to see whether this also is written? Thou hast heard that He was sold for thirty pieces of silver; oughtest thou not to learn what prophet spake this? Thou hast heard that He was given vinegar to drink; learn where this also is written. Thou hast heard that His body was laid in a rock, and that a stone was set over it; oughtest thou not to receive this testimony also from the prophet? Thou hast heard that He was crucified with robbers; oughtest thou not to see whether this also is written? Thou hast heard that He was buried; oughtest thou not to see whether the circumstances of His burial are anywhere accurately written? Thou hast heard that He rose again; oughtest thou not to see whether we mock thee in teaching these things? For  our speech and our preaching is not in persuasive words of man’s wisdom  38  1 Cor. ii. 4. The simple style of the New Testament is defended by Origen, c. Celsum, iii. 68, and in many other passages. . We stir now no sophistical contrivances; for these become exposed; we do not conquer words with words  39  Cyril alludes to the same proverb in the Homily on the Paralytic, c. 14: “Word resists word, but a deed is irresistible.” The Jerusalem Editor refers to Gregory Nazianzen (Tom. II. p. 596): Δόγῳ παλαίει πᾶς λόγος. , for these come to an end; but  we preach Christ Crucified  40  1 Cor. i. 23. , who has already been preached aforetime by the Prophets. But do thou, I pray, receive the testimonies, and seal them in thine heart. And, since they are many, and the rest of our time is narrowed into a short space, listen now to a few of the more important as time permits; and having received these beginnings, be diligent and seek out the remainder. Let not thine hand be only stretched out to receive, but let it be also ready to work  41  Ecclus. iv. 31: Let not thine hand be stretched out to receive, and shut when thou shouldest repay. The passage is quoted in the Didaché, c. iv., Barnab. Epist. c. xix., and Constit. Apost. VII. 11. . God gives all things freely.  For if any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God who giveth  42  James i. 5. , and he shall receive. May He through your prayer grant utterance to us who speak, and faith to you who hear.

9. Let us then seek the testimonies to the Passion of Christ: for we are met together, not now to make a speculative exposition of the Scriptures, but rather to be certified of the things which we already believe. Now thou hast received from me first the testimonies concerning the coming of Jesus; and concerning His walking on the sea, for it is written,  Thy way is in the sea  43  Ps. lxxvii. 19. The Benedictine Editor, with no authority but the Latin version by Grodecq, inserts a quotation of Job ix. 8: Who walketh on the sea, as on a pavement. Cf. xi. 23. . Also concerning divers cures thou hast on another occasion received testimony. Now therefore I begin from whence the Passion began. Judas was the traitor, and he came against Him, and stood, speaking words of peace, but plotting war. Concerning him, therefore, the Psalmist says,  My friends and My neighbours drew near against Me, and stood  44  Ps. xxxviii. 11. . And again,  Their words were softer than oil, yet be they spears  45  Ib. lv. 21. .  Hail, Master  46  Matt. xxvi. 49. ; yet he was betraying his Master to death; he was not abashed at His warning, when He said,  Judas, betrayest than the Son of Man with a kiss  47  Luke xxii. 48. ? for what He said to him was just this, Recollect thine own name; Judas means  confession  48  Cf. Phil. Jud. de Plantatione Noë, II § 33: “And his name was called Judah, which being interpreted is “confession to the Lord.” In Gen. xlix. 8 the name is differently interpreted: “Judah, thou art he whom thy brethren shall praise.” The root has both senses “to confess,” and “to praise,” which are closely allied since to “confess” is to “give God the glory” (Josh. vii. 19). ; thou hast covenanted, thou hast received the money, make confession quickly.  O God, pass not over My praise in silence; for the mouth of the wicked, and the mouth of the deceitful, are opened against Me; they have spoken against Me with a treacherous tongue, they have compassed Me about also with words of hatred   49  Ps. cix. 1–3. . But that some of the chief-priests also were present, and that He was put in bonds before the gates of the city, thou hast heard before, if thou rememberest the exposition of the Psalm, which has told the time and the place; how  they returned at evening, and hungered like dogs, and encompassed the city  50  Ps. lix. 6. The exposition was probably given in a sermon preached to the whole congregation, not in these Lectures. .

10. Listen also for the thirty pieces of silver.  And I will say to them, If it be good in your sight, give me my price, or refuse  51  Zech. xi. 12. , and the rest. One price is owing to Me from you for My healing the blind and lame, and I receive another; for thanksgiving, dishonour, and for worship, insult. Seest thou how the Scripture foresaw these things?  And they weighed for My price thirty pieces of silver  52  Ib. . How exact the prophecy! how great and unerring the wisdom of the Holy Ghost! For he said, not ten, nor twenty, but thirty, exactly as many as there were. Tell also what becomes of this price, O Prophet! Does he who received it keep it? or does he give it back? and after he has given it back, what becomes of it? The Prophet says then,  And I took the thirty pieces of silver, and cast them into the house of the Lord, into the foundry  53  Ib. xi. 13. . Compare the Gospel with the Prophecy:  Judas , it says,  repented himself, and cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed  54  Matt. xxvii. 3, 5. .

11. But now I have to seek the exact solution of this seeming discrepancy. For they who make light of the prophets, allege that the Prophet says on the one hand,  And I cast them into the house of the Lord, into the foundry , but the Gospel on the other hand,  And they gave them for the potter’s field  55  Matt. xxvii. 3, 7. . Hear then how they are both true. For those conscientious Jews forsooth, the high-priests of that time, when they saw that Judas repented and said,  I have sinned, in that I have betrayed innocent blood , reply,  What is that to us, see thou to that  56  Ib. v. 4. . Is it then nothing to you, the crucifiers? but shall he who received and restored the price of murder see to it, and shall ye the murderers not see to it? Then they say among themselves,  It is not lawful to cast them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood  57  Ib. v. 6. . Out of your own mouths is your condemnation; if the price is polluted, the deed is polluted also: but if thou art fulfilling righteousness in crucifying Christ, why receivest thou not the price of it? But the point of iniquity is this: how is there no disagreement, if the Gospel says,  the potter’s field , and the Prophet,  the foundry ? Nay, but not only people who are goldsmiths, or brass-founders, have a foundry, but potters also have foundries for their clay. For they sift off the fine and rich and useful earth from the gravel, and separate from it the mass of the refuse matter, and temper the clay first with water, that they may work it with ease into the forms intended. Why then wonderest thou that the Gospel says plainly  the potter’s field , whereas the Prophet spoke his prophecy like an enigma, since prophecy is in many places enigmatical?

12. They bound Jesus, and brought Him into the hall of the High-priest. And wouldest thou learn and know that this also is written? Esaias says,  Woe unto their soul, for they have taken evil counsel against themselves, saying, Let us bind the Just, for He is troublesome to us   58  Isa. iii. 9: (R.V.) they have rewarded evil unto themselves. Say ye of the righteous, that it shall be well with him/ In the Septuagint, from which Cyril quotes, there is an evident interpolation of Wisdom ii. 12: Let us lie in wait for the righteous; because he is not for our turn (δύσχρηστος, as in Cyril). . And truly,  Woe unto their soul! Let us see how Esaias was sawn asunder, yet after this the people was restored. Jeremias was cast into the mire of the cistern, yet was the wound of the Jews healed; for the sin was less, since it was against man. But when the Jews sinned, not against man, but against God in man’s nature,  Woe unto their soul !—  Let us bind the Just ; could He not then set Himself free, some one will say; He, who freed Lazarus from the bonds of death on the fourth day, and loosed Peter from the iron bands of a prison? Angels stood ready at hand, saying,  Let us burst their bands in sunder  59  Ps. ii. 3. ; but they hold back, because their Lord willed to undergo it. Again, He was led to the judgment-seat before the Elders; thou hast already the testimony to this,  The Lord Himself will come into judgment with the ancients of His people, and with the princes thereof  60  Isa. iii. 14. .

13. But the High-priest having questioned Him, and heard the truth, is wroth; and the wicked officer of wicked men smites Him; and the countenance, which had shone as the sun, endured to be smitten by lawless hands. Others also come and spit on the face of Him, who by spittle had healed the man who was blind from his birth.  Do ye thus requite the Lord? This people is foolish and unwise  61  Deut. xxxii. 6. . And the Prophet greatly wondering, says,  Lord, who hath believed our report  62  Isa. liii. 1. ? for the thing is incredible, that God, the Son of God, and  the Arm of the Lord  63  Ibid. , should suffer such things. But that they who are being saved may not disbelieve, the Holy Ghost writes before, in the person of Christ, who says, (for He who then spake these things, was afterward Himself an actor in them,)  I gave My back to the scourges ; (for Pilate,  when he had scourged Him, delivered Him to be crucified  64  Isa. l. 6.; Matt. xxvii. 26. ;)  and My cheeks to smitings; and My face I turned not away from the shame of spittings; saying, as it were, “Though knowing before that they will smite Me, I did not even turn My cheek aside; for how should I have nerved My disciples against death for truth’s sake, had I Myself dreaded this?” I said.  He that loveth his life shall lose it  65  John xii. 25. : if I had loved My life, how was I to teach without practising what I taught? First then, being Himself God, He endured to suffer these things at the hands of men; that after this, we men, when we suffer such things at the hands of men for His sake, might not be ashamed. Thou seest that of these things also the prophets have clearly written beforehand. Many, however, of the Scripture testimonies I pass by for want of time, as I said before; for if one should exactly search out all, not one of the things concerning Christ would be left without witness.

14. Having been bound, He came from Caiaphas to Pilate,—is this too written? yes;  And having bound Him, they led Him away as a present to the king of Jarim  66  Hosea x. 6: (R.V.) It also shall be carried unto Assyria for a present to king Jareb. This passage is applied in the same manner to Luke xxiii. 7 by Justin M. (Tryph. § 103), Tertullian (c. Marcion. iv. 42), and Rufinus (de Symbolo, § 21), who adds,—“And rightly does the Prophet add the name ‘Jarim,’ which means ‘a wild vine,’ for Herod was…a wild vine, i.e. of an alien stock.” For the various interpretations of the name see the Commentaries on Hosea v. 13, and x. 6; Schrader, Cuneijorm Inscriptions, II. § 439, Driver, Introduction to O. T. Literature, p. 283. . But here some sharp hearer will object, “Pilate was not a king,” (to leave for a while the main parts of the question,) “how then having bound Him, led they Him as a present to the king?” But read thou the Gospel;  When Pilate heard that He was of Galilee, he sent Him to Herod  67  Luke xxiii. 6, 7. ; for Herod was then king, and was present at Jerusalem. And now observe the exactness of the Prophet; for he says, that He was sent as a present; for  the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends together, for before they were at enmity  68  Ibid. xxiii. 12. . For it became Him who was on the eve of making peace between earth and heaven, to make the very men who condemned Him the first to be at peace; for the Lord Himself was there present,  who reconciles  69  Job xii. 24: (R.V.) He taketh away the heart of the chiefs of the people of the earth. The rendering “who reconciles” (ὁ διαλλάσσων, Sept.) is forbidden by the context.  the hearts of the princes of the earth . Mark the exactness of the Prophets, and their true testimony.

15. Look with awe then at the Lord who was judged. He suffered Himself to be led and carried by soldiers. Pilate sat in judgment, and He who sitteth on the right hand of the Father, stood and was judged  70  Some mss. have ἠνεσχετο or ἠνείχετο, “He submitted to stand.” . The people whom He had redeemed from the land of Egypt, and oftimes from other places, shouted against Him,  Away with Him, away with Him, crucify Him  71  Josh. xix. 15. . Wherefore, O ye Jews? because He healed your blind? or because He made your lame to walk, and bestowed His other benefits? So that the Prophet in amazement speaks of this too,  Against whom have ye opened your mouth, and against whom have ye let loose your tongue  72  Isa. lvii. 4. ? and the Lord Himself says in the Prophets,  Mine heritage became unto Me as a lion in the forest; it gave its voice against Me; therefore have I hated it  73  Jer. xii. 8. . I have not refused them, but they have refused Me; in consequence thereof I say,  I have forsaken My house  74  Ibid. v. 7. .

16. When He was judged, He held His peace; so that Pilate was moved for Him, and said,  Hearest Thou not what these witness against Thee  75  Matt. xxvii. 13. ? Not that He knew Him who was judged, but he feared his own wife’s dream which had been reported to him. And Jesus held His peace. The Psalmist says,  And I became as a man that heareth not; and in whose mouth are no reproofs  76  Ps. xxxviii. 14. ; and again,  But I was as a deaf man and heard not; and as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth  77  Ibid. v. 13. . Thou hast before heard concerning this  78  “Perhaps in some Homily” (Ben. Ed.). , if thou rememberest.

17. But the soldiers who crowd around mock Him, and their Lord becomes a sport to them, and upon their Master they make jests.  When they looked on Me, they shaked their heads  79  Ps. cix. 25. . Yet the figure of kingly state appears; for though in mockery, yet they bend the knee. And the soldiers before they crucify Him, put on Him a purple robe, and set a crown on His head; for what though it be of thorns? Every king is proclaimed by soldiers; and Jesus also must in a figure be crowned by soldiers; so that for this cause the Scripture says in the Canticles,  Go forth, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, and look upon King Solomon in the crown wherewith His mother crowned Him  80  Cant. iii. 11. . And the crown itself was a mystery; for it was a remission of sins, a release from the curse.

18. Adam received the sentence,  Cursed is the ground in thy labours; thorns and thistles shall it bring forth to thee  81  Gen. iii. 17, 18. By mistaking one letter in the Hebrew, the Seventy give the meaning “in thy labours” instead of “for thy sake.” . For this cause Jesus assumes the thorns, that He may cancel the sentence; for this cause also was He buried in the earth, that the earth which had been cursed might receive the blessing instead of a curse. At the time of the sin, they clothed themselves with fig-leaves; for this cause Jesus also made the fig-tree the last of His signs. For when about to go to His passion, He curses the fig-tree, not every fig-tree, but that one alone, for the sake of the figure; saying,  No more let any man eat fruit of thee  82  Mark xi. 1. ; let the doom be cancelled. And because they aforetime clothed themselves with fig-leaves, He came at a season when food was not wont to be found on the fig-tree. Who knows not that in winter-time the fig-tree bears no fruit, but is clothed with leaves only? Was Jesus ignorant of this, which all knew? No, but though He knew, yet He came as if seeking; not ignorant that He should not find, but shewing that the emblematical curse extended to the leaves only.

19. And since we have touched on things connected with Paradise, I am truly astonished at the truth of the types. In Paradise was the Fall, and in a Garden was our Salvation. From the Tree came sin, and until the Tree sin lasted.  In the evening, when the Lord walked in the Garden, they hid themselves  83  Gen. iii. 8. ; and in the evening the robber is brought by the Lord into Paradise. But some one will say to me, “Thou art inventing subtleties; shew me from some prophet the Wood of the Cross; except thou give me a testimony from a prophet, I will not be persuaded. Hear then from Jeremias, and assure thyself;  I was like a harmless lamb led to be slaughtered; did I not know it  84  Jer. xi. 19: I was like a tame (R.V. gentle) lamb that is led to the slaughter; and I knew not that they had devised devices against me. Cyril’s interrogative rendering is not admissible. ? (for in this manner read it as a question, as I have read it; for He who said,  Ye know that after two days comes the passover, and the Son of Man is betrayed to be crucified  85  Matt. xxvi. 2. , did He not know?)  I was like a harmless lamb led to be slaughtered; did I not know it? (but what sort of lamb? let John the Baptist interpret it, when he says, Behold the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world  86  John i. 29. .)  They devised against Me a wicked device, saying  87  Jer. xi. 19. —(He who knows the devices, knew He not the result of them? And what said they?)—  Come, and let us place a beam upon His bread  88  Ibid. R.V. Let us destroy the tree with the fruit thereof. The word rendered fruit is literally bread. The phrase is evidently proverbial. The Hebrew word which means “destroy” is misinterpreted by ἐμβάλωμεν in the Greek. Hence arose the fanciful application of the passage to the cross laid on the body of Christ to be borne by Him. Justin M. (Tryph. lxxii.) charges the Jews with having recently cut out the passage because of the supposed reference to Christ. Tertullian (adv. Judæos, c. 10) writes: “Of course on His body that ‘wood’ was put; for so Christ has revealed, calling His body ‘bread.’” He gives the same interpretation elsewhere (adv. Marcion. III. 19; IV. 40). Cf. Cyprian (Testimonia ad Quirinum, Lib. II. 15); Athanas. (de Incarn. § 33). —(and if the Lord reckon thee worthy, thou shalt hereafter learn, that His body according to the Gospel bore the figure of bread;)—  Come then,  and let us place a beam upon His bread, and cut Him off out of the land of the living; —(life is not cut off, why labour ye for nought?)—  And His name shall be remembered no more. Vain is your counsel; for  before the sun His Name  89  Ps. lxxii. 17. abideth in the Church. And that it was Life, which hung on the Cross, Moses says, weeping,  And thy life shall be hanging before thine eyes; and thou shalt be afraid day and night, and thou shalt not trust thy life  90  Deut. xxviii. 66. . And so too, what was just now read as the text,  Lord, who hath believed our report? 

20. This was the figure which Moses completed by fixing the serpent to a cross, that whoso had been bitten by the living serpent, and looked to the brasen serpent, might be saved by believing  91  Num. xxi. 9; John iii. 14. The Jerusalem Editor asks, “How did Moses complete the figure by fixing the serpent to a cross? First he set up the wood and fixed it in the earth as a post: then by putting the brazen serpent athwart (πλαγίως, he formed a figure of the Cross.” Cf. Barnab. Epist. c. xii.; Justin M. (Apol. i. c. 60); Iren. (Hæres. IV. c. 2); Tertull. adv. Judæos, c. 10). . Does then the brazen serpent save when crucified, and shall not the Son of God incarnate save when crucified also? On each occasion life comes by means of wood. For in the time of Noe the preservation of life was by an ark of wood. In the time of Moses the sea, on beholding the emblematical rod, was abashed at him who smote it; is then Moses’ rod mighty, and is the Cross of the Saviour powerless? But I pass by the greater part of the types, to keep within measure. The wood in Moses’ case sweetened the water; and from the side of Jesus the water flowed upon the wood.

