Homily on the Honorable Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ (Theophanes Kerameus)

On the Honorable Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ 

Homily 27

By Theophanes Kerameus

Perhaps indeed I may seem burdensome to your love, and wearisome, because to you who have labored through the whole night in standing and psalmody I bring, as a burden, the hearing of teaching. But forgive me, since I am insatiable toward your progress; and stretch your eagerness, that you may gain more. For if the God-hating Jews kept vigil through the whole night in order to seize and crucify the Lord, how shall we not keep watch, that we may learn the purpose of the sacred Gospels which have been sung to us and read? Therefore, having shaken off all listlessness from the soul, give heed to what is being said.

And when the Savior had furnished the sacred guests of the Secret Supper, having Himself ministered and set Himself before them as food, He goes out with them to the Mount of Olives, neither avoiding the Passion (for how could He who both foreknew and foretold and was able to escape suffering do so?), nor yet going of His own accord to the murderers; for the former would have been a dissolution of the dispensation and a kind of ignoble cowardice, while the latter would have furnished a pretext to the abominable ones, as though they had not sinned in killing Him who willingly gave Himself up and almost seized the Passion. At the same time He becomes for us also a model of true courage, being seen superior both to cowardice and to rashness, and teaching through Himself neither to rush headlong toward temptations, nor, when they come upon us, to be ignobly terrified.

And He is not seized in a house, because those who had contrived the plot feared the crowds. For even if they did not attend to Him as God, yet from His teaching and miracles they considered Him a righteous man and a prophet. Therefore He gives them opportunity, both from the hour and from the place, to bring their wicked deed to completion. Again, then, He foretells to the disciples what is to happen:

“All of you will be scandalized in this night; for it is written: ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’” Through these things He shows that what is happening is a paternal dispensation. For this reason the prophets foretold these things. What then, someone might say—did the Father strike the Son and scatter the sheep? Certainly not; He did not strike Him, but He permitted Him to be struck according to the dispensation, and allowed Him to suffer, although He was able to prevent it.

But the holy Peter, being a fervent lover, yet not having rightly considered the weakness of nature, promises that he will not deny Him but will even die with Him: “Even if I must die with You, I will not deny You, but I will lay down my life for You.” But the Lord plainly reveals to him the denial: “Today, in this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.” For thus Mark wrote more precisely than the others.

For since the Lord knew that now indeed Peter would deny Him, but later would die for Him, He adds “today” and “in this night,” almost saying: You will indeed lay down your life for Me, but in this night you will deny Me—calling night both the time of the betrayal and the darkness arising from the denial; for he who denies the Light is surely in darkness.

Having therefore foretold what was to come, He departs, as was His custom, to pray privately. And since the prayer showed great distress (for He prayed that the cup of death might pass away), for this reason, leaving the others, He took only those who had been witnesses of His glory on Tabor. Yet He was not held in agony as though fearing the Passion, nor did He reject death as unwilling—for He knew the good things that would come from it—but since He truly became man, He shows that nature receives death with aversion, because it has come upon human beings contrary to nature.

Therefore, willingly He undergoes the suffering of distress, setting forth grief as a kind of bait for the devil, so that, thinking Him to be a mere man, he might leap upon what appears, and thus be dashed against the invisible divinity. And He was grieved also because the firstborn Israel had come to such boldness as to become a slayer of the Lord, and to draw down upon itself the curse. He was grieved also by the vengeance that would necessarily follow this boldness—the destruction of the temple, the overthrow of the worship, the capture of the city, and the annihilation of the nation.

And He calls death a cup, saying: “If it is possible, let this cup pass from Me,” because the suffering brings on something like sleep; but by saying, “Not as I will, but as You will,” He showed what is virtuous and philosophical. For it is necessary to place the will of God before all things, even if the weakness of the body shrinks back.

Having prayed, therefore, He returns to the disciples and finds them sleeping, and He reproaches Peter, who had boldly promised to die with Him, yet had not had strength even to watch one hour. It is as though He says: “You were not able to watch with Me for a little, and how did you boast that you would lay down your life for Me?”

Then He rebukes also the weakness of the others, teaching us not to trust boldly in our own strength, but to commit all things to God, and to pray that we may not fall into temptation. For He says: “Watch and pray, that you may not enter into temptation.”

But here let us pause a little; let us inquire whether through temptations and afflictions we become heirs of the kingdom of God—something which the great James also knew, teaching us to count it all joy whenever we fall into temptations. How then does the Savior here exhort us to pray not to enter into temptation?

We say, therefore, that because of the uncertainty of what is to come, it is better to pray against it than, after falling into it, to be defeated and become a cause of rejoicing for the enemy. For it is better not to be persecuted by the ungodly than, having been persecuted, to become a denier of the faith.

Moreover, He does not teach us to pray not to encounter temptation, but not to enter into temptation—that is, not to be mastered by temptation and to enter into its defeat. And if you seek an even more exact understanding of these things, listen.

There are two kinds of temptations: the one involuntary, of the body; the other voluntary, of the soul. And the voluntary one is sin, which indeed delights the sense, but brings destruction to the soul, from which it is good for us to pray to be delivered. But the involuntary temptation pains the sense, yet becomes a cause of salvation, concerning which the brother of God teaches us to rejoice.

And when the Savior said, “The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak,” He softens the sharp rebuke, attributing the blame of slackness to nature.

And again, coming a second and a third time, He prayed the same words, showing that He wills nothing contrary to the paternal will.

And an angel appeared to Him strengthening Him; not because He who is worshiped by every angelic power had need of the strength of an angel, but He fulfills a Mosaic prophecy spoken in the ode: “Let all the angels of God strengthen Him.” For the angel did not provide strength to the Almighty, but ministered as to God, being struck with awe at the excess of the condescension.

And showing that the agony was not of the divinity but of the flesh, He shed sweat like drops of blood, drying up the spring of human cowardice.

Then again, returning, He sees the disciples sleeping, their eyes having been weighed down both by dejection and by the untimeliness of the night.

What then does the Savior say to them? “Sleep now and take your rest.” He does not say this as permitting them to sleep, but as reproaching them, because while dreadful things are impending, they are held fast by untimely drowsiness.

Perhaps also indicating something hidden; for He is as it were saying this: Since you are still imperfect, and the time of your struggles is not yet present, rest now, but you will struggle later.

“The hour has come”—and He speaks of the hour of the betrayal, and especially of the dispensation. And the saying, “Arise, let us go from here,” is exhorting them to transfer their mind from earthly things to those above the world.

And He enters into the garden, and there He is seized. For He who heals opposites by opposites (since from the garden of Eden through disobedience the devil overcame man), correspondingly from a garden He delivers Himself to the murderers, leading back nature into the garden from which it had fallen.

“And the one who was betraying Him gave them a sign, saying: Whomever I kiss, He is the one; seize Him and lead Him away securely.”

What does Judas intend by the sign of the kiss? Since often wishing to seize Him they were not able, because the proper time had not yet come, but He passed through their midst—lest the same should happen again, he sets the kiss as a mark.

Therefore Judas, trusting in the gentleness of the Teacher, “approaching, kissed Him fervently”; yet this alone ought to have softened his hard soul, that even at the very hour of the betrayal the Lord did not reject the abominable traitor. But so unyielding and foolish was the wretch that he did not at all perceive what was for his benefit.

Gently, therefore, the Lord exposes the evil hidden within him: “Friend,” He says, “for what have you come?” What need, He says, is there of the appearance of friendship and of pretense? For what matter you have come, this also fulfill. For you have not come to kiss, but to betray.

I am overcome with dizziness as I speak, remembering the audacity of the traitor: with what eyes did the impure one look upon the Teacher? with what lips did he shamelessly kiss Him, embracing One so gentle and meek and mild? Thus he became more savage than every wild beast.

But He, with long-suffering, gave Himself to those who seized Him. And the zeal of Peter was sharpened by the edge of the law, which commanded to repel force with force and to defend against attackers. And he had a sword because of the slaughter of the typological lamb; and he wished to strike no one else, but the servant of the high priest who had contrived the wicked deed.

Therefore, having drawn the sword to cut through the throat, and the servant having bent aside his head, the ear most justly receives the blow; for the Jews had stopped their ears at the teachings of Christ.

And it seems to me that the great Constantine, understanding this later after much time, ordered that a church be built; and perhaps also the cutting off of the servant’s ear by Peter was a sign of the later activity of the disciples.

For they were about to cut off, by the sword of the Spirit, the bodily notions of the letter that had been previously laid up in the ears of the Jews.

Then Jesus says to him, “Return your sword to its place; for all who take the sword shall perish by the sword.” The Lord rebukes Peter, as still following the prescriptions of the law. And if, He says, you have used the law for help, consider that the law commands those who take the sword to die by the sword.

For I am not in need of human help; am I not able to defend Myself against those who come with legions of angels? But it is necessary that the prophecies of the Scriptures be fulfilled. For since it had been foreordained that Christ should suffer, and this was altogether unchangeable, for this reason the prophets also proclaimed all things beforehand.

And that not even Judas would have recognized Him unless He willed it, John made clear, saying: “When He asked them, ‘Whom do you seek?’ and they said, ‘Jesus the Nazarene,’ they were not able to lay hands on Him or to recognize Him until He Himself permitted it to them.”

He therefore also reproving them said: “Have you come out as against a robber with swords and clubs to seize Me?” Why, He says, was there need of weapons of war? Am I a tyrant or a robber? And what profit would clubs and swords have been to you, if I had not willed to be seized?

And it is evident from what happened daily, when I was teaching in the temple, that although you often wished to arrest Me, you were not able. For I was reserving the proper time; but this is your hour, which you have received until My resurrection.

For you will have the time restrained by darkness, that is, being driven together by the devil. These things He said, and immediately He heals the ear of the one who had been struck. For since he himself was about to give Him a blow later, in order that he might not seem to have done this in self-defense, He makes him inexcusable through the healing.

And not without purpose also did John make known the name of the servant, that he was called Malchus. But since the meaning of this name is “kingdom,” it is shown that the high priests of the Jews brought their kingdom into servitude, having become slaves of envy and self-love.

He indeed was in the hands of the executioners, but the disciples became fugitives, having forgotten the promise, and the things of the prophets were being fulfilled: “I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.”

They bound Jesus, and another prophecy was being fulfilled: “Let us bind the righteous one, because he is troublesome to us.” Perhaps also He Himself was quietly whispering to the Father the words of David: “Let us break their bonds,” and, “Raise me up, and I shall repay them.”

Peter was following Him from afar, as far as the courtyard of the high priest. Only Peter the flames of longing compelled to follow; for he was accustoming himself beforehand to follow Christ, so that later he might follow by the cross.

But the young man who was following with Him, clothed only in a linen cloth, as our Fathers have conjectured, was James, the brother of Christ. For this one always wore a single garment. But it seems rather that it was Mark, who from the beginning had become a follower of Peter, and alone among the evangelists wrote this.

And since “Mark” is interpreted “command of the high,” he teaches through what happened historically that, following the command of the Most High God, if one is plotted against by enemies, let him give over the body to them as a garment, the clothing of the soul, in order that, being light, he may flee to the things above; for thus also the Patriarch Joseph acted, giving up his garment to the plotting woman, and from slavery he passed over into kingship with chastity.

They lead Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest Caiaphas, where the scribes and the elders were gathered; and they assemble an impious council, such as it was fitting for Caiaphas to assemble, the intelligible one sitting together with the perceptible; for since “Caiaphas” is interpreted “tracker,” he represented that serpent who tracks our heel, who also then, tracing the deeds of Jesus, found nothing out of place.

And this the Savior had foretold to the disciples: “The ruler of this world comes, and in Me he finds nothing.” The nothing is sin; “and sin He did not commit.”

But since they also needed witnesses, so that they might seem to act lawfully, two witnesses are brought forward, weaving together falsehood from true things. For the Savior said, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it,” speaking these things about His own body; but these God-hating and daring men, corrupting some things and adding others, falsely said: “This man said, ‘I am able to destroy the temple of God made with hands, and in three days I will build another not made with hands,’” increasing the accusation by the addition.

For see the distortion of the words. He indeed said, “Destroy the temple,” but they say that “I am able to destroy the temple.” And He, as if pointing with a finger, said “this temple,” but they say, “the temple of God made with hands.”

And the Lord stood silent, and perhaps was inwardly reciting the things concerning Himself: “Unjust witnesses rose up against Me; things I did not know they asked of Me. But I, as a deaf man, did not hear, and as a mute man, not having reproofs in my mouth.”

And fittingly He is silent, knowing that they would not receive Him making a defense. For those whom clear signs did not persuade, how would words have convinced?

The high priest then questioned Him about His disciples and His teaching. Perhaps the senseless man was seeking to lay hold of Him, either as teaching things contrary to the law, or because he knew that those concerning Theudas and Judas, who had planned revolt, had perished—he presses the Lord toward this very thing, wishing to convict Him as a rebel, as gathering disciples, and thus to deliver Him to death, either as lawless or as a conspirator.

The Lord therefore exposes the hidden and wicked character of his manner, and presents his own attendants as witnesses, and says:

“I spoke openly to the world; I always taught in the synagogue and in the temple, where the Jews always assemble, and in secret I spoke nothing. Why do you question Me? Question those who have heard; behold, they know what I said.”

And why does He call the attendants as witnesses? Because these, having once been sent by the high priests to seize Him, and having marveled at His teaching, returned saying: “Never has a man spoken like this man.”

He therefore brings them to remembrance of what had been spoken then. The servant of the high priest, therefore, being afraid lest instead of testifying against Him he be thought a defender, and be accused as one who had marveled at Him, freeing himself from suspicion, anticipates with shamelessness and gives a blow.

Therefore the Lord, since he had formerly marveled and now struck, with forbearance asks: “If I spoke evil” when teaching, “bear witness now. But if then hearing you marveled, why do you now strike?”

But how does He who commands the one struck on the right cheek to offer also the other to the one striking, Himself not keep the command, but reproaches the one who struck? There is a threefold solution to the question.

He shows that He was not struck on account of a crime, but suffered these things for the salvation of all, and that He was not without feeling, but perceived the blows, even though He possessed impassibility as God.

And besides these, the purpose of the command is this: since someone is struck unwillingly on the cheek, and what is involuntary has no reward, He commands to offer the other willingly, so that the involuntary may be measured together with the voluntary.

But the Savior, having been struck willingly, had no need of this command.

Again therefore the high priest said to Him: “I adjure You by the living God, that You tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God.”

Since the snares which the malicious high priest had previously set remained ineffective, he now adjures Him, knowing that He will not lie; not in order to learn whether He is the Christ, but hastening to seize Him.

But the Lord, lest He seem to disregard the oath, confesses and says: “It is as you said”; that is, your mouth has confessed that I am the Christ.

Then He also reminds them of a prophecy which Daniel foretold concerning His second coming: “From now on you shall see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming on the clouds.”

This one, He says, the Son of Man, whom you now judge in great humility, you will see coming from heaven with glory.

And thus the senseless priest wickedly rends his garment at what he calls great blasphemy, deceiving the crowds by the gesture.

Then also, pretending to consult the people, he lays the judgment upon them: “He has blasphemed; what do you think?”

And they, carried away by the word and wishing to please their high priest, said: “He is guilty of death.”

Then therefore, as one already condemned, they mocked Him in every way, spitting, striking, beating, laughing at Him as a false prophet: “Prophesy to us, who is it that struck You?”

But the thunderbolts from above were being armed for defense, yet were restrained by Him who was being insulted. And the sun at that time beheld the most astonishing of all wonders.

From this occasion, therefore, John was known to the high priest, and thus he had entrance without hindrance. But Peter, as unknown, being turned away from the gate, remained at the door, until John brought him in, persuading the doorkeeper.

And it would have been better for Peter to follow John, and to attend to Jesus, and to observe the things being accomplished. For thus perhaps he would have been kept outside of the temptation.

But since, having left these things, he approached the fire which the attendants had kindled, and was warming himself by the fire of the enemies, for this reason a certain worthless servant-girl troubled him.

For since Peter and John signify praxis and theoria, the narrative cries out through these things that whenever the practical virtue, having left off following theoria and observing in a divine manner the things of the dispensation, being held fast by night and the cold of ignorance, seeks to be warmed by a foreign fire, which the servants of Satan kindle—then indeed, then it is easily dragged down by the slave-girl of pleasure, and denies the Lord three times.

For the rational part [of the soul] is darkened, and the spirited part is dragged down into ignoble cowardice, and desire, having left off longing to die together with Jesus, chooses this life, and thus the third denial comes to pass.

Yet Peter was not altogether condemned, for he was being gladdened by the rays of the Spirit; for “no one is able to say ‘Lord Jesus,’ except in the Holy Spirit.”

But the Holy Spirit was not yet; for Jesus had not yet been glorified through the cross.

And perhaps it was also fitting that the one who had known Jesus through faith, yet remained in the courtyard of the shadowy law and mingled himself with the servants of the letter that kills, should be drawn by the servant-girl—that is, the lawful worship—into the denial of the truth, until the apostolic word, proclaiming the day of faith, like a rooster should crow, crying aloud clearly: “The night has advanced, and the day has drawn near.”

And then, having gone out from the shadow of the law, he weeps bitterly—that is, he empties out the bitterness of the observances of the law with tears.

For thus also Peter did not weep while remaining in the courtyard, but having gone out from the matters and words and places that cause one to deny the Lord.

Therefore, after Peter denied once, the rooster crowed; but when he added the remaining two denials, then the rooster crowed again, and thus must be understood what was said by Mark: “Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times.”

But Peter, being afraid, did not quickly perceive the fall. The Lord, however, having turned, since it was not possible to rebuke by word, brings him to remembrance by a look.

And Peter immediately, lest by his tears he become conspicuous and be suspected of being a disciple, having gone out from the lawless courtyard, lamented bitterly, sweetening the bitterness of the denial with tears.

These things therefore were being done in the night.

But when morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus, so as to put Him to death; and having bound Him, they led Him away and delivered Him to Pontius Pilate the governor.

Let us not pass over without consideration what is shown through the narrative: how the disciples, having been scandalized in the night, are not condemned; for the Savior says: “All of you will be scandalized in this night.”

But Peter also denies in the night, and is forgiven; but these, having delivered the Lord in the morning, have remained without forgiveness.

From this we are taught that the errors committed in ignorance and youth, as being done in night and darkness, become easily forgivable; but those in mature age, when reason has shone forth, are judged worthy of knowledge.

Therefore the Jews, having delivered the Lord to the Romans, were themselves delivered over to Roman sieges, and drew upon themselves the curses of the prophets: “As you have done,” says the prophecy to the synagogue, “so shall it be to you, and your recompense shall be returned upon your head.”

And another says: “Woe to the lawless one; evil according to his works shall happen to him.”

“Jesus therefore stood before the governor. And the chief priests accused Him shamelessly, stringing together many absurd charges, and the prophecy of Hosea was being fulfilled: ‘The priests hid the way of the Lord; they murdered Shechem, because they committed lawlessness in the house of Israel.’”

The prophetic word called the Lord Himself “Shechem.”

And Pilate, having heard that He perverts the nation, and forbids giving taxes to Caesar, and proclaims Himself Christ a king, asks whether He is the king of the Jews, giving opportunity to set aside the false accusations.

But He, lest by silence He seem to agree with the accusers, or by denying give an impression of cowardice, very wisely says: “It is as you said.”

And yet He was able, by irrefutable words, to show that the opposite of all the slanders had been done; for where did He forbid taxes, saying: “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s”?

And when did He undertake kingship? Was it not when others came to make Him king, that He withdrew immediately to the mountain?

What then, seeing anything tyrannical, did these abominable men weave together such accusations?

Thus envy was boiling exceedingly in them, together also with anger, so that they babbled incredible things.

And how does He stir up the crowd by teaching? Add, O slanderer, also the words of the teaching; but you are ashamed, lest even the idolater Pilate should detect your wickedness.

Indeed you have been exposed, and the savage men are convicted, surpassing even the impiety of a Greek.

For Pilate rebuked them, and as if defending Him said: “I find no fault in Him.”

But they shouted disorderly: “Take Him away, take Him away, crucify Him.”

But being overcome by the uproar, and not enduring the violent cries, he sends Him to Herod, having heard that He is a Galilean.

Perhaps also withdrawing himself from an unlawful judgment, and refusing the shedding of innocent blood—which indeed is seen in his washing of hands.

