Homilia de passione et cruce domini

OF OUR FATHER AMONG THE SAINTS ATHANASIUS, ON THE PASSION OF THE LORD AND ON THE CROSS. "And when they had come to a place called Golgotha, which is called the place of a skull, they gave him wine to drink mingled with gall. And when he had tasted it, he would not drink. And when they had crucified him, they divided his garments, casting a lot; that what was spoken by the Prophet might be fulfilled: They divided my garments among themselves, and upon my clothing they cast a lot. And sitting down, they kept watch over him there." And so on. The passage that has been read is from the Gospel; but for the sake of its clarification it is good to take refuge with the saints, and from them to receive its meaning. For it is fitting that they, rather than we, should be the vouchers for the Gospels. And so that we may not go around through all of them and delay our discourse, the Apostle alone is sufficient to be our teacher for our assurance. For the blessed Paul himself writes to the Hebrews that it is impossible for God to lie; and he speaks most truly, and does not lie. For the nature of created things has as its own property to turn and to be moved by various changes; since indeed, not existing once, it received a change into existence by the grace and love of mankind of the one who made it; just as again Paul says: "Who calls the things that are not as though they were." But God, who is the maker of all things through the Word, truly being, has with the Word a nature that does not change; and this he teaches through the prophet, saying: "See, see, that I am, and I have not been changed." Therefore concerning men it is sung in the Psalms: "I said in my ecstasy:

Every man is a liar." But concerning God Moses testifies in the law, that "God is faithful and true." Therefore the man who bears Christ, having been instructed from both of these, and himself expounding the difference between God and created things, writes: "Let God be true, but every man a liar." And God is true, not as one who does not lie—for nothing is contrary to him—nor as a man bearing witness of the truth to another; for he is accountable to no one—but as one who begets the truth itself, and is Father of the Lord who says: "I am the truth." And falsehood could never become a friend of truth. Hence the Lord, according to the psalmist, seeking out truth, casts falsehood away from himself and makes it alien, saying: "Alien sons have lied to me." For the Jews lied against the Savior, and though they promised to keep the law, they did not deal truly, but acted lawlessly against the one who gave it, devising death for the Lord instead of grace. They were cast off, then, with good reason, and the very death which, having lied, they brought upon the Lord, this they truly drew down upon themselves; as also Ananias and Sapphira in the Acts of the apostles, who, having given a promise to God, embezzled from the promise; and they escaped the notice of the others, but Peter, the servant of the truth, thrusts them back, saying: "You did not lie to men, but to God." In which also a very great wonder occurred: for what Peter alone knew, this he made manifest to all by the death that came upon Ananias, so that all came to reverence, and feared the example of Sapphira.

For it is necessary to know and not to be ignorant that the things we promise to God are no longer ours, but belong to God. And if we withdraw from them, we are not taking what is ours, but we are robbing what is God's. And the promise extends not only as far as money, but also as far as word and purpose itself. For even if someone is poor in money, he is not for that reason also poor in purpose. Indeed, our great and truly divine mystery does not have its promise in money, but in perfect purpose and in faith according to God. All of us, then, have made promises, and all of us are debtors of promise; so that it is necessary to repay—the virgin, the virginity such as she also promised; the continent man, his continence; those in marriage, their chastity and their love and honor toward one another; and finally all, their faith toward God and piety and righteousness and courage—so that the example of Ananias and Sapphira may not overtake us as ungrateful. For this reason the apostolic word also forewarns: "Render to all their dues: to whom tribute is due, tribute; to whom honor is due, honor. Owe no one anything, except to love one another." This the very man who proclaims these things has done. As therefore he speaks boldly, writing: "I have fought the good fight; I have finished the course; I have kept the faith; henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the righteous judge will give me." For since he did not lie about the things he promised, but also kept his promise to God, he himself also obtained an unfailing promise from the true God.

Therefore for this reason he counsels us, saying: "Do not lie to one another"; and again: "Let no lie proceed from your mouth." For he wishes us to become imitators of himself, writing: "I speak the truth, I do not lie." Since it is also a saying of the Lord from the Gospel that our "Yes, yes" and "No, no" should be. Up to this point let those who are in Christ confirm their words, and let us not, going further, take refuge in oaths—so as even to swear by God for the sake of perishable money, especially since Moses legislates: "You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain." For if anyone is at all worthy to name God, he is trustworthy and can be believed even without an oath; for the one who is sufficient for the greater would much more be sufficient for the lesser. But if he is not trustworthy to be believed without an oath, then he is not worthy even to name the name of the Lord, nor is he faithful in word. For how shall God at all bear witness to this one who swears, having no faith, upon which the Lord looks? And his Wisdom is a witness, saying: "For the Holy Spirit of discipline will flee deceit, and will depart from foolish thoughts, and will not dwell in a body enslaved to sins." For this reason also our Lord Jesus Christ first requires faith from those who call upon him, as when he said to the blind man: "Do you believe that I am able to do this for you?" and he says concerning the moonstruck one: "If you believe, it happens." And the Savior requires this, not because he needed the cooperation of others; for he himself is both Lord and provider of faith.

But so that he may not appear to be granting favors as to persons, but because he nods assent to those who believe—and so that they may not receive his benefits without faith and destroy them by their unbelief. For he wishes that, in granting, the grace should remain, and that, in healing, the healing should be without fail. At any rate, he secured the paralytic, saying: "Behold, you have become well; sin no more, lest something worse happen to you." And just as a physician, entering to those who are ill, would first ask whether they wish to be healed, so that it might not come about that, while he cares for them but they do not wish it, the healing be useless, with the sick opposing the physician's art—so too the Lord asked those being healed and granted favors to those who believed, so that by faith they might also be able to hold fast the grace. For faith is the mark of the soul's disposition. Why, then, do those who do not have faith in truth call God as witness? The Spirit testifies in the Psalms: "The Lord is near to all who call upon him in

in truth, through which alone God can be invoked. So then, why do those who do not even have faith in small matters swear by God? Especially since an oath is a witness of truth, and not a signifier of wealth. For people swear, not to signify things, but to give assurance of the truth, and that they are not lying when they speak. If, then, the one who swears has faith and truth, what need is there of an oath? But if there is no faith in him, why do we act so impiously as to call upon God, who is above man, as a witness for the sake of human and mortal things? For if it is not lawful to call the king on earth as a witness in courts outside, as being greater than both the accusers and the judges, why do we call the unbegotten one to the things that have been begotten, and make God to be despised by men? Far be it! This exceeds all lawlessness and audacity. What then must we do? Nothing more than let our Yes be yes, and our No be no; and in general not to lie. For thus, being truthful, we would seem in this also to imitate the true God. But perhaps someone might reasonably object to these things, saying: If an oath has been forbidden by men, and in not swearing one imitates the divine, how is God himself said to swear in the divine Scriptures? For he swore to Abraham, as Moses also testifies, and in the Psalms it is written: "The Lord swore, and will not repent: You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek." For these things will seem either to fight against what was said before, or from these men are incited to oaths. But it is not so; let no one think this. For God swears by no one.

For how could he, being himself Lord and maker of all things? But if one must speak the truth, his word is his oath, giving full assurance to those who hear and providing faith to each one, that what he promised and speaks will certainly come to pass. For God does not swear as a man does, but his word becomes for us instead of an oath, unto truth. But when speaking to men he is said to swear, and this too because the saints spoke in a more human way, so that from the things they themselves say and deem worthy, they might believe God who speaks. For just as the word of men is confirmed by an oath, so let the things God speaks be reckoned as an oath, because of the firmness and unchangeableness of his counsel. And the oath itself that is written bears witness to what is said: for "the Lord has sworn, and will not repent," since the oath is of the unrepentant and altogether certain fulfillment according to the promise. And God himself indicates this in Genesis, saying, "I have sworn by myself." But this is not an oath. For he did not swear by anything, which is proper to an oath, but by himself, which escapes the notion of an oath, and in which he signifies the firmness of the promise, and that the hearer must certainly believe. And let the psalmist also be a witness to what is said, reminding God, singing and saying: "Where are your ancient mercies, O Lord, which you swore to David in your truth?" For God does not swear by the truth, but the things he speaks truthfully are as an oath to men for faith. Therefore neither does God swear in the manner of men, nor should we be worn out by these things into oaths.