21. The beginning of signs under Moses was blood and water; and the last of all Jesus’ signs was the same. First, Moses changed the river into blood; and Jesus at the last gave forth from His side water with blood. This was perhaps on account of the two speeches, his who judged Him, and theirs who cried out against Him; or because of the believers and the unbelievers. For Pilate said,  I am innocent and washed his hands in water; they who cried out against Him said,  His blood be upon us  92  Matt. xxvii. 24, 25. : there came therefore these two out of His side; the water, perhaps, for him who judged Him; but for them that shouted against Him the blood. And again it is to be understood in another way; the blood for the Jews, and the water for the Christians: for upon them as plotters came the condemnation from the blood; but to thee who now believest, the salvation which is by water. For nothing has been done without a meaning. Our fathers who have written comments have given another reason of this matter. For since in the Gospels the power of salutary Baptism is twofold, one which is granted by means of water to the illuminated, and a second to holy martyrs, in persecutions, through their own blood, there came out of that saving Side blood and water  93  John xix. 34. Cf. Cat. iii. 10. Origen (In Lib. Judic. Hom. vii. § 2): “It is the Baptism of blood alone that can render us purer than the Baptism of water has done.” Cf. Origen (in Ev. Matt. Tom. xvi. 6): “If Baptism promises remission of sins, as we have received concerning Baptism in water and the Spirit, and if one who has endured the Baptism of Martyrdom receives remission of sins, then with good reason martyrdom may be called a Baptism.” For a summary of the “Patristic Interpretation” of the passage, see Bp. Westcott, Speaker’s Commentary.) , to confirm the grace of the confession made for Christ, whether in baptism, or on occasions of martyrdom. There is another reason also for mentioning the Side. The woman, who was formed from the side, led the way to sin; but Jesus who came to bestow the grace of pardon on men and women alike, was pierced in the side for women, that He might undo the sin.

22. And whoever will inquire, will find other reasons also; but what has been said is enough, because of the shortness of the time, and that the attention of my hearers may not become sated. And yet we never can be tired of hearing concerning the crowning of our Lord, and least of all in this most holy Golgotha. For others only hear, but we both see and handle. Let none be weary; take thine armour against the adversaries in the cause of the Cross itself; set up the faith of the Cross as a trophy against the gainsayers. For when thou art going to dispute with unbelievers concerning the Cross of Christ, first make with thy hand the sign of Christ’s Cross, and the gainsayer will be silenced. Be not ashamed to confess the Cross; for Angels glory in it, saying,  We know whom ye seek, Jesus the Crucified  94  Matt. xxviii. 5. . Mightest thou not say, O Angel, “I know whom ye seek, my Master?” But, “I,” he says with boldness, “I know the Crucified.” For the Cross is a Crown, not a dishonour.

23. Now let us recur to the proof out of the Prophets which I spoke of. The Lord was crucified; thou hast received the testimonies. Thou seest this spot of Golgotha! Thou answerest with a shout of praise, as if assenting. See that thou recant not in time of persecution. Rejoice not in the Cross in time of peace only, but hold fast the same faith in time of persecution also; be not in time of peace a friend of Jesus, and His foe in time of wars. Thou receivest now remission of thy sins, and the gifts of the King’s spiritual bounty; when war shall come, strive thou nobly for thy King. Jesus, the Sinless, was crucified for thee; and wilt not thou be crucified for Him who was crucified for thee? Thou art not bestowing a favour, for thou hast first received; but thou art returning a favour, repaying thy debt to Him who was crucified for thee in Golgotha. Now Golgotha is interpreted, “the place of a skull.” Who were they then, who prophetically named this spot Golgotha, in which Christ the true Head endured the Cross? As the Apostle says,  Who is the Image of the Invisible God; and a little after,  and He is the Head of the body, the Church  95  Col. i. 15, 18. . And again,  The Head of every man is Christ  96  1 Cor. xi. 3. ; and again,  Who is the Head of all principality and power  97  Col. ii. 10. . The Head suffered in “the place of the skull.” O wondrous prophetic appellation! The very name also reminds thee, saying, “Think not of the Crucified as of a mere man; He is  the Head of all principality and power . That Head which was crucified is the Head of all power, and has for His Head the Father;  for the Head of the man is Christ, and the Head of Christ is God  98  1 Cor. xi. 3. .”

24. Christ then was crucified for us, who was judged in the night, when it was cold, and therefore a  fire of coals  99  John xviii. 18. was laid. He was crucified at the third hour;  and from the sixth  hour there was darkness until the ninth hour  100  Matt. xxvii. 45. ; but from the ninth hour there was light again. Are these things also written? Let us inquire. Now the Prophet Zacharias says,  And it shall come to pass in that day, that there shall not be light, and there shall be cold and frost one day; (the cold on account of which Peter warmed himself;)  And that day shall be known unto the Lord  101  Zech. xiv. 6, 7. ; (what, knew He not the other days? days are many, but  this is the day of the Lord’s patience,  which the Lord made  102  Ps. cxviii. 24. ;)—  And that day shall be known unto the Lord, not day, and not night: what is this dark saying which the Prophet speaks? That day is neither day nor night? what then shall we name it? The Gospel interprets it, by relating the event. It was not day; for the sun shone not uniformly from his rising to his setting, but from the sixth hour till the ninth hour, there was darkness at mid-day. The darkness therefore was interposed; but  God called the darkness night  103  Gen. i. 5. . Wherefore it was neither day nor night: for neither was it all light, that it should be called day; nor was it all darkness, that it should be called night; but after the ninth hour the sun shone forth. This also the Prophet foretels; for after saying,  Not day, nor night, he added,  And at evening time it shall be light  104  Zech. xiv. 7. Cf. Euseb. (Dem. Evang. x. 7): “It was not day, because of the noon-tide darkness: and again it was not night, because of the day which followed upon it, which he represented by a sign in saying, at evening time there shall be light. . Seest thou the exactness of the prophets? Seest thou the truth of the things which were written aforetime?

25. But dost thou ask exactly at what hour the sun failed  105  ἐξέλιπεν. See Cat. x. 19, note 2. Acta Pilati. c. xi. ? was it the fifth hour, or the eighth, or the tenth? Tell, O Prophet, the exact time thereof to the Jews, who are unwilling to hear; when shall the sun go down? The Prophet Amos answers,  And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord God, that the sun shall go down at noon (for there was darkness from the sixth hour;)  and the light shall grow dark over the earth in the day  106  Amos viii. 9. Cf. Euseb. (Dem. Ev. x. 6). .” What sort of season is this, O Prophet, and what sort of day?  And I will turn your feasts into mourning ; for this was done in the days of unleavened bread, and at the feast of the Passover: then afterwards he says,  And I will make Him as the mourning of an Only Son, and those with Him as a day of anguish  107  Amos viii. 10. ; for in the day of unleavened bread, and at the feast, their women were wailing and weeping, and the Apostles had hidden themselves and were in anguish. Wonderful then is this prophecy.

26. But, some one will say, “Give me yet another sign; what other exact sign is there of that which has come to pass? Jesus was crucified; and He wore but one coat, and one cloak: now His cloak the soldiers shared among themselves, having rent it into four; but His coat was not rent, for when rent it would have been no longer of any use; so about this lots are cast by the soldiers; thus the one they divide, but for the other they cast lots. Is then this also written? They know, the diligent chanters  108  Synod of Laodicea, Can. xvi. 15: “Besides the appointed singers, who mount the ambo and sing from the book, others shall not sing in the Church.” Hefele thinks that this was not intended to forbid the laity to take any part in the Church music, but only to forbid those who were not cantors to take the lead. See Bingham, Antiquities, III. c. 7; XIV. c. 1. of the Church, who imitate the Angel hosts, and continually sing praises to God: who are thought worthy to chant Psalms in this Golgotha, and to say,  They parted My garments among them, and upon My vesture they did cast lots  109  Ps. xxii. 18, quoted in John xix. 24. . The “lots” were what the soldiers cast  110  κλῆρος δὲ ἦν ὁ λαχμός. Bishop Hall, Contemplations, Book IV. 32, speaks of the soldiers’ “barbarous sortitions.” The technical term is “sortilege.” Cf. Evang. Pet. § 4; Justin M. Dial. 97. .

27. Again, when He had been judged before Pilate, He was clothed in red; for there they put on Him a purple robe. Is this also written? Esaias saith,  Who is this that cometh from Edom? the redness of His garments is from Bosor  111  Isa. lxiii. 1, 2. ; (who is this who in dishonor weareth purple? For Bosor has some such meaning in Hebrew  112  Bozrah means a “sheepfold,” and is the name of a city in Idumea. Cyril’s interpretation rests on a false derivation. .)  Why are Thy garments red, and Thy raiment as from a trodden wine-press? But He answers and says,  All day long have I stretched forth Mine hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people  113  Isa. lxv. 2. “It is a commonplace in patristic literature that the Crucifixion was prefigured by Isa. lxv. 2.” (Dr. C. Taylor, Hermas and the Four Gospels, p. 49.) Cf. Barnab. Epist. c. xii.; Didache xvi.; Justin M. (Apolog. I. c. 35; Tryph. cc. 97, 114); Tertull. (contra Jud. xii); Irenæ. IV. xxxiii. 12. .

28. He stretched out His hands on the Cross, that He might embrace the ends of the world; for this Golgotha is the very centre of the earth. It is not my word, but it is a prophet who hath said,  Thou hast wrought salvation in the midst of the earth  114  Ps. lxxiv. 12. The passage does not refer to Palestine especially: “in the midst of the earth” is equivalent to “in the sight of all nations.” Cf. Orac. Sibyll. viii. 302: “He shall spread out His hands, and span the whole world,” quoted by Dr. Taylor, “The Teaching,” p. 103. . He stretched forth human hands, who by His spiritual hands had established the heaven; and they were fastened with nails, that His manhood, which here the sins of men, having been nailed to the tree, and having died, sin might die with it, and we might rise again in righteousness.  For since by one man came death, by One  Man came also life  115  Rom. v. 12, 17. ; by One Man, the Saviour, dying of His own accord: for remember what He said,  I have power to  lay down My life, and I have power to take it again  116  John x. 18. .

29. But though He endured these things, having come for the salvation of all, yet the people returned Him an evil recompense. Jesus saith,  I thirst  117  Ib. ix. 28. ,—He who had brought forth the waters for them out of the craggy rock; and He asked fruit of the Vine which He had planted. But what does the Vine? This Vine, which was by nature of the holy fathers, but of Sodom by purpose of heart;—(for  their Vine is of Sodom, and their tendrils of Gomorrah  118  Deut. xxxii. 32. ;)—this Vine, when the Lord was athirst, having filled a sponge and put it on a reed, offers Him vinegar.  They gave Me also gall for My meat, and in My thirst, they gave Me vinegar to drink  119  Ps. lxix. 21. . Thou seest the clearness of the Prophets’ description. But what sort of gall put they into My mouth?  They gave Him, it says,  wine mingled with myrrh  120  Mark xv. 23. . Now myrrh is in taste like gall, and very bitter. Are these things what ye recompense unto the Lord? Are these thy offerings, O Vine, unto thy Master? Rightly did the Prophet Esaias aforetime bewail you, saying,  My well-beloved had a vineyard in a hill in a fruitful place; and (not to recite the whole)  I waited , he says,  that it should bring forth grapes ; I thirsted that it should give wine;  but it brought forth thorns  121  Isa. v. 1, 2. ; for thou seest the crown, wherewith I am adorned. What then shall I now decree? I will command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it  122  Ib. v. 6. Cf. Tertull. adv. Marcion. III. c. 23; contra Jud. c. 13: “The clouds being celestial benefits which were commanded not to be forthcoming to the house of Israel; for it ‘had borne thorns,’ whereof that house of Israel had wrought a crown for Christ.” Constitt. Apost. VI. § 5: “He has taken away from them the Holy Spirit and the prophetic rain, and has replenished His Church with spiritual grace.” . For the clouds which are the Prophets were removed from them, and are for the future in the Church; as Paul says,  Let the Prophets speak two or three, and let the others judge  123  1 Cor. xiv. 29. ; and again,  God gave in the Church, some, Apostles, and some, Prophets  124  Eph. iv. 11. . Agabus, who bound his own feet and hands, was a prophet.

30. Concerning the robbers who were crucified with Him, it is written,  And He was numbered with the transgressors  125  Isa. liii. 12. . Both of them were before this transgressors, but one was so no longer. For the one was a transgressor to the end, stubborn against salvation; who, though his hands were fastened, smote with blasphemy by his tongue. When the Jews passing by wagged their heads, mocking the Crucified, and fulfilling what was written,  When they looked on Me, they shaked their heads  126  Ps. cix. 25. , he also reviled with them. But the other rebused the reviler; and it was to him the end of life and the beginning of restoration; the surrender of his soul a first share in salvation. And after rebuking the other, he says,  Lord, remember me  127  Luke xxiii. 40. ff. ; for with Thee is my account. Heed not this man, for the eyes of his understanding are blinded; but remember me. I say not, remember my works, for of these I am afraid. Every man has a feeling for his fellow-traveller; I am travelling with Thee towards death; remember me, Thy fellow-wayfarer. I say not, Remember me now, but,  when Thou comest in Thy kingdom .

31. What power, O robber, led thee to the light? Who taught thee to worship that despised Man, thy companion on the Cross? O Light Eternal, which gives light to them that are in darkness! Therefore also he justly heard the words,  Be of good cheer  128  θάρσει. An addition to the text of Luke xxiii. 43 in Codex Bezae. ; not that thy deeds are worthy of good cheer; but that the King is here, dispensing favours. The request reached unto a distant time; but the grace was very speedy.  Verily I say unto thee, This day shalt thou be with Me in Paradise; because  to-day thou hast  heard My voice, and hast not  hardened thine heart  129  Ps. xcv. 7, 8. . Very speedily I passed sentence upon Adam, very speedily I pardon thee. To him it was said,  In the day wherein ye eat, ye shall surely die  130  Gen. ii. 17. ; but thou to-day hast obeyed the faith, to-day is thy salvation. Adam by the Tree fell away; thou by the Tree art brought into Paradise. Fear not the serpent; he shall not cast thee out; for he is  fallen from heaven  131  Luke x. 18. . And I say not unto thee, This day shalt thou depart, but,  This day shalt thou be with Me . Be of good courage: thou shalt not be cast out. Fear not the flaming sword; it shrinks from its Lord  132  Gen. iii. 24. S. Ambrose (Ps. cxix. Serm. xx. § 12): “All who desire to return to Paradise must be tried by fire: for not in vain the Scripture saith that when Adam and Eve were driven out of their abode in Paradise, God placed at the gate of Eden a flaming sword which turned every way.” . O mighty and ineffable grace! The faithful Abraham had not yet entered, but the robber enters  133  Cf. Iren. V. c. 5, § 1; Athan. (Expos. Fid. c. i.): “He shewed us.…an entrance into Paradise from which Adam was cast out, and into which he entered again by means of the thief.” S. Leo (de Pass. Dom. Serm. II. c. 1): “Excedit humanam conditionem ista promissio: nec tam de ligno Crucis, quam de throno editur potestatis.” ! Moses and the Prophets had not yet entered, and the robber enters though a breaker of the law. Paul also wondered at this before thee, saying,  Where sin abounded, there grace did much more abound  134  Rom. v. 20. . They who had borne the heat of the day had not yet entered; and he of the eleventh hour entered. Let none murmur against the goodman of the house, for he says,  Friend, I do thee no wrong; is it not  lawful for Me to do what I will with Mine own  135  Matt. xx. 12 ff. ? The robber has a will to work righteousness, but death prevents him; I wait not exclusively for the work, but faith also I accept. I am come who  feed My sheep among the lilies  136  Cant. vi. 3. , I am come to feed them in the gardens. I have  found a  sheep that was lost  137  Luke xv. 5, 6. , but I lay it on My shoulders; for he believes, since he himself has said,  I have gone astray like a lost sheep  138  Ps. cxix. 176. ;  Lord, remember me when Thou comest in Thy kingdom. 

32. Of this garden I sang of old to My spouse in the Canticles, and spoke to her thus.  I am come into My garden, My sister, My spouse  139  Cant. v. 1. ; (  now in the place where He was crucified was a garden  140  John xix. 41. ;) and what takest Thou thence?  I have gathered My myrrh; having drunk wine mingled with myrrh, and vinegar, after receiving which, He said, It is finished  141  Ib. 30. . For the mystery has been fulfilled; the things that are written have been accomplished; sins are forgiven. For  Christ being come an High-Priest of the good things to come, by the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation, nor yet by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood, entered in once for all into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption; for if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer, sprinkling the defiled, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh, how much more the blood of Christ   142  Heb. ix. 11. ? And again,  Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which He hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, His flesh   143  Ib. x. 19. . And because His flesh, this veil, was dishonoured, therefore the typical veil of the temple was rent asunder, as it is written,  And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom  144  Matt. xxvii. 51. ; for not a particle of it was left; for since the Master said,  Behold, your house is left unto you desolate  145  Ib. xxiii. 38. , the house brake all in pieces.

33. These things the Saviour endured,  and made peace through the Blood of His Cross, for things in heaven, and things in earth  146  Col. i. 20. . For we were enemies of God through sin, and God had appointed the sinner to die. There must needs therefore have happened one of two things; either that God, in His truth, should destroy all men, or that in His loving-kindness He should cancel the sentence. But behold the wisdom of God; He preserved both the truth of His sentence, and the exercise of His loving-kindness. Christ took our sins in  His body on the tree, that we by His death might die to sin, and live unto righteousness  147  1 Pet. ii. 24. . Of no small account was He who died for us; He was not a literal sheep; He was not a mere man; He was more than an Angel; He was God made man. The transgression of sinners was not so great as the righteousness of Him who died for them; the sin which we committed was not so great as the righteousness which He wrought who laid down His life for us,—who laid it down when He pleased, and took it again when He pleased. And wouldest thou know that He laid not down His life by violence, nor yielded up the ghost against His will? He cried to the Father, saying,  Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit  148  Luke xxiii. 46. ; I commend it, that I may take it again. And having said these things,  He gave up the ghost  149  Matt. xxvii. 50. ; but not for any long time, for He quickly rose again from the dead.

