Giving Life And Dying

Caro enim factus est, ut nos spiritales faceret; benigne inclinatus est, ut levaret; exiit, ut introduceret; visibilis apparuit, ut invisibilia monstraret; flagella pertulit, ut sanaret; opprobria et irrisiones sustinuit, ut ab opprobrio aeterno liberaret; mortuus est, ut vivificaret. Agamus ergo gratias vivificanti et mortuo, et ideo amplius vivificanti, quia mortuo. Unde bene salutem nostram, et passionem illius Isaias contemplatus ait: Ut faciat opus suum, alienum opus ejus; ut operetur opus suum, peregrinum est opus ejus ab eo. Opus etenim Dei est animas quas creavit colligere, et ad aeternae lucis gaudia revocare. Flagellari autem atque sputis illini, crucifigi, mori, atque sepeliri, non hoc in sua substantia opus Dei est, sed opus hominis peccatoris, qui haec omnia meruit per peccatum. Sed peccata nostra ipse pertulit in corpore suo super lignum. Et qui in natura sua manet semper incomprehensibilis, in natura nostra comprehendi dignatus est ac flagellari, quia nisi ea quae erant infirmitatis nostrae susciperet, nunquam nos ad suae fortitudinis potentiam sublevaret. Ut ergo faciat opus suum, alienum opus ejus; et ut operetur opus suum, peregrinum est opus ejus ab eo, quia incarnatus Deus, ut nos ad suam justitiam colligeret, dignatus est pro nobis tanquam peccator homo vapulare. Et alienum opus fecit ut faceret proprium, quia per hoc quod infirmans mala nostra sustinuit, nos qui creatura illius sumus, ad fortitudinis suae gloriam perduxit, in qua vivit et regnat cum Deo Patre in unitate Spiritus sancti Deus, per omnia saecula saeculorum. Amen. Sanctus Gregorius Magnus, In Ezechielem Prophetam, Liber Secundus, Homilia IV Source: Migne PL 76.984a-c

He was made flesh that He might make us spiritual, He kindly came down that He might lift up, He went out that He might bring in, He appeared visibly that He might reveal things unseen, He suffered the whip that He might heal, and He sustained abuse and ridicule that He might deliver from eternal shame, and He died that He might give life. Therefore let us give thanks to the one who gives life and who died, and therefore more to the one gives life because He died. Whence Isaiah well contemplated our salvation and His passion when he said, 'So that He make a work, a strange work, and so that might accomplish a work which is alien to Him.' 1 For it is the work of God to gather the souls He created and to recall them to the joy of the eternal light. To be covered with spittle and crucified and to die and to be buried are not works consonant with the substance of God, but it is work for man the sinner, who has deserved all these things because of sin. 'But He bore our sins in His body on the cross,' 2 and He who in His nature remans incomprehensible was understood in our nature to be worthy of being whipped, because unless He took up the things of our weakness we would never have been lifted up to the power of His might. Therefore so that He might make His work, a strange work and so that might accomplish a work which is alien to him, God was incarnated, so that He might gather us to His righteousness, and worthy it was that for us he was whipped as a sinful man. And He made this foreign work so that He might perform His own, because through this, that in weakness he endured our evils, He led us who our His creations to the glory of His might, in which he lives and reigns with God the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit, through every age forever. Saint Gregory the Great, On the Prophet Ezekiel, Book 2, from Homily 4 1 Isaiah 28.21 2 1 Pet 2.24

The Writing On The Cross

Ἡ της σανίδας γραφή, ἣν Πιλᾶτος πρὸ τῆς Κυριακής έπηξε κεφαλῆς, τὴν τοῦ Κυρίου ἐπλήρου φωνήν, Ἐπειδὰν ὑψωθῶ, λέγοντος, πάντας ἑλκύσω πρὸς ἐμαυτόν. Ἐδήλου τοίνυν ἡ ἐκεῖθεν ἀνάγνωσις, οὐχ ὑπὲρ Ἰουδαίας μόνης, ἀλλὰ καὶ ὁ πάσης Ελληνος καὶ βαρβάρου γεγενῆσθαι τὸ σωτήριον πάθος. Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλίον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολὴ ΥϟA' Εὐτονιῳ Διακονῳ Source: Migne 78.449c

The writing on the tablet that Pilate had fixed above the head of the Lord fulfills this saying of the Lord, 'When I shall be lifted up, I shall draw all things to myself.' 1 Clearly then this writing indicates that the salvific passion was not just for the Jews, but even for all the Greeks and the barbarians. Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 491 To Eutonoius the deacon 1 Jn 12.32

Mockery And The Cross

Et praetereuntes blasphemabant eum, moventes capita sua, et dicentes: Vah qui destruis templum Dei, et in tribus diebus reaedificas: salvum fac temetipsum, descendens de cruce. Tangitur hic de irrisione crucifixi: irrisio autem haec facta est a tribus generibus hominum: scilicet , praetereuntibus, sacerdotibus, et latronibus et secundum haec tria recipit divisionem. Irrisio praetereuntium habet tria: blasphemiam, motus capitis, et improperium in verbis. Dicit igitur et prætereuntes qui vagos in mundi vanitatibus significant, stabiliter in veritate non manentes. Ierem, Populus hic dilexit movere pedes suos, et Domino non placuit. Vir vanus in superbiam erigitur, et tanquam pullunt onagri se natum liberum putat. Blasphemabant eum: dicentes eum virtutes quas fecerat in principe daemoniorum perfecifle. Qui blasphemaverit in Spiritum sanctum, non habebit remissionem in aeternum. Isa, Dereliquerunt Dominum blasphemaverunt ſanctum Israel, abalienati sunt retrorsum, in signum comminationis et irrisionis: unde de Sennacherib dicitur Ifa. Post te movebit caput virgo filia Sion. Et haec irrisio per comminationem Propheticam est causa captivitatis ipsorum, Caput circuitus eorum, labor labiorum ipsorum operiet eos. Quia movendo capita circumdabant ipsum, et dicentes, improperando, Vah, Interietio est indignantis. Cum audierit sonitum buccinae, dicet vah. Qui destruis templum Dei, sicut dixisti Ioan, et in tribus diebus reaedificas tua virtute, quae nunc tam infirma apparere. Habac. Ibi abscondita eſt fortitudo eius. Salvum fac temetipsum. Virtute quam de te in potestate reaedificandi templum praedicasti Descendens de cruce. Sed isti non cognoverunt quod non venerat ut seipsum temporaliter salvaret, sed omnes: et ideo non descendat de cruce, sed potius ascendat, loan, Ego si exaltatus fuero a terra, omnia traham ad me ipsum. Si serpens de palo deponitur Num, nullus a morsu serpentis liberatur . Ioan, Sicut Moyses exaltavit serpentem in deserto: ita exaltari oportet filium hominis, ut omnis qui credit in ipsum non pereat, sed habeat vitam aeternam Sanctus Albertus Magnus, Commentarium In Evangelium Divi Marci, Caput XV Source: Here p183

And passers by blasphemed Him, and shook their heads saying, 'Ha, you who would destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days, save yourself and come down from the cross.' 1 He touches here on the mockery of the crucified, and the mockery is performed by three types of men, that is, by the passers by and by the priests, and by the thieves, and according to these three the division is made. The mockery of the passers by has three parts, blasphemy and the shaking of the head, and the insult in words. It speaks, then, of the passers by as being those who wander in the vanity of worldly things, and who do not remain in the truth. 2 In Jeremiah, 'This people love to move their feet, and it does not please the Lord.' 3 The vain man is lifted up in his pride and as a wild ass brought forth he thinks himself nobly born. They had blasphemed Him before, saying that the powers He showed were performed by demons, as previously in the third chapter of Mark. 'He who blasphemes the Holy Spirit shall not have forgiveness in eternity.' 4 In Isaiah, 'They forsake the Lord, they blaspheme the Holy One of Israel, they have turned their backs,' 5 as a sign of condemnation and mockery. Hence is it said of Sennacherib in Isaiah, 'Behind you the virgin daughter of Sion shall shake her head. ' 6 And through the warning of the prophet this mockery is the cause of their captivity. 'Their heads surrounded me, the toil of their lips shall cover them.' Because with the shaking of their heads they surrounded him, 7 saying insultingly, 'Ha,' which is an indignant interjection. 'When he hears the sound of the trumpet, he will say, Ha.' 8 You who would destroy the temple, as was said in John, and in three days rebuild it with your power, that appears so very weak now, In Habakkuk, 'There his strength is lost,' 9 'Save yourself,'  with the power of the rebuilding of the temple which you foretold for yourself. But they do not know that He did not come to save Himself in temporal things, but to save all men, and therefore He does not come down from the cross, but rather He rises up to it. In the twelfth chapter of John, 'And if I am lifted up from the earth, I shall draw all things to myself.' If the serpent is not set up in Numbers, no one is delivered from the bite of the serpent. In the third chapter of John, 'As Moses lifted up the serpent in the desert, so it is necessary that the Son of man shall be lifted up, so that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.' 10 Saint Albert The Great, Commentary On The Gospel of St Mark, Chapter 15 1 Mk 15.29 2 Jn 8.44 3 Jerem 14.10 4 Mk 3.22-30 5 Isaiah 1.4 6 Isaiah 37.22 7 Ps 139.10 8 Job 39.25 9 Jn 2.19, Hab 3.4 10 Jn 12.32, Numb 21, Jn 12.14-15