But let us so speak and act that those who hear have no need of an oath, but have from the things themselves the testimony of the truth. For in this we shall truly imitate the Divine. But perhaps someone might also raise the question concerning the Ninevites in this way: If the word is God's oath, because in speaking he speaks truth and does not lie, how is it that having said, "Yet three days, and Nineveh shall be destroyed," he did not fulfill his word? For this too will seem to conflict with the former things. But God does not lie; may it never be! Nor did his word remain unfulfilled. For by his love for humanity he blunted his anger, and by the repentance of the Ninevites he looked rather than upon their sin before it. And the word of God was not such that Nineveh was to be overthrown after three days; but rather, "I will bear with you three days," so that during the forbearance of the three days they might have the power to repent, or to choose the anger that comes after. For what does the prophet say? "Yet three days, and Nineveh shall be destroyed." He did not say, "After three days it shall be destroyed"—for then it would certainly have come to pass—but "Yet three days, and it shall be destroyed," so that in the word "yet" we may understand God's forbearance, and in the overthrow the anger that would come after the forbearance, if they should not repent. Since if it were not this way, and he had not postponed the three days for the sake of human repentance, what prevented God from destroying Nineveh immediately? Weakness? Far be it! May this never enter our mind. For the Lord of hosts is mighty, and God is powerful. But ignorance of those deeds? Let not this be said either.

For he knows all things before their coming into being. What then remains to be understood but the longsuffering and love of humanity of the Master? Which the prophet also, understanding, fled when first sent, and the second time, making his defense, says: "O Lord, were not these my words while I was still in my land? Therefore I hastened to flee to Tarshish, because I knew that you are merciful and compassionate, longsuffering and abundant in mercy, and relenting over evils." And Jonah fled, not as one contradicting God; and he was grieved, not as one rejoicing over the destruction of the Ninevites; but he did this out of care for the Ninevites. For he feared lest he be thought unreliable among them, and thereafter they begin no longer to believe the prophets, but the prophetic word become untrustworthy among them. For this reason then he also was disheartened, so that he might be reproved by the Master, and it might become manifest to all the Ninevites there, that it was not because the prophet lied, but because of the love of humanity of God that the Ninevites were pardoned. For he knew that in the word "still" longsuffering was signified. And this is the custom of the divine Scripture. For when God wishes to signify his own longsuffering, he declares it through the word "still"; as when he says through Isaiah: "What still shall I do for my vineyard, and have not done?" and through Jeremiah: "Therefore still I will plead with you, says the Lord." And in saying "still," he shows his own goodness and forbearance. For he says: "Pass over to the islands of the Kittim, and send to Kedar, and see." If therefore he did not wish to be longsuffering, neither would he give them exhortations.

so as to pass through them, and having passed through them, to learn from opposites the comparison with the good. Indeed, when the deed of each person no longer summons longsuffering but wrath, then at last he appears saying, "I will no longer bear your sins." And by the word "no longer" being signified here, he clearly shows the longsuffering concerning the Ninevites, made clear by the word "yet," and the truth of the word. For it was impossible for God not to speak truth, even when he only wills it. For this reason, having promised to Abraham, he did not lie, but even granted him his son; and he led the people out of Egypt through the hierophant Moses. And he assured Isaac by the promise, and made him father of the two peoples; and having promised to Jacob, he showed Joseph. And to the most faithful Moses he gave faith in what was said through the events that happened to Pharaoh; and having promised to David, he fulfilled the promise through Solomon—I mean the building of the temple. And why do I need many words? There is nothing that God says and remains unfulfilled. Even if someone for the moment is negligent in seeking the word, yet the promise has its fulfillment in time, and in time the promise is altogether fulfilled. For behold, we now see fulfilled in the Gospels both the things spoken long ago by the Lord and the things said many ages ago. For Isaiah prophesied that he would be born of a woman who had not known marriage

Emmanuel; but he himself, born of Mary the Virgin and appearing as God, was fulfilling the prophet's word. And Micah foretold also the place in which Christ was to be born; but the Lord himself, lying in a manger in Bethlehem, was showing the prophet to be true. And Zechariah announced good tidings to Jerusalem of the Savior's entry; but the Lord himself, sending for the donkey and entering in, was fulfilling the prophecy in his own person. And in short, not to name each one of the things written, he himself has become the fulfillment of the law and the prophets. For the things which he announced beforehand through them, these he was bringing to completion when present, fulfilling them and saying: "I myself who speak am present." Behold, then, even now the things long proclaimed concerning the Savior in the Psalms are again fulfilled through the audacity of the soldiers. For the things which he foretold he would suffer, these the crowds of the Jews now carry out, dividing the Savior's garments and giving him vinegar to drink with gall. "For these things," it says, "came to pass, that the Scriptures might be fulfilled"; the one saying: "They divided my garments among themselves, and upon my clothing they cast a lot"; and the other again: "They gave me gall for my food, and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink." Many, reading the Gospels and hearing the words, "That what was written might be fulfilled," have supposed that the things that happened came about for no other reason than that what was written might be fulfilled; and from these things they have thought that those who did them were not only blameless but even more worthy of praise, because they acted not as sinning but as serving what was written.

For the words of the prophets would not have come to be true unless their deeds had been theirs. But they supposed these things especially, being moved by the sayings in the Gospel according to John, where, recounting the unbelief of the Jews, he says according to the prophecy of Isaiah: "Though he had done so many signs before them, they did not believe; that the word of Isaiah the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spoke: Lord, who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?" For if, in order that the word of Isaiah might be fulfilled, the Jews did not believe, they are not themselves the cause of their unbelief, but the one who spoke these things, through whom these things also have been fulfilled. For they will say, Take away the word of the prophet, and surely those men will believe. But these things and such a thought fall far short of the truth; for neither is the prophet the cause of these things, nor are the Jews free of blame for their own unbelief; but the prophet, foreseeing what they were going to do, reported it; and they, doing these things afterward, showed the prophet's word to be true; and not as though serving the prophetic words did they dare against the Savior, but by their own choice they willingly did the deeds; so that the prophet was not the cause for them, but their own choice was; and they themselves were rather the cause for the prophet of his saying these things about them. For it is proper to the prophet to see what is to come and not to be mistaken; but each of the deeds has its own choice as its cause. And just as we, seeing what is before our eyes, are not mistaken in seeing, nor do we see one way and it happens another way;

But as it happens, we see, and as we see, it happens; so too the prophets saw future things as present; and what they saw had to come to be, and what comes to be had entirely to be seen by them. And again, just as the things we see with our eyes must entirely exist—for we see things that are, and it is not possible for them to come to be otherwise than as we see—so too the prophets: what they foresaw had entirely to exist, and not come to be otherwise than as they had foreseen. Since if they did not foresee what was going to happen, they would no longer be prophets. And in general one must know this, that the prophets are not teachers of laws, so that only what they command may happen, but they are foretellers of things to come. For it is not because they speak that what happens happens, but because it is going to happen, for this reason they also foretell it, and the prophets must not lie, for they see truly. For if, by hypothesis, the prophets did not announce beforehand, but it was the choice of the Jews to do these things—and in general the saints are not compellers of what happens, but foreseeing the choice of those who act, they signify it. And just as those who were refuting said, "Take away the word of the prophet, and surely the Jews will believe," so I too would say, "Take away the deeds of the Jews, and Isaiah would surely not have prophesied such things about them." If, then, John says, "The Jews did not believe in him, that the word of Isaiah might be fulfilled," do not assign the cause of their unbelief to the word of the prophet, but to the deed of the Jews themselves. For what these men were doing now, the prophet foresaw long ago.