But Herod was indeed swine-like, and true to his name, a man of the flesh.

For he rejoiced when he saw Jesus, not as one who would be benefited by Him, but as wishing to see some sign.

For he thought Him to be some wonder-worker, and questioned Him with many words, weaving together sophistical problems.

But the Lord, exposing the profitless and random nature of the questions, having nothing worthy of an answer, rebukes by silence.

Yet nevertheless even Herod, being thus dull, although the priests and scribes accused Him vehemently, despised Him, mocking His wise silence; yet by clothing Him in a splendid garment, he seems to bear witness together with Pilate that he also found no fault in Him.

Therefore the governor, seeing Herod agreeing with him, strengthens the confession, saying: “Nothing deserving of death has been done by Him.”

But since at the feast it was customary to release one prisoner to the people, he takes the custom as a fellow-worker of his plan, and almost says this: I indeed see a blameless man; even if he is liable, as you say, yet thus according to the custom he must be released.

But they all together barked, filling the praetorium with uproar, and crying out: “Not this one, but Barabbas.”

And, that I may use the voice of the great Peter: “They denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to them,” making themselves sharers of his portion.

And when Pilate asked, “What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” again the God-hating ones cried out: “Let Him be crucified, let Him be crucified.”

For they desired to crucify Him, so that also from the manner of His death He might be thought to have fallen under public charges.

And the law-dealers also accuse concerning the law, and say: “We have a law, and according to our law He ought to die.”

Therefore Pilate, in every way withdrawing himself from the unjust slaughter, says: “Take Him yourselves, and judge Him according to your law.”

As if almost saying: If your law is senseless, so as even to punish the guiltless, use your severe law.

What then do the deranged and God-hating ones say? “It is not lawful for us to kill anyone.”

And yet they appear to have stoned Stephen and killed James the Just.

But they said these things because it was not permitted for them to crucify, but the power of crucifixion belonged to the Romans.

And it was necessary here also for a word of Jesus to be fulfilled, which He said to the disciples, that He would be delivered to the Gentiles and be killed.

For this reason John says: “That the word of Jesus might be fulfilled, signifying by what kind of death He was about to die.”

Again therefore Pilate asked Jesus: “From where are You?” But He, since the answer was not receivable by him, refuses and again is silent.

What then does Pilate say? “Do You not speak to me? Do You not know that I have authority to crucify You, and authority to release You?”

The one is puffed up by Roman authority, but the Savior sets forth the good pleasure of the Father: “You would have no authority at all, unless it had been given to you from above,” calling “given” that which is permitted.

But this was full of great astonishment, that to the judge He did not answer much, but to his wife, by a message, He filled her with much fear and disturbance, so that by the silence Pilate might be struck with amazement at the courage of the one being judged, and from his spouse might be confirmed that he is not judging a mere man, but also God.

But Pilate does not see the vision, lest being terrified he should release Him and the things of the dispensation not be accomplished; for it was not shown so that Christ might not suffer, but that the woman might be saved, being worthy, as it seems, of such a revelation, and that the type of the Church might be shown.

For she also dwelt together with the noetic Pilate, that is, the natural law, but afterward was joined to Christ.

But Pilate is convicted of being somewhat simple and cowardly. For having taken water, he washed himself, and, as it seemed, washed away the guilt of this murder, acquitting himself in word, but in deed preferring human regard over justice.

But the wretched multitude of the Jews not only inscribed the righteous blood upon their own head, but also upon their children. For they said: “His blood be upon us and upon our children.. And indeed they justly sailed into this curse, being cut down by the Roman sword.

And that Pilate also is not altogether without blame, the Savior showed, saying: “Therefore the one who delivered Me to you has the greater sin.”

So Pilate delivered Him to be crucified; but the audacious Judas, while he saw the Savior being judged, did not change his mind; for he thought that after mocking Him briefly, they would release Him.

But when he saw that He was condemned and given over to the soldiers, being torn by conscience, and coming to be between shame and grief, and reckoning the reproaches from all, as was likely, he throws the silver into the temple, confessing that he had sinned, and hangs himself.

Some say that for this reason he hanged himself, thinking to precede the Lord who was about to die, and to meet Him in Hades with his soul alone, and to ask forgiveness.

But it was necessary for the foolish one to cast away together with the silver also the despair, and to imitate the repentance of Peter.

For He who did not even in the hanging permit him to die without forgiveness would not have turned him away, but arranged that the noose should burst, so that he might come to awareness; for he did not die in the hanging, but afterward, having burst open, he died, as the book of Acts teaches.

But the sacrilegious and God-peddling chief priests, thinking to do a good deed, bought the potter’s field for burial for strangers, setting up, as it were, an immortal monument of their own impiety, and at the same time fulfilling the prophecy of Jeremiah:

“And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of the one valued, whom they valued from the sons of Israel, and they gave them for the potter’s field.”

But let us also see the outrages of the soldiers, how they insulted each member of the divine body: the feet by kneeling, the hands by the reed, and the head by the crown and the blows.

A “blow” is to strike the cheek with the hollow of the hand, so that a sound is made by the strike for laughter.

And these things the soldiers did, not by command of Pilate, but gratifying the Jews, being defiled.

For the devil stirred up every contest, bringing delight through the outrages against Christ.

As for tyranny and condemned men, the murderous ones also clothe Him with a scarlet cloak.

And if one of the evangelists says a scarlet cloak, and others purple, it is nothing strange; for symbolically both the purple and the red testify that He is King of all.

For He stripped off the garments, stripping Adam of the garments of skin, those of mortality.

And since the earth had been reddened with the blood of idolatrous sacrifices, He is clothed with purple.

And cleansing the thorns of sin, which the transgression produced, He wears the crown of thorns.

And He holds the reed, abolishing the written record of slavery.

And since He was pursuing the noetic dragon, He takes the reed, the instrument destructive of serpents; for they say that serpents are especially struck down by the blows of reeds.

Then indeed the soldiers mocked these things.

But I fear lest even now there are some in the Church who kneel before Jesus and mock Him.

For those who pursue virtue in hypocrisy, or who do not properly attend to the mystery of the faith, do not seem to me to be unlike those who then, by kneeling, mocked the Lord.

Therefore the impious criminals, having so greatly insulted and mocked Him, led Him away to crucify Him, and as to one condemned they lay upon Him the wood of the cross, so that here also Isaiah might say: “Whose rule came to be upon His shoulder,” and “He Himself bore our sins and healed our diseases.”

For it was necessary, it was necessary for Him in Himself to heal the curse of the law.

But indeed Isaac also, prefiguring the passion of Jesus, himself carried the wood of the whole burnt offering; and when the type had been fulfilled, then Simon the Cyrenian, being compelled, assists in the carrying.

But the choice of Simon did not happen by chance, but because he had been appointed beforehand to minister to the command.

For since Simon is interpreted “obedience,” and Cyrenian “readiness” (and Cyrene is one of the cities of the Pentapolis), the riddle teaches that the one who has become ready for evangelical obedience, through the senses takes up the cross of practical virtue and follows Christ, crying with Paul: “I have been crucified to the world.”

And women disciples also followed, and were crying out against the unjust judgment, and were lamenting. Whose untimely compassion the Savior rebuking, forbids them to weep, and says: “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me. For the passion was not involuntary, as if needing consolation.

And He also foretells the things that would happen to them, the evils from the siege, when the Jews were utterly destroyed: “Behold, days are coming in which they will say: Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that did not bear, and the breasts that did not nurse.”

For then childlessness was considered better, and to be hidden under hills and mountains.

“For if they do these things in the green wood,” He says, “what shall happen in the dry?”

He calls Himself green wood; for He was truly a tree of life, fruitful and flourishing, bearing fruit—those things which He performed, divine signs, and the sweetness of the teaching.

If therefore, He says, the Romans have done such things to Me, having received Me delivered up by the Jews, what would they do to them, since they are dry wood, because of the impiety within them?

Therefore they crucify Him at Golgotha, where also the body of Adam is said to have been buried, so that by the passion of the new Adam the old might rise again renewed.

Now Mark says that He was crucified at the third hour, indicating also the hour of the sentence.

But the others said the sixth hour, indicating that very time at which the noetic vine was fixed to the stake of the cross.

And although the evangelists wrote differently concerning what was done, one saying that vinegar and gall were offered to Him, another wine mingled with myrrh, and another simply vinegar, one must not consider there to be disagreement; for in the disorder of so great a crowd, many acting drunkenly, more things happened than those recorded.

And since there are many kinds of death, He accepted the accursed death by the cross.

For the law says: “Cursed is everyone who hangs upon a tree.” Therefore He who healed our things through Himself—if He had not become a curse, how was He going to heal our curse?

And in another way also, the cross being divided into four parts showed the power extending through all things.

For through the fourfold cross He gathered together those who had been scattered from the four corners of the earth, according to the voice of Isaiah.

Therefore, so that through the cross all might be gathered into one faith, this death was preferred.

Then indeed the sacred proclamations of the prophets were being fulfilled: of David, “They gave gall for my food, and for my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink”; of Isaiah, “He suffers for us; and we saw Him, and He had no form nor beauty”; and of Zechariah, “What are these wounds between your hands?”

And they crucify with Him also two robbers, as an insult, as they thought; yet not even this was without prophetic declaration, which says most clearly: “And He was reckoned among the lawless.”

And at the same time this was a manifestation of the two peoples—both us who have believed from the Gentiles, and those from the circumcision; for both were lawless, and robbers in relation to Him: the former transgressors of the natural law, and the latter, in addition, also of the written law.

This also he was saying on the mountain: “If You are the Son of God, say that these stones may become bread.” And again: “If You are the Son of God, cast Yourself down.”

And now through impious mouths he again speaks in harmony: “If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.”

For seeing the signs, he was fearing lest perhaps He was God—which He was—and he provokes Him to come down from the cross, so that the chief point of the economy might be overthrown.

But the Savior, recognizing the bait, and identifying the former tempter, and judging it unworthy of a king to obey those commanding contrary to right reason, turns aside the deceitful deception.

But one of the robbers, being more perceptive, and sharper in perceiving what was necessary, coming to awareness from the wonders seen, seizes salvation, and rebukes the one blaspheming, and confesses Christ as King and Lord, and asks for remembrance in the kingdom, and immediately receives the God-befitting gift.

For the Savior says to him: “Amen, amen I say to you, today you shall be with Me in paradise.”

But here a certain great disagreement has arisen among interpreters.

For some say: The robber has not yet obtained paradise; for this would be least fitting, since Paul clearly said concerning the saints from the ages that they did not receive the promise of God, God having provided something better for us, so that apart from us they should not be made perfect.

For the saying, “Today you shall be with Me in paradise,” does not oppose this meaning, they say.

For because of the unfailing nature of the promise, the “today” was spoken, as also that which was said to the first-formed: “In the day that you eat from it, you shall die.”

But others divide the phrase, placing a pause at “today,” and then continue from another beginning: “You shall be with Me in paradise,” as referring the promise to the future.

But others, declaring the opposite of these, say that the robber immediately inherited Eden, and they present as witnesses of the word the sacred hymnographers.

Of whom the divine Cosmas says thus: “One and the same was the divinity of Christ, inseparable, in Hades, and in the tomb, and in Eden.”

And in harmony also speaks the poet from Damascus: “In the tomb bodily, in Hades with the soul as God; in paradise with the robber, and on the throne You were, O Christ, with the Father and the Spirit, filling all things, You who are uncircumscribed.”

And the apostolic statement, “They did not receive the promise of God,” they interpret more rhetorically, saying that the good things promised to the saints are the kingdom of heaven and the things in it, which eye has not seen nor ear heard; but paradise both the eyes of the founders of our race saw, and the ears heard.

Therefore it is not unlikely that the robber has now received the praised Eden, and in the future will obtain the kingdom above.

But we do not differ with these; rather, having been initiated by the voices of the Fathers, we say that paradise is both perceptible and intelligible, and accordingly that the soul of the robber was settled in the intelligible part of paradise.

For how could a perceptible place contain the noetic essence, and that which is beyond sense?

Thus both the promise of the Master is shown to be fulfilled, and the testimony of the sacred poets.

And what I said is sung more clearly by the elegance of another hymn, saying: “The robber on the cross who recognized You as God, You made him heir of the noetic paradise.”

And from the sixth hour until the ninth, darkness came over all the earth.

Since at the sixth hour Adam was created, it was fitting that at the sixth he should also be refashioned through the passion of Christ.

And since the transgression occurred at the sixth hour, at the same hour also the restoration takes place.

But creation, seeing the Creator being insulted by His creatures, was armed for defense.

And the moon, although being then in opposition to the sun, having swiftly run past the light-bearer with unspeakable speed, produced darkness.

And not in part of the earth, but over all under heaven, so that even those outside perceived the wonder.

For it is impossible for an eclipse to occur without the conjunction of these two luminaries.

But indeed the divine command surpassed the natural sequence, leading the moon with tireless speed from the immeasurable hemisphere into opposition with the sun, or even passing beneath the sun vertically within three hours, and darkening the inhabited world with nocturnal darkness, then returning again to its position of opposition.

And this indeed was what Habakkuk foretold: “The sun was lifted up, and the moon stood in its place.”

For when the Sun of righteousness was lifted up on the cross, the sensible sun was lifted up from shining upon the earth, and the moon, having ministered to the wonder, then stood in its place.

And the earth was held by a trembling, threatening to tear open its own hollows, and to receive the impious into the clefts within; and the sea also, swelling in anger, hastened to go beyond its own bounds and to flood the inhabited world.

And perhaps creation would have been confounded and utterly destroyed, had it not been restrained by the will of the One suffering; who was making the Father propitious toward those insulting Him: “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”

Thus in meekness and long-suffering He endured all things unto the end, by Himself laying down for us the law of long-suffering.

What then might one say? Did they benefit from this forgiveness, being later besieged and cut down?

We therefore suppose that those who then were immediately released from life were granted forgiveness for the sin done in ignorance; for the prayer of the Lord to the Father did not become without effect.

But as many as afterward saw signs and were initiated into the resurrection, yet did not cast off unbelief as a foul dye, these, as is likely, remained outside this benefit.

For those whom the earth shaken from its depths did not persuade, nor rocks being split, nor the veil rent, nor the day darkened, nor the sun hidden—these it is not likely to claim ignorance.

Wherefore also, as senseless, they were handed over to Roman punishments.

So then the soldiers, having done all the outrages they wished—or rather as much as had been permitted to them—afterward also, according to the psalmic prophecy, made a division of the garments.

For they did not divide the garments of the robbers crucified with Him, but of Christ alone.

Yet the tunic, the seamless one, woven from above, not having torn it, they gave by lot to the one who obtained it.

And it was seamless from above, because it was customary for the Galileans to make tunics from two pieces, joined by stitching at the shoulder above.

But this tunic must be understood as one woven piece, without seam.

And the tunic signified the holy flesh of the Word, which seed and pleasure did not stitch together, but it was woven from above from the grace of the Holy Spirit.

For even if the Word came into being below according to the flesh, yet He was from above, from God the Father.

And the Virgin Mother being present, and her inward parts burning, and receiving the sword of grief in her heart, which Symeon had foretold to her, He entrusts her to the beloved disciple, as to one pure, and virgin, and remaining with Him even unto the last dangers, and able to soothe her grief, and to teach the mystery of the passion through theological expositions.

After these things He said that psalmic saying: “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” not that He Himself had been forsaken, or was in need of help—for He had said beforehand, “I am not alone, but My Father is with Me”—but He speaks these things in the person of humanity, making our condition His own, and drawing down upon us the mercy from above.

For we were the ones forsaken, as a theological voice says.

And He says this also in the person of Israel, that such abandonment came upon it, as to become a killer of God, and to reach such a height of daring.

And having now fulfilled all things concerning Himself, He said: “It is finished.”

That is, both the things of the prophets, and the things of the economy, and the things of Jewish impiety received their end.

And thus, crying out with a loud voice: “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit,” and having bowed His head, He gave up the spirit.

And in these things also the oracle of Joel was being fulfilled: “The sun and moon shall be darkened, and the Lord shall cry out from Zion, and in Jerusalem He shall give His voice.”

And He cries with a loud voice, showing that He lays down His soul by authority.

And into the hands of the Father He commits it, that He might again receive it as a deposit; and this was what He said to the Jews: “I lay down My life, that I may take it again.”

And at the same time giving us hope, that the souls of the faithful no longer go into Hades, but are committed into the hands of God.

And He bows His head, as if by a nod calling death as a handmaid.

For with authority He sent forth His own body unto death, so that He might both suffer the passions naturally, and rise again supernaturally in a divine manner.

Immediately therefore the veil of the temple is torn, which was a curtain stretched through the middle of the temple, overshadowing the things to come, and visible only to the priest, and making the holy places inaccessible.

And since it was the custom of the Jews in blasphemies against God to tear their garments, the temple takes on the form of mourners, lamenting so great a deed, and as a garment tears the veil, perhaps also foretelling its own desolation, which was about to come upon it, and at the same time showing that the divine power in the temple had departed, having been repelled by the impiety of the Jews.

I also signified the obscurity of the law, formerly spread out like a veil and concealing the truth, but now removed and revealing the inner beauty to all.

And it is torn throughout, because the saving proclamation does not have a partial revelation.

The earth was shaken, hearing Haggai speaking before Christ: “I will shake the heaven and the earth and the sea.”

And again from Habakkuk: “He stood, and the earth was shaken, and the mountains melted.”

For when the cross stood, the earth was shaken, and the demons dwelling in the mountains were shattered.

And the earth is shaken also indicating the transformation of things.

And rocks were split, signifying that the stony hearts of the nations will be opened to receive the evangelical seed, and will be established upon the foundation of the cornerstone.

And the resurrection of the dead hinted at the liberation of the souls in Hades.

And here it is to be questioned whether the resurrection of the dead occurred before Christ’s resurrection, or after the resurrection.

If indeed before the resurrection, as also the divine Maximus thinks, it is clear that they died again; for Christ became the firstborn of the incorruptible resurrection.

But if after the resurrection of Christ, which is more consistent, the phrase must be read with transposition:

“And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised after His resurrection.”

Then it must be rendered thus:

“And having come out of the tombs, they entered into the holy city, and appeared to many.”

For when the life-giving body was buried in the earth, and the divine soul had descended into Hades, the bodies of the saints perceived life-giving power, and their souls were released, and many were reunited with their own bodies.

And a report has come down to us from above, having nothing unbelievable, that even long-suffering Job then arose.

And his sacred book makes the report clear, saying at its conclusion that he was written to arise with those whom the Lord will raise, which indeed was accomplished in the resurrection of Christ.

Therefore through the opening of the tombs, the destruction of Hades and the resurrection of the Lord became known.

And when the author of our salvation came out of the tomb, then they also were brought forth from the tombs, being released, and saying the words of Hosea: “He will heal us, and revive us after two days, and on the third day we shall rise.”

And thus rejoicing they entered into the holy city, both the earthly and that of Eden, the Savior going before, and bringing in thethief, according to the promise.

Then indeed the centurion, seeing how He expired with authority, how the rocks were split, and the earth shaken, came to such compunction that he both believed and confessed Christ to be the Son of God; and afterward he was perfected also by martyrdom.

And behold also the attendance of the women disciples—how great it was. They followed from Galilee, ministering from their own means; then in dangers they were present, and when He was led to the cross they followed lamenting, and when He was crucified they sat near and kept watch, observing where He would be laid, so that when the madness of the Jews had subsided, taking opportunity they might come and attend to the body.

“And the Jews, that the bodies might not remain on the cross, since it was Preparation (for that Sabbath was a great day), asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and they taken away.”

Since they had accomplished this bold deed, these God-hating and accursed and wretched men, pretending to keep the law, ask the governor that the legs of the crucified be broken—both hastening the death of Jesus, and pretending to observe the ordinance of the law; for thus Moses commanded:

“If there be in a man a judgment of death, and you hang him on a tree, his body shall not remain upon the tree, but you shall bury him that same day.”

So then, while the thieves were still breathing, they broke their legs with clubs; but Jesus, when they saw Him already dead, they did not do this; for it was not lawful that the bones of the sacred victim be broken, since even of the typological lamb the law forbade the breaking of bones.

But a certain bold soldier pierced His side with a spear, and immediately a work of wondrous miracle followed: for as from a single spring from the side, there poured forth a stream and a flood.