Going Out To Him

Τοὶνυν ἐξερχώμεθα πρὸς αὐτὸν, κ.τ.λ. Φέρωμεν τοίνυν τὸν ὀνειδισμὸν αὐτοῦ, τουτέστι τόν ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν σταυρόν. Οὕτω καὶ αὐτὸς ἔφη· Ὂς οὐ λαμβάνει τὸν σταυρὸν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἀκολουθεῖ ὀπισω μου, οὐκ ἔστι μου ἄξιος· Τὸ δὲ ἔξω τῆς πύλης, ἔξω τοῦ κόσμου νοεῖν ἔοικε. Ζωῆς γὰρ ἡμᾶς ἐξίστησι κοσμικῆς τὸ θέλειν ἔπεσθαι τῷ Χρσιτῷ. Ἅγιος Κύριλλος Ἀλεξανδρείας,Εἰς τὴν πρὸς Ἑβραίους Ἐπιστολὴν, Ἐκλογαι Source: Migne PG 74.1000c

Thus let us go out to Him... 1 Let us, then, bear His disgrace, that is, the cross on which He suffered for us. So He Himself said, 'He who does not take up his cross and follow after me, he is not worthy of me.' 2 Then, 'outside the gate,' seems to mean outside the world. For the wish to follow Christ draws us out of a worldly life. Saint Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary On The Letter to Hebrews, Fragment 1 Heb 13.13 2 Mt 10.38

Salvation And The World

OBJ. IX. Quod non pro totius mundi redemptione Salvator sit crucifixus. RESP. Nullus omnino est ex omnibus hominibus, cujus natura in Christo Domino nostro suscepta non fuerit: quamvis ille natus sit in similitudine carnis peccati, omnis autem homo nascatur in carne peccati. Deus ergo Dei Filius mortalitatis humanae particeps factus absque peccato, hoc peccatoribus et mortalibus contulit, ut qui nativitatis ejus consortes fuissent, vinculum peccati et mortis evaderent. Sicut itaque non sufficit hominum renovationi, natum esse hominem Jesum Christum, nisi in ipso eodem, de quo ipse ortus est, Spiritu renascantur: sic non sufficit hominum redemptioni, crucifixum esse Dominum Christum, nisi commoriantur ei et consepeliantur in Baptismo. Alioquin nato Salvatore in carne substantiae nostrae, et crucifixo pro omnibus nobis, non fuerat necessarium ut renasceremur, et similitudini mortis ejus complantaremur. Sed cum sine hoc Sacramento nemo hominum consequatur vitam aeternam; non est salvatus cruce Christi, qui non est crucifixus in Christo. Non est autem crucifixus in Christo, qui non est membrum corporis Christi; nec est membrum corporis Christi, qui non per aquam et Spiritum sanctum induit Christum. Qui ideo in infirmitate nostra communionem subiit mortis, ut nos in virtute ejus haberemus consortium resurrectionis. Cum itaque rectissime dicatur Salvator pro totius mundi redemptione crucifixus, propter veram humanae naturae susceptionem, et propter communem in primo homine omnium perditionem: potest tamen dici pro his tantum crucifixus, quibus mors ipsius profuit. Dicit enim Evangelista, Quia Jesus moriturus erat pro gente; et non tantum pro gente, sed etiam ut filios Dei dispersos congregaret in unum. In sua enim venit, et sui eum non receperunt. Quotquot autem receperunt eum, dedit eis potestatem filios Dei fieri: qui non ex sanguinibus, neque ex voluntate carnis, neque ex voluntate viri, sed ex Deo nati sunt. Diversa ergo ab istis sors eorum est, qui inter illos censentur, de quibus dicitur, Mundus eum non cognovit. Ut possit secundum hoc dici redemptor mundi: dedit pro mundo sanguinem suum, et mundus redimi noluit; quia lucem tenebrae non receperunt, et tenebrae receperunt, quibus dicit Apostolus, Fuistis aliquando tenebrae, nunc autem lux in Domino. Ipse vero Dominus Jesus, qui dixit se venisse quaerere et salvare quod perierat: Non veni, inquit, nisi ad oves quae perierant domus Israel. Sed quae sint istae oves domus Israel, apostolus Paulus exponat, dicens: Non omnes qui ex Israel, hi sunt Israel; neque quia sunt semen Abrahae, omnes filii, sed in Isaac vocabitur tibi semen: id est, non qui filii carnis, hi filii Dei; sed qui filii promissionis, aestimantur in semine. In istis ergo sunt illi, de quibus dictum supra memoravimus: Quia Jesus moriturus erat pro gente; et non tantum pro gente, sed etiam ut filios Dei dispersos congregaret in unum. Quia non solum ex Judaeis, sed etiam ex gentibus, per eum qui vocat quae non sunt, tanquam quae sunt, et qui dispersos Israel congregat, filii Dei filii promissionis in unam Ecclesiam congregantur: ut impleatur quod promissum est Abrahae, cui dictum est, quod in semine ejus benedicendae essent omnes tribus terrae. Sanctus Prosperus Aquitanus, Pro Augustino Responsiones ad Capitula Calumiatum Gallorum, Capitulum IX Source: Migne PL 51.164c-166b

Objection 9: That the Saviour was not crucified for the redemption of the whole world. Response: Our Lord Christ did not assume everything of the whole nature of man, although since every man is born in the sinful flesh He was born in the likeness of the sinful flesh. 1 God, the Son of God, therefore, participated in humanity without sin, bearing sin and mortality as consorts of His nativity, so that men might escape the chains of sin and death. As it does not suffice for the renewal of men that Jesus Christ was born man, unless in Him men, for whom He was born, is reborn in the Spirit, so it does not suffice for the redemption of man that Christ was crucified, unless we die with Him and are buried with Him in baptism. Besides, the birth of our Saviour in the substance of our flesh and His crucifixion for all of us was not necessary that we be renewed and that we be planted with Him in the likeness of His death. 2 But when no man may come to eternal life without this sacrament, so a man is not saved by the cross of Christ unless he is crucified with Christ. And he is not cruficied with Christ, who is not a member of His body, nor is a man a member of the body of Christ unless he has been endowed with Christ through water and the Holy Spirit. He, then, in our infirmity undergoes the communion of death, so that we by His power might be associates in His resurrection. Whence it is rightly said that the Saviour was crucified for the whole world, because of the taking up of our true nature and because of the common ruin of all men in the first man. But one can say that He was crucified only for those who profit by his death. For the Evangelist says that Jesus was to die for the people, and not only the people, but even so that the scattered sons of God be brought back to unity. 3 'He came to His own and His own did not receive Him. But as many as did receive Him, He gave power to be sons of God, who not through blood, nor from the will of the flesh, nor from the will of man, but who are born from God.' 4 Therefore there is a difference in the fates of these who are reckoned to be among those of whom it is said, 'The world did not know Him.' 5 Thus according to this one can speak of the Redeemer of the world, for He gave His blood for the world and the world was unwilling to be redeemed, because there is a darkness that did not receive the light and a darkness that did, 6 concerning which the Apostle says: 'You were once in darkness, now in the light of the Lord.' 7 However Jesus Christ Himself said that He had come to seek and save that which was lost. 'I have not come,' He said, 'but for the lost sheep of the house of Israel.' 8 But who are these lost sheep of the house of Israel Paul explains, saying, 'Not all who are from Israel are of Israel, not all the seed of Abraham are the sons of God, but through Isaac your seed shall be named.' 9 That is, it is not those who are sons of the flesh that are sons of God but the sons of the promise are reckoned in the seed. In these, then, they are, concerning which it is said above, we recall, that Jesus was to die for the people, and not only for the people, but even that the scattered sons of God be gathered into one, 3 Because they are not only from the Jews, but even from the Gentiles, through Him who calls things which are not as there were, 10 and who gathers the scattered ones of Israel, 11 and the sons of God who are the sons of the promise are gathered into one Church, that what was promised to Abraham be fufilled, to whom it was said that in his seed all the tribes of the earth will bless themselves. 12 Saint Prosper of Aquitaine, Answers For Augustine Against the Chapters of the Fault Finding Gauls, Chapter 9 1 Rom 8.3 2 Rom 6.5 3 Jn 11.51 4 Jn 1.11 5 Jn 1.10 6 Jn 1.5 7 Ephes 5.8 8 Mt 15.24 9 Rom 9.6-7 10 Rom 4.17 11 Ps 142.2 12 Gen 12.3