34. The Sun was darkened, because of  the Sun of Righteousness  150  Mal. iv. 2. . Rocks were rent, because of the spiritual Rock. Tombs were opened, and the dead arose, because of Him who was  free among the dead  151  Ps. lxxxviii. 5. ;  He sent forth His prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water  152  Zech. ix. 11. . Be not then ashamed of the Crucified, but be thou also bold to say,  He beareth our sins, and endureth grief for us, and with His stripes we are healed  153  Isa. liii. 4, 5. . Let us not be unthankful to our Benefactor. And again;  for the transgression of my people was He led to death; and I will give the wicked for His burial, and the rich for His death  154  Ib. vv. 8, 9. . Therefore Paul says plainly,  that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He hath risen again the third day according to the Scriptures   155  1 Cor. xv. 3, 4. .

35. But we seek to know clearly where He has been buried. Is His tomb made with hands? Is it, like the tombs of kings, raised above the ground? Is the Sepulchre made of stones joined together? And what is laid upon it? Tell us, O Prophets, the exact truth concerning His tomb also, where He is laid, and where we shall seek Him? And they say,  Look into the solid rock which ye have hewn  156  Isa. li. 1. .  Look in and behold. Thou hast in the Gospels  In a sepulchre hewn in stone, which was hewn out of a rock  157  Matt. xxvii. 60; Mark xv. 46; Luke xxiii. 50. . And what happens next? What kind of door has the sepulchre? Again another Prophet says,  They cut off My life in a dungeon  158  Lam. iii. 53: ἐν λάκκῳ, “in a pit,” or “well.” Cf. Jer. xxxvii. 16. ,  and cast a stone upon Me. I, who am the  Chief corner-stone, the elect, the precious  159  1 Pet. ii. 6. , lie for a little time within a stone—I who am a stone of stumbling to the Jews, and of salvation to them who believe.  The Tree of life  160  Gen. ii. 9; iii. 22. Methodius (Sympos. ix. c. 3): “He that hath not believed in Christ, nor hath understood that He is the first principle and the Tree of Life, &c.” , therefore was planted in the earth, that the earth which had been cursed might enjoy the blessing, and that the dead might be released.

36. Let us not then be ashamed to confess the Crucified. Be the Cross our seal made with boldness by our fingers on our brow, and on everything; over the bread we eat, and the cups we drink; in our comings in, and goings out; before our sleep, when we lie down and when we rise up; when we are in the way, and when we are still  161  Cf. Cat. iv. 14, note 3; Euseb. (Dem. Ev. ix. 14). . Great is that preservative; it is without price, for the sake of the poor; without toil, for the sick; since also its grace is from God. It is the Sign of the faithful, and the dread of devils: for He  triumphed over them in it, having made a shew of them openly  162  Col. ii. 15. ; for when they see the Cross they are reminded of the Crucified; they are afraid of Him, who  bruised the heads of the dragon  163  Ps. lxxiv. 13. . Despise not the Seal, because of the freeness of the gift; out for this the rather honour thy Benefactor.

37. And if thou ever fall into disputation and hast not the grounds of proof, yet let Faith remain firm in thee; or rather, become thou well learned, and then silence the Jews out of the prophets, and the Greeks out of their own fables. They themselves worship men who have been thunderstricken  164  See Cat. vi. 11, note 2. : but the thunder when it comes from heaven, comes not at random. If they are not ashamed to worship men thunderstricken and abhorred of God, art thou ashamed to worship the beloved Son of God, who was crucified for thee? I am ashamed to tell the tales about their so-called Gods, and I leave them because of time; let those who know, speak. And let all heretics also be silenced. If any say that the Cross is an illusion, turn away from him. Abhor those who say that Christ was crucified to our fancy  165  κατὰ φαντασίαν. Cf. Ignat. Trall. 9, 10; Cat. iv. 9; xiii. 4. only; for if so, and if salvation is from the Cross, then is salvation a fancy also. If the Cross is fancy, the Resurrection is fancy also; but  if Christ be not risen, we are yet in our sins  166  1 Cor. xv. 17. . If the Cross is fancy, the Ascension also is fancy; and if the Ascension is fancy, then is the second coming also fancy, and everything is henceforth unsubstantial.

38. Take therefore first, as an indestructible foundation, the Cross, and build upon it the other articles of the faith. Deny not the Crucified; for, if thou deny Him, thou hast many to arraign thee. Judas the traitor will arraign thee first; for he who betrayed Him knows that He was condemned to death by the chief-priests and elders. The thirty pieces of silver bear witness; Gethsemane bears witness, where the betrayal occurred; I speak not yet of the Mount of Olives, on which they were with Him at night, praying. The moon in the night bears witness; the day bears witness, and the sun which was darkened; for it endured not to look on the crime of the conspirators. The fire will arraign thee, by which Peter stood and warmed himself; if thou deny the Cross, the eternal fire awaits thee. I speak hard words, that thou may not experience hard pains. Remember the swords that came against Him in Gethsemane, that thou feel not the eternal sword. The house of Caiaphas  167  The house of Caiaphas and Pilate’s Prætorium (§ 41), and Mount Zion itself (Cat. xvi. 18), on which they both stood are described by Cyril as being in his time ruined and desolate. Eusebius (Dem. Ev. VIII. 406), referring to the prophecy of Micah (iii. 12), repeated by Jeremiah (xxvi. 18), that Zion shall be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, testifies that he had seen with his own eyes the place being ploughed and sown by strangers, and adds that in his own time the stones for both public and private buildings were taken from the ruins. The Bordeaux Pilgrim (333 a.d.) says, “It is evident where the house of Caiaphas the Priest was; and there is still the pillar at which Christ was scourged:” this pillar is described by Jerome (Ep. 86) as supporting the portico of the Church which by his time had been built on the spot. Prudentius circ. 400 a.d.):— “Impia blasphemi cecidit domus alta Caiphae.… Vinctus in his Dominus stetit ædibus atque columnae Annexus tergum dedit ut servile flagellis. Perstat adhuc, templumque gerit veneranda columna.” (Benedictine Editor.) will arraign thee, shewing by its present desolation the power of Him who was erewhile judged there. Yea, Caiaphas himself will rise up against thee in the day of judgment, the very servant will rise up against thee, who smote Jesus with the palm of his hand; they also who bound Him, and they who led Him away. Even Herod shall rise up against thee; and Pilate; as if saying, Why deniest thou Him who was slandered before us by the Jews, and whom we knew to have done no wrong? For I Pilate then washed my hands. The false witnesses shall rise up against thee, and the soldiers who arrayed Him in the purple robe, and set on Him the crown of thorns, and crucified Him in Golgotha, and cast lots for His coat. Simon the Cyrenian will cry out upon thee, who bore the Cross after Jesus.

39. From among the stars there will cry out upon thee, the darkened Sun; among the things upon earth, the Wine mingled with myrrh; among reeds, the Reed; among herbs, the Hyssop; among the things of the sea, the Sponge; among trees, the Wood of the Cross;—the soldiers, too, as I have said, who nailed Him, and cast lots for His vesture; the soldier who pierced His side with the spear; the women who then were present; the veil of the temple then rent asunder; the hall of Pilate, now laid waste by the power of Him who was then crucified; this holy Golgotha, which stands high above us, and shews itself to this day, and displays even yet how because of Christ the rocks were then riven  168  Cf. Lucian. Antioch. ap. Rufin. Hist. Eccl. ix. c. 6; “Golothana rupes sub patibuli onere disrupta.” ; the sepulchre nigh at hand where He was laid; and the stone which was laid on the door, which lies to this day by the tomb; the Angels who were then present; the women who worshipped Him after His resurrection; Peter and John, who ran to the sepulchre; and Thomas, who thrust his hand into His side, and his fingers into the prints of the nails. For it was for our sakes that he so carefully handled Him; and what thou, who wert not there present, wouldest have sought, he being present, by God’s Providence, did seek.

40. Thou hast Twelve Apostles, witnesses of the Cross; and the whole earth, and the world of men who believe on Him who hung thereon. Let thy very presence here now persuade thee of the power of the Crucified. For who now brought thee to this assembly? what soldiers? With what bonds wast thou constrained? What sentence held thee fast here now? Nay, it was the Trophy of salvation, the Cross of Jesus that brought you all together. It was this that enslaved the Persians, and tamed the Scythians; this that gave to the Egyptians, for cats and dogs and their manifold errors, the knowledge of God; this, that to this day heals diseases; that to this day drives away devils, and overthrows the juggleries of drugs and charms.

41. This shall appear again with Jesus from heaven  169  Cf. Cat. xv. 22. ; for the trophy shall precede the king: that seeing  Him whom they pierced  170  Zech. xii. 10. , and knowing by the Cross Him who was dishonoured, the Jews may repent and mourn; (but  they shall mourn tribe by tribe  171  Ib. v. 12. , for they shall repent, when there shall be no more time for repentance;) and that we may glory, exulting in the Cross, worshipping the Lord who was sent, and crucified for us, and worshipping also God His Father who sent Him, with the Holy Ghost: To whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

[13]  Κατήχησις τρισκαιδεκάτη φωτιζομένων, ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις σχεδιασθεῖσα, εἰς τὸ τὸν σταυρωθέντα καὶ ταφέντα. καὶ ἀνάγνωσις ἐκ τοῦ Ἡσαΐου: κύριε, τίς ἐπίστευσε τῇ ἀκοῇ ἡμῶν; καὶ ὁ βραχίων κυρίου τίνι ἀπεκαλύφθη; καὶ ἑξῆς: ὡς πρόβατον ἐπὶ σφαγὴν ἤχθη. καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. 

Καύχημα μὲν τῆς καθολικῆς ἐκκλησίας καὶ πᾶσα πρᾶξις Ἰησοῦ, καύχημα δὲ καυχημάτων ὁ σταυρός. καὶ τοῦτο γινώσκων ὁ Παῦλός φησιν: ἐμοὶ δὲ μὴ γένοιτο καυχᾶσθαι εἰ μὴ ἐν τῷ σταυρῷ τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ. θαυμαστὸν μὲν γὰρ ἦν τὸ καὶ τυφλὸν ἐκ γενετῆς ἐν τῷ Σιλωὰμ ἀναβλέψαι: ἀλλὰ τί πρὸς τοὺς τυφλοὺς τῆς οἰκουμένης; μέγα μὲν καὶ ὑπὲρ φύσιν τὸ τὸν Λάζαρον τετραήμερον ἀναστῆναι: ἀλλὰ μέχρις ἐκείνου μόνου ἦν ἡ χάρις. τί δὲ πρὸς τοὺς ἐν τῇ οἰκουμένῃ ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις νενεκρωμένους; θαυμαστὸν τὸ πηγάσαι τροφὴν πέντε ἄρτους εἰς τοὺς πεντακισχιλίους: ἀλλὰ τί πρὸς τοὺς λιμώσσοντας ἐν ἀγνωσίᾳ κατὰ πᾶσαν τὴν οἰκουμένην; θαυμαστὸν τὸ λυθῆναι τὴν δέκα καὶ ὀκτὼ ἔτη δεδεμένην ὑπὸ τοῦ σατανᾶ: ἀλλὰ τί πρὸς ἡμᾶς πάντας τοὺς ταῖς σειραῖς τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ἡμῶν καταδεδεμένους; ὁ δὲ τοῦ σταυροῦ στέφανος ἐφωταγώγησε μὲν τοὺς ἐν ἀγνωσίᾳ τυφλούς, ἔλυσε δὲ πάντας τοὺς ὑπὸ τῆς ἁμαρτίας κατεχομένους καὶ κόσμον ὅλον ἀνθρώπων ἐλυτρώσατο.

Καὶ μὴ θαυμάσῃς εἰ κόσμος ὅλος ἐλυτρώθη. οὐ γὰρ ἦν ἄνθρωπος ψιλός, ἀλλὰ υἱὸς θεοῦ μονογενής, ὁ ὑπεραποθνήσκων. καίτοιγε ἴσχυσεν ἑνὸς ἀνδρὸς τοῦ Ἀδὰμ ἡ ἁμαρτία θάνατον ἐνέγκαι τῷ κόσμῳ. εἰ δὲ τῷ παραπτώματι τοῦ ἑνὸς θάνατος ἐβασίλευσεν εἰς τὸν κόσμον, πῶς οὐχὶ μᾶλλον τῇ δικαιοσύνῃ τοῦ ἑνὸς ἡ ζωὴ βασιλεύσει; καὶ εἰ τότε διὰ τὸ ξύλον τῆς βρώσεως ἐξεβλήθησαν ἐκ παραδείσου, ἆρα διὰ τὸ ξύλον Ἰησοῦ νῦν εὐκοπώτερον οἱ πιστεύοντες εἰς παράδεισον οὐκ εἰσελεύσονται; εἰ ὁ πρωτόπλαστος ἀπὸ γῆς ἤνεγκεν οἰκουμενικὸν θάνατον, ὁ πλάσας αὐτὸν ἀπὸ γῆς ἄρα οὐ φέρει ζωὴν αἰώνιον αὐτὸς ὢν ἡ ζωή; εἰ Φινεὲς ζηλώσας καὶ ἀνελὼν τὸν αἰσχροποιὸν κατέπαυσε τοῦ θεοῦ τὴν ὀργήν, Ἰησοῦς οὐκ ἄλλον ἀνελών, ἀλλ' ἑαυτὸν ἀντίλυτρον παραδούς, ἆρα τὴν ὀργὴν οὐ λύει τὴν κατὰ τῶν ἀνθρώπων;

Μὴ τοίνυν ἐπαισχυνώμεθα τῷ σταυρῷ τοῦ σωτῆρος, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον ἐγκαυχώμεθα. ὁ γὰρ λόγος τοῦ σταυροῦ Ἰουδαίοις μέν ἐστι σκάνδαλον, ἔθνεσι δὲ μωρία, ἡμῖν δὲ σωτηρία. καὶ τοῖς μὲν ἀπολλυμένοις μωρία ἐστί, τοῖς δὲ σωζομένοις ἡμῖν δύναμις θεοῦ ἐστιν. οὐ γὰρ ἦν ψιλὸς ἄνθρωπος, καθὼς εἴρηται, ὁ ὑπεραποθνήσκων, ἀλλὰ υἱὸς θεοῦ, θεὸς ἐνανθρωπήσας. εἶτα τὸ μὲν ἐπὶ Μωσέως πρόβατον μακρὰν ἀπήλασε τὸν ὀλεθρεύοντα, τὸ δὲ τοῦ θεοῦ πρόβατον τὸ αἶρον τὴν ἁμαρτίαν τοῦ κόσμου πολὺ μᾶλλον οὐκ ἠλευθέρου τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν; ἀλλὰ τὸ μὲν αἷμα τοῦ ἀλόγου προβάτου τὴν σωτηρίαν παρεῖχε, τὸ δὲ τοῦ μονογενοῦς πολὺ μᾶλλον οὐ σώζει; εἴ τις ἀπιστεῖ τῇ δυνάμει τοῦ σταυρωθέντος, ἐξεταζέτω τοὺς δαίμονας. εἴ τις οὐ πιστεύει τοῖς λόγοις, πιστευέτω τοῖς φαινομένοις. πολλοὶ κατὰ τὴν οἰκουμένην ἐσταυρώθησαν, ἀλλ' οὐδένα πτήσσουσιν οἱ δαίμονες. [τοῦ δὲ ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν σταυρωθέντος Χριστοῦ καὶ τὸ σημεῖον ἰδόντες μόνον τοῦ σταυροῦ πτήσσουσιν οἱ δαίμονες,] ἐπειδὴ οἱ μὲν δι' οἰκείας ἁμαρτίας ἀπέθανον, ὁ δὲ ὑπὲρ ἁμαρτιῶν ἀλλοτρίων. ἁμαρτίαν γὰρ οὐκ ἐποίησεν, οὐδὲ εὑρέθη δόλος ἐν τῷ στόματι αὐτοῦ. οὐ Πέτρος ἦν ὁ τοῦτο λέγων, ἐπεὶ ἂν ὑπωπτεύθη χαρίζεσθαι τῷ διδασκάλῳ, ἀλλ' Ἡσαΐας ἐστὶν ὁ λέγων, ὁ σαρκὶ μὲν μὴ συμπαρών, πνεύματι δὲ τὴν ἔνσαρκον ἐπιδημίαν προθεωρήσας. καὶ τί μοι μάρτυρα νῦν φέρειν μόνον προφήτην; λάμβανε μάρτυρα Πιλάτον αὐτὸν τὸν καταδικάσαντα λέγοντα: οὐδὲν αἴτιον εὑρίσκω ἐν τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ τούτῳ. διδοὺς δὲ τοῦτον ἔκδοτον ἀπονιψάμενός τε τὰς χεῖρας, ἀθῶος, φησίν, εἰμὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ αἵματος τοῦ δικαίου τούτου. ἔστι καὶ ἄλλος μάρτυς τῆς ἀναμαρτησίας τοῦ Ἰησοῦ, ὁ πρωτοστάτης τοῦ παραδείσου λῃστής, ἐπιτιμῶν τῷ πλησίον καὶ λέγων: ἡμεῖς ἄξια ὧν ἐπράξαμεν ἀπολαμβάνομεν, οὗτος δὲ οὐδὲν κακὸν ἐποίησε: παρῆμεν γὰρ ἐγώ τε καὶ σὺ τῇ κρίσει.

Ἔπαθεν οὖν Ἰησοῦς κατὰ ἀλήθειαν ὑπὲρ πάντων ἀνθρώπων. οὐ γὰρ δόκησις ὁ σταυρός, ἐπεὶ δόκησις καὶ ἡ λύτρωσις. οὐ φαντασιώδης ὁ θάνατος, ἐπεὶ καὶ μυθώδης ἡ σωτηρία. εἰ φαντασιώδης ὁ θάνατος, ἀληθεῖς οἱ λέγοντες: ἐμνήσθημεν ὅτι ἐκεῖνος ὁ πλάνος ἔλεγεν ἔτι ζῶν: μετὰ τρεῖς ἡμέρας ἐγείρομαι. τὸ μὲν οὖν πάθος ἀληθές, ἀληθῶς γὰρ ἐσταυρώθη, καὶ οὐκ ἐπαισχυνόμεθα. ἐσταυρώθη, καὶ οὐκ ἀρνούμεθα, ἀλλὰ μᾶλλον καυχῶμαι λέγων. κἂν γὰρ ἀρνήσωμαι νῦν, ἐλέγχει με οὗτος ὁ Γολγοθᾶς, οὗ πλησίον νῦν πάντες πάρεσμεν. ἐλέγχει με τοῦ σταυροῦ τὸ ξύλον τὸ κατὰ μικρὸν ἐντεῦθεν πάσῃ τῇ οἰκουμένῃ λοιπὸν διαδοθέν.

