Chapter XCV.—Christ took upon Himself the curse due to us.

“For the whole human race will be found to be under a curse. For it is written in the law of Moses, ‘Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the law to do them.’368    Deut. xxvii. 26. And no one has accurately done all, nor will you venture to deny this; but some more and some less than others have observed the ordinances enjoined. But if those who are under this law appear to be under a curse for not having observed all the requirements, how much more shall all the nations appear to be under a curse who practise idolatry, who seduce youths, and commit other crimes? If, then, the Father of all wished His Christ for the whole human family to take upon Him the curses of all, knowing that, after He had been crucified and was dead, He would raise Him up, why do you argue about Him, who submitted to suffer these things according to the Father’s will, as if He were accursed, and do not rather bewail yourselves? For although His Father caused Him to suffer these things in behalf of the human family, yet you did not commit the deed as in obedience to the will of God. For you did not practise piety when you slew the prophets. And let none of you say: If His Father wished Him to suffer this, in order that by His stripes the human race might be healed, we have done no wrong. If, indeed, you repent of your sins, and recognise Him to be Christ, and observe His commandments, then you may assert this; for, as I have said before, remission of sins shall be yours. But if you curse Him and them that believe on Him, and, when you have the power, put them to death, how is it possible that requisition shall not be made of you, as of unrighteous and sinful men, altogether hard-hearted and without understanding, because you laid your hands on Him?

[95] Καὶ γὰρ πᾶν γένος ἀνθρώπων εὑρεθήσεται ὑπὸ κατάραν ὂν κατὰ τὸν νόμον Μωυσέως: Ἐπικατάρατος γὰρ εἴρηται πᾶς ὃς οὐκ ἐμμένει ἐν τοῖς γεγραμμένοις ἐν τῷ βιβλίῳ τοῦ νόμου τοῦ ποιῆσαι αὐτά. καὶ οὐδεὶς ἀκριβῶς πάντα ἐποίησεν, οὐδ' ὑμεῖς τολμήσετε ἀντειπεῖν: ἀλλ' εἰσὶν οἳ μᾶλλον καὶ ἧττον ἀλλήλων τὰ ἐντεταλμένα ἐφύλαξαν. εἰ δὲ οἱ ὑπὸ τὸν νόμον τοῦτον ὑπὸ κατάραν φαίνονται εἶναι, διὰ τὸ μὴ πάντα φυλάξαι, οὐχὶ πολὺ μᾶλλον πάντα τὰ ἔθνη φανήσονται ὑπὸ κατάραν ὄντα, καὶ εἰδωλολατροῦντα καὶ παιδοφθοροῦντα καὶ τὰ ἄλλα κακὰ ἐργαζόμενα; εἰ οὖν καὶ τὸν ἑαυτοῦ Χριστὸν ὑπὲρ τῶν ἐκ παντὸς γένους ἀνθρώπων ὁ πατὴρ τῶν ὅλων τὰς πάντων κατάρας ἀναδέξασθαι ἐβουλήθη, εἰδὼς ὅτι ἀναστήσει αὐτὸν σταυρωθέντα καὶ ἀποθανόντα, διὰ τί ὡς κεκατηραμένου τοῦ ὑπομείναντος κατὰ τὴν τοῦ πατρὸς βουλὴν ταῦτα παθεῖν τὸν λόγον ποιεῖτε, καὶ οὐχὶ μᾶλλον ἑαυτοὺς θρηνεῖτε; εἰ γὰρ καὶ ὁ πατὴρ αὐτοῦ καὶ αὐτὸς παθεῖν ταῦτα αὐτὸν ὑπὲρ τοῦ ἀνθρωπείου γένους ἐνήργησεν, ὑμεῖς οὐχ ὡς γνώμῃ θεοῦ ὑπηρετοῦντες τοῦτο ἐπράξατε: οὐδὲ γὰρ τοὺς προφήτας ἀναιροῦντες εὐσέβειαν εἰργάσασθε. καὶ μή τις ὑμῶν λεγέτω: Εἰ ὁ πατὴρ αὐτὸν ἠθέλησε ταῦτα παθεῖν, ἵνα τῷ μώλωπι αὐτοῦ ἴασις γένηται τῷ γένει τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ἡμεῖς οὐδὲν ἠδικήσαμεν. εἰ μὲν οὖν μετανοοῦντες ἐπὶ τοῖς ἡμαρτημένοις καὶ ἐπιγνόντες τοῦτον εἶναι τὸν Χριστὸν καὶ φυλάσσοντες αὐτοῦ τὰς ἐντολὰς ταῦτα φήσετε, ἄφεσις ὑμῖν τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν ὅτι ἔσται προεῖπον. εἰ δὲ αὐτοῦ τε ἐκείνου καὶ τῶν εἰς ἐκεῖνον πιστευόντων καταρᾶσθε καί, ὁπόταν ἐξουσίαν ἔχητε, ἀναιρεῖτε, πῶς οὐχὶ καὶ τὸ ἐκείνῳ ἐπιβεβληκέναι τὰς χεῖρας ὑμῶν, ὡς παρὰ ἀδίκων καὶ ἁμαρτωλῶν καὶ μέχρις ὅλου σκληροκαρδίων καὶ ἀσυνέτων, ἐκζητηθήσεται;