Chapter XI.—Concerning the Cross and here further concerning Faith.

The word ‘Cross’ is foolishness to those that perish, but to us who are saved it is the power of God.937    1 Cor. i. 23. For he that is spiritual judgeth all things, but the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit.938    Ιβιδ. ιι. 14, 15 For it is foolishness to those who do not receive in faith and who do not consider God’s goodness and omnipotence, but search out divine things with human and natural reasonings. For all the things that are of God are above nature and reason and conception. For should any one consider how and for what purpose God brought all things out of nothing and into being, and aim at arriving at that by natural reasonings, he fails to comprehend it. For knowledge of this kind belongs to spirits and demons. But if any one, under the guidance of faith, should consider the divine goodness and omnipotence and truth and wisdom and justice, he will find all things smooth and even, and the way straight. But without faith it is impossible to be saved939    Heb. xi. 6.. For it is by faith that all things, both human and spiritual, are sustained. For without faith neither does the farmer940    Basil. in Ps. cxv. cut his furrow, nor does the merchant commit his life to the raging waves of the sea on a small piece of wood, nor are marriages contracted nor any other step in life taken. By faith we consider that all things were brought out of nothing into being by God’s power. And we direct all things, both divine and human, by faith. Further, faith is assent free from all meddlesome inquisitiveness941    Basil, cit. loc..

Every action, therefore, and performance of miracles by Christ are most great and divine and marvellous: but the most marvellous of all is His precious Cross. For no other thing has subdued death, expiated the sin of the first parent942    Text, προπάτορος ἁμαρτία. Variant, προπατ. ᾽Αδὰμ ἁμαρτ., despoiled Hades, bestowed the resurrection, granted the power to us of contemning the present and even death itself, prepared the return to our former blessedness, opened the gates of Paradise943    Text, ἠνοίχθησαν. Variant, ἠνοίγησαν., given our nature a seat at the right hand of God, and made us the children and heirs of God944    Cyril, Hier. catech. i. 14., save the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. For by the Cross945    Text, διὰ σταυροῦ. Variant, δί αὐτοῦ. all things have been made right. So many of us, the apostle says, as were baptized into Christ, were baptized into His death946    Rom. vi. 3., and as many of you as have been baptized into Christ, have put on Christ947    Gal. iii. 27.. Further Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God948    1 Cor. i. 24.. Lo! the death of Christ, that is, the Cross, clothed us with the enhypostatic wisdom and power of God. And the power of God is the Word of the Cross, either because God’s might, that is, the victory over death, has been revealed to us by it, or because, just as the four extremities of the Cross are held fast and bound together by the bolt in the middle, so also by God’s power the height and the depth, the length and the breadth, that is, every creature visible and invisible, is maintained949    Basil. in Is. xi..

This was given to us as a sign on our forehead, just as the circumcision was given to Israel: for by it we believers are separated and distinguished from unbelievers. This is the shield and weapon against, and trophy over, the devil. This is the seal that the destroyer may not touch you950    Exod. xii. 23., as saith the Scripture. This is the resurrection of those lying in death, the support of the standing, the staff of the weak, the rod of the flock, the safe conduct of the earnest, the perfection of those that press forwards, the salvation of soul and body, the aversion of all things evil, the patron of all things good, the taking away of sin, the plant of resurrection, the tree of eternal life.

So, then, this same truly precious and august tree951    Cf. Cyril, Contr. Jul., bk. vi., on which Christ hath offered Himself as a sacrifice for our sakes, is to be worshipped as sanctified by contact with His holy body and blood; likewise the nails, the spear, the clothes, His sacred tabernacles which are the manger, the cave, Golgotha, which bringeth salvation952    Text, ὁ Γοργοθᾶς, ὁ σωτήριος. Variant, ὁ σταυρός., the tomb which giveth life, Sion, the chief stronghold of the churches and the like, are to be worshipped. In the words of David, the father of God953    ὁ θεοπάτωρ Δαβίδ. Cf. Dionysiaster, Ep. 8., We shall go into His tabernacles, we shall worship at the place where His feet stood954    Ps. cxxxii. 7.. And that it is the Cross that is meant is made clear by what follows, Arise, O Lord, into Thy Rest955    Ibid. 8.. For the resurrection comes after the Cross. For if of those things which we love, house and couch and garment, are to be longed after, how much the rather should we long after that which belonged to God, our Saviour956    Text, Σωτῆρος. Variant, σταυρός., by means of which we are in truth saved.