And it was necessary that this one not lie, but be known, that he truly foresaw the things now coming to pass. For in order that his word might appear true to those after these things, they were convicted as unbelieving and hiding. For they were base in their choice; but since they were hiding their unbelief, the word became a conviction of them. For this reason, then, they did not believe, because the word convicted them as they hid? And if he says again: The Jews could not believe, because it is written concerning them—do not assign the impossibility to the choice of those who act. For they could also change; but the impossibility is that the prophet not lie. For since he truly saw, for this reason it was impossible for him to err. For he did not see otherwise than as it happened, and they appeared unbelieving. Thus also the wonder concerning the Virgin has been fulfilled, and what concerns John has come to pass today, and all things previously written have been fulfilled. For it was not because it was written that they came to pass, but because it was altogether happening, for this reason it was also foretold. Thus also the division of the garments has now taken place; and as it happened, so it was also foreseen; and as it was fore-signified and fore-announced, so it has been fulfilled and accomplished. And it is written thus: "And having crucified him, they divided his garments, casting a lot; that what was spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled: They divided my garments among themselves, and upon my clothing they cast a lot." Matthew, then, with the other evangelists, says that the division took place more simply; but John recounts both the manner of the division and the cause of the lot that was cast, saying thus:

So then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments and made four parts, a part to each soldier. But the tunic, since it was seamless, woven from the top throughout, they said to one another: Let us not tear it, but let us cast lots for it, whose it shall be; that the Scripture might be fulfilled: They divided my garments among themselves, and for my clothing they cast a lot. Perhaps someone hearing these things blushes; perhaps someone seeing the Lord mocked, and led away, and struck, is ashamed; perhaps now someone seeing the Lord, and Savior, and King of all judged by Pilate, and crucified by the Jews, is put to shame, and keeps his eye downcast. For not even the sun endured the sight to see it, but was wholly darkened, in order that it might turn away the eyes of others too; and it no longer cared for the command to shine upon men, but dared even to transgress thereafter, seeing the Master who commanded it suffering at the hands of men. But if we learn the cause, and see why he suffered, we no longer blush, but marvel at his goodness and love for mankind; and we too shall boast, as Paul did, in the cross; because it was not the Lord himself who suffered for his own sake, but we who were suffering in him. For the sin of men was great, and this evil had preoccupied the whole inhabited world, a great

And this was the case even before, but it was increasing little by little and becoming unbearable to men. For death also prevailed to reign over all and against all. But our Lord is immortal and incorruptible; and as He is immortal and incorruptible, so is He good and loving toward man. For the Word of the good Father is good; therefore He did not overlook the destruction of what had come to be, nor did He endure that another should become lord over His own works; but seeing that the evil was unbearable, and that the mortal race was not able to withstand death, nor able to render the penalty for evils—for the excess of evil surpassed every penalty—and seeing also the goodness of the Father, and seeing His own sufficiency and power (for "Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God"), He was moved by His love for man, and taking pity on our weakness, He put it on. For He Himself, as the prophet says, bore our infirmities and carried our diseases. And having mercy on our mortality, He clothed Himself with it. For Paul says: "He humbled Himself unto death, even the death of the cross." And seeing also that it was impossible for us to render the penalty, He Himself took it upon Himself; for "Christ has become a curse for us." And so, having put on and clothed Himself with the things of man, through Himself He brought our cause to the Father, so that, as He Himself suffered, He might make man suffer without harm, and exchange small things for great. For He descended, that He might prepare our ascent; and He has experienced generation, that we through Him might be made friends with the Unbegotten.

He became weak for our sake, so that we might be raised in power and say, as Paul did: "I can do all things in Jesus Christ who strengthens me." He took a corruptible body, so that the corruptible might put on incorruption; He put on the mortal, so that the mortal might put on immortality. And finally He became man and died, so that we, who die as men, might be made gods, and might no longer have death reigning over us. For death does not lord it over us, and the apostolic word also proclaims this: for this reason He is even crucified, so that He might redeem the curse, and we might inherit the blessing. For while He suffered, He was not harmed at all, but rather bestowed grace; and dying, He did not remain dead, but rather gave life even to the dead; and being slain, He was not destroyed, but by the blood of His slaughter He redeemed all without exception, and He Himself remained impassible. And if anyone should ask how this happened, let him hear. There was in this a union of two things—I mean things not equal, but which have no comparison in any respect. For the mortal was entwined with the immortal, and a corruptible body came together with the incorruptible Word. And the mortal did not harm the immortal, for it was impassible; but it remained rather impassible even in the face of death's dominion; for those who conquer are always masters of those who are conquered. Therefore, because of the immortal Word Himself who was present in it, death also was strangely made to vanish in Him, as stubble is made to vanish by fire. And the Word, being incorruptible, benefits the corruptible rather by being present with it; for darkness is illuminated by light, and the lesser is blessed by the greater.

For this reason he is now also stripped by the executioners of the tunics of skin which we put on in Adam, so that in place of these we might be able to put on Christ. For this reason he also submits to his garments being divided, so that we might have the Word from the Father, indivisible; for he says, "I and the Father are one." For this reason they also cast lots for the tunic, and suffering this he overlooks it, so that Christ might become our lot, just as the psalmist also says: "The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and of my cup." Hence he does not suffer elsewhere, nor is he crucified in another place, than in the place of the Skull, which the teachers of the Hebrews say is the tomb of Adam. For they affirm that he was buried there after the curse. And if this is so, I marvel at the appropriateness of the place. For it was necessary that the Lord, wishing to renew the first Adam, suffer in that place, so that, dissolving that man's sin, he might take it away from the whole race; and since Adam heard, "You are earth, and to earth you shall go," for this reason he is again placed there, so that finding Adam there he might dissolve the curse, and instead of "You are earth, and to earth you shall go," he might thenceforth say: "Awake, you who sleep, and rise from the dead, and Christ will shine upon you"; and again: "Rise, and come, follow me," so that you may no longer be laid upon the earth, but ascend into the heavens. For it is necessary that, when the Savior is raised, Adam also be raised together with him, and all those who have come from Adam.

And just as, when Adam died, we too remained dead because of him, so when the Lord's body is raised, it is necessary that all be raised together with him. This is the meaning of Paul; for he writes to the Corinthians, saying: "For just as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive." But how they lead him to the cross, it is necessary to see what has been written; for surely these things too have not been written in the Gospels without benefit, nor idly. After the Lord was judged—for he was judged, and stood before the governor. And let no one be ashamed of these things; for he endured this too for our sake, so that the plot of the Jews might not be hidden, as if he had been ambushed while it was kept silent; but so that from the trial also the slander of those who plotted might become manifest. For if the Savior had not been judged, the envy of the Jews against him would have been suspected but unclear; but when he was judged, thereafter it could escape no one's notice. And Pilate himself testified to the Savior's innocence and purity, and brought out the plot of the Jews. "For he knew," it says, "that they had handed him over because of envy." But Pilate would not have known the envy of the Jews if the Savior had not stood trial. A great and truly paradoxical thing the Savior has done: by being silent he was working, and by not defending himself he made the judge confess the conspiracy, and that he was more persuaded by the crowds than by the righteous man. For if he had defended himself, it would have been suspected as cowardice before death; but by being silent, one marvels at his firmness and courage.

And Pilate’s defending himself in this way was nothing other than believing that the one being judged was God. Indeed, while he was being judged by Pilate, he gave a revelation to Pilate’s wife, so that by the silence she might be struck with awe at his manliness, and by the revelation she might know that he was judging not a man but God. The judge, then, feared the one being judged, and he was himself being judged more by his fear of the one being judged than, while judging, he was striking the Lord with amazement. Therefore he also washed his hands, saying, “I am innocent of this blood”—even if later, moved by friendship with the Jews, he ran along with them as they plotted, so as even to hand him over to the cross. The Savior, then, is handed over, and having been handed over, he did not cower at death, but rather stripped himself for it and pursued the serpent as it fled. For the Lord was not dying as one who dies, but as one pursuing death to this end. There indeed the wretched devil, having seen the wonder that happened in Pilate’s case—that the judge rather than the one being judged had cowered—and seeing his present stripping for battle with confidence, hastened to test everything, wishing to learn what he had not previously been able to learn when he tested him on the mountain: whether this is the Son of God. Then, put to shame, he kept watch for the time of death, thinking that in the one by whom he had enslaved all, he could test him also in death. For it is written in Luke that the devil, having completed every temptation, departed from him until a time. And this is that time in which the enemy himself knew that he would be trampled down by all, if he should also fall in this case; for this alone

There remained to him, then, the contest alone, once he had been stripped of all things. Therefore he did everything for the sake of learning whether this was the Savior; and he did this so that, if he should truly learn concerning him, he might not even dare to approach, knowing his unapproachable and divine power. But the Lord, seeing his cunning—that it was not out of honor toward him, but for the sake of the servitude of men, that he was hunting this, so that he might tyrannize over all—concealed his own divinity and conducted himself as a man, so that, not having approached as to a God, he might depart unharmed, but, having despised him as a man, he might approach, and thereafter begin to be mocked by men. And just as if someone, seeing his adversary cowering and for this reason now fleeing, might feign weakness to invite him on—then that fleeing one, looking to the feigned weakness, might take courage and approach, and the noble wrestler, having summoned him by weakness, might conquer by his own power—so too the Lord, having summoned him by human weakness, strengthened man by his own power against the enemy. For this reason, at the time of death, he is in anguish and began to be deeply sorrowful; and he begged that that cup pass, and cried out: "The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak"—so that our adversary, having approached as to a man, might make trial of divine power. Subjected by these things, then, the wretched one was mocked and approached the Lord. Then, seeing his courage, he cowered; but seeing also the weakness of the body, he again took courage.

