Catechetical Lectures 11 part 5/12

For on our behalf he too touched carefully, and what you, who were not then present, were going to seek, that he, being present, sought by divine dispensation.

You have the twelve apostles as witnesses of the cross, and the whole inhabited world, and the multitude of people who believe in the Crucified.

Let this very thing—that you are now present—persuade you of the power of the Crucified.

For who now gathered you together? What soldiers? With what bonds were you compelled? What sentence now drove you here? Nay, the saving trophy of Jesus, the cross, has gathered all together.

This enslaved the Persians and tamed the Scythians; this granted to the Egyptians the knowledge of God in place of cats and dogs and their manifold error.

This to this day heals diseases.

This to this day drives away demons and overturns the sorceries of drugs and incantations.

This is destined to appear again from heaven with Jesus.

For the trophy will go before the King, that those who see him whom they pierced, and recognize from the cross the one they dishonored—the Jews who have repented may mourn (but they indeed shall mourn, tribe by tribe;

for they shall then repent, when there is no time for repentance for them)—but let us glory, exulting in the cross, worshiping the Lord who was sent and crucified for us, worshiping also the Father who sent him, the God, together with the Holy Spirit, to whom be glory unto the ages of ages.

Catechetical Lecture Fourteen, to those being enlightened, delivered extempore at Jerusalem, on the words: "And rose again from the dead on the third day, and ascended into the heavens, and sat down at the right hand of the Father."

And a reading from the First Epistle to the Corinthians:

"Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you."

"He has been raised on the third day according to the Scriptures."

Rejoice, O Jerusalem, and keep festival, all you who love Jesus;

rejoice, all you who before mourned when you heard of the audacities and lawless deeds of the Jews;

for he who was outraged by them was here again raised up.

And just as the discourse concerning the cross was something grievous, so let the good news concerning the resurrection gladden those who are present.

Let mourning be turned into gladness and lamentation into joy, and let our mouth be filled with joy and gladness because of him who after the resurrection said, "Rejoice."

For I know the grief of those who love Christ in the days that have passed;

since, the things spoken having ended in death and burial but not having proclaimed the resurrection as good news, the mind was left in suspense, longing to hear the thing desired.

Therefore the dead one has been raised—he who was free among the dead and the liberator of the dead.

He who in dishonor, through endurance, was bound about with the crown of thorns, this one, having risen, girded himself with the diadem of victory over death.

But just as we set forth the testimonies concerning his cross, so come now let us also confirm the proofs concerning the resurrection.

Since the present apostle says:

"He was buried, and has been raised on the third day according to the Scriptures."

Since the apostle has referred us to the testimonies of the Scriptures, it is well for us to recognize the hope of our salvation, and to learn first whether the divine Scriptures tell us the time of his resurrection—whether it occurs in summer or in autumn or after winter—and from what places the Savior was raised, and what the name of the place of the resurrection is proclaimed to be among the wondrous prophets, and whether the women who sought him and did not find him, finding him again, rejoice; so that, when the Gospels are read, the narratives of the holy Gospels may not be thought myths or fanciful tales.

That the Savior was buried, then, you have clearly heard in the previous discourse, from Isaiah who says:

"His burial shall be in peace" (for in his burial he made peace between heaven and earth, bringing sinners to God), "and that the righteous one was taken away from the presence of unrighteousness, and his burial shall be in peace, and I will give the wicked for his burial."

And the prophecy of Jacob speaking in the Scriptures:

"He stooped down and lay as a lion and as a lion's whelp."

"Who shall rouse him up?" And the similar passage in Numbers:

"Having lain down, he rested as a lion and as a lion's whelp."

And you have heard often the Psalm saying:

"And you have brought me down to the dust of death."

And we marked the place too, in saying, "Look to the rock which you have hewn."

But henceforth let the testimonies concerning his very resurrection follow for us.

He says, then, first in the eleventh Psalm:

"Because of the misery of the poor and the groaning of the needy, now I will arise, says the Lord."

But this is still doubtful to some.

For often he is roused also to anger, to take vengeance on his enemies.

Come therefore to the fifteenth Psalm, which says clearly:

"Preserve me, O Lord, for in you I have hoped."

"I will not gather their assemblies from bloodshed, nor will I make mention of their names through my lips;"

since they, having refused me as their king, inscribed Caesar.

"I foresaw the Lord before me always, for he is at my right hand, that I should not be moved."

"Moreover, even unto night my reins instructed me."

And after these things he says most plainly:

"For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, nor will you give your holy one to see corruption."