Disputing The Resurrection

Μετὰ ταῦτά φησιν ὁ Ἰουδαῖος πρὸς τοὺς ἑαυτοῦ πολίτας τῷ Ἰησοῦ πιστεύοντας· Φέρε δὴ καὶ πιστεύωμεν ὑμῖν τοῦτ' εἰρῆσθαι. Πόσοι δ' ἄλλοι τοιαῦτα τερατεύονται, πειθοῦς ἕνεκα τῶν εὐήθως ἀκουόντων ἐνεργολαβοῦντες τῇ πλάνῃ; Ὅπερ οὖν καὶ Ζάμολξιν ἐν Σκύθαις φασί, τὸν Πυθαγόρου δοῦλον, καὶ αὐτὸν Πυθαγόραν ἐν Ἰταλίᾳ καὶ Ῥαμψίνιτον ἐν Αἰγύπτῳ· τοῦτον μὲν καὶ συγκυβεύειν ἐν ᾅδου τῇ Δήμητρι καὶ ἀνελθεῖν δῶρον παρ' αὐτῆς χειρόμακτρον χρυσοῦν φέροντα· καὶ μὴν καὶ Ὀρφέα ἐν Ὀδρύσαις καὶ Πρωτεσίλαον ἐν Θεσσαλίᾳ καὶ Ἡρακλέα ἐπὶ Ταινάρῳ καὶ Θησέα. Ἀλλ' ἐκεῖνο σκεπτέον, εἴ τις ὡς ἀληθῶς ἀποθανὼν ἀνέστη ποτὲ αὐτῷ σώματι· ἢ οἴεσθε τὰ μὲν τῶν ἄλλων μύθους εἶναί τε καὶ δοκεῖν, ὑμῖν δὲ τὴν καταστροφὴν τοῦ δράματος εὐσχημόνως ἢ πιθανῶς ἐφευρῆσθαι, τὴν ἐπὶ τοῦ σκόλοπος αὐτοῦ φωνήν, ὅτ' ἀπέπνει, καὶ «τὸν σεισμὸν» καὶ τὸν σκότον; Ὅτι δὴ ζῶν μὲν οὐκ ἐπήρκεσεν ἑαυτῷ, νεκρὸς δ' ἀνέστη καὶ τὰ σημεῖα τῆς κολάσεως ἔδειξε καὶ τὰς χεῖρας ὡς ἦσαν πεπερονημέναι, τίς τοῦτο εἶδε; Γυνὴ πάροιστρος, ὥς φατε, καὶ εἴ τις ἄλλος τῶν ἐκ τῆς αὐτῆς γοητείας, ἤτοι κατά τινα διάθεσιν ὀνειρώξας καὶ κατὰ τὴν αὐτοῦ βούλησιν δόξῃ πεπλανημένῃ φαντασιωθείς, ὅπερ ἤδη μυρίοις συμβέβηκεν, ἤ, ὅπερ μᾶλλον, ἐκπλῆξαι τοὺς λοιποὺς τῇ τερατείᾳ ταύτῃ θελήσας καὶ διὰ τοῦ τοιούτου ψεύσματος ἀφορμὴν ἄλλοις ἀγύρταις παρασχεῖν. Ἐπεὶ οὖν Ἰουδαῖός ἐστιν ὁ ταῦτα λέγων, ὡς πρὸς Ἰουδαῖον ἀπολογούμεθα περὶ τοῦ ἡμετέρου Ἰησοῦ, κοινοποιοῦντες ἔτι τὸν λόγον περὶ Μωϋσέως καὶ λέγοντες αὐτῷ· Πόσοι δ' ἄλλοι τοιαῦτα τερατεύονται, ὁποῖα Μωϋσῆς, πειθοῦς ἕνεκα τῶν εὐήθως ἀκουόντων ἐνεργολαβοῦντες τῇ πλάνῃ; Καὶ μᾶλλον κατὰ τὸν ἀπιστοῦντα Μωϋσεῖ ἐστι δυνατὸν παραθέσθαι τὸν Ζάμολξιν καὶ Πυθαγόραν τοὺς τερατευσαμένους ἤπερ τὸν Ἰουδαῖον, οὐ πάνυ φιλομαθῶς ἔχοντα πρὸς τὰς Ἑλλήνων ἱστορίας. Καὶ ὁ Αἰγύπτιος δὲ ἀπιστῶν τοῖς περὶ Μωϋσέως παραδόξοις πιθανῶς παραθήσεται τὸν Ῥαμψίνιτον, λέγων πολλῷ τοῦτον εἶναι πιθανώτερον εἰς ᾅδου καταβεβηκέναι καὶ συγκεκυβευκέναι τῇ Δήμητρι καὶ χρυσοῦν χειρόμακτρον παρ' αὐτῆς ἁρπάσαντα δεικνύναι σύμβολον τοῦ ἐν ᾅδου γεγονέναι κἀκεῖθεν ἀναβεβηκέναι Μωϋσέως, ἑαυτὸν ἀναγράψαντος εἰσεληλυθέναι εἰς τὸν γνόφον, ὅπου ἦν ὁ θεός, καὶ ὅτι μόνος ἤγγισε πρὸς τὸν θεὸν παρὰ τοὺς λοιπούς. Ἀνέγραψε γὰρ οὕτως· Καὶ Μωϋσῆς μόνος ἐγγιεῖ πρὸς τὸν θεόν, οἱ δὲ λοιποὶ οὐκ ἐγγιοῦσι. Φήσομεν οὖν ἡμεῖς οἱ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ μαθηταὶ πρὸς τὸν ταῦτα λέγοντα Ἰουδαῖον· ἀπολογοῦ δὴ ἡμῖν περὶ τῆς εἰς Ἰησοῦν πίστεως ἐγκαλῶν καὶ λέγε, τῷ Αἰγυπτίῳ καὶ τοῖς Ἕλλησι τί φήσεις πρὸς ἃ ἤνεγκας, κατὰ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ ἡμῶν ἐγκλήματα, φθάσαντα ἂν καὶ ἐπὶ Μωϋσέα; Κἂν πάνυ δὲ ἀγωνίσῃ περὶ Μωϋσέως ἀπολογήσασθαι, ὥσπερ οὖν καὶ ἔχει πληκτικὸν λόγον καὶ ἐναργῆ τὰ περὶ αὐτοῦ, λήσεις σαυτὸν ἐν οἷς περὶ Μωϋσέως ἀπολογήσῃ, ἄκων συστήσας τὸν Ἰησοῦν Μωϋσέως θειότερον. Ἐπεὶ δὲ τὰς ἡρωϊκὰς ἱστορίας περὶ τῶν εἰς ᾅδου καταβεβηκέναι λεγομένων κἀκεῖθεν ἀνεληλυθέναι τερατείας εἶναί φησιν ὁ παρὰ τῷ Κέλσῳ Ἰουδαῖος, ὡς τῶν ἡρώων ἀφανῶν ἐπί τινα γενομένων χρόνον καὶ ὑπεκκλεψάντων ἑαυτοὺς τῆς ὄψεως πάντων ἀνθρώπων καὶ μετὰ ταῦτα ἑαυτοὺς ἐπιδειξάντων, ὡς ἀπὸ ᾅδου ἀνεληλυθότων, τοιαῦτα γὰρ ἔοικε περὶ τοῦ ἐν Ὀδρύσαις Ὀρφέως καὶ τοῦ ἐν Θεσσαλίᾳ Πρωτεσιλάου καὶ τοῦ ἐπὶ Ταινάρῳ Ἡρακλέος ἔτι δὲ καὶ περὶ Θησέως ἐμφαίνειν αὐτοῦ ἡ λέξις, φέρε παραστήσωμεν ὅτι οὐ δύναται τὸ κατὰ τὸν Ἰησοῦν] ἱστορούμενον ἐκ νεκρῶν ἐγηγέρθαι [τούτοις παραβάλλεσθαι. Ἕκαστος μὲν γὰρ τῶν λεγομένων κατὰ τοὺς τόπους ἡρώων βουληθεὶς ἂν ἐδυνήθη ἑαυτὸν ὑπεκκλέψαι τῆς ὄψεως τῶν ἀνθρώπων καὶ πάλιν κρίνας ἐπανελθεῖν πρὸς οὓς καταλέλοιπεν· Ἰησοῦ δὲ [σταυρωθέντος ἐπὶ πάντων] Ἰουδαίων καὶ καθαιρεθέντος αὐτοῦ τοῦ σώματος ἐν ὄψει τοῦ δήμου αὐτῶν, πῶς οἷόν τε τὸ παραπλήσιον πλάσασθαι λέγειν αὐτὸν τοῖς ἱστορουμένοις ἥρωσιν εἰς ᾅδου καταβεβηκέναι κἀκεῖθεν ἀνεληλυθέναι; Φαμὲν δ' ὅτι μή ποτε πρὸς ἀπολογίαν τοῦ ἐσταυρῶσθαι τὸν Ἰησοῦν καὶ τοιοῦτον λέγοιτ' ἄν, μάλιστα διὰ τὰ περὶ τῶν ἡρώων ἱστορηθέντα τῶν εἰς ᾅδου καταβεβηκέναι βίᾳ νομιζομένων, ὡς εἰ καθ' ὑπόθεσιν ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐτεθνήκει ἀσήμῳ θανάτῳ, οὐχ ὥστε δῆλος εἶναι ἀποθανὼν ὅλῳ τῷ δήμῳ τῶν Ἰουδαίων, εἶτα μετὰ τοῦτ' ἀληθῶς ἦν ἀναστὰς ἐκ νεκρῶν, χώραν εἶχεν ἂν τὸ ὑπονοηθὲν περὶ τῶν ἡρώων καὶ περὶ τούτου λεχθῆναι. Μή ποτ' οὖν πρὸς ἄλλοις αἰτίοις τοῦ σταυρωθῆναι τὸν Ἰησοῦν καὶ τοῦτο δύναται συμβάλλεσθαι τῷ αὐτὸν ἐπισήμως ἐπὶ τοῦ σταυροῦ ἀποτεθνηκέναι, ἵνα μηδεὶς ἔχῃ λέγειν ὅτι ἑκὼν ὑπεξέστη τῆς ὄψεως τῶν ἀνθρώπων καὶ ἔδοξεν ἀποτεθνηκέναι οὐκ ἀποτέθνηκε δὲ ἀλλ' ὅτ' ἐβουλήθη πάλιν ἐπιφανεὶς ἐτερατεύσατο τὴν ἐκ νεκρῶν ἀνάστασιν; Σαφὲς δ' οἶμαι καὶ ἐναργὲς εἶναι τὸ ἐκ τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ ἐπιχείρημα, ἐπικινδύνῳ ὡς πρὸς τὸν τῶν ἀνθρώπων βίον διδασκαλίᾳ ἑαυτοὺς ἐπιδεδωκότων, ἣν οὐκ ἂν πλασσόμενοι τὸ ἐγηγέρθαι τὸν Ἰησοῦν ἐκ νεκρῶν οὕτως εὐτόνως ἐδίδαξαν, μετὰ τοῦ κατὰ τοῦτο οὐ μόνον ἑτέρους παρασκευάζειν πρὸς τὸ θανάτου καταφρονεῖν ἀλλ' αὐτοὶ πολὺ πρότερον τοῦτο ποιεῖν. Ὠριγένης, Κατὰ Κέλσου, Τόμος Δεύτερος Source: Migne PG 11.884a-888b