And through the water the record of our slavery was wiped away, and through the blood royal freedom was granted to us; or perhaps the blood loosed the condemnation of Jewish wickedness, while the water became for the salvation of those being reborn through water.

And since the power of the saving baptism is twofold—both for those illumined through water, and those perfected through blood—therefore blood and water came forth from the divine side, for a double grace of the confession of Christ, in martyrdom and in baptism; for the water frees those who have sinned, but the blood crowns the martyrs.

And the side pours forth these two streams, correcting the fall that came from the side of the woman; so that the blood becomes the release from the curse, and the water the cleansing from the transgression.

And when the first Adam slept, from his side was formed the originator of the curse; but when the new Adam slept on the cross, from His side flowed the fountain of life.

And when this happened, John says that he who saw has borne witness, indicating himself as present and seeing and testifying to what he saw; and showing that these things had been foretold from the beginning, he adds the prophecy and the commandment of the law: for Moses, foreseeing that the legs of Jesus would not be broken, legislates that the bones of the lamb should not be broken; and the prophet, foreseeing the piercings of the nails and the wound of the spear: “They shall look on Him whom they pierced,” that is, upon the wounds which they themselves made.

“And when evening had come” (for it was truly evening for the Sun of righteousness, as He had set beneath the earth), Joseph comes forward boldly, a prominent man and one of the seventy disciples, and asks for the body, and buries it splendidly, wrapping it in a clean linen cloth and placing it in a new tomb.

And it is placed in a new tomb, so that when the mystery of the resurrection is accomplished, none of the slanderers may say that another was raised.

And may it be that we become imitators of the noble Joseph, and seek and receive the body of Christ, and as in a clean linen cloth wrap it in the conscience, for the turning away of hostile demons, and the sanctification of our souls and bodies, and the glory of Him who through His death made us immortal; for to Him belongs all honor and worship, now and always, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

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Λόγος εἰς τὸ Τίμιον Πάθος τοῦ Κυρίου ἡμῶν Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ

Θεοφάνης ο Κεραμεύς

Ἴσως μὲν ἐπαχθὴς δόξω πρὸς τὴν ὑμετέραν ἀγάπην, καὶ φορτικὸς, ὅτι δι᾽ ὅλης νυκτὸς ἐν τῇ στάσει καὶ τῇ ψαλμῳδίᾳ κεκοπιακόσιν ὑμῖν ὡς φορτίον ἐπιφέρω τὴν τῆς διδασκαλίας ἀκρόασιν. Ἀλλὰ σύγγνωτέ μοι ἀπλήστως ἔχοντι πρὸς τὴν ὑμῶν προκοπήν· καὶ τὴν προθυμίαν ἐπιτείνατε, ἵνα πλέον κερδάνητε. Εἰ γὰρ οἱ θεοστυγεῖς Ἰουδαῖοι δι᾽ ὅλης ἠγρύπνησαν τῆς νυκτός, ὥστε συλλαβεῖν καὶ σταυρῶσαι τὸν Κύριον, πῶς ἡμεῖς οὐ γρηγορήσομεν, ἵνα τῶν ὑμνηθέντων ἡμῖν καὶ ἀναγνωσθέντων ἱερῶν Εὐαγγελίων τὸν σκοπὸν καταμάθωμεν; Τοιγαροῦν ἀποτινάξαντες πᾶσαν ἀκηδίαν ἐκ τῆς ψυχῆς τοῖς λεγομένοις προσέχετε.

Ἐπειδὴ τοῦ μυστικοῦ δείπνου τοὺς ἱεροὺς δαιτύμονας ὁ Σωτὴρ ἐνεφόρησεν, αὐτὸς ἑαυτὸν ἱερουργήσας, καὶ προσθεὶς εἰς ἐστίασιν, ἔξεισι μετ᾽ αὐτῶν εἰς τὸ ὄρος τῶν ἐλαιῶν, οὔτε τὸ πάθος ἐκκλίνων, [πῶς γὰρ ὁ καὶ προειδώς, καὶ προαγορεύσας, καὶ δυνάμενος φυγεῖν τὸ παθεῖν;] οὔτε μὴν αὐτόμολος ἰὼν πρὸς τοὺς φονευτάς· τὸ μὲν γὰρ λύσις ἦν τῆς οἰκονομίας, καὶ δειλία τις ἀγεννής, τὸ δὲ πρόφασιν παρείχε τοῖς βδελυροῖς, ὡς οὐχ ἥμαρτον, ἀποκτείναντες τὸν ἑαυτὸν ἑκόντι παραδόντα, καὶ μονονουχὶ τὸ πάθος ἁρπάσαντα. Ὁμοῦ τε καὶ τῆς ἀληθοῦς ἀνδρείας ἡμῖν τύπος γίνεται, ὀφθεὶς δειλίας καὶ θράσους ὑπέρτερος, καὶ διδάσκων δι᾽ ἑαυτοῦ μήτε ὁμόσε χωρεῖν πρὸς τοὺς πειρασμούς, μήτε μὴν ἐπελθόντας ἀγεννῶς μορμολύττεσθαι.

Οὐκ ἐν οἰκίᾳ δὲ συλλαμβάνεται, ἐπειδὴ ἐδεδίττοντο τοὺς ὄχλους οἱ τὴν ἐπιβουλὴν ἐξαρτύσαντες. Εἰ γὰρ καὶ μὴ ὡς Θεῷ προσεῖχον αὐτῷ, ἀλλ᾽ ἐκ τῆς διδασκαλίας καὶ τῶν θαυμάτων ἄνδρα δίκαιον καὶ προφήτην αὐτὸν ἐνόμιζον. Δίδωσιν οὖν αὐτοῖς ἄδειαν ἔκ τε τῆς ὥρας, ἔκ τε τοῦ τόπου εἰς πέρας ἀγαγεῖν τὸ σκαιώρημα. Πάλιν οὖν προλέγει τοῖς μαθηταῖς τὸ ἐσόμενον.

Πάντες ὑμεῖς σκανδαλισθήσεσθε ἐν τῇ νυκτὶ ταύτῃ· γέγραπται γάρ· «Πατάξω τὸν ποιμένα, καὶ διασκορπισθήσονται τὰ πρόβατα.» Δείκνυσι διὰ τούτων, ὅτι οἰκονομία ἐστὶ πατρικὴ τὸ γινόμενον. Διὰ τοῦτο γὰρ ταῦτα προφῆται προεχρησμώδησαν. Τί οὖν, εἴποι τις, ὁ Πατὴρ ἐπάταξε τὸν Υἱόν, καὶ τὰ πρόβατα διεσκόρπισεν; Οὔμενουν· οὐκ ἐπάταξεν, ἀλλὰ παταχθῆναι οἰκονομικῶς συνεχώρησε, καὶ εἴασε παθεῖν, καίπερ κωλῦσαι δυνάμενος.

Ὁ μὲν οὖν ἱερὸς Πέτρος, διάπυρος ὢν ἐραστής, μὴ καλῶς δὲ περισκοπήσας τῆς φύσεως τὴν ἀσθένειαν, πρὸς τὸ μὴ ἀρνήσασθαι καὶ συναποθανεῖν ἐπαγγέλλεται· «Κἂν δέῃ με σὺν σοὶ ἀποθανεῖν, οὐ μὴ σε ἀπαρνήσομαι, ἀλλὰ τὴν ψυχήν μου ὑπὲρ σοῦ θήσω.» Ἀλλ᾽ ὁ Κύριος ἀπαρακαλύπτως αὐτῷ μηνύει τὴν ἄρνησιν· «Σήμερον ἐν τῇ νυκτὶ ταύτῃ, πρὶν ἢ δὶς ἀλέκτορα φωνῆσαι, ἀπαρνήσῃ με τρίς.» οὕτω γὰρ ὁ Μάρκος τῶν ἄλλων ἔγραψεν ἀκριβέστερον.

Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ ᾔδει ὁ Κύριος ὡς νῦν μὲν ἀρνηθήσεται Πέτρος, ὕστερον μέντοι ἀποθανεῖται ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ, προστίθησι τὸ «σήμερον» καὶ «ἐν τῇ νυκτὶ ταύτῃ», μονονουχὶ λέγων ὡς· Θήσεις μὲν τὴν ψυχήν σου ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ, ἐν μέντοι τῇ νυκτὶ ἀρνήσῃ με· νύκτα λέγων αὐτὸν τὸν τῆς προδοσίας καιρόν, καὶ τὸν ἐκ τῆς ἀρνήσεως σκοτισμόν· ὁ γὰρ ἀρνούμενος τὸ φῶς ἐν σκότει πάντως ἐστίν.

Προειπὼν οὖν τὸ μέλλον, ἄπεισι συνήθως κατ᾽ ἰδίαν προσεύξασθαι. Ἐπειδὴ ἡ εὐχὴ πολλὴν δειλίαν ἐνέφαινεν (ἀπηύχετο γὰρ τὸ τοῦ θανάτου ποτήριον), διὰ τοῦτο τοὺς ἄλλους ἀφεὶς, τοὺς θεατὰς τῆς ἐν Θαβὼρ αὐτοῦ δόξης μόνους παρέλαβεν. Οὐχ ὡς δειλιῶν δὲ τὸ πάθος ἀγωνίᾳ συνείχετο, καὶ ἀπῄνετο τὸν θάνατον ὡς ἀβούλητον, ᾔδει γὰρ τὰ ἐκ τούτου συμβησόμενα ἀγαθά· ἀλλ᾽ ἐπειδὴ ἀληθῶς γέγονεν ἄνθρωπος, τὴν φύσιν ἐνδείκνυται ἀηδῶς δεχομένην τὸν θάνατον, ὅτι καὶ παρὰ φύσιν τοῖς ἀνθρώποις ἐνέσκηψεν.

Ἑκὼν οὖν τὸ πάθος τῆς δειλίας ὑφίσταται, οἷόν τι δέλεαρ τῷ διαβόλῳ τὴν λύπην προβαλλόμενος, ὡς ἂν ψιλὸν αὐτὸν οἰηθεὶς ἄνθρωπον, ἐπιπηδήσῃ τῷ φαινομένῳ, καὶ τῇ θεότητι τῇ ἀοράτῳ προσαραχθείη. Ἐλύπει δὲ αὐτὸν καὶ ὁ πρωτότοκος Ἰσραὴλ εἰς τοσοῦτον τόλμης ἐλθὼν, ὡς κυριοκτόνος γενέσθαι, καὶ καθ᾽ ἑαυτοῦ τὴν ἀρὰν ἐπισπάσασθαι. Ἐλύπει αὐτὸν καὶ ἡ ἐπακολουθήσασα ἐξ ἀνάγκης τῆς τόλμης ἐκδίκησις, καὶ ἡ τοῦ ναοῦ, καὶ ἡ τῆς λατρείας καθαίρεσις, καὶ ἡ τῆς πόλεως ἄλωσις, καὶ ἡ τοῦ ἔθνους ἀφάνισις.

Ποτήριον δὲ ὀνομάζει τὸν θάνατον, εἰπών· «Εἰ δυνατόν, παρελθέτω τὸ ποτήριον τοῦτο ἀπ᾽ ἐμοῦ», διὰ τὸ οἷον ὕπνον ἐπάγειν τὴν κάκωσιν· διὰ δὲ τοῦ· «Οὐχ ὡς ἐγὼ θέλω, ἀλλ᾽ ὡς σύ», τὸ ἐνάρετον ἔδειξε καὶ φιλόσοφον. Χρὴ γὰρ τιθέναι τὸ θέλημα τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν πᾶσιν ἐπίπροσθεν, κἂν ἡ τοῦ σώματος ὑποκλάζῃ ἀσθένεια.

Προσευξάμενος οὖν ἐπάνεισι πρὸς τοὺς μαθητάς, καὶ εὑρίσκει τούτους καθεύδοντας, καὶ ἐπιπλήττει τὸν Πέτρον, αὐθαδῶς μὲν συναποθανεῖν θρασυνόμενον, οὐδ᾽ ὥραν δὲ μίαν γρηγορῆσαι ἰσχύσαντα. Ἔοικεν οὖν οὕτω λαλεῖν· «Γρηγορῆσαι οὐκ ἔσχυσας μετ᾽ ἐμοῦ πρὸς βραχύ, καὶ πῶς τὴν ψυχήν σου θεῖναι ὑπὲρ ἐμοῦ ἐκόμπαζες;»

Εἶτα ἐλέγχει καὶ τῶν λοιπῶν τὴν ἀσθένειαν, παιδεύων ἡμᾶς μὴ αὐθαδῶς καὶ τῇ ἑαυτῶν ἰσχύϊ θαῤῥεῖν, ἀλλὰ πάντα μὲν ἀνατιθέναι Θεῷ, ἀπεύχεσθαι δὲ τὸ μὴ εἰς πειρασμὸν ἐμπεσεῖν. Φησὶ γάρ· «Γρηγορεῖτε καὶ προσεύχεσθε, ἵνα μὴ εἰσέλθητε εἰς πειρασμόν.»

Ἀλλ᾽ ἐνταῦθα μικρὸν ἀναμείνωμεν· ζητήσωμεν εἰ, διὰ πειρασμῶν καὶ θλίψεων κληρονόμοι τῆς τοῦ Θεοῦ βασιλείας γινόμεθα· ὅπερ εἰδὼς καὶ ὁ μέγας Ἰάκωβος διδάσκει, πᾶσαν ἡμᾶς ἡγεῖσθαι χαράν, ὅταν πειρασμοῖς περιπέσωμεν. Πῶς ἐνταῦθα παραινεῖ ὁ Σωτὴρ προσεύχεσθαι, μὴ εἰσελθεῖν εἰς πειρασμόν;

Φαμὲν οὖν ὡς διὰ τὴν ἀδηλίαν τοῦ μέλλοντος, βέλτιον ἀπεύχεσθαι, ἢ ἐμπεσόντα ἡττηθῆναι, καὶ γενέσθαι τοῦ πολεμίου ἐπίχαρμα. Κρεῖττον γὰρ μὴ διωχθῆναι ὑπὸ τῶν ἀσεβῶν, ἢ διωχθέντα ἔξαρνον γενέσθαι τῆς πίστεως.

Ἄλλως τε οὐκ εὔχεσθαι διδάσκει μὴ περιπεσεῖν πειρασμῷ, ἀλλὰ μὴ εἰσελθεῖν εἰς πειρασμόν, τουτέστι μὴ κυριευθῆναι ὑπὸ πειρασμοῦ, καὶ εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὴν ἧτταν αὐτοῦ. Εἰ δὲ ζητεῖς καὶ τὴν ἀκριβεστέραν τούτων διάγνωσιν, ἄκουσον.

Δύο εἰσὶν εἴδη τῶν πειρασμῶν· ὁ μὲν ἀκούσιος ὁ τοῦ σώματος, ὁ δὲ ἑκούσιος τῆς ψυχῆς. Καὶ ὁ μὲν ἑκούσιος ἡ ἁμαρτία ἐστίν, ἡδύνουσα μὲν τὴν αἴσθησιν, προξενοῦσα δὲ ὄλεθρον τῇ ψυχῇ, ἀφ᾽ οὗ εὔχεσθαι ἡμᾶς ῥυσθῆναι καλόν. Ὁ δὲ ἀκούσιος πειρασμὸς ἀλγύνει μὲν τὴν αἴσθησιν, σωτηρίας δὲ γίνεται πρόξενος, ὑπὲρ οὗ χαίρειν ἡμᾶς διδάσκει ὁ ἀδελφόθεος.

Εἰπὼν δὲ ὁ Σωτήρ· «Τὸ μὲν πνεῦμα πρόθυμον, ἡ δὲ σάρξ ἀσθενής», καταλεαίνει τὴν σφοδρὰν ἐπίπληξιν, τῇ φύσει προσάπτων τῆς ῥαθυμίας τὸ ἔγκλημα.

Καὶ πάλιν ἐκ δευτέρου καὶ τρίτου προσελθὼν, τὸν αὐτὸν λόγον προσηύξατο, δεικνὺς ὡς οὐδὲν βούλεται τοῦ πατρικοῦ ἀπᾴδον θελήματος.

Ὤφθη δὲ αὐτῷ ἄγγελος ἐνισχύων αὐτόν· οὐχ ὅτι τῆς τοῦ ἀγγέλου ἰσχύος ἐδέετο ὁ ὑπὸ πάσης ἀγγελικῆς δυνάμεως προσκυνούμενος, ἀλλὰ Μωσαϊκὴν προφητείαν ἀποπληροῖ ἀσθεῖσαν ἐν τῇ ᾠδῇ· «Ἐνισχυσάτωσαν αὐτῷ πάντες ἄγγελοι Θεοῦ.» Οὐ γὰρ ἰσχὺν τῷ παντοδυνάμῳ παρεῖχεν ὁ ἄγγελος, ἀλλ᾽ ὡς Θεῷ διηκόνει, τὴν ὑπερβολὴν τῆς συγκαταβάσεως ἐκπληττόμενος.

Δεικνὺς δὲ ὡς οὐ τῆς θεότητος, ἀλλὰ τῆς σαρκὸς ἦν ἡ ἀγωνία, θρομβοειδεῖς ἱδρῶτας ἀπέσταξεν, ἀναξηραίνων τῆς ἀνθρωπίνης δειλίας τὴν πίδακα.

Εἶτα πάλιν ἐπανελθὼν ὁρᾷ τοὺς μαθητὰς καθεύδοντας, οὕτω τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτῶν ἥ τε ἀθυμία καὶ τὸ τῆς νυκτὸς ἄωρον ἐπεβάρυνε.

Τί οὖν πρὸς αὐτοὺς ὁ Σωτήρ; «Καθεύδετε λοιπὸν καὶ ἀναπαύεσθε.» Οὐκ ἐπιτρέπων δὲ καθεύδειν τοῦτό φησιν, ἀλλ᾽ οἷον ἐπιτιμῶν, ὅτι τῶν δεινῶν ἐφεστηκότων, ἀκαίρῳ συνέχονται νυσταγμῷ.

Τάχα δὲ καὶ ὑποδηλῶν τι κρυπτόμενον· μονονουχὶ γὰρ τοῦτό φησιν· Ἐπειδὴ ἀτελεῖς ἔτι ἐστὲ, καὶ ὁ καιρὸς τῶν ἀγώνων ὑμῶν οὔπω πάρεστιν, ἀναπαύεσθε λοιπὸν, ἀγωνιεῖσθε δὲ ὕστερον.

«Ἤγγικεν ἡ ὥρα»· καὶ τῆς προδοσίας λέγει τὴν ὥραν, καὶ μάλιστα τῆς οἰκονομίας. Τὸ δὲ· «Ἐγείρεσθε, ἄγωμεν ἐντεῦθεν», παραινοῦντός ἐστιν ἀπὸ τῶν γηΐνων εἰς τὰ ὑπερκόσμια μετάγειν τὸ φρόνημα.

Εἴσεισι δὲ ἐν τῷ κήπῳ, κἀκεῖ συλλαμβάνεται. Ὁ γὰρ τὰ ἐναντία διὰ τῶν ἐναντίων ἰώμενος (ἐπειδὴ ἐκ τοῦ τῆς Ἐδὲμ κήπου διὰ παρακοῆς ἔλαδεν ὁ διάβολος τὸν ἄνθρωπον), ἀκολούθως ἐκ τοῦ κήπου ἑαυτὸν τοῖς φονευταῖς παραδίδωσιν, ἐπανάγων τὴν φύσιν εἰς τὸν κῆπον ὅθεν ἐκπέπτωκεν.

«Ὁ δὲ παραδιδοὺς αὐτὸν, ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς σημεῖον λέγων· Ὃν ἂν φιλήσω, αὐτός ἐστι, κρατήσατε αὐτόν, καὶ ἀγάγετε ἀσφαλῶς.»

Τί βούλεται τῷ Ἰούδᾳ τὸ τοῦ φιλήματος σύσσημον; Ἐπειδὴ πολλάκις βουλόμενοι συλλαβεῖν, οὐκ ἠδυνήθησαν, οὔπω τοῦ καθήκοντος ἐνστάντος καιροῦ, ἀλλ᾽ ἐξήρχετο διὰ μέσου αὐτῶν· ἵνα μὴ πάλιν συμβῇ τὸ αὐτό, τίθησι τὸ φίλημα γνώρισμα.