Ὁμολογῶ τὸν σταυρόν, ἐπειδὴ οἶδα τὴν ἀνάστασιν. εἰ γὰρ σταυρωθεὶς ἀπέμεινεν, οὐκ ἂν ἴσως ὡμολόγησα, συνέκρυψα γὰρ ἂν τάχα τῷ ἐμῷ διδασκάλῳ. ἀναστάσεως δὲ τὸν σταυρὸν διαδεξαμένης οὐκ ἐπαισχύνομαι διηγούμενος.

Πᾶσι μὲν οὖν ὁμοίως ἔνσαρκος ὢν ἐσταυρώθη, ἀλλ' οὐ διὰ τὰς ὁμοίας ἁμαρτίας. οὐ γὰρ διὰ φιλοχρηματίαν ἤχθη εἰς θάνατον: ἀκτημοσύνης γὰρ ἦν διδάσκαλος: οὐδὲ δι' ἐπιθυμίαν κατεδικάσθη: αὐτὸς γὰρ λέγει σαφῶς: ὃς ἐὰν ἐμβλέψῃ γυναικὶ πρὸς τὸ ἐπιθυμῆσαι, ἤδη ἐμοίχευσεν αὐτήν. οὐ κατὰ προπέτειαν πλήξας ἢ τύψας: ἔστρεφε γὰρ καὶ τὴν ἄλλην σιαγόνα τῷ τύπτοντι. οὐ τοῦ νόμου καταφρονήσας: ἦν γὰρ τοῦ νόμου πληρωτής. οὐ προφήτην λοιδορήσας: αὐτὸς γὰρ ἦν ὁ ὑπὸ τῶν προφητῶν κηρυσσόμενος. οὐκ ἀποστερήσας μισθόν: ἀμισθὶ γὰρ καὶ δωρεὰν ἐθεράπευεν. οὐ λόγοις ἁμαρτών, οὐ πράξεσιν, οὐκ ἐνθυμήσεσιν: ὃς ἁμαρτίαν οὐκ ἐποίησεν, οὐδὲ εὑρέθη δόλος ἐν τῷ στόματι αὐτοῦ, ὃς λοιδορούμενος οὐκ ἀντελοιδόρει, πάσχων οὐκ ἠπείλει, ὁ ἐλθὼν ἐπὶ τὸ πάθος οὐκ ἄκων, ἀλλ' ἑκών. κἄν τις παραιτούμενος εἴπῃ καὶ νῦν: ἵλεώς σοι, κύριε: λέξει πάλιν: ὕπαγε ὀπίσω μου, σατανᾶ.

Καὶ θέλεις γε πεισθῆναι, ὅτι ἑκὼν ἦλθεν ἐπὶ τὸ πάθος; οἱ λοιποὶ μὲν ἄκοντες ἀποθνήσκουσιν οἱ ἀγνοοῦντες, οὗτος δὲ προέλεγε περὶ τοῦ πάθους: ἰδοὺ παραδίδοται ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου εἰς τὸ σταυρωθῆναι. οἶδας δὲ διὰ τί τὸν θάνατον οὐκ ἔφυγεν ὁ φιλάνθρωπος; ἵνα μὴ ὅλος ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις ἀπόληται ὁ κόσμος. ἰδοὺ ἀναβαίνομεν εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα, καὶ παραδοθήσεται ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου καὶ σταυρωθήσεται. καὶ πάλιν: ἐστήριξε τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ εἰς Ἱερουσαλὴμ πορεύεσθαι.

Καὶ θέλεις γνῶναι σαφῶς, ὅτι δόξα ἐστὶ τῷ Ἰησοῦ ὁ σταυρός; αὐτοῦ ἄκουε λέγοντος καὶ μὴ ἐμοῦ. προεδίδου ὁ Ἰούδας ἀγνώμων γενόμενος πρὸς τὸν οἰκοδεσπότην. ἀρτίως ἐξελθὼν ἀπὸ τραπέζης καὶ ποτήριον εὐλογίας πιὼν ἀντὶ πόματος σωτηρίας αἷμα δίκαιον ἐκχέαι ἤθελεν. ὁ ἐσθίων ἄρτους αὐτοῦ ἐμεγάλυνεν ἐπ' αὐτὸν πτερνισμόν. ἀρτίως αἱ χεῖρες τὰς εὐλογίας ἐδέχοντο καὶ ἀρτίως διὰ τὸ ἀργύριον τῆς προδοσίας τὸν θάνατον κατεσκεύαζε. καὶ ἐλεγχθεὶς καὶ ἀκούσας τὸ σὺ εἶπας, πάλιν ἐξῆλθεν. εἶτα ἔλεγεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς: ἐλήλυθεν ἡ ὥρα, ἵνα δοξασθῇ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου. βλέπεις πῶς δόξαν οἰκείαν οἶδε τὸν σταυρόν; εἶτα Ἡσαΐας μὲν πρισθεὶς οὐκ αἰσχύνεται, Χριστὸς δὲ ὑπὲρ κόσμου τελευτῶν αἰσχυνθήσεται; « νῦν ἐδοξάσθη ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου. » οὐχ ὅτι πρότερον οὐκ εἶχε τὴν δόξαν: δεδοξασμένος γὰρ ἦν τῇ δόξῃ τῇ πρὸ καταβολῆς κόσμου: ἀλλ' ἐδοξάζετο μὲν ὡς θεὸς ἀεί, νῦν δὲ ἐδοξάζετο τῆς ὑπομονῆς φορέσας τὸν στέφανον. οὐκ ἀναγκαστῶς ἀφῆκε τὴν ζωήν, οὐδὲ βιοσφαγῶς ἀνῃρέθη, ἀλλ' ἑκουσίως. ἄκουε τί λέγει: ἐξουσίαν ἔχω θεῖναι τὴν ψυχήν μου, καὶ ἐξουσίαν ἔχω πάλιν λαβεῖν αὐτήν. βουλόμενος συγχωρῶ τοῖς ἐχθροῖς. εἰ γὰρ μὴ ἐβουλόμην, οὐκ ἐγίνετο. ἦλθε τοίνυν ἐκ προαιρέσεως ἐπὶ τὸ πάθος, χαίρων ἐπὶ τῷ κατορθώματι, μειδιῶν ἐπὶ τῷ στεφάνῳ, εὐφραινόμενος ἐπὶ τῇ τῶν ἀνθρώπων σωτηρίᾳ, οὐκ ἐπαισχυνόμενος τὸν σταυρόν: ἔσωζε γὰρ τὴν οἰκουμένην. οὐ γὰρ ἦν ἄνθρωπος εὐτελὴς ὁ πάσχων, ἀλλὰ θεὸς ἐνανθρωπήσας καὶ τὸν τῆς ὑπομονῆς ἀγωνιζόμενος ἆθλον.

Ἀλλ' ἀντιλέγουσιν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι οἱ πάντοτε εἰς ἀντίῤῥησιν ἕτοιμοι καὶ ὀκνηροὶ πρὸς πίστιν, ὡς διὰ τοῦτο λέγειν νῦν τὸν ἀναγνωσθέντα προφήτην: κύριε, τίς ἐπίστευσε τῇ ἀκοῇ ἡμῶν; Πέρσαι πιστεύουσι, καὶ Ἑβραῖοι οὐ πιστεύουσιν. ὄψονται οἷς οὐκ ἀνηγγέλη περὶ αὐτοῦ, καὶ οἳ οὐκ ἀκηκόασι συνήσουσι, καὶ οἱ μελετῶντες ἀθετήσουσιν ἃ μελετῶσιν. ἀντιφθέγγονται πρὸς ἡμᾶς, καὶ ταῦτα λέγουσι: κύριος ἄρα πάσχει; κατίσχυον γὰρ ἀνθρώπιναι χεῖρες τῆς κυριότητος; ἀνάγνωτε τοὺς θρήνους. θρηνῶν γὰρ ὑμᾶς ἐν θρήνοις τὰ ἄξια θρήνων ἔγραψεν Ἱερεμίας. εἶδεν ὑμῶν τὴν ἀπώλειαν, ἐθεώρησε τὴν ἀπόπτωσιν. ἐθρήνει τὴν Ἱερουσαλὴμ τὴν τότε: ἡ νῦν γὰρ οὐ θρηνηθήσεται. ἡ μὲν γὰρ ἐσταύρωσεν, ἡ δὲ νῦν προσκυνεῖ τὸν Χριστόν. θρηνῶν τοίνυν λέγει: πνεῦμα προσώπου ἡμῶν Χριστὸς κύριος συνελήφθη ἐν ταῖς διαφθοραῖς ἡμῶν. μὴ τοίνυν ἐγὼ εὑρεσιλογῶ; ἰδοὺ μαρτυρεῖ Χριστὸν κύριον ὑπὸ ἀνθρώπων συλλαμβανόμενον. καὶ τί τὸ ἀπὸ τούτου ἀποβησόμενον; εἰπέ μοι, ὦ προφῆτα. ὁ δέ φησιν: οὗ εἴπομεν ἐν τῇ σκιᾷ αὐτοῦ ζησόμεθα ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν. οὐκέτι γὰρ ἐν τῷ Ἰσραήλ, ἀλλ' ἐν τοῖς ἔθνεσιν ἐμπολιτεύεσθαι τῆς ζωῆς αἰνίσσεται τὴν χάριν.

Πολλῆς δὲ τῆς ἀντιῤῥήσεως ὑπ' αὐτῶν γινομένης, φέρε, ταῖς ὑμετέραις εὐχαῖς, καθὼς ἂν ἐνδιδῷ τὸ βραχὺ τῆς ὥρας, τῇ τοῦ κυρίου χάριτι περὶ τοῦ πάθους μαρτυρίας ὀλίγας παραθώμεθα. πάντα γάρ ἐστι τὰ περὶ Χριστοῦ ἔγγραφα, καὶ οὐδὲν ἀμφίβολον, οὐδὲν γὰρ ἀμάρτυρον. πάντα ἐν στήλαις προφητικαῖς ἀναγέγραπται, οὐκ ἐν πλαξὶ λιθίναις, ἀλλ' ἐκ πνεύματος ἁγίου γεγραμμένα σαφῶς.

Ἐπεὶ οὖν ἤκουσας τοῦ εὐαγγελίου τὰ περὶ τοῦ Ἰούδα λέγοντος, ἆρα οὐκ ὀφείλεις δέξασθαι τὴν μαρτυρίαν; ἤκουσας ὅτι ἐνύγη λόγχῃ τὴν πλευράν: οὐκ ὀφείλεις ἰδεῖν, εἰ καὶ τοῦτο γέγραπται; ἤκουσας ὅτι ἐν κήπῳ ἐσταυρώθη: οὐκ ὀφείλεις ἰδεῖν, εἰ καὶ τοῦτο γέγραπται; ἤκουσας ὅτι τριάκοντα ἀργυρίοις ἐπράθη: οὐκ ὀφείλεις μαθεῖν τὸν εἰπόντα τοῦτο προφήτην; ἤκουσας ὅτι ἐποτίσθη ὄξος: μάθε καὶ τοῦτο ποῦ γέγραπται. ἤκουσας ὅτι ἐν πέτρᾳ ἀπετέθη τὸ σῶμα καὶ λίθος ἐπετέθη: οὐκ ὀφείλεις λαβεῖν καὶ ταύτην ἐκ τοῦ προφήτου τὴν μαρτυρίαν; ἤκουσας ὅτι λῃσταῖς συνεσταυρώθη: οὐκ ὀφείλεις ἰδεῖν, εἰ καὶ τοῦτο γέγραπται; ἤκουσας ὅτι ἐτάφη: οὐκ ὀφείλεις ἰδεῖν, εἰ ἀσφαλῶς που τὰ περὶ ταφῆς ἀναγέγραπται; ἤκουσας ὅτι ἀνέστη: οὐκ ὀφείλεις ἰδεῖν μὴ παίζομέν σε ταῦτα διδάσκοντες; ὁ γὰρ λόγος ἡμῶν καὶ τὸ κήρυγμα ἡμῶν οὐκ ἐν πειθοῖς ἀνθρωπίνης σοφίας λόγοις. οὐ σοφιστικαὶ κατασκευαὶ κινοῦνται νῦν: ἐπεὶ διαλύονται. οὐ λόγοι λόγους νικῶσιν: ἐπεὶ παραλύονται. ἀλλὰ κηρύσσομεν Χριστὸν ἐσταυρωμένον, ἐκ προφητῶν ἤδη τούτου προκηρυχθέντος. σὺ δέ μοι δεξάμενος τὰς μαρτυρίας ἐνσφράγισαι τῇ καρδίᾳ ταύτας.

Πολλῶν δὲ οὐσῶν καὶ τοῦ χρόνου λοιπὸν τῆς ὥρας εἰς ὀλίγον περιγραφομένου ὀλίγας, ὡς ἐγχωρεῖ, τὰς κυριωτέρας ἄκουσον νῦν. λαβὼν δὲ τὰς ἀφορμὰς γενοῦ φιλόπονος καὶ ἐκζήτησον τὰς λειπούσας. μὴ γὰρ ἔστω σοι ἡ χεὶρ μόνον ἐκτεταμένη εἰς τὸ λαβεῖν, ἀλλὰ καὶ εἰς τὸ ἐργάζεσθαι ἕτοιμος. πάντα θεὸς χαρίζεται. εἰ γάρ τις ὑμῶν λείπεται σοφίας, αἰτείτω παρὰ τοῦ διδόντος θεοῦ καὶ λήψεται. ὃς ταῖς ὑμετέραις εὐχαῖς καὶ ἡμῖν παράσχοιτο τοῖς λέγουσι τὸ εἰπεῖν, καὶ ὑμῖν τοῖς ἀκούουσι τὸ πιστεῦσαι.

Ζητείσθωσαν τοίνυν ἡμῖν αἱ περὶ τοῦ πάθους τοῦ Χριστοῦ μαρτυρίαι. συνεληλύθαμεν γὰρ οὐ γραφῶν ἐξήγησιν θεωρητικὴν ποιήσασθαι νῦν, ἀλλὰ πιστοποιηθῆναι μᾶλλον περὶ ὧν πεπιστεύκαμεν. τῆς μὲν οὖν παρουσίας Ἰησοῦ πρῶτον ἐδέξω τὰς μαρτυρίας. καὶ ὅτι ἐπὶ θαλάσσης περιεπάτησεν (ἐν γὰρ θαλάσσῃ ἡ ὁδός σου, γέγραπται), καὶ περὶ διαφόρων ἰάσεων μαρτυρίαν ἔλαβες ἄλλοτε. ἄρχομαι τοίνυν ὅθεν τὸ πάθος ἤρξατο. Ἰούδας ἦν ὁ προδότης, καὶ ἐλθὼν ἐξ ἐναντίας καὶ στάς, εἰρηνικὰ λέγων καὶ πολεμικὰ κατασκευάζων. λέγει οὖν περὶ τούτου ὁ ψαλμῳδός: οἱ φίλοι μου καὶ οἱ πλησίον μου ἐξ ἐναντίας μου ἤγγισαν καὶ ἔστησαν. καὶ πάλιν: ἡπαλύνθησαν οἱ λόγοι αὐτῶν ὑπὲρ ἔλαιον καὶ αὐτοί εἰσι βολίδες.

Χαῖρε ῥαββί, καὶ παρεδίδου τὸν διδάσκαλον εἰς θάνατον. οὐκ ᾐδέσθη τοῦ λέγοντος τὴν ὑπόμνησιν: Ἰούδα, φιλήματι τὸν υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου παραδίδως; σχεδὸν γὰρ τοῦτο πρὸς αὐτὸν ἔλεγεν: ὑπομνήσθητι τῆς σεαυτοῦ προσηγορίας. ἰούδας καλεῖται ἐξομολόγησις. συνέθου, ἔλαβες τὸ ἀργύριον, ἐξομολόγησαι ταχέως. ὁ θεός, τὴν αἴνεσίν μου μὴ παρασιωπήσῃς, ὅτι στόμα ἁμαρτωλοῦ καὶ στόμα δολίου ἐπ' ἐμὲ ἠνοίχθη. ἐλάλησαν κατ' ἐμοῦ γλώσσῃ δολίᾳ καὶ λόγοις μίσους ἐκύκλωσάν με. ὅτι δέ τινες καὶ ἀπὸ ἀρχιερέων παρῆσαν, καὶ ὅτι πρὸ τῶν πυλῶν τῆς πόλεως ἦν τὰ δεσμά, ἤκουσας πρώην, εἴγε μνημονεύεις τῆς ἐξηγήσεως τὸν καιρὸν καὶ τὸν τόπον τοῦ ψαλμοῦ εἰρηκότος, ὅπως ἐπέστρεψαν εἰς ἑσπέραν καὶ ἐλίμωξαν ὡς κύνες καὶ ἐκύκλωσαν πόλιν.

Ἄκουε καὶ διὰ τὰ τριάκοντα ἀργύρια. καὶ ἐρῶ πρὸς αὐτούς: εἰ καλὸν ἐνώπιον ὑμῶν ἐστι, δότε τὸν μισθόν μου, ἢ ἀπείπασθε, καὶ τὰ ἑξῆς. ἄλλος μισθός μοι παρ' ὑμῶν χρεωστεῖται θεραπείας τυφλῶν καὶ χωλῶν, καὶ ἄλλον λαμβάνω, ἀντὶ μὲν εὐχαριστίας ἀτιμίαν, ἀντὶ δὲ προσκυνήσεως ὕβριν. βλέπεις πῶς προεῖδεν ἡ γραφὴ τὰ πράγματα; καὶ ἔστησαν τὸν μισθόν μου τριάκοντα ἀργυροῦς. ὦ προφητικῆς ἀκριβείας, ὦ πολλῆς συνέσεως ἀπλανοῦς πνεύματος ἁγίου. οὐ γὰρ δέκα εἶπεν οὐδὲ εἴκοσιν, ἀλλὰ τριάκοντα ἀκριβῶς καὶ ὅσα ἦν.