After these things the Jew says to those of his people who have faith in Jesus: 'Come now, let us allow that this was said to you. But how many others feign marvels in order to deceive simple minded listeners and profit by deception? So it is told of Zamolxis in Scythia, the slave of Pythagoras, and of Pythagoras himself in Italy, and of Rhampsinitus in Egypt. And they say that the last of those even 'played dice with Demeter' in Hades and for his going back received 'a gift of a golden napkin.' And it is told likewise of Orpheus among the Odrysians, and Protesilaus in Thessaly, and Hercules at Cape Taenarus, and Theseus. But one must consider if anyone who was really dead ever rose with his own body. Or do you think that such things which are told of others are myths and appear so, but you have found a befitting and believable end to your drama in the voice from the gibbet, when he breathed his last amid the earthquake and the darkness? That while living he could give no help to himself, but that when dead he could rise again, and he showed the marks of his punishment, even how his hands had been pierced; but who saw this? A demented woman, 1 as you say, and perhaps some other wrapped up in that same delusion, who in a dream state and according to his wish was deluded by appearances, as has happened to many, or rather, those who have wished to astonish others with a marvel and by such falsehood provide opportunity for other charlatans.' Since, then, it is a Jew who says these things, we shall defend our Jesus as if we were to do so to a Jew, returning again to the account concerning Moses, and saying to him, 'How many others are there who feign marvels like those of Moses, in order to deceive simple minded listeners and profit by their deception?' Now the instancing of Zamolxis and Pythagoras, who feigned such marvels, would be more appropriate from one who did not believe in Moses than from a Jew who is not at all learned in the histories of the Greeks. But an Egyptian who did not believe in the miracles of Moses might persuasively cite Rhampsinitus, saying that it was far more believable that he had gone down to Hades and had played dice with Demeter, and after taking a golden napkin from her, had displayed it as proof that he had been in Hades and returned from there, than that Moses should have recorded that he entered 'into the darkness, where God was,' and that he alone, and no other, drew near to God. For he writes: 'Moses alone shall come near to God, but the rest shall not come near.' 2 We, then, who are the disciples of Jesus, say to the Jew who has spoken so: 'While censuring our faith in Jesus, defend yourself and tell Egyptian and Greek objectors what you will say to those accusations which you brought against our Jesus, but which can also be spoken against Moses. And if you shall make a strong defence of Moses, for indeed his history does allow of a clear and powerful defence, that defence will also be an unwitting and unwilling support of the greater divinity of Jesus.' But since the Jew of Celsus says that these histories of the putative descent of heroes to Hades and of their return from there are a feigning of marvels, and that these heroes disappeared for a certain amount of time, and having hidden themselves from the sight of all men, claimed afterwards to have returned from Hades, for such is the sense of his words concerning Odrysian Orpheus, and Thessalian Protesilaus, and Taenarian Hercules, and Theseus also, let us show that it is not possible that the history of Jesus being raised from the dead is comparable to them. For each one of the heroes mentioned might have wished to hide himself from the sight of men and then have decided to return again to those he had left, but since Jesus was crucified before all the Jews and His body cast down in the presence of His nation, how can it be said that His was a similar deception like those heroes who are said to have gone down to Hades and returned from there? And we might say that in defence of the crucifixion of Jesus, especially in connection with the existence of those stories of heroes who are supposed to have been compelled to descend to Hades, that if we were to propose Jesus had died an obscure death, so that His death was not manifest to the whole nation of the Jews, and after this assert that He had truly risen from the dead, there would then indeed be room for that same suspicion concerning Him as there is with those heroes. It is possible, then, besides the other causes for the crucifixion of Jesus, that this also may be added to His dying a conspicuous death upon the cross, that no one might be able to say that having gone and hidden Himself away from the sight of men, and having appeared to have perished while not dying, that He chose to appear again and feign the marvel of His resurrection from the dead. And I think the undertaking of the disciples makes this clear and plain, for they gave themselves to the teaching of that which imperilled their lives, which they would not have taught with such vigour had they invented the raising of Jesus from the dead, according to which they not only prepared others to scorn death, but they were by far the first to do this. Origen, Against Celsus, Book 2 1 Mary Magdalen 2 Exod 20.21, 24.2

The Cross And The Odyssey

Saeculi ferunt fabulae Ulyssem illum, qui decennio marinis jactatus erroribus, ad patriam pervenire non poterat, cum in locum quemdam cursus illum navigii detulisset, in quo Sirenarum dulci cantus crudelis varietate resonabat; et advenientes sic blanda modulatione mulcebat, ut non tam spectaculum voluptatis caperent, quam naufragium salutis incurrerent. Talis enim erat illis oblectatio cantilenae, ut, quisquis audisset vocis sonitum, quasi quadam captus illecebra, non jam tenderet ad eum quem volebat portum, sed pergeret ad exitium, quod nolebat. Igitur cum Ulysses incidisset hoc dulce naufragium, et suavitatis illius vellet declinare periculum; dicitur, inserta cera auribus sociorum, seipsum ad arborem navigii religasse: quo et illi carerent perniciosa auditus illecebra, et se de periculo navigii cursus auferret. Si ergo de Ulysse illo refert fabula, quod eum arboris religatio de periculo liberavit: quanto magis praedicandum est quod vere factum est; hoc est, quod hodie omne genus hominum de mortis periculo crucis arbor eripuit? Ex quo enim Christus Dominus religatus in cruce est, ex eo nos mundi illecebrosa discrimina velut clausa aure transimus; nec pernicioso enim saeculi detinemur auditu, nec cursum melioris vitae deflectimus in scopulos voluptatis. Crucis enim arbor non solum religatum sibi hominem patriae repraesentat, sed etiam socios circa se positos virtutis suae umbra custodit. Quod autem crux ad patriam post multos errones redire nos faciat, Dominus declarat dicens latroni in cruce posito: Hodie mecum eris in paradiso. Qui utique latro diu oberrans, ac naufragus, aliter ad patriam paradisi, de qua primus homo exierat, redire non poterat, nisi fuisset arbori religatus; arbor enim quaedam in navi crux est in Ecclesia, quae inter totius saeculi blanda et perniciosa naufragia incolumis sola servatur. In hac ergo navi quisquis aut arbori crucis se religaverit, aut aures suas Scripturis divinis clauserit, dulcem procellam luxuriae non timebit. Sirenarum enim quaedam suavis figura est mollis concupiscentia voluptatis, quae noxiis blandimentis constantiam captae mentis effeminat. Ergo Dominus Christus pependit in cruce, ut omne genus hominum de mundi naufragio liberaret. Sanctus Maximus Taurinensis, Homilia XLIX, De Passione et Cruce Domini Source: Migne PL 57.339b-340b

The ages tell of fabled Odysseus who for ten years was adrift at sea and was not able to reach his homeland, and in a certain place during the course of his sailing he came upon the cruel song of the Sirens which resounded with such sweet variety, and with its charming melody it beguiled all who came near, and there was no one they seized on with this exhibition of pleasure but rushed into the shipwreck of their salvation. 1 Such was the delight of the song that whoever heard the sound of it was captured by its allure, and then unable to hold to that desination where he wished to come, he turned to the ruin he did not wish. Therefore when Odysseus came upon this sweet shipwreck he wished to avoid the peril of that sweetness, and it is said that he placed wax in the ears of his crew and bound himself to the mast of the ship, by which the crew would be prevented from hearing that ruinous allure, and he would be borne off from danger on the way of his sailing. If the tale tells that thus Odysseus freed himself from danger by binding himself to wood, how much more must it be preached what is true, that is, that today the wood of the tree delivers all mankind from the peril of death? For the Lord Christ was bound on the cross, by which we, as with closed ears, pass by all ruinous perils, for we are neither detained by wicked hearing, nor are we turned from our better course of life onto the rocks of pleasure. For the wood of the tree does not only represent the binding of the man himself for the fatherland, but he even guards His companions set around him by the shelter of His virtue. For after much wandering the cross makes us return to the fatherland, which the Lord declares to the thief who was set on the cross, saying: 'Today you shall be with me in paradise.' 2 He who, as a long erring thief and shipwreck, was not able to return to the fatherland of paradise, from which the first man was expelled, unless he was bound to the tree, for that tree in the ship is the cross in the Church, which alone can protect us among all the charms and perilous shipwrecks of the world. In this ship, then, whoever either binds himself to the cross, or closes his ears with Scripture, should not fear the sweet storm of luxury. Indeed the sweetness of the Sirens is a certain figure of the ennervating desire of pleasure, which noxious allure weakens the strength of the mind it seizes upon. Therefore the Lord hung on the cross, that every race of men might be freed from the shipwreck of the world. Saint Maximus of Turin, from Homily 41, On The Passion And Cross of the Lord 1 Hom Od 12.39-54, 166-200 2 Lk 23.43