Θαῤῥῶν οὖν ὁ Ἰούδας τῇ τοῦ Διδασκάλου πραότητι, «Προσελθὼν κατεφίλει αὐτόν»· καίτοι τοῦτο μόνον ἠδύνατο τὴν σκληρὰν αὐτοῦ καταμαλάξαι ψυχήν, ὅτι καὶ ἐν αὐτῇ τῇ τῆς προδοσίας ὥρᾳ οὐκ ἀπώσατο τὸν βδελυρὸν καὶ προδότην ὁ Κύριος· ἀλλ᾽ οὕτως ἦν ὁ δείλαιος ἀδυσώπητος καὶ ἡλίθιος, ὡς οὐδαμῶς τοῦ συμφέροντος ἐπαισθάνεσθαι.

Ἡρέμα γοῦν τὴν ἐνδομυχοῦσαν αὐτῷ κακίαν ἐλέγχει ὁ Κύριος· «Ἑταῖρε, φησίν, ἐφ᾽ ᾧ πάρει;» Τίς χρεία, φησὶ, τοῦ τῆς φιλίας σχηματισμοῦ καὶ τοῦ πλάσματος; ἐφ᾽ ᾧ πράγματι παρεγένου, τοῦτο καὶ πλήρου. Οὐ γὰρ ἦλθες ἵνα φιλήσῃς, ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα προδόσῃς.

Ἰλιγγίασα μεταξὺ λέγων, ἐνθυμηθεὶς τοῦ προδότου τὸ τόλμημα· ποίοις ὀφθαλμοῖς ὁ μιαρὸς πρὸς τὸν διδάσκαλον ἐνητένιζε; ποίοις χείλεσι κατεφίλει ἀναιδῶς, ἐναγκαλιζόμενος τὸν οὕτως ἐπιεικῆ καὶ πρᾶον καὶ ἥμερον; οὕτω παντὸς θηρίου γέγονε χαλεπώτερος.

Ἀλλ᾽ ὁ μὲν μακροθύμως ἑαυτὸν ἐδίδου τοῖς συλλαβοῦσι. Πέτρου δὲ ὁ θυμὸς τῇ τοῦ νόμου ἀκόνῃ ἐθήγετο, κελεύοντος βίᾳ τὴν βίαν ἐξωθεῖν, καὶ τοὺς ἐπιόντας ἀμύνασθαι. Εἶχε δὲ μάχαιραν διὰ τοῦ τυπικοῦ ἀμνοῦ τὴν κατάθυσιν, οὐκ ἄλλον δὲ τίνα ἤθελε διαχειρίσασθαι, ἀλλὰ τὸν δοῦλον τοῦ ἀρχιερέως τοῦ συρράψαντος τὸ σκαιώρημα.

Ἐπεὶ οὖν ἐκκόψων τὴν φάρυγγα τὴν μάχαιραν ἐπεσπάσατο, τοῦ δούλου δὲ τὴν κεφαλὴν ὑπεκκλίναντος, τὸ οὖς τὴν τομὴν ἐνδικώτατα δέχεται· ἦσαν γὰρ οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι ἐν ταῖς τοῦ Χριστοῦ διδασκαλίαις τὰς ἀκοὰς ἐπιδύοντες.

Καί μοι δοκεῖ τοῦτο ἐννοήσαντα τὸν μέγαν Κωνσταντῖνον μακρῷ χρόνῳ ὕστερον ἐπιτάξαι ναὸν ἀναδείμασθαι· τάχα δὲ καὶ τὸ ὑπὸ τοῦ Πέτρου ἐκκοπῆναι τὸ οὖς τοῦ οἰκέτου σημεῖον ἦν τῆς ὕστερον ἐνεργείας τῶν μαθητῶν.

Ἔμελλον γὰρ τῇ μαχαίρᾳ τοῦ πνεύματος ἐκκόψαι τὰς προκαταβληθείσας ἐν ταῖς ἀκοαῖς τῶν Ἰουδαίων σωματικὰς ἐννοίας τοῦ γράμματος.

Τότε λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ Ἰησοῦς· «Ἀπόστρεψον τὴν μάχαιράν σου εἰς τὸν τόπον αὐτῆς· πάντες γὰρ οἱ λαβόντες μάχαιραν ἐν μαχαίρᾳ ἀποθανοῦνται.» Ἐπιτιμᾷ τῷ Πέτρῳ ὁ Κύριος, ὡς ἔτι ἑπομένῳ ταῖς νομικαῖς διατάξεσι. Καὶ εἰ τῷ νόμῳ, φησὶ, κέχρησαι εἰς βοήθειαν, σκόπει ὅτι ὁ νόμος τοὺς λαβόντας μάχαιραν ἐν μαχαίρᾳ κελεύει ἀποθανεῖν.

Μὴ γὰρ ἀνθρωπίνης εἰμι βοηθείας ἐπιδεής· μὴ γὰρ οὐ δύναμαι λεγεῶσιν ἀγγέλων τοὺς ἐπιόντας ἀμύνασθαι; ἀλλὰ δεῖ πληρωθῆναι τὰ τῶν Γραφῶν χρησμῳδήματα. Ἐπεὶ γὰρ προώριστο παθεῖν τὸν Χριστόν, καὶ ἦν τοῦτο παντάπασιν ἀμετάθετον, διὰ τοῦτο καὶ οἱ προφῆται ἅπαντα προκατήγγειλαν.

Ὅτι γὰρ οὐδὲ Ἰούδας ἐπέγνω αὐτόν, εἰ μὴ ἤθελεν, ἐδήλωσεν ὁ Ἰωάννης εἰπών· «Ὡς ἠρώτησεν αὐτούς· Τίνα ζητεῖτε; Οἱ δὲ εἶπον· Ἰησοῦν τὸν Ναζωραῖον· καὶ οὐκ ἴσχυσαν ἐπιβαλεῖν αὐτῷ τὰς χεῖρας, ἢ ἐπιγνῶναι, ἕως αὐτὸς αὐτοῖς τοῦτο ἐπέτρεψεν.»

Ὁ δὴ καὶ ἐλέγχων εἶπεν αὐτοῖς· «Ὡς ἐπὶ λῃστὴν ἐξήλθετε μετὰ μαχαιρῶν καὶ ξύλων συλλαβεῖν με.» Τί, φησίν, ἔδει ὅπλων πολεμικῶν; μὴ γὰρ τύραννος ἢ λῃστής εἰμι; Τί δ᾽ ἂν ὤνησαν ὑμᾶς ξύλα καὶ μάχαιραι, εἰ συλληφθῆναι οὐκ ἤθελον;

Καὶ δῆλον ἐξ ὧν καθ᾽ ἑκάστην, ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ με διδάσκοντα, καίτοι πολλάκις βουληθέντες κατασχεῖν, οὐκ ἰσχύσατε. Ἐταμιευόμην γὰρ τὸν καιρὸν τὸν προσήκοντα· ἀλλ᾽ αὕτη ἐστὶν ὑμῶν ἡ ὥρα, ἣν εἰλήφατε ἄχρι τῆς ἀναστάσεώς μου.

Συνεσταλμένον γὰρ ἔξετε τὸν καιρὸν ὑπὸ τοῦ σκότους, ἤγουν τοῦ διαβόλου συνελαυνόμενοι. Ταῦτα εἶπε, καὶ τοῦ πληγέντος εὐθὺς θεραπεύει τὸ οὖς. Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ αὐτὸς ἔμελλεν αὐτῷ δοῦναι ῥάπισμα ὕστερον, ἵνα μὴ δόξῃ κατὰ ἄμυναν τοῦτο ποιῆσαι, ποιεῖ τοῦτον διὰ τῆς θεραπείας ἀναπολόγητον.

Οὐκ ἀκαίρως δὲ καὶ τὸ ὄνομα τοῦ δούλου ὁ Ἰωάννης ἐδήλωσεν, ὡς Μάλχος ἐκέκλητο. Ἀλλ᾽ ἐπειδὴ τοῦ ὀνόματος τούτου τὸ σημαινόμενον βασιλεία ἐστίν, δείκνυται ὡς οἱ τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἀρχιερεῖς τὴν σφῶν βασιλείαν εἰς δουλείαν κατήγαγον, φθόνου καὶ φιλαυτίας δοῦλοι γενόμενοι.

Ὁ μὲν οὖν ἦν ἐν ταῖς τῶν δημίων χερσίν, οἱ δὲ μαθηταὶ φυγάδες ἐγένοντο τῆς ἐπαγγελίας ἐπιλαθόμενοι, τὰ δὲ τῶν προφητῶν ἐπεραίνετο· «Πατάξω τὸν ποιμένα, καὶ διασκορπισθήσονται τὰ πρόβατα.»

Ἐδέσμουν τὸν Ἰησοῦν, καὶ ἄλλη προφητεία πέρας ἐλάμβανεν· «Δήσωμεν τὸν δίκαιον, ὅτι δύσχρηστος ἡμῖν ἐστι.» τάχα που καὶ αὐτὸς ἡρέμα πρὸς τὸν Πατέρα ὑπεψιθύριζε τὰ τοῦ Δαβίδ· «Διαρρήξωμεν τοὺς δεσμοὺς αὐτῶν», καὶ· «Συνανάστησόν με, καὶ ἀνταποδώσω αὐτοῖς.»

Πέτρος ἡκολούθει αὐτῷ ἀπὸ μακρόθεν ἕως τῆς αὐλῆς τοῦ ἀρχιερέως. Μόνον τὸν Πέτρον αἱ τοῦ πόθου φλόγες ἀκολουθεῖν ἐβιάζοντο· ἔθιζε γὰρ ἑαυτὸν πρὸ καιροῦ ἀκολουθεῖν τῷ Χριστῷ, ἵνα ὕστερον ἀκολουθήσῃ διὰ σταυροῦ.

Ὁ μέντοι νεανίσκος, ὁ σὺν αὐτῷ οὐραγῶν μονοσίνδονος, ὡς μὲν οἱ Πατέρες ἡμῶν ἐστοχάσαντο, Ἰάκωβος ἦν, ὁ τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἀδελφός. Διεδίου γὰρ οὗτος μονοχίτων ἀεί. Δοκεῖ δὲ Μάρκος εἶναι μᾶλλον ὁ ἀρχῆθεν Πέτρου γεγονὼς ἐπᾳδός, καὶ μόνος τῶν εὐαγγελιστῶν τοῦτο συγγραψάμενος.

Καὶ ἐπειδὴ Μάρκος «Ὑψηλοῦ ἐντολή» ἑρμηνεύεται, διδάσκει τὸ καθ᾽ ἱστορίαν γινόμενον, ὡς ἀκολουθῶν τῇ τοῦ ὑψηλοῦ Θεοῦ ἐντολῇ, ἂν ἐπιβουλεύοιτο ὑπ᾽ ἐχθρῶν, ἐπιδότω αὐτοῖς ὡς σινδόνα τὸ σῶμα, τῆς ψυχῆς τὸ ἱμάτιον, ἵνα κοῦφος εἰς τὰς ἄνω φύγῃ μονάς· οὕτω γὰρ καὶ ὁ πατριάρχης πεποίηκεν Ἰωσήφ, τῇ ἐπιβούλῳ προδοὺς τὸ ἱμάτιον, ἐκ δουλείας εἰς βασιλείαν μετὰ τῆς σωφροσύνης ἐφήλλατο.

Ἄγουσι τὸν Ἰησοῦν εἰς τὴν αὐλὴν τοῦ ἀρχιερέως Καϊάφα, ὅπου οἱ Γραμματεῖς καὶ οἱ πρεσβύτεροι συνήχθησαν· καὶ συγκροτοῦσι κριτήριον ἀσεβές, οἷον εἰκὸς συγκροτῆσαι Καϊάφαν, τὸν νοητὸν τῷ αἰσθητῷ συνεδρεύοντα· ἐπειδὴ γὰρ Καϊάφας «ἰχνευτής» ἑρμηνεύεται, τὸν ὄφιν ἐκεῖνον εἰκόνιζε, τὸν ἰχνεύοντα τὴν πτέρναν ἡμῶν, ὃς καὶ τότε ἀνιχνεύων τὰς πράξεις τοῦ Ἰησοῦ, οὐδὲν εὑρίσκων ἄτοπον.

Καὶ τοῦτο προέλεγε τοῖς μαθηταῖς ὁ Σωτήρ· «Ἔρχεται ὁ τοῦ κόσμου ἄρχων, καὶ ἐν ἐμοὶ οὐχ εὑρίσκει οὐδέν.» Οὐδὲν δὲ ἡ ἁμαρτία ἐστίν· «Ἁμαρτίαν δὲ οὐκ ἐποίησεν.»

Ἐπεὶ δὲ καὶ μαρτύρων ἔδει αὐτοῖς, ὡς ἂν πράττειν ἔννομα δόξαιεν, δύο παράγονται μάρτυρες, ἐκ τῶν ἀληθινῶν τὸ ψεῦδος συνείροντες. Ὁ μὲν γὰρ Σωτήρ· «Λύσατε, εἶπε, τὸν ναὸν τοῦτον, καὶ ἐν τρισὶν ἡμέραις ἐγερῶ αὐτόν», περὶ τοῦ ἰδίου σώματος ταῦτα λαλῶν· οἱ δὲ θεοστυγεῖς οὗτοι καὶ τολμηροί, τὰ μὲν παραφθείραντες, τὰ δὲ καὶ προσθέμενοι ψευδοποιοῦντες ἔλεγον· «Οὗτος εἶπε· Δύναμαι τὸν ναὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ καταλῦσαι τὸν χειροποίητον, καὶ διὰ τριῶν ἡμερῶν ἄλλον ἀχειροποίητον οἰκοδομήσω», διὰ τῆς προσθήκης τὴν κατηγορίαν αὐξήσαντες.

Ὅρα γὰρ τῶν λόγων τὴν παρασάφησιν. Ὁ μὲν εἶπε· «Λύσατε τὸν ναόν», οἱ δὲ φασίν, ὅτι «Δύναμαι λῦσαι τὸν ναόν.» Καὶ ὁ μὲν οἷον δακτύλῳ δεικνὺς τὸ σῶμα ἔλεγε «Τὸν ναὸν τοῦτον», οἱ δὲ «Τὸν ναὸν τοῦ Θεοῦ τὸν χειροποίητον.»

Καὶ ὁ μὲν Κύριος ἵστατο σιωπῶν, καὶ πρὸς ἑαυτὸν ἴσως ἐπάδων τὰ δι᾽ αὐτόν· «Ἀναστάντες μοι μάρτυρες ἄδικοι, ἃ οὐκ ἐγίνωσκον, ἠρώτων με. Ἐγὼ δὲ ὡσεὶ κωφὸς οὐκ ἤκουον, καὶ ὡσεὶ ἄλαλος, οὐκ ἔχων ἐν τῷ στόματί μου ἐλεγμούς.»

Εἰκότως δὲ σιωπᾷ, εἰδὼς ὅτι οὐ δέξονται αὐτὸν ἀπολογούμενον. Οὓς γὰρ ἐναργῆ σημεῖα οὐκ ἔπεισαν, πῶς ἂν λόγοι κατεδυσώπησαν;

Ὁ οὖν ἀρχιερεὺς ἠρώτα περὶ τῶν μαθητῶν αὐτοῦ καὶ τῆς διδασκαλίας αὐτοῦ. Τάχα ὁ ἀπόπληκτος ζητῶν ἐπιλαβέσθαι αὐτοῦ, ἢ ὡς ἐναντία τοῦ νόμου διδάσκοντος, ἢ ἐπειδὴ ᾔδει ὡς οἱ περὶ Θευδᾶν καὶ Ἰούδαν ἀποστασίαν μελετήσαντες ἀπέθανον, εἰς αὐτὸ τοῦτο τὸν Κύριον συνωθεῖ, στασιαστὴν αὐτὸν ἐλέγξαι βουλόμενος, ὡς μαθητὰς συναγείροντα, καὶ οὕτω θανάτῳ παραδώσει, ἢ ὡς παράνομον, ἢ ὡς ἐπίβουλον.

Ἐλέγχει οὖν αὐτοῦ ὁ Κύριος τοῦ τρόπου τὸ ὕφαλον καὶ κακόηθες, καὶ αὐτοὺς τοὺς ἐκείνου ὑπηρέτας μάρτυρας παριστᾷ, καὶ φησίν·

«Ἐγὼ παῤῥησίᾳ ἐλάλησα τῷ κόσμῳ· ἐγὼ πάντοτε ἐδίδαξα ἐν συναγωγῇ καὶ ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ, ὅπου πάντοτε οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι συνέρχονται, καὶ ἐν κρυπτῷ ἐλάλησα οὐδέν· τί με ἐπερωτᾷς; ἐπερώτησον τοὺς ἀκηκοότας· ἴδε, οὗτοι οἶδασιν ἃ εἶπον ἐγώ.»

Διατί δὲ πρὸς μαρτυρίαν τοὺς ὑπηρέτας καλεῖ; Ἐπειδὴ ἀποσταλέντες οὗτοί ποτε παρὰ τῶν ἀρχιερέων συλλαβεῖν αὐτόν, καὶ τεθαυμαστηκότες ἐπὶ τῇ διδασκαλίᾳ αὐτοῦ, ὑπενόστησαν λέγοντες· «Οὐδέποτε οὕτως ἐλάλησεν ἄνθρωπος, ὡς οὗτος ὁ ἄνθρωπος.»

Τῶν τότε οὖν λαληθέντων ἄγει αὐτοὺς εἰς ἀνάμνησιν. Φοβηθεὶς οὖν ὁ τῶν ἀρχιερέων δοῦλος, ἵνα μὴ ἀντὶ τοῦ καταμαρτυρεῖν συνήγορος νομισθῇ, καὶ ὡς θαυμάσας αὐτὸν ἐγκληθῇ, ἑαυτὸν τῆς ὑποψίας ἐλευθερῶν, προφθάνει τῇ ἀναιδείᾳ καὶ ῥάπισμα δίδωσι.

Διὸ καὶ ὁ Κύριος, ὡς πρώην θαυμάσαντα, νῦν δὲ ῥαπίσαντα, ἀνεξικάκως ἐπερωτᾷ· «Εἰ κακῶς ἐλάλησα» τότε διδάσκων, «μαρτύρησον ἀρτίως. Εἰ δὲ τότε ἀκούων ἐθαύμαζες, πῶς ἄρτι δέρεις;»

Πῶς δὲ ὁ κελεύων τῷ τυπτηθέντι τὴν δεξιὰν σιαγόνα, καὶ τὴν ἄλλην παρέχειν τῷ παίοντι, αὐτὸς τὴν ἐντολὴν οὐκ ἐτήρησεν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐγκαλεῖ τῷ ῥαπίσαντι; Τριττὴ λύσις ἐστὶ τοῦ ζητήματος.

Δείκνυσιν, ὡς οὐκ ἐπ᾽ ἐγκλήματι ἐῤῥαπίσθη, ἀλλ᾽ ὑπὲρ τῆς πάντων σωτηρίας ταῦτα ἔπασχε, καὶ ὅτι οὐκ ἀνάλγητος ἦν, ἀλλ᾽ ἠσθάνετο τῶν πληγῶν, κἂν εἶχε τὸ ἀπαθές, ὡς Θεός.

Πρὸς τούτοις δὲ ὁ μὲν τῆς ἐντολῆς σκοπὸς οὗτός ἐστιν. Ἐπειδὴ ἄκων τις ἐτυπτήθη τὴν παρειάν, τὸ δὲ ἀκούσιον ἄμισθον, κελεύει τὴν ἄλλην ἑκουσίως παρέχειν, ἵνα τῷ ἑκουσίῳ συμμετρηθῇ τὸ ἀκούσιον.

Ὁ δὲ Σωτὴρ ἑκουσίως ῥαπισθεὶς ἀπροσδεὴς ἦν ταύτης τῆς ἐντολῆς.

Πάλιν οὖν ὁ ἀρχιερεὺς εἶπεν αὐτῷ· «Ἐξορκίζω σε κατὰ τοῦ Θεοῦ τοῦ ζῶντος, ἵνα ἡμῖν εἴπῃς, εἰ σὺ εἶ ὁ Χριστὸς ὁ Υἱὸς τοῦ Θεοῦ.»