He did not say, "Nor will you give your holy one to see death," since he did die, but he says, "I do not see corruption, yet in death I will not remain."

Behold, clearly after death life is proclaimed.

Come also to the twenty-ninth Psalm.

"I will exalt you, O Lord, for you have lifted me up, and you have not let my enemies rejoice over me."

What is it that happened? Were you delivered from enemies? Or, being about to be struck, were you released? He himself says most plainly:

"O Lord, you have brought up my soul from Hades."

There he says, prophetically, "You will not abandon," and here he speaks of what is to come as already having come to pass, that "you have brought up, you have saved me from those who go down to the pit."

At what time will this be? "In the evening weeping shall lodge, and in the morning gladness."

For in the evening was the grief of the disciples, and in the morning the gladness of the resurrection.

Do you wish to know the place too? He says again in the Song of Songs:

For there was a garden in the place where he was crucified.

For even though now especially it has been adorned with royal gifts, yet it was a garden before, and the tokens of this and the relics remain.

"A garden enclosed, a fountain sealed"—sealed by the Jews who said:

"We remembered that that deceiver, while still living, said, 'After three days I will rise.' Command therefore that the tomb be made secure."

"So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone, together with the guard."

To whom someone, addressing them well, said:

"And you will judge them to their rest."

But what is the sealed fountain? Or what is interpreted as the fountain of a well of living water? It is the Savior himself, concerning whom it is written:

But what does Zephaniah say to the disciples in the person of Christ? "Prepare yourself, rise early; all their gleaning is destroyed"—that is, of the Jews—"among whom is left neither a cluster of salvation, nor even a gleaning."

For their vine is cut off.

See how he speaks to the disciples:

"Look for the resurrection at dawn."

And next, following the same sequence of Scripture, he says:

"Therefore wait for me, says the Lord, until the day of my resurrection, for a testimony."

Do you see that the prophet foresaw also the place of the resurrection, that it should be called a "testimony" (Martyrion)? For by what reasoning is this place of Golgotha and the resurrection called not, like the other churches, a "church," but a "Martyrion"? Perhaps because of the prophet who said:

"Until the day of my resurrection, for a testimony."

And who then is this? And what is the sign of the one rising? Clearly in what follows, in the same sequence of the prophet, he says:

"For then I will turn to the peoples a language" (since after the resurrection, when the Holy Spirit was sent, the gift of tongues was given) "that they may serve the Lord under one yoke."

And what other sign is added in the same prophet concerning serving the Lord under one yoke? "From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia they shall bring me sacrifices."

You know what is written in the Acts, when there came an Ethiopian eunuch from beyond the rivers of Ethiopia.

When, therefore, the Scriptures tell both the time, and the distinctive feature of the place, and the signs after the resurrection, be confirmed henceforth in the resurrection, and let no one shake you from confessing that Christ has been raised from the dead.

Take indeed yet another testimony, in the eighty-seventh Psalm, where Christ speaks in the prophets (for the very one who then spoke afterward came in person):

"O Lord, the God of my salvation, by day I cried out, and in the night before you."

"I became like a man without help, free among the dead."

He did not say, "I became a man without help," but "like a man without help."

For indeed he was crucified not out of weakness, but willingly, and his death was not from involuntary weakness.

"I was counted with those who go down into the pit."

And what is the token? "You have removed my acquaintances far from me."

For the disciples had fled.

"Will you do wonders for the dead?" Then a little after:

"And I, O Lord, have cried out to you, and in the morning my prayer shall come before you."

Do you see how they reveal both the time of the hour and of the passion and of the resurrection? And from where was the Savior raised? He says in the Song of Songs:

"Arise, come, my near one," and in what follows:

By "the shelter of the rock" he meant the shelter that was then before the door of the saving tomb, hewn out of the rock itself, as is customary to be done here before the tombs.

For now it does not appear, since at that time the covering was cut away on account of the present adornment.

Out of the lavish construction of the tomb, there was a shelter in front of the rock.

But where is the rock that has the shelter? Does it lie in the middle of the city, or near the walls and the outskirts? And is it in the ancient walls, or in the outworks built later? He says, then, in the Song of Songs:

"In the shelter of the rock, close by the outwork."

At what season does the Savior rise? Is it the season of summer, or another? In the same Songs, just above the words quoted, he says straightaway:

"Winter is past, the rain is past and gone its way, the flowers have appeared on the earth, the time of pruning has come." The dead one, he who is free among the dead and the liberator of the dead.

He who in dishonor, through endurance, was bound about with the crown of thorns, this one, having risen, girded himself with the diadem of victory over death.