Suffering And Arms

Christo igitur passo in carne et vos eadem cogitatione armamini quia qui passus est in carne desiit a peccatis... Quisquis sanctorum corpus suum ad martyrium persecutorum violentiae subdidit, nulli dubium quin usque ad vitae terminum, quantum humanae naturae possibile est, sese a peccatis abstinuerit. Quid enim de peccati perpetratione, quid de carnalibus desideriis cogitare, quid nisi voluntatem Dei potuit animo versare, qui vel ligno affixus, vel lapidum ictibus circumdatus, vel bestiarum morsibus subactus, vel ignium flammis superpostitus, vel scorpionum flagris perfossus, vel alio quolibet poenarum genere affectus, hoc tantummodo desiderare cogebatur, ut finito certamine coronam vitae perciperet? Talium ergo mentem nos beatus Petrus cupit semper imitari, cum, proposito dominiciae passionis exemplo, nos eadem cogitatione contra nequitiam pravorum contraque vitiorum oblectamenta praecipit armati?, volens intelligi quod etiam nos in pace Ecclesiae quiescentes, si habitum patientis induimus, facile, adjuvante Domino, lapsus vitamus peccatorum omnium cunctaque desideria divinae voluntatis subjegamus imperiis. Denique et Psalmita Dominum precatur dicens: Infige timore tuo carnes meas, a judiciis enim tuius timui. Et Apostolus: Qui ergo Christi sunt carnem suam crucifixerunt cum vitiis et concupiscentiis. Qui ergo timore judiciorum coelestium carnales in mente concupiscentias exstinguit, jam talis crucifixo ac patienti pro Christo similis, quasi mortuus existens peccatis, Dei tantum servitio vivit. Sanctus Beda, In Primam Epistolam Sancti Petri, Caput IV Source: Migne PL 92.61b-c

Since then Christ suffered in the flesh even you with the same thought arm yourself, because he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin... 1 Whoever of the holy gives his own body over to martyrdom under the violence of persecutors, without doubt to the end of life, as much as it is possible for human nature, he withdraws himself from sin. For to what commission of sin, or thought of carnal desire, to what unless to the will of God, would he have been able to turn his soul, who was either nailed to the cross, of struck all around with stones, or overwhelmed with the bites of beasts, of placed in the flames of fires, or gouged by the barbs of the whip, or suffering any other type of punishment, when this only would have driven his desire, that by temporal punishment he receive the crown of life? Thus does Peter desire us to imitate such minds, when, with the example of the Lord's passion, he commands us to be armed with the same thought against the wickedness of the depraved and the blandishments of vices, wishing it to be understood that even when we rest in peace in the Church, if we are endowed with the habit of patience, easily, with the Lord's aid, we shall avoid the falls into every sin and we shall subjugate every desire to the commands of the Divine will. Finally even the Psalmist prays to the Lord, saying: 'Pierce my flesh with fear of you, because I have feared your judgement.' 2 And the Apostle: 'Therefore they who are Christ's have crucified their flesh with its vices and desires.' 3 Thus he who extinguishes carnal desires in his mind by the fear of heaven's judgements already has a similar crucifixion and suffering with Christ, so that as one living dead to sin, he lives only for the service of God. Saint Bede, from the Commentary on the First Letter Of Peter, Chap 4 1 1 Pet 4.1 2 Ps 118.120 3 Galat 5.24

Darkness On The Earth

Ἀπὸ δὲ ἕκτης ὥρας σκότος ἐγένετο ἐφ' ὅλην τὴν γῆν ἕως ὥρας ἐνάτης.... Τὸ σκότος ἐφ' ὅλην τὴν γῆν ἐγένετο ἀπὸ ὤρας ἕκτης ἔως ὦρας ἐννάτης, τοῦ ἠλίου ἐκλείποντος, ἴν' εἰδείεν ὅτι αὐτός ἐστιν ἐκεῖνος ὁ ἀπηρτημένος τοῦ ξύλου ὁ σύνοπλον ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν τὴν κτίσιν λαβὼν, ὅτε τοῖς Αἰγυπτίοις πεπολέμηκε· δι' αὐτοὺς τὸ ἡλιακὸν ἐκλέποιπε φῶς, καὶ ἀπάσης τῆς αὐτῶν χώρας κατεσκεδάσθη τὸ σκότος, ἡλίου τὴν ἀκτῖνα συστείλαντος καὶ οἶον οὐκ ἀνεχομένου πέμπει αὐτὴν ἔτι τοῖς γεγονόσι κυριοκτόνοις. Καὶ καθ' ἕτερον δὲ τρόπον ἐσκοτίσθαι φαμὲν τὴν Ἰουδαίων χώραν, ἤτοι τοὺς κατοικοῦντας αὐτὴν, ὅτι οὐκ ἐδέξατο τὸν ἥλιον τῆς δικαιοσύνης καὶ τὸ φῶς τὸ ἀληθινόν. Ἅγιος Κύριλλος Ἀλεξανδρείας, Ἐξὴγησις Εἰς Τὸ Κατὰ Ματθαιον Εὐάγγελιον Source: Migne PG 72.465c

From the sixth hour onwards there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour... 1 There was darkness on the whole land from the sixth hour to the ninth hour by an obscurity of the sun, that they might know Him who hung upon the cross, He who for their help had taken on the covering of a created thing when he vanquished the Egyptians. 2 Because of this the light of the sun perished and darkness spread through all the land, the rays of the sun being suppressed because He would not suffer them to come to those who now were killers of the Lord. And otherwise we say that the land of the Jews was darkened, that is, those who dwelt in it, because they did not receive the sun of justice and the true light. Saint Cyril of Alexandria, Commentary On The Gospel Of Saint Matthew, Fragment 1 Mt 22.45 2 Exod 14.24

Standing Beside The Cross

Stabant autem iuxta crucem Hic notatur compatientium paucitas; quia ex omnibus caris eius tres aderant mulieres, inter quasi et Mater Domini, cui etiam Dominus compatiebatur. Et notantur hic quator: mulierum ad Dominum compassio, Domini erga Matrem sollicitudo et ex sollicitudine recommendatio et ultimum recommendationis acceptio. Notatur ergo mulierum compassio in hoc quod dicit: Stabant iuxta crucem Iesu; ideo corpore appropinquabant, quia affectus compassionis trahebat. Alii vero longe recesserant per incompassionem; under dicitur in Psalmo: Qui iuxta me erant de longe stererunt. Sed istae steterunt iuxta, quae magis diligebant, scilicet Mater eius, quae super omnes compatiebatur; under Lucae secundo: Tuam ipsius animam pertransibit gladius; et soror Matris eius Maria Cleophae; haec fuit mater Iacobi. Notandum est, quod Anna dicitur habuisse tres viros: Ioachim, Cleopham et Salome, et ex istis tribus viris habuit tres Marias, scilicet Matrem Domini, quae fuit filia Ioachim; matrem Iacobi, quae fuit filia Cleophae; matrem Simonis et Iudae, quae fuit filia Salome. Et Maria Magdalene, quae dicata est a Magdalo castro. Istae tres mulieres tanquam magis compatientes stabant iuxta crucem Domini Cum vidisset ergo Iesus. Hic notatur secundum, scilicet Domini erga Matrem sollicitudo, in hoc, quod respexit eam et cui posset eam recommendare; under dicit: Cum vidissset ergo Iesus Matrem; cum vidisset ut sollicitus; primae ad Timotheum quinto: Si quis suorum et maxime domesticorum curam non habet,etc. Et Chrysostomus: Hic multam dilectionem monstrat Dominus ad Matrem et commendat eam discipulo, erudiens nos, usque ad ultimam respirationem omnem facere diligentiam eroum qui nos genuerunt. Exodi vigesimo: Honora patrem tuum et matrem tuam. Hoc quod praecepit, implevit. Et discipulum stantem, quem diligebat; et ideo eam sibi familiariter recommendare poterat. Stabat Ioannes, non recesserat; unde erat unus de illis quibus dicitur Lucae vigesimo secundo: Vos estis, qui permansistis mecum in tentationibus meis. Dicit Matri suae... Hic notatur tertium, scilicet diligens recommendatio; unde dicit: Mulier, ecce, filius tuus; quasi: ita confidas de eo sicut de filio. Deinde dicit discipulo: Ecce, mater tua... Quasi: ita eam custodias ut matrem. Et ex illa hora accepit eam discipulus in suam. Hic notatur recommendationis acceptio; in suam, scilicet matrem, accepit, ut illam, sicut matrem filius, honoraret, custodiret, et servaret. Sanctus Bonaventura, Commentarius In Evangelium Ioannem, Caput XIX Source: Here, p1140-43

But they stood beside the cross...1 Here should be noted the fewness of the compassionate. From all his dear ones there were three women who drew near. Among whom was the mother of the Lord, to whom the Lord Himself was compassionate. And here may be noted four things: the compassion of the women for the Lord, the care of the Lord for His mother and from the care the commission, and finally the acceptance of the commission. The compassion of the women is noted when it is said, 'They stood beside the cross of Jesus,' therefore they were near in body because the force of compassion drew them. Others, however, had withdrawn to a distance because of a lack of compassion, whence it is said in the Psalm: 'Those who were near me, stand far off.' 2 But these women stood near, because they loved more, that is, His mother, who above all suffered with Him, whence in the second chapter of Luke: 'A sword will pass through your soul,' 3 and also the sister of His mother, Mary of Cleophas, she who was the mother of James. It must be noted that it is said that Anna had three husbands, Ioachim, Cleophas and Salomas, and from these three men were the three Marys, that is the mother of the Lord, who was the daughter of Ioachim, the mother of James, who was the daughter of Cleophas, and the mother of Simon and Judas, who was the daughter of Salomas. 'And Mary Magdalene,' who was so called from the town of Magdala. These three women, as those who were suffering more, stood beside the cross of Christ. When Jesus saw...4 Now secondly the care of the Lord for His mother is noted, in that He looked on her and to whom he entrusted her, whence it says, 'When Jesus saw His mother...' 'When He saw,' that is, with care. In the fifth chapter of the first letter to Timothy: 'If someone among you has no care for the members of his own household...' 5 And Chrysostom: 'Here the Lord shows great love for His mother, and he entrusts her to a disciple, teaching us to love to the last breath those who have given birth to us.' 6 In the twenty second chapter of Exodus: 'Honour your father and mother.' 7 This He commanded, this He fulfilled. 'And the disciple standing there, whom He loved...' Thus He was able to entrust her to one with whom He was familiar. John stood near, he did not withdraw, therefore he was one of those concerning which the twenty second chapter of Luke says: 'You are those who have continued with me in my trials.' 8 'He said to His mother...' Thirdly the care of the commission is noted, whence He says: 'Mother, behold, your son,' that is, you may have confidence in him as if in a son. 'Then he said to the disciple: Behold, your mother...' That is, guard her as a mother. 'And from that hour the disciple received her as his own...' Here the acceptance of the commission is noted. As a mother he received her, that as a son he honour and guard and attend to her as a mother Saint Bonaventura, Commentary On The Gospel Of Saint John, Chapter 19 1 Jn 19.25 2 Ps 37.12 3 Lk 2.35 4 Jn 19.26 5 1 Tim 5.8 6 Chrys Hom On John 85 7 Exod 20.12 8 Lk 22.28