Ἐπειδὴ ἃς πρότερον ἔστησε πάγας ὁ κακοήθης ἀρχιερεὺς ἀνίσχυροι μεμενήκασιν, ἐξορκίζει λοιπὸν αὐτόν, εἰδὼς ὅτι οὐ ψεύσεται· οὐ μὴ τοῦ μαθεῖν εἰ αὐτός ἐστιν ὁ Χριστός, ἀλλὰ σπεύδων ἐπιλαβέσθαι αὐτοῦ.

Ὁ δὲ Κύριος, ἵνα μὴ δόξῃ τὸν ὁρκισμὸν παρορᾶν, ὁμολογεῖ, καὶ φησίν· «Σὺ εἶπας»· τουτέστι, Τὸ σὸν ὡμολόγησε στόμα, ὅτι ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ Χριστός.

Εἶτα καὶ προφητείας αὐτοὺς ἀναμιμνήσκει, ἣν ὁ Δανιὴλ περὶ τῆς δευτέρας αὐτοῦ παρουσίας προεχρησμώδησεν· «Ἀπ᾽ ἄρτι ὄψεσθε τὸν Υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου καθήμενον ἐκ δεξιῶν τῆς δυνάμεως, καὶ ἐρχόμενον ἐπὶ τῶν νεφελῶν.»

Τοῦτονί, φησὶ, τὸν Υἱὸν τοῦ ἀνθρώπου, τὸν ὑφ᾽ ὑμῶν κρινόμενον νῦν ἐν πολλῇ ταπεινότητι, ὄψεσθε ἀπ᾽ οὐρανοῦ μετὰ δόξης ἐρχόμενον.

Καὶ κακοήθως οὖν ὁ ἀπόπληκτος ἱερεὺς ἐπὶ μεγάλῃ βλασφημίᾳ διαῤῥήγνυσι τὸ ἱμάτιον, καὶ φενακίζων τοὺς ὄχλους τῷ σχήματι.

Εἶτα καὶ ὑποποιούμενος τὸν λαόν, αὐτοῖς κατατίθησι τὴν ἀπόφασιν· «Ἐβλασφήμησε· τί ὑμῖν δοκεῖ;»

Οἱ δὲ συναρπασθέντες τῷ ῥήματι, καὶ τῷ σφῶν ἀρχιερεῖ χαριζόμενοι· «Ἔνοχος», εἶπον, «θανάτου ἐστί.»

Τότε οὖν, ὡς ἤδη κατακριθέντα, παντοίως ἐχλεύαζον, ἐμπτύοντες, ῥαπίζοντες, κολαφίζοντες, ὡς ψευδοπροφήτῃ ἐπιγελῶντες· «Προφήτευσον ἡμῖν, τίς ἐστιν ὁ παίσας σε.»

Οἱ κεραυνοὶ δὲ ἄνωθεν ὡπλίζοντο εἰς ἄμυναν, ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῦ δὲ τοῦ ὑβριζομένου ἐπείχοντο. Ἑώρα δὲ τότε ὁ ἥλιος τὸ πάντων θαυμάτων καινότερον.

Ἐκ ταύτης οὖν τῆς προφάσεως ὁ Ἰωάννης γνωστὸς ἦν τῷ ἀρχιερεῖ, καὶ ἀκωλύτως ἔσχε τότε τὴν εἴσοδον. Πέτρος δὲ, ὡς ἄγνωστος, τῆς πύλης ἀποκρουσθεὶς, ἔμεινε θυραυλῶν, ἕως αὐτὸν ὁ Ἰωάννης εἰσήγαγε, καταπείσας τὴν θυρωρόν.

Καὶ ἦν μὲν βέλτιον τῷ Πέτρῳ Ἰωάννῃ ἐφέπεσθαι, καὶ Ἰησοῦ προσανέχειν, καὶ περισκοπεῖν τὰ τελούμενα. Οὕτω γὰρ ἂν ἴσως ἔξω τοῦ πειρασμοῦ ἐπεφύλακτο.

Ἐπεὶ δὲ ταῦτα μεθεὶς, τῇ πυρκαϊᾷ προσήγγισεν, ἣν ἀνῆψαν οἱ ὑπηρέται, καὶ τῷ τῶν ἐχθρῶν πυρὶ ἐθερμαίνετο, διὰ τοῦτο παιδίσκη τις φαύλη αὐτὸν ἐθορύβησεν.

Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ Πέτρος καὶ Ἰωάννης πρᾶξιν καὶ θεωρίαν αἰνίττονται, βοᾷ διὰ τούτων ἡ ἱστορία, ὡς ὅταν ἡ πρακτικὴ ἀρετὴ ἀφεῖσα τῇ θεωρίᾳ ἐφέπεσθαι, καὶ θεοπρεπῶς τὰ τῆς οἰκονομίας περισκοπεῖν, νυκτὶ καὶ ψύχει ἀγνοίας συσχεθεῖσα, πυρὶ ἀλλοτρίῳ διαθερμανθῆναι ἐπιζητεῖ, ὅπερ ἀνάπτουσιν οἱ ὑπηρέται τοῦ Σατανᾶ· τότε δὴ, τότε ῥᾳδίως ὑπὸ τῆς δούλης ἡδονῆς ὑποσύρεται, καὶ τρὶς ἀρνεῖται τὸν Κύριον.

Τὸ τε γὰρ λογιστικὸν ζωφοῦται, καὶ ὁ θυμὸς εἰς δειλίαν ἀγεννῆ κατασύρεται, καὶ ἡ ἐπιθυμία, ἀφεῖσα τῷ ἱμείρεσθαι τῷ Ἰησοῦ συναποθανεῖν, τὴν ζωὴν ταύτην ἐκλέγεται, καὶ οὕτως ἡ τριτὴ ἄρνησις γίνεται.

Πλὴν οὐ πάνυ τι κατέγνωστο τοῦ Πέτρου, ἡσθαι αὐτὸν τὰς ἀκτῖνας τοῦ Πνεύματος· «Οὐδεὶς γὰρ δύναται εἰπεῖν, Κύριον Ἰησοῦν, εἰ μὴ ἐν Πνεύματι ἁγίῳ.»

Οὔπω ἦν Πνεῦμα ἅγιον· καὶ γὰρ οὔπω Ἰησοῦς διὰ σταυροῦ ἐδεδόξαστο.

Τάχα δὲ καὶ ἀκόλουθον ἦν, τὸν ἐπιγνόντα Ἰησοῦν διὰ πίστεως, καὶ πάλιν ἐν τῇ αὐλῇ τοῦ σκιώδους νόμου ἐμμένοντα, καὶ τοῖς ὑπηρέταις τοῦ ἀποκτείναντος γράμματος ἑαυτὸν καταμιγνύοντα, ὑπὸ τῆς παιδίσκης τῆς νομικῆς, φημὶ, λατρείας πρὸς τὴν ἄρνησιν τῆς ἀληθείας ἐφέλκεσθαι, ἕως ἂν ὁ ἀποστολικὸς λόγος, ὁ μηνύων τὴν ἡμέραν τῆς πίστεως, καθάπερ ἀλέκτωρ φωνήσῃ, κεκραγὼς διαπρύσιον· «Ἡ νὺξ προέκοψεν, ἡ δὲ ἡμέρα ἤγγικεν.»

Καὶ τότε, ἐξελθὼν ἔξω τῆς τοῦ νόμου σκιᾶς, κλαύσει πικρῶς, τουτέστι τὴν πικρίαν τῶν νομικῶν παρατηρημάτων συνεκκενώσει τοῖς δάκρυσιν.

Οὕτω γὰρ καὶ Πέτρος οὐκ ἐν τῇ αὐλῇ μένων ἔκλαυσεν, ἀλλ᾽ ἐξελθὼν ἔξω τῶν πραγμάτων, καὶ λόγων, καὶ τόπων, τῶν ἀρνεῖσθαι ποιούντων τὸν Κύριον.

Ἀρνησαμένου γοῦν ἅπαξ τοῦ Πέτρου, ὁ ἀλέκτωρ ἐφώνησεν· ὅτε δὲ τὰς λοιπὰς δύο ἀρνήσεις ἐπήγαγε, τότε καὶ ὁ ἀλέκτωρ πάλιν ἐφώνησε, καὶ οὕτω δεῖ νοεῖν τὸ ὑπὸ τοῦ Μάρκου ῥηθέν· «Πρὶν ἀλέκτορα φωνῆσαι δὶς, τρὶς ἀπαρνήσῃ με.»

Ἀλλ᾽ ὁ μὲν Πέτρος, περιδεὴς ὢν, οὐκ ᾔσθετο ταχέως τοῦ πτώματος. Ὁ δὲ Κύριος στραφεὶς, ἐπεὶ οὐκ ἦν διὰ λόγου κατονειδίσαι, πρὸς ἀνάμνησιν ἄγει διὰ τοῦ βλέμματος.

Καὶ ὁ Πέτρος εὐθύς, ὡς ἂν ἐκ τῶν δακρύων μὴ κατάφορος γένηται καὶ μαθητὴς εἶναι ὑποπτευθῇ, ἐξελθὼν ἔξω τῆς ἀνόμων αὐλῆς, πικρῶς ὠλοφύρετο, τὴν ἐκ τῆς ἀρνήσεως πικρίαν γλυκαίνων τοῖς δάκρυσι.

Ταῦτα μὲν οὖν ἐν νυκτὶ διεπράττετο.

Πρωΐας δὲ γενομένης, συμβούλιον ἔλαβον πάντες οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς καὶ οἱ πρεσβύτεροι τοῦ λαοῦ κατὰ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ, ὥστε θανατῶσαι αὐτόν· καὶ δήσαντες ἀπήγαγον καὶ παρέδωκαν αὐτὸν Ποντίῳ Πιλάτῳ τῷ ἡγεμόνι.

Μὴ παρέλθωμεν ἀσκέπτως τὸ διὰ τῆς ἱστορίας δηλούμενον, πῶς οἱ μὲν μαθηταὶ σκανδαλισθέντες ἐν νυκτὶ οὐκ ἐκκρίνονται· φησὶ γὰρ ὁ Σωτήρ· «Πάντες ὑμεῖς σκανδαλισθήσεσθε ἐν τῇ νυκτὶ ταύτῃ.»

Ἀλλὰ καὶ Πέτρος νυκτὸς ἀρνεῖται, καὶ συγγινώσκεται· οὗτοι δὲ πρωΐας γενομένης παραδόντες τὸν Κύριον, ἀσύγγνωστοι μεμενήκασιν.

Ἐντεῦθεν διδασκόμεθα, ὡς τὰ μὲν ἐν ἀγνοίᾳ καὶ νεότητι σφάλματα, ὡς ἐν νυκτὶ καὶ σκότῳ πραττόμενα, εὐσύγγνωστα γίνεται· τὰ δὲ ἐν ἡλικίᾳ τελείᾳ, ὅτε ὁ λόγος ἐπιλάμψας, γνώσεως ἄξια κρίνεται.

Ἰουδαῖοι οὖν, παραδόντες Ῥωμαίοις τὸν Κύριον, ταῖς Ῥωμαίων πολιορκίαις αὐτοὶ παρεδόθησαν, καὶ τὰς τῶν προφητῶν ἀρὰς εἰς ἑαυτοὺς ἐπεσπάσαντο· «Καθὼς ἐποίησας», φησὶ πρὸς τὴν συναγωγὴν Ἀβδιοῦ, «οὕτως ἔσται σοι, καὶ τὸ ἀνταπόδομά σου εἰς κεφαλήν ἀνταποδοθήσεται.»

Ἄλλος δέ φησιν· «Οὐαὶ τῷ ἀνόμῳ· πονηρὰ κατὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ συμβήσεται αὐτῷ.»

«Ὁ μὲν οὖν Ἰησοῦς ἐνώπιον ἔστη τοῦ δικαστοῦ. Κατηγόρουν δὲ οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς ἀναίδην, πολλὰ συρράπτοντες ἀτοπήματα, καὶ ἡ Ὡσηὲ προφητεία πέρας ἐλάμβανεν· «Ἔκρυψαν οἱ ἱερεῖς ὁδὸν Κυρίου, ἐφόνευσαν Σίκυμα, ὅτι ἀνομίαν ἐποίησαν ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ Ἰσραήλ.»

Αὐτὸν δὲ πάντως τὸν Κύριον ὁ προφητικὸς λόγος ὠνόμασε Σίκυμα.

Ἀκούσας δὲ Πιλάτος ὅτι διαστρέφει τὸ ἔθνος, καὶ κωλύει Καίσαρι φόρους διδόναι, καὶ αὐτὸν Χριστὸν βασιλέα ἐπιφημίζει, ἐπερωτᾷ εἰ αὐτὸς εἴη τῶν Ἰουδαίων βασιλεύς, χώραν διδοὺς τὰς συκοφαντίας ἀποσκευάσασθαι.

Ὁ δὲ, ἵνα μὴ δόξῃ τῇ σιωπῇ τοῖς κατηγόροις συγκατατίθεσθαι, ἢ ἀρνησάμενος παράσχῃ δειλίας ὑπόληψιν, εὐφυῶς μάλα· «Σὺ εἶπας», φησί.

Καίτοι ἠδύνατο, δι᾽ ἀναντιῤῥήτων λόγων ἐνδείξασθαι, ὡς τούναντίον ἁπάντων συκοφαντουμένων εἰργάσατο· ποῦ γὰρ φόρους ἐκώλυσεν, εἰπών· «Ἀπόδοτε τὰ Καίσαρος Καίσαρι;»

Πότε δὲ ἦν αὐτῷ βασιλείας ἐγχείρησις; ἢ ὅτε τῶν ἄλλων ἐπιόντων, ὥστε βασιλέα ποιῆσαι αὐτόν, ἀφεὶς αὐτοὺς εἰς τὸ ὄρος εὐθὺς ἀνεχώρησεν;

Τί δὲ τυραννικὸν ὁρῶντες οἱ βδελυροὶ τοιαῦτα συνεῤῥάπτον;

Οὕτως ὑπερζέων ἦν ἐν αὐτοῖς ὁ φθόνος, ὁμοῦ καὶ θυμός, ὥστε ἀπίθανα καταφλυαρεῖν.

Πῶς δὲ καὶ ἀνασείει τὸν ὄχλον διδάσκων; Πρόσθες, ὦ συκοφάντα, καὶ τοὺς τῆς διδασκαλίας λόγους· ἀλλ᾽ ἐρυθριᾷς, ἵνα μὴ καὶ ὁ εἰδωλολάτρης Πιλάτος τὴν σὴν φωράσῃ φαυλότητα.

Ἀλλὰ δὴ καὶ πεφώρακας, καὶ ἐλέγχονται οἱ ἀνήμεροι, ἀνδρὸς Ἕλληνος ἀσέβειαν ὑπερβαίνοντες.

Ὁ μὲν γὰρ Πιλάτος ἐπετίμα, καὶ οἷον ἀπολογούμενος ἔλεγεν· «Οὐδεμίαν αἰτίαν εὑρίσκω ἐν αὐτῷ.»

Αὐτοὶ δὲ ἀτάκτως ἐκραύγαζον· «Ἆρον, ἆρον, σταύρωσον αὐτόν.»

Νικηθεὶς δὲ τοῖς θορύβοις, καὶ τὰς ἀπάκτους μὴ φέρων φωνάς, πέμπει αὐτὸν πρὸς Ἡρώδην, ἀκούσας ὅτι Γαλιλαῖός ἐστι.

Τάχα που καὶ ἀθέσμου δίκης ὑπεκστῶν ἑαυτόν, καὶ χύσιν ἀθώου αἵματος παραιτούμενος, ὃ δὴ καὶ ἐν τῇ τῶν χειρῶν νίψει ὁρᾶται πεποιηκώς.

Ἀλλ᾽ ἦν ἄρα Ἡρώδης χοιρώδης, καὶ φερωνύμως δερμάτινος.

Ἐχάρη γὰρ ἰδὼν τὸν Ἰησοῦν, οὐχ ὡς ὀφεληθησόμενος ὑπ᾽ αὐτοῦ, ἀλλ᾽ ὡς θέλων τι σημεῖον ἰδεῖν.

Ὥετο γὰρ αὐτὸν τινα τερατοποιὸν εἶναι, καὶ ἐπηρώτα ἐν λόγοις ἱκανοῖς, σοφιστικὰ συνείρων προβλήματα.

Ὁ δὲ Κύριος τὸ ἀκερδὲς καὶ εἰκαῖον τῶν ἐρωτήσεων, μηδὲν ἔχον ἄξιον ἀποκρίσεως, ἐλέγχει σιγῇ.

Ὅμως μέντοι καὶ Ἡρώδης, οὕτω τυγχάνων ἀμβλύς, καίτοι τῶν ἱερέων καὶ Γραμματέων εὐτόνως κατηγορούντων, ἐξουθένησε μὲν αὐτόν, τὴν φιλόσοφον χλευάσας σιγήν· διὰ μέντοι τοῦ λαμπρὰν ἐσθῆτα τούτῳ περιβαλεῖν, ἔοικε Πιλάτῳ συμμαρτυρεῖν, ὡς οὐδ᾽ αὐτὸς ὑπ᾽ αἰτίαν εὗρεν αὐτόν.

Διὸ καὶ ὁ ἡγεμὼν, σύμψηφον τὸν Ἡρώδην ἰδών, ἐπιτείνει τὴν ὁμολογίαν λέγων· «Οὐδὲν ἄξιον θανάτου ἐστὶ πεπραγμένον αὐτῷ.»

Ἐπεὶ δὲ καθ᾽ ἑορτὴν εἰώθει ἕνα δέσμιον χαρίζεσθαι τῷ λαῷ, λαμβάνει τὸ ἔθος συνεργὸν τοῦ βουλεύματος, καὶ μονονουχὶ τοῦτό φησιν· Ἐγὼ μὲν ἀνεύθυνον ἄνδρα ὁρῶ, εἰ καὶ ὑπεύθυνός ἐστιν, ὡς φατε, καὶ οὕτω διὰ τὸ ἔθος ἐλευθερωτέον αὐτόν.

Οἱ δὲ κοινῇ πάντες ὑλάκτησαν, θορύβου πλήσαντες τὸ πραιτώριον, καὶ βοῶντες· «Μὴ τοῦτον, ἀλλὰ τὸν Βαραββᾶν.»

Καὶ ἵνα χρήσωμαι τῇ τοῦ μεγάλου Πέτρου φωνῇ· «Τὸν ἅγιον καὶ δίκαιον ἠρνήσαντο, ᾐτήσαντο δὲ ἄνδρα φονέα χαρισθῆναι αὐτοῖς», τῆς ἐκείνου μερίδος ποιοῦντες ἑαυτοὺς κοινωνούς.

Ἐρωτωμένου δὲ Πιλάτου· «Τί οὖν ποιήσω Ἰησοῦν τὸν λεγόμενον Χριστόν;» αὖθις οἱ θεοστυγεῖς ἐκραύγασαν· «Σταυρωθήτω, σταυρωθήτω.»

Ἐπεθύμουν γὰρ σταυρῶσαι αὐτόν, ἵνα καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ τρόπου τῆς τελευτῆς ὑποπεσεῖν νομισθῇ δημοσίοις ἐγκλήμασι.

Κατηγοροῦσι δὲ καὶ τοῦ νόμου οἱ νομοκάπηλοι, καὶ φασίν· «Ἡμεῖς νόμον ἔχομεν, καὶ κατὰ τὸν νόμον ἡμῶν ὀφείλει ἀποθανεῖν.»

Ὁ γοῦν Πιλάτος, παντοίως ὑπεκστῶν ἑαυτὸν τῆς ἀδίκου σφαγῆς· «Λάβετε αὐτὸν ὑμεῖς, καὶ κατὰ τὸν νόμον ὑμῶν, φησί, κρίνατε αὐτόν.»

Μονονουχὶ λέγων· Εἰ ὁ νόμος ὑμῶν εὐήθης ἐστίν, ὡς κολάζειν καὶ τὸν ἀναίτιον, χρήσασθε τῷ ἀποτόμῳ νόμῳ ὑμῶν.

Τί οὖν οἱ παραπλῆγες καὶ θεομισεῖς; «Ἡμῖν οὐκ ἔξεστιν ἀποκτεῖναι οὐδένα.»