But just as we set forth the testimonies concerning his cross, so come now let us also confirm the proofs concerning the resurrection.

Since the present apostle says:

"He was buried, and has been raised on the third day according to the Scriptures."

Since the apostle has referred us to the testimonies of the Scriptures, it is well for us to recognize the hope of our salvation, and to learn first whether the divine Scriptures tell us the time of his resurrection—whether it occurs in summer or in autumn or after winter—and from what places the Savior was raised, and what the name of the place of the resurrection is proclaimed to be among the wondrous prophets, and whether the women who sought him and did not find him, finding him again, rejoice; so that, when the Gospels are read, the narratives of the holy Gospels may not be thought myths or fanciful tales.

That the Savior was buried, then, you have clearly heard in the previous discourse, from Isaiah who says:

"His burial shall be in peace" (for in his burial he made peace between heaven and earth, bringing sinners to God), "and that the righteous one was taken away from the presence of unrighteousness, and his burial shall be in peace, and I will give the wicked for his burial."

And the prophecy of Jacob speaking in the Scriptures:

"He stooped down and lay as a lion and as a lion's whelp."

"Who shall rouse him up?" And the similar passage in Numbers:

"Having lain down, he rested as a lion and as a lion's whelp."

And you have heard often the Psalm saying:

"And you have brought me down to the dust of death."

And we marked the place too, in saying, "Look to the rock which you have hewn."

But henceforth let the testimonies concerning his very resurrection follow for us.

He says, then, first in the eleventh Psalm:

"Because of the misery of the poor and the groaning of the needy, now I will arise, says the Lord."

But this is still doubtful to some.

For often he is roused also to anger, to take vengeance on his enemies.

Come therefore to the fifteenth Psalm, which says clearly:

"Preserve me, O Lord, for in you I have hoped."

"I will not gather their assemblies from bloodshed, nor will I make mention of their names through my lips;"

since they, having refused me as their king, inscribed Caesar.

"I foresaw the Lord before me always, for he is at my right hand, that I should not be moved."

"Moreover, even unto night my reins instructed me."

And after these things he says most plainly:

"For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, nor will you give your holy one to see corruption."

He did not say, "Nor will you give your holy one to see death," since he did die, but he says, "I do not see corruption, yet in death I will not remain."

Behold, clearly after death life is proclaimed.

Come also to the twenty-ninth Psalm.

"I will exalt you, O Lord, for you have lifted me up, and you have not let my enemies rejoice over me."

What is it that happened? Were you delivered from enemies? Or, being about to be struck, were you released? He himself says most plainly:

"O Lord, you have brought up my soul from Hades."

There he says, prophetically, "You will not abandon," and here he speaks of what is to come as already having come to pass, that "you have brought up, you have saved me from those who go down to the pit."

At what time will this be? "In the"

"evening weeping shall lodge, and in the morning gladness."

For in the evening was the grief of the disciples, and in the morning the gladness of the resurrection.

Do you wish to know the place too? He says again in the Songs:

For there was a garden in the place where he was crucified.

For even though now especially it has been adorned with royal gifts, yet it was a garden before, and the tokens of this and the relics remain.

"A garden enclosed, a fountain sealed"—sealed by the Jews who said:

"We remembered that that deceiver, while still living, said, 'After three days I will rise.' Command therefore that the tomb be made secure."

"So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone, together with the guard."

To whom someone, addressing them well, said:

"And you will judge them to their rest."

But what is the sealed fountain? Or what is interpreted as the fountain of a well of living water? It is the Savior himself, concerning whom it is written:

But what does Zephaniah say to the disciples in the person of Christ? "Prepare yourself, rise early; all their gleaning is destroyed"—that is, of the Jews—"among whom is left neither a cluster of salvation, nor even a gleaning."

For their vine is cut off.

See how he speaks to the disciples:

"Look for the resurrection at dawn."

And next, following the same sequence of Scripture, he says:

"Therefore wait for me, says the Lord, until the day of my resurrection, for a testimony."

Do you see that the prophet foresaw also the place of the resurrection, that it should be called a "testimony" (Martyrion)? For by what reasoning is this place of Golgotha and the resurrection called not, like the other churches, a "church," but a "Martyrion"? Perhaps because of the prophet who said:

"Until the day of my resurrection, for a testimony."

And who then is this? And what is the sign of the one rising? Clearly in what follows, in the same sequence of the prophet, he says:

"For then I will turn to the peoples a language" (since after the resurrection, when the Holy Spirit was sent, the gift of tongues was given) "that they may serve the Lord under one yoke."

