Chapter Twenty-Three

¹ And the whole multitude of them arose, and led him to Pilate. And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this fellow perverting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Cæsar, saying that he himself is Christ a King. And Pilate asked him, saying, Are you the King of the Jews? And he answered him and said, You say it. Then said Pilate to the chief priests and to the people, I find no fault in this man. And they were the more fierce, saying, He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Jewry, beginning from Galilee to this place. They manifestly oppose the truth. For where did Jesus forbid to give tribute, when rather he commanded to render it as a debt, saying thus, Render to Cæsar the things that are Cæsar’s? And how does he stir up the crowd? Is it as one undertaking kingship? But this is altogether incredible; for when the multitude wished to make him king, knowing it, he withdrew. Whence also Pilate, coming to apprehend the false accusation, confesses, I find no fault in this man. And it seems to me that this very question which he puts to Christ is for the derision of the false accusation. For he mocks the matter, saying, Are you the King of the Jews? all but saying this: You the poor, the mean, the naked, the helpless — are you accused of aspiring to kingship? And this is the part of one deriding, as we said, those that thus accused Jesus, that they feign one so mean and naked to be undertaking such a matter, which needs much money and many helpers. But they, having no other help toward the false accusation, use their voices for support, and cry out against the God-Word. For He stirs up, he says — that is, he raises in sedition the people, and not in one part only, but he began from Galilee, and came on even to this place, having gone through all Judæa. And it seems to me they mentioned Galilee not without purpose, but striking Pilate into fear. For the Galilæans were ever such, seditious, and undertaking innovations, such as also Judas the Galilæan; whom they seem to cast into Pilate’s remembrance, all but saying, This man, who gave the Romans many troubles, is such a one as that; this man must be put out of the way. Pilate, then...

² And when Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked whether the man were a Galilæan. And as soon as he knew that he belonged to Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who himself also was at Jerusalem at that time. And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad: for he was desirous to see him of a long season, because he had heard many things of him; and he hoped to have seen some miracle done by him. Then he questioned with him in many words; but he answered him nothing. And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused him. And Herod with his men of war set him at nought, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent him again to Pilate. And the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends together: for before they were at enmity between themselves. And Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, said to them, You have brought this man to me, as one that perverts the people: and, behold, I, having examined him before you, have found no fault in this man touching those things whereof you accuse him: no, nor yet Herod: for I sent you to him; and, lo, nothing worthy of death is done to him. I will therefore chastise him, and release him. (For of necessity he must release one to them at the feast.) And they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this man, and release to us Barabbas: (who for a certain sedition made in the city, and for murder, was cast into prison.) Pilate therefore, willing to release Jesus, spoke again to them. But they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. And he said to them the third time, Why, what evil has he done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him, and let him go. And they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified: and the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed. And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required. And he released to them him that for sedition and murder was cast into prison, whom they had desired; but he delivered Jesus to their will. And as they led him away, they laid hold upon one Simon, a Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and on him they laid the cross, that he might bear it after Jesus. And there followed him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented him. Following Roman law, Pilate sends the Lord to Herod, the law commanding that each be judged by the ruler of his own province. Wherefore also, as a Galilæan, he sends Jesus to the ruler of Galilee. And Herod was glad at this, not as about to gain anything profitable to the soul from the sight of Jesus, but, since he heard concerning him that he is wise and a worker of wonders, he had a senseless desire, being sick himself too with love of novelty, to see this strange man, and to hear what he says. Or do not many of us now suffer such things? He desired, then, he too, to see some sign from Jesus, not that he might believe, but that he might feast his eyes; even as in the theatres we see the jugglers feigning to swallow serpents, and swords, and such things, and we marvel. For they almost thought Jesus to be some such one. And he questioned him in many words, being so disposed toward him ironically, and altogether mocking him. Wherefore also Jesus answers nothing. For he knows when one must answer, who did all things in reason, and was witnessed by David, that He will order his words in judgment. For why must one answer him that asks not