Καὶ μὴν φαίνονται καὶ Στέφανον καταλεύσαντες, καὶ Ἰάκωβον ἀνελόντες τὸν δίκαιον.

Ἀλλὰ ταῦτ᾽ ἔφασαν, ἐπειδὴ σταυρῶσαι αὐτοῖς οὐκ ἐξῆν, ἀλλὰ τῇ ἐξουσίᾳ Ῥωμαίων ἦν τὸ ἀνασταυροῦν.

Ἔδει δὲ κἀνταῦθα λόγον πληρωθῆναι τοῦ Ἰησοῦ, ὃν εἶπε τοῖς μαθηταῖς, ὅτι παραδοθήσεται τοῖς ἔθνεσι καὶ ἀποκτανθήσεται.

Διὰ τοῦτο ὁ Ἰωάννης φησίν· «Ἵνα ὁ λόγος τοῦ Ἰησοῦ πληρωθῇ, σημαίνων ποίῳ θανάτῳ ἔμελλεν ἀποθνήσκειν.»

Πάλιν οὖν ἠρώτησεν ὁ Πιλάτος τὸν Ἰησοῦν· «Πόθεν εἶ;» Ὁ δὲ, ὡς οὐ χωρητὴν οὖσαν αὐτῷ τὴν ἀπόκρισιν, ἀπαναίνεται, καὶ αὖθις σιγᾷ.

Τί οὖν ὁ Πιλάτος; «Ἐμοὶ οὐ λαλεῖς; οὐκ οἶδας ὅτι ἐξουσίαν ἔχω σταυρῶσαί σε, καὶ ἐξουσίαν ἔχω ἀπολῦσαί σε;»

Ὁ μὲν τῇ Ῥωμαϊκῇ ἐξουσίᾳ θρύπτεται, ὁ δὲ Σωτὴρ τὴν τοῦ Πατρὸς εὐδοκίαν προβάλλεται· «Οὐκ εἶχες ἐξουσίαν οὐδεμίαν, εἰ μὴ ἦν σοι δεδομένον ἄνωθεν», δεδομένον τὸ συγκεχωρημένον εἰπών.

Ἐκεῖνο δὲ πόσης καταπλήξεως ἔμπλεων ἦν, ὅτι τῷ μὲν δικαστῇ οὐκ ἀπεκρίνατο πολλὰ, τῇ δὲ γυναικὶ αὐτοῦ χρηματίζων πτοίας καὶ ταραχῆς ἐνεπίμπλα πολλῆς, ἵνα τῇ μὲν σιωπῇ τὴν ἀνδρείαν ὁ Πιλάτος τοῦ κρινομένου καταπλαγῇ, παρὰ δὲ τῆς ὁμοζύγου βεβαιωθῇ, ὡς οὐ ψιλὸν ἄνθρωπον κρίνει, ἀλλὰ καὶ Θεόν.

Οὐχ ὁρᾷ δὲ Πιλάτος τὸ ὄραμα, ἵνα μὴ κατοῤῥωδήσας ἀπολύσῃ αὐτόν, καὶ τὰ τῆς οἰκονομίας οὐ τελεσθῇ· οὐ γὰρ ἵνα μὴ πάθῃ Χριστός ἐδείχθη, ἀλλ᾽ ἵνα σωθῇ ἡ γυνή, ἀξία οὖσα, ὡς ἔοικε, τοιαύτης ἀποκαλύψεως, καὶ τῆς Ἐκκλησίας ὁ τύπος δειχθῇ.

Συννῴκει μὲν γὰρ καὶ αὐτὴ τῷ νοητῷ Πιλάτῳ, τῷ νόμῳ τῷ φυσικῷ, ἀλλ᾽ ὕστερον ᾠκειώθη Χριστῷ.

Ἐλέγχεται γε μὴν ὁ Πιλάτος εὐήθης τις ὢν καὶ ψοφοδεής. Λαβὼν γὰρ ὕδωρ ἐνίψατο, καὶ τούτου φόνου δίκην, τό γε δοκεῖν, ἀπεκλύζετο, λόγῳ μὲν ἀθωῶν ἑαυτόν, ἔργῳ δὲ προκρίνων τοῦ δικαίου τὴν ἀνθρωπίνην αἰδῶ.

Ἡ δὲ τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἀθλία πληθύς τὸ δίκαιον αἷμα οὐ μόνον κατὰ τῆς ἰδίας ἐπέγραψε κεφαλῆς, ἀλλὰ καὶ τῶν τέκνων αὐτῶν.

Ἔφαντο γάρ· «Τὸ αἷμα αὐτοῦ ἐφ᾽ ἡμᾶς καὶ ἐπὶ τὰ τέκνα ἡμῶν.»

Καὶ δὴ ταύτης ἐνδίκως τῆς ἀρᾶς παραπήλαυσαν, μαχαίρᾳ κατακοπέντες Ῥωμαϊκῇ.

Ὅτι δὲ καὶ ὁ Πιλάτος οὐ πάντη ἀνέγκλητος, ἔδειξεν εἰπὼν ὁ Σωτήρ· «Διὰ τοῦτο ὁ παραδιδούς με σοι μείζονα ἁμαρτίαν ἔχει.»

Ὁ μὲν οὖν Πιλάτος παρέδωκεν αὐτὸν, ἵνα σταυρωθῇ· ὁ δὲ τολμητίας Ἰούδας, ἕως μὲν ἑώρα κρινόμενον τὸν Σωτῆρα, οὐ μετεβάλλετο· ᾤετο γάρ, ὡς ἐπὶ βραχὺ χλευάσαντες αὐτόν, ὕστερον ἀπολύσουσιν.

Ἰδὼν δὲ ὅτι κατεκρίθη, καὶ τοῖς στρατιώταις ἦν ἔκδοτος, καταξαινόμενος ὑπὸ τοῦ συνειδότος, αἰδοῦς τε καὶ λύπης ἐν μεταιχμίῳ γενόμενος, καὶ τοὺς παρὰ πάντων ὀνειδισμοὺς, ὡς εἰκός, λογιζόμενος, ῥίπτει ἐν τῷ ναῷ τὰ ἀργύρια, ἡμαρτηκέναι ὁμολογῶν, καὶ ἀπάγχεται.

Τινὲς δὲ φασίν, ὡς διὰ τοῦτο ἀπήγξατο, οἰηθεὶς προλαβεῖν τὸν Κύριον τεθνηξόμενον, καὶ τυχεῖν ἐν Ἅδου γυμνῇ τῇ ψυχῇ, καὶ αἰτῆσαι συγχώρησιν.

Ἀλλ᾽ ἔδει τὸν ἠλίθιον συναπορρίψαι τοῖς ἀργυρίοις καὶ τὴν ἀπόγνωσιν, καὶ μιμήσασθαι τοῦ Πέτρου τὴν μετάνοιαν.

Οὐ γὰρ ἂν ἀπέστρεψεν αὐτὸν ὁ μηδὲ ἐν τῇ ἀγχόνῃ συγχωρήσας τοῦτον ἀποθανεῖν, ἀλλ᾽ οἰκονομήσας ἐκραγῆναι τὸν βρόχον, ὥστε αὐτὸν ἐλθεῖν εἰς συναίσθησιν· οὐ γὰρ ἐν τῇ ἀγχόνῃ, ἀλλ᾽ ὕστερον λακήσας ἀπέθανεν, ὡς ἡ βίβλος διδάσκει τῶν Πράξεων.

Οἱ μέντοι θεοσύλαι καὶ θεοκάπηλοι ἀρχιερεῖς, εὐποιίαν δοκοῦντες ποιεῖν, τὸν ἀγρὸν τοῦ κεραμέως εἰς ταφὴν τοῖς ξένοις ὠνήσαντο, τῆς ἑαυτῶν ἀσεβείας οἷα στήλην ἀθάνατον στήσαντες, καὶ ἅμα τὴν Ἱερεμίου προφητείαν περαίνοντες·

«Καὶ ἔλαβον τὰ τριάκοντα ἀργύρια, τὴν τιμὴν τοῦ τετιμημένου, ὧν ἐτιμήσαντο ἀπὸ υἱῶν Ἰσραήλ, καὶ ἔδωκαν αὐτὰ εἰς τὸν ἀγρὸν τοῦ κεραμέως.»

Ἀλλ᾽ ἴδωμεν καὶ τὰ τῶν στρατιωτῶν παροινήματα, ὅπως τε τοῦ θείου σώματος ἕκαστον μέλος ἐνύβριζον· τοὺς πόδας ἐκ τοῦ γονυπετεῖν, τὰς χεῖρας διὰ τοῦ καλάμου, ἐκ δὲ τοῦ στεφάνου καὶ τῶν κολαφισμάτων τὴν κεφαλήν.

Ἔστι δὲ κολαφισμός, τὸ κοίλῃ χειρὶ τύπτειν τὸν τένοντα, ὡς ψόφον γίνεσθαι διὰ τῆς πληγῆς ἐπὶ γέλωτι.

Ταῦτα δὲ ἐποίουν οἱ στρατιῶται, οὐκ ἐξ ἐπιτάγματος τοῦ Πιλάτου, ἀλλὰ τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις οἱ μιαροὶ χαριζόμενοι.

Πάντας γὰρ ἄθλους διήγειρεν ὁ διάβολος, τέρψιν οἰσμένους τὰ εἰς Χριστὸν παροινήματα.

Ὡς δ᾽ ἐπὶ τυραννίᾳ καὶ καταγνωσθέντι, καὶ χλαμύδα περιβάλλουσιν αὐτῷ οἱ φονικοὶ φοινικήν.

Εἰ δ᾽ ὁ μὲν τῶν εὐαγγελιστῶν χλαμύδα κοκκίνην, οἱ δὲ πορφύραν φασίν, οὐδέν τι καινόν· συμβολικῶς γὰρ καὶ ἡ πορφύρα καὶ τὸ κόκκινον βασιλέα τοῦ παντὸς αὐτὸν μαρτυρεῖ.

Ἐξεδύσατο μὲν γὰρ τὰ ἱμάτια, ἐκδύων τὸν Ἀδὰμ τοὺς δερματίνους χιτῶνας τοὺς τῆς νεκρώσεως.

Ἐπειδὴ δὲ τοῖς τῶν εἰδωλικῶν θυσιῶν αἵμασιν ἡ γῆ ἐπεφοίνικτο, τὴν πορφύραν περιχλαινίζεται.

Ἐκκαθαίρων δὲ τὰς τῆς ἁμαρτίας ἀκάνθας, ἃς ἐβλάστησεν ἡ παράβασις, φορεῖ τὸν ἀκάνθινον στέφανον.

Κρατεῖ δὲ τὸν κάλαμον, ἀναιρῶν τὸ τῆς δουλείας χειρόγραφον.

Καὶ ἐπειδὴ τὸν νοητὸν ἐδίωκε δράκοντα, λαμβάνει τὸν κάλαμον, τὸν ἀναιρετικὸν τῶν ὄφεων ὄργανον· φασὶ γὰρ ταῖς τῶν καλάμων πληγαῖς τοὺς ὄφεις μάλιστα καταράσσεσθαι.

Τότε μὲν οὖν ταῦτα οἱ στρατιῶται κατεκερτόμουν.

Ἐγὼ δὲ δέδοικα μή καὶ νῦν εἰσί τινες ἐν τῇ ἐκκλησίᾳ γονυπετοῦντες ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ Ἰησοῦ, καὶ ἐμπαίζοντες.

Οἱ γὰρ ἐν ὑποκρίσει τὴν ἀρετὴν μετερχόμενοι, ἢ μὴ εὐδιαθέτως τῷ μυστηρίῳ τῆς πίστεως προσανέχοντες, οὐ μοι δοκοῦσιν ἀπεοικέναι τοῖς τότε διὰ τὸ γονυπετεῖν κερτομοῦσι τὸν Κύριον.

Οἱ μὲν οὖν ἐναγεῖς παλαμναῖοι, τοσαῦτα ὑβρίσαντες καὶ ἐμπαίξαντες, ἀπήγαγον εἰς τὸ σταυρῶσαι, καὶ οἷα κατακρίτῳ τὸ τοῦ σταυροῦ ξύλον ἐπιφορτίζουσιν, ὡς ἂν κἀνταῦθα Ἠσαΐας ἐρῇ· «Οὗ ἡ ἀρχὴ ἐγενήθη ἐπὶ τοῦ ὤμου αὐτοῦ», καὶ «αὐτὸς τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἡμῶν ἐβάστασε, καὶ τὰς νόσους ἰάσατο».

Ἔδει γὰρ, ἔδει αὐτὸν ἐν αὐτῷ τὴν τοῦ νόμου κατάραν ἀκέσασθαι.

Ἀλλὰ γὰρ καὶ Ἰσαάκ, τυπῶν τὸ πάθος τοῦ Ἰησοῦ, αὐτὸς τὰ τῆς ὁλοκαρπώσεως ξύλα ἐβάστασε· κἀπειδὴ γοῦν τὸ πρωτοτυπωθὲν ἀνεπλήρωσε, τότε ὁ Κυρηναῖος Σίμων ἀγγαρευθεὶς ὑπουργεῖ τῷ βαστάγματι.

Οὐ συντυχικὴ δὲ γέγονε τοῦ Σίμωνος ἡ ἀγγάρευσις, ἀλλ᾽ ὅτι ἐκεῖνον προώριστο διακονῆσαι τῷ προστάγματι.

Ἐπειδὴ γὰρ Σίμων ὑπακοή ἑρμηνεύεται, Κυρηναῖος δὲ ἡτοιμότης (ἡ δὲ Κυρήνη μία ἐστὶ τῶν τῆς Πενταπόλεως), διδάσκει τὸ αἴνιγμα, ὡς ὁ πρὸς τὴν εὐαγγελικὴν ὑπακοὴν γενόμενος ἕτοιμος, διὰ τῶν αἰσθήσεων αἴρει τὸν σταυρὸν τῆς πρακτικῆς ἀρετῆς, καὶ ἀκολουθεῖ τῷ Χριστῷ, μετὰ Παύλου βοῶν· «Ἐγὼ τῷ κόσμῳ ἐσταύρωμαι».

Ἐφείποντο δὲ καὶ γυναῖκες μαθήτριαι, καὶ τὴν ἄδικον κρίσιν κατεβόων, καὶ ὠλοφύροντο.

Ὧν τὴν ἄκαιρον συμπάθειαν ἐπιτιμῶν ὁ Σωτὴρ κωλύει θρηνεῖν, καί φησι· «Θυγατέρες Ἱερουσαλήμ, μὴ κλαίετε ἐπ᾽ ἐμέ».

Οὐ γὰρ ἀκούσιον ἦν τὸ πάθος, ὡς δέεσθαι παρακλήσεως.

Προαναφωνεῖ δὲ καὶ τὰ ἐσόμενα σφίσιν, ἐκ τῆς πολιορκίας κακά, ὅτε ἄρδην οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι ἀπώλοντο· «Ἰδοὺ ἔρχονται ἡμέραι, ἐν αἷς ἐροῦσι· Μακαρίαι αἱ στεῖραι, καὶ αἱ κοιλίαι αἱ οὐκ ἐγέννησαν, καὶ μαστοὶ οἱ οὐκ ἐθήλασαν».

Τότε γὰρ καὶ ἡ ἀπαιδία ἐλογίζετο ἄμεινον, καὶ τὸ ὑπὸ βουνοῖς ἐγκεκρύφθαι, καὶ ὄρεσιν.

«Εἰ γὰρ ἐν τῷ ὑγρῷ ξύλῳ ταῦτα, φησίν, ποιοῦσιν, ἐν τῷ ξηρῷ τί γένηται;»

Ὑγρὸν ξύλον καλεῖ ἑαυτόν· ἦν γὰρ ξύλον ἀληθῶς ζωῆς, εὔκαρπον καὶ χλωρόν, καρπὸν φέρων, ἃ ἐπετέλει θεοσημείας, καὶ τὴν τῆς διδασκαλίας γλυκύτητα.

Εἰ οὖν εἰς ἐμὲ, φησίν, οἱ Ῥωμαῖοι τοιαῦτα πεπαρῳνήκασιν, ὑπὸ Ἰουδαίων λαβόντες ἔκδοτον, τί ἂν εἰς αὐτοὺς δράσαιεν, ὡς ξηρὸν ξύλον τυγχάνοντας, διὰ τὴν ἐνοῦσαν σφίσιν δυσσέβειαν;

Σταυροῦσι γοῦν αὐτὸν ἐν τῷ Γολγοθᾷ, ἐν ᾧ καὶ τετάφθαι λέγεται τὸ σῶμα τοῦ Ἀδὰμ, ὡς ἂν τῷ πάθει τοῦ νέου Ἀδάμ ὁ παλαιὸς ἀναστῇ παλιγγενής.

Ὁ μὲν οὖν Μάρκος τρίτην ὥραν ἐσταυρῶσθαι τοῦτον φησί, ὑποδηλῶν καὶ τὴν ὥραν τῆς ἀποφάσεως.

Οἱ λοιποὶ δὲ ἕκτην ἔφασαν ὥραν, αὐτὴν ἐκείνην σημαίνοντες καθ᾽ ἣν ἡ νοητὴ ἄμπελος τῷ σταυρικῷ χάρακι ἀπῃώριστο.

Διαφόρως δὲ τῶν εὐαγγελιστῶν συγγραψαμένων τὰ πεπραγμένα, καὶ τοῦ μὲν ὅξος καὶ χολὴν εἰπόντος προσενεχθῆναι αὐτῷ, τοῦ δὲ οἶνον ἐσμυρνισμένον, ἄλλου δὲ ὅξος ἁπλῶς, οὐ χρὴ διαφωνίαν λογίζεσθαι· ἐν γὰρ ἀταξίᾳ τοσούτου στρατοῦ πολλῶν παροινούντων, καὶ πλείονα τῶν ἱστορηθέντων γεγόνασι.

Πολλῶν δὲ ὄντων θανάτου τρόπων, τὸν διὰ σταυροῦ ἐπάρατον θάνατον κατεδέξατο.

Φησὶ γὰρ ὁ νόμος· «Ἐπικατάρατος πᾶς ὁ κρεμάμενος ἐν ξύλῳ»· ὁ γοῦν δι᾽ ἑαυτοῦ τὰ ἡμέτερα τεθεραπευκώς, εἰ μὴ ἐγεγόνει κατάρα, πῶς ἔμελλε τὴν ἡμετέραν κατάραν ἀκέσασθαι;

Καὶ ἄλλως δὲ ὁ σταυρὸς τετραχῆ μεριζόμενος τοῦ σταυρωθέντος ἐδήλου τὴν διὰ πάντων διήκουσαν δύναμιν.

Διὰ γὰρ τοῦ τετραμεροῦς σταυροῦ συνῆξε τοὺς ἀπωσμένους ἀπὸ τῶν τεσσάρων πτερύγων τῆς γῆς κατὰ τὴν τοῦ Ἡσαΐου φωνήν.

Ἵνα γοῦν διὰ σταυροῦ πρὸς μίαν πίστιν ἅπαντα συναχθῇ, ὁ δι᾽ αὐτοῦ προτετίμηται θάνατος.

Τότε δὴ οὖν καὶ τῶν προφητῶν ἐπεραίνετο τὰ ἱερὰ προκηρύγματα· τοῦ μὲν Δαβίδ· «Ἔδωκαν εἰς τὸ βρῶμά μου χολὴν, καὶ εἰς τὴν δίψαν μου ἐπότισάν με ὅξος»· Ἡσαΐου δὲ· «Αὐτὸς ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν ὀδυνᾶται· καὶ εἴδομεν αὐτόν, καὶ οὔτε εἶδος εἶχεν, οὔτε κάλλος»· Ζαχαρίου δὲ· «Τί αὗται αἱ πληγαὶ ἀναμέσον τῶν χειρῶν σου;»

Συσταυροῦσι δὲ αὐτῷ καὶ δύο λῃστάς, ἐφ᾽ ὕβρει μὲν, ὡς ἐνόμιζον· οὐ μὴν οὐδὲ τοῦτο ἦν τοῖς προφήταις ἀπαγόρευτον, εἰποῦσιν ἐμφαντικώτατα· «Καὶ μετὰ ἀνόμων ἐλογίσθη».