Ruin And Insults

Transeuntes autem blasphemavant eum, moventes capita sua, et dicentes: Vah qui destruis templum Dei, et in triduo reaedificas... Hoc ergo dicebant, quasi dixerit, Possum destruere et reaedificare. Ubi et alii codices habent, qui destruis templum, et in triduo reaedificas, salva temetipsum. Sed unus et sensus, quia saepe interdum insultando, haec ad turbam et ad ipsum loquebantur. Sed quod ait transeuntes, melius in Graeco habet praetereuntes, ut signanter illud de Psalmo intelligamus, ut quid destruxisti maceriam ejus, id est vineae, quam de Aegypto transtulerat, et vindemiant eam, inquit omnes qui praetergrediuntur viam. Praetereuntes autem erant, qui etiam macerie vineae dissoluta, vindemiabant eos qui remanserant in fide, laudantes Deum. Quandiu enim quisque non declinat a via Dei, potest dicere Deo: Statuisti supra petram pedes meos. Et ideo non blasphemat Jesum, qui est caput Ecclesiae, quia in eo, fide fixus stat, nec potest movere caput, sicut qui praeterit, vel transit, vel declinat a via Dei. Quod si fecerit, tunc eum blasphemat, et insultat, dicens: Vah. Juxta illud: Viderunt et moverunt captia sua. Vah enim interjecto est insultantis, vel irridentis. Omnes enim non habentes firmum caput, sed moventes eum sursum atque deorsum, non sunt prudentes, nec habent oculos in capite suo, neque caput firmum in fide tenent, id est mentem, ne moveatur, sed rotatur ut funda mens, et conscientia eroum ad singula. Noluerant igitur hi ambulare recto itinere Scripturarum, neque vias vitae cognoscere, ut starent in via Dei. Et ideo praetergrediebantur, moventes capita sua, quia moverant pedes ne starent in petra, quae Christus est. Et dicebant: Salva temetipsum, si Filius Dei es, descende de cruce. Fatui enim, fatua insultando dicebant: Vah qui destruis templum. Dicebant ergo illud, quod falsi testes supra sibi mendose confinxerant. Non enim dixerat quod ipse destrueret templum Dei, sed Solvite, et ego post triduum reaedificabo illud. Quia quod alii destruunt, ipse reaedificat, sive templum corporis sui, sive templum martyrum suorum, et omnum eorum quo habent testimonium Dei in se. Unde ipse ait: Venit enim hora, quando omnes qui in monumentis sunt audient vocem Filii Dei, et resurgent. Sanctus Paschasius Radbertus Corbeiensis, Expositio In Evangelium Matthaei, Lib XII, Cap XXVII Source: Migne PL 120.948a-d

Passing by, they blasphemed him, shaking their heads and saying, 'Aha, you who would destroy the temple of God and rebuild it in three days...' 1 They said this, as if He had said. 'I am able to destroy and rebuild.' Other books have: 'You who would destroy the temple and in three days rebuild it, save yourself.' But the sense is the same, because often while they were casting forth insults, they did so speaking to the crowd, and also to Him. Now when it says 'Passing by' the Greek has 'going by' which indicates that we should understand that Psalm 'Why did you destroy its wall,' that is, of the vine which you brought out of Egypt, 'so that all who are going by along the way may pluck from it.' 2 For they were going by, who with the wall of the vine broken down, plucked at those who remained in the faith praising God. For while someone does not stray from the way of God, he is able to say: 'You have fixed my feet on the rock.' 3 And therefore he does not blaspheme Jesus, who is the head of the Church, because he stands in Him fixed in faith, nor can he shake the head, as those do who go by, or pass by, or stray from the way of God. Because if he had done, than he would blaspheme and insult, saying: 'Aha!' So it is said, 'They saw and they shook their heads.' 4 'Aha,' is an insulting cry, or a mocking one. For all who do not have firm heads, but move them up and down, they are not wise, nor do they have eyes in their head, 5 nor is the head firm in the holding of faith, that is, the mind, lest it be shaken, but it shifts about, just as the mind and the conscience of each one. Therefore these were unwilling to walk rightly in the way of the Scriptures, nor did they know the ways of life, that they might stand in the way of God. So they went by, shaking their heads, because, not standing on the rock, which is Christ, their feet are moved. And they say, 'Save yourself, if you are the son of God, come down from the cross.' For they are fools and they speak foolish insults: 'Aha, you who would destroy the temple...' Therefore they said this because they were false witnesses, having fixed themselves in their lies. For He did not say that He would destroy the temple of God, but 'Destroy it and after three days and I will rebuild it.' 6 Because what others destroy, He rebuilds, that is the temple of His body, or the temple of His martyrs, and all who give witness to God in Him. Whence He says, 'The hour is coming when all those who are in their tombs shall hear the voice of the Son of God and rise up.' 7 Saint Paschasius Radbertus, Commentary On The Gospel of Saint Matthew, Book 12, Chap 27 1 Mt 27.39-40 2 Ps 79.13, 9 3 Ps 39.3 4 Ps 113.7 5 Eccl 2.14 6 Jn 2.19 7 Jn 5.28

Three Crosses

Mihi autem absit gloria, nisi in cruce Domini nostri Jesu Christi... In cruce Christi gloriatio est, in cruce dextri latronis, consolatio; in cruce sinistri latronis, confusio; in cruce Christi, poena sine culpa, et post poena glorificatio; in cruce dextri latroni, poena pro culpa, et post poenam remissio; in cruce sinistri latronis, poena pro culpa, et post poenam damnatio. Dicunt homines, quando peonam sustinet; Si meruissimus non erubesceremus; nunc autem injuste pati et sine culpa ignominiosum nobis est. Oculi qui non vident, imo si pro culpa pateris erubescere; si sine culpa pateris, gloriare. Latro magis vis esse quam Christus; et forte sinister blasphemator, non confessor. Tu enim pro culpa pateris, et culpam non agnoscis, nec judicem veneraris. Si saltem dexter fuisses latro, culpam humiliter agnosceres, poenam patienter sustineres, veniam devote implorares, nec pro poena praesumeres, nec pro culpas desperares, sicut quidam qui de sua sustinentia gloriantur, de poena murmurant, de culpa desperant. Hugo De Sancte Victore, Miscellanea, Liber I, Tit L, De Tribus Crucibus Source: Migne PL 177.499c-d

May glory not be mine, unless in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ...1 In the cross of Christ there is glory, in the cross of the thief on the right, consolation, in the cross of the thief on the left, confusion. In the cross of Christ there is punishment without fault and after punishment glorification, in the cross of the thief on the right, there is punishment for fault and after punishment forgiveness, on the cross of the thief on the left, there is punishment for fault and after punishment damnation. Men when they undergo punishment, say, 'If we have merited it, we shall not be ashamed.' So now to suffer unjustly and without fault is disgraceful for us. Their eyes do not see that if it is for fault you suffer you should blush, if it is without fault, glory. You wish to be a thief more than Christ, and perhaps the left one, the blasphemer, not the confessor. You shall suffer for fault and not know the fault, nor adore the judge. But if you were the thief on the right, you would humbly know fault and patiently undergo punishment, and devotedly implore forgiveness, not being presumptuous in punishment, nor despairing in fault, as certain men do who glory in their own endurance, murmuring against punishment and despairing concerning fault. Hugh Of Saint Victor, Miscellanea, Book 1, Chapter 50, On The Three Crosses 1 Galat 6.14

Suffering And Belief

Crucifixus sub Pontio Pilato... Sed dicit aliquis: Nunquid haec de Domino intelligenda sunt? Nunquid Dominus ab hominibus teneri poterat, et ad judicium pertrahi? Et de hoc te idem propheta convincet. Dicit enim his verbis: Ipse Dominus in judicium veniet, cum senioribus et principibus populi. Judicatur ergo Dominus secundum prophetae testimonium, et non solum judicatur, sed etiam flagellis caeditur, et palmis in faciem verberatur, et conspuitur, et omne pro nobis perfert opprobrium indignitatis. Et quia haec stupescenda erant omnibus, cum praedicarentur ab Apostolis: idcirco etiam ex persona ipsorum propheta exclamat et dicit: Domine, quis credidit auditui nostro? Incredibile enim est, ut Deus Dei Filius passus, ista dicatur, et praedicetur: ergo et praedicuntur per prophetas, ne qua credituris dubitatio nasceretur. Ipse ergo ex sua persona Christus Dominus dicit: Dorsum meum dedit ad flagella, et maxillas meas ad palmas, et faciem meam non averti a confusione sputorum. Rufninus Aquileiensis, Commentarius In Symbolum Apostolorum Source: Migne PL 21.359a-b