for the sake of learning? and why must one cast the pearls before the swine? Rather indeed, as also we said above, it is of love toward man to keep silence in such things. For the word spoken, besides profiting nothing, is yet a cause of greater condemnation to them that give no heed. To Pilate, however, since he was more candid than Herod, he answers, though very plainly. For when that one asked, Are you the King of the Jews? what says the Lord? You say. And this has somewhat an ambiguous sense. For it can be understood that, Truly I am that which you have said; and it can be otherwise, that, I say it not, you say it, you have power even to say it. But to Herod he answers not at all, as to one altogether a mocker. For indeed truly, according to Isaiah, against the wicked seed, the lawless sons — those then, I say, the Jews — there were both exactors gleaning them, and mockers lording it over them. And that with such a mocking and ludicrous aim he desired to see Jesus, and to behold a sign from him, and with such a mind questioned him, the end showed. For having set him at nought, and mocked him, he released him; and not he alone, but also his men of war, which was beyond all insult; and arraying him in a gorgeous robe, he sent him to Pilate. But do you observe to me how everywhere, through the things he does, the devil is entangled. For he works these mockings and insults against Christ, but rather hence the truth is shown. For through the things wherewith they mock, most clearly they witness that the Lord was no seditious one and rebel. For if he were such, they would not have mocked, so great a danger being impending, and the rising of the whole nation being suspected, and that of so great a nation, and one so rejoicing in innovations. And Pilate and Herod, he says, were made friends. For that the one subject to Herod was sent by Pilate to him seemed a beginning of friendship, as Pilate not appropriating Herod’s prerogatives. But behold everywhere the devil bringing together the things that stood apart, that only he might prepare death for Christ, and forging one accord, and making the enemies friends. Are we not ashamed, then, if, while he made even his enemies at peace, that he might kill Christ, we, for our own salvation, will not keep even our friends in friendship toward us? And since he was sent back to Pilate, observe again the truth shining forth. You have brought to me, says Pilate, this man as perverting the people, and I find nothing worthy of death in him; no, nor yet Herod. Do you see? The testimony of men, and these the one a governor, the other a king, is surely true. Neither I, he says, nor king Herod found cause in him. What shall the Jews say to these things? The judges themselves witness that the man is guiltless; you that accuse have brought forward no witness; whom must one believe? Strange, how the truth conquers! Jesus is silent, and his enemies witness for him; the Jews cry out, and there is none that bears witness with their cries. But Pilate was somewhat soft, and least of all firm for the truth. For he feared the false accusation, lest he be slandered as having released the rebel. For he had not learned to say, We will not fear their fear, but the Lord himself shall be my fear. I will therefore chastise him, he says, and release him — that is, having brought him to soberness by scourges. The Romans had a necessity at the feast to release one, as a favour to the Jews. For the Jews having become subjects under treaty, they had granted them liberty to be governed according to their own customs and ordinances. And it was an ancestral custom of the Jews to ask from the ruler the condemned, even as also from Saul they asked Jonathan. And if you know not the history, go to the first book of Kingdoms, and you shall find this. And they cried out all at once, he says, saying, Away with this man. What is worse than this? The holy nation raged for murder, the Gentile Pilate turned away from the murder — things came to be upside down. Away with this man, they say, and release to us Barabbas, who, being a seditious man and a murderer, was cast into prison. And the third time Pilate releases, and the third time those men cry against Christ, that altogether by this third crying they might confirm their own blood-guiltiness; and the holy and just one they denied, as the blessed Peter says; but they asked that a murderer be granted them. For they love the like; wherefore also they become of his portion, themselves too rebelling against the Romans, and becoming causes of countless murders, and of their own destruction. And these things the Lord foretells also through Jeremiah: I have forsaken my house, I have left mine inheritance; I have given mine inheritance into the hands of enemies. My inheritance became to me as a lion in the forest; it gave forth its voice against me; therefore have I hated it. And again Hosea: Woe to them, for they have started away from me; miserable are they, for they have transgressed against me. I redeemed them, but they spoke lies against me, and their rulers shall fall by the edge of the sword for the unruliness of their tongue. Jesus, then, is led away, and first they laid the cross on him, and bearing it he went out. For none of the others deigned to bear it, since they held the wood also accursed. Then, finding one Simon a Cyrenian, they laid the cross on him, impressing the man into service, and as it were laying upon him as an affront this thing that was abominated by the rest. And this hints no small admonition. For the cross is the mortification and inactivity and immobility of the passions; for he that is crucified is nailed fast and inactive. The teacher according to Christ, then, ought