Καὶ ἅμα προδήλωσις ἦν τοῦτο τῶν δύο λαῶν, ἡμῶν τε τῶν ἐξ ἐθνῶν πιστευσάντων, κἀκείνων τῶν ἐκ περιτομῆς· ἀμφότεροι γὰρ ἦμεν ἄνομοι, καὶ σφίσι λῃσταί· οἱ μὲν παραβάται τοῦ νόμου τοῦ φυσικοῦ, οἱ δὲ πρὸς τούτῳ καὶ τοῦ γραπτοῦ.

Καὶ ἐπέθηκαν τὴν αἰτίαν ἐπάνω τῆς κεφαλῆς αὐτοῦ γεγραμμένην· «Οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ βασιλεὺς τῶν Ἰουδαίων.»

Ἐπειδὴ μὴ προσῆν αὐτῷ ἔγκλημα, τυραννικὴν αὐτῷ ἐπίθεσιν προσάψαι βουλόμενοι, γραφῆναι τὸν τίτλον παρεσκεύασαν.

Ἀλλ᾽ ὁ Πιλάτος, στηλητεύων αὐτῶν τὸ κακόηθες, καὶ ὥσπερ ἀπολογούμενος, ὡς ἂν μὴ τις κοινωνὸν αὐτὸν τοῖς λῃσταῖς οἰηθῇ, ὥσπερ τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις σπούδασμα ἦν, διὰ τῆς τοῦ τίτλου ἐπιγραφῆς ἐπιφράττει τούτων τὰ στόματα, ὡς ἐπὶ τροπαίου τινὸς ἀναστηλώσας τὰ γράμματα· καὶ αὐτοὺς μὲν καταισχύνων ὅτι τῷ σφῶν βασιλεῖ ἐπανέστησαν, αὐτὸν δὲ ἐπ᾽ οὐδεμιᾷ αἰτίᾳ παθόντα δεικνύς· καὶ οὐ μιᾷ γλώττῃ, ἀλλὰ τρισὶν ἁπάσαις φωναῖς τὴν Ἰουδαίων μανίαν δηλῶν.

Ὠκονόμητο δὲ ἡ τοῦ τίτλου γραφή, ἵνα ὕστερον ὁ τοῦ Κυρίου σταυρὸς μηνυθῇ· ἄτιτλοι γὰρ ἦσαν οἱ τῶν λῃστῶν.

Ἡ μέντοι τριχὴ τοῦ τίτλου γραφή, ἔδειξε τὸν σταυρωθέντα βασιλέα προακτικῆς, καὶ φυσικῆς, καὶ θεολογικῆς φιλοσοφίας.

Ῥωμαῖοι μὲν ὡς ἀνδρικώτεροι, τῆς πρακτικῆς εἰσὶ σύμβολον ὅλον· Ἕλληνες δὲ τῆς φυσικῆς, ὡς ἐνταῦθα ἐνασχολούμενοι· διὰ δὲ τοῦ Ἑβραϊστὶ ἡ θεολογία δέδεικται, ὡς ἀνατιθέντων Ἑβραίων ἀνέκαθεν τῷ Θεῷ.

Οἱ δὲ παραπορευόμενοι ἐβλασφήμουν αὐτόν, κινοῦντες τὰς κεφαλὰς αὐτῶν καὶ λέγοντες· «Ὁ καταλύων τὸν ναὸν, καὶ ἐν τρισὶν ἡμέραις οἰκοδομῶν, σῶσον σεαυτόν. Εἰ Υἱὸς εἶ τοῦ Θεοῦ, κατάβηθι ἀπὸ τοῦ σταυροῦ.»

Τὸ δ᾽ αὐτὸ καὶ οἱ λῃσταί, οἱ συσταυρωθέντες αὐτῷ.

Πρώην μὲν πειράσας ἐν τῷ ὄρει τὸν Κύριον ὁ διάβολος, καὶ λαμπρῶς ἡττηθεὶς, ἀπέστη αὐτοῦ ἕως καιροῦ, φησὶν ὁ Λουκᾶς, τὸν ἄχρι πάθους σημαίνων καιρόν· κατὰ γὰρ τὸ πάθος ῥαγδαῖος ἐπεισέφρησεν, οἷά τις ἀνυπόστατος θύελλα, πειρασμοῖς ἀλλεπαλλήλοις ἀδιαστάτως πολεμῶν αὐτῷ.

Προδότην γενέσθαι παρασκευάσας τὸν μαθητήν, φυγάδας δὲ τοὺς λοιποὺς μαθητάς, ἔξαρνον τῶν πάντων θερμότατον Πέτρον· εἶτα ἐξέμηνε τοὺς Γραμματεῖς, διήγειρε τοὺς ὄχλους, ἠγρίωσε τοὺς ὑπηρέτας, τὸν δικαστὴν ὑπεχάλασεν, αὐτῶν τῶν συσταυρωθέντων τὰς γλώσσας ὑπέθηξε.

Καὶ πληρώσας ὅπερ ἔσπευδεν, ἐπεὶ ἑώρα μακροθύμως ἅπαντα στέγοντα, προσβάλλει καὶ ἐν αὐτῷ τῷ σταυρῷ, παρασκευάσας τοὺς παραπορευομένους βλασφημεῖν καὶ λαλεῖν· «Εἰ Υἱὸς εἶ τοῦ Θεοῦ, κάτελθε ἀπὸ τοῦ σταυροῦ.»

Τοῦτο κἀν τῷ ὄρει φθέγγετο· «Εἰ Υἱὸς εἶ τοῦ Θεοῦ, εἰπὲ ἵνα οἱ λίθοι οὗτοι ἄρτοι γένωνται.» Καὶ αὖθις· «Εἰ Υἱὸς εἶ τοῦ Θεοῦ, βάλλε σεαυτὸν κάτω.»

Καὶ νῦν διὰ τῶν ἀσεβῶν στομάτων συνῳδὰ πάλιν λαλεῖ· «Εἰ Υἱὸς εἶ τοῦ Θεοῦ, κάτελθε ἀπὸ τοῦ σταυροῦ.»

Ὁρῶν γὰρ τὰ σημεῖα, ἐδεδίει μή ποτε Θεὸς ἦν ὅπερ ἦν, καὶ ἐρεθίζει αὐτὸν καταβῆναι ἀπὸ τοῦ σταυροῦ, ὡς ἂν τῆς οἰκονομίας ἀνατραπῇ τὸ κεφάλαιον.

Ἀλλ᾽ ὁ Σωτὴρ τὸ δέλεαρ ἐπιγνοὺς, καὶ ἀναγνωρίσας τὸν πρότερον πειραστήν, ἀνάξιον τε κρίνας βασιλέως πείθεσθαι παρὰ τὸν ὀρθὸν λόγον προστάττουσιν, ἐκκλίνει τὸν ἀπατεῶνα φενακισμόν.

Τῶν μέντοι λῃστῶν θάτερος εὐαισθητότερος ὤν, καὶ συνιδεῖν τὸ δέον ὀξύτερος, ἐκ τῶν ὁρωμένων θαυμάτων ἐλθὼν εἰς συναίσθησιν, ἁρπάζει τὴν σωτηρίαν, καὶ τῷ μὲν βλασφημοῦντι ἐπιτιμᾷ, βασιλέα δὲ καὶ Κύριον ὁμολογεῖ τὸν Χριστόν, καὶ τὴν ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ μνήμην αἰτεῖ, καὶ δωρεᾶς αὐτίκα τυγχάνει θεοπρεποῦς.

Φησὶ γὰρ πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁ Σωτήρ· «Ἀμὴν, ἀμὴν λέγω σοι, σήμερον μετ᾽ ἐμοῦ ἔσῃ ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ.»

Ἀλλ᾽ ἐνταῦθα πολλή τις διαφωνία γέγονε τοῖς ἐξηγηταῖς.

Οἱ μὲν γάρ φασιν· Οὔπω τοῦ παραδείσου τετύχηκεν ὁ λῃστής· ἦν γὰρ τοῦτο ἥκιστα πρέπον, τοῦ Παύλου διαῤῥήδην περὶ τῶν ἀπ᾽ αἰῶνος ἁγίων εἰπόντος, ὡς οὐκ ἐκομίσαντο τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν τοῦ Θεοῦ, περὶ ἡμῶν κρεῖττόν τι προβλεψαμένου, ἵνα μὴ χωρὶς ἡμῶν τελειωθῶσι.

Τὸ γάρ τοι· «Σήμερον μετ᾽ ἐμοῦ ἔσῃ ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ» οὐκ ἐναντιοῦται, φασί, τῷ νοήματι.

Διὰ γὰρ τὸ ἀδιάπτωτον τῆς ἐπαγγελίας, τὸ «σήμερον» εἴρηται, ὡς τὸ τοῖς πρωτοπλάστοις ῥηθέν· «ᾗ δ᾽ ἂν ἡμέρᾳ φάγητε ἀπ᾽ αὐτοῦ, ἀποθανεῖσθε.»

Ἄλλοι δὲ καὶ τὸ ῥητὸν τεμαχίζουσιν, ὑποστίζοντες εἰς τὸ «σήμερον»· εἶτα ἐπιφέρουσιν ἀπ᾽ ἄλλης ἀρχῆς· «Ἔσῃ μετ᾽ ἐμοῦ ἐν τῷ παραδείσῳ», ὡς εἰς τὸ μέλλον ἀφορᾶν τὴν ὑπόσχεσιν.

Ἄλλοι δὲ τἀναντία τούτων ἀποφαινόμενοι, αὐτίκα τὸν λῃστὴν κεκληρωκέναι φασὶ τὴν Ἐδέμ, καὶ μάρτυρας τοῦ λόγου παριστῶσι τοὺς ἱεροὺς μελοποιοὺς.

Ὧν ὁ μὲν θεῖος Κοσμᾶς οὕτω φησί· «Μία ὑπῆρχεν ἡ ἐν τῷ ᾅδῃ ἀχώριστος, καὶ ἐν τάφῳ, καὶ ἐν τῇ Ἐδὲμ θεότης Χριστοῦ.»

Συνῳδὰ δὲ καὶ ὁ ἐκ τῆς Δαμασκοῦ λαλεῖ ποιητής· «Ἐν τάφῳ σωματικῶς, ἐν ἄδου δὲ μετὰ ψυχῆς ὡς Θεός· ἐν παραδείσῳ δὲ μετὰ λῃστοῦ, καὶ ἐν θρόνῳ ὑπῆρχες, Χριστέ, μετὰ Πατρὸς καὶ Πνεύματος, πάντα πληρῶν ὁ ἀπερίγραπτος.»

Τὴν δὲ ἀποστολικὴν ἀπόφασιν, τὸ «Οὐκ ἐκομίσαντο τὴν ἐπαγγελίαν τοῦ Θεοῦ», ῥητορικώτερον ἑρμηνεύουσι, φάμενοι ὡς τὰ ἐπηγγελμένα τοῖς ἁγίοις ἀγαθά βασιλεία ἐστὶν οὐρανῶν, καὶ τὰ ἐν αὐτῇ, ἃ ὀφθαλμὸς οὐκ εἶδε, οὔτε οὖς ἤκουσε· τὸν παράδεισον δὲ καὶ οἱ ὀφθαλμοὶ εἶδον τῶν ἀρχηγῶν τοῦ γένους ἡμῶν, καὶ τὰ ὦτα ἤκουσαν.

Οὐκοῦν ἀπίθανον καὶ τὸν λῃστὴν νῦν μὲν εἰληφέναι τὴν ὑμνουμένην Ἐδέμ, ἐν δὲ τῷ μέλλοντι τῆς ἄνω βασιλείας τυχεῖν.

Ἡμεῖς δὲ τούτοις οὐ διαφερόμεθα· ἐκ τῶν πατρικῶν δὲ μυηθέντες φωνῶν, αἰσθητὸν εἶναι καὶ νοητὸν τὸν παράδεισον, ἀκολούθως εἰσῳκίσθαι λέγομεν τοῦ λῃστοῦ τὴν ψυχὴν ἐν τῷ νοουμένῳ μέρει τοῦ παραδείσου.

Πῶς γὰρ ἂν αἰσθητὸς τόπος διαιτῴη τὴν νοερὰν οὐσίαν, καὶ ὑπὲρ αἴσθησιν;

Οὕτω γὰρ δείκνυται πληρουμένη καὶ ἡ τοῦ Δεσπότου ὑπόσχεσις, καὶ ἡ μαρτυρία τῶν ἱερῶν ποιητῶν.

Ὑμνεῖ δὲ, ὅ εἶπον, ἐναργέστερον ἄλλου ποιήματος καλλιέπεια οὕτω λέγουσα· «Τὸν ἐν τῷ σταυρῷ λῃστὴν ἐπιγνόντα σε Θεὸν, κληρονόμον εἰργάσω νοητοῦ παραδείσου.»

Ἀπὸ δὲ ἕκτης ὥρας ἕως ἑννάτης, σκότος ἐγένετο ἐπὶ πᾶσαν τὴν γῆν.

Ἐπειδὴ κατὰ τὴν ἕκτην ὥραν ἔκτισται ὁ Ἀδάμ, ἀκόλουθον ἦν, καὶ κατὰ τὴν ἕκτην ἀναπλασθῆναι αὐτὸν διὰ τοῦ πάθους τοῦ Χριστοῦ.

Ἐν ἕκτῃ δὲ ὥρᾳ γεγονυίας τῆς παραβάσεως, κατ᾽ αὐτὴν γίνεται καὶ ἡ ἐπανόρθωσις.

Ἀλλ᾽ ἡ κτίσις ὁρῶσα τὸν Κτίστην ὑπὸ τῶν κτιστῶν ὑβριζόμενον, πρὸς ἄμυναν ὥπλιστο.

Καὶ ἡ μὲν σελήνη, καίτοι διάμετρος οὖσα τότε πρὸς ἥλιον, ἀῤῥήτῳ τάχει τὸν φωσφόρον ὑπεκδραμοῦσα, σκότος ἐποίησεν.

Οὐκ ἐν μέρει δὲ τῆς γῆς, ἀλλ᾽ εἰς πᾶσαν τὴν ὑπ᾽ οὐρανὸν, ὡς καὶ τοὺς ἔξωθεν σοφοὺς αἴσθησιν εἰληφέναι τοῦ θαύματος.

Ἀμήχανον γὰρ ἔκλειψιν γενέσθαι μὴ εὔσης συνόδου τῶν δύο τούτων φωστήρων.

Ἀλλ᾽ ἦν ἄρα τὸ θεῖον νεῦμα τῆς φυσικῆς ἀκολουθίας ὑπέρτερον, ἀκαμάτῳ τάχει τὴν σελήνην ἐκ τοῦ ἀμέτρου ἡμισφαιρίου πρὸς τὴν ἡλιακὴν ἄγον ἀντίφραξιν, ἢ καὶ ἐν ὥραις τρισὶν ὑποβᾶσα τὸν ἥλιον κατὰ κάθετον, καὶ νυκτερινῷ σκότει τὴν οἰκουμένην ζοφώσασα, εἰς τὴν κατὰ διάμετρον τάξιν ἀνέθορε.

Καὶ τοῦτο ἦν ἄρα ὅ προεμήνυσεν Ἀββακούμ· «Ἐπήρθη ὁ ἥλιος, καὶ ἡ σελήνη ἔστη ἐν τῇ τάξει αὐτῆς.»

Ἐπαρθέντος γὰρ τοῦ τῆς δικαιοσύνης Ἡλίου ἐν τῷ σταυρῷ, ἐπήρθη καὶ ὁ αἰσθητὸς ἥλιος τοῦ φωτίζειν τὴν γῆν, καὶ ἡ σελήνη τῷ θαύματι ὑπηρετίσασα, εἶτα ἔστη ἐν τῇ τάξει αὐτῆς.

Ἡ γῆ δὲ κλόνῳ συνείχετο, ἀπειλοῦσα τοὺς ἑαυτῆς διαῤῥῆξαι λαγόνας, καὶ εἴσω τῶν χαραδρωμάτων τοὺς μιαροὺς ἐγκολπώσασθαι·

ἦπου καὶ θάλασσα τῷ θυμῷ ἀνοιδαίνουσα, ὑπερβῆναι τοὺς ἑαυτῆς ὅρους, καὶ κατακλῦσαι τὴν οἰκουμένην ἠπείγετο.

Καὶ τάχα ἂν συνεφύρετο ἡ κτίσις, καὶ ἄρδην ἀπώλετο, εἰ μὴ τῷ τοῦ πάσχοντος συνείχετο νεύματι·

ὃς ἵλεων ἐτίθει τὸν Πατέρα τοῖς ὑβρισταῖς· «Πάτερ, ἄφες αὐτοῖς, οὐ γὰρ οἴδασι τί ποιοῦσιν.»






Οὕτως ἐν πραότητι καὶ μακροθυμίᾳ πάντα ἤνεγκε μέχρι τέλους, δι᾽ ἑαυτοῦ νομοθετῶν ἡμῖν τὸ μακρόθυμον.

Τί οὖν φαίη τις; Ἀπώναντο τῆς συγχωρήσεως ταύτης, πολιορκισθέντες καὶ κατακοπέντες ὕστερον;

Στοχαζόμεθα γοῦν, ὡς οἱ μὲν τότε κατὰ πόδας ἀπαλλαγέντες τοῦ ζῆν, συνεχωρήθησαν τὸ ἐξ ἀγνοίας ἁμάρτημα·

οὐ γὰρ ἀκερδὴς ἐγεγόνει τοῦ Κυρίου ἡ πρὸς τὸν Πατέρα εὐχή.

Ὅσοι δὲ μετὰ ταῦτα εἶδον σημεῖα, καὶ τὴν ἀνάστασιν ἐμυήθησαν, τὴν ἀπιστίαν δὲ ὡς δυσώδη βαφὴν οὐκ ἀπέβαλον, ἔξω τῆς ὠφελείας ταύτης, ὡς εἰκὸς, μεμενήκασιν.

Οὓς γὰρ οὐκ ἔπεισε γῆ ἐκ βαράθρων κραδαινομένη, καὶ πέτραι ῥηγνύμεναι, καὶ ῥαγὲν καταπέτασμα, καὶ ἡμέρα ζοφουμένη, καὶ κρυπτόμενος ἥλιος, τούτους ἄγνοιαν προβαλέσθαι ἀπίθανον.

Διὸ καὶ ὡς ἠλίθιοι Ῥωμαϊκαῖς ὀργαῖς παρεδόθησαν.

Οἱ μὲν οὖν στρατιῶται πεπαρῳνηκότες ὅσα ἐβούλοντο, μᾶλλον δὲ ὅσον ἦν συγκεχωρημένον αὐτοῖς, λοιπὸν καὶ κατὰ τὴν ψαλμικὴν προαγόρευσιν τῶν ἱματίων ἐποιοῦντο δασμόν.

Οὐ γὰρ τῶν συσταυρωθέντων λῃστῶν, ἀλλὰ μόνου Χριστοῦ διεμερίσαντο τὰ ἱμάτια.

Τὸν μέντοι χιτῶνα τὸν ἄῤῥαφον, τὸν ἄνωθεν ὑφαντόν, μὴ διασχίσαντες, κλήρῳ τῷ λαχόντι δεδώκασιν.

Ἄῤῥαφος δὲ ἦν ἐκ τῶν ἄνωθεν, ἐπειδὴ τοῖς μὲν Γαλιλαίοις σύνηθες ἦν τοὺς χιτῶνας ποιεῖν δυσὶ φαρσίοις, ἄνωθεν κατὰ τὸν ὦμον συνεζευγμένας ῥαφῇ.

Τὸν δὲ χιτῶνα τοῦτον ἓν ὕφασμα δεῖ λαμβάνειν ἄῤῥαφον.

Ὑπεδήλου δὲ ὁ χιτὼν τὴν ἁγίαν τοῦ Λόγου σάρκα, ἣν σπέρμα καὶ ἡδονὴ οὐ συνέῤῥαψεν, ἀλλ᾽ ἄνωθεν ἦν ὑφανθεῖσα ἐκ τῆς τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος χάριτος.

Εἰ γὰρ καὶ κάτω γεγένηται κατὰ σάρκα ὁ Λόγος, ἄνωθεν ἦν ἐκ τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ Πατρός.