And for the rest, one could see the devil with his whole army, with his principalities and his authorities, fleeing, while the Lord with human weapons pursued the diabolical phalanx. For no great interval had passed, and he had despoiled the enemy of all things; when, put to shame, the devil thereafter stirred up all things against the Lord through his own doing—the Jews, that they might conspire together, and Pilate, that he might condemn, and the soldiers, that they might mock him. But in doing this he did not know that he was acting against himself; for evil is blind, and wickedness is without foresight; sharpening its hands against itself, it did not know it. For just as if someone should take hold of a snake with his hand, and wishing to throw it at another, he himself is certainly bitten; or holding fire in his hand and wishing to harm his enemy, he does not know that he himself is certainly burned—so evil makes war against those who use it, and it harms those who hold it more than those against whom they wish to send it. Thus Pharaoh, wishing to seize, was seized; and beginning to pursue, was pursued; and wishing to kill, was drowned. Thus Goliath, in the very things in which he was lifted up, was cut down, and wishing to despoil, was despoiled. In this way the wretched devil also suffered; for wishing to tempt, he was tempted, and stirring up the soldiers—or rather himself being stirred up among the prisoners—he worked all things against himself. For just now he was being despoiled, and the victory was invisible to men; but he brought it into the open, even unwilling, the wretched one.

For when the Lord had stripped himself, and the trophy had been invisibly wrought against the devil, so that this too might be made manifest, they immediately clothed him—as John says, in purple, but as Matthew and Mark say, in a scarlet cloak—and they put a crown of thorns on his head and gave him a reed in his hand; and so approaching, they knelt before him. A new and strange wonder, and truly the token of a great victory! For the one whom they judged as a man, him they now worshipped as God while he was dying; and the one whom they despised as worthless, him they confessed as king; and after they had taken away his ordinary garments, they put purple around him; and the one whom, not knowing him, they insulted, him they addressed, even unwillingly, as prophet; and the one whom they mocked as they struck him, to him they rendered the tokens of victory—the scarlet cloak, the crown of thorns, and the reed. For even if they did these things as insulting him, yet they did not know that even unwillingly they were being despoiled by him. For since the earth had been made murderous by sin through the devil, and was more than waters soaked with bloods—from the beginning gaping and receiving the blood of the righteous Abel, and later, as men mingled bloods upon bloods, according to what is written: "Cursing and lying and theft and adultery are poured out upon the earth, and they mingle bloods upon bloods"—and for this reason the earth was also accursed, God saying: "And now cursed is the earth, which opened its mouth to receive the blood of Abel your brother." And previously too, because of Adam's transgression, the Master had cursed it, saying: "Cursed is the earth in your works.

In sorrows you shall eat it all the days of your life. And altogether all things were full of blood, and thorns grew everywhere because of the curse. And holding the handwriting of these things, the enemy exalted himself against all, and tyrannized, having all things under his hand. For this cause the Lord, having despoiled him of all things, being now led away to death, wore these things, that he might show the achievement of death, that it happened not simply, but for our salvation. And he had the blood in the scarlet cloak, and the thorns in the crown, and the handwriting in the reed, in which the devil had long ago written down our sins; that with death he might now also make these things disappear, and cleanse creation from them; and instead of the thorns grant the tree of life; and instead of the blood of sin cleanse the earth and all people by his own blood; and instead of the curse bless those now on the earth, saying: Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. For this cause, having borne our blood, he poured out his own upon it, from which also, instead of thorns, good things and life have sprung up for it; looking to which the holy David says: I believe that I shall see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living. And in another way he wore the crown of thorns, that he might make the cares of our life disappear. For the wretched one, unwillingly, cast our cares upon him, not knowing that the Lord, bearing these, will make all people free from care against him; so that the seed of the word may be free from the thorns, and in prayers undistracted.

For he himself grieved and cared for us, so that we might become free from pain. For this reason the Lord again received the reed from them, and the devil himself handed it over to the Lord, not knowing that he was sharpening the sword against himself. For the reed is said to be destructive of serpents, and by this rather than by anything else they are struck down. Since, therefore, the Lord Sabaoth himself, as Isaiah says, was pursuing the fleeing dragon, the serpent, the great devil—for this reason the Lord received from them that which is destructive of him, so that, when the devil had been weakened by his own weapons, men might be strengthened by the Lord's. What sort of thing did David do against Goliath, taking the enemy's sword and with it cutting off the enemy's head? This the Savior has now done, taking the reed from them, so that he might not only free us from the deceit of the serpent, but also destroy the serpent himself with the reed and show him dead. Thus then the wretched one, having been mocked and having seen himself fallen from those things in which he had exalted himself against us—having seen himself cast out from the earth, and the earth cleansed from the bloods and the thorns, and having seen himself having lost the handwriting and the reed with which he had written down our sins—dares again things undared, striking himself the more in this also. For the wicked one, having heard the Lord saying, "The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak," thinking that the Word suffered together with the body, and that the body was not rather strengthened together with the power of the Word, again attempts unlawful things.

And he provoked the executioners against the Savior, but he himself clung to the thorns and rolled about among them, suffering the opposite of what he intended. For having them, he lost them, and he thought that without having them he could take them; but he did not take them until the Savior lightened the curse against us that lay in them. For when the Lord had borne it, he took the thorns and the cloak again—no longer having power against us, but convicting them of their wickedness. For now the devil himself is in the thorns as in goads, kicking against us. And it is said to him concerning the scarlet cloak: As a garment soaked in blood is not clean, so neither shall you be clean, because you have destroyed my land and killed my people. Therefore even now, stirring up the executioners against the Savior, he kicked as against goads in the thorns, and was struck rather than struck. For those whom he stirred up against the Savior, these armed themselves against him. For taking the reed from the Lord, and thinking they were striking him, they were blinded, cutting down the devil who stirred them up, in the thorns. And just as the nations that came up against Jerusalem cut one another down in the valley of Jehoshaphat, and as those pursuing Israel, coming to the banks, entangled with one another and seized one another; so also now those pursuing the Lord cut one another down in ignorance, harming him not at all, but wronging themselves rather. For just as if someone wishes to strike a rock with his hand, he does not cut the rock but wounds his hand;

In this way, too, those who acted against the Lord, as though daring to act against one who is incorruptible, were destroyed, and as though setting their hands against one who is immortal, they themselves rather died. And the worst part is that he suffered through his own members; and this especially became for the crafty one a cause of complete shame. For in general, when he was struck by the Lord, he could boast; but when he is cut down by those whom he had enslaved, this surpassed all shame. But their blow does not kill the serpent; for men, being executioners, were not able to do so much; rather, the insolence shown to him by the Jews was grieving him; and it was not the blow that came from these that wounded him, but the Lord who struck back against their blow, and the power that came from the hand of the Savior through the reed. For in this also the Lord, having taken shape and put forward human things, was receiving the serpent among the thorns, and, being struck as a man, he allowed the executioners to strike the serpent, so that he who once boasted that he was God, and boasted that he had tempted the Lord, being struck by executioners, might carry away complete shame. But these things were turning out for him contrary to his own will and intention. For while working in those who were crying out against the Savior, he did not know that he was bringing silence in against himself; while provoking Pilate, he did not know that he was preparing fearlessness in place of cowardice; while stirring them up to strike the Lord, he was led astray as forbearance was being displayed. And finally, while raving against the Savior, he did not see that he was arming virtue against vice; for the enemy rejoices in all vice and wickedness; and whatever is evil, this is a diabolical weapon.

