12. But perchance with the fearfulness of human ignorance, He feared the very power of death, which He possessed; so, though He died of His own accord, He feared because He was to die. If any think so, let them ask “To which was death terrible, to His Spirit or to His body?” If to His body, are they ignorant that the Holy One should not see corruption609    Ps. xv. 10., that within three days He was to revive the temple of His body610    St. John ii. 19; St. Matt. xxvi. 16, xxvii. 40; St. Mark xiv. 58.? But if death was terrible to His Spirit, should Christ fear the abyss of hell, while Lazarus was rejoicing in Abraham’s bosom? It is foolish and absurd, that He should fear death, Who could lay down His soul, and take it up again, Who, to fulfil the mystery of human life, was about to die of His own free will. He cannot fear death Whose power and purpose in dying is to die but for a moment: fear is incompatible with willingness to die, and the power to live again, for both of these rob death of his terrors.

12. Nec corpori nec spiritui mors fuit terribilis.---Sed forte humanae ignorantiae timiditate hanc ipsam moriendi in se timuit potestatem; ut licet ab se mortuus sit, tamen hoc ipsum, quod moriturus esset, timuerit. Et si forte erunt, qui ita existimabunt; constituant cui rei existiment mortem fuisse terribilem, Spiritui, an corpori. Si corpori; anne ignorant, quod Sancto corruptionem non visuro (Ps. XV, 10), intra triduum corporis sui templum esset suscitaturus? Si vero Spiritui mors terribilis est; Lazaro in Abrahae sinibus laetante, 0351C infernum chaos Christus timeret? Haec stulta atque ridicula sunt, ut in potestate ponendae animae ac resumendae mori timeret, ad sacramentum vitae 0352A humanae sub voluntatis suae libertate moriturus. Non est in voluntate morientis et potestate non diu mori timor mortis: quia et voluntas moriendi et potestas reviviscendi extra naturam timoris est, dum timeri mors non potest et in voluntate moriendi et in potestate vivendi.