Moreover we worship even the image of the precious and life-giving Cross, although made of another tree, not honouring the tree (God forbid) but the image as a symbol of Christ. For He said to His disciples, admonishing them, Then shall appear the sign of the Son of Man in Heaven957    St. Matt. xxiv. 30., meaning the Cross. And so also the angel of the resurrection said to the woman, Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth which was crucified958    St. Mark xvi. 6.. And the Apostle said, We preach Christ crucified959    1 Cor. i. 23.. For there are many Christs and many Jesuses, but one crucified. He does not say speared but crucified. It behoves us, then, to worship the sign of Christ960    Text, Χριστοῦ. Variant, σταυροῦ.. For wherever the sign may be, there also will He be. But it does not behove us to worship the material of which the image of the Cross is composed, even though it be gold or precious stones, after it is destroyed, if that should happen. Everything, therefore, that is dedicated to God we worship, conferring the adoration on Him.

The tree of life which was planted by God in Paradise pre-figured this precious Cross. For since death was by a tree, it was fitting that life and resurrection should be bestowed by a tree961    Gen. ii. and iii.. Jacob, when He worshipped the top of Joseph’s staff, was the first to image the Cross, and when he blessed his sons with crossed hands962    Heb. xi. 21. he made most clearly the sign of the cross. Likewise963    Auct., Quæst. ad Antioch., 9, 63. also did Moses’ rod, when it smote the sea in the figure of the cross and saved Israel, while it overwhelmed Pharaoh in the depths; likewise also the hands stretched out crosswise and routing Amalek; and the bitter water made sweet by a tree, and the rock rent and pouring forth streams of water964    Num. xx., and the rod that meant for Aaron the dignity of the high priesthood965    Exod. iv.: and the serpent lifted in triumph on a tree as though it were dead966    Ibid, the tree bringing salvation to those who in faith saw their enemy dead, just as Christ was nailed to the tree in the flesh of sin which yet knew no sin967    Text, οὐκ εἰδυί& 139·. Variant, εἰδώς.. The mighty Moses cried968    Iren., bk. v., c 18., You will see your life hanging on the tree before your eyes, and Isaiah likewise, I have spread out my hands all the day unto a faithless and rebellious people969    Isai. lxv. 2.. But may we who worship this970    Text, τοῦτο. Variants, τοῦτον and τούτῳ. obtain a part in Christ the crucified. Amen.