first himself to take up the cross, and to nail his flesh with the fear of God, and to be made bright with freedom from passion, and then thus to lay it also upon the obedient; for Simon is interpreted obedience. And here too the saying of Isaiah is fulfilled, Whose government is upon his shoulder; for the government and kingdom of the Lord is the cross. For Paul says, He humbled himself to death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore also God has highly exalted him, and so forth. Since, then, the cross became height and glory to Jesus, fittingly it is called his government, as a ruling dignity and a symbol of rule. For as the senators have symbols of their dignities, some girdles, some mantles, so also the Lord makes the cross a symbol of his own kingdom. And if you consider, you shall find that Jesus reigns in us no otherwise than through suffering hardship. For they that live in luxury are enemies of the cross; but he can become obedient to Christ, and take up his cross — the worker of virtue, he that comes from the country, that leaves this world, which is a field, and the works in it, and presses toward the Jerusalem which is above, the free. And by the women he hints that a great multitude of the Jews shall believe in him, and many women too. And perhaps the lamenting and beating of the breast is also set for our manners; for when there is a woman, a weak soul, which through repentance mourns and beats itself, then it truly follows him, for our salvation.

³ But Jesus turning to them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children. For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck. Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us. For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry? The women — for the sex is tearful and much-lamenting — lament, as at some dreadful thing befalling the Lord, showing their fellow-feeling, and bewailing the injustice. But he accepts it not, but rather rebukes them. For he suffered willingly; and for him that suffers willingly, and for the salvation of the whole nature, it befits not to be lamented, but to be applauded and well spoken of. For through the cross both death has been loosed, and Hades led captive. For lamentations bring comfort not to them that suffer willingly, but to them that suffer unwillingly. He rebukes them, then, as they beat their breasts over him, and exhorts them to look to the evils to come, and over those to beat themselves, when women shall boil their own children unmercifully, and the womb that bore shall again receive pitiably that which it brought forth. For if in me the Romans displayed such things — in me the green tree, the fruitful, and ever-blooming, and ever-living because of the Godhead, and nourishing all through the fruits of my teaching — in you, the people, I say, the dry tree, bereft of all life-giving righteousness, and bearing no fruit, what would they not display? For if you had some living working of the good, perhaps you would have been counted worthy of a moderate sparing at least; but now, as a dry tree, you shall be for burning and for destruction.

⁴ And there were also two other malefactors, led with him to be put to death. And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left. Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his garments, and cast lots. And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God. And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar, and saying, If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself. And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. The devil, wishing to contrive an evil opinion of the Lord, made robbers also to be crucified with him. But see how he was deprived even of the one robber, and rather this came to pass for the greater glory of the Lord. For the crosses of those men were not even sought after, but on the Lord’s the whole world hangs; and manifestly hence it is shown that the Lord was no lawless one, like the robbers, but the leader of all righteousness. And they lead him to the place of the Skull, where they say the forefather was buried; that where there was the fall through the tree, there also might come to be the raising through the tree. And Jesus, displaying an excess of meekness, prays for them, saying, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And indeed the sin would have been forgiven them, had they not afterward continued in their unbelief. And for what cause do they part his garments? Perhaps many of them being in need; but perhaps — which is even truer — doing this out of insult and wantonness; for what costly thing did they see in the garments? Laughing, then, and insulting, they wrought such things. For where the rulers mocked, what must one reckon concerning the common multitude? He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God. This the devil said through them. For as on the pinnacle of the temple, so here too he says such things, envying the salvation through the cross, and wishing to cut it off by all devices, as he could. And the soldiers offered vinegar, as ministering forsooth to a king, for him to drink. And see another device of the devil, turning against him. For he, by three characters of letters, paraded forsooth the rebellion of Jesus, that it might escape none of the passers-by that for this cause he hangs, because he made himself a king; but this — though the cunning one understood it not, to his own hurt — was a symbol that the mightiest of nations, such as the Romans, and the wisest, such as the Greeks, and the most God-fearing, such as the race of the Hebrews, should proclaim him. And we have spoken concerning these things also in the other Gospel.