For it persuades one to sin either through fear of death or through the desire to defend oneself at all costs. Therefore the Lord endured all things, so that by fear he might teach courage, by insolence forbearance, by anger gentleness, and in all things that virtue stands opposed to vice. And first he taught turning the other cheek to the one who strikes the jaw; and, “Do not fear those who kill the body”; and, “From the one taking your goods, do not demand them back”; and, “Bless those who persecute you.” But so that the commandment might not be thought impossible by some, the Lord demonstrated all things through himself, and by what he suffered he persuaded all who are insulted not to insult in return, and those who are struck not to strike back, and those who are mocked not to be angry, and not to demand back from the one taking our goods; and in general not to fear death, but even to despise it through the hope of what is to come. For in this way the victory over the devil and every sin becomes easier than when we defend ourselves. For when we defend ourselves and repay wrong to those who wrong us, and insult those who insult us, we increase and nourish vice against ourselves, wronging not so much our enemies as ourselves by the condemnation and judgment that remain, because of vice, for those who have used it. But when, like the Lord, we endure being wronged, and oppose forbearance to those who revile, courage to those who threaten, and the hope of immortality to death, in all these things we certainly grieve the enemy; and he falls before such a panoply as that with which Paul, arming us, says:

Put on therefore the whole armor of God, so that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil.” For thus also, when the Savior endured, that came to pass: “I was watching Satan falling from heaven like lightning.” Immediately, then, after the Lord had done valiantly against these things and the enemy had fallen, they placed the cross upon him, truly a sign of victory, and unwillingly furnishing it against themselves. For as long as the enemy stood, the executioners had the wood; but when he had fallen and been shattered, then the Lord took the trophy and carried it for himself. For it was fitting that the victor, leading a triumphal procession against the devil, should not concede it to another, but carry the trophy himself. And along with the trophy he also received from them his garments as he went to death, so that along with death he might also strip them off. For this reason, having stripped himself again, he hastened those who were leading him away to lead him. And as he was led away, according to John he carried the cross himself, but according to the other evangelists, Simon the man from Cyrene carried the cross. And this is not contrary to John; for neither does John write contrary to the others, but both happened in this case: for the Lord both carried the cross himself, and again Simon the man carried it. As, then, he first carried it as a trophy against the devil, he also willingly carried the cross for himself; for he did not come to death under compulsion. And again Simon the man carried it, so that it might be known to all that the Lord dies not his own death, but the death of men.

When these things had thus come to pass, he comes hastening to the place where he was also to ascend the cross, so that the handwriting against us, which he had taken from the enemies, he might nail to the cross, and having stripped off the principalities and the powers, he might openly display them, triumphing over them in the wood, and showing the man who had been snatched out of the lion, and thereafter sprinkling and cleansing the earth with his own blood, might be well-pleasing. And being about to do this, he took off his garments. For it was necessary that he, in bringing man into paradise, should strip off the tunics which Adam received when he was cast out of paradise. For when he sinned, and was thereafter about to die, he received tunics of skin, made from dead animals, being a symbol of the death that had come upon him because of sin. But the Lord, who for our sake took upon himself all things that are ours, put these on, in order that he might also strip them off, and in place of these clothe us with life and incorruption. And with these he also put on a tunic without seam, woven from above, made whole throughout, so that even from these things the Jews might be able to believe who he is and whence he is who put these on: that the Word was not from the earth, but coming from above, and that the Word of the Father is not divisible but indivisible, and that, having become man, he did not have a body woven together from a man and a woman, but from a Virgin alone, woven by the craft of the Spirit. Wherefore the executioners divide the other garments, for they were divisible, and divide them into four parts.

For he wore these things on behalf of the sin of the four-part world—toward the east and the west and the north and the south. Seeing him clothed in them, John said, “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” They were not able to divide even the tunic, for fear of the sign made known through it. For this too was not their work, but the work of the Savior who hung there. For while hanging, as a man, he put the rulers to flight, seized the devil, and struck fear into the executioners, so that they would not divide the tunic—in order that, while it remained, there might also remain the conviction against the Jews, which came to pass not long after: that the veil was split, but the Savior’s tunic was not divided even by executioners, but remained whole. For the Gospel remains whole forever, while the shadows are divided. Moreover, because he had stripped off his garments and was hastening toward death, then again the devil, seeing the Savior’s eagerness, and that he himself had fallen from heaven and been cast out of the earth, had nothing he could do; for everything was full of confusion and perplexity for him. And he could not remain, yet he feared to flee again. Moreover, having reflected that those who die must die on the earth, according to what is written, “You are earth, and to earth you shall go,” and fearing to remain on the earth lest he be seized there, he then flew into the air—perhaps so that, when the Lord’s body was laid on the earth, he might at least in this way have the air free. But the Lord, showing love for mankind in this also, did not die on the earth, but ascended into the air through the cross, pursuing the serpent there as well.

so that from there too he might drive away the ruler of the power of the air, and cast down the spiritual forces of wickedness, not leaving even so the earth uncured. For hanging on the cross, he cleansed the air by the stretching out of his hands, and redeemed the earth, washing it clean with the blood and water from his side. What then was left for the enemy to do after suffering these things? He had fallen from heaven, he was cast out from the earth, he was driven from the air; and in addition to these things he was put to shame, having promised great things and accomplishing nothing. Defeated therefore on every side, and at a loss on every side, he resolved at least to guard Hades; for this was the only place still left to him. Therefore also, fearing lest the Lord, descending there, should drive him out from there and set free all those under his hand, he kept stirring everything up and setting it in motion, calling all to his aid, and he provoked the Jews again to reproach the Lord, and to insult and altogether mock him; and whatever remained to him of his panoply, this he let loose against the Lord, thinking that perhaps even so he might seize him who was exceedingly free from sin. For the Jews mocked the Lord, saying, “If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross”; but the Savior, who is truly the Son of God, wished to be known as Son of God not from fleeing death, but from remaining in it, and by remaining trampling death, and that he himself is the life. For he was able also to come down from the cross, he who raised others from the dead; but the descent would have shown a flight from death; whereas to wait showed nothing other than that he who waits is life.

For this reason he was certainly going to reproach the Lord over these things before the devil, and he wanted him to come down from the cross and not be among the dead, so that even in this way he might depart unpunished and lord it over the dead. For he was afraid that, as it is written, having ascended to the height of the cross, he might lead captivity captive and receive gifts among men. For he suspected that this might be the one about whom these things were written. Therefore the crafty one again stirred up the Pharisees, and henceforth made them promise and believe beyond measure, if only he would come down from the cross. He stirred up everything, and made promises contrary to his own judgment, only so that he might not become a dead man and descend into Hades. So he again made the Pharisees say: "He saved others, he cannot save himself. If he is the King of Israel, let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe him." But the dragon, the teacher of unbelief, did not want the Pharisees to believe; rather, he wanted to escape the Lord, who is death. Nor did he want to learn whether he could save himself, but rather that salvation might not come to others. For if he had fully known that he who saved others was the one who had given salvation to others, it would not have been doubtful that he is Savior and life. Therefore they reproached him for this, so that salvation might not come to others. For the meddlesome one knew that the Lord does not die, but that his death would become salvation and life for all. For this reason he wanted him to come down from the cross, and he made the Pharisees promise to believe; perhaps even by the promise of faith he might prevail in what he wanted.

But the Lord, who is truly the Savior, who seeks not his own things but ours, wished to be known as Savior not from saving himself but from redeeming creation. For neither will a physician be known as a physician from his own being healthy, unless he also demonstrates his art to the sick; and the sun will not be known as light if he draws his rays into himself, unless he also extends them over the inhabited world and shines light in them upon the darkness. So also the Lord was not saving himself—for he had no need of salvation, being himself the Savior—but from the beneficence of others he wished to be known by all as Savior. But neither did he wish to be known as Son of God from coming down from the cross, but from remaining on it. For the death of the Savior brings more faith and salvation to men than the descent from the cross. Indeed, while he was still hanging on the cross, the tombs were being opened, and those lying in them were being saved; and the thief hanging there believed in him, so that he might show that he is truly Savior; and though dying, he bears fruit through faith. At these things the devil was henceforth truly beside himself, and every perplexity reasonably held him; for he saw him destroying, and the thief on the cross, and the one whom he had long ago persuaded to steal, he saw this one believing; and the one whom he had incited to blaspheme, he saw this one worshiping the Lord, and rebuking both the other thief and, rather, the devil in the thief. And he was gnawed at again, because the one whom he killed as a thief, he saw this one again being carried over into paradise.