Crucified under Pontius Pilate... But someone says: 'Must these things be understood of the Lord? Should the Lord be seized by men and dragged off to judgement?' Of this also the same Prophet shall convince you. For he says, 'The Lord Himself shall come into judgment with the elders and princes of the people.' 1 Therefore, according to the Prophet's testimony, the Lord is judged, and not only judged, but scourged, and slapped on the face with the palm, and spat on, and He suffers every insult and indignity for our sake. And because all must be bewildered when these things shall be preached by the Apostles, therefore the Prophet speaking in their person also exclaims, 'Lord, who has believed our report?' 2 For it is incredible that God, the Son of God, should be spoken of and preached about as having suffered these things. For this reason they were foretold by the Prophets, lest any doubt should be found in those who are going to believe. Thus Christ the Lord Himself, in His own person, says, 'I gave my back to scourges and my cheeks to palms, I did not turn my face away from the contempt of spitting.' 3 Rufinus of Aquileia, Commentary On The Apostles' Creed 1 Isaiah 3.14 2 Isaiah 53.1 3 Isaiah 50.6

The Man Of Bronze

Et introduxit me illuc: et ecce vir cujus erat species quasi species æris. Sed quaerendum nobis est cur de hoc viro dicitur, Cuius species erat quasi species aeris. Cuncti autem novimus, fratres, metallum aeris valde esse durabile, atque omnimodo sonorum. Quid est ergo quod aspectus Mediatoris Dei et hominum speciei comparatur aeris, nisi hoc quod aperte novimus, quia unigenitus Filius, formam servi accipiens, fragilitatem carnis humanae per resurrectionis suae gloriam vertit in aeternitatem, quia in eo caro facta est iam sine fine durabilis? Nam surgens a mortuis iam non moritur, mors ei ultra non dominabitur. Quid est autem, quod ipsa eius incarnatio sonoro metallo comparatur, nisi quod per eamdem assumptionem humanitatis nostrae insonuit omnibus gloria maiestatis suae? Et quasi aspectum aeris  habet in corpore, quia Deus mundo innotuit ex carne. Unde et per Ioannem dicitur: Habebat in vestimento et in femore suo scriptum: Rex regum, et Dominus dominantium. Quid enim vestimentum eius est, nisi corpus quod assumpsit ex Virgine? Nec tamen aliud eius vestimentum est, atque aliud ipse. Nam nostrum quoque vestimentum caro dicitur, sed tamen ipsi nos sumus caro, qua vestimur. Hoc autem vestimentum illius longe ante Isaias aspiciens per crucem passionis sanguine cruentatum, dixit: Quare rubrum est indumentum tuum, et vestimenta tua quasi calcantium in torculari? Cui ipse respondit: Torcular calcavi solus, et de gentibus non est vir mecum. Solus enim torcular in quo calcatus est calcavit, qui sua potentia eam quam pertulit passionem vicit. Nam qui usque ad mortem crucis passus est, de morte cum gloria surrexit. Bene autem dicitur: Et de gentibus non est vir mecum, quia hi pro quibus pati venerat passionis eius esse participes debebant, qui pro eo quod illo tempore necdum crediderant, de ipsis in passione queritur, quorum vita in illa passione quaerebatur. Per femur vero propagatio carnis est. Quia ergo per propagationem generis humani, sicut generationum ordines Matthaeo, vel Luca narrantibus describuntur, in hunc mundum venit ex virgine, et per incarnationis suae mysterium quia Rex esset et Dominus cunctis ubique gentibus indicavit, in vestimento et femore scriptum habuit:  Rex regum, et Dominus dominantium. Unde enim in mundo innotuit, ibi de se lectionis scientiam infixit. Praedicatio ergo eius ex carne, quasi quidam sonitus ex aere est. Dicatur igitur recte: Cuius species quasi species aeris. Sanctus Gregorius Magnus, In Ezechielem Prophetam, Liber II, Homilia I Source: Migne PL 76.941d-942c

And he led me in, and behold a man whose appearance was like the appearance of bronze. 1 It must be asked by us why it is said about this man: 'whose appearance was like the appearance of bronze.' We know, brothers, that of all metals bronze is certainly the most hard and altogether sonorous. Why, then, is the sight of the Mediator of God and man compared to the appearance of bronze, unless this which we know, that the only begotten Son, receiving the form of a servant, changed the fragility of the human flesh through the glory of His resurrection to that which is eternal, because in Him that flesh is now made durable without end? For rising from the dead, now not dead, death would no more rule over Him. 2 And why is it that His incarnation may be compared to sonorous metal, unless that by the assumption of our humanity he resounded to all with the glory of His majesty?  And as the appearance of bronze is His body because God became known in the world from the flesh. Whence it is said by John, 'He had on his vestment and thigh written: 'King of kings, and Lord of lords.' 3 What, then, is His vestment but His body which He took up from the Virgin? Yet His vestment is not one thing and He is something else. For it is said our vestment also is flesh, but we are the flesh with which we are vested. Long before Isaiah saw this vestment of His stained with the blood of His passion, saying: 'Why is your covering red, and your vestment like those who tread out the wine press? To which He responds 'Alone I have trodden out the wine press, and from the peoples there is no man with me.' 4 Alone indeed he trod the winepress, He who with His power conquered that passion which He underwent. For He who suffered even to death on the cross, rose from death in glory. And well it is said: 'And from the peoples there is no man with me,' because those for whom He came to suffer His passion should have been participants, they who during that time did not yet believe, questioning those things of the passion, whose life in that passion was being sought. Now through the thigh the flesh is propagated. Because, therefore, of the propagation of the human race, as told in the order of the generations in the accounts of Matthew or Luke, in this world He came from a virgin, even through the mystery of His incarnation, and He declared that He was King and Lord of all peoples everywhere, having written on the vestment and the thigh:'The King of kings and Lord of lords.' Whence becoming known in the world, there concerning Himself He fixed the understanding of what was read. Therefore His foretelling from the flesh is as bronze resounding, and rightly it may be said, 'Whose appearance was like the appearance of bronze.' Saint Gregory the Great, On the Prophet Ezekiel, Book 2, from Homily 1 1 Ezek 40.3 2 Rom 6.9 3 Apoc 19.16 4 Isaiah 63.2-3

Stones And Tombs

Δριμέως ζητεῖς τὰ νοήματα. Καὶ τίς σοι ἀρκέσει ἀμέλγοντι, εἰ μὴ Θεὸς παράσχοι λόγον τῷ σκοπῷ σου συντρέχοντα; Αἱ πέτραι ἐν τῷ πάθει τῷ Κυριακῷ διεθρὺβησαν, καὶ τὰ μνήματα πρὸς μεθοδείαν σωμάτων ἐτρόμαζον, τῶν ἐπιγείων καὶ ὑπογείων Δεσπότην σημαίνοντα τὸν ἠλούμενον. Ἅγιος Ἰσίδωρος Του Πηλουσιώτου, Βιβλίον Πρῶτον, Ἐπιστολή ΣΝΓ' Αλφειῳ Πρεσβυτερῳ Source: Migne PG 78.336b

Keenly you seek the meaning. And who shall please you by squeezing it out, if not God who will provide sense to your swaying vision? The stones, then, which split during the Lord's passion, and the tombs which shook open for the wandering of bodies, 1 signify the piercing of the Lord of the things on the earth and under the earth. Saint Isidore of Pelusium, Book 1, Letter 253 To Alphius The Priest 1 Mt 28.51-52

Dead In Christ

Mens itaque bona , si rationi intendat: sed parum perfecta, nisi habeat gubernacula Christi. Venit enim Dominus Jesus, qui nostras passiones cruci suae affigeret, peccata donaret: in cujus morte justificati sumus, ut totus mundus ejus mundaretur sanguine. Denique in morte ipsius baptizati sumus. Si igitur in illius morte dimittuntur nobis peccata, etiam paccatorum nobis passiones in illius morte moriantur, illius crucis clavis affixae teneantur. Si in illius morte mortui sumus, quid iterum tanquam viventes ad ea quae sunt mundana revocamur? Quid nobis elementis hujus mundi? Quid cum cupiditatilius? Quid cum luxuria atque lascivia quibus cum Christo mortui sumus? Quod si simus in Christo mortui, in Christo resurreximus; cum Christo igitur versemur: cum Christo superiora quae sunt, non quae corruptibilia et terrena quaeramus. Christus resurgens, a mortuis veterem hominem affixum cruci reliquit, novum resuscitavit. Sanctus Ambrosius Mediolanensis, De Jocob Et Vita Beata, Liber I, Caput V Source: Migne PL 14.606 b-c

Thus the mind is good if it is directed to reason, but it lacks perfection unless it has the guidance of Christ, The Lord Jesus came who nailed our passions to his cross, to forgive sin, in whose death we are justified, that the whole world might be cleansed with His blood. Then in His death we were baptised. If therefore in His death we are forgiven our sins, the passions for our sins in us die the death, being held with nails to his cross. And if in His death we have died, why again as ones living are we recalled to worldly things? What to us are the elements of the world? Why have we do to with base desires? What is luxury and lasciviousness to those who have died with Christ? For if we are dead in Christ, in Christ we have arisen, by which, therefore, we are turned to Christ, with Christ seeking things above, not things corruptible and mundane. 1 When Christ rose from the dead He left the old man nailed to the cross and lifted up the new man. Saint Ambrose, from On Jacob and the Good Life, Book 1, Chapter 5  1 Col 3.1-2

The Day Of Death

In ipsa autem hac die manducaverunt; in ipsa autem et mortui sunt. Secundum autem circulum et cursum dierum, secundum quem alia quidem prima, alia autem secunda, alia tertia vocatur, si quis velit diligenter discere, qua die ex spetem diebus mortuus est Adam, inveniet ex Domini dsispositione. Recapitulans enim universum hominem in se ab initio usque ad finem, recapitulatus est et mortem ejus. Manifestum est itaque, quoniam in illa die mortem sustinuit Dominus, obediens Patri, in qua mortuus est Adam inobediens Deo. In qua autem mortuus est, in ipsa et manducavit. Dixit enim Deus: In qua die manducabitis ex eo, morte moriemini. Hunc itaque diem recapitulans in semetipsum Dominus, venit ad passionem pridiei ante sabbatum, quae est sexta conditionis dies, in qua homo plasmatus est; secundam plasmationem ei eam quae est a morte, per suam passionem donans. Sanctus Irenaeus Lugdunensis, Adversus Haereses, Liber V, Caput XXIII Source: Migne PG 7.1185b-c