Εἰπὲ καὶ ποῦ προχωρεῖ τοῦτο τὸ τίμημα, ὦ προφῆτα. ἆρα ὁ λαμβάνων κατέχει, ἢ ἀποδίδωσι; καὶ μετὰ τὸ ἀποδοθῆναι ποῦ προχωρεῖ; λέγει τοίνυν ὁ προφήτης: καὶ ἔλαβον τοὺς τριάκοντα ἀργυροῦς καὶ ἐνέβαλον αὐτοὺς εἰς τὸν οἶκον κυρίου εἰς τὸ χωνευτήριον. σύγκρινον τῇ προφητείᾳ τὸ εὐαγγέλιον. μεταμεληθεὶς γάρ φησιν Ἰούδας καὶ ῥίψας τὰ ἀργύρια ἐν τῷ ναῷ ἀνεχώρησεν.

Ἀλλ' ὧδέ μοι λοιπὸν τῆς δοκούσης ἀμφιβολίας ἡ ἀκρίβεια ζητεῖται. οἱ γὰρ ἀθετοῦντες τοὺς προφήτας λέγουσιν, ὅτι ὁ μὲν προφήτης λέγει: καὶ ἐνέβαλον αὐτοὺς εἰς τὸν οἶκον κυρίου εἰς τὸ χωνευτήριον: τὸ δὲ εὐαγγέλιον: καὶ ἔδωκαν αὐτὰ εἰς τὸν ἀγρὸν τοῦ κεραμέως. πῶς οἱ δύο τοίνυν ἀληθεύουσιν, ἄκουσον. οἱ γὰρ δῆθεν εὐλαβεῖς Ἰουδαῖοι οἱ τότε ἀρχιερεῖς ἰδόντες τὸν Ἰούδαν μετανοήσαντα καὶ εἰπόντα: ἥμαρτον παραδοὺς αἷμα ἀθῶον: φασί: τί πρὸς ἡμᾶς; σὺ ὄψῃ. ἆρα οὐδὲν πρὸς ὑμᾶς τοὺς σταυροῦντας; ἀλλ' ὁ μὲν τοῦ φόνου τὸν μισθὸν λαβὼν καὶ ἀποδοὺς ὄψεται, ὑμεῖς δὲ οἱ φονεύοντες οὐκ ὄψεσθε; εἶτά φασι πρὸς ἑαυτούς: οὐκ ἔξεστι βαλεῖν αὐτὰ εἰς τὸν κορβωνᾶν, ἐπεὶ τιμὴ αἵματός ἐστιν. ἐκ τοῦ στόματος ὑμῶν ἡ κατάκρισις. εἰ μιαρὸς ὁ μισθός, μιαρὰ καὶ ἡ πρᾶξις: εἰ δὲ δικαιοσύνην πληροῖς σταυρῶν τὸν Χριστόν, τί οὐ παραδέχῃ τὸν μισθόν;

Ἀλλὰ τὸ ζητούμενον τοῦτό ἐστι, πῶς οὐ διαφωνοῦσι τὸ μὲν εὐαγγέλιον λέγον ἀγρὸν τοῦ κεραμέως, ὁ δὲ προφήτης τὸ χωνευτήριον. Ἀλλ' οὐ μόνον χρυσοχόων παῖδες ἔχουσι χωνευτήριον, οὐδὲ χαλκουργοὶ μόνον ἔχουσι χωνευτήριον, ἀλλὰ καὶ κεραμεῖς ἔχουσι πηλοῦ χωνευτήρια. τὸ γὰρ λεπτὸν καὶ λιπαρὸν καὶ χρήσιμον τῆς γῆς ἐκ τῶν χαλίκων ἀποδιυλίζοντες καὶ τὸ πολὺ τῆς συρφετώδους ὕλης ἀποχωρίζοντες προχωνεύουσιν ὕδατι τὸν πηλὸν εἰς ἀνεμπόδιστον ἐργασίαν τῶν κατασκευασθησομένων. τί τοίνυν θαυμάζεις, εἰ τὸ μὲν εὐαγγέλιον φανερῶς τὸν ἀγρὸν τοῦ κεραμέως, ὁ δὲ προφήτης αἰνιγματωδῶς εἶπε τὴν προφητείαν, αἰνιγματώδους οὔσης πολλαχοῦ τῆς προφητείας;

Ἔδησαν τὸν Ἰησοῦν καὶ εἰσήνεγκαν εἰς τὴν αὐλὴν τοῦ ἀρχιερέως. θέλεις δὲ γνῶναι καὶ εἰδέναι ὅτι καὶ τοῦτο γέγραπται; φησὶν Ἡσαΐας: οὐαὶ τῇ ψυχῇ αὐτῶν, ὅτι βεβούλευνται βουλὴν πονηρὰν καθ' ἑαυτῶν, εἰπόντες: δήσωμεν τὸν δίκαιον, ὅτι δύσχρηστος ἡμῖν ἐστι. καὶ ἀληθῶς οὐαὶ τῇ ψυχῇ αὐτῶν, καὶ βλέπωμεν. Ἡσαΐας μὲν ἐπρίσθη καὶ ἐθεραπεύθη μετὰ ταῦτα ὁ λαός. Ἱερεμίας εἰς βόρβορον λάκκου ἐνεβλήθη, ἀλλ' ἰάθη τῶν Ἰουδαίων τὸ τραῦμα. μικρότερον γὰρ ἦν, ἐπειδὴ εἰς ἄνθρωπον. ἐπειδὴ δὲ οὐκ εἰς ἄνθρωπον, ἀλλ' εἰς θεὸν ἐνανθρωπήσαντα ἥμαρτον Ἰουδαῖοι, οὐαὶ τῇ ψυχῇ αὐτῶν.

Δήσωμεν τὸν δίκαιον. ἆρα οὐκ ἐδύνατο λῦσαι ἑαυτόν, ἐρεῖ τις, ὁ λύσας ἐκ δεσμῶν θανάτου τετραήμερον Λάζαρον καὶ Πέτρον ἐκ δεσμῶν σιδηρέων [φυλακῆς] λύσας; ἕτοιμοι παρειστήκεισαν ἄγγελοι λέγοντες: διαῤῥήξωμεν τοὺς δεσμοὺς αὐτῶν. ἀλλὰ ἀνέχονται διὰ τὸ θέλειν ὑπομεῖναι τοῦτο τὸν δεσπότην. πάλιν ἤχθη ἐπὶ πρεσβυτέρων εἰς κριτήριον. ἔχεις ἤδη τὴν μαρτυρίαν: αὐτὸς κύριος εἰς κρίσιν ἥξει μετὰ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων τοῦ λαοῦ καὶ μετὰ τῶν ἀρχόντων αὐτοῦ.

Ἀλλὰ ἐρωτήσας ὁ ἀρχιερεὺς καὶ ἀκούσας τὴν ἀλήθειαν ἀγανακτεῖ. καὶ ὁ κακὸς κακῶν ὑπηρέτης δίδωσι ῥάπισμα. καὶ τὸ πρόσωπον τὸ λάμψαν ὡς ὁ ἥλιος χερσὶν ἀνόμοις ῥαπιζόμενον ἠνείχετο. καὶ ἄλλοι ἐλθόντες ἐμπτύουσι τῷ προσώπῳ τοῦ διὰ πτυέλου τὸν ἐκ γενετῆς τυφλὸν θεραπεύσαντος.

Ταῦτα τῷ κυρίῳ ἀνταποδίδοτε; οὗτος λαὸς μωρὸς καὶ οὐχὶ σοφός. καὶ ὁ προφήτης ἀποθαυμάζων φησί: κύριε, τίς ἐπίστευσε τῇ ἀκοῇ ἡμῶν; ἄπιστον γὰρ τὸ πρᾶγμα, εἰ θεός, θεοῦ υἱὸς καὶ βραχίων κυρίου, ταῦτα ὑπομένει. ἀλλ' ἵνα μὴ ἀπιστήσωσιν οἱ σωζόμενοι, προγράφει τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον ἐκ προσώπου Χριστοῦ λέγοντος (αὐτὸς γὰρ ὁ τότε ταῦτα λαλῶν ὕστερον παρῆν): τὸν νῶτόν μου δέδωκα εἰς μάστιγας (Πιλάτος γὰρ αὐτὸν φραγελλώσας παρέδωκεν εἰς τὸ σταυρωθῆναι), τὰς δὲ σιαγόνας μου εἰς ῥαπίσματα, τὸ δὲ πρόσωπόν μου οὐκ ἀπέστρεψα ἀπὸ αἰσχύνης ἐμπτυσμάτων: μονονουχὶ λέγων: προειδὼς ὅτι μέλλουσι τύπτειν οὐδὲ ἐπλαγίασα τὴν σιαγόνα μου. Πῶς γὰρ ἔμελλον νευροῦν τοὺς μαθητὰς εἰς τὸν ὑπὲρ ἀληθείας θάνατον, εἰ αὐτὸς ἠγωνίων τοῦτο; ἐγὼ ἔλεγον: ὁ φιλῶν τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ ἀπολέσει αὐτήν. εἰ ἐφιλοζώησα, πῶς ἐδίδασκον, μὴ πράττων ὃ ἐδίδασκον; πρῶτον οὖν αὐτὸς θεὸς ὢν ὑπὸ ἀνθρώπων ταῦτα πάσχων ἠνείχετο, ἵνα ἄνθρωποι ὑπὸ ἀνθρώπων μετὰ ταῦτα δι' αὐτὸν τοιαῦτα πάσχοντες μὴ αἰσχυνθῶμεν. βλέπεις ὅτι καὶ ταῦτα σαφῶς προέγραψαν οἱ προφῆται. πολλὰς δὲ τῶν γραφῶν μαρτυρίας διὰ τὸ τοῦ χρόνου στενὸν παρατρέχομεν, ὡς προεῖπον. εἰ γὰρ πάντα ζητήσειέ τις ἀκριβῶς, οὐδὲν τῶν τοῦ Χριστοῦ πραγμάτων ἀμάρτυρον καταλειφθήσεται.

Δεθεὶς ἦλθεν ἀπὸ τοῦ Καϊάφα πρὸς Πιλάτον. ἆρα καὶ τοῦτο γέγραπται; « καὶ δήσαντες αὐτὸν ἀπήγαγον ξένια τῷ βασιλεῖ Ἰαρείμ. » Ἀλλ' ὑποκρούει τις τῶν ὀξέως ἀκροωμένων: Πιλάτος οὐκ ἦν βασιλεύς, ἵνα τέως παραλίπωμεν τὰ πολλὰ τοῦ ζητήματος: πῶς τοίνυν δήσαντες αὐτὸν ἀπήγαγον ξένια τῷ βασιλεῖ; ἀλλὰ ἀνάγνωθι τὸ εὐαγγέλιον: ἀκούσας Πιλάτος αὐτὸν εἶναι ἀπὸ τῆς Γαλιλαίας ἀνέπεμψεν αὐτὸν πρὸς Ἡρώδην. Ἡρώδης δὲ ἦν τότε βασιλεὺς καὶ παρῆν ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις. Καὶ βλέπε τοῦ προφήτου τὴν ἀκρίβειαν. ξένια γάρ φησιν αὐτὸν ἀπεστάλθαι. ἐγένοντο γὰρ φίλοι ὅ τε Πιλάτος καὶ ὁ Ἡρώδης ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ μετ' ἀλλήλων. προϋπῆρχον γὰρ ἐν ἔχθρᾳ ὄντες. ἔπρεπε γὰρ τῷ μέλλοντι εἰρηνοποιεῖν τὴν γῆν καὶ τὸν οὐρανὸν πρώτους αὐτοὺς τοὺς καταδικάζοντας αὐτὸν εἰρηνοποιῆσαι. καὶ γὰρ παρῆν ὁ κύριος αὐτὸς ὁ διαλλάσσων καρδίας ἀρχόντων τῆς γῆς. ἔχε τῶν προφητῶν τὴν ἀκρίβειαν καὶ ἀληθῆ μαρτυρίαν.

Θαύμασον τὸν κρινόμενον κύριον. ἠνέσχετο ὑπὸ στρατιωτῶν ἀγόμενος καὶ φερόμενος. Πιλάτος ἐκαθέζετο κρίνων καὶ ὁ ἐν δεξιᾷ τοῦ πατρὸς καθεζόμενος ἑστὼς ἐκρίνετο. ὁ λαὸς ὁ λυτρωθεὶς ὑπ' αὐτοῦ ἐκ γῆς Αἰγύπτου καὶ ἀλλαχόθεν πολλάκις κατ' αὐτοῦ ἐβόα: αἶρε αἶρε σταύρωσον αὐτόν. διὰ τί, ὦ Ἰουδαῖοι; ὅτι τοὺς τυφλοὺς ὑμῶν ἐθεράπευσεν; ἀλλ' ὅτι τοὺς χωλοὺς ὑμῶν περιπατεῖν ἐποίησε καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ τῶν εὐεργεσιῶν παρέσχεν; ὡς ἐκπλησσόμενον τὸν προφήτην καὶ περὶ τούτου λέγειν: ἐπὶ τίνα ἠνοίξατε τὸ στόμα ὑμῶν; καὶ ἐπὶ τίνα ἐχαλάσατε τὴν γλῶσσαν ὑμῶν; καὶ αὐτὸν τὸν κύριον ἐν προφήταις λέγειν: ἐγενήθη ἡ κληρονομία μου ἐμοὶ ὡς λέων ἐν δρυμῷ, ἔδωκεν ἐπ' ἐμὲ τὴν φωνὴν αὐτῆς. διὰ τοῦτο ἐμίσησα αὐτήν. οὐκ ἐγὼ παρῃτησάμην, ἀλλ' αὐτοί με παρῃτήσαντο. διὰ τοῦτο ἀκολούθως λέγω: ἐγκαταλέλοιπα τὸν οἶκόν μου.

Κρινόμενος ἐσιώπα, ὡς ὑπερπάσχειν τὸν Πιλάτον καὶ λέγειν: οὐκ ἀκούεις, τί οὗτοί σου καταμαρτυροῦσιν; οὐχ ὅτι ᾔδει τὸν κρινόμενον, ἀλλ' ἐφοβήθη τὸ τῆς ἑαυτοῦ γυναικὸς ἐνύπνιον τὸ ἀποσταλέν. καὶ ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐσιώπα. λέγει ὁ ψαλμῳδός: καὶ ἐγενόμην ὡσεὶ ἄνθρωπος οὐκ ἀκούων καὶ οὐκ ἔχων ἐν τῷ στόματι αὐτοῦ ἐλεγμούς. καὶ πάλιν: ἐγὼ δὲ ὡσεὶ κωφὸς οὐκ ἤκουον καὶ ὡσεὶ ἄλαλος οὐκ ἀνοίγων τὸ στόμα αὐτοῦ. ἤκουσας τὰ περὶ τούτου καὶ πρότερον, εἴγε μνημονεύεις.

Ἀλλ' οἱ στρατιῶται περιχυθέντες αὐτῷ καταπαίζουσιν. καὶ γίγνεται παίγνιον αὐτοῖς ὁ κύριος καὶ καταπαίζεται ὁ δεσπότης. εἴδοσάν με καὶ ἐσάλευσαν κεφαλὰς αὐτῶν. καὶ ὁ τύπος γίγνεται τῆς βασιλείας. καταπαίζουσι μὲν γάρ, γονυπετοῦσι δέ. καὶ σταυροῦσι προενδύσαντες αὐτὸν πορφύραν στρατιῶται καὶ στέφανον ἐπιτιθέασιν αὐτοῦ τῇ κεφαλῇ. τί γὰρ εἰ καὶ ἀκάνθινον; πᾶς βασιλεὺς ὑπὸ στρατιωτῶν ἀναγορεύεται. ἔδει καὶ Ἰησοῦν τυπικῶς ὑπὸ στρατιωτῶν στεφανωθῆναι. ὡς διὰ τοῦτο τὴν γραφὴν ἐν ᾄσμασι λέγειν: ἐξέλθετε καὶ ἴδετε, θυγατέρες Ἱερουσαλήμ, ἐν τῷ βασιλεῖ Σολομών, ἐν τῷ στεφάνῳ ᾧ ἐστεφάνωσεν αὐτὸν ἡ μήτηρ αὐτοῦ. μυστήριον δὲ ἦν καὶ ὁ στέφανος. λύσις γὰρ ἦν τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν, ἀπόλυσις τῆς ἀποφάσεως.

Ἔλαβε καταδίκην ὁ Ἀδάμ: ἐπικατάρατος ἡ γῆ ἐν τοῖς ἔργοις σου, ἀκάνθας καὶ τριβόλους ἀνατελεῖ σοι. διὰ τοῦτο Ἰησοῦς λαμβάνει τὰς ἀκάνθας, ἵνα λύσῃ τὴν καταδίκην. καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἐτάφη ἐν τῇ γῇ, ἵνα ἡ κατηραμένη γῆ ἀντὶ κατάρας δέξηται τὴν εὐλογίαν. κατὰ τὸν καιρὸν τῆς ἁμαρτίας συκῆς φύλλα περιεβάλλοντο. διὰ τοῦτο καὶ Ἰησοῦς τέλος σημείων τὴν συκῆν ἔδωκεν.

Μέλλων γὰρ εἰς τὸ πάθος χωρεῖν καταρᾶται τὴν συκῆν, οὐ πᾶσαν συκῆν, ἀλλ' ἐκείνην μόνην διὰ τὸν τύπον, λέγων: μηκέτι ἐκ σοῦ καρπόν τις φάγῃ. λελύσθω ἡ καταδίκη. καὶ ἐπειδὴ τότε συκῆς φύλλα περιεβάλλοντο, ἦλθεν ἐν καιρῷ ἐν ᾧ βρῶσις οὐχ εὑρίσκετο. τίς οὐκ οἶδεν ὅτι ἐν καιρῷ χειμῶνος συκῆ οὐ καρποφορεῖ, ἀλλὰ φύλλα περίκειται μόνον; ὅπερ πάντες ᾔδεισαν, τοῦτο Ἰησοῦς ἄρα οὐκ ᾔδει; ἀλλ' εἰδὼς ἤρχετο ὡς ζητήσων, οὐκ ἀγνοῶν ὅτι οὐχ εὑρίσκει, ἀλλὰ τὸν τύπον τῆς κατάρας μέχρι τῶν φύλλων μόνον ποιούμενος.