But seeing also that his whole armor had been cast away, and that there was no defense sent from him which the Lord did not nullify, according to what is written: "The swords of the enemy have failed utterly, and you have destroyed cities," for this reason he was troubled, and being at a loss, he then attempted to give the Savior vinegar mixed with gall to drink; but even in this he was preparing it against himself and did not know it. For the bitterness of wrath, which came about through the transgression of the law, in which he held all people captive, he was repaying to the Savior; and taking it, he consumed and drained it, so that in place of the vinegar the Wisdom who mixed wine might give us drink; and in place of the gall he might grant us the oracles sweeter than honey and the honeycomb; and in return for the things of ours which he himself tasted, he might say also to us: "Taste and see that the Lord is good." And when he had also fallen from this and been despoiled, put to shame thereafter, a suspicion seized him, as he saw such great things, that he was fighting not against a man but against God. For he saw that in the very things by which he hunted all people, he was himself put to shame, and was falling rather than casting down; and thereafter he tried to withdraw and to give his back to flight. For seeing him hanging and pursuing death, he feared lest this be the one about whom it is written: "The Lord shall be exalted to have mercy on us." And for this reason he sought all the more to abandon everything and flee, envying those who would receive mercy from him. But the Lord, who is truly the Savior, not wishing him to depart unpunished, nor to leave the work incomplete, nor to abandon those in Hades to the enemy, marshaled a great and wonderful work.

For seeing him cowering and trembling and quailing before the bold one, he again takes on the posture of one submitting, so that when the enemy draws near he may completely subdue him. For the dragon did not want the Lord to die, nor to be hanged on a tree; and he wanted the Lord to come down from the cross and not die; but if he would not come down, at least that he remain simply on the tree, and only not die. For he feared lest what was written should come to pass: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, wherefore he has anointed me; he has sent me to preach good tidings to the poor, and to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind." And for this reason he feared lest this be the anointed and sent one, and thereafter freedom should come to all. Stripped therefore of everything, he prayed that he might at least hold Hades. For again he feared lest this be the one who also illumines the darkness, of whom it is written: "Galilee of the nations, the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light." For he also heard him saying: "I am the light." Wherefore he dreaded lest he die and be cast out of all things. But the Lord, seeing him fleeing, so that this might not happen and the enemy depart in flight, sends forth human voices, and voices of weakness, saying: "Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani" — that is, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" And this he did so that the devil, whom he had struck with amazement as God, supposing him to be a weak man, might not depart in flight. By these voices, then, the all-wicked one was led on, and again approached as to a man and was shattered. For he persuaded the Jews to ask for his slaughter, and what he did not expect came to pass.

For he was slain not in another part, but in the side, from which flowed water and blood; so that, since formerly deception came through the woman formed from the side, thus through the side of the second Adam might come ransom and cleansing for the former: ransom through the blood, cleansing through the water. But this did not turn out according to the devil's design; for the very death which he feared would come to pass, this the Lord died, and that one is despoiled; and thinking to hold Christ in death, he himself was shown rather to be dead; and having boasted that he ensnared a man, he made God known. For at once when he died, the creation became sunless, the veil of the temple was torn, the earth was shaken, and the rocks were split, the soldiers, together with the gatekeepers of Hades, cowered. From these things it was possible to see no longer a man, but truly God in a body, as even those who beheld said: "Truly this is the Son of God." For many tombs were also opened, and their dead were raised. Truly evil is blind; for thinking to kill one, it has been deprived of all; and thinking to bring him down to Hades, it has been cast out of Hades. And it was shown to all that the Savior did not die from weakness of nature, but pursued death for its destruction, in order to abolish it and to deliver those who, through fear of death, were throughout their whole life subject to slavery. Not long then did it take, and he loosed the pangs of Hades, and raised the others, saying: "Arise, let us go hence"; but he himself rose up and prevailed over death, counting his audacity a mockery; as also was proclaimed beforehand in hymns.

saying through the Spirit: "He who dwells in the heavens will laugh them to scorn, and the Lord will mock them." For truly he is ridiculed, having been thus played with, and the affairs having turned out contrary to his expectation. For like the creature called the wasp, which strikes against a stone and by the strike is not harmed, but rather loses its sting, so also death was greatly defeated, having struck against the life, which is Christ; for he could not hold him by death, but rather even lost his sting; so that even those whom the sting formerly frightened now mock him, and say: "Where, O death, is your sting? Where, O Hades, is your victory?" and again: "Death has swallowed up, having prevailed;" and again: "God has taken away every tear from every face." Then the wretched one, cast out from Hades, sitting at the gates, watches all being led out, those bound, by the courage of the Savior, and the dead coming to life again; and the captives being released, and the saints, those around Abraham, going out to meet him first, and all singing, as it is written: "The princes went before, close to the singers, in the midst of young women playing timbrels;" those being set free rejoicing and saying: "When the Lord turned back the captivity of Zion, we became like those comforted. Then our mouth was filled with joy and our tongue with exultation." For angels also, and all the host of angels, were singing and saying, "Glory in the highest to God, and on earth peace, among men good pleasure;" and they were going out to meet the young souls being ransomed.

And the souls, running together with the angels, and the patriarchs, were going up, and everything from everywhere resounded together with gladness and psalms over the victory that had been won over death. And just as in the case of David, when Goliath had fallen, the women dancing with timbrels came out to meet him and said, "David struck down in his ten thousands," something of this sort also happened at the death of the Savior. For when he had risen, all came out beforehand with dances and songs and timbrels, saying to one another, "Come, let us rejoice in the Lord, let us shout aloud to the God of Jacob." And others danced, saying, "He ascended on high, he led captivity captive, he gave gifts among men." And already some were even calling all to the spectacle, saying, "Shout aloud to God, all the earth; sing praises to his name;" and again, "Come and see the works of the Lord, terrible in counsels above the sons of men, who brings wars to an end to the ends of the earth." For there is no longer enmity and war, but all things are at peace, the enemy lying dead, and the one who once tyrannized bound hand and foot. And others again, knowing the boldness of the devil and his great ambushes, and now seeing him dead, marveled and said, "How has the morning star, which rises at dawn, fallen from heaven?" And, "How has every hammer of all the earth been shattered and crushed?" For along with the wonder, perplexity also held them all. For they marveled, seeing the great tyrant thus suddenly lying dead.

And they were at a loss for the reason of the fall, and especially because they did not believe that death was being abolished in death, nor that so great a serpent was being crushed in a cross. Therefore they marveled again and said: "How has Babylon been taken?" For they saw from then on that Hades too had been despoiled. But the wretched one, seeing these things and hearing them, was from then on raging and was being worn away, lamenting. For seeing himself despoiled, he kept striking himself. And seeing those who once wept under him now singing psalms in the Lord, he tore himself apart; and seeing the mockery against him, he savagely lacerated himself, and at a loss as to what to do, he only gnashed his teeth, as the Psalmist who saw him testifies, saying: "The sinner will watch the righteous man, and will gnash his teeth at him. But the Lord will laugh him to scorn;" and again: "The sinner will see, and will be angry; he will gnash his teeth and melt away." He gnashed his teeth in regret, because he had dared at all against the Savior; whereas before this he had given himself to daring against the righteous, and had suffered nothing of the kind. For having plotted against Abel, and oppressed the patriarchs, and plotted against Isaiah, and insulted Jeremiah, and tempted Job—again he prevailed, and death reigned from Adam until Moses. But now, having dared against the Lord, he sees himself become Iros, and cast out of the whole, and trampled by all. For it has become the work of the Savior not only of death itself

to mock him, but also that we might set our feet upon him; so that he might not only free us from slavery, but also abolish the one who enslaved us, lest he grow strong again and deceive us, and his defeat become of no effect. Therefore he himself, having mocked death, now gives him over to us as well to be trampled underfoot, saying: "Behold, I have given you authority to tread upon serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy"; and again: "He shall tread upon the lion and the dragon." For long ago the serpent deceived Eve, and through his envy death entered the world; but now he is trampled underfoot, and when he wishes to deceive, he hears: "Get behind me, Satan." And long ago our adversary the devil walked about like a lion, thirsting for our soul; but now he is trampled underfoot together with the dragon, and henceforth God will quickly crush Satan under our feet. And he is so greatly despised and mocked that one may even put his hand into a den of asps and not be afraid. For Isaiah prophesied these things, and the word is true. At any rate, children now mock the pleasure that once deceived both the young and the old; and those who have not yet reached the lawful age gird themselves with chastity beyond the law; and those who remain virgins tread underfoot by the word the deceits of serpent-like pleasure, not fearing its deadly bites. Indeed, some have even trampled upon the very sting of the devil and have not dreaded death, but have even exchanged their life for death, becoming martyrs of the Word; for this reason the Lord died.

