Friday, May 4, 2018

Cyril of Jerusalem, Lecture 13, Part B


Cyril of Jerusalem

Lecture 13, Part B


Who has believed our report? And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? ... He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter….” — Isaiah 53:1,7


Summary: St Cyril continues the demonstration of proofs for the Cross and for the Crucifixion with numerous quotes, types, and figures.


Some of these references seem obscure to us in our enlightened age; we must remember that St. Cyril is much closer to the writing of Luke 24 than we are: thus, he possibly retains messages of Christ, which we, in our modern wisdom, have lightly pushed aside.  It is not my place to say that St. Cyril has erred, nor is it anyone else's.


Preview:  11.  What is “the exact solution of this seeming discrepancy”: for Zechariah has foundry (or furnace), while Matthew has potter:[i] for the coins went from temple floor somewhere.  St. Cyril points out that potters had foundries or furnaces to fire the clay: so, both are true.  12.  They bound Jesus, and brought Him into the hall of the High-priest.”  Woe unto their soul, for they have taken evil counsel against themselves, saying, Let us bind the Just, for He is troublesome to us.”[ii]  The Lord Himself will come into judgment with the ancients of His people, and with the princes thereof….”[iii]  13.  I gave My back to the scourges; and My cheeks to smitings; and My face I turned not away from the shame of spittings.”[iv]  For, “He that loves his life shall lose it.”[v]  14.  And having bound Him, they led Him away as a present to the king[vi] of Jarim.”[vii]  15.  Against whom have you opened your mouth, and against whom have you let loose your tongue?”[viii]  Mine heritage became unto Me as a lion in the forest; it gave its voice against Me; therefore have I hated it.”[ix]  16.  And I became as a man that hears not; and in whose mouth are no reproofs; and again, But I was as a deaf man and heard not; and as a dumb man that opens not his mouth.”[x]  17.  When they looked on Me, they shook their heads.”[xi]  Go forth, O you daughters of Jerusalem, and look upon King Solomon in the crown wherewith His mother crowned Him.”[xii]  18.  Cursed is the ground in your labors; thorns and thistles shall it bring forth to you.”[xiii]  19.  “[Concerning] Paradise, I am truly astonished at the truth of the types.  In Paradise was the Fall, and in a Garden was our Salvation.  From the Tree came sin, and until the Tree sin lasted.  In the evening, when the Lord walked in the Garden, they hid themselves.”[xiv]  I was like a harmless lamb led to be slaughtered; did I not know it?”[xv]  They devised against Me a wicked device….”[xvi]  “And that it was Life, which hung on the Cross, Moses says, weeping, And your life shall be hanging before your eyes; and you shall be afraid day and night, and you shall not trust your life.”[xvii]  20.  The brazen serpent is also a type of the Crucifixion; as also was the wood that sweetened the water [of Marah].


[i] Matthew 27:3-10

[ii] Isaiah 3:10 Septuagint

[iii] Isaiah 3:14

[iv] Isaiah 50:6 Septuagint

[v] John 12:25

[vi] Herod

[vii] Hosea 10:6 Septuagint

[viii] Isaiah 57:4 Septuagint

[ix] Jeremiah 12:8

[x] St. Cyril reverses the order of the verses in quoting them.  Psalms 38:13-14  Psalms 38:14, 13

[xi] Psalms 109:25

[xii] Song of Solomon 3:11

[xiii] Genesis 3:17-19

[xiv] Genesis 3:8

[xv] Jeremiah 11:19

[xvi] Psalms 21:11; all of Psalms 22

[xvii] Deuteronomy 28:66

No comments:

Post a Comment