Καὶ ἐπειδὴ τῶν κατὰ παράδεισον ἡψάμεθα πραγμάτων, τεθαύμακα ἀληθῶς τὴν ἀλήθειαν τῶν τύπων. ἐν παραδείσῳ ἡ ἀπόπτωσις, καὶ ἐν κήπῳ ἡ σωτηρία. ἀπὸ ξύλου ἡ ἁμαρτία, καὶ μέχρι ξύλου ἡ ἁμαρτία. δειλινὸν τοῦ κυρίου περιπατοῦντος ἐκρύβησαν, καὶ δειλινὸν ὑπὸ τοῦ κυρίου εἰς παράδεισον ὁ λῃστὴς εἰσάγεται.

Ἀλλ' ἐρεῖ μοί τις: εὑρεσιλογεῖς, δεῖξόν μοι ἀπὸ προφήτου τοῦ σταυροῦ τὸ ξύλον. ἐὰν μὴ μαρτυρίαν ἀπὸ προφήτου παράσχῃς, οὐ πείθομαι. Ἄκουε τοίνυν ἀπὸ Ἱερεμίου καὶ πιστοποιοῦ: « ἐγὼ ὡς ἀρνίον ἄκακον ἀγόμενον τὸ θύεσθαι οὐκ ἔγνων; » οὕτω γὰρ ἀνάγνωθι ἐπερωτηματικῶς ὡς εἶπον. ὁ γὰρ λέγων: οἴδατε ὅτι μετὰ δύο ἡμέρας τὸ πάσχα γίνεται καὶ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου παραδίδοται εἰς τὸ σταυρωθῆναι, ἆρ' οὐκ ᾔδει; ἐγὼ ὡς ἀρνίον ἄκακον ἀγόμενον τοῦ θύεσθαι οὐκ ἔγνων; ποῖον ἀρνίον; Ἰωάννης ὁ βαπτιστὴς ἑρμηνευέτω λέγων: ἰδὲ ὁ ἀμνὸς τοῦ θεοῦ ὁ αἴρων τὴν ἁμαρτίαν τοῦ κόσμου. « ἐπ' ἐμὲ ἐλογίσαντο πονηρὸν λογισμόν, λέγοντες. » ὁ τοὺς λογισμοὺς εἰδὼς τὸ ἀποβησόμενον ἄρα οὐκ ᾔδει; καὶ τί ἔλεγον; « δεῦτε καὶ ἐμβάλωμεν ξύλον εἰς τὸν ἄρτον αὐτοῦ. » καὶ ἐάν σε ὁ κύριος καταξιώσῃ, εἰς τὸ ἔμπροσθεν γνώσῃ ὅτι τὸ σῶμα αὐτοῦ κατὰ τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τύπον ἔφερεν ἄρτου. δεῦτε τοίνυν, ξύλον ἐμβάλωμεν εἰς τὸν ἄρτον αὐτοῦ « καὶ ἐκτρίψωμεν αὐτὸν ἀπὸ γῆς ζώντων. » ζωὴ οὐκ ἐκτρίβεται. τί κάμνετε μάτην; « καὶ τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ οὐ μὴ μνησθῇ ἔτι. » ματαία ἡ βουλὴ ὑμῶν. πρὸ γὰρ ἡλίου τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ μένει. καὶ ὅτι ἡ ζωὴ ἦν ἡ ἐπὶ τοῦ ξύλου κρεμασθεῖσα, Μωσῆς ἀποκλαιόμενός φησι: καὶ ἔσται ἡ ζωή σου κρεμαμένη ἀπέναντι τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν σου, καὶ φοβηθήσῃ ἡμέρας καὶ νυκτός, καὶ οὐ πιστεύσεις τῇ ζωῇ σου. καὶ τὸ ἀναγνωσθὲν ἀρτίως: κύριε, τίς ἐπίστευσε τῇ ἀκοῇ ἡμῶν;

Τοῦτον τὸν τύπον ἐπετέλει Μωσῆς σταυρῶν τὸν ὄφιν, ἵν' ὁ δακνόμενος ὑπὸ τοῦ ζῶντος ὄφεως καὶ βλέπων τὸν χαλκοῦν ὄφιν σωθῇ πιστεύσας. εἶτα χαλκοῦς μὲν ὄφις ἐσταυρωμένος σώζει, υἱὸς δὲ θεοῦ σαρκωθεὶς ἐσταυρωμένος οὐ σώζει; πάντοτε διὰ ξύλου ἡ ζωή. ἐπὶ τοῦ Νῶε μὲν γὰρ διὰ κιβωτοῦ ξυλίνης ἡ ζωοποίησις. ἡ δὲ θάλασσα ἐπὶ Μωσέως τὸν τύπον τῆς ῥάβδου θεασαμένη ἐδυσωπήθη τὸν κρούσαντα. εἶτα ἡ Μωσέως ῥάβδος ἰσχύει καὶ ὁ τοῦ σωτῆρος σταυρὸς ἀδυνατεῖ; παρίημι δὲ τὰ πολλὰ τῶν τύπων συμμετρίας ἕνεκεν. τὸ ξύλον ἐπὶ Μωσέως ἐγλύκανε τὸ ὕδωρ καὶ ἐκ πλευρᾶς Ἰησοῦ τὸ ὕδωρ ἔῤῥευσεν ἐπὶ ξύλου.

Ἀρχὴ σημείων ἐπὶ Μωσέως αἷμα καὶ ὕδωρ, καὶ τὸ τελευταῖον πάντων τῶν σημείων Ἰησοῦ τὸ αὐτό. πρῶτον Μωσῆς τὸν ποταμὸν μετέβαλεν εἰς αἷμα, καὶ ὁ Ἰησοῦς τὸ τέλος ὕδωρ ἐξήνεγκεν ἐκ πλευρᾶς μετὰ αἵματος. διὰ τὰς δύο φωνὰς ἴσως, τοῦ τε κρίνοντος καὶ τῶν ἐπιβοώντων, ἢ διὰ τοὺς πιστεύοντας καὶ τοὺς ἀπιστοῦντας. ὁ μὲν γὰρ Πιλάτος ἔλεγεν: ἀθῶός εἰμι, καὶ ὕδατι ἀπενίπτετο τὰς χεῖρας: οἱ δὲ ἐπιβοῶντες ἔλεγον: τὸ αἷμα αὐτοῦ ἐφ' ἡμᾶς. ἦν οὖν τὰ δύο ἐκ τῆς πλευρᾶς, τὸ ὕδωρ ἴσως τῷ κρίνοντι, τοῖς δὲ ἐπιβοῶσι τὸ αἷμα.

Καὶ πάλιν ἄλλως νοητέον. Ἰουδαίοις μὲν τὸ αἷμα, χριστιανοῖς δὲ τὸ ὕδωρ. ἐκείνοις μὲν γὰρ ὡς ἐπιβούλοις ἡ ἐκ τοῦ αἵματος καταδίκη, σοὶ δὲ τῷ πιστεύοντι νῦν ἡ διὰ ὕδατος σωτηρία. οὐδὲν γὰρ εἰκῆ γέγονεν. Ἀπέδωκαν οἱ ἐξηγηταὶ πατέρες ἡμῶν καὶ ἄλλην τοῦ πράγματος αἰτίαν. ἐπειδὴ γὰρ διπλῆ τίς ἐστι τοῦ σωτηρίου βαπτίσματος ἐν εὐαγγελίοις ἡ δύναμις, μία μὲν ἡ τοῖς φωτιζομένοις δωρουμένη δι' ὕδατος, δευτέρα δὲ ἡ ἐπὶ τῶν ἁγίων μαρτύρων ἐν διωγμοῖς δι' οἰκείου αἵματος, ἐξῆλθεν ἐκ τῆς σωτηρίου πλευρᾶς αἷμα καὶ ὕδωρ τῆς ὑπὲρ Χριστοῦ γινομένης ὁμολογίας ἔν τε φωτίσματι καὶ μαρτυρίου καιροῖς βεβαιοῦσα τὴν χάριν. Ἔστι καὶ ἄλλη τῆς πλευρᾶς αἰτία. γυνὴ γέγονεν ἀρχηγὸς ἁμαρτίας ἡ πλασθεῖσα ἐκ πλευρᾶς. ἀλλ' ὁ ἐλθὼν Ἰησοῦς ἀνδράσιν ὁμοῦ καὶ γυναιξὶ χαρίσασθαι τὴν ἀμνηστίαν ἐνύγη τὴν πλευρὰν ὑπὲρ γυναικῶν, ἵνα λύσῃ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν.

Καὶ εἴ τις ἐρευνήσειεν, εὑρήσει καὶ ἄλλας αἰτίας. ἀλλ' αὐτάρκη καὶ ταῦτα λέγεσθαι διὰ τὸ καιροῦ στενὸν καὶ διὰ τὸ μὴ προσκορῆ γενέσθαι τὴν ἀκρόασιν τοῖς ἀκούουσιν. καίτοιγε οὐκ ἔστι ποτὲ καμεῖν ἀκούοντας τὰ περὶ τοῦ δεσπότου στεφανουμένου, καὶ μάλιστα ἐν τῷ παναγίῳ τούτῳ Γολγοθᾷ. ἄλλοι μὲν γὰρ ἀκούουσι μόνον, ἡμεῖς δὲ καὶ βλέπομεν καὶ ψηλαφῶμεν. μηδεὶς καμνέτω. λάβε τὰ ὅπλα κατὰ τῶν ἐναντίων ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ τοῦ σταυροῦ. τρόπαιον στῆσον τὴν πίστιν τοῦ σταυροῦ κατὰ τῶν ἀντιλεγόντων. ὅταν γὰρ μέλλῃς περὶ τοῦ σταυροῦ τοῦ Χριστοῦ συζητεῖν πρὸς ἀπίστους, προαπόστειλον τῇ χειρὶ τὸ σημεῖον τοῦ σταυροῦ τοῦ Χριστοῦ καὶ φιμοῦται ὁ ἀντιλέγων. μὴ ἐπαισχυνθῇς τὸν σταυρὸν ὁμολογεῖν. ἄγγελοι γὰρ ἐγκαυχῶνται λέγοντες: οἴδαμεν, τίνα ζητεῖτε, Ἰησοῦν τὸν ἐσταυρωμένον. ἆρ' οὐ δύνασαι εἰπεῖν, ὦ ἄγγελε, οἶδα ὃν ζητεῖτε, τὸν ἐμὸν δεσπότην; ἀλλ' ἐγώ, φησὶ μετὰ παῤῥησίας, οἶδα τὸν ἐσταυρωμένον. στέφανος γάρ ἐστιν ὁ σταυρός, οὐκ ἀτιμία.

Ἡμεῖς δὲ λοιπὸν ἀναδράμωμεν ἐπὶ τὴν εἰρημένην ἐκ τῶν προφητῶν ἀπόδειξιν. ἐσταυρώθη ὁ κύριος, εἴληφας τὰς μαρτυρίας. ὁρᾷς τοῦ Γολγοθᾶ τὸν τόπον. ἐπιβοᾷς ἐπαίνῳ ὡς συντιθέμενος. βλέπε μή ποτε ἐν καιρῷ διωγμοῦ ἀρνήσῃ. μὴ ἐν καιρῷ εἰρήνης ἐπευφραίνου τῷ σταυρῷ μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν καιρῷ διωγμοῦ τὴν αὐτὴν ἔχε πίστιν. μὴ ἐν καιρῷ εἰρήνης Ἰησοῦ φίλος καὶ ἐν καιρῷ πολέμων ἐχθρός.

Λαμβάνεις νῦν ἄφεσιν τῶν σῶν ἁμαρτημάτων καὶ πνευματικῆς δωρεᾶς τοῦ βασιλέως τὰ χαρίσματα. ὅταν ἔλθῃ πόλεμος, ὑπεραγώνισαι γενναίως τοῦ σοῦ βασιλέως. Ἰησοῦς ἐσταυρώθη ὑπὲρ σοῦ ὁ ἀναμάρτητος, καὶ σὺ ὑπὲρ τοῦ σταυρωθέντος ὑπὲρ σοῦ οὐ σταυροῦσαι; οὐ χάριν δίδως: προείληφας γάρ. ἀλλὰ χάριν ἀποδίδως ἀποδιδοὺς τὸ χρέος τῷ ἐν τῷ Γολγοθᾷ σταυρωθέντι διὰ σέ.

Γολγοθᾶς δὲ ἑρμηνεύεται κρανίου τόπος. τίνες ἄρα οἱ προφητικῶς τὸν τόπον τοῦ Γολγοθᾶ τοῦτον ὀνομάσαντες, ἐν ᾧ ἡ ἀληθὴς κεφαλὴ Χριστὸς τὸν σταυρὸν ὑπέμεινεν; καθὼς ὁ ἀπόστολός φησιν: ὅς ἐστιν εἰκὼν τοῦ θεοῦ τοῦ ἀοράτου: καὶ μετ' ὀλίγα: καὶ αὐτός ἐστιν ἡ κεφαλὴ τοῦ σώματος τῆς ἐκκλησίας. καὶ πάλιν: παντὸς ἀνδρὸς ἡ κεφαλὴ ὁ Χριστός ἐστι. καὶ πάλιν: ὅς ἐστιν ἡ κεφαλὴ πάσης ἀρχῆς καὶ ἐξουσίας. ἡ κεφαλὴ ἐν τῷ τοῦ κρανίου τόπῳ πέπονθεν. ὦ μεγάλης προφητικῆς ὀνομασίας. μονονουχὶ γὰρ καὶ τὸ ὄνομα ὑπομιμνήσκει σε λέγον: μὴ προσσχῇς ὡς ψιλῷ ἀνθρώπῳ τῷ σταυρωθέντι. ἡ κεφαλὴ πάσης ἀρχῆς ἐστι καὶ ἐξουσίας. κεφαλὴ μὲν πάσης ἐξουσίας ἡ σταυρωθεῖσα, κεφαλὴν δὲ ἔχουσα τὸν πατέρα. κεφαλὴ γὰρ τοῦ ἀνδρὸς ὁ Χριστός, κεφαλὴ δὲ τοῦ Χριστοῦ ὁ θεός.

Χριστὸς τοίνυν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ἐσταυρώθη, ὁ κριθεὶς ἐν νυκτὶ ψύχους ὄντος καὶ ἀνθρακιᾶς διὰ τοῦτο παρακειμένης. ἐσταυρώθη τρίτην ὥραν, ἀπὸ δὲ ἕκτης ὥρας σκότος ἐγένετο ἕως ἐννάτης, ἀπὸ δὲ ἐννάτης πάλιν φῶς. ἆρα καὶ ταῦτα γέγραπται; ζητήσωμεν. λέγει τοίνυν ὁ Ζαχαρίας: « καὶ ἔσται ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ, οὐκ ἔσται φῶς, καὶ ψῦχος καὶ πάγος ἔσται μίαν ἡμέραν: » τὸ ψῦχος δι' ὃ Πέτρος ἐθερμαίνετο: « καὶ ἡ ἡμέρα ἐκείνη γνωστὴ τῷ κυρίῳ. » τί γάρ; τὰς ἄλλας οὐκ οἶδε; πολλαὶ αἱ ἡμέραι, ἀλλ' αὕτη ἡ ἡμέρα τῆς ὑπομονῆς τοῦ κυρίου, ἣν ἐποίησεν ὁ κύριος. καὶ ἡ ἡμέρα ἐκείνη γνωστὴ τῷ κυρίῳ, « καὶ οὐχ ἡμέρα καὶ οὐ νύξ. » τί τὸ αἴνιγμα ὃ λέγει ὁ προφήτης; ἡ ἡμέρα ἐκείνη οὔτε ἡμέρα ἐστὶν οὔτε νύξ. τί οὖν αὐτὴν ὀνομάσομεν; ἑρμηνεύει τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τὸ πρᾶγμα διηγούμενον. οὐκ ἦν ἡμέρα. οὐ γὰρ ἐξ ἀνατολῆς ἐπὶ δύσιν ὁμοίως ἔλαμψεν ὁ ἥλιος, ἀλλὰ ἀπὸ ὥρας ἕκτης ἕως ὥρας ἐννάτης σκότος ἐγένετο ἐν ἡμέρᾳ μέσῃ. μεσέμβολον ἦν ἄρα τὸ σκότος, ὠνόμασε δὲ ὁ θεὸς τὸ σκότος νύκτα. διὰ τοῦτο οὔτε ἡμέρα ἦν οὔτε νύξ. οὔτε γὰρ ὅλη φῶς ἦν, ἵνα κληθῇ ἡμέρα, οὔτε ὅλη σκότος, ἵνα κληθῇ νύξ, ἀλλὰ μετὰ τὴν ἐννάτην ἔλαμψεν ὁ ἥλιος. προλέγει καὶ τοῦτο ὁ προφήτης. εἰπὼν γάρ: καὶ οὐχ ἡμέρα καὶ οὐ νύξ: προσέθηκε: καὶ πρὸς ἑσπέραν ἔσται φῶς. βλέπεις προφητῶν ἀκρίβειαν; βλέπεις ἀλήθειαν τῶν προγεγραμμένων;

Ἀλλὰ ζητεῖς σαφῶς κατὰ ποίαν ὁ ἥλιος ὥραν ἐξέλιπεν; ἆρα πέμπτην ὥραν ἢ ὀγδόην ἢ δεκάτην; εἰπὲ τὴν ἀκρίβειαν Ἰουδαίοις τοῖς ἀνηκόοις, ὦ προφῆτα, πότε δύνει ὁ ἥλιος. φησὶ τοίνυν Ἀμὼς ὁ προφήτης: « καὶ ἔσται ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ, λέγει κύριος ὁ θεός, δύσεται ὁ ἥλιος μεσημβρίας » (ἀπὸ γὰρ ὥρας ἕκτης σκότος ἐγένετο) « καὶ συσκοτάσει ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἐν ἡμέρᾳ τὸ φῶς. » ποῖος καιρὸς οὗτος, ὦ προφῆτα, καὶ ποία ἡμέρα; « καὶ μεταστρέψω τὰς ἑορτὰς ὑμῶν εἰς πένθος. » ἐν ἀζύμοις γὰρ ἦν τὸ πραχθὲν καὶ τῇ τοῦ πάσχα ἑορτῇ. εἶθ' ἑξῆς φησι: « καὶ θήσομαι αὐτὸν ὡς πένθος ἀγαπητοῦ καὶ τοὺς μετ' αὐτοῦ ὡς ἡμέραν ὀδύνης. » ἐν ἀζύμων γὰρ ἡμέρᾳ καὶ ἑορτῇ αἱ μὲν γυναῖκες αὐτῶν ἐκόπτοντο καὶ ἔκλαιον, ὠδυνῶντο δὲ ἀποκρυβέντες οἱ ἀπόστολοι. θαυμαστὸν μὲν οὖν τὸ προφητευθέν.