In this same day that they ate, in that they died. 1 But according to the cycle and progress of the days, after which one is termed first, another second, and another third, if anybody seeks diligently to learn what day out of the seven it was that Adam died, he will find it by examining the dispensation of the Lord. For by summing up in Himself the whole human race from the beginning to the end, He has also summed up its death. Thus it is clear that the Lord suffered death,  obedient to His Father, on that day on which Adam died in his disobedience to God. He died on the same day on which he ate. For God said, 'In that day on which you shall eat of it, you shall die the death.' 1 The Lord, therefore, recapitulating in Himself this day, underwent His sufferings upon the day before the Sabbath, which is the sixth day of the creation, on which day man was created, a second creation giving out of death by His passion.   Saint Irenaeus of Lyons, Against Heresies, Book 5, Chapter 23 1 Gen 2.17

The Good Thief

Quoniam hesterno die de latrone fecimus mentionem videamus quis iste latro sit, qui in cruce Domino constituto non solum peccatorum suorum veniam consequitur, sed etiam paradisi amoenitate donatur: ut qui propter scelera damnatus fuerat ad poenam, propter fidem transferretur ad gloriam, fueritque illi crux, quam pertulit, non tam supplicii damnatio, quam salutis occasio. In cruce enim positus Dominum credidit crucifixum, et ideo qui consortio passionis utitur, consortio paradisi condonatur. Beatus enim latro, dum supplicium patitur, regnum coeleste consequitur. Ecce reus dicitur, sicut cui damnari ad tempus expedivit. Non enim perveniret ad gloriam, si non contradictus esset ad poenam. Videamus, inquam, cur tantorum criminum reus, tam cito a Salvatore paradisum promeretur; cum alii multorum temporum lacrymis frequentibusque jejuniis, vix delictorum suorum veniam consequantur. Magna, fratres, et multiplex causae est: primum, quod iste latro devotione fidei tam repente mutatus est, ut praesentem poenam despiceret, ac de futura veniam precaretur, et magis crederet utile sibi esse de aeterno judicio petere, quam de temporali supplicio postulare; reminiscens enim sclereum suorum, et poenitudinem gerens, plus incipit avere quod sperat, quam sentire patitur. Potuit enim, nisi de futuris amplius cogitasset, qui in Christum semel crediderat, de praesenti magis supplicio deprecari. Deinde illud ad gratiam ejus majoris est meriti, quod Christum in cruce postium credidit, et passio, quae aliis sandalum fecit, illi ad fidem profecit; crucis enim passio multis scandalum fuit, sicut dicit Apostolus: Nos autem praedicamus Christum crucifixum Judaeis quidem scandalum, gentibus autem stultitiam. Recte ergo meretur paradisum, qui crucem Christi non putavit scandalum, sed virtutem; dicit enim idem Apostolus: Ipsis vocatis Judaeis Christum Dei virtutem, et Dei sapientiam. Recte plane et Dominus huic donat paradisum, quia quem Judas Scarioth in hortulo paradisi distraxerat, hic in crucis patibulo confitetur. Mira res: confitetur latro quem discipulus abnegavit; mira, inquam, res: latro honorificat patientem, quem Judas prodidit osculantem: ab hoc pacis blandimenta venduntur, ab illo crucis vulnera praedicantur; ait enim Memento mei, Domine, cum veneris in regnum tuum. Haec est fidei plena devotio, ut cum de vulneribus Domini profluus sanguis cernitur, tunc de potestate ejus venia postuletur; cum videtur ejus humilitatas, tunc magis teneatur ejus divinitas; cum morti addictus putatur, tunc regis illi honorificentia deferatur. Iste enim fidelis latro non credidit mortiturum, quem annunttiat  regnaturum; non putat subdenum inferis, quem dominaturum confitetur in caelo; non arbitratur eum apud tartarum detineri, a quo etiam se postulat liberari. Cernet licet ejus hianta vulnera; spectet ipsius sanguinem profluentem, Deum tamen credit, quem reum nescit; justum fatetur, quem non meminit peccatorem: ait enim illi alteri exprobranti latroni: Nos quidem recte digna factis recipimus; hic autem nihil mali gessit. Intellexit enim, quod pro alienis peccatis has plagas susciperet, pro alienis sceleribus haec vulnera sustineret; et scivit, quod illa in corpore Christi vulnera, non essent Christi vulnera, sed latronis; atque ideo plus amare coepit, postquam in corpore ejus sua vulnera recognovit. Ait enim propheta: Quoniam ipse infirmitates nostras portat, et pro nobis dolet; nos autem existimabamus eum esse in dolore, livore ejus sanati summus. Plus ergo in cruce positus livorem ejus cernens, latro diligit Deum: mira res: plus in cruce latro Christum diligit, quam Judas dilexit in coena, ille per cibum supplantat Magistrum; hic credidit Dominum per dolorem, sicut ait propheta: Qui edebat panes meos adampliacit adversum me supplantationem. Cognovit igitur hic latro omnem Domini passionem ex ipsius fieri voluntate, et in potestate ejus esse vel morti animam tradere, vel ad vitam iterum remeare, sicut ipse Dominus ait: Postestatem habeo ponendi animam meam, et potestatem habeo iterum sumendi eam. Usque adeo autem illum liberum ab inferni legibus judicavit, ut etiam se ab iis posceret liberari. Sanctus Maximus Taurinensis, Homilia LI De Sancto Latrone I Source: Migne PL 57.343b-346a

Because yesterday we made mention of the thief, let us see who this thief is, he who was placed on the cross with the Lord, and not only received forgiveness for his own sins, but was even given the delight of paradise, so that he who on account of sins was condemned to punishment on account of faith was transported to glory, and his cross which he bore was not only a punishment of torment but an occasion of salvation. Placed on the cross He believed in our Lord crucified and therefore as an associate in His passion it was given to him to be an associate in paradise. Indeed the thief was blessed while he suffered punishment, whence paradise followed. See that he is named guilty and so it profits him for a time to be condemned. He would not have come to glory if he had disputed his punishment. Let us see, I say, why, though guilty of so many crimes, he was so swiftly promised paradise by the Saviour, when others who spend a very long time amid many tears in fasting scarcely gain forgiveness for theirs. A great thing it is, brothers, and many are the reasons. First, that this thief with the devotion of faith was suddenly transformed, so that he despised present punishment and entreated future forgiveness, and thought it more useful for himself to entreat concerning the eternal judgement than to ask concerning temporal punishment, for recalling his own crimes and being penitent, the more he began to desire what he hoped than to feel what he suffered. For how was he able, unless he had greater thought of the future, he who had come to believe in Christ, otherwise to dismiss present punishments? Thus he merits to be more pleasing who placed on the cross believed in Christ, the suffering, which is a scandal to others, rather advancing him to faith. For the suffering of the cross was a scandal to many, as the Apostle says: 'For we preach Christ crucified, a scandal to the Jews, foolishness to the Gentiles.' 1 Rightly, therefore, he deserved paradise who did not think the cross of Christ a scandal but a power, for the same Apostle says, ''To Jews who have been called, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.' 2 And rightly did the Lord grant him paradise, because He whom Judas Iscariot gave away in the garden, he confesses on the gibbet of the cross. A wondrous thing: the thief confessed Him whom the disciple denied; a wondrous thing, I say, that the thief gave honor to Him who suffered, whom Judas betrayed with a kiss. By the latter the delights of peace are sold, by the former the wounds of the cross are preached; for he says, 'Remember me, Lord, when you come into your kingdom.' 3 This is a deep and devout faith, that when the blood flowing from the wounds of the Lord is seen, that then the forgiveness of His power is asked, that when His humility appears, that then His Divinity is grasped more greatly, that when He is thought to be snared by death, that then He is honoured as a king. This faithful thief did not believe that He would die whom he announced would reign, he did not think He would be subdued by hell whom he confessed would rule in heaven, he did not judge Him as one who would be held by Tartarus whom he asked to be liberated. He sees His open wounds, he gazes at His flowing blood, yet he believed Him God who did not know guilt. He names Him righteous whom he did not hold a sinner, for He says to the other thief, he who was abusive: 'We rightly receive what we do for our deeds, this one has done no evil.' 1 For he understood that for the sins of others He received His blows, and for the crimes of others He sustained His wounds, and he knew that those wounds on the body of Christ were not the wounds of Christ, but of the thief, and so the more he began to love Him after he recognised his own wounds on His body. For the Prophet says, 'Because he bore our infirmities and suffered for us, we judged him to be one condemned, but by his bruises we were healed.' 5 Thus the more the thief on the cross looked at his bruises, the more he loved God. Another wonderful thing, the thief loved Christ on the cross more than Judas loved him at the supper, that one who by bread betrayed Him. He believed the Lord in suffering, as the Prophet said, 'He who ate my bread rises up against me to overthrow me.' 6 Therefore the thief knows all the suffering of the Lord is on account of His own will, and in His power it is if He gives His soul to death and that He has power to take it up again. 7 He even judged Him able to free Himself from the laws of hell, whence he asked Him to free from him them. Saint Maximus of Turin, Homily 51, On The Good Thief 1 1 Cor 1.23 2 1 Cor 1.24 3 Lk 23.42 4 Lk 23.41 5 Isaiah 53.4-5 6 Ps 40.10 7 Jn 10.18