Many, leaving behind the things on earth, pass through the air with free step and live as citizens in heaven, no longer fearing the ruler of the air, but even striking him and saying, if he wishes to hinder: "Get behind me, Satan," because I hasten to worship the Lord my God; for this reason the Savior was crucified in the air. And the way of paradise, which was long ago closed through sin, has now been opened to those who wish it, as Paul testifies, being caught up there and going into the heavens. For this reason the Lord struck the serpent. And Hades has been abolished, death no longer ruling, but all being raised; and the devil no longer rises up against us, for he has fallen, and having fallen he truly goes on his breast and belly; for this reason the Lord rose. And men have learned to despise bodily wealth and are rich in word and knowledge; but the dragon who boasted of being rich has been stripped bare, and now he is a naked Irus and a beggar, despoiled by all. For though long ago he was in the midst of the cherubim and clothed with every precious stone—the sardius, the jasper, the agate—now at last he lies down upon the papyrus, the reed, and the pebble, as is said concerning him in Job. For this reason the Lord became poor, that we might become rich by his poverty, and the devil was stripped bare. And the strange and great thing that has come to be in creation: men hasten to die, praying for the coming of the Savior;

But the wretched devil, who formerly held the power of death, now fears the one who is coming, and trembles at the judgment. For he knows the fire prepared for him and for his angels. For this reason my Lord was also judged, so that he might free us from judgment and condemn that one. For concerning the knowledge of God that has come to all people everywhere, why is it even necessary to speak, since the things that happen bear their own witness of faith? For not a day can pass in which people do not abandon their idols and deny their own and their fathers' laws, and flee to God, and deem it worthy to receive the laws of Christ, believing in him through a wondrous miracle. For while they were still worshipping idols and slandering Christ as a mere man, later, knowing him to be God, they abandon their idols; and those demons whom they feared in the idols, having come to know the Lord, they now leave behind and pursue from other places; and the pleasure that, while worshipping idols, they feared, they now despise in Christ, and the sin that then conquered them they now conquer by the sign of the cross and make sport of it. For indeed, though they wholly disbelieved in virginity and said that it was impossible for this virtue to be found among humans, having believed in the Savior born of a Virgin, they not only recognize it but even themselves live it as citizens, and are disbelieved by the nations that are still idolaters. In these things all sorcery has ceased, all magic has been abolished, and all the wisdom of the Greeks has been made foolish. For in divine matters there is need not of words but of deeds.

And it is not the utterance of the tongue but the disposition of the soul that profits. At any rate, the Greeks do not grasp by arguments these things which Christians demonstrate by faith; and the things which the magicians perform by their words, these, while we are silent, are brought to nothing by the sign of the cross; and the things about which they doubt concerning immortality, these the martyrs of Christ demonstrate not by words but by deeds; and the virginity about which the magicians and the philosophers of the Greeks waver, this even women demonstrate in Christ; and the demons whom they invoke as gods, these even children in Christ drive out. And in short, the Christ-bearing man is as God on earth, becoming forbearing toward men, and to all, as he walks about with the sun, displaying the heavenly life. Behold, this one is the achievement of the cross; behold, these things the death of the Savior has accomplished. For the work is not of man but of God. And for this reason he suffered as a man, so that he might bestow on men the things beyond man and divine. At any rate, the achievements now among men are his. For even if Paul speaks, it is Christ who speaks in him; and even if he does great and wonderful things, it is the grace of Christ that effects these things; and if the knowledge of God has reached all, it is not the teaching of men but of the Word himself who came down as mediator between God and men. For this is written, which the Jews of old kept silent about, but now they see being fulfilled; for it is written, "They shall all be taught by God," just as Jeremiah also says: "Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord," and he adds, saying:

And each will not teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord, because all will know me, from the least to the greatest of them, because I will be merciful to their iniquities.’” For who is it that pricks their hearts amid the idols, if not the Lord? And who is it that leads them up out of there while they still serve idols, if not Christ himself, who says, “When I am lifted up, I will draw all people to myself”? For this is the paradox: while they were still serving idols, the mind of their soul was opened so as to understand that those whom they once considered gods are wood and stone, and that the one they mocked as crucified they recognize not as a man but as God. And the teacher of the mind is not a man, but God alone, who sees the mind. Truly blessed and life-giving cross of the Savior: you triumphed over death, and you destroyed the devil who held him. Divine Word, and truly the wisdom of the Father: you exposed the face of the crafty one and laid bare the fold of his breast, so that we too may say, “For we are not ignorant of his designs.” Lover of humanity and good Master: you redeemed us when we were captives, and when we were slaves of sin, you set us free, Lord, through your own death. For we know that we have been set free from sin. Truly peacemaking Son of God: you restored to us adoption as sons, and having reconciled us to your own Father, you abolished the enmity in the flesh. Rich Savior and truly King: for you became poor, so that by your poverty we might become rich; you also

To us you have granted the heavens, O Creator and Maker of all things, Word of the Father; for you have recreated us again, and we are your handiwork, created for good works. Light truly and radiance of the Father: for you shone upon us in darkness, and those who could not see you led into light. Form and image truly of the Father: for you formed us when we were perishing, and again you granted us the according to the image. God Word and truly life: for you made alive those who had died, and renewed those who had been corrupted, clothing them with incorruption. Power truly, and arm, and right hand of the Father: for you loosed the pangs of death, and shattered the bronze gates and iron bars, as the Scripture says. You also, by the trophy of the cross, led around the dragon, the serpent, the devil, on a human hook. Through you and your divine valor, all trample him, and all make sport of him. For since you first made sport of him, he has become henceforth the beginning of the Lord's creation, made to be made sport of. And when you cast him down, he became a wonder to all, so that they even say: “How has the Morning Star fallen from heaven, he who rises early in the morning?” And when you took from him the handwriting that was against us, and nailed it to the cross, all mock him, saying: “How has the exactor been brought to rest? And how has the oppressor been brought to rest? God has shattered the yoke of the sinners. For henceforth corruption is spread out beneath him, and his covering becomes a worm,” and all no longer fear the dragon, but worship you, and through you the Father.

Thus then the Lord, having risen, quickly mocked death and set us free from it. But the Jews, even seeing these things, were put to shame, yet they did not know, daring against the Savior, that they were attempting these things against themselves. For they did not see, when they handed over the Lord, that they were provoking the handing over of Jerusalem, as the prophet Jeremiah says: "Jerusalem shall surely be handed over into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon." And they did not see that, not wishing to serve the Lord, they subjected themselves as slaves to the devil, and were serving him for the plot against the Savior. For they did not know, when they asked for Barabbas and killed the Lord, that they would live the life of Barabbas, and that all sedition and murder would increase among them; but they would cast away from themselves the light and the truth, and all that the Lord is, as Isaiah says: "Behold, the Lord God of Hosts will take away from Judea and from Jerusalem the mighty man and the mighty woman, the strength of bread and the strength of water, the giant and the strong man, and the ruler and warrior, and the judge, and the prophet, and the diviner, and the elder, and the captain of fifty, and the wonderful counselor, and the wise master builder, and the discerning hearer. And I will set young men as their rulers, and mockers shall lord it over them." For the wretched ones mocked the Lord, and did not see that the prophetic saying was being fulfilled against them, which says:

Mockers shall have dominion over them.” For this is the paradox of the Savior, that while being crucified he suffered for humanity, yet he mocked death, and the things written against the Jews were fulfilled. And that the light also has been taken away from them, it is written in Jeremiah thus: “The word that came to Jeremiah concerning all the people of Judah.” Then he adds, saying: “I will take away from them the voice of gladness, and the voice of joy, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the scent of ointment and the light of a lamp.” Indeed they were handing the Lord over to the nations, and they did not know, but were blinded, that they themselves would soon be defiled among the nations, and the nations would enter into their inheritance against them, just as it is written: “O God, the nations have entered into your inheritance, they have defiled your holy temple, they have made Jerusalem a place for watching over fruit.” Denying that the Lord was their king, they did not know that they were being deprived of the honor of David. For the kingdom of David was reserved for him, and it continued until the manifestation of the Savior, with Jacob as witness, who says: “A ruler shall not fail from Judah, nor a leader from his thighs, until he comes to whom it is reserved, and he is the expectation of the nations.” And stripping the Lord and striking him, they did not know that they were being stripped by him, and provoking lamentation against themselves; for the Lord himself says: “I will take away my garments and my linen, so as not to cover her shame”; and again: “Because of this she shall lament and mourn, she shall go barefoot and naked.