Ἀλλὰ δός μοι καὶ ἕτερον, ἐρεῖ τις, σημεῖον. ποῖον ἔστι σημεῖον ἄλλο ἀκριβὲς ἐπὶ τῷ γεγενημένῳ; Ἐσταυρώθη ὁ Ἰησοῦς, μονοχίτων δὲ ἦν καὶ ἑνὶ περιβολαίῳ κεχρημένος. ἀλλ' οἱ στρατιῶται διεμερίσαντο τὸ περιβόλαιον εἰς τέσσαρα σχισθέν. ὁ δὲ χιτὼν οὐκ ἐσχίσθη, εἰς οὐδὲν γὰρ ἔτι σχισθεὶς ἐχρησίμευσε, καὶ λαχμὸς περὶ τούτου γίνεται τοῖς στρατιώταις. καὶ τὸ μὲν μερίζονται, περὶ τούτου δὲ λαγχάνουσιν. ἆρα καὶ τοῦτο γέγραπται; οἴδασιν οἱ σπουδαῖοι τῆς ἐκκλησίας ψαλμῳδοί, οἱ τὰς ἀγγελικὰς μιμούμενοι στρατιὰς καὶ πάντοτε τὸν θεὸν ἀνυμνοῦντες, οἱ καταξιούμενοι ψάλλειν ἐν τῷ Γολγοθᾷ τούτῳ καὶ λέγειν: διεμερίσαντο τὰ ἱμάτιά μου ἑαυτοῖς καὶ ἐπὶ τὸν ἱματισμόν μου ἔβαλον κλῆρον. κλῆρος δὲ ἦν ὁ λαχμός.

Πάλιν ἐπὶ Πιλάτου κριθεὶς ἐφόρεσεν ἐρυθρά. ἐκεῖ γὰρ περιέθηκαν αὐτῷ χλαμύδα κοκκίνην. ἆρα καὶ τοῦτο γέγραπται; λέγει ὁ Ἡσαΐας: τίς οὗτος ὁ παραγενόμενος ἐξ Ἐδώμ, ἐρύθημα ἱματίων αὐτοῦ ἐκ Βοσόρ; τίς οὗτος ὁ κατὰ ἀτιμίαν φορῶν τὰ κόκκινα; ἡ γὰρ βοσὸρ τοιαύτην τινὰ παρ' Ἑβραίοις ἔχει τὴν ἑρμηνείαν. ἵνα τί σου ἐρυθρὰ τὰ ἱμάτια καὶ τὰ ἐνδύματά σου ὡς ἀπὸ πατητοῦ ληνοῦ; ὁ δὲ ἀποκρίνεται καὶ λέγει ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν ἐξεπέτασα τὰς χεῖράς μου πρὸς λαὸν ἀπειθοῦντα καὶ ἀντιλέγοντα.

Ἐξεπέτασεν ἐν σταυρῷ τὰς χεῖρας, ἵνα περιλάβῃ τῆς οἰκουμένης τὰ πέρατα. τῆς γὰρ γῆς τὸ μεσώτατον ὁ Γολγοθᾶς οὗτός ἐστιν. οὐκ ἐμὸς ὁ λόγος: προφήτης ἐστὶν ὁ φήσας: εἰργάσω σωτηρίαν ἐν μέσῳ τῆς γῆς. ἐξέτεινεν ἀνθρωπίνας χεῖρας ὁ ταῖς νοηταῖς αὑτοῦ χερσὶ στερεώσας τὸν οὐρανόν. καὶ προσεπάγησαν ἥλοις, ἵνα τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος τῷ ξύλῳ προσπαγείσης τῆς βασταζούσης τῶν ἀνθρώπων τὰ ἁμαρτήματα καὶ τελευτησάσης τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος συναποθάνῃ μὲν ἡ ἁμαρτία, ἡμεῖς δὲ ἀναστῶμεν ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ. ἐπειδὴ γὰρ δι' ἑνὸς ἀνθρώπου ὁ θάνατος, καὶ δι' ἑνὸς ἀνθρώπου ἡ ζωή, δι' ἑνὸς δὲ ἀνθρώπου τοῦ σωτῆρος αὐτοπροαιρέτως τελευτῶντος. μνημόνευε γὰρ τῶν εἰρημένων: ἐξουσίαν ἔχω θεῖναι τὴν ψυχήν μου καὶ ἐξουσίαν ἔχω πάλιν λαβεῖν αὐτήν.

Ἀλλ' ὁ μὲν ταῦτα ὑπέμεινεν, ἐπὶ σωτηρίᾳ ἐλθὼν πάντων, ὁ δὲ λαὸς κακὴν ἀντιμισθίαν ἀπεδίδου. λέγει ὁ Ἰησοῦς « διψῶ, » ὁ ἐξαγαγὼν αὐτοῖς ἐξ ἀκροτόμου τὰ ὕδατα πέτρας: καὶ ᾔτει τὴν ἄμπελον ἣν ἐφύτευσε τοὺς καρπούς. ἀλλὰ τί ἡ ἄμπελος; ἡ κατὰ φύσιν μὲν ἐξ ἁγίων πατρῶν, κατὰ προαίρεσιν δὲ ἐκ Σοδόμων (ἡ γὰρ ἄμπελος αὐτῶν ἐκ Σοδόμων καὶ ἡ κληματὶς αὐτῶν ἐκ Γομόῤῥας) διψῶντι τῷ κυρίῳ σπόγγῳ πλησθέντι καὶ περιτεθέντι καλάμῳ προσκομίζει τὸ ὄξος. καὶ ἔδωκαν εἰς τὸ βρῶμά μου χολὴν καὶ εἰς τὴν δίψαν μου ἐπότισάν με ὄξος. βλέπεις λευκότητα προαγορεύσεως τῶν προφητῶν; ποίαν δὲ χολὴν ἔδωκαν εἰς τὸ στόμα μου; ἔδωκαν αὐτῷ, φησίν, ἐσμυρνισμένον οἶνον. χολώδης δὲ καὶ κατάπικρος ἡ σμύρνα. ταῦτα τῷ κυρίῳ ἀνταποδίδοτε; ταῦτα προσφέρεις ἡ ἄμπελος τῷ δεσπότῃ; δικαίως προαπεθρήνει ὑμᾶς Ἡσαΐας λέγων: ἀμπελὼν ἐγενήθη τῷ ἠγαπημένῳ ἐν κέρατι, ἐν τόπῳ πίονι. καὶ ἵνα μὴ πάντα λέγωμεν, ἔμεινα, φησίν, ἵνα ποιήσῃ σταφυλήν, ἐδίψησα ἵνα δῷ οἶνον, αὐτὸς δὲ ἐποίησεν ἀκάνθας. βλέπεις γὰρ τὸν στέφανον, ὃν περίκειμαι. τί οὖν ἀποφαίνομαι λοιπόν; ταῖς νεφέλαις ἐντελοῦμαι τοῦ μὴ βρέξαι εἰς αὐτὸν ὑετόν. ἤρθησαν γὰρ ἐξ αὐτῶν αἱ νεφέλαι οἱ προφῆται. οἱ προφῆται δὲ λοιπὸν ἐν ἐκκλησίᾳ καθώς φησι Παῦλος: προφῆται δύο ἢ τρεῖς λαλείτωσαν καὶ οἱ ἄλλοι διακρινέτωσαν. καὶ πάλιν: ὁ θεὸς ἔδωκεν ἐν τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ τοὺς μὲν ἀποστόλους, τοὺς δὲ προφήτας. προφήτης ἦν Ἄγαβος ὁ δήσας ἑαυτοῦ τοὺς πόδας καὶ τὰς χεῖρας.

Περὶ δὲ τῶν λῃστῶν τῶν μετ' αὐτοῦ σταυρωθέντων εἴρηται τὸ καὶ μετὰ ἀνόμων ἐλογίσθη. καὶ οἱ δύο μὲν ἦσαν πρὸ τούτου ἄνομοι, ὁ δὲ εἷς οὐκέτι. ὁ μὲν γὰρ εἰς τέλος ἄνομος, ἀνένδοτος εἰς σωτηρίαν, χεῖρας μὲν προσπεπηγμένος, γλώσσῃ δὲ διὰ βλασφημίας πλήττων. Ἰουδαῖοι παρερχόμενοι ἐκίνουν τὰς κεφαλάς, χλευάζοντες τὸν ἐσταυρωμένον, πληροῦντες τὸ γεγραμμένον: εἴδοσάν με, ἐσάλευσαν κεφαλὰς αὐτῶν: καὶ ἐκεῖνος μετ' αὐτῶν ἐδυσφήμει, ὁ δὲ ἕτερος ἐπετίμα τῷ δυσφημοῦντι. καὶ ἦν αὐτῷ τέλος ζωῆς καὶ ἀρχὴ διορθώσεως, παράδοσις ψυχῆς καὶ πρόληψις σωτηρίας. καὶ μετὰ τὴν πρὸς ἐκεῖνον ἐπιτίμησίν φησι: μνήσθητί μου κύριε. πρὸς σὲ γάρ μοι ὁ λόγος. κατάλειπε τοῦτον, πεπήρωται τῆς διανοίας τὰ ὄμματα, ἐμοῦ δὲ μνήσθητι. οὐ λέγω μνήσθητί μου τῶν ἔργων, φοβοῦμαι γὰρ ταῦτα. πᾶς ἄνθρωπος διάκειται πρὸς τὸν συνοδεύοντα: συνοδεύω σοι πρὸς τὸν θάνατον: μνήσθητί μου τοῦ σοῦ συνοδοιπόρου. ἀλλ' οὐ λέγω νῦν μνήσθητί μου, ἀλλ' ὅταν ἔλθῃς ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ σου.

Ποία σε ἐφωταγώγησε δύναμις, ὦ λῃστά; τίς σε ἐδίδαξε προσκυνῆσαι τὸν καταφρονούμενον καὶ συνεσταυρωμένον; ὢ φωτὸς ἀϊδίου φωτοποιοῦντος τοὺς ἐσκοτισμένους. διὸ καὶ δικαίως ἤκουσε: θάρσει: οὐχ ὅτι τὰ πράγματά σου τοῦ θαρσεῖν ἄξια, ἀλλ' ὅτι βασιλεὺς πάρεστι χαριζόμενος. μακροχρόνιος μὲν ἡ αἴτησις, ὀξυτάτη δὲ ἡ χάρις. ἀμὴν λέγω σοι, σήμερον μετ' ἐμοῦ ἔσῃ ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ, ἐπειδὴ σήμερον τῆς φωνῆς μου ἤκουσας καὶ οὐκ ἐσκλήρυνάς σου τὴν καρδίαν. ὀξύτατα κατὰ τοῦ Ἀδὰμ ἀπεφηνάμην, ὀξύτατά σοι χαρίζομαι. ἐκείνῳ μὲν εἴρηται: ᾗ δ' ἂν ἡμέρᾳ φάγητε, θανάτῳ ἀποθανεῖσθε: σὺ δὲ σήμερον ὑπήκουσας τῇ πίστει, σήμερόν σοι ἡ σωτηρία. ἐκεῖνος διὰ τοῦ ξύλου ἀπέπεσε, καὶ σὺ διὰ τοῦ ξύλου εἰσάγῃ εἰς τὸν παράδεισον. μὴ φοβηθῇς τὸν ὄφιν, οὐκ ἐκβαλεῖ σε, πέπτωκε γὰρ ἐξ οὐρανῶν. καὶ οὐ λέγω σοι, σήμερον ἀπέρχῃ, ἀλλὰ σήμερον μετ' ἐμοῦ ἔσῃ. θάρσησον, οὐκ ἐκβληθήσῃ. μὴ φοβηθῇς τὴν φλογίνην ῥομφαίαν, δυσωπεῖται τὸν δεσπότην. ὢ μεγάλης καὶ ἀνεκδιηγήτου χάριτος. οὔπω Ἀβραὰμ ὁ πιστὸς εἰσῆλθε, καὶ ὁ λῃστὴς εἰσέρχεται. οὔπω Μωσῆς καὶ οἱ προφῆται, καὶ ὁ λῃστὴς παράνομος εἰσέρχεται. ἐθαύμασε καὶ πρὸ σοῦ ὁ Παῦλος εἰπών: ὅπου ἐπλεόνασεν ἡ ἁμαρτία, ὑπερεπερίσσευσεν ἡ χάρις. οἱ βαστάσαντες τὸν καύσωνα οὔπω εἰσῆλθον, καὶ ὁ περὶ τὴν ἑνδεκάτην ὥραν εἰσῆλθεν. μηδεὶς γογγυζέτω κατὰ τοῦ οἰκοδεσπότου, ἐπεί φησιν: ἑταῖρε οὐκ ἀδικῶσε. οὐκ ἔχω ἐξουσίαν ἐν τοῖς ἐμοῖς ποιῆσαι ὃ βούλομαι; θέλει δικαιοπραγῆσαι ὁ λῃστής, ἀλλὰ προλαμβάνει ὁ θάνατος. οὐ τὸ ἔργον περιμένω μόνον, ἀλλὰ καὶ τὴν πίστιν ἀπεδεξάμην. ἦλθον ὁ ποιμαίνων ἐν τοῖς κρίνοις, ἦλθον ποιμᾶναι ἐν τοῖς κήποις. πρόβατον εὗρον ἀπολωλός, ἀλλ' ἐπὶ τοὺς ὤμους μου τοῦτο λαμβάνω. πιστεύει γάρ, ἐπειδὴ καὶ αὐτὸς εἶπεν: ἐπλανήθην ὡς πρόβατον ἀπολωλός. μνήσθητί μου κύριε, ὅταν ἔλθῃς ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ σου.

Προανεφώνησα ἐν ᾄσμασι περὶ τούτου τοῦ κήπου πρὸς τὴν ἐμὴν νύμφην, καὶ ταῦτα εἶπον πρὸς αὐτήν: « εἰσῆλθον εἰς κῆπόν μου, ἀδελφή μου νύμφη: » ἦν δέ, ὅπου ἐσταυρώθη, κῆπος. καὶ τί λαμβάνεις ἐκεῖθεν; « ἐτρύγησα σμύρναν μου, » οἶνον ἐσμυρνισμένον πιὼν καὶ τὸ ὄξος, ἅτινα λαβὼν εἶπε τετέλεσται. πεπλήρωται γὰρ τὸ μυστήριον, πεπλήρωται τὰ γεγραμμένα, ἐλύθησαν αἱ ἁμαρτίαι.

Χριστὸς γὰρ παραγενόμενος ἀρχιερεὺς τῶν μελλόντων ἀγαθῶν διὰ τῆς μείζονος καὶ τελειοτέρας σκηνῆς οὐ χειροποιήτου, τουτέστιν οὐ ταύτης τῆς κτίσεως, οὐδὲ δι' αἵματος τράγων καὶ μόσχων, διὰ δὲ τοῦ ἰδίου αἵματος εἰσῆλθεν ἐφάπαξ εἰς τὰ ἅγια αἰωνίαν λύτρωσιν εὑράμενος. εἰ γὰρ τὸ αἷμα ταύρων καὶ τράγων καὶ σποδὸς δαμάλεως ῥαντίζουσα τοὺς κεκοινωμένους ἁγιάζει πρὸς τὴν τῆς σαρκὸς καθαρότητα, πόσῳ μᾶλλον τὸ αἷμα τοῦ Χριστοῦ; καὶ πάλιν: ἔχοντες οὖν, ἀδελφοί, παῤῥησίαν εἰς τὴν εἴσοδον τῶν ἁγίων ἐν τῷ αἵματι Ἰησοῦ, ἣν ἐνεκαίνισεν ἡμῖν ὁδὸν πρόσφατον καὶ ζῶσαν διὰ τοῦ καταπετάσματος, τουτέστι τῆς σαρκὸς αὐτοῦ. Καὶ ἐπειδὴ ἡ σὰρξ αὐτοῦ τὸ καταπέτασμα ἠτιμάσθη, διὰ τοῦτο τὸ καταπέτασμα τοῦ ναοῦ τὸ τυπικὸν διεῤῥήξατο, καθὼς γέγραπται: καὶ ἰδοὺ τὸ καταπέτασμα τοῦ ναοῦ ἐσχίσθη εἰς δύο, ἀπὸ ἄνωθεν ἕως κάτω, οὐδὲ γὰρ ὀλίγον αὐτοῦ περιελείφθη. ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ὁ δεσπότης εἶπεν, ἰδοὺ ἀφίεται ὑμῖν ὁ οἶκος ὑμῶν ἔρημος, ὁ οἶκος περιεῤῥήξατο.

Ὑπέμεινε δὲ ταῦτα ὁ σωτὴρ εἰρηνοποιήσας διὰ τοῦ αἵματος τοῦ σταυροῦ τὰ ἐν οὐρανοῖς καὶ τὰ ἐπὶ γῆς. ἐχθροὶ γὰρ ἦμεν θεοῦ δι' ἁμαρτίας, καὶ ὥρισεν ὁ θεὸς τὸν ἁμαρτάνοντα ἀποθνήσκειν. ἔδει οὖν ἓν ἐκ τῶν δύο γενέσθαι, ἢ ἀληθεύοντα θεὸν πάντας ἀνελεῖν, ἢ φιλανθρωπευόμενον παραλύσαι τὴν ἀπόφασιν.