⁵ And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If you are Christ, save yourself and us. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Do not you fear God, seeing you are in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man has done nothing amiss. And he said to Jesus, Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom. And Jesus said to him, Truly I say to you, To day shall you be with me in paradise. How then do the other evangelists say that the two robbers reviled him? At the beginning it is likely both reviled him, then the one of them, being of good understanding, came to know the goodness and Godhead of Jesus from the voice which he made on behalf of those that crucified him, saying, Father, forgive them. For not only is that voice full of all love toward man, but it shows also much authority. For he said not, Lord, I beseech, forgive them, but simply thus, and with authority, Father, forgive them. From this voice, then, he that was formerly a blasphemer recognizes Jesus to be the true King, and stops also the mouth of the other robber, and says to Jesus, Remember me in your kingdom. What then the Lord? To day shall you be with me in paradise. For as man, he was on the cross; but as God, he was everywhere, both there, and in paradise, filling all things, and being nowhere circumscribed. And some will inquire: How, when the Lord says to the robber, To day shall you be with me in paradise, does Paul say, None of the saints received the promise? And some say that the Apostle declared the not receiving of the promise not concerning all the saints, but concerning those only whom he had enumerated; and he enumerated many others, but of the robber made no mention. For hear what he says: These all — referring the word demonstratively to those enumerated, with whom the robber is not reckoned. But others said that not even the robber yet attained the manner of life in paradise, but, since the promise of the Lord is unchangeable and unfailing, for this cause it is said, To day shall you be with me in paradise. For there is also such a form, they say, in the sayings of the Lord, in which he relates the things that are to be as already come to pass. As when he says, He that believes not is condemned already; and again, He that hears my words, and believes, comes not into judgment, but is passed from death to life. And others force the saying, pointing it at the word To day, that what is said may be of this kind: Truly I say to you to day; then adding, You shall be with me in paradise. But some, who seem most of all to hit the mark, expound thus: The good things promised to us are not a manner of life in paradise or a return there, but the kingdom of heaven; whence also we pray, Your kingdom come, not the sojourn in paradise. For let none say to me that paradise and the kingdom are the same. For the good things of the kingdom neither ear heard, nor eye saw, neither entered they into the heart of man; but paradise both the eye of Adam saw, and his ear heard of it; for of every tree, he says, that is in the paradise you shall eat for food. For though one tree was forbidden him, yet he beheld even this, and heard concerning it, and it entered into the heart of man; for Adam rejoiced rationally; for surely he did not pursue such labour and gladness of mere husbandry. So that Paul, he says, says nothing contrary. For the robber attained paradise, but the kingdom he attained not; but he shall attain it, when also all whom Paul enumerated. And for the present he has paradise, which is a place of spiritual rest. These things, then, many have many times said; but it is possible to say that, even if the kingdom of heaven and paradise are the same, nothing hinders that both the Lord speak truly, and Paul. For the robber is indeed in paradise, that is, the kingdom, and not he alone, but also all whom Paul reckons; yet he has not enjoyed the perfect allotment of the good things. For as the condemned are not in the palace, but kept shut up in prisons under their appointed penalties, but the honoured both enter into the palace, and for the present pass their time in it, then, when the time comes for the distribution of the royal gifts, are counted worthy of these — so also the saints, even if they enjoy not yet the perfect reward, yet for the present pass their time in these luminous, and fragrant, and royal — to speak simply — tabernacles, even if they are not yet counted worthy perfectly of the distribution of the royal gifts. So then the robber both came to be in paradise, and enjoyed not yet the perfect reward, that he might not be made perfect without us. And this I think truer than all; not to say that even the graces of the saints in their daily wonder-workings might fittingly be called a paradise. And all, as many as, being counted worthy of spiritual gifts of grace, have already received hence the earnest of the Spirit, are in paradise, even if they are not yet made perfect, and have not received the kingdom; as Paul says in the same Epistle to the Hebrews, even though they received not yet the promise. For by saying the promise, he signified the entire reward. They received not yet, then, the perfect promise, yet they are both in the kingdom and in paradise. And do you marvel at this with me, how, as some trophy-bearing king returning from victory brings with himself the choicest of the spoils, so also the Lord, having despoiled the better part of the devil’s spoils, leads it with himself, returning to the ancient fatherland of man, paradise, I mean. For not only as God, but also having taken to himself a rational and intelligent soul, was he in paradise with a soul; and through saving the robber, he fulfilled the saying, that he shall spoil the goods of the strong man.