Περὶ σταυροῦ, ἐν ᾧ ἔτι καὶ περὶ πίστεως

«Ὁ λόγος ὁ τοῦ σταυροῦ τοῖς μὲν ἀπολλυμένοις μωρία ἐστί, τοῖς δὲ σῳζομένοις ἡμῖν δύναμις θεοῦ ἐστιν». «Ὁ μὲν γὰρ πνευματικὸς πάντα ἀνακρίνει, ψυχικὸς δὲ ἄνθρωπος οὐ δέχεται τὰ τοῦ πνεύματος». Μωρία γάρ ἐστι τοῖς μὴ πίστει δεχομένοις καὶ τὸ ἀγαθὸν καὶ παντοδύναμον τοῦ θεοῦ λογιζομένοις, ἀλλ' ἀνθρωπίνοις καὶ φυσικοῖς λογισμοῖς ἐρευνῶσι τὰ θεῖα: πάντα γὰρ τὰ τοῦ θεοῦ ὑπὲρ φύσιν εἰσὶ καὶ λόγον καὶ ἔννοιαν. Εἰ γάρ τις λογίσηται, ὅπως ἐκ τοῦ μὴ ὄντος εἰς τὸ εἶναι τίνος τε ἕνεκεν παρήγαγεν ὁ θεὸς τὰ πάντα, καὶ φυσικοῖς λογισμοῖς φθάσαι βουληθῇ, οὐ καταλαμβάνει: ψυχικὴ γάρ ἐστιν ἡ γνῶσις αὕτη καὶ δαιμονιώδης. Εἰ δέ τις πίστει χειραγωγούμενος ἀγαθὸν καὶ παντοδύναμον καὶ ἀληθὲς καὶ σοφὸν καὶ δίκαιον τὸ θεῖον λογίσηται, εὑρήσει πάντα λεῖα καὶ ὁμαλὰ καὶ ὁδὸν εὐθεῖαν. Ἐκτὸς γὰρ πίστεως ἀδύνατον σωθῆναι: πίστει γὰρ πάντα, τά τε ἀνθρώπινα τά τε πνευματικά, συνίστανται. Οὔτε γὰρ γεωργὸς ἐκτὸς πίστεως τέμνει γῆς αὔλακα, οὐκ ἔμπορος μικρῷ ξύλῳ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ψυχὴν τῷ μαινομένῳ τῆς θαλάσσης πελάγει παραδίδωσιν, οὐ γάμοι συνίστανται, οὐκ ἄλλο τι τῶν ἐν τῷ βίῳ. Πίστει νοοῦμεν ἐκ τοῦ μὴ ὄντος εἰς τὸ εἶναι τὰ πάντα τῇ τοῦ θεοῦ δυνάμει παρῆχθαι: πάντα, τά τε θεῖα καὶ τὰ ἀνθρώπινα, πίστει κατορθοῦμεν. Πίστις δέ ἐστιν ἀπολυπραγμόνητος συγκατάθεσις.

Πᾶσα μὲν οὖν πρᾶξις καὶ θαυματουργία Χριστοῦ μεγίστη καὶ θεία καὶ θαυμαστή, ἀλλὰ πάντων ἐστὶ θαυμαστότερον ὁ τίμιος αὐτοῦ σταυρός. Δι' οὐδενὸς γὰρ ἑτέρου ὁ θάνατος κατήργηται, ἡ τοῦ προπάτορος ἁμαρτία λέλυται, ὁ ᾅδης ἐσκύλευται, ἡ ἀνάστασις δεδώρηται, δύναμις ἡμῖν τοῦ καταφρονεῖν τῶν παρόντων καὶ αὐτοῦ τοῦ θανάτου δέδοται, ἡ πρὸς τὴν ἀρχαίαν μακαριότητα ἐπάνοδος κατώρθωται, πύλαι παραδείσου ἠνοίγησαν, ἡ φύσις ἡμῶν ἐκ δεξιῶν τοῦ θεοῦ κεκάθικε, τέκνα θεοῦ καὶ κληρονόμοι γεγόναμεν εἰ μὴ διὰ τοῦ σταυροῦ τοῦ κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ. Διὰ σταυροῦ γὰρ ταῦτα πάντα κατώρθωται.« Ὅσοι γὰρ ἐβαπτίσθημεν εἰς Χριστόν», φησὶν ὁ ἀπόστολος, «εἰς τὸν θάνατον αὐτοῦ ἐβαπτίσθημεν». Ὅσοι δὲ εἰς Χριστὸν ἐβαπτίσθημεν, Χριστὸν ἐνεδυσάμεθα. Χριστὸς δέ ἐστι θεοῦ δύναμις καὶ σοφία. Ἰδοὺ ὁ θάνατος τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἤτοι ὁ σταυρὸς τὴν ἐνυπόστατον τοῦ θεοῦ σοφίαν καὶ δύναμιν ἡμᾶς περιέβαλε. Δύναμις δὲ θεοῦ ἐστιν ὁ λόγος ὁ τοῦ σταυροῦ, ἢ ὅτι τὸ δυνατὸν τοῦ θεοῦ ἤτοι ἡ κατὰ τοῦ θανάτου νίκη δι' αὐτοῦ ἡμῖν πεφανέρωται, ἢ ὅτι, ὥσπερ τὰ τέσσαρα ἄκρα τοῦ σταυροῦ διὰ τοῦ μέσου κέντρου κρατοῦνται καὶ συσφίγγονται, οὕτω διὰ τῆς τοῦ θεοῦ δυνάμεως τό τε ὕψος καὶ τὸ βάθος μῆκός τε καὶ πλάτος ἤτοι πᾶσα ὁρατή τε καὶ ἀόρατος κτίσις συνέχεται.