Ἀλλὰ βλέπε θεοῦ σοφίαν. ἐτήρησεν καὶ τῇ ἀποφάσει τὴν ἀλήθειαν καὶ τῇ φιλανθρωπίᾳ τὴν ἐνέργειαν. ἀνέλαβε Χριστὸς τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἐν τῷ σώματι ἐπὶ τὸ ξύλον, ἵνα διὰ τοῦ θανάτου αὐτοῦ ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις ἡμεῖς ἀπογενόμενοι τῇ δικαιοσύνῃ ζήσωμεν. οὐ μικρὸς ἦν ὁ ὑπεραποθνήσκων ἡμῶν. οὐκ ἦν πρόβατον αἰσθητόν, οὐκ ἦν ψιλὸς ἄνθρωπος, οὐκ ἦν ἄγγελος μόνον, ἀλλὰ θεὸς ἐνανθρωπήσας. οὐ τοσαύτη ἦν τῶν ἁμαρτωλῶν ἡ ἀνομία, ὅση τοῦ ὑπεραποθνήσκοντος ἡ δικαιοσύνη. οὐ τοσοῦτον ἡμάρτομεν, ὅσον ἐδικαιοπράγησεν ὁ τὴν ψυχὴν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν τεθεικώς, ὁ τεθεικὼς ὅτε ἠθέλησεν καὶ πάλιν λαβὼν ὅτε ἠθέλησεν.

Καὶ θέλεις γνῶναι ὅτι οὐ βιοσφαγῶς ἀπέθετο τὴν ζωήν, οὐδὲ ἀκουσίως παρέδωκε τὸ πνεῦμα; προσεφώνει τῷ πατρὶ λέγων: πάτερ, εἰς χεῖράς σου παρατίθεμαι τὸ πνεῦμά μου. παρατίθεμαι, ἵνα πάλιν αὐτὸ λάβω. καὶ ταῦτα εἰπὼν ἀφῆκε τὸ πνεῦμα, ἀλλ' οὐκ ἐπὶ πολλῷ τῷ χρόνῳ, ταχέως γὰρ ἐκ νεκρῶν ἀνέστη πάλιν.

Ἐξέλιπεν ὁ ἥλιος, διὰ τὸν τῆς δικαιοσύνης ἥλιον. πέτραι ἐσχίσθησαν, διὰ τὴν νοητὴν πέτραν. μνήματα ἠνεῴχθη καὶ νεκροὶ ἀνέστησαν, διὰ τὸν ἐν νεκροῖς ἐλεύθερον. ἐξαπέστειλε δεσμίους αὐτοῦ ἐκ λάκκου οὐκ ἔχοντος ὕδωρ. μὴ τοίνυν ἐπαισχύνου τὸν ἐσταυρωμένον, ἀλλὰ παῤῥησιάζου λέγων καὶ αὐτός: οὗτος τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἡμῶν φέρει καὶ περὶ ἡμῶν ὀδυνᾶται καὶ τῷ μώλωπι αὐτοῦ ἡμεῖς ἰάθημεν. μὴ ἀχαριστήσωμεν τῷ εὐεργέτῃ. καὶ πάλιν: ἀπὸ τῶν ἀνομιῶν τοῦ λαοῦ μου ἤχθη εἰς θάνατον, καὶ δώσω τοὺς πονηροὺς ἀντὶ τῆς ταφῆς αὐτοῦ καὶ τοὺς πλουσίους ἀντὶ τοῦ θανάτου αὐτοῦ. διὰ τοῦτο σαφῶς λέγει ὁ Παῦλος: ὅτι Χριστὸς ἀπέθανεν ὑπὲρ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ἡμῶν κατὰ τὰς γραφάς, καὶ ὅτι ἐτάφη καὶ ὅτι ἐγήγερται τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ τρίτῃ κατὰ τὰς γραφάς.

Ζητοῦμεν δὲ γνῶναι σαφῶς ποῦ τέθαπται. χειροποίητος ἄρα ὁ τάφος; ἆρα κατὰ τοὺς τῶν βασιλέων τάφους ὑπερανέχει τῆς γῆς; ἐκ λίθων γεγένηται τὸ μνῆμα συγκειμένων; καὶ τούτῳ τί ἐπιτίθεται; εἴπατε ἡμῖν, ὦ προφῆται, καὶ τοῦ τάφου τὴν ἀκρίβειαν, ποῦ τίθεται, καὶ ποῦ αὐτὸν ζητήσομεν; Οἱ δέ φασιν: ἐμβλέψατε εἰς τὴν στερεὰν πέτραν ἣν ἐλατομήσατε, ἐμβλέψατε καὶ ἴδετε. ἔχεις ἐν εὐαγγελίοις: ἐν μνήματι λαξευτῷ, ὃ ἦν λελατομημένον ἐκ πέτρας. καὶ τί γίνεται; ποταπὴ τοῦ μνήματος ἡ θύρα; πάλιν προφήτης ἄλλος λέγει: ἐθανάτωσαν ἐν λάκκῳ ζωήν μου καὶ ἔθηκαν λίθον ἐπ' ἐμοί. ὁ λίθος ὁ ἀκρογωνιαῖος, ὁ ἐκλεκτός, ὁ ἔντιμος, ἐνδοτέρῳ λίθου κεῖμαι πρὸς ὀλίγον χρόνον, λίθος προσκόμματος Ἰουδαίοις, καὶ σωτήριος τοῖς πιστεύουσιν. ἐνεφυτεύθη τοίνυν τὸ ξύλον τῆς ζωῆς ἐν τῇ γῇ, ἵνα ἀπολαύσῃ τῆς εὐλογίας ἡ καταραθεῖσα γῆ καὶ ἵνα λυθῶσιν οἱ νεκροί.

Μὴ τοίνυν ἐπαισχυνθῶμεν ὁμολογῆσαι τὸν ἐσταυρωμένον. ἐπὶ μετώπου μετὰ παῤῥησίας δακτύλοις ἡ σφραγὶς καὶ ἐπὶ πάντων ὁ σταυρὸς γινέσθω, ἐπὶ ἄρτων βιβρωσκομένων καὶ ἐπὶ ποτηρίων πινομένων, ἐν εἰσόδοις, ἐν ἐξόδοις, πρὸ τοῦ ὕπνου, κοιταζομένοις καὶ διανισταμένοις, ὁδεύουσι καὶ ἠρεμοῦσι. μέγα τὸ φυλακτήριον, δωρεὰν διὰ τοὺς πένητας, χωρὶς καμάτου διὰ τοὺς ἀσθενεῖς, ἐπειδὴ καὶ παρὰ θεοῦ ἡ χάρις, σημεῖον πιστῶν καὶ φόβος δαιμόνων. ἐθριάμβευσε γὰρ αὐτοὺς ἐν αὐτῷ, δειγματίσας ἐν παῤῥησίᾳ. ὅταν γὰρ ἴδωσι τὸν σταυρόν, ὑπομιμνήσκονται τοῦ ἐσταυρωμένου. φοβοῦνται τὸν συντρίψαντα τὰς κεφαλὰς τοῦ δράκοντος. μὴ διὰ τὸ δωρημαῖον καταφρόνει τῆς σφραγίδος, ἀλλὰ διὰ τοῦτο μᾶλλον τίμησον τὸν εὐεργέτην.

Καὶ ἐὰν εἰς συζήτησίν ποτε ἐμπέσῃς καὶ μὴ τοὺς λόγους τῆς ἀποδείξεως ἔχῃς, ἡ πίστις ἑδραία μενέτω παρὰ σοί. μᾶλλον δὲ πολυμαθὴς γενόμενος Ἰουδαίους ἐπιστόμιζε ἐκ τῶν προφητῶν καὶ ἕλληνας ἐκ τῶν παρ' αὐτοῖς μυθολογουμένων. αὐτοὶ κεκεραυνωμένους προσκυνοῦσιν. κεραυνὸς δὲ ἐξ οὐρανῶν ἐρχόμενος οὐκ ἀκρίτως ἔρχεται. εἰ ἐκεῖνοι τοὺς κεραυνωθέντας θεομισεῖς προσκυνοῦντες οὐκ αἰσχύνονται, σὺ τὸν θεοφιλῆ καὶ υἱὸν θεοῦ τὸν ἐσταυρωμένον ὑπὲρ σοῦ προσκυνεῖν αἰσχύνῃ;

Αἰδοῦμαι λέγειν τὰ περὶ τῶν λεγομένων θεῶν αὐτῶν, καὶ καταλιμπάνω διὰ τὴν ὥραν, οἱ δὲ εἰδότες λεγέτωσαν. ἐπιστομιζέσθωσαν δὲ καὶ αἱρετικοὶ πάντες. ἐάν τις εἴπῃ ὅτι δόκῃσις ὁ σταυρός, ἀποστράφηθι. μίσησον τοὺς λέγοντας, ὅτι κατὰ φαντασίαν ἐσταυρώθη. εἰ γὰρ κατὰ φαντασίαν ἐσταυρώθη, ἐκ σταυροῦ δὲ ἡ σωτηρία, καὶ ἡ σωτηρία φαντασία. εἰ φαντασία ὁ σταυρός, φαντασία καὶ ἡ ἀνάστασις. εἰ δὲ Χριστὸς οὐκ ἐγήγερται, ἔτι ἐσμὲν ἐν ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις ἡμῶν. εἰ φαντασία ὁ σταυρός, φαντασία καὶ ἡ ἀνάληψις. καὶ εἰ φαντασία ἡ ἀνάληψις, φαντασία ἄρα καὶ ἡ δευτέρα κάθοδος, καὶ πάντα λοιπὸν ἀνυπόστατα.

Λάμβανε οὖν πρῶτον ἀῤῥαγὲς θεμέλιον τὸν σταυρὸν καὶ ἐποικοδόμει τὰ λοιπὰ τῆς πίστεως. μὴ ἀρνήσῃ τὸν ἐσταυρωμένον. ἐὰν γὰρ ἀρνήσῃ, πολλοὺς ἔχεις τοὺς ἐλέγχοντας. Ἰούδας ἐλέγξει σε πρῶτος ὁ προδότης. ὁ γὰρ προδοὺς οἶδεν ὅτι ὑπὸ ἀρχιερέων καὶ πρεσβυτέρων κατεκρίθη πρὸς θάνατον. μαρτυρεῖ τὰ τριάκοντα ἀργύρια. μαρτυρεῖ τὸ Γεθσημανῆ, ἔνθα ἡ προδοσία γέγονεν. οὔπω λέγω τὸ ὄρος τῶν ἐλαιῶν, ἐν ᾧ προσεύχοντο παρόντες ἐν νυκτί. μαρτυρεῖ ἡ ἐν νυκτὶ σελήνη. μαρτυρεῖ ἡ ἡμέρα καὶ ὁ ἥλιος ἐκλείπων. οὐ γὰρ ἔφερεν ὁρᾶν τὸ παράνομον τῶν ἐπιβουλευόντων. ἐλέγχει σε τὸ πῦρ, ᾧ παρεστὼς ἐθερμαίνετο ὁ Πέτρος. ἐὰν ἀρνήσῃ τὸν σταυρόν, μένει σε τὸ πῦρ τὸ αἰώνιον. σκληρὰ λέγω, ἵνα μὴ σκληρῶν πειραθῇς. μνημόνευε τῶν ἐν Γεθσημανῆ μαχαιρῶν ἐλθουσῶν ἐπ' αὐτόν, ἵνα μὴ ῥομφαίας πειρασθῇς αἰωνίου. ἐλέγξει σε ἡ οἰκία Καϊάφα διὰ τῆς νῦν ἐρημίας δεικνύουσα τοῦ κριθέντος ἐκεῖ τότε τὴν δύναμιν.

Ἀντικαταστήσεταί σοι ἐν ἡμέρᾳ κρίσεως καὶ αὐτὸς Καϊάφας. ἀντικαταστήσεταί σοι καὶ ὁ ὑπηρέτης ὁ ῥάπισμα δοὺς τῷ Ἰησοῦ, καὶ οἱ δήσαντες καὶ ἀπαγαγόντες. ἀντικαταστήσεταί σοι καὶ Ἡρώδης καὶ Πιλάτος μονονουχὶ λέγοντες: τί ἀρνῇ τὸν ἐφ' ἡμῶν ὑπὸ Ἰουδαίων συκοφαντηθέντα, ὃν ᾔδειμεν ἡμεῖς μηδὲν ἁμαρτήσαντα; ἐγὼ γὰρ Πιλάτος ἀπενιψάμην τότε τὰς χεῖρας. ἀντικαταστήσονται οἱ ψευδομάρτυρες, καὶ οἱ στρατιῶται οἱ τὸ πορφυροῦν ἱμάτιον περιβαλόντες καὶ τὸν ἀκάνθινον στέφανον ἐπιθέντες καὶ ἐν τῷ Γολγοθᾷ σταυρώσαντες καὶ περὶ τοῦ χιτῶνος λαχόντες. ἐλέγξει σε Σίμων ὁ κυρηναῖος ὁ τὸν σταυρὸν φέρων ὀπίσω τοῦ Ἰησοῦ.

Ἐλέγξει σε ἀπὸ μὲν ἄστρων ὁ ἐκλείπων ἥλιος, ἀπὸ δὲ τῶν ἐπὶ γῆς ὁ ἐσμυρνισμένος οἶνος, ἀπὸ καλάμων ὁ κάλαμος, ἀπὸ βοτανῶν τὸ ὕσσωπον, ἀπὸ τῶν θαλασσίων ὁ σπόγγος, ἀπὸ δένδρων τοῦ σταυροῦ τὸ ξύλον. οἱ στρατιῶται, καθὼς εἴρηται, οἱ καθηλώσαντες καὶ λαχόντες περὶ τῶν ἱματίων, ὁ στρατιώτης ὁ τῇ λόγχῃ τὴν πλευρὰν αὐτοῦ ἀνοίξας, αἱ γυναῖκες αἱ τότε παροῦσαι. τὸ καταπέτασμα τοῦ ναοῦ τὸ τότε διαῤῥαγέν. τὸ Πιλάτου πραιτώριον τὸ τῇ δυνάμει τοῦ τότε σταυρωθέντος νῦν ἠρημωμένον. ὁ Γολγοθᾶς οὗτος ὁ ἅγιος ὁ ὑπερανεστὼς καὶ μέχρι σήμερον φαινόμενος καὶ δεικνύων μέχρι νῦν ὅπως διὰ Χριστὸν αἱ πέτραι τότε ἐῤῥάγησαν. τὸ μνῆμα τὸ πλησίον, ὅπου ἐτέθη, καὶ ὁ ἐπιτεθεὶς τῇ θύρᾳ λίθος ὁ μέχρι σήμερον παρὰ τῷ μνημείῳ κείμενος. ἄγγελοι οἱ τότε παρόντες. γυναῖκες αἱ προσκυνήσασαι μετὰ τὴν ἀνάστασιν. Πέτρος καὶ Ἰωάννης οἱ ἐπὶ τὸ μνῆμα δραμόντες, καὶ Θωμᾶς ὁ βαλὼν τὴν χεῖρα εἰς τὴν πλευρὰν αὐτοῦ καὶ τοὺς δακτύλους εἰς τοὺς τύπους τῶν ἥλων. ὑπὲρ γὰρ ἡμῶν κἀκεῖνος ἀκριβῶς ἐψηλάφησεν, καὶ ὅπερ σὺ ἔμελλες ὁ τότε μὴ παρὼν ζητεῖν, τοῦτο ἐκεῖνος παρὼν κατ' οἰκονομίαν ἐζήτησεν.

Ἔχεις δώδεκα ἀποστόλους τοῦ σταυροῦ μάρτυρας καὶ τὴν οἰκουμένην καὶ τὸν κόσμον τῶν εἰς τὸν ἐσταυρωμένον πιστευόντων ἀνθρώπων. αὐτὸ τοῦτό σε νῦν παρεῖναι πειθέτω σε τοῦ σταυρωθέντος τὴν δύναμιν. τίς γάρ σε νῦν συνήγαγεν; ποῖοι στρατιῶται; ποίοις δεσμοῖς ἠναγκάσθης; ποία καταδίκη σε νῦν κατέπειξεν; ἀλλὰ τὸ τρόπαιον Ἰησοῦ τὸ σωτήριον, ὁ σταυρός, πάντας συνήγαγεν. τοῦτο Πέρσας ἐδουλαγώγησε καὶ Σκύθας ἡμέρωσε, τοῦτο τοῖς Αἰγυπτίοις ἀντὶ αἰλούρων καὶ κυνῶν καὶ τῆς πολυσχιδοῦς πλάνης τὴν θεογνωσίαν ἐχαρίσατο. τοῦτο μέχρι σήμερον θεραπεύει νόσους. τοῦτο μέχρι σήμερον δαίμονας ἀπελαύνει, φαρμάκων τε καὶ ἐπαοιδῶν ἀνατρέπει γοητείας.

Τοῦτο μετὰ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ φαίνεσθαι μέλλει πάλιν ἐξ οὐρανοῦ. προηγήσεται γὰρ τοῦ βασιλέως τὸ τρόπαιον, ἵνα ἰδόντες ὃν ἐξεκέντησαν καὶ ἐκ τοῦ σταυροῦ γνόντες τὸν ἠτιμασμένον οἱ μὲν μετανοήσαντες Ἰουδαῖοι κόψωνται (ἀλλ' ἐκεῖνοι μὲν κόψονται φυλαὶ κατὰ φυλάς: τότε γὰρ μετανοήσουσιν, ὅτε οὐκ ἔστιν αὐτοῖς μετανοίας καιρός), ἡμεῖς δὲ καυχησώμεθα ἐναβρυνόμενοι τῷ σταυρῷ, προσκυνοῦντες τὸν ἀποσταλέντα κύριον καὶ ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν σταυρωθέντα, προσκυνοῦντες καὶ τὸν ἀποστείλαντα πατέρα θεὸν σὺν ἁγίῳ πνεύματι, ᾧ ἡ δόξα εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. ἀμήν.