⁶ And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst. And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into your hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost. Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man. And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts, and returned. And all his acquaintance, and the women that followed him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things. The Jews once sought to see a sign from heaven. Behold, then, a sign — this strange darkness; and the veil of the temple also is rent, the Lord showing that the Holy of Holies shall no longer be untrodden, but, being delivered to the Romans, shall become accessible and profane. And in another way, he shows that the veil which parted us off from the holy things in heaven is rent — that is, the enmity and the sin; for this was the great partition-wall that separated us from thence. And he shows that he was crucified not through weakness; for he who did these things was able to rend and abolish those men also. Having cried with a loud voice, he gives up the spirit. For he had power to lay down his soul, and to take it again. And this voice, and the other wonders, became to the centurion an occasion of faith. For he died not as a common man, but in a lordly manner. And he named his death a deposit, as one about to take his soul again. And by this first voice our souls were counted worthy of freedom, the devil no longer having strength against them, but they being committed to the Father. For before the death of Christ the devil had a great claim of right against the souls; but from the time when the Son committed the spirit not into Hades, but into the Father’s hands, they that were of Hades attained freedom. And that which the Lord said, that, When I am lifted up, I will draw all men to me, is now seen accomplished. For, being lifted up on the cross, he drew the robber, he drew the centurion. And some of the Jews too smote their breasts, and, blaming the crucifiers, manifestly justified Jesus. The disciples, then, fled; but the women, the supposedly abject and accursed sex, remain, and behold all these things, and enjoy first the justification and blessing from thence, even as also first of the resurrection. But do you marvel with me at the hardening of the Jews. For they that said, Let him come down from the cross, and we will believe on him, seeing greater things, believe not. For it is not equal to come down from the cross, and to darken the sun, to rend rocks, to shake a fearful earthquake, to raise the dead, to rend the veil, and to change the whole creation. So that let none any longer be perplexed why he came not down, but let him receive these things without over-curiosity, reckoning that, if he had done this also, not even so would they have believed, and nothing else than the salvation through the cross would have been cut short. For the cross is the glory of Christ, most of all. Having done, then, the greater things, those men not believing, he achieved two things at once: both he endured and accepted the cross to the end, the great trophy; and he showed them thankless in all things, and having nothing good, but mingled together with unbelief.

⁷ And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counsellor; and he was a good man, and a just: (the same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them;) he was of Arimathæa, a city of the Jews: who also himself waited for the kingdom of God. This man went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid. And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on. And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid. And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment. Even if Joseph was formerly a hidden disciple, yet now he does a praiseworthy thing, although he was a counsellor and rich; and he dares to ask for the body of a man crucified as a rebel and seditious one, and reckoned no danger. And although wealth is cowardly, yet he both asks, and buries him honourably, and in a sepulchre hewn in stone, where no other lay; that the false accusers might not say that another body rose. And the women, even if they had faith toward the Lord, yet not such as they ought, but weak and small. For, accounting him a mere man, they prepare ointments and spices, according to the custom that prevailed among the Jews altogether for the dead. And they rest the sabbath, according to the commandment of the law.