Cyril of Jerusalem
Lecture 13, Part C
“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 finishes his discussion of types and figures of the Cross; he continues with weightier demonstrations of proofs for the Cross and for the Crucifixion, using quotes that are more easily understood. He shows why we must not flinch before opposition. “Remember me when You come in Your kingdom.”
Preview: 21. “The beginning of signs under Moses was blood
and water; and the last of all Jesus’ signs was the same. First, Moses changed the river into blood; and
Jesus at the last gave forth from His side water with blood.” “Again it is to be understood in another way;
the blood for the Jews, and the water for the Christians….” “Our fathers who have written comments have given
another reason … Baptism … by means of water; … a second to holy martyrs … through
their own blood.” For [Eve] who was formed
from [Adam’s] side; “Jesus who came to bestow the grace of pardon on men and women
alike, was pierced in the side….” 22. These are enough for now. “Yet, we never can be tired of hearing concerning
the crowning of our Lord.” “Let none be weary;
take your armor against the adversaries in the cause of the Cross itself; set up
the faith of the Cross as a trophy against the gainsayers.” 23. “You
see this spot of Golgotha! See that you recant
not in time of persecution. Rejoice not in
the Cross in time of peace only, but hold fast the same faith in time of persecution
also….” “Think not of the Crucified as
of a mere man; He is the Head of all principality and power. That Head which was crucified is the Head of all
power, and has for His Head the Father; for the Head of the man is Christ, and the
Head of Christ is God.”[i] 24. “It
was cold … [Christ] was crucified at the third hour;” there was darkness between
the sixth and ninth hours; then light again.
“It shall come to pass in that day, that there shall not be light, and
there shall be cold and frost one day.”[ii] 25. Yet,
at what hour? “And it shall come to pass in that day, says the Lord God, that the sun shall
go down at noon and the light shall grow dark over the earth in the day. And I will turn your feasts into mourning, … And
I will make Him as the mourning of an Only Son, and those with Him as a day of anguish.”[iii] 26. Moreover,
“They parted My garments among them, and upon
My vesture they did cast lots.”[iv] 27. “Before
Pilate, He was clothed in red [or purple].”[v] “Who is
this that comes from Edom? The redness of
His garments is from Bosor.”[vi] 28. “He
stretched out His hands on the Cross, that He might embrace the ends of the world.” “You have wrought salvation in the midst
of the earth.”[vii] “Having died, sin might die with it, and
we might rise again in righteousness. For since by one man came death, by One Man came
also life.”[viii] “For remember what He said, I have power
to lay down My life, and I have power to take it again.”[ix] 29. “But
though He endured these things … yet the people returned Him an evil….” “They gave Me also gall for My meat, and in
My thirst, they gave Me vinegar to drink.”[x] “I waited, he says, that it should bring forth
grapes; I thirsted that it should give wine; but it brought forth thorns.”[xi] So, “Let the Prophets speak”[xii]:
for there were Prophets also in the early Church. 30. “Concerning
the robbers who were crucified with Him, it is written, And He was numbered with the transgressors.”[xiii] “When they looked on Me, they shook their
heads.”[xiv] “Remember me [not] now, but, when You
come in Your kingdom.”[xv]
[i]
Jeremiah 10:12; 27:5; 32:17; 51:15; 1 Corinthians 11:3; Ephesians 1:21;
Colossians 2:10
[ii]
Zechariah 14:6-9 Septuagint
[iii]
Amos 8:9-10
[iv]
Psalms 22:18
[v]
κόκκινος: from an insect – crimson with a tinge of blue, red,
scarlet with a tinge of orange: Matthew 13:31; 17:20; 27:28; Mark 4:31; Luke 13:19;
17:16; John 12:24; 1 Corinthians 15:37; Hebrews 9:19; Revelation 17:3, 4; 18:12,
16
πορφύρα or πορφύρεος: from
a shell-fish – bright crimson; bright purple (much brighter, lighter, and redder
than a modern purple: Mark 15:17, 20; Luke 16:19; John 19:2, 5; Acts 16:14; Revelation
17:4; 18:12, 16
These appear to be two similar
colors, difficult to distinguish in some light conditions, and possibly woven together
to form designs, patterns, or stripes in garments. There description may also be somewhat vernacular;
or loosely or popularly applied; or otherwise limited by the writer’s knowledge
of the manufacturing process. Other similar
dyes were also used, depending on availability and cost; since this garment was
provided by soldiers it is unlikely that the best dye, costing more than gold, was
used.
[vi]
Isaiah 63:1-2
[vii]
Psalms 74:12
[viii]
1 Corinthians 15:21-28
[ix]
John 10:18
[x]
Psalms 69:21
[xi]
Isaiah 5:1-7
[xii]
1 Corinthians 11:4-5; 12:10, 28-29; 13:2, 8-9; 14:1, 3-6, 22, 24, 29, 31-32, 37,
39; Ephesians 4:11
[xiii]
Isaiah 53:12
[xiv]
Psalm 109 records the excoriation of Judas, as well as other mockers,
especially the passersby. Psalm 109:25
[xv]
Luke 23:42