They shall make lamentation as for beloved ones, and mourning as for the daughters of sirens. And when they had a scarlet cloak put upon him, they did not see that they were fulfilling the Spirit's accusation against themselves, that "Your hands are full of blood." And rejoicing also that thorns were placed around the Savior, they were blind, putting them around themselves. For it is written: "Be astonished, be grieved, you who are confident; strip off, become naked, gird your loins, and beat upon your breasts for the field of desire, and for the produce of the vine. The land of my people shall bring up thorns and grass, and gladness shall be taken away from every house." They mocked the Lord as the Son of God, and did not see that they were casting away their adoption as sons, as he himself testifies, saying: "I have begotten sons and raised them up, but they have rejected me;" and, "Behold, your house is left to you." They gave him vinegar and gall to drink, but this too was greatly to their blindness. For God brought a vine out of Egypt, and planted it, and waited to receive from them its fruit, grapes and wine; but the foolish ones gave back vinegar instead of wine, and gall instead of grapes, showing forth the mark of their wickedness like that of the Sodomites; for their grape is gall, according to what is written in Deuteronomy. For this reason our Lord and Savior, knowing that such would be the fruit from them, foretold to them the parable of the vineyard, and that the kingdom of heaven would be taken away from you and given to a nation producing its fruits.

Besides these things, they were dividing his garments among the executioners, not seeing the division against them that was coming about among the nations; for the prophet says: "Behold, the days of the Lord are coming, and your spoils shall be divided within you. And I will gather all the nations to war against Jerusalem, and the city shall be captured, and the houses shall be plundered, and the women shall be defiled"; and again: "Now the mildew shall devour their lots"; and as Micah says: "In that day a parable shall be taken up against you, and a lamentation shall be lamented with melody, saying: With misery the portion of my people has been made miserable, it was measured out with a line, there was none to hinder it from turning back; your fields were measured out." And to speak briefly, having dared against the Lord, they summoned upon themselves the day which the prophet also foretold: "For it is a day of the Lord's judgment, of the recompense of the judgment of Zion. And the valleys shall be turned into pitch, and her land into brimstone. And her land shall be as pitch burning night and day, and it shall not be quenched for ever and ever, and her smoke shall go up on high. This shall be desolated for a generation, and birds and hedgehogs and ibises and ravens shall dwell in it. And a measuring line of desolation shall be cast upon it, and onocentaurs shall dwell in it. Her rulers shall not be; and her kings and her great men shall be for destruction. And thorny trees shall spring up in her cities, and in her strongholds.

And it shall be a dwelling for sirens and a court for sparrows, and demons shall meet with onocentaurs, and they shall cry out one to another. There shall onocentaurs rest, for they have found rest for themselves. There the hedgehog has nested, and the earth has saved its plains with safety. These things the Jews have suffered, thinking to kill the Lord; these things they brought upon themselves, crying out against the Savior; in these things they were condemned, wishing to judge the Lord. And let anyone who wishes come forward and be a judge for me, reckoning the truth not from obscure matters but from what is happening. And let him consider what is the fruit of the Lord's death, and what is the gain of the Jews' plot. For the death of the Savior freed the inhabited world, and the nations glorified God; but the fury of the Jews destroyed both the city along with the Jews themselves, and blinded them to the knowledge of God. And the death of the Lord gave life to the dead, but the plot of the Jews deprived the Jews themselves of life, and now they are without the Lord. And the cross of the Savior made the Church of the nations, which was desolate, its dwelling; but the Jews by their own wickedness made themselves desolate from the inhabited world, and now they are without a city. And again, the death of the Savior brought forth the kingdom of heaven; but the Jews by their fury destroyed even their kings, and cast down their great men. Besides these things, the cross of the Lord joined angels to men, and has become the mediator of their friendship.

But the Jews, plotting against him, gained a dwelling with demons. And the death of Christ lightened the irrationality of men caused by sin; but the Jews were made irrational by wrath, and now in their ways they associate with sirens, hedgehogs, and sparrows, having in this way a strange manner of life, like onocentaurs. For instead of the law, lawlessness is among them; and instead of gentleness, "Wrath is in them according to the likeness of the serpent." And altogether there is nothing among them that does not work death for them. Is it not then worthwhile to cling to death, and to leave the council of the Pharisees? Is it not then worthwhile to worship the cross rather than to gain the friendship of the Jews and of the world? For this reason also the blessed Paul wrote: "I have counted all things as loss, that I may gain Christ"; for this reason he considers the cross his boast, saying: "But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world." For this reason also the Lord himself said: "Whoever does not take up his cross and follow me is not worthy of me, nor can he be my disciple." But here there is need of great caution, lest we take up the cross in the manner of the Jews and not in the manner of Paul. For Paul wore the cross as a trophy over sin; but the Jews took it up for the destruction of the Lord. Therefore one must be on guard and stay sober, lest, while accusing the Jews, we do the same things as they did against the Lord.

For many who worship the Lord yet live unworthily of him do not know that they become liable for the death of the Savior; for "whoever eats the bread and drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily is guilty of the body and blood of the Lord," as the Apostle testifies. Thus also: "And he who hates his brother does not love the Lord," but just as the Jews did, so he too hates him. And he who despises the poor man also dishonors the Lord, as the Jews did; this is what Solomon says: "He who despises the poor man dishonors his Maker." He who overlooks a poor man who is hungry and thirsty and naked is like the Jews, who both stripped the Lord and gave him vinegar and gall to drink. And he who takes gifts against the innocent is no different from Judas, who sold the Lord; for he too sells righteousness, which is the Lord, as that man sold Christ. And he who does not judge for the orphan, and does not render justice to the widow, is the same as those who plotted against the Lord and slandered him. And in short, whatever a man does to his neighbor, these things are reckoned against the Lord, who came down for us and died for us. For thus the Lord also says in the Gospels: "Inasmuch as you did it to one of these little ones, you did it to me." And again, which is necessary to know and to keep: "He who commits fornication destroys his own soul, and he too, like the Jews, outrages the temple and the body of the Lord." For "he who destroys the temple of God is destroyed by God," as Paul writes.

And he who is ruled by sin differs in nothing from the Jews who deny and say that they have no king but Caesar, not the Lord. And let not him who is mastered by pleasures, and rather delights in them, be ignorant that he too, like the Jews, asks for Barabbas and kills the Lord. For in this way the Jews, having loved the base manner of Barabbas, thereafter pursued virtue away. And let him who is not strong in faith also know that such a one is as those who disbelieve and say, "If he is the Son of God, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him." For those men also spoke these things in unbelief. What then must one do in the face of these things? Nothing other than to believe in Christ and to live according to him, just as Paul also says: "Be imitators of me, as I also am of Christ"; and to turn away from the friendship of the Jews, and their unbelief, and mockery, and myths, and endless genealogies, which provide questionings rather than the stewardship of God which is in faith; and to hold fast to the cross and to live worthily of it, and to speak the same words as Paul: "But far be it from me to boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ." For having thus lived and believed in the Lord, we shall know his ascension into the heavens, and his sitting at the right hand of the Majesty, and we shall see the subjection of the angels, and his coming again with glory; which coming angels indeed foretell, and saints hymn,

But all who see rejoice and exult in Christ Jesus, through whom be glory and power to the Father unto the ages of ages. Amen.