Παροῦσαν δὲ τὴν Παρθένον μητέρα, καὶ πεφρυγμένην τὰ σπλάγχνα, καὶ τὴν τῆς λύπης ῥομφαίαν δεχομένην ἐγκάρδιον, ἣν ὁ Συμεὼν αὐτῇ προηγόρευσε, τῷ ἠγαπημένῳ μαθητῇ παρατίθησιν,

ὡς καθαρῷ, καὶ παρθένῳ, καὶ μέχρι τῶν ἐσχάτων κινδύνων αὐτῷ παραμείναντι,

καὶ δυναμένῳ τὴν λύπην αὐτῆς κατευνᾶσαι, καὶ τὸ μυστήριον ἐκδιδάξαι τοῦ πάθους ταῖς θεολογικαῖς εἰσηγήσεσι.

Μετὰ δὲ ταῦτα τὸ ψαλμικὸν ἐκεῖνο εἶπε ῥητόν· «Ὁ Θεὸς, ὁ Θεός μου, ἵνα τί με ἐγκατέλιπες;» οὐχ ὅτι αὐτὸς ἐγκαταλέλειπτο, ἢ ἐπικουρίας ἐδέετο· προειρήκει γὰρ, ὅτι «Οὐκ εἰμὶ μόνος, ἀλλ᾽ ὁ Πατήρ μου μετ᾽ ἐμοῦ ἐστιν,» ἀλλ᾽ ἐκ προσώπου τῆς ἀνθρωπότητος ταῦτα λαλεῖ, οἰκειούμενος τὸ ἡμέτερον, καὶ ἕλκων εἰς ἡμᾶς τὸν ἄνωθεν ἔλεον.

Ἡμεῖς γὰρ ἦμεν οἱ ἐγκαταλελειμμένοι, ὥς φησι φωνὴ θεολογική. Λέγει δὲ καὶ τοῦτο ἐκ προσώπου τοῦ Ἰσραήλ, ὅτι τοσαύτη γέγονεν εἰς αὐτὸν ἐγκατάλειψις, ὡς θεοκτόνος γενέσθαι, καὶ μέχρι τοσούτου φθάσαι τολμήματος.

Πάντα δὲ τὰ περὶ αὐτοῦ ἤδη πεπληρωκώς, εἶπε· «Τετέλεσται.» Τουτέστι καὶ τὰ τῶν προφητῶν, καὶ τὰ τῆς οἰκονομίας, καὶ τὰ τῆς Ἰουδαϊκῆς ἀσεβείας πέρας ἐδέξατο.

Καὶ οὕτω κράξας φωνῇ μεγάλῃ· «Πάτερ, εἰς χεῖράς σου παρατίθημι τὸ πνεῦμά μου,» καὶ κλίνας τὴν κεφαλήν, παρέδωκε τὸ πνεῦμα. Ἐν δὲ τούτοις καὶ ὁ τοῦ Ἰωὴλ ἐπληροῦτο χρησμός· «Ὁ ἥλιος καὶ σελήνη σκοτάσουσιν, ὁ δὲ Κύριος ἐκ Σιὼν ἀνακράξεται, καὶ ἐν Ἱερουσαλήμ δώσει φωνὴν αὐτοῦ.»

Φωνῇ δὲ μεγάλῃ φωνεῖ, δεικνὺς ὅτι κατ᾽ ἐξουσίαν ἀφίησι τὴν ψυχήν. Εἰς χεῖρας δὲ τοῦ Πατρὸς παρατίθησιν, ἵν᾽ αὖθις ὡς παρακαταθήκην λάβῃ αὐτήν· καὶ τοῦτο ἦν, ὃ ἔλεγε τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις· «Ἐγὼ τίθημι τὴν ψυχήν μου, ἵνα πάλιν λάβω αὐτήν.» Καὶ ἅμα διδοὺς ἐλπίδας ἡμῖν, τὸ μηκέτι χωρεῖν εἰς ᾅδου τὰς ψυχὰς τῶν πιστῶν, ἀλλ᾽ εἰς χεῖρας Θεοῦ παρατίθεσθαι.

Κλίνει δὲ τὴν κεφαλὴν, οἷον νεύματι καθάπερ θεραπαινίδα τὴν τελευτήν προσκαλούμενος. Μετ᾽ ἐξουσίας γὰρ προΐετο τὸ ἴδιον σῶμα εἰς θάνατον, ἵνα καὶ τὰ πάθη φυσικῶς ὑποστῇ, καὶ ὑπὲρ φύσιν θεϊκῶς ἀναστῇ.

Αὐτίκα οὖν σχίζεται τοῦ ναοῦ τὸ καταπέτασμα, ὅπερ ἦν ὀθόνη καθιεμένη διαμπὰξ εἰς αὐτὸ τοῦ ναοῦ τὸ μεσαίτατον, συσκιάζουσα τὰ ἐσόμενα, καὶ μόνῳ τῷ ἱερεῖ θεατά, καὶ βάσιμα ποιοῦσα τὰ ἄδυτα. Ἐπειδὴ δὲ τοῖς Ἰουδαίοις ἔθος ἦν ἐν ταῖς περὶ Θεοῦ βλασφημίαις τὴν ἐσθῆτα περιῤῥηγνύειν, τὰ τῶν πενθούντων ὁ ναὸς σχηματίζεται, τοσοῦτον ἀποδυρόμενος τόλμημα, καὶ ὡς χιτῶνα διέῤῥηξε τὸ καταπέτασμα, τάχα που καὶ τὴν ἰδίαν ἐρήμωσιν προδηλοῦν, ἣν ἔμελλεν αὐτὸ καταλήψεσθαι, καὶ ἅμα δεικνύων, ὡς πέφευγεν ἡ ἐν τῷ ναῷ θεία δύναμις, μισαχθεῖσα πρὸς τὴν τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἀσέβειαν.

Ἐσήμανε δὲ καὶ τὴν τοῦ νόμου ἀσέβειαν, πρότερον μὲν καθάπερ καταπέτασμα ἡπλωμένην, καὶ κρύπτουσαν τὴν ἀλήθειαν, νῦν δὲ περιαιρεθεῖσαν, καὶ τὸ ἔνδον κάλλος πᾶσιν ἐμφαίνουσαν. Δι᾽ ὅλου δὲ σχίζεται, ὅτι μὴ μερικὴν ἔχει τὴν διασάφησιν τὸ σωτήριον κήρυγμα.

Ἐσείσθη δὲ ἡ γῆ Ἀγγαίου ἀκούσασα λέγοντος πρὸ προσώπου Χριστοῦ· «Ἐγὼ σείω τὸν οὐρανὸν, καὶ τὴν γῆν, καὶ τὴν θάλασσαν.» Καὶ αὖθις τοῦ Ἀββακούμ· «Ἔστη, καὶ ἐσαλεύθη ἡ γῆ, καὶ ἐτάκησαν βουνοί.» Στάντος γὰρ τοῦ σταυροῦ ἐσαλεύθη ἡ γῆ, καὶ διετρίφθησαν οἱ ὀρινόμενοι δαίμονες. Σείεται δὲ ἡ γῆ καὶ τὴν τῶν πραγμάτων δηλοῦσα μετάθεσιν.

Ἐσχίσθησαν δὲ καὶ πέτραι, σημαίνουσαι ὡς αἱ λίθιναι τῶν ἐθνῶν καρδίαι διανοιχθήσονται πρὸς ὑποδοχὴν τοῦ εὐαγγελικοῦ σπέρματος, καὶ ἐν τῷ θεμελίῳ τοῦ ἀκρογωνιαίου λίθου ἑδραιωθήσονται. Ἡ δὲ τῶν νεκρῶν ἔγερσις τὴν ἐλευθερίαν ὑπέφαινε τῶν ἐν ᾅδου ψυχῶν.

Ἔστι δ᾽ ἐνταῦθα διαπορῆσαι, πότερον πρὸ τῆς Χριστοῦ ἀναστάσεως ἡ τῶν νεκρῶν ἔγερσις γέγονεν, ἢ μετὰ τὴν ἀνάστασιν. Εἰ μὲν οὖν πρὸ τῆς ἀναστάσεως, καθὰ καὶ τῷ θείῳ Μαξίμῳ δοκεῖ, δῆλον ὡς πάλιν ἀπέθανον· τῆς γὰρ ἀφθάρτου ἀναστάσεως ὁ Χριστὸς πρωτότοκος ἐχρημάτισεν.

Εἰ δὲ μετὰ τὴν Χριστοῦ ἀνάστασιν, ὅπερ ἀκολουθότερον, καθ᾽ ὑπερβατὸν τὴν λέξιν ἀναγνωστέον· «Καὶ πολλὰ σώματα τῶν κεκοιμημένων ἁγίων ἠγέρθησαν — μετὰ τὴν ἀνάστασιν αὐτοῦ.» Εἶθ᾽ οὕτως ἀποδοτέον· «Καὶ ἐξελθόντα ἐκ τῶν μνημείων εἰσῆλθον εἰς τὴν ἁγίαν πόλιν, καὶ ἐνεφανίσθησαν πολλοῖς.»

Τοῦ γὰρ ζωηφόρου σώματος ταφέντος εἰς γῆν, καὶ εἰς ᾅδου κατεληλυθυίας τῆς θείας ψυχῆς, τὰ μὲν σώματα τῶν ἁγίων ζωτικῆς δυνάμεως ᾔσθοντο, αἱ δὲ τούτων ψυχαὶ ἀπελύθησαν, καὶ πολλαὶ τοῖς ἰδίοις σώμασι συνεπλάκησαν.

Ἀφῖκται δὲ λόγος ἄνωθεν εἰς ἡμᾶς, οὐδὲν ἄπιστον ἔχων, ὡς καὶ ὁ πολυτλήμων Ἰὼβ τότε ἀνέστη. Ἐναργῆ δὲ τὴν φήμην παρίστησιν ἡ ἐκείνου ἱερὰ βίβλος, οὕτω φαμένη περὶ αὐτόν δήπου τὸ ἀκροτελεύτιον· γέγραπται δὲ αὐτὸν ἀναστῆναι, μεθ᾽ ὧν ὁ Κύριος ἀναστήσει, ὃ δὴ ἐν τῇ τοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐγέρσει τετέλεσται.

Διὰ γοῦν τῆς τῶν μνημάτων ἀνοίξεως, γνώριμος γέγονεν ἡ τοῦ ᾅδου κατάλυσις, καὶ ἡ τοῦ Κυρίου ἀνάστασις. Ὅτε δὲ ἐξῆλθε τοῦ τάφου ὁ ἀρχηγὸς τῆς σωτηρίας ἡμῶν, τότε δὴ ἐκ τῶν μνημάτων καὶ αὐτοὶ ἀνενέχοντο ἀνειμένοι, καὶ λέγοντες τὰ τοῦ Ὡσηέ· «Ἰάσεται ἡμᾶς, καὶ νεοτώσει ἡμᾶς μετὰ δύο ἡμέρας, καὶ ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τῇ τρίτῃ ἀναστησόμεθα.»

Καὶ οὕτω χαίροντες εἰσῆλθον εἰς τὴν ἁγίαν πόλιν, τήν τε ἐπίγειον καὶ τὴν τῆς Ἐδὲμ, προοδεύοντος τοῦ Σωτῆρος, καὶ τὸν λῃστὴν εἰσάγοντος, κατὰ τὴν ὑπόσχεσιν.

Τότε δὴ καὶ ὁ κεντυρίων, ἰδὼν πῶς ἐξέπνευσε μετ᾽ ἐξουσίας, πῶς αἱ πέτραι ἐσχίσθησαν, καὶ ἡ γῆ ἐκεκλόνητο, εἰς τοσαύτην ἧκε κατάνυξιν, ὥστε καὶ πεπίστευκε, καὶ Υἱὸν Θεοῦ τὸν Χριστὸν ὡμολόγησεν. Ὕστερον δὲ καὶ μαρτυρικῷ αἵματι ἐτετελείωτο.

Ὅρα δὲ καὶ τῶν μαθητριῶν τὴν προσεδρίαν, πόση τις ἦν. Ἠκολούθουν ἀπὸ τῆς Γαλιλαίας διακονούμεναι ἐκ τῶν σφίσιν ἐνόντων χρημάτων, εἶτα ἐν τοῖς κινδύνοις παρῆσαν, ἑλκομένῳ τε ἐπὶ σταυροῦ ἠκολούθουν ὀλοφυρόμεναι, καὶ προσηλουμένῳ παρεκάθοντο, καὶ προσήδρευον περισκοποῦσαι ὅπῃ καταθήσεται, ὡς ἂν τῆς λύσσης τῶν Ἰουδαίων λωφησάσης, ἀδείας δραξάμεναι ἔλθοιεν καὶ περιχυθεῖεν τῷ σώματι.

«Οἱ μὲν Ἰουδαῖοι, ἵνα μὴ μείνῃ τὰ σώματα ἐν τῷ σταυρῷ, ἐπεὶ Παρασκευὴ ἦν (ἦν γὰρ μεγάλη ἡ ἡμέρα ἐκείνη τοῦ Σαββάτου), ἠρώτησαν τὸν Πιλάτον, ἵνα κατεαγῶσιν αὐτῶν τὰ σκέλη, καὶ ἀρθῶσιν.» Ἐπειδὴ τὸ τολμηρὸν αὐτοῖς τοῦτο ἔργον διήνυστο, νομοφυλακοῦντες δήθεν οἱ θεομισεῖς, καὶ ἐξώλεις, καὶ κακοδαίμονες ἀξιοῦσι τὸν ἡγεμόνα κατεαγῆναι τῶν ἀνασκολωπισθέντων τὰ σκέλη· ὁμοῦ μὲν ἐπιταχύνοντες τὴν Ἰησοῦ τελευτήν, φυλάττειν δ᾽ ὑποκρινόμενοι καὶ τὸ νομικὸν παρατήρημα, οὕτω γὰρ Μωϋσῆς ἐνετείλατο· «Ἐὰν γένηται ἔν τινι κρίμα θανάτου, καὶ κρεμάσατε αὐτὸν ἐπὶ ξύλου, οὐκ ἐπικοιμηθήσεται τὸ σῶμα αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τῷ ξύλῳ, ἀλλὰ ταφῇ θάψετε αὐτὸ ἐν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκείνῃ.»

Τῶν μὲν οὖν λῃστῶν ἐμπνεόντων ἔτι τὰ σκέλη ῥοπάλοις συνέτριψαν· τὸν δὲ Ἰησοῦν, ὡς εἶδον τεθνήξαντα, τοῦτο μὲν οὐκ εἰργάσαντο· οὐ γὰρ ἦν θέμις κατεαγῆναι τοῦ ἱεροῦ θύματος τὰ ὀστᾶ, ὅτι καὶ τοῦ τυπικοῦ ἀμνοῦ συντρίβειν τὰ ὀστᾶ ὁ νόμος ἀπείπατο.

Στρατιώτης δέ τις θρασὺς λόγχῃ τὴν πλευρὰν ἀντετόρησε, καὶ αὐτίκα παραδόξου θαύματος ἔργον ἐπηκολούθησεν· ὡς γὰρ ἐκ μιᾶς πίδακος τῆς πλευρᾶς, ῥεῖθρον καὶ λείθρον ἐξώσατο. Καὶ διὰ μὲν τοῦ ὕδατος τὸ τῆς δουλείας ἡμῶν χειρόγραφον ἀπηλείφετο, διὰ δὲ τοῦ αἵματος βασιλικὴ ἐλευθερία ἡμῖν ὑπεγράφετο· ἢ τάχα τὸ μὲν αἷμα πρὸς καταδίκην ἔλυσε τῆς Ἰουδαίων φαυλότητος, τὸ δὲ ὕδωρ εἰς σωτηρίαν τῶν ἀναγεννωμένων διὰ τοῦ ὕδατος.

Ἐπειδὴ δὲ καὶ διπλῆ τίς ἐστιν ἡ τοῦ σωτηρίου βαπτίσματος δύναμις, τοῖς τε φωτιζομένοις δι᾽ ὕδατος, καὶ τοῖς τελειομένοις δι᾽ αἵματος, διὰ τοῦτο αἷμα καὶ ὕδωρ ἐξῆλθε τῆς θείας πλευρᾶς, εἰς διπλὴν χάριν τῆς ὁμολογίας Χριστοῦ, τῆς ἐν τῷ μαρτυρίῳ καὶ τῷ βαπτίσματι· τὸ μὲν γὰρ ὕδωρ τοὺς ἡμαρτηκότας ἐλευθεροῖ, τὸ δὲ αἷμα τοὺς μάρτυρας στεφανοῖ.

Ἡ πλευρὰ δὲ τοὺς δύο τούτους πηγάζει κρουνούς, ἐπανορθοῦσα τὸ πτῶμα τῆς ἐκ πλευρᾶς γυναικός· ἵνα γένηται τὸ μὲν αἷμα τῆς κατάρας λυτήριον, τὸ δὲ ὕδωρ τοῦ ὀλισθήματος κάθαρσις. Καὶ τοῦ μὲν πρώτου Ἀδὰμ ἀφυπνώσαντος ἐπλάσθη ἐκ τῆς πλευρᾶς ἡ ἀρχηγὸς τῆς ἀρᾶς· τοῦ δὲ νέου Ἀδὰμ ἐν τῷ σταυρῷ ἀφυπνώσαντος, ἔβλυσεν ἐκ τῆς πλευρᾶς ἡ πηγὴ τῆς ζωῆς.

Τούτου δὲ γενομένου, φησὶν Ἰωάννης, ὡς ὁ ἑωρακὼς μεμαρτύρηκεν, ἑαυτὸν ὑποδηλῶν παρόντα καὶ ὁρῶντα καὶ μαρτυροῦντα ἃ ἑώρακε, δεικνὺς δὲ ὅτι καὶ προθεσπισμένα ἦσαν ἀνέκαθεν, ἐπιφέρει τὴν προφητείαν καὶ τὸ τοῦ νόμου παράγγελμα· ὁ μὲν γὰρ Μωϋσῆς προειδὼς ὡς οὐ θλασθήσονται τὰ σκέλη τοῦ Ἰησοῦ νομοθετεῖ μὴ συντρίβειν τὰ ὀστᾶ τοῦ ἀμνοῦ, ὁ δὲ προφήτης τὰς τρώσεις τῶν ἥλων καὶ τῆς λόγχης προορῶν τὴν πληγήν· «Ὄψονται, φησὶν, εἰς ὃν ἐξεκέντησαν,» εἰς τὰς πληγὰς δηλονότι, ἃς αὐτοὶ ἐξειργάσαντο.

«Ὀψίας δὲ γενομένης» (ἦν γὰρ ἀληθῶς ὀψία τοῦ Ἡλίου τῆς δικαιοσύνης ἅτε δύναντος ὑπὸ γῆν), παρρησιάζεται Ἰωσὴφ, ἐπίσημός τε ἀνήρ καὶ εἷς τῶν ἑβδομήκοντα μαθητῶν, καὶ ζητεῖ τὸ σῶμα, καὶ κηδεύει λαμπρῶς, σινδόνι μὲν αὐτὸ ἐνειλίσας καθαρᾷ, ἐν μνήματι δὲ καινῷ καταθείς. Ἐν καινῇ δὲ σορῷ κατατίθεται, ἵνα τελεσθέντος τοῦ μυστηρίου τῆς ἀναστάσεως μή τις ἐρεῖ τῶν συκοφαντῶν, ὡς ἄλλος ἐγήγερται.

Γένοιτο δὲ ἡμᾶς ζηλωτὰς γενέσθαι τοῦ εὐσχήμονος Ἰωσήφ, καὶ ζητῆσαι καὶ λαβεῖν τὸ σῶμα τοῦ Χριστοῦ, καὶ ὡς ἐν καθαρᾷ σινδόνι τῷ συνειδότι ἐνειλίξαι αὐτό, εἰς ἀποτροπὴν τῶν πολεμίων δαιμόνων, καὶ ἁγιασμὸν τῶν ψυχῶν καὶ τῶν σωμάτων ἡμῶν, καὶ δόξαν τοῦ διὰ θανάτου αὐτοῦ ἀπαθανατίσαντος ἡμᾶς· ὅτι αὐτῷ πρέπει τιμὴ πᾶσα καὶ προσκύνησις, νῦν καὶ ἀεί, καὶ εἰς τοὺς αἰῶνας τῶν αἰώνων. Ἀμήν.

Source: P.G. 132. Translated by John Sanidopoulos.