And what other sign is added in the same prophet concerning serving the Lord under one yoke? "From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia they shall bring me sacrifices."

You know what is written in the Acts, when there came an Ethiopian eunuch from beyond the rivers of Ethiopia.

When, therefore, the Scriptures tell both the time, and the distinctive feature of the place, and the signs after the resurrection, be confirmed henceforth in the resurrection, and let no one shake you from confessing that Christ has been raised from the dead.

Take indeed yet another testimony, in the eighty-seventh Psalm, where Christ speaks in the prophets (for the very one who then spoke afterward came in person):

"O Lord, the God of my salvation, by day I cried out, and in the night before you."

"I became like a man without help, free among the dead."

He did not say, "I became a man without help," but "like a man without help."

For indeed he was crucified not out of weakness, but willingly, and his death was not from involuntary weakness.

"I was counted with those who go down into the pit."

And what is the token? "You have removed my acquaintances far from me."

For the disciples had fled.

"Will you do wonders for the dead?" Then a little after:

"And I, O Lord, have cried out to you, and in the morning my prayer shall come before you."

Do you see how they reveal both the time of the hour and of the passion and of the resurrection? And from where was the Savior raised? He says in the Song of Songs:

"Arise, come, my near one," and in what follows:

By "the shelter of the rock" he meant the shelter that was then before the door of the saving tomb, hewn out of the rock itself, as is customary to be done here before the tombs.

For now it does not appear, since at that time the covering was cut away on account of the present adornment.

For before the construction of the tomb out of royal munificence, there was a shelter in front of the rock.

But where is the rock that has the shelter? Does it lie in the middle of the city, or near the walls and the outskirts? And is it in the ancient walls, or in those

outworks built later? He says, then, in the Songs:

"In the shelter of the rock, close by the outwork."

At what season does the Savior rise? Is it the season of summer, or another? In the same Songs, just above the words quoted, he says straightaway:

"Winter is past, the rain is past and gone its way, the flowers have appeared on the earth, the time of pruning has come."

Is not the earth now full of flowers, and are they not pruning the vines? Do you see how he said that winter too had now passed?

For this month Xanthikos being present, it is now spring.

And this season is the first month among the Hebrews, in which is the feast of the Passover—of the former, typical one, but now of the true one.

This is the season of the world's creation.

"Let the earth bring forth the herb of grass, sowing seed after its kind and after its likeness."

And now, as you see, every herb is henceforth producing seed.

And just as God at that time, having made the sun and moon, granted them equinoctial courses, so also a few days ago it was the season of the equinox.

"Let us make man according to our image and after our likeness."

And he received the "according to the image," but the "after the likeness" he darkened through disobedience.

In the season, then, in which he lost this, in that very one the restoration took place.

When the man who had been formed, having disobeyed, was cast out of Paradise, then he who believed and obeyed was brought in.

Salvation, then, came to pass at the very place where the fall had occurred.

It was when the blossoms appeared and the time of pruning had come.

The place of burial was a garden, and a vine was planted there; for He said, "I am the vine."

He was therefore planted in the earth, so that the curse which came through Adam might be uprooted.

The earth had been condemned to bring forth thorns and thistles.

The true vine sprang up out of the earth, that the saying might be fulfilled:

"Truth sprang up out of the earth, and righteousness looked down from heaven."

And what is He about to say who is buried in the garden? "I have gathered my myrrh with my spices."

Myrrh and aloes, with all the chief spices.

These are the symbols of His burial.

And in the Gospels it is said:

The women came to the tomb bearing the spices they had prepared, and Nicodemus came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes.

"I ate my bread with my honey."

The bitter came before the Passion, and the sweet after the Resurrection.

Then having risen, He entered through closed doors, yet He was not believed.

For they thought they beheld a spirit.

But He said, "Handle me and see."

"Put your fingers into the print of the nails," as Thomas sought.

And while they still disbelieved for joy and marveled, He said to them:

"Have you anything here to eat?" And they gave Him a piece of broiled fish and of a honeycomb.

You see how the saying is fulfilled: "I ate my bread with my honey."

But before He entered through the closed doors, He was sought by those excellent and courageous women; the Bridegroom and Healer of souls was sought.

The blessed women came to the tomb and sought Him who had been raised, and the tears were still dropping from their eyes, when rather they ought to rejoice and dance over Him who had risen.

Mary came seeking, according to the Gospel, and did not find Him; and afterward she heard from the angels, and later she saw Christ.

Is this too written? In the Song of Songs it says:

"On my bed I sought Him whom my soul loves."