Οὗτος ἡμῖν σημεῖον δέδοται ἐπὶ τοῦ μετώπου, ὃν τρόπον τῷ Ἰσραὴλ ἡ περιτομή: δι' αὐτοῦ γὰρ οἱ πιστοὶ τῶν ἀπίστων ἀποδιιστάμεθά τε καὶ γνωριζόμεθα. Οὗτος θυρεὸς καὶ ὅπλον καὶ τρόπαιον κατὰ τοῦ διαβόλου. Οὗτος σφραγίς, ἵνα μὴ θίγῃ ἡμῶν ὁ ὀλοθρεύων, ὥς φησιν ἡ γραφή. Οὗτος τῶν κειμένων ἀνάστασις, τῶν ἑστώτων στήριγμα, ἀσθενῶν βακτηρία, ποιμαινομένων ῥάβδος, ἐπιστρεφόντων χειραγωγία, προκοπτόντων τελείωσις, ψυχῆς σωτηρία καὶ σώματος, πάντων κακῶν ἀποτρόπαιον, πάντων ἀγαθῶν πρόξενος, ἁμαρτίας ἀναίρεσις, φυτὸν ἀναστάσεως, ξύλον ζωῆς αἰωνίου.

Αὐτὸ μὲν οὖν τὸ τίμιον ξύλον ὡς ἀληθῶς καὶ σεβάσμιον, ἐν ᾧ ἑαυτὸν εἰς θυσίαν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν Χριστὸς προσενήνοχεν, ὡς ἁγιασθὲν τῇ ἁφῇ τοῦ ἁγίου σώματος καὶ αἵματος εἰκότως προσκυνητέον, τοὺς ἥλους, τὴν λόγχην, τὰ ἐνδύματα καὶ τὰ ἱερὰ αὐτοῦ σκηνώματα, ἅτινά εἰσιν ἡ φάτνη, τὸ σπήλαιον, ὁ Γολγοθᾶς ὁ σωτήριος, ὁ ζωοποιὸς τάφος, ἡ Σιὼν τῶν ἐκκλησιῶν ἡ ἀκρόπολις, καὶ τὰ ὅμοια: ὥς φησιν ὁ θεοπάτωρ Δαυίδ: «Εἰσελευσόμεθα εἰς τὰ σκηνώματα αὐτοῦ, προσκυνήσομεν εἰς τὸν τόπον, οὗ ἔστησαν οἱ πόδες αὐτοῦ». Ὅτι δὲ τὸν σταυρὸν λέγει, δηλοῖ τὸ ἑπόμενον: «Ἀνάστηθι, κύριε, εἰς τὴν ἀνάπαυσίν σου»: ἕπεται γὰρ τῷ σταυρῷ ἡ ἀνάστασις. Εἰ γὰρ τῶν ἐρωμένων ποθητὸν οἶκος καὶ κλίνη καὶ περιβόλαιον, πόσῳ μᾶλλον τὰ τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ σωτῆρος, δι' ὧν καὶ σεσῴσμεθα.

Προσκυνοῦμεν δὲ καὶ τὸν τύπον τοῦ τιμίου σταυροῦ, εἰ καὶ ἐξ ἑτέρας ὕλης γένηται, οὐ τὴν ὕλην τιμῶντες_μὴ γένοιτο_, ἀλλὰ τὸν τύπον ὡς Χριστοῦ σύμβολον. Ἔφη γὰρ τοῖς ἑαυτοῦ μαθηταῖς διατιθέμενος: «Τότε φανήσεται τὸ σημεῖον τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐν τῷ οὐρανῷ», τὸν σταυρὸν λέγων. Διὸ καὶ ταῖς γυναιξὶν ἔλεγεν ὁ τῆς ἀναστάσεως ἄγγελος: «Ἰησοῦν ζητεῖτε τὸν Ναζαρηνὸν τὸν ἐσταυρωμένον», καὶ ὁ ἀπόστολος: «Ἡμεῖς δὲ κηρύσσομεν Χριστὸν ἐσταυρωμένον». Πολλοὶ μὲν γὰρ Χριστοὶ καὶ Ἰησοῖ, ἀλλ' εἷς ὁ ἐσταυρωμένος. Οὐκ εἶπε λελογχευμένον, ἀλλ' «ἐσταυρωμένον». Προσκυνητέον τοίνυν τὸ σημεῖον τοῦ Χριστοῦ. Ἔνθα γὰρ ἂν ᾖ τὸ σημεῖον, ἐκεῖ καὶ αὐτὸς ἔσται. Τὴν δὲ ὕλην, ἐξ ἧς ὁ τύπος τοῦ σταυροῦ συνίσταται, εἰ καὶ χρυσὸς ἢ λίθοι εἶεν τίμιοι, μετὰ τὴν τοῦ τύπου (εἰ τύχοι) διάλυσιν οὐ προσκυνητέον. Πάντα τοίνυν τὰ θεῷ ἀνακείμενα προσκυνοῦμεν αὐτῷ τὸ σέβας προσάγοντες.

Τοῦτον τὸν τίμιον σταυρὸν προετύπωσε τὸ ξύλον τῆς ζωῆς τὸ ἐν παραδείσῳ ὑπὸ θεοῦ πεφυτευμένον (ἐπεὶ γὰρ διὰ ξύλου ὁ θάνατος, ἔδει διὰ ξύλου δωρηθῆναι τὴν ζωὴν καὶ τὴν ἀνάστασιν), Ἰακὼβ προσκυνήσας τὸ ἄκρον τῆς ῥάβδου ἐνηλλαγμέναις ταῖς χερσὶ τοὺς υἱοὺς Ἰωσὴφ εὐλογήσας καὶ τὸ σημεῖον τοῦ σταυροῦ διαγράψας σαφέστατα, ῥάβδος Μωσαϊκὴ σταυροτύπως τὴν θάλασσαν πλήξασα καὶ σώσασα μὲν τὸν Ἰσραήλ, Φαραὼ δὲ βυθίσασα, χεῖρες σταυροειδῶς ἐκτεινόμεναι καὶ τὸν Ἀμαλὴκ τροπούμεναι, ξύλῳ τὸ πικρὸν ὕδωρ γλυκαινόμενον καὶ πέτρα ῥηγνυμένη καὶ προχέουσα νάματα, ῥάβδος τῷ Ἀαρὼν τὸ τῆς ἱεραρχίας ἀξίωμα χρηματίζουσα, ὄφις ἐπὶ ξύλου θριαμβευόμενος (ὡς νενέκρωται τοῦ ξύλου τοὺς νεκρὸν ὁρῶντας τὸν ἐχθρὸν διασῴζοντος τοὺς πιστεύοντας, ὡς Χριστὸς ἐν σαρκὶ ἁμαρτίας ἁμαρτίαν οὐκ εἰδυίᾳ προσήλωται), Μωσῆς ὁ μέγας: «Ὄψεσθε», βοῶν, «τὴν ζωὴν ὑμῶν ἐπὶ ξύλου κρεμαμένην ἀπέναντι τῶν ὀφθαλμῶν ὑμῶν», Ἡσαΐας: «Ὅλην τὴν ἡμέραν διεπέτασα τὰς χεῖράς μου πρὸς λαὸν ἀπειθοῦντα καὶ ἀντιλέγοντα». Οἱ τοῦτο προσκυνοῦντες τῆς μερίδος τύχοιμεν Χριστοῦ τοῦ ἐσταυρωμένου. Ἀμήν.