At what time? "On my bed by night I sought Him whom my soul loves."

Mary, it says, came while it was yet dark.

"On my bed by night I sought, I sought Him and found Him not."

And in the Gospels Mary says:

"They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him."

But the angels who were present then healed her ignorance.

"Why do you seek the living among the dead?" He not only rose, but rose having the dead with Him.

But she did not know it, and in her own person spoke the words of the Song of Songs to the angels:

"Have you seen Him whom my soul loves? A little while after I had passed from them," that is, the two angels, "until I found Him whom my soul loves."

"I held Him, and would not let Him go."

For after the vision of the angels, Jesus Himself came as His own messenger, and the Gospel says:

And behold, Jesus met them, saying:

And they came and held Him by the feet.

They held Him, that the saying might be fulfilled: "I will hold Him and not let Him go."

Weak indeed was the woman's body, but courageous her resolve.

Many waters could not quench love, neither could the floods drown it.

Dead was He whom they sought, but the hope of the Resurrection was not quenched.

And the angel says to them again:

I do not say to the soldiers, "Fear not," but to you.

Let those fear, that having learned by experience they may bear witness and say:

For perfect love casts out fear.

"Go and tell His disciples that He is risen," and what follows.

And they departed with joy and fear.

Is this too written? The second Psalm, which proclaims the Passion of Christ, says:

"Serve the Lord with fear, and rejoice in Him with trembling."

Rejoice because of the risen Lord, but tremble because of the earthquake and the angel who appeared like lightning.

The chief priests and Pharisees, through Pilate, sealed the tomb; but the women beheld the risen One.

And Isaiah, knowing the worthlessness of the chief priests and the steadfastness of the women's faith, says:

"You women that come from the sight, draw near; for it is a people without understanding."

The chief priests are without understanding, but the women are eyewitnesses.

And when the soldiers came to them in the city and reported what had happened, they said to them:

"Say that His disciples came by night and stole Him while we slept."

Rightly then did Isaiah foretell this also, as from their mouth:

"But tell us and report to us another deceit."

He who rose has been raised, and by giving money they persuade the soldiers.

But they do not persuade the kings of today.

The soldiers of that time betrayed the truth for money; but the kings of today, out of piety, have wrought this holy church of the Resurrection of God our Savior, in which we now are, adorned with silver and inlaid with gold, and have made it bright with treasures of silver, gold, and precious stones.

"And if this come to the governor's ears, we will persuade him."

And even if you persuade those men, you do not persuade the whole world.

For why, just as when Peter came out of prison the guards were condemned, were not those guarding Jesus Christ condemned likewise? But on those the condemnation came from Herod, since they could find no excuse out of ignorance; while these, having seen the truth and hiding it for money's sake, were preserved by the chief priests.

But few of the Jews were persuaded then, while the world obeyed.

Those who hid the truth were themselves hidden, and those who received it were made manifest by the power of the Savior, who not only rose from the dead, but also raised the dead with Himself.

In whose person the prophet Hosea plainly says:

"He will heal us after two days; on the third day we shall rise up and live before Him."

But since the divine Scriptures do not persuade the disobedient Jews, who, forgetting all that is written, contradict the Resurrection of Jesus, it would be well to answer them thus:

By what reasoning do you, who say that Elisha and Elijah raised the dead, contradict the Resurrection of our Savior? Because we have no living witnesses now of what is then reported? Then do you also produce witnesses of what happened then.

Why then do you accept the one and reject the other? Hebrews wrote those things.

And all the apostles were Hebrews.

Why then do you disbelieve the Jews? Matthew, who wrote the Gospel, wrote it in the Hebrew tongue; and Paul the herald was a Hebrew of Hebrews; and the twelve apostles were of the Hebrews.

Then fifteen bishops of Jerusalem were appointed in succession, from among the Hebrews.

By this reasoning, then, do you accept your own writings, yet reject ours, and these things written by the Hebrews among you? But it is impossible, someone says, for the dead to rise.

And yet Elisha raised the dead twice, both while living and after his death.

Then do we believe that, Elisha being dead, a dead man cast upon him touched him and rose, yet Christ has not been raised from the dead? But there Elisha being dead was touched and the man rose, while he who raised him remained dead likewise; here, however, our Dead One and many others, even without touching Him, rose from the dead.

For many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after His rising entered into the holy city (and it is clear that this is the city in which we now are) and appeared to many.

Elisha then raised a dead man, but he did not master the world.

Elijah raised a dead man, but not in the name of Elijah are demons driven out.

We do not speak ill of the prophets, but we exalt the